November 14th, 2019 Edition

t. LouiS AmericAn

“Women’s Day allows women from all over the world to worship together in synergy and to move in unity toward our God-given purpose.”

– Mother Barbara McCoo Lewis, general supervisor, COGIC International Women’s Department

part of the Church of God in Christ’s (COGIC) 112th Holy Convocation in St. Louis.

Seated behind her is Mother Barbara McCoo Lewis, general supervisor, COGIC International Women’s Department.

‘There is power in you’

COGIC celebrates Women’s Day at Holy Convocation in St.

By Elizabeth Sharpe-Taylor

For The St. Louis American

Louis

n “This is the week we have planted faith.”

white to represent purity. Hugs were shared as mothers of the church and women of faith greeted one another for prayer and praise.

By Rebecca Rivas Of

Women showed out in numbers during the Church of God in Christ’s (COGIC) 112th Holy Convocation in downtown St. Louis on Friday, November 8 for Morning Manna. During Morning Manna, approximately 10,000 women arrived at America’s Center to celebrate Women’s Day, a decade-long tradition that debuted at the National Holy Convocation originally held in Memphis, Tennessee. Women gathered for service, some wearing

– Joyce Rodgers, assistant supervisor, COGIC International Women’s Department

“Women’s Day allows women from all over the world to worship together in synergy and to hear the voice of the general supervisor and move in unity toward our God-given purpose,” said Mother Barbara McCoo Lewis, general supervisor, COGIC International Women’s Department.

Friday’s Morning Manna service incorporated convocation’s traditional points of praise as well as current issues troubling the community.

See COGIC, A6

‘Scorched earth tactic,’ not a crime

Special prosecutor does not charge Greitens’ counsel for threats to Gardner

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American

A special prosecutor decided not to file criminal charges against the defense team for former governor Eric Greitens for allegedly threatening to ruin Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner’s career if she didn’t drop her case against Greitens in 2018.

Special Prosecutor Michael W. Bradley said that while Greitens’ attorneys’ statements were “aggressive,” they did not show intent “to harass, intimate or threaten the Circuit

n “Such aggressive behavior by the defense team, while being described as a ‘scorched earth tactic,’ is not a criminal threat.”

– Special Prosecutor Michael W. Bradley

Attorney,” according to his report filed on November 7. The case stemmed from statements made during two meetings between Gardner’s office and Greitens’ defense team in the spring of 2018 — after a grand jury indicted the governor based on allegations that he took a semi-nude picture of a woman without her consent and then transferred it in a way that it could be accessed by a computer, a felonious invasion of privacy.

In his report, Bradley said he considered requesting the assistance of the Missouri State Highway Patrol in his investigation, but ultimately decided that the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department performed “a thorough

See GARDNER, A7 St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner

ArchCity Defenders turns 10

By Chris King Of The St. Louis American

The cofounders of ArchCity Defenders – three white male graduates of Saint Louis University School of Law – deliberately recruited black leadership for their civil rights firm two years ago, and this decision set the tone for its 10th anniversary gala held Friday, November 8 at the Stifel Theater in downtown St. Louis.

Executive Director Blake Strode – the board’s unanimous decision to succeed cofounder Thomas Harvey at the helm –presided over the gala, along with Kayla Reed, leader of ActionSTL and Strode’s buddy and ally.

This young, black leadership brought spirit and sass to the celebration of 10 years of elevating the poor and undermining systematic racism, mass incarceration, and their mash-up in the St. Louis County municipal courts and St. Louis Workhouse.

Photo by Wiley Price

See COATS, A7

Bartney Coats

Robyn Crawford and Whitney Houston had plans to roll up on Wendy Williams

Ahead of the release of her memoir, Robyn Crawford opened up regarding her intimate relationship with Whitney Houston

“It was during that first summer that we met, was the first time our lips touched. And it wasn’t anything planned, it just happened,” Crawford said on “Dateline” while promoting her book, entitled “A Song for You: My Life with Whitney Houston.”

“And it felt wonderful. And then, not long after that, we spent the night together. And that evening was the night that we touched. And that just brought us closer.”

Crawford’s book was released on Tuesday, November 12.

In an excerpt of “A Song for You: My Life with Whitney Houston” obtained by PEOPLE Magazine, Crawford writes about their romance, brief physical relationship and eventual vow to abstain shortly after Whitney signed her record deal with Clive Davis at Arista in 1982 because of homophobia.

“She said we shouldn’t be physical anymore because it would make our journey even more difficult,” Crawford wrote, according to

PEOPLE. “She said if people find out about us, they would use this against us, and back in the ’80s that’s how it felt. Whitney told me her mother said it wasn’t natural for two women to be that close, but we were that close. We wanted to be together and that meant just us. We never talked about labels, like lesbian or gay. We just lived our lives and I hoped it could go on that way forever.”

As Crawford made her press rounds for the book, she stopped by “The Wendy Williams Show” and revealed that Houston and she had planned to confront Williams face to face in response to the rumors Williams shared about Houston during her days as a radio gossip maven.

“Everyone lived by the radio back then,” Crawford said. “We’re in the car and you’re like … talking like you lived with us, like you’re roommates with us.”

“We’d be in the car and Whitney would be like, ‘Who is she? Who is this woman? I don’t even know what she looks like!’,” Crawford told Williams.

“We didn’t know what you looked like. Our plan was to go down to Hudson Street and squat like collies waiting for you right outside.”

Williams seemed visibly shocked by the revelation. “Robyn, I can’t even fight! I would’ve

run!”

Crawford assured that they had no intentions to fight, but she and Houston wanted to “see you face-to-face and have a chat.”

“I’m frightened,” Williams said. “... oh my gosh, I dodged that bullet,” Williams replied.

Paternity mess leads

Lil Rel to seek sole custody

Comedian and actor Lil Rel Howery claims to have been scammed by the mother of his child – and according to documents obtained by TMZ – her actions compelled him to file for

Documents say that Howery claims the mother of his child told him he fathered their son and divorced her husband.

But according to TMZ, the woman told her husband the same tale. She allegedly put her husband’s name on the baby’s birth certificate instead of

The docs claim that Howery said the woman made both Howery and her husband believe the child was theirs – and say that Howery was flying her and the baby from Illinois to California for visits and voluntarily providing financial support for the child.

But when Howery posted a picture of the child on social media, someone allegedly contacted Howery and informed him that the woman’s husband was the father of the child. Howery reportedly took a paternity test and it was revealed that Howery was the father.

The documents say that the woman “used their kid as a pawn in a nefarious scheme replete with concealment, misrepresentations and deception in an attempt to defraud.”

Howery is reportedly seeking full custody and the legal authority to make all parental decisions for their now 2-year-old son, including, moving him to California.

John Witherspoon’s cause of death revealed

Comedy veteran and actor John Witherspoon was dealing with several heartrelated ailments when he suffered his fatal heart attack two weeks ago.

TMZ obtained a copy of Witherspoon’s death certificate which says he was battling coronary artery disease. It also says he had hypertension, although that’s not listed as a direct cause of the heart attack.

Witherspoon passed away on October 29 at his home in Sherman Oaks California.

Dispatch audio obtained by TMZ, an EMT professional requests a rescue for an unconscious man – saying that the man is under cardiac arrest and CPR was in progress.

Sources: TMZ.com, Instagram.com, People. com, Dateline.com, The Wendy Williams Show

Lil Rel Howery

Florissant native lands research fellowship at Danforth Center

Kevin Cox: ‘I didn’t realize that being a plant biologist was a career’

By Andrea Y. Henderson

Of St. Louis Public Radio

Kevin Cox Jr., 28, asked a lot of questions as a child. He wanted to know how and why things came to be.

The plant biologist, a Florissant native, figured his curiosity would take him into the medical field, but at the end of his sophomore year at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, he found a new interest: microbes. Eventually, his inquisitive nature paid off. In September, he landed a $1.4 million fellowship from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The money will fund his work as a plant science fellow at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center

people of color to see that science careers like his are possible.

The fellowship finances four years of work in the laboratory of Blake Meyers, a leading researcher at Danforth. Cox is researching how and why plants are susceptible to diseases.

After his time in the lab, the award money will allow him to pursue a faculty position and begin his own lab at any university in the U.S. for another four years.

n “There was this lack of African-American presence, and so what I want to do is be a mentor to those underrepresented groups just to help them have a presence.”

“This fellowship means everything,” Cox said. “It not only jumpstarts my whole career, but it allows me to be a leader in the sciences — not just to the general public, but also to those from underrepresented backgrounds.”

Cox said he did not see many African-American scientists as a child, and today only one person in his family works in the science field. Now, he hopes to set an example for

– Kevin Cox

The postdoctoral researcher said he is keeping his options open to any institution in the nation. And, since he is also a mentor to young people of color, Cox said he is not counting out historically black colleges and universities because they could provide an opportunity to guide minorities into plant biology or other science fields.

St. Louis Public Radio talked to him about his work. The interview was edited for clarity and brevity.

St. Louis Public Radio: Now that you are starting your fellowship, can you break down what you will actually be working on while at the Danforth Center?

Kevin Cox: Overall, I’ll be

anyone to vent to, because I’ll be the lone African American in my entire department or in classrooms. And going through that tough feeling is why I want to become a mentor, so that way they won’t have to go through what I had to go through.

St. Louis Public Radio: How do you think that we can get more people of color interested in science and more specifically in plant biology?

Kevin Cox: I think the biggest thing is to get them involved as early as middle school, because at that age they are starting to have somewhat of an idea of the field they want to go in. I know when I was going through high school, I didn’t realize that being a plant biologist was a career. As I look back now, if I had somebody come in and say, “This is something you can do with a biology degree,” then that would have probably inspired me from the start.

St. Louis Public Radio: And getting children involved early is something you are doing now. Can you talk about your efforts with teaching STEM concepts to diverse students around the region?

studying how plants get infected and why they get infected. Plants get sick just like humans, and in some cases they can actually die, which is bad for us, because that means less food, and that’s a dire need with a growing population. My project involves looking at this interaction between plants and microbes and figuring out what genes are directly involved in this interaction.

St. Louis Public Radio: And with your agricultural lab work, how will this benefit Missouri farmers and crops?

Kevin Cox: It’ll benefit Missouri farmers and farmers in general because if we can find the key genes that are involved in these plant diseases, then we’ll be able to produce better crops that are more resistant to diseases. And that means we lose less crops and the farmers will be able to produce crops on a consistent basis without the fear of losing millions of dollars each year because of pathogens.

St. Louis Public Radio: In any

other field you have people that you admire and mentors, but being an African American in the plant science field, I’m sure that’s limited. So, tell me, who are some African Americans in the industry that you admire and those who helped navigate you throughout your career?

Kevin Cox: You know, to be honest, I hardly had any African American mentors in the sciences. I would probably say it’ll be next to nothing. And that leads to another passion: mentoring. I saw a gap in the sciences. There was this lack of African-American presence, and so what I want to do is be a mentor to those underrepresented groups just to help them have a presence.

St. Louis Public Radio: And how did that make you feel, knowing that you didn’t have any African-American guidance within the science field?

Kevin Cox: It was tough having no African-American mentors. There were times where if I needed to vent culturally I wouldn’t have

Kevin Cox: These STEM outreach programs involve me going out to other schools in districts that can’t really afford to have field trips to the Danforth Center. So, we brought the science down to them. It gives the students an idea of what science and scientists are like, and the majority of them are African Americans. It’s a fun experience interacting with them, because they remind me of myself and just trying to inspire them about science was a rewarding experience.

St. Louis Public Radio: What would you say to a young person growing up in Florissant today, where opportunities like yours are not even on their radar?

Kevin Cox: What I would tell that person living in Florissant is that they should definitely keep their options open and explore what they love doing, because that’s what ended up helping me land my career.

Andrea Y. Henderson is part of the public-radio collaborative Sharing America, covering the intersection of race, identity and culture. This initiative, funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, includes reporters in Hartford, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Portland, Oregon. Follow Andrea at @drebjournalist. Reprinted with permission from news.stlpublicradio.org.

Photo by Devon Hill

Kevin Cox talks with children at Meadows Elementary about science, what life is like as a scientist and what he does in his spare time.

Editorial /CommEntary

ArchCity Defenders still saves lives and needs our support

We were proud to be entrusted to break the news two years ago when Thomas Harvey, co-founder and executive director of ArchCity Defenders, decided to leave the St. Louis-based civil rights law firm and leave its leadership in the hands of Blake Strode. In addition to wanting The American to break that major piece of news about black leadership in St. Louis, Harvey also credited our paper’s coverage of the firm’s fundraising efforts to attract and retain black attorneys for its ability to retain Strode after his Skadden Fellowship from Harvard University expired. It was the Skadden Fellowship that funded the return home for the Pattonville High School graduate and former tennis pro – but it was the Ferguson unrest that made Strode want to come back home and get to work.

ArchCity Defenders was Strode’s first job coming out of Harvard Law School, and he told us that the firm’s “multi-faceted advocacy” practice is truly unique. Unlike many civil rights firms that find a policy they want to change and then search for the right clients to front their suit, ArchCity does direct legal service to poor clients and moves from solving their individual problems to finding opportunities to strike for systemic reforms.

Two years later, as ArchCity Defenders celebrated its 10th anniversary on Friday, November 8, Strode and Harvey both made those precise points in a gala at the Stifel Theater, attended by everyone from ArchCity’s clients to the chief justice of the Missouri Supreme Court (and a former chief justice). These are attorneys who embrace the mandate to use the power of the courts to elevate people from poverty and force the criminal justice system to change in ways that undermine its systematic racism and criminalization of poverty. For a young Harvard Law graduate like Strode, this advocacy for the poor and oppressed comes at a tremendous opportunity cost, since more lucrative opportunities (including in regions where blacks have greater socioeconomic opportunity) abound for him.

The pay-off comes in human, not economic, terms. “These guys save people’s lives,” said Katie Plax, M.D. Like many of ArchCity’s supporters, Dr. Plax is herself a lifesaver, as the medical director of the SPOT (Supporting Positive Opportunities with Teens), a program that addresses the serious health risks facing youth ages 13 to 24 in the St. Louis region. No less an authority than international human rights activist and actor Danny Glover has taken notice and came to St. Louis for the gala. “You know where exactly they stand in relationship to building community and drawing upon our ability to build constructive change,” Glover said

of ArchCity Defenders.

We celebrated the first decade of this courageous, transformative law firm alongside Glover, Dr. Plax, Chief Justice George W. Draper III, former Chief Justice Mike Wolff and hundreds of other committed fighters for social justice in our region. We were especially touched by Harvey’s remark (in the very brief moment he would remain in the limelight) that “it is our clients’ lives that we are celebrating tonight, their truth and their voice.” Strode defied the co-founders’ resistance to accepting attention by bestowing surprise superhero capes upon them, but we agree with Harvey that the real heroes are the oppressed who refuse to suffer in silence and seek help to fight the criminal system for something that actually resembles justice. We also remember and want to remind everyone of what Strode told us two years ago when taking the helm. “Sometimes there is this illusion that after Ferguson everything has been fixed with the local criminal justice system,” Strode told us, “when in fact nothing could be further from the truth. We are still only nibbling at the edges of systemic reform. The municipal courts are still a functioning system for the oppression of poor people.” Two years later, we are still nibbling – and ArchCity Defenders still needs our support.

Get involved with or donate to ArchCity Defenders at www.archcitydefenders.org.

Protecting veterans from ‘collegiate con artists’

By Charlene Crowell

For The St. Louis American

From health care to home loans and educational benefits, our nation supports the well-being and financial security of veterans who have served and their families. VA (Veterans Administration) home loans enable veterans to have their own American Dream, and who wouldn’t want a federal assurance that the nation would pick up the tab on health care?

When it comes to the transition from military to civilian life, many veterans rely upon GI benefits to financially support their efforts to receive higher education and better incomes without incurring thousands of dollars of student debt. So why do veterans seeking to gain marketable skills in a technology-driven economy become prey to for-profit colleges?

Major Chris Davis with the United States Marine Corps observes that these valued educational benefits are making targets out of vets.

“The GI Bill is a promise between Americans and the service members who protect our freedom from all threats,” wrote Major Davis in a recent blog. “My friends and fellow veterans did not spill their blood on foreign lands to return home and be taken advantage of by collegiate con artists.”

report that found that more than 7,000 veterans receiving Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits were attending schools operated by Corinthian Colleges and ITT Educational Services when the institutions respectively closed with little to no notice in 2015 and 2016.

At the time of Corinthian Colleges’ closure, over 72,000 students were enrolled. The next year, ITT’s closure of 136 campuses affected 35,000 students. Other for-profit closures by Education Corporation of America in 2018 and The Art Institutes and Argosy University – both owned by Dream Center Education Holdings -literally added thousands more exploited veteran students.

According to the GAO report, “Veterans can face challenges transferring credits and continuing their education at a new school. This may make it more difficult for veterans to complete their degrees before exhausting their eligibility for Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.”

Many of the “con artists” Davis refers to are for-profit colleges that typically charge higher tuition and fees for enrollment than do public or nonprofit institutions. Many of these schools have low graduation rates and/or lower earnings than those promised -- even after 10 years in their respective fields. Since 2012, for-profit college closures have left many veteran students with few, if any, of their GI educational benefits left. College credits earned at these closed schools frequently are not accepted at other institutions.

“That VA has not invoked their authority to ban schools that engage in deceptive marketing for almost 50 years is a missed opportunity to do what is right for military-connected students in higher education,” said Tanya Ang, VP at Veterans Education Success. @We urge VA and their Office of General Counsel to review the relevant statute and act now to protect veterans from predatory schools.”

Ang’s concerns are bolstered by a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO)

For-profit schools had lower 4-year program graduation and retention rates, according to the GAO report, compared to public and nonprofit colleges. Under the Post 9/11 GI Bill, since 2009, the VA has paid $94 billion in two ways. College tuition and fees are paid directly to schools, while an additional monthly housing benefit and stipend for books is paid to vets. Those who served on active duty for 36 months can access this benefit that amounts to $24,477 for the 2019-2020 academic year. Depending upon other circumstances, veterans could also be eligible for Pell Grants and/or Direct Federal Student Loans available through the U.S. Department of Education.

For-profit institutions that enroll veterans accessing both federal loans through the Department of Education and Post 9/11 benefits can derive nearly all of their revenues and subsequent profits from federal taxpayer dollars. Such scenarios exploit the original intent of the 90/10 rule which requires that no more than 90% of all funds received by for-profit colleges come from federal sources. Post 9/11 benefits are not counted in the 90% — hence the term “the 90/10 loophole” and the practice of targeting veterans by for-profit colleges. Charlene Crowell is the Center for Responsible Lending’s communications deputy director. She can be reached at Charlene. crowell@responsiblelending.org.

As

white candidate or yours?

By Mike Jones Of The St. Louis American

“Nobody knows anything. Not one person in the entire motion picture field knows for a certainty what’s going to work. Every time out it’s a guess and, if you’re lucky, an educated one.”

This quote by William Goldman, arguably the greatest screenwriter in American history (among his Academy Award/winning screenplays are “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “All the President’s Men”), is also apropos to the world of political commentary.

Political commentators are generally opining on things about which they have no direct knowledge. The only people who really know why something happened are the people in the room when it happened. The reason we have so much commentary is not because we have so many people with something to say, but because we have so many platforms where something can be said. The business model of these platforms depend upon viewers, and you can’t have viewers without content — not quality content, necessarily, just content.

There is something political commentators share with their sports counterparts. Both usually fall into two categories: people who have spent their entire careers reporting on the game, and people who used to play the game and now comment on it. The reporter type can tell you what you just saw or, if you missed the game, what literally happened. The ex-player analyst will usually focus on why the play or game evolved in a certain way and will often discuss what options a player or team has in certain situations. The reporter understands the game from the outside in; the ex-player understands the game from the inside out. This is as true in politics as it is in sports.

There will be four solid contenders going into the Iowa Caucuses: U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden. Warren, Sanders and Buttigieg will finish 1, 2 and 3 (not predicting the order), and Biden will be fourth. All four will get a ticket out of Iowa for the New Hampshire Primary the following week, because they all have organization and a bankroll.

There is a possibility of a fifth ticket out of Iowa, depending on the strength or weakness of Biden’s performance. I think it will be U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar because the Democratic establishment needs a lifeboat for a sinking Biden candidacy.

What does this have to do with the decisions African-American voters will make in the forthcoming Democratic Presidential Primary? There are two immutable facts in Democratic presidential politics: the path to the White House runs through the black community, and the majority of white people will not vote for a Democrat — Lyndon B. Johnson was the last Democrat to win a majority of white voters.

In normal political calculus, you consolidate the support you can’t win without first and worry about the people least likely to support you last. But we’re black and this is America, so that logic is turned upside down. The leadership of the Democratic Party is obsessed with white voters and takes for granted the support of black voters, as well as other people of color and younger voters. So the Democratic Party pick its white candidate, and the rest of us have no choice but to go along with it, given the neo-fascist, white supremacist makeup of the Republican Party.

In June I wrote that I wouldn’t comment on the presidential primary until October or November because before then it was like preseason football. It had nothing to do with who will play in the Super Bowl. However, like the end of preseason we’re now entering the period when teams finalize their rosters for the regular season, which in presidential politics begins with the Iowa Caucuses on February 4.

With William Goldman’s warning about who knows what being top of mind, this former player will give you his educated guess about what the beginning of the presidential primary season will look like and what’s the takeaway for African American fans — or owners, since presidents work for us.

Letters to the editor

Selling the airport is a bad idea

Selling our airport is a very bad idea. No major airport in the U.S. is privately owned. St. Louis has no good reason to be the first to sell their airport. Lambert makes money for STL. If sold, it would be a one-time gain taking Mayor Krewson off the budget hook. Future mayors would have to make up the lost revenue by either cutting services or raising taxes on city residents — or both.

