urbanSTL

gone corporate wrote:

STLcommenter wrote: ↑

1:31 PM - Jan 22

matguy70 wrote: Thanks DB.  My buddy works there. He says 6000 in the metro ... then possibly 3500 at the headquarters in the downtown west campus.  Still larger than it was back when AG Edwards started.  

This move of 100 execs out of California is completely for the wealth management decision. A completely different devision of the huge corporation of Wells Fargo. They are following the money as they said. That area of Florida is wealth and building up weath.

Just because they don't have as many job openings in STL (right now today) is a ridiculous general statement of the health of a huge corporation.

Wells Fargo Advisors (the sub company that is based in STL) is a subsidiary of that Wealth Management Division that is moving to Florida.

The low job postings in STL have been an ongoing trend for years, I wouldn’t just make a statement like that by looking at a job board on one singular day.

Wrong. Wealth Management is a subsidiary of the Brokerage business. WF Advisors is not controlled by WF Wealth Management. 

Respectfully, you're reporting bad info. More to the point, you're yelling "fire" in a crowd. Post a link to a story citing what you're saying, or just stop this. I also know people in WF on Jefferson and haven't heard anything about this. I also work in the investment industry in STL and no one in my office has heard anything about what you're saying. Please, put up or shut up. Thanks

That is not true. Wealth Management (WIM) is one of the main business divisions at WF, and Wells Fargo Advisors is a part of that division.

This is clearly explained on their website.
https://www.wellsfargojobs.com/en/busin ... anagement/

Will Hoffman move Lee Enterprises to STL?  ( Apologize if this has been posted already) 
 From Google AI- BJ posted a recent article: 

David Hoffmann, after acquiring a 53% controlling stake in Lee Enterprises through a $50 million investment in early 2026, is considering moving the company's headquarters from Davenport, Iowa, to St. Louis. The move is part of a broader strategy to shed costs, restructure the newspaper chain, and shift toward digital growth. 
Key Details Regarding the Move:

• Headquarters Relocation: Hoffmann expressed interest in moving the HQ, which currently houses about 50 employees in Davenport, to St. Louis.
• Transition Timeline: As of February 2026, Hoffmann has taken the helm as chairman, closing a deal that includes his, the Hoffmann Family of Companies, and other investors.
• Operational Changes: The new leadership plans to reduce the company's real estate footprint, focus on digital subscriptions, and shift to regional printing hubs, according to reports from The New York Times.
• Context: The move follows a period of financial instability for Lee Enterprises, which saw its stock decline significantly in 2025 before the takeover. 

The lease for the current Lee Enterprises headquarters in Davenport, Iowa, expires on August 1, 2029. 

Hoffman also wants to shift the P-D’s ideology right ward. He’s quoted saying that the P-D has moved too far to the left.

I assume this just means he’s going to fire Tony Messenger.

Also, I can’t recall the P-D ever endorsing a progressive candidate. They always endorse the institutional, center left Democrat. So to call the P-D “too far left” should give you an idea of how insanely right wing (fascist) the Republicans have gone.

JaneJacobsGhost wrote:Hoffman also wants to shift the P-D’s ideology right ward. He’s quoted saying that the P-D has moved too far to the left.

I assume this just means he’s going to fire Tony Messenger.

Also, I can’t recall the P-D ever endorsing a progressive candidate. They always endorse the institutional, center left Democrat. So to call the P-D “too far left” should give you an idea of how insanely right wing (fascist) the Republicans have gone.

Just need to look at the Washington Post to see how smart shifting right is.

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JaneJacobsGhost wrote: ↑

9:33 PM - Feb 05

Hoffman also wants to shift the P-D’s ideology right ward. He’s quoted saying that the P-D has moved too far to the left.

I assume this just means he’s going to fire Tony Messenger.

Also, I can’t recall the P-D ever endorsing a progressive candidate. They always endorse the institutional, center left Democrat. So to call the P-D “too far left” should give you an idea of how insanely right wing (fascist) the Republicans have gone.

How well do their articles jump pay walls? I want to support them but this is dumb

StlAlex wrote: ↑

9:58 PM - Feb 05

JaneJacobsGhost wrote:Hoffman also wants to shift the P-D’s ideology right ward. He’s quoted saying that the P-D has moved too far to the left.

I assume this just means he’s going to fire Tony Messenger.

