December 1st, 2015 Edition

by Maurice Meredith

Richard ‘Onion’ Horton passes at 80

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

“Onion was a legend, an icon, a giant, an activist and a scholar,” said activist Brother Anthony Shahid. “Onion was going to speak his mind. But he was somebody who knew our people, and knew that we were human beings who deserved human rights. He was also a father figure to many of us – a strong

Dec. 23 for full tuition, preference for under-represented college students

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American

Riverview Gardens music teacher is Arts Educator of the Year

Harvey E.A. Lockhart honored by Arts and Education Council of St. Louis

By Kiah Earl For The St. Louis American

Harvey E.A. Lockhart, the Riverview Gardens Senior High School band director and performing arts coordinator of secondary education, said that students learn more than music when they study music.

“Music helps our students to be able to handle a lot of the situations that they’re going

n “Music helps our students to be able to handle a lot of the situations that they’re going through.”

– Harvey E.A. Lockhart

through,” Lockhart said. “We teach them how to be structured, we teach them how to pay attention and how to work hard.”

That lesson is being learned by his students.

“Not only does Mr. Lockhart think about what

Photo

The triumphant East St. Louis Flyers football team paraded through their

Flyers parade in triumph

Photo by Wiley Price

JuLy 5, 1936 – november 24, 2016

Harvey E.A. Lockhart, the Riverview Gardens Senior High School band director and performing arts coordinator of secondary education, will receive the 2017 Arts Educator of the Year from the Arts and Education Council of St. Louis at the Chase Park Plaza on January 23.

Photo by Wiley Price

Richard “Onion” Horton

J. Anthony Brown leaves Tom Joyner Morning Show

After a two decade run on the nationallysyndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show (TJMS), funnyman Brown is leaving the show. His comedic take on social issues and pop culture has been a staple for radio listeners in more than 100 markets across the country.

The comedian-turnedradio personality issued the following statement regarding his departure from the show.

“I want to thank all the listeners and fans for embracing me for more than 20 years on the Tom Joyner Morning Show. You were a captive audience, and your support and feedback encouraged me to be a better comic and

a better social commentator, reflecting the world around us,” said Brown. “I am eternally grateful to Tom Joyner and the morning crew for the years of friendship and laughs, in sickness and in health. I thank you for the opportunity to showcase my talents, and allowing me to have a voice on morning radio.”

Back in January of this year, Brown walked off the show, but then returned offering few details regarding his dramatic exit. His decision to leave was rumored to have stemmed from a contract dispute.

TMZ.com said. “Kim, we’re told, has been ‘rethinking everything.’ Our sources would not elaborate.” In related news, West’s hospital stay has reportedly been extended. The rapper has been hospitalized since last Monday after being admitted for psychiatric evaluation. He was admitted to UCLA Medical Center one day after canceling the remaining dates on the Saint Pablo Tour. West was expected to be released yesterday, but doctors have decided to keep the rapper for an extended period.

KUWTK filming reportedly in limbo because of Kanye’s hospital stay

According to TMZ.com, Kim Kardashian had quietly begun filming for “Keeping up with the Kardashians” one month after being bound, gagged and robbed in Paris. But now everything is said to be “up in the air” due to husband Kanye West’s hospitalization.

“We’re told Kanye’s hospitalization has temporarily shut down production, but Kim has been in such bad shape since the robbery that there was no real hope of shooting anything through December,”

on the upcoming Netflix series “Dear White People.”

Walmart truck driver who trampled

Tracy Morgan’s limo pleads guilty

A former Walmart truck driver who crashed into a limousine carrying comedian Tracy Morgan and three others pleaded guilty Tuesday in a New Jersey court. Under the terms of the plea deal, he is not expected to serve jail time.

“Kanye’s doctors are super reluctant to diagnose anything, mainly because a mental or cognitive disorder cannot be diagnosed after one hospital visit, but rather after observing someone’s behavior over the course of a specific time frame,” a source told Entertainment Tonight. “Kanye is there in the hospital because he knows he needs to get better, and he wants to get better.”

Nia Long joins ‘Empire’ cast

Actress Nia Long has reportedly been cast in a recurring role for the third season of the hit Fox series “Empire.”

According to reports, Long has been cast in a recurring role as a gangster club owner from Las Vegas who gets in good with Lucious and locks horns with Cookie.

She was also recently cast in a recurring role

Kevin Roper, 37, entered the plea to seconddegree vehicular homicide and four counts of third-degree aggravated assault in Middlesex County Superior Court.

Roper was driving a Walmart truck on the New Jersey Turnpike in Cranbury when it crashed into the vehicle carrying Morgan and others on June 7, 2014. Morgan was seriously injured and his friend, fellow comedian James “Jimmy Mack” McNair, was killed.

“Mr. Roper entered a guilty plea to certain counts of the indictment pending against him in exchange he was granted admission into the PTI program,” attorney David Glassman told CNN in a statement.

According to his attorney, Roper will enter a three-year pretrial intervention program. If he stays arrest-free and completes 300 hours of community service, the charges will be dismissed, and he will not have a record.

Sources: CNN, TMZ, Entertainment Tonight

Nia Long

J. Anthony Brown

‘Memorializing Displacement’ brought the world to St. Louis

WUSTL / UMSL collaboration raised issues of memory and erasure

By Mark Loehrer For The St. Louis American

In late October a group of academics, museum curators and community activists from across the world met in St. Louis for a workshop examining ways to preserve and amplify stories of the “displaced.” The group included voices from as far as South Africa, Philadelphia and Chicago, as well as educators from St. Louis.

They all shared their own experiences of displacement and discussed tools and ideas to help educators work proactively to preserve memories of those communities which have been lost and those fighting to survive. It was a timely discussion as residents of North St. Louis continue to be displaced from their homes for the NGA project. It was also a very personal, emotional experience for locals in attendance, many who experienced displacement first hand.

The workshop, held October 26-28, was jointly hosted by Washington University and the University of Missouri St. Louis and entitled “Memorializing Displacement: A Local/Global Workshop.”

Speakers from South Africa, such as Ciraj Rassool of the University of Western Cape and Chrischene Julius of the District Six Museum in Cape Town, lent to the discussion unique, though often chillingly familiar, stories.

Documentary filmmaker and community activist

Louis Massiah explained how his organization Scribe has empowered community members in Philadelphia through the medium of film and radio. Massiah shared several short documentaries such as “The Taking of Bodine: Never Forget,” created by residents of Norris Square who were forcefully evicted from their homes via the Philadelphia Neighborhood Transformation Initiative.

This initiative used spot blighting to vacate a rich and ethnically diverse working class neighborhood. Though homes were taken, stories and accounts for how the neighborhood once was are not forgotten because Scribe has encouraged residents to document their history.

The workshop was most powerful when it visited local areas of displacement, such as during a tour led by Washington University Professor Bob Hansman. Sites visited included Mill Creek Valley, Pruitt-Igoe, the NGA site, Kinloch and finally Ferguson.

At one point Hansman led the tour on foot into the heavily wooded Pruitt-Igoe site, pointing out features such as fire plugs, curbs and fire pits that have survived nearly 40 years of isolation. Hansman argued passionately that rather than being an eyesore, the overgrown site was in fact the best memorial for the former public housing project, as “nature has reclaimed what was hers, and it’s beautiful in its serenity.”

Cheeraz Gorman, Bob Hansman, Lois Conley and John Wright took participants in “Memorializing Displacement” to visit local areas of displacement, such as Mill Creek Valley, Pruitt-Igoe, the NGA site, Kinloch and Ferguson.

During the bus tour Lois Conley, founder of St. Louis’ Griot Museum, described her life growing up in Mill Creek Valley in a two-family flat on Chestnut near Grand. She stated, “They called it a slum, but we thought it was pretty good.” Similarly, those interviewed for Paul Fehler’s documentary “The Pruitt Igoe Myth” expressed personal, at times startlingly fond memories about life at the housing complex.”

John Wright, noted St. Louis historian, said in his own presentation that African-American towns from Robertson to Kinloch were disregarded and displaced for

Lambert Airport. Responding to the question “why,” Wright stated, “Money, a lot of money is made in St. Louis off racism. Money is the root of everything. It’s money.”

The workshop also considered the questions surrounding how to publically present the realities and issues surrounding displacement, including how we present the story of the displaced without appearing to exploit their experience.

Panelists including Jennifer Scott of the Jane Addams-Hull House Museum and Todd Palmer of the National Public Housing Museum, both located in Chicago, shared

their experience working with museums that view the place itself as both a monument and an archive, a living memorial to the people it sought to educate. Locally, Pamela Talley of Lewis Place Historical Preservation and Kristin Fleischmann of the Pulitzer Arts Foundation shared their collaborative work in memorializing a recently demolished property, 4562 Enright Place. Disassembled and reconstructed within the Pulitzer museum, this exhibit struck some in the audiences as voyeuristic, aestheticizing poverty for wealthy patrons. Talley defended the exhibit, emphasizing that it forced those

who viewed it to confront a day-to-day reality experienced by many African Americans on the North Side. Where do we go from here? That’s the question asked during the final discussion of the Memorializing Displacement workshop. Ciraq Rassool asked, “Is what’s to be installed where something once was always to be built absent of any history of what came before? How do we allow history to do more than just mitigation in the shaping of those developments?”

This is a challenging question. Few memorials exist currently for St. Louis’ black communities that have been butchered or erased completely, from Meacham Park to Howard Place and Robertson to Westland Acres. Howard Place is memorialized in the form of a large rock and plaque sitting on the outskirts of Brentwood’s massive shopping center, tucked behind a fence. In Rock Hill, the historic Presbyterian church which was built with slave labor, yet was integrated from its beginnings in the 19th century, was displaced by a gas station. It too has a memorial, a small plaque which sits on the corner of Rock Hill Road and Manchester.

Rassool’s question mirrored one asked the day before: How can academics and museum curators use their resources to assist communities striving to prevent further erasure? In large part, these questions were best answered, out of context, by John Wright when he raised the issue of what St. Louis is missing: a “hellraising” group. This begs the question: Who will be St. Louis’ next Percy Green II?

To view presentations and panel discussions from “Memorializing Displacement,” visit https:// goo.gl/n033fH

Photo by Mark Loehrer

Editorial /CommEntary

Judge Teitelman, we need you and will miss you

We take allies where and how we find them in our mission to educate and empower the black community in St. Louis. We have learned that not all of our allies are African-American (and not all African Americans are our allies). This week we lost one of our most critical allies in the state of Missouri, and he was a blind Jewish man. The passing of Missouri Supreme Court Judge Richard B. Teitelman at the age of 69 leaves the state’s highest court bereft of perhaps its most compassionate, progressive and competent jurist at an unstable and uncertain time, when an untried, inexperienced Republican is about to be sworn in as Missouri governor and the publisher of a white nationalist news site is the chief strategist of the next U.S. president. Indeed, a Jewish progressive who rose to the state’s highest bench after two decades of serving the poor’s legal needs as a blind man was the antithesis of Donald Trump, purportedly a billionaire who publicly mocked a disabled person during a campaign rally, and whose election as U.S. president was greeted publicly by American racists with a Nazi salute. Judge Teitelman, we need you now, more than ever. Though it will be so much more difficult now than ever, we will continue your mission of fighting for equal access to justice, regardless of income or race. We will continue to defy the racist right that targeted you during your retention elections, and who brought you and us together by your need to be defended and our determination to defend you – exactly as you defended the most vulnerable in our community, making life in this state better for countless people who will never know your name.

You once told us that you kept with you at all times our most forceful endorsement

It is our duty to demand ethical integrity from our presidents, and Donald Trump cannot be allowed to make himself an exception. He is already trying hard to do so.

Amid the hustle and bustle of his transition, according to The New York Times, Presidentelect Trump found time for a visit from the Indian partners with whom he is developing a pair of residential towers in Pune, a sprawling city not far from Mumbai. And Trump received a congratulatory phone call from Argentine President Mauricio Macri, with whose father Trump had business dealings in the past. Trump and Macri denied published reports that Trump lobbied for an office building project he and a group of partners want to build in Buenos Aires.

Scotland and Ireland. We know that much – but very little more – from the financial disclosure documents Trump filed in May. We would know more had he not broken his promise to release his tax returns.

of your retention on the bench, when we spelled out your decades of defending the poor at Legal Services of Missouri and your years dutifully upholding the U.S. and Missouri constitutions on the state’s highest bench. We will continue to carry your spirit, your belief in justice for the poor and protection of constitutional freedoms, with us now that you are, physically, gone. A memorial service for Judge Teitelman is scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday, December 1 at Graham Memorial Chapel on the Washington University campus in St. Louis.

The American and the mayoral campaign Filing for the office of St. Louis mayor opened on Monday, November 28, and one of the candidates who filed was Tishaura O. Jones,

currently St. Louis treasurer and formerly state representative for Missouri House District 63 in the city. She is the beloved daughter of Virvus Jones, a member of The St. Louis American editorial board for more than two decades. When Tishaura filed, Virvus agreed to take a hiatus from our editorial board. Also, it must be said here that St. Louis American publisher and executive editor Donald M. Suggs personally contributed a substantial amount to her campaign treasury. Suggs contributed this considerable sum early in the campaign because he believes her candidacy needs to go forward, based on her performance in the Missouri House of Representatives and her effective management and reform of the troubled city treasurer’s office. However, we will report this campaign as fairly and transparently as possible and withhold any endorsement until much closer to the March 7 municipal primary election.

Also, when Trump met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Trump’s daughter Ivanka was present. That raised eyebrows because Ivanka Trump, along with her brothers Donald Jr. and Eric, apparently will manage Trump’s business empire while he is in office. Trump’s lawyer called this arrangement a “blind” trust, but it is no such thing. Rather, it’s a way to use the presidency for the Trump family’s further enrichment.

The real and potential conflicts of interest are legion. The Washington Post reported that “at least 111 Trump companies have done business in 18 countries and territories across South America, Asia and the Middle East” and also places such as Canada,

Some of Trump’s overseas developments are brick-andmortar projects financed by big loans, often from foreign banks. Trump’s biggest lender, Germany’s Deutsche Bank, is negotiating a multibillion-dollar settlement with the Justice Department over abuses that contributed to the 2008 financial crash. Trump will soon be in charge of the Justice Department.

Some other foreign business dealings are basically licensing agreements for the use of the Trump brand. According to the Post, Trump’s company has been paid “up to $10 million” since 2014 for the right to put the Trump name atop a luxury apartment complex in Istanbul.

The owner is an oil and media conglomerate closely allied with the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is conducting a brutal campaign of repression against his critics, including the independent Turkish media.

So when dealing with countries where he does business, will Trump put his own financial interests aside

and do what is best for the United States? Based on what we have seen since the election, the answer is a simple no. What does the law require? Almost nothing. As president, Trump is exempt from conflict-ofinterest statutes. He must file an annual disclosure document listing assets and income but is not compelled to release his tax returns, though recent presidents have done so. There is no law that would keep Trump from continuing to run the Trump Organization while in office. (Arguably, it might be better for him to spend time doing that than trying to deport 11 million undocumented migrants, take away health insurance from 20 million people, ban Muslims from entering the country and reinstitute torture for terrorism suspects.)

He does have to reckon with the emoluments clause of the Constitution, which bars public officials from receiving gifts from foreign governments without the consent of Congress. If stalled overseas projects suddenly get moving again after Trump is sworn in, that could be a problem. Primarily, though, it is going to take public pressure to hold Trump accountable. Trump’s supporters should recall how he claimed the system was rigged and promised to “drain the swamp.” So far, he seems to intend to deepen the muck and make his fabulously wealthy family even wealthier.

By Sheretta Bulter-Barns, Darrell Hudson and David Patterson Silver Wolf Guest columnists

In America, race, inequalities and social mobility have been interwoven into the fabric of the country. Eight years ago, many Americans hopefully wondered whether the country had transcended race with the election of its first AfricanAmerican – or, more specific, a mixed-race man with an African father and Caucasian mother – president. Even in in the aftermath of the worst economic recession since the Great Depression, there was immense hope, as the election of Barack Obama signaled that substantial progress on racism, inequalities and barriers to upward social mobility had been made. And while there are empirical data showing that many American lives, regardless of race, have improved since the Obama election and before, communities of color have continued to suffer disproportionately as it relates to educational, social, and economic equality and opportunities for upward social mobility. What connects these communities? Their race.

African Americans, Native Americans and Hispanics/ Latinos have shorter lifespans and significantly poorer overall health when compared to Caucasians. Children from these communities lag in our educational systems and have higher rates of substance use disorders and suicides.

Although greater wealth leads to great health in America, even when members within these community’s experience social and economic improvements, their overall poor health and wellness outcomes persist. Scientifically investigating these unique conditions and developing evidence based interventions that could best treat them has been at the forefront of our careers. As researchers who were born into these communities and fought our way into academic positions at Washington University in St. Louis, our primary focus has been on our communities and ways to bring about real change in

n We owe it to those who have suffered from disproportionate burdens to not just prevent moving backwards but to push forward towards equality.

inequalities and social mobility. Within Washington University in St. Louis’ Brown School of Social Work we developed the Collaboration on Race, Inequalities, and Social Mobility in America (CRISMA). Our mission is to delineate the ways in which inequality and structural racism affect racial/ethnic disparities in achievement, life chances, social and economic mobility, and health in the United States. Social mobility has been described as the movement which happens into adulthood that is significantly different for one’s place during childhood. Upward social mobility is perhaps the most critical aspect of the American Dream.

Inequality is critical in regard to neighborhood and education quality, and undermines chances of upward social mobility.

When Americans went to vote on November 8, these issues were critically important. On November 9 when our alarms clocks went off, it seemed like much of the progress the country has made towards achieving racial equality was lost. However, CRISMA’s work and the issues we study are critically important at this time, now more than ever. We owe it to those who have suffered from disproportionate burdens to not just prevent moving backwards but to push forward towards equality.

We call on our community members to continue fighting for all Americans, regardless of race, gender, immigration status, religion, sexual orientation or disability, to have an equal opportunity to achieve their version of the American Dream.

CRISMA will march onward achieving our mission. We will investigate, challenge and improve our educational systems, community-based mental health and healthcare settings, as well as train the next generation of AfricanAmerican, Native-American and Hispanic/Latino scholars. While we face uncertainly, please know that the directors of CRISMA will not be deterred or distracted from our personal and professional passion. It is our hope that you will find a way to join and support us.

Sheretta Bulter-Barns, Darrell Hudson and David Patterson Silver Wolf are directors of CRISMA.

Key political strategist

Pearlie Evans was a remarkable humanitarian and public servant who touched so many lives in St. Louis and across our nation. She had a keen intellect and a huge, warm heart for the citizens that she served for more than three decades. Pearlie was a key political strategist for black politics across the country and internationally as well. She opened doors for myself and so many others. I will deeply miss her friendship and wise counsel and my thoughts and prayers go out to her family.”

U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay St. Louis

Digital ‘stop and frisk’ for Muslims

The NAACP resolutely condemns President-elect Trump’s proposed plans for a “Muslim registry.” Our

nation’s history contains far too many horrific examples of the oppression and demonization of groups based on religion, race, origin or political affiliation, and we refuse to sit by silently and allow for the creation of new ones.

The president-elect may have run a campaign based on the faulty assumption that only through a return to the racialized polarization of the past can America be great again, but those of us who know our history and have a memory of that ugly past will fight with every inch of our spirit to not go back.

While slavery, genocide, segregation and internment have strained our ideals of democracy and inclusion, those same ideals yet inspire the NAACP’s work in streets, media and courts.

For over a century, the NAACP has battled against racism to secure equality for all American citizens. Presidentelect Trump’s proposed registry – a digital “stop and

frisk” for Muslim Americans – is the latest threat to the liberty of all Americans. The NAACP stands with our civil rights organization partners in denouncing any “Muslim registry” and in the ongoing fight against the persecution of any Americans. For democracy to become real for all members of our nation, we all must learn to stand in solidarity with any subjugated groups and embrace the risks of doing so. That is why I, as a proud Christian and card-carrying member of the NAACP, have joined with my dear Jewish colleague, Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, in vowing that, should President-elect Trump’s threat of a “Muslim registry” come to fruition, we will not hesitate to sign up.

Cornell William Brooks, president and CEO NAACP

Columnist Eugene Robinson

Photo by Wiley Price

Judge Richard B. Teitelman with attorney Frankie Muse Freeman at 100th Birthday Bash at the St. Louis Marriott Grand Hotel on Saturday, October 22.

Hazelwood honors undefeated Hawks

Tony Brooks, John Pukala and Central’s coaching staff.

