CHUCK "ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN" BERRY IS DEAD AT 90

CHUCK "BEETHOVEN" BERRY IS DEAD AT 90:

BERRY WAS THE OFFICIAL FATHER OF ROCK & ROLL.

RIP CHARLES EDWARDS ANDERSON BERRY SR.


Sources: CNN, LA Times, YouTube

Chuck Berry, rock 'n' roll pioneer, dead at 90


~Highlights:

Chuck Berry, 90, is found dead at a residence Saturday
Bob Dylan: "In my universe, Chuck is irreplaceable"


Chuck Berry, a music pioneer often called "the Father of Rock 'n' Roll," died Saturday at his home outside St. Louis, his verified Facebook page said. He was 90.

A post on the St. Charles County police Facebook page said officers responded to a medical emergency at the residence around 12:40 p.m. (1:40 p.m. ET) Saturday and found an unresponsive man inside. Resuscitation efforts failed.

"The St. Charles County Police Department sadly confirms the death of Charles Edward Anderson Berry Sr., better known as legendary musician Chuck Berry."

~ A musical legend

Berry wrote and recorded "Johnny B. Goode" and "Sweet Little Sixteen" -- songs every garage band and fledgling guitarist had to learn if they wanted to enter the rock 'n' roll fellowship.

Berry took all-night hamburger stands, brown-eyed handsome men and V-8 Fords and turned them into the stuff of American poetry. By doing so, he gave rise to followers beyond number, bar-band disciples of the electric guitar, who carried his musical message to the far corners of the Earth.

Some of his most famous followers praised him on social media.

Bruce Springsteen tweeted: "Chuck Berry was rock's greatest practitioner, guitarist, and the greatest pure rock 'n' roll writer who ever lived."

The Rolling Stones posted on their website:

"The Rolling Stones are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Chuck Berry. He was a true pioneer of rock 'n' roll and a massive influence on us. Chuck was not only a brilliant guitarist, singer and performer, but most importantly, he was a master craftsman as a songwriter. His songs will live forever. "

But it was perhaps John Lennon -- who died in 1980 -- who put it most succinctly. "If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it 'Chuck Berry.'"

The list of Berry's classics is as well-known as his distinctive, chiming "Chuck Berry riff": "Maybellene." "Around and Around." "Brown-Eyed Handsome Man." "School Days." "Memphis." "Nadine." "No Particular Place to Go."

They were deceptively simple tunes, many constructed with simple chord progressions and classic verse-chorus-verse formats, but their hearts could be as big as teenage hopes on a Saturday night.

His music even went into outer space. When the two Voyager spacecrafts were launched in 1977, each was accompanied on its journey to the outer reaches of the solar system by a phonograph record that contained sounds of Earth -- including "Johnny B. Goode."

~ Rock wordsmith

Berry, though, was modest about his influence.

"My view remains that I do not deserve all the reward directed on my account for the accomplishments credited to the rock 'n' roll bank of music," he wrote in his 1987 autobiography.

He had a facility with lyrics others could only envy, words and phrases tossed off with a jazzman's cool and a surgeon's precision.

In "You Never Can Tell," he summed up a newlywed couple's life in fewer than two dozen words: "They furnished off an apartment with a two-room Roebuck sale / The coolerator was crammed with TV dinners and ginger ale."

His delivery was often marked by humor, but he could also insert the scalpel when needed. After all, Berry -- a black man who grew up in Jim Crow America, who was close to 30 when he had his first national hit -- knew that those high schools were sometimes segregated, and those diners and highways didn't always welcome him.

"Brown-Eyed Handsome Man" could be read as the story of a brown-SKINNED handsome man, as rock critic Dave Marsh and others have noted; the Louisiana country boy of "Johnny B. Goode" wasn't necessarily Caucasian.

Or consider "Promised Land," the story of a man escaping the South for California. He rides a Greyhound bus across Dixie, moves to a train to get "across Mississippi clean," and finally enters the Golden State on a plane, dressed in a silk suit, "workin' on a T-bone steak." It was the American dream in miniature, a success all the sweeter for overcoming racial prejudice -- never overtly mentioned but present all the same.

There was also a darkness and suspicion in Berry, for those who cared to look. He was notorious for making concert promoters pay him in full before his shows, cash only. In his late teens he served three years in a reformatory, and after becoming famous did jail time on a charge of transporting an underage girl across state lines. Years later he was convicted of tax evasion. He had the showman's talent for saying much and revealing little.

~ Grew up in St. Louis

For all Berry's mystery and commercial sense, however, at bottom he truly loved the music.

"Rock's so good to me. Rock is my child and my grandfather," he once said.

Charles Edward Anderson Berry was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on October 18, 1926.

(Some sources say he was born in San Jose, California.) His parents -- grandchildren of slaves -- were accomplished in their own ways: father Henry was a successful carpenter, and mother Martha was a college graduate -- rare for a black woman at the time. Young Chuck, the fourth of six children, grew up in a middle-class African-American St. Louis neighborhood.

He was inspired to pick up the guitar after singing in a high school talent show. A friend accompanied him and Berry decided to learn the instrument.

In late 1952 he joined pianist Johnnie Johnson's band, adding country numbers to the group's R&B setlist as well as changing the name to the Chuck Berry Combo. Blessed with uncommonly large hands, Berry became a masterly guitarist.

Berry was colorblind when it came to music. "They (black and white musicians) jived between each other. All were artists, playing foolish, having fights and making love as if the rest of the world had no racial problems whatsoever," he once said, according to his website. The audience, too, was integrated.

~ Broke out in the '50s

In 1955, at the suggestion of bluesman Muddy Waters, Berry visited Chess Records in Chicago. Chess was a pioneering blues and R&B label, the home of Waters, Howlin' Wolf, the Moonglows and Big Bill Broonzy.

The label's owners, brothers Leonard and Philip Chess, suggested Berry cut a few songs. One of them, "Maybellene" -- a rewrite of an old country tune called "Ida Red" -- was released by Chess in August. Within weeks, it had topped the R&B charts and hit No. 5 on the Billboard pop charts. Chuck Berry was suddenly a national star.