Also, I can’t recall the P-D ever endorsing a progressive candidate. They always endorse the institutional, center left Democrat. So to call the P-D “too far left” should give you an idea of how insanely right wing (fascist) the Republicans have gone.

Just need to look at the Washington Post to see how smart shifting right is.

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Republicans don’t read the news. Haven’t for a long time

“There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party … and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit stupider, more rigid, more doctrinaire in their laissez-faire capitalism than the Democrats, who are cuter, prettier, a bit more corrupt — until recently … and more willing than the Republicans to make small adjustments when the poor, the black, the anti-imperialists get out of hand. But, essentially, there is no difference between the two parties.”

-Gore Vidal. Even truer now than in his own time.

JaneJacobsGhost wrote: ↑

9:33 PM - Feb 05

Hoffman also wants to shift the P-D’s ideology right ward. He’s quoted saying that the P-D has moved too far to the left.

I assume this just means he’s going to fire Tony Messenger.

Also, I can’t recall the P-D ever endorsing a progressive candidate. They always endorse the institutional, center left Democrat. So to call the P-D “too far left” should give you an idea of how insanely right wing (fascist) the Republicans have gone.

That is not what I have read. He has said he wants to more of of middle of the spectrum, non-partisan-non-biased news outlet, focused on local news. He does not want to compete with national publications. He has also said he is an Independent, not Democrat or Republican. That sounds good to me. No BS, focus on developments, local news, things that affect us day to day. IMO politics should not be much of a focus in local government. THEY are there to provide with the basic services we pay for through our taxes, not getting into the weeds of the national political landscape. This all being said, I have not been a fan of the political & partisan bickering on this site (Some of which is disrespectful). When I joined this site 20 years ago, we were all on the same page, no matter your politics, we want our great City to be greater. That has always been my take. I want our City & region to grow & flourish. I would love to see us all focus on that & not the national politics & bickering. In the end, we all want the same thing for STL. 
We already have enough problems locally to worry about. Just my 2 cents! 

Collaborator.

JaneJacobsGhost wrote: ↑

2:58 PM - Feb 06

Collaborator.

If you are referring to me ..... Whatever that means.... Weird

Have you not read the articles about the Hoffman acquisition of the P-D? Politics itself is one of his motivations for the acquisition. And it’s a gross motivation just like Musk’s motivation to buy Twitter, Bezos’ motivation to buy WAPO, and Ellison’s motivation to acquire everything.

The president is openly requiring bribes be paid to him before giving regulatory approval for M&A (Paramount/Stephen Colbert).

M&A is very political now. And it’s the fascists in the WH and SCOTUS who did it.

^Correct. And its always been political. The "let the capitalists do what they want" MO of the past 40 years that both parties supported is itself a political choice, it's just been hidden behind specious economic arguments and liberal institutions. It's more in your face now because the ruling class has split and the rump faction currently in power is overtly working to consolidate its rule, for example via bribery requirements.

I support gone corporate. Certain users bring politics into seemingly every thread and I'd wager that isn't what most people come to urbanstl for.

gone corporate wrote: ↑

5:30 PM - Feb 06

Yes, I've read it! And I'm more interested in the particulars of the potential M&A - because this is a thread on M&A! For example, what divisions of the business are set to start TODAY in Washington, MO? Are they looking to break the lease on their properties in Davenport? Are they more likely to relocate to Downtown STL, perhaps near the Block/Square building, or are they predestined for 8000 Maryland in Clayton, which the Hoffmann Family of Companies already owns? 

Meanwhile, I'm seeing you call other posters "collaborator" because they're not left enough for you!!! 

I ask that we stay on point in this thread. Let's be justifiably pissed elsewhere. And let's not call other posters "collaborator" here anymore. It dilutes the word. 

Deference to the Mods here. Thanks

Couldn't agree more! 

DogtownBnR wrote:

JaneJacobsGhost wrote: ↑

9:33 PM - Feb 05

Hoffman also wants to shift the P-D’s ideology right ward. He’s quoted saying that the P-D has moved too far to the left.

I assume this just means he’s going to fire Tony Messenger.

Also, I can’t recall the P-D ever endorsing a progressive candidate. They always endorse the institutional, center left Democrat. So to call the P-D “too far left” should give you an idea of how insanely right wing (fascist) the Republicans have gone.