Family Resource Day at Mathews-Dickey

The Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club is giving low-income families an opportunity to apply for financial assistance for their Laclede Gas and Ameren energy bills, weatherization help (through the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis), and a chance to learn about other beneficial resources at its Fall Family Resource Day from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, December 3 in lower gym at Mathews-Dickey, 4245 N. Kingshighway Blvd.

Clients seeking energy help must have an Ameren electric or Laclede Gas Service account in his/her name and bring the following documents: picture identification, proof of Income, Social Security Cards for all household members, proof of residence and utility bill.

There will also be a Chili Cook-off. The event is free to attend, except for cook-off taster and entry fees. To register visit www.mathews-dickey.com

Zoo celebrates Cheetahs on Dec. 4

The St. Louis Zoo will celebrate International Cheetah Day 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, December 4 at the River’s Edge, African schoolhouse across from the cheetah habitat. (The Living World will be the event site in case of inclement weather.) Conservation organizations around the world are celebrating cheetahs on International Cheetah Day to raise awareness about the plight of the most endangered cat in Africa and Iran. For more information, visit stlzoo.org/cheetahday.

Environmental racism in Robertson?

By Maria Chappelle-Nadal Guest columnist

As a former French settlement established in the early 1800s in St. Louis County, the city of Robertson eventually became known as an historic black community.

A year ago, I had never heard of Robertson until I was sitting at the dinner table of a dear friend who happened to invite a woman who once lived there. We were talking about the attorney general’s then-recent report about radioactive waste contamination being found off-premises near the Bridgeton Landfill. The woman informed me she remembered haul trucks coming into Robertson dumping strange things into a stretch of land once used as a short-term landfill. She said rocks would fall off the haul trucks and kids would play with them as part of a game. The former Robertson resident said whatever was in those trucks ended up getting members of her family and neighbors sick.

For decades, Robertson residents depended on well and fresh water from surrounding streams. By the 1950s, those water sources were “black as a lagoon.”

The narrative of former Robertson residents is the same.

“We started getting cancer.” “Many people died.” “Our high school closed as people were getting sick and dying.” “I’ve had breast cancer three times.” “Nearly all my family who lived in Robertson died.”

n The surviving residents of Robertson are getting older; we cannot allow their stories to be forever lost and never explored.

As the state senator of this former black community, I have held 57 town hall meetings on radioactive waste contamination in the last 15 months. It is my belief that the same type of radioactive waste contaminates that were dumped into the Bridgeton Landfill (and also contaminated Coldwater Creek) were dumped into the Kent landfill in Robertson.

On Sunday, December 4 at 3 p.m., I am asking former Robertson residents or their descendants to join me at the First M.B. Church, 356 Woodlawn Ave. in Hazelwood – the community once known as Robertson.

The surviving residents of Robertson are getting older; we cannot allow their stories to be forever lost and never explored. It is my strong belief that the people of Robertson were victims of environmental racism. I am in the process of discovering the missing pieces to this story. I need your help.

Please join me at the First MB Church of Robertson, 356 Woodlawn Ave. in Hazelwood, 3 p.m. Sunday, December 4. State Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal (D-University City) represents District 14 in the Missouri Senate

Maria ChappelleNadal

The Hazelwood Central High School Hawks football team was recently honored at a Board of Education meeting for their undefeated regular season. The team received a standing ovation from Board Members and posed for a few photos. The team is shown with board members Cheryl Latham and Karlton Thornton. Also pictured are Bruce Green,

LOCKHART

Continued from A1 benefits the music program, he also thinks about what will benefit us as students and as individuals,” said Ngone Seck, a junior.

Under Lockhart’s guidance, Seck has learned to play the flute, clarinet, baritone saxophone – and the changes of a young person’s life.

“He considers what goes on in our lives and the things that we’re all going through,” Seck said.

Lockhart is not only considered a teacher to his students, but a mentor and a role model as well. Students regard Lockhart as family.

“Mr. Lockhart pushes me to the limit,” said Todd Merriweather, a freshman. “He treats us like a family. I don’t feel uncomfortable going to Mr. Lockhart for help or even if I just don’t know what to do about a situation in my life.”

In recognition of his efforts, the Arts and Education Council of St. Louis will award him as 2017 Arts Educator of the Year at the Chase Park Plaza on January 23.

A saxophonist and composer, Lockhart said students should work with and learn directly from musicians. As a musician, he has worked with Jazz St. Louis, the Sheldon Arts Foundation and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, to name a few.

Lockhart said that while some students are placed in music courses as a requirement, the majority of his students continue with the program after seeing how rewarding mastering an instrument is.

“Our program is very active,” Lockhart said. “We offer a variety of courses, both during the school day as well as in after-school programs

UMSL

Continued from A1

Louis metro area or current high school seniors, starting college in the fall semester following the application deadline. They also must meet two of these three criteria: rank in top 10 percent of high school class, have earned a 3.5 cumulative high school GPA, or have a composite ACT score of 26 or higher (or SAT equivalent).

Candidates also must have demonstrated involvement and potential for leadership through extracurricular activities or community service. Preference will be given to firstgeneration college students and/or underrepresented minority students. Students must apply through UMSL’s online scholarship application, and the deadline for submission is Friday, December 23. A scholarship committee will review the application materials and select the recipient for fall 2017, as well as an alternate.

that give the youth numerous opportunities to become immersed.”

Lockhart himself offers proof that music can lead to earning a good livelihood.

“Our students recognize that music can take them all over the world,” he said. “It’s bigger than just St. Louis and the neighborhood they grew up in.”

Lockhart, who has taught at Riverview Gardens High School for seven years and been teaching since 2000, has

success coach” in the Office of Multicultural Student Services (MSS). Recipients are also expected to actively participate in MSS programs and activities.

“We are trying to develop the scholars into leaders on campus and leaders in the community,” he said.

The scholarship is unique to others that UMSL offers because it focuses on firstgeneration college students, low-income students and students of color who have excellent grades but don’t have financial means to attend a university, he said.

n “We are trying to develop the scholars into leaders on campus and leaders in the community.”

– Alan Byrd, UMSL’s dean of enrollment services

The scholarship is renewable for three additional years. Recipients must successfully complete 24 credit hours per academic year and maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher.

Alan Byrd, UMSL’s dean of enrollment services, said he is excited that the recipients will be assigned to a “student

“This will remove the financial barriers so they can focus on school and reach their full potential in the classroom,” he said.

Byrd said that he has been working towards establishing the scholarship since he arrived at UMSL in 2009 as director of admissions. Now, as dean, he is in charge of all recruitment initiatives, financial aid and enrollment. He said many local students rely on UMSL, and 70 percent of their graduates stay in St. Louis.

“We are vital to the region,” he said.

UMSL’s Bridge program strives to establish a partnership with students in disadvantaged school districts starting from fifth grade and all the way through high school.

Byrd believes their outreach efforts are working. This year, UMSL graduated the largest class of students of color in the

n “I don’t feel uncomfortable going to Mr. Lockhart for help or even if I just don’t know what to do about a situation in my life.”

– Todd Merriweather

earned the admiration of his building principal at Riverview Gardens High School.

“Mr. Lockhart takes the initiative in ensuring that our scholars both excel in the

classroom academically and in their personal lives outside of school,” Riverview Gardens High School Principal Darius Kirk said. “I believe that Mr. Lockhart goes above and

beyond the call of duty when it comes to his relationship with every one of his students.”

Kirk, much like Lockhart, values the importance of using music as an agent to push students past their boundaries, both in and out of the classroom.

“One of our main goals is to create an environment for our scholars to have numerous creative outlets,” Kirk said.

“Mr. Lockhart is a key piece to our success here, and his work

ethic is evident. He is not just worried about his scholars and their musical aptitude, but he is also worried about them as a person.”

For more information about the 2017 St. Louis Arts Awards and the tickets for January 23 ceremony, visit http://bit. ly/2cGm6Yj.

For more information about Harvey Lockhart, visit harveylockhart.com or contact Lockhart by email at healockhart@gmail.com.

Promethians donate food

university’s history with 632. It far exceeded the goal of 500 graduates of color set in UMSL’s strategic plan.

“Now we are definitely making some good progress,” Byrd said. “I’m really excited about the direction we are headed. The number one reason students leave

our institution is financial barriers. The scholarship is a win-win for us and the community.”

Byrd wants UMSL to name the scholarship after Suggs – as a number of other universities also have done, working with the St. Louis American Foundation

– because of his personal example of leadership. Suggs worked his way up, from working-class family in Jim Crow America, to be an oral surgeon, newspaper publisher, philanthropist and civic leader.

“Dr. Suggs has such a compelling story for young people,” Byrd said. “There are not enough role models in African-American community. You don’t meet many AfricanAmerican surgeons, especially those who are so engaged in the community and have done so much to improve education.”

Ronald Haymore and Ron Brunson, members of the man’s social club the Promethians, delivered of donated food to Antaniece Sills at Hamilton Elementary School, 5819 Westminster Place, on Tuesday. November 22.

Photo by Wiley Price

Harvey E.A. Lockhart, the Riverview Gardens Senior High School band director and performing arts coordinator of secondary education, said that students learn more than music when they study music.

Photo by Wiley Price

HORTON

Continued from A1

black male role model.”

Longtime listener Eunice Davis joined hundreds who took to Facebook to extend condolences to Horton’s family and share memories.

“I listened to Mr. Horton’s shows up and down the dial – on whatever station aired it,” Davis said. He worked on several stations over the course of his 30-plus years in talk radio. Like Davis, listeners followed him wherever he went.

“If Onion got put off of a station on one day and he told us where he was, within a month’s time you couldn’t call in on the show because all the lines would be busy,” Shahid said.

His longest tenure was at WGNU 920 AM, where he held the 6-10 a.m. morning drive slot for more than a decade from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s.

Some mornings Horton would get so fired up during an argument with a caller or a guest, they might be considered fighting words. But instead of saying “meet me in the parking lot,” the next words out of Horton’s mouth would be “meet me at the library.” For him a lesson, not a lashing, was the takeaway.

“He used to say, ‘The most dangerous black man in America is one with an education and a library card,’” said radio personality Charlie “Tuna” Edwards. He was mentored by Horton and eventually became his co-host.

“He would go to the library every day. There weren’t any laptops back then. There was no Google,” Edwards said. “He would always tell me to read, because ‘when you’re black and on the radio, people are going to always question you.’”

Nearly daily visits to the library gave him fodder for the show. Subjects ran the gamut, but he gravitated towards local sports, politics and race.

“Onion was the guy who

would say those things that you couldn’t say,” said former St. Louis Comptroller Virvus Jones. “People would think, ‘I go to work every day and I can’t say that this guy is a racist, or that guy was acting like an ‘Uncle Tom’ – even if that’s the way I felt. I can’t say that because I might get fired – or I’m just afraid to say it.’ Onion wasn’t afraid to say anything. When you put that mic in front of him, watch out. But outside of radio he was really a nice person and a great family man.”

The man behind the microphone

He was born Richard Lyons Horton in Searcy, Arkansas on July 5, 1936. The only child of J.B. and Hazel Horton, he was sent to live with relatives in Fort Wayne, Indiana as a child after his parents divorced and stayed there through high school. After graduation, Horton moved to St. Louis. He joined the U.S. Air Force and then married Laurrein Horton-

Davis. They had four children before the couple divorced in 1985.

After Horton left the military, he returned to St. Louis, where he worked as a postal employee – before his love of sports (and knack for conversation) fatefully landed him a second career in media and an unforgettable nickname. He cut his hair low before taking members of the youth softball team he coached to see the film “Onionhead.” One of the teammates called him “Onion” to poke fun at his new haircut, which she likened to a particular scene in the film. The name stuck with him for the rest of his life.

When Horton would hold court at Luther’s Barbershop in his beloved North City, he was captivating. His gift for gab caught the attention of the late longtime St. Louis American Sports Editor Morris Henderson in the 1970s. Henderson asked him to write a sports column for The American. Horton agreed. For the next several years the duo

used the paper as a highlight reel for black student athletes.

“Those two were relentless in their coverage of prep sports,” said American Photojournalist Wiley Price, who worked with Henderson and Horton as a fellow staffer.

“They were devoted to making sure young black athletes had a platform to shine and used The American to highlight studentathlete achievements when they weren’t getting coverage anyplace else.”

After Henderson used The American to voice his outrage at their lack of black sports commentators, KMOX hired Horton. The transition to radio was a natural fit, though his views made some uncomfortable. He was considered a “black shock jock” pioneer because of the unapologetically pro-black views he expressed on his show, regardless of where he happened to be positioned on the radio dial.

“Onion told the world to sit up and pay attention to black voices,” said Lizz Brown, who

replaced Horton in the morning drive slot on WGNU after his departure from the station in 1996. “He made it plain, and he made you pick a side.”

Longtime black St. Louis radio personality Tony Scott described Horton as “straight, no-chaser.” “He never pulled punches,” Scott said. “He said what needed to be said.” He also paved the way for many.

“Onion also made it possible for people like me to make a career in black talk radio,” Brown said. “For that I am forever grateful.”

Black and proud

Misconceptions regarding his opinions and the subject matter of his shows gave some people the wrong idea about Horton’s beliefs.

“A lot of people wanted to paint him as a racist. That was a lie,” Shahid said. “Onion loved his community like he loved his family, but he dealt with everybody.”

Shahid said the problems

would come into play only if someone implied or stated that they were superior because of the color of their skin – which happened often.

Edwards remembered Horton’s outrage about “Missouri Waltz,” the fight song for Mizzou. Horton objected to the lyrics of the song, which included the line “when I was a pickaninny on ma mammy’s knee, the darkies were hummin’, their banjos were strumming.” They were ultimately changed because of his protest.

According to Shahid, Horton’s love for black people earned him the admiration and respect of Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan and the organization’s international representative Minister Akbar Muhammad.

“We loved Onion because Onion Horton loved his people and he didn’t make it no issue to tell everybody how he felt about us,” Shahid said. “He gave us a voice and visibility. He would roar about black people and what black people were capable of and how we could stick together.” Horton is survived by his wife Karen, his four children (Loretta Horton, Marlene Donelson, Richard Horton Jr. and Allen Horton) and eight grandchildren.

Visitation will take place from 9-10 a.m. on Friday, December 2 with funeral services immediately following at Friendly Temple M.B. Church, 5515 Dr. Martin Luther King Dr., St. Louis, MO 63112. The burial will take place at Jefferson Barracks. A repast will be held following the burial at Elmo’s Love Lounge, 7828 Olive Blvd. in University City, MO 63130. A memorial service will be held 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, December 10 at the Omega Center at 3900 Goodfellow Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63120.

Gloria Ross and St. Louis Public Radio contributed to this report.

Richard “Onion” Horton (gesturing) with Mildred Gaddis, Bernie Hayes and other guests on KETC’s “Post-Script” talk show in the early 1980s.

Photo by Maurice Meredith

Your Family Doctor

By Hailey Middlebrook CNN

Digital media exposure for children of all ages should be limited, according to new guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

New screen time rules for kids Sensible holiday eating

The AAP recently hosted a national conference in San Francisco, where an estimated 10,000 pediatricians met to discuss new children’s health recommendations for 2017. Children’s screen time, social media and cyberbullying were key points of interest.

Previously the Academy set a general screen time limit: no more than two hours in front of the TV for kids over age 2. Today, in a world surrounded by digital media 24/7, defining screen time is difficult.

“It doesn’t make sense to make a blanket statement [of two hours] of screen time anymore,” said Dr. Yolanda Reid Chassiakos, lead author of the “Children and Adolescents and Digital Media Technical Report” and assistant professor at UCLA. “For some children, two hours may be too much.”

For the new guidelines, the AAP identifies screen time as time spent using digital media for entertainment purposes. Other uses of media, such as online homework, don’t count as screen time.

The academy recommends that for children 2 to 5 years of age, screen time should be limited to one hour per day. For kids ages 6 and older, parents can determine the restrictions for time spent using screen, as well as monitor the types of digital media their children use.

Babies are most vulnerable to screens. Infants aged 18 months and younger should not be exposed to any digital media, the academy said.

Infants 18 months and younger: No screen time For parents with infants, cutting off technology completely can be challenging. However, banning screen time for babies is hugely important for brain development and healthy parent-child connections, Chassiakos said.

“The noise and activity of a screen are distracting for a child,” she said. Even if the baby isn’t directly looking at the screen – for example, if a mother is nursing her child on the couch while watching TV – the baby can be overstimulated by the lights and sounds, which may cause distress and sleep problems.

Perhaps most negatively, screen time causes a disconnect between parents and children.

“When a mother is breast-feeding, that is a crucial bonding time,” said Chassiakos. The more faceto-face interaction children have with mothers and other adults, especially eye contact, the better for the brain development of infants, she explained.

If parents’ attention is fixed on a TV or phone screen, babies are deprived of that attention; and if they are repeatedly neglected in favor of digital media, children may develop behavioral issues in the future, Chassiakos said.

“The TV should not be a

babysitter,” she said. “It’s much better to talk to a child or read from a book.”

Children 2 to 5 years: One hour per day

The AAP recommends that “parents prioritize creative, unplugged playtime for infants and toddlers,” according to its press release. Children this age can be introduced to screens, but only for one hour a day. The type of media they are exposed to is critical: only high-quality programs, such as “Sesame Street” and other PBS shows should be viewed.

“Shows like ‘Sesame Street’ are much better than standard TV, because they don’t have advertisements, which tend to overstimulate children,” said Chassiakos. Toddler-aged kids haven’t developed the cognitive skills to understand advertisements or animations, she explained. Children at this age “can’t interpret images like an older kid,” meaning they can’t decipher between real-world people and fictional cartoons.

While cartoons get a thumbsdown, the academy supports toddlers using face-to-face interactive media, such as Skype or Facetime. Including children in Skype video conversations with grandma, for example, can promote healthy development in kids, Chassiakos said. After the conversation ends, parents can supplement children’s learning by

repeating what grandma said on the screen.

Children 6 years and older: Limit digital media

Parents are in charge of setting limits on digital media for kids and teens six and older, the academy said. The amount of daily screen time depends on the child and family, but children should prioritize productive time over entertainment time.

For healthy kids, an average day includes “school, homework time, at least one hour of physical activity, social contact and sleep – which is anywhere from eight to 12 hours for kids,” said Chassiakos. “Whatever’s left over can be screen time.”

The academy agrees that digital media should never replace healthy activities, particularly sleep, social interaction and physical activity. In the press release, Dr. Jenny Radesky stated, “What’s most important is that parents be their child’s ‘media mentor.’ That means teaching them how to use it as a tool to create, connect and learn.”

Kids and teens have access to thousands of apps, film streaming sites, video games and social media on multiple devices, from personal smartphones to public school-issued tablets.

“The environment of media has changed today,” Chassiakos said. Many aspects of digital media are positive: it can be

Two hours of TV a day may be too much for kids, said the American Academy of Pediatrics, and infants who are 18 months and younger should not be exposed to any screens.

By Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D.

If your break room is like mine around this time of year, it is impossible to enter it without coming out with some type of homemade pastry or candy. From Halloween to the New Year, it is an unrelenting battle of willpower to resist the tempting snares of scrumptious possibilities awaiting you. It isn’t a matter of a lack of knowledge regarding healthy meal options. On the contrary, it is simply our carnal desire to want to live a little and share in the holiday festivities.

interactive; it facilitates communication; it allows people to create. Kids often view class lecture notes and do homework through a screen, she said.

However, parents have to talk to kids, especially teens, about the risks of digital media – including “cyberbullying, engaging in sexting, and being accessible to advertisements and online predators,” Chassiakos said.

For smaller children, discussing advertisements on TV is important, the academy reports. Many products, such as sugary cereals and fast-food restaurants, are marketed to children, and parents should help kids understand that these foods aren’t healthy choices.

“Even though the media landscape is constantly changing, some of the same parenting rules apply,” Chassiakos wrote in the academy’s press release. “Parents play an important role in helping children and teens navigate the media environment, just as they help them learn how to behave off-line.”

For help constructing a digital media plan for the whole family, the AAP recommends using the Family Media Plan tool, which can be found at healthychildren. org. (Edited for length) The-CNN-Wire ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.

Well, my southern mother used to always say, “What is done in the dark, will come to light,” although I really do believe she meant this for me when I was dating boys. However, my 21st century translation to illustrate my point: “all of those calories you ate will eventually land in places that you will soon regret.” Therefore, what are some better ways to navigate through the many holiday parties and gatherings with family, coworkers, and friends?

Never go to the party hungry. This is the same principal for grocery shopping. You are more likely to overindulge on poor dietary choices if your stomach is empty. Eat a little before you go and drink plenty of water.

