Call Newspapers - Front Page Screw Up

Regular readers of our little blog know I prefer to give you the scoop about our weakly newspaper, rather than commenting on their so called news.
It seems as though the rag that likes to point out everyone's warts, actual and imaginary, has made a colossal blunder this week!
With a picture of the Mehlville/Oakville football game last Friday, this week's Call headline had the Oakville Tigers as the district champions. This was above the fold on the front page. So much for getting the facts right. As I've said before, these ignoramuses can't accomplish even the simplest of tasks.
No folks. As usual, the Mehlville Panthers are the district champions. The game wasn't even close. What's so amazing is that the game was on Friday and their deadline was Monday night. It's not like they were under any pressure. Let's see if they run a retraction. I've never seen them do it before, but this mistake was huge. Can you admit you blundered Bill?

Call Refuses Comment

http://www.opensecrets.org/parties/expenddetail.asp?txtName=CALL+AND+POST+NEWSPAPER&Cmte=RPC&cycle=2006

This little item is going to be a little more work. As usual, I have some information from public records that the Call refuses to comment on. This is not quite as simple to understand as fraud or spouse abuse. After searching through expenditures of the National Republican Party spent in Missouri, I found some interesting payments to the Call for Generic Advertising in the amount of $16,503. The only elections going in the area at the time were the Hilmer/Stegman for the Mehlville Fire Board and the school board race. I seriously doubt, having watched the school board race from the inside, that it had anything to do with the schools. What will I find when I dig a little deeper?
Have you got an answer for us, Mr. Milligan? Were there any laws broken or is this just another failure to disclose when the story is about your weakly newspaper?

Note to the Executive Editor from Arnold, Mo

Mr. Anthony,

Please Don't Throw Me in the Briar Patch!
cocoon[noun]
Entry Word:
cocoon
Function:
noun
Text: something that encloses another thing especially to protect it

Missouri Education Funding Lawsuits

It looks as if the lawsuits are over for now. Recently, a Cole County judge completed his rulings against numerous Missouri school districts, known as CEE, suing the state looking for more funding.
Most suburban districts in this area were not plaintiffs in the case. Instead, they entered the case as an intervening party known as the Coalition for Excellent Schools. Rockwood and Mehlville were active leaders in these efforts. For area taxpayers and schools, this was pretty much a draw. Had the judge ruled in favor of the CEE, state funding could have been reduced for our schools. This was favorable. Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful in our arguments that the current state tax assessment practices were blatantly unfair.
This fight is not over. I expect the Coalition For Excellent Schools to take this matter to federal court. You heard it here first.

Education Thoughts

“We have placed too much confidence in school reforms that affected only six hours a day of a child’s life…. In the face of many negative influences on our children that come from outside the school, we have done well to maintain our high school completion rate and our level of performance on achievement measures…. We have foolishly concluded that any problems with the levels of academic achievement have been caused by faulty schools staffed by inept teachers. School leaders and others must turn increasingly to the parents, homes and communities.”
Terrel Bell
Former Secretary of Education
Under Ronald Reagan

These words reflect a change of heart by the man most responsible for the nonsense in
“A Nation at Risk.”
Bell’s words first appeared in Phi Delta Kappen in April 1993.

Continued Success for Mehlville Administrators

It’s always good to hear about the success of former colleagues, especially when they’re disliked by the “Call.”

Dr. Randall Charles, former Mehlville School District CFO, recently moved from his position as Superintendent of the Hillsboro School District to his new position as Superintendent of the St. Charles School District.

The Lemont-Bromberek School District, in the suburban Chicago area, recently announced the 5-year renewal of their contract with Dr. Timothy Ricker, former Mehlville School District Superintendent.
Congratulations gentlemen!

Classified Ads

Wow! I just tried the Craig's list thing and boy was I impressed. It's so easy to use, even a non-techy like me posted my own classified ad, edited it the following day and deleted it a week later when my motorcycle was sold with no problem.
This is free, it's easy, it's effective and it's not the Call. Try it!
http://stlouis.craigslist.org/




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Is the Call Above the Law?

