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Dooley refutes smears
By Chris King Of The St. Louis American
County Executive Charlie Dooley faces a challenge in the August 5 Democratic primary from Councilman Steve Stenger, an attorney from Affton. For years now, Dooley has been the target of relentless criticism by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which frequently has relied on Stenger (when the paper names a source at all) for allegations about Dooley and his administration. Stenger often is joined in Post stories bashing Dooley by County Prosecutor Robert P. McCulloch, who also stands for reelection
State loosens Normandy transfer rules
Some districts say will take transfers but not pay lower tuition
By Dale Singer Of St. Louis Public Radio
JEFFERSON CITY – The Missouri state board of education reversed itself Tuesday and broadened the terms under which students living in Normandy may transfer to nearby accredited districts in the upcoming school year.
n The estimated number of students expected to leave Normandy has dropped to 328 from 945 last year.
A vote in June said that students who did not attend Normandy schools in the 2012-13 school year – the year before transfers began – would no longer be eligible to transfer in the upcoming year. The move was a response to what some people said was an unfair action by some families who moved into Normandy after the transfer law was upheld by the Missouri Supreme Court in June 2013. At the time, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education said that restriction would affect about 130 students.
But Tuesday, the board reconsidered the earlier vote and removed the restriction. Because some of the affected students transferred to districts that are no longer accepting Normandy students, the move will help about 60 students, DESE said.
Peter Herschend of Branson, president of the board, said the new vote was designed to remedy what he said was a decision made out of concern for the finances of the new Normandy Schools Collaborative, the state-monitored entity that replaced the Normandy school district on July 1. “We thought that the district couldn’t
on August 5. Though it’s a common protocol for incumbents from the same party defending their seats on the same ballot to support one another, or at least not openly oppose one another, McCulloch – who faces a primary challenge from Leslie T. Broadnax – endorsed Stenger early and aggressively. McCulloch even posed with Stenger in a campaign ad, where he openly accused Dooley of political corruption, saying, “This kind of corruption is a disgrace.” Ironically – as Dooley points out below – McCulloch’s own office has See DOOLEY, A7
n “There is no corruption in county government. I have no idea where it came from, but it comes up every four years.”
Celebrating with Judge White
Legal community celebrates McCaskill’s
By Chris King Of The St. Louis American
The U.S. Senate’s confirmation of Judge Ronnie White’s appointment to the federal bench by President Barack Obama make good on 17 years of waiting for White since his first appointment by President Bill Clinton was stymied by John Ashcroft, then a U.S. senator. But for
of
“I called Ronnie after Obama was elected in 2008 and asked, if I can work it out, would he See WHITE, A6
Photo by Wiley Price
County Executive Charlie Dooley responds to criticism at a recent St. Louis County Council meeting.
Photo by Wiley Price
Judge Ronnie White, newly confirmed to the federal bench, speaks with Mike Wolff, dean of the Saint Louis University School of Law and a former colleague of White’s on the Missouri Supreme Court, at a celebration of his confirmation at McGurk’s on Thursday.
Photo by Wiley Price
St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department detective Takisha Boyd poses with her daughter Kirsten Boyd, 2, and nephew Demonte Hurt, 8, next to the department’s helicopter during the opening of the new police headquarters at Olive and 18th streets on Saturday. Boyd is a 13-year veteran of the force.
– County Executive Charlie Dooley
Ray J slapped with nine charges stemming from May arrest
Back in May, Ray J was arrested in Beverly Hills after he was accused of making unwanted sexual contact with a woman at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel bar.
Ray J has reportedly been charged with sexual battery in relation to that incident along with 9 other crimes.
According to TMZ, the L.A. County D.A. just slapped Ray J with 4 counts of resisting arrest, 3 counts of assault and battery, 2 counts of vandalism and 1 count of misdemeanor sexual battery. Apparently the D.A. took the extra step of charging Ray J with sexual battery, even though arresting officers say there was no such incident.
Cissy Houston blasts Lifetime’s Whitney and Bobby biopic
Whitney Houston’s mother Cissy Houston has broken her silence regarding the upcoming
Whitney Houston biopic directed by Angela Bassett on Lifetime
“Lifetime has chosen to go ahead with the movie about Whitney in spite of my family’s objections,” Cissy Houston told Entertainment Tonight. . No one connected with this movie knew Whitney or anything about her relationship with Bobby
In the two years since Whitney’s death, many people have stepped forward to speak about their close relationship with her. I find it difficult to believe people who knew and supposedly loved her would participate in a movie about her done by folks who didn’t know her. We are exhausted by the continuing misinformation and comments offered by people who did not know her. Please, please let her rest.”
T.I. subliminally checks Floyd Mayweather during Detroit show
The day after Floyd Mayweather backtracked on claims that he slept with T.I.’s wife Tiny , T.I. held a concert at Chene Park in Detroit and had a message for guys who talk slick then backtrack on the their words.
At one point in the show T.I. told the crowd, “If I said some [expletive] and when a [expletive] check me about it
I’m not gonna back down off my word cause I’mma real [expletive].”
Then he had the DJ play his song “Stand Up” FOUR times in a row. Lyrics from the song include, “You got an alligator mouth and a hummingbird [expletive]/Your mouth writing checks that your [expletive] can’t cash/145 and I’m out of your weight class/Want to survive, you better scramble like eggs and break fast/ Cause I know how to handle your fake [expletive] /I’m a ride on you and hide you in yesterday’s trash/Pull up in the Chevy’s spraying rounds through the glass/See you laying face down in the grass and I’ll laugh…”
Birkin bag reheats NeNe vs. Wendy beef
Last week NeNe Leakes posted a picture of a Hermes Birkin bag covered with her catch phases along with a caption claiming that she customized it herself – and that her husband had a fit –on Instagram. After Wendy Williams slammed NeNe for defacing the expensive bag, which can retail for up to $150k, Leakes
let Williams have it via her personal web page, “Wendy I am sure people think that I’ve done something to you, maybe we had a beef or I slept with your man but none of that is true! I’ve actually only been nice to you! I gave you a beautiful black $3,200 Celine Phantom Bag to celebrate your 500th show but you haven’t spoken of that! But what you have chosen to do is constantly speak negative of me and lie on me! What you need to do is stop spewing hate! When it comes to gossip you are the lowest of the low! I know you hate because I turned down the chance to come on your Talk Show and I am sure you’re scared I will take your place (I know you have heard! Ummhmm wink wink) BE SCARED! I have a clothing line on HSN coming out in a few days and I know it must be hard for a black woman to support another black woman but you should try it sometime. PS: My Birkin is being turned into a work of art to raise money for a worthy charity something you fail to mention on
Signage upgraded in Forest Park
Forest Park Forever embarks on capital improvement projects
By Bridjes O’Neil
Of The St. Louis American
Visitors will soon find it easier to navigate through Forest Park, thanks to the installation of the new parkwide Way-Finding System. It is one of two capital improvement projects Forest Park Forever and the City of St. Louis announced last Tuesday at a press conference held at Forest Park’s Visitor and Education Center.
Community input played a vital role in the project, with many requests for clearer directional signs throughout the park. It is estimated that a quarter of Forest Park’s 13 million annual visitors are not local and may find the park’s existing brown directional signs confusing.
Lack of bike racks near restrooms and scarce wintertime restrooms and drinking fountains were also
common concerns, said Forest Park Forever President and Executive Director Lesley Hoffarth.
“Just because people love Forest Park,” Hoffarth said, “it doesn’t mean that they can’t be critical of what needs to be done.”
There are now twice the number of signs, said Board of Public Service President Richard T. Bradley. The visitorfriendly system will include 239 new directional signs, park maps, informational kiosks and banners. The signs are also more attractive and blend well into the park’s landscape, Bradley said. Installation of the way-finding system begins this month and will be completed by fall.
Forest Park exists because generous donors – individuals, companies and foundations – have helped to restore the park over the years, said Forest Park Forever Board Chairman
Racism at the World Bank
By Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Chicago Sun-Times
For decades, the World Bank, the third-largest employer in our nation’s capital, has sustained racially discriminatory practices. And within the last few months, an appeal to address the issue has seen inaction by the newest president of the World Bank, appointed in 2010 by President Obama.
In 2009, the Government Accountability Project identified only four black Americans out of more than 1000 American professionals working at the bank, not counting several thousand foreign nationals. The bank’s reply essentially was that there
are not sufficient qualified black Americans.
In fact, as the bank’s own internal reports have documented, discrimination is the root of the problem. In 1998, the Team for Racial Equality, consisting of senior officials including the bank’s current chief counsel, reported that “the findings of three earlier World Bank studies send a clear message: race-based discrimination is present in our institution.”
One of the serious issues that the 1998 report and several subsequent ones identified is the “ghettoization” (segregation) of blacks in the Africa regional vice presidential unit, housed in a separate building from the
Steve Finerty. The $1.1 million Way-Finding Project was made possible through donations from the William T. Kemper Foundation at Commerce Bank. Forest Park Forever and other cultural institutions, like the Saint Louis Science Center, provided funds toward initial design costs.
The second capital improvement project will be completed in two phases. Phase one will start this fall with work on the park’s
World Bank’s main office. In 2009, a former senior vice president explained that blacks were placed in the Africa regional section to give them opportunity to prove their competence and win the confidence of management before they were considered for assignments in other areas. Because of the bank’s immunity from U.S. courts, victims of racial discrimination are confined to an internal tribunal. Since its establishment
restrooms, also referred to as comfort stations, and drinking fountains. Upgrades include heat for year-round operation, new bike racks and drinking fountains accessible to disabled visitors. Restrooms will also be more accessible to the park’s recreational path system, Bradley said.
Restrooms to be upgraded in phase one are located southeast of the Hampton Avenue entrance roundabout and on the north side of Steinberg Skating
in 1980, the tribunal has dismissed all racial discrimination claims filed by blacks. In contrast, according to GAP’s 2009 report, “Complainants of other races who allege racial discrimination or applicants claiming reverse discrimination have better prospects for compensation awards.”
The expectation of change was high when President Jim Yong Kim was nominated by President Obama and confirmed as
Richard Bradley, president of the Board of Public Service for the city of St. Louis, Tony Thompson, founder of the Kwame Building Group and Lesley Hoffarth, president & executive director of Forest Park Forever, talk after the announcement earlier this week that the city has begun installing intuitive visitor friendly directional signs, park maps, and informational kiosks across the entire park.
Photo by Wiley Price
Rink, Bradley said. The third is located on Wells Drive between the St. Louis Zoo and I-64. A restroom located on Clayton Avenue west of Aviation Field will also be upgraded, he said. Phase one will be completed by December.
Future phases of this project will provide for more dramatic renovations. “Phase two of the restroom project will transform these comfort stations into full gathering plazas for families and groups,” Bradley said.
the first minority president of the World Bank in 2012.
To his credit, President Kim assumed personal leadership in advancing the bank’s agenda for equality for women and the LGBT community. In the last six months he published two op-ed articles on women and LGBT issues, met with external advocacy groups, and made presentations and chaired sessions at related forums.
In contrast, he has not met with leaders of the DC Civil Rights Coalition, delegating this to his chief of staff. The coalition submitted a petition
Finerty acknowledged the Brown Shoe Company Charitable Trust for the company’s $750,000 multi-year gift for the restroom project. Gifts also benefit the Forest Park Forever endowment fund, he said, which is crucial for park maintenance.
This marks the beginning of phase two of capital improvements, said Gary Bess, city director of Parks, Recreation and Forestry. The latest capital improvement projects, like all previous projects, are in alignment with the Forest Park Master Plan.
“We’ve already spent over $100 million since 1995 restoring the park,” Bess said. An additional $30 million worth of capital improvements will be completed over the next three to five years, he said.
“Everyone knows what a jewel we have in Forest Park,” said Tony Thompson, Forest Park Forever board member and CEO and board chairman of Kwame Building Group. “It only makes sense to continue to upgrade and maintain it. To have a great park like this that’s free and all the amenities that exist here takes money, and I just try to do my part to support it.”
Follow this reporter on Twitter: @BridjesONeil. Email: boneil@stlamerican.com.
calling on the president to (resolve outstanding cases of racial discrimination; establish an external commission; and introduce external arbitration as an alternative adjudicative outlet. To date, President Kim has not answered the coalition’s call. The bank’s formal posture remains that the bank “has zero tolerance for discrimination” and that staffers with grievances have access to a “reputable, independent, and impartial tribunal.” The reality does not match the rhetoric.
Columnist Rev. Jesse L. Jackson
Annie Malone Soiree set for Aug. 15
The Annie Malone Soiree will be held August 15 starting at 7 p.m. at 2612 Annie Malone Drive. The theme for this event is Soiree Fantast 2.50 (wear your sundress, grass skirt and short dress to have fun), featuring The Coleman Hughes Project, Rhoda G, Press Play Quartet and DJ Nune as entertainment. Majic 100.3’s very own Tammie Holland will be hosting and emceeing. Tickets are $100 per ticket and $600 per table, food and beverage included. Proceeds raised from this event will benefit the Transitional Living Program (TLP) which helps to decrease youth homelessness. TLP provides youth the necessary skills to successfully transition to independent, productive adults through a series of personal training and life skills development. For more information, visit http://www. anniemalone.com/.
11 Hazelwood schools recognized as Exemplary Schools
The Hazelwood School District (HSD) has 11 schools among 312 Missouri public and charter schools that were recognized by state education officials for successful adoption and implementation of Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support (SW-PBS) for the second year in a row. The SW-PBS is a comprehensive approach for improving student behavior and academic performance.
Five HSD schools earned SW-PBS gold-level awards: Barrington Elementary and Jana Elementary schools, and all three Hazelwood Early Childhood Education Centers—Central, East and West. The silverlevel recognition was awarded to Lawson Elementary School. Five HSD schools earned SW-PBS bronze-level awards: Garrett Elementary, Lusher Elementary, Townsend Elementary, Hazelwood East Middle and Hazelwood North Middle schools. SW-PBS helps to create safer and more effective schools by structuring the learning environment to support the academic and social success of all students. Their methods are research-based, proven to significantly reduce the occurrence of problem behaviors in schools and supported by a three-tiered model. Each tier corresponds to three award levels – gold, silver and bronze. For more information on SW-PBS visit, www. pbismissouri.org.
Stop the spread of HIV
By U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters For The St. Louis American
According to data compiled by the Kaiser Family Foundation, there are more than 510,000 African Americans living with HIV/AIDS today.
This number speaks to the need for the Minority AIDS Initiative, which I established in 1998 when I was the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. The initiative was founded to direct resources to address the epidemic’s disproportionate impact on communities of color.
Because of strong support in Congress, the Minority AIDS Initiative received $429 million in fiscal year 2012, more than any previous year. After a year of budget battles, Congress finally passed a spending bill for fiscal year 2014, which restored some of the sequestered funds for health programs.
I also reintroduced the Stop AIDS in Prison Act (H.R. 895) last year. This bill requires a comprehensive plan to provide HIV prevention, testing and treatment for inmates in federal prisons.
I have introduced this bill several times over the years, and while it has never made it to the president’s desk, it has focused attention on the problem of HIV/AIDS in our nation’s prisons. As a result, the president’s National HIV/AIDS Strategy, which was released in 2010, requires the Bureau of Prisons to take steps to address the effects of HIV/AIDS within the prison population.
Finally, I worked hard to expand access to routine HIV testing. Routine testing is especially important for black Americans, because so many blacks who are living with HIV/AIDS don’t know they are infected. In 2012, I introduced the Routine HIV Screening Coverage Act (H.R. 4470). This bill would have required health insurance plans to cover routine HIV tests as preventive health screenings without imposing co-payments or deductibles.
After I introduced this bill, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force worked to finalize a recommendation that all adolescents and adults ages 15 to 65 should be screened for HIV infection. This means that routine HIV screening is now considered standard medical practice. Insurance companies are required under the Affordable Care Act to cover routine HIV screening as an essential benefit, and they cannot impose co-payments or deductibles.
The HIV/AIDS epidemic must be a top priority for African Americans and indeed for all Americans. We must make it a top priority to stop the spread of HIV, tell our friends and neighbors to get tested, and get those who are infected into treatment. I urge my friends in the black community and my colleagues in Congress to remain vigilant in fighting this disease. There is more work to be done, and each of us must do our part.
Edited from remarks at a press conference organized by the Black AIDS Institute in Carson, CA.
U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) is a native of Kinloch.
Maxine Waters
Cameron Liggins gives his daughter Zoe, 2, a push on a swing recently in Fairground Park in North St. Louis.
