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

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US FOR THIS EDITION OF "DONNYBROOK", THE LAST OF SEPTEMBER, SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT.

LET'S MEET THE PANELISTS WHO WILL ANALYZE THIS WEEK'S LOCAL ISSUES, STARTING WITH WENDY WIESE FROM THE BIG 550 CAN 550 KTRS.

BILL MCCLELLAN FROM THE ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH.

AND ALSO JOE HOLLEMAN AND FROM THE ST. LOUIS AMERICAN, ALVIN REID.

BILL, WE.. YOU.

WE LOST A POLICE OFFICER IN THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS, DAVID LEE, 18 YEAR VETERAN, RESPONDING TO AN EMERGENCY SUNDAY MORNING ON HIGHWAY 70, AND HE WAS STRUCK BY A CAR DRIVEN BY A HONDURAN NATIONAL WHO WAS IN THIS COUNTRY ILLEGALLY, ONE RA MONE RAMON CHAVEZ RODRIGUEZ.

HE HAD B..

DEGREE ASSAULT, TRIED TO BASH DOWN A DOOR, TRIED TO RUN OVER A WOMAN, HAD BEEN DRIVING WITHOUT A LICENSE.

SOME CONSERVATIVES SAID IT'S THE BORDER POLICY THAT'S AT FAULT.

I THINK MAYBE IT WAS THE JUDGE WHO GAVE HIM PROBATION AND DIDN'T PUT HIM IN JAIL.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

IT'S REALLY A DIFFICULT ONE TO FIGURE OUT.

CERTAINLY HE WAS HERE ILLEGALLY, SO YOU CAN SAY IT IS THE BORDER.

THE CRIME OCCURRED AND THE DOMESTIC ASSAULT WAS IN 2020.

THAT WAS DURING THE LAST ADMINISTRATION.

THE JUDGE, ONE WOULD THINK YOU WOULD CALL IMMIGRATION, AND THE JUDGE SAID HE DID.

THE PEOPLE I KNOW WHO ARE HERE WITHOUT PAPERS OR ILLEGALLY ARE TERRIFIED OF THE GOVERNMENT.

THEY TRY NOT TO INTERACT WITH IT IN ANY WAY.

THEY ARE AFRAID IF THEY GET A TRAFFIC STOP, THEY FACE DEPORTATION.

HERE IS A KID THAT C.. SERIOUS CRIME, ASSAULTING A WOMAN.

THE JUDGE, WHI.. GAGASIMMIGRATION, AND IMMIGRATION WOULDN'T RESPOND TO THE MEDIA, WHICH IS NOT SURPRISING.

I MEAN, I HAVE TRIED TO DEAL WITH IMMIGRATION FOR YEARS AND YEARS.

IF THEY ..

DONE SOMETHING QUESTIONABLE, THEY WON'T TALK.

SO I TEND TO BELIEVE THE JUDGE ON THIS, THAT HE DID NOTIFY IMMIGRATION, AND WHY ICE, THE ENFORCEMENT AGENCY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING IN 2020 WHEN THEY WERE MOST MUSCULAR.

AND OF COURSE ST. CHARLES IS HARDLY A SANCTUARY CITY.

IT'S REALLY HARD TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT YOUNG MAN WAS STILL IN THIS COUNTRY.

>> I AGREE, BUT, YOU KNOW, BUREAUCRACY NEVER STOPS.

IT ENDED UP WITH THIS.

IT'S JUST A SITUATION WHERE IF IT WAS A FAMILY MEMBER OF OURS, CAN YOU PUT ON HOLD WHOSE FAULT IT IS AND THE BORDER AND ALL OF THAT.

MAYBE AFTER WE COULD..

LOVED ONE.

THE .. NAME, I THOUGHT THE FIRST QUESTION EVERYBODY HAS IS IS THIS PERSON IN THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY.

IT T.. AND YOU KNEW EXACTLY WHERE THE CONVERSATION WAS GOING TO GO.

