Riverfront Times, April 22, 2020 by Riverfront Times

RIVERFRONT TIMES

APRIL 22-28, 2020

riverfronttimes.com

RIVERFRONT TIMES

MARCH 6-12, 2019

riverfronttimes.com

APRIL 22-28, 2020

RIVERFRONT TIMES

The New Frontline A TRIP TO the grocery store, if you’re still going, feels like a risky mission now. It involves strategy: how to get in and out as quickly as possible, when to go to avoid crowds and even what to wear to protect yourself and others. In this week’s cover story, Liz Miller considers those who are spending long days manning the checkout counters, stocking the shelves and generally ensuring we can still get the food and supplies we need. Three retail workers, union and nonunion, explain what it’s been like to go to work right now, constantly worried about what could happen if they stay or quit. Hopefully, it will make you think more about the people who keep even our most basic systems working, often at great personal risk. It’s just one of the important stories we have for you this week. If you’re a fan of this kind of journalism, please consider supporting us by joining the Riverfront Times Press Club at www.riverfronttimes.com/stlouis/SupportLocalJournalism/Page. Thanks for reading. — Doyle Murphy, editor in chief

TABLE OF CONTENTS CAN’T

STO P

WO N’T

STO P

E DITIO N

Publisher Chris Keating Editor in Chief Doyle Murphy

E D I T O R I A L Digital Editor Jaime Lees Hero In A Hot Dog Suit Daniel Hill Contributors Cheryl Baehr, Trenton Almgren-Davis, Jenna Jones, Monica Obradovic, Andy Paulissen A R T & P R O D U C T I O N Editorial Layout Haimanti Germain Production Manager Haimanti Germain Design Contributor Evan Sult M U L T I M E D I A A D V E R T I S I N G Advertising Director Colin Bell Senior Account Executive Cathleen Criswell Account Managers Emily Fear, Jennifer Samuel Multimedia Account Executive Jackie Mundy C I R C U L A T I O N Circulation Manager Kevin G. Powers E U C L I D M E D I A G R O U P Chief Executive Officer Andrew Zelman Chief Operating Officers Chris Keating, Michael Wagner VP of Digital Services Stacy Volhein www.euclidmediagroup.com

COVER Market Values

N A T I O N A L A D V E R T I S I N G VMG Advertising 1-888-278-9866, vmgadvertising.com

Retail workers find themselves in a key — and risky — role. Cover design by

EVAN SULT

The Riverfront Times is published weekly by Euclid Media Group | Verified Audit Member Riverfront Times 308 N. 21st Street, Suite 300, St. Louis, MO 63103 www.riverfronttimes.com

INSIDE Hartmann News Feature Short Orders Culture Savage Love

RIVERFRONT TIMES

APRIL 22-28, 2020

riverfronttimes.com

S U B S C R I P T I O N S Send address changes to Riverfront Times, 308 N. 21st Street, Suite 300, St. Louis, MO 63103. Domestic subscriptions may be purchased for $78/6 months (MO add $4.74 sales tax) and $156/year (MO add $9.48 sales tax) for first class. Allow 6-10 days for standard delivery. www.riverfronttimes.com

General information: 314-754-5966 Founded by Ray Hartmann in 1977

5 7 10 23 27 29

Riverfront Times is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. Additional copies of the current issue may be purchased for $1.00 plus postage, payable in advance at the Riverfront Times office. Riverfront Times may be distributed only by Riverfront Times authorized distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of Riverfront Times, take more than one copy of each Riverfront Times weekly issue. The entire contents of Riverfront Times are copyright 2020 by Riverfront Times, LLC. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the expressed written permission of the Publisher, Riverfront Times, 308 N. 21st Street, Suite 300, St. Louis, MO 63103. Please call the Riverfront Times office for back-issue information, 314-754-5966.

HARTMANN Pandemic Pocket A rural county can attest COVID-19 is no urban myth BY RAY HARTMANN

e know one thing for certain about the COVID-19 virus: There is no certainty. As all the serious health care professionals and other scientists tell us every day, the nation and world are navigating uncharted territory. People need to heed their advice, prepare for the worst and hope for the best. And don’t seek wisdom on the internet. With that disclaimer, Saline County, Missouri might warrant our attention. Saline is a small county of 23,370,

nestled between Columbia and Kansas City in the western part of the state. More than half of its population resides in Marshall, a city of 13,065. On its face, Saline County seems your typical rural slice of Missourah. It’s Trump country, having preferred the president by a 35-point margin in 2016, similar in that respect to our own St. Charles County. Like most small counties dating back to the early 19th century, this one has some good stories to tell. Marshall was the home of Bob James, an acclaimed jazz musician, its Marshall Philharmonic Orchestra has received national note and the town has one special distinction: Its most famous former resident was Jim The Wonder Dog, for whom the town park is named. Jim The Wonder Dog was believed in the 1930s to have been able to guess the sex of unborn babies, accurately predicted the winner of the Kentucky Derby seven years in a row, among other feats and, 85 years ago this week, per-

formed before the Missouri legislature, which “dropped its debate on the sales tax to watch (his owner) put his dog through the tricks which have made it famous,” reported the Sedalia Democrat. The director of the University of Missouri’s respected School of Veterinary Medicine is said to have tested Jim, a Llewellin setter, and found he “possessed an occult power that might never come again to a dog in many generations.” For a local angle, Jim reportedly “puzzled” psychologists from our own Washington University. So, there was that. And now there is this: Saline County is a hot spot for COVID-19. Of Missouri’s 114 counties, only six had a rate higher than 100 per 100,000 in population as of Sunday. Topping the list, to no surprise, is the city of St. Louis at 274.4 per 100,000 residents. Number three, also predictably, is St. Louis County at 222.08 per 100,000 residents. But right there, between our two distraught local entities of government, lies Saline County with a CO-

VID-19 infection rate of 235.86 per 100,000 residents. If this is news to you, it’s probably because this rather startling detail has not been the subject of any reporting I can find. Through no act of enterprise, I happened to stumble upon this obscure statistic while viewing a map of COVID-19 published at the website of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). This is not a highlighted item: DHSS is a remarkably feckless agency which tracks COVID-19 with far less passion than, say, the menstrual cycles of Missouri women, so it was just by scrolling the map that I noticed Saline’s County’s dubious distinction. I don’t pretend to know what this all means, if anything. To date, no one has died — at least to public knowledge — from COVID-19 in Saline County. Thank God for that. Here’s what I do know, based upon a visit to the Facebook page of the Saline County Public Health Department: The numbers in SaContinued on pg 6

CAR ACCIDENT? GET FARRIS. 314-A-LAWYER (314-252-9937)

sefarris.com Spencer E. Farris Attorney

Get the compensation you deserve with the trusted experience of The S.E. Farris Law Firm.

