May 24th, 2018 Edition

Business leaders invest

$900K in North St. Louis

By Ashley Jones For The St. Louis American

“Today

Students remember victims of police violence

‘We are always watching,’ students warn police

By Rebecca Rivas

Of The St. Louis American

On May 20, Mike Brown would have turned 22. A day before his birthday, about 50 high school students and supporters marched to St. Louis Metropolitan Police headquarters. Student organizers said they did not realize the significance behind their chosen date for the Student March for Black Lives on Saturday, May 19, which was also Malcolm X’s

See STUDENTS, A7

By Kenya Vaughn and Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American

The global faith community is mourning the loss of spiritual leader and social activist Bishop Cornal Garnett Henning Sr. Bishop Henning, who served as the 112th bishop of the AME Church, passed away on Tuesday, May 15 at the age of 82.

“He was an advocate for social justice and human rights wherever he served,” Bishop Clement W. Fugh, presiding prelate of the AME Church’s 5th Episcopal District, told the Los Angeles Sentinel Through his ministry St. Louis was blessed by Bishop Henning’s global footprint and legacy of community building and activism. He spent six years as pastor of St. Peter AME Church in St. Louis (1968-1972), where the membership increased by more than 650 members under his leadership.

After eight years as pastor of Ward AME Church in Los Angeles, Bishop Henning returned to St. Louis to lead St. Paul AME Church – where he served from 1980-1992. He continued the transformational social activism that made him a beloved and powerful faith and community leader in Los Angeles.

Political activist

Bishop Henning was a founding member of the St. Louis Clergy Coalition and chairperson of its Political Action Committee.

“The Clergy Coalition has made great inroads for public policy and to correct the wrongs against people of color,” Rev. Spencer Lamar Booker, pastor of St. Paul AME Church, said. “With the impactful leadership of Bishop C. Garnett Henning, I’m blessed to walk in his footsteps here at St. Paul AME Church. He left a legacy here at St. Paul as well as in St. Louis.” Bishop Henning also organized the St. Louis Superintendent-Clergy Committee to assist in the development of a positive relationship between the St. Louis Public Schools administration, the Board of Education and the black community, seeking to keep the lines of communication open and constructive.

Rev. Booker said Bishop Henning “worked with the superintendent of schools in order to bridge the gap to assure that our children were get-

Photos by Wiley Price

Photo by Carolina Hidalgo of St. Louis Public Radio

Students took part in a

Malik Caesar, 5, beats a drum with Da Warehouse Warriors while marching in the Annie Malone May Day Parade on Sunday, May 20.

Little drummer man

Bishop Cornal Garnett Henning Sr.

Obamas ink major multiyear deal with Netflix

Former President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama have signed a multi-year production deal with Netflix.

The partnership was announced on Monday and will feature the Obamas in capacities in front of and behind the camera.

Netflix’s announcement of the deal said, “the Obamas will produce a diverse mix of content, including the potential for scripted series, unscripted series, docu-series, documentaries and features.”

Financial terms were not disclosed.

“We hope to cultivate and curate the talented, inspiring, creative voices who are able to promote greater empathy and understanding between peoples and help them share their stories with the entire world,” Barack Obama said in a statement.

Tidal denies beefing up Beyoncé and Kanye West streaming numbers

make sure that our artists, employees, and subscribers know that we are not taking the security and integrity of our data lightly, and we will not back down from our commitment to them.”

“When we learned of a potential data breach we immediately, and aggressively, began pursuing multiple avenues available to uncover what occurred. This included reporting it to proper authorities, pursuing legal action, and proactively taking steps to further strengthen our stringent security measures that are already in place.”

R. Kelly accuser speaks out

and “demanded … with authority in his voice” that she take off her clothes.

Rodgers said that she didn’t feel ready, but she eventually submitted to the encounter, which she said he recorded without her consent. “He has this type of intimidation right off the bat, so I was just waiting for it to be over,” she explained.

Last week, Norwegian newspaper Dagens Næringsliv accused Jay Z’s music streaming service Tidal of wildly inflating streaming numbers for Beyoncé and Kanye West In a statement to Music Business World, Tidal denies the accusations.

An excerpt from the statement reads as

“We reject and deny the claims that have been made by Dagens Næringsliv. Although we do not typically comment on stories we believe to be false, we feel it is important to

Faith Rodgers, the woman accusing R&B singer R. Kelly of sexual assault and infecting her with genital herpes, has come forward to tell her story.

Rodgers told “CBS This Morning” on Tuesday that she met the 51-yearold singer when she was 19 last year in Texas. She claims he told her “she looked about 14.”

Following months of texting, he flew her to New York for a concert, after which she claims he came to her hotel room, turned out the lights

According to documents obtained by TMZ. com, she called the encounter “abusive sex” – and Kelly allegedly criticized her for being boring in bed.

Rodgers claimed that after they had sex, he asked her how old she was and told her, “You know if you’re really 16, you can tell Daddy, right? … You know, you look about 14, 15, 16.”

The documents also say they dated for about one year, during which she alleges that he mentally, verbally and sexually abused her. Rodgers claims he locked her in rooms, studios and cars to punish her for failing to fulfill his sexual desires. In the suit, Rodgers says Kelly had a female assistant stand guard to make sure she didn’t flee.

Sources: TMZ.com, CBS This Morning, CNN.com, Music Business World, Forbes.com

Michelle & Barack Obama

Faith Rodgers

Beyoncé

Tariffs are driving up newspaper costs

American staff

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) is backing a bipartisan push led by U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) to halt excessive taxes on paper imports that are critical to Missouri’s newspaper and printing industries. The bipartisan legislation, which has been endorsed by printers and publishers representing more than 600,000 American jobs, would suspend the import taxes on uncoated groundwood paper while the Department of Commerce examines the health of—and the effects on—the printing and

McCaskill opposes newsprint tariffs

publishing industry.

“Local news, and newspapers that provide it, are critical pieces of a community and our democracy—they pay attention to what’s going on, hold those in authority accountable, and tell the important stories of folks making a difference in the community,” McCaskill said.

“Newspapers are already struggling to stay in business with the changing economy— and the last thing they need are added costs that were imposed based on what appears to be the request of a single mill owned by a venture-capital firm that’s looking to increase their profits on the backs of newspaper companies across the country.”

The St. Louis American is hurting from these tariffs, like every other print publication in the country.

“As it currently stands, these tariffs are costing us

about $50,000 a year, and that number may increase,” said Kevin Jones, chief operating officer of The American

“Many newspapers have cut

Brawl ends ESL track title hopes

East St. Louis has struggled with a negative image for over 100 years. From the so-called race riots of 1917 to a present day reputation for rampant poverty, violence, crime, corruption and hopelessness, ESL has, unfortunately, become infamous on a global scale.

And, most recently, East Boogie earned another dubious distinction in being named “the most dangerous city” in America by the National Council for Home Safety and Security, based upon violent crime statistics in approximately 3,500 towns/cities nationally.

natives do (or say) things that give critics the ammunition to validate these labels as, somehow, justified.

Take, for instance, the recent Southwestern Conference Championship boys track meet held at East St. Louis Senior High School. In what should have been a showcase for ESL Flyer athletic prowess, athleticism and a gateway to, possibly, a State Championship appearance, chaos prevailed instead.

So, in knowing this, I am always dismayed when a minority of ESL

With the competition barely underway, a fight among spectators (including adults and students) broke out in the grandstand, then escalated, with some members of the East St. Louis track team joining in on the

melee.

staff and cut pages – and that’s in an already challenged industry.”

According to CNN, the paper tariffs were pushed for by

Security escorted participants from the stadium and the meet was subsequently cancelled for safety reasons, according to ESL athletics director Darren Sunkett.

As a result, ESL School District 189 cancelled the boy’s track season, which would eliminate their chances to compete for the state title.

That’s unfortunate, because some members of the boys track team are seniors and could be denied potential track scholarship opportunities.

That same week students, frustrated with the decision, walked out of classes at ESL Senior High and marched to a rally at the ESL Board of Education, demanding a reversal of the district’s decision.

ESL superintendent Arthur

“Many newspapers have cut staff and cut pages – and that’s in an already challenged industry.”

–

Kevin Jones, chief operating officer of The American

one small company in the state of Washington called Northern Pacific Paper. It employs about 300 workers and is owned by One Rock Capital, a private equity firm in New York.

In late 2017, the Department of Commerce initiated antidumping and countervailing duty investigations into the Canadian uncoated groundwood paper industry on behalf of a single domestic paper mill. This

Culver, after reviewing footage of the skirmish, upheld his decision, only to be overruled by the Board of Education.

However, State Superintendent Tony Smith upheld Culver’s original decision, citing Culver’s concerns over safety and the potential for renewed tensions and/or violence at future meets. He has that authority, given that the district operates under a state consent decree, giving Smith final say in such matters.

Ideally, penalizing those students who were guilty and sparing those who were not, as well as pressing charges against adult participants, if identified, would have been the fairest possible solution. Punishing innocent members of the track team based upon a “guilt by association” philosophy is a bit heavy-handed and sends the wrong message to the track team.

At the same time, those who did participate need to learn the larger lesson that poor choices and actions have consequences. Better to learn that now, while they are young enough to rebound, than decades down the line;

paper is used by newspapers, book publishers, and numerous other commercial printers in the United States. The import taxes are as high as 32 percent on some products, and that cost is passed on to printers, book publishers, and newspapers that are already under severe economic stress.

Nearly all of the U.S. paper industry opposes these import taxes, including the large trade association representing the entire industry, the American Forest and Paper Association, because the Department of Commerce’s action threatens to decimate the paper industry’s customers and injure printers and publishers. The tariffs aren’t yet permanent, CNN reported. The International Trade Commission has scheduled a hearing to review them in July and is expected to make a final decision in September.

and better to be alive than the victim of retaliation at a subsequent track meet.

And to those who may have the opportunity to speak to student protestors and even participants in the grandstand drama, they must convey the message that the ESL community has an obligation not to play into the critics’ or detractors’ stereotypes of their city and should represent themselves and ESL in the best possible light.

If they don’t, then they’ll continue to earn their way onto every negative list, be the brunt of stereotypical jokes, racist innuendo and have a negative reputation which precedes them and overshadows all of the good that they may achieve.

So, the track season has ended for the ESL Flyers’ boys track team but, hopefully, this will be an eternal life lesson that will be the foundation for success in the lives of these young people for years to come.

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

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill

Columnist James Ingram

Editorial /CommEntary

Mayor is right to defend 2012 ward reduction vote

Malaika Pedzayi-Ferguson, a junior at Crossroads College Prep, lives on a “little black street” north of the Delmar Divide. Her neighbors look after each other because they’ve learned that no one else is going to, she said in a speech at the Student March for Black Lives on Saturday. The system has left her community to rot, she said.

“We need you to care for communities that aren’t your own,” Pedzayi-Ferguson said. “The less fortunate. The redlined. Communities that have been quite literally blacklisted. Black people deserve better than subpar housing because black houses matter. Black safety matters, and black lives matter.”

One path to build a more equitable region is to elect politicians who have the preparation and the will to fight to protect black interests. As we’ve said before, the end game is not the number of black politicians in power. Moreover, in the past year, we’ve seen some white progressives take a tougher position on policy to protect fundamental black interests than some of our black elected officials.

And now, the city’s black aldermen are backing a bill to keep the number of city wards at 28 – instead of cutting the wards by half as voters approved in the high-turnout November 2012 general election. Unless this new Board Bill 25 to reverse the 2012 decision passes, the number of city wards will be reduced to 14 by 2022. If the bill does pass, it would go on the ballot in the April 2019 election and require 60 percent of the vote to pass.

The concern that redrawing ward lines could leave the black community without adequate representation is a valid one, and that’s why we need able black aldermen to ensure representation at the drawing table. The answer is not to simply maintain an inefficient system. At present, black aldermen hold 11 of the 28 seats on the Board of Aldermen, far less than the percentage of the city’s black population, so it’s not proportionate black political power that the black aldermen are defending, but rather a weak, unwieldy system where they were able to get elected.

We commend Mayor Lyda Krewson for promising to veto the legislation if aldermen take a final vote on the bill and will defend her against the unreasonable claim that in defending the 2012 vote for ward reduction she is pushing for black disenfranchisement.

While we commend black aldermen for pushing forward bills on minority inclusion and subpoena power for the Civilian Oversight Board of police work, those were low-hanging fruit. They sailed through the Board of Aldermen unopposed. The true battles recently were opposing the use of taxpayers’ dollars to fund improvements to Scottrade Center (now named Enterprise Center) and to build a soccer stadium, along with the fight to close the Workhouse. The opposition to these proposals was led by white progressives.

Kudos to one of the newest white progressives on the board, Alderwoman Heather Navarro (D-28th Ward), who sponsored a resolution on May 18 calling on the board’s Legislative Committee to form an advisory committee on the effects of ward reduction.

“If we do move forward, we need to be able to listen to all the concerns from the people who oppose it, and make sure we incorporate those into our deliberations about how logistically we operate as 14 as opposed to 28,” Navarro said.

Another newly elected progressive, Alderwoman Annie Rice (I-8th Ward), wrote before the resolution’s passage that she couldn’t support 14 wards without a plan, but Navarro’s resolution helps address this need. Redistricting is a concerning situation that must be dealt with as soon as possible, she said.

“I support initiatives to take ward-drawing power away from us at the Board of Aldermen and give it to a nonpartisan judicial or citizen commission,” Rice stated in a Facebook post.

“There will be change with the 2020 census, there always is. There are always huge risks involved for communities as populations move, and we only fight inequality with fully transparent, equitable ward-drawing methods. People have been working to get support for this type of bill, and we will continue to press forward with that now.”

We commend these efforts. We urge the mayor to use all of her power and resources to ensure the most equitable redistricting process, as well. In fact, it is not difficult to redistrict the city with at least seven of 14 wards having a majority black population and thus providing for much more proportionate black power on the board than we have now.

However many aldermen end up on the board, they need to reassess the city’s basic priorities. We need informed aldermen who will not blindly say “yes” to every free hand-out that developers ask for – tanking the city’s credit rating in the process. We need aldermen who will fight to fund the Affordable Housing Trust Fund at $7 million as community groups have demanded – not the minimum $5.5 million that Krewson promised last week – because “black homes matter,” as the students said. North St. Louis is plagued with overwhelming poverty and lack of resources. Black aldermen have allowed this to persist through their acquiescence to tax-incentive deals that deepen this divide. The fight to defend “black wards” as currently districted is only a distraction from all the real, hard work that must be done to capitalize better on our competitive advantages to spur economic growth that addresses the needs of all segments of the city. Change is hard, but more strategic, collaborative and smart governance is essential if we are going to improve the lives of all St. Louisans.

Dismantling The Divide

By Jacki Langum For The St. Louis American

In 2016, landlords and property managers across Missouri filed 35,000 separate eviction lawsuits. In St. Louis city and county, over 20 eviction judgments were entered each day, meaning thousands of families were evicted from their homes that year. Regardless of the reason, an eviction causes an instant seismic shift and fractures a family’s safety and stability for years to come.

Landlords often run prospective tenants through screening companies and search online court records. Some landlords make a tenancy decision when a person’s name pops up, regardless of the lawsuit outcome or whether the tenant was even evicted. A single eviction on a tenant’s record can mean a landlord will charge them a larger security deposit or a higher monthly rental amount. A lot of landlords will turn them away. For a family, an eviction money judgment shows up on their credit report and can impact interest or auto insurance rates or whether they have to pay a deposit to turn on gas or electric utilities. Within a regional landscape lacking safe, affordable housing, families are forced to choose from less than ideal housing options and often resign themselves to substandard housing far away from jobs, opportunities, public transportation, and strong schools.

In her recent op-ed, St. Louis Public Schools Homeless Coordinator Deidra-Thomas Murray wrote that the eviction

crisis cripples the academic performance of our children. This fact is confirmed by For the Sake of All’s recent report, “Segregation in St. Louis: Dismantling the Divide,” which shows how the current practices and eviction rates cause “spiraling damage to lower income children and families.”

Our region must work to reduce the number of evictions and, in turn, increase housing stability for families and children.

One strategy is to build and maintain preventative community-based social service supports with housing and utility assistance. These services often require an eviction filing or a disconnection notice before tenants can apply for assistance. However, shifting the emphasis to pre-eviction services helps to reduce the barriers that can keep tenants in crisis and make them homeless. When evictions do occur, families need access to immediate affordable, habitable housing. We need to tailor the supportive services timeline to what works best for the family in addressing their obstacles to housing security instead of checking a box and moving along, only for people to find themselves in the eviction cycle again.

While the regional Continuum of Care meets to

Harris-Stowe has a right to exist

By Dwaun J. Warmack For The St. Louis American

Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU), the only HBCU in the St. Louis region, has a right to exist. Despite unfounded diatribes being leveled at HSSU, we proudly celebrate 161 years of existence. The university’s local, regional and national reach continues, and top student-scholars, outstanding faculty, and staff are looking to be part of the Harris-Stowe experience of an excellence trajectory. As president since 2014, I am humbled and honored to serve this great, historic institution.

Radical transformation has taken place at Harris-Stowe since 2014, and as a team, the university has significantly raised its academic profile, its degree production of graduates, increased majors, minors and certificate programs. Contrary to skewed opinions, HSSU is a leader in graduating African Americans and other underrepresented groups with baccalaureate degrees. In addition, the fall-to-spring retention rate is close to 90 percent, the highest ever within the past decade.

Far from being an endangered institution, trend data for HSSU reflects the following during 2014-2018: three years of enrollment growth of 19.3 percent, with no additional state funding; 43 majors, minors, and certificate programs – up from 14 in 2013; and donor and external funding has more than doubled during that same time period.

Since 2014, degrees at Harris-Stowe have increased by 32.1 percent with the 2018 graduating class the largest in the history of the institution. Unfortunately, based on U.S. Department of Education graduation calculations, only 11 percent of these graduates will count in Harris-Stowe’s graduation

rates while a vast majority –89 percent – will not. Yet, no matter the calculations, every student-scholar who attends HSSU perseveres in spite of any personal or financial challenges. There are many success stories of our graduates who have faced unimaginable odds, and yet are a true testament to the perseverance and pursuit of academic excellence.

Since 2014, HSSU has been ranked nationally for its academic programs in publications such as Diverse Issues in Higher Education (a national top 50 ranking for graduating African Americans in education, mathematics and statistics – the only Missouri higher education institution listed) and as one of the top HBCUs in U.S. News & World Report’s annual college ranking. Furthermore, Washington Monthly ranked HSSU as one of the best baccalaureate colleges in the nation.

HSSU’s impact on the region and the economic wellbeing of its graduates cannot be underestimated. A landmark study conducted by the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) on the economic impact of HBCUs puts HSSU’s annual economic impact on the St. Louis region at $65 million – more than 6.5 times its 20172018 state appropriation of $9.4 million. The UNCF study further estimates the lifetime earning potential for an HSSU graduate is approximately $2.5 million, 70 percent higher than if they only had a high school diploma. This means that this year’s graduating class will have potential earnings of $445 million over their collective professional careers. Amazing,

Letters to the editor

EPA needs to do its job

collaboratively and creatively provide social services and resources to end homelessness, our local governments need to stop closing shelters, disbanding tent communities, and pushing the homeless out of sight by arresting and jailing them for poverty crimes.

