January 24th, 2019 Edition

Tyrone Christian passes at 64

By Chris King

n “While we are deeply grieving our loved one, we are exponentially proud of the legacy he left his family and this nation.”

– his brother Brian Jones, on Tyrone Christian

$120 million to build the monument, and he secured more than $500 million in media.

“While we are deeply grieving our loved one, we are exponentially proud of the legacy he left his family and this nation,” his

brother Brian Jones said on behalf of their family.

“Our hope is that history and future generations will remember my brother’s pivotal role in helping make the MLK Memorial a reality. His efforts had a huge impact on American history and an even greater impact on the African Americancommunity. We celebrate his legacy and his accomplishments with great happiness.”

He served as a trailblazer in a marketing career that spanned nearly four decades. In 1986, he became the first person of color elected president of the Orlando Advertising

‘There is more good work to be done at the Board of Aldermen’

at-risk youth. To date, those programs have touched over 20,000 children.

Also during my time as the head of the Board of Aldermen we passed, for the first time in St. Louis’ history, a law that requires minority participation on city-funded projects and has

n “We’ve been in the situation that the city admits is not adequate for three years now.”

– John Chasnoff, Privacy Watch STL

n “I am proud to have been a part of improving our community.”

– Lewis Reed

By Lewis Reed For The St. Louis American

Photo by Wiley Price

Alphonso Wesley carried a sign demanding that President Trump and Congress reopen the federal government during the march in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in downtown St. Louis on Monday, January 21.

Open up, Trump

mArch 27, 1954 – JAnuAry 10, 2019

Chris Brown cleared of rape charges, plans to sue accuser

On Monday, Chris Brown was taken into custody after being accused of rape in Paris. The singer has since been released –reportedly without any charges filed.

“Chris Brown is free. No lawsuits were filed against him. He vigorously challenges the charges against him,” Brown’s Parisian lawyer, Raphael Chiche, told TMZ. “A complaint for slanderous denunciation will be filed tomorrow with the public prosecutor of Paris.” Brown, 29, was given the all clear to return to the US on Tuesday. And although the investigation into the alleged incident is not over, Brown took to social media to condemn the claims against him.

Posting a picture on Instagram which read “This [b-word expletive] Lyin” Brown wrote. “I

WANNA MAKE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR...... THIS IS FALSE AND A WHOLE LOT OF CRAP!

“NNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEE VVVVVVVVVVEEEEEERRRR RR!!!!!! FOR MY DAUGHTER AND MY FAMILY THIS IS SO DISPRESPECTFUL AND IS AGAINST MY CHARACTER AND MORALS!!!!!(sic)”

The alleged victim has claimed she was attacked in Brown’s suite at the five star Mandarin Oriental hotel on January 15.

Erykah Badu attempts to clear the air after backlash from R. Kelly remarks

Over the weekend, soul singer came under fire for remarks she made regarding R. at a concert in Chicago.

“What if one of the people assaulted by R. Kelly becomes an offender,” Badu reportedly said during the show. “Are we gonna crucify him too?” She was booed at the show – and later dragged on the internet and social media – in response to her remarks.

On Tuesday, Badu took to Twitter to clarify. “I love you unconditionally. That doesn’t mean I support your poor choices,” Badu tweeted. “I want healing for you and anyone you have hurt as a result of being hurt. Is that strange to you? That’s all I ever said. Anything else has been fabricated and taken out of context.”

Universal and Sony drop R. Kelly, brother makes shocking allegations

Universal Music Publishing Group has quietly dropped R. Kelly from its songwriter roster, months before his label, Sony Music’s RCA Records, ended its recording contract with him Jan. 18. “UMPG no longer represents R. Kelly,” a company spokesperson confirmed to Billboard. The move happened last spring, according to sources.

Last week, Kelly’s brother Carey Kelly spoke to CBS 2 Chicago and admitted that he regrets not speaking up sooner about his brother’s alleged sexual abuse of minors. In the interview, Carey says he and R. Kelly first bumped heads when he refused to get phone numbers from underage girls from his brother while touring with him. He also confirmed the singer’s marriage to Aaliyah and claims there is an underage family member who was sexually abused by R. Kelly who is afraid to go to the police. Carey admits their oldest sister

molested him and suspects she molested R. Kelly as well.

Gladys Knight gathered for agreeing to sing National Anthem at Super Bowl

Soul legend Gladys Knight’s decision to sing the National Anthem at the upcoming Super Bowl has fans quite frustrated.

The legendary singer is being criticized for agreeing to perform as some fans as boycotting the National Football League over its treatment of former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

“@Kaepernick7 lost his @NFL career fighting for black social justice, where is the solidarity?,” one person tweeted. “So, if this is true @MsGladysKnight has just been added to the long list of other #muted artists...” Knight has since released a statement regarding her decision to perform.

“I understand that Mr. Kaepernick is protesting two things, and they are police violence and injustice,” she wrote. “It is unfortunate that our National Anthem has been dragged into this debate when the distinctive senses of the National Anthem and fighting for justice should each stand alone.”

“I never thought I’d see the day where we would have to cancel Gladys Knight,” a person tweeted in response to Knight’s statement.

Sources: Twitter.com, TMZ.com, Celebretainment.com, ABC2.com, billboard.com

Chris Brown

Erykah Badu

Parolees’ grievance with state certified as class-action suit

15,000 inmates eligible to join lawsuit over Missouri parole practices

By Dan Margolies Of KCUR

Thousands of people on parole in Missouri who were incarcerated for violating their parole may now be eligible for relief in a class action lawsuit alleging that those re-incarcerations were illegal.

The certification of the case as a class action by U.S. District Judge Stephen Bough puts pressure on the state to resolve the lawsuit, which argues thousands of inmates have been re-incarcerated for alleged parole violations without benefit of hearings or legal representation.

The Missouri Attorney General’s office, which is defending the corrections department, did not immediately return a phone call from KCUR seeking comment. The lawsuit was filed in

August 2017 by the MacArthur Justice Center in St. Louis, alleging that the Missouri Department of Corrections and its Division of Probation and Parole ignored U.S. Supreme Court decisions establishing procedures to protect parolees’ due process rights.

rights to parolees,” said Amy Breihan, director of the McArthur Justice Center’s Missouri office.

Breihan said many parolees have been re-incarcerated for technical violations such as crossing the state line.

“You live in Kansas City and

n “These cases have been around since the’70s, so there’s really no excuse for Missouri being this behind the times in providing these constitutional rights to parolees.”

– Amy Breihan, MacArthur Justice Center

“These cases have been around since the’70s, so there’s really no excuse for Missouri being this behind the times in providing these constitutional

maybe you cross the state line into Kansas City, Kansas, for work,” Breihan said. “They’re most often for those kinds of alleged violations and not for

Normandy Schools hosts meeting on district changes Jan. 31

The Normandy Schools Collaborative will hold the first in a series of meetings this semester to share

The MacArthur Justice Center in St. Louis filed a lawsuit was in August 2017 alleging that the Missouri Department of Corrections ignored U.S. Supreme Court decisions establishing procedures to protect parolees’ due process rights. A federal judge has now certified it as a case as a class action.

committing other crimes.”

In 2017, about 6,600 parolees went through the revocation process, Breihan said, “and of those, at least 90 percent had their parole revoked and were sent back to prison.”

The class certified by Bough could cover as many as 15,000 paroled inmates.

In a couple of decisions in the early 1970s, the Supreme Court ruled that while parole revocation hearings don’t trigger the full panoply of due

process rights, they trigger certain minimum due-process requirements. Those include a preliminary hearing and a formal revocation hearing.

Breihan said the Missouri case needs to be seen in the broader context of mental health issues and even the nation’s opioid epidemic.

“A lot of these individuals who are being sent back to prison without due process have mental health issues. They have addiction issues and those are not being addressed,”

Breihan said.

“They’re just being reincarcerated, and their lives and their communities are continually disrupted. It’s not a central focus of the case, but I think it’s important to think about why these folks are being sent back to prison and how it is impacting their lives and their ability get back on steady ground.” Contact the MacArthur Justice Center at https://www. macarthurjustice.org/missouri/ or 314-254-8540.

Normandy Early Learning, and realignment of school attendance boundaries to encourage the neighborhood school concept and assist with the move to the grade 1-8 EleMiddle configuration For more information regarding the upcoming Normandy developments and meetings, please visit www. normandysc.org or email info@ normandysc.org.

St. Louis needs public oversight on police surveillance

The Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) –located in the headquarters of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department at 1915 Olive St. – provides the police department with eyes and ears all over the city. Police detectives monitor about 600 surveillance cameras citywide, as well as license plate reader cameras, sensors that can detect and locate gunfire, and three mobile surveillance trailers. Yet after a six-month joint-investigation by The St. Louis American and Type Investigations, it was impossible to determine that – as the police department repeatedly claimed – the RTCC was meeting its own protocols for safeguarding privacy.

This past spring, The American learned that two African-American aldermen were drafting an ordinance that addresses community leaders’ long-held concerns about privacy and the police. So we began to ask questions about who has access to the RTCC, how exactly the city uses and pays for the surveillance equipment, and how it shares the data collected. We have not been able to get clear answers.

Privacy advocates believe the Surveillance Technology Bill that Aldermen Terry Kennedy (D-Ward 18) and John Collins-Muhammad (D-Ward 21) introduced on January 11 could help address these concerns. The bill would require any city entity that operates a surveillance program – including using street cameras, body cameras, automatic license plate readers, and facial and voice recognition programs – to present an in-depth plan to the Board of Aldermen, as well as annual accountability reports. It would mainly apply to the police, Street Department and business districts.

“We just want to make sure that the policies are fair and don’t impede on anyone’s privacy rights,” Kennedy said, “because there are a lot of questions to be answered.”

Under the bill, equipment purchases, Sunshine Law requests, and breakdown of arrests and crime reduction must be documented and submitted in an annual report to the aldermen and Public Safety director – and it’s a public

record that must be given within five days of a request. The bill proposes that aldermen would hold public hearings to hear feedback from the community about any proposed surveillance technology. Currently the public doesn’t have a voice in the matter.

In St. Louis, the police right now have the power to decide “unilaterally and in secret if and how they are going to use these technologies,” said Chad Marlow, senior advocacy and policy counsel for the national ACLU. Given the justifiably high amount of suspicion the citizens of St. Louis hold for their police department, this is unacceptable.

If the Board of Aldermen passes the bill, St. Louis will become the tenth city – as well as a county and a large urban transportation district – to pass similar bills throughout the country, Marlow said. The ACLU has been leading these efforts and providing a legislative template.

Though all citizens rightly prize their privacy, the black community has a special degree of concern about government abuse of surveillance. Studies have found that surveillance technology appears to be targeting communities of color throughout the country. Perhaps more than any other city, advocates believe that St. Louis – a city that has garnered the national spotlight for racial disparities in policing – should be putting its surveillance programs under a rigorous and public review for racial bias and targeting.

“When you know that you have a city that has racial disparities in policing – and that is absolutely the case in St. Louis – and when you know the use of surveillance technologies in general when they have been used throughout the country are deployed in ways that are racially biased, you certainly don’t want to marry those two things,” Marlow said.

We believe the board should pass this bill as written and that city residents need to be part of the discussion around police surveillance from this point forward.

The aldermanic Public Safety Committee will hold a hearing on the bill on Thursday, January 24 at 11 a.m.in the Kennedy Room at City Hall.

Community college now even better step to four-year degrees

By Jeff L. Pittman For The St.

Louis American

Since 1962, St. Louis Community College (STLCC ) has remained focused on its three critical mission parameters: workforce preparation via certificate and degree programs, transfer of credit opportunities via liberal arts and general transfer degrees, and noncredit offerings of continuing education and customized corporate training. The college has served more than 1.2 million citizens of the St. Louis region and continues to thrive as it remains true to its mission of expanding minds and changing lives.

The faculty and staff at STLCC work diligently to provide prospective and current students with high-quality educational programs that prepare individuals for the workforce, further education and career advancement. Since my arrival in 2015, I have seen and heard countless examples of how the college has assisted individuals with pathways to rewarding careers and how the institution has assisted local business and industry with the preparation of a highly skilled workforce so desperately needed in today’s competitive labor market.

In 2016, Missouri students received a much-needed boost to their educational options and opportunities. During that year, then-Governor Jay Nixon signed Senate Bill 997, or the Missouri Higher Education Core Curriculum Transfer Act (CORE 42). CORE 42 is the

general education framework that guarantees transferability to all public colleges and universities in Missouri. Last year, a core curriculum of 42 hours was jointly developed between faculty and staff from two- and four-year institutions, and the components of the bill went into effect in time for the fall 2018 semester.

While there are several options for transfer within CORE 42, it is important for residents to understand that students who complete the Associate of Arts Degree at STLCC and transfer to a Missouri public four-year university shall have completed all lowerdivision general education requirements at the receiving institution.

Students shall receive full credit for all CORE 42 courses transferred, and the receiving institution cannot require the student to take any additional lower-division general education courses within the 42-hour core. CORE 42 is a tremendous opportunity for individuals seeking an associate or bachelor’s degree. When one considers the increasing costs of higher education, it is prudent for any individual desiring postsecondary education to consider the value that CORE 42 brings

to Missourians. It is also important for interested students and their families to understand that STLCC continues to keep student debt to a minimum. In fact, thanks to federal and state financial aid programs such as Pell and A+, less than 15 percent of STLCC students receive loans, and for those who do take out loans, the two-year average is $3,900. This compares to a national average of $38,000 for all students who have enrolled in higher education.

St. Louis Community College provides very affordable pathways to high-wage jobs or further postsecondary education. Currently, the college’s tuition and fees are approximately $110.50 per credit hour, which is less than one-third of the average tuition and fees for Missouri four-year public institutions. Given that national student debt is now more than $1.4 trillion, the significance of affordable postsecondary educational opportunities will continue to increase over time. For citizens of St. Louis and surrounding regions, be assured that the faculty and staff at STLCC are working diligently to keep tuition and fees low and provide high-quality career and transfer pathways. Given the vision of St. Louis Community College is to be the first choice for students, CORE 42 represents a viable and value-added opportunity for their postsecondary success. Jeff L. Pittman is chancellor of St. Louis Community College. Commentary

Listen to the people

About a year ago, things were a lot different around here. We had a different governor leading the state, one who chose to put personal ambition and partisan politics before all else. Now, with a new governor, it is our hope that those old problems are behind us. But simply being better than Eric Greitens is too low a bar to set for any of our leaders.

comprehensive ethics reform to root out corruption and stop gerrymandering. They passed a slow and reasonable increase to the minimum wage to lift up the working poor and grow our economy. And they passed medical cannabis to provide options for those struggling with disease and injury. These issues are settled.

And any attempt to weaken or repeal the will of the voters must not pass.

By Jamala Rogers For The St. Louis American

The year marks my 25th year of writing for The St. Louis American. I know, where did the years go?

I’ll do a brief recap of how

I got my coveted spot for those of you who haven’t heard the story. I was an avid reader of the newspaper. Back in 1992, while busy working on the mayoral campaign of Freeman Bosley Jr., I observed that there were only male voices doing commentary in The St. Louis American. I raised my concern to Publisher Donald M. Suggs. Dr. Suggs agreed and extended the invitation to me to write, and eventually I accepted the challenge. I say “challenge” because meeting a weekly deadline can be brutal with a schedule like mine. I became the newspaper’s first female featured columnist. “The Way I See It” was born. Some 1,000 columns later, I thought it would be interesting to share some reflections with my readers. Every fourth Thursday, we’ll stroll down memory lane together. For example, I plan to explore the most-read columns and attempt to determine what made them resonate with you. And I’ll tell what facts readers say they never knew until they read it in “The Way I See It.”

Readers unarguably had a hand in the making of my first book, The Best of “The Way I See It” and Other Political Writings (1989-2010). It was published in 2011, and a national book tour followed. Today, I will address several myths about my relationship with the award-winning newspaper. First, I am not an employee of the newspaper. While I’m welcome to visit anytime, I have no desk at the office with my name on it. I email my column to the editor. It’s rare that there is wrangling over what I’ve written. The employee status often must be explained. People want to give me a press advisory for an event as assurance that it will be published. The flip side is that I also get asked why a press statement or letter to the editor didn’t show up in The American Plus, I am not on the editorial board, yet get called on to defend a position the editorial board takes. I’m neither the author of the editorials nor the messenger.

However, I have no problem debating the points in an American editorial with anyone. That’s the fun part. The publisher and the editor don’t give me weekly assignments about what to write about. That’s mainly my decision as I ponder the events and stories of the week and how they impact my people, their lives and their futures. Occasionally, I may be asked to write about an issue that’s of national public interest or where my view as a black, radical feminist is desired. Over the years, I have been given lots of latitude as a writer. I write about what I think is important. It’s the kind of situation that most columnists can only dream of. I remember letting someone at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch talk me into applying for an open columnist position. I did and was soundly rejected, as I knew I would be. My friend Sylvester Brown, who was eminently qualified, got the job. After I saw how he was treated – he was eventually fired, causing a public outcry – I know my rejection was a blessing not well-disguised. Being a columnist with The American has made me a better

and a

a

Silver is the

for a 25th

but this experience has been

After all, being done with a bad politician isn’t enough, if his bad policies remain. Policies that deny too many Missourians basic health care. Policies that attack working families and undermine their constitutional right to organize. And policies that turn our tax code upside down so that the middle class gets squeezed, while special interests laugh all the way to the bank.

I call on my colleagues in both chambers to abandon these terrible policies, and listen to the people. Because the people have spoken.

They went to the ballot box and defeated so-called Right-to-Work. They passed

Instead, I urge my colleagues to return the Senate’s attention to shared priorities like: fully funding the School Foundation Formula, increasing school transportation dollars, strengthening our workforce through higher education and job training, and making sure our mental health safety net is there for anyone in crisis.

State senator Gina Walsh Bellefontaine Neighbors

Stop xenophobic rhetoric and policy

The ruling by Judge Jesse M. Furman to block of the

Trump Administration’s plan to put a question about citizenship on the 2020 census is a step in the right direction to stopping xenophobic rhetoric and policy at all levels of government. The addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 Census only increases the likelihood of a substantial undercount of immigrant communities, particularly immigrants of color including those from the African Diaspora who are essential to determining U.S. elections, congressional seats and federal funding decisions for a decade. Any citizenship question compounds the already inadequate preparation for Census 2020 and further dilutes the votes of racial and ethnic minorities, and deprive their communities of critical federal funds and undervalue their voices and interests in the political arena. We must continue to stay vigilant and not let this administration use yet another mechanism to devalue and stifle the voices of people of color.

Derrick Johnson president, NAACP

Photo by Rebecca Rivas

The Real Time Crime Center located in the headquarters of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

• KNEE AND HIP REPLACEMENT

• SHOULDER PAIN

• SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES AFTER JOINT REPLACEMENT ARE CONNECTED WITH GOOD HEALTH

• SSM HEALTH’S SPORTS MEDICINE PROGRAM GIVES ATHLETES ACCESS TO COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL CARE 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK

HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR YOU TO LEARN ABOUT ORTHOPEDICS

Whether you are suffering from an injury or an illness, SSM Health Orthopedics can work with you to help you regain your strength and mobility, so you can get back to doing the things you love.

SSM Health Orthopedics offers a broad range of services that address the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal disorders and injuries. Our team of board-certified, fellowship-trained physicians, specially trained nurses and therapists are committed to delivering exceptional care to our patients. Visit ssmhealth.com/GetBack to schedule an appointment.

You probably don’t think much about your shoulders until you suddenly experience pain in one of them. Shoulder pain can be caused by the simplest acts like drying your hair, grabbing something overhead or even fastening your bra. Shoulder pain is an extremely common complaint in the U.S. In fact, according to a recent study, as many as 67 percent of people experience shoulder discomfort at some point during their lives, and as you age, the chance of having shoulder pain increases. Of all the reasons you can have shoulder pain, injury to your rotator cuff is the most common. Other

“For most patients, I will start with non-surgical treatments before considering surgery,” says Dr. Burns. “Most problems can be treated with medications, injections and physical therapy,” she notes. Dr. Burns says surgery is almost always a last resort. “For most people, surgery should be the last option for shoulder problems,” she says. “However, there are exceptions, including some trauma or injuries

“Most self-limited shoulder pain and problems will resolve within two weeks or so,” says Katherine Burns, MD, SSM Health DePaul Hospital orthopedic surgeon. “If you are having pain or discomfort that lasts longer than two weeks, it might be time to visit a doctor,” Dr. Burns says. A physician can help determine the cause of the pain and your best treatment options.

concerns include shoulder arthritis and less common problems like shoulder instability (dislocations) and labral tears (torn cartilage in the shoulder). The pain can come on gradually or abruptly, and it may range from mild to excruciating.