Swinging with dad
Photo by Wiley Price
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serve” on the federal bench, McCaskill told The American “At first, he said he didn’t want to.” It would be difficult to blame him. When Clinton first nominated White for a seat on the Eastern District Court of Missouri in 1997, White was the first African-American judge on the Missouri Supreme Court. Ashcroft, a Republican, blocked White’s nomination allegedly because of White’s decisions in some death penalty cases. Speaking on the Senate floor, Ashcroft said that a federal judgeship would give White a platform to “push the law in a procriminal direction,” St. Louis Public Radio reported. As White knew, memories of Ashcroft’s opposition to him and White’s voting record are fresh in the minds of powerful Missouri Republicans. In 1998, White was the lone dissenter in Missouri vs. Johnson, a death penalty appeals case before the Missouri Supreme Court. One of the defendant’s victims was an aunt of Tim Jones, who is now the Speaker of the House in the Republican-dominated Missouri Legislature.
n “Claire did a masterful job.”
Republican who could have defeated White’s appointment, U.S. Senator Roy Blunt, voted against his appointment but did not actively work against it. The credit for neutralizing Blunt goes to McCaskill, according to many current and former judges who attended an impromptu celebration of White’s confirmation hosted at John D. McGurk’s Irish Pub on Thursday.
– Mike Wolff, dean of the Saint Louis University School of Law
n “This is a great day.”
– Judge Richard B. (Rick) Teitelman, Missouri Supreme Court
n “It’s about time. It’s longoverdue and well-deserved.”
– Judge Charles A. Shaw, Eastern District federal bench
Jones described White’s Senate confirmation as “disturbing and an outrage” in a statement.
“But he didn’t have a vote,” McCaskill told The American The one Missouri
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afford it,” Herschend said.
“We’ve now had another month of financial input, and nobody has money to throw around, but it looks like the district should be able to handle that financially.”
It was unclear whether a lawsuit challenging changes in the state’s policy and other aspects of the transfer situation influenced the board’s reconsideration.
The news came as a relief to Connie Holtrop, who transferred her three sons to Ladue this past year. None of her children attended school in the Normandy School District during the 2012-13 school year, and prior to the board’s decision, they were not eligible
“Claire did a masterful job,” said Mike Wolff, dean of the Saint Louis University School of Law and a former colleague of White’s on the Missouri Supreme Court.
White was subtly but visibly emotional at his celebration, where he was greeted by several former colleagues on the Missouri Supreme Court and future colleagues on the federal bench.
Judge Richard B. (Rick) Teitelman of the Missouri Supreme Court was among the first to arrive. Teitelman shares minority pioneer status with White, being the first Jewish and the first legally blind person to serve on the state’s highest court. He also has been viciously targeted by Missouri Republicans.
“This is a great day,” Teitelman said, repeatedly, as he grinned broadly throughout the reception.
Judge Rodney W. Sippel said he is looking forward to working with White on cases before the Eastern District.
“He will be a great addition to the bench,” Sippel said. “And our group is very collegial. Everybody gets along.”
Judge Charles A. Shaw,
to transfer during the coming school year.
“I’ve been working like crazy trying to figure out options for trying to move my kids and myself into the Ladue School District,” Holtrop said. “So, to get this news is a complete godsend.”
Two of her children need special services, and she said keeping them in Ladue would provide continuity in their education.
“It’s the biggest blessing ever to be able to stay in the home that we love,” Holtrop said.
Earlier in the meeting, state education officials told the board that about two-thirds of the 1,000 students who transferred out of Normandy school during the last school year will not be going to nearby accredited districts in the upcoming year.
White’s African-American predecessor on the Eastern District bench, said White’s voice will contribute to the “consensus” that he and his colleagues reach on cases.
“It’s about time,” Shaw said of White’s confirmation. “It’s long-overdue and welldeserved.”
White declined to speak
In a presentation to the state board of education, DESE officials said that because four districts – Francis Howell, FergusonFlorissant, Ritenour and Pattonville – have said they will no longer accept transfer students, the estimated number of students expected to leave Normandy has dropped to 328 from 945 last year. Normandy has about 4,000 students total.
to The American at the celebration. He thanked the paper for its support, but said everything he has ever said to the press, even in supportive articles, was used against him in his confirmation hearings. McCaskill was still in Washington, D.C. doing Senate business as St. Louis’ legal and judicial communities celebrated her hard work at McGurk’s, though she happened to call The American to discuss White’s confirmation during the reception.
tuition for transfer students – $12,413 for students in kindergarten through fifth grade, $13,283 for students in grades six through eight and $14,381 for high school students – rather than the rate of about $7,200 set by the state for the Normandy Schools Collaborative.
n “We will be staffing very conservatively,” Chris Nicastro said, “with the understanding that it’s easier to add teachers later.”
A fifth district, University City, had said that it would not accept Normandy transfers, but the board there voted last week to reverse that position. But it did not change an earlier decision to charge its full
“If they have said they’ll take the students, I believe that they are well aware that that means that what we are paying is the tuition rate that has been established for the Normandy Schools Collaborative,” said education Commissioner Chris Nicastro. Nicastro said parents should talk to the district to clarify its position.
“I wish I was there,” McCaskill said. She was asked if she had spoken to Bill Clinton yet about completing the job he started 17 years ago. “I need to call him,” McCaskill said. “I’ll make him my next call.” To listen to McCaskill’s Senate speech on White’s behalf, go to her Youtube channel at https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=hozb54 1ofmA&list=UUnarZ9jmNhIeDcEPBwqMFw. Follow this reporter on Twitter @chriskingstl.
Kirkwood schools will accept Normandy students in the upcoming year, but officials there say they also will not accept the lower tuition amount.
Progress report
The progress report to the state board included a wide range of actions – financial, educational, personnel – that have been taken since the Normandy Schools Collaborative became effective on July 1, replacing the old Normandy school district. The switch occurred after Normandy was driven to the brink of bankruptcy from the costs of tuition and transportation for transfer students.
Nicastro said that about half of the staff that worked in Normandy last year has been rehired by the collaborative. Deputy Commissioners Ron Lankford and Margie Vandeven updated board members on actions taken in Normandy since the beginning of July.
As the district reported on Monday, about 80 percent of the staff that will be needed when classes begin on Aug. 18 has been hired. The district will be holding jobs fairs for prospective employees on Thursday and Saturday of this week.
Lankford told the board that Normandy did not need the emergency money appropriated by the General Assembly last year when it appeared that the district may not be able to complete the school year. He projected that Normandy would end the upcoming school year with a fund balance of 9 percent; its balance was 17 percent before the transfers began last summer.
To get the additional staff that Normandy needs, Vandeven said it will be contacting area school districts to find out whether recently retired teachers might be available in the areas where they are still needed. Other options, such as electronic or distance learning, are also being considered, she said.
“We will be staffing very conservatively,” Nicastro said, “with the understanding that it’s easier to add teachers later, particularly at the elementary level, than it would be go in the other direction.”
With school starting on Aug. 18, two weeks after teachers report for intensive professional development, board Vice President Mike Jones wanted to know what plans Normandy and state officials have to make sure students show up for the first day of class and remain there afterward.
“If we don’t have 100 percent,” Jones asked, “what is planned? School is going to open the 18th.” Vandeven said the district has been getting the word out about the start of school, but she acknowledged: “Right now, there’s not an Option B.” Tim Lloyd contributed information to this story. Edited for length and reprinted with permission from news.stlpublicradio.org.
Judge Ronnie White, newly conirmed to the federal bench, was congratulated by St. Louis County Judge David Lee
Vincent III at a celebration of his conirmation at John D. McGurk’s Irish Pub on Thursday.
Photo by Wiley Price
Summer Academy prepares students for college
UMSL program has 100
percent college attendance rate
American staff
Scores of local high school students turned their summer break into a time of serious and memorable growth by taking part in the 2014 Summer Academy offered by the Bridge Program at the University of Missouri – St. Louis. Participants in the precollegiate program gained academic confidence and key skills to help them make the challenging leap from high school to college.
“I feel very prepared for my junior year and each year to come,” said Kahfale Jones, a student at Pattonville High School and one of more than 200 teens accepted into the Summer Academy. “It was well worth giving up my summer to enrich my life and become a better person.”
Now in its 28th year, UMSL’s Bridge Program is part of the university’s commitment to community outreach and engagement, providing St. Louis students and their parents with free services that help them overcome barriers that often impede college access. The Summer Academy brings students to campus five mornings a week for four weeks in June and July.
“Our academies take a comprehensive approach
“We have been consistent in maintaining a 100 percent college attendance rate among our participating students.”
– Natissia Small, assistant dean of students and head of precollegiate programs
focusing on providing rigorous academic preparation, college research and planning, financial literacy, personal and professional development – all areas that are crucial to lifelong success,” said Natissia Small, assistant dean of students and head
of precollegiate programs.
“As a result, we have been consistent in maintaining a 100 percent college attendance rate among our participating students.”
The high school students speak highly of the program instructors, who focus their classroom, workshop and
laboratory activities on science, math, interpersonal communication, ACT preparation, and personal and career development.
“I’ve improved in academic areas that weren’t my strengths,” said Felesha Clarke, a high school sophomore at Lift for Life Academy. “I’ve gained college and career readiness skills that I will take with me throughout my life, and I can now serve as a resource to my peers.”
The Bridge Program is now accepting applications for the 2014-2015 Saturday Academy. The deadline is Aug. 29. For more information, visit www.umsl. edu/precollegiate/ or call 314-516-5196.
Community Briefs
Ferguson-Florissant
The Ferguson-Florissant School District began central registration this week for students who plan to attend school in the district for the 2014-2015 school year. Parents or guardians may register their child July 21 through August 22 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Thursday.
The registration center, located at 1005 Waterford Dr., Building B in Florissant, will be closed on Fridays and on Election Day, Tuesday, Aug. 5. In order to register a child, parents or guardians must have the following in addition to the completed registration
opens registration
forms available on the district’s website: updated occupancy permit dated within the last 90 days, plus a current lease or mortgage payment book or bill; proof of birth date; complete immunization record; proof of guardianship (if applicable); parent or guardian’s photo identification; student’s original social security card. Additional items needed: last report card or unofficial high school transcript; withdrawal form from previous school; discipline report in sealed envelope; IEP and evaluation if applicable. For more information, visit www.fergflor.org.
Normandy Schools to host teacher job fair
Normandy Schools Collaborative (NSC) will hold a Teacher Job Fair, Thursday, July 24 and Saturday, July 26, to fill vacancies for the upcoming 2014-2015 school year.
The July 24 session will be held at Barack Obama Elementary School, 3883 Jennings Station Rd., from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The July 26 session will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lucas Crossing Elementary Complex, 7837 Natural Bridge Rd.
The NSC, formerly known as the Normandy School District, is searching for teachers across all educational disciplines. Interested candidates should pre-register for the event by completing an on-line application at www. normandysc.org.
Candidates should also bring a copy of their resume, transcript, three references and current certification. Educators
who hold teaching certification from another state should visit the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website at http:// dese.mo.gov/educator-quality/ certification or call 573-7510051.
During the on-line preregistration process, applicants will be required to take the Gallop Assessment, complete a writing prompt and download a lesson plan template. Prior to attending the event, the lesson plan template should be completed. If interviewed, applicants should be prepared to demonstrate their lesson. All attendees will go through an on-site prescreening process. Those who complete the preregistration requirements will receive priority consideration. For more information, call 314-493-0412 or visit www. normandysc.org.
During four intense weeks in June and July, local high school students focused on their futures by taking part in the UMSL Bridge Program’s Summer Academy. Participants and their parents gathered July 11 for a closing celebration.
Photo by August Jennewein
When black people go missing
Thirty-five years ago this month, African-American children in Atlanta, Georgia were coming up missing or dead. Like an ominous vapor, the murders sent terror throughout the neighborhoods of poor and working-class black families. Before the reign of terror was over, a painful carnage of young children and young adults would bring untold suffering to loved ones, a black male suspect would be convicted, and lingering questions and criticisms of the process would persist. The infamous cases of Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered Children remain a psycho-social mystery and, for many, the unsolved crimes of the century.
The lives of black folks are devalued when they are alive and breathing. It should be no surprise that when we come up missing or dead, it’s hardly a blip on the radar screen. Our struggle for legitimacy is both in life and in death.
Because the Atlanta crimes involved children, I felt immediately connected. I was part of coalition that convened the local campaign whose main purposes were to raise awareness about the cases, to fundraise for legal and personal expenses and to mobilize people for a national event held in Washington, D.C. We were successful in doing all three but more importantly, it gave us access to some of the mothers who, still grieving for their loss, had been catapulted into the national spotlight as advocates for their children.
Three of the victims mothers— Venus Taylor, Camille Bell and
Willie Mae Mathis—formed the Committee to Stop Children’s Murders (STOP). We were able to hear first-hand their perceptions about what was going on and what was really happening in Atlanta.
Edward Hope Smith and Alfred Evans are thought to be the first of many victims. The young teens were friends but disappeared days apart. Edward had been shot and Alfred allegedly strangled. When their bodies were found together on July 28, 1979, it was no surprise when police suspected the youth were involved in drugs. Further investigation into their deaths was basically dropped.
Nine-year-old Yusef Bell, perhaps the fourth child to be found dead, was a promising and gifted student. His funeral was a major event, attended by city officials and other prominent leaders, and probably was the case that beamed light on the growing number of missing and murdered Atlanta children.
Kids were coming up missing, but it would be months before police authorities would be pressured by the black community to see an insidious pattern. The pattern was that black kids were coming up dead on a regular basis. The circumstances around their deaths were very different –some were shot, some were strangled and some were bludgeoned to death. The 1980 “Summer of Death” and the relentless pressure from STOP and its supporters finally forced the Atlanta police to take the murderous rampage serious; it set up a task force to focus their investigation.
Public criticisms of the police investigation continued to ring loudly. From media reports, the police had eliminated some 60 cases of murders of children and young
adults for one reason or another during this same time frame. Many observers believed it was to quell the fears that were impacting convention and tourism dollars.
Eventually, the authorities put blame to Wayne Williams. The 23-year-old had no prior record and no history of violence. Williams was convicted for the deaths of two of the murders and sentenced to life imprisonment. Other children were reported missing or murdered after William’s arrest. While Williams continued to maintain his innocence, city officials and police authorities considered the case closed. Most STOP mothers did not believe Williams was guilty of the murders.
The Atlanta murders rocked the city and certainly impacted other communities of color across the country. What still persists is not only the uncertainty about Williams’ guilt but also the reality that there is no seriousness about missing African Americans 35 years later, especially black women.
The National Crime Information Center estimates that there are 64,000 black women alone missing in the U.S. This has prompted the creation of groups like Black and Missing Foundation to compare the overwhelming media attention on white missing women to the almost non-existent focus on women of color.
As we demand “Bring Our Girls Home” in reference to the Nigerian girls kidnapped by the Boko Haram, let us remember there are young women like Phoenix Caldon from St. Louis who need to be brought home as well as unsolved murders of young black males.
Jamala Rogers
School as ‘engine of change’
Cory Quinn leads De La Salle Middle School in North St. Louis
By Bridjes O’Neil
Of The St. Louis American
Like Jean Baptiste de La Salle, a French priest and educational reformer dismayed by the lack of equity between rich and poor, Cory Quinn strives to close that gap.
Quinn, president of De La Salle Middle School, 4145 Kennerly Ave. in North St. Louis’ historic Ville neighborhood, is committed to ensuring that all children in St. Louis have access to affordable and quality schools. The student population is entirely African-American.
Quinn describes himself as an experienced educator with strong Ignatian and Lasallian training. He began as a volunteer teacher at Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Mo. nearly 15 years ago, developing a career in faithbased education. He went on to teach and serve as interim dean of students at De Smet, his former high school, for several years before assuming his current role at De La Salle.
During his earlier years at De La Salle, he confessed that he was naïve. He started in 2008 right before “things took a turn for the worse” financially – an after-effect of the recession, he said.
“My vision at that time was survival,” he said.
De La Salle is a tuitionbased school with 97 percent of its operating revenue coming from private donations and grants. All families pay the remaining three percent of tuition based on a sliding income scale. He pondered where De La Salle would be, if it were not for its generous donors.
“I’ll tell you where it would be,” he said, laughing nervously. “Instead of $2 million strong, each year it would be $60,000 strong.” He quickly concluded that the school would be nonexistent, stating that donors provide the “fuel to run this engine of change that is De La
Salle,” he said. Now that a solid financial foundation has been laid, the school’s vision is to expand and grow, with a goal to double its size. The school benefitted from a “transformative” multiyear grant from the Deaconess Foundation to help it achieve its goal, Quinn said. New staff have been hired, and the school added a fifth-grade class for the first time.
The school now serves students through the eight grade. Within the next couple of years, the school plans to re-locate to a new facility to accommodate its growing student body.