Not sure if you have a case? Get a free consultation. No fees unless you win!

sefarris.com 523 N. Laclede Station Rd. Suite 116, St. Louis, Missouri The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertising

riverfronttimes.com

APRIL 22-28, 2020

RIVERFRONT TIMES

HARTMANN

Continued from pg 5

line County don’t look so great. And the source seems most credible: Judging from its page, this health department is serious, service-minded, compassionate and informative. Its numbers seem trustworthy. As of Sunday, there were 67 positive cases of COVID-19, a number on its face that might not seem all that alarming. But consider the ominous unfolding of the story, as chronicled by that Facebook page. fi n n County residents possibly contracting COVID-19 came on March 17, when the health department reported that six of its residents had been tested for the virus. One resident asked, “Are you going to tell us if it was positive?” and received this reply from the site: “We completely understand your concern, but this is out of our hands. Once we get the results, I promise there will be a press release. Please understand this is stressful for everyone involved.” n fi n d nn n ment on April 1 from the department that two people had tested positive for COVID-19. The Facebook page stated: “We knew this was going to happen, so please stay calm. Out of respect for everyone involved we can’t release any more information. When and if that becomes possible, I PROMISE, we will release that information. Calling the health department, posting on Facebook what you have heard from ‘reliable sources’, or contacting employees does not help us.” The next day, as one might have expected, an angry resident posted: “Thanks for yelling FIRE in the movie theater! The mass hysteria going on at Wal-Mart right now (Friday) is your fault. You can go out there and ask almost any shopper right now.” On April 3, a third case was reported. On April 6, the number fi . n n ber was up to eight. On April 8, the number had doubled to sixteen. On April 9, it was up to nineteen. On April 10, it had its largest singleday jump (nine) to a total of 28. On April 11, it rose to 31. On April 12, only one was added, making it 32. On April 13, it became 35. On April 14, it was 38. April 15 brought another record one-day jump (thirteen), making it 51. On April 16, it was 53. On April 17, it was 60. On April 18, it was 64, with one hospitalization. On April 19, it was 67. This is a chilling curve, not an

RIVERFRONT TIMES

APRIL 22-28, 2020

riverfronttimes.com

As of Sunday, there were 67 positive cases of COVID-19 in Saline County, a number that on its face might not seem all that alarming. But consider the ominous unfolding of the story. aberration, and the health department doesn’t attribute the numbers to an unusual level of testing. Rural Missouri is simply not as immune to COVID-19 as many would think. Hopefully, Saline County is not a canary in a coal mine. (By the way, Scott and Perry counties in southeast Missouri also have high rates of infection, just not at Saline’s level, for now.) On the Facebook page Sunday night, a woman posted that her brother-in-law had contracted the virus in Marshall and was on a ventilator in critical condition at the University Hospital in Columbia. The Saline County Health Department sent out its prayers. Meanwhile, self-anointed patriots — including some politicians — will be sending out a message of their own this week at creepy rallies in the state and nation. They will presume, falsely, to speak for places like outstate Missouri with raging irrationality and grunted n ning their disdain for social distancing in an attempt to force the reopening of businesses. Some folks in Saline County know better, however, and probably will be staying home. They’re more likely to be praying than prancing. And if Jim the Wonder Dog were alive today, that’s exactly what he’d suggest that they do. n

Ray Hartmann founded the Riverfront Times in 1977. Contact him at rhartmann@sbcglobal.net or catch him on St. Louis In the Know With Ray Hartmann and Jay Kanzler from 9 to 11 p.m. Monday thru Friday on KTRS (550 AM).

NEWS

‘Surge Morgue’ Opening in St. Louis County Written by

DOYLE MURPHY

he renovation of an empty warehouse to create a sprawling “surge morgue” is almost done. At the rear of a bland industrial complex in Earth City, just across the Missouri River from St. Charles, workers have been retfi n fi d air systems, a locking pen for the personal effects of the dead to be guarded by St. Louis County police and a funeral-home-like visitation room where families will be able to hold services and look through a window at lost relatives, safely contained on the other side. Last Friday, reporters were ald n d fi see a project that is almost unimaginable in its implications. Should the temporary morgue, named the Dignity Transfer Center, come into play, it will mean that the existing morgues are overrun and the capacity at hospitals and funeral homes is no longer enough to hold the dead. “The hope is to never utilize this building, but we have a responsibility to prepare,” the county says in a news release about the project. The complex is massive. It spans 29,000 square feet, which is more than half the size of a footfi d. bodies. Where construction workers pushed a cartful of shovels up a loading dock at the rear of the building will become the entrance where the dead will be carried inside, a grim task to be conducted with the help of Missouri National Guard units. St. Louis County is constructing the $2 million project — money it hopes will be reimbursed by fed-

Officials say they hope they’ll never have to use the temporary morgue. | TRENTON ALMGREN-DAVIS

eral disaster relief funds — but it could also be used by surrounding communities, including St. Charles, Jefferson and Franklin counties as well as St. Louis city. Any need for the facility would probably be the result of a convergence of challenges. During normal times, an average of 28 people die every day in St. Louis County, mostly from natural causes or medical issues. There are also the killings and suicides, overdoses nd d n . nd n even the standard amount of death could become a strain due . tions at funeral homes could delay services, or families might want to wait until out-of-town relatives are allowed to travel in. Backlogs could form. So it’s not just the addition of d nd d attending to those who die under any circumstances, now that everything is harder to accomplish. Still, the number of people killed by the coronavirus is a

wild card. The tally increases every day. Since 67-year-old Judy n n fi person in St. Louis County and the region to die of the virus on March 20, there have been another 80 deaths and more than nfi d dn to county statistics on Monday. The state’s numbers on Monday n d d d nd than 5,800 positive tests. At the temporary morgue, a wide range of partners from the n d n fi d ments, police forces and clergy have collaborated on the best ways to operate the facility if it’s pressed into action. There are plans in place to ensure religious beliefs and customs are accommodated. The building will be secured, and family members who have made appointments will be the only people allowed to enter. nn d d sionally to add a level of respect. On Friday, a quartet of representatives met the journalists who

riverfronttimes.com

arrived to survey the plans. They included St. Louis County Medical Examiner Mary Case, Rabbi Mark Shook, who is a police chaplain, n n n nd lic Works Director Deanna Venker and Robert Lonning, who has more than 40 years in funeral services. They described the steps they would take to treat the dead and their families with as much dignity as possible. They talked about the nine different chaplains who would be available and led the way into the private rooms for families. Rabbi Shook slid aside a curtain from a window to show where families will be able to peer through at their relatives and say goodbye. For now, it is all hypothetical. Maybe the existing morgues, hospitals and funeral homes will be able to handle all the deaths. But maybe not. Outside, construction continued on a 29,000-square-foot, $2 million facility that no one wants to use. n

APRIL 22-28, 2020

RIVERFRONT TIMES

ACLU Suit: Mail-In Voting Is A Right in Missouri Written by

DANIEL HILL

Adjusting to the pandemic, families pose in front of their homes for the Florissant Porch Project. | JESSICA SINGLETON

Family Portraits During the Pandemic Written by

MONICA OBRADOVIC

ven in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, people still want photos. Photographers still want to take them. Local photographer Jessica Singleton saw photographers across the country shoot subjects from their porches and thought she’d do the same. She says she’s doing what she’s always done, just from six feet away. “Even though we’re shut down and photographers are not essential, I wanted to find a way to preserve some memories for all the families that are missing out on important times in their lives,” Singleton says. Before COVID-19 came to St. Louis, Singleton ran a studio on St. Charles’ Main Street called JS Photography STL. When her work there was unexpectedly halted, she decided to start the Florissant Porch Project as a way to document the virus while also giving back to the community where she’s lived for 30 years. She charges her subjects a $40 minimum and uses the money to support local businesses by buying gift cards. When the stay-at-home order is lifted, she plans to hold a live drawing to hand out the gift cards to people she photographed. The project quickly grew to her photographing families in many different communities. Singleton has photographed nurses with their families and new mothers wanting to document their newborns.

