December 29th, 2016 Edition

‘My life has been transformed’

Free CoderGirl program connects women with technology – and opportunities

Jennifer Franklin learns coding at the weekly CoderGirl meeting at the LaunchCode office at 4811 Delmar Blvd.

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American

Last winter, Kimberly Vaughn and DeAnna Tipton both found themselves needing a career change.

Vaughn, 41, said she was “tattered and worn” of the industry she was in and was struggling as a single mother. Tipton, 25, was simply fed up with her job.

Although neither had a technology background, they both decided to attend the CoderGirl meet-up group at LaunchCode, a nonprofit that offers free training courses in coding at 4811 Delmar Blvd. in the Central West End.

“My life has completely been transformed,” Tipton said.

The CoderGirl meetup group launched in 2014 and has since seen about 500 women walk through

Libation for Kwanzaa

Janis Katambwa (center) led Jennifer Haynes and her daughter Jasmine, 4, in a libation ceremony during the Kwanzaa Festival of First Fruits program at the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Ridgway Visitor Center on Wednesday, December 28. This year Kwanzaa – which its founder Maulana Kaurenga calls “an ancient and living cultural tradition which reflects the best of African thought and practice” – started December 26 and concludes on January 1.

n The CoderGirl meetup group launched in 2014 and has since seen about 500 women walk through the door.

the door. In January, the weekly meetup will evolve into a more structured year-long coding program for women – that’s still free.

“Coding is a way to communicate with computers,” said Crystal Martin, the program director for CoderGirl. “It’s a problem-solving discipline. It requires people to enjoy being wrong.” Martin said there are different types of coding

See CODERGIRL, A7

School districts issue warnings about new criminal code

‘Break the Pipeline’ campaign strategy session December 29 at MCU

Warnings issued by two St. Louis County school districts on December 22 sparked a flurry of concern that students who fight in school will be charged with a felony beginning in January. In a video posted to YouTube, Ferguson-Florissant Superintendent Joseph Davis told students and parents that “the consequences of poor choices and bad decisions, a simple fight, may follow you for the rest of your life” when changes to Missouri’s criminal code take effect in 2017. A notice issued on the Hazelwood School District website said the statutes “may have a drastic impact on how incidents are handled in area school districts.”

See SCHOOL, A7

Inclusion in action at community college

STLCC and its first diversity director implement new system-wide plan

By Rebecca Rivas

Of The St. Louis American

Every day, Keith Fuller carries around a copy of a 32-page report that has folded pages and red-inked notes throughout. The report is titled “Diversity and Inclusion: An Action Plan for St. Louis Community College.”

“I often tell people, ‘I can guarantee you that this is not a document that’s just going to sit on the shelf somewhere, where we can tell people we did it,’” said Fuller, the college’s director of diversity and inclusion.

St. Louis Community College celebrated inductions into the National Technical Honor Society in fall 2015. The college is a charter member of the society. STLCC Chancellor Jeff Pittman teaches college staff that a career in the trades can break the cycle of poverty in a family.

Photo by Wiley Price

Photo by Wiley Price

By Camille Phillips Of St. Louis Public Radio

Photo by Bradley J. Rayford

Have ‘Dra-Lo’ made it official?

Last week, rumors emerged claiming that rapper Drake and singer/actress Jennifer Lopez are a couple. Last night, Lopez and Drake both simultaneously posted a photo of the two cuddled up on a sofa to the 86 million Instagram followers they have between them. The alleged couple has yet to make a statement regarding their relationship status.

Actor Ricky Harris dead at 54

Ricky Harris, whose yin-yang comedic career went from raunchy standup on one end to family-friendly sitcoms on the other, has died. He was 54.

Harris died Monday, his publicist Cindy Ambers told CNN.

He first gained attention in the 1990s with his racy routines on HBO’s “Def Comedy Jam,” and he parlayed similar material to hilarious success for skits on albums by Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube

To a wider audience though, recognition

would come in the form of Malvo, the good-for-nothing neighbor he played in the Chris Rock-narrated comedy

“Everybody Hates Chris.”

In between, Harris acted alongside Janet Jackson and Tupac Shakur in “Poetic Justice” and for director Michael Mann in “Heat.”

Is Tiny moving forward with divorce?

Tameka “Tiny” Harris is said to have filed for divorce from husband Tip “T.I.” Harris

“I will never stop missing you,” he added.

Fawaz told Britain’s Daily Telegraph in an interview that he was not there when Michael passed away.

“Everything had been very complicated recently, but George was looking forward to Christmas, and so was I,” Fawaz said. “Now everything is ruined. I want people to remember him the way he was – he was a beautiful person.”

Michael died at the age of 53 on Sunday of heart failure, his manager Michael Lippman said.

According to TMZ.com, she filed legal docs on December 7 in Georgia’s Henry County. They couple was married in 2010, but have been a couple for more than fifteen years and have three children together.

The divorce documents were first posted on TheDirty.com. According to the celebrity news and gossip site, Tiny is seeking for the marriage to be annulled.

George Michael found in bed

The partner of late British pop musician George Michael has told of how he found the star dead in bed on Christmas Day.

Fadi Fawaz, 43, said on Twitter that he would never forget “finding your partner dead peacefully in bed first thing in the morning.”

Rapper Troy Ave suffers second set of gunshot wounds

Brooklyn rapper Troy Ave was wounded in a fight this spring that led to a charge of attempted murder – once again fell victim to gun violence over the Christmas holiday.

This latest incident took place on Christmas Day in Brooklyn, when a man approached the rapper while he was stopped at an intersection, authorities said.

Troy Ave, whose real name in Collins, attempted to drive when the gunman shot several rounds into the rapper’s red Maserati, according to

one of Collins’ attorneys, John Stella Collins was taken to Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center in Brooklyn, where he was in stable condition after sustaining a shoulder wound and a graze wound to the head, Stella told CNN. He went into surgery late Sunday night as doctors worked to extract a bullet that passed through Collins’ shoulder and became lodged in his back. Collins was also shot in May after performing at a concert venue where rapper T.I. was scheduled to perform.

Gabrielle Union and BET settle ‘Being Mary Jane’ lawsuit Back in October, “Being Mary Jane” star sued BET claiming they were trying to circumvent her fifth season raise by cramming more episodes into the fourth season taping.

According to BET, the suit has been settled. “BET Networks is pleased to announce that they have reached an amicable agreement with Gabrielle Union,” The network said in a statement. Details of the settlement have not been disclosed.

Sources: BET.com, CNN.com, TMZ.com, Instagram, TheDirty.com

George Michaels

Troy Ave

Federal judge settles Jennings jail case

$4.7M is ‘highest per diem payout in a debtors’ prison case to date,’ attorneys say

American staff

On December 14, U.S. District Judge Carol Jackson approved the terms of a landmark debtors’ prison class action brought by ArchCity Defenders, Saint Louis University Law School’s Legal Clinic, and Civil Rights Corp against the City of Jennings. The terms of the Jennings’ settlement are enforceable in federal court and end illegal practices such as cash bail, debtors’ prisons, and payment dockets.

The settlement is for $4.7 million and includes debt forgiveness of approximately $2 million. It’s the highest per diem payout in a debtors’ prison case to date, according to ArchCity Defenders.

“I’m happy about the agreement but there is so much more to do for people who have been ensnared and exploited by the system, in order to help them get back to some semblance of stability in their lives, and that’s a stark reminder that we have to get back to work,” said Thomas Harvey, executive director of ArchCity Defenders.

“The amount of money that we can secure with these settlements pales in comparison to the damages that people have survived. Until the legal system begins to treat poor people and black people with a modicum of respect and with the humanity they deserve, we’re going to keep fighting this fight.”

The lawsuit against Jennings was filed in February 2015, and was brought on behalf of the 2,000 people who languished nearly 9,000 days in the City of Jennings jail solely because they were not able to pay traffic tickets and court fines. A preliminary settlement agreement was filed with the court four months ago, to include a four-month “notice period” so that as many people who had valid claims could make them. That notice period ended on December 14.

“We had to go back to court to state

Black America’s questions for Trump

By A. Akbar Muhammad Guest columnist

Like most of the American people, we are holding our breath to see if President-elect Donald J. Trump will put out all of the fires that he started during his shocking and unorthodox campaign, or once in office will he stoke the fires even more?

His greatest challenge is the problem of the 45 to 50 million black people in America. Will he do a Ronald Reagan on Black America by ignoring us when he could and paying lip service when he couldn’t?

how many people made a claim, whether or not anyone objected or opted out, and to ask the court if it would give our settlement agreement final approval,”

Harvey told The American “Judge Jackson gave final approval to the agreement. The claims administrator

n The lawsuit was brought on behalf of 2,000 people who languished nearly 9,000 days in the City of Jennings jail because they were not able to pay traffic tickets and court fines.

now has 4-6 weeks to give a final number for claims made, establish the per diem pay out, and cut checks to everyone who made a valid claim. People should start receiving their payments before the end of January. “

Attorneys would worked on the settlement said it could be a model for the region and represent minimum standards for future litigation.

“No human being should be kept in a cage because she cannot make a monetary payment. This groundbreaking settlement brings us a big step toward eradicating the scourge of wealth-based human caging that we have allowed to pervade our modern American legal system,” said Alec Karakatsanis, founder and executive director of Civil Rights Corp, a nonprofit organization dedicated to challenging systemic injustice in the American legal system.

“While this ruling holds promise for similar cases, impact litigation can only go so far as to achieve racial and economic equity for poor people and black people who have been exploited by cities’ courts, police and jails,” said Brendan Roediger, from Saint Louis University School of Law Legal Clinics.

In the past couple of years, ArchCity Defenders has established a court watch model, published two white papers, and filed two dozen lawsuits challenging illegal practices of the region’s courts and police departments. In 2016 alone, ArchCity Defenders filed lawsuits against 16 other municipalities in the region for allegations akin to Jennings.

Abraham Lincoln could not solve the problem of slavery without going into a war – the great Civil War that cost more lives than any other war in American history. The recorded count of casualties is 620,000, but does that number include black people that died on both sides? Does it include those who were killed in land disputes or slaughtered by their former slave masters when they tried to leave the plantation?

The question of slavery is a lingering question that has left deep scars in America. The question that we all have for President Trump is: How does a man preach to the right and bring to the surface the thought of white supremacy, yet as president bring balance to that conversation?

We have to come together and determine as a whole, not as special interest groups or those who feel they have a privileged position with the leadership of white America or a privileged position because they are Republicans. We have to unite as the world watches and demand that we are given equal rights and justice. If not, we must consider taking Abraham Lincoln’s suggestion and going into a land of our own. What will be the place of Black America within the future of the American society? How do we discuss education that includes self-knowledge, jobs and housing? How do we address the pressing issue of drugs and alcohol and their devastating effect on our community? How will the crime and the tremendous prison population of young black men and women and those who are rotting in jail be handled?

Donald J. Trump is a businessman who loves to negotiate. Who will negotiate for our people to be truly free? Akbar Muhammad is international representative of the Nation of Islam.

Photo by Wiley Price

Thomas Harvey, executive director of ArchCity Defenders, testified at a hearing of a Missouri Supreme Court working group on municipal court reform on November 12, 2015.

Guest Columnist Akbar Muhammad

ditorial /CommEntary

2016 Person of the Year: Jason Q. Purnell

Before the Ferguson uprising exposed to the world the race-based inequities in the St. Louis region, there was For the Sake of All, a research project based at Washington University with an admirably simple, yet profound and visionary, mission: “We work to improve the health of all people by eliminating racial inequities that stifle our region’s growth.” There is a very powerful argument packed into that mission statement. The argument is that the health and wellbeing of African Americans in the St. Louis region should matter to more than just black people. The premise is that we should work to improve the life conditions and health outcomes of black people, not only for black people, but for the sake of all.

After the shocking electoral college victory of Donald Trump, this kind of inclusive and holistic thinking already feels like a throwback. Trump, and the nonstop media coverage of Trump, has given unprecedented airing of white nationalist views that are the antithesis of For the Sake of All’s mission. The idea that it would benefit white people if black people were provided with better economic opportunities and experienced improved health outcomes would be laughed off the stage at a Trump rally. The next American president has chosen as his top domestic advisor Stephen Bannon, the publisher of a news site, Breitbart, that normalizes white nationalism. For years Breitbart had as one of its news categories “Black Crime.” That’s about as far from the thinking behind For the Sake of All as one can get, but that’s the voice that has the ear of the president who will succeed Barack Obama.

Jason Q. Purnell, director of For the Sake of All and a professor at the Brown School at Washington University, told those who attended the Parents As Teachers national conference in St. Louis this year that we are ready to move from research to practice in improving racial inequities, and we need to start early. “There are effective interventions,” Purnell said. “We know what to do. We just have to marshal the will to do it, and that includes political will and financial support and all things that go into robust support for children.” And yet we all know, after the November 8 election, that we can expect less and less government support for inclusive, forwardthinking strategies that attempt to invest in young, black children rather than demonize and incarcerate black people who commit crimes. Donald Trump may have won Missouri by 20 points, and Missouri state government may now be led by Republicans who, for the most part, share his divisive and reactionary thinking about this country and what is needed to make it “great again.” But we know that Jason Q.

Purnell and For the Sake of All are right where these Republicans are wrong. It might have been politically successful in this toxic election year to sell hate, fear and division, but the constructive way forward is exactly the opposite. It is better that we do what For the Sake of All is trying to do: work together to improve the health of all people by eliminating racial inequities that stifle our region’s – and nation’s – growth.

We published an essay by Purnell in November 2014, when Ferguson was still on fire. He remembered what Martin Luther King Jr. said as a young organizer mustering activists to work together on a bus boycott in Montgomery and applied it to the activists energized by Ferguson.

“We have the choice to ‘stick together,’ as a 26-year-old King encouraged the crowd to do that December of 1955, or to fall apart,” Purnell wrote. “They walked for 381 days in Montgomery. It will take the energy of youth and the wisdom of our shared history to continue the long march toward freedom in 2014.” The march toward freedom is even longer and more perilous as 2016 ends then it was in November 2014, but we must gather all of the enlightened and “stick together” as we fight for the sake of all. For his prescient vision, solid evidence-based data and the sane steadiness of his mission, we celebrate Jason Q. Purnell as the St. Louis American’s 2016 Person of the Year.

Commentary

Who will stand up to Donald Trump?

President-elect Donald Trump’s victory tour was more than just an opportunity to strut and preen around the country like a peacock with a comb-over. It was a warning to Republican leaders in Congress that Trump intends to be in charge – and that there will be consequences if the party establishment does not fall in line.

The post-election rallies also served as venues for Trump to make grandiose promises, including some that will stick in his party’s craw.

Trump billed the series of campaign-style events as a way to thank the voters who elected him. It seems obvious that he is addicted to adulation, basks in the grandeur of his own celebrity and chafes at the prosaic labor of assembling an administration. This is a man who cannot be bothered to hear a daily intelligence briefing about threats to the nation, yet finds time to meet with Kanye West.

At the victory rallies, Trump continued his withering onslaught against the truth; he claimed, for example, to have won in a historic landslide, though Hillary Clinton received 2.8 million more votes. He renewed his attack against the news media, pointing at reporters and calling them “very dishonest people.”

Amid all the bombast and nonsense, however, there was a clear message for House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.: The next president expects them to follow, not lead.

Trump held the rallies in two solidly Republican states (Louisiana and Alabama),

four traditional swing states (Ohio, North Carolina, Iowa and Florida) and three states he unexpectedly took from the Democrats (Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan). He reveled in illustrating the fact that his electoral coalition was unique – and that his supporters were more loyal to him personally than to the party he conquered in a hostile takeover. In Ryan’s home state, the crowd booed when Trump mentioned the House speaker’s name. Trump protested, saying he has come to “appreciate” Ryan and comparing him to “a fine wine” that improves with time. But then, with a smile, he added: “Now, if he ever goes against me, I’m not going to say that, OK?”

During the campaign, Ryan was sharply critical of Trump before reluctantly falling in line. He attended the December 8 rally -- and got something of a dressing-down for having suggested, in a “60 Minutes” interview a few days earlier, that the border wall Trump promises to build might actually be a mere fence in some places.

“We’re going to work on the wall, Paul,” Trump said, turning to Ryan. “We’re going to build the wall, OK?”

There are Republicans in Congress who believe Trump is so naive in the ways of Washington that he will basically sign whatever the GOP majorities in the House and Senate choose to pass.

By Lyda Krewson Guest columnist

I believe that neighborhood safety is the number one issue facing our city today, and enhancing our security will be my number one priority as mayor.

I personally relate to those impacted by crime because I have been a victim of crime myself. Over 20 years ago while returning home from a shopping trip to Target with my family, we were carjacked at gunpoint in front of our home. My husband was shot and killed. Instead of leaving the city, I chose to stay and raise my two young children here. I was already involved in our neighborhood association and decided to run for alderman when my current alderman stepped down.

Earlier this month I released a comprehensive plan to address neighborhood safety and crime prevention in our city because I understand firsthand what it is like to be a victim of crime.

More police, more pay, more training, more equipment. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department is currently understaffed. We need to add 200 additional uniformed police officers immediately. We also need to raise the police pay so we can attract and retain quality police officers and make their pay competitive with surrounding police departments. We also need more police training and purchase equipment like police body cameras and dash cameras and more non-lethal equipment like Tasers.

And, as mayor, I will enhance our recruitment efforts to ensure that as we hire police officers, we have a great group

of men and women to choose from and that our force looks like our diverse city.

Prevention. We need common sense gun regulation, and I have introduced two bills at the Board of Aldermen. The first bill would ban assault weapons in the City of St. Louis, and the second bill would require guns that are left unattended in cars be secured in a locked box that is permanently affixed to the vehicle. Criminals are breaking into cars and stealing unattended guns and then using those guns to commit additional crimes.

Recreation and education programs for youth. We need to find more constructive ways for kids to fill their time. I believe we should double the city’s investment in kids and create more recreation and education programs for kids.

Anti-violence conflictresolution initiatives. Some cities have had successes curbing violence through community-based conflictresolution training and mediation initiatives. I want to expand the use of communitybased anti-violence programs in St. Louis city.

Many of those who share this view also were confident that Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio would be the party’s nominee. Do they really expect Trump to suddenly be transformed into an orthodox Republican?

I don’t.

Trump promised the ridiculous border wall, and I believe he will expect Congress to let him build it. He also promised punishment, such as targeted tariffs, for companies that move jobs overseas. He promised a trilliondollar program to improve the nation’s infrastructure. He promised massive, budget-busting tax cuts for corporations, the wealthy and the middle class.

He promised to repeal the Affordable Care Act but also to simultaneously replace it, vowing that those with preexisting conditions will still be able to get health insurance.

In foreign policy, Trump has been vocal in his desire for a closer, more cooperative relationship with Russia – one reason, perhaps, why Russian President Vladimir Putin had his intelligence agents work so hard to get Trump elected, according to the CIA and the FBI. For secretary of state, Trump has chosen Exxon Mobil chief executive Rex Tillerson, a man on whom Putin has bestowed the Russian Order of Friendship.

