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

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FO R ANOTHER EDITION OF "DONNYBROOK".

314 DAY SPECIAL ST. LOUIS DAY NAMED AFTER THE AREA CODE.

HOW ABOUT THAT.

FIRST WE MEET OUR PANELIST.

WENDY WIESE, BILL MCCLELLAN FROM THE ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH AND RAY HARTMANN AND ALVIN REID FROM THE ST. LOUIS AMERICAN.

TWO THINGS.

NO.

1, THE ARTWORK I WAS REFERRING TO IS ON THE PANEL BEHIND ME.

DONE B.. FARLEY'S VERSION OF 314.

AT MARLEY BILLY D. >> I WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBO DY WATCHING THIS SHOW TO REMAIN WITH US UNTIL THE VERY END.

WE H..

ANNOUNCEMENT COMING ON THIS PROGRAM, HISTORIC ANNOUNCEMENT YOU WILL NOT WANT TO MISS.

WAKE UP GRANDPA.

TELL HIM TO GET NEAR THE TELEVISION SET.

ALL I CAN SAY IS I WARNED Y OU.

WENDY WIESE, I WANT TO ASK YOU.

AFTER 101 YEARS, THE COOL T HAT FOR A LONG, LONG TIME HAS BEEN AT THE CORNE R OF BIG BEN IN CLAYTON ANNOUNCED BECAUSE OF D ECLINING ENROLLMENT AND FINANCIAL STRAITS IT D ECIDED TO CLOSE, I BELIEVE, AFTER THE 2025 SPRI NG SEMESTER.

WHAT BE HECK HAPPENED TO PHON DO FONTBONNE.

>> WH.. THAT HAVE TO CLOSED.

THEY ARE HELPING EMPLOYEES GETTING OTHER JOBS.

BUT WHAT REALLY TOUCHED ME, AND I THINK A LOT OF OTHER ALUMS, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY OF US HERE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA, IS THE FACT THAT THE PHYSICAL -- VERY IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIPS THAT I HAD BEGAN AT FONTBONNE.

AND THE PHYSICAL PLACE MIGHT BE GONE, BUT FONTBONNE AND THE SPIRIT OF THE SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH CARONDELET.

AND SISTER JAMES, WHO WAS THE PRESIDENT.

AND ..

SISTER MARY CHARITY DALTON, FRANCIS KING WILL, THAT LIVES TOGETHER IN ALL OF US.

ONE OF OUR GRAPHIC ARTISTS GRADUATED THERE HE'S BEEN THERE SINCE THE YEAR 200.

WE WERE SAYING LIKE MAN, YOUR SCHOOL IS CLOSING AND HE LITERALLY SAID.

DON'T KNOW HOW TO FEEL ABOUT IT.

BUT I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.

SO I COULD FEEL.

>> YOU BECOME REALLY -- IN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE, YOU ARE BECOMING WHO YOU ARE.

AND THAT PLAYS SUCH A ROLE.

>> I WANT TO GIVE YOU MY SYMPATHY FOR REAL.

IT'S HORRIBLE.

FONTBONNE ISN'T ONE OF THE SCHOOLS YOU HEAR ABOUT IN THE NEWS ALL THE TIME.

BUT IT'S SUCH A TRAGIC LOSS FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

IT JUST SEEMS SURREAL TO ME, BECAUSE I NEVER DREAMT THAT THAT WAS EVEN -- WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY HAD WEBSTER CIRCLES AND WASH-U, ALWAYS IN THE NEWS.

FONTBONNE IS SORT OF A LOCK THERE.

AND I CAN ONLY.. FEEL, BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO PROCESS IT.

I DON'T THINK IT'S ANYTHING ABOUT ST. LOUIS, PER SE, BUT IT'S A REALLY BIG LOSS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

>> I REMEMBER NOT ..

I USED TO GET COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE ABOUT LYN LYNN DENY LINDONWOOD GROW ING TOO MUCH.

AND IT'S NOT J.. ST.

ROCKS, LITTLE FLOWER, THE GREAT SCHOOLS THAT WERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> THE SIGNIFICA.. SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH OF CARONDELET AND THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CATHOLIC WOMEN, YOU KNOW, THE CHURCHES HAS BEEN MAKING NEWS HERE LOCALLY WITH THE ALL THINGS NEW NICHE TIF INITIATIVE, BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIPS AND PEOPLE NOT HAVING THE FAMILIES THEY USED TO HAVE.