RIVERFRONT TIMES

One family asked her to rush over to shoot photos of their dog before they had to put it down the next day. Singleton sees the same essence of family in her photos that there’s always been, but now she says she feels it more. Siblings don’t fight or cry as much during shoots. People pose closer without being told. The sessions feel less stressful than they did a month ago. Patsy Schmermund asked Singleton to shoot photos of her three-week-old son. “Even in the midst of all this craziness, we still wanted to document these early weeks because they get big so fast,” Schmermund says. If anything, the porch shoot was a good excuse to wear something other than PJs, Schmermund says. Singleton takes the photos from a safe distance. Schmermund says she’s had people closer to her at the grocery store. Even with all the safety precautions she takes — gloves, masks, no cash exchanges — Singleton says she gets a lot of criticism, mostly from other photographers. They tell her to stay home. But the urge to document what’s going on is too compulsive. “I’ve talked to numerous police officers to make sure I’m following the law,” Singleton says. “There’s less than ten people gathering, I’m staying more than six feet away. I’m not really doing anything wrong. I’m just trying to bring peace to a fearful time in everyone’s lives.” Singleton says in a time so full of fear, she feels like her job has never been more important. “I just want to give them a smile,” Singleton says. “Everything on news feeds is fear or new numbers. This is a way to take a break from it and smile and try and forget for ten minutes that the world has really changed.” n

APRIL 22-28, 2020

riverfronttimes.com

n light of the absolute shitshow that was Wisconsin’s primary earlier this month, in which many of those who wished to vote were forced to go out and do so in the middle of a global pandemic, the American Civil Liberties Union has joined forces with the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition to file a lawsuit aimed at protecting absentee voting by mail in the state of Missouri. In a statement released Friday afternoon, Missouri’s ACLU chapter announced the lawsuit, which is filed on behalf of the NAACP of Missouri, the League of Women Voters of Missouri and several individuals, and is directly related to the unprecedented danger wrought by the coronavirus. “Given the COVID-19 outbreak, the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Missouri and Missouri Voter Protection Coalition filed a lawsuit today seeking to make absentee mail-in balloting available to all eligible voters in Missouri,” the statement reads in part. “Requiring voters to be physically present at their traditional polling places during the COVID-19 pandemic — where they will be congregating and waiting in line with others in order to vote — is contrary to the advice of public health experts and puts people’s lives at risk.” According to the ACLU, most states allow any eligible voter to vote by mail-in, absentee ballot if they so choose, whereas Missouri requires those who would do so to provide an approved reason. One of those reasons deemed acceptable is

“incapacity or confinement due to illness or physical disability.” The suit, then, aims to clarify whether or not self-confinement due to coronavirus concerns will fall under that reasoning, thereby opening mail-in voting up to all those who are making the decision to follow the opinion of health experts and politicians alike and stay at home, “in order to prevent large-scale disenfranchisement and to secure public health.” The suit further charges that to not allow no-excuse mail-in voting, or to not at least apply the aforementioned acceptable excuse to the health crisis at hand, would be a violation of the Missouri Constitution and state voting laws. “No one should be forced to choose between staying safe and voting,” writes Sophia Lin Lakin, deputy director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project. “Extending absentee ballot access to all registered voters during the pandemic is a common-sense solution that protects people’s health and their right to vote.” It’ll be interesting to see where the suit goes in the red state of Missouri. Historically, voter disenfranchisement has worked in the favor of Republicans — Trump himself even suggested just last month that Republicans would “never” win an election again if it was made easier for more people to vote. (In light of that fact, his administration’s decision not to bail out the cashstrapped United States Postal Service in the midst of a pandemic should raise some eyebrows.) Those same concerns fueled opposition in the state of Wisconsin to the decision to force people to go out into a pandemic and cast their ballot — critics alleged that the “R” side was stacking the deck in their favor by attempting to depress voter turnout. Interestingly enough, though, if that was the plan, it didn’t work. Now let’s see how things go down in Missouri. n

Missourians have a constitutional right to vote by mail, the ACLU argues. | RFT FILE

COVID-19 Cases Top 50 at St. Louis State Mental Health Facilities Written by

RAY HARTMANN

wo patients at state mental health facilities in the St. Louis area have died from COVID-19, among 26 patients and 31 staff members who had tested positive for the disease as of late last week. That information, previously not reported — and perhaps not known — by news media, was

provided on request by Debra Walker, acting deputy director of the state Division of Mental Health, part of the state Department of Health and Senior Services. The deceased patients were at Bellefontaine Habilitation Center and the St. Louis Developmental Disabilities Treatment Center. The totals for infections and deaths at the local psychiatric facilities were as follows: STAFF 2 – Metropolitan St. Louis Psychiatric Center 8 – St. Louis Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center 12 – Bellefontaine Habilitation Center 9 – St. Louis Developmental Disabilities Treatment Center (DDTC) South County Habilitation Center RESIDENTS/PATIENTS 14 – St. Louis Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center 7 – Bellefontaine Habilitation Center (includes one death) 5 – St. Louis Developmental Disabilities Treatment Center South County Habilitation (includes one death). n

The St. Louis Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center. | DANNY WICENTOWSKI

riverfronttimes.com

APRIL 22-28, 2020

RIVERFRONT TIMES

APRIL 22-28, 2020

riverfronttimes.com

Market Values Essential retail employees didn’t sign up to work on the frontlines of a pandemic, but that’s exactly what their jobs now require. Three workers share their stories. BY LIZ MILLER

t the risk of revealing how d d find grocery shopping a calming activity. I love to cook, and sitting down to write a grocery list felt like a respite from everyday anxieties. Even the physical act of shopping was mostly soothing; in under an hour, I d n and look forward to the meals I’d make with those ingredients in d d. d dd I could always come home and unwind with the simple pleasure of preparing a meal. As COVID-19 slowly spreads across the country and restaurants temporarily close or reduce their hours, people are cooking even more at home, myself in-

cluded. No longer a source of calm for me or anyone else, grocery stores are now destinations for essentials; we don’t linger a minute more than needed or make a trip n n n sary. As customers, our internal anxin n n fi d tions implemented to protect us inside of stores: Signage urging vigilant social distancing, checklane lines with customers spaced two cart lengths apart, tape on the nd n nd from other shoppers, plexiglass dn us and the chemical sting of Clorox and Purell in the air. Employees are wearing face masks, and if

n . For the people working from nd there is no relief from the anxiety and stress of virus exposure. This weighs heavily on my mind, as my mom works in a grocery store. She’s spent the past decade working in various departments, fi d n d nd seafood counter to preparing vegnd d . worked the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas for as long n . doesn’t take lavish vacations or n n see her weekly schedule. She’s a loyal and dedicated employee who takes pride in her work. Continued on pg 12

riverfronttimes.com

APRIL 22-28, 2020

RIVERFRONT TIMES

MARKET VALUES Continued from pg 11

Recently, though, because her age puts her in the high-risk category for the virus, she’s taken all of her vacation time in an effort to stay at home. Soon, she will have to return to work, as she isn’t in a position to quit. Unfortunately, although she meets the criteria to be considered high risk, she is not eligible for additional time off through her union. The same isn’t true for her co-workers who are part of a different union, the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 655. Within just one grocery store, multiple unions can represent workers across different departments. Under normal circumstances this makes sense, but now, when all workers are being put in customer-facing roles, it creates an environment where employees working side by side may not receive the same level of union protection. Recently, Local 655 brokered a deal with its partners at Schnucks, Dierbergs, Straub’s and other independent stores to allow high-risk employees to apply for disability due to COVID-19. If approved, the n fi d stay home for thirteen weeks and their jobs would be held for them, they would be paid 90 percent of their usual salary and their health n fi d n n . n fi n and critical step to protect some of the most vulnerable grocery store employees in our city — but unfortunately, it’s not available to all of them. Workers like my mom still have more protection than many essential retail employees right now, though, as there is no union representation for workers at many national chains. David Cook, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 655, says he’s proud of the COd n fi n n has established for its workers. In the same breath, though, he acknowledges that many other employees — sometimes even within the same store — aren’t so lucky. “I don’t think, in all honesty, that the other employees have n fi . “They all made improvements, but I don’t think anybody went to the level that we went to [in Local 655, which was 90 percent [of their usual salary paid for COVID-19 disability.] For example, if a Local 74 person has moved to 655 jurisdiction [due to the pandemic], I have allowed that to happen, but generally speaking, I grieve