(broken bones, acutely torn ligaments or rotator cuff tendons) that would be best treated with immediate surgery.” If surgery is your best option, make sure you trust your surgeon and their entire office staff. “Remember that if you have problems or concerns after surgery, you will be interacting with the office staff as well as the doctor,” says Dr. Burns. “Make sure you feel comfortable that the entire office is responsive to patients’ concerns.” Other questions you should ask your physician include how often they perform this surgery, what the risks and benefits are of the recommended procedure and what the expected recovery time will be. You should also ask how much time will you need off work or from recreational activities or sports. If you have untreated pain in your shoulder or have questions for Dr. Katherine Burns, you can call 314-291-7900 to make an appointment. Her office is located on the campus of SSM Health DePaul Hospital in St. Louis.

Shoulder Pain

Advancements in not only the way joint replacement surgeries are being conducted, but the materials being used means replacement hip and knee joints are lasting longer than ever before.

1. How long will my new joint last?

Knee and hip replacements are now the third and fourth most common surgeries, respectively, in the United States behind Caesarean sections and circumcisions. Greg Nelson, MD, orthopedic surgeon at SSM Health DePaul Hospital, specializes in knee and hip replacements. Here are the three most commonly asked questions he gets from patients, along with his answers to help you make a better, more educated decision about whether joint replacement surgery is right for you.

3. What should I do before surgery? “Get educated,” says Dr. Nelson. “Talk to your surgeon and talk to your friends. An educated patient has better outcomes,” he says. Dr. Nelson also suggests anyone considering surgery lose weight and improve their nutrition to lower any risks associated with surgery. “If you have diabetes, get it under control. Quit all nicotine exposure. Each of these can increase your risk of a bad outcome,” he says.

Dr. Nelson says anyone considering surgery should not have surgery until they feel all their questions have been answered. “Remember, these surgeries are elective, they are rarely absolutely necessary,” he says. “They also have complications, so it is best to proceed when you have tried everything else and you know that joint replacement is

Dr. Greg Nelson practices at SSM Health DePaul Hospital in St. Louis. To make an appointment and see if total joint replacement surgery is right for you, call 314-291-7900 or visit ssmhealth.com/orthopedics.

your best (or only) chance at returning to the level of function that you desire.”

“It takes less time for total hip replacement patients to fully recover,” says Dr. Nelson. “Total hip patients can expect to be back to full activity in six to twelve weeks.”

More than half of older adults in the United States have arthritis. Most often it is osteoarthritis (OA), where the cartilage between joints wears down, causing swelling, pain and disability in some. An option for people suffering from severe OA in their knees or hips are total joint replacements.

“Most patients stay only one or two nights in the hospital these days,” says Dr. Nelson. Total recovery takes a bit longer. Most total knee replacement patients can expect to see a full recovery in four to six months.

2. How long will I be in the hospital after surgery and how long will it take to completely recover?

“Typically, we expect these joints to last 15 to 20 years,” says Dr. Nelson.

Knee and Hip Replacement

“The collaborative nature of this program among clinicians across the region means our patients have access to the most inclusive team of experts around,” says Ryan Pomajzl, orthopedic surgeon at SSM Health DePaul Hospital.

“It’s a clinical person –no matter what time you call –who

“You’re actually going to get a certified athletic trainer on the other line,” says program manager Katie Smith.

The team includes orthopedists, cardiologists, neurologists, therapists, nutritionists and psychologists, guaranteeing patients receive the top care best suited for their unique injury.

“This means we can treat everything from knee and hip pain to trauma, ankle and foot injuries, tumors, cardiovascular issues, concussions and more.” One of the key attributes of the Sports Medicine program is a free hotline staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week by clinicians.

“RICE means Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. In addition, nonsteroidal anti- inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen may be helpful in recovery from an injury,” he says. Then, Dr. Pomajzl says, make an appointment to see one of the

SSM Health’s comprehensive Sports Medicine program brings together specialists and care partners from across the area with one goal: to get patients back to the activities they most enjoy. The Sports Medicine program assembles a team of experts from SSM Health, along with care partners SLUCare Physician Group, SSM Health Physical Therapy and physical medicine and rehab services at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital.

“Typically Irecommend athletes and active patients to follow the R.I.C.E method immediately after an injury, Dr. Pomajzl says.

Dr. Ryan Pomajzl is an orthopedic surgeon at SSM Health DePaul Hospital. To make an appointment call 314-291-790.

So what happens if you get injured?

orthopedic surgeons at any of SSM Health’s 10 locations across the St. Louis region. “The number of locations offers patients flexibility to be able to be seen by sports medicine fellowship trained orthopedic surgeons without having to travel long distances,” says Dr. Pomajzl. For more information about SSM Health Sports Medicine or to find a specialist, call 833-776-7767 or visit us online at ssmhealth.com

24 hours a day, 7 days a week can triage the situation and talk you through the injury,” she says. That trainer can either tell the caller how to treat the injury at home or help get them connected with a physician for further evaluation.

SSM Health’s

Sports

Medicine program gives athletes access to comprehensive medical care

Most people who have had a total joint replacement agree that their lives are much better after their surgery –their pain lessens, they move around easier and they enjoy favorite activities again.A patient’s level of health at the time of surgery makes a big difference in how quickly they recover. The six questions SSM Health orthopedicsurgeons and staff are asking before they schedulesurgery include: Are youanemic? Do you have a history of low red blood cell count? A low count can increase your risk of complications and need for blood transfusion. It is good to know if your blood count is too low, and the staff will tell you how to increase it before surgery. Are you overweight? Do you know your Body Mass Index (BMI)? If not, ask your health care provider. If your BMI is high, you are at greater risk of complications after surgery. Multiple resources are available to help you lose weight before surgery. Or ask for a referral to SSM Health Weight Management.Do you eat a nutrition-rich diet? Good nutrition is important to promote a healing environment after surgery. The orthopedic surgery team recommends you follow an antiinflammatory diet that is high in protein before surgery. If a health screening indicates you need more nutritional support, a dietitian will guide you. Are you diabetic? A stable blood sugar level before and after surgery will decrease the risk of infection. If you are diabetic, or if you have difficulty maintaining your blood sugar level, either with or without medication, please tell your surgeon. A dietitian will help you plan a way to regulate your blood sugar level before your surgery. Do you smoke? If you smoke or use tobacco products, you have a high

risk of complications after surgery. We suggest you stop smoking at least four weeks before your elective joint replacement. Resources are available to help you, including a call to 1 800-QUIT-NOW. Do you use narcotic pain meds? Do you take prescription pain medication now? Studies have shown that people who use narcotic pain medication before surgery will have more difficulty with pain control after surgery. Ask your surgeon how to decrease your pain medication usage before surgery. For more information about the joint replacement surgeons and the supportive classes and programs available at SSM Health Orthopedics, visit ssmhealth.com/orthopedics

Successful outcomes after joint replacement are connected with good health

Blues teach hockey, donate equipment to school

McNair Elementary students recently were introduced to street hockey during a week-long program thanks to the St. Louis Blues and the team’s Street Blues program. Students in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade were given lessons in stick-handling, passing, and shooting and then competed in full games during P.E. class. P.E. teacher Nick Scott registered McNair for the program as a way to allow students to try something new. “I hope this gives our students an opportunity they may not have ever had,” Scott said. As part of the program, the school received an entire set of hockey sticks, goalie pads and masks, and two goals, allowing McNair to incorporate hockey into its P.E. curriculum in the future. “I think it’s very important to get our students involved in our community and to have our community involved with our students,” Scott said.

Kappas host annual Tailgate Party

The St. Louis Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. will host its annual Tailgate Party 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, February 2 at the Machinists Hall 12365 St. Charles Rock Rd. in Bridgeton.

Free Art and Nature Painting Program

Missouri State Parks and Historic Sites will present an Art and Nature Painting Program at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, January 31 at Mastodon State Historic Site, located south of St. Louis at 1050 Charles J. Becker Dr. in Imperial.

This introductory painting program will review the important skills of watercolor painting and give visitors a chance to create their own painting. All ages and skill levels are invited for this lesson inside the comfort of the museum. All art supplies will be available for use. Snacks and beverages will be provided. This program is free, but space is limited and reservations are required. To register, call 636-464-2976. For more information, visit mostateparks.com.

Don’t let predators take your tax refunds

By Charlene Crowell For The St. Louis American

For many consumers, the New Year brings an annual effort to file taxes early enough to help pay off big bills, replace major appliances or tuck away a few bucks. With a continuing federal shutdown, this year there are also an estimated 800,000 federal workers who have not had a payday since December. For these consumers, an early tax refund could cover basic living needs like housing, food, child care and utilities.

And across the country, advertising – particularly on urban radio –tempts listeners with easy ways to get a loan against anticipated tax refunds. But just like other predatory lending products, what is advertised is not quite what consumers receive. Convenient tax-related loans almost always come with a price.

The bigger the refund, the more attentive and helpful predators will be in helping with e-filing, the electronic processing that typically results in refunds in two to three business days. Once the size of the refund is known, these preparers encourage unsuspecting consumers to take out a short-term loan like a Refund Anticipation Loan (RAL). Depository institutions like banks sell a Refund Anticipating Check (RAC) that is most appealing to consumers who lack a bank account. Neither product is as helpful as they appear. RALs are usually marketed as an “advance” instead of a loan. Instead of interest, many of these loans come with “fees” or a “finance charge.” Conversely, a RAC is sold as a temporary bank account that exists exclusively to receive the IRS refund. Once the refund reaches the consumer’s bank account, either a prepaid card or a check is issued by the depository institution. And once again, fees taken out of the refund reduce the amount of monies that consumers receive.

The biggest target for both of these products are consumers with the largest refunds, especially those who are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credits (EITCs), one of the few tax break programs available to low- to -moderate income consumers, and/or the Additional Child Tax Credit.

To be eligible for EITC, earned income and adjusted gross income can be as low as $15,270 for a single filer or head of household to as high as $54,884 for a married couple with three dependent children. This year, eligible EITC consumers could receive as much as $6,431 for families with three or more qualifying children to $519 for single filers.

Similarly, the Child Tax Credit is available to eligible filers with children under the age of 17. For each dependent child meeting the age requirement, filers receive a $2,000 credit that reduces the amount of taxes owed.

In 2017, 1.7 million RALs were sold, and another 20.5 million RACs valued at a half billion dollars were also sold, according to the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC).

So how much financial sense does it make to purchase an “advance” or open a temporary bank account when the IRS can deposit the full refund into a checking account within two to three business days?

Just because a refund-advance product isn’t called a loan or doesn’t have an interest rate doesn’t mean it’s free, said Scott Astrada, the Center for Responsible Lending’s director of Federal Advocacy. “Carefully read the terms and conditions and ask plenty of questions,” Astrada said.

Everyone who works for a living should be entitled not only to a paycheck but 100 percent of their tax refunds.

Charlene Crowell is the Center for Responsible Lending’s deputy director of Communications. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@ responsiblelending.org.

Christi Griffin

REED

Continued from A1

penalties established for contractors that do not meet those goals.

I worked closely with my appointee on the Special Administrative Board of the Saint Louis Public School district, Richard Gaines, to bring the district back to full accreditation and endorse the plan to turn the now-healthy school district back under the authority of the publicly elected school board.

I called two extra meetings of the Board of Aldermen to get a minimum wage increase passed, but the state Legislature, of which one of my opponents is a member, voided the legislation.

I have sponsored legislation to increase diversion programs in our court system, brought in federal dollars to fight the opioid epidemic, increased funding for senior citizens services, increased the funding of our recreation centers, as well as been a strong advocate for crime victims and programs that offer support.

regards to the both of them. One of my opponents, Jamilah Nasheed, referred to herself as a change agent, but by her voting record, “double agent” would seem a more appropriate title. Some of the instances of her voting against the best interests of the community she currently represents are both shocking and sad.

I encourage voters to educate themselves on a few instances in particular, which show her voting record as contrary to her constituents’ wishes as well as her campaign slogans.

n One of my opponents, Jamilah Nasheed, referred to herself as a change agent, but by her voting record, “double agent” would seem a more appropriate title.

All these things and more were accomplished through teamwork that was based on mutual respect and the relationships I have built throughout the community and at the Board of Aldermen. To all those who have contributed through your advice, debate, ideas and by holding all of us at the board accountable, I would like to thank you for working together and fighting for solutions to make our city better. Due to the vast disparity between truth and what my opponents are willing to say with a straight face, it is my duty to the voting public to supply some voter education in

In 2015 Nasheed voted in favor of the passage of Senate Committee Substitute Bill 345. This was a bill that enabled a 33 percent increase on the fees banks could charge on small loans. The bill was so bad for lowerincome residents of our city that thenGovernor Nixon vetoed it. Nasheed then voted with Senate Republicans to override the veto, and the bill became law, as can be verified in the September 16, 2015 Journal of the Senate Democratic state Senators Maria Chappelle-Nadal, Kiki Curls, Joe Keaveny, Jill Schupp, and Scott Sifton all voted against overriding the veto. Nasheed had taken $20,000 for her campaign from banks and bank lobbyists prior to making that vote.

In 2014, Nasheed voted in favor of the passage of Senate Bill 673, which limited the amount of time someone could receive unemployment benefits. As shown in the April 3, 2014 Journal of the Senate Nasheed voted in favor of this bill to reduce unemployment benefits. During this same time, zip codes in her Senate district had some of the highest unemployment rates in the entire country.

Today, Nasheed speaks about over-incarceration, but

three years ago she stood next to then-Mayor Francis G. Slay and said she would file legislation for mandatory minimum sentences.

In a May 23, 2013 article in this very publication, the writer of that article and thenstate Rep. Michael Butler went into detail about what and who motivates the legislative decisions of Nasheed.

In her 12 years at the state Legislature, Nasheed has voted to overturn her community’s vote on Prop B in 2011, voted against Obamacare (SB 306

in 2009), taken walks on education and minimum wage bills, and in her own words was “out to lunch” when Republicans passed a massive tax cut for corporations on March 29, 2018. The change Nasheed wants to bring will be a change for the worse. Megan Green voted to enforce eminent domain on an entire North Side neighborhood without hearing from the individual property owners and has not accomplished much of a record at all in her time in

City Hall. There is still more good work to do at the Board of Aldermen. I am currently pushing the Ceasefire program to help address the crime issue our city faces. I created a Task Force on Public Banking to determine how we can get more investment from banks into North St. Louis. I passed an ordinance that called on the St. Louis Development Corporation to create an economic strategy for growth so that we, as a city, can provide an economic

environment that creates jobs for our citizens. I look forward continuing these projects and doing more of this good work, and I am asking for your vote on March 5. Lewis Reed is running for reelection as president of the Board of Aldermen in the March 5 Democratic primary. The American has offered the three most competitive candidates equal space to present their views before the election.

William Whittaker led marchers for his 33rd year during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day March in downtown St. Louis on Monday, January 21. Whittaker will be retiring as MLK March leader after this year.

Last call for William Whittaker

Photo by Wiley Price

Continued from A1

city, and the rest are privately owned, with feeds from businesses’ and neighborhood associations’ surveillance cameras streaming directly to the RTCC. Yet how exactly the city uses and pays for the surveillance equipment – as well as how it shares the data collected – is shrouded in secrecy.

A six-month jointinvestigation by The St. Louis American and Type Investigations revealed that the center is operating under a privacy policy that the city acknowledged to community leaders was essentially a rough draft. A more comprehensive policy was drafted almost three years ago but never implemented, according to emails between the St. Louis City Counselor’s Office, community leaders, and the police and street departments.

The American obtained the revised privacy policy – the product of months of negotiations between community leaders and the city. But the police did not acknowledge the existence of this revised policy when asked, instead pointing to a oneparagraph, unrelated addition to the existing policy.

After months of repeated requests through the Missouri Sunshine Law for information about who has access to the surveillance information and multiple requests for interviews, the police department did not provide any portion of the internal documentation required by its own privacy policy on sharing the center’s information –including a log of all records requests made by people from within and outside the police department. Therefore, it was impossible to determine if, as the police department repeatedly claimed, the RTCC was meeting its own protocols for safeguarding privacy.

When the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri (ACLU) learned that the police department was planning on opening the surveillance center four years ago, the ACLU warned that if the city wanted taxpayers to fund the center, it needed to establish rigorous policies to protect citizens’ privacy first.

Studies have found that surveillance technology appears to be targeting communities of color throughout the country. Perhaps more than any other city, advocates believe that St. Louis – a city that has garnered the national spotlight for racial disparities in policing – should be putting its surveillance programs under a rigorous and public review for racial bias and targeting.

CHRISTIAN

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Federation. He is also one of only three people of color appointed by Governors Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist to serve on the Florida Tourism Commission.

He was founder, president and managing partner of TRC Consulting Group, LLC, an Orlando-based communications firm that handled branding, advertising, public relations and digital media. He worked with brands such as General Motors, Boeing, the National Basketball Association, General Electric, Toyota, Pepsi, Holiday Inn, the State of Missouri and the country of Mexico.

In 2010, he was named one of the Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales & Marketing by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International. He was an alumnus of the University of MissouriColumbia where he played football for the 1975-76 Mizzou Tigers and graduated with a BA degree in Radio/ TV/Film. He was recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus in 2004 from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Arts & Science. Upon the completion and unveiling of the MLK monument, he presented his beloved alma mater with a replica of the memorial in January 2012 that is now

‘Inadequate Policy’

Two months before the RTCC opened in May 2015, the mayor’s office drafted a policy to establish who has access to the surveillance information and how it’s stored. The city’s operations director asked the police department to write its own policy – in accordance with the city’s – outlining how it would regulate the use of surveillance cameras. However, the ACLU discovered that the police had drafted a more open-ended policy that didn’t align with the city’s and that set up too many opportunities for circumventing privacy protections. So, the ACLU reached out to city officials to negotiate a stronger policy.

“We needed to reconcile the fact that the police department had one policy and the city had another,” said privacy advocate John Chasnoff, who previously worked for the ACLU and wrote a 2014 report, “Caught in the Web of Mass Surveillance.”

The ACLU and other community leaders saw several glaring problems in the police’s policy.

The City of St. Louis had been asking businesses to loop their cameras into the RTCC. The ACLU believed that this private-public partnership could create some loopholes in regulating privacy. If the private entities were storing the video files, police officers could just get access to that tape without a warrant whenever they wanted, potentially bypassing any internal request process or

proudly displayed in Ellis Library, the university’s main library.

He was deeply loyal to his high school alma mater with its school motto of “Men for Tomorrow, Brothers for Life.” He deeply cherished his brotherhood with his CBC classmates until the end. While he was unable to attend their recent 45-year class reunion, he was in regular close contact by phone with all his brothers. He also dearly loved and provided for his family. Upon the loss of his brother Wallace, he took his nephew Joshua under his wing.

Christian is survived by his sister Henrietta and brother Brian; sister-in-law, Michelle; nieces and nephews Theresa, Lateesha, Joshua, Brianna, Nathan; great nieces and nephews Britney, Jaden, Leila; and a host of loving friends and those who loved him like family.

Two services will be held to celebrate and commemorate his life. The first will be held at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Winter Park, Florida at 10 a.m. Saturday, January 26. The second will be held at Christian Brothers College High School on Saturday, February 2. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that people donate to the Ty Christian Memorial Fund at GoFundMe to fund end-of-life expenses and to benefit the Washington DC MLK Memorial Foundation and UNICEF.

n “We needed to reconcile the fact that the police department had one policy and the city had another.”

– John Chasnoff, Privacy Watch STL

official log, Chasnoff said.

The police’s policy stated that representatives from cooperating agencies – such as business districts – could see the center’s data with the police chief’s approval. This leniency was not permitted in

the city’s policy. The ACLU also wanted to see stricter login requirements for employees who had access to the information to better track and audit why they were accessing the footage.

“We did try to put some

regulations on the officers … about when they’re permitted to go and ask for videotape,”

Chasnoff said. “Those were the types of issues we were trying to sort out.”

Chasnoff also said the police policy is too loosely written around how officers can use their specialized cameras.

These “pan-tilt-zoom” cameras allow officers to scan an area and zoom in far distances.

Under the city’s policy, officers cannot focus the cameras on individuals unless there is a “reasonable suspicion of criminal activity.” The police

policy does not limit the officers in this way.

The ACLU also wanted to prohibit police officers from tracking people across the city using multiple cameras if the individuals were not suspected of criminal activity. This is not stated in either the police or city policies.

ACLU of Missouri Executive Director Jeffrey Mittman questioned automated license plate readers and the information they gather. These are high-speed cameras mounted on light poles and on police cars. They continuously scan and record the license plates of every passing car. According to police, if the cameras register a car that is associated with someone wanted for a violent crime, a police officer is dispatched. However, Mittman was concerned that they are also collecting data about innocent motorists and their whereabouts, which could easily be abused.

