>>>ANNOUNCER: DONNYBROOK IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE SUPPORT OF BETSY AND THOMAS PATTERSON FOUNDATION AND THE MEMBERS OF 9 PBS.

>>> HEY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US FOR DONNYBROOK, THE LAST OF THE 2022 AND 36TH YEAR HERE ON PBS.

WE START YEAR 37 NEXT YEAR THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT.

>> LET'S MEET THE PANELISTS.

WENDY WIESE, KTRS, WHO STARTED IN 1986 BEFORE DONNYBROOK AS IT TURNS OUT.

>> I'M A DINOSAUR [LAUGHTER.]

>> ONE OF OUR FOUNDERS.

>> 1987, BILL MCCLELLAN WAS HERE AND ST L.COM.

AND RAY HARTMANN FROM THE RIVER FRONT TIMES AND THE 550.

TOMORROW NIGHT IS THE LAST BROADCAST AFTER 4 GREAT YEARS AGO.

DON'T MISS THAT ONE!

>> AND FROM THE ST. LOUIS AMERICAN, MR. ALVIN REID.

>> OF COURSE, NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION, AMERICA; CHEER THE HECK UP.

[LAUGHTER.]

>> FIRST THE BAD NEWS.

SOUTHWEST IS GOING TO HAVE ITS SCHEDULE, SOUTHWEST AIRLINES ON TRACK TOMORROW AT LAMBERT.

EVEN THOUGH THE BAD WEATHER WAS A WEEK AGO, AS OF YESTERDAY, WEDNESDAY, HALF OF THE FLIGHTS ARE STILL BEING CANCELLED.

PEOPLE HAVE LOST LUGGAGE, HAVE THEIR MEDICATION, AND DON'T KNOW WHERE IT IS.

IT IS A DISASTER.

NOW, THE QUESTION IS; WHAT RAMIFICATIONS SHOULD LIE AHEAD FOR SOUTHWEST AIRLINES?

>> WELL, I THINK THERE ARE SUCH THINGS AND IF I WAS ONE OF FOLKS STRANDED AT THE AIRPORT, I WOULD BE UPSET.

OKAY?

BUT, HOWEVER, I WILL SAY THIS, I AND MEAN IT, YOU ARE FLYING DURING THE HOLIDAYS, ONE OF THE BIGGEST STORMS IN THE LAST 150 YEARS GOING ON AND PEOPLE COULDN'T GET HERE AND THERE AND LUGGAGE GOT BACKED UP.

IT IS SOUTHWEST AIRLINE, AND IT COULD HAPPEN TO ANY AIRLINE.

WE FLY SOUTHWEST SO SAVE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY.

I FEEL FOR THE FAMILIES.

IN JULY WHEN YOU MAKE RESERVATIONS OVER THE HOLIDAYS, THEY SAY A LOT OF STUFF HAPPENS AT THE HOLIDAYS.

>> ALVIN IS TOO KIND.

[LAUGHTER.]

>> THE PILOT'S RUIN AND THE TRANSPORT WORKER AND IS THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS FOR YEARS THEY HAVE BEEN TELLING SOUTHWEST THAT THEIR COMPUTER SYSTEMS IS OUT-DATED AND THEY HAVE GOT TO DO SOMETHING NEW AND THE BOSSES TOOK IT AS A PROFIT CENTER AND DIDN'T UPDATE THE EQUIPMENT.

IT ISN'T LIKE THIS WORSE STORM IN THE LAST 150 YEARS SHUT EVERYONE DOWN, ALVIN.

IT WAS PRETTY MUCH SOUTHWEST.

I THINK THE BIG BOSSES, THERE SHOULD BE A PRICE TO PAY.

>> AND THE NUMBER 85 COMES TO MIND.

85 PERCENT OF CANCELLATIONS WERE SOUTHWEST.

THERE WERE NOWHERE NEAR 85 PERCENT OF THE FLIGHTS.

THERE IS -- I MEAN, THERE ARE REGULATED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

CERTAINLY HAVE TO REPORT.

AND WE'LL SEE.

NORMALLY THE BUREAUCRACY CAN'T GET OUT OF ITS OWN WAY.

PETE BUTTIGIEG HAS INDICATED, HOPEFULLY WILL FOLLOW-UP, AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR SOUTHWEST'S COMMITMENT TO, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE GOOD.

>> RECTIFY IT.

YEAH.