Trump promised during his victory tour to establish safe zones for civilians in Syria, which presumably would require working with Putin, who supports the continued rule of barbarous dictator Bashar al-Assad. Are you ready for that, Republicans? Have you seen the pictures from Aleppo?

Charter schools held to highest standards

In David L. Jackson Jr.’s column on charter schools, he clearly based his remarks on either misinformation or a lack of understanding. As the founding school leader of North Side Community Charter School, I can emphatically state our sponsor, the University of Missouri – St. Louis, provides rigorous oversight holding us to higher standards than the local public school district.

A charter public school takes a minimum of 18 months to two years moving from development to submission and the approval process. There is a challenging application needing approval from an eligible charter public school sponsor and the State of Missouri.

There is an explicit process for the closure of underperforming charter public schools in Missouri. In fact, just this past year two charter public schools were closed in St. Louis due to poor performance, a process I would encourage local districts with poor-performing schools to replicate.

Each year, more and more charter public schools exceed the local school district’s state math and language arts performance rates. This year, North Side Community School exceeded the local district and state average in both math and language arts.

Stella Erondu, principal North Side Community School St. Louis

Wrong man for the EPA

When it comes to business and product development industry leaders believe and depend on science and scientists, yet on settled issues such climate change science it is argued cannot be trusted. President-elect

Protecting our most vulnerable citizens. Our homeless citizens are vulnerable and need our help. Homeless citizens are frequent victims of crime, and without a place to live, it is even more difficult for the police to keep them safe and for them to get back on their feet. I believe we should fund initiatives grounded in the “housing first” model as better care and support for homeless citizens should be an important city priority.

Vacant buildings. Vacant buildings and unkempt vacant lots provide fertile breeding grounds for criminal behavior ranging from petty vandalism to violent felonies. These conditions create anxiety in neighborhoods and interfere with residents’ ability to feel safe and secure. It’s time for St. Louis to tackle this problem. I will commit additional funds to transfer, demolish, and/or maintain these properties. If we commit the necessary resources and maintain a strong sense of purpose, we can get this crime problem under control.

To read my entire neighborhood safety/ crime prevention plan, please visit www.lydakrewson.com.

Lyda Krewson, alderman for the 28th Ward, is a Democratic candidate for mayor in the March 7 primary election

Alternatives to prosecution and incarceration. I don’t believe we can arrest our way out of our crime problem, which is why I want to provide money for a challenge grant to city prosecutors. The funds will be available for programs that prosecutors choose to implement policies that will create alternatives to incarceration and felony convictions for youthful, nonviolent offenders or expand the use of drug-courts or provide opportunities for individuals who are not yet hardened, dangerous criminals, to avoid incarceration and find another path.

Letters to the editor

Trump’s nominee to head the Environmental Protection Agency, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, engages in this dangerous selective thinking.

On any issue supporting product development and technology development, science is a trusted friend, yet with issues such as environmental protection and climate change, science is not to be trusted, and therefore Trump’s pick to lead the EPA puts our public health at serious risk.

Scott Pruitt doesn’t believe the EPA has the authority to protect Americans form the dangers of climate change – he’s not even convinced it’s real. Should Pruitt be confirmed, the agency in charge of safeguarding our public

health will be dictated by the dirty energy industry’s agenda, not by science-based evidence.

A New York Times investigation revealed that Pruitt was part of an alliance with oil companies. As one of several attorneys general suing the very agency he is set to lead, Pruitt is dead-set on attempting to roll back the Clean Power Plan – the best tool we have right now to fight climate change. This plan sets the first-ever federal limits on carbon pollution from power plants, and would prevent up to 3,600 premature deaths and 90,000 asthma attacks in children every year by 2030. Scott Pruitt is not the right man for the EPA.

Rev. Rodrick Burton St. Louis

Guest Columnist

Lyda Krewson

Jason Q. Purnell

Normandy cheerleaders get new uniforms

Students at Normandy High School received some early Christmas presents thanks to the generosity of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., caring alumni and other members of the community. Two recent fundraising campaigns netted almost $3,000 to purchase Viking green honors blazers and new uniforms for the cheerleading team.

The effort was spearheaded by Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge, a Normandy High alumna and school board member. Westbrooks-Hodge, who is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha.

The Omicron Eta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha presented a check for $765 to the high school to purchase blazers for honor students. The Viking cheerleaders received a check of $2,000 from a combined effort of Normandy alumni, AKA Sorority, St. Louis County Chapter of the NAACP, Normandy High School Alumni Association, Beyond Housing, Major League Construction, Normandy staff and other supporters.

Dred Scott documents loaned for Supreme Court exhibit

The St. Louis Circuit Court has loaned two original documents from the case file of Dred and Harriet Scott to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

The documents – notices of depositions of each of the Scotts from May 1847 – will be included in the National Constitution Center’s core exhibit, “The Story of We the People” during 2017. The exhibit documents and artifacts related to key U.S. Supreme Court cases.

For a precedent to this loan, the St. Louis Circuit Court loaned the original petitions of Dred and Harriet Scott to the National Constitution Center in 2005 to be displayed as part of their grand opening displays of key documents related to the constitution.

The entire case file for the Dred and Harriet Scott case is stored in a secure and climate-controlled safe in the archives room in the Carnahan Court House as part of the collaborative project begun in 1999 with the Missouri State Archives to preserve and make accessible the records of the St. Louis Circuit Court, 1804-1875. State field archivists also have preserved and digitized more than 300 other slave freedom suits which are stored in the archives rooms in Carnahan Room 245.

St. Louis Bridge Center moving to

larger site

The St. Louis Bridge Center moved to a new, larger facility at 1270 North Price, Suite D, St. Louis, Mo. 63132, on December 27 and will be open for games beginning Friday, December 30. A reception to celebrate the move will be held on Thursday, December 29, from 2-4 pm. Bridge Center members, current and potential bridge players are invited to attend the reception.

“With only four years since inception, the St. Louis Bridge Center ranked 10th in the country last year in number of games held,” said Ann Lemp, president of the Board of Directors for the Bridge Center. “Our new facility will be able to handle continued growth, with room for 100 tables, compared with 75 in our former facility.”

They are adding a few games in January –including a beginners chat game on Mondays at 10 am and a Friday game for players with up to 200 master points. You do not need to be a member to play in any of their games.

More information and the game schedule, visit www.stlouisbridge.org.

Guilty, not guilty, or black?

By Desiree Austin-Holliday Guest columnist

Let’s talk about racism. It’s uncomfortable, but it must occur. You can’t talk about injustice in this country and not think about racism.

This article isn’t a history lesson. I’m not going to talk about slavery or MLK or anything like that. Although this country’s past does define many of the problems we have now, this article is about now. It’s about our criminal justice system and the racism that flows throughout it with respect to the death penalty.

This article isn’t about placing blame or white-guilt. This article is about acknowledging a serious flaw. However, I’ve found that sometimes if you want to make a statement, statistics just don’t do it. So, let me tell you about a boy named George Stinney.

Desiree AustinHolliday

George Stinney was a 14-year-old boy living in South Carolina in 1929. He lived during segregation, Jim Crow; a time when lynch mobs were still an acceptable form of justice. George was a young black male accused of murdering two little white girls. George was arrested and interrogated, and he wasn’t allowed to see his parents. Allegedly, George confessed to the murders. His trial lasted 10 minutes, and an allwhite jury convicted George. He was tried, convicted and sentenced all in the same day.

George Stinney died by the electric chair. Accounts say that George was so small there was difficulty fastening him into the chair. After George was hit with the volts, it only took a few minutes for him to die.

There was no physical evidence connecting him to the crime. He never had a lawyer, he never got to see his parents. All we have is his alleged confession after his interrogation.

Guilty or not, race played a significant part in this case.

According to the United States General Accounting Office, “82 percent of the studies found that the victim’s race influenced the likelihood of the defendant being charged with capital murder or receiving the death penalty.”

Since 1976, in cases with a white defendant and a black victim there have been 31 executions. In cases with a black defendant and a white victim, there have been 297 executions. However, statistically, black-on-black homicides and white-onwhite homicides are significantly more common than interracial murder.

Of course, there are other racial groups, not just black and white. Across the board, all racial minorities experience significant racism in our criminal justice system.

We must maintain an awareness of race and how it impacts the decisions we make. Judges, juries, police officers and lawyers all have their own biases that don’t disappear once they engage in their work. They need to make sure that their biases don’t get in the way of justice and individuals’ rights.

Desiree Austin-Holliday is a J.D. candidate at Saint Louis University School of Law.

INCLUSION

Continued from A1

“This document hasn’t even made it to my shelf. I’m actively going around meeting with people, discussing the best ways to implement the action items.”

St. Louis Community College has never before had a director of diversity and inclusion, nor has it had a plan that all four STLCC campuses are dedicated to achieving. Completed in the spring, STLCC’s new plan outlines more than 50 “action” items – everything from expanding financial aid options to reviewing the current ratio of underrepresented minorities in faculty and administrative roles. The goal is to make the changes throughout the next two years.

Jeff Pittman, who became STLCC chancellor in July 2015, said Fuller’s role as director is crucial to coordinating this plan across the four campuses and making sure campus leaders are asking

important questions. “How do we hire people here?” Pittman said. “Are women- and minority-owned businesses being considered strongly when we are awarding contracts? How welcoming are we, and are we reaching students from underrepresented backgrounds? With the action plan, we have programs to ensure that happens.” In June 2015, Fuller started in the legal department as a staff attorney at STLCC. Yet in the past 18 months, Fuller’s role and the college itself have undergone some huge and rapid changes.

‘Singing from the same hymnal’

In fact, the changes have been germinating since former Chancellor Myrtle Dorsey’s controversial departure in fall 2013. Before she left, her team hired two consulting firms to review the way STLCC conducts business and to give recommendations.

Released in December 2013, the report by AACRAO Consulting stated that the four campuses lacked unity and had completely different ways of

registering students for classes and advising them on financial aid. It was not the first time STLCC leaders had heard this news. At least twice in the prior five years, the college had hired and paid consultants to tell them exactly what needs to be improved. Yet little had changed, stated AACRAO in its report.

The report stated that because the leadership had changed so frequently and leaders had a “lack of authority,” nothing was getting done. STLCC uses the motto “One College,” but in practice, its four campuses operated separately, the report stated.

After Pittman’s arrival in July 2015, the college held 23 community forums, took in 1,200 surveys and established a 30-member council to draft a strategic plan for the STLCC network.

“We did a lot of background work,” Pittman said. “What a lot of the community told us was they wanted less layers of administration.”

However, the STLCC Board of Trustees had already been working on that piece. Just after Pittman arrived, the board decided that the college should do away with having a president at each college – which tended to create an environment where each campus was acting in isolation, and engaging in initiatives across the district was difficult. The board made a decision to move to a provost model, streamlining the leadership structure and essentially addressing the “lack of authority” critique from AACRAO as well as STLCC community members, Pittman said.

“For the first time in the college’s history, we are singing from the same hymnal,” he said.

Fuller was tapped to co-chair the search committee for the provosts of the four campuses: Forest Park, Florissant Valley, Meramec and Wildwood. The search took place from December 2015 to July 2016.

“Each of the four campus leaders were asked in their hiring interviews about their commitment to social justice,

Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

and their answers were heavily considered,” Fuller said. “That establishes the framework from which we work.”

Ensuring that diversity and inclusion remain a priority at STLCC requires consistency in leadership, he said.

Unfortunately in the last 10 years, Fuller said the college has had a lot of turnover.

“But having served as the co-chair of the search committee for the four campuses, I feel very

n “Each of the four campus leaders were asked in their hiring interviews about their commitment to social justice, and their answers were heavily considered.”

– Keith Fuller, STLCC director of diversity and inclusion

assured that our chancellor is committed to being part of the St. Louis community and is committed to St. Louis Community College,” Fuller said. “I also feel that the four leaders are committed to being here.”

Barriers to building diversity

With the four provosts in place, Fuller then was selected as director of diversity and inclusion. The district has a diversity and inclusion committee, which drafted the plan, and now each of the campuses has a committee charged with carrying out the actions. Some of the actions include requiring all employees to complete an online diversity and inclusion course annually, incorporating a stronger diversity component in student

Retired firefighter battling cancer is honored

Retired St. Louis firefighter

Griffin was congratulated by St.

Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson after he presented Griffin with a gold axe in Black Jack on Saturday, December 24. Griffin, who served 22 years with the St. Louis Fire Department, has been diagnosed with colon cancer.

orientation workshops, providing lactation rooms to accommodate student and faculty needs and reviewing scholarships to examine ethnic makeup of recipients.

In his role, he’s already identified a few barriers to creating a more diverse college network.

First, most people go to a community college in the neighborhood in which they live. Among the four campuses, the racial disparities are stark. At Florissant Valley 55 percent of the student population is African American and at Forest Park it’s 46 percent. However, at Meramec, only 10 percent of the student population is black and at Wildwood four percent.

“We are not going to have many students who live in the vicinity of Florissant Valley taking courses at Wildwood, so we have to be intentional from a student’s perspective to ensure that they have educational programming that invites a cross-campus mixture.”

Another challenge is that St. Louis city is one of the most racially segregated cities in the country, Fuller said.

“You have to be very intentional about going out of your comfort zone to open and expand your mind to others,” he said. “I really think that it goes to the heart of a community college.” Many times students come into a community college as first-generation students. Pittman believes that it is an opportunity, Fuller said. Pittman stresses that in order to break the cycle of poverty or unemployment, often it only takes one person in the family to persevere and get a college degree or a technical degree that will enable them to break the cycle.

“That goes to the heart of our mission,” Fuller said.

“When you talk about the heart of the mission being to expand minds and change lives, it’s easy for diversity and inclusion to be in line with that mission. If you open your mind to the plight of others, you have no choice but to expand.”

Marnell

Louis

CODERGIRL

Continued from A1

languages – some that help build software or databases for information and others that design things. CoderGirl tries to help the participants assess their natural interests and find the language or coding track that would best fit their personalities.

Tipton became enamored with the coding language that’s known as data science after a CoderGirl mentor guided her toward that coding track. Upon researching data science, she came across opportunities to use data science for social justice.

“All the bones in my body are social-justice bones,” Tipton said. “I’ve never looked back.”

Tipton took a six-month course through LaunchCode, while also attending the weekly Wednesday CoderGirl meetings to further her progress. Now she has a new job at Purina, and she and her mentor are competing in a competition to use data science to forecast crime in Portland, Oregon, as a way to improve public safety.

governance coordinator, where she uses her coding knowledge to work on projects with engineers in the treasury technology division.

“It has been a fast-moving 12 months, and it’s been an awesome ride,” Vaughn said.

“I was recently at LaunchCode and I saw the individual who placed me. I broke down. Being there is like home to me.”

Vaughn said the greatest thing that CoderGirl brought her was confidence.

“Historically, a lot of us have been intimidated by the IT professions or we overestimate things, thinking it’s something that we can’t do,” she said. “I want more women to know that it can be done. I did that with two kids and working fulltime.”

n “I was recently at LaunchCode and I saw the individual who placed me. I broke down. Being there is like home to me.”

– Kimberly Vaughn

“One thing I love most about CoderGirl is the welcoming environment,” Tipton said. “It wasn’t one type at CoderGirl. There are women from every profession and age group. It’s for any woman or girl.”

When Vaughn joined CoderGirl, common Microsoft software was the extent of her technology knowledge. She started attending CoderGirl meetups last December and then decided to take a LaunchCode course.

By April, she was working as a contractor, an opportunity that she found through the LaunchCode program. In September, the Federal Reserve Bank hired her on as a project

SCHOOL

Continued from A1

But in reality the changes aren’t that different from existing law.

Technically a prosecutor could already charge a child with felony assault in Missouri if they choose to; an existing law makes it a felony to knowingly cause physical injury on school property.

According to Amy Fite, the president of the Missouri Prosecutors Association, the changes to the criminal code actually makes it less likely an altercation on school grounds will be considered a felony.

“Despite some news stories to the contrary, the revision actually narrows the instances in which routine assaults will be considered felonies,” Fite said. “It doesn’t expand it.

“Currently an assault on school property is an automatic felony, and so it’s not the conduct that makes it a felony, it’s the location where it occurs,” Fite added.

Because the revised criminal code adds another type of assault and removes the location-specific law, Fite said a fight on school grounds that now would be considered a felony could become a misdemeanor.

Fite also said the requirements for a child to be tried as an adult are not changing.

According to attorney Mae Quinn with the St. Louis McArthur Justice Center, children can be charged with the same crimes as adults in Missouri. The juvenile code just dictates the court process and consequences.

“I’m glad it’s now getting the attention it has long deserved, this problem, this issue of overcharging children for childhood behaviors,” Quinn said, adding that it’s up to a prosecutor to decide which charges to file.

“At the end of the day, before any charge gets filed in juvenile court or adult court it’s about a prosecutor deciding: Should it be a charge?” Quinn

CoderGirl brings in speakers to talk about the intimidation women often feel in technology fields, Martin said.

“As women, we all know what imposter syndrome feels like in many fields and situations we are in,”

Martin said.

However, the women in the group are constantly pushing and supporting each other, Martin said. That sense of camaraderie is also beneficial for veterans in the field, said Jessica du Maine, a CoderGirl mentor and a longtime electronic design engineer.

“Being a woman in tech for all my life, it’s very helpful to have women that are going through the same things you are going through and be a support,” said du Maine, who works at BJC HealthCare.

As a former professor at St. Louis Community College, du Maine said she’s always aimed to recruit more women into the tech field because that perspective is often absent when designing things that people use every day.

“I’m grateful that they decided to do this in the St. Louis area,” du Maine said.

said.

“Every single one of these cases, any school fight, while it could start out as, ‘Hmm, potentially that satisfies the elements.’ A prosecutor could decide to send it to informal adjustment, every single case.”

For advocates fighting to increase equity in school discipline and make it less likely students receive suspensions, the attention is an opportunity to make a greater push for change.

“The energy and the outrage that people have is valid because we continue to be in a space where these are the types of concerns that people have all the time. And what this new statute has done is really bring it back to the forefront,” said Brittini Gray, a lead organizer in Metropolitan Congregation United’s Break the Pipeline campaign.

“I think that whenever we’re talking about the criminal code and changes around policy we always have to be concerned with how it’s going to impact students of color, because that’s who it impacts by and large,” Gray said. “There continues to be a great disparity between the impact of policies such as this on black and brown students, and particularly black students when we’re talking about the St. Louis region.”

Schools in Missouri are only required to report assaults that cause serious injury to police.

Gray said that means it’s largely up to school officials to decide how they want to handle changes to the code.

Schools with law enforcement assigned to their buildings, however, have less leeway.

In Hazelwood’s notice, it specifically warns that fights witnessed by school resource officers could result in felony charges.

MCU is holding a strategy session to plan how to respond to the revised criminal code 6-8 p.m. Thursday, December 29 at MCU offices, 4501 Westminster Pl. in St. Louis.

