August 30th, 2018 Edition

Pioneering physician and surgeon Dr. James Whittico Jr. passes at 102

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis

American

The St. Louis community lost a giant on Tuesday, August 21, 2018 with the passing of Dr. James Whittico Jr. He was 102. A colleague once joked that, “Dr. Whittico delivered Jesus.” At the time he had nearly 60

When black men stop smiling

By Stefan Bradley For The St. Louis American

Part of a year-long series, presented by The American and the Brown School at Washington University, on changing the narratives and outcomes of young black males in St. Louis.

“How’s the team going to be this year?” was one of the first questions I heard as I began my college career at a private predominantly white institution (PWI). To be fair, I am relatively tall, so I accommodated the query of the friendly white student. I said that the team would be great and that we had a lot of men who could drive well and put it in the hole.

When the curious student said, “See you on the court,” I corrected him, saying, “You mean you’ll see me on the course, right?” I explained that I assumed he was wondering how the golf team was going to be this year. Life for black males seeking education at PWIs can be extremely enriching yet equally precarious. It requires moderation and measurement regarding their ability to express themselves and maintain their dignity.

By Jordan Wade For The St. Louis American

Mark Seymore grew up in a neighborhood that police have labeled as one of the highest crime areas in the region, around Page and Goodfellow boulevards in North St. Louis.

“There wasn’t a lot of role models or anything positive to follow,” Seymore said. “It was extremely rough for me because it

said. “That means a lot. He takes the time out of his day to get to know us. It’s not just a job for him. It’s more like a passion to do what’s best for us and to help us.” Taylor, a University of Missouri Kansas City graduate, is a part of the Missouri College Advising Corps (MCAC), which is a two-year program for recent college graduates who want to make a difference and help students with college access programs.

Taylor said he had a MCAC advisor who he still keeps in contact with and who pushed him in the counseling direction. Being at Riverview Gardens, he said the thing that initially surprised him the most about being a counselor was what students go through on a daily basis. See FATHERS, A6

Photo by Wiley Price

Andrea Scott

Kurly Taylor

R. Kelly’s camp accused of assault by journalist filming in East St. Louis

A journalist capturing footage for a documentary on R. Kelly claims she was physically thrown out of an afterparty for the singer at Da Beno Nite Club in East St. Louis this past Saturday.

“I had the camera phone in my hand above my head. All I know is I felt an arm around my neck, and I was lifted up,” Lyric Cabral next thing I know I’m facing outside.”

According to the BuzzFeed report of the incident, Cabral is working on contract for BuzzFeed News along with Field of Vision, the documentary and film division of First Look Media.

In a police report, Cabral is said to have been physically

accosted after she identified herself as a reporter working on a documentary about the singer for Hulu streaming service.

“Ms. Cabral stated that someone grabbed her by the neck from behind while she admitted filming [for] a documentary,” the report stated. The film is rumored to explore sexual abuse allegations against Kelly, including leading a sex cult.

The report also says that Cabral was dragged from the club – where R. Kelly appeared following his concert at the St. Charles Family Arena last weekend– and her phone was confiscated. Cabral said that when the phone was retrieved, all footage she recorded during her time at the club had been deleted.

East St. Louis Police Chief Jerry C. Simon issued a statement to BuzzFeed about the incident.

“While the club does have the right to remove anyone from the club, they do not have a right to assault anyone in the process,” Simon said. “We are currently looking into the accusation and attempting to retrieve any video surveillance which will show what transpired.

The investigation is ongoing by the Detective Division because Ms. Cabral was unsure who had assaulted her inside of the club.”

R. Kelly’s lawyer,

Chauncey D. Henry, told BuzzFeed that Kelly’s team cannot remember the incident.

“Mr. Kelly, and/or his employees or affiliates, have no distinct recollection of the events described in your letter related to an alleged altercation that involved your contractor or his removal from Da Beno Nite Club,” Henry said in a statement.

“Despite the confusing description of when this altercation actually took place, whether on Friday, August 17 or Saturday, August 18, Mr. Kelly, and/or his employees or affiliates are in no position to speak on behalf of the venue or its security policies.”

ATL cops file charges against On the Run II stage crasher

met by The Carters’ backup dancers and security guards.

Anthony Thomas Maxwell

The man who ran on the stage during the Atlanta stop of Beyonce and JAY-Z’s “On the Run II” tour has been charged with simple battery. Although the On the Run II team released a statement saying that the couple decided not to press charges, Atlanta Police hit the fan with charges of their own.

Anthony Thomas Maxwell was originally issued a citation for disorderly conduct.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Maxwell was released, but has now been charged.

The incident occurred as The Carters were making their way off the stage. Maxwell ran onto the stage to follow them but was quickly

Family of Prince files suit against his former doctor, medical companies

According to KSTP.com, the family of Prince, who died of a fentanyl overdose in April of 2016, has officially filed their lawsuit against medical companies and a doctor they say failed to treat his addiction and provided narcotics without a proper prescription.

The website for the St. Paul ABC affiliate says that court records show the lawsuit was filed in Hennepin County last week. It names Iowa Health System (UnityPoint), the parent company of the Illinois hospital that treated Prince days before his death, Walgreens, North Memorial Health Care and Dr. Michael T. Schulenberg as defendants.

“All of the defendants had an opportunity and a duty during the weeks before Prince’s death to diagnose and treat Prince’s opioid addiction, and to prevent his death,” the lawsuit alleges, according to KSTP.com.

“They failed to do so.”

Sources: Buzzfeed.com, Theblast.com, XXL.com, The Hollywood Reporter,” KSTP.com

R. Kelly

‘I

want to inspire other kids to take on journeys such as this’

Quest Scholarship Fund expands, sends six St. Louis-area students abroad for summer

By Sophie Hurwitz

For The St. Louis American

The Quest Scholarship Fund, a nonprofit that got its start in St. Louis last year by funding one student to travel abroad, has now expanded dramatically.

The program, which partners with AFS-USA to send students from marginalized backgrounds to study in foreign countries for free, has moved from funding just one student to providing international travel to six students. Quest fundraises for half the cost of the students’ travel, while the AFS-USA Faces of America national study abroad program pays the other half, as part of an attempt to make study abroad more diverse by making it more accessible.

“We’ve expanded to many new schools,” said Suzanne Sebert, founder of the Quest Scholarship Fund. “We’ve gone from one student to six students, and hope to go to 10 or 12 this next year. Having six, now it’s like an event. With one, that was where we started. But with six – it’s a program.”

The six students who studied abroad this summer come from Vashon High School, Central Visual and Performing Arts High School, Lift for Life Academy, University City High School, and SIUE East Saint Louis Charter High School. They chose a wide range of destinations for their summer study-abroad trips. One student chose to travel to Ghana, one went to Finland, two chose to travel to Italy, and two students

went to Costa Rica. Sebert hopes that these journeys won’t just help the individual students, but will help widen the cultural lens of those students’ entire communities.

“The students go, for the most part, after their junior year, so they will come home and share everything with their high schools,” Sebert said.

“Most of them are already on Snapchat, and WhatsApp, and are sharing things. It’s fun to let their friends become part of the experience and part of the cultural growth, too.”

Now more than ever, Sebert believes that facilitating these connections between different people and different communities matters.

“I think it’s tremendously important that people get to know each other as human beings and as friends and see how much they have in common,” Sebert said. “This is a difficult world right now, and there are a lot of misconceptions about people, and I think having students build those bridges is very important.”

Jasmine Whitley, a 17-yearold student at SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School, was one of this year’s cohort of St. Louis-area students. She spent a full month studying abroad in Finland, a country which she chose because it seemed to fit her personality.

“The reason why I chose to [go to Finland] is I thought it was a country that was going to fit me,” said Whitley. “I heard

a lot about Finland – I heard they’re pretty down to earth, and quiet, and sweet, just like me. I don’t hear much about Finland, but I thought it would

they should be able to learn from not only what they’ve been around all their lives, but to just go out and explore different things,” Whitley said.

n “The students go, for the most part, after their junior year, so they will come home and share everything with their high schools.”

– Suzanne Sebert, Quest Scholarship Fund

be a good country to learn their culture, and the things that they like to do.”

For Whitley, and all but one of the other Quest students, this was a first-ever trip outside the country and a critical educational opportunity.

“I think it’s important, because I feel like some people,

“To not just hear about what other people think, but to actually learn from those people who live in those countries. I’ve never been nowhere. I’ve never traveled, the only place I’ve been is where I live. So that will be really important to me.”

Domonic Archie Jr., a

15-year-old student at Vashon High School, was both the youngest of the group and the only one who had traveled outside the United States before. He previously visited Costa Rica as part of his school’s Show Me Costa Rica program and fell in love with the country. He used his Quest scholarship to do community service on a Costa Rican organic farm, staying with a Costa Rican family.

“It’s important to me, because when I grow older, I want to at least have some experience, you know?” Archie said. “I want to inspire other kids to take on journeys such as this, because these are oncein-a-lifetime opportunities. I plan on minoring in Spanish in college, I plan on visiting a lot of Spanish-speaking countries afterwards, so I can become fluent and I can grow to love their culture. In the back of

my mind, I’m thinking about becoming a doctor overseas, you know? Being a doctor abroad.”

These six students got the chance to live and study in a foreign country before they even graduated from high school. Some of the most important new connections were forged between the six students themselves.

“They’re bonded like the six musketeers, let me tell you,” Sebert said. “One of them said, ‘You know, a lot of our friends won’t understand, when we come back, what we’ve experienced –but we will understand each other.’ That’s been a good strength, because a lot of them don’t have easy school situations, but they have each other.”

And next year, the group of St. Louis students with access to that experience will grow. Teachers and counselors in public schools where over 75 percent of the student population is on free and reduced lunch may nominate their students for this program for next year, and Sebert hopes to expand the program as much as money will allow For more information, visit www.qsfstl.org or call 314-5888200 .

Front row: Stacy Vilsaint (Lift for Life Academy), Jasmine Whitley (East St. Louis SIUE Charter School), Tracy Vilsaint (Lift for Life Academy). Back row: Domonic Archie Jr. (Vashon High School), Nate Lowery (Central Visual and Performing Arts High School), Malike Harris (University City High School).

We must protect health care in memory of Dr. Whittico

It’s said that when an elder dies a library burns down. In the case of our friend Dr. James M. Whittico Jr. – who passed on August 21 at the age of 102 – we lost a vast medical library, including the medical histories of individuals and the families of many of the people reading this newspaper. Dr. Whittico was honored as the St. Louis American Foundation’s Lifetime Achiever in Healthcare in 2006 when he was 90 years old and still practicing medicine. Indeed, he was a “Lifetime Achiever” in a special sense – he provided medical care for almost his entire life, retiring only in 2015 when he had lived nearly a century.

With Dr. Whittico also passed an era. He worked his way indomitably, yet gracefully, from a segregated era when black people were excluded from white institutions and had to train our own physicians and heal our own people. No one should feel nostalgia for Jim Crow, as those of us old enough to remember its humiliations and limitations can attest. Yet segregation did have the effect of concentrating black excellence and energy within the black community, in institutions such as Homer G. Phillips Hospital, where Dr. Whittico trained. As the first African American awarded a full clinical professorship at a historically white medical hospital in St. Louis who never stopped caring for black families, Dr. Whittico spanned the heyday of Homer G. Phillips Hospital, when St. Louis was a mecca of black medical tutelage and practice, to the present day, when every medical school and hospital is (at least in terms of policy) accessible to all. Of course, economics – the ability to pay – remains a barrier for many, including a disproportionate number of black folks. When you lose someone who embodies our history, including our health as Dr. Whittico did, it begs the question of what are we going to do to keep his memory and legacy alive? This means more than what things are we going to name after him, though we expect Dr. Whittico to become the namesake of institutions, programs and scholarships. It also means we need an answer for: What are we going to do to continue his work? What are we going to do to heal our people and keep them healthy?

“I got my flair for taking care of people from my father,” Dr. Whittico told The American. “He was dedicated to his job as a physician at a time when people had nothing. I saw him get paid with chickens or a head of cabbage.” We don’t expect physicians to work for heads of cabbage in the 21st century, but Dr. Whittico’s example compels physicians – especially, but not only, black medical doctors – to work in under-served communities and to serve the poor. Moreover, his example compels us to fight for policies that ensure all people, including

Trump

the poor, have quality health coverage that will compensate the physicians who care for them. This policy shift requires electing candidates who promise to enact more humane policies regarding healthcare.

At the federal level, this means reelecting U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill. McCaskill voted for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), signed up for coverage herself on the exchange created by the act, voted against repealing the ACA, and is co-sponsoring a resolution that would direct Senate lawyers to defend against a lawsuit trying to kill the ACA. Her Republican opponent, Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley, is one of 18 state attorneys general who filed the suit to kill it. Hawley is a supporter of President Trump, who has made a series of moves to gut the ACA, including reopening the market to the short-term, so-called “junk” health plans outlawed by the ACA. A vote for McCaskill on November 6 is a vote for better health care and to vote in memory of Dr. Whittico, as well.

At the state level, many promising, mostly young state legislators won primary elections in August, including Karla May, who will become Missouri’s third black female state senator and the second representing St. Louis. Unfortunately, the Republican supermajority in the Missouri Legislature has failed to expand Medicaid, leaving millions in federal dollars on the table. Republicans in the Legislature have shown some pragmatism in recent sessions, and emerging Democratic leaders like May and state Rep. Bruce Franks Jr. are eager to work across the aisle to benefit their constituents.

However, the best long-term hope is to pass Amendment 1 on the November 6 ballot. Among other moves to clean up Missouri politics, it would ensure that neither political party is given an unfair advantage when new maps are drawn after the next census, by adding criteria for fairness and competitiveness of the overall map, which will be reviewed by a citizen commission, and keep compact and contiguous districts. Missouri may be a red state, but it’s not nearly as red as the current state Legislature. More fair districting would make Democrats and their policy agenda on matters such as healthcare more competitive in Jefferson City. A vote for Amendment 1 also would be a vote in Dr. Whittico’s memory of his empathy, service and magnificent spirit.

“The medical field has lost a giant whose shoes cannot be filled,” his friend and younger colleague, Dr. Denise Hooks-Anderson said of Dr. Whittico. Though that is certainly true, we must shoulder some of his load and keep moving in the direction he was always headed, which was toward a healthier community.

Commentary

doesn’t care about justice – only protection

By Eugene Robinson Washington Post

There’s a reason why President Trump increasingly sounds like the mob boss in a cliche-ridden gangster film: That’s basically what he is –and he must know how such movies usually end.

On Wednesday, August 22 – a day after his former campaign chairman was convicted of felonies in one federal courthouse and his longtime lawyer pleaded guilty to felonies in another –Trump issued this statement on Twitter:

“I feel very badly for Paul Manafort and his wonderful family. ‘Justice’ took a 12 year old tax case, among other things, applied tremendous pressure on him and, unlike Michael Cohen, he refused to ‘break’ – make up stories in order to get a ‘deal.’ Such respect for a brave man!” And in a Fox News interview broadcast on August 23, he complained at length about defendants who “flip” and inform on higher-ups in exchange for leniency at sentencing: “This whole thing about flipping, they call it, I know all about flipping. For 30, 40 years I have been watching flippers. Everything’s wonderful, and then they get 10 years in jail and they flip on whoever the next highest one is or as high as you can go. It almost ought to be outlawed.”

Those are not the words of some two-bit hoodlum who feels the law closing in. They are the words of the president of the United States – who apparently feels the law closing in.

Trump speaks as if the Trump Organization, the

Trump campaign and the Trump administration were one long continuing criminal enterprise. The man charged with faithfully executing the nation’s laws paints his own Justice Department as a villain and celebrates criminals who stoically go to prison rather than inform on higher-ups. Nixon talked that way in private, among friends and co-conspirators; Trump just blurts it out. He makes no bones about valuing loyalty over respect for the law. Manafort, who might have much to tell about contacts between the campaign and the Russians, has been silent thus far. But he was convicted in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, on eight counts of bank and tax fraud, and could receive what amounts to a life sentence for a 69-year-old man. Now he faces another trial, this time in federal court in Washington, on conspiracy and other charges stemming from the influence-peddling work he did for Russia-backed politicians in Ukraine. The second trial could produce even more jail time – and definitely will generate another crushing pile of legal bills for a man whose finances were shown to be in tatters.

After the verdict was read in Alexandria on August 21, a statement from Manafort’s defense team said nothing about possible appeals or the looming court proceedings.

What the Civil War can teach us about Trump’s America

By Mike Jones Of The St. Louis American

The importance of studying history is not just to know what happened in the past, but also to contextualize and understand the present. Because the United States of 2018 is a culmination of economic and political forces set in motion many decades before, an understanding of pre-Civil War America can inform our perspective on today’s political scene.

I think this country is at a dangerous inflection point, much like the 1850s – which led to the Civil War. The conditions that existed in the lead-up to the Civil War were the result of historical forces at the beginning of the 19th century that are obvious in hindsight but nobody would have predicted then. In 1803 the Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States and set in motion a set of circumstances that would make the Civil War inevitable. By the 1850s the United States could no longer punt on the issue of the expansion of slavery. The question was purely economic: Do you allow the Southern planter class to continue to expand its feudal plantation system and political hegemony over America, or does America’s expanding manufacturing and mining sectors assert themselves and embrace their capitalist destiny?

Instead, it said Manafort was examining his options.

Perhaps that is why Trump is going so far out of his way to praise Manafort’s virtue – and why, when asked if he will grant Manafort a pardon, the president never says a discouraging word. Cohen, on the other hand, used the occasion of his guilty plea in federal court in Manhattan to directly implicate Trump in two felony crimes. He said Trump directed him to arrange six-figure payments, in the days leading up to the election, to guarantee the silence of Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels – two women who say they had extramarital liaisons with Trump.

Look at the people Trump surrounds himself with. So far, four men with high-level roles in his campaign and one with a more junior role have pleaded or been found guilty of federal crimes.

Look at the people who are drawn to him. The first sitting member of Congress to endorse his candidacy, U.S. Rep. Chris Collins, R-N.Y., was indicted earlier this month on charges of insider trading. The second sitting member to endorse Trump, U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., was indicted Tuesday on charges of illegally using more than $250,000 in campaign funds to underwrite his lavish personal lifestyle.

Responding to criticism from Trump, Attorney General Jeff Sessions declared on August 23 that the Justice Department “will not be improperly influenced by political considerations.” He must understand by now that Trump doesn’t care about justice. The president wants only protection.

The United States has undergone a paradigm shift, precipitated by the cumulative effect of all these changes. While not all of these changes have universally benefited the black community, the America of 2018 is structurally preferable for blacks to the America of 1958. But that has not been true for a huge swath of white America. In 2018 America, being white doesn’t pay as well as it used to.

In 1849, South Carolina Senator John C. Calhoun extolled the cultural and political benefits of whiteness in America in terms that eerily reverberate today. In “Black Reconstruction” (1935), W.E.B. Du Bois wrote of the psychological and economic “wages of whiteness.” Donald Trump is not an apparition or anomaly but the manifestation of the resistance to all these cultural changes. Trump’s “Make America Great Again” in 2018 echoes 19th century Southern slaveholders and white supremacists saying, “We need to maintain our way of life.”

Don’t misunderstand. The issue was slavery but not us. For the overwhelming number of white Americans, both leadership and average citizens, the condition and welfare of enslaved blacks was never a political or moral priority. We were fodder for both sides in this economic/political death match. The Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 literally changed the color of America, and the social movements of the 1960s permanently transformed the culture. Then globalization and revolutions in technology forever changed the structure of the economy and the nature of work.

Letters to the editor

Protest, politics and the Workhouse

I have tremendous respect for Joel Sjerven and his passion for criminal justice reform. I found his article informative yet must correct one statement he made: “Mayor Krewson ignored their pleas until protests formed outside the Work House demanding air conditioning.”

The reality is that Alderman Joe Vaccaro, 23rd Ward, had worked diligently to improve conditions at the Medium Security Institution on Hall Street. On Mayor Slay’s last day in office, Slay vetoed a piece of legislation written by Vaccaro that was approved by the Board of Aldermen. In Mayor Krewson’s first week on office, a revision of that vetoed legislation passed through the Board of Aldermen and was on Krewson’s desk awaiting her signature.

An amendment to that

legislation was added by BOA Black Caucus Leader, Alderman Terry Kennedy, which stipulated that employees and volunteers in the criminal justice system suspected of abuse and/or neglect of inmates would be reported as the State of Missouri statue has stipulated. That particular piece of legislation should have been a walk in the park; unfortunately, but legislation languished on the desk of another alder who declared, “I am not focused on civil rights issues,” when asked about progress with that legislation. That alder was among the most visual in media coverage of the protests held at the MSI.

In moments of political struggle like this, it’s important to consider the emotional make-up of the participants. The forces of change and reform (the good guys) always believe history is on their side. The forces of reaction (the bad guys) have rationalized that they are morally superior and deserve their privilege. A critical difference between them is the bad guys bring much more intensity to these fights than the good guys do. This is because the good guys have no concrete idea of what victory means, but the bad guys know what they lose if defeated. The result is the bad guys will do anything and everything in their power to prevail. They will always be cruel, vicious, unprincipled adversaries.

So how do the good guys win? They have to have greater moral capacity, but that doesn’t mean what you think. It’s not, “We need to be better than them” or “when they go low, we go high.” Greater moral capacity is the will to do whatever is required to defeat evil. It means rejecting the moral fallacy that “the ends don’t justify means” because, in realty, it’s only the end that can justify the means. The ultimate moral question is always: What are you prepared to do to save who and what you love?

Mike Jones is a former senior staffer in St. Louis city and county government and current member of the Missouri State Board of Education and The St. Louis American editorial board. In 2016 and 2017, he was awarded Best Serious Columnist for all of the state’s large weeklies by the Missouri Press Association.

Additionally, Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed already had in place plans for portable air conditioners to be delivered to the MSI prior to the protests. Knowing both that Aldermen Vaccaro and Kennedy had worked together on a comprehensive legislative action that Mayor Krewson agreed to sign, and that portable air conditioners were on their way to provide relief for inmates, I went to Facebook to plead with organizers of the protests to take their protests to City Hall where the decision makers would be available to witness the protests. My pleas were ignored. As a result of the presence of the protestors at the MSI, the inmates were placed on lockdown, which curtailed the measures to provide respite from the heat already in place. I had advised, via Facebook, that this would be the result. The need for media attention and the genuine concern among protesters not privy to the information I have detailed above took priority over the physical well-being of the inmates. I found that disheartening and ironic.

