October 19th, 2023 edition

St. LouiS AmericAn

Normandy, Riverview districts returning to local control

State governance did not lift test scores

By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American

The Missouri Board of Education voted to return the local control of The Normandy Schools Collaborative and it will soon be led by a fully-elected Board of Education, ending Missouri State Board of Education governance which began in 2014.

The Riverview Gardens School District remains, in part, under the control of the state board, but is on a path to have a fully-elected board seated by July 2024.

Based on test scores, the state board has failed to help improve student performance in the respective districts.

Most students at the two districts are not proficient in math or English, based on scores released on Monday. Students were given a new test this year to align with new

Acclaimed

at the age of 87. His widow Eneazer Layne and relatives were joined by dozens of friends and community members at the moving service.

Wesley Bell files charges after terrifying incident

By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American

STL County police officer arrested

Matthew McCulloch was subdued by frightened parents and other citizens and then arrested by Kirkwood Police after he allegedly acted bizarrely, yelled terrifying threats, brandished a gun, and fired at least 12 shots skyward during a Halloween event at the school. McCulloch is the son of former St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch and brother of St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Joseph McCulloch. McCulloch is facing 11 charges, which were filed by St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell. They include four counts of endangering the welfare of a child, five counts of armed criminal action, and one count each of terroristic threat and unlawful use of a weapon. In a court filing, McCulloch said

Formula for freedom: Joy plus imagination

Colored Girls Liberation Lab creates healing spaces for Black women

By Joseph Williams Word In Black

Jenn Roberts had done everything right. But it all felt wrong.

Roberts

“I was one of the first in my family to go off to college,” she says. “I found a good guy in college, got married really early — did all the things I was supposed to do. And then I woke up one day: ‘This doesn’t feel good. I’m not happy, my (soon to be former) husband is not happy, now we have kids. Everything just started crumbling, everything that I had worked so hard for.”

So, she started dancing — something she’d done throughout school but gave up when she became an adult. That reinvigorated a feeling, she says, “when I used to not care what people thought, when I used to just do the things that feel good. And then, my friends were watching, and they were like, ‘We want to do it, too! You look peaceful, you look happy, you look free.’”

That feeling of freedom inspired Roberts to start holding gatherings for friends and friends of friends, creating a

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Lindenwood, 13th university to provide scholarships

foundation, with a mission to provide scholarships for high-achieving local students with financial needs as well as providing community grants. The St. Louis American Foundation was founded in 1994, and provided about $80,000 per year in scholarships. The first Donald M. Suggs Scholarship (named after the American’s publisher and executive editor) was to the University of Missouri-Columbia. In subsequent years, Southeast Missouri State University and Missouri State University joined the group, and the scholarship dollars and their impact began to grow. Last year, Webster University alone provided a whopping “10” Suggs Scholarships. See SALUTE, A7

singer A’ngela Winbush-Polk, a niece of Austin Layne Jr., performed an inspired hymn with an accompanying gospel choir during Layne’s homegoing service at Greater Grace Church on Saturday Oct. 14, 2023. Layne passed away on Oct. 1

Michael Triplett, Normandy Schools Collaborative superintendent, is encouraged by the state’s decision to return full local control to the district.

Photo courtesy of Olathe (KS) Public Schools

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Jenn

Cher shares her final moments with Queen of Rock, Tina Turner

Cher said even during Tina Turner’s illness, she felt Turner’s fun-loving spirit. During Cher’s last visit with Turner in Switzerland, which had been Turner’s home for almost 20 years, the stars celebrated their long friendship.

“I got to see her. She was lying on the chaise and said, ‘I’m tired.’ Then, for two hours, we were running around the house, and she was laughing hysterically,” she recalls.

Cher said Turner’s parting gift was a pair of her high heels.

“I’m not going to wear them,” Cher said. “I just have them up in my closet.”

After a battle with kidney disease, Turner, who hailed from St. Louis, died on May 24 at age 83.

“She just needed to talk and yell. That’s the Tina that I loved. We had the best time and talked about the old times.”

Notoriously private Jada Pinkett Smith finally speaks out

Jada Pinkett Smith all shares in a surprising tell that the slap her husband Will Smith laid on comedian Chris Rock, which was heard and seen worldwide during the 2022 Academy Awards, was just the kick their marriage needed to reaffirm her commitment to her husband.

During the rare interview, Jada revealed how she and Will “did some

really deep work together” after the Oscars ceremony slap.

“When I was sitting at the Oscars, it clicked in. As soon as I was like, ‘Oh snap, you hit Chris?’” Jada said.

“I was like, I’m riding with you. I didn’t come into this place as your wife, but I’m leaving here because we have a storm we’ll have to deal with together. I am not going to leave your side.”

Drake matches the King of Pop - or does he?

Drake’s new J. Cole tion “First Person Shooter,” raised his stardom in matching none other than the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson as the male solo artist with the most No. 1 songs in Billboard Hot 100 History.

As part of the evolution of the music industry, what was tallied as sales

during Jackson’s reign is now counted by streams and the frequency of which a song is heard. Many MJ fans argue it is not an equivalent measurement.

Nevertheless Drake’s latest effort For All The Dogs gave him 13 songs at No. 1, which has not been surpassed or matched for nearly 30 years - since 1995 with Jackson’s single “You Are Not Alone.”

While Drake and Jackson are tied for most Billboard #1 hits for a male solo artist, he has a ways to go to match The with 20, Mariah with 19, and with 14.

“The existence of your outlets is the lifeline to our community. I appreciate the work you do tirelessly.”

Appointed U.S. Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-CA) praises Black Press

Harriet Robinson Scott gravesite has new headstone

By Ashley Winters

The St. Louis American

Family, friends and community members gathered at Greenwood Cemetery in Wellston on Saturday, October 14, 2023, to celebrate and honor Harriet Robinson Scott, wife of the late Dred Scott.

Donated by the late Austin Layne, the pink granite headstone now marks the burial site of an influential figure in the legal fight for Black American freedom. Scott was buried at the historic cemetery in June of 1876, and the headstone honors her legacy and other freedom fighters buried at Greenwood.

The ceremony started with the Presentation of Color by the Tom Powell Post #77 American Legion. The Star-Spangled Banner and Lift Every Voice and Sing were performed as the reverent ceremony began.

Lynne Jackson, the great, great, granddaughter of Dred and Harriet Scott, said, “Harriet’s resting place is now a beautiful spot to come and see.”

Jackson said her greatgreat-great-grandmother filed her case separately from Dred Scott’s, which was strategically planned, on April 6, 1846. They became the first married couple to pursue freedom suits in tandem in the 50-year history of similar lawsuits.

Jackson explained that as a woman and as the mother, if Dred Scott did not win his case, but she did, then their daughters would be free.

“Here at Greenwood, it is our honor to preserve the history of those here, it is our duty to make their stories bright to light to everyone who will hear them,” said Shelly Morris, president of the Greenwood Cemetery Preservation Association.

“It was Harriet Robinson Scott’s bold move that helped change the course of our nation.”

According to Morris, the cemetery is the resting place for many freedom fighters including Lucy Ann Delaney and Charlton Hunt Candy.

Morris describes Robinson Scott as living her life for her family, her husband, and her kids.

Dan Fuller of the Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum mentioned that Scott’s life and legal pursuit of freedom is critical to U.S. history, not just to Missouri and St. Louis.

According to Fuller, in 2027 the Missouri Historical Society will move forward with soliciting an artist to create a portrait of Mrs. Scott that will match the portrait of her husband. The portraits will hang together in the exhibit.

“It’s only right and well

Americans in St. Louis County and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

An estimated 50,000 people are buried there, yet there are only 6,000 headstones.

Black voters will be key to Democratic success in upcoming elections. St. Louis has just unveiled new voting equipment to be used in the 2024 election cycle and 2025 city mayoral and aldermanic races.

Photo courtesy by Wiley Price

overdue that we dedicate this stone today,” said Fuller.

Jackson says Greenwood is such a unique and historical cemetery, it’s a

wonderful place to have Harriet there.

Founded in 1874, Greenwood Cemetery was the first commercial burial ground for African

According to several biographies, Harriet Robinson and Dred Scott were married in a civil ceremony officiated by her slave owner Lawrence Taliafer-

ro, who was a justice of the peace. The wedding occurred in 1836 or 1837. Harriet was about 17 and Dred was about 40. It was the second marriage for Dred. The exact date of the wedding is not recorded.

Dred Scott died in 1858, but Harriet survived the Civil War and lived out her days in the company of their two daughters, as well as their grandchildren who had been born into freedom. The location of her unmarked grave was unknown, until it was re-discovered by Etta Daniels of the Greenwood Cemetery Preservation Association in 2006. In 2009, a headstone was finally installed to honor Harriet Scott, and remained there until the new headstone was dedicated.

Ashley Winters is a Report for America reporter for the St. Louis American.

Editorial/Commentary

Guest Editorial Public education is vital to democracy

By Jesse L. Jackson Jr.

America owes much of its prominence and prosperity because it has led the world in popular education.

Even without a public school system, the U.S. had the highest literacy rate in the world in the 19th century. We were among the first to provide public school through the 12th grade. We were the first to open the doors of colleges and universities — significantly through the GI Bill after World War II — to children from all levels of income.

Today, however, public education in the United States is under siege. Public school teachers and librarians have become punching bags in the political wars. Teachers are underpaid and overstressed.

College is priced out of reach for more and more children, with administrators and facilities consuming ever more of the resources, while professors and graduate assistants fall behind.

Schools are now battlefields in our partisan political wars.

Job satisfaction for public school teachers is at a 50-year low. Thousands are leaving the profession and fewer and fewer college students are taking it up.

ters of controversy. In the South, segregation enforced separate but unequal schools, dividing children by race. In the North, as Jonathan Kozol detailed, public schools reflected the “savage inequality” of neighborhood disparities in wealth and race. Busing is routine across America, but it became a lightning rod when courts ordered busing to integrate schools in metropolitan areas.

In the countries that rank the highest in educational proficiency, teachers are treated with respect and paid well. In Finland, which ranks highest in international testing, gaining admission to a teacher’s college is fiercely competitive.

In the U.S., teachers spend an average of about $700 out of their own pockets on school supplies, with those in the poorest neighborhoods spending the most.

Florida offers a good example. Its governor, Ron DeSantis, has made the “war on wokeism” a centerpiece of his presidential political campaign. He has signed into law multiple “educational gag orders” — criminalizing classroom discussions on race, gender, and history that might make white students “feel guilt, anguish or any other form of psychological distress.”

Florida teacher salaries are ranked 48th in the country. Now teachers are not only unpaid, but they are assailed, vilified and threatened — not only with the loss of a job but with potential criminal charges.

The result — not surprisingly — is that the brightest and best teachers are headed north. When DeSantis became governor in 2019, Nation magazine reports, Florida already had a teacher shortage in grades K through 12 of 2,217. When he began his second term four years later, that number had more than doubled. This August, the Florida Education Association reported the number of unfilled positions at an unimaginable 7,000. The destructiveness of DeSantis’ war on wokeism is likely to be felt for a generation.

As public institutions engaged with children, schools have always been cen-

Passionate debates about what is taught, what books are read, what history is imparted, are inevitable. We want children to learn about America’s triumphs, but we also can’t whitewash our history and present it as a fairy tale.

In these partisan times, when social issues — abortion, race, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, immigration — are at the center of our political turmoil, it is inevitable that schools will be engaged in those debates. Teachers inevitably will be at the center of such debates, not merely witnesses to them but active participants in them. Those with experience in the classroom are likely to have the best insights on what works and what doesn’t. We surely don’t want partisan politicians using schools as a political football. We want teachers to be respected, free to express their views and share their expertise. We want parents to be involved, able to express their values, their hopes and their fears. Somehow these commonsense ideas, which the vast majority would agree upon, too often get lost in the battles.

Even in the midst of the ongoing argument, we should not forget to honor and respect those who choose to teach our children. We should not forget that one teacher who can unleash a child’s imagination or feed his or her curiosity can transform a life.

Rev. Jesse Jackson is founder and retired president of the Rainbow PUSH

Commentary

Laphonza Butler a true American leader

By Marc Morial

“Extraordinarily proud of Laphonza Butler — a stalwart for women, workers, the disadvantaged, and those in search of a better life. She understands the contours of power and knows that when shared, it multiplies. She’s the right choice at the right time.” — Stacey Abrams

She led a push for fair wages that has boosted the pay of at least 26 million workers, including 12 million workers of color and 18 million women.

She helped elect nearly 500 defenders of abortion rights — 40% of whom are women of color — to local, state, gubernatorial and federal office last year.

She is the first openly LGBTQ Black woman to serve in the U.S. Senate, and only the third Black woman to serve.

she said. “And when they do, when they are positive in that position, they are more likely to support issues like child care, issues like paid family leave, issues like making sure that health care is more accessible and available. There are lots of issues voters should be concerned about, but at its core is the fundamental freedoms of this country and what we want this country to be for generations to come.”

Laphonza Butler’s appointment to replace the late Sen. Diane Feinstein could not have happened at a more critical moment for the people and principles she has championed for her entire career. It’s a moment when extremists across the nation are engaged in an unprecedented crusade to suppress LGBTQ voices, erase Black history, criminalize reproductive health, and weaken workers’ rights.

Butler spoke powerfully about her vision for the country on the National Urban League’s State of Black America Podcast last year while she was serving as President of EMILY’s List.

“An incredibly important indicator of how a leader is going to show up on behalf of their community when they are elected is whether or not they respect the right of women to make choices about their own health and their own bodies,”

It’s not just her perspective as an openly LGBTQ Black woman that is sorely needed in the Senate, but also her working class background.

“There were times in my life where I didn’t know, my mother didn’t know, where my next meal was coming from,” Butler told Politico. “There were days she worked three jobs all in the same day to make sure she was able to keep a roof over our heads.”

At Jackson State University, many of her professors were SNCC activists and CORE organizers who instilled in her a commitment to social justice and activism.

“They took those experiences and poured them into us in the classroom,” she said.

“What are you doing for freedom? That was always the question. What are you doing for freedom today?”

When she became the first mother to lead Emily’s List in its four-decade history, she said her own daughter “inspires me every day to show up and do the work to make sure every young girl knows they belong anywhere they choose to be.”

Marc Morial is president/CEO of the National Urban League.

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

The St. Louis American

Commentary

Two days before the Democratic National Committee’s Fall meeting in our city earlier this month, the St. Louis American received an invitation from the committee’s outreach person.

She said the newspaper could have a “10-to-15-minute interview” with DNC Chair, Jaime R. Harrison to discuss “how Democrats are delivering for Black Americans.”

It’s hard to imagine the DNC contacting a major white-owned news organization with a single subject: racial mandate. For me, it’s indicative of the sometimes disrespectful attitude often manifested by Democrats with Black voters.

True to criticism, Democratic leadership often takes Black voters (and the Black press) for granted, assuming we are automatically in their corner and at their disposal when needed.

It may be true that Republicans, especially those under the cult-like influence of former President Donald Trump, provide loathsome choices for Black voters but we are not monolithic.

Some of us have chosen “conservative” values and/or political candidates in the past. Democrats should never forget that Republican presidential candidates including Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard M. Nixon won 39 and 32% respectively of the Black vote. While no Republican presidential candidate has received more than 15% of the Black vote since 1972, it doesn’t dismiss the need for Democrats to work to warrant our vote.

Black Americans specifically. He noted Biden’s efforts to bring the internet to poor communities and his lifetime appointments of “more than 30% Black judges” including the first Black woman appointed to the Supreme Court, Ketanji Brown Jackson.

He related Biden’s historic executive order to install the “George Floyd Justice in Policing Act,” drafted to address racial profiling and the use of deadly force by police. The 2021 Act passed the then Democrat-controlled House but was stalled in the Senate over the issue of qualified immunity for officers.

That social justice issue, along with investments in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), voter protection rights, closing the racial wealth and income gaps, were part of Biden’s 2020 promise to Black voters.

Harrison did a yeoman’s job of addressing questions related to the plan but he had to put in the work.

My point is this: The DNC could have accomplished its goal not by dictating that the Black press do nothing but report positive news on Biden, but by giving us the respect to determine what we think is of importance to our Black readers.

Most Black people know that Missouri is a state dominated by Republican voters. And many of us know there are a variety of issues on next year’s ballot, including voting and abortion rights, gun safety, and climate change that will impact our lives, our incomes, and our communities.

My interview with the DNC chair was switched from Friday to Thursday at the last minute. When I arrived at the Marriott Grand Hotel, a young white guy who was apparently part of Harrison’s entourage informed me that our 15-minute interview had been reduced to five.

A bit perturbed and with no intent of serving simply as the DNC’s mouthpiece for “positive Biden news,” I decided to segue from positive things the administration has done for Black people to asking for an update on the promises Biden made during his 2020 campaign through his “Lift Every Voice, Plan for Black America.”

Harrison seemed taken aback by the question. I also noted how his assistants frantically checked their laptops or cellphones to, I assume, Google “Lift Every Voice.” It seemed they all were unfamiliar with the plan.

Many of Biden’s promises in the 2020 plan were generic; meaning they would benefit all Americans not specifically African Americans. The key words used in the plan were “disproportionately impacted.”

To his credit, Harrison managed to tick off accomplishments in the plan that were specifically aligned with Black voters.

He detailed how the 2021 “American Rescue Plan” accelerated the economic recovery to Americans in general but to

With so much at stake, this is no time to take Black voters for granted. Democratic organizations, caucuses, councils, committees, and candidates should be working overtime to make sure Black voters are informed, engaged, and inspired to make our voices and our votes heard in 2024 and beyond. This is no time for Democrats to allow apathy, cynicism, or distrust with Black voters or the Black press with disrespectful or dismissive behaviors.

Democrats (including the president) can’t simply rely on GOP boogeyman tactics and expect blind loyalty from Black voters. They must work for our hearts, minds, and votes. If you want the Black press on your side, invite us to the table early, not a month or week from the elections. That means keeping us in the loop as far as get-out-the-vote and other vital strategies; and no pop-up, last minute requests for dictated interviews.

Yes, we are aware of the damaging GOP alternatives in coming elections. But we are also aware that many Democrats assume we’ll have their backs in promoting voter turnout in upcoming elections. It’s a dangerous assumption in politically uncertain and perilous times. One simple action can go a long way in making sure they can count on huge and enthusiastic voter participation: Respect!

Sylvester Brown Jr. is a Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow.

Columnist

Jesse L. Jackson Jr.

Brown Jr.

Columnist Marc H. Morial

Area girls get on board with aviation careers

St. Louis American staff

Girls from 17 St. Louis area high schools and organizations were recently introduced to careers in the aviation industry during the 2023 Girls in Aviation Day event at St. Louis Downtown Airport Saint Louis University’s Oliver L. Parks Department of Aviation Science hosts the annual event at SLU’s hangar in partnership with Women in Aviation International.

