Furniture for Early Childhood & Parenting Education Center


Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU) is requesting sealed proposals for furniture for the Early Childhood & Parenting Education Center.
A Pre-bid conference will be held on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. in the Telecommunity Room located in the Southwestern Bell Library and Technology Resource Center at 3011 Laclede Avenue.
The proposals will be accepted (in sealed envelopes, clearly marked “PROPOSAL FOR FURNITURE FOR THE EARLY CHILDHOOD & PARENTING EDUCATION CENTER”) in the Purchasing Office (Room 105) of the Dr. Henry Givens Administration (HGA) Building located at 3026 Laclede Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63103, until Monday, November 3, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. The proposals will then be publicly opened and read in the Telecommunity Room in the library on Monday, November 3, 2008 at 2:15 p.m.
Interested parties may obtain a copy of the RFP by faxing a written request to HSSU, Attention: B. A. Morrow, fax #: (314) 340-3322 or by calling (314) 340-5763 and leaving an address and telephone #.
The University reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and to waive all informalities in proposals
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 
Obama Wins Second Debate, Poll Says

St. Louisan Raymond Feemster, on crutches, enters the St. Louis Board of Elections Commissioners downtown Wednesday, to do a change of address for his voter registration. Feemster, like many St. Louisans, beat the October 8 deadline to register to vote for the historic Nov. 4 presidential election.

A national poll of debate watchers suggests that Sen. Barack Obama won the second pesidential debate. Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain sparred about domestic policy during their second presidential debate. Fifty-four percent of those questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey conducted after the debate ended said that Obama did the best job in the debate, with 30 percent saying Sen. John McCain performed better. According to the poll, 64 percent had a favorable opinion of Obama after the debate, up four points from before the event. Fifty-one percent of those polled had a favorable opinion of McCain after the debate unchanged from before its start. A majority said Obama seemed to be the stronger leader during the debate, 54 percent to 43 percent, and by a more than two to one margin -- 65 percent to 28 percent -- viewers thought Obama was more likable during the debate. CNN polling director Keating Holland said Obama made some gains on the leadership issue even before the debate. “McCain’s advantage on leadership shrunk from 19 points in September to just five points this weekend,” Holland said. “If Obama can use this debate to convince Americans that he is a stronger leader than McCain, he may be difficult to defeat.” A majority of debate watchers polled thought Obama was more intelligent, by a 57 percent to 25 percent margin over McCain. Debate watchers also thought Obama more clearly expressed his views by a two to one margin, 60 percent to 30 percent. Debate watchers questioned thought McCain, rather than Obama, spent more time attacking his opponent, with 63 percent saying McCain went more on the attack, as opposed to just 17 percent saying Obama. Half of those polled said Obama answered questions more directly, 13 points ahead of McCain, and by a 14-point margin, debate watchers thought Obama seemed to care more about the problems of audience members who asked questions. McCain did come out on top in one category that neither candidate wants to win. By a 16-point margin, debate watchers thought the Arizona senator seemed more like a typical politician during the debate. The poll suggests that independent voters thought Obama won the debate. Fifty-four percent of those identifying themselves as independents said the Illinois senator performed best, with 28 percent saying that McCain did the better job. Among Democrats, 85 percent said Obama won with just 5 percent saying McCain did better. Among Republicans, 64 percent said McCain won, with 16 percent saying Obama did better. Most debate watchers thought Obama won the first presidential debate on September 26. According to a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll taken after that debate, 51 percent of those polled thought Obama did the better job, while 38 percent said John McCain did better. The CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll was conducted by telephone with 675 adult Americans who watched the debate. All interviews were taken after the end of the debate. The audience for Tuesday’s debate was 38 percent Democratic and 31 percent Republican, which is very close to the partisan breakdown among all Americans nationwide.
   

The Metropolitan Police Department’s Board of Police Commissioners on Monday named Major Daniel Isom, the City’s 33rd Chief of Police. Colonel Isom, a 20 year veteran of the Department, had been Special Projects Assistant to the Chief of Police, responsible for the planning and implementation of all Department community-based initiatives. Being congratulated (from left to right) St. Louis Mayor Francis G. Slay, Colonel Isom, and Colonel Chris Gooden, president, of the board of police commissioners. Colonel Isom, 41, has served in numerous positions within the Police Department including Internal Affairs, the Police Academy, Juvenile, Mobile Reserve, South Patrol Detective Bureau and the Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth police districts. Colonel Isom holds a Bachelor, Masters and a Ph.D. from the University of Missouri-St. Louis in Criminology and Criminal Justice and a Masters in Public Administrations from St. Louis University. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Police Executive Forum Senior Management Institute.