>> AND ONE THING I WANT TO ADD, NORMALLY CEO'S ARE NOT QUICK ENOUGH TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.

I THINK THE GUY AT SOUTHWEST MAEVE GONE TOO FAR.

HE ADMITTED -- MAY HAVE GONE TOO FAR.

I DIDN'T THINK -- I USUALLY LIKE THAT.

I DON'T THINK IT CAME OFF THAT WAY.

>> FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE THE ATTENTION SPAN OF A HUMMING BIRD THANKS TO TECHNOLOGY.

WHAT YOU SAY WILL BE THE BANNER HEADLINE, THEY WILL REBOUND FROM THIS.

IT MAY TAKE AWHILE.

I AGREE WITH YOU, A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL OVER THE HOLIDAYS KNOW THIS IS A POSSIBILITY BECAUSE THE WEATHER IS UNPREDICTABLE, ESPECIALLY NOW.

I THINK SOUTHWEST WILL BE OKAY.

>> [ALL TALKING AT ONCE].

>> I THINK -- >> YEAH.

>> MY WIFE AND I WERE IRATE UNTIL WE GOT TO DOMESTIC FLIGHTS FOR FREE TO ANY PLAY IN THE UNITED STATES.

THEN I WASN'T MAD ANY MORE.

[LAUGHTER.]

>> PITY BUTTIGIEG WAS USING STRONG LANGUAGE.

>> AS HE STRONG.

>> THE CENSUS, LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME, WE NOTICED ILLINOIS POPULATION HAD GONE DOWN, FROM JULY 2021, 2022, IT WENT DOWN 100 THOUSAND RESIDENTS.

THEY HAVE BEEN LOSING RESIDENTS ALONG WITH NEW YORK AND CALIFORNIA AND THEY ARE GOING TO FLORIDA, GEORGIA, THE CAROLINAS AND TENNESSEE.

BUT, DO YOU THINK THAT THE HIGH TAX RATE AND BLUE STRAIGHT REGULATION IS THE REASON PEOPLE ARE FLEEING ILLINOIS?

>> I DON'T KNOW WHY.

THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS.

THERE ARE GEOGRAPHY AND WEATHER FACTORS.

I THINK IT IS ONE OF THE LEAST IMPORTANT STATISTICS, UNLESS YOU HAVE A JOB IN ECONOMIC DEVELOP.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM 10 STATES, IT IS OH, RED, BLUE STATE.

NO, IT IS BOTH.

THE LOWEST TEN STATES IN POPULATION, I HAPPENED TO LOOK IT UP, ON THE RED STATE SIDE, DAKOTAS, WYOMING, MONTANA, NOBODY IN THESE STATES IS -- WANTS MORE PEOPLE THERE.

ON THE BLUE STATE SIDE, YOU HAVE VERMONT, MAINE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

THOSE STATES HAVE A GREAT QUALITY OF LIFE AND THEY DON'T WANT MORE PEOPLE.

IT IS A STATISTIC THAT DOESN'T HAVE MEANING.

>> I AGREE.

I THINK YOU HAVE AN AGING POPULATION IN TERMS OF PERCENTS THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN IN OUR LIFETIME.

THAT IS DUE TO THE IMMIGRATION SOUTH.

I WOULDN'T BE TOO CONCERNED ABOUT THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

CHICAGO IS STILL A GOOD TOWN.

EVERYTHING EAST OF ST. LOUIS, THEY ARE BOOMING, THEY ARE STILL BOOMING IN ST. CLAIR COUNTY AND OTHER PLACES.

>> WITH ALL DUE RESPECTS, METRO EAST IS LOSING.

IT IS THE BIGGEST LOSS.

>> YOU WANT PEOPLE TO BE IN RESTAURANTS AND BARS AND GENERATING TAXES.

YOU DON'T WANT POPULATION LOST.

>> IF YOU TAKE THE ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE, YOU SHOW ME WHERE THESE ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE LIVED.

BASICALLY, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE SAYING SMALL TOWNS ARE DOING FINE AND THEY ARE VOTING RED STATE.

BUT THEY ARE NOT LOSING.

BUT THE MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREAS, NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES, THEY ARE LOSING.

I DON'T THINK YOU WILL HAVE AN ISSUE GETTING A RESERVATION IN NEW YORK AT A RESTAURANT.

>> -- WITH THE PEOPLE IN NEW YORK.

