May 5th, 2016 Edition

Book club for ‘Nerdy Girlz’

By Rebecca Rivas

n “Our neighborhood does a really good job of helping the homeless right now. We are already doing our job.”

– Ebony Washington

even talking to your son about college?’” said Batiste, who moved to St. Louis from California to attend Harris-Stowe. His teacher became one of the main reasons Batiste has pushed himself so hard academically – just to prove her wrong. In the fall, Batiste will begin his reign as Mister Harris-Stowe State University 2016-17, adding to his other college achievements.

now, Kennedy has over 75 members. That’s really amazing to me. My mother, Akiba Thompson, certified the book club, so it’s like she’s running the book club officially. Nerdy Girlz is a good club for young females who like to read, have fun and be around good friends. There’s so much that happens inside the Nerdy Girlz Book Club. I hear about it when I call my mother. The Nerdy Girlz go on field trips, go out to eat with one another, and a lot more. It’s not a

Batiste’s story of overcoming adversity as an African-American male was among several inspiring tales told during Harris-Stowe’s first Male Empowerment Summit, “Brothers Inspiring Change,” held from April 29 to May 1. The event was hosted by the university’s

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

The 2016 Stellar Performer in Health, Dr. Angela Brown, with 2016 Salute to Excellence in Health Care Lifetime Achiever Michael Holmes.

Photo by Wiley Price

Savannah Williams and Jaiden Eason enjoyed a book about Helen Keller at the Nerdy Girlz Book Club meeting held on Saturday, April 30 at the Lewis & Clark Branch of the St. Louis County Library.

Akiba Thompson and Kennedy Rain Thompson

Photo courtesy of DePorres Shepard Steeples Jr.

the musician left behind at Paisley Park – concluded Monday with Bremer appointed as special administrator, but no will was discovered.

The court determined that all possible heirs have been reached and have been provided the opportunity to be included in the petition filed by Prince’s sister, Tyka Nelson, said First Judicial District

Prince’s personal vault opened, hearing held regarding estate

According to St. Paul/Minneapolis ABC affiliate KSTP News channel 5, Bremer Bank, recently appointed trustee of Prince’s estate, hired a St. Paul company to drill through Prince’s personal vault at Paisley Park Tuesday.

Sources said the bank had to move quickly to get inside the vault because, as courtappointed trustee, Bremer is legally responsible for safeguarding and handling all of Prince’s assets.

The vault is known to store Prince’s invaluable recordings, of which, dozens have not been released. Prince was the only person who knew the combination, which is the reason Bremer Bank had to hire someone to drill through the lock to retrieve and take inventory of its contents.

A court hearing to determine the fate of Prince’s estate – including the contents of the vault

Judge Kevin Eide

Whoopi wants off of ‘The View,’ execs want to chop Raven-Symone

Whoopi Goldberg may be ready to disappear from “The View.”

The outspoken Oscar winner has informed friends that she’s fed up with ABC’s morning show and wants to bail from the panel, where she has held forth on topics weighty and trivial since 2007.

“Whoopi has told those close to her she will exit the show,” said one daytime TV veteran, who spoke with TheWrap on the condition of anonymity.

Whether she really means it or could be persuaded to stay remains to be seen. Goldberg, 60, is in

talks with ABC about extending her contract, which is up at the end of this season.

The network bosses seem open to an agreement. “We want her back and are trying to make that happen,” said a source close to the show.

But change of one sort or another is likely coming to “The View” soon. Raven-Symone, who joined the panel last year, probably won’t be returning, one insider said.

Rita Ora uses Met Gala to make nice with ‘Beyhive’

At Monday night’s Met Gala, Beyoncé and Rita Ora attempted to put an end to the rumors that Ora is the “Becky with the good hair.”

Last week Ora was mercilessly stung by the Beyhive by allegedly insinuating that she was the object of Jay Z’s affection and the subject of Beyoncé’s latest album “Lemonade.”

Ora posted a Snapchat with the tag “Family” as an effort to put the rumors to rest.

Meanwhile, Jay Z did not attend this year’s Met Gala – and Solange was at the ball dressed in a bright lemon yellow.

Afeni Shakur’s ex not named in estate

Fans of the late rap artist Tupac Shakur were shocked after his mother Afeni Shakur

Davis died suddenly in the midst of a bitter divorce from her husband Pastor Gust Davis She was 69.

According to reports, Davis will not benefit from Afeni’s death. Sources told TMZ.com that Afeni set up an iron clad trust to control Tupac’s music rights and the trust is very specific about heirs should Afeni die. They say Davis named in the trust.

Former Afrika Bambaataa bodyguard stands with accusers

Lord Shariyf, a man who identifies himself as Afrika Bambaataa’s former bodyguard, claims that the hip hop pioneer had a sexual relationship with “hundreds” of underage boys in an interview with radio host Star.

“When I went with him on tour in the States, I’d stay in one room, and he would have boys in the room with him,” Shariyf said in the interview.

He claimed that when he encouraged the Zulu Nation to turn Bambaataa in to the authorities in 2007, the organization accused of him trying to extort Bambaataa for money.

“Bambaataa goes around fronting, like he’s this holier than thou,” Shariyf said. “He’s a [expletive] pedophile. This is a well-known fact in the Zulu Nation.”

Sources: TMZ.com, KSTP.com, The Wrap.com, hotnewhiphop.com

EPA puts Republic Services on deadline for barrier at Bridgeton Landfill

Issues settlement agreement and enforcement action memo for toxic site

By Durrie Bouscaren

Of St. Louis Public Radio

The owner of the Bridgeton Landfill is now on a deadline to install several components of a system that will separate radioactive waste from an smoldering underground hightemperature chemical reaction.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 7 issued an Administrative Settlement Agreement

Thursday, April 28 that names deadlines for a heat extraction system, air monitors and temperature probes.

The EPA said last December it would move ahead with building the longdelayed firebreak to keep the smoldering at Bridgeton Landfill from reaching radioactive waste leftover from the Manhattan Project in the adjacent West Lake Landfill.

In March, the agency released a map showing radioactive contamination was found just a few hundred feet away from Bridgeton, data that the EPA said would help it determine where to build the barrier.

Recently, Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster publicly chided the agency for missing its own self-imposed deadline for delivering detailed plans for the isolation barrier.

On a conference call with reporters on April 28, regional Administrator Mark Hague said construction of the barrier itself

New city manager in ESL

Guess what, folks? East St. Louis, Illinois has just hired a new city manager. If you’re as underwhelmed as I am, it’s because East Boogie seemingly changes city managers as frequently as most people change their underwear.

The city manager du jour is the recently hired Courtney Logan, a 30-year-old attorney, former assistant state’s attorney and adjunct instructor at Saint Louis University School of Law, who just happens to be an East St. Louis native.

He’s also the city’s umpteenth city manager in recent years and the fifth city manager in less than one year. So the revolving door continues for the $100,000-a-year job. And we wonder why ESL government is so erratic and unstable?

Logan was hand-picked by Mayor Emeka Jackson-Hicks, who said that he “brings accountability, transparency, integrity, a new progressive energy and stamina” to the position.

I certainly hope that patience and thick skin are among his attributes, because once the “poli-tricks” and political gamesmanship resume, he will need them.

In fact, some wheeling and dealing may have already been afoot because Logan’s predecessor, Edith Moore, was to be replaced by Ishaq Shafiq, a former ESL city manager. But the deal fell through just one week prior to Logan’s hire.

n

isn’t expected to start until next year. “There are many challenges and engineering things we need to work through, and legal matters,” Hague said. “We’re able to do these ones in the Bridgeton or ‘neck area’ now, and literally we’ll begin working tomorrow on the other aspects of this.”

The settlement agreement serves as a legal document to enforce the deadlines if they aren’t met, including:

• A 30-day deadline for work plans to be submitted for a heat extraction system, inert gas injection and air monitors.

• A 60-day deadline for a work plan to install an ethylene vinyl alcohol cover over the North Quarry portion of the Bridgeton Landfill.

• A four-month deadline to complete the heat extraction system after construction begins. EPA is working in close

coordination with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, which remains the lead agency for oversight of the Bridgeton Landfill.

A spokesperson for Republic Services, which owns the landfill, wrote in a statement that the company has been ready to put the protective measures in place for “some time” and remains committed to working with the EPA to implement them.

The Settlement and Enforcement Action Memorandum are available on EPA Region 7’s West Lake Landfill web site: https://www. epa.gov/region07/cleanup/ west_lake_landfill/. Follow Durrie on Twitter: @ durrieB.

Reprinted with permission from news.stlpublicradio.org.

On his part, Logan said that he is “very excited. I have an opportunity to do a lot of good for a lot of people.” That’s a hopeful message, but the reality (just ask his predecessors) is that if he doesn’t do the will of the ESL City Council, then he will be summarily flung back through the revolving door from which he emerged. With a deficient budget, the result of a struggling Casino Queen, a mass exodus of the black middle class and an eroded tax base, Logan’s job will be daunting.

And while I wish this young, energetic city manager all the best in his attempts to place East Boogie on sound financial footing, I wouldn’t wish such a thankless, overwhelming job on my worst enemy.

Logan will need the full cooperation of the ESL City Council, elected officials and, more importantly, the citizens of ESL in order to be an effective manager of ESL’s affairs. It’s not about fancy slogans, inspiring rhetoric or empty promises. East Boogie has been down that road for far too long, which has resulted in a political dead end.

I along with other citizens of ESL will be watching and awaiting Mr. Logan’s “assessment” of the mess which he has inherited and his prognosis for the future.

But Logan must also remember that, with a list of city managers longer than we can remember, he will be on an exceedingly short leash. Email: jtingram_1960@yahoo.com; Twitter@ JamesTIngram.

Columnist

James Ingram

Editorial /CommEntary

Racial equity and the NGA

The public comment period on the National GeospatialIntelligence Agency’s preliminary choice of a site in North St. Louis for its new $1.75 billion Western Headquarters ended on May 2, and the federal agency will now take 30 days to review those comments before making a final decision. U.S. Senator Roy Blunt, who has been a strategic and influential advocate for the North St. Louis site, called us after the comment period closed with encouraging news.

“I just met with NGA officials,” Blunt said, “and I think their decision to extend the comment period was absolutely appropriate, but looking at the comments that have been made, I don’t believe anything should or will change their preliminary decision.” Blunt serves on the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, which approves the NGA’s budget, and has been in close contact with NGA Director Robert Cardillo throughout the site selection process. This assurance from Blunt convinced us that the often hysterical objections emerging from the Belleville News-Democrat, which advocated for a rival Metro East site, is the journalistic equivalent of the soccer player on a losing team taking dramatic stage dives in a failed effort to pin a bogus penalty on a better opponent.

If you care passionately about the future of North St. Louis, as we do, then now is still not the time to pop the cork on the champagne. The Building and Construction Trades Council of St. Louis submitted a Community Workforce Agreement to the NGA regarding construction of the new facility that must be followed in letter and spirit. The local trades pledged that nearly 40 percent of all labor hours on the $1.75 billion construction will go to minorities, according to documents that Blunt

previously provided to The American. The council proposed that at least 37.81 percent of all labor hours on the facility would go to minorities, which more than doubles the 17 percent inclusion goals set forth in federal guidelines. However, we have seen local commitments to minority inclusion that exceed federal guidelines dismissed by federal officials before, and this must not happen again.

Once the new NGA West is open for business, North St. Louis will instantly have more than 3,000 people drawing an average salary of $83,000 working there. We need to make sure our young people are preparing themselves for a place in this high-tech workforce.

“I continue to think the ability to attract the next generation of workers is the greatest advantage this city has,” Blunt told us. That means this region – in an era when “racial equity” has been advanced as a local mandate by the Ferguson Commission – must commit to making sure that this “next generation of workers” is racially inclusive. We commend the many local institutions investing in STEM education for our urban youth, and praise start-ups like Launch Code for teaching technical skills to young people who might otherwise be left behind.

But no one would say that we are doing enough or moving toward racial equity in technical education fast enough.

“I also continue to think this facility and the people going to that facility every day for the next 50 years or more will become a significant hub for economic development,” Blunt told us. This seems beyond doubt, but it will take consistent and conscious attention to racial equity for this economic development in an historically black neighborhood to be truly equitable. We need powerful leaders like U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill and U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay, whose support also was essential to winning NGA West for the city, pushing for racial equity as this economic development gets underway.

It is heartening to hear commitment coming from a national power player like Richard L. Trumpka, president of the AFL-CIO, who wrote to the NGA on the last day of the public comment period that “this project will bring desperately needed jobs and redevelopment to an economically distressed community of color.”

We must be determined as a region – and make sure the federal government honors our commitment – to actually redeveloping this distressed community, and not merely displacing poor people and their problems.

Trump fills a vacuum left by the GOP

The Donald Trump rampage – still hard to believe, after nearly a year – is a symptom of something deeper and more profound: the Republican Party’s slide into complete incoherence.

Rarely has a major party’s establishment been so out of touch with its voting base. Rarely have so many experienced politicians (Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, Marco Rubio, Rick Perry et al.) been so thoroughly embarrassed, and so cruelly dispatched, by a political neophyte. Rarely have feelings been so raw that one leading Republican (John Boehner) would publicly describe another (Ted Cruz) as “Lucifer in the flesh.” What does the GOP believe in? There was a time when anyone with a passing interest in politics could have answered that question. Today, who knows?

This ideological disintegration has been years in the making. I believe one fundamental cause is that after winning the allegiance of millions of “Reagan Democrats” – mostly white, blue-collar, Southern or rural – the party stubbornly declined to take their economic interests into account.

Traditional Republican orthodoxy calls for small government, low taxation, tight money, deregulation, free trade and cost-saving reforms to entitlement programs. If I were independently wealthy, that might seem an agreeable set of policies. But most working-class Republicans are, get ready for it, working-class. They are more Sam’s Club than country club. They don’t own

the business, they earn wages or a salary; and trickle-down economics has not been kind to them. Their incomes have been stagnant for a good 20 years, they have seen manufacturing jobs move overseas and job security vanish, they have less in retirement savings and home equity than they had hoped, and they see their young-adult children struggling to get a start in life.

Columnist Eugene Robinson

This segment includes military families that have borne the awful weight of more than a decade of war. Repeated deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq have caused tremendous strain; “wounded warriors” have returned bearing grievous physical and psychological scars. What adjustments did the GOP establishment make for these voters? None. Most of the governors, senators and former-somebodies who ran for the presidential nomination, and failed, offered nothing but flag-waving pep talks and demagoguery on social issues – along with promises to stick with trickle-down orthodoxy and intervene in trouble spots around the world. Only Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee, who were dismissed as yesterday’s news, seemed to realize that working-class Republicans even existed. Did Trump cunningly craft a message for these orphaned voters, or did he stumble across his populist appeal by way of

Photo ID is wrong for Missouri Commentary

By Jason Kander Guest columnist

beginner’s luck? At this point, it hardly matters. He offers policies, however far-fetched, that address their wants and needs. He rails against the freetrade pacts that he says robbed the nation of manufacturing jobs. He pledges an “America first” foreign policy that withdraws from entanglements and eschews interventions.

Trump also plays on these voters’ insecurities, resentments and fears. He makes Hispanic immigrants and Muslims his scapegoats. He goes beyond attacking President Obama’s policies to also impugn his identity – in effect, portraying the president as the incarnation of demographic change that many white Americans fear. And Trump delegitimizes establishment Republicans by painting them as cogs in a system that is rigged to favor the rich and powerful.

Faced with Trump’s challenge, GOP grandees have failed to react in any meaningful way. In no way do I minimize the ugly side of Trump’s appeal – the naked chauvinism, the authoritarian streak, the cynical appeal to his supporters’ worst instincts. But it is wrong to ignore the fact that he is doing more than merely rousing the rabble. Trump is filling a vacuum left by years of inattention to voters who have been patronized and taken for granted.

The party now seems on the verge of anointing a presidential nominee who does not subscribe to many of the party’s core beliefs, yet who has absconded with much of the party’s base. Post-Trump, Republicans will have a choice: They can develop new policies or look for new voters.

It’s that time of year again. With two weeks left in the legislative session, the Republican-controlled legislature is once again attempting a lastditch effort to push through an extreme voter photo ID measure. A measure, that if passed, would disenfranchise 220,000 Missouri voters – disproportionally impacting minorities, the elderly and the poor. The disenfranchisement of one eligible voter would be one too many, let alone 220,000. That’s roughly five percent of Missouri’s registered voter population. If five percent seems like a low number, consider March’s presidential primary when both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump won their respective primaries in Missouri by just 0.2 percent.

Supporters of the legislation claim our elections are at risk and that without new voter identification laws, Missouri is vulnerable to voter impersonation fraud – even though you already have to show identification in order to

vote. This is a breathtakingly bold and egregious assessment. Because the fact is, there has never been a reported case of voter impersonation fraud in Missouri.

Despite that, the General Assembly has become increasingly fixated with passing an extreme voter photo identification proposal. This photo ID law would target minorities, senior citizens who no longer drive, women who have changed their last name through

n My opponent, U.S.

Senator Roy Blunt, has voted to require a specific form of photo ID to vote in federal elections and voted against restoring the Voting Rights Act.

marriage or divorce, students with current school-issued photo IDs, and military families – all of whom would become vulnerable to losing their constitutional right as Americans to vote.

I am committed to fighting extreme voter photo ID at the state and federal level and as your next U.S. senator. My opponent, U.S. Senator Roy

Letters to the editor

Fight photo voter ID

We are very disappointed to discover that the Missouri Senate has again taken up HB 1631 & HJR 53, the voter photo ID bills. This proposal accomplishes nothing good –there is no problem of voter impersonation to be solved. The proposal definitely will cause some lawful voters whose right to vote should be defended to lose that right. Who and how?

Many low-wage workers cannot afford basic human needs like shelter and food. If that worker’s license renewal comes due at the same time that an eviction or utility disconnection notice is received or the kitchen pantry is bare, he/she will prioritize what is most needful – a roof over the children’s head, heat in winter, food on the table. The renewing of the license will be delayed, and the worker will drive especially carefully until money can be saved to fix the problem. What a shame it would be for such a person to lose the right to vote, even though she or he has other ways to prove identity.

The right to vote is precious. Please do not sacrifice it to political gamesmanship. Stand against voter suppression and disrespect for women and people of color who fought and suffered and even died to secure the right to vote. Fight HB 1631 and HJR 53 for as long as it takes.

Jeanette

Mott Oxford, executive director Empower Missouri

Historic recommendation

I want to commend Treasury Secretary Jack Lew for his historic recommendation to place Harriet Tubman’s image on the new $20 bill. As an international icon of freedom, Harriet Tubman perfectly represents the bravery, resiliency and strength of American women whose historic contributions have been overlooked for far too long.

This recommendation also recognizes the courage of generations of black women who have stood on the vanguard of freedom from the time of the Underground Railroad, through the Civil Rights Movement, to the fight to gain and protect the right to vote, to the current drive to

Blunt, has voted to require a specific form of photo ID to vote in federal elections, and he has voted against restoring the Voting Rights Act, a landmark piece of legislation that protected the voting rights of African Americans until the U.S. Supreme Court gutted it in 2013.

As Missouri secretary of state, I have worked to make sure that only eligible voters vote, and that every eligible voter has the opportunity to vote. In 2013, my office unveiled a new tool which allowed Missourians to complete their voter registration forms online. We continued our work in 2014 when I launched the Military and Overseas Voting Access Portal, a first-of-itskind online portal that allows eligible military and overseas Missouri voters to register to vote and request and receive their ballots online.

