Granite City Steel Works
(Photo Courtesy of U.S. Steel Corp.)

Granite City Steel workers rally for tariff

About 1,000 members of United Steelworkers Local 1899 rallied outside the Granite City Labor Temple, 20 and State Street, July 20, in support of proposed steel import tariffs they believe could help reopen United State Steel Crops’ largely idle Granite City Works.

Some 1,800 workers at the facility were laid off in November 2015.  U.S. Steel blamed decreasing demand for some American steel products in the wake of increased steel imports from foreign nations, notably China. Only about 600 have since returned to work, according to union officials.

President Donald Trump has promised to impose import barriers to steel entering the United States.

The Granite  City rally came as the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) is investigating the effects that steel imports may be having on U.S. national security.

The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security launched the investigation April 19, 2017, under a rarely-used statutory authority in Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.

The Commerce Department generally must make a recommendation for action or inaction to the president within 270 days of the initiation of such studies.  The president then has another 90 days to determine whether to concur with the recommendation.

A day after the DOC launched the investigation, President Trump signed a memorandum requiring the department to expedite its review. In verbal remarks made while signing the memorandum, Trump indicated that the agency might conclude its investigation within just 30 to 50 days.

The U.S. Steel Granite City Works has long been a major provider of rolled steel products, necessary for the manufacturing of the steel tubing used in the oil and natural gas industries.

U.S. Steel has called for import restrictions on so-called “tubular” steel products as a way of safeguarding U.S. energy independence.

Foreign steelmakers currently supply about half of the oil and gas drilling and extraction pipe used in the United States.

As a result of successful anti-dumping cases over recent years, direct steel imports from China now account for only about 2 percent to 3 percent of the U.S. market, industry trackers say. Those Chinese imports have since been replaced in the American market by steel tubing from South Korea.  South Korean steel has been subject to increased duties since April.

However, as U.S. energy firms increase production, foreign-made steel pipes from various overseas sources are still entering U.S. ports, according to The American Iron and Steel Institute.  Based on June import permit data, the institute estimates that imports of steel pipes for the oil and gas industry were up 237 percent during the first half of 2017, compared with a year earlier.

Columbia eyes special tax district

A proposed new special business district encompassing the Columbia Centre shopping plaza is drawing fire from plaza-owner Joe Koppies as well as other area business people and residents.  

Under the business district proposal, a special one cent sales tax would be imposed on purchases within Columbia Center, with revenues used to pay for infrastructure improvement around the development. Koppies says the tax would be unfair to his tenant merchants.

Residents complaint the tax would effectively raise prices at one of the town’s most popular shopping destinations. However, city officials say the tax would represent an appropriate way to fund improvements benefiting the shopping center. Columbia has a 7.5 percent sales tax, which would rise to 8.5 percent within the center.

This year’s honorees for the SIUE  include Ryan Cox (baseball), Alicia (DeShasier) McConnell (softball/women’s track and field), Laurie (Foederer) Rinderer (women’s tennis), John Meisel (Jean McDonald Service Award), Patty (Tiddy) McWhite Albert (women’s tennis), former Chancellor Dr. Vaughn Vandegrift (special recognition) and Katie (Waldo) McKown (softball). (Photo courtesy of SIUE)

SIUE Athletics names 2017 Hall of Fame inductees

Seven individuals and three teams will be inducted into the SIUE Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2017 on Saturday, Oct. 14, at SIUE’s Meridian Ballroom located in the Morris University Center.

This year’s honorees include Ryan Cox (baseball), Alicia (DeShasier) McConnell (softball/women’s track and field), Laurie (Foederer) Rinderer (women’s tennis), John Meisel (Jean McDonald Service Award), Patty (Tiddy) McWhite Albert (women’s tennis), former Chancellor Dr. Vaughn Vandegrift (special recognition) and Katie (Waldo) McKown (softball). The teams inducted this year are 1984 and 1985 women’s tennis, and 2007 softball.

This is the 13th class to be inducted since the SIUE Athletics Hall of Fame originated in 2005. The Hall of Fame seeks to recognize the achievements of former student-athletes, coaches, administrators and teams that have participated in the Cougars intercollegiate athletics programs as well as to celebrate the history of the institution. A complete listing of Hall of Fame members is available at siuecougars.com.

Reservations can be made by contacting SIUE Athletics at (618) 650-3155. Tickets are $40 and include a social for the inductees to be held at 5:30 p.m. followed by the induction ceremony at 6:30 p.m.

The 2017 event is presented by the Cassens & Sons Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler, and the Missouri Athletic Club.

Scott commander takes new role at Transportation Command

U.S. Air Force Col. Laura Lenderman transitions to a new position with the U.S. Transportation Command, July 24, after serving two years as commander of the Air Force’s 375th Air Mobility Wing and its headquarters, Scott Air Force Base near Belleville.

In addition to overseeing the base’s 100^th anniversary celebration – featuring the return of the base’s airshow and open house — Col. Lenderman worked to improve base facilities with new temporary lodging at the Scott-Shiloh MetroLink stop and a remodeled fitness center.

Her tenure saw a 63 percent increase in flying operations in support of Air the Mobility Command. She instituted her “ICE” program to cultivating a culture of innovation, communication and excellence within the 375th Air Mobility Wing.

With the U.S. Transportation Command headquartered literally right across the street from the 375th Air Mobility Wing, Col. Lenderman will remain at Scott AFB; where she lived as a child while her father served at the USAF Military Airlift Command Headquarters

O’Fallon man joins Rotary International board

Gregory Yank of O’Fallon has been named a director of Rotary International. The semi-retired business consultant was installed on the international service organization’s board July 1. Yank represents Rotary International Zone 31, with about 63,000 members in 13 states.

He was elected following action by the Zone 31 nominating committee this spring. With some 1.2 million members and about 35,000 clubs around the world, Rotary International was established to help business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian services. The eradication of polio is a current Rotary priority.

Yanks was honored with Rotary International’s Service Above Self Award in 2014. He has traveled to Korea, Malawi, Ecuador, India and Belize to work on Rotary initiatives.

His wife, Catherine Taylor Yank, is a past Rotary governor. Both are members of Rotary International’s Arch Klumph Society, which represents the highest tiers of Rotary donors, as well as the organizations’ Paul Harris and Bequest societies.

In addition to his Rotary work, Yanks is a commissioner of the Metro East Park and Recreation District, a board member of the O’Fallon-Shiloh Chamber of Commerce, chairperson of the chamber’s Strategic Planning Committee and a member of the Nielsen Healthcare Group Advisory Board in St. Louis.

–Metro-East Area News Briefs–