Instead of two or three beers, try having a glass of red wine instead. A 5-ounce glass of red wine is about 125 calories compared to 146 calories for a 12-ounce beer. Though some research has shown that moderate alcohol use may decrease development of heart disease or dying from it or reduce your risk of diabetes, the evidence is not certain and may not be the same for everyone. Moderate use is defined as one glass of alcohol for women and two glasses for men.

Just because you are traveling does not mean you have to abandon your routine exercise schedule. Almost every hotel these days has an adequate gym facility. So pack your workout clothes and get to sweating! Serving size! Serving size! Serving size! FYI: a plate full of dressing or stuffing is not a serving size. Even during the holidays, your plate should be full of mostly vegetables. Pick your carbohydrate. If you just have to have Aunt Betty’s macaroni-n-cheese, then skip the homemade rolls, please.

Start a new healthy holiday tradition

Find a local race in your hometown and encourage the family to join you or after your big dinner celebration, take a long walk. Improving the health of our families should be on the agenda of each family gathering. Someone has to be the catalyst to get things started. Let it be you!

Choose better options for food fests at work. And not to exclude your office family, instead of the typical potluck, encourage everyone to be creative and find healthy alternatives for their favorite dishes. For example, consider bringing in salads and eating fresh fruit for dessert instead of cakes and pies.

This year I am encouraging each of us to make smart choices this holiday so that we catapult into the New Year with a great head start.

Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D. is assistant professor at SLUCare Family Medicine. You may contact her at yourhealthmatters@ stlamerican.com

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

Denise HooksAnderson, MD

Filing opens for March 7 primary election for St. Louis mayor

After Donald Trump was elected U.S. president on November 8, U.S. President Barack Obama recorded and released a video in which he said, “The sun will rise in the morning.” It wasn’t much to promise a stunned, panicstricken nation, but at least he was right, unlike almost everyone who predicted the outcome of that election.

Filing opened for the office of St. Louis mayor on Monday, November 28. The seat will be open, because incumbent Mayor Francis G. Slay, a Democrat, said he will not seek reelection, and indeed he did not file on Monday and has made no signs of changing his mind (not even after Hillary Clinton was defeated and, with it, any hope for his federal judicial appointment in the foreseeable future). The municipal primary election is March 7. So, we can say this much at this point: On March 8, we will have a new Democratic nominee for St. Louis mayor. Given that St. Louis is a Democratic stronghold and the Democratic nominee has always been a shoo-in for mayor, it’s almost certain that the Democratic winner on March 7 will be elected mayor in the April 4 general election. But, in the bizarre year of Trump – and with rampant rumors about a heavily funded independent candidate poised to take on the Democratic nominee in the general election – let’s not go that far yet.

Filing for the March 7 primary election closes on January 6, and the candidates who file have until January 26 to withdraw and stay off the ballot. Since some of the candidates who filed on Monday must know they have little chance to win, but considerable potential to spoil the bid of a candidate with a better chance to win, it will not

be possible to handicap this election with confidence until close of business on January 26. It’s entirely possible that one or more of the candidates who file for mayor will lose heart – or be incentivized to withdraw – before the ballots are printed. That said, we can begin to survey the field based on who filed on day one. It must be said that the possibly electable white candidates who had filed campaign committees cut deals – or, at any rate, decided to stay out of each other’s way – before filing opened. Police Chief Sam Dotson announced that he would rather stay police chief, and Collector of Revenue Gregg F.X. Daly announced that he would not run because “attacking others is just not my style.” The EYE did not get the memo that this was going to be a negative campaign, but that’s probably as safe a bet as that the sun will rise in the morning. That leaves, among white candidates, Lyda Krewson alderwoman of the 28th Ward in the city’s diverse, bustling central corridor. Dotson and Daly’s announcements that they would not file were followed, fast, by an email blast from J. Kim Tucci, the grizzled political operative serving as finance chairman for Lyda for Mayor. Local political professionals instantly recognized this as the “only one white mayoral candidate” email. This “only one white mayoral candidate” business leaves out one William C. “Bill” Haas, who is indeed white and did indeed file for mayor on Monday. Haas does that a lot, file for elected office. Most recently he filed for U.S. representative in the 1st Congressional District in the August 2 Democratic primary. Running against a

black incumbent, U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay, and an upstart black challenger in state Senator Maria ChappelleNadal, Haas got 9,422 votes, or 10.5 percent of the vote, which seems about ten times as many votes he can expect in the current mayoral contest. (Chief Wana Dube, a man with a pot leaf tattooed on his face –admittedly running statewide for U.S. senator – got 30,432 votes on August 2, which was three-times as many votes as Haas.)

If we accept the historic racial split in St. Louis politics – an increasingly big “if,” with the emergence of a white millennial political clique that has adopted racial equity as

its mantra – then Krewson must be rejoicing to face a black political house that is so divided. She faces two black candidates who already have been elected to citywide office (Lewis Reed, president of the Board of Aldermen, and Tishaura O. Jones, St. Louis treasurer), one extremely visible elected official with wide regional name recognition and a national presence (Antonio French, 21st Ward alderman), an elected official who has lost two citywide races in 2012 and 2014 (Jeffrey Boyd, 22nd Ward alderman) and a perennial candidate in the Bill Haas category, Jimmie Matthews, who most recently lost a citywide race (for sheriff)

in 2016 Reed has told St. Louis Public Radio that he considers himself the “front-runner,” which is the sort of thing that candidates say, but he has one point in his favor. He is the most recent person to run for mayor. In the March 2013 primary against Slay, he got 44.3 percent of the vote, losing by about 4,500 votes. (Well, Jimmie Mathews ran for mayor then, too, but only got 576 votes; given the hefty filing fee, Jimmie paid about $2.25 to file for each vote he tallied.)

It takes money to run for mayor, and Reed had about $227,000 in his campaign account as of the October filing. That’s less than Krewson, who

had more than $403,000 in October, but probably more than anyone else who has filed. As St. Louis Public Radio noted, Jones was not required to file an October campaign ethics report, but she has received at least $196,000 in large donations since October 25, the largest sum being a transfer from her campaign account for treasurer. Boyd had about $48,000 in a campaign account as of the October. St. Louis Public Radio noted that he raised more than $161,000 for his losing license collector race in 2012. He lost that race to Jones by almost 10 percent and almost 4,000 votes, coming in third in a four-person race. (A major delight in that race was seeing Brian Wahby, longtime Slay operative who manipulated the city Democratic committee to his bosses’ benefit for so many years, coming in dead last with only half as many votes as even Boyd.) Since 2012, Jones has been a highly visible citywide elected official, and Boyd has been a scarcely visible North City alderman who lost another citywide race (for license collector) in 2014. He can’t rationally expect to beat Jones – or Reed – or Krewson – in 2017, so his reasons for running are best known to himself. That leaves Antonio French, who emerged nationally in the early days of the Ferguson unrest, issuing eloquent reports from the front lines on CNN and social media and racking up Twitter followers (up to more than 138,000 by the time he filed for mayor). With that kind of national reach, he must be disappointed in his early attempts to crowd-fund his mayoral bid. By press time he had been pledged just $8,243 towards his $20,000 goal from 173 donors but was not yet eligible to collect even that money. He had less than $35 in his campaign account as of his October filing.

Photo by Wiley Price

Lewis Reed, president of the Board of Aldermen (seen here with his wife, Mary Entrup), and Tishaura O. Jones, St. Louis treasurer, were among the seven candidates who filed to run for St. Louis mayor when filing opened on Monday, November 28.

Open letter to Trump on civil rights

By Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal Guest columnist

Dear President-Elect Trump:

On behalf of the minority and low-income communities that we represent, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice respectfully writes to provide guiding principles as you move from the campaign trail to the White House.

Founded in 1968, the Lawyers’ Committee was the first of eight affiliates of the Washington-based Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a national organization formed at the request of President John F. Kennedy to move the civil rights movement from the streets to the courtroom. Through impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community education we safeguard the civil, social, and economic rights of our constituencies.

Law enforcement policies must respect the rights of all Americans. At the Lawyers’ Committee, we know that all Americans want to feel safe and secure, while also experiencing equal protection of the law. Campaign statements regarding the restoration of “law and order” through stop-and-frisk policies do the exact opposite. Courts have repeatedly found that investigatory tactics such as stop-andfrisk are unconstitutional and discriminatory policies that encourage racial profiling and privacy violations. See Floyd v. City of New York, 959 F.Supp.2d 540 (S.D.N.Y. 2013); see also Commonwealth v. Warren, No. 11956, slip op. (Mass. Sept. 20, 2016).

Racial profiling makes people of color feel less comfortable interacting with police and, thus, less likely to seek police protection - this is particularly harmful for victims of domestic violence. People of color are less likely to come forward as witnesses to help law enforcement investigate and resolve crimes when they do not trust law enforcement to treat them equally. This makes all of us - regardless of our race or immigration status - less safe.

Reliance on racial profiling will alienate communities of color, undermine law enforcement and contravene the core police objectives of controlling crime and promoting public safety. See Investigation of the Ferguson Police Department, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, 62 (2015). In an era of growing tension between police departments and communities of color, we urge you to promote racial justice in all law enforcement policies. If implemented in Massachusetts, racial profiling policies will be legally challenged by the Lawyers’ Committee. Immigration policy and enforcement priorities must respect constitutional boundaries. Immigrants in our country – regardless of race, national origin or immigration status – have rights and protections under federal,

state and local laws. Proposals made during your campaign, such as the creation of a mass deportation force, a blanket ban against Muslims from entering the country, and a registry of people who practice Islam, violate well-established constitutional protections.

Supreme Court judicial nominees must show respect for legal precedent. Judicial appointments made by both Republican and Democratic administrations have agreed on the importance of respecting legal precedent, and that failing to do so can cause “profound and unnecessary damage to the Court’s legitimacy and the nation’s commitment to the rule of law.” Planned Parenthood of Se. Pennsylvania, et. al. v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833, 854 (1992). Campaign statements indicating a willingness to select judicial nominees who would overturn decisions that the Supreme Court has reached - and on which millions of Americans depend, including reproductive choice and marriage equalityundermine the integrity of the judicial system. Any nominee who is so malleable to political pressure as to disregard the bedrock legal principal of stare decisis is directly out of line with the wishes of the American people.

As you move from the campaign trail to the White House, the Lawyers’ Committee urges you to keep these guiding principles in mind.

Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal is executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice.

Black Journalists Assoc. celebrates 40 years

American staff

The Greater St. Louis Association of Black Journalists will observe its 40th anniversary at 7 p.m. Saturday, December 3 at Nine Network of Public Media, 3655 Olive St., with a celebration recognizing four journalists. GSLABJ will recognize Bonita Cornute, a reporter for FOX 2/KPLR 11, with its most prestigious honor, the Living Legend Award. It will recognize Mary Cannon, retired director of Community Affairs for KMOV Channel 4, and Bernie Hayes, Webster University media professor and author of “The Death of Black Radio,” for their long-time contributions to journalism.

Donald M. Suggs, publisher and executive editor of the St. Louis American, will receive its inaugural Trailblazer Award. GSLABJ also will note

GSLABJ will recognize Bonita Cornute, a reporter for FOX 2/KPLR 11, with its most prestigious honor, the Living Legend Award.

careers of members who have gone on to hold prominent print, broadcast and public relations positions; honor leaders who have died; and reflect on the past 40 years of programming. GSLABJ recently commemorated the graduation of its 40th consecutive class of Minority Journalism Workshop participants. For tickets and sponsorship information, visit www.gslabj. org.

July 20, 1921 – November 16, 2016

Marion Crothers was born in Prairie, Mississippi to the late Nathaniel and Betty Brandon on July 20, 1921. Marion was the last of six children born to this union. She departed this life Wednesday, November 16, 2016 after a brief illness.

Marion accepted Christ as her personal savior at an early age and was baptized at Baptist Grove Church in Prairie Mississippi. She received her education in the Prairie, Mississippi school system. She was united in holy matrimony to the late Andrew Crothers in 1940 and to that union four children were born.

The family moved to St. Louis in 1950 where she remained a devoted wife,

mother, homemaker and an excellent cook. Marion joined Greater Fairfax Baptist Church and remained a member until the end. Marion loved to cook and worked tirelessly cooking in the kitchen at her church. She leaves behind four loving sons, David E. Crothers,

Guest Columnist

Ivan EspinozaMadrigal

St. Louis; Willie D. (Estella) Crothers, Milwaukee; Robert (Shirley) Crothers, Atlanta; and Ernest Crothers, Prairie. She also left 10 grandchildren who all referred to her as “Big Momma”: Cassandra CrothersScott, Pamela Crothers, Renee (Oscar) Crothers-Garner, Cori Crothers and Evette Morrow; Robert Crothers (Bobby Joe); Heather and Todd Crothers; Kevin Crothers, Stanley (Shannon) Crothers and Tanya Crothers.

She also left 19 greatgrandchildren (Disha, Jessica, Ralphael, Keidra, Branden, Christen, Megan, Jasmine, Todd Jr., Joey, Jody, Willisa, Cameron, Noel, Laron, Ebony, Chelsea, Jimmie and Jamari); eight great-great grandchildren; a cousin, Rev. Chester McNairy; nieces Velma Rucker, Betty Jean and Gladys; a nephew, Donald Brandon; and many more relatives and friends. Marion had a very special friend and caregiver that she called her daughter, Rose Mary Green.

Marion Crothers

NEWSPAPER IN EDUCATION

PRESENT:

Healthy Kids Kids

If we divide the word, “breakfast” into two words we have BREAK & FAST. To “fast” means to go for a long period of time without eating. By the time morning comes, most of us haven’t eaten for sometimes ten hours or more! Our body needs a nutritious, healthy breakfast to start the new day. Kids who eat a healthy breakfast are better able to focus at school, tend to eat better (healthier) throughout the day and will have

Exercise Challenge:

Nature’s Colors

Helping Others

Now that the weather isn’t so hot, and before it gets really cold outside, take a nature walk around your neighborhood. See how many different kinds of trees you see,

Let’s think of some ways to spread holiday cheer to others this year!

> Bake healthy holiday snacks and deliver them to someone who serves the community and has to work on Christmas day (police, firemen, nurses, doctors, etc.)

> How about a coat collection at school? Many families cannot afford new winter coats this season.

more energy. Try including whole grains, fruits and proteins into your breakfast for a nice healthy start to your day!

Try This: Make your own healthy granola bars or small baggies of trail mix. Many recipes can be found online and having them ready-to-go will make mornings easier!

Learning Standards:

and how many different color leaves. Walk briskly enough to get your heart rate up, but bring a notebook to document your findings. Why is it important to increase your heart rate?

Learning Standards:

Try walking this same route every few days to observe the change in the leaves. How many different colors do you see? Did you find any trees whose leaves weren’t turning or any that have already lost all of its leaves?

> Make some holiday decorations or cards that could be donated to a local nursing home.

> Collect canned goods for local families to have plenty of food over the holidays.

> What are some other things you could do to make a difference in the lives of others this holiday season?

Learning Standards: HPE 2, NH 2, NH 8

Healthcare Careers

Rita M. Johnson, Referral Coordinator

Where do you work? I work for Christian Hospital, part of BJC Healthcare. Where did you go to school? I graduated from Bishop DuBourg High School, earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Master of Arts in Gerontology and working toward a Doctoral Degree of Education from Lindenwood University.

What does a referral coordinator do? My role is to listen to the concerns of patients attending our intensive outpatient program and help them with obtaining resources to improve their care. I also go into the community and educate people about mental health, substance abuse and the services available.

Why did you choose this career? I chose this career because of the endless opportunities to help people in our community improve their daily life functions, by finding patients a primary care doctor, a therapist, a psychiatrist, employment, housing or programs for their children.

What is your favorite part of the job you have? The number one favorite part of the job is “helping” even when the patients just want me to listen.

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

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

Turkeys for Thanksgiving

Major Brands sent a team of volunteers to assist the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis with their 21st annual Thanksgiving distribution to the community on Tuesday, November 22. The Urban League gave away 3000 turkeys and bags of groceries at three metropolitan centers. The Major Brands team volunteered to work at the busiest center. This center gave away over 800 turkeys and grocery bags.

County property taxes due by Dec. 31

The Department of Revenue is currently mailing 2016 property tax bills to St. Louis County property owners, and has posted the 2016 tax amounts on St. Louis County’s website www.stlouisco.com.

The deadline to pay your taxes is December 31, 2016 – taxes must be paid or postmarked. Real property tax bills are mailed prior to personal property tax bills. Selfaddressed courtesy reply envelopes for mailing payments are included.

You may pay in person at 41 S. Central Ave. in Clayton, 21 Village Square Shopping Center in Hazelwood, 74 Clarkson Wilson Center in

Chesterfield or 4546 Lemay Ferry Rd. in Keller Plaza. The last day to pay taxes in person is Friday, December 30. During times of heavy customer service traffic – such as the last weeks in December, but especially December 29 and 30 – waiting outside is a definite possibility. To pay online, visit https:// revenue.stlouisco.com/ Collection/PayTaxes. Online payments via direct debit from a checking or savings account do not incur any additional fees, but credit and debit card payments are processed through a third-party provider and are subject to a convenience fee. To pay by phone with a

credit card, call 1-877-3099306.

Unless payment is made in person, receipts are mailed after the payment has been processed. Due to extended processing time in December and January, taxpayers should not expect to receive a receipt shortly after mailing their payment. Duplicate receipts can be printed free of charge from the county website after the payment has posted. These receipts are accepted for license plate renewal. Posting time for online and phone payments may take up to five business days. Duplicate receipts for prior years can be printed at any time.

Electoral college can indeed be ‘disaster for democracy’

By Marc Morial Guest columnist

“Can we forget for whom we are forming a government? Is it for men, or for the imaginary beings called States?” -- James Wilson, delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1787

When the United States of America was born, emphasis was far greater on “States” than “United.” Citizens of the newly-formed nation identified first and foremost as “Pennsylvanians” or “Georgians,” for example, and as “Americans” only as a distant second. Our method for selecting a chief executive originally was devised to serve interests of each state, rather than each citizen.

The idea that all citizens of the nation should have an equal say in electing the highest office in the land was far from the minds of the framers of the Constitution in 1787. The Constitution did not specify who could vote; that was left to the states, and most granted suffrage only to white male adult property owners. Delegates to the Constitutional Convention considered election of the president by Congress, election by state governors, election by state legislatures and direct election by voters. Direct election was considered, though not seriously, and twice rejected. It can be argued that the framers of the Constitution were far more concerned about electing a qualified

president than a popular one. The Committee of Eleven on Postponed Matters came up with the Electoral College as a compromise.

Today’s Electoral College would be as baffling and unforeseen to the framers of the Constitution as Twitter or the Mars Exploration Rover.

Over the next two centuries, the United States grew to cherish democracy as an American ideal. As the right to vote was expanded and the principle of “one person one vote” overtook the nation, the justification for the Electoral College diminished. Five times the winner of the popular vote has been denied the Presidency because of the Electoral College - twice

n Abolishing the Electoral College would require the consent of the legislatures of the very states that benefit from this imbalance in power.

in the last 16 years.

Today, one Wyoming voter has roughly the same vote power as four New York voters. Minnesota has 22,000 more people than Colorado and one more electoral vote, while Wisconsin has 33,000 more people than Minnesota and the same number of electoral votes.

According to a study conducted during the 2012 presidential election, the candidates conducted two-thirds of their public events in September and October in just three states –Ohio, Florida, and Virginia. At

the same time, the candidates failed to hold a single public event in 40 states. Overall, campaign events and advertising took place in only 12 states. As a nation that cherishes the “one person one vote” ideal, we should find these facts offensive.

Abolishing the Electoral College would require the consent of the legislatures of the very states that benefit from this imbalance in power. In the current political climate, chances are almost nil.

However, the Constitution does not specify how each state must apportion its electoral votes. If states agreed to award their votes to the winner of the national popular vote, the anti-democratic influence of the Electoral College would be eliminated.

The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact would guarantee the presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It has been enacted into law in 10 states and the District of Columbia, representing 165 electoral votes. It will take effect when enacted by states with 105 more electoral votes. Public opinion surveys consistently find solid majorities in favor of eliminating the Electoral College. Even our current president-elect, the most recent beneficiary of its anti-democratic effect, has called it “a disaster for a democracy.”

While the road to actual elimination appears long and fraught, eliminating its antidemocratic influence appears to be within our grasp.

Marc H. Morial is president and CEO of the National Urban League.