I WISH IT HAD HELD.

I'M NOT BEING FUNNY HERE IN THE LEAST.

ALL AMERICANS.

YOU CAN TELL ME THE F.B.I.

IS AT THE DOOR, AND OH, WHAT DO THEY WANT?

OR WHATEVER.

IF Y.. AT THE DOOR, I WOULD FEEL LIKE I HAVE DONE SOMETHING WRONG.

EVENING THAT'S HOW THEY CARRY THEMSELVES.

MAYB..

THEY HAVE IS THE LAST THAT WE CAN SNATCH YOU OFF THE STREET AND ACCEPTED YOU AWAY.

>> THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE CHARGED WITH, AND THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH SOME PRETTY UNR UNSAVORY CHARACTERS.

YOU ..

I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE NOT EXACTLY WHAT YOU WOULD CALL A SYMPATHETIC BUNCH FROM TIME TO TIME.

HAYSTACK PROPOSITION.

HOW COULD THEY POSSIBLY IN A COUNTRY OF 300 MILLION PEOPLE, HOW COULD THEY POSSIBLY DO THE JOB THAT THEY ARE CHARGED WITH.

IN ADDITION TO THE ACCIDENT ITSELF AND THE LOSS OF OFFICER LEE AND THE IMPACT ON HIS FAMILY AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE HIM, HE WAS SO HORRIFIED TO SEE IN BLACK AND WHITE THAT HE FACES A MAXIMUM OF 15 YEARS IN PRISON.

HE SHOULD BE UNDER THE PRISON.

I AGREE WITH YOU, BILL, IN TERMS OF IMMIGRATION, WHEREVER THAT FELL THROUGH THE CRACKS INITIALLY, THAT IS WHAT HAS TO BE CORRECTED.

HE CLEARLY IS UNDER.

>> WHEN YOU SAY THAT IMMIGRATION HAS TO DEAL WITH UNSAVORY CHARACTERS, NO MORE SO THAN THE POLICE.

.. ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE TO DEAL WITH UNSAVORY CHARACTERS.

>> TO ME, THAT GOES WITHOUT SAYING.

>> WHAT ABOUT .. AND YOU ARE RIGHT, ALVIN, THE FIRST CONCERNS ARE WITH THE FAMILY OF OFFICER LEE FOR SURE.

BUT WE WANT TO LEARN FROM THIS EXPERIENCE AND MAYBE CORRECT THINGS.

I ..

THEY PATROL THE HIGHWAYS DURING THE WEEK.

WHER..

RESPONDING, MO DOT CAN PULL UP, TURN ON THEIR LIGHTS.

IT'S NOT ONE VEHICLE, ONE COP.

AND MAYBE MO DOT SHOULD EXPAND IT TO 24/7, NOT JUST WEEKDAYS.

>> I THINK EVERYBODY AT THIS TABLE IS CORRECT IN ALL THESE THINGS.

.. AN ADJUSTMENT OF HOW WE WANT TO VIEW THE WHOLE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

YO..

PROBATION FOR TRYING TO CHOKE A WOMAN?

IMMIGRATION HAS BEEN A.. FOR A LONG TIME.

FORGET WAS IT DONALD TRUMP OR WAS IT JOE BIDEN?

IMMIGRATION AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR DECADES.

IT..

IT JUST GETS LESS WORSE SOMETIMES.

BUT .. WHO ARE HERE ILLEGALLY.

IT HAS TO COME UP WITH A SYSTEM OF WHEN WE FIND SOMEBODY, WHAT DO WE DO WITH THEM?

DO WE DEPORT THEM?

ON THE OTHER HAND, SHOULD JUDGES NOT BE SO QUICK.

SEEMS LIKE THERE WAS A COMPLAINT SOME YEARS AGO THAT JUDGES ARE TOO QUICK TO THROW PEOPLE IN JAIL.