RIVERFRONT TIMES

Target employees, like many retail workers, got a pay increase for working during the pandemic, but its a trade-off. | TRENTON ALMGREN-DAVIS over saying that somebody outside of my bargaining unit is doing my work. But they would not nd n fi . There is no simple answer to how to protect essential workers right now. Cook says his employers have done an excellent job putting protections and precautions in place in their stores — much more than many non-union stores in town, he adds. And Cook sympathizes with his . fi d ent unions for grocery workers in the metro area, and employers are bargaining with each one. That bargaining has never been more critical than now, when everything else store management is juggling is just as critical. “If I was in their shoes,” Cook says, “I’d be going nuts.”

tta had only been working at Target for a short period of time when COVID-19 hit the St. Louis area. Before landing the gig, she had been unemployed for a month after the retail store where she previously worked shuttered for good, and she was badly in need of a new job. “I was desperate for anything, and I got hired on the spot,” Etta says. “I was like, ‘OK, cool. Target is a great company.’ Then as the weeks went on, I thought, ‘Should

APRIL 22-28, 2020

riverfronttimes.com

I even be doing this anymore?’” Choosing to quit, though, hardly feels like a choice. She already has a second job to make ends meet, and she’s not sure how much non-customer-facing work is available right now anyway. Like retail chains big and small across the U.S., Target recently gave employees a temporary pay bump amid COVID-19. The extra money is nice, Etta says, but it’s hardly enough to ease the stress that comes with working in retail during a pandemic. “The reality of it is every time I’m driving into work, I have anxiety,” she says. “There’s been days where I don’t feel safe coming in. I’m getting paid $2 more an hour right now, so I’m making $15 an hour to risk my life every day.” In some states and cities across n dn n fi d have requested that stores such as Target, Walmart and CostCo temporarily limit or bar the sale of nonessential products amid COVID-19. In early April, customers at Walmart locations in n fi d nd n posted around the stores stating that items in some departments and aisles were nonessential and therefore not currently for sale. These kinds of restrictions make sense to Etta, who spends most of her six to eight hour shifts at

Target in the clothing department. Despite the virus being easily transmitted on surfaces, Etta says that many customers are still shopping for clothing as they did before the pandemic. “It should be roped off,” she says of nonessential departments. “You can get by without that $5 T-shirt. Only pharmaceutical, grocery and toiletry — which we can’t ever keep in stock anyways — [should be open]. And if you’re not interested in buying it, don’t put your hands on it. You don’t have to go through and touch everything, which is what’s happening.” Wearing a face mask she made herself, Etta says she spends most of her shifts folding and sorting clothes and picking up after customers. Target isn’t currently requiring employees to wear face masks, and unlike area grocery stores, there is no plexiglass separating checklane workers from customers. Etta says her store has been vigilant about cleaning carts and conveyor belts, which is a source of comfort. (When reached for comment, a Target representative stated that the company isn’t “currently coordinating interviews.”) “I made myself a mask cause I’ve got to do what I can to protect myself,” Etta says. “It’s still a job; I still have to show up. Maybe four of us are wearing masks; I think

it should be mandatory. It’s insane the amount of people that are in there to shop and like it’s nothing.” David Cook at Local 655 agrees with Etta. Most Target workers aren’t under union protection, but his union recently petitioned Missouri Governor Mike Parson to require that customers of all essential businesses wear face masks when shopping in essential retail stores. So far nothing continues to voice the message to his employers and through interviews with local media. “Most of the retailers that I represent today, and a lot of the nonunion ones, are now providing some type of mask for their employees,” Cook recently told St. Louis Public Radio. “And that’s great — the mask protects the public from getting an infection from them — but nothing protects them from the public.” (As part of a revamped stay-at-home order issued last week, St. Louis is now requiring essential businesses to provide appropriate personal protective equipment to employees.) Etta has experienced plenty of compassionate and empathetic customers, she says, including many wearing masks and gloves in the store, and it makes the work a little easier. There are still plenty of customers who approach her

and her co-workers with frustrations, though, especially when items are out of stock. “Most people have been pretty understanding about it, knowing d find n where, but then there’s going to be that asshole who’s like, ‘Well, why can’t you get it in?’” she says. “‘Well, because the world is having a shortage.’ It’s just like, it’s bigger than you. That’s the frustration: The people who are just self centered and aren’t seeing the bigger picture, about how many millions of people are affected by this.”

or Steve, working at Whole Foods started as a second job. Amid COVID-19, though, it’s become his main gig, although he hopes that isn’t the case forever. His experience working retail during the pandemic has been different than many of his co-workers, as his department, prepared foods, has been pretty slow in recent weeks. “I work in the prepared foods department, so the deli counter, pizza station and the sandwich and taco stations,” he says. “I was doing that, and it was always usually pretty busy until this happened, and now it’s pretty dead. I’ve been working at the pizza station a lot, and I make about one pizza a shift, and that’s about it.” In his experience, Whole Foods

management has done as much as possible to protect employees and customers at his store, including supplying workers with face masks and installing plexiglass dividers at each of the checklanes. Originally those dividers only extended the length of the checker station, but now they’ve been expanded across the conveyor belts. Steve notes that employees who d d culty wearing face masks for long shifts, as breathing while wearing them tends to fog up their lenses, but it’s a small frustration to protect themselves and customers from exposure. He adds that cleaning and sanitizing has been kicked into overdrive, and recently, the store has started limiting the number of customers who can shop inside at one time. Employees have received a temporary $2-an-hour raise for working during the pandemic; originally those raises were available through the end of April, but Steve guesses the timeline will be extended based on when the virus peaks in St. Louis. He adds that employees have been able to call out or take a leave of absence without any consequences, but that time off is unpaid. Still, having this option has allayed the anxieties of many of his co-workers, who he says have elected to stay at home for the time being. (When reached for comment, a

Retail workers have found themselves on the frontlines as COVID-19 sweeps across the country. | TRENTON ALMGREN-DAVIS

Within just one grocery store, multiple unions can represent workers across different departments. Under normal circumstances this makes sense, but now, when all workers are being put in customer-facing roles, it creates an environment where employees working side by side may not receive the same level of union protection. Whole Foods representative said the company was “unable to accommodate an interview at this time.”) For Steve, these days, a normal shift involves a lot of cleaning — “our kitchen area has probably never been cleaner,” he says — and monitoring the prepared foods cases. “On the pizza station, I now package up all the pizza, whereas before I would just put it out and it was with a little spatula and it was self-serve,” he says. “Now I box it up, and because you can’t see it, there’s people who just start going through the pizza, like opening it up to try and pick out the one they want, and then it’s like, ‘Well, every [box] you just opened I have to throw away now.’” The pizza boxes are labeled, of course, but Steve thinks those types of customers just aren’t approaching their grocery shopping with a different mentality during the pandemic. That underlines one of the biggest risks that essential retail workers are facing right now: Even as management takes steps to keep employees and customers safe, there is little they can do about how customers comport themselves inside and outside the store. Steve says that he’s noticed piles of gloves discarded in the Whole Foods parking lot — something all three retail workers interviewed for this story mentioned as a problem — which are, of course, then cleaned up by employees. “If nobody picks it up, where do you think that’s going to go?” he Continued on pg 14

riverfronttimes.com

APRIL 22-28, 2020

RIVERFRONT TIMES

MARKET VALUES Continued from pg 13

says. “It’s a plastic glove. It’s not going to just wash away.” Since his department has been slow, Steve says that management has asked him to start helping limit the number of customers who enter and exit the store. (In this case, 30 people at a time.) He’s grateful to be busy and enjoys the work, adding that people have generally been understanding about the new restriction if not grateful for it. Steve says he doesn’t worry too much about contracting the virus, as he lives alone, but he fears for the safety of his family members, including his young nephews, during the pandemic. If his income at Whole Foods wasn’t critical, he says he would likely stay home to n financially feasible for him. “I read on the internet the other day about how, you know, we’re not really essential employees — we’re more like captive employees,” he says. “We took these jobs because we need the money and n d n fi nd we’re not in a position to where we can quit. I’m going in because I have to go in. I’m not going in because I’m like, ‘Oh, the people need food.’ I’m not being selffi n . d n I have to; if I had a choice, yeah, I’d probably just stay home, but I don’t have that option.” Like Target, Whole Foods workers are not unionized. In recent years, Whole Foods employees have banded together under a group called Whole Workers to advocate for more protections for employees and encourage unionizing. Billionaire Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon, purchased Whole Foods in 2017 and has been taken to task by politicians such as U.S. senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren for “potentially illegal anti-union behavior.” In an open letter released in 2018, the senators criticized Bezos for a leaked Whole Foods training video that directed team leaders to discourage unionization. Following the leak, Amazon and Whole Foods announced plans to raise the minimum wage for its employees to $15 an hour. “Whole Foods’s stated aim to ‘set the standards of excellence for food retailers’ and observation that ‘our leaders think long nd d n fi n n financial results’ are in direct contradiction to what appears to be