Guest Columnist Marc Morial

Health center opened in O’Fallon Park neighborhood

opened its new health care facility at

Pope

and Flora

Services provided at the new O’Fallon Park health center include primary medical care services for adults, women and children, preventative and basic restorative dental care, laboratory services, pharmacy services, chiropractic services and WIC services. The hours of operation are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. To schedule an appointment, call 314-385-3990. Myrtle Hilliard Davis Comprehensive Health Centers, Inc., is a community-based federally qualified health center. For more information, visit www.mhdchc.org.

Hospitals can be change agents

Candice CarterOliver has accepted the role of chief executive officer for Confluence Charter Schools, the first permanent CEO to lead the public charter school network. She is the assistant superintendent of academics and support services for Normandy Schools Collaborative. Her career in public education includes being a classroom teacher, a learning coach and an elementary principal in districts such as Normandy, Riverview Gardens and Saint Louis Public Schools.

David Steward was named co-chair of the transition team for state Treasurer-Elect Eric Schmitt. Steward is co-founder and chairman of World Wide Technology. Former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman is his co-chair. Also serving are former state Senator Jason Crowell and Cliff Holekamp, academic director for Entrepreneurship at Washington University’s Olin Business School.

Sarajeni Hammond was elected vice chair of FOCUS St. Louis’ Board of Directors. She is director of HR Shared Services America at Monsanto Company. FOCUS St. Louis is a leadership training organization that prepares diverse leaders to work cooperatively for a thriving St. Louis region through experience-based leadership training, civic issue education and public engagement initiatives.

By Rick Stevens Guest columnist

With the holiday season upon us, it’s traditionally a time of year for reflection and to give thanks. As I write this I can’t help but reflect on the warm reception my family and I have received from the community since my arrival in June as the new president of Christian Hospital. I am very grateful for that and welcome this opportunity to do my part, along with the rest of the St. Louis metropolitan health care community, in the bigger picture of keeping our residents in the bi-state region healthy through population health.

The role that hospitals play in the community is evolving and changing. We think of hospitals

n Studies show that most of one’s health can be attributed to nonmedical factors such as social, behavioral and environmental influences.

as places to go when we get sick and associate them with illness more than wellness. I am one of the people in the industry working to change that. I envision hospitals as being community hubs – places that facilitate interactions between medical professionals and the community, along with local organizations and resources – to promote health and wellness.

The impact of a hospital extends far beyond the four walls of a building – from food and shelter, job training, smoking cessation classes

to weight management and exercise programs, literacy programs and so many other resources that ultimately improve the long-term health of communities.

Studies show that most of one’s health can be attributed to non-medical factors such as social, behavioral and environmental influences. In fact, experts tell us that 80 percent of health is driven by these non-medical aspects. In other words, health care is only 20 percent of the health equation, which I believe is a call to action for hospitals to take a broad population health stance.

I truly believe that hospitals can be change agents through our role as good neighbors and large employers within our communities to act as catalysts – working with communitybased groups, health departments and public health organizations – to improve and sustain the health of our residents. The federally

$75M in New Markets Tax Credits became available Nov.

28

DaMon T. Pettigrew joined KAI Design & Build as an engineering specialist. He stands at the front line of quality control for KAI’s MEP Engineering department, acting as an in-house coordinator for drawing and document management and design using Revit. He also serves as a liaison between the client and the company, providing guidance during the planning, design, development and testing stages.

Amy Hunter was given a 2016 Brotherhood and Sisterhood Award by NCCJ St. Louis in recognition of her work to educate people about racism and inequity. She was director of Racial Justice at YWCA Metro St. Louis and now is St. Louis Children’s Hospital’s diversity officer. NCCJ St. Louis provides educational programs bridging differences, partnering with individuals and organizations that are serious about change.

By Chris King

Of The St. Louis American

The St. Louis Development Corporation will advertise the availability of $75 million in newly granted federal New Markets Tax Credits the week of November 28, with applicant responses due January 5.

An advisory group will review and makes recommendations on which projects should receive the tax credits. The SLDC Board of Directors has the final approval. The SLDC issues a Request for Proposals (RFP), according to a release from the mayor’s office, “to attract quality projects with the most impactful use of the tax credits.”

n Mayor Francis Slay said the funds “will allow the city to assist key projects that otherwise wouldn’t get off the ground.”

In a release, Mayor Francis Slay said the funds “will allow the city to assist key projects that otherwise wouldn’t get off the ground, projects like charter schools, health facilities and child care providers.” Since 2004, the U.S. Treasury Department has allocated a total of $383 million to the City of St. Louis, and the SLDC administers the program. Previous allocations have been used to assist projects including Big Brothers Big Sisters headquarters expansion, the creation of the National Blues Museum, the expansion of the Paraquad headquarters, the 4260 Forest Park development in the Cortex Innovation Community, and the redevelopment of the

SLDC board meeting is December 15, responses due January 5 See TAX CREDITS, B6

historic Arcade building. The New Markets Tax Credits program attracts private-sector capital investment into urban and rural low-income areas to help finance community development projects, stimulate economic opportunity, and create jobs in the areas that need them most. Established by Congress in December 2000, it permits individual and corporate taxpayers to receive a credit against federal income taxes for making qualified equity investments in investment vehicles called Community Development Entities. In turn, substantially all of the taxpayer’s investment must be re-invested in low-income communities. The credit provided to the investor totals 39 percent of the face value of the investment and is claimed over a seven-year credit allowance period.

Otis Williams was given the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award by MOKAN, which focuses on expanding opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses and workers in the construction trades. He is executive director of St. Louis Development Corporation. The award recognizes distinguished career achievements and outstanding contributions to the St. Louis community. On the move? Congratulations! Send your good professional news and

com

Candice CarterOliver

Sarajeni Hammond

DaMon T. Pettigrew

Amy Hunter

David Steward

Otis Williams

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Myrtle Hilliard Davis Comprehensive Health Centers

4500

Ave. in the O’Fallon Park neighborhood on November 17. Front: Karen Jones, Joe Pierle, Theonis Guyton, Angela Clabon, Marie Bonds, Eunice Atkinson, Alderman Antonio French. Back: Melvin Raymond, William Winfrey, Alvin Dunham, Rob Fruend,

Robinson.

Rick Stevens

By Nathaniel Sillin

The end of the year is approaching and between visiting friends and family and celebrating the holidays, your taxes may be the last thing on your mind. However, putting off tax preparation until later could be a costly mistake. While tax season doesn’t start until mid-January, if you want to affect the return you file in 2017, you’ll need to make some tax moves before the end of 2016.

You might make this a yearly tradition – while there may be slight alterations in the rules or numbers from one year to the next, many of the fundamentals behind taxsaving advice remain the same.

Sell losing investments and offset capital gains or income. Do you have property, stocks or other investments that have dropped in value and you’re considering offloading? If you sell the investments before the end of the year, you can use the lost value to offset capital gains (profits from capital assets). Excess losses can offset up to $3,000 from ordinary taxable income and be rolled over to following years.

Year-end tax moves that could save you money

Optimize your charitable contributions. Many people make an annual tradition of donating their time and money to support charitable causes It’s a noble thing to do and could come with a tax benefit. The value of your donation to a qualified charitable organization, minus the value of anything you receive in return, could offset your taxable income. Charitable contributions are deductible if you itemize deductions. However, most taxpayers find it best to take the standard deduction –$12,600 for married people filing jointly, $9,300 for heads of households and $6,300 for single or married people filing separately for the 2016 tax year. If it’s best for you

Defer your income to next year. You might be able to lower your taxable income for 2016 by delaying some of your pay until after the

a two-and-a-half month grace period or allow employees to roll over up to $500 per year. Check with your employer to see if it offers one of these exemptions, and make a plan to use your remaining FSA funds before they disappear. What can wait until after January 1? Procrastinators

New Year. Employees could ask their employer to send a holiday bonus or December’s commission in January. It could be easier for contractors and the self-employed to defer their income since for them, it’s as simple as waiting to send an invoice.

Don’t let FSA savings go to waste. Employer-sponsored

Call to save Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

MOPIRG opens statewide campaign

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American

Joining a national movement, a Missouri advocacy group launched a statewide campaign to defend the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

U.S. Congress created the bureau after the economic collapse in 2008 to serve as a watchdog for consumers and reduce the risk of another collapse.

MOPIRG, a nonprofit and non-partisan public interest advocacy organization, launched the campaign as a preventative measure against the attacks that are expected to proceed the change in White House administration next year.

“Wall Street banks and other financial institutions have attacked the agency since before it was even created,” said Julia Eddy, lead organizer of the MOPIRG campaign.

“The attacks have intensified as the CFPB continues to be the poster child of a government agency that is actually working and has not been corrupted by the industry it is tasked with regulating.”

At a November 23 press conference at the St. Louis Public Library Schlafly Branch, Eddy stated that the bureau has already returned nearly $12 billion to more than 27 million consumers by holding companies accountable for breaking the law.

Additionally, the bureau’s website hosts a complaint database that has processed over 1 million complaints, Eddy said, and it provides

educational resources to make important financial decisions.

Over 12,500 complaints from Missouri have been published in the database.

However, the bureau currently faces three major attacks, she said. A single director, Richard Cordray, currently heads the agency, but there are efforts to change the structure to a commission of five people.

“Getting Richard Cordray confirmed was a long uphill

n The bureau has already returned nearly $12 billion to more than 27 million consumers by holding companies accountable for breaking the law.

battle,” she said. “Getting five people confirmed would be even more difficult, possibly leaving the agency unable to fully function. Or the five seats could be stacked in favor of the industry it is meant to rein in. We have seen both scenarios at other agencies.”

Its funding structure is also being threatened, Eddy said. The bureau is currently funded independently through the Federal Reserve like every banking regulator has been since the 1800s.

“There is an effort to bring the CFPB’s funding under Congressional appropriations approval – this means Congress could starve it death so it wouldn’t be able to do

its job because the lobbyists dominate funding decisions,” Eddy said.

The bureau is currently working on rules that would protect consumers from payday debt traps and forced arbitration, she said. Forced arbitration is used to prevent consumers from banding together and joining class action lawsuits to seek justice when they are wronged by financial companies.

“There are efforts to hamstring the CFPB’s work on these rules,” she said. U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) has sided with big Wall Street banks and other financial institutions by supporting legislation that “would keep the rules rigged against consumers by adding roadblocks and narrowing its jurisdiction,” Eddy said. MOPIRG is calling on U.S. Representatives Ann Wagner, Luetkemeyer and Vicky Hartzler to “stop these selfserving attacks,” she said. Over the next few weeks, MOPIRG will be circulating a “coalition letter” to unite regional groups and organizations that have been doing work to protect the bureau.

The letter to Missouri’s congressmen firmly states: “Please oppose alterations to the agency’s leadership structure, funding, or oversight authority. We urge you to take a strong stand for, not against, a fairer, more transparent and safer financial system without tricks and traps.” For more information about the campaign, contact Julia Eddy at jeddy@mopirg.org.

Many people make an annual tradition of donating their time and money to support charitable causes. It’s a noble thing to do and could come with a tax benefit.

n “When I left, there were 50 or 60 players as good as me or better than me. And they could never get out. They all stayed there.”

– Luis Tiant, on baseball in Cuba under Castro

‘Onion’ Horton was black sports press legend

You had to hear it to be believe it

By Earl Austin Jr.

Of The St. Louis American

Our community lost a true treasure with the passing of Richard “Onion” Horton last week. Onion was an institution in the black community for decades with his morning radio talk show, where most people knew him. Onion was an unapologetic champion for black people on social issues, but he was also heavy into sports as you could read his opinions in The St. Louis American during the 1970s and ‘80s. Onion and the late Morris Henderson were the linchpins of the black sports press in St. Louis for many, many years. There are still many times when I think of these two giants when I sit down to write my stories. These were enormous shoes to fill.

If you were around Onion, you knew how much he loved high school sports and especially the kids. Back in the late 1970s, Onion and the late Earl Wilson Jr. put together a special athletic banquet to honor the top athletes in the city. Along with Mr. Wilson, we were honored to bring that banquet back in the mid-1990s.

Over the years, I had a chance to spend many hours on the radio, sharing the mic with Onion, and it was truly among the highlights of my career. Every minute you spend with Onion, you learn something new. And when he would go on one of his famous rants, I would laugh until my stomach hurt. We also spent two years together calling Public High

In The CluTCh With Ishmael H.

Fisher in his feelings as Rams flop

Hall of Fame running back ‘banned’ from sidelines in L.A.

You’d think that having Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the 9-2 New England Patriots up next on the schedule for a 4-7 team would be enough to keep a NFL head coach preoccupied. If that alone isn’t enough, the fact that the coach is just three losses away from setting the alltime record for NFL losses would certainly give him that extra focus, right?

Not Jeff Fisher

The same man who, at the beginning of the season, lectured his players on the importance of standing for the national anthem, once again went full Trump and retaliated against someone for saying mean things. Of course by “mean” I actually mean true. Fisher is in the news because he allegedly told Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson that he was no longer welcome on the sidelines.

Dickerson told reporters that Fisher said, “Players feel uncomfortable with you coming on the sidelines, some of the stuff you said about the team, about coaches and the players. And as long as I’m head coach, we’re not going to have that. You’re not going to be saying stuff. You’re not going to be coming to the sidelines as long as I’m head coach here.” Dickerson, like any other person with working eyes, has noted the ineptness of the Rams’ offense. After all, the team has dropped six of its last seven games and is ranked 31st out of 32 teams in the NFL. That includes an embarrassing 49-21 loss last week to the 5-6 New Orleans Saints. All-world running back Todd Gurley averages less than 60 yards per game and just 3.2 yards per carry.

However, it seems that Fisher has determined that Dickerson is not welcome unless he only makes warm and fuzzy comments about a terrible team. Never mind the fact that as a Hall of Famer, Dickerson doesn’t actually need Fisher’s

permission to roam the sidelines at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Hall of Fame inductees can get tickets and sideline passes for themselves and up to four guests through the Hall of Fame. Dickerson, No. 2 on the franchise’s all-time rushing list (despite spending just five

years with the team) apparently wanted some extra passes by going through the team which is why Fisher tried to flex on him. When your team’s record is 4-7 and losing viewers by the bushel, you would expect the coach and organization to go

n Dickerson, like any other person with working eyes, has noted the ineptness of the Rams’ offense. After all, the team has dropped six of its last seven games.

out of their way to appease its fans and ambassadors. They should be begging Dickerson to suit up. Maybe the 56-year-

has

to

an

after former Patriots’ safety Rodney Harrison recalled that Fisher laughed at him when he was injured by Bobby Wade of the (Fisher-led) Tennessee Titans in 2006.

See CLUTCH, B5

Earl Austin Jr.

Just three games away from setting the all-time NFL record for coaching losses, Fisher is more worried about Eric Dickerson on the sidelines than Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

See HORTON, B5

Sistrunk

Ishmael H. Sistrunk

Photo by Wiley Price

Richard ‘Onion’ Horton was an institution in the black community for decades with his morning radio talk show, where most people knew him. Onion was an unapologetic champion for black people on social issues, but he was also heavy into sports.

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

Black coach Charlie Strong gone from Texas due to ‘cultural problem’

Black coaches in major NCAA football conferences are few and far between –and that distance grew larger when Texas fired beleaguered Charlie Strong last Saturday. He was replaced by former Houston coach Tom Herman Yes, Strong had a losing record, which included an embarrassing overtime loss to Kansas two weeks ago. Yes, Texas struggled in the Big 12 and failed to reach a bowl game this year. But FoxSports analyst Tim Brando told the Dallas Morning News that race played a role in Strong never being backed by big-time Texas boosters.

“They were just anti-Charlie Strong from the get-go and that’s the issue. That’s the issue.

But I got to tell you, from the moment (billionaire booster) Red McCombs had to reel in his statements about the hiring of Charlie Strong, you could see that there was a cultural problem he was going to have to face in the time that he was there. There’s no getting around that,” Brando said.

of those typical liberal guys. Check my politics. I’m not a liberal. But when it comes to social issues and the plight of Charlie Strong as a head coach, he was passed over a couple times at Florida when he should have been a head coach. He finally got to Louisville and, after a couple of years of struggling, he went 22-3 in his last two years there. It was good enough for Texas to hire him. But the pushback was immediate from influential people with decimal points on their checks that were way up there.

“He never was going to get beyond that. I think that the notion that we can just bury our heads in the sand over this is gargantuan. You can’t. Clearly there was an agenda against Charlie Strong the likes of which we haven’t seen of any coach taking a job of that magnitude.”

n “Doing business in an open, transparent, diverse and inclusive manner that did everything possible to avoid public subsidies for a new stadium.”

– Don Cordes, on financing a soccer franchise in STL

Meanwhile, Kevin Sumlin has led Texas A&M to an 8-4 record and a bowl appearance, but somehow finds himself on a hot seat.

“Clearly

there was an agenda against Charlie Strong the likes of which we haven’t seen of any coach taking a job of that magnitude,” FoxSports analyst Tim

Brando said after the University of Texas fired him on Saturday.

Cordes said his group has met with city NAACP President Adolphus Pruitt, and representatives of Forward Through Ferguson and the Little Bit Foundation. “Because Foundry is an ownership group, yes, but it also represents an acceleration of the community-wide discussion on public transportation, public education, public safety and socioeconomic inclusion and racial equality.” He called equality and inclusion “top priorities” for Foundry.

Cordes said the MLS franchise should not be “an anchor dragging on City finances and services. Rather it should employ minorityowned consultants, vendors, and contractors; create salaried and high-wage jobs, spur population growth and advance the conversation about racial equality and economic inclusion.”

I invite you to read the entire letter: http:// www.stlsoccerreport.com/ home/2016/11/28/foundry-stlouis-wants-to-cover-city-share.

“I know fans hate it when media brings up the race card. They’ll just say you’re one

FootballScoop.com reported Sunday “Texas A&M’s struggles in November (which coincided with the injury to

quarterback Trevor Knight) had some wondering whether the administration might consider making a change, but sources (say) Texas A&M’s administration strongly supports Kevin Sumlin.”

The Aggies started the season 6-0 with wins over UCLA, Arkansas and

Tennessee. But they’re 2-4 over their last six games, including losses to both Mississippi State and Ole Miss.

While Sumlin seems to be safe, it seems he will need a SEC Championship game appearance in 2017 to ensure future employment with Texas A&M. SMU coach Chad Morris was rumored to be interested in the Texas A&M job – he played there – but his Mustangs got hammered by Navy last weekend and the bloom is off that rose, for now.

Inclusion and soccer in St. Louis

Finally, someone has dared to rough the great Peacock’s feathers.

We should give thanks to Don Cordes, CEO of Foundry St. Louis, one of two competing alliances working to bring an expansion Major League Soccer franchise to St. Louis.

SC STL, which includes former Anheuser-Busch Cos. executive David Peacock and St. Louis FC founder Jim Kavanaugh, announced in November a tentative deal to construct a $200-million soccer stadium west of Union Station. The proposal included up to $80 million in public financing.

As SC STL, Mayor Slay

and other city leaders scramble to include a proposal on the April election ballot, Cordes’ group has apparently stepped up and offered to cover the $80 million.

A letter dated November 23 that Cordes wrote to SC STL popped up on STL Soccer blog. Cordes takes issue with the SC STL proposal, but says the two groups could complete a stadium project with Foundry providing the needed $80 million.

“Foundry’s investment effectively guarantees City of St. Louis receives an expansion franchise under the verbal agreement reached with MLS,” Cordes’ letter states.

The most exciting part of the correspondence is Cordes’ commitment to minority workers, vendors and suppliers and inclusion. He acknowledges that race and poverty must be addressed in this and all other major economic development proposals.

Cordes wrote, “I founded the ownership group to ensure that if City of St. Louis acquired a MLS franchise it would do so the right way. Doing business in an open, transparent, diverse and inclusive manner that did everything possible to avoid public subsidies for a new stadium.”

As of Tuesday morning, there was no response from SC St. Louis. Hopefully, Peacock and company will join with Cordes and weave his proposals into their MLS expansion plan. Cordes’ thoughts on inclusion have as much value as the $80 million he is offering. If SC St. Louis fails to realize this, the region should prepare for another stinging disappointment.

Goodbye Onion

Richard “Onion” Horton should be in the St. Louis Media Hall of Fame. His opinions rankled both black and white listeners, but he knew what he spoke of and was as entertaining as any person who has ever appeared on radio or TV in St. Louis.

There are so many gems that I can remember, here are two. He once said on a show on 1600AM when Black Talk Radio existed in the late 1990s, “White people could care less what black people have to say. They don’t like it, that is why they respond. But they really could care less.”