Teri Powers St. Louis

Columnist Eugene Robinson

Columnist Mike Jones

Making a playground in Riverview

Laronn Simmons and Onnie Simpson painted games on a picnic table at Highland Elementary School in the Riverview Gardens School District on Saturday, August 18. Volunteers from the Pacific Life Foundation, Edward Jones, Riverview Gardens School District, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis and the community joined KaBOOM! to transform an empty site into a kid-designed, state-of-the-art playground.

Vocal project looking for women to sing barbershop harmony

The St. Louis Vocal Project is hosting open rehearsals 7:30-9:30 p.m. on Wednesday evenings at The Groves Church, 9220

Big Bend Blvd. in Webster Groves. It is free and open to all women who like to sing and perform.

The St. Louis Vocal Project is a new, diverse and inclusive chorus of women of all ages singing barbershop harmony. The four barbershop voice parts range from high first soprano to low harmony in the men’s tenor range. All women’s vocal ranges are needed. Sandi Wright, recently retired director of the St. Louis Harmony Sweet Adelines Chorus, is the artistic director.

Eventually the St. Louis Vocal Project will affiliate with Harmony Incorporated, an international organization of women barbershop singers with choruses in the United States and Canada.

For more information, contact Sandi Wright at wright@primary.net or visit https://vocalproject.wixsite.com/vocalproject.

Northside/Southside MetroLink discussion

Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT) and St. Louis Community College are inviting area residents to take part in a special

“Talking Transit” event that will highlight the results of the Northside/Southside MetroLink Corridor Study, led by CMT member AECOM. The consulting firm’s project manager Dan Meyers will present findings, recommendations and financing options for this potential new, street-running, light rail investment.

The event will be held 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 13 in the Highlander Lounge at St. Louis Community College at Forest Park, 5600 Oakland Ave. in St. Louis, which is accessible via the #59 Oakland MetroBus.

Registration for the Talking Transit event can be completed online at https://cmt-stl.org/ or by arriving early. The cost is free for CMT members and $10 for non-members. For non-members that would like to attend but have personal financial constraints, CMT offers a limited number of scholarships. For more information, call (314) 231-7272.

Turning purple in Missouri?

The state of Missouri was red as a beet when Donald Trump won the state in 2016, beating Hillary Clinton by a half-million votes. There were only a two blue dots in the sea of red, and those were the two urban centers of Kansas City and St. Louis. Boone County, home of the University of Missouri, shimmered a few rays of blue.

The August 7 primary may have been a turning point, as we saw big wins with the smack-down of Prop A and the unlikely victory of Wesley Bell as St. Louis County prosecutor. Bob McCulloch must have been stunned as the results rolled in on election night. The incumbent didn’t bother to mount a serious re-election campaign. He often refused to show up for candidate forums and avoided the healthy debate on serious issues that voters deserved. His pink slip was a long time coming.

Despite a clear voter mandate over the last 40 years, once again the Republicans attempted to force a Right to Work ballot initiative on Missouri voters so that their rich buddies can pay lower wages and pocket more profits. After all the slick talking and deceptive messages, the measure was soundly defeated by a 2 to 1 margin by voters across the state. We refused to be No. 27 in the conservative game to make every state in the country a “right to work for less” state.

The measure was clearly aimed to undermine the strength of unions and reduce the wages of Missouri workers. However, Prop A galvanized opponents from all sectors – labor, faith, community, youth, civic – to block the harmful effects Proposition A would have on families and communities. It was an extraordinary effort.

Emerging collaboratives like the statewide Black/Rural Voter Engagement Project are rejecting the traditional stereotypes that have long pitted urban and rural communities against one another. These communities are finding out that we have more in common than our political enemies want us to believe we do.

It is these types of strategic alliances and intensive voter education that accounted for Democratic and Republic voters coming together in their own interests to defeat Prop A. This is a critical turning point for calming the rightward flood waters that have attempted to capsize the boat of multi-racial unity in the state for decades.

Prop 1 has qualified for the November ballot. Known as Clean Missouri during the signature-gathering phase, the ballot measure intends to minimize big corporate dollars in politics and to maximize transparency and fairness. Our hard-earned tax dollars need to work for the majority without having to compete with the unfair, financial influence that benefit a few.

We generally measure partisan politics by the dominant colors of red and blue or swirling purple. The ideal goal is for Missouri citizens to become sophisticated enough to unite around common interests and a shared vision for the future while downplaying party affiliation.

Jamala Rogers

Photo by Wiley Price

FATHERS

Continued from A1

“It was real bad,” he said. “It probably should have been condemned, but that’s all we had. I was paying $275 a month, but with the job I had that was hard for me to do. I was making $32 a day, so it was a struggle. That was an extra kick for me to come here, and I did.” He heard his mother talking to one of her friends on the phone. A young man was asking her for financial help, and she recommended that he come to the Fathers Support Center.

“After I was done eavesdropping, I started asking questions,” he said. “I was curious because I needed some assistance as well. I found a number and called and got myself enrolled.”

The men who enter the center’s Responsible Fatherhood Project commit to a six-week, full-day program, where they are taught a variety of parenting and life skills. Included in the curriculum

SALUTE

Continued from A1

“I grew up in bubble, in a privileged setting,” Taylor said. “Both of my parents have advanced degrees and had good jobs. A lot of things my students had to go through, I didn’t have to go through until maybe now.”

A lot of his students work until past midnight, Taylor said, and they provide for siblings or other family members. And many of them don’t have parents in the picture, so they don’t have someone pushing them every day. One of his passions is bridging the inequities in education. He said he goes above and beyond to make sure his families are getting access to financial aid and other resources.

are nutritional and financial literacy, mock interviews for employment opportunities, and family bonding experiences. During the final two weeks, clients are required to wear business attire to prepare them for employment opportunities.

“The number one thing that the men and others are facing is an economic problem,” said Halbert Sullivan, founding president and CEO of the Fathers Support Center. “To solve an economic problem, that starts off with a job. If a guy is having a time with a child and he can’t buy ice cream or cookies, he’s going to soon stop coming around. Because men want to do things; they want to fix stuff.”

Sullivan – a former drug addict who cleaned himself up and went on to earn a master’s of social work from the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University – founded Fathers Support Center in 1997. Its primary mission is to promote fathers’ involvement in their children’s lives through intensive job training, group therapy, community service and parenting workshops.

“I won’t do it for them, but I will be in the passenger seat while they’re driving,” Taylor said.

It’s Taylor’s overall mindset that makes him different, Crymes said.

“He’s more like ‘I’m a person, you’re a person. You learn from me and I learn from you,’” Crymes said. “I feel like a lot of kids relate to that because a lot of kids here have problem with authority. He’s not soft. It’s a gentle push and a shove.”

‘You have to bring joy’

Early childhood teacher Andrea Scott often recites a W.E.B. Du Bois quote that goes, “Children learn more from what you are than what you teach.”

That’s why Scott does everything possible to let her passion for education shine

“The dad is very important to the child’s psychological and emotional development,” Sullivan said. “If we could draw the dad’s strength and involvement, then we could get rid of a lot of issues that our youth are facing today, and we’d help to break the cycle of poverty.”

Since 1997, it has served over 14,000 fathers, with over 97 percent of them being African-American males. “It is our vision that every father can be a responsible father committed to a cohesive family relationship,” Sullivan said.

Seymore completed the Responsible Fatherhood program about a year and a half ago. He currently works at LMI

through every day.

“I’ve learned you have to bring joy and excitement for people to learn anything,” Scott said. “It’s about you. If you’re happy positive, those little kids are going to soak it all in.”

The subject Scott is passionate about teaching is Spanish, which arose after a study abroad trip to Costa Rica during her undergrad studies at Lindenwood University. She began her teaching career at the Spanish Language Immersion School in St. Louis city at 20 and remained there for seven years. She has been teaching preschool at the William L. Clay Sr. Early Childhood Development/ Parenting Center for one year. She also teaches adult courses at Harris-Stowe State University in both education and Spanish, and she tutors Chinese students in English

Aerospace as a sheet metal assembler and mechanic – earning twice what he did when he entered the program.

Like many of the fathers who walk in the door, Seymore was not earning what he was worth, said Lynn Vaden, the program’s facilitator and account manager.

“Mark had all the tools to be successful,” Vaden said.

“He just needed someone to point him in the right direction. He was working, and he was providing for his family and, for him, that was okay. But based on what he had to offer and the value of that, it wasn’t okay.”

Vaden said that he had to convince Seymore, like many

online at night.

Scott has published three children’s books, which feature illustrations of AfricanAmerican children speaking Spanish.

Her first book, “Smile Big, Dream Bigger,” came about after the Ferguson unrest started in August 2014.

Although the events had an “extreme impact” on everyone at the language immersion school, Scott found that it wasn’t being talked about much in the classroom.

“So many teachers were trying to go back to teaching the basics, but it was hard when you have a 10-year-old telling you, ‘Why am I learning this? I’m going to die when I get this age,’” Scott said. “That’s heartbreaking.”

She had a corazon a corazon – or heart-to-heart moment –with her students, where they talked about life, dreams and

others, to give up the fear of leaving something less to take the opportunity to gain something more.

“I tell every person that comes into the room, ‘You have everything inside of you that you need to be successful,’” Vaden said. “Our challenge is to find out what it is.”

Growing is one of the important factors at the center, Seymore said, and he learned how to make realistic goals and go after them.

“Challenge yourself,”

Seymore advised other fathers who may inquire about joining the Fathers Support Center.

“If you’re constantly in your comfort zone, there’s no room for growth. Stepping out of your comfort zone to come here is the first step. Doing something different, you get different results. I’ll push the fact that they give great help.”

Sean Joe – Benjamin E. Youngdahl Professor and associate dean at the Brown School, who is co-editing the Homegrown Black Males series in The American as part of the Brown School’s Homegrown STL initiative – sees Fathers

not giving up despite what’s going on in their surrounding environment.

“I would go home and cry and write all their thoughts and what I felt,” she said. She wanted a book that would inspire them to dream, she said. Not only has the book received awards and national recognition, but the proceeds from the book also helped to fund her students’ trip to Costa Rica in May 2016.

She earned her master’s degree in education from Missouri Baptist University and is currently pursuing a doctorate.

“I believe I’m going to be in school for the rest of my life,” Scott said. “Education saved in me in so many ways. That’s why I’m always in the classroom.”

Proceeds from the St. Louis American Foundation’s four annual Salute to Excellence

Support Center as crucial to furthering the upward mobility of young black males in St. Louis.

Homegrown STL prioritizes young black males and the role organizations like Fathers Support Center has to assume to ensure that new generations of black fathers are prepared and provided with the upward-mobility opportunities needed for responsible fatherhood,” Joe said. “Black fatherhood is not broken. It may be weakened, challenged, but always recoverable and impactful.”

For more information, call 314-333-4170 or visit http:// fatherssupportcenter.org.

“Homegrown Black Males” is a partnership between HomeGrown STL at the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis and The St. Louis American, edited by Sean Joe, Benjamin E. Youngdahl Professor and associate dean at the Brown School, and Chris King, managing editor of The American, in memory of Michael Brown.

events benefit community grants as well as scholarships for local minority students. In 2018 alone, the St. Louis American Foundation and its educational, corporate and individual supporters will foster a record-breaking $1 million in minority scholarships and community grants.

The 2018 Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship & Awards Gala will be held at 6 p.m.

Mark Seymore, a graduate of Fathers Support Center’s Responsible Fatherhood Project, plays with his son Malcolm Seymore in their home in Moline Acres.

Photo by Wiley Price

Mantovani concedes defeat to Stenger

Says challenging victory by less than 1 percent of votes would be divisive

By Chris King Of The St. Louis American

Mark P. Mantovani has conceded defeat in the August 7 Democratic primary for St. Louis County executive after the St. Louis County Election Board certified the election results and declared incumbent Steve Stenger the winner by 1,100 votes – less than 1 percent of the Democratic votes cast.

“Despite the narrow margin of defeat and the fact that supporters and election experts have encouraged my campaign to exercise its statutory right to recount or even contest the results, after consideration, I decided to forego these activities,” Mantovani said in a statement.

MEN

Continued from A1

Those brave souls who venture into mostly white educational spaces searching to attain the benefits of a degree and American achievement cannot leave without scars.

While writing my newest book, “Upending the Ivory Tower: Civil Rights, Black Power, and the Ivy League,” I found that education at PWIs has required sacrifice from all but particularly from black men.

W.E.B. Du Bois, Harvard University’s first black recipient of a doctorate, described his relationship to his PWI. He said he was “in Harvard but not of it.”

Black men were granted access to white spaces, so they were technically “in” those elite educational centers. However, black men were clearly not “of” the universities because of their blackness and the cultures of institutional white supremacy that existed. They faced double marginalization: They were neglected and suppressed in their traditionally white schools but also marginalized in their black communities.

The minority of black men who could attend these esteemed institutions were privileged among their peers in their de facto and de jure segregated neighborhoods. As former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder explained, he felt obligated to prove that he was still “one of those guys” from his Queens, New York neighborhood when attending Columbia University. Holder, Du Bois, and the countless other black men who have endured life at PWIs, understood that they were living what Holder called a “dual existence.”

In recent years, nothing better highlighted that dual existence for black college men at PWIs in the St. Louis metropolitan area than the protests following the police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson.

It is no secret that in traditionally white private universities, like those in St. Louis, black men are scarce. There are, of course, systemic and social reasons for that. We know them well: racial segregation, lack of economic investment in black neighborhoods and public schools, inadequate training for things like standardized tests, the prison industrial complex, etc. On campus, black men are reminded of their blackness when security officers constantly ask them to produce identification or when they are asked if they are on scholarship or beneficiaries of affirmative action. For the record, I proudly attended PWIs on scholarship (not basketball or golf) and with the assistance of affirmative action. When I was young I felt as though I had to defend my existence, but after closely studying the history of this nation, I realized it was not me who should have harbored the shame. I proudly strut through the hallowed halls of these institutions, with the knowledge that black people built America and that affirmative action was historically white (and in many ways it still is).

“There are isolated but recurring allegations of election and polling place irregularities that some have brought to our attention. While we had the legal right to challenge the results because of the margin, in my view, the potential for change in the election’s outcome was not realistic. Hence, my preference is to waste no additional time nor energy tilting at this windmill.”

Mantovani said that some supporters were disappointed by his decision but it was consistent with why he ran for public office for the first time after a successful business career.

“My goal in seeking this office was to heal our community’s longstanding

regional and racial divisions, bring it together and put it on a more forward-looking path,” he stated. “Litigation brought in the furtherance of such an objective which is likely to foster the attendant acrimony and controversy is inconsistent with my objectives.”

Stenger will face Republican nominee Paul Berry III (who is African-American) and almost certainly be reelected, given that Democratic candidates received 183,040 primary votes while Republican candidates received only 56,864.

Mantovani wished Stenger and the St. Louis County Council “well in their efforts to serve the region.”

“We all have many things to do,” Mantovani said, “and we should get on with them.”

Over the past century, I have studied or worked at six different PWIs. In these spaces, I have observed the way that black professional men survive. I have found that their careers are mostly safe if they frequently express gratitude (whether sincere or not) to the institution, generally go along with whatever their colleagues want, out-produce their peers but do not conspicuously outshine them, avoid all suspicions of impropriety with female students (particularly nonblack students), do not drive better cars than their supervisors, do not ever raise their voice or move too quickly around women and supervisors (for any other reason than school pride), question their institution’s sincerity with regard to “diversity” without first reassuring all the “allies” that they are doing their very best, and never – ever – forget to smile.

I have watched some black

men (including this black man) suffer the consequences of violating those unwritten rules, and I have also witnessed other black men lose parts of their souls to fulfill the compromise. As the rapper Nasir Jones explained: “Inclusion is a hell of a drug.”

At every level of education, black men are few. In elementary schools, black men are extremely underrepresented on the faculties, but black boys are statistically overrepresented regarding suspensions, expulsions, and other disciplinary actions in St. Louis area. At the collegiate level, black men are among the least retained student demographic and make up a very small minority of the faculty and administration. National black male college completion rates hover around 35 percent. There are three primary reasons they do not finish: lack of financial support, unpreparedness for collegiate

level work, and difficulty enduring the cultural transition. Knowing these facts, black men in universities could make good use of assistance and accommodations like more encompassing financial aid packages geared toward retention, transition programs, and well-funded black male initiatives. There should be no shame and consensus among officials along these lines but, alas, extending such help becomes problematic at institutional levels.

I have been a part of black male initiatives at three different universities and learned a few things. People love images of well-dressed young black men smiling. When well-resourced and guided, the initiatives really work in helping to retain black men. I learned everyone (especially those who are not black males) seems to know what is best for black males. Lastly but not at all the

least, officials, “allies,” and opponents alike grow deeply concerned when young black men stop smiling.

What happens when those black college men stop smiling, identify with one of their peers who was shot dead and laid in the street for four and a half hours, and start protesting?

What is the university reaction when black male students decide they will protect themselves from racist taunts and threats?

The cold truth is that even if black men and women are as well educated as their white peers, they will likely not make as much money and garner as much wealth. That is the cruel black tax. It does not, however, mean that we as Americans should not try to manifest justice and equity. There are ways that the region can help improve the life chances of black males.

First, commit to funding primary and secondary public education equitably, keeping in mind students need the wrap-around services that Rev. Starsky Wilson discusses. This means the corporations that receive generous tax breaks must invest in the wellbeing of school children in the region.

Next, the companies and executives that found money for job training programs after the Ferguson uprisings must take the lead in privately or publicly funding initiatives and scholarships to place collegiate black men in the teacher preparation pipeline (at PWIs and at Harris Stowe State University) while also incentivizing careers in their companies.

Additionally, the Fortune 500 companies in the region should offer paid internships to young men mentored by organizations such as black Greek-Letter fraternities and sororities, the 100 Black Men, the Urban League, Better Family Life, and the

collegiate black male initiatives associated with Home Grown. Then, the policing model must change if the region ever stands a chance of thriving. Too much effort and money are spent on petty violations and enforcing insignificant laws when there is real work to be done to prevent and solve major crimes. Hint: body cameras and more officers will not solve the problems the region is confronting. I predict the relationship between black males (of all educational levels) and the police will be a harbinger of the region’s health. By most measurements, I made good by achieving educationally and working at PWIs. It, however, has come at a cost. I never quite felt like I completely fit in or that I could be my whole self at the universities at which I studied and worked. That is why I devote nearly all my energy to creating opportunities for black youth to enjoy and take advantage of their educational experiences. So, too, do those associated with HomeGrown STL. Perhaps these efforts will help to create a city and region where young black men will want to share their talents.

Stefan M. Bradley is chair of the Department of African American Studies at Loyola Marymount University and author of “Upending the Ivory Tower: Civil Rights, Black Power, and the Ivy League.”

“Homegrown Black Males” is a partnership between HomeGrown STL at the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis and The St. Louis American, edited by Sean Joe, Benjamin E. Youngdahl Professor and associate dean at the Brown School, and Chris King, managing editor of The American, in memory of Michael Brown.

Stefan Bradley asks: “What happens when those black college men stop smiling, identify with one of their peers who was shot dead and laid in the street for four and a half hours, and start protesting?” (Ferguson file photo from September 2014.)

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Mark P. Mantovani on election night

Photo by David Kovaluk / St. Louis Public Radio

East St. Louis hosts Heritage Festival

By Jordan Wade For The St. Louis American

East St. Louis showcased its rich history with the East St. Louis Heritage Festival on Sunday, August 26 at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center in East St. Louis, presented by the City of East St. Louis, Governor’s Office of the Illinois Bicentennial and Ameren Illinois.

“It’s very special,” East St. Louis Mayor Emeka JacksonHicks said. “It’s an opportunity for the city to partner with our corporate citizens Ameren and also to partner with the state. We’ve been doing a lot of events like this to bring back a sense of community again in East St. Louis.”

The festival coincided with the bicentennial celebration to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the signing of the first Illinois Constitution in Kaskaskia. Illinois adopted its constitution on August 26, 1818.

Terrence Hill, acting

WHITTICO

Continued from A1 without losing the common touch of the people,” Dr. Whittico’s former pastor, Rev. Robert C. Scott, said of him. Scott’s remarks came as Central Baptist, Dr. Whittico’s home church since 1948, named its health room in honor of the legendary physician and surgeon’s 97th birthday.

Rev. Scott will deliver Dr. Whittico’s eulogy at his homegoing, which will be held 10 a.m. Friday, September 7 at Central Baptist Church, 2841 Washington Ave. in St. Louis.

From 1952-2015, Dr. Whittico was in the private practice of medicine, specializing in surgery. He was also a medical school faculty member for most of his career.

Dr. Whittico was the fourth African American in St. Louis to be named a fellow for the American College of Surgeons and the first African American named a full clinical professor at any medical school in St. Louis.

“The way Dr. Whittico practiced medicine and the way he treated people was an extraordinary gift that he possessed,” said Dr. Denise Hooks-Anderson, associate professor of Family and Community Medicine at Saint Louis University and Health and Accuracy editor for The St. Louis American

“He exemplified a level of professionalism that is often lacking in today’s health system. Simply put, Dr. James M. Whittico Jr., has lived a phenomenal life dedicated to others.”

Part of bicentennial celebration of the Illinois Constitution

director of Community Initiatives for the Illinois Bicentennial Commission, presented a $10,000 check to the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center.

“I just want to take this opportunity to say thank you,” Joyner-Kersee said. “I want to thank Ameren Illinois, the State of Illinois, all the vendors who have come out and the City of East St. Louis.”

The festival featured a mix of presentations and exhibits focusing on the historic past and talent from East St. Louis – and Egypt.

Norman Ross represented a mobile exhibit titled “The Origin and Dynastic Chronology of Ancient Kemet (Egypt).” It broke down the four periods of ancient Egypt – Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom, New Kingdom and Late Kingdom – and showcased the kings, artifacts and inventions in those times.

“In a lot of ways we can use ancient African history as a paradigm to rebuild and

redevelop African-American impoverished communities,” Ross said.

