October 20th, 2022 edition

Look Inside to Be ‘Drawn In’

Be sure to look for the special insert of Drawn In, a new comic book series from Nine PBS and Lion Forge Animation. Share it with the kids in your life! Look for a new issue each month through the end of the year. Watch for our new animated series and more debuting on Nine PBS (9.1), and on drawnin.org.

LouiS AmericAn

Jana Elementary to close

Hazelwood school contaminated by radioactive waste

By Kate Grumke St. Louis Public Radio

n Parents were also unhappy with the district’s communication about the report. Many parents said they heard about it Friday from local news or the school’s Parent Teacher Association.

those new locations by Nov. 28.

“We recognized that you are being faced with a situation not created by anyone in this room and over which you have no control

and that this is causing a disruption to our student’s education and school climate,” said school board president Betsy Rachel. “For that we sincerely apologize.”

At the board meeting, many parents said they were glad the district took action but still frustrated by the plans for virtual school.

Teresha Anderson’s daughter is a second grader at Jana and has special needs, which makes online class difficult.

“It’s just a whirlwind,” Anderson said. “I know my child. She cannot. We already did the virtual thing when the pandemic first hit

Series, which featured a special dedication of Nash

Nash

execution of Kevin Johnson

Alison Nash, St. Louis City Mayor Tishaura Jones, Lauren Nash-Ming, Tracy NashHuntley and Sherry Nash-Heard were on hand for the dedication. Part II: The making of a murderer

Nash family tribute held Oct. 14

By Alvin A. Reid

Dr. Alison Nash spoke

Dr.

and

“They were perfect mentors for life and pediatric care,” she told an audience that also

n “They were perfect mentors for life and pediatric care.”

– Dr. Alison Nash

shared earlier in a special dedication of Nash Way in the heart of campus.

“When I worked with dad, that’s where I learned the art of medicine. They both taught me you have to be of the community you are caring for.” Nash, who was moved as she neared completion of her remarks, said “we must make sure a sense of family is with us as we care for patients.”

The Nash family is truly remarkable.

Her grandfather, Homer C. Nash, was a graduate of Meharry Medical School and served as a physician during World War I. Helen Nash was the next doctor in the family, followed by her younger brother, Homer.

After completing her residency at Homer G. Phillips Hospital, she became the first African American woman to join the attending staff at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. She was instrumental in the creation of one of the first specialized wards for premature infants. She remained a Homer G. Phillips Hospital

Soi Day Spa offers self-care in soothing environment

U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce Alejandra Y. Castillo joined Rodney Crim, St. Louis Economic Development president and CEO, during a roundtable discussion and celebration for the St. Louis region winning a $25 million Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant.

Region celebrates winning $25 million challenge grant

By Alvin A. Reid

The St. Louis American

California has its ‘Silicon Valley” and St. Louis is developing its “Silicon Prairie,” according to Mayor Tishaura Jones. Jones and Congresswoman Cori Bush joined U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce Alejandra Y. Castillo and a host of elected officials and economic development partners to celebrate the region winning a $25 million federal Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant. The grant will fund the first phase of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Center [AMICSTL] in North St. Louis, adjacent to Ranken Technical College.

See ST. LOUIS, A7

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

St. Louis American

The St. Louis American

of her late father and aunt,

Homer E. Nash Jr.,

Dr. Helen Nash with reverence during the 26th Annual Homer G. Phillips Public Health Lecture Series October 14, 2022, on the Washington University School of Medicine campus.

At the 26th Annual Homer G. Phillips Public Health Lecture

Way,

family members Terrell Nash-Mann, Dr.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Kevin Johnson

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Toya Johnson, Red Rushing

tie the knot in Cabo San Lucas

Toya Johnson is legally off the market, she and her longtime beau Robert “Red” Rushing tied the knot over the weekend in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur.

Their luxurious ceremony featured a star studded ceremony including her daughter Reginae Carter, Tameka “Tiny” Harris of Xscape, Monica, and more.

“Finally got my fairy-tale ending. Thank you @eseazenabor for making me feel like a real life princess. #isaidyestothedress” Johnson captioned her Instagram carousel of her wearing her stunning wedding dress.

She shared another photo of she and Red captioned Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Rushing [wedding ring emoji].

This is Johnson’s third marriage. she and Lil Wayne were married 2004-2006, they share an adult daughter, Reginae. She also married Micky “MempHitz” Wright in 2011 and divorced in 2016. Johnson and Rushing welcomed their four-year-old daughter Reign in 2018.

Johnson is popular for starring in BET reality tv shows “Tiny & Toya” in 2009-2010, “Toya: A Family Affair” in 2011, “Marriage

Boot Camp: Reality Stars” Season 5 in 2016, most recently, VH1’s “T.I. & Tiny: Friends and Family Hustle.”

Another day, another female rap beef: Nicki Minaj and Latto go at it on Twitter

Another day, another female rap beef.

Nicki Minaj is into it with another rap girlie she once inspired. This particular Twitter spat comes from Minaj’s frustration with “Super Freaky Girl,” being nominated in the Grammys pop category instead of rap. She voiced her frustration on Instagram Live and also asked why Latto’s “Big Energy” wasn’t also included in the pop category.

“’Freaky Girl,’ where I only rapped on the song, was removed from the rap categories at the Grammys,” Minaj said. “They stay moving the goalpost for me, because in order to uplift the people they want to shine…they have to elevate someone that they profit off.” She then compared “Super Freaky Girl” to Drake’s “Hotline Bling,” a smoothly crooned, oft-covered track that won Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collabora tion Grammys in 2016, and asked, “what is [Latto’s] ‘Big Energy?’ If

‘Super Freaky Girl’ is a pop song, what genre is ‘Big Energy?’” Minaj later said on Twitter, “I have no prob being moved out the RAP category as long as we r ALL being treated FAIRLY. If SFG has 2B moved out RAP then so does Big Energy! ANY1 who says diff is simply a Nicki hater or a troll. I’d actually LUV 2 c a more street record win- male OR female! IJS.”

Latto caught wind of Minaj’s statements and tweeted, “Damn I can’t win for losing… all these awards/noms I can’t even celebrate,” many assumed this was in response to Minaj. Minaj took a shot at Latto calling the bira-

“This Karen has probably mentioned my name in over 100 interviews,” Minaj tweeted. “Says she waited in line for Pink Friday w/her Barbie chain on, bangs, pink hair..but today, scratch off decides to be silent; rather than speak up for the Black woman she called her biggest Latto agreed with Minaj and said her name didn’t need to be brought up in her claim, then rebuttal and said she addressed Minaj offline. “1st of all I texted u cause I didn’t wanna do the internet sht w sum1 I looked up to. Just like the 1st time I DMed u asking about ur ongoing subtweets. I wanted to speak up cuz like I said I do agree but the way u going about it seems malicious esp. after how we left off.” Latto

tweeted, “With all this being said this wasn’t JUST about a Grammy category. U being funny bringing me up to defend ur case knowing our last convo didn’t end on good terms. U literally told me I’m not ‘flourishing’ and no one cares about my ‘little song’ otp lol.”

The war of words continued throughout the evening with screenshots of DMs exchanged between the rappers, Latto accusing Nicki of subtweeting her, and the battle of who uses ghostwriters.

Brandy recovering and resting after rumored seizure hospitalization

Brandy is recovering, after a rumored health scare.

“To my beloved fam, friends, and starz thank you for sending love and light my way,” the singer, 43, said Tuesday on social media. TMZ broke the story Brandy was hospitalized after potentially suffering from a seizure. Police informed the outlet they were called for emergency service to Brandy’s Los Angeles home at noon.

Brandy didn’t confirm in her statement if she had a seizure, but she did say she was “listening to doctors’ instructions and getting much needed rest due to dehydration and low nutrition.”

“Thank you for your prayers and support,” Brandy added. “Grateful for you all, see you soon.”

Sources; Hello Beautiful, USA Today, MSN, TMZ, Twitter

Precious memories

By Danielle Brown

The St. Louis American

“As a five-year-old little kid I was at my great-grandmother’s funeral sitting on the front row with my mother and I saw these distinguished gentlemen come down the aisle to open my great-grandmother’s casket,” said Kelvin Baucom, owner and founder of Baucom’s Life Celebration Center.

“I turned around, looked at my mom and said, ‘Mom, I wanna do that.” 60 years later, Baucom is the owner and founder of his own event space specializing in intimate occasions for families including funerals, weddings, private banquet affairs, and more.

“We’re not the traditional funeral home, we don’t call ourselves a funeral home,” Baucom said. “We are a life celebration center, where we celebrate life no matter what it might be.”

The business owner opened Baucom’s Precious Memories in 2011 in the former Jamestown Mall plaza parking lot. Since the plaza’s closing, a second location in Jennings, Missouri

has been the primary office. The business is expanding, opening an office in Saint Charles soon.

Last year, Baucom’s was set to celebrate its tenth anniversary with a gala, but the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to the plans. Now in its eleventh year this month, the company is hosting a tenth anniversary gala, “Celebrating the Journey” since last year was canceled.

The gala is presented by Baucom’s Legacy Foundation and all proceeds will be donated to scholarships for students interested in majoring in mortuary science and business.

The festive evening will feature a dinner party and entertainment by critically acclaimed jazz vocalist Denise Thimes, who is also co-hosting with her brother and radio personality, The Real J.R. Other entertainment includes Adrianne Felton-King, saxophonist Rod Tate, Gregg Haynes and the Happy Guitar, Anita Jackson, Jeremy Taylor and more.

Baucom’s tenth anniversary gala is 6 p.m.-midnight, Sunday Oct. 23 at The Four Seasons Hotel.

For more information, call 314458-5215, purchase tickets at http:// baucoms.brushfire.com.

According to The World Health Organization, there were 14.9 million deaths, from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021 stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide.

While deaths increased during the pandemic, Baucom said a good thing for him that came from the pandemic was finding order in his business.

“It brought order where we’re able to keep things more controlled,” Baucom said. “We still practice COVID restrictions; wearing masks and using hand sanitizer. It’s [COVID] not over. We’re in this business and yet we still see people pass away and have COVID.”

How does Baucom maintain a positive outlook with part of his line of work involves him seeing the deceased

on a daily basis? He said the positive comes with his responsibility to serve a family with integrity, compassion, and dignity.

“What makes me the most satisfied is serving a family and knowing they’ll say ‘Wow, this made me feel so good,’ or ‘It didn’t even feel like my loved one passed away.’ It wasn’t morbid, but they were celebrated and they felt happy about what we did, the work we did, the service we gave.”

Baucom advises youth interested in the mortuary science industry to get connected with a firm that will allow them to shadow. He also says they should have the heart and right attitude for it.

“See if this is what you really want to do,” Baucom said. “This profession is about serving. You have to have the heart for it and the right attitude for it. Don’t just look at the fine cars and

dress attire.”

Baucom’s company is passionate about helping young people who desire to serve in the industry, they offer mentoring and internship opportunities in addition to scholarships.’

“We have three people right now we’re mentoring,” Baucom said. “We like to mentor those with a zeal and desire to want to do this. This is a profession that will never die, it goes on and on. We extend help to the upcoming generation for them to pick up different talents.”

Baucom has more than 40 years of industry experience, he worked and ran another firm for 30 years. Learn more about Baucom’s Life Celebration Center here: https://www.baucomspreciousmemories.com/.

Kelvin Baucom, owner and founder of Baucom’s Life Celebration Center in the offices of his north county establishment which has been in business for more than

will

6pm to Midnight at the Four Seasons Hotel, St. Louis.

Photo By Wiley Price I St. Louis American

Guest Editorial

“Go to a school board meeting to see whether Black education is a priority.”

More Black Americans must get involved in education, schools

By Fedrick C. Ingram

It started with us. Those deemed as some of the greatest minds in history — Plato, Pythagoras, Hippocrates — sat at the feet of Africans who taught them philosophy, geometry, and medicine. And just like all of humanity, education also sprang from African soil.

So, it is no wonder that education remains a priority for African Americans. It’s why we treat high school graduations like homecomings. It is why Black women are outpacing every other demographic in college attendance. And it’s why attendance at historically Black colleges and universities is on the rise.

But not every headline is a celebration. Even with all our strides, there are still miles and miles ahead before we reach true educational equality in this country. Black enrollment in community colleges is declining. Black enrollment in public schools has fallen. And Black children are disproportionately and more severely disciplined in school.

This swinging pendulum of progress is important to me not just because of my position as secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers, the nation’s second-largest teachers union, or because I was a Florida teacher.

It’s important to me because I’m a Black man whose life has been saved by a high-quality public education. And I’m a parent of Black children who have been — and are still — affected by this country’s education system.

gap.

That’s to be expected when the quality of your education depends largely on the wealth of your community. It’s clear: Whiter, more affluent neighborhoods can fund better education for their kids. Blacker, less affluent neighborhoods struggle to keep the lights on or updated textbooks in their students’ hands.

And when you consider the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s finding, in a June 2022 report, that “more than a third of students (about 18.5 million of them) attended a predominantly same-race/ethnicity school,” you see how racism and classism form a nearly impenetrable bond blocking millions from the education they deserve.

I say nearly impenetrable because during legalized slavery, and directly after, we did not wait for our chance at education; we seized it — by creating a now 180-plus-year legacy of historically Black colleges and universities across the nation.

Today, HBCUs are currently responsible for half of our country’s Black lawyers, doctors, and public-school teachers.

I say nearly because Jim Crow and the restrictive policies that followed were not able to prevent the achievements of Black Americans. They could not stop folks like Thurgood Marshall, Barack Obama, or Kamala Harris from reaching the upper echelons of power with the wind of a high-quality education at their backs, an education that was never promised to them.

And while I can safely say my family represents a success story, I know we are not the norm. In fact, my family’s success comes despite the one issue that underpins any peak or valley in this country’s education of Black students: structural inequity.

When my ancestors came to these shores, forced into dehumanized slave labor, education was illegal for them. Evidence of literacy was met with death or dismemberment.

Sadly, the end of slavery did not prove much better as we saw Jim Crow push the majority of Black Americans into substandard housing, with substandard resources and, not surprisingly, a substandard education that was justified legally as “separate but equal.” And even after the Supreme Court ruled that this country’s neighborhoods and schools could no longer legally keep us out, we saw ongoing issues and a widening achievement

And the challenges we continue to face will not stop us now. But from where I sit, we still have some miles left to go.

What are you seeing in your local schools, and what do you think needs to change? Talk to your children, neighbors, and the teachers in your community about it, or go to a school board meeting to see whether Black education is a priority.

It’s time for us to take a deep dive into the state of Black education with a focus on HBCUs, our Black education professionals, our Black students, and the communities that support them to better understand what has been done, what needs to be done, and who must be involved.

Fedrick C. Ingram is the secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers

Commentary

“Do we go back to the worst of the past, to voter suppression and political violence fueled by racism?”