Look at what happened when Chicago sold its tollway. Tolls went up, and the road deteriorated under private ownership. In the case of an airport, landing fees would go up, increasing ticket prices. Some airlines might cease service to STL; others might move to MidAmerica Airport, which would be even worse for Missouri travelers who now use Lambert.

This whole idea, cooked up behind closed doors, smells like a boondoggle for the city and payoffs for some involved.

Steve Wulff St. Louis

Clay can improve environmental record

I fully agree with and applaud U.S. Rep. Am. Lacy Clay’s guest column, “We must address and eliminate environmental racism in St. Louis” (October 25, 2019).

We must all find ways to answer his call to action, fighting injustice and climate change. I also urge Rep.

Despite our dominant position inside the Democratic Party, we don’t get to express our preferred option and have the party respond to us. Instead, we have to wait until preferred white frontrunners emerge and then we pick from what we think is the best of their liter.

What does this mean? It means we lose even when we win. Because we are always picking a Democratic nominee who must first reconcile with and accommodate white voters. For this reason, our preferred policy solutions are never the party’s first priority. As we get ready for the season opener, it’s clear that the Democratic nominee will be white. The outstanding questions are gender, age, sexual identity and political philosophy. So, the question for black voters is: Do you want their white candidate or yours?

Clay to take another action himself, by cosponsoring the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act of 2019, H.R. 763. This policy puts a fee on fossil fuels, prompting energy companies to move toward cleaner, cheaper options. The money collected from the fee would be allocated equally and directly to the American people every month to spend as they see fit, especially helping low and middle income Americans.

When enacted, this bipartisan legislation will lead to a healthy, stable, and prosperous America. It is predicted to reduce America’s emissions by at least 40% in the first 12 years.

I ask Representative Clay to add to his record on environmental justice by supporting this important legislation.

Tara Changyit-Levin Town and Country

Guest Columnist Charlene Crowell

Guest Columnist Mike Jones

Photo by Wiley Price

Blake Strode, executive director of ArchCity Defenders, spoke at the celebration of its 10th anniversary at the Stifel Theater on Friday, November 8 as Jacki Langum, director of Advocacy, for ArchCity Defenders listened.

Public invited to comment on St. Louis County Police Department

The public is invited to offer comments on the St. Louis County Police Department at a public information session on 5 p.m. Tuesday, November 19 at the St. Louis Jewish Community Center (The J), Arts and Education Building, Performing Arts Center, 2 Millstone Campus Dr. This input will be taken under consideration by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) in its examination of all aspects of the department’s policies and procedures, management, operations, and support services. This is part of a voluntary process to gain CALEA accreditation.

The public also may offer comments by phone between 2-4 p.m. Tuesday, November 19. To

comment on Law Enforcement, call (314) 2750986. For Police Communications, call (314) 6159560. For Training Academy, call (314) 275-0986. Written comments about the department’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write: CALEA, 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, Virginia, 20155. Comments, in person or by phone, are limited to 10 minutes and must address the department’s ability to comply with CALEA’s standards. A copy of the standards is available at www. stlouiscountypolice.com.

For more information regarding CALEA, write to the above address, call (703) 352-4225 or email calea@calea.org.

Cardinal Ritter College Prep missed a teaching opportunity

By I. Casey For The St. Louis American

Structural and institutionalized racism occurs everywhere — even in nice places like a great, high-achieving, culturally relevant high school like Cardinal Ritter Prep, which decided to suspend its football season.

Why are students being punished for adult mistakes? And, why is it okay? And, who is speaking up for these students, citing that fairness has been left out of the equation?

Educational communities are responsible for the kind of treatment and support provided to students, and when poor, racist-embedded policies are allowed to dictate how students are treated, the “Black lives don’t matter” mentality is perpetrated in schools and communities.

Institutional racism is perpetuated by seemingly innocent, normal events and daily occurrences and interactions.

The Cardinal Ritter administration and MSHSAA (Missouri State High School Activities Association) laws have taken things away from these kids based on decisions made by adults. I’m not sure if this is what MSHSAA spokesman meant when he said, “What can we change to change the mentality that this thought is even acceptable?”

There are so many variables in this scenario that it is difficult to choose just one outcome as a result of poor decision-making. When do we begin to show our black youth that we have their backs and support them, even when they make mistakes? We continue to harshly punish them without looking at all of the factors, and we ignore the impact of the decisions. And, most importantly, we miss the opportunity for a meaningful teachable moment and instead we choose to punish.

Some might wince at the mention that an institution like Cardinal Ritter would have an institutional racist problem, mainly because of the makeup of the student population and its incorporation of culturally relevant curriculum. Let’s face it, though, racism is a part of the cultural fabric in which we live, no matter what the student and staff make up. Structural and institutionalized racism usually goes unnoticed or ignored.

What many don’t see, realize or suspect is that institutional policies are usually written from a biased or racist concept based on the idea that African Americans need harsher rules to keep them in line or teach them lessons. This becomes a part of the very structure in which institutions operate and work.

I hope that he meant that the policy is very punitive and it’s unacceptable to make the students suffer for the adults’ mistakes. Maybe he was referring to the fact that the actions of the coach were unacceptable, which I agree with if done intentionally.

“While this is a very difficult time for Cardinal Ritter, it is important to us to honor the school’s mission of Faith Development, Academics and Leadership—and the responsibility it has to its students, its community and our Catholic faith to live out that mission—in all that we do,” Cardinal Ritter President Tamiko Armstead stated. I would question how this decision honors their responsibility to students. Parents of these students may have been appeased because they trust the school to do the right thing. Parents of Black students are often made to feel that their children require more discipline and that schools need to step in to help them.

Unfortunately the system works this way – subliminal, nefarious institutionalized racism disempowers parents of black children by taking control of parenting, convincing them that these rules must be enforced for the success of their children and to teach them character, leadership and responsibility. We ignore the fact that policies are written with the goal to exclude and eliminate, which is the outcome for many black students.

I would hope that Cardinal Ritter College Prep takes this incident to review its policies and the effects that they can have on students. This was a missed opportunity for the school to use the situation to build the students’ leadership skills, to strengthen a participatory student culture, and to foster student engagement and inclusion in real issues that impact them.

I. Casey

The Parkway School District Step Team performed for the Be a Keeper Teen Girl Summit at Harris-Stowe State University on Saturday, November 2.

Parkway steps up

Photo by Wiley Price

Continued from A1

For example, the superhero capes.

“You guys are going to hate me,” Strode said as he surprised Harvey and his fellow cofounders MichaelJohn Voss and John McAnnar with a fitting. As Strode and Reed know, the cofounders cringe at the notion of white saviors coming to the rescue of oppressed black and brown people. Yet there they were being fitted with superhero capes in front of hundreds of people.

Many of ArchCity Defenders clients – many of their people – have languished in municipal courts and the Workhouse without even being tried for a crime because they could not afford to post bail. Countless people now have fewer shackles to municipal courts and city jails thanks to the advocacy of ArchCity Defenders.

“These guys save people’s lives,” said Katie Plax, MD, who directs public health centers for area youth for BJC HealthCare and knows something about saving lives.

Strode and Reed closed the gala proper (before the lobby afterparty scored by Kim Massie and band) with a traditional element of the fundraiser, the live hustling for dollars. Reed led the way brashly in the spirit of a preacher’s kid who sees God watching approvingly as the collection plate is passed among the faithful.

Jacki Langum, director of Advocacy, for ArchCity Defenders, and Blake Strode, its executive director, bracketed ArchCity Defenders cofounders John McAnnar, Michael-John Voss and Thomas Harvey at the celebration of its 10th anniversary at the Stifel Theater on Friday, November 8.

n “You know where exactly they stand in relationship to building community,” Danny Glover said of ArchCity Defenders, “and drawing upon our ability to build constructive change.”

COGIC

Continued from A1

This was Danny Glover, at home with his shoes off, talking to family from the deep recesses of his soul and his memory. The podcast episode, once edited, simply must be

Harvey, who became the eloquent and passionate voice of ArchCity Defenders during the Ferguson unrest, could barely be kept onstage for a minute. He said the night was a celebration of the firm’s clients, “their truth and their voice,” then disappeared into a large, diverse crowd of people powerful in many different kinds of ways. Strode and Reed also pivoted away from the typical anniversary gala, which drones on reciting victories and milestones that the people who care enough to attend such an event already know (and, in many cases, helped to make happen). Instead, they staged a live recording of the podcast that they produce for ArchCity Defenders, “Under the Arch” –with a very special guest. The young, black leaders summoned black elder energy to celebrate the anniversary: Danny Glover was in the house. And Danny Glover did not bring that celebrity cameo routine familiar from so many star turn-ups – that 20-minute set speech that the audience feels like it has heard before because the celebrity obviously has recited it so many times before.

Keeping the faith, speaking up as believers, and being covered by the spirit were some of the topics discussed by Assistant Supervisor Joyce Rodgers, speaker for Friday’s manna service. Rodgers also discussed more troubling issues affecting the community. Gun violence, depression, and acknowledging people’s hurt comprised a compelling session with a captive audience.

heard for his epic expression of compassionate humanity.

For example, he remembered visiting Venezuela

with Harry Belafonte when Hugo Chavez was president. Chavez, of course, was trying to show his international

celebrity freedom fighters the highlights of his administration and his nation, but Belafonte insisted on being taken to see some prisons. Chavez wanted to know why.

“Because my people are there,” Belafonte said.

As Reed, a preacher’s kid, said, “The doors of the church are open.”

In the lobby were poster board displays that told more of the traditional story typically recited from the stage at such a milestone anniversary. It chronicled ArchCity Defenders’ amazing rise from a “crazy idea” (Harvey said) in the heads of three penniless, heavily indebted, law school graduates to a national model for holistic legal advocacy. Danny Glover got the memo.

“You know where exactly they stand in relationship to building community,” Glover said of ArchCity Defenders, “and drawing upon our ability to build constructive change.” Get involved with or donate to ArchCity Defenders at www. archcitydefenders.org.

“Come out, spirit of depression,” commanded Rodgers as she looked into a crowd of saints. “Touch your neighbor and say, ‘Don’t’ hate on where I am now when you don’t know what I’ve been through,’” said Rodgers.

The Morning Manna service proceeded as Rodgers pivoted to the fundamental concepts of the seven-day convention.

“Holiness is not about a

dress or a handkerchief, it’s about a lifestyle,” said Rodgers. “Go back home and tell what the Lord has done because there is power in you. This is the week we have planted faith.”

Women’s Day originated with COGIC’s first General Supervisor, Mother Lizzie Robinson. Mother Robison

was a public servant and teacher of the word of God.

She became general mother of Women to help with the development of the church during its early stages. Today, Mother Lewis organizes Women’s Day for the convention.

COGIC continued its 112th Holy Convocation service through Sunday, November 10, including The Lord’s Day Service with Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr. For more information on COGIC’s 112th Holy Convocation, visit www.cogic. org/hc2019.

Photo by Wiley Price

Coats

protest in front of St. Louis City Hall, stating, “Taking a stand is not easy.”

On October 8, 2014, Vonderrit Myers was shot and killed by then-officer Jason Flanery in South St. Louis. That night, Elon James White asked on Twitter, “How does a cop shoot someone 16 times when literally thousands of folks are coming to your city to protest cops shooting another kid? HOW?”

Coats responded to White, “pop, pop, pop, pop!!!!”

“But, the most disgusting posts from the officer are pics of black men shot and killed by police,” stated Cop Watch STL, attaching the graphic pictures. “The tweets he was replying to have been deleted, so I have no context for these tweets.”

On August 26, 2015, Coats tweeted a picture of what looks like a T-shirt that states, “Police B.D.R.T. Baby Daddy Removal Team.” He noted, “They’ve formed a new unit.” By his posts, he appears to be a conservative Republican and a staunch supporter of President Trump.

Several of Coats’ Facebook posts were documented in the Plainview Project, a database released in June of biased social media posts from

Gardner

Continued from A1

Continued from A1 and unbiased investigation.”

In addition to the police investigation, Bradley also conducted eight interviews of members from Gardner’s and Greitens’ law teams.

Bradley vaguely addressed the concern that the police department had close ties to Greitens’ defense team in this case. On July 17, James Martin was quoted in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch saying, “The police officers investigating this matter have told us that no one, including two members of Mrs. Gardner’s staff have provided any evidence that there was a threat.” Although the police were supposed to be investigating Gardner’s complaint, Gardner had not even seen the police report at this point and had only received a heavily redacted incident report, sources in Gardner’s office told The American previously. She even went to the police department herself to get the report and was denied.

Yet Martin — one of the attorneys whom the police were supposed to be investigating — reportedly had quite a bit of information about their investigation into him and his colleagues.

Bradley stated that the lead investigating officer, Sgt. Carl Cunningham, denied making such a statement to Martin.

And although Bradley based the bulk of his report on the police’s investigation, he said that this issue of potential bias was “irrelevant” because he was the one ultimately making the decision.

Martin did not return The American’s request for comment on Bradley’s report. Gardner’s attorney Roy Austin said that Bradley did not thoroughly investigate the case.

“His investigation was a complete waste of time, and a ‘whitewashing’ is a perfect way to describe it,” Austin said. “He had the tools, and he refused to use them.”

Austin said he urged Bradley to subpoena the email communications between Greitens’ defense team before the two meetings in March and April to better understand their intentions for the meetings. Bradley could have independently verified the accounts by doing this, rather than just taking their word, Austin said.

“The whole meeting in March was put together on a lark,” Austin said. “We gave Bradley the documents claiming that the meeting had something to do with a bunch of [Missouri Ethics Commission] matters. It had nothing to do with ethics matters. It was a meeting to make Kim aware that all these powerful people were going to come after in the event that she continued her investigation.”

The defense team requested

police throughout the country released. However, his tweets and replies were not included in the database.

In June, city aldermen held a hearing to discuss SLMPD officers’ posts documented in the Plainview database. There, Ferguson activist and citizen journalist Heather DeMian told the aldermen that Coats threatened to harm protestors and journalists in his tweets in 2015. She later provided the American with a screenshot of a Twitter exchange, where @AnonCopWatch wrote Coats, “You just sent me a link showing that you can legally shoot and kill anyone just by saying you fear for your life.” Coats replied, “Be on your best behavior.” Coats is documented in the Plain View Project as saying things like, “Ha!Ha! There’s a novel idea bring your own medical services to the riot!” in response to an article about police firing on protestors when they tried to bring a woman to them for medical aid. Coats just posted on Twitter on May 19, “Never turn your back on the feral,” referring to African Americans.

DeMian told the aldermen that Coats was defying the police department’s social media policy established September 2018. DeMian said, “He’s still on your force.”

to meet with Gardner’s team on March 16, 2018 because they wanted to discuss the “rumors in Jeff. City that your office is investigating matters that were looked into by the Missouri Ethics Commission,” according to an email sent from defense attorney Jack Garvey to Gardner the day of the meeting.

The commission’s investigation was regarding Greitens and potential criminal campaign finance actions.

According to Bradley’s report, Gardner and two of her team members said that Garvey kept saying that “things were going to get worse.” And all three of them interpreted it to mean that things would get worse for her politically and for

n Special Prosecutor Michael W. Bradley said he decided that the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department performed “a thorough and unbiased investigation.”

her team members.

“They made it very clear that their intention was to dig into the conduct of each member of the team,” Assistant Circuit Attorney Rachel Smith told police in September 2018. “Clearly designed to, you know — it could all go away if the case went away.”

In Garvey’s statement to the police, he said that he “did not recall telling the circuit attorney that things are going to

get worse.” In interviews with the defense team, including Ed Dowd and Jim Martin, they said that Garvey meant that the case was not going to get better, and that it was the kind of case that could ruin her career.

In his conclusion, Bradley states, “The defense team was vigorously attempting to persuade the Circuit Attorney

to dismiss the case. Such aggressive behavior by the defense team, while being described as a ‘scorched earth tactic,’ is not a criminal threat.”

Because Bradley didn’t attempt to verify any of the statements made in the interviews by subpoenaing documents, Austin argued that Bradley should have written a report that was fair to both sides, saying that he didn’t have sufficient evidence to make a finding. Instead, he made a judgment on the defense team’s intentions, Austin said. “Who is he to say what they intended to do or not?” Austin said.

Austin said that Bradley should never had been selected as special prosecutor because he had a conflict of interest in the case. Bradley had a long, close working relationship with former governor Jay Nixon, who is a partner at the Dowd Bennett law firm. Bradley is a former assistant attorney general who worked for Gov. Nixon from 1995 to 2009 when he served as attorney general. Nixon appointed Bradley to the bench in April 2011. “If he were to say that he’s going to put charges on Dowd, he destroys Nixon’s firm,” Austin said. “He was never going to do that.”

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Officer Bartney Coats called U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-California) a “she boon” in February.

‘We

have to raise the age now’

City, county prosecutors agree to stop prosecuting 17-yearolds as adults at MCU meeting

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American

When Khadijah Wilson was 17, she pled with her highschool principal to intervene in an ongoing conflict with another girl. That never happened. Instead, Wilson defended herself against her bully at school one day, and she was sent to adult jail. Wilson acted out her story in a skit at the Metropolitan Congregations United community meeting on November 3, which addressed a grave issue facing black youth in the St. Louis region. In Missouri, 17-year-olds are automatically certified as adults when they are arrested. While Missouri legislators have already passed a “Raise the Age” law, it doesn’t go into effect until 2021.

of Missouri. But we changed that law. The problem is that it doesn’t go into effect until 2021, which is why we have to raise the age now. We are here today because I don’t want to hear another story like mine or worse.”

MCU leaders and those from various organizations said that St. Louis officials could take action immediately to make sure more children aren’t placed in the same situation that Wilson was.

n “These voters who have otherwise paid their debts to society are disenfranchised from a number of election cycles.”

– State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed (D-St. Louis)

“What you just saw was the beginning of a long two months for me in adult jail,” Wilson told the audience of about 150.

“They didn’t even call my mom, so I felt alone and I was scared. They literally stripped me down. And we were on lockdown for days.”

College was no longer in her plans because she had too much school work to catch up on, she said, along with costly court fees she had to find a way to pay. “I was 17,” she said. “This was legal in the state

At the meeting, MCU leaders asked St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner and St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell to commit to offering 17-year-olds with misdemeanor offenses diversion services, instead of jail time, in 2020. “We do that already,” Gardner said. “We will continue to strengthen our diversion programs for all youth 17 to 25.”

Bell said, “To echo Circuit Attorney Gardner, that’s been the main focus of our platform is to extend diversion programs, particularly to our young people, so absolutely.”

Both committed to participate in the Raise the Age Working Group within 90 days.

MCU leaders also asked Rick Gaines, chief juvenile officer for St. Louis County Family Courts, to commit to offering diversion services to 17-year-olds. However, he said

he couldn’t because juvenile court does not have jurisdiction over 17-year-olds currently.

Federal legislation that passed in December 2018 requires that youth held in adult jails — including those charged as adults — be removed to juvenile detention centers by December 2021.

“Do we want to wait until then?” MCU leaders asked the audience, and they screamed, “No!”

They asked Gaines to agree to keeping youth charged as adults pretrial in the juvenile detention, instead of sending them to adult jail.

“We are working on a plan to make that happen by October

2020,” Gaines said.

MCU is also asking that the Special School and St. Louis Public School districts and court officials agree to provide education services for 17-year-olds in St. Louis city and county jails in 2020.

Wilford Pinkney Jr., the city’s new director of the Office of Children, Youth and Families, to commit to supporting these efforts.

The meeting also addressed Unlocking the Vote, a movement to restore the voting rights of 60,000 Missourians who are on probation or parole.

“As people return to the community, we must do what we can to help them

be involved and contribute,” said Charlie Gentry, an MCU leader. “Returning to civic involvement is an important step in people rebuilding their lives.”

State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed (D-St. Louis) will be sponsoring “The Missouri Restoration of Voting Rights Act” in 2020, she told the audience. Right now, in Missouri, anyone who has been convicted of a felony and has completed their sentence — but is still on probation or parole — is prohibited from voting.

“As you can imagine, when the maximum period of probation or parole can reach 5, 10, 15 years or more,” Nasheed said. “These voters who have otherwise paid their debts to society are disenfranchised from a number of election cycles.” In 18 other states, citizens convicted of a felony either maintain their right to vote while incarcerated, or have it automatically restored upon release, she said.

“While on probation or parole, we expect former offenders to get a job and earn a paycheck, but when Election Day comes, they are barred from the ballot box,” Nasheed said. “This is ‘taxation without representation.’”

Pull

MEDICARE PLANS CHANGE YEAR-TO-YEAR.

Use the new Plan Finder at Medicare.gov to more easily compare:

• Part D prescription plans for cost, coverage, and convenience.

• Medicare Advantage Plans for extra benefits, changes in network providers, co-pays, and more.

• Supplemental (Medigap) plans for costs and benefits.

Is your current plan still your best choice for 2020, or could you do better? Compare plans now.

Use the new Plan Finder at Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE. TTY 1-877-486-2048.

Photo by Rebecca Rivas

When Khadijah Wilson was 17, she was sent to adult jail after she defended herself from a bully. “We changed that law,” she said at a Metropolitan Congregations United community meeting on November 3. “The problem is that it doesn’t go into effect until 2021, which is why we have to raise the age now.”

Goldman, Hansford to speak on challenges to democracy

What are the essential elements and critical influences that foster healthy democracy?