QUICK TO LET THEM GO.

ONE OVER REACTION HAS NOW CAUSED ANOTHER OVER REACTION.

>> THERE WAS ANOTHER OVER REACTION PERHAPS THAT TOO MANY PEOPLE WERE GETTING AWAY WITH ALL SORTS OF DRIVING OFFENSES.

MAYBE WE OVER REACT BY NOT ENFORCING THE RULES OF THE ROAD.

>> REAL QUICK, THE STORY FROM ABOUT A MONTH AGO WHERE THE HOCKEY PLAYER, THE GUY WAS DRUNK, HIM AND HIS BROTHER ABOUT TO GET MARRIED THE NEXT DAY AND ALL OF THAT, THAT MAN IS FACING 10 YEARS.

>> HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?

>> WE ARE NOT ALONE.

>> I WANT TO GO WITH YOU ON ANOTHER STORY.

MARCELLUS WILLIAMS, WHO HAD BEEN CONVICTED FOR THE MURDER OF YOUR FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE ALICIA GAYLE BACK IN 1998, WAS EXECUTED THIS PAST TUESDAY, I BELIEVE, IN MISSOURI.

HE L..

HERE IS A GUY WHO HAD SUPPORTERS WHO SAID LOOK.

THERE'S NO REAL PHYSICAL EVIDENCE THAT WE FOUND.

THE TWO WITNESSES WERE PEOPLE WITH SKETCHY PASTS AND WERE ALSO INCENTIVIZED TO TESTIFY AGAINST MARCELLUS WILLIAMS.

ON THE OTHER HAND, SOME OF THE PROSECUTORS WORK A CASE THAT THEY NEVER WERE MORE CERTAIN OF A PROSECUTION THAN THIS ONE.

DO YOU THINK JUSTICE WAS SERVED WHEN HE WAS PUT TO DEATH EARLIER THIS WEEK?

>> I THINK JUSTICE WAS SERVED WHEN HE WAS CONVICTED OF THE CLAIM.

WHEN YOU ASK IF JUSTICE WAS SERVED WE BOIL DOWN TO WHAT IS YOUR OVERALL FEELING ABOUT THE DEATH PENALTY?

SOME PEOPLE WOULD SA..

IF YOU HAVE VIDEOTAPE OF HIM COMMITTING THE CRIME, NO ONE SHOULD BE PUT TO DEATH.

MY STATEMENT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHETHER OR NOT THE DEATH PENALTY IS CORRECT OR IF IT SHOULD EVER BE USED.

BUT THE DEATH PENALTY DOES EXIST IN MISSOURI.

IT IS A FACT.

IT'S HERE.

I BELIEVE THAT HIS GUILT WAS PROVEN.

YOU'RE IN A .. TO HAPPEN.

IN..

SERVED.

IT FOLLO.. LAW.

HOWEVER, I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT SOMEHOW SOME WAY MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY OF THE VICTIM SHOULD HAVE SOME SAY, BECAUSE IT'S MY BELIEF, AND ALICIA GAYLE, AND THE REASON I HAVEN'T COMMENTED A LOT ABOUT THIS, ALICIA GAYLE WAS ONE OF THE NICEST PEOPLE I HAVE EVER MET AND HELPFUL TO ME AT MY EARLY DAYS IN THE POST DISPATCH, SUPPORTIVE AND JUST A KIND SOUL.

I CAN'T IMAGINE SHE OR HER FAMILY WOULD WANT ANYBODY PUT TO DEATH.

I KNOW.. ANSWER.

YES, JUSTICE WAS SERVED.

>> YOU WORKED WITH ALICIA GALAS WELL.

>> I AGREE..

I THOUGHT THE EVIDENCE WAS THERE.

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE.

THEY FOUND HER HUSBAND'S COMPUTER THAT MARCELLUS WILLIAMS HAD HAD AND THE GIRLFRIEND SAID HERE IS WHERE WE SOLD IT, AND THEY WENT, AND YES, THERE WAS THE COMPUTER AND THEY FOUND A POST DISPATCH RULER.

