Let’s have a ball! The Inaugural Ball, that is. On Wednesday, I will be sworn in to this office for the fourth time. This will be the last time I will be participating in the inaugural events as a state representative. According to the Missouri Constitution, I am now prohibited from ever running for this seat again. Fortunately, I have two years left to make a difference for my constituents. I have already pre-filed several bills to be considered in the next session.

The Inaugural Ball will be held on Monday night, January 12. It is the largest party ever held on a Monday night in Jefferson City. You are all invited! If you have a tuxedo, this is the time to wear it. If you don’t have one, you can come anyway and wear your Sunday best. If you do come, please feel free to stop by my office, Room 113 in the Northwest corner of the first floor, to say hello and store your coat.

Here are the details:

January 12, 2009 Inaugural Schedule

All Events Are Open to the Public and Held at the Capitol

10:00 a.m. Inaugural Parade - Beginning in front of the Missouri River Regional Library, located 214 Adams Street, and proceeding to the Capitol

11:15 a.m. Swearing in Ceremony for Jay Nixon as Governor

1:30 p.m. Public Greeting at the Governor’s Mansion for Nixon

7:00 p.m. Grand March – involving both the Administrative and Legislative branches of government

8:00 p.m. Inaugural Ball – dancing in the Rotunda of the Capitol

The Grand March, when the legislators walk down the grand staircase in the rotunda, is the crowning statement of the ball. When it is my turn, the announcer will introduce me and my family. Usually we are early in the march because I represent the nineteenth district. It is a nice way of showcasing all the elected officials and allowing the public to view those who are representing them.

The last time I was sworn in, my youngest child was three. He remembers seeing everybody eating, drinking, dancing and having a merry time. That impression was left indelibly in his mind. Every week thereafter when I left for the Capitol, he thought I was going to a big party all week. Trust me, it will not be like this again for at least two more years.

To find out the latest information, you can click here: 2009 Inauguration

Let me know if you are coming to the ball. You can let me know by clicking here: Cynthia Davis.

St. Peters Mayor Is Appointed

The Mayor of St. Peters, Len Pagano, has been appointed to be one of Jay Nixon’s transitional advisors. Here are the details from a press release:

Dec. 18, JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Gov.-elect Jay Nixon yesterday named more than 100 Missourians to serve as Citizen Transition Advisers, enlisting their help in finding the best and brightest leaders across the state to apply for positions in his new administration. Many of these Advisers joined Gov.-elect Nixon for an orientation session yesterday in Jefferson City.

Mrs. Nixon visits with Mayor Len Pagano (R-St. Peters). Mayor Pagano also is serving as a Citizen Transition Adviser.

Mrs. Nixon visits with Mayor Len Pagano (R-St. Peters). Mayor Pagano is serving as a Citizen Transition Adviser.

What to Do with Your Christmas Tree?

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If you decorated a “real” Christmas tree this year, you may want some ideas on how you can dispose of it. Several cities in St. Charles County are making selected parks available to accept your tree, but make sure it doesn’t have any tinsel or other decorations on it. The city will put it through a chipper and make it into mulch. You can feel like you did something more environmentally friendly than if you had purchased one of those plastic trees.

Here are the locations that are accepting the Christmas trees:

O’Fallon

Civic Park (upper parking lot), 400 Civic Park Dr.
O’Fallon Sports Park (phase I), 3589 Hwy. K
Open dawn to dusk, seven days a week, until Jan. 19

St. Peters

Laurel Park (upper parking lot), off McClay Road

St. Peters Golf and Recreation Center, 200 McClay Road

St. Peters Earth Centre, 115 Ecology Drive

Open 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, until Jan. 19

Wentzville

Quail Ridge Park (group picnic area), 5501 Quail Ridge Parkway

Open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week, until Jan. 22

Progress Park, 968 Meyer Road

Open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week, until Jan. 20

Lake Saint Louis

Boulevard Park, 2550 Lake Saint Louis Boulevard

Open dawn to dusk, seven days a week, until Jan. 21

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to call the O’Fallon City Hall at 240-2000.

A Little Bit of Humor…

Diet to start the New Year

This is a specially formulated diet designed to help cope with the stress that builds during the day. I have found that this really works!!

BREAKFAST
* 1 Grapefruit
* 1 slice whole-wheat toast
* 1 cup skim milk

LUNCH
* 1 small portion lean, steamed chicken with a cup of spinach
* 1 cup herbal tea
* 1 Penguin Biscuit

AFTERNOON TEA
* The rest of the Penguins from the packet
* 1 tub of Gino Ginelli ice cream with chocolate topping

DINNER
* 4 bottles of wine (red or white)
* 2 loaves garlic bread
* 1 family size Supreme pizza
* 3 snickers bars

LATE NIGHT SNACK
* 1 whole cheesecake (eaten directly from the freezer)

FINALLY REMEMBER:

"Stressed" spelled backwards is desserts"

This Capitol Report is a weekly newsletter by Representative Cynthia Davis, from the 19^th District, covering events in the Missouri Legislature and district-wide issues.

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