>> I THINK THE FOLLOWING IS HAPPENING, THE TRUMP TAX LAW SAID YOU COULD WRITE OFF 10 THOUSAND DOLLARS ON YOUR STATE TAXES.

AND PLACES LIKE NEW YORK, CALIFORNIA, THEY SAY WE CAN SAVE A LOT OF MONEY BY GOING TO A STATE THAT HAS LOW -- >> [ALL TALKING AT ONCE].

>> I DON'T HAVE ANY DATA TO BACK IT UP.

I DON'T THINK PEOPLE MOVE TO ANOTHER STATE, RIP UP THEIR -- JUST TO SAVE MONEY.

NOW, IF THEY ARE OF A CERTAIN AGE AND I WANT TO GET OUT OF THE HUSTLE AND BUSSLE AND GET OUT OF FLORIDA, I'M NOT SAYING IF ONE OF THE STATES -- >> IT COULD -- >> YOU HAVE TO ADMIT.

>> ALL OF THE STATES AROUND ILLINOIS, BUT FOR MICHIGAN, HAD POPULATION INCREASES.

>> PEOPLE DON'T MIGRATE BECAUSE OF TAX RATES.

>> IS ILLINOIS DOING SOMETHING WRONG?

>> HOW DID MINNESOTA DO?

>> I BELIEVE IT IS UP.

WISCONSIN IS UP.

>> ILLINOIS IS NOT THE ONLY TAX STATE.

>> YOU ARE SAYING THAT TAXES AND PEOPLE HATE ILLINOIS AND THEY ARE ALL LEAVING.

>> I STILL -- >> I STILL HEAR FROM PEOPLE ABOUT THE BOOMING CONSTRUCTION IN ST. CLAIR COUNTY.

ARE YOU SAYING THEY ARE LOSING?

>> THE METRO EAST.

>> I JUST DON'T THINK -- >> OKAY.

HOW ABOUT YOU, WENDY WIESE, THE PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE, ZELENSKY, SPOKE TO A JOINT SESSION IN CONGRESS, AND JOSH HAWLEY DECIDED NOT TO ATTEND.

HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE APART OF A PHOTO OP.

SAYING THAT THEY ARE NOT ACCOUNTING FOR THE MONEY THAT WE ARE SENDING AFTER THERE AFTER YOU KNOW THAT THEY WERE BOMBED OUT.

I THINK HE IS ENTITLED TO HIS OPINION.

BUT THIS IS WAR TIME AND A PRESIDENT WAS COMING TO WASHINGTON, COULDN'T HE JUST LISTEN POLITELY.

>> I THINK HE IS LEANING IN TO HIS PERSONA.

HE IS NOT TRYING TO MODIFY IT AT THIS POINT.

HE THINKS A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK HE IS THE NEXT BIG THING.

WHETHER OR NOT YOU THINK HE IS OR NOT.

THE FIST PUMP, THE JANUARY 6 THING, HE IS SAYING HE IS UNAPOLOGETIC.

HE IS SAYING HE IS REPRESENTING A HUGE PORTION OF PEOPLE IN 2023 WHO DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE GIVING OTHERS MONEY HAND OVER FIST.

IT IS AN APPALLING THING TO SAY.

>> HE SUPPORTS VLADIMIR PUTIN.

>> THAT TOO.

>> WHEN SWEDE -- CAME INTO NATO.

>> -- HE IS THE ENTIRE -- >> HE IS THE ONE THAT SAID NO, WE DON'T WANT TO STRENGTH NATO.

WHAT?

HE SHOULD HAVE A REASON AND HE SAID WE SHOULD BE CONCENTRATING ON CHINA.

WE COULD SPEND MORE TIME WORRYING ABOUT CHINA.

HE DOESN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING TO UPSET VLADIMIR PUTIN.

>> HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE APART OF THE PHOTOS, SO HE WENT TO RUNNING HIS MOUTH.

>> OKAY.

THERE'S -- THEY ARE HAVING A TOUGH TIME KEEPING TRACK OF RECORDS BECAUSE THEY ARE GETTING ROCKETED EVERY FIVE MINUTES.

THE FIRST COMMERCIAL I WOULD RUN IS PEOPLE THAT WERE RUNNING FOR THEIR LIFE.

TAKE IT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT THAT JOSH HAWLEY IS BEING JOSH HAWLEY.

>> HE IS -- I AM TRYING TO REMEMBER WHICH PUBLICATION, THIS IS A NATIONAL PUBLICATION, THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE IS BETWEEN JOSH HAWLEY AND A MIC.

