S e rv i n g t h e p u b l i c s i n c e 1 878 • W i n n e r o f 1 8 P u l i tz e r P r i z e s
Sunday • 05.24.2015 • $2.50 • final edition ST. LOUIS COUNTY MUNICIPALITIES WITH BIGGEST INCREASE IN NON-TRAFFIC CASES SINCE 2010
Over the municipalities last five years, some municipalities havethe significantly increased increases the number of citations issue for nontraffic matters. St. Louis County with biggest inthey nontraffic cases since 2010 The Macks Creek law, which sets limits on how much cities can raise from court fines, applies only to traffic violations.
PAGEDALE
FRONTENAC
2,500
2,255
LAKESHIRE
800
FLORDELL HILLS
80
71
631
2,000
600
VELDA VILLAGE HILLS
2,000
1,589 1,500
60
400
150
23
495%
500 0
200
1,000
40
379 2010
increase
’11
’12
’13
’14
200 136
364% increase
0
2010
’11
’12
’13
’14
20 0
209% increase
2010
’11
’12
’13
’14
500 0
300 250
1,500 1,000
339
350
192%
545
increase
2010
’11
’12
’13
’14
100 119
185%
50 0
increase
2010
’11
’12
’13
’14
unlimited tickets ROCK HILL
296
300 250
200
ST. ANN
CALVERTON PARK
3,000
4,000
2,500
2,500
2,000
2,000
1,500
1,500
3,000
3,064
150
100
2,000
105
182%
50
increase
DELLWOOD
5,000
1,000
1,000
179%
1,100
increase By Jennifer S. Mann 0 2010 ’11 ’12 ’13 St. Louis Post-Dispatch ’14
The law that limits revenue from court fines has a blind spot:
2,704
WELLSTON
3,000
2,502
2,000 1,500
1,000
1,132
842
1,000
1,025
164%
500
increase
1,795
121%
500
500
113%
increase
increase
Municipalities can issue other types of tickets unrestricted,
Pants worn too low 0 or grass grown too 0 ’14 ’11 ’12 ’14 2010 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 high.’13Children riding2010 bikes without hel-’13 SOURCE: Analysis of data from the Office of State Courts Administrator | Post-Dispatch ST. LOUIS COUNTY MUNICIPALITIES WITH BIGGESTmets. INCREASE INpits NON-TRAFFIC Barbecue or toys in frontCASES yards. SINCE 2010 Basketball hoops of in citations the streets. • Drive through this working-increased Over the last fivePAGEDALE years, some municipalities have significantly the number they issue for nontraffic matters. There’s nocourt loitering described city violations. filled with on 1950s cottages The Macksclass Creek suburb law, which sets limits how much cities can raise from fines, — applies only toin traffic and you will see many edged and weeded code as “the concept of spending time expression HILLS ‘hanglawns. You’ll also notice orange sticky idly” or “the colloquial PAGEDALE FRONTENAC LAKESHIRE FLORDELL VELDA VILLAGE HILLS 339 despite a citywide 20 notes on the doors — at least one or two ing around.’” And, 2,500 800 2,000 350 80 2,255 71 mph speed limit, there’s no playing or per street in many parts of town. 1,589 631 300 2,000 They are warnings the city60gives to resi- walking in the street. 1,500 600 250 Faye Millet, one of the aldermen who dents who violate local ordinances. And in 1,500 200 this community of 3,304 residents, the list wrote the newsletter, said the ordinances 400 1,000 40 are aimed at safety and quality of life. of what earns a ticket and fine is long. 150 1,000 23 “closely Pagedale is in the midst of a massive reAmong the things that will be 100 119 200 136 500 aimed at drawing 20 and sumdevelopment effort, monitored” through the spring 500 545 495% 192% 185% 364% 209% 50 mer, according to a newsletter that re379 increase increase increase increase increase 0 0 0 0 A15 cently went out to residents: 0 See TICKETS • Page 0
2010
’11
’12
’13
’14
0 2010
’11
’12
it applies only to traffic cases 2010
’11
’12
’13
’14
ROCK HILL
296
300 250 200
and some are doing just that
2010
’11
’12
’13
ST. ANN
182%
0
increase
2010
’11
’12
’13
’14
’12
’13
’14
2010
CALVERTON PARK 2,500
2,500
2,000
2,000
1,500
1,500
3,064
1,000 0
1,000
179%
1,100 2010
increase
’11
’12
’13
’14
2,704
’12
’13
’14
2010
164%
500
increase
’11
’12
’13
’14
2,502
’12
’13
’14
2,000
1,795
1,500 1,000
1,132
842
121%
500 0
’11
WELLSTON
3,000
1,000
1,025
0 2010
’11
DELLWOOD
4,000
2,000
50
’11
3,000
3,000
105
2010
5,000
150 100
’14
increase
2010
’11
’12
’13
’14
500 0
113% increase
2010
’11
’12
’13
’14
SOURCE: Analysis of data from the Office of State Courts Administrator | Post-Dispatch
A vision for veterans Where others saw a neglected golf course, Andrea Politte saw what could be a therapeutic place for those who serve.
Were wheels greased for Chinese pork deal? Critics say rewrite of farmland law looks made to order By Kevin McDermott St. Louis Post-Dispatch
all the best in BRANSON 5 pages of coverage in Lifestyle • H1
Our critic picks summer shows to watch • D1 County takes stake in old Jamestown Mall • E1
J.B. Forbes • jforbes@post-dispatch.com
Andrea Politte, 50, hugs golfers Terry Dunlap, 68, and Toby Cotton, 67, on Thursday at the Deer Creek USA Golf Events Center in House Springs. Both men are Army veterans. By Dan O’Neill St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Cleveland police officer acquitted in killings • A3 Gay marriage wins OK in Ireland by landslide • A8
TODAY
80°/67°
Pamper-me state
CHANCE OF STORMS
TOMORROW family photo
82°/69° CHANCE OF STORMS
Weather A25
POST-DISPATCH WEATHERBIRD ®
Andrea Politte with her son Zachary in San Diego, after he returned from a deployment to Iraq.
To understand how one small woman, one big golf property and one giant dream fit together, you have to appreciate Andrea Politte’s passion. You have to embrace her conviction. You have to know about her son. Zachary Politte served three tours of duty in Iraq. He was an electrical engineer and left-side door gunner on a CH-46 helicopter, part of a casualty evacuation unit. Their missions went by the call sign of DUSTOFF, or Dedicated Unhesitating Service To Our Fighting Forces. They operated in the eye of the storm,
Flags are heart of honor at cemetery
See GOLF • Page A4
IN STLSUNDAY • B1
When America’s largest pork producer, Virginia-based Smithfield Foods, was looking to sell itself to a Chinese company a few years ago, it had a problem: Part of its operations were in Missouri, where a state law prohibited foreign ownership of agricultural property. But by the time that sale was made public in mid-2013, the problem had evaporated like morning dew on farmland. In what was presented as a coincidence, Missouri legislators — led by recipients of Smithfield Foods’ political donations — pushed through a controversial, last-minute measure to allow up to 1 percent of Missouri’s agricultural land to come under foreign ownership. That let Smithfield’s new owners, Shuanghui International of Hong Kong, legally See FARMLAND • Page A10
McClellan: The story of the Rojas cousins 2 M Vol. 137, No. 144 ©2015