That is not what I have read. He has said he wants to more of of middle of the spectrum, non-partisan-non-biased news outlet, focused on local news. He does not want to compete with national publications. He has also said he is an Independent, not Democrat or Republican. That sounds good to me. No BS, focus on developments, local news, things that affect us day to day. IMO politics should not be much of a focus in local government. THEY are there to provide with the basic services we pay for through our taxes, not getting into the weeds of the national political landscape. This all being said, I have not been a fan of the political & partisan bickering on this site (Some of which is disrespectful). When I joined this site 20 years ago, we were all on the same page, no matter your politics, we want our great City to be greater. That has always been my take. I want our City & region to grow & flourish. I would love to see us all focus on that & not the national politics & bickering. In the end, we all want the same thing for STL. 
We already have enough problems locally to worry about. Just my 2 cents! 

The problem with this view is that the actual center compared to the relative center is further apart today than it has maybe even been. The national media has remained relatively "centrist" in their reporting and it has resulted in papers like the New York Times publishing stories headlined "Can the government enter your home without a warrant?" as if it is even a question at all. So to begin, you have to think the Post-Disptch is left wing in the first place, which they are not. The current form of the P-D is centrist, tilting left on the Editorial Board but they are by no means meaningfully "left" of center. It would be one thing if they endorsed people like Cori Bush, but they don't. Moving then "to the center" from where they currently are would be objectively right of center since our political scene is so far to the right.

Another issue on this is that it makes no economic sense to move a newspaper in a city and region that skews to the left- to the right. If you haven't seen what's happened at the Washington Post since Bezos moved them to the right, they've cut 1/3 of their staff and have lost hundreds of thousands of subscribers. There isn't a market based reason to make the P-D more conservative than it already is.

Finally, the reason this forum is probably become more political is because one of the dominant political ideologies is explicitly anti- city. You can't want what's best for St. Louis, or any city, AND support the current government like you could have 20 years ago. The current government thinks St. Louis is a sh*t-hole and the only reason they haven't sent federal agents to terrorize us is because we have a red governor. They hate you, me, and most on this forum and would rather us die than St. Louis ever reach its potential as a city. You can't just ignore that and pretend that eveyone just has different ways to achieve the same goal. The goals are different and that has never been more explicit than right now.

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gone corporate wrote: ↑

5:30 PM - Feb 06

 

Meanwhile, I'm seeing you call other posters "collaborator" because they're not left enough for you!!! 

Spineless. People are dying in the streets defending your constitutional rights from sickos like Hoffman and you want to play the both sides game.

But of course you don’t care. You worship at the altar the investment portfolio ROI. Civil rights are nice, but another point on your investment is nicer.

Stop with the politics! Jane needs to be suspended

Rick Prieto wrote: ↑

7:24 PM - Feb 06

Stop with the politics! Jane needs to be suspended

Agree... Over the top & not what this site is all about. Ridiculous that things have come to this! 

People are being killed by the government and multiple American cities have been terrorized by masked government agents. This is far beyond politics, anyone acting like it's 2006 needs to wake up and realize it's not and hasn't been for a while.

A billionaire purchasing newspapers, including our city's, and saying he wants to move it to the right of where it is right now is inherently political and not something that should be removed from the scope of what can and should be discussed.

You are either in denial about the reality of thd country we live in or you just don't care that much about the terror this country is experiencing. Or maybe you actually like it. Whatever it is, you need to wake up and realize the world you inhabit is political and those politics are ruining lives, killing people, and destroying much of what America stands for.

While you complain about people "bringing" politics into your urban discussuon forum, there are lives being destroyed our government, people have been killed, more people will be killed. Just should have a little perspective here.

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gone corporate wrote:

JaneJacobsGhost wrote: ↑

7:01 PM - Feb 06

gone corporate wrote: ↑

5:30 PM - Feb 06

 

Meanwhile, I'm seeing you call other posters "collaborator" because they're not left enough for you!!! 

Spineless. People are dying in the streets defending your constitutional rights from sickos like Hoffman and you want to play the both sides game.

But of course you don’t care. You worship at the altar the investment portfolio ROI. Civil rights are nice, but another point on your investment is nicer.

For those paying attention to the subject matter, I've heard that Lee Enterprises has begun new work in Washington, MO today. Can anyone confirm?

“I believe we are in crisis. The distance between what is said today and what is known to be true has become an abyss. Of all the things at risk, the loss of an objective reality is perhaps the most dangerous. The death of truth is the ultimate victory of evil. When truth leaves us, when we let it slip away, when it is ripped from our hands, we become vulnerable to the appetite of whatever monster screams the loudest.”

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