May 20, 2018

House investigative committee grills Greitens' attorneys

The first open hearing of the Missouri House committee investigating Gov. Eric Greitens featured some heated exchanges between members and the governor’s attorneys.

Committee members heard from Ed Greim and Ross Garber, two attorneys hired by Greitens “in his capacity as governor.” They appeared before the committee Wednesday to propose several rules and a tentative schedule for the 30-day, special legislative session, which begins Friday at 6:30 p.m.

But the first hour of the hearing saw committee members peppering Greim and Garber with questions after they were placed under oath. Chairman Jay Barnes, R-Jefferson City, asked who hired them and to confirm how much the state is paying them. Greim said he’s billing the state $340 an hour, and Garber is billing the state $320 an hour, which he said is half his usual rate.

In addition, Barnes again invited Greitens himself to appear before the committee.

http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/house-investigative-committee-grills-greitens-attorneys

May 20, 2018

In quest to find affordable home, family lands in once-segregated St. Louis County neighborhood

Michael and Danielle Abril are active members of the Meacham Park Neighborhood Association. They show up at meetings. They volunteer. They help inform others in the community.

“Meacham Park is a blessing to us because it allowed us to be relatively close to my work and in a great place, a great community,” Michael Abril said.

The neighborhood is a mostly black area of Kirkwood that had been segregated from the rest of the city for years. But that’s changing.

Not only are neighborhood leaders working to move the community beyond old stigmas, but the rising cost of homes in Kirkwood and surrounding county municipalities is prompting families who are not black, like the Abrils, to turn to Meacham Park to raise their family.

http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/quest-find-affordable-home-family-lands-once-segregated-st-louis-county-neighborhood#stream/0

May 17, 2018

Walmart Gives Up Replacing Store Cashiers With Machines

Walmart Gives Up Replacing Store Cashiers With Machines

That’s according to a recent Bloomberg report, which reveals that the retail giant is getting rid of “Mobile Scan & Go” technology, which allowed customers to ring up their own purchases.

Apparently, the technology didn’t work for Walmart's customers. "It took Walmart almost a year to figure out what the rest of us already know: you can't convince customers to do the job of a cashier just because you don't want to pay for the work, especially when eliminating cashiers doesn't result in more convenient shopping,” says Making Change at Walmart (MCAW) director, Randy Parraz.

Meanwhile, the new technology hasn’t helped Walmart’s operating margins—see tables.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/panosmourdoukoutas/2018/05/16/walmart-gives-up-replacing-store-cashiers-with-machines/#71f7b0982f91

May 17, 2018

Walmart Gives Up Replacing Store Cashiers With Machines

Walmart Gives Up Replacing Store Cashiers With Machines

That’s according to a recent Bloomberg report, which reveals that the retail giant is getting rid of “Mobile Scan & Go” technology, which allowed customers to ring up their own purchases.

Apparently, the technology didn’t work for Walmart's customers. "It took Walmart almost a year to figure out what the rest of us already know: you can't convince customers to do the job of a cashier just because you don't want to pay for the work, especially when eliminating cashiers doesn't result in more convenient shopping,” says Making Change at Walmart (MCAW) director, Randy Parraz.

Meanwhile, the new technology hasn’t helped Walmart’s operating margins—see tables.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/panosmourdoukoutas/2018/05/16/walmart-gives-up-replacing-store-cashiers-with-machines/#71f7b0982f91

May 12, 2018

ASMODEE GROUP ON THE BLOCK

https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/40377/asmodee-group-block

Eurazeo, the private equity firm that owns Asmodee Group, is exploring a sale of Asmodee at a price that could reach over €1.5 billion ($1.79 billion), Reuters reports. Asmodee Group owns Asmodee North America and its subsidiaries, as well as numerous game studios and distribution businesses in Europe. Reuters sourced the report from "people familiar with the matter." Eurazeo and Asmodee did not comment for the article.

Asmodee generated €100M (around $119 million) in EBITDA per year (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization), according to the report, which would make the "could reach" price a fairly rich valuation for a privately held company.