In the meantime, the City of St. Louis also needs to actually allocate money to the historically underfunded Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

Another strategy is to prioritize outreach and information sharing with tenants living in substandard conditions. Tenants reached out to ArchCity Defenders last year after their landlord threatened an illegal eviction. We worked with the tenants and other social service providers to get them into safe, habitable housing. We also filed a lawsuit against the landlord when he tried to circumvent the lawful eviction process. The tenants knew to reach out because they knew they had rights and the power to make change.

Finally, we need more prose materials made available to tenants to defend themselves in a courtroom. While courts provide form pleadings for landlords for the usual eviction lawsuits, they do not for tenants. Tenants, too, should have pro-se forms.

Implementing these strategies would empower the most impacted communities and ultimately translate to fewer people forced to survive on the streets of St. Louis.

Jacki Langum is director of Advocacy for ArchCity Defenders.

Thanks for sharing St. Louis Department of Health Director Melba Moore’s article on asthma in your April insert. As Moore wrote, air pollution is a dangerous asthma trigger. Cars play a huge role in causing air pollution. Unfortunately, Scott Pruitt, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is rolling back rules that would decrease pollution from automobiles. Pruitt wants to make our cars less fuel-efficient. That means more smog, more soot, more asthma.

I appreciate that Director Moore cited guidelines that St. Louis can follow to improve asthma care. But if we want to really change the outlook for asthma in our community, we need the EPA to do its job of reducing air pollution so that there are less asthma triggers in the first place.

The data outlined in this piece shows that there’s a lot of work to be done to combat the triggers of asthma attacks, and we need the EPA’s help to make that happen.

Unfortunately, Scott Pruitt refuses to do his job as the nation’s top environmental protection officer – in fact, he’s actively trying to make things worse. For the sake of all breathing people, Pruitt must resign or be fired immediately

Andrew Heaslet, St. Louis

Stop the cuts to foreign aid

Just like last year, the White House has released a national budget proposal that drastically slashes foreign aid. What does this money do? For starters: It ensures that millions of people get treatment for tuberculosis, which is currently the world’s biggest infectious killer. It helps babies get the medical

considering that many of our students are the first in their families to graduate from college and 90 percent of them are Pell Grant-eligible or from low- to moderate-income families.

HSSU students get a quick start on those professional careers as well. In 2017, more than 75 percent of HSSU’s seniors secured job offers in their field of study prior to graduating. Also, since 2014, HSSU graduates can be counted in some of the top graduate programs in the country, including Indiana University, University of Colorado, Alabama A&M, Washington University, University of Missouri, Columbia, St. Louis University, and the University of Illinois. The success of our graduates at these institutions demonstrates that the HSSU undergraduate experience prepares students to be competitive in any type of academic environment.

The Missouri Department of Higher Education has stated that its goal is to see 60 percent of Missourians achieve a post-secondary credential by 2025. Statistically, HSSU is on track to become one of the nation’s top-tier HBCUs in that timeframe. HSSU has always maintained full accreditation status. For the first time, HSSU launched its Honors College in 2015. The entering high school grade point average for scholars in the program is a 3.8 and an ACT of a 24. It is unfathomable that in 2018, HBCUs like HSSU are forced to constantly defend their right to exist. However, we will continue to do so as long as vitriolic defamations and racist rants are irresponsibly spewed into the community – a community that this historic institution proudly continues to enhance, embrace, and support.

Dwaun J. Warmack is president of Harris-Stowe State University.

care and nutrition they need to grow into healthy kids. It gives girls a chance to go to school. Cutting these programs denies millions of people a future. This is not who we are. Congress knows it, which is why they fought back last year to stop the proposed cuts. They must do the same now.

Greg Campbell, St. Louis Missouri workers, veterans deserve better

I need your help to stop proposed legislation harmful to victims of asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis.

Most importantly, this bill directly harms Missouri military veterans afflicted with these diseases.

HB1645 not only harms working men, women, and their families, but it is most harmful to Missouri military veterans. HB1645 will give asbestos companies who knowingly poisoned workers the ability to further delay and deny their accountability and force victims to disclose private and confidential medical information related to their diagnosis.

Missouri workers, veterans, and their families deserve better.

Jennifer Faulhaber, Fenton

Columnist

Jacki Langum

Columnist Dwaun J. Warmack

Running for scholarships in Hazelwood

More than 1,300 individuals registered for the 37th Annual Hazelwood PTA Council Scholarship Run/Walk event at Hazelwood Central High School on May 5. For more than three decades, this event and other PTA Council fundraisers have raised more than $3.4 million for the Hazelwood PTA Student Scholarship Fund, which benefits deserving Hazelwood graduating seniors. Since the program inception in 1959, Hazelwood PTA Council has granted more than 3,400 scholarships to students.

Ferguson Police hosting forums on new policies

The Ferguson Police Department is revising its Stop, Search, and Arrest policies pursuant to the Consent Decree between the city and the U.S. Department of Justice. City representatives and Department of Justice attorneys will be holding two policy forums (same event, two nights to choose from) to discuss these policies and collect community input. The forums will be held 3-5 p.m. Sunday, June 3 at the Urban League’s Ferguson Community Empowerment Center, 9420 W Florissant Ave., and 6:308:30 p.m. Monday, June 4 at First Baptist Church, 333 N Florissant Rd. If you cannot attend but would like more information or have a question, please email Community.Ferguson@crt.usdoj.gov

McCaskill to host a free Grant Symposium in St. Louis on June 8

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill’s office will host a free Grant Symposium in St. Louis 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, June 8 at Harris-Stowe State University. Doors open and check-in begins at 8:00 a.m.

This symposium will be a one-day event focused on helping statewide nonprofit organizations, as well as local governments, learn helpful information and best practices regarding federal and foundation funding opportunities. Representatives from government agencies and foundations will deliver presentations on available funding opportunities and application processes. In addition, they will participate in panel discussions, and staff informational booths throughout the day. There will also be breakout sessions covering a variety of topics, including those aimed at improving grant research and grant-writing skills. For more information and to register, visit mccaskill.senate.gov/ stlgrantsymposium.

Federal lawsuit challenges HUD to enforce fair housing rule

By Charlene Crowell For The St. Louis American

In 1965 President Lyndon Johnson created a new cabinet-level agency, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The agency became responsible for developing programs and crafting policies that would support urban America with decent housing, homeownership opportunities and more. Following enactment of the Fair Housing Act in 1968, HUD was further charged with its enforcement.

But the current HUD Secretary, Dr. Ben Carson, willfully ignores the vital mission of the agency he was appointed to lead. From proposing billion-dollar budget reductions, increasing rental fees for public housing, and halting efforts that require local communities receiving HUD funds to address fair housing needs, Carson’s tenure has been troublesome.

Now, his retreat from enforcing fair housing has led to a federal lawsuit filed by housing and civil rights advocates who are calling upon a federal court to reinstate a key rule used to fight segregated housing.

any explanation or evidence as to why the agency felt justified in suspending the rule.

Unless the federal court intervenes, the rule suspension will remain in effect until either 2024 or 2025.

Across the country, an estimated $5.5 billion in HUD funding is awarded each year. Nearly twothirds of these funds go to approximately 1,210 grantees through HUD’s Community Development Block (CDBG) Grant program. With this year’s rule suspension and continuing for several years, grant recipients – largely state and local government jurisdictions -- can obligate their allocations without any concern for compliance with the Fair Housing Act rule.

On May 8, the National Fair Housing Alliance, Texas Appleseed, and Texas Low Income Housing Information Service (Texas Housers) jointly asked the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to reinstate a HUD rule that Carson suspended this past January.

The rule, known as Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH), implemented the legal requirement that federal agencies and federal grantees further the purposes of the Fair Housing Act by dismantling residential segregation. The rule took effect in July 2015, after widespread documentation over several years revealed how many HUD grantees made no discernible effort to end segregated housing in their locales.

In response, the AFFH rule specifically required any organization receiving HUD funds to have a plan and timeline that incorporates community concerns to actively address local housing problems. This planning approach was structured to enable HUD grantees to take meaningful and measurable actions to overcome historic patterns of segregation. Additionally. the rule promotes fair housing choice and fosters inclusive communities.

“Each day HUD holds up requiring jurisdictions to fully comply with the law is another day that millions of people are being denied fair housing opportunities,” said Lisa Rice, president and CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance.

According to the complaint, HUD suspended the rule on January 5 without providing any prior notice or opportunity to comment. HUD also did not offer

A permanent rule reversal could also signal a return to the kinds of actions that necessitated the rule.

For example, a 2007 False Claims Act case was brought against Westchester County, New York. Thanks to a whistleblower organization, it was disclosed that the county defrauded the federal government in its use of $50 million in HUD revenues over several years. This county regularly certified HUD compliance with the Fair Housing Act even though the local jurisdiction was deliberately concentrating affordable housing in a small number of Black and Latino cities. The county also shared its CDBG funds with overwhelmingly white suburbs that refused to allow affordable housing.

In a 2010 report to Congress, the General Accounting Office (GAO) found many jurisdictions lacked any oversight or accountability with HUD funds. Nearly one-third of local jurisdictions failed to make a minimal effort to write a report known as “Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice;” in housing parlance the report is known as an AI. The GAO found that 29 percent of jurisdictions did not complete this report over a five-year period. Another 11 percent had not done so in a decade. Others could not identify a date of completion, or had no AI at all.

In short, HUD did not meaningfully oversee its grantees in this process. However, after the rule took effect, communities responded with forward strides. In Philadelphia where widespread evictions in communities of color were cited as a serious barrier to fair housing, the city began an Eviction Prevention Project that included legal assistance for consumers facing unjust evictions.

In other examples, Paramount, California began an initiative to increase access to group home housing for people with disabilities. New Orleans promised to create 140 units of affordable rental housing by 2021. These and other positive housing developments are now on hold with the rule suspension.

Charlene Crowell

HENNING

Continued from A1

ting a quality education.”

St. Paul Saturdays cofounder

Decades ago at St. Paul AME, Bishop Henning co-founded St. Paul Saturdays with Dr. William Harrison of St. Louis Community College. Drugs and violence were taking a toll on young males in the community.

“The question was raised, ‘What are we going to do about our boys?’” Bishop Henning said as he reflected on the program’s origins at the 25th anniversary celebration of St. Paul Saturdays back in 2010. “Dr. Harrison said, ‘If we could just get them together and talk about the things that will help them grow into manhood, that would be a good thing.’”

The conversation they held in the basement of St. Paul AME Church evolved into weekly meetings with young boys and that blossomed into St. Paul Saturdays, a mentoring ministry that continues to provide positive experiences for black youth that encourage their development into strong black men.

“When these young men walked up here and represented themselves and represented their future their way, it almost brought tears to my eyes,” Bishop Henning said.

Among other accolades the program has earned since its inception, St. Paul Saturdays boasts a 100 percent high school graduation rate among the hundreds of young men it has served.

“How marvelous it is to have this kind of institution to survive and thrive,” Bishop Henning said. “The need for St. Paul Saturdays is greater today than it’s ever been.”

That’s still true, and young boys continue to meet at the church every Saturday morning.

“Here 35 years later, St. Paul Saturdays is still a vibrant

program,” Rev. Booker said. “And the very mentees that Dr. Harrison and Bishop Garnett Henning mentored are now the mentors in charge of that program today.”

Global education supporter

Henning left St. Louis in 1992 upon his election as the 112th Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He was then assigned to the14th Episcopal District –West Africa, where he served four years. While there he established the C. Garnett Henning, Jr. Memorial High School, named in memory of his deceased son and located in Danane, Cote D’Ivoire. In 1996, he founded AME University in Monrovia, Liberia. The university currently has an estimated enrollment of 4000 students and is the second largest university in the

country. He also built Bethel AME. Church in Accra, Ghana.

In 1996 Bishop Henning was assigned to the 19th Episcopal District – South Africa, where he served until 2000. In 1998, he renovated the R. R. Wright School of Theology in Evaton, South Africa, purchased an Episcopal residence appraised at $700,000, and worked with Bishop Donald G. K. Ming and Bishop Harold Senatle to reopen Wilberforce Institute, which had been closed during the apartheid era.

“He was an outstanding preacher, an outstanding leader and an outstanding social activist,” Bishop T. Larry Kirkland, former head of the AME’s Fifth District (which includes Missouri), told the Los Angeles Sentinel. “People in the U.S. and Africa were moved and lifted by his kind, warm spirit.”

Church restoration

He returned to the United States to lead the Eighth Episcopal District, which is comprised of Mississippi and Louisiana. Five years into his tenure, Hurricane Katrina –the worst natural disaster in U.S. history – devastated the churches under his umbrella of leadership.

Bishop Henning was asked by the church to administer more than $3 million raised by the AME Church for the restoration of damaged churches. At the same time, Bishop Henning was appointed to the National Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund by former President Bill Clinton. With the appointment came the responsibility of directing the distribution of more than $70 million to religious institutions in the region. Under Bishop Henning’s leadership, 49 of 51 churches damaged by Katrina were restored.

Early life and education

Bishop Henning was born in Memphis, Tennessee and educated in the public schools of Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky and Tennessee. He completed his undergraduate studies at Wilberforce University, a Master of Divinity from Payne Theological Seminary, and course work for the Doctorate of Ministry at Eden Theological Seminary in Webster Groves. Bishop Henning was also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He is survived by his wife, Ernestine Henning; his daughter Dr. Carma Love, who resides in California; two grandchildren, Jahbrielle Henning-Rayford and Massiah Garnett Henning; sisters The Right Reverend E. Anne Henning Byfield (the 135th elected and con-

July 2008 during the 48th Quadrennial Session of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in St. Louis.

was campaigning for the Democratic nomination for U.S. president.

secrated bishop of the

Two Celebration of Life services took place in Los Angeles earlier this week, one at Ward AME Church and at First AME Church, according to the AME Church website. The final funeral service takes place on Saturday, May 26 in Memphis Tennessee at St. Andrew AME Church, pastored by Rev. Byron Moore. The officiant is Bishop Jeffrey N. Leath, presiding bishop, 13th Episcopal District and the eulogist is Bishop McKinley Young, presiding bishop, 3rd District, Episcopal classmate and senior bishop.

The Los Angeles Sentinel contributed to this report.

AME Church), retired Supervisor Yvonne Henning Parks and brother Dr. Herman W. Henning Jr. His daughter Helaine and son Garnett Jr. preceded him in death.

Photo by Wiley Price

Bishop C. Garnett Henning Sr. (center) and retired Bishop Zekiah LaZett Grady (left) spoke with then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama in

Obama

Continued from A1

King Jr. Drive, Goodfellow Boulevard and West Florissant Avenue. These particular programs were selected because of their proven track record of positive results as well as a response to the need to focus on an area of St. Louis that is experiencing some of the highest rates of violent crime.

Save Our Sons staff and graduates attended the May 16 press event. Will Donlow, one of more than 400 graduates of the program, spoke for the Urban League.

“We all know that humility comes before promotion,” said Donlow. “Our city was humbled by the Mike Brown incident. Now it’s time for our promotion. And everything’s connected. All of our hard work, all of your love, and all of your energy is connected. We are connected.”

The Urban League received $250,000 to expand Save Our Sons into North City, for crime prevention, and for police-community mediation.

“We know that money answers all things, but I have a motto that I have been going about in the Save Our Sons program and I call it ‘MOM,’” Donlow said. “It stands for Morality Over Money, and our city needs to come together with our morality to match our money and treat each other good so we can see the change that we need to see in this community.”

On top of the financial resources granted to improve

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engaged only after the bullets are fired. We want to show that we are always watching, and we are always engaged. We are still here, and we are expecting change.”

As part of the action, students held a die-in where they held a moment of silence for the nine individuals who were killed by city police in 2017. Alexander said that the St. Louis city police department kills more people than any other police department in the country, according to a Riverfront Times report on Vice News’ analysis of data.

City cops shot a yearly average of more than five people per 100,000 residents from 2010 to 2016, according to the Vice News report.

by

public safety, member companies of Regional Business Council hired 12 contractors to conduct a four-weekend Clean Sweep program in North City neighborhoods this summer, in collaboration with BFL. The majority of Civic Progress’ funds – $200,000 –will be given to STL Youth Jobs for summer youth employment.

That’s nearly double the rates for Chicago, New Orleans and Philadelphia – the next three departments on the list.

“We are in first place,” Alexander said, “and it’s by a lot.”

In a statement to the RFT, St. Louis police said, “Policing is a dangerous job and often requires officers to make split-second decisions. While the numbers you referenced in your inquiry paint a picture, you must take into account the circumstances, and examine each incident on a case by case basis.”

In response to the student march, a police spokeswoman told The American in a statement, “The students were able to exercise their First Amendment rights while the police department maintained public safety.”

State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed marched alongside the stu-

n

“Our city needs to come together with our morality to match our money and treat each other good so we can see the change that we need to see in this community.”

– Will Donlow

“There’s a particular movie 25 percent of you may have seen called Black Panther,” said Suzanne Sitherwood, president of Civic Progress and president and CEO of Spire.

dents and spoke at the rally in front of police headquarters.

n

“I’m here today because it’s 2018 and we still have people thinking it’s 1818,” Nasheed said. “I’m here today because too many people in this country see brown skin and they call 911. At Starbucks. At Nordstrom’s. At a family barbeque. On the front steps of their own home. For too many people in this country –they see us as ‘less than.’”

er one who cuts everyone’s lawn on the street.

“I’m here today because too many people in this country see brown skin and they call 911.”

– State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed

Malaika Pedzayi-Ferguson, a junior at Crossroads College Prep, echoed this sentiment in her speech. In her neighborhood north of Delmar Boulevard, she has a neighbor who fixes flat tires and anoth-

“But they are all considered bad because of the little black street they live on,” Pedzayi-Ferguson said. “Several weeks ago, there was a fire across the street from my house. A couple of houses were completely burned down. The effects of the Delmar Divide and redlining are that no one cares for these houses or the people that occupy them.”

The damage and neglect to her community is systematic, she said.

“The bottom line is we need you,” Pedzayi-Ferguson said. “We need you to care

Clay, Better Family Life to host forum on gun violence

U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay

(D-MO) will join with Better Family Life, Inc. to host a unique and urgent town hall meeting on gun violence 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 30 at the Better Family Life Cultural Center, 5415 Page Ave. “A Community Conversation on Gun Violence” will feature powerful testimony from victims of gun violence; ex-offenders who have committed gun crimes; local law enforcement; nonprofit outreach teams who are confronting this epidemic of violence; the leadership of the Clergy Coalition; and Clay.

n “This is not just a fight against gun violence; it is a fight to save our community’s future.”

– U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay

“Doing something to stop gun violence begins with us listening and working at ground level to reduce the flood of guns into our community and to deescalate situations before they explode with tragic consequences,” said Clay.