RIVERFRONT TIMES

Multiple labor unions can operate in one store, resulting in different protections for workers. | DOYLE MURPHY

Billionaire Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon, purchased Whole Foods in 2017 and has been taken to task by politicians such as U.S. senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren for “potentially illegal anti-union behavior.”

Cleaning up after customers now includes picking up discarded gloves. | TRENTON ALMGREN-DAVIS systematic incitement of supervisors violating workers’ rights by illegally interfering with their organizing activities,” the senators wrote. In the St. Louis area, David Cook at Local 655 says that his union has heard unsettling stories about worker conditions at non-union stores, but because employees n n nd gain for protection, there could be variance in working condi-

APRIL 22-28, 2020

riverfronttimes.com

tions from store to store instead of chain to chain. “We’re hearing some horror stories, especially as it relates to Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and not only here but across the country,” Cook says. “Dollar General is another one that’s really instituting what I call bad practices. We’re trying to communicate with that [employee] population nd n fi n for them, because I don’t care if

they’re in my union or not.” Recently, Cook has been in touch with a group of non-union grocery workers called Who Are We to communicate a united message between his union with non-union employees regarding their shared concerns and goals. Founded by grocery store employee Chris Dean, the Who Are n fi n dvocate for increased protections for essential retail workers amid COVID-19. “We are risking our lives, and the Who Are We movement is here to let everybody know that that is not OK,” Dean said in a recent interview with St. Louis PubContinued on pg 17

riverfronttimes.com

APRIL 22-28, 2020

RIVERFRONT TIMES

APRIL 22-28, 2020

riverfronttimes.com

MARKET VALUES Continued from pg 14

lic Radio. “We deserve to live, and we deserve to be safe at work.”

aren has worked for Schnucks for most of her adult life. She enjoys the work, but it’s still just that — a job she relies on for income. She doesn’t worry about contracting the virus and what it could do to her health, she says, but rather, she’s concerned with the health of her young children and her mother, who lives with her family. “For me, personally, it makes me feel scared, just because if I were to get sick or get anything, then I’m bringing it all home to them,” she says. “I worry about that.” She has been heartened to see how Schnucks has responded to COVID-19, though, for the safety of its employees and customers. n n fi d with plexiglass barriers and were recently expanded to cover a portion of the conveyor belts, as well, and Karen says cleaning and sanitizing surfaces, including conveyor belts and carts, has become a top priority. As an employee and customer, the steps make her feel safer — or as safe as anyone can feel out in public right now. “And then they have stickers on n nd six feet away from the counter when you’re waiting so not everybody ends up right at the deli counter,” she says. “So trying to tell everybody, ‘Hey, you can take a number and then stand back on the red square,’ they kind of look at you like, ‘What?’ But it’s like, ‘No, we’re trying to do the six foot rule.’” Her store recently began limiting the number of customers who can shop in the store at one time, too, to comply with a recent mandate from Governor Parson. On n there’s even a customer count tracker for each store so that people can view the current situation at their neighborhood location. A Schnucks worker is stationed at all store entrances and the tracker is regularly updated. Paul Simon, senior communications specialist at Schnuck Markets, says that the company is constantly evaluating how to adapt store operations to better protect customers and employees. In addition to noticeable changes in stores, he adds that the company has recalibrated the HVAC systems in its stores to recirculate air more frequently. “The situation has evolved and

continues to evolve daily, and we continue to adjust and make changes to our operations almost daily as well,” Simon says. “The safety of our teammates and our customers is the top priority for us, and therefore we’ve taken many steps at our stores to prevent the spread of the disease and to also educate our teammates and customers about ways that they can help prevent the spread of the disease.” The company has also mandated that all employees have their temperatures taken using a forehead thermometer before every shift, and employees are required to wear masks while working — although Karen says some employees complain of headaches or shortness of breath from hours of use. “People are having panic attacks and freaking out because [the face masks] make it harder to breathe,” she says. “And then people who are already prone to anxiety have had issues with that. I was running back and forth, wearing the mask, walking faster and getting everything done, and all of a sudden, I stopped and I’m like, ‘Why am I having trouble breathing? Do I have ... no, no, it’s the mask, calm down.’ As soon as you walk into a back room where nobody’s at, remove it and take a big breath, you’re like, ‘Oh no, I’m good.’” Schnucks also offered its employees relief in the form of bonuses: Full-time employees were given $500 bonuses and part-time workers received $250 for working during the pandemic. “Our teammates are working extremely hard and extremely long hours at this time, and we understand that and we want to reward them for their work, and that was our way of doing that, Simon says. “It was a cash bonus that we wanted to get in their hands as soon as possible.” David Cook at Local 655 says he’s proud of the safety protections his union has negotiated with employers such as Schnucks, although he continues to advocate for grocery stores to require customers to wear masks as well as employees. “I’ve gotten some pushback from some people saying, ‘Who are you to tell me I need to wear a mask?’ and to me, it’s just a societal community situation; we all have a responsibility to protect the community we live in,” Cook says. Cook adds that while he can’t force customers to wear masks, he’s been happy to see how his employers have responded to the

“I was running back and forth, wearing the mask, walking faster and getting everything done, and all of a sudden, I stopped and I’m like, ‘Why am I having trouble breathing? Do I have ... no, no, it’s the mask, calm down.’ As soon as you walk into a back room where nobody’s at, remove it and take a big breath, you’re like, ‘Oh no, I’m good.’” pandemic so far. “I really do have to tip my cap to Schnucks, Dierbergs and Straub’s,” he says. “They have really put their best foot forward.” There is no foolproof way to completely eliminate exposure risk, of course, and so that anxiety is still present for workers and customers. Yet Karen echoes Cook’s feeling on how thoroughly Schnucks is working to protect its employees and customers right now. “They’ve never gone through something like this, so they’re trying their best to do this and just to keep us informed on how they’re trying to help,” Karen adds. Still, as it does for all of us, the pandemic looms large, and recently, for Karen, it hit close to home. In recent weeks she learned that one of her relatives has contracted the fi n n n to get sick with it, and now his partner is showing signs of it as well. Karen has dropped off groceries for those relatives in recent weeks, making sure not to come into contact with them. She describes detailing with them how she would leave the bags on the front porch and jokes about waving to them from outside the house. That can be the hardest part, though — having to be physically distant from a loved one who is sick with COVID-19. “He’s doing much better now, which is good, and I think they’re in the clear of it, but they just nd positive,” she says. “It makes it more real when you know somebody who has it.”

