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

It's always nice to win a civil lawsuit. But the measures two women in Kansas City allegedly took to tip the balance in their favor are now the subject of a federal criminal investigation. In an affidavit released last week, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Kansas City said a reported attack and sexual assault on the women in November was concocted to force a larger settlement in a sexual harassment and gender discrimination lawsuit against their former employer. The women claimed they were assaulted in this garage in the Waldo neighborhood of Kansas City.

Tagged with: alleged assault Kansas City sexual harassment Waldo

Amazing what a timely magazine article can do. In the mid-1970s, a story about the lack of proficient chimney sweeps appeared in Mother Earth News, a periodical read by every self-respecting hippie of the day. Victor Imgarten was no exception and soon after reading that article he ordered some instruction manuals and purchased sundry chimney cleaning equipment. Clean Sweep Chimney Service had begun. By 1979 it was a Missouri corporation with an office near Highway 94 and Jungermann Road. Thirty years later, Imgarten feels that he made the right decision in picking a "dying career" that gets him out in the community, performing a service that is both profitable and helps in preventing house fires.

Tagged with: chimney sweeps Clean Sweep Chimney Service Victor Imgarten

Economic development is a constant juggling act of retaining established businesses and attracting new ones. The key is not to drop the ball on either front. For O'Fallon's new economic development director it is a challenge she has been preparing for since she joined the department a year ago. Shashi Pathak took on the director role Jan. 5, exactly one year after she was first hired by the city as its economic development specialist. When her predecessor Jim Curran resigned in October 2008, Pathak moved up to interim director. Curran was with the city for a little over two years.

Tagged with: economic development economic development specialist Jim Curran O'Fallon Shashi Pathak

If it is to succeed, the Foundry Art Centre in St. Charles must have a smaller and more involved board of directors, improve its fundraising operation and more effectively market the facility. Those are just a few of the recommendations found in an operational audit of the facility. City officials last year hired Philadelphia-based Global Spectrum, the management firm that operates the St. Charles Convention Center, to conduct the audit after the FAC's board asked the city for $100,000.

Tagged with: audit facility Foundry Art Centre Global Spectrum St. Charles St. Charles Convention Center

Missouri Citizens for Property Rights has received the go-ahead from Secretary of State Robin Carnahan to begin circulating petitions for amendments that would eliminate the use of eminent domain for private development. Centene Corp. lost its bid to have the city of Clayton use eminent domain so that the company could build a headquarters. The state Supreme Court said the blight designation was improper. The firm decided to build its headquarters in St. Louis City instead.

Tagged with: Missouri Citizens for Property Rights Missouri Constitution Robin Carnahan Ron Calzone secretary of state

If you haven't already done so, NOW IS THE TIME to set goals for 2009. You've heard it many times before: The most successful people know that one of the secrets to having what you want and achieving your desires is having clearly defined, written-out goals. When you are writing out your goals, the clearer and more colorful you can be in describing them, the greater the likelihood of you achieving them. "I want to have a new car in 2009" is a nice goal but a better example of a goal is "I'll own a 2009 white Lamborghini with saddle leather interior, premium sound system and Targa top by June 15."

Tagged with: attainable financial goals set goals

A historic Kansas City hotel is blaming a local construction company for "graphic markings" that have appeared in a number of rooms over the past several years. Since the Hotel Phillips opened in 2001, according to a recent lawsuit, drawings of male genitalia and a nude female are among the various scribbles that have bled through vinyl wall coverings throughout the downtown hotel.

Tagged with: hotel Hotel Phillips Kansas City Marcus Hotels obscene sheetrock Walton Construction

Clara Osborne serves cake to her fellow employees at Fields & Brown, Kansas City's largest minority-owned firm, as they gathered in a conference room to watch President Barack Obama's inauguration on Tuesday. Obama, the first African-American to be elected president, is also the 26th lawyer to hold the office, according to the American Bar Association

Tagged with: Barack Obama Charles Brown Clara Osborne Fields & Brown Kansas City minority-owned firm

Washington University Law School's Dr. Cheryl Block and faculty assistant Jo Hobbs applaud as Sen. Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th president of the United States. The law school mock trial room was full at 11 a.m. Tuesday to watch the ceremony on a jumbo TV screen put up for the event.

Tagged with: Barack Obama Jo Hobbs Washington University Law School

Barack Hussein Obama became the 44th president of the United States, vowing to restore the nation's leadership in the world and calling on Americans to take responsibility for rebuilding the faltering economy together. "Our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed," Obama, 47, said in his inaugural address after being sworn in. "Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin again the work of remaking America."

Tagged with: Barack Obama inauguration

A St. Louis inflatable buildings company that won a nearly $17 million arbitration award against a client now is targeting a competitor over a contract for sports domes in Russia. Arizon filed a lawsuit Jan. 5 in federal court in St. Louis against its competitor Air Structures American Technologies Inc. of New York state and known as ASATI.

Tagged with: Air Structures American Technologies Inc. arbitration award Arizon Russia sports domes