He spoke to those of us who attended the first Minority Journalism Workshop in January 1977, and a somewhat heated argument erupted. Horton, while pointing to his head, shouted, “The white man took the chain off your ankle and he put it on your brain!” Horton passed away last week, and St. Louis lost one of its most endearing men.

Alvin A. Reid

from The eAST S

ide

With Maurice Scott

Flyers bring home 8th state title

Maurice likes Darren Sunkett for ‘Coach of the Year’

trip to Champaign, Illinois, and the Flyers football team didn’t disappoint them as the put up another dominating performance.

The East St. Louis Flyers’ season came to an end Saturday, November 26 in victorious fashion. The Flyers posted a 26-13 victory over Plainfield North in the Illinois Class 7A state championship game at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois.

It was the eighth state championship in the rich history of East St. Louis football. In addition, the state’s most successful program finished ranked #20 in the USA Today Poll. An estimated 1,000 fans made the 2 hour 45-minute

CLUTCH

Continued from B3

Fisher’s response?

“I think you have to consider the source,” Fisher said according to Pro Football Talk

“But this is coming from a guy that had 18 unnecessary roughness penalties, seven personal fouls, four roughing-the-passer penalties, a total of 77 penalties in his career and was voted three times the dirtiest player in the National Football League and was suspended for a hit, a helmet-to-helmet hit on Jerry Rice in 2002.”

Of course, both Fisher and Demoff have backtracked and labelled the Dickerson fiasco as a “miscommunication.” They have both stated that Dickerson is still welcome to come to practices and games and that he is a cherished part of the Rams community. However, the damage is done and Dickerson has vowed not to attend another Rams game as long as Fisher is head coach. How long that is remains to be seen. There have been numerous rumors that the Rams will offer Fisher a three-year extension but fact that there has been no official signing or announcement could be bad news for Fisher. After all, by the end of the season, he will stand alone as the most-losing coach in NFL history. In 22 seasons, he has

HORTON

Continued from B3 League basketball games on KATZ. I did the play-by-play, and Onion provided some of the most insightful and colorful commentary you could imagine. You had to hear it to believe it. Only he could get away with it, because he was Onion. I had the best time. It was priceless.

Onion also loved college football. He would watch college games from early in the morning to late at night. Not only did Onion love the college game, but he followed the recruiting with great interest. He watched all of the recruiting shows and subscribed to all of the recruiting reports that he could get his hands on. He loved the stuff. We were both recruiting junkies who spent a lot of time arguing over who had the better recruiting classes. Like our shared love of high school sports and recruiting, Onion had something for everyone who ever talked to him or listened to him. There will never be another one like him.

Vianney wins first state title

Congratulations to the Vianney Golden Griffins on winning their first state championship in football. The Golden Griffins were 4-5

East St. Louis (14-0) got its “All Gas, No Brakes” slogan going in the first quarter with four big plays on the night that sealed the deal for their eighth state title.

“We had our chances,” said Plainfield North head coach Tim Kane, who is 0-6 against East St. Louis. Kane was 0-5 while at Collinsville High school. “We didn’t take advantage of our opportunities, and we gave up the big play.” With 2:55 remaining in the opening quarter, Flyers’ quarterback Reyoundus Estes capped an 11-play, 56-yard drive with a 7-yard strike to James Knight to put East St.

Louis up 6-0. After the Flyers’ defense forced a Plainfield punt, Estes hooked up with All-American wide receiver Jeff Thomas for a 43-yard touchdown to extend the Flyers’ lead to 12-0 at the half. The dynamic duo of Estes and Thomas went to work again with 6:30 remaining in the third quarter when Estes launched his third touchdown of the night, hooking up with Thomas with a 61-yard bomb to extend the Flyers’ lead to 20-0. With 2:23 remaining in the third quarter, Plainfield

North put its best drive together. From the Plainfield 29-yard line, Plainfield went 53 yards on 8 plays to the East St. Louis 26 yard line. But it was the ninth play of the drive that brought the Flyers’ fans to their feet for the rest of the night, celebrating when linebacker Eric Owens stepped in front of a pass from Plainfield North quarterback Brady Miller to race 82 yards down the sideline to extend the Flyers’ lead to 26-0. That was the backbreaker. Plainfield North added two touchdowns in the fourth

quarter, but it was too little, too late as Flyers coach Darren Sunkett got his second state title at East St. Louis.

“These kids did a great job. They are the ones who worked in the weight room during the summer and bought into what the coaching staff was saying,” Sunkett said during an emotional press conference after the game.

“The opportunity to even get to a state championship game is something a lot of people never get to experience. To be able to win with this group of kids means a lot. I’m so proud of this football team.”

And the people of East St. Louis are as well. Over 300 people were present for the champs at 1:30 a.m. when the team’s charter bus arrived at the high school. In addition, the

made the playoffs in only six seasons.

Things in Los Angeles have gotten so bad that last week that the Oakland Raiders, Denver Broncos and USC Trojans all handily beat the Rams ratings in the LA market. As everyone predicted when the Rams moved out of St. Louis, Los Angeles does not support losing football teams.

Demoff though appears to be standing by his coach’s side.

“Everybody will want to judge Jeff through the prism of just the record, but that’s totally unfair when you look at the set of circumstances he was

entering the postseason, but went on a torrid run, which ended with a 49-14 victory over Fort Zumwalt North in the Class 5 state championship game in Springfield last Saturday night. Vianney is young, but their explosive talent on offense came to the forefront in a big way down the stretch with victories of Chaminade, Staley and Fort Zumwalt North. The Golden Griffins have some tremendous young players such as Tionne Harris, Kyren Thomas and Cam Coleman, who will be back next season for another possible title run.

handed this year,” Demoff told NFL.com earlier this season.

“It was different than any team in the NFL.”

However, it’s not much different than the four previous seasons in which Fisher has missed the playoffs and failed to win more than seven games. Then again, if the organization is bothered more by Dickerson pointing out their mediocrity than fixing the causes of it, the Rams will continue to flounder regardless of what city or stadium the team calls home.

Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @ IshmaelSistrunk

Show-Me State collegiate doubleheader

The basketball teams at Lincoln University and Harris-Stowe State will hook on Saturday in the second annual “Show-Me State Classic,” which will take place at Lindenwood University in St. Charles.

The double-header will begin with the women’s game at 1 p.m. with the men’s game to follow at 3 p.m. Admission for the event is $10 for both games.

pep rally on Monday and the parade on Tuesday put a bow on the Flyers’ perfect season. This team went through a lot during the season, especially after last season’s well-documented teachers’ strike. Make no mistake, nothing brings the East St. Louis community together like our athletic teams, especially the football team. The all-time winningest program in Illinois history and one of the top programs in the country has made the City of Champions East St. Louis proud once again. And I’m a proud alumnus as well. No more Darren “Quarterfinals” Sunkett references in my column anymore. Darren Sunkett for “Coach of the Year.”

The ST. LouiS AmericAn PreP AThLeTeS of The Week

Kyren Williams

Vianney – Football

The 5’10” 195-pound sophomore scored four touchdowns in the Golden Griffins’ 49-14 victory over Fort Zumwalt North in the Class 5 state championship game in Springfield last Saturday. Williams rushed for 131 yards on 15 carries and scored three touchdowns on runs of 1, 1, and 48 yards. He also had five receptions for 90 yards, including a score from 46 yards. For the season, Williams finished with a team-high 28 touchdowns. He rushed for 748 yards on 125 carries and had 48 receptions for 591 yards.

Mark Smith

Edwardsville – Boys Basketball

The 6’4” senior guard was dominant in leading the Tigers to the championship of the Highland Thanksgiving Tournament. Smith had 37 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in the Tigers’ 81-78 championship game victory over Althoff. Smith also had 31 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in a 66-55 victory over Carbondale.

In the Tigers’ four victories at Highland, Smith averaged 26 points, 8.8 rebounds, 10.7 assists and three steals a game. As a junior, Smith averaged 14 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists in leading the Tigers to a 25-5 record.

Maurice Scott

Darren Sunkett

St. Louis Rams Head Coach

Jeff Fisher is in the news because he allegedly told Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson that he was no longer welcome on the sidelines.

Dec. 15 deadline to apply for full-ride Mizzou scholarship

American staff

Students accepted to the University of Missouri have until December 15 to apply for a four-year full ride with additional benefits, but they must be admitted to the Honors College first.

The University of Missouri was chosen as a partner by the Stamps Family Charitable Foundation to recognize and reward five exceptional incoming Mizzou students who exemplify leadership, scholarship and service with full scholarships. The scholarships will cover

RBC

the full cost of attendance for four years plus an enrichment fund of $16,000 per student in academic and professional development funds to be used over a scholar’s undergraduate experience to enhance their academic and leadership development. The students will be members of the Honors College, participate in academic and co-curricular opportunities and programming of the university, have a dedicated mentor and participate in travel-study experiences.

To apply for a Stamps Scholarship, visit https:// honors.missouri.edu/stampsscholars/. All materials are due no later than 11:59 p.m. on December 15. Business B

Eligibility for the scholarship includes at least a

32 ACT score, a 3.5 or better core GPA and admittance to the University of Missouri by December 1 and Honors College by December 15. A total of five scholarships at Mizzou will be awarded to in-state and out-of-state students.

To apply for Honors College, visit https://honors. missouri.edu/admission/.

Financial Focus

By Ana Anderson-Stringfellow, AAMS

Time for a year-end investment review

continued from page B1 and their partners. We have a responsibility to redefine our target populations to include not just the patients who come to us, but everyone within our geographic communities, and broaden our scope of action to include impacting non-medical

mandated community health needs assessment process can provide a forum for enhanced collaboration between hospitals

elements of health. I look forward to communicating with you periodically in The St. Louis American and wish everyone a healthy and happy holiday season!

Rick Stevens is president of Christian Hospital.

With the holiday season upon us, you may well be busier than usual. However, by spending a few minutes reviewing your investment scenario of this past year, you can see where you’ve been, where you might be going, and what you need to do to keep moving forward toward your longterm financial goals. So, as you look back at 2016, pay close attention to these elements of your investment picture:

And, just as importantly, were your return expectations realistic, based on your investment mix and the market environment?

• Investment mix – If you are a diligent investor following a well-designed strategy, you probably started out in 2016 with an investment mix that reflects your risk tolerance, time horizon, and shortand long-term goals. But over time, your investment mix can change, even without your having done so on purpose. If you owned a certain percentage of an asset, such as growth stocks, and those stocks

Otis Williams is executive director of SLDC. The SLDC board also includes Alderman Stephen Conway, Alderman Joseph Roddy, Chris Goodson (chairman of Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority), Loura Gilbert

TAX CREDITS continued from page B1 president of St. Louis Local Development Company), Wendy Timm (chairwoman of the Planned Industrial Expansion Authority), Gregory E. Shapiro (chairman of Industrial Development Authority), Mark H. Levison (chairman of Land Reutilization Authority), Matthew S. McBride (chairman of Port Authority of the City of St. Louis),

Leslye Mitchell-Yancey (secretary) and Charles Hahn (treasurer).

The next SLDC monthly board meeting is scheduled for before when the RFP is due. The board meets 8-9 a.m. Thursday, December 15 in the SLDC Board Room, 2nd Floor, 1520 Market Street, Suite 2000. Contact the SLDC at 314-6573700 or http://stlouis-mo.gov/ sldc

• Performance –Reviewing your investment performance over time is important in helping you determine if you’re on track to achieve your financial goals. So, in evaluating how your investments did in 2016, ask yourself some key questions: How did your investments do relative to their performance in past years? If there was a big difference, what might have accounted for it? Were your returns relevant to your longterm goals? In other words, if you have already established a return rate you’ll need to reach your goals – and you should indeed set such a rate – were your actual returns “on track” to help you make progress toward your objectives?

Johnnie B. Gold

Music legend, Montford Point Marine awarded Congressional Gold Medal

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St.

Frances Johnson, widow of the late blues great Johnnie Johnson, received the Congressional Gold Medal in his honor at the National Blues Museum in downtown St. Louis on Monday, November 28.

performance stage in downtown St. Louis. She was there on behalf of her late husband Johnnie Clyde Johnson – who was being honored with the Congressional Gold Medal. The medal is awarded to individuals “who have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient’s field long after the achievement.”

Johnson, a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and longtime St. Louisan who passed in 2005 at age 80, had a hand in laying the foundation for

See JOHNNIE, C4

Gathering of museum professionals coming to St. Louis

Levine, Suggs are local chairs of American Alliance of Museums 2017 annual meeting

American staff

The American Alliance of Museums will host its 2017 Annual Meeting & Museum Expo in St. Louis on May 7-10, when more than 5,000 museum professionals from across the United States and abroad will gather in the Gateway City, along with representatives from more than 40 St. Louis-area museums and historic sites.

The 2017 meeting will borrow its theme from a nickname for its host city: “Gateways for Understanding: Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion in Museums.”

It’s the largest gathering of museum professionals in the world, attracting leaders from cultural institutions that include art, history, and science museums; military and maritime museums; children’s museums; aquariums, zoos, arboretums, and botanical gardens; and historic homes and sites.

n “We have something for everyone, and so our local planning team is highlighting the best of St. Louis.”

– Frances Levine, president and CEO of the Missouri History Museum

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

“Age ain’t nothin’ but a number, baby girl,” a family member made it his business to make me understand as I got into my holiday visiting rounds. He had “read my little article” and couldn’t’ wait to “get me told” about my last “Black & Single” – where I outed myself as a quiet ageist when it comes to dating.

Seemed like he was looking forward to it almost as much as filling his belly with greens, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, chicken, turkey and ham in the name of Thanksgiving by the way he hemmed me up. He has settled into his 60s. His latest “little friend” is 33.

“She likes it, and I love it,” he said.

In his day, he was fine as all get out. He still looks great for his age, but is not delusional – or trapped in his glory days.

“I had my fun,” he said. “I’ve got the gray

hair to prove it.”

He’s actually still “having fun.” This divorced single man of a certain age said young women keep him young.

He was also clear about the dynamics of the relationships he engages in. He knows the young women he sees would rather be with someone younger, but feels that he becomes quite irresistible after he gets his foot in the door.

“They are so used to dealing with these little thundercats who ain’t talking about nothing but getting’ busy,” he said. “I come from the days when we spent quality time and gave a lady all of our attention once we got it.”

That’s not to say that his generation wasn’t on creep missions or juggling, but according to

See SINGLE, C4

The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) has appointed two St. Louis leaders to spearhead the city’s planning for the event: Frances Levine, president and CEO of the Missouri Historical Society and Missouri History Museum (who has served as an evaluator for the AAM Accreditation review process for museums in the U.S. and Mexico), and Donald M. Suggs, publisher and executive editor of The St. Louis American who serves on the St. Louis Art Museum Board of Commissioners and its Collections Committee. Levine will chair the Host Committee, and Suggs will serve as general chair of the event.

“Their experience in the arts and their strong voice for social justice makes them the perfect champions for this event,” Laura Lott, president and CEO of the AAM, said of Levine and Suggs.

Levine said the Host Committee will “help our fellow museum professionals understand why we love to call St. Louis home.”

“We have something for everyone, and so our local planning team is highlighting the best of St. Louis,” Levine said. “We love visiting our museums and institutions, sending guests up the Gateway Arch, showing off Forest Park, and dining at restaurants in our city’s diverse neighborhoods while listening to great live music.”

Suggs pointed out that the city’s gateway symbol – the St. Louis Gateway Arch – has its own new story to tell that speaks of St. Louis’ progress.

“There is a $380 million project that is transforming the landscape around the region’s iconic symbol,” Suggs said. “The St. Louis Gateway Arch will have its somewhat isolated national park and the adjacent riverfront better connected to downtown’s renovation and growth. This forward-looking

Grammy nominated singer Janelle Monae has made the jump from music to movies in two buzzed about films this season. She says her decision to take on roles in “Moonlight”

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

How to place a calendar listing

1. Email your listing to calendar@stlamerican. com OR

2. Visit the calendar section on stlamerican.com and place your listing

Calendar listings are free of charge, are edited for space and run on a space-available basis.

holiday haps

Fri., Dec. 2, 6:30 p.m.,

National Sales Network’s Annual Holiday Party and Toy Drive. Cost is $15 or an unwrapped toy donation. Proceeds will benefit the Ricky Whittington Foundation Toy Drive. Troy’s Jazz Gallery, 4519 Olive St., 63108. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Fri., Dec. 2, 8 p.m., Touhill Performing Arts Center presents Dianne Reeves: Christmas Time is Here Featuring Peter Martin, Romero Lubambo, Reginald Veal and Terreon Gully.

UMSL, One University Blvd., 63121. For more information, call (314) 516-4949 or visit www.touhill.org.

Sun., Dec. 4, 3 p.m., UMSL School of Fine and Performing Arts presents Jazz for the Holidays. This annual production showcases holiday classics with a jazzy flair. The evening features such classics as “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “The Christmas Song,” “Jingle Bells” and selections from A Charlie Brown Christmas. Touhill Performing Arts Center.

Wed., Dec. 7, 8 p.m., Beyond Housing presents Home for the Holidays Benefit Concert feat. Damian Escobar and Brian Owens. At Beyond Housing we know that home matters—especially at the holidays. This is the time of year when we see that, while a roof and four walls are essential, home is so much more. Proceeds will aid in our efforts to help entire communities become better places to live. Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Ave., 63108. For more information, call (314) 932-1315 or visit www.beyondhousing.org.

Thur., Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m., The St. Louis Symphony InUnison Chorus presents

A Gospel Christmas with Richard Smallwood. Powell Symphony Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 534-1700 or visit www. stlsymphony.org.

Dec. 10, 2 p.m., Our Father’s House Annual Children’s Christmas Party, family pictures will taken with Santa, face painting, games and refreshments, all free of charge. Applications are required. All paperwork must be turned in by November 18, 2016 any delays could result in your child missing out. For information about application, call Our Fathers House at 314-338-4174 or email ourfathershouse1@yahoo.com . Party will take place at St. Peter’s House of Prayer, 8400 Pershall, Hazelwood, MO 63042.

Thur., Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m., Family Arena presents Cirque Musica Holiday Spectacular. A concert and visual experience where audiences journey into a world of high-flying adventure with amazing acrobats, aerialists, hilarious hijinks and holiday cheer, too! The show blends the spellbinding grace and daredevil athleticism of today’s greatest circus performers with the sensory majesty of the greatest holiday music of all time. The show will be performed with The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. 2002 Arena Parkway, 63033. For more information, visit www.metrotix.com.

Sat., Dec. 17, 9 a.m., The Missouri Conference Women Missionary Society Of the African Methodist Episcopal Church presents Breakfast with Santa, St. Paul A.M.E. Church, 1260 Hamilton Ave., St. Louis, MO. 63112. For more information, call (314) 385-8900.

Sat., Dec. 17, 10:30 a.m., NAACP St. Louis County Brunch presents Soulful Jazz Brunch Extravaganza. We

Featured Event

Sat., Dec. 17, 7 p.m., Central Baptist Church hosts the Gift Chronicles IV feat. Ledisi. 2842 Washington Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 533-0747 or visit www.cbcstl.org.

will have a fashion show, live music by The Coleman Hughes Project, a shopping bizarre, silent auction, and more. Westport Sheraton Chalet, 191 W. Port Plaza, 63146. For more information, call (314) 477-9338.

Sat., Dec. 17, 7 p.m., Central Baptist Church hosts the Gift Chronicles IV feat. Ledisi 2842 Washington Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 533-0747 or visit www.cbcstl.org.

Sun., Dec. 18, 5 p.m., Kranzberg Arts Center hosts My Favorite Things feat. Adria Nicole. With special guests C. Jay Conrad, Cheeraz Gormon, Kali Assata, and Mo Egeston. 501 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 533-0367 or visit www.metrotix.com.

Dec. 19 – 21, Jazz St. Louis presents Ellington’s Nutcracker. Celebrate the Holidays with a special showcase of Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite performed by

the Jazz St. Louis Big Band. 3536 Washington Ave., 63103.

Wed., Dec. 21, 7:30 p.m., The Fox presents Hip Hop Nutcracker. A contemporary re-imagination of Tchaikovsky’s timeless music, performed by a supercharged cast of a dozen all-star dancers, DJ and violinist. Digital scenery transforms E.T.A. Hoffmann’s story of a palace of sugarplums into a romance set in 1980s Brooklyn. The dance work celebrates love, community and the magic of New Year’s Eve. 527 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 5341678 or visit www.metrotix. com.