East St. Louis Poet Laureate Eugene B. Redmond presented the exhibit “East St. Love Legacy,” featuring many renowned individuals from the city. Other interactive pieces included murals, magazines, album covers, paintings, photographs and other memorabilia. The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis hosted a Health Unit along with BJC HealthCare/ Belleville Memorial Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital.

The festival also featured live entertainment, including a tribute to Miles Davis – who was born in Alton and raised in East St. Louis – by the Bosman Twins.

“We are showcasing a nostalgic walk down memory lane,” said Charlotte Ottley, Heritage Festival coordinator, “with exhibits rarely publicized and shared with an appreciative audience.”

Dr. Whittico sits next to a framed copy of The St. Louis American’s Salute to Health Care tabloid in which he was named as a Lifetime Achiever in Health Care.

“I got my flair for taking care of people from my father,” Dr. Whittico told The American as he prepared to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the St. Louis American Foundation’s

Medicine was the family business Dr. James Whittico Jr. was born in Williamson, West Virginia on November 18, 1915. He followed the career path of his father, Dr. James Whittico Sr. A prominent member of the community in Williamson, the elder Dr. Whittico was the only AfricanAmerican physician in town.

2006 Salute to Excellence in Healthcare. “He was dedicated to his job as a physician at a time when people had nothing. I saw him get paid with chickens or a head of cabbage.”

Dr. Whittico’s father practiced medicine during the height of the Great Depression – which was still underway when the son entered Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, the nation’s oldest historically black university. At age 19, he entered Meharry Medical College, a historically black medical school in Nashville.

During his last year at Meharry, Dr. Whittico decided that surgery was the best route for him in the medical field. His mentors at Meharry – including Dr. John H. Hale, Dr. Matthew Walker and Dr. “Pops” Tolliver – also influenced his decision to become a surgeon.

When Dr. Whittico graduated from medical school in 1940, there were very few hospitals in the country that offered training for doctors of color. St. Louis’ Homer G. Phillips Hospital was the largest of these and, according to Dr. Whittico, a mecca for black doctors.

“What a wonderful place to learn,” Dr. Whittico said of Homer G. Phillips. “The best doctors and nurses in the world taught doctors and nurses to become the best in the world.”

He volunteered for the U.S. Army in 1942 and had the honor of being the first

black doctor from Missouri to become a military hospital chief surgeon. He eventually rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel and later was awarded a Bronze Star Medal for combat service during World War II.

It was relationships forged at Homer G. Phillips and the National Medical Association that led to the development of the Mound City Medical Center, Inc.

“It was the first black multidisciplinary practice in St. Louis,” Dr. Whittico said, “and because we were black, we couldn’t borrow the money to purchase the office space in St. Louis.” The doctors were forced to travel to Kentucky to obtain a loan to acquire the space in North St. Louis – where Dr. Whittico served patients into his 90s.

Dr. Whittico was a president emeritus of the St. Louis Chapter of the National Medical Association (NMA), called the Mound City Medical Forum, co-chairman of Mayor Alphonse Cervantes’ successful convention center bond issue campaign, and a member of Mayor Jim Conway’s four-man blue-ribbon committee on the future of public medicine in St. Louis.

Dr. Whittico received four presidential Certificates of Achievement between 1940-46 from U.S. Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt (as a selective service physician) and Harry S. Truman (for his service

during World War II). He received two certificates from each president. In 1967, he dined with President Lyndon B. Johnson during a state dinner at the White House.

In 1968, he invited President Johnson to address the NMA convention in Dallas, and Johnson agreed. Because of Dr. Whittico, a sitting president addressed a medical conference – which happened to be a medical conference for an association of medical professionals of color – for the first time in the history of any medical association.

Dr. Whittico also was appointed by President Richard M. Nixon to become a member of the National Council of the Education of Health Professionals.

After 65 years of service, Dr. Whittico retired from medicine in 2015 and was honored with a special banquet to celebrate his 100th birthday and his achievements and contributions to the field of medicine – both locally and nationally. Greetings, proclamations and supporting well-wishes were sent by the NMA, Meharry College of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, various community organizations, his church, his brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., and elected officials.

“This gentle giant may have retired, but his life’s work will never stop,” said U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay, one of Dr.

Whittico’s countless former patients. “We love you, we respect you and we deeply appreciate all you have done for us over the years.” Now, as Dr. HooksAnderson said, “The medical field has lost a giant whose shoes cannot be filled.” Dr. Whittico is survived by his children, Jarrhet Whittico and Joi Whittico. Gloria Thompson Whittico, his wife of 66 years, preceded him in death.

A visitation for Dr. Whittico will be held 3 p.m. Thursday, September 6 at Austin A. Layne, Renaissance Chapel, 7302 W. Florissant Ave. Tributes from Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and others start at 6 p.m. After his funeral at Central Baptist Church at 10 a.m. Friday, September 7, interment will follow at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, tributes to Dr. Whittico can be made to: Central Baptist Church, James M. Whittico Scholarship Fund, 2845 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103; Mound City Medical Forum Foundation, c/o James M. Whittico M.D. Scholarship, PO Box 8021, St. Louis, MO 63156; SSM Health Foundation, c/o Dr. James M. Whittico Tribute at SSM St. Mary’s Hospital,

Jasmine Stallings and Kadata McCoy, both of East St. Louis, looked over the city’s rich history at the East St. Louis Heritage Festival, held Sunday, August 26 at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center in East St. Louis.

Photo by Wiley Price

Dr. James M. Whittico Jr. with family, including his son Jarrhet Whittico and daughter Joi Whittico.

Dr. Whittico with U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay

Dr. Whittico with Denise HooksAnderson, MD

Attorney for victims says Hawley’s investigation of archdiocese is ‘exactly backwards’

“Victims of sexual abuse of any kind deserve to have their voices heard, and Missourians deserve to know if this misconduct has occurred in their communities,” Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley stated on August 23, when announcing an independent review of the Archdiocese of St. Louis regarding allegations of sexual abuse by clergy members.

That’s what Hawley – who is running for U.S. Senate as a Republican in the November 6 general election – said when the archbishop called. “By inviting this independent review, the archdiocese is demonstrating a willingness to be transparent and expose any potential wrongdoing,” Hawley stated.

Nicole Gorovsky, an attorney with clients who claim to have been sexually abused by priests in Missouri, said she and her clients did not receive the same warm welcome from Hawley when they asked him to investigate the church.

“I stood outside your office with survivors of childhood sexual abuse to ask you to organize an investigation into abuses within the Catholic Church in Missouri. We asked for an investigation like the one that occurred in Pennsylvania which revealed over 300 perpetrators and likely over 1,000 victims,” Gorovsky wrote to Hawley on August 24 in a letter that she shared with media.

“You responded that you did not have the power to do such an investigation.”

Indeed, Hawley claimed, in announcing his investigation, that he was empowered to do so by an invitation from Archbishop Robert J. Carlson “In Missouri, jurisdiction for crimes of this nature lies with the elected local prosecutor,” Hawley stated. “However, because the archdiocese has agreed to voluntarily cooperate, the Attorney General’s Office will be able to conduct an independent review for the purpose of public transparency and accountability.”

Gorovsky said this “was somewhat of a half-truth,” given his office’s wide range of authority.

“The attorney general of the State of Missouri has the power to coordinate all kinds of law enforcement and prosecution efforts in the state,” Gorovsky wrote to Hawley.

“For example, you are currently running an advertisement on television claiming that you coordinated a state-wide audit on the backlog of untested rape kits in prosecutor’s offices in Missouri and are now coordinating an effort to get funding for this issue, and you are publicly pushing state prosecutors to be more aggressive on sexual assault cases. You can behave similarly here.”

Further, Gorovsky said that the way his investigation was initiated and will proceed is “exactly backward.”

“Archbishop Robert Carlson sent you a letter and held a press conference to say that he would voluntarily provide you with documents from his archdiocese. You accepted his offer. Unfortunately, this is exactly backward,” she wrote to Hawley.

“Allowing the accused wrongdoer to pick and choose what will be provided in an investigation of his wrongdoing is not an investigation at all. It is certainly not what I was asking for as I stood outside your office on Wednesday, and I do not believe it is what survivors of clergy abuse want either.”

Why did the archbishop pick Hawley to investigate the church? Hawley admits he has no authority to pursue charges. Did Archbishop Carlson pick Hawley because Carlson does not want the local prosecutor, Kim Gardner? (See, e.g., Greitens, Eric). Kim Gardner actually does have the authority to prosecute and if there are cover-ups, they occurred in the City of St. Louis.

If Gardner asked the Archdiocese to open ALL its records to her staff, what would the archbishop’s response be?

Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley visited with President

airport on March 14. An investigation into possible

that he announced on August 23

This archbishop should have unusual sensitivity to these kinds of cover-up charges. Carlson testified in a deposition in a sex abuse case in Minnesota four years ago that he either did not know or could not remember whether it was a crime for an adult to have sex with a child. Carlson had been auxiliary bishop in St. Paul-Minneapolis in the 1980s and 1990s where he failed to turn in to the police credible allegations of priest sex abuse of children. He said, “I can’t remember” nearly 200 times in the deposition. The deposition is available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=o3qlQnbIt4w.

The problem in Minnesota for Carlson was that the legislature extended or abolished the statute of limitations for sex crimes against children. Hawley has said that many of the Missouri cases would be barred by the Missouri’s statute of limitations. Would Hawley ask the legislature to extend or abolish the statute in cases involving children, including cover-up crimes? If Archbishop Carlson’s goal is to make Hawley look good, would Hawley oppose lifting the statute of limitations?

Gorovsky told Hawley that the criminal investigation of priests in Pennsylvania should have taught this to Hawley.

“The Pennsylvania grand jury specifically noted that in addition to horrific child abuse committed by priests within the church, the church hierarchy

perpetrated a cover-up that was shameful, harmful and that went unpunished,” she wrote to Hawley.

“After hearing about such a mass cover-up do you believe that the church in Missouri will be forthcoming with you in a ‘voluntary’ investigation? If you do believe that as you have said in the press so far, does it make any sense to believe that? Do you want to reconsider?”

Gorovsky told Hawley it’s not too late to initiate a truly independent investigation of the archdiocese and implored him to do so: “I implore you, as a person who cares deeply about survivors of childhood sexual abuse, whether it be by priests, rabbis, imams, coaches, parents, or Mr. Smith down the street, do more for the children of Missouri and the people who have already been deeply hurt.”

As for Hawley’s assurance that the archdiocese is being “transparent,” Gorovsky had a different message for the archbishop.

“I am writing to ask, in the spirit of that promised transparency, that you release all attorneys and victims who have settlement agreements, or any other kind of ‘deal’ with the Archdiocese of St. Louis requiring that they remain silent about what happened to them, and how the archdiocese treated them, from these requirements,” she wrote to Carlson, also on August 24.

“I ask that you promise that you will not pursue damages, liquidated damages, defamation charges or any other actions

Dorothy Granberry Bennett went home to Glory on Friday, August 24, 2018, in Atlanta, Georgia. She was born on December 18, 1919 in Reedy, Oklahoma. She retired from the St. Louis Public School System with over 30 years of committed service as an educator. In 1985, Mrs. Bennett was the first African American Pastoral Associate hired at St. Alphonsus Liguori ‘Rock’ Catholic Church. Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, September 1, 2018 at St. Alphonsus Church, 1118 N. Grand Blvd. St. Louis, MO. Visitation at 9am, Mass at 10am, burial at Calvary Cemetery. IN LOVING MEMORY OF

against attorneys or victims who wish to tell the attorney general or anyone else about their experiences.”

As a parting shot, she wrote, “As you know, such an action would go a long way toward assuring the public that this truly is a ‘transparent’ investigation.”

The Archdiocese of St. Louis did not immediately respond to a request from The American for a response to Gorovsky’s challenge. This story will be updated with their response if we receive one.

Hawley’s press release announcing the investigation did not include any contact information for his office for victims to use, but the Missouri attorney general may be contacted at 573-751-3321 or www.ago.mo.gov.

Airport privatization pimped at ALEC conference

Travis Brown – president of Grow Missouri, Inc. which is consulting for the City of St. Louis on potentially privatizing its airport, was in New Orleans on August 10 giving a keynote address at the right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) conference.

During his talk, ALEC tweeted out a picture of Brown onstage, where the screen behind him had the blown-up headline, “St. Louis airport privatization is closer to takeoff.” A quote from Mayor

Lyda Krewson was also enlarged on the screen, stating, “We owe it to ourselves to consider what could be a very positive turning point for the future of our airport.” The tweet included the headline, along with “getting govt out of the way helps our communities’ and states’ economies.”

The only comments were from several angry St. Louisans. One man wrote, “Not going to happen @ALEC_ states the people of St. Louis will not let you privatize our airport. Even with @MayorSlay selling his soul as part of the deal #StLouisIsNotForSale #sorryRex.” Someone else stated, “And where is this ‘unbiased’ approach you are supposed to be taking as a hired advisor?”

Grow Missouri, an organization funded by billionaire conservative financer Rex Sinquefield, was selected in January to be one of St. Louis city’s consultants in exploring privatizing St. Louis Lambert International Airport. Recently, St. Louis PostDispatch’s Tony Messenger uncovered that Grow Missouri is paying up to $800,000 a month or more for the one to two years it might take to land a deal on the airport. The city will pay those costs back if it agrees to lease the airport. Brown clearly wanted to promote nationally the role Grow Missouri is playing in the St. Louis deal with a conservative, right-wing audience. Why? Because Sinquefield’s crew could make a ton of money off the St. Louis deal, and it’s basically an untapped business. If St. Louis privatized its airport, it would become the only privatized airport in the country – outside of the Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Brown wants city leaders like Krewson and former mayor Francis G. Slay – who is representing a Spanish firm with its eyes on the airport – to leave the conference and tell their cities’ residents that it’s no big deal to go forward with shady contracts – it’s been really shady, every step – with Sinquefield’s crew because the city doesn’t have to pay anything up front.

Messenger found that three different law firms are being paid between $425 and $575 an hour, with those costs rising as high as $800 an hour if the city closes the privatization deal. If it all goes through, the Grow Missouri contract will cost the city between $21 million and $40 million – which is about four times what another bidder had proposed during the bidding process, Messenger wrote. City taxpayers will have to pay that all back if Grow Missouri succeeds.

Dorothy Granberry Bennett

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Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

Trump at the St. Louis

sexual abuse by priests in St. Louis

received scathing criticism from an attorney for alleged victims.

Pre-existing health conditions emerges as campaign issue

McCaskill challenges Hawley to withdraw from lawsuit targeting consumer health protections

By Sandra Jordan

Of The St. Louis American

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill (DMissouri) spoke to supporters at her Ferguson campaign office on Friday August 17 about the importance of continuing health insurance coverage for persons with pre-existing conditions.

n “(Hawley) has the nerve to say, ‘Well, I support preexisting conditions. Really? Then withdraw from the lawsuit tomorrow.”

– U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill

Her Republican challenger in November, Josh Hawley, joined 19 other state attorneys general in suing to destroy that health protection as the Trump administration continues its attacks to dismantle the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) passed during the Obama administration. The ACA forbids health insurance companies

from refusing to cover people because they have a pre-existing condition – that is, a health problem they had before the date that new health coverage starts.

McCaskill voted for the ACA – and voted against the Republican attempt to repeal it.

McCaskill said Hawley made a choice six months ago to get rid of all the ACA’s protections: “every one of the consumer protections, every single bit of support that someone gets to get insurance on the exchanges – all of it gone.”

See McCASKILL, A11

Breastfeeding reduces stroke risk

American staff

Black mothers found to benefit twice as much

New research by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association indicates that breastfeeding is not only good for babies. There is growing evidence it may also reduce the risk for stroke in post-menopausal women who reported breastfeeding at least one child.

Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death among women aged 65 and older, and is the third leading cause of death among Hispanic and black women aged 65 and older, according to the study.

“Some studies have reported that breastfeeding may reduce the rates of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in mothers,”

See HEALTHY, A11

There is growing evidence that breastfeeding may reduce the risk for stroke in postmenopausal women who reported breastfeeding at least one child.

Race, crack and opioids

By Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D.

For The St. Louis American

In the 1990s, when opioid painkillers came on the market, providers were led to believe that these medications would not cause addiction. More and more patients were given prescriptions, and this led to widespread misuse. In 2016, per the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 116 people died every day of an opioid-related drug overdose. No one would argue against the fact that the present opioid situation in our country is a problem. More and more babies are being born with withdrawal symptoms secondary to their mother’s opioid use or misuse during pregnancy. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, emergency room visits for opioid overdoses rose 30 percent in all parts of the U.S. from summer 2016 to early fall 2017. This trend was most notable in the Midwest, with a 70 percent average increase.

Denise HooksAnderson, MD

Because of this crisis, doctors, pharmacies, and emergency departments are changing their practices in order to curb the epidemic. Prescribers are no longer dispensing large quantities of opioids, pharmacies are tracking prescriptions more closely, and patients are being encouraged to lock up their narcotics to deter theft. Furthermore, Medication-Assisted Therapy (MAT) is now available for patients struggling with narcotic addiction. Though demand outweighs the availability, communities are discussing ways to make MAT readily available.

However, what is not making the water cooler discussion groups is a recent article by Yale researchers noting racial disparities in prescribing opioids for chronic pain. Over a 10-year span, data was analyzed from about 15,000 patients from the Veterans Administration’s electronic health records. The researchers looked at whether or not patients who were prescribed a narcotic were screened for illicit drug use. The second research question looked at whether the narcotic was discontinued if illicit drugs were uncovered.

n During the crack epidemic, families were ripped apart when large numbers of men and women were sent to prison for possession.

Though there were few patients who were actually tested for illicit drugs, blacks were more likely than other groups to be tested at three-, sixor nine-month intervals. When patients tested positive for opioids or marijuana, the majority of them were allowed to continue taking their pain medication. In contrast, blacks who tested positive for cocaine or marijuana were two to three times more likely than other groups to have their pain medication discontinued.

This Yale study is consistent with other studies that show disparities in how blacks and whites are treated. It is believed that racial stereotyping may have contributed to this healthcare disparity. More research is needed in patients with chronic pain who also suffer from substance use disorder.

It has also been observed that during the crack epidemic families were ripped apart when large numbers of men and women were sent to prison for possession. It was a criminal offense then, but now it is a public health crisis. Many activists speculate that race plays a major factor in that as well.

As in all health-related circumstances, advocates are always needed to help hold the medical community accountable for fair and just care for all. Controlling pain and treating addiction should be available for everyone. Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D., is an associate professor at SLUCare Family Medicine and the medical accuracy editor of The St. Louis American. Email yourhealthmatters@stlamerican.com.

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill (D- Missouri) talked to supporters about the importance of continued coverage of preexisting health conditions and other bipartisan issues at her Ferguson campaign headquarters on Friday, August 17.

Photo by Wiley Price

McCASKILL

Continued from A10

However, Hawley claims to support coverage of preexisting conditions in his campaign against McCaskill.

“Then he has the nerve to say, ‘Well, I support preexisting conditions,’” McCaskill said. “Really? Then withdraw from the lawsuit tomorrow. Take your name off the lawsuit and quit pursuing through the courts an agenda that members of your own party would not vote for in Congress.”

McCaskill said there are a number of important consumer protections in the ACA, “everything from you being on your parent’s policy until you are 26, to protection for preexisting conditions, to the idea that you don’t get to be charged more money just because you are a woman. I know that we have the babies, but you men had something to do with it, so it’s just not fair that women pay more than men just because they’re women. We also put in the bill that insurance companies can only spend 20 cents of every dollar on CEO salaries and hiring more people to figure out how to deny your claim.”

There are also protections in the ACA against lifetime caps on medical coverage of traumatic illness or injury, and financial assistance from the federal government for persons with certain lower incomes to get and maintain insurance coverage.

“All of these are things that are still in the law,” McCaskill said. Afterward the public event,

when speaking to reporters, she talked about debating Hawley between now and November – and said there will be plenty of debates. Hawley garnered headlines challenging her to

a debate before the August 7 primary, though they both had primary challengers, albeit longshot challengers, and neither had secured their party’s nomination.

Community outreach resulted in greater ACA enrollment in MO

Research led by Washington University School of Medicine found that community outreach and education are critical for individuals navigating health insurance options available in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace. Such efforts at the state level may have contributed to a higher enrollment in ACA plans among Missourians in 2018 than in 2017. Missouri is one of 19 states that hasn’t expanded Medicaid eligibility.

Specifically, 245,580 Missourians enrolled in 2018, about 1,000 more than in 2017. The boost in enrollment came despite a

federal decision to shorten the enrollment period for ACA plans and dwindling federal support for initiatives to explain the confusing world of health insurance.

“Health insurance education and decision support is critical to enrollment,” said the study’s first author, Mary Politi, an associate professor of surgery and a health psychologist in the university’s Division of Public Health Sciences.

Washington University researchers developed a free, online decision support tool called Show Me Health Plans, which is written at a sixth-grade reading level and incorporates personalized cost estimates for users based on their age,

sex and health conditions. The researchers noted that those who used the tool reported significantly higher health insurance knowledge and more confidence in selecting a plan that matched their health needs and preferences, compared with those who turned to healthcare.gov, a website developed by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Other health-literacy initiatives also were critical to educating consumers about their insurance choices, researchers reported. These included cost calculators to help consumers learn about the value of insurance for the upfront costs by comparing estimated costs of care to costs

of insurance, and in-person or phone-based support.

The research team consisted of researchers at Washington University School of Medicine, health policy experts at the Missouri Foundation for Health, and health communication and community partners at Health Literacy Media and the Cover Missouri Coalition. Their work was reported in the August 22 edition of NEJM Catalyst

The Show Me Health Plans online tool is available at http://showmehealthplans. org.

Clearly, McCaskill is spoiling to debate Hawley.

by

“This is somebody who claims he’s on the side of workers and won’t even say if he is for the minimum

Talking to supporters at her Ferguson campaign headquarters on Friday, August 17, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill (D- Missouri) said her Republican challenger Josh Hawley made a choice six months ago to get rid of all the Affordable Care Act’s protections by filing a lawsuit – “every one of the consumer protections.”

wage increase,” she said. “He is getting to avoid tough questions; he’s getting to avoid questions that Missourians really want to talk about, debating the debates.”