“The common-sense gun control legislation that I have introduced will help, especially when it is combined with the good and courageous

work of Better Family Life, Inc. in our most challenged neighborhoods. This is not just a fight against gun violence; it is a fight to save our community’s future.”

The town hall meeting will be followed-up by a Wear Orange Day walk at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 2. The march, which is coordinated by Better Family Life, Radio One and the St. Louis Regional

CrimeStoppers, will start at St. Alphonsus “Rock” Liguori Catholic Church, 1118 N Grand Blvd., and will conclude at Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club, 2901 N. Grand Ave. Following the walk, a rally and a community resource fair will take place at Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club until 2 p.m. For more information, call (314) 669-9393.

“At the close of the movie, the king of Wakanda says, ‘We will work to get an example of how we as brothers and sisters on this earth should treat each other. Now more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our existence. We all know the truth. More connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another.’” She referenced this speech to these new investments in North St. Louis. “I feel like our gathering here today is symbolic of the way we have come together as a region, and we want to look after each other. It takes all of us together in what we do best to make that happen.”

for communities that aren’t your own. The less fortunate. The redlined. Communities that have been quite literally blacklisted. Black people deserve better than subpar housing because black houses matter. Black safety matters and black lives matter.”

The Students for Black Lives group formed this spring, Alexander said, and there’s a large crossover between students who are also involved in Students Demand Action and March for Our Lives – two students groups fighting for gun legislation reform. Kirkwood High School freshmen Lily Dayan and Devin Corley organized and led Saturday’s march.

During the die-in, Brianna Chandler, a junior at Nerinx Hall High School, said she was staring up at the police headquarters building.

“I started to wonder how

well-funded it is,” Chandler said to the crowd right before they dispersed. “I started to think that it’s probably more well-funded than some of the inner-city schools. How some people always tell black people to pull themselves up by their bootstraps but they don’t even give us quality schools to get our boots in. It is so important for us to keep showing up so they know that someone is watching.”

Brianna’s father, Solomon Chandler, marched behind his daughter to show his support.

“There is so much change that’s needed in the community,” Solomon said. “I admire that this generation is taking a stand because they are going to be the ones that affect the change. They are all going to be turning 18 and voting soon. They are woke.”

Civic Progress, the Regional Business Council, and 125 leading businesses in the region announced an investment of $900,000 for crime prevention, intervention and enforcement in North St. Louis at the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis’ Martin Luther King Urban League Head Start Center on May 16.

Photo

Wiley Price

ESL valedictorian also graduating with associate’s degree

School District 189 partners with SWIC

American staff

Montez Holton, valedictorian of the East St. Louis Senior High School Class of 2018, will walk across two stages this month: earning a high school diploma an and associate’s degree.

Montez and 29 other Flyers are participants in Running Start, a partnership program between School District 189 and Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC). Montez had to qualify on academic merit to take all his junior and senior level classes at SWIC. He paid $0 for his associate’s degree, as District 189 covered all his tuition, books, supplies, meals and transportation expenses.

Montez plans to use his 68 college hours of credit to transfer to Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. He will enter this fall as a college Junior on a full tuition scholarship worth about $20,000 per year. Since the cost of Fisk is approximately $32,000 per year for tuition, fees, housing and meals, Montez will begin his college career with a $64,000 savings.

Ironically, participation in Running Start led him to stop running cross-country and track, as working up to 30 hours per week and taking college-level courses left little time for practice and competition.

“I tried to go to practice and

compete the first semester,” said Montez, “but studying for college courses and juggling

n Holton plans to use his 68 college hours of credit to transfer to Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.

everything was overwhelming.”

He said that he misses that part of high school, but the college credit is worth the sacrifice. Montez said that he would tell anyone choosing Running Start to be ready to be independent, work hard, and sacrifice. The first Running Start cohort was from the Class of 2017, which celebrated 4 seniors who earned both a high school diploma and associate’s degree. Now there are 29 others from East St. Louis Senior High School in the Running Start program - five others graduating like Holton with two diplomas and more who are on track to graduate next year.

At Maryville, access to higher education is just the beginning … your future soars from there.

— 97% career placement rate

— 92% of fulltime students receive financial aid Visit maryville.edu/award to learn more about our scholarships, including the Dr. Donald M. Suggs award, which provides full tuition, room and board.

Montez Holton, Class of 2018 from East St. Louis Senior High and Southwestern Illinois College.

Payola comes to Southern soul

I have always been a fan of what is now called Southern soul music, a type of music that developed from what we once called R&B, soul, jazz and blues. Some have hijacked the classification and now associate the artists with hip-hop and rap, but the generations who grew up with these sounds understand what is considered Southern soul and the artists who record the music.

Most of the radio personalities who feature the music are lovers of the category and do everything possible to promote the songs and the entertainers, but it is sad to report that a few hundred across the country are not as willing to do so. I am also confident the owners of these stations do not know or condone the practices of these hustlers.

Payola has been the radio and music industry’s dirty secret for decades. Now in some areas, with some deejays, it is crippling an industry and giving a bad name to a profession that has such a rich and illustrious history.

successful from a business perspective. You know they are going to be trying to make these segments successful, and maybe discover that there is a whole segment of audience interested in hearing independent artists.”

Many new artists and performers do not have an opportunity to be heard if they do not pay cash or offer some other gratuity. There are so many talented men and women who create remarkable music that should be heard and played on these Southern soul stations. It is not the entire business, but only a handful of hungry deejays. It amazes me how the behaviors of one negative member can have a powerful and often detrimental influence on the entire industry.

Bernie Hayes

Payola was an old promotional practice, dating as far back as the 1880s. In the 1950s, payola evolved into music publishers and record labels providing cash, gifts, or royalties to radio station disc jockeys in order to gain airplay, which stimulated record sales

Over a decade ago, FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, who has made payola and deceptive on-air practices a topic, said, “I appreciate broadcasters considering creative ways of getting fresh music to their audiences. I think that getting independent artists on the radio will hopefully be very

Having just a few greedy, egotistical or unqualified individuals around can ruin the performance and reputation of an entire genre, no matter how stellar the artists. Look around any radio station, and chances are you’ll be able to find at least one person whose negative behavior affects the rest of the group to varying degrees.

The announcers who are guilty of this practice should read Maya Angelou, who once said, “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”

Please watch the Bernie Hayes TV program Saturday night at 10 p.m. and Sunday evenings at 5:30 p.m. on NLEC-TV Ch. 24.2. I can be reached by fax at (314) 8373369, e-mail at berhay@swbell. net or on Twitter @berhay.

Normandy breaks ground on school improvements

The Normandy Schools Collaborative recently held a ceremonial groundbreaking at Jefferson Elementary School, celebrating the construction of a new building entrance, library media center, and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) studio. These improvements at Jefferson are possible due to the voters’ approval of Proposition N, the no-tax-rate increase bond issue. Pictured here from left: Craig Lucas, Kwame Building Group; Rev. Cedric Portis, president, Normandy Joint Executive Governing Board (JEGB); Barbara Fraser, St. Louis County

Executive Steve Stenger’s education liaison; Chris Krehmeyer, president/CEO, Beyond Housing; Hazel Erby, St. Louis County councilwoman; Charles Pearson, Normandy superintendent; Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge, vice president, Normandy JEGB; Robin Vaulx-Wiliams, Jefferson principal; Thomas George, chancellor, University of Missouri-St. Louis; and Curtis Cassel, principal, TRi Architects.

The Missouri Department of Conservation says the state has many species of ticks, but the two most often encountered hard ticks are the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) and the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis). The deer tick (Ixodes scapularis), sometimes called the blacklegged tick, is another common Missouri species.

Sick from the tick

Illnesses from ticks are increasing in the U.S.

By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American

American staff

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has responded to a request by state Senator Jamilah Nasheed (D-St. Louis) to address unacceptable living conditions at the Clinton-Peabody Housing Complex.

Last September, Nasheed sent a letter to HUD demanding immediate inspections and remediation of the complex to protect the health and safety of its residents. In its response to Nasheed, HUD detailed more than $185,000 worth of repairs and remediation efforts that have been completed to address issues including rodent infestation, sewer repairs and ventilation issues.

“The living conditions at Clinton-

A recent Vital Signs report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that illnesses from ticks, fleas and mosquitoes are increasing in the U.S. The number of reported cases tripled from 2004 to 2016 with more than 640,000 incidents of illness. The CDC said nine new germs spread by mosquitoes and ticks were reported during See NASHEED, A11

this 13-year period. Ticks don’t have to ride on your hide or find your delectable side. You can avoid tickborne illnesses by avoiding the bites. There are precautions to take as more people head outdoors during warm weather months and participate in outdoor activities.

“It’s really important for them to avoid any woody or brushy areas and tall grass, as well as areas that have a lot of leaf litter, because the ticks could be in those

areas,” said Dr. Fred Echols, director of Communicable Diseases for the St. Louis County Health Department. “We advise individuals who are walking on trails in some of our parks around the St. Louis metropolitan area that they walk in the center of the trails. That’s where they are least likely to encounter or pick up a tick.” He also advises proper clothing to protect

See TICKS,

State Senator Jamilah Nasheed and state Rep. Bruce Franks Jr. participated in a forum about unacceptable living conditions at the ClintonPeabody Housing Complex on March 2.

By Gail Ferrer For The St. Louis American

I’m from St. Louis Missouri and I am a Lupus warrior! I have been living with lupus for more than 27 years, and I’ve been involved with the Lupus Foundation of America, Heartland Chapter for 25 years.

Although I was diagnosed 27 years ago, I believe I’ve had lupus since I was a little girl. My family thought I had arthritis because my joints would not only ache but sometimes they would lock up. I remember once my left knee got stuck in the seated position. It stayed like that for maybe two weeks or more. The doctors couldn’t explain it, nor could they unlock it (and believe me, they painfully tried). It finally unlocked on its own.

As I got older my elbows, thumbs and fingers would lock sporadically without cause, it seemed. Therefore, I saw a rheumatologist way before I was diagnosed. I was “watched” and experimented with, because “it was something there,” they would say, but not enough to diagnose anything specific. When I found out I had lupus, my life didn’t actually change that much in the beginning. Initially I was so relieved to have a name for what was wrong with me. I was excited actually because now I know I was not imagining things.

n When I found out I had lupus, my life didn’t actually change that much in the beginning. Initially I was so relieved to have a name for what was wrong with me.

As I gleaned the little information that was available at that time and probed my doctors, I began to get disappointed and depressed. I was overwhelmed. I had to back off being prepared for what could happen and take it as it came. Now that I think about it, that word “incurable” blew my mind. I was diagnosed with lupus in June 1990, while pregnant with my youngest son. Lupus showed up in a big way. I was put in the hospital three or four times in a seven-month pregnancy. Yes, the baby came two months early – I was very sick and so was he. I already had a Rheumatologist so my doctor knew where to start treatment. This was the start of my diagnosed lupus fight.

As a wife and working mother of two very young boys, I feared the outlook was hopeless. I was scared to death for me and my family.

The hardest part of lupus is the uncertainties of flares, the medication and the numerous doctors’ visits. As the years went by, and with the coming and going of quite a few doctors, I began to do better. Since then I have been diagnosed with several crossover diseases, like scleroderma, neuropathy, Raynaud syndrome, lumbar stenosis and pulmonary hypertension. With each new thing came a new pill.

After 10 or more years, I began to know more about this lupus thing, and my attitude towards it changed. I no longer battled with getting rid of it, but instead I tried to focus on how to live my life in spite of it.

Lupus took so much from me that I decided I had to create a new normal for myself or I would not make it. My new normal helped me to stop comparing myself to others or to the Gail before lupus. This

See LUPUS, A11

Gail Ferrer

Photo by Wiley Price

TICKS

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the skin from ticks.

“Wearing light-colored clothing will allow them to identify ticks sooner rather than later; make sure that the shirts that they wear are longsleeved and to make sure that their shirts are tucked into the pants and the hem of the pants are tucked into the socks,” Dr. Echols said.

Going “natural” for insect repellants may not work on ticks, he added.

“Using insect repellant that contains 20 percent DEET is also important,” Dr. Echols said. “Some of the natural products that are being marketed are not effective for preventing tick bites or distracting ticks from humans.”

While you and your family are spending time outdoors, he said you should always check your body, clothing, gear, your children and your pets for ticks.

“Pets can also serve as vehicles for ticks to get into the home, get into cars, then get on family members,” he said.

A comprehensive check is needed particularly for children, Dr. Echols said. “It’s important to check for ticks under the arms, in and around the children’s ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, behind the legs, around the waist and also in the hair.”

He said these precautions still apply even to small neighborhood parks in the area or even the back yard of your home.

When precautions become no match for a hungry tick and you find one of those blood-sucking disease vectors

attached to the skin, Dr. Echols said there is a preferred method for its removal.

“Use a tweezer, to then grasp the tweezer as close to the skin as possible, then pull upward with a steady, even pressure,” Dr. Echols said. “We also advise when you are

pulling upward, don’t twist or jerk the tick out – just a steady, even pressure should work.”

After removing the tick, he said to clean the area with alcohol, an iodine scrub or soap and water. Sometimes, however,

pieces of the tick can break off into the skin during the removal process. He advises to let it be.

“Don’t try to remove it; just let the skin heal properly, and then typically what will happen, the skin pushes that piece of the tick out as well,”

Dr. Echols said. If a person receives a bite by a disease-carrying tick, it usually takes a couple of weeks to develop symptoms, which include fever, chills, aches, pains and rashes. He said seek medical care as soon as possible.

Salad in a jar in East St. Louis

By Patricia Merritt

High school kids learn about portable nutritious food

For The St. Louis American

Lore’al Perkins, a senior at Southern Illinois

University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS), has packed celery, carrots, broccoli and peppers, in an array of yellow, red and orange, into her glass mason jar.

She is waiting patiently in line for the cucumbers, cranberries, sunflower seeds and spinach. “I think salad in a jar is a cool way to eat vegetables on the run,” said Perkins.

n “Dark-color vegetables – like plums, blackberries, grapes and blueberries – help with inflammation. Processed foods, dairy and sugar add to inflammation.”

– Julie Gau

Of the 25 participants, Perkins was one of 11 CHS students from Edith Laktzian’s Life Skills class who attended the Learning Resource Center’s Success and Continuing Knowledge (S.A.C.K.) Lunch and Learn workshop. Nutrition, health and wellness coaches Jen Rowlen, of Glen Carbon, and Julie Gau, of St. Louis, taught the workshop.

“We empower people in the area of nutrition, health and wellness,” said Rowlen.

“The idea of putting salad in a jar is a good way to make sure you are eating your vegetables. It’s also an economical way of preserving them longer.” The health coaches explained the benefits of eating vegetables, especially when they are raw.

“Dark-color vegetables – like plums, blackberries, grapes and blueberries – help with inflammation,” said Gau. “Processed foods, dairy and sugar add to inflammation.”

The Lunch and Learn program at the SIUE East St. Louis Center is supported by the College of Arts and Sciences’ Targeted Funding Initiative.

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Continued from A10

new normal was more of an affirmation that reminds me I may start at a different level or can only do a certain amount, but I’m still ok. I became a lupus support group facilitator, which made profound changes in my life. My focus changed, and I was meeting new people who knew lupus intimately. Through working with the Lupus Foundation of America, the group discussions and just listening, I decided to stop hating lupus. My faith is my hope and strength. After much prayer

and tears, I found out that sometimes I need help. I have a very good support systems in my life. I have friends with lupus whom I can ask questions and family members who may not know the specifics about this disease but are there for me. I have a

n That word “incurable” blew my mind.

team of doctors who know how lupus looks and acts on me. I also continue to volunteer for the Lupus Foundation. The Lupus Foundation has so much to offer those living with lupus at all stages of the disease. They offer

A recent Vital Signs report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that illnesses from ticks, fleas and mosquitoes are increasing in the U.S.

teleconferences, workshops, doctor recommendations, support groups and much more.

I believe my journey with lupus and the fact that I’m still here is an inspiration to the people who know me. I love speaking at health fairs to let people see lupus working and to let them know that lupus is not always a death sentence.

“There can be long term complications and even death if an individual is not properly treated,” Dr. Echols said. For more information on tick-related diseases, visit https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/ diseases/.

NASHEED

Continued from A10

Peabody were deplorable, and I am glad that HUD listened to us, got to work and made real improvements for the people that live there,” Nasheed said. In addition to her letter last fall, Nasheed and local leaders held a town hall meeting at the Clinton-Peabody Housing Complex last September. Last month, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill toured the facility to ensure action was being taken to protect residents.

Nasheed said she appreciated the help she had received from McCaskill, and state Representatives Michael Butler and Bruce Franks Jr. in bringing attention to this issue.

The letter from HUD also noted that at least $250,000 worth of work is still needed, though no funding has been identified to meet this need.

“There is still work to be done,” Nasheed said, “and we will continue to hold agencies accountable so that the individuals and families at ClintonPeabody are never forgotten.”

People need to know about lupus. They need to know that it is a manageable disease more often than not.

For more information about the Lupus Foundation of America, Heartland Chapter, visit https://www.lupus.org/ heartland.

Lore’al Perkins, a senior at the SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School, displays her salad in a jar.

Photo courtesy of Rebecca Harper

Cory Booker stumps for Claire McCaskill

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri) was joined in her home state on May 19 and 20 by U.S. Senator Cory Booker (DNew Jersey) to make the case for her upcoming reelection campaign. At the Sheet Metal Workers Local Union No. 36 in St. Louis, Booker offered an endorsement of McCaskill as a unifying force in a divided government.

Booker, who was elected in 2013 as New Jersey’s first African-American senator, described McCaskill as a leader who is in touch with her constituents’ needs and a fierce advocate for them.

“When I see her stand up and fight, when I see her in the trenches, that gives me courage,” Booker said.

Recent reports by the Washington Examiner and CNBC, among others, have named McCaskill as one of the “most at-risk” Senate Democrats in this year’s election cycle, with the greatest chance of losing her Senate seat to a Republican challenger. In McCaskill’s case, that challenger is state Attorney General Josh Hawley, who leads his campaign website with the words, “It’s time to defeat Claire McCaskill. Missouri’s senator should be a conservative.”

immediately became a “soul sister.”

“Who she is speaks so loudly that you almost can’t hear what she says,” Booker said. “You feel her spirit.”

Booker, a prominent Democrat and possible contender for the party’s 2020 presidential nomination, characterized this year’s midterms as part of a “moral moment” in which Americans must unite across racial and political lines.

“If we were gonna make this country, we had to make an unusual commitment to one another,” Booker said. “We had to pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor. Those are the last words of the Declaration of Independence: pledging our sacred honor. And so this is a time we have to ask ourselves: What are we doing in this moral moment?”

Booker linked that moral imperative to Democratic policy goals like gun reform and fighting economic inequality, comparing the gathered McCaskill supporters to other groups of Americans who achieved moral victories through labor or civil rights organizing.

Despite that, McCaskill said at the event she is focused on keeping her head down and getting work done in Congress.

“The work is trying to figure out how I can get something done every single day that improves the lives of Missourians,” McCaskill said.