“It does not make sense to have all automatic license plate readers turned on at all times, collecting data on every single individual’s movements, and then keeping that data in perpetuity and allowing anyone to go in and say, ‘Hey, I just split up with my boyfriend, I want to find out where he was,’” Mittman said.

According to the police department, the data from the license plate reader cameras is stored for 90 days and “access to the private cameras as well as the entire camera network is extremely limited. Access to the system is not available for all police officers or members of the police department.”

This article is part one in a series reported in partnership with Type Investigations. Part two will appear next week.

Officers monitor about 600 surveillance cameras citywide, as well as license plate reader cameras, sensors that can detect and locate gunfire, and three surveillance trailers that move throughout the city.

Taking your health to heart

By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American

“Know thyself and advocate for thyself” is what Debora Grandison lives by, and she is inspiring and empowering other women to listen to their bodies and to make the necessary changes to improve their health.

The Ballwin resident is one of eight women selected as national spokespersons for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women’s “Real Women,” a campaign of volunteers who share their personal heart health or brain health journey to educate and motivate lifestyle changes in others.

n “Eighty percent of cardiovascular disease is preventable with education and lifestyle changes.”

– Debora Grandison

“Eighty percent of cardiovascular disease is preventable with education and lifestyle changes,” Grandison said.

While half of women are aware that heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, the American Heart Association (AHA) reports that AfricanAmerican women are the least likely to see heart disease as their top health threat. Not only is cardiovascular disease the leading cause of death in women, it claims the lives of one in three women.

Stroke data is just as alarming. The AHA reports that African-American women have the highest prevalence of stroke among women; nearly 60 percent of stroke deaths occur in women, and about 4 million stroke survivors are women.

The Real Women effort is about survival – and eliminating and reducing risk for these debilitating and deadly illnesses.

Grandison has lived with type 1 diabetes for decades and developed heart complications as a

Debora Grandison of Ballwin is one of eight women selected as national spokespersons for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women’s “Real Women,” a campaign of volunteers who share their personal heart health or brain health journey to educate and motivate lifestyle changes in others.

Black children 10 times more likely to visit ER for asthma than whites

By Sarah Fentem Of St. Louis Public Radio

it the lowest-scoring indicator of the 72 measures studied by the city. The report is part of the city’s larger Equity Indicators Project, which measures racial disparities in health care, education, employment and other areas. Including childhood asthma in the report was a “no-brainer,” said Cristina Garmendia, who served as the Equity Indicators project manager. “Asthma is the most common chronic disease children face, and it has a huge impact on their daily lives,” Garmendia

said. “Just imagine having to think about whether it’s safe for you to breathe.”

When black children suffer from untreated asthma, it can make it harder for them to catch up in other areas where their white counterparts have an advantage, Garmendia said. Asthma is one of the leading reasons why children miss school, and chronic asthma can keep kids from exercising or playing with other kids.

See ASTHMA, A11

Empower Missouri calls on federal legislators to act on behalf of needy, especially children

By Chris King Of The St. Louis American

The Center on Budget Policy and Priorities reports that if the partial federal government continues into February, there may not be sufficient appropriations for food assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to provide full benefits for that month. And if the shutdown continues into March, little or no benefits likely will be paid in that month.

n “Missouri elected officials must become advocates for the health and safety of these families, especially children.”

– Jeanette Mott Oxford, Empower Missouri

Empower Missouri is calling on U.S. Senator Roy Blunt, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley and Missouri’s eight congressional representatives to work to end the partial government shutdown to protect the hundreds of thousands of Missouri households who rely on federal nutrition assistance programs to put food on the table.

“We are in uncharted territory with no clear legal answers and await word from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as to whether February nutrition assistance benefits will be released,” said Jeanette Mott Oxford, executive director of Empower Missouri.

“Court action could follow any announcement that is made. Missouri elected officials must become advocates for the health and safety of these families, especially children in these households.”

According to USDA data, one out of six households in rural Missouri and one out of eight urban households depend on SNAP, more commonly known as food stamps.

“Together with WIC and school meals, these safety net programs are absolutely essential to children’s physical and mental development and school success and to the work stability of tens of thousands of parents,” Oxford said. “The food assistance they depend on must not be jeopardized by ideological wrangling between the branches of government over a border wall. The state’s food pantries do not have capacity to meet increased need.”

Cenya Davis, 9, puffs on her inhaler in this 2018 file photo.

Photo by Ryan Delaney / St. Louis Public Radio

Opioid and heroin epidemic in North County

Christian Hospital will try to raise awareness of the growing opioid and heroin abuse and overdose epidemic in North County at a breakfast forum

7:30-9 a.m. Friday, February 1 in its Detrick Building Atrium.

Community leaders, school officials, elected officials, first responders, clergy and concerned citizens are encouraged to attend. Breakfast will be served

Organizers will present a simulated 911 overdose call, where first responders demonstrate the lifesaving techniques used to treat these patients, hear about the latest drugs that are impacting our community, and learn about Christian Hospital’s collaborations to help combat this epidemic.

To register or for more information, contact Kamille Pope at Kamille.Pope@bjc.org or 314653-4191.

Nasheed files bill to protect TANF recipients prescribed medical marijuana

State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, has filed legislation to protect Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits for Missourians who legally use medical marijuana. Missouri became one of more than 30 states to legalize medical marijuana after a constitutional amendment was approved by voters during the 2018 November election.

“When Missourians legalized medical marijuana and added it to the state constitution, they did not intend to prevent people from having access to the food stamps they need to provide for their families,” said Sen. Nasheed. “Unfortunately, Missourians may face the risk of being denied benefits they qualify for simply because of the medicine they’re legally prescribed. We cannot allow that to happen. This legislation makes it clear that if you legally use medical marijuana, as prescribed by a doctor, you still have access to your food stamps.”

Current state law allows for TANF-eligible applicants or recipients to be screened for illegal use of controlled substances by the Missouri Department of Social Services if the department has reasonable cause to believe this is the case. If tested positive for a controlled substance, which is not prescribed to them, the individual may be declared ineligible for benefits for three years. The legislation proposed by Nasheed would protect against ineligibility if the individual was abiding by the language of the constitutional amendment approved last year.

State begins rulemaking process for medical marijuana

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) is now in the process of forming rules for the state’s medical marijuana program. Since the January 7 start, DHSS has accepted more than 250 forms and over $2 million in application fees.

DHSS has established a new page on its medical marijuana program website where it will begin releasing initial drafts of its rules for public review at www.health. mo.gov/safety/medical-marijuana/index.php. Official application forms will be available no later than June 4.

Any application fee must be accompanied by a completed Pre-Filed Application Fee Form available at https://health.mo.gov/safety/medical-marijuana/index.php. Payment and the Pre-Filed Application Fee Form may be personally delivered during business hours to DHSS at 920 Wildwood Drive, Jefferson City, Missouri, 65109. Or, the payment and pre-filed application fee form can be mailed to Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, FEE RECEIPT UNIT, P.O. Box 570, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0570.

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Asthma is a chronic condition that causes inflammation of the lungs. While it’s a genetic disorder, it’s exacerbated by environmental triggers such as air quality, mold and stress. The single indicator assesses more than one problem, Garmendia said. It not only

HEART

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result of it.

“When I was first diagnosed with gestational diabetes during pregnancy 30 years ago, I wasn’t told that heart disease was a factor,” Grandison said.

“I was told about amputation, blindness and kidney disease. So now, over the years, we’ve learned that having diabetes is a huge risk to being affected by cardiovascular disease.”

She has an insulin pump to manage diabetes and a pacemaker for her heart.

“Then, in 2013, I was diagnosed with atrial

measures the prevalence of asthma, it also shows how severe or under-treated the condition is in the city’s black residents.

The findings aren’t surprising, said Marjorie Moore, director of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation’s St. Louis chapter. The foundation helps pay for prescriptions for low-income people with asthma, and Moore said the majority of the people it helps are African-American children.

fibrillation, and they caught that because of the pacemaker,” she said. Her doctor put her on a blood thinner, but Grandison said he also told her that she was at a five times greater risk for having a stroke. She said that news did send her into a tizzy for a bit, but her faith sustained her, as it has time and time again.

“Because of that, I know I am still standing whole, and I know that God has a purpose and a plan for my journey,” she said.

Grandison knows that each day is a gift. A big gift that women can give to themselves is knowing their health “numbers” – their personal data for blood pressure, cholesterol,

n “Just imagine having to think about whether it’s safe for you to breathe.”

– Cristina Garmendia, Equity Indicators project manager

The struggles black children have with asthma indicate many black families can’t afford regular trips to the doctor and daily medications needed to treat chronic health issues, Moore said. If families

manage their children’s condition with doctors’ visits and daily medicine, it’s very unlikely they’ll have a serious attack that requires a hospital visit, she said.

“If your asthma is

Tips to prevent heart disease

• Know your numbers – total cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and body mass index – and talk to your doctor about them and how to lower your heart health risk.

• Make physical activity a priority.

• Make healthy eating a priority.

• If you have high blood pressure, commit to monitoring it regularly.

Source: American Heart Association

glucose and body mass index.

“Those numbers are key to taking preventative steps

toward a healthy lifestyle,” she said. The normal range for blood

controlled, it’s far, far less likely you’re going to have an asthma attack that will send you to the ER,” Moore said.

According to a spokeswoman from St. Louis Children’s Hospital, 86 percent of the 440 children who visited the hospital’s emergency department due to asthma in the last six months were African-American.

Asthma can also be triggered by subpar living conditions and poor air quality,

pressure is under 120/80 mm

Hg; for fasting blood sugar or blood glucose, 100 mg/ dL; for body mass index, 25 kg/m2; and new guidelines for cholesterol relies less on numbers and more on genetics and lifestyle, and by working with your health care provider, determine if treatment is needed. You should know your numbers – and equally important is knowing your family medical history.

“A lot of times, people don’t feel it’s necessary to share what they are going through – their personal story or their personal journey,” Grandison said.

Moore said. Housing conditions such as dust and mold can trigger serious attacks. The Equity Indicators Project is a regional collaboration between the City of St. Louis, Forward Through Ferguson, and United Way. It’s funded by the Rockefeller Foundation.

Follow Sarah on Twitter: @ petit_smudge.

Reprinted with permission from news.stlpublicradio.org.

“I had lost three family members to diabetic-related issues. After losing those family members, knowing that they had diabetes and it seemed it was a diabetic-related heart issue that they had, I decided to take it upon myself to do some research. That was because she “realized I had two choices: either sit and wait to die, or become proactive.” For more information on Go Red for Women, visit https:// www.goredforwomen.org/. The American Heart Association offers the “Check. Change. Control” tracker for online blood pressure monitoring and #GoRedGetFit to keep track of exercise and healthy eating on social media. For more information, visit heart.org.

Asthma can also be triggered by subpar living conditions and poor air quality, Moore said. Housing conditions such as dust and mold can trigger serious attacks.

What Is ASize?Serving

Warm Up & Cool Down

In our “Super-Size” world, we can easily lose track of what an actual serving size means. When reading labels on a food or drink product, you can determine the nutrients, sodium, fiber, sugar and calories of a serving size. But be careful; just because it looks like one small bottle of soda — it

It’s important that before you embark on any kind of exercise to remember two things: warm up and cool down. Start with some slow stretches and movement (like walking) to increase your heart rate a little. Warm up for a good five minutes before increasing your heart rate.

Slip Sliding Away...

Ice can be dangerous for several different reasons.

> NEVER walk on a “frozen” pond, lake, river or any other body of water. Just because it looks frozen does not mean it is safe.

> If you are with someone that falls through the ice, first run (or call) for help. Do not try to go out onto the ice to help your friend. You can fall through the ice too.

> When walking on icecovered roadways or sidewalks, take baby steps. Walk carefully and slowly.

Healthy Kids Kids

may not be considered one serving size. For example, a 20-oz bottle contains 2.5 servings. So if the bottle states “110 calories per serving,” that means the entire bottle contains a total of 275 calories! Remember to watch those serving sizes and you’ll have better control over what you’re eating and drinking.

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 4, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 2, NH 3,

Secondly, when you are finished with any kind of strenuous (very active) exercise, take some time to cool down. You can slowly stretch your arms and legs again, and

> Also — remember to look up! Icicles injure numerous people every year. If you see large icicles forming over your front steps, ask your parents to use a broom handle to knock them off to the side before they break loose from your gutters.

> What other ice hazards are there?

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, HPE 7, NH 5, NH 7

continue with reduced speed movements until your heart rate begins to slow down. This warm-up and recovery period is important for your heart health. It also helps to reduce the amount of muscle pulls and strains.

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1

Ingredients:

2 Cps 100% Fruit juice

2 Pkts Unflavored gelatin

1 Tbsp Honey

Directions: Pour ½ cup of juice in a bowl and sprinkle with the gelatin. In a saucepan heat the remaining juice to a boil. Carefully pour the hot juice over the juice/gelatin mixture and stir, slowly adding in the honey. Pour into the bottom of a loaf pan and chill for at least 3 hours. Cut into squares.

Stacie Gorden, LPC

Where do you work? I am the owner, clinical director and counselor at Of A Sound Mind Counseling. Where did you go to school? I graduated from Hazelwood East High School and earned a Bachelor of Liberal Arts from UMKC, Kansas City, MO, a Master of Business Administration from Fontbonne University in St. Louis and a Master of Arts in Counseling from Lindenwood University in St. Louis.

What does a licensed professional counselor do?

A part of my practice is going into the schools and working with students on any mental health issues they may be going through. This could include learning how to manage stressors, working on communication skills, or dealing with traumas they may have endured. We utilize individual sessions, mediation, and even role play.

Why did you choose this career? The career actually chose me; it was not on my radar at all. I was divinely shown that I could take my natural ability to listen and help others work through things, and utilize that to support those in need. What is your favorite part of the job you have? I love being able to work with our community and educate them on taking care of their mental health. I also enjoy encouraging, motivating, and helping people understand that no matter what they are going through, or how bad it may seem, to never give up, THERE IS HOPE!!!

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

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

The Saint Louis Science Center’s YES Program turns 20!

YES (Youth Exploring Science) encourages students to explore, create and share their ideas using an informal learning environment and a project-based education model to facilitate STEAM learning.

The program prioritizes college and career readiness training and prolonged mentoring to help high school students who never considered college a possibility.

For more information, visit slsc.org/yes

The Saint Louis Zoo is currently accepting applications for Zoo ALIVE, our teen volunteer program. High school students 15 and older may apply. As a Zoo ALIVE volunteer, you can share your love of animals with our diverse audiences by helping at classes, camps, overnights, birthday parties, and special events. Volunteers can also participate in group conservation activities, camping trips, and more. This is a year-round program for dedicated and responsible teens.

For more information, visit stlzoo.org/education.

Juicey Cubes

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

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

At Premier Charter School

8th grade teacher

Carly McAdams shows students Wyatt Gottschall, Kalyn Chamberlain, Luis Utrera, Na’Myiah Vesey and Dorian Reddic how to use the newspaper’s NIE page for new ideas for STEM lessons.

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT SCIENCE STARS

AFRICAN AMERICAN MOLECULAR GENETICIST AND EDUCATOR: Mary Harris

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), kids are just as likely to face stress as adults. Kids have pressures from school work, dealing with their peers, and family interactions. Stress has a negative effect on the body. It can cause headaches, stomach pain, tense muscles, and much more. Stress can also affect the normal sleep cycle and appetite. How can you deal with stress? The CDC has 10 tips, listed to the right.

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

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

1. Get active Daily exercise helps your body to release tension. Aim for a total of 60 minutes of activity per day.

2. Fuel up When you eat right, you just feel better. Eating a healthy diet with lean protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains keeps your body functioning properly and helps you fight stress more effectively.

3. Laugh it off Have you heard the expression “laughter is the best medicine?” Laughter releases endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that relax your body. Read a joke book, watch a funny TV show, share a funny memory with a friend.

Background Information:

Is chocolate good for you? Chocolate is made from a combination of ingredients, which include cacao beans, cocoa butter, cocoa solids, and sugar. Dark chocolate has a higher concentration of cacao and less butter and sugar and has been found to help your circulatory system and heart, if it is eaten in small portions. In this experiment, you will create chocolate blooms to see the amount of fat in different types of chocolate.

Materials Needed: • A Variety of Chocolate Candy (white chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate) • A Source of Heat (such as a sunny windowsill)

Process:

q Place your chocolate in a warm place, such as a sunny windowsill to allow it to melt. w Cool the chocolate overnight in the refrigerator.

MATH CONNECTION

Nutrition labels are a great source of math activities. You can calculate portion size. You can also calculate percentage of calories.

Protein and carbohydrates both have 4 calories per gram, and fat has 9 calories per gram.

z If you are eating a snack that has 9 grams of fat, how many calories come from fat? ________

x If your snack has 17 grams of protein, how many calories come from protein? ________

c You are eating a serving of potato chips. It is 160 calories and has 10 grams of fat. What percent of the calories come from fat? ________

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know food stays in your stomach for 2-4 hours?

This special Newspaper In Education initiative is made

Dealing With Stress!

4. Have fun with friends Spending time with friends reminds you that you have love and support, even on those tough days.

5. Talk to someone you trust Parents, teachers, counselors, friends, family members…. Find someone you can trust to listen to you and offer advice.

6. Take time to relax Schedules are often hectic. It’s important to schedule time to relax, as well—read a book, do yoga, take a walk, play a game. Find something you enjoy to relax your body and mind.

7. Catch some ZZZzzzzs you should get 8-10 hours of sleep per night. Be sure you are setting a routine to get enough sleep.

8. Keep a journal Writing your thoughts can help you process your feelings and release tension. Give it a try!

9. Get organized If you have everything organized, it saves time trying to find school supplies, sports equipment, etc. It relieves stress if you know everything is in its place.

10. Lend a helping hand Volunteering to help others takes your mind off your problems and reminds you of your strengths and talents.

eMelt again and refrigerate again.

r Repeat the process until you see brown spots and streaks. (This is called the chocolate bloom.)

Analyze: Chocolate blooms are created when chocolate heats and cools. They are created when the melted fat pushes through the solid particles. Based on the chocolate blooms (created from fat), which type of chocolate had the most fat? Compare your answer with the nutritional label for the chocolate. In your opinion, which type of chocolate is the healthiest?

Learning Standards: I can follow sequential directions to create an experiment. I can analyze results.

v Many sodas are packaged in 20 ounce bottles. If a serving of soda is 8 ounces, how many servings of soda are in a 20 ounce bottle?

b If you consume 1800 calories per day, and 15% of your calories come from fat, how many grams of fat did you consume?

Learning Standards: I can add, subtract, multiply, and divide to solve a problem.

Mary Styles Harris was born in Nashville, Tennessee, on June 26, 1949. Later, she moved to Miami where she was the first African American to enroll in Miami Jackson High School, where she graduated 12th out of her class of 350. In 1971, she graduated from Lincoln University and four years later, she graduated with her PhD from Cornell University. Harris’ studies focused on molecular genetics. Harris was passionate about educating the public. She wanted to inform them about health concerns and what they could do to prevent and treat them. In 1977, she became the executive director of the Sickle Cell Foundation in Georgia. Harris went to Washington, D.C., to complete her science residency and then became the state director of genetic services for the Georgia Department of Human Resources, where she helped to implement health policies nationwide. Harris was a part-time assistant professor at Morehouse College and Atlanta University and founded BioTechnical Communications. This company produced educational materials on a variety of health topics, such as breast cancer. She was a member of the Atlanta board of the March of Dimes and advocated for newborn screenings for sickle cell disease. Harris hosts a radio show called, “Journey to Wellness” and developed a documentary called, “To My Sisters…A Gift for Life.” She has received many awards, including the National Cancer Research postdoctoral fellowship, and the Ford Foundation Doctoral Fellowship, and Glamour magazine’s Outstanding Working Woman.

Journey to Wellness site is an online health magazine for African Americans. Check it out at: www.journeytowellness.com

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

Use the newspaper to complete the following activities.

Activity One

Synonyms:

Choose a news article to read and underline 5 adjectives. Use a thesaurus to create a list of synonyms for each of the adjectives. Rewrite the news article with these synonyms.

Activity Two — Healthy

Choices: Make a poster about good dental care using words and pictures from the newspaper. Talk about why good dental care is important.

Did you know it takes 250 ounces of water to flush the acid of one soda out of your system?

Did you know that food cravings are often due to a lack of nutrients in the body? If

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can write for a variety of purposes and audiences.

MAP PREP

Photo by Wiley Price/ St. Louis American.