Air pollution hurts black communities

Thanks to The St Louis American and the Sierra Club’s Leslie Fields for your July 26 article calling attention to the damaging effects of air pollution on black communities. As an allergy and immunology specialist with interest and experience in treating asthma, I can tell you that I’ve seen the effects of air pollution in my own clinic. My AfricanAmerican colleagues are seeing the dangers from air pollution, too – 88 percent of National Medical Association doctors are witnessing health effects from Climate Change. The St. Louis region can dramatically reduce air pollution by rapidly retiring the coal-burning power plants that circle the city and by investing in renewable energy. In the meantime, we need our elected leaders to fight tooth and nail to protect the EPA’s environmental justice office and to make sure there are resources available to our community members who are suffering from asthma and other ailments caused by air pollution.

Dr. Raymond Slavin has been an allergist and immunologist at Saint Louis Univeristy School of Medicine for 53 years.

Local pharmacy student recognized for work on bias training

Alyse Battles, a fourth-year student at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy from Florissant, earned third place and $100 for her research poster at the National Pharmaceutical Association’s 2018 conference. Her research project, “The Impact of Unconscious Bias Training on Pharmacy & Nursing Faculty & Staff,” was produced during an independent study with Lakesha Butler, a clinical

HEALTHY

Continued from A10 said Lisette T. Jacobson, lead author of the study and assistant professor in the department of preventive medicine and public health at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita.

“Recent findings point to the benefits of breastfeeding on heart disease and other specific cardiovascular risk factors.” This is among the first studies to examine

As a

for

professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and coordinator of Diversity and Inclusion at the school. Butler also was inducted as president of the association during the convention, held July 27-30 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Alyse Battles

“Our research was a retrospective cohort study

breastfeeding and a possible relationship to stroke risk for mothers, as well as how such a relationship might vary by ethnicity.

Researchers analyzed data on 80,191 participants in the Women’s Health Initiative observational study, a large ongoing national study that has tracked the medical events and health habits of postmenopausal women who were recruited between 1993 and 1998. All women in this analysis had delivered one or more children and 58 percent reported ever having breastfed. Among these women, 51

conducted using post-unconscious bias training surveys,” Battles said. “We found that 75 percent of participants were better able to identify their own unconscious biases and how unconscious biases present in a professional setting. Healthcare disparities still exist, according to the annual Healthcare Quality and

Disparities report, and can be attributed, in part, to implicit biases.”

Based on her findings, Battles recommends that all current and future healthcare providers and educators undergo some sort of unconscious bias training to increase awareness of their own personal biases, so they do not further contribute to the healthcare disparities that are caused by them.

“Presenting my research

n Researchers found stroke risk among women who breastfed their babies was on average 23 percent lower in all women and 48 percent lower in black women.

percent breastfed for one-six months, 22 percent for seven12 months and 27 percent for 13 or more months. At the time of recruitment, the average age was 63.7 years and the followup period was 12.6 years. After adjusting for nonmodifiable stroke risk factors (such as age and family

history), researchers found stroke risk among women who breastfed their babies was on average 23 percent lower in all women,48 percent lower in black women, 32 percent lower in Hispanic women, 21 percent lower in white women, and 19 percent lower in women who had breastfed for up to

n Based on her findings, Battles recommends that all current and future healthcare providers and educators undergo some sort of unconscious bias training.

at a professional meeting in a national setting was an awesome experience,” Battles said, “which increased my

six months. A longer reported length of breastfeeding was associated with a greater reduction in risk.

“If you are pregnant, please consider breastfeeding as part of your birthing plan and continue to breastfeed for at least six months to receive the optimal benefits for you and your infant,” Jacobson said. “Breastfeeding is only one of many factors that could potentially protect against stroke. Others include getting adequate exercise, choosing healthy foods, not smoking and seeking treatment if needed to keep your blood

confidence in my ability to do work that is meaningful both personally and professionally as a pharmacist.”

pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar in the normal range.” Currently, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recommend exclusive breastfeeding for six months, with continuation of breast feeding for one year or longer. For babies’ health, the American Heart Association recommends breastfeeding for 12 months with transition to other additional sources of nutrients beginning at about four to six months of age to ensure sufficient micronutrients in the diet.

Photo

Wiley Price

Healthy Kids Kids

Color Your World!

Nutrition Challenge:

Think about how colorful your meals are. Is your plate usually filled with a lot of white and brown (e.g., breaded chicken strips, mashed potatoes and a roll)? Or do you have a rainbow of fresh, healthy vegetables?

How Healthy Are Your Lungs?

red salmon, roasted red peppers and steamed green broccoli. In general, the more colorful… the better it is for you!

Imagine a plate with grilled

One way to find out how “in shape” you are —is to see how long you can run (or hop, or skip) until you run out of breath.

If it only takes a couple of minutes before you can’t breathe well, then you probably need to make some healthy positive

Write It Out!

Mental Health Tip — If you don’t already have one, start a journal today. This is a great way to express your feelings and think about ways to change/improve your life. You can use any kind of notebook or a computer. But journaling does not mean “blogging.”

Always be cautious about revealing personal information online.

Learning Standards: HPE 2, NH 4

Try this

Make it a goal to have at least three different colors on your plate each meal.

Learning Standards:

changes in your daily activities.

Exercising regularly strengthens the muscles around your lungs. This allows you to run and play longer before you feel tired or winded and will help you feel better too!

Discuss with your classmates different kinds of activities you could do every day.

Learning Standards: HPE 1, NH 1, NH 5

Nichol J. Reeves MSN ANP-C

Where do you work? I am an assistant professor for Saint Louis University. Where did you go to school? I graduated from Hazelwood East High School and then earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, a Master’s of Science Nursing Adult Nurse Practitioner from Goldfarb School of Nursing, and I’m currently pursuing a PhD in Education of Higher Education and Administration from Saint Louis University.

What does an assistant professor do? My job consists of teaching undergraduate students about the importance of nutrition and how it affects various disease processes. I work with students in the clinical setting to learn hands-on nursing skills. Why did you choose this career? I decided I wanted to be a nurse when I was in high school. My father had severe heart disease and underwent heart surgery. I admired the interactions and skills the nurses processed from the time he left the operating room to being discharged home.

What is your favorite part of the job you have? My favorite part of my job is being able to interact with the students from their sophomore to senior year. It’s very enlightening to see how much they grow during nursing school to become successful nurses.

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

“Questions or comments? Contact Cathy Sewell csewell@stlamerican.com or 314-289-5422

The St. Louis American’s award winning NIE program provides newspapers and resources to more than 8,000 teachers and students each week throughout the school year, at no charge.

Questions or comments? Contact Cathy Sewell csewell@stlamerican.com or 314–289–5422

Barrington Elementary School 5th grade teacher Mr. Bouchard instructs students Anakin Ganolli, Muhammad Abdelsumad, Blake Seyer and Joseph Brown III on how to build circuits as part of the newspaper’s STEM program.

Barrington Elementary is in the Hazelwood School District.

please email: csewell@stlamerican.com.

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT SCIENCE STARS

AFRICAN AMERICAN NEUROLOGIST AND STROKE RESEARCHER EDUCATOR:

Bruce Ovbiagele, MD, MSc, MAS

Dr. Ovbiagele studied the brain and strokes. What does it mean to have a stroke?

Arteries and veins carry blood throughout the body. The blood delivers oxygen to all the cells in the body. When someone has a stroke, the blood doesn’t flow the way it should. Sometimes, it is because a blood vessel is clogged, and sometimes a blood vessel bursts and sends a rush of blood to the brain. During a stroke, brain cells die because they don’t get the oxygen they need.

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

Background Information:

With the help of research from doctors, such as Dr. Ovbiagele, people know the warning signs of a stroke and can seek treatment faster and have much less permanent damage. Patients can recover from strokes with surgery, medicine and therapy to “relearn” things forgotten from the damaged brain cells.

To Learn More About Strokes, Visit: http://kidshealth.org/kid/grownup/conditions/stroke.html#.

To Learn More About the Brain, Visit: http://www.sciencebob.com/research/brain.php.

Learning Standards: I can read nonfiction text for main idea and supporting detail.

Are You Left or Right Sided?

There is a theory that brain function determines whether you prefer your right or left side. In this experiment, you will gather data to draw results.

Materials Needed: • Paper • Pen or Pencil • Scissors • Ball • Stairs • Coin • Paper Towel Tube or Toilet Paper Tube • Sea Shell • Volunteers (at least 5)

Procedure:

q Select 5 volunteers to observe one at a time. You will be testing hand, foot, eye, and mouth dominance. Label a piece of paper with the following chart to analyze results.

w Test hand dominance by asking your volunteers to write their name on a piece of paper, cut a piece of paper, and throw a ball. Record which hand they used—left or right.

e Test foot dominance by asking your volunteers to kick a ball, walk up a flight of steps, and step on a coin placed on the floor. Record which foot the volunteers used first in each event.

r Test eye dominance by having volunteers look through a paper towel tube, and then look through a hole you cut into a piece of paper. Hold up your index finger near your volunteer’s face. Ask them to close one eye to “follow” you. Record which eye they kept open.

MATH CONNECTION

Boost your brain power with these math problems that promote critical thinking!

z Amaya bought a used drum kit for $320. She received a 10% discount because she was a band member. Her mom gave her 50% of the remaining balance. How much did Amaya pay for the drums? ________

x Isiah’s mom is buying meat to cook for a holiday. She bought 23 pounds of turkey at $1.06/pound, she bought 5 pounds of beef roast for $4.99/pound, and she bought 3

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that approximately 20% of the blood pumped from the heart goes to the brain? 8-10 seconds after you lose blood supply to the brain, you will be unconscious.

t Test ear dominance last. Tell your volunteer you will whisper to them. Ask them to cup an ear to listen. Which ear do they cup? Give your volunteer a sea shell, which ear do they use to listen? Ask your volunteer to listen through a wall. Which ear do they place against the wall?

Analyze Your Results: How many volunteers were right hand dominant? Left hand dominant? Left or right foot dominant? Right or left ear dominant? And left or right eye dominant?

Learning Standards: I can follow sequential directions to complete an experiment. I can make observations and analyze results.

Stepontoacoin

Lookintoatube

Lookinahole

Lookatafinger

Cuptheirear

Listentoashell

Listenthrough thewall

human brain is approximately 75% water. Therefore, drinking plenty of water improves brain function.

Bruce Ovbiagele was born in Nigeria, and came to the U.S in 1995. He was interested in learning more about strokes because they are the most deadly neurological (which means brain related) disease and the number two killer of Africans. He earned his medical degree from the University of Lagos and was awarded his MSc in Clinical Research from UCLA, and a Master of Advanced Studies from the University of California at San Diego. His research has been published in many journals.

Ovbiagele directs the UCLA PROTECT program which provides stroke treatment. He speaks on behalf of the American Heart Foundation and the American Stroke Association’s “Power to End Stroke” campaign. He serves on various committees on the local, state, and national level, striving to raise awareness about strokes and their warning signs and prevention. Ovbiagele is also passionate about researching improved stroke imaging (where doctors can use machines to see what happens in the brain during and after a stroke) and stroke treatment. He has published over 60 articles in medical research journals. He plans to take his expertise back to Nigeria, training doctors and educating the public about prevention.

To Hear Dr. Ovbiagele Speak, Visit: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=gDPEZdZS-Cc.

Learning Standards: I can read about a person who has made contributions in the fields of science, technology, or mathematics.

MAP CORNER

Use the newspaper to complete the following activities.

Activity One — Point of View: First person point of view uses pronouns such as I, me, and my. Second person point of view uses the pronoun you and is often used for giving directions. Third person point of view uses pronouns, such as he, she, and they. Select a newspaper article and determine from which point of view it has been written. Rewrite the story from a

Activity Two

Healthy Living: Use the newspaper to find five photo examples of healthy living. This can include food/ nutrition, exercise, and social/ emotional health. Explain why each of your five pictures promotes healthy living.

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can identify point of view and healthy lifestyle factors.

This special Newspaper In Education initiative is made possible, and delivered to classrooms, through The St. Louis American Foundation and its NIE Corporate Partners:

Photo by Wiley Price/St. Louis American

State Auditor Nicole Galloway reported that more than 80 percent of Community Improvement District boards are developercontrolled, “meaning spending decisions are made by the owners and developers.”

State auditor issues scathing report

Galloway: ‘There is no law to ensure developers are accountable for the public dollars’

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American

Not far from each other on South Grand Avenue are two Community Improvement Districts (CIDs) – or special taxing districts that can hike up sales taxes, property taxes or other assessments to make improvements or fund development projects.

The South Grand CID involves a long strip of businesses that work together and use the additional sales tax revenue to make improvements to the sidewalks, streets and public spaces. Just north of this is the 2350 South Grand CID, which charges more sales tax to benefit one business – Starbucks. While the initial intent of CIDs was to benefit

n “Taxpayers are on the hook for billions in project costs they did not approve and have little to no say in.”

– state Auditor Nicole Galloway

a swath of the community, an audit report released on August 23 by state Auditor Nicole Galloway shows that a vast majority of the state’s 428 CIDs look more like the Starbucks model. She found that more than 80 percent of CID boards are developer-controlled, “meaning spending decisions are made by the owners and

developers who stand to gain the most from the districts’ tax collections,” she stated.

These special taxing districts also have little to no oversight, and state law currently does not require local governments to evaluate whether a district is in the best interest of the public, she stated. She plans to appeal to state legislators in the upcoming session to change that.

“Taxpayers are on the hook for billions in project costs they did not approve and have little to no say in,” Galloway said. “Meanwhile, there is no law to ensure developers are accountable for the public dollars they receive and there are few requirements of the municipalities that approve these districts.

See GALLOWAY, B6

Dr. Rick and Anita R. White to co-chair

Charmaine Chapman Leadership Society

African-American philanthropic group raised record $3.8M for United Way in 2017

American staff

Dr. Richard B. “Rick” White and Anita R. White will co-chair this year’s Charmaine Chapman Leadership Society (CCS) for the United Way of Greater St. Louis, the region’s premiere African-American philanthropic group. With more than 850 local members, last year CCS raised a record $3.8 million for United Way of Greater St. Louis.

n “AfricanAmerican giving in our region is essential to the success of the local community.”

– Dr. Rick White

Dr. Rick White

Dr. Rick White is executive medical director of health plan affairs for SSM Health Care. Anita White spent her career in IT and finance, including serving as faculty at California State University Fresno and as an adjunct assistant professor at University of Missouri-St. Louis’ School of Business. Leadership society chairs help recruit new members and inspire existing members to engage in United Way’s community campaign, supporting the efforts of the overall campaign chairs. In June, United Way announced that Mark S. Wrighton, chancellor of Washington University, and Jeff Fox,

chairman and CEO of Harbour Group, would serve as the 2018 campaign chairs.

“African-American giving in our region is essential to the success of the local community, which is why hundreds of Chapman Society members are committed to uplifting our community to help people live their best possible lives,” said Dr. Rick White. “I’m honored to serve alongside my wife in this important role and to work with the many community leaders engaged with United Way and the Society.”

The spouses met when they were both undergraduates at Harvard University, and they married just before attending their respective graduate schools at Stanford University. They have two children, Jonathan and Adrienne, who they are proud to say have also been CCS members.

“Rick and I are inspired by the legacy of Charmaine Chapman and her dream of building a better community,” said Anita White. “It is no surprise that our region has the top philanthropic program for African Americans in the nation as there are so many dedicated and passionate people looking to make a difference in our community.”

Charmaine Chapman was the first woman and first African American to

See WHITE, B2

Leon Whitener was honored as a 2018 American Red Cross Heroes recipient. A fire captain and public education officer for the St. Louis Fire Department, he worked with a civilian, Raymond Rayford, to rescue a wheelchair-bound occupant who was trapped in a burning apartment just prior to the dwelling flashing over and completely bursting into flames. Whitener was off-duty at the time.

April Santos joined Maryville University as director of human resources. She is responsible for talent acquisition, new employee onboarding, retention and compliance. Most recently, Santos was manager of talent services for the BJC Healthcare System. She also has held human resources positions at the Federal Reserve Bank, the Missouri Department of Transportation and Harrah’s Hotel and Casino.

Christopher Young-El joined the Normandy Schools Collaborative as principal at the Normandy 7th-8th Grade Center. He has worked in Normandy schools since 2010, most recently serving as the assistant principal at Barack Obama Elementary School. He started his career in Normandy as a classroom teacher in the old Garfield Elementary School. He also has worked as a teacher in Jennings and St. Louis Public schools and at Confluence Academy.

Diane Wright retired as director of Procurement at Bi-State Development after 23 years of service. Her accomplishments include leading her team to win the National Procurement Institute Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award for five consecutive years and also the National Institute of Government Procurement Outstanding Agency Accreditation Achievement Award. She will become a SCORE volunteer at the Florissant office.

Cedric Hendrix published a book, “I Can’t Be the Only One Hearing.” With the aid of musicians, journalists, record store experts, web designers, music store owners, and fans, Hendrix offers a look at music and bands both above and below the radar. But this is more than a book about music: It is an odyssey, an autobiographical journey through life via melody, harmony, and rhythm.

Jacqueline Thompson was named to the Rising Leaders of Color Program by Theatre Communications Group, which provides professional development and networking opportunities to early-career leaders. This year she received a St. Louis Theater Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama as well as a fellowship from the Regional Arts Commission. She is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Christopher Young-El

Jacqueline Thompson

Cedric Hendrix

April Santos

Diane Wright

Anita R. White

Harris-Stowe ranked 4th most affordable public HBCU

By Jordan Wade

For The St. Louis

American

Student Loan Hero, a personal finance site, ranked Harris-Stowe State University the fourth most affordable public HBCU (historically black college or university), based on data from the National Center for Education Statistics.

n “To be ranked 4th is amazing.”

– Harris-Stowe President

Harris-Stowe President Dwaun Warmack said the ranking “was exciting considering we focus ourselves on being one of the most affordable, accessible, endeavors, institutions in the state of Missouri. To be ranked 4th is amazing.” Student Loan Hero’s report examined tuition, fee, and cost-of-living data from the 2017-18 school year and also ranked the most affordable private HBCUs. The site’s researchers looked at 98 HBCUs in 18 states throughout the country.

“When you research colleges, you’ll typically find the lowest tuition and fees at public colleges and universities in your state,” researchers noted.

“Out-of-state students, however, might find that the costs aren’t much lower than they would be at a private college or university.”

Harris-Stowe was ranked fourth among public HBCUs after Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, and University of the Virgin Islands.

Free entrepreneurship event in Ferguson

The Entrepreneurship Extension of Southeast Ferguson’s Community Association will host an “Entrepreneurship Event for the Community” noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, September 1, at 12 at Better Family Life, 9229 West Florissant Ave. in Ferguson. “If you dream of starting a business and don’t know how to do it, sign up for free advice from experts and discussion with those who just might have a viable dream and those already in business,” organizers said. The Balsa Foundation, which provides an opportunity for first time entrepreneurs to receive grants and mentorship, will be present providing their expertise. Mauricia Berry, a Ferguson resident who has gotten her own beauty and health business off the ground, will be on hand. “I can give others the inspiration they need to know that they can do it too,” Berry said. The event is free and open to the public. For those who arrive by 12:45 p.m. there will be free lunch vouchers. For more information, contact Theresa Bradley at 314-333-2789.

Webster U. ranked No. 1 in graduate degrees awarded to African Americans

American staff

Diverse Issues in Higher Education (DIHE) ranked Webster University first among all non-profit private and public institutions in the United States for the number of degrees

awarded to African-American graduate students for the 27th year in a row. In Missouri, Webster had the most diverse population of graduate degree earners and was the only Missouri institution listed in the top 100

for overall diversity among graduate students, DIHE reported.

Webster also ranked first in African-American master’s degrees nationally among private non-profit and public institutions, and fourth overall

for all universities (including for-profits); first for graduate degrees conferred to AfricanAmerican, Native-American, Hispanic/Latino and AsianAmerican students for all higher-education institutions in Missouri; third nationally for master’s degrees conferred to all minority men combined; and second nationally for master’s degrees conferred to among African-American men. The rankings were compiled using data collected by the U.S. Department of Education during the 2016-2017 academic year. The study is the only

WHITE

continued from page B1

head United Way of Greater St. Louis as its president and chief executive officer. During her tenure, she led the organization to some of its greatest fundraising successes.

Dr. Rick White has been involved in medical administration and policy development in a number of capacities over the last 35 years, including chairman of internal medicine at Family Health Plan in California; vice chief of staff at Charter Community Hospital, assistant clinical professor of medicine at University of California, San Francisco; and medical

national report of graduate degrees earned by AfricanAmerican, Hispanic, AsianAmerican and Native-American students by U.S. colleges and universities. The complete DIHE “Top 100” survey can be found in the August 23 issue of the magazine. Webster University offers more than 50 scholarships to students from underrepresented groups, including the Donald M. Suggs scholarship. The Suggs Scholarship, awarded at Webster since 2013 in partnership with The St. Louis

director at UnitedHealthcare.

He also has been a member of the board of directors for Rx Outreach, the St. Louis Diabetes Coalition and the Center for World Heath and Medicine.

Anita White has been involved in service organizations and her philanthropic activities have included tutoring math and computers. She currently serves as treasurer of The Archway (MO) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated.

“We are grateful for the commitment and generosity of Drs. Rick and Anita White to volunteer their time and guide the efforts of our Charmaine Chapman Leadership Society,” said Orvin Kimbrough, president and

American, is designed to increase the recruitment and retention of highly talented undergraduate students who typically are underrepresented at institutions of higher education. “As we celebrate our 100th graduating class in 2019 and award our 200,000th degree, we know that Webster’s strength has its foundation in the diversity of our community,” said Webster University President Elizabeth (Beth) J. Stroble.

CEO, United Way of Greater St. Louis. “Their work is vital to furthering our mission and helping people throughout the St. Louis region.”

With more than 8,000 members, United Way’s leadership societies –including Men’s, Women’s, African American Charmaine Chapman, and Multicultural –are comprised of individuals who generously contribute $1,000 or more annually. These groups provide relationship building and professional development, while leading positive change in a 16-county region throughout Missouri and Illinois. For more information or to donate, visit https://tinyurl. com/ycq9no58.

Photo by Jon Alexander

n “ESPN will tell you everything LeBron ate before they show a WNBA highlight.”