Follow Camille on Twitter: @cmpcamille. Reprinted with permission from news.stlpublicradio.org.

Protestors defend New Life shelter

Activists organized by the Gateway Green Alliance and Green Party of St.

residents of the shelter at New Life Evangelistic Center, 1411 Locust

protest and sleep-out on Friday, December 23. New Life, which has been

administration, provides shelter for about 200 people and is the only

St. Louis metropolitan area.

“I feel like we are ground zero in this new civil rights movement, and it’s very important to provide this resource. Once you are entered in this career, you have leverage. You have room to be able to make a difference in your community.”

Martin joined CoderGirl without any tech experience, and she too fell in love with the supportive environment. In 2015, LaunchCode hired her on as a community educator and she took on the role of running the weekly meetup group.

Four months ago, she was promoted as director and was given the charge of “pushing it to the next level.”

After hearing feedback from mentors and participants,

they made the decision to make CoderGirl less transient and more focused on one group of women, in order to ensure that the participants were reaching their goals, Martin said.

“I wanted to have an environment where I knew every one of the girls’ names and their kids’ names and what their career goals were,” Martin said. “I used to be a teacher. Adults and kids, they all need the same things to be learners and to reach the goals.”

From the feedback, they learned that it takes about eight to 12 months for a person with no coding background to become proficient. Hence, the program will include two six-month-long segments, where they meet 6-8 p.m. on Wednesdays.

The program’s application process opened on December 5, and they already have about 600 applications. Deadline to apply is Jan. 6. On the application, there are 15 questions, and applicants have 90 minutes to complete them.

“We are looking for your ability to problem-solve,” Martin said. “It’s an inquiry into the skills that you actually have. Are you a logical thinker? Are you able to read a problem and choose the best answer from your logic? It’s fake math.”

There is also a motivation and goals survey. She said they are aiming to get people who want to use tech learning as a way to advance not only themselves but also the community. Although the

program is not targeted at minority women, Martin said she has a personal interest in involving women of color.

“In my mind, when I think about women of color being participants, it’s not only going to impact their lives,” Martin said. “They are going to be the ones to inform and teach our community about coding being an opportunity because they have done it themselves. I want to cultivate that.”

Overall, she believes the CoderGirl end goal goes beyond just creating job opportunities and career readiness.

“This is a mission,” Martin said. “This is transforming the St. Louis community through the power of tech knowledge.”

Louis joined otherwise homeless

St. in downtown St. Louis, for a

targeted for closure by the Slay

continually operating walk-in shelter in the

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

A look back at Bridgeton vs. Lambert

Lambert Airport’s history is long, complicated, and controversial. Perhaps no battle over its future raged fiercer or longer than the 11-year fight over eminent domain that took place in Bridgeton. The following is adapted from Daniel L. Rust’s book “The Aerial Crossroads of America: St. Louis’s Lambert Airport,” published last month by Missouri History Museum Press.

In the 1980s, Lambert’s parallel main runways were long enough to handle all airliners using the airport, but they were only 1,300 feet apart – too close to allow for simultaneous landings during bad weather. As a result, Lambert was a onerunway airport for landing about 20 percent of the year. Lambert’s boundaries had not changed substantially since the early 1950s, and the airport now found itself surrounded by suburbs, highways, and industrial facilities. Building

the needed runway would inevitably result in disruption and opposition from those affected.

In October 1989 the St. Louis Airport Commission chose an expansion plan known as F-4 to replace and restore Lambert’s two existing runways and construct a new one to the west, requiring the demolition of several Bridgeton subdivisions. The next year another runway was added. When St. Louis voters approved a $1.5 billion bond issue to help finance the project in November 1991, Bridgeton residents complained that the City of St. Louis was deciding their destiny, their lives, and their property values without their municipality’s input, and they took St. Louis to court. By 1994, Lambert’s traffic grew to more than 23 million passengers and 480,000 landings and takeoffs. The pressure for expansion intensified. By then the F-4 plan had been abandoned in

favor of the Far West Plan (also known as Alternative W-1W), which involved the removal of 1,500 homes and 70 businesses, as well as the displacement of 5,000 Bridgeton residents. St. Louis mayor Freeman Bosley Jr. expressed his regret for these effects but argued that the expansion was crucial to the St. Louis region. Bridgeton city officials vowed to fight, proclaiming that they would “drag it through the courts in the hope of killing it.”

Bridgeton hired an airport consultant to challenge Alternative W-1W, but not everyone was on board. The

1998, nearly all of them caused by bad weather. Airport director Leonard Griggs said it underscored the need for the new runway.

Bridgeton’s suit against St. Louis went to trial in 1999. Ultimately, the court held that St. Louis was not required to comply with Bridgeton’s zoning laws; Bridgeton promptly appealed the decision. Construction of the new runway was scheduled to begin in the summer of 2000.

The Bridgeton Air Defense celebrated its tenth anniversary in September 1999 with a birthday cake and a seven-foot-

Plans for the new East Terminal for Southwest Airlines were announced in 1994, and construction proceeded with little fanfare during the controversy surrounding Lambert expansion. Opened in 1998, the East Terminal reflected Southwest’s growing importance nationally and at Lambert.

Photo by Alan Hoffman

Art Museum Collaborates with Delta Sigma Theta on Annual Kwanzaa Program

On Sunday, January 1 from noon to 4 pm, the Saint

host

Mask and Masquerade. This free event is a celebration of African and African American culture and history, combining the visual arts with West African dance and drumming and spoken word. The Kwanzaa principle of the day will be Imani (faith) and according to Dr. Karenga, it is a “belief and courage in ourselves, our parents, teachers, and leaders.”

The Art Museum’s Kwanzaa Celebration will include a family art activity, auditorium performance, and a scavenger hunt based on the Nguzo Saba. Beginning at noon, visitors can create their own wall plaque inspired by African masks and take a self-guided tour of the Museum’s American art galleries with a Kwanzaa-themed scavenger hunt. The family art activity takes place in Grigg Gallery from noon to 4 pm. All events and activities are free, but tickets are required for the auditorium event and are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Guests who participate in the family art activity will receive one free ticket per person for the performance in the Farrell Auditorium while quantities last. Auditorium seating is limited. The auditorium doors will open at 1:30 pm and performances will begin at 2 pm.

For nearly twenty years the Art Museum has presented its annual Kwanzaa celebration in partnership with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. St. Louis Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter. The Kwanzaa program will feature members of the sorority and its four youth groups. The St. Louis Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter was established in 1998 and promotes educational excellence, public service, and leadership development. Since its formation, chapter activities have involved Delta members as volunteers in direct services, catalysts for community action, recruiters of interagency support, and leaders in networking and partnership building with other organizations. The chapter also has a long history of mentorship for youth 5-18 years old and currently offers four programs: Vipepeo, Delta Academy, Delta GEMS (Growing and Empowering Myself Successfully), and EMBODI (Empowering Males to Build Opportunities for Developing Independence). Participants from the four programs will play a major role in the Museum’s annual Kwanzaa celebration. Beginning at noon on January 1 the Delta GEMS, an expansion of the Delta Academy program serving adolescent girls 14-18 years old, and EMBODI will assist during the family program, leading an African mask

art activity and acting as Museum guides for visitors. The Delta GEMS framework is composed of five major components (Scholarship, Sisterhood, Show Me the Money, Service, and Infinitely Complete), forming a road map for college and career planning. The EMBODI program is designed to refocus the efforts of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. towards African American males. EMBODI empowers young African American males in middle and high school to see themselves as people of great worth, capable of a life of meaning and accomplishment.

The Vipepeo and Delta Academy will take part in the performance in the Farrell Auditorium with presentations on the day’s theme, Mask and Masquerade. The name, Vipepeo, is the Swahili word for butterflies and underscores that the young women who comprise the group are still growing, changing, and will eventually develop wings and take flight. The Vipepeo program, which serves girls 5-10 years old, teaches the history and culture of people of African descent, with significant attention given to women, and introduces the concept of community service to participants through group service projects. The goals for Delta Academy are to help to achieve academic excellence, provide exposure to public service, encourage educational and cultural enrichment, develop leadership skills, stress the importance of proper health, and promote sisterhood and relationship building with peers.

Saint Louis Art Museum

Sunday, January 1, Noon-4 pm

FREE KWANZAA CELEBRATION

Learn the 7 Kwanzaa principles with a gallery hunt.

Make your own zawadi (gift) art activity

FREE PERFORMANCES

Free, but tickets are required.

Tickets will be available at the Museum on January 1.

Moja Moyo

Nan Foule Folklore Society, St. Louis Chapter

Dr. Elaine Woodson, Griot

The Farrell Auditorium

Doors open at 1:30 pm / Showtime at 2 pm

Be a Tourist in Your Own Town

Ringing in the New Year in St. Louis

By Kiara Bryant For the St. Louis American

Where did the time go?

Another year has just ended and a new one begins this weekend. We hope you’ll resolve to experience more of what St. Louis has to offer in 2017. Here are just a few upcoming events in the New Year.

There are countless of options for holiday entertainment this year. If you don’t have plans by now you can welcome the year 2017 at The New Year’s Eve Comedy Jam which will feature Corey Holcomb, J Anthony Brown, Tony Rock, Dominique, Red Grant and Tony Roberts at The Chaifetz Arena on Saturday. Then return to Chaifetz for the Old School Hip Hop Fest

starring Scarface, Big Daddy Kane, Juvenile, 8 Ball & MJG, Trick Daddy, Doug E Fresh, Slick Rick, Mystikal, Jalil & Ecstasy of Whodini on New Year’s Day.

Enjoy ice skating in the heart of downtown with views of the Gateway Arch this holiday season. In honor of the 2017 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Busch Stadium on Jan. 2, the CityArchRiver Foundation is presenting Winterfest at the Arch Dec. 27- Jan 8. An ice rink has been constructed in Luther Ely Square (between the Gateway Arch and the Old Courthouse) and the festival will offer many activities including music, food and more for thirteen days.

The Harlem Globetrotters are on tour and return to St. Louis on January 6 and 8. This dazzling family- friendly entertainment will be thrilling for children and adults alike. Learn from the pros as they interact with the crowd at Scottrade Center.

Monday, Jan. 16 marks the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday when we honor the life and legacy of the civil rights leader. We encourage you to look for events in St. Louis surrounding the federal holiday and serve the community or learn something new. The Saint Louis Art Museum will present the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Celebration with

keynote speaker Dr. Rebecca Wanzo, spoken-word and music performances by the Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church on Friday, Jan. 13 from 7-8:30 p.m. in Farrell Auditorium.

The Missouri History Museum will host the MLK Family Celebration event on Saturday, Jan. 14 and Monday, Jan. 16 from 10 – 12 p.m. At this event families will learn about Dr. King and celebrate his achievements through songs and stories of the Civil Rights Movement, arts and crafts, a musical performance and more. Each day, the first 150 kids ages 12 and under will receive an MLK story book.

The car fanatics in your life will appreciate the Saint Louis Auto Show which continues

to be St. Louis’

automobile event. More than 500 new cars, trucks, SUVs and luxury vehicles from over 25 manufacturers will be featured at America’s Center and The Dome from Jan. 19-22. And why not make music together and create unforgettable experiences with your kids when Elmo comes to town? The Peabody Opera House will be full of singing and dancing children for Sesame Street Live: Elmo Makes Music on Jan. 20-22. Happy New Year! To find more things to do in St. Louis in 2017, go to www. explorestlouis.com

Louis Art Museum will

Kwanzaa:

St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission

largest

Photo courtesy of Scottrade Center

The Harlem Globetrotters are on tour and return to St. Louis on January 6 and 8 at Scottrade Center.

What does the police endorsement of Krewson mean?

At the deadline of last week’s paper, the St. Louis Police Officers Association announced its endorsement for St. Louis mayor in the primary election on March 7. We did not hold up our edition for the news, but we could have gone to press saying the coppers endorsed Lyda Krewson, as anyone would have guessed they would do, and which they did.

When we heard the news, we asked the four candidates for mayor that we consider to be serious – Tishaura O. Jones, Lewis Reed, Antonio French and Krewson herself – to respond to the police union’s endorsement. We asked them to consider whether the meaning of the endorsement was affected by the fact that Jeff Roorda made the announcement. Roorda, a Democrat from Jefferson County, is business agent and spokesperson for the city police union.

He also is a conservative ideologue who publishes things like this, addressed to President-elect Donald Trump

“You’re off to a good start. You said all the right things on the campaign trail, keenly recognizing the complexities of modern-day police work and fearlessly rejecting the false narratives abounding that portray cops as racially biased, trigger-happy, soulless storm troopers. Contrast that with your opponent

who parroted the same tired, baseless criticisms of police the Obama administration has advanced for eight years. She then had the audacity to invite the mothers of would-be cop killers to join her on the stage at the Democratic Convention, a slap in the face to police officers, their families and their supporters,” Roorda wrote to Trump.

“I believe that was the moment the winds changed in the 2016 election. In fact, I expect historians to remember it as the moment you sealed your victory, Mr. Trump.”

So what do these candidates make of this endorsement of this candidate coming from this spokesperson? Only French responded by deadline. It’s interesting, especially, that Krewson passed up a chance to brag about the endorsement or defend it. Jones responded after deadline, and her response will be discussed here next week.

“When Lyda Krewson chooses to stand with Jeff Roorda she is showing her true stripes. Lyda has no intention of working to repair the broken relationship between the police and the black community. She opposed creating a strong Civilian Review Board in 2006. Her new crime plan is just fulfilling a Jeff Roorda wish list that will cost taxpayers $34 million without adding one layer of additional oversight or accountability,” French wrote.

“Lyda Krewson doesn’t

get it. She has no idea what the problem is and therefore no chance of fixing it. Our city must move away from the occupying force model and become a national leader in true community policing. That requires trust and accountability. It requires a mayor who’s on the side of the people of St. Louis city and not Jeff Roorda of Jefferson County.”

French’s campaign manager Ryan Hawkins also pointed out “two giant inaccuracies in Lyda accepting this endorsement.”

He pointed out that in a September 2016 interview with St. Louis Public Radio, Krewson said that St. Louis could not arrest its way out of its crime problem. She said there “needs to be a greater focus on the root causes of crime, including a lack of early childhood education, inadequate mental health services and “a flood of guns into our state and surrounding areas as well.’” Indeed, she makes similar points in an op-ed in The American this week.

“However,” Hawkins

Lyda Krewson, 28th Ward alderman, spoke with Mary WheelerJones, Democratic director of elections for St. Louis, when she filed to run for St. Louis mayor on Monday, November 28.

Photo by Wiley Price

pointed out, “when accepting the endorsement she changed her tune: ‘We’re not going to improve neighborhood safety in this city unless we work hand-in-hand with the police department,’” she said. “‘That’s not the only element of a neighborhood safety plan, but it’s certainly one of the major elements.’”

Secondly – “and probably even worse, in terms of pandering for support from the union,” Hawkins noted – has to do with the funding for new police. In her crime plan, “My Commitment to Safe Neighborhoods,” Krewson states that “we will find the money to fund this plan. Period.” She said she “will initiate a review/audit of all city spending” to “identify savings” and “clarify the cost of all city operations so that city leadership can make informed choices.”

However, Hawkins noted, Roorda told St. Louis Public Radio that “the conversations have been ongoing and frequent with Lyda’s campaign about the different possibilities, whether it’s a sales tax, personal property tax, a fee increase, or some combination of those things. And some of this is just about setting your priorities.”

And if her priority is hiring 200 more cops, as she says and the police union seems to believe, then where does the city find the money for things like more early childhood education and more adequate mental health services, which Krewson herself acknowledged are essential to reducing crime?

The St. Louis Police Officers Association currently has 1,118 members, according to Roorda – “including over 300 minorities, which is more minorities than the Ethical Society of Police represents,” he added, getting in a dig at the black fraternal police association. Roorda said only 601 members (about 54 percent) live in the city, but about 60 percent of its more than 1,500 retirees live in the city.

Bruce Franks sues police

State representative-elect

Bruce Franks Jr. – last seen in these pages getting robbed and carjacked at gunpoint in downtown St. Louis on December 19 – filed a federal civil-rights lawsuit on December 22 against four police officers, alleging that they used excessive force in his arrest while he was acting as a peaceful mediator at a protest on December 23, 2014.

The suit alleges that Franks, 32, was brutally beat, kicked, and pepper sprayed while acting as a “Peacekeeper” at a protest in Berkeley that occurred after the policeshooting death of Antonio Martin two years ago.

In the complaint, the

ArchCity Defenders, who filed the suit on Franks’ behalf, allege that police officers from Berkeley and St. Louis County used excessive force, assaulted and battered Franks, all in violation of Franks’ Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights. Franks claims that he has suffered permanent physical injuries and damage and asks for monetary relief, but doesn’t set an amount. The suit names St. Louis County police Officer David Steinmeyer, Berkeley police Officer Evelio Valdespino, an unidentified Berkeley officer and an unidentified St. Louis County officer as defendants. St. Louis County Counselor Peter Crane told The American he had not yet been served the lawsuit so he couldn’t comment on it. Berkeley Police Chief Art Jackson had not returned The American’s request for comment at press time. Franks did not pursue a legal remedy immediately because he wanted to first engage the two police departments in discussions and raise awareness about needed police training and reform, said Nathaniel Carroll, staff attorney with ArchCity Defenders. Franks leads a group called 28 to Life, which attempts to foster better relationships between law enforcement agents and the youth in his neighborhood.

“Despite advocacy efforts, he was not able to get the results he was hoping for, and Mr. Franks began working on the lawsuit with ArchCity Defenders,” Carroll said. With a two-year statute of limitations, the window for Franks to take legal action loomed two days after he filed his suit on December 24, an ArchCity representative said. In the incident at the protest, officers charged Franks with “assault on a law enforcement officer,” and “resisting or interfering with an arrest,” both of which were eventually dropped.

Claire fluffs Trump tweet How will U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill – the only Democrat from Missouri in the U.S. Senate and, along with state Auditor Nicole Galloway one of only two Democrats holding statewide office in Missouri – adjust to the presidency of Donald Trump? Last week, she went along with Trump on one of his outof-context and unpresidential tweets concerning government business because it could result in a contract for a major Missouri employer.

Trump had tweeted that “based on the tremendous cost and cost overruns” of the F-35, he has asked Boeing to “priceout a comparable F-18 Super Hornet.” McCaskill followed with a press release: “The F-18 Super Hornet is the backbone of our Naval air fleet – it’s proven itself a reliable, costeffective part of America’s arsenal time and time again— and I know firsthand that Boeing’s St. Louis workforce is among the best, most innovative in the country. The Hornet is also the most important unfunded priority of the Navy’s. I’ve called for years for a blend of air power, partly because of the F-35’s cost overruns and missed deadlines, and I look forward to talking more with Presidentelect Trump’s Administration about how the Super Hornet can continue to fill a vital need in our nation’s defense.” McCaskill is a senior member of the Armed Services Committee – and a Missouri Democrat who has to run for reelection in 2018 in a state that Trump won by 20 points.