That vision also includes increasing community engagement. Prominently displayed on the school’s website are the words: “Transforming children and community through innovative education.” He applauds the school for bringing in students and transforming their lives, but admits that the school has been “insular” in its thinking.
“We weren’t thinking about how we could deepen our impact outside the school building,” he said.
Another “transformative” change will be De La Salle’s transition from a small, independent, faith-based school to a charter during the 2015-16 school year, he said.
“We know that what we do works. Our biggest challenge is funding this thing that works so well,” he said. “We think that bringing our mission to as many people as possible is what we’re called to do.”
De La Salle educates students facing limited opportunities due to poverty and its complementary issues: inadequate schooling, low expectations and a lack of strong role models. Last school year, the school served 69 students, of whom 90 percent qualified for free or reduced lunch.
“There is an over-whelming counter-message in our society that our kids are nobody and,
at worse, they are somebody that will do the world harm,” he said.
De La Salle’s slogan is “I am somebody” – three small words with a mighty impact on De La
Salle students.
“It’s an ever-present refrain that we echo to remind ourselves that we’re challenging what the culture says about who we are,” he
Cory Quinn,
said. He said working in an urban school setting has enriched his life tremendously and he has gained a newfound appreciation for the broader community. He
now understands the struggles of people who are different from him “in terms of where they live and what privileges were given to them at birth,” he said.
De La Salle is striving to make diversity and inclusion a mainstay of its culture, which he says starts at the board level. “We want to be a resource within the community,” he said, “but we don’t always know how to do that. We are really open to more people getting involved in our school.”
Follow this reporter on Twitter: @BridjesONeil.
president of De La Salle Middle School, 4145 Kennerly Ave. in North St. Louis’ historic Ville neighborhood, visits with a student.
Photo by Wiley Price
Obituaries
James Garner’s legacy: A commitment to civil rights and political activism
From The Washington Post
James Garner, a ruggedly handsome and disarming leading man of film and television who was best known for his series “Maverick” and “The Rockford Files” and who delivered compelling portrayals of wartime cowards, alcoholics and self-centered tycoons, died July 19 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 86. When Garner decided to help organize and attend the March on Washington in 1963, he wasn’t just listening to his conscience. He and other actors who attended may have been embarking on Hollywood’s first large-scale political act since the days of McCarthyism and Hollywood’s anti-Communist blacklist.
After years of viewing the government with suspicion, many felt emboldened to participate, joining forces with black actors such as Harry Belafonte, Ruby Dee
and Diahann Carroll. Garner and other celebrities in attendance, including Paul Newman and Marlon Brando, openly defied J. Edgar Hoover and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which was keen to stop the march. Garner’s involvement was part of a long career of political activism. He told people he met his wife, Lois Clarke, at party for Adlai Stevenson, the liberal Democratic Party presidential candidate in 1952 and 1956. (Clarke gently corrected him in an appendix to his memoir, “The Garner Files” — they actually met at an earlier party, she said.) Though he believed in supporting causes political and environmental, Garner was staunchly against actors holding office for the most part. In “The Garner Files,” the self-identified “bleeding-heart liberal” wrote:
“Too many actors have run for office. There’s one difference between me and them: I know I’m not qualified. In my opinion, Arnold Schwarzenegger wasn’t qualified to be governor of California. Ronald Reagan wasn’t qualified to be governor,
let alone president. I was a vice president of the Screen Actors Guild when he was its president. My duties consisted of attending meetings and voting. The only thing I remember is that Ronnie never had an original thought and that we had to tell him what to say. That’s no way to run a union, let along a state or a country.”
knows how he loved the game of golf. During the 1980s and 1990s, Earl qualified for two U.S. Senior Open Championships, twice won the St. Louis Publinx Open, and won a number of tournaments around the St. Louis area.
The young and the reckless
I know the title of the soap opera is “The Young and the Restless,” but I want to focus on the number of friends and family members I have lost to preventable diseases, especially diseases caused by smoking.
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Garner also wrote of how Republicans approached him to run for office in 1962. He said they didn’t care when he informed them he was a Democrat; they thought he was a winner. Garner visited troops in Vietnam in 1967, was a supporter of the National Support Committee of the Native American Rights Fund and a supporter of the National Museum of the American Indian.
Earl Rayford Parham, Sr.
Earl Rayford Parham, Sr. departed this life on June 14, 2014 surrounded by his loving family. He lived, worked, and played in St. Louis, MO where he was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, dedicated educator, and an avid golfer. Earl Parham Sr. was born in Oxford, Mississippi. He was formally educated in the Oxford, Mississippi Public Schools and received an athletic scholarship to Kentucky State University in Frankfort, Kentucky. He played quarterback on the football team, toured with the tennis club, and played golf on the Frankfort golf courses. On May 29, 1959, he graduated from KSU with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Physical Education.
After graduating, Earl moved to St. Louis, MO. While working in St. Louis, Earl met and fell in love with Joan Barnes. On December 6, 1964, Earl and Joan were united in holy matrimony. To this union, two children were born; a son, Earl, Jr. and a daughter, Janine. Earl retired as a Physical Education teacher from the St. Louis Public Schools after 35 years of dedicated service. Everyone who knew Earl
Earl leaves to cherish his memory a devoted wife of 49 years, Joan Parham; two children, Earl Jr.(Valerie) Parham and Janine Parham; three granddaughters, Brianna Canillas, Desiree and Nina Parham; beloved extended family, golfing buddies, and a host of friends. The loving care provided by the staff of the Life Care Center of Bridgeton, MO is greatly appreciated.
A Memorial Service will be conducted at the Washington Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, 3200 Washington Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63103 on July 31, 2014 at 5 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, charitable donations can be made to the Rev. John E. Nance and Regina S. Nance Memorial Scholarship Fund. Checks payable to the Nance Scholarship Fund and mailed to: Washington Tabernacle Baptist Church, 3200 Washington Ave., St. Louis, MO 63103.
Stephen Anthony Hennderson Jr.
July 24, 1988— Oct 24, 2007
Happy 26th Birthday to my son, Stephen Anthony Hennderson Jr. May he continue to rest in peace.
Ella Conway
Ella Conway
July 29, 1936— Jan 19, 2005
Happy Birthday, my dear grandmother. You will always be remembered and are truly missed. I’ll love and miss you always. From: Your precious granddaughter, Shantel White
According to the American Lung Association in 2010, the top five causes of death in the United States were diseases of the heart, cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, and unintentional injuries. And men may be more at-risk for these diseases than women. Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, including emphysema, bronchitis, and chronic airway obstruction, and diabetes.
On my current television program and on so many of my radio show over the years, I have had experts to tell us the danger of these illnesses and how we can prevent them, but most people find it hard to face mortality. I can name eight of my disc jockey friends who have died as a direct result of smoking. I also lost a sister and a brother because of smoking. I am not an activist or a crusader taking on the tobacco industry, but it is shameful for us to know the dangers of smoking and continue to gamble with our health.
communities have been bombarded with cigarette advertising. Per the American Lung Association, since the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) in 1998, the average youth in the United States is annually exposed to 559 tobacco ads, every adult female 617 advertisements and every African American adult 892 ads.
The American Lung Association also reports that women have also been extensively targeted in tobacco marketing. Such marketing is dominated by themes of an association between social desirability, independence, weight control and smoking messages conveyed through advertisements featuring slim, attractive, and athletic models.
Once there were battles against these advertisements, as well as the malt liquor campaigns, but somehow after the government cracked down on the tobacco companies, after a barrage of law suits and settlements, some of us have drifted back to the same old harmful and destructive habit of smoking.
The American Lung Association informs us that cigarette smoking has been identified as the most important source of preventable disease and illness, and premature death worldwide. Smokingrelated diseases claim an estimated 443,000 480,000 American lives each year, including those affected indirectly, such as babies born prematurely due to prenatal maternal smoking and victims of “secondhand” exposure to tobacco’s carcinogens.
About 8.6 16 million people in the U.S. have at least one serious illness caused by smoking. That means that for every person who dies of a smokingrelated disease, there are 20 30 more people who suffer from at least one serious illness associated with smoking. You must remember that African-American
I
Don’t think I do not recognize that you have a choice to live your life the way that you choose, and I know how hard it is to break away from the nicotine, but I will say, most smokers will quit one way or another. Americans for Nonsmokers Rights state, on average, smokers die 10 years earlier than nonsmokers. Secondhand smoke in the workplace is a health justice issue; everyone deserves protection from workplace health hazards, and no one should have to choose between their livelihood and exposure to an easily preventable cause of premature death and chronic disease.
Please watch the Bernie Hayes TV program Saturday night at 10 p.m. and Friday morning at 9 a.m. and Sunday evenings at 5:30 p.m. on KNLC-TV Ch. 24. Follow me on Twitter: @berhay and view my blog http:// berniehayesunderstands. blogspot.com/. I can be reached by fax at 314-8373369 or e-mail at: berhay@ swbell.net.
Terrence Rogers hands Keith Brooks the key to his new home.
Earl Parham Sr.
Stephen Hennderson
Bernie Hayes
James Garner
Boyd and Slay’s Southern Strategy
Jeffrey Boyd has adopted a blatantly Southern Strategy in his primary campaign against incumbent License Collector Mavis Thompson Residents in parts of South St. Louis recently received a Boyd campaign mailer, with the bold and capital headline, “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!”
The substance of the mailer is a parade of nine quotes from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch provided as alleged evidence of “Mavis Thompson’s Mismanagement.” The Post –which loves feasting on black local officials, then and now – was riding Mavis hard about alleged budget-busting trips, audits citing loose fiscal reins, $25K gone missing from the office and the inevitable FBI investigation. Boyd’s quotes are a mixture of news reports with the Post editorials that followed promptly upon them, creating an echo effect – or, rather, reproducing the Post’s own notorious echo effect. So, for example, a report of the missing funds is followed on the timeline of quotes by “Find the Missing Money.”
You have to pay close attention to believe this is Mavis Thompson the Post was talking about, because it’s the same news and editorial playbook the Post is running relentlessly on County Executive Charlie Dooley look for any evidence of blood, and then make a bunch of noise while you’re trying to widen the wound.
And indeed Boyd’s “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!” mailer should read like deja vu all over again. Because in these quoted articles the Post was not hammering Mavis Thompson the license collector we know
today, who was appointed by Gov. Jay Nixon in October 2013 and currently is serving in that position without incident or scandal. These were reports and editorials aimed at Mavis Thompson the circuit clerk in 1995 and 1996 – almost 20 years ago. The dates of the editions are printed alongside the quotes, and Boyd’s brief note to the voter on the mailer refers to Thompson the alleged mismanager in terms of her circuit clerk career. And, of course, finding and sourcing negative news reports about your opponent’s conduct 20 or even (if you have been in the field as long as someone like Sharon Carpenter) 50 years ago is fair game in a campaign. The amazing thing is that this is a black candidate attacking a black candidate in South St. Louis, using as a weapon the newspaper of record for the white political community, the Post-Dispatch But Boyd’s face does not appear on the mailer, so with his bland name, he could easily pass as white in this mailing. Not his opponent – she appears in the mailing, tinted dark as night. Further, the image of the woman that appears darkly alongside these quotes – it’s printed so darkly, it’s hard to say if it is Mavis – appears to be wearing a hoodie. You heard that right – alongside the quotes about disappearing money looms a black person in a hoodie.
Slay’s black candidate
At this point, the extent that Boyd is being handled by South Side political operatives
close to Mayor Francis Slay becomes undeniable. Some thought the EYE was seeing a bogeyman under the bed when claiming that Slay was running a proxy campaign with Boyd against Mavis. The initial evidence – which seemed obvious to objective veteran watchers of local primaries –was that Slay endorsed Boyd publicly and very early, indeed before filing for the primary even opened. Given that there is an incumbent Democrat on the ballot for this seat and this is a relatively minor (albeit citywide) position, it was a bold move by the mayor intended (many political professionals concluded) to draw attention to itself.
This is my campaign, Slay seemed to be saying with the early endorsement – this is my black candidate. And Boyd’s South Side “mismanager” mailer has Slay’s fingerprints all over it – or, rather, the politically divisive fingertips of the handlers that Slay and Boyd now have in common.
An even dirtier version of this dirty game was waged on Twitter by Stephen Gregali a Slay senior staffer who can be relied upon to speak in code words with the thinnest of disguises.
Gregali was tweeting from the same playbook as Boyd, dredging up 20-year-old
Residents in parts of South St. Louis recently received a Jeffrey Boyd campaign mailer that attacks incumbent License Collector Mavis Thompson with nearly 20-yearold quotes from the PostDispatch and the image of a black woman – printed so darkly, it’s hard to say if it is Mavis – who appears to be wearing a hoodie.
allegations of mismanagement in the circuit clerk’s office. Gregali pointed out that Freeman Bosley Jr. preceded Thompson as circuit clerk. (The white political class never tires of snide references to Bosley, the city’s first black mayor, used as a kind of garlic to ward off the threat of a future black mayor.)
Gregali then adds the hashtag “#TheirOwnMess” to the conversation. That begs the question – what is the plural group being indicted as having created this (now very dated) mess? Who is the “they” of “their own mess”? Alderman Antonio French, who had the unpleasant experience of working alongside Gregali, forwarded this hashtag string with the obvious implication that, coming from Gregali, “they” is “those people,” those messy black people.
Though not on this campaign mailer to South Side voters, Jeffrey Boyd is himself black. But he comes pre-approved by Mayor Slay. He has been branded as not one of those black people, not one of those black candidates, not one of those black elected officials.
As for Gregali, get your score cards out to identify this operative. He is a current Slay senior staffer who previously was one of Slay’s South Side allies on the Board of
Aldermen. At some point in their working relationship, Gregali also married a former colleague on the Board of Aldermen, another Slay ally from the South Side, Jennifer Florida. Slay very recently appointed Florida as recorder of deeds after his former babysitter Sharon Carpenter resigned from the position, pursuant to confessing to nepotism. The confessed nepotist remains in the primary race for what is now her former seat, and the mayor did not revoke his endorsement of her after that whole nepotism thing, though Slay is using the media to hint at pursuing a proxy general election campaign with Florida as an independent.
Remember Sharon Carpenter
By all means, let’s not forget Sharon Carpenter in this mess.
For 50 years, she has been committeewoman in Slay’s home 23rd Ward. She was recorder of deeds from 1980 until the day before yesterday, more or less, when her primary challenger Ed McFowland brought her down with the nepotism bust.
Her presence on the August 5 ballot – long before the race was thrown open by her
nepotism bust and resignation –made many of Boyd’s political colleagues wonder why he was running against the only black citywide incumbent on the ballot, Mavis Thompson, when two white citywide incumbents also faced reelection. License Collector Gregg F.X. Daly has the deepest war chest in local politics, so no foul if Boyd didn’t want to oppose him. But wouldn’t Carpenter have been a better target than Mavis? Her position even pays better by a cool $20K – the recorder of deeds earns $99,788 and the license collector $80,002. But Boyd clearly chose a Southern Strategy – provided by Slay and his South Side handlers – all along. Alderman French opposes Boyd and his willingness to play electoral games with Slay, but he understands it as a symptom of the perceived weakness and disunity of the black political community and lack of strong support from black voters.
“This is a consequence of African Americans not voting in large enough numbers and not donating to political campaigns,” French told the EYE earlier in this campaign. “It makes it easy for some black elected officials to, in their minds, go where the money and votes are. This works to the advantage of a white mayor of a pluralityblack city who is hugely unpopular among black people. It doesn’t matter how unpopular the mayor is if those black people don’t vote, organize and hold their elected officials accountable.”
Comptroller Darlene Green, aldermanic President Lewis Reed and Treasurer Tishaura Jones have stepped up and endorsed Thompson. Even state Senator Jamilah Nasheed, who supports the mayor, endorsed Thompson. But, it must be said that U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay, who has swapped endorsements with this mayor, dodged a question from The American about the license collector’s race. The absence of his political leadership in a pivotal contest like this is troubling.
U. City will accept Normandy transfers
School board reverses decision after parent presentations
By Tim Lloyd Of St. Louis Public Radio
Laquette Collins has three children who transferred from Normandy to University City last year.
On Thursday night her voice quivered as she urged the University City School Board to reconsider their decision to no longer accept students from Normandy.
“Since they’ve been in U-City, my kids have made tremendous improvements,” Collins told the board, as she rubbed away tears.
Shortly after her comments, the board reversed its decision to refuse students from Normandy who were set to return to University City for the coming school year. Though state officials have recommended that districts accept a lower tuition rate for transfer students this year, the University City board kept higher rates in place.
Last month the board voted to close its doors to transfers students from the new, state-run Normandy Schools Collaborative, which replaced the unaccredited Normandy School District.