The spirit of Democracy

By Ben Jealous

Some things are unthinkable—until they happen.

For Jamie Raskin, a congressman and father, the first unthinkable thing was the loss of his beloved son Tommy to suicide on New Year’s Eve 2020. As a father myself, my heart breaks when I imagine the grief experienced by Raskin and his family. The second unthinkable thing happened less than a week later. Enraged supporters of the defeated President Donald Trump attacked the U.S. Capitol and hunted for members of Congress to prevent them from affirming the results of the presidential election.

Raskin was at the Capitol that day—the day after his son was buried—to do his duty. And that meant he and the family members who were there to support him had to live through the terror of the attack and evacuation.

After all that, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked Raskin to lead an effort to impeach Trump for his role in the insurrection. Raskin said yes. He did a brilliant job. It was a remarkable show of strength and resilience. The House did vote to impeach Trump for a second time, though most Senate Republicans refused to convict him. Raskin wrote a book about that 45-day period between the

loss of his son and the impeachment of Trump. “Unthinkable: Trauma, Truth, and the Trials of American Democracy,” is powerful and surprisingly hopeful. I recently had a chance to talk with Raskin and I asked him about the grounds for his hope. How, given the rising threats to freedom and democracy, does he continue to consider himself a “constitutional optimist?” What makes the U.S. exceptional is not that we are somehow immune to the erosion of democracy, he said. What makes us exceptional is the progress we have made together. We can take hope and strength from our own history, and the example of courageous people around the world. “We are not the first generation to face authoritarianism.”

He reminded all of us that the spirit of freedom and democracy lives in people’s hearts even in the face of repression and attempts to snuff it out— and efforts by far-right strategists to smother it. Raskin has modeled that

spirit of democracy as a member of the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection and all that led up to it. In the face of every effort by Trump and his allies to stall, stonewall, and shut down the investigation, Raskin and his colleagues refused to back down. They have dug out evidence and presented it to the American people.

Without the committee’s investigations, we would know far less about the effort by Trump and his henchmen to overturn the election. Without the committee’s truth-telling, there would be no hope for holding them accountable.

The threat to democracy is real. Conspiracy theories are helping drive a right-wing turn away from democratic values and toward repressive authoritarian rule.

At this moment, Americans face a choice: do we go back to the worst of the past, to voter suppression and political violence fueled by racism? Or do we move forward, building on the progress we have made in becoming a multiracial, multiethnic, multireligious democratic society? It’s up to us. As Jamie Raskin reminded us, “Democracy is always unfinished.”

Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way

Commentary

Politicians who confuse freedom with responsibility

By Jesse Jackson Sr.

As extreme weather caused floods in Kentucky, collapse of the water system in Jackson Mississippi, and the savage destruction of central Florida – to say nothing of fires and drought and a growing water shortage in the West – we ought to agree on two simple realities: America faces a growing challenge from both catastrophic climate change and a growing infrastructure deficit that is putting lives and communities at risk.

All should agree that we must act aggressively and at scale to address the climate challenge and rebuild our decrepit and aged infrastructure. We can invest now – or we will pay far more on the backside of calamity.

Yet that’s not how it works.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his state’s two senators, Mark Rubio and Rick Scott, all Republicans, now call fervently for federal aid and resources to help clean up the extensive damage caused by Hurricane Ian.

With millions still without electricity or safe water, and many still endangered by floods, fallen bridges, downed electric lines and collapsed bridges, recovery will take years and cost tens of billions of dollars. The politicians are all in for getting federal dollars and resources to help in the wake of catastrophe. DeSantis regularly scorns federal spending in general and Joe Biden in particular, but when asked after Ian hit if he’d meet with Biden, he said, sensibly, “We need all the help we can get.”

Yet, Gov. DeSantis, who has presidential ambitions, goes out of his way to dismiss warnings about extreme weather from catastrophic climate change. He said during his gubernatorial campaign that he doesn’t want to be labeled “a global warming person.”

When asked last December

how he plans to address climate change, DeSantis replied that “people when they start talking about things like global warming, they typically use that as a pretext to do a bunch of leftwing things. … We’re not doing any left-wing stuff.”

Last year, he signed a bill that blocked Florida cities and towns from transitioning to 100% clean energy. He also championed a resolution prohibiting Florida’s pension fund from considering the impact of climate change in its investment decisions.

The Lever, a readersupported investigative news outlet, reports that about three months before Florida was clobbered by Ian, eight of the state’s Republican lawmakers pressured federal regulators to halt a proposal requiring businesses to more thoroughly disclose the risks they face from climate change. Those lawmakers have raked in more than $1 million of campaign cash from oil and gas industry donors.

Similarly, all of Florida’s politicians voted against the bipartisan infrastructure bill that Biden managed to pass through the Congress. DeSantis scorned the $19 billion that would go to Florida. Now, in the wake of Ian, of course, he wants a lot of “left-wing stuff,” like massive funds from the federal government to rebuild Florida.

Politicians like DeSantis, Rubio and Scott confuse freedom with irresponsibility. They tout the freedoms of Florida, where public health officials won’t tell you to wear a mask, planners won’t tell you where to build your house, politicians won’t

Letter to the editor

Mayor Jones on the right trail

Trailnet, the regional nonprofit organization advocating for Streets for All, commends Mayor Tishaura Jones for proposing that the city commit $40 million to comprehensive, city-wide street safety planning and implementation. Trailnet, along with the Community Mobility Committee and other partners, has been advocating for this kind of investment to protect people walking, biking and using transit. Now, we recommend that the Board of Estimate and Apportionment and the Board of Aldermen pass this much-needed legislation with the provision

tax your incomes. And if that leaves the state with vulnerable bridges and water systems, with homes exposed on flood plains, with impoverished communities, so be it.

Pundits regularly expose the hypocrisy of politicians like DeSantis, Rubio and Scott seeking billions in aid to help Florida rebuild in the wake of Ian, while voting against aid for other disasters in other states. One of the first votes DeSantis took when he was sworn in as a congressman in 2013 was to oppose aid to the victims of Superstorm Sandy. But hypocrisy is a relatively minor sin among politicians. A far bigger failing is to sacrifice the lives and the security of the people they claim to represent to embrace the corruption of fossil fuel campaign money and the blinders of ideological posturing.

A catastrophe like Ian or a shameful horror like the collapse of the water system in Mississippi’s state capital should concentrate our minds. Accelerating the transition to renewable energy isn’t “leftwing stuff,” it is a moral and existential imperative. Rebuilding the resilience and efficiency of our dangerously decrepit infrastructure isn’t a socialist plot, it is the foundation for safe communities and a robust economy. In the wake of a natural disaster, people come together to help their neighbors. Smart politicians put aside their partisan posturing to join in doing what can be done to save the endangered and rebuild from the destruction. Now, we need to demand that the same common sense and responsibility be exercised to protect ourselves from the calamities to come, not just to rebuild after them.

Jesse Jackson Sr. is founder and CEO of RainbowPush

States to eliminate traffic fatalities. We ask that the city’s highest-ranking officials publicly commit to the goal of zero traffic fatalities and begin work on a strong, data-driven action plan, as laid out by Vision Zero Network. To quell traffic violence, correct worsening driver behavior and create safe Streets for All, our city must commit to Vision Zero. Cindy Mense, St. Louis

Guest Columnist Fedrick C. Ingram

Columnist Ben Jealous

Columnist Jesse L. Jackson

A

of contractor

held Nov.

Learn how to lessen exposure to lead paint

St. Louis American staff

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host three lead awareness training sessions in St. Louis to reduce childhood lead exposure in recognition of Children’s Health month and National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week Oct. 23-29, 2022.

An “Understanding Lead” online webinar will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday October 27 and impacts and actions families can take to prevent lead exposure and lead poisoning will be discussed. To register, visit https://www.epa.gov/lead

“Training for Contractors” sessions focused on Renovation, Repair and Painting [RRP] firms working on pre-1978 homes to become lead-safe certified under EPA’s RRP rule will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Tuesday Nov. 7-8 at the Courtyard by Marriott, 823-827 Washington Ave, St. Louis, MO 63101

“This initiative demonstrates how collaboration between national, state, local, and tribal governments and organizations can protect underserved communities from exposure to toxic chemicals like lead,” said Michal Freedhoff, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.

“Many communities across the U.S. are still at risk for lead exposure, and we are committed to lowering and preventing it.”

In 2020, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded $2.52 million to the city of St. Louis for use in programs to protect children and families from lead-based paint and home health hazards.

During outreach to 11 area communities in 2021, this EPA initiative certified 282 contractors in lead-safe work practices and educated 245 community leaders and 170 community members with information about childhood lead exposure.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], children from low-income households and those who live in housing built before 1978 are at the greatest risk of lead exposure.

Houses built before 1978, the time before the use of lead in paint was banned, are more likely to contain lead-based paint and have pipes, faucets, and plumbing fixtures containing lead. Many African American persons are at a higher risk of lead exposure due to poor housing stock.

Children less than six years old are at a higher risk of lead exposure. Their bodies are rapidly developing and more susceptible to taking in lead if exposed.

Leaders can come from all backgrounds

By Sherri Kolade

In 2021, 7% of companies were led by female CEOs, and about 15% had female CFOs. Also, Black CFOs nearly doubled from 2020 to 2021, according to investopedia.com.

The path that it takes to become a boss or leader in a company is not always easy or paved with gold, especially for women and minorities — not to mention double minority employees.

Steps to becoming an effective leader in an organization can be even more challenging — if one is up to the task. An effective leader harnesses their own power and bolsters the power of others in the form of excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to inspire others, according to smallbusiness.chron.com.

Jacqueline M. Baker, a podcast producer, author, and speaker, “occupies spaces” to help others embrace the same characteristics that make them an inner leader, while confidently advancing to their next level.

Baker, the founder of Scarlet Communications, a global leadership consultancy, consults thousands of students, Fortune 500s, and community organizations across the globe learn about leadership content creation and delivery.

The author’s first book, “Leader by Mistake: Becoming a Leader One Mistake at a Time,” showed readers how to find their “inner leader” by learning from mistakes and developing skills that they already possess to lead confidently.

Her new book, “The Unexpected Leader: Discovering the Leader Within You,” released this fall, is about learning that effective leadership isn’t constricted to individual silos. It includes: Examples of how exemplary leadership can show up anywhere

New strategies for implementing the latest leadership techniques

Modern lessons on unique and authentic leadership from people unexpectedly thrust into positions where great leadership was essential.

Baker told the Michigan Chronicle that people hire her company to help their own organization’s leaders be “better leaders.” Baker said that she gave herself “permission” to thrive as a native Detroiter who grew up on the eastside and didn’t come from money or resources.

Baker said that her desire for the book is to help people to allow the content to redefine them and the leader within, not box leaders at work.

“Our minds gravitate to the corporate workplace and hierarch, and we’re asking people to think a little differently,” she said, adding that leadership comes in four styles:

Self-leaders (self-driven, self-advocating)

Leaders of others (parents, bosses, etc.)

Leaders of a community (mayors, city council, etc.)

Leader of movements (individuals over political, religious, movements and the like)

“All of the things I’ve done in my life personally that is a key leadership quality,” she said of delegating tasks to children, organizing parties, and more, which translate well as skillsets. “But why do I forget that when I walk in workspaces?”

“It’s very simple because we spend a lot of time waiting for permission,” she said, adding that the book is a wakeup call and a calling card.” “Here is a template of tools (for you to) see yourself differently. … The world’s issues are waiting on us to manifest the answer to them.”

“The Unexpected Leader provides a unique perspective on what it means to be a leader, whether at work, at home, or in the community, and provides a compelling case for why we are all everyday leaders in life. Jacqueline M. Baker masterfully outlines how each of us can strengthen our leadership skills through tools, frameworks, and real-life examples. In an increasingly complex world, The Unexpected Leader is what we need now more than ever.”

Sherri Kolade is a Michigan Chronicle reporter

pair

training sessions designed to help area firms become lead-safe certified will be

7-8 at the Courtyard by Marriott, 823 Washington Ave., in St. Louis. Many African American persons are at a higher risk of lead exposure due to poor housing stock.

Photo courtesy of The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis

Sherri Kolade

Continued from A1

so I hope Hazelwood will do right by the students, by every student.” Parents were also unhappy with the district’s communication about the report. Many parents said they heard about it Friday from local news or the school’s Parent Teacher

Johnson

Continued from A1

murder of Kirkwood Police Sgt. William McEntee. On Tuesday Nov. 29, Johnson is scheduled to be put to death at the state prison in Bonne Terre.

Johnson was a student in Fuoss’ class where she taught English as part of Kirkwood High School’s alternative programs. She remembered Johnson as “quiet and withdrawn” and recalls vividly the day she heard about McEntee’s murder.

“It didn’t feel real. My brain struggled to make sense of what had happened,” Fuoss confessed. “How could someone who had just been in my classroom over a year ago, writing a poem about giving his baby daughter a bath – shoot a young father (McEntee) three, seven times?”

Fuoss was 26 at the time. Although she was a character witness in Johnson’s first trial (which resulted in a hung jury) she hadn’t spoken to or written about her former student since he was in her class.

That changed after another student from the Kirkwood Call student newspaper called Fouss for a quote about Johnson’s execution.

“I felt she had a lot of bravery for a high school student to be writing about Kevin,” Fuoss explained. “That’s part of what made me start writing my thoughts about him. That and the fact that I’m 100% sure that he should not be executed.”

As a character witness, Fuoss told the jury about a

Association. Some parents questioned why the school wasn’t already closed this week. Researchers with the firm Boston Chemical Data Corporation found “entirely unacceptable” levels of contamination at the school in samples collected in August. The contamination was in the school’s classrooms, library, kitchen and on playgrounds. Parents are worried their kids could have serious health

poem Johnson had written in her class. She said she wanted to “humanize him” and testified how “Kevin wrote such a simple, beautiful piece that showed the awe he had for his baby daughter.”

She didn’t recall the exact details of the poem until Johnson sent her an email a few weeks ago telling her about his life at that time as a senior. His daughter had been born while he was confined to a juvenile detention home. Johnson talked about his dream of being drafted in the NFL so he could “support his family and get his mother off drugs.” But low grades dashed those far-fetched dreams.

“I had a kid and no money to support it…my future seemed dead and to make matters worse I became basically homeless…” Johnson wrote to Fouss.

He recalled how he was “lost” and couldn’t figure things out until the teacher encouraged him “to write about a good or special moment” in his life.

“You said something like, ‘think of your most memorable time with her?’ Johnson wrote recalling Fuoss’ directions. “And just like that I wrote about my first experience giving her a bath.”

Johnson’s daughter is now 19, the age he was when he ended McEntee’s life.

In the short time Fuoss has been corresponding with him, she’s found out things about Johnson’s life she never knew. Through his letters and the “Kevin Johnson Clemency” video posted on the Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty’s [MADPMO) website,

effects because of this situation.

