Last week the EYE told ancient history at the RFT in connection to the Lee Enterprises purchase of the Post and other Pulitzer properties. This week, a reminder of the smart, punchy, informed editorializing of the old RFT came in the form of Dave Drebes’ musings in his Arch City Chronicle (more a newsletter than a newspaper, for now) regarding how he spent MLK Day.
Meditating on the North Side political scene, Drebes scores good points about the “sometimes self-centered politics of North St. Louis,” such as the challenge to Ford Griffin just as she is achieving enough seniority as an alderwoman to make a difference for her mostly black constituents.
It was also nice to read in Drebes’ editorial some printed evidence that somebody in town understands how the American balances its editorial stance toward community activism in light of the city’s dire need for economic development. When he summarizes our editorial position as “economic growth and a functional educational system are the new civil rights,” he hits close to home. Now, if only the guy could get an ad staff (and a photographer, and …), the New Times might get a run for its money, and the city might get an alternative weekly worth its serious attention.