Hear the president of the Democracy Fund and executive director of the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center lead this discussion at 8:15

a.m. Monday, November 18 at Deaconess Center for Child Well-Being, 1000 North Vandeventer Ave. Joe Goldman of the Democracy Fund will speak on challenges to democratic institutions, an open impeachment inquiry and the convergence of a presidential

election and a projected recession, then Justin Hansford of the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center will respond with an analysis of the implications of the potential 2020 scenarios for justice and equity.

The morning will conclude with Deaconess announcing its 2020 Public Policy Campaign partner(s) who will pursue change through grassroots advocacy, civic engagement and community organizing, on a designated issue over the next twelve months.

“The October cover of the Chronicle of Philanthropy raised the question, ‘Can Philanthropy Save

Democracy?’” said Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, president and

CEO of Deaconess Foundation.

“I’m not sure it can. But, with the impact national elections and potential local governmental re-organization will have on children and families, social sector leaders in St. Louis need to have this conversation. I can’t think of two better leaders to spark our thinking than Joe and Justin.”

Democracy Fund, based in Washington, D.C. was created by founder and former chairman of eBay, Pierre Omidyar, out of deep respect for the U.S. Constitution and our nation’s core democratic

values. A bipartisan foundation, Democracy Fund envisions an American democracy that is healthy, resilient and diverse. Also based in Washington, D.C. at Howard University School of Law, Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center launched in 2019 intent on expanding civil rights, human rights, freedom, and equal justice under the law for all historically oppressed people. Hansford is well known in St. Louis as a former activist associate professor of law at Saint Louis University School of Law.

Tisaby claims his deposition is inadmissible

Since

against

By Rebecca Rivas

William Tisaby, the former

by

Louis

Kimberly Gardner to help in the criminal investigation of then-Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, never had a chance to review his deposition. He never received a copy of it, and he never signed it, as required by state law. Therefore, Tisaby’s deposition is “inadmissible,” wrote his attorneys in a court motion filed on November 5, and his testimony is “permanently incomplete.”

“A criminal perjury trial cannot be the first opportunity

a witness has for reviewing and confirming his deposition because it would defeat the purpose of the signature requirement,” according to the motion.

In June, a grand jury indicted Tisaby with seven felony counts, including multiple perjury charges. His alleged conduct during the investigation was a factor in prosecutors dropping the felony invasion of privacy charge against the governor.

Gardner hired Tisaby in January 2018, soon after Greitens admitted that he had an affair with his hairdresser, a woman identified by her initials K.S. The former governor

would later be charged with invasion of privacy for allegedly taking a semi-nude picture of K.S. without her consent, and then transferring it in a way that it could be accessed by a computer.

Gardner said she needed to hire an outside

n Tisaby didn’t receive a copy of his deposition until after he was indicted and the criminal case had already started.

William Tisaby

investigator because the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department refused to look into the case. The department said it was never asked to investigate.

On March 19, 2018, Greitens’ defense team deposed Tisaby for approximately nine hours, and at that time Tisaby “reserved signature” — meaning he requested a copy of his deposition so he could review it before he signed it, according to the recent motion.

On April 26, 2018 — 36 days later — Tisaby was scheduled

for a second deposition, yet he had still not received a copy of his first one. So, Tisaby sought out a lawyer and attempted to obtain a continuance, or extension, to have a chance to review the deposition and clear the record if needed. Greitens’ attorneys knew Tisaby had not read the deposition, the motion states, “yet aggressively pursued a second deposition to catch Mr. Tisaby in several lies.”

The court denied Tisaby’s request for a continuance, and Tisaby’s attorney, Jermaine Wooten, advised him to plead the Fifth Amendment during the second deposition.

Tisaby didn’t receive a copy of his deposition until after he was indicted and the criminal case had already started.

“They didn’t give him time to look at it, and that was wrong,” said attorney Daniel Dailey, who is also representing Tisaby. “And the defense team used that as a way to get ex-governor Greitens off.”

In April 2018, attorneys accused Tisaby of lying about whether he had taken notes during an interview with Greitens’ alleged victim. The

police department investigated this claim, which spurred the grand jury proceedings. In June 2018, Mullen appointed Gerard Carmody, of Carmody MacDonald law firm, to oversee the grand jury investigation into Tisaby’s perjury charge.

“The whole case is based on the deposition,” Dailey said. “That’s the entire base of the indictment.”

Dailey believes that the case will have to be thrown out because there is no evidence without the deposition. He hopes to get a hearing on the motion the week of November 18. And Dailey firmly believes that Tisaby did not lie, but was not given a chance to clarify his responses.

“This is going to cost him his business,” Wooten said. “This is someone who served honorably in the FBI and prior to that he served honorably in the United States Air Force. This man has served this country for more than 40 years in a civil capacity. And it’s unfortunate that he has to be almost a victim in this whole Gov. Greitens fiasco.”

STIFEL

Joe Goldman Justin Hansford

Of The St. Louis American

FBI agent hired

St.

Circuit Attorney

Surveillance cameras combat property offenses, not violent crime

Rebecca Rivas of The St. Louis American reported an investigative piece on the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s Real Time Crime Center, in partnership with Type Investigations, where she is an Ida B. Wells Fellow, and data reporting by Taylor Eldridge. This is the fourth and final part.

In 2012, criminologist Timothy Dickinson prepared a report on the impact surveillance cameras have on crime, at the request of thenMayor Francis G. Slay and the city’s public safety director. Dickinson concluded that surveillance cameras are “more effective at combating property offenses than violence or public order crime.” They are more effective at preventing crime when cameras are actively monitored, he found, and the higher the concentrations of cameras the better their efficiency.

Another local criminologist also prepared a report at the request of the mayor and the St. Louis Public Safety Partnership that year. Richard Rosenfeld, a criminologist with the University of Missouri–St. Louis, analyzed the effectiveness of an alderman’s camera system in the 21st Ward. In 2011, Antonio French, then-alderman of the 21st Ward, purchased 20 cameras with city funds to surveil his high-crime North St. Louis ward. The project was hailed by people like Whyte, who said French’s project inspired the CWENSI. However, it was highly criticized by the ACLU of Missouri, who said there were no privacy protections in place and French abused the surveillance cameras to target individuals who were protesting him in March 2012. French did not respond to a request for an interview on his camera system, which is no longer in operation.

Rosenfeld concluded that cameras did reduce crime, but those reductions “dissipated” after about six months.

Rosenfeld also found evidence that the cameras displaced crime to other surrounding areas without cameras — which Jim Whyte, executive director of the Central West End Neighborhood Security Initiative (CWE-NSI), said he also has seen at the CWE-NSI. (Dickinson’s report, however, didn’t find that surveillance cameras displaced crime. In fact, he states that in some circumstances, they helped reduce crime in other areas.)

In an interview, Rosenfeld said, “The cameras can be effective to the degree that people in the area see that the police respond to problems that are caught on camera. So it strikes me that the most effective policy is a policy that combines video surveillance with an increase in police presence.”

However, he stressed that the police have to be “behaving right” and engaged in fair and unbiased policing — because no effort will be successful if the community doesn’t trust the police.

“Cameras, Real Time Crime Centers, police presence, ShotSpotters — all these kind of cures of the month that we get treated to,” Rosenfeld said, “absent of improving trust between communities in need and the police, none of that is going to be very helpful.”

Sergeant Heather Taylor is a homicide detective with the city’s police department and the president of the Ethical Society of Police (ESOP), a police

Median Household IncomeBlack Population

has poor policies in place to prevent invasion of privacy.

(The American and Type Investigations published an extensive piece looking into at privacy concerns and the RTCC in January.)

“Can I in good conscience put cameras up knowing that they are not being monitored without good policies?” Spencer said. “No, but a lot of the community is demanding it. I’m not able to address the issues of public safety in my position, but I can put cameras in.”

The Coalition Against Police Crimes and Repression (CAPCR), a grassroots organization focused on public safety, has long been against surveillance cameras and the RTCC.

“First of all, they have not really proven their costeffectiveness,” said John Chasnoff, co-founder of CAPCR. “The cameras are hugely expensive. We’ve already spent millions of dollars on the Real Time Crime Center.”

However, police seem only to be able to point to anecdotal evidence that cameras have impacted violent crime, Chasnoff said.

association that advocates for racial equity in policing. In ESOP’s comprehensive evaluation of the police department in 2016, it outlined homicides locations and their response.

“I think it’s pretty common knowledge that if something happens downtown while the Blues are playing or some major event that’s going on,” Taylor said, “some of the people within the city — media and our police department — view those as priorities over you know, ‘These are African Americans who have killed another African American.’”

Taylor said the wealthier areas and businesses are the priorities because they bring in revenue, and “those things are important to sustaining your city.” But it’s up to police investigators to “separate ourselves from that,” she said. Quality video footage is a “huge plus” when solving homicides, she added. But do cameras prevent crime?

“I don’t think so,” she said. “I think people a lot of times are in the heat of passion when a lot of homicides and a lot of violent crime occurs.”

When asked if she would want more quality surveillance in North City, where her family is from, or some of the higher crime areas, she said that it’s a “Catch 22.”

“It’s a catch to it: Are we going to over-police and watch people?” Taylor said. “I think that’s a legitimate concern.”

And it’s a valid concern that a biased police officer could potentially be in the position of monitoring the footage, she said. While cameras help to solve crime, the main factor in solving cases is when people come forward and talk to police, Taylor said.

“Right now we have a policing problem with people trusting us, rightfully so,” Taylor said. “And so that’s usually how you solve cases, where people come forward with physical evidence.”

The opposition

The ACLU is opposed to surveillance technologies because studies have found that some cities have appeared to

use them to target communities of color, said Chad Marlow, senior advocacy and policy counsel for the national ACLU. And St. Louis should particularly be cautious.

“When you know that you have a city that has racial disparities in policing – and that is absolutely the case in St. Louis – and when you know the use of surveillance technologies in general when they have been

used throughout the country are deployed in ways that are racially biased, you certainly don’t want to marry those two things,” Marlow said.

In January, the ACLU was highly involved in pushing forward a comprehensive privacy bill regarding surveillance in St. Louis. However, the bill essentially died in the aldermanic Public Safety Committee, and city leaders

ended up approving only a watered-down resolution calling for a report on “surveillance technology use.” Aldermen are expected to review a new surveillance bill later this fall.

Last fall, Alderwoman Cara Spencer used 20th Ward funding to purchase four cameras for Gravois Park.

However, Spencer has long been hesitant to put up cameras because she said, “the whole system works in a black box” even to the aldermen, and she believes the city

“Cameras still support the old model of public safety, which is based on arresting and incarcerating,” he said. “They catch people after the fact. They really don’t effectively deter crime, especially violent crime, which is the main source of our problem. And so we have been trying to project a vision for public safety, that’s not based on that reactive arrest and incarcerate model. It’s based on building communities, supporting community and getting at the root causes of crime.”

Affinia opens treatment center

Overdose deaths in Missouri increased by 17 percent in 2018

By Sandra Jordan

at its 2220 Lemp Ave. location. Its North Side location at 1717 Biddle St. already provides substance use treatment, and a needs assessment last year revealed the same access was needed in South City.

Kendra Holmes, who earned a doctorate in pharmacy and serves as vice president and chief operating officer at Affinia Healthcare, said it aligns with their mission to provide access to care for underserved populations.

“One of the access items that really came up as a barrier for a lot of our population that we serve was for substance abuse treatment,” Holmes said. “We see quite a number of overdoses in the communities that we serve, so it’s really to prevent that and provide affordable

n “One of the access items that really came up as a barrier for a lot of our population that we serve was for substance abuse treatment,” said Kendra Holmes, VP and chief operating officer at Affinia Healthcare, who also chairs Prosecutor Wesley Bell’s Diversion Advisory Committee in the county.

access for those who are most at need for substance abuse treatment.”

State data shows overdose deaths in Missouri are heading in the wrong direction. Holmes said they increased by 17 percent in 2018 although there was a 4.2 percent decrease in drug overdoses nationwide.

“Missouri has a lot of work to do to catch up to the nation,” Holmes said.

“Unfortunately, the largest proportion of those overdose deaths occurred in St. Louis, so that really points to the need in under-

By Andrew D. Martin and David H. Perlmutter Of Washington University

soon after giving birth, and single adults without children are not eligible for Medicaid in our state, regardless of how little they earn.

St. Louis County offers jail inmates free pads and tampons

County Executive Sam Page acts on report from nonprofit Missouri Appleseed

By Sarah Fentem Of St. Louis Public Radio

The St. Louis County jail will now provide inmates with better menstrual pads and tampons free of charge.

County Executive Sam Page last week signed an executive order making the change after a survey from the nonprofit Missouri Appleseed found inmates couldn’t afford the products they needed.

The Buzz Westfall Justice Center had provided low-cost pads for free, but women had said they were ineffective. They could buy higher-quality pads at the jail canteen, but many couldn’t afford them. The jail did not provide tampons of any kind. Many of the women in the jail are there because they can’t afford bond, said Liza Weiss, executive director of Missouri Appleseed. Even

n “If they do have some funds, what will they use them for? Will they use them to call their children, or will they use them to buy pads?”

– Liza Weiss, Missouri Appleseed

if they have a small amount of money to spend inside jail, they can’t always spend it on pads.

“If they do have some funds,” she said, “what will they use them for? Will they use them to call their children, or will they use them to buy pads?” Inmates who could not afford pads and

See TAMPONS, A13

Of The St. Louis American

On November 1, Affinia Healthcare leaders and local officials and stakeholders cut the ribbon to a substance use treatment clinic at Affinia Healthcare’s 2220 Lemp Ave. location in South St. Louis. Left to right: Affinia President and CEO Dr. Alan Freeman; Affinia VP and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Melissa Tepe; Dr. Jenny Walczak, psychologist; Joel James, Affinia board member; Affinia VP and COO Dr. Kendra Holmes; St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell, Dr. Will Ross, Washington University School of Medicine; Jim Lippert, board adivsor; and Affinia VP Yvonne Buhlinger.

Photo by Affinia Healthcare

Andrew D. Martin

David H. Perlmutter

The St. Louis County jail will now provide inmates with better menstrual pads and tampons free of charge.

Medicare’s Open Enrollment period ends Dec. 7

staff

American

Medicare’s Open

Enrollment period gives everyone with Medicare the opportunity to review their options and decide whether they want to keep their current plan or make changes for coverage beginning January 1, 2020. You can keep your current plan if you’re happy with it, but you must make a selection before December 7. This is the one time of the year for you to review your current Medicare Advantage or Part D prescription coverage and see if you have better options based on changes to the current plans, your budget or your health needs.

Medicare’s most-oftenused tool, the Plan Finder, has a new look and features, making it easier to learn about

Tampons

Continued from A12 tampons told surveyors they made their own products using material from the low-quality pads as well as bedsheets, toilet paper or socks. Three-fourths of inmates surveyed reported using these homemade products, and more than a quarter said that they developed infections as a result.

Women are being incarcerated at higher rates than in the past, Weiss said. But jails and prisons are still built and operated with men in mind.

“Really, jails and prisons administrations have not thoughtfully changed jails to meet the needs of women,” she said.

Many states, including Missouri, don’t have laws requiring jails to provide inmates with free pads and tampons. Federal prisons require that inmates have access to a variety of menstrual products.

Follow Sarah on Twitter: @ Petit_Smudge Reprinted with permission from news.stlpublicradio.org.

Affinia

Continued from A12 served communities.” Federal grant funding paid for the renovation of a suite dedicated to helping patients break drug addiction, and a ribbon cutting on Friday, November 1 was attended by community partners who would rather see people get clean rather than face jail time. Affinia

Medicaid

Continued from A12

This lack of coverage leaves many Missourians saddled with constant worries and what-ifs about maintaining their health and holding a job. Ironically, having access to health care would help them stay healthy, so they could continue to work and support their families.

Benefits of Medicaid expansion

Thirty-six states have chosen to bring home more of their federal tax dollars to expand Medicaid eligibility. This expansion allows Medicaid to cover those with annual incomes up to $18,000 or up to $30,000

Plan Finder on Medicare.gov may have better options

and compare coverage options, shop for health and drug plans and feel confident choosing a plan that best meets your needs.

Plan Finder provides a personalized experience through a mobile-friendly and easy-to-use design to help users learn about different options. The tool walks through the enrollment process from start to finish and allows users to view and compare Part D and many of the supplemental benefits that Medicare Advantage plans offer. It also features a star rating system which gives an overall rating of the plan’s quality and performance for the types of services each plan offers.

Medicare Open Enrollment ends December 7. Now is the time to act if you want to enroll in or make changes

to your Medicare health or prescription drug plan for coverage beginning January 1, 2020. If your current coverage still meets your needs, you don’t have to do anything. If you miss the Open Enrollment deadline, you will likely have to wait a full year before you are able to make changes to your Medicare coverage. For more information, visit Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800633-4227). TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048. Help is available 24 hours a day, including weekends. If you need help in a language other than English or Spanish, let the customer service representative know the language. You can also create a MyMedicare. gov account to manage your personal information like medical conditions, allergies

and implanted devices or sign up to get your “Medicare Summary Notices” (eMSNs) electronically. Help in your community is available. Get personalized health insurance counseling at no cost to you from your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Visit shiptacenter.org or call 1-800-MEDICARE for your SHIP’s phone number. For more information, visit Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800633-4227). TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048. More information about Medicare is also available on the Medicare Facebook page and by following @MedicareGov on Twitter.

Information provided by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

Get help paying for prescriptions

Anyone who has Medicare can get prescription drug coverage. Some people with limited resources and income may also be able to get Extra Help to pay for monthly premiums, annual deductibles and prescription co-payments related to a Medicare prescription drug plan. If you have limited income and resources, you may qualify for Extra Help to pay for some health care and prescription drug costs.

Medicare estimates more than 2 million people with Medicare may be eligible for Extra Help but aren’t currently enrolled in the program. To qualify, your annual income must be less than $18,735 a year ($25,365 for married couples). Even if your annual income is higher, you may still qualify. Your resources must also be limited to $14,390 ($28,720 for married couples). Resources include bank accounts, stocks and bonds, but not your house, car or life insurance policies.

To see if you qualify, apply online at secure.ssa.gov/ i1020/start or call 1-800-772-1213.

Information provided by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

has a partnership with the prosecutor’s offices in St. Louis and St. Louis County for drug diversion referrals. Holmes chairs Prosecutor Wesley Bell’s Diversion Advisory Committee in the county.

“For those individuals who are low-level offenders, nonviolent offenders who have a history of substance abuse or behavioral health issues, we do provide diversion for those individuals,” Holmes said. Participation in Bell’s diversion

for a family of three. If the Healthcare for Missouri ballot initiative passes, some 200,000 Missourians — including 35,000 in the St. Louis region — would be eligible for insurance coverage that already is available to residents in these other states.

Medicaid expansion would ensure that these individuals could see a doctor for basic and life-saving medical care. In those states that have expanded Medicaid, growing evidence shows associated benefits: more people are seeking medical care earlier — before health problems become more complicated and costly — and mortality rates are lower.

Expanding Medicaid isn’t just the right thing to do, it makes economic sense for all Missourians. Missouri taxpayers have

program is voluntary.

“If you have those issues, which are medical issues, what we would do is give you an option to go through our medication-assisted treatment program, that provides not only the treatment for addiction, but also the mental health services that a lot of these individuals need,” she said. “We also partner with St. Louis city and Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner as well.”

Holmes said by adding a

location on the South Side, Affinia expects participation in the substance use treatment program to increase by 50 percent.

“The addiction piece is there, the treatment, but there are also behavioral health services that they receive,” Holmes said. “Also, they have access to all of our primary care services – they have access to medical, dental, pharmacy, laboratory; all of these services are encompassed in

n If the Healthcare for Missouri ballot initiative passes, some 200,000 Missourians — including 35,000 in the St. Louis region — would be eligible for insurance coverage.

been subsidizing Medicaid expansion in other states, without receiving a benefit in our own state. What’s more, Missouri budget estimates indicate that after five years, expansion would result in net savings to the state of $932 million annually, as the new Medicaid funds also would support many existing state expenditures.

Reinvesting in Missouri

Moreover, an expansion of the Missouri Medicaid program

would bring more than $1 billion of taxpayer dollars back to the state from Washington every year. Additional federal funding would offset some of Missouri’s own Medicaid costs, enabling the state to redirect some of its current Medicaid spending to help support infrastructure or education needs, as has been done in other states. The states that have expanded Medicaid also have experienced broad and deep economic benefits: the creation of thousands of new jobs

one building.”

The cost for individuals to participate in the medication-assisted treatment (MAT) program for substance use is about one-tenth of what it would cost to get locked up for a year.

“At Affinia for our MAT program for 12 months, the cost is $3,600,” Holmes said.

“That’s really a small price when you are looking at it as opposed to incarceration for a year at the St. Louis County

within and outside the healthcare sector and increased state revenues stemming from the employment boost.

A 2017 analysis of Medicaid expansion in Michigan, for example, concluded that the economic benefits more than offset the state’s costs, and would continue to do so through 2021 and beyond.

Expansion also would help rural areas in Missouri, where the uninsured make up 12.3 percent of the population, compared with 10.1 percent in urban areas. Our rural counties have seen 14 hospitals close in the past few years, with the threat of further closures on the horizon. Medicaid expansion would provide new resources to help remaining hospitals stay open. We hope that after careful and thoughtful consideration,

Justice Center, which is approximately $30,000.” Holmes said it is a cost benefit to taxpayers to provide these types of services. More importantly, it offers troubled people a new opportunity. The treatment itself is grant-funded through the Gateway to Better Health Program, she said. For more information about services at Affinia, call 314814-8507or visit affiniahealthcare.org.