By DENISE HILLSt. Louis Argus Contributor

The Metropolitan Police Department’s Board of Police Commissioners named the city’s 33rd police chief on Monday and he is African American. Before revealing who the chosen one was, board president Col. Chris Goodson said, “Selecting a Chief of Police is the most important role any board can undertake. This process was purposefully intense and extensive, to ensure that the 33rd Police Chief will be someone who can effectively lead this department through the challenges we’re currently facing. “We took the unprecedented step of drawing up a contract in order to formalize the community’s expectations that this chief should be an unprecedented change agent in the department,” Goodson said. Then, Major Daniel Isom was introduced to the public as the city’s new top cop. Isom, a 20-year veteran of the department, was selected after a lengthy process, the police board said. He replaces Joe Mokwa who resigned amid an automobile towing scandal. Goodson said members of the Board of Police Commissioners had to be sure they didn’t choose anyone with any ties to the tow scandal as a federal investigation is still underway. He also said that the image of the department had been tarnished by the tow scandal and the public trust in the department was of paramount importance. And, he said the board believes Isom is the man to turn the department around. For the first time in the history of the city, the new police chief must sign a letter of intent, indicating that the board and he will work together to identify performance expectations that combine the board’s vision of the department’s future, with the chief’s vision. And to ensure that those visions are perfectly aligned, the chief will then be required to sign a three year “Contract with the Community,” which will include two one-year options, Goodson said. Besides Goodson, the members of the board are Vice-President Col. Julius Hunter, Purchasing Member Col. Todd Epsten, Treasurer Col. Vincent Bommarito and Ex-Officio Member Mayor Francis Slay. Slay said he is confident that the board “has chosen the right man for the job.” State law requires that the board hire from within the department. Thirty-three individuals applied. The field was narrowed to eight before Isom was chosen. Among the finalists was Lt. Col. Reggie Harris, Lt. Col. Roy Joachimstaler, Lt. Col. Stephen Pollihan, Major Alfred Adkins, Major Antoinette Filla, Major Paul Nocchiero, Major Larry O’Toole and Isom. The Board worked with a leadership development organization to select the city’s 33rd police chief, said Goodson, who was all smiles as he introduced Isom to the public. Isom had been Special Projects Assistant to the Chief of Police, responsible for the planning and implementation of all department community-based initiatives. As chief he was promoted to colonel. “Col. Isom’s experience in the field of law enforcement and his life long dedication to this department has prepared him for the position of chief,” Goodson said. “The board believes that in this new role, Col. Isom will continue to provide the level of leadership that the St. Louis resident’s have come to expect.” The 41-year-old Isom has worked in numerous jobs within the police department including Internal Affairs, the Police Academy, Juvenile, Mobile Reserve, South Patrol Detective Bureau and the Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth and Ninth police districts. Isom holds a Doctor of Philosophy and a Master of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice both from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and a Master of Arts in Public Administration from St. Louis University. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Police Executive Forum Senior Management Institute. He serves on the advisory boards for St. Louis University of Public Service and New Beginnings C-Star Treatment Center. Isom is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE). Goodson said each candidate was given four different written assessments to identify leadership potential. The finalists also participated in individual interviews discussing their responsibilities over the years, and any challenges faced throughout his/her career. Each finalist discussed his/her educational background and experiences, management style, judgment, risk-taking abilities and stress management. Each finalist was also asked to candidly discuss anything he/she would’ve done differently. The results of the assessments and interviews were turned over to the board. In the final step of the process, each finalist gave a presentation to the board about his/her accomplishments, vision for the department and plans to achieve that vision. Board members asked each finalist a series of questions relating to each of the following areas: professional development, accountability and responsibility in leadership, organizational awareness, decision-making and assertiveness, creativity and innovation in leading change, and technology awareness. Thomas White, a resident, said from what he has heard about the new chief, “I am pleased.” “I felt like a minority should be given the job. And, it appears this man is more than qualified for the job. And, he has a lot of hands on experience. It sounds to me like he will do some good things,” White said. Mary Shields said she is hopeful that the new chief will do something about the crime that is occurring largely on the north side of the city where the population is largely black. “Something has to be done to get a grip on the crime in North St. Louis and to make the neighborhoods as safe as they can be. I am hoping he is going to focus on the area where there is lots of crime,” she said
   