HE HAS A UNIQUE KNACK OF GETTING HIMSELF ATTENTION.

HE IS APPARENTLY, HE IS -- HE IS THE CLOSEST THING TO TED CRUZ, HE DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF PALS IN THE SENATE.

BILL IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

IF HE IS NOT A RUSSIAN AGENT, HE SURE LOOKS LIKE IT.

>> HE IS A FAN.

>> UNTIL IT NO LONGER IS POLITICAL GOOD FOR HIM.

>> WHEN IS OKAY?

>> EVEN TRUMP DIDN'T EMBRACE VLADIMIR PUTIN AFTER HE STARTED TO BOMB HOSPITALS.

>> AND THEN -- SAID IT WAS A GOOD MOVE.

>> MARK MCCLOSKEY, I THINK IN JUNE OF 2020, THEY WERE ARRESTED AFTER THEY HAD FIREARMS IN FRONT OF THEIR HOME.

AND LATER PLEADED GUILTY TO ASSAULT AND HARASSMENT.

AND A COME WEEKS LATER, MARK PARSON, THE GOVERNOR, PARDONED THEM.

AND THEY WENT IN FRONT OF THE JUDGE, SINCE WE WERE PARDONED OF OUR CRIMES, WE WANT OUR FIREARMS BACK AND WE DON'T WANT TO PAY THE FINE.

I THINK IT WAS 750 DOLLARS.

NO, NO, YOU HAVE TO GIVE UP YOUR FIREARM AND PAY THE FUND.

>> I DON'T WHAT THE LAW IS ABOUT PARDONS, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME, IF YOU ARE PARDONED, YOU ARE PARDONED.

I THINK THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET THEIR FIREARMS AND REIMBURSED FOR THE FINE.

THEY HAVE BEEN PARDONED.

THEY ARE PARDONED.

>> IF YOU GET PARDONED, IT IS NOT EXCUSING THE ACT THAT YOU COMMITTED.

>> YOU ARE ADMITTING GUILT.

>> YEAH, THERE WAS A CRIME.

BUT THE GOVERNOR SAID, NO.

>> HE PARDONED THEM AND HE HAS THAT POWER.

I WOULD SAY, HERE'S YOUR GUNS BACK.

>> OBVIOUSLY, I JUST -- I DON'T KNOW -- >> YOU ARE SPEECHLESS.

>> FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 36 YEARS!

[LAUGHTER.]

>> IT IS A SPECIAL KIND OF PARDON BEFORE YOU WERE CONVICTED OF THE CRIME.

THEY BASICALLY ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO PARDON.

THAT SHOULD FACTOR IN.

NO, THEY SHOULDN'T GET THEIR GUNS BACK SO THEY CAN HARASS PEOPLE MORE?

>> I THINK HIM BUT HE RELEASED A WEIRD VIDEO DURING THE COLDEST BLIZZARD IN 150 YEARS, WHATEVER IT WAS, ALVIN.

[LAUGHTER.]

HE CONFRONTED A WOMAN AND SAID SHE TRIED TO CAR JACK HIM.

AND THEN SHE WAS LYING ON THE STREET ON HER SIDE AND HE HAD A FIREARM.

WHERE IS THE PROSECUTOR GOING AFTER HIM FOR HAVING A FIREARM?

>> MISSOURI PASSES THE LAWS AND IF SOMEONE LOOKS AT YOU THE WRONG WAY AND YOU CAN BLOW THEIR HEAD OFF.

>> WHY ISN'T HE THE CENTER OF ATTENTION?

>> I'M NOT MAKING LIGHT OF IT.

>> TRAINING YOUR FIREARMS ON PASSERS-BY WHO ARE PEACEFUL PROTESTERS.

I DON'T KNOW.

AS ALVIN POINTS OUT, THEY GIVE YOU A GOLD MEDAL WHEN YOU ARE POINTING THE GUN IN THE CITY.

IT WAS A RACIALLY-CHALLENGING MOMENT AND AN EMBARRASSMENT.

>> I GOT YOUR POINT.

>> RAY, I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE TAX RATES FROM 5.3, 4.95 PERCENT.

THAT'S INCOME TAX NEXT WEEK.

WE ARE OFFSET A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THE USED CARS ARE INCREASING IN VALUE, AND AS A RESULT OUR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES ARE GOING UP.