The Supreme Court is poised to dismantle Dr. King’s legacy

Charles Jaco – journalist, author, and activist (on Twitter at @charlesjaco1) – who took down U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill’s Republican challenger Todd Akin six years ago in a bruising broadcast interview, came out of retirement to write for The American before the November 6 general election and has stuck with it. He penned this guest Political EYE.

In its continuing drive to re-constitute the Confederacy by attempting to make racism a coherent political philosophy, the American conservative movement and its Supreme Court are preparing to gut Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legal legacy over the next two years. The Fair Housing Act, the Voting Rights Act, and the Civil Rights Act itself – the trinity of Dr. King’s legal legacy – will all be weakened and perhaps destroyed completely, thanks to a rightwing Supreme Court that’s been almost four decades in the making.

It all began with Ronald Reagan’s attorney general, Ed Meese, and a group of rightwing students and faculty at the Yale Law School in 1982. Meese took notice when they founded something called The Federalist Society, dedicated to a conservative and “originalist” reading of the Constitution. Since the original constitution was designed to uphold slavery, originalists have always had

to dance around the issue of whether they were racists. That fiction came to a head last year when Trump nominated the head lawyer for the Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans for a federal judgeship. The lawyer, Wendy Vitter, got into hot water before the Senate Judiciary Committee when she refused to say whether Brown v Board of Education had been decided correctly. Instead, she hemmed and hawed and gave the clear impression that her originalist interpretation of the Constitution led her to believe that mandated school segregation might not have been such a bad thing. That apparently was too much for even the GOP-controlled Senate, which refused to vote on her nomination, but the true beliefs of the originalist crowd that Republican presidents have packed into the nation’s courts had finally become clear. It was part of the framework Meese and the Yale Federalists had in mind back in 1982, when they started identifying and vetting promising right-wing lawyers and judges who could be appointed to federal courts. Meese instituted previously unheard of conservative ideological tests for over 400 judicial appointments. But once the originalist gibberish was scrubbed off, the right-wing litmus test for federal judges came down to three things: • Opposition to civil rights

legislation of all kinds, and

opposition to the principles of the 13th Amendment (ending slavery), the 14th Amendment (guaranteeing equal protection under the law), and the 15th Amendment (guaranteeing that the right to vote was given equally to all adult American citizens),

• Opposition to the 1973 Rowe v Wade decision legalizing abortion, and

• Opposition to the powers

of the federal government to regulate business, from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency to the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission.

Among the acolytes of the Meese-Reagan-Federalist Society movement was a young Harvard Law School graduate named John Roberts. Roberts came to Washington at the start of the Reagan administration to make his mark in the conservative judicial revolution that was just taking off. And the one piece of legislation he wanted to wipe out more than any other was the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA).

Roberts put in his time as a foot soldier, researching and writing briefs that championed restricting, or even eliminating, the VRA. Fast forward almost a quarter-century to 2013, when Chief Justice John Roberts of the United States Supreme Court authored the majority opinion that eviscerated the

VRA by declaring that nine states with a history of blatant voting discrimination no longer had to get federal government approval to change voting laws. A cascade of voter ID laws and other attempts at black voter suppression followed. Yet Roberts wrote that racism in the United States is over: “disparities in voter registration and turnout due to race were erased, and African Americans attained office in record numbers.”

Now that bedrock legislation of the civil rights era has been reduced to a “racial entitlement,” and Donald Trump has two appointees on the Supreme Court, we should prepare for some of the worst decisions since Plessy v Ferguson legalized segregated schools and public facilities in 1896.

One way the Supreme Court could shred everything from the Fair Housing Act to the Civil Rights Act itself is to get rid of what’s called the “disparate impact standard.” In plain English, that standard says that laws don’t necessarily have to

be racist in their intent if they produce a racist result. So, everything from zoning laws to the lending practices of banks and mortgage lenders can be changed if they end up being discriminatory, even if that wasn’t the law’s intent. Say, for example, that a suburb outlaws multi-family housing. The suburb can always claim the intent of outlawing apartment buildings wasn’t racial at all, that residents merely wanted to preserve the ambience of having singlefamily homes. But if the law’s impact ends up being discriminatory by preventing lower-income people of color from accessing relatively affordable housing, then the disparate impact standard means the zoning law could conceivably be challenged under the Fair Housing Act. By making enforcement of civil rights laws dependent upon intent, conservatives want to create a standard of proof so high that unless someone writes a memo specifically saying the law’s intent is to keep black people out, no sanctions or penalties will ever be levied, and civil rights enforcement will slowly shrivel and die. The high court has already taken several steps down that road by upholding voter ID laws in several states, including Missouri. By hiding racist intent behind language concerned about “voter fraud” or “election integrity,” state officials have been able to legalize voter suppression with the approval of the Supreme Court. More assaults like that are coming and, when they do, we need to ignore phony language about “original intent” or “government overreach.” An avowedly white nationalist administration and its five-vote majority on the Supreme Court have one simple goal: making it difficult, if not impossible, for blacks, Hispanics, women, gays, and others to pursue discrimination remedies through the federal courts. Welcome back to the 19th century. And happy MLK Day.

Charles Jaco is a journalist, author, and activist. Follow him on Twitter at @charlesjaco1.

Now that bedrock legislation of the civil rights era has been reduced to a “racial entitlement,” and Donald Trump has two appointees on the Supreme Court, we should prepare for some of the worst decisions since Plessy v Ferguson legalized segregated schools and public facilities in 1896.

Habitat for Humanity to build five new homes

Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis’ donors, volunteers, and partner families work side-by-side to build or rehab Habitat homes. In addition to a modest down payment and a 30-year affordable mortgage, each Habitat homebuyer invests 350 sweatequity volunteer hours.

Lindsey Harrison joined BioSTL as program coordinator for its diversity, inclusion and equity activities. She previously worked as a Business Development manager at Dot Foods, Inc., where she served four years on its Diversity Leadership Group and served as co-chair of the St. Louis office’s multicultural employee resource group. She also played for the women’s tackle football team the St. Louis SLAM for three seasons.

Chris Miller received the 2019 Chairman’s Award for Employee Community Engagement from Boeing. He is a flight simulations lab manager on the Boeing MQ-25 program, and he built a mobile flight simulator that he drives to area schools. He also helped develop the Boeing-inspired design challenge “Design to Fly,” a hands-on project teaching students about flight control systems.

Mariah L. Richardson was selected for a new initiative developed by Shakespeare Festival St. Louis called the Confluence Regional Writers Project. She and two other playwrights, Shualee Cook and Kristin Idaszak, will spend the next year developing new plays through writing sessions, workshops and mentorship activities with Confluence Project Director Nancy Bell and Playwriting Fellow Carter Lewis.

American staff

Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis will move forward with plans to build five new homes near Saint Louis University in 2019 with funding secured through the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund. With the $1.1 million investment, Habitat will transform long-vacant land in the Gate District West neighborhood just adjacent to the university’s Medical Campus into for-sale affordable single-family housing. The plan calls for two-story, fully accessible homes with brick façades to complement the existing streetscapes. St. Louis Midtown Development Corporation, created in partnership with SLU and SSM Health, is playing a lead role in spearheading redevelopment in this area. In March 2017, the entity was ratified by the City of St. Louis as an Urban Redevelopment Corporation to oversee

Victims of marijuana

By Charles Jaco For The St. Louis American

Charles Jaco Affordable Housing Trust Fund invests $1.1M in

When the Medical Cannabis Business Conference and Expo rolls into St. Louis’ Union Station Monday, March 11 and Tuesday, March 12, the speakers, vendors, exhibitors, and participants will probably be overwhelmingly white. That’s because the regulations governing the medical and recreational marijuana industries in states where they’re legal require two things many black people with experience in the cannabis trade don’t have: lots of startup money and clean criminal records. Consider: the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that black and white

n Maybe more of this money can end up in the hands of black communities most victimized by discriminatory enforcement of the old marijuana laws.

people use marijuana at similar rates, but a 2018 study by the Southern Poverty Law Center found that black people are three times as likely to be arrested for marijuana possession. That’s only slightly better than the 2010 study from the American Civil Liberties Union, which discovered that African Americans are four times as likely to be arrested for possession as whites. In many states, an arrest for even a tiny amount of weed, at least until recently, meant that you would have a felony arrest on your

and administer a redevelopment plan to draw new investment to an area comprised of close to 400 acres in Midtown.

“As private investment continues to come to places like Midtown, we know that the cost of housing is rising, and so is the demand for affordable housing opportunities for working families,” said Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis

See HABITAT, B6

Cornell D. Lurry Sr. joined Midland States Bank as the Regional Community Development Relationship manager for the Northeastern Illinois Region. He currently is president of the Advisory Council for Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago’s South Suburban affiliate. He is pursuing his Masters of Business Administration degree at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois.

Vetta Sanders Thompson

Vetta Sanders Thompson joined the Board of Directors of the Missouri Foundation for Health. She is the E. Desmond Lee Professor of Racial and Ethnic Studies at the Brown School at Washington University and co-director of the Institute for Public Health Center for Community Health, Partnership and Research. She is committed to research, interventions, and engagement to support community efforts to achieve equity in health and well-being.

record. And that – along with taxes, fees, and non-refundable deposits demanded by state regulators – means that around one percent of marijuana dispensary owners are black, accounting for fewer than 40 of the over 3,000 retail cannabis dispensaries across the United States. Take Missouri, where medical marijuana was approved by voters in November. In prior years, Missouri was notorious for having some of the nation’s most draconian marijuana laws. It was only in 2015 that Jeff Mizanskey was released by then-Gov. Jay Nixon after having served over 20 years on marijuana charges. He had been sentenced to life for charges that involved just weed. No violence, no heavier drugs, simply marijuana. Mizanskey is now 65 years old. The new medical cannabis process in the Show-Me State is regulated by the Missouri

Shamed Dogan will chair the Special Committee on Criminal Justice for the 100th General Assembly, a newly formed committee charged with exploring ways to reform Missouri’s criminal justice system. One of the first bills this committee will consider would give judges additional flexibility in sentencing low-level, nonviolent offenders. A Republican state representative from Ballwin, he also is a member of the House Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee.

On the move? Congratulations! Send your good professional news and a color headshot to cking@stlamerican. com

Chris Miller Shamed Dogan

Cornell D. Lurry Sr.

Lindsey Harrison

Mariah L. Richardson

Nasheed calls on Tribune Media, KTVI to implement anti-racism training

Invites Steincross – who called MLK ‘Martin Luther Coon’ on live TV – to a city tour

By Chris King

Of The St. Louis American

State Senator Jamilah

Nasheed (D-St. Louis) has advice for Tribune Media Company, after one of the newscasters at its St. Louis affiliate, Kevin Steincross at KTVI (Fox 2), called Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “Martin Luther Coon” on live television: get your people – all of your people – some antiracism training. “I am asking Tribune Media, KTVI (Fox 2), and Steincross to take steps that can help bring our city together and prevent something like this from happening again,” Nasheed said in a statement.

“First, I am calling on Tribune Media to provide intersectional anti-bias, anti-racism training for all of their global employees, including those at KTVI, as recommended in The Ferguson Commission Report.”

She also invited Steincross to tour St. Louis, including the 5th Senate District, to meet some of her “constituents who have been negatively

impacted by racist language.”

Nasheed pointed out that her call for media training is consistent with one of the Ferguson Commission’s Calls to Action: the development of media training on “bias

and systemic context with specific focus on impoverished communities, people of color, and boys and men of color.”

Nasheed said she thought about calling for Steincross’s termination or resignation instead, but was guided by a quote from Dr. King printed on the Martin Luther King Jr. Political Service Award she received on January 17 from the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and

Community College accepting Bio-Bench Workshop applications

Monsanto Fund grant continues teacher and student training program

Saint Louis University: “A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.”

Nasheed said: “That quote describes accurately the kind of leadership our city needs in this divided time.”

Tribune Media Company, KTVI and Kevin Steincross did not return a call from The American requesting comment. Their responses will be included if received.

American staff

A $25,000 grant from the Monsanto Fund to St. Louis Community College will finance a weeklong class called the Bio-Bench Workshop, which advances learning about biotechnology in two ways. First, eighth- through 12th-grade science teachers or specialists participate in a weeklong, lab-based professional development experience. The teachers, taught hands-on lessons by Center for Plant and Life Sciences faculty and staff, ultimately share their experiences with their students in the fall. In addition to instruction, teachers also receive the option of three graduate workshop credits through Lindenwood

University, a $500 stipend if they attend the entire week and provide an approved lesson plan, and $500 in lab supplies and equipment.

Second, the grant enables 400 students to participate in a daylong, lab-based experience that raises their awareness about bio-technology in the region and opportunities for employment. Center for Plant and Life Sciences Education Outreach Specialist Lee Douangkeomany, who will lead this year’s workshop, will also visit area schools to present lessons.

The teacher portion of the workshop will be held July 30 to August 3. The student portion of the workshop will take place during the upcoming school year. Both sections of the workshop take place

in laboratories at the Center for Plant and Life Sciences’ home at the Bio-Research, Development and Growth Park, located on the campus of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, 1005 N. Warson Rd.

The theme for this year’s program is “CRISPR and Friends.” CRISPR – short for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats – is the bacterial defense system that forms the basis for genome

Teachers don lab coats, goggles and gloves and get handson biotechnology lessons during St. Louis Community College’s Bio-Bench Workshop.

editing technology. Researchers hope to use this technology to correct mutations and treat genetic causes of disease. Participants will learn a lesson on DNA extraction among other topics this summer.

n A limited number of workshop spaces are still open; teachers from public and private schools in St. Louis Community College’s service area are invited to participate.

A limited number of workshop spaces are still open; teachers from public and private schools in St. Louis Community College’s service area are invited to participate. To request an application and learn more about the workshop, call 314-513-4950 or email odouangkeomany@stlcc.edu.

January 31 deadline for Baseball Hall of Fame internship

College students interested in baseball or museums have until January 31 to apply for the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s 2019 internship program in Cooperstown, New York.

The 10-week summer internship, Frank and Peggy Steele Internship Program,

offers hands-on training in numerous professional career fields. Twenty intern positions are available in such fields as curatorial, licensing and sales, membership/development, photo archives, programming, public relations, research and special events.

To be eligible, students must

be enrolled in a bachelor’s or master’s degree program at a college or university, having completed at least their sophomore year of studies. Applications must be received no later than January 31. Apply online at baseballhall.org/intern.

Zoo hosting job fairs January 26 and February

The Saint Louis Zoo will host job fairs from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, January 26 and Friday, February 8 in The Living World at the North Entrance for those interested in seasonal work. In addition to spring, summer and fall employees, the Zoo also is seeking applicants who have immediate availability this winter.

8

Seasonal positions include engineers and conductors for the Zooline Railroad, catering and food service personnel, groundskeepers, gardeners, retail and parking lot attendants, and more. Flexible weekday and weekend positions are available for ages 15 (work permit required at time of hire) and up. Positions start at $10 per hour. Dress for the job fair is business casual. Background screenings and drug testing will be required for all new hires. For more information, call (314) 646-4816 or visit stlzoo. org/employment.

Ballpark Village hosts Career Fair on January 30

Ballpark Village will host a Career Fair 9-11 a.m. Wednesday, January 30 at the facility, 601 Clark Ave. Venues recruiting staff include Budweiser Brew House, FOX Sports Midwest Live!, PBR St.

Louis, and the Shark Bar, set to open in the spring. Attire for this event is business casual, and interested individuals should come prepared with a driver license or stateissued I.D. and a resume.

Attendees are encouraged to park in the Ballpark Village surface lot, as parking validation will be provided. For more information, visit stlballparkvillage.com/careers or call (314)797-7530.

Jamilah Nasheed

Kevin Steincross

n “It is a dream. It is what you work for.”

— Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, about going to the Super Bowl

Sports

Molina defends a city, county that his bosses want to strip of power

~ See ‘Sports Eye’ page B4 ~

Alton takes Chick-fil-A Classic

Defeats Chaminade in championship game 67-59

The Alton Redbirds have been a consistent winner in high school basketball for many years, but have operated somewhat under the radar behind fellow metro east programs such as East St. Louis, Edwardsville and most recently, Belleville West.

The Redbirds took a big step in changing that perception last weekend as they won the championship of the Chick-fil-A Classic at Belleville East. In the semifinals, Alton rallied from a 15-point deficit to stun previously unbeaten Trinity 64-62. The following night, the Redbirds defeated Chaminade 67-59 to win the championship and end the Red Devils’ two-year reign as tournament champions.

Alton’s leader all season has been 6’7” senior guard Donovan Clay, who was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. He had nine points and eight rebounds in the championship game, but it was his back-to-back 3-pointers in the fourth quarter that broke open a close game. The multi-talented Clay is averaging a team-high 20 points a game. Senior guard Malik Smith scored a team-high 19 points to lead the Redbirds in the finals against Chaminade. The 6’3” Smith is a talented offensive player, with a wide array of skills to get buckets. Smith and Clay are Alton’s top returning scorers from last season.

Junior forward Moory Woods is a versatile 6’4” performer who averages 10 points a game. Junior guard Andrew Jones is a crafty left-handed point guard who can penetrate in the lane and make open 3-pointers. Seniors Ky’Lun Rivers and Charles Miller are solid performers who play their roles well.

The Redbirds have a chance to be very dangerous down the stretch with the return of 6’3” senior forward Josh Rivers, who missed the first 13 games of the season while serving a suspension. He saw his first action over the weekend at Belleville East and made several impact plays in both the semifinal championship game. He scored the game-winner with 15 seconds left in the victory over Trinity.

Ishmael breaks his NFL

I broke my NFL boycott for one week and boy am I sorry I began a personal boycott of the NFL after the St. Louis Rams were whisked away to Los Angeles after a series of lies, deception and corruption. My sour grapes boycott then turned into a boycott of solidarity after league owners colluded against Colin Kaepernick for taking a knee as a way to stand against police brutality and social injustice. In the countless Sundays that I have skipped NFL football, there has been very little interest or curiosity as to what was happening on the gridiron. Nowadays, there’s simply too much content at the tip of my fingertips. With infinite video consumption opportunities on Netflix and YouTube, my traditional TV watching time is close to nil.

Of course, being a sportswriter who completely ignores the most popular sport in the

nation comes with its own challenges. People who recognize me as a writer for The American often seek to strike up conversation about the latest happenings from the sports world. When the topic veers towards the NFL, I’m often caught staring blankly, wondering how to proceed. While I no longer care about NFL football, I refuse to become like the self-righteous sports fans who sneer at black folks for watching football. My boycott was just that – my boycott. So when people ask who I’ve got in a particular Sunday matchup, it’s sometimes tough to explain that #IMWITHKAP without sounding judgmental as if I’m wondering #WHYARENTYOU. All season long, I’ve heard people rave about Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes Though I’d read and heard about the heroic feats of the fearless, young, black gunslinger, I’d never actually seen

Earl Austin Jr.

H. Sistrunk

SLU High School’s Freddie Cooper (24) goes up over Hazelwood East’s Ronell Williams (5) for two of his 24 points Monday night helping the Jr. Bills defeat the DeSmet Spartans 52-46.

QB Patrick Mahomes is the real deal.

Photo by Wiley Price

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

Molina defends a city, county that his bosses want to strip of power

If I were a professional football, baseball or hockey player and could choose the city I performed in, St. Louis would not be at the top of the list. San Francisco would be first. Chicago would probably be second.

That’s not throwing shade on St. Louis, it’s just a reality.

Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant, in a failed attempt at humor during the Chicago Cubs Convention last Friday night, irritated All-Star catcher Yadier Molina and much of Cardinal Nation when he called St. Louis “boring.”

“Who would want to play in St. Louis?

So boring. It’s so boring,” Bryant said in a talk-show style interview with former Cub teammate and wanna-be comedian, Ryan Dempster.

2016 World Series title, said Bryant’s comments will add to an already intense rivalry.

“Yadi is a fiery guy, which is awesome. I love it,” Fowler said during the Cardinals Winter Warmup – which was happening precisely as the Cubs Convention was going on.

“I think it’s good for the rivalry. These are going to be some fun games. I’m looking forward to the Cardinals fans coming out and showing up.”

Left fielder Marcel Ozuna, who will be trying to bounce back from injury and inconsistency in 2018, wrote, “From outside they speak and talk like tiger, but at the end they gonna be like little cat.”

“I always get asked like, ‘Where do you like to play? Where do you not like to play?’ St. Louis is on the list where I don’t like to play.

“‘Zero chance, pal. No way.’ I wouldn’t even go there as a free agent. Not happening. It’s rough.”

It didn’t take long for Bryant’s comments to reach the reach Molina who labeled Bryant a “loser,” in an Instagram response.

