May 16th, 2013 edition

Kinks, coils and curls unite

Two commencements, same message given

Kimbrough to lead United Way

By Rebecca S.Rivas

American

Anthony Thompson, CEO and chairman of Kwame Building Group, just delivered commencement speeches at both Maryville University and HarrisStowe State University. The audience at Maryville was predominately white, and at Harris-Stowe it was largely African American. Yet he gave the same speech to both sets of graduates, and at both he received a standing ovation.

“Be bold and selfish while you find your passion.”

– Tony Thompson

His message spoke to how history can help us understand our ability to achieve – and survive.

By Chris King Of The St.Louis American

Orvin Kimbrough, 38, reached a major career milestone yesterday when it was announced he will succeed Gary Dollar as president and CEO of the United Way of Greater St. Louis, the region’s primary funding source for social service agencies.

“I look forward to helping United Way and the community do even more to help people in need.”

– Orvin Kimbrough

The organization raised $72 million last year, when Kimbrough was senior vice president of major gifts and executive vice president, and it distributed more than 90 percent of that money to more than 170health and human service agencies in Missouri and Illinois. It’s the nation’s fifth-largest United Way.

Kimbrough, whose appointment is effective July 1, said he is “humbled by this tremendous honor to serve this community.” Kimbrough also is humbled, at the moment, by a more personal milestone. His son Matthew Jacob is now 8, the same age Kimbrough was when he lost his mother, Carolyn. He never knew his own father. He was raised in foster care by some of the very organizations funded by the United Way.

“My ancestry and history assures me that I can be anything I want to be,” Thompson told the new graduates. “They were the strong, wise and innovative, with survival instincts unseen.” Millions of Africans died chained togethSee

“I took my son to the old house I lived in, to the street where my mother passed, to a couple of the agencies I lived at,” Kimbrough said. “It was moving – and moving for him, as well, to see where Dad came from. You

See THOMPSON, A7

Local pastorhosting conference

By Bridjes O’Neil

Of The St.Louis American

The Rev. Sammie E. Jones is contending with recent tornado damage to his home church, Mount Zion Baptist Church, and the resulting insurance hassles. But that isn’t slowing him down in his efforts to promote the 108th Annual National Baptist Congress of Christian Education, which is coming to St. Louis.

An estimated 30,000 people are expected to convene in St. Louis June 16-21, generating a substantial amount of revenue for the city. Rev. Jones is local host committee chairman and was instrumental in bringing the conference to St. Louis for the second straight year.

“I really need the support of the city,” Rev. Jones said. “Every church, every pastor within the region needs to register.”

See JONES, A7

By Rebecca S.Rivas Of The St.Louis American

Of The St.Louis

Photo by Wiley Price

Lea Sutherlin and her husband Steve Sutherlin graduated from Harris-Stowe State University together on Saturday.As executive assistant to the president,Lea Sutherlin is a 22-year employee of HSSU.They both earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration,joining the ranks of their alumnae daughter,Tasha Sutherlin,valedictorian of the class of 2008.

Photo by Wiley Price

Concert cancellation fuels

Beyoncé baby bump rumors

Beyoncé canceled a concert in Belgium that was scheduled for Tuesday night because she is dehydrated and exhausted, The Associated Press reported. Her publicist said that she has been ordered by her doctors to rest. At press time her publicist said “she is awaiting word from her doctors before making a decision” about that performance” about a Wednesday night performance as well.

Tuesday night’s show was the first that Beyoncé has cancelled in her career – and she used her Instagram to issue a personal apology.

it will finish on Aug. 5 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Is Dame Dash about to get set out?

Hip-hop mogul Damon Dash is so deeply in debt that he claims in court documents he faces imminent eviction from a rented mansion in suburban Carmel, N.Y.

The cancellation comes on the heels of speculation that Beyoncé is pregnant with her second child with her rap superstar husband Jay-Z. More modest clothing, a noticeably fuller midsection spurred buzz about a sibling for Blue Ivy Carter.

Beyoncé started her Mrs. Carter Show World Tour last month in Belgrade, Serbia, and

“I am currently several months behind in paying my personal bills,” he wrote Tuesday in the 5-page filing. “For instance, I am currently over $100,000 behind in rent for the only home in which I live and at risk of being evicted.” Dash lost a pair of multimillion-dollar Tribeca lofts to foreclosure in 2010, with $7.3 million left on the massive mortgages.

An acrimonious 2004 split with Jay-Z initially netted Dash a $20 million windfall — but eventually left the 42-year-old facing hard financial times. Failed business deals, huge tax debts and repeated legal battles quickly left his deep pockets almost empty.

Court records show Dash lost a slew of lawsuits filed by landlords, fashion designer Charlotte Ronson and a celebrity bodyguard firm.

According to his court filing, Dash faces

possible criminal prosecution for non-payment of taxes in New Jersey. Documents indicate Dash also owes more than $2 million in taxes to New York State, and he conceded owing federal income taxes.

Was Walter Lee jumped after outing Tyler Perry?

Walter Lee Hampton, who says he was a former friend of movie and television mogul Tyler Perry, claims that he was viciously attacked after outing Perry by way of a YouTube video.

In the 15 minute video, titled “Love & Relationships: Tyler Perry & Me,” Hampton says that he and Perry were once close friends and that Perry was actively involved in the black gay community.

He goes on to say that after Perry achieved fame and fortune that he no longer identified himself as a black gay man. Hampton even goes so far as to say that Perry abandoned the black gay community for the sake of success.

Sheree talks NeNe and Iyanla with Andy Cohen

Former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” co-star Sheree Whitfield told her side of the story about former friend NeNe Leakes and her “Iyanla: Fix My Life” experience during a recent appearance on “Watch What Happens Live” with Andy Cohen

She totally dismissed Iyanla as a life coach, saying the whole thing was a set up.

“I really didn’t learn anything from Iyanla; it actually went in a whole different direction than what I was told,” she said. “I was really misled. What I did take out of it… just me growing and that I can’t control other people’s actions. I can only react, and I choose to do my thing.” And as far as her dream home, it’s a work in progress not to rush.

As far as her relationship with Leakes, don’t expect that to be better any time soon.

“I don’t understand why you feel the need to continue to talk about me because I’m not talking about you,” she said about Leakes. “I don’t think about you.”

According to Obnoxious Blog, Hampton told friends that after the video was made that he was attacked by a group of men and required more than one hundred stitches as a result of his injuries.

SLPS senior wins

Oral Advocacy Competition

McKinley senior Taevosha Blackwell with Michael Walton, Mound City Bar Association president

National Bar Association Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drum Major for Justice Oral Advocacy Competition that she earned first place.

Blackwell will now represent St. Louis in the Region VIII event to be held in Kansas City, Missouri, on May 18. There she will compete with students from Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota for the honor of moving on to the National Competition scheduled for July 31 in Miami.

Students placing in the Regional and National competitions share in $25,000 in scholarship awards. Sponsored by the National Bar Association and supported by the National Bar

Institute, the competition is designed to motivate students of color to excel in education. The contest encourages high school juniors and seniors to express their views on a pre-selected topic and judges the students on their ability to communicate orally and in writing.

In the St. Louis competition, sponsored by the Mound City Bar Association and Sandberg Phoenix, students were invited to submit an essay addressing the Trayvon Martin killing and Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law.

Joining Blackwell as finalists were: Nathan Bolden, Jr. (Clyde C. Miller Career Academy) and James Guerin (McKinley Classical Leadership Academy). Bolden earned

second place in the Oral Advocacy Competition and will join Blackwell at the regional event.

Mavis T. Thompson, past president of the NBA, chaired the St. Louis event. The judges were Judge Donald McCullin (retired, 22nd Judicial Circuit), Judge Anne-Marie Clarke (Family Court commissioner, 22nd Judicial Circuit) and Nicole Colbert-Botchway (presidentelect of the Mound City Bar Association).

The Oral Advocacy Competition was videotaped and will air on SLPS-TV (cable channel 988) and is also available for viewing on the St. Louis Public School District website at www.slps. org (click on the SLPS-TV link).

At greater risk, yet under-researched

African Americans and Alzheimer’s disease

By Mike Claiborne For The St. Louis American

I watched as Alzheimer’s disease slowly robbed my mom of everything until it ultimately took her life. Now we are learning more every day about Alzheimer’s.

Last month, the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2013 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts & Figures report showed that Alzheimer’s is now the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S., killing more people each year than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. Just last week, the RAND Corporation reported that Alzheimer’s and other dementias are extremely costly to society – more costly than heart disease and cancer.

and Alzheimer’s disease. In the largest study of genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s in the African-American population, researchers recently reported that one gene has a much stronger risk factor for Alzheimer’s in African Americans than in Caucasians.

These facts are shocking, but they don’t even begin to illustrate the human toll this devastating disease has on families. What’s even more alarming is the recent report about a gene once thought to be weakly linked to Alzheimer’s disease that may almost double the risk of developing Alzheimer’s in African Americans.

I have already lost my mom to this disease, and now I fear what it might do to me, my friends and millions of other baby boomers.

We know that African Americans have a greater risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other cardiovascular complications, which could lead to a higher risk of stroke

It is projected that the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease will triple in a few decades, from about five million people today to 15 million by 2050. I commend the Obama Administration for dedicating an additional $100 million to the fight against Alzheimer’s with the implementation of the National Alzheimer’s Plan. There is tremendous progress being made, and this investment will accelerate that pace. While a cure may not be around the coroner, the momentum of getting to the corner is growing, and it’s our responsibility to play an active role in getting there. Now is the time to change the future of Alzheimer’s.

African Americans experience a greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease, but are underrepresented in research studies. You can become part of the solution by enrolling in Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch, a free program that links you to studies in the area.

To learn more about Alzheimer’s disease, receive support or get information on research studies or the day at the ballpark, visit alz.org/stl or call 800-272-3900.

Mike Claiborne, St. Louis Cardinals broadcaster, KMOX co-host and St. Louis American columnist, is a board member of the Alzheimer’s Association St. Louis Chapter.

AMERICAN ICoNS

Macy’s invites you to join us for our all-star salute to those that make us proud to live in the land of the free and the home of the brave –from classic cars & apple pie to legendary designers & destinations. The journey begins here but continues all summer, so come in or click macys.com/icons today and be part of our cross-country tribute to the American way!

Mike Claiborne

Editorial /CommEntary

Newspaper reporter: not the worst job Inequality slows growth

Undoubtedly we’ve all heard of the many lists that Forbes generates each year. They range from best cities to find employment to best colleges to best cities to retire in. While we realize that one should view such lists with skepticism, it’s hard not to pay attention when the ranking concerns your own industry. Recently Forbes came out with its Best and Worst Jobs list for 2013. Thanks to evershrinking newsrooms, dwindling budgets and competition from online news organizations, newspaper reporter was ranked as the nation’s single worst job for 2013. In fact, Forbes listed being a newspaper reporter as a worse job than garbage collector, lumberjack and oil rig worker. The profession has been ranked among the worst jobs for many years now, due to low pay, high levels of stress from working under deadlines, a poor hiring outlook and the requirement for many positions to be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

In the last decade, thousands of newspaper reporter positions (including many in St. Louis) have been eliminated. In fact, the job now actually has a negative growth outlook, meaning there will be fewer newspaper reporters in the future. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates that the number of traditional print newspapers reporter jobs will decline 6 percent by 2020. While we’re not exactly sure what the single worst job in the world might be, we know it is not newspaper reporter, at least not the way we practice the craft at The St. Louis American. We are not ambulance or disaster chasers who run from one gruesome scandal to the next, hastily gathering the scant known facts while heating it all up with hype and innuendo. Rather, we report week after week on the same local community, looking for marginal – sometimes, marked – improvement in our core areas of concern, which are the vital signs of any community:

education, health, public engagement, business and employment opportunity, and athletic and artistic excellence.

In our 85 years of continuous publication, we have sent journalists out of our small, local newsroom to major newspapers in larger cities.

A family tree connecting The American to publications and news organization where our reporters have gone on to excel would include the Associated Press, the New York Times the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, the Dallas Morning News and the Denver Post

We also have seen our reporters successfully recast themselves as communications staffers for congressmen and influential non-profit organizations.

But perhaps the best proof that reporter is not the worst job that has emerged from our newsroom is how long quality journalists have stayed with us. Wiley Price has been our staff photojournalist intermittently for 30 years and entered the Missouri Photojournalist Hall of Fame strictly for the work he did for us. Our sports editor Earl Austin Jr. has a knowledge of local sports that is the envy of every news organization in town, but he has stayed with his hometown newspaper since 1995. It is not the absence of other opportunities that keep them at The American, but a shared sense of caring while taking a credible, positive approach to telling a community’s story.

Further, unlike the chain publications that keep shedding journalists by the dozens, we are an independent publication owned by a single local individual. But, in fact, because of our model for producing community journalism, all of us – including the publisher – have the same boss: the community we serve. And while we want to give our community a voice, we know as journalists we must be credible and that means it remains our job to tell the truth.

You can be a change agent

Every child deserves a healthy start. It is the best gift a community can give its children and itself. So it’s alarming to note that the prematurity and infant mortality rate in the United States is one of the highest among industrialized nations.

The city of St. Louis also tells a story of inadequate prenatal care, premature birth, low birth weight and infant mortality. Nearly 15 percent of pregnant women in the city of St. Louis receive inadequate prenatal care, compared to 6.3 percent in the county. Lack of, or inadequate, prenatal care can be one of the factors associated with premature birth. Not surprisingly, the premature birth rate is much greater for the city of St. Louis –almost 20 percent, or one in five babies. For African Americans, the preterm rate in St. Louis is even higher –21.2 percent. The premature birth rate in the county is 11.2 percent. Young black women are twice as likely to have a low birth-weight baby and three times more likely than young white women to have an infant die of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Babies born even a few weeks early may face serious consequences, including

severe health problems and disabilities. And, babies who survive premature birth face the risk of serious lifelong health issues, such as learning disabilities, cerebral palsy, blindness, hearing loss, asthma and other chronic conditions. In a recent study conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics, children born prior to 39 weeks can experience delays in reading and math.

Additionally, medical costs for a preterm baby averages 10 times more than for a baby born full term and healthy. Ultimately, we all pay the price for babies born too soon. While the average medical cost for a healthy baby is approximately $4,320, the costs to care for a premature baby average $55,025.

Our children are our greatest resource, and in our city 10 percent of the babies born do not survive. So what is the answer? Education? Programs? Advocacy? All of the above? We can and we must work together to change the social world that currently shapes the future of babies in our community. Moving the needle even small degrees in the right direction can translate into huge leaps forward in the health of mothers, children and families – and, ultimately, for businesses and institutions.

You have the power to make change happen in our community, and you can be a change agent in the village responsible for helping to raise its children. Take the time to learn about the latest findings in the field of prematurity and infant mortality. Your

Coming the day after the 45th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the new unemployment numbers show that unemployment is still highand remains much higher for African Americans.

One thing hasn’t changed in the last half century: if you’re a person of color, you’re more likely to be unemployed. Even though the black unemployment rate fell by .05 percent this month, it still sits at nearly 13.3 percent, nearly double the overall rate. This gap in employment has led to an economic divide between the richest and the poorest in America that is about as bad as in the divide in Rwanda and Serbia. The top 20 percent of Americans earn 50.2 percent of income, while the bottom 20 percent earns just 3.3 percent.

This is a dangerous trend.

Recent studies – including one by the International Monetary Fund – show that countries with higher levels of economic inequality have slower growth rates, and that “economic inclusion corresponds with

robust economic growth.”

Urban economies affect the prosperity of the entire surrounding region and ultimately the country as a whole.

As our country grows more diverse, we must also acknowledge that economic inequality is closely tied to race, due to decades of past and ongoing discrimination. And this inequality undermines the racial progress that we have achieved.

As Dr. King asked in 1968, “What does it profit a man to be able to eat at an integrated lunch counter if he doesn’t earn enough money to buy a hamburger and a cup of coffee?”

In the last year of Dr. King’s life, he was organizing the Poor People’s Campaign. He endorsed the Freedom Budget, a document that called for massive investments in public works and infrastructure, job training and education programs, and a higher minimum wage. The Budget insisted that smart investments in our most vulnerable citizens will spur economic growth.

Unfortunately, this plan never moved forward. But its message proved prophetic, and Dr. King’s economic agenda is still relevant today. A strong and sustainable economic recovery requires an economic

Letters to the editor

In safe and capable hands

Recently, the St. Louis Community College Meramec campus was the scene of a grisly sexual attack by a male student on a female student. Apparently, after campus police detained the young man, they released him before he could be presented before a judge. After the assault victim made the incident public, the alleged perpetrator was arrested and held by St. Louis County police.

These actions led to public accusations, concerns for student safety, doubts of confidence in school officials and the resignation of the Meramec campus president. This doesn’t even include the trauma suffered by the young student.

knowledge protects all children. Talk openly with your neighbors, your friends and your families about the issues of prematurity and infant mortality. Take an active role in directing those in need to the organizations that seek to help them.

On June 1 a collaboration of multiple organizations in the delivery of health and prevention services will host the March of Dimes It Takes a Village: Women’s Expo a half-day event created in cooperation with the March of Dimes, SIDS Resources, Home State Health Care, Centene Corporation and American Eagle Credit Union, at the New Northside Conference Center, 5939 Goodfellow Blvd.

The event will feature workshops and community agencies dedicated to providing essential resources to support family vitality. The workshops include prenatal care, nutrition for mother and child, healthy relationships, depression, substance abuse and smoking. On-site health screenings will be available.

We are the village. As active supporters of maternal and child health, we urge you to encourage women and families in our community to attend the Women’s Expo. It’s a great first step to improving the health of moms and babies in St. Louis.

For more information, register at kmjm.com keyword: village or call 314-678-5477. Mary Elizabeth Grimes is the state director for the March of Dimes.

The one voice that has given comfort to both the students and the public during this episode has been that of St. Louis Community College Chancellor Myrtle Dorsey. Dr. Dorsey quickly assessed the situation, apologized to the victim, spoke to the appropriate school personnel, and created a plan to better inform students of potential risks, which will hopefully reduce the chances of a repeat incidence. That’s leadership!

As leaders of the Ecumenical Leadership Council – St. Louis Chapter, representing almost 80 predominantly AfricanAmerican churches in the St. Louis area, our churches have a large population of female college students. It gives us, and their parents, a sense of relief that if those young ladies are attending St. Louis Community College, Dr. Dorsey will do everything possible to make sure that they are in very safe and capable hands.

Bishop Lawrence M. Wooten Rev. Douglas Parham Ecumenical Leadership Council Clayton

Sinquefield’s priorities

The Sierra Club’s Caroline Pufailt stated that, “It’s time for definitive and compete information from the mayor’s office as to why they support Veolia.” The answer is obvious. The mayor’s biggest and most prominent campaign contributor, Rex Sinquefield. Sinquefield’s Show Me Institute is promoting Veolia. As to why, billionaire

climate in which all Americans – regardless of race or class – can expect hard work to be rewarded with a steady job. This is not a partisan issue – it is an American issue. And Congress needs to act now. Earlier this year the National Black Leaders Coalition came up with solutions for fixing the current unemployment crisis. They included implementing important parts of the American Jobs Act to revitalize urban areas, funding the Urban Jobs Act to create youth jobs programs and increasing the minimum wage. These policies echoed King’s recommendations 45 years earlier.

In 1962 Dr. King said, “There are three major social evils in our world today: the evil of war, the evil of economic justice, and the evil of racial injustice.” Fifty years later, we need to recognize that inaction is not a policy option. It has been tried, and it hasn’t worked. Let’s try something new. Let’s recommit ourselves to Dr. King’s economic principles and advance an economic agenda that bridges our nation’s divides and fosters an economic recovery in which all can benefit.

Benjamin Todd Jealous is president and CEO of the NAACP

Sinquefield will support anything that results in public services costing less so he he has fewer taxes to pay and more money in his pocket to buy politicians with. Didn’t people realize that when they voted to re-elect Slay they were voting for Sinquefield’s priorities?

Susan Turk, Via email

Problematic and irresponsible

Earlier this year I clearly communicated to the General Assembly that eliminating the renters’ portion of the property tax credit for seniors without passing comprehensive tax credit reform represented a flawed and unbalanced approach that I would not support.

That is why it is so troubling that budget negotiators in the House and Senate are now engaging in a cynical attempt to pit children with developmental disabilities who are enrolled in the First Steps program against low-income seniors who benefit from the renters’ tax credit.

This is especially problematic and irresponsible at a time when the General Assembly recently added an additional $38 million to build a brand new state office building here in Jefferson City. Building new offices for bureaucrats at the expense of children with developmental disabilities and low-income seniors reflects the wrong priorities.

Gov. Jay Nixon, Jefferson City

Undermining Missouri’s economy

HB 253 will cost Missouri more than $850 million when fully implemented. The cuts to services like education, transportation, and public safety required by such a revenue decline will undermine Missouri’s economy and make it harder for Missouri to compete with Kansas and other states.

If Missouri really wants to compete, we must invest in what families and businesses need to thrive: strong schools and affordable, top-rate colleges to educate our children and provide a skilled workforce, quality transportation to get to school and work and bring companies’ products to market,

and safe, stable communities. Missouri is already a low tax state for businesses, so if tax policy were a primary factor in motivating business, then businesses should be flocking to our state. Instead of trying to match Kansas’ shortsighted tax cuts that resulted in a $700 million shortfall, Missouri should invest in what our state needs to improve its own quality of life.