THERE WAS PLENTY OF EVIDENCE AND THE FACT THAT IT FIRST LEAD THEM TO THE GIRLFRIEND, HE WANTED THE REWARD, AND HE SAID -- THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE REWARDS TO GET PEOPLE WHO WOULDN'T OTHERWISE TESTIFY.

.. HAVE WANTED THE DEATH PENALTY.

>> JUST A MINOR MINOR FOOTNOTE OVER HERE.

I .. THAT CRUSHING RESPONSIBILITY AFTER I'VE SUSTAINED A LOSS LIKE THIS.

I THINK THAT'S CERTAINLY THE WAY I'M SURE WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE IN A PAST LIFE OR PAST ERA.

BUT PUTTING THAT ON THE FAMILY.

>.. SAYING THAT WISHES BE KNOWN.

I DON'T THINK THAT NECESSARILY WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A HEARING TO DECIDE.

CHRISTOPHER DUNN IS WALKING THE STREETS AFTER SERVING A LONG SENTENCE BECAUSE THE WITNESSES AGAINST HIM WERE SHOWN TO BE AT BEST.

REWARDS BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, WITNESSES ARE.

>> UNRELIABLE.

>> WHATEVER THEY ARE.

THERE WAS SOME DNA QUESTIONS AND HANDLING OF THE MURDER WEAPON.

I JUST THINK THAT -- BY THE WAY, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE DEATH PENALTY BECAUSE I CAME TO THE RECKONING WITH MYSELF.

IT IS REVENGE.

IT'S SOCIETY'S WAY OF TAKING REVENGE ON A PERSON WE THINK HAS GONE TOO FAR.

I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.

SITUATION THIS TIME THAT AT LEAST AS REMOTE THE POSSIBILITY THAT IT IS, I COULD BE CONVINCED THAT HE WAS GUILTY OF THIS CRIME, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT.

MAYBE THAT'S ENOUGH THAT -- BY THE WAY, IT'S SHAMEFUL, BUT HE WOULD HAVE HAD A BETTER CHANCE OF BEING COMMUTED TO A LIFE SENTENCE IF IT WASN'T AN ELECTION YEAR.

>> I DON'T KNOW ABOU..

I AGREE WITH MUCH OF WHAT YOU SAY.

DEFENSE ATTORNEY SAID LATER THAT AT THE TIME OF THE TRIAL HE, THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY, WAS OVERWHELMED WITH WORK, AND DIDN'T PROVIDE A DECENT DEFENSE FROM MARCELLUS WILLIAMS.

IF MARCELLUS WILLIAMS HAD THE MONEY OF OJ HE MIGHT HAVE HAD JOHNNY COCHRAN WORKING WITH HIM.

>> HE HAD A FINE DEFENSE ATTORNEY, AND I THINK THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY WAS SAYING MORE OR LESS TO HELP OUT, THAT HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE A JERK.

HE'S A JUDGE NOW, BUT HE WAS A DEFENSE ATTORNEY.

SO I DIDN'T PUT A LOT OF STOCK IN THAT.

>> THIS IS ALSO WHY ..

PROSECUTORS SHOULD NOT DECLARE THAT I WOULD NEVER GIVE ANYBODY TO SEEK A DEATH SENTENCE EVEN IF YOU KNOW YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEEK A DEATH SENTENCE BECAUSE WESLEY BELL'S PLEAS FALL ON DEAF EARS BECAUSE YOU ARE AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY.

I THINK IT HURT HIS CASE..

TRYING TO HELP MARCELLUS WMENTS.

>> IF SOCIAL MEDIA IS ANY GAUGE, WHAT I SAW AFTER THE EXECUTION THAT NIGHT, WE ARE JUST NOT -- I DON'T KNOW THAT EVEN THE MOST PRO DEATH PENALTY PERSON DOESN'T HAVE THAT MOMENT OF WOW, I HOPE WE GOT IT RIGHT.