The hits kept on coming: "Roll Over Beethoven," "Rock and Roll Music," "Sweet Little Sixteen," "Johnny B. Goode," "Back in the U.S.A." Berry popped up on television and starred alongside pioneering DJ Alan Freed in the movies "Rock Rock Rock!", "Mister Rock and Roll" and "Go, Johnny, Go!" He also appeared in the 1959 documentary about the Newport Jazz Festival, "Jazz on a Summer's Day."

In many respects, he was an unlikely rock 'n' roller. He was in his 30s and a family man in a business that celebrated youth and individualism. And "rock 'n' roll" still carried a taint of the disreputable among older folks.

But Berry -- who always kept a shrewd eye on the bottom line -- wasn't writing for himself.

"Everything I wrote about wasn't about me, but about the people listening," he said.

~ A new generation

Berry went through a rough stretch in the early '60s. In December 1959 he was arrested under the Mann Act for transporting an underage woman across state lines for immoral purposes. (It was a tangled tale, involving a runaway.) http://performingsongwriter.com/chuck-berry/ Convicted in 1960, he appealed, but the conviction was upheld at a 1961 trial. Berry was sentenced to three years; he served 20 months.

Upon his release in 1963, he found his music had reached a new generation. The Beach Boys reworked "Sweet Little Sixteen" as "Surfin' U.S.A." (Berry later sued due to the similarities, and won.) The Beatles and Rolling Stones, about to kick off the British Invasion of America, covered Berry's songs. Berry's career was rejuvenated, and he responded with such hits as "No Particular Place to Go" and "Nadine."

That spurt of chart records was short-lived, but even after the hits died down, he remained a popular touring act. His fame was particularly notable in England, and it was a London concert that put him back on the charts for the first time in years.

In 1972, he recorded "The London Chuck Berry Sessions," which included the live songs "My Ding-a-Ling" and "Reelin' and Rockin'." The former, a mildly suggestive ode to the male genitalia, became his only No. 1 hit.

Thereafter, Berry's status as a rock legend was assured, even if his behavior was occasionally erratic. He rarely played with an established group of backing musicians, preferring to rely on local pick-up bands. He served three months on tax evasion charges in 1979 and was sued in 1989 for allegedly videotaping female employees at his restaurant.
In 2016 it was announced he would release a new album. His website said that album was coming in 2017.
For all that, he was still Chuck Berry, the "alpha and omega of rock and roll," in the words of former Rolling Stone editor Joe Levy.
He earned more honors than anybody could have imagined.

Besides the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, he had a statue dedicated to him in St. Louis (he's portrayed doing his famous hunched-over "duck walk"); received PEN New England's inaugural award for Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence; a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award; a BMI Icon honor; and a Kennedy Center Honors Award, at which Bill Clinton called him "one of the 20th Century's most influential musicians."

"In my universe, Chuck is irreplaceable," Bob Dylan told Rolling Stone in 2009. "All that brilliance is still there, and he's still a force of nature.

As long as Chuck Berry's around, everything's as it should be. This is a man who has been through it all. The world treated him so nasty.

But in the end, it was the world that got beat."

2012 DNC & Anthony Foxx: Still No Word From Kaine

Mayor Foxx Positive About City's Chance To Land 2012 DNC


Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx says he is not worried that a decision has still not been made as to which city will host the 2012 Democratic convention.

Charlotte is competing with St. Louis, Cleveland, and Minneapolis to land the convention that is expected to be worth big dollars to the city that is eventually selected.

"We are one of four cities in the running and every city is in the same position," said Foxx. "I'd be worried if we weren't in the same position as everybody else, but we are."

Read on....http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/Mayor-Foxx-Still-Positive-About-Citys-Chance-to-Land-DNC-113102504.html


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Sources: McClatchy Newspapers, WCNC, Google Maps

St. Louis Raising $60M For 2012 DNC: Unions Reject Charlotte

St. Louis Corporate Community Prepared To Step Up For DNC Bid


The local corporate community is prepared to step up in a big way to help land the 2012 Democratic National Convention, says the leader of one of the area's largest business groups.

Many of the city's most prominent companies have not yet been vocal about their support for the bid, but they are prepared to help raise the dollar amounts -- likely between $50 and $60 million -- needed to bring the Democrat's next presidential nominating convention to St. Louis, said Mike DeCola, head of Mississippi Lime Company and chairman of the Regional Business Council.

"The corporate community has to step up in a number of ways, certainly the fundraising is a big part of that," DeCola said. "We are keenly aware of the dollars we need to put up just to get the convention here."

Individual companies have not been assigned target amounts to raise, DeCola said, though "our members are aware that's coming."

St. Louis is one of four finalists to host the party, which is expected to announce its decision in the next month or so.

DeCola's comments come as St. Louis officials believe the competition is coming down to them and Charlotte, where the effort is being led by an outspoken utility chief, Duke Energy head Jim Rogers, who has led fundraising efforts and even sought to enlist basketball great Michael Jordan, currently owner of the city's NBA franchise, to lobby the White House.

DeCola said just because "we don't have guys that like to beat their chest in the press like that" doesn't mean St. Louis' business community is not serious about helping attract the convention, which will bring thousands of visitors, and perhaps more importantly, lasting civic prestige to the winner.

"The business leaders in this community all know what's involved, and they have all expressed very, very strong support to make this happen," DeCola said. "We have companies that are much bigger, much more globally well-known than Duke Energy."

DeCola was one of several executives who met with a scout team for the Democratic National Committee at a lunch at the Jewel Box while the group made its site visit here over the summer.

The Regional Business Council is made up of medium-sized companies, so-called "mid-caps."

However, any corporate effort to land the convention would likely need participation from the local business heavyweights: companies such as Express Scripts, Monsanto, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and, of course, Anheuser-Busch.

The Brewery has already signaled a support for the bid. In a statement issued Monday, A-B president David Peacock said the city already has a "track record" of hosting major events, such as last year's baseball All-Star game.

"The people here in St. Louis are very accommodating and they put a great face on the city for events of this size," Peacock said "We are excited the DNC is considering St. Louis, and we would be proud to have them here."