“This was our largest Girls in Aviation Day event yet,” said Amy Preis, outreach coordinator for SLU School of Science and Engineering.

“Our goal is to connect students with the opportunities in the aviation industry that are out there and possibly haven’t been considered before. The entirety of the aviation industry is hungry for more women in its ranks.”

Attendees climbed into cockpits of a variety of aircrafts used by SLU flight instructors for pilot training and to learn

more about each plane.

“The planes are so cool, and I liked learning about them,” said Allie Meyers, a freshman at Lafayette High School.

The event also featured a career expo, where students connected with representatives from more than a dozen organizations in the aviation industry.

Representatives from the FAA/ NATCA (Air Traffic Control), Greater St. Louis Business Aviation Association, Gulfstream, Ideal Aviation, SLU admissions, St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Take Flight Girls, Inc., Transportation Security Administration, the United States Air Force and West Star Aviation took part.

“It’s really an honor to be part of Girls in Aviation Day, helping to grow the next generation of aviators,” Rick Leach, GoJet Airlines CEO told the attendees.

“The future of our industry is bright. It takes a lot of hard work, but the pathway to a career in aviation is achievable.”

Poverty rate spikes –we know why

By Lakeisha McVey

I’ve lived and studied poverty most of my life. But you don’t have to be an expert to see why it’s spiking after lawmakers let anti-poverty programs expire. After hitting a record low of 7.8% in 2021, the U.S. Census Department Supplemental Poverty Measure jumped to 12.4% last year. That’s a nearly 60% increase. It’s because politicians allowed proven income support programs to expire.

I’m an expert on poverty. I’ve lived it most of my life in Iowa. I studied it as a Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellow in rural West Virginia and Washington, D.C. Now, I help people experiencing poverty tell their stories to change policy. People can pull themselves up by their bootstraps, get an education, and work multiple jobs. But in the face of rising prices, low wages, high rent, and a broken healthcare system, it’s often not enough. Without a safety net and a level playing field for families, financial security is often out of reach.

While growing up in Des Moines, Iowa, my mom had a stable job with the state, but her pay wasn’t enough for a real home for my two siblings and me. Iowa, like every state, has a low-income housing crisis. Families of color like mine experience greater challenges obtaining affordable housing. We bounced around shelters, churches, and motel rooms.

Despite a stigma about accepting public assistance, we benefited from SNAP (aka “food stamps”) and the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. But like other low-income families, we had to navigate the “benefits cliff.” When my mother made just $10 more, we’d lose the benefits we needed for sufficient, regular meals.

My father suffered from opioid addiction. When he eventually gained stable employment and rejoined our family, we got an apartment where the schools were decent. But a brain aneurysm suddenly took his life, and we ended up on the opposite side of the city where underfunded schools offered less opportunity.

I wanted to stay in my school, so I spent four hours a day commuting on public buses and on foot. I knew I needed to get into college to help my family financially. Now I have a steady job, and so does my husband.

But everyday struggles don’t end. The brokenness of our healthcare system burst into my life again when our baby was born with a fatal condition. The medical costs ran to nearly $1 million in just the first few months of his tragically short life.

What could prepare someone for that?

Thankfully, my employer pays 100% of my health insurance. That’s a rarity. If I’d been out of work or worked elsewhere, we would’ve gone bankrupt as we suffered the most tragic thing that could ever happen to us as parents.

These are just a few of the structural obstacles low-income people face every day. But there are solutions. The advocates I work with reported enormous relief after politicians finally agreed to invest in helping children and families during the COVID-19 crisis.

The expanded Child Tax Credit cut child poverty nearly in half. Expanded food programs through SNAP lifted more than 3 million people out of poverty and staved off an expected spike in hunger. Housing subsidies kept nearly 2.5 million people out of poverty and in their homes. And Medicaid enrollment protections reduced the number of uninsured people by 1.5 million.

But when politicians cut or reject continued funding of vital programs, gains are lost.

This is a failure for families across the country. We need to renew and expand those programs as soon as possible.

Poverty is solvable. We know what works. Why don’t we do it?

Lakeisha McVey is a social justice advocate with Raise Your Voice to End Poverty. This article was originally published by OtherWords.org.

University City High School students Kennedy Robinson (left) and Jamia Davidson checked out the controls of a light aircraft during Girls Aviation Day at St. Louis Downtown Airport.

Photo courtesy of Saint Louis University

Lakeisha McVey

academic standards, so a comparison to 2022 scores is skewed.

However, only 24% of Normandy students reached a level of proficiency in English while the state average is 60%

About 23% of Riverview Gardens students tested proficient or advanced.

Normandy’s current Joint Executive Governing Board consists of three state-appointed members and four locally elected board members. The board can now return to full local control on June 30, 2024, following the election of three new board members in April 2024.

Michael Triplett, Normandy Schools Collaborative superintendent, said the district is encouraged by the decision.

“We look forward to the hard work continuing as we move the district towards full accreditation,” he said.

“Although we do not have the preliminary data from the state’s MAP Assessments, our interim

Women

Continued from A1

space where they could talk, share and be themselves. Those gatherings soon evolved into the Colored Girls Liberation Lab, a creativity, education and self-care community designed to allow Black women to shake off the twin shackles of racism and patriarchy, in a supportive environment.

“Black women can

(benchmark) assessment is a close predictor of how our students will perform or have performed. We expect we will see increases in student scores in math and reading and decreases in the number of students performing in the lowest two proficiency levels.”

Ronald L. Roberts, JEGB president, said “I will join my neighbors as we head to the polls in April 2024 to select the leaders who will carry the baton on the next leg of this journey to delivering and achieving excellence in our district.”

According to a school spokesperson, Riverview Gardens is also currently in the process of being returned to a fully elected board. The state board has approved the election of two new board members in April 2024.

Board members previously elected by a state board can finish their current terms through June 30, 2024.

When the state took over the district in 2010, there were three appointed board members. It later went to five.

The state board of education then began the process of returning RGSD to local control and two additional board members

come in and say, ‘Hey, I just need a space to fall apart a little bit with people who are going to care and hold me and help me and pick me back up,’” she says. “‘And once I get to that space, I need some people who are going to tell me that whatever I dream up for my life is possible and be there to cheer me on.’ And so that’s really what the lab is about: helping women be OK and free in life.”

While space to breathe

Honor and service

Austin Layne Jr., served in the U.S. Army as a computer specialist before entering the mortuary services industry. His service to the nation was remembered during his tomb sealing service at St. Peters Cemetery on Monday, Oct. 16, when his widow Eneazer

was presented with an American flag. Seated with her are son Andrae Blisset

Standing behind them are grandsons Aidan Blissett,

were elected in April 2022. That brought the board to seven members, with two elected and the other five appointed.

In April 2023, three of the appointed seats were transitioned to elected seats. In April 2024, the final two State-appointed

and heal is its primary mission, Roberts emphasizes the “lab” element of her organization’s title. Along with self-care lessons, she encourages members to “play” with their lives — be imaginative, think big, envision a limitless future and dream of what they can do with nothing holding them back.

“This lab became a space for me to combine all of those things: art, creativity, sisterhood, Afrofuturism, and design,” she says. In the laboratory,

seats will transition to elected seats.

“Strong local governance is key to the success of any school district,” said Missouri DESE Commissioner Margie Vandeven, who announced her retirement this week.

“The Normandy and

she says, she encourages participants to “really play around with the idea of what it looks like to have my own toolkit of liberation.”

For example, “every Monday at noon, we meet — it’s called ‘Dreams and Schemes,” Roberts says. “It’s a place that’s patterned after bell hooks’ ‘Sisters of the Yam’ space, where it really is a time to tell the truth of your life, to share your story: ‘OK, this thing is not working

and daughter Ingrid

Riverview Gardens communities have expressed a strong commitment to ensuring community support and effective board governance.”

Appointed members in both districts have the option to run for an elected seat during the election

like I thought I wanted it to,’ and no one’s going to shame you for it.”

Rather than a set curriculum, Roberts says, the lessons and gatherings vary; so does leadership of the group discussions.

“Right now we’re doing one around [hooks’] ‘All About Love’: New Visions,’” Roberts says. “We’ve done ones on pleasure; we’ve done ones around plant medicine. And we come in for three to

periods.

Normandy schools will have a candidate forum on Wednesday, Dec. 15 at Normandy High School. Candidates interested in running for the positions should reach out to the respective districts for more information.

four weeks, every week. And whether it’s me or another woman from our community that has that knowledge to give, they’re able to bring us together and have us explore that topic in a way that doesn’t feel like they’re trying to tell us what to do, but in a way that we get to discover how we want to incorporate it ourselves.”

This story was produced in partnership with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Layne

Sr.,

S. Layne.

Austin Blissett, and Joshua Moore.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Salute

Continued from A1

Webster’s first Suggs Scholar, Olivia Perez, stated “I am so fortunate for the blessing that was that scholarship (10 years ago). Without it I would not have had the means to finish school at that time.”

In 2022, the St. Louis American Foundation, in collaboration with its higher education partners, fostered more than $2.8 million in minority scholarships for high-potential college students and community grants for educators. Since its inception, the Foundation, with the assistance of its educational, corporate and individual supporters, has distributed more than $14 million locally, mostly in higher education scholarships.

With the recent addition of Lindenwood University, the Foundation has established scholarship partnerships with 13 Missouri colleges and universities:

Bell

Continued from A1

he needs “urgent mental health evaluation and treatment.”

The frightening incident, which included McCulloch allegedly screaming “you are all going to die,” took place before hundreds of parents and children, including McCulloch’s own family.

Bell defeated incumbent prosecuting attorney Robert McCulloch in the Democratic primary in August 2018. Bell’s office released a statement saying “the case was

• University of Missouri-Columbia

• Southeast Missouri State University

• Harris-Stowe State University

• Missouri State University,

• Webster University

• Maryville University

• St. Louis Community College

• Fontbonne University

• University of Missouri-St. Louis

• Washington University in St. Louis

• Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College

• Saint Louis University

• Lindenwood University

Additionally, through a partnership with the Deaconess Foundation and the Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis, the Foundation awards $100,000 in scholarships annually for selected local students pursuing their education in nursing.

“This has been an amazing community-focused occasion with real impact,” Donald M. Suggs, St. Louis American

reviewed and the charges issued by our Conviction and Incident Review Unit (CIRU), an independent unit [the prosecutor] formed to handle cases involving police officers and other public figures.

“It is public knowledge that Mr. McCulloch was a St. Louis County Police officer at the time of this incident. Our CIRU was formed to promote public trust in the integrity of our office’s handling of cases such as this. It also is public knowledge that Mr. McCulloch is the son of a previous St. Louis County prosecuting attorney,” the release states.

“That fact has no bearing on the evidence

publisher, executive editor, and St. Louis American Foundation president said of the Salute to Excellence in Education Gala reaching its 36th evening of celebration and honors.

“A community should celebrate what it values. That affirmation becomes an even more compelling

or law relative to this case and poses no conflict to this office’s handling of the case. We are a professional office of prosecutors who review all cases in light of the evidence and the law and treat all defendants fairly, justly, and equally.

The incident also led Chief Gregory to send a letter to all St. Louis County Police employees.

“While I am aware that extenuating circumstances may have been a contributing factor in this weekend’s incident, there is still no excuse for what transpired. The Department will follow proper procedures and continue to investigate

reason, during these challenging times.”

“The Salute helps raise needed financial resources for high-achieving, aspirational young people,” Suggs said. “They are critical to a better future, and we want them to have the resources they need to achieve their educational goals.”

this matter internally,” Gregory wrote.

“In this profession, we have a sworn duty to protect and serve the citizens of St. Louis County and we take that oath seriously. When an officer’s actions are contrary to that oath, it is a disappointment, to say the least.

“We understand how important it is for the trust of our citizens and each other to remain intact in order to fulfill our promise to serve and protect.”

Saying that “law enforcement is not easy work,” Gregory encouraged staff members “to be an eye

The St. Louis American Foundation is a five-time recipient of the National Newspaper Association’s First Place Award for Community Service, and has received 15 regional and national first place awards in the last 10 years for Community Service.

Tickets for the 36th Annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship & Awards Gala, Saturday, Nov. 4 at America’s Center, are $125 each or a table of 10 for $1,250, or $175 each for VIP tickets and VIP/ Corporate table of 10 for $1,750. Visit stlamerican. com to reserve tickets or call 314-533-8000.

and ear for your fellow coworkers.”

He said the department’s Wellness Unit, Chaplain’s Program, Peer Support Program, and Employee Assistance Program are available to anyone with personal or mental health issues.

Maryville’s Nina Caldwell along with the four Maryville Suggs Scholars in 2022.

Photo by Maurice Meredith

McCulloch was being held at the St. Louis County Justice Center in Clayton with a $500,000 cash-only bail. He entered a not-guilty plea to the charges against him during an arraignment Tuesday. A bond reduction hearing is scheduled for next week.

Nurturing a passion for African American art

The Friends of African American Art (FAAA), one of four Collector’s Circle offered at the Saint Louis Art Museum, is a dynamic community of individuals passionate about expanding their understanding of African art of the past and present. FAAA members have an extraordinary opportunity to delve deep into the rich tapestry of African American art. The group’s primary goal is to elevate the presence and profile of African American art within the Museum and the broader community by educating a new generation of art connoisseurs. Through a series of annual program, FAAA members gain exclusive access to the Museum’s collection and curators, forging a unique connection with the art and its creators.

The FAAA’s annual programs encompass a diverse range of experiences, including in-depth seminars, private receptions, and guided tours. These events provide art enthusiasts with up-close and personal encounters with curators,

scholars, artists, and collectors. It’s a chance to explore the nuances, history, and cultural significance of African American art in an intimate and engaging setting.

One recent highlight of FAAA’s activities was an invitation into

the home of Vickie and Howard Denson, publishers of the Black Pages Business Directory for over three decades. The publication also contains Transformational Agenda Magazine, a catalyst for the empowerment and healing of African

SSM Health is proud to congratulate and celebrate

Dr. Jovita Oruwari.

We applaud St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page for having declared October 4, 2023, as Dr. Jovita Oruwari Day.

Jovita Oruwari, MD, is a distinguished breast surgeon dedicated to providing exceptional care to her patients as well as a tireless advocate of increasing diversity within the medical profession. Her important work has impacted the lives of many in our community.

At SSM Health, we honor Dr. Oruwari today and every day.

Americans. With more than 70,000 annual print copies, families can pick up their free publication at wide variety of establishments, including Schnucks stores.

What sets the Densons apart is not only their dedication to publishing, but

also their incredible private art collection. Over four decades of marriage and collecting, the couple has amassed a treasure trove of 450 artistic creations representing Africans, Afro-Caribbeans, and African Americans. Their collection spans a wide range of art forms, from oils, acrylics, collages, and textiles to bronze and wood sculptures, ceramics, fabric art, woven baskets, musical instruments, and dolls representing their world travels. Every wall, corner, shelf, and even the closets are adorned with artworks. The passion for art that resides in the home is nothing short of awe inspiring. Walking through the rooms is not just a visual feast; it’s a journey through the soul of two art enthusiasts, where every object tells a story of beauty and inspiration.

Standing before nearly 40 FAAA members,

Howard Denson passionately expressed the role of art in their lives, saying, “Art fills our hearts with love and joy, nurtures our souls, honors our ancestors, and has literally been an essential element of our being.”

If you want to engage with like-minded art lovers, consider joining the Friends of African American Art Collector’s Circle. Visit slam.org/ membership for more information and embark on a journey of discovery, appreciation, and celebration of African American art that promises to enrich both the individual and the community. The Art Museum’s global collection, FAAA members, and collectors like the Densons are fostering a vibrant community of art enthusiasts dedicated to preserving and promoting the legacy of African American artistry.

Photo credit: Artists Media Coop

Friends of African American Art Collector’s Circle members tour home of Vickie and Howard Denson

FergusonFlorissant School Board honored for Urban Excellence

The Ferguson-Florissant School District recently received named recipient of the 2023 Award for Urban Excellence from the National School Boards Association Council of Urban Boards of Education. Its academic improvement and educational equity were cited by the organizations.

St. Louis American

Ferguson-Florissant

Superintendent Joseph Davis recalled the dark day that led him to his position while accepting an award that signals a bright future for the community and its schools.

The Ferguson-Florissant School Board received the 2023 Award for Urban School Excellence from the National School Boards Association Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE). Boards are reviewed on School Board Performance; Academic Improvement; Educational Equity; and Community Engagement.

“I applied for this job nine years ago because of what happened to Michael Brown,” said Davis, recalling Brown’s shooting death by a former Ferguson police officer on August 9, 2014 .

“Too many of our Black sons are dying and it is our responsibility as Black men to stand and take responsibility for what is happening with our children.”

Courtney Graves, Ferguson-Florissant School District board president, called the recognition “a testament to our unwavering commitment to ensure that every student receives an equitable education.”

unity and progress, ready to lead with renewed purpose and determination,” Graves said.

“Ensuring equitable social and academic opportunities to our most marginalized scholars, will positively impact the trajectory of their future endeavors and well-being.” Davis said the district’s accomplishments include the highest growth in mathematics in the St. Louis region on state assessments; a 93.6% four-year graduation rate, including a 94% four-year graduation rate for Black boys; 92% of incoming STEAM Academy ninth-graders scoring at proficient or advanced on the eighth-grade state math assessment; and STEAM Academy at McCluer South-Berkeley High School being named as one of the best high schools in America by U.S. News and World Report.

“Let me be clear that we are not there yet,” Davis said.

“We still have a lot of work to do. Our school board believes in building community and engaging our community and meeting them where they are and not where we think they ought to be. But let it be said today across America that the Ferguson story is being rewritten.”

Tools • Resources • Opportunities

“Together, we’ve overcome trials and tribulations, cultivated a culture of excellence, and secured our promise of a brighter future. This recognition is a reminder that when a community comes together, we can achieve greatness,” she said.

According to its mission statement, the 9,500-student school district focuses on data-driven decision-making and evidence-based practices and works toward measurable improvements in student achievement and narrowing opportunity gaps.

Graves said the district recently adopted a series of antiracist standards “to further educational equity for all students, especially

“The Ferguson-Florissant School District has made a transformational change, emerging from one of its darkest days with the killing of Michael Brown nearly 10 years ago,” said McCotter-Jacobs.

“Today, its future — and the future of the students it serves — is extremely bright, evidenced by tremendous gains in math, graduation rates, and college readiness.”

Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs, NSBA executive director and CEO, said the district “has made a transformational change, emerging from one of its darkest days with the killing of Michael Brown nearly 10 years ago.