THE SALES TAX IS -- >> IT IS A BIG DEAL THAT WE ARE LOWERING INCOME TAX AT THIS TIME?

THERE IS A 6 MILLION DOLLAR SURPLUS.

>> IT IS A BIG DEAL FOR THOSE RELYING ON PUBLIC EDUCATION, ON CORRECTAL SYSTEM, SOCIAL SERVICES AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, THE HIGHWAY PATROL, REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THEY ARE SITTING ON A SURPLUS, THEY HAVE CONTINUED TO UNDER-FUND THE SERVICES.

I DON'T THINK MOST PEOPLE ON THE, WHO ARE GETTING THE SLIGHT TINY DECREASE IN THE TAXES ARE EVEN NOTICING IT.

>> A LOW TAX RATE WILL BE HERE OVER 6 MILLION DOLLARS IS GONE AND IT IS PROBABLY ALREADY GONE.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL MOVE INTO MISSOURI.

[LAUGHTER.]

>> THEY ARE COMING!

>> IT IS THE VISION!

>> RESTAURANTS WILL BE EXPANDING.

>> ROADS, BRIDGES AND GAS TAX.

IS THERE A WAY TO USE THIS WIN-FALL FOR ROADS AND BRIDGES?

WE ARE UNDER-GRADE WITH THE ROADS AND BRIDGES.

>> THEY CAN SAY THE EXACT AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR THE WIN-FALL THAT IS NOT GOING TO COME IN BECAUSE OF THE TAX CUT.

>> THEY SAY IT IS 4.9.

THAT'S THE INCOMES TAX RATE 4.95 PERCENT IN ILLINOIS.

>> I THOUGHT YOU SAID WE'LL LOSS MONEY.

>> I DON'T DECRY THE TAX RATE.

I DECRY THE TAX SYSTEM THAT UNDER-FUNDS THIS STATE.

>> [ALL TALKING AT ONCE].

>> I'M TALKING ABOUT UNDER THE STATE GOVERNMENT.

>> -- THE POPULATION, MAYBE.

>> I THOUGHT THIS SHOULD BE A COMPREHENSIVE OF HOW THE REVENUES ARE RAISED TO BE ALLERGIC TO REVENUES AND HAVE LOW SERVICES.

THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

>> IF ILLINOIS CUT THEIR TAX RATE I WOULD HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AS I DO HERE.

THEY ARE A BIGGER STATE.

AT THE SAME TIME, HOW ON EARTH WILL YOU, YOU KNOW, CUT TAXES?

I DON'T CARE WHAT OFFICE YOU ARE RUNNING.

>> YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PAY-FOR IN GOVERNMENT.

IF YOU WANT TO CUT TAXES, FINE.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFSET IT.

THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

MISSOURI DELIVERS -- ALL 50 STATES DELIVER THE SAME KINDS OF SERVICES AND WHEN YOU RANK NEAR THE BOTTOM, IT IS NOT SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF.

AND IT IS NOT TIME TO BE CUTTING TAXES.

>> RAY, THE CITY AND COUNTY HAVE COMBINED A BILLION DOLLARS BETWEEN THE FEDS AND THE KROENKE MONEY AND THEY CAN'T SPEND IT.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE KROENKE MONEY BE SPENT.

>> IT WILL GET SPENT.

>> -- THE DIRE NEEDS.

>> IF THEY HAVE DIRE NEEDS -- >> THEY HAVE BEEN SAYING THAT FOR MONTHS.

>> I THINK IT WILL GO FOR INFRASTRUCTURE.

>> I HOPE SO.

>> THERE'S A CARDINAL FAN IN CLINTON COUNTY WHO WENT TO PITTSBURGH TO TRY TO CATCH THE HOME RUN AND HE CAUGHT IT.

WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.

>> BARE-HANDED.

>> ONCE IT LEAVES THE FIELD OF PLAY WE CAN'T AUTHENTIC IT.

HE COULD LOSE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THAT BUYERS WILL NOT BE CONVINCED THAT HE CAUGHT THE HOME ONE RUN.

>> ANY RECORD IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL, THEY HAVE HOOGRAM THAT SHOW THIS IS REAL.

THEY STOPPED AT 700.

-- WASN'T GOING TO PLAY ANY MORE AFTER HE HIT 700.

I THINK IT IS STUPID ON THEIR PART.

HOW DO YOU AUTHENTIC IT IN THE BALLPARK?

IF THERE IS NO LOGO ON IT.

I CAN SAY, I CAUGHT IT.