“I am way more focused on that than I am on any of the chaos, or any of the drama, or any of the back-and-forth.”

Booker said McCaskill helped him find his way in the Senate as a freshman senator elected in a special election and

McCaskill said she believes most Missourians are concerned with issues like ensuring their families can receive health care and common-sense gun control measures. The event, which took place days after a school shooting in Santa Fe, Texas left 10 people dead, was attended by many members of the activist group Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.

“I know the vast majority of Missourians want to make sure terrorists can’t buy guns,” McCaskill said, referring to a bipartisan proposal in the Senate to ban individuals on the “no-fly” list of those designed by the FBI as unsafe to board commercial flights. “I know the

majority of Missourians want to make sure that if you’re a criminal, you can’t buy a gun online.”

McCaskill said she was proud to have never taken money from the National Rifle Association (NRA) and that too many people who do fall in line behind their policy preferences “like sheep.”

Hawley, McCaskill’s Republican opponent, criticized her stance on gun issues, saying on Twitter that “you cannot be for the 2nd Amendment AND for taking away citizens’ guns.”

Financial disclosures show that Hawley received thousands of dollars from the NRA in his bid for state attorney general.

McCaskill said the gridlock on the issue of gun control could likely only be broken by voters.

“I think this election is one of those pivotal elections when it comes to recognizing the simple fact that you can support the Second Amendment and common-sense gun safety measures,” McCaskill said. “And by the way, that’s where most Americans are, that’s where most Missourians are.”

Booker agreed, saying Americans are realizing basic gun control measures could save many lives.

“I think the consciousness of our country has risen, and I’m really expecting to see this

this weekend included a visit to the Annie Malone May Day Parade on Sunday, where they met with the city’s public safety leadership.

by Wiley Price

become a significant election issue,” Booker said.

Democrats would have to pick up three seats in the Senate to regain a majority; in the House, they would need to flip 24. Although midterms do not tend to favor the incumbent president’s party, Booker and McCaskill said they do not want to make assumptions.

“There’s only two ways to run in politics: unopposed and afraid,” Booker said. “Anybody who’s taking anything for granted or making any kind of assumptions, I’d just remind them about 2016 when we heard the same kinds of presumptions. Every single election you have to earn, and that’s why I’m so proud of Claire. I’m not sure that there’s anybody outworking her for any race, anywhere.”

“The only thing that pains me is when I hear people stay I’m taking anything for granted,” McCaskill said. “I’m taking nothing for granted.”

The usual suspects

Booker proved an able ally in stumping for McCaskill in her home state, though the EYE questions many aspects

of her campaign strategy for re-election. The famous line from Casablanca – “Round up the usual suspects” – comes to mind. Like most establishment Democrats, particularly in Missouri, she believes the key to success is a white entree, with a side order of black and other. In fact, her most frequently run TV ad is about the effort she’s making to win white Republicans that don’t like her. McCaskill must pay more attention to the reality that her special pleadings to rural voters to return to the Democratic Party they have largely abandoned are unlikely to bring the results she yearns for. She will find more return on her investment with greater success at the ballot box in a more focused campaign to mobilize young and nonwhite voters.

Given the results of the Georgia Democratic Gubernatorial Primary, McCaskill may want to rethink that strategy. Stacey Abrams’ smashing victory, like the recent Alabama Senate race, showed that even in Southern states like Missouri, when you make black and other the entree, everybody eats.

U.S. Senator Cory Booker’s stumping for U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill in Missouri

Photo

Business

WWT commits to NAF

$10B tech company pledges to support students from NAF academies

American staff

David L. Steward, founder and chairman of World Wide Technology (WWT), was honored at NAF’s 15th annual Benefit at the Mandarin Oriental in New York on May 9, when he also announced that WWT – a technology solution provider with more than $10 billion in annual revenue – will become a NAFTrack-certified hiring partner.

NAF is a national network of education, business, and community leaders who work with high-need communities to transform the high

school experience through an educational design that includes industry-specific curricula, workbased learning experiences, and relationships with business professionals, culminating in a paid internship.

NAF academies focus on one of five career themes: finance, hospitality and tourism, information technology, engineering, and health sciences. During the 2017-18 school year, according to NAF, over 100,000 students attended 644 NAF academies across 36 states, including D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In 2017, according to NAF, NAF academies

reported 97% of seniors graduated with 90% of graduates planning to go to college. NAFTrack certified hiring partners promise to support eventual job applicants who have completed the NAF course of study and graduated from high school, enrolled in college, and earned NAFTrack certification. WWT joins 15 other NAFTrack partners: Capital One, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, SAP, KPMG, Travelers, Moody’s, AT&T, Cisco,

Chris Motley returns to Capital Innovators as keynote speaker

Better Weekdays CEO gives back to fellow entrepreneurs at Demo Day

By Ashley Jones

For The St.

Louis American

n “When we don’t see people that look like us, a lot of us don’t feel comfortable talking to them, but we got to change that.”

– Chris Thomas

Finding an opportunity, creating a plan, and having a team were the three key points that Chris Motley, St. Louis-based entrepreneur and founder of Better Weekdays, stressed during his keynote speech at the Capital Innovators Demo Day, where fellow CEOs pitched their startup companies to an audience of investors. Capital Innovators is an entrepreneurial support organization that acts as an accelerator for startups, corporations, and universities. Out of 1,000 applications, 12 companies were selected this year. Four of the companies came from different countries, including Singapore and Mexico. Three of them are homegrown out of St. Louis, and some are deciding to stay in the city due to all of the different resources it has to offer.

As a member of Capital Innovators class of 2014, Motley was glad to return and contribute

See MOTLEY, B2

Kesha Whitley earned her doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from Maryville University. She is an assistant principal in the Normandy Schools Collaborative, currently serving at Lucas Crossing Elementary School. She also has two graduate degrees from Webster University: a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, and an educational specialist degree in Educational Leadership Administration.

Justin Nichols was promoted to sergeant in the St. Louis County Police Department. He joined the Department in 2015 with prior first responder and military experience. He is currently assigned to the City of Jennings Precinct. He has also served in the North County Precinct. He earned his master’s degree in Leadership from Luther Rice University.

Teri Murray was elected to the Board of Directors for Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital. She is the dean and a professor at the Saint Louis University School of Nursing. The hospital is a 60-bed facility located in Maryland Heights, serving children from birth to age 21 with medical complexities ranging from illness to injury.

Dang (Don) Tran MD, was selected as president of SSM Health Medical Group. He is a board certified family medicine physician who comes to SSM Health from Fairview Health Services – a Minnesota-based integrated health system – where he was vice president of Medical Practice for the health system. He will be responsible for growth and management of SSM’s physician practices and the medical group’s retail and urgent care clinics.

Finding an opportunity, creating a plan, and having a team were the three key points that Chris Motley, St. Louis-based entrepreneur and founder of Better Weekdays, stressed during his keynote speech at the Capital Innovators Demo Day.

Devon MoodyGraham was nationally recognized as a Small Biz Champion by Score and Sam’s Club for her business empowerment platform, CEOMom, used to create a business path for business and social growth for moms who are current or aspiring business owners. For more information, visit ceomomspeaks.com.

Chris Tinson was awarded the 2018 Pauli Murray Book Prize by the African American Intellectual History Society, recognizing the best book on black intellectual history in 2017 by a society member. His book Radical Intellect: Liberator Magazine and Black Activism in the 1960s, is

Kesha Whitley

Teri Murray

Chris Tinson

Devon MoodyGraham

Justin Nichols

Dang (Don) Tran

NAF academy students from Jennings Senior High School, with honoree David L. Steward, founder and chairman, World Wide Technology (WWT); Juanita Logan, director, Corporate Development at WWT; Ann Marr, vice president of Global Human Resources at WWT; and Art McCoy, superintendent of the Jennings School District.

Photo by Liz Divine

Photo by Wiley Price

David

Steward, founder and chairman of World Wide Technology, was honored at NAF’s 15th annual Benefit at the Mandarin Oriental in New York on May 9.

WWT

continued from page B1

J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., Juniper Networks, Lenovo, Promontory, Verizon, and Xerox.

“We were so impressed with our first high school interns last year,” Steward said. “We were excited to join the movement to provide more students in the St. Louis region with the opportunities they need to build a successful future. And who knows, that future may be with World Wide Technology.”

successful future.”

– David L. Steward

This benefit brought together students, alumni, educators, and business professionals to celebrate NAF’s work and raised over $1.5 million. The funds raised will go towards supporting and sustaining NAF’s mission nationally, and contributions will aid in providing programming, training, and materials for NAF teachers, directors, and students throughout the country.

“My education from NAF opened doors that I didn’t know I was able to walk through and set me up for the best future possible,” she said. Jennings School District also offers a NAFTrack-certified Academy of Engineering and Academy of Finance & IT.

One of those interns is Asha Amerson, a senior at Jennings High School Academy of Health Sciences. She shared with the audience at the benefit her experience of being a NAF student, which included a paid WWT internship.

“We are excited to have World Wide Technology join NAFTrack Certified Hiring,” said NAF President JD Hoye. “With World Wide Technology as a partner, we are expanding opportunities for students both in St. Louis and nationwide.”

For more information about NAF, visit http://naf. org/.

MOTLEY

continued from page B1

to the organization.

“Capital Innovators was the first organization that invested in us in St. Louis,” Motley said at Demo Day, held at The Pageant on the Delmar Loop on Tuesday, May 15. “That changed everything for our business because we had no money and no support until Capital Innovators invested in us. So having the opportunity to come back and address people that have been investors in Capital Innovators and entrepreneurs is a no-brainer.”

After participating in Capital Innovators as a fresh new entrepreneur, Motley came back to work as a mentor for some of the companies involved in the years to follow. However, this year he has not been as hands-on for good reason.

“This year has been the most busy in our company’s history,” Motley said. “We generated over a million dollars in revenue. We partnered with the Bill Gates Foundation. We got 60,000 users in the last

three months. So if I can give back with like a six-minute talk, I’m happy to do it.”

The speech Motley gave focused on how to get results reaching an end goal. As the keynote speaker, Motley had the challenging task to find a topic that such a diverse audience could find relative in their current situation.

“A universal principle is ‘I’m trying to accomplish this goal or achieve this opportunity, how do I do It?’” Motley said. “That applies to an investor who is trying to find the best deal to invest in, it applies to an entrepreneurial support organization who wants to be relevant, and it most certainly applies to entrepreneurs who are trying to communicate their opportunity to get money oftentimes or customers or partners.”

A goal that the planners of Demo Day had in mind was to see their companies grow through the help of their partners. One of the major ways Capital Innovators did that was through the art of networking.

Fellow investor and serial African-American entrepreneur Chris Thomas went around

speaking with different startup companies to look for investment partners, as well as learn how each startup was created. He too believed in networking as one of the most important tools to push startups towards the right direction.

“It’s all about networking, and I think as a minority we need to start doing more of it,” said Thomas. “When we don’t see people that look like us, a lot of us don’t feel comfortable talking to them, but we got to change that. I think St. Louis is in the middle of a renaissance, in spite of all the political problems. But I think from an economic perspective there’s a huge opportunity. We have to go out there and grab it. No one is going to give us anything.” Motley agrees that networking is critical to running a successful functioning operation.

“A quote that I heard recently is that ‘business moves at the speed of trust,’” Motley said, “and what you’re doing when you’re networking is you’re establishing trust.”

For more information, visit capitalinnovators.com.

Fitch reaffirms ‘A-’ rating for city, revises outlook to negative

By Comptroller Darlene Green

For The St. Louis American

Fitch has reaffirmed the City of St. Louis’ Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at “A−” and revised its outlook to negative. Fitch also reaffirmed the city’s lease revenue bonds issued through the St. Louis Municipal Finance Corporation at “BBB+.” Although Fitch is holding the city’s rating steady, the change in outlook to negative reflects many of the same concerns raised by other rating agencies. The City of St. Louis’ “A” category rating is welcome, and Fitch praised our ability to control costs and manage pension fund liability. At the same time, Fitch raised concerns about our low reserves and limited revenue growth opportunities. According to Fitch, pressures limiting the city’s revenue growth include recent policy initiatives that use tax

n Our decision to dedicate 1.5 percent of annual payroll to rebuild reserves beginning with the 2019 budget is a step in the right direction.

incentives to spur development and revitalization of properties – creating a significant time lag before the projects generate new revenue for the city. Last week’s announcement from Moody’s has brought about a much-needed public conversation about the city’s fiscal health. Our decision to dedicate 1.5 percent of annual payroll to rebuild reserves beginning with the 2019 budget is a step in the right direction. My office stands ready to work with other city leaders as a team to find new, creative ways to spur development, gain nearterm revenue and protect the city’s credit.

L.

n “We were excited to join the movement to provide more students in the St. Louis region with the opportunities they need to build a

Photo by Liz Divine

Chris Motley, founder of Better Weekdays, gave the keynote speech at the Capital Innovators Demo Day at The Pageant on the Delmar Loop on Tuesday, May 15.

Photo by Wiley Price

n “Houston, we’re coming home.

H-Town.”

— Chris Paul, after his Houston Rockets won at Golden State to even the Western Conference Finals at 2-2

Sports

players should have followed Brady’s lead and boycotted

~ See ‘Sports Eye’ page B4 ~

Deja vu for Cleveland ROTC

The Cleveland Naval Jr. ROTC Commanders continued its mini dynasty in boys’ track and field by winning the Missouri Class 2 state championship in Jefferson City last weekend.

It was the second consecutive state title for the Commanders and fourth in seven years for this small-school track powerhouse. Cleveland scored 75 points to win the championship, followed by Maplewood’s 59 points as the St. Louis area took home the top two team trophies.

For one final time, the Commanders’ talented trio of Kelsey Cole, Antonio Norman and James Allen came up with big individual performances to lead the way. Cole was a three-time winner as he finished first in the triple jump (48 feet 3 ¼ inches), long jump (22-5 ¾) and the 200-meter dash (22.36 seconds).

Norman swept the hurdles races for the second consecutive year. He won the 110-meter high hurdles in 14.8 seconds and the 300-meter intermediate hurdles in 37.77 seconds. Allen finished second in the 400-meter dash, third in the 800-meter run and anchored the 4x800-meter relay team to a third place finish. The Commanders also finished third in the 4x100-meter relay. Maplewood enjoyed a strong weekend in taking home a second-place team trophy. The Blue Devils received state-championship performances Zach Barton in the 100 and Malik Stewart in the 1,600-meter run.

ESPN’s SportsCenter is typically seen as the holy grail for sports broadcasters. I imagine there was great joy and celebration in Feb. 2017, when Jemele Hill and Michael Smith were given the keys to ESPN’s flagship show: SportsCenter.

SC6, also known as The Six, received a huge promotional push. The hosts’ blackness was embraced. Hill seemed well on her way to being seen as one of ESPN’s brightest stars. By September, the honeymoon was over.

job. ESPN was shook. They admonished Hill but stopped short of a suspension.

“Trump is the most ignorant, offensive president of my lifetime,” Hill tweeted. “His rise is a direct result of white supremacy. Period.”

She later added, “Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists.” Though many would call it impossible to find inaccuracies in the tweets, the West Wing was furious. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders called for Hill’s

A few weeks later, Hill suggested that Dallas Cowboys fans boycott the team’s advertisers due to plantation owner Jerry Jones’ staunch opposition to the national anthem protests. Targeting an NFL owner was strike two. Suggesting that fans boycott advertisers was strike three. Hill was suspended from The Six for two weeks for violating ESPN’s social media policies. She became a lightning rod for the network. Beloved by those interested in social justice and equality, but despised by those who prefer MAGA caps, border walls and the preservation of white privilege. What I always found interesting about Hill’s SportsCenter saga is that even though one of her most-valuable strengths was her outspoken nature, she was

as soon as she spoke out in a meaningful manner.

Earl Austin Jr.

Ishmael H. Sistrunk

Photo by Wiley Price

Ft. Zumwalt North’s Tyler Oakes (left), Battle’s Da’jon Weston (center), and Pattonville’s Derrick Boyce III (right) sprint for the finish line in Saturday’s Class 5 Sectional 2 Men’s 4 x 100 Meter Relay at MICDS. Battle won the race with

of 42.82.

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

Black players should have followed Brady’s lead and boycotted OTAs

Oh my gosh. The NFL world has gone bat crazy because Tom Brady is skipping the New England Patriots voluntary Organized Team Activities (OTAs).

His legion of fans says it is not a big deal because he wants to work out with his own personal trainer, who coach Bill Belichick barred from the team facilities last season.

“He’ll be there when it counts,” said ESPN’s Adam Schefter and other pundits who seem at times to almost worship at the altar of all things Brady. Look, Brady isn’t at OTAs because he doesn’t feel appreciated by his head coach and maybe his owner, Robert Kraft Belichick was grooming Jimmy Garoppolo to move into Brady’s starting position sooner rather than later.

team know how exactly how he felt – without saying it. He is now AWOL at OTAs.

Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams, Le’Veon Bell of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Earl Thomas of the Seattle Seahawks are no-shows at their respective teams’ OTAs as they seek long-term contract extensions.

Business wise, these three players feel disrespected. As a group, no collection of professional sports players should feel as disrespected as the NFL’s black players.

A small number of their brethren have protested during the national anthem and, as a result, the president of the United States insulted their mothers. He didn’t insult just the protesters, but every player that supports them and every black fan that stands with them.

Brady didn’t like it, and he won the power struggle when Garoppolo was traded during the season to San Francisco.

When asked about Brady’s absence from OTAs, Belichick coldly said, “I’m not going to talk about players who aren’t here.” There is bad blood here, folks.

Last month, in an interview with his hand-picked inquisitor Jim Gray during the Milken Institute Global Conference, Brady was asked if he feels appreciated by his team. His answer was “I plead the 5th (Amendment).” The man who has helped deliver multiple Super Bowl titles to the Patriots found a way to let his

Colin Kaepernick has been effectively blackballed by owners and has filed a collusion lawsuit because it’s obvious why his NFL career was halted. Eric Reid, who also protested with Kaepernick, is a free agent without a team. He is still one of the better safeties in a time when many teams need a solid safety. He has joined Kaepernick’s collusion litigation. Reid said he was asked by teams if he would rule out protesting in the future. He said he could not do that. He remains unemployed.

Houston Texans owner Bob McNair called black players “inmates,” apologized, then

said he should never have apologized. Jerry Jones laid down an ultimatum that any player who

protests during the national anthem would not play in that game and would most likely be cut by the Dallas Cowboys.

Thus, I ask: Why is any black player in the NFL taking part in “voluntary” OTAs?

If there was any time during the NFL offseason calendar when they could demand respect without facing any type of punishment it is during OTAs, or any other “voluntary” team function.

Last year, I wrote that OTAs should be targeted for a black player boycott.

A black OTAs boycott would tell the NFL that it should not mandate what players do during the anthem.

A black OTAs boycott would be a reasonable way to demonstrate support for Kaepernick and Reid.

A black OTAs boycott would help shut McNair’s mouth and cause Jones to ponder his threats.