Meanwhile, Charlotte's corporate community may actually be a liability for its chances -- the city is home to financial institutions such as Bank of America, which accepted $40 billion in federal bailout money.








Unions To DNC 2012: Shun These Cities: Charlotte & Cleveland


A Union representing hotel workers has asked the Democratic National Committee to rule out two of its four convention-site finalists, Cleveland and Charlotte, N.C., because they lack sufficient unionized hotel facilities.

"Among the DNC's four finalist cities, only St. Louis and Minneapolis" have the capacity to "house a large portion of the delegates and other guests ... in unionized hotels," John Wilhelm, president of the international UNITE HERE union of hotel and textile workers, wrote in a letter to DNC Chairman Tim Kaine.

"Therefore, one of those two cities should be the DNC's choice for 2012. Unfortunately, Charlotte and Cleveland do not fit the bill, and they should be removed from the list."

Though the letter was dated Oct. 6, it wasn't publicized until this week, when the union's Minneapolis local, eager to enhance its city's chances, issued a press release on the subject.

"We're just very interested in having the convention here on a number of levels, and for the international it's a priority that it be in a union city," said Wade Luneberg, secretary-treasurer and political director of UNITE HERE Local 17 in Minneapolis. "We think it's important to differentiate between the four [finalist] cities and see that Minneapolis and St. Louis rise to the top."

Charlotte, N.C., has no unionized hotels, and its convention center's employees are not union members, according to Wilhelm's letter. Cleveland has some union hotels, but only a handful in the downtown area and about 10 in the larger region; they belong to a competing union, Workers United.

UNITE HERE under Wilhelm split with former President Bruce Raynor in a bitter and protracted battle that ended last year with Raynor leaving and founding Workers United.

Workers United, which has affiliated with the Service Employees International Union, says it has 150,000 members, while UNITE HERE, an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, claims 265,000.

A subcommittee of the DNC visited potential convention sites over the summer to evaluate their logistical suitability and advise the committee on their findings. A decision is expected in late 2010 or early 2011.

Democratic sources familiar with the decision-making process say Charlotte and St. Louis are the current front-runners, with Charlotte at a slight disadvantage because of its small overall hotel room stock.

Political considerations — including last week's election results — are expected to play a major role in the decision-making process. The defeat of a Democratic governor in Ohio may have hurt Cleveland's chances, while Minneapolis could be helped if Minnesota's Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Mark Dayton, hangs on to win. He currently leads in the count in a race that is likely to go to a recount.

The Minneapolis area has at least 20 union hotels totaling 5,300 rooms, with more than 2,000 workers, Wilhelm's letter notes. St. Louis, the letter says, has 10 union hotels with more than 3,000 rooms. Both cities' sports arenas and convention centers are unionized as well.

"Employees at union hotels are far more likely than employees in non-union hotels to get the sort of basic fair treatment for which the Democratic Party stands — good wages, affordable health benefits, stable long-term positions, and respect and a voice on the job," Wilhelm wrote. "For these reasons, those employees are more likely to provide delegates and guests with better service as well."

UNITE HERE official Pilar Weiss said the DNC was receptive to the union's concerns. "It's early on," she said. "We're having a dialogue with them."

A spokesman for the DNC, Hari Sevugan, said, "As always, we are looking at a number of factors and will have an announcement in the coming months."






Charlotte, St. Louis Are Convention Finalists


A St. Louis television station is reporting that Charlotte and St. Louis have emerged as finalists in the competition to serve as host of the 2012 Democratic National Convention.

KTVI said Tuesday that the two cities have taken the lead over the other cities under consideration, Cleveland and Minneapolis.

Democratic Party officials have said they expect to make a choice later this year.

Both the St. Louis station and Politico.com said the issue of unionized hotels could tilt the competition against Charlotte. Most of the major hotels in St. Louis are unionized, while Charlotte's are not.

Labor unions have been a longtime bulwark of the Democratic Party.

Politico also noted that Charlotte has fewer hotel rooms than St. Louis.

Supporters of Charlotte's effort to win the convention have noted that Democrats held their 2008 national convention in Denver, where nearly all the hotels are not unionized.

The issue of unionized hotels has surfaced several times in recent weeks. Last month, a group composed of unionized hotel workers sent a letter to Democratic Party officials, asking that Charlotte and Cleveland be removed from consideration for the convention, because of a lack of unionized hotels.

Politico said Cleveland's AFL-CIO office sent a letter this week to Democratic Party Chairman Tom Kaine, saying the city has six union hotels downtown and a seventh near Hopkins International Airport.








Survey Reveals Charlotte's Crime Problem Is Not Improving


Respondents to a survey organized by a Charlotte community organization disagree with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police statistics showing a dropping crime rate in the city.

About 80 percent of the approximately 500 people who participated in the survey said the crime problem in Charlotte is either unchanged or has gotten worse over the past two years.

The study was conducted in recent weeks by Neighbors For A Safer Charlotte, a grassroots organization founded in April 2008.

Their study results contrast with a steady stream of monthly crime statistics from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police, showing -- for the most part -- that the crime rate has been dropping over the past 12 to 18 months. Earlier this week, CMPD statistics through March showed the overall crime rate is down 15 percent since the same time a year ago.

The survey results show that if CMPD statistics are correct, the perception among residents is that crime remains a big problem.

Respondents did not fall into the "lock-them-up-and-throw-away-the-key" category, as most of them said they support more mental health and substance abuse programs -- and said they believe only violent offenders should be put in jail.

Here are results from some of the organization's questions:

How much of a problem do you feel crime is in the Charlotte area?

75% rated it "serious" or "very serious"

In the past two years, has crime in Charlotte increased, stayed the same, or decreased?

42% said it is worse. Another 38% said it has remained the same.

Do you own a gun for protection?

31% said they owned a gun. Another 18 percent said they are considering buying one.

Which factors tend to increase the crime problem locally?

91% said gang and drug activity.

83% said the absence of a responsible parent or role model tends to increase crime activity among juveniles.

75% said lenient sentencing equals more crime.

50% said racial tensions were not likely to contribute to crime.

Not rated as significant factors were unemployment and poverty, and the lack of a police presence.