Missouri voters will see why more hardworking residents of modest incomes need access to health care. If the ballot initiative is adopted, thousands of Missourians will lead healthier, more productive lives and, likewise, our state’s economic health will improve. As a major health care provider and a top research institution dedicated to improving people’s lives, we strongly believe Medicaid expansion is right for Missouri. We’ll share more information as this effort moves forward.

Andrew D. Martin is chancellor and David H. Perlmutter, MD is executive vice chancellor for Medical Affairs and dean of the School of Medicine at Washington University.

Many states, including Missouri, don’t have laws requiring jails to provide inmates with free pads and tampons. Federal prisons require that inmates have access to a variety of menstrual products.

Healthy Kids Kids

If we divide the word, “breakfast” into two words we have BREAK & FAST. To “fast” means to go for a long period of time without eating. By the time morning comes, most of us haven’t eaten for sometimes ten hours or more! Our body needs a nutritious, healthy breakfast to start the new day. Kids who eat a healthy breakfast are better able to focus at school, tend to eat better (healthier) throughout the day and will have

Exercise Challenge:

Nature’s Colors

Helping Others

Now that the weather has turned, here’s a chance to really take in nature. See how many different kinds of trees you see, and how many different color leaves. Walk briskly enough to get

Let’s think of some ways to spread holiday cheer to others this year!

> Bake healthy holiday snacks and deliver them to someone who serves the community and has to work on Thanksgiving or Christmas day (police, firemen, nurses, doctors, etc.)

> How about a coat collection at school? Many families cannot afford new winter coats this season.

more energy. Try including whole grains, fruits and proteins into your breakfast for a nice healthy start to your day!

Try This:

Make your own healthy granola bars or small baggies of trail mix. Many recipes can be found online and having them ready-to-go will make mornings easier!

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

your heart rate up, but bring a notebook to document your findings. Why is it important to increase your heart rate?

Try walking this same route every few days to observe the change in the leaves. How many different colors do you see?

Did you find any trees whose leaves weren’t turning or any that have already lost all of its leaves?

Learning Standards:

Sonia Deal, Director of Practice Transformation

Where do you work? I am the director of practice transformation at Affinia Healthcare.

Where did you go to school? I graduated from Pattonville Sr. High School and earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Science in Nursing with Healthcare and Nursing Administration from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.

What does a director of practice transformation do? As director, I work to revolutionize the delivery of healthcare in disadvantaged communities of St. Louis. I lead the charge to improve health outcomes of underserved communities through the development and implementation of interactive programs, such as hypertension and diabetes self-management classes.

> Make some holiday decorations or cards that could be donated to a local nursing home.

> Collect canned goods for local families to have plenty of food over the holidays.

> What are some other things you could do to make a difference in the lives of others this holiday season?

Learning Standards: HPE 2, NH 2, NH 8

Cinnamon Bagel Crisps

Ingredients:

1 Whole Bagel (cinnamon or plain)

1 Tbsp Butter

1 Tbsp Cinnamon sugar

Directions: Slice stale bagel into thin rounds. Brush lightly with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake 10-15 minutes in a 325 degree oven, until crisp.

Why did you choose this career? Nursing is my passion! I am a servant leader, with a mission to not only serve our patients and communities, but also to serve my staff. There is no greater reward for me, than to help our patients reach their goals by realizing that knowledge really is power.

What is your favorite part of the job you have? I LOVE working with the community! I see the excitement of our patients when they reach their goals because they were given powerful tools to make positive life changes. I am able to have an impact on the lives of patients, families, communities, and employees. It’s a WIN-WIN situation!

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

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

“Questions

Columbia

SCIENCE CORNER

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT SCIENCE STARS What Is Anthropology?

Anthropology is the study of humans. It comes from the Greek words “Anthropos,” which means human, and “logia,” which means study. Anthropologists study customs in communities, such as marriage traditions, languages spoken, tools used, etc. Anthropologists also study physical changes and trends in humans, such as average height and

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

size and how that changes through generations. Often, anthropologists research by observing others, usually living among people for a long time. While living within a community, they are able to experience the culture and traditions personally. Many anthropologists return to that community many times throughout their career to observe how the culture has changed over time. Anthropology majors are hired for jobs in medicine, public health, business,

environmental protection, marketing, human resources, forensics, and museums. Google hires anthropologists to understand internet search patterns, Intel employs anthropology graduates to study how culture shapes customers’ technology habits, and General Motors’ anthropologists study the company’s corporate culture.

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

Fingerprints

Did you know that no two fingerprints are exactly alike? Anthropologists can use fingerprints in their studies. Fingerprints have a whorl, a loop, or an arch. In this experiment, you will evaluate your fingerprint.

Materials Needed:

• Paper • Pencil • Clear Tape • Your Fingers

Procedure:

q Take a pencil and create a dark square (approximately 2 inches) on a piece of paper.

w Then rub your index finger (the pointer finger next

MATH CONNECTION

to your thumb) in the square you created.

e Next get some transparent tape. Put a piece of it over your finger, press down, and pull it off.

Put the tape on a piece of paper and you can see your fingerprint. What is your pattern? Compare your pattern with those of your classmates.

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

Hieroglyphics

Directions: Did you know that anthropologists used math to decipher hieroglyphs? Egyptian hieroglyphics are solved reading right to left. A single line is used to represent each number 1-9 (1 has one line, 3 has three lines, etc.). Look at the example.

The answer to this example is: 5+ 7=12

Can you solve the following problems? Write the number sentences on the line below each problem. Remember to read right to left.

African-American Biologistand Anthropologist Fatimah Jackson

Who she is: Fatimah Jackson is an African-American biologist and anthropologist. To learn about anthropology, read today’s Science Corner.

What she does: She studies African plants used for food and medicine, such as tea, cassava, and sorghum. She travels to Africa and studies the plants in a lab to see how they work.

Why it’s important: Jackson has learned that the cassava plant can help prevent diseases like malaria and sickle cell anemia. It can also be used to create insecticides so that other crops can grow without being eaten by insects. Sharing this knowledge can help people become healthier and keep them safe.

Her early influences: Jackson’s family was very close growing up. She spent a lot of time with her extended family, as well. Her aunt would discuss a lot of topics with her, including biology. Their family often went to the library and she read as many books as she could because she wanted to learn as much as possible. At the age of 11, she requested a chemistry set and her parents bought her one to encourage her interests.

Education: Jackson wanted to attend college at Cornell University, but could not afford it. She was told she could receive money to help pay for college if she maintained A’s in her classes. She earned three degrees from Cornell University—a B.A. earned in 1972, an M.A. earned in 1978, and a PhD earned in 1981. Her studies focused on anthropology and biology.

Career: Jackson worked at the University of Maryland teaching biological anthropology. She served as the director of UNC’s Institute of African American Research. She was also the director for benefits for the New York African Burial Ground Project. Currently, she works in the Department of Biology at Howard University.

Awards: Jackson won the Distinguished Scholar Teacher Award at the University of Maryland and the Ernest E. Just Prize in Medical and Public Health Records.

For a free 16 page guide about Fatimah Jackson created for students, visit: http://wonderwise.unl. edu/02teach/afrplbio.pdf.

Learning Standards: I can read a biography about a person who has made contributions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. I can make text-to-world and text-to-text connections.

DID YOU KNOW?

Use the hieroglyphics to create a problem of your own. Trade problems with a friend and solve.

Learning Standards: I can use symbols to add and subtract to solve a problem.

MAP CORNER

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

Activity One — 3,2,1 Summary: a news article to read and write a 3,2,1 summary. You will list 3 things you learned, 2 things you disagree with, and 1 question you have.

Activity Two — Climate Control: Find news stories in today’s paper that are related to the climate in various regions of the Earth (for example, crop failure due to drought).

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can summarize information and make deductions.

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

Elementary teacher

Rose Bruce shows students Jakayla Ford, Shawn Townsend, Cayden Stone and Jakya Price how to use the newspaper to find new STEM lessons. Columbia Elementary is in the Saint Louis Public Schools District.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Business

Officers and engineers

African-American military leaders mentor St. Louis youth with NSBE

By Ronald Moore For The St. Louis American

This article spotlights the accomplishments of six decorated flag or general officers in the U.S. military, now retired. They all earned engineering degrees. Two are pilots, and all reached the highest levels of military achievement. They commanded units that ranged from 3,000 to 140,000 personnel and oversaw manpower and equipment with budgets in the tens of billions of dollars.

Despite the never-ending pressure and responsibilities of their positions, they each found time to give back to their community through the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). They all have been strong supporters of the St. Louis Gateway NSBE Jr. Chapter, based at St. Louis Community College-Florissant Valley in Ferguson for the past 20 years.

The Gateway NSBE Jr. Chapter’s first military partnership was with Lt. Gen. Joe N. Ballard, chief of engineers and commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who traveled from Washington, D.C., to St. Louis to be the guest speaker at the chapter’s Fourth Annual Scholars Reception in 1999. Gen. Ballard’s good friend, the late Maj. Gen. Ernest James (“Ernie”) Harrell, then president of the Board of Public Services for the City of St. Louis, co-chaired the event and was instrumental in making the connection.

n They commanded units that ranged from 3,000 to 140,000 personnel and oversaw manpower and equipment with budgets in the tens of billions of dollars.

Brig. Gen. C. David Turner

Decorated military officers and engineers share road maps to careers

By Shantana T. Stewart For The St. Louis American

Five decorated military officers and engineers spoke with The St. Louis American in celebration of Veterans Day. Each officer has spoken with students affiliated with the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). The 300 members associated with the St. Louis NSBE Chapter salute these military leaders who have given so much of their time and energy to help develop our next generation. The impression these decorated officers have had on local and other youth is immeasurable.

The St. Louis American: What do youth need to know to make it in the military?

Aurrice DukeRollings was promoted to a newly created role as chief advancement and marketing officer for the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri. In addition to continuing to lead the organization’s marketing and communications efforts, she will now oversee the Girl Scout Council’s team of professionals responsible for cultivating a philanthropic culture across the eastern Missouri region.

Jermaine Wooten was accepted as one of the 10 Best in Missouri For Client Satisfaction in 2019 by the American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys (AIOCLA). Attorneys who are selected to the 10 Best list must pass AIOCLA’s rigorous selection process, which is based on client and/or peer nominations, thorough research and AIOCLA’s independent evaluation. Selection criteria focus on attorneys who demonstrate the highest standards of Client Satisfaction.

Adm. Michelle Janine Howard

During Gen. Harrell’s fouryear term on the board, serving under St. Louis Mayor Clarence Harmon, he raised funds for NSBE’s scholarship program, mentored chapter members and increased participation of minority- and womanowned businesses in St. Louis. Gen. Harrell, formerly commanding general of Europe Division for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, retired from the Army in 2004 and gave an inspirational talk to area students that year at Gateway NSBE Jr.’s Annual Scholarship Reception. U.S. Air Force Gen. Darren Wayne McDew was Gateway NSBE’s 2014 Scholarship Reception speaker. Since then, he has visited with St. Louis youth and engineers at three NSBE Annual Conventions, has spoken at the NSBE “A Walk for Education” at SLCCFlorissant Valley and facilitated the appearance of Brig. Gen. C. David Turner as Gateway NSBE’s 2016 Scholars Reception speaker. Gen. McDew retired from the Air Force in October 2018, having served as the commander of United States Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base; as commander of Air Mobility Command; and as commander of the 18th Air Force, among other high leadership posts.

Lt. Gen. Stayce D. Harris

Adm. Michelle Janine Howard, the first African-American woman to command a U.S. Navy ship, has played an active role at several NSBE

See NSBE, B6

Gen.

Gen. Darren Wayne McDew: I think the “make it” is not just in the armed forces. It’s (making it) period. I never talk in front of a group of youth and say, “Here’s how to make it in the military,” because I believe the folks who make it in the military could have made it someplace else. I think it is a commitment to first understanding who you are and sometimes who you are not, what are those things that you are particularly good at and what things you need to work on, and (having) the dedication and discipline to work on the things that you know you need to work on. Always look to try to improve yourself in some way and have the drive and determination to stick with something.

The St. Louis American: How did you end up choosing engineering/the military?

n “I never talk in front of a group of youth and say, ‘Here’s how to make it in the military,’ because the folks who make it in the military could have made it someplace else.”

– Gen. Darren Wayne McDew

Adm. Michelle Janine Howard: I was 12 when I decided to go into the military, and before that I think I decided I wanted to be a zoologist. I think I was in the third grade, and our teacher had us write essays: “What do you want to do when you grow up?” So, I wrote this essay on how I wanted to be a zoologist. God bless her, the teacher would take each of us aside and talk to us about our essays. And, I’ll never forget, she’s like, “Well, Michelle, women are normally nurses or teachers.” I said, “That doesn’t make sense to me, because Madame Curie did science.” And then she just looked at me and said, “OK, well, that’s enough talk for today.”

The St. Louis American: If a student’s math skills are only average, should they pass on engineering dreams?

Lt. Gen. Joe N. Ballard: Heck no. The first thing that they need is the desire to be an engineer. I’m saying if you have a dream, you work your tail off to achieve your dream. If they have the ability to learn, and most do, they just need to have the fundamentals. Take the remedial classes.

See ROAD MAPS, B6

Four executives to receive Business Performance Awards

W. Tina Anderson, Paris Forest, Kimberly C. Hodge-Bell, Darnell Sanders honored at Salute

American staff

Four diverse business executives – in the fields of health, information technology, crop science and electricity – will receive 2019 Business Performance Awards at the St. Louis American Foundation’s 20th annual Salute to Excellence in Business Awards & Networking Luncheon on Thursday, November 21 at the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac.

W. Tina Anderson is market head of Community Activation, Community Affairs at Aetna, a CVS Health business, working with the local markets of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, North and South Dakota and Southern Illinois. She has been at Aetna for the past seven years and has thrived in the areas of behavioral health, outreach and education, new business development, community development and marketing. In her current role, she has strategic accountability to activate the Aetna brand in the community and manage the external presence. Additionally, she also works alongside senior leadership to develop business strategies for success geared toward community engagement and the enhanced consumer experience. She is often described as the bridge between the healthcare needs

of the population and the insurance company. Her grassroots approach drives efforts to insert Aetna as a healthcare partner in every community. She goes out of her way to understand the needs, whether it’s for the underserved population in urban or rural communities or seniors who are struggling to comprehend the complexities of Medicare.

She has served as a staff trainer of Diversity and Cultural Competency and in 2014, her appreciation and value of diversity within the workplace led to her serving as founder and chair of Aetna’s first St. Louis Chapter of the African-American Employee Resource Group.

Paris Forest is the director of Strategy Operations Solutions for Information Technology and Data Analysis at The Boeing Company. She is responsible for leading a dynamic team providing transformative solutions, enabling the Second Century for Boeing Information Technology and Data Analytics. She joined The Boeing Company in May of 1999 after two internships and has held various technical and leadership positions in the Boeing Information Technology and Data Analytics organization. During her time with the company, she has been instrumental

See SALUTE, B2

Keena Arbuthnot is the new associate vice president for Humanities, Social Sciences, and Allied Fields at Louisiana State University. She will facilitate Office of Research and Economic Development (ORED) undergraduate research efforts, oversee humanitiesfocused centers and institutes that report to ORED, and coordinate faculty nominations for major awards and national-level advisory boards. She will also partner with the associate deans for Research to address challenges and opportunities.

Trent Ball joined the Board of Directors of the Ferguson Youth Initiative. He is assistant vice president for Academic Diversity and Outreach at South East Missouri State University. The Ferguson Youth Initiative empowers teens from Ferguson and surrounding communities to become productive, positive, & contributing members of the community. For more information on how you can become involved, email info@fyifergyouth.org.

Annette House will receive the Impact Player Award from the Annie Malone Children and Family Services Center at its Legacy Gala on November 15. She is the St. Louis regional director for the Missouri Children’s Division. Her career has been in the area of child protection, protecting Missouri’s children from abuse and neglect, helping to assure their safety and well-being.

Dart Ford was selected by FOCUS St. Louis as one of 33 talented young professionals for the Fall 2019 cohort of Emerging Leaders. This competitive program provides participants (ages 22-35) with an increased sense of engagement in the region, as well as the tools to take an active role as the next generation of St. Louis regional leaders. He is Community Financial Service officer at Enterprise Bank & Trust.

Jermaine Wooten

Trent Ball

Aurrice DukeRollings

Dart Ford

Keena Arbuthnot

Annette House

Lt. Gen. Joe N. Ballard

Maj. Gen. Ernest James (“Ernie”) Harrell

Darren Wayne McDew

W. Tina Anderson

Paris Forest

Salute continued from page B1 and Inclusion Executive Walk the Talk Award, given to one executive at the St. Louis region who has demonstrated “an achievement of distinction for doing the right thing, leading by example and making it happen.”

in leading key efforts and cross-functional business and technology teams on major capital and non-capital programs and projects.

Prior to her current position, she was the director of Second Century Product Support for Product Systems. As a part of her duties, she was responsible for leading a dynamic crossfunctional team providing a revenue-generating portfolio of solutions, enabling the Second Century for Boeing Global Services, Boeing Commercial Airlines Customer Support and Boeing Defense & Space Programs. She was recently named the 2018 Woman of Color in Technology, receiving the New Media/IT Leadership Award. She was also awarded the 2018 St. Louis Site Diversity

continued from page B1

Annual Conventions. The retired officer last served as the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe while concurrently serving as the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Africa and commander of Allied Joint Force Command Naples. She previously served as the 38th vice chief of Naval Operations. She assumed her last Navy assignment in June 2016 and was elected to the Board of Directors of IBM this past February. During a recent visit to St. Louis to speak at the Annual Navy Ball, she met with a group of students, including NSBE members, at the St. Louis Science Center to discuss the importance of a STEM education.

Lt. Gen. Stayce D. Harris is a retired U.S. Air Force officer who last served as the inspector general of the Air Force. Gen. Harris has attended several NSBE Annual Conventions,

Kimberly C. Hodge-Bell associate fellow and senior toxicologist at Bayer Crop Science. In this position, she provides toxicology support regarding scientific principles of human health risk assessment for new and existing products to inform business decisions and enable successful product registration and commercialization, globally. She is a strategic scientific

most recently as a main speaker at the 2016 convention in Boston, where she spoke to 4,000 engineering students and engineers and interacted with the St. Louis NSBE contingent. Gen. Harris previously served as the assistant vice chief of staff and director, Air Staff, Headquarters, United States Air Force. Her promotion to lieutenant general was a first for AfricanAmerican females, as she became the first to hold the three-star rank in the U.S. Air Force. In addition, she is the first Air Force reservist to be promoted to the three-star rank other than the commander, Air Force Reserve Command. Before her assignment as assistant vice chief of staff, Gen. Harris was commander, 22nd Air Force.

U.S. Army Brig. Gen. C. David Turner, a St. Louis native, was the Gateway NSBE Jr. 2016 Scholars Reception speaker. Gen. Turner is a mentor and an inspiration to youth in St. Louis and across the country. He often greets

leader with a career focused on toxicological weight of evidence risk assessment and risk-based defense. Throughout her personal, academic and professional career, Hodge-Bell has been recognized for her passion to lead with grace and excellence. Her technical excellence, leadership style and passion for equipping others often drive her to participate in outreach efforts, mentor others and serve as a leadership coach to many. She was selected to participate in the 2019 Bayer Women’s Leadership Program focused on supporting women leaders and empowering them to effectively lead within the company and beyond. She also participated in the St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative, the first Leadership Development Program focused on retaining and promoting professionals of color in the St. Louis region, completing the program with Cohort 12 (2017-

young people, quizzes them on their goals then tries to connect them with adults who may be able to help them achieve those goals. Still active with NSBE, he recently attended the 2019 Annual Convention in Detroit.

Now retired, Gen. Turner most recently commanded the South Pacific Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He consults for several engineering and construction companies and sits on several corporate boards. Ronald Moore is a member of NSBE St. Louis Professionals.

Road Maps

continued from page B1

I’ll use myself as an example. I finished high school in this little town: Oakdale, Louisiana. My math ability was rooted in the basics of arithmetic. No one ever talked to me about trigonometry or any other of the higher orders

2018). Additionally, Hodge-Bell was inducted into Monsanto’s Technical Fellow Program in recognition of her outstanding scientific and technical contributions, demonstrated leadership and innovation through examples of internal and external scientific activities. She is active with Bayer’s Diversity & Inclusion Business Resource Groups.

Darnell Sanders is the director, Archview Division at Ameren Missouri. The Archview Division serves more than 300,000 customers and encompasses all of St. Louis, the City of Clayton and South St. Louis County. Sanders also leads the team responsible for Ameren’s Pre-Apprentice Laborers (PALs) program that recruits and develops future electrical workers for the physical workgroups.

In July 2018 Sanders was appointed director of

of math. And so when I arrived at Southern University, I knew for a fact that I was in trouble that day that I walked into my first trigonometry class, because I had no idea what the man was talking about. And so I made it very clear to my professor that I needed some help and some mentoring and that I didn’t really understand this, that I was behind most of my class. He worked with me, so I had a tutor who spent most of the semester helping me with my math. And I knew that I was poor in math. After two years, I caught up, and I learned. I recognized where my weakness was, and I sought help.

Darnell Sanders

Underground and in January 2019 took on the additional task of the entire Archview Division. In addition to the Archview Division, Sanders also leads the Underground Revitalization Program rebuilding and transforming the aged underground infrastructure as part of the Ameren Smart Energy Plan (SEP). He has over 37 years in the electrical energy industry. Sanders started with Ameren as an entrylevel employee and over time has proven that Ameren’s commitment to diversity and coworker development can produce successful careers. He completed an Ameren substation apprenticeship and worked several years

n “The teacher was like, ‘Well, Michelle, women are normally nurses or teachers.’ I said, ‘That doesn’t make sense to me, because Madame Curie did science.’”