As your senator, I will continue to fight against these deceptive laws meant to keep Missourians from the ballot box. It’s time our lawmakers in Jefferson City put their resources toward solving actual problems in Missouri instead of fear mongering about something that hasn’t happened. Jason Kander is Missouri secretary of state, the state’s highest election official, and a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate.

transform our criminal justice system.

I urge the Federal Reserve to approve Secretary Lew’s historic recommendation and act swiftly to get the new $20 bill into circulation as soon as possible.

U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay Washington, D.C.

Victory for equality

Today is a victory for equality. We are very pleased that SJR 39 failed by a bipartisan vote in committee. The ACLU recognizes the countless individuals and organizationsfrom the business, faith, LGBT and allied communities - who joined together to oppose SJR 39. We are grateful to the bipartisan members of the Committee for thoughtfully listening to the voices of Missourians and doing the right thing for our state. We’re all Missourians and discrimination against any Missourian is wrong. The defeat of SJR 39 affirms this.

Jeffrey Mittman executive director ACLU of Missouri

Protecting the rights of all

We are pleased to see the Missouri legislature listened to concerns from businesses and people across the state to defeat SJR 39. This is an important victory for all Missourians –each who deserves to be valued and treated with dignity and respect no matter who they are. We are grateful for all of those who worked so hard, especially those who had to take a courageous vote today, to protect the rights of Missouri citizens.

Hugh Grant, chairman and CEO, Monsanto

Discrimination not enshrined

I applaud the bipartisan group of representatives who voted down SJR39. The bill would have done millions of dollars in economic harm to Missouri and enshrined discrimination in our constitution. Missouri’s

legislature should now return their focus to passing legislation to boost our economy and create jobs across the state.

Attorney General Chris Koster Jefferson City

Guest Columnist

Jason Kander

A young onlooker enjoyed the 2015 May Day Parade. This year’s fundraiser for the Annie Malone Children’s & Family Service Center is scheduled for Sunday, May 15

May Day Parade set for May 15

Annie Malone Children’s & Family Service Center will use the 2016 May Day Parade – scheduled for Sunday, May 15 – to announce a new community engagement effort.

“This year’s parade will give us a platform to galvanize the community around efforts to rebuild the Ville Neighborhood as well as grow the organization to serve more kids and families,” said Leslie Gill, its new chief executive officer. “Our desire is to undergo some master planning for our main building, as well as the old Homer G. Phillips Nurses Residence building, which can change the trajectory of the neighborhood.”

A group known as the Ville Cooperative is in the planning stage of these new efforts.

Established 125 years ago by Annie Malone, a visionary and one of the first black female millionaires, the center has served countless families from its Greater Ville Neighborhood location in North St. Louis. Over the years, the agency has grown into a multi-service center that addresses social and education needs of

Free summer coding classes

LaunchCode, a startup nonprofit co-founded in St. Louis by Jim McKelvey, is announcing Summer of Code, a collection of four free 20-week coding courses designed to put people on a path towards a career in technology. Classes will be held at multiple times and locations. Students will be expected to spend six hours a week in class and a minimum of 10-15 hours outside of class.

children and families in crisis.

The parade is the agency’s most profitable fundraiser. Proceeds from entry registrations and booth rentals help fund the agency’s Crisis Intervention, Transitional Living, Parenting Education and Therapeutic School programs. The funds also help provide at-risk children and young adults a safe place to stay, learn and overcome life’s challenges.

The Annie Malone May Day Parade is the nation’s oldest and second largest African-American parade. The May 15 procession will gather at 20th and Market Streets at 1 p.m., and proceed eastward on Market to downtown, where it will culminate in an outdoor festival.

To register for the parade and/or festival booth rental, or for more information on sponsorship opportunities, call 314-5310120, visit www.anniemalone.com or email info@anniemalone. com

LaunchCode plans to enroll 300 students in education programs in St. Louis this summer. Registration is now open. Anyone interested in participating may also attend an information session 6-7 p.m. Monday, May 23 at the LaunchCode Mentor Center, 4811 Delmar Blvd.

For more information, visit https://www.launchcode.org/ summerofcode

My mother’s baby, my mother’s choice

By Cassandra Walker Columnist

In those days you just automatically took your doctor’s advice. There was no second-guessing, and a second opinion could be looked upon as mistrust. No “www” was available to locate “WebMD,” and this was way before the book “What to Expect When You are Expecting.” So, you did what the doctor said, and that was the end of the conversation.

Odessa Walker did not agree with the word that her doctor gave her when she was four months pregnant with her second child. Yes, she was a registered nurse and that gave her some medical knowledge, but this gut feeling, this mother’s intuition, went beyond the science of medicine. It was about life.

A doctor told her that she needed an operation to remove adhesions from her abdomen. These adhesions were misdirecting her uterus and interfering with the uterus’ ability to expand, allowing the baby to grow. The doctor told her that it was necessary to abort the baby, and that her condition would only worsen over the next five months of the pregnancy if she did not.

n “My baby, my choice!” Odessa reminded them.

“Put us both under and operate on me, we will both make it.”

After all, this was 1966, a time of great advancement in the world of medicine and, in particular, of obstetricians and gynecology. The medical team at the Chicago hospital had been researching for years, and they did not need a RN to tell them what was best. She must proceed with the termination of her baby so they could operate, and that was it. There was no way around it. The baby would not survive the operation.

“My baby, my choice!” Odessa reminded them. “Put us both under and operate on me, we will both make it.” With that, she switched doctors and proceeded with the operation to remove the adhesions and to have her baby. She decided to trust in the Lord and know that He would provide.

Five months later, a baby girl was born. Odessa and her husband named her Cassandra Walker. Yes, the same Cassandra Walker who writes this column. Mother’s Day meant so much to Odessa that year – and still does some 50 years later.

Mother’s day brings various memories for all mothers. Since I am now a mother, I can so appreciate all the sacrifices of my mother and of every woman who has ever been a mother. We all owe our lives to some woman.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Cassandra Walker

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Continued from A1

Black Male Initiative, which was formed in 2014 to intentionally develop boys into men professionally, academically, socially and ethically.

Batiste said he’s a proud member of the initiative.

“It’s been nothing but a blessing,” he said. “We do so much community service. We have such a bond and a brotherhood. We are a leading example of what AfricanAmerican men should be. We have integrity, good character and we like to succeed academically and thrive in the community.”

One of the summit’s speakers – author and preacher Kingsley Fletcher – also talked about a trying teacher who inadvertently motivated him. Growing up in Ghana, Fletcher’s teachers had chastised him for being left handed. Although it was culturally taboo, his parents didn’t discourage him from learning to write with his left hand.

“My teachers believed I was being disrespectful,” he said. “As a result, my future was bleak.”

One teacher in particular was constantly telling him

SHELTER

Continued from A1 and participated in feeding the homeless in a nearby park on Saturdays, along with other neighborhood residents.

“Our neighborhood does a really good job of helping the homeless right now,” Washington said. “We are already doing our job.”

But now the Slay administration is quickly moving forward with a plan to create a new 98-bed overnight emergency homeless shelter and daytime service center in

that he wouldn’t amount to anything. And that message started to penetrate his heart, he said. Until one day, he said, he stood before a mirror and asked if that was true. He decided that it was not, and the next day he told the teacher so. It was one moment that helped him discover his identity, he said, which he encouraged the young men at the summit to do.

“Know who you are,” he said. “If you can discover and realize who you are, it will be a stepping stone to your success.”

Fletcher is also known

an old market building at North Tucker and Biddle Street. It’s meant to replace the Rev. Larry Rice’s New Life Evangelistic Center shelter, at 1411 Locust St., which is currently suing the city for attempting to close down the facility. Many downtown residents and businesses have being pushing for years to get the New Life shelter shuttered. The new shelter, known as the “Biddle House,” would be only blocks from Washington’s family. She said she doesn’t understand how it could possibly help the city’s homeless problem to add yet another shelter near all the

n “We have such a bond and a brotherhood. We are a leading example of what African-American men should be.”

– Aaron Batiste

as His Royal Majesty, a traditional leader of the Se (Shai) Traditional Area in the Greater Accra Region in Ghana, West Africa. He is also the chancellor of the University of Professional Studies in Accra.

others.

“Let someone else in the city do their part,” she said. Washington is among many Carr Square residents speaking out against the city’s plan for Biddle House. The Carr Square Tenant Management Corporation wrote a letter to the Board of Aldermen on April 5 asking them to look at the devastating effects that the shelter would have on an area that’s just getting back on its feet. The near North Side neighborhood is bounded by Cass Avenue on the north, Cole Street on the south, North Tucker Boulevard and North 13th Street on the east, and

The Gentlemen of Vision Step Team performed during the Male Empowerment Summit “Brothers Inspiring Change” at Harris-Stowe State University on Saturday, April 30.

“If you know who you are, it can help you fight back any negativity,” he said.

Demun Jones, an eighth grader at Confluence Academy Old North, said that “plenty of times” he’s had to ask himself the question about a negative statement that Fletcher asked himself as a young student: “Is that true?”

Fletcher said that people who come from difficult backgrounds are rarely encouraged and constantly “poisoned” with the messages that they and their communities are failures – particularly African-American men.

North Jefferson on the west.

“You are picking up the problem over there and putting it over here,” said Darryl Piggee, the attorney representing the management corporation. “Why are their rights any less important than anyone living downtown? Why would you put this in someone else’s neighborhood when you aren’t solving the problem?”

Opponents argue that the proposed “warehouse” homeless shelter is the exact opposite of what the federal government has been trying to support. The federal bestpractice model for managing the homeless – which the city said it will adopt – is Housing First. This means all resources should go towards providing homeless individuals with permanent housing, such as apartments. By building a large overnight emergency shelter, it only enables the homeless to continue living on the streets, opponents say.

“Those are the failed operational models at New Life Evangelist Center and The Bridge,” the management corporation argued in its letter. “And those models are being replicated at Biddle House, with The Bridge physically relocating to Biddle House.”

The Bridge, at 16th and Olive streets, is a day shelter that offers meals to about 200 people and will be closing by June 30.

Eddie Roth, the city’s director of human services, said that “warehousing” means that people arrive at a shelter and never move on. Biddle House is “the opposite of it,” he said. The city plans to rapidly move people out of the shelter and into other housing options, he said. He also said the city would accept “political responsibility” for the shelter, whereas New Life is a community organization with

Jones, who attended with a teacher, said he was inspired by Fletcher’s experience moving to the United States and how he had to work hard to make it. He also appreciated hearing from an international academic

no real checks and balances.

For people who live just down the street from the site of the failed Pruitt-Igoe housing project, political responsibility means very little, they said.

“We are already trying to clean up the neighborhood,” said Stephanie Booker, 46, who has lived in the neighborhood nearly all of her life. “It’s just inviting more crime into it. It’s not going to be safe for our children. I’m not for it at all.”

Piggee said that the Biddle House will violate the federal Fair Housing Act, and the group plans to file a disparate impact claim against the city if it moves forward. He pointed to a 2015 Supreme Court case in Texas, where the court ruled that the Fair Housing Act protected disinvested, racially segregated communities from over-concentrations of housing for those in poverty if there is a disparate impact on racial minorities.

“The fact that the city is planning on moving hundreds of homeless men out of the heart of downtown St. Louis under pressure from that affluent area into the heart of a community with some of the densest areas of concentrated African-American poverty in the St. Louis area will clearly create a disparate impact upon an almost 100 percent minority community,” according to the management corporation’s letter to the aldermen. “This flies directly in the face of the Supreme Court precedent.”

Roth disagreed that the city’s decision violates that precedent.

Carr Square residents are asking aldermen to voice their opposition to Biddle House, which is set to open at the end of July. So far the aldermen have not, and perhaps will not, vote on the plan.

The $2.5 million construction costs came

leader, which he wouldn’t normally be exposed to, he said.

“It’s a great opportunity for St. Louis to bring our males together and really empower them and show what success should look like,” said Emmanuel Lalande, dean of Student Success at HarrisStowe. “Success doesn’t come in one form.”

Young attendees heard from local and international successful men, including Steve Perry, known as “America’s Educator,” and youth speaker Koran Bolden.

Following Fletcher’s address on Saturday morning, participants attended workshops on topics such as financial literacy, fatherhood and social media etiquette. They also addressed conflict resolution and anger management, Lalande said. Many of the attendees don’t come from a two-parent household, he said.

“You don’t have to use that as a crutch,” said Lalande, who also comes from a single parent household.

Jamal Bryant, pastor of the Empowerment Temple AME Church in Baltimore, spoke on Friday night.

“I think the important thing that he said is that you want to be better than your father,” Lalande said. “I think it struck home for us.”

out of Affordable Housing Commission youth tax funds, and not from city capital funds or general revenue, said the city’s Budget Director Paul Payne. Hence, aldermen did not have a vote in its construction.

About $639,000 of the shelter’s proposed operating budget will come from a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development emergency shelter grant – which is a majority of the needed annual funding, according to the Biddle House’s 2017 operational budget posted online. However, $80,800 in city funds would be used for the shelter annually. On April 26, the Board of Aldermen received a draft of the proposed 2016-17 budget, but they will not see a line item for the Biddle House’s operations in the Department of Human Services’ $1.55 million budget request. Payne said the funding is represented in “scattered little amounts.”

At this point, there are two ways that aldermen could try and prevent the Biddle House plan from moving forward. They could take out $80,800 from the Department of Human Services’ budget or introduce an ordinance that prevents any funding from being used for the Biddle House plan. Sandra Moore is executive director of Urban Strategies, which has helped to revitalize the near North Side neighborhood. The organization has been trying to facilitate a conversation between community stakeholders and the city about the plan.

“We really need a regional solution,” Moore said, “so that a neighborhood like Murphy Park doesn’t have to bear an unbalanced burden.”

Follow this reporter on Twitter @Rebeccarivas.

Photo by Wiley Price

particular school club or library club. The club is for any young girl who wants to be a Nerdy Girl. To join, it only costs $25. The money goes to buy books, pay for field trips and for a member ID, water bottle, certificate, Nerdy glasses, folder and T-shirt. My mother designed everything, logo and all. My mother does not use the money for personal things, all of the money goes to the club.

I really do love my sister Kennedy a lot. I really do wish I could be out to help my sister. But I know I won’t be, not at least for two years. I am going to be sentenced to eight years, so I really pray that they parole me early so I can be a better person myself and also help my family and little sister become more successful inside her book club.

I might be incarcerated, but that doesn’t mean I can’t help my sister with her club. She wants me home to help her. But I can’t be there, so I’m asking you guys this. Can you all at The St. Louis American please put Kennedy inside one of your sections to support her book club? This is a way for me to help Kennedy receive more members.

The Nerdy Girlz will be marching in the Annie Malone May Day Parade on May 15 for another way to get their name out there.

Well, I really hope this works. And I hope my sister’s book club makes it big. She’s such a smart, young black woman with a lot of talent.

Please send me a letter back

SALUTE

Continued from A1

Continued from A1 founded Rx Outreach and remains chairman of the non-profit pharmacy’s Board of Directors. But the idea for the company came to him in prayer while he was an executive at Express Scripts, and he claims he was only serving God when he negotiated a spin-off of an existing program at the company to a non-profit company to serve low-income consumers.

The 2016 Stellar Performer in Health – Angela Brown, MD, associate professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiology at Washington University School of Medicine and director of its Hypertension Clinic – also spoke of basing her work in service. She pursued medicine, she said, because it merged her “love of math and science with a spirit of service.”

Like all of the awardees who gave remarks, she credited her family with giving her the foundation to

with the pictures of the book club I have enclosed to let me know you received my letter. I hope to read about her soon

succeed and serve others. “It’s something I learned from my family,” she said, “to try to hopefully make someone else’s life a little bit better.”

More uniquely, from the lectern she identified all of the many tables of people who came to cheer her on – by their respective table numbers.

The 2016 Health Advocacy Organization of the Year Award was given to a group that was created years ago specifically to serve lowincome health consumers, the St. Louis Regional Health Commission. The commission chairman, Peter Sortino, talked about working against regional fragmentation and the complexity of the health care industry to serve these needs.

“We combined at the same table the city, county, health care providers and consumers interested in talking together about how to best serve the poor,” Sortino said. Pat Coleman, president and CEO of Behavioral Health Response, received the Dr. John M. Anderson Excellence in Mental Health Award, co-presented with the St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund (which also helps to fund

in The St. Louis American. I read The St. Louis American every week to keep me updated on the positive things

her program). She said that “humility and humanity” are prerequisites to working in health care.

“Take your eyes off yourself and put them on others, and you will be blessed,” she said a wise mentor once advised her.

The foundation also recognized seven Excellence in Health Care awardees: Anthony Bass, a medical social worker at SSM DePaul Health Center; Misty C. Farr, pharmacy manager of the Florissant Walmart; K. B. Frazier, chief audiologist at the Center for Hearing & Speech; Kena Gray, operations director for the Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation; Kendra Holmes, vice president and chief operating officer for Affinia Healthcare; Jane Ann McWilliams-Sykes, a school nurse at Dewey International Studies School; and Michelle O’Kain, clinical nurse manager at Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

The presenting sponsors were Centene Corporation and Home State Health. The gold sponsors were Aetna Better Health and BJC HealthCare. The silver sponsors were AT Home Health Care and A.Y. Still University. The bronze

and situations that are going on in the community, and I appreciate you all for your hard work. And don’t forget, the

sponsors were Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Missouri Foundation for Health, Rx Outreach, SSM Health DePaul Hospital, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and the St. Louis Regional Health Commission.

The celebratory event featured a moment of silence

For more information on the

for the late Ida Goodwin Woolfolk, the community leader who emceed the 2015 Salute To Excellence in Health Care. “You fix our legs,” Woolfolk told the health care awardees last year. “You fix our vital organs. You fix our eyes. You make it possible for

us to work in this world.” She passed on March 23 at the age of 72.

“Wherever something was happening that was good,” said 2016 emcee Carol Daniel, news anchor for KMOX Radio, “Ida was in the center of it.”

daughter of anyone who works for The St. Louis American can also become a Nerdy Girl.

Nerdy Girlz Book Club, call Akiba Thompson at 314-5327114.

Akiba Thompson led a meeting of the Nerdy Girlz Book Club at the Lewis & Clark Branch of the St. Louis County Library on Saturday, April 30.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

2016 Salute to Excellence in Health Care Awards

The 2016 Excellence in Health Care Awards were presented to: Michelle O’Kain, RN BSN, MBA, NE-BC, Jane Ann McWilliamsSykes, RN, Kendra Holmes, R.Ph, Pharm.D, Kena Gray, MHA, Koach Baruch (KB) Frazier, Au.D, Misty C. Farr, Pharm.D and Anthony Bass, MSW.

The St. Louis American Foundation held its 16th Annual Salute to Excellence in Health Care Awards Luncheon last week at the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac. This year’s awardees included: Lifetime Achiever in Health Care, Michael Holmes, Stellar Performer in Health Care Dr. Angela Brown and the Health Advocacy Organization of the Year for the St. Louis Regional Health Commission. Pat Coleman was this year’s recipient of the Dr. John M. Anderson Excellence in Mental Health Award and the 2016 Excellence in Health Care Awards were presented to: Anthony Bass, MSW, Misty C. Farr, Pharm.D, Koach Baruch (KB) Frazier, Au.D, Kena Gray, MHA , Kendra Holmes, R.Ph, Pharm.D, Jane Ann McWilliams-Sykes, RN and Michelle O’Kain, RN BSN, MBA, NE-BC.