Have the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County done enough to deal with the crime problem?

79% said more needs to be done.

Are the courts too lenient or too tough?

78% said they are too lenient.

Do you plan to vote in the District Attorney race in November?

91% said they plan to vote in that contest.

What would help solve the crime problem?

96% said tougher sentencing.

88% said more programs for juveniles outside regular school hours.

85% said more mental health and substance abuse programs.

70% said only violent offenders should be incarcerated.








Forbes.com Ranks Charlotte, N.C. 14th Most Dangerous City


(Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, N.C.-S.C. metropolitan statistical area)

Population: 1,635,133

Violent Crimes per 100,000: 721

To determine our list, we used violent crime statistics from the FBI's latest uniform crime report, issued in 2008.

The violent crime category is composed of four offenses: murder and non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault.

We evaluated U.S. Metropolitan statistical areas--geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by Federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics--with more than 500,000 residents.


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Sources: CNN, CQ Press, DemComWatch, Forbes.com, McClatchy Newspapers, MSNBC, Neighbors For A Safer Charlotte, Politico, St. Louis Today, WCNC, Youtube, Google Maps

St. Louis vs Obama Admin's 2012 DNC Dirty Politics: Inflated Crime Rates

St. Louis Most Violent City? Obama Admin's Dirty Politics At Work: Inflated Crime Rates


Camden, New Jersey, has reason to celebrate today. It is no longer ranked as the most dangerous city in America.

Camden is now the second most crime-ridden city, second to St. Louis, Missouri, according to CQ Press, which annually publishes reference books based on academic and government data. The most violent city list is based on the FBI's 2009 uniform crime statistics covering murder, rape, burglary, robbery, aggravated assault and vehicle theft.

According to CQ, St. Louis had over 2,000 crimes per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of about 430 crimes per the same number of residents. For the second straight year, Colonie, a suburb of Albany, New York, had the least crime.

But such rankings tend to be oversimplifications, experts say. What's more, the FBI discourages using its stats to make sweeping generalizations about crime and whole cities, said John Jay College of Criminal Justice professor Andrew Karmen. He specializes in crime statistics and has written extensively about how they can be manipulated or presented in a biased way.

"When you look at these rankings and lists, the findings fall apart," he said. Crime reporting is nuanced and is affected by factors that can differ from one zip code to another, much less one city to another.

CQ, which sells its book on the findings for $70, acknowledges that, said spokesman Ben Krasney.

"The data is not flawless," he said. "We're a reference publisher, a starting point for other research. Crime rates within boundaries of a city – whether one neighborhood has more crime than another – we don't get into that."

Karmen said it's important to consider how, why and when crime is reported in different cities. If a police department is perceived as friendly, a welcoming place to file a report or come forward as a victim, crime stats are going to appear higher, for example.

Although "uniform" crime statistics are supposed to be just that, crime classification can vary. Vehicular manslaughter might not always be classified as murder, but rather a crime involving a vehicle, he said.

The faltering economy is also a huge factor in crime data.

CQ reports that the top five most violent cities in America, from first to fifth, are St. Louis; Camden; Detroit, Michigan; Flint, Michigan; and Oakland, California.

"Consider the industrial aspects of some of those cities and what has happened with jobs and those markets in the past few years," said Karmen. "The whole picture cannot be fairly reduced to a list."

Greg Scarbro, unit chief of the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, said the FBI also discourages using the data for these types of rankings.

Kara Bowlin, spokeswoman for St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, said the city actually has been getting safer over the last few years. She said crime in St. Louis has gone down each year since 2007, and so far in 2010, St. Louis crime is down 7 percent.

Erica Van Ross, spokeswoman for the St. Louis Police Department, called the rankings irresponsible.

"Crime is based on a variety of factors. It's based on geography, it's based on poverty, it's based on the economy," Van Ross said.

"That is not to say that urban cities don't have challenges, because we do," Van Ross said. "But it's that it's irresponsible to use the data in this way."








Survey Reveals Charlotte's Crime Problem Is Not Improving


Respondents to a survey organized by a Charlotte community organization disagree with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police statistics showing a dropping crime rate in the city.

About 80 percent of the approximately 500 people who participated in the survey said the crime problem in Charlotte is either unchanged or has gotten worse over the past two years.

The study was conducted in recent weeks by Neighbors For A Safer Charlotte, a grassroots organization founded in April 2008.

Their study results contrast with a steady stream of monthly crime statistics from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police, showing -- for the most part -- that the crime rate has been dropping over the past 12 to 18 months. Earlier this week, CMPD statistics through March showed the overall crime rate is down 15 percent since the same time a year ago.

The survey results show that if CMPD statistics are correct, the perception among residents is that crime remains a big problem.

Respondents did not fall into the "lock-them-up-and-throw-away-the-key" category, as most of them said they support more mental health and substance abuse programs -- and said they believe only violent offenders should be put in jail.

Here are results from some of the organization's questions:

How much of a problem do you feel crime is in the Charlotte area?

75% rated it "serious" or "very serious"

In the past two years, has crime in Charlotte increased, stayed the same, or decreased?

42% said it is worse. Another 38% said it has remained the same.

Do you own a gun for protection?

31% said they owned a gun. Another 18 percent said they are considering buying one.

Which factors tend to increase the crime problem locally?

91% said gang and drug activity.

83% said the absence of a responsible parent or role model tends to increase crime activity among juveniles.

75% said lenient sentencing equals more crime.

50% said racial tensions were not likely to contribute to crime.

Not rated as significant factors were unemployment and poverty, and the lack of a police presence.

Have the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County done enough to deal with the crime problem?

79% said more needs to be done.

Are the courts too lenient or too tough?

78% said they are too lenient.

Do you plan to vote in the District Attorney race in November?

91% said they plan to vote in that contest.

What would help solve the crime problem?

96% said tougher sentencing.

88% said more programs for juveniles outside regular school hours.

85% said more mental health and substance abuse programs.

70% said only violent offenders should be incarcerated.







Unions To DNC 2012: Shun These Cities: Charlotte & Cleveland


A Union representing hotel workers has asked the Democratic National Committee to rule out two of its four convention-site finalists, Cleveland and Charlotte, N.C., because they lack sufficient unionized hotel facilities.