– Adm. Michelle Janine Howard

to be an engineer. So I spent a lot of time making sure I put a lot of emphasis on the areas (where) I knew that I was weak, and I didn’t lie to myself. So get the remedial help. Find a tutor. Almost every institution that I am aware of recognizes that not all their students will arrive with the same skill set, and they are there to try to assist those students if they need help. But you need to tell someone that you need help. You can’t bluff your way through it.

The St. Louis American: What is the most challenging military or engineering project you were tasked to work on?

And I knew I wanted to be an engineer. There was no doubt in my mind I wanted

Brig. Gen. C. D Turner: I ran the Army’s $18-billion Base Realignment and Closure

as a journeyman substation mechanic before pursuing his career in management. Darnell completed a BSBM degree through the University of Phoenix while working rotating shifts in Ameren’s Distribution System Operating group. In late 2016, he joined and was appointed Director of Strategic Planning for C.O.G.I.C. Urban Initiative Programs, a group designed to assist religious groups increase partnerships with community organizations. The 20th annual Salute to Excellence in Business Awards & Networking Luncheon will be held Thursday, November 21 at the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac, with a networking reception at 11 a.m. and luncheon program at noon. Tickets are $100 for Preferred/ VIP seating and $75 for general admission. Call 314533-8000 or click here to purchase tickets

(BRAC) Program. (This is the congressionally approved process that the Department of Defense has used to reorganize its base structure to improve support for forces, operational readiness and ways of doing business.) Completing this task within the congressional timeline was challenging, because within six years, the Army had to construct $14 billion worth of facilities and relocate one-third of the Army’s military and civilian personnel. There were several BRAC rounds prior to BRAC 2005, which was the largest. In addition to relocating three four-star headquarters and several other Army commands, the Army constructed more than 100 Armed Forces Reserve Centers. I got through it by building teams and establishing relationships with local, federal and state elected officials as well as senior Department of Defense and service officials.

Kimberly C. Hodge-Bell

NSBE

n “If I’m hurt, I don’t play. If not, I’m

— LeBron James

Sports

District championships up for grabs

The tremendous turnaround of the Roosevelt football program will continue on Saturday as the Rough Riders will host a district championship game this weekend.

The Rough Riders will ride their 10-game winning streak into Saturday’s Class 3, District 2 championship game against visiting St. Francis Borgia.

Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. Roosevelt advanced to the championship with a thrilling 40-33 victory over Sullivan last Saturday.

After enduring a combined 2-27 record from 2015-17, the Rough Riders have compiled an 18-4 record the past two years, which included back-to-back Public High League championships. Leading the turnaround was head coach Trey Porter, whose controversial dismissal at mid-season has continued to inspire his team to continue on its magical season.

The Rough Riders have multiple weapons on offense, led by quarterback Alonzo Smith, who has a combined 2,000 yards and 28 touchdowns. Senior receiver Deablo McGee is a big-play performer who has scored 18 touchdowns. Senior Darrius Jackson is a standout two-way player with 11 touchdowns on offense and five interceptions on defense. Also in the offensive mix is wide receiver Ali Hall, who has scored 10 touchdowns.

District Championship Weekend

District championships will be on the line this weekend as the playoffs in the state of Missouri continue into the third round. Here is the schedule of this weekend’s district championship games that

Comets’ Jarrell Baldwin just misses an interception in front of Hazelwood East’s Jai’Lan Cunningham during their Class 4 District 2 semifinal game on Saturday, November 9, at McCluer High. The Comets went on to win 34-6.

It has been nearly three years since Colin Kaepernick played in a professional football game. The story of how Kaepernick was blackballed out of the NFL is well known. The then-San Francisco 49ers QB took a knee during the “Star Spangled Banner” to raise awareness for the critical fight for social justice in America. I’ve written several articles about the Kaepernick saga. Though I am a sports columnist, I stood in solidarity with Kaepernick by declining to watch NFL games after his unofficial ouster. I have watched a total of one NFL game since Kaepernick left the league, and that was for a story I wrote on Patrick Mahomes

pions. Even as one of his most ardent supporters, I had come to grips with the idea that it was unlikely that No. 7 would ever play in the NFL again. In February, Kaepernick and Reid reached a settlement in their collusion grievances against the NFL. While Reid signed with the Carolina Panthers in Sept. 2018, Kaepernick has had no such luck in landing a deal.

A photo of Kaepernick, Eric Reid and Eli Harold kneeling has been the cover photo on my personal Facebook page for years. In other words, I am a true supporter of Kaepernick and the causes that he cham-

According to a memo released by Kaepernick on Oct. 10, the QB had not received a single offer or workout by an NFL team since he last suited up for San Francisco. That goes against the rumors and theories that many Kaepernick detractors have floated. That is about to change. Tuesday night, Kaepernick announced via Twitter that he will soon be working out for NFL teams.

“I’m just getting word from my representatives that the

Earl Austin Jr.

H. Sistrunk

McCluer

Photo by Wiley Price

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

Celtics’ Tatum and Wizards’ Beal having career best seasons

With the departure of Kyrie Irving to Brooklyn via free agency in the offseason and Gordon Hayward’s broken hand that will sideline him at least six weeks, the stage is set for Jayson Tatum to step forward and become a true star.

The former Chaminade and Duke standout, who played just one year in college before being drafted by the Boston Celtics, promptly fell on his proverbial face on Monday night when he went 1-18 shooting and scored just five points. How bad was his performance?

Historically awful.

Tatum became just the ninth player in NBA history to shoot at least 18 times and miss all but one. He is the first Celtic to ever do it and, of the nine occurrences, only three have happened in the last 40 years.

have to pay attention to the scouting report. It’s a different ball game when you come from college. you really have to focus and pay attention to all the details.”

Coach Brad Stevens calls Tatum’s defensive effort this season “beyond his years.”

After drilling a two-point shot at the buzzer, the first game-winning shot of his career, that lifted the Celtics over the hapless New York Knicks 104-102, Tatum said, “It feels great but I don’t want to get too excited.”

To his credit, he didn’t sulk or dodge the media. He visited the Celtics practice facility and practiced shooting for two hours. His Celtics prevailed in the game against the visiting Dallas Mavericks, 116-106.

Including Monday’s shooting debacle, Tatum still has pieced together his best season in the NBA. His respective 19.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game are all career highs.

Tatum is also grading out as one the NBA’s best defensive forwards during the first month of the season.

“I’m trying to be the best player I can be,” Tatum recently told NBC Sports Boston. “Just trying to make a bigger jump from year to year and be a better version of myself.

“(Players) in the NBA are so much more talented, so you

“The guys I look up to in this league, they do things like this all the time.”

The Celtics’ 8-1 record after Monday’s win was the best in the NBA, and had them leading the Eastern Conference over the 7-3 Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors.

Tatum also took his disastrous shooting night in stride.

“Gotta be able to laugh at ya self sometime!” Tatum wrote in a Snapchat caption. “Glad we won! on to next.”

Beal’s street is bumpy

Let’s head down I-95 South from Boston to Washington, D.C., where another St. Louis product, Bradley Beal, is also having an outstanding season. It’s not his fault, but the Washington Wizards look more like a lottery team in the 2020 NBA draft than a playoff contender.

It’s hard to believe that Beal made his Wizards’ debut seven years ago – and even more difficult to remember that his team was picked as a threat to win the NBA Eastern Conference just two years in the past.

While his team is off to a slow start, Beal is averaging 26.1 points, 6.5 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game – all career highs. During his career, Beal has averaged 19.9 points per game, which is a testament to how badly the Wizards need his scoring punch.

He tallied 20 points in a loss to Cleveland last Friday, and twice has scored 30 points in losses this year. With John Wall out recovering from an Achilles injury, Beal has to shoot and shoot often.

Beal was close to being an unrestricted free agent, but he signed a two-year, $72 million contract extension before the season started. He’ll make $130 million over the next four seasons – but it will be with a rebuilding franchise.

The question that follows Beal is “why?”

“(The front office) kind of projected the future and kind of gave me a layout of what we can do in the future and it looked promising for me, to put me in a position to have a little bit of control in that as well,” Beal told the Washington Post.

“I was honored by that because, again, you don’t get that type of position, that type of power. I’m taking advantage of it, and now here I am.”

While Beal has stepped up in scoring, he continues to challenge his teammates to get better defensively. The

silver-lining to the 113-100 loss to Cleveland was that the Wizards cut a 21-point deficit to one late in the game.

“We defended (in the third quarter),” Beal said.

“We got out in transition and pushed the pace and I got easy looks. It was the difference in the game. We just turned our intensity up on the defensive end and rebounded the ball.”

At 2-6, the Wizards led only the Knicks in the Eastern Conference and seem destined for a high selection in the draft. That also leads to speculation that Beal could be traded, which has been constant during the past three seasons.

Beal and his squad took on Jayson Tatum and Boston Celtics on Wednesday night – hopefully a solid effort will help get the Wizards going in the right direction.

Bias against black QBs

Rick Telander, Chicago Sun-Times sports columnist, wrote this week that the stigma against black quarterbacks is still alive and well in the NFL.

“The stigma against black quarterbacks was supposed to have vanished for good after Washington’s Doug Williams led his team to victory in Super Bowl XXII in 1988. But it didn’t,” he wrote.

“Indeed, the stigma exists to this day.”

As examples, he cites the draft positions of black quarterbacks in the 2017 and 2018 NFL drafts.

Four white quarterbacks –Baker Mayfield (No. 1), Sam Darnold (No. 3), Josh Allen (No. 7) and Josh Rosen (No. 10) were selected in the Top 10.

Lamar Jackson, who is

black, was taken 32nd by the Baltimore Ravens.

“It wasn’t like Jackson, from Louisville, was a hidden, unstudied talent less observed and prodded than the four above him, wrote Telander.

“There was no mystery here. Indeed, Jackson had won the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore, becoming the youngest athlete to be named the best college player in the land.

“As a pro? Jackson to date has performed so much better than any of the four white quarterbacks taken before him that it’s flat-out embarrassing.”

As for the 2017 draft, Telander points out that the Chicago Bears made several moves to acquire the second pick and took Mitch Trubisky, who was a starter all of one year at North Carolina.

The Bears passed on Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs and Deshaun Watson of the Houston Texans, who went 10th and 12th, respectively.

“Results? Watson is playing like a cerebral wizard; Mahomes, last year’s league MVP, is a Hall of Famer in the making. Trubisky is hanging by a thread,” wrote Telander.

Jalen Hurts of the Oklahoma Sooners should take note.

Many NFL draft pundits doubt his ability to be an NFL star. I agree with Telander, that his skin color plays a role in those assessments – maybe more than his success on the field as a collegian.

The Reid Roundup

After signing a ball for the son of an Air Force serviceman before Monday’s Veterans Day game with Dallas, Jayson Tatum then gave him the shoes he planned to wear in the game … Fifty

years ago, Wyoming coach Lloyd Eaton berated Melvin Hamilton and 13 other black players, saying they were underprivileged black kids “who should have been thankful he could attend a white college.” The players planned to protest, but were dismissed from the team hours before a game against Brigham Young. They finally received an apology earlier this year. Wow … Speaking of apologies, former NFL GM and Hall of Famer Bill Polian apologized to Ravens’ quarterback Lamar Jackson for saying he was better suited to play wide receiver than quarterback in the NFL. “I was wrong, because I used the old, traditional quarterback standard with him, which is clearly why (coach) John Harbaugh and (former GM) Ozzie Newsome were more prescient than I was,” Polian told USA TODAY The lone reason the POTUS attended the LSU at Alabama college football game was to secure a nationally televised warm greeting from the Deep South crowd … I learned something on Monday. The Harlem Children’s Choir is singing background on the late John Lennon’s classic holiday song “Happy Christmas.”

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

Alvin A. Reid

Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum guards Washington Wizards’ Bradley Beal.

With Maurice Scott Jr.

Flyers must pass old foe to get to semifinals

It was a cold day in November in 2013. That was the last time the East St. Louis Flyers saw Oak Lawn Richards on the football field in the IHSA state semifinals.

It is a day that most Flyers’ fans want to forget. With temperatures in the single digits Richards’ players came out onto the field prior to pregame warm ups with shirts cut off with no sleeves attached, as though they were totally unbothered the wind chill factor nor the temperatures. The Flyers had touchdowns called back due to penalties and although Richards accumulated -25 yards of total offense, the Bulldogs beat the Flyers 7-6 in what many believe as one of the most devastating loses in Flyers history.

However, all can be forgotten on Saturday afternoon as East St. Louis will host the Oak Lawn Richards this time in the IHSA Class 6-A quarterfinals. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. at Clyde C. Jordan Stadium. Richards is coming off a 42-34 win against Peoria High while East St. Louis demolished Rock Island 79-28. Richards is one of the Cadillac programs in the state as they played in four state championship games, winning back to back state titles 1989 and 1990 with second place finishes in 2001 and 2013. Oak Lawn Richards’ last lost was in Week No. 3, a 34-17 whipping by Country Club Hills Hillcrest. Richards is led by running-back Leshon

Williams, a University of Iowa recruit, who rushed for 308 yards and three touchdowns last week against Peoria High. However, Richards will have to rely on much more if they have a shot at the No. 1 overall seed in the state in East St. Louis. With their tough schedule this season, the Flyers haven’t lost since November 17, 2018, which was against Chicago Mt. Carmel in last year’s quarterfinals. The eight-time state champions last week had another stellar performance in their victory over Rock Island last weekend. Quarterback Tyler Macon passed for 223

yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 96 yards on eight carries. Running back DeMonta Witherspoon had 19 carries for 206 yards and four touchdowns.

Maurice Scott Jr.

Defensively, the Flyers were led by linebackers Kendrick Scarbough and Illinois State recruit Darius Walker, who had 10 tackles each. Scarbough also tallied three quarterback sacks. Defensive end Kevon Billingsley, a Mizzou recruit, had nine tackles and two sacks for East St. Louis. The Flyers won’t need much motivation when the Bulldogs arrive at the “House

of Pain” in historic Clyde C. Jordan Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon. A win will propel coach Darren Sunkett’s team back to the state semifinals against the winner of the Chatham Glenwood vs Providence Catholic contest next weekend in East St. Louis. Scott’s Pick: East St. Louis 48 Oak Lawn Richards 20 Scott’s notes

• Former East St. Louis Flyers basketball Star Terrence Hargrove Jr., now playing for St. Louis University, is getting his feet wet for the Billikens. It will be an interesting call to see if the Billikens elect to redshirt Hargrove, who led the Flyers to the Illinois Class 3-A State Championship last year.

Clutch

Continued from B3 players convicted of crimes with open arms. That treatment has left many to openly ponder whether the NFL is operating under sincere motives to help Kaepernick find a new job. The ironclad details of the meeting seem to imply that the league still has some animosity towards the quarterback.

According to The Ringer, Kaepernick’s team was contacted by the NFL out of the blue and given just two hours to accept the workout invitation. The workout was also scheduled on a Saturday, a day when many coaching staffs are knee deep in game prep. A request by Kaepernick’s team to schedule the workout on a Tuesday or the following Saturday was

denied without explanation. Many on social media have speculated that the invitation is a PR stunt by the league. If Kaepernick remains unsigned following the workout, league officials could claim his exile was due to deteriorating skills instead of his social stance. It reminds of me boxing. Oftentimes, one fighter will choose to avoid another for years, hoping that he/she will either lose to another opponent or their skills will diminish sufficiently during the wait.

Still, it appears that this is the first time in history that the NFL has organized a workout for a single veteran player. The league sent a memo to all 32 teams, inviting them to send representatives to the event. The NFL will also make video of the workout available for every team.

It is quite possible that a few struggling NFL teams were interested in signing

Roosevelt, Saturday, 1 p.m.

District 3: Priory at Trinity Distsrict 4: Mexico at Lutheran-St. Charles

Class 2 District 2: Lift for Life at Lutheran North District 5: ChristianO’Fallon at Hallsville

Top performers from last weekend

• Damonta Witherspoon of East St. Louis rushed for 204 yards and four touchdowns in the Flyers’ 70-24 victory over Rock Island in the IHSA Class 6A playoffs.

• Kaden McMullen of Christian-O’Fallon passed for 511 yards and five touchdowns in a 46-40 victory over Centralia in the Class 2, District 5 semifinals.

McCluer, Saturday, 1 p.m.

District 3: Summit at Ladue

District 4: Hannibal at Wentzville Liberty Class 3

2: Borgia at

• Taj Butts of DeSmet rushed for 171 yards and three touchdowns in the Spartans 35-14 victory over CBC in the Class 6, District 1 semifinals.

• Rico Barfield of DeSmet rushed for 169 yards and one touchdown in the Spartans’

Kaepernick but afraid of the flak that would follow. However, the league may see a golden opportunity to bring back boycotting fans and put an end to a tumultuous era.

After all, an impeachment hearing has the attention of the loudest Kaepernick critic. It is also pretty obvious that Reid’s addition to the Carolina Panthers has had absolutely no negative impact on the league.

Most likely, the NFL has some algorithm or formula that shows it can financially benefit from a return of the blackballed blacktivist. TV ratings, apparel and ticket sales could all increase should Kaepernick made a long-awaited return to the NFL.

Kaepernick has reportedly continued to work out five days a week in anticipation for this chance. Now he will finally get his opportunity to prove that he still has “the goods.” No, it should have never had

35-14 victory over CBC in the Class 6, District 1 semifinals.

• Kalin Black of ChristianO’Fallon caught four passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns in a 46-40 victory over Centralia in the Class 2, District 5 semifinals.

• Cam’Ron McCoy of St. Mary’s threw four touchdown passes in the Dragons 41-20 victory over Affton in the Class 4, District 2 semifinals.

• Kannon Nesslage of Kirkwood passed for 535 yards and seven touchdowns in the Pioneers 69-48 loss to Joplin in the Class 6, District 3 semifinals.

• Rhod Gibson of Lutheran-St. Charles rushed for 152 yards and two touchdowns in the Cougars 41-0 victory over Moberly in the Class 3, District 4 semifinals.

• Chris Kreh of Marquette rushed for 268 yards and four touchdowns in the Mustangs’ 31-21 victory over Lindbergh in the Class 6, District 3 semifinals.

to come to this. Kaepernick has the sixth-best touchdown-to-interception ratio in NFL history.

In my opinion, it might not be a bad idea. Hargrove is an excellent student and the extra year might just be what the doctor ordered for the talented freshman.

• One of the East St. Louis Flyers football players who is playing football at the high school for the first time is senior is No. 12 Jamariante Burgess. The 5’10” safety has five interceptions this season and is garnering attention at safety and as one of the top return men in the state. In addition, Burgess is one of the top hurdlers in the state and was a member of the Flyers’ state championship track and field team. He’s a special talent who’s worth checking out on Saturday afternoon.

is a

result of his social stand, not his play on the field. Saturday, none of that will may matter. Long before Kaepernick emerged as a social justice

he was a heck of an

Now he has the opportunity to prove that he still possesses the talent that helped him lead the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance in 2013. It seems appropriate that the workout will take place in Atlanta, a modern day “black mecca.” Kaepernick risked his NFL career by having the courage to take a stand for black Americans and minorities suffering gross injustices by the legal system. Now, ATL could be the location that spurs the next chapter of Kaepernick’s QB career. Be sure to check In the Clutch online and also follow Ishmael on Twitter @ishcreates.

standout junior running back enjoyed a big performance in the Spartans’ victory over CBC on last weekend’s Class 6, District 1 semifinals. Butts rushed for 171 yards on 20 carries and scored three touchdowns in DeSmet’s 35-14 victory. Butts scored on runs of three, 25

He also has the 23rd best QB rating in league history, better than legends such as Troy

Aikman, Dan Marino and Brett Favre. His absence from NFL rosters

direct

warrior,

NFL quarterback.

Eli Harold, Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid kneel before a San Francisco 49ers game during the “Star Spangled Banner.” Kaepernick and Reid later filed grievances against the NFL after being unable to land jobs due to their social stand.

By Diane Toroian Keaggy Of Washington University

Washington University and its shuttle provider, Huntleigh Transportation Services, donated a shuttle to longtime community partner Better Family Life. The organization will use the shuttle to create and expand services for residents and young people attending Better Family Life after-school programs and summer camps.

Dedric Carter, the university’s vice chancellor for operations and technology transfer, and Mary McKay, the Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of the Brown School, delivered the van to Better Family Life on October 30. They were

WashU delivers shuttle to Better Family Life

Leading nonprofit is longtime partner of the Brown School

n “Together, we are advancing mobility in every sense of the word.”

– Dedric Carter, Washington University’s vice chancellor for operations and technology transfer

joined by representatives from the Brown School, Parking & Transportation Services, and Huntleigh.

“Our lives and the region are enriched by the collaborative work of our partnerships,” Carter said. “The operations team at Washington University

in St. Louis is pleased to join with Huntleigh to make this shuttle available to Better Family Life to extend their handprint across the region. Together, we are advancing mobility in every sense of the word.”

Founded by Malik Ahmed in 1983, Better Family Life is strengthening St. Louis through programs in community development, employment, education, housing and culture.

The Brown School has long served as a partner, providing practicum students and datadriven evaluation of Better Family Life programs. Brown School students also have the option of taking some courses at Better Family Life.

Cynthia Williams, assistant dean for community

partnerships at the Brown School, said the organization’s comprehensive and responsive approach serves as a model to Brown School students.

“It’s a benefit for our students to take classes in

American staff

Valerie lost her job of 24 years in November 2018, right before the season’s coldest temperatures hit. “When things happen, you wonder how you’re going to survive,” she said. “I have a daughter, and I knew my bills needed to be paid.”