The school board says it is working with legal counsel to make sure responsible agencies will clean up Jana and any other district sites.

“Inaction is not an option,” Congresswoman Cori Bush said in statement.

“These are dangerous chemicals in the classrooms where our children learn, on the playground where our chil-

Fuoss has cobbled the pieces of a puzzle that depicts the creation of a murderer.

“Kevin’s dad was incarcerated, and his mom struggled with a crack addiction,” she wrote on her blog.

“He remembers getting beatings for wetting the bed or sucking his thumb. His abusers used a custom-made paddle… and a three-foot switch. He remembers being forced to hop on one leg in a corner for hours.”

In the clemency video, Johnson tried to explain his thought process as a child.

“I started believing everything going on was my fault. I was the reason he (his father) was in prison; I was the reason my mom was on drugs...I felt guilty and wanted to die.”

In the clemency video, Johnson’s older brother, Marcus Tatum, also recalled him and his brother’s upbringing and their absentee parents. The brothers described how they ate roaches and tried to catch a mouse to beat back their hunger.

“Growing up, you know, we had a hard childhood,” Tatum explained. “My mother had fallen victim to crack cocaine and she just lost focus…of us. We were left alone in the house, maybe days at a time with nothing to eat.”

Kirkwood educators, an assistant principal and his high school football coach all detailed a likable child betrayed by the system

Rachel Jenes, Johnson’s former elementary school teacher, spoke of the obviously abused kindergartener in her class.

“He had so many people

dren play, and in the cafeteria where our children eat—and it’s an emergency that requires an urgent response.”

State Rep. Doug Clemens of St. Ann said the contamination “confirms our community’s darkest fears. The knowledge that these young lives have been needlessly put at risk is mind-numbing and heartbreaking.”

“As a resident of North St. Louis County, I share the

dropping balls on him…I feel like I dropped the ball…that I should have taken him… somebody should have removed him from the home. Somebody should have had his back.”

Dr. Greg Batenhorst, who was the assistant principal of Nipher Middle School in Kirkwood shares Jeness’ remorse. Johnson was “very well liked” throughout his elementary school years and in high school football, Batenhorst said, adding: “Even though he was fighting incredible abuse from an infant throughout his life.”

During Johnson’s trial, former County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch, who prosecuted Johnson, urged jurors to ignore arguments about his troubled upbringing.

“They want you to think that because he had a lousy childhood that he should not have to face the appropriate punishment,” McCulloch argued. McCulloch is theoretically right. A person’s lifetime of abuse does not justify murder. Yet, for Fouss and those advocating for Johnson’s life, his childhood, the fragile state of his mind and his feelings that McEntee was involved in his younger brother’s death should have been mitigating factors in the decision to end his life.

Fuoss offered a nuanced rebuttal to McCulloch’s dismissal of Johnson’s childhood.

“Kevin’s lifetime of abuse, his mental illness, his extreme trauma, and his still not fully developed teenage brain, do not excuse, or justify his actions. But we cannot separate Kevin’s story from the tragedy of that day in 2005.”

pain of any family with child who attends or attended this school and the individuals who have suffered illness in their adult years. As a representative of the people, I have had enough.”

Clemens said he has requested that the US Department of Energy “to not only increase its work efforts in Missouri but to see that the Hazelwood School District and any other municipality, house-

In the video, Mike Wade, Johnson’s high school football coach, talked about the student he’d known since the age of five.

“Life was not good to him,” Wade said. “He had a (expletive) home life. The only time I was confident he was eating properly was at school.”

Johnson was one of the top five players Wade said he had ever coached. He defined Johnson as a “natural, with the ability to “run and hit,” the coach said.

Unfortunately, Johnson was also a constant target of opposing teams. He earned the name “Rockhead,” Wade explained, because “he tackled everybody with his head.” Wade also recalled a series of concussions Johnson received through football games and one where he was knocked unconscious.

“There wasn’t a game where he didn’t get his bell rung at least once,” Wade recalled.

Dr. Dan Martell, a forensic neuropsychologist retained to evaluate Johnson’s mental health disclosed his findings in the clemency video. Johnson, Martell said, had a “fairly extensive set of head injuries, starting at the age of three or four” from falls at home and multiple concussions from football.”

Martell explained Johnson’s long history of “psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder, suicidal ideation, psychosis-a break from reality, where you hear voices-and severe impulse disorder.”

In the video, Johnson detailed the time he tried to hang himself at the age of 13. Martell noted “frontal lobe”

hold, or commercial enterprise suffering real and opportunity cost damages be reimbursed by the government.”

“Our community should not shoulder the financial burdens of work stoppages on road or utility projects, of declining home values, or of mystery illnesses borne from the poison left by our government.”

Alvin A. Reid of the St. Louis American contributed to this report

damage to Johnson’s brain which he said impacted his “impulse control.” Patients with this type of brain damage exhibit a “breakdown in impulse control” and problem-solving skills that are necessary to make good decisions,” Martell reported, adding: “As situations become more complex, it becomes more difficult for people with these kinds of impairments to make sense of situations.”

The day Johnson killed McEntee could not have been more “complex.” Johnson was convinced that McEntee was the main officer who failed to help after his younger brother, Joseph “Bam Bam” Long, suffered a heart attack and died in their grandmother’s home while police searched the house. Fuoss, who said Johnson’s life “is a story of endless tragedy,” disagrees with McCulloch who told reporters, “A death sentence is justice for McEntee.”

“Vengeance won’t do anything for the family,” she argued. “I really don’t think it will heal them. If we kill him (Johnson), what do we get? Pain on top of pain.

“If we keep Kevin alive, a father is allowed to continue to be a father from prison. We keep an advice-giver and a storyteller. His father, brother, his mom, and the people who love him get the chance to keep him.

“As a teacher, I’m still learning from him. So, I get to keep him, too.”

Sylvester Brown Jr. is The St. Louis American’s inaugural Deaconess Fellow.

Next: Part III: The Injustice of the Death Penalty

staff member, serving as pediatric supervisor and associate director of pediatrics from 1950 to 1964. She was president of Children’s Hospital attending staff from 1977 to 1979 – and she carried on her private practice throughout those years.

She retired after 45 years of dedicated service, and later served as dean of minority affairs for Washington University School of Medicine from 1994 to 1996.

Trish Lolo, St. Louis Children’s Hospital president, said Dr. Helen Nash “made enormous contributions for patients and the entire community.”

“This is an opportunity to reinforce our commitment to our values. We must build trust. Trust is built through a sense of belonging. If we do this, our community will be healthier

“Thank you, Nash family, for leading us on this journey.”

Homer E. Nash Jr. not only served in the U.S. Army in Italy during World War II, but he also returned home a hero after receiving a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star.

He then enrolled at Meharry Medical School and following his graduation moved to St. Louis to train under his sister at

St. Louis

Continued from A1

Castillo was part of a bus tour that made stops at the under-construction Next NGA West campus and the site next to Ranken Technical College where AMICSTL will be built.

Those locations will join BioSTL at Cortex Innovation Community to form geographic points of a “Tech Triangle,” or as Jones has tagged it, “The Silicon Prairie.” The Greater St. Louis, Inc.

Homer G. Phillips. Like his sister, he immediately sought to reduce health inequities plaguing the city’s Black residents. The Nashes both kept their private practice offices in the Black community.

Homer Nash was a staff member at St. Louis Children’s and Barnes-Jewish Hospitals. He was a clinical professor of pediatrics at Washington University and worked with the Community Outpatient Practice Experience (COPE) to facilitate community pediatric practicums for WashU medical residents and for physician assistants and nurse practitioners in other programs.

Dr. Nash passed away earlier this year, after practicing and teaching well into his 80s, continually improving the lives of children and the training of students.

“Their legacy continues to define pediatric care in our region,” Dr. David H. Perlmutter, executive vice chancellor for medical affairs and dean at Washington University School of Medicine, told the audience which include many members of the Nash family.

“They dedicated themselves to serving those most vulnerable. Care for the community runs through every member of this family.”

He said the work of the Nashes and dedication

proposal was one of 21 selected to receive a grant, less than 4% of the original applicant pool of 529. In addition to the $25 million federal grant, $16.3 million in local matching funds will go toward the effort, bringing the total investment in the metro area to $41.3 million. “This will resonate across generations; past, present and future,” said Jones. “We are investing in neighborhoods long left behind. As we build, [the city initiative] Project Connect will make sure those who stayed dedicated to their neighborhoods will not be pushed out.”

Project Connect will assist

ceremony “remind us how far we still have to go to provide equitable healthcare in this community.”

The Homer G. Phillips Public Health Lecture Series is sponsored by the Washington University Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion. Its roots, though, are at Homer G. Phillips Hospital. The lecture series was established through the work of the Homer G. Phillips Retired Nurses Association, which had several members in the audience.

During his keynote address Donald M. Suggs, St. Louis American publisher and executive editor, spoke of

with neighborhood revitalization, transportation, and other re-development efforts and the City’s investments to support NGA and AMICSTL in six St. Louis neighborhoods; St. Louis Place, Old North St. Louis, JeffVanderLou, Carr Square, Columbus Square, and Hyde Park.

“From day one, AMICSTL was always going to be in north city,” said Rodney Crim, CEO and president of St. Louis Economic Development Partnership.

The development stages of AMICSTL were well underway before the Grant Challenge was announced by the Biden

Dr. Will Ross, assoc. dean for diversity and principal officer for community, making comments before St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones with the assistance of Washington University School of Medicine

President David H. Perlmutter, MD, and Partnerships unveil the street marker that will now be called Nash Way in front of Children’s Hospital.

the relationship between Washington University and Homer G. Phillips.

“Without ignoring some of the admittedly past ignominious racist practices here at the Wash U. medical center, in that same point many of its most accomplished and celebrated physicians did become quite involved individually,” he said.

“Their principled involvement was instrumental in creating an unprecedented relationship with Homer G. Phillips Hospital, a relationship that eventually led to improved clinical patient care, and superior training for interns, residents and nurses and allied

Administration.

“We wanted to have a plan ready when the opportunity came. Once we learned of the grant challenge, we came together and decided ‘let’s go for this.’ Each quarter we asked ourselves, ‘How do we make it more attractive and inclusive?’”

Castillo said there wasn’t just a mandate for any proposal for the grant. Applicants had to prove different partners were working together.

“There was one requirement, [proving] strength of coalition. All partners had to be at the table, figuring it out,” she said during a roundtable discussion at Greater St. Louis Inc., fol-

health care professionals. This collaboration helped to enhance the hospital’s reputation and standing nationally.

“The relationship between these stellar physicians and their counterparts at Homer G. started modestly but in time developed into one of mutual respect and later some genuine collegiality.”

Suggs recalled Dr. Carl V. Moore, a former chair of the Washington University Department of Medicine remarking to colleagues that “Those of us in medicine enjoy the great good fortune of being surrounded by opportunities to be helpful as physicians or as

lowing the bus tour.

“It was essential to work together for the common goal.”

Castillo added “This is where it starts.”

“The real work is implementation. This is just an investment. It can’t be a one-off thing if you really want to build neighborhoods,” she said.

Castillo has visited several other cities that landed grants, and said, “Equity was at the core of all applications.”

“One thought that has been at the top of [applicants’] minds have been the words ‘we’ve been forgotten.’”

Congresswoman Cori Bush said it was “a special day,”

teachers or as investigators.”

“The two elder Nashes … embraced all three of these roles and instilled those values in Alison. They were exceptional individuals who lived and worked in their communities, while also helping force the reckoning that we speak about today…the extreme disparities in health care in St. Louis. They saw some of the denial that most of the disparities were based on racism not race,” Suggs said.

“They were determined to help provide more high-quality care, and greater access for their patients and others who suffered from these disparities. Even after they gained prominence and acceptance for themselves in the broader medical community, the Nashes remained steadfastly committed to addressing the continuing needs of their patients in North St. Louis. St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones said she was honored “to celebrate St. Louis’ own medical royalty.”

“We must not only have economic development, but also health development. My mission is to put those two together. We must be committed to the eradication of racism. We still have a long way to go, but we are inspired by the legacy of the Nash family and Homer

Hospital.”

because the grant “will stimulate the local economy and make economic development inclusive.”

“This will deliver lifesaving change for our community. This is exactly the type of collaboration that will do the most for the city of St. Louis.” Collaboration was key to winning the grant, according to Jason Hall, Greater St. Louis Inc., CEO.

“It continues our positive momentum and demonstrates the power of what happens when we speak with one voice and work together as one metro,” he said.

G. Phillips

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Bush, Clyburn stand up for student relief of loan debt

is demanding that the Higher Education Loan Authority of the State of Missouri [MOHELA] respond to Republican efforts to “block millions of people from accessing economic relief through the Biden Administration’s historic student loan debt relief program.”

In a letter to Scott Giles, MOHELA executive director, Bush wrote, “I will not stand by and watch as your company works on multiple fronts to block borrowers’ relief that they are entitled to in a clear attempt to continue profiteering off of the student loan debt crisis.”

“To date, your company has remained silent about the legal efforts filed on your behalf to halt President Biden’s student debt cancellation program. The American people, including the millions of borrowers whose economic livelihoods now hang in the balance, deserve to know where you stand.”

earning the annual equivalent of a $15 minimum wage will have to make a monthly payment.

“About 27 million borrowers will see $20,000 knocked off their student loan balance. For 20 million borrowers, that’s enough to totally wipe out their entire student loan balance. These latest actions build on the steps the Biden-Harris Administration has already taken to provide over $32 billion in loan relief to 1.6 million borrowers,” according to Clyburn.

President Biden made temporary changes for applicants to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program because in 2017, the first year that borrowers could apply for forgiveness only 1% were approved.

On October 6, 2021, Biden’s Department of Education announced modifications to the program and a time-limited waiver so that more students could be eligible and more realistic repayment plans could be implemented. This includes loan types and payment plans that were not previously eligible.

Clyburn warned that the student loan debt repayment pause –precipitated by COVID-19 –ends on December 31, 2022. Borrowers will be required to restart repayments of their student loans.

“Understanding that the re-payment pause temporarily provided much needed relief to overburdened borrowers, the Biden-Harris Administration has announced new plans for targeted debt relief to make the student loan system more manageable for working families,”

In an NNPA commentary, Clyburn of South Carolina wrote “Higher education should be a staircase to economic mobility, but student loan debt has become a barrier for far too many. More than $1.6 trillion in outstanding federal student loan debt is crushing 43.4 million borrowers in the United States today. Millions can’t afford to buy a home, start a business, or save for retirement.”

Clyburn wrote. Last month, President Biden announced up to $20,000 in federal student debt forgiveness to Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 in federal student debt forgiveness to non-Pell Grant recipients. Borrowers who earn less than $125,000 per year or households earning less than $250,000 are eligible for debt relief.