Rep. Clay Opposes Financial Bailout Package

United States Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay (D-1st District, Missouri) was among Democrats who voted against a more than $800 billion bailout plan to save Wall Street from financial ruin. In a statement last week he explained why he opposed the measure twice in Congress during the same week. “I voted NO today for the same reason that I voted against this bill on Monday...the legislation does not address the root cause of this crisis...home foreclosures,” Clay said. “And to add insult to injury, they took a bad bill and made it worse by loading it up with $120 billion in earmarks. Now they’re asking taxpayers to give Wall Street and reckless speculators an $820 billion bailout. “It’s outrageous, it’s fiscally irresponsible, and my conscience will not allow me to put that kind of burden on the taxpayers,” Clay added. “Last month, over 300,000 American families lost their homes. They didn’t get a bailout. This bill is not a cure for the real problem, keeping hard working people in their homes.” Meanwhile, markets around the world continued to plunge as the effects of the American fiscal crisis spread around the world, despite the bailout and global rate cuts, all designed to spur economic stability. Global stock markets suffered another vicious sell-off in extremely volatile trade, as investors brushed off a coordinated round of interest rate cuts across the globe. As another calamitous day rolled across Asian markets, Wall Street plunged at the open before rebounding slightly amid caution over the international bid to unblock frozen credit markets. Wall Street’s Dow Jones index sank more than 500 points or five percent on Tuesday to a five-year closing low. Frankfurt, London and Paris all tumbled by more than 4.0 per cent as initial optimism over the rate cuts evaporated. Major central banks launched an exceptional joint effort to battle the global financial crisis on Wednesday, simultaneously slashing interest rates on three continents in a move aimed at rescuing the flagging global economy. The U.S. Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Bank of England and peers in Canada, Sweden and Switzerland slashed key rates by a half percentage point, sending their strongest signal of support since just after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in the U.S. “We are not out of the woods yet,” warned City Index market strategist Joshua Raymond. “We will have to see whether this has any long lasting effect on confidence. What is good to see is the central banks making a co-ordinated and proactive effort to combat what is now a global economic problem. The fear is that this should have come about a week ago.” New York’s Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.95 per cent to 9,536.39 points around 1350 GMT, after plummeting 149.34 points in the first three minutes of trade. “The big question now is, will the buying interest be sustained or will it be seen as another opportunity to sell into strength, fuelled by the thinking that the rate cut still isn’t enough to change the market tone?” asked Patrick O’Hare, analyst at briefing.com. In a turbulent day in Asia Tokyo fell 9.38 per cent by the close, the biggest loss since October 1987 in the wake of the U.S. stock market crash. The FTSE also sank earlier Wednesday after Britain’s government had announced a STG50 billion ($A123.55 billion) part-nationalisation of the country’s main banks as part of an emergency bailout package worth a total of 500 billion pounds. Following the emergency round of rate cuts, the London FTSE lost 4.77 percent, Frankfurt fell 4.39 per cent and Paris was down 4.59 percent in late afternoon European deals. Arab stock markets tumbled for the fourth day running but the Saudi bourse, the region’s largest, rebounded strongly after a coordinated international rate cut. The Bank of Japan said it supported the rate cuts but was not participating as its benchmark rate was already low. The British government said it would use STG50 billion ($A123.55 billion) of taxpayers’ money to buy preferential shares in the banks, in a bid to prevent a collapse of the banking system. The three-part package also makes available STG200 billion ($A494.19 billion) in short-term loans and the government will issue STG250 billion ($A617.74 billion) to guarantee loans between banks. Britain’s measures came after the United States last month announced its own $700 billion bailout of ailing Wall Street banks. In Asia, Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso was stupefied by the Tokyo market’s slide, adding he sensed “huge fears” in the public. Hong Kong ended down 8.2 percent at its lowest level in more than two years. The bloodbath forced some countries to take dramatic steps to try to stem the selling. Indonesia suspended trading on its market after stocks plunged more than 10 percent. Trading was later frozen on Russia’s two main stock markets after plunges of more than 11 percent on opening. Banking shares were extremely volatile, switching from losses to massive gains and vice-versa. British bank HBOS soared 51 percent after tumbling 41.5 percent on Tuesday. Sydney closed down 5.0 percent, Seoul lost 5.81 percent and Shanghai shed 3.04 percent as the crisis sparked by a U.S. housing slump continued to send shockwaves around the globe. “No one knows for certain now what they can rely on,” said Hironobu Hagi, deputy general manager at capital market division of Shinsei Bank. “We’re seeing panic selling. Once players see a sign of selling, everybody tries to jump on the bandwagon,” he said. Global central banks meanwhile pumped billions of extra dollars into the financial system while the Hong Kong Monetary Authority said it would cut its key interest rate by 100 basis points from Thursday. The U.S. Federal Reserve said that it would buy up short-term commercial paper or company debt in an effort to kick-start credit flows and fight off the liquidity crunch triggered by a wave of U.S. mortgage defaults.
   
   
   
   

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