Jeff Roorda, business agent and spokesperson for the St. Louis Police Officers Association, makes his feeling known in this file photo. Photo by Wiley Price

Advocates push to strengthen insurance rate review rule

Consumers Council of Missouri and other advocates are pushing for stronger rules to provide public input and greater transparency to protect health insurance consumers in the state.

Missouri finally joins every other state in the country by enacting a law (SB 865) this year that allows for formal review of annual price increases in health insurance premiums, in line with the Affordable Care Act. The state will have the authority to determine if rates are reasonable or unreasonable. While advocates laud the rule, they want its implementation to be strong.

The Missouri Department of Insurance (DIFP) has proposed a rule to govern state rate review. But consumer advocates say that it lacks specifics about transparency and public input. They are calling for changes to better protect consumers. Rule changes pursued by Consumers Council of Missouri and other advocacy groups:

• A public hearing for rate

St. Louis County partnered with The Salvation Army to provide expanded warming shelter services this winter at The Salvation Army Family Haven, located at 10740 Page Avenue (63132). The warming shelter will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week between Monday, December 19 and Monday, March 13, 2017. The facility can accommodate up to 48 individuals.

“St. Louis County and The Salvation Army are providing professional services to our most vulnerable residents this winter,” County Executive Steve Stenger said. “No one should be left out in the cold.” Salvation Army staff provides meals, laundry facilities and case management services to help those in need find housing.

filed rate increases over 20 percent. Currently, the rule includes no requirement of public hearings, even when large increases are sought.

“Public hearings afford all interested parties the opportunity to better understand the rational of a rate increase and to voice concerns in a more satisfying way” says Rep. Margo McNeil, (D-St. Louis County) House sponsor of the legislation. “The director should allow for that process.”

• Maximum transparency of insurance rates, which will allow consumers to make informed decisions. Currently, the proposed rule allows insurance companies to determine what information to keep secret, rather than the Dept. of Insurance. McNeil said, “The director is given authority to determine the form and content

of a filing and should establish rules that require the maximum of public transparency. Consumers deserve to have complete information so they may make health care decisions in their own best interests.”

• Public disclosure of rates deemed “unreasonable” by publishing on both the state’s and insurance carrier’s websites.

The advocacy group Consumers Council of Missouri (CCM) contracted with the Missouri Foundation for Health to conduct rate review in Missouri for the past two years in the absence of a formal review process by the state.

Ryan Barker, Vice President of Health Policy at Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH), said “a robust rate review process is essential for compe-

“The Salvation Army Midland Division knows the immediate need for families and individuals to get out of the dangerously cold temperatures,” said Lt. Colonel Dan Jennings, The Salvation Army Midland Divisional Commander. “Our Family Haven facility will operate St. Louis County’s

tition in the health insurance market and works to protect consumers by bringing transparency to the process. The Foundation funded CCM to do this work because we believed that Missourians should have someone that is looking out for them. We’re pleased the legislature and Governor passed Senate Bill 865 and trust that the Department of Insurance will take suggestions on how to implement this law in a way that has the greatest consumer protections.”

Consumers Council of Missouri is joined by other groups in commenting on the rule including St. Louis University School of Law, Empower MO, MO Budget Project, The MO Health Alliance, and Womens Voices Raised for Social Justice. The Department is expected to respond within 30 days.

Poor insurance endangers

Americans earned a 5 percent pay increase last year, according to a new Census Bureau report. That’s the best wage gain since the Great Recession.

Unfortunately, most people weren’t able to spend that extra cash on something fun, like a family vacation or new vehicle. Health insurance price hikes ate up millions of Americans’ raises.

Insurers are raising rates, deductibles, and copays even more this coming year. The rising costs could prevent patients from following their doctors’ treatment plans. Such non-adherence threatens their health – and the nation’s budget. To protect patients and stem the rising tide of chronic disease, we need to make insurance more affordable for everyday Americans.

Chronic diseases, which range from asthma and hypertension to diabetes and cancer, pervade American society. Today, 190 million Americans live with at least one such illness. And the situation is getting worse. By 2030, 80 percent of the U.S. population will have a chronic disease. To manage such conditions, patients need health coverage that provides them with quality care. Yet insurance plans are increasingly unaffordable. Over 40 percent of people report that their premiums increased last year, according to joint poll released by Morning Consult and my organization, the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease. In 2017, premiums for plans offered through the Affordable Care Act exchanges will rise by 25 percent, on average. And employer-sponsored health premiums will rise 5-6 percent, on average. Insurers are also increasing deductibles and other cost-sharing requirements. Over half of workers with individual employer-sponsored health plans now face a deductible of at least $1,000. Across the nation, deductibles have gone up 63 percent since 2011, according to a new Kaiser Family Foundation study. Roughly four in 10 people say their deductibles and copayments rose in the past year.

Many patients can’t afford these higher costs. About 30 percent of Americans couldn’t fill a prescription or obtain a needed procedure last year because of high deductibles, copays, and co-insurance. In 2014, 16 million chronic disease patients avoided seeking care for their conditions because of the cost.

Failing to adhere to a doctor’s orders can prove fatal. If heart attack patients fill some, but not all of their prescriptions, their chance of dying within the year increases by 44 percent. If they don’t fill any of their prescriptions, that likelihood spikes to 80 percent.

Non-adherence is financially dangerous too. Consider diabetes patients, who face over $1,900 in deductibles and copays each year, on average. If they can’t afford these insurance payments and skip some treatments, they’re likely to sustain kidney damage. Forty percent of diabetics with kidney damage ultimately endure kidney failure. To survive, those patients must rely on dialysis –which can cost up to $72,000 per year.

In other words, because we as a nation can’t figure out a way to help chronic disease patients afford a few thousand dollars in insurance payments, people are getting sicker and racking up hundreds of thousands of dollars in healthcare expenses.

Improving medication adherence for diabetes patients alone could prevent $4 billion in Medicare spending per year, according to consultancy IMS Health. Americans finally got decent raises last year. Let’s hope our leaders introduce reforms, so that people don’t continue spending more for worse coverage.

Kenneth E. Thorpe is professor of health policy at Emory University and

Appellate court overturns conviction in HIV case

Former Lindenwood wrestler had been given 30-year sentence

By Rebecca Rivas

Of The St. Louis American

The Missouri Court of Appeals on December 20 overturned the conviction and 30-year sentence of a former Lindenwood University student and wrestler who was arrested in 2013 for not disclosing his HIV status to his sexual partners. The court remanded his case for a new trial. In 2015, a St. Charles jury found then 23-year-old Michael Johnson - a young, black gay man living with HIV - guilty of three crimes that are felonies under Missouri law: one count of recklessly infecting a sexual partner with HIV, one count of recklessly exposing a partner to HIV and three counts of attempting to recklessly infect a partner with HIV.

The Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District reversed the judgment of the trial court because it “abused its discretion” when it allowed prosecutors to admit cell phone recordings as evidence on the first day of trial, even

though they had not previously disclosed them to Johnson’s attorney. It was a violation of Rule 25.03, which ensures that prosecutors disclose all known evidence in order to allow the defendants the opportunity to prepare a meaningful defense.

“The State’s violation of Rule 25.03 was knowing and intentional and was part of a trial-by-ambush strategy that this Court does not condone and that Rule 25.03 was specifically designed to avoid,” the court ruled.

In his appeal, Johnson raised two points. First, that the trial court allowed evidence to be introduced late - the first day of the trial - denying him the fair opportunity to prepare his defense. And second, that his sentence of 30 years for violating Missouri’s HIV transmission and exposure statute violated the constitutional prohibition on cruel and unusual punishments.

‘This is a tremendous decision from the Eastern District Court of Appeals,” said Johnson’s appellate attorney, Samuel Buffaloe. “I am very

Powell denies arson charges

Former East St. Louis political godfather Charlie Powell is perplexed. According to a lawsuit filed by Fairview Heights attorney Penni S. Livingston, former head of

CLOSING SOON

happy for Michael and look forward to justice for him.”

The court did not address Johnson’s second point on appeal relating to the constitutionality of his punishment, since Johnson must now be retried if the conviction itself is to stand.

The Center for HIV Law and Policy (CHLP), a national legal resource and advocacy center, and the law firm Gibbons, P.C. had drafted a brief, which addressed the “cruel and unusual punishment” of Johnson’s sentence and also argued that Missouri’s criminal HIV law violates the Americans with Disabilities Act and Constitutional protections against irrational treatment of disabilities such as HIV.

ESL regulatory affairs

Robert Betts and Powell allegedly conspired to “wrongfully” profit by retrieving salvage from two properties located on St. Louis Avenue in East St. Louis. The lawsuit insinuates that Betts likely received kickbacks resulting from steering work to Powell Demolition, issuing demolition permits and keeping the owners of the properties in the dark about the pending demolitions.

The Missouri Court of Appeals ruled that Michael Johnson was convicted of three felonies for not disclosing his HIV status to his sexual partners and sentenced to 30 years in a “trial-by-ambush strategy.”

“This is a terrific first step towards justice for Michael,” said CHLP’s Deputy Director Mayo Schreiber.

“We will continue to fight for Michael and work to overturn Missouri’s and other states’ irrational and discriminatory HIV exposure laws.”

Twenty-one national and state HIV, social justice, and LGBT organizations joined the brief; the ACLU of Missouri Foundation served as local counsel.

“While the Court of Appeals correctly recognized that Johnson’s conviction was based on violation of his right to a fair trial, that is just the beginning of the trouble with this entire case,” said ACLU of

Additionally, the lawsuit infers that Powell is an arsonist who burns or pays others to torch properties in order to create salvage opportunities for his business.

Powell told the Belleville NewsDemocrat that “I just can’t imagine that anyone who knows me would think that’s what I have to do to get a job…I’ve got more work than I can handle. I don’t go

Missouri Legal Director Tony Rothert.

“The law under which he is charged is based on outdated science from a time when HIV policy was based on panic. The prosecution used that fear, along with racism and homophobia, to get a conviction.”

Under Missouri law, if individuals with HIV are accused of not disclosing their status to their sexual partners, their only defense is to be able to prove disclosure. Verbal consent is often how people “negotiate sex,” but verbal disclosure is hard to prove, said Erise Williams, president and CEO of Williams and Associates, Inc., a nonprofit community-based organization in St. Louis that addresses minority health disparities and offers HIV screenings and resources.

It is not typical practice anywhere for sexual partners to sign documents or get audio or video recording of disclosure before having sex, he said.

“The burden of proof is on the person with HIV,” Williams said. “We shouldn’t be criminalizing anyone because they have a disease.”

Williams also said the law makes it more difficult for his organization to do their

around torching other people’s property.”

Powell’s rap sheet includes federal prison time for buying votes in 2006 and an additional sentence in 2007 for the illegal removal of asbestos from the old Spivey Building in East Boogie.

He might be a convicted vote thief who has performed shoddy (and illegal) asbestos abatement, but that doesn’t mean that he’d stoop to torching buildings and stealing bricks, right?

The lawsuit fails to include

work because criminalizing HIV discourages people from getting tested. As long as individuals don’t know they have HIV, they can’t be prosecuted. But once they get tested, they could end up in jail for having sex – even if they are having protected sex and receiving clinical treatment, which greatly lowers the risk of transmission, he said. Williams said the law – and stigma that it reinforces in the African-American community –especially hinders their program called Blacks Assisting Blacks Against AIDS.

“It encourages the epidemic,” he said. “HIV criminalization laws ignore the research around how people get infected. They are at odds with public health strategy to address HIV. With the treatment we have now, they can live for a long time. Treatment is prevention. That helps decrease infection rates in communities.”

CHLP’s full brief, including the complete list of endorsing organizations, visit https://goo. gl/OkcIMf.

To read the Missouri Court of Appeals decision, State of Missouri v. Michael L. Johnson, Mo. Ct. of Appeals, E.D., No. ED 103217 (Dec. 20, 2016), visit https://goo.gl/znkGPm.

any witness statements or criminal histories and is more circumstantial than anything, including photos of emergency demolition orders issued to Powell’s Demolition. So the lawsuit could possibly generate more heat than light. And, at 73 years of age, a return visit to prison should be the last thing on Charlie Powell’s to-do list for 2017.

Email: jtingram_1960@ yahoo.com; Twitter@ JamesTIngram.

James Ingram

Urban League expands Head Start with $7.7M in new federal grants

Early childhood programs enrolling now

Mary Elizabeth Grimes was honored by the Incarnate Word Foundation with an Incarnate Word Leadership Award for her leadership and mentoring activities at Marian Middle School, where she serves as president. The foundation’s goal is to continue the caring mission of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word with programs that serve the economically poor, women, children and elderly.

Richard Liekweg has been promoted to president of BJC HealthCare from the position of executive vice president. He will continue to have responsibility for advancing operational and clinical excellence across of BJC’s hospitals, service organizations and shared service departments. He chaired the steering committee for the 10-year Washington University Medical Center campus renewal project.

Keturah Gadson was named as one of two students to represent Missouri as a delegate to the United States Senate Youth Program. Only about 100 students are selected nationwide each year to participate in this week-long government and leadership education program and receive a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship. She is a Pattonville High School senior.

American staff

The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis received two new Head Start grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services totaling more than $7,703,463 at its newest Magnolia Head Start Center grand opening on 2725 Alhambra Ct. in St. Louis. Urban League Head Start/Early Head Start will now serve 672 students from six weeks to five years of age, as well as services to expectant mothers.

“I want to specifically thank Hazel Mallory, vice president of Urban League Head Start, her management team and staff for doing a great job of managing our Head Start program over the years,” said Michael P. McMillan, president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Inc.

“Early childhood education plays a direct

n “Early childhood education plays a direct role in the emotional, social and physical development of young children.”

– Michael P. McMillan, Urban League

role in the emotional, social and physical development of young children, which also plays a key role in the overall development of the adult they will become.”

Since 2001, Urban League Head Start has worked to educate thousands of St. Louis children as a delegate agency of the YWCA. It

partners with corporations such as Monsanto, Express Scripts and USBank, which has helped to enhance Head Start’s STEM, mental health and reading initiatives and offer experiential learning activities at the Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis Butterfly House and the St. Louis Science Center.

The program provides early childhood education services and opportunities for parent engagement. Families may also take advantage of the many other programs and services offered by the Urban League, such as food pantry, job training, housing, utility assistance, continuing adult education and so much more.

Urban League Head Start/ Early Head Start programs are enrolling now. For more information, call (314) 867-9100 or visit www. ulstl.com.

Maryville University teaching coding in Riverview Gardens School District

First partnership between Apple Distinguished School and Apple ConnectED K-12 school

By Chris King Of The St. Louis American

Maryville University recently provided a training session in coding to 75 students and teachers in the Riverview Gardens School

“Our students returned to the building and could not end their conversation about their day,” said Lakena Curtis, principal of Central Middle School. “They continued to share their thoughts that day and the next.”

Along with Central Middle School, Westview Middle School and Riverview Gardens High School participate in the program.

Utilizing Apple’s Everyone Can Code curriculum, Maryville provides student and teacher training on app development to Riverview Gardens students and teachers during the school year. This partnership also will

See CODING, B2

“The power of coding – to break the cycle of poverty by creating access to these future jobs – is immense,” said Dustin Loeffler, associate professor at Maryville University.

Steve C. Roberts Sr. will serve as executive assistant to St. Louis Sheriff Vernon Betts, which is similar to a chief of staff role. He is co-founder of Roberts-Roberts & Associates, served on the St. Louis Board of Alderman from 1979-1991, and was a member of the Board of Directors for the Missouri Municipal League.

Kim Lovings received one of four

Mary Elizabeth Grimes Keturah Gadson

Steve C. Roberts

Kim Lovings

Richard Liekweg

Rance Thomas

Head Start parents and students gather with Urban League executives Kathi Hadley, President Michael P. McMillan, Hazel Mallory and Pam Williams to celebrate the ribbon-cutting for the new Magnolia Head Start building on 2725 Alhambra Ct. in St. Louis.

District

Prepare for Medicare

Part A and B price changes in 2017

By Nathaniel Sillin

If you’re eligible for Medicare, or will be in the coming year, there are a few changes you should know about for 2017.

An increase in the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) means there’ll be an increase in Social Security benefits and Medicare Part B premiums. For most recipients the increases almost offset each other, but those who aren’t covered by the “hold harmless” provision (about 30 percent of recipients) face a larger Part B premium increase.

These changes, along with several others, will go into effect soon and you should consider how they could affect your budget.

A slight increase in your Social Security benefits. Since 1975, Social Security benefits have an automatic cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). The adjustment depends on the CPI and helps keep your benefits in line with the rising cost of goods. There wasn’t a COLA for

CODING

continued from page B1

involve free app development summer camps for up to 200 students.

2016 benefits, but there is a .3 percent adjustment for next year. Meaning, you’ll get an additional $3 per $1,000 you receive in benefits. The estimated average monthly benefit for all retired workers is expected to increase $5, from $1,355 to $1,360.

Medicare Part B premiums will also rise. The COLA also affects Medicare Part B premiums, the part of Medicare that covers some types of procedures and medical equipment. However, for about 70 percent of Medicare recipients, the Social Security Act’s “hold harmless” provision prohibits an increase to Medicare B premiums of more than the previous year’s COLA adjustment.

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, held harmless recipients will pay $109 per month, an increase of $4.10.

If you aren’t held harmless, Part B premiums could increase by about 10 percent. The remaining 30 percent of Social Security beneficiaries will have their Part B premium increase by

about 10 percent. You could fall into the non-held-harmless group if you:

• Are a new enrollee

• Enrolled in Medicare but don’t receive Social Security benefits

• Get billed directly for Medicare Part B

• Receive Medicare and

Medicaid benefits and your state Medicaid programs pay your Part B premium

• Are a high-income earner subject to an income-adjusted premium

For the non-held-harmless group, the premium depends on the recipient’s (or couple’s when filing a joint tax return)

adjusted gross income (AGI).

• The lowest monthly premium, for individuals who have an AGI of $85,000 or less ($170,000 for couples), will increase from $121.80 to $134 a month per person.

• On the high end, for recipients with an AGI over $214,000 ($428,000 for couples), the monthly premium will increase from $389.80 to $428.60 per person.

Medicare Part A and B deductibles will also increase. Most people don’t have to pay Medicare Part A premiums, but you could still have to pay a deductible or coinsurance for some Part A benefits.

• The deductible for inpatient hospital coverage, which helps cover the first 60 days of care, will increase from $1,288 to $1,316 per benefit period.

• Daily coinsurance for the 61st through 90th day of treatment will increase from $322 to $329.

• Daily coinsurance for day 91 on will rise from $644 to $658.

• Each day past day 90 counts towards your lifetime reserve. You have a maximum

of 60 lifetime reserve days; after which you could be responsible for all costs.

• Skilled nursing facility care is completely covered for your first 20 days.

• Daily coinsurance for day 21 to 100 of skilled nursing care will increase to $164.50.

• You could be responsible for all costs beyond day 100. The Part B annual deductible will also increase, from $166 to $183. Generally, after you’ve met your deductible, you’ll pay 20 percent of Medicare-approved costs for services covered by Part B.