The Biden Administration is changing the rules to lower income-driven repayment plans from 10% of discretionary income to 5%. The rule change will also raise the amount of income that is considered nondiscretionary, therefore protecting it from repayment. This guarantees that no borrower

Over 175,000 borrowers have received over $10 billion in forgiveness due to their work in the public sector in professions including teachers, nurses, social workers, service members in our military, and first responders.

The deadline to apply under the time-limited waiver is October 31, 2022. Visit https:// studentaid.gov/ and search for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program to apply

“We have all heard the saying that a rising tide lifts all boats. I believe that these efforts by the Biden Administration not only help to lift boats, but they also put wind in their sails to help move us closer to the promise of a more perfect Union.”

Photo courtesy of House.gov

House Majority Whip Congressman James Clyburn of South Carolina calls higher education “a staircase to economic mobility. Student loan debt has become a barrier for far too many and he and Congresswoman Cori Bush are acting in support of President Biden’s plans to eliminate some student loan debt.

Police accountability not easy to attain

By Jamala Rogers

On September 7, 2022, a

St. Louis Metropolitan Police

tactical team killed Sudanese

Columnist Jamala Rogers

immigrant Bade Ali Jabir. A few days later police shot and killed Darryl Ross. Despite witnesses who alleged to be at both scenes, I think the police accounts of what happened simply do not add up. Remember, three police groups, including the Ethical Society of Police, convinced a judge to stop the implementation of Board Bill 47. These two examples of deadly force are precisely the reason such a law is necessary. Board Bill 47 strengthened the demand for police accountability by creating a historic Division of Civilian Oversight. It would have funding and authority.

The community-driven bill, signed by Mayor Tishaura Jones, went into effect on September 2. The law also gave additional authority to the Office of the Circuit Attorney to investigate officer-involving shootings. Before the local ordinance

could be fully implemented, ESOP joined the St. Louis Police Officers’ Association and the St. Louis Police Leadership Organization in an unusual alliance to put a halt on the law. It appears at each turn police are resisting or refusing to be held accountable for actions, proving why the department needs outside control. Police departments cannot objectively investigate themselves or hold its officers accountable.

Bade Ali Jabir came to this country with his four children seeking a better life. They came

n The thought is, “If I run and get to safety, maybe I can live another day and tell your side of the story. Darryl will never have that opportunity.

from the war-torn country of Sudan already traumatized. They found more trauma. Police accounts of why SWAT would be called to deal with a frail and frightened man with known mental health issues seemed to keep changing.

Our community has an obligation to get justice for Bade and to ensure the safety

and well-being of his orphaned children.

Darryl Ross was a 16-yearold whose life had been shaped as a young, African American male trying to survive in a hostile environment. The police said they didn’t know he had a gun until after they pursued him. His running from police is a knee-jerk reaction for many Black youth in urban centers of this country.

The thought is, “If I run and get to safety, maybe I can live another day and tell your side of the story. Darryl will never have that opportunity. Both deaths were unnecessary and preventable. The sight of a Black man should not automatically mean that police can use extreme force as a first option instead of a last resort. Righteous demands by the community include the release of unaltered video footage of the incidents, autopsy reports of the victims and thorough, transparent investigations of both cases.

Our community must continue to press for police accountability. It is obvious that police will continue to throw obstacles in our path, but they cannot be successfuldeterrents. We are on a path to justice. We are striving to build safe communities and it starts with the public holding its employees who have that sacred task accountable.

“Taking Care of You”

Class acts

Two SLPS schools honored as Healthy Schools All Stars

By Alvin A. Reid

Louis American

The St.

Two Saint Louis Public Schools are among 11 nationwide to receive All- Star status on the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s 2022 list of America’s healthiest schools.

Honored as All-Star schools are Wilkinson Early Childhood Center and Oak Hill Elementary, which respectively earned recognition in each of nine topic areas. The areas of review are Strengthening Social-Emotional Health & Learning.; Cultivating Staff Well-Being; Increasing Family and Community Engagement; Improving Nutrition and Food Access; Implementing Local School

Wellness Policy; Bolstering Physical Education and Activity; Enriching Health Education; Promoting Tobacco-Free Schools; and Supporting School Health Services

The other All-Star Schools are Alton Elementary School (Texas), Carl Waitz Elementary (Texas), Cedarcreek Elementary School (California), Curtisville Primary Center (Pennsylvania), Griffin Middle School (Georgia), IDEA Pflugerville Academy (Texas), IDEA Pflugerville College Prep (Texas), Springhill Lake Elementary School (Maryland), and West Creek Academy (California).

“Today, and every day, we invite the nation to join Healthier Generation as we honor our schools for their resourcefulness and dedication to addressing the total well-

ness needs of their students,” said Kathy Higgins, chief executive officer at Healthier Generation.

“This particular cohort of ‘America’s Healthiest Schools’ exemplifies the fortitude required to serve current and future generations with equity and care.”

America’s Healthiest Schools is one of the longest-running nationwide recognition programs honoring schools for achievements in supporting the whole health needs of students and school staff.

Since its founding, Healthier Generation has supported more than 53,000 schools and has helped create healthier environments for over 31 million children.

Six COVID tips as we head into winter

By Céline Gounder

Last year, the emergence of the highly transmissible omicron variant of the COVID19 virus caught many people by surprise and led to a surge in cases that overwhelmed hospitals and drove up fatalities. Now we’re learning that omicron is mutating to better evade the immune system Omicron-specific vaccines were authorized by the FDA in August and are recommended by U.S. health officials for anyone 5 or older. Yet only half of adults in the United States have heard much about these booster shots, according to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll, and only a third say they’ve gotten one or plan to get one as soon as possible. In 2020 and 2021, COVID cases spiked in the U.S. between November and February. Although we don’t know for sure that we’ll see another surge this winter, here’s what you should know about COVID and the updated boosters to prepare.

1.Do I need a covid booster shot this fall?

n Forty percent of deaths are occurring among people 85 and older and almost 90% among people 65 and over.

If you’ve completed a primary vaccination series and are 50 or older, or if your immune system is compromised, get a covid booster shot as soon as possible. Forty percent of deaths are occurring among people 85 and older and almost 90% among people 65 and over. Although people of all ages are being hospitalized from covid, those hospitalizations are also skewing older Unvaccinated people, while in the minority in the U.S., are still at the highest risk of dying from covid. It’s not too late to get vaccinated ahead of this winter season. The United Kingdom, whose covid waves have presaged those in the United States by about a month, is beginning to see another increase in cases. If you’ve already received three or more covid shots, you’re 12 to 49 years old, and you’re not immunocompromised, your risk of hospitalization and death from the disease is significantly reduced and additional boosters are not likely to add much protection.

However, getting a booster shot provides

CDC recommends updating children’s COVID booster shot

Also predicts rise in cases

By Jennifer Shutt Missouri Independent

WASHINGTON — The federal government now recommends updated COVID-19 booster for kids between 5 and 11, expanding use of the new bivalent shots beyond people 12 and older.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration first authorized the updated vaccines use in the morning before the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended them in the afternoon, completing the two-step process needed before shots could begin CDC Director Rochelle Walensky announced her recommendation in a tweet, saying it’s “a critical step in our fight against COVID-19.”

“An updated vaccine can help bolster protection for our children this winter,” she added, encouraging parents to talk to their child’s healthcare provider.

n CDC Director Rochelle Walensky announced her recommendation in a tweet, saying it’s “a critical step in our fight against COVID-19.”

The announcement on October 12, 2022, for kids between 5 and 11 follows the FDA authorizing and the CDC recommending the bivalent booster dose for people 12 and older in early September.

“While it has largely been the case that COVID-19 tends to be less severe in children than adults, as the various waves of COVID-19 have occurred, more children have gotten sick with the disease and have been hospitalized,” Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a statement.

“Children may also experience long-

White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator

Ashish Jha says younger children should get a booster.

Raeesh Taylor got his picture taken by his father on the first day of school at Wilkinson Early Childhood Center on Aug. 23, 2021. Wilkinson joined fellow SLPS school Oak Hill Elementary in earning All-Star status on the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s 2022 list of America’s healthiest schools.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Photo courtesy of CDC

Céline Gounder

“Taking Care of You”

SLPS

Continued from A12

Healthier Generation expanded its 2022 award program “to meet schools and districts where they are, celebrating excellence amid ongoing challenges related to the COVID19 pandemic and systemic inequities, especially for individuals that identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color (BIPOC) and youth from under-resourced communities,” according to Higgins.

Nearly 75% of the awardees are Title I schools, and nearly twothirds serve majority BIPOC students.

Twenty other SLPS schools also made the national list. They are: Adams Elementary School, Ashland Elementary School, Ava Elementary School, Busch Middle School of Character, Central VPA High School SW, Eldon South Elementary School, Gateway Michael Elementary School, Gateway MST Elementary School, Hickey Elementary School, Humbolt Academy of Higher Learning, Mason School of Academic & Cultural Literacy, McKinley Classical Leadership Academy, Meramec Elementary School, Mullanphy Investigative Center, Nottingham CAJT High School, Patrick Henry Downtown Academy, and Pierre Laclede Junior Career Academy.

SLPS had added telehealth care services free of charge to all students through Hazel Health, Inc., at the beginning of the school year. With parental permission, all district students, regardless of insurance, will have access to pediatricians and physician assistants who can conduct exams, diagnose illnesses and prescribe over-the-counter medications from school nurses’ offices. Students for whom

CDC

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term effects, even following initially mild disease,” Marks added.

The shot is updated to provide protection against the latest omicron variants of COVID-19, known as BA.4 and BA.5.

The move comes as public health officials are monitoring new variants that could cause disruptions this winter during

COVID

Continued from A12

a “honeymoon” period for a couple of months after vaccination, during which you’re less likely to get infected and thus less likely to transmit the virus to others. If you’ll be seeing older, immunocompromised, or otherwise vulnerable family and friends over the winter holidays, you might want to get a booster two to four weeks in advance to better shield them against covid.

One major caveat to these recommendations: You should wait four to six months after your last covid infection or vaccination before getting another shot. A dose administered too soon will be less effective because antibodies from the previous infection or vaccination will still be circulating in your blood and will prevent your immune cells from seeing and responding to vaccination.

2. Do kids need to be vaccinated even if they’ve had COVID?

Although children are at lower risk for severe covid than are adults, the stakes for kids are higher than many diseases already recognized as dangerous. Their risk shouldn’t be measured against the risk that covid poses to other age groups but against the risk they face from other preventable diseases. In the first two years of the pandemic, covid was the fourth- or fifth-leading

the annual cold and flu season.

Winter surge in cases possible

White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Ashish Jha said during a press briefing that everyone eligible for the latest booster should get it as soon as they can, though he declined to list any goals for the new shot.

Jha then warned that a surge of COVID-19 cases could be on the horizon this winter.

“We have seen an increase

cause of death in every fiveyear age bracket from birth to 19, killing almost 1,500 children and teenagers. Other vaccine-preventable diseases like chickenpox, rubella, and rotavirus killed an average of about 20-50 children and teens a year before vaccines became available. By that measure, vaccinating kids against covid is a slam-dunk. Children who have had covid also benefit from vaccination. The vaccine reduces their risk of hospitalization and missing days of school, when parents might need to stay home with them.

But it’s precisely because the stakes are higher for kids that many parents are anxious about getting their children vaccinated. As recently as July, just after the FDA authorized covid vaccines for children as young as 6 months, a KFF poll found that over half of parents of children under age 5 said they thought vaccines posed a greater risk to the health of their child than getting the disease. And in the most recent poll, half said they had no plans to get their children vaccinated. COVID vaccination rates range from 61% among children ages 12 to 17 to 2% among kids younger than 2. Similar to influenza covid is most deadly for the very youngest and oldest. At especially high risk are infants. They’re unlikely to have immunity from infection, and a small share have been vaccinated. Unless their mothers were vaccinated

English is a second language will also receive translation services.

“This is a major move toward making healthcare accessible to our students and at no cost to families,” said Michael Brown, director of Student Support Services

“Insurance is not required to receive services. Insurance information will be collected, and insured families may see

in COVID infections, hospitalizations, and deaths each of the last two winters. And we are carefully monitoring the rise of several subvariants that are evolving rapidly and emerging around the world, including ones that evade some of our treatments,” Jha said.

an explanation of benefits from their insurer, but the uninsured or underinsured will always receive care with Hazel.

Kelvin Adams, retiring SLPS superintendent, said the district is “excited to bring healthcare services to our students and parents.”

“Many struggle to get the proper care for a variety of reasons including work schedules, lack of insurance or lack

The Biden administration, he said, is tracking COVID-19 variants that “either have a lot more immune invasiveness or they render many of

during pregnancy or got covid during pregnancy — the latter of which poses a high risk of death for the mother and of preterm birth for the baby — infants are probably not getting protective antibodies against covid through breast milk. And because infants have small airways and weaker coughs, they’re more likely to have trouble breathing with any respiratory infection, even one less deadly than covid.

3. Will I need a covid shot every year?

It depends on the targets set by public health officials whether covid becomes a seasonal virus like the flu, and how much the virus continues to mutate and evade humanity’s immune defenses. If the goal of vaccination is to prevent severe disease, hospitalization, and death, then many people will be well protected after their primary vaccination series and may not need additional shots. Public health officials might strongly recommend boosters for older and immunocompromised people while leaving the choice of whether to get boosted to those with lower risk. If the goal of vaccination is to prevent infection and transmission, then repeat boosters will be needed after completing the primary vaccination series and as often as a couple of times a year.

And the more the virus mutates, the more often public health officials may recommend boosting to overcome a new variant’s immune

our treatments ineffective.”

The good news, however, is that the variants public health officials are tracking come from omicron strains BA.2 and BA.5, Jha said.

“That means our updated bivalent vaccines should provide a much higher degree of protection than the original prototype vaccine would have,” he said. “Obviously, we’re going to do the studies

evasion. Unfortunately, this year’s updated omicron booster doesn’t appear to provide significantly better protection than the original boosters. Scientists are working on variant-proof vaccines that could retain their potency in the face of new variants.

4. Are more covid variants on the way?

The omicron variant has burst into an alphabet soup of subvariants. The BA.5 variant that surfaced earlier this year remains the dominant variant in the U.S., but the BA.4.6 omicron subvariant may be poised to become dominant in the United States. It now accounts for 14% of cases and is rising. The BA.4.6 omicron subvariant is better than BA.5 at dodging people’s immune defenses from both prior infection and vaccination

In other parts of the world, BA.4.6 has been overtaken by BA.2.75 and BF.7 (a descendant of BA.5), which respectively account for fewer than 2% and 5% of covid cases in the U.S. The BA.2.75.2 omicron subvariant drove a wave of infections in South Asia in July and August. Although the U.S. hasn’t yet seen much in the way of another variant descended from BA.5 — BQ.1.1 — it is rising quickly in other countries like the U.K., Belgium, and Denmark. The BA.2.75.2 and BQ.1.1 variants may be the most immuneevasive omicron subvariants to date.