“All stars, elite players and leaders of their teams do not speak bad about any city. There should be respect and you should play and compete with respect ... only stupid players and losers make comments like the ones made by Bryant and Dempster,” he wrote.

Dexter Fowler, a former Cubs centerfielder who was integral to Chicago’s

Molina and others were quick to defend St. Louis’ honor. Which one of them is going to walk into team president Bill DeWitt III’s office and tell him he’s full of crap?

The city and region that the Cardinals love so much is under attack by a Better Together plan that would basically end its existence. The only way to pull off this grand scam is to have voters from throughout the state – not just the St. Louis region – vote to strip area residents of their right to determine their own form of government.

DeWitt II is among the business and civic leaders backing the immoral plan that would destroy the city and county’s autonomy, combine its police forces, dilute African-American political strength and begin paving the path to one St. Louis area school district.

“I think it’s something we absolutely have to do as a

region,” DeWitt III told the Post-Dispatch.

If DeWitt and the Cardinals are concerned about the region’s future, the franchise should question why it dodged taxes on Ballpark Village construction.

Two years ago, as reported by the Post-Dispatch, the city’s Board of Aldermen “granted the Cardinals and the team’s development partner, Baltimore-based Cordish Cos., $16 million in tax incentives.

“The package includes a 1 percent sales tax “on purchases made within Ballpark Village,” and “it comes on top” of the $49 million the city granted the Cardinals in 2012 as part of Ballpark Village’s first phase.”

The second phase, which is under construction, will include a 20-plus story residential tower, a “Class-A” office building and additional retail restaurant and entertainment space, according to the Cardinals.

The city helped the Cardinals and the Cardinals are saying thank you by supporting a plan to rip the city’s heart from its body.

My guess is that most of the 3 million fans who flock to Busch Stadium each season reside in St. Louis County. The county that generates the most money for the Cardinals is being threatened by the team through its support for Better Together.

Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant, in a failed attempt at humor during the Chicago Cubs Convention last Friday night, irritated AllStar catcher Yadier Molina and much of Cardinal Nation when he called St. Louis “boring.”

Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell will join his staff as an associate head coach in charge of the Dolphins offense. Patrick Graham, who worked with Flores with the Patriots, will be the new defensive coordinator.

This marks the first time in NFL history a team has had a black person in its top five non-playing positions (general manager, assistant general manager, head coach, offensive boss and defensive coordinator).

Unlike most NFL owners, Ross does not flee from racial and social injustice challenges in society and created the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) to address these issues.

“All the teams are going to aspire to hire the best people,” Cyrus Mehri told Dave Hyde, South Florida Sun Sentinel columnist.

Mehri, co-founder of the Rooney Alliance, which identifies and lobbies for minority NFL coaching candidates, said Ross is not your average owner.

Kirkwood, Webster, Ladue and others, say goodbye to your respective representation on the County Council and your police forces will become a thing of the past. The Cardinals want it that way, so it must be right.

In the words of Bryant, that indeed is “rough.”

Are any of the Cardinals going to call DeWitt III a “loser?” I doubt it. His dad signs the checks – and those are some big checks.

Rams return to Super Bowl

It took a missed interference (and helmet-to-helmet hit) penalty for the Los Angeles Rams to top the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship 26-23.

But, like it or not, a replay of the Super Bowl following the 2001 season between the Rams and New England Patriots is on tap.

The runaway Rams hate that still clogs the arteries of many sports media members has been on full display since last Sunday.

Jeff Gordon of the PostDispatch devoted a column to hints that the Rams-Saints game proved an NFL playoff game – or any regular season contest – could be fixed. He didn’t say the Rams were delivered the game purposely by the refs or that a fix as in, buy why even write that?

Rams hate, that’s why.

Regardless of what you think of Rams owner Stan Kroenke, the fact is, the region would be aglow during two weeks of Super Bowl hype. With all our problems, we’d be feeling better about ourselves and we could tell the world that St. Louis ain’t so bad after all.

The bury-our-heads-in-thesand plan didn’t work. The

region’s civic and business leaders that refused to believe Kroenke would leave until it was way too late can only dream of St. Louis again being a Super Bowl team’s city.

Meanwhile, Kroenke’s franchise has more than tripled in value, has hosted two playoff games since arriving in L.A., will begin playing in a stateof-art stadium in 2020 and host the Super Bowl in 2021. That’s OK. St. Louis will have the XFL in 2020.

Miami in the minority

Within hours of the Super Bowl’s end on February 3, Patriots linebackers coach and defensive play-caller Brian Flores will be in Miami where his expected to sign a deal to become head coach.

It has been common knowledge the job was his since shortly after his Jan. 4 interview, but he can’t take over until the Patriots’ season concludes.

After a flurry of firing black NFL head coaches following the end of the season, Flores will bring the ranks back to three. He joins the San Diego Chargers Anthony Lynn and Pittsburgh Steelers Mike Tomlin.

But Miami’s story is historic.

Dolphins owner Steve Ross gave General Manager Chris Grier full administrative control of the team and trusted him to help select a new coach. Grier and Flores were former Patriots scouts together and have a longstanding relationship.

Ross did not balk at Grier’s choice of Flores.

Grier then hired Buffalo Bills front-office member Marvin Allen as his assistant GM.

As soon as Flores officially become coach, former

“Every team is different. Every owner is different. Steve Ross has a track record of being very [passionate] about issues with race,” Mehri said. Ross has reportedly also assured Grier that he does not expect a quick fix and acknowledges that rebuilding the team will take a few seasons. In other words, Flores won’t be fired after one season, which was the fate of former Arizona Cardinals coach Steve Wilks.

The Reid Roundup Bernie Miklasz of 101 ESPN and The Athletic was on Chicago sports radio station 670 The Score on Monday morning. He said he looked for Dexter Fowler to have a rebound season and that Cardinals fans at the Winter Warmup were very supportive of him … Miklasz also said Cardinals manager Mike Shildt will be a stronger opponent for Cubs manager Joe Maddon “Joe Maddon had it easy with Mike Matheny. Matheny was no match for Joe Maddon … It hurt my heart when the Patriots triumphed over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime on Sunday. I knew how it would end when the Patriots won the coin toss … A classy move by Tom Brady to meet privately with Mahomes after the game and share some words of encouragement … A Chiefs vs. Rams Super Bowl would have been fun.

Alvin A. Reid was honored as the 2017 “Best Sports Columnist – Weeklies” in the Missouri Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest and is a New York Times contributor. He is a panelist on the Nine Network program, Donnybrook, a weekly contributor to “The Charlie Tuna Show” on KFNS and appears monthly on “The Dave Glover Show” on 97.1 Talk.” His Twitter handle is @aareid1.

Alvin A. Reid

CLUTCH

Continued from C7 importantly, he went toe-to-toe with the greatest QB to ever live.

Had the Chiefs received the kickoff in overtime, I have no doubt that Kansas City would headed to the Super Bowl instead of the Brady bunch.

Unsurprisingly, the Patriots received some assistance from the officials. First, a bogus roughing the passer call against the Chiefs’ Chris Jones for daring to touch Brady’s shoulder while attempting to strip the ball. Later, the officials reversed a call regarding a punt that Julian Edelman appeared to touch. Despite conflicting evidence depending on the camera angle, officials ruled against the call on the field that Edelman touched the ball (which was recovered by the Chiefs).

Luckily for Chiefs fans, “ball don’t lie” and the Chiefs got an interception on the very next play and drove down the field for a touchdown. At the end of the day, it wasn’t the suspect calls that cost the Chiefs that game. It was the inability to stop Brady and the curse bad luck that put the ball in his hands to start in OT instead of Mahomes’.

The same cannot be said about the NFL Championship game between the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams. While I did not watch the game, I was dining with friends who were glued to their phones. After the non-call seen ‘round the world, my friend showed me the replay on his phone.

There is simply no way that the officials did not see Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman hit Saints WR Tommlee Lewis (never mind helmet-to-helmet) before the ball arrived on the critical fourth-quarter play.

PREP

Christian-O’Fallon wins

Rotating 8 Championship

A very young and talented Christian-O’Fallon team took home the championship of the Rotating 8 last Saturday with a thrilling 60-59 victory over host Whitfield. The Eagles were led by sophomore guard Sharrod Alexander, who scored 17 points while freshman Kristian Davis added 16 points. Sophomore forward Kalin Black added 11 points and grabbed a team-high 14 rebounds. These three underclassmen have been leading the Eagles all season during their 11-7 campaign. The 5’10” Alexander is averaging 16.4 points and 3.8 assists a game while the 6’3” Davis averages 13.6 points a game. The 6’2” Black averages 12.1 points and a team-high 11.9 rebounds

Belleville East wins Highland Tournament

Replays show the side judge had a close, clear and unobstructed view of the play. Somehow though, the officials huddled up and emerged wearing Bird Box blindfolds when it came time to announce the decision that there was no penalty on the play. It is one of the most absurd decisions in the history of the sport. Had the proper pass interference penalty been enforced, the Saints would have had a first down with the ball at the 13-yard-line with 1:49 left. The Rams only had one timeout and

a game. He is a rebounding machine. The Eagles also get contributions from sophomore guard RJ Horry, freshman guard Raynard Horry and sophomore forward AJ Taylor.

Kaylah Rainey returns to court

The most amazing event of last week occurred at the Highland Tournament last week as Belleville East won the championship with a 64-58 victory over Civic Memorial. What made the Lancers’ victory even more memorable was that it marked the return of standout senior guard Kaylah Rainey to the lineup. The 5’7” Rainey underwent open heart surgery on January 30 and was on the court less than two months later and helping her team win a big tournament championship. What a tremendous story. She had four points in her first appearance against Mater Dei in the quarterfinals, six points in the semifinals against Highland and

would have been powerless to stop the Saints from running the clock down to set up an easy chip shot, game-winning field goal.

The faux pas literally cost the Saints a trip to the Super Bowl.

What once seemed like a crazy conspiracy theory, that the NFL wants large market cities to win, now seems as obvious as that blown call. The Saints were cheated.

According to Saints coach Sean Payton, the league admitted that the Rams should have

12 points in the championship game against Civic Memorial.

Continued from C7 game. He also had big games in victories over Normandy and Trinity.

An All-Southwestern Conference performer, Rainey will attend Northwestern University on a basketball scholarship.

In the championship game against Civic Memorial, senior Nyah Ford led the Lancers with 20 points while senior guard Bryce Dowell added 18 points. Dowell was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

Cardinal Ritter Classic this weekend

Cardinal Ritter College Prep will be holding an excellent six-game basketball Shootout on Saturday. The opening game will be a girls’ matchup between host Cardinal Ritter and Gateway STEM at noon. That game will be followed by five boys’ games which include: Confluence vs. Granite City, 1:30 p.m.; Hazelwood East vs. St. Mary’s, 3 p.m.; Jennings vs.

The ST. LouiS AmericAn PreP AThLeTeS of The Week

Donovan Clay Alton – Boys Basketball

The senior standout was the Most Valuable Player of the Chick-fil-A Classic at Belleville East after leading the Redbirds to the championship.

Clay had 9 points and 8 rebounds and hit back to back 3-pointers in the fourth quarter of the Redbirds 67-59 win over Chaminade in the championship

For the season, Clay is averaging right around 20 points a game in leading the Redbirds to a 13-7 record. One of the most improved players in the St. Louis area, Clay has doubled his scoring average from his junior season.

been penalized in a phone call after the game. Still, nothing will be done. League execs are likely ecstatic to see Los Angeles versus New England (Boston) as opposed to Kansas City versus New Orleans. Though I enjoyed watching Patrick Mahomes perform on Sunday, the bad taste in my mouth after another Patriots victory and a Saints robbery let me know that I’m not missing much. If I want to see cheating, backstabbing, lying and treachery, I’ll just queue up Game of Thrones

Memphis Douglass, 4:30 p.m.; Bloomington (Ill.) vs. Soldan, 6 p.m.; Romeoville (Ill.) vs. Cardinal Ritter, 7:30 p.m.

Tournament action this weekend

There are a group of

AB punch drunk?

Speaking of robberies, it was absurd to see Adrien Broner complain about his loss to Manny Pacquiao Saturday night. Even the Rams-Saints officials couldn’t have flubbed the scorecards after Broner was dominated in a unanimous decision by Pacquiao.

Still, Broner did what Broner does and made a complete fool of himself after the fight. It’s sad because Broner has plenty of talent. However, his terrible attitude and inabil-

late-season tournaments that will be concluding this weekend. The Fort Zumwalt North Tournament will hold its championship game on Saturday at 3 p.m. The favorite in the field is Southeast Missouri power Sikeston … The Circle 7 Ranch

ity to perform in big fights have left him all but washed up before the age of 30. I hope Broner takes care of the $2.5M purse he received for the fight. It’s likely the last big payday he’ll see in the ring.

Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @ishcreates. Subscribe to The St. Louis American’s YouTube page to see weekly sports videos starting Ishmael and Melvin Moore at youtube.com/stlamericanvideo.

Showdown Tournament at Parkway West will hold its championship game on Friday at 8:30 p.m. DeSmet is the top seed with Hazelwood Central, Parkway Central and Wentzville Liberty following.

Bullock

The Belleville East Lancers girls basketball team won the championship of the Highland Tournament last weekend. The Lancers defeated Civic Memorial 64-58 in the championship game. The members of team are (in alphabetical order): Tyler Butler, B’Aunce Carter, Amiya Cole, Bryce Dowell, Nyah Ford, Bria James, Raya James, Hannah Mitchell, Jaila Parker, Kaylah Rainey, Grace Riley and Symone Tucker.

DIVERSITY

continued from page B1

Department of Health and Human Services, which won’t begin accepting applications for dispensaries or cultivation facilities until June. But before you can even apply, you first have to fill out a pre-filed license application fee form, sort of a pre-application. But just to submit the preapplication, you have to pay hefty non-refundable fees just as a tiny first step to process the paperwork. How hefty? If you apply to grow medical cannabis, the application fee is $10,000. If you want to run a dispensary, the pre-application fee is $6,000. Those fees are non-refundable, and there is no guarantee you will even make it through the first step of the screening process.

If an entrepreneur has to pay 10 grand just to have a preapplication considered, imagine what the real application fee will be. Plus regulatory fees. Plus taxes. Plus license fees. Plus buying a building, or land, or equipment. And remember, normal bank financing isn’t available. That’s because financial institutions are federally chartered, and under federal law marijuana is still a Schedule One drug, the same as heroin, so banks won’t touch the business.

All that means unless you have a few hundred thousand dollars in ready cash, you

HABITAT

continued from page B1

Executive Director Kimberly McKinney. She said Habitat has “hundreds of waitlist applicants.” The organization receives more than 5,000 calls each year from people living in substandard housing who inquire about eligibility for its home buying program. In 2018, more than 800 individuals or

won’t be able to get into the game. Add those bruising financial requirements to the strict requirements about criminal records, and it’s plain why the vast majority of people in the industry are white and upper-middle class. Small steps are being taken across the country to rectify the problem. In St. Louis city, possession of small amounts of marijuana has been effectively legalized by city ordinance. In St. Louis County, newly elected prosecutor Wesley Bell will no longer prosecute

couples living in St. Louis city or county for at least one year making within 25-50 percent of the area median income and living in substandard housing requested a pre-screen application to begin the process of applying to the program. Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis is a not-for-profit, ecumenical housing ministry working in partnership with individuals, corporate partners and communities of all faiths to improve housing conditions and provide safe, decent and

possession cases under 100 grams (roughly 3.5 ounces).

Prosecutors from Brooklyn to Denver have been expunging marijuana arrest records, and in California prosecutors have until July to review weed possession cases statewide, some going back decades, that may be wiped clean.

On the financial front, there are people like Marvin Washington, defensive end for the Super Bowl champ Denver Broncos in 1998. Washington has become a medical cannabis campaigner and entrepreneur.

While only a handful of states have legalized recreational cannabis, 39 states now have laws legalizing marijuana to one degree or another for medical uses.

Tuatara Capital, a New York investment management firm, makes investments in minority-owned cannabis firms. Mazakali, an online investment banking platform, is also involved in minority cannabis financing. The Los Angelesbased Minority Cannabis Business Association is the first non-profit aimed specifically at minority entrepreneurs wanting to enter the medical or legal weed business. While only a handful of states have legalized recreational cannabis, 39 states

n “As private investment continues to come to places like Midtown, we know that the cost of housing is rising, and so is the demand for affordable housing opportunities .”

– Kimberly McKinney, Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis

affordable housing in St. Louis city and county. Its donors, volunteers, and partner families work side-byside to build or rehab Habitat

homes. In addition to a modest down payment and a 30-year affordable mortgage, each Habitat homebuyer invests 350 sweat-equity volunteer hours

now have laws legalizing marijuana to one degree or another for medical uses, and everyone knows how this will end up. A patchwork of wildly divergent laws about weed, varying from state to state, is only necessary because of the federal classification of cannabis as a Schedule One drug. It’s a sure bet that sometime in the next decade, Congress will lift that Schedule One classification, paving the way for recreational marijuana to be as available, and as regulated, as alcohol is now.

Even given that, present experience seems to indicate that the current black market marijuana infrastructure will continue to operate. After recreational cannabis was legalized in California, Marketview Research did a survey and found that 18 percent of all weed users continued to buy from unregulated, black market sources. One big reason was price. With a California tax of $9.25 per ounce of cannabis flowers, plus a 15 percent excise tax, taxes and fees make up over 40 percent of the price of legal weed sold in licensed shops. With lower overhead and zero taxes, black market entrepreneurs can easily undercut the price of legal marijuana.

Despite that, the growth in the legal and medical cannabis market has been accelerating. Marijuana is generating over $20 million per month in Colorado tax revenue. California is raking in around $33 million every month. Nevada’s last financial reports showed cannabis tax revenue of $8 million per month. As the green wave grows, it seems there’s plenty of money to be made. And, just maybe, more of it can end up in the hands of black communities most victimized by discriminatory enforcement of the old marijuana laws. Charles Jaco is a journalist, author, and activist. Follow him on Twitter at @ charlesjaco1.

into building or rehabbing a home and attending life skills classes. The Affordable Housing Trust Fund was established by city voters to stabilize neighborhoods through the preservation and production of affordable housing and support services for those in need. The Affordable Housing Commission made available $5,175,424 in grants and loans in its 2018 funding round. Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis was one of 45 grants and three development projects funded.

Affordable Housing Commission Executive Director April Ford Griffin said the new homes will be “accessible, highly energyefficient, and near Midtown’s transit and high opportunities, which are critical building blocks for improving life and building economic mobility.” For more information, visit www.habitatstl.org.

Photo by Suzy Gorman

From ‘the block’ in Kinloch to ‘Black Woman in Hollywood’

Jenifer Lewis covers ESSENCE, to be honored at annual Oscars luncheon

By Kenya Vaughn OF The St. Louis American

It was a delightful surprise to see a St. Louis daughter upon reaching in the mailbox to pull out a magazine last week.

There she was, “Straight outta Kinloch,” as she often proclaims. Her huge afro interrupted the famous all caps ESSENCE – and was eclipsed only by her smile.

Her hands lifted to show a ring, a pearl bedazzled denim jacket. Her posture would lead one to believe she just finished uttering the favorite of her signature catch phrases, “I’m Jenifer [m-f expletive] Lewis!” at the top of her voice.

The acclaimed author and stage, film and television actress – and current co-star of ABC’S “black-ish,” graces the cover because of the distinguished honor of being selected as one of the magazine’s 2019 ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood honorees. The annual luncheon that takes place during Oscar-week celebrates the global influence of Hollywood’s lead ing female artist-activists – both in front of the camera and behind-the-scenes.

Actress Amandla Stenberg (“The Hate U Give”) actress Kiki Layne (“If Beale Street Could Talk”) and actress/comedian Regina Hall (“Support The Girls”) joins Lewis as this year’s honorees.

“We are proud to salute the marvelous work and stunning achievements of our 2019 Black Women in Hollywood awardees, who as a collective presence are challenging perceptions

Arts and honors in the city

28

th Annual St. Louis Arts Awards praises those who help ‘keep art happening’

“We’re

work together to sustain and grow our vibrant arts community,” said Cynthia A. Prost, A&E president and CEO. “Tonight, we will honor people who have worked to ensure that our next generation and generations to come have outstanding arts opportunities.

“These are people who have spent their lives honing their talents and making it possible for artists and arts organizations to continue to thrive across our region. “The honorees and the exceptional performances you will see on this stage are examples of the magic that happens when we all

“See, a little colored girl from Kinloch, Missouri gets 20 million views now.”

and impacting social change,” says MoAna Luu, chief Creative and Content officer for ESSENCE. “Through their craft and their commitment to causes, Amandla, Jenifer, Kiki and Regina represent the dynamic intersection of art and activism that is influencing how we shape our own destiny.” In addition to “black-ish,’ Lewis made waves last year with viral videos that have – in the most Jenifer Lewis-way humanly possible –

urged people to take social and political action.