— WNBA star Skylar Diggins-Smith

Sports

PreP FooTball noTebook

With Earl Austin Jr.

Spartans swoop in on Hawks

The DeSmet Spartans have won a total of four games in the past three seasons, but things appear to be on the upswing on Ballas Road.

Coach Robert Steeples has put together a very talented group, a combination of hungry veterans and gifted young players looking to turn things around. DeSmet got off to a good start with a 37-2 victory over Hazelwood Central to open the season.

Senior quarterback Nate Martens led the offense with 258 yards passing and four touchdowns. Standout junior wide receiver Jordan Johnson had four receptions for 169 yards and three touchdowns. He is one of the best prospects in the state in the Class of 2020.

The Spartans defense was active and stingy in holding the Hawks’ offense scoreless. Sophomore defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo and Carter Edwards recorded two quarterback sacks each.

With their first big victory under their belts early, the Spartans will now embark on a challenging stretch of games, which starts with a trip to Columbia to take on Rock Bridge on Friday night. They will then face Metro Catholic Conference foes SLUH, CBC, Chaminade and Vianney in succession.

The kids are all right

Several talented freshmen from around the area made immediate impacts on their respective teams with impressive debut performances as varsity players.

*Ja’Marion Wayne of Parkway West caught three passes for 119 yards and a touchdown; had eight tackles, three interceptions and returned one for another TD in the Longhorns’ 35-0 victory at Parkway South. That was one of the most dominating freshman debut performances that we’ve seen in this area in quite some time.

See

In The CluTCh With Ishmael H. Sistrunk

ESPN and Jemele Hill part ways

Meanwhile, Max Kellerman and Michelle Beadle keep talking politics on the network

ESPN should take a cue from CNN. Tune into “The Most Trusted Name in News” at any given time and you’ll see liberal and conservative talking heads screaming at each other about the latest crazy thing to happen in Washington D.C. Is it annoying?

Absolutely. But in this politically charged climate, almost everyone has a strong opinion. The cable news way, both sides get to scream it out and have their sides heard – really, really loudly!

“Just stick to sports,” many MAGA Americans yell when a sports personality dares to comment on a political matter. Never mind the fact that the POTUS routinely thrusts his personal opinion into everything, especially sports. He has criticized Colin Kaepernick, Jemele Hill LeBron James Steph Curry, the NBA, the NFL, LaVar Ball, Marshawn Lynch, the Philadelphia

Eagles and many other sports personalities, athletes, teams and organizations. Yet, ESPN has been resistant to let its employees openly discuss political issues on the air or on their own social media accounts. This week, the “Worldwide Leader in Sports” announced that it had formally severed ties with Hill after reaching a buyout agreement. Hill had fallen out of favor at the network after a public beef with the POTUS and anthem-hugging Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones First, Hill was suspended, then removed from SportsCenter and reassigned to The Undefeated. Now she’s gone. However, ESPN’s quest to run away from politics won’t be as easy as silencing the outspoken black folks. Hill’s buyout was leaked to the press on Sunday. The next day, ESPN’s

Max Kellerman caught heat for criticizing Tiger Woods’ reluctance to condemn the POTUS. According to USA Today after his final round at The Northern Trust tournament,

Woods was questioned about his seemingly chummy relationship with the Commanderin-Chief. The two have dined and played golf together on several occasions.

Earl Austin Jr.

Jordan, Woods has avoided potentially divisive or political subjects at all cost in the name of preserving the bag.

PREP, B5

Ishmael H. Sistrunk

Normandy Vikings quarterback Joshua Washington (12) makes his way around the Cleveland Junior ROTC defense during Saturday’s game at the Naval Jr. ROTC. The Vikings went on to defeat the Commanders 44-0.

Stephen A. Smith, Molly Qerim and Max Kellerman discuss Tiger Woods’ comments about “respecting the office” on ESPN’s First Take

Photo by Wiley Price

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

Lankford, Coleman inducted into Cardinals Hall of Fame

Finally, the day came that should have come years ago.

Two Saturdays ago, Ray Lankford was inducted to the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame. I’ve stumped for Lankford’s inclusion since the modern Cards’ Hall of Fame was crafted into Ballpark Village and the introductory class was announced.

Vince Coleman, the electrifying offensive weapon from the 1980s, was also enshrined – and his speech was one that should have touched the hearts of all Cardinal fans. Let’s stick with Lankford. Many of his teams of the late 1990s were mediocre, but he was a true star.

Lankford is the lone Cardinal to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in more than one season – doing it five times (1992, 1995 –1998.)

When his career ended, he was third in home runs (228), fifth in stolen bases (250), eighth in runs scored (928) and runs batted in (829) and fourth in walks (780). Lankford hit more home runs at Busch Stadium II (123) than any other player, including a pinch-hit home run in his final Major League at bat on October 3, 2004.

“(Vince and I) had a conversation about who was gonna be the one to cry. We both lost that bet,” Lankford said following the ceremony before a standing room-only crowd in Ballpark Village.

“In the moment you get so emotional. It was like the old days. The place was packed. The fans were cheering for you.”

Coleman, a two-time AllStar, stole 110 bases in his rookie season of 1985 and won Rookie of the Year honors. He would lead the National League in steals six seasons and stole 549 bases as a Cardinal, which is second only to Lou Brock’s 888. “Red Schoendienst and I both led the league in steals our rookie year. I went up to him in the dugout after my first year and said ‘you only stole 26 bases? I did that in a month.’ A few years later he said, ‘you only have 13 career home runs? I did that in two weeks.’” Coleman repeatedly thanked his manager Whitey Herzog also a Cards Hall of Famer and Ozzie Smith. Coleman said Smith was a true father figure to him, one who bought him his first car. But his highest praise came for Willie McGee

“The definition of a friend is Willie McGee,” as both men fought back tears.

“After three weeks in the Major Leagues, Willie asked me to move into his home. But Willie had rules. I didn’t pay rent. We would leave for the ball park every day at 1 p.m. Curfew was 12:30. “So, one night I came home at 12:45. I told Willie I was at the batting cage working on my strike. He didn’t go for that. The next day at lunch Willie challenged my character. He was the first person to ever show me unconditional love. Willie cared for me more as a person than as a baseball player.”

Also enshrined was the late Harry Brecheen, a two-time All-Star and three-time world champion with the Cardinals in 1940 and 1943-52. He compiled a 0.83 career ERA in the World Series, third lowest in MLB history, and his career 2.91 career ERA is the second in Cardinals history. A shout out to Cardinals

fans who attended the ceremony. They were there to see two black players receive the highest honor that can be bestowed on a player from the historic franchise. Ballpark Village was filled to the brim. The “Greatest Fans in Baseball” line gets on my nerves, but St. Louis does have a special relationship with its team, and it is reflected in the number of black players in its Hall of Fame.

Of the black players I said need to be in the Cardinals Hall of Fame in January 2016, two are remaining – George Hendrick and Bill White Hopefully, they will be on next year’s ballot.

A letter winner

Columnists could share the names of people who wrote them interesting and educational letters in years past. In these days that would only lead

to the writer being attacked through social media, email, real mail or physically.

I’ll keep the person who wrote me a fascinating letter last week anonymous, but I will thank her personally for her thought-provoking correspondence.

You often mention the lack of black players in Major League Baseball and I agree – but I have a thought. As an older white lady, I’m a little concerned about voicing it … so here it is.

If you look at the history of South America, one realizes that many different cultures and races contributed to those who are now alive. For example, my niece is married to someone who is Argentinian… and is descended from Russian Jews (and) he just discovered that his great, great grandfather was a rabbi in Israel.

Many of the baseball players may be Hispanic in birth and culture, but there are definitely other ethnic groups in their background. Why do they not acknowledge it? Just wondering.

I don’t have an answer for the writer. She brought some-

thing to me that I truly had given no thought. Readers can make of it what they want, but this letter is special because it reinforces what I already know – people who read the St. Louis American are diverse, intelligent and aren’t afraid to seek knowledge and ask vital questions.

Tiger pause

Following the final round of the Northern Trust last Sunday, a reporter from another nation (you’ll understand why I included his origin in a second) asked Tiger Woods the following:

“At times, especially 2018, I think a lot of people, especially colored immigrants are threatened by him and his policy – what do you say to people who might find it interesting that you have a friendly relationship with him?”

Woods replied, “He’s the President of the United States. You have to respect the office. No matter who is in the office, you may like, dislike personality or the politics, but we all must respect

the office.”

He has golfed with President Donald Trump several times and they have dined together, Woods said. Of course, Trump patted Woods on his head with compliments via Twitter.

“The Fake News Media worked hard to get Tiger Woods to say something that he didn’t want to say. Tiger wouldn’t play the game – he is very smart. More importantly, he is playing great golf again!” Woods was asked to comment on the state and discourse of race relations in the United States.

“No. I just finished 72 holes and (am) really hungry,” he said.

When I see Tiger Woods, I see a black man. But Woods doesn’t see the same thing in the mirror. That’s fine with me. It doesn’t change the fact I root for him and that I had tears in my eyes during his charge at Bellerive two weeks ago.

ESPN’s bombastic Stephen A. Smith summed it up well on Monday.

“He is not black. He’s Cablinasian,” he said, referring to Woods’ description of his ethnicity.

“Clearly (you) are perceived as being a black man. People haven’t heard him speak on a plethora of issues pertaining to having a social consciousness on many, many occasions. That is something (black) people have lamented as well.”

The fact that Woods socializes with Trump demonstrates that he really could care less what black Americans think of him. I doubt there are many black people who didn’t know that before his latest comments.

The Reid Roundup

St. Louis has a ton of Dallas Cowboys fans, including me, and KFNS 590 AM will carry the team’s games again this season. I’m not expecting much this year, by the way… After a 5-1 road trip and four weeks of being MLB’s best team, the Cardinals are the talk of the town – and the baseball nation. … The NFL season begins in one week. League officials and the NFLPA are still negotiating on how to handle peaceful national anthem protests. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio says there won’t be a compromise until Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid are signed by respective franchises. … I was excited when the Pittsburgh Pirates traded for Chris Archer. He’s been a major disappointment. … Former Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant still doesn’t have a team to play for… Odell Beckham Jr., has signed a $95-million extension with the New York Giants making him the highest paid receiver in NFL history. … The New York Post reported Tuesday the Bob Costas and NBC are negotiating an immediate end to his contract, which would expire in 2021… James Miller, author of an ESPN book, first reported on Saturday that Jemele Hill and the sports network have “amicably” parted ways… Bloomberg columnist Conor Sen wrote this week that Barry Bonds signing with the San Francisco Giants in 1992 and his home run exploits in the new AT&T Stadium downtown ignited real estate development. “San Francisco essentially had a 10-year head start on most other cities in the U.S., thanks to Barry Bonds,” he wrote. What did downtown St. Louis get out of Mark McGwire’s time here? Alvin A. Reid was honored as the 2017 “Best Sports Columnist – Weeklies” in the Missouri Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest and is a New York Times contributor. He is a panelist on the Nine Network program, Donnybrook, a weekly contributor to “The Charlie Tuna Show” on KFNS and appears monthly on “The Dave Glover Show” on 97.1 Talk.” His Twitter handle is @aareid1.

Alvin A. Reid

St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame inductees Ozzie Smith, left, and Willie McGee, right, help newly inducted Cardinals Hall of Famer Ray Lankford put on the coveted Cardinals red jacket.

With Maurice Scott

Flyers, Trinity meet at Scholars Classic

The results of last weekend’s opening season games were not what both Trinity Catholic and East St. Louis had in mind. Both teams went on the road and suffered defeats to a pair of powerhouse programs. East Side lost to Detroit King and Trinity was defeated by Colquitt County (Georgia).

However, come 8 p.m. on Saturday night, both programs will square off at Clyde C. Jordan Stadium in East St. Louis in what will be one of the most anticipated games in recent memory. East St. Louis will host Trinity in the featured game of the Third Annual Gateway Scholars Football Classic.

Not since that epic game

CLUTCH

Continued from C5

Kellerman was determined not to let Woods waltz away that easily though.

“I’m angry at what Tiger Woods said,” Kellerman stated on First Take. “It is a thoughtless statement dressed up as a thoughtful statement. And it either holds in contempt the intelligence of the people who hear it or else it’s just a stupid thing to say.” That sent conservatives into an uproar. Some Faux Fox News fans accused Kellerman of racism for calling Wood’s statement “stupid.” It was a bad attempt to counter the outcries of racism against the POTUS for calling James and Don Lemon dumb in a recent Twitter rant. Note that Kellerman said it was a stupid thing to say as opposed to calling Woods stupid. There’s a difference.

ESPN also recently announced it will reassigned Michelle Beadle, co-host on Get Up! with Mike Greenberg and Jalen Rose. On the show, Beadle announced that she will avoid watching pro and college football for the second consecutive year in response to how the NFL and NCAA treat women.

“I believe that the sport of football has set itself up to be in a position where it shows itself … to not really care about women,” Beadle said.

“They don’t really care about people of color, but we

Continued from B3

• Kevin Coleman of St. Mary’s provided some big-play electricity in his debut performance against Westminster last Saturday night. Coleman scored on an 80-yard pass reception on the first play from scrimmage, then added a 75-yard kickoff return for a touchdown later in the game.

• Running back Arlen Harris, Jr. of Lutheran St. Charles amassed 205 total yards in a 35-12 victory over Lift for Life. Harris rushed for

during the inaugural classic when East Side faced CBC played in front of 10,000 people has there been so much hype been made for a game. It will pit the JFL boys from the “314” against the 89 Blocks of East St. Louis.

Both teams will be looking to bounce back after an opening-week loss. Trinity was held to 14 points in a loss to Colquitt County. The Flyers were dealt a 52-38 loss to Detroit King.

The most impressive player for the Flyers last week was sophomore quarterback Tyler Macon. In his first varsity start, Macon rushed for 112 yards and four touchdowns while completing 12 of 22 passes for 183 yards. Wide receiver/safety

Antonio Johnson made some brilliant plays on both sides of the ball while linebacker Sydney Houston Jr. had an impressive debut with 11 tackles.

Trinity will bring a host of talented players to the East Side, led by quarterback Isaiah Williams (committed to Illinois), wide receiver Marcus Washington and junior standout Teriyon “Mookie” Cooper. Saturday night’s game will be much more than just a non-conference contest. This game has been brewing since the Trinity program reached elite status and the pre-game woofing has been going strong.

Last week, my friend Demetrious Johnson phoned me with a crowd of Trinity fans clamoring to talk to me about how Trinity was going to come over to the “House of Pain” to put a whipping on the Flyers. The gentleman went on and on about how Trinity had all of these Division I players and what they were going to do to my Flyers on Saturday.

“Maurice, Terry Beckner Jr., Jeff Thomas – those boys are gone,” he told me. “We are coming over there and will be taking names later!”

I reminded him that Trinity wished they had the history of being the all-time winningest

prep football program in the state of Illinois. And I had to remind him that the Flyers’ program wasn’t one of those JFL teams that Trinity fans are used to seeing in North County. Trinity wishes they had produced the sort of players, let alone the number of NFL players and a Hall of Famer like East St. Louis has. Make no mistake. I’m proud of the program that Trinity has put together with most of those kids coming from North County. In fact, the fans of East St. Louis will welcome you with open arms on Saturday night. You will think that you are at a HBCU game with all of the tailgating and the big-time atmosphere that you will witness. Jordan

won’t get into that for NFL either,” she continued. “But as a woman, I feel like a person who has been marginalized…” Beadle was upset at the lowly three-game suspension of Urban Meyer by Ohio State after lying about his knowledge of domestic abuse allegations against an assistant coach. It remains to be seen if Beadle or Kellerman, who are both white, will eventually be shown the door in the same way as Hill. It remains unlikely as Kellerman hasn’t faced

112 yards on 12 carries and two touchdowns, caught five passes for 93 yards and another score and racked up seven tackles on defense.

• Quarterback Aaron Coffey of Lutheran St. Charles also had a big debut game against Lift for Life, completing 14 of 24 passes for 204 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Earl’s Friday Pick Game of the Week

Edwardsville at CBC, 7 p.m. – Much of the attention for Week 2 will be centered on Saturday’s Gateway Scholars Classic quadruple-header at

any disciplinary actions for his political comments and though Beadle was reassigned, she is set to co-host ESPN’s first-ever NBA postgame show. Maybe it’s just coincidence. Maybe it’s white privilege. Instead of trying so hard to run away from politics, ESPN should just embrace the fact that politics will be front and center in sports, business, Hollywood, education and everywhere else until Robert Mueller puts us all out of our misery.

East St. Louis with the host Flyers taking on Trinity in the featured game of the event. The Edwardsville-CBC showdown on Friday night will provide a great lead-in to Saturday’s big classic.

Both teams made deep runs in their respective state tournaments last season with CBC winning the Missouri Class 6 state championship and Edwardsville advancing to the semifinals of the Illinois Class 8 state playoffs. Both are loaded once again.

CBC and Edwardsville are coming off impressive opening season victories. CBC defeated O’Fallon 58-6 as quarterback Brett Gabbert threw three

At least Jemele Hill is now free and clear to be the awesome and amazing sports journalist that was one half of The Six, however short its glorious run of unashamed blackness.

D-1 Coaches Inspire at YMCA Event

Plenty of people showed up for the Monsanto YMCA’s first-annual Missouri Coaches Luncheon featuring Cuonzo Martin (Mizzou), Travis Ford (SLU), Dana Ford

touchdown passes and Bryan Bradford had two rushing TDs. Edwardsville defeated McCluer North 63-0 as quarterback Kendall Abdur-Rahman accounted for five TDs to lead the Tigers. CBC won last year’s meeting at Edwardsville

Cuonzo Martin (center) speaks alongside Dana Ford (left) and Travis Ford (right) at the Monsanto YMCA’s first-annual Missouri Coaches Luncheon.

(Missouri State), Rick Ray (SEMO) and Kareem Richardson (UMKC).

The basketball coaches discussed their faith in God, role models, challenges, triumphs, humility, life lessons and more. Martin opened up about his battle with advanced NonHodgkin’s lymphoma more than 20 years ago and how it affected his outlook on life and coaching. Travis Ford explained how helping young men away from the court is more time-consuming and

40-19 as Bradford rushed for 177 yards and three TDs while Gabbert threw two TD passes.

On Tap this weekend

• Francis Howell at Kirkwood, Thursday, 7 p.m.

Stadium is in a class by itself as a high school football atmosphere in this area. So come on over Trinity fans and enjoy yourself because it will be a festive atmosphere. However, expect to go back to North County with an 0-2 record.

Prediction: Flyers 38 Trinity 20.

Scott’s Notes: The rest of the Gateway Scholars Classic lineup will feature Cardinal Ritter vs. Cahokia at 11:30 a.m.; defending Illinois Class 5A state champion Chicago Phillips vs. Chaminade at 2 p.m.; and Lutheran North vs. Homewood-Flossmoor at 5 p.m.

more important than the Xs and Os on the court. Dana Ford discussed his strategy of studying other coaches and leaders in order to become a better coach. Ray talked about the importance of honesty and humility. While Richardson stated that his strategy for crafting a coaching quality staff involves asking himself if he can enjoy losing with a person, with the idea being that everybody gets along when you’re winning. The coaches were affable, engaged, interesting and genuinely appeared to enjoy the opportunity to speak at the event. Unfortunately, the question that everybody wanted to know, when Mizzou and SLU will meet again, was never answered.

Many local basketball legends showed up to the event. Larry Hughes Justin Tatum and Anthony Bonner were just a few of the easily recognizable former players in attendance. There were also plenty of other former Division 1 ballplayers, former and current coaches and area business leaders present. I was glad to see that Marcus Wilson, the executive director of the YMCA, put on a successful event that will directly impact people in North St. Louis. Shout out to all the coaches, staff and attendees involved at giving back to St. Louis.

Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @ishcreates.

• Timberland at Eureka, Friday, 7 p.m.

• Hazelwood East at Lafayette, Friday, 7 p.m.

• John Burroughs at Brentwood, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Maurice Scott

GALLOWAY

continued from page B1

She called “for an overhaul of the laws that allow, and even encourage, this kind of activity.”

Galloway even proposed amending state law to require a public vote of the citizens to impose a CID sales tax. Galloway has the support of some local elected officials and advocacy groups.

“We require a public vote to increase sales taxes everywhere else,” said St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura O. Jones. “Why should CIDs be any different? Like the Starbucks when you have CIDs just for a single business, maybe it should require a vote people who live within a 5-mile radius. It’s taxation without representation.”

the decisions on how to spend thousands and sometimes millions in public resources, and they are the ones who stand the most to gain,” she said.

“This is because there are no requirements for who sits on the boards that oversee these districts.”

Galloway said 62 percent of the state’s CIDs do not have anyone independent for the developer on the board.

“Developers can essentially stack the deck with business partners and friends. And that’s exactly what we see happening around our state,” Galloway said.

n “We require a public vote to increase sales taxes everywhere else. Why should CIDs be any different?”

– St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura O. Jones

There are more than 400 CIDs throughout the state, and taxpayers are estimated to be on the hook for more than $2.2 billion in project costs, Galloway said. In the St. Louis area, there are 128 CIDs with an expected $730 million in project costs. Her office found the average lifespan of a CID to be 31 years; however, they discovered 75 districts that have no defined lifespan.

“This leads to open-ended taxation for Missourians,” Galloway said. “Ultimately, this process means taxpayers don’t know why, or for how long, their money is being collected. The law doesn’t even require that retail locations within a CID let shoppers know they are paying the additional taxes. That’s not a transparent way of doing business, and it’s not what taxpayers deserve.” Galloway said the current state law also allows for self-dealing and conflicts of interest.

“Property owners and private developers are the ones making

Alderwoman Megan Ellyia Green pointed to the developer Paul McKee Jr.’s controversial CID for a gas station in North St. Louis.

“When it’s McKee and his interests are the board members of it and it’s not for the benefit of a larger community, that’s when we run into some issues,” Green said.

Galloway randomly selected several CIDs throughout the state to take a deeper dive into their systems. She found that the Downtown St. Louis Community Improvement District (CID) was at fault for not competitively procuring their management services.

Galloway stated that the Downtown St. Louis CID paid a not-for-profit organization with representatives on its CID board more than $1.6 million for management services from July 2016 to June 2017.