riverfronttimes.com

Karen’s concerns for her family are understandable, especially her fear that she could expose her own immediate family to the virus. Several retail workers in the St. Louis metro have tested positive, although the exact number is hard to come by. Her job requires her to interact with customers hour by hour, minute by minute, and to touch surfaces that customers are constantly touching. Her risk of exposure is high compared to the many people who can work from home right now, an option she and other essential retail workers don’t have. Her family, though, like the families of so many essential retail workers, are bound to worry about Karen. I personally understand that stress and anxiety well. Like so many retail workers, my mom doesn’t have the luxury to stay at home. As I worry for her health and safety, she, like Karen, is much more concerned with everyone else in our family. She worries about relatives who are high risk, including my grandmother, who is sick with dementia in a nursing home. She worries about my sister, who lives out of state and is pregnant with her fi d. By the time this story hits newsstands, my mom will likely be back at work, stocking shelves or ringing up groceries, despite not being protected by the union that represents those workers. She will be wearing a mask, even if it gives her a headache or fogs up her glasses, and I’ll be praying that every customer does the same. My mom lives alone, in the same house I grew up in, and if she gets sick with COVID-19, she will be sick alone. I won’t be able to care for her in the rooms where she once cared for me. It’s a heartbreaking thought, but what’s just as upsetting is that it’s the same reality for scores and scores of people right now, and there’s really no solution. Later this year, my mom plans to visit my sister and her husband when their baby is born. Having now taken all of her vacation time due to COVID-19, her new plan is uncertain, as is so much right now. What I do know for sure is that for my mom, the thought of n fi nd d lighten her spirit amid the stress and anxiety of going into work. It represents a joyful future, still far enough away to anticipate but close enough to begin celebrating. It’s a hope that we will all be together again, that our family will grow, that there’s light just a little further off in the distance — if only we can make it there. n

APRIL 22-28, 2020

RIVERFRONT TIMES

APRIL 22-28, 2020

riverfronttimes.com

APRIL 22-28, 2020

RIVERFRONT TIMES

APRIL 22-28, 2020

riverfronttimes.com

APRIL 22-28, 2020

RIVERFRONT TIMES

6 locations in the St. Louis metro area â&#x20AC;&#x201C; book an appointment by phone or online. www.plannedparenthood.org/stlouis 1-800-230-PLAN (7526)

RIVERFRONT TIMES

APRIL 22-28, 2020

riverfronttimes.com

SHORT ORDERS [SIDE DISH]

STL Wine Girl Prepares for Post-COVID Food Scene Written by

CHERYL BAEHR

very day, the devastation that the COVID-19 pandemic has unleashed on the hospitality industry becomes more and more stark. Millions are out . n fi n nd n n care of others now wonder how n n needs — and the troubles are not limited to those who work within the four walls of a restaurant or bar. n nn STL Wine Girl, (www.stlwinegirl.com) owns one of those restaurant- and baradjacent business that is suffern d n nd . proprietor of a company that does n n to promotion to social media n n n n n . n fi n n n her services, yet, as she explains, the nature of her business means n . “I’m a sole proprietorship and independent contractor, so I can’t collect unemployment,” Ortmann . n n . been able to adapt, but it’s terrifyn n d is considered a luxury for businesses and consumers. I feel like those of us in these peripheral services don’t know what the other side of this looks like.” For Ortmann, however, the loss n n n work but for that of the industry n d family. It’s a fellowship she’s been a part of for well over a decade, n . n n .

fin n n d nd n nd decided to pursue a career in the nd n n n nn n. Here, she worked at Monarch nd n n n n n Girl in 2009. For over a decade, she’s had to hustle to build her n nd d n n nd n n will be possible when people can n n in public. Still, she thinks the ind n d foreseeable future in numerous . fin d nn n n tipped employees are compensated to basic food safety concerns on the part of the public, Ortmann envisions an industry that could look very different from what it looked like before the COVID-19 outbreak — and what could take shape has her worried. “What I don’t want to see is just chains survive,” Ortmann says. n d d like ours where there has been so much work over the last ten years to diversity beyond meat and potatoes, I don’t want that . d n n to 1999 where it’s Applebee’s and Friday’s and a handful of delivery . n where we are, and I don’t want to see us lose all that hard work. I’m n n n . that I have never lived or spent time in another city that has the bond of community, camaraderie and collaboration that we do here. Everybody supports one another, and that doesn’t exist in a lot of places. If people have to close, that shrinks our communi. n n n n d really break to watch that diminish.” Ortmann took a break from n n nd nd n n n n d n with a life outside of restaurants nd n d n n . dnn

As a hospitality professional, what do people need to know about what you are going through? With my business, I do about n fi n d n n

STL Wine Girl Angela Ortmann. | JACQUI SEGURA

n n n n d d down — restaurants that are med n nd n n n n n n n n cancelled, festivals postponed, winemaker and author trips rescheduled, etc. As a sole proprietorship, I am paid like an independent contractor, so when the projects stop, so does the income. And people like me don’t traditionally qualify for unemployn n do) and aren’t the intended benfi n rant and hospitality funds. While my primary focus is on the now and how I can help my clients and my friends with the current scenario, I also have to look to the n n nd n n n to our industry as a whole. My business could look completely different on the other side of this. I don’t really know for sure yet, but I have to be prepared, and I have n. n n d n the needs and trends of both the industry and my personal life, so this is another curve in the road. n n n nd n n by the seat of my pants” to help

riverfronttimes.com

d What do you miss most about your job? It is literally my job to be out and n d n n nd n n d d n restaurant and hospitality. I miss n d the creative drinks, the beautiful wines, the incredible people, the n n and bustle, all of it. I survive and thrive off the heartbeat of this ind nd n such a halt is a shock to the system I could have never prepared for. What do you miss least? n n d taurants can be such a fun, crend dn n d n d d dn n n nd of the nasty comments and mes. nd d to say that people have chilled on n nd n d n not 100 percent true. But it has d . nd for patience and attempt to rectify any situation that we can. While we of course want to take care of n n d fi n nd n n

APRIL 22-28, 2020

Continued on pg 25

RIVERFRONT TIMES

AWARD-WINNING FLAVOR

B E ST IN S H OW

9 4 P O IN TS

97 POINTS

WHISKIES OF THE WORLD 2015

U LT I M A T E S P I R I T S C H A L L E N G E 2015

RIVERFRONT TIMES

APRIL 22-28, 2020

riverfronttimes.com

STL WINE GIRL Continued from pg 23

about how well they are working under this pressure, how quickly nd n d to pivot their business model, and what it is like to be under the public microscope for everything you do. What is one thing you make sure you do every day to maintain a sense of normalcy? It may sound silly, but for a bunch of highly extroverted servers, sommeliers, bartenders, cooks and other hospitality/restaurant folks who are used to being around hundreds of people a day, the Houseparty app has been quite helpful. You get six to eight of us on there, all crazy and cooped up from quarantine, drinks in hand, talking loud (and over one another), you’d swear we were all just back sitting around the bar together like usual. Some people have even started playing games over the video, like darts. It is as close to the late night bar fun of the past as we can get for now, and we are loving it. What have you been stress-eating/drinking lately? I think I have done the opposite. I have strangely fallen into a monotonous habit of eating basically the same foods every day. I don’t know if this is my version of

Groceries for Good Written by

CHERYL BAEHR

or Dave and Kara Bailey, owners of Baileys’ Restaurants (www.baileysrestaurants.com), the hardest part of being restaurateurs during the COVID-19 pandemic has not been the loss of revenue or the uncertainty of reopening — it’s been watching as their employees’ lives are upended. “Furloughing is really hard,” Dave says. “It was crazy how the people I ended up furloughing face-to-face would say, ‘It’s OK. It’s not your fault. Are you OK?’” With their dining rooms shuttered, the Baileys may not yet be in a position to bring their employees back to work, but they are doing everything in their power to make sure that they’re taken care of during this difficult time. On April 10, the restaurant group launched Best of Baileys’, a grocery pickup and delivery service, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to feeding its staff and their families.

maintaining some sort of control, but it is honestly freaking me out. Send help. What are the three things you’ve made sure you don’t want to run out of, other than toilet paper? A wine girl never runs out of wine, so I will say that coffee, chocolate and hot sauce are nonnegotiable staples for every grocery order. You have to be quarantined with three people. Who would you pick? Jose Andres, Tina Fey, Janelle Monae — it would be an epic dance party. Once COVID-19 is no longer a threat and people are allowed to go back out and about, what’s the first thing you ll do find most at home, at the bar at Mai Lee, bellied up in my little “cubby” against the wall. It is my favorite workspace at my favorite restaurant where I am always guarand n n fi n twenty industry friends wander in over the course of a couple of hours. Eating and drinking my favorite things with a consistent stream of friends and “framily” that I can hug, cheers to, and laugh with, all while witnessing fin in this city. What do you think the biggest change to the hospitality industry will be once people are allowed to return to normal activity levels?