IT WAS A WHITE DUDE WHO CAUGHT THE BALL!

[LAUGHTER.]

.

IT WAS IN THE SHADOWS.

>> I LOVE THE FACT THAT DIDN'T HE SAY THAT IT WAS 300-SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS AND IT WAS NOT LIFE-CHANGING AND HE NOT INTERESTING IN SELLING UNTIL IT IS LIFE-CHANGING.

>> HE WAS ON THE TELE GRAPH MACHINE SAYING -- >> YOU FEEL BAD FOR A FAN TRYING TO GET IT?

>> YES, I DO.

>> YEARS AGO, THE BALLS WERE NOT AUTHENTICATAUTHENTICATED.

>> I DON'T KNOW WHY PEOPLE PAY SO MUCH.

>> WENDY WIESE, OUR LAST TOPIC.

WHAT WERE THE BIG STORIES, IN YOUR OPINION, IN 2022?

THE STORY THAT RESONATED MORE THAN OTHERS?

>> THE FALL OF LOUIS REED.

AND I THINK THAT SURPRISED ME.

IT SHOULDN'T HAVE BECAUSE IT IS POLITICS, PART OF THE POLITICAL REALM.

IT DID SURPRISE ME.

AND I THINK THE MANTAVANI RUN AND OTHERS, IT WAS OFF THE BOIL.

THOSE TWO STORIES, I THINK FOR ME, WOULD HAVE BEEN THE TOP.

>> TRAGIC WAS THE EXTRA VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL SHOOTING.

WE ARE SO NUMB TO ALL OF THE KILLIN KILLINGS.

I THINK THIS WAS THE FIRST SCHOOL SHOOTING.

THE KATHERINE -- EPISODE.

AND THE CHIEF OF STAFF GETTING CUT.

>> THAT TOO.

>> HAVING SEX -- >> I THINK THE STATE, EVEN, AGAIN, WE FORGET, THE STATE IS LEGALIZING POT.

>> THAT TOO.

>> I THINK THOSE OBVIOUSLY ARE REALLY THE TWO TOP ONES.

I WOULD SAY THAT OUR BORDERING STATE WAS THE FIRST SIGNAL OF WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN IN NOVEMBER IN THAT THIS RED TIDAL WAVE.

IT IS KIND OF LIKE PARTS OF AMERICA ARE SAYING ENOUGH IS ENOUGH AND THAT WAS -- >> OKAY, I WOULD GO THE NOSTALGIA ROUTE, YOU LEAVING WAS A BIG DEAL.

THE OLD KMOX IS GONE AND THE ST. LOUIS POLICE DEPARTMENT GOING OUTSIDE OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR A NEW LEADER WAS ALSO KIND OF A STAGGERING THING.

>> YEAH.

>> FOR THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT.

THEY PICK FROM WITHIN.

I THOUGHT THOSE TWO THINGS.

>> AND MAY I SAY, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO YOU AND MARY ON THE 29TH DAY OF DECEMBER [APPLAUSE.]

>> THANKS.

43 YEARS.

>>> LET'S GO TO THE MAILBAG AND SEE WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING.

WHY ARE WE RESTRICTING 18 YEAR OLDS AND UNDER FROM DRAG SHOWS WHEN YOU CAN SEE IT ON TV.

>> AND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE REIGN NIGHTCLUB, WHO OWES THOUSANDS IN TAXES S GETTING A JOB WITH KIM GARDNER?

>> PLEASE REPAVE THE BIKE TRAIL!

>> YOU CAN WRITE US, DON'T FORGET THE E-MAILS AND THOSE TWEETS.

USE THAT HASH TAG DONNYBROOK ST L. >> AND LISTEN TO US ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST SOURCE, APPLE, SPOTIFY, TUNE IN, A LITTLE BIT OF A PROGRAM NOTE.

TOMORROW NIGHT IS THE LAST BROADCAST FOR ST. LOUIS IN THE KNOW HOSTED BY RAY HARTMANN.

YOU WANT TO HEAR THAT.

AFTER 4 GREAT YEARS, CONGRATULATIONS, RAY!

>> WE START OUR 37TH YEAR NEXT YEAR.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

THANKS SO MUCH.

SEE YOU IN 7 DAYS!

>>>ANNOUNCER: DONNYBROOK IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE SUPPORT OF BETSY AND THOMAS PATTERSON FOUNDATION AND THE MEMBERS OF NINE PBS.