"Among the DNC's four finalist cities, only St. Louis and Minneapolis" have the capacity to "house a large portion of the delegates and other guests ... in unionized hotels," John Wilhelm, president of the international UNITE HERE union of hotel and textile workers, wrote in a letter to DNC Chairman Tim Kaine.

"Therefore, one of those two cities should be the DNC's choice for 2012. Unfortunately, Charlotte and Cleveland do not fit the bill, and they should be removed from the list."

Though the letter was dated Oct. 6, it wasn't publicized until this week, when the union's Minneapolis local, eager to enhance its city's chances, issued a press release on the subject.

"We're just very interested in having the convention here on a number of levels, and for the international it's a priority that it be in a union city," said Wade Luneberg, secretary-treasurer and political director of UNITE HERE Local 17 in Minneapolis. "We think it's important to differentiate between the four [finalist] cities and see that Minneapolis and St. Louis rise to the top."

Charlotte, N.C., has no unionized hotels, and its convention center's employees are not union members, according to Wilhelm's letter. Cleveland has some union hotels, but only a handful in the downtown area and about 10 in the larger region; they belong to a competing union, Workers United.

UNITE HERE under Wilhelm split with former President Bruce Raynor in a bitter and protracted battle that ended last year with Raynor leaving and founding Workers United.

Workers United, which has affiliated with the Service Employees International Union, says it has 150,000 members, while UNITE HERE, an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, claims 265,000.

A subcommittee of the DNC visited potential convention sites over the summer to evaluate their logistical suitability and advise the committee on their findings. A decision is expected in late 2010 or early 2011.

Democratic sources familiar with the decision-making process say Charlotte and St. Louis are the current front-runners, with Charlotte at a slight disadvantage because of its small overall hotel room stock.

Political considerations — including last week's election results — are expected to play a major role in the decision-making process. The defeat of a Democratic governor in Ohio may have hurt Cleveland's chances, while Minneapolis could be helped if Minnesota's Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Mark Dayton, hangs on to win. He currently leads in the count in a race that is likely to go to a recount.

The Minneapolis area has at least 20 union hotels totaling 5,300 rooms, with more than 2,000 workers, Wilhelm's letter notes. St. Louis, the letter says, has 10 union hotels with more than 3,000 rooms. Both cities' sports arenas and convention centers are unionized as well.

"Employees at union hotels are far more likely than employees in non-union hotels to get the sort of basic fair treatment for which the Democratic Party stands — good wages, affordable health benefits, stable long-term positions, and respect and a voice on the job," Wilhelm wrote. "For these reasons, those employees are more likely to provide delegates and guests with better service as well."

UNITE HERE official Pilar Weiss said the DNC was receptive to the union's concerns. "It's early on," she said. "We're having a dialogue with them."

A spokesman for the DNC, Hari Sevugan, said, "As always, we are looking at a number of factors and will have an announcement in the coming months."








Forbes.com Ranks Charlotte, N.C. 14th Most Dangerous City


(Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, N.C.-S.C. metropolitan statistical area)

Population: 1,635,133

Violent Crimes per 100,000: 721

To determine our list, we used violent crime statistics from the FBI's latest uniform crime report, issued in 2008.

The violent crime category is composed of four offenses: murder and non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault.

We evaluated U.S. Metropolitan statistical areas--geographic entities defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by Federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics--with more than 500,000 residents.


View Larger Map



Sources: CNN, CQ Press, Forbes.com, McClatchy Newspapers, MSNBC, Neighbors For A Safer Charlotte, Politico, WCNC, Youtube, Google Maps

Charlotte vs Unions For DNC 2012: Unions Veto NO!!

Unions To DNC 2012: Shun These Cities: Charlotte & Cleveland


A Union representing hotel workers has asked the Democratic National Committee to rule out two of its four convention-site finalists, Cleveland and Charlotte, N.C., because they lack sufficient unionized hotel facilities.

"Among the DNC's four finalist cities, only St. Louis and Minneapolis" have the capacity to "house a large portion of the delegates and other guests ... in unionized hotels," John Wilhelm, president of the international UNITE HERE union of hotel and textile workers, wrote in a letter to DNC Chairman Tim Kaine.

"Therefore, one of those two cities should be the DNC's choice for 2012. Unfortunately, Charlotte and Cleveland do not fit the bill, and they should be removed from the list."

Though the letter was dated Oct. 6, it wasn't publicized until this week, when the union's Minneapolis local, eager to enhance its city's chances, issued a press release on the subject.

"We're just very interested in having the convention here on a number of levels, and for the international it's a priority that it be in a union city," said Wade Luneberg, secretary-treasurer and political director of UNITE HERE Local 17 in Minneapolis. "We think it's important to differentiate between the four [finalist] cities and see that Minneapolis and St. Louis rise to the top."

Charlotte, N.C., has no unionized hotels, and its convention center's employees are not union members, according to Wilhelm's letter. Cleveland has some union hotels, but only a handful in the downtown area and about 10 in the larger region; they belong to a competing union, Workers United.

UNITE HERE under Wilhelm split with former President Bruce Raynor in a bitter and protracted battle that ended last year with Raynor leaving and founding Workers United.

Workers United, which has affiliated with the Service Employees International Union, says it has 150,000 members, while UNITE HERE, an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, claims 265,000.

A subcommittee of the DNC visited potential convention sites over the summer to evaluate their logistical suitability and advise the committee on their findings. A decision is expected in late 2010 or early 2011.

Democratic sources familiar with the decision-making process say Charlotte and St. Louis are the current front-runners, with Charlotte at a slight disadvantage because of its small overall hotel room stock.

Political considerations — including last week's election results — are expected to play a major role in the decision-making process. The defeat of a Democratic governor in Ohio may have hurt Cleveland's chances, while Minneapolis could be helped if Minnesota's Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Mark Dayton, hangs on to win. He currently leads in the count in a race that is likely to go to a recount.