Bottom line: Social Security benefits, Medicare Part B premiums and Part A and B deductibles and coinsurance will increase in 2017. Whether you’re held harmless or not, take steps to understand which changes could affect you and alter your budget accordingly.

Nathaniel Sillin directs Visa’s financial education programs. To follow Practical Money Skills on Twitter: www. twitter.com/PracticalMoney.

Steve Coxon, associate professor and director of Maryville’s programs in gifted education, will direct the summer program. “Coding is the language of the future,” Coxon said. “Those who can code will be well employed and will run the businesses of the 21st century.”

n “This expanded innovation and creativity allows us to break down walls of isolation.”

– Scott Spurgeon, superintendent of Riverview Gardens

According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, computer programmers in Missouri has an average salary of $78,830

in 2015 – more than double the overall average salary in the state of $43,640. Dustin Loeffler, JD,

associate professor at Maryville, said coding is important for all students, not only those interested in computer science.

“No matter what careers students may be interested in, coding will play an integral role in the job,” Loeffler said. “Therefore, the power of coding – to break the cycle of poverty by creating access to these future jobs – is immense.”

The partnership with Maryville creates a new level of expectation for students, said Scott Spurgeon, superintendent of Riverview Gardens, which in turn raises the expectations of teachers, administrators and

the community. “This expanded innovation and creativity allows us to break down walls of isolation,” Spurgeon says. “It creates greater opportunities for learning, experience and knowledge.”

The Maryville/Riverview Gardens is the first partnership between an Apple Distinguished School and an Apple ConnectED K-12 school. Maryville is a 20162018 Apple Distinguished School, a designation recognizing the university’s Digital World program.

Through Digital World, all undergraduate students receive a free iPad and access to more than 75 learning and resource apps available through the Maryville Cloud.

In Riverview Gardens, the two middle schools and high school are recipients of an Apple grant through ConnectED, an initiative

created by the White House. The program is designed to empower teachers and students by providing access to new technology and digital content. Through ConnectED, Apple provides an iPad to every student and teacher in participating Riverview Gardens schools, along with professional learning, wireless infrastructure upgrades and ongoing support. Riverview Gardens will regain state accreditation on January 4, 2017. Partnerships such as the one between the secondary schools and Maryville University play a significant role in the district’s overall success, Spurgeon said.

“When I arrived in Riverview Gardens four years ago, we had very few partnerships,” he says. “Today, we partner with more than 30 organizations. It will always be important for the community to connect with children.”

n But what do I know?

I grew up a Dallas fan. Particularly a ‘Hollywood’ Henderson fan.”

– Steelers Mike Tomlin responding to Terry Bradshaw calling him ‘a great cheerleader guy’

New Year’s wishes for the St. Louis sports community and beyond

~ See ‘Sports Eye’ page B4 ~

The Highland Shootout

Seven matchups which feature rematch of championship game of Webster Groves Classic

PreP BasketBall NoteBook

With Earl Austin Jr.

The holiday hoops season is wrapping up this weekend, but the new year will begin with a bang with next week’s Highland Optimist Shootout. The latest edition of the Highland Shootout will be held on Saturday, January 7 at Highland High School in Illinois. The seven-game high school basketball feast features quality teams from St. Louis, the Metro East, Kansas City and Central Illinois.

Here is a look at the seven matchups at the Highland Shootout:

Austin

Highland vs. Civic Memorial (girls), 10 a.m. – These two Mississippi Valley Conference rivals are also two of the top girls’ programs in the Metro East area.

Vianney vs. Carbondale (IL), 11:30 a.m. – Vianney features a talented senior forward in 6’6” forward Eric Krus, who is one of the top players in the Metro Catholic Conference. Carbondale features a talented junior duo in 6’3” Darius Beane and 6’5” Kani Acree.

Belleville East vs. Webster Groves, 1 p.m. –Belleville East features one of the area’s top seniors in 6’4” guard Javon Pickett, who has signed with the University of Illinois. Webster Groves features 6’3” junior guard Courtney Ramey, who is being recruited by many major programs around the country.

Highland vs. Kansas City Rockhurst, 3 p.m.

– The host Bulldogs are led by talented 6’3” sophomore Sam LaPorta. Rockhurst is led by 6’5” senior guard Chris Teahan and 6’1” junior guard Xavier Rhodes.

Champaign Central vs. Chaminade, 4:45 p.m.

– This is a rematch of the championship game of the Webster Groves Classic, which was won by Champaign Central. Chaminade has a talented crew led by 6’4” senior Reginald Crawford, 6’7” junior Jericole Hellems and 6’6” junior Karrington Davis.

Top 5 Ls in 2016

The year 2016 has been a rough one. It was a year that watched the world mourn countless beloved celebrities, including certified icons such as David Bowie, Arnold Palmer Muhammad Ali and Prince. It also featured many other troubling events and a seemingly endless stream of bad news.

But we’re here to talk sports. Even in the sports world, plenty of losses heartbreaking losses were doled out by this savage year. Before we can move on to a better and brighter 2017, let’s take time to remember the biggest Ls by 2016.

#5: State of Mizzou and SLU athletics

I’m still waiting for outgoing Gov. Jay Nixon to declare a state of emergency on behalf of the University of Missouri athletics. Mizzou football missed the bowl season for the second consecutive season after finishing just 4-8 under firstyear coach Barry Odom. Of the four victories, three came against the likes of Eastern Michigan, Delaware State and Vanderbilt. Mizzou basketball hasn’t fared much better finishing 10-21 in the 2015-16 season and off to a blazing 5-6 start this year. Saint Louis University has posted similar records of 11-21 and 4-8 respectively.

#4: The St. Louis Rams skip town

It’s been nearly one year since the St. Louis Rams organization packed its bags and went back west to Los Angeles. The departure was a heartbreaker to many fans, employees and local businesses, who supported the Rams for 20 years of mostly bad football.

Sure, there will always be fond memories of Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Orlando Pace and The Greatest Show on Turf. However, even that team’s dominance was cut short by the glaring mismanagement coming out of the executive suites.

Once owner Stan Kroenke intercepted the team’s purchase from Shahid Khan (now the owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars), the team’s relocation fate was sealed. Recently-fired coach Jeff Fisher admitted that he knew of Kroenke’s plans to move the Rams back to Los Angeles when he signed on as

the coach in 2012 – proving that both lied to fans and media for years.

#3: Bernard Hopkins takes flight

See CLUTCH, B5

Earl

Jr.

Ishmael H. Sistrunk

Photo by Wiley Price

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

New Year’s wishes for the St. Louis sports community and beyond

May Dexter Fowler, the St. Louis Cardinals new centerfielder, find success on the field, add some needed enthusiasm to the grim clubhouse and become a leader in the community during the 2017 season.

May Jason Heyward, Chicago Cubs outfielder, find his batting stroke, retain his Gold Glove skills and snap out of his post-Cardinals funk.

May the Cardinals officially retire Willie McGee’s No. 51, regardless of the fact he is not in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

May Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker finally win a World Series, the accomplishment that has avoided him his managerial career.

hire Stanford coach David Shaw for its head coaching position – or at least not pay lip service to the Rooney Rule and give a black man a true shot at winning the job.

May the Rams get themselves together now that Jeff Fisher has been fired, tamp down the childish hate flowing in St. Louis and the media irresponsibility in feeding that nonsense.

May Rams running back Todd Gurley get it together under a new coach and return to his rookie form.

May Pittsburgh Pirates centerfielder Andrew McCutcheon become a Cardinal during a surprising spring training trade – or put together another MVP type season for the Bucs.

May someone finally tell Cardinal Nation what is really going on with former third base coach Jose Oquendo

May Major League Baseball realize its lack of black players is because it doesn’t care that there is a lack of black players…or managers…or fans.

May St. Louis recognize what a major role it played in the Negro Leagues and honor the St. Louis Stars history and families of players that have passed on.

May the Los Angeles Rams

May rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott lead the Dallas Cowboys to the Super Bowl – and win it.

May the Kansas City Chiefs upset the New England Patriots at some point during the playoffs and reach the Super Bowl.

May the Cincinnati Bengals’ Marvin Lewis, Cleveland Browns’ Hue Jackson and New York Jets’ Todd Bowles retain their respective head coaching positions after rough seasons.

May St. Louis find a way to land an annual football game between elite HBCU football teams during the season – or host a HBCU bowl game between black college football’s two best teams.

May Earl Austin, St. Louis American sports editor and SLU hoops radio analyst, see his beloved Billikens return to the NCAA tournament in a couple of years.

May Missouri find a young, bright coach to replace

the soon-to-be-gone Kim Anderson – yes it would be great if he were black. May the campus racial strife, player off-field

shenanigans and all-around bad vibe that cloaks Mizzou be lifted.

May Ryan Reaves, St. Louis Blues defenseman, become one of few players of color in the history of the NHL to win the Stanley Cup - and win it here.

May Jarome Iginla of the Colorado Rockies, the NHL’s greatest player of color, be traded to St. Louis and the Blues then make the historic Stanley Cup run.

May Dave Peacock Jim Kavanaugh and SC St. Louis bring a MLS expansion franchise to St. Louis – by building a new stadium with their own money which they operate themselves.

May Foundry St. Louis get some respect from civic leaders and MLS so we can find out if they can really put up $80 million for a stadium.

May the voters of the city of St. Louis reject any ballot measure asking for any amount of money or tax breaks to build a MLS stadium – same for St. Louis County.

May I see the looks on many St. Louis sports media members’ respective faces when Rams owner Stan

Kroenke announces his plan to build a MLS stadium without any public financing in St. Louis County. May the state champion Kirkwood Pioneers and state champion East St. Louis Flyers play a football game in an upcoming season – for Maurice Scott and me.

n May Jarome Iginla of the Colorado Rockies, the NHL’s greatest player of color, be traded to St. Louis and the Blues then make the historic Stanley Cup run.

May there be continued great health for KSDK’s Renee Knott, anchor of that channel’s morning show after years at the helm of the sports department. May there be continued success for KMOX’s Mike Claiborne, the dean of black broadcasters in this region and a rare black voice that announces Major League Baseball.

May the state of Illinois finally get its act together and approve slot machine wagering at Fairmount Park before the place shuts down.

May Gov.-elect Eric Greitens follow N.J. Gov. Chris Christie and lead a movement to legalize sports wagering in the state of Missouri, thus helping solve its financial crisis.

May St. Louis leaders begin lobbying Greitens and the state legislature for a privately financed state-ofthe-art thoroughbred racing facility where the mystical Rams stadium would have been contracted.

Lastly…

May your 2016 be better than 2017, your triumphs greater, your burdens eased and your faith in God and America strengthened.

Happy New Year!

Alvin A. Reid is a panelist on the Nine Network program, Donnybrook and appears on ABC’s The Allman Report and several sports radio shows, including Frank Cusumano’s “The Press Box” on KFNS. His Twitter handle is @aareid1.

Alvin A. Reid

May someone finally tell Cardinal Nation what is really going on with former third base coach Jose Oquendo.

St. Louis ‘All-American’ Football Teams

By Earl Austin Jr.

It was a tremendous year of high school football in the St. Louis metro area with East St. Louis, Kirkwood and Vianney bringing home state championships and Trinity and Fort Zumwalt North finishing as state runners-up. As the year comes to a close, we honor the area’s top individuals with the 2016 St. Louis “AllAmerican” All-Star teams for both large and small schools for the season.

St. Louis All-American Large School Football Team Offense QB: Reyondus Estes (Sr.)

St. Louis RB: Carl Garmon (Sr.)

RB: Hasaan Haskins (Jr.)

RB: Andrew Clair (Sr.)

Jeff Thomas (Sr.) East

CLUTCH

Continued from B3

ankle. Hopkins repeatedly claimed that he was “shoved” out of the ring by his opponent, even though replays clearly showed that it was Smith’s left hand that sent Hopkins into orbit. Despite the first knockout loss of his career, Hopkins is a surefire first-round hall of famer. But with the vicious L, Father Time once again proved why he is undefeated.

#2: Warriors blow 3-1 NBA Finals lead

After an amazing run in 2014-15, culminating in a championship victory of the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Golden State Warriors upped the ante for the following season. Led by two-time MVP Steph Curry, the Warriors set a new NBA record with 73 wins in a single season. In the playoffs, they did the unthinkable and came back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder to advance to the NBA Finals for the second consecutive season. Armed with a commanding 3-1 advantage of its own, the Warriors imploded. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving snatched Curry’s cape and led one of the most impressive comebacks in sports history. While the win was phenomenal for the City of Cleveland, it was humiliating to Curry, the Warriors organization and the entire Bay Area.

#1: Cards miss playoffs, Cubs win World Series

WR: Kamryn Babb (Jr.)

WR: Joe Jordan (Sr.)

OL: Marquis Hayes (Sr.)

OL: Marcus Greer (Jr.)

OL: Ed Becton (Jr.)

OL: Tyreese Norris (Sr.)

OL: Walter Baxter (Jr.)

St. Louis

AP: Tionne Harris (Jr.) Vianney

ATH: Kyren Williams (Soph.) Vianney K: Jarame Crawford (Sr.)

DL: A.J. Epenesa (Sr.)

DL: Tahj Telfair (Sr.)

Kirkwood

DL: Trevor Trout (Jr.) Chaminade

DL: Lamontre Harvey (Sr.)

LB: James Knight (Sr.)

LB: Jordan Carey (Sr.)

Hazelwood Central

LB: Krishon Merriweather (Sr.)

Hazelwood West

LB: Derrick Calhoun (Sr.)

Hazelwood East

DB: Antonio Phillips (Sr.)

Kirkwood

DB: Dallas Craddieth (Jr.)

Hazelwood Central

DB: Andre Whitley (Sr.)

Chaminade

DB: Robyion Hughes (Sr.)

Ritenour

Offensive Player of the Year: Jeff Thomas (East St. Louis)

Defensive Player of the Year: James Knight (East St. Louis)

Lineman of the Year: Marquis Hayes (Pattonville)

Coach of the Year: Darren Sunkett (East St. Louis)

If there ever was a sign that 2016 was an abysmal year, look no further than the 2016 World Series Champions: the Chicago Cubs. Not only did the Cubs win its first championship since 1908, but the Cardinals helped them get there. The Cubs lifted Jason Heyward and John Lackey from the Cardinals via free agency. The moves weakened the Redbirds and played a part in the team missing the playoffs for the first time in six seasons. Ironically, the Cubs took a page out of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ playbook and reversed a 3-1 deficit to earn the long-elusive championship. Even after losing two football teams in 20 years, St. Louis

PREP

Continued from B3 Central is led by 6’6” junior forward Tim Finke and 6’1” junior guard Bailey Dee.

Peoria Manual (IL) vs. Lincolnshire Stevenson, 6:30 p.m. – Peoria Manual suffered a blow when Illinois recruit Da’Monte Williams was lost with a season-ending knee injury. Manual will be paced by senior wing players

A.J. Youngman and Ramon Douglas-Watkins. Stevenson is led by senior forward Justin Smith, who is headed to Indiana.

Belleville Althoff vs. East

St. Louis, 8:15 p.m. – A battle between two of the top teams in the Metro East and two of the top players in the

The year 2016 was a nightmare for baseball fans in St. Louis. The Chicago Cubs won the World Series for the first time in 108 years. The Cardinals didn’t make the playoffs.

could at least always fall back on the Cardinals’ everlasting superiority over the baby bears. Sigh.

Luckily, the end of 2016 is almost near. It’s doubtful that we’ll all wake up to discover it was all one bad dream. However, I remain hopeful that 2017 will restore some of the hope lost by these events.

On the bright side, Hopkins is done with fighting and is somewhere sitting on a cozy rocking chair. SLU basketball has a new coach. Mizzou will likely have one at the end of the season. The Rams are now Los Angeles’ burden. The Warriors and Cavs appear to be on a crash course back to the Finals. Lastly, the Cardinals

got payback in the form of signing Dexter Fowler away from the Cubs.

Hurry up 2017! We’ve been waiting for you.

Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @ IshmaelSistrunk

Unfairly interjected into politically slanted article

By Michael B. Kennedy KAI Design & Build

KAI Design & Build, along with our sister company The Up Companies, is one of the largest minority-owned architecture/engineering/ construction and subcontracting companies in the St. Louis area. Founded in 1980 by my father, Michael Kennedy Sr., we pride ourselves in operating a reputable business dedicated to our community and to creating quality job opportunities for minority professionals and skilled workers in the St. Louis area. We were disappointed to see KAI unfairly interjected into a recent politically slanted article written by St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter Joe Holleman titled “Banker Convicted of Felonies in 1995 Now Doing Business with St. Louis Treasurer.”

We were caught off-guard and surprised to see that KAI was singled out and the article did not mention any other company that Craig Walker may have worked with in the past. Additionally, I was not provided an opportunity by the reporter to explain our side of the story before the article was published.

Craig Walker approached Power Up, the electrical contracting division of The Up Companies, in 2012 seeking a minority-owned firm to do work for the City of Champaign, Illinois, his hometown. Craig expressed that the city was struggling with diversity and he wanted to help African Americans in the community find jobs. He thought that the only way African Americans could get an opportunity was to find a minority employer to come to his city.

Through Craig’s introduction, Power Up was successful at competitively bidding, as the low bidder, and executing a $1.5 million broadband and data project in Champaign. We asked Craig to help us find labor in the community to work on the

project. Out of 27 workers on the job, Craig was able to identify 8-10 African-American workers in the community to work on the project and learn how to install fiber.

We were very encouraged and supportive of Craig and his efforts in that community. He offered to help us find project opportunities in Champaign for KAI on a commissioned-basis. No dollars were ever paid to Craig from KAI, however, as no opportunities for KAI work ever presented themselves.

At the time, we were not aware of Craig’s past history or the fact that he had spent time in prison. We believe that any incidents that may have happened in Craig’s past are the experiences that shaped him into the man he is today and drive him to create opportunities for others in his hometown. We commend him for his contributions to his community and for giving others a chance at success.

Originally submitted as a Letter to Editor of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in response to the article “Banker Convicted of Felonies in 1995 Now Doing Business with St. Louis Treasurer.”

WWT Asynchrony Labs expands in downtown St. Louis

World Wide Technology

(WWT) is expanding its Asynchrony Labs’ corporate offices in downtown St. Louis. The added facilities on 900 Spruce Street will accommodate more jobs and business prospects within the city’s burgeoning tech scene.

WWT Asynchrony Labs, formerly known as Asynchrony, is an information technology consulting firm that has been operating in downtown St. Louis since 2000. The newly expanded office space, encompassing an additional 9,500 square feet, is located on the fifth floor of Cupples 9. In 2015, Asynchrony was acquired by the technology solutions provider World Wide Technology, expanding its suite of services to provide complete, end-to-end IT solutions that include both custom software applications and the back-

end IT infrastructure for enterprises.

“St. Louis is becoming a tech hub in its own right, and we’re excited to share this new extension with our employees, clients and community,” said Bob Elfanbaum, vice president and general manager for WWT Asynchrony Labs. “Our location in a vibrant part of downtown, we’re delighted to be a part of the growing technology buzz in St. Louis.”