AT A VERY IMPORTANT TIME, FONTBONNE SAID AFTER THE YOUNG WOMEN WHO WENT THERE, WE EXPECT GREAT THINGS FOR YOU, AND WE EXPECT YOU TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION.

>>..

DENIAL OCONVINCECONVINCECOINCIDENTAL... ATEVER, AND I THINK THAT YOUNG WOMEN DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO GO TO ALL FEMALE SCHOOLS, NOT THAT FONTBONNE WAS ANYMORE, BUT IT HAD THE FEELING ABOUT IT.

LET'S FACE IT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, YOU GET THE SCHOOLS CLOSING AND COLLEGE IS REALLY EXPENSIVE.

THERE'..

I'M NOT SAYING FONTBONNE WAS TOO EXPENSIVE, BUT I LOOK BACK AT OKAY.

..

EXISTENCE.

IT HAPPENS, BUT THINK ABOUT THAT.

.. AND I THINK YOU HAVE TO BE ESPECIALLY IMPRESSION IN A WAY WE HAVE NEVER DOCUMENTED BEFORE TO KNOW THAT ALL OF THESE DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES ARE IN THE WORK.

>.. MADE THAT SPEECH IN 2004.

>> LET'S MOVE ON BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF TOPICS TO COVER.

ALVIN, I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE POPULATION IN THE ST. LOUIS REGION.

SALT LAKE CITY'S POPULATION HAS GONE DOWN.

AND SO HAS THE COUNTY.

BUT OVER ALL THE REGION'S POPULATION IS NOT JUST HOLDING STEADY BUT ACTUALLY DECLINING, AND WE ARE LESS THAN 2.8 MILLION NOW.

CINCINNATI IS GROWIN..

REGION.

KANS.. INDIANAPOLIS IS GROWING, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN ST. LOUIS ARE MOVING OUT ACCORDING TO SANDOVAL.

>> ONE, WE ARE LOS.. ILLINOIS.

AND I BELIEV.. ABOUT MISSOURI, AND IF YOU WERE COMING BACK IN MY MID-30s, I WOULD PROBABLY LIVE ON THE ILLINOIS SIDE.

IT BOTHERS ME TO PAY STATE TAXES TO THIS STATE RIGHT NOW FOR A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.

KANSAS CITY IS EXPANDING.. OVERLAND PARK AND PEOPLE ARE NOW LIVING FROM RIGHT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BORDER ALL THE WAY TO LAWRENCE, KANSAS.

THAT'S BOOMING AND PEOPLE ARE MOVING THERE, BUT THEY ARE STAYING IN THE REGION.

THEY STILL COUNT.

WE ARE KIND OF DEALING WITH THAT.

.. IS MOVING BY AGE, BY DEMOGRAPHIC, ALL OF THAT.

IF I HAVE THAT INFORMATION, MAYBE I CAN MAKE A BETTER JUDGMENT.

IS I.. IS IT VIOLENCE?

THINGS LIKE THIS.

I'M NOT WAVING THE PANIC FLAG JUST YET.

BUT OH, MY GOSH WE HAVE TO.. SOMETHING.

>>.. REASON.

PE.. >> LET'S LOOK AT THE NUMBERS.

THEY ARE DECLINING TOO.

>> THEY ARE LOSING POPULATION, TOO.

ST. CLAIRE COUNTY IS LOSING POPULATION THAN ANY KIND OF COUNTRY.

MY P.. STRATEGY -- WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BEING PASSED AS A METROPOLITAN AREA, ILLINOIS IS VERY MUCH PART OF THAT.

PEOPLE IN ST. CLAIRE COUNTY ARE AS MUCH PART OF ST. LOUIS METROPOLITAN AREA AS PEOPLE IN THE CITY, SO I THINK THAT ACTUALLY SPEAKS TO ONE OF OUR PROBLEMS.

RUMORS ARE PSY..

BARRIERS.

EVEN..

THE KIND OF -- YOU TALK ABOUT OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS, THEY DON'T HAVE A BARRIER.

IT'S NOT PSYCHOLOGICAL.

I THINK, AND I MENTIONED LAST WEEK, AND THEY WROTE A NICE PIECE THAT I WISH PEOPLE WOULD LOOK UP IN THE BUSINESS JOURNAL.

WE REALLY HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS.

HAVE BEEN CRITICAL OF OUR CORPORATE LEADERSHIP FOR BEING TWO ASPIRATIONAL AND NOT TOO REALISTIC.