Adella Jones, Director of Marketing and Community Outreach for Home State Health, presented the Lifetime Achiever in Health Care Award to Michael Holmes.

Dr. Karyn Fowler, Chief Medical Director of Home State Health, presented the Stellar Performer in Health Care Award to Dr. Angela Brown

Rob Fruend of the St. Louis Regional Health Commission, Mellve Shahid of the Empowerment Network and Dr. Will Ross of Washington University School of Medicine

City Treasurer Tishaura Jones with Judy Baker, Dr. Denise Hooks-Anderson and Dr. Lannis Hall

St. Louis College of Pharmacy president Dr. John Pieper with awardee Kendra Holmes, R.Ph, Pharm. D

Lifetime Achiever Michael Holmes, Peter Sortino and James Buford

Michael Holmes with his wife Gail, mother-in-law Mary Carter and daughter Brooke Eggleston

Jennifer Byrd, awardee Kena Gray, Angela Bryant, and Cathy Sabolo

Gina Cato, awardee Koach Baruch (KB) Frazier, Rita Tintera, Kimburly Camp, Jeff Tarr, and Charles Moreland

Above: Harold Coleman, Dr. John M. Anderson Excellence in Mental Health Awardee Pat Coleman, John Anderson, Jr., Dr. Dale Anderson, Susie Anderson and Mary Ellen Anderson (seated)

Right: St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger presented the Dr. John M. Anderson Excellence in Mental Health Award to Pat Coleman on behalf of St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund.

Alonzo and Sharon Byrd, and Victor Julien

Emcee Carol Daniel presents the Health Advocacy Organization of the Year award to Peter Sortino, who accepted on behalf of the St. Louis Regional Health Commission.

Elin Cogan-Adeaunmi, awardee Anthony Bass, Jen Rieker

Stellar Performer Dr. Angela Brown with her daughter Alexandra T. Mitchell and her mom Annette Brown Nelson

McCaskill pushes for renewal of Emmett Till cold case act

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri) feels good about her chances to lead a reauthorization of the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act, in part because her Republican co-sponsor, U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-North Carolina), is up for re-election this year.

The 2008 Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act provided a means to investigate and prosecute racially motivated murders that occurred on or before December 31, 1969. The legislation established offices within the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI to investigate and prosecute murders from the civil rights era, and authorized $10 million annually for investigations and $2 million for grants to states in order to support this work.

“It does not give DOJ jurisdiction that they don’t currently have,” McCaskill said to The American in an interview on May 2. “The federal government can always investigate any crime for any civil rights violation. But the law does give resources and focus where these cases can be prosecuted under civil rights laws.”

The renewed bill would be strengthened in several ways. It would broaden the scope to include the investigation of all racially motivated murders, up to the present day. It would

require that investigators conduct an in-person interview before closing a case. It would strengthen reporting requirements to make it more clear what the DOJ has and hasn’t done on each case. And it would provide for the creation of a task force to review these cases that includes local, state and federal officials, as well as civil rights advocates.

“It does not appear there was enough coordination of federal, state and local officials, so we added this task force provision,” McCaskill told The American. “It’s a public/private task force that also includes representatives from higher education and civil rights groups.”

McCaskill and staff met with a number of civil rights groups in preparing for the bill’s reauthorization. They include the Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project at Northeastern University, the Cold Case Justice Initiative at Syracuse University’s College of Law, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the NAACP, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the National Urban League and the Emmett Till Campaign.

Though McCaskill did not meet with any activists affiliated with Black Lives Matter groups regarding this legislation, she thinks their voices would be important on the task force. “I would hope when the task force is

put together that it includes a multi-generational look at the advocates out there,” she said, “with the established leadership as well as some of the new leadership that has taken its place.”

The community advocates on the task force must represent “an organization whose primary purpose is to promote civil rights, an institution of higher education, or another entity, determined by the attorney general to be appropriate,” according to the legislation.

Alvin Sykes, the civil rights advocate from Kansas City who pushed for passage of the initial bill (with McCaskill’s active support, as a then-newly elected senator), remains critical to the effort to reauthorize the bill.

“Alvin gets a lot of the credit,” McCaskill said. “He’s worked on this for so long.”

Sykes also is advocating for an executive order from President Barack Obama that would make the Emmett Till cold case unit a permanent fixture in the DOJ.

In the meantime, it’s up to the Congress to reauthorize the law before it expires next year. It passed the Senate unanimously in 2008, and McCaskill expects similarly

overwhelming support for its renewal – not least of all because her Republican co-sponsor faces a spirited challenge this year from a Democratic candidate, Deborah Ross, who outraised Burr in the first quarter of this year.

“Richard Burr is anxious to show he supports this,” McCaskill said. “He is up this year in North Carolina, where there are a lot of political crosscurrents in a lot of different ways. I would not be optimistic if there were not a Republican co-sponsor, since Mitch McConnell is in charge.”

McCaskill is not on the ballot this year, but Missouri’s other senator, U.S. Senator Roy Blunt is. Blunt also was outraised by his Democratic challenger, Jason Kander in the first quarter of 2016. Kander supports McCaskill’s efforts to renew the bill.

“If Congress fails to renew the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act, it’s not just the bill that dies, but justice for the Americans who were victims of raciallymotivated murders will become impossible,” Kander told The American

“As a country, we have the responsibility to provide the

necessary resources and tools to help the FBI and Department of Justice solve these crimes. I fully support Senator McCaskill’s bipartisan effort to renew the bill and her pursuit of justice.”

McCaskill said she was not aware of a backlog of cases in Missouri that would be activated by a renewal of the bill, and as a former Jackson County prosecutor she recognizes the older cases are tough to make. “It’s hard finding the cause of death, rounding up witnesses, and there are double jeopardy issues,” she said.

The DOJ made its most recent report to the U.S. Senate regarding Emmett Till cold cases on May 28, 2015. “Though very few prosecutions have resulted from these exhaustive efforts,” the attorney general reported, “the department’s efforts to review these matters have helped bring closure to the family members of the victims.”

The report sites one successful federal prosecution and one successful state prosecution of cold cases since the passage of the act in 2008.

The Cold Case Justice Initiative at Syracuse University’s College of Law submitted 196 cases to the DOJ – and there are likely many more out there waiting for justice.

McCaskill said, “This law is for those civil rights advocate who feel like they are knocking on the door Justice and not getting an answer.”

U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Georgia) has introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House.

Task force reports on April 5 election

The House Task Force on Election Procedures and Accountability chaired by state Rep. Shamed Dogan (R-Ballwin) has released its report on the April 5 election debacle in St. Louis County, when hundreds of voters were disenfranchised at 60 polling

places that ran out of ballots. Among its recommended changes to House Speaker Todd Richardson (R-Poplar Bluff) are passing legislation to improve electronic voting technology; ensuring elections officials are properly qualified and trained; and requiring municipalities that fail to meet statutory filing deadlines, such as Mackenzie and Uplands Park, to hold a special election and to pay the associated cost. That doesn’t go nearly as far as the suggestion made by state Rep. Jay Barnes (R-Jefferson City) at one of the hearings that Dogan’s task force held. Barnes said the Legislature must punish municipalities like Mackenzie and Uplands Park that miss their deadlines with election authorities. “Maybe if you don’t file on time with the election authorities,” Barnes said, “then you’re not a city.” Remember: One reason election officials in St. Louis County were rushed and made mistakes before April 5 was they received court orders to put Mackenzie and Uplands Park on the ballot even though they missed their deadline. All that fuss for a trustee election in Mackenzie where the top vote-getter, Dorothy Berry, got all of 15 votes. In Uplands Park, Denise McCall got the most votes with a whopping 54. Eric Fey, Democratic elections director for St. Louis County, testified to Dogan’s task force that these two tiny municipalities have less than 300 registered voters between them.

Mini-muni busting did come up in the task force report. Dogan recommended passing legislation that lessens the disincorporation thresholds for fourth-class cities in St. Louis County and creates a disincorporation procedure for third-class, charter and home rule cities in St. Louis County; “My hope is that we can see these recommendations put into place so that the voting rights of all eligible Missouri voters will be protected, particularly in the upcoming August and November elections,” Dogan said.

Shingles and pneumonia have serious consequences, but getting vaccinated can help keep you healthy.

Talk to your pharmacist.

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri) and U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Georgia)

SPOT-on

Student health clinic at Jennings High

Sandra Jordan

Of The St. Louis American

From the hallway, it looks as though students at Jennings High School and College Prep Academy are entering another classroom. Inside, it is just what the doctor ordered, The SPOT to receive free health services – like sports physicals,

reproductive health education, services and testing, case management and mental health counseling – all confidential – all free of charge to students or their families.

Supporting Positive Opportunities with Teens (The SPOT) is the brainchild of Washington University St. Louis, and its main location is located at 4169 Laclede (first floor) in St. Louis’ Central West End. When staff

looked at their data of who is receiving services, one zip code stood out.

“When we looked at the number of visits from different parts of the city and county, the 63136 zip code happened to be the highest number of visits,” said Dr. Sarah Garwood, medical director at The SPOT at Jennings High School and assistant professor of pediatrics at Washington University School of Medicine.

Dr. Sarah

“That, in addition to a review of teen pregnancy data helped us know that 63136 was … probably a good target and a good place to look. There was a high number of births to teen mothers in 63136.”

The next logical step was to find a location within that zip code that would remove transportation and other barriers for teens living in 63136 who could use SPOT services. While that zip code overlaps three North St. Louis County school districts (Jennings, Riverview Gardens and Hazelwood), they decided on Jennings. They approached urban education champion, Superintendent Tiffany Anderson at Jennings School District, to see what could be done. It took a couple of years of planning and approvals, but the school-based health clinic at the high school recently celebrated its first year in operation.

“Tiffany Anderson was very open to the idea – very welcoming of the idea,” Garwood said, and the school board has been supportive. She added that incoming superintendent Art McCoy seems to be a very engaged partner as well.

“He’s been very supportive of the idea and I think really recognizes the connections between health and academic performance and has been very supportive and enthusiastic about keeping health services for kids in the district,” Garwood said. The district converted two classrooms into a health clinic.

Jennings school students can use the clinic – and it does not take the place of the regular school nurse. While The SPOT at Jennings does not have a hangout area – it provides enhanced health services that some students

Your Family Doctor

Teens still need adult guidance and love

By Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D.

Of The St. Louis American

A recent trip to Chicago with four teenage girls reminded me once again why I don’t teach high schoolers. This particular trip was to celebrate my daughter’s 16th birthday. Instead of the traditional “sweet 16” bash, she opted for a trip on the train with her friends to see Rihanna in concert. Prior to the trip, my daughter asked whether or not I would be staying in the hotel while she and her friends went to the concert. With a quizzical look on my face, (the look you give when someone has obviously lost their mind) I of course responded with a definitive “No.” Four teenage girls roaming around alone in a strange city was not about to happen on my watch. Can you believe she formed her lips to ask such a question?

n Parents cannot shy away from the difficult discussions about sex (and all kinds of sex including oral), drugs, and alcohol.

But when you take into consideration the adolescent brain, you are not shocked at some of their behavior and thought processes. In my daughter’s mind, it seemed reasonable for her to wander about Chicago without adult supervision. But at 16, she does not have the wealth of life experiences to help her see the dangers encamped about her.

Adolescence is defined as “the period following the onset of puberty during which a young person develops from a child into an adult.” Teenagers during this time are experiencing changes in how they look, interact with others, think and how they feel. This is also a time of increased independence, which is often a source of conflict

A10

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • MAY 5 – 11, 2016

Denise HooksAnderson, MD

Chardial Samuel, LCSW, school based health center coordinator at The SPOT at Jennings High School.

Photo by Wiley Price

Garwood, medical director, The SPOT at Jennings High School.

Hispanic, black teen birth rates fall nearly 50 percent

National teen birth rate drops to all-time low

Births among Hispanic and black teens have dropped by almost half since 2006, according to a new analysis published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This mirrors a substantial national decline: births to all American teenagers have dropped more than 40 percent within the past decade. Despite this progress, key challenges persist for many communities, according to the report.

While dramatic declines among Hispanic and black teens (51 percent and 44 percent, respectively) have helped reduce gaps, birth rates remain twice as high for black and Hispanic teens nationally, compared to white teens. Published April 28 in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the new analysis highlights key community- and state-level patterns:

• In some states, birth rates among Hispanic and black teens were more than three times as high as those of whites.

• Higher unemployment and lower income and education are more common in communities with the highest teen birth rates, regardless of race.

• In some states with low overall birth rates, pockets of high birth rates exist in some counties.

• Counties with higher teen birth rates were clustered in southern and southwestern states.

“The United States has made remarkable progress in reducing both teen pregnancy and racial and ethnic differences, but the reality is, too many American teens are still having babies,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “By better understanding the many factors that contribute to teen pregnancy we can better design, implement and improve prevention interventions and further reduce disparities.” The new report is an analy-

DOCTOR

Continued from A10

with parents.

If you are like me and find yourself at times bewildered by this strange teenaged creature living in your home, these tips found on cdc.gov regarding adolescents may be of benefit to you:

SPOT

Continued from A10

may not otherwise have access.

“We’re probably a little bit over 200 referrals, and of those, we’ve probably provided mental health and substance abuse screening, case management screening to approximately 125 of those students, “ said Chardial Samuel, school-based health center coordinator.

“Close to 60 have received medical services; 40 to 50 have been referred for mental health.” Samuel said they also can help set up a primary care site for students who may not have a doctor.

“They may or may not

sis of national- and state-level data from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) to examine trends in births to American teens ages 15 to 19 years between 2006 and 2014.

Pay attention to behavior changes

Today’s social scene is very stressful to most teens. They are obsessed with how many likes they received on social media and the need to feel popular and accepted. Parents must therefore be observant for signs of withdrawal or other behavior changes. In 2013, about 11 percent of 12-17 year olds had a major depressive

see a primary care physician on a regular basis,” Samuel explained. “If they do not, then, by all means, Dr. Garwood and our nurse practitioner will be able to be their medical care home. And if they do have a medical care home, we will facilitate care with their primary care physician.”

For students who are or will soon turn age 18, clinic staff can refer them to an enrollment specialist for health insurance coverage. Payton, a high school senior said The SPOT at Jennings is a good opportunity that more students should take advantage.

“It’s a program for all ages and all grade levels and they would be able to help people

County-level NVSS data for 2013 and 2014 also offer a point-in-time picture of local birth rates. To better understand the relationship between key social and economic

episode during that past year.

Reinforce safety rules

Per the CDC, almost 250,000 teens between the ages of 16-19 were treated in the emergency department as a result of a motor vehicle crash and over 2,000 teens died. Therefore, teens who want to drive should know that seat belts are not optional! Furthermore, reducing distrac-

factors and teen birth rates, researchers examined data from the American Community Survey between 2010 and 2014.

Researchers highlight the

tions from cell phone usage is also highly recommended. Discuss risky behaviors

Today’s teens seem leap years advanced in some ways as compared to previous generations. Information is at their fingertips including exposure to topics or activities that you secretly wish they had not encountered. So with

n “They are on your side with whatever is going on with you, and I feel like they’re just good listeners and you’re able to communicate with them without being judged.”

– Payton, Jennings High School senior

out – personally, medically –even if you just need somebody to talk to, to be there,” she said. “It should be more programs like this at other schools as well.”

From her peers, Payton said the non-judgmental manner of SPOT staff resonates with students.

“They are able to open up to them about anything without feeling judged or feeling like

you’ve got to make a decision about anything,” Payton added. “They are on your side with whatever is going on with you, and I feel like they’re just good listeners and you’re able to communicate with them without being judged.”

The clinic has helped students get the medical care for major health issues.

“In a couple of cases, have identified students who had

importance of teen pregnancy prevention interventions that address socioeconomic conditions, like unemployment and lower education levels, for reducing disparities in teen

that in mind, parents cannot shy away from the difficult discussions about sex (and all kinds of sex including oral), drugs, and alcohol. My mother’s “just don’t do it talk” was inadequate in the 1980’s as well as in 2016. Teens need upfront dialogue regarding these topics, not sugar-coated responses.

Although teens long for privacy and independence,

been lost to medical follow-up for chronic illnesses and linked them back into care,”

Dr. Garwood said. “We have been providing contraceptive care for adolescents who are requesting that – and that’s a real valuable service for teens … and that’s really a progressive program to be allowed in a school.”

Startup funding from a number of local sources made the clinic a reality. Garwood said it is totally grant supported only through August. The SPOT at Jennings is looking for grantors and private donations to keep the clinic operating as they move from start-up to sustainability.

“There is so much interest in the community at-large as far as school-based health centers

birth rates. State and community leaders can use local data to better understand teen pregnancy in their communities and to direct programs and resources to areas with the greatest need.

they still need adult guidance and reassurance of constant love and support. Lastly, parents can always utilize the CDC website and the American Academy of Pediatrics for information on teen development.

Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D., is assistant professor at SLUCare Family Medicine. Contact her at yourhealthmatters@stlamerican.com

and really, our model, which integrates mental health care and includes case management to help with basic needs,” Garwood explained. “It was a Ferguson Commission recommendation; there is a lot of interest in the model – I’m just hopeful that some kind of partnership … is going to be able to come through.”

Parents or guardians must sign consent forms to allow students to use the health clinic at Jennings High School, which is open during regular school hours. At The SPOT’s St. Louis location, medical services are available to walk-ins from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. For more information, visit thespot.wustl. edu.

Moon linking abortion to slavery and the Holocaust is

By Melanie Adams

dangerous and offensive

By Alison Dreith Guest columnist

Waiting on the House calendar to be debated is HJR98, a Constitutional amendment to be considered on the November ballot. If passed, this extreme and dangerous “personhood” measure would ban abortion outright, ban most common forms of birth control, and could have dangerous impacts on in vitro fertilization and stem cell research.

Bill sponsor, state Rep. Mike Moon (R-Ash Grove), first sponsored “personhood” legislation in December. HB1794, the “All Lives Matter” Act, was later dropped after the bill faced heavy criticism from NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri and Sistahs Talkin’ Back. That bill gained notoriety from its cooption of the Black Lives Matter movement.

“Black women have had very little reproductive choice, historically. During slavery, they were forced into childbirth. Then, they were forced into methods for sterilization. Since then, black women have had to bear the burden of the ‘welfare mom’ stereotype. This bill continues the trend in Missouri, that women should not make their own decisions,” The St. Louis American published on December 30, 2015.

When HJR98 was heard in House Children and Families committee on March 29, Moon and state Rep. Rick Brattin (R-Raymore) linked abortion to slavery and Dred Scott five times, insulting NARAL ProChoice Missouri board member Pamela Merritt, who sits at the

St. Louis Reproductive Justice Table.

Dresses, bread and roses

descendants alike, is beyond all sense of decorum,” Bernstein wrote.

“The fact that he finds an unquestioning equivalence between living people systematically murdered for their religious identity and an embryo or fetus speaks volumes to his character.”

Merritt said, “In some St. Louis city neighborhoods, the infant mortality rate for black babies is four times the national average. We have real-life issues that remain unaddressed because legislators like Rep. Moon prefer to pander to people who reward hypocrisy. Moon should be ashamed to waste legislative time on fetal personhood when policies that would extend and improve the lives of Missourians can’t get a hearing.”