“Today, its future — and the future of the students it serves — is extremely

Photo courtesy of Ferguson-Florissant School District

Over 35,000 people could claim part of $3.125M St. Ann settlement

St. Louis American

People jailed in St. Ann between August 9, 2011, and November 14, 2022, can claim part of a $3.125 million settlement of a case filed seven years ago.

After litigation in the debtors’ prison lawsuit, Thomas, et al. v. City of St. Ann, the federal court has approved settlement, which could be distributed amongst over 35,000 people who were jailed by St. Ann during the time.

The settlement also requires St. Ann to permanently forgive all fines, fees, costs, and surcharges arising out of Municipal Ordinance Violations that were assessed between August 1, 2011, and December 31, 2014 - estimated to be hundreds of thousands of dollars in total.

The federal lawsuit was filed by ArchCity Defenders (ACD) and Arnold & Porter on August 9, 2016, seeking damages on behalf of plaintiffs who alleged St. Ann routinely illegally jailed people without inquiring into their ability to pay and using such unconstitutional jailing, and the threat of future re-incarceration, to extract fines and fees.

According to ACD, It’s estimated that at least 12 neighboring towns used St. Ann’s jail to detain people who could not afford to purchase their freedom.

The settlement also

Case involved ‘debtors’ prison’ lawsuit

resolves jail conditions claims brought against St. Ann in a companion lawsuit, Walker, et al. v. City of St. Ann, that alleged the jail was overcrowded, that human waste often covered the walls and floors, and that the jail lacked sufficient hygiene products and facilities for detainees.

“It was the worst three weeks of my life,” said Donya Pierce, who was arrested and detained by St. Ann police in 2014 for municipal traffic and ordinance violation offenses without a bail hearing.

“To be away from my kids for so long – I cried almost every day. I got sick multiple times, and never got any doctors or nurses to check me out. To be treated so badly for traffic violations was insane to me.”

Following the preliminary approval, the settlement administrator will mail postcards to the individual class members. Impacted individuals will have a 120-day period, from October 31, 2023, to February 28, 2024, to file a claim in this case. Potential class members are encouraged to

visit stannclassaction. com to view the terms and, if eligible, file a claim for monetary compensation

Thomas is one of seven class action, debtors’ prison lawsuits ArchCity Defenders and co-counsel have filed against St. Louis municipalities since 2015, and the fourth to reach a settlement so far. In total, the settled lawsuits against Jennings, Normandy, Edmundson, Maplewood, and St. Ann have obtained over $12 million in damages.

Each city has seen a significant drop in municipal court revenue since the

filing of debtors’ prison lawsuits against them. In St. Ann, the change is particularly striking.

In 2015, St. Ann’s municipal court generated $3,104,239.70, according to Annual Judicial and Statistical Reports from the Missouri Office of State Courts Administrator (OSCA), more than one-third of the city’s annual general fund revenue. Since the lawsuit was filed in 2016, OSCA reports show St. Ann’s municipal court revenue decreased annually, down to $96,181.65 in 2022 (a 93% decrease from

n The settlement also requires St. Ann to permanently forgive all fines, fees, costs, and surcharges arising out of Municipal Ordinance Violations.

2015), which accounts for less than 1% of the St. Ann’s general fund revenue in 2022.

ArchCity Defenders remains active in protecting individuals’ rights in municipal court through individual representation and is exploring other opportunities for systemic litigation to address the criminalization of poverty as revenue generation.

“Even though debtor’s prisons might be disappearing, we have observed other St. Louis area municipalities retooling and recalibrating to find new ways of using municipal ordinance enforcement to generate revenue from their citizens,” said Nathaniel Carroll, ArchCity Defenders senior attorney.

The remaining debtors’ prison lawsuits allege similar claims against Florissant and Ferguson; both lawsuits have been granted class certification and a similar preliminary motion for class settlement has been filed in Florissant.

A federal judge has approved a $3.125 million settlement of a lawsuit that claimed St. Ann routinely illegally jailed people without inquiring into their ability to pay, and used the unconstitutional jailing, extract fines and fees.

2004 Mizzou Suggs Scholar Brittany

Smotherson has traveled the world

There’s no limit for this young educator

By Brittany Smotherson For The St. Louis American

As a kid, I spent a lot of summer at my grandparents’ houses. My summers primarily consisted of travel between Wells-Goodfellow and U. City. Sometimes, my Granny took her grandkids around the U.S. for family reunions. Although we had fun, the significance of the travel and event were lost on me then. I just saw it as more time with my cousins. As an adult, what I remember most about those trips was which cousins I goofed off with, mainly in the hotel (sorry Granny!). But, those trips familiarized me with travel and community-building fundamentals.

My first major relocation was from Missouri to Illinois. Here I learned that some kids my age did not spend their summers with their Granny, but rather traveling around Europe. Ten-year olds visited the Eiffel Tower, rode a gondola, and did things that I had never heard of before. I remember their excitement and my confusion. They didn’t jump off pillow towers (Granny, sorry) or make up songs and dances. All they did was see some big needle hat thingy and sit in a boat. I didn’t know anyone who had done that. Was that fun?

I carried that question with me back to Brittany Woods, through Kirby, Edwardsville, and Riverview. Then I learned about and received the

Dr. Donald M. Suggs Scholarship to attend Mizzou and it came with $6000 to study abroad. Now, I may not have understood why anyone would want to go to another country, but to a 17-year old, $6000 meant I was rich. And if the only way I could receive my inheritance was to leave the country, then it was time to go. But where? I searched for Englishspeaking countries and landed on England. There was so much about foreign travel that I did not know. It was a STEEP learning curve. But, while in London, I traveled to Paris, and I saw that big needle hat thingy and I had so much fun! And it turned out, I spoke enough French to go around Paris unassisted. Good thing, because that meant two students who did not get punched in the face by a taxi driver. In that moment, I learned it was important to learn about other countries and cultures before visiting, not just about tourist attractions. Over time, that belief evolved from understanding for safety, to understanding the need for respect and community. I was raised to respect everyone, but had not considered how respect may take different forms in different parts of the world. When I lived in Korea, we bowed. In Ghana, we ate with our right hand. In Belize, we did not rush. In the Emirates, we dressed modestly. I am still learning about the world, but I have found there is so much more to life and who we are than what we know

in our borders. Whether we venture from our city, state, or country, there is much more to learn about and share with others if we dare be brave enough to do so.

The biggest thing I have learned is the more unfamiliar the environment, the more familiar I became to myself. Almost 30 countries later, I have become an empathetic, calm, patient, critical thinker and compassionate advocate for humankind. Sometimes that weighs on me; current events are no exception. And sometimes I make a difference for someone seeking cultural familiarity and support. And sometimes that someone is me.

Even though I have come to love language

study, trying new foods, and speaking to people all over and learning more about their worldviews, one of my most cherished parts of travel are the ones that include my loved ones. I rarely travel alone. I travel with family and friends, often taking the lead on getting us together. My cousins and I are still letting our inner children goof off in hotels. But travel is not exclusively mine or for those who know me. I want to share what I have come to love with others so they can experience whatever their “big hat needle hat thingy” is.

These days, I am wrapping up my PhD and applying for faculty and/or administrator roles intertwined with international education so my career path better aligns with my newfound love and method of bringing people a little closer together—one passport stamp at a time. I specifically aspire to support Black peoples globally in studying abroad in Africa and African diasporas.

Who knows, maybe when I’m Dr. Smotherson there will be a $6000 study abroad scholarship somewhere with my name on it. And for the recipient, I hope it is the spark that ignites the flame for them as it did for me. (Thank you Dr. Suggs for your foresight!). And they say we don’t travel. Let’s keep proving them wrong. See y’all out there!

Brittany Smotherson’s travels:

2007 London, England (6 wks study abroad at Middlesex University, partly funded by the Suggs study abroad scholarship, first passport stamp!) Paris, France (partly funded by the Suggs study abroad scholarship)

2009 Ocho Rios, Jamaica Wando, South Korea (1 month teach-abroad through MU Asian Affairs Ctr – was quarantined as a group for 2 weeks for swine flu. We are known as “Swine ’09.”)

2011 Gunsan, South Korea (moved to teach elementary school students for 6 months) Uijeongbu, South Korea (moved to teach K-12 students at a private school for 1 year) Manila, Philippines Bangkok, Thailand HaNoi, Vietnam

2012 Wonju, South Korea (moved to be an adjunct foreign professor for 1 year) Okinawa, Japan Tokyo, Japan Phuket, Thailand Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Sentosa, Singapore

2013 Taipei, Taiwan Hong Kong, China Nassau, Bahamas

2014 Mexico City, Mexico

2015 Dubai, United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

2016 San Juan, Puerto Rico

2018 Madrid, Spain

2019 San Pedro, Belize Milan, Italy Zürich, Switzerland

2021 Accra, Ghana (to start to establish my dissertation research relationships— first solo trip—first trip to Africa—and COVID travel) Cape Coast, Ghana Kumasi, Ghana

2022 Accra, Ghana (moved to conduct study abroad dissertation research) Lisbon, Portugal (mom’s first passport stamp!) Ottawa, Canada Toronto, Canada Ontario, Canada 2023 Sogakope, Ghana Nairobi, Kenya São Tomé, São Tomé and Principe Lomé, Togo Cotonou, Benin Bogotá, Colombia

Vivian Gibson and Judith Pruitt were recently honored as Ageless Remarkable Saint Louisans at St. Andrews Charitable Foundation’s 19th annual gala. The gala is a special evening celebrating the achievements of individuals, 70 years and better, who are making a tremendous impact in St. Louis through philanthropy, volunteerism, and leadership. These inspiring individuals are proof that, at any age, you can make a big difference in your community and in the lives of others.

The Ageless Remarkable Saint Louisans Gala is the pri-

Vivian Gibson Judith Pruitt

mary fundraising event to provide vital services for low-income seniors in the St. Louis Metropolitan area. Other honorees awarded at the September 30th Gala are: James Burgess, Dr. J. William Campbell, Maxine Clark, The Rev. Dr. Warren E. Crews, Sister Marie Orf, Bruce Rubin, John E. Sanders, carol Weisman and Dr. Patricia Wolff.

Brittany Smotherson views a slave dungeon building in Cape Coast, Ghana.

Brittany Smotherson underwater in Manilla, Philippines

Smotherson makes a new friend in Nairobi, Kenya

Brittany Smotherson visited Stonehenge while studying abroad as a Suggs Scholar in 2007.

‘Taking Care of You’

Affinia Healthcare set to open North County location

Finds a home in Ferguson

Dr. Kristia Abernathy, a St. Louis native, will serve patients at Affinia

new

tion which opens November 2, 2023. She said the facility will help eliminate a healthcare desert.

By JoAnn Weaver St. Louis American

Affinia Healthcare will open a new location in Ferguson next month, and it will be led fully by Black female doctors.

Primary care services will include pediatrics, family medicine, OB/GYN, dental care, substance use disorder treatment services, behavioral health, WIC, lactation, and case management support.

The two-story, 15,000 square-foot center will have 19 exam rooms, six dental operatories, two draw rooms, a

lab, and a partial pharmacy.

The center will assist over 8,600 patients from Ferguson and neighboring communities annually, according to Chris Overmann, Affinia assistant vice president of operations and new business development.

“As with all Affinia Healthcare locations, we are there to provide a healthcare home to individuals and families who might not otherwise be able to afford and/or get to health care services,” he said.

Dr. Kristia Abernathy recently returned to St. Louis to care for patients at the Affinia Healthcare

location at 4414 N. Florissant Ave. She joined Affinia Healthcare in 2022 after completing her residency at Southern Illinois University Center for Family Medicine in Springfield, Ill., and will serve patients at the Ferguson location.

A 2011 Hazelwood East High School graduate, Abernathy earned her bachelor’s degree in biology with a pre-med designation from Xavier University in Louisiana. She returned to St. Louis to attend Saint Louis University before completing her res-

‘Strong Black Women’ and breast cancer

By Camike Jones

Breast cancer is responsible for killing Black women at a higher rate than it does other races. But why?

For far too long, Black women have borne the label of always being strong. In every situation –grief, loss, tragedy, trauma – Black women carry the burden of staying strong. At all costs. At all times. We must work twice as hard, be more prepared, take care of everyone (including strangers), and we can never let anyone down. Even in sickness, we are tasked with not complaining or becoming a burden on others. We must remain the “Strong Black Woman.”

“Arising from a history of enslavement, the concept involves suppressing emotions, always acting strong, taking care of others while neglecting care of oneself and declining others’ support,” reported a study by Tammie Denyse, aptly titled “No Complaining, No Crying,” published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine.

n Researchers found that Black women were expected to minimize their feelings and prioritize caring for other people even as they were facing a breast cancer diagnosis of their own.

Among the Black women participants in the study, the researchers found that Black women were expected to minimize their feelings and prioritize caring for other people even as they were facing a breast cancer diagnosis of their own. When they needed help the most, they were still asked to put other people first. A Strong Black Woman does not need to ask for help. She is there to serve others – even from her sick bed.

Black babies affected more by soaring syphilis rates

Cases doubled over five years

By Nada Hassanein Missouri Independent

Missouri and many other states are seeing an alarming surge in cases of congenital syphilis, a preventable infection that can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, newborn death — or lifelong complications such as blindness or deafness.

Congenital syphilis, which occurs when a pregnant mother infected with the sexually transmitted infection syphilis passes it on to her fetus, disproportionately affects Black and Indigenous babies. It has seen a steady rise over the past decade, and during the pandemic between 2020 and 2021, cases rose

n Congenital syphilis disproportionately affects Black and Indigenous babies.

32%, from 2,157 to 2,855, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That’s about eight times the 358 babies born with the infection in 2011. New syphilis cases more than doubled in Missouri from 2015 to 2021, according to the Missouri

See SYPHILIS, A17

Dr. Veronica Gillispie-Bell, an OB-GYN and medical director at New Orleans-based Ochsner Health, says men must take more responsibility in reducing the rising congenial syphilis rate throughout the U.S.

Healthcare’s

Ferguson loca-

Photo courtesy of Affinia Healthcare

See AFFINIA, A17

See JONES, A17

Photo courtesy of Ochsner Health

Camike Jones

‘Taking

Syphilis

Continued from A16

Department of Health and Human Services

The 259% increase is dramatic, but not surprising. State and local health departments were concerned in 2019 after they saw spikes year after year. The number of syphilis cases in St. Louis and St. Louis County decreased in 2020, but started climbing again in 2021, even as the reported number of other STDS held relatively steady. Between 2019 and 2022, the number of reported syphilis cases increased 42% in both the city and county.

Babies born to Black mothers had the highest number of overall cases, 885, or nearly 170 per 100,000 births, and those born to Hispanic or Latino mothers saw a rate of 96 per 100,000 births. There were 782 cases of babies with congenital syphilis born to white mothers, about 41 per 100,000 births.

While the CDC hasn’t yet released official figures for last year’s cases, a study on Mississippi released last week in the agency’s journal Emerging Infectious Diseases found a 1,000% surge in the state — from 10 cases in 2016 to 110 last year.

Experts say a confluence of factors are at play in the rise and the disparities, including poverty, stigma, a lack of access to prenatal care, drug use,

Affinia

Continued from A16

idency

“There’s a need for doctors and care, especially primary care physicians, in this area and we want to help eliminate these healthcare deserts,” Dr. Abernathy said on the Affinia website.

“This allows us to focus on prevention and early diagnoses. We hope to make a positive impact on our patients’ health and ensure they are happy, healthy, and thriving.”

Roslyn Harvey, assistant vice president, will manage the site. She was recently recognized during the 2023 St. Louis American Foundation Salute to Excellence in Healthcare.

Dr. Iesha Draper will also work at the location and believes the center will bring necessary resources to the community.

“I’m excited for the new facility because I think the community is overdue for a comprehensive health center, and I know we have other ones that are a little more

Jones

Continued from A16

This undue pressure mirrors the very nature of cancer itself. It is infectious. It creeps into every part of a person’s life. Putting oneself last, carrying every burden and everyone else’s burden takes a toll.

It is no wonder that Black women are dying at a higher rate from breast cancer. It is so much more challenging to recover when you do not allow yourself to rest and heal.

a need for more medical education and screenings, and a lack of funding for public health efforts.

Houston-based obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. Irene Stafford say clinicians and health professionals should screen everyone wherever they show up for care, whether they seem at risk or not, if they have the possibility of becoming pregnant or getting someone pregnant, she said.

“It’s screening at any opportunity, instead of siphoning it into just a prenatal visit,” said Stafford, an associate professor at UTHealth Houston McGovern Medical School. Texas had 680 cases in 2021.

“Not everybody has prenatal care,” she said. “Not everybody gets access to prenatal care quickly — especially the underserved minority population.”

A lack of access

Rural communities in the South and Western states have large populations of Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous people whose maternal health care has vanished as rural hospitals and clinics shutter. It’s well documented that people lacking a medical doctor or transportation may instead visit emergency rooms for care, so clinicians should increase testing there, Stafford said.

The pandemic disrupted testing and well-woman visits, but the nation hit a 20-year high in congenital syphilis cases in 2018, before the pandemic.

Stigma, social factors

Stigma, shame, fear of racism and judgment can hinder patients’ open communication with clinicians, says family nurse practitioner Natassia Williamson in Glendale, Arizona. The state saw the highest congenital syphilis rate in the nation in 2021, as well as a 449% syphilis increase among women since 2015, according to the state.

“I’ve had patients who, when they come to see me … [say], ‘I don’t want to

focused but having that access to care is going to be important,” Draper said. Draper said it’s important for children in the community to visit a doctor that looks like them.

Add to that the continued misconception that Black women’s pain is not recognized as the same and their concerns are not adequately addressed by medical professionals and one can see how the differences in outcomes remain. The American Cancer Society (ACS) reported that Black women had a 4% lower incidence rate of the disease, but a 40% higher death rate.

The health care system itself has a role in the stark differences in outcomes.

“We have been reporting this same

“Representation absolutely matters because you don’t know what’s possible until you know it’s possible,” Dr. Iesha Draper said.

According to Draper,

disparity year after year for a decade. The differences in death rates are not explained by Black women having more aggressive cancers. It is time for health systems to take a hard look at how they are caring differently for Black women,” said Rebecca Siegel, senior scientific director at ACS Cancer Surveillance.

In addition to the health care system, several other systemic factors contribute to the disparate outcomes.

“Black women in the U.S. are disproportionately affected by myriad health issues and disparities. What underlies all of

Missouri and many other states are seeing an alarming surge in cases of congenital syphilis, a preventable infection that can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, newborn death — or lifelong complications such as blindness or deafness.

see that provider because I think that they’re just mean,’ or they think they might be racist,” said Williamson, who has worked in tribal clinics.