“Get your [expletive] out and vote” was among the most popular. She also used the book tour for her “The Mother of Black Hollywood” memoir to promote activism and awareness on a host of fronts that range from gun violence, social justice and mental health.

“I want you guys to know that this is not

From ‘Eve’ to ‘Fire’

Filmmaker, first time librettist Kasi Lemmons opens up about her creative process

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St.

Louis American

The art of cinema was nearly 100 years old when Kasi Lemmons wrote her script and picked up a camera to create the stunningly beautiful and substantive “Eve’s Bayou.” And yet, in 1997, her debut feature film was only the second time in the history of the film industry that a black woman filmmaker was given a nationwide mainstream theatrical release.

The first, Julie Dash’s “Daughters of The Dust” was mostly relegated to the arthouse scene because the assumption was that a period piece about an early 20th century Gullah family was too much for the average movie-goer to consume.

“Now there are lots of black women directors,” Lemmons said. “We are in a good time and I think things are changing – but at the time we were a very rare, small group of people that were able to do this. So just the art itself was very important.”

“Eve’s Bayou” broke ground with its commercial and critical success. It launched the careers of Meghan Good and Jurnee Smollett and solidified Samuel L. Jackson’s leading man status.

Lemmons came to town on Saturday to discuss the film as the first of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ Community Conversations – a series of programming to build buzz around their upcoming world premiere of “Fire Shut Up In My Bones.” The Terence Blanchard Opera is based on the Charles Blow memoir of the same name. Lemmons is the librettist for “Fire Shut Up In My Bones.” After a screening of “Eve’s Bayou,” pre-

A&E President and CEO Cynthia Prost and A&E Board Chair Brendan Johnson presents Broadway veteran Ken Page with the Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Awards at the 28th Annual St. Louis Arts Awards Monday night at The Chase Park Plaza.

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.

black history activities

Sat., Feb. 2, 2 p.m., Edna Patterson-Petty Quilting Our Story Workshop. 14th St. Artist Community, 2701 N. 14th St., 63106. For more information or to register, visit www.eventbrite.com.

Sun., Feb. 3, 3 p.m., Dhati Kennedy Drumming Our Story: African Drumming & Story. 14th St. Artist Community, 2701 N. 14th St., 63106. For more information or to register, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Thur., Feb. 7, 6:30 p.m., Hidden Figures in St. Louis’s African-American History. Maplewood Public Library, 7550 Lohmeyer, 63143. For more information, visit www. maplewoodpubliclibrary.com.

Thur., Feb. 7, 7 p.m., Missouri History Museum presents Unfinished Business: From the Great Migration to Black Lives Matter. This musical documentary documents oral histories of African American elders. 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www. mohistory.org.

Sun., Feb. 10, 2 p.m., St. Louis Public Library welcomes Black History Month 2019 Feature Speaker: Ozzie Smith. Central Library, 1301 Olive St., 63103. For more information, visit www.slpl. org.

concerts

Sat., Feb. 9, 8 p.m., Sheldon Concert Hall presents Diane Reeves. 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. thesheldon.org.

Sun., Feb. 10, 5:30 p.m., Breakaway Productions & Witherspoon Entertainment

present a Valentine’s Weekend Kick-Off with Will Downing. Special guest Lamont Hadley. Givens Auditorium, Harris Stowe, 3026 Laclede Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.

Sun., Feb. 17, 7 p.m., The Sophisticated Soul Tour starring Lalah Hathaway, Lyfe Jennings and Raheem DeVaughn, Stifel Theatre. For more information, visit www. stifeltheatre.com.

Sun., Feb. 17, 8 p.m., The Ready Room presents Bryce Vine. With special guest Kid Quill. 4195 Manchester Ave., 63110. For more information, visit www.thereadyroom.com.

Mon., Feb. 18, 8 p.m., Travis Scott: Astroworld - Wish You Were Here Tour 2, Enterprise Center. For more information, visit www. ticketmaster.com

Sun., Feb. 24, 6:30 p.m., Sheldon Concert Hall presents Ladysmith Black Mambazo. 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. thesheldon.org.

local gigs

Sun., Jan. 27, 5:30 p.m., The Drew Project presents Urban Jazz. The Ambassador, 9800 Halls Ferry Rd., 63136. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Sun., Jan. 27, 6 p.m., A Journey With Anita: Anita Baker Tribute. Signature Room, 9002 Overland Plaza, 63114. For more information, visit www.ifejacobsmusic.com.

Sun., Jan. 27, 7:30 p.m., An Evening with Robert Dillard. The Gaslight Theater, 368 N. Boyle Ave., 63108. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Jan. 30 – Feb. 3, Jazz St. Louis presents Bistro All

Kenya Vaughn recommends

Stars. Feat. Tia Fuller, Sean Jones, Peter Martin, and Warren Wolf. Jazz at the Bistro, 3536 Washington Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www.jazzstl.org.

Mondays in January, The Monday Night Mixer hosted by the Keith Bowman Quartet. Dark Room at the Grandel, 3610 Grandel Sq., 63103. For more information, visit www.thedarkroomstl.com.

Sat., Feb. 2, 5 p.m., Femfest 5: An All-Female Showcase Fubar, 3108 Locust St., 63103. For more information, visit www.do314.com/events.

Sat., Feb. 9, 7 p.m., Distinguished Entertainment Group and 7 Entertainment & Productions, LLC present Luther Vandross & Maze Benefit Concert ft. Justin Hoskin And The Movie Proceeds benefit Looking For An Angel, Inc. The Jewel Event Center, 407 Dunn Rd., 63031. For more information, visit www.facebook.com.

Feb. 11 – 12, Sheldon Concert Hall presents Endless Lovefest. celebrate Valentine’s Day with

Beethoven, Schumann, Poulenc and CMSSL. 3648 Washington Ave., 63108. For more information, visit www. chambermusicstl.org.

Jan. 30 – Feb. 3, Jazz St. Louis presents Bistro All Stars. Feat. Tia Fuller, Sean Jones, Peter Martin, and Warren Wolf. Jazz at the Bistro, 3536 Washington Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www.jazzstl.org.

special events

Jan. 25 – 27, COCA presents Momentum. A mix of cuttingedge hip-hop & contemporary dance across a broad range of styles. Xavier Hall, Saint Louis University, 3733 West Pine Mall, 63108. For more information, visit www.cocastl. org.

Sat., Jan. 26, 9 a.m., Saint Louis Zoo Job Fair 2019. Dress code for the job fair is business casual. 1 Government Dr., 63110. For more information, visit www.stlzoo. org.

Helium Comedy Club presents Sheryl Underwood. See COMEDY for details.

Sat., Jan. 26, 1 p.m., Healing Action Network, Inc. 2nd Annual Celebration of Hope. Celebrate victims and survivors and highlight the work being done in our region. Goldfarb Schoool of Nursing, BJC, 4483 Duncan Ave., 63110. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com.

Sat., Jan. 26, 6 p.m., An Evening with the Cardinals. St. Louis Union Station, 1820 Market St., 63103. For more information, visit www. thenccs.org.

Sat., Jan. 26, 8 p.m., Big Muddy Dance Company presents Home Grown featuring choreography by Antonio and Kirven DouthitBoyd and Keith Tyrone Williams, The Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square. For more information, visit www.thebigmuddydanceco.org

Sun., Jan. 27, 3 p.m., St. Peters AME and Ward Chapel AME Churches Jazz Brunch featuring 3 Central Jazz Group. Anne O. McDonald Family Center, 11410 Old Halls Ferry Rd., 63033. For more information, call (314) 381-3345 or (314)

741-0112.

Jan. 31 – Feb.3, Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic, Enterprise Center in St. Louis. Tickets are available by calling Ticketmaster at 800745-3000 or visiting www. Ticketmaster.com. To discover more about Disney On Ice, go to www.Disneyonice.com.

Sun., Jan. 27, 3 p.m., St. Peter AME and Ward Chapel AME Churches Jazz Brunch featuring 3 Central Jazz Group. Anne O. McDonald Family Center, 11410 Old Halls Ferry Rd., 63033. For more information, call (314) 381-3345 or (314) 741-0112.

Jan. 31 – Feb. 3, Disney on Ice Celebrates 100 Years of Magic. Enterprise Center, 1401 Clark Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www. enterprisecenter.com.

Sat., Feb. 2, 2:30 p.m., Better Family Life 6th Annual Jr. Unity Ball: Celebrating Our Legacy. 5415 Page Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www.bflyouth.org.

Sun., Feb. 17, 2 p.m., St.

Louis Area Voting Initiative

invites you to a Candidates Forum: Board of Alderman

President City of St. Louis New Northside Conference Center, 5939 Goodfellow Blvd., 63147. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

comedy

Jan. 25 – 26, Funny Bone St. Louis presents Ronny Chieng 614 Westport Plz., 63146. For more information, visit www. stlouisfunnybone.com.

Feb. 1 – 2, Helium Comedy Club presents Sheryl Underwood. 1151 St. Louis Galleria St., 63117. For more information, visit www. heliumcomedy.com.

Feb. 7 – 9, Helium Comedy Club presents Tommy Davidson. 1151 St. Louis Galleria St., 63117.

literary

Fri., Jan. 25, 7 p.m., St. Louis County Library hosts author Anthony Ray Hinton, author of The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row 2019 Black History Keynote Event. Headquarters, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 63131. Sun., Jan 27, 7:30 p.m., Poetic Justice with featured poet Rudy Francisco, Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square. For more information, visit www.thegrandel.com.

Tues., Feb. 12, 7 p.m., St. Louis Public Library hosts author Chris Wilson, author of The Master Plan: My Journey from Life in Prison to a Life of Purpose. Special guest Jeff Smith. Central Branch, 1301 Olive St., 63103. For more information, visit www.slpl. org.

theatre

Through Jan. 26, Fox Theatre presents Anastasia 527 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. Through Jan 27, Max and Louie Productions presents Love, Linda, directed by Ken Page, Marcelle Theater, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive (3 blocks east of Grand Blvd). Tickets are on sale at metrotix.com and by phone at (314)) 534-1111. For more information, visit maxandlouie. com

Through Jan 27, The Black Rep presents the world premiere of Canfield Drive, The Edison Theatre at Washington University, 6445 Forsyth. For more information, visit www.theblackrep.org.

Feb. 1 – 2, Black Anthology 30th Anniversary: The Creation. A play written, produced, and performed by students at Washington University. Edison Theatre, 6465 Forsyth Blvd., 63015. For more information, call (314) 935-7879 or email black. anthology@gmail.com.

Feb. 1 – 2, TLT Productions

Kenya Vaughn recommends

presents Black AF. The exploration of blackness, love, culture and the AfricanAmerican experience brought to life through original works of dance. Marcelle, 3310 Samuel Shepard Dr., 63103. For more information, visit www.metrotix.com.

Feb. 8 – 9, Washington University’s Lunar New Year Festival. The show includes many colorful performances woven together by a play that will tell a story of this year’s theme, “The Strength Within”. Edison Theatre, 6465 Forsyth Blvd., 63105. For more information, visit www.lnyf. wustl.edu.

Sat., Feb. 9, 6 p.m., Marriage Works, If You Work It Stage Play. Touhill Performing Arts Center, 1 University Blvd., 63121. For more information, visit www.touhill.org.

Fri., Feb. 1, 6 p.m., Journeys of the African Spirit Exhibit Opening Night. An exhibit born out of the recent struggles that African people in America are facing, mostly in the City of St. Louis. UrbArts, 2600 N. 14th St., 63106. For more information, call (314) 7183791.

Through February 3, The Saint Louis Art Museum presents Graphic Revolution: American Prints 1960 to Now, Saint Louis Art Museum. One Fine Arts Drive, Forest Park. For more information, call (314) 721-0072 or visit www.slam.org.

Through February 10, Kehinde Wiley: Saint Louis, Saint Louis Art Museum. One Fine Arts Drive, Forest Park.

For more information, call (314) 721-0072 or visit http:// www.slam.org/exhibitions/ kehinde-wiley.php

Through Feb. 28, National Blues Museum presents Our Living Past: A Platinum Portrait of Music Maker Photographer Timothy Duffy provides a look at the true pioneers and forgotten heroes of American roots music. 615 Washington Ave., 63101. For more information, visit www. nationalbluesmuseum.com.

lectures and workshops

Thur., Jan. 24, 5:30 p.m., FOCUS St. Louis presents Prosecutors and Future of Public Safety St. Louis Panelists include Wesley Bell, Kim Gardner, Jeff Jensen, and Tim Lohmar. Registration required. Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www.focus-stl.org.

Sat., Jan. 26, 10 a.m., The Links, Inc., Gateway Chapter and Harris Stowe State University present a Human Trafficking Forum Emerson Performance Center, 3026 Laclede Ave., 63013. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Jan 26 through Apr 16, numerous Volunteer Income Tax Assistance & AARP TaxAide sites will open to prepare income tax returns free of charge. For more information, visit these sites: https://mctcfreetax.org/, https://stlouistap.org/, http:// naba-stl.org/vita/location/, http://gatewayeitc.org/index. html

Mon., Jan. 28, 6 p.m., Town Hall on Redistricting the Board of Aldermen. Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 36, 2329 Chouteau Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www.facebook.com.

Tues., Jan. 29, 8:30 a.m., AlignSTL 2019: Career Readiness. Center for Workforce Innovation, 3344 Pershall Rd., 63135. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Tues., Jan. 29, 6 p.m., The Hannah Ida Urman Foundation Hidden Child Holocaust Survivor Rachel Miller Speaks to Dispel Hate. 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 63131. For more information,

visit www.slcl.org.

Sat., Feb. 9, 1 p.m., Conversation on Arts Education: Innovation in Public Schools. Pulitzer Arts Foundation, 3716 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. pulitzerarts.org.

health

Sun., Jan. 27, 1 p.m.,

Medicare for All: The Solution to Big Pharma. Central Reform Congregation, 5020 Waterman Blvd., 63108. For more information, call (314) 265-3412 or visit www. facebook.com.

Mon., Jan. 28, 8:15 a.m., Siteman Mammography Van Visits the Y. Free mammograms to women age 40 and over. O’Fallon Mark Complex, 4343 W. Florissant Ave., 63115. For more information or to register, call (314) 747-7222 or (800) 6003606, option #2.

Fri., Feb. 1, 11:30 a.m., St. Louis Go Red for Women Luncheon. American Heart Association, 460 N. Lindbergh Blvd., 63141. For more information, visit www. ahastlouis.ejionme.org.

Sat., Feb. 2, 2:30 p.m., Health Healing & Triumph Awareness Benefit Banquet. Engineer Club of Saint Louis, 4359 Lindell Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Sat., Feb. 2, 6:30 p.m., Heart & Soul – A Night in the City of Love. Proceeds benefit Cardinal Glennon. Chase Park Plaza, 212 Kingshighway Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. glennon.org/heart-and-soul. Thur., Feb. 7, 5 p.m., Saint Louis Crisis Nursery presents Eat. Shop. Love. Bring gently used (or new) purses filled with toiletries, gas cards, and accessories to donate. Plaza Frontenac - North Court, 1701 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 63131. For more information, visit www. crisisnurserykids.org.

Sat., Jan. 26, 5 p.m., The Hate U Give Community Movie Night and Discussion Greentree Community Church, 100 Kirkwood Place, 63122. For more information, visit www. relate2color.org.

Jan. 31, 7 p.m., St. Louis Black Short Film Screening featuring the work of Travis Haughton (“I’m Not the Only One”) and Philip Irving (“Love Thy Neighbor). Webster University Center, 470 E. Lockwood Ave.

Poetic Justice featuring Rudy Francisco. For more information, see LITERARY.

sented in partnership with Cinema St. Louis and the Webster University Film Series at Winfred Moore Auditorium on the campus of Webster University, St. Louis American Video Director Dawn Suggs led a conversational talk that was mostly about the film. The talk also included insight on Lemmons’ process as a filmmaker and her first time as a librettist with “Fire.”

“How were you able to get it made?” Suggs asked.

“I wrote the script and the script was a very powerful thing in terms of I could get a meeting,” Lemmons said. “I could get into a lot of different rooms with that script. People wanted to meet me. Not everybody wanted to make the movie, that’s for sure – that took 100 meetings, I’m sure. People turned it down. They would say, maybe if you got a really big star – like Samuel L. Jackson – attached to it. I got Samuel L. Jackson, and people still turned it down.”

She imagined the story of the affluent Creole family that had familial ties to a legend of an enslaved woman who bore several children to her master and was ultimately freed and gifted land along the Bayou.

Then while conducting research on “Eve’s Bayou” for the sake of accuracy, Lemmons found a story about a woman from along the Cane River that was strikingly similar to the one she created.

“I was like, ‘wow’ this is wild – that somehow I had connected to this story.’ I picked up the book for my entire crew.’

“It’s so interesting that you were intuitively tapping into something that was real – and it feels that way,” Suggs said.

The story is set in 1962 southern Louisiana and the secrets within this seemingly functional and affluent family. Lemmons taps into the secrets of the Baptiste family.

“The gray area of humanity

work together to keep art happening.”

As exciting as the program and fellowship among the members of the community who are critical to visual and performing arts scene in St. Louis through creation, education, administration and philanthropic efforts, was hearing about how each of the respective honorees fell in love with the arts.

is what I was interested in –flawed characters are the most interesting,” Lemmons said. “I was interested in damaged people. That felt real to me.”

Jackson saw the short film companion piece for her “Eve’s Bayou” script entitled “Dr. Hugo,” starring actor Vonde Curtis Hall. Jackson thought the “Eve’s Bayou” role was perfect for him to enter leading man waters.

Even with Jackson, who had just done “Pulp Fiction,” tied to the project, it was such a tough sell that by the time she got the greenlight to make the film, Meghan Good – her original Eve – had outgrown the role.

They persevered with Smollett as Eve – and several film television and stage actors such as Debbi Morgan, Lynn Whitfield, Vonde Curtis Hall, Lisa Nicole Carson and Diahann Carrol – and “Eve’s Bayou” became a critical and commercial success, with late famed film critic Roger Ebert naming it the best film of 1997. Her work on “Eve’s Bayou” has lent itself to “Fire” – based on the story of a gifted young man growing up misunderstood while secretly suffering through traumatic abuse in his small town of Gibsland, Louisiana. Though for her adaptation is a different process.

“Adapting is a specific art –taking what’s there and finding the movie in it,” Lemmons said.

“When Rob and Terence came to me with “Fire Shut Up in My Bones” and asked me if I wanted to write the libretto – I had never written a libretto. I kind of always wanted to do one. His book was not apparent how to adapt it. I know one thing that is always an ‘in’ for me in the process and that’s a wonderful character.”

The character of Charles or “Charles Baby,” ultimately moved her.

“As soon as I have a connection with a character that moves me, that’s my way into the process. I write usually from character,” Lemmons said. “I wrote from what I thought his struggles were and how to make that sing. How to make that musical.”

On Friday, February 1, Lemmons will discuss the book that inspired the opera in a talk presented in partnership with Left Bank Books and the Saint Louis University Library Associates. She will have conversation with Jonathan Smith, vice president for Diversity and Community Engagement at Saint Louis University. The talk will get underway at 7:30 p.m. at Pere Marquette Room & Sinquefield Stateroom, DuBourg Hall Saint Louis University, 221 Grand Blvd, St. Louis, 63103. For more information, visit www.opera-stl. org or call (314) 961-0644.

Excellence in the Arts recipient Brent Benjamin, The Barbara Taylor Director of the Saint Louis Art Museum, was an architecture student at Rice University when he decided to take an internship at the museum – located right across the street from his school.

This year marks his 20th anniversary at Saint Louis Art Museum, which he fell in love with during a visit ahead of him accepting his position while the city was in the midst of a snow storm. He never looked back and SLAM – and the region is all the better for it.

“He led the initiative to expand the museum, raising $160M, the largest capital campaign for a cultural institution in St. Louis,” said Barbara Taylor. “St. Louis is really fortunate to have Brent, I just can’t think of anybody better to receive an award for excellence in the arts than Brent Benjamin.”

Champion of The Arts recipient Sue Greenberg, Company Manager for the Muny and executive director for the Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts called her path “a series of happy accidents.”

And Michael Neidorff credited his wife for curating his love for culture and the arts.

“When I met Noemi, the theme from the Lone Ranger became the William Tell Overture,” he said just before she accepted their Excellence in Philanthropy Award on their behalf.

She developed her love of classical piano while growing up in Budapest, Hungary –where she began her training. Her parents wanted her to be a ballerina, but she hated it. She would listen to the music that she was forced to dance to and through her natural ear for music, she was able to recite the sounds and mimic them on the piano.