On Thursday, April 28, as HJR98 made it to the House calendar for debate, Moon released a press statement and posted a video to Facebook, linking abortion to the Holocaust, stating “the silence of those who want to protect the unborn is similar to the silence of Germans who stood by and allowed Jewish people to be slaughtered by the Nazis.”

Jen Bernstein wrote to the Post-Dispatch on April 29 that her grandparents were Holocaust survivors and her great-grandparents were murdered at Auschwitz.

“For Mr. Moon, a man who likely has never faced much in terms of oppression, the co-opting of Jewish tragedy, a tragedy that is still very fresh for survivors and their

Moon’s attempt to link abortion to slavery and the Holocaust are dangerous and offensive. With clinic violence on the rise, it’s exactly this kind of rhetoric that leads the unhinged to commit domestic terrorism against abortion providers and clinics, like we saw in Colorado Springs, where three were murdered at a Planned Parenthood.

Shortly thereafter, the Planned Parenthood on Grand Avenue in St. Louis had its windows broken out. If something more dangerous happens in Missouri, Moon, state Sen. Kurt Schaefer (R-Columbia) and the Sanctity of Life committee will become complacent in that violence.

With less than two weeks left until the legislative session ends for the year, the general assembly has still failed to do anything to help protect Missouri’s women and families, no expansion of Medicaid, no debate on paid family and medical leave. Instead, a hyper focus on women’s healthcare and attempts to pass “stand your ground” laws, inciting more violence, more unnecessary deaths of those of us living.

Alison Dreith is executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri.

Wells Fargo, United Way issue financial education grants

Throughout 2016, Wells Fargo and United Way of Greater St. Louis are investing $250,000 in financial education community grants for St. Louisarea nonprofit organizations to provide financial education. Grants of $3,000 - $10,000 were awarded to Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys Hope Girls Hope of St. Louis, Calhoun County Council for Senior Citizens, Center for Women in Transition, Community Action Agency of St. Louis County, Epworth Children

& Family Services, Fathers’ Support Center, Gene Slay’s Boys’ Club of St. Louis, Lift for Life Gym, Lutheran Elementary School Association, Lutheran Family and Children’s Services of Missouri, Marian Middle School, Mission: St. Louis, Paraquad, Peter & Paul Community Services, Prosperity Connection, St. Louis ArtWorks, Soldan International Studies High School, Veterans Business Resource Center and Youth In Need.

The second and final round of funding opportunities is posted at http://www. stl.unitedway.org/ HandsOnBanking. Interested nonprofit organizations, schools, professional organizations and community organizations in the St. Louis metropolitan area are welcome to apply. For additional information or questions, contact Mary Anne Helmsing at 314-539-4114 or maryanne. helmsing@stl.unitedway.org

When planning the programs for the “Little Black Dress: From Mourning to Night” exhibition, the Missouri History Museum reached out not only to fashion organizations, but community organizations that focused on the history of the everyday worker. One of those organizations was Bread and Roses.

I had an opportunity to speak with Daniel Gonzales and Mimi Stiritz about the importance of the St. Louis garment industry and the people that made it a thriving business.

What is Bread and Roses?

Bread and Roses Missouri is an arts and humanities nonprofit dedicated to the stories of working people. It was established over a decade ago as a project of Missouri Jobs with Justice, and has in the last year and a half become its own non-profit. Bread and Roses Missouri is led by coordinator Joan Suarez and board chair Rachel Cramsey. Each year the organization runs summer programs in the city’s community centers, puts on a labor film festival, and organizes history events like this one to tell the story of St. Louis workers.

You can check out the organization at breadandrosesmo.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/

breadandrosesmo.

Where is the historic garment district in St. Louis city and why did it vanish?

The garment district extended roughly from 8002000 Washington Ave. It was a commercial district of warehouses, retail storefronts, and company headquarters that served as the center for the production of hats, shoes, pants, dresses, and a variety of other garments in St. Louis.

The district grew as companies found St. Louis to be a good low wage alternative to New York and other heavily unionized areas of the country. The unorganized character of the industry in St. Louis did not last as almost all the garment workers organized with AFL or CIO unions in the 1930s as the New Deal provided union rights.

The district continued to grow into the post-war period. Its decline began as companies found low wage alternatives in rural areas and eventually overseas.

What types of garments were being made in St. Louis? Was St. Louis known for anything in particular?

Saint Louis made hats, pants, stockings, and a variety of other products. However they were most known for shoes. Brown and International Shoe

were some of the largest in the nation. By the 1930s and 40s St. Louis was perhaps even better known for the Women’s Junior Dress. The industry’s creation came from a cooperative agreement between St. Louis manufacturers, led by Irving Sorger, a merchandise manager at Kline’s, and design teachers and students at Washington University led by Bessie Recht. In 1942, Life Magazine reported that customers around the country asked for “St. Louis Original Junior Miss Fashions.” One of the most popular St. Louis lines was the Dorsa Dress produced by the Dorsa Dress Company. Their sole designer was Bessie Recht who is credited by some with designing the first junior dresses in the city. Why is it important for the community to remember the history of the garment district?

The story of Washington Ave is a story of both growth and decline. It is a story of exploitation, but also of struggle and liberation. This one street has seen itself born and reborn again and again. In so many ways the story of Washington Ave mirrors the story of St. Louis and a deeper look into the experiences of the myriad of people who have lived, worked, and played along this street must yield lessons of value for people today. What does this industry tell us about the region during this time period?

Looking at Washington Ave and its history provides an insight into the growth of St. Louis in population and economic strength as the industry provided thousands of jobs and tens of millions of dollars in economic activity. The street itself provides a great look at the city’s 19th and early 20th century architecture. Some of the finest architects of that era designed the mammoth warehouses along Washington Ave. Among them were masters like Isaac S. Taylor who designed many of the 1904 World’s Fair buildings, Eames and Young who designed mansions on Vandeventer Place, and Theodore Link who designed Union Station. Finally, the experience of working people and their struggle for unionization and workplace rights and dignity can be seen clearly

Guest Columnist Alison Dreith

Photo courtesy of Missouri History Museum

Shoe and clothing manufacturers and retailers along Washington Avenue west from Eighth Street, 1903.

WEEK 35

ONE SMALL CHANGE is an ongoing series that challenges us to take very small steps toward being more environmentally-friendly. If we all participate then ONE SMALL CHANGE can make a big difference! participate, then ONE SMALL CHANGE can make a big difference!

START A VEGETABLE GARDEN!

We’ve all been to the grocery store and enjoy the convenience of buying all our vegetables at one place, but few of us know the environmental costs of this system. Beginning with industrial farming, many countries are destroying their forests to make room for more farm fields. These forests are an important natural resource for the world’s ecosystem. Additionally, a lot of the food we get from grocery stores has been grown with pesticides and other unknown toxins that affect our bodies in ways we’re only beginning to understand. Finally, most of this food is transported in from other countries by boat and truck which adds tons of carbon dioxide to our atmosphere. This whole process is silly when you consider most of us have access to dirt where we can grow our own vegetables.

Now obviously you can’t grow all of the food your family needs but this is one small change that can slow down our dependency on industrial farming. Starting a small vegetable garden for tomatoes and bell peppers is healthy for the environment and a fun project for you too.

MAYNational Fitness Month!

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with fun and healthy snacks and dinner. Just substitute a few healthy options for the normal celebration foods.

>Substitute whole wheat tortillas for white tortillas.

>Make your own baked tortilla chips instead of using fried chips.

Five Areas of Fitness

Healthy Kids Kids

>Use grilled chicken instead of higher-fat hamburger.

>Use low-fat shredded cheese whenever possible.

>Use high-fiber black beans instead of white rice in your recipes.

>Make your own salsa (see recipe below) instead of buying high-sugar salsa from the store.

Cardiovascular Endurance — Aerobic activities (increasing your heart rate and breathing for at least 20 minutes) help improve your heart health and endurance.

Muscle Strength — We improve our muscle strength by making them work harder. This is accomplished by slowly increasing the amount of weight/resistance you lift or press.

May 5th is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day. As a class, discuss what you think are important areas of mental health. Today we’ll focus on stress management. This means that we’ll consider ways to relieve the stress in our lives. Individually, make

>Use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, HPE 6, NH 1, NH 2

Muscle Endurance — Your ability to continue a physical activity for longer periods of time (such as running, cycling, sit-ups, etc.) builds your muscle endurance.

Flexibility — Stretching and bending helps to increase your body’s flexibility.

Body Composition — The ratio of fat and muscle in your body makes up your body composition. Remembering to focus on the other four areas of physical fitness will improve your composition, and overall health!

Learning Standards:

a list of four things that cause you stress. Again as a class, talk about different methods for stress relief: Time management, coping, speaking with trusted adults, exercising, journaling, etc. Now looking at your stressors list, what of these relievers might help?

Learning Standards: HPE 2, NH 1

Homemade Fresh Salsa

Charles Mallett,

Human Resources Business Partner

What does a human resources business partner do? I work closely with managers, supervisors and employees to help them better understand BJC’s business practices. I have the opportunity every day to coach them so they take better care of each other and their patients.

Why did you choose this career? I enjoy working with people and making their lives better. I have the opportunity to affect how a person enjoys their job. My career allows me to learn about all types of business practices and human behavior in the workplace.

Directions: Mix all ingredients in a bowl

What is your favorite part of the job you have? I love learning new things and experiences and being able to pass that knowledge on to those I work with. I have a new opportunity every day to affect change for both people and my organization. Every day I get to do something different and meet new people.

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

The St. Louis American’s award winning NIE program provides newspapers and resources to more than 7,000 teachers and students each week throughout the school year, at no charge.

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT

Koch Elementary School 5th grade teacher, Amanda Packman, shows students Karen Lomax, Mak y e Peyton, Kechelle Shavers, and Wayne Lovings how to build a structure using pipe cleaners as a STEM lesson. Koch Elementary is in the Riverview Gardens School District.

by Wiley

Louis American

SCIENCE CORNER

Many people become sick from foods. This is called a food borne illness. To keep yourself and your family safe, follow these guidelines. Refrigerators should be organized so that air can circulate between containers and keep food cool. Be sure to check expiration dates on all of your food products. Leftovers should be stored in airtight shallow containers (two inches or less) so that they can cool quickly to prevent the buildup of bacteria.

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

Food Safety

Never allow leftovers to cool to room temperature before refrigerating them. Food should be cooked to a proper temperature

Have you ever wondered about preservatives? Their purpose is to keep foods fresher longer. The purpose of this experiment is to find out how much longer bread with preservatives will stay fresh as compared to bread without preservatives.

Materials Needed:

• 4 Loaves of bread (whole wheat bread with and without preservatives, and white bread with and without preservatives)

• 4 Ziploc bags

• Sharpie pen • Magnifying Glass

MATH CONNECTION

(165 degrees) to kill off bacteria. Foods that contain mayonnaise or other ingredients that can spoil need to be kept cool. Never eat food with uncooked eggs, such as cookie dough. This can cause salmonella.

Learning Standards: I can read nonfiction text for main idea and supporting details. I can make text to text and text to world connections.

Preservatives & Bread Mold

Procedure: q Form a hypothesis: Which bread do you think will mold the quickest? Why?

w Place bread slices in sealed, labelled Ziploc bags. e Observe bread.

r Document when, where, and what color mold is growing on the bread. t Draw conclusions and analyze results.

Learning Standards: I can follow a procedure to complete a science experiment. I can draw conclusions and analyze results. I can make text to world connections.

Rate of Growth

Simple growth rate can be calculated by following this formula: Simple growth rate = (“Present value-Past value”)/(“Past value”) then multiply your answer x 100.

Example: If you have 615 students in your school currently, and 10 years ago, you had 527, you would set up the rate of growth equation as: 615527/527, which is .1669 x 100 = 16.69% in 10 years.

z There are 28 boys on the honor roll this quarter, which is up from 20 boys on the honor roll last quarter. What is the rate of growth for boys on the honor roll? __________

DID YOU KNOW?

SCIENCE STARS

African American Wood and Paper Scientist

Chavonda Jacobs-Young

Chavonda Jacobs-Young works for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as the director of the office of the chief scientist. Her job responsibilities include overseeing research projects and reviewing the results. She has had this position since February 2013. She oversees 6,000 scientists, and 2,000 support employees, spread across 90 sites, including four overseas locations. Previously, she was director of USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). NIFA works with universities to fund research that benefits farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers. In addition to these responsibilities, she served as a National Program Leader in the USDA National Research Initiative. Jacobs-Young has also worked as the senior policy analyst for agriculture in the White House. She taught paper science and engineering at the University of Washington from 19952002.

She has M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Wood and Paper Science and a B.S. degree in Pulp and Paper Science and Technology from North Carolina State University. Furthermore, she is a graduate of American University’s Executive Leadership in Public Policy Implementation Program.

Jacobs-Young grew up in Augusta, Georgia, and graduated from Glenn Hills High School in 1984. While attending high school, she was active in track and field, and competed in the high jump. She continued this sport in North Carolina State University and was the Atlantic Coast Conference champion in 1987 and 1988.

To View A Video About Chavonda Jacobs-Young, Visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0ZNn90MCZk.

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

x There are 90 students on the track team this school year, which is up from 72 students on the track team 5 years ago. What is the rate of growth?

c Your tomato plant is 12 inches tall today, up from 8 inches tall one week ago. What is the rate of growth?

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can identify text structure and units of measurement. I can make text to world connections.

Certain people have an increased risk for foodborne illness. These “at risk” people include: pregnant women and newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems and chronic illness including diabetes, kidney disease, AIDS and some cancer patients.

The same pathogens that cause food poisoning can cause arthritis, kidney failure, meningitis and Guillain-Barré syndrome. The Food and Drug administration estimates that about two to three percent of all food poisoning cases lead to secondary long-term illness such as these.

MAP CORNER

Enjoy these activities that help you get to know your St. Louis American newspaper.

Activity One —

Text Structure: news stories to read. Determine the text structure. Is the information chronological, problem/solution, cause/effect, or sequence? How do you know? What signal words did you use?

Activity Two —

Units of Measurement: Look through the newspaper for 10 minutes. How many units of measurement do you see?

Units of measurement can be length, time, weight, etc. Why is it important to understand units of measurement?

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can identify text structure and units of measurement. I can make text to world connections.

Photo

Price/St.

In loving memory of John Cowan

We celebrate the life and legacy of John Edward (Flukie) Cowan, which began on September 27, 1945. He was third of six children born to the union of Reverend William Cowan and Mrs. Susie Lee (McCall) Cowan. John was baptized at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church. He was later confirmed at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, where he served diligently and faithfully as the President of the Board of Elders. Almighty God was his first love. John graduated from Lincoln Senior High School in the class of 1963. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics at Sangamon State University in Illinois and pursued his master’s degree. Organizations included Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Epsilon Lambda Chapter (spring, 1987), where he held various offices. John was employed by McDonnell Douglas Corporation and many local proprietorships prior to his 33 years of meritorious service with the State of Illinois. Before retiring from the State of Illinois Department of Rehabilitation, John pursued entrepreneurial ventures

including Bio-Behavioral Medicine, Cowan & Cowan Behavioral Health Consulting, and Flukie’s Place, where everybody was a celebrity!

A highly decorated Veteran of the United States Marine Corps, John achieved the rank of Lance Corporal. As a result of his services during Vietnam, he received numerous honors including the Purple Heart Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Those who knew John can speak of his strength of character, hard work, family values and extraordinary wisdom. He married the love of his life, Ms. Karen Michele Sistrunk, on May 27, 1987. He was the proud father of four children, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

John was preceded in death by his parents. His three brothers, James (J.W.), Aaron (Townsend) and Otis also preceded him into eternal rest. He leaves to mourn his loving and devoted wife, Karen Michele (Sistrunk) Cowan, M.D., his children Tamura Fisher (Forrest), Paul Lovelace (Maxine), Toijuan Bell (Hilda) and Tiffany Joy Walehwa. He was the proud grandfather to six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He will be dearly missed by his two sisters, Darlean Cowan King (Richard) and Patricia Renee Cowan, and a host of family and friends.

Two visitation services will be held. The first will be 4-8 p.m. Thursday, May 5 at Officer Funeral Home, 2114 Missouri Ave., East St. Louis, IL. A second visitation service will be held 8:45-10:45 a.m. Friday, May 6 at St. Matthews Lutheran Church, 5402 Wren Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63120, to be followed immediately by the home-going service of Mr. John Cowan at 11 a.m.

Needed: a new crime-fighting paradigm

As part of its ongoing work around local control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the Coalition Against Police Crimes and Repression (CAPCR) has been facilitating community forums to discuss re-thinking public safety. A component of the town hall is a presentation that highlights two remarkable findings.

One fact is that St. Louis is spending 56 percent of its general budget on arresting and incarcerating folks. A whopping $277,840,566 is spent on courts, jails and law enforcement departments, i.e. police, sheriff, etc. That’s a lot of dough for a city that consistently holds national titles like “Most Dangerous City” and “Most Violent Crimes” for at least the last decade.

In a nation hell-bent on criminalizing its citizens, especially its black and brown ones, the rate of mass incarceration speaks volumes to the fact that the crime strategy used by law enforcement is not working. Over two million citizens are housed in the U.S. prison system, more than any other civilized country in the world. This is a system that is not only inhumane but economically unsustainable. Yet, there’s no course change by our elected officials.

The second striking finding in CAPCR’s research related to the unsuccessful crime strategy is the number of police officers on the St. Louis police force.

In 2015, there were 1250 police officers employed by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Said in

n One fact is that St. Louis is spending 56 percent of its general budget on arresting and incarcerating folks.

another way, St. Louis is 7th in the country with the highest number of police per capita – nearly one cop for every 40 citizens.

To put this into perspective, Detroit has a population twice that of St. Louis and has a

admit to its dismal crime-fighting record. They insists that 160 more police officers is the answer. CAPCR’s town halls are asking citizens to re-envision what public safety could like. What citizens are realizing is that some of the millions being spent on controlling, criminalizing and containing human beings should be re-allocated to meeting basic human needs. We could be doing so much more spending our money to improve people’s lives with job opportunities, housing, education and other programs that have been shown to prevent crime from happening in the first place. There will be more town halls, more discussions about the people’s budget and more challenges of the way our hard-earned tax dollars are being spent. A new crimefighting paradigm is coming to town.

John Cowan

Columnist

Jamala Rogers

Inviting the bank onto the temple grounds

Louis

James Joiner, Midwest BankCentre President and

Midwest BankCentre breaks ground on new branch at Friendly Temple MB Church

By Chris King

Of The St. Louis American

“I don’t know who is running your shop today,” Pastor Michael Jones, senior pastor of Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church, said to Midwest BankCentre officials in an event space at his church on Wednesday, April 27. “Everybody from your team is here today.”

Indeed, more than a dozen bank officials –including Jim Watson, Midwest BankCentre president and CEO – attended the ceremonial groundbreaking for the new Midwest BankCentre branch at Friendly Temple in North St. Louis, St. Louis’ first community bank to be hosted by a church.

The branch will take shape in the 5500 block of Dr. Martin Luther King Drive at Belt Avenue in repurposed office space. It is scheduled for completion in August 2016. HisTime, LLC,

n “When the bank shows up, you close down the loan stores taking advantage of our people.”

– Senior Pastor Michael Jones,

Friendly Temple

an African American-owned firm, is project manager/architect. Construction team selection is currently underway. The new branch will feature three indoor teller stations, customer computer kiosks, and a community meeting room with a big-screen TV, free WiFi and a whiteboard. Two drive-up banking lanes will be added, one of which will host a 24-hour ATM. Six professionals will staff

‘Building

the bank, which will become the bank’s fifth St. Louis city branch.