The new district began operations on July 1 with no accreditation status, and according to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), receiving districts have the option as to whether or not they will continue to accept students who transferred last year. A student also must
have attended the Normandy School District during the 2012-13 in order to continue in the transfer program, according to DESE guidelines.
With board member Tom Peters absent from the June 26 meeting, the vote was split on a motion to accept transfer students. In the event of a tie, district policy states that a motion fails, which ended the transfer process for Normandy students.
By a 5-2 vote on Thursday evening the board reversed course and reopened its doors to 80 students who transferred to University City last year. Peters voted in favor of accepting transfers. Charlotte Tatum was the only member to change his or her mind. She said in the weeks afterward she had time to think about her decision, and that comments from parents like Collins caused her to reconsider.
“If it were my child, what would I want someone to do?” Tatum said.
Linda PeoplesJones, George Lenard and Lisa Brenner voted again to accept Normandy transfer students. In contrast, John Clark and
n “I don’t think that the 3 percent is what will cause us to lose our accreditation across the board.”
– Superintendent Joylynn Pruitt
which made up around 3 percent of the student body, for the district to lose its full accreditation.
“While I’m not a statistician, I don’t think that the 3 percent is what will cause us to lose our accreditation across the board,” Pruitt said.
Pruitt pointed out that in addition to test scores, other measures like attendance, graduation rates and ACT scores factor into a district’s accreditation score.
‘For the Sake of All’ receives new grant
State Sen. Maria ChappelleNadal, D-University City, voted again to no longer accept transfer students from Normandy.
Chappelle-Nadal maintained her position that accepting students could weigh down academic performance. She also brought up concerns about the outcome of a lawsuit filed by parents of students who are challenging state recommendations limit the number of students who may transfer out of Normandy.
While she agrees with the premise of the lawsuit, she said it could open the doors to far more than 80 Normandy students transferring into University City.
“We’re in a gray area where administrative rules are superseding and circumventing state law,” Chappelle-Nadal said.
During a work session prior to the board’s vote, concerns were raised that test scores from Normandy students could erode the district’s accreditation status.
In response, Superintendent Joylynn Pruitt said it would take more than a weak showing on the part of Normandy transfer students,
The board did not revisit its decision regarding tuition for transfer students. In its meeting on June 26, the board voted unanimously not to accept the lower rate of about $7,200 that’s recommended in DESE guidelines for students who transferred last year out of the former Normandy School District.
The district’s proposed tuition rate for the coming school year for K-5 students is $12,413; for grades six through eight the proposed rate is $13,283; and for high school the proposed rate is $14,381.
Pruitt had recommended that the board approve the lower tuition rate, but some board members worried that doing so could put the district in financial bind.
During the work session, the district’s Chief Financial Officer, Scott Hafertepe, said the lower tuition amount was intended to help stabilize Normandy’s finances. Costs related to school transfers forced Normandy to reduce staff and left it hanging by a thread financially by the end of last school year.
University City is the only district thus far to vote on the fate of Normandy transfer students in public. Other boards have settled the matter in closed sessions.
Edited for length and reprinted with permission from news.stlpublicradio.org/.
“Now it is time to channel that energy into an
effort to bring about change.”
Jason Purnell Brown School at Washington University
–
Missouri Foundation for Health provides $593K to continue project
American staff
One of the primary questions at the May 30 Community Conference to release the “For the Sake of All” final report was, “What are the next steps.” There is now an answer to that question.
“For the Sake of All” has been awarded a twoyear Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) grant of $593,107 to continue the groundbreaking multidisciplinary project on health disparities in the St. Louis region, led by assistant professor Jason Purnell from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.
“We are very excited about the opportunity to translate the data and analysis of our first phase of work into action in this second phase,” says Purnell. “The community response to this project has been remarkable, and now it is time to channel that energy into an effort to bring about change.”
This new financial support will focus on engagement of the community, business leaders and policy makers in order to mobilize support for implementation of recommendations made in the initial phase of the work.
The recommendation areas are investing in quality early
childhood development, creating economic opportunities for low-tomoderate income families, investing in coordinated school health programs, investing in mental health awareness, access, and surveillance, investing in health-promoting neighborhoods and enhancing chronic and infectious disease prevention and management.
The team will work with key partners:
- FOCUS St. Louis to produce and disseminate discussion guides and action toolkits for adults and youth based on these six major areas of recommendation - The Brown School Policy Forum to engage state and local policymakers - An Academic Advisory Board that will expand the involvement of area universities.
The team also plans to establish a Business Leadership Council to engage area business leaders in helping to make the business case for recommended strategies and identify opportunities for private-public partnerships.
A series of community forums will be the venue for dissemination of the discussion guides/action toolkits. Project researchers will also focus on incorporating additional opportunities to bring the community together.
Researchers will utilize the grant support to begin evaluating the first and second phases of the project , as well. Ultimately, they will look for opportunities to describe the project’s processes for potential replication in other communities.
For more information on “For the Sake of All,” visit: http://forthesakeofall.org.
North Sarah Phase II opens
By Bridjes O’Neil Of The
St. Louis American
On Friday St. Louis-based McCormack Baron Salazar celebrated the grand opening of North Sarah Phase II, along with the St. Louis Housing Authority, Global9 and U.S. Bank.
The mixed-use, mixed-income redevelopment includes 103 new apartments and 6,400 square feet of retail in St. Louis city’s North Central corridor. With the first and second phases
now complete, North Sarah consists of 223 mixed-income housing units plus, 12,000 square feet of commercial/retail space. Developers hope to begin Phase III soon, said McCormack Baron Salazar Vice President Ron Roberts. There is much people can accomplish when they work together,
said 18th Ward Alderman Terry Kennedy. Community Renewal and Development Executive Director Sal Martinez led the ceremony, dubbing Kennedy as the “people’s alderman.” Kennedy described his constituents as dedicated people that aided in the execution of a
grassroots vision.
“They knew that they must put vision to paper to ensure that future generations would know that they had an idea, that they had a vision of what it means to have a quality way of life,” Kennedy said.
Stable, beautiful, affordable housing gives people hope, said Urban Strategies President Sandra Moore.
“Vulnerable citizens can’t even think about climbing if they don’t
STL students win national business competition
Four area high school students represented the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) St. Louis Chapter in the NBMBAA Leaders of Tomorrow 13th Annual National Business Case Competition on the campus of the Ohio State University Fisher College of Business on June 21. The NBMBAA-St. Louis Chapter team won first place. The NBMBAA-St. Louis Chapter team was comprised of Gabrielle Lloyd, 2014 graduate of Incarnate Word Academy; Olivia Martin, junior at Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School; Celeste Scott, 2014 graduate of Incarnate Word Academy; and Aliyah Wilson, 2014 graduate of Crossroads College Preparatory School. Linda Tate served as Leaders of Tomorrow (LOT) chair/mentor.
Louis
The NBMBAA-St. Louis Chapter team was comprised of Gabrielle Lloyd, 2014 graduate of Incarnate Word Academy; Olivia Martin, junior at Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School; Celeste Scott, 2014 graduate of Incarnate Word Academy; and Aliyah Wilson, 2014 graduate of Crossroads College Preparatory School. Linda Tate served as chair/mentor.
A. Charles Thomas was appointed chief data officer for Wells Fargo & Company. He ran USAA’s Research and Analytics team, the Market Strategy team and the enterprise data warehouse functions. He will now oversee the company’s data strategy, provide enterprise data governance, and determine ways to leverage data for improved risk management and customer experiences.
Jovita Foster was appointed to the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis’ Board of Directors. Its mission is to empower African Americans and others in securing economic selfreliance, social equality and civil rights through advocacy, coalitionbuilding, program services and by promoting communication and understanding among different races and cultures. She is a partner of Armstrong Teasdale, LLC, and serves as general counsel of the Urban League.
Abe Adewale has been elected for a director for the American Council of Engineering Companies Missouri Chapter (ACEC/ MO). He is a principal of ABNA Engineering, Inc., which specializes in engineering services for civil, structural, transportation, and geotechnical fields. He will begin work on ACEC/MO’s Missouri Department of Transportation St. Louis Area Liaison Committee.
Kathryn A. Bentley is one of 10 recipients awarded a $20,000 fellowship from the St. Louis Regional Arts Commission. Bentley, a tenured professor in the Department of Theater and Dance at Southern Illinois UniversityEdwardsville and an accomplished actor, is planning a 2014 Fall semester sabbatical in New York to begin work on developing a one-woman show.
Bryan Scott was appointed to the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis’ Board of Directors. Its mission is to empower African Americans and others in securing economic selfreliance, social equality and civil rights through advocacy, coalitionbuilding, program services and by promoting communication and understanding among different races and cultures. Scott is the director of Quality for The Boeing Company.
Carlita D. Vasser was selected for the A.I.R Strategic Analysis Research Panel for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensure Examination (NCLEX). She is an RN, BSN, CCN, and the president/ CEO of At Home Care St. Louis and At Home Care St. Louis CDS. She conducted an analysis to examine the current and future job requirements for registered nurses. On the move? Congratulations! Send your good
Jovita Foster
Abe Adewale
Kathryn A. Bentley
Bryan Scott
Carlita D. Vasser
On Friday St. Louis-based McCormack Baron Salazar celebrated the grand opening of North Sarah Phase II, along with the St. Louis Housing Authority, Global9, U.S. Bank and local and federal officials.
Photo by Wiley Price
Divorcing? Protect your finances, personal data
By Jason Alderman
No doubt you’ve seen many warnings against sharing personal or financial information with strangers, but what about your spouse – or ex-spouse? A recent study by McAfee uncovered some unsettling results:
• Although 96 percent of adults surveyed trust their significant other with passwords, intimate photos and other personal content, only 32 percent have asked their ex to delete the information when ending the relationship.
• One in five people said they’re likely to log into their spouse’s Facebook account at least once a month.
• Some 30 percent admitted they’d “cyber-stalked” their significant other’s ex on social media.
Given the high rate of divorce and how frequently marriages end acrimoniously, it’s not a big leap to think that a scorned lover could severely damage your credit and reputation. If you’re getting divorced, here are some important legal, financial and privacy considerations: If you and your spouse are in complete agreement on how you wish to divide assets and settle debts, you may be able get by with a do-it-yourself divorce kit. It’s still wise to have a divorce attorney review the forms to make sure you haven’t overlooked anything. If your separation is more complicated but relatively amicable, you may also want
to try collaborative divorce, mediation or arbitration:
• Collaborative divorce. Both parties retain a lawyer and the four of you hash out an agreement outside the courtroom. You each control the final agreement instead of having to abide by a judge’s decision.
• Mediation. You each have lawyers but hire a third-party mediator to work through differences on critical issues. Mediators don’t have the legal authority to impose final
decisions.
• Arbitration. Like mediation, except that the arbiter hands down a binding agreement by which you each must abide.
If you can’t settle out of court, be prepared to possibly pay many thousands of dollars in attorney and court fees. Ask around for referrals to lawyers who specialize in divorce. You may also want to consult a financial planning professional for advice on how to fairly divide property, calculate child support and ensure you’re sufficiently
insured, as well as explain
Social Security and retirement plan implications.
To protect your credit status, close joint bank and credit card accounts and open new ones in your own name; otherwise, an economically struggling or vindictive ex-spouse could amass debt in your name and ruin your credit. If your ex retains the house or car, make sure your name is taken off the loan so you’re not responsible if they flake on payments.
Be sure all closed accounts are paid off, even if you must transfer balances to your new account and pay them off yourself. That’s because late or unmade payments by either party on a joint account – open or closed – will damage both of your credit scores.
Check your credit reports before, during and after the divorce to make sure you’re aware of all outstanding debts and to ensure that all joint accounts were properly closed. The three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, don’t always list the same accounts, so to be safe, order credit reports from each.
Change all passwords, PINs, and other information your ex could use to access your electronic devices and financial, email and social media accounts. Also, don’t email or post malicious or revealing information that could be damaging if presented in court.
Bottom line: Divorce can be a painful experience to live through. Don’t make it worse by not protecting your own financial interests.
Jason Alderman directs Visa’s financial education programs. To Follow Jason Alderman on Twitter: www. twitter.com/PracticalMoney.
Business Briefs
Dooley vetoes watered-down diversity bill
On July 16 St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley vetoed Bill 131, one of two pieces of legislation passed by the St. Louis County Council that he said watered down original diversity bills sponsored by Council Chair Hazel Erby.
“Bill 131 purports to support inclusion but is in fact an exclusionary policy that minimizes opportunity for minority and women-owned businesses,” Dooley said. Dooley said his concern that requiring apprenticeship programs on contracts having a threshold of $25,000 is exclusive and not inclusive.
“The $2 million threshold proposed by Councilman Erby would have allowed minority- and women-owned companies to participate in county contracting activities without eliminating opportunity for other companies,” Dooley said.
Dooley said he will keep Diversity Program Manager Robert Horton involved in the review of contracts referenced in the other bill, Bill 130, and therefore returned that bill with his approval.
Mallinckrodt presents
St. Louis Regional Chamber event
Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, a pharmaceutical company based in Ireland with its U.S. headquarters in St. Louis, is the Presenting Sponsor of the St. Louis Regional Chamber’s 177th Annual Event, which will be held Thursday, July 24 at the Peabody Opera House. The Event is the single largest gathering of business, civic and higher education leaders in the bi-state region. The other leadership-level sponsors are Lumière Place Casino & Hotels and Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis; The Laclede Group; The Lawrence Group; St. Louis Blues; Peabody Opera House; and Psychological Associates. For information, contact Karen Butchko at kbutchko@ stlregionalchamber.com or 314-444-1109.
Missouri moves up to #8 in ‘Top 10 Pro-Business States’
Missouri has moved up to number 8 in the ratings of top U.S. states for business. Pollina Corporate, an international brokerage and consulting firm, conducted the annual study. The study examines more than 30 factors relative to state efforts to create businessfriendly environments. Among other factors, Missouri received “A” grades from Pollina for its corporate tax index, business inventory taxes, property taxes, unemployment insurance, transportation infrastructure and electricity costs. The state and the Missouri Department of Economic Development also scored high in the areas of economic incentives and marketing/ website/response.
NABA presents accounting program for minority students
The St. Louis Chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) will help educate minority students about accounting, finance and business careers during its 4th Career Awareness Program (ACAP). The conference is being held July 20-25 on the campus of Harris Stowe State University. Thirty-one students have been chosen to participate in this year’s program, which is offered free of charge. The primary objective of ACAP is to increase the number of high school students from underrepresented ethnic groups that attend college and major in accounting and finance. For more information, visit http://naba-stl.org/students/acap/.
Fathers’ Support Center awarded federal
grant
Fathers’ Support Center is one of 17 organizations chosen to receive a hefty grant through the U.S. Labor Department’s Training to Work – Adult Reentry program. The center provides a comprehensive program of services for men who want to become responsible fathers. It will receive nearly $2 million in a package of $30 million in grants aimed to help men and women participating in state or local work-release programs gain the job skills necessary to succeed in in-demand occupations upon reintegrating back into society. Grantees are expected to provide a range of services that include case management, mentoring, education and training that leads to industry-recognized credentials. For more about Fathers’ Support Center, visit www. fatherssupportcenter.org.
n “I wouldn’t have taken him. Not because I don’t believe Michael Sam should have a chance to play, but I wouldn’t want to deal with all of it.”
– Tony Dungy
Best in dead lift
Jessica Bryant set a new American record in her class in the dead lift at 418 pounds at the USA
Nationals, which were held last weekend in Denver, CO
St. Louis powerlifter Jessica Bryant sets new U.S. record in her weight class
By Earl Austin Jr.
Of The St. Louis American
Jessica Bryant has one goal in mind when it comes to her burgeoning career as a competitive powerlifter.
“I want to be one of the strongest women in Missouri,” she says in a matter of fact tone. “I want to try to break state records.”
These are indeed lofty goals for someone who is new to competitive powerlifting. But when you listen to her talk about the love and passion she has for the sport and the matter in which she trains, it will be hard to bet against her. She is a picture of strength, confidence, energy and passion all wrapped up in a petite, yet powerful 5-foot-4 package.
Bryant has always been involved in sports, having played some junior varsity basketball at Missouri Baptist University years ago. She tried
n “I want to be one of the strongest women in Missouri.”
– Jessica Bryant
several forms of fitness to keep herself in shape, but she fell in love with powerlifting seven years ago at the age of 20.
Powerlifting is a strength sport that consists of three attempts at maximal weight in three lifts: the squat, bench press and the dead lift. Once Bryant picked up the weights (and she can lift a lot of it), she was hooked. She is already one of the best in the country in the dead lift, which is her favorite lift.