BA.4.6, BA.2.75.2, and BQ.1.1 all evade Evusheld,

Oak Hill Elementary celebrates Science Days each year, and the SLPS school joined Wilkinson Early Childhood Center as All Star schools on the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s 2022 list of America’s healthiest schools.

of transportation. This is an important addition to our services to families and to maintaining healthy, safe school environments in the midst of COVID-19 recovery.”

According to Dr. Travis Gayles, Hazel Health Chief Health Officer, the online program is not a replacement for regular visits to a physician.

However, it will help when students become ill at school or when parents need reassurance while waiting for a doctor’s appointment.

to figure out how much protection, but I’m confident that our vaccines will continue to work very well.”

No vaccine goals set

Despite encouraging everyone eligible for the updated COVID-19 bivalent booster dose to get vaccinated, Jha said the White House hasn’t set any goals for how many people it wants to get the shot.

“We’re not setting targets,” Jha said. “We are focused on driving deaths down, getting

the monoclonal antibody used to prevent covid in immunocompromised people who don’t respond as well to vaccination. Although another medication, bebtelovimab, remains active in treating covid from BA.4.6 and BA.2.75.2, it’s ineffective against BQ.1.1

Many scientists are worried that Evusheld will become useless by November or December. This is concerning because the pipeline for new antiviral pills and monoclonal antibodies to treat covid is running dry without a guaranteed purchaser to ensure a market. In the past, the federal government guaranteed it would buy vaccines in bulk, but funding for that program has not been extended by Congress.

5. What about long covid?

Getting vaccinated does reduce the risk of getting long covid, but it’s unclear by how much. Researchers don’t know if the only way to prevent long covid is to prevent infection. Although vaccines may curb the risk of infection, few vaccines prevent all or almost all infections. Additional measures — such as improving indoor air quality and donning masks — would be needed to reduce the risk of infection. It’s also not yet known whether prompt treatment with currently available monoclonal antibodies and antiviral drugs like Paxlovid reduces the risk of developing long covid.

6. Do I need a flu shot, too?

“We start by creating relationships and building trust and confidence among school staff and parents. Our consultations provide more immediate diagnoses and treatment (overthe-counter medications) and protect instructional time by reducing the number of school days missed,” he said.

more people vaccinated.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website shows that 11.5 million people have received the updated booster dose, a fraction of those eligible. The COVID-19 boosters are expected to become an annual recommendation for most people, similar to the annual flu shot.

Jennifer Shutt covers the nation’s capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom.

High-dose flu vaccines and “adjuvanted” flu vaccines are recommended for people 65 and older Adjuvants strengthen the immune response to a vaccine. It is safe to get vaccinated for covid and the flu at the same time, but you might experience more side effects like fevers, headache, or body aches.

Céline Gounder, senior fellow and editor-at-large for Public Health, is the creator and host of American Diagnosis, a podcast on health and social justice.

The CDC recommends that anyone 6 months of age or older get an annual flu shot. The ideal timing is late October or early November, before the winter holidays and before influenza typically starts spreading in the U.S. Like covid shots, flu shots provide only a couple of months of immunity against infection and transmission, but an early flu shot is better than no flu shot. Influenza is already circulating in some parts of the United States. It’s especially important for people 65 or older, pregnant women, people with chronic medical conditions, and children under 5 to get their yearly flu shots because they’re at highest risk of hospitalization and death. Although younger people might be at lower risk for severe flu, they can act as vectors for transmission of influenza to higher-risk people in the community.

Rochelle Walensky

Photo courtesy of SLPS / Oak Hill

Dining Out.

GRAINS

PRESENT:

PRESENT:

What Is ASize?Serving

Keep ‘em Whole!

The Smart Way!

Halloween Tricks?

Turn Chores into Fun Exercise

Warm Up & Cool Down

Do This. Not That!

First Day of Spring!

Exercise Game

Nutrition Challenge:

Nutrition Challenge:

When we’re lucky enough to have a chance to go out for dinner, there are a few ways to stay healthy with our food

Once you’re out of school, many of you may have a lot of extra time on your hands to be snacking. Resist the urge to eat sweet, salty, fried and high-calorie non-nutritious snacks this summer.

See if the restaurant will let you “share” a meal. Many meals are two, three or more times an actual serving size.

We each need at least 3 servings per day of whole grains. But what does that mean? How can we know what foods contain whole grains?

Tech-Neck

Ice can be dangerous for several different reasons.

In our “Super-Size” world, we can easily lose track of what an actual serving size means. When reading labels on a food or drink product, you can determine the nutrients, sodium, fiber, sugar and calories of a serving size. But be careful; just because it looks like one small bottle

Look at the ingredients list of a package of food you are about to eat. If the word “whole” is used, then there is most likely a whole grain ingredient. A few items that don’t use the word whole

As soon as you’ve divided your plate into the right size servings, ask your server for a to-go box. Go ahead and box up what you don’t need to eat right away. You can enjoy

or-treating; you’ll be less likely to eat candy along the way.

Healthy Kids

Healthy Kids

Healthy Kids

Healthy Kids

those leftovers for lunch the next day!

are popcorn, wheatberries, brown rice and wild rice.

Kids

Healthy Kids

Healthcare Careers

Cocoa Puffers Cereal

INGREDIENTS:

> Ask the server how the different menu items are prepared. Fried, sautéed, and

Getting plenty of whole grains in your diet can improve your health and reduce your chance for some chronic illnesses such as stroke, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. Visit wholegrainscouncil.com for more information.

Create a Smart Summer Eating plan with your parents. Ask their help in finding nutritious snacks and meals for the

lifestyle. You can do this by forming new habits. For example, if you decide to eliminate sugary drinks completely, it only takes a few weeks until this becomes what you’re used to.

Here are the steps to making a healthy permanent change. We‘ll use the sugary drink change as an example.

Let’s make a game out of exercise!

> Decide you’re going to switch from soda to water.

summer. Delicious juicy, ripe fruits are all around and are healthy for you too! Make it your goal to come back to school in the fall healthier and happier!

a big bowl full of leftover treats at your house after all of the kids are done knocking on your door.

> Start by substituting one drink per day to water.

> Avoid gravies, cheese sauces and other kinds of toppings that often just add fat and calories.

Weekly Newspaper in Education Program

➢Why not hand out little “gifts” instead of candy? Many stores offer bags of pencils, spider rings, tattoos, etc. that you could buy — and are often actually cheaper than candy!

Review: What are some nutrition tips you learned by following The St. Louis American’s Healthy Kids page this school year? Send your answers to nie@stlamerican.com.

Latoya Woods, DNP, APRN, FNP-C

Deborah Edwards, School Nurse

Yonniece Rose, Registered Nurse

Melissa Douglass, MSW

As the weather gets warmer, there are many ways that we can enjoy ourselves outdoors and stay healthy over the summer. Some naturally active things you can do include:

of soda — it may not be considered one serving size. For example, a 20-oz bottle contains 2.5 servings. So if the bottle states “110 calories per serving,” that means the entire bottle contains a total of 275 calories! Remember to watch those serving sizes and you’ll have better control over what you’re eating and drinking.

> Stick with water to drink. Not only will you save money, but you won’t be adding in extra calories from a sugarfilled drink.

> Every few days increase the amount of water and decrease your soda intake.

> After 3-4 weeks, this change will become a habit.

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

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 3, NH 5

Here are a couple of tips that might help prevent

First, locate either a deck of cards or two dice.

Learning Standards: HPE 1, HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 5 Staying Active (Naturally) DuringSummer!the Smart Summer Eating!

➢Consider purchasing candy that really isn’t your favorite. This makes those extras much less tempting to you.

Where do you work? I am a family nurse practitioner for BJC Medical Group.

Where do you work? I am the founder and distance counselor for Goal Driven Counseling, LLC.

When you automatically reach for water instead of soda, it has now become a lifestyle change!

even simmered can all mean, “cooked in oil.” Instead, choose baked or grilled options.

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 4, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 2, NH 3,

> What are other ways to stay healthy while dining out?

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

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 3, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 5

Staying active, getting your heart rate up and opening your lungs will help you start off next school year happier and healthier!

Where do you work? I am a school nurse with St. Louis Public Schools.

Where do you work? I am an EMT – B at Abbott EMS in Belleville, Illinois.

Where do you work? I am a school nurse at Monroe Elementary School.

With the holiday season right around the corner, Covid cases are decreasing. Not to say that we are out of the woods completely; it just means that we can participate in trick-or-treating if we follow certain restrictions.

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

•MASKS - Unfortunately, Halloween costume masks are not effective against the Covid virus. Be creative and make an actual filtered mask part of your costume. And never forget to wear a mask if at an indoor event or party, or if the party is outside, but crowded.

As spring approaches, warmer weather allows us all to get more outdoor exercise. Here are some ways to become a more active person.

> Wash your parent’s car.

Where did you go to school? I graduated from Lindbergh High School. I then attended the University of Arkansas in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, where I studied biology.

> Help with yard work: planting, weeding, etc.

> Walking to the store when possible.

March 20, 2021, is the first day of spring. With spring comes warmer weather and longer days (later sunset). Make it a habit to spend as much time playing outside as the weather allows.

Secondly, when you are finished with any kind of strenuous (very active) exercise, take some time to cool down. You can slowly stretch your arms and

It’s important that before you embark on any kind of exercise to remember two things: warm up and cool down. Start with some slow stretches and movement (like walking) to increase your heart rate a little. Warm up for a good five minutes before increasing your heart rate.

Instead of watching TV — ride your bike with friends.

legs again, and continue with reduced speed movements until your heart rate begins to slow down.

Where did you go to school? I graduated from McCluer North High School. I earned an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing from Meramec College in Kirkwood and completing my bachelor’s degree at Webster University in Webster Groves.

Review: What are some exercise tips you learned by following The St. Louis American’s Healthy Kids page this school year? Send your answers to nie@ stlamerican.com.

and breathing. You want to have fun, but it’s also a great way to help keep your heart, lungs and body healthy.

Instead of playing video games — play baseball, football, badminton, or some other active game.

> Play, play, play outside as much as you can!

Here’s a crazy idea. Why not turn those chores into exercise? Play your favorite music, put on headphones and “Clean to the Beat!” Cleaning your room can be almost fun, set to music. Bending over, stretching,

Some fun outdoor games to play include tag, kickball, basketball, Frisbee, and bicycling. Choose activities that increase your heart rate

Next you’ll need to make a list of different types of exercise: jumping jacks, sit-ups, lunges, etc. Write each exercise item on a small piece of paper or index

Instead of surfing the ‘Net — go for a brisk walk around the neighborhood.

reaching and pickingup are all excellent ways to increase your flexibility. Why not sweep, mop, vacuum or rake with music, a smile and a

Today we’re going to talk about what to do if you do get caught in a fire. It helps to have a plan!

Break into small groups and define what it means to be a bully. Share your ideas with the class. Did you have the same things listed (as the other groups) that you would consider as bullying behavior?

> NEVER walk on a “frozen” pond, lake, river or any other body of water. Just because it looks frozen does not mean it is safe.

card and fold into a small square. Put these squares into a bowl. Take turns rolling the dice (or drawing a card) and selecting an exercise from the bowl. The total number on the dice or card tells you how many of the exercise you must do. Face cards (king,

Make a list of your favorite 10 activities to do outdoors. Compare your list with your classmates and create a chart to see what are the most popular.

How much time do you spend each day looking down at a phone, laptop or video game?

Now back in your groups, create a newspaper ad that includes at least two of the following:

Can you think of other ways to be more active? Going outside and staying active not only increases your heart rate and burns calories, but it also helps you build friendships!

Over the last 35 weeks we have discussed many smart choices that you can make to help you stay safe and healthy. Break into small groups and list as many Smart Choices that your group remembers. Now individually, choose one that you think is very important. Describe in your own words what that smart choice is, and how you can remember to make the right choice in the future. Name a new “smart choice“ that you will make this summer.

This warm-up and recovery period is important for your heart health. It also helps to reduce the amount of muscle pulls and strains.

Learning Standards: HPE1, HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 5

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

queen or jack) should all count as the number 10. Aces are “wild” and you can do as many as you want! To really challenge yourself, have one person roll the dice and the second can select the exercise. See who can complete the exercise challenge first!

quick pace. As long as you’re careful to still complete the job well, you can add some physical activity, get your heart rate up, burn some calories and have the satisfaction of combining chores, exercise and fun!

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1

Where did you go to school? I graduated from McCluer High School. I then earned a Bachelor of Nursing and a Master of Nursing Practice from the University of Missouri – St. Louis. And finally, I earned a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Maryville University.

Where did you go to school? I graduated from Whitney Young Magnet High School in Chicago, IL: same as former first lady Mrs. Michelle Obama. I then earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Work, and a Master of Social Work from the University of Missouri – St. Louis. I also completed two more years of supervision and exams to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Missouri.

Where did you go to school? I graduated from Sumner High School. I then earned Associate Degree in Nursing from Forest Park College and a BS in Business Administration from Columbia College.

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

> What to do if you see someone else bullied.

Spot” in your yard so that you all know when the whole family is safe.

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 4, HPE 5, NH 1

What does a Licensed Clinical Social Worker do?

What does a family nurse practitioner do? Each day I have office visits with patients to help treat new health conditions and/or manage established health conditions. I perform physical examinations on patients, order labs, read x-rays results, and more.

What does a school nurse do? I assess the concerns of students who are ill, injured or experiencing alterations in their normal health. Nurses screen daily staff, students and visitors for safety. Monroe School is a pilot school for Covid-19 test sites in partnership with the city.

Cracker-wiches

> What to do if YOU are the bully.

> It’s important that you have a family meeting to prepare for such an emergency. Decide ahead of time which doors/windows would be the safest ways to escape from different parts of your home.

What does a school nurse do? I love giving students medications, so they’re able to focus on learning. I clean and bandage wounds. I use medical equipment like a stethoscope, for example, to evaluate whether or not my asthmatics are breathing well. Moreover, I teach and promote healthy habits to my students.

I use technology to help teens and young adults explore their emotions, better understand their feelings, work through relationships, and address common challenges completely online through a computer, tablet, or smart phone. Similar to a Facetime call, I support and guide my clients from the comfort of their home or private location where they are comfortable

A BMI (Body Mass Index) is a generic way to calculate where your weight falls into categories (thin, average, overweight, obese). However, it’s a good idea to remember that a BMI may not take into consideration many things such as athleticism (how athletic you are), your bone density and other factors. Discuss your BMI with your

Chiropractors around the country see young patients every day suffering from back, neck and head-aches resulting from the extra strain you put on your body when you look down for long periods of time.

> If you are with someone that falls through the ice, first run (or call) for help. Do not try to go out onto the ice to help your friend. You can fall through the ice too.