Midwest BankCentre, in business in St. Louis for 110 years with total assets exceeding $1.6 billion, is a locally owned community bank that provides financial services including commercial, retail and digital banking; business cash management; mortgage lending; and consumer lending. It is a local leader in the St. Louis Regional Unbanked Task Force and its Bank-On Save-Up St. Louis initiative.

Though Pastor Jones introduced the bank president by first name during his remarks, saying that he and the bank leader “came together with the same passion and vision,” Watson was never introduced at the event and did not speak – perhaps unprecedented for a CEO attending a groundbreaking in St. Louis.

a community for black voices’

St. Louisan Morgan DeBaun’s Silicon Valley startup Blavity

By Kelly Moffitt

Of St. Louis Public Radio

Morgan DeBaun is co-founder and CEO of Blavity, a media startup that seeks to be the “voice of black millennials.” She said the organization got the name from a phenomenon she witnessed while attending Washington University.

DeBaun, St. Louis native, said that if you head to the Danforth University Center on campus, you’ll find a bunch of tables with a big, round table in the middle. “That’s the table most black people sit at every day,” DeBaun said. “You go through your day, you might be the only black person on your freshman floor or in your economics class. And then you go to the lunchroom, sit at this table, one person sits down, then five people sit down, and pretty soon there are 20 people sitting at a table that only fits

Morgan DeBaun, co-founder and CEO of Blavity

eight,” she said.

“They’re talking about everything from critical race theory to what happened in the Greek community last night at SLU to arguing over what the best products are for natural hair. It is this unique opportunity every day to be connected and to feel like you’re part of a community.”

This daily happening was referred to as “blavity” or “black gravity.”

“For me and my co-founders, who also went to Wash. U, the black table was this moment of peace that allowed us to grow and to come into our full selves in this college experience,” DeBaun said.

n “The black table was this moment of peace that allowed us to grow and to come into our full selves in this college experience.”

– Morgan DeBaun, Blavity

Blavity just surpassed 100,000 followers on Facebook. Based in California’s Silicon Valley, Blavity was founded in July 2014 and “is built for and by passionate black techies trying to add more balance to the way black people are represented in media and culture.” On the site,

Bill T. Jones will be awarded the 2016 International Humanities Medal from Washington University in St. Louis. Jones, artistic director of New York Live Arts, will receive the medal, which is accompanied by a $25,000 prize, during a public ceremony in the university’s Graham Chapel on September 29. The choreographer is the first African American to receive the award. Previous winners include Orhan Pamuk, Francine Prose, Ken Burns and Marjorie Perloff.

Kacy Seals was named the Exemplary Principal of the Year from the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals. She is principal at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in the Saint Louis Public Schools, as well as a graduate of the school. Previously, she served as a principal and teacher at Roosevelt High School, Stevens and The Big Picture School.

John Moten joined BYW Investment Advisors, Inc., a minority-owned firm, as president and chief investment officer. Most recently he was vice president of investor relations for Mallinckrodt. Based in St. Louis, BYW, an acronym for Building Your Wealth, manages global and international equity portfolios for institutions and highnet-worth families.

Michelle Witthaus joined the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University and the For the Sake of All project as program manager. Most recently she worked as program associate for the Incarnate Word Foundation, where she managed grantee partnerships, foundation programs and philanthropic collaborations. Before that she launched an initiative called Participatory Budgeting – St. Louis.

Michael Moore was promoted to the rank of sergeant in the St. Louis County Police Department. He is currently assigned to the Bureau of Crimes Against Persons. He has also served in the South County, Central County and North County precincts, as well as the Tactical Operations Unit and Personnel Services Unit.

Cece Younger published her new book “The Seekers: The Secret of the Turtles” (Archway Publishing), a mystical tale of a Caribbean princess who sets off on a journey with her best friend and a prince of Barbados to save the

Bill T. Jones

John Moten

Michelle Witthaus

Michael Moore

Kacy Seals

Cece Younger

Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church Senior Pastor Michael Jones,

Alderman Jeffrey Boyd, St. Louis Treasurer

Tishaura O. Jones, Friendly Temple trustee

CEO Jim Watson and Eric LeFlore, vice president of business banking at Midwest BankCentre, at the ceremonial groundbreaking for Midwest BankCentre’s new branch on the Friendly Temple campus on April 27.

Photo by Wiley Price

Personal finance gifts for the new graduate

By Nathaniel Sillin

College graduation season is upon us. How about a gift that will really mean something to a student in your life?

The way I see it, the best graduation gift isn’t just a check in an envelope – it’s coming up with a few great, memorable ideas to help a new grad get a great financial start in life. At a time when money skills for young adults have never been more important, consider the following:

Buy them a session (or more) with a money coach. If you already work with a qualified financial planner or professional tax preparer, why not pay for a session or two for the new grad to help them work out their first budget as a working adult? Take the time to talk with the professional about specific financial issues the grad will need to address as well as their first, formal budget setup if they’ve never budgeted before.

Help them get a start on their retirement savings. Again, most of these gift ideas

BANK

continued from page B1

The bank’s voice at the event was one of its AfricanAmerican executives, Alex Fennoy, senior vice presidentcommunity and economic development director for Midwest BankCentre, whose office will be located at the new branch.

Fennoy said the partnership with Friendly Temple was inspired by Midwest

can come from one person or a group throwing in cash contributions. Consider taking your new grad out to open a Roth IRA (https://www. irs.gov/Retirement-Plans/ Roth-IRAs) or Traditional IRA (https://www.irs.gov/ Retirement-Plans/TraditionalIRAs). Early retirement investing is one of the most important lessons any new college grad can learn.

If they’re continuing school, create a 529 plan or contribute to an existing one. Many new college graduates return to school to start a master’s degree or other advanced training. If such an idea makes sense for your finances, consider opening or contributing to a 529 college savings plan (https://www.irs. gov/uac/529-Plans:-Questionsand-Answers) to support their continuing education. A 529 plan is a college savings plan set up by a state or educational institution that offers tax advantages and potentially other incentives to make it easier to save for college and other post-secondary training for a designated beneficiary, such as a child or grandchild.

BankCentre’s success in opening a branch in Pagedale in partnership with Beyond Housing and Mt. Beulah Missionary Baptist Church. “In banking, we expect a retail branch to show profits in five years,” Fennoy said. “That branch in Pagedale showed profit in less than three years. So we wanted to be somewhere else in North City to replicate that process.”

Though Friendly Temple is just two and a half miles east of the bank’s branch in Pagedale, Fennoy said, they wanted to

A friend or a relative can set one up and name anyone as a beneficiary – the new grad, another relative, even yourself – and there are no income restrictions on doing so. You’ll

go into business with Friendly Temple because they need a solid community partner to make a retail branch work in an under-banked area. Within five months after his first meeting with Pastor Jones, he said, the bank was signing a lease agreement to put a branch on the church campus.

“I believe God is at the center of this partnership,” Fennoy said.

Fennoy said the bank also needs municipal commitment to make a retail branch work. In Pagedale, he said, Mayor

also be free to change the beneficiary if necessary. One suggestion – before you act, talk it over with the new grad or his or her family members to make sure this is the best

Mary Louise Carter was supportive. In St. Louis, he said, Mayor Francis G. Slay also was supportive, though Friendly Temple includes two citywide elected officials who deal directly with money and finance among its 12,000-member congregation: Comptroller Darlene Green and Treasurer Tishaura O. Jones. Both attended the ceremonial groundbreaking.

Treasurer Jones said a legitimate bank branch on Martin Luther King Drive will help drive low-income consumers away from payday lenders to a financial institution that offers better financial terms.

“This is the first step toward getting rid of predatory lending by giving people access to fair and safe financial products and services,” Treasurer Jones said.

A 2009 study by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation revealed that the St. Louis metropolitan area had the highest percentage of unbanked blacks in the country and the largest disparity between unbanked blacks and whites.

In St. Louis, a stunning 31 percent of black households were unbanked, compared to 1.1 percent of unbanked white households.

A church doing business with a bank, however, begs the question whether this follows or contradicts the example of Jesus Christ who, according to the Book of Mathew, kicked the moneychangers out of the temple.

“Jesus Christ went into a temple during a feast and was challenging the moneychangers in the temple on temple grounds,” Pastor Jones told The American in an interview. “We have a campus with four sanctuaries. The sanctuary is part of our campus, but so is the senior building, the child development center, Arlington Grove Apartments, the gymnasium. The bank will be on our campus, not in our temple.”

Pastor Jones pointed out that it was the predatory practices of the moneychangers that drew Christ’s ire.

“People who go to feasts offer sacrifices, but those who could not bring a sacrifice because of a long journey would purchase sacrifices on

approach for helping with their future education.

If your new grad loves a company, consider buying them a few shares. Again,

evaluate this decision against your own finances and parental opinion, but if there is a particular company the new grad has bought merchandise from or otherwise has taken a great interest in, consider going with them to a brokerage to buy a few shares in the company. Make it a lesson not only in the purchase process, but in the valuation, tax and ownership issues anyone has to deal with as a long-term shareholder. Even though he or she will probably own more investments in mutual funds over a lifetime, understanding the ownership of individual stocks will inform all the investing they do.

Bottom line: Money issues can be daunting for today’s new graduate. Why not disarm their concerns with some solid advice from experts you trust? By offering up basics in budgeting, saving and investing, you just might become one of their favorites.

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

n “I believe God is at the center of this partnership.”

– Alex Fennoy, Midwest BankCentre

temple grounds,” Pastor Jones said. “The problem was not purchasing the sacrifices, the doves, the problem was the moneychangers were adding taxes, upgrading the price and taking advantage of the people arriving on the temple ground looking for a dove. They were abusing the opportunity to provide sacrifices.”

The comparison was clear: By inviting a legitimate financial institution onto the temple grounds, Friendly Temple was driving the moneychangers – the predatory lenders – out of the neighborhood.

“When the bank shows up,” Pastor Jones said at the ceremonial groundbreaking, “you close down the loan stores taking advantage of our people.”

Business BrieF

A bank branch on the church campus also fits into the longterm planning of a spiritual leader with a keen interest in economic development. Since 1996, under the auspices of Robert Fulton Community Development, the church has invested more than $100 million in revitalizing areas bordering its campus. Pastor Jones told The American that it is his calling to develop the neighborhood surrounding a church his grandfather started in 1955 with three congregants.

“I think a bank on our campus will enhance our ability do our work,” he told The American, “to do ministry, to reach out to people, to do what we are compelled and called to do.”

SSM Health to operate 27 Walgreens health clinics

Walgreens and SSM Health have signed an agreement for SSM Health to own and operate 27 retail health clinics within Walgreens stores across the St. Louis region, including four clinics in Illinois, that will operate seven days a week, including evenings.

The clinics will transition to SSM Health this fall, at which time the clinics will become an extension of the SSM Health Medical Group. Upon transition, the sites will be renamed SSM Health Express Clinic at Walgreens.

As part of the agreement, Walgreens and SSM Health will form a joint council to share best practices and experiences that improve patient care, quality and satisfaction while reducing health care costs.

“This demonstrates the value of deeper health system collaborations which can facilitate the transition of retail health clinics from urgent, episodic care to more coordinated care,” said Pat Carroll, MD, chief medical officer for Walgreens Healthcare Clinics.

Alex Fennoy, the senior vice president-community and economic development director at Midwest BankCentre, spoke for the bank at the ceremonial groundbreaking for its new branch on the Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church campus in North St. Louis on April 27.

Photo by Wiley Price

n “Honored to be a member of the greatest franchise in pro sports.”

– St. Louisan Ezekiel Elliott, after being drafted by the Dallas Cowboys

InsIde sports With Earl Austin Jr.

Ezekiel’s dream comes true

Elliott becomes only third RB drafted by Cowboys in top 20 picks

In the illustrious history of the Dallas Cowboys football organization, only three running backs have been selected in the top 20 picks of the National Football League Draft. The first two picks were Tony Dorsett in 1976 and Emmitt Smith in 1990. Both became NFL stars, Super Bowl Champions and Hall of Famers.

St. Louisian Ezekiel Elliott joined Dorsett and Smith in that select group of top 20 picks when he was taken No. 4 by Dallas in last week’s NFL Draft, held in Chicago. The former John Burroughs School and Ohio State University star was ranked the No. 1 back in this year’s draft class, and he didn’t have to wait long to hear from his dream team. His emotions came to the surface when he got the call from Cowboys’ head coach Jason Garrett

“When they first told me on the phone call I just, I kind of lost it and I dropped the phone and almost burst into tears, but I ended up holding it together,” Elliott said. “Then I started talking to Mr. (Cowboys owner Jerry) Jones. He told me I was going to be a Cowboy, and they’re excited for me to come down.”

For the 5’11” 225-pound Elliott, the Cowboys are a franchise that is tailor-made for his talents as a running back. The Cowboys have an abundance of skill position players on offense as well as the league’s most dominant offensive line. Elliott called it a “running back’s dream.”

n “When they first told me on the phone call I just, I kind of lost it and I dropped the phone and almost burst into tears.”

– Ezekiel Elliott

“I thought it was the best situation for myself, with the best offensive line, three superstars with Tony Romo, Jason Witten and Dez Bryant,” he said. “I’m ready to go, play with that line and learn from those guys that are vets.” After a stellar prep career at John Burroughs School, Elliott went to The Ohio State University where he became one of the best running backs in the school’s history. In three seasons, he rushed for 3,961 yards and 44 touchdowns.

Elliott led the Buckeyes to college football’s national championship in 2014 after enjoying recordsetting performances in the Big Ten Championship Game, the Sugar Bowl and National Championship Game in succession.

It would be difficult to script a better career path for the multitalented Elliott. First, he was a superstar at one of the most traditionrich small school programs in the state of Missouri. Then, you go to one of the college football’s blueblood programs, where you become a star and lead them to a national championship. And, for the icing on the cake, you are the top draft

St. Louis NFL fans should follow Elliott, the silver star

sports eye

With Alvin Reid

Alvin Reid

many of you know and are probably sick of hearing) I’ve been all in on the Dallas Cowboys for almost 50 years. Here is my invitation to St. Louis NFL fans: Let your football hearts follow homeboy Ezekiel Elliott to Dallas and become fans of the silver star. Sure, there is

rookie Dorsett greeted Cardinals’ fans and the nation with an 80-yard TD run in the Cowboys’ 30-24 win. I was there. All-time NFL rushing leader and Hall of Fame member Emmitt Smith was picked 17th in 1990 by the Cowboys. Elliott is in great company, but it doesn’t seem to overwhelm him.

“I’m glad that my name’s even up there with those guys. I definitely don’t consider it a burden. I think

n Elliott became Dallas’ highest running back selection since Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett was picked No. 2 in 1977.

I’m at my best in hard situations, situations of pressure,” he said. He proved that two years ago when he rushed for an Ohio State bowlrecord 246 yards with four touchdowns in a 42-20 national championship

Earl Austin Jr.

Ezekiel Elliott and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones were all smiles as they displayed the No. 21 jersey the first-round pick will wear during the 2016 season.

In The CluTCh

With Ishmael H. Sistrunk

Is Mayweather finished or is he done?

PPV, P4P king mulls return to ring

Retirement announcements in boxing are a lot like promises on the presidential campaign trail. Plenty of them are made but most are full of hot air and should be taken with a grain of salt. So there should be no surprise that former poundfor-pound president Floyd Mayweather Jr. admitted to engaging in preliminary talks with CBS/Showtime about returning to the ring for a 50th fight.

Mayweather Promotions has even filed trademarks for “TMT 50” and “TBE 50” in case a deal is reached. Mayweather walked away from the sport with a perfect 49-0 record in 2015 following the richest fight in history against Manny Pacquiao and one of the most forgettable fights in recent history versus Andre Berto Many expected Mayweather to return for a 50th win in order to break his tie with Rocky Marciano for the best undefeated record by a retiring champion. Mayweather seemed sincere when he announced he was walking away from the fight game, but one thing is clear. When money talks, Money listens. Fans salivating over a potential matchup with middleweight monster Gennady Golovkin should put their tongues back in their mouths. Mayweather has repeatedly rebuffed ideas of fighting at 160 pounds. There’s a slim chance he could aim for a rematch with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez’s 155-pound middleweight title. After all, he has already defeated Alvarez. He could earn a title in a new division, get a 50th win and earn a boatload of cash (Harriet

Tubman $20s only please!). He could also try to woo Manny Pacquiao out of his recent retirement for another lucrative square dance around the ring. Although the MayweatherPacquiao fight was one of the most disappointing bouts in history, Pacquiao’s injured shoulder gives his fans a reason to want to pay for it all over again. While those three fighters

make sense for boxing fans, the only name Mayweather has mentioned as a possible opponent so far is that of WBC welterweight champion Danny Garcia. Garcia wouldn’t be a bad opponent. He’s a talented, undefeated, multi-division champion. While he’s far from a household name, he does have an established name in boxing circles. However, Garcia is not really a return-from-retirement-level opponent. Mayweather would’ve received more credit for fighting Garcia in his 49th fight instead of the ‘gimme’ bout against Berto. Since Mayweather has hinted that it would take over nine figures, aka $100,000,000, I’m not sure that Garcia is really the guy. Let me put it this way: If Showtime is shelling out over $100M for Mayweather versus Garcia, I’m headed to Showtime HQ with the deeds to beachfront property in Baden and everything I can find on the Seen on TV section at Walgreens. Better yet, for that type of coin I’d fight five people in one night, like George Foreman did in 1975. Bring on Mayweather, Garcia, Pacquiao, Berto and Birdman. Call it ‘Respek Deez Hands.’ Cha-ching!

Meh Day: Canelo vs Khan This weekend’s May Day fight should be billed as Cinnamon Toast Punch. It

continues the trend of underwhelming fights by boxing superstars in 2016. Alvarez, the WBC World Middleweight Champion, is set to fight Amir Khan this weekend. Yes, the same Khan who fought at 135- and 140-pounds for the majority of his career will step to Alvarez’s weird 155-pound weight custom weight class to fight for the 160-pound title. If it sounds stupid and confusing, it is.

Khan has enough trouble standing upright in fights against men his own size. How in the world was he given a shot at the middleweight crown? Of course, the answer in boxing is almost always money. Khan has a huge following back home in the UK. Alvarez has a huge following in Mexico and the US. United, they bring together a lot of dollars, pounds and pesos to the table.

Expect Khan to be on his bicycle early in attempt to use his hand and footspeed advantages to stay away from the bigger man. He could have some limited success early. However, Alvarez will touch Khan to the body early and often and as the old adage says, “Kill the body and the head will die.”

Khan’s selection is a clear example for maximum pay for minimal risk. He is food. He is toast. There’s no chance he walks out of the ring with the

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is mulling a return to the ring in hopes of achieving a 50-0 record. Could a rematch with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez be in his future?

WBC strap around his waist.

The only reason for excitement around this bout is because once it’s finished, Alvarez will be forced to fight Golovkin at 160-pounds or vacate his title. Either way, it will finally put the 155-pound shenanigans to rest. Just for the record, I’m not opposed to catch weights, I just don’t think they have any business being in play for championship fights.

Blues bounce back Hats off to the St. Louis Blues for avoiding yet another implosion by fending off the Chicago Blackhawks in seven games during the first-round of the NHL playoffs. The Blues blew a 3-1 series lead and the ghosts of a listless past threatened to strike again. However, the team dug deep and emerged victorious in a thrilling Game 7.