Brady is making his stand in New England. Why are black players throughout the NFL so frightened to make their stand?

The season would come to a halt if black players decided to simply not show up for a week’s games. I’m not advocating that stance - yet.

But this was a perfect week to collectively take an action that could have sent a chill through the NFL.

The NFL’s owners can blackball Kaepernick and Reid and probably get away with it. But they can’t shut down the power of all black players. If they would just take the first, simple step of not “volunteering” for OTAs they would finally make owners realize the power they possess.

HSSU reaches 30 wins again

Harris-Stowe State University dropped successive games in the American Midwest Tournament earlier this month in Joplin, which ended the Hornets’ season with a 30-24 record.

A 4-0 setback to Lindenwood UniversityBelleville drew the curtain on the season, with HSSU stranding eight runners in scoring position.

However, the Hornets posted their second consecutive 30-win season on the way to a sixth-place conference finish.

HSSU is currently ranked No. 7 in the CollegeNines HBCU small school rankings.

The 30th win came in thrilling fashion

Trailing 6-5 to FreedHardeman University, Leobardo Saldivar, Jr. crushed a three-run walk off home run in the final regular season game of the season.

Pitcher Stephen Wells and outfielder Cole Danielson were named first-team AllConference members after stellar seasons.

Wells posted a conference best 1.76 ERA with 74 strikeouts and a 6-1 record.

He was eighth in the NAIA in ERA and 17th in runs allowed after surrendering just 15.

Danielson led the Hornets with a .359 batting average and he added 10 home runs, 44 RBIs and a .654 slugging percentage. He ranked fifth in

the conference in home runs, third in on-base percentage with a .507 mark and fourth with 102 total bases.

Tanner Disibio was named Second Team All-Conference after his 9-4 season with a 2.91 ERA in 74.1 innings of work. He struck out 68 batters while walking just 21 in 14 games. He ranked second in the AMC in wins and 15th in the NAIA.

Jackson takes Jackson

Calling himself a “history freak,” former St, Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson has declared himself the best running back in the history of the Rams’ franchise. He could be right. Sometimes, I talk to current fans here [in Los Angeles] and there’s an argument of who’s the greatest running back to be a Ram,” Jackson told the L.A. Times.

“I think it’s me. Look at the record book. Everybody has their pick.”

Eric Dickerson, a Hall of Fame member, was traded to the Indianapolis Colts during his fifth season with the Rams. He still gained 7,245 of his 13,259 rushing yards with the franchise. Fifty-six of his 90 career touchdowns came as a Ram. Marshall Faulk, also in the Hall of Fame, played seven of his 12 seasons with the Rams and gained 6,959 of his 12,279 rushing yards in St. Louis after a trade from the Colts. Of his 6,875 receiving yards, 4,071 came with the Rams. He scored 85 of his 136 touchdowns as a Ram and he also helped the team reach two Super Bowls, winning one. He was also the NFL MVP in 2000. Jackson rushed for 10,138 yards and 56 touchdowns as a Ram and caught 407 passes for 3,324 yards and eight touchdowns. He is a longshot to make the HOF after he becomes eligible in 2021. So how could Jackson be considered the best? Most teams he played for were awful. He played for bad coaches and ran behind terrible offensive lines.

Dickerson was a product of the late Chuck Knox “Ground Chuck,” offense and Faulk was a member of the “Greatest Show on Turf.” Had Jackson played during either of those eras, he probably would have had more rushing yards, more touchdowns and more Pro Bowl appearances. It doesn’t make him the best, but it helps make his argument.

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

Alvin A. Reid

Colin Kaepernick has been effectively blackballed by owners and has filed a collusion lawsuit because it’s obvious why his NFL career was halted.

speaking truth to power.”

While thousands congratulated Hill on social media, including Isiah Thomas and Bernice King, Fox News was foaming at the mouth to attack the sports journalist. On Fox & Friends, the network was ecstatic to trot out Lawrence Jones, a black conservative who admonished the NABJ for honoring Hill.

“The National Black Association of Journalism (sic) is literally saying we’re going to applaud unemployment and that’s not something I stand for,” Jones said.

“At the end of the day, is this the standard, as black journalists, that you want to set for the next generation?” he asked.

imately three years remaining on her contract.

The NFLPA put out a statement against the league’s new rule forbidding protests during the national anthem.

Continued from C5 and Junior Team Trials in Irving, Texas. She defeated Mariah Harris of Campbellsville (Kentucky) for the championship in a two- out of threematch format. As a freshman this season, Guilford earned All-American honors after finishing second at the UWW Women’ National Championships.

Jones and the show’s hosts pointed out several times that SportsCenter’s ratings have risen since Hill left the show. They joyfully brought up her “unemployment” and even wondered how this surely broke black woman she could even afford to donate to aspiring black journalists.

In the real world where facts matter, Hill is still employed by ESPN. Though she moved from SportsCenter to The Undefeated, both are ESPN entities. That means Hill is still collecting a hefty bag from the worldwide leader in sports. According to various reports, Hill’s salary is estimated at $1M per year and has approx-

TRACK

Continued from C5

Barton turned in a winning time of 10.99 in the 100 while Stewart’s winning time in the 1,600 was 4 minutes 31.26 seconds. Stewart also finished second in the 800 and joined Jaylen Burdine, Dylan Boyd and Logan McDonald on the state-championship 4x800-meter relay team. The Blue Devils also finished second in the 4x200 and second in the 4x400 while Christopher Skaggs was fourth in the discus.

The other boys’ medalists at the state meet were Amir Nasiruddin of McKinley Classical, who finished fifth in the shot put and Brentwood’s three sprint relay teams. The Eagles finished sixth in the 4x100, fourth in the 4x200 and third in the 4x400.

On the girls’ side, sophomore McKinlee Morris of Crossroads won the state championship in the shot put with a throw of 38-10. She became the first girl in the school’s history to win a state championship in track. Morris also took home a second-place medal in the discus. Maplewood’s Kayla Buchannan finished second in the 400 and 800. Maplewood also finished seventh in the 4x800. Keiosha Rogers of Valley Park finished third in the 100.

East St. Louis Flyerettes take second in Illinois

East St. Louis came home with a second-place team trophy from last weekend’s

In addition to supporting the NABJ, of which she is a member, maybe Hill will donate a few ducats to Fox & Friends to hire some fact checkers. Lord knows they can use them.

NFL policy forces all players on the field to stand for anthem

It has been evident since Colin Kaepernick first declined to stand for the national anthem that NFL owners would eventually force the issue. That moment has finally arrived. In a unanimous vote, NFL owners approved a new policy that will require players on the field to stand for the StarSpangled Banner. Players who

Illinois Class 2A girls state championships in Charleston, Illinois. The Flyerettes were led by thrower Evangelynn Harris, who won the state title in the shot put and finished second in the discus. Her winning throw was 46 feet 1 ¼ inches. The quartet of Shonjahnea Griggs, Faith Mitchell, Likkaya Keyes and Maysha Vickers won the 4x400-meter relay in 3:53.26. Griggs also finished seventh in the 400 and Veronica Sherrod was third in the 300-meter low hurdles. East Side also finished second in the 4x200 and fifth in the 4x100.

Large schools compete

chose to sit or kneel during the national anthem will be subject to fines.

However, players who choose to protest injustice and police brutality against minorities may do so by remaining in the locker room during the anthem. Those players will not be punished or penalized.

“We want people to be respectful of the national anthem,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “We want people to stand -- that’s all personnal -- and make sure they treat this moment in a respectful fashion. That’s something we think we owe. [But] we were also very sensitive to give players choices.”

There’s nothing more effective than a pre-approved protest! </sarcasm>

at state championships this weekend

The Missouri Class 3, 4, and 5 state championships will be held this weekend at Jefferson City High. The preliminaries take place on Friday with the championship races set for Saturday.

Here is a list of the returning individual state champions from the St. Louis area:

Class 4 Boys: Jakeel Suber (Parkway Noth), 300-meter intermediate hurdles; Isaiah Martin (Hillsboro), javelin; Class 3 Boys: Brandon Miller (John Burroughs), 800meter run; Jameson Williams

PreP AThLeTe of The W

The player’s association hinted it could challenge the new policy.

The NFL Players Association was not happy about the owners’ decision. The NFLPA released its own statement via Twitter: “The NFL chose to not consult the union in the development of this new “policy.” NFL players have shown their patriotism through social activism, their community service, in support of our military and law enforcement and yes, through their protests to raise awareness about issues they care about.”

The NFLPA also reported that it would review the new policy and did not rule out challenging it in court.

Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @ IshCreates.

(Cardinal Ritter) 300-meter intermediate hurdles, Miles Elkins (Whitfield), triple jump.

Class 5 Girls: Dejan Ingram (Hazelwood Central), 100-meter dash; Jada Moore (Pattonville), 200-meter dash; Diamond Riley (Ritenour) triple jump.

Class 4 Girls: Mikayla Reed (Washington) 800 and 1,600meter runs.

Class 3 Girls: Valarie Whitted (Cardinal Ritter) 100meter high hurdles

Photo via Twitter / @NFLPA

Illinois utilities spent $1.25B on diverse suppliers in 2017

Business Diversity Council reports 7.8

American staff

Charter members of the Illinois Utilities Business Diversity Council (IUBDC) spent a combined total of more than $1.25 billion on goods and services provided by minority-, women-, and veteran-owned businesses in 2017, a 7.8 percent increase over the prior year. IUBDC was formed in 2015 to increase business opportunities for diverse suppliers through closer collaboration, technical development and sharing of best practices among Illinois leading utilities.

IUBDC members include Ameren Illinois, ComEd, Illinois American Water, Nicor Gas, North Shore Gas and Peoples Gas.

Reliability Act, enacted in 2013, as catalysts for growth in utility spending with diverse suppliers. Under these programs, Illinois’ natural gas and electric utilities are undertaking a massive upgrade to the state’s aging energy delivery infrastructure, installing new technologies and equipment to reduce outages, improve reliability, and provide customers with programs to manage and save energy.

n “Our companies are opening doors for more diverse businesses to participate in utility supply chains.”

– Richard J. Mark, chairman of the IUBDC Board of Directors

“These results demonstrate that our companies are opening doors for more diverse businesses to participate in utility supply chains,” said Richard J. Mark, chairman of the IUBDC Board of Directors, and chairman and president of Ameren Illinois.

“Partnering with diverse suppliers is not only good for business, it contributes to stronger local and regional economies.” Mark cited the landmark Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act (EIMA), or “Smart Grid Bill,” enacted in 2011, and the Natural Gas Consumer, Safety &

In addition, Illinois American Water is investing in modernization of the water distribution system, replacing aging mains, and upgrading well stations.

“We’re proud that more diverse suppliers than ever are providing IUBDC members with the highquality equipment, technology, and business support services we need to execute these important infrastructure projects,” Mark said.

Contributing to the increase in diverse-supplier procurement was the formation of a Prime Partner Institute to increase utilization of diverse businesses throughout the supply chain. In 2017, the council held three targeted events to engage prime (Tier 1) contractors with potential sub-contractors. These efforts were recognized by the Women’s Business Development Council, which awarded IUBDC with its 2017

percent increase over 2016

Future Forward Award. Other resources IUBDC is developing include a supplier registration and mapping tool to provide procurement specialists with insights into the availability of diverse supplier

resources, and a training library to provide diverse suppliers with a one-stop location for insights on IUBDC-member procurement processes.

The IUBDC has worked to develop and strengthen

partnerships and collaboration with key associations such as the American Association of Blacks in Energy, IllinoisBlack Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, Illinois Legislative Latino

Financial Focus

By Harsh Patel, AAMS

Caucus and the Women’s Business Development Center, also created new buy/sell opportunities for qualified diverse contractors.

What should investors know about recent volatility?

As you may have heard, the stock market has been on a wild ride lately. What’s behind this volatility?

And, as an investor, how concerned should you be?

Let’s look at the first question first. What caused the steep drop in stock prices we experienced on a few separate days? Essentially, two main factors seem to be responsible. First, some good economic news may actually have played a significant role. A 17-year low in unemployment and solid job growth have begun to push wages upward. These developments have led to fears of rising inflation, which, in turn, led to speculation that the Federal Reserve will tighten the money supply at a faster-than-expected rate. Stocks reacted negatively to these expectations of higher interest rates. The second cause of the market volatility appears to be simply a reaction to the long bull market. While rising stock prices lead many people to continue buying more and more shares, some people actually need to sell their stocks – and this pentup selling demand, combined with short-term profit-taking, helped contribute to the large sell-offs of recent days. Now, as for the question of how concerned you should be about this volatility, consider these points:

Sell-offs are nothing unusual. We’ve often experienced big selloffs, but they’ve generally been followed with strong recoveries. Of course, past performance is not a guarantee of future results, but history has shown that patient, persistent investors have often been rewarded.

Fundamentals are strong. While short-term market movements can be caused by a variety of factors, economic conditions and corporate earnings typically drive performance in the long term.

Right now, the U.S. economy is near full employment, consumer and business sentiment has risen strongly, manufacturing and service activity is at multi-year highs, and GDP growth in 2018 appears to be on track for the best performance since 2015. Furthermore, corporate earnings are expected to rise this year.

So, given this background, what’s your next move? Here are some suggestions:

• Review your situation. You may want to work with a financial professional to evaluate your portfolio to determine if it is helping you make the progress you need to eventually achieve your long-term goals.

• Reassess your risk tolerance. If you were unusually upset over the loss in value of your investments during the market pullback, you may need to review your risk tolerance to determine if it’s still appropriate for your investment mix. If you feel you are taking on too much risk, you may need to rebalance your portfolio. Keep in mind, though, that by “playing it safe” and investing heavily in

•

Richard J. Mark, chairman of the IUBDC Board of Directors, and chairman and president of Ameren Illinois, meets a customer who reminded and thanked him for hiring her when he worked at the St. Clair County Intergovernmental Grants Department.

STL sees ‘Stranger Fruit’

22nd birthday. The film will make its television debut on the Starz Network June 18.

Jason Pollock’s Michael Brown doc plays at Harris-Stowe

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

n “This makes you mad all over again,” one guest said as the film played.

“I hope that this movie puts everybody in my shoes,” a tearful Lezley McSpadden told the audience at the St. Louis premiere of Jason Pollock’s film “Stranger Fruit.” On the day after what would have been her son Michael Brown’s 22nd birthday, she sat before a crowd who had just watched a documentary about his death. McSpadden admitted that she has never seen the entire film, whose title is derived from the Billie Holliday standard about the lynching of black men in the south. She sat outside of HarrisStowe’s Emerson Performance Center as it was screened. She came in at the end of the film, which offered insight on her son’s personality and how he was adored by his family. After her emotions subsided, she told the crowd she barely made it through the trailer when Pollock showed it to her. The idea of reliving the sensationalism of her son’s death through the footage – as she did on August 9, 2014 and the months that followed – is understandably too much for her to bear.

“I didn’t get to Canfield and see my son laying uncovered, but the media made me watch my son lay uncovered for hours,” McSpadden said. “And every time they talked about him, they killed him all over again by defaming his character.”

She’s not sure if she’ll ever be able to watch the film, which was released digitally through Gravitas Ventures on April 3 and makes its television debut on the Starz Network June 18. McSpadden was willing to make an exception for one person in particular.

“I told Channel 5 that if Mayor James Knowles showed up tonight, I would watch it with him,” McSpadden said. “He’s not here, so I didn’t watch it.” Pollock’s film debuted at last year’s SXSW Festival. It made headlines because it featured additional surveillance footage from the night before Michael Brown’s death that Pollock introduces to dispute the “strong arm robbery” claims made against the unarmed teen just before

See FRUIT, C4

Reynaldo’s Romeo

Piniella leads rainbow cast of Shakespeare Festival St. Louis’s 2018 production

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

As he prepares to lead Shakespeare Festival St. Louis’ 2018 presentation of “Romeo and Juliet,” Reynaldo Piniella confessed that he didn’t grow up a fan of productions written by the most famous playwright in the history of drama.

“As a kid I never liked Shakespeare because I never saw myself reflected,” Piniella said.

That changed when he was channel surfing and stumbled upon Baz Luhrmann’s film adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet” starring Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio.

The language was Shakespeare’s, but everything else about the film was contem-

A weekend for the culture

African Arts Festival returns to Forest Park for 27th year

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

A trip to Africa changed how Cynthia L. Cosby saw herself – and the world.

“Going to West Africa in particular had a tremendous impact on my life,” Cosby told The American in 2008. “And I wanted in some ways to sustain that.”

Through the creation of the African Arts Festival, Cosby has provided St. Louisans a snapshot into the transformative experience of basking in the beauty of African culture each Memorial Day Weekend for nearly 30 years.

“The festival has grown beyond our imagination over the years,” Cosby said. “It’s just amazing, and we are also very proud of the diversity – we have people coming from all walks of life.” It returns to the Forest Park’s World’s Fair Pavilion Saturday, May 26 – Monday, May 28.

The festival is homage to Africa and the African American experience, but people from every culture and background are welcome to learn about the continent and insight on the

“I see him, and he has guns and is flashy,” Piniella said. “ I see helicopters, and I’m like, ‘What is this? this is not the ‘Romeo and Juliet’ I read in junior high school!’ It showed me that there is not one way to do Shakespeare. The reason why we do it because it is so open to interpretation – and so relevant.”

The production and the cast of characters that included Leguizamo, Harrold Perrineau and Vonde Curtis Hall had Piniella excited with possibility.

“Once I saw that, I was like ‘huh, I wonder if there can be a Romeo like me?’” Shakespeare Festival St. Louis has provided him the opportunity to say yes. Directed by Elena Araoz, the production also features a rainbow cast. Of the twenty roles, nine are portrayed by people of color. “For me, I’m just so privileged to have this opportunity,” Piniella said, “Because even as things get more diverse, the classics are still disproportionally exclusionary to actors like me.” The play will run from June 1 – June 24 in Forest Park.

Through his work with the Classical Theatre of Harlem, in productions like “The Tempest,” and “The Three Musketeers,” Piniella has

See ROMEO, C4

Reynaldo Piniella stars in Shakespeare Festival St. Louis’ 2018 presentation of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in Forest Park from June 1- June 24.

Jason Pollock’s film ‘Stranger Fruit’ was screened at Harris-Stowe State University’s Emerson Performance Center on Monday, May 21, the day after what would have been Michael Brown’s

See ARTS, C4

Photos by Wiley Price

Scenes from the 2018 Annie Malone May Day Parade

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

Thur., May 24, 7 p.m., Old Rock House presents Cedric Burnside. 1200 S. 7th St., 63104. For more information, visit ww.oldrockhouse.com.

Sat., May 26, 8 p.m., Oren Major – Black Privilege Tour. Foam, 3359 S. Jefferson Ave., 63118. For more information, call (314) 772-2100 or visit www. foamstlouis.com.

Sun., May 27, 2:30 p.m., The Grandel hosts the Willie Akins Jazz Festival. Proceeds benefit the scholarship fund at Webster University. 3610 Grandel Sq., 63108. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.