Missy Kelley, president and CEO of Downtown STL Inc. who also sits on the CID’s board, said that the statement is misleading and the CID is in full compliance with the law. The CID’s initial petition states that the Downtown STL organization would manage the CID, so it would go against how the CID was established to change that.

“It’s been this way for

Maritz donates $110K to Teach For America – St. Louis

Warren Morgan, executive director of Teach For America – St. Louis, celebrated when Maritz presented the organization with a $110,000 check to continue to recruit and support corps members who make a commitment to address educational inequity, beginning with a two year commitment to teach in St. Louis-area public schools. The check was presented at Maritz Headquarters in Fenton during a During a Back to School Drive on Thursday, August 23.

18 years,” Kelley said. “We can’t bid it out without going through the petition process again.”

The audit found that lack of oversight and transparency has resulted in cases of CIDs collecting excess taxes after a project is complete. In Eureka, for example, the public paid $120,000 in taxes after the project was complete and paid in full. A similar instance in

Springfield showed more than $225,000 collected after the project was complete.

“The excess taxation went into city coffers,” she stated. “These special taxing districts are unaccountable to the public, even though they are supported by taxpayer dollars.”

Galloway also found the Department of Revenue failed to adequately monitor or track district boundaries. Of

the 15 districts reviewed in detail for this report, almost all incorrectly calculated, collected, or reported sales taxes due to incorrect boundary lines. For example, they found four businesses that were collecting CID sales taxes, but not remitting those additional dollars to the state.

In other cases, businesses outside a district were charging taxes as if they were located

within the district.

“The current state of affairs with CIDs is absolutely undemocratic,” said Molly Metzger, a Washington University professor and member of the civilian watchdog group TeamTIF. “As issues like this are being brought to light, people across the political spectrum are agreeing that the status quo is unfair and unsustainable.

Growing up Black Rep

by Philip Hamer

The Black Rep will open its 42nd season with Regina Taylor’s “Crowns,” which runs from September 5- 23 at Washington University’s Edison Theatre.

Summer camp alum

Tyler White heads to mainstage as co-star of ‘Crowns’

By Kenya Vaughn

Of The St. Louis American

“It honestly feels so great to be back here because this is where I grew up – this is where I learned all that I know,” said Tyler White. When she sets foot on the mainstage next week as “Yolanda,” the central character in the ensemble of the Black Rep’s 42nd season opener “Crowns,” it will be a full circle moment. Her professional acting debut came through the company’s production of “Sarafina.” Back then, she was a ten-year-old participant of the Black Rep’s Summer Performing Arts Program.

“It was my first time being on the mainstage and being on stage with older, established actors,” White said. “Just getting that feel for it was like, ‘Wow, this is amazing.’” Her mother signed up White and her sister for the Black Rep’s summer program as a creative outlet when she noticed her girls were drawn to singing and dancing activities that took place within their church. They thought it would just be a one-year thing as the young girls spent their summers discovering their passions. But White

Fitting tributes

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

Remembering Aretha Franklin with Denise Thimes

By Evie Hemphill Of St. Louis Public Radio

Denise Thimes was still a young girl when she first interacted with Aretha Franklin in St. Louis during the late ’60s. But even then the Queen of Soul made a big impression on Thimes, who is now an accomplished jazz vocalist herself.

“I emulated her a lot and never had a chance to, as a little girl, sing for her – which is what I wanted to do when she would come to our home,” Thimes told St. Louis on the Air host Don Marsh. “But to have done her birthday party

[a few years ago] and to stand there and watch her watch me sing – Don, I had to fight back the tears the whole time.”

On Tuesday’s show, Thimes shared with listeners both her memories of Franklin, who passed away on August 16, and several of her favorite songs from the music icon’s repertoire.

She described Franklin as “the very fiber of music in America.”

“Aretha was light,” Thimes said. “She had a sound that no one else had, and that is what got her to where she was. … Aretha, in my opinion, set a precedent of how singers should really sound.”

As the world continues to say goodbye to Franklin, who died of pancreatic cancer, the sadness still felt particularly heavy for Thimes, who launched the Mildred Thimes Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer in honor of her mother in 1997.

“I sort of had pre-information that it was going down and [that Franklin’s health] was getting worse, and it’s just been really hard,” said

Thimes, whose late father, radio legend Lou “Fatha” Thimes, promoted a couple of Franklin’s St. Louis concerts decades ago. “I’ve never mourned so hard for a celebrity-status kind of person but who I had the blessing of knowing on a personal level.”

And while she didn’t get the chance to sing for Franklin as a child, that opportunity did eventually come her way – in an unexpected

Photo

Aretha Franklin with Denise Thimes, who performed at Franklin’s star-studded birthday party

Theresa Payne performed some of Whitney Houston’s biggest hits, Lyrique suited

TreG kept the crowd on their feet for his tribute to Usher during the

Under Cover Weekend at Delmar Hall.

the next chapter of a rich legacy of Mississippi blues men, Clarksdale native and teen blues prodigy Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

Photo by Wiley Price/St. Louis American

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concerts

Aug. 31 – Sept. 2, 23rd

Annual Big Muddy Blues Festival. Performances by Marquise Knox, Roland Johnson, Kingdom Brothers, Skeet Rodgers & The InnerCity Blues Band, and more. Laclede’s Landing, 710 N. 2nd St., 63102. For more information, visit www. bigmuddybluesfestival.com.

Aug. 31, The National Blues Museum presents Robert Randolph and The Family Band, Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester. For more information, visit https://www. atomiccowboystl.com/

Fri., Sept. 7, 5 p.m., LouFest

U. A free festival for area university students featuring local and national bands, guest speakers, and networking opportunities. Forest Park, 1 Theatre Dr., 63112. For more information, visit www.loufest. com/loufestu.

Sept. 8 – 9, LouFest Music Festival featuring Gary Clark Jr., Tank and the Bangas, Michael McDonald, Keyon Harrold, The Knuckles, Anita Jackson, Ptah Williams, Mo Egeston All-Stars, Tonina and more. Four stages with alternating performances, children’s stage and village, vendor area and food court. Forest Park, 1 Theatre Dr., 63112. For more information, visit www.loufest. com.

Thurs., Sept. 13, 8 p.m. Lupe Fiasco with special guest Mvstermind, Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar. For more information, visit www. delmarhall.com.

Fri., Sept. 14, 8 p.m., Old Rock House presents Big Sam’s Funky Nation. 1200 S. 7th St., 63104. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.

Fri., Sept. 28, 6 p.m., Joy

FM presents Mandisa: Girls Night Live. With guests Blanca, Candace Payne, and Jasmine Murray. Family Arena, 2002 Arena Parkway, 63303. For more information, visit www.metrotix.com.

local gigs

Fri., Sept. 14, 8 p.m., Sheldon Concert Hall presents Illphonics with Black Spade 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www.thesheldon.org.

Sun., Sept 30, 5 p.m., An evening of Blues, Soul and R&B starring blues legend Eugene Johnson, The Signature Room, 9002 Page Ave. Tickets can be purchased at Afro World 7276 Natural Bridge Ave. For more information, call (314) 3895194 or e-mail cjames4280. cj@gmail.com.

special events

Sat., Sept. 1, 7 a.m., Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Upsilon Omega Chapter and the Upsilon Omega Foundation presents The 2018 YQ Golf Tournament Eagle Springs Golf Course, 2575 Redman Ave., 63136. For more information, call (314) 853-2455.

Sat., Sept. 1, 3 p.m., AfroBeats Summer Fest. Featuring artist’s performances, dance performance, food vendors from various cultures, etc. Blue Dine and Lounge, 5917 Delmar Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Sat., Sept. 1, 3 p.m., The Eastern Kentucky Social Club will present the exhibit “Gone Home: Race and Roots through Appalachia” part of the Eastern Kentucky

Kenya Vaughn recommends

for details.

See

Social Club’s 47th Annual Convention, Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark, 1 S. Broadway. For more information, email sekha.stlouis@gmail.com or visit https://tinyurl.com/blackcoal-miners.

Sept. 1 – 3, Taste of Africa STL. A weekend of community and culture. O’Fallon Park, W. Florissant Ave., 63147. For more information, visit www. tasteofafricastl.com.

Sun., Sept. 2, 4 p.m., Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity, Inc., St. Louis Alumni Chapter presents The White Party. Dos Salas, 1919 Washington Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com.

Sun., Sept. 2, 7 p.m., Forever Fly LLC presents The Art & Soul Live Exhibit. A fusion of art, music and creativity. This event features 3 levels of live bands/entertainment, live painters and interactive games. .Zack, 3224 Locust St., 63103. For more information, visit www.metrotix.com.

Tues., Sept. 4, 7:30, The Sheldon presents Dark Angel: Hidden Treasures in the Lou. Featuring music, dance and comedy, this variety shows some of St. Louis’ best hidden talent. 3648 Washington Blvd.,

63108. For more information, visit www.thesheldon.org.

Fri., Sept. 7, 8 p.m., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Omicron Theta Omega Chapter presents the HBCU House Party. Machinists Hall, 12365 St. Charles Rock Rd., 63044. For more information, call (314) 283-8213.

Sun., Sept. 9, 8 a.m., Clayton Fire Department hosts the 7th Annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb. Proceeds benefit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Pierre Laclede Building II, 7733 Forsyth Blvd., 63105. For more information, visit www. claytonstairclimb.com.

Sun., Sept. 9, 10 a.m., Show Me Reptile & Exotics Show, Machinist Hall, 12365 St. Charles Rock Rd, Bridgeton, MO 63044. For more information, visit : http:// www.showmesnakes.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/ showmesnakes

Sept. 14 – 15, Great Forest Park Balloon Race and Glow. Art Hill, Fine Arts Dr., 63110. For more information, visit www. greatforestparkballoonrace. com.

Sun., Sept. 16, 3 p.m.,

visit www.stlamerican.com

Aug. 31 – Sept. 2, Helium Comedy Club presents Don “DC” Curry. 1151 Saint Louis Galleria, 63117. For more information, visit www. st-louis.heliumcomedy.com.

Sun., Sept. 2, 8 p.m., Labor Day Comedy Jam with DC Young Fly and Karlous Miller. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www. ticketmaster.com.

Thur., Sept. 6, 7 p.m., Overcoming Political and Recovering Our American Democracy. A public conversation between Amy Chua and Senator John Danforth. Graham Chapel, Washington University, 1Brookings Dr., 63130. For more information, visit www. facebook.com

3rd Annual Heaven Sent Brunch and Fashion Show Fundraiser. 2668 Daman Ct., 63136. For more information, visit www.healmending.org.

Sun., Sept. 16, 4 p.m., AllN-1 Entertainment hosts a Red Carpet Balloon Fashion Show. LaunchCode, 4811 Delmar Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Sat., Sept. 22, 11 a.m., Everybody Eats STL hosts Taste of Black St. Louis Tower Grove Park, 4256 Magnolia Ave., 63116. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Sat., Sept. 22, 6:30 p.m., Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Epsilon Lambda Chapter and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Omicron Eta Omega Chapter present The Phirst Phamily Paragon Awards Soiree. Renaissance Hotel, 9801 Natural Bridge Rd., 63134. For more information, visit www.facebook.com.

Sat., Sept. 29, 6 p.m., The St. Louis American Foundation presents the 31st Annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship and Awards Gala, America’s Center. For more information,

Sept. 7, 5:30 p.m., Dr. Malaika Horne will discuss her book Mother Wit, Better Family Life Cultural, Educational and Business Center, 5415 Page Blvd. For more information, email WGRRofSTL@gmail.com.

Fri., Sept. 7, 8 p.m., St. Louis Science Center First Fridays: Harry Potter. 5050 Oakland Ave., 63110. For more information, visit www. slsc.org.

Sun., Sept. 9, 2 p.m., St. Louis County Library hosts author Sylvia Acevedo, author of Stars: My Journey from Girl Scout to Rocket Scientist. St. Louis County Library Headquarters, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 63131.For more information, visitwww. slcl.org.

Wed., Sept. 12, 7 p.m., St. Louis Public Library hosts authors Eion Colfer, Andrew Donkin & Giovanni Rigano authors of Illegal. Ebo must make the hazardous voyage from Ghana to Europe. Schlafly Branch, 225 N. Euclid Ave., 63108. For more information, visit www.slpl. com.

Thur., Sept. 13, 7 p.m., DeRay Mckesson signs and discusses On The Other Side of Freedom. Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union Blvd., 63108. For more

The National Blues Museum presents Robert Randolph and The Family Band.

CONCERTS

information, visit www.leftbank.com.

Fri., Sept. 21, 7 p.m., Bookfest St. Louis: An Evening with Sally Field. The actor will discuss her book, In Pieces, a memoir about being a woman in the last half of the 20th century. Chase Park Plaza, 212 N. Kingshighway Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www.leftbank.com.

theatre

Fri., Aug. 31, 7 p.m., St. Louis Story Stitchers Artists Collective presents Pick the City Up. Featuring hip hop, spoken word and story magic on public health issues St. Louis cares about including gun violence. .Zack, 3224 Locust St., 63103. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.

Sat., Sept. 1, 7:30 p.m., The Kranzberg Arts Foundation Resident Benefit Showcase: Labor of Love 2018. A unique evening of dance, theatre, music, and more to support rising stars and old favorites. Grandel, 3610 Grandel Sq., 63108. For more information, visit www.metrotix.com.

Sept. 5 – 23, The Black Rep presents Crowns. Edison Theatre, 6445 Forsyth Blvd., 63105. For more information, visit www.edison.wustl.edu.

Sept. 6 – 9, TLT Productions presents Voices: Sounds of America. .Zack, 3224 Locust St., 63103. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.

Sat., Sept. 8, 12 p.m., Community Arts Festival 2018. Enjoy everything from dance and film to painting and theater. Grandel, 3610 Grandel Sq., 63108. For more information, visit www. communityartsfestival.com.

art

Aug. 31 – Sept. 2, The Art Fair at Queeny Park. Over 100 juried artists from more than 20 states. 550 Weidman Rd., 63011. For more information, visit www. artfairatqueenypark.com.

Aug. 31 – Sept. 28, Fontbonne University Faculty and Staff Exhibition & Speaker Series. Artist talks will take place weekly. Opening Reception on Aug. 31 at 6 p.m. Fontbonne University Gallery of Fine Art, 6800 Wydown Blvd., 63105. For

more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Aug. 31 – Sept. 28, Emerging Artists Showcase. TechArtista, 4818 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Sun., Sept. 2, 7 p.m., Forever Fly LLC presents The Art & Soul Live Exhibit. A fusion of art, music and creativity. This event features 3 levels of live bands/entertainment, live painters and interactive games. .Zack, 3224 Locust St., 63103. For more information, visit www.metrotix.com.

Through September 3, Color-ism by Work/Play Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, visit www. kranzbergartscenter.org.

Thur., Sept 6, 6:30p.m., Contemporary Art Museum presents Artist Talk: Sanford Biggers. 3750 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www.camstl. org.

Sat., Sept. 8, 12 p.m., Community Arts Festival 2018. Enjoy everything from dance and film to painting and theater. Grandel, 3610 Grandel Sq., 63108. For more information, visit www.

communityartsfestival.com.

Fri., Sept. 14, 7 p.m., GLoveBoxX Arts & Ent. presents septembERotica: The Art Show. Celebrating the Black body and exploring Black sensuality. Third Degree Glass Factory, 5200 Delmar Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. GLoveBoxX.com.

Through September 30, Let’s Play Ball! Field House Museum, 634 S. Broadway, 63102. For more information, visit www.facebook.com.

lectures and workshops

Fri., Sept. 7, HerTomorrow St. Louis. An assembly of

brilliant and compelling women to share their thoughts about their lives, the world, and the state of women. Brown School, Washington University, 1 Brooking Dr., 63130. For more information, visit www.everyeventgives. com.

Wed., Sept. 12, 7 p.m., Whitaker Jazz Speaks: The Crisis in Music ft. Ted Gioia. Gioia discusses disruptions that are changing — and perhaps destroying — the music infrastructure in America. St. Louis Public Library, 1301 Olive St., 63018. For more information, visit www.slpl.org.

health

Wed., Sept. 5, 6 p.m., Aging in Community: A

Community Forum hosted by CWEA and STL Village. The Biome School, 4471 Olive St., 63108. For more information, visit www. stlvillage.org.

Sun., Sept. 16, 8 a.m., The National Children’s Cancer Society 2nd Annual Golf Classic. Proceeds will go to families that are battling childhood cancer. Stonewolf Golf Club, 1195 Stonewolf Trail, Fairview Heights, IL. 62208. For more information, visit www.thenccs.org/golf.

spiritual

Fri., Aug. 31, 7 p.m., Faith Miracle Temple Church presents Marvin Sapp. 870 Pershall Rd., 63137. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Sat., Sept. 1, 11 a.m., Bethesda Temple Church Community Day. Activities include face painting, gaming truck, give-a-ways, resource providers, and much more. 5401 Bishop JA Johnson Lane, 63121. For more information, call (314) 6884852.

Sat., Sept. 8, 4 p.m., Repreievefest Gospel Concert. Feat. local artists and special guest Sam Huddleston. Proceeds will help a local homeless shelter. New Paradise Missionary Baptist Church, 7348 W. Florissant Ave., 63136. For more information, visit www. reprievewellness.org.

Sun., Sept. 9, 2 p.m., St. Peter’s United Church of Christ invites you to their Free Community Picnic. Enjoy a petting zoo, obstacle course, bubblebus, and much more. 1425 Stein Rd., 63135. For more information, visit www.facebook.com.

Sun., Sept. 16, 5:30 p.m., Arts & Faith St. Louis Eighth Annual Interfaith Concert: Great Music of Many Faiths. The Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. artsfaithstl.org.

Tuesdays in September, Greater Faith M.B. Church City of Love presents September 2 Remember. Speakers include Pastor J. Kevin James, Jr., Evangelist DaphneRice-Bruce Juan C. Beane, and Michael Lampkin. 4114 W. Natural Bridge Rd., 63115. For more information, visit www.facebook.com.

film

Fri., Sept. 14, The Predator starring Sterling K. Brown and Keegan Michael Key opens in theatres nationwide. Fri., Sept. 28, Night School starring Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish opens in theatres nationwide.

Kenya Vaughn recommends

LouFest Music Festival featuring Gary Clark Jr., Tank and the Bangas, Keyon Harrold, The Knuckles, Anita Jackson, Ptah Williams, Mo Egeston All-Stars, Tonina and more. For more information, see CONCERTS.

Theresa Payne sang her way on stage to “The Greatest Love of All,” with a shirt that matched her background singers.

TRIBUTE

Continued from C1

as a singer and an artist, I was a nervous wreck for her. Whitney Houston passed away six years ago, and there is yet to be a truly fitting tribute. Along with Prince, Michael Jackson and just recently her godmother Aretha Franklin, Houston ranks among those late artists who are as impossible to cover as they are irreplaceable.

But as Payne and her accompanist Lordell Rush would regularly pop up on my timeline to give a taste of what she was cooking up, I became intrigued. I was still afraid for her – but intrigued nonetheless.

Thursday night I was on the fence about stopping through. But after encouragement from St. Louis Post-Dispatch pop music critic Kevin C. Johnson, I decided to come through. He told me to be sure to come in time to catch Lyrique as Bobby Brown, too. I had no idea there would be two black artists given space to perform. For me, that was worth it. In hindsight, I wish Lyrique and Payne would have performed a rendition of the Brown/Houston duet “Something In Common.” Okay, maybe not. I got there just as Lyrique is getting started. There were some rough patches, but he had the essence of Bobby Brown – and a stage presence worthy of him honing his craft. With proper voice training, he could really be one of the ones to watch on the local music scene.

“Are you coming Saturday to see me do Usher?” singer TreG asked just as Lyrique had wrapped up “Every Little Step I Take.”

I also learned that Friday night singer Tiffany Elle would be paying tribute to Brandy

for the 90s portion of AUCW – which I would regretfully miss because it conflicted with Earth, Wind and Fire. Then the moment I had been waiting for arrived.

“Up next is Theresa Payne as Whitney Houston,” the announcer said with enough enthusiasm to make me nervous for Theresa.

Her background singers came out before she did, wearing t-shirts with Houston’s face on them. Payne sang her way on stage to “The Greatest Love of All,” with a shirt that matched her background singers along with totally 80s satin red gloves and a big curly wig that seemed inspired by the one Houston wore on her “Whitney” album cover. Between the musicianship of the band – that included a full horn section – and the harmonies of the background singers

n Overall, I was impressed with what seemed to be an intentional effort of diversity from the organizers of AUCW.

that perfectly complimented Payne, I thought, “Oh, this is gonna be good.”

I was right.

Except for the opening number and Houston’s debut hit “You Give Good Love,” Payne kept it upbeat. For “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” Payne invited her 8-year-old daughter Nina Rose to perform.

With each selection, the crowd was more impressed. She had the nerve to nail the breathing, chord progression and octave change in the final line of “I’m Your Baby Tonight.”

“Holy [expletive],” the

announcer said as he prepared to bid the crowd good night.

“Theresa Payne everybody.” Overall, I was impressed with what seemed to be an intentional effort of diversity from the organizers of AUCW. In addition to Brandy, Legend, Brown, Houston and Usher, the weekend also included homages to Sade and Missy Elliott. Saturday night was TreG’s turn to wow the crowd – and he delivered. But before that, Josh Stanton took on John Legend. Stanton’s range and tone were perfect to tackle Legend’s unique tenor voice, but Stanton was a bit too ambitious, and some of the vocal risks didn’t pay off. It would be great to see him revisit a John Legend tribute with more rehearsal – especially his take on the underrated ballad “Stay With You” from Legend’s “Get Lifted” debut.

Okay, now back to TreG. He has the confidence of a multiplatinum music star, which is a prerequisite to take on the double threat as a singer/ dancer. With the support of four background dancers, three background singers and a full band, TreG had the crowd on its feet for his entire performance. He hyped it up with extended excerpts of several of Usher’s dance classics, including “Yeah,” “Caught Up” and “You Don’t Have To Call.” He slowed it down with “There Goes My Baby” and “Climax.” There was also a midtempo vibe, thanks to “Bad Girls” and “Good Kisser.”

Seeing the stellar performances of Payne and TreG – and the potential in Stanton and Lyrique as they seasoned familiar artists from mainstream music with St. Louis flavor showcased the impressive talent pool we have in the city. It’s why AUCW seems to work so well – and it’s why I’ll be back.