Underscoring racial disparities in cases, syphilis is also a highly stigmatized disease with roots in medical violations toward Black people — notably, the federal Tuskegee syphilis study that withheld treatment from Black men for more than 40 years.

Williamson said providers need to be deliberate about cultivating trust. Research has also shown a higher risk of intimate partner violence at play.

“One of the main barriers is the trust in the system,” she said. “If they

tion, which makes it kind of a one stop shop makes it more likely that those in the community will get the resources when needed instead of having a patient or family travel for dental care and medical care, prenatal care elsewhere,” Draper said.

“Having to go to various places means it’s extra time off work and arranging so many different things to make [a doctor’s visit] work. I’m excited and I can’t wait to provide care in the area that’s near and dear to me,” Draper said.

According to Dr. Kendra Holmes, president and CEO of Affinia Healthcare, the center is an integral part of the healthcare providers strategy to eliminate health disparities in the Black community.

“[Affinia is] remaining in the neighborhoods and helping improve healthcare access in these underserved areas by seeing the need and responding in kind,” Overmann said.

confide in you that they have a background where they’re at risk, be compassionate, and just treat them how you would want someone to treat you if you were in that situation.”

Community health workers are also key to fighting the spread, Israel said. That includes disease intervention specialists who are trained to provide non-judgmental sexual health education.

Infections are disproportionately high in men who have sex with men, who — along with men who have sex with men and women — made up more than a third of the 53,000 cases of primaryand secondary-stage syphilis in 2021.

“We’re not tracking partners like we used to. There’s not that infrastructure,” said Dobbs, who added that STI testing is increasingly moving from public health clinics to private health clinics, limiting testing access for disadvantaged patients. Arizona spends less per capita on public health — $15 — than any other state. Dr. Veronica GillispieBell, an OB-GYN and medical director at New Orleans-based Ochsner Health and the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative, said men lack regular checkups for STDs. Unlike well-woman appointments, “Guys don’t have anything like that. They don’t have a ‘wellman’ exam that STD testing would be part of,” she said. “There isn’t a routine screening for men.”

YMCA, therefore creating a symbiotic relationship for everyone involved.” Overmann said bringing the healthcare facility to Ferguson involved teamwork by community members, partners, and stakeholders.

“This started with our tri-annual Community Needs Assessment process, whereby patients, community participants and staff provide input regarding unmet needs in our community, fostering a phenomenal partnership with the YMCA, to selecting the architectural and construction firms, to working within our health center to program the functions for the new site,” Overmann said.

“All of which would not have been possible without the support of leadership, the board and the community, and of course, nothing is ever as easy as you anticipate, especially during and post Covid-19.”

the location will improve access to care for the community because it will include different health services in one place.

“Just having the multiple disciplines in one loca-

them is the country’s long history of structural and systemic racism – the process within social, commercial and government systems that disadvantage Black Americans. They can be seen through inequities in socioeconomic status, segregated communities, and even how Black women’s pain and conditions are disbelieved and dismissed by the medical community,” as reported by Jenn Walton in Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health magazine.

Imagine having to stay strong in the face of so many obstacles.

“This partnership will not only support the community but be beneficial to the Affinia Healthcare employees and their families by the positive health programs provided by the

Imagine trying to figure out how to prioritize health when there seem to be countless other issues to resolve. Additionally, decades of conditioning have convinced Black women that their feelings, their voices and their perspectives do not matter.

No wonder Black women so often put themselves last. There are quite literally so many other problems to solve, and, when speaking about one’s individual problems, it seems like no one is listening.

To overcome these challenges, however, resilience is vital and

Planning and construction have spanned 16 months, and a groundbreaking was held August 10, 2022. The ribbon cutting for the grand opening will occur on November 2, 2023.

hope is necessary. So is asking for and accepting help. Creating a new meaning of the “Strong Black Woman” is a step toward a healthier life. In Denyse’s study, the participants came to redefine the “Strong Black Woman” as someone who is finally free to share her feelings and receive the help she needs. Going forward, vulnerability, emotional expression and selfadvocacy should be added to a new definition of strength.

Camike Jones is Indianapolis Recorder editor-in-chief

Roslyn Harvey, Affinia Healthcare vice president, will manage its new location in Ferguson, which will be led by Black female doctors. Harvey, who was a 2023 St. Louis American Foundation Salute to Excellence in Healthcare awardee, is a heart attack survivor and was featured in the 2020 Go Red for Women campaign.

Photo by Mena Darre Photography / Go Red for Women

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.

FAMILY SPOTLIGHT

Teachers, if you are using the St. Louis American’s NIE program and would like to nominate your class for a Classroom Spotlight, please email: nie@stlamerican.com.

SCIENCE CORNER

The Science of Sports Physical Therapy !

Have you ever heard of a sports physical therapist? They learn about the body and help athletes prevent, treat, and recover from injuries. Therapists also assist with enhancing athletes’ performance. They develop training programs and are able to alter routines to meet the individual needs of each person.

Sports physical therapists have to keep current with research and make sure their techniques are current and up to date. They have to communicate with athletes, coaches, and trainers to educate them. Preventing injuries and helping athletes recover

from injuries is an important job. Therapists must earn a college degree and pass an exam that shows they are ready

If you are patient, compassionate and interested in the science the human body, this may be a career for you. Sports physical therapists can work in schools, hospitals, research labs, home health care, spas, gyms, and even for professional sports teams. I can read nonfiction text for main idea and supporting details.

SCIENCE STARS

AFRICAN-AMERICAN ANATOMIST & PHYSIOLOGIST: Albert Crenshaw

On March 20, 1952, Albert Crenshaw was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended Chowan Junior College on a basketball scholarship, earning his associate’s degree in 1973. Four years later, he earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from West Virginia University. Crenshaw worked in an orthopedic research lab at the University of California in San Diego. In 1994, he traveled to Sweden as part of a laboratory exchange program. From there, he went to San Francisco to work at the NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field. After his career at NASA, Crenshaw was invited to return to Sweden as a graduate student. He earned a PhD in anatomy and physiology from the University of Umeå. He was the first African American in Sweden to earn a doctorate degree in medical science.

Background Information:

In this experiment, you will see the transfer of potential and kinetic energy.

Materials Needed:

• A Basketball or Soccer Ball (large and heavy) • A Tennis Ball or Inflatable Rubber Ball (small and light)

Procedure:

q Carefully put the tennis ball on top of the basketball, holding one hand under the basketball and one on top of the tennis ball.

w Let go of both the balls at exactly the same time and observe what happens.

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION MATH CONNECTION

Transfer of Energy: When you are holding the balls in the air, they have potential energy. As they are dropped into motion, the energy becomes kinetic energy. When the balls hit the ground and bump into each other, some of the kinetic energy in the basketball transfers to the tennis ball, sending it in motion.

Want More? Visit: http://www. sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects

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

After earning his PhD, he served as a research assistant and professor of physiology at the Swedish National Institute for Working Life in the Centre for Musculoskeletal Research.

Crenshaw has published several research articles for science journals and won a Certificate of Recognition from NASA. He is also a member of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Learning Standards: I can read a biography about a person who has made a contribution in the fields of science, technology, or mathematics.

Use the newspaper to complete these activities to sharpen your critical thinking skills.

Activity One — Main Idea: Select an article in the newspaper. After you read the article, state the main idea. Find three supporting details for the main idea.

DID YOU KNOW?

Activity Two — Measuring: Find 3 measurements in the paper. Convert the standard measurements to metric measurements and vice versa.

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can find the main idea and supporting details. I can convert measurements.

Beyond compare

Sweets Kitchen + Bar is sweet, savory

Dallas Holland, owner of Beyond Sweet kitchen + Bar, inside her restaurant opening in November newly relocated at 5143 Delmar Blvd. Along with desserts, Beyond Sweets offers gourmet shakes, savory dishes, and unique cocktails.

By Ashley Winters St. Louis American

Beyond Sweets Kitchen + Bar is new to the Delmar Maker District, but the 4,800-square-foot two-level eatery caters to the sweet tooth.

Along with desserts, Beyond Sweets offers gourmet shakes, innovative savory dishes, and unique cocktails.

Newly relocated at 5143 Delmar Blvd, the restaurant is gaining acclaim for the New Yorker, a 10-ounce strawberry cheesecake ice cream shake, topped with a slice of New York-style cheesecake covered in strawberry sauce, fresh strawberries, and whipped cream.

“Every chocoholic should try the Chocoholic,” said owner Dallas Holland.

“It has everything you could think of chocolate.”

The shake includes chocolate ice cream, chocolate donut, chocolate sprinkles, chocolate brownies, a Drumstick ice cream cone, and a piece of chocolate cake. The over-the-top ice cream dessert serves two and ranges between $12 to $15.

“It’s about the experience here at Beyond Sweets Kitchen + Bar,” said

Holland.

But nothing tops ‘The Party.’ It serves up to 12 people with 12 scoops of ice cream paired with lollipops and firework sparkles.

“It’s a celebration,” said Holland, who added that all her desserts are presented with fireworks sparkles.

Open from Thursday through Sunday, Beyond Sweets also features a DJ to keep the vibe going with pop hits, R&B, and jazz.

Sunday is brunch day, and Holland will bring in a live band for an enhanced entertainment experience.

Holland opened her first location in January of 2017 in the 5200 block of Delmar. She expected a nice turnout

See SWEETS, B2

Work in progress

By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American

A tailored suit is stylish, but a tailored career program can provide lasting dividends.

Pairing future employees with the skills they need for success as business needs shift is paramount for the St. Lous region as it attempts to fill hundreds of jobs in various sectors.

Stepping up to help is the University of Missouri-St. Louis through its new Advanced Workforce Center The center provides “accessible educational opportunities for all by delivering diverse pathways to degree attainment to meet workforce demands,” according to Reggie Hill, UMSL vice chancellor for strategic enrollment and career advancement.

“Nontraditional is traditional,” he said.

“We know that [about] 10% more students are choosing to go into the workforce than ever before, so the need for a tailored program has See UMSL, B2

PeoPle on the Move

The City of St. Louis Department of Personnel recently welcomed Carl Green as senior executive and leadership training specialist. His new role in the training and organizational development department encompasses providing leadership training and organizational development for the City of St. Louis staff. Green’s curriculum also includes individual and group coaching as an added value for cultivating a culture of growth and empowerment. Drawing from his experience as a member of the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team, Green is infused with a fresh perspective that aims to refine the existing skills of staff members and equip them to become future leaders.

Christina Donald named COO of Wyman

Pamela Greer Hibbler named president Wyman recently announced the promotion of Christina Donald to chief operating officer (COO). Donald has more than 25 years of experience, and is a national expert in positive youth development, partnership development, and nonprofit management. In more than 20 years with Wyman, Donald has held leadership positions across a variety of programs including after school, summer day camp, and the delivery of evidence-based teen programming. She also led a team that developed Wyman’s national training model, and has trained thousands of professionals nationwide in various programs and youth development approaches.

Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc.-St. Louis Chapter announced that Pamela Greer Hibbler has been elected as its new president to serve a two-year term. Greer Hibbler previously served as the vice president and advocacy chair of the United Nations Association of St. Louis. She is a 30-year member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., as well as a member of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., St. Clair County Chapter where she serves as chapter editor. She is an insurance business professional currently employed by Travelers Property Casualty Company.

Carl Green named senior exec

Promotion, board appointment, new hire, award... please submit your People on the Move item (including photo) to

Carl Green

Pamela Greer Hibbler

Wayne Shorter named COO

Wayne Shorter

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Photo courtesy of College of Ozarks

Christina Donald

UMSL

Continued from B1

become more and more necessary. We’ve always provided workforce training, but typically, it took four years. Now students can learn and earn at the same time.”

The center will provide a customized corporate partnership model where employers invest in employees through degree obtainment as well as through certifications and noncredit coursework.

For example, both BJC HealthCare and Compass Health are recruiting quality, trained social workers to help manage cases and assess, diagnose, and treat mental illness as well as substance use and addiction.

The providers both recently signed agreements with UMSL that allow eligible employees to pursue Master of Social Work degrees while receiving relevant academic support services to ensure student achievement and degree completion.

UMSL is working to finalize similar agreements with regional employers in other industries through the Advanced Workforce Center.

The university has also partnered with the Amazon Career Choice program which provides employees benefits that include full

college tuition, industry certifications designed to lead to in-demand jobs, and English language proficiency, high school diplomas and GEDs.

More recently, UMSL teamed with AllCampus, a higher education services provider that seeks ways to make obtaining a degree affordable, accessible and equitable. AllCampus will add 48 online degree programs from UMSL to its workplace platform, providing access to UMSL degree programs to more than 20 million working professionals from over 4,000 organizations.

“It will help us scale nationally,” Hill said.

“We’re not only looking to have an impact in the region; we’re looking to build an advanced workforce initiative of consequence that can have an impact around the nation.”

Barry Darnell, Advanced Workforce Center executive director, has devoted the last decade of his career to workforce development. He joined the UMSL staff in September after working at the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, a national nonprofit membership organization that works to improve education-to-career pathways for adult learners.

“I really liked working at that intersection where folks are looking to grow their careers and to

Barry Darnell, UMSL Advanced Workforce Center executive director, says it will help reduce the cost businesses pay to recruit and onboard new employees and then “get them up to speed” on the job.

Sweets

Continued from B1

because she had the support of her family and friends.

But to her surprise, “Everybody and their mama came to my grand opening,” said Holland.

“In the dead of winter, the line was wrapped around the building.”

But her success was short-lived. A month after opening, she was forced to close - not because she wasn’t doing great business. It was the opposite.

Other business owners in the plaza where the restaurant was located complained about the traffic problems the shop created.

Holland soon found another location in the 5900 block on Delmar that was three times larger. Again, patrons lined up and Holland was equipped to handle the popularity.

She also added a few items to her menu including funnel cakes, fried Twinkies, nachos, and hot dogs.

But Holland knew she wanted to expand beyond desserts and now she has Beyond Sweets Kitchen + Bar.

“I want to bring something to St. Louis we don’t have,” said Holland.

The grilled or fried Red Snapper can be paired with a choice of dirty rice, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, or mashed potatoes. Holland predicts the Grilled Cheese Smashburger will be a hit because of its buttered grilled buns, two cheesy beef patties, and accompanying truffle fries.

“It’s oozing with cheese,” said Holland. She calls her seafood pasta “like no other.” Salmon, crawfish, and jumbo shrimp are combined to create the dish.

The Slinger on brunch Sundays offers a bowl of smothered potatoes,

UMSL’s Computer Education and Training Center in West County has served the community for years, but Darnell is charged with helping the center “evolve beyond its current scope to offer more skilling, reskilling and noncredit courses beyond computer education.”

“The cost of tuition reimbursement is always going to be less than the cost of recruitment, of onboarding, of the time it takes to get people up to speed or of designing job descriptions, reorganizing teams and going through the selection process when there’s turnover,” he said.

“We want to be very strategic and create a real hub of learning to help make it so businesses don’t have to try to recruit from outside the metro area to fill in these more advanced positions because there are people in our community now who want to work at that level, who want to earn that money and want to do that job.”

scrambled eggs, bacon, and chili. Holland also has a vegan omelet made of vegan ‘eggs’ vegan ‘cheese,’ brussels sprouts, and asparagus. At Beyond Sweets Kitchen + Bar you can’t forget about the bar and its boozy ice cream for those who want to add a little something to their shake. The cookies and cream shake comes with Grand Marais.

As for champagne and margarita flights, “You can catch those here,” Holland said.

Beyond Sweets Kitchen +Bar also had a kid’s menu featuring menu items rainbow pasta, and popcorn chicken. And all kids get a free scoop of ice cream with their choice of toppings.

“I want to bring the wow factor,” said the owner. Ashley Winters is a Report for America reporter for the St. Louis American. develop their skills after the traditional age where people often come to college,” Darnell said. “We want them to have programs that are affordable, accessible, flexible, and have an impact on the local community. That’s really what stood out to me.”

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Sunday is brunch day, and Dallas Holland will bring in a live band for an enhanced entertainment experience.

Photo by Derik Holtmann / UMSL

n “I don’t know if they really love football. I just don’t know.”

InSIdE SportS

By Earl Austin Jr.

Napheesa Collier is selected to the All-WNBA First Team

St. Louisan Napheesa Collier was named to the All-WNBA First Team after a tremendous 2023 season for the Minnesota Lynx. It is her second time All-WNBA honor but is her first time being tabbed as a member of the First Team. She was named to the Second Team in 2020.

Collier is joined on the first team by league MVP Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty, A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces, Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun, and Satou Sabally of the Dallas Wings. A former prep AllAmerican at Incarnate Word Academy, Collier had her best season as a professional player after leading the Lynx to a berth in the WNBA playoffs. She averaged a career-high 24.7 points a game, which was fourth in the league. She also averaged 8.7 rebounds a game, which was seventh in the league and 1.6 steals, which was ninth.

– Tennessee State coach Eddie George low fan turnout for the third time in her career. The All-WNBA selection also adds to her list of postseason honors, which include being the Rookie of the Year in 2019.

Collier also averaged 11.7 points in the paint a game, which was second in the league.

In September, Collier became the first player in WNBA history to have consecutive games of at least 20 points, 15 rebounds. and three blocks in games against Atlanta and Phoenix.

Collier participated in the WNBA All-Star Game

yards on 26 carries and four touchdowns in the Red Devils’ 41-24 victory over Gateway STEM.

Collier is currently playing in Istanbul, Turkey for Fenerbache in the Euro League. In the two games that she’s played there, Collier is averaging 20 points and seven rebounds while shooting 66% from the field in a pair of victories.

Top individual performances for Week 8

• Running back Madden Irving of Chaminade rushed for 241

• Running back TyRyan Martin of East St. Louis rushed for 130 yards on 13 carries and two touchdowns in the Flyers’ 27-15 victory over Edwardsville.

• Wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan of CBC had five receptions for 107 yards and two touchdowns in the Cadets’ 42-3 victory over Warren Central (IN).

• Quarterback Ty Shelton of Timberland rushed for 170 yards on 15 carries and one touchdown

and passed for 123 yards and a touchdown.

• Running back Jabari Booth rushed for 119 yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns in the Statesmen’s 21-20 victory over Northwest Cedar Hill.

• The East St. Louis Flyers’ defensive unit had a total of nine quarterback sacks in their 27-15 victory over Edwardsville.

• Running back Ayden Smith of Fox rushed for 166 yards on seven carries and two touchdowns in the Warriors’ 35-16 victory over Parkway South.

• Quarterback Jackson Summerville of

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

In his St. Louis American online commentary this week, sports journalist Maurice Scott honored former East St. Louis High School and Washington University star Shelby Jordan.