I honestly believe that curbside and delivery are going to remain essential staples to the restaurant repertoire even as we move toward reopening the dining rooms and bars. It is going to take time for the public as a whole to get totally comfortable in crowds again. But, as we can see from the amount of carryout now, people very much want to eat the food from their favorite spots, even if it’s a bit of an altered experience. What I would like to see is a change in the delivery app system; so many guests do not realize that those companies are taking up to 30 percent of the overall cost (not just delivery fee) and the restaurants are often losing money in the deal. What is one thing that gives you hope during this crisis? The same thing that gives me hope and happiness in the highest of highs and the lowest of lows — the true community spirit and love of the St. Louis food and beverage industry. Everyone still coming together to take care of one another while it is taking everything they’ve got to try and save themselves. We are seeing a lot of terrible things right now, fi d every time I see a post or photo of people taking care of people in this business. It is a truly special thing that none of us take for granted. n

Shoppers can choose from five different grocery box options, from a simple “Just the Basics” that includes a dozen eggs, a gallon of milk, two loaves of bread, two pounds of chicken, eight ounces of cheese and fifteen pounds of fresh vegetables, to the more indulgent “Creature Comforts Box” with everything from smoked salmon and crabmeat to Nutella, a roll of chocolate chip cookie dough and a pound of coffee. Items ranging from hand sanitizer to bloody mary kits are available a la carte, as is, of course, the ever-elusive toilet paper, which comes with every grocery box. As Bailey explains, the idea for the grocery boxes came to him and Kara as a way to ensure that their employees remain fed while they are out of work. Because the decision to shut down was so rapid, the restaurant had on hand an abundance of food that they would have to either throw out or find another use for. It made sense that the food should go to the employees whose income evaporated in the wake of the pandemic. When their on-hand food dwindled, the Baileys turned to the grocery boxes as a way to continue their efforts. They’ve been heartened not only by the response — including donations of both food and

money from individuals — but also by the furloughed employees who have pitched in to deliver the meals to their colleagues who have a hard time getting to the restaurants for the food. The Baileys also hope that their boxes are a way to help customers who are having trouble getting what they need from grocery stores. “We saw that people were trying to order groceries and other creature comforts, and it was taking five days,” Dave Bailey explains. “We realized that we could provide those things and it won’t be like online service where there are a million substitutions and only a third of it shows up. We’re lucky that, on our side, the supply chain is robust. We can get what people need.” The Baileys will have new products as they become available and are also asking their customers to tell them what they want, because, chances are, they can get it. As they see it, they will keep up this side of the business for as long as the situation dictates. As Dave Bailey notes, it’s the best way they have to help those who need it. “We want to do our best to be able to rise to meet the needs of our employees as much as possible.” n

riverfronttimes.com

Pitmaster David Sandusky has some solid advice for you. | MABEL SUEN

Support Your Local Writers Written by

DAVID SANDUSKY This is the first in a series of essays from Riverfront Times readers in support of our recently launched RFT Press Club. Join at https://www. riverfronttimes.com/stlouis/SupportLocalJournalism/Page

hey say the internet killed print. I say it gave opportunity for those with the balls to say what no one else would say. In that space between the freedom of speech and journalism lies a few that choose to rock the boat, kick up dust and speak to the little guy. They give credence to the dingy rock bar, legitimize the outcasts, bolster the underground scene and drum to the heartbeat of the inner city. That voice defines trends and creates new legends. St. Louis has no shortage of real people — you know, the real people. Not the ones the statistics cherry pick from, but real, honest humans. In a tight-knit small town where everyone knows everyone, relationships are everything. There’s a connection to this city that almost makes you wonder if you’d lose your sense of belonging somewhere else. It’s what makes it special. Big lights with hometown grit. Real shit. This is where the RFT lives. This is where the RFT speaks. That voice speaks volumes. At a time like this, our words can mean as much as our deeds. This is the time to decide who we’re going to be. Don’t forget where we came from. Wave to your neighbor, encourage your kids, eat lots of “St. Louisstyle” shit, share unused TP and support your local writers. Freedom of speech, bitches. David Sandusky is the pitmaster and co-owner of BEAST Craft BBQ (20 S. Belt West, Belleville, IL; 618257-9000) and BEAST Butcher & Block (4156 Manchester Avenue, 314-944-6003).

APRIL 22-28, 2020

RIVERFRONT TIMES

APRIL 22-28, 2020

riverfronttimes.com

CULTURE

[WEED]

Up in Smoke COVID-19 upends petition to get recreational marijuana on 2020 ballot DOYLE MURPHY

group trying to get recreational marijuana on the November ballot is calling off its petition drive because of the coronavirus. In an email to supporters, the Misn nization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws says there’s no way to get enough signatures in time. “We had hoped that it might be possible to persuade the state of Missouri to allow online signature gathering under the extraordinary n find n n ordinator Dan Viets writes in the email. “However, that has not proven to be an option, and there does not appear to be any other path to gathering 170,000 valid signatures we would require prior to the deadline in early May.” Social distancing is disrupting this year’s political process in all sorts of ways. Underdog candidates can’t rely on knocking on doors, and the town halls and chicken dinners that are typically staples of the campaign trail are now out of the question. For organizations like nd n committee for the recreational marijuana petition drive, Missourians for a New Approach, the ability to hit the streets and collect signatures is vital. They will now target the November 2022 ballot, Viets’ letter says. d event, set for this week, has also been canceled. The organization’s state conference is still penciled in n . nd the petition drive was still a blow for supporters, given that the organization liked its chances for this year. “It appears that Missourians are ready to embrace legalization if given the opportunity to vote on it,” Viets writes. Maybe in 2022. n

The limits of social distancing killed a petition drive to put recreational marijuana to a vote in Missouri. | SARA BANNOURA

[SICK SOLOS]

Air if You Care STL group launches air guitar competition to support sexual assault survivors DANIEL HILL

wo of the absolute coolest things you as a human being can possibly do — play a bitchin’ air guitar solo and support survivors of sexual assault — come together in perfect harmony this month thanks to a St. Louis-based organization’s efforts in the form of the #Rocklenge. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, part of an annual

campaign designed to raise awareness and funds, as well as to provide education about how to prevent sexual violence. April 2020 marks the nineteenth anniversary of the campaign, according to the National Sexual Vion n roots trace back even further. As part of these efforts, St. Loun nd d up with Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart to launch a social media campaign and air guitar competition with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-inducted band’s 1977 single d fin n n to strum an invisible instrument to. The challenge is being launched alongside a fundraiser, which aims to raise money to support free music therapy programs prod d n n fi vors of sexual assault. “To keep everyone safe and our clients receiving the therapy they need during this challenging time, we are launching a virtual telehealth music therapy platform,” Rachel Ebeling, co-founder

riverfronttimes.com

and executive director of the Annd n ment. “As we isolate to combat the coronavirus, it is critical that support systems remain in place for survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence.” The challenge is meant to run through the month of April, and the rules are simple enough: Simply upload a video of yourself strumming along on an invisible n n da,” post it on social media with the hashtags #RockForSurvivors nd n nd nd n challenge your friends to do the same. And even though air guitar is cool as hell and makes you look awesome it still doesn’t pay the bills, so the group is also asking that you make a donation to help support its efforts. For more information about #RockForSurvivors and how to d n n nd . ngelbandproject.org. And then get d d and Ted impressions. n