WE H.. STRATEGIES TO WORK TOGETHER ON KIND OF NOT FINDING NEW STRATEGIES FOR ST. LOUIS TO GROW.

>> IT IS A BIG DEAL, BUT I THINK WE HAVE ALL HAD OUR FILL OF BLUE RIBBON PANELS AND DISCUSSIONS AFTER DISCUSSIONS WHEN WE HAVE A PILE OF MONEY.

IT NEEDS TO BE DISTRIBUTED.

I MEAN, THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT NEED TO BE IMPROVED THAT WOULD PROBABLY MOVE THE NEEDLE JUST A LITTLE BIT.

>> ANOTHER THING, AND I DON'T KNOW, AND I READ THE ARTICLE.

THEY POINTED OUT THE PROBLEM.

BUT IT DIDN'T HAVE ANY SOLUTIONS EITHER.

I DO.. IS, BUT PART OF IT IS OPPORTUNITY.

MY SON.. WITH HIS YOUNG FAMILY, AND THEY LIVE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

THERE'S ALL THESE HIGH TECH COMPANIES, AND HE WORKS FOR APPLE.

THERE JUST ARE.. AROUND HERE, AND WE HAVE KIDS GRADUATING FROM WASH-U, SOME JUST COME TO THE AREA, AND THEY GO TO SCHOOL, AND THEN THEY LEAVE.

>.. LET'S BE HONEST.

A CRIME IN THE AREA IS A HUGE DETERRENT.

BECA.. LOUIS, IT'S THE FIRST THING THAT POPS UP, WE HAVE HAD A WAVE OF VIOLENT CRIME RECENTLY.

WE ARE IN THE INDIA PAPERS, AND NOW WE ARE IN THE UK NEWSPAPERS BECAUSE OF PHYSICIST AND MAT MATHEMATICIAN AND FORMER GIRLFRIEND WAS NOT MURDERED BUT SHE WAS DRAGGED TWO BLOCKS, AND EVERY TIME YOU OPEN UP A PAPER ABOUT ST. LOUIS, IT'S ABOUT CRIME AND VIOLENCE.

>> I RESPECT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, BUT EVERYBODY HAS THOSE STORIES.

>> IT'S CUMULA.. >> BILL'S POINT IS TRYING TO WORK WITH WHAT IS ACTUALLY POSSIBLE, WHETHER IT'S GEO SPACIAL.

>> WE DON'T HAVE GEO SPECIAL.

>> WE TELL US WE HAVE IT AT LEVELS THAT HE WITH DON'T, AND I THINK WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT STRATEGIES THAT WORK -- LIKE YOU SAY, BILL, NOBODY HAS EASY SOLUTIONS, AND WE HAVE GOT TO STOP BEING SO BUL BALKENNIZED.

>> RAY, I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT A PLAN BY CITY LEADERS TO RENAME DOWNTOWN WEST TO CITY COMMONS, AND I THINK IT'S A REBRANDING EFFORT TO MAKE IT DISTINCT FROM DOWNTOWN ST. LOUIS, AND FIRST OF ALL, MY POINT OF VIEW, WE HAVE CENTENNIAL COMMONS, CHESTERFIELD COMMONS, AND EVERYBODY HAS COMMONS.

>.. DECADES, AND THEY AT LEAST TRIED TO CALL DOWNTOWN CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT.

>> WHEN THERE WAS BUSINESS.

>> THIS IS NOT HELPFUL, AND IT'S THE KIND OF BALKENNIZATION, AND EVERYTHING HAS GOT TO SEPARATE THEMSELVES.

AND PEOP..

SUBSIDY DEVELOPING WHAT USED TO BE CALLED DOWNTOWN WEST.

IT WAS ACTUALLY DOWNTOWN, AND ARE NOW TRYING TO SEPARATE THEMSELVES FROM THE REST OF DOWNTOWN, AND IT'S THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING AS A COMMUNITY, AND WE HAVE GOT TO START FEELING LIKE WE HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON INSTEAD OF TRYING TO WALL EACH OTHER OFF, AND THERE'S NO BENEFIT TO SAYING WE ARE THE NEW COMMONS, AND WE OUGHT TO BE PULLING TOGETHER.

>> I TRULY HATE TO DISAGREE WITH YOU, AND I DISAGREED FOR YEARS AND HATE TO DISAGREE WITH YOU TONIGHT, AND IT'S TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE THESE BUSINESS PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO BE ..