Jordan was among America’s best collegiate football players as a linebacker for the Bears between 1969 and 1972. As Scott reported, Jordan was the team’s leading tackler for three consecutive years – and freshmen were ineligible for varsity participation during that era.

A team captain his senior year, Jordan was a Kodak All-American.

Napheesa Collier nets her first WNBA firstteam honor. The former Incarnate Word star led the Minnesota Lynx to a playoff berth this season.

• Running back Dylan Macon of John Burroughs rushed for 184 yards on 20 carries and four touchdowns in the Bombers’ 38-6 victory over Roosevelt.

• Running back Justin Jackson of Marquette rushed for 195 yards and three touchdowns in the Mustangs’ 44-0 victory over Hazelwood West.

What’s on tap for Week 9 (The final week of the regular season)

Friday, October 20

Cardinal Ritter at SLUH, 6 p.m.

Lutheran North at St. Mary’s, 6 p.m. University City at Ritenour, 6 p.m. Summit at Parkway West, 7 p.m.

Hazelwood Central passed for 168 yards and a touchdown in the Hawks’ 32-15 victory over Pattonville.

• James Bryant of Lutheran North had 12 tackles and six quarterback sacks in the Crusaders’ 62-0 victory over Lutheran-St. Charles.

• Running back Marlo James of Normandy rushed for 184 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown in the Vikings’ 38-8 victory over Affton.

• Elijah Stevens of Summit rushed for 219 yards and four touchdowns in the Falcons’ 47-6 victory over McCluer North.

East Side’s Maurice Scott always ‘On the Spot’

No Black journalist –heck, no journalist – has kept readers, listeners, and viewers more informed on the Metro East athletic scene than Scott.

Sure, East St. Louis High School gets much attention, and deservedly so. But Scott can recite the banner years and star players of yesteryear, including those who starred at nowclosed Lincoln and Assumption High Schools.

He knows the history and knows the importance of athletes, coaches, fans, cheerleaders, and boosters in East St. Louis and the predominately Black cities and towns that border it.

Lest you think he was at Wash U. only for football. Jordan earned a psychology degree at a school known more for its academic excellence than athletic achievement.

Scott called Jordan “an unsung hero,” in his column. While Scott is well recognized for his work over the last 30 years, he too is an unsung hero.

What makes Scott different from many of us that cover the St. Louis area sports scene is that he has remained active as a youth coach, umpire, and advisor. While we sit watching games in our homes, Scott is often leading boys and girls through practice and games.

Scott also coaches special needs athletes in sev-

eral sports and is a Special Olympics coach and supporter. When I returned to St. Louis in 1995, “On the Spot with Maurice Scott” was one of the most entertaining radio programs on 1600 AM Black Talk Radio.

He was later part of several shows, including the late Demetrious Johnson’s long-running radio broadcasts on several stations. When the St. Louis Rams showed up, he was often featured on KFNS-AM, KSDK

television and other media outlets.

American Sports Editor Earl Austin and Scott spend hours on sidelines, courtside, and at practices. I’m just a sports columnist. I sit around and pontificate. Their devotion to the craft of sports coverage far exceeds mine.

In his column, Scott reminded sports fan that Jordan was a seventh-round draft pick by the Houston Oilers in 1973. The New England Patriots would later sign him, and he spent six sea-

sons there. His next stop was Los Angeles where he played with the Raiders and helped the team win the Super Bowl over the Washington Redskins 38-9.

Jordan, who was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013, died in 2022. I would not have known that if not for Maurice Scott. What can I say? He’s on the spot.

Maurice Scott commentaries are at www.stlamerican.com/sports

The Reid Roundup

Deion Sanders threw his players under the team bus after Colorado blew a 29-point lead and lost to Stanford 46-43 in double overtime. He said players “aren’t ready for the moment,” among other criticisms. With the Buffaloes surrendering 35.9 points per game on defense, the eighthworst mark in FBS, Sanders should call out himself and defensive coordinator Charles Kelly too…Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr is the Heisman Trophy

Parkway Central at Parkway North, 7 p.m. O’Fallon at Cahokia, 7 p.m.

Francis Howell at Rock Bridge, 7 p.m. Timberland at Holt, 7 p.m.

Westminster at St. Dominic, 7 p.m. Marquette at Pattonville, 7 p.m. Ladue at Fox, 7 p.m.

Saturday, October 21

Hazelwood East at Riverview Gardens, 11 a.m.

Jennings at Normandy, noon McCluer at McCluer North, 1 p.m. Lift for Life at Priory, 1 p.m. Soldan vs. Vashon at Gateway STEM, 4 p.m.

frontrunner following his marvelous game against Oregon. Penix notched 302 passing yards and four touchdowns in his team’s 36-33 home win… Prized rookie Victor Wembanyama scored 23 points in 23 minutes to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 120-104 preseason victory over the Miami Heat last Friday. All of Miami’s starters skipped the trip because of vague injuries or ailments…Skylar DigginsSmith, a six-time WNBA All-Star for the Phoenix Mercury, said last week that she earned two of those All-Star appearances while pregnant. “I did it with both my kids and I led the league in minutes played both years,” she said on Amazon’s “The Shop.”…Flag football is now an official Olympic sport and will be introduced at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. My guess is the sport’s inclusion is bought and paid for by the National Football League. Of course, if break dancing is in, why not flag football?

Earl Austin Jr.

Alvin A. Reid

Shelby Jordan was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013.

Photo courtesy of Minnesota Lynx

Photo courtesy of the AP

LCRA acquires properties for development in North City

Last week, the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority of the City of St. Louis (LCRA) — a development board staffed by the St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) — closed on its acquisition of a building and 29 vacant parcels at 3940 Dr.

Martin Luther King Drive in St. Louis, Mo. SLDC plans to stabilize and transform the 150,000-squarefoot industrial building that is situated on 15 acres into a workforce training hub for manufacturing and other high-paying, in-demand jobs.

“We are so proud to

plant our flag in the heart of North City as an anchor along one of the corridors where our redevelopment and economic justice efforts are centered,” said SLDC President & CEO, Neal Richardson. “This is a long-term investment in the future of St. Louis, and we look forward to

opening our doors to the community in 2024.”

SLDC will work with partner agencies in the St. Louis region to ensure programming at the facility complements and leverages training efforts already underway in the area. It will be an extension of the

Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Center (AMIC) nearby, providing opportunities for entrepreneurs and startup businesses to make prototypes of their products and prepare to scale up production. The multi-sectional building is ideal for the

intended uses, since it has office, manufacturing and warehousing space, along with loading docks. The manufacturing component, which is essential for workforce training and business development, adds to the building’s appeal.

Shaq, Iverson now working for Reebok

Former NBA greats Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson are now working for sports equipment giant Reebok. O’Neal, who signed with Reebok as a player in 1992, is president of basketball and will focus on helping the brand with athletes and organizations. Iverson, who originally signed with Reebok in 1996 as a player, will serve as vice president of basketball.

According to Sports Illustrated, O’Neal stated “We will have a performance

product launch in 2024 and have an official consumer launch in 2025. I can remember when it comes to talking about the DNA of basketball roots; Reebok has always been in that conversation. We had a lot of great players: myself, Cam, Iverson. Business happened, and Adidas did what they did, and Authentic Brands purchased Reebok, and now we’re looking to get back into the space in a major way.”

Fortune 1000 company Advantage Solutions moves HQ to St. Louis

The St. Louis metro has added another Fortune 1000 headquarters, as Advantage Solutions — a leading provider of outsourced sales and marketing solutions to consumer goods companies and retailers — announced that it is moving its corporate HQ to St. Louis from Irvine, California.

“St. Louis is resurgent as we embrace a collaborative culture of

winning and building on our strengths,” said Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis, Inc. “We are proud to have supported Advantage Solutions — a Fortune 1,000 publicly-traded company with more than 70,000 employees worldwide — and are excited to welcome them in joining the dozens of other major global companies that call St. Louis home.” Leading Advantage

Solutions is CEO Dave Peacock, who has long been an active member of St. Louis’ civic-minded business community.

The former president and COO of Schnuck Markets, Inc. and president of AnheuserBusch, Peacock has been an active member and fundraiser for the Urban League of St. Louis who was instrumental in the effort that helped St. Louis get an MLS team.

“St. Louis is one of the great cities in the U.S., boasting top universities, a diverse talent pool, affordable living, and a central location that will foster more frequent, in-person connections with our teammates and our brand and retail clients,” said Peacock. “We’re excited to tap into St. Louis’ deep talent pool to fuel our purpose of connecting people with products and experiences

that enrich their lives.”

Advantage Solutions will use its new St. Louis headquarters — the relocation will take place in the first quarter of 2024 — as a collaboration hub to develop innovative new strategies for the world’s largest consumer goods companies and retailers.

The company’s new HQ will attract employees, customers, and clients from around the country

to St. Louis, boosting our metro’s economy and greatly benefitting our region.

Advantage Solutions will also be an active corporate citizen, with plans to invest in new programs aimed at benefitting the St. Louis community, centered on economic empowerment by creating equitable opportunities for diverse talent to lead and grow.

Photo courtesy Reebok

Living It

Tortured soul

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’ presentation of ‘Twisted Melodies’ starring and created by Kelvin Roston, Jr. continues through October 22 at COCA’s Catherine B. Berges Theatre.

Thread together your finest fashion for Salute to Excellence in Education on Nov. 4. Salute Style story coming in next week’s edition.

By Kenya Vaughn

The St. Louis American

In the opening scenes of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’ presentation of “Twisted Melodies,” Kelvin Roston, Jr. instantly stuns as he introduces his embodiment of fallen music star Donny Hathaway. While doing so, he also prompts a telling exchange between his character and the audience that clues them in on how the production will forever change their perspective regarding the struggles of living with mental illness.

Roston’s Hathaway is in the throes of rehearsing for what he is determined will be a redemptive recording session after suffering a mental break the day before. As he goes about his routine, he says something that the audience perceives as funny. They laugh. Then after realizing he is in the midst of yet another episode, there is uncomfortable silence. He carries on and follows up with something genuinely hilarious. They pause first, then laugh. At the very moment they get comfortable with the humorous lucid moment, they watch him experience another break from reality, prompted by his battle with schizophrenia – which forced him to take a lengthy pause at the height of his promising career. The St. Louis native was on pace to becoming an undisputed

soul music icon. But the world had to settle for what could have been due to the tragedy that comes as a result of Hathaway’s illness.

The Rep’s presentation of “Twisted Melodies,” which was also created by Roston, continues through October 22 COCA’s Catherine B. Berges Theatre. The production is directed by Associate Artistic Director Reggie D. White.

“Twisted Melodies” is breathtaking. Beside compelling the audience to operate

‘Twisted Melodies’ captivates, offers context to Donny Hathaway’s struggles

from a feeling of empathy with respect to Hathaway’s personal demons, the one-man show will leave the audience pondering about what was beyond the surface of his music.

Was the “I hear voices, I see people…I hear voices of many people” chorus of “Everything is Everything” Hathaway’s way of tuning those who listen in to his experiences with mental illness?

What about the cacophony of noises

that come together for the soundscape of his breakthrough hit “The Ghetto?” His haunting soulful tenor voice effortlessly blends with the baseline before the percussion begins. Then song is then layered with streetcorner talk, cars whizzing by and the cries of his baby daughter – future Grammy winning singer Lalah Hathaway – that coexist along with the music. Did he arrange and orchestrate the midtempo soul classic to give an idea of what it feels like to find the music while caught up in a whirlwind of thoughts and sounds?

Roston implies that Hathaway’s music is much more autobiographical than many assume. He uses the singer’s catalog to carry the viewer through a story that goes from his days as child prodigy gospel singer, his days at Vashon High School and Howard University and the unfulfilled destiny of his music career – and life.

The Rep gives “Twisted Melodies” a production value a grandness that is not always typical of a one-person performance. Set designer Tim Mackabee’s interpretation of Hathaway’s room at New York’s Essex House Hotel in 1979 is masterful and multidimensional. As the audience peeks deeper into the space he imagines, they see that no detail was spared. Lighting designer Xavier Pierce and Sound designer G Clausen forces the audience to follow

See Play, C8

SOSTL with SZA

St. Louis born music star felt at home for tour stop at Enterprise Center

By Kenya Vaughn The St. Louis American

Having the daughter of a Soldan graduate headline a sold-out Enterprise Center was a mind-blowing experience–even to the artist herself.

“Yo, I’m really in my second [expletive] home right now,” SZA told the crowd at the St. Louis stop of her S.O.S. tour Wednesday night right after she opened the show with “PSA.” She was born in St. Louis, though raised in New Jersey. She spent plenty of summers here. SZA’s mother Audrey Rowe brought her to town for visits with her mother Norma Rowe. Back then she was Solana Imani Rowe.

Remnants of little Solana could be found in the expression on her face and in the tone of her voice as she announced with joyful disbelief that she was about to take a deep dive into the performance on one of the region’s largest performance venues. It was clear that even though the Grammy Award winning music star has been on the world’s biggest stages, playing a St. Louis arena venue for the first time will stick with SZA for the rest of her life.

The last time she played St. Louis was in 2017. A pair of sold-out shows at the now closed Ready Room meant

by

Sexyy Red and SZA on stage during SZA’s sold-out STL stop of her S.O.S. Tour last Wednesday at Enterprise Center.

that a few thousand would catch her on her ascent as she toured in support of her debut album CTRL. Six years later, SZA is a Grammy Award-winning music superstar– and her tour left no room for doubt or debate with respect to her place at the very top of the popular music food chain.

Massive scale was the move for S.O.S. in St. Louis – and the entire run of the tour

‘DC’ Curry pitched himself into comedy career

40-year career going strong

By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American

Don “DC” Curry’s minor league baseball career had admittedly reached its last inning when he decided to give stand-up comedy a try.

“There would be open mic nights at places when I was playing ball. I would go in and just watch,” Curry said on Atlanta’s -TV.

“One night I went to a show, and they ran out of participants. They asked would anybody like to come up I thought ‘nobody knows me in here, what have I got to lose?’ That was more than 11,000 shows ago.”

Curry, whose 40-year career includes his roles as “Uncle Elroy” in “Next Friday” and “Friday After Next,” will bring his stand-up act to Helium Comedy Club Oct. 20-22.

n “A lot of comics aspire to be actors. I just wanted to be a comic. I never thought about money, I just wanted to offer my commentary.”

-

Don “D.C” Curry

A star on BET’s “Comic View,” HBO’s “Def Comedy Jam,” Adult Swim’s “Black Jesus,” and voice over work on “The Boondocks,” Curry calls his comedy club performances “a town meeting; a state of the union address.” Curry said he had fun playing baseball, but management of his independent league suggested “I do the comedy.” He also had another possible career as a contractor.

“My brothers and I had a company,” said the Chicago native. But I enjoyed being a comedian and one thing led to another,” he said.

“A lot of comics aspire to be actors. I just wanted to be a comic. I never thought about money, I just wanted to offer my commentary.” Material for his hilarious style of commentary used to be more difficult before the age of social media and outrageous public antics.

that shares the name of her latest album. She served up the set changes, stunning audio-visual elements, wardrobe variety, backup dancers, lighting elements and moving parts that allowed her to forge a closer connection with fans by way of a

“I remember when I would get up every morning and go buy five or six newspapers to find out what was going on. Back in the day you had to take what was going on and beef it up to make it funny,” he said.

“It’s not that difficult now because of social media. Now things are so ridiculous, you can take what’s going on and have to tone it down.”

See Curry, C8

Photo

Kenya Vaughn

Photo courtesy of facebook.com/DonDCCurryOfficial

Comedian Don “D.C.” Curry

Photo by Jon Gitchoff

CONCERTS AND LIVE SHOWS

6LACK (HipHop)

10/19/2023, 7:00 pm The Pageant 6161 Delmar Blvd St. Louis, MO

CeCe Winans

10/19/23, 7:00pm

Chaifetz Arena #1 South Compton Ave

St. Louis, MO

For Ticket: go to tickets-center.com/tickets/v/ Chaifetz-Arena

Please Note: This venue has a CLEAR BAG policy and is CASHLESS for concessions. Please visit www.chaifetzarena.com for more details.

Beyond FM Showcase #3

10/21/2023 7:30pm

Pop’s Concert Venue

300 Monsanto Ave Sauget, IL $8.00

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

10/21/2023 8:00pm

Pop’s Concert Venue

300 Monsanto Ave Sauget, IL

$40.00 - $99.99

Fusia Fest 2023 - Give the DJ their Flowers: Tribute to DJ Grandmaster Flowers

10/21/2023 4:00pm Off Broadway St Louis 3509 Lemp Ave St. Louis, MO

$75.00

Javier Mendoza & Hobo Cane

10/21/2023 7:30pm Kirkwood Performing Arts Center 210 E Monroe Ave

STL Sites & Sounds

Kirkwood, MO

$30.00 - $50.00

Master Blaster - A Tribute to Stevie Wonder

10/21/2023 7:00pm 10/21/2023 8:00pm The Pageant

6161 Delmar Blvd

St. Louis, MO

$0.00 - $25.00

The OVP KickbackLewis Place

10/21/2023 2:00pm Beckett Park 1200-1246 North Taylor Avenue St. Louis, MO Free

Raye: My 21st Century Blues World Tour

10/21/2023 8:00pm The Hawthorn 2231 Washington Avenue St. Louis, MO

$29.50 - $200.00

Weedie Braimah & The Hands of Time at The Lot A Djembist, Composer, Producer and Folklorist of the highest caliber, Braimah has an almost insatiable knack to draw entire audiences into his groove, zigzagging through Africa on a breathtaking rhythmic roller coaster. 10/21/2023 8:00pm Kranzberg Arts Center 501 North Grand Blvd St. Louis, MO

Marcus Lewis Live from The Dark Room 10/22/2023 9:00pm, The Dark Room 3610 Grandel Sq. St. Louis, MO $10 - $20

FAIRS, FESTIVALS

AND MARKETS

44th annual St. Louis

Storytelling Festival from October 18-28, 2023. Storytelling Festival events will take place at a variety of venues through the St. Louis region, including SLCL branch locations, the Missouri History Museum and the St. Louis Ethical Society. A complete schedule of events and more details are available at www.slcl.org/ storytelling All events are free and open to the public.

Celebrating 21 Years -

Third Friday 10/20/2023 6:00pm

Cash bar, live music, food vendors, and a hands-on glass art experience

Third Degree Glass Factory 5200 Delmar Boulevard St. Louis, MO

Fall Frolic

10/22/2023 2:00pm

Interactive activity stations that will explore fun information about local animals

Tower Grove Park 4257 Northeast Drive St. Louis, MO

THEATRE

Consuming Kinetics Dance Company present French Connection French Connection explores the life and artistry of Josephine Baker and gives a nod to St. Louis’s French foundings, featuring new choreography. 10/22/2023, 4pm and 8pm 10/23/2023, 4pm and 6 pm

Marcelle Theater 3310 Samuel Shepard Dr.

