Prarie Home Companion Visits St. Louis

Garrison Keillor and his Prairie Home Companion are in St. Louis this week. Keillor and his crew are entertaining an audience at the Fox Theatre as I write this.

Keillor is no stranger to St. Louis having played here several times in the past. And he certainly got the crowd involved in the performance shortly after the start of the second hour. Keillor, asked the large crowd if they knew of "The Missouri Waltz". It responded with a huge roar. Keillor is probably unaware the official state song of Missouri is played several times at each Mizzou home football and basketball game. But, he didn't sing the song as originally written. He modified the line following the lyrics "the banjos were strumming". And Keillor also got a huge cheer when he made reference to Albert Pujols breaking a light in a sign at Busch Stadium during the Cardinals last home stand.

About 3500 people are attending the show, which was sponsored by KWMU radio which airs it locally.

Lee Enterprises Wanting More...More...More

Lee Enterprises is asking it's employees at the "St. Louis Post-Dispatch" for more in the way of concessions. Lee, whose stock closed at a dollar a share on Friday, is asking each worker at the Post to take another week off without pay. The union...er, Newspaper Guild told Lee it would consider the offer only if Lee would agree to no layoffs during contract negotiations.

Earlier Lee apparently angered it's employees by asking for a 23 percent pay cut over the next three years and a huge slash to the benefits of it's working and retired employees.

The Post-Dispatch is the company's largest newspaper holding. Lee's previous newspaper experience has been in markets such as Hannibal and Park Hills, Mo. Maysville, Ky and Munster, In.

A Belated Memorial Day Thank You

I am late in posting this because I had no electricity for 5 1/2 hours last night due to the incompetent power company serving our area.

My post is to tell the men and women active in the US armed services THANK YOU!!! Thank you for all you have given to me, my family and my country. Without you I would not have the life I do. And to those who served in the past in the armed forces of the United States, thank you very very much too! And most importantly thank you to those who paid the ultimate price to maintain our freedom. I salute them and their families.

Nice Job by Mattingly Brewing

I had the chance to stop at a favorite South St. Louis brewpub this weekend. I visited Mattingly Brewing on South Jefferson and only had time for one so I ordered the Brightside Belgian White. As you know from reading past posts I am a fan of big beers. This Belgian Style Witbier is not a "big beer" but my is it tasty. When I received my pint, it almost reminded me of lemonade. But, this was no lemonade. This is one fine beer! I have been to Mattingly's several times now and each of their beers I've sampled have been a treat. I hope to visit again soon.

Congrats to the Mizzou Women's Softball Team

Congratulations to the Missouri University women's softball team which has advanced to the NCAA Women's College World Series for the first time in five years. The Tigers advanced by taking a best of three Super-Regional from second seeded UCLA winning the rubber game 9-1.

Up next for the lady Tigers is a game against Arizona State at two Thursday in Oklahoma City.