■ The Jefferson County Recorder of Deeds Office has spent $60,000 to purchase 90,000 maps and surveys from the Jefferson County Surveying Co. of Hillsboro, which went out of business at the end of 2015. The 108-year-old company was managed by three generations of the Hurtgen family. See Steve Taylor’s Page 1 feature story.
■ William A. Harris, 25, of Barnhart is being held in the Jefferson County Jail on a $500,000 cash-only bond after being charged in connection with the death of a 3-year-old Aubrey Harvey, his girlfriend’s daughter. A case review hearing is set for 9 a.m. Thursday (March 17) in front of Jefferson County Div. 12 Associate Circuit Judge Antonio “Tony” Manansala. See Kim Robertson’s Page 1 story, which includes details of the investigation.
■ Critics of former Fox C-6 Superintendent Dianne Critchlow who were once vocal have become silent following the recent settlement and dismissal of a highly publicized lawsuit against her and other former and current Fox administrators for allegedly making derogatory online comments about three district residents. While court records show that the case was dismissed, after a settlement was reached, no one is providing information about how much money, if any, was paid to the plaintiffs – Richard Simpson Jr., Sam Ferry and Michelle Tyler, who had criticized the district for alleged nepotism, lack of transparency and other issues. The Leader has filed a Sunshine Law complaint in regard to the lack of information about the settlement. See Kim Robertson’s story and Patrick Martin’s column on the same subject.
■ It’s a case of domino appointments for the Jefferson County bench. Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has appointed Travis Partney, 35, Imperial, to serve as Div. 13 associate circuit judge in the 23rd Judicial Circuit. Partney fills the vacancy left when Nixon moved up Patricia Riehl to serve as Div. 5 circuit judge, and Riehl replaced Lisa Page, whom Nixon appointed to serve on the Eastern District of the Missouri Court of Appeals. To retain their new jobs, both Partney and Riehl will have to win election later this year. See Steve Taylor’s story.
■ Fourteen De Soto city employees have been represented by Local 148 of the International Union of Operating Engineers since October, but a contract with the city is still under negotiation. The union is negotiating on behalf of employees in De Soto’s Public Works Department, including the street, park, water and sewer divisions. A new contract proposal is supposed to go to the De Soto City Council for review on March 21.
■ Sports editor Gordon Bess names his All-Leader teams in high school girls basketball and comments on the just-completed season, which had new coaches, lots of injuries and less long-range shooting.
■ Enjoy the green flag on your Leader, and Happy St. Patrick's Day!
*** It’s daffodil time -- Enjoy!