“It has been a passion of mine for the past seven years,” Bryant said. “Running just didn’t
do it for me. I just love being strong. That’s why I fell in love with powerlifting, especially the squat and dead lift.”
Bryant has also been able to turn her love for powerlifting into her vocation. She is currently a personal trainer at The Lab Gym, a performance and preventative health facility in South St. Louis (5035 Manchester). When she first sought out a position at The Lab, she made an immediate impression with owners Justin and Chris Thacker with her passion and enthusiasm.
“Jessica impressed me from the start with her very studious and polished resume,” Justin Thacker said. “When I heard she could dead lift 300 pounds at the time, I hired her. Holding people accountable and educating them takes daily work, motivation and a personal code of
Sam in headlines again as Rams
Three women’s basketball games on Saturday at UMSL
The St. Louis Surge defeated the Missouri Arch Angels last weekend to finish their regular season at 9-1 in the Women’s Blue Chip Basketball League.
The Surge will host the WBCBL Midwest Regional Tournament on Saturday at the Mark Twain Building on the campus of the University of Missouri-St. Louis. There will be three games scheduled for the day.
Saturday’s regional semifinal games will be held at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. with the winners playing for the regional championship at 7:05 p.m.
Earl
Admission for Saturday’s regional tournament will be $10 for a day pass for all three games of the tournament.
The Surge has been drawing some impressive crowds for their homes games this summer. Let’s make Saturday’s crowd for the regional playoffs the biggest one yet for the season.
Showcase events
The W.I.T.T.S. Training Academy will be presenting two basketball showcase events for young players around the region. The Middle School Elite Challenge will be held on Sunday, August 10 at CBC High School (1850 De LaSalle Drive) for top middle school-aged players. The High School Elite Challenge will be held on Saturday, August 30, also at CBC. Both events will begin at 9 a.m. with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m. The cost to participate in both events is $40 to pre-register and $50 at the door. For more information or to register, visit the website wittstraining.com.
Summer recruiting tidbits
Chaminade College Prep junior basketball standout Tyler Cook has really seen his stock rise during the July evaluation period. Playing with the St. Louis Eagles 17U, the 6’8” Cook has received several scholarship offers in the past two weeks. Among the new suitors for Cook are Florida, Saint Louis U., Iowa State, Wake Forest and Purdue. Cook had already received offers from Kansas and Iowa. Junior forward Brendan Gooch (Althoff) of the Southwest Illinois Jets 16U team has received new offers from Western Illinois and San Jose State. Senior Emondre Rickman, a 6’8” forward from Collinsville, has received offers from Bradley and Western Illinois. Rickman’s Jets teammate, Carlos Anderson is also playing well this summer. The 6’4 Anderson picked up an offer from Drake University as well as Western Illinois.
Talented Rams D could help Bradford
The preseason story for the St. Louis Rams has been pretty similar for the past several seasons. Coaches and team executives gush over the high draft picks. Local columnists and beat writers talk about the imminent impact of seasoned, hard-nosed coach Jeff Fisher. Fans and experts state that if Sam Bradford lives up to his lofty expectations as a former #1 pick, the Rams could be a solid team, perhaps even a playoff bound one. This preseason is no different except the organization, which hasn’t had a taste of postseason play since 2004, is finally getting a little national love in the press.
ESPN’s Jeffri
Chadiha pegged the Rams as a team “primed to explode” this season. He suggested the team’s defensive additions, including the presence of refurbished new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and his kamikaze, attacking defense, could vault the team into the playoffs. Sports Illustrated’s Peter King also mentioned the Rams in his “Fine 15.” King wrote: “Might not show up in the record, but the Rams are going to be hell to play, and they’ll be a playoff team if Sam Bradford plays the way he was drafted to play.” There are murmurings in the secret dictionary enthusiasts circles that the term “if Sam Bradford” may actually be pegged as a new compound
Sackmasters Chris Long and Robert Quinn anchor a dangerous defense that many think could vault the St. Louis Rams into the postseason for the first time in over a decade.
word by the good folks at Miriam-Webster. It’s hard to make an argument that Bradford has ever lived up to hype (or salary) as the top guy taken in the 2010 NFL Draft, but he’s shown enough competence at times to keep people hopeful that the Rams’ $50 million investment will finally pay off. Though his starting record last season was a
n It’s hard to make an argument that Bradford has ever lived up to hype (or salary) as the top guy taken in the 2010 NFL Draft.
explosive wide receiver Tavon Austin showed any signs of life. Between 2010 and 2013, the Rams drafted a total of seven wide receivers to add to Bradford’s offensive arsenal. While all of them have not panned out, we can only blame the team for so long for not providing enough talent at the position. Eventually Bradford will have to help these young See CLUTCH, B4
Ishmael H. Sistrunk
Austin Jr.
Powerlifting Federation
Photo by Wiley Price
Claib’s Call
With Mike Claiborne
Sam in headlines again as Rams open camp
Mike Claiborne
For those who have come to know former Tampa Bay Buccaneer and Indianapolis Colt head coach Tony Dungy, you say from the surface that he is a good guy, strong leader, deep into his faith and certainly a person we could learn from. Dungy has weighed in to help those in need of guidance and whatever the situation may call for. When Michael Vick had his legal issues and was trying to get his life together, as well as get back into the NFL, Tony Dungy was there for him publicly in his support, stating that Vick deserved another chance to anyone who would listen. A noble gesture to say the least, but then again that is Tony Dungy, the man we have all come to respect. What is odd here is that when Tony Dungy was asked about former Mizzou player and now Rams draft choice Michael Sam, who alerted the world that he was gay, Dungy wanted no part of him on his football team.
“I wouldn’t have taken him,” Dungy told Ira Kaufman of The Tampa Tribune. “Not because I don’t believe Michael Sam should have a chance to play, but I wouldn’t want to deal with all of it. It’s not going to be totally smooth…things will happen.”
Yes, things do happen, as this is the NFL, and far worse people than Michael Sam have played in it. Maybe Dungy did not coach a lot of them, but I am sure there were some questionable characters who made his rosters at one time or another.
Interesting, I did not know that convicted felons now trump gay people in this world when it comes to getting a fair shake. If Dungy felt that Sam’s sexual orientation was going to be a distraction to the team, then maybe he should look at all the wife-beaters, felons, and just plain idiots who have found a way to find gainful employment in the National Football League without some coaches batting an eye.
Surely Tony Dungy has
CLUTCH
Continued from B3 receivers develop into solid NFL players or the team will be forced to find someone else who can. Luckily for Bradford, the vaunted defense that has everyone so genuinely excited about the team’s potential should make his job much easier. Defensive end extraordinaire Robert Quinn was recently voted the 13th best player in the NFL by his peers. When you weed out the offensive players, he was the third highest defensive player on the list, behind only Richard Sherman (#7) and J.J. Watt (#12). Quinn anchors a talented defense that includes established standouts such as Chris Long (DE) and James Laurinaitis (LB) as well as talented youngsters with tremendous upsides like cornerbacks Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson, defensive tackles Michael Brockers and Aaron Donald, linebacker Alec Olgetree and safety T.J. McDonald Sure potential is just GM-speak for “give me just a little more time,” but all the aforementioned players have shown flashes of brilliance on the NFL level besides Donald, the rookie. For the Rams to finally taste some level of success, the coaches will have to ride the strength of the defense. The strong unit has cut its teeth in the grimy, gritty trenches of the NFC West. Any return to prominence won’t look
“I wouldn’t have taken him,” Tony Dungy told Ira Kaufman of The Tampa
should have a chance to play, but I wouldn’t want to deal with all of it.”
had a bad apple that he has stuck with. In Sam’s case, he has shown no cause to be considered a bad apple. He only shared his personal love preferences with the world. Then again, maybe it’s bigger than that for Tony Dungy. Perhaps his prior beliefs, be it religious or his upbringing, prevents him from getting his arms around the Michael Sam situation. If that is the case, Dungy is not alone, as this will take a while to settle in the minds of many. The other issue here may have been a roster spot. These are so key in building a team, and maybe Dungy felt he would have to take and keep a player who may not be as good only
anything like the Greatest Show on Turf of the Dick Vermeil and Mike Martz era. No, the Rams will have to channel the days when the Fearsome Foursome wreaked havoc on offenses a half century ago and more than 1800 miles away from the Edward Jones Dome back in Los Angeles. Though I’m not quite ready to use that “p” word
because he was the first player to come out while he was playing.
If there is one thing the NFL should not worry about is receiving even worse PR, as they have mastered stepping on themselves on a near weekly basis with no relief in sight. I guess it is good for Michael Sam that Tony Dungy no longer coaches. Dungy, though, is not by himself in his feelings.
n Michael Sam is not in the business of proving Tony Dungy or anyone else wrong. He is in the business of making the St. Louis Rams right now.
would not have been worth his support. Then again, that is what makes this country great, he has a choice, be it popular or unpopular. Sam is not in the business of proving Dungy or anyone else wrong. He is in the business of making the St. Louis Rams right now.
I guess I was surprised that Tony Dungy, of all people, would feel that Michael Sam
until I see the talent producing on the field, I am genuinely excited to see the Rams defense in the coming season. If the defense lives up to the lofty expectations, the team can allow Bradford to be a successful game manager instead of trying to live up to his draft position. The Rams have a much better chance at a winning season if Sam Bradford is utilized like
For Jeff Fisher of the Rams, he took that chance and by no means did he do Sam any favors. While the Rams continue to build a more competitive team, the one area
Trent Dilfer during his time in Baltimore than trying to emulate Peyton Manning or Tom Brady. If this defense really is strong enough to help Bradford lose his ever-present “if,” offenses across the NFL are in for some serious trouble.
Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @ IshmaelSistrunk and on Google+.
that is stacked right now may be pass rushers, with one of the best in the league in Robert Quinn leading the way. Anything Michael Sam gets in making this football team will solely be on what he does on the field and not what he does off it.
For those gay rights activists who choose to follow this story, I suggest you get a depth chart provided by the Rams, go to practice and see for yourself before you pass judgment on Michael Sam’s skill set and the Rams’ decision to keep him or not. The challenge begins today, as training camp for the St. Louis Rams opens.
The Rams will open training camp for rookies
today, and while the first wave of media coverage of Michael Sam is now behind us, the focus should be on the other players and if they will be able to help a team that is at a crossroads. The Rams, like all teams, have to stay away from key injuries, but on paper they should be better. They face a tough challenge, though, as they reside in one of the best divisions in football alongside Seattle and San Francisco. Fisher has most of the pieces in place, including his coaching staff, which features Gregg Williams on defense. It’s too early for predictions, but the Rams do bear watching this season if they can get off to an injury-free start.
Tribune about Michael Sam. “Not because I don’t believe Michael Sam
Kingdom House champs
On July 15, the Kingdom House Pirates youth baseball team won their Khoury League Championship game. The team was led by coach Jason Williams. Neighboring the Soulard and Lafayette Square neighborhoods, Kingdom House serves 9,000 people annually. The agency “empowers kids and adults to journey down pathways out of poverty to self-sufficiency and economic independence.”
BRYANT
Continued from B3 excellence that Jessica has that rubs onto others.”
“I love training people,” Bryant added. “I am one of the lucky people that is able to do what they love every day. I get to help impact lives by helping people get stronger and live healthy lives. There is nothing better.”
For the past three years, Bryant has been able to help her clients achieve success in achieving healthier lives because she takes the same no-nonsense approach to training them as if she is training in the gym by herself.
“She can be very nice and sweet, but also put the fear of God into any of her clients if needed, which is a great trait in holding people accountable,” Justin Thacker said. “It’s no easy task to be a Lab trainer, from the physical and mental rigors, and Jessica is one of our best!” After watching how she trains herself and her clients, it was the Thacker brothers who talked her into entering competition. Bryant made her competitive debut at the Rivers Edge Powerlifting Competition in Granite City last November. It was a smashing success. Bryant took first place in her weight class (72 kilos) and
set new personal best marks in each three lifts. She lifted 320 pounds in the squat, 186 pounds in the bench press and 402 pounds in the dead lift.
“I was so excited that night,” Bryant said. “It was one of the biggest rushes of my life. I hit numbers that I never thought I could hit. I love the sport even more now that I am competing.”
Bryant’s performance in Granite City also earned her a spot in the USA Powerlifting Federation Nationals, which
were held last weekend in Denver, CO. Although she did not place in the overall competition, Bryant did set a new American record in her class in the dead lift at 418 pounds.
“To compete at the level, I never thought I would be doing it,” she said. “I want to go as far as I can in powerlifting. I would like to qualify for the world team someday. I want to keep going until they tell me I cannot lift anymore.”
SARAH
Continued from B1 have hope,” Moore said.
One-third of the families who reside (and will reside) at North Sarah need deep continuous support to live well, Moore said.
Community partner Urban Strategies provides health, financial, recreational, educational, employment and entrepreneurial services.
TAALKE, LLC, a local minority-owned business enterprise, will partner with the development team to coordinate disadvantaged business contracts. The nonprofit will also facilitate job training and Section 3 hiring opportunities for residents. Ken Hutchinson, president of TAALKE, LLC, told The American in 2011that there would be “unprecedented” inclusion on the North Sarah development project.
To date, 59 percent of construction-associated projects on the development were awarded to minorityowned businesses, eight percent to women-owned businesses, and 45 percent to Section 3 businesses. Thirtysix percent of the 249 new jobs were filled by low and verylow income workers.
It takes partnerships at all levels to make these developments happen, Martinez said. The community is fortunate to have support at the federal level from U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-MO, he said. McCaskill has continued to identify resources that
STUDENTS
Continued from B1
and business school faculty who serve as judges.
To prepare for the competition, the four member team of high school students worked for four months with a dedicated team of
support developments like North Sarah, he added. North Sarah sets the bar and sends the message about the right role of government and how re-investments can make a difference, McBride said.
“It is a huge step in revitalizing older and underused property into functional and accessible residential areas, thanks to funds provided by the City of St.
NBMBAA volunteers led by Linda Tate, LOT chair/mentor; Taiwo Ogunjobi, Emerson Electric intern/engineer; Kendra Neely-Martin, AstraZeneca Pharmaceutical; Jamie Reed, Washington University MBA student; Dr. DeRoyce Simmons, Washington University MBA student; and Preston Davis, Washington University
Louis and HOPE VI grant,”
Mattie Moore, deputy director for McCaskill, said on the senator’s behalf.
The $7.8 million grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Housing Authority. The Housing Authority invested an additional $6.5 million in resident supportive services, site acquisition and site preparation.
“What we’re most proud of is that we’ve been at your table helping to level the playing field,” said Mary McBride, assistant deputy secretary at HUD.
Over the years, North Sarah has undergone a drastic transformation. Along Finney Avenue, a stark reminder of the community’s past still remains: vacant lots, decrepit houses and, farther down the
n In addition to winning first place, the team was awarded $15,000 in scholarship money, laptop computers from Accenture and portfolios from the Ohio State University.
MBA student who coached them on financial analysis, hypothesis development, market segmentation, critical
thinking, business writing, research, public speaking, and presentation skills. The Leaders of Tomorrow
street, a boarded-up school.
“Not long ago, this community was plagued with drug dealers, prostitution, gang activities and a sense of hopelessness,” said state Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis. Nasheed was among government officials, community partners, leaders and residents at Friday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Nasheed vowed to continue to “fight the good fight”
Jennifer Tidwell, Region 7 administrator for HUD; James Hurd, ield ofice director for HUD; and Mary McBride, assistant deputy secretary for ield policy management for HUD, take a look at one of the new apartments for phase 2 of the North Sarah Apartments at Sarah and Finney avenues.
for low-income housing tax credits, stating that many of her colleagues are unaware of its “human and economic value.” Low-income housing tax credits make redevelopment projects like North Sarah and Arlington Grove possible, she said.
Follow this reporter on Twitter: @BridjesONeil. E-mail this reporter: boneil@ stlamerican.com.
Program is a national program designed to mentor high school students and prepare them for college and careers through academic support, assertive leadership, confidence building, public speaking, networking, and community service. The NBMBAA-St. Louis Chapter has supported the LOT program since 2002 and has sponsored students to participate in the National Business Case Competition for six years. The 13th Annual National Business Case Competition hosted a record number of participants from across the country. For additional information about the NBMBAA-St. Louis Chapter LOT program, email lot@stlblackmba.org or call 636-230-2404.
Photo by Wiley Price
Griot hosts collectors tour
By Bridjes O’Neil
Of The St. Louis American
Like the old saying goes, “One person’s junk is another person’s treasure.” At least that’s the message
Lois D. Conley, founder and CEO of the Griot Museum of Black History, is promoting with an upcoming event.