After dropping Game 1 to the Dallas Stars in the second-round and nearly blowing a 3-1 lead in Game 2, the Blues bounced back again and smacked the Stars 6-1 in Game 3 Tuesday night. If this talented, ulcer-inducing team can develop a killer instinct and put teams away when they have them down, it can go where no Blues team has gone before.

Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @ IshmaelSistrunk

Ishmael H. Sistrunk

The boys’ athletic teams at East St. Louis Senior High have been somewhat of a disappointment in 2015-16. The football team’s season was cut short during the teachers strike. The basketball team suffered an unexpected loss of superstar Jerimiah Tillman, who transferred to an Indiana prep school. And firstyear head coach Phillip Gilbert losing in the opening round to conference rival Belleville East at home in the Regionals wasn’t what most expected either.

from The eAST Side

With Maurice Scott

Flyers back in stride

East St. Louis ready for run at state championship

As the flowers are blooming in late April and early May in East St. Louis, head track and field coach Barry Malloyd has his thin-clads returning to glory. The former All-American at East St. Louis Lincoln has his team poised to make a run for the Illinois High School Association championship May 26-28 on the campus of Eastern Illinois University. The Flyers have been quite impressive since the indoor season started. And once the outdoor season was in high gear, East St. Louis has been downright nasty. At the St. Clair County meet held on April 28 at Belleville West, the Flyers defeated perennial power and rival Cahokia, who had won the prestigious St. Clair County meet the past five years. The Flyers set meet records in the 4x200m relay (1:26.4), and the 4x400m relay with a sizzling time of 3:15.9.

EYE

Continued from B5

victory over Oregon in Cowboys Stadium.

“It’s crazy how things work. I am very familiar with ‘Jerry Land.’ I’m pretty excited to get back to ‘Jerry Land’ and put on a show,” Elliott said. It’s a show all St. Louis should be proud to watch develop.

“I hate to lose more than I love winning, and I’m coming to Dallas to win a Super Bowl,” Elliott told Cowboys legend Deion Sanders on the NFL Network moments after being drafted.

“I live for the big moments, so I don’t think they could’ve picked a better player for this situation.” Elliott will receive some big cash for those big moments. He is projected to make $24.9 million over the length of his first four-year deal, with a team option on the fifth year. This includes a $16.5 million signing bonus. Hopefully, he will become a philanthropist of some type in the St. Louis area, as well as Dallas.

Reaves on race and hockey

Ryan Reaves, one of the growing number of NHL players of black descent, was asked on April 15 by PostDispatch sports columnist Jose de Jesus Ortiz what Jackie Robinson Day meant to him and other questions. Quite frankly the questions are ones that too many white reporters and columnists find difficult to ask. Ortiz first asked about Robinson.

REAVES: “He broke the

Continued from B3

Another area football player taken in last week’s draft was former Edwardsville High standout Vincent Valentine who was taken in the third round by the New England Patriots. A 6’4” 313-pound defensive tackle, Valentine was a standout player at Nebraska before leaving after his junior season. Former Soldan High standout Paul McRoberts was signed by the Los Angeles Rams as a free agent after going undrafted last week. McRoberts played his college ball at Southeast Missouri State, where he was one of the top receivers in the Ohio Valley Conference. McRoberts left SEMO as the school’s career leader in touchdowns for a receiver with 29. He also enjoyed an excellent performance in the Senior Bowl, where he caught a touchdown pass.

The 4x200m team is led by Jarrell Anderson, Adrian Smith, Roosevelt Davis, and Marlowe Mosley. The 4x400m team is led by Mosley, Davis, Kevin Johnson, and Sanchez Rhodes.

Both are currently the fastest times in the state in both events.

After impressive displays on the national stage at the Sugar Bowl Classic and the Kansas Relays, the Flyers went to work this past Saturday competing in the Rockford East Relays.

Basketball standout and Southwestern Illinois basketball recruit Kenny “Preacher” Roberson won the long jump and put the Flyers in the driver’s seat at the Rockford East Relays by helping winning the sprint medley relay.

color barrier and allow(ed) black baseball players to come into the league. Obviously, a very historical name and a very big name in baseball and history.”

ORTIZ: “Sixty-nine years ago he broke the color barrier and made this a more inclusive country for all of us. Black. White. Brown. In the NHL what is the diversity like and what is it like being one of the few black players in the NHL?

REAVES: “It’s obviously a predominantly white sport. You see a lot more players of color coming into the league. I think that has to do with people of color learning about the game. In some areas, it’s more basketball and football. That’s what you’re brought up with. My dad played football, and he was brought up in a black neighborhood. You see more and more (black NHL players) coming into the league, and it’s only going to keep going.”

ORTIZ: “In a city that has a large black community, what is it like for you when you go into the black community? Do you see people (who) say, ‘Hey, I want to play hockey’ or ‘I care more about hockey because I see part of me in you?’ Do you see any of that?”

REAVES: “I wouldn’t say so much that. No. You see rinks being built around areas

With weather conditions not good in Rockford last weekend, East St. Louis continued its mission toward a state title.

where there are predominantly black people. Down on Kingshighway they just built that arena the Blues helped out with, and that kind of helps educate those areas and people not very interested in hockey may explore that.”

Howard still a MVP

The Achilles injury that Ryan Howard suffered in the Philadelphia Phillies 1-0 Game 5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on the final out of the 2011 NLDS cost him any real chance of living up to his $125 million annual salary.

He struggled late in 2012 and missed half a season with an injury in 2013. Entering Tuesday’s game at Busch Stadium, the Lafayette High School graduate was hitting just .185 with five home runs and 10 RBI.

He is booed at home games, which is the norm for underachieving players in Philly. He did receive a huge ovation last week when his 11th-inning home run secured a 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

He has also not turned his back on his adopted home. Thanks to his sizeable financial contribution, the Ryan Howard Training Center will open in South Philadelphia this summer. The structure is

Ja’Mari Ward

Cahokia – Boys Track and Field

Other standouts on last Saturday’s cold, rainy, windy afternoon were the brother duo of Delan and Deonte Anderson, huge parts of the winning 4x100m relay, sprint medley and the 4x400m relay teams. “This team keeps improving week after week,” said Malloyd. ‘We don’t feel we have put together our best effort yet.”

7,500 square feet and includes four retractable batting cages lined with artificial turf. It will provide young baseball and softball players a practice facility that can be used yearround.

“It’s cool to have a building named after you,” Howard told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “But it’s really about what happens inside – people being able to take advantage of what’s going on there and better themselves.”

What is really cool is what is going on inside of Ryan. There is no bitterness, just a will to help out city kids.

“I do it to give back. I do it to try to provide opportunities for kids who want to make more of themselves,” he said.

“I really just do it so it can help these kids have a chance to pursue whatever their dreams may be. It may help a kid get a college scholarship somewhere. They may not make it in baseball, but it’s getting into school with an opportunity to go to the next level and get a degree.”

Ryan Howard remains a class act.

Alvin A. Reid is a panelist on the Nine Network program, Donnybrook and appears on ABC’s The Allman Report and several sports radio shows. His Twitter handle is @aareid1.

The senior standout turned in a historic effort in the triple jump at last weekend’s St. Clair County Meet at Belleville West. Ward won the triple jump with a leap of 53 feet 1 ½ inches, which is a new National Federation of State High Schools Association national record. The previous national record was set in 1980 by Charles Mayfield of Arcadia, CA, who bounded 52 feet 10 ½ inches. The national record in the triple jump was only a small part of Ward’s dominant performance at St. Clair. He also won the long jump with a leap of 25 feet 6 ¾ inches, which was a meet record. Ward also won the 100- and 200-meter dashes. Ward is a three-time individual state champion and the linchpin of Cahokia’s track and field state championship dynasty, which currently stands at five in succession. Ward has signed at the University of Missouri.

The Flyers will compete this Saturday in the Collinsville Invitational, and then tune up in the annual Southwestern Conference meet on May 11, which is prior to the sectional qualifying meet on May 20. Next up will be the state championships at O’Brien Stadium on the campus of Eastern Illinois University.

The boys track team has put some pride and hope back into the athletic department at East St. Louis that is a pillar of the community we call the City of Champions.

And it couldn’t be a more deserving coach in the area than Malloyd to put his team on his shoulders and guide them to success with dignity and with the respect that has been a staple of East St. Louis athletics for decades. Continued success coach Malloyd to you and your boys!

Maurice Scott

you’ll find everything from think pieces about Beyonce’s visual album “Lemonade” to breaking news and health and wellness features

DeBaun, who was this year named to Forbes’ 30 under 30 list, moved to Silicon Valley after graduating from Washington University to work for Intuit, an American software company. “I was pretty lonely,” she said.

During this period, she started reflecting on her experience at Washington University. Instead of merely dwelling in nostalgia, DeBaun decided to do something about it.

“Being a St. Louis native, going to Rosati Kain and Wash. U, I had traveled but I hadn’t lived in another city. It was a culture shock,” DeBaun said.

“I flocked to things like Black Twitter, Reddit and internet communities, as well as my peers from Wash. U. that were scattered across the U.S., to connect with them and have a shared experience. We’d laugh about funny memes we saw online or watching ‘Scandal.’ That was the inspiration. It was that pain point I was feeling and saw my friends feeling, just a lack of connection and wanting to build a platform and community online that is agnostic of wherever you are.”

Her goals for the company’s success are built on this vision.

“Success looks like building an ecosystem of products and a community for black millennial voices,” she said. “Enabling creators who make awesome content and awesome ideas and allowing them to reach a wider audience outside of their

immediate friend network.”

Over the past two years, Blavity has grown quite a bit by engaging a group of loyal contributors. It has also called in some lucrative partnerships with brands looking to engage with black millennials.

“It is a $1.1 trillion buying power, the black community in the U.S, not to mention the influence that black culture has on American culture and the world’s culture,” DeBaun said.

The secret to the startup’s success? Not treating every black person like they are the exact same person with the exact same interests.

n “It is a $1.1 trillion buying power, the black community in the U.S, not to mention the influence that black culture has on American culture and the world’s culture.”

– Morgan DeBaun, Blavity

“Often, when you think about black culture, a few things come to mind: music, hip-hop, activism, community growth and economic power,” DeBaun said. “Unfortunately, a lot of mainstream media companies haven’t taken the incredible diversity of the black diaspora to heart, and they often just focus on that hiphop/pop culture audience. And that’s not necessarily accurate.”

Blavity tries to consider different sub-communities and subcultures among black people, and to create content around those segments of the population.

“You have people who are native to the U.S. or first-generation Nigerians or

interested in the Afrofuturism community or black veganism,” DeBaun said. “Each one of these communities has their own attributes, is interested in different things and can’t be stereotyped.”

While most people view Blavity as a media site, DeBaun said that the startup is branching out in other directions, including the release of new technology products and in-person conferences such as Empower Her, which is coming up on May 21 in New York.

“While people are flocking to the internet to connect with each other, there’s actually a disconnect, there’s a need for people to interact in real life,” DeBaun said. “At the same time, spaces for black women specifically, there are very, very few.”

With a burgeoning startup scene in St. Louis, what made DeBaun move to the West Coast to find her own community?

“Silicon Valley is an exciting place to be in the tech world because of the access to resources. The majority of our seed investors are based in San Francisco,” DeBaun said.

“Not just that but the thought process. I can sit in a coffee shop and hear someone talking about building a billiondollar company. They’re not even batting an eye when they say things like that. They’re serious. That was a culture that I needed to be a part of to get outside of myself and to break through some of the limits and boundaries I could have fallen into if I stayed in St. Louis.”

There may be one way we can lure her back, though. “I wish I could do it in St. Louis,” DeBaun said. “Rent would be much cheaper.”

Reprinted with permission from news.stlpublicradio.org.

Financial Focus

By Andre Nelson

•

The magic of creative liberation

Co-hosts Deborah

present De

her

Impact Artist trophy at the 2016 Saint Louis Visionary Awards last Monday (April 25) at The Sun Theatre.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

2016 Saint Louis Visionary Awards encourage and celebrate women in the arts

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

“Prepare to be amazed and inspired – and you might feel like a little bit of a slacker,” said Saint Louis Visionary Awards co-chair Sara Burke. She was right. Monday night at the Sun Theatre was an evening dedicated to honoring the best and brightest of feminine power within the arts world – and some of the most esteemed members of the creative community were on hand to celebrate them.

‘Joyful

The 2016 class of Visionary Award honorees was not only an illustration of the diversity within the St. Louis arts scene, but it represented what’s possible when

“I am the deaf brown girl,” Sabina England told the audience through an interpreter as she accepted her Emerging Artist

say that. Sometimes I do feel frustrations. There

“There aren’t many artists who

Noise’ for Willie Moore Jr.

Former STL rapper lands BET show, finds success in faith-based entertainment

By Kenya Vaughn Of The ST. Louis American

“It’s tough being famous, I’ve tried that already,” said Willie Moore Jr. “Making God famous is so much easier, because you leave them with something that’s everlasting.”

St. Louis native Willie Moore Jr. has had a wild and unpredictable ride in the entertainment industry over the past 15 years.

He was just 21 years old and fresh out of college when he landed a major label deal with Universal Music Group. “Pretty Willie” (as he was known then) was poised to be a part of lineup of acts from St. Louis attempting to kick the door in on the mainstream hip-hop industry at the turn of the millennium. It didn’t quite work out that way.

“I worked so hard and it hurt so bad when the city wasn’t behind me and it was a divide between Nelly and me,” Moore said.

He had a fantastic start, but ended up essentially watching Nelly blow up from the sidelines.

Now Moore’s testimony is that everything he sought from the world is being brought to him through the Word.

Through the Young, Fly and Saved (YFS) movement, Moore is helping bring the hiphop generation to Christ. He’s a syndicated faith-based radio personality – the Willie Moore Jr. Show airs in 23 cities across the U.S. every weekday afternoon. Moore is a familiar face on all the major Christian networks – including TBN – and his weekly videos have made him a YouTube and social media sensation.

Last week he learned he would be heading to BET for the upcoming gospel show “Joyful Noise,” which debuts this fall. Ironically, it’s the same network that airs Nelly’s reality show “Nellyville.”

“It’s a great opportunity to bring more

PBS Nine Network continues the conversation on civil rights, social justice

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

“With the current spotlight on racial equity in America and in our region in particular, this film should be an essential part of the public dialogue,” said Amy Shaw, senior vice president of Community Engagement for Nine Network.

The Ferguson unrest gave St. Louis its own chapter in the post-script of the Civil Rights Movement. Protests in response to the death of Michael Brown Jr. nearly two years ago incited an international media phenomenon regarding the relationship between law enforcement and the AfricanAmerican community.

This weekend St. Louis’ PBS affiliate

Nine Network (also known as KETC Channel 9) is creating a bridge from now to then with the broadcast of seminal civil rights documentary “Eyes on the Prize.” It will culminate with a marathon of the series created by St. Louis native and Washington University alum Henry Hampton and his production company Blackside Inc.

“We wanted to create a larger footprint for this work,” Shaw said.

“Eyes on the Prize” is a play-by-play account of the Civil Rights Movement from 1955 through 1985.

The documentary begins with the inciting incidents in response to the 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown vs. The

See EYES, C4

The 20th Annual Denise Thimes and Friends Special Mother’s Day Concert “Honoring Our MothersThe Givers of Life” will take place Sunday, May 8 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center.

Denise Thimes’ 20th annual concert and dinner comes to the Touhill on Sunday

By

Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

On Sunday, May 8, jazz singer

Denise Thimes will celebrate the 20th anniversary of her annual dinner and concert combination.

“I didn’t imagine that it would go on for 20 years, but I certainly desired it,” Thimes said.

n “After crying my eyes out, God whispered in my ear and said, ‘Do a Mother’s Day concert.’”

– Denise Thimes

Rooted in tragedy, the Denise Thimes and Friends Mother’s Day Concert and Dinner grew out of love. In 1996 Denise’s mother, Mildred Thimes, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and given six months to live. “We had just never heard of it. I cannot begin to tell you how foreign it was to our ears,” Thimes said. “I was trying to figure out what is it, how do you get it and why is it so fatal. When you’re diagnosed, that’s it.”

Naturally, the news shook the Thimes family to their core.

Denise had just returned from touring Singapore and wanted to do

Patterson and Cynthia Prost

Andrea Nichols (center) with

Community

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 5, 8 p.m., Old Rock House presents Charles Bradley. 1200 S. 7th St., 63104. For more information, call (314) 588-0505 or visit www.oldrockhouse.com.

Sat., May 7, 8 p.m., The Sheldon Concert Hall presents Cyrus Chestnut: African Reflections. Pianist Cyrus Chestnut blends contemporary and traditional jazz and gospel, plus the occasional seasonings of Latin and samba. His new program filters jazz through the rich music and rhythms of Africa. 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, call (314) 533-9900 or visit www.sheldonconcerthall.org.

Sun., May 8, 3 p.m., Meramec Community Orchestra presents Chaco Symphony with renowned Native American Flutist

R. Carlos Nakai. Chaco Symphony is an original ten movement piece composed and conducted by Gary Gackstatter, professor at Meramec. Free and open to the public.

Meramec Community College, 11333 Big Bend Blvd., 63122. For more information, call (314) 984-7639 or visit www. merameccommunitycollege. com.

Sun., May 8, Laugh All Night

St. Louis Presents Donnell Jones with special guests Arvin Mitchell and Rhoda G. Ritz Carlton Grand Ballroom, 100 Carondelet Plaza. For tickets, visit www.metrotix. com.

Sun., May 15, 7 p.m., The Pageant presents Icons of Hip Hop Block Party: Jalil & Ecstasy, Slick Rick, & Dana Dane. 6161 Delmar Blvd., 63112. For more information, call (314) 726-6161 or visit www.thepageant.com.

Thur., May 19, 7:30 p.m., Lerok Mabrak presents The Drum Live Performance The Stage at KDHX, 3524 Washington Ave., 63103

Fri., May 20, 7:30 p.m., St. Louis Symphony presents the Music of Michael Jackson Celebrating the one and only Michael Jackson, the STL Symphony is joined on stage with a full rock band performing hits including “Thriller,” “Beat It,” “Man in the Mirror” and many more. 718 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 533-2500 or visit www. stlsymphony.org.

Fri., May 20, 8 p.m., Kansas City Jazz Tribute featuring

the Jazz Edge Orchestra with Bobby Watson & Angela Hagenbach. Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center, UMSL, One University Blvd., 63121. For more information, call (314) 516-4949 or visit www. touhill.org.

Fri., May 20, 8 p.m. doors, Mo Investment Ent presents Keith Sweat and Avant, The Ambassador, 9800 Halls Ferry. For more information, visit www.metrotix.com

local gigs

Tues., May 10, 6 p.m., Missouri History Museum presents Twilight Tuesday feat. Dr. Zhivegas. Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, call (314) 746-4599 or visit www. mohistory.org.

Fri., May 13, 8 p.m., Ozark Theatre presents Songs Of The Ladies. Carol Beth True Trio with vocalist Kim Fuller will present a tribute to the music of Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Nancy Wilson and more. 103 E. Lockwood Ave., 63119. For more information, call (314) 962-7000 or visit www. ozarktheatre.com.