Then, Valerie discovered the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) LIHEAP provides federal funding to assist families

the community, specifically at a successful, black-led community organization,” Williams said.

Leaders of Washington University, Huntleigh Transportation and Better Family Life celebrate the delivery of a new van.

Among them are (third from left): Dedric Carter, the university’s vice chancellor for operations and technology transfer; DeBorah Ahmed, executive director of Better Family Life; and Mary McKay, dean of the Brown School.

“Students get context and are exposed to programming that works and an organization that works in true partnership with the people it serves. That’s why Better Family Life talks about its ‘handprint’ as opposed to a ‘footprint.’ Providing a hand is what Better Family Life is all about.”

Energy assistance is available for low-income customers

with maintaining or restoring heating services.

Spire has been working with LIHEAP agencies to make more people aware that help is available.

More than 830,000 people in Missouri alone qualify for energy assistance based on their income. Yet in some areas, applications are only trickling in. Individuals can apply for funding through their local LIHEAP agency. If a person’s need exceeds the assistance LIHEAP provides,

additional funding is accessible through Spire’s DollarHelp Program. Since 1982, DollarHelp has made it possible for Spire customers to donate $1 each month to help other customers in need.

n For more information about LIHEAP energy assistance in your area, contact 855373-4636.

Individuals can contribute online or by checking the box on their Spire bills. In 2018, DollarHelp received more than $1,100,000

in Missouri and $290,000 in Alabama and Mississippi from donations and company matches. LIHEAP agencies distribute DollarHelp funds.

“DollarHelp funds assist hundreds of families with maintaining their gas service,” said Connie Sanchez, Spire community outreach specialist. “This

program helps people meet basic needs to live safely and comfortably in their homes during the cold weather months.”

In addition to DollarHelp, Spire partners with agencies to offer services and programs for income-qualified residents to maintain their gas service yearround, including weatherization services, the Red Tag Equipment Repair Program for furnace repair, and the Extra Notification Program for elderly or disabled customers.

“We proactively call customers we think may qualify,” said Julie Trachsel, Spire manager of community services. “Most customers are very surprised by our outreach efforts, but Spire is committed to making sure people are getting the help they need.” For more information about LIHEAP energy assistance in your area, contact 855-3734636. To learn more about Spire, visit www.SpireEnergy. com.

Photo by Joe Angeles/Washington University

Reunited in the spirit

‘It’s almost unbelievable’

Cirque Du Soleil includes four alums of local youth circus organization

By Sophie Hurwitz For the St. Louis American

St. Louis’ Circus Harmony, a social circus group that trains kids and teens in tumbling, acrobatics, juggling and the rest of the circus arts, now boasts four graduates touring with the elite international circus Cirque Du Soleil.

The largest contemporary circus producer in the world, Cirque Du Soleil is known for its surreal and death-defying acts – which have been viewed by approximately 90 million people worldwide, according to their website.

Four young men from St. Louis – Sidney “Iking” Bateman, Melvin Diggs, Chauncey Kroner, and Tarrence “T-Roc” Robinson are now part of Soleil’s cast. The first three are all

Night Before.”

“It’s rare to find black circus performers,” Jessica Hentoff, director of Circus Harmony, noted. In the Luzia show, there are only four

‘Feeding Beatrice’ a haunting exploration of racially motivated horror

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

Bruce Franks Jr. is Oops

By St. Louis American Staff

“Before I was Bruce Franks, state rep. of the 78th District, I was Oops In The Building,” Bruce Franks Jr. would often say when he was given space to address audiences. He was a frontline protestor who forayed his activism into politics.

As Oops, he was a battle rapper and respected member of the St. Louis hip-hop scene looking to put on for his city through his music.

“I’m always gonna be Oops,” Franks would

Protestor-turned-legislator Bruce Franks Jr. was the subject of “St. Louis Superman.” The film will screen on Sunday, November 17 at the Missouri History Museum as part of the Cinema St. Louis 28th Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival.

often say. But it would be his work as Bruce Franks that eventually caught the attention of MTV. His commitment to the movement was conveyed through “St. Louis Superman,” a short film that was a project of documentary arm of the iconic brand that linked music and visual storytelling and imagery for nearly 40 years.

which is currently underway and continues through November 17 at various locations.

“Listen, y’all don’t even understand what this means or how HUGE this is,” Franks said

Photo by

Grammy winners Fred Hammond and Marvin Sapp shared the stage once again as members of the veteran gospel group Commissioned. The whole group hit the road for the first time in more than 15 years as part of their All White Reunion Experience Tour, which played the Fabulous Fox Theatre Friday night.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

part of their touring show, Luzia, while Kroner is currently in rehearsal for a new (and as-yet secretive) holiday show called “‘Twas The

black people out of a large cast – but three of them came from St. Louis. Circus Harmony – and its elite group, the St. Louis Arches – is producing more and more performers who go

Circus Harmony alumni Tarrence “T-Roc” Robinson, t in makeup for Cirque du Soleil’s Luzia.

Photo courtesy of Circus Harmony

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.

holiday haps

Thur., Nov. 21, 5:30 p.m., Operation Food Search’s Holiday Rap ‘N Pack. Volunteers will enjoy upbeat music, appetizers, and adult beverages while helping sort supplies. 1644 Lotsie Blvd., 63132. For more information, visit www. operationfoodsearch.org.

Nov. 20 – 21, Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker: Gift of Christmas Tour. 527 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, visit www. fabulousfox.com.

Tues., Nov. 26, Fox Theatre presents The Hip Hop Nutcracker. Performed by a supercharged cast of a dozen all-star dancers, a DJ, a violinist, and MC Kurtis Blow. 527 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, visit www.fabulousfox.com.

Tues., Nov. 26, 1 p.m., Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Inc.’s Annual Turkey Giveaway. Must bring picture ID, proof of income, proof of residence, and social security cards for household. Pickup sites at 935 N. Vandeventer, 63108; 8960 Jennings St. Rd., 63136; and 6755 State St., East St. Louis, IL., 62203. For more information, call (314) 6153600.

Thur., Nov. 28, 8:45 a.m., Ameren Thanksgiving Day Parade. 20th Street and Market Street, 63103. For more information, visit www. christmasinstlouis.com.

Fri., Nov. 29, 12 p.m., Black Owned Black Friday/Pop Up Market. Vendors include Sow Tea Company, Neo Zoe, All Props Deserved, Hop Shop, Butter Love by LC, and more. Cherokee St., 63118. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Nov. 29 – 30, Cirque Dreams

Holidaze. The Fabulous Fox Theatre, 527 N. Grand. www. fabulousfox.com.

Sat., Nov. 30, 7 p.m., 7th Annual Holiday Toy Drive. Hosted by Stephen Gray. Performance by Kenny Black, with special guests BJ the DJ & DJ D-Nice. Proceeds benefit the Alton Housing Authority & The Catholic Children’s Home. KC Hall, 405 E. 4th St., Alton, IL. 62002. For more information, visit www. purplepass.com.

Sat., Nov. 30, 8 p.m., Urban Vibe Entertainment presents the Thanksgiving Soul Jam feat. The Whispers, The Dramatics, Enchantment, Bloodstone and Blue Magic. Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market St., 63103. For more information, visit www. stifeltheatre.com.

Sun., Dec. 1, 5 p.m., Northern Lights Festival. Parade, carriage rides, holiday vendors, food, and more. Ferguson Citywalk, 501 S. Florissant Rd., 63135. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Wed., Dec. 4, 6 p.m., Disney Junior Holiday Party. Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market St., 63103. For more information, visit www.stifeltheatre.com.

Dec. 4 – 5, COCA presents a Joyful Vocal Concert Celebrate the holidays with a festive repertoire of musical theatre, from COCA’s vocal companies, Allegro & Adagio. 524 Trinity Ave., 63130. For more information, visit www. cocastl.org.

Wed., Dec. 4, 7:30 p.m., Big Band Holidays: Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, 718 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For mor information, visit www.slso.org.

Dec. 13 – 15, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

Kenya Vaughn recommends

presents Mercy Holiday Celebration. Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, visit www. slso.org.

Thurs., Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m., St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON Chorus presents A Gospel Christmas starring Kennedy Holmes, Powell Hall. For more information, visit www.slso.org.

concerts

Sat., Nov. 16, 9 p.m., Pop’s Concert Venue presents All or Nothin. 1403 Mississippi Ave., Sauget, IL. 62201. For more information visit www. ticketmaster.com.

Sun., Nov. 17, 7:30 p.m., Black Violin: Impossible Tour. 1 University Blvd., 63121. For more information, visit www.touhill.org.

Sun., Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m., Urban Vibe Entertainment presents An Evening of Soul feat. Anthony Hamilton, Eric Benet, and Vivian Green. Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market St., 63103. For more information, visit www. stifeltheatre.com.

Dec. 4 – 8, Jazz at the Bistro

presents Alicia Olatuja. Jazz St. Louis, 3536 Washington Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www.jazzstl. org.

local gigs

Sun., Nov. 17, 6:30 p.m., BeBe Creative presents It’s Alright! Feat. BeBe & The Neosouls, Maxa, Frankie DoWop & Asa. .Zack, 3224 Locust St., 63103. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.

Sat., Nov. 30, 8 p.m., A Smooth Evening with Jeanette Harris and Althea Rene. The Queens of Soul Jazz. Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www.metrotix.com.

Dec. 10 – 11, Sheldon’s Coffee Concert Series feat. Charles Glenn. 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.

Sun., Dec. 15, 6 p.m., Ntegrity Presentz: Ty Brasel, 1kPhew, Torey D’Shaun & Ntegrity Music. .Zack, 3224 Locust St., 63103. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.

Fox Theatre presents The Hip Hop Nutcracker, performed by a supercharged cast of a dozen all-star dancers, a DJ, a violinist, and MC Kurtis Blow. See HOLIDAY HAPS for details.

and the Steward Family Foundation present The St. Louis American Foundation’s 20th Annual Salute to Excellence in Business, Hilton St. Louis Frontenac. For more information, visit www. stlamerican.com or call (314) 533-8000.

Fri., Nov. 22, 6 p.m., Show Me Classic. Lincoln vs. Harris Stowe, and a battle of the bands. Chaifetz Arena, 1 S. Compton Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www. hssu.edu/showmeclassic.

Sat., Nov. 23, 1 p.m., The Girlpreneur Expo. Students will gain hands-on experience with operating a business, coordinating and operating an event, customer service and social skills, and more. 3035 Cass Ave., 63106. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Sat., Nov. 23, 6:15 p.m., Maryville University presents The Musial Awards. Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market St., 63103. For more information, visit www.musialawards.com.

special events

Thurs., Nov. 14, Girls Inc. 13th Annual Strong, Smart and Bold Luncheon, Ritz-Carlton. For more information, To register and purchase tickets: www.2019ssb. eventbrite.com

Sat., Nov. 16, 6 p.m., National Sales Network invites you to the 3rd Annual Sales and Leadership Excellence Awards Gala Hotel Saint Louis, 705 Olive St., 63101. For more information, visit www. nsnstlouis.org.

Sat., Nov. 16, 6 p.m., NAMI St. Louis presents the Unmasking Beautiful Minds Annual Gala & Award Ceremony. Chase Park Plaza, 212 Kingshighway Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www.namistl.org.

Wed., Nov. 20, 6 p.m., Prison Reform Town Hall. 75 N. Oaks Plaza, 63121. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Thurs., Nov. 21, 11 a.m., World Wide Technology

Tues., Nov. 26, 6 p.m., Generation Next presents HBCU Experience Tour 2020 – Skate Night Fundraiser Proceeds benefit the HBCU bus tour. Skate King, 2700 Kienlen Ave., 63121. For more information, visit www. shalomccop.org.

Sat., Nov. 30, 4 p.m., Grambling State University National Alumni Association STL Chapter’s 3rd Annual Bayou Classic Watch Party, Show Me’s in Florissant, 1792 N. New Florissant. Mon., Dec. 2, 8 a.m., December 2019 Metro Reduced Fare Bus Passes. SLAAA will distribute Metro Passes to St. Louis City Residents 65 years and older. St. Louis Area Agency on Aging. 1520 Market St., 63103. For more information, call (314) 612-5918.

Tues., Dec. 3, 11 a.m., National Career Fairs presents St. Louis Career Fair Live Recruiting/Hiring Event. Doubletree Hotel Westport, 1973 Craigshire Rd., 63146. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com.

Fri., Dec., 6, 12 p.m., St. Louis County Library presents a Small Business/ Non-Profit Expo. Library Headquarters, 1640 S.

Lindbergh Blvd., 63131. For more information, visit www. slcl.org

Saturdays, 8 a.m., The Ferguson Farmers Market Plaza at 501, 501 S. Florissant Rd., 63135. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

art

Sat., Nov. 30, 2 p.m., Abstract Art by Black Artists: A Collector’s Journey. Art collector Ronald Ollie will discuss his influences and the individuals who have inspired him. St. Louis Art Museum, 1 Fine Arts Dr., 63110. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.

Through Dec. 29, Art St. Louis presents Art St. Louis XXXV, The Exhibition. Featuring 52 artworks in all media, themes, subjects, techniques, and styles by 52 artists from Missouri, Illinois & Indiana. 1223 Pine St., 63013. For more information, visit www.artstlouis.org.

comedy

Nov. 15 – 17, Helium Comedy Club presents Arnez J. 1151 St. Louis Galleria St., 63117. For more information, visit www.heliumcomedy.com.

Nov. 22 – 23, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m., Helium Comedy Club presents Michael Blackson. 1151 St. Louis Galleria St., 63117.

Sun., Nov. 24, 7 p.m., Rockhouse Ent. & Drip Ent. present Love & Laughter Holiday Comedy Explosion starring Jess Hilarious. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www.ticketmaster.com.

Dec. 5 – 7, Helium Comedy Club presents Godfrey. 1151 St. Louis Galleria St., 63117.

theatre

Nov. 15 – Nov. 17, Grand Center Arts Academy Theater Department presents 26 Pebbles and Counting, The Sun Theatre. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Nov. 15 – 17, Fox Theatre presents STOMP. 527 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, visit www. fabulousfox.com.

Through November 24, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Feeding Beatrice, Loretto-Hilton, 130 Edgar Rd. Tickets are available

at www.repstl.org or by calling The Rep Box Office at 314968-4925.

lectures and workshops

Sat., Nov. 16, 8 a.m., The St. Louis Publishers Association presents How to Publish Your Own Book: What You Need to Know. Learn more about editing, design, print options, and more. STLCCMeramec Campus, 11333 Big Bend Blvd., 63122. For more information, visit www. stlouispublishers.org.

Tues., Nov. 19, 6:30 p.m., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Gamma Omega Chapter presents Steps to College Success MICDS, 101 N. Warson Rd., 63124. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com.

Wed., Nov. 20, 6 p.m., St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell Town Hall. UFCW Local 655, 300 Weidman Rd., 63011. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Thur., Nov. 21, 6:30 p.m., The New Negro: From the Combat Battlefields of France to the Urban Battlefields of St. Louis: The Colored Soldier and His African American Community of World War I. Maplewood Public Library, 7550 Lohmeyer, 63143. For more information, visit www. maplewoodpubliclibrary.com.

Mon., Nov. 25, 6:30 p.m., St. Louis County Library presents Taxes & The IRS The Foundation for Financial Education discusses where our taxes go, tax-free savings, and more. Registration recommended. Prairie Commons Branch, 915 Utz Ln., 63042. For more info, visit www.slcl.org.

Thur., Nov. 28, 7 p.m., John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics presents When Islam Is Not A Religion: Inside America’s Fight for Religious Freedom. A lecture by Asma Uddin, followed by a panel discussion. Knight Hall, Washington University, 1 Brookings Dr., 63130. For more information, call (314) 935-9345 or visit www.rap. wustl.edu.

Tuesdays in November, St. Louis Public Library presents Ready Resumes 1301 Olive St., 63103. For more information, visit www. slpl.org.

Thur., Dec. 5, 6 p.m., SWAT & Militarization of

Kenya Vaughn recommends

the Police. Come hear Alex Vitale, author of The End of Policing. Deaconess Center for Child Well-Being, 1000 N. Vandeventer Ave., 63113. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Thur., Nov. 28, 7 p.m., John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics presents When Islam Is Not A Religion: Inside America’s Fight for Religious Freedom. A lecture by Asma Uddin, followed by a panel discussion. Knight Hall, Washington University, 1 Brookings Dr., 63130. For more information, call (314) 935-9345 or visit www.rap.wustl.edu.

health

Sat., Nov. 16, 9 a.m., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Gamma Omega Chapter presents Caregivers Impact Day. Event is free and open to the public. Friendly Village Apartments, 5521 Wells Ave., 63112. For more information, call (314) 550-2301.

Nov. 18 – 22, Washington University presents the 5th Annual Global Health Week RSVP for all events. For more

information or to register, visit www.eventbrite.com.

spiritual

Sat., Nov. 16, 9 a.m., AgingFriendly Congregations Workshop. Centennial Christian Church, 4950 Fountain Ave.,63113. To register, call (800) 272-3900.

Sat., Nov. 16, 10:30 a.m., Third Presbyterian Church hosts its Annual Hustle & Show Expo. 9990 Lewis

and Clark Blvd., 63137. For more information, visit www. thirdchurchstl.com.

Sat., Nov. 16, 1 p.m., 49th Church Anniversary Benefit Jazz Concert feat. Rod Tate. Christ Community United Methodist Church, 8841 Old Lucas Hunt Rd., 63136. For more information, call (314) 388-1211.

Sun., Nov. 24, 10 a.m., Newstead Avenue Missionary Baptist Church’s Family and Friends Day. Elder Richard L. Pearson, Sr., Pastor. 4370

North Market St., 63113. For more info, call (314) 371-4436.

Sat., Nov. 16, 1 p.m., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Gamma Omega Chapter presents Rigged: The Voter Suppression Playbook. 285 N. Seven Hills Rd., O’Fallon, IL. 62269. For more information, visit www.facebook.com.

Sat., Nov. 16, 6 p.m., Film Screening: The Rest. A story of refugees who have arrived in Europe, fleeing war, poverty, and persecution in the Middle East. Brown Hall, Washington University, 1 Brookings Dr., 63130. For more information, visit www.kemperartmuseum. wustl.edu.

Through November 17, 2019 Saint Louis International Film Festival. International films, documentaries, American indies, and shorts that can only be seen on the big screen at the festival at one of our many participating locations. For more information, visit www. cinemastlouis.org.

Sun., Nov. 17, 2 p.m., Hidden Colors 5 Screenings & Discussion Part 1. Better Family Life, 5415 Page Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com.

Sun., Nov. 17, 2 p.m., True Justice: Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality Film Screening. Ethical Society, 9001 Clayton Rd., 63117. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Fri., Nov. 22, 21 Bridges starring Chadwick Boseman, Stephen James, J.K. Simmons, and Keith David opens in theatres nationwide.

Fri., Nov. 27, Queen & Slim starring Daniel Kaluuya, Jodie Turner-Smith, Bokeem Woodbine and Indya Moore opens in theaters nationwide.

Fri., Nov. 27, Waves starring Sterling K. Brown opens in theaters nationwide.

Jazz at the Bistro presents Alicia Olatuja. For more information, see CONCERTS.

on a backyard trampoline and needed a place to go during the summer.

on to be world-renowned circus artists.

“What’s really unusual is that most youth circuses don’t have professional aspirations,” Hentoff said. “Very, very few social circuses have that at all, and that’s what’s extraordinary, and to have a school as small as Circus Harmony have four young men, all from challenging backgrounds, who would never have thought they would be touring the world with Cirque du Soleil. It’s almost unbelievable.”

All four of the former Circus Harmony students, who are now in their 20s, went through the St. Louis public school system and took different paths from there to circus performance. Melvin Diggs started with an internship from a local Boys and Girls Club, where he worked in the snack bar next to the circus ring, then decided that doing flips inside the ring looked more interesting. Iking Bateman was assigned a mentor at his middle school who found out he liked to tumble and brought him to see a show. Tarrence Robinson was found tumbling outdoors by Hentoff as she was driving to work, and Chauncey Kroner started at the circus because he liked jumping

Circus Harmony’s approach is based on intense technical training and focus, and is unique in that it requires performance, in front of a live audience, several times a week. That’s because of where the circus is located: It has a permanent performance ring on the second floor of the City Museum, where admission to Circus Harmony shows is free with the price of museum entry. Last year, according to Hentoff, the circus performed 741 separate shows. “That’s a special opportunity that we have.”

After training with Circus Harmony until the end of high school, all four gained acceptance into circus college. As many circus colleges are based in Quebec, where the primary spoken language is French, adaptation was tricky. Cirque Du Soleil is also primarily a French-speaking circus company. For Kroner, who attended circus college in the United States, moving into Cirque Du Soleil meant learning another language. “Chauncey, who did not go to school in Quebec, said the other cast members in rehearsal mostly speak French to each other, even though they speak English,” Hentoff recalled.

Though Kroner is not allowed to divulge details of his as-yet unreleased act, the

Melvin Diggs, Jessica Hentoff and Sidney “Iking” Bateman after a Cirque du Soleil performance.

three Circus Harmony alumni in Luzia were able to give us some details of what they are expected to do. They dive through hoops in various configurations and rhythms – all while on top of a rotating platform. That platform itself, meanwhile, is on a moving conveyor belt. It’s a far cry from the small circus ring in the city museum. “We never had a rotating floor!” Hentoff said. “But their skills are at such a high level that they can adapt there.”

Bateman, now 27, hopes to serve as a role model to kids from St. Louis like he once was. He joined Circus Harmony at 11, as an afterschool program, and is now performing professionally. “You’re not a product of your environment,” Bateman said. “You can honestly do whatever you want. And you might not know what you want to do, but you can’t be afraid to go through those different doors, walk those different avenues, because you never know what’s out there. You have to have the courage to do what you want no matter where you come from and what people are saying about you. That’s the only thing that matters in the end.”