Through Dec. 24, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents A Christmas Carol adapted by David H. Bell from the novella by Charles Dickens and directed by Steven Woolf, Browning Mainstage of the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts. For more information, call (314) 968-

The St. Louis Symphony InUnison Chorus presents A Gospel Christmas with Richard Smallwood. For more information, see HOLIDAY HAPS.

4925 or visit The Rep’s Online Box Office at www.repstl.org.

Sat., Dec. 31, 7 p.m., Chaifetz Arena presents New Year’s Eve Comedy Jam feat. Corey Holcomb, J. Anthony Brown, Tony Rock and more. 1 S. Compton Ave., 63103. For more information, call (314) 977-5000 or visit www. chaifetzarena.com.

concerts

Sat., Dec. 3, The Ambassador presents R&B Legends with Miki Howard, Lenny Williams and Surface, hosted by Lightning. The Ambassador, 9800 Halls Ferry. For more information, visit www.metrotix.com or call (314) 534-1111.

Fri., Dec. 9, 7 p.m., A Gospel According to Jazz starring Kirk Whalum, Keiko Matsui, and Norman Brown. With special guests John Stoddart, Kevin Whalum, Shelea, Denise Thimes, FT Mass Choir, and the R.F. Specials Choir. Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church, 5553 Dr. Martin Luther King Dr., 63112. For more information, call (314) 367-9700 or visit www.friendlytemple.org.

Sun., Jan. 1, 7 p.m., Chaifetz Arena presents Old School Hip Hop Festival. Featuring Scarface, Big Daddy Kane,

8 Ball & MJG, Trick Daddy, Doug E Fresh, Slick Rick, Mystikal, Jalil & Ecstasy of Whodini. 1 S. Compton Ave., 63103. For more information, call (314) 977-5000 or visit www. chaifetzarena.com.

Dec. 29 – 30, The St. Louis Symphony presents Disney in Concert: Tale as Old as Time. Brought to life by the talents of four Broadway caliber singers and featuring high resolution Animated Feature Film sequences, the concert explores iconic moments, plot twists and feats of daring heroics from Frozen, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid Tangled The Lion King and many more. 718 N. Grand Blvd., 631303. For more information, call (314) 533-2500 or visit www. stlsymphony.org.

special events

Thur., Dec. 1, 11:45 a.m., VOYCE invites you to the 22nd Annual Caregiver Awards Luncheon. This is a day of inspirational stories as we honor and celebrate our nominees’ contributions in defining excellence in longterm care. Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel, 9801 Natural Bridge Rd., 63134.

Juvenile,

For more information, call (314) 919-2410 or visit www. voycestl.org/events.

Fri., Dec. 2, 9 a.m., Hiring Event at Missouri Veterans Home in St. Louis. We will host an all day hiring event for full time direct care nursing staff. There will be free food available for applicants along with Human Resource and Nursing Management to hold open interviews. We are actively recruiting C.N.A.’s, C.M.T.’s, RNs and LPNs to work full time at our facility to provide long term nursing home care for Missouri Veterans. Applicants should come prepared to complete employment applications, have an interview and be hired on the spot if qualified. 10600 Lewis and Clark Blvd., 63136. For more information, call (314) 340-6389.

Fri., Dec. 2, 8 p.m., Guardian Angel Settlement Association presents Kim Massie Sings for the Angels. Join us for a wonderful night of music, fellowship and philanthropy. GASA serves people living in poverty by helping them improve the quality of their lives and achieve economic independence. Redline Production and Post, 5550 Fyler Ave., 63139. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Sat., Dec. 3, 7 pm. Greater St. Louis Association of Black Journalists 40th Anniversary Celebration honoring Mary Cannon, Bonita Cornute, Bernie Hayes and Donald M. Suggs, Nine Network for Public Media, 3655 Olive Street. For more information, visit https:// www.eventbrite.com/e/ greater-st-louis-associationof-black-journalists40th-anniversary-tickets27716886955?aff=ehomecard

Sun., Dec. 4, 4:30 p.m., Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Epsilon Lambda Chapter invites you to the 2016 Founder’s Day Banquet. Occasion Banquet Center, 111 Compass Point Dr., 63301. For more information, call (302) 723-1567 or visit www. apafoundersbanquet.eventbrite. com.

Sat., Dec. 17, 10:30 p.m., NAACP St. Louis County Brunch presents Soulful Jazz Brunch Extravaganza. Fashion show, live music, a shopping bizarre, silent auction, and more. Westport Sheraton Chalet, 191 W. Port Plaza, 63146. For more information, call (314) 4779338.

literary

Fri., Dec. 2, 7 p.m., St. Louis County Library

hosts author David France, author of How to Survive a Plague: The Inside Story of How Citizens and Science Tamed AIDS. St. Louis County Library headquarters, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 63124.

Mon., Dec. 5, 7 p.m., Missouri History Museum hosts author Gary Kodner author of St. Louis Cardinals Uniforms & Logos: An Illustrated History, 1882 –2016. With over 300 detailed drawings and 400 photos of jersey graphics, cap emblems, lettering, patches, and more, Kodner documents the Cardinals’ uniform legacy. 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, call (314) 746-4599 or visit www. mohistory.org.

art

Fri., Dec. 2, 7 p.m., Olin Black MBA Association & Olin Latin American Business Association present the 1st Annual Olin Art Auction. Join us in an evening of fine cuisine, music, dancing, and incredible local art. All art auctioned is created by local Black and Latin artists. Olin Business School, Washington University, 1 Brookings Dr., 63130. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com.

Sat., Dec. 3, 6 p.m., A Colorful Holiday Party and Fundraiser Celebrating Artists First. Artists First is a non-profit organization that fosters the growth of artists with disabilities through creative self-expression.

Artists First offers art-based programs throughout the greater St. Louis area serving adults with disabilities, youth with and without disabilities, and veterans. Bethel Lutheran Church, 7001 Forsyth Blvd., 63105. For more information, call (314) 781-4440 or visit www.artistsfirststl.org.

Through January 7, “Fare Well,” an exhibition of new works by Addoley Dzegede will be on display at Fort Gondo Compound for the Arts, 3151 Cherokee St, St. Louis, MO 63118.

theatre

Dec. 1 – 4, Ignite presents Shrek the Musical. Ivory Theatre, 7620 Michigan Ave., 63111. For more information, visit www.ivorytheatrestl.com.

Dec. 2 – 4, The Fox presents Annie. 527 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 534-1678 or visit www.metrotix.com.

Dec. 2 – 4, Washington University Dance Theatre presents Critical Mass. Edison Theater, 6445 Forsyth Blvd., 63105. For more information, call (314) 935-6543 or visit www.edison.wustl.edu.

Dec. 2 – 11, 7:30 p.m., UMSL Theatre presents 1984. Based on the iconic novel by George Orwell, 1984 brings us the story of Winston Smith, a cog in the giant machine state of Oceania. Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand Blvd.,

lectures and workshops

Thur., Dec. 8, 9 a.m., Alive and Well STL presents How Trauma Impacts Social, Emotional, and Health Outcomes. The presentation will explore the prevalence and impact of trauma on children’s brain development, what we must do to help children and families recover from trauma, and what is behind many of the behaviors we see and how we can shift our perspective to serve children and families through the lens of trauma. Free and open to the public. John C. Murphy Health Center, 6121 N. Hanley Rd., 63134. For more information or to register, visit www.eventbrite. com.

screening will be followed by a Q&A with one of the stars of the film. 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, call (314) 7464599 or visit www.mohistory. org.

Thur., Dec. 1, 6 p.m., Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis presents the Ask the Doctor Health Series: Dissecting Depression. Join us for a mental health workshop to learn how to prevent, manage, and reverse the symptoms of chronic, acute, and seasonal depression. Vaughn Cultural Center, 3701 Grandel Square, 63108. For more information or to register, call (314) 506-5305 or email tcarter@urbanleaguestl.org.

63103. For more information, call (314) 533-0367.

Dec. 6 – 18, The Fox presents Finding Neverland. The show follows playwright J.M. Barrie as he summons the courage to become the writer – and the man – he yearns to be. 527 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 5341678 or visit www.metrotix. com.

Dec. 9 – 11, COCA’s Ballet Eclectica presents The Little Dancer. Enjoy the tale of Edgar Degas’ famous sculpture “The Little Dancer” that comes to life and discovers the world through experiencing works of art. 524 Trinity Ave., 63130. For more information, call (314) 561-4877 or visit www. cocastl.org.

Sat., Dec. 10, 2 p.m., Peace Corps Information Session. Make the most of your world. Serving in the Peace Corps is a great way to immerse yourself in a new culture, learn a new language, and have the experience of a lifetime. Join us at this information session to learn about Volunteer experiences, ask questions about service, and gain tips to guide you through the application process. St. Louis Public Library, Schlafly Branch, 225 N. Euclid Ave., 63108. For more information, call (314) 367-4120 or visit www.slpl.org.

health

Thur., Dec. 1, 11 a.m., Missouri History Museum hosts World AIDS Day. The day includes information booths, HIV testing, and Affordable Care Act enrollment. We will also have a screening of “Deep South”, a documentary about the neglected crisis of HIV/AIDS in the rural American South that follows three Americans as they redefine traditional Southern values to create their own solutions to survive. The

Tues., Dec. 6, 2 p.m., Seniors Home Care presents Family Caregiver Training This free training opportunity provides tools to use when caring for a parent or loved one in multiple settings. Topics include monitoring and handling medications, home safety, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia awareness, handling care giver stress and much more. The class is taught by a Seniors Home Care registered nurse. For more information or to reserve a spot, call (314) 962-2666 or visit www. seniorshomecare.com.

Mondays, 6:30 p.m., Yoga & Chill. A beginner-friendly, all levels (75 minute) class that spends time working through fundamental yoga postures and shapes while exploring alignment, breathing, relaxation techniques, and a good time. Modern Healer Studio, 1908 Cherokee St., 63118. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com.

Tuesdays & Thursdays, 7:30 p.m., Get Sexy Movement Boot Camp. Station styled boot camp with 1 minute at each station for three rounds. North County Recreation Center, 2577 Redman Rd., 63136.For more information, call (314) 898-8898.

The Ambassador presents R&B Legends with Miki Howard (above), Lenny Williams and Surface. See CONCERTS for additional details.

the genre. The jazz and blues pianist and bandleader gave Chuck Berry his first big break as a professional musician.

Berry would eventually become known as one of the original architects of rock and roll; Johnson’s pivotal role in Berry’s earliest compositions and recordings of the 1950s was recognized much later and became a matter of legal dispute.

“This was a man who could speak to people in the language of music,” McCaskill said.

“That language doesn’t have a skin color, it doesn’t have a religion, it doesn’t care how rich or poor you are. It doesn’t care what neighborhood you’re from. Music is a universal language – and no one spoke it better than Johnnie Johnson.”

During the ceremony, Johnson was recognized as much for his service to the country as a member of the Montford Point Marines as for his contributions to music –perhaps even more so.

The program was facilitated by the Montford Point Marines, who are historic for being the first group of African Americans to serve alongside white Marines in the U.S. military. As part of the festivities, a historical overview of the group was shared. Johnson, a member of the inaugural Montford Point Marines, served from 19421949.

“Johnnie Johnson had traveled and seen the face of racism in many different ways, yet he signed up and said, ‘Take me. I want to fight for my country,’” McCaskill said. “He signed up not only knowing he was willing to risk his life for his country, but also that he would endure what most of the Montford Point Marines

Montford Point Marine in World War II that Johnson joined the Barracudas, Bobby Troup’s all-serviceman jazz orchestra.

The course of popular music in America – and, subsequently, the world – would never be the same because of what happened when Johnson moved to St. Louis soon after his military career ended. He called Chuck Berry as a replacement within his Sir John Trio because of the illness of another member. The partnership they formed would help propel Berry into the territory of musical pioneer. He is said to be the inspiration behind 1958’s “Johnny B. Goode,” one of Berry’s biggest hits, and many have argued – Keith Richards

McCaskill alluded to that.

“This man who I think many would realize had a very important role in other famous people’s career, and he didn’t get always get the recognition he deserved, because he wasn’t quite as showy as some of the other musicians he hung out with – some of whom we know well here in St. Louis,” McCaskill said.

Retired Colonel Charles Boyd, a Montford Point Marine, presented Johnson’s widow with a plaque, resolution and replica of the medal. When she opened the medal, Frances gleamed with the excitement of a child who unwrapped their gift to see it was exactly what they wished for. She delicately cupped her hands and bent down to show

the plaque and locked eyes with different people she knew in the crowd, and shared with them an “can you believe this is happening” expression. It was a priceless moment for the entire room – including some who have dedicated their lives to preserving Johnson’s legacy.

Among the crowd were Johnson’s biographer Travis Fitzpatrick, author of the acclaimed 1999 book “Father of Rock and Roll: The Story of Johnnie B. Goode Johnson.”

Bill Stalnaker, founder of The Johnnie Johnson Blues & Jazz Festival annually in Johnson’s hometown of Fairmont, West Virginia was on hand as well.

“He’d feel just like I feel right now – proud and honored,” Frances Johnson said of her husband. “I’m just

him it was the way they handled things that separates the new from the old school.

“We did our dirt, but we were much better at loving the one we’re with,” he said. “These little boys nowadays will have a fine woman looking him in the face while he’s texting the next one in line.”

Time and attention give him the competitive edge when it comes to dating younger – but so does his pension.

“I’m stable in my life and my finances,” he said. “I know that’s attractive – and not just for these ones out here looking for a sugar daddy. It’s all about what you can bring to the table. And I’ll help if I need to, but only when I feel like it.”

He doesn’t feel taken advantage of when he puts a little something towards her household.

“I decide what I’m gonna do and what I’m not gonna do,” he said. “I’m not going to the poor house behind no woman. Plus, if it’s my lady, I have it and she needs it, what kind of man am I if I don’t? I was doing the same thing in my twenties.”

He said it would be the same scenario if he were to date women his own age. Ironically, after waving his finger in my face with his whole “age ain’t nothin’ but a number” bit,” he admitted that he’s exclusive to younger women.

“As long as I can still pull the tenders,” he said, “that’s exactly what I’m gonna do!”

Younger woman, classic man

n “These little boys nowadays will have a fine woman looking him in the face while he’s texting the next one in line.”

are two years in, and so far it’s been absolutely amazing. She’s in her early 40s. He’s in his late 60s.

He approached her at a social gathering. They started talking that night and never stopped. She knew he was older, but didn’t know how much until she realized that she knew his daughter – who is actually older than she is.

“If I had known beforehand – say, had he attempted to introduce me to her at the event – I probably would have backed off from the conversation and not given him my number,” she said. “But by the time I found that out, we had already connected.”

She said that even if they had run into his daughter the same night – after they spent hours in nonstop, engaging conversation – it would have been too late to curb the budding relationship.

“I can’t say I know where things are going at this point,” she said. “But I really enjoy everything about him. The only thing where the age thing factors in is with our musical tastes –and even with that, we have agreed to disagree.” They probably won’t ever be merging playlists, but the idea of them settling down is not out of the question, as far as she is concerned.

“I can honestly say that I never thought I would date someone so much older,” she said. “But you know what/ We

“He’s a breath of fresh air compared to what I’ve been going through trying as far as dating,” She said. “I honestly have no complaints. And when I say no complaints, I mean no complaints.” I got her drift.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill and Godfrey Wilson, a former Montford Point Marine, presented Frances Johnson, widow of the late blues great Johnnie Johnson, with the Congressional Gold Medal in his honor at the National Blues Museum in downtown St. Louis on Monday, November 28.

President Obama should pardon black political prisoners

By Akbar Muhammad Guest columnist

This open letter to you was inspired by the PardonSnowden. org Organization, who wrote an open letter to you in the New York Times making an appeal for you to use your pardon privilege to pardon Edward Snowden and allow him to come home without charges. The men and women who engaged in the Black Liberation struggle for freedom, justice and equality for our people are languishing in prisons across this country. Many have already died. If you pardon those who live, most of them could never be a menace to American society because of age and sickness. These black men and women saw a need to struggle against a system that history tells us was unjust and brutal against the aspirations

of millions of black Americans who are descendants from slaves. They suffered at the hands of the leaders of this country. Their struggle was born out of oppression. We don’t see them as criminals, but men and women who put their life on the line to make a difference in the lives of millions of black people across this country. They took this course of action as the early Americans did against the British Empire. When we look back at this struggle and reassess some of their convictions, you may see in your wisdom that their conviction based on the prevailing circumstances at that time and history may give you a new view of what they were convicted of and for. We

would hope that you would use the pardon privilege invested in you as the president of The United States to free these brothers and sisters. Not only as the first black president will you be making history, but it will be a part of your legacy that will be longlasting. I have enclosed some of the names that I hope that you would consider using your power to pardon. In closing, I know that you have received many requests and letters to grant a posthumous presidential pardon to Marcus Garvey, whose name you also will find on this list.

I ask that you pardon: Assata Shakur, Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin (Rap Brown), Dr. Mutulu Shakur, Fred “Muhammad” Burton, Patrice Lumumba Ford, Mumia Abu-

Jamal, Agona Azania, Veronza Bowers Jr., Romaine “Chip” Fitzgerald, Joseph “Joe-Joe” Bowen, Jeff Fort (Chief Malik), Robert Seth Hayes, Kamau Sadiki (Freddie Hilton), Larry Hoover, Richard Mafundi Lake, Maliki Shakur Latine, Ruchell Cinque Magee, Reverend Joy Powell, Ronald Reed, Kojo Bomani Sababu, Russell Maroon Shoatz, Sundiata Acoli (C. Squire), Kenny Zulu Whitmore, Chuck Sims Africa, Debbie Sims Africa, Delbert Orr Africa, Edward Goodman Africa, Janet Holloway Africa, Janine Phillips Africa, Michael Davis Africa, Herman Bell, Jalil Muntaqim, Leonard Peltier, Abdul Azeez (Warren Ballentine), Hanif Shabazz Bey (Beaumont Gereau), Malik Smith (Meral Smith), Marcus Garvey.

Akbar Muhammad is international representative of the Nation of Islam.

How Missouri’s new voter photo ID requirement works

By state Rep. Shamed Dogan For The St. Louis American

On November 8, 63 percent of Missouri voters (including 54 percent of voters in St. Louis County) voted in favor of a requirement for future voters to show some sort of photo ID before voting. The State of Missouri is set to put such a system in place by June 1, 2017. The result of the change is that in elections held after that date, you will have to prove you are who you say you are before being able to cast a ballot. I supported this change because I believe it will protect the integrity of our elections process, while also protecting the ability of every eligible voter to cast a vote. However, I recognize that many in the African-American community see voter photo ID legislation as nothing more than an attempt to disenfranchise minority voters.

With that being said, I believe that a lot of the rhetoric during the campaign season misstated the impact of the

legislation that we passed in Missouri by comparing it to laws in other states. I think it’s important to set the record straight on what our system of voter photo ID will look like in Missouri.

As I told my colleagues on the House floor, “There’s no way I would be supporting this if it disenfranchised people who look like me – people who are my ancestors, people who are my relatives, people who are my best friends.”

I will support measures to prevent fraud in our elections process, and I will oppose measures that are intended to adversely impact the voting rights of minorities.

If anyone in Missouri tries to restrict voting rights by selectively closing polling places in predominantly black precincts, as other states have tried, I will be the first one to fight them.

Missouri’s new voter photo ID law will be the most generous of any in the country.

For the vast majority of voters who have a driver’s license or a non-driver’s ID issued by the State of Missouri, you will simply show your photo ID at the polling place before you vote. For those who do not have a valid form of photo identification, the state will be required to provide you with an ID for free. And because of an amendment that I added – after taking into account the concerns of civil rights organizations and others – the new law also requires the state to pay for source documents (birth certificates, adoption certificates, marriage licenses, etc.) necessary to obtain a photo ID.

Beyond that, even if you show up at the polling place without a photo ID, you will still be allowed to vote if you sign an affidavit stating that you are the same voter listed on the voter rolls.

The exact details on how Missourians without a valid photo ID will be able to obtain

Frances Levine, president and CEO of the Missouri Historical Society and Missouri History Museum; Donald M. Suggs, publisher and executive editor of the St. Louis American; and Laura Lott, president and CEO of the American Alliance of Museums.

MUSEUM

Continued from C1

project exemplifies some of the region’s recent growth and expanded energy that portends a more bright and interesting future for the region.”

The 2017 annual meeting will feature AAM’s firstever Trustee Summit, where museum board members and trustees will hear from an expert panel on best practices for museum governance, and discuss the results of a 2016 nationwide survey of museum

one still have to be worked out by the Secretary of State’s office, but rest assured it will be a process that will allow Missourians from all walks of life to easily obtain proper identification. With this, all Missourians, including minorities, who want to vote will be able to do so. Even better, they will have more confidence that their votes matter because they will be voting in a system that is better protected from fraud and corruption.