Sat., May 14, 11 a.m., The Sheldon Concert Hall presents Brian Owens: Lean on Me. Acclaimed vocalist Brian Owens is quickly making a name for himself nationally as the new torchbearer for classic soul music. He returns with a tribute to the legendary Bill Withers, performing hits including “Lean on Me,” “Just the Two of Us,” and more. 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, call (314) 533-9900 or visit www. sheldonconcerthall.org.

Tues., May 17, 7:30 p.m., The Sheldon Concert Hall presents Unforgettable Legends: A Tribute to Mae Wheeler. This annual concert honors the legendary Mae “Lady Jazz” Wheeler, celebrating the last show she gave at The Sheldon. The cast will include the legendary Jeanne Trevor, in addition to some of the cast she had on some of her regular “Diva and or Troubadour” shows, including Wendy L. Gordon. Linda Kennedy, Diane Vaughan, Mary Dyson, Deborah Sharn, Marty Adbullah and Jeff Hardin. 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, call (314) 533-9900 or visit www.sheldonconcerthall.org.

Calendar

The Pageant presents Icons of Hip Hop Block Party: Jalil & Ecstasy, Slick Rick, & Dana Dane. For more information, see CONCERTS.

Featured Event

Sat., May 7, 8 p.m., The Sheldon Concert Hall presents Cyrus Chestnut: African

Reflections. Pianist Cyrus Chestnut blends contemporary and traditional jazz and gospel, plus the occasional seasonings of Latin and samba. His new program filters jazz through the rich music and rhythms of Africa. 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, call (314) 533-9900 or visit www.sheldonconcerthall.org.

special events

Fri., May 6, 11 am. The public master class with Grace Bumbry featuring Opera Theatre Saint Louis Gerdine Young Artists, Sheldon Concert Hall. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. For more information, call (314) 9610644 or visit www. http:// www.opera-stl.org.

Sat., May 7, 6 p.m., STL Fashion Movement presents Mother May I Mother’s Day Fashion Show. Several local designers will showcase their Spring/Summer collections, ready for purchase straight off the runway. Hosted by Anthony Freeman of FACE Modeling Development Agency, with music by Ric Louis. Some of the featured designers are: Upgrade My Diva, Alisha’s Pieces, Sewphisticated DIVA, Erika’s Creations, and more. Machinist’s Hall, 12365 St. Charles Rock Rd., 63044. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Sun., May 8, 1 p.m., Ladies Night Out Entertainment presents Sip & Sashay with Hattitude. Ladies slip on your prettiest hat and join us Mother’s Day for brunch, music, and more. The Christy, 5856 Christy Blvd., 63116. For more information, call (314) 480-0311 or visit www. LadiesNightOutEntertainment. com.

Sun., May 8, 7 p.m., Ladies Night Out Entertainment

presents Mothers Day All White Gala. Enjoy a dinner buffet, open bar, and live entertainment with a performance from The Coleman Hughes Project feat. Adrianne. The Christy, 5856 Christy Blvd., 63116. For more information, call (314) 480-0311 or visit www. LadiesNightOutEntertainment. com.

Thur., May 12, 5 p.m., FOCUS St. Louis presents 19th Annual What’s Right with the Region! Awards This regional celebration will highlight outstanding success stories from our community and honor the efforts of 20 individuals, organizations and/ or initiatives that promote improvements in the area. Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, call (314) 622-1250 or visit www.focusstl.org.

Thur., May 12, 5 p.m., University City Chamber of Commerce presents Taste of U City. Mandarin House Banquet Hall, 8004 Olive Blvd., 63130. For more information, call (314) 337-2489 or visit www. universitycitychamber.com.

comedy

Sat., May 7, 6:30 p.m.,

Humor for Hire presents The Clean Comedy Series: Family Funny hosted by DeAndre Whitner. A clean comedy show for all to enjoy, featuring national and local comedians delivering hilarious comedy with no explicit language/content. KDHX, The Stage, 3524 Washington Ave.,

63103. For more information, call (314) 324-0823 or visit www.humorforhire.com.

literary

May 6 – 8, 10th Annual St. Louis Fine Print, Rare Book & Paper Arts Fair. Dozens of local and national fine print and rare book dealers come together to present a broad array of exceptional materials appealing to collectors at all levels of experience. JC Penney Building, UMSL, 1 University Blvd., 63121. For more information, call (314) 516-7248 or visit www.umsl. edu/mercantile.

Sat., May 7, 10 a.m., St. Louis Indie Book Fair. There will be over 100 titles to choose from in fiction and nonfiction, ranging from children’s to adult. 32 authors will be present to sell, sign, and read from their work on stage. We will also host the Pitching Hour where writers can pitch their story ideas to the publishers present for possible publication. St. Louis Public Library Central Branch, 1301 Olive St., 63103. For more information, call (314) 258-6251 or visit www. markpannebecker.com.

Mon., May 9, 7 p.m., Left Bank Books hosts author Kiera Cass, author of The Crown. In The Heir, a new era dawned in the world of The Selection. 399 N. Euclid Ave., 63108. For more information, call (314) 367-6731 or visit www.left-bank.com.

Thur., May 12, 7 p.m., Left Bank Books hosts author Mark Wilkerson, author of

Tomas Young’s War.

399 N. Euclid Ave., 63108. For more information, call (314) 3676731 or visit www.left-bank. com.

Tues., May 17, 7 p.m. Left Bank Books presents a conversation with Lezley McSpadden and Lyah LeFlore, authors of Tell the Truth & Shame the Devil: The Life, Legacy, and Love of My Son Michael Brown, Christ Church Cathedral, 1210 Locust. For more information, visit www. left-bank.com.

theatre

Through May 8, The Fox Theatre presents The Sound of Music. 527 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 534-1111 or visit www.fabulousfox.com.

May 14 – 15, Missouri Ballet Theatre presents Cinderella. Edison Theatre, Washington University, 6465 Forsyth Blvd., 63105. For more information, call (314) 935-6543 or visit www. missouriballettheatre.org.

Through May 18, Upstream Theater presents The Glass Menagerie. As Williams’ classic has entered our collective memory, it has moved from cutting-edge to canonical. Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 863-4999 or visit www.upstreamtheater.org.

Fri., May 20, 7:30 p.m., Gitana Productions presents Black and Blue. The play is based on a compilation of interviews with police officers and members of the African American community about the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson and the events that followed. Emerson Performance Center, Harris Stowe, 3026 Laclede Ave., 63103. For more information, call (314) 721-6556 or visit www.gitana-inc.org.

arts

May 6 – 7, Black Speculative Arts Movement 2016. BSAM is an annual comics and art convention. Events include spoken word performances, a black thought poetry workshop, networking events, several lectures in the areas of art, politics, music, and much more. Harris Stowe State University, 3026 Laclede Ave., 63103. For more information and a complete schedule, visit www.facebook.com.

May 6 – 8, Emerson presents the 29th Annual Art Fair. Come out for local food and beverage vendors, hands-on activities for kids, special wine and beer tasting events, live music and 150 juried artists from across the country. Event proceeds support our presentation of temporary exhibitions, education programs and public events. Laumeier Sculpture Park, 12580 Rott Rd., 63127. For more information, call (314) 615-4278 or visit www. laumeier.org.

May 19 – June 2, Good Journey Development Foundation presents the Art in Our World Exhibition Artists Papisco Kudzi and Fola Lawson will be present at the opening reception on May 19 at 6 p.m. There will also be special lectures, workshops and Batik making classes during the exhibition. Exodus Gallery, 5075 Delmar Blvd., 63108. For more information, call (314) 229-9079 or visit www.goodjourney.org.

Through May 31, 1900 Park Gallery presents John Blair’s Dream Interpretation. This show is an artistic exploration of the subjective meaning of unconscious experience. There will be an opening reception on May 6 at 6 p.m. 1900 Park Ave., 63104. For more information, call (314) 5201211 or visit www.1900park. com.

Through June 1, H.C. Porter’s Blues @ Home: Mississippi’s Living Legends. The exhibit features 31 paintings of Mississippi-based blues artists and has paired them with oral histories from each subject. Featuring images of world-famous performers, including the late David “Honeyboy” Edwards, the late B.B. King, and Bobby Rush. In addition to shooting each portrait, Porter was able to record the artists speaking about their lives and their talents. Segments of the interviews can be heard through a handheld audio wand. National Blues Museum, 615 Washington Ave., 63101. For more information, call (314) 925-0016 or visit www. nationalbluesmuseum.org.

lectures/ workshops

Fri., May 6, 2:30 p.m.,

An Overview of National Security Law in the Eastern District of Missouri. This session, presented by Howard Marcus and Matthew Drake, will provide an overview of federal criminal offenses and

authorities related to national security. Topics include issues that may arise during an investigation, cyber security, and other similar areas. Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112.

Sat., May 7, 10 a.m., USA Mortgage presents First Time Home Buyers Seminar. Come to our free seminar where we will talk about available down payment assistance programs, what it takes to get a home loan, and how much money you need for out of pocket expenses. 3250 S. Hampton, 63139. For more information or to RSVP, call (314) 5183024.

Wed., May 11, 6 p.m., St. Louis Public Library presents Hip Hop Appreciation Week: Songwriting Workshop. Teens, join songwriter, Christine Stern,

for a Songwriting Workshop. Christine Stern has published music with several companies and Grammy Award winner Thi’sl is one of many artists that have recorded Christine’s songs. Christine Stern also teaches at Ex’treme Institute by Nelly. Central Library, 1301 Olive St., 63103. For more information, call (314) 241-2288 or visit www.slpl. org.

Wed., May 11, 6:30 p.m., St. Louis Publishers Association presents What It Really Takes to be a Children’s Book Author. A panel of experts will share their experiences and lessons learned over the years. Mon Trice is an author, Shelly Dieterichs is an illustrator, and Dan Killeen is both an author and illustrator. Together, they will explore the cost of self-publishing a

children’s book, timelines, production calendars, and more. Richmond Heights Community Center, 8001 Dale Ave., 63117. For more information, visit www. stlouispublishers.org.

health

Sat., May 14, 7 a.m., American Heart Association presents Metro St. Louis Heart Walk. The walk promotes physical activity and heart-healthy living in a fun, family environment. Busch Stadium, 700 Clark Ave., 63102. For more information, call 855-229-4424 or visit www.metrostlouisheartwalk. org.

May 14, 8 a.m., Color Girls Inc. presents Walk for Life: A Kidney for

Candace, Christian Embassy Church Complex, 13775 Old Jamestown Rd, Florissant, MO 63033. To register visit: http://colorgirl0.wix.com/ akidneyforcandace or e-mail colorgirlsinc@icloud.com for more information.

Sat., May 14, 9 a.m., St. Louis Health Equipment Lending Program is hosting a Medical Equipment Donation Drive. We accept taxdeductible donations of manual and power wheelchairs, electric hospital beds, shower chairs, canes/crutches/walkers, grab bars, elevated toilet seats, portable commodes, lift chairs - every type of item except oxygen and medications. For more information and a complete listing of donation sites, call (314) 567-4700 or visit www.stlhelp.org.

Sat., May 14, 9 a.m., St.

Louis Health Equipment Lending Program is hosting a Medical Equipment Donation Drive. We accept tax-deductible donations of manual and power wheelchairs, electric hospital beds, shower chairs, canes/crutches/walkers, grab bars, elevated toilet seats, portable commodes, lift chairs, seating cushions, back supports, folding ramps - every type of item except oxygen and medications. St. Louis HELP loans the donated home medical items to anyone in need, at no cost or fee. For more information and a complete listing of donation sites, call (314) 567-4700 or visit www.stlhelp.org.

Fri., May 20, 8 a.m., American Lung Association presents the Lung Force Expo. This event is designed for people with lung disease, caregivers and healthcare providers to learn more about the latest resources, research and developments related to lung cancer, COPD, asthma and other lung diseases. For more information, visit www. lungforce.org/expo.

Sat., May 14, 8 a.m., Christ Pilgrim Rest MB Church 2016 Women’s Conference This year’s theme is - God’s Love: Over the Top! Join us as we explore the precious nature of the love God holds out to us, and rediscover why we accepted His wonderful phenomenal gift. 1341 N. Kingshighway Blvd., 63113. For more information, please call (314) 367-2974 or (314) 389-9009.

May 20, Healing & Mending Ministry presents their 7th Annual Fresh Anointing Women’s Retreat. Guest Speakers: Pastor Jackie Allen, Minister Jeanne Vogt & Dr. Laurette Pickett. Deposit is due of $50.00 ASAP. Contact: Pastor McCoy-Email: healingm2@gmail.com http:// www.healmending.org

Mo Investment Ent presents Keith Sweat and Avant. For more information, see CONCERTS.

light to the kingdom,” Moore said. “Everything that I’ve gone through here – and in my former career – just prepared me more for what’s happening now.”

“Joyful Noise” is an hourlong show hosted by Grammy Award-winning gospel artist Tye Tribbett. Moore will provide man-on-the-street interview segments.

The show features established gospel staples and rising stars. Along with performances, “Joyful Noise” will feature testimonies and sermonettes by faith leaders from around the nation.

Moore says the show will reach Generation X, the millennials and the seasoned saints.

“Not to get too spiritual, but the enemy has broken down the lines of communications where we don’t get our knowledge from our seasoned people,” Moore said. “They’ve got the knowledge and we’ve got the

THIMES

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something special for her mother. She offered to take her mother to Hawaii – a place Mildred had always expressed a desire to visit.

Her mother declined the trip, but Denise felt like she had to do something to show her how special she was while she still had her.

“After crying my eyes out, God whispered in my ear and said, ‘Do a Mother’s Day concert,’” Thimes said. “It may sound weird, but it was just like that.” Denise was obedient, and in May of 1997 the concert became the last time her mother heard her daughter sing before an audience. Mildred Thimes died 11 months after being diagnosed – not long after the concert. But her legacy continues.

zeal, but we don’t talk. But we can’t do it without each other.” Moore took a leap of faith that ultimately worked out for his good, but it was no easy landing. He and his YFS partner Dwight Stone were going broke at home as they went out trying to spread the Word. Both had enjoyed worldly successes – Stone as a popular hip-hop radio personality and Moore as a singer/rapper/songwriter.

The call that they knew God had on their lives kept them going. Moore says the support of his wife Patricia made all the difference.

“On Saturday, we would see hundreds of kids give their life to the Lord and get excited about something unique and new through Jesus,” Moore said. “But by Wednesday, it was back to business as usual for them.”

Moore felt like he needed to provide them a supplemental message to tide them over until it was time to get spiritually fed at church. So he began producing weekly YouTube videos that were “ADD-proof” to make sure that they didn’t get sedentary in their faith

The concert became an annual celebration. In later years, Denise later established the Mildred Times Foundation for Pancreatic Research to raise awareness and research funding for pancreatic cancer.

As she reflects upon the 20 years that she’s been presenting the concert, Thimes said she has watched the show grow with the same excitement filled anticipation as she did with her two children.

“When my son was born – he’s 22 now – I was like, ‘I wonder what he’s going to look like when he’s seven or 14,” Thimes said. “I did the same thing with my concert. I was like, ‘I wonder what the 10th anniversary will be like. What will we do for our 15th anniversary? And here we are at 20 years.”

This year it moves from the Sheldon Concert Hall to the Touhill Performing Arts Center. The show, entitled “Honoring Our Mothers – he Givers of Life,” is being presented by

walk.

Plenty of times, the message was as much for him as it was the viewers.

“When I made my first YouTube video, I was actually being kicked out of my house because we were being foreclosed on,” Moore said. “I was going through so much hell at the time, but I knew I had to bottle this Word up in a way that people could understand.”

He was faithful.

Two years ago he created a vision board that showed him bringing his ministry to the masses by meeting people where they are on their faith walk and showing them what’s possible when you answer God’s call.

“I learned that you can be yourself,” Moore said. “I believe that God loves you enough to accept you exactly the way you are, but he also loves you enough not to keep you where you are.”

“Joyful Noise” will air as part of BET’s new programming this fall. For more info on Willie Moore Jr. Visit www.WillieMooreJr. org, www.theYFS.com or www. thewilliemoorejrshow.com.

Ameren Missouri and World Wide Technology.

In addition to the vocal stylings of Thimes, the show will also feature pianist Tamir Hendelman, saxophonist Tom Braxton and comedienne Monique Marvez.

Denise is touched that the city trusts her to entertain them for one of most special days of the year – set aside for the women many hold as the single most treasured person in their lives.

“It has become the kind of event where I want people who have lost their mothers to come and feel strengthened and healing, but I also want people to bring their mothers to celebrate,” Thimes said.

“We celebrate the lives of the mothers that were lost, and celebrate the lives of the mothers who are with us.”

The 20th Annual Denise Thimes and Friends Special Mother’s Day Concert

“Honoring Our Mothers - The Givers of Life” will take place Sunday, May 8 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center. The dinner will take place from 3-4:45 p.m. with the concert at 5:30 p.m. The dinner must be purchased separately and is not included in the performance ticket. Tickets are available at www.touhill.org. For ticket info, call 314-516-4949. For event info, call 314-773-0337.

VISIONARY

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aren’t too many opportunities for people like me.”

Despite her inability to hear, England is making a name for herself as a filmmaker, playwright and performer.

“This award means so much to me. It shows that voice matters and my story matters,” England said. “Getting this award has shown me that I’m doing something right and has encouraged me to keep working hard and making art – and to tell my story and to never give up.”

In addition to England, the 2016 Visionary Awardees include: De Andrea Nichols, Community Impact Artist; Phoebe Dent Weil, Major Contributor to the Arts; Priscilla Block, Outstanding Arts Professional; Stacy West, Outstanding Teaching Artist; and Denise Thimes, Outstanding Working Artist.

“I accept this for the girl who has not yet discovered that her liberation lives in the magic of her own hands,” Nichols said. “I accept this for black

EYES

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Board of Education (which resulted in the integration of public schools), the murder of Emmitt Till and the Montgomery Bus Boycott. It then carries the viewer through a struggle for equality that continues to this day.

The series won four Emmy Awards and the highly coveted Peabody Award for excellence in the field of broadcast journalism and was nominated

women, who have reclaimed our place in this world for being bold, curly-haired and unapologetic in celebrating everything we were told to hate about ourselves. I do this for the misfits who dare to pave our paths with the bricks that have been thrown our way.”

The artistic inspiration went beyond the honorees.

“We have an impressive group of women to introduce you to tonight,” said Saint Louis Visionary Awards co-chair Kim Eberlein. “But first I want to introduce you to someone who will literally blow you away.”

Karin Bliznik, first trumpet for the St. Louis Symphony, opened the awards with a selection. Then Alicia Graf Mack was in flawless form as she delivered a breathtaking piece choreographed by fellow Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater alum Kirven DouthitBoyd (set to Ewan MacColl’s’ haunting ballad made famous by Roberta Flack, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.”

The two later returned to provide the grand finale with a duet of sorts to “St. Louis Blues.”

“Continue to support the

for an Academy Award.

The broadcast marathon will begin with World Channel’s “Eyes on the Prize: Then and Now” at 7 p.m. Friday, May 6. “Then and Now” is a series of short films that include interviews to offer more insight regarding Hampton’s vision for “Eyes on the Prize” from the subjects as well as people working side-by-side with him.

“It was Henry Hampton’s dream to be able to make a series about the Civil Rights Movement, but told from the perspective of the people who were a part of movement,” said Paul J. Stekler, an executive producer and director. “Not so much the experts, not so much the authors, but the people who made it happen – who risked their lives.”

Judy Richardson, a researcher for “Eyes on the Prize,” said the series reveals parallels between then and now.

