Local News

St. Louis Comes Together to Help Lost Dog at City Hall | St. Louis Metro News | St. Louis

Published

2 years ago

July 7, 2023

[ad_1]

click to enlarge RYAN KRULL The lost dog taking a break from trying to get in City Hall.

A young canine trying to outsmart a City Hall security guard yesterday ended up bringing together more than a dozen downtown residents, workers and tourists, who got the overheated dog to shelter.

I first encountered the lost dog as I left City Hall. There was a minor commotion at the doors as a security guard, as kindly as he could, put his foot out trying to keep the dog from coming in. A woman who works in City Hall tugged at the pup’s harness, remarking that he must belong to someone as his fur was neat and the harness in good condition.

The dog immediately tried to get back inside when the door opened again, and the process with the security guard repeated itself several times

The dog was hot and wanted City Hall for its air conditioning. Everyone seemed to realize this at once and sprang into action. A man who looked to have all his belongings in a couple bags with him began pouring water out of a bottle into a stranger’s cupped hands so the dog could have a drink. The City Hall worker went inside and returned with a Tupperware filled with water. The dog lapped it all up and tried for the umpteenth time to dart inside.

After resting for a while on the City Hall steps, the dog meandered south onto Tucker Boulevard before hanging a right on Clark Avenue. By this time, the animal was ensconced in a countrified sea of cowboy boots and hats as concertgoers headed to Busch Stadium to see Morgan Wallen. The dog was indifferent to the crowd and the crowd, believing I was the unleashed pup’s irresponsible owner, were indifferent to it. By this time, I’d called Stray Rescue and after a few minutes on hold found out that I wasn’t the first person to call about the dog and, regretfully, their shelter was absolutely at capacity.

click to enlarge RYAN KRULL The determined dog tries again to get into City Hall.

The dog doubled back and soon found itself behind City Hall, where a couple of guys camping there gave the dog some more water and walked it around a bit, showing it to others to see if anybody recognized it. People said the pup looked familiar and maybe belonged to someone in the area who lived at or around an apartment building on Olive or maybe Pine. The intel was well intentioned but sketchy.

Naturally the dog headed in the opposite direction everyone seemed to think it lived, making a perilous crossing on North 14th Street, where no fewer than five motorists and one city bus stopped to let the animal cross. Uninterested in the Enterprise Center, the dog made another crossing at Clark and got on a city bus.

One rider freaked out, but everyone else was chill, including the Metro staff.

click to enlarge RYAN KRULL The dog being escorted off a city bus.

At this point a family materialized as if out of nowhere with a seemingly bottomless reserve of energy to get this dog to safety. They were visiting from San Francisco, as part of a trip to see Taylor Swift the following night in Kansas City.

There was more water, a damp towel to protect the dog’s paws against the hot concrete. There was a confused back and forth between the dad and various rescue organizations, between the dad and me, and between other rescue orgs and myself. The family put the dog in the open hatchback of their Jeep to give it some air conditioning. A security guard then told them that they had to move the car because it was parked in a bus stop. So they took off, the dog they’d just met in tow.

At least a dozen people inconvenienced themselves to help the animal. I didn’t even mention the random guy in the Mehlville School District polo shirt, the attorney for the City Counselor’s Office or the attendant at the parking lot adjacent to City Hall — all of whom helped care for the lost animal.

This isn’t an important story. It’s just a dog. There are a lot of dogs in this city, many with lots even worse than this lost one. But the fact that it wasn’t a big deal just goes to show: It doesn’t take much to get people working together.

Later that night, Ryan from San Francisco messaged me on Twitter. The dog was chipped and, like the family that rescued him, he is a Californian. They’d found a spot for him at the CARE STL Adoption Center in Midtown.

“The manager there is Scott and was awesome,” Ryan said.

Of course, if this is your dog, please get in touch with Scott and pick him up. Or if you’re looking to adopt a canine of any sort, reach out to CARE STL. Their CEO Weng Horak says that right now they have more than 480 dogs in shelter and foster homes. A donor has agreed to cover all adoption fees for this month. Courtesy photo Dog being dropped off at CARE STL Adoption Center in Midtown. We welcome tips and feedback. Email the author at [email protected] or follow on Twitter at @RyanWKrull. Subscribe to Riverfront Times newsletters.Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed

[ad_2]

Source link

Local News

Fenton Man Charged in Sword Attack on Roommate

Published

12 months ago

May 22, 2024

Natural Bridge

[ad_1]

A warrant is out for a Fenton man’s arrest after he allegedly attacked his roommate with a sword.

Police say that on Sunday, Angelus Scott spoke openly about “slicing his roommate’s head” before he grabbed a sword, raised it up and then swung it down at the roommate.

The roommate grabbed Scott’s hand in time to prevent injury. When police arrived at the scene, they found the weapon used in the assault.

The sword in question was a katana, which is a Japanese sword recognizable for its curved blade.

This isn’t the first time a samurai-style sword has been used to violent effect in St. Louis. In 2018, a man hearing voices slaughtered his ex-boyfriend with a samurai sword. His mother said he suffered from schizoaffective disorder.