Michael B. Kennedy

Plethora

Black TV to the max

of programming offers kaleidoscope of small screen depictions

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

In my ambitious attempt to give props to the long list of quality television programming about or catering to black people this year, my biggest fear was that I’d leave something out. I’m sure I will – which speaks to my point that 2016 was the blackest year in the history of television. BET aside (of course), remember when seeing black faces on television meant one night and one network at a time? For my generation, it was NBC on Thursdays with “The Cosby Show” and “A Different World.” Fox picked up the “black night torch” with Sundays with “In Living Color” and “Roc.” Fox also commandeered Thursdays when the Cosby block fizzled out with “Living Single,”

“Martin” and “New York Undercover.” Later came Wednesdays on WB with “Jamie Foxx Show” and “The Wayans Brothers.”

n 2016 was the blackest year in the history of television.

Sure there have been spurts of blackness scattered in here and there almost since the dawn of television, but TV has never been blacker than 2016. That’s not to say that there isn’t still much work to be done in diversity – especially behind the cameras – but cable

and network television alike had a myriad of programming that shed light on the vastness that is the black experience. I counted more than 25 programs – and that does not include any of the ratchet reality shows that became ratings gold for VH1 Network. Since I clearly don’t have the space to give the care and attention to them all, I’m going share my favorites that collectively made black TV hit like a sledgehammer and why I chose them. I’ve also narrowed my selection to 2016 premieres.

“Queen Sugar” (OWN) – When bad accents happen to good television shows. “Queen Sugar” would probably be bumped up into my top three if they could get that Louisiana dialect together – or at least get

See TV, C4

Best in show

Top St. Louis concerts of 2016

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

There was Beyoncé … and everybody else,” is how many lovers of live music will remember the St. Louis concert experience for 2016. It’s only partly true. While the year wasn’t a standout overall, there was a solid mix of memorable performances that shouldn’t be easily dismissed. Listed below are my favorites from the year ranked from bottom to top.

10. Brian McKnight at the Ambassador – R&B crooner was in top form physically and vocally as he belted out his long list of hits from over the course of his 25 years in music.

9. Method Man and Redman at Pops Hip-hop clearly keeps you young, because these partners in rhyme appeared to have jumped from the set of “Rap City” circa 1995 to Sauget, Illinois in 2016. Feeding off of the crowd, their energy was on 10 as they performed their own respective hits and blessed the crowd with a medley of Wu Tang classics.

“Insecure” (HBO) – Issa Rae does well in her transition from internet sensation to television star with the series based on her popular web show “Awkward Black

8. King and Queen of Hearts with Mary J. Blige and Maxwell at Scottrade Center – It wasn’t the best showing for either of them. Maxwell was the stronger act of the two, though the raw emotion of her impending divorce played especially well with Blige’s fans. But even with a few hiccups in the form of song risks by Maxwell and vocal issues from Blige, the show was among the better concerts of the year, particularly the idea of seeing them grace the stage together.

7. Corrinne Bailey Rae and Andra Day with special guest TreG at The Pageant Thanks to Café Soul, St. Louis R&B fans were blessed with the chance to catch rising star Andra Day in an intimate setting when she came to the

Pageant as part of a package deal that included local singer TreG as the opener and Neo Soul songstress Corrinne Bailey Rae. While TreG held his own as a featured performer, Day’s powerful soulful performance overshadowed Rae as she channeled the vintage soul of the late 1950s and early 1960s.

6. Joey Alexander at The Bistro – Indonesian preteen prodigy gave those who squeezed into every possible nook and cranny of the Ferring Jazz Bistro their money’s worth and more as he pounded out classics and original material with

See CONCERTS, C4

Dating derelicts of 2016 Relationship offenders that need to bite the dust in the New Year

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

2016 was a mess in more ways than one.

n The whole idea that he can pull you and about 80 others at the same time is all the gratification he needs in the virtual world.

By the time you read this, at least two more beloved celebrities will have passed away. And do I need to say anything other than “Donald Trump?” I didn’t think so. And was it me, or was 2016 even more lame than usual if you were (black and) single on the dating scene. As we prepare to rise from the ashes of 2016, here are a few undesirable patterns that I hope don’t latch on in our quest to make 2017 a year of recovery and renewal. The ghost. No, I am not talking about Omari Hardwick’s character on “Power” –though we already know he would be on this list for a whole host of reasons. I’m talking about the guy who goes all in as the ideal man, but inexplicably bounces when he gets bored or bothered. No “it’s not you, it’s me” or “I’m not looking for anything serious.” He just disappears and leaves you to speculate where things when wrong. I don’t want to pin this all on the fellas, because there are some lady ghosts as well. And the whole situation is for the birds –especially as you are in a place of reflection and evaluation in preparing yourself to become a spouse/life partner. At this very moment someone is currently in the throes of dealing with the departure of a ghost. They are wondering if it was something they did or said and/or hoping you could have done something differently to make him or her stay.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant Contemporary gospel pioneer Kirk Franklin created a one-of-a-kind worship experience at the Peabody Opera House as he celebrated his 25th year in music.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Beyoncé pulled out every single stop when she brought her “Formation World Tour” to the Dome at America’s Center.

Girl.”

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. 30, 5 p.m., St. Louis Pan Afrikan Movement presents a Kwanzaa Nia (Purpose) Day Party. The principle of Nia means to commit ourselves to the glorious duty of restoring our families, our communities, and our people to their historical greatness. Great entertainment, children’s activities, music, food, and fun for the entire family. All proceeds go toward SLPAM community building efforts. Yeyo Arts, 2907 S. Jefferson Ave., 63118. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Fri., Dec. 30, 8 p.m., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Gamma Omega Chapter presents the 2016 End of the Year Jam. Bring your own food and set up. Music provided by DJ Charlie Chan and DJ Tony James. Machinist Hall, 12365 St. Charles Rock Rd., 63044. For more information, call (314) 2828018.

Sat., Dec. 31, 7 p.m., The Boom Boom Room presents a 2017 New Year’s Eve Extravaganza. Hostess with the moistest, LuLu La Toosh, will serenade your guests and keep you laughing all night long. D.J. Alkoholik and D.J. Lady Manhattan will be playing your favorite songs. 500 N. 14th St., 63103. For more information, call (314) 436-7000 or visit www. theboomboomroomstl.info.

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.

Sat., Dec. 31, 8 p.m., Marriott St. Louis Grand presents a 1920’s Prohibition New Year’s Eve Party.

Travel back in time to an era of elegance and wickedness while you dance your way into the New Year. 800 Washington Ave., 63101. For more information, visit www.1920sNYE.com.

Sat., Dec. 31, 8 p.m., Ballpark Village presents New Year’s Eve Live! St. Louis 2017. 601 Clark Ave., 63102. For more information, call (314) 345-9481 or visit www.stlballparkvillage.com.

Sat., Dec. 31, 8 p.m., All-N-1 Ent & Allen Construction host a New Year’s Eve Party Mandarin Banquet Hall, 8004 Olive Blvd., 63130. For more information, call (314) 6903660.

Sat., Dec. 31, 8 p.m., Marriott St. Louis Grand presents a 1920’s Prohibition New Year’s Eve Party. Travel back in time to an era of elegance and wickedness while you dance your way into the New Year. 800 Washington Ave., 63101. For more information, visit www.1920sNYE.com.

Sun., Jan. 1, 12 p.m., St. Louis Art Museum and St. Louis Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. present a Kwanzaa Celebration: Mask and Masquerade. Join us for an afternoon of activities to celebrate an African American holiday tradition. 1 Fine Arts Dr., 63110. For more information, call (314) 7210072 or visit www.slam.org.

mlk day activities

Fri., Jan. 6, 7 p.m., A Call to Conscience, Inc. presents I’ve Been to the Mountaintop Hear Dr. Martin Luther King’s final speech delivered at the Mason Temple Church in God and Christ on April 3, 1968; the eve of his assassination. Proceeds will benefit the

Featured Event

Fri., Jan. 6, 7 p.m., A Call to Conscience, Inc. presents I’ve Been to the Mountaintop. Hear Dr. Martin Luther King’s final speech delivered on April 3, 1968. Washington Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, 3200 Washington Ave., 63103. For more information, call (314) 533-8763 or visit www.washtabmbc.org.

John E. and Regina S. Nance Memorial Scholarship Fund. Washington Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, 3200 Washington Ave., 63103. For more information, call (314) 533-8763 or visit www. washtabmbc.org.

Sat., Jan. 14, 11 a.m., St. Louis Public Library presents the Seventh Annual Rhythm & Rhyme: A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. dreamed of “Brotherhood” and unity in our communities. Join gifted neighborhood talent and other local performers as we read, sing and recite poetry together – once again forging Dr. King’s dream of “forever using time creatively… in hope to do great things.” Baden Branch, 8448 Church Rd., 63147. For more information, call (314) 388-2400 or visit www.slpl.org.

Jan. 14 & 16, Missouri History Museum presents the MLK Family Celebration Bring your family to the Museum to learn about and celebrate the achievements of American hero Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Join Mama Lisa for her King Family Kids movement workshop. This fitness workout, featuring songs and stories of inspiration from the civil rights movement, will prepare kids for a freedom walk through time. Celebrate Dr. King with a musical performance by Dre Hilton. 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www.mohistory.org.

Mon., Jan. 16, 10 a.m., Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Observance. Celebrating the life and values Dr. King with speeches, plays

Chaifetz Arena presents Old School Hip Hop Festival. Featuring Scarface, Big Daddy Kane (left), Juvenile, 8 Ball & MJG, Trick Daddy, Doug E Fresh, Slick Rick, Mystikal, Jalil & Ecstasy of Whodini.. See CONCERTS for additional details.

and performances. Children’s program will be in the lobby. Reception to follow the event. Touhill Performing Arts Center, UMSL, 1 University Blvd., 63121. For more information, visit www.touhill. org.

concerts

Dec. 29 – 30, Jazz St. Louis presents Good 4 the Soul. Jazz at the Bistro, 3536 Washington Ave., 63103. For more information, call (314) 571-6000 or visit www.jazzstl. org.

Dec. 29 – 30, The St. Louis Symphony presents Disney in Concert: Tale as Old as Time. 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.

Fri., Dec. 30, 5 p.m., St. Louis Pan Afrikan Movement presents a Kwanzaa Nia (Purpose)

Day Party. The principle of Nia means to commit ourselves to the glorious duty of restoring our families, our communities, and our people to their historical greatness. Great entertainment, children’s activities, music, food, and fun for the entire family. All proceeds go toward SLPAM community building efforts. Yeyo Arts, 2907 S. Jefferson Ave., 63118. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Fri., Dec. 30, 7 p.m., National Blues Museum presents Not So Amateur Night. Make plans to join us and Big George Brock, the ‘Patriarch of St. Louis Blues’, for a fun filled evening. 615 Washington Ave., 63101. For more information, call (314) 925-0016 or visit www. nationalbluesmusuem.com.

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

Thur., Jan. 12, 8 p.m., The Firebird presents Sevyn Streeter – The Girl Disrupted Tour. 2706 Olive St., 63103. For more information, call (314) 5350353 or visit www.firebirdstl. com.

Sat., Jan. 21, R&B Legends featuring Miki Howard, Lenny Williams, Surface with special guest Tony Terry. Hosted by Lightning. The Ambassador, 9800 Halls Ferry. For more information, call (314) 869-9090.

local gigs

Sun., Jan. 1, 7 p.m., Urb Arts presents A Very Therapeutic Show. Come out for live music from Siddall Tha Selecta, art giveaways, raffles, vendors, drinks, and more. 2600 N. 14th St., 63106. For more information, call (314) 6907153 or visit www.urbarts.org.

Tues., Jan. 10, 7:30 p.m., Sheldon Concert Hall presents the Mo Egeston All-Stars feat. Coco Soul & Mario Pascal. An evening of original and reimagined modern soul with influences of jazz, Latin and club dance grooves, celebrating Mo Egeston’s 25th year “Doing this thing...” 3648 Washington Ave., 63108. For more information, call (314) 5339900 or visit www.thesheldon. org.

Fri., Jan. 13, 8 p.m., FUBAR presents Murphy Lee & Nate Moore. 3108 Locust St., 63103. For more information, call (314) 289-9050 or visit www.fubarstl.com.

special events

Through December 31, Nominations are being accepted for the St. Louis American Foundation’s Salute to Young Leaders Class of 2017. For more information, visit https://www. stlamerican.com/salute_to_ excellence/young_leaders/ nomination_form/young_ leaders_nomination/

Jan. 6 – 8, Scottrade Center presents the Harlem Globetrotters. 1401 Clark Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www. scottradecenter.com.

Jan. 7 – 8, America’s Center presents The Wedding Show. Over 200 wedding display booths, professional runway show, DIY bride stage, live music, transportation displays, free food samples, 100’s of drawings/prizes, fabulous vendor wedding discounts, and much more. Free parking at Ballpark Village and a free limo bus shuttle. 701 Convention Plaza, 63101. For more information, visit www. stlbrideandgroom.com.

Thur., Jan. 12, 6 p.m., St. Louis Public Library presents I Am My Brother’s Keeper: Building Brotherhood. Representatives from organizations including 100 Black Men, Big Brothers, Big Sisters and the Ethics Project will discuss how their organizations contribute to building brotherhood, fostering community, encouraging creativity and pursuing dreams along with what changes need to be made, and how we can all assist in creating a better existence. Schlafly Branch, 225 N. Euclid Ave., 63108. For more information, call (314) 367-4120 or visit www. slpl.org.

Fri., Jan. 13, 6 p.m., United 4 Children’s 5th Annual Quarter Auction. Join us for a night of fun including an auction, raffle & party all wrapped into one. Items will be only 25 cents. Glaziers Hall, 5916 Wilson Ave., 63110.

For more information, call (314) 531-1412 or visit www. united4children.org.

Jan., 15, 2 p.m., St. Louis Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated International Awareness & Involvement presents Ujamaa Tea, Marketplace Fashion Show & Vendor Row, Infinite Occasions, 3515 N. Lindbergh Blvd. 63074. Tickets on sale now. Mail ticket quantity requests, and payments by check to: SLA-DST, PO Box 410844, St. Louis, MO 63141. Please indicate IAI Tea in Subject line, (Please remember to indicate return address to mail tickets to. For tickets and more information, call (314) 2295710.

literary

Thur., Jan. 19, 7 p.m., St. Louis County Library hosts author James Hamblin, author of If Our Bodies Could Talk. In 2014, James Hamblin launched a series of videos for The Atlantic called “If Our Bodies Could Talk.” With it, the doctor-turned- journalist established himself as a seriously entertaining authority in the field of health. If Our Bodies Could Talk offers clarity, examines the limits of our certainty, and ultimately helps readers worry less about things that don’t really matter. 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 63131. For more information, call (314) 994-3300 or visit www.slcl.org.

Through February 28, St. Louis County Library’s Winter Reading Club. All ages are invited to participate. Stop by any open St. Louis County Library branch to sign-up. Winter Reading Club offers two categories: ages 0–11 and 12–Adult. Prizes for the kids include: sleds, movie gift cards and family memberships to The Magic House. Prizes for teens and adults include: movie gift cards, Amazon gift cards and Kindle Fires. For more information please call 314 994-3300 or visit www.slcl. org/winter-reading-club.

art

Sat., Jan. 7, 12 p.m., Thomas Dunn Learning Center presents the American Revolutions Art Exhibit Reception. 3113 Gasconade St., 63118. For more information, call (314) 3533050 or visit www.tdunn.org.

Jan. 7 – Mar. 31, National Blues Museum presents Women of the Blues: A Coast-to-Coast Collection The collection features over 60 photographs of ‘Women of the Blues’ performing, in portrait and screaming the blues. Sixteen photographers from around the world share their very poignant and powerful images of these extraordinary women. 615 Washington Ave., 63101. For more information, call (314) 925-0016 or visit www.womenoftheblues.com.

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

Sat., Jan. 7, 11:30 a.m., Missouri History Museum presents Nobody’s Boy Inspired by the Missouri History Museum’s book NOBODY’S BOY, this is the real-life story of an enslaved child named George whose owner brought him to St. Louis at about the age of five. Disregarded by his white, slave-owning father and with no last name, George longs to escape the lot of being “nobody’s boy.” 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www. mohistory.org.

January 11- January 29, The Black Rep continues its 40th Anniversary Season with Nikkole Salters’ LINES IN THE DUST. Washington University’s Edison Theatre, 6445 Forsyth. Tickets for the production are available at The Black Rep Box Office by calling 314.534.3810 or online at theblackrep.org.

mobsters, learn about the street battles and shady deals that marked St. Louis’ gangland history, and hear about how law enforcement attempted to clean up St. Louis’s gangster underbelly. 7550 Lohmeyer Ave., 63143. For more information, call (314) 7812174.

Wed., Jan. 11, 6:30 p.m., Uptown Open Rehearsal & Conversation with Matthew Rushing. Hear Matthew Rushing, Rehearsal Director for Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, and choreographer Uptown speak about his work with COCA and pieces set for COCA’s student companies. Rushing will be joined by Joanna Dee Das, PhD, Assistant Professor of Dance at Washington University. 524 Trinity Ave., 63130. For more information, call (314) 7256555 or visit www.cocastl.org.

Wed., Jan. 18, 7 p.m., St. Louis County Library presents Community Conversations: Exploitation & Healing Action. Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery that occurs in every state, including Missouri. Katie Rhoades, Founder & Executive Director of the Healing Action Network, discusses her personal journey of survivorship and her organization’s mission to end commercial sexual exploitation. Natural Bridge Branch, 7606 Natural Bridge Rd., 63121. For more information, call (314) 9943300 or visit www.slcl.org.

health

lectures and workshops

Thur., Jan. 5, 6:30 p.m., Maplewood Public Library presents The St. Louis Crime Story. Public historian Adam Kloppe, will take you on a tour of the St. Louis underworld of the past. You’ll meet notorious

Mon., Jan. 9, 2 p.m., St. Louis County Library presents Community Event: Healthcare.gov. Free civil legal assistance to low-income individuals. Legal Services of Eastern Missouri will answer inquiries about healthcare.gov and Medicare sign-up. Divoli Branch, 4234 N. Grand Ave., 63107. For more information, call (314) 534-0313 or visit www.slpl.org.

Fri., Jan. 20, 5:30 p.m., The Foundation Fighting Blindness presents The 8th Annual St. Louis Dining in the Dark Visionary Awards Dinner. Benefiting the Foundation’s research into preventions, treatments and cures for blinding retinal degenerative diseases like macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa that affect more than 10 million Americans, young and old. Ritz-Carlton, 100 Carondelet Plaza, 63105. For more information, call (847) 680-0100 or visit www.FightBlindness.org/ StLouisDininginthedark.

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.

Fri., Dec. 30, 7 p.m., West End Mt. Carmel Full Gospel Baptist Church invites you to the Prayer Gathering 2016 5869 Bartmer Ave., 63112. For more information, call (314) 361-0274 or visit www. westendmtcarmelfgbc.org.