WE POINT OUT -- WE ARE VERY QUICK TO POINT OUT BARBERRISM IN OTHER COUNTRIES.

WHEN WE HAVE THESE MOMENTS.. ARE NOT 100% COMFORTABLE.

>> ALVIN, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT PAINT LOUIS WHICH IS AN ANNUAL TRADITION IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA WHERE TWO OR MAYBE THREE MILES OF FLOOD WALL ARE PAINTED IN SEPTEMBER BY ARTISTS WHO CAME ALL OVER THE WORLD.

BUT MARY LIEU GREEN FORMALLY KNOWN ASPIRATION BRIGHT SIDE.

THEY PLANT FLOWERS AND ALSO REMOVE GRAFFITI.

SHE SAID EVERY YEAR WE HAVE PAINT LOUIS AND THE VANDALISM THROUGH GRAFFITI INCREASES IN THE CITY.

THERE WERE A COUPLE OF.. OWNERS WHO SAID OUR $5,000 MURALS WERE DESTROYED BY GRAFFITI ARTISTS AND SEEMED TO COINCIDE WITH PAINT LOUIS.

AND THE HEAD OF PAINT LOUIS SAID WE ARE BEINGVILLE AINIZE BEING VILLANNIZED HERE.

>> PAINT LOUIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS GROWN OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND IT'S VERY, VERY POPULAR.

I .. SHOULD TRY TO DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN.

I DO.. THAT'S ENOUGH OF THAT.

I THINK THAT'S OUR REACTION TO A LOT OF THINGS.

LET'S NOT HAVE THE FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION DOWNTOWN BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO SHOOT EACH OTHER AFTERWARDS.

WE MOVE ON.

WE FIGURE IT OUT.

>> HOW ABOUT CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, ALVIN, HOW ABOUT IF YOU FIND ONE OF THE TAGGERS WHO HAS COME TO TOWN AND THERE'S NO MORE ROOM ON THE RIVER WALL OR HE'S GOT HIS LITTLE -- OR SHE HAS HER LITTLE CHUNK OF IT, AND HE OR SHE GOES AND TAGS SOME BUILDING.

WHAT.. >> THAT'S A CRIMINAL DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY FROM WHICH YOU WOULD PROBABLY GET PROBATION OR WHATEVER.

I DO.. CAN DO OTHER THAN PAY RESTITUTION TO PAY FOR WHATEVER IT COSTS TO REPAIR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.

.. THAT YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE AND REALLY WANT TO COME TO THE CITY FOR.

>> OKAY, MR. KIRKWOOD HIGH SCHOOL.

IF I HAD A CAN OF SPRAY PAINT WITH 100 YARDS AT YOUR HOUSE, YOU WOULD CALL THE KIRKWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT.

>> I W.. >> YOU WOULD CALL ICE.

>> I SHOE I SHOULD HAVE SPOKE UP.

WOND..

THEM PAINTING ST. LOUIS ALL OVER.

WANT TO BE VILLANNIZED, BUT YOU EARNED IT, YOU ARE THE ONE THAT SET UP THIS EVENT INVITING GRAFFITI ARTISTS IN TOWN.

DID YOU THINK THEY WERE JUST GOING TO STAY THERE BECAUSE GRAFFITI ARTISTS ARE KNOWN FOR CONSTRAINT AND NEVER TRESPASSING.

IF YOU DID NEVER FOR.. WHAT ABOUT PAINT ST. LOUIS PAYING FOR IT, BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE PAY TO GET THE MURALS PAINTED AND NOW SOMEBODY COMES AND DOES IT, AND NOW WE ARE TO APPLAUD THE INVENTIVENESS AND INGENUITY.

>&g..

