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Then Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe promised the people of this state that if they elected him Governor he would take control of the St. Louis Police Department as part of a plan to bring crime in St. Louis under control.

It was a decision that I assume had to be born out of political courage and an honest desire to tackle this problem because for the life of me I can’t see a political upside to diving into this mess.

In that election our Starbucks drinking purple haired friends in St. Louis who voted for Bill Eigel. While the entire rest of state including southeast Missouri, central Missouri, Hannibal, Springfield, St. Joseph, Joplin, and Kansas City media markets that all voted for Kehoe last summer.

Now Governor Kehoe has made good on that promise.

So why would a Kehoe voter in Dexter care about what happens on Delmar? Well I’ll give you two simple hillbilly reasons:

#1 It is not particularly fun to admit, but if the St. Louis area’s economic output increases just a smidge it equates to a larger increase in our state’s economy than if a dozen counties in southern or northern Missouri increase 20%.

As a hick I don’t like to admit it, but it’s just a fact that if a road is built, or a school is funded (for now at least), or state service is rendered in rural Missourah our friends in St. Louis pay a little of the freight on that.

Further, as some of our city slicker friends don’t like to admit, it’s very hard to see St. Louis ending their decline without addressing the crime problem. For that reason alone it’s in the rest of the state’s own self interest to start to pull for St. Louis.

#2 Governor Kehoe now owns the St. Louis police department and the issue of crime in St. Louis.

It’s one of the most complicated problems facing our state. It’s going to be very difficult, some would say impossible to solve.

However, if you believe in Mike Kehoe, if you believe in his judgment then the rest of the state is going to have to choose to trust him and to get behind his efforts that will ultimately, if successful, benefit the rest of the state. Even if that means finding something to like about St. Louis.

I think there are two sides to tackling this problem. One, there is no way around that fact that Governor Kehoe’s police department is going to have to bring down the number of murders in St. Louis. If he does then I think it’s only fair for the rest of the state to compliment and highlight his and the St. Louis community’s success.

Then I think there is another, maybe the more important part of changing the impression of St. Louis to one of a safe place that is ready for investment: the public relations portion.

Outside of the murder count I simply no longer believe the statistics that are produced, and I don’t think I’m alone there. The car break ins, the muggings that are frankly too common in St. Louis for people to feel safe visiting or investing there. There has to be a full public relations campaign to show that Missourians feel St. Louis is safe before we are going to convince anyone else to move their company’s jobs there. 

I think it’s going to be crucial to see images in the media of the Governor and the First Lady having dinner downtown, maybe walking around downtown without security in the photo. No, this isn’t just an idea to see David Wasinger become Governor this summer, I think the leader has to show he has confidence that St. Louis is safe before anyone else is going to buy in. 

One benchmark that makes sense to me isn’t just reducing the murders. It will make people feel safe walking around downtown similar to how I and others feel safe walking around downtown Kansas City. If you go to a Cardinals game and after you have a few beers at Paddy O’s would you walk to the Magnolia Hotel up on Washington Avenue or would you get an Uber?

If folks are being honest, I think right now they would take an Uber because they just don’t feel safe walking those 9 blocks. Until they do, I think there is still work to be done…not just by the Governor elected by rural Missourah over the objections of St. Louisans, but by rural Missourahians too.  

With that in mind I’ve decided to take the first step put together a list of 10 things for a person from rural Missourah about St. Louis that don’t suck.

#1 The St. Louis Cardinals. The greatest franchise in the history of organized sport. Yes they are terrible right now, but by next summer hope springs eternal that they will return to form. 

#2 The Anheuser Busch Brewery. The German-American Disneyland it’s really a celebration of German culture for the entire family, complete with some of the freshest beer this side of Bavaria. Take a tour of what the height of civilization was like, you will leave a changed man. 

#3 The Chase Park Plaza Hotel. Whatever you feel about St. Louis, the former home of Chris Koster is just an incredible hotel. If you haven’t been, you’re missing out. 

#4 Stan’s Bar. Located at 5007 Macklind Ave. in south city its a damn near perfect bar. You would think you are in Sedalia, or Taos, but nope it’s a jewel right there in St. Louis.

#5 The office at the Kelley Group. It’s a great place for a meeting, or a party, or just to sit and bullshit with folks. Might be the best office space in St. Louis. 

#6 Gregg Keller’s hair. A Ladue institution, the slicked back timeless look of the silver tongued devil is a must see on your trip to St. Louis. 

#7 Frontier Park. Located at 500 S Riverside Drive in St Charles its one of the best parks in the state complete with the top Oktoberfest in Missouri. I know what the folks in St. Charles are saying…we aren’t in St. Louis. While that’s cute, you can think whatever you would like but to the rest of civilization everywhere from Arnold to Wentzville is St. Louis. 

#8 Missouri History Museum. Located in Forest Park (which ain’t bad either) is a terrific, if not a little St. Louis focused, museum on the history of the greatest state in the union. 

#9 Grant’s Farm. Another gift to the people of the world from the Busch family, Grant’s Farm is a family friendly triumph of German culture that to this day is still free to the public. 

#10 Walnut Park. Located in North City, it is where Governor Kehoe was raised. I took my son Gussie there once while on the F150 tour visiting Senator May. It will make you proud to be a Missourian when you see that a kid from Walnut Park could become Governor of the Great State of Missouri. 

Well I feel as though I’ve done my part. Now it might be a nice move for the First Lady to trade that pink shirt in for a red one next year at opening day.

Scott Faughn

Scott Faughn is the publisher of The Missouri Times, owner of the Clayton Times in Clayton; SEMO Times in Poplar Bluff; and host of the only statewide political television show, This Week in Missouri Politics.

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