Amy Blouin, executive director Missouri Budget Project St. Louis

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

Guest Columnist Benjamin Jealous

Guest Columnist

Mary Elizabeth Grimes

St. Louis American arts reporter and online editor Kenya Vaughn interviewing author Walter Mosley in a conference room at the paper in April 2009. Photo by Wiley Price

Break for math and reading

Hundreds of St.Louis Public School students strengthened their academic skills at the SLPS Spring Break Reading And Math Academy,which is designed to help reduce the learning gap for up to 500 students under the guidance of Chief Academic Officer Nicole Williams.

Habitat seeks to replace stolen tools

Thieves recently broke into storage at the Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis build site in the historic Carondelet neighborhood and stole over $13,000 worth of tools, damaging the storage trailer. Habitat is looking for information related to the break-ins. All tools are permanently labeled with either black or silver paint “HFHSL” or “HFHSTL” and “Not for Sale.” Anyone with information on the thefts should call Crimestoppers at 866-371TIPS (8477). Habitat also is appealing to the construction community and general public to help replace the stolen items to keep the build on schedule. Monetary donations can be made at www.habitatstl.org. Donations of new tools can be made by calling 314-371-0400.

SummerCooling Program

EnergyCare’s Summer Cooling Program assists low-income medically at risk families with one-room air conditioners. Its service priorities include low-income older adults, people who are seriously ill, people with physical disabilities and families with seriously ill children or infants who do not have an air conditioner in their home. For more information, call 314-773-5900.

EnergyCare, a private, nonprofit organization, is collecting new and used, but working, window air conditioners of less than 8,000 BTU. If you are interested in donating an air conditioner, please call 314-773-5968 ex. 23.

Blunt’s staff to host Listening Post

U.S. Senator Roy Blunt’s staff will host a Listaening Post Meeting on Wednesday, May 22 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Weber Road Branch of the St. Louis County Library. Listening Posts are intended for Missourians to share their questions and concerns with members of Senator Blunt’s staff.

Senator Blunt’s Jefferson City office also extends one-on-one service to all Missourians who have an issue with a federal agency or need additional assistance. To reach the Senator’s Office of Constituent Services, call573-634-2488or write 308 E. High Street, Suite 202, Jefferson City, Missouri 65101.

Pattonville High in nation’s top 10 percent

Pattonville High School was ranked in the Top 20 high schools in Missouri and the Top 10 percent of high schools in the nation on U.S. News and World Report’s 2013 Best High Schools Ranking List. Pattonville was ranked No. 19 out of 560 high schools in Missouri and No. 1,914 out of more than 21,000 public high schools in the U.S.

Educating our own is not enough

By Gwen Williams For The American

We must recognize the indispensible part that quality education plays in our society. Those of us fortunate enough to have been educated must not be so selfish as to be satisfied just because we are able to send our own children to a private or otherwise distinguished educational facility, while knowing there are thousands of children being deprived of the same.

We must recognize that there may be costs to be paid that none of us are willing to bear when we deliberately turn a blind eye and deaf ear to the educational needs of other children because our children’s educational needs are being met.

We cannot ignore the failing public schools that are allowed to persist, largely ignored, throughout this country. We must realize that while we are car pooling our kids to Karate 101 and everything else, there are kids going to school hungry and neglected by the thousands. Thousands more live in neighborhoods so violent they are afraid to play outside.

We must recognize that children are this nation’s greatest resource and that those of us who are more privileged cannot ignore their problems and needs because we may be self-sufficient.

What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul, the scripture asks? Well, what does it profit us to spend billions of dollars on foreign aid and spend additional billions abroad to build others’infrastructures when we are allowing our own nation’s children to live neglected and in poverty in our own front yards?

We must realize that our educational institutions afford us the earliest opportunity to recognize potential mental deficits and to provide intervention long before they reach the stage where society as a whole suffers because of it.

Further, educators need to be more aware of this loner syndrome that is probably being exacerbated by all of the electronic games that are enabling young people to isolate themselves. Look around you the next time you are in a public place and observe the many young people who are completely engaged with some electronic device.

Every educational institution must focus on insuring that all children are included in every activity and make concerted efforts to reach out to those loners. Some teach their children that they are superior to others because of their difference in physical appearance, ethnicity or income. When children are taught to practice exclusivity, there are other children growing up and feeling the pain of being excluded and it may very well come back in future years to haunt all of us in different ways.

Children function best when they are taught to respect others for their differences and to simply be grateful for those privileges that they may have in their own lives. They need to know how to effectively interact with people from all cultures, and walks of life. Their safety, as well as our own, may very well depend on it.

Gwen Williams

Means committee, he decided to hold evening meetings for public comment, which aldermen have held in the past but not in recent years. Kennedy said he remembers attending many evening meetings when his father was an alderman in the 1960s and ‘70s, and the people always came out to testify. On Tuesday night, about 80 people attended, nearly filling the Kennedy Hearing Room in City Hall (which was in fact named after his father, the late Alderman Samuel Kennedy).

“I am impressed by the level of interest and the questions that came from the community,” said Kennedy. “They were really into it, and they were looking at the budget line by line.”

Residents brought forth several concerns, including the proposal to take $6 million out of ward improvement, recreation centers and building demolition funds to pay for the growing costs of city pensions. The city pension costs for fiscal year 2014 is $99.8 million, up from $92.8 million in 2013 and $76.6 million in 2012. Those costs include pensions for firefighters, city

KIMBROUGH

Continued from A1

Continued from A1 can come from all of that, and you can do greater things. Experiences don’t define you. Circumstances don’t define you.”

Kimbrough redefined himself through education. After graduating from the St. Louis Public Schools, he earned bachelor and masters degrees in social work from the University of Missouri–Columbia and then kept going, also picking up an MBAfrom UMSLand a mas-

employees and police. “We are taking money away from wards and recreation centers that benefit the communities of color,” said resident Ramona Taylor Williams. “I think we need to look at this budget and see where we can take funding from other areas and how we can begin to proactively and innovatively address the issues that we face on the North Side.”

ters in theology from the Aquinas Institute. Now he is chair for the Board of Trustees of Missouri State University.

“The social work degree is about people, obviously,” Kimbrough said, “but the business degree is also about people in a different sense, and theology is certainly about people at a higher level. There is a consistent thread to those degrees.”

That thread – people – led to the United Way, through previous leadership positions at a number of not-for-profits, including Interfaith Partnership/Faith Beyond

Williams pointed to the fact that public safety represents 57 percent of expenditures, and the police department takes the largest chunk of that.

Montague Simmons, chairman of the Organization for Black Struggle, asked what savings local control of the police will bring to the city.

Budget Director Paul Payne said the Board of Aldermen still needs to pass an ordinance

Walls.

“I look forward to helping United Way and the community do even more to help people in need,” Kimbrough said of his new appointment.

The United Way’s Board of Trustees chose Kimbrough after a search led by a committee with the support of a team from DHR International Inc.

“We conducted a rigorous search process, including a thorough review of the qualifications and criteria needed for our next leader,” said Jim Weddle, managing partner of Edward Jones and United Way board chair. “After

On Tuesday evening, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Alderman Terry Kennedy led a committee meeting for the Board of Aldermen at City Hall in the evening so more citizens could observe and contribute to a hearing about the city budget.

to make the transfer of police control legal.

“I do expect, once it comes over, that you will start to see discussions about overlapping services,” Payne said. “It’s going to be piecemeal as we go forward. The next budget will be more indicative of where you will see savings.”

Several sources of revenue are declining, which is adding to the shortfall, Payne said.

interviewing numerous candidates, Orvin was the unanimous recommendation of the Search Committee.”

Dollar is retiring after nearly 29 years of service to the organization and 12 years as president and CEO. Dollar succeeded Charmaine Chapman, who passed in July 2001, as president and CEO. He sees Kimbrough as continuing her legacy of inclusiveness.

“What Charmaine brought to the United Way and the values she instilled in us was the idea of openness: that this is the community’s United Way,” Dollar said. “Orv has created

The city’s earning tax, which is one percent of personal and corporate income, makes up 32 percent of the city’s revenue of $468.2 million in fiscal year 2013. That tax revenue is slowing, Payne said. The sales tax, which makes up 10 percent of revenue, declined 4.2 percent from 2012. Payne said the city is still working on gaining structural balance, instead of relying on

our Multicultural and Young Leaders groups and has done a tremendous job with our Women’s Initiative and African-American Leadership Giving Initiative.”

Kimbrough lives in the city of St. Louis with his wife Latriece, son and daughter, Maddison Elizabeth.

Kimbrough was told that public school children will read about his appointment through The American’s Newspaper in Education program, which currently distributes this newspaper to more than 200 classrooms in two public school districts. What does he have to say to those

one-time funds to meet its debt obligations. Until then, capital funds will continue to take a hit, he said. The proposed budget includes taking $2 million away from ward capital improvements funds, which come from a voter-approved one-half cent sales tax. Those funds have been reallocated for at least four years, said Kennedy , and he anticipates that it will take another two years before the city can use those sales tax revenues for improving neighborhoods again.

One resident asked if the new park funds, which voters approved in April, would be vulnerable to reallocations, just like the other capital funds. Payne said the city intends to keep those park funds separate. Payne said the city is always faced with deciding whether to cut services or to cut funds for improvements projects. “Just like a household budget, we have to weigh our priorities,” Payne said. “The city is looking at how to grapple with the increase in the pension costs and how to weigh that out while our income is still declining,” Kennedy said. “That is the priority.”

youth?

“Sometimes that kid in a public school classroom can’t even see that light at the end of the tunnel because they are blinded by circumstance and environment, by all those vacant houses,” Kimbrough said.

“I want to tell them, ‘You’ve got to have an imagination.’Avibrant imagination expands possibilities and what you see as possible. If you have the drive to do something different, there will be people there to help. And that’s ultimately what we’re there to do.”

Photo by Wiley Price

THOMPSON

Continued from A1

er in slave ships in transit to this country. Millions more died from disease and violence once they landed, he said.

“We are descendants of the strongest and brightest that Africa had to offer,” he said. “That serves as a reminder to me that it is in my DNAto do what I’m doing.”

In 1991, Thompson founded Kwame, a construction management firm that now oversees $250 million in projects annually. Thompson has earned two undergraduate degrees and two graduate degrees. He also received honorary doctorates from both universities at the commencement ceremonies.

Thompson said his degrees were necessary to give him credibility in an industry dominated by white males.

“I needed to be prepared when opportunity arose,” he said. “Sometimes you have to create your own opportunity.” Before he ventured out as an entrepreneur, Thompson had been working for Anheuser-Busch for almost 10 years and was responsible for human resource projects at 11 of the 13 breweries. Through night classes for graduate school, he worked on his business plan and honed his entrepreneurial skills. Then he decided to make the leap of faith.

“I presented my business plan to a wealthy, local African-American businessman from whom I was seeking funds to pursue my dream,” he said. “When I finished presenting my plan to him in his luxurious office in downtown Clayton, he asked why I needed the money. After being stunned with silence for a moment, I stated, ‘For office space.’”

He slid keys to the building across the desk and gave Thompson the security code. The businessman asked him

JONES

Continued from A1

Rev. Jones will soon celebrate his 35th anniversary as senior pastor at Mount Zion, 1444 South Compton Ave., which has grown into a fullfledged “Christian Complex” under his leadership.

He succeeded Rev. Jeremiah M. Baker, the first pastor to serve Mt. Zion for more than 40 years, after his retirement in 1979.

“They were seeking a young, intelligent, spirit-filled pastor,” Rev. Jones said.

He is the twelfth pastor to serve at Mt. Zion. The historic church began as a missionary Baptist church founded in 1859 under the leadership of the Rev. John Richard Anderson, pastor at Central Baptist from 1847 to 1863. Mount Zion follows First Baptist Church and Central Baptist as one of the oldest African-American congregations in St. Louis.

Rev. Jones knew at a young age that he would become a preacher, yet he did not fully surrender to public ministry until 1971.

“I always loved church,” he said. “I always loved listening to the preachers.”

His grandmother, Cora Lewis, a strong matriarch from Mississippi, kept him close to Christ. He was born in Doddsville, Miss., before moving to St. Louis as a child with his grandmother. They were joined later by his mother, Bessie L. Jones.

“She raised myself and many others in our family to trust in God and believe that God will always be available for us,” he said of his grandmother.

In his first pastoral appointment, he served nearly four years at Friendship Baptist Church, then a small family congregation of about 30 members in Columbia, Mo.

“They taught me what preaching was all about,” he said of his first congregation.

“They did not have a lot of money, but they were caring and sharing.” He also learned dedication. He and his wife, Sandra, a

again, “Why do you need this money?”

“I replied, stuttering, still in shock from the previous response, ‘To add a phone line,” Thompson said. The man told him he would have a new line installed the next day. He then asked again why Thompson needed the money.

“I ran out of reasons and moved into the space, where I spent an entire year developing business without the worries of

retired teacher for the Ferguson-Florissant School District, would commute twice a week from St. Louis to Columbia for prayer services.

“It was kind of taxing,” he said. “But after much prayer the Lord said, ‘Come home.’” He has been home in St. Louis and preaching at Mount Zion ever since.

“He has been a staple in our community,” said his son, the Rev. Shaun E. Jones, who serves as assistant pastor at Mount Zion. “The vision that the Lord gave my father was to have a fullfunctioning church that services the community.”

During his tenure, Mount Zion constructed its current church facility, a daycare building, two senior apartment buildings and a family center. Rev. Shaun Jones

rent and utilities,” Thompson said.

Now, 70-plus employees later – with offices in Dallas, Seattle and Accra, Ghana – his company has completed projects all over the country.

He told the students that they must first define success for themselves because it means different things to different people.

“For some, it means having lots of money, cars, luxury homes, taking exotic vaca-

tions,” he said. “For some, it means living comfortably modest while giving back to the world that has given you so much. I believe you can do both, if it is important to you.”

In 2000, Thompson and his wife Kim founded the Kwame Foundation, which has endowed more than $600,000 in academic scholarships at 15 institutions of higher learning, including Maryville and Harris-Stowe. He is also highly involved in mentoring stu-

Church: Mount Zion Baptist Church - Christian Complex

Address: 1444 South Compton Ave.

Denomination: Baptist

Established: 1859

SeniorPastor: Rev. Dr. Sammie E. Jones

First Lady: Sandra E. Kelly Jones

Congregation: 800-1,000 members

Ministries: Mount Zion has over 30 ministries including: Men of Action, Dedicated Women of Christ, Open Hearts (55 years or older), Salt Factory (Children’s Church for Kindergarten-6th), and Teen Temple (7th–12th). Website: www.mountstlouis.org

says there are future plans to develop a retail center.

Rev. Sammie Jones has led a busy life outside of his ministry. He received an associate degree from Saint Louis

University, a bachelors in communications from Lindenwood University and an honorary doctor of divinity degree from Western Baptist Bible College. He presently serves as sec-

dents in public schools.

Thompson told the graduates that there’s nothing special about him.

“I’m not a genius. I’m not an exceptionally gifted athlete. I don’t possess Denzel Washington good looks,” he said.

“What I do have is passion and a desire to be the best that I possibly can. Build your road to success around your passion because this is something you will

ond vice president of the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education. He is one of several commissioners with the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission. He is an executive member of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and a life member of the St. Louis city chapter of the NAACP. He was inducted into the distinguished Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers at Morehouse College in 1994. He served 10 years in the U.S. Army and Active Reserves among his many other accomplishments. Now, he is actively growing his congregation, as a large

enjoy doing if you are never paid a dime.”

He told them that they are about to embark on their adult lives, which will define the future of our society.

“This is the time for you to take chances, take risks, explore your options and live for yourself while exploring the world,” he said. “Be bold and selfish while you find your passion.”

number of young adults are moving back to the city, particularly to the near South Side area surrounding Mount Zion. According to Rev. Shaun Jones, 2012 was a great year for membership growth at the church among young adults ages 19-35. Mt. Zion, its senior pastor said, is “a church for people that are growing and going for Christ.”

Sunday service starts at 10 a.m. at Mount Zion Baptist Church - Christian Complex, 1444 South Compton Ave. Call 314-776-3888 or visit www.mountstlouis.org.

Anthony Thompson,CEO and chairman of Kwame Building Group,delivered the commencement speech at Harris-Stowe State University on Saturday.On May 4 he also gave the commencement speech at Maryville University.The Kwame Foundation funds scholarships at both schools.

Photo by Wiley Price

Fast-food workers protest wages

By Jo Mannies Of The Beacon

A work stoppage that began last Wednesday morning with four employees at a Jimmy John’s in South St. Louis then spread to at least two dozen other fast-food restaurants on Thursday, organizers say, as part of a national push to unionize fast-food workers and increase the minimum wage. At least 100 area fast-food employees were expected to participate in the strike.

In a statement, a group called “The St. Louis Organizing Committee” said a coalition of labor organizations, clergy and community groups seek “to put money back in the pockets of the 36,000 men and women who work hard in the city’s fast food restaurants, but still can’t afford basic necessities like food, clothing and rent.”

“The Self-Sufficiency Standard for an adult with one child living in St. Louis County is $14.84 per hour working full time,” the group said. “If workers were paid more, they’d spend more, helping to get St. Louis’ economy moving again.”

The second targeted restaurant on

Wednesday was a McDonald’s in Ferguson, where several dozen fastfood workers from around the region joined labor activists for an afternoon protest outside the restaurant, along West Florissant.

Participants shouted “Can’t survive on $7.35!’’ – a reference to Missouri’s current hourly minimum wage. The national minimum wage now is 10 cents lower, at $7.25 an hour.

“I’m striking because $7.35 is not enough to survive,’’ said Shermale Humphrey, 20, who said she has worked at the Ferguson McDonald’s for almost two years. She helps support several relatives, including her mother.

Humphrey was among several protesters who noted that most fastfood restaurants don’t provide health insurance or other benefits for their employees.

Humphrey added, “I don’t think I’ll lose my job for standing up for what’s right.”

Workers and management inside the Ferguson restaurant declined to comment. Representatives from several unions had entered the restaurant to deliver papers that

they said underscored that federal law allows the workers to strike for 24 hours without retaliation. The representatives were asked to leave, and not to leave behind any documents.

The rally participants included Brenda Holloway, who said she had worked for more than four years at the Jimmy John’s, 1631 South Broadway. Workers had issued a news release earlier Wednesday accusing the Jimmy John’s management of mistreatment.

Holloway said four of the restaurant’s workers were participating in the strike. She said others had signed up to join the protest as well, but had backed out.

“They got afraid. They chickened out,’’ she said.

Organizers say their aim is to push for a $15-an-hour wage for fast-food workers and others who hold low wage jobs.

But walkout participant Alexius Mason, who works at the Ferguson McDonald’s, says she’d be happy with $9 an hour. At least that would be an improvement, she said.

Reprinted with permission from stlbeacon.org.

Terror rains on black folks

African Americans know what it means to be terrorized and terrified.

I recently viewed a documentary on the Ku Klux Klan, one of the first terrorist groups on domestic soil. I must commend those who choose to keep alive the darkest secrets of this country’s racist history at a time when others try to make the fantasy of a post-racial society part of a national narrative.

The KKK was formed in 1865 after slaves were allegedly emancipated. The Klan brought together former Confederate soldiers, dispossessed white farmers, disgruntled Democratic politicians, criminals and other assorted, displaced folks. The common threads that bound this motley crew were intense anti-black sentiments and the obsession to maintain white supremacy. This should sound eerily similar to the lineup of forces confronting us today.

our communities with bullets since the crack cocaine wars. Then there’s the prison-industrial complex. Terror has rained on black folks since we hit these shores and it has not let up. It has only changed its frame and form. That’s why blacks in the U.S. have a certain empathy with victims of terrorism, whether it is single attacks or sustained threats of attack.

Although there have several reconfigurations of this terrorist group, one goal is constant: to stop black progress by any means necessary. Just like 100 years ago, the most backward elements are being used to terrorize black individuals and groups who are perceived as obstructing the agenda of white power. And just like then, their reaches go to the highest echelon of business, religion and government.

The Klan has basically been allowed to exist by local authorities as well as the federal government for nearly 150 years. Its diminishing role is being filled by the 1,000plus paramilitary hate groups in the country. There has been no real and permanent redress for victims of this kind of terrorism, then or now.

Terrorism for black folks is purely domestic. The methodology has been perfected by the local police.

A minority of criminal elements in our neighborhoods have been given unfettered access to guns, spraying

For us, the threat of Al-Qaeda is a distant thought. Our fear is from the elements who reside with us in our neighborhoods (police and misguided youth who both think their power is in a gun) or from organized hate groups. Don’t be fooled by their antigovernment rhetoric; their hate is for black and brown people. They just feel the government is paying way too much attention to our civil and human rights. We must demand accountability and transparency from our police departments and know their policies on deadly force. In St. Louis right now, we have the unique opportunity to create real local control of the police department that includes an effective civilian review board. And we have youth who need structure and nurturing. These young people are demanding our attention in so many ways, yet we continue to turn our heads, to shake our heads. Our children have never been the sole responsibility of a family; it is a collective responsibility. Our challenge is to ensure that funding and other supports are available for schools and families, and that we are an integral part of their growth and development. Terrorism has been made to sound scary and unsolvable. I believe there’s a lot more that we can be doing as individuals and as a country that affirms our own humanity. Otherwise, we’re destined to lives of terror.

Workers and labor organizers rallied in favor of a higher minimum wage outside McDonalds in Ferguson last Wednesday. Photo by Jo Mannies

Jamala Rogers

Obituaries

Louise F. Davis

November 7, 1921April 26, 2013

Louise F. Davis, married James “Buddy” Davis, Jr. November 9, 1941 and to this union five children were born. James preceded her in death in 1983. Louise graduated from Sumner High School in 1941. Louise was a member of Second Baptist Church of Kinloch since 1943, and remained an active member until her health began to fail. She was employed and retired from McDonnell Douglas in 1986. Louise asked the Lord for two things, that she remain in her right mind, and that she lived to see all her children grown, and for those two-things, she was eternally grateful.