“It’s not just junk,” Conley said. “It sometimes has stories associated with it that help give us a broader
picture of who we are as a people.”
This Sunday (July 27), the Griot Museum of Black History Collectors’ Guild will present “Collecting Artifacts to Preserve AfricanAmerican History and Culture” from 2-6 p.m. It is the first event of its kind meant to introduce attendees to the art of collecting and the importance of supporting small African-American museums, she said.
“Sometimes we think we have
valuable things in our possession and our first thought is to donate them to one of the major museums,” she said.
Attendees will get a sneak peek at two new minority-owned and -operated museums joining The Griot along St. Louis Avenue. They are the Frederick A. Douglass Museum of African-American Vernacular
The nitty gritty of ‘Get On Up’
Cast and crew share challenges of bringing James Brown to the big screen
By
“Chad’s going to do the Mick Jagger story,” said “Get On Up” executive producer Mick Jagger about the film’s star Chadwick Boseman during a simulcast global press conference on Thursday. It was a charming bit of comic relief to get a reporter back on the subject of the James Brown biopic that opens in theatres nationwide next Friday (Aug. 1).
“He influenced me in lots of ways,” Jagger said of Brown. “I could never do the dance routines, but the thing about him that impressed me and influenced me was how to interact with an audience. It wasn’t just your performance – it was their performance, too.” Boseman captured Hollywood’s attention with his understated and convincing performance of Jackie Robinson in “42” – a film that captured the historic integration of Major League Baseball in 1947. In “Get On Up,” Boseman had to embody a musical icon who created a new mainstream musical narrative for people of color that the whole world took hold of – and a musical career that spanned
Lois Conley, founder and director of The Griot Museum of Black History, and a special exhibit on the tradition of hat-wearing in the African-American community.
Images, founded by Robert Green, and the George B. Vashon Cultural Research Center, founded by Calvin Riley.
“A lot of folks do not know that he was big on what photographs would do for our race then and now,” Green
Soul singer to showcase sophomore release at Kranzberg
By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American
“Dana and I decided to make music that we liked,” singer Avery Sunshine said of herself and musical partner Dana “BigDane” Johnson about the process of creating and recording her second album The Sunroom. “That’s it. If it’s funk, if it’s a love song – whatever it is, we said that’s what we are going to do.” No subject is off limits in The Sunroom – from intimacy to inspiration, Sunshine bravely dives head-first into an album that has something for everybody with a soft spot for traditional soul music. Her sound is definitely all her own – yet one that everyone will believe
they’ve heard before.
“Somebody heard the first song on the album, ‘Won’t You Try,’ and they were like, ‘That’s a sample, what record did you sample that from?’” Sunshine said. “We didn’t sample anything. It has an Al Green influence, but it is 100 percent original. We tip our hats to Al Green in the record, but we were just making music that we wanted to hear – and that God was giving us.”
She’ll be returning to St. Louis next Friday in support of The Sunroom with an intimate show at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and she’s excited to share the love and life lessons presented on the album.
Ptah Williams trio plays popular outdoor concert series
By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American
Every summer, the third Sunday of the month Ivory Perry Park gets an extreme musical makeover – and 2014 is no different.
The second installment of the popular outdoor concert series continues this weekend and will have one of St. Louis’ signature musical contributions blasting through the North Side neighborhood of Visitation Park.
His name is synonymous with St. Louis jazz, and local legend Ptah Williams will most certainly be a major draw when his trio takes the stage for the July installment of the concert series sponsored by The Whitaker Foundation and presented by Great Rivers Greenway concerts. Williams’ love for piano began as a small child. He would sneak and listen in on his older brother’s lessons and would later sit at the piano and recall the notes.
“Somehow I could just find the key,” Williams said in a documentary about his rise to prominence on the St. Louis jazz scene.
“I would hear him and I was just fascinated by the sound of the piano. It started with nursery rhymes and different themes that I would hear – I would go to the piano and just do it.” He’s been doing it ever since. By age 12 he had already sat in for a session with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Classically trained, he fell in love with jazz music by listening to the likes of Herbie Hancock, Charlie Parker and East St. Louis’ own Miles Davis.
“Then I heard the great Art Tatum – and that did it,” Williams said. “I had never heard anything like that before. I love classical music, but
Photo by Mary Delach Leonard / St. Louis Public Radio
See CONCERT, C4
Ptah Williams
Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American
“Get On Up,” directed by Tate Taylor and starring Chadwick Bosemen, opens in theatres nationwide on Friday, August 1.
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concerts
Thur., July 24, 6:30 p.m., K & LG Enterprise presents New Edition with special guest Dru Hill. St. Charles Family Arena, 2002 Arena Parkway, 63303. For more information, call (314) 4564826 or visit www.metrotix. com.
Sat., Aug. 2, 7 p.m., The Mad Magician presents Crooked I. Dominick Wickliffe, better known by his stage name Crooked I, is an American rapper from Long Beach, California. He is a member of the hip hop supergroup, Slaughterhouse with other members Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz and Royce da 5’9”. 5625 Manchester Ave., 63110.For more information, call (800) 863-5738.
Sun., Aug., 3, 8 p.m., The Demo presents Natural Vibrations - Natty Vibes And Hi Roots. 4144 Manchester Ave., 63110. For more information, visit nattyvibes. weebly.com.
Sun., Aug. 10, 4 p.m. doors, District Rhythm Series presents SWV, BallPark Village Fox Sports Midwest Live Stage, Ballpark Village, 601 Clark. For more information, visit www. foxsportsmidwestlive.com.
Mon., Aug. 11, 8:30 p.m., The Peabody Opera House presents Earth Wind and
Fire. 1400 Market St., 63103. For more information, visit www.peabodyoperahouse.com.
Sat., Aug. 30, Sky Promotions presents Eco Music Festival feat. Spyro Gyra & Mindi Abair. Chesterield Amphitheater, 631 Veterans Place Dr., 63017. For more information, visit www. ecomusicfestivals.org.
local gigs
Sun., July 27, 6 p.m., Union Communion Ministries presents Free Concerts at Ivory Perry Park feat. Ptah Williams Trio. Instrumental jazz ensemble. Commerce Bank Stage, 800 N. Belt, 63112. For more information, visit www.ivoryperrypark.com.
Tues., July 29, 7 p.m., The Sheldon presents TreG and Friends. Tre’von “TreG” Grifith returns to The Sheldon in celebration of his completion of studies at Berklee College of Music and upcoming birthday. Joining him will be students from Berklee, along with a host of eclectic St. Louis talent including Tiffany Elle, Nakischa Joseph, Tebe Zalango, Lauron Linna’e and many more. Proceeds will beneit the launch of G Arts Foundation, a non-proit organization dedicated to educating and supporting youth in the ine and performing arts. 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit
Calendar
www.metrotix.com.
Thurs., Aug. 7, 7:30 p.m., The Sheldon presents Brian Owens performing the music of Johnny Cash. 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.
special events
July 24 – 26, Missouri Legislative Black Caucus Foundation 29th Annual Midwestern Conference. Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel, 9801 Natural Bridge Rd., 63134. For more information, visit www.mlbcf. org.
Fri., July 25, 11:30 a.m., Alderman Carter and Representative Butler Golf Tournament. Complimentary lunch, beer & cocktail reception included for players & sponsors. Emerald Greens Golf Course, 12385 Larimore Rd., 63138.
Sat., July 26, 10 a.m., People’s Community Action Corporation presents Community Resource Health Fair with special guests Dirty Muggs and Tammie Holland from Magic 100.3. Event includes haircuts and school supplies, health screenings, job search training and more. 5701 Delmar Parking Lot.
The Funny Bone presents Kevin Bozeman. For more information, see COMEDY.
Sat., July 26, 11 a.m., The Missouri National Guard and Hooters present Car Wash for the Troops. Help raise money for the local military and their families. Please come out and support your military by having your vehicle cleaned. Hooters, 7517 S. Lindbergh Blvd. 63125.
Sat., July 26, 1 p.m., Cardinal Power Kids Open House. Event for boys and girls, who are 3-18 w/ physical challenges or developmental delays. Parent or adult sponsor participation required. Kids can explore equipment and play areas, while parents learn more about our open gym or class programs, meet the teachers & ask any questions. Parents must call to pre-register for the FREE event. Waivers available online. Team Central Gymnastic Academy, 2675 Metro Blvd., 63043. For more information, call (314) 2910101 or visit www.teamcentral. org.
Sat., July 26, 10 a.m., People’s Community Action Corporation presents Community Resource Health Fair with special guests Dirty Muggs and Tammie Holland from Magic 100.3. Event includes haircuts and school supplies, health screenings, job search training and more. 5701 Delmar Parking Lot.
Sat., July 26, 11 a.m., The Missouri National Guard and Hooters present Car Wash for the Troops. Help raise money for the local military and their
families. Please come out and support your military by having your vehicle cleaned. Hooters, 7517 S. Lindbergh Blvd. 63125.
Through July 28, UniverSoul Circus. 175 Jamestown Mall, 63034. For tickets, visit www. tickets.zvents.com.
Sun., Aug. 3, 8 p.m., The Demo presents Natural Vibrations - Natty Vibes And Hi Roots. 4144 Manchester Ave., 63110. For more information, visit nattyvibes. weebly.com.
Fri., Aug., 1, 6:30 p.m., Shrewsberry Community Center hosts Not your Granny’s BINGO 2014. Come have fun for a great cause, a fun and interactive event to beneit the efforts of GiFT (Giving is a Family Tradition). Register for the event which includes Laguintas beer, wine, & soda, 10 rounds of BINGO (must be 18 to play) with one card per round (can purchase additional cards if desired), awesome silent auction, and rafles & attendance prizes. Guests are welcome to bring food and drinks. Giving is a Family Tradition (GiFT) is dedicated to helping families who are faced with the hospitalization of their newborn by providing family support and infant care essentials for a safe home environment. 5200 Shrewsbury Ave., 63119. For more information visit,www. givingisafamilytradition.org.
Sun., Aug., 3, 11 a.m., America’s Center hosts The Wedding Show. Your one-stop wedding shopping. The largest wedding planning event in St. Louis. It features over 80,000 sq.ft of exhibits, a main stage fashion show, transportation displays, live music, prize vault, unique wedding products, free samples and more.701 Convention Plaza, 63101. For more information, visit stlbrideandgroom.com.
Sun., Aug. 3, 7 p.m., 4th Annual I’m A Survivor “All White” Cancer Gala. Created in 2011 to increase awareness about cancer and celebrate the lives of Survivor’s as well as honor those who have lost the battle to Cancer. Celebrities, Entertainers and Community Leaders come together at the Premiere “All White” attire Gala in St. Louis to make a difference. Contemporary Art Museum, 3750 Washington Blvd., 63108.
Thurs., Aug. 7, 6 p.m.,
The Magic House Young Professionals Board presents ATaste of Magic. Adults 21 and older will enjoy complimentary AnheuserBusch beer products or wine, a small taste from The Magic House Chef, purchase food from some of the best food trucks in town, and receive free admission to play in The Magic House! Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. 516 S. Kirkwood Rd., 63122. To register, visit https://www. magichouse.org/reservations.
Thur., Aug. 7, 6:30 p.m., A Family’s Day at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. Experience what it was like to be at the biggest World’s Fair ever held, right here in St. Louis. Watch actual movies made 110 years ago. See the amazing sights like the biggest ferris wheel in the world, the smartest horse that ever lived, listen to the music & see objects that were at the Fair. Maplewood Public Library, 7550 Lohmeyer Ave., 63143. For more information, call (314) 781-2174.
Wed., July 30, 8 p.m., Foam presents Sorry, Please Continue Vol. 3: My Family Crazy. Built on the premise that no family is “normal,” this month we present a series of stories about crazy families and how we cope with them through humor or avoidance. Features stories told by anyone who wants to participate mixed with commentary from some of St. Louis’ funniest comedians. This is truly unique experience that you’ll never forget. 3359 S. Jefferson Ave., 63118. For more information, call (314) 772-2100.
Aug. 6 – 10, 7 p.m., The Funny Bone presents Kevin Bozeman. Kevin has appeared on Comedy Central’s Comics Come Home and Premium Blend, opened for Aretha Franklin, was a winner of the HBO Comedy Competition, and was recently featured on NBC’s Last Comic Standing. 614 Westport Plaza, 63146. For more information, visit stlouisfunnybone.com.
Sat., Aug., 9, 6 & 8 p.m., The Four Seasons presents Bill Cosby. 999 N. 2nd St., 63102. For more information, visit www.ticketmaster.com Fri., Aug. 22, 8 p.m., Comedy Club Connection of St. Louis presents Huggy Lowdown
& Chris Paul. 9800 Halls Ferry Rd., 63136. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.
Aug. 9, 6 p.m. & 8 p.m., The Four Seasons welcomes Bill Cosby. For more information, visit www.ticketmaster.com
literary
Fri., July 25, 9 p.m., Dope Poets Spit: A Legacy Anniversary Show. Legacy Books & Café, 5249 Delmar Blvd., 63108. For more information, call (314) 6213551 or visit www.urbarts.org.
Mon., Aug. 4, 7 p.m., Left Bank Books and Maryville Talks Books hosts author Mark Epstein, author of The Trauma of Everyday Life. In “The Trauma of Everyday Life” Mark Epstein uncovers the transformational potential of trauma, revealing how it can be used for the mind’s own development. Maryville University Auditorium, 650 Maryville University Dr., 63141.
Thur., Aug. 7, 7 p.m., St. Louis County Library hosts author Stephen L. Carter, author of Back Channel. A brilliant amalgam of fact and iction—a suspenseful retelling of the Cuban Missile Crisis, in which the fate of the world rests unexpectedly on the shoulders of a young college student. Library Headquarters, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 63131. For more information, call (314) 994-3300.
theatre
July 24 – 30, Stray Dog Theater presents Funny Girl. In turn-of-the-century New York, a young Jew from the Lower East Side dreams of becoming a Broadway star despite her unglamorous appearance. This semi-autobiographical musical follows the life and career of Fanny Brice and her stormy relationship with Nicky Arnstein. 2348 Tennessee Ave., 63104. For more information,visit www. straydogtheatre.org.
July 25 – 26, COCA Summer Musical: Ragtime. The COCA Summer Musical celebrates its 10th anniversary with this powerful portrait of life in turnof-the-century America. The cast includes students chosen by area-wide auditions as well as CTC alumni from the last 10 years of COCA Summer Musicals. Edison Theatre, 6445 Forsyth Blvd., 63105. For more information, call (314)
District Rhythm Series presents SWV at the Ballpark Village Fox Sports Midwest Live Stage. See CONCERTS for details.
725-6555 or visit www.cocastl. org.
Through July 27, Family Music Theater presents Sweeney Todd. Murder and mayhem ensue when Sweeney Todd comes back on the scene swearing revenge on those who wronged him. His razor-sharp barber skills come in handy for his neighbor, Mrs. Lovett, and her failing meat pie shop. 7620 Michigan Ave., 63111. For more information, visit www. familymusicaltheater.org.
Through July 28, The Muny presents Seussical. Making its Muny premiere, Seussical brings fantasy to life on the Muny stage. Based on the classic children’s books of Dr. Seuss and narrated by the mischievous Cat in the Hat, this delightful musical follows Horton the elephant in his quest to protect the people of Who-ville. One Theatre Dr., 63112. For more information, visit www.metrotix.com.
July 31- Aug., 8, The Muny presents Grease. One of the most popular shows in Muny history, Grease returns for nine nights in its irst Muny production since 2007. One Theatre Dr., 63112. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.
Fri., Aug. 1, 8 p.m., Union Avenue Opera presents A Streetcar Named Desire. Desire is taking on a new rhythm as Tennessee Williams’ play sizzles onto the stage This scintillating Streetcar adds a new level of drama and excitement to Williams’ enduring portrait of sex, class and secrets. 733 Union Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit unionavenueopera.org.
Aug. 1 – 10, Hawthorne
Players present “The Wiz.” One James J. Eagan Dr., 63033. For more information, visit www.hawthorneplayers. com.
Sat., Aug. 2, 7:30 p.m., Ivory Theatre presents Kids’Kabaret: A Broadway Inspired Beneit for SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center. Sam Poon is turning thirteen years old, and instead of a party, he is returning to St. Louis from NYC to perform in a show with many of his friends to raise money for the hospital that saved his life as an infant. The show will consist of musical theater songs and dances from beloved shows such as Nine, Working, Hairspray, A Christmas Story, Annie Get Your Gun and Disney’s The Jungle Book.7620 Michigan Ave., 63111. For more information, visit www.ivorytheatrestl.com.
arts
Thurs., July 24, 6:30 p.m., Contemporary Art Museum hosts Animated Evenings. Ages 21 and up. Join artist Sarah Paulsen for this crash course in stop-motion animation. Stop in early for a drink then move on to CAM’s studios where you’ll create your very own animated short. 3750 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit http://camstl.org.
