Monthly Archives: November 2014

We had our first look this morning at the two street signs giving Providence Place the honorary designation of Knapstein Place. In English, German or any other language, they’re awesome. The signs honor Frank Knapstein, a German immigrant and contractor who built throughout South St. Louis. The one-block Knapstein Place was built around 1915 orContinue reading “The Signs Are Up”

Yet another in the best of my Suburban Journals stories: The day Lorraine’s leg dropped through the ceiling. This picture is not of Lorraine’s leg. The hole was much bigger. http://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/my-street-hole-in-ceiling-caps-homeowner-s-plumbing-woes/article_03893bb7-79b5-5054-ad33-2a26a07d6118.html

It’s time for another installment of my favorite stories for the Suburban Journals. This one is about the jolly life of a process server. http://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/illinois/news/want-to-be-carjacked-and-hit-with-fish-we-ve/article_efbf6959-946d-5674-8619-c90d2b837495.html

It’s one of two at the St. Louis Street Department’s Headquarters, awaiting installation at Providence Place and Michigan Avenue. The sign notes that Providence Place in the Dutchtown neighborhood has the honorary designation of Knapstein Place. Knapstein Place was named for Frank Knapstein, a German immigrant, contractor and namesake for Knapstein Place. The one-block streetContinue reading “Here’s the Sign”

We were present today when Mayor Francis Slay signed a bill giving Providence Place in the Dutchtown neighborhood the honorary designation of Knapstein Place. Standing with the mayor in his office were, left to right, Twentieth Ward Alderman Craig Schmid, the bill’s sponsor; James Martin, president of the German-American Heritage Society of Saint Louis; me;Continue reading “The Mayor Signs the Bill”

In yet another installment of the best of my Suburban Journals articles, I disclose what makes my wallet so fat. http://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/metro/news/what-s-in-your-wallet/article_54e52496-5f16-5540-9815-d2969542806e.html

Residents of more than seven-dozen South Side streets share the same broken tale. Ten minutes after company is due at their house on Itaska Street west of Francis Park, the host receives a desperate phone call. It’s the guest, in a panic. He’s at Itaska Street at Ridgewood Avenue. The street just ended. What shouldContinue reading “The Broken Road”

In yet another of my series of “Best of Jim Merkel’s Suburban Journals” articles, I offer my thoughts on the best word in the world. Especially if your candidate didn’t win. http://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/metro /opinion/what-to-do-in-those-whatever-moments /article_5642c154-9052-555a-bfeb-ffc42c55b68c.html          

I’m overjoyed to report this one. The dedication of a sign giving Providence Place in the Dutchtown neighborhood the honorary designation of Knapstein Place will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, November 15. A sign in German colors will be placed just below the Providence Place street sign at Michigan Avenue and Providence Place, justContinue reading “Righting a Wrong”

Continuing my series of my best stories as a Suburban Journals reporter, here’s what I wrote about my hour as a homeless person. I went back to the warm newsroom when I was done. A real homeless person would go back to his bench. http://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/illinois/hour-story-one-with-the-homeless/article_e1e1d304-3d17-5bb9-b40c-cbbb528aba38.html