> How bullying hurts others.

> Also, decide on a “Meeting

> What to do if you are bullied.

> And remember — if you have a fire, call 911 from a neighbor’s home. Don’t stay in your house to make the call.

Learning Standards: HPE 1, HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1, NH5, NH 7

doctor if you have any questions. The formula to calculate your BMI is 703 X weight (lbs) ÷ height (in inches/squared) or search “BMI Calculator” to find an easy fill-in chart online. If your number is high, what are some ways to lower your BMI?

1. Most importantly — take breaks! Have a goal of a 3 minute break every 15-20 minutes. Move around, stretch your neck and relax, without looking down!

> Also — remember to look up! Icicles injure numerous people every year. If you see large icicles forming over your front steps, ask your parents to use a broom handle to knock them off to the side before they break loose from your gutters.

Easy Hummus Dip

Baked Kale Chips

Ingredients:

•CLEAN HANDS – Wrapped candy has a relatively low chance of spreading the virus, and an even lower chance when you wash your hands before handing out candy. Putting the candy in the trick-ortreaters’ bags will prevent multiple children from putting their hands into your candy bowl. Of course, everyone should wash their hands before eating candy (due to the countless surfaces touched while out getting treats). Candy wrappers are not considered contagious and there is no need to quarantine your candy before eating it.

Why did you choose this career? I chose this career to help improve the health of my community.

Why did you choose this career? I am a St. Louis native, and was an asthmatic child who experienced frequent hospitalizations. Besides having the influence of nurses in my family, the local nurses who helped take care of me were my “angels” and always managed to nurse me back to health, thus sparking my interest.

Frozen Yogurt Blueberry Bites

Ingredients: 1 Bunch Kale 1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Tsp Seasoned Salt

Ingredients:

Ingredients: 1 15-Oz Can Garbanzo beans

1 cup blueberries

> When walking on icecovered roadways or sidewalks, take baby steps. Walk carefully and slowly.

A couple of quick tips that will reduce that strain on your neck are:

Look through the newspaper for examples of ad layouts and design. Discuss the words “compassion,” “empathy” and “sympathy.” How do they each play into your response to bullying at your school?

2. Set your tech device in a holder to keep it at eye level, reducing the need to look down.

> And once you are out, don’t go back in for any reason until you’re told by the fire fighters that it’s safe.

> What other ice hazards are there?

1 cup non-fat Greek Yogurt

Learning Standards: HPE 1, HPE 2, NH 5

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 4

Learning Standards: HPE 5, NH 5

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, HPE 7, NH 5, NH 7

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

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

Ingredients: 1/2 Cp Vanilla Greek yogurt, 3 Tbsp Natural peanut butter, 1 Ripe banana (sliced and frozen), Splash of vanilla (optional) 6 Ice cubes

1 Garlic clove, crushed 2 Tsp Cumin, 1 Tsp Olive oil, ½ Tsp Salt Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Enjoy with baked tortilla chips or raw vegetables.

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Tear the kale leaves into bitesized pieces. Wash and completely dry the leaves and spread on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake until edges are brown (about 10-15 minutes).

Directions: Blend all ingredients until Smooth. Makes 2 yummy smoothies!

Directions: Spread peanut butter on four of the crackers and top with sliced strawberries. Drizzle with honey and top with the other crackers to make four cracker-wiches.

Directions: Drop each blueberry into the yogurt. Using a spoon, swirl around to coat and place each blueberry on a cookie sheet topped with parchment paper. Freeze for at least an hour.

What does an EMT do? My day-to-day includes helping others when they aren’t feeling their best. I also assist getting them to the hospital when they can’t take themselves. Why did you choose this career? I chose this career because I enjoy helping others problem solve. Also, I have twin stepsons, one who wants to be a police officer, and the other who wants to be a doctor. I thought that being an EMT helped me to meet them both in the middle. And, back in 2018, I had my own medical emergency and was transported by ambulance to a hospital. The paramedic that took care of me was so comforting and assuring that I realized that becoming an EMT is an honorable career. I now work with that same paramedic, at the same company.

Why did you choose this career? I chose this career because I enjoy being a support to teens and young adults in a very challenging phase of life that can be overwhelming. I enjoy teaching them how to best take care of themselves so they can live healthy and fulfilling lives.

•CELEBRATE OUTSIDE – Whenever possible, plan your Halloween events and parties outside. And set yourself up outside your house so that the masked candy hunters won’t have to grab stair rails, ring your doorbell, or knock on your door.

Why did you choose this career? I love nursing because there are many opportunities in hospitals, schools, clinics and offices, insurance, legal and research. My passion is working in the schools with students, parents, staff and community partners.

What is your favorite part of the job you have? Many chronic health conditions (diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure) are preventable, and early detection is key. Thus my favorite part of the job is partnering with patients to establish and manage a plan to help them each live a long and healthy life.

What is your favorite part of the job you have?

What is your favorite part of the job you have? I enjoy meeting and learning about new people and cultures every day. I also like the adrenaline of driving fast with sirens going to get to an emergency quickly.

What is your favorite part of the job you have? I enjoy when a child tells you, “I want to be a nurse.” And best of all, I love the smiles, hugs and “thank-yous”.

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

•GET CREATIVE – What are some fun and interesting ways to hand out your candy? Quick online searches suggest everything from Candy Chutes to sealing each candy bag separately and put them around your yard (think Easter egg hunt).

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

My childhood health challenges have given me sensitivity to children suffering with illness. After being given a new lease on life, I consider it an honor to be in a position to promote health to the children of my community, in whatever capacity I serve – in turn, being their “angel.”

What is your favorite part of the job you have? I love that my job makes talking about mental health not as scary and even makes it kind of cool. I love that I get to build valuable relationships with so many people that trust me to be there for them. I love that no matter where my clients are, we can simply connect with a video call and I can not only support them through hard times, but lots of good times as well.

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

“Questions or comments? Contact Cathy Sewell csewell@stlamerican.com or 618-910-9551

Learning Standards: HPE 6, NH 3

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

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

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

Banana PB Smoothie

Marnay Howard, EMT - B

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.

Questions or comments? Contact Cathy Sewell csewell@stlamerican.com or 618-910-9551

CLASSOOM SPOTLIGHT

Drug chemist

Thanarat Viriyakul from the Illinois State Police Forensic Science Lab shows students how to test ink samples from the note found at the “scene of the crime.”

SCIENCE CORNER

Imagine you have the best chocolate chip cookie recipe that you like to make for family and friends. Imagine you sold this recipe to a company. Now, they need to produce thousands of cookies each day. Each cookie must be the same size and have the same taste. What kind of equipment would they use? How would the recipe change? How could they produce the cookies at a low cost? These are the questions for a chemical engineer. Chemical engineers use math, chemistry, and physics to solve problems, such as pollution. They design equipment and find ways to make chemicals. Chemical engineers work in labs, factories, or testing

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

What Is Chemical Engineering?

sites. In order to become a chemical engineer, you will need to earn your bachelor’s degree, taking courses in math, English, chemistry, biology, physics, social studies, and computers. Engineering majors often do projects as teams, so cooperation skills are very important. If you are a creative and curious person who loves math, logic, and solving problems, this is a good career for you.

Materials + Chemical Engineer + Manufacturing Facility = Cookies

For More Information and Interactive Games, Visit: www.discoverengineering.org.

Learning Standards: I can read nonfiction text to gain information about careers in math, science, and technology.

As you know, chemical engineers are good problem solvers. One method of problem solving is trial and error. That means, you try your idea and learn from any errors you make. Sometimes your ideas work well, sometimes they might need some revising. In this experiment, you are going to use your problem solving skills to create square bubbles.

Materials Needed:

• 1 Cup Liquid Dishwashing Soap

• 4 Teaspoons Sugar • 2 ½ Cups of Water • Mixing bowl • Spoon • Straws

• Wire Coat Hanger • Paper • Pencil

Directions:

q Mix the soap, sugar, and water in the mixing bowl to create a bubble solution.

MATH CONNECTION

Square bubbles

w Working with a group, brainstorm ideas of how to create a device that will create square bubbles.

e Use trial and error to evaluate your ideas.

r Record your results on paper, noting what worked and what didn’t work. What changes did your group make?

t Discuss results as a class.

Discussion Questions: Did your group work well together? Were you able to create square bubbles? What method was the most effective?

Learning Standards: I can follow directions to complete an experiment. I can use trial and error to evaluate my ideas. I can work cooperatively with a group. Can You Recognize the pattern?

Calling all problem solvers! Put your skills to the test as you find the pattern in the following problems.

2,

3, 9, 15, 21, 27, 33, 39

3, 3, 9, 27, 243

Describe the pattern

Describe the pattern

Describe the pattern

Describe the pattern

Answer:

Learning Standards: I can use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to solve a problem.

SCIENCE STARS

TO

1ST FEMALE AFRICAN-AMERICAN

RECEIVE A DOCTORATE IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING: Lilia Ann Abron

Lilia Ann Abron was born on March 8, 1945, in Memphis, Tennessee, and was the first African-American woman in the nation to receive her doctorate degree in chemical engineering. Abron’s father was a principal and her mother was a school teacher who taught art and geography. Her parents and three siblings encouraged her interest in science and encouraged her education.

Abron earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1966 from Lemoyne College, her master’s degree in 1968 from Washington University, and her doctorate degree in 1972 from the University of Iowa.

Abron worked for the Kansas City Water Department and went on to become a research engineer for the Metropolitan Sanitary District of Chicago. She taught sanitary engineering at Tennessee State University, Vanderbilt University, and Howard University. Abron founded PEER Consultants, an environmental engineering consulting firm. PEER provides solutions to contamination problems to government and private industry clients. Some of Abron’s clients included the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy. Abron’s firm was active in the Boston Harbor cleanup and worked in South Africa to build energyefficient homes.

Abron is a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the International Women’s Forum, the Water Environment Federation, American Water Works Association, and American Society of Civil Engineers. Abron has been active in the community, serving as the president of the Washington, D.C., chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., and as a board member of the Baptist Home for Children. She has received numerous awards, including the Hancher-Finkbine Alumni Medallion from the University of Iowa, the Magic Hands Award by Lemoyne-Owen College, and she was elected to the National Academy of Arts and Sciences. She has three sons and five grandchildren.

The water was so dirty in Boston Harbor that a song was written about it in 1966 by the Standells, called “Dirty Water.” In 1985, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) was created to clean up Boston’s Harbor. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calls Boston Harbor a “great American jewel.”

Discussion Questions: Dr. Abron’s consulting firm helps companies use resources to be less harmful to the environment. What are ways you can help the environment every day? What kind of city departments do you think need engineers? Why? Why is sanitary engineering important? Dr. Abron is active in many organizations to help her community. In what ways can you help your community?

Learning Standards: I can read a biography to learn about an African-American who has made strides in the fields of math, science, and/or technology.

MAP CORNER

Science involves identifying a problem and finding a solution.

Find a newspaper story about a problem and a solution. Summarize the problem and solution in a paragraph.

In addition to natural hazards, there are also chemical hazards (such as pollution), biological hazards (such as pollen and viruses), safety hazards (such as workplace safety, transportation), and personal hazards (such as smoking and drinking). Discuss the risk of these hazards, then find newspaper stories or pictures and identify the type of hazard that is illustrated.

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to find information. I can locate a problem and solution. I can categorize.

Andrew Grove, the founder of Intel, majored in Chemical Engineering.

Photo/Technology Association of Iowa

Copaganda on the rise as Coatar opposes Consolidated

911 and ESOP endorses

The heavy hand of police unions has become obvious in the last few weeks, as pro-law enforcement groups fight against the backlash of two exposés by ProPublica, a national investigative publication that explored the sordid world of private policing in St. Louis. A credit bureau reporting website looked at skewed crime data in St. Louis to make the absurd claim that our city is the “least safe” in the county. Both the white and the Black police unions have set aside their decades of differences to join forces in the fight against police accountability. Even Schnucks has chimed in to bemoan increasing instances of petty crimes around their South Grand location - blaming the surrounding neighborhood without any mention of the $1 mini bottles placed near the

self-check-outs.

Earlier this month, 7th Ward Alderman Jack Coatar released a very expensive campaign television ad, targeting the City’s vexing perennial issue: public safety. In his ad, Coatar calls for more police officers and a better 911 system. Coatar, in office since spring 2015, has been largely ineffective in leveraging his relationships with the police department and unions to resolve persistent labor issues in the police department. Here’s the problem: Jack can’t back up his own words. After making promises to voters, he won’t be able to keep the promises he is making to his donors and other supporters.

To “fix” 911, that system would need to be consolidated under one, big Public Safety Department umbrella. Cur-

rently, all calls for emergency assistance are routed through the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, which then makes the sole determinator of which services to dispatch for help. This is a remnant of a time, not so long ago, when St. Louis City did not have control over its own police department. In the lead up to the Civil War in 1861, Missouri’s segregationalist governor didn’t want the union sympathizers to be able to control the police department. Since the state-appointed police commission called the shots at SLMPD from the Civil War until 2013, our 911 system has been broken since it began. We’ve regained local control of our police department, but that doesn’t mean the police have been ready to collaborate with other emergency services.

The “fix” to 911 would require consolidation of the

workforce. The arrangement is opposed by the alderman’s benefactors at the St. Louis Police Officers Association (SLPOA) and the yet-to-endorse IAFF Local 73. Of course, that opposition is not based on what best serves the community. In short, Coatar cannot support an improved, consolidated 911 system without supporting a consolidated workforce. And he cannot support a consolidated workforce because the white police and white firefighters unions oppose that move. Both of these arrangments cannot co-exist - so the young alderman has to make a tough choice between voters’ concerns and his donors’ interests.

Is ESOP doing a flip flop?

Across the county line, St.

Louis County Executive Republican candidate Mark Mantovani - who our readers may recall as a two-time Democratic candidate for County Executive - has received the endorsement from the Ethical Society of Police. In a first for the Black police union, ESOP’s Recording Secretary St. Louis County Police Lt. Ray Rice gave a non-specific statement that Page lacked a “holistic crime mitigation plan” - something that Mantovani does not have but Page in fact does - latching onto debunked talking points previously touted by ousted SLPOA business manager Jeff Roorda. Wonder who arranged that possible policy shift?

Setting aside the alreadybizarre turn of events for the Republican candidate for St. Louis County’s chief executive post, ESOP’s endorsement of Mantovani calls for more transparency – because it seems to ignore ESOP’s own legal fight against pro-transparency measures passed by the Board of Aldermen in St. Louis.

In this situation, the left hand apparently doesn’t know what the right hand is doing.

Pulling up anchor at Lighthouse Landing?