Sun., July 27, 2 p.m., The Griot Museum of Black History Collectors’ Guild will present “Collecting Artifacts to Preserve AfricanAmerican History and Culture.”
lectures
Thur., July 24, 6:30 p.m., St. Louis Freedom Struggle, 1821-1968. St. Louis played a leading role in the battle for fair and equitable treatment, a role that is generally underappreciated. Ms. Gwen Moore, curator with the Missouri History Museum, will focus on two periods; before Brown v. Board of Education (18211954) and the modern Civil Rights Movement (19541968). Maplewood Public Library, 750 Lohmeyer Ave., 63143. For more information, call (314) 781-2174.
Saint Louis Galleria.
Sat., July 26, 7 p.m., Rock Church of St. Louis presents Winning My Race: The 28 Day Challenge. The Winning My Race 28 Day Challenge is a makeover experience unlike any other. On June 25, your local Maximized Living Doctor will come to The Rock Church to transform the way you view health through an interactive workshop. 9125 Manchester Rd., 63144. For more information, call (314) 968-0600.
Through July 27, Urban Wanderers: A Partnership with Stray Rescue of St. Louis. Urban Wanderers is a heartwarming art exhibition featuring professional works of art inspired by Stray Rescue’s companion animals. All artwork will be available for purchase via an online auction. Proceeds directly benefit Stray Rescue of St. Louis. St. Louis University Museum of Art, 3663 Lindell Blvd., 63108. For more information, call (314) 977-2666 or visit www.strayrescue.org/ urbanwanderers2014.
Fri., Aug., 1, 5 p.m., Contemporary Art Museum presents First Friday. A complimentary drink for Young Friends members and above. Cash bar. Enjoy an evening of art, music, and culture the irst Friday of every month. DJs and musicians present music in dialogue with the exhibitions, Museum staff lead tours, and the bar and café are open. Arts organizations throughout Grand Center are free and open the entire evening.750 Washington Blvd., 63108. For a complete list of participating institutions, visit irstfridaysgrandcenter.org.
Sat., July 26, 9 a.m., The Katherine Dunham 31st Annual International Authentic Technique Seminar. This year’s seminar will include Dunham Technique, World Dance Classes, Lectures, Films, Discussions, Museum Tour, Welcome Reception, Observation of John Pratt artistic works and more. People of all ages are encouraged to attend. Mallinckrodt Center, Washington University, 6445 Forsyth Blvd., 63130. For more information, visit www. kdcah.org.
Sat., Aug., 2, 7 a.m., Rhonda Davis Workshops & Events presents Change Your Mind, Change Your Life Women’s Conference. Who is it for? Women in Business, Wives, Single Moms, you. This conference will empower you to reach within yourself to unleash the power that is within yo. The Renaissance Airport Hotel, 9801 Natural Bridge Rd., 63134. For more information, call (314) 2827201.
health
Sat., July 26, 1 p.m., 2nd Annual Beauty Bash to beneit the programs provided by Card Care Connection, ng makeovers, hairstyles, manicures, massages for patients going through cancer treatment.
Mon., July 28, 6:30 p.m., July Free Wellness Center. During this seminar you will learn about the obesity epidemic and how it affects your wellbeing, ways to decrease your risk of disease, and more. May Community Education Center, DePaul Hospital Campus, 12303 DePaul Hospital Dr., 63044.
Sat., Aug. 2, 10 a.m., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. St. Louis Metropolitan Chapters present 8th Annual Community Health Fair: Living Healthy Today for a Better Tomorrow. Event includes free health screenings, healthy food demonstrations, free massages, and more. Monsanto YMCA, 5555 Page Blvd., 63112. For more information, call (314)5023688 or (314) 368-4670 or (314) 541-0378.
spiritual
Wed., July 30th, Thurs., July 31st, Fri., Aug. 1st and Sat.,Aug. 2nd-Mortgage Burning Celebration, God First Church, 12025 Raymond Ave, Spanish Lake, MO 63138. July 30th-August 1st, 7pm nightly, God First Church Revival, guest speakers include: July 30th-Pastor Karen Anderson (Ward Chapel), July 31st-Pastor Ron Young (Victory Church) and August 1st-Pastor Carl McDowell (Revelation Church). God First Church, 12025 Raymond Ave, Spanish Lake, MO 63138.
Opera opens students eyes to Ville
Local black history brought to life in ArtWorks/ Opera Theatre production
By Emanuele Berry
Of St. Louis Public Radio
In honor of St. Louis’ 250th birthday, St. Louis ArtWorks commissioned “On Whose Shoulders We Stand: An Opera,” which focuses on the Ville. It was performed last weekend by students in the ArtWorks program.
Juwaun Crawford is one of the teens in the program. With his sailor hat and shiny gold guitar crafted from cardboard and foil, he played a magnetic Chuck Berry.
“You know me and Chuck Berry’s got a lot in common,” Juwaun said. “You know we like rock-n-roll and everything. He’s good with the ladies, you know. Just like me.”
Although Juwaun seems to have found a kindred spirit in Chuck Berry, prior to working on the opera he knew little about the guitarist.
“I box in the Ville,” said Juwaun. “So, I didn’t even know that Chuck Berry came from Sumner High School until now.”
Learning is one of the fundamental parts of St. Louis ArtWorks, a nonprofit that offers art-centric job training to teens in underserved communities. For the past five weeks, nearly 20 students from around St. Louis have worked with a professional lead artist to create and perform the opera about the Ville neighborhood.
The Ville is bound by Martin Luther King Drive on the south and St. Louis Avenue on the north. Taylor Avenue and Sarah Street mark the Ville’s western and eastern edges. This area was once one of the few places blacks could live under restrictive covenants.
Within these enforced
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once I heard jazz I was like, ‘This is the music I’m supposed to be playing.’”
boundaries, the AfricanAmerican community prospered.
In 1875, Sumner High School became the first black high school west of the Mississippi. In the early 1900s, residents of the Ville successfully lobbied to have Sumner moved to the neighborhood. The Ville was also home to Homer G. Phillips Hospital and Poro College. John Wright is a retired educator and author who grew up in the Ville. One of his books details the community’s past. Wright said that, in under a square mile, the Ville offered limitless opportunities.
“The teachers, many of them who taught in the school lived in the Ville,” Wright said, “so when you walked out you saw … the doctors and lawyers … you saw role models.”
When housing restrictions were removed, people left the Ville. The hospital is now a retirement home; the Poro facilities are gone. Many of the schools are closed.
Destiny Mayes plays a grandmother in The Ville Opera. She says she wants the opera to inspire people to restore the Ville to its past glory. “I think it could create hope for people,” Mayes said, “saying, ‘I want the Ville to look like that again or even so much better.’”
But as Wright notes, the
He has performed with Freddie Hubbard, George Benson, James Moody and many other household names of jazz. He has performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival and many festivals throughout Europe.
When Williams takes his seat at the piano, it’s anyone’s guess where he will go. What is guaranteed is that audiences will be delighted while listening to the sounds that transition from stroll to sprint at any given chord progression.
Ville is not just a place that can be restored. The Ville is also a time.
“There was a special place in time where this happened,” Wright said. “It may not happen again. And you may not get the Ville, but people can work together to build a better community and better city. And it’s unlimited potential if you work together.”
While Wright lived these valuable life lessons, Zacchaeus Windham, who plays Dick Gregory in the opera, is realizing he cannot even find these lessons in his textbooks.
“I’m starting to figure out that most schools don’t teach other kids about black history, that the greater Ville is a part of our black history,” Windham said. “And I think it’s important that people, even kids in school, should know that it’s a part of our black history.”
Mark Clark is the lead artist on the Ville opera project in conjunction with Opera Theatre of St. Louis. He says he’s really seen a change in his students.
“From the first day when we were talking about the different players and people in the neighborhood and their significance, they were like, ‘Oh, what, wow. I had no idea,’” Clark said. “It’s been really neat seeing them change before my eyes.”
Reprinted with permission from news.stlpublicradio.org.
The Whitaker Ivory Perry Park Concert Series will take place on Sunday, July 27 at 6 p.m. at Ivory Perry Park (Intersection of Belt and Cabanne). The final installment will take place on Sunday, August 24 and will feature The Uncensored Band. The concerts are free and open to the public.
FILM
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five decades.
“The entire thing was a challenge,” Boseman said. “When I looked at the role, I was scared because there was no part of it that was straightforward.”
He had to perform at a manic pace to convey the flamboyant persona and a soul troubled by a traumatic childhood and personal tragedy.
“He wanted you to have that experience of seeing him in all of his glory – no matter what. I think that there is something to be said for that,” Boseman said of Brown.
“There is a connection that you should want to make with people. I had to try to get rid of James Brown after we were finished filming, and I realized that there were some things that I would have to keep.”
Director Tate Taylor leads Boseman and costars Nelsan Ellis, Octavia Spencer, Jill Scott, Viola Davis and Dan Aykroyd in giving insight and establishing a connection with the man behind the music.
“When we met with his daughters for the film, they said, ‘Daddy didn’t talk music. He didn’t read music,’” Taylor said. “He spoke about music in terms of what feels good.”
According to all parties involved, “Get on Up” will be more than just a music lesson.
“James Brown was
GRIOT
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said of Frederick Douglass, the man who inspired the naming of his museum.
Green’s personal collection extends from the 1850s through the 1890s with 90 percent taken by St. Louis photographers like Frederick R. Parsons and Samuel Smith. The Frederick A. Douglass Museum of African-American Vernacular Images is located inside the historic Henry W. Peters home.
Green began building his personal collection of vintage photos in 1996 after a visit to Riley’s home.
“He had a treasure trove of African-American artifacts,” Green said of Riley. “That day I would become a participant in preserving our culture and history.”
Riley retired from teaching at St. Louis Public Schools to establish the George B. Vashon Cultural Research Center. For the last year, he has been working to rehab the
n “I had to try to get rid of James Brown after we were finished filming, and I realized there were some things that I would have to keep.” – Chadwick Boseman
definitely a music icon and there was so much about the man in front of the music that I knew,” Spencer said, “but doing the movie I realized I knew so little about him.”
The film has been more than 15 years in the making. It began with producer Brian Grazer – who had renewed the rights to produce the film with Brown personally for several years.
When Brown died in 2006, things got complicated. Grazer lost the rights. Jagger won them. The two teamed up to produce the film together. Jagger sees it as a fitting, honest and comprehensive
mansion. He expects to open for business sometime next year.
The museum will display artifacts he has collected over the years from prominent St. Louisans, like Homer G. Phillips and Tuskegee Airmen Lt. Col. Charles Lane. People should not be forgotten, Riley said.
“Those people played a vital part in our community,” he said. “That’s why it’s very important that we preserve these artifacts for the young people to come in and see where we’ve come from and where we can go.”
Both the Douglass museum and the Vashon center are within walking distance from the Griot. Conley was initially apprehensive of her new neighbors.
“Anything new that comes on the block that is doing what you’re doing, you immediately worry about competition,” she said. “But if we work collaboratively, then we all benefit.”
At the event, Conley, Green and Riley will present their respective exhibits. They
tribute to a man whose sound and signature stage experiences helped Jagger to etch his own name among the legends of music.
“It tells the story of being single-minded and how he’s almost obsessed with making it and making himself out of somebody from nothing,” Jagger said. “There’s always one a price to pay for that one single-minded drive, and I think this movie shows the price you pay.”
“Get On Up” opens in theatres nationwide on Friday, August 1. The film is rated R with a running time of 139 minutes.
will be joined by James A. Vincent, co-founder of the St. Louis African American History and Genealogy Society. The event will feature a different twist on the traditional “moveable feast,” Conley said. The event will begin and end at the Griot after attendees have visited each museum. A light reception will immediately follow the program. Attendees will also have an opportunity to become founding members of the Collectors’ Guild. The Collectors’ Guild is meant to be an ongoing educational component at The Griot that will offer hands-on workshops on how to preserve photographs or keep family documents safe. Prepaid registration is $15 per person and is required by Thursday, July 24. For additional information, call 314-241-7057
Follow me on Twitter: @ BridjesONeil. Email me: boneil@stlamerican.com.
Shakyla Hughes as Poro college founder Annie Malone.
Be a Tourist in Your Own Town
St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission
Gone fishing … in St. Louis!
Downtown to midtown to the outlining counties surrounding St Louis, The Missouri Department of Conversation (MDC) has a great suggestion on how to spend your summer. Go fishing. Make that urban fishing, a program established by the Missouri Department of Conversation in 1969 providing close to home fishing opportunities at 17 St Louis city and county area parks. Some locations such as Lafayette Park, Benton Park and Forest Park are just minutes from the Gateway Arch, making it a convenient activity for visitors who love to fish.
“Fishing in your own backyard is pretty cool,” said Kevin Meneau, MDC Fisheries Management Biologist, noting how urban fishing surpasses numbers at Missouri’s higher profile destinations as Lake of the Ozarks. “On a per acre basis, St. Louis area urban lakes received 15 percent more fishing pressure than higher profile lakes such as Lake of the Ozarks. The program has become so popular that it has grown into a year round program.”
According to Meneau fishing is more popular than ever, especially in the St Louis, Jefferson and St. Charles counties. The reason: Inter-city park ponds, local lakes and streams are easily accessible and fishing makes an excellent outdoor pastime for visitors of which all ages can enjoy.
Fisherman can expect to hook bluegill, largemouth bass, crappie, catfish and trout. To insure there’s plenty of fish to catch the Missouri Department of Conversation regularly stocks St Louis’s lakes with 30,000 catfish and trout throughout the year. The Fish Stocking Hotline (636-300-9651) can provide stocking information about all lakes in the urban lake program. Besides park lakes, rivers and streams also offer anglers unique fishing experiences. The Upper Mississippi alone offers 102 miles of shoreline that borders Jefferson, St. Charles and St. Louis counties. The Meramec River is a favorite river with anglers that feature several boat accesses at several parks, such as those in Arnold at Flamm City Park and at St. Louis County’s George Winter Park in Fenton. All you need to fish is a pole, bait and Missouri fishing license, www.mdc.mo.gov/permits for just seven dollars.
Basically there are two ways to fish, catch to keep or catch and release. Catches that aren’t released and are kept for supper are encouraged to take the time to properly clean your fish.
The Missouri Department of Conservation offers how-to information to help anglers master the process. While fish can be cleaned in the field, cleaning is easier if done at fishing parks that provide fish cleaning stations with water for rinsing fish.
Summertime is prime catfish season. Here are a few of St. Louis’ most popular urban lakes where the fish are biting.
Jefferson Lake in Forest Park: Fourteen acre Jefferson Lake is located on the east end of Forest Park, by Kingshighway and the skating rink. Prime catch: Largemouth bass, crappie, and channel catfish.
Benton Park Lake: The acre-sized lake located at South Jefferson and Arsenal Street, is situated in one of St. Louis’ oldest parks dating to 1866. Prime catch: Bullhead and channel catfish.
Boathouse Lake and Horseshoe Lake at Carondelet Park: Ranked as St. Louis’ third largest park, renown for dockside fishing from its historic pergolas on Boathouse Lake. Prime Catch: Channel catfish, largemouth bass and rainbow trout.
Susan Park Lake: Located in south St. Louis County, Susan offers 98-acres of fishing lakes along with picnic areas and an animal farm for kids to enjoy. Prime catch: Channel catfish, largemouth bass and rainbow trout.
Lafayette Park Lake: St. Louis’ oldest park. Lafayette Park’s Main Lake was once used by Victorians for boating. The park is located at Lafayette Square (Lafayette and Missouri Ave) just 10 minutes form the Gateway Arch. Prime catch: Channel catfish.
Tilles Park Lake: Located in St Louis County in Tilles Park at McKnight Road south of Interstate 64-40 provides a two-acre lake that features dock fishing. Prime catch: Channel catfish, rainbow trout, largemouth bass and sunfish.
SUNSHINE
Continued from C1
For her first time in town, Sunshine brought the house down at the now-defunct Lola nearly three years ago.
She had the crowd – plenty of whom had never heard of her before – singing in harmony like her own personal choir as she presented tunes from her self-titled debut and incorporated some staple R&B and gospel into her set.
They crooned along as if they were lifelong fans while Sunshine belted and played the keyboard. Her gift for engaging a crowd is as impressive as her musical talents.
“I started directing choirs when I was 13,” said Sunshine, a native of Chester, Pa. Back then she was known as Denise Nicole White.