When her family emigrated to the New Jersey area, there were limited in financial resources, but her love for

LEWIS

Continued from C1

just a book tour,” Lewis told her hometown crowd when she came to tour the book last summer. “I’m in the trenches. Twenty-five percent of my life is show business. But 75 percent is now the resistance.” Lewis shared stories of her own social justice work that has allowed her to travel to places affected by tragedy and injus-

piano and classical music was further fostered through community concerts. Her love for music never wavered – and it became a gift she wanted to pay forward.

“She went to New York to personally play the pianos that were going to be donated to Opera Theatre of Saint Louis,” said OTSL’s new General Director Andre Jorgensen.

“That shows her passion and love [for the arts.]

Amy Freet of the FergusonFlorissant School District was awarded the Arts Educator of the Year and Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis received the Arts Startup of the Year distinction.

The final award of the evening, which was co-chaired by Solomon Thurman and Pat Smith Thurman and emceed by Adrienne Davis was reserved for Broadway veteran and Muny legend Ken Page.

“Everything I learned about this business I first learned here,” Page said.

tice – and how she has been able to lend her voice to the respective movements.

“The mayor of Flint thanked me, because that song got 20 million views on YouTube,” Lewis told the sold-out audience at the Loretto-Hilton after performing “Flint Ain’t Fixed.” She visited Flint and performed the song during the Detroit stop of her book tour.

“See, a little colored girl from Kinloch, Missouri gets 20 million views now,” Lewis said with pride. She also performed a song

He was famously introduced to musical theater as a child while sitting in the free seats of the Muny. He went on to originate roles in such classic Broadway productions as “Cats,” “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” and “The Wiz.”

“I was so fortunate to work with people who were the masters of their art form –Arthur Mitchell, Alvin Ailey and Geoffrey Holder,” Page said. “These were people that I worked with in my youth and I learned things from them. And if you don’t pass that on, it dies – if you don’t pass it on, then it stops with us.”

Performances by The Big Muddy Dance Company, The Sheldon’s City of Music AllStar Chorus fifth grade piano prodigy Jerry Chang and Kennedy Holmes, the 14-yearold former Muny kid who became the youngest finalist in the 15 season history of NBC’s “The Voice” showed that the baton is being passed – and into good hands.

that she wrote in tribute to the victims and survivors of the Parkland massacre and said she visited with the AfricanAmerican student body when her book tour took her to Ft. Lauderdale.

“I entertain with my entire molecular structure – and have been sustained in this business because I love what I do,” Lewis told ESSENCE. “Little Jenny Lewis had a dream. And I think she would be very proud. As I tell the millennials over and over, find your passion. It will save your life.”

Photo by Suzy Gorman

Kennedy Holmes, the 14-year-old Florissant Native who made history as the youngest contestant to advance to the finals of NBC’s “The Voice” performs ‘Home’ from ‘The Wiz” as a tribute to Ken Page.

Photo by Kenya Vaughn

Kasi Lemmons

Congratulations to Dr. Belma E. Givens!

On Saturday, December 15, 2018, Belma E. Givens was awarded the Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters Honoris Causa at Harris-Stowe State University’s Commencement Ceremony. Belma enjoyed a 34-year career as an educator in the St. Louis Public School System, first as a teacher, then as a Reading Specialist and later as anAdministrator. Often referred to as his “backbone and quiet strength,” Belma is the wife of Dr. Henry Givens Jr., President Emeritus of Harris-Stowe. Her selfless, untiring and steadfast support of, and contributions to, the university as first lady for 32 years will forever be remembered. Belma Givens is the mother of two children—a daughter, Stacey Givens Woolfolk, and a son, KeithAlan Givens—and the proud grandmother ofAshley, Brittney and Jarrett and great-grandmother to Caydence. Since her retirement from SLPS, she has devoted her time to volunteering and community service. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the Gateway Chapter Links, the St. Louis Chapter Moles, the Urban League Guild and the St. Louis Carrousels. In addition to this honorary doctorate, Belma holds her baccalaureate degree in Business Education from Lincoln University, her teaching certification from Harris Teacher’s College and a Master’s degree from Webster University.

Photos by Wiley Price

Harris-Stowe State University President Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack. Belma E. Givens and Dr. Henry Givens Jr. at Harris-Stowe’s Commencement Ceremony.

Belma Givens and Dr. Henry Givens were joined for the honors by Dr. Freddy James Clark, pastor of Shalom Church (left) and Dr. Dwayne Smith of Harris-Stowe (right).

Dr. Warmack and Dr. Givens award the Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters Honoris Causa to Belma Givens.

LaKisha Warmack, Belma Givens and Dr. Dwaun Warmack

Dr. Henry Givens Jr., Belma Givens, Dr. Dwaun Warmack and Donald M. Suggs

Dr. Henry Givens Jr., Belma Givens, LaKisha Warmack, Dr. Dwaun Warmack and Donald M. Suggs

Dr. Henry Givens Jr. and Belma Givens

Dr. Henry Givens Jr., Belma Givens and Dr. Dwaun Warmack

A Korean War vet relives the camaraderie of drum corps

As told to Julia Lacher, oral historian, Soldiers Memorial Military Museum

The collections at the Soldiers Memorial Military Museum contain far more than physical objects. Just as valuable are the oral histories of St. Louis–area veterans and their families. Some of these interviews are featured in the new exhibits at Soldiers Memorial, and all will be available to researchers.

Damon Ambus was born on the Fourth of July in 1931. His grandfather, a World War I veteran, enrolled him in the junior drum and bugle corps of the American Legion’s Tom Powell Post 77 at the age of nine to keep him out of trouble. The post was named for Thomas Powell, an African-American Army messenger who received the Distinguished Service Cross after he was killed during World War I. Ambus joined the Army after graduating from Vashon High School. He served in the Korean War, as well as in Texas and Japan.

When he returned home in 1953, he joined the hornline of Tom Powell Post’s newly renamed Spirit of St. Louis Drum and Bugle Corps. Ambus was commander of Tom Powell Post from 1987 to 1989. Here he shares his experiences as a member of the oldest black American Legion post in the United States.

On joining the Sons of the American Legion Junior Corps Damon Ambus: “I plopped on drums for a while, then the G bugle, which don’t have valves. The first song I learned to play was ‘Taps.’ In high school I went to the band . . . and they didn’t have an instrument for me, so they gave me a sousaphone, the big bass horn, and I played that.”

On joining the Senior Corps. Damon Ambus: “First I started off in the color guard carrying a rifle. One day we was at [Sportsman’s] Park and I picked the horn up—one of the other guys’ horns—and blew into it, and that’s when I got drafted into the hornline then. Played bass horn all while I was there. Contrabass, everything, and that was during the time when I met my wife. And there were some good days, you know.”

On participating in the Annie Malone Day

Parade. Damon Ambus: “One of the biggest parades we would have every year was the Annie Malone Parade. Annie Malone was a black woman that set up the Annie Malone Children’s Home. And every year they would have fundraisers, and the Annie Malone Day Parade was involved in that. We would always make that . . . people would say that after Tom Powell passed in the Annie Malone Parade, the parade was over with! Nobody wanted to stick around and see nobody else, you know.”

On competitions Damon Ambus: “[Corps were judged on] marching and maneuvering, the ability of stamina, timing, togetherness. And you were scored by ticks. There have been championships won with as little as one hundredth of a point. Competition was rough. It was rough because most of those corps were sponsored by a big concern. So they had the money to perform and to operate those corps. They’d get new horns by just simply asking for ’em. We had to hold raffles and stuff to get our horns. Charlotte Peters went to work for us, and we got a whole, brand-new, about $20,000 set of horns with money that she raised right here in St. Louis.”

On facing racism at competitions. Damon Ambus: “We won a lot of contests . . . and we knew we won because we ended up second and third. So when, us in the African-American corps, when you got second or third, you know you probably won it, but they was not going to give it to you. You had to make a better score, and it had to be obvious. Because they’d take it away from you. It had to be obvious, and believe me when I tell you this, even the whites in the stands would raise hell if they felt like you was cheated. They’d raise hell. They’d voice their opinion about it, you know.”

On camaraderie. Damon Ambus: “A lot of fun. A lot of fun we had. You know there was so much togetherness. Well, not just Tom Powell but all of the drum corps all over the country. There’s a lot of togetherness there. You had this corps that didn’t like that corps. But when on the field, they was enemies. But off the field, they were friends.”

Where to find black history in St. Louis

By Kiara Bryant For the St. Louis American

During the month of February, we celebrate Black History Month through exploring various events and attractions in the St. Louis area which honor the history and achievements of African Americans. Here are some ways you can go out and enjoy what St. Louis has to offer in the black history department.

You have until February 10 to enjoy an inspiring exhibit at the Saint Louis Art Museum entitled “Kehinde Wiley: Saint Louis.” You may remember Wiley was chosen by former U.S. President Barack Obama to paint his official U.S. presidential portrait for the National Portrait Gallery. In this exhibit, Wiley recreates famous works of art with African Americans from St. Louis. The artist is known for decorative backgrounds as well as calling attention to the politics of race, power and representation of people of color in his work. The Saint Louis Art Museum will feature gallery talks covering the exhibit and Abstraction in African American Contemporary Art in February.

One of the highlights of the Saint Louis Public Library’s month-long celebration is an event with former St. Louis Cardinal Ozzie Smith on Sunday, February 10 at the Central Library location from 2-4:30 p.m. Reporter Rene Knott of KSDK (Channel 5) will moderate the conversation. Seating is on a first-come, firstserved basis, and no tickets are needed to attend this event. Visit slpl.org for an extensive list of programming beginning February 1 with topics including the Great Migration, “I, Too, Am America” by Langston Hughes, and “Exploring Black Excellence: Past, Present, and Future.”

The St. Louis County Library will offer showings of featured films such as “Hidden Figures” on Friday, February 1 from 9:30 a.m.12 p.m. at the Grand Glaise Branch and “Black Panther” on Monday, February 25 from 2-4 p.m. at the Daniel Boone Branch and others. There will also be many other events throughout the month including the taste of Africa, games from

Africa, book discussions, “Story Time: Black Authors and Illustrators,” as well as arts, dance, “Tracing Your African American Ancestors,” Black History Month bingo and trivia, and a multitude of other activities at different branch locations. Visit slcl.org for more details about all of the events offered by the St. Louis County Library. The Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing, named in honor of a free woman of color who took a stand against slavery and used her home as a depot for the Underground Railroad, is the first Missouri site of the National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. In 1855, she was arrested for aiding in the attempted escape of nine slaves across the Mississippi River to freedom in Illinois. The 16th Annual Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing Festival will be held in the spring along the Mississippi Riverfront (4500 E. Prairie Ave.). The 2018 celebration brought to life the story of “Unfair Fair: Prejudice on the Pike.” This year promises to be another successful event highlighting another moment in black history. We encourage you to visit the site and learn more information at www.marymeachum.org. At the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, a National Historic Landmark, you can step into the King of Ragtime’s home where he composed what would become legendary music. Speaking of music, the St. Louis Symphony will celebrate with its annual concert Lift Every Voice: Black History Month Celebration on Friday, February 22 at Powell Hall. The concert showcases African-American culture and community traditions that have influenced the history of St. Louis and beyond with soulful music.

A visit to The Griot Museum of Black History & Culture, Old Courthouse, National Blues Museum and numerous other sites across St. Louis are also great ways to learn more about significant moments in history. Find more events and fun places to visit in St. Louis at www.explorestlouis.com.

Photo by Dilip Vishwanat

The St. Louis Symphony will present its annual concert “Lift Every Voice: Black History Month Celebration” on Friday, February 22 at Powell Hall.

Photo courtesy of the Missouri Historical Society

Front page of the Franklin County Tribune featuring a picture of the Drum & Bugle Corps.

Celebrations

Advocacy Trip Birthdays!

Happy 95th Birthday to Shelton Wells on January 22! Shelton is a member of Calvary M.B. Church and enjoys outings with her daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Best wishes from Elaine and Earl!

Happy Birthday to Niya Danfort on January 27!

Happy 84th Birthday, Mama! Mrs. Lula K. Thompson will celebrate her birthday on January 25. She’s a mother of six, grandmother of 23 and great-grandmother of 20, who all love her dearly. Have a happy and blessed birthday!

Reunions

All reunion announcements can be viewed online!

Beaumont High School

Class of 1979 is planning its 40 year reunion. All activities are scheduled for the weekend of September

27-29. The location is The Airport Marriot at 10700 Pear Tree Drive, St. Louis 63134. For more information, contact Milton Jackson at 314-2764392 or Yolanda Lockhart at lockhartyo08@gmail.com.

Northwest Class of 1979 is planning on cruising for our 40th class reunion and would love for you to join us! Date to sail is set for July 20, 2019 and you can feel free to contact: Duane Daniels at 314-568-2057 or Howard Day at 414-698-4261 for further information. Please don’t miss

the boat!

Soldan Class of 1979 is planning its 40th year reunion for the weekend of August 2-3, 2019. Yearlong reunion activities will begin with a kickoff at Soldan High School Homecoming on Saturday, October 13, 2018 prior to the game at 1 p.m. For more information or to assist with reunion activities, please email at: soldanclassof1979@gmail. com or call Barbara at 314 456-3391.

Sumner Class of 1976

Annual Christmas Party, Friday, December 21, 2018, 7pm @ DEJAVU II Cafe, 2805 Target Dr., 63136. 2 for 1 Drink Specials (5:307:30pm), free parking, band performs from 7:30 - 9:30pm. no cover charge; classmates and guest each pays $5 for the catered food, served during intermission, whether you partake of it or not. Limited reserved seating available until 10 pm. (Doors open 5 pm/ close 1 am) For more info, call B. Louis at 314.385.9843.

Sumner Class Of 1969 50th

reunion “Living Life Like It’s Golden” June 28-30, 2019. Looking for classmates of 1969 to contact us with your updated information via address:sumnerclass1969@ gmail.com or our FB page: Sumner High.

Sumner Class of 1979 will hold its “Bulldogs Rock the Boat” BIG 4-0 Reunion Cruise, June 22-27, 2019. For further information, email your contact information to sumner1979@ ymail.com or call 314-4064309. Join our Facebook group at Sumner High Class of ‘79.

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

St. Louis American Celebrations c/o Kate Daniel 2315 Pine

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

On January 9, guests from Father’s Support Center and Fathers United To Raise Awareness traveled to Jefferson City to attend the swearing-in of Missouri’s 100th General Assembly. They were welcomed with a tour of the Capitol and were greeted by and visited with several legislators. The delegation is pictured with Missouri Senator Scott Sifton (center).

We should build bridges, not walls

Peace & Justice Commission of the Archdiocese of St. Louis comments on immigration

By the Archdiocese’s Peace & Justice Commission

For The St. Louis American

As members of the Peace & Justice Commission of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, we are deeply saddened by the national conversation concerning immigrants and refugees, particularly those coming from south of our nation’s border. They are too often being portrayed as violent criminals who are only interested in coming to the United States to cause harm. However, the vast majority are families fleeing war, violence and poverty in their native lands coming to the United States for a better future.

While our country does have a right to protect its borders, our bishops have taught us that our commitment to the common good and safety cannot rest solely on building a wall.

“Construction of such a wall will only make migrants, especially vulnerable women and children, more susceptible to traffickers and smugglers. Additionally, the construction of such a wall destabilizes the many vibrant and beautifully connected communities that live peacefully along the border,” the bishops’ Committee on Migration noted in 2017.

“We will look to build bridges between people, bridges that allow us to break down the walls of exclusion and exploitation.”

We believe the national discourse and conversation on immigration should not be driven or limited by the rhetoric about the building of a wall. Rather, it should be a conversation on finding ways to help our sisters and brothers in a fair and just manner, while respecting the dignity of the person.

We pray and work with immigrants every day regardless of their legal status. Our immigrant sisters and brothers are members

of God’s family who we sit next to at Mass, who are our next door neighbors, who are our work colleagues and who only want to give all children hope for a better tomorrow. May we continue to pray and walk with one another in respect and hope and to build up the unity within God’s family together.

The Ethical Society of St. Louis (ESSTL)

n “Construction of a border wall will only make migrants, especially vulnerable women and children, more susceptible to traffickers and smugglers.”

– Bishops’ Committee on Migration

and Ethical Society Mid Rivers (ESMR) will present two public events for visitors, newcomers, friends and anyone interested in learning about Ethical Societies.

The meetings will be held 3 p.m. Sunday, January 27 at Ethical Society Mid Rivers,

260 Brown Road in St. Peters; and 7 p.m.

Thursday, January 31 at Ethical Society of St. Louis, 9001 Clayton Rd. in Clayton.

“‘How can you have a congregation without god?’ That’s a question many people ask when they first hear about the Ethical Society of St. Louis,” ESSTL

Outreach Director James Croft said.

“The truth is simple: we provide all the programs and benefits of a traditional religious congregation, without teaching the tenets or scriptures of any particular religion, and without requiring our members to hold any specific religious beliefs. Our community is a place where all people can come together to ask the biggest questions about life, without reference to god or any religious dogma at all.”

Other common questions include: What do people at Ethical Societies believe? What do the meetings look like? Does someone need to be a member to attend programming? What is humanism? Ethical Society clergy and members will be present to answer these and other questions. Both events are free and open to the public. All are welcome.

To learn more, visit ethicalstl.org or www.ethicalsocietymr.org.

The Message

What in the world is going on?

With the world in such a tumultuous state, you could say that this is when faith can and is tested. For some, tragic world events just might make you question the existence of the God we profess to believe in.

I have to often remind myself that most of what happens to me is a direct result of my doing, the choices I’ve made, the lack of having God internalized and called upon throughout my decision-making process. In not doing so, a lot of the goings on in this world get simplistically reduced to the view from a religious perspective.

Most of today’s tension and conflict get interpreted at a very base level in terms of radical religious behavior in the name of one God or another. News media at times tend to minimize, if not ignore, this and explain it in terms of territorial disputes, political power grabs, oil, and in some cases money and greed.

Jesus teaches peace, love and understanding and, yes, I do know how trite and contrived that sounds. But the Man was killed for living a life predicated on love for fellow human beings and a definite intolerance of institutionalized persecution and oppression, particularly by the church, His.

We all know the source of His strength in the midst of what He faced. What is the source of your faith in the midst of what the world is facing with you and me in it? That is not a rhetorical question. I find myself in prayer asking God to give me the wisdom to learn from whatever the experience is that I’m going through, good or bad. Likewise, I’m also praying for the wisdom to understand what in the world is going on in the world in which we live.

The end result is usually the same. I ultimately have to put all things in the Lord’s hands. Faith demands that I do. His divine will certainly supersedes my secular understanding, and that is as it should be.

I must admit to you, though, that I do, at times, think that man has forced these issues and situations for the same reasons that I find myself feeling like I’m going through hell on some things: a lack of having the one true God imbedded in the decision making process. When that happens, peace (peace of mind, in my case) prevails because the outcome is known. I win based on my faith in and acceptance of Jesus as Lord and all that brings with it.

The world could use some rigorous training in this. When it doesn’t happen, chaos reigns. Because in the end, I know what the outcome is going to be. God wins, which means I win. Those who believe in Him will also be victorious. Simply put, you win, too. Think about it, and you’ll know where your faith is.

Columnist James Washington

OFFICE ASSISTANT

We need a trustworthy and hardworking Office Assistant, Job duties include handling day-today office task application should be emailed to jangozo@outlook.com.

FULL-TIME PASTOR

Rose Hill M.B. Church, Villa Ridge MO: seeking full-time pastor. If interested please call 314-480-2616

BABYSITTER

Family seeking a babysitter who has flexible availability from Mon-Fri. Applicant must have at least a year experience in the field,willing to complete a background check and have references. apply with your resume or cover letter to (azontogau@gmail.com).

LEAD TEACHERS

Lead Teachers with minimum of nine (9) college credit hours in early childhood, child development, child/family related courses leading to a CDA; or Current CDA credential. Please reply to Center Manager Linda Davis at (314) 679-5440.

Food Outreach, Inc. has an opening for a FT Culinary/Nutrition Degree/ServSafe Cert. Some evenings/weekends. Email resume to marysue@foodoutreach.org

JANITORIAL - HIRING

ASSEMBLY

ASSISTANT PROPERTY MANAGER

PositionAvailable

New Management Company

Part Time position

Assistant Property Manager for Multifamily Senior Affordable HousingApartments

Tax Credit and Voucher

Program Experience is Required Send Resumes Only to:

lillie@alphaterraceapartments.com

Employment Opportunity

O’Fallon Fire Protection District

The O’Fallon Fire Protection District is currently seeking qualified applicants to establish a hiring list for the position of Firefighter/EMT-P. Application packets can be picked up at the O’Fallon Fire Protection District Administration Office located at 111 Laura K Drive, O’Fallon, MO 63366 beginning January 28, 2019 at 8:00 a.m. CST, and must be returned to the Administration Office by February 8, 2019, 4:00 p.m. CST (Monday thru Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.). Packets may also be obtained electronically by visiting the District’s website: ofallonfire.org and downloading the application packet. Packets may be returned via US Mail.