Shamed Dogan (R-Ballwin) represents Missouri’s 98th District in the state House of Representatives.

Celebrate Cultures Near and Far during the Saint Louis Art Museum’s Winter Festival

Join the Saint Louis Art Museum as we kickoff the holiday season with our second annual Winter Celebrations festival, an event that highlights the diversity of cultures and artists represented in the Art Museum’s collection with art, music, and dance from around the globe. The three-day festival includes performances by local high school bands and choirs, winter-themed art activities, and a selection of community performances that include West African dance, ballet, and Taiko drums. Winter Celebrations will take place Friday, December 9 through Sunday, December 11.

Now in its second year, Winter Celebrations presents an array of family-friendly activities inspired by the winter season and cultures near and far. The festival begins Friday, December 9 at 5:00 pm with a trio of performances from local high school bands and choirs. Students from Crossroads College Prep will kick-off the evening with an energetic set of pop and seasonal songs. Crossroads College Prep will be followed by the Clayton High School Band and Show Choir, performing music from the folk, jazz, and classical traditions. The Normandy High School Jazz Band will have Sculpture Hall buzzing and visitors dancing in their seats as they close out the evening with a selection of popular jazz standards and R&B hits.

Visitors can also bundle up for a stroll through the Grace Taylor Broughton Sculpture Garden while enjoying performances by the Saint Louis Christmas Carols Association, Grupo México with Gloria Hansen, and Rhythm ‘n’ Ruach, a singing duo performing Hebrew and Jewish music. Other garden activities include a puppet

parade and tree-lighting ceremony. The puppets, all inspired by works of art from the Museum’s collection, were produced by community artists and in collaboration with VSA Missouri, a statewide organization promoting access to the arts for people with disabilities.

The Winter Celebrations festival continues throughout the weekend with community performances in Sculpture Hall, artmaking, and fun events throughout the Museum. Highlights for Saturday, December 10 include West African dance and drumming with Livety: Indigenous Dance, The Nutcracker ballet performed by Dance Center of Kirkwood, and St. Louis Osuwa Taiko showcasing Japanese drumming. Visitors can also drop by the Farrell Auditorium throughout the afternoon to enjoy a collection of short and whimsical animated films from Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America.

The festival concludes on Sunday, December 11 with Christmas carols, cookie decorating, and a spectacular performance by Afriky Lolo and Diadie Bathily in the Farrell Auditorium. Community performances in Sculpture Hall include the Saint Louis Christmas Carols Association, the Center for Indian Cultural Education-Bal Vihar of St. Louis, and Webster Groves High School’s a cappella groups. The Museum’s Education Center will be cookie-decorating central and everyone is welcome to stop in to design their own tasty winter treat.

The Saint Louis Art Museum’s Winter Celebrations festival and its many activities are free and open to the public. Seating in the Farrell Auditorium is limited. Visit slam.org/winter for a full schedule of performances and activities.

The World’s Fair through black eyes

The Teens Make History Players will perform “Meet Me in St. Louis?” in the World’s Fair gallery at the Missouri History Museum at 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays, December 3, 10 and 17.

Youth actors perform ‘Meet Me in St. Louis?’ at History Museum

By the Teens Make History Players

For The St. Louis American

As Teens Make History Players, we talk a lot about how history is more than just events that have taken place; history is about stories. Sometimes these stories are positive, and other times they are negative. We have a responsibility to tell both sides – even with well-known events.

Our current play, “Meet Me in St. Louis?,” looks at the different ways African Americans experienced the 1904 World’s Fair. For some black St. Louisans, the event was an opportunity to learn about the world and to show all of the important contributions that African Americans had made throughout history. But for others, it was a time of discrimination and humiliation. We share both of these perspectives in our play so audiences can hear stories that might be new to them.

Officially known as the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, the 1904 World’s Fair was meant to celebrate the centennial of the land deal that doubled the size of the United States. Visitors from around the world came to St. Louis to learn about new technology and industrial progress. Fair officials said the event was open to “all nations, all peoples,” but many of the exhibits and events supported a racial hierarchy in which white westerners were portrayed as superior to people of color.

We started our research by consulting a secondary source, an article titled “Hoping for a Splendid Summer: African American St. Louis, Ragtime, and the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.” The story explained AfricanAmerican St. Louisans’ many different reactions: Some were excited by the infrastructure improvements and the booming business the Fair brought with it. Other people worried that the Louisiana Purchase Exposition would be just like previous World’s Fairs, where African Americans had not been equally represented.

In our second phase of research, we used primary sources. We read minutes from the Executive Committee of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, letters between Booker T. Washington and the Committee on Negro Day,

and both black and white newspapers such as the St. Louis Palladium and the St. Louis GlobeDemocrat. To conclude our research, we viewed photographs from the World’s Fair to get a better understanding of the setting for “Meet Me in St. Louis?”

Our play has two main story lines. One follows a local family visiting the Fair, and the other is about the Committee on Negro Day. With these two story lines, we wanted to show both personal and formal reactions to the 1904 World’s Fair. We chose to feature a St. Louis family for the first story line because we wanted our audiences to relate to the characters on a human level. Even though this family is fictional, their story is rooted in real-life experiences. For instance, the daughter is based on Julia Davis, who visited the Fair 16 times as a young girl and later described its wonders in an oral-history interview. The family’s visit to the Fair recalls another real story the St. Louis Globe-Democrat reported in June 1904: On a hot day the daughter is refused water simply because the glass might later be used by a white person. Scenes from the second story line are grounded in historical research. The Committee on Negro Day, a group of citizens led by Walter Farmer, organized a special day at the Fair that was to include a large chorus, a military parade of African American regiments, and a speech by Booker T. Washington. Throughout the summer of 1904, however, the committee faced many challenges, such as reports of discrimination, bad publicity, and a boycott by the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs. In the end, the committee decided not to go forward with Negro Day as planned. The characters in this part of the play are modeled after real people, but we wrote dialogue based on what we think was said during their meetings. We hope that audiences will leave our play with a better understanding of African-American experiences at the 1904 World’s Fair. We will be performing “Meet Me in St. Louis?” in the World’s Fair gallery at 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays, December 3, 10 and 17. We invite you to join us for one of these final shows!

Celebrations

Veteran Honored

Reunions

Beaumont Class of 1967 will meet at the Natural Bridge County Library, 7606 Natural Bridge 63121 at 1:30 pm on Saturday, Dec. 17. Please update your contact info at Beaumontclassof67@ sbcglobal.net. We will be mailing info soon. Beaumont High School,

Class of 1978 will celebrate its 40-year reunion in 2018. For further information, please contact: Marietta Shegog Shelby, 314-799-5296, madeshe@sbcglobal.net.

Central Visual and Performing Arts Class of 1996 will be hosting its 20th Year Anniversary Spooktacular Soiree Reunion Kickoff Event at Central Visual and Performing Arts Gym, 3125 S Kingshighway Blvd, on October 29 from 7:00 pm-11:30 pm, admission $20. For more information contact Dr. Miranda Avant-Elliott, at cvapclassof96@gmail.com or visit the VAP C/O of 1996 20th Yr Reunion Facebook page.

Sumner Class of 1965 is planning a “70th” Birthday Cruise for October 2017. If you’re interested and want to receive more information, please contact Luther Maufas (314) 541-4556, Brenda Smith Randall (314)382-1528, or Laura Young (314) 328-3512 with name, address so the info can be mailed to you.

Sumner Class of 1967 is planning its 50-year reunion and need contact information from those classmates. Please contact Carlotte Algee Stancil at algee1999@ yahoo.com; DonnaYoung Rycraw at donnarycraw@ aol.com or Stella Smith Hunt at stellalhunt58@sbcglobal. net, 314-381-5104 with email, address and phone number.

Vashon High School 90th Anniversary Celebration will be held at Renaissance Hotel Airport St. Louis, October 6-7, 2017. On October 5, 2017, there will be an Alumni Day at Vashon High School. Please save the dates.

Vashon Class of 1957 is having its 60-year reunion on May 20, 2017 at the Atrium at the rear of Christian N.E. Hospital on Dunn Road. Classes 1955-1959 are welcomed. For more information, please contact Lovely (Green) Deloch at 314867-1470, Marlene (Randall) Porter at 314-653-0107, Mae (Simmons) Mahone at 314653-0818 or Phyllis (Bolden) Washington at 314-531-9925.

Vashon Class of 1967 is planning its 50-year reunion and is need of contact information for all interested alumni. Please contact JoAnn Alvoid at alvoidjoe8@gmail. com; Sarah (Taylor) Robinson at srobinson647@hotmail. com; or Sonya (Walker) Smith at 314.381.8221, with your address, email and phone number.

Vashon High School 90th Anniversary Celebration will be held at Renaissance Hotel Airport St. Louis, October 6-7, 2017. On October 5, 2017, there will be an Alumni Day at Vashon High School. Please save the dates.

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

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

Swag Snap of the week

Tiffany Foxx’s Black Friday. I was expecting to tell y’all that if any young lady on your job with a cute shape showed up sniffling Monday morning, that it was because she was at the Marquee showing all of her business for Tiffany Foxx’s Black Friday lingerie party. But surprisingly, most of the girls were actually quite modest. Even Tiffany and the stable of Vixens who came through with much of their dangerous curves fully covered at least on Friday. Although she can’t seem to get out of the habit of being tardy for her own party, I really get life from how humble and down to earth her personality is – despite having a milkshake that brings ALL the boys to the yard. The same can be said about her ace the lovely Scar LaDon (aka DT) who was on deck slaying as per usual. I feel the same way about Ashley Monroe too, who was her usual sweet self as she came through serving cleavage to the max. I don’t know much about Nikki Baby but she seemed nice enough. It was a nice packed crowd, but light for a Tiffany Foxx showing. In all fairness to Tiff, light crowds have been the recurring theme of 2016 in these streets.

Bringing in the new Blue. The venue formerly known as The Office got an extreme makeover and a new name – and the urban club kids (well actually grown folks in this case) came through for a good look on the first official night for Blue. I was able to catch the baby bump of the lovely Jamila Boone and as she sat back while her hubby Cornell Boone was in the mix. I’m hoping for the best for the spot, but the location hasn’t fared especially well in its previous incarnations. That being said, if the first night is any indication Blue might be the exception to the rule.

Disastrous logistics for D.L. show. I couldn’t get to Helium fast enough to see my boy D.L. Hughley for his second Saturday night show. Had I known then what I know now, I would have taken my sweet time. Helium didn’t seem prepared to handle the volume of crowd that came through to check for him, which meant that the entry process resembled an HBCU financial aid line at the start of the semester. I guess they didn’t consider he was a King of Comedy. It ended up being worth it for me, but I can’t say the same about everybody. St. Louis’ own Tahir Moore opened up the show and had to bravely go first in front of a crowd full of side eyes and folks rubbing their corns for relief after that step and go line situation we had to suffer through. I have to give him props for breaking the ice with one heavy hit. When he threatened to come off the stage and tickle every one of us, I think that was the breakthrough for me to get over the hiccup. At that moment I regrouped and realized that I’m always taken care of by Helium and that the experience was the exception to the rule. As I cackled at his hilarious threat, I was also reminded that everybody on D.L.’s roster always gives me life and Saturday night was no different. I was glad we kicked if off with a homegrown funnyman too. Speaking of homegrown funnymen, did anybody else catch Guy Torry kicking back and enjoying the show? But let’s get back to the show. The dude in the suit was funny (sorry but his name escapes me and google is not checking for him the least), but Kyle Grooms was everything I could have wanted but wasn’t expecting because he looks like an IRS auditor. He had me at “I know what you’re thinking…’he looks funny, but he doesn’t look funny.’” I was like, “OMG a psychic comedian.” And D.L. snatched me from him when he said “that’s enough applause for him. You don’t clap for the salad when you go out to dinner.” He had me rollin’ but towards the end I started feeling like I was held hostage because it got so late. He was intent on giving us every joke he has ever heard to make up for the inconvenience of our wait. Oh, and I almost forgot to give a props to Tahir for his cameo on the “Insecure” season finale. Based on what he’s doing on the standup stage and small screen I’m expecting big things for him.

Black Girl Magic and a mix-up. There was a bit of …let’s just say confusion with The Black Girl Magic concert at The Pageant Sunday night, but I can’t say that I didn’t live. They could’ve kept the poetry and the male rapper – though he got points for his pint sized dancers. He got a double bonus for bringing out Tiffany Foxx, who was the hardest working woman in St. Louis show business this weekend thanks to three parties (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). I was pleasantly surprised by that little girl Tink. She was giving me a dollar tree “Poetic Justice” tribute with her hair and her outfit, but her show was everything. And she had the nerve to open the show with a full band. I would’ve gotten life from Dreezy too had she not been singing to those tracks. Tracks would be the source of frustration for Black Girl Magic headliner Teyana Taylor. Before I say anything else, let me tell you that her body was even better than it was on that Kanye video. She lost her voice, but danced for dear life and staged a protest to performing with the backing vocals that the DJ insisted on subjecting her to. I must say that while I wasn’t expecting a soft shoe acapella interpretive dance performance of her three little songs, she ended up clocking most of the R&B chicks out right now with it. She only did about 20 minutes worth of show. She was quietly claiming bait and switch – that she thought it was gonna be a club performance. I don’t know the details, but the fact that she brought backup dancers seems a bit at odds with her claims. It’s still possible though. Either way, she was gracious (to everyone but the DJ) posing for pics and giving body goals for days in that two-piece Jamie Lee Curtis circa 1984 high cut panty outfit. And shout out to Presidential Promotions and Rockhouse Ent. for donating a nice chunk of the proceeds to create a Black

Harris-Stowe.

Girl Magic scholarship at

Songstress and Rapper Tink with Harris-Stowe State University president Dr. Dwaun Warmack @ The Black Girls Magic Concert Sunday night @ The Pageant

Promoters Orlando and PB backstage with Black Girl Magic performers Teyana Taylor and Dreezy Sunday night @ The Pageant

Megan, Kim, Stacy and Britt made sure they came through to kick it with Ono for his Espionage set Wednesday @ The OBar

DJ Climate and Birthday girl Tiffany Foxx as she closed out a full weekend of birthday celebrations Sunday night @ The OBar

Niddy and his Nightlights held it down for their exclusive party Friday @ Hush

Cam and Diamond came dressed to impress Friday night @ Hush

Holly and Meghan continued their holiday weekend @ HG

Hassani and Amanda Bey checked out the Black Girl Magic Concert Sunday night @ The Pageant

DJ Reminisce and Nappy DJ Needles slayed the tables as they kicked off the holiday weekend Wednesday night @ Blank Space

Briana and b-day girl Tamika @ Hush Friday night

As usual, Memphis rapper Yo Gotti was embraced in a major way in his home away from home of St. Louis Wednesday night at The Ambassador. He brought along CMG artist Money Bag Yo for his latest concert.

Photo by Christopher Hawkins of King Yella Photography

Photos by John Scott

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he Missouri Historical Society seeks an Actor/Interpreter to portray leaders in the African American Freedom Struggle in St. Louis. Visit www.mohistory.org for position details. An Equal Opportunity Employer

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he Missouri Historical Society seeks a Visitor Experience Representative. Visit www.mohistory.org for position details. An Equal Opportunity Employer

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he Missouri Historical Society seeks a Visitor Experience Representative. Visit www.mohistory.org for position details. An Equal Opportunity Employer

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MedStar Home Health Services CDS a Consumer Directed Services company seeking caring individuals that would like to earn up to $12.00 per hour taking care of their loved ones in their homes. To learn more about this opportunity contact us at (314) 782-7311 or via email at info@medstarcds.com.

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St. Louis University High School invites applications for the following staf position:

Varsity Football Head Coach

Visit the sluh.org website and look under the employment section for the full details related to this position.

To apply for this position, please send a letter stating your personal interest in the position and a comprehensive resume to Mrs. Lori Figge (ligge@sluh.org), Athletic Department Administrative Support. Priority will be given to submissions received before Monday, November 28th.

City of Florissant is seeking a Multi-Building Inspector. 3 years of progressive experience in code enforcement as well as construction/ building trades will be required. Advanced training in local building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and fire codes is highly desirable. Must obtain certification as an ICC Residential Combination Inspector. Must possess and maintain a valid state driver’s license. Submit resume to Human Resources, 1055 rue St. Francois, Florissant, MO 63031, open until filled. hr@florissantmo.com EOE M/F/Veteran/Disabled

OFFICE

Missouri Historical Society seeks a Coordinator for the President’s Oice. Visit www.mohistory.org for position details. An Equal Opportunity Employer

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SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST

Webster University has an opening for at Social Media Specialist in the Digital Department. Please apply online at http:// webster.peopleadmin.com/postings/2033. No phone calls please. Webster University provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, ethnicity, age, protected veteran or disabled status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER

St. Louis Public Library has an opening for a Public Safety Oicer. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent. Must have a valid driver’s license with no record of suspension, revocation or chemical related violations within the last three years. Must be eligible to be licensed as a security oicer by the St. Louis Police Department. Previous experience desired. Duties include serving as a security guard and site visits to satellite facilities in private vehicle. Must have excellent customer services skills, be able to stand/walk for extended time periods, lit or move up to 50lbs, be able to work a lexible schedule, have the ability to work in all weather conditions and be on call.

St. Louis Public Library ofers a comprehensive beneits package. Interested candidates should forward a resume or application to:

St. Louis Public Library 1415 Olive Street

St. Louis, MO 63103

E-mail: employment@slpl.org

Fax: 314-539-0335 EOE

RECREATION

SPECIALIST (AQUATICS)

City of Florissant is seeking a Recreation Specialist (Aquatics) to provide supervision, oversight and management of all aquatic facility operations. The person in this position must have graduated from an accredited college or university with a degree in recreation or a closely related field, and at least one year of experience in recreation. Preferred certifications Ellis Lifeguard Instructor, CPR and First Aid Instructor, Certified Pool Operator (CPO) and/or Aquatics Facility Operator (AFO). Any equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered. Submit resume to Human Resources, 1055 Rue St. Francois, Florissant, MO 63031, hr@florissantmo.com

SEEKING - NORTHWOODS POLICE CHIEF

he candidate for Northwoods Police Chief should be a career professional with at least ive years of street patrol and administrative combined experience. He/ She is required to provide administrative support to the Mayor and City Administrator and guide development of the Police Accreditation process to completion. A minimum of an Associate College Degree is also required. he candidate should be able to plan, direct and supervise daily activities, projects and operation of the Police Dept. Salary and essential detailed duties will be discussed during interviews. his position is full time with beneits. Applications should be picked up at the Northwoods Police Dept. -4800 Oakridge Blvd.-Northwoods, Missouri 63121. Return completed application w/your resume, Attn: Mayor-Rev. Everett R. homas at the address above by 5:00 pm, November 23, 2016.

ACCOUNTING/ PAYROLL CLERK

Leveraged Resources Management, Inc. (LRM) a subsidiary of ARCHS is seeking a Full Time Accounting/ payroll clerk. he ideal candidate will have experience in digital payroll processing, EFTPS and MODR on-line tax payments, and quarterly/annual payroll ilings. Duties include A/P Processing, General Ledger Closes(monthly) and Payroll Processing. Experience with Abila MIP payroll sotware desirable. Accounting degree a plus but not required. No Phone Calls Please Send resume and cover letter with salary history to careers@stlarchs.org or Fax to HR 314-289-5670.

CLIENT SERVICES SUPPORT SPECIALIST

he Alzheimer’s Association, St. Louis Chapter has an opening for a FT 40 hrs/ week Client Services Support Specialist. he position is responsible for clerical and administrative support for our Client Services team. Goals are to signiicantly scale up database efectiveness and internal and external customer service, enabling the Chapter to fulill its mission. Minimum requirements include 3 yrs of demonstrated experience working with database mgmt. Must be proicient with Microsot Oice applications and have excellent communication & organizational skills. Please email cover letter with salary requirements, resume and a min of 2 professional references to stl-hr@ alz.org

ASSOC. NETWORK ANALYST

REJIS is currently seeking an Assoc. Network Analyst to provide a wide range of services from installing, maintaining desktop PC’s, switches, network routers, irewalls, servers, communication troubleshooting and support.