Eurazeo acquired 83% of Asmodee in 2013 in a deal that valued the company at €143 million (see "Asmodee Acquires Days of Wonder&quot , and set the company on an acquisition tear that has rolled up numerous distributors, game publishers, and game rights across two continents. Now it’s apparently time to cash out, with investment bankers reportedly hired to run the process.

May 4, 2018

Industrial hemp gets the OK from Missouri lawmakers

JEFFERSON CITY • Missourians would be allowed to grow, cultivate, harvest and process industrial hemp under a measure that earned final passage Thursday in the Missouri Legislature.

The plant is part of the cannabis family, but contains a negligible concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (or THC) — the intoxicating component to pot.

The proposal, sponsored by state Rep. Paul Curtman, R-Pacific, authorizes the Department of Agriculture to create a pilot program for the plant. To be classified as hemp, the plants must contain no more than 0.3 percent THC.

"Right now, we have manufacturers who currently have to import industrial hemp from out of the state, sometimes from out of the country," Curtman said. "It's a very hearty crop. It can grow almost anywhere."

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/industrial-hemp-gets-the-ok-from-missouri-lawmakers/article_88d9f9d4-664d-52a2-8144-6072fe76cf75.html

May 4, 2018

Jamie Allman sues KFTK owners for breach of contract

When it came to deposed radio host Jamie Allman suing his former employers at KFTK (97.1 FM), the question was always "when," and not "if."

The answer is "Friday."

Last week in St. Louis County Circuit Court, Allman sued both Entercomm Communications and Emmis Communications for breach of contract.

Allman, who had worked at the conservative-talk station since 2002 and had most recently been the morning-drive show host, was fired April 11.

http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/columns/joe-holleman/jamie-allman-sues-kftk-owners-for-breach-of-contract/article_de3efe80-3a07-5b3b-a053-079faee7acd7.html

May 4, 2018

Jamie Allman sues KFTK owners for breach of contract

When it came to deposed radio host Jamie Allman suing his former employers at KFTK (97.1 FM), the question was always "when," and not "if."

The answer is "Friday."

Last week in St. Louis County Circuit Court, Allman sued both Entercomm Communications and Emmis Communications for breach of contract.

Allman, who had worked at the conservative-talk station since 2002 and had most recently been the morning-drive show host, was fired April 11.

http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/columns/joe-holleman/jamie-allman-sues-kftk-owners-for-breach-of-contract/article_de3efe80-3a07-5b3b-a053-079faee7acd7.html

May 4, 2018

Missouri lawmakers to convene special session on potential Greitens impeachment

JEFFERSON CITY • Legislative leaders announced Thursday night that they will convene a special session on May 18 that could lead to the impeachment of Gov. Eric Greitens.

The announcement was made at a press conference called by Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard and House Speaker Todd Richardson.

The decision was made after 138 House members and 29 Senators signed a petition calling for the session on the controversies surrounding the governor. The session will begin an estimated 30 minutes after the regular session is set to end, Richard told reporters.

Richard was not sure when senators would actually convene because the upper chamber's duties are dependent on what the House does.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/missouri-lawmakers-to-convene-special-session-on-potential-greitens-impeachment/article_f121e6d0-0fc6-5abe-a9c4-e9c20dc243de.html

May 4, 2018

Missouri lawmakers to convene special session on potential Greitens impeachment

JEFFERSON CITY • Legislative leaders announced Thursday night that they will convene a special session on May 18 that could lead to the impeachment of Gov. Eric Greitens.

The announcement was made at a press conference called by Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard and House Speaker Todd Richardson.

The decision was made after 138 House members and 29 Senators signed a petition calling for the session on the controversies surrounding the governor. The session will begin an estimated 30 minutes after the regular session is set to end, Richard told reporters.

Richard was not sure when senators would actually convene because the upper chamber's duties are dependent on what the House does.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/missouri-lawmakers-to-convene-special-session-on-potential-greitens-impeachment/article_f121e6d0-0fc6-5abe-a9c4-e9c20dc243de.html