If you haven’t heard of the “Lighthouse Landing” project on the far north side of the city, you should pay close attention to our region’s latest shiny “thing.” The project was announced last month, along with a two board bills sponsored by Alderwoman Lisa Middlebrook (Ward 1), to establish a development district and a community improvement district to help financially support the development. The Board of Aldermen’s transportation and commerce committee voted Tuesday to delay further consideration to recommend 15 years of tax abatements and sales tax exemptions for the project, after developers were unable to explain the lack of environmental and safety studies; local, state, and federal collaboration; or plans for “living wage” jobs that provide an average salary of only $27,000.

and recovery operations having to launch from Downtown St. Louis, versus further north up the river, because of the natural dangers that pose real threats to boat traffic around the planned location for the marina.

The proposed site for “Lighthouse Landing” was purchased in 1988 by a former SLMPD officer, Tony Daniele, who served eight years in federal prison for police pension fraud and extortion. His business partner, Mark Repking of Alton, Ill., did his own federal sentence for bank embezzlement. Daniele and Repking apparently still own the land where the Nashville-based developer M2 Development Partners (M2DP) want to construct a 67-acre “entertainment destination.”

The property is located near the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, at probably the northernmost point on Riverview Drive. It has been the subject of a number of development schemes throughout many decades. The former North Shore Golf Course was washed away in the 1993 flood, and casinos and riverboats have teased development at the site for years. The city ended up paying Daniele and Repking to raise the flood plain by dumping “clean fill” from various city departments, through a series of shady deals that netted nearly $500,000 from 2009 through 2016. In 2017, former alderwoman Dionne Flowers (D-Ward 2) sponsored two bills similar to the ones filed a few weeks ago by Middlebrook, seeking to develop the property raised out of the flood plain filled up with trash.

During the usually unexciting Transportation and Commerce Committee, Alderwoman Christine Ingrassia (D-Ward 6) asked the developers to identify the various government agencies with whom they claimed to have spoken and obtained permission to proceed with developing “Lighthouse Landing.” Moreover, when pressed for further details, the developers admitted that they had not spoken with any government partners in several years or misrepresented their points of contact.

As it turns out, Middlebrook’s bills are neither the second nor third attempt at development on North Riverview Drive. The Post-Dispatch’s Tony Messenger has been following the “Lighthouse Landing” project for years, through its various names such as “Pier St. Louis,” “Lighthouse Development,” and “Belle of the Night.” For some reason or another, however, each proposal has fallen through. Despite the identified environmental and safety challenges to constructing “Lighthouse Landing” on North Riverside Drive, the out-of-state developers still clutched to the idea of a marina and dismissed the idea that the Chain of Rocks area was a hazard to boaters.

Alderwoman Annie Rice (DWard 8) reminded the developers that Missouri law permits 14-year-old children to pilot boats and that declining river levels have further tightened barge traffic along the Mississippi.

2 0 2 2 C R I M

“It seems very irresponsible to me, for you all as developers, to not at least have had some preliminary conversations, I mean, at a minimum with Corps of Engineers,” Ingrassia admonished. “There’s a reason why the tows and barges go through a canal that we spent multi-millions of dollars building in the 1940s - it’s because the Chain of Rocks bedrock shelf is the largest hazard on the entire Mississippi River, so we diverted all of that commercial traffic to the Illinois side.”

Ingrassia pointed to rescue

“I don’t see how we’re even starting this conversation that we have a potentially environmentally devastating marina project, and potentially public safety as well, and that we’re going forward on not knowing if this piece of the puzzle can even exist,” Rice said. This project has been stewing for years, so there are few excuses for this stark lack of information from the developers. While the EYE strongly urges development on the North Side, projects such as “Lighthouse Landing” should not be supported at the expense of the environment, safety, or commerce.

Mark Mantovani

Lisa Middlebrook

Self reliance

Soi Day Spa offers self-care in soothing environment

By Danielle Brown

The St. Louis American

Dasha Lyn, a millennial mom of a preteen daughter and former employee of Barnes-Jewish Hospital, admits she didn’t understand the importance of self care rituals.

A friend suggested that she take some time to herself, and she obliged by getting manicure and pedicure services.

“I turned my phone off and that was a reset. That’s when I was first introduced to self care,” she said.

Lyn, who calls herself a reformed tom boy, grew up wearing braids and baggy jeans. Following the birth of her daughter, she sought to create a better version of herself.

“I wanted to show her something different that I didn’t have,” Lyn said.

“I didn’t have that female [role model.]. I didn’t have anybody teaching me about self care and night skincare routines. I didn’t have any of that. Having [my daughter] cultivated me into what you see now.”

While on her journey, it dawned on her that working a traditional job wasn’t what she truly cared to do. Her commitment to strengthening self worth and self esteem through self care soon became her business model.

Lyn established Soí Day Spa and became a business owner. Soí is French for ‘self,’ and Lyn’s unisex salon specializes in nails, massages, full body waxing, facials, and lashes.

“I want it to be an off day away from everything when you step into Soí. That’s what made me do it,” Lyn said. “That’s what inspired me to open it. Just self care in general from a mental perspective.”

Lyn left Barnes where she worked as a liaison between patients and doctors and graduated from a nail tech school in summer 2019. She worked mobily servicing clients, and worked for two different salons from January 2020-September 2022.

Taking a stand for STEM

Conference to address lack of STEM opportunities for incarcerated

By Alvin A. Reid

The St. Louis American

While many incarcerated Americans can access educational programs, STEM [science, technology, mathematics] education pathways are scarce. This shortage prevents individuals who are incarcerated from entering the STEM workforce. In addition, inequitable and exclusionary systems reinforce limited access to STEM education and careers for many once they are released from prison, according to STEM Opportunities in Prison Settings [STEM-OPS]

STEM-OPS will host its first national conference in St. Louis Oct. 25-27, 2022, at the Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel, and state Sen. Brian Williams will offer the conference’s keynote address at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

STEM-OPS is a member of a National Science Foundation alliance which includes the Education Development Center (EDC); Prison to Professionals (P2P); Operation Restoration (OR); the Initiative for Race, Research, and Justice at Vanderbilt University; and the Prison Teaching Initiative at Princeton University.

Access to STEM jobs is not equal for everyone. Over the past 25 years, prison education programs that teach STEM skills have been cut, effectively preventing individuals who are incarcerated from entering the STEM workforce after they have served their sentences. The lack of investment in prison education is evidence that systemic racism continues to shape educational and economic realities in the United States.

Several sessions will be led by people who are justice impacted, including Syrita Steib, founder of New Orleans based Operation See STEM, B2

State Sen. Brian

Center on the University of Missouri–St.

and detailed funding aimed at revitalizing St. Louis County. Williams, who has led legislative efforts to reduce the number of years before felony and misdemeanor convictions can be expunged, will deliver the keynote address during the first STEM Opportunities in Prison Settings [STEM-OPS] national conference in St. Louis Oct. 25-27.

PeoPle on the Move

Houston-Butler named manager at CASA

CASA of St. Louis has named Schalene Houston-Butler to the newly created position of volunteer recruitment and outreach manager. In that role, she will plan, implement and evaluate outreach and volunteer recruitment strategies and build and maintain community relationships and partnerships to increase awareness of CASA’s work in advocating for foster children. She will also be charged with developing electronic and social media content for CASA’s website and for its multiple social media platforms. Since 2007, Houston-Butler has worked in production at CBS Radio, KMOX-Radio and STL TV.

Carter named project manager at Kwame

collaborates with owners and the project team to ensure on-time completion of projects, which include the St. Louis Major League Soccer Centene Stadium, the Urban League’s Women’s Business Center and the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park project. Carter has eight years of industry experience and holds certifications as a Kaizen Leader and in Change Management. She has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology. She is also a member of the National Association of Realtors and a 2022-2023 cohort of the St. Louis Regional Business Council (RBC) Young Professionals Network (YPN) Leadership 100.

Lackland named group manager at Commerce

Tamara Lackland is now a group manager for Commerce Bank, overseeing the operation and management of six branches within North City and North County of the St. Louis Region. Additionally, she is responsible for business development and customer experiences related to the bank’s consumer banking, lending and small business services. Lackland serves on the board of directors of North County Incorporated (NCI), a regional development association.

Taylor becomes dean of college of health sciences

April Taylor, DBA, JD joined Logan University in August as dean of the College of Health Sciences. She previously served as dean for the College of Arts and Sciences and dean for the College of Business at her former institution. She comes to Logan with extensive academic oversight and curriculum development experience. Dr. Taylor served as the previous Chair for the South Carolina Board of Paralegal Certification, a position to which she was appointed by the South Carolina Supreme Court.

Soi Day Spa owner Daysha Lyn services a client in her DeBaliviere Place neighborhood location Friday, Sept. 23.

See SOI DAY SPA, B2

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Kwame Building Group has added DeAna Carter as project engineer. Carter

DeAna Carter

Tamara Lackland

April Taylor

Schalene HoustonButler

Photo by Burk Krohe / UM-St. Louis

Williams spoke July 11, 2022, at the Patient Care

Louis campus

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Soi Day Spa

Continued from B1

She opened Soí on Sept. 5, 2022. Upon entrance, clients are greeted by rich, navy blue walls, white and gold accents a crystal chandelier, and soft jazz and R&B music in the background.

“I wanted to give a Four Seasons spa feel without the price tag,” Lyn said.

“People have bills and other obligations, they deserve to be treated nicely without having to pay a hefty price tag.”

Lyn believes “beauty is more than skin deep,” meaning that self care is not just about what’s on the outside.

“My nails and everything else could look good but I could be depressed on the inside, it’s important to get to the root of that and fix it,” she said.

To help combat self esteem issues and other mental health concerns, Lys hosts self care days at Soí involving pampering and dialogue about problems people face.

“I’ve had ladies say, ‘Ooo, oh my God, this was beneficial. Can we pray?,’” she said. “This is a safe space for you all to come do that.”

Men are also welcome, and Lyn wants them to be comfortable, as well.

“Men also battle against a lot of things that they don’t speak about,” she said. “That’s why I’m big on having a unisex salon.”

Soí differs from many traditional nail shops because of its health-conscious methods. All services are fume and acrylic free. E-file pedicures are offered in lieu of soaks. Lyn said this service would be similar to what a patient would receive at a podiatrist office.

“It’s similar to people that are diabetic and can’t soak their feet in water, they can have security in the service that

STEM

Continued from B1

Restoration, a nonprofit that supports women and girls impacted by incarceration.

I have an obligation to dismantle systems that were never built for us. The reason I do what I do is for those I left behind,” she said.

In 2000, 19-year-old Steib was convicted for stealing cars and burning down a car dealership in Texas. She was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, 20 years in state prison, and $1.9 million in restitution. She was released in 2009.

Steib’s arrest and conviction interrupted her interest in education, which included a full scholarship to Xavier University in physics and engineering.

“School was one thing that I really excelled in so when I got arrested, When I got out, I just knew I needed to go back to school,” she said.

She graduated from LSU Health and Science Center in 2014 but initially struggled to get into college. She helped pass the ‘ban the box’ bill in 2017 so colleges and universities won’t ask applicants about their criminal history.

She completed her prison sentence, but still the staggering restitution amount.

During one of his final days in office, former President Trump pardoned Steib, which

they’re getting and also not worry about getting cut because it’s with an electric file and I don’t use nippers,” she said.

“The skin can be manipulated better dry versus soaking in water over a long amount of time.”

Lyn said her aunt enjoyed getting her nails done in regular shops, but felt uneasy because of the chemicals used. This led her to choose healthier options for her spa.

“Acrylic isn’t good to use because of the fumes ingested into our respiratory system from it,” she said. “I don’t want to sit here 10 hours a day inhaling acrylic all day everyday and I don’t want my clients to either, that’s the reason I decided to do fume free.”

The pandemic put Lyn’s spa services on pause, but she learned a lucrative hobby that helped her stay afloat—candle making. She sells her handmade candles as Soí Essentials.

“I dropped my collection

three times during the pandemic and sold out each time,” she said. “Then the goods shortage happened where we couldn’t get anything from China. The pandemic pushed me to start my retail candle line when service went down because I wasn’t making money from it, but I sustained income from retail.”

Lyn’s advice to young Black entrepreneurs is to stay true to themselves and “have a real purpose for why they’re doing it and what they’re doing it for.”

“Stick to what you want to do and don’t waver because of influences you see online,” she said. “Don’t be moved by trends. Before you say you’re going to open a business, have a purpose, stick to it, and don’t only do it for the money.”

Soí Day Spa is located at 5316 Pershing Avenue, Suite 101, St. Louis, MO 63112. For more information about Soí, visit https://soistl.com/

eliminated her debt. Also on the conference agenda are action items including:

• Launching and leading STEM college-in-prison programming.

• Establishing mentoring, internships, and other supports for currently or formerly incarcerated students in STEM fields.

• Supporting for inclusive hiring of justice-impacted individuals in STEM careers

• Ensuring that the voices of justice-impacted individuals are present among STEM educators, professionals, and scholars.

• Building strategies to strengthen pedagogy and instruction for STEM college-in-prison programs and to disrupt the K–16 school-toprison pipeline.

STEM-OPS is also dedicated to creating more inclusion and diversity among STEM professionals.

“Diversity in STEM is certainly an equity issue. The culture of STEM education and careers has been historically exclusionary despite efforts to change this. However, the lack of diversity hurts STEM as well. Many brilliant individuals are excluded from its practice who could contribute significantly to STEM progress as well as change the culture,” according to STEM-OPS.

“These brilliant people bring different experiences, values, and understandings in STEM that could lead to new questions being asked and new solutions being developed to profound challenges we face as a society and world. By excluding access to STEM, we are not only inflicting harm on many invaluable individuals in our

but we are also limiting the potential of

disciplines.”

society,

STEM

Soi Day Spa owner Daysha Lyn opened Soí on Sept. 5, 2022. Upon entrance, clients are greeted by rich, navy blue walls, white and gold accents including a crystal chandelier, and soft jazz and R&B music plays.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Photo courtesy of WWL New Orleans

Syrita Steib, founder of New Orleans based Operation Restoration, a nonprofit that supports women and girls impacted by incarceration, receives a hug from a supporter after she was pardoned in January 2021 by former President Trump. Steib, who served nine years in prison for a crime she committed while 19 in the year 2000, will be a speaker during the STEM Opportunities in Prison Settings [STEM-OPS] national conference in St. Louis Oct. 25-27.

n “He was a true champion both on and off the floor and our gratitude is endless.”

– Boston Celtics guard

Sports

InSIdE SportS

By Earl Austin Jr.

A whole lotta Love

Irish eyes smiling on St. Louis player again

It was five years ago that star running back Kyren Williams of Vianney signed with Notre Dame after leading the Golden Griffins to two consecutive state championships. Williams then went on to have an excellent career with the Fighting Irish.

The Notre Dame coaching staff, led by head coach Marcus Freeman, has returned to the St. Louis area to recruit another top running back from the Metro Catholic Conference.