St. Louis, MO

TALKS & LECTURES

Inaugural Robert L. Williams Lecture - TBA at Wilson Hall 10/23/2023 4:00pm Washington University in St. Louis 1 Brookings Dr St. Louis, MO

St. Louis Speakers Series: Van Jones

10/24/2023 8:00pm

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra 718 N. Grand Blvd. St. Louis, MO

NIGHTLIFE

Trap Karaoke: St. Louis

10/20/2023 8:00pm 2231 Washington Ave St. Louis, MO

Rocky Maverick Horror Show III starring $tu 10/20/2023 8:00pm Pop’s Concert Venue 300 Monsanto Ave Sauget, IL $10.00

ART ACTIVITIES, EXHIBITS AND MUSEUMS

Everything Blue - a juried art event

10/20/2023 12:00pm Artwork by 13 resident artists, we offer a diverse collection of works, including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, and jewelry Soulard Art Gallery St. Louis, MO Free

See STL: Vietnam in St. Louis 10/19/2023, 1:00pm

Missouri History Museum 5700 Lindell Blvd St. Louis, MO Free

High Noon: Mind, Art, Experience: Chess and Art at the World Chess Hall of Fame 10/20/2023

High Low 3301 Washington Ave St. Louis, MO Free

Drums & Dances of Africa

10/24/2023 10:00am

10/25/2023 10:00am 10/26/2023 10:00am

Sheldon Concert Hall and Art Galleries 3648 Washington Blvd St. Louis, MO Free - $10.00

Family Sunday 10/22/2023 1:00pm Saint Louis Art Museum One Fine Arts Drive St. Louis, MO Free

Maui The Writer 10/20/2023 8:00pm City Winery St. Louis 3730 Foundry Way, Suite 158 St. Louis, MO $32.00 - $42.00 COMMUNITY

The Resale Shop announces 59th Couturier Shop all your favorite designer items for a fraction of the cost. The Resale Shop, a charitable project of NCJWSTL raises funds to support women, children & families in our community.

10/18/23-10/21/23 Thurs & Fri: 10am - 6pm Sat: 10am - 5pm NCJW The Resale Shop 295 N Lindbergh Blvd St. Louis, MO 314-692-8141

The Litte Bit Foundation Join the Journey Gala its signature event and largest fundraiser, has a vital role in continuing the organization’s work serving students across the St. Louis area. 10/20/23, 6:00pm Chase Park Plaza Hotel 212 N. Kingshighway Blvd. St. Louis, MO thelittlebitfoundation.org Price: $250.00 to $2,500.00

3rd Annual Domestic Violence Awareness Rally and March Powered by Diamond Dive Empowerment Foundation 10/21/23, register @ 9am, walk @ 10am In the Grove 1027 S. Vandeventer St. Louis, MO City Council Meeting 10/23/2023 6:30pm City Hall 6801 Delmar Blvd University City, MO City Council Meeting 10/24/2023 7:00pm Ferguson City Hall 110 Church Street Ferguson, MO Deaconess Foundation Refined Strategy & Funding Public Meeting

10/25/2023 9:00am St. Paul United Church of Christ 115 West B Street Belleville, IL Free

8-9am | Networking Coffee Hour 9am-12pm | Summit Program 12-1pm | Close Out and Resources

*snacks, drinks, and a light lunch will be provided to registered participants, as supplies last*

Youth & Young Adult Gospel Explosion packed with praise

By Ashley Winters

The St. Louis American

The 2nd Annual Youth & Young Adult Gospel Explosion on Sunday, October 15, 2023, at Westside Missionary Baptist Church in North County brought together young voices and dancers for an entertaining praise experience.

Event coordinator JoAnn Roberson brought youth gospel choirs from across the region to sing and worship the Lord, including choirs from Compton Hill Baptist Church, Cornerstone Institutional Baptist Church, and Galilee Baptist Church.

Worshipers sang along with Roberson’s youth choir the STL Youth & Young Adult Community Choir— the 40-member choir sang “Melodies From Heaven” and “Lord Do It For Me”.

The Williams Girlz from Columbus Georgia also graced the stage with their voices.

The local praise dance team Legendary Heat performed a spiritual interpretation through song and dance.

“The youth are coming together in a positive environment fellowshipping and having a great time,” said Roberson

“All I see is God doing bigger and better with this”

St. Louis American:

Why did you start the Youth & Young Adult Gospel

Explosion?

JoAnn Roberson:

When the churches opened back up after the COVID-19 pandemic, many youth never returned to church. I desired to do something that would positively inspire young people and get them to come back to church, so I created the STL Youth and Young Adult Community Choir.

St. Louis American:

This is your 2nd Annual youth gospel concert, what was last year’s event like, and what made it so special?

JoAnn Roberson:

Last year’s event was phenomenal! It was held at Compton Hill Baptist Church on Lasalle on the south side. We had a total of 35 youth and young adults from churches all over the St. Louis region join in to sing in the choir.

St. Louis American:

From your perspective, why is a youth gospel concert important to the young people in the St. Louis community?

JoAnn Roberson: Music, social media, and gaming have a great influence over the lives of our young people today. It is my calling to give them inspiring songs to sing and to get them to socialize more with other kids their age. To help get them off the game and other electronic devices for a while– to be involved in positive activities in a safe and positive environment.

Jekalyn Carr release is Oct. 20

Jekalyn Carr’s album

“Jekalyn” is set for release on oct. 20, 2023, and it includes the Billboard Gospel National Airplay #1 single, “I Believe God.”

Carr says the album “is full of inspiration, faith filled messages, encouragement, empowerment with each lyric bringing excite-

ment, freedom, and restoration into the listeners atmosphere. The self-titled album marks Carr’s first-full release in four years. Carr is nominated for a 54th GMA Dove Award for Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year with her collaboration “New Day” (Word Entertainment) with Blanca. She starred in Universal Pictures’ ”Praise This, as “KiKi,” earning rave reviews for providing comic relief as her portrayal as the ghetto-fabulous

•

choir member.

Carr continues to expand her brand with offerings under her newly established Jekalyn Beauty collection. She also hosts a midday show on Radio One’s Atlanta affiliate Praise 102.5, the “Jekalyn Carr Family Affair Show” which airs 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Ashley Winters is a Report for America reporter for the St. Louis American.

Photo by Ashley Winters | St. Louis American

The St. Louis Youth & Young Adult Gospel Choir and a youth praise dancer perform at 2nd Annual STL Youth & Young Adult Gospel Explosion on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023.

SLDC IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) is eagerly seeking candidates to join our team as we endeavor to bring economic justice to St. Louis City residents and communities that were disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

There are multiple 2-4-year limited term positions available, term of employment will vary for each position.

These positions will assist in the administration and implementation of various Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) Programs targeted for households, small businesses and communities adversely impacted by the pandemic.

All positions will be funded in whole or in part through an allocation of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) from the US Department of the Treasury and the City of St. Louis’ Community Development Administration.

To see the full job description of positions available and to apply online go to: http://www.stlouis-mo.gov/sldc/ and click on “Careers at SLDC.” SLDC is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity.

PROJECT MANAGER II

Non-profit seeks applications for FT position for grant funded Healthy Home Repair Program. (This is not a remote position.)

• Project Manager II: Knowledgeable in rehab construction for a major home repair program. State of MO Lead-based paint Risk Assessor license or demonstrated ability to secure the license and EPA Renovate Right certificate w/ in 90 days of hire. Detail oriented and proficient in reading & writing scope of works & creating plans w/AutoCad. Computer literacy required in Outlook, Word, and Excel. Comfortable climbing ladders and inspecting City of St. Louis homes in all weather conditions, skilled in customer service & handling calls. Minimum 5 years construction project management and/or consistent carpentry work experience. Valid driver’s license, reliable, insured, licensed vehicle required.

Submit cover letter & resume to information@ hhrp.missionstl.org by 11/03/2023. Mission

St. Louis is an EOE. The position(s) may be financed (in part) or (wholly) through an allocation of Community Development Block Grant funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the City of St. Louis Community Development Administration.

JANITORIAL - HIRING

FIREMEDIC

Pattonville Fire Protection District is accepting applications for a FIREMEDIC position. Must meet minimum qualification, please see website www.pattonvillefd.com for details. Applications can be picked up at the Fire District Administration Building; 13900 St. Charles Rock Road, Bridgeton, Missouri, 63044; from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., October 13th, 2023 through October 27th, 2023.

GREAT RIVERS GREENWAY IS INTERESTED IN HIRING ONE OR MORE FIRMS OR INDIVIDUALS TO ASSIST THEM WITH:

• marketing • public relations

photography

video production • graphic design

• and/or digital content

Go to https:// greatriversgreenway. org/jobs-bids/ and submit by November 9, 2023.

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

The James S. McDonnell foundation is hiring a Director of Communications with the following experience:

• 4 year college degree or equivalent in communications, marketing, or related discipline

• 5-7 years equivalent and related experience. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://www.jsmf.org/job1

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS

Kirkwood School District is hiring EC Educators for 23/24 and beyond. Pay starts at $19.52/hour. For more information and to apply, please visit www.kirkwoodschools.org/ jobs

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT AND CAMP RANGER

Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri is now recruiting for two full-time positions: Executive Assistant to the CEO and Camp Ranger. For more info and to apply, visit www.girlscoutsem.org.

We are a proud Equal Opportunity Employer, and we encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

MAINTENANCE WORKER

The City of Maplewood is seeking a qualified person for the position of maintenance worker. The position is responsible for maintaining streets, parks, sewers, swimming pool, and city buildings. Must be available for occasional evening and weekend work. The city offers a comparative salary and benefits package. Starting salary is negotiable based on qualifications and experience. For an application please go to www.cityofmaplewood. com or contact the Public Works Department at (314) 645-3600. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

LOAN PROCESSORPROJECT MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR

Non-profit seeks applications for FT positions for grant funded Healthy Home Repair Program. (This is not a remote position.)

• Project Manager Coordinator-Loan Processor: Knowledgeable of HUD & SLFRF guidelines, verifies data, creates files, scans large documents. Computer literacy required in Outlook, Word, and Excel. Process invoices, track & report data, skilled in customer service & handling calls, mailing correspondence. Minimum 2 years work experience.

Valid driver’s license, reliable, insured, licensed vehicle required.

Submit cover letter & resume to information@ hhrp.missionstl.org by 11/03/2023. Mission

St. Louis is an EOE. The position(s) may be financed (in part) or (wholly) through an allocation of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) from the United States Department of the Treasury and the City of St. Louis Community Development Administration.

VISITING AND ADJUNCT FACULTY

Webster University’s Walker School of Business & Technology is hiring Visiting and Adjunct Faculty in IT Management. Benefit from a 9-month extended contract for full-time roles or 9-week courses for adjunct positions.

A master’s degree and 5+ years of IT experience preferred. Apply now: (https://recruiting.adp.com/srccar/public/RTI. home?c=1180715&d=ExternalCareerSite&r=5000855786606#/

LETTING #8764

CONCRETE & BRICK REMOVAL/ REPLACEMENT AND COMPLETE SIDEWALK REPLACEMENT; PROJECT NO. SP-118

Electronic bids submitted through the Bid Express Online Portal will be received by the Board of Public Service until 1:45 PM, CT, on November 14, 2023, then publicly opened and read. Proposals must be submitted electronically using “Bid Express Online Portal” at https://www.bidexpress.com/businesses/20618/home. Plans and Specifications may be examined on the Bid Express Online Portal as well and may be downloaded for free.

The bidder must pay $40 to submit a bid through the Bid Express service. Monthly subscriptions are available.

A mandatory pre-bid conference for all contractors bidding on this project will be held October 24, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. The pre-bid conference will be held in Room 325 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103.

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).

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

St. Louis Community College will receive separate sealed bids for Contract F23 302F Bid Package 5 Furniture, New Construction of Health & Technology Building at Wildwood Campus for STLCC Transformed, until 4:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, November 2nd, 2023. Bids are due to Kwame Building Group by email or hand delivered to the Kwame Building Group office located on 1204 Washington Ave, Ste. 200, St. Louis, MO 63103. Drawings, Specifications and bid forms and other related contract information are attached to the RFP, named “BP-5 FF&E”.

Electronic bid sets are also available in Bonfire at https://stlcc.bonfirehub.com and may be printed by the plan holders.

Questions regarding the scope of work should be directed to the Project Manager (KWAME BUILDING GROUP), Nour Tanoura, ntanoura@kwamebuildinggroup. com.

This project is supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number SLFRP4542 awarded to State of Missouri by the U.S. Department of the Treasury The College has the proposed minority goals MBE 15% and WBE 12%.

Individuals with special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act may contact: 314-984-7673

SOLICITING BID

Reinhardt Construction LLC is Soliciting Bids from MBE/ WBE/DBE/Veteran/SDVE for the following:

CP232091 – 3806

Buttonwood MUHC Physical Therapy Clinic Buildout

Contact: Mike Murray ; mikem@ reinhardtconstructionllc.com

Phone: 573-682-5505

WAITING LIST

WOODLAND TOWERS APARTMENTS

306 PINE LAKE ROAD COLLINSVILLE, IL, 6223

Seniors 62 and older

Apply now for an affordable 1-bedroom unit. Stop by the office or Call: (618) 345-7240 for an application Applications may be returned in person, by mail or by e-mail. Monday-Friday 8-5 Managed by Related Management Company

LETTING #8763

RENOVATIONS TO MARQUETTE PARK MAINTENANCE BUILDING ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

Electronically sealed bids will be received by the Board of Public Service through the Bid Express Online Portal at https://www. bidexpress.com/businesses/20618/home?agency=true. Proposals must be submitted before 1:45 PM, St. Louis Time, on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. The proposals will then be publicly opened and read.

The bidder must pay $40 to submit a bid through the Bid Express service. Monthly subscriptions are available.

Plans, Specifications, and the Agreement may be examined online through Bid Express at https://www.bidexpress.com/ businesses/20618/home?agency=true and may be downloaded for free.

An optional pre-bid conference for all contractors bidding on this project will be held at the existing Maintenance Building at Marquette Park located at 3100 Osage, St. Louis, MO 63118 on October 24, 2023 at 10:00 AM. All bidders are strongly encouraged to attend the pre-bid meeting.

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

The right of the Board of Public Service to reject any or all bids is expressly reserved.

URBAN LEAGUE OF METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS RFP DELLWOOD SENIOR HOUSING PROJECT

ISSUE DATE: OCTOBER 19, 2023

SUBMISSION DATE: NOVEMBER 3, 2023

Complete details for each opportunity listed below, including Scope of Services, Submission Process, Form of Submission, Selection Process, Supplemental Instructions, Attachments, and Submission Deadlines can be found at www.ulstl.com.

Issue Date and Submission Date for all opportunities are the same. For clarification on any aspect of this RFP you are invited to direct inquiries, in writing only, by mail or facsimile or e-mail to: Gardner Capital 8000 Maryland, Suite 1300 Clayton, MO 63105 cpritchard@gardnercapital.com

FURNISHINGS for the Urban League – Dellwood Senior Housing Project

Furnishings: Design and provide adequate furnishings for an overall inviting environment for the apartments and the community center. This includes all common areas including corridors, offices, community computer space. This includes furniture, tables, desks, worksurfaces, wall art, chairs, etc.

REMOVAL OF AUTOZONE SIGN for the Urban League – Dellwood Senior Housing Project

Removal of AutoZone Sign: Provide all labor, equipment, and tools to remove the previous property sign and footing minimum 1’ below grade. Contractor to provide dumpsters or trucks for haul away as desired. Contractor must take all precautions to not damage newly installed asphalt, concrete curb and sidewalk. Any damage to these areas or landscape plantings is to be returned to its original state.

RETAINING WALL for the Urban League – Dellwood Senior Housing Project

Design and Build retaining wall on South and North edges of the property as needed to minimize runoff and erosion. Contractor to include all design fees, materials, labor, equipment and permit fees needed to complete the job as well as any landscaping or re-seeding needed.

SECURITY for the Urban League – Dellwood Senior Housing Project

Design & Build fully operational security camera system including the cabling, parts, and smarts to the building for a system that allows for great coverage on the parking lot, front of building, building entry points and common areas. The system must allow onsite staff viewing on a 2nd computer at all times with a 30+ day storage capacity. Contractor is to include any staff training required. Contractor to include any electrical for the system that is not already installed, any patch or repair associated with this work, as well as all permits required. *An alternate is requested to include a single camera located in the hallway of 2nd and 3rd floor.

STAIRWELL PAINT AND STEEL COVERAGE -- Dellwood Senior Housing Project

Stairwell paint and steel coverage: Price to prep and paint all unfinished block and steel in the 2 building stairwells with color to be chosen at a later date. This includes the walls, structural steel, etc. *Please include 2 alternates: 1) Paint the stair treads, risers, landings & floor (stringers, rail, etc. should be part of the original bid). 2) Fur out walls that show incorrectly placed and exposed embed plates with hat channel & drywall. Include taping, caulking and painting as required.

STRIP LIGHTING -- Dellwood Senior Housing Project

Strip Lighting: Add accent strip lighting at the top of 2 faces of the building where the parapet height increases. Similar example photo and marked up elevation drawing included for reference. Contractor to include all necessary permitting, electrical wiring to electrical, lighting, all mounting hardware, lifts for access, etc.

WASHERS AND DRYERS -- Dellwood Senior Housing Project

Furnish, unload, and completely install washers and dryers for all 44 units based on document included. Bid to include risers for 5 ADA units. Package to include all necessary cords, hoses, vents, etc. Equivalent alternates will be considered. *Please note there are no vents for the dryers.

WiFi Installation-- Dellwood Senior Housing Project

WIFI: Provide adequate WIFI coverage to all common areas throughout the building.

FURNISH & INSTALLATION OF AV EQUIPMENT--Dellwood Senior Housing Project

Provide audio visual appropriate for the size and space based on site visit and included marked up floor plan. Contractor to provide necessary electrical required that is not in place at this time. Common area requires 2 televisions with camera capabilities to host meetings needing visibility. Additionally, there is to be speakers throughout the common area to allow music, announcements, meetings, etc. to be broadcast throughout. Contractor to include any permitting required. *An alternate should be provided to include speakers in the corridors for each level with the ability to zone each area as needed.

COMPUTERS AND PRINTERS -- Dellwood Senior Housing Project

Computers & Printers: 6 desktop computers and monitors. 1 small business type floor standing printer, scanner, copier. 2 small business type countertop printers, scanner, copier. Supply all cords and cabling for each computer and printer. *Add alternate to be included for up to 2 additional computers. Please provide cost per additional unit.