APRIL 22-28, 2020

RIVERFRONT TIMES

APRIL 22-28, 2020

riverfronttimes.com

SAVAGE LOVE Big Moves BY DAN SAVAGE Hey, Dan: I was raised in a religious home and didn’t lose my virginity until the embarrassing age of 26. I was told by the church to save it for marriage, and I was a virgin until I met the woman who would become my wife at a party. I said to hell with it — we had a one-night stand, and we’ve been together now for eight years. I’m tall and slim and my wife is short and heavy. Like an idiot, I believed it’s what’s on the inside that matters. My wife is the sweetest, most thoughtful person I’ve ever met, I love spending time with her, but I have absolutely no sexual attraction to her. As a result, I’ve all but stopped initiating sex — and on the rare occasion when we do make love, I make her come twice while I’m struggling just to get off. I know it’s shallow and I know beauty is only skin deep, but what am I supposed to do when seeing my wife naked sends me into an anxiety attack? When I’m helping out with laundry, I get bummed because there’s nothing in her wardrobe find attractive on her. Even when I look at old pictures of us together, I get extremely depressed because I know this is the best she’s ever going to look. It doesn’t help that she finds me handsome and regularly tells me so. It’s gotten to the point where I find any woman who isn t my wife desirable. (Including, but not limited to, her family and friends.) I should also mention that she has no interest in having an open relationship or a threesome because she prefers having me “all to herself.” I don’t want to ask her to change because she’s perfectly happy with herself, but I’m becoming increasingly resentful. What do I do? How do I tell her? And is there any way I can come out of this a good husband? In The Shallows

I was so relieved to get all the way to the end of your letter without learning you had kids. Because that means I can advise you — with a clear conscience — to fi d nd out just as soon as it’s possible to do so. Not for your own sake, ITS,

but for your wife’s sake. She deserves better. You say you’re growing increasingly resentful. I hope your resentment is directed at all of the people who victimized you. Your wife isn’t one of them. It’s your parents you should resent, ITS, as well as all the sex-phobic bullshit artists out there masquerading as “faith leaders.” You should be angry with yourself, too. While I know from personal experience how a religious upbringing can put the zap on a kid’s head, you were a grown-ass man when you met your wife at that party. You couldn’t have slept with her that night — you couldn’t have lost your virginity in a onenight stand — if you hadn’t already rejected nearly everything you’d been taught about sex. If you were capable of having premarital sex, you were capable of nn n fi person you slept with. Your wife is gonna want to know why you’re leaving her — of course she is — but you’re not going to tell her the real reason. You’re going to make something up. You want kids and she doesn’t (or vice-versa), you married too young (which is true), you have unresolved childhood issues (and don’t we all). While you won’t be able to spare your wife the pain of a breakup, ITS, you can spare her the pain of learning the person she’s been sleeping with for eight years is repulsed by her body. You can’t be a good husband to her, ITS, but you can be decent ex-husband. And to do that — to be her decent and loving and supportive ex — you can’t set her self-esteem n fi n d . And your wife’s body isn’t repulsive. She’s not someone you’re attracted to, ITS, and you’re not d find nd nd women sexually appealing. But while “tall and slim” are more closely associated with conventional concepts of attractiveness, ITS, not everyone’s into tall and slim. There are people who are into short and round and people out there who are attracted to all body types and people who are utterly indifferent to bodies. Your d n find someone who’s sincerely attracted to her. Even being alone would be better than spending decades with someone who recoils from her touch.

Your wife is gonna want to know why you’re leaving her — of course she is — but you’re not going to tell her the real reason. For the record: What’s on the inside does count. It matters. If you met a woman who was more conventionally attractive — if you were with someone who was your idea of hot — and over time she revealed herself to be an asshole (if she was rude to waiters, if she was emotionally abusive, if she was a Trump supporter, etc.), your attraction to her would wither away. What you want — not what you’ll get, ITS, but the best you can hope for — is some combo of hot on the outside (subjective and personal) and good on the inside. And the longer you’re with someone, ITS, the more important good on the inside becomes. Time is a motherfucking meat grinder, and it makes hamburger out of us all. If you prioritize your idea of hot over all other qualities, you run the very real risk of spending decades with a person who has aged out of hot and was never nice. Hey, Dan: Longtime reader asking for advice. I’m a med student, I came to the U.S when I was 18 in order to go to college, and I’m still in the U.S. I’m 25 now and I’ve been dating my boyfriend for about three years now. We’re somewhat monogamous and have been living together for two years. I’m out as a gay man where we live, but my parents and family back in Brazil have zero idea. As you may know, Brazil has a weird relationship with sexuality. We’re seen as — and for the most part are — very open, but our culture is also very homophobic. My BF has been pressuring me to come out, but I’ve been apprehen-

riverfronttimes.com

sive, considering how important family is to me. Fears A Massive Implosion Likely, Yet … Gay men don’t come out to our families because they’re unimportant to us. We come out to our families because they are important to us. Family is important to you, and you’re worried you might lose yours if you come out to them. d fin nn them if you don’t. Because to keep your life a secret from them — to hide your boyfriend from them — you’re going to have to cut them out of your life. It’ll be little things fi the amount of things you have to . up on top of lies, and the distance between you and your family grows. Before you know it, they don’t know you at all anymore and you don’t know them. Because you can’t risk letting them know you. So to avoid their possible rejection, you will have rejected them. You will have lost your family. I know, I know: It’s scary. I came out to my very Catholic family when I was a teenager. I was scared to death. But if they couldn’t accept me for who I am — if I couldn’t rely on their love and support — what was the point of having them in my life at all? P.S. No one likes being someone’s dirty little secret. It hurts your boyfriend to see the person who claims to love him prioritize his family’s presumed bigotry (it’s possible they’ll react more positively than you think) over his feelings and dignity. By not comn family you were born into and the one you’ve created with your boyfriend too.

Questions? mail@savagelove. net. Follow Dan on Twitter @ FakeDanSavage. Listen to Savage Lovecast at savagelovecast.com. Want to reach someone at the RFT? If you’re looking to provide info about an event, please contact calendar@ riverfronttimes.com. If you’ve got the scoop on nightlife, comedy or music, please email daniel.hill@ riverfronttimes.com. Love us? Hate us? You can email doyle.murphy@ riverfronttimes.com about that too. Due to the volume of email we receive, we may not respond — but rest assured that we are reading every one.

APRIL 22-28, 2020

RIVERFRONT TIMES

APRIL 22-28, 2020

riverfronttimes.com

APRIL 22-28, 2020

RIVERFRONT TIMES

BELEAF’S LIFE’S OILS

ST. LOUIS’S PREMIER CBD COMPANY & PRODUCT LINE Established in Missouri in 2016, BeLeaf Company has deep roots in the greater St. Louis area. BeLeaf’s commitment to superior hemp cultivation, quality, and education is what sets the company apart— and it’s why we’ve been an authority in the CBD space since the beginning. Now, with our award-winning CBD product line BeLeaf Life’s Oils, we’re more confident than ever that CBD can be a beneficial addition to any lifestyle. With the heightened level

of stress and anxiety many of us in the community are currently experiencing, there’s no better time to incorporate this antioxidant and neuroprotective compound into your self-care routine. Let us help you find the calm, focus, and relief you need from everyday life.

Learn More: www.beleaflifesoils.com Contact Us: (314) 209-0859 info@beleafco.com

riverfronttimes.com

MARCH 25-31, 2020

RIVERFRONT TIMES