For more information about the organization, visit www. circusharmony.org.

leading into the studio space.

The scenic design of Lawrence E. Moten III began as soon as guests landed at the bottom of the stairs that lead to a hallway ahead of the studio space.

black people is scarier than anybody’s bogeyman.

Playwright Kirsten Greenridge’s “Feeding Beatrice: A Gothic Tale” was tackling racially motivated horror nearly 20 years before “Get Out” existed outside of Peele’s head. Though the play was originally written in 1999, the Rep’s production marks the first time the play has ever been staged.

Opening the Steve Woolf Studio Series with the world premiere of the play was a bold move for Hana S. Sharif, a black woman, in her first season succeeding Woolf as the Augustin Family Artistic Director of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.

The play is a piercing, graphic and haunting illustration of one couple’s attempt to assimilate and achieve their idea of the American dream at all costs –and by any means necessary. They compromise their safety, their marriage and emotional well being in the quest to be labeled the “right kind of black people” as they acclimate themselves to their new home.

The Rep announced that the production’s run has been extended for an additional week (it’s now running through November 24), so the gamble paid off.

There wasn’t a seat to be had on a Tuesday night as guests were given advanced notice of a “truly immersive experience” through signage

Wallpaper and antiquated sconces given extra effect by Jason Lynch’s lighting set the tone – as did David Kelepha Samba’s subtle ambient sounds that became a full roar during the scary scenes.

Upon entry, patrons will see that they are invading the personal space of the production as a couple goes through the stresses of making a fixer-upper their dream home without making waves in an all-white suburb of Boston.

They sacrifice the natural danger instinct that black people often boast of and hold as a treasured element of their genetic makeup and other context clues that maybe the house was a bit more than they bargained for. They willfully ignored danger signs in their quest to be the perfect neighbors.

The choices come at the heaviest of prices as they are confronted with racial aggressions and biases that come as a direct result of the couple – led by wife June –dismissing the obvious and risking their safety for the sake of not rocking the boat.

A strange teenage girl named Beatrice arrives at their home, apparently from a different, far less progressive era. With her observations, ones that she sees as innocuous and even complementary, the couple are confronted with the complicated social history of America and how anything other than authentic

contributions do nothing but compound America’s issues with race.

“Feeding Beatrice” is extremely difficult to watch. It’s difficult if you are a black person witnessing a couple put their safety and well being on the line for the sake of respectability politics. It’s difficult if you are a white person exposed to the secret essence of racism and bigotry that doesn’t leave the confines of one’s household or personal circle.

Director Daniel Bryant is effective in getting actors Nathan James and Lorene Chesley to play Lurie and June as a couple with natural chemistry – including the all-too-real frustrations and setbacks that come with home rehabilitation.

Ronald Emile’s Leroy Walker, brother of Lurie, is the voice of reason as he chimes in with his suspicions regarding their motives to move so far out and to ignore the signs that they are not a welcomed in their new community.

Allison Winn rounds out the strong cast in the title role. She comes into the play several scenes in and compels her co-stars to reach to their depths as she carries them to hell and back because of their stronghold on the idea that the home is their key to happily ever after.

“Feeding Beatrice: A Gothic Tale” continues through November 24 at the Loretto-Hilton’s Emerson Studio Theatre, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves. For full schedule and additional information, visit www.repstl. org or call (314) 968-4925.

Continued from C1

via Facebook upon sharing the initial news of the documentary. “I’ve gone through so much these last couple years!”

The film premiered at Montana’s Big Sky Documentary Festival in February before an impressive festival run that included the Tribeca Film Festival. “St. Louis Superman” also aired on various MTV Platforms ahead of its SLIFF premiere.

When unarmed teen Michael Brown was fatally shot in the Canfield Green Apartments, he took to the streets in protest and found purpose and passion.

Like so many others, filmmakers Smriti Mundhra and Sami Khan became fascinated with Franks after seeing his commitment to social justice through protest by way of social media and wanted to give more insight into his unique experiences as a legislator, freedom fighter and lyricist committed to being the change he wanted to be in his city.

For many of the 2017 protests that took place in response

to the not guilty verdict of former police officer Jason Stockley in the fatal shooting of Anthony Lamar Smith, Franks would end the demonstrations with a powerful call and response chant, “I believe that we will win – I know that we will win.”

At the time he was serving the people in protest and political office – while juggling everyday life and suffering through unimaginable tragedies, including the death of his godson and best friend.

Insight on his work das a change agent while attempting to balance real life is the crux of the 90-minute film.

The postscript to “St. Louis Superman” was that the 24-hour cycle of change agent/ elected official/community advocate and leader became so taxing that he made the difficult decision to step down from office for the sake of his mental health.

“The past three years have been both incredibly rewarding and unexpectedly depleting,” Franks said in an op-ed for The American that gave context to his decision to leave political office.

“From winning an election that nobody thought I could win to

being a young black man from an economically distressed community sitting here in this legislative body, this has been an essential step for me and for the people I represent, who too rarely see someone who looks like them serving in government.”

In his resignation note, he acknowledged the toll three years of nonstop grinding had taken on his physical and mental health. Stepping away for healing is a revolutionary act in itself. And even in doing so, he vowed to continue his fight for change.

“While I am resigning my title and seat in this body, I am not resigning my role as a leader for my community — instead, just redesigning it to be the most effective I can be,” Franks said. “So that includes taking care of my mental health and advocating that others in my community do the same.”

“St. Louis Superman” will air at 4 p.m. on Sunday, November 17 at the Missouri History Museum. For a full schedule of the Cinema St. Louis 28th Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival, visit www.cinemastlouis.org.

Rep

Continued from C1

Circus

Continued from C1

Photo by John Gitchoff

Lorene Chesley and Nathan James in a scene from the Rep’s production of “Feeding

Beatrice: A Gothic Tale.”

Pathways to Success

More Men in Nursing

By The St. Louis American Staff

Nursing is a female-dominated field, but it offers a fulfilling career path for anyone — men and women alike. More men are entering the nursing field than ever before.As this number of male nurses steadily increases, the perception of this being a female-only career option is slowly changing — but the need for more men in nursing remains.

Across the nation, there is a shortage of nurses, which is only expected to intensify in the coming years. It’s as important as ever to overcome the stigma and misconceptions of men being nurses, encouraging them to explore this exciting profession.

BEYOND THE GROWING HEALTH CARE DEMANDS, nursing benefits from diversity, as it brings different perspectives and broader skills to better serve the varied population. Sometimes, patients may be more comfortable with or receptive to nurses with similar experiences or backgrounds as them, particularly when discussing health issues related to reproductive or sexual health. More men in nursing could also play a role in advancing men’s health, as they might be more inclined to investigate those topics as nurse researchers.

In addition to the positive impact on the field and patient care, many men find nursing to be a challenging and rewarding career.As an in-demand profession, nursing offers stable employment and relatively high wages — an appealing characteristic for all career seekers — but the benefits go far beyond this.

AS THE LARGEST PROFESSION IN THE HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE, the opportunities within nursing are plentiful. The array of specialties allow nurses to choose roles that align with their unique skills and interests. Some specialties tend to attract more male nurses — such as anesthetists, emergency room nurses and flight nurses — but any specialty

could be the right fit. Likewise, the variety of health care settings offers both fast-paced and more relaxed atmospheres.Advanced degrees and certificates allow nurses to hone their expertise and advance their career into leadership roles, whatever path they choose.

FOR MOST, NURSING ISA CALLING. It’s the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of patients and the future of health care every day. More men answering the call only brings more passionate and talented nurses to the field, allowing them to find fulfillment in their careers and strengthening health care for all.

For men interested in pursuing a career in nursing, Goldfarb Men Excelling in Nursing (GMEN), a group at Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College, provides a forum for male students and alumni to discuss issues and offers resources to enhance their educational and professional development.

Goldfarb School of Nursing at BarnesJewish College is situated on the campus of Washington University Medical Center in St. Louis, a renowned academic health center. Begin or further your nursing career with a degree from Goldfarb.

Sponsored By:

‘Mighty Mississippi’ at the Missouri History Museum

Missouri Historical Society Collections.

Deckhands at leisure, ca. 1900.

New exhibit explores the river through multicultural and ecological lenses

By David Lobbig

For The St. Louis American

The Missouri History Museum’s newest exhibit, “Mighty Mississippi,” opens on Saturday, November 23. It has been many years since the museum last turned its attention to the river that supports our city.

Longtime St. Louisans may remember the “River Room,” followed by “Where Rivers Meet,” which were exhibited at the museum from 1962 to 1996. These exhibits focused mainly on the steamboat era and featured the steamboat Golden Eagle’s enormous pilothouse, which has been extensively conserved and reconstructed for Mighty Mississippi. The pilothouse is one of very few in existence and is a treasured piece of steamboat history. Many thousands of museum visitors saw it as a symbol of St. Louis’s deep connection to the river, and now it will reach new generations.

But “Mighty Mississippi” has other stories to tell. Over 200 artifacts, many never before exhibited, show our river history. This exhibit takes a deeper and more critical look at the fur trade on the extensive river system. It dives deep into the Mississippian period culture, which was the first civilization to rise on the great river more than a thousand years ago. River flooding, clean water, recreation, commerce, biodiversity, and the climate crisis are widely explored. Nearly 50 interactive video interviews give voice to current issues. The river has a mythical status in the U.S., even around the world, but too often it has been viewed through a white lens. “Mighty Mississippi” changes this by acknowledging the experiences and perspectives of other cultures and civilizations. We’re finally seeing an awakening by the dominant culture as to how colonization

and industrialization were exploitive.

Attitudes toward people were the same as toward nature: those who could control labor and material resources did so for their own gain, even if everything was used up and destroyed. This happened with European colonization as well as the westward march of the United States across the Mississippi River. How the colonial and industrial eras

n The Mississippi River has a mythical status in the U.S., even around the world, but too often it has been viewed through a white lens.

“Mighty Mississippi” changes this.

affected African Americans and Native Americans is shown through quotes, artifacts, and images that help describe these time periods through their perspectives.

The narrative of William Wells Brown, an enslaved deckhand who found freedom and became a prominent abolitionist, is one of the most important observations of our history. He exposed the cruel practices of St. Louis slave traders who used the river to perpetuate slavery. AfricanAmerican men and women also continued to be exploited on boats for labor and demeaning entertainment well after the Civil War; this fact should send shockwaves through any remaining romantic notions of our river history. We could only touch on this in the exhibit, but the topic is worth closer attention and we hope that exhibit visitors will be inspired to learn more. Climate change and

floodplain development are also a focus of this exhibit. Our society has overwhelmingly modified and damaged the river, but we can reverse much of this, starting in our homes. The Mississippi is a watershed, with many streams carrying rain and snow, and often our waste, to the great river. Garbage from land and chemicals sprayed on crops and lawns make their way to the river.

Organized volunteer river clean-ups happen throughout the year, but keeping garbage out in the first place by picking up litter is essential. It’s important not to pour chemicals down the drain so that they aren’t flushed back into the river by our sewer systems.

Learning how our water and sewer systems work, asking questions of agencies and policy makers, participating in public hearings, and voting on pollution and floodplain development issues are all ways to help the river.

Caring for the river happens in many ways. “Mighty Mississippi” shows how much of this is done and how to learn more. The exhibit is open for arranged field trips and group visits, and many events and programs are scheduled throughout its run.

Ours is a river world worth caring for. It has been the foundation of civilizations for over a thousand years. The Mississippi River’s watershed has given us an amazing history and life worth living. How we live here makes all the difference to survival. Our descendants depend on our care of the river’s health.

Visit “Mighty Mississippi” at the Missouri History Museum from November 23, 2019, to April 18, 2021. Admission to the museum’s exhibits is always free. For more information, visit mohistory.org.

David Lobbig is curator of Environmental Life for the Missouri Historical Society.

slam.org/Families

Inspire imagination, wonder, and curiosity through fun family programs, gallery guides, and activities at the Saint Louis Art Museum. Free admission every day.

Celebrations

New Author

Veteran’s Day Observation

Elder Kenneth W. McClendon Retired Petty Officer US Navy, observed Veteran’s Day at Jubilee 690 AM, where he has worked as a board operator two years. McClendon served 20 years and received several medals while serving our country. He retired from General Motors after a 31.5 year career. He has been married for 47 years to Apostle Arlene B. McClendon. They are the parents of two loving daughters, Dr. Ingrid D. Carter (Antonio Carter) Principal of Keeven Elementary and Iris K. McClendon, a Counselor at McClurer High School, and one granddaughter, Toni D. Carter.

Birthday

Reunions

All reunion announcements can be viewed online!

Beaumont Class of 1970 is planning its 50-year reunion! We want to reach as many classmates as possible, so please share this info with other class of ‘70 alumni. Please email your current contact info to: Beaumontclassof1970@gmail. com.

Central High School Class of 1970 is in the process of planning its 50 year reunion in 2020. We are trying to

locate former classmates. If you would like to receive additional information as we plan this momentous occasion, please provide your contact information to either Lillian McKinney at mamajoyce314@ icloud.com or (314) 335-9760, Eric Armstrong at elarmstr@ yahoo.com or (918) 6503385, Sabra Morris-Pernod at Saboots@centurytel.net or (314) 703-0812. Sumner Class of 1976

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

more info, call B. Louis at 314.385.9843.

Vashon High School Class of 1974 is planning for its 45th reunion. We are in the process of rounding up all classmates. To provide or update your contact information, please email ljbady@gmail.com or contact: Joe Verrie Johnson 314-640-5842, Jordan Perry 314-724-4563, or LaVerne James-Bady 314-382-0890.

Do you have a celebration you’re proud of? If so we would like to share your good news with our readers. Whether it’s a birth, wedding, engagement announcement, anniversary, retirement or birthday, send your photos and a brief announcement (50 words or less) to us and we may include it in our paper and website – AT NO COST – as space is available Photos will not be returned. Send your announcements to: kdaniel@stlamerican. com or mail to: St. Louis American Celebrations c/o Kate Daniel 2315 Pine St. St. Louis, MO., 63103 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

Congratulations to a friend, change agent, and newly published children’s author, Amber T. Bogan on your debut title, Little Miss is Destined for Greatness. We are so very proud of the work you are doing by standing in the gap to address the lack of diversity in children’s literature, and we know that so many of our youth will benefit from your efforts. Wishing you all the best on your endeavors. -The Brooks Family

Happy 11th Birthday to Ayanna Nunn on November 21! Daddy Loves You!

Rest easy Big B. I was just getting my head wrapped around the sudden and untimely passing of Mark Robinson – which I didn’t mention because his sister Linda Robinson, a dear friend of The American, asked for privacy – when I got news that Brian “Big B” Keith Jones passed away over the weekend. I am still so shook that I don’t know what to say. For many years, B was famous for protecting Nelly’s personal space. But what most folks didn’t see was the kind hearted gentle giant that was always quick to lovingly greet with a hug, some dap and a smile. It just doesn’t feel real. I’m sending love, light, prayers and condolences to the families of Big B and Mark Robinson in this time of bereavement. I feel like I’ve done more RIP posts in 2019 than I have in the last several years put together. I can’t speak for anyone else, but this year has been a roller coaster of raw emotion and I’m so ready to kick off this next decade that I don’t know what to do!

The Delmar Hall twerkdown starring Big Freedia. Long before Megan Thee Stallion started showcasing 39-inch lace front units and her bionic kneecaps as part of the call and response twerk sessions her shows are known to be, Big Freedia was in floor-length frontals throwing that thang in a circle to the backdrop of New Orleans bounce music. Freedia was back in town for her biannual STL visit and in her own words made famous by King Bey, she didn’t come to play, she came to slay. And she didn’t let a little thing like a knee-high cast put a damper on her party when she came to Delmar Hall Saturday night with the likes of Low Cut Connie. The band isn’t really my beat, so I’ll stick to Freedia’s portion of the show. Freedia was a blunt cut bang away from serving Bryce Dallas Howard in “Jurassic World” realness with that lengthy ginger bob wig game. I must say that I missed the hang time that Freedia usually serves up with bundles that get low to the flo’. Because whatever her leg was going through, she couldn’t throw it like she usually does, but she tagged in all types of folks to share in the fun. I have never seen such a broad range of twerk skill sets displayed at one time. There was everything from struggle twerk to second degree black belt twerkers on the stage at any given moment. And that gentleman with Freedia who performed a twerk/high knee pivot/kick-ball-change combo that would win the calories burned count against any HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout had me worn out from just watching him. I promise if he added about three more combos to that routine, he would have a best-selling exercise informercial brand on his hands that could make Shaun T’s insanity look low impact. I knew from the boot that Freedia was on the injured reserve list, but her dialed back stop-drop-andlock only meant that her backup team and several brave audience members shared the spotlight – which is really nothing new for a Freedia show. The only thing that was really different was Freedia taking it easy and acting more like a hypeman than a main attraction twerker. I wasn’t the least bit mad with how the show shook out, well except for that velveteen rabbit blouse. The body chain was cute though. I promise that. I thought when I saw the leg boot that it would be lackluster. Quite the contrary. Freedia came close to redeeming New Orleans’ reputation after a certain group of folks who shall remain nameless came through and gave national attention to how St. Louis’ boo game is not to be taken lightly.

Young Thug and MGK rewind. Because I was so busy lighting an aforementioned platoon up in last week’s Partyline, I realized that I left off my recap of the Halloween night performance of Young Thug Machine Gun Kelly and a few other alternative trap acts that kept the stage warm until the main attractions got their turn at St. Charles Family Arena. I know what you’re thinking, “I didn’t even know Young Thug was coming to town.” Well, you may not have, but all the Brett, Tristians, Amandas and Bethanys came through in the clutch to make it look the whole show wasn’t a well-kept secret. It was clear that when his set was over that most of the folks who came where checking for Machine Gun Kelly. And since he gave the better show of the two, I can’t say that I’m mad that folks dipped out. There are probably some young ladies in ICU at this very moment because of the barely-there costume choices that they decided to remain committed to despite the temperature fell faster than an uninjured Big Freedia dropping it on the beat. Young Thug was cool, but he and those vocal tracks were just no match for MGK. I will say that I did appreciate his costume. Based on those snug khakis and white shirt, he was dressed up as my niece (a first grader at Meadows Elementary) on crazy pants day. What? If it hadn’t been for the design going down the side of his leg, he would have been in full compliance with anybody’s school uniforms. I was a nervous wreck about him and MGK jumping into the mosh pit, but they didn’t seem the least bit bothered by putting their lives at risk for the turnup.

Jess Hilarious returns with local comedy and music vets RockHouse Ent. and Drip Entertainment, who most recently brought the house down by bringing current U.S. Twerker Laureate Meghan Thee Stallion to the Pageant will be back in the building at 6161 Delmar with a special show that will give the crowd a chance to chuckle and croon along. Jess Hilarious, who managed to turn internet fame into a full-time bag that now includes standup and television, will have a chance to redeem herself for that underwhelming Laugh Lounge visit last year. What? Where is the lie? Anyway, she’ll be headlining The Love and Laughter Comedy Explosion – and joined by St. Louis’ own Jovan Bibbs, Maurice G. and Jessie Taylor on Sunday, November 24. The show also features another St. Louis native, national recording artist JuJu with the smoothed out R&B vocals. Because St. Louis has recently made the news as far as how tough we will punish an act that is not bringing their best, I have a feeling this will be her redemption song – and that the hometown folks will make it do what it do as per usual far St. louis funny. The show starts at 7 p.m. and doors open at 6.

Tahir Moore, Alex Thomas and Princeton Dew caught up and cracked a few jokes before closing out their run @ The Laugh Lounge Sunday

Teita, Mori, Winnie and Lorna were ready for a Saturday evening filed with live music Saturday @ The House of Soul

St. Louis blues legends Marsha Evans, HY C, and Roland Johnson had a chance to catch up @ Blues Off Grand Saturday night @ The Dark Room

Christina, Shara and Rakayah partied with the pur pose of helping East St. Louis students during the Scorpio Bash Sunday night @ The Lumiere

Bradley, Sharee, Latonya, Cara and Jamar @ An Evening with GSLABJ Saturday @ The Blues Museum

Meakalana and Pam new better than miss the opportunity to see Princeton Dew kill it on stage @ The Laugh Lounge Sunday

Ike hosted and Che Butta came to show support as the Scorpio bash raised funds for E. St. Louis School District Sunday @ Hotel Lumiere

Gorgie, Kesha and Suga as the All Black Scorpio Bash came to a close Sunday @ Hotel Lumiere

Demetri dropped in from Mississippi to enjoy an evening of live blues music with Haley for SLACO’s Blues Off Grand Saturday @ The Grandel

Charhonda and Tiffany were in the House Of Soul to help April celebrate her birthday on Saturday

Gabina Bossed Up kicked her weekend off as an opening act for rap veteran Twista when the Chicago rap star took the stage at The Ambassador Friday night.

Photos by V. Lang

JOB OPENINGS

St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund has job openings for the following positions: community outreach coordinator, grants manager (accountant III), and program officer. Interested applications should visit www. KeepingKidsFirst.org, and click on the link in the banner for more information, or contact KeepingKidsFirst@stlouisco.com with any questions.

TEACHERS

Teachers with current pre-school CDA or current pre-K CDA credential. Current infant/toddler CDA credential or experience in a Childcare Center. Please reply to Center Manager Linda Davis at (314) 679-5440.