She lived a full life and enjoyed traveling. She visited 46 of the 50 United States. She was the oldest family member of the Davis family of which she had been a part of for over 70 years. In her past time she loved to watch her many fish, enjoyed the beauty of her plants and solving her Seek N’ Find puzzles. Louise will be missed by many. She leaves to cherish her loving memory: James (Young) Davis, Frank Davis, Anita (Norman) Johnson, Marie Green, Carolyn (Henry) Owens & Jimmie (Barbara) Jeffrey; seventeen grandchildren, four sisters-in-law, cousins, and a host of others including greatgrandchildren, nieces, nephews, god-children, family, friends and the entire SBC Church Family.

Lois Cox Smith

Lois Cox Smith transitioned this life on Friday, April 26, 2013 at the age of 84. She was the second of three children born to Bernice Cox and James Cox on September 12, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. Her parents and siblings preceded her in death. She is survived by many loved ones, including her son David Smith, daughter Carol Walker,

faithful companion Harry Jones, three grandchildren Brandon Walker, Zoe, and TJ Smith, niece Patricia Sanders, and grandnephews Darren and Marlon Sanders. Lois came from humble beginnings, growing up in a small one-room apartment in St. Louis, Missouri. A portion of her early childhood years was spent in Georgia, ancestral home of her father’s family. She attended Cole Elementary School from kindergarten through the eighth grade and graduated from Sumner High School in St. Louis, Missouri in 1946. Lois went on to pursue a teaching career, graduating from Stowe Teacher’s College in 1950. She later completed her Masters in Education from the University of Missouri - St. Louis. Academic excellence was reflected in every educational milestone completed. During her time at Stowe Teacher’s College, Lois pledged with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, remaining a life long member and honored as a Golden Soror in her later years. Her Christian faith was an integral part of her life from an early age. Lois graduated from Sunday school in her teen years and renewed her commitment to Christ as a mature adult, joining All Saints’ Episcopal Church in St. Louis, Missouri. Lois was involved in several social and philanthropic organizations, including the YWCA and in later years, the AARP. She mentored countless students and teachers during her 46-year teaching career. A testament to her exceptional teaching skills was reflected in the number of students who kept in touch with her throughout her life. Lois was an outgoing, vivacious individual with a gift for meaningful discourse on a variety of topics ranging from philosophy to politics. She was known for her radiant smile and her energetic, positive outlook on life.

William “Bill” Alfred Tharp, Jr.

William “Bill” Alfred Tharp, Jr. was born June 25, 1924 to Maggie Buchanan Tharp and William Alfred Tharp Sr. in Helena, Arkansas. Shortly afterwards, the family moved to

East St. Louis, Illinois. He was the oldest of seven children. Both of Bill’s parents and all of his brothers and sisters preceded him in death.

William

Bill was a product of the East St. Louis Public School System, graduating from Lincoln High School at age 16. He spent two years working, after which he was inducted into the U. S. Army, serving two years and eight months as a carpenter and a painter overseas in WWII. Bill received an Honorable Discharge February 1946. Bill returned home and attended the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois graduating with honors in the field of Agriculture in 1949. He spent 34 years working for the United States Post Service. Most of that time was spent at the Clayton Post Office in Clayton, Mo. He retired from the USPS Clayton Branch in 1983.

On April 24, 1953, Bill married Delores Elizabeth Ashford; he was married to her for 60 years until his death on Sunday, May 05, 2013. Bill and Delores have six children: Michelle Rene, Carol Ann,

William “Billy” Alfred III, Alan Vernon, Janice Elizabeth, and Lisa Anita.

Bill and Delores moved onto Highland Ave. in 1960 and later joined Third United Presbyterian Church in 1961, under the leadership of Reverend Author McFadden. In 2007, Bill and Delores transferred their membership to Westminster Presbyterian Church, under the leadership of Reverend Mark Miller. Bill loved both of his churches and enjoyed reading the bible and attending bible study on a weekly basis.

While attending the University of Illinois, Bill became a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated. He was a lifetime member of the Masons: Eugene G. Lacy Lodge #12 (served as the treasurer for many years) and a member of the Rainbow Chapter #80. He was also a member of the Shriners: Medinah Temple #39.

Bill leaves to morn his memory his wife, Delores, six children: Michelle, Carol (Michael Miller of Aurora, Co.), William, Alan (Maria Roxas of Bowie, Md.), Janice, and Lisa (Raymond Edison of Florissant, Mo.); eight grandchildren, Seth, Courtney, Justin, Candice, Alan Jr., Darryl, Lauren, and Lindsay; four sisters-in-law, Virginia Wallace, Faye Tharp, Althea Jackson, Marion Ashford; one

Attention St. Louis American Readers

As a service to the community, we list obituaries in the St. Louis American Newspaper, on a space-available basis and online at stlamerican.com. AT NO CHARGE.

Please send all obituary notices to kdaniel @stlamerican.com.

brother-in-law, Leon (Marian) Ashford, and a host of loving nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends.

Clarence Hanson

Clarence “Boobee” Hanson was an honest, loving, fun, hard working, dedicated, and devoted well respected man. He always had plans and goals, most of which he had accomplished, but always wanted more. “Boobe” was the only child of Rose and Clarence Ellis. He had one daughter, Monique Hanson,

and one stepdaughter, Keianna Griffin, whom he cherished, along with a host of cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends.

“Boobee” will forever be missed and never for gotten R.I.P.

“Boobee”. Our prayers are with the Hanson and Ellis families.

Louise F. Davis

Tharp Jr.

Clarence Henson

Nasheed threatens Butler – and fails

Last week the EYE praised a rarity in mainstream journalism: a positive Columbia Daily Tribune report on a black legislator defending the interests of her minority constituents on the floor in real time.

Now we have something altogether different – and much worse – coming out of Jefferson City respective to a black legislator. Now we have a threat of what you might call black-on-black political violence, made on the floor of the Missouri House so loudly that bystanders and journalists remarked upon it.

The threat was made by former state Rep. now rookie state Sen. Jamilah Nasheed (D-St. Louis) to rookie state Rep. Michael Butler, both African-American Democrats from St. Louis. But only one of these two junior legislators acted like a know-nothing beginner – and only one acted like a Democrat.

“Tensions came to a head on the bill when Senate sponsor Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, confronted Democrats on the floor. Rep. Keith English, D-Florissant, yelled at Nasheed on the floor to ‘stop threatening people,’ before Nasheed was removed from the chamber as the two came close to a physical confrontation,” Collin Reischman reported for The Missouri Times

“She was telling [Representative Michael] Butler that if he didn’t ‘vote her way, he wouldn’t be coming back,’ English told The Missouri Times. ‘Whether you support this bill or oppose it, it’s not right for someone to lobby on the floor and threaten a

fellow member of the general assembly. That’s not how you do business.’”

By all accounts, it’s how Nasheed tried to do business. But she failed. She failed to intimidate or persuade Butler, and the Republican-sponsored education bill that she was pushing, SB 125, failed as well, 76-82.

Two other Democratic legislators from St. Louis did vote with Nasheed for the bill: state Rep. Penny Hubbard and state Rep. Mike Colona, crossed party lines to vote for SB 125.

The bill was spearheaded by House Speaker Tim Jones. According to Butler, Jones’ bill outlines “terrible education policies” and, despite Jones’ leadership position in the House and a Republican super-majority in both houses, Jones did not do the necessary politics to pass an education bill this session. By starving his opponents, he united them.

“The Speaker and his allies for ‘education reform’ have ignored all of the solutions from actual educators in the building,” Butler told The American. “Bills filed by educators haven’t even been given a hearing, and none have been given the chance for a vote. As a result citizens, superintendents, teachers and legislators from across the state are rejecting their terrible education policies.”

The Rex connection

Why was Nasheed playing vicious attack dog for a Republican Speaker of the House (who previously made

Guardian Treasurer

St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura O. Jones supported the Guardian Angel Settlement Association’s “BBQ with the Angels” dinner and auction on April 20 that raised $208,626. The association, a charter member of the United Way of Greater St. Louis, was founded in 1859 by the Daughters of Charity. It serves those living in poverty by helping them improve their quality of lives and become economically independent. Visit www.gasastl.org.

national headlines for joining a “birther” suit against President Barack Obama)? It could be because Jones and Nasheed share a funding source.

In October billionaire political investor Rex Sinquefield cut Jones an $100,000 campaign check –and Jones was running with no opposition.

In December, a group Sinquefield founded called Missourians for Excellence in Government donated another $100,000, split between three political campaigns: those of Mayor Francis G. Slay, Republican state Sen. Eric Schmitt and Nasheed.

As the EYE said at the time, the timing of this three-headed donation seemed to suggest that Slay had forged the connection between Sinquefield, his single largest donor, and the two state legislators. Slay previously had endorsed Nasheed over Robin Wright Jones and Jeanette Mott Oxford and donated

money to Nasheed’s campaign; Nasheed repaid both favors, endorsement and donation, to Slay in his 2013 reelection campaign.

in obstruction

Aid

Pushing an education bill opposed by educators while denying a hearing to education bills framed by educators was Jones’ recipe for failure – and a lose-lose proposition to which Nasheed contributed.

“Nasheed aids in this obstruction of good education policy,” Butler told The American. And she did so with a little old-school political brutality.

“During the final vote for SB 125, Nasheed attempted to intimidate me to change my vote; it didn’t work,” Butler said. “She repeatedly retorted, ‘You do this and you ain’t coming back.’ Throughout her entire tirade I constantly

reminded the senator that I would like to work with her on other issues, but this particular bill I cannot support.”

Nasheed may be losing track of whom she was sent to Jefferson City to serve, but Butler’s priorities are clear.

“I was elected to serve the people of the City of St. Louis and not the state senator,” Butler said. “I am in no way threatened by Sen. Nasheed. She cannot elect me as she does not live in my district, nor her own for that matter.

The citizens of the 79th District voted overwhelmingly in support of the education solutions that I campaigned on, and I will continue to support them.”

As for Sinquefield and Jones’ education agenda, clearly they are going to need to buy more legislators before they can get it passed in Jefferson City. A house bill with similar provisions, HB631, lost a vote by an even wider margin of 55-102 earlier this year.

Show Me Koch Brothers

According to a new report by Progress Missouri, Nasheed can trace her new right-wing friendships back from Jones and Sinquefield all the way to the Koch brothers, Charles Koch and David Koch, President Obama’s most determined enemies. According to the report, the Koch-funded Donors Capital Fund has given $567,941 to the Show-Me Institute, which Sinquefield funded. The report, available at http://www.progressmissouri. org/SMI, presents the Show-Me Institute as part of a national chain of right-wing “belief tanks.”

“With its national backers in mind, it’s not surprising to see the organization work to keep Missourians trapped in poverty wages, attack Missouri’s middle class, oppose affordable health insurance options for Missouri’s working families, and work to make Missouri’s teachers and school administrators ‘at will’ employees,” says Sean Soendker Nicholson, executive director of Progress Missouri.

Correction for Ald. Boyd

The EYE owes Alderman Jeffrey Boyd a correction. In an April 18 column about the Democratic Caucus meeting to revise the rules that govern the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, the EYE reported that “Boyd handled another innocuous rule change about committee amendments and substitutes that was tabled as the meeting dragged on.” In fact, as the board’s attorney confirmed, Boyd’s rule change was confirmed as the meeting was emptying out. Perhaps the EYE’s source was the first alderman out the door and missed the final vote.

The point of the previous item was not so much that Boyd’s amendment was defeated (which in fact it was not), but that he and Alderman Marlene Davis carried proposed rule changes for the white majority on the board led by Aldermen Steve Conway and Fred Wessels “Now their colleagues know, if they didn’t before, that Boyd and Davis are the black aldermen whom the white aldermen think are pliable enough to do their bidding,” the EYE concluded that April 18 item. No need to correct that statement.

Blacks outvoted whites

Last week the U.S. Census Bureau reported that about two in three eligible blacks (66.2 percent) voted in the 2012 presidential election, higher than the 64.1 percent of nonHispanic whites who did so. This marks the first time that blacks have voted at a higher rate than whites since the Census Bureau started publishing statistics on voting. Black women in particular outdistanced every demographic in America.

The number of black voters in 2012 exceeded the 2008 turnout by 1.7 million, while the number of Latino and Asian voters increased by 1.4 million and 550,000, respectively.

Mrs. Dixon’s 5th Grade Class

Patrick Henry

Elementary

Students Brandon Poplar, Stacy Glenn, Malaijah Carter, Casey Glenn discuss ideas for science projects using the

Photo by Wiley Price

SCIENCE CORNER

How Many Types of Mirrors Are There?

Did you know there are many types of mirrors? When the mirror is curved to bulge outward, it is called a convex mirror. A convex mirror creates an image that is smaller than its actual size and slightly distorted. Convex mirrors are used in vehicles for the passenger side mirrors. This design allows the driver to see more than a typical mirror design. Convex mirrors are also sometimes used in dressing rooms because they project an image that is taller and more slender. Concave mirrors curve inward, like the shape of a spoon. Concave mirrors create images by bouncing light from their curvature to a focal point in front of them. Although this image appears upside down from a distance, it will flip and magnify when you are closer. Concave mirror designs have

SCIENCE EXPERIMENT

Valerie Thomas’ fascination with mirrors and reflections led her to patent the illusion transmitter, which produces optical illusion images. In this experiment, you will use mirrors to test reflections.

Materials Needed:

• Two Small Mirrors • Tape • Small Object Procedure:

q Tape two small mirrors together on one side to form a right angle.

w Stand the mirrors on their sides, and place a small object between them. You will be able to see many sides of the object in the mirrors. Move the

MATH CONNECTION

been used in shaving mirrors and lighting the Olympic torch.

Two-way mirrors are made by lightly coating one side of a sheet of glass with a very thin, reflective material. When the coated side faces a lighted room, some of the light reflects and some goes into a dark room behind the mirror, making it possible to see into the lighted room but not out. If you have seen a television show or movie where police interview a witness while others watch the interrogation, you have seen one of these mirrors. Plane mirrors are simple mirrors such as a bathroom mirror. The images they reflect look like photographs.

Learning Standards: I can identify different types and purposes of mirrors.

object closer to the mirror and farther from the mirror to observe the changes in the image.

e Move the mirrors closer together and farther apart and observe what happens to the images. You can also try placing the mirrors (not taped) facing each other with the object between them to see an endless reflection.

Analyze: What caused the image to change in the mirrors reflections?

Learning Standards: I can follow directions to complete an experiment. I can analyze the results.

How to Classify Angles

A component of mathematics is to classify types of angles. Angles can be classified in one of four ways: a right angle measures exactly 90 degrees, an acute angle measures less than 90 degrees, an obtuse angle measures more than 90 degrees, and a straight angle measures exactly 180 degrees.

DID YOU KNOW?

Look at the angles below and classify them as right, \acute, obtuse, or straight.

Learning Standards: I can describe the four types of angles. I can use the definitions of the four types of angles to identify angles.

INVENTOr, PHYSICIST AND MATHEMATICIAN: Valerie Thomas

Valerie Thomas was born in May of 1943. At a young age, she was fascinated with electronics and enjoyed watching her father take things apart and fix them. When she was 8 years old, she checked out a book called “The Boy’s First Book on Electronics” in hopes her dad would help her with the projects. Her dad did not encourage this interest because, during this time, women were often discouraged from pursuing careers in math and science. Thomas received no encouragement from her private all-girl school to pursue these topics, but chose to take all of the advanced math and science courses that she could. Thomas attended Morgan State University and earned a degree in physics. At that time, she was one of only two women with that major.

After graduation, Thomas worked as a mathematician/data analyst for NASA. She was one of the first women to work in the Landsat Satellite Group. She conducted research on Halley’s comet, Voyager satellite development, and ozone hole studies. On Oct. 21, 1980, she received a patent for the illusion transmitter. This device uses a concave mirror on the transmitting and receiving end to produce optical illusion images. The illusion transmitter paved the way for our current 3D technology.

Drawing for Thomas’ Patent # US4229761 A for her illusion transmitter.

Thomas mentors young students through the National Technical Association (NTA) and Science Mathematics Aerospace research and Technology (SMArT).

Learning Standards: I can read a biography about a person who contributed to the fields of math, science, and technology.

CORNER

Valerie Thomas had to overcome discrimination due to her race and her gender as she pursued her passions in science, technology, and mathematics.

Some computer components can be reused in assembling new computer products, while others are reduced to metals that can be reused in applications as varied as construction, flatware, and jewelry.

Look in the newspaper for examples of people or groups of people being treated unfairly. You can look at articles, photos or cartoons. Write down the points you see that identify unfair conditions or treatment. Once you have done that, write down some ways that this unfair treatment can be changed. Write a fully developed paragraph outlining the issues presented in the article or photo and how changes can be made to improve the situation presented. Be sure to use specific examples from your sources to support your idea. Share your information with your classmates.

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to find information. I can write for a specific purpose and audience. I can identify a problem, and a solution. I can use supporting details.

Millennium Scholar to study meteorology at Purdue

American staff

Kyle Jordan-DeDeaux, a senior at Hazelwood Central High School, has been named a Gates Millennium Scholar.

“At first I was in shock and didn’t really understand what had just happened,” said Jordan-DeDeaux.

“It’s a huge honor. More than 54,000 people applied for the scholarship nationwide. It’s extremely competitive. Even to be a finalist was great.”

The Gates Millennium Scholar Program, funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, provides 1,000 students each year with a good-throughgraduation scholarship to use at any college or university

of their choice. Candidates must exhibit strong leadership, community service and academic achievement.

In order to apply for the scholarship, Jordan-DeDeaux had to submit eight essays on various topics, a letter of recommendation from a teacher and a letter of recommendation from a community service leader. He has been active in community service working with the Sons of the American Legion and the Kappa League. “I was Kyle’s physics teacher and advisor his freshman year, and we have continued to stay in contact throughout his high school experience,” said Danielle Camarota, his physics teacher, who wrote a letter of

recommendation. “He has shown himself to be a highly capable student. He is self-motivating and hard-working as demonstrated by his active participation and academic success. He is a kind and polite young man who works well with his peers. I thoroughly believe he is deserving of any scholarships that are awarded to him.”

Jordan-DeDeaux was

notified he was a finalist in March. He then had to submit his financial aid packet and GPA information. He plans to attend Purdue University to study meteorology.

“Now I have this huge financial burden lifted off my shoulders,” he said. “I want to make sure I study hard to keep it up. I have to maintain a 3.0 GPA to keep the scholarship.”

Recently, more than 100 individuals attended the Hazelwood Southeast Middle School Father-Daughter Dinner Dance.

The event was not exclusive to biological fathers, but it included any male role model who takes time to nurture, care for, encourage and love Hazelwood Southeast Middle young ladies.

“This was a powerful event,” said Principal Chauncey Granger. “To have so many dads and father-figures come out to show support for their daughters was heart-warming.”

He said the dance will become an annual tradition.

“Parent involvement is a key factor in academic process,” Granger said. “Sometimes it takes being a little creative in our approach to opening the door to parent engagement.”

Kyle Jordan-DeDeaux, a senior at Hazelwood Central High School

Lauren Wayne, Hazelwood Southeast Middle sixthgrader, with her father, Shaun Wayne, Hazelwood School District school safety officer.

BUSINESS

‘Not just your West County soccer mom’

1380 The Woman includes diverse management, producers, hosts

By Bridjes O’Neil

Of The St.Louis American

Dan Marshall, owner of the new St. Louis radio station 1380 The Woman, boasts that it’s an all-inclusive station employing African-American women in prominent positions. One of these women is Robin Weng Jackson, general manager and vice president of 1380 The Woman.

“It was very important to me that if I came on board, the station had to be for all women – not just your West County soccer mom,” Jackson said.

“So many times on radio and television, we are not represented.”

– Cassandra Walker,co-host of “Kelley and Cassandra LIVE”

“I didn’t want another all-white station,” Marshall said. “I wanted it to be not only the first all-woman talk station, but the first allinclusive. I’ve surrounded myself by a great team of women.” Jackson is a 25year advertising and broadcasting veteran. Her past work experience includes an account executive position with KPLR-TVand a senior account representative position with KDNLTV. She was also instrumental in the launch of WRBUTV, which was one of the most successful UPN network launches in history.

She is joined by Emmy-award winning producer of 1380 The Woman, Yolanda Curry.

“We call her the power producer,” said Cassandra Walker, co-host of “Kelley and Cassandra LIVE,” said of Curry. “She can write the most appealing invitation letter to get you on our show that you would think we were Oprah.”

Walker currently co-hosts the Best of the STLand is a former award-winning columnist for The St. Louis American “Kelley and Cassandra LIVE,” which airs weekdays from 3-6 p.m., is one of two shows featuring African-American co-hosts. The other is “Let’s Talk Shop” with Dawn Meadows Dixon and Teacha Tigue.

Jackie Joyner-Kersee, a personal friend of Walker’s, may join “Kelley and Cassandra LIVE” as a celebrity guest contributor, pending contract negotiations.

When Walker was asked how the station planned to convince women listeners to switch from FM to AM radio, she replied, “I

SBAassists women business owners

By Patricia Brown-Dixon U.S.Small Business Administration

This year is the 25th anniversary of the enactment of the Women’s Business Ownership Act of 1988, a landmark piece of legislation that has laid the foundation for increased federal support of one of the largest and most important segments of the nation’s economy: women-owned businesses.

