St. Louis Beacon - Uneasy Street: O'Fallon, Mo.

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Uneasy Street: O'Fallon, Mo.

When it comes to housing, O'Fallon, Mo., still lives the American Dream

By Mary Delach Leonard, Beacon staff

Posted 9:30 am Thu., 6.25.09

Updated 2:30 p.m. Thurs., June 25 - The American Dream is holding its own in O'Fallon, Mo., local Realtors say. True, prices are down -- just as they are everywhere. But the declines aren't as dramatic as in many markets, and home sales are beginning to edge upward. Realtor Karen Vennard said the market in O'Fallon has fared better because there was no housing bubble to burst.(Illustration from O'Fallon website)

Even if O'Fallon, Mo., is stable, big and small businesses and individuals are feeling the pinch

By Kristen Hare, Beacon staff
Posted 9:46 am Mon., 6.15.09
Today, businesses spread across the city of O'Fallon in a quilt, from Highway 40 toward Interstate 70. There are the big patches -- Citigroup, MasterCard, MEMC. There are little patches -- strip malls, cafes, restaurants, shopping areas. And then there are the stitches that hold it all together -- the people. Regardless of their role, though, all have felt the impact of the down economy, but O'Fallon's still attracting new businesses away from St. Louis County.

From small rural district to thriving suburban one, Fort Zumwalt reflects changes in O'Fallon, Mo.

By Robert Joiner, Beacon staff
Posted 8:51 am Mon., 6.15.09
Bernard DuBray (right) has been superintendent of the Fort Zumwalt school district for almost a quarter of a century. In that time, he's seen the district grow from a small rural district of 8,200 to a thriving suburban district of 19,000. The changes in the district, though, go beyond size to include higher parental expectations, a more diversified curriculum and -- now -- a potential crunch due to the economy.

Despite troubled times, people and businesses in O'Fallon say they're mostly doing pretty well

By Kristen Hare, Beacon staff
Posted 9:13 am Mon., 6.8.09
O'Fallon, Mo., is known as a great place to raise families, a phrase repeated again and again by people who live there. And after looking at the impact of the economy on the city, it might become known as a good place to ride out a recession, too. Instead of being dependent on one single industry or company, O'Fallon's portfolio is quite diverse -- technology, retail, small businesses and major companies.

In a family way: Young couples are choosing O'Fallon, Mo., as home, like family-oriented community

By Kristen Hare, Beacon staff

Posted 11:30 am Fri., 6.5.09

Ask people who live in O'Fallon what they like about their home and the response is fairly universal:"It's just a great place to raise a family." It also boast a diversified business community and simple pleasures. Some families can find all the entertainment they need in the immediate area; others are happy they have the proximity to St. Louis. (Photo of Renaud Spirit Center provided by the city.)

Editors' Picks

Nation
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission approves licenses for first new nuclear power plants in 30 years: The reactors are being built in Georgia by a consortium of utilities. | CNN
- Indian tribe sues A-B InBev, other beer companies: The suit from the Oglala Sioux claims the companies sold beer to stores that then sold it to residents of South Dakota's Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, where alcohol is banned. | Rapid City Journal
- House joins Senate in overwhelmingly approving a congressional insider-trading ban:Now, the two chambers must get together to iron out differences before bill can go to the White House. | Politico
- Picture this: Kodak, in bankruptcy, will stop making digital cameras, pocket video cameras and digital picture frames. | Bloomberg
Region
- Science Center lays off 24 employees to save more than $2 million: The move affects about 9 percent of the workforce and involve mostly full-time employees, including at least one top official. | STLtoday
- Less-intrusive screening for some passengers coming to Lambert, other airports: There will be no cost to eligible passengers, who would no longer have to remove their shoes and belts before they board flights. | AP
- Missouri teen gets life in prison, with possibility of parole, for killing her young neighbor: Alyssa Bustamante was 15 years old in 2009 when she killed 9-yaer-old Elizabeth Olten because she wanted to know how it would feel. | AP/Columbia Daily Tribune
- Lakin to spend additional year behind bars: The former Madison County powerbroker's federal sentence was extended following his guilty plea to state sex charges. | Belleville News-Democrat
World
- Greek leaders agree on package of harsh austerity measures: The changes were demanded by Greece’s financial backers in return for the country’s latest bailout, estimated at $172 billion. | New York Times
- After more shelling in Syria, Assad accused of genocide: Dozens are said to have died in sustained attack on city of Homs. | Telegraph
- Last known living World War I veteran dies at age 110: Florence Green was serving with the Women's Royal Air Force as a waitress at an air base in eastern England when the guns fell silent on Nov. 11, 1918. | AP
- After weeks of protest, first democratically elected president of Maldives resigns: Mohamed Nasheed told a televised news conference, "I don't want to run the country with an iron fist." | LA Times
Econ.
- Initial claims for unemployment aid fall to 358,000: The four-week moving average, a less-volatile measure of claims, declined to 366,250, the lowest since April 26, 2008. | Bloomberg
- Driven by demand for auto and student loans, Americans borrowed more than expected in December: An improving job market may be giving households the courage to take on more debt in order to sustain spending. | Bloomberg
- Job openings increased in December by the most in almost a year: The number of positions waiting to be filled climbed by 258,000, the biggest gain since February 2011, to 3.38 million. | Bloomberg
- Home sales rise in December to their highest level since last January: Historically low mortgage rates and a pickup in employment may be giving Americans the confidence to purchase homes that have fallen in value. | Bloomberg
Edu.
- Ten states will get waivers from requirements of No Child Left Behind: In a first round of waivers, Washington will give leeway to states that promise to improve how they prepare and evaluate students. | AP
- Nixon restores $40 million to his budget request for higher education: The money is part of a foreclosure settlement Missouri will get from the nation's five largest banks. | Columbia Daily Tribune
- Entire staff of LA elementary school is replaced during abuse investigation: Two teachers have been accused of lewd acts against students. | LA Times
- Nixon says Missouri universities should not make up lost state funding with big tuition hikes: He said they should try to keep increases at no more than annual cost of living. | AP/Springfield News-Leader

'The Road Show' improv

Brent Jones | St. Louis Beacon

This Saturday was the debut of a new show by The Improv Shop that will bring out of town improv teams to St. Louis to play for — and with — a local audience. The Road Show brought teams "Everybody Grok" and "Felt" from Chicago.

We talked to Eric Christensen, producer of the Road Show and member of local improv team "Ted Dangerous"; Katie Nunn, member of "Ted Dangerous" and improv coach; and Melanie Penn and Ranjan Khan, members of local teams "Melanj" and "Magic Ratio"; about the St. Louis improv scene and why it's important to welcome teams from other cities to perform here.

See a larger version of the slideshow

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