The O’Fallon Fire Protection District is not responsible for any correspondence or mail that is lost or misdirected, or received after February 8, 2019, 4:00p.m. CST.

The O’Fallon Fire Protection District is an Equal Opportunity Employer

STATE REPORTING ACCOUNTANT

Ensure state reporting and payments are complete and accurate and prepared on a timely basis.

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

Thompson Coburn LLP has the following positions available in our St. Louis office:

Legal Secretary

2 positions in areas of Estate Planning & Litigation. 2+ yrs experience, Associate degree preferred.

Senior Financial Analyst

Bachelor degree required + background in math/science. Prior legal related experience preferred.

IP Litigation Paralegal

5+ yrs prior paralegal experience + undergrad degree and/or paralegal certificate. Prior trial experience required. Docket Clerk

1+ yr related legal experience, Associate degree preferred.

Business Analyst

2+ yrs managing projects + 5 yrs in business/systems analysis. Degree + PMP and/or CBAP certification preferred.

For more details and to complete our online application, visit www.thompsoncoburncareers.com

Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V

CLAIMS MANAGER LIABILITY

Responsible for handling assigned claims from initial assignment to closure as well as provide assistance in various administrative functions associated with the large casualty lines of business. To apply, please visit: https://www. safetynational.com/careers-page/.

NORTHWOODS PUBLIC WORKS POSITION

City of Northwoods has a position open in the Public Works Dept. for a skilled laborer to perform tasks related to lawn maintenance,the upkeep of city grounds and greenspaces, the set up/breakdown for city events and meetings, code enforcement for vacant and delinquent properties, snow removal and plowing, and equipment repair and maintenance. Individuals must have a driver’s license and be able to pass a physical.Applications will be accepted untilthe position is filled. Apply at: The City of Northwoods 4600 Oakridge Blvd. Northwoods, Mo. 63121. Or send resume to: aowens@cityofnorthwoods.com Call City Hall at 314-385-8000 for details/directions.

Explore St. Louis has an immediate opening for a Project Coordinator in the Public Safety Department. Duties include: assisting with creating staffing plans for shows within the complex, back up for payroll processing for department, handles all aspects of the coat and luggage check operation, provides event related support and will oversee event staff during events as needed. Proficiency in Outlook, Word, Access and Excel, excellent organizational skills and attention to detail required. Written & oral communication is critical.

Associates Degree from 2-year college or university; or three to five years related experience and/or training is required.

Must possess a knowledge and appreciation of St. Louis and must be able to work a flexible scheduled to include, nights, weekends and holidays. Experience in the Convention industry a plus. To apply applicants will need to go online to www. explorestlouis.com click the “About Us” link at the top of the page and then click “Job Opportunities & Internships. NO PHONE CALLS! EOE.

SERVANT LEADER INTERN

Deaconess Foundation

ASSISTANT TEACHER

Assistant Teacher or Teacher’s Aid with a minimum of six (6) college credit hours in early childhood child development, youth development, or child/family related courses. Please reply to Center Manager Linda Davis at (314) 679-5440.

SUPREME COURT OF MISSOURI

GENERALCOUNSEL

The Supreme Court of Missouri currently has a vacancy for the position of General Counsel. This is attorney work of the highest level providing legal advice and counsel to Judges of the Court, the Clerk of the Court and related offices. Starting salary range for this fully benefited state position is $99,312 to $113,424. Interested parties may refer to the judiciary web site http://www.courts.mo.gov and clicking on Careers for additional details. Applications accepted until position is filled. Preference given to applications received on or before January 18, 2019. The Supreme Court of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The primary responsibility of this fulltime position is providing administrative support to professional program staff, including coordinating routine processes for grant making and advocacy activities within the foundation’s program portfolio. The secondary responsibility is relationship management and constituency support services to the foundation’s volunteers and prospective/partner grantees. The position assures effectiveness of program operations by enhancing communication with partners and devising and implementing efficiencies of workflow (i.e. electronic and postal communications, filing and data management). For more information and to apply, visit: http://www. deaconess.org/program-assistant

SITE COORDINATOR

Deaconess Foundation will sponsor a network of Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools(r) programs for children in grades kindergarten through five in

METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS

SEWER DISTRICT

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District will receive sealed bids in the Purchasing Division, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2555 until 10:00am

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Proposals for St. Louis Community College on B0003746 for Print Shop Management, Printing of Marketing Materials, Inter-Campus Mail Courier/Consolidation Services and Leasing of Multi-Function Devices will be received until 10:00 A.M. (local time) on Monday, February 26, 2019 at the Dept. of Purchasing, 3221 McKelvey Road; Bridgeton, MO 63044, and immediately thereafter opened and read. RFP documents can be accessed on our website at www.stlcc.edu/purchasing or by calling (314) 539-5227. EOE/AA Employer.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Great Rivers Greenway is seeking the services of qualified professionals to conduct a post-construction traffic safety study on the River des Peres Greenway. Check https://greatriversgreenway. org/jobs-bids/ and submit by February 15, 2019.

REQUEST FOR

BIDS

Contegra Construction Company, LLC, will be submitting a bid on the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) project: Bissell Point WWTF Redundant Sludge Acceptance System -12828-015.1, bid date is 2/12/19. We are requesting bids from qualified Minority Business Enterprises (MBE) on this project to help in our effort to meet or exceed the 30% goal set forth in MSD’s MBE utilization program. A pre-bid meeting for interested parties will be held at Contegra’s office, 22 Gateway Commerce Center Drive W, Suite 110, Edwardsville, IL 62025, on Monday, 2/4/19, at 9am. Please contact Joe Koenig (618-931-3500 ext. 106) for more information regarding bid opportunities.

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS to be received by Forest Park Forever located at 5595 Grand Dr in Forest Park, St. Louis, MO 63112 until Feb. 21, 2019, at 1 PM for a Natural Playscape Project in Forest Park. RFP docs are available in PDF format at www.forestparkforever.org/bids or for copy at FPF during office hours. Equal opportunity bidding event. Women and Minority in Business are encouraged to participate.

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

The New St. Louis County Port Authority (Port) is seeking highly qualified and experienced individuals, firms or organizations to provide comprehensive administrative services, accounting/audit services and legal services to support the new St. Louis County PortAuthority Board of Directors (Board) recently appointed by the St. Louis County Council. Three copies of the statement of qualifications and one electronic format (CD or thumb drive) must be submitted to the new PortAuthority Board and must be received no later than 3PM on Friday, January 25, 2019 at 9909 Manchester Road #318 St. Louis, Mo. 63122. All inquiries and requests to obtain complete scope of services should be directed to Dennis G. Coleman, Interim Executive Director of the Port at NewSTLCountyPortAuthority@gmail. com or by calling 314 267-1688.

REQUEST

St. Louis, Missouri 63132. To be considered, proposals must be received no later than 3:00 PM CST on Thursday, January 24, 2019. Proposals should be sent by email to hbean@stlpartnership.com , or to St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, ATTN: Howl Bean II, 7733 Forsyth Blvd., Suite 2200, St. Louis, Missouri 63105. DBE, MBE, and WBE consultants are encouraged to bid, and a five percent bid preference may be available to certified MBE firms. The project may be funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, and all applicable federal regulations shall be in full force.

Additional information, including the Request for Proposals, may be obtained from th Partnership’s website at https://stlpartnership. com/rfp-rfq/ . The Partnership reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive informalities therein. Any questions should be directed to Howl Bean II at (314) 615-7663 or hbean@stlpartnership.com .

St. Louis Economic Development Partnership Equal Opportunity Employer

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BID

Normandy Schools Collaborative is soliciting sealed General Contractor Bids for Interior Renovations to four Elementary School Buildings. The entire bidders package will be available electronically on Tuesday, February 5, 2019, through TR,i Architects at 314-395-9750. A mandatory pre-bid conference and walk-through will be held on Tuesday, February 12, 2019, 9:00 a.m. starting at the Normandy Kindergarten Center (Bel Nor), 3101 Nordic Drive, St. Louis, MO 63121. Site visits will continue at Lucas Crossing, Jefferson and Washington Schools to review scope at each.

Sealed proposals will be received at: Normandy Schools Collaborative, Attention: Randal Charles, 3855 Lucas and Hunt Road, St. Louis, MO 63121 until 2:00 p.m., February 26, 2019.

SEALED BIDS

for Missouri Veterans Home Renovation, St. Louis, Missouri, Project No. U1804-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 2/7/2019. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/ facilities

SEALED BIDS for Water Network System Replacement, Hawn State Park, Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri, Project No. X1709-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 1/31/19 For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http:// oa.mo. gov/facilities

Normandy School Collaborative reserves the right to reject any and all bids, in whole and in part, and to waive any informality.

It is the policy of Normandy Schools Collaborative that no person shall, on the basis of race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, or disability, be subject to discrimination in employment or activity in the District.

All inquiries pertaining to this project shall be directed to: Angela Rodriguez TR,i Architects 9812 Manchester Road, St. Louis, MO 63119 angela.rodriguez@triarchitects.com (314) 395-9750 x236

Notice to M/WBE

Businesses

Plocher Construction Company, Inc. 2808 Thole-Plocher Road Highland, IL 62249

PH: (618) 654-9408

Fax: (618) 654-6454 bids@plocherco.com

Seeking MBE (African and Hispanic) businesses for the MSD Bissell Point WWTF Redundant Sludge Acceptance System for Union Subcontracting & Supply opportunities in the following areas:

Engineering, Demo, Rebar, Concrete, Metals, Coatings, Piling (Micro, sheet, H Pile), Plumbing, HVAC, Electrical, Pavement, Site Drainage, Hoist systems, Waste Equip

All interested and qualified business should contact Andrew Wirz (amwirz@plocherco.com) or Chuck Wagner (crwagner@plocherco.com) in writing or via email to discuss the subcontracting and supply opportunities. All quotes are requested to be received by February 11th, 2019 which is one day prior to the bid opening. All proposals will be reviewed for the lowest, responsive, and responsible quote.

Plocher will host a Pre-Bid conference. It will be held at 9 AM on Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 at Plocher Construction office at 2808 Thole-Plocher Road, Highland IL 62249.

Plans and Specifications are available for free electronic download. Please go to MSD’s website and look for a link to “ELECTRONIC PLANROOM.”

Public Notice of Single Source Procurement

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: Mythics Oracle Business Intelligence Suite Enterprise Edition Plus, Exalytics Software. The District is proposing single source procurement to Mythics for this service. Any inquiries should be sent to ameyer@stlmsd.com.

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

METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS SEWER DISTRICT

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District will receive RFQ’s in the Purchasing Division, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2555 until 11:00 a.m. on February 19, 2019 to contract with a company for: LUMBER.

Specifications and bid forms may

, until 11:00 a.m. on February 13, 2019.

BIDS

Great Rivers Greenway is soliciting bids for repairs to the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. Please check https://greatriversgreenway. org/jobs-bids/ and submit by February 1, 2019.

Keller Construction Inc.

Requests subcontractor and or material supplier quotations from Illinois Department of Transportation Certified subcontractors, suppliers and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises for the letting to be held January 18, 2019. Interested parties should contact Keller Construction at (618) 656-0033. All quotations must be submitted by 4:30 PM Wednesday January 16, 2019. Keller Construction is an equal opportunity employer.

METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS

SEWER DISTRICT

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is accepting proposals in the Purchasing Division, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2555 until 10:00 a.m. on February 13th, 2019 to contract with a company for: Lawn Care Services for Mintert Yard. Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from www.stlmsd.com, click on the “MSD AT WORK” link, (bid opportunities). The bid document will be identified as 9759 RFQ. If you do not have access to the internet, call 314.768.2735 to request a copy of this bid.

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

METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS SEWER DISTRICT

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is accepting proposals in the Purchasing Division, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2555 until 10:00 a.m. on February 4th, 2019 to contract with a company for: Manhole Rehabilitation Services. Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from www.stlmsd.com, click on the “MSD AT WORK” link, (bid opportunities). The bid document will be identified as 9750 RFP. If you do not have access to the internet, call 314.768.2735 to request a copy of this bid.

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

METROPOLITAN

SEWER DISTRICT

ST. LOUIS

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is accepting proposals in the Purchasing Division, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2555 until 10:00 a.m. on February 11th, 2019 to contract with a company for: Lawn Care Services for Lemay Treatment Plant. Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from www.stlmsd.com, click on the “MSD AT WORK” link, (bid opportunities). The bid document will be identified as 9756 RFQ. If you do not have access to the internet, call 314.768.2735 to request a copy of this bid. Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

REALESTATE BROKERAGE SERVICES

St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) seeks the service of a Real Estate Brokerage Firm to provide professional and technical assistance in support of SLDC staff to a) provide advice on market value of target and comparable properties; b) advertise available parcels and buildings through media outlets; c) analyze and evaluate offers presented on subject properties; d) present SLDC agency counteroffers; e) consult on related matters such as land subdivisions, lot consolidations, surveys, as necessary; and f) provide information and documents in preparation for closing, in conjunction with SLDC staff and counsel. Proposals due 1-28-2019. Details at https://www.stlouismo.gov/government/department/ sldc/procurement.cfm or by contacting Synetta Wright, Real Estate Specialist III, SLDC, at wrights@stlouis-mo.gov.

BID PROPOSAL

SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT OF ST. LOUIS COUNTY

Notice to contractors, Special School District is accepting bids for Cosmetology Lab Renovations at North Technical High School. For details, please visit the website at www.ssdmo.org/rfps.html

KCI

Plans and specifications will be available on January 14, 2019 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. HARVEST HOUSE ROOM FOR RENT $100/wk, $100/dep Quiet, Clean Environment 314-537-4429 APARTMENT FOR RENT 1 Bed, Carpet, Stove,Fridge,

St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) seeks the

ernment/department/sldc/procurement. cfm or by contacting Synetta Wright, Real Estate Specialist III, SLDC, at wrights@stlouis-mo.gov.

The AKAs Airport takeover. The ladies of the Omicron Eta Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha gave the girls a J15 to remember with their Founder’s Day set Saturday night at Lambert’s Concourse B. It was quite cute – and those sequined tops that a bunch of the pretty girls were prancing around in were absolutely everything. Sorors from millennial to baby boomer were in the building – done all the way up with their pinky fingers to the moon. I must say that quite a few of the men of Kappa Alpha Psi came through to show love. And they were looking super-duper dapper, with many of them in Eurofit tuxedos. Corey Clines, Jason Ware and Justin Triplett, I’m talking about you. I wish I knew the name of that cute little caramel-colored, fashion-forward Kappa so I could shout him out too – he wasn’t wearing a tux, but was still serving up a fly little look. I ran into my boy Bishop V Luv, who I haven’t seen in ages. I don’t know if he’s in any fraternity, but it’s always good to see him. I really enjoyed myself – to the point where it made riding around the departure and arrival pickup lanes until I got dizzy (which was totally my fault) absolutely worth it.

One in a million indeed. James Biko (the DJ and events producer formerly known as Nappy DJ Needles) is officially batting 1000 with his Aaliyah tributes. This year’s art show and spin session at Urb Arts featured several local visual artists and co-piloted on the wheels of steel by Agile One was totally worth that icky weather. I ran into my girl Christina Bailey over at Radio One. And I never noticed before Friday, but with a side swept bang and a 27-inch sew-in she could totally pull off some solid Aaliyah realness. I also ran into Shay Brown and Kristion Blackmon, Mimi Hood and a whole bunch of other folks who will most definitely be mad because I forgot to mention them. Hey Marty! I saw him too. I’m so happy that Biko is apparently making OIAM (One In A Million) an annual thing, because I always seem to forget just how much she slayed the game until it comes around to remind me. The visual art was the perfect touch, too.

Missing Mandarin already. Because I just couldn’t say goodbye to Biko’s Aaliyah jam, I missed Mandarin’s big farewell. The cozy second floor CWE hotspot gave me some of my favorite memories from the _______________ (insert new slang for young, black and fabulous) scene. All of the VIPs of the uppity scene used to be jammed up in there for a cute little set from Koncepts and several of the other promoters that catered to the “we don’t think we’re bougie, but we don’t get mad if you call us that” crowd. It was the unofficial hang spot for the St. Louis Rams (LA Rams, killa). They had some hotties on that team. It was at Mandarin that I made friends with Orlando Pace, Derek Stanley (he is still so doggone fine!), Fakhir Brown and Torry Holt. It’s also where Pisa Tinoisamoa tore his drawers with me by trying to give me a fake name. “I was like, ‘Sir, ain’t nobody trying to get you … I’m just being cordial.” It was also at Mandarin that Steven Jackson earned a permanent place in the hall of fame of my heart. There was a big sexy on the dance floor grooving and minding her own business when a few of his former Rams teammates who were such non-factors that I can’t even remember if anybody ever knew their names. Isn’t it always the second-string folks that’s trying to show out? But anyway, back to the story. They were pointing and laughing at her – one of them was so awful as to make a pig noise. She went to retreat to the wall, but before she could get over there, Steven peeped what was happening and asked for her hand to dance. She thought he was joking, but he whispered something in her ear that gave her the courage to take his hand and head to the middle of that dancefloor. They cut a rug for at least five songs – I’m talking about straight up jukin’! And when their session was over, he gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. That was my favorite all-time Mandarin memory.

The Alphas MLK mixer. Now normally I don’t partake in purely social gatherings that are held in the name of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but since these were his frat brothers – and they had a program of sorts before the party – I decided to hit up Blue Lounge to show my support. I got in before the snow started and left before the roads became a mess – and I was glad I stopped through. It was a cute little gathering that got plenty of support from the AKAs. I lost count of the pretty girls that I saw at the airport the evening before. I ran into some Alphas I have mad love for – like Henry, husband of Renee Thomas-Woods (one of my favorite AKAs) and Jacque Land, husband of one of my favorite Deltas ( hey, Leata). It was good little gathering with a delicious brunch menu.

STL Shed has begun. There’s a new urban open mic in town, and I have a feeling it’s going to be life more abundantly. Tish Haynes-Keys, Justin Hoskin and Katrina Reece (those were the ones wearing the STL Shed t-shirts, so forgive me if you didn’t have one on and I left you out) have teamed up to turn BB’s into a hub for R&B/Soul/Rap/Funk rising stars and familiar favorites from the local music scene every fourth Tuesday. The first one went well. Regulars like Brianna Brown, Tish, Justin, Katrina, Trunesia and TreG blessed the mic – and they had a rotating group of musicians going in and out. The audience was so lit, it made me want to sign up on the list and do a song or two. Or maybe I’ll do like that saxophone player – bring my own instrument and just sit in the audience and play along to every.single.song. I haven’t played the violin since the sixth grade, so I won’t be as good as he was, but if next month’s crowd is anything like the first one, the crowd will cheer me on and encourage me no matter what I sound like.

Funtasia, Iris and Ashley shared brunch with the Alphas Sunday @ Blue

Singers Brianna Brown and TreG came through to show love for @ the STL Shed kick off Tuesday night @ BBs

Evelyn, Francis, Mika and Shawn represented for the pretty girls of Alpha Kappa Alpha at their Founder’s Day party Saturday night @ Airport Concourse B

Tyler, Kayla and Avanti were beautiful in all black as they partied with the AKAs Saturday night @ Airport Concourse B

Corey Clines, Jason Ware and Justin Triplett were just a few of the Nupes at the AKA party Saturday night @ Airport Concourse B

Mimi and Rob caught the vibe James Biko served up with his One in a Million Aaliyah Tribute and Art Show Friday night @ Urb Arts

Fawn and Tisha were just a couple of the cuties who came through Hey Luv Saturday night @ Barnett’s on Washington

Angelica, Tish and Mike were smiles because of the successful premiere of STL Shed Tuesday night @ BB’s

Aaliyah fans Christina and Desiree were impressed with the sights and sounds of the One in a Million tribute and art show Friday night @ UrbArts

DJ Reminisce, DJ JMo and Shadzilla were thrilled that folks braved the cold to check out the first Hey Luv of 2019 Saturday night @ Barnett’s on Washington

Kira Van Niel was among the guests who who lined up for photos and to chat with the Kasi Lemmons. Lemmons is the director of the highly anticipated Harriet Tubman biopic and librettist for the Opera Theatre Saint Louis world premiere of ‘Fire Shut Up in My Bones’ as the OTSL community conversation Saturday night at Webster University.