As for Scott, 35, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office was charged yesterday with two felonies, assault first degree and armed criminal action. The warrant for his arrest says he is to be held on $200,000 bond.

[ad_2]

Source link

Local News

Caught on Video, Sheriff Says He’s Ready to ‘Turn It All Over’ to Deputy

Published

12 months ago

May 22, 2024

Natural Bridge

[ad_1]

Video of St. Louis Sheriff Vernon Betts taken by a former deputy suggests that the sheriff has a successor in mind to hand the reins of the department over to, even as Betts is in an increasingly heated campaign for reelection.

“I ain’t here for all this rigmarole,” Betts says in the video while seated behind his desk at the Carnahan Courthouse. “The Lord sent me here to turn this department around and I’m doing the best I can and I think I’ve done a good job. I’ve got about eight months and I’m going to qualify for my fourth pension.”

He goes on, “Right now I can walk up out of here and live happily ever after and forget about all this…and live like a king.”

The sheriff then says his wife has been in Atlanta looking at houses and that the other deputy in the room, Donald Hawkins, is someone Betts has been training “to turn it all over to him.”

Asked about the video, Betts tells the RFT, “My future plans are to win reelection on August 6th by a wide margin and to continue my mission as the top elected law enforcement official to make St. Louis safer and stronger. Serving the people of St. Louis with integrity, honor and professional law enforcement qualifications is a sacred responsibility, and I intend to complete that mission.”

The video of Betts was taken by Barbara Chavers, who retired from the sheriff’s office in 2016 after 24 years of service. Chavers now works security at Schnucks at Grand and Gravois. Betts’ brother Howard works security there, too.

Chavers tells the RFT that she was summoned to Betts’ office last week after Betts’ brother made the sheriff aware that she was supporting Montgomery. It was no secret: Chavers had filmed a Facebook live video in which she said she was supporting Betts’ opponent Alfred Montgomery in the election this fall. “Make the judges safe,” she says in the video, standing in front of a large Montgomery sign on Gravois Avenue. “They need a sheriff who is going to make their courtrooms safe.”

In his office, even as Chavers made clear she was filming him, Betts told Chavers he was “flabbergasted” and “stunned” she was supporting Montgomery.

“I don’t know what I did that would make you go against the preacher man,” he says, referring to himself. He then refers to Montgomery as “ungodly.”

Betts goes on to say that not long ago, he was walking in his neighborhood on St. Louis Avenue near 20th Street when suddenly Montgomery pulled up in his car and, according to Betts, shouted, “You motherfucker, you this, you that. You’re taking my signs down.”

Montgomery tells the RFT that he’s never interacted with Betts outside of candidate forums and neighborhood meetings.

“I don’t think anyone with good sense would do something like that to a sitting sheriff,” Montgomery says.

Montgomery has had campaign signs missing and on at least two occasions has obtained video of people tearing them down. (Chavers notes that the sign that she filmed her original Facebook video in front of is itself now missing.)

One man who lives near Columbus Square says that he recently put out two Montgomery signs, which later went missing. “If they keep taking them, I’ll keep putting them up,” he said.

Betts says he has nothing to do with the missing signs. In the video Chavers filmed in Betts’ office, Betts says that his campaign isn’t in a spot where it needs to resort to tearing down opponents’ signs.

“If you sit here long enough, a man is getting ready to come across the street from City Hall bringing me $500, today,” Betts says. “I’m getting that kind of support. I don’t need to tear down signs.”

[ad_2]

Source link

Local News

St. Louis to Develop First Citywide Transportation Plan in Decades

Published

12 months ago

May 21, 2024

Natural Bridge

[ad_1]

The City of St. Louis is working to develop its first citywide mobility plan in decades, Mayor Tishaura Jones’ office announced Tuesday. This plan seeks to make it easier for everyone — drivers, pedestrians, bikers and public transit users — to safely commute within the city.

The plan will bring together other city projects like the Brickline Greenway, Future64, the MetroLink Green Line, and more, “while establishing new priorities for a safer, more efficient and better-maintained transportation network across the City,” according to the release.

The key elements in the plan will be public engagement, the development of a safety action plan, future infrastructure priorities and transportation network mapping, according to Jones’ office.

The overarching goals are to create a vision for citywide mobility, plan a mixture of short and long-term mobility projects and to develop improved communication tools with the public to receive transportation updates. In recent years, both people who use public transit and cyclists have been outspoken about the difficulties — and dangers — of navigating St. Louis streets, citing both cuts to public transit and traffic violence.

To garner public input and participation for the plan, Jones’ office said there will be community meetings, focus groups and a survey for residents to share their concerns. The city will also be establishing a Community Advisory Committee. Those interested in learning more should check out at tmp-stl.com/

“Everyone deserves to feel safe when getting around St. Louis, whether they’re driving, biking, walking or taking public transit,” Jones said in a news release. “Creating a comprehensive transportation and mobility plan allows us to make intentional and strategic investments so that moving around St. Louis for jobs, education, and entertainment becomes easier, safer and more enjoyable.”

[ad_2]

Source link