The Minneapolis area has at least 20 union hotels totaling 5,300 rooms, with more than 2,000 workers, Wilhelm's letter notes. St. Louis, the letter says, has 10 union hotels with more than 3,000 rooms. Both cities' sports arenas and convention centers are unionized as well.

"Employees at union hotels are far more likely than employees in non-union hotels to get the sort of basic fair treatment for which the Democratic Party stands — good wages, affordable health benefits, stable long-term positions, and respect and a voice on the job," Wilhelm wrote. "For these reasons, those employees are more likely to provide delegates and guests with better service as well."

UNITE HERE official Pilar Weiss said the DNC was receptive to the union's concerns. "It's early on," she said. "We're having a dialogue with them."

A spokesman for the DNC, Hari Sevugan, said, "As always, we are looking at a number of factors and will have an announcement in the coming months."





Union Vetoes Charlotte For Dems 2012 Convention


Charlotte’s bid to host the Democratic National Convention has gotten a “no” vote from the union that represents hotel workers, according to a report in Politico.com.

“Among the DNC's four finalist cities, only St. Louis and Minneapolis” have the capacity to “house a large portion of the delegates and other guests ... in unionized hotels,” John Wilhelm, president of the international UNITE HERE union of hotel and textile workers, wrote in a letter to Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine.

The letter, dated Oct. 6, wasn't publicized until last week, when the union's Minneapolis local, issued a press release on the subject.

Politico cites Democratic sources saying that Charlotte and St. Louis are now considered front-runners but that Charlotte had a slight disadvantage cause it didn’t have as many hotel rooms, period. But politics – including the mid-term election results – will play a role in the decision which is expected later this year or early in 2011.








Last Tuesday’s Results And DNC 2012


Figure in 30 days or so we’ll know if the Democrats are coming to Uptown in 2012. And on balance I think the Midterm election has helped Charlotte’s chances.

Cleveland is right out if it was ever in it. After both a lack-luster Obama rally in Cleveland the other day and John Kasich taking the governor’s race, forget it. The DNC is scared of Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, don’t think there will be much if any interest in trying to boost Obama to a second-term in Pawlenty’s backyard.

However.

There is already a meme in the wild that Tuesday was the result of Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine bending the DNC machine too closely to the “blue dogs” — ie, the South — instead of riding even further to the Left with organized labor. To the extent the Dems pursue this line of thinking that clearly sets up a Charlotte vs. St. Louis line of battle. If Kaine loses his job and is otherwise scape-goated for the midterm, that elevates labor-heavy St. Louis, which I’ve long thought is the only real competition for CLT.

Charlotte’s convention boosters have already had to try to prove that the city is organized labor-friendly enough to host the party of organized labor. Expect more surprises and twists there in the weeks ahead even if this get-Kaine movement dies out. (And frankly who knows what will go on while the White House is in India. Seriously.)

But the big picture remains that North Carolina has a female Dem governor, a female Dem senator, and only lost one incumbent congressman on Tuesday. Charlotte still has two Democratic congressmen — Larry Kissell’s win being something of a bright spot — a young, black Democratic mayor and a raft of long-serving and powerful state legislators. This reality along with Duke Energy and Bank of America, argues very well for Charlotte.

What is really interesting, however, is the chance that the GOP tide has made potential corporate donors to Charlotte’s DNC push a little gun shy. We’ve been told all along that $40m. in private money would be needed to put on Obamafest 2012 in Uptown.

After Tuesday, is there still a rush to write that check?






Republicans' New Clout Shakes Up N.C. Legislature


An election that turned the N.C. General Assembly upside down will flip the fortunes of Mecklenburg County lawmakers, dropping some from key positions and maybe lifting one to the top spot in the House.

Lawmakers on both sides Wednesday were still trying to figure out their roles on a playing field that changed dramatically. Constituents also were scrambling to find their places.

In a GOP wave that swept the country, Republicans took over the state Senate for the first time in 112 years, winning 31 of 50 seats. They'll retake control of the House after claiming at least 68 of 120 seats.

"Everybody in North Carolina is going to be trying to figure out how to relate to the new leadership," said Charlotte Chamber President Bob Morgan.

The results will change everything from the leaders who assign committees to the lawmakers who lead them and, in some cases, the staff that counsels them.

GOP Sen. Phil Berger of Rockingham County is poised to become the leader of the Senate. Rep. Thom Tillis of Cornelius, who chaired the party's election effort in the House, is on the short list of candidates for House speaker.

Veteran Sen. Bob Rucho of Matthews, one of the leaders of the GOP Senate campaign effort, is expected to get a top committee assignment.

On the flip side, lawmakers such as Charlotte Democrat Dan Clodfelter, who co-chairs the influential Senate Finance Committee, and deputy Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Dannelly almost surely will lose their leadership roles as well as their clout.

But what it means for Mecklenburg is less clear.

"I actually think it bodes pretty well for us," Tillis said Wednesday. "We shouldn't automatically assume Republicans will do what Democrats have done, and that is not have people in the minority party in prominent roles. We're not going to turn a blind eye to people who've established a pretty solid resume."

Tillis as House speaker?

Tillis, the minority whip, could end up competing with Minority Leader Paul Stam of Raleigh for the speakership. He says he expects the GOP caucus to decide its new leaders by Thanksgiving.

No one approached the election with quite the single-minded focus of Tillis.

It was in April 2009 that the Cornelius businessman quit his job as an IBM management consultant to devote himself full time to the effort. He put 45,000 miles and wore out a set of tires on his blue Toyota pickup traveling the state recruiting candidates and helping them hone issues and raise money.

The man who named his three dogs Reagan, Abe and Ike was on a mission: to elect Republicans.

Raleigh businessman Art Pope, a former legislator whose affiliated groups spent at least $2.1 million to elect Republicans, declined to say whom he favors for speaker. "The Republican House caucus has an excellent group of leaders, and they have a lot to choose from," he said.

But Rep. Ruth Samuelson, a Charlotte Republican also expected to rise in the new order, said Tillis has a good shot to replace Democratic Speaker Joe Hackney of Chapel Hill.

"I think right now it leans a little towards Thom," she said "That's what I'm hearing other people say."