THIMES

Continued from C1

fashion.

Thimes recalled picking up the phone several years ago and noticing that the call was showing up as an “unknown caller.”

“The voice on the other end asked to speak with me, and I very begrudgingly said, ‘Speaking,’ because I thought it was a telemarketer,” Thimes said. “And she said, ‘Hi, Denise, this is Aretha Franklin.’ I’m still a fan, so it was such a shock.”

The Queen of Soul was calling to personally invite Thimes to attend and sing at her birthday party at the Ritz Carlton in New York City. It was a starstudded affair.

“There were quite a few celebrities, so many that I can’t even name them all,” Thimes said.

“Denzel Washington was doing a play on Broadway. He came over to give her a kiss on the cheek and wish her a happy birthday.”

n “We heard what Aretha was feeling and was going through [with her music].”

- Denise Thimes

And Thimes was among them –singing for the woman whose voice she used to try to imitate as a young girl in the mirror singing along to “Good To Me As I Am To You” and “Ain’t No Way.”

“I remember I would be standing there thinking, ‘if I could just sing like this, I would be so happy.’” Franklin will be laid to rest on Friday, August 31. The overwhelming outpouring in response to the music legend’s passing was no surprise to Thimes – because of her impact within the music industry, and in people’s lives because of her music.

“We heard what Aretha was feeling and was going through [with her music],” Thimes said. “We heard her life. Aretha was very real – soulful, beautiful and just outstanding.” Republished with permission of St.

Black coal miners exhibit opens as part of conference

The Eastern Kentucky Social Club will present the exhibit “Gone Home: Race and Roots through Appalachia” from 3-5 p.m. Saturday, September 1 at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark, 1 S. Broadway.

Karida L. Brown, who curated the exhibit, will speak. She is an assistant professor of Sociology and African-American studies at the University of California, Los Angeles and author of a book by the same title as the exhibit. William H. Turner, distinguished professor of Black and Appalachian Studies at Berea College and author of “Blacks in Appalachia” (1985) will also participate as a panelist.

The exhibit is part of the Eastern Kentucky Social Club’s 47th Annual Convention, which starts Friday, August 31. The former coal miners and their descendants hope to bring public attention to their history and legacy.

“Did you know that at the height of the coal mining boom 60 percent of the miners were of African-American descent?” organizer asked. “Did you know that the Appalachia region covered 12 states and at the peak had over 3,000,000 people of African descent living there?” For more information, email sekha.stlouis@gmail.com or visit https://tinyurl.com/blackcoal-miners.

LouFest gets jazzy

Kranzberg Arts Foundation partners with music festival for Jazz & Heritage Stage

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

Although the weekend lineup includes a host of musical genres – including blues, hip-hop and soul – LouFest is considered by many to be a festival that caters to pop and rock audiences. Some of the featured artists at LouFest since its inception in 2010 include Ms. Lauryn Hill, Chris Stapleton, LCD Soundsystem, Outkast, The Avett Brothers, The Killers, Billy Idol, Wilco, and Arctic Monkeys. Michael McDonald (who is a Ferguson native), T-Pain, Gary Clark Jr., Tank and Da Bangas and The Knuckles are a few of the featured artists of this year’s lineup.

This year, the popular weekend festival will also be putting jazz center stage, thanks to a new partnership with the Kranzberg Arts Foundation.

The Jazz & Heritage Stage will make its LouFest debut when the popular music festival plays Forest Park next weekend (September 8-9). The stage will feature dedicated spots for the Kranzberg Arts Foundation Music Artists in Residence. The Music Artists in Residence program was launched earlier this year to provide local bandleaders with original projects with the performance, rehearsal and recording opportunities to assist them with advancing and building their careers.

Several of the acts –Jackson, Williams Mo Egeston

All-Stars and Tonina among them – have been regulars of the Dark Room at the Grandel.

Seeing them on a stage larger than the intimate performance space of the Dark Room will allow them to flex their stage presence, and most certainly give them a wider audience considering the several thousand from diverse musical audiences that patronize LouFest.

A local name with international acclaim will close out the Jazz & Heritage Stage. Grammy Award-winning Ferguson native Keyon Harrold will provide the culminating performance of the Jazz & Heritage Stage Sunday night.

Wynton Marsalis called Harrold “the future of the trumpet.” He won a Grammy for his role in the soundtrack for “Miles Ahead,” the Miles Davis biopic that was directed by and starred Don Cheadle.

Harrold has worked with some of the biggest names in music – Beyoncé, Jay Z, Erykah Badu, Gregory Porter, Anthony Hamilton, David Sanborn, Fred Hammond, Janet Jackson, 50 Cent and the Count Basie Orchestra, to name a few.

Though his horn has carried him into mainstream music, his heart belongs to jazz.

“Jazz is an adventure, because you don’t know what’s going to come out,” Harrold said. “All you know is you have a set, and in this amount of time you’re going to have a beginning, middle and an end.

CROWNS

Continued from C1

and her sister fell in love with the program. They came back every year for five or six years – where White also performed in mainstage productions of “The Me Nobody Knows” and “Black Nativity.”

Upon entering high school, White applied what she learned at the Black Rep to the drama program at Hazelwood Central. When she entered college, she decided to focus on her love of fashion. After graduating from Southeast Missouri State University with a degree in Fashion Merchandising, Tyler worked in retail. Her 9-to-5 grind that made it clear to her that she was built for a life on stage.

“I knew I was meant to come back to theater, but it took that four-year gap for me to realize that there’s no other option,” White said. “It made me say, ‘This is what you are meant to do.’”

She contacted Black Rep founder and Producing Director Ron Himes.

“I said, ‘Ron, I need to come back. I need to be on stage again,’” White said.

Luckily for her, he had a spot available in their acclaimed professional intern program. She jumped at the opportunity.

“And then he was like, ‘I want you to be a part of this first show as well,’” White said. “I was like ‘okay, I am ready.’”

In “Crowns,” a gospel musical by Regina Taylor that will be directed by Linda Kennedy, White will play Yolanda. She is a young girl from the mean streets of Brooklyn who is sent to her mother’s hometown in the deep south after a family tragedy.

“It’s just a culture shock when she gets down there because that’s not what she’s used to,” said White. “Like with everybody knowing everybody. There are the older women trying to tell their stories. And there are the hats – every hat is a story for them. They see this new girl in town

“You have these parameters and those chords, but everything else is up to your imagination and I love that.”

The Jazz & Heritage Stage at LouFest will take place from September 8-9 in Forest Park

as part of the music festival’s concert programming. For tickets, more information about the featured acts of LouFest 2018 and a full lineup, visit www.loufest.com.

and they are like, ‘oh, I have to tell my story to her to try and help her.’” White wants the audience to be helped by Yolanda’s story. She specifically wants to illustrate Yolanda’s personal growth and be a part of the play’s theme of showing the power of intergenerational connections.

“Listening to these women let her know, ‘I am worth something and I deserve a crown. I care about my history and the people that came

n White has spent the process in awe of being a part of the continuum of the Black Rep’s legacy as they embark on season 42.

before me,’” White said.

The production also stars Anita Jackson, Maureen Williams, Amber Rose, Leah Stewart, Eleanor Humphrey and Myke Andrews. Charles Creath returns as musical director and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Alum and COCAdance co-artistic Director Kirven Douthit-Boyd will make his Black Rep debut as choreographer for “Crowns.”

White has spent the process in awe of being a part of the continuum of the Black Rep’s legacy as they embark on season 42.

“Even if it’s just this one show that I’m involved in, it’s a great feeling to know that I get to work with so many creative geniuses,” White said. “There are so many amazing actors, costume designers, set designers, lighting designers, sound designers – and to be able to learn from them and grow from them and learn as a person through them – has just been incredible.

The type of treasured opportunity she was in for became clear from the very first rehearsal.

“When I started working with Ms. Linda and started singing with Mr. Creath and working with Kirven, it’s like ‘Oh, heck yeah! This is where you were meant to be,’” White said.

“It feels great that they have welcomed me back with open arms and expect so much out of me. It makes me want to work even harder.”

The Black Rep’s production of “Crowns” will take place from September 5 – September 23 at Washington University’s Edison Theatre, 6445 Forsyth. For tickets and/or additional information, call (314) 5343807 or visit www.theblackrep. org.

Karida L. Brown

Grammy Award winner and Ferguson native Keyon Harrold will close out the Jazz & Heritage Stage at LouFest on Sunday, September 9. The Jazz & Heritage Stage will make its debut at LouFest 2018 thanks to support from the Kranzberg Arts Foundation.

The Jazz & Heritage Stage at LouFest September 8-9 in Forest Park

Photo by Philip Hamer

“Crowns” cast members Maureen Williams, Tyler White and Anita Jackson.

Be a Tourist in Your Own Town

St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission

Fall Festivals in St. Louis for everyone

By Kiara Bryant For the St. Louis American

September is full of entertainment and festivals for you to enjoy. From Labor Day and beyond, you’ll find something for every member of your family. We hope you’ll check out these upcoming events in the area.

St. Louis has a lot to offer Labor Day Weekend. For starters, the Japanese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden (Sept. 1-3) presents taiko drumming, bon odori festival dancing, martial arts, candlelight walks in the Japanese Garden and more. This festival is one of the largest of its kind in the U.S. celebrating history, culture, music, art, dance, food and entertainment.

As home of the blues, you won’t want to miss the Big Muddy Blues Festival (Aug. 31- Sept. 2). Every Labor Day weekend, the festival takes over Laclede’s Landing with the back drop of the Mississippi River and the Gateway Arch attracting more than 30,000 people from around the country. It is the region’s largest blues music event featuring a local line up of over 50 musical acts including, Delta, Country, R & B, Soul, Rock and more.

When BBQ is what you crave, you’ve got to come to Q in the Lou (Sept. 21-23). Try some of the best barbeque at St. Louis’ BBQ Festival full of award-winning, flavorful meats and live music downtown in Kiener Plaza. You can also

learn from some of the best in BBQ with live demonstrations while eating a slow smoked rack of ribs or a seared steak.

In September, admire the works of art by nearly 200 visual artists from across the nation at the 24th Annual Saint Louis Art Fair on Sept. 7-9 in downtown Clayton. In addition to the art, there are three stages of entertainment, educational hands-on activities for children and tasty treats. If you’re looking to have awe-inspiring family time, The Great Forest Park Balloon Race & Balloon Glow, takes flight Sept. 14-15. This well-attended St. Louis institution is celebrating more than 45 years of tradition and spectacular views.

Delight with all of your senses while taking in the food, music, and art offered at the annual Taste of St. Louis at Chesterfield Amphitheater (Sept. 14-16). Be sure to stop by and try the region’s best restaurants, the Stella Artois Chef Battle Royale culinary competition, marketplace and music stage as well as the kids’ kitchen and the village. And don’t forget to support the first Taste of Black St. Louis on Sept. 22 in Tower Grove Park which offers food, culture, music and community. The heat may be cooling off, but local entertainment and events are certainly not. From live music, museum exhibits and your other favorite attractions, visit explorestlouis.com for the latest in ways to have fun around town.

Q in the Lou returns to Kiener Plaza, along with live music, September 21-23.

Celebrations

Birthdays

Happy Birthday to Kellen Stallings on August 29! With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, and—which is more—you’ll be a man, my son! Happy 9th Birthday Kelz! We love you!

Reunions

All reunion announcements can be viewed online!

Beaumont High Class of 1978 40th Reunion Extravaganza, Save the Date: October 5-7, 2018. Call or text Marietta Shegog Shelby at 314-799-5296 for further details.

Happy 100th Birthday to Mother Susie Lambert on August 30! Blessed is she that believed for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. (Luke 1:45) Glory to God. (Luke 2:14)

Do you have a celebration you’re proud of? If so we would like to share your good news with our readers. Whether it’s a birth, wedding, engagement announcement, anniversary, retirement or birthday, send your photos and a brief announcement (50 words or less) to us and we may include it in our paper and website – AT NO COST – as space is available Photos will not be returned. Send your announcements to: kdaniel@stlamerican. com or mail to: St. Louis American Celebrations c/o Kate Daniel 2315 Pine St. St. Louis, MO 63103 FREE OF CHARGE

Hadley Teach classes of 1962-1963 will host their Annual Picnic on Saturday, Aug. 18 at Marvin’s Park, 4003 Camellia. Hot dogs, soda and water provided. Bring chairs, family and friends! For more information, contact: Virdell Robinson Stennis 314773-8177, Ora Scott Roberts 314-222-3662, Wilhelmina Gibson Baker 314-630-9647 or Marvin Young 314-422-5757.

Northwest High Class of 1979 is planning on cruising for our 40th class reunion and

East St. Louis Sr. High School Class of 1968 will celebrate its 50 year reunion on Friday, October 12, 2018 at the Main Street Brewing Center, 6435 West Main Street, Belleville, IL. 62223. For more information contact Linda Ward Spencer (618) 830-8221 or laws50@aol.com.

would love for you to join us! Date to sail is set for July 20, 2019 and you can feel free to contact: Duane Daniels at 314-568-2057 or Howard Day at 414-698-4261 for further information. Please don’t miss the boat!

Southwest High School Longhorns would like to announce the class reunion for the classes 1985-1989, Date: September 14-16, 2018. For more information please contact Revitra Greco (314) 358-9522 or Kim Taylor (314) 369-3537.

St. Rose of Lima (Goodfellow & Etzel, closed 1977) will host an all-class reunion on Saturday, Sept. 8, Jewel Center, 407 Dunn Rd. See www.strosereunion.com for details.

Sumner High Class of 1979 will hold its “Bulldogs Rock the Boat” BIG 4-0 Reunion Cruise, June 22-27, 2019. For further information, email your contact information to sumner1979@ymail.com or call 314-406-4309. Join our Facebook group at Sumner High Class of ‘79.

Vashon High School Class of 1973 will celebrate its 45th reunion on Saturday, August 11, 2018 in St. Louis. We’re still in the process of rounding up all of our graduates and would love for you all to contact us. Please email us at tpjgramells@aol.com for additional information. You may also RSVP and pay by going to VashonHigh1973.

Reunion notices are free of charge and based on space availability. We prefer that notices be emailed to us! However, notices may also be sent by mail to: Kate Daniel, 2315 Pine St., St. Louis, MO 63103

Deadline is 10 a.m. on Friday. If you’d like your class to be featured in a reunion profile, email or mail photos to us. Our email address is: reunions@stlamerican.com

myevent.com. For those not on the internet, please call Terri (Bell) Johnson 314-313-2113.

O’Fallon Tech will be celebrating its “50th” Class Reunion on Nov. 2-3, 2018 at Hollywood Casino, 777 Casino Center Dr. Maryland

Heights, MO 63043. Class of 1969 and others are invited. To RSVP for the head count, so please contact: Joann Durham Harris 314-363-4260, Donnell Jackson 314-494-4807, Gloria Houston King 314-591-7306 or Kelvin Murphy 314-616-1007.

William and Judi Sams will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows in the presence of family and friends at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church. They were married August 30, 1958.

Television Star Jasmine Guy was gracious enough to strike a pose with Marvin when she came to St. Louis as one of the speakers for the I’m Every Woman Leadership Conference presented by Phyllis Johnson Saturday afternoon at HarrisStowe State University.

Swag Snap of the Week

All up in the groove with Earth Wind and Fire. Friday night I made my way to the Stifel Theatre for the first time since the name change to watch legendary band Earth, Wind and Fire do their thing. After several tours with Chicago, their audience Friday looked like St. Charles, but we still had a ball up in there as we made our way to Boogie Wonderland. I’m not sure if he suffered some breakage over the past couple of years, but Verdine White’s lengthy press-n-curl has become a bob. It seemed like he was still getting used to not having hang time when he whipped his hair back and forth while going to work on that bass and shaking his moneymaker in his head-to-toe sequined outfit. Verdine does the absolute most as far as flash and overall “extra,” but he is so sick with it on his instrument that he is rightfully one of the few folks who gets away with it. Verdine was killing it, but he wasn’t by himself. The whole band was serving family reunion soul realness in the flesh. I got my whole entire life from that show – do you hear me?! And the fact that Philip Bailey can still hit those high notes like that after 40-something years made me want to get on that stage and slap his face! The audience was feeling every bit of it. If it weren’t for the abundance of khaki pants and Sperry loafers, it looked like your average holiday cookout – including the inebriated uncle that is doing too much. Sir – yes, you the blonde gentleman of a certain age with the belt buckle – trying to dip and twirl the ushers was a bit much!

Over the top praise for Under Cover Weekend. Some kind of way the entire existence of An Under Cover Weekend was never on my radar before this weekend. But I will be back from here on out thanks primarily to Theresa Payne and TreG. The event consists of three nights of concerts featuring local artists covering national acts from a particular decade. I heard Theresa Payne was going to do Whitney Houston and was like, “Okay girl, if you mess up I will be forced to eat all of the praise I’ve given you over the years.” Well, Nippy was probably shouting down from heaven with a “Girl, you better sing.” I knew from the satin gloves and big, wet, juicy wig that I was in for a treat. But had I known then what I know now, I would have recorded – and sent it to major labels and sold it at every chop suey that has an open door policy for bootleggers. I know somebody is doing Whitney justice when they can cover “You Give Good Love” and not make me cringe. And she wasn’t the only one who got it all the way in on the AUCW stage. That TreG came to slay when served up a sample from Usher Raymond’s catalog. Let me give props to TreG, the band and the background singers. But can I please take a moment to flip my gypsy locks in homage to those dancers – particularly TreG’s little brother (sorry I don’t remember your name sir). Because it is an intimate venue, the Delmar Hall stage barely has room for a robust band. Yet, here this crew of dancing machines was doing duck walks and death drops. How they managed to do on that stage without falling off is beyond me. The curation of TreG’s medley of my favorite Usher jams was epic – as was the performance. I now have AUCW on my weekend on my radar to stay.

Café Soul is now a tween. I didn’t even bother moving my car when I went straight down the street from the Stifel to the House of Soul for Café Soul’s 12-year-anniversay. It was like a family reunion up in there – and some of the folks I hadn’t seen since Lucas Schoolhouse. Angie Nichol and Tendai are everybody’s favorites (not just mine), so the folks came out of their crypts to kick it Friday night – and jam to the sounds of the Dirty Muggs Rhoda G. also set the crowd off with her saxy (yes, saxy) rendition of Ella Mai’s “Boo’d Up.” If I had a nickel for every second she can hold a note, I could retire from my Partyline duties altogether. The folks were definitely feeling the Dirty Muggs. Although I can’t say that I’m a fan of them adding G-Eazy’s “No Limit” to their set list, I still had a great time – which is always the case for me at Café Soul.

One time for the Trap Run. Although it doesn’t necessarily fall into my beat, I must give the organizers of the Trap Run STL a huge shout out for such a wonderful event. I was dog-tired from tearing the club up the night before, but so glad I yanked myself out of bed to see a 5K with a route through the Ville that was a resounding success! I was in awe of seeing the folks run through a historically black neighborhood as hip-hop played at the finish line. It was absolutely everything.

Sunday night Funny. For the third Sunday in a row I have moseyed on over to the Laugh Lounge and all but have to perch in the DJ booth because it was so packed. This past Sunday I came through to check out Damon Williams and it was packed to the gills yet again. I was able to squeeze in last week for Shawn Morgan, who had me hollering. But this week, I was like, “I’m gonna have to cop a squat on this stage, because there is seriously no seat to be had.” As per usual, Jessie Taylor made a space for me. And as per usual I was laughing so hard at Damon Williams that I thought I was just going to fall out and start kicking and screaming. He is seriously one of the most underrated in the game. Of all the times I’ve seen him, I only think I’ve ever heard him say the same joke twice a handful of times – and that bit where he pretended to be a gangster and then switched into his regular swag during the height of the “Def Comedy Jam” and “Comic View” days is the only one that comes to mind. He may not sell out stadiums, arenas or theatres but if you want to laugh for the sake of laughing and can appreciate funny outside of the “name brand” comedians, then he should be your go-to guy, because he brings it every single time.

Leah and Sam made it their business to catch the final Blues at the Arch of 2018 Friday night

Erica, Marquees and Najma cheered Theresa Payne, Lyrique and other talented singers during the Thursday showing of An Under Cover Weekend @ Delmar Hall

Tracey and Felice caught up on old times during the Café Soul 12th Anniversary Friday @ House of Soul

Devaron, Tawana and Brandon were still buzzing with energy after TreG tore stage down Saturday with his Usher Tribute @ An Under Cover Weekend

Teen blues sensation Kingfish Ingram (center) with A.J. and Leslie just before Ingram took the stage as the finale performance @ Blues at the Arch Friday

Kiyana and Malik were impressed with the artists who preformed @ An Under Cover Weekend Saturday night @ Delmar Hall

Nicholas and Harlan made great time when they crossed the finish line at the inaugural Trap Run 5K Sunday morning

Brittany handled the stretches while Nico held it down in the DJ booth for the inaugural Trap Run STL Sunday morning

Local music scene influencers Julian and Vanita were checking out the artists who hit the stage at An Under Cover Weekend Thursday @ Delmar Hall

Moses and Amanda came through to check out the local talent Saturday night @ AUCW Saturday night @ Delmar Hall

CONTROLLER

The Missouri State Employees’ Retirement System is seeking a highly qualified individual to serve as Controller. This position is responsible for overseeing the accounting, employer reporting and financial reporting functions of MOSERS. It is also responsible for implementing and maintaining a system of internal controls that ensure company assets are safeguarded and all financial reporting is prepared in compliance with US GAAP and GASB requirements. Minimum requirements include bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university with specialization in accounting, (master’s degree and CPA preferred) and 5 years of progressively responsible experience preferably with a public pension fund in the accounting/finance role. Knowledge of internal controls and financial reporting required. Knowledge of US GAAP and GASB statements and pronouncements as they relate to public pensions and the ability to apply them in specific situations and knowledge of tax laws that relate to public pension funds strongly preferred. This position directly supervises a department of seven, a minimum of 2 years of experience in a supervisory role in the accounting field required. Competitive salary commensurate with experience. Full State Benefit Package. Visit www.mosers.org, click “Careers” to apply by September 17 EOE: M/F/V/D.