Sat., Dec. 31, 10 a.m., The Rev. Spencer LaMar Booker & Lady Gail Booker present a Prayer Breakfast in celebration and support of Ferguson Mayoral Candidate Ella M. Jones, St. Paul A.M.E. Church, 1260 Hamilton Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 63112. For more information, call (314) 385-8900.

FUBAR presents Murphy Lee (above) & Nate Moore. For more information, see LOCAL GIGS.

of hip-hop and R&B.

such precision and mastery that you had to see it to truly believe it.

5. STL tie – Local acts represented themselves quite well, particularly with concerts to celebrate the release of new projects. Theresa Payne and TreG at Kranzberg, Mvstermind (with Arshad Goods and others) at Delmar Hall, Tef Poe’s Poefest also at Delmar Hall were among the standouts.

4. Kirk Franklin at Peabody Opera House – The contemporary gospel pioneer created a one-of-a-kind worship experience as he celebrated his 25th year in music. He’s faced criticism over the years for leaning heavily on the secular side of music, but he meets modern day worshippers where they are. And with his show in St. Louis, his music set the tone for a transformative worship experience that was more of an

exchange of energy for the sake of worship than a performance.

3. Gregory Porter at Touhill Performing Arts Center The Grammy Award-winning crooner effortlessly blends the best of jazz and R&B to make a sound all his own. His velvety voice backed by his masterful band – that features St. Louis natives Emmanuel Harrold and Jahmal Nichols – had St. Louis on its feet most of the night cheering him on as he proved why he’s currently one of the biggest names in his genre with two-hour show.

2. Lauryn Hill at LouFest – Anybody who was able to catch Ms. Lauryn Hill’s set at LouFest in Forest Park completely forgave her for her first erratic (and ridiculously late) set at The Pageant several years back and the comeback performance there that didn’t fare much better a couple of years later. But Loufest was Hill’s redemption song – and proved why, even with only one studio album that is nearly 20 years old, she rests comfortably among the giants

1. Beyoncé at The Dome –To be cheesy, I could sum her nearly sold-out show in her own words. “She slayed … all day.” But seriously, Beyoncé pulled out every single stop when she brought her “Formation World Tour” to the Dome at America’s Center. What sets Beyoncé apart is that while she’s the biggest star in the world, she doesn’t take her fans for granted and is relentless in her mission to make sure that she provides an unforgettable experience. Such was the case for her latest visit to St. Louis. The towering video display, the pyrotechnics and the stage that extended halfway into the floor seats were stunning – but still paled in comparison to the caliber of performance delivered by Bey, her band and backup dancers and singers. And St. Louis got the special treat of witnessing St. Louis’ own John Silver propose to dance captain Ashley Everett in a surprise that Beyoncé helped orchestrate through a performance of “Single Ladies.”

on one accord. Each character sounds like they are from a different region – and not a single one resembles the Louisiana setting. Other than that it’s a good look for the Oprah Winfrey Network.

“Insecure” (HBO) – Issa Rae does well in her transition from internet sensation to television star with the series based on her popular web show “Awkward Black Girl.” I’m pretty sure that all of the kinks that were in this show will work themselves out by the next season. It will be kind of like when you go back and watch the premiere season of “Sex and the City.” Insecure has the potential to be fantastic. The storylines and character depth will most certainly become more polished. And the music on the show is the icing on the cake.

“Luke Cage” (Netflix) – A well-acted superhero drama with an amazing nearly allblack cast, the unapologetically black show propelled by performances of Alfre Woodard, Mahershala Ali, Simone Missick and Mike Colter. “Luke Cage” lost its luster after about the seventh episode, but I’m still eager to see what they come up with for the next season.

“Atlanta” (FX) – Donald Glover/Childish Gambino hit the ball out of the park as co-star/creator/writer of a sitcom that chronicles of a rapper trying to get on in the mainstream and the reality of the struggle as opposed to the bling of the industry. Its dark and the language is grown enough for HBO, but it hits the nail on the head as far as the experiences of first world poverty and the uphill battle of trying to make it big without major resources.

“Underground” (WGN) – The competition was stiff, but at the end of the day the John Legend-produced series broke ratings records for WGN. The slavery drama is “Roots” meets “The Fugitive.” There are no sacred cows. Each episode came equipped with plot twists and clutched pearls. And the cast of veterans – though mostly unknown in the mainstream- made for a stellar ensemble. It was unfortunate that “Underground” has been ignored so far during awards season, but the type

SINGLE

To all of you I say this: even if you were at fault for the inciting incident that led to a fade out, take comfort in knowing you dodged a bullet. If he or she is not emotionally mature enough to either work things out or explain why they won’t, them vamping was the best case scenario.

The upward mobility daters. I’m not saying don’t be ambitious. I’m saying don’t be exclusively ambitious. Being mindful of jobs, careers, finances and status as you search for a partner is not negative as long as you consider the person behind the drive or position that you find so attractive. There’s no guarantee when someone gets with you that they will be there for the thick and thin. But if a person has made it clear

of historical revenge fantasy that sees the enslaved deliver themselves to freedom might not be the type of message the Hollywood machine seeks to encourage. Made for TV movie mention: People vs. OJ Simpson (FX) – I was so overstimulated by the actual case (and it ruined my birthday) that watching the show was actually a chore for me, but the performances and the way they told the story made it almost worth it. St. Louis’ own Sterling K. Brown did a masterful job

in his portrayal of attorney Christopher Darden – and has the Emmy Award to prove it. Since I’m talking about him, I might as well go ahead and give a nod to his portrayal as Randall in NBC’s “This is Us.” No, it is not a black show per se, but his character is one of the major elements of the series – and it’s such a good show. Shout out to him for being named USA Today’s TV Person of the Year, as well for his work on “The People vs. OJ Simpson” and “This is Us.”

Black shows on network and cable television for 2016

“Atlanta” (FX)

“American Crime” (Fox)

black-ish (ABC)

“Being Mary Jane” (BET)

“Confirmation” (HBO)*

“Empire” (Fox)

“Fatal Attraction” (TV One)

“For My Man” (TV One)

“The Get Down” (Netflix)

“Greenleaf” (OWN)

“How to Get Away With Murder” (ABC)

“Insecure” (HBO)

“Lethal Weapon” (Fox)

“Loosely Exactly Nicole” (MTV)

“People vs OJ Simpson” (F/X)*

“Pitch” (Fox)

“Power” (Starz)

“Queen Sugar” (OWN)

“Real Husbands of Hollywood” (BET)

“Roots” (Lifetime and A&E)*

“Scandal” (ABC)

“Secrets and Lies”(ABC)

“Survivor’s Remorse (Starz)

Tyler Perry’s Haves and Have Nots (OWN)

Tyler Perry’s If Loving You is Wrong (OWN)

“Underground” (WGN)

“Unsung” (TV One)

through words and actions that the idea of you takes precedence over the person you are inside, just know that they stand the strong possibility of being a fair weather boo.

The social media smooth operator. Sorry guys, but you seem to skew as the majority on this one so I’m using the male pronoun to describe. He doesn’t have your number – chances are, he doesn’t even want it. But he will make it his business to slide up in your Facebook Messenger or DMs with a “Netflix and chill” attempt (that’s the millennial’s code for booty call, for those of you non-digital natives).

He’s not interested in you.

And he probably wouldn’t even follow through if you were down with a creep session. For him, the whole idea that he can pull you and about 80 others at the same time is all the gratification he needs in the virtual world. Meanwhile, in real life he’s carrying on

with his “it’s complicated” relationship. And trust, no matter how many times he hits you up over the course of the day and sends you pics that belong on somebody’s adults-only website, you are a nonfactor. The “on a break” dater. He or she gets points for keeping it real about being in a relationship that is on pause when approaching or approached, but nothing else. If you’re not the person he or she is on a break from, be preparing for the break up. Chances are you are just some positive reinforcement as he or she actively pursues winning his main thing back – or waiting for them to come back around.

I don’t care how great things seem. You might think because you feel you are a better catch – and you very well may be –that you have the power to woo him a way. I’m telling you that you probably don’t.

Loufest was Lauryn Hill’s redemption song and proved why she still rests comfortably among the giants of hiphop and R&B.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Above: Luke Cage Right: Atlanta

Celebrations

Birthdays

Eddie Peterson, a retired Vietnam veteran and American Airlines employee celebrated his 69th

Bryant Williams celebrated his 26th birthday on December 23.

Rosalind Guy will celebrate her 68th birthday on December 27.

Happy 11th Birthday to Carter

Reunions

Beaumont Class of 1967 will have its 50-year reunion on June 10, 2017. The December meeting is cancelled. The next meeting is January 21, 2017 at1:30 pm at Normandy Library.

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.

Sumner Class of 1959 presents its 39th annual Oldie But Goodie Dance, January 21, 2017 at the Machinist’s Hall, 12365 St. Charles Rock Rd., 7:30 pm—midnight. Donation: $15. Tickets available now. Contact: Hubert at 314-6808324 or Delores at 314-7915504.

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. 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.

St. Louis Community College needs your help identifying STLCC alumni. Alumni are encouraged to visit the website: www.stlcc.edu/foundation/, to become members or update information. For more information, contact Ashley Budde, coordinator of alumni relations, at abudde6@stlcc. edu, or 314-539-5145.

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

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

Mr. and Mrs. Antonio Scaife will celebrate their first year wedding anniversary on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2017. You are my God sent soulmate, my happily ever after, my best friend, my dream come true. I truly thank God for sending you to me.

birthday.

Haley on January 4.

Carter Haley

Rosalind Guy

Bryant Williams

Eddie Peterson

Emancipation Proclamation service

The St. Louis Progressive Missionary Baptist Church District Association will celebrate the 154th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation in a service at Greater Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, 1617 N. Euclid Ave., on Sunday, January 1, 2017 New Year’s Day. The keynote speaker will be the Rev. Linden Bowie, pastor of Zion Travelers Baptist Church and president of the Missionary Baptist Convention of Missouri. The district choirs will provide the music with a special tribute to the late Missouri Supreme Court justice Rick Teitelman. Rev. William Johnson is moderator, and Rev. Earl E. Nance Jr. is host pastor. The public is invited.

Ministers and Workers Meeting

The Missouri Midwest Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Church Of God In Christ will host its 2017 Ministers and Workers Meeting on January 5-7 at Jurisdictional Headquarters, 8500 Halls Ferry Rd.

Special guests include Pastor Darnell West of Church In Action (www.churchinaction.org). He is an expert church planter. Pastor West will teach on church planting and church growth. Rev. Michael Jones of the 12,000-member Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church St. Louis (www.ftmbc.org) will teach a special “pastors only” session. And, finally, from Buffalo, New York, Bishop Roderick Hennings (www.ziondominion. org) of the Church Of God In Christ, Inc., director of Church Growth and pastor of Zion Dominion Global Ministries, will share with the group.

Bishop Hennings, a tremendous preacher, will preach on Friday night and then teach a workshop on church growth on Saturday. All sessions free and open to the public, regardless of denominational affiliation! Every pastor, staff member, preacher, church member, from far and near are all invited. Organizers said, “Our goal for this meeting is to help establish growing and healthy churches/ministries.” For more information, visit http://www. mmej.org.

Business owner donates to church food pantry

Briant Mitchell, owner of BKM Fitness Bootcamp, donated 200 pounds of food to the Riverview Church of God’s food pantry for the holidays. The Riverview Church of God is located at 825 Riverview Blvd. Photo by Wiley Price

Holiday Praise

Billboard Magazine chart-topping recording artist Charles Jenkins – who is currently riding the Billboard Adult R&B and Gospel Airplay charts with his urban inspirational smash “Winning” – as undertaken his biggest project yet by producing the hour-long musical television special “Holiday Praise.”

Shot before an enthusiastic audience at the historic Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago, the show is hosted by Jenkins and features unforgettable performances of holiday songs by Grammy Award-winning artists such as Erica Campbell and Dorinda Clark Cole.

Crooner Deitrick Haddon does a soulful version of “The Christmas Song” while Jonathan McReynolds performs to the strums of a guitar while singing a spinetingling rendition of “Mary, Did You Know?” Brian Courtney Wilson channels Donny Hathaway on his warm cover of the latter’s 1971 classic “This Christmas.” The program also features dynamic performances from Jonathan Nelson, Isaac Carree, Tasha Page-Lockhart, Donishisa Ballard, Dexter Walker & Zion Movement, as well as Charles Jenkins and Fellowship Chicago. The program runs in syndication through January 1 on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC affiliates. Check local listings.

Perfect power

Some things in the Bible reverberate over and over and for some reason many of us just don’t get it. We thing we are incorporating spiritual principles in our daily lives but in actuality, we are far from it.

2 Corinthians 12:7-9 says, “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given to me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it from me. He said to me ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

Talk about powerful stuff! Paul lets us know in this scripture that there is indeed a reason to accept our shortcomings, warts and all, with the basic understanding that it is at our weakest moments God will invariably show up and then proceed to show out.

James Washington

Can you imagine experiencing the “perfect power” (His Words not mine) of the Lord? Apparently it’s as easy as looking in the mirror and making an honest assessment of who you really are compared to who you’d like the world to see. The righteous perspective is you are who you are only in relationship to God. That means warts and all. You are still a man or woman of God.

Accept it and move on. Get out of your own way.

The realization that you aren’t perfect save for the grace of God, should empower you to reject the notion that you are the sum total of your faults, addictions, sinfulness and sins. That would leave you with a belief, rightfully so, that you aren’t worthy to be used as an instrument of the Lord’s and you would be wrong. This text says it is our job to revel in the fact that through spiritual recognition God can take over and do His miraculous thing.

Look, we all need help. That help comes from one source. When you get a hand from God to overcome your pride, ego, your human vanity and your physical weaknesses, you get so much more. According to this, you also get Christ’s power to work with. No wonder Paul continues by saying, “That is why, for Christ’s sake I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

By itself you might wonder how he comes up with that conclusion. But when taken in the context of the entire passage, our testimony is the same. Out of your most impossible circumstances, when you’ve given your life to Him who loves you more than you love yourself, God’s perfect power rescues you. It did on more than one occasion. How many testimonies does it take to give God all the praise he deserves for accomplishing through all of our frailties that which we could never do by ourselves?

Stop fighting yourself. Stop denying your insecurities and your passions. Accept them and give them too over to the Lord. Paul obviously did. Once you do, then step back and watch God do His thing with your life. Remember, when God moves in that’s when the magic happens; but only when you let go of the good and the bad. It’s the perfect time to let God.

Columnist

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR I

East-West Gateway Council of Governments

has an opening for a Community Engagement Coordinator I. Starting salary is $35,000 annually. Please follow the link to view post at http://www.ewgateway.com/AboutUs/ JobAds/jobads.htm

An Equal Opportunity / Airmative Action Employer

SALES ASSOCIATE

Sales Associate at Saint Louis Art

Museum. Full Time – $12.14/hr. Weekdays and weekends. Apply at www.slam.org/careers

Drivers:

Company & O/O’s. Home DAILY! $3,000

Sign-on. Great Beneits. Paid Weekly! CDL-A. New Grads Welcome. 888-300-9935

ACCOUNTING

The St. Louis American is seeking a Full-Time Accounting Assistant Proficient in Accounts Payable & Excel Spreadsheets.Working knowledge of Accounts Receivable. Understands General Ledger and Financial Reports. Experience in Quick Books preferred. Professional phone etiquette & customer service skills. Send resume with qualifications and work experience to: SLAM Blind Box 1001 – Accounting Assistance 2315 Pine Street, St. Louis, MO 63103 Or email to BlindBox1001@gmail.com NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE STAFF ATTORNEY AND A SOCIAL WORKER

LSEM is seeking a Staf Attorney and a Social Worker for a new project focusing on combatting the systemic issues that create racial and ethnic disparities in school discipline and fuel the “school-to-prison pipeline”. For more information on the position and how to apply visit our website at www. lsem.org. his position closes January 22, 2017.

CongestionPlanerManagement II

East-West Gateway Council of Governments has an opening for a Congestion Management Planer II. Starting salary is $49,248 annually. Please follow the link to view post at http://www.ewgateway.com/ AboutUs/JobAds/jobads.htm An Equal Opportunity / Airmative Action Employer

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

hompson Coburn LLP has the following positions available in our St. Louis oice.

Client Accounts Specialist

Qualiied applicants will possess an associate’s degree and one year’s experience. Preferred applicants will have a general understanding of legal conlict of interest principles. Position will perform quality assurance and process intake info.

EP Paralegal

A minimum of 2 years of experience in probate planning or accounting. Qualiied applicants will possess a bachelor degree or a paralegal certiicate.

IP Paralegal

A minimum of 2 years of IP paralegal experience is required. Qualiied applicants will possess a bachelor degree or a paralegal certiicate. Preferred applicants will have patent and trademark experience..

Lit Support Director

A minimum of 2 years of litigation support technology experience needed. Qualiied applicants will possess a

a bachelor degree or comparable technical certiications and experience. Preferred applicants will have two or more years Microsot SharePoint administration experience. For more details and to complete our online application, visit www.thompsoncoburncareers.com Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V

Estate Planning Legal Administrative Assistant

Hiring Fair

Start the New Year with a New Job!!

mailto:hr@urbanleague-stl.org>.

CHIEF DEVELOPMENT

OFFICER

Provide leadership in planning, development and oversight of a broad scope of program activities related to major gits, deferred giving, annual giving, special event fund raising and associated donor stewardship for the agency. Apply online: WWW.JFCSAPPLY.COM with cover letter and resume. Jewish Family & Children’s Service – St. Louis EOE M/F/D/V

CITY OF KIRKWOOD DISPATCHER

Receive & determine nature & location of emergency/non-emergency calls. Dispatch police, ire, EMS, other emergency units as needed. Irregular hours and shits. REJIS Certiication, experience w/ Global CAD, ProQA (EMD) desirable. $19.67-$24.59/ hr. doq. Apply:www.kirkwoodmo.org NLT Jan. 6, 2017 or call 314/984-6975 for a paper application. EOE

VICE PRESIDENTDEVELOPMENT

Great Rivers Greenway is seeking a Vice President-Development to lead private fundraising for its foundation. Check www.GreatRiversGreenway.org/jobs and submit by January 20th. EOE

independently, be entrepreneurial, persistent and have a proven work record. This is a great opportunity for those who love sales and want to be an integral part of the ongoing growth of a major St. Louis media outlet. Your task will be to consistently sell a variety of products to meet clients’ needs: print advertising, online advertising, social media advertising, special sections, events, sponsorships, etc. Full or part time opportunity. Salary plus commission. (Benefits package with full time).

About The St. Louis American:

• Now Missouri’s largest weekly newspaper, period!

