St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page E001

ICHAEL HAW Of the Post-Dispatch The lawyers say why they were suing to get the names and addresses of people who had complained to the Federal Trade Commission about extra charges that banks or phone companies had tacked on to bills. And the suit elaborate on what the lawyers planned to do with the names. Not until a federal appellate court ruling in December did the reasons become clear. The law was hoping to use the names as to propel a possible class action according to the court. The 7th U.S.

Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago in that decision sided with District Judge David R. Herndon in East St. Louis, who dismissed the suit last year, ruling that such a disclosure of names for whatever reason would be an invasion of privacy. That decision is the law, for now at least, in the 7th Circuit, which takes in all of Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. ROBERT COHEN POST-DISPATCH Just before midnight Tuesday, Kenny Grobe repeats what has become a familiar chore for the past three months: After getting off work in nearby Corning, he drives to his house near Poplar Bluff, lets out the dog and updates the number of days his mother, Mary Lee Grobe, has been missing.

PAGE E01MD1ME0104 See Lawsuit, E4 SECTION UNDAY ANUARY 4 2004 ETRO UNDAY ETRO UNDAY History give business the right to stay put US ERKER STARTED A catering business in his basement when he got out of the Army after World War II. He moved the Erker Catering Company to its present location on the south side of Clayton Road just a little bit east of Brentwood Boulevard in 1946. This was long before the area became desirable for developers. There used to be a gas station across the street from the catering company. It went out of business in the summer of 1962.

son, August C. Erker, known as Ace, visited the gas station on its final day of business. By all accounts, Ace was an All-American kid. He was with two friends. They asked if they could look around in the basement for spare parts, maybe some tires.

The owner said sure. Ace and one of his friends went into the basement. They tried to turn on the light, but it go on. They did not know that the owner had disconnected the electricity for safety reasons. He was afraid an underground gas storage tank was leaking.

When they get the light to work, friend lit a match. A Richmond Heights patrolman happened to be passing by, and heard the explosion. He rushed the boys to the hospital, but Ace was too badly burned. He died. He was 18 years old.

Still, his dad went to work every day right across the street from where the accident had occurred. I mention this just to point out there is some history here. Of course, things have changed. The Galleria is just across Brentwood Boulevard. An oil-change shop is where the gas station once was.

And there are no more Erkers in the Erker Catering company. Gus died in 1988, and he passed the business down to three long-time employees. Bob Byrne is the president of the company. He started working for Erker 40 years ago, while he was in high school. Nancy Hearn is the head chef.

She has worked for Erker for 43 and her mother, Sarah, was head chef before her. John Vlatkovich is the secretary-treasurer. He has worked for the company for 45 years. So this is an old, established business. It does lunches for Forsyth School, but mostly it does social catering.

Private parties in homes. Most of its customers are nearby in Richmond Heights, Clayton and Ladue. Fortunately for the company, it owns its building. Otherwise, the whole area would have gotten too pricey. Unfortunately for the company, owning property is no longer quite the sure thing it once was.

More often, municipalities are using eminent domain to take private property from its owners. In this instance, Richmond Heights has decided that the would be served by a new development on the corner. So this month, Erker Catering will appear before a commission that determines a for its building and land. If the company disagrees with the it can appeal, but the new developer will still get the property. This eminent domain business is rankling enough when the property is taken for a highway, but when the property is taken from one business and given to another, well, especially hard to take.

just not said Byrne when I visited on Friday. paid taxes for 58 years. developed a good reputation and got a good customer base. I know if going to be able to another place nearby, and we have to stay close to our The business that will replace Erkers and a Clarkson Eye- care LASIK surgery center next door is a hotel. Considering what a hot community Richmond Heights has become, these city probably know what doing.

On the other hand, 58 years and a lot of history ought to count for something. Ought to, but E-mail: Phone: 314-340-8143 ARK CHLINKMANN Of the Post-Dispatch After nine years as St. Charles County executive, Joe Ortwerth has reached a political milestone with implications for the entire St. Louis region. On Thursday, he became chairman of the East-West Gateway Coordinat- ing Council a regional body that earmarks federal transportation dollars across the metro area.