Tillis and others say they don't believe Republicans would be wary about another speaker from Mecklenburg. He would be the first since Jim Black left in 2007, the year he was sentenced to federal prison on corruption charges. Black was just released to a halfway house.

"I don't think Thom Tillis deserves any blame for the corrupt criminal Jim Black," Pope said.

Mecklenburg influence

Mecklenburg's 15-member legislative delegation includes six Republicans. Returning are Rucho in the Senate and Tillis, Samuelson and Ric Killian in the House. The newcomers: Bill Brawley in the House and Tommy Tucker of Union County in the Senate, in a district that includes part of Mecklenburg.

While House Democrats such as Reps. Beverly Earle, Martha Alexander and Becky Carney have been around for years, the three returning GOP lawmakers were all elected in 2006. Even so, they could all move up in a Republican-controlled House.

"There is a good potential that Mecklenburg County will have a little more influence over what happens in Raleigh," said Samuelson.

Carney said the change could "bode well for Mecklenburg."

"It depends on the issues," she said. "It might have shifted everything upside down but, for Mecklenburg County, potentially you're still going to have those leadership positions. So hopefully it will not have any damaging effect."

Morgan, of the Chamber, said who's in charge may be less important than the challenges they'll face. Among other things, the state is staring at a budget shortfall of more than $3 billion.

"Regardless of which party won last night, that is the biggest issue that looms over any of us who care about the legislature or are dependent on the legislature," he said. "We're all going to be playing defense."





Legislative Changes On The Way In North Carolina Senate & House

N.C. Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight, D-Dare, has been one of the most powerful individuals in state government since the early 1990s, but his long reign as the Senate's top leader appears to be at an end.

Republican candidates for the N.C. Senate appeared to be taking over that chamber for the first time since 1898 and the party's candidates for the House appeared to be winning the House of Representatives for the first time since 1997 as well.

With an Anti-Incumbent mood running among voters in legislative elections, Democrats in North Carolina who dominated the General Assembly in the 20th and so far the 21st centuries will surely find Raleigh a far different place when the General Assembly reconvenes in 2011.

Democrat Bev Perdue will still be Governor for at least another two years, of course, but many things are likely to change

Republicans who have been thwarted in their legislative efforts will find a different atmosphere. The electoral change would open up new leadership opportunities for Republicans such as Sen. Bob Rucho of Charlotte and Rep. Thom Tillis of Mecklenburg.

The Senate changes include the biennial drafting of the state budget, for which Republicans have been laying plans for months to trim more than $3 billion from the state's roughly $20 billion operating budget. Some plans envision cutting up to 20 percent to make ends meet.

Perhaps just as important is the redrawing of congressional and legislative districts for the upcoming decade. Those districts must be revised every 10 years following the Census, and Republicans will have the chance to guide redistricting committees through the process for the first time in modern state history.



Also important to Republicans is Court of Appeals Judge Barbara Jackson's lead over Democratic Court of Appeals Judge Bob Hunter for the N.C. Supreme Court seat held by outgoing justice Ed Brady. Although these seats are nonpartisan, it's no secret that Jackson is a Republican, as is Brady. And her election would not only preserve a 4-3 Republican-Democrat split on the court, it will also give the N.C. court a majority of female justices. It's foolish to predict how justices will vote based on their political party, but it will comfort Republicans in redistricting lawsuits that the numbers at least appear to be on their side.

Democrats no doubt will now have second thoughts about their refusal to go along with Republican proposals in past years to create a nonpartisan commission to study demographic changes and draft new districts for the state's 13 congressional districts and 170 legislative districts. It will be another decade before districts could be redrawn, and Democrats will have time to ponder their lost opportunities - apparently from the back bench.



View Larger Map


Sources: Daily Kos, John Locke Foundation, McClatchy Newspapers, Meck Deck Blog, Minnesota Independent, NPR, Politico, WCNC, WRAL, Google Maps

DNC 2012: Did Charlotte's Chances Drop After GOP Sweep?

Last Tuesday’s Results And DNC 2012


Figure in 30 days or so we’ll know if the Democrats are coming to Uptown in 2012. And on balance I think the Midterm election has helped Charlotte’s chances.

Cleveland is right out if it was ever in it. After both a lack-luster Obama rally in Cleveland the other day and John Kasich taking the governor’s race, forget it. The DNC is scared of Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, don’t think there will be much if any interest in trying to boost Obama to a second-term in Pawlenty’s backyard.

However.

There is already a meme in the wild that Tuesday was the result of Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine bending the DNC machine too closely to the “blue dogs” — ie, the South — instead of riding even further to the Left with organized labor. To the extent the Dems pursue this line of thinking that clearly sets up a Charlotte vs. St. Louis line of battle. If Kaine loses his job and is otherwise scape-goated for the midterm, that elevates labor-heavy St. Louis, which I’ve long thought is the only real competition for CLT.

Charlotte’s convention boosters have already had to try to prove that the city is organized labor-friendly enough to host the party of organized labor. Expect more surprises and twists there in the weeks ahead even if this get-Kaine movement dies out. (And frankly who knows what will go on while the White House is in India. Seriously.)

But the big picture remains that North Carolina has a female Dem governor, a female Dem senator, and only lost one incumbent congressman on Tuesday. Charlotte still has two Democratic congressmen — Larry Kissell’s win being something of a bright spot — a young, black Democratic mayor and a raft of long-serving and powerful state legislators. This reality along with Duke Energy and Bank of America, argues very well for Charlotte.

What is really interesting, however, is the chance that the GOP tide has made potential corporate donors to Charlotte’s DNC push a little gun shy. We’ve been told all along that $40m. in private money would be needed to put on Obamafest 2012 in Uptown.

After Tuesday, is there still a rush to write that check?






Republicans' New Clout Shakes Up N.C. Legislature


An election that turned the N.C. General Assembly upside down will flip the fortunes of Mecklenburg County lawmakers, dropping some from key positions and maybe lifting one to the top spot in the House.

Lawmakers on both sides Wednesday were still trying to figure out their roles on a playing field that changed dramatically. Constituents also were scrambling to find their places.