It’s quite apparent that from its beginning the Call has shown absolutely no respect for the law. You would think at some point there would be some signs of maturity, but that is not the case. I just checked the Missouri Secretary of State’s website only to find the Call was over 100 days late filing their annual registration with the state. In fact, it wasn’t filed until they were threatened with having their corporation dissolved. As great as that might sound to many of the fine citizens of our community, especially parents, one has to wonder if they can accomplish even the simplest of tasks correctly. Of course, they paid financial penalties for their tardiness, which I can only assume will be passed on to their advertisers.

Call Newspapers - From the Beginning

Reference Case # 04CC-002091 St. Louis County Circuit Court

William T. Milligan stated a COMMON FACTUAL ALLEGATION:

6. From its inception in 1989 until approximately late summer of 2003, Call Newspapers enjoyed a healthy rapport with the district.

_________________________________________________________________

Now I don’t want you to get hung up on the part about the healthy rapport part. Sure, it’s absurd, but please concentrate on inception in 1989.
Notice what happens in June of 1984.

________________________________________________________

Reference: Case # 681813 St.Louis County Circuit Court

Alonzo Potts as Plaintiff stated in PETITION:

6. Potts, Milligan, and Baker were originally equal shareholders in the Call. As detailed herein, Milligan and Baker used their control over the Call to seize the newspaper business and transfer all of the assets to their new corporation, Concord.

COUNT I Breach of Fiduciary Duty

8. Potts, Milligan and Baker formed Call in or about June, 1989.

15. On or about January 1994, Milligan and Baker intentionally and in bad faith transferred substantially all of the Call’s assets, including the newspapers Oakville Call and Concord Call, to defendant Concord.

COUNT IV (FRAUD)
39. Milligan and Baker stated and continuously represented to Potts that if Potts mortgaged his house and loaned $30,000 to Call, he would own one- third interest in the newspaper business.

51. Milligan has admitted to Potts that the transfer of the assets from Call to Concord was, in his own words, “ a fraudulent transfer.”
_________________________________________________

I usually don’t struggle to find words to express my opinion, but I’m having a little trouble now. What could I possibly add to this story that hasn’t already been said in these court documents. How about this? I’ll bring you more later.

Time to get Serious

Dear Fellow South County News Associates,

Now that we are starting to grow in numbers, I thought we might get a little more serious. As you know, I’ve dug fairly deep in the well of public records to learn about Mr. Bill Milligan, owner and general manager of Call Publishing, distributing the direct mail trash known as the Concord Call, the Green Park Call, the Oakville Call and the SunCrest Call. I think it’d be a good idea to start from the beginning. I know you’re a bright group of people but I wanted to share with you a couple of definitions before we get going.

Foun·da·tion Pronunciation: \fau̇n-ˈdā-shən\
1: the act of founding2: a basis (as a tenet, principle, or axiom) upon which something stands or is supported

fraud Pronunciation: \ˈfrȯd\
1 a: deceit, trickery; specifically : intentional perversion of truth in order to induce another to part with something of value or to surrender a legal right b: an act of deceiving or misrepresenting

Litigation versus
William & Deborah Milligan
Concord Publications, Inc dba Call Publishing Call Newspapers

· Case #21C94-18795 Landlord, Darrel D. Climer back rent for over $11,000 Release of Garnishment Oct 27, 1995.
· Case #681813 Alonzo Potts- Former Business Partner with Call Publications sues the Milligans and the Call for Breach of Fiduciary Duty, Breach of Contract, and Fraud ($30,000).Case # 97CC-001749 continued action to settle previous case by Alonzo Potts- Judgment #781307, March 26th, 2003.

Giving Back to the "Call"

People often suggest some kind of boycott of the "Call Newspapers" or their advertisers in response to what they have witnessed from this weakly newspaper.
I always tell them about what I do and let them make up their own minds. First I have requested and don't receive the "Call" so I really don't know who their advertisers are. I can tell you when I sell my house, I will check and give preference to someone who advertises elsewhere. That's probably a good bit in the future. As far as organizing some kind of boycott, I'd be against it. But I would share this blog and everything I know about Milligan and the "Call" and hopefully they will make their own statements about this disgraceful business. http://southcountynews.blogspot.com/
I think the best thing to do is to encourage the good citizens of South County to support the advertisers of the "Call's" competitors. Use the coupons you receive in the "Money Mailer" or any of the other competitors listed on the Advertise with Integrity, Aug. 28th of this BLOG.