CONCRETE PLANTERS -- Dellwood Senior Housing Project

Concrete Planters: This is a proposal to furnish and install approximately 8 planters and 8 bollards based similar to the attached photos. Install the planters to the exterior of the building and the bollards in front of the planters for security and safety measures. Please provide information on the planter being provided including a photo, material, overall dimensions, etc.

ELECTRICAL WORK FOR BUILDING SIGN -- Dellwood Senior Housing

AV Equipment: Provide dedicated circuit for building sign from electrical room to front face of building as high as possible on the first floor. Power requirements assumed to be 20amp/

St. LouiS american Bids & Public Notices St. LouiS

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

PARIC Corporation is requesting proposals for the following workpackages on Missouri University of Science and Technology’s new Protoplex Research Facility located in Rolla, Missouri. The scope of work we are seeking proposals for include Early Release Mechanical Equipment, precast and metal panels packages, glazing/curtain wall package and roofing packages. You can find additional design guidelines on UM system website here: https:// www.umsystem.edu/ums/fa/facilities/guidelines/ (Click on Section 3 Design Guidelines and then click on Division Guidelines hyperlink). If you have questions or would like further information on this project, please contact Chris Lucas (clucas@paric.com) at 636-561-9794.

Construction is slated to start October 2023 and be substantially complete by June 18, 2025.

Bids are due 11-10-23 at 10:00am

PreBid meeting will be held on 10-23-23 at 10:00am

The project is tax exempt, and has MBE and WBE goals according to the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 11.4% Minority participation and 6.9% Female participation in each trade. Structural Steel will be subject to the Build America, Buy America Act.

The Project will be subject to prevailing wages per Missouri Division of Labor Standards Annual Wage Order for Phelps County.

All bids should be delivered to Paric via e-mail (bids@paric.com) or fax (636-561-9501).

PARIC CORPORATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

St. Louis Community College will receive separate sealed bids for Contract F23 302G Bid Package 5 Equipment, New Construction of Health & Technology Building at Wildwood Campus for STLCC Transformed, until 4:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, November 2nd, 2023. Bids are due to Kwame Building Group by email or hand delivered to the Kwame Building Group office located on 1204 Washington Ave, Ste. 200, St. Louis, MO 63103. Drawings, Specifications and bid forms and other related contract information are attached to the RFP, named “BP-5 FF&E”.

Electronic bid sets are also available in Bonfire at https://stlcc.bonfirehub.com and may be printed by the plan holders.

Questions regarding the scope of work should be directed to the Project Manager (KWAME BUILDING GROUP), Nour Tanoura, ntanoura@kwamebuildinggroup. com.

This project is supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number SLFRP4542 awarded to State of Missouri by the U.S. Department of the Treasury

The College has the proposed minority goals MBE 15% and WBE 12%.

Individuals with special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act may contact: 314-984-7673

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

BID DATE EXTENDED TO OCTOBER 26, 2023

Paric Corporation is seeking proposals for the following project: Operation Food Search Interior Renovation and Building Addition. The scope of work includes but is not limited to demo, concrete, site work, casework, drywall and finishes, kitchen equipment, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection. This project has a diversity participation goal of 10% MBE and 10% combined WBE, DBE, Veteran Owned Business and 3% SDVE.

Bids for this project are due on October 26 at 3:00 p.m. For any questions or would like to find out more detailed information on this opportunity, please contact Matt Davis at 636-561-9531 or msdavis@paric.com.

All bids should be delivered to Paric via e-mail (bids@paric.com) or fax (636-561-9501).

PARIC CORPORATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

UMSL – CAMPUS NETWORK UPGRADES

Color Art Construction, a general contractor is seeking competitive bids for Campus Network Upgrades project at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. The main project objective is to provide a fiber optic redundancy to the existing campus network infrastructure. This entails a new 144-stand fiber optic cable routed from the existing fiber rack in SSB building (level 1 Telecom 140) to existing rack in Benton Hall in B223. Routing shall consist of armored fiber cable in j-hook pathways and existing cable tray inside the buildings and trenching below grade along West drive between the buildings to include minor sidewalk repair and some directional boring. Trenching will include a series of handholes and total approximately 1200ft in length. In Benton Hall, new power provisions will be provided to include a new feeder/breaker from an existing distribution panel to serve a new house panel in B223 and UPS with new panel to serve both house and UPS powered rack mounted receptacles. Only project alternate is to replace the existing lighting in B223 with new LED lighting.

A pre-bid walk is scheduled for Tuesday, October 24th at 9:00am. We will meet at the Social Sciences and Business Building IT Room 140 on campus. Bids should be emailed to Color Art Construction no later than Wednesday, November 8th by 12pm. Please email your bid or any questions to bidrequestsCAC@color-art.com

REQUEST FOR BIDS UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI

– ST. LOUIS

THOMAS JEFFERSON & MERCANTILE LIBRARY

Interface Construction Corporation is seeking Subcontractor/Supplier bid proposals for UMSL Project Number SC008238, Thomas Jefferson & Mercantile Library. The project consists of extensive interior renovations and an additional new entrance canopy. Bids for this work are due to Interface Construction by 9:00 A.M. on October 19, 2023. For further information or to receive an electronic version of the bidding documents please contact Mr. Doug Schneider of Interface at 314/522-1011 or email (preferred) at dougs@interfacestl.com

There is a Supplier Diversity Participation goal of: ( 25% MBE) ; (10% WBE,DBE and Veteran) ; (3% SDVE for this project)

BID SOLICITATION

Keeley Construction Group, 500 S Ewing Ave, Suite G, St. Louis, MO 63103, 314-421-5933, is seeking qualified minority and female-owned businesses for the Buckley Road Bridges project located in St. Louis County for subcontracting opportunities in the following areas: The removal of an existing bridge and pedestrian bridge and replacement with a reinforced concrete box culvert as well as new pavement on Buckley Road along with sidewalk replacement and new curb ramps with truncated domes along with other incidental items. All interested and qualified minority and female-owned Businesses should contact, IN WRITING, (certified letter, return receipt requested), Emily Dewees edewees@keeleyconstruction. com to discuss the subcontracting opportunities. All negotiations must be completed prior to bid opening 10/25/2023 at 2:00 PM.

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

RFP #: LU______

TITLE: Cooperative Extension Security Fence Issue Date: October 16, 2023

Lincoln University is requesting proposals to demolish approximately 400 linear feet of existing chain link fence and replace with 8 ft Commercial 3-Rail Style Ornamental fence. Work includes two 16 ft. swing gates at front and back of buildings. Full details and the scope of this request can be found at: https://www.lincolnu.edu/ about-lincoln/vicepresident-of-administration-andfinance/facilities-and-planning. html

Submissions must be delivered by 2:00 PM, October 27, 2023, at:

Office of Facilities and Planning 820 Chestnut St. Young Hall 309 Jefferson City, MO 65101

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for the Buckley Road Bridges No. 528 & 528-P project, St. Louis County Project No. CR-1772 will be received electronically thru the County’s Vendor Self Service portal at https://stlouiscountymovendors.munisselfservice.com/Venclors/default.aspx, until 2:00 PM on October 25, 2023.

Plans and specifications will be available on September 25, 2023 from the St. Louis County Web Site (www.stlouiscountymo.gov) or by contacting Cross Rhodes Print & Technologies, 2731 South Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63118 (314) 678-0087.

DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ST. LOUIS,

MAKE TRACKS THROUGH THE ZOO RACE PARTNER RFP 2023

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified firms to submit proposals for Make Tracks Through the Zoo Race Partner RFP 2023. Bid documents are available as of 10/18/23 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor

City, Washer Dryer HookSection 8 Accepted Steve 314-780-9263

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for the Castle Point Improvements project, St. Louis County Project No. CR-1847 will be received electronically thru the County’s Vendor Self Service portal at https:// stlouiscountymovendors. munisselfservice.com/Vendors/ default.aspx, until 2:00 PM on November 15, 2023

Plans and specifications will be available on October 16, 2023 from the St. Louis County Web Site (www.stlouiscountymo.gov) or by contacting Cross Rhodes Print & Technologies, 2731 South Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63118 (314) 678-0087.

DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ST. LOUIS, COUNTY

SEALED BIDS

Bids for RE-BID Replace Sewer Lines and Infrastructure, Ozark Correctional Center, Project No. C1907-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 11/16/23. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Rebuild Cooling Tower, Building 7, Project No. C2303-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, November 2, 2023

For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

that he expected a call from Wallace for that line.

“Mooney said I was too nice. Witherspoon called comedy “psychological humorous warfare.’”

Curry says Black comedy greats including Richard Pryor, Paul Mooney, John Witherspoon, and Reynaldo Ray, and George Wallace helped him with advice during his career.

“I guess George is the only one still alive. He’s about 150 or 160,” Curry said with laugh, adding

Curry said he never worried about hecklers from the audience or critics because “I never took myself that seriously.”

As for his longtime success on the stage and screen, Curry has an explanation.

“I guess God has a sense of humor,” he said.

Don “DC” Curry will be performing at Helium Comedy Club at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Friday Oct. 20; 6 and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21; and 7 p.m. Sunday Oct. 22. Tickets are available at www.st louis.heliumcomedy.com. This show is 18+. There is a 2 item per person minimum in the showroom. Tickets will be available for pick up at the box office 45 minutes prior to the show.

Hathaway into the depths of his illness with their sensory interpretations. Throughout the course of Twisted Melodies, Roston does not take the set or visual and auditory elements that aid in the storytelling. He uses every available corner of the massive stage and leans into the moments that rely on the aid of lights and sound.

Roston handles the relentless demands of the show – to play, to sing, to detach from reality, become emotionally reflective and repeat – on a level that is just beyond words. He doesn’t make the mistake of attempting to mimic the tone of Hathaway’s voice, but uses his own as fitting tribute. He tells the story with grace, but does so without sacrificing the truth of Hathaway’s reality. Watching Roston – who is also a St. Louis native – pay tribute to Hathaway as a musician and a man

through his own gifts as a writer and performer is a testament to the caliber of talent that is found within the region.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’ presentation of Twisted Melodies continues through October 22 at The Catherine B. Berges Theatre at COCA, 6880 Washington Avenue. For tickets and/or additional information, call (314) 968-4925 visit www.repstl. org.

club banger featuring Travis Scott.

simulated boat ride. With respect to performance and ambience, SZA holds her own against any of the major arena tours currently underway around the world.

Most surprising – and impressive – was SZA dance skills. When she played the Ready Room in 2017, the stage didn’t allow for much dancing outside of the whimsical freeform movement of SZA’s swaying to the vibe of her music. But the S.O.S. Tour gave her the opportunity to showcase her ability to pull off elaborate choreography and stay in sync with background dancers – particularly with “Seek and Destroy” and “Low” – the

The two-hour performance showcased the multiple layers of SZA as a songwriter and as a performer. She gave musical theater, risqué cabaret, haunting ballads and her signature “sad girl” midtempo bops. And while at times she was true to form in her lack of annunciation for those who might not know every lyric to her songs, the show was engaging from start to finish.

But what had fans buzzing most was the surprise appearance of rising STL rap star Sexyy Red. SZA yielded the stage for a solo performance of “Pound Town” and “SkeeYee.’ Then the two gave the audience a live performance of their Drake collaboration “Rich Baby Daddy.”

So St. Louis was the

wave of the evening for S.O.S. in St. Louis –which could have been temporarily renamed S.O.S.T.L.

SZA gave St. Louis audiences another special treat by way of an encore. She paid tribute to Norma Rowe – who passed away just a couple of years after her CTRL tour stop in STL – with a performance of “20 Something.” She asked the audience to sing along, and fought back emotions while she watched home video of Norma Rowe as it played in the background.

“Lately I’ve only been coming here for funerals, so the thought of St. Louis had been making me sad,” SZA told the crowd as she prepared to bid them farewell. “But tonight is now my favorite St. Louis memory.”

Photo by Jon Gitchoff

Kelvin Roston, Jr. thrills as soul music legend Donny Hathaway in the one-man show ‘Twisted Melodies’ presented by The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.

Five weight loss tips for busy parents

(StatePoint) For parents, juggling the demands of work and home life can no doubt take a toll on physical health. In fact, a Cornell University study of 50 working moms and dads found that more than half turned to unhealthy eating options – pizza, chocolate and fast food, because they were too busy to start a new healthy eating plan.

With the weather changing and kids back in school, there is no better time to focus on your health. Here are five tips to fall back into a healthier routine and conquer your weight loss goals:

Eat enough protein. Protein is the key to feeling full and satisfied, especially when you’re trying to lose a few pounds. That’s why finding a high-protein plan like Nutrisystem is so important. Nutrisystem is easy to follow, and offers a variety of protein-rich meals and snacks that taste great and are made in minutes – a great choice for the busy mom or dad on the go.

With up to 30 grams of protein, Nutrisystem’s Hearty Inspirations meals will control your appetite for up to five hours. With menu items like Sesame Beef & Broccoli and Bourbon-Style Chicken, you’re going to enjoy what you’re eating and lose weight.

Get moving with fun, 15-minute workouts. As a busy parent, finding time to exercise may not be top of mind. Committing to just 15 minutes daily will do wonders for your health and help you stay on track with your weight loss goals. Look for new and exciting workouts to try, such as Pilates, dance and boxing, so that you don’t get tired of doing the same exercises.

You can also get the family involved. Go on an evening walk together or take all the boredom out of exercise and have a dance competition!

Stock your fridge with healthy, seasonal options. Fall is the perfect time to enjoy in-season fruits and vegetables. During the cooler months, you’ll find mouth-watering produce like apples,

squash, salad greens, broccoli and Brussels sprouts that will satisfy your tastebuds. If you like trying new things, consider beets. Low in calories and high in fiber, vitamin C and potassium, beets make a great vegetable to add to your grocery list.

Nutrisystem plans allow you to add a variety of fruits and vegetables to your day, and offer hundreds of recipes, including some seasonal favorites, on its lifestyle blog, The Leaf.

Plan your menu for the week. You’re busy, so opt for easy, convenient options. That’s where planning your weekly menu using healthy and simple ingredients

comes in. Make sure to include variety so you don’t risk getting bored. If you find yourself saying, “I had this last week. I don’t feel like having that again,” you may find yourself ordering takeout. Another option is to look for a service that will deliver nutritionally-balanced, portion-controlled meals to your door. Nutrisystem offers easy to prepare options that you can be confident will not only taste good, but help you lose weight.

Prioritize yourself. Being a busy parent can be exciting, but it could also mean having difficulty prioritizing yourself. Write yourself encouraging daily reminders and hang them around your

home and workplace. Set aside time to read a book before bed. Do yoga for 15 minutes in your living room to unwind. Finding something new you love – be it meditation, crafting or listening to a podcast – can motivate you to stay committed to yourself.

Utilizing these simple tips will help you balance your busy work and home life and guide you on your successful weight loss journey. If you slip up, don’t harp on your mistake instead, forgive yourself and start again.

For more great weight loss tips, healthy recipes and more, check out https://leaf.nutrisystem.com.

Are you a medicare rookie? Pros can help you find the right plan

(StatePoint) Roughly 4.4 million Americans will reach the age of 65 in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. While age is just a number in some respects, this particular birthday marks the time when Americans become eligible for the federal Medicare health insurance program. And if you’ll be hitting this milestone soon, you’re in good company, as athlete, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Earvin “Magic” Johnson will be doing the same.

“I’ve been a rookie a few times in my life, but this time, I’m new to Medicare,” says Johnson.

Medicare is the government health insurance program for Americans 65 and older, and those under 65 with certain disabilities, providing hospital coverage (Part A) and physician visits (Part B) to those who qualify. During this year’s Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), which takes place between Oct. 15-Dec. 7, 2023, rookies and pros alike can hone their health insurance selection game plan with a little coaching. That’s why Magic Johnson got these tips from Cigna Healthcare, which serves millions of Medicare customers nationwide:

1. Don’t delay. Medicare has a seven-month window around your 65th birthday called the Initial Enrollment Period. Enrolling outside this window could result in higher premiums on Medicare Part B for the rest of your life. However, if you’re still working, you may be able to keep your current plan, depending on the size of your company, and switch to Medicare without penalty when you retire. If you’re not working and you’ve already filed for Social Security, you’ll be automatically enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B when you turn 65.

2. Know what’s covered. Medicare Parts A and B are sometimes called Original Medicare and cover hospital and physician expenses. To cover things like dental, vision, hearing and pharmacy, you may opt for a Medicare Advantage plan (also known as Part C), which covers everything that Medicare does and provides additional benefits, including,

in many cases, prescription drugs (also known as Part D). Assessing your budget, health needs, doctor preferences and lifestyle will be important in making the best choice for you.

3. Read the fine print. Before signing up for a particular plan, make sure that your favorite health care providers are in its network. While you may be able to go out of network for care, be prepared to pay more if you do. You’ll also want to factor in all the associated costs of a given plan, including monthly premiums, co-pays and deductibles, as well as the prices and rules around the prescription

drugs you take.

4. Get help. Turn to resources and platforms that can help ensure you understand the plan you’re enrolling in. Call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800633-4227) 24/7. TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048. Or, visit the Medicare Plan Finder website at Medicare.gov/ plan-compare. For local assistance, refer to the State Health Insurance Assistance Program at www.shiptacenter.org. You can also contact individual Medicare plans, including Cigna at CignaMedicareInformation.com.

5. Use your benefits. For optimal health, make full use of your plan’s benefits. In particular, be sure to get the wellness checks and preventive screenings needed for your age and health status. If your plan offers extra perks, such as fitness or nutrition programs, take advantage of them.

“If you find out that the plan you signed up for last year is not the right fit, lean into the experts about what works best for you and make changes during AEP to set yourself up for a winning year,” says Johnson.

How to limit indoor air pollution in your home

(StatePoint) On average, Americans spend 90% of their time indoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, making indoor air quality critical to the health of families. The level of some pollutants in indoor environments can be two to five times higher than outdoor concentrations.

Through the new Healthy and Efficient Homes campaign, the American Lung Association is raising awareness of common sources of indoor air pollutants -- including gas-, propane-, oil- and wood-burning appliances -- and promoting practical short- and long-term solutions to address the associated health risks.

The Problem

In addition to cleaning products, mold, moisture and pests, the household appliances you use on a daily basis can impact indoor air quality. According to a comprehensive review of existing research, the American Lung Association has found that using appliances that burn methane (also known as “natural”) gas, wood, propane and heating oil can release harmful pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, benzene and carbon monoxide in homes, while also contributing to outdoor air pollution and climate change. The review also found that the pollutants from these appliances increase the risk of breathing problems, asthma attacks, respiratory infections and other health harms, especially in children and older adults.