FORWARD, THAT THEY WOULD DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO SPONSOR SITUATION WHERE THE SPONSORS AND THAT MONEY WOULD BE USED TO PAY FOR ANY CLEANUP, AND THEY ARE NOT GOING TO ASK ANY OF THE ARTIST TATTERS TO RETURN IF THEY ARE FOUND TO BE RESPONSIBLE.

>> THANK YOU, WENDY.

PLET ME ASK YOU ANOTHER TOPIC.

KEISHA SCARLETT IS THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR THE ST. LOUIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

BACK IN THE SUMMER IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT A $17 MILLION BUDGET SURPLUS HAD BECOME A $35 MILLION DEFICIT.

THE TRANSPORTA..

COMPLETE CHAOS.

THE CENTRAL STATE'S BUS COMPANY SUSPENDED ITS CONTRACT AND SAID WE ARE NOT GOING TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE ANYMORE.

THIS YEAR WE FOUND OUT THAT KIDS HAD A LOT OF DIFFICULTY GETTING TO SCHOOL IF AT ALL.

SOME HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO APPARENTLY THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS.

SHE .. NOW SHE'S BEEN FIRED, BUT SHE'S APPEALING, AND AT THE SAME MEETING WHERE ALL THIS TOOK PLACE, THE SCHOOL BOARD ANNOUNCED A TAX HIKE.

WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?

>> THIS IS COMPLETE CHAOS AND ANARCHY AND YOU ARE GOING TO BE PAYING MORE FOR THE PLEASURE.

IT IS SO INCREDIBLE.

IT IS ABSOLUTELY SURREAL TO READ THESE STORIES.

I UNDERS.. CONTRACT.

KATIE .. WANT ME GONE.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A NEGOTIATION.

I DO.. OF JUST DERELICTION OF DUTY THAT YOU CAN LOOK YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR.

SH.. JOB.

NO, YOU DID A .. FRIENDS.

.. CLUTCHING, THAT'S EVEN MORE HILARIOUS BECAUSE YOU HIRED AN UNNAMED INVESTIGATOR AFTER JULY WHEN SHE HAD JUST ARRIVED.

DID YOU DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE YOU HIRED?

IT'S HARD TO TELL CAN WHICH END IS UP HERE.

>> IN THE RELEASE BY THE SCHOOL BOARD SHE SAID THEY WERE GOING TO MOVE TO TERMINATE HER CONTRACT FOR CAUSE.

IT CAN'T BE CAUSE YOU DID YOUR JOB POORLY BECAUSE YOU OWE THE PERSON THE CONTRACT.

THEY SAID WE DON'T LIKE HOW YOU ARE DOING YOUR JOB.

WHATEVER THE INVESTIGATORS FOUND, THEY FEEL AS THOUGH IT'S SOMETHING WE COULD JUST LET YOU GO.

AND THAT'S WHY SHE'S APPEALING, WHICH IS PART OF THE CONTRACT, TOO, BECAUSE SHE WILL PROBABLY GET A SETTLEMENT, AND THUS THE NEXT BIG STORY WILL BE HOW MUCH THAT SETTLEMENT IS.

EVERYBODY WILL BE UPSET ABOUT THAT.

BUT THE BOAR..

RIGHT NOW I DOUBT SERIOUSLY WILL BE THE SITTING BOARD TWO YEARS FROM NOW AFTER WE HAVE A ROUND OF ELECTIONS.

THE VOTERS HAD A SAY AND I'M SURE THE VOTERS HAVE HAD ENOUGH.

>> I'M NOT SURE WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT THIS POINTING FINGERS.

THROW A ..

HITS, BLAME THEM FOR SOMETHING.

I WILL NOT BE SATISFIED UNTIL THE MISSOURI AUDITOR FINISHES THE AUDIT AND HANDS OVER THE FINDINGS OF THAT AUDIT, MY GUESS, TO POLICE AUTHORITIES, LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES, BECAUSE I WILL BE SHOCKED AND AMAZED IF THERE'S NOT SOME SORT OF GRAPH AND GRIFT AND SOME SORT OF SCAM THAT GOT PLAYED.