DOWNTOWN WHEN DOWNTOWN HAS A BAD REPUTATION, AND IT'S MUCH LIKE THE GROARVE GROVE, ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, AND THERE'S TOO MUCH CRIME ASSOCIATED WITH IT, AND IT MIGHT BE COSMETIC, BUT I UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY ARE COMING FROM, AND MY PROBLEM WITH THIS IS I READ THE STORY ABOUT THE EFFORT TO REBRAND THIS AREA INTO SOMETHING OTHER THAN DOWNTOWN, AND THEY ARE USING A CHICAGO MARKETING COMPANY, AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF OF ALL THE THINGS THAT WE COULD DO HERE OURSELVES, PLENTY OF MARKETING COMPANIES, AND I'M SURE THEY COULD HAVE DONE JUST AS GOOD OF JOB AS EXPORTING THE JOBS.

>> DOESN'T THAT REFLECT THE PROBLEM?

AS A.. COMPLEX, AND IT HAS TO BE BETTER IF IT'S FROM CHICAGO.

>> WE ARE RIGHT THERE BY THE STADIUM WATCHING IT BEING BUILT, AND YOU KNOW, I NEVER CALLED IT DOWNTOWN WEST, AND CALLED IT DOWNTOWN, WHAT-NOT, BUT I WILL TELL YOU WHAT, WE ARE RIGHT THERE WHEN THE SOCCER FANS COME INTO TOWN, AND THEY ARE COMING FROM WAY WEST COUNTY, AND I SEE WHY THEY SAY LET'S CALL IT THE COMMONS AND MAYBE IT MAKES THE PEOPLE FEEL BETTER.

>> CAN I RESPOND?

LET'S BE CLEAR ABOUT SOMETHING, YOU MENTIONED THE PEOPLE -- EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT A WONDERFUL ASSET SC IS AND THE SOCCER TEAM, AND NOBODY QUESTIONS THAT.

THESE ARE THE LEADERS, THE FAILER FAMILY, WHATEVER, AND THESE ARE THE LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND IF THE LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE WORRIED ABOUT SEPARATING THEMSELVES FROM THE BAD PART OF DOWNTOWN, AND KEEP IN MIND THAT BAD PART HAS THE ARCH IN IT AND A STADIUM, AND THEY ARE THE PEOPLE THAT OUGHT TO BE STANDING UP SAYING NO, WE ARE NOT GOING TO BALKENNIZE DOWNTOWN, AND WE HAVE LEADERS SAYING THAT, AND OF COURSE WE ARE NOT GETTING ANYWHERE WHEN THE LEADERS THEMSELVES SAY DON'T GET MIXED UP.

>> LEADERS ARE LISTENING TO THE.

&g.. SOMETHING, RAY RATTE HARTMANN, YOU WENT ON A FIERY TIRADE LIKE YOU DID IN 1987, JANUARY OF 1987 WHEN YOU LAUNCHED THIS PROGRAM.

>> I WAS AN AUDITIONER FOR THE PROGRAM.

>.. >> CAN YOU RESTATE THAT, PLEASE.

IT'S 2024, AND THIS IS MY LAST SHOW ON "DONNYBROOK" AFTER 37 YEARS, AND I DO HAVE SOMETHING COMING UP, BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK -- AS OUR AUDIENCE KNOWS, WE ARE A FAMILY, AND WE ALWAYS TALK IT AT DONNYBASH, AND THE HARDEST PART OF THIS IS WE ARE A FAMILY, AND IT'S LOVE, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO THANK THE FOUR OF YOU ENOUGH, AND OUR AUDIENCE AND EVERYBODY, WONDERFUL CREW THAT DOESN'T GET ENOUGH CREDIT HERE.

>> THEY ARE THE BEST LOOKING.

>> THE AUDIENCE, NINE PBS, SHOWING MY AGE, THE NINE PBS AUDIENCE, HAS MADE THIS THE BEST PBS STATION IN AMERICA AND CONTINUE TO.

>> AND THE PBS STATION PUT TOGETHER A MONTAGE OF RAY HARTMANN THROUGH THE YEARS.

>> WELCOME TO "DONNYBROOK", A FREE WHEELING EXERCISE WITH NO HOLES BARRED.

>> AANHEUSER BUSCH IS ADVERTISING IN THE N.F.L.

AND WITHIN REASON ALONE, TO SELL BEER.