Patricia BrownDixon

According to a recent report by American Express OPEN, as of 2011, there are over 8.1 million womenowned businesses in the United States, generating nearly $1 .3 trillion in revenues and employing nearly 7.7 million people.The report also estimates that, between 1997 and 2011, women-owned firms increased by 50 percent – a rate of 1.5 times the national average.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers a wide range of programs and

See SBA, B2

Kelley Lamm and Cassandra Walker,co-hosts of “Kelley and Cassandra LIVE” on 1380 The Woman,with station general manager and vice president Robin Weng Jackson and owner Dan Marshall.

think branding has a lot to do with it.” She mentioned the station’s logo, which is plastered on highway billboards across town. It was Walker’s idea to use a replica of her lips as the station’s official logo.

“We wanted to make it soft. But, we also wanted to make it strong and memorable,” Walker said. “I’m thankful to Dan for even allowing me to have an input.”

Marshall said he needs the input of his African-American staff to succeed.

“I want the African-American audience,” he said. “We want them on our airwaves.”

Walker and her co-host Lamm share a desire to use their show as a platform to uplift the community. Although many topics will

have a general appeal, Walker said some topics specifically target African-American women, such as healthier soul food options, natural hair care, and literacy advocacy for African-American youth.

“It’s important, because we exist,” Walker said. “So many times on radio and television, we are not represented.”

St. Louis’s first-ever woman-talk radio station, the newly rebranded KXFN-AM 1380 The Woman was officially launched on May 1. Marshall also owns a brother station, KFNS-AM 590 The Man.

For a listing of shows and times, visit 1380TheWoman.com Follow this reporter on Twitter: @BridjesONeil.

Arnold Donald is on board

New Bank of America trustee talks business, diversity and ‘continuous learning’

By Rebecca S.Rivas Of The St.Louis American

On Friday afternoon, I try to catch up with the ever-busy investor and management consultant Arnold Donald about his newest appointment, the Bank of America Corporation Board of Directors. When he answers, he is talking to his grandchild, saying, “I love you, buddy, have fun.”

On Friday, Donald traveled to Chicago for Grandparents’ Day at his grandchildren’s elementary school.

“It was fantastic,” he said.

University and BJC Healthcare.

“They sang songs, and we visited their classrooms. The older one read a poem. It was a lot fun to see them in their environment.”

Donald is a former chairman and chief executive officer of Merisant Co., and he has his own management advisory and personal investment firm, AWDPLC, LLC. He sits on several corporate boards, including Carnival Corp., Crown Holdings Inc. and The Laclede Group, Inc., as well as not-for-profit boards including Carleton College, Washington

PEOPLEON THE MOVE

L.

Bank of America, which has $2.2 trillion in assets and earned $4.2 billion last year, is his most recent board appointment. However, he declined to speak about his new role with the bank, but said he would be happy to speak about all of his board appointments in general. Since he spent his morning in an elementary school, I decide to steer the conversation in an education direction. I told him that I had just visited Froebel Elementary that morning to observe how teachers and students are using The St. Louis American’s Newspaper in Education tool, which focuses on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) topics. It’s the largest Newspaper in Education program in the state, and many students in St. Louis will read this article about him, I explain. Since he has years of experience applying math, science and business in the real world, I asked him to give these

Martin L. Mathews was awarded an honorary degree by Washington University during its Commencement May 17. Mathews, who is president, CEO and cofounder of Mathews-Dickey Boys’& Girls’Club, was awarded honorary doctor of humanities. By forging relationships with business and civic leaders and developing innovative programs, Mathews helped create a national model.

Cheryl Jones was named executive directorof Girls Inc. of St. Louis, a non-profit organization that inspires and prepares girls for a successful life. Aformer senior sales and training executive who developed talent management leaders for Bristol-Myers Squibb, Jones has been acting as interim director for Girls Inc. for the past four months.

Jerome Williams, MD was named to the Best Doctors in America List for 2013 by his peers and colleagues. Williams practices at the Williams Clinic in St. Louis city as part of the independent physician group Esse Health. His specialty is internal medicine, and he is associate professor of internal medicine at Washington University School of Medicine.

Lakesha M. Butler was the Faculty/Staff Award recipient at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville’s Kimmel Leadership Awards Ceremony. Aclinical associate professor in the SIUE School of Pharmacy, she was awarded for her work with Ark of Safety Christian Church, Christian Women Walking in Victory and Girls Empowered in Math and Science.

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Flance Centerwins national award for‘Creative Financing’

The I. Jerome and Rosemary Flance Early Childhood Education Center at Murphy Park has been selected the winner of the National Development Council’s 2013 Academy Award for Creative Financing.

The St. Louis-based not-for-profit corporation Urban Strategies facilitated a financial investment of over $11 million including $5 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Capital Fund Education and Training Community Facilities Program (through the St. Louis Housing Authority) and $3 million in New Markets Tax Credit equity through Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group.

Located in the Murphy Park mixed-income community in North St. Louis, the Center will be flanked by the Cahill House senior living facility, the artsintegrated Jefferson Elementary School and the federally qualified health center operated by Grace Hill. It’s slated to open in early 2014.

$200M in area financing for U.S. Bank is 13 percent increase

U.S. Bank committed $200 million to St. Louis last year in community development loans and investments, a 13 percent increase over 2011. Major projects include North Sarah Apartments, where U.S. Bank provided nearly $47 million in financing for St. Louis-based McCormack Baron Salazar, and Northwest Plaza, where U.S. Bank provided more than $3 million in financing for one of the biggest redevelopment projects North St. Louis County has seen in decades.

St. Louis is home to U.S. Bank’s community development subsidiary, U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation, which uses federal and state-sponsored tax credit programs to invest in communities across the country. USBCDC employs nearly 250 people in St. Louis.

“Many of our major developments would not have been possible without US Bank’s creativity and involvement,” Rodney Crim, executive director, St. Louis Development Corporation, the City’s economic development agency.

Martin

Mathews

Photo by Wiley Price

Cheryl Jones

Jerome Williams

Lakesha M. Butler

Arnold Donald

By Jason Alderman

Weddings have always been big business, but I was shocked to see how expensive they’ve become in the 17 years since my wife and I got married. According to the annual Real Weddings Study, the average wedding in the U.S. now costs $28,427, and that doesn’t even count the honeymoon. Wait, it gets worse.

Among the more than 17,500 surveyed brides who got married in 2012, the average amount paid for a wedding dress was $1,211. On average they also spent $204 per wedding guest and dropped $12,905 for the reception venue.

There are many ways to rein in wedding-related costs

Trim yourwedding costs

while still having a memorable event. Here are a few suggestions: Create a budget. Unless you’re a professional wedding planner, you’ll probably be floored by how many expenses weddings can amass, including: wedding and engagement rings, invitations, postage, marriage license, clergy and location fees, flowers, bridal gown and groom’s tuxedo, rehearsal dinner and reception, photography, catering, DJ or band, limousine, parking attendants, tips, gifts for wedding participants and honeymoon expenses.

Shop around. Bridal expos are a good way to meet a lot of vendors and gather ideas. Just don’t get caught up in the excitement and commit to any-

thing before you’ve done follow-up research. Some tips:

ï Bring along someone from the wedding party as well as a trustworthy friend who isn’t emotionally and financially connected to the wedding.

ï You may feel pressured by vendors to sign contracts or put down deposits, but it’s probably wiser to take their contact information and research them first.

ï Create a separate email account for wedding vendor communications. Once you sign up for one offer or contest, believe me, your inbox will be swamped.

ï After you’ve settled on vendors, get signed contracts

SBA

Continued from B1

services to help women establish and grow their small businesses.

According to the Urban Institute, SBAguaranteed loans are three to five times more likely to go to women than non-SBAloans.While there aren’t any SBAloan programs specifically for women business owners, the SBAis one of the largest loan guarantors in the country. Rather than direct lending, the SBAprovides a guarantee to banks and other participating lenders for the funds they lend to small businesses owners.

SBAoffers a variety of loan programs through our participating lenders that can be used for most business purposes: to purchase or improve real estate, to purchase machinery and equipment and inventory or to assist in the acquisition, operation or expansion of an

that specify dates, products, prices, deposit and payment terms, cancellation policies, liability insurance and whether tax and gratuities are included. Here are a few suggestions for trimming costs:

ï more bang for your buck offseason – a June wedding might cost 20 to 30 percent more than one in April or October.

ï Have your florist use inseason flowers.

ï Daytime weddings are often cheaper than evening events.

ï Instead of a hotel, consider less-costly alternative reception venues like community centers, museums, city park

existing business. SBAalso backs working capital loans and revolving lines of credit as well as loans to refinance existing debt under certain conditions.

SBAoffers a Loans and Grants Search Tool at SBA.gov, or visit SBA’s Small Business Loans and Grants home page. Alternatively, you can take Online Courses for Financing Your Business which explains SBA’s loan programs.

clubhouses or other public facilities looking to earn extra income. Ask whether they have their own tables, chairs, sound and lighting systems; if not, add equipment rental costs into the equation. ï Abuffet dinner reception could save you $15 or more per guest compared to a plated dinner, because you’re not paying for table service. Save even more by hosting an afternoon reception and serving lunch or hors d’oeuvres.

8 If you’re hosting a large reception, have a smaller display cake for the cutting ceremony, with a sheet cake stored in the kitchen.

ï Serve wine, beer and one signature cocktail, instead of offering a full bar.

ï Consider renting or buying a second-hand wedding

vided by the centers, entrepreneurs are offered comprehensive training and counseling on many topics in many languages.In FY 2012 the WBC network served 137,942 clients throughout the country and supported $40.5 million in capital infusion (loans and equity investment).

“One of our priorities is making sure that more qualified women-owned small businesses have access to government and commercial supply chain opportunities.”

SBA’s Office of Women’s Business Ownership oversees more than 100 Women’s Business Centers (WBC) throughout the United States and its territories designed to assist women to start and grow small businesses. Through the management and technical assistance pro-

dress from a consignment shop, or an online specialty site. The same goes for grooms wear.

ï Hiring a disc jockey instead of a live band will save hundreds of dollars; plus you get a broader selection of music and a built-in emcee to move things along. One last budgeting tip: Limit the number of guests to ensure you can have a meaningful interaction with each. Remember, spending just one minute apiece with 300 guests would take five hours.

Jason Alderman directs Visa’s financial education programs. To participate in a free, online Financial Literacy and Education Summit on April 17, 2013, go to www.practicalmoneyskills.com/summit2013.

SBAis committed to helping women entrepreneurs because we know how much potential they have to contribute to America’s economic growth.

To learn more about how SBAcan help your business, visit http://www.sba.gov/aboutoffices-content/1/2895 or www.sba.gov/mo. Patricia Brown-Dixon is Region 7 Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration.

SBAalso delivers counseling and training through our network of Small Business Development Centers, SCORE and Veterans’Business Resource organizations at little or no cost.SBAdata show that businesses that receive counseling assistance have significantly better survival rates than those that don’t receive similar support. At the SBA, one of our priorities is making sure that more qualified women-owned small businesses have access to government and commercial supply chain opportunities. That’s the purpose of the Women’s Contracting Rule. For the first time, federal agencies have been able to set aside contracting opportunities for women-owned small businesses in over 300 industries where women are underrepresented.

DONALD

Continued from B1

students some advice on how to become successful in STEM career paths.

“From an elementary school standpoint, it’s a time to dream big dreams and to learn the fundamentals,” he said. “It’s very important to get the reading, writing, and arithmetic fundamentals down and to develop a curiosity and a passion for continuous learning.”

He told a story about his first successful business venture, which happened to be when he was in elementary school.

“I was the youngest of five, and my older siblings were a little lazy,” he said. “They would send me to the local shop to get the snacks that they wanted. And they’d give me an extra nickel if I went for them.”

five children of their own, his parents were also foster parents. And over the years, Donald had 27 foster siblings. He learned how to play and create with many different minds.

“People from different cultural experiences organized around a common objective are far more likely to create breakthrough innovation than a homogenous group.”

– Arnold Donald

Along the way, he figured out that if he bought a bunch of snacks and kept them in the house, then he wouldn’t have to go to the store.

“I would just go to my room,” he said, “and I also discovered that I could charge them a lot more than a nickel for the convenience. So basically I started a little store in my house. It worked really well until my older sister discovered my stash and ate it all.”

Donald also liked to play Monopoly with his siblings, and that’s where he learned how to apply math and negotiating skills at a very early age, he said. It’s also where he developed a passion for learning. His childhood also primed him for another important lesson in business: diversity of thinking. Aside from raising

“As an African American on several major corporate boards, diversity is a business imperative,” he said. “Business thrives over a long period of time through creativity and innovation. The key to innovation is diversity of thinking.” Donald has been a business leader for many years. From 2000 to 2003, Donald served as chairman and CEO of Merisant, a global manufacturer of tabletop sweeteners and remained chairman until 2005. Prior to cofounding Merisant, he spent more than 20 years at Monsanto Co., where he held several senior leadership positions with global responsibilities in the agriculture and nutrition operating divisions.

Now as a board member, he said his main role is to help maximize returns for the company and its shareholders. Board members also hire the CEO and make sure this person leads the company by best practices, he said.

Having people of different ages, races and cultural backgrounds doesn’t necessarily guarantee that a company will achieve diversity of thinking, he said.

“But if you have people from different backgrounds and different cultural experiences and they are organized around a common objective, they are far more likely to create breakthrough innovation than a homogenous group. At the board level, the same is true. That same diversity of thinking is a powerful advantage.”

“Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, in my opinion, are the greatest shooting backcourt in the history of the game.”

– Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson,on his two star guards

With Earl Austin Jr.

Jeff. City Showdown

The small schools take center stage in the state capital this weekend at the Missouri Class 1-2 State Track

St. Louisian Devon Alexander will finally get to make his first defense of his International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight championship on Saturday night. Alexander (24-1 with 13 knockouts) will face 25-year-old Lee Purdy of the United Kingdom in Atlantic City at the world-famous Boardwalk Hall. The fight will be televised nationally on Showtime Cable, beginning at 8:30 p.m. (St. Louis time). Purdy is a replacement for stablemate Kell Brook, who was supposed to fight Alexander. However, Brook suffered a foot injury and was forced to pull out of the fight. Purdy enters Saturday’s fight against Alexander with a record

of 20-3-1 with 13 knockouts.

Alexander figures to be a heavy favorite against Purdy on Saturday, but there may be much more riding on this fight than just retaining his welterweight championship belt. There has been plenty of speculation in the boxing world that an impressive performance by Alexander could earn him a title shot against pound-forpound kingpin Floyd “Money” Mayweather, which would undoubtedly be the biggest payday of his career.

Golden State sharpshooter spurs sixthseeded Warriors

Even still, stars outside New York City and Los Angeles can often fly under the radar. Despite the instant oohs and ahhs created by “Top 10” plays, many NBA stars don’t become bona fide superstars until we see them do it consistently in prime time, pressurefilled, playoff situations. Enter Stephen Curry of the

Golden State Warriors.

The 6’3” sharpshooter has arguably been the most exciting player in the playoffs this season, averaging 25 points, 8.3 assists and shooting the longball at an impressive 43 percent. It’s not just the numbers that make Curry stand out, it’s also the way he’s accumulating them.

Curry, who broke Ray Allen’s record for most threepointers made in the regular season, dials up shots from deep as if he gets extra points for degree of difficulty. All

Hawks weather Storm

The St. Louis Hawks of the Central Basketball League will face the Middle Tennessee Storm in a huge CBLgame on Saturday night at Harris-Stowe State University. Tip off is scheduled for 8 p.m.

The Hawks are owned by the Demetrious Johnson Charitable Foundation. They feature several former area standouts including Phillip Gilbert (East St. Louis/Bradley), Dwayne Polk (Vashon/Saint Louis U.) and Corey Hill (Cardinal Ritter/Northern Iowa).

The Hawks are 5-1 with their only league loss coming to the Storm.

Devon Alexander will make his first defense of his International

Boxing Federation welterweight championship belt on Saturday night at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City against 25-year-old Lee Purdy of the United Kingdom.The fight will be televised nationally on Showtime Cable (8:30 p.m.Central).

Ishmael H. Sistrunk

Earl Austin Jr.

Photo by Christopher Hawkins

RAMS ROUNDUP

With Palmer L.Alexander III

Rookies report to camp

Rams draft picks open eyes at Earth City

On two consecutive days during Mother’s Day weekend, the St. Louis Rams rookie camp was in full swing.

More than 50 players were at the camp, including this year’s most recent NFL draft class. The camp featured rookies of all shapes and sizes, with different stories of their football journey that has led them to the St. Louis Rams.

For example, there was a rookie free agent C.J. Akins, a wideout from a school called Angelo State. As I watched him in a pass catching drill, he fell to the turf in pain and was carted off the field.

advertised.

I was standing alongside St. Louis Rams game day sideline reporter and former Carolina Panthers GM Tony Softli when the injury happened. Softli said, “That’s a tough break for the kid. His dad was a teammate of Jerry Rice in college.”

Softli is one of the most knowledgeable people I’ve ever talked to about football. And it showed in that situation. Because when Akins was finally helped up off the turf, Softli said, “It’s probably his Achilles.”

Then the golf cart arrived and carted Akins off the field with his right shoe and sock removed and his right foot elevated. Then there is native St. Louisan Andre Martin in camp for a tryout. Martin, a cornerback, played high school football in the Suburban North Conference en route to playing

college football at North Dakota State. He stands at 5’11”, 195 pounds. And he plays hard.

Martin was running all over the field wearing a white jersey with the number 17 on it, swatting down passes, trying to strip the ball even well after the drill, going one-on-one with Tavon Austin or Stedman Bailey in wideouts/secondary red zone drills. Martin really stood out. That doesn’t mean he’ll make the team, because the Rams are a very long way from that. However, if he continues like this, in the veteran camp, and make it to training camp, who knows since you can never, have enough cornerbacks on your team anyway. What about Tavon Austin and the rest of new draftees? Austin is as fast as advertised. You need a super slow-motion camera to actually see his moves. Stedman Bailey looks like a polished route runner and very sure pass catcher.

Linebacker Alec Ogletree looks ready to start today and could probably do it. Safety T.J. McDonald and cornerback Brandon McGee didn’t look bad at all.

Looking at both McDonald and McGee reminded me how Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson were in rookie camp last year. I’m not saying that they will produce and contribute right away, like Jenkins and Johnson, but with new defensive coordinator Tim Walton in the fold and secondary coach Chuck Cecil on hand the Rams’young secondary could become one of the fiercest in the NFLfor a long while.

Running back Zac Stacy didn’t attend camp because he graduated from college over the weekend. Guard/Center Barrett Jones mainly did a lot of stretching and some light running.

Coach Jeff Fisher was pleased with what he saw and the dedication of all the play-

CLUTCH

Continued from B3

postseason Curry has drained three-pointers in every way imaginable. We have seen runners, fadeaways, doubleteamed, one-legged, fast break, step backs, step unders and more.

He’s just as unpredictable taking it to the rack too, and he’s shown off an impressive array of acrobatic finishes while driving to the basket. Whether off the dribble, offscreens or spotted up, Curry can get buckets. Of course, the most impressive aspect of his game is that the Warriors keep winning.

ers that showed up. The week after next, veterans will be in camp. I’m looking forward to that. After the

The sixth-seeded Warriors were barely a blip on the playoff radar when the postseason began. They found themselves far behind the Thunder, Spurs, Lakers, and Clippers in terms of media coverage. In their first-round matchup with the Denver Nuggets, they found themselves as an underdog to the 2012-13 Coach of the Year George Karl and his most promising team in the postCarmelo era. After sending Karl and his hardware home in six games, the Warriors now find themselves within reach of the Western Conference Finals.

Curry stepped up big in Game 1 of the second round

by dropping 44 points on Tony Parker and the San Antonio Spurs in a close defeat. Since then, he’s led the team to two victories over one of the Western Conference favorites. Yes, young Steph has arrived. The team’s success has come despite the fact that All Star David Lee has been sidelined significantly due to a hip injury. Speaking of injuries, Curry has been undergoing treatment for his achy ankles the entire playoffs. Still it seems that he’s too preoccupied with breaking his opponents ankle’s to notice the pain in his own.

With every crossover, spin move and trap-busting play Curry makes, he’s making it clear to nationwide fans what folks in the Bay already knew. The kid is a beast.

Back in February, he was left off the All Star team and universally recognized as the snub in 2013. Now he’s thumbing his nose at the silly

voters who overlooked him and putting on a show every single night. With no apologies to Baron Davis, Curry is the best point guard Golden State has seen since the legendary Tim Hardaway crossed over and two-stepped the competition back in the ‘90s. Now that Curry’s 2014 All Star selection is almost certainly a cinch, the 25-year-old is essentially playing with house money. With each win the Warriors accumulate, his star power grows. Plus the rash of the injuries in the postseason mean if the Warriors can get past the Spurs, the West is wide open. For a guy with a sweet stroke and a lightning-quick release, any wide open space is an invitation for death by the deep ball – at the hands of Steph Curry.

Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @IshmaelSistrunk and on Google+.

The Rams held their first Rookie Camp over Mother’s Day weekend.

veteran camp, you get a better idea about possible position battles that will loom when the real camp begins in late July. Rookie Camp video posted at http://www.stlouisrams. com/media-center/.

Tavon Austin is as fast as

Palmer L. Alexander

The Rams' first draft pick Tavon Austin delivered on expectations at Rookie Camp this past weekend.

Photos courtesy of the St.Louis Rams

Surge win opener

Tanisha Gilbert tries to keep the ball inbounds during the St.Louis Surge’s win in their opening game against the Atlanta Tar Heels,92-65,on May 5 at UMSL.The Surge,who play in the Women’s Blue Chip Basketball League (WBCBL),will return home on Saturday,May 18 to play the Illinois Shooting Stars at 2 p.m.at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center in East St.Louis.