HOW DO YOU LOSE 40, $50 MILLION IN A YEAR.

YOU ALMOST HAVE TO BE SETTING BILLS ON FIRE.

I'M HOPING FITZPATRICK, THE AUDITOR KEEP WORKING, KEEP YOUR PEOPLE ON THIS, FIND OUT.

WHEN THE BOARD COMES UP FOR ELECTION, EVERYBODY IN THE CITY, AND I'M ONE OF THOSE TAXPAYERS, WHO IS GETTING THAT, SHOULD REMEMBER THAT IT WAS THIS BOARD THAT HIRED THAT SUPERINTENDENT AND SHOULD ACT ACCORDINGLY.

>> IT WAS THIS BOARD WHO WON'T EVEN TELL WHO THE INVESTIGATORS WERE OR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE.

NOBODY TALKED TO ME.

I MEAN, IT'S REALLY.

>> OR THE BOARD WHICH IN AUGUST SAID THAT THEY HAD 19,400 STUDENTS THAT WAS GOING UP, A RECORD.

NOW THEY ANNOUNCE WITHOUT TELLING BLYTHE WHY THEY HAVE 18,000.

THEY.. >> LET'S MOVE ON.

>> SUPERINTENDENT WILL BE GONE AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL Y.. TOO.

>> ALVIN, I WA.. ABOUT JD POWERS WHICH RANKS EVERYTHING, AND AIRPORTS AS WELL.

AIRPORTS, ST. LOUIS'S LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CAME IN THIRD FROM THE BOTTOM, AHEAD OF PHILLY AND MONTREAL BUT CAME IN 27th OUT OF 30, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BAD RANKING WARRANTED?

I FLY THROUGH THE AIRPORT AND HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH IT.

>> I ALWAYS THOUGHT MAYBE THIS WAS JUST A ME THING.

BUT WHEREVER I FLY TO AND GET FOR THAT AIRPORT AND YOU ARE IN IT TWICE WHEN YOU ARRIVE THERE AND WHEN YOU COME BACK, AND I COME BACK TO ST. LOUIS AND SAY GOD, THE AIRPORT IS SAD.

I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT.

WHOEVER DID THESE RANKINGS PROBABLY FELT THE SAME WAY.

I'M VERY, VERY DISMAYED WITH OUR AIRPORT.

IT'S FUNCTIONAL.

>> IT IS FUNCTIONAL.

>> BUT IT DOESN'T EXCITE YOU.

>> IT'S FUNCTIONAL, NOT FUN.

>> HERE IS THE THING.

FIRST OF ALL, I THINK WE ARE A BAD JUDGE OF OUR OWN AIRPORT.

BECAUSE I DON'T SPEND ANY TIME HANGING OUT THERE.

WHEN I FLY IN, I DON'T WAIT FOR A MEAL THERE.

I WILL GRAB SOMETHING TO EAT BEFORE I GO HOME.

TO ME, AND I GUESS PEOPLE WANT DIFFERENT THINGS, I WANT MY FLIGHT TO ARRIVE ON TIME.

I WANT THEM TO GET ME TO THE CAR OR CAB, AND I WANT TO GET OUT OF THERE.

FUNCTIONAL I.. YOU.

>> MAYBE BECAUSE I FLY SO OFTEN TO PHILADELPHIA AND MONTREAL, I LIKE THIS AIRPORT.

I DON'T THINK ANY AIRPORTS ARE GOOD.

FLYING I.. ANYMORE.

>.. >> I THINK OUR AIRPORT IS FINE.

>> POINT A TO POINT B.

>> IN THE LADIES LOUNGE, THERE IS A GOOD, YOU KNOW, PRIVACY -- THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS PRIVACY IN THE LADIES REST ROOM.