Tues., June 5, 7 p.m., Old Rock House presents Jussie Smollett. 1200 S. 7th St., 63104. For more information, visit www.oldrockhouse.com.

Fri., June 8, 5:30 p.m., Hot 104.1 Super Jam. Feat

Post Malone, 21 Savage, Remy Ma, SOB X RBE, DJ Luke Nasty, & Derez De’Shon. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, 14141 Riverport Dr., 63043. For more information, visit www. topeventpromoter.com.

Fri., June 9, 9 p.m., First Class LLC presents G Herbo: Kickin’ Tour. Ambassador, 9800 Halls Ferry Rd., 63136. For more information, visit www.metrotix.com.

Sun., June 10, 6 p.m., Pre-

Father’s Day Concert feat. Bloodstone with Lamont Hadley. Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Sq., 63103. For more information, call (314) 4967751.

Sun., June 17, 7 p.m., AJ Mack Entertainment and VBBM Entertainment welcomes The “MY LEVEL”TOUR starring Stokley Williams former lead singer of Mint Condition, Touhill Performing Arts Center. For more information, visit https://www.touhill.org/ events/detail/stokleys-mylevel-fathers-day-concert.

local gigs

Sat., May 26, 9 p.m., A Tribute To Hip Hop by Nite Owl. All of your classic Hip Hop favorites from the 80’s, 90’s, & today. The Monocle, 4510 Manchester Rd., 63110. For more information, visit www.themonoclestl.com.

Tues., May 29, 6 p.m., Missouri History Museum presents Twilight Tuesdays: A Tribute to Beyonce by Taynka. 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www.mohistory.org.

Wed., June 6, 7 p.m., Whitaker Music Festival feat. The Lamar Harris Experience. Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd., 63110. For more information, visit www. missouribotanicalgarden.org.

The Guide

Kenya Vaughn recommends

Old Rock House presents Jussie Smollett. For more information, see CONCERTS.

special events

Thur., May 24, 10 a.m., Project Homeless Connect. A one-stop-shop for homeless individuals and families to access free services and assistance. JCPenney Building Conference Center, UMSL, 1 University Blvd., 63121. For more information, call (314) 615-0379.

Thur., May 24, 10 a.m., American Red Cross presents Experience the Mission. Hear directly from volunteers from our 5 lines of service. 10195 Corporate Square Dr., 63142. For more information, call (314) 516-2800.

May 25 – 27, U. City Class of 1978 40th Reunion. We will have dinner, dancing, a picnic, and more. For more information, visit www.ucity78.com or email ucityhs1978@gmail.com.

Through May 26, Black Dance USA National Conference. Learn from master instructors in the styles of: West Afrikan, Afrikan Carribean, hip-hop, percussion, samba, and more. Better Family Life Center, 5415 Page Blvd., 63112. For

more information, visit www. betterfamilylife.wufoo.com.

Sat., May 26, 6 p.m. (3 p.m. VIP reception), “The Distinguished Gents – Welcoming The Ladies of Excellence” featuring Leslie Johnson, Jeff Radford, Jermaine Smith, Chuck Flowers, John Leggette and Ladies of Excellence: Cheryl Brown, Stacy McClenahan, Mary Meriweather, Anita Jackson and Blanche Haley the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square, St. Louis, MO 63108). For more information, call 314-629-7901 or visit www.davidpeastonfoundation. org

May 25 – 27, U. City Class of 1978 40th Reunion. Dinner, dancing, a picnic, and more. For more information, visit www.ucity78.com or email ucityhs1978@gmail.com.

Sat., May 26, 12 p.m., Black Girls Hustle Harder Expo STL. An event for African American women entrepreneurs to market, sale & promote their goods & services. O’Fallon Park Rec Complex, 4343 W. Florissant Rd., 63115. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Sat., May 26, 7 p.m., Revival

School Talent and Fashion Show. Come and cheer on refugee students from around the world as they share their culture through music, dance, and fashion. Third Baptist Church, 620 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, visit www.facebook.com.

Sun., May 27, 12 p.m., St. Louis Curvy and Worthy Fashion Expo. We will have models, vendors, giveaways, and more. Styles by Redd, 3020 S. Jefferson, 63118. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Sun., May 27, 5:30 p.m., Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity, Inc., East Saint Louis Alumni Chapter presents the Sundress and Linen Memorial Day Party. Ballpark Village, 601 Clark Ave., 63102. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Sun., May 27, 4 p.m., Rock the Bloc Memorial Weekend Celebration. The Marquee Restaurant & Lounge, 1911 Locust St., 63103. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Thur., May 31, 9 a.m., HireLive presents the St. Louis Sales and Management Job Fair. Doubletree Westport Hotel, 1973 Craigshire Rd., 63146. For more information, visit www.hirelive.com.

Fri., June 1, 6 p.m., Saint Louis Science Center presents First Friday: Jurassic World 5050 Oakland Ave., 63110. For more information, visit www.slsc.org.

Sun., June 3, 2 p.m., City of Music All-Stars Chorus 1st Concert. The students will perform multiple genres of music including classical, spirituals, a cappella and more. Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. thesheldon.org.

Sun., June 3, 3 p.m., University City Chamber of Commerce presents the North & South Block Party. 7701 Delmar Blvd., 63130. For more information, visit www. universitycitychamber.com.

June 4 – Aug. 10, Operation Food Search’s Summer Meals Program. The mobile meal vans will serve 33 locations via three routes. A daily dose of nutrition, along with a variety of games, arts, crafts, and STEM projects. For more information, visit www.

operationfoodsearch.org.

Thur., June 7, 6 p.m., Christopher Harris Youth Violence Prevention Day March. Compton Hill Reservoir Park, S. Grand Blvd., 63104. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Fri., June 8, 9 a.m., MSD Rate Commission Public Hearing. Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District, 2350 Market St., 63103. For more information, visit www.stlmsd. com.

Sat., June 9, 7:30 p.m., Afriky Lolo presents Bring on the Beat: Celebrating the Footwork of the Ancestors The Grandel, 3610 Grandel Sq., 63108. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.

Sun., June 10, 2 p.m., Stan Coleman’s Jams & Preserves. Celebrate the career of musician and educator, Stan Coleman, as he performs with current and former students. Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.

Sat., June 23, 11 a.m., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Omicron Theta Omega Chapter presents Pink Pizzazz Jazz Scholarship Brunch. Renaissance Airport Hotel, 9801 natural Bridge Rd., 63134. For more information, visit www. pinkpizzazz.eventbrite.com.

Fri., May 25, 7 p.m., Left Bank Books hosts author Jon Meachum, author The Soul of America: The Battle of Our Better Angels. 399 N. Euclid Ave., 63108.

Wed., May 30, 6 p.m., St. Louis Public Library hosts author Martin L. Mathews author of I Trust You With My Life. Proceeds benefit the Mathews-Dickey Boys & Girls Club. 1301 Olive St., 63103. For more information, visit www.slpl.org.

Wed., May 30, 7 p.m., Kirkwood Public Library hosts author Robert Hansman, author of PruittIgoe (Images of America). 140 E. Jefferson Ave., 63122. For more information, visit www. kirkwoodpubliclibrary.org/ event.

Thur., May 31, 7 p.m., Left

Bank Books hosts author Allison Coffelt, author of Maps are Lines We Draw: A Road Trip through Haiti. 399 N. Euclid Ave., 63108.

Mon., June 4, 7 p.m., Left Bank Books hosts author Jared Brock, author of The Road to Dawn: Josiah Henson and the Story that Sparked the Civil War. 399 N. Euclid Ave., 63108.

Sat., June 9, 3 p.m., Official Book Launch of No More

Lemons Join self-published author Latosha Carter for an afternoon of fellowship and the release of her testimonial book. Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www. latoshacarter.com.

Tues., June 12, 7 p.m., St. Louis County Library hosts author Zinzi Clemons, author of What We Lose. The story of a young African-American woman coming of age and a meditation on race and country. Headquarters, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 63131. For more information, visit www. slcl.org.

Wednesdays through June 27, Weekly Writers Workshop. Students in the 6th - 9th grade will work on improving their grammar and essay writing. Eyeseeme, 7827 Olive Blvd., 63130. For more information, visit www. eyeseeme.com.

theatre

May 29 – June 3, The Fabulous Fox presents The Book of Mormon. 527 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.

Wed., May 30, 3 p.m., The Black Rep Season 42 auditions, those interested should have two contrasting monologues and 32 bars of music. Call (314) 534-3807 to schedule an appointment.

June 1 – June 24, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents “Romeo and Juliet,” Shakespeare Glen in Forest Park. For more information, visit www.sfstl. org

Mon., June 4, 10:30 a.m., Summer Family Fun Series: Traditional Music of and Dances of Panama. See a performance, learn some steps, do arts and crafts, and more. Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www. mohistory.org.

June 19 – 25, The Muny presents The Wiz. 1 Theatre Dr., 63112. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.

art

May 25 – 27, St. Louis African Arts Festival. World’s Fair Pavilion, Forest Park, 63112. For more information, visit www. stlafricanartsfest.com.

Through June 24, From Caricature to Celebration: A Brief History of AfricanAmerican Dolls. Field House Museum, 634 S. Broadway, 63102. For more information, visit www.fieldhousemuseum. org.

Through August 19, Contemporary Art Museum hosts the opening reception for 2018 Great Rivers Biennial Featuring artists Addoley Dzegede, Sarah Paulsen, and Jacob Stanley, Amy Sherald, and Claudia Comte. On view through August 19. 3750 Washington Blvd., 63108.

lectures and workshops

Sat., May 26, 12 p.m., National Blues Museum presents a Blues Improvisation Workshop

615 Washington Ave., 63101. For more information, visit www.nationalbluesmuseum. org.

Tues., May 29, 1 p.m., Urban League St. Louis presents Learn about Banking Basics 3701 Grandel Sq., 63108. For more information, visit www. ulstl.com.

Sat., June 2, 9:30 a.m., Ready By 21 Saint Louis presents School to Prison Pipeline Symposium. St. Louis Public Library, 1301 Olive St., 63103. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com.

Tues., June 5, 7 p.m., A Shattered Nation: A Remembrance of Robert F. Kennedy. Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www.mohistory.org.

Wed., June 13, 7 p.m., Community Conversations: Net Neutrality. Kirkwood Public Library, 140 E. Jefferson Ave., 63122. For

more information, visit www. kirkwoodpubliclibrary.org.

Sat., June 16, 2 p.m., Josephine Baker: A Modern Women. Olivia LahsGonzales traces Josephine Baker’s meteoric rise from St. Louis to her successes around the world. Kirkwood Public Library, 140 E. Jefferson Ave., 63122. For more information, visit www. kirkwoodpubliclibrary.org.

Sundays, Through Dec. 30, 2 p.m., Center for Divine Love Church presents Finally Understand Race in America. 3617 Wyoming St., 63116. For more information, visit www.facebook.com.

health

Thur., May 24, 10 a.m., American Red Cross presents Experience the Mission 10195 Corporate Square Dr., 63142. For more information, call (314) 516-2800.

Thur., May 24, 11 a.m., Wellhome CNA Hiring Interview Sessions. Jefferson County Library, 1701 Missouri State Rd., 63010. For more information, visit www. wellhomeagency.com.

Fri., May 25, 8 a.m., Southside Senior Citizen’s Center presents the Bringing it Together HealthFest: Engage at Every Age. 3017 Park Ave., 63104. For more information, call (314) 6645024.

Sat., May 26, 11 a.m., The Links, Inc., St. Louis Chapter presents a Mental Health Symposium. Learn about anxiety and depression – both under diagnosed in the Black community. Washington University, 520 S. Euclid Ave, 63110. For more information, visit www.stllinks.org.

May 30, 7:30 a.m., 2108 Christian Hospital Senior Fair: Healthy Aging, Living Longer and Growing Stronger!, Christian Hospital

Detrick Building Atrium. Space is limited and registration is requested by calling 314747-WELL (9355) or online at ChristianHopsital.org/ SeniorFair.

Fri., June 1, 9 a.m., American Lung Association Lung Force Expo. Clayton Plaza Hotel, 7750 Carondelet Ave., 63105. For more information, visit www.action.lung.org.

Sat., June 2, 6:30 a.m., American Diabetes Association presents the Tour de Cure. Featuring four different bike ride events and 5K Run/Walk. The Liberty Bank Alton Amphitheater, 1 Riverfront Dr., Alton, IL. 62002. For more information, visit www.main.diabetes.org/ site/TR/tourdecure.

Wednesdays through June 6, Health & Wellness Series: Boot Camp. Led by Heath Norton, Owner of TITLE Boxing Club-Rock Hill. Kiener Plaza, 500 Chestnut St., 63101. For more information, visit www.archpark.org.

Sat., May 26, 10:30 a.m., 3rd Annual Prayer on the Bridge. Natural Bridge between Goodfellow and Parnell, 63115. For more information or to register, call (314) 514-5803.

Sun., May 27, 6 p.m., Faith for Justice Worship Night. South City Church, 2109 S. Spring Ave., 63110. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Fri., June 1, 7 p.m., All-N1 Entertainment presents the We Praise Him Gospel Concert. Mandarin Banquet Hall, 8008 Olive Blvd. For more information, visit www. wepraisehim.eventbrite.com.

Sun., June 3, 12:30 p.m., Unity Christ Church presents the Mastering Abundance Workshop. 33 N. Skinker Blvd., 63105. For more information, call (314) 7276478.

Kenya Vaughn recommends

Better Family Life presents Black Dance USA. See SPECIAL EVENTS for details.

Continued from C1

people who share its roots.

Fulfilling the festival’s mission of exposing people of all ages and backgrounds to the richness of African culture and its impact on Western culture lies in the diverse programming found at the festival each year.

Since its inception in 1991, The African Arts Festival is one of the gems among cultural experiences within the region. The festival provides guests with an open-air shopping opportunity while simultaneously giving the sights, sounds and tastes of the Diaspora through vendors and entertainment.

“I think all too often people have misinformation about African culture,” Cosby said. “African culture is not closeted - it’s not confined in just one space. Offering various disciplines also assures that there is something for everyone. And we don’t just focus on African culture; we explore the African diaspora – including the African-American experience as well.”

The African Marketplace is the first stop upon entering The African Arts Festival. Vendors fill the pavilion area with a host of goods for sale –art, clothing, jewelry, books, fragrances and products for the hair and body are among them.

Guests maneuver through to a food court featuring authentic African and Caribbean cuisine and soul food that is in the line of sight for the performance stage that rotates local talent over the course of the day.

Children’s activities provide young people the opportunity to connect with the continent through arts, crafts, storytelling and more. Past festivals have also included a Teen Safari Hut and a Health and Wellness Village that features screenings and information for guests.

There’s a special kind of pride that comes with attending – seeing all smiling faces relish in the opportunity to celebrate

The 27th Annual African Arts Festival returns to the World’s Fair Pavilion in Forest Park May 26-May 28.

blackness and the influence of our African ancestors. They browse with intention at each vendor spot. They fellowship as they break bread and vibe along with the entertainment.

n The festival –and the culture that inspired it –is a sight to behold.

Hundreds of regulars to the festival have impromptu reunions. There are adults have grown up with the festival. The elders who brought them as young people played a role in the festival’s longevity by way of commitment through

attendance, volunteer efforts and other areas of support are there as well. The festival – and the culture that inspired it – is a sight to behold.

“So many of us don’t appreciate what we have to offer and what as a people we have achieved,” Cosby said. “This is an opportunity to celebrate who we are and share our accomplishments in celebration with other people.”

All festival events held at the World’s Fair Pavilion Saturday, May 26 through Monday, May 28 are free and open to the public. Festival hours are Saturday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-8 p.m. and Monday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, call 314-935-9676 or visit www. STLAfricanArtsFest.com.

FRUIT

Continued from C1

he was fatally shot by former Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson.

Through the footage Pollock implies that he was not stealing Cigarillos he allegedly grabbed in the video released by the Ferguson Police Department just before they named Wilson as the officer who shot Brown. He uses the snippet to argue that Brown was coming to collect goods acquired through a marijuana barter made between Brown and store clerks the night before.

The clip caused a frenzy last year, but is just a fraction of the story Pollock hopes to tell.

“I hope that this film will lead to the reopening of the Michael Brown case,” Pollock told the crowd. “We are still fighting for justice for Mike

ROMEO

Continued from C1

stretched himself with roles typically unheard of for a biracial man of black and Latino heritage.

He’s been digging deep to makes sure that people, particularly young people, connect with the character on a personal level. “I really want my Romeo to feel like a kid off the street – like any kid you would see walking down Delmar,” Piniella said.

Marrying those classical elements with the contemporary take he has on the character has been a fun journey for him to explore. His goal is to get audiences to see Romeo’s humanity through his longing for peace, unity and love.

“The role is so famous because it is so hard. You reach the heights of passion and the lowest parts of despair in a matter of days in this play,” Piniella said. “Each and every day it has been forcing me to

Brown, which is why people took to street in the first place.”

With the repeated imagery of Brown’s body in the middle of Canfield, “Stranger Fruit” is tough to watch. Viewers are barraged with the footage, over and over, and over again.

Pollock also inundates his film with narration about the case –in the same vein that his former boss and fellow documentarian Michael Moore does with his films. Pollock’s voiceovers subtract from the experience of the film, which is told with the blessing of Michael Brown’s family.

The audience couldn’t hold back their emotions as Pollock spent two hours making a case for the inconsistencies and alleged cover up in the case by way of “Stranger Fruit.” “This makes you mad all over again,” one guest said as the film played.

Before the film, guests were asked to anonymously sub-

be more disciplined, to demand more of myself as an actor, to be fully invested in the process and trust my director and my fellow actors.”

A native of New York City, Piniella was a senior in high school when he started his stage career.

“In high school I was doing really bad, and they told me I should audition for the drama club because I had this outgoing personality,” Piniella said.

“When I discovered the arts, it really transformed my life. I know that can sound cliché these days, but it really did. It was the first time someone valued my voice – my unique take on something.”

He felt alive. He felt heard, seen and validated by his peers and his teachers.

“That feeling of being on stage the first time, I just felt like this is something I should be doing with my life,” Piniella said. “ I’ve been doing it ever since.”

A cautionary tale for the Trump age

Nearly 425 years have come and gone since Shakespeare penned “Romeo and Juliet,” but there is a timelessness and relevance that feels prophetic.

“This play is about two families that aren’t that different but hate each other –– and we don’t ever know why,” Piniella said. “When I think about politics, race and all the issues in our country, we’re so divided. This is a play that was written

mit questions on notecards to Pollock and McSpadden for the brief discussion following the film. “What gives you the right, as a white man to tell this story?” a guest asked.

“As a white man, I was very aware that my whiteness was going to be a part of this art that I was making,” Pollock said. “And I was very careful about the story I wanted to tell. It’s not about Black Lives Matter. It’s not about the protest. It’s not about being black in America, because as a white man, I can’t make that film –and I shouldn’t.”

Pollock said that his film is strictly about the cover up of Brown’s case – which he said is really a story about white supremacy.