To see our beneits or apply for this or other jobs, please visit:www.rejis.org

EOE/Minorities/Females/Vet/Disabled/ Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity he REJIS Commission has developed an EEOP Utilization Report as required by the United States Department of Justice. It is available for review on our website at rejis.org/employment

Special Events Manager

Manager, 4+ major events per year. Excellent Beneits. Visit www.crisisnurserykids.org Click on career tab for instructions - EOE

Exhibits Registrar

he Missouri Historical Society seeks a Visitor Experience Representative. Visit www.mohistory.org for position details. An Equal Opportunity Employer

Administrative Assistant

he Missouri Historical Society seeks a Administrative Assistant. Visit www. mohistory.org for position details. An Equal Opportunity Employer

PAID FOCUS GROUP / OPINION STUDY

St Louis City Residents age 18yrs+ needed for a PAID Focus Group being held next week in St. Louis. Receive $125 at the end of study for participating. You’d be watching video, reading, writing and sharing your opinions in a group setting. Call (818)395-9998 to attend.

MANAGER OF COMMUNICATIONS

Overview: Gateway Greening is a community development organization that uses urban agriculture and food access to educate and empower people to strengthen their communities. With 230+ community and school gardens and a 2+ acre urban farm, we are using the power of growing food in St. Louis through local food, community interaction, educating all ages, and volunteerism.

Various companies in

Summary: his postion is responsible for the performance of all communications and marketing eforts. he primary responsibility for this position is to assist all of the organization’s programs in the areas of print communications, digital communications, and consulting the design work. his is a full-time non-exempt. For full posting, visit http://www.gatewaygreening.org/about/ careers/

To Apply: Please send a cover letter, resume, a list of three references, and salary requirements to mschindler@gatewaygreening.org. No phone calls please. Only selected candidates will be contacted.

MULTIPLE OPENINGS

the referenced links:

Part-Time Truck Driving Instructor http://jobs.stlcc.edu/postings/3583

HRIS Support Analyst/Programmer http://jobs.stlcc.edu/postings/4568

End User Technology Specialist http://jobs.stlcc.edu/postings/5145

Part-Time Engineering Technician http://jobs.stlcc.edu/postings/4757

Application Process: All candidates must complete an online application. EO/AA/VET/Disability Employer

LETTING #8629

CONCRETE AND BRICK REMOVAL/REPLACEMENT AND COMPLETE SIDEWALK INSTALLATION, PROJECT NO. SP-103

Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of Public Service in Room 208 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Mo. Until 1:45 PM, CT, on December 13, 2016, then publicly opened and read. Plans and Specifications may be examined on the Board of Public Service website http://www.stl-bps.org/planroom.aspx (BPS On Line Plan Room) and may be purchased directly through the BPS website from INDOX Services at cost plus shipping. No refunds will be made.

A mandatory pre-bid conference for all contractors bidding on this project will be held on November 29, 2016 at 10:00 A.M. in Room 305 City Hall. Bidders shall comply with all applicable City, State and Federal laws (including MBE/WBE policies).

All bidders must regard Federal Executive Order 11246, “Notice of Requirement for Affirmative Action to Ensure Equal Employment Opportunity”, the “Equal Opportunity Clause” and the “Standard Federal Equal Employment Specifications” set forth within and referenced at www. stl-bps.org (Announcements).

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

he City of St. Louis, Department of Health (DOH), Bureau of Communicable Disease – Grants Administration is requesting proposals from local organizations, community agencies, universities, local governmental entities and other interested parties eligible to receive federal funds to provide the following services: HOPWA Housing, Beneits Administration, Fiscal Intermediary, Fiscal Monitoring, Food Bank and Home-delivered meals, Medical Nutrition herapy, Health Education and Risk Reduction (Treatment Adherence), and Housing/ Emergency Financial Assistance to people living with HIV/AIDS in the St. Louis Eligible Metropolitan Area and portions of Illinois.

Interested parties are encouraged to respond to the solicitation for proposal beginning Monday, November 14, 2016. An RFP packet may be obtained from Phillip Johnson, Secretary I, DOH, 1520 Market Avenue, Room 40027, by either calling 314-657-1556 or via email JohnsonP@stlouis-mo.gov. Interested parties may also download the RFP from the City of St. Louis website at http://www. stlouis-mo.gov/government/procurement. cfm. If interested parties have downloaded the proposal from the website, they must register with Mr. Johnson; in order to be notiied of any changes or amendments to the RFPs. he deadline for submitting proposals is 4:00 p.m., Friday, January 13, 2017 at the address referenced above.

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Design Services for NEW Allied Health Building at St. Louis Community College –Forest Park Agreement No. A17-0299

Dated: November 21, 2016

he St. Louis Community College is requesting submittals of experience and qualiications from architectural/ engineering irms for the NEW Allied Health Building and Selected Demolition of Portions of the East Wing at St. Louis Community College at Forest Park. Submittals of the Consultant’s qualiications will be received by St. Louis Community College, in the Engineering & Design Department until 2:00 p.m., December 16, 2016, at the Joseph P. Cosand Community College Center, 300 South Broadway. he scope of architectural/engineering services and consulting agreement procedures may be obtained from the Manager’s oice, at the above address or by calling (314) 539-5012.

EOE/Airmative Action Employer

SEALED BIDS

Sealed bids for REBID to Install E

&

d Switchgear, Peery Apartments, Kansas City, Missouri, Project No. M160302 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 12/15/2016. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

SEALED BIDS

Sealed bids for Replace Existing Fire Alarm System, Various Bldgs, Jenning State Office Building, Jennings MO, North St. Louis County Service Center, Florrissant MO, Project No. O1603-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 1/5/2017. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

NOTICE FOR CANDICACY FILING

he Village of Hanley Hills Candidacy

Filing is scheduled to open on Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 8:00 a.m.

And will be closed on Tuesday, January 17, 2016 at 5:00 p.m.

PLEASE SEE THE CITY CLERK FOR ANY INFORMATION REGARDING ELECTION CANDIDACY.

Candidacy information can be obtained from: he Village Hall of Hanley Hills 7713 Utica Drive St. Louis, Missouri 63133

Request for Bids for Hydraulic Lit Removal 3300 Wisconsin Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri 63118

he Land Reutilization Authority (LRA) of the City of St. Louis requests bids from qualiied Environmental Contractors for the removal of a subsurface hydraulic lit and any associated oil reservoir/piping. here will be a mandatory Pre-Bid site visit on Monday, December 12th, 2016 at 1:00 PM.

Proposals are due no later than 3:00 PM on December 21st, 2016.

All available environmental reports and other documents related to this RFP may be downloaded at: www.stlouis-mo.gov/sldc/documents/3300-wisconsin.cfm

St. Vincent Home for Children REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR FOOD SERVICE MANAGEMENT COMPANY

Notice is hereby given that Ofers will be received by the Chief Clinical Oicer, St. Vincent Home for Children, until 5:00pm on December 16, 2016 for the purpose of FOOD SERVICE, according to the speciications on ile at: St. Vincent Home for Children 7401 Florissant, St. Louis, MO 63033 Speciications and Request for Proposal forms may be obtained from the Chief Clinical Oicer at the address shown above or by submitting an email of interest to cgraves@saintvincenthome.org . Ofers are to be submitted in a sealed envelope addressed to the Chief Clinical Oicer at the above address and clearly marked in the lower let corner of the envelope, ” FOOD SERVICE.” St. Vincent Home for Children reserves the right to reject any and all ofers and to waive any informalities contained in such ofers. Dated at St. Vincent Home for Children on November 21, 2016 Courtney Graves Chief Clinical Oicer.

INVITATION TO BID SURPLUS SALE

he Special School District will hold a surplus sale for network equipment, various saws, pianos and miscellaneous items on Monday, December 12, 2016 at Support Operations Center, 700 Fee Fee Road, Maryland Heights MO 63043 from 9am to 3:00pm For a copy of the SSD 112-17 bid package contact Purchasing at 314-9897106, bid due December 15, 2016 at 11am For questions, contact Tammy Notheis at 314.989.7106 or tnotheis@ssdmo.org.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

he Metropolitan Zoological Park and Museum District Board of Directors has authorized its management to secure proposals from irms qualiied to provide shared services and joint purchasing consulting. he consulting services will involve an assessment of and recommendations for shared services opportunities among the ive cultural institutions within the Zoo Museum District: Saint Louis Zoo, Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis Science Center, Missouri Botanical Garden and Missouri History Museum. he deadline for response is December 30, 2016 at noon. For more information or to secure a proposal package, please contact:

J. Patrick Dougherty, Executive Director Metropolitan Zoological Park and Museum District 314 862 4222 metzoodist@sbcglobal.net

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR FIRMS SEEKING PROJECT FINANCING THROUGH THE NEW MARKETS TAX CREDIT PROGRAM ISSUED ON BEHALF OF THE ST. LOUIS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

he St. Louis Development Corporation (“SLDC”), a Round 13 New Markets Tax Credit allocatee, hereby requests proposals from irms wishing to receive project inancing from SLDC’s New Markets Tax Credit allocation. For a copy of the RFP please visit our website at http:/ /stlouis-mo.gov/sldc by selecting the RFP/RFQ link for a complete copy of the RFP, or contact:

BILL SEDDON

ST. LOUIS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

1520 MARKET STREET, SUITE 2000

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI 63103 (314) 657-3705 (PHONE) (314) 613-7011 (FAX) seddonb@stlouis-mo.gov.com

Proposals are due no later than 4:00 P.M. Central Daylight Time on hursday, January 5, 2017.

Public Notice of Single Source Procurement

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: UV LAMPS AND QUARTZ TUBES. SUEZ TREATMENT SOLUTIONS INC is the sole authorized manufacturer for the UV LAMPS AND QUARTZ TUBES. The District is proposing single source procurement for this equipment because SUEZ TREATMENT SOLUTIONS INC is the only known available source. Any inquiries should be sent to gjamison@stlmsd.com.

Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Invitation to Bid:

E.M. Harris Construction Company (EMH), 2600 Delmar Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63103 is seeking subcontractor bids for construction of the Chippewa Park Project located in St. Louis, MO.

Scopes of work include, but are not limited to: Gut Rehab of 16 existing buildings into 46 dwelling units.

Section 3, Minority, Women and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises are strongly encouraged to bid.

Project plans & speciications are available for viewing online through an Invitation to Bid and at:

· MOKAN Planroom – 4666 Natural Bridge, 63115 – 314-565-9675

· SLDC Planroom - 1712 Macklind Ave., 63110 – 314-678-0087

· EMH Planroom – 2600 Delmar, 63103 – 314-436-4426

All bids are due to EMH oice by Dec. 23, 2016, 1PM; (314) 436– 6691.

PREVAILING WAGES (as set by US Department of Labor and Missouri Housing Development Commission immediately prior to start of construction) MUST BE PAID TO ALL WORKERS; CERTIFIED PAYROLL REPORTS REQUIRED.

For questions or additional information, please contact Phil Krull, pkrull@emharris.com.

EMH is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

INVITATION FOR BID

Jeferson Franklin Community Action Corporation (JFCAC) is accepting proposals for audit services for our annual agency audit and our annual housing audit (iscal year ending 09/30).

RFP is available on our website www. jfcac.org or by calling (636) 789-2686, ext 114. Proposals must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. on hursday, December 22, 2016. JFCAC reserves the right to reject any and/or all bids.

NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS

Date of First Publication: 11/30/2016

City of St. Louis, Missouri Oice of the Mayor 1200 Market Street – Room 200 St. Louis, Missouri 63103 (314) 622-3723

hese notices shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the City of St. Louis.

REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS

On or ater 12/16/2016 the City of St. Louis will submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) for the release of Community Development Block Grant funds under Title 1 of the Community Development Act of 1974, PL93-383, as amended, 42 U.S.C.-5301 et seq., to undertake the following project, comprising part of the City’s 2013 Action Plan: Project Title: Red Sea Eritrean Community Center & Parking Lot

Purpose: Construction of community center and parking lot

Location: 1039-41, 1043, 1045-47 & 1053 N. Grand, St. Louis, Missouri 63112

Estimated Cost: Total development cost of this project is approximately $686,630.00, with approximately $225,000.00 of funding coming from the City of St. Louis’ Year 2013 Action Plan CDBG Funds.

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT

he City of St. Louis has determined that the project will have no signiicant impact on the human environment. herefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) on ile at City of St. Louis’ Planning & Urban Design Agency, (PDA), 1520 Market Street, Suite 2000, St. Louis, Missouri 63103 and may be examined or copied weekdays 8 A.M to 5 P.M.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to Mark G. Jeferies, Environmental Review Oicer, PDA, at the address listed above. All comments received by 12/15/2016 will be considered by the City of St. Louis prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice they are addressing.

RELEASE OF FUNDS

he City of St. Louis certiies to HUD that Francis Slay, in his capacity as Mayor of the City of St. Louis consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisied. HUD’s approval of the certiication satisies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the City of St. Louis to use HUD program funds.

OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS

HUD will accept objections to its release of fund and the City of St. Louis’ certiication for a period of iteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certiication was not executed by the Certifying Oicer of the City of St. Louis; (b) the City of St. Louis has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or inding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written inding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to HUD, at 1222 Spruce Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103, attn.: Dee Ann Ducote, Director of Community Planning & Development. Potential objectors should contact HUD to verify the actual last day of the objection period.

Francis G. Slay, Mayor Certifying Oicer

SECTION 001116 ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDDERS

Sealed bids will be received by the Construction Manager, S. M. Wilson & Co. at S. M. Wilson & Company Jobsite Trailer, 1201 Warson Road, St. Louis, Missouri 63124 until 2:00 pm on December 14, 2016 for the Work Packages described herein. Bids will be opened publicly and read aloud at that time. Bids must be hand delivered to the above address by 2:00 pm on December 14, 2016. If you elect to mail your bid, it must be mailed to S. M. Wilson & Company Jobsite Trailer, 1201 Warson Road, St. Louis, Missouri 63124.

Bid Package #05 – Elevators

• Work Package #01 – Elevators

he bid package will be available for viewing ater November 29, 2016 at the following locations:

Smartbidnet

https://secure.smartbidnet.com/External/PublicPlanRoom. aspx?Id=271596&i=1 PlanGrid www.plangrid.com

he Bid Package may be reviewed at those locations or may be ordered from Hampton Printing Services (2185 Hampton Ave., St. Louis, MO 63139) Contact Hampton Printing Services to order a set of documents. (Keith Tegeler, 314/633-9623 phone, keith.tegeler@ smwilson.com e-mail, or 314/644-0390 fax.)

he Owner reserves the right to reject any and all Bids, to waive informalities therein to determine the lowest and best bid, and to approve the Bond. he prevailing wage law is in efect on this project. No Bid may be withdrawn for a period of Ninety (90) days subsequent to the speciied time for receipt of Bids.

A Bid Bond or Certiied Check made payable to the Owner, in the amount of 5% of the Base Bid shall accompany the Bid as a guarantee that the bidder, if awarded the Contract, will furnish a satisfactory Performance and Payment Bond; execute the Contract; and proceed with the work.

he Statutes of

and

Statutes

of

SEALED PROPOSAL

Call to arrange an interview @ Normandy Library in North County 973-678-1149 (Call ater 6pm

Trump proposes ‘Commission on Radical Islam’

Could lead to a new McCarthy era, says Brennan Center

By Faiza Patel Of The Brennan Center

The president-elect’s suggestions during his campaign to ban Muslims from entering the country and to possibly establish a registry of Muslims have stirred fears about religious discrimination.

But a more easily realized and less publicized proposal by Donald J. Trump may also threaten civil liberties. That is a Commission on Radical Islam, which his campaign website says would “identify and explain to the American public the core convictions and beliefs of radical Islam, to identify the warning signs of radicalization, and to expose the networks in our society that support radicalization.”

As hate crimes against American Muslims soar, such a commission could further incite distrust and undermine Muslim leaders and civil society.

Presidents Obama and George W. Bush were careful to avoid tarring all Muslims with the terrorism brush. Six days after the September 11 attacks, Mr. Bush visited a mosque to warn against the harassment of American Muslims and underline the need to respect Islam. Mr. Obama has sent the same message, refusing to even use the term “radical Islam.” This does not mean that the United States government has simply ignored the belief systems of terrorists. To the contrary, there are reams of research and several congressional reports on the topic. It seems unlikely that a Commission on Radical Islam would add anything.

Mr. Trump’s commission would be charged with identifying

“warning signs of radicalization,” allowing it to veer easily into examining political and religious views. Both the New York Police Department and the F.B.I. have said that indicators of terrorism included political activism and signs of Muslim religiosity, such as growing a beard, wearing a head scarf or giving up smoking and drinking. Although these ideas have been thoroughly debunked by research, they continue to be influential and could serve as a basis for categorizing tens of thousands of American Muslims as potential terrorists requiring monitoring by law enforcement (or worse). Research has also found little evidence of support for terrorism among American Muslims. James Comey, the director of the F.B.I., said, “The threat here focuses primarily on troubled souls in America who are being inspired or enabled online to do something violent.” This makes the proposed commission’s mandate of ferreting out networks that support radicalization sound like a witch hunt that could ensnare politically active American

Muslims and the civil society groups that work to protect the community’s rights.

That seems to be what Newt Gingrich, one of the president-elect’s top advisers, has in mind. Earlier this year, Mr. Gingrich called for a new House Un-American Activities Committee to deal with “Islamic supremacists.” That notorious committee’s hearings and the investigations by Senator Joseph McCarthy into suspected Communists represented some of the most severe political repression in American history and destroyed lives. Today, as falsehoods are spread quickly on the internet and accepted as true, this risk may be even more acute.

In 2012, five members of Congress asked the State Department’s inspector general to investigate the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood on the department, citing family ties of Huma Abedin, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s closest aide. This summer, Senator Ted Cruz held a hearing in which a witness smeared the Islamic Society of North America, an

Local Muslims proclaimed their patriotism at a Donald Trump rally in downtown St. Louis on March 11.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

umbrella organization for Muslim groups, claiming it had links to terrorist groups. The same witness also insinuated that the two Muslim members of the House of Representatives, Keith Ellison and Andre Carson, supported terrorism because they attended the group’s events, as had the Homeland Security secretary, Jeh Johnson.

The F.B.I. has a policy of marginalizing the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the country’s largest Muslim civil rights organization. The F.B.I.’s stance, which it claims is based on vague concerns over potential connections to terrorism, is difficult to understand given the bureau’s broad powers to seize the assets of any organization supporting terrorism. So unfounded is the F.B.I.’s stance that it has been resisted by its own field offices and the Justice Department, and the council is a frequent partner of local police departments and other agencies.

Baseless insinuations about Muslim groups and individuals are a regular feature on Breitbart, the website run by Stephen Bannon, chief strategist to the incoming president.

Like many campaign promises, Mr. Trump’s commission may never become reality. But it would be far harder to challenge in court than a Muslim ban or registry. It must be vigorously resisted as a threat not only to American Muslims, but all Americans who dread a return to McCarthyism.

Faiza Patel serves as co-director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law.

faith

If you just look around at what’s going on in the world today, you would conclude that we live in a world where Satan does indeed have some sway. Plenty of Christians will tell you in the physical realm, he can appear to be in charge.

For a moment let me used my sanctified imagination and purport how one might function in a world where the devil has power. For those of you who might think this a bit farfetched, just substitute the term “evil” for “the devil.” It may be easier to acknowledge that we live in a world filled with evil and loaded with temptation than to focus on a biblical supernatural being. Just read the newspaper or watch any news program and evil might better explain to you the craziness in which we live. Okay?

Columnist James Washington

Now what is your responsibility as a believer in God when it comes to living according to the model shown us by one Jesus Christ? My first point of reference would be Jesus’ temptation by the devil in the desert. He offers Christ all the world, the devil’s take on the world. He offers Christ power, riches and world domination. Jesus renounces all of it in the devil’s name and is ultimately “attended” to by angels who then supply His every need.

My second reference point is when John wrote to believers in Ephesus and he explains we should not love the world or anything in it. As a matter of fact, if you fall prey to lust and pride, you must recognize them as of this world and not of God.

In order to navigate a world stacked against you, you and I need help. That seems to come from a belief system that reinforces the knowledge that the world we live in is a temporary one. The devil runs the place and we’re passing through.

It’s kind of like coming upon an accident on the highway. Everything can be viewed through your car window and the view, by itself, does not hurt you. That does not mean you can’t help folk. On the contrary, it’s an obligation. But the accident should be a constant reminder that outside forces can wreck your life.

Life can be treacherous for the ignorant and the innocent if you do not acknowledge the evil that exists in it. Our obligation as Christians is to put forth an effort not to succumb to the known temptations of this world. We cannot love this world more than we love God. We cannot be led by our passions and our emotions in this regard.

We have to respect the fact that the devil is clever and relentless. He will never let up. Our faith in God must be equally relentless.