Ballwin-Ellisville, MO|News|
Remembering Don Essen
The longtime Ballwin business leader founded the West County Chamber of Commerce and ran a family car dealership for more than three decades.

Email: Gregg.Palermo@patch.com
Phone: (314) 258-5768
Hometown: Rochester, NY
Gregg is one of those people who at an early age knew what he wanted to do when he was all grown up. A stint writing accounts of his father's law firm softball league games before the age of 10 led him down a path which would ultimately take him to the University of Missouri School of Journalism and an award-winning career in broadcast television markets around the country. His forte comes in the form of investigative reporting and editing, having led teams of journalists on stories which have held authorities accountable, and in many cases, forced those in power to take action and even change laws.
When he's not knee-deep in making Creve Coeur Patch the best it can be, you'll find him supporting Mizzou athletics and spending time with his wife Melanie and their pets in their St. Louis County home.
Your Beliefs
At Patch, we promise always to report the facts as objectively as possible and otherwise adhere to the principles of good journalism. However, we also acknowledge that true impartiality is impossible because human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal their beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable. This disclosure is not a license to inject beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that beliefs are on the record will cause an editor to be ever mindful to write, report and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you ever see evidence that we failed in this mission, please let us know.
Politics
How would you describe your political beliefs?
I would describe myself as a moderate. I don't actively support any political causes or sign petitions. I believe in reasonable discussions between reasonable people, hopefully yielding compromise.
Religion
How religious would you consider yourself? (casual, observant, devout, non religious)
I was raised as a Roman Catholic, educated by Jesuits in High School, was married in an Episcopal Church and was proud to participate in my niece's Bat Mitzvah in May 2010. Having said all that, I know my mother wishes I went to church more often.
Local Hot-Button Issues
What do you think are the most important issues facing the community? Where do you stand on each of these issues?
I'm looking forward to learning about that from all of you. I promise you I don't come to the table with a pre-conceived set of ideas about anything in Creve Coeur. I hope you'll view our coverage as a reflection of the community, and if you don't, then please let me know.
The longtime Ballwin business leader founded the West County Chamber of Commerce and ran a family car dealership for more than three decades.

Here's a look at what's going on this week around Ballwin and Ellisville.
A look at what's going on around Creve Coeur this week.
Ballwin lawmakers are debating what kind of businesses should be featured on Manchester Road.
An outpatient imaging facility is due to be open in 2014.
The American Conservative Union event drew political leaders and activists to the St. Charles Convention Center.
The Texas Governor was in St. Charles this weekend to talk to conservative political activists.
The former Pennsylvania U.S. Senator and 2012 GOP Presidential candidate talked about 'Obama Care' and 2016.
Utah U.S. Senator Mike Lee addressed an audience of conservative political activists in St. Charles Saturday.
The following is culled from Creve Coeur Police activity for the week of September 15.
The developer behind the project is contesting a city council hearing to revoke a conditional use permit for the retailer.
The American Conservative Union is hosting a Conservative Political Action Conference at the St. Charles Convention Center.
The longtime Ellisville fixture is making way for a Jimmy John's sandwich shop
A developer is challenging Ellisville's hearing to revoke a conditional use permit for the retail giant, citing personal property rights.
We're taking a look at events and activities going on around Ballwin and Ellisville this weekend.
We're here to help you plan a fun weekend of activities without having to drive too far from Creve Coeur.
The city of Creve Coeur is moving ahead with the bidding process for trash and recycling services. A doctor's note would be required for rear-yard collection.
Find homes for sale in Creve Coeur right here every week, from our partners at Zillow.
Find homes for sale in Ballwin and Ellisville right here every week, from our partners at Zillow.