Continued from B3

was right behind Rivera in both throws at sectionals. Metro’s Angel Mitchell enters the meet as a sectional champion in the 100-meter high hurdles. In the Class 1 meet, the boys from McKinley Classical Leadership will take several athletes to state. They are led by sectional champion Anthony Williams in the triple jump, 400 and 200, distance runner Darius Williamson, hurdlers Chris Maxwell and Benjamin Clark.

IHSA girls state

The IHSAgirls state cham-

pionships will held this weekend in Charleston, Ill. on the campus of Eastern Illinois University. Edwardsville will be trying to defend its Class 3Astate championship behind star senior Emmonnie Henderson in the throws. She is the state record holder in the shot put and discus. In Class 2A, East St. Louis and Cahokia will be in the hunt for a state championship with several state qualifiers. The Flyerettes are led by standout hurdler Markita Rush while Cahokia features jumper Dasha Thomas.

Sectional competition

The Missouri Class 3 and 4 schools will be competing in sectional competition on Saturday. The local Class 3

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

sectional will be held at MICDS while Class 4 area schools will be competing at Parkway North. The top four finishers in each sectional meet will qualify for next week’s state championships in Jefferson City.

IHSA boys sectional

The IHSAboys sectional competition will get underway this weekend. The top qualifiers will head to Charleston, Ill for next weekend’s state championships. Defending Class 2Astate champion Cahokia leads the field at the Salem Sectional, which begins today at 4 p.m. East St. Louis is also in the field. Metro east schools in Class 3Awill be competing at the Rock Island Sectional on Friday.

Prep Athletes of the Week

Michael Wells

Cleveland Naval Jr.ROTC – Track

The talented junior sprinter won four gold medals at last Saturday’s Class 2, Sectional 1 meet at Principia. Wells won the 100- and 200-meter dashes and anchored the Commanders’4x100 and 4x200-meter relays to sectional championships. Wells will be one of the top performers to watch at this weekend’s Missouri Class 2 State Championships in Jefferson City. As a junior, Wells won the 100 and 200 while leading the Commanders to their first state championship in 2012.

Whitney Adams

Francis Howell – Track

The senior standout won four gold medals at the Class 4, District 4 meet at Troy last Saturday. Adams swept all three of the sprints in winning the 100, 200 and 400meter dashes. She also anchored the Vikings’4x400-meter relay to a district championships. Her winning times were 12.55 in the 100, 25.99 in the 200 and 56.23 in the 400. As a junior, Adams led the Vikings to the Class 4 state title. She was the state champion in the 400 and she anchored Howell to a state title in the 4x400, which clinched the overall team title for the Vikings.

Photo by Wiley Price

Financial Focus

By Jennifer Grant

Sandwich generation needs to avoid financial squeeze

Are you a member of the “Sandwich Generation”? This designation – which applies to people caring for their aging parents while supporting their own children – may be applicable to you if you’re either a younger Baby Boomer, born in the late 1950s or early 1960s, or an older member of “Generation X,” born in the mid-1960s. But any way you slice it, being in the “Sandwich” group is probably going to present you with some challenges, particularly of the financial kind – so you’ll need to make the right moves. Basically, you should consider two areas of decision-making – those affecting the future of you and your children and those affecting your elderly parents’lifestyle and legacy. Regarding your future, and that of your children, you’ll need to prioritize your goals. Some people, when weighing the merits of investing for retirement versus saving for their children’s college educations, conclude that while loans are available for college, none are offered to retirees. Consequently, they focus more heavily on retirement. If you’re in this camp, you’ll probably want to contribute as much as you can possibly afford to your IRA and 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan.

However, if you feel strongly about helping your kids go through college relatively debt-free, you may want to explore some collegesavings options, such as Section 529 plans and Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, both of which offer significant tax advantages. In any case, these goals don’t have to be mutually exclusive –but if you’re going to address them both, you will have to make some key decisions regarding allocation of resources. And while you’re handling these issues for yourself and your children, you’ll need to juggle the needs of your elderly parents. With luck, you won’t have to contribute financially, but you may be required to put in some time and energy to help make sure your parents’situation remains positive. This means you’ll need to ask some questions. Where do your parents bank? Do they have a brokerage account? If so, do you know the name of their financial advisor? Have they taken steps to remain financially independent if they ever need to go to a nursing home or employ home health care assistants? Have they drawn up a will, a living trust or other estate plan documents? Would they be willing to have you or another family member assume power of attorney should they become incapacitated? In raising these questions, you will have to approach your parents with tact and sensitivity. However, you may be pleasantly surprised at

If you feel strongly about helping your kids go through college relatively debt-free, you may want to explore some collegesavings options.

your parents’willingness to talk about these issues; after all, they almost surely want to avoid burdening you with extra financial responsibilities. The best time to approach your parents is when they are healthy, both mentally and physically. It’s especially important to be aware of even minor-seeming cognitive impairments, such as memory lapses, which can result in paying the same bills two or three times, forgetting to record checks or even falling prey to fraudulent investment schemes. If you suspect your parents may be having these troubles, you’ll need to step in immediately. It’s not easy being a Sandwich Generation member, but through diligence and proper planning, you should be able to help avoid getting “squished” –while improving the outcomes for all your beloved family members. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Forfurtherinformation contact JenniferGrant at (314) 352-3116 or1-800EDJONES

Kinks, coils and curls unite

‘Natural Hair Meetup Day’ means major events in STL

By American staff

If

also happy to announce our first Curlfriends 101 Session, said Misha Bankhead, one of the organizers with Natural Girls Rock – the group

Y2K rap glory revisited during club performance

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

Though the audience was filled with diehard Ruff Ryders fans, a select few among the crowd at the Coliseum Friday night came to see DMX act crazy.

It’s no secret that he’s been a media spectacle and train wreck for his off-stage antics for almost as long as he’s been a star, but he wouldn’t give those gawkers the satisfaction of seeing any indication of it.

DMX presented a performance that mixed street rhymes with spirituality – and a rant about the decline of the hip-hop industry as a sidebar – with a caliber of performance that was reminiscent of what could be seen at the height of his popularity.

Though he didn’t want the show to end and lost plenty of folks towards the end, DMX gave the crowd exactly what they loved most about him for his hourplus set.

He went from ‘hood tales to the Holy Ghost as he thanked God for the journey that led him to the stage. He soaked up the energy that the crowd generously displayed. He shaded some of the new breed of rappers

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis

Union Army camp reenacted

Mary Meachum site hosts Benton Barracks program on Saturday

By Angela da Silva

For The St. Louis American

On Saturday, May 18 the Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing site on the St. Louis Riverfront Trail will come alive with a different episode from Missouri history: Benton Barracks.

In 1861, at the beginning of the Civil War, the St. Louis fairgrounds became the military collection point for Union Army volunteers and draftees for training. Another 150 acres was leased by the government, and this became Benton Barracks, which will be recreated this Saturday on the riverfront.

In the military camp on Saturday, re-enactors will camp in tents. There will be cavalry units with horses and canons. Historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass and Mary Meachum will be in costume and character, mingling with the public.

The AME Conference Choir, one of Lincoln University’s choirs, will be performing alongside period music, an 1863 fashion show, a 19th century medicine show and children’s activities.

The actual Benton Barracks was located on the grounds of present day Fairgrounds Park. By January 1864, there were 24,000 white and black men on Benton Barracks grounds. Black men, slave and free, who joined from as far away as Ohio, Wisconsin and California came here to take the oath of loyalty and to go through soldier training.

In January 1863, with the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, it became possible for men of African

Terence Blanchard taught students at Lee Elementary in the Fergusson-Florissant School District during a previous visit to Opera Theatre Saint Louis. On Monday, he will participate in a panel discussion at the Ethical

SunShine’s Natural & Loving It! presents A Curly Art Affair with Kim Coles at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 18 at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar Blvd.

A soldier of African descent at Benton Barracks in St. Louis, ca. 1864.

While some might consider DMX doing a club concert tour a fall from grace, he made the absolute most of the moment at the Coliseum on Friday night.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

How to place a calendar listing

1.Email your listing to calendar@stlamerican.com OR 2.Visit the calendar section on stlamerican.com and place your listing

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

concerts

Fri., May 17, 7 p.m., The AmbassadorEvent Center presents Lecrae with guests Derek Minor, Thi’sl, and Json. 9800 Halls Ferry Rd., 63136. For more information, visit www.lecraeconcertstl. eventbee.com.

May 17 – 18, 7:30 p.m. & 9:30 p.m., Jazz St. Louis presents Great Guitarists 2013 feat. Tom Byrne, Shaun Robinson and Eric Slaughter with Montez Coleman & Jahmal Nicols. Jazz at the Bistro, 3536 Washington Ave., 63103. For more information, call 314-289-4030 or visit www.jazzstl.org.

Sun., May 19, 8 p.m., Broadway OysterBar presents John Lee HookerJr. 736 S. Broadway, 63102. For more information, call (314) 6218811.

May 22 – 25, 7:30 p.m. & 9:30 p.m., Jazz St. Louis presentsFreddy Cole Quartet with Harry Allen. Jazz at the Bistro, 3536 Washington Ave., 63103. For more information, call 314-289-4030 or visit www.jazzstl.org

Sat., May 25, 7 p.m., Peastain Productions presents From ADiva’s Point of View Concert feat. Tisha HanesKeys, Cheryl Brown, Anita Jackson, and more. Ethical Society, 9001 Clayton Rd., 63117. For more information, call (314) 249-2336 or visit www.peastainproductions.org.

Sat., May 25, 7 p.m., Lumiere Place Casino & Hotels presents Lalah Hathaway. 999 N. Second St., 63102. For more information, call (314) 881-7777.

May 27, 12 noon, Big Boi Memorial Day BBQ at Atomic Cowboy Complex feat. Big Boi & D?M-FunK. Atomic Cowboy. For more information, www.atomic-cowboy.com

Sat., June 1, 8 p.m., Scottrade Center presents Kings of the Mic Tour2013 feat. LLCool J, Ice Cube, Public Enemy, and De La Soul. Scottrade Center, 1401 Clark Ave., 63103. For more information, call (314) 6225435 or visit www.stubhub.com.

local gigs

Thur., May 16, 7:30 p.m., TreG Music presents Tre’von “TreG” Griffith. Tre’von is currently a student at Berklee College of Music, and has been singing since the age of four. Audiences can also anticipate the introduction of TreG’s latest artist, Lauron Linnae’. The Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, call (314) 533-9900 or visit www.metrotix.com.

Wed., May 22, 7 p.m., Donatelli’s Bistro presents Theo Peoples. 8653 Highway N, 63367. For more information, call (636) 561-6966.

Sat., May 25, 7 p.m., Peastain Productions presents From ADiva’s Point of View Concert feat. Tisha HanesKeys, Cheryl Brown, Anita Jackson, and more. Ethical Society, 9001 Clayton Rd., 63117. For more information, call (314) 249-2336 or visit www.peastainproductions.org.

Fri., May 26, 7 p.m., Breakaway Productions and Witherspoon Entertainment present Jazz Explosion feat. Tim Cunningham and The Coleman-Hughes Project feat. Adrianne Felton. Déjà vu 2 Café, 2805 Target Dr., 63136. For more information, call (314) 438-0586.

Fri., May 31, 9 p.m., Hammerstone’s presents Roland Johnson & The Soul Endeavors. 2028 S. Ninth St., 63104. For more information, call (314) 773-5565.

CALENDAR

special events

Thur., May 16, 5:30 p.m.,

Read Between the Wines: A YMCAFundraiserEvent. A fun book and wine tasting to benefit YMCACommunity Literacy. Asommelier has paired six featured books with wines from around the world. Left Bank Books will have the featured books available for sale at the event and will donate a percentage of sales to YLiteracy. 3500 Winehaus, 3500 Watson Rd., 63139. For more information, call (314) 776-7102 or visit www.tinyurl.com/Yliteracy.

Fri., May 17, 6:30 p.m., Howard U and FAMU Trivia Night. Join Howard U and FAMU Alumni for a fun night of 80’s and 90’s trivia. 100 Black Men of St. Louis, 4631 Delmar Blvd., 63108. For more information, call (314) 602-5772.

May 17 – 19, 30+ Promotions presents Memphis in May Round trip party bus from St. Louis to Memphis. $100 deposits due April 19th. For more information, call (314) 229-5267 or (314) 779-7655.

Sat., May 18, 10 a.m., 5th

Annual Anthony Smith 3-on3 Memorial Tournament. Anthony Smith was a graduate of Kirkwood High School. He attended Loyola University in Chicago to continue his bas-

ketball career alongside his twin brother, Antoine. Anthony and Antoine both graduated from Loyola. Anthony was diagnosed with Leukemia, and battled courageously for 3 years. Concordia Lutheran Church Kirkwood, 505 S. Kirkwood Rd., 63122. For more information, call 9314) 337-4100 or visit www.keepwatching50.org.

Sat., May 18, 11 a.m., 11th Annual Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing Celebration. Watch local history come alive as Missouri’s first national Underground Railroad site is transformed into a Civil War military camp. In celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation come and learn the experiences recently emancipated black slaves had enlisting in the Union Army during the Civil War. The event will also honor Lincoln University, which owes its founding to contributions made by the Black 62nd and 65th regiments organized at Benton Barracks.28 E. Grand Ave., 63147. For more information, call (314) 2586532.

Sat., May 18, 11 a.m., Healing & Mending Ministry presents Heaven Sent Hat. Come join us for a splendid afternoon with Jazz Saxophonist Rod Tate at this Mother’s Day Brunch and Fashion Show Fundraiser. Special Guest: Miss MO Teen USA2013/ Brenda SmithLezama. Fashion Show featur-

Sun., May 19, 1 p.m., 2013 Annie Malone May Day Parade. This St. Louis tradition began over a century ago in the historic AfricanAmerican Greater Ville Neighborhood when thousands of St. Louisans would gather to honor Annie Malone, the founder of Poro College and the noted children’s home that carries her name. Immediately follwing the parade is the McDonald’s May Day Blues Fest in Kiener Plaza. 20th St. & Market St., 63103. For more information, call (314) 5310120.

Wed., May 22, 6 p.m., The New Leaders Council St. Louis presents 2013 Progressive Future Awards This year, thirteen St. Louis fellows were inducted into the New Leaders Council Institute, the nation’s premier leadership program focusing on professional and political advancement of young professionals. We will honor Tishaura Jones, Treasurer of the City of St. Louis; Rhonda Broussard, President of St. Louis Language Immersion Schools, Inc.; Chris Miller, Chief Executive Officer of The Mission Center, L3C. Nine Network of Public Media, 3655 Olive St., 63108.

Mon., May 20, 7 p.m., Left Bank Books Downtown hosts author Amanda Doyle, author of 100 Things to Do in St. Louis Before You Die. 321 N. Tenth St., 63101. For more information, call (314) 4363049.

ing apparel from Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Camille La Vie, and Milano’s. Best Hat Contest, door prizes, and raffle. Comfort Suites Westport 12031 Lackland Rd., 63146. For more information, call (314) 255-6181 or visit www.healmending.org.

Sat., May 18, 1 p.m., Sunshine’s Natural & Loving It! Presents ACurly Art Affairwith Kim Coles. See art in motion as models showcase hairstyles by The Root Worker Boutique, SN&LI! Apparel, and BBB by SunShine Accessories infused with fashion by Shan Keith. There will be art, guest bloggers, raffles, workshops, and more. Mix and mingle with our guest of honor actress/comedian/curlfriend

Kim Coles. Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www.acurlyartaffairwithkimcoles.eventbri te.com

Sat., May 18, 3 p.m., Natural Girls Rock presents International Natural Hair Meet Up Day. Join us in celebrating our beautiful curls in this exclusive event! Our guest speaker will be Natural Hair Guru, Lisa Smith, of Coffee, Curls, & Cupcakes. Chat with ErthTonez mega stylist Chi Chi McDonald, with models, and the awesome lady of Locs of Glory Tameka Stigers in Curlfriends 101! 100 Black Men, 4631 Delmar Blvd., 63108. For more information, call (314) 372-5920.

Thur., May 23, 7 p.m., Left Bank Books hosts author WalterMosley, author of Little Green. Easy Rawlins returns from the brink of death to investigate the dark side of L.A.’s 1960s hippie haven, the Sunset Strip to look for a young black man, Evander “Little Green” Noon, who disappeared during an acid trip. St. Louis Central Library, 1301 Olive St., 63109. For more information, call (314) 3676731.

comedy

Sat., May 18, 9:30 p.m., FreeTime and Jovan Bibbs present Class Klowns Featuring Kansas City’s King of Comedy/Twitter superstar Bobby J Comedy, St. Louis’ own Super Funny Frank Lyles, and headlined by Detroit’s hilarious Howie Bell. Plush, 3224 Locust Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 397-4007.

Thursdays, 9 p.m., 2 Funny Thursday Comedy & Open Mic,P3 Platinum Plus Playhouse, 5411 Virginia, Free all night. Hosted by Comedian Spinks. For more information, call (314)-440-9262.

theatre

Through May 18, The Black Rep presents Smash/Hit! Two best friends try to just get by in their poverty-stricken commu-

American Heart Association and American Stroke Association present Most Powerful Voices Gospel Concert & Health Fair featuring. Vickie Winans.See HEALTH for more information.

nity and also make it in the tumultuous world of hip-hop. 3610 Grandel Square, 63108. For more information, call (314) 534-3810.

May 24 – 26, Fox Theatre presents Rock of Ages. 527 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 5341111 or visit www.metrotix.com

dance

Sat., May 18, 8 p.m., Afriky Lolo’s 10th Annual Dance Celebration. Guest Performers: Saint Louis Osuwa Taiko Drummers. Edison Theatre, 6445 Forsyth Blvd., 63105. For more information, call (314) 276-1913.

Sat., June 1, 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m., Missouri Ballet Theatre presents AMidsummer Night’s Dream. Edison Theatre, 6445 Forsyth Blvd., 63130. For more information, call (314) 935-6543.

arts

Thur., May 16, 6 p.m., The PulitzerFoundation forthe Arts and KDHX present Sound Waves - An Evening of Opera and Jazz. An evening of live opera and jazz in an eclectic bridging of the musical genres. Preview songs from Opera Theatre’s summer season, including Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo and contemporary composition, Champion by Terence Blanchard. 3716 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, call (314) 754-1589 or visit www.pulitzerarts.org.

Fri., May 24, 6 p.m., Art

After5: Music and Art from Africa. Each May, the Museum highlights African art with a concert and other activities. This year, we celebrate the newly installed African Art Collection. Attend a tour of the African Art Galleries and enjoy sounds from Africa. Free tickets (4 per person) will be available at the Information

Desk on the first of the month. St. Louis Art Museum, One Fine Arts Dr., 63110. For more information, call (314) 7210072.

May 25 – 27, 22nd Annual St. Louis African Arts Festival. The Festival draws the community together in celebration of the rich contributions of Africa and the African Diaspora (diaspora—people settled far from their ancestral homelands).World’s Fair Pavilion, Forest Park, 5600 Clayton Ave., 63112. For more information, call (314) 9354531 or visit www.STLAfrican ArtsFest.com.

lectures

Thurs., May 16, 7 p.m. The Inventors Association of St Louis meeting featuring a special pre-meeting video beginning at 6:15 p.m. that will be shown on the renowned serial inventor Mr. Woody Norris, inventor of the “Acoustic Cannon,” main auditorium at the Headquarters Branch of the St Louis County Library, 1640 S Lindbergh Blvd, St. Louis.

Thur., May 16, 6:30 p.m., Shaw Neighborhood Housing Corporation presents Foreclosure Education Seminar. This seminar will include a helpful presentation from Beyond Housing, which has been in the forefront of the foreclosure crisis providing intervention and counseling services to those at risk of losing their home. 4103 Shenandoah Ave., 63110. For more information, call (314) 773-7429.

Sat., May 18, 1 p.m., St. Louis African American History & Genealogy Society presents African American History and Genealogy Workshop: Gathering Information from Public Institutions. Michael Everman details how to access records from public institutions. Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information,

call (314) 746-4599.

health

Thur., May 16, 6 p.m., Thompson Foundation presents 7th Annual “It’s In the Cards” DinnerGala. Help raise support and awareness about the foundation and how it makes a difference for children and families affected by autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Members of the community are invited to join honorary chair St. Louis Cardinals Manager, Mike Matheny. Four Season Hotel St. Louis, 999 N. Second St., 63102. For more information, call (314) 3678118.

Fri., May 17, 6:30 p.m., Stifel presents 2013 Arthritis Walk. Build awareness for this debilitating disease and raise necessary funds to drive arthritis research, education and life improvement programs. Also help continue the Arthritis Foundation’s search to find a cure to the nation’s leading cause of disability. Logan College of Chiropractic, 1851 Schoettler Rd., 63017. For

Left Bank Books hosts author Walter Mosley, author of 'Little Green.' See LITERARY for details.

more information, call (314) 991-9333.

Sat., May 18, 8 a.m., Community Women Against Hardship’s 9th Annual Walk and Health Fair, fun activities for children and adults, that will enlighten, encourage and hopefully inspire you to live a healthier lifestyle. Some of St. Louis’finest healthcare providers will be there to respond to your health concerns. Come join in on the fun! There will be hula hoop contests, volleyball games, food, and you can learn to “Wobble.” Tower Grove Park (Grand Entrance), Son of Rest Shelter. There are Call 314289-7523 for more information or visit our website at www.cwah.org.

Sat., May 18, 10 a.m., A Charles Drew Blood Drive, Christ Our Redeemer AME Church, 13820 Old Jamestown Rd. 63033. Please call 314600-4065 for more information.

Sat., May 18, Community Health FairFree Event, 1325 N U.S. Highway 67,

Florissant, MO 63031. For more information, call (314) 921-2311.

Sat., May 18, 11 a.m., Healing & Mending Ministry presents Heaven Sent Hat. A splendid afternoon with Jazz Saxophonist Rod Tate at this Mother’s Day Brunch and Fashion Show Fundraiser.