>> I WORKED FOR THE DEMOCRAT IN HIGH SCHOOL AND INVITED ME TO AUDITION FOR THE SHOW, AND MCCLELLAN, AND WE AUDITIONED IN THE KITCHEN.

IT WASN'T A CE..

SOMEHOW MADE THE CUT.

>> ALWAYS GOOD TO MEET WITH YOU.

>> I A LITTLE TELL HIM MY BIGGEST FEAR IS HE'S GOING TO COME AROUND ON MY WAY OF THINKING SO MUCH, WE WON'T ARGUE SO MUCH AND RUIN MY ACT.

>> SOME THINGS HE SAYS I WANT TO FALL OFF MY CHAIR.

>> DROP-OUT.

>&g..

HE'S NOT CARRIED.

WE HAVE A SOCIETY WHERE PEOPLE CAN HAVE PASSION NATURAL DISAGREEMENTS AND STILL BE FRIENDS.

>>..

IMMEDIATELY.

>>.. STUDENTS WILL COME.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES THE SHOW, TO THE EXTENT OTHERS JUDGE IT, BUT TO THE EXTENT IT HAS GOOD CHEMISTRY IS WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT EACH OTHER.

DIFFERENCES ARE SINCERE.

BUT THAT'S WHAT DEMOCRACY IS ALL ABOUT.

.. TO HAVE IN A DEMOCRACY IS A SPIRITED KIND OF -- MAYBE ANALOGY IS A FAMILY DINNER TABLE ARGUMENT WHERE YOU REALLY GET HEATED SOMETIMES AND IT'S NOT AN ACT, BUT UNDERNEATH IT ALL WHEN YOU LEAVE YOU LEAVE AND YOU ARE STILL WITH YOUR FRIENDS.

>> IF WE COULD STOP RUNNING THEM DOWN IN THE QUESTION.

>> PEOPLE HAVE BAD HAIR DAYS AND I ACTUALLY HAD BAD HAIR YEARS.

>> OH, I WAS VICTIMIZED.

>> IT'S THE OPPOSITE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE THIS EXEMPTION, AS THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT THE CASINOS, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL COME UP AND SAY I DON'T ALWAYS AGREE WITH YOU, WHICH IS ALWAYS FUNNY TO ME, BECAUSE I WOULD HOPE NOBODY ALWAYS AGREES WITH ANYBODY, YOU KNOW.

>> NICELY DONE.

>> BILLY, YOU SAW THOSE HAIRCUTS FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS AND LIVED THE TELL THE STORY.

>> I WILL TELL YOU WHAT, RAY, FOR 37 PLUS YEARS, MY WIFE HAS SAID TO ME QUIT ARGUING WITH RAY SO MUCH.

"QWHY ARE YOU ARGUING WITH RAY.

HE STARTS SO MUCH, AND HE CARRIES ON, AND I HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING.

"QBUT TO.. YOU ON THIS SHOW, RAY, UNDERSTATES THINGS.

>> I HAVE GOT TO TELL YOU I HAVE NEVER MET ANYONE BRAVER THAN YOU WHEN EVERY WEEK AFTER WEEK FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS, RAY, YOU SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER, AND THE BIGGER THE PERSON, THE MORE CRITICAL YOU CAN BE, AND MORE PUFL INTERESTS IN THIS TOWN, AND YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN AFRAID AT ALL OF TAKING THEM ON, AND YOU DO YOUR RESEARCH.

"QI HOPE PEO..

YOUR COLUMN ON SUBSTACK, BECAUSE YOU SPEND SO MUCH TIME DOING THE DEEP DIVE INTO THE STORIES THAT'S NEVER DONE ANYMORE, AND I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING, ALSO, AND YOU ARE A VERY GENEROUS GUY.

WHEN YOU AND CARRIE GOT MARRIED, GUESS WHAT, FOLKS?

"QHE WOULDN'T ACCEPT ANY WEDDING GIFTS.

DELIVERED TO CHARITY.

"QTHAT'S THE STORY ABOUT RAY HARTMANN THAT NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT.

YOU THE BEST ON THE NEXT VENTURE.

>..

I'M GOING TO MAKE THE TABLE CRY.

>> I WAS ALWAYS FELT WELCOME WHEN I WAS JUST A GUEST AND I LEARNED A LOT FROM YOU AS FAR AS PRESENTING AN ARGUMENT IN THE WAY THAT GOT TO THE POINT BUT WAS NOT SINISTER IN ANY WAY OR WHAT NOT, AND LIKE BILL SAID, YOU KNOW YOUR STUFF.

