MLM Counties News. Notices. Need-to-know Information.

While details of the proposed iron ore facility in Crystal City are coming to light, there are many who feel they are still in the dark. At a public hearing by the Planning and Zoning Commission on Jan. 22 and again at the Crystal City meeting Jan. 26, Bob Niemeier, of Alberici Constructors, gave a presentation on the proposed $1 billion smelter and barge facility. Jack Ginnever, an opponent of the smelter, says some silos and an administration building would be built in this field behind his house on Bailey Road.

Tagged with: Alberici Constructors Crystal City iron ore Pittsburg Plate Glass Co. smelter Wings Enterprises Inc.

A Bridgeton gynecologist says anti-abortion protesters are harassing his patients, and he wants them to stop. Dr. Allen Palmer and his office, WomensCare Gynecology, named members from the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Maryland Heights and ThriVe, which operates the Greater St. Louis Pregnancy Center, as the protesters in a lawsuit filed in St. Louis County. Palmer asked the court for a preliminary injunction against the protesters.

Tagged with: anti-abortion protestors Bridgeton gynecologist Dr. Allen Palmer lawsuit WomensCare Gynecology

Connie Hoffman clearly enjoys her job. As Bryan Cave's chief information officer, Hoffman is heavily involved in developing computer- and Web-based programs to help the firm's lawyers deliver better services for their clients. That type of work does not go unnoticed. On Monday, Hoffman will be in New York City to accept the IT Director of the Year Award from Law Technology News. The award ceremony will be held during the LegalTech conference.

Tagged with: Bryan Cave chief information officer Connie Hoffman IT Director of the Year Web

Now that a condemnation suit has been filed against the owner of the Ozark Hills Park Properties, the owner may be ready to negotiate with the city of Arnold. A condemnation petition was filed on Dec. 30 to condemn the property for a bridge that needs to be constructed over Pomme Creek on Ozark Drive. Certain parcels are necessary for construction and maintenance of a roadway bridge and for the proper operation of a storm water sewer system, stated city attorney Robert Sweeney in the petition.

Tagged with: Arnold bridge condemnation suit Ozark Hills Park Properties Pomme Creek Robert Sweeney

Barack Obama has promised many times that he will have the most accountable administration in history. But early on, he missed two opportunities to show he means what he says. First, Tim Geithner's nomination to head the Treasury Department should have been withdrawn once his weaknesses were apparent. Second, Obama should have never picked Eric Holder to be attorney general.

Tagged with: accountability Andrew Cuomo attorney general Barack Obama Citigroup Dick Cheney Eric Holder executive bonuses George W. Bush Lewis Libby Tim Geithner Treasury Department

Rod Blagojevich, the 40th governor of Illinois and the subject of federal corruption charges including the attempted sale of President Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat, was convicted of abuse of power by state legislators. He is to be removed from office. The Illinois senate voted to convict Blagojevich on one article of impeachment. A two-thirds vote was required. In a speech before the senate at the state capitol in Springfield, Blagojevich said Thursday he never "intended to violate any law" and that his conviction on unproven charges would set a "dangerous precedent."

Tagged with: Barack Obama conviction governor Illinois impeach Pat Quinn Rod Blagojevich sale of Senate seat

Former U.S. Rep. and Republican candidate for governor Kenny Hulshof will join the soon-to-be-merged Polsinelli Shughart firm on Sunday, the firm said late Tuesday. Hulshof, who had represented Missouri’s 9th Congressional District since 1997, will be a shareholder in the ...

Tagged with: Kenny Hulshof Polsinelli Shalton Flanigan Suelthaus Polsinelli Shughart public policy practice group Shughart Thomson & Kilroy

Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Laura Denvir Stith used the annual State of the Judiciary Address to call for "creative solutions" to assist the state's public defender system. She also called for using "resources more efficiently" in a difficult budget environment. Her comments came a day after Gov. Jay Nixon's proposed budget called for a roughly $1 million increase to the Office of the State Public Defender, including money to hire 12 additional staff members. Public defender officials said it would be the first staff increase to the system in years.

Tagged with: budget Chief Justice Laura Denver Stith Jay Nixon Missouri Supreme Court new hires public defender spending State of the Judiciary Address

Eminent domain activist Jim Roos and the city of St. Louis are one step closer to getting a resolution on a question that has been plaguing both parties since 2007. Can Roos legally keep up a three-story mural protesting the use of eminent domain on one of his buildings? On Tuesday, Roos settled one part of his legal battle to preserve the 30-foot-tall mural. The city's Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority apologized to Roos for the actions of its employees in denying him a sign permit. But the letter makes no mention of free speech or Roos' right to protest government action by painting a massive circle-and-slash image overlooking Interstates 44 and 55.

Tagged with: eminent domain free speech Jim Roos protest mural

Two clients of a legal document preparation company are now suing it, claiming We The People is practicing law without a license. St. Louis attorney Neil Smith, of the Smith Law Firm, filed suit last week in St. Louis County Circuit Court against parent company Dollar Financial Corp., We The People USA Inc. and We The People of Greater St. Louis. Smith is seeking class action status for his litigation. In essence, he argues the companies are violating state laws by charging fees, typically hundreds of dollars, to draw up papers to use in courts, according to a copy of the lawsuit.

Tagged with: Dollar Financial Corp. lawsuit legal document preparation company practicing law without a license We the People

Money can be a concern for anyone intending to go to court, but an appeals court decision lessens that worry for anyone seeking an order of protection for their child. In a victory for abused women and their children, the Eastern District Court of Appeals determined earlier this month that under the Child Protection Orders Act, petitioners of child orders of protection are exempt from paying appellate court docket fees and guardian ad litem fees. Leigh Joy Carson, a guardian ad litem, says “You really can’t sit around arguing over fees because that is not [a GAL’s job]."

Tagged with: abused women appellate court docket fees Child Protection Orders Act Eastern District Court of Appeals guardian ad litem