Special Guest: Miss MO Teen USA2013/ Brenda SmithLezama. Fashion Show featuring apparel from Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Camille La Vie, and Milano’s. Best Hat Contest, door prizes, and raffle. Comfort Suites Westport 12031 Lackland Rd., 63146. For more information, call (314) 255-6181 or visit www.healmending.org.

Sat., May 18, 6 p.m., Second Annual Congenital Heart Night at Busch Stadium Help bring awareness to the number one birth defect in the U.S. as the St. Louis Cardinals host the Milwaukee Brewers. Discounted seats are available at $40 each in the right field box and proceeds benefit the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA), The Children’s Heart FoundationMO and The Mighty Oakes Heart Foundation. 700 Clark Ave., 63102. For more information, call (314) 345-9600.

Mon., May 20, 6:30 p.m., De Paul presents Free Wellness Seminar. During this seminar you will learn about the obesity epidemic and how it affects your well being, ways to decrease your risk of disease, how to lose weight, and more. May Community Education Center, De Paul, 12303 Depaul Dr., 63044.

Wed., May 22, 6 p.m., P90X in Forest Park. This class takes the comprehensive P90X workout and brings it to a class format. Resistance training, cardio, core, stabilizer work, mobility work and more. Enjoy this class for free and get ready to bring it! Sante Fitness and Wellness Center, Chase Park Plaza, 212 N. Kingshighway, 63108. For more information, call (314) 688-3018.

Sat., May 25, 7 a.m., Christ Deliverance Ministry presents 2nd Annual Mind and Body Fitness 5k. Encouraging lifestyle change among St. Louisans with a 5K race, workshops, healthy living seminar and fitness challenge. KMOX’s Monica Adams will emcee while Briant Mitchell of BKM Boot Camp will lead the 5K and fitness challenge. Fredbird and the St. Louis Rams cheerleaders will be available for photo opportunities. $500 prize to the registered first place finisher. Cardinal Ritter College Prep High School, 701 S. Spring Ave., 63108. For more information, visit www.cdmmindandbody.org.

Sat., June 1, 4:30 p.m., American Heart Association and American Stroke Association present Most Powerful Voices Gospel Concert & Health Fair feat. Vickie Winans. Designed to educate the African-American community about the risk factors associated with stroke. Greater St. Mark COGIC, 4325 State St., East St. Louis, IL. 62205. For more information, call (314) 692-5600.

Sat., May 18, 5 p.m., First Community Baptist Church of Pagedale presents Songs From AJourney. Special guest, Elder Ricardo Malone of the Bethel Church, Miami, will share his personal journey with God through the powerful anointing of God’s spirit, the provocative truth of God’s Word and uplifting songs of praise.Cellist Kwadwo Gray and Violinists Josephine and MacArthur Moten will accompany. 6815 Page Ave., 63133. For more information, call (314) 644-4120.

May 19, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., Scruggs Memorial CME Church Women’s Day Celebration, 3680 Cook Ave., St. Louis MO, 63113. For more information, call (314)533-5444.

ARMY

Continued from C1

descent to bear arms and join the U.S. military. General Order #143 was issued in May 1963, and recruitment of black soldiers began in earnest.

Many men of African descent escaped from slavery to join the Union Army. The military held rendezvous in key locations in February, March and July of 1864, trying to meet quotas. Later in the year, blacks were allowed to be substitutes for white men who had been drafted and didn’t want to go. The number of black men who fought in the war eventually came to a reported 8,344. Most were runaway slaves, whose prolonged harsh treatment had degraded their

OPERA

Continued from C1

Blanchard with the libretto written by Pulitzer Prizewinning playwright Michael Cristofer. Griffith was a closeted gay man in the world of professional sports 50 years before Collins’ announcement two weeks ago.

On Monday, May 20, Blanchard, OTSL general director Timothy O’Leary and “Champion” cast member Denyce Graves will participate in a panel discussion at the Ethical Society, moderated by Gerald Early of Washington University, that will preview the performance.

“I think there will be plenty of questions about this work,” Robinson said. “Why the subject? Why an opera about a boxer? Why commission a new opera from a jazz composer as opposed to a classical composer?”

It was Blanchard’s idea to focus on Griffith, a native of the Virgin Islands, whose story is fascinating apart from his sexual identity. One of his opponents, Benny Paret,

bodies. Disease was rampant with so many men in such a confined space. More died from disease than on the battlefield. About 30 percent of recruits died without ever leaving Benton Barracks. Many suffered amputation of frozen feet or hands. The barracks hospital was excellent for that time, and the black men were cared for by black female nurses from the community. The two units formed at Benton Barracks were the 2nd and the 65th. In 1866, when these units were mustered out, they gave their pay to their white commander and asked that he purchase land for a teachers college, as they understood the importance of education for the newly freed. The land that was purchased sat on a hill in Jefferson City – it’s now

died April 3, 1962 as a result of injuries sustained in the ring with Griffith at Madison Square Garden. Griffith later met with the Paret’s son in an effort to make peace with the past. In 1992, Griffith was viciously beaten and almost killed on a New York City street after leaving a gay bar.

“I hope people get the story of the life of Emile Griffith,” Robinson said, “and that they walk away with a sense of who he was and how important he was historically – not just in boxing.”

“Champion” is the the debut opera for a composer who has won five Grammy Awards and scored more than 40 films. Blanchard rose to the challenge. “Terence is the most welcoming, open and collaborative person that I’ve ever worked with,” Robinson said. “In the opera business we do a lot of work with dead composers, so having a live one who has been so open and so generous with his time and his talent has really taught us all about the notion of collaboration.”

The partnership came about thanks to Gene Dobbs Bradford, executive director of Jazz St. Louis, and his

Lincoln University. The closing event of Saturday’s reenactment will be the honoring of the founding of Lincoln University.

From downtown St. Louis, take I-70 West to the Adelaide exit. Turn right (east) on Adelaide, which ends at Hall Street. Turn right (south) on Hall and proceed to Prairie. At Prairie, turn left and park near the ADM grain elevators, at the break in the floodwall. The Riverfront Trail is on the river side of the floodwall. The Meachum site, containing a marker, is a short distance to the right (south) and can be reached on foot or by bicycle. All events are free to the public.

wish to work with OTSL. He suggested that they commission Blanchard to do a jazz opera.

“It’s definitely an operatic work, but the music is really, really rooted in jazz,” Robinson said. “There is a wonderful mixture and fusion of these two worlds – they can work together to create something that is quite unique and quite beautiful.”

Jazz is often credited as the most distinctively American music, and in collaborating on a jazz opera Robinson thinks Opera Theatre Saint Louis has created a distinctly American opera.

“This is a real American opera,” Robinson said. “It has real American music, and it has a real American story.”

Opera Theatre St. Louis’ panel discussion for “Champion” will take place 6 p.m. Monday, May 20 at The Ethical Society of St. Louis, 9001 Clayton Rd. There will be six performances of “Champion” at the LorettoHilton Center in Webster Groves between June 15-30. For more information, visit www.opera-stl.org or www. ethicalstl.org or call (314) 961-0644.

Continued from C1

– and the industry that makes room for them – whose lyrical content he described as a laundry list of bragging rights.

“Good for you,” DMX said, as he mentioned the cars, clothes and women that seem to be the gist of their messages.

He also included performances of hits that ranged from his introduction into the rap industry 15 years ago up through his most recent release, Undisputed – “What They Really Want,” “Party Up (Up in Here),” “Who We Be” and his verse on Busta Rhymes “Touch It,” to name a few. Because of the controversy that has surrounded him (his repeated arrests and admitted substance abuse, in particular), it’s easy to forget the indelible mark DMX has made by way of his rap legacy. But he reminded everyone Friday night.

Pound for pound, he’s one of the best-selling hip-hop acts of all time with more than 30 million albums sold. While some might consider him doing a club concert tour a fall from grace, he made the absolute most of the moment.

He was in top form, figuratively and literally. He looked great. His focus was on love for what he does and who he does it for, and there

CURLS

Continued from C1

responsible for representing St. Louis in the International Natural Hair Meetup Day mix. “Our guest is the Beautiful ChiChi McDonald! Chi-Chi will be answering questions and giving easy pin-up ideas and hair tips.”

In addition to McDonald, a stylist with ErthTonez, their event will also feature Natural Hair Guru Lisa Smith of Coffee, Curls & Cupcakes and Tameka Stigers of Locs of Glory.

was a mutual appreciation and exchange of love between him and the crowd.

They were along for the ride. Head nods and a hip-hop chorus permeated the crowd. Even the more obscure music within his catalog had at least a few voices backing him up.

The walking irony that is DMX (a man who at one point in his career left hiphop to pursue preaching) continued through the show.

He inserted what could be best described as off-the-cuff prayers and spiritual poetry as he transitioned through his club bangers that include lyrics on everything from sexual overtures to “tearing the club up.”

The show was not without its shortcomings. As per usual,

“Join us in celebrating our beautiful curls,” Bankhead said. Natural Girls Rock will present International Natural Hair Meet Up Day 3 p.m. Saturday May 18 at 100 Black Men administrative offices, 4631 Delmar. For more information, call (314) 372 –5920.

The art of curls

While not officially tied to International Natural Hair Meet Up Day, Sunshine’s Natural & Loving It! will present A Curly Art Affair with Kim Coles on the day designated for celebration of “curlfriends.”

With a career that spans nearly three decades, Coles is an actress and comedienne who gained national acclaim through her work on the Fox Network’s breakout series “In Living Color” and “Living Single.” She was also embraced by curlfriends when she shared and invited the world to join her on a natural hair journey – along with the help of St. Louis’ own Nikki “Curly Nikki” Walton back in 2011.

“My hair has been in micro-braids with human hair extensions since 1991. Prior to that, I had weaves and prior to that, relaxer since before high school,” Coles told Curly Nikki. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but now, what I will focus on is growing my OWN healthy, luxurious, bouncy hair.”

In addition to Coles, guests will have the opportunity to see art in motion as models showcase hairstyles by The

n DMX shaded some of the new breed of rappers, whose lyrical content he described as a laundry list of bragging rights.

DMX proved to be his own worst enemy. He rambled, he labored he carried on with inaudible jabber. He passed a bottle of what appeared to be Hennessy and took sips of it himself. And the show was essentially over 10 minutes before he left the stage. But who could blame him for not wanting to leave? Even in its moments of distraction and confusion, the show served a taste of the best of times. At the end of the day, He made generation X (who on that night could have been known as generation DMX) proud as he showcased what they love most about him: his passion for hip-hop and his sincere appreciation for the folks who have supported him along the way.

Root Worker Boutique, SN&LI! Apparel, and BBB by SunShine Accessories infused with fashion by Shan Keith. There will be art, guest bloggers, raffles, workshops, and more.

SunShine’s Natural & Loving It! presents A Curly Art Affair with Kim Coles at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 18 at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www. acurlyartaffairwithkimcoles. eventbrite.com.

Naturally ever after (party)

After the tutorials, workshops and those beloved swag bags, DJ Needles and company are offering curlfriends an opportunity to kick it. Needles will be on the wheels of steel for a naturally fantastic outdoor vibe of the J. Bucks Downtown rooftop with the fourth edition of Ghettoblastic and Solution’s presentation of Super Natural: A Celebration of, Fros, Locs, Cuts and the Pursuit of Napiness.

Soulful vibes, progressive hip-hop and classic jams mark the event that was created with the intention of encouraging and celebrating the beauty of Afrocentric hairstyles.

Super Natural: A Celebration of, Fros, Locs, Cuts and the Pursuit of Napiness will begin at 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 18 at Joe Buck’s Rooftop, 1000 Clark. Admission is $5 before 10 p.m.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

By Melanie Adams

‘Gridiron Glory’ at the History Museum

The Best of the NFL Hall of Fame opens May 25

As I was looking through the Missouri History Museum’s archives for information about Sumner High School, I came across an image of the Sumner High School marching band at the 1913 opening of the Jefferson Memorial Building. And what better way to introduce our summer exhibit Gridiron Glory: The Best of the NFL Hall of Fame (opening on May 25), then with a marching band!

Ever since I was little, I have associated marching bands with football. I remember going to my brother’s football games (he is seven years my senior) and enduring the game, just to see the marching bands. I thought they were fantastic. The music, the choreography, the showmanship –I loved it all. Granted, it was not like the HBCU bands that would later set my marching band bar, but to a seven-year-old, it was Broadway.

I held onto to this love of marching bands and was front and center for twirling tryouts at the end of my freshman year. After making the team, I spent the next three years as a member of the Hanover Park Hornets Marching Band (yes, my high school mascot was a hornet). We won our fair share of band competitions and were even invited to march in the Macy’s Day parade. I still remember performing in front of the bandstand at Macy’s and praying I didn’t drop my baton on national television.

So what does this have to do with football?

Admittedly not much, but as a member of the marching band, I sat through dozens of football games and actually learned enough to make small talk at Superbowl parties about something besides the commercials. My appreciation for football continued as I entered college and actually went to football games watching Virginia Tech, Georgia, and Florida State pummel my alma mater, University of Virginia, each season.

This summer the History Museum is excited to host this exhibit brought to us by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Taking up more than 6,000 square feet, this exhibit includes more than 200 artifacts, rare photos, and one-of-a-kind

documents, many of which have never been seen outside of the Hall of Fame.

The exhibit appeals to fans of all ages with activities that include stepping into the replay booth to make the call to trying on historic football equipment. And no exhibit from the NFL Hall of Fame would be complete with images and bios of all 273 members of the Hall of Fame.

As with all of our exhibits, the Museum created programs designed to excite, educate, and engage visitors. A sample of our programs is listed below. As always for a complete listing, please visit our website at www.mohistory.org Even if you are not a football fan, I encourage you to check out the exhibit and programs to learn about life on the gridiron.

Gridiron Glory: The Best of the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Opens Saturday, May 25 at 10 a.m. See the website for ticket prices. City/County residents are free all day on Tuesdays. The St. Louis Football Cardinals Book Signing Event Sunday, May 26, 1 p.m. • FREE

The Football Cardinals gave St. Louis two division titles and three playoff appearances in a colorful 28 seasons of NFL games. Meet some of the Big Red stars from 1960 to 1988 in person and grab a keepsake copy of The St. Louis Football Cardinals: A Celebration of the Big Red, written by the founder and president of the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame, Greg Marecek. Books will be available for purchase.

Gridiron Glory Celebration

Saturday, June 1, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. • FREE

It’s time for some football-themed family fun! Kick things off with Radio Disney form 10:30 a.m. to noon, then make football-themed crafts and hang out with the St. Louis Rams mascot, Rampage. Please wear your sneakers and get active … the Rams PLAY 60 will be happening on the Museum’s north lawn.

The Sumner High School marching band performed at the opening of the Jefferson Memorial Building in Forest Park on April 30, 1913.

Anniversaries

Felicia and Michael

celebrate six years of marriage on May 19. God bless you and may your love continue to grow for many years to come.

Birthdays

~ CELEBRATIONS ~

DeMorris and Jonathan Taylor celebrated one year of marital bliss on May 12. They were homeschooled sweethearts and rekindled the love 20 years later.

Reunions

Beaumont Class of 1968 45Year Reunion June 14-16, 2013 Sheraton Plaza Hotel in Westport Please pass the word on to others who are out of town. Contact: Vanetta at 314869-5665 or Ruby at 314-7410260.

Beaumont High School Class of 1973 is holding its 40th

reunion on Aug. 16-17. We’re seeking to contactall classmates interested in attending. Contact Randy Sanderson, at 314-393-8510, rsanderson1954@sbcglobal.netor Shelia Owens Pargo, 314-7240073, sheliap4@sbcglobal.net.

All Middle School Reunion Saturday, June 15, 2013, 6 pm – 12 am at The Omega Center, 3900 Goodfellow. Cost:$25 (includes T-shirt, bag, rally towel, food & beverages). Contact Willie Groves at 314258-7499 to reserve your reunion package for your school.

Northwest High School Class of 1973 will celebrate its 40th Class Reunion July 19-21, 2013.If you have not received the specific details, pleasesend your contact infor-

Happy 53nd Birthday to Yvonne Alberty on May 14! Love always, Your hubby Douglas and your children, Shane,

mation including email address, phone and mailing address to northwesths1973@gmail.com. Information has also been posted on Classmates.com and Facebook Group: Northwest High School 1973. If you have questions feel free to call Cornelia Clark Stephens at 314 580-1114.

Soldan High School Class of 1961 will celebrate its 52nd Anniversary High School Class Reunion, September 6-8, 2013. To register or obtain additional information, please contact Ellen Vernor, 314-3611535 or e-mail Lynn Steele –steelelynn@aol.com.

Soldan class of 1978 is planning its 35th reunion. The event will be June 21-23,

Donna and Kel Ward celebrated two years of marriage on May 7. To God Be the Glory

Happy 51st Birthday to Jerome “JR” Redding on May 20. Enjoy your day and know that you are loved and appreciated! Love, your wife, family, friends and Lively Stone family

2013.For more information call: 314-413-9088 or 314322-6406.

SumnerHigh School Class of 1973 will have its 40th year class reunion the weekend of June 7-9. If you have not received a newsletter please contact Marsha JosephWilliams 314-606-8701 or Dorris Simmons-McGhaw 314-541-2462.

SumnerClass of 1978 35th Reunion, October 18-20, 2013 at the Sheraton Clayton Plaza Hotel St. Louis.Please pass the word on to others who are out of town.Contact our Class of 78 voicemail 314735-1083 for more information and someone will call you back.

Vashon Class of 1978 is celebrating its 35th Reunion on a Cruise down the mighty Mississippi River: Friday, July 19 from p.m.-1 a.m. The attire is white. The cost is $30. Make your money order or cashier’s check to: Vashon High School Class of “1978”, P.O. Box 771221, St. Louis, MO 63177. Send your funds in NO LATER THAN JUNE 1, 2013.Contact person, Vareda Allen (314) 3815250. Hope to see you all there!

East St. Louis SeniorHigh Class of 1974:The Steering Committee is diligently planning our special 40-year reunion in June 2014.Contact dyj54@yahoo.com to be added to the class Facebook page to stay informed.For additional information, contact:314-4065354 or 618-580-2006.

announcement (50 words or less) to us and we may include it in our paper and website – AT NO COST – as space is available Photos will not be returned. Send your announcements to: kdaniel@stlamerican. com or mail to: St. Louis American Celebrations c/o

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, 4242 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108. 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

Kepha and Kemone

Happy 60th Birthday to my loving husband, Ronald Hoskin on May 14. May God continue to bless you. With love, Dianna Hoskin

Hunter

Love, Kim & Kenneth Edwards and Denise & Booker Green

Religion

Christian stage skit probes marriage

‘There’s a Right & Wrong Way to Love’ May

17 at Ark of Safety

American staff

“There has been a shortage of Christian entertainment and nightlife in St. Louis for several years, especially when it comes to theatre,” says Kyria Williams. She hopes to address this shortage with her company KMW Productions.

The latest KMW production written and directed by Kyria is titled, “There’s a Right & Wrong Way to Love.”

It is a complete stage skit, full of real life marriages portraying the right and wrong ways to love in a marriage.

When asked what her purpose was for writing and producing stage plays that target marriages, Williams stated, “There’s an extreme attack on marriages, especially amongst believers.” She cited research by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago that reported Christians have a divorce rate of about 42 percent.

“There’s a Right & Wrong Way to Love” was so powerful, KMW Productions decided to take it on the road to do a church tour throughout the metro St. Louis area.

KMW will be launching this tour at their kickoff event at Ark of Safety Christian Church on Friday, May 17. The event will start at 7 p.m. and is absolutely free to the public. Currently, the next tour stop will be at Believer’s Temple on Friday, June 14.

“KMW Productions is looking to revive a thrilling entertainment scene for Christian families, couples and individuals,” Williams said. KMW Productions, LLC is a theatrical

Williams, with a purpose to spread the gospel of Christ through theatre and performance.

For more information or to host a performance at your church, please visit www.kmwproductions.org or email PR_ Marketing@kmwproductions.org.

ACLU wins religious freedom fight

In a consent judgment signed recently, a federal district court-ordered the Salem Public Library to stop blocking patrons’ access to websites related to minority religions that the library’s web filters classified as “occult” or “criminal.”

Blocking access to material based solely on viewpoint is a violation of the First Amendment.

Judge E. Richard Webber entered the judgment in a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Eastern Missouri on behalf of a Salem resident who was blocked from researching websites discussing minority religions’ ideas about death or death rituals.

“Even libraries that are required by federal law to install filtering software to block certain sexually explicit content should never use software to prevent patrons from learning about different cultures,” said Tony Rothert, legal director of the ACLU-EM.

The resident had originally protested to

Isaac Butler and Lakesha Butler are one real life married couple that take the stage in KMW Productions’ stage skit

“There’s a Right & Wrong Way to Love” which plays 7 p.m. May 17 at Ark of Safety Christian Church.

library director Glenda Wofford about not being able to access websites about Native American religions and the Wiccan faith. While portions of the sites were unblocked, much remained censored.

Wofford said she would only allow access to blocked sites if she felt patrons had a legitimate reason to view the content and added that she had an obligation to report people who wanted to view these sites to the authorities. The resident’s attempts to complain about the policy to the library board of trustees were brushed off.

“We are happy to see an end to the library’s discriminatory internet practices,” said Daniel Mach, director of the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief.

“Public libraries should be maximizing the spread of information, not blocking access to viewpoints or religious ideas not shared by the majority.”

Church Garage Sale

New Jerusalem Temple Church located at 8204 Page Ave., Vinita Park, MO 63130, is hosting a church Garage Sale on May 18 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on the church parking lot. If you would like book a table for your church group, please call Mother Butler at 314-8390596. Tables are $10 for NJT members, $15 for non-members.