“White people need to break down white supremacy,” Pollock said. “This film is outing Bob McCulloch and his crooked bunch.”

hundreds of years ago that is about that very topic. Through tragedy these families come together. I hope that the play encourages people – people from both sides of their arguments – to take a step back and say, ‘Hey, this person isn’t that different from me,’ and hopefully create more harmony in this community.” He also hopes that through the production people will see the divides imposed on the nation for what they are –imaginary.

“There’s no reason why people of different classes, genders and races can’t come together and be friends,” Piniella said. “We’ve all felt love. We’ve all felt hate. We’ve all wanted to cry, laugh and jump for joy.” His multiracial heritage and standing alongside a host of other performers that blur the lines of people’s expectation of the classical stage drama lends a hand to his intention.

“I want this Romeo to be someone who feels like a human being,” Piniella said. “When people see a person who looks like themselves or someone they grew up with, it draws you in. Hopefully my Romeo will do that. Sure, it was set in Italy, but it’s also a lot like St. Louis.” Shakespeare Festival St. Louis’ presentation of “Romeo and Juliet” opens on Friday, June 1 and continues through Sunday, June 24. The green show begins at 6:30 p.m. and the mainstage begins at 8 p.m. For more information, visit https://www.sfstl.com or call (314) 531-9800.

Photo by Wiley Price

Celebrations

Birthdays

Reunions

All reunion announcements can be viewed online!

Beaumont High School Class of 1968 will celebrate its 50 year Class Reunion June 22-24, 2018 at the Sheraton Westport Chalet, 191 Westport Plaza. For more information, please contact Vanetta Cobbs, 314-869-5665 or email vanetta.cobbs@sbcglobal.net.

Beaumont High Class of 1973 will celebrate its 45th reunion, Aug. 10-12, 2018! To register contact: Dr. Liz Franklin at,

mychoice2succeed@yahoo. com or (636)293-9553. Also, check out the BHS Facebook page.

Beaumont Class of 1978 40th Reunion Extravaganza Save the Date: October 5-7, 2018. Call or text Marietta Shegog Shelby at 314-799-5296 for further details.

Homer G. Phillips and St. Louis Municipal School of Nursing all class reunion will be held June 22-24, 2018. All major activities will be held at the St. Louis Airport Hilton, 10330 Natural Bridge Rd, St. Louis, MO 63134. Awarding of nursing scholarships will be Saturday, June 23, at the banquet. For information please e-mail asims4@charter. net or call (314)261-2800 or (314)868-0288.

McKinley High School Class

Caroyln Moore, a fire captain with the City of St. Louis Fire Department, was recently awarded a $5,000 scholarship to WGU Missouri. Dr. Angie Besendorfer, Chancellor of WGU Missouri, surprised Moore with the scholarship at her workplace. Moore is pursuing a Master of Science in Management and Leadership at WGU Missouri.

of 1978 40th Class Reunion will take place July 27-29, 2018 at the Embassy SuitesAirport Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri. Classmates from all McKinley H.S. classes are invited. Registration is required. To register, contact Barbara Lindsey, Barbara_ Lindsey@icloud.com or Marvin Woods, mwoods@ projectcontrolsgroup.com or (314) 647-0707.

Northwest High School Class of 1978 is planning its 40 year reunion for next year. PLEASE reach out to our classmates, tell them get ready for this. If you have any questions please contact Sly at (314) 397-0311 or email us at northwestbluedevils@78gmail. com. Check us out on Facebook Northwest High School-Class of 1978.

Northwest Class of 1979

Sitafia Allen celebrated her birthday on May 23. She’d like to thank God for allowing her to see her 40th birthday!

Happy 1st birthday to my wonderful, loveable granddaughter, Kennedy Blessing, on May 25! Love, G-ma Pamela

I would like to wish Darci Danielle Simmons a happy and blessed 16th birthday on May 21. Your dad would be very proud of you, baby girl, because I am! We love you!

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

O’Fallon Tech Class of 1983 will have its 35-year reunion. June 8: Ballroom Gala at Infinite Occasion Banquet. June 9: Picnic/BBQ Bash at McDonnell Park. Weekend Cost: $85 Alumni/$45 Non-Alumni. June 16–20: All-inclusive trip to Riviera Maya, Cancun, Mexico Cost: Double Occupancy starting at $944/$1888. For more information, contact April at 314-307-9114 or Sharon at 314-623-3435 or checkout OFT Class of ’83 Facebook page.

FREE OF CHARGE

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

St. Louis American Celebrations c/o Kate Daniel 2315 Pine St. St. Louis, MO 63103

Sumner High School Class of 1973 will have its 45th year class reunion the weekend of June 22-24, 2018. More info to follow outlining the details. If you did not receive a newsletter in January, please contact Marsha Joseph-Williams (314606-8701) or Dorris SimmonsMcGhaw(314-541-2462). You can also inbox Sid S. Shurn or Dorris on Facebook.

Sumner Alumni Association will have its 10th Scholarship Awards Luncheon & Fashion Show on June 9, 2018, Noon4 pm honoring Mr. Marvin Neals, Ph.D. Dr. Lynn Beckwith, Jr. our Master of Ceremony and KMJtheDJ. The cost is $50 to attend and includes a cash bar, free parking, attendance prizes and more. For more info, contact B. Louis at 314.385.9843 or email: sumneralumniassn@ yahoo.com.

Reunion notices are free of charge and based on space availability. We prefer that notices be emailed to us! However, notices may also be sent by mail to:

Kate Daniel, 2315 Pine St., St. Louis, MO 63103

Deadline is 10 a.m. on Friday. If you’d like your class to be featured in a reunion profile, email or mail photos to us. Our email address is: reunions@ stlamerican.com

Kennedy Blessing

Sitafia Allen

Darci Danielle Simmons

Swag Snap of the Week

A marvelous May Day Parade. After getting drenched all weekend, Mother Nature had mercy on us for Annie Malone Children and Family Services 108th Annual May Day Parade and I really owe her a solid for it! Lord knows the last thing I wanted was to be damp and mangy as I recycled my Easter casualwear. The threat of the rain drawing up crochet braids and gypsy locks had the crowd looking lighter than usual – but it was standing operating procedure with respect to how lit it was! Normandy High School kicked it off and set the bar high with their rendition of Michael Jackson’s “PYT.” Their drum majors are so limber that they can march right in with anybody’s HBCU band. I had too many favorites to mention them all, but I must say that the Gateway High Steppers Drill Team (not affiliated with the SLPS School) lived up to every bit of their name. Do y’all make sure your knees can touch your shoulders at any given moment during everyday activities? The lovely ladies of Diva Sweat did it again – at this point they could give Miss D and her “Bring It” crew a run for their money. The DTLR float was so live, I felt like it was a mobile club. And I must give a shout out to Kritique Designs Beauty & Barber Salon for paying tribute to Corey Hall. Was I the only one shook by the Pleasant Green Baptist Church Drill Team? I mean, they could have marched right up during Beychella and Beyonce and company wouldn’t have been able to do a thing but step to the side and let them be great. Shout out to all the winners, participants, organizers and announcers and everyone who offered a hand to help this year’s May Day Parade be great – including special guest celebrity judge Elite Starz founder and reality TV star Tyrus Sellers. He was kind and charming as he could be, and as serious as fellow judges Marty K. Casey, Gina Covington James and Dr. Eric Mason about making sure the best teams won.

In and out with Nipsey Hussle. Friday night I made over to the Marquee just in time to catch Nipsey Hussle perched up in the VIP booth. It wasn’t packed to the gills like I had expected it to be, but the folks up in there were die-hard Nipsey Hussle fans. I can’t say I knew there was a such thing. Honestly, after Friday night I can see why there would be. He’s a such a cutie in real life, though much more petite than I imagined he’d be. What also struck me was how the dudes were clamoring more for Nipsey than the ladies. I can’t tell you how many accidental elbows I took from the fellas getting all the way into singing along to every word of Nipsey’s songs when he stood on the table and rapped to a few of his records. He did that to two or three tracks and then bounced. And when he bounced, he bounced. There was no fraternizing or photo ops to see that night. And one of the dudes who followed him out was feeling some type of way that Nipsey did not get his mingle on. “Aw, so you just gonna burn out and not take no pictures with nobody?” Nipsey didn’t pay him any mind.

Bone was back together again. For the first time in a minute, all five original members of Bone Thugs and Harmony were back together – and hit the stage Sunday night at The Pageant. Bone was so committed to giving fans the full experience that they had to be tapped on the shoulder to get up off of that stage. They did all the hits and an impromptu afterparty right on stage. As per usual, they didn’t get on stage before 10, but it was after 11:30 when they finished. And while I’m used to being unbothered by the opening entertainment – Sunday night’s features were giving life. DJ Cuddy tore it up on the tables and I wasn’t even mad with rapper Philly Phil and his bootheel twang trap. And Knux B Snappin is definitely one to watch. Bone did their thing too by providing a greatest hits performance that pleased the crowd, especially Hot 104.1 FM’s T. Marley. One thing I hadn’t fully grasped before Sunday was the diverse crowd Bone Thugs can pull. When I saw a dude, who looked like he ran off from Duck Dynasty twerkin’ on his lady friend while screaming about “It’s Bone and Biggie…” that settled it.

Roy Wood Jr. was a bit regular. Y’all already know that I go hard for comedian Roy Wood Jr. I know most of y’all are thinking “Who is Roy Wood Jr.?” He’s the dude from “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” with all the hilarious commentaries. You know what, nevermind with me trying to make y’all know him. You don’t have to be a brand name top billed arena selling comedy superstar in my book to make me laugh – and dude is funny. He’s so funny that when I heard he was headed back to the Funny Bone last weekend, I braved that lowkey tsunami to catch a cackle from him. I wish I could say he was as funny as he was last year, but I can’t. In 2017, I thought I was gonna need a nebulizer after the way he had me hollering. I’m going to assume he was testing new material – and since St. Louis is the Litmus test when it comes to comedy. Most jokes worked, but a few didn’t. He did have me weak when he was talking about how McDonald’s is the master of delicious mystery food – especially about how we still go crazy when the McRib returns to the menu, even though it’s made of squirrel meat. Cocoa Brown coming to the Laugh Lounge. Since I’m talking about names in comedy that you may not know but should, let me go ahead and give the heads up that Cocoa Brown is coming to spend Memorial Day Weekend at The Laugh Lounge. Don’t try to make me remember the urban comedy revue where she stole the show a couple of years back. All I kept thinking as my side ached from laughter was, “I wish she had a whole show to herself.” My prayers have been answered thanks to Jessie Taylor! She might not be a household name yet, but catch her as she comes through the Lou on her way to the top of the comedy game.

Michael Butler, Wiley Price IV and LaKeySha Bosley greeted constituents Sunday afternoon @ The 108th Annual Mayday Parade

Carlotta and CC were in the building to catch Bone Thugs-n-Harmony @ The Pageant Sunday night

Majic 103.7’s BJ the DJ hyped the May Day crowd to the Max on Sunday

Tyrus Sellers and Dr. Eric Mason were busy handling their business at judges’ station @ the 108th Annual Annie Malone May Day Parade Sunday

The Shea Moisture team with nationally renowned hair expert Glynn Jackson Saturday @ The House of Soul for of Hair Meets Art Meets Music

LaRhonda and Bre took in the beauty and style trends @ Hair Meets Art Meets Music Saturday @ Th House of Soul

Gina and Marty were eager members of judging panel of the 108th Annual Annie Malone Mayday Parade

Bradley Rayford waved to attendees as part of the Fox2 crew @ the 108th Annual May Day Parade

Robert and Jo Lena checking out hip-hop veteran Bone Thugs-n-Harmony Sunday night @ The Pageant

Noah and STL’s own Keem came through to check out LA rapper Nipsey Hussle Friday night @ The Marquee

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony’s Krayzie Bone was representing for Wakanda thanks to celebrity publicist Abesi Manyando when he and his fellow group members played the Pageant Sunday night. The group performed hits from their catalog that stretches nearly 25 years and features some of the biggest names in hip-hop, including Eazy-E, Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac.

Photos by V. Lang Additional photos by Wiley Price

PART-TIME FINE ARTS TEACHER

Big Brothers Big Sisters Job Openings

Do you have a passion for working hard to make a difference in your community?

BBBSEMO has several FULL-TIME and PART-TIME CASE MANAGEMENT positions open that work with adult volunteers, caregivers and youth. Bachelor’s Degree required.

BBBSEMO is an innovative and empowering work environment. Benefits include immediate and 100% coverage on health and dental insurance for full-time employees, flexible work schedule, and opportunities for advancement.

To Apply: Please visit www.bbbsemo.org to view full job descriptions. Then send cover letter, resume, and at least three professional references to HR@bbbsemo.org .

Loyola Academy of St. Louis, a Jesuitsponsored middle-school for boys, seeks a dynamic person to serve as the part-time Fine Arts Teacher for the 2018-2019 school year. Loyola Academy is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty by providing a rigorous education, extra-curricular programming, and an emphasis on personal and spiritual development to sixty students. The Fine Arts Teacher teaches three sections of art, including both art study and art production (drawing, painting, sculpting, and using other media to create products). The role includes time for planning, preparing, grading, and displaying student work. The successful candidate cares for students, plans and facilitates objective-driven lessons, and possesses exceptional organization and communication skills. The ideal candidate will have experience teaching art in a formal setting. Please submit a letter of interest and resume to Mrs. Ashley Chapman, Principal at achapman@loyolaacademy.org by 5/25/2018. No phone inquiries, please. For additional information about the school, please visit our website www.loyolaacademy.org.

DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES SERVICES – DE SMET JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL

De Smet Jesuit High School in Creve Coeur, Missouri, invites applications for the position of Director of Facilities Services. This is a customer-oriented, hands-on administrator responsible for planning, budgeting, directing and assisting with maintenance, housekeeping, grounds, safety, and secure building access activities for approximately 225,000 sq ft and 40 acres.

Qualified candidates will have at least ten years’ experience in facility management or a related area; certification in a major technical trade with hands-on knowledge of other trades; and a valid Missouri CDL For more information and to apply, please visit https://www.desmet.org/about/ careers. Applications will be accepted through June 8, 2018.

Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/H/V, Committed to Diversity/Inclusion

SUPERVISOR OF CLINICAL SERVICES

The St. Louis Center for Family Development is seeking a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) for our Community-Based Crisis Stabilization program. The Supervisor will play a vital role in the recruiting, on-boarding, training, and professional development of Mental Health Professionals. Candidates must meet the Missouri Professional Registration requirements to provide LCSW licensure supervision. For additional

Vintech Solutions Inc has openings for the positions: “Salesforce Developer” with Master’s degree in Computer Science/Information Systems, Engineering (any),Technology or related and 6 months of exp. to design, develop, test, document and deploy on the Force.com platform. Involve in development, administration,configuration and Support of sales force CRM and Salesforce applications based on Apex Language and leveraging Force. com Platform. Analyze and modify Salesforce out of box workflows, field updates and approval process to suit the business needs. Provide support to ongoing salesforce.com maintenance, administration services including custom objects, workflow and triggers. “Software Developer” with Master’sdegree in Computer Science, Engineering Any, Technology, Management, Information Systems or related to design, develop, implement, maintain and test business functions and web applications using a variety of languages, tools, methodologies and technologies. Develop, create and modify general computer applications software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions. Design software or customize software for client use with the aim of optimizing operational efficiency. “System Engineer” with Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering any, Technology or related to design of system solutions, providing technical input for all aspects of projects including design, system integration, providing support in order to facilitate the delivery projects within time and maintain customer satisfaction. Document design specifications, installation instructions, and other system related information. Provide technical guidance or support for the development or troubleshooting of systems. Work location is Olivette,MO with required travel to client locations throughout the USA.Please mail resumes to 9715 Olive Blvd, Floor 2, Olivette, MO 63132 (OR) e-mail: legal@vintech.com

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition has several employment opportunities. For more information, go to www.foster-adopt.org/employment.

MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL

The St. Louis Center for Family Development is seeking a Mental Health Professional to provide Community-Based Crisis Stabilization Services to youth and families throughout the St. Louis Metro Area. The candidate will provide in-home individual/family therapy, skill development and assessment. Candidates must have a Master’s Degree in Social Work, Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, or other related degree. For additional information please visit www.STLCFD.com or to apply send a cover letter and resume to Emily.dreher@stlcfd.comcomcom

L

LETTING #8670

AVIATION FIELDS UPGRADES & STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS

Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of Public Service in Room 208 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Mo. Until 1:45 PM, CT, on June 19th, 2018, then publicly opened and read. Plans and Specifications may be examined on the Board of Public Service website http://www.stl-bps.org/ planroom.aspx (BPS On Line Plan Room) and may be purchased directly through the BPS website from INDOX Services at cost plus shipping. No refunds will be made.

A pre-bid conference for all contractors bidding on this project will be held May 29th, 2018,10:00 A.M. onsite at the Concession Stand in Aviation Fields, Forest Park. Bidders shall comply with all applicable City, State and Federal laws (including MBE/WBE policies).

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

Email Angelita at

LETTING #8671

PEDESTRIAN STREET LIGHTS

Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of Public Service in Room 208 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Mo. Until 1:45 PM, CT, on June 26, 2018, then publicly opened and read. Plans and Specifications may be examined on the Board of Public Service website http:// www.stl-bps.org/planroom.aspx (BPS On Line Plan Room) and may be purchased directly through the BPS website from INDOX Services at cost plus shipping. No refunds will be made.

A pre-bid conference for all contractors bidding on this project will be held on June 5, 2018 at 11:00 A.M. in Room 305 City Hall.

Bidders shall comply with all applicable City, State and Federal laws (including MBE/WBE policies).

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

PUBLIC NOTICE

The 2018 Assessment Book of taxable property within the City of St. Louis is open for inspection in the Assessor’s Office, Room 114 City Hall. The 2018 values can also be viewed at https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/data/ address-search/.

The Board of Equalization will meet from July 16 through August 24, 2018. The deadline to appeal to the Board of Equalization is July 9, 2018.

Any person may appeal their assessment by writing to the Board of Equalization, 1200 Market Street, Room 120, St. Louis, MO 63103 or by email to zasr@stlouis-mo.gov.

Stephen J. Conway City of St. Louis Assessor

METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS SEWER DISTRICT Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District will receive sealed bids in the Purchasing Division, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2555 until 10:00am June 29, 2018 for: Roof Replacement (Grit Building) at Bissell Point Treatment Plant Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from www.stlmsd.com - click on “MSD At Work”, then “Bidding on Projects”. The bid document will be identified as 9403 RFQ. If you do not have access to the internet, call (314) 7686314 to request a copy of this bid. Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Public Notice of Single Source Procurement

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: STEEL PRIMARY RETURN AND DRAG SHOES The District is proposing single source procurement for this equipment because KRH INC is the only known available source for the equipment. Any inquiries should be sent to gjamison@stlmsd.com.