I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT -- AND GOD BLESS FOLKS, AND I ALWAYS THOUGHT, AND I HAVE SEEN IT ALL OFFER THE COUNTRY.

"QWHEN I GOT BACK TO ST. LOUIS, I THOUGHT THE RIVERFRONT TIMES WAS THE BEST PROGRESSIVE.

>> ALTERNATIVE WEEKLY.

>> I SAW THE D.C. PAPER AND LIVED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, AND THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST.

THAT WAS YOUR CREATION, AND I ALWAYS ADMIRED YOU, BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT, I GOT LOADED UP AND WENT TO DAN MILL AND STARTED MY CAREER AND NEVER HAD THE YOU KNOW WHAT TO NO, I'M GOING TO DO THIS NICE, AND YOU DID THAT YOURSELF, AND YOU SHOULD ALWAYS BE PROUD OF THAT AND ALWAYS BE PROUD OF THE FACT THAT YOU SAT HERE DURING THE FIRST SHOW IN 1987 WHEN I WAS 17 -- NO, I WAS 20.

>.. LOOK AT YOU.

"QYOU ARE A WORLD CLASS JOURNALIST AND YOU ARE EVEN A FINER HUMAN BEING AND ONE OF THE BEST MEN I HAVE EVER KNOWN AND IF ANYBODY CRITICIZES YOU, THEY WILL GET A MOUTHFUL AND EARFUL FOR ME, BECAUSE AT EVERY DARK MOMENT IN MY FAMILY'S LIFE SINCE I HAVE KNOWN YOU, YOU ARE THE FIRST PERSON TO CALL AND LAST PERSON TO CALL, AND CALL SO MANY TIMES DURING THE DAY TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS OKAY.

YOU ARE A TRUE SON OF ST. LOUIS.

"QYOU LOVE THIS REGION, AND AS CHARLIE SAID, YOU DO SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER, BECAUSE YOU CARE SO DEEPLY, BECAUSE YOU SEE THE POTENTIAL HERE, AND I AM LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE ON THIS PANEL.

WE LOVE YOU, AND YOU ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE FOR US PERSONALLY, BUT WE WILL DEFINITELY MISS YOU ON THURSDAY.

>> KNOW YOUR PLANS?

>> SOON, I THINK.

>> CHECK SOCIAL MEDIA AND LOCAL NEWSPAPERS, AND YOU WILL BE AT DONNYBASH.

>..

EYES, BUT I WILL BE IN THE AUDIENCE, JUST KEEPING TO MYSELF, I GUESS.

>> I WILL BUY YOU A TICKET.

YOU ARE ALL TOO KIND.

"QIT'S BEEN AMAZING.

I MEAN, I SAW SOMETHING RECENTLY THAT THE STATION IS, I THINK, 70 YEARS OLD, AND I REALIZED I'M OLDER THAN THE STATION, BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN ON MORE THAN HALF OF THE STATION'S LIFE BUT ALSO MORE THAN MINE, AND THE ONE THING I WAS THINKING ABOUT, I THINK AS FAR AS WHAT MY PLANS ARE, I THINK I REALLY DID THINK TODAY ABOUT MARTIN DOING THE LATE GREAT PROVOKTURE.

"QAND I CAN HEAR HIM SAYING NOW, IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON TO SOMETHING ELSE.

AND THAT'S ABOUT ALL I HAVE GOT TO SAY.

>> SHOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN OR MISSED THAT YOU LAUNCHED A TELEVISION PROGRAM THAT'S ONE OF THE LONGEST RUNNING TELEVISION PROGRAMS IN THE UNITED STATES, MAYBE THE LONGEST IN ST. LOUIS RIGHT NOW, 37 1/2 YEARS IS AN ETERNITY IN BROADCASTING, SO YOU HAVE TO BE VERY PROUD OF THAT.

>> CAN WE HAVE A DRINK ON THE AIR?

>&g.. "QLET'S BREAK THAT RULE.

>> I'M GOING TO MISS YOU, MAN.

>> TO YOU, RAY HARTMANN, THANK YOU.

WILL SEE YOU AT DONNYBASH.

IT WILL BE A SPECIAL ONE FOR SURE.

>> RAY, THANK YOU.

>> LOVE YOU.

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