Ortwerth also is poised to become the immediate longest-serving leader at the county level, following the death of St. Louis County Executive George R. Westfall and the decision by St. Clair County Board Chairman John Baricevic to step down later this year to run for a judgeship. When Ortwerth leaves himself in 2006, he plan to seek another elective post.

He expects instead to become a minister. job switch is in keeping with the strong religious bent often publicly displayed since he was elected executive in 1994. Allies say that was in his successful push to strengthen ethics rules when he was a state legislator and in his running an honest county government. Critics say he has tried to impose his own beliefs on others, such as when he vetoed a casino plan because of his opposition to gambling. Moreover, some complain that he has the JERRY NAUNHEIM JR.

POST-DISPATCH St. Charles County Executive Joe Ortwerth (left) and St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay talk in November at the annual lunch of the East-West Gateway Coordinating Council at the Marriott Pavilion Hotel in St. Louis. Ortwerth is the new chairman of the council.

See Ortwerth, E2 Ortwerth sees new role when his term ends He says he feels called to religious work Feuding family of woman who disappeared from her farmhouse near Poplar Bluff, three months ago is deeply divided over what happened to their mother. Where is Mary Grobe? ROBERT COHEN POST-DISPATCH When Mary Lee Grobe, 74, disappeared from her home near Poplar Bluff, her daily pill regimen was left on her kitchen table. Appeals court says agencies disclose names Lawyers sought list from FTC Holden, GOP prepare to resume budget battle ERRY ANEY Jefferson City Bureau Chief JEFFERSON CITY The 2004 session does not begin until Wednesday, but a consultant to Senate Republicans has already written a blueprint for how it will unfold. Consultant David scenario calls for Republicans to attack Gov. Bob Holden, a Democrat, on Jan.

21, the day Holden gives his address on the state of the state and the budget. The GOP will accuse Holden of to cut waste, fraud and mismanagement from the state strategy, written weeks before the budget was completed, became public when an e-mail meant for an aide to Senate President Pro Tem Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, went instead to a man with a similar name who worked for the Missourinet, a statewide radio news service. The Missourinet disclosed e-mail in a news story, including the fact that Barklage suggested that Republican committee chairmen be pressured to create hearings will generate positive In an interview, Barklage said the e-mail represented nothing more than personal views as a Still, it points to the likely general direction that the session will take. With the budget again being a major issue and this being a big election year, sure to be a political spin attached to everything. governor is going to stay with the fact that we need more revenue, and the Republicans are going to say, we predicted Rep.

Marsha Campbell, D-Kansas City. For the time in 50 years, Republicans control both the Governor is expected to try again to raise taxes See Legislature, E5 A ISHA ULTAN Of the Post-Dispatch OPLAR BLUFF, Mo. In the middle of a bitter family feud and a dead- end criminal investigation is a missing 74-year-old widowed great-grandmother. Mary Lee Grobe was last seen three months ago sitting on the wooden swing in her front yard. Her tiny frame house faces a rural two-lane highway.

Inside remain signs of a homey existence: a stack of Westerns she loved to read; the pervasive smell of her black lab and best friend, B.B.; and nearly 40 framed photos of her vast array of kinfolk. The mysterious circumstances surrounding her disappearance have per- plexed the authorities and deepened discord among children. They suspect foul play. They rule out more benign explanations, such as her wandering off, by pointing out the unanswered questions: Why was front door locked behind her? She drive or own a car, and she never left the house without a relative. Why were her purse, medicine and glasses left behind? Why she activate the medical alert button she wore around her neck? And most mysterious of all: Why did her hundred-pound dog disappear with her, then return four days later, looking as though it had been bathed.

is says Butler County Sheriff Bill Heaton, it just add Grobe Missing since September See Disappearance, E3.