It's not too late to send a letter to the RFT with your stories of harassment by Shirley Wallace. Here is what I sent:

Editor:

Your piece on Shirley Wallace's antics on Cherokee() Street ("Ruckus on Cherokee" in the June 15 RFT) was an honest look at the south city neighborhood's biggest troublemaker.
I know about Wallace from my own experiences in dealing with her. I am a volunteer at and supporter of CAMP(), the Cherokee St. based community center that houses SWEAT (a free bicycle workshop). alternative media such as Confluence() and the St. Louis Independent Media Center, and the Gateway Green Alliance. After we open, CAMP will offer a computer center, the area's most extensive 'zine library, various workshops and classes taught by people in the community, a homework club and other free services.
Wallace made it her job to throw every bureaucratic obstacle in the way to prevent our opening and operating effectively. During mediation sessions designed to work out problems with getting CAMP's occupancy permit, Wallace worked with Alderman() Craig Schmid to sabotage our project. She told us she wanted a maximum occupancy of 30 people for our 2000 square foot + community space, no use of our backyard after 6:00 PM (including a prohibition against our popular outdoor movie nights), and wanted to limit the hours we operate--despite the fact that we are a non-commercial, volunteer driven center that pledges to be drug and alcohol free. She even accused members of CAMP of committing petty acts of vandalism in the neighborhood, offering no evidence.
Apparently, Wallace has take it upon herself to block any enterprise or activity that does not fit in with her own narrow-minded vision for the district. Cherokee street is home to a diversity of cultures, people, artists and visions for what the community is and should be. Shirley Wallace is a troublemaker, an obfuscator and clearly out of place in this community.

Daniel Romano
St. Louis, MO
phone: 314.771.8576