• 160,000+ Unique monthly visitors to stlamerican.com

• More than 46,000 Facebook fans, and more than 12,000 Twitter followers

In its 88th year, The St. Louis American’s: • Print circulation is at an all-time high

• Online viewership is at an all-time high

• Social media engagement is at an all-time high

For information, contact: Kevin Jones, Chief Operating Officer The St. Louis American kjones@stlamerican.com

Saturday, January 7, 2017

9:00 am – 12:00 pm YWCA St. Louis Head Start Central Oice 1911 Beltway Dr. St. Louis, MO 63114

Looking for: Early Head Start Teachers Teacher Assistants

For a complete listing of vacancies, additional information about the positions listed, and to apply, visit our website at www.ywcastlouis.org

CDL-A Come home for the Holidays. Paid Medical | Mileage | Bonuses. Home time to it YOUR needs www.DriveTransLand.com | 800.234.5710

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

Great Rivers Greenway is seeking an experienced Director of Finance to lead internal accounting, inance, payroll and beneits functions while serving as a member of the organization’s leadership team. Check www. GreatRiversGreenway.org/jobs and submit by January 20th. EOE

Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale P.C. has an opening for an Estate Planning Legal Administrative Assistant with 3+ yrs of law irm exp preferably in estate planning. Qualiied candidates will type 70+ wpm with excellent accuracy, have top word processing, administrative & organization skills. Exp with Microsot Word, Excel & Adobe very important. Duties include time entry, electronic iling, transcription, editing, & more. Strong proofreading, grammar skills & attention to detail are required. Please apply online at http:// www.greensfelder.com/Careers-Professional-Staf-Positions.html or email hr@greensfelder.com. EOE

WEBSTER GROVES SCHOOL DISTRICT BRISTOL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL 2017/2018 SCHOOL YEAR

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s Degree, Ed.D and/or Ph.D. in school administration

• Experience as an Administrator • Minimum 3 years teaching experience • Meet state certiication requirements Application Requirements:

1. Complete a WGSD application on-line at www.webster..k12.mo.us (Employment Opportunities) 2. Describe your beliefs about student learning in no more than 250 words. 3. he closing date for accepting applications is January 31, 2017.

NATURE OF WORK

Incumbents in this position handle and investigate complaints of alleged discrimination. Duties include: handling walk-in, written referral and telephone complaints; interviewing witnesses and charging parties to determine validity of claims and recommending case resolutions. For an additional description of this position, please refer to the classiication speciication for Human Relations Specialist at: https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/personnel/documents/classiication-speciications.cfm

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS A Bachelor’s degree in Education, Social or Behavioral Science, Human Resources Management, Business or Public Administration, or a related ield, and one year of professional investigative experience; OR, an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience

LAST DATE FOR FILING APPLICATION IS JANUARY 6, 2017. Applications can be submitted on the Internet. Visit the City web site at http://stlouis-mo.gov

Board Bill No. 218 has been introduced at the Board of Aldermen to amend the Greater Ville Commercial Area Special Use District (SUD). he SUD, established in 2009 by Ordinance 68619, regulates changes in uses and new development within this speciic business-oriented district, relecting the character of the business district and adjoining residential zoning districts within the Ville, Greater Ville, and Vandeventer Neighborhoods. Regulations for land uses within the district are intended to help preserve and protect the existing historic and distinctive character of the area, and to help attract and retain business and residential uses needed in the area. he proposed Board Bill amends the language of the SUD to prohibit additional development of motor fuel pumping stations, convenience stores, and confectionaries within the district.

he Greater Ville SUD includes commercial buildings along W. Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd, bounded on the west by Marcus Ave and on the east by N. Vandeventer Ave. he full text of the Board Bill can reviewed online at https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/city-laws/board-bills/boardbill.cfm?bbDetail=true&BBId=10666 or by requesting a copy from the Board of Aldermen at (314) 622-3287. A map and list of addresses included in the Greater Ville SUD are below.

A Public Hearing on Board Bill No. 218 will be held at Room 208 of City Hall, 1200 Market St., St. Louis, Missouri on Wednesday, January 11, 2017, 8:30 a.m. by the Housing, Urban Development and Zoning Committee. Timothy O’Connell, Clerk, Board of Alderman

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Altman-Charter Co., requests subcontractor/supplier proposals for the construction of Adams Grove Housing, in he Grove Neighborhood, St. Louis, MO. his is a new development consisting of 50 new residential units in 20 separate buildings. Proposals are due at the oice of Altman-Charter Co., 315 Consort Dr., St. Louis, MO 63011 on or before hur., January 12, 2017 at 3:00 PM (CT). Qualiied Minority, Section 3, and Women owned businesses are encouraged to submit proposals. Plans can be viewed at FW Dodge, Construct Connect, SIBA, MOKAN, Cross Rhodes Reprographics, and the Altman-Charter plan room in St. Louis. Bidders should contact Mr. Greg Mehrmann with any questions or to submit a proposal at gmehrmann@ altman-charter.com. Our telephone # is (636) 207-8670, and our fax # is (636) 207-8671.

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for Chesterield Parkway East and Elbridge Payne Road, St. Louis County Project No. AR-1543, will be received at the Oice of the Director of Procurement for the County of St. Louis, County Government Center Administration Building, 41 South Central Avenue, 8th Floor, Clayton, Missouri 63105, until 2:00 p.m. on January 11, 2017.

Plans and speciications will be available on December 19, 2016 from the St. Louis County Web Site (www.stlouisco.com), or by contacting County Blue Reprographics, Inc., 1449 Strassner Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63144, (314) 961-3800.

DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

CONCRETE CONTRACTOR

City of Northwoods is seeking a licensed, bonded and insured Concrete Contractor to repair City sidewalks in the 4th Ward area & selected curbs city-wide; & to bid driveway repairs/replacements w/ Northwoods residents on a contact list at City Hall. Detailed Speciications can be picked up at Northwoods City Hall, 4600 Oakridge Blvd., Northwoods Mo. 63121. 8:30 am-5:00 pm (closed 1-2pm daily for lunch). Bids are Due by Fri. Dec. 30, 2016. Questions call (314) 477-4051.

Notice to Minority Business Enterprises, Women Business Enterprises, Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, Service Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises, and/or Veteran Business Enterprises

TARLTON CORPORATION, 5500 West Park Ave., St. Louis MO 63110, is seeking qualiied Minority, Women, Disadvantaged, Service Disabled Veteran, and/or Veterans Business Enterprises to bid on the Power Plant – Replace North DA and Building Enclosure for the University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia MO for subcontracting opportunities in all work areas as deined by the contract drawings and speciications. Tarlton would appreciate subbids for the following: Sitework; Metals; Wood, Plastics, & Composites; hermal and Moisture Protection; Openings; Finishes; HVAC; Mechanical and Electrical.

Project consists of replacement of the North Deaerator and North Deaerator Building enclosure.

A prebid meeting will be held at 10 a.m. on January 5, 2017 at the Power Plant (meet at front entrance), University of Missouri, Columbia MO, followed by a walk through at the site. All interested bidders are invited to attend this meeting.

A Diversity participation goal of 10% for MBE, 3% SDVE, 10% combined WBE, DBE and Veteran Owned Business has been established for this contract.

All interested and qualiied businesses should contact Bryan Connolly at 314-633-3300 to discuss the subcontracting opportunities. All negotiations must be completed prior to 12:00 p.m. on January 25, 2017.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Missouri State Board of Education NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Posted: December 20, 2:00 p.m.

Hearing Date: January 10, 2017, 8:30 – 9:00 a.m.

he Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is holding a public meeting on Tuesday, January 10, 2017, relating to the Personal Finance Workgroup Report as required by Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 160.514, 160.526, and 161.855, as amended by CCS #2 SS SCS HB 1490 (2014). his meeting will be conducted in the State Board Room,1st loor, Jeferson State Oice Building, 205 Jeferson St., Jeferson City, Missouri, and will commence at 8:30 a.m. and will conclude at 9:00 a.m. he room will open to accommodate public seating at 8:00 a.m.

A tentative agenda is as follows:

• 8:30 – 8:35 – Introduction and Instructions by State Board President • 8:35-8:40 – Personal Finance Work Group Report

• 8:40-9:00 – Public Testimony on the Personal Finance Standards

Individuals who are unable to provide testimony at the public meeting may submit comment to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in writing to P.O. Box 480, Jeferson City, MO 65102-0480 or by email at: curriculum@dese. mo.gov.

Anyone attending the public meeting of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education who requires auxiliary aids or services should request such services by contacting the Executive Assistant to the Oice of Quality Schools, telephone (573) 751-4234 or Relay Missouri (800) 735-2966, no later than 48 hours before the meeting. he news media may obtain copies of this notice by contacting: Sarah Potter, Communications Coordinator

Communications@dese.mo.gov

REQUEST FOR BIDS

Sealed proposals for Moline Acres Municipal Court Services will be received by the Court Administrator at 2449 Chambers Road, Moline Acres, Mo. 63136 until 4:30 p.m. December 15, 2016. For bid package, contact Libby Ferguson at (314) 868-2433 ext. 702.

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: Contract Compliance, Planning Council Support, and Childcare services.

Interested parties are encouraged to respond to the solicitation for proposal beginning Monday, December 19, 2016. An RFP packet may be obtained from Phillip Johnson, Secretary I, DOH, 1520 Market Avenue, Room 4027, 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., hursday, February 2, 2017 at the address referenced above.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

KCI CONSTRUCTION requests proposals for the North Deaerator & Building Enclosure at University of Missouri in Columbia. Proposals are due by 10:00 a.m. on January 26, 2017. Plans and speciications are available for viewing in our oices at 10315 Lake Bluf Drive, St. Louis, MO, 314-894-8888. KCI IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

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

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

CONSTRUCTION requests proposals for the North Deaerator & Building Enclosure at University of Missouri in Columbia. Proposals are due by 10:00 a.m. on January 26, 2017.

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

SEALED BIDS

Sealed bids for Replace HVAC & Sliding Doors, various, Cremer T h

u t i c Community Center and Fulton Reception and Diagnostic Correctional Center, Callaway County, Missouri, Project No. C1603-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 1/26/2017. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

Missouri Mental Health, Renovation of Group Home 1, Farmington, Missouri, Project No. M1626-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 1/12/2017. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

Request for Proposals for Asbestos Abatement and Removal of Household Hazardous Waste Next NGA West St. Louis, Missouri

Environmental Abatement #02

LCRA Holdings Corporation is seeking sealed bid proposals for the abatement and proper disposal of asbestos containing materials and household hazardous waste. he Project site is located in North St. Louis bounded by Jeferson/ Parnell Ave west to 22nd St. and Cass Ave north to the alleyway south of St. Louis Ave. and consists of multiple single-family, multi-family, and commercial structures. he full invitation, relevant dates, and all other documents related to this opportunity may be downloaded at: https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/sldc/project-connect/nga/ Click on “Employment and Procurement.”

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. 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.

he Statutes of the State of Missouri require that not less than the prevailing rate per diem, legal holiday and overtime wages in the locality where the work is to be performed, be paid to all laborers, workmen and mechanics employed in the execution of the Contract. All other Statutes of the State of Missouri covering employment shall apply to any Contract awarded. Bidders must be in compliance with the rules and regulations of the Fair Employment Practices Commission.

he Construction Manager for this project is S. M. Wilson & Co. and the Project Manager is Vernon Pfeil, 314/791-0870 phone, vernon.pfeil@smwilson.com email. or 314/645-1700 fax.

Swag Snap of the week

and Tiffany Walton and Richard and Darlean King

crooner El DeBarge after the MathewsDickey Boys and Girls Club benefit concert @ The Fox

Requiem for 2016. Look, I don’t have to tell you as you add work a George Michael mix into your Prince Tribute playlist that 2016 has been a piece of work. But anyway, let me give y’all the good, bad and ugly of the year – and y’all know it’s mostly bad and ugly, because you lived through it. Actually, I feel like I’m trapped in an episode of “Dead Like Me” – remember that show? It was full of reapers snatching souls left and right? But anyway, since y’all liked my Awards version of a recap last year, I’ll do it again for 2016 – with all new categories, of course.

The “We came to Slay” Award. One of these people is totally expected, mainly because I stole the category name from one of her songs. But the other was a shock – and had me ready to set up a GoFundMe to get her back in the studio. Beyoncé edged the whole world out for the crown when she blessed us with her Formation Tour at The Dome. The show was so glorious that it made up for the 30 block walk to and from our parking space – and the two-and-a-half-hour wait to exit prepaid garages for those girls who splurged thinking it was going to be convenient. Apologies to everyone who got hemmed up in that downtown traffic and didn’t even get to see Bey blow your minds. Right on her heels was the LouFest offering from Ms. Lauryn Hill. She showed up on time –go ahead and gasp– and gave us that pre-Y2K Lauryn Hill that clocked everybody in the music game.

The “Next Time You Come to Town You Might Get Slapped” Award. First on the list is J. Holiday for that temper tantrum with a few little notes scattered in that he tried to get off at the NextUp anniversary show at Rustic Goat. How you gonna get on stage and cuss people out? I was shocked that he didn’t get stomped down on site. As graceful as the crowd was in that it didn’t get physical (though one woman came extremely close), he found out that our city is not to be trifled with. On related news, if the promoters of that alleged “Love Jones The Musical” ever bring another show to St. Louis, they better operate under an assumed name. There are folks waiting to get a number to leave a nasty voice mail or two…or ten.

The “If You’re Not up to Putting on a Show, Just Stay Home” Award. I said that Full Force’s little tired two step duet lip sync performance at Lux secured their slot as the worst performance of 2016 – even though it happened on January 1. I was right. Donnell Jones still managed to ruin Mother’s Day for hundreds when he came to town trying to sing over a whooping cough at The Ritz Carlton. And I just don’t know what K-Ci and JoJo were afflicted with okay, maybe I do. They were suffering at the late IP54. Ki-Ci clearly needed some Vicks Vapor Rub. And after snatching the mic from him mid-song, Jo-Jo was just standing in the background looking dazed and confused.

The “Baby, Baby, Baby…Where Did Our Jokes Go?” Award. Now it’s hit or miss with Katt Williams depending on what he’s going through, but if you told me that I would sit separately sit through him, Martin Lawrence and Mike Epps and barely rub a cackle together, I would assume you were from another planet. I’ve been to more enjoyable amateur open mic performances than what they served last year. Martin was stale and tired. Katt was obsessed with hurting Kevin Hart’s feelings (as he was propped up somewhere, unbothered, and getting even richer) and Mike Epps’ wife must’ve gotten his funny bone as part of the divorce settlement.

The “Who Knew I’d Get a Good Giggle or Two?” Award. This is a tie between Marlon Wayans and former “Housewife” Nene Leakes. Both are new to the comedy game, but they managed to give me life with their sets at Helium. And while I knew I would chuckle, I didn’t expect to almost need a Depend (don’t you dare judge me) because of Damon Williams and Don “D.C.” Curry at the Ambassador’s Old School Comedy Jam. The same could be said about Arsenio Hall’s visit to Helium, too.

The “Look At You Working to Make the World A Better Place” Award. The Flint Water Drive organized by Radio One St. Louis, The Korey Johnson Foundation and Project Compassion NFP restored my faith in humanity. Folks came up in droves dropping off water for those affected by that awful crisis. And I must give a nod to Yung Dark, 28 to Life, Bleezy and Phil Assets for making sure that families in need had something to share this holiday season.

The “I Paid for a Meal, Why Am I Getting An Appetizer?” Award. Wale, 8Ball & MJG at Marquee and Rick Ross and Teyana Taylor (Tink and Dreezy showed out though) at The Pageant. And I know it was free, but A$AP Ferg came just in time to say goodbye to everyone at his listening party – which was still a good time. And while he gave a whole show, I sure wish Tank would have at least sprung for a drum machine during his show at The Pageant. It should be a federal offense for a headliner to perform to tracks.

The “A Cute Time for One Reason or Another” Award. Teddy BFree’s #SilentNoiseSTL party was quite fun – mainly because DJ Charlie Chan Soprano was bringing that fire through my headphones. Monica and Brian McKnight gave me an enjoyable live music experience at The Ambassador – and Chante Moore would have to had she brought a sip of a band. And as bereaved as I was with the loss of Prince, I really got life from Nappy DJ Needles’ impromptu That

Stuff memorial spin session that was plopped right next to some sort of transcendental meditation experience…so did all those hippies!

Purple

Swae Lee off Rae Sremmurd made an unexpected stop in St. Louis in March and stopped by HG to kick it with Niddy

LooseCannon S.L.I.M.’s annual State of Emergency Hip-Hop Show in January featured rap star Lil Wayne on stage and at the after party @ The Marquee

Mystikal posed with Latasha Paige of Don’t Trip The Band in February following his set @ The Marquee

Rob Ruger with Dirty South hip-hop pioneer Bun B of UGK Friday before he hit the stage @ the Marquee in February

Walter

with

in August

Marlon Wayans came through HG back in March to unwind after his set @ Helium Comedy Club and snapped a pic with Nightlites Casey and Crystal

Hip-hop super producer Timberland with Dre @ The Marquee for a special edition of Element Saturdays back in January

Phil Assets birthday bash featuring Plies helped kick the nightlife scene off in a major way back in January @ The Lux and Leading Lady Chanel was in the building

Ginuwine was joined on stage by his original dancers John Gilliam III and Ro Ro for his concert earlier this year @ Lumiere Live

Twista and Kool Aid posed for a picture after Twista killed the stage for Art, Beats, and Lyrics @ Neo in January

The King and Queen of Hearts Tour with Maxwell, Mary J. Blige and featuring special guest Ro James at Scottrade Center was among the biggest shows of 2016. Maxwell took time from his pre-show preparations to connect with fans like Christy Ann.

Photos by John Scott

NOTICE

Notice

(2017) - Contract B under Letting No. 12049-015.1, at its oice, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103, until 2:00 PM, local time, on Wednesday, January 18, 2017. All bids are to be deposited in the bid box located on the irst loor of the District’s Headquarters prior to the 2:00 p.m. deadline. Bids may, however, be withdrawn prior to the opening of the irst bid. BIDS WILL BE PUBLICLY OPENED AND READ IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE BID DUE DATE/TIME AT 2350 MARKET STREET, AT A PLACE DESIGNATED.

he Work to be performed under these Contract Documents consists of: he work to be done under this contract consists of the rehabilitation of approximately 72,740 lineal feet of sanitary and storm sewers, varying in size from 8-inch to 30-inches in diameter using cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) methods, 468 manholes, and 1,243 service connections. he project is within the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District Boundaries, inside the city(ies) of Varies in the State of Missouri. he work will be performed in various quantities at various sites.

All prospective bidders must prequalify in the Cured-In-Place Pipe (CIPP) category, and be certiied prior to the Bid Opening.

Prequaliication forms for obtaining said certiication may be obtained from the Owner at the above mentioned address. All bidders must obtain drawings and speciications in the name of the entity submitting the bid.

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

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

Plans and Speciications are available from free electronic download. Please go to MSD’s website and look for a link to “ELECTRONIC PLANROOM.” Plans and Speciications are also available for viewing or purchase at Cross Rhodes Reprographics located at 1710 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis MO 63110. All bidders must obtain a set of plans and speciications in order to submit a bid in the name of the entity submitting the bid. he Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.