God puts his toughest soldiers in the hardest spiritual battles. In Job chapter 1 Satan told the Lord he had been roaming the earth, obviously searching for someone to torment. God volunteered Job for the test. God knew Job would come out of his trial stronger and better. God knows our strengths too. He only allows us to go through only what we can endure. Hate it or love it, sometimes the Lord volunteers you to endure pain. But why? Because He hates you? No. At times He wants to put you on display. Look at Job. Because of Job’s strength, we are encouraged by his story thousands of years later. God is using you to bring glory to Jesus. Christ thinks so much of you that He is putting you on display. God knows you can make it if you just trust Him. Do you? God also makes weaker soldiers strong through the hardest spiritual battles. Satan essentially told God, “Job only loves you because of what he has. If you take it all away, Job will give in to me.” We see now that Job was strong because of what Job went through. If Job never had a trial we would open the Bible and

read that Job was a rich man with a large family that loved God. There is no testimony there. Pain is a testimony in the making. Disease is a testimony in the making. The enemy has told God if he just takes away something from you or gives you an affliction, then you will curse God. PROVE THE ENEMY WRONG. Do you trust God more than anything? A trial will make us do some crazy things. We get confused because we have taken our focus away from Jesus. Job’s friends were convinced he was guilty of something. His own wife told him to just curse God and die. Everything looked bleak. Yet Job remained resilient. Why? Because he trusted the Lord. Do you trust the Lord? In the midst of your trial; you must focus on what you know to be true about God above all else. God loves you. We want the blessings of Job without the trial. That’s not how God operates. You must be tested. All the great men and women of the Bible were tried. God used pain to transform them into His warriors. God wants to transform you too! The Rev. HC Armstrong: HCAnarrowWAY.com.

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.

ministry that was founded in 2011 by Kyria M.

Kyria Williams of KMW Productions

H.C. Armstrong

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

JJK salutes SLPS student athletes

American staff

Jackie Joyner-Kersee, one of the most decorated female athletes of all time, and St. Louis Rams General Manager Les Snead shared words of inspiration and encouragement with 412 St. Louis Public School District student athletes at the district’s second annual Scholar Athlete Luncheon held at the Missouri Athletic Club on May 1.

Joining Joyner-Kersee and Snead in saluting the student athletes were almost 50 St. Louis area sports personalities and successful business leaders who served as “table role models” for the scholar athletes. The St. Louis Rams served as sponsor for the event.

SLPS student athletes received scholar athlete designation by meeting the following criteria:Each student had to earn a 3.25 grade point average or higher during the first semester of the 2012-13 school year; the student athlete had to successfully complete the athletic season; the student athlete had to promote the values of sportsmanship, citizenship, character and academic excellence.

Among the “table role models” on hand to network with the scholar athletes and share words of wisdom were former Olympic sprinter Ivory Crockett, St. Louis PostDispatch sports columnists Bryan Burwell and Joe Strauss, St. Louis American Hall of Fame photojournalist Wiley Price and sports writer Earl Austin Jr., KMOX radio sportscaster Ron Jacober, PostDispatch football writer Jim Thomas and veteran NFL writer Howard Balzer. St. Louis Rams “table role models” included Artis Twyman, Ran Carthon, Molly Higgins, George Foster, Kara Henderson Snead, Brandon Williams, Nicole Woodie and cheerleaders Crystal and Aundrea,

Several former St. Louis Public School District athletes were on hand to serve as “table role models” as well.Taking time out to connect with the current student athletes were:

St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson (Metro), Johnny Furr

Jr. (Sumner), Schron Jackson (Sumner), Tawana HughesJackson (Vashon), Demetrious Johnson (McKinley), Michael Jones (Beaumont), Terry “Chip” Jones (Beaumont), Glenn Marshall (Soldan), Derrick C. Mitchell (Vashon), Bennie Moore (Sumner), Dr. Marvin Neals (Sumner), Kevin Potter (Soldan), Reuben Shelton (Northwest), Sharron Washington (Hadley Tech) and Charonn Woods (Metro). At the conclusion of the event, each scholar athlete received a special lapel pin from their “table role model” to commemorate the special occasion.

New free High School to College Center

Making the transition from high school to college can be daunting, particularly if you are the first in your family to pursue a degree or have significant financial hurdles to overcome to make continuing your education possible. That’s why St. Louis Graduates is opening this summer the St. Louis Graduates High School to College Center where students can get answers and help with the process.

St. Louis area students can visit the free St. Louis Graduates High School to

College Center if they are recent high school graduates and: Need assistance figuring out financial aid, where to live and how to get to college, Are having trouble accessing the college online enrollment and course registration system, or Need help completing necessary paperwork.

At the center, students will be able to meet with a team of experienced professionals, including a mix of high school guidance counselors, nonprofit college access professionals, higher education transition staff and financial aid advisors.

Jackie JoynerKersee gave the keynote speech at the Second Annual St.Louis Public School District Scholar Athlete Luncheon.

“We launched the center because we believe there are potentially thousands of students who don’t make it to campus, despite their best intentions.”

– Jane Donahue, Deaconess Foundation

first-generation college-going students. All services are offered free of charge.

“Having an acceptance letter or financial aid award letter can give the mistaken impression that all a student needs to do is show up on campus in the fall,” notes Faith Sandler, executive director of The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis and co-chair of St. Louis Graduates.

“The St. Louis Graduates High School to College Center will help students through the steps they need to take to ensure their financial aid is in place, they are enrolled in classes, and they are ready to go in August.”

Participating counselors include representatives of College Summit, Missouri College Advising Corps, St. Louis Community College, The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis, and Wyman Center as well as individual counselors from several area high schools, nonprofit organizations and higher education institutions.

“We want to make sure that all students who are enrolled in college for the fall have the information, encouragement and guidance they need to make it to campus,” said Jane Donahue, vice president of the Deaconess Foundation and cochair of St. Louis Graduates.

“We launched the center because we believe there are potentially thousands of students who don’t make it to campus, despite their best intentions.”

The St. Louis Graduates High School to College Center will tailor its counseling to students who recently graduated from high school, have plans in place to continue their education, and have questions over the summer and aren’t quite sure where to turn.The center is designed to work primarily with low-income and/or

The St. Louis Graduates High School to College Center will be open June 1 through August 18 in a “pop up” retail storefront in the Delmar Loop at 618 N. Skinker Blvd. in space donated by Washington University. The Center will be open seven days a week from noon to 5 p.m. Students will be encouraged to come into the Center, but assistance will also be available via phone and email.

At the St. Louis Graduates High School to College Center, experienced counselors will meet one-on-one with students to review a checklist of common challenges, help students develop an action plan to address them, and refer students to resources that meet their needs.

Counselors at the St. Louis Graduates High School to College Center will use a system developed by College Bound, a St. Louis-based college access/success program that works intensely with students from the end of their freshman year in high school through college graduation. College Bound developed an online tool for ensuring common challenges are addressed each step of the way, including the critical transition point between high school and college. Use of the system will ensure all students receive the complete scope of help they need, including assistance with admissions, financial aid, housing, and transportation. For more information, call 314-932-6956 or e-mail: info@stlouisgraduates.org.

Celebrity Swagger Snap of the Week

R&B favorite and radio personality Keith Sweat wooed the crowd with his classic 1990’s hits and St. Louis’ own Gary “G-Thang” Johnson was the host with the most at the Ultimate Mother’s Day Concert Sunday night at The Scottrade Center. Sweat and Johnson joined fellow St. Louisans LaVell Crawford and Angela Winbush for a comedy and R&B hybrid show that also included singer Johnny Gill.

A full ride to The Essence Music Festival. Here it is y’all…the biggest giveaway yet from YOUR St. Louis American. We’ve got a package for one lucky winner, and a guest, to hit the 19th Annual Essence Music Festival Did you hear me…I said “PACKAGE.” That means tickets to “3” nights of concerts, accommodations for “3” nights at the Marriott New Orleans, and roundtrip air! That’s what I’m talkin’ about! At this point my only worry is about Beyoncé and her “exhaustion” i.e. morning sickness messing up the closing show program! Besides Bey, a whole host of acts are set to hit the stage, like: Jill Scott, Maxwell, Rachelle Ferrell, LL Cool J, Bilal, Faith Evans, Tweet, Brandy, and many more. And the winner will get a visit from a St. Louis American reporter during the show, to take your photo for the newspaper and get your praise report on what a wonderful time they had at one of the best Essence Music Festivals EVER? This is not like some national media contests with an endless pool of contestants to be drawn from millions – with a better chance of hitting that $360M Powerball than winning a trip to Essence. This is for our audience and our audience only! Special props to Verizon for hookin’ us up with fantastic prime Superdome tickets to the shows. Are you excited yet? Visit stlamerican.com NOW to enter Winner’s name will be drawn on May 30th!!!

DMX did his thing. I must say that I was expecting the worst while waiting to see what chief Ruff Ryder DMX was going to bring on stage. I’m happy to report that my only true source of disdain/confusion came from the chick with the church shirt and mom jeans who was so crunk that she couldn’t keep her cotton briefs from obstructing my view of DMX? I must say that even though he needed a translator instead of a hype man every now and again and somebody to tell him that it’s time to go I was thrilled with the way DMX rocked the stage at the Coliseum Friday night. I know y’all were hoping that I had some type of horror story, but the only person he cussed out was the Greek statue on the stage for having his “privacy” so close to his face. Well, that was a bit crazy, but other than that, the show was great. I didn’t even have to go to Sunday morning worship service because he gave a few alter prayers. What? Y’all didn’t know he was a preacher too? Well he is, and the fact that I got in a body roll or two to “What They Really Want (From a [expletive])” during his “sermon” is beside the point. Anyway, I’m happy to report that DMX has been eating – and obviously doing pushups – and put on a show that his fans couldn’t help but get into!

The return of the Royal Comedy Tour. Sommore, girl, those shoes…really girl? She didn’t even have to tell any jokes with those ridiculously glorious Red Bottoms on and I would have been thrilled – all I would have needed was for her to rotate her ankles so I could get a 360 degree view! Her bedazzled tuxedo blouse...well not so much. But y’all came to hear about the 89th Annual Royal Comedy Tour and not the fashion, so I’ll get right to it. I was a nervous wreck when I looked up and had my whole section to myself, but by intermission it was about half full up in there. I know y’all loved Arnez J., but Tony Rock was my favorite of the night. I can’t pretend to be able to print any of his jokes without being picketed by all the pastors’ wives in town, so I won’t bother. Just know that he was hee-larious. I’ve come to the conclusion that Bruce Bruce is going to do the EXACT same routine for the rest of his career – but hey, if y’all like it, I love it. I just can’t cackle at something I have memorized. The only new material in his whole act was when he blasted our own Lawrence Bryant for being a muscle bound photographer. And what’s wrong with that? For the first time ever I didn’t get all of my life from D.L. Hughley. He was funny enough, but his set seemed mailed in. But either way, I enjoyed myself and can’t wait for the next installment. And I don’t know why I haven’t said so before, but give it up to St. Louis’ own D.J. Captain for holding it down for that show – and a whole hunk of the other major comedy tours around the country!

Mother’s Day misunderstandings at The Scottrade. Somebody said that I should call the Ultimate Mother’s Day Concert a Mother’s day a mess – but that would be taking things way too far…mainly, because the locals made the most of their little time on stage. LaVell Crawford had me laughing nacho cheese out of my nose and Angela Winbush looked and sounded well for her little snippet. G-Thang put on for our city as the host too –as did DJ Kut on the turntables. But I do have a few questions. Why was it so dark up in the Scottrade? Folks were falling down like dominoes as they tried to make their way to the floor for the show. What happened to Don “DC” Curry? I’m still waiting for his portion of the show. What is Johnny Gill going through? He did the best he could, but vocally he was giving me Teddy P. with a sinus infection. And let’s just say he wasn’t in fighting shape. I guess I was just so stunned because I have NEVER seen him do anything other than bring the house down. And I don’t know if he and Keith Sweat fell out before the show, because Johnny was holding that stage hostage. I could be wrong, but I really don’t remember “Slow and Sexy,” being 35 minutes long. Keith Sweat and his swiveling hips gave me my life, but why didn’t he want to interact with the crowd that had rushed the stage just for him? I’ve decided he has a phobia of germs. He sounds like a p**p from West Memphis when he speaks and on that radio show, but his singing performance was a highlight for me. I wasn’t expecting to get down so much, but he did his thing and closed the show out on the highest of high notes (honestly, I didn’t think he had it in him) – even if

bother to tell us goodnight.

he didn’t

Teresa, Josh, Ashley helped birthday boy Brandon put some hip-hop in his birthday celebration courtesy of DMX Friday night @ The Coliseum

The truly wonderful Tammie Holland and her entire crew of close friends were styled to the nines as DELUX Magazine helped celebrate her b-day with A Taste, Art and Soul Dinner Party @ The Rustic Goat

Mz Janee and Kevin Johnson with R&B diva and St. Louis native Angela Winbush during the Ultimate Mother’s Day concert Saturday night @ Scottrade Center

Big Tah and the lovely Kaylin Garcia Saturday night @ The Loft

Young Ro and Big Ro of Black Pearl Ent were eager for a photo op with hip-hop veteran DMX following his performance Friday night @ The Coliseum

Comedians Tony Rock and Darius Bradford backstage following a job well done at the Royal Comedy Tour Saturday night @ Chaifetz Arena

Jeanne Roberts Johnson with her longtime friend Keshia Knight Pulliam as Jeanne displayed the newest creations from her jewelry line

Photo by Maurice Meredith

Club Queens Bell and Mocha Latte have tag teamed to turn Certified Saturdays all the way up @ The City

Tre of Major Brands teamed up with Cory of UrbanSTL to bring the young professionals out for Cocktails 2 Connect Thursday night @ Vito’s

Buchanan’s Restaurant had the backstage area smelling like Sunday dinner thanks to their delicious catering for the Ultimate Mother’s Day Concert Sunday night @ The Scottrade Center

Photos by Lawrence Bryant

In October 2012 fibroids struck Geraldine Griffin with a vengeance. Active and athletic –fibroids turned her life into something she didn’t recognize.

Uterine fibroids: when hysterectomy is not an option

By Sandra Jordan

Of The St.Louis American

Unless you know someone who undergoes monthly ordeals with uterine fibroids, it could be hard to understand the anguish, chronic pain and lifestylealtering effect of dealing with these benign muscle tumors of the womb.

“Usually I am stuck in the house for days because I don’t want to bleed through all of my clothes and I have to sit on plastic – I line the couch with plastic and put a towel on it so I don’t ruin the couch,” said a young woman we’ll

“Sometimes I couldn’t walk;I had to stop wearing high-heel shoes;I had to stop exercising;I had to kind of just come in the house and lay down – and my normal activities consist of water aerobics, regular aerobics, water park, full eight-hour day work;in and out of the house.”

– Geraldine Griffin

call Madeline Johnsson. Although research indicates African American women are three times more

likely to have these noncancerous tumors, many women have them.

“Fibroids are benign muscle growths

that start out as a single cell and they can occur at any time during a woman’s life, the most common decade to be symptomatic of them is in our 40s,” said Dr. Brigid Holloran-Schwartz, who directs the Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery and is an associate professor for General Obstetrics and Gynecology at Saint Louis University.

She said much of her practice involves patients with fibroids.

“We know there is a genetic component but we have not identified the exact

See FIBROIDS, page 5

Photo by Wiley Price

HEALTH BRIEFS

Vitamin D may reduce risk of uterine fibroids

Women who had sufficient amounts of vitamin D were 32 percent less likely to develop fibroids than women with insufficient vitamin D, according to a study from researchers at the National Institutes of Health.

Fibroids, also known as uterine leiomyomata, are noncancerous tumors of the uterus. Fibroids often result in pain and bleeding in premenopausal women, and are the leading cause of hysterectomy in the United States.

The study of 1,036 women, aged 3549, living in the Washington, D.C., area from 1996 to 1999, was led by Donna Baird, Ph.D., a researcher at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of NIH. Baird and collaborators at The George Washington University and the Medical University of South Carolina screened participants for fibroids using ultrasound. They used blood samples to measure the primary circulating form of vitamin D, known as 25-hydroxy D. Those with more than 20 nanograms per milliliter of 25-hydroxy D were categorized as suffi-

cient, though some experts think even higher levels may be required for good health. The body can make vitamin D when the skin is exposed to the sun, or vitamin D can come from food and supplements.

Study participants also completed a questionnaire on sun exposure. Those who reported spending more than one hour outside per day also had a decreased risk of fibroids. The estimated reduction was 40 percent. Although fewer black than white participants had sufficient 25-hydroxy D levels, the estimated reduction in prevalence of fibroids was about the same for both ethnic groups.

“It would be wonderful if something as simple and inexpensive as getting some natural sunshine on their skin each day could help women reduce their chance of getting fibroids,” said Baird. “This study adds to a growing body of literature showing the benefits of vitamin D,” said Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., director of NIEHS and the National Toxicology Program.

Allergy sufferers: 10 steps to prevent a miserable spring

ï Be prepared with appropriate precautions, medications and remedies in place before the onset of symptoms

ï Have a doctor who understands your symptoms

ï Know what triggers your allergies, and avoid as much as possible

ï Control asthma symptoms

ï Take care of your general health

ï Go easy on the decongestants; excessive use can elevate blood pressure and worsen congestion

ï Non-drowsy over-the-counter antihistamines (like Claritn, Allegra and Zyrtec) do a good job of seasonal allergy control

ï Prescription nasal steroids are best treatment for moderate-to-severe allergy symptoms

ï For some patients, the addition of a leukotriene inhibitor (such as Singular) would mediate inflammation that the body releases in response to irritants

ï If you’ve done all of the right things and still have bad allergy symptoms, it’s time to discuss immunotherapy (allergy shots) with your primary care physician or allergist.

Source: Kenneth Poole, Jr. M.D. Mercy Clinic Internal Medicine Clayton-Brentwood

Let’s Move: Golf & Walk Program underway in Metro East

Health departments in the City of St. Louis and East St. Louis, Illinois are hosting their second annual Let’s Move: So You Got Moves Golf and Walking Program. The activities began on May 2 and take place at the Grand Marais Golf Club, 5802 Lake Drive, East St. Louis on Thursdays through June 27th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

“Obesity is a major risk factor for the leading causes of death and disability including heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes,” said Pamela Rice Walker, director of Health for the City of St. Louis. She said St. Louis has a goal to reduce its current of obesity from 31 percent by five percent over the next four years.

Adult and youth golf lessons and games, walking trail activities, health screenings, personal development, and interactive nutrition booths will be available during the event to showcase ways for residents to implement healthy lifestyle choices in their daily lives.

The program will focus on promoting healthy family lifestyles and aligns with First Lady Michelle Obama’s national Let’s Move! initiative to solve the obesity epidemic.

For more information visit www.thehealthinstitutestl.org.

FIBROIDS

Continued from A1

gene; there is nothing people do to cause them and there is nothing you can do to prevent them,” Holloran-Schwartz added.

Uterine fibroids grow to various sizes and shapes. They can cause heavy menstrual cycles, resulting in anemia; bleeding between periods, cramping, pelvic pain, fullness and discomfort; back pain, bladder or rectal pressure, constipation, pain during intercourse, infertility, miscarriages and other pregnancy complications.

The hormone estrogen is linked to their growth, explaining why women of childbearing years are more likely to suffer with them, with the fibroids shrinking during menopause. Holloran-Schwartz said although lots of things have been looked at; diet, exercise, lifestyle modifications – nothing has consistently been proven to help prevent or treat fibroids.

Some women are fortunate to be asymptomatic, as was Geraldine Griffin was for many years, until October 2012, when fibroids struck with a vengeance. Active and athletic – fibroids turned her life into something she didn’t recognize.

“All of the sudden I started having this intense pain; I could hardly walk. I was at work sitting at my desk when this pain started shooting through me. I could hardly walk,” Griffin said. She left work and went to see her doctor.

“They thought I was pregnant; they kept asking me, ‘Are you pregnant? Your uterus is so hard; are you pregnant?’and I kept insisting that I wasn’t,” she said. They took a pregnancy test anyway, which confirmed what Griffin said. She received pain medication and was sent for a CT-scan (computed tomography xrays).

“They noticed that I had a mass in my lower abdomen that was equal to the size of being four months pregnant,” Griffin said. It was about three months before she could get in to see her high-demand gynecologist, and all the time she was in pain.

“Sometimes I couldn’t walk; I had to stop wearing high-heel shoes; I had to stop exercising; I had to kind of just come in the house and lay down – and my normal activities consist of water aerobics, regular aerobics, water park, full eight-hour day work; in and out of the house,” Griffin said. “I’m a busy body, so I was actually to the point that I couldn’t do anything. I was coming in, sitting down, putting my feet up, taking pain medication. It was on-going.”

Griffin met with her doctor who she said explained her fibroids may have outgrown their blood supply, which was later confirmed by ultrasound. They discussed medical and surgical options and Griffin underwent a laparoscopic partial hysterectomy (conserving the ovaries to allow for natural transition into menopause) earlier this year.

Uterine fibroids grow to various sizes and shapes.They can cause heavy menstrual cycles,resulting in anemia;bleeding between periods,cramping,pelvic pain,fullness and discomfort;back pain,bladder or rectal pressure,constipation,pain during intercourse,infertility,miscarriages and other pregnancy complications.

In African-American women, fibroids also seem to occur at a younger age, grow more quickly, and are more likely to cause symptoms.Overweight and obese women also are at higher risk of fibroids.

Womenshealth.gov

Hysterectomy was a logical choice for Griffin, who is 49 years old with an adult offspring.

