Unpaid Taxes to Close Jumpin' Jupiter Doors on Friday, Would Lose Business License

Owner Jim Callahan said he's worked things out with the state, and expects to remain open.

The Jumpin’ Jupiter hasn’t been paying its state sales taxes, and now has until Friday to settle with the State of Missouri or the City of Maplewood will not renew its business license on Monday, July 2. According to Ward 3 council member Barry Greenberg, Jumpin’ Jupiter owner Jim Callahan testified in a public revocation hearing, before the city council meeting Tuesday, that he owes $28,000 in sales taxes to the state. Council member Shawn Faulkingham said July 1 is the deadline for Maplewood to hear from the state that Callahan is in good standing, but that’s a Sunday, so he has until by June 29 to settle, or on July 2 the club won’t qualify to renew its business license with the city. Like Maplewood-Brentwood Patch on Facebook and keep …

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Doug Miner

9:28 pm on Sunday, July 1, 2012

@William- I've been out of town since Friday am. I'll let you know JJ's status ASAP.   more ›

Maplewood's Food Truck Discussion Attracts Media Attention

Three Missouri news outlets weighed in on the council's discussion and the outcome.

Maplewood City Council drew attention from the media when it discussed food trucks at its Monday meeting. The St. Louis Post Dispatch ran an article the next day, quoting Maplewood city manager Martin Corcoran that the food truck issue is dead, "as of tonight." Mayor Jim White and council members Barry Greenberg, Fred Wolf and Karen Wood were listed as opposed "because they were worried the trucks could “cannibalize” the local restaurants’ business," the article stated. Corcoran is quoted that it would take four votes to pass, and as of Monday, they weren't there. The St. Louis Business Journal summarized the meeting in an article on Thursday. Councilmember David Cerven, who said in the meeting he's for food trucks, was quoted in the …

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Food Trucks in Maplewood City Council: 2 Against, 2 Mostly Against, 2 For, 1 Absent

A discussion of food trucks at Tuesday's Maplewood city council meeting showed two for and two against. Two others were against on a regular basis. One councilman wasn't there. No motion was made.

In the end, no motion was made after the food truck discussion Tuesday night at the Maplewood city council meeting. City manager Martin Corcoran said the staff was given no directives, so nothing will happen to change the current law that prohibits food trucks from operating in the city. The discussion revealed council members David Cerven and Tim Dunn for food trucks and Karen Wood and Fred Wolf against. Wood and Wolf said few words in indicating their positions against. Cerven and Dunn explained how they came to be for food trucks. Cerven said an event at Kellog Park or Deer Creek Park might work, but the important thing is to level the playing field so food truck operators don’t have an economic advantage. “If it can be worked out that …

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Pat Maloney (Wilken)

8:05 am on Friday, June 15, 2012

I was at first, very much against the food trucks, and how it might hurt the rest of our small businesses. But as time went on, and I read some of the "fors and againsts" I thought maybe it would work in a limited availability. Such as Tues. and Thurs. But whatever is decided, and it already sounds like it is, it will be okay.   more ›

Marietta Parking Lot Focus of Council Discussion

Options to shield nearby homes from headlights on parking lot could boost landscape costs.

Different options for a wall that is to be built along the redesigned Marietta Public Parking Lot drew a lot of attention from Maplewood City Council at a meeting on Tuesday night. Council members wrangled over concepts and costs, prompting City Manager Marty Corcoran to redirect their attention back to the joint presentation by Frontenac Engineering and DeLong Landscape Architecture. At issue were design elements that could beautify but boost overall project costs, while shielding residents’ homes on Marietta Avenue from headlights of those who will park on the redesigned lot. The wall would be placed between the parking lot and Marietta Avenue. Possible shields included natural, sustainable screens of trees and shrubbery, brick and/or …

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No Right-Turn Sign Draws Council Discussion

The decision to remove the sign will ultimately be made by residents living in the 7300 block of Flora Avenue.

Maplewood residents living in the 7300 block of Flora Avenue are divided about whether a no right-turn sign should or shouldn't remain posted at the corner of Flora and Arbor avenues. The sign prohibits westbound traffic on Arbor from turning right onto Flora. The no right turn is an inconvenience for homeowners living on that block, but it also prevents cut-through traffic; and that's the central debate. Laura Miller attended a Maplewood City Council meeting on Tuesday night and asked for the sign to be removed. "It's a cut-through street. It's always been a cut-through street. It’s not a street meant for kids; it’s meant for vehicles,” she said. Mark Langston, the former mayor who lives on the street, said removing the sign would …

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Art Seen

David Cerven Trades Opera Dream For a Camera

Cerven was headed for a career on the stage when he decided to open a photography business in Maplewood.

David Cerven didn’t set out to become a photographer. In college, his career path was music. He’s trained as an operatic baritone. But a year after graduating from Washington University, Cerven walked away from the opera star dream. Through sports and serendipity, the southern Illinois native became a professional photographer and opened Studio Altius in Maplewood, the city where he now resides. Two years ago he was elected as a councilman for the first ward. Following graduation, Cerven spent a year performing at venues around St. Louis. The next step was to attend a conservatory, get a master's degree and land an apprenticeship with a major opera company. Then, after years of working toward hitting it big, you either make it or you don’t…

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Council Approves Green Restaurant Program After Weeks of Disagreement

The program will initially focus on recycling and composting opportunities.

A new green restaurant program will allow downtown Maplewood restaurants to share costs for recycling and composting while advocating environmental awareness. The city will partner with St. Louis Earth Day, a nonprofit organization that provides environmental education, to create the program. The city will pay St. Louis Earth Day $10,000 for two years of consultation and leadership work, which includes developing plans for individual restaurants and holding workshops to promote best practices.  Third Ward Councilman Barry Greenberg, one of the program's strongest supporters, said the business community has been receptive to the idea. "No one has said they don't want to do it in theory," he said. "We're going to have easily 50 percent of…

Green Restaurant Program Draws Heated Council Debate

The Maplewood City Council discussed a potential grant application to create a green restaurant program during a work session Tuesday night.

A disagreement over whether the city should pursue recycling grants drew a heated exchange between Mayor James White and Third Ward Councilman Barry Greenberg at the Maplewood City Council work session last night. Greenberg asked the council to consider pursuing a recycling grant through the St. Louis-Jefferson Solid Waste Management District, something the council originally discussed at its Oct. 26 meeting. He wants to request grant money for two projects: to establish a recycling center on Marietta Avenue behind most of the restaurants in downtown Maplewood, and to start a green restaurant program in the special business district. White was uncomfortable asking for grant money when the city doesn't have a firm agreement from …

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Photographers Meet at Studio Altius for Photo Brew-HA-HA

Maplewood's Studio Altius released the rules for the 2010 SEEN Photography competition that will take place at the studio in November.

Tuesday evening, photo enthusiasts of all skills gathered at Studio Altius for the monthly "Photography Brew-HA-HA," an evening devoted to networking, learning, and the sharing of jokes and anecdotes from the world of photography and art. Manager Shawna Ventimiglia said the Brew-HA-HA meetings are always very enjoyable.  "Sometimes they're more serious, other times, they're more relaxed," she said. "But sometimes we end up playing Wii like the last one." Unfortunately, many of the attendees had to get up early Wednesday morning, so there were no chances for video games Tuesday night. Still, patrons got to talk about all things photography over some pretzels and cold beer. As the evening wound down, the topics of conversation covered things…