In a GOP wave that swept the country, Republicans took over the state Senate for the first time in 112 years, winning 31 of 50 seats. They'll retake control of the House after claiming at least 68 of 120 seats.

"Everybody in North Carolina is going to be trying to figure out how to relate to the new leadership," said Charlotte Chamber President Bob Morgan.

The results will change everything from the leaders who assign committees to the lawmakers who lead them and, in some cases, the staff that counsels them.

GOP Sen. Phil Berger of Rockingham County is poised to become the leader of the Senate. Rep. Thom Tillis of Cornelius, who chaired the party's election effort in the House, is on the short list of candidates for House speaker.

Veteran Sen. Bob Rucho of Matthews, one of the leaders of the GOP Senate campaign effort, is expected to get a top committee assignment.

On the flip side, lawmakers such as Charlotte Democrat Dan Clodfelter, who co-chairs the influential Senate Finance Committee, and deputy Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Dannelly almost surely will lose their leadership roles as well as their clout.

But what it means for Mecklenburg is less clear.

"I actually think it bodes pretty well for us," Tillis said Wednesday. "We shouldn't automatically assume Republicans will do what Democrats have done, and that is not have people in the minority party in prominent roles. We're not going to turn a blind eye to people who've established a pretty solid resume."

Tillis as House speaker?

Tillis, the minority whip, could end up competing with Minority Leader Paul Stam of Raleigh for the speakership. He says he expects the GOP caucus to decide its new leaders by Thanksgiving.

No one approached the election with quite the single-minded focus of Tillis.

It was in April 2009 that the Cornelius businessman quit his job as an IBM management consultant to devote himself full time to the effort. He put 45,000 miles and wore out a set of tires on his blue Toyota pickup traveling the state recruiting candidates and helping them hone issues and raise money.

The man who named his three dogs Reagan, Abe and Ike was on a mission: to elect Republicans.

Raleigh businessman Art Pope, a former legislator whose affiliated groups spent at least $2.1 million to elect Republicans, declined to say whom he favors for speaker. "The Republican House caucus has an excellent group of leaders, and they have a lot to choose from," he said.

But Rep. Ruth Samuelson, a Charlotte Republican also expected to rise in the new order, said Tillis has a good shot to replace Democratic Speaker Joe Hackney of Chapel Hill.

"I think right now it leans a little towards Thom," she said "That's what I'm hearing other people say."

Tillis and others say they don't believe Republicans would be wary about another speaker from Mecklenburg. He would be the first since Jim Black left in 2007, the year he was sentenced to federal prison on corruption charges. Black was just released to a halfway house.

"I don't think Thom Tillis deserves any blame for the corrupt criminal Jim Black," Pope said.

Mecklenburg influence

Mecklenburg's 15-member legislative delegation includes six Republicans. Returning are Rucho in the Senate and Tillis, Samuelson and Ric Killian in the House. The newcomers: Bill Brawley in the House and Tommy Tucker of Union County in the Senate, in a district that includes part of Mecklenburg.

While House Democrats such as Reps. Beverly Earle, Martha Alexander and Becky Carney have been around for years, the three returning GOP lawmakers were all elected in 2006. Even so, they could all move up in a Republican-controlled House.

"There is a good potential that Mecklenburg County will have a little more influence over what happens in Raleigh," said Samuelson.

Carney said the change could "bode well for Mecklenburg."

"It depends on the issues," she said. "It might have shifted everything upside down but, for Mecklenburg County, potentially you're still going to have those leadership positions. So hopefully it will not have any damaging effect."

Morgan, of the Chamber, said who's in charge may be less important than the challenges they'll face. Among other things, the state is staring at a budget shortfall of more than $3 billion.

"Regardless of which party won last night, that is the biggest issue that looms over any of us who care about the legislature or are dependent on the legislature," he said. "We're all going to be playing defense."





Legislative Changes On The Way In North Carolina Senate & House

N.C. Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight, D-Dare, has been one of the most powerful individuals in state government since the early 1990s, but his long reign as the Senate's top leader appears to be at an end.

Republican candidates for the N.C. Senate appeared to be taking over that chamber for the first time since 1898 and the party's candidates for the House appeared to be winning the House of Representatives for the first time since 1997 as well.

With an Anti-Incumbent mood running among voters in legislative elections, Democrats in North Carolina who dominated the General Assembly in the 20th and so far the 21st centuries will surely find Raleigh a far different place when the General Assembly reconvenes in 2011.

Democrat Bev Perdue will still be Governor for at least another two years, of course, but many things are likely to change

Republicans who have been thwarted in their legislative efforts will find a different atmosphere. The electoral change would open up new leadership opportunities for Republicans such as Sen. Bob Rucho of Charlotte and Rep. Thom Tillis of Mecklenburg.

The Senate changes include the biennial drafting of the state budget, for which Republicans have been laying plans for months to trim more than $3 billion from the state's roughly $20 billion operating budget. Some plans envision cutting up to 20 percent to make ends meet.

Perhaps just as important is the redrawing of congressional and legislative districts for the upcoming decade. Those districts must be revised every 10 years following the Census, and Republicans will have the chance to guide redistricting committees through the process for the first time in modern state history.



Also important to Republicans is Court of Appeals Judge Barbara Jackson's lead over Democratic Court of Appeals Judge Bob Hunter for the N.C. Supreme Court seat held by outgoing justice Ed Brady. Although these seats are nonpartisan, it's no secret that Jackson is a Republican, as is Brady. And her election would not only preserve a 4-3 Republican-Democrat split on the court, it will also give the N.C. court a majority of female justices. It's foolish to predict how justices will vote based on their political party, but it will comfort Republicans in redistricting lawsuits that the numbers at least appear to be on their side.

Democrats no doubt will now have second thoughts about their refusal to go along with Republican proposals in past years to create a nonpartisan commission to study demographic changes and draft new districts for the state's 13 congressional districts and 170 legislative districts. It will be another decade before districts could be redrawn, and Democrats will have time to ponder their lost opportunities - apparently from the back bench.



View Larger Map


Sources: Daily Kos, John Locke Foundation, McClatchy Newspapers, Meck Deck Blog, Minnesota Independent, NPR, WCNC, WRAL, Google Maps