“Using these appliances can sometimes worsen asthma symptoms, cause wheezing and result in reduced lung function in children,” says Katherine Pruitt, national senior director of policy for the American Lung Association.

Solutions

If you rely on combustion appliances for heating, hot water or cooking, there are some immediate steps you can take to reduce your risk from exposure to harmful pollutants:

• Make sure your gas appliances are in proper working order.

• Install carbon monoxide monitors.

• Avoid unnecessary wood burning in your home.

• Use ventilation, either a range hood that vents to the outside or an open window or both, when cooking on a gas stove.

• For homes that rely on wood burning for heat or cooking, an air cleaning device that uses HEPA filtration can pro-

vide some protection from the soot and smoke.

As Pruitt notes, gas was once considered the cleaner, more appealing choice of fuel for heating and cooking, but now, healthier and more efficient appliances are available in the United States, such as heat pumps and induction stoves. Efficiency standards are helping make appliances cleaner, while local, state and federal incentive programs exist to provide rebates and other financial incentives to those who choose to install modern electric appliances.

“The goal is not to force anyone to make the switch. It’s to make doing so easier and more affordable for those who choose to,” says Pruitt.

Clean air is essential for healthy lungs. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to improve the air you and your family breathe at home.

To learn more and get involved, visit Lung.org/Healthy-Efficient-Homes. For additional information about how to improve your indoor air quality, visit Lung.org/Clean-Air.

(Family Features) All aspects of health are important, but heart health is a crucial component of overall well-being. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among Americans but it doesn’t need to be – lifestyle choices play a key role in heart health and it’s never too soon to adopt healthful habits.

From exercising and getting proper sleep to healthy eating – including heart-friendly snacks like grapes – consider these simple steps.

Eat right

Adopting a balanced and nutritious diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats can impact heart health. One way you may lower your risk for heart disease is by As an easy, convenient, heart-healthy food, grapes are a perfect ingredient for a heart-friendly eating plan that includes recipes like Grape, Broccoli and Avocado Salad with Toasty Oat Topping. Savory broccoli slaw pairs with the delicate sweetness of crisp, juicy Grapes from California while the toasted oat topping provides a crunchy finish.

Grapes are low in sodium and a good source of vitamin K, which promotes heart health, and contain 7% of the daily recommended intake of potassium, a nutrient critical to heart health. Grapes are a natural source of beneficial antioxidants and other polyphenols and help maintain healthy circulation by promoting the relaxation of blood vessels.

In fact, according to a study published in the “Journal of Nutrition,” men with metabolic syndrome who consumed 1 1/2 cups of grapes every day showed reduced blood pressure, improved blood vessel function and a decrease in a key marker of inflammation.

Women who consumed 1 1/4 cups of grapes every day as part of a separate study published in the “Journal of Nutrition” benefited from reduced

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Three steps toward a healthier heart

blood triglyceride levels, LDL cholesterol levels, inflammatory proteins and other markers of heart disease.

Get quality sleep

Sleep is also critical for a healthy heart. Most experts recommend 7-9 hours of sleep per night for adults. To help achieve that goal, create a bedtime routine by waking up and going to sleep at consistent times. Also ensure a comfortable sleep space by turning off electronics and setting the thermostat to a cozy temperature.

Exercise

A regular exercise routine can have a positive impact on many areas of health. It can be especially beneficial for heart health by lowering blood pressure, reducing inflammation and aiding in maintaining a healthy weight. At least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity is recommended by the American Heart Association. Fuel your workout and recovery with heart-healthy and hydrating foods such as grapes.

Grape, broccoli and avocado salad with toasty oat topping

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Servings: 6

Toasted Oat Topping:

• 1/2 tablespoon butter

• 1/3 cup sliced almonds, coarsely chopped

• 3 tablespoons steel-cut oats

• 1/8 teaspoon seasoned salt

• 1/4 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning

Dressing:

• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/3 cup quartered red or green Grapes from California

• 1/4 cup wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

• freshly ground pepper, to taste

Salad:

• 1 bag (12 ounces) broccoli slaw

• 2 cups lightly packed torn curly kale

• 1 1/2 cups halved Grapes from California

• 1/2 cup minced red onion

• 1/3 cup chopped dried figs

• freshly ground pepper, to taste

• 1 large, firm but ripe avocado, diced

1. To make toasted oat topping: In medium skillet over medium-low heat, cook butter, almonds, oats, salt and Italian herb seasoning about 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring frequently.

2. To make dressing: In small blender, puree olive oil, grapes, wine vinegar, honey, sea salt and pepper, to taste, until smooth.

3. To make salad: In large bowl, mix broccoli slaw, kale, grapes, red onion and figs; season with pepper, to taste, and drizzle with dressing; toss well to coat. Add avocado and toss lightly. Transfer to six serving plates or bowls and sprinkle with toasted oat topping.

Nutritional information per serving: 320 calories; 5 g protein; 29 g carbohydrates; 22 g fat (62% calories from fat); 3.5 g saturated fat (10% calories from saturated fat); 5 mg cholesterol; 160 mg sodium; 7 g fiber.

Simple ways to begin your morning

(Family Features) Ready, set, go. Just as you would set off at the starting line of a race, this hectic pace is how mornings begin for many men and women. Instead of waking with dread to face another hectic morning, consider these tips for a healthier way to ease into your daily rituals. While these activities may require you to allow extra time, you may be pleased with the productive results.

Meditate. A practice that has been around for thousands of years may still be one of the best stress busters for hurried mornings. To start, find a place in your home that is free of noise and distraction. Practice sitting still, with eyes closed, and focus only on your breathing. Using deep, controlled breaths, try to steer your thoughts away from negative and stress-inducing thoughts.

n While the most health-conscious person may opt for a morning sweat-athon, working in some stretches can also be beneficial.

Stretch. While the most health-conscious person may opt for a morning sweat-a-thon, working in some stretches can also be beneficial. When you awake, think about oft-used muscles and extend each one for 15-30 seconds. Activate. Give your brain some fuel in the morning while also doing something nice for your mind. For example, journaling is a gentle way to ease into your morning and get your brain firing. If you can’t think of a topic, simply write down a few affirmations for the day, revisit a pleasant memory from your past or scribble down a goal for the week. Journaling can be an uplifting way to engage the mind and express gratitude for the day ahead.

Find more tips for starting your day on the right foot at eLivingToday.com.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

The importance of mental wellness for a healthy heart and brain

Research shows anxiety, stress and depression can have a negative impact on physical health and may even increase the risk for heart disease and stroke.

In fact, the American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health, identified a strong interconnection between the mind, heart and body in its scientific statement, “Psychological Health, Well-Being and the Mind-HeartBody Connection.”

“Research has clearly demonstrated negative psychological factors, personality traits and mental health disorders can negatively impact cardiovascular health,” said volunteer chair of the statement writing committee Glenn N. Levine, M.D., FAHA, master clinician and professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and chief of the cardiology section at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center. “The body’s biological reaction to stress, anxiety and other types of poor mental health can manifest physically through an irregular heart rate or rhythm, increased blood pressure and inflammation throughout the body. Negative psychological health is also associated with health behaviors that are linked to an increased risk for heart disease and stroke, such as smoking, lower levels of physical activity, unhealthy diet, being overweight and not taking medications as prescribed.”

Studies have found some people, including people of color, may face a greater risk of poor health outcomes due to chronic stress, depression and anxiety linked to psychosocial stressors, particularly those related to social and economic inequality, discrimination, systemic racism and other societal factors. A study published in the “Journal of the American Heart Association” found U.S. adults who reported feeling highly discriminated against at work had an increased risk of developing high blood pressure compared to those who reported low discrimination at work.

“Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social well-being,” Levine said. “It affects how we think, feel and act. It also helps determine how

we handle stress, relate to others and make choices. Practicing mindfulness in all forms allows one to be more aware of and have more control over emotional responses to the experiences of daily life.”

Consider these tips from Levine to improve your mind-heart-body connection:

• Practice meditation regularly. Even simple actions such as communing with nature or sitting quietly and focusing on your breath can have a positive impact.

• Get plenty of good, restful sleep. Set a regular bedtime, turn off or dim electronics as bedtime approaches and form a wakeup routine.

• Make connections and stay in

touch. Reach out and connect regularly with family and friends, or engage in activities to meet new people.

• Practice mindful movement. There are many types of gentle mindful practices like yoga and Tai chi that can be done about anywhere with no special equipment to help ease your soul and muscles.

• Spend time with your furry friend. Companion animals are often beloved members of the family and research shows pets may help reduce physiological reactions to stress as well as support improved physical activity.

• Work it out. Regular physical activity – a recommended 150 minutes

of moderate activity, 75 minutes of vigorous activity or a mix of both weekly – can help relieve tension, anxiety and depression, and give you an immediate exercise “high.”

“Wellness is more than simply the absence of disease,” Levine said. “It is an active process directed toward a healthier, happier and more fulfilling life. When we strive to reduce negative aspects of psychological health, we are promoting an overall positive and healthy state of being.”

Learn more about the importance of heart health at heart.org.

(Family Features)

Photo courtesy Getty Images

Five healthy habits to help reduce stress

(Family Features) Between work, family obligations and a constantly changing world, people in the United States are stressed. In fact, U.S. workers are among the most stressed in the world, according to a State of the Global Workplace study. While some stress is unavoidable and can be good for you, constant or chronic stress can have real consequences for your mental and physical health.

Chronic stress can increase your lifetime risk of heart disease and stroke. It can also lead to unhealthy habits like overeating, physical inactivity and smoking while also increasing risk factors, including high blood pressure, depression and anxiety. However, a scientific statement from the American Heart Association shows reducing stress and cultivating a positive mindset can improve health and well-being.

To help people understand the connection between stress and physical health, the American Heart Association offers these science-backed insights to help reduce chronic stress.

Stay Active

Exercise is one of the easiest ways to keep your body healthy and release stress. Physical activity is linked to lower risk of diseases, stronger bones and muscles, improved mental health and cognitive function and lower risk of depression. It can also help increase energy and improve quality of sleep. The American Heart Association recommends adults get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity, 75 minutes of vigorous activity or a combination.

Meditate

Incorporate meditation and mindfulness practices into your day to give yourself a few minutes to create some distance from daily stress. Some studies show meditation can reduce blood pressure, improve sleep, support the immune system and increase your ability to process information.

Practice Positivity

A positive mindset can improve over-

all health. Studies show a positive mindset can help you live longer, and happy individuals tend to sleep better, exercise more, eat better and not smoke. Practice positive self-talk to help you stay calm. Instead of saying, “everything is going wrong,” re-frame the situation and remind yourself “I can handle this if I take it one step at a time.”

Show Gratitude

Gratitude – or thankfulness – is a powerful tool that can reduce levels of depression and anxiety and improve sleep. Start by simply writing down three things you’re grateful for each day.

Find a Furry Friend

Having a pet may help you get more fit; lower stress, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar; and boost overall happiness and well-being. When you see, touch, hear or talk to companion animals, you may feel a sense of goodwill, joy, nurturing and happiness. At the same time, stress hormones are suppressed. Dog ownership is also associated with a lower risk of depression, according to research published by the American Heart Association.

Find more stress-management tips at Heart.org/stress

Stress 101

• Today, 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. report being worried or depressed.

• Higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol are linked to increased risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular events like heart disease and stroke.

• The top sources of stress are money, work, family responsibilities and health concerns.

• Work-related stress is associated with a 40% increased risk of cardiovascular disease like heart attack and stroke.

Take charge of your health

Screen early for preventable and treatable cancers

Your life matters.

Do it for your family.

You are more important than you know.

These are important messages being delivered across Missouri and Illinois, including in North County, to get more people screened early for cancer. Many cancers, including prostate, breast, lung and colon cancer, are highly treatable –even preventable – with early screening.

BJC HealthCare and Siteman Cancer Center, based at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, are partners in promoting early screenings, especially in areas that have higher death rates due to cancer. This includes free screenings in North County, where prostate and breast cancer are particularly burdensome.

“We’re looking at the areas where we see the highest rates of cancer,” said Rick Stevens, president of Christian Hospital and Northwest HealthCare, part of BJC HealthCare. “Our focus is on living our mission and improving lives in the communities we serve.”

Dr. Lannis Hall, associate professor of clinical radiation oncology at Washington University and director of radiation oncology at Siteman Cancer Center – St. Peters, said the message is clear: “Screening saves lives.”

“We say it all the time because it actually works,” said Hall, who also serves as the director of diversity and inclusion in clinical research at Siteman.

High risks, low screenings

Research reveals significantly higher mortality rates for prostate and breast cancers for African American men and women than for the population as a whole. With many types of cancer there is confusion about screenings, Hall said — including about when to start getting screened and why.

“Most cancers, like breast, prostate and colon cancer, have an earlier age of onset for African American men and women,” she said.

Some cancers, including prostate

cancer, have few or no early signs or symptoms. However, a simple blood test can help determine if additional steps are needed to diagnose early-stage disease. Data shows that in the last 30 years, cancer screenings and the resulting treatments have greatly decreased mortality rates — but there are still many men who are not getting screened at all, including for prostate cancer.

“We have made excellent treatment advances that have led to men having over 95% survival rates if detected early,” Hall said. “But we can’t offer those treatments if the diagnosis isn’t made.”

Meanwhile, breast cancer mortality rates have dropped by 40% over the last 25 years, which is great news for all women. However, African American women still have a 40% higher mortality rate. Even with early detection and treatment improvements, breast cancer mortality rates in areas like North County remain higher than the national average. According to Hall, although breast cancer screening rates have improved, African

American women are still diagnosed with more advanced disease. They may also be unaware that they are at a higher risk of developing an aggressive breast cancer at an earlier age.

“Knowing your risk, whether it’s average or high, is essential,” she said. “That means getting informed about your family history, then talking to your doctor about that history and deciding on the best time to begin screenings.”

The same is true for colon cancer, which has some of the best screening tools available for diagnosis and prevention. With lung cancer, it’s especially important for people with a history as a past or current smoker to be screened.

Partnerships are key

Education is critical, Hall and Stevens said – and engaging with community members at churches, health fairs and elsewhere is key.

“I’ve seen people who’ve had screenings and been saved,” Stevens said.

“We’ll continue partnering with other organizations to get the message across.”

Part of that education is also learning about your own family history.

“It’s important to understand the health challenges in your family, and then discuss your family history with your physician,” Hall said. “Ultimately, you are in charge of your care, and your outcome depends on how diligent you are with offering essential information and asking questions at your doctor’s visit.”

“You are the CEO of your amazing body,” she said.

Take control of your health. If you are 40 and older and have not had a mammogram, join us at our Mammo-thon event on November 5th at Northwest HealthCare, 1225 Graham Rd., Florissant, MO 63031. Appointments are available between 7 a.m.-4 p.m.

To schedule a mammography at the event, or for a screening test for prostate, colon or lung cancer, call 314-747-3046 or 800-600-3606 toll-free.

Grants help St. Louis kids learn to flip and fly at city rec centers

By Rachel Lippmann St. Louis Public Radio

Kids in some St. Louis neighborhoods are getting the chance to learn circus skills, thanks to a partnership among local foundations, the city parks department and Circus Harmony.

The social circus first hosted classes at the Tandy Recreation Center in the city’s The Ville neighborhood as part of a project exploring art and architecture in city parks. Over the summer, they expanded to weeklong camps at seven centers, including Tandy.

Now, with funding from the Missouri Arts Council, the classes are held every

week at Tandy and four other centers, with the goal of eventually resuming classes at all seven.

“Most of the programs at rec centers are competitive sports,” said Jessica Hentoff, Circus Harmony’s founder and artistic executive director. “There’s not a lot of creative arts-oriented activities, not a lot of performing arts activities.”

The classes are similar to those offered at the Circus’ home ring at the City Museum, Hentoff said, but are in locations that are easier for kids in more neighborhoods to reach.

“Public transportation being what it is in St. Louis, it’s not easy for everyone to get to us,” she said.

On a recent Tuesday night at the 12th and Park recreation center in the LaSalle Park neighborhood, Frankie Watson led a group through a hula hoop routine. On a blue mat nearby, Amy Anthenill helped another group perfect somersaults.

The somersaults were the best part of the night for 8-year-old Brooklyn Collier. She had big plans for her newfound skills.

“When people are going to have a birthday party, and they have nobody to perform, I can perform for them,” she said.

Carlie Jefferson, 5, did her first cartwheel and said she planned to cartwheel everywhere, though not at school.

The night ended with Hentoff, Anthe-

nill and Watson helping the eight students in attendance build a three-level pyramid. Though it took a few tries, they eventually nailed it.

“When we got it, I felt really good and really powerful,” Collier said.

Monica Dixon, 10, said learning how to do stunts like pyramids will help her in other settings.

“In school we have to work together with each other for, like, group projects and stuff like that, and it teaches me how to work together with all my other people that’s in Circus Harmony,” she said.

The Arts Council grant covers the cost for two years. Hentoff hopes to be able to make the program permanent.

Stay in control of your cholesterol

(Family Features) Understanding and improving cholesterol is important for people of all ages, including children and teens. Maintaining healthy cholesterol levels can help keep your heart healthy and lower your chances of getting heart disease or having a stroke.

High cholesterol usually has no symptoms. In fact, about 38% of adults in the United States are diagnosed with high cholesterol, according to the American Heart Association. Understanding what cholesterol is, the role it plays, when to get screened and how to manage it are important aspects of protecting your overall health and prevent a heart attack or stroke.

Understanding cholesterol

A waxy, fat-like substance created by the liver and consumed from meat, poultry and dairy products, cholesterol isn’t inherently bad for you. In fact, your body needs it to build cells and make vitamins and other hormones. However, too much cholesterol circulating in the blood can pose a problem.

The two types of cholesterol are low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which is considered “bad,” and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which can be thought of as “good” cholesterol. Too much of the “bad” kind, or not enough of the “good,” increases the risk of cholesterol slowly

building up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. Cholesterol can join with other substances to form a thick, hard deposit on the inside of the arteries called plaque. This can narrow the arteries and make them less flexible – a condition known as atherosclerosis. If a blood clot forms, it may be more likely to get stuck in one of these narrowed arteries, resulting in a heart attack or stroke.

Understanding risk

Your body naturally produces all the LDL it needs. An unhealthy lifestyle can make your body produce more LDL than

required. Behaviors that may negatively affect your cholesterol levels include lack of physical activity, obesity, eating an unhealthy diet and smoking or exposure to tobacco smoke.

In addition to unhealthy habits, which are the cause of high LDL cholesterol for most people, some people inherit genes from their parents or grandparents – called familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) – that cause them to have too much cholesterol and can lead to premature atherosclerotic heart disease. If you have a family history of FH or problems related to high cholesterol, it’s important to get your levels checked.