LOYOLA ACADEMY OF ST. LOUIS Donor Relations Manager

Loyola Academy of St. Louis, a Jesuit-sponsored middle schools for boys, seeks a dynamic person to serve as the full-time Donor Relations Manager. Loyola Academy is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty by providing a rigorous education, extra-curricular programming, and an emphasis on personal and spiritual development to sixty students. The Donor Relations Manager is a new position at Loyola and will play a pivotal role in helping the school nurture relationships and properly steward donors. This position reports to the Director of Development and Marketing. The Donor Relations Manager will track and acknowledge donor gifts, develop new and creative approaches to communicate with donors, assist in marketing strategies and help to coordinate fundraising events. The successful candidate will have a Bachelor-level degree and a 1-2 year solid track record in development. Please submit a letter of interest and resume to Tim Plunkett, Coordinator of the Search Committee, at tplunkett@loyolaacademy.org by September 21, 2018. No phone inquiries. For additional information and a full job description, please visit the school’s website, www.loyolaacademy.org.

COORDINATOR

- ISPURCHASING ADMINISTRATION

This position is responsible for providing professional level administrative and purchasing support to the Information Services Department. This position also develops and maintains positive working relationships with all levels of Safety National personnel and outside vendors to help facilitate the Information Services Department goals and objectives. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/ careers-page/.

EVENT COORDINATOR / EVENT MANAGER

EXPLORE ST. LOUIS

AMERICA’S

CENTER

COMPLEX ST. LOUIS, MO

Explore St. Louis is the sales and marketing organization responsible for selling St. Louis City and County as a convention and meeting site and as a leisure travel destination. In addition Explore St. Louis manages and operates the America’s Center Complex which includes 502,000 square feet of prime exhibit space, 80 meeting rooms, the Dome at America’s Center, the 1,411-seat Ferrara Theatre, and a 28,000 squarefoot ballroom.

Explore St. Louis is seeking an Event Coordinator / Event Manager to act as a liaison between clients and facility departments for events held in the convention center and dome @ America’s Center. Duties include: conducting site visits, gathering show information, conducting meetings & participating in on-site event implementation. Ability to formulate, apply & execute detailed planning is mandatory. Must possess excellent customer service & multi-tasking skills, plus strong attention to detail. Must be able to work a flexible schedule to include, nights, weekends and holidays.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree or better from an accredited four-year college or university or at least 5 years’ experience in a high volume public assembly facility (convention center, stadium, or arena). Interested candidates can apply online at www.explorestlouis. com click the “About Us” link at the top of the page and then click “Job Opportunities & Internships. NO PHONE CALLS! Equal Opportunity Employer.

COORDINATOR-PSAPOLICY OPERATIONS

Responsible for providing client / customer support for the department’s operational functions to include the production of Primary and Excess Workers’Compensation, CommercialAuto, General Liability, Excess Liability and Specialty Lines transactions (New Business, Renewals, Endorsements, Cancellations, Reinstatements and Non-renewals). This position includes the accuracy in which transactions are issued, correct billing and proper distribution of final product to our customers. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/careers-page/.careers-page/.

NATIONALDIRECTOR OF CONTRACTING & CONSTRUCTION

This role will require heavy engagement with construction specialists throughout the industry, working with national brokers as well as regional brokers and independents, including their specialty divisions, to identify current and emerging customer needs and to craft and deliver product and service solutions that will result in differentiation and underwriting profitability over the long term. Long term coverage solutions will span both the primary and excess casualty lines, written on both an admitted and non-admitted basis, with specific line of business responsibilities to encompass WC, GL,Auto, supported Excess/Umbrella and supported Contractor Controlled/ Owner Controlled programs.

To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/ careers-page/.

South City

Experienced is a plus but not necessary 314-853-5653

Responsible for various technical support tasks related to: processing data into the Data repository, ClaimCenter and scorecards. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/ careers-page/.

PLACEMENTS & CONTRACTSANALYST

Responsible for preparing and analyzing all Treaty, Facultative, and Captive Placements and Renewal Submissions by gathering applicable data from various departments and assembling multiple exhibits and presentations for the reinsurance market. Also responsible for accurate tracking of the reinsurance placements. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/

PT & FT POSITIONS

Royal Banks of Missouri is Hiring! University City, St. Charles, & Creve Coeur Locations PT & FT Positions with Benefits Available Banking Experience Preferred but Not Required Find Job Descriptions and Application on our Website: www.royalbanksofmo.com DAYCARE

PROGRAM SPECIALIST

Make a difference in the lives of children with visual impairments! Delta Gamma Center for Children with Visual Impairments seeks a Program Specialist to facilitate groups and plan family events. Detailed information at http://dgckids.org/about/careers/

CITY OF ST. LOUIS

BOARD OF PUBLIC SERVICE

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS for

EVALUATION OF THE DEICING

DRAINAGE AND COLLECTION

SYSTEM AT ST. LOUIS LAMBERT

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

Statements of Qualifications due by 5:00 P.M., CT, September 7, 2018 at Board of Public Service, 1200 Market, Room 301 City Hall, St. Louis, MO 63103. RFQ may be obtained from website www.stl-bps.org, under On Line Plan Room, or call Helen Bryant at 314-589-6214.

25% MBE and 5% WBE participation goals.

The

Public Notice of Single Source Procurement

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: Landscape Remediation and Maintenance of Detention Basin. The District is proposing single source procurement to Native Landscape Solutions for this service. Any inquiries should be sent to ameyer@stlmsd.com.

Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal

Employer.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

The St. Louis County Department of Human Services, Homeless Services Program, is seeking proposals for the Continuum of Care Planning Consultant Grant FY2018. The total funding available is approximately $150,000.00. Proposals are due by 2:00 p.m. on September 13, 2018. A Pre-Proposal Conference will be held on August 27th at 10:00 -11:00 a.m. Request For Proposal details and specifications can be obtained on August 23rd at the St. Louis County Bids and RFPs webpage located at http://www.stlouisco.com/ YourGovernment/BidsandRFPs

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

The St. Louis County Department of Human Services, Homeless Services Program, is seeking proposals for the St. Louis County FY18-19 Warming and Cooling Shelter. The total funding available is approximately $130,000.00. Proposals are due by 2:00 p.m. on September 21, 2018. A Pre-Proposal Conference will be held on September 6 at 9:30-10:30 a.m. Request For Proposal details and specifications can be obtained on August 31 at the St. Louis County Bids and RFPs webpage located at http://www.stlouisco.com/ YourGovernment/BidsandRFPs

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

at 314-

or hjohnson@cityofjennings.org if

Public Notice of Single Source Procurement

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: Landscape Remediation and Maintenance of 12 green infrastructure sites. The District is proposing single source procurement to Native Landscape Solutions for this service. Any inquiries should be sent to ameyer@stlmsd.com. Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

INVITATION

Terminal 1 Charging Station Devices and Entry Airlock Doors 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6

Great Rivers Greenway is seeking qualifications from interested and qualified firms to complete tracking and reporting of minority and women utilization in the workforce during construction of the Gravois Greenway and Katherine Ward Burg Garden. Check https://greatriversgreenway.org/ jobs-bids/ and submit by September 13, 2018.

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

and Specifications are also available for viewing or purchase at Cross Rhodes Reprographics located at 1712 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis MO 63110. All bidders must obtain a set of plans and specifications in order to submit a bid in the name of the entity submitting the bid. The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

TO BID

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. requests bids from qualified and certified MBE and WBE subcontractors and suppliers for the following project:

St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station Bid Packages 4B and 4C

For the following scopes of work: Concrete Paving, Fire Suppression, Plumbing, Communications & Low Voltage, HVAC T&B, Conveying Equip., Masonry, Aquarium Tanks, Flooring, Painting, Exhibits & Graphics, Signage, Play Equip., Fountains, Drywall, General Work - Carpentry & Casework/Doors/ Specialties & Equip./Furnishings/Hoists, Glazing, Food Service Equip., Landscaping, Misc. Metals

BIDS DUE: September 13, 2018 by 2:00 PM CST Contact: Mary Peterein at mpeterein@mccarthy.com or 314-919-2171

Project plans and specs can be obtained through our online Plan Room at https://www.mccarthy.com/subcontractors

Prequalification is required and can also be accessed through the McCarthy website above. CITY OF JENNINGS INVITATION FOR BID (IFB)

Notice is hereby given that The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District

for Replace Single-Ply

St. Louis Development Corporation will receive proposals for a long-term partnership with an information and emergency kiosk provider in association with the City’s “smart city” initiative. The purpose of these kiosks is to provide interactive information to citizens and visitors as well as enhance public safety via emergency capabilities. Proposals will be received at 1520 Market Street Suite 2000 St. Louis, Missouri 63103 (Attention: Austin Korns), until 3:00 PM on September 28th, 2018. The full invitation, relevant dates, and all other documents related to this opportunity may be found at: https://www.stlouis-mo. gov/government/departments/ sldc/procurement/index.cfm

Saint Louis Zoo Herpetarium Water Heater Replacement RFP

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

St. Louis Community College will receive separate sealed bids for Contract No.F 19 601, Replace Medium Temperature Hot Water Lines St. Louis Community College at Meramec, until 2:00

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

L. Keeley Construction Co.is requesting proposals for the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District Gravois Trunk Sanitary Storage Facility (Pardee Ln and Pardee Rd). Work to be completed: Demolition, Earthwork/Excavation, Storm & Sanitary Sewer, Concrete/Asphalt, Waterline, Electrical, and Landscaping. Proposals are due via email by 12pm Wednesday, September 12, 2018 to Pete Hyatt phyatt@lkeeley.com. Please call the L. Keeley office to view plans or with any questions. Office: 314-421-5933

information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/ facilities

The scope of work involves the removal of two, large gas fired water heaters, and two storage tanks, and replacing them with (two) new 600k btu high efficiency water heaters in the Herpitarium. Owner will provide the new water heaters. Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting and site inspection to be held on September 7, 2018 at 10:00am in the Lower Rotunda of The Living World Building on Government Drive in Forest Park. Sealed Bids marked with the project name will be accepted on or before 2:00pm September 21, 2018 and opened immediately thereafter in the Facility Management Conference Room. Documents can be found at: https://www.stlzoo.org/about/contact/ vendoropportunities/

on Thursday, September 20, 2018. All bids are to be deposited in the bid box located on the first floor of the District’s Headquarters prior to the 2:00 p.m. deadline. Bids may, however, be withdrawn prior to the opening of the first bid. BIDS WILL BE PUBLICLY OPENED AND READ IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE BID DUE DATE/TIME AT 2350 MARKET STREET, AT A PLACE DESIGNATED.

The Work to be performed under these Contract Documents consists of: The work to be done under this contract consists of the rehabilitation of approximately 32,505 lineal feet of sanitary sewers varying in size from 8-inches to 78-inches in diameter, utilizing cured-in-place (CIPP) methods. The project is within the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District Boundaries, inside the city(ies) of St. Louis and various municipalities in St. Louis County and unincorporated St. Louis County in the State of Missouri. The work will be performed in various quantities at various sites. All prospective bidders must prequalify in the Cured-In-Place Pipe (CIPP) category, and be certified prior to the Bid Opening. Prequalification forms for obtaining said certification may be obtained from the Owner at the above mentioned address. All bidders must obtain drawings and specifications in the name of the entity submitting the bid.

This project will be financed through the Missouri State Revolving Fund, established by the sale of Missouri Water Pollution Control bonds and Federal Capitalization Grants to Missouri. Neither the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, its divisions, nor its employees will be party to the contract at any tier. Any Bidder whose firm or affiliate is listed on the GSA publication titled “List of Parties Excluded from Federal Procurement or Non-Procurement Programs” is prohibited from the bidding process; bids received from a listed party will be deemed non-responsive. Refer to Instructions to Bidders B-27 for more information regarding debarment and suspension.

Nondiscrimination in Employment: Bidders on this work will be required to comply with the President’s Executive Order 11246. Requirements for bidders and contractors under this order are explained in the specifications.

Plans and Specifications are available from free electronic download. Please go to MSD’s website and

in order to submit a bid in the name of

bid. The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity

Saint Louis Zoo Rivers Edge Fence Modification 2018

The scope of work includes: Modifications to existing River’s Edge fencing and installation of new fencing throughout River’s Edge. Bid Documents will be available on 8/29/2018 at: https://www.stlzoo.org/about/ contact/vendoropportunities/ MANDATORY PRE-BID MEETING & SITE INSPECTION: On 9/11/2018 at 2:00 PM in The Living World building on Government Drive in Forest Park, lower level.

Request for Proposals Information and Emergency Kiosks in St. Louis

BIDS

for Upgrade Perimeter Security, Infrastructure, Camp C

Crowder, Neosho, Missouri, Springfield AVCRAD, Springfield, Missouri, Project No. T1824-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 9/13/2018. For specific project

SEALED BIDS

for Controls Upgrades to Generator & MediumVoltage S

SEALED BIDS

SEALED BIDS

Jefferson City, Missouri, Project No. X1810-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 9/27/2018. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/ facilities SEALED

SEALED

SEALED BIDS

SEALED BIDS

SEALED BIDS

SEALED BIDS

SEALED

ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/

Habilitation Center, St. Louis, Missouri, Project M1401-02No. will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 9/13/2018. For informationprojectspecificand ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/ facilities

for Structural Repairs to Tunnel Way, Guhleman Forensic Buildings - East and West, Fulton, Missouri , Project No.M1804-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 9/13/2018. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/ facilities

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The St. Louis Economic Development Partnership (the “Partnership”) solicits proposals from qualified firms to assist small and medium-size defense manufacturers in Missouri to comply fully with the cybersecurity requirements in Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 252.204-7012.

To be considered, proposals must be received no later than 3:00 PM CST on Thursday, September 6, 2018. Proposals should be sent by email to hbean@stlpartnership.com, or to St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, ATTN: Howl Bean II, 7733 Forsyth Blvd., Suite 2200, St. Louis, Missouri 63105. DBE, MBE, and WBE firms are encouraged to bid, and a five percent bid preference may be available to certified MBE firms. The Request for Proposals may be obtained from the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership’s web site at www.stlpartnership.com. The Partnership reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive informalities therein. Any questions should be directed to Howl Bean II at (314) 615-7663 or hbean@stlpartnership.com.

St. Louis Economic Development Partnership Equal Opportunity Employer

CATIONS, FIRING RANGE 18A, ST. ROBERT, MISSOURI, Project No. T1810-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 9/6/2018. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/ facilities

for ReplaceRoof, Main Roof Area, E m p l o y m e n t Security Central Office, Jefferson City, Missouri, Project No. O180601 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 9/20/2018. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/ facilities

for Construct 25 Meter Range, Camp Clark Tr a i n i n g S i t e , Nevada, Missouri, Project No. T1838-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 9/6/2018 For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/ facilities

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The St. Louis Economic Development Partnership (the “Partnership”) solicits proposals from qualified firms specializing in commercial real estate to provide brokerage and marketing services to sell its West County Business Incubator facility, located at 743 Spirit 40 Park Drive, Chesterfield, Missouri 63005.

To be considered, proposals must be received no later than 3:00 PM CST on Thursday, September 6, 2018. Proposals should be sent by email to hbean@stlpartnership.com, or to St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, ATTN: Howl Bean II, 7733 Forsyth Blvd., Suite 2200, St. Louis, Missouri 63105. DBE, MBE, and WBE firms are encouraged to bid, and a proposal discount may be available to certified MBE firms.

The Request for Proposals may be obtained from the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership’s web site at www.stlpartnership.com. The Partnership reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive informalities therein. Any questions should be directed to Howl Bean II at (314) 615-7663 or hbean@stlpartnership.com. St. Louis Economic Development Partnership Equal Opportunity Employer

for Construct Unheated Storage Building, Missouri National Guard –AVCRAD, S p r i n g f i e l d , Missouri, Project No. T1729-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 9/6/2018. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/ facilities

for Construct Laundry Building, Missouri National GuardCamp Crowder, Neosho, Missouri, Project No. T182501 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 9/6/2018. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/ facilities

SEALED BIDS

E Lockwood Ave by 3pm September 4, 2018. For more information go to www.webstergroves.org/bids Questions can be directed to Miki McKee (314)963-5656 mckeem@webstergroves.org. All rights reserved.

BIDS for Upgrade HVAC Multiple Buildings, Camp Crowder Tr a i n

S i t e , Neosho, Missouri, Project No. T182201 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 9/6/2018. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/ facilities

UNTIL 1:30 PM, 9/6/2018. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/ facilities

T-SHIRTS

The Missouri Lottery is accepting bids for the purpose of establishing a contract for promotional t-shirts. The bid document with the specifications can be obtained by going to http://www.molottery.com/learnaboutus/bid_opportunities.shtm

& North County

Religion

Homegoing services for Supt. Dr. Sherman L. Strong

Was senior pastor of Restoration Temple Church of God In Christ

American staff

Superintendent Dr. Sherman L. Strong was the distinguished senior pastor of Restoration Temple Church of God In Christ, 2002 Chambers Rd., a ministry focused on the restoration and total deliverance of God’s people. The church is affiliated with the Eastern Missouri First Jurisdiction of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) under the leadership of Bishop R.J. Ward.

Superintendent Strong was installed as the second pastor of Restoration Temple on February 4, 1996. He was licensed as a minister in 1990 and ordained as an elder on May 21, 1993. He was appointed superintendent of the Daniel Bostick District of COGIC in 2004. He served Bishop Ward as an administrative assistant and special advisor. Before being called to Restoration’s pulpit, Dr. Strong served from 19661969 as a staff sergeant in the United States Army during the Vietnam Conflict. He was awarded a Purple Heart for his service. In regional and national religious circles, Dr. Strong was known as a leader because of his extensive preaching career and his charismatic style. In 2006, he was appointed director of the Midwest Region of the Pastors and Elders Council of COGIC International. In 2010 he served as vice president of the council, and in 2012 he was appointed national field representative. He also served the Body of Christ as an evangelist working with the Eastern Missouri First Jurisdictional Evangelist Department of COGIC and also traveled around the

country conducting revivals.

Dr. Strong earned a bachelor’s of religious education from Malachi Bible College in 2002 and was honored with a doctorate degree. He earned a master’s in Biblical Studies and a doctorate of theology from Midwest College of Theology, where he served on the Board of Directors.

He was a well-known visionary and builder. Dr. Strong built a new 550-seat edifice for Restoration Temple Church of God in Christ in 2003, which includes a daycare center and also a gym/banquet hall. Dr. Strong was CEO of Oasis Enterprises, which comprises residential care facilities, various real estate holdings, and a CDS Health service. In 2016 Oasis Enterprises has been approved to begin the building a 96-bed veteran’s facility.

Born in 1946 in Wardell, Missouri, Dr. Strong was the son of Reverend Jesse Strong, pastor of both Swift Baptist Church in Swift, Missouri and Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Portageville,

Superintendent Dr. Sherman L. Strong was the distinguished senior pastor of Restoration Temple Church of God In Christ.

Photo by Chris Croy

Missouri. He was married to Betty Strong. They were the proud parents of five children, Kris Hardin, Sheldon Strong, and Erin Strong-Tyler, and also the grandparents of 12 and a greatgrandparents of two. Their children Sherman Strong Jr. and Cherice Strong preceded him in death.

Homegoing services of Superintendent Dr. Sherman L. Strong are as follows:

• Visitation – Tuesday, September 4 at Restoration Temple Church of God in Christ 2002 Chambers Rd, St. Louis, Missouri 63136 from 4-8 p.m.

• Services – at Kossuth Temple COGIC 3801 Clarence Ave, St. Louis, Missouri 63115 on Wednesday, September 5. Visitation from 5-7 p.m.

Homegoing Service at 7 p.m.

• Burial – Thursday, September 6 at 9:30 a.m. at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, 2900 Sheridan Rd, St. Louis, MO 63125.

The Message

Satan wants me for a trophy

Every now and then I tend to focus on good and evil and its impact on my life. In doing so, the devil inevitably comes up.

I have difficulty in coming to grips with the fact that Satan wants me as a trophy and God wants me as an eternal testament to His love. I just can’t see myself in such a high stakes game of life and death.

The battle I’m in is one in which the only weapon I have is my faith. The difficulty is at any given moment, Satan will attack. He is relentless and at times, a lot of times, my guard is just not up.

On my best days there are distinct moments when focusing on the Word of God is impossible, unlikely or just plain hard. When this occurs, it is obvious to me that this is when the devil is at the top of his game. You see that’s what I mean when I say I don’t realize how important of a trophy I am for Satan.

Therefore, like a weekend athlete, I know I must train. I know I must be prepared. I know the game is out there. But sometimes I just don’t want to work that hard. I just want to be left alone.

Can you see how that frame of mind can get you killed? Can you see how that rather mundane thought can spell trouble?

When I’m conscious and thinking correctly, I understand Satan wants to embarrass, humiliate and like a scorned lover, hurt the Lord. What better way to do this than to steal something, degrade something, ruin something that the devil knows the Lord loves, i.e., me. In your case that would be you.

It’s hard for me to think of myself as being that important. It’s hard to consider myself the pivotal piece in an eternal game of spiritual chess. So I guess without knowing it, I am vulnerable. Like a child who unknowingly wanders off into a swamp, he or she has no idea of the dangers lurking there. Injury and death are but steps away.

That’s how I feel sometimes. I know I’m in trouble. I know I’m lost. I know if I’m not vigilant and consistent, the devil will take me out and celebrate at the wake.

The Bible is full of references to those who would be seduced, abducted, tricked and persecuted for not being true to the Word of God. God Himself expresses frustration at times about those who would willingly forget, or unwillingly choose not to remember who He is and who they belong to. The consequences can be catastrophic. So what’s the answer when you’re just not feeling it? Get into the Word. What’s the solution to being lost in this world? Get into the Word. What’s the defense for Satan’s temptations? Get into the Word and form an offense of testimony. I guess this is a good time to suggest to you that my dilemma on this when I find myself out of sync, is to simply realize that I am, well, out of sync. The answer is to be deliberate in the effort to find my way home. You know when you’re determined, you can’t be distracted.

There are some qualities that we all possess that arm us for this fight. Recognition, understanding, desire and discipline come to mind. Together, focused on the Word, they guarantee victory for God and humiliation for the devil. Sometimes is just takes the will to fight, and the understanding that the war is over. We win. If you don’t believe me, just ask Jesus. Better yet. Just ask the devil.

Columnist James Washington