“You see the issues that are persistent today,” Richardson said. “When you see that Miami section you are going to resonate with Ferguson, you’re going to resonate with Baltimore and all of the police brutality. And you see the whole issue of economic disparity.”

A total of 14 episodes of “Eyes on the Prize” were produced over two seasons.

The first season premiered on January 21, 1987 and concluded on February 25, 1987. The second season, “Eyes on the Prize II: America at the Racial Crossroads 1965–1985,” consists of eight

arts,” Thimes said as she accepted her award. “Continue to support your children who decide to go into the arts. It takes as much – if not more – concentration, focus and dedication as it does to be a lawyer or a doctor.”

Honorees Block and West both spoke of how the kindness and effectiveness of teachers made all of the difference in their lives. Block compared the receiving the award to the praise she received from her kindergarten teacher for her art– which sparked her career.

“I can’t tell you how important it is for someone to tell you that your work is good and has value,” said Block, who was being honored for her 14 years of service as executive director of St. Louis ArtWorks. Nichols, who was recognized in part for her creative response to the Ferguson protests, asked that the encouragement ripple into the underserved communities.

“We need more hands extended to the women in the margins,” Nichols said, “to help close the gaps, shatter the glass ceilings, and break through every chain that tries to hold us back.”

episodes, which aired January 15, 1990 - March 5, 1990.

“What ‘Eyes’ did was put people’s feet to the fire and say, ‘Look at these stories.’ And they are stories that are still here today,” said Sam Pollard, an executive producer and director for the series.

The combination of the programming reflects the continuum of the fight for freedom and the significance of the lessons of the past to those who protest today.

“I first saw ‘Eyes on the Prize’ when I was about 13 years old,” said activist and filmmaker Bree Newsome. “It had a profound impact on me to see the role young people played.”

Newsome was famously arrested after taking down the Confederate Flag on South Carolina state house grounds in response to the massacre at “Mother” Emanuel Church in Charleston.

“To see them say, ‘We are not waiting any longer. We refuse to live the way that our parents did,’” Newsome said. “They were the ones getting hosed down. There are people who got killed trying to do this work.”

“Eyes on the Prize” and the complimentary programming will air 7 p.m.-midnight Friday, May 6 and 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, May 7 on The Nine Network (KETC Channel 9). For more information, visit ninenet.org and vital2stl.org. Viewers are being asked to chime in on social media using the hashtag #STLPrize.

Saint Louis Visionary Awards’ 2016 honorees

Priscilla Block, De Andrea Nichols, Denise Thimes, Stacy West, Sabina England and Phoebe Dent Weil at the ceremony Monday, April 25 at The Sun Theatre.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Golden Anniversary

Celebrations

Retirement

Birthdays

Fred and Elaine Johnson would like to wish their beautiful baby girl, E/ Nya Leigh Johnson a very Happy Princess 2nd Birthday on May 6! We love you!

Happy 18th Birthday to my mini me, La Keya Stevens, on May 7. May the Lord continue to pour out an abundance of blessings to you. Love, Your Mommy

Reunions

Beaumont High Class of 1968 48-year reunion will be June 10--12, 2016. Friday: Bowling Kick-Off, Saturday: Black n’ White Speak Easy Party and Sunday: Family n’ Friends Picnic. Meetings will be at Florissant Valley Library Branch, 195 New Florissant Rd., Florissant, MO 63031 on Saturday March 26, April 23 and May 28 from 1-4 p.m. For more information call (314) 869-8312.

Beaumont High Class of 1971 is planning its 45th year reunion for July 22-24, 2016. Please send your contact information (address and phone number) to Gladys Smith at beaumont1971alumni@aol. com.

Beaumont High Class of 1984 can stay updated via our

Facebook page “Beaumont Class of 1984”. We meet the last Friday of every month. Contact Rochelle Williams at rochellewilliams001@yahoo. com.

Cole School Alumni & Neighborhood Friends age 50 and older reunion weekend will be held May 12-15, 2016. For more info call Andrea at 314-369-3052 or check our Facebook page at coleschoolstlouis.

Harrison School All-Class Reunion, Saturday September 10, 2016, 6:30-10:30 pm at Ambruster Great Hall, 6633 Clayton Rd, St. Louis, MO 63117. Tickets are $60 per person. For more info Contact: Judy Darris 314-443-6741, Yolanda beck 314-346-8103 or Làshell Tolliver 314-420-3566.

Soldan High Class of 1965 presents: “On the Road Again” to Washington, DC. Cost: $479 per-person, double occupancy, 6-Days and 5-Nights, Thurs. June2- Tues. June 7, 2016. First payment due now $75 each person. For more information and reservations contact: Corinne Stuckes (636)-294-4373, Brenda Yancey (314)-8301334 or Isaiah Hair, Jr. (314)-

387-7592 email: cstukes@ charter.net.

Soldan High Class of 1966 has planned its 50-year reunion for September 9-10, 2016 at Christian Hospital Atrium, 1111 Dunn Road St. Louis, Mo 63136. For more information, please contact: Meredith Wayne Farrow, 314.521-8540, Robert Collins, 908.313-5002 or Marilyn Edwards Simpson, 341.837-7746. Facebook, soldan class of 1966 or email: stlsoldan1966@yahoo.com.

Soldan Class of 1971 is planning its 45th year reunion for: June 17-19, 2016 at the Ameristar Casino Resort & Spa, One Ameristar Boulevard, St. Charles, Mo 63301.

Soldan Class of 1976 reunion will be held June 10-12, 2016. For more information, email soldanclassof1976@yahoo. com or Facebook: Soldan High School Class of 1976.

Sumner High Class of 1964 70th Birthday Gala will be held Sat. Aug 13. 2016 at the Norwood Hills Country Club at 6:30 pm. Please contact Joyce Camp for additional information 314-423-8821 or Yvette Allen 314-997-2214 or

Fannie Clark Rogers 314-3554337 your Gala Committee.

Sumner High School Class of 1966 is planning their 50th Class Reunion. Please contact Ella Scott at 314-436-1696, Els2188@sbcglobal.net with your name, address and email or join the Sumner Class of 1966 Facebook Group page.

Sumner High Class of 1971 is planning its 45th year reunion for August 12-14, 2016 at the Holiday Inn Earth City. Contact: Rita Shields at 314-868-7989 or email ritashields@att.net, Al Wilhite 314-302-3448 or email 27alhouse@sbcglobal. net for more information.

Sumner Class of 1976 will celebrate its 40th Reunion July 15 - 17, 2016 at the Holiday Inn Earth City and Shalom Church City of Peace. Contact B. Louis at 314.385.9843 or email: sumnerclassof76@ yahoo.com for info and/or with your complete mailing address and telephone number(s) or join our Facebook page Sumner Class of 76.

University City High School Class of 1976 is planning its Fabulous 40th year class reunion for June 24-25,

2016. We need your contact information. Please email your information to: weareuc76@ gmail.com or call the UCHS Class of 76 voicemail at 314301-9597.

Vashon January and June Classes of 1966 will celebrate our 50 year reunion October 7-9, 2016 at the Hollywood Casino, 777 Casino Center Drive, Maryland Heights, MO 63043. Contact Marilyn Stuckey, Chairperson, 314-438-8338, email: masystucup@att.net or Janice Holland, Co-Chairperson, 314-727-1695, email: jholland1695@att.net for more information.

Vashon Class of 1986 will be celebrating its fabulous 30th Class Reunion in beautiful Las Vegas Nevada, July 21-23, 2016. For more information contact, Claudette at 314 3681502 or cctreze@att.net.

University City Class of 1981 35th reunion will be August 5-7, 2016. Please send your contact information to Denise Weatherford -Bell at msdenise38@yahoo.com.

Mizzou Black Theatre/World Theatre Workshop Reunion classes are celebrating 34

Do you have a celebration you’re proud of? If so we would like to share your good news with our readers. Whether it’s a birth, graduation, wedding, engagement announcement, anniversary, retirement or birthday, send your photos and a brief announcement (50 words or less) to us and we may include it in our paper and website – AT NO COST – as space is available Photos will not be returned. Send your announcements to: kdaniel@stlamerican. com or mail to: St. Louis American Celebrations c/o Kate Daniel 2315

Louis, MO 63103 FREE OF CHARGE

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

years of the founding of the theatre program and our founding director. As we plan this event for 2016, we are asking former cast members to forward your names and contact information to Glenn Ellis at btwreunion@outlook. com. The goal is to meet up in April. More info will follow.

Our parents, Frederick and Sarah Benson will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on May 6. Congratulations, Mom and Dad!

Love, Kevin, Lorinda, Freddie, your grandchildren and family

University City Councilman Arthur Sharpe Jr. has retired after 19 years on the council, and 41 years in education including 32 within U-City schools. He was honored during a recent council meeting with a proclamation from University City Mayor Shelley Welsch (pictured).

R. Kelly’s surprise win. I can’t tell y’all how I thought that it was going to be the lightest of crowds up in the Family Arena Friday for R. Kelly. I was assuming that it was going to be the attendance nightmare experienced by New Edition, but I was dead wrong – even though R. Kelly was only lying to himself when he proclaimed it was 20,000 people at the show. I was like “unless there is another 14,000 watching via satellite all up and through Ameristar, he ain’t foolin’ anybody with that number.” It was packed, but it didn’t even look like 10,000, let alone 20,000. He had a near sell-out, but word on the curb is that the venue was scaled to 7,500. But let’s get on with it. “Real Housewives of Atlanta” sidekick Demetria McKinney was the opening act. I was expecting her little portion of the show to be the pits – and again I’m willing to admit that I was wrong. She has a decent voice and the thing was cuter than I expected as she did a couple of originals wrapped around several cover tunes. The man of the late hour. Kells took every second of his sweet time coming to the stage. I said to myself “if he’s not on that stage by 10 p.m., I’m hittin’ it.” Just when I was about to tell my plus one “I’ll see you later girl … call me with the recap” the room went dark and the show began. The special effects were nice, but he went through his hits like he had taken three 5-hour energy shots. He must have done at LEAST 50 snippets as his dancers performed what could best be described as a blend of interpretive raw seduction with a side of twerk. I saw you moving your body like a snake Leading Lady Ms. OMG Porsha LOL (the LOL is a part of her name, btw). She’s one of STL’s own, so I’m showing her love as she joins Kelly in taking his Buffet on the road. But back to “Rrra” … the fans loved the show, but I think he could have been much more intentional with it. And he could have left those allegedly funny videos on the cutting room floor. Somebody tell him the folks don’t pay him to be funny – and he isn’t – so he shouldn’t bother. I mean if Kevin Hart did four full-fledged musical numbers, regardless of whether he can sing or not, we would be over it before the first song ended. He should have nixed ALL of the videos – and some of the songs. And when he brought out that recliner and played the video of him shooting hoops, I was beyond over it. The whole show should have looked like that last portion where he was dressed and singing like a grown man with almost 30 years of experience under his belt. Most of the fans enjoyed it. I thought they were going to spend the night up in there because of the surprise storm.

Oh empty night. The rain had the R. Kelly crowd quietly holding themselves hostage in the Family Arena – and it kept the masses in their houses on Friday night. I went to three separate places and I could have rounded them all up and comfortably hosted them for a “Blue Light Basement Party” without having to bother opening the windows for fresh air. I let the storm chase me all around Midtown and Downtown East as I went on a quest for a solid crowd. I didn’t find a single one.

Soaking in the Supernatural. I’ll tell who the weather didn’t bother one bit: Nappy DJ Needles’ Super Natural crowd. They brushed the rain off of their shoulders and let it soak into their kinks, curls and fros as they came through the Blank Space Saturday night for Needles’ recurring homage to the naturalistas. As usual it was everything. Folks danced like nobody was watching and Needles’ spun like everybody was listening. I got my life and embraced this good humidity-inspired frizz.

No 50 for Cinco De Mayo. 50 Cent’s social media shenanigans have gotten him in trouble again. This time it means that the double dose of Fiddy in STL for Cinco de Mayo is no bueno. He didn’t have to go to court and declare the money he flossed was fake, but the court of public opinion punished 50 for dear life (and rightfully so) when he accused a special needs teen of being under the influence of drugs while he was working at an airport and posted the video for the millions on his social media channels to see. 50 Cent has since publicly apologized to the teen and his family, but is keeping the lowest of profiles for a change in light of the events. So that means his scheduled appearances to promote his Effen Vodka brand at Randall’s Wine Gallery and Lux for the Prince Tribute on Thursday night are out of the question for him – though the show will most definitely go on at Lux. I’ll be in the building, that’s for sure. And y’all should come out too in order to prove that we don’t need a national celebrity to party like it’s 1999! Anyway, back to 50. When will he learn his lesson about taking disgracefulness entirely too far? Hopefully being drug across the whole entire internet on behalf of that young man was enough, but knowing him it probably wasn’t. I’m all in favor of a taste of shade in good fun, but he is the king of taking it too doggone far.

Another Ambassador R&B tag team. Slow jam fans will be all up and through the Ambassador when Mo Investment ENT bring King of the Whiners Keith Sweat and Avant for a quiet storm double header on Friday May 20. I’m hoping that there is a seat for me this time – and that there is some order to that parking situation in the back of the building. I’m sure I’ll still have a good time either way, because aside from the logistics, I got my life from Monica and Chante Moore. Visit metrotix.com or the Ambassador box office for tickets.

Yohana, Shaggy, Mezu and Rae enjoyed the vibe @ Floetic: A Poetry Jam Friday @ the Stage at KDHX

Aevion, Alysha, Jasmine and Bianca were in the building for Nappy DJ Needles’ Supernatural Saturday @ Blank Space

Reggie, LT, Paul McRoberts and PT celebrated LT’s birthday and Paul being drafted by the LA Rams @ Copia for Culture Shift 4 on Saturday

T_animated, Maes Closet, Candi B, Gloria, Aja Anzeri and Naomi B got it in on the dance floor for Supernatural Saturday @ Blank Space

Kara, Stacey, Jerrica and Alexis @ Marquee Friday for The Liquid Assets Sex Symbol Party

Kurt and Will of William Morris Fashion Gallery and Nevermind with St. Louis’s own Tiffany Fox @ the Gallery Saturday

Tiffany and Kim came through for One Cool Night Friday @ The OBar

Black Spade, Tef Poe and DJ Nappy Needles helped celebrate the naturalistas Satruday with Supernatural @ Blank Space

Miiyaya, Breezy, and Danielle made their way to Copia for Culture Shift 4 Saturday night

The Blue family chose to celebrate Theo’s birthday @ Culture Shift 4 Saturday @ Copia

Christy and Ronice were a few of the fans who got a chance for some face time with R&B veteran R. Kelly during a special meet and greet presented by 100.3 The Beat Friday night at The St. Charles Family Arena. Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Photos by Lawrence Bryant & John Scott

New Life in Christ establishes memorial scholarship Jesus and jail

Late Belleville East High School counselor Chyriell

Hill-Drai is honored

American staff

During funeral services for Belleville East High School counselor Chyriell Hill-Drain, New Life in Christ Interdenominational Church and her family announced the establishment of the Chyriell Drain-Hill Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Drain-Hill was an active member of New Life in Christ Church. The scholarship is being established to honor the legacy of her commitment to education and to help ensure financial assistance is available to help college bound young people.

“This has been a difficult time for all who knew Chyriell,” said Bishop Geoffrey V. Dudley, senior pastor of New Life in Christ Church.

“She wanted to change the lives of young people. This scholarship will allow her name to be forever associated with education.” New Life will match all donations to the scholarship up to $5,000. It will be awarded during the church’s annual scholarship program that will be held in June and available for distribution during the 2016-2017 college academic year.

Drain-Hill was director of Guidance and Counseling at Belleville East for over 14 years. She was days away from retiring when she passed on Sunday, April 17. DrainHill also played an integral part in helping to build a college culture at New Life and leading efforts in establishing the Project Graduation Mentoring Program, which targets students attending East St. Louis Senior High School, her alma mater. Additionally, she was an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority whose

North County churches award youth

fundamental principles are steeped in educational goals and development. Contributions to the scholarship fund are tax-deductible and can be mailed to: New Life in Christ Interdenominational Church, attention: Chyriell Drain Hill Scholarship Fund, 689 Scott-Troy Rd., O’Fallon, IL 62254

Donations may also be made online by visiting www.nlicic.org/donate. In the “other” category indicate scholarship in the memo section before confirming. For more information contact Dagne Barton at 618622-6707 or dbarton@nlicic.org.

Grant funds ESL church to repair homes

The LCMS National Housing Support Corporation (NHSC) issued a grant to enable

Unity Lutheran Church and its partner, the Lansdowne Community Initiative, to assist at least eight homeowners with critical home repairs.

Plans include volunteers from Laborers For Christ, a ministry of Lutheran Church Extension Fund that organizes volunteers nationwide to help congregations and other LCMS institutions with building projects and home repairs.

This is part of its Helping Hand Initiative that provides resources to congregations and their community partners to support necessary repairs on homes for low-income, disabled, and/or elderly homeowners near Missouri Synod congregations. Helping Hand includes a mentoring and financial education component involving church members. Funding for the Helping Hand Initiative was made possible through a Mission Grant from the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League.

Awhile back I heard Bishop T.D. Jakes of the Potters House preach a sermon that still resonates with me to this day. The gist of it was that a good portion of the Bible was written from a jail cell.

I’m pretty sure his overall message had something to do with the church’s outreach ministry, which I understand to be significant. What struck me then and remains with me now is the reality of God’s Word and direction coming from the steadfast faith of those imprisoned.

What is it about being a believer – a walking, talking believer – that somehow frightens those in power so much that a jail cell is an inevitable and practical answer? History suggests that professing one’s belief in Jesus Christ as Lord can literally be a death sentence. The Bible teaches us that eventually our belief will be put to the test. Now that I’m saved, I guess you could say I’m a candidate for institutional oppression. If you’re a believer, there are things in this world that want you dead. The odd thing about what Bishop Jakes said was and is that I don’t view myself as a threat to anyone based on my belief in one God, the Holy Trinity and the truth of Jesus Christ. But the world in which I live does.

Have I done anything or said anything that should land me in jail, if jail is defined as that spiritual place that present-day Sadducees and Pharisees want to send people like you and me? If I haven’t said or done anything, then maybe I better get going, stir some things up. In their day, the apostles were indeed looked upon as threats to the so-called establishment. That meant governments and principalities, as well as the church hierarchy of that day. If nothing else, I don’t think anyone would argue that on His worst day, Jesus was the quintessential revolutionary.

It still amazes me how such principles of unconditional universal love for humankind got him killed. And then it always hits me that this philosophy will ultimately attack and undermine entrenched institutional power of all kinds, especially that contained within the church.

That’s when I realize that if you are a believer in Christ, you are most certainly a threat to man. Man craves power, and Christianity abdicates all power to Jehovah. We stand as representatives of that truth and stand trial everyday with the world as our judge and jury.

All I can encourage you to do in the face of all this is to stay the course and know our defense attorney has already argued this case. The prosecuting attorney has already lost. So when you’re alone in your cell, remember this battle you’re in is over. The verdict is in. We win. Be humble in your victory.

Columnist James Washington

Chyriell Hill-Drain

McCluer High School students Jacob Tiemann and Khalil Joiner are recipients of Youth Appreciation Awards from North County Churches Uniting (NCCU) for Racial Harmony. The awards were presented during NCCU’s recent Youth Appreciation Dinner. Tiemann and Joiner were nominated for the awards by McCluer staff.