BUSINESS SUPPORT SPECIALIST

Do you have a background in business, finance or accounting? Missouri S&T Global Learning is seeking the right candidate for its Business Support Specialist position (Job #00046587). This position functions as a fiscal coordinator, providing day-to-day fiscal planning and oversight for the operations of distance education and professional and continuing education. For more information and to apply, visit https://hr.mst. edu/careers/staff-employment/. An Equal Opportunity Employer

CHIEF OF POLICE

The City of Berkeley is looking for an individual with a high level of professional ethics, integrity, and proven leadership skills to serve as its Chief of Police. Under general supervision of the City Manager, the Police Chief will manage the Department’s 48 employees, of whom 37 are sworn officers (including Police Chief). The City of Berkeley Department operates under the provisions of the State of Missouri “at will” policy. Annual salary is $85,000 and must reside in City of Berkeley. Our employment applications can be found at http://www.cityofberkeley.us/

FIRE CHIEF

The City of Richmond Heights is accepting applications for a Fire Chief. To apply go to https://richmondheights. applicantpro.com/ jobs/1248411.html Applications will be accepted from November 12, 2019 through December 6, 2019.

FULL-TIME POLICE OFFICER

The City of Clayton is now accepting applications for the full-time position of Police Officer or Police Officer in Academy. To apply, go to www.claytonmo.gov/jobs. EOE

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

The City of Jennings is accepting applications for the position of Administrative Assistant in the Building Department. Duties include assisting with administration of city programs, preparation of agendas and reports, transcription of minutes, assisting the public by phone & in person, understanding and interpretation of building and zoning codes and review of applications. Minimum 3 years office experience required, with excellent clerical, computer and customer service skills and attention to detail. Experience with building and zoning codes preferred. Starting salary $32,538 (GS-11-C). Applications available at Jennings City Hall, 2120 Hord Ave. or at www.cityofjennings. org. NO RESUMES ACCEPTED WITHOUT THE COMPLETION THE APPLICATION! Completed applications may be delivered to City Hall, mailed, emailed to jobs@cityofjennings.org or faxed to 314-388-3999. Applications accepted until November 21, 2019 at 5 p.m.

www.stlamerican.com

POLICE CHIEF

The City of Richmond Heights is accepting applications for a Police Chief. To apply go to https:// richmondheights.applicantpro. com/jobs/1248423.html Applications will be accepted from November 12, 2019 through December 6, 2019.

Washington University in St. Louis offers rewarding opportunities in various fields at all levels, with positions in engineering, nursing and health care, research, administration, technology, security and more.

Administrative Coordinator - Psychiatry – Job ID# 45267 -

This position will be responsible for the program coordination of the Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences Precision Medicine Function and for administrative management of the office for a large research team consisting of multiple faculty members, study coordinators, data analysts and postdoctoral fellows. The successful candidate will have the Equivalent of an Associate’s Degree with 2-4 years of experience in administrative support. Experience in university/medical environment preferred. To be considered for this full-time 40 hour per week career opportunity and for a complete job description and to apply, please visit https://jobs.wustl.edu and search for Job ID# 45267.

Strategic Communications and Student Engagement –University College – Job ID# 45672

This position is responsible for developing and operating a unified communications and advising approach for all community and professional learning across the University. Informed by ongoing research and current insights about the development of the St. Louis workforce, as well as knowledge of the expertise of the schools of the university, the person in this position will develop communications and advising tools to position the University´s continuing education programs to best serve the needs of current and emerging professionals in the St. Louis community. The person in this position will develop and manage a website and corollary communication to promote continuing education programs and develop a student-centered approach to help prospective continuing education students understand opportunities and be directed to the appropriate part of the university to have their educational needs met.

Director of Regional & Special Events- Job ID# 44986

This position has significant managerial responsibilities and is a key position that will require contact with senior university officials. The position will manage the department’s daily responsibilities and the planning of up to 100 events annually. Duties will include event management, communications, budgetary control, calendar planning, supervisory, and managerial policies and programs for donor relations.

Director of Disability Resources – Job ID# 45469

This position is responsible for providing leadership and direction; directing strategic management and planning; developing policies; budgeting and planning; monitoring performance and data analysis; managing and mentoring staff; managing complex employee issues; directing and implementing reasonable accommodations and services for students with disabilities under the mandates of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Ensures that operations align with the University vision, mission and goals.

For a full description of these positions and other career opportunities, please visit https://jobs.wustl.edu/ to apply. Click search jobs and enter the job ID number. We seek people from diverse backgrounds to join us in a supportive environment that encourages boldness, inclusion and creativity. EO/AA/VET/Disability Employer

ST. LOUIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES

2019-2020 WARMING AND COOLING

SHELTER

The St. Louis County Department of Human Services, Homeless Services Program, is seeking proposals for the 2019-2020 Warming and Cooling Shelter. The total funding available is $131,900.00. Proposals are due by 11:00 a.m. on November 22, 2019. A Pre-Proposal Conference will be held on November 12, 2019 at 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the Department of Human Services @ 500 Northwest Plaza, 8th floor Conference Room 1, St. Ann, MO 63074. Request For Proposal details and specifications can be obtained at the St. Louis County Bids and RFPs webpage located at http://www.stlouisco.com/ YourGovernment/BidsandRFPs

METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS

SEWER DISTRICT

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is accepting proposals in the Purchasing Division, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2555 until 9:00 a.m. on December 17th, 2019 to contract with a company for: Lawn Care Services for Market Street. Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from www.stlmsd.com, click on the “MSD AT WORK” link, (bid opportunities). The bid document will be identified as 10214 RFQ. If you do not have access to the internet, call 314.768.2735 to request a copy of this bid. Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Responses for St. Louis Community College on B0003884 for Disparity Study will be received until 2:00 P.M. (local time) on Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at the Dept. of Purchasing, 3221 McKelvey Road; Bridgeton, MO 63044, and immediately thereafter opened and read. Bid documents can be accessed on our website at www.stlcc.edu/purchasing or by calling (314) 539-5227. EOE/AA Employer.

METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS

SEWER DISTRICT

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District will receive RFQ’s in the Purchasing Division, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2555 until 10:00 a.m. on December 6, 2019 to contract with a company for: LEMAY P-301 PUMP STATION - 1250 HP VERTICAL SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR SERVICE. Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from www.stlmsd.com, click on the “MSD AT WORK” link, (bid opportunities). The bid document will be identified as 10211 RFQ. If you do not have access to the internet, call 314.768.6269 to request a copy of this bid.

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

SEALED BIDS

Sealed bids for the St. Louis County Library – Phase 3A project are being received by Brinkmann Constructors on Dec 4 at 3:30 PM

All sealed bids to be hand delivered to SLCL - HQ 1640 S Lindbergh Blvd St. Louis, MO 63131

Attn Steve Hunter, St Louis County Library

Plans may be viewed or downloaded at https://secure.smartinsight.co/#/ PublicBidProject/440965

Contact Brinkmann Constructors for further details on the project or obtaining plans at 636-537-9700

*All bidders must be in compliance with the Fair Employment Practices Commission

*This project is a Missouri Public Works Project

*St. Louis County Library & Brinkmann Constructors are Equal Opportunity Employers

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Responses for St. Louis Community College on B0003897 for Syllabi Software will be received until 10:00 A.M. (local time) on Friday, November 19, 2019 at the Dept. of Purchasing, 3221 McKelvey Road; Bridgeton, MO 63044, and immediately thereafter opened and read. Bid documents can be accessed on our website at www.stlcc.edu/purchasing or by calling (314) 539-5227. EOE/AA Employer.

BIDS

Curtiss-Manes-Schulte, Inc. is soliciting bids from MBE/WBE/SDVE/ DBE subcontractors and suppliers for work on the AP Green Building MUHC Lab, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO. Bids are due Tuesday, October 22, 2019 by 1:00 pm and can be faxed to (573) 3924527 or emailed to shawn@cms-gc. com. For more information, call Shawn @ (573) 392-6553. CurtissManes-Schulte, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Donald Maggi, Inc. is accepting bids from Disadvantaged Business Enterprises for subcontracting opportunities on the TKE House Demolition located in Rolla MO 65401

Bid Date and Time: Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at 2:00 Plans and specifications are available for purchase from: ADS 1400 Forum Blvd Suite 71 Columbia MO 573-446-7768

www.adsplanroom.net

Or may be inspected at our office at 13104 South US Hwy 63, Rolla, Missouri 65401 Request for Email copies of plans and specs can be sent via drop box Our telephone number is 573-364-7733; fax 573-341-5065. An Equal Opportunity Employer. Email: maggiconst@gmail.com

Donald Maggi, Inc.

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Paric Corporation will be seeking bids for the Shell Building located at 1221 Locust Street, St. Louis, MO 63103. These bids will be for the finishes and façade. The drawings for this project will be available the week of December 20th and bids will be due the week of January 20th, 2020. We will host a meet and greet at the Jobsite on December 3rd from 9:00 am to 10:00am to further discuss the details of the project.

When the drawings are published the week of December 20th, they will be posted online and available for viewing in our planroom and the following planrooms: Dodge Data & Analytics (online), MOKAN, Crossroads and SLDC.

This project must adhere to the City of St. Louis Mayor’s Executive Order #47 requiring the following:

25% MBE business

Public Notice of Single Source Procurement

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: XPSWMM SOFTWARE PACKAGE. INNOVYZE INC is the only known available source for this software. Any inquiries should be sent to gjamison@stlmsd.com.

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

Public Notice of Single Source Procurement

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: PRI#8 CHAIN REPLACEMENT. EVOQUA WATER TECHNOLOGIES LLC.

The District is proposing single source procurement for this equipment because EVOQUA WATER TECHNOLOGIES is the only known available source. Any inquiries should be sent to gjamison@stlmsd.com.

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

BID

Great Rivers Greenway is seeking qualifications for a hiring process/ diversity & inclusion consultant. Check greatriversgreenway.org/ bids and submit by December 13, 2019.

Penguin Puffin Coast HVAC Recommissioning RFP

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified contractors to HVAC modifications and recommissioning. The Contractor shall verify proper operating condition and sequencing of existing equipment as noted in the documents. Contractor shall add, repair, and replace equipment as required per the documents. Test, balance, and retro commissioning will be required to complete the scope. Bid documents are available as of Monday, November 4, 2019 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor

ACCEPTING GRANT APPLICATIONS

The St. Louis County Port Authority Community Reinvestment Fund is now accepting grant applications through December 15, 2019 for economic development projects that benefit St. Louis County. The application and detailed funding information are available at https://stlpartnership.com/whowe-are/our-teams/real-estate-community-investment/port-authority/ reinvestment-fund-application/

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Notice is hereby given that The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (District) will receive sealed bids for TILLES PARK, LITZSINGER AND PARKRIDGE I/I REDUCTION

(LITZSINGER RD AND S MCKNIGHT RD) under Letting No. 12230-015.1, at this office, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103, until 02:00 PM on Friday, November 15, 2019, at a place designated. Bids will be received only from companies that are pre-qualified by the District’s Engineering Department for: SEWER CONSTRUCTION – St. Louis County drainlayer’s license required Plans and Specifications are available for free electronic download. Please go to MSD’s website and look for a link to “ELECTRONIC PLANROOM.” Plans and Specifications are also available for viewing or purchase at Cross Rhodes Reprographics located at 1712 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis MO 63110. All bidders must obtain a set of plans and specifications in order to submit a bid in the name of the entity submitting the bid. The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS

SEWER DISTRICT

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is accepting proposals in the Purchasing Division, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2555 until 10:00 a.m. on November 21st, 2019 to contract with a company for: Janitorial Services for Lemay Treatment Plant.

Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from www.stlmsd.com, click on the “MSD AT WORK” link, (bid opportunities). The bid document will be identified as 10181 RFP. If you do not have access to the internet, call 314.768.2735 to request a copy of this bid. Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Country Club Hills will hold a public hearing at 6:00 p.m. on December 4, 2019, at the City Hall, 7422 Eunice Avenue, Country Club Hills, Missouri, for the purpose of obtaining public input on the two ordinances listed below. At this time, citizens may comment on the proposed Ordinances. 1. Medical Marijuana Zoning 2. Small Cell Wireless zoning.

Public Notice of Single Source Procurement

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: Fairbanks 16” B5711 Replacement Assembly for the Bissell Pump Station. The District is proposing single source procurement to Hydro-Kinetics Corporation for this equipment. Any inquiries should be sent to ltreat@stlmsd.com.

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

Public Notice of Single Source Procurement

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: Raingarden construction with Native Landscape Solutions, Inc. Any inquiries should be sent to ltreat@stlmsd.com.

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

SEALED BIDS

BidstoInstall NaturePark, MissouriSchool fortheBlind,St. Louis,Missouri,, ProjectNo. E1703-01 willbereceived byFMDC,Stateof MO,UNTIL1:30 PM,12/3/2019via MissouriBUYS. Biddersmustbe registeredtobid. Forspecificproject informationand orderingplans,go to:http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

BIDS

Great Rivers Greenway District is seeking qualifications for project controls consulting services in connection with the district’s design and construction of capital projects. Check www.greatriversgreenway.org/ jobs-bids/ and submit by November 8, 2019.

Public Notice of Single Source Procurement

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure repair services for our muffin monster grinder units from Muffin Monster LLC. The District is proposing single source procurement for this service because Muffin Monster LLC (Ressler & Associates) is the exclusive dealer for Eastern Missouri. Any inquiries should be sent to strenz@stlmsd.com.

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

Public Notice of Single Source Procurement Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: FOXBORO SERVER UPGRADES. R. E. PEDROTTI CO INC is the only known available source for this service. Any inquiries should be sent to gjamison@stlmsd.com.

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

Public Notice of Single Source Procurement

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: FLYGT EFFLUENT PUMP. VANDEVANTER ENGINEERING is the only known available source for these parts. Any inquiries should be sent to gjamison@stlmsd.com.

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

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS TO PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES FOR THE ST. LOUIS HOUSING AUTHORITY

SOLICITATION NO. LG 19-14

The St. Louis Housing Authority (SLHA) is seeking proposals from Law Firms to provide Legal Services. The purpose of this solicitation is to develop a pool of attorneys from which the SLHA may choose to do business with from time to time. The SLHA anticipates entering into a two (2) year fixed-rate contract, having three (3) one-year renewals with an escalation cause with several different law firms, which will each serve on an as needed basis determined by the firms’ area of expertise. Offerors are invited to submit proposals to provide both litigation and transactional service(s) in one or more of the following practice areas: Employment/ Employee Benefits/Tax Law; Housing Law; Construction/ Procurement Law; Real Estate Law & Affordable Housing Development; Torts; Bond Counsel; and Bankruptcy & Creditor’s Rights.

Solicitation documents will be available for pick up from the SLHA’s Procurement Services, Second Floor, 3520 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63106 starting at 3:00 p.m. Monday, November 4, 2019. Interested firms may request a copy of the RFP by calling 314-2864365 or e-mailing fbruce@slha.org

SLHA will receive sealed proposals for this service until 3:00 p.m. (local time) on December 9, 2019. All Offerors must comply with MBE/WBE and Section 3 requirements.

Krista S. Peyton General Counsel/Contracting Officer An Equal Opportunity Employer

LETTING #8706

AND TRAFFIC SIGNAL IMPROVEMENTS

NEWSTEAD AVENUE TO VANDEVENTER AVENUE

Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of Public Service in Room 208 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Mo. Until 1:45 PM, CT, on November 19, 2019, then publicly opened and read. Plans and Specifications may be examined on the Board of Public Service website http://www.stl-bps. org/planroom.aspx (BPS On Line Plan Room) and may be purchased directly through the BPS website from INDOX Services at cost plus shipping. No refunds will be made.

A pre-bid conference for all contractors bidding on this project will be held onsite at Dr. Martin Luther King Drive and North Newstead, St. Louis, MO October 29, 2019 at 10:00 A.M.

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

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

Bids for St. Louis Community College on B0003882 for Janitorial Polyliners will be received until 2:00 P.M. (local time) on Wednesday, November 6, 2019 at the Dept. of Purchasing, 3221 McKelvey Road; Bridgeton, MO 63044, and immediately thereafter opened and read. Bid documents can be accessed

BIDS

Soliciting bids on 3315 Berrywood-Medical Center Renovation, UMC, Columbia, MO. Bid date 11/21/19; bids due 11:00 a.m. Qualified disadvantaged subcontractors or suppliers contact Reinhardt Construction, Centralia, MO; 573-682-5505; fax 573-682-3322.

LETTING #8705 METER & TAP BUILDING DEMOLITION

Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of Public Service in Room 208 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Mo. until 1:45 PM, CT, on November 26, 2019, then publicly opened and read. Plans and Specifications may be examined on the Board of Public Service website http://www.stl-bps(BPS On Line Plan Room) and may be purchased directly through the BPS website from INDOX Services at cost plus shipping. No refunds will be made.

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

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

accessed on our website at www.stlcc.edu/ purchasing or by calling (314) 539-5226. EOE/AA Employer.

following link: https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/youth-at-risk/ For questions please contact Morgan Williams, Department of Public Safety, at WilliamsMor@stlouis-mo.gov . Proposals must be received by 4:00pm CST Monday, November 18, 2019.

Religion

North County Churches honor STLCC-Flo Valley president

Elizabeth Gassel Perkins receives Outstanding Education Award

American staff

Elizabeth Gassel Perkins, the campus president and chief academic officer for St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley, was recognized by North County Churches Uniting for Racial Harmony and Justice (NCCU).

NCCU honored Perkins for her leadership and commitment to racial harmony and justice at its 15th annual awards dinner on October 6.

Perkins received the organization’s Outstanding Education Award for her active support of NCCU activities and the college’s sponsorship of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, which she’s chaired the past two years.

The celebration highlights the legacy of Dr. King and recognizes those who continue his work in the community.

The

Each year the winners of NCCU’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Essay Contest deliver their speeches as part of the campus’ MLK celebration.

“I recognize Dr. Perkins for her achievements in establishing partnerships to enhance the education of students,” said Rance Thomas, president, NCCU. “This is especially true with respect to the Ritenour School District with providing dual education credit to high school students and with Emerson for STEM education as well as with other organizations.”

Perkins joined STLCC as provost of the Florissant Valley campus in August 2016 and served in that role until the title of provost was changed to campus president and chief academic officer in January 2019. In addition to her role as campus president, she serves as the administrator for the College’s dual credit, dual enrollment and early college partnerships.

Message When the world gets crazy

When the world gets crazy, I mean absolutely chaotic, what do you do? How do you handle it? When nothing makes any sense, where do you go to find your sanity? When the world goes mad, how do you find clarity in the middle of confusion?

Confusion in my life runs rampant the more distance I allow between me and God. A guaranteed invitation to insanity in your life is to seek something

other than the kingdom of God first. You want crazy? Simply say, “Hello, world!” With all that’s happening in the world today, I often find myself lost. It’s not that hard. Just read the papers, tune in the news. Just listen to the president. What it has done for me however, is gaining the wisdom that there is a definite need for consistency in my faith walk. As a minister friend of

While at STLCC, Perkins has led taskforces on developmental education redesign and waitlisting options for students and serves on a variety of committees for the College and campus. She

mine says, being a Christian is a full-time job. You don’t get the summer off; no Spring Break. And you do need to work nights and weekends. You can’t get comfortable with how well you think you’re doing God’s will. The devil is ever vigilant. When you get tired, Satan has a bed and breakfast for you. When you’re thirsty, he’s got just what you need to quench it. When you lose focus, guess who’s got the right game to fill your imagination? If

serves as vice chair for North County Incorporated, and is a board member of the St. Louis County Workforce Investment Board and the Greater North County Chamber of Commerce. Her passion and work with developmental education redesign and removing barriers to education is fueled by her commitment to access for all, as these barriers disproportionately impact students of color nationwide. The intention of her work in implementing multiple measures, co-requisition remediation, and other delivery models is to create access to education and help students graduate from college.

Andrew Langrehr, vice

Columnist James Washington

you’re not careful, you’ll wake up one day thinking you’re closer to God, only to find out your confidant is a bona fide dream killer. Once God gets your attention, He has His ways of letting you know it’s Him and it’s time for you to get busy. For me it was Psalm 23: “Yea though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil, for thou (God) are with me.” At a time when chaos was ruling my world and confusion was running rampant, I was blessed

to realize that I had let God fall by the wayside and the devil was quite eager and more than willing to ride shotgun. It was that “with me” part of Psalm 23 that resonated. When God comes knocking, He has a way of letting you and the devil know that somebody else is in His seat and, thankfully, God ain’t having it. I found myself on many a night worrying about what was going on. I thought I was okay, not realizing it was the “I” that was killing me. I’d forgotten Psalm 22, the part that says: “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the

Elizabeth Gassel Perkins, campus president and chief academic officer, STLCCFlorissant Valley (right), with 2019 winners of the NCCU Oratorical Contest; Rance Thomas, president, NCCU; Anthony Stephen Holmes, North County Christian School; Brice Anderson, Blossom Wood Day School; Shawntelle Fisher; Arden Isbell, Trinity Catholic High School; Arlazza Hardwick, Fairview Elementary School; and Tonya Jones-Clinton, Special School District at Ferguson-Florissant School District.

chancellor for academic affairs, wasn’t surprised Dr. Perkins was tapped for the honor. “Dr. Perkins is an excellent campus and community leader,” he said. “Her heart for students and North County is demonstrated by continuous service in community organizations and relationship building.”

nations will bow down before Him, for dominion belongs to the Lord and He rules over the nations.”

Right! Immediately, I began to close the gap between me and God. Everything I have and think I own belongs to Him. It’s His, and I am blessed to submit to His will and not my own. It’s amazing how this simple truth can bring peace of mind when it seems an impossibility. When all hell is breaking loose in your world, heaven can break out in a heartbeat, if you’ll just remember to stop the car and change who is in your passenger seat.