THERE'S THIS MUCH GAPPING -- IT'S JUST TERRIBLE.

YOU GUYS WOULDN'T KNOW THAT.

THERE ARE SOME AIRPORTS WHERE THERE IS -- IT'S SEALED.

YOU COULD HAVE DEAD BODIES IN THE BATHROOM, AND NOBODY WOULD KNOW.

A FAMILY OF 15.. OF THE STALLS AND NOBODY WOULD KNOW.

IF THEY COULD .. WOULD APPRECIATE IT.

>> ONE MORE TOPIC TO GO AND A MINUTE TO COVER IT.

THE ARMORY, WHICH JUST MIGHT BE OR SHOULD I SAY WAS THE LARGETTES BAR IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI OPENED A GREAT FANFARE JUST TWO YEARS AGO AND CLOSED SUDDENLY THIS WEEK.

IT HAD TO HAVE BEEN THE LACK OF PEOPLE GOING IN AND SPENDING MONEY.

THERE'S NO OTHER REASON TO CLOSE A BAR, CORRECT?

>> YOU SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN BARS.

&g..

BUT NOT THIS ONE.

YOU ARE ASKING ME ABOUT A BAR I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO, BUT WHEN I HAD FRIENDS COME IN FROM FLORIDA AND SAN DIEGO FOR A FAMILY REUNION A MONTH OR SO AGO THEY WENT ON TIKTOK, AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE SAID THE ARMORY.

I SAID I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE ARMORY.

THEY CAME BACK AND SAID WE MUST HAVE HIT IT ON AN OFFSITE.

THERE WAS NOBODY THERE.

>> I THINK IT'S BECAUSE IT GOT SO MUCH PUBLICITY.

TO ME, I NEVER BLIN BLINK WHEN A BAR OR RESTAURANT CLOSED.

>> IN TWO YEARS?

>> WHEN IT CAME OUT TO GREAT FANFARE, SOMETHING IS GOING ON.

MAYBE IT'S THE DEVELOPER GREEN STREAK, OR MAYBE IT'S SECURITY.

>> BLAME THE MEDIA FOR THE FANFARE.

>.. >> I HATE THE FACT THAT THEY SAY THE CLOSING IS TEMPORARY WHILE THEY, YOU KNOW, COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT BUSINESS PLAN WHICH BASICALLY MEANS WE'RE CLOSED.

I HOPE I'M WRONG.

>> LET'S GO TO THE MAILBAG AND SEE WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY ABOUT LAST WEEK'S SHOW.

RENE WROTE ALL OF US WHO LIVE IN THE CITY HAVE HAD TO PLAY POTHOLE SLALOM.

WE HEARD FROM TOM OF OWENSVILLE.

PANELISTS SHOULD SHAKE IT UP AND SIT IN DIFFERENT CHAIRS.

RIGHT NOW IT'S BEEN ONE MEN ON ONE SIDE AND WOMEN ON THE OTHER.

IT'S LIKE CHURCH WITH RESERVED PEWS.

MI.. CINDY WROTE I REALLY ENJOY WATCHING THE SHOW AND LOOKING FORWARD TO IT EACH WEEK.

I ALSO LIKE CHARLIE'S NEW LOOK.

YOU CAN WRITE US.

DON'T FORGET THE E-MAILS "DONNYBROOK" AT NINE PBS.ORG AND HASHTAG "DONNYBROOK" STL, AND THE NINE LINE IS AWAITING YOUR CALYOURCALL.

MAYBE CINDY B WAS SUPER MODEL CINDY BRINKLEY.

IT'S POSSIBLE.

>> BILLY JOEL IS IN TOWN THIS WEEKEND.

TH..

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> NEVER..

IT COULD BE CINDY BRINKLEY FROM BANK OF AMERICA.

THANK YO..

US.

>.. BY THE SUPPORT OF THE BETSY AND THOMAS PATTERSON FOUNDATION AND THE MEMBERS OF NINE PBS.