“I had to figure out how to walk into this space and command these people’s
attention so they wouldn’t treat me like a little girl and would respect that I was a professional musician and knew what I was talking about – even if I didn’t know what I was talking about,” she said. “I honed that skill back then. I didn’t realize I was preparing myself for what I do now.”
The skill has served her well for the better part of 20 years.
“I was at Royal Albert Hall in the UK opening for BB King – five to six thousand people. I could hear my footsteps walking across the stage. I had to make something happen. I had to do something before BB hits this stage,” Sunshine said.
“It was the first time I felt naked and afraid. I was like, ‘God, now listen. You brought me out here. You’re gonna have to make this happen.’”
Before she was finished, she looked around and saw the audience holding up their cellphones in appreciation of her performance.
“That reminded me: Do what
you do and do it well, and you don’t have to worry about it –bottom line,” Sunshine said. She’s eager to give St. Louis audiences a second helping of her “soul food” music.
“If you want to feel better and you have stuff that you’re dealing with and you just want to get away from that –even if you are feeling good, this is the kind of show that will make you feel even better than when you came,” Sunshine said. “It will be so infectious that you will want to share it with somebody else. And if you feel like taking off your shoes and dancing – or hollering – you absolutely can do that.”
Avery Sunshine will perform two shows on Friday, August 1 (7 p.m. and 9 p.m.)at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N Grand Blvd. For tickets or more information, call 314-533-0367 or visit http:// kranzbergartscenter.org.
No matter how old or young you are you can always count on the fish biting at St. Louis’ urban lakes. Photo courtesy MDC
Just married
Beaumont High School Class of 1974 is holding its 40th Class Reunion August 1-3, including a sock hop at the school Friday evening and dinner and brunch Sat and Sun at the St. Louis Airport Renaissance Hotel. For more info contact James White at
~ Celebrations ~
Officer awarded
Major Rochelle D. Jones received the Frankie Muse Freeman Social Action Award at the Sisterhood Luncheon at Delta Sigma Theta Inc.’s 46th Central Regional Conference in Denver, Co. Major Jones is the highest ranking female in the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and is the Night Chief and Commander of Support Operations for the Department.
314-494-5554 or ten55jw@ yahoo.com.
Beaumont Class of 1979 will be celebrating their 35th Class Reunion September 5-7, 2014. For additional information, please contact Scarlett McWell at 314-458-7782 or send email to msscarletto@yahoo.com or Sandra Hooker at ayaina612@ sbcglobal.net.
Central High School Class of 1979 is planning its 35 year reunion for August 29-31, 2014. Please check out our Facebook page, “Central High School Redwings class of 1979” for class updates or call 314-374-8523 or 314-5415645 for more information.
Birthdays
Happy Birthday to Kevin Taylor on July 22. We are so very proud of you and where God is taking you! Love, Your entire family
Lincoln Sr. High School (East St. Louis, IL) Class of 1964 50th Class Reunion, 6 pm, Friday, September 26; 6:30 pm, Saturday, September 27, St. Louis Airport Marriott, 10700 Pear Tree Lane, St. Louis, MO 63134; 10 am, Sunday church service at Southern Mission M.B. Church, 2801 State Street, East St. Louis, IL, 62205. Contact persons: Carolyn Leggs Curry at 314.385.6305 or Ruby McSwain Akins at lottie840@yahoo.com.
Northwest High School Class of 1979 reunion dates are set for Sat. August 23 and Sunday, August 24 2014. Please contact Duane Daniels at 314568-2057 or Howard day at
Happy Birthday to Stanley Barnes on July 29! From: Pretty Girl
414-698-4261 to purchase tickets and any needed further information.
Riverview Gardens Class of 1994 is planning its 20th reunion for August 22-24, 2014. Please join us via Facebook: Riverview Gardens Senior High Class of 1994. You may provide your contact information via survey monkey: https:// www.surveymonkey.com/s/ XRKC975. You may also contact the planning committee Shannon Tuggle, Leslie Norwood, Scott Wolosyk, and/or Mark Grzechowiak via email at rgclassof1994@gmail. com.
Soldan is having its 10th All-
- 6 p.m. The price is $10/adults, $5/412yrs, free 3 and under. T-Shirts with the grad. year on the sleeve are $13. For more information call: (314) 413-9088. For order form e-mail: gptate@sbcglobal. net.
Soldan High School Class of 1974 will hold its 40th Reunion Weekend, August 15-17, 2014 at Hollywood Casino & Resort, St. Louis. More info to come soon!
St. Alphonsus ‘Rock’ High School Class of 1964 is planning a 50th year reunion
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, graduation, 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.
Reunion notices are free of charge and based on space availability. We prefer that notices be emailed to us!
However, notices may also be sent by mail to:
Kate Daniel, 2315 Pine St., St. Louis, MO 63103
Deadline is 10 a.m. on Friday. If you’d like your class to be featured in a reunion profile, email or mail photos to us. Our email address is:
reunions@ stlamerican.com
Pamela I. Aseme of Kansas City and native St. Louisan, Samuel E. Terrell II, were united in marriage at Unity Village, Missouri on July 5. Samuel and Pamela met while students at Missouri Western University in Saint Joseph, Missouri. The happy couple resides in Lenexa, Kansas.
Memorial Presbyterian celebrates 150th anniversary
By Bridjes O’Neil
Of the St. Louis American Memorial Presbyterian Church, located at 201 S. Skinker Blvd. across from Forest Park, commemorated its 150th anniversary on July 4. Festivities were held through July 6. It was mostly a time to reflect on the church’s past and the role it played in the city’s history.
“Most churches don’t last 150 years,” Memorial Associate Pastor Greg Johnson said. “It’s rare that one does.”
Union and Confederate sympathizers established the church, originally located at 16th and Walnut in downtown St. Louis. Church leaders launched a social experiment within the church at the height of the U.S. Civil War. The social experiment tested whether Christianity and the Bible could enable radically diverse people to live together in spiritual unity.
He said, “You’ve got black and white, Republicans and Democrats, Northerners and Southerners, rich and poor,” Johnson said. “It was one of the only places in St. Louis at the tail-end of the Civil War were all these people were coming together. And, it was intentional.”
Church leaders believed that having an identity in Christ was more valuable than race, one’s political party affiliation or section of the country they identified with, he said.
One of the earliest AfricanAmerican members was former slave Mary Jane Townsend. After battling racism inside and outside the church, Townsend established Berea Presbyterian Church out of Memorial thirty years later.
“What amazes me is that they were trying, because I don’t see a lot of churches today trying something like this,” he said.
Johnson thought of how the social experiment, developed nearly two centuries ago, might be applied to modern times. He said it is not because people in churches hate others. It is because the community is most comfortable within the safe confines of a monoculture, he said. The challenge is having the courage to step outside one’s comfort zone, he said.
“One of the challenges in Christianity from the beginning was to actually let the gospel bring different people together,” he said. “St. Louis is divided, and it’s very divided on Sunday morning.”
‘Greening Your House of Worship’
Reverend Gerald Durley,
a civil rights leader and environmentalist from Atlanta, will be one of two featured speakers at Make a Difference: Greening Your Home & House of Worship, to be held 7 p.m.
Thursday, July 31 at St. Louis Community College at Forest Park, 5600 Oakland Ave. in room T203 in the Mildred E. Bastian Center for the Performing Arts.
Durley serves on the national Interfaith Power & Light Board and is the former pastor at the historic Providence Missionary Baptist Church of Atlanta.
The second speaker is Mike Roberts, meteorologist for KSDK News Channel 5 and adjunct instructor at Saint Louis University in the department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. He is also active in his church, which recently installed solar panels.
The goal of the program is to encourage individuals to make a difference starting in their homes and houses of
Lily Li, Michelle Kenyon and Alexis Coleman visited at the 150th anniversary celebration of Memorial Presbyterian Church, located at 201 S. Skinker Blvd.
While I was trying to remember where I heard or read about the concept of letting your hate for someone else control your life, I realized that maybe someone needed to read about it. So here it is.
If you can’t stand someone, can’t get along with someone, still hurt after someone left you long ago, you really need to let it go. It exemplifies a very practical approach to “Let go and let God.”
The premise is simple enough. Without forgiveness in your heart, you are forever bound and chained to that which you despise most, are fearful of and have been seriously hurt by.
worship. Anywhere there is a building, there is an opportunity to measure its energy use and make changes to conserve energy, save money, improve building occupant experience, and protect the environment.
Breakout session topics will address the basics of greening your home and greening your house of worship and will include panelists with personal experience and practical tips to convey.
The event is organized by the Jewish Environmental Initiative, a committee of the Jewish Community Relations Council, Missouri Interfaith Power and Light and the U.S. Green Building CouncilMissouri Gateway Chapter.
Registration/networking is from 6:45 to 7:00 p.m.
The program runs from 7-9 p.m., with light refreshments served. The event is free, but registration is required at http:// www.usgbc-mogateway.org/ events/
Have you ever been around someone who continues to relive a past relationship, a broken heart, wrongful termination, missed opportunity or a personal slight, over and over and over again?
That’s all they talk about. When they see something or hear something that reminds them of that someone or that thing, you know what’s coming. And they expect you to join them in the pity party they’ve thrown for themselves.
Without forgiveness in your heart and mind and your spirit, you’re doomed to be shackled to what scarred you in the first place.
My bible says the truth shall set you free. And the truth is you better let that madness go, so you can live a life of freedom. You can never be the person God wants you to be, if you continue to let these people and events and circumstances have that kind of power over. That’s right, power! Whether you want to acknowledge it or not, you are letting your thoughts rule your behavior, your attitude and your outlook. That’s too much power to give to anyone or anything who is so negative to who you are in the eyes of God. It’s a mind game. Paul says, “Be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” Romans 12:2. Let God reshape your thinking into what you can be instead of what they say and you say aren’t. The truth is God can’t or won’t even deal with you until you comply with the rule of forgiveness. He says, “If you come to the altar with your gift and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift and go be reconciled with your brother; then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:23. You got to let it go in order to claim your freedom, your peace. Until you do, you can’t receive all that God has for you.
The American is accepting Inspirational Messages from the community. Send your column (no more than 400 words) as a Word document and pasted text to cking@stlamerican. com and attach a photo of yourself as a jpeg ile. Please be patient; we will run columns in the order received.
James A. Washington
Celebrity Swagger Snap of the Week
St. Louis was representing at the World premiere of the James Brown biopic “Get On Up” at the world-famous Apollo Theatre. STL Natives Richard Paden (wardrobe stylist) and Felicia Nettles (cosmetologist) were on hand working with “Get On Up” co-star Nelsan Ellis. Their sister Melva Paden Moore joined them and was rubbing shoulders with the cast (like Jill Scott and Chad Boseman) and the host of celebrities who came to attend. She’s seen here with Ellis – who one might also recognize from the hit HBO show “True Blood.”
BAPs premieres. Okay, so the moment has arrived. As of last night (Wednesday)
BAPs will be making its way to the small screen after months of speculation, anticipation and a heavy helping of warranted “hateration.” But because it premieres after we go to print y’all would normally have to wait a full week to get my thoughts and tea. Notice, I said normally. Since I’m so eager to share –and rocking back and forth waiting for feedback and opinions regarding the show from all of my STL folks – I’m going to do something new. I’m going to give an online exclusive item regarding BAPs that will publish on stlamerican.com today. So be sure to check it out, and chime in with us about it on social media! I hear that there is some show action that will have folks saying, “girl what,” “girl why” and “oh, girl no…” – in that order.
Heaping love on our social media family. Speaking of social networks, I don’t know if I’ve ever officially sent out a heartfelt thank you to then tens of thousands (more than 30,000 collectively to be exact) who engage with us through our activity on various channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google +). From politics to pop culture, y’all keep it cracking and make every visit to our accounts worthwhile. I bring this up most recently because two particular posts had me over the moon because of the nonstop feedback. The first was the responses to the question of which African-American TV dad could best handle today’s youth (James Evans, Cliff Huxtable, “Uncle” Phil Banks and Carl Winslow [from “Family Matters”]. Y’all had me bugging up with the comments that nearly unanimously had James Evans as the frontrunner. But what made my heart melt with St. Louis pride was the way y’all reached out during the “I’m So St. Louis” hot topic on Facebook on Monday. 200 comments had me on the ultimate stroll down memory lane for our city. I’ve taken the liberty of posting the most popular ones:
• “I’m so St. LOUIS that Sunday nights meant everyone jamming to Magic 108’s ‘Quiet Storm’ strolling thru Forest Park” – Marylin Peebles Ruffin
• “I’m so St. Louis I had a Majic 108 Gold Card” – Alois (Keeperofthesheep) Bell
• “I’m so STL I remember the jelly beans & peanuts at all the downtown stores, hot roasted cashews and the food counters at Woolworth stores.” – Theresa Taylor
• “Who remembers Grandpa Pigeons?” – Isaac (Theadvocate) Long Sr.
• “I’m so St Louis I remember getting some shrimp from Sara Lou’s on St. Louis Ave.” – Jerome Davis
• “I’m so St. Louis I remember my father & brother going to see the Von Erics at Wrestling at The Chase.” – Lydia (Ladylakersfan) Jones
• I’m so St. Louis I remember errebody (sic) and their cousins standing out in front of Coleman’ s to get a gold tooth.” – Terrence Phipps Thanks so much do for your continued support. We look forward to continuing the conversation on these new platforms! Be sure to like us – and join us in the exchange – because we enjoy hearing from you…and you never know if you might see your name in our print paper!
A wimpy weekend. I know by now you’re probably thinking “girl, when are you going to get to what was cracking in these streets this past weekend?” Now you know how I felt…and quietly, I’m still waiting. I made my way to the Marquee on Friday for “One Cool Night,” – which had a decent crowd, but should have been to the windows and the wall considering there wasn’t really much else poppin’. It was the same for Saturday. A wise nightlife veteran asked if I thought the day parties are killin’ the night parties. I’ll say this: It has been pretty slow motion this summer as far as Friday and Saturday non-celebrity special event nights. And there have been day parties EVERY Sunday since before Memorial Day (sometimes two or three). Can we be mad that the folks decide to get their beauty rest and traipse over to the various venues still dressed in their church clothes? There’s another day party going on at Bar Napoli this Sunday and I’m willing to bet it will be business as usual.
Bump and Hustle block party. The exception to the rule as far as the pretty regular party scene came from an unlikely place this weekend. Upon the invitation of Nappy DJ Needles, I made my way to the Bump & Hustle 2 Year Anniversary featuring DJ Centipede at the Blank Space. Bump and Hustle actually described my situation as I tried, to no avail, to maneuver through the massive crowd crammed in the tiny venue so that I could give Needles some dap for a job well done. It was so packed that the folks didn’t even bother trying to make their way inside the spot…they just grooved to the sounds from the outside – and turned that end of Cherokee into a quiet block party. And many flavors of folks stopped through too. Everybody from hippies to hip-hop heads made their way through – and it was a beautiful thing.
The spirit of Lucas Schoolhouse. You’ve been waiting for it and this Saturday the 3rd Annual Lucas Schoolhouse Tribute Edition of Café Soul is coming to the Rustic Goat. For those who are relatively new to the Café Soul experience Lucas Schoolhouse was what I like to call the Renaissance of Café Soul. Some of the musicians we look to as St. Louis staples – and others who have gone on to represent our city’s vast musical talent on a national (and international) level were honing their skills on that very stage. For the past few years Angie, Nichol and Tendai have been paying homage to that particular era in the history of the monthly open mic and concert series. They’ve nailed it every time and Saturday night will be no different. The party starts at 8 p.m. Get there early because it will be packed!
A night for R&B boy bands. So tonight (Thursday) is the night that Ronnie,
The Two Live Crew and Liquid Assets
kept
on
Photos by Lawrence Bryant
Alyse, Mario and Melanie brought some major swag to the Marquee Saturday night
Justin and Jeremi jumped into their weekend by enjoying the scene @ Envy at The Ballpark
Shanae and Marissa got their groove on Saturday night @ The Coliseum
Nikki, Mocha Latte and Teresa took in some great laughs as they gathered to the delicious food and delightful atmosphere Friday night @ Soho
Tiara and Tracie decided to wind down their weekend with the Ultimate Day Party Sunday @ Harry’s
Chelse, Antonio, new “Wildin’ Out” cast member Hitman Holla and Kyjuan were among the tastemakers in attendance for A. Holland Group’s Who’s Who Awards @ The Rustic Goat
Morris and Kim made their way to the Marquee to meet up with friends
Cherie, Kya, Shaunte and Melissa came to kick it @ Red Hot Fridays @ Soho
Kandy helped her girl Tameka celebrate her birthday Friday night @ Soho
have
Harry’s popping for their weekly day parties
Sunday