“I was done with all of that, but I think the thing that made me decide to go on and have the fibroids removed was the fact that my lifestyle was changed,” Griffin said. “The pain, the swelling; I couldn’t wear belts; I couldn’t zip my pants up; I actually started putting on weight. From the time the fibroids was

She prays her future will include a loving marriage and a family of her own. Right now, beaucoup fibroids complicate her life in many ways. Normally athletic and active, fibroids torment her during menstrual cycles. They have caused lengthy, heavy bleeding, trips to the emergency room and even painful urinary retention episodes. huge fibroids pushing against her bladder are the suspected culprit.

“I’ve been told when I got the ultrasound at the hospital and when I talked to my doctor … my fibroids are too numerous to count and that the location makes it hard to tell exactly where the lining of the uterus is,” Johnsson said. “But what they could tell me is that the largest ones are about 5 or 6 centimeters … and then there are several that are about 2-3 cm. They speculate those are blocking others they can’t see from the ultrasound.”

She also said she was informed her uterus is about the size of a four-month pregnancy.

Johnsson’s mother and grandmother both eventually underwent hysterectomies due to problem fibroids.

“By the time they were my age, they had already had their kids,” Johnsson said. “So I am walking a tight rope.” Johnsson is weighing options available to shrink or remove the fibroids that would preserve the uterus and hopefully, her ability to conceive. One proposal is to take monthly injections of depo lupron to throw her body into temporary menopause in order to shrink the fibroids enough to where the largest ones could be surgically removed. But she does have concerns.

“My first concern is, it may not work and I still can’t have the kids and I may be left with a scar and possibly no uterus if something happens and there is bleeding they can’t control,” Johnsson said. “I am not sure that’s a risk I am willing to take.”

Holloran-Schwartz is not Johnsson’s gynecologist, but she said when surgical procedures are necessary, they are individualized according to each patient’s circumstances.

In cases where hysterectomy is decided upon, Holloran-Schwartz uses laparoscopic options whenever possible.

discovered and the time I had them removed, I was up 10 pounds … it was terrible.”

Griffin said her recovery was smooth with little down time.

But what are the options for younger women who suffer terribly with uterine fibroids who want to have children some day?

That is Johnsson’s dilemma. She is single, 30 years old with a good career.

“I do perform a single incision surgery, which is where we keep it all in the belly button, and those can be done for fibroid uteruses,” Holloran-Schwartz said. “Any patient that comes to see me for a hysterectomy, I will always use the fewest and the smallest incisions that I possibly can, to keep her safety in mind at all times.”

As Johnsson mulls over her options, she is juicing, eating healthy, exercising and calling on a higher power, adding, “I’m a believer that you can change a lot of things through prayer, a positive outlook and healthy living.”

For more information, visit http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/uter inefibroids.html.

By Denise Hooks Anderson,M.D. Medical Accuracy Editor

Several years ago I found a lump in my breast and like most women I was terrified since breast cancer had been diagnosed in the maternal side of my family. I immediately made an appointment to see my gynecologist but prior to the appointment I noticed that my lymph nodes were swollen under my arm and in my neck.Upon further examination of myself, I realized that this breast lump was probably just a lymph node. However, I kept my doctor’s appointment as originally planned.

Even though I was convinced that this lump was a lymph node, my doctor insisted upon performing a needle aspiration in her office. When she could not aspirate any fluid, she agreed with me that I needed to see a surgeon for a biopsy. In addition to this mass, I was also having night sweats. I had been having them for about a year but thought nothing of it. My bedroom was on the second floor and heat rises, you know. That is how I justified not seeing a doctor sooner. If you have not ascertained by now that doctors are horrible patients, just keep reading.

I remember the day of my biopsy like

Recognizing lupus

it was yesterday.I remember being slightly groggy in the recovery room but I noticed that my husband and a good friend were by my side. The surgeon entered, held my hand, and told us that the preliminary results revealed what I already thought:it looked like lymphoma, a lymph node type of cancer. Tears streamed down my cheeks. I had a one year old daughter and a new career. How could this be?

Waiting for the official biopsy results was torture. The specimen had to be sent away to have special staining in order to confirm the tissue sample taken during the surgery. I could not eat or sleep as I waited for that dreaded phone call.

About three days later, the surgeon called and revealed that the results were negative for cancer! Hallelujah! He then went on to say that the specimen was read as “non-specific.” That means nothing to doctors. So in my mind, it was not cancer so I moved on to other things.

However, a few months after that I began feeling more tired than before but I simply attributed the fatigue to my job.

I then began experiencing joint pain and stiffness, worse in the mornings.I was barely able to comb my daughter’s hair because I could not properly grasp the ponytail holders.

Finally, the light bulb went off in my mind. I checked some labs on myself and put it all together: black female, third decade of life, joint pain, night sweats, swollen lymph nodes, and abnormal labs.I had lupus!

Systemic Lupus

Erythematosus is a multisystem autoimmune disorder of connective tissue that is highly variable in its presentation, disease course, and prognosis. Lupus, as it is mostly known, affects primarily women but men are not spared. It usually presents in the second or third decade of life. As in my case, it may take several months or years to diagnose lupus.

Lupus can present with one ormore of the following:

ï Rash on face (looks like a butterfly)

ï Joint pain

ï Fatigue or weight loss

ï Anemia

ï Low white count

ïRecurrent miscarriage

Although there are over 11 criteria used in diagnosing lupus, only four positive findings are needed to make the diagnosis per the American College of

Rheumatology. Once preliminary labs such as an ANA, complete blood count, and sed rate have been checked, other confirmatory tests are then obtained.

The exact cause of lupus is unclear. It is thought to be a combination of immune system dysfunction, a genetic predisposition, and environmental factors. In lupus, the body produces antibodies that essentially attack it. This then can potentially damage the kidneys, lungs, or skin.

In previous genome studies, chromosome 1 has been linked to lupus in certain populations. It is also known that certain environmental triggers can cause lupus flares in genetically susceptible people. Sun exposure, illnesses, stress, or even certain medications such as procainamide or hydralazine, can potentially provoke a lupus exacerbation.

May is Lupus Awareness month. Lupus occurs more frequently in African Americans, Afro Cubans, Anglo-Asians, and American Hispanics. Currently, there is no cure for lupus but only medications to help manage and prevent flares. Because the manifestations of this disease can be overwhelming, I often recommend that patients join a local support group. This disease can be difficult on the patient as well as their family. For more information, contact the Lupus Foundation at www.lupus.org.

Yours in service, Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D. Assistant Professor SLUCare Family Medicine yourhealthmatters@stlamerican.com

YourHealth Matters

Abi-monthly special supplement of the St. Louis American May 16, 2013

YourHealth Matters provides up-to-date information, from an African-American perspective, about one of the most important subjects in evryone’s life – their personal health.

Donald M. Suggs, President and Publisher

Kevin Jones, Senior Vice President, COO

Dina M. Suggs, Senior Vice President

Chris King, Editorial Director

Denise Hooks Anderson, M.D., Medical Accuracy Editor

Sandra Jordan, Health Reporter

Debbie Chase, Director of Health Strategy & Outreach

Onye Ijei, Barb Sills, Pamela Simmons, Sales

Michael Terhaar, Art/Production Manager

Angelita Jackson, Cover Design

Wiley Price, Photojournalist

THE

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

Denise Hooks Anderson,M.D.

HEALTHY RECIPE

Roasted Grapes, Goat Cheese and Honey Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

makes 4 potatoes

4 sweet potatoes

2 cups red, seedless grapes

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 ounces goat cheese

2 tablespoons honey + additional for drizzling pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Poke holes in sweet potato with a fork, then wrap each tightly in aluminum foil. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until potatoes and tender to the touch. Unwrap foil and cut a slit down the middle of each sweet potato. Let sit until cool enough to handle.

Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Lay grapes on a nonstick baking sheet and drizzle with oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper, then toss to coat. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until grapes begin to burst. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Once sweet potatoes are somewhat cool, gently remove the flesh with a spoon, trying to keep the potato intact. Add the sweet potato to a large bowl, then mash with 3 ounces of goat cheese, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, pepper and honey. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired, then scoop flash back into the potato skins.

Re-warm the potatoes in the oven if necessary, then top with remaining goat cheese. Add grapes on top and serve with additional drizzled honey.

Nutrient Information: (per serving)

Established in 1988, Food Outreach continues to be the only nonprofit organization in greater St.Louis that focuses on providing nutritional support to low-income men, women and children battling cancer or HIV/AIDS. The on-staff Chef and Registered Dietitians are pivotal to the program. Through a combination of freshly prepared frozen meals, groceries and nutrition counseling, clients have access to critical dietary needs to help them best optimize their treatments and enhance their quality of life. In 2011, Food Outreach provided nearly half a million nutritious meals at no cost to 1902 clients of all ages living in 137 Missouri and Illinois zip codes. For more information, call 314-652-3663 x121 or visit www.foodoutreach.org.

Photo by Wiley Price

Health Q&A

An overactive thyroid may manifest as fatigue

Source: Reprinted from the MayoClinic.com article, Second Opinion, www.HealthLetter.MayoClinic.com

Q. I understand why someone with an underactive thyroid would be fatigued, but I was diagnosed with an overactive thyroid and fatigue was my main symptom. How could I be fatigued if I have too much thyroid hormone in my system?

A. When most people think of an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), they correctly associate the disease with the body systems being “revved up.”

Indeed, hyperthyroidism often has signs and symptoms of that activation, including accelerated heart rate or palpitations, increased metabolism and weight loss, frequent bowel movements, and a jittery nervousness. However, being revved up an only last for so long before fatigue sets in.

People with hyperthyroidism often have poor sleep quality. On top of that, their bodily functions such as heart rate, breathing and metabolism are always racing, even when at rest. Eventually, muscles weaken and the capacity for exercise declines, further accelerating the downward spiral of fatigue.

In extreme cases, the only apparent symptom of even severe overactivity of the thyroid gland can be profound and debilitating fatigue. This is most often seen in older adults.

Fatigue related to the thyroid is usually a symptom of a significant thyroid problem.

Aheart formusic; from donorto recipient

By Bridjes O’Neil Of the St.Louis American

For the first time on May 4th, surviving family members of organ donor Anthony “Tony” Mather met one of four organ recipients who benefitted from his donation. Mather’s heart now belongs to local blues musician Gus Thornton, of East St. Louis, Ill. The emotional gathering was held at the home where Mather once lived in Wentzville, Mo. Prior to meeting, both families maintained regular correspondence with each other –either by mail or telephone – and had developed a close relationship.

“[Gus] told me he was gonna open his shirt and let me feel Tony’s heart beating,” said Tony’s mother, Clarita Mather, of Janesville, Wis.

“This kind of meeting between a donor family and a recipient is extremely rare,” said Tammy McLane, director of corporate communications of MidAmerica Transplant Services.

After they became better acquainted, both families gathered at the Beale on Broadway to hear Thornton play his bass guitar during a jam session with fellow blues artist, David Dee.

“He’s still a musician; he’s still contributing to the community,” McLane said of Thornton, “because one person made a generous decision to donate.”

Tony was an aspiring musician who also played the guitar; his family said they were thrilled to learn his heart went to another musician.

“I can still see Tony sitting on his bed playing his guitar,” Clarita said.

Tony died unexpectedly on April 22nd, 2011; and his family is still coping with their tragic loss. He was only 46. At 17, Tony signed the back of his driver’s license indicating his desire to be an organ donor. In addition to his heart, three other organs were harvested for donation – both of his kidneys and liver.

In January 2011, Thornton was placed on an organ donor wait list at BarnesJewish Hospital; he was 35th on the list. Thornton said he was bumped up to the top of the list and spent several days hospitalized in the ICU where he waited for a new heart. It came on April 23rd.

Although April is Organ Donor Awareness month, the Mid-America Transplant Services advocate for organ and tissue donations year-round.

According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, there are 1,454 patients waiting for an organ transplant in St. Louis. Of this number, 455 patients are disproportionately African American. People who need an organ transplant are more likely to have success, if their donor is of the same racial or ethnic group. Yet, African Americans are less likely to sign up to become organ and tissue donors.

Blues musician and heart transplant recipient Gus Thornton of East St.Louis,Illinois got to spend time in-person with his donor’s family last weekend in St.Louis.His donor,Anthony “Tony”Mather,died in 2011.He also played guitar.

“Historically, the African American consent rate lags behind the Caucasian rate,” McLane said. “So, one of our current programs is to increase awareness and education about the topic among this demographic.”

The simplest way people can join the state organ and tissue donor registry, McLane said, is through their local DMV office.

“We really need everybody who is

supportive of this cause and want to make this life-changing decision to join the organ and tissue donor registry,” McLane said. “We are trying to save people in our own community. We want it to be as normal as recycling or wearing your seat belt.”

The Mid-America Transplant Services will host its annual Candlelight Memorial Ceremony at Highlands Park on August 25th, at which Thornton has

been asked to perform at the bequest of the donor family. According to the family, Thornton has stated an interest in writing a song in Tony’s memory. Video about this story is available online at stlamerican.com.

For more information on organ and tissue donation, call 314-735-8200 or visit Mid-America Transplant Services at www.mts-stl.org.

Maurice Meredith photo

Behavioral

Christian Hospital offers free and confidential psychiatric and chemical dependency evaluations at the Christian Hospital Center for Mental Health. For more information, call 314-839-3171.

Christian Hospital Key Program offers support and education to patients with chronic mental illness to prevent increased severity of symptoms and to reduce the need for inpatient re-hospitalization. Call confidentially to 314-8393171 or 1-800-447-4301.

Crime Victim Advocacy Center provides no cost support for persons who have been affected by criminal acts. Emil peggy@supportvictims.org, visit or call the 24-hour hotline 314-OK-BE-MAD (652-3673) or visit www.supportvictims.org.

Bike helmet safety

The St. Louis County Health Department provides free bicycle helmets to St. Louis County residents between ages 1 and 17 by appointment only. Proof of residency is required. For the location nearest you, visit www.tinyurl.freebikehelmets.

HEALTH RESOURCES

Breast Cancer Gateway to Hope offers no-charge medical and reconstructive treatment for uninsured breast cancer patients in Missouri. Contact 314-569-1113.

Dental

Free Dental Hygiene Clinic - No charge dental exams, x-rays, cleanings and other dental services for children and adults provided by dental students at Missouri College. Patients needing more extensive dental work (fillings, crowns, etc.) will be referred to local dentists. For information, call 314-768-7899.

Diabetes

SSM St. Mary’s Health Center provides free, Diabetes Support Group sessions the second Tuesday of every month from 6 – 7 p.m. to address health management issues. It’s located at Meeting Room 1 on the second floor, 6420 Clayton Rd. in St. Louis. To register, call toll free 866-SSM-DOCS (866-7763627).

Health Partnerships

The CenterforCommunity Health and Partnerships: Building Bridges for Healthy Communities works to develop and support beneficial community-aca-

demic partnerships to address the health needs of the St. Louis. For more information, email publichealth@wustl.edu; phone 314-747-9212 or visit publichealth.wustl.edu.

Information

Missouri 2-1-1 offers referral and information on a wide range of social service and helpful resources. Call 2-1-1.

Medical

St. Louis ConnectCare offers walk-in services Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and most holidays. For more information, call 314-879-6300.

Salam Free Saturday Clinic, 10 a.m. –2 p.m. at the Isom Community Center at Lane Tabernacle CME Church, 916 N. Newstead, St. Louis, Mo. for those who are uninsured. For more information, call 314-533-0534.

Nutrition

Food Outreach provides food, meals and nutritional education/ counseling to eligible persons living with HIV/AIDS or cancer in St. Louis. For more information, call 314-652-3663 or visit www.foodoutreach.org.

St. Louis Milk Depot - SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital is a breast milk depot. Milk Depot staff will store and ship your milk to IMMB. For more information, call (314) 242-5912.

Prostate Cancer

The CancerCenterof The Empowerment Network at 6000 W. Florissant in St. Louis provides information on prostate and other types of cancer, and services and support. For more information, call 314-385-0998.

Prescription Cost Help

St. Louis ConnectCare Retail

Pharmacy – offers a $4 generic prescription program. Hours are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Mon. – Fri., no weekends or holidays. Located at 5535 Delmar Blvd. in St. Louis, Call 314-879-6208.

Schnucks Pharmacies – now offers certain prescription prenatal vitamins for free and offers no-cost generic prescription antibiotics at select locations.

Respiratory Health

Free lung function screening - Christian Hospital Breathing Center at Northwest HealthCare, 1225 Graham Rd. For more information, call 314-953-6040.

Left-Right:Honorary Co-Chairman,St.Louis City License Collector Michael McMillan;Hon. Jimmie M.Edwards;James Clark,Better Family Life;Koren Bolden,Street Dreamz;Malik Ahmed,Better Family Life;Honorary Co-Chairman National Baseball Hall of Famer and former St.Louis Cardinal Lou Brock;Co-Chairman Ed Holt.Seated:DeBorah Ahmed,senior vice president,Better Family Life;Dr.James M.Whittico,family practitioner;and Auxiliary president,Judi Sams.

ConnectCare Auxiliary holds Jazz/Blues Brunch, concert

The St. Louis ConnectCare Auxiliary held a Jazz/Blues Brunch and Concert on April 27 to help raise $175,000 for patient equipment at Saint Louis ConnectCare.

Honorary co-chairmen introduced and presented Humanitarian Awards to Koran Bolden for promoting teen excellence; to James M. Whittico, Jr., M.D. for service in health care; to Hon. Jimmie M. Edwards for helping to reduce street violence; and to Better Family Life for community outreach excellence.

Music for the event was provided by the Ed Nicholson Quartet; Bob Ellison; Exclusively Yours; and Wendy Gordon.

“Even though the banquet is over, the effort to raise funds is ongoing. Donations are still accepted,” Auxiliary President Judi Sams said.

For more information, call (314) 879-6494.

Thurs., May 16, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., “Fighting Fair: Constructive Arguing,” Village North Retirement Community, OASIS peer-led discussion, 11160 Village North Drive 63136. Register at 314-747-WELL(9355) or 1877-747-WELL(9355).

Fri. May 17, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Free Diabetes Screenings by Christian Hospital at Dierbergs, 222 North Highway 67, Florissant, MO, 63031. No fasting required; a glucose or A1C screening, body mass index and blood pressure check. Pre-registration is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. For more information, call 314-747-WELL (314-747-9355) or toll-free 877-7479355.

Sat. May 18, Community Women Against Hardship’s 9th Annual Walk & Health Fair, Tower Grove Park (Grand Entrance) Son of Rest Shelter; fun family activities to encourage a healthier lifestyle. For more information, call 314-289-7523 or visit www.cwah.org.

Sat. May 18, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., American Red Cross Blood Drive to help children with sickle cell disease at Christ OurRedeemerAfrican

CALENDAR

Methodist Episcopal Church, 13820 Old Jamestown Rd. in Black Jack, Mo. To register call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1800-733-2767), choose Option 2 or register online at http://tinyurl.com/sicklecellblooddrive.

Sat. May 18, 6 p.m., Missouri Eating DisorderAssociation’s Annual Benefit Gala, St. Louis Frontenac Hilton. For more information, call 314-685-4100 or email lisa.ikensokolik@castlewoodtc.com.

Wed. May 22, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., American CancerSociety’s 100th Birthday celebration, Hope Lodge, 4215 Lindell Blvd. St. Louis, RSVPto Debbie.oehmen@cancer.org or call 314286-8156. For more information, visit www.cancer.org/fight.

Sat. May 25, 8 a.m., NAMI Walks fundraiser, Forest Park UpperMuny Parking lot. Walk starts at 9 a.m. For more information, visit www.namiwalks.org.

Wed. May 29, 9 a.m. – 12 Noon, 4th Annual SeniorHealth & Fitness Jam 2013, YMCAMonsanto, 5555 Page Blvd St Louis, MO 63112. Health screenings, vendors, cooking demo,

bingo, energy classes, fitness demo and line dancing by Monsanto Senior Steppers and Fredbird. For more information, call WellCare Health Plan of Missouri, (314) 444 –7506 or visit www.WellCare.com.

Thurs. May 30, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Free Diabetes Screenings, by Christian Hospital at Kmart, 11978 St. Charles Rock Rd., Bridgeton, Mo. No fasting required; glucose or A1C screening, body mass index and blood pressure check. Pre-registration is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. For more information, call 314-747-WELL(314-7479355) or toll-free 877-747-9355.

Sat. June 1, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., St. Louis ConnectCare Hepatitis C Awareness Day, 5535 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, health screenings for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV, syphilis. For more information, call 314-879-6455.

Tues., June 4, 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Free Diabetes Screenings by Christian Hospital at Alton Square Mall Upper Level, Alton, Ill. 62002; No fasting required;glucose or A1C screening, body mass index and blood pressure check. Pre-registration is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. For more infor-

mation, call 314-747-WELL(314-7479355) or toll-free 877-747-9355.

Thurs. June 20, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Free Diabetes Screenings by Christian Hospital at Edward Jones YMCA, No fasting required; a glucose or A1C screening, body mass index and blood pressure check. Pre-registration is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. For more information, call 314-747-WELL (314-747-9355) or toll-free 877-7479355.

Wed. June 26, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Free Diabetes Screenings by Christian Hospital at Hidden Lake Lutheran Services, 11728 Hidden Lake Drive, St. Louis, 63138. No fasting required; a glucose or A1C screening, body mass index and blood pressure check. Pre-registration is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. For more information, call 314-747-WELL(314-747-9355) or tollfree 877-747-9355.

Sundays, 10 a.m. – Alcoholics Anonymous Group 109 meets in the 11th floor conference room at Christian Hospital, 11133 Dunn Road at I270/Hwy. 367. This is an open meeting for alcoholics, drug addicts and their family and friends.