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

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Notice is hereby given that The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (District) will receive sealed bids for Schuetz Road and Willow Brook Cove Storm Sewers under Letting No. 11511015.1, at this office, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103, until 02:00 PM on Thursday, June 28, 2018, at a place designated. Bids will be received only from companies that are pre-qualified by

LETTING #8669

FOREST PARK

DUAL PATH EXTENTION

Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of Public Service in Room 208 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Mo. Until 1:45 PM, CT, on June 19, 2018, then publicly opened and read. Plans and Specifications may be examined on the Board of Public Service website http://www.stl-bps.org/ planroom.aspx (BPS On Line Plan Room) and may be purchased directly through the BPS website from INDOX Services at cost plus shipping. No refunds will be made.

A PRE-BID CONFERENCE for all contractors bidding on this project will be held May 29, 2018, 11:00 a.m., onsite at Forest Park.

Bidders shall comply with all applicable City, State and Federal laws (including MBE/WBE policies).

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

LETTING #8666

Concrete Replacement Due to City of St. Louis Water Division Maintenance and Construction - 2018

Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of Public Service in Room 208 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Mo. Until 1:45 PM, CT, on June 12, 2018, then publicly opened and read. Plans and Specifications may be examined on the Board of Public Service website http://www.stl-bps.org/ planroom.aspx (BPS On Line Plan Room) and may be purchased directly through the BPS website from INDOX Services at cost plus shipping. No refunds will be made.

Bidders shall comply with all applicable City, State and Federal laws (including MBE/WBE policies).

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

A mandatory pre-bid conference for all contractors bidding on this

METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS SEWER DISTRICT Notice

At St. Louis Lambert International Airport

Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of Public Service in Room 208 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Mo. Until 1:45 PM, CT, on Tuesday, June 12, 2018 then publicly opened and read. Plans and Specifications may be examined on the Board of Public Service website http://www.stl-bps.org/planroom.aspx (BPS On Line Plan Room) and may be purchased directly through the BPS website from INDOX Services at cost plus shipping. No refunds will be made.

Bidders shall comply with all applicable City, State and Federal laws (including MBE/WBE policies). ). Mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 22, 2018, at 10:00 AM in the Ozark Conference Room at the Airport Office Building, 11495 Navaid Rd., Bridgeton, MO 63044.

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

entity submitting the bid. The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Notice is hereby given that The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (District) will receive sealed bids for N Highway 67 at Coldwater Creek Sanitary Sewer Replacement under Letting No. 12786-015.1, at this office, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103, until 02:00 PM on Wednesday, June 27, 2018, at a place designated. Bids will be received only from companies that are pre-qualified by the District’s Engineering Department for: DEEP SEWER CONSTRUCTION –St. Louis County drainlayer’s license required Or TUNNELING / TRENCHLESS Plans and Specifications are available for free electronic download. Please go to MSD’s website and look for a link to “ELECTRONIC PLANROOM.” Plans and Specifications are also available for viewing or purchase at Cross Rhodes Reprographics located at 1712 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis MO 63110. All bidders must obtain a set of plans and specifications in order to submit a bid in the name of the entity submitting the bid. The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

REQUEST FOR BIDS

and the “Standard Federal Equal Employment Specifications” set forth within and referenced at www.stl-bps.org (Announcements).

The Housing Partnership, Inc. (“THP”) is soliciting bids from qualified firms for the demolition of a commercial structure at 9901 South Broadway, St Louis, Missouri 63125 in South St. Louis County (“Lemay”), MO. The work generally consists of the abatement of asbestos containing material, the abatement of household hazardous waste, the demolition of the structure, the removal of demolition debris, site clearing and grading. Bid documents may be obtained by requesting said documents from Cross Rhodes Reprographics website at www.x-rhodes.com. THP will accept sealed bids for the work at its office submitted to Attn: Executive Director until Thursday June 7, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. at which time and place bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. Any questions and/or clarification should be directed to the Executive Director, The Housing Partnership, Inc. at (314) 631-9905. The project will be funded in part through a Subgrant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority of St Louis County. All related funding regulations shall be in full force and effect. THP is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

ST. LOUIS COUNTY PUBLIC NOTICE

St. Louis County as an Urban Entitlement County is eligible to apply for and receive federal funds from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnership and Emergency Solutions Grant programs. St. Louis County is also the Lead Agency for the St. Louis County HOME Consortium. The St. Louis County HOME Consortium is a group of contiguous units of local government that have joined together for the purpose of receiving a HOME allocation and administering a HOME Program as a single grantee. The members of the St. Louis County HOME Consortium include St. Louis County, the City of Florissant, the City of O’Fallon, Jefferson County and St. Charles County.

The St. Louis County HOME Consortium has prepared a draft of its Fiscal Year 2018 Action Plan which is an application for federal funds which will be provided by HUD for the aforementioned programs. This draft 2018 Action Plan includes proposed activities that the St. Louis County HOME Consortium plans to undertake utilizing funds that should be made available on or about July 15, 2018. Copies of this draft 2018 Action Plan will be available for public review and comment beginning Thursday, May 10, 2018 thru June 25, 2018, at the following locations during normal business hours (8 am – 4 pm Monday thru Friday).

St. Louis County Government Centers

• West-74 Clarkson-Wilson Center Chesterfield, MO 63017 (314-615-0900)

• Northwest Crossing – 715 Northwest Plaza Drive St. Ann, MO 63074 (314-615-7400)

• South-4546 Lemay Ferry Road St. Louis, MO 63129 (314-615-4000)

St. Louis County Department of Planning

• Office of Community Development - 41 S. Central, 5th floor, Clayton, MO 63105 (314-615-4414)

St. Louis County Library System

• Headquarters Location - 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63131 (314-994-3300)

City of Florissant

• Government Building - 1055 Rue St. Francois, Florissant, MO 63031 (314-839-7680)

City of O’Fallon

• City Hall - 100 N. Main Street, O’Fallon, MO 63366 (636-240-2000)

Jefferson County

• Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation - 5217 Highway B, Hillsboro, MO 63050 (636-797-5336)

St. Charles County

• Administrative Building - 201 N. Second St., St. Charles, MO 63301 (636-949-7900)

All comments regarding the draft of the 2018 Action Plan should be put in writing on or before June 25, 2018 and directed to: Mr. Jim Holtzman, Director Office of Community Development 41 S. Central Avenue, 5th floor Clayton, MO 63105 Phone: (314) 615-4414 (VOICE)

1-800-735-2966 (Relay Missouri TTY Callers) 1-800-735-2466 (Relay Missouri Voice Callers) EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby given that a public hearing to solicit citizen comments regarding the

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

St. Louis Community College will receive separate sealed bids for Contract No. F 18 508, Finish Renovations in Social Science Building, St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley, until 2:00 p.m. local time Thursday, May 31, 2018. Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud at the office of the Manager of Engineering and Design, 5464 Highland Park Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63110. Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from the Manager’s office at the above address, or by email (kkempf@stlcc.edu).

An Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer Voluntary Walk-Through: Thursday, May 17, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. in the Social Science Building

MISSOURI ORTHOPEDIC

INSTITUTE – BIDS

Paric Corporation is accepting bids for the following project for the University of Missouri, Columbia: Missouri Orthopedic Institute – Spine Center, Project # CP172761.

Space consists of approx. 6,000 sf. This will be a renovation of a lab space within the Missouri Ortho Institute with a CT room, lab rooms, and offices.

A diversity participation goal of 10% MBE and 3% SDVE and 10% Combined WBE, DBE, Veteran owned businesses.

Subcontractor bids are due by 9:00 AM on May 31, 2018.

Please submit your bids to bids@paric. com

Thank you

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The Midwest Cargo Hub Commission (“MCHC”) is soliciting proposals from qualified firms to provide marketing services to promote live animal export operations at St. Louis Lambert International Airport.

To be considered, proposals must be received no later than 3:00 PM CST on Thursday, June 7, 2018. Proposals should be sent by e-mail to hbean@stlpartnership.com, or to Midwest Cargo Hub Commission, c/o St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, ATTN: Howl Bean II, 7733 Forsyth Blvd., Suite 2200, St. Louis, Missouri 63105. DBE, MBE, and WBE firms are encouraged to bid.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The St. Louis Center for International Relations d/b/a World Trade Center-St. Louis (the “WTC”) is soliciting proposals from qualified firms to organize and manage all details for an event on Sunday, September 9, 2018, to highlight the agricultural technology strengths of the St. Louis region.

To be considered, proposals must be received no later than 3:00 PM CST on Thursday, June 7, 2018. Proposals should be sent by e-mail to hbean@stlpartnership.com, or to World Trade Center-St. Louis, c/o St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, ATTN: Howl Bean II, 7733 Forsyth Blvd., Suite 2200, St. Louis, Missouri 63105. DBE, MBE, and WBE firms are encouraged to bid.

located at 1712 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis MO 63110. All bidders must obtain a set of plans and specifications in order to submit a bid in the name of the entity submitting the bid. The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PINNACLE CONTRACTING

STEELCOTE LOFTS

801 Edwin Street St. Louis, MO. 63103

Due date: June 12 at 2:00 pm

Pre-bid walkthrough: May 29 at 9:00 and June 5 at 9:00

A historic renovation of three buildings (A, B, C). Building A is 6 stories with 31 units and a basement level for underground parking. Building B is a single-story building where the leasing office and bike storage will be located. Building C is also a single-story building that will have 2 additional units. (note that Demo is by owner, Fire Protection, Plumbing, HVAC, and Electrical scopes have been awarded)

Call or email Chris Anderson for the link to the plans and specs at 314-783-8000 ext. 7 or chris@pinnaclecontracting.com

The Request for Proposals may be obtained from the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership’s web site at www.stlpartnership.com. MCHC reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive informalities therein. Any questions should be directed to Howl Bean II at (314) 6157663 or hbean@stlpartnership.com.

Midwest Cargo Hub Commission Equal Opportunity Employer

METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS

SEWER DISTRICT

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District will receive RFQ’s in the Purchasing Division, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2555 until 10:00 a.m. on June 20, 2018 to contract with a company for: NEW 2018 Model Forklifts Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from www.stlmsd.com, click on the “MSD AT WORK” link, (bid opportunities). The bid document will be identified as 9391 RFQ. If you do not have access to the internet, call 314.768.2735 to request a copy of this bid.

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

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR TAX

SALE LEGAL SERVICES

St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) is seeking proposals from firms that are qualified to provide legal services associated with the acquisition of properties deeded to the Land Reutilization Authority of the City of St. Louis, Missouri (LRA) as a result of tax foreclosure Sheriff’s sales. The complete RFQ can be viewed online at: www.stlouis-mo.gov/ government/departments/sldc/ procurement.cfm or emailed/faxed by contacting Bonnie Wade, SLDC Law Department at WadeBo@ stlouis-mo.gov or 314-657-3759.

R U MOVING?

Moving, Hauling, Basement Cleanout, or Junk Removal, Cutting Lawns, Call Gary Cheapest Man in Town 618-363-2379

FOR

SALE Concrete Equipment 84’ Ford Dump Truck Air Compressor 314-223-5900

SEALED BIDS

for HVAC Replacement, Annex Building, Missouri

Complex, Jefferson City, Missouri, Project No. R1802-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 6/21/2018. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/ facilities

ROOMS FOR RENT $500/mo, Houses & Apts for Rent, 2, 3, & 4 Bed, $625-$750/mo, North City, No Credit Check 314-657-5713

ROOMS Friendly environment, clean, quiet, near shopping, busline, weekly & monthly 314-531-5602

ROOMS FOR RENT Furnished 314-240-5822 314-349-1191

The Request for Proposals may be obtained from the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership’s web site at www.stlpartnership.com. WTC reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive informalities therein. Any questions should be directed to Howl Bean II at (314) 615-7663 or hbean@stlpartnership.com.

St. Louis Economic Development Partnership Equal Opportunity Employer

METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS SEWER DISTRICT

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District will receive RFQ’s in the Purchasing Division, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2555 until 10:00 a.m. on June 26, 2018 to contract with a company for: PORTABLE TOILET RENTAL.

Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from www.stlmsd.com, click on the “MSD AT WORK” link, (bid opportunities). The bid document will be identified as 9398 RFQ. If you do not have access to the internet, call 314-768-6254 to request a copy of this bid.

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

SAINT LOUIS ZOO 2018 LAKESIDE BOILER REPLACEMENTS RFP

The project scope outlined within this project is to remove two water boilers currently being used for domestic hot water, and replace with two PVI High Efficiency water heaters. The work will need to be performed in stages so as not to shut down the food service operation during the replacement. This is a turnkey job. Pro Press fittings are permitted.

MANDATORY PRE-BID MEETING & SITE INSPECTION: On 6/5/2018 at 9:00AM at The Living World building on Government Drive in Forest Park, lower level. Sealed bids marked with project name will be accepted on or before 6/13/2018 at 1:30 PM and opened immediately after in the Facility Management Conference Room. Documents can be found on 5/24/2018 at: https://www.stlzoo.org/about/contact/ vendoropportunities/

CITY OF ST. LOUIS ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Request For Proposals (RFP) for Information Personnel Staffing Services Proposals Wanted

Proposal documents may be obtained at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Airport Properties Division, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., or by calling (314) 426-8184. This RFP may also be obtained by visiting our website at www. flystl.com/business/contact-opportunites.

Robert Salarano Airport Properties Division Manager

Public Notice of Single Source Procurement Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: Geopolymer Rehabilitation services. The District is proposing single source procurement to Vortex Companies / Quadex Lining Systems for this equipment. Any inquiries should be sent to ltreat@stlmsd.com.

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

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR TRAINING SERVICES

East-West Gateway Council of Governments is seeking a qualified consultant to provide an Urban Staging Area Manager Training Course. Funding for this project will be provided by the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security. Proposals due 4:00 p.m.

Pastor wants black church to address HIV

‘That is the problem – we don’t want to be honest and admit’

By Marissanne LewisThompson Of St. Louis Public Radio

More than 50 percent of HIV cases in the St. Louis region are in the African-American community. That’s according to a 2016 report from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. But the stigma surrounding the virus in the black community makes it a challenge to address.

Local organizations like Faith Communities United have been working to break the stigma down by partnering with several faith communities throughout the region, including Spirit of Love Church in St. Louis, led by Pastor Gwenndolyn Lee. For Lee, the fear of discussing HIV in the black community, and especially in the black church, is a personal one.

Nearly 14 years ago, Lee’s younger brother Victor died from complications of AIDS. He was also gay. Lee said that although both of those things were known to their family, it was not something they talked about, which is not uncommon in many black households. However, she said when Victor told her family — including their father, who was a pastor — about his HIV status, it changed things. HIV had a face they could associate it with.

“When [Victor] told the family, he took brochures and pamphlets, and he took condoms,” Lee said. “He had called everybody together — nieces, nephews, siblings and my parent. So when Victor brought all of the stuff to the

had a family member who died from AIDS. And my brother Victor was an artist. He was a wonderful, fabulous artist, and he made these T-shirts. And I took the only T-shirt that I had and we put it on the panel in honor and in memory of him.”

Lee posted a picture of the quilt on Facebook with a message about her brother dying from AIDS, with a note urging people to get tested for HIV.

“And it wasn’t up maybe two hours and then I got a call and text messages from my sister and brother [saying], ‘Take that down. He didn’t die from AIDS,’” she said. “And my sister called me and we had this conversation. They said, ‘Our mother is going to be upset if you have that on Facebook.’ But out of respect, I did take it down. I wasn’t happy about it, because you know, again, that is the problem. We don’t want to be honest and admit. And I just felt like that would have been a great legacy for his life.”

Tackling issues like HIV and AIDS in the black community is a challenge when being gay in the black church is not widely accepted. But Lee said leadership often plays a key role in changing things.

The Message Can you spell l-o-s-t?

Have you ever been lost? I mean really don’t know where you are, what you’re doing, how did I get here lost?

I’ve been emotionally, clinically, physically, chronically and of course, spiritually lost many times in my life. It’s no accident that finding me by me coincides with me finding my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Lost in the secular realm can mean a lot of things, including simply being lost in time and space. Geographically, that can mean not knowing which direction to turn in order to get to a particular designated place at a specific time.

Spiritually, being lost runs the gamut from borderline lunacy to physical depravity, from chasing your own tail to sniffing everyone else’s. Consider those times in your life when you couldn’t explain your own dumb behavior to anyone, including yourself. Think about all of those times when you were in the middle of where even you knew you weren’t supposed to be, had no business being there. But you wouldn’t, dare I say couldn’t leave.

If you engage in destructive behavior and can’t stop; live a lifestyle you despise but feel obligated to continue; stay in an abusive situation and can’t leave; love yourself so little that you lose sight of who you really are; blame the world for your predicament and won’t see any way to change it. Can you spell l-o-s-t? If being spiritually lost is in essence a state of mind, doesn’t it stand to reason that being spiritually found is also a state of mind? We all know how it feels after being lost for a few minutes or a few hours and finally getting going in the right direction. You’ve not yet reached your destination but you experience great pleasure in the fact that you absolutely know where you’re going and how long it will take you to get there.

house, apparently after he gave his speech about him having HIV and about safe sex and everything, everybody was silent, from what I was told. Because they were looking at my father, like, ‘Oh, my God. What is Papa going to say about this?’ And my father went over to the table and picked up a couple of condoms and put them in his pocket and kind of smiled. And then he went downstairs to his office. So I think that was him kind of affirming Victor’s message

without giving a big speech.”

Lee said although her family did support Victor, many did not want the exact cause of his death to be public knowledge. But that changed for her when her church and Faith Communities United partnered with each other years later.

“There was a service held sponsored by Faith Communities United, and they have a quilt that was made,” Lee said. “And each church was invited to do something in memory of someone if they

“I want our church to be a place where anybody is welcomed,” she said. “And I want our church to be able to have dialogue with people from the gay community. If members can put a face to HIV and AIDS, if members can get to know a person that is gay and who is HIV-positive or they have AIDS, if they can put a face and get to know the person — instead of just the label — I think that will help bridge the gap and help spread the love.”

Follow Marissanne on Twitter: @Marissanne2011. Reprinted with permission from news.stlpublicradio.org.

Being spiritually found, or finding yourself spiritually brings the same feeling, only tenfold, because most of us have been spiritually lost for more than a few minutes, or a few days or even a few years. To wake up on any given morning and recognize the truth necessitates praising God in a manner only the saved can understand. At that point, in that moment of understanding confusion gives way to clarity, lunacy gives way to sanity, turmoil bows to peace, purpose replaces insignificance and the angst of the spirit is replaced by faith in the Almighty. Once you find yourself spiritually, there is one irrefutable fact you must acknowledge. You can no longer plead ignorance to the ways of the Lord. No longer can you claim weakness as an excuse for succumbing to sinful behavior. This spiritually found thing bears a price tag for redemption. Salvation does indeed require a paradigm shift.

But it’s okay. Just like being on the wrong highway all night and finally finding the right one, even though you’ve gone far out of your way, there’s nothing like finally getting it right. Now it’s just a matter of time. “He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know the time or dates the Father has set by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you’…”

Columnist James Washington

Photo by Carolina Hidalgo / St. Louis Public Radio

Pastor Gwenndolyn Lee of Spirit of Love Church wants to change the negative stigma surrounding HIV in the black community. Her younger brother died from AIDS nearly 14 years ago.