And they got their young man when standout running back Jeremiyah Love of CBC gave a commitment to Notre Dame. Love chose the Fighting Irish over Texas A&M, Michigan, and Oregon.

The 6’1” 195-pound Love is ranked among the top five running backs nationally by multiple recruiting outlets. He is rated as the No. 3 running back by Rivals.com and the No. 51 player overall in the Class of 2023. He is ranked the No. 5 running back and No. 92 overall in the ESPN 300 national rankings. Through eight games this season, Love has rushed for 533 yards on 68 carries while scoring 11 touchdowns. He is also averaging nearly eight yards per carry. As a junior, Love rushed for 996 yards on 95 carries and 14 touchdowns on 10.5 yards per carry. He played a crucial role in the Cadets’ run to the Class 6 state championship.

Khayli Buckels nets a state title

Parkway South girls’ tennis standout Khayli Buckels completed a tremendous senior season by winning the Class 3 state championship in singles at last Friday’s state championships in Springfield. Buckels defeated Sahana Madela of John Burroughs 6-2, 6-4 in the state finals on Friday, thus becoming the first state champion in tennis in Parkway South history. After finishing her junior season as the runner-up in the state tournament, Buckels came back to roll to an undefeated season en route to her state championship.

Standout Performers from Week 8

• Running back Terran Mitchell of Affton scored three rushing touchdowns, one receiving touchdown and one kickoff return for a total of five scores and 295 total yards in a loss to Normandy.

• Quarterback Taron Peete of Vashon completed nine of 12 passes for 160 yards and three touchdowns in a 32-26 victory over

Lift for Life.

• Quarterback Carson Boyd of Cardinal Ritter completed 11 of 15 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns in a 26-13 victory over Hillsboro.

• Quarterback Jack Behl of Lafayette passed for 472 yards and three touchdowns in a come-from-behind 48-47 victory over Ritenour.

• Wide receiver Zae Jones of Lafayette had 20 receptions for 153 yards and three touchdowns in a 48-47 victory over Ritenour.

• Quarterback Jayden Barnett of Ritenour threw four touchdown passes of 61, 41, 44 and 50 yards in the loss to Lafayette.

• Wide receiver Winston Moore of MICDS caught four passes for 112 yards and rushed for 81 yards and scored three touchdowns in a 35-0 victory over St. Dominic.

• Running back Madden Irving of Chaminade rushed for 154 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown in a 42-0 victory over Gateway STEM.

• Wide receiver Nick Phillips of Brentwood caught seven passes for 120 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-6 victory over Soldan.

• Quarterback Creighton Wise of Kirkwood

completed 12 of 13 passes for 199 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-6 victory over McCluer.

• Wide receiver Tyler Macon of Kirkwood caught five passes for 108 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-6 victory over McCluer.

• Linebacker Marquise Palmer of East St. Louis had seven tackles and three sacks in the Flyers’ 26-7 victory over Edwardsville.

• Quarterback Cole Ruble of Seckman rushed for 300 yards on 39 carries and four touchdowns in a 35-7 victory over Oakville.

What’s on tap for Week 9

• St. Mary’s (6-2) at Lutheran North (5-3), Friday, 6 p.m.

• Edwardsville (6-2) at CBC (6-2), Friday, 7 p.m.

• East St. Louis (6-2) at DeSmet (4-4), 6 p.m. Rock Bridge (7-1) at Francis Howell (8-0), Friday, 7 p.m.

• MICDS (7-1) at Duchesne (5-3), Friday, 7 p.m.

• SLUH (3-5) at Cardinal Ritter (8-0), Friday, 7 p.m.

• Lindbergh (5-3) at Lafayette (6-2), Friday, 7 p.m.

• Parkway West (5-3) at Summit (7-1),

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

Friday, 7 p.m.

• Priory (6-2) vs. Lift for Life (5-3), Friday, 7 p.m.

• Cahokia (4-4) at O’Fallon (7-1), Friday, 7 p.m.

• Parkway North (5-3) at Parkway Central (6-2), Friday, 7 p.m.

• Hazelwood Central (3-5) at Eureka (7-1), Friday, 7 p.m.

• Pattonville (5-3) at Marquette (7-1), Friday, 7 p.m.

Ramey Midwest Showdown Shootout Lineup is Set

The lineup for the Ramey Basketball Midwest Showdown Shootout is set. The one-day basketball extravaganza will be held on Saturday, December 10 at Ritenour High. Event director Terrell Ramey has brought teams from across the state of Missouri, Illinois, and Tennessee for his event, which is one of the top early season showcases in the region. Here is the lineup for the Midwest Showdown Shootout

Ritenour vs. Columbia Battle, 1 p.m. Lift for Life vs. Romeoville (IL), 2:30 p.m. DeSmet vs. Fayette Ware (TN), 4 p.m. Prise Academy vs. Chicago Prep, 5:30 p.m. East St. Louis vs. Chicago Hills, 7 p.m. Cardinal Ritter vs. Pembroke Hill, 8:30 p.m.

Undefeated Orange’s Dino Babers isn’t bothered by job status

Lance Leipold took over the KU football program after spring football in 2021. The Jayhawks won two games during the 2021 season, including a shocking road win over Texas. The over/under on KU football wins was 2.5 in 2022, yet Leipold’s team won its first five games. Leipold was instantly being rumored to be headed to Nebraska or Wisconsin or Arizona State or Colorado. Yes, he swiftly turned around the fortunes of a moribund football program at KU after doing the same at Buffalo. However, after two losses, he is now 7-12 with the Jayhawks and still needs another win this year to qualify for a bowl.

Alvin A. Reid

Meanwhile, coach Dino Babers has led Syracuse to a 6-0 record and is 3-0 in the ACC. The Orangemen, ranked 14th the nation, travel to Clemson on Saturday to face the Tigers (7-0, 5-0) in a battle of unbeatens. The winner will be favored to win the ACC. Where are the rumored job offers to Babers? He

has accomplished more than Leipold. Like KU, Syracuse is better known for its basketball program than football. Babers has not just put his school on the football map in 2022, he guided the team to a 10-3 record in 2018. But he won just one game to years later, and failed to reach a bowl game in 2021. He was closer to getting fired than he was to success in many fans’ eyes. Babers’ team was predicted to finish last in the ACC’s Atlantic Division. After clobbering North Carolina State 24-9 at home in a Top 25 matchup last week, the Orange reached 6-0 for the first time since 1987 and just the third time since 1935. In case you didn’t know, Babers is Black and Leipold is white. Black football players seem to be welcome at any school in any region of the country. The same is not true of Black football coaches. Every major conference has at least one Black coach, but when jobs come open in them, the first rumored candidates usually skew to white coaches. It is not racism, but it certainly

involves race.

As for Babers, he’s happy for his team’s success and not looking to move on.

“It is extremely special to be 6-0,” Babers said as fans stormed the field after the N.C. State win.

“It means so much to the community, so much to the student body.

“The emotion is going through me. Look at this. Look at this. I’m happy for the players.

“They haven’t played perfect

football, but the record is still perfect and now they get an opportunity to do some exciting stuff. It doesn’t mean that we will, but it does mean we have a chance.”

The big test is Saturday at Clemson. Can Baber’s team win? He is confident it can, remembering the not-so-good previous seasons.

“Every year is different, every team is different, and I just feel like they feel like they can. Now, we’ve got to continue to see. The proof is in the pudding, but so far, so good,” he said.

Had Babers struggled again this season, he might have joined Nebraska’s Scott Frost as a coach that got fired and got paid an insane buyout. Frost walked away with $14 million, and Babers would have been due $10 million. Babers is safe – for now.

And it seems that Syracuse does not have to worry about losing him after the season like KU does with Leipold. That just seems a bit odd.

The Reid Roundup

Deion Sanders lamented the athletic facilities at Jackson

State University when he arrived and said he would consider taking a Power 5 head coaching position if offered during a 60 Minutes interview that aired last Sunday. “Why does a Texas high school team have better facilities than [Jackson State.]” He also said “I’d have to be crazy” to not consider moving on to a larger school…It is ironic that Indianapolis Colts owner Robert Irsay, who has had sobriety issues, was made the NFL owners’ front man on discussion of Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder. Following an owners’ meeting, Irsay told reporters on Tuesday “there is merit” to stripping Snyder of his franchise because of investigations and allegations of fiscal impropriety…I wrote a column in July 2021 saying St. Louis would be a great host for a Black College Football weekend. The failed attempt to bring Alabama A&M and the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff to St. Louis for a game was doomed from the start. It seems the promoter is to blame for the epic, embarrassing failure.

Earl Austin Jr.

Jaylen Brown during opening night tribute to the late Bill Russell

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

McCluer Comets wide reciever

Denym Guthrie (4) watches a pass sail over his head as Kirkwood’s Rick Williams (14) defends during third-quarter action Friday night Oct. 14. The Pioneers of Kirkwood went on to win 45-6 over the Comets of McCluer.

Dino Babers, head coach for the University of Syracuse, is garnering a lot of victories but not many job offers.

St. Louis region’s tech workforce lacking diversity

By Andrea Y. Henderson

St. Louis Public Radio

The number of tech jobs in the St. Louis region grew during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic, but the industry still lacks workforce diversity, according to a report by the technology group TechSTL.

The community technology foundation published the IT Labor Market Report last week to examine the region’s tech workforce. Prepared by Lindenwood University’s Center for Applied Economics, the report aims to offer suggestions to bolster the area’s tech industry.

“This was the first place that we needed to start with in order for tech in St. Louis to really get up off the ground and start taking strides in the areas that we know that we need to be active in to serve the community,” said Emily Hemingway, executive director of TechSTL.

There are about 86,000 tech

McDonnell Foundation announces Jason Purnell as new president

The James S. McDonnell Foundation (JSMF), a family foundation based in St. Louis, recently announced Jason Purnell as its new president. After two years serving as BJC HealthCare’s vice president of community health improvement, Purnell will step down from his role, effective December 31, 2022, and begin as president of the James S. McDonnell Foundation on February 1, 2023.

Purnell brings to the foundation vast experience in St. Louis

workers in the region, the report found. They include computer and info systems managers, data scientists, market research analysts and graphic designers. But the report notes that some workers are underpaid. Historically, the tech industry has largely employed white men. The report notes that the St. Louis region’s tech workforce is 67% male and 79% white. Black tech employees represent only 7.6% of the region’s tech workforce.

Hemingway said the industry should focus on early STEM education to encourage more Black students to enter the field. “It’s in the entire educational pipeline of how we’re working with the area schools and addressing better access to STEM education, dropping the barriers to access and making it easier for people who are coming from historically excluded communities,” Hemingway said. “That [makes] it easier for them to get

working with many different constituencies, bringing together multiple groups to create and implement strategies for change. Purnell will focus on setting a vision for the foundation’s new focus, increasing prosperity and enhancing the quality of life in St. Louis, working closely with the JSMF Board to build out the programmatic investment strategy in the St. Louis area. Leading the search for a new president, JSMF engaged BoardWalk Consulting, an executive search firm headquartered in Atlanta specializing in identifying senior non-profit leadership.

the higher-level training that they need to really navigate upward mobility.”

There are about 35,000 open tech positions in the region. TechSTL’s goal is to double the number of people in tech in the next five years. To do so, Hemingway said tech companies also should reach out to people in other industries who may have other skills but are willing to be trained for tech jobs.

Hiring more women and Black tech workers could help companies achieve gender and racial equity, said Cristina Garmendia, founder and principal of URBNRX consulting firm, who also helped prepare the report.

“If we were to address the gender and racial disparities that exist in the St. Louis tech scene today, we would have 15,000 more tech workers that are women. And we would have 8,000 more tech workers that are Black,” she said.

of the region and a remarkable track record of partnerships driving change,” said Board Director, John F. McDonnell.

“In Jason we have found a president with great knowledge

“With extensive experience in both the private and nonprofit sectors, Jason’s leadership and reputation in the community will bring great credibility to the Foundation as we pivot our focus areas to the St. Louis region. We are very excited to have Jason as our next President of James S. McDonnell Foundation.”

Prior to joining BJC, Purnell worked as faculty at Washington University’s Brown School. There he led the Health Equity Works initiative, focusing on translating data and research into collaborative community action

of St. Louis’ tech workforce. Researchers say tech companies need to provide access to STEM education to break down barriers to entering the industry.

to advance health equity, including school health programs, economic opportunity, early childhood, quality neighborhood and housing.

While at BJC HealthCare, Purnell helped take meaningful steps toward eliminating health disparities and providing all individuals with equal chances to live healthy, productive lives. During his tenure, BJC developed new programs to address food insecurity, infant and maternal health, diabetes education, school wellness, and financial well-being.

JSMF is shifting its worldwide focus of research in behavioral and biomedical sciences to contributions in economic development and mobility, life sciences, PK-12 STEM education, and workforce development specifically within the St. Louis Metropolitan area.

Applications being accepted for health services grants

The St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund has opened the application for its $150 million grant, the 2023-2026 Core Funding Opportunity.

The funding application will close on Friday, November 18, 2022, at noon. The CSF Board of Directors approved up to $150 million to be invested into local mental and behavioral health services to ensure children and youth have the support and services they need to achieve their potential.

The Core Funding Oppor-

tunity is CSF’s largest allocation. It supports organizations that provide a variety of programs and services that fall within its nine service areas, including substance use prevention and treatment, transitional living, therapeutic counseling, and more. CSF’s Core partners are organizations that use proven methods, and they are expected to have strong track records of yielding positive impact on kids’ lives. For more information about the 2023-2026 Core Funding Opportunity or to learn more about CSF, visit our website at stlcsf.org. For questions on how to apply for Core, email CSFCore@stlouiscountymo.gov.

Jason Purnell

Harris-Stowe State University students study STEM initiatives with St. Louis University’s Taylor Geospatial Institute this past summer. A recent report by TechSTL shows that Black people make up about 8%

Living It

Straight to the point A spunky Black girl’s story of community

Animated series helps viewers understand local government

By Ashley Winters

St. Louis American

The

Kelly McGowan, a self-proclaimed health advocate, talks about the legislation of local St. Louis politics in her animated series Straight Facts. The St. Louis city resident isn’t shy about sharing her concerns, dislikes, or downright

Ritenour grad, one of St. Louis’ hottest producers

By Danielle Brown

St. Louis American

The

Learning how to play music by ear is a gift not everyone is blessed with. St. Louis producer and artist Miistro Freeyo had an ear for it. Around age five, he learned how to play piano while watching his dad play. He messed around with the keys daily until he finally figured it out. He received his first computer while in mid-

disdain for some of our elected officials or their policies.

Straight Facts sheds light on how our local government contributes to many of the things that go on in our neighborhoods. For example, development projects, zoning, the closing of our schools, or the opening of liquor stores in our communities.

She helped develop a wellness program aimed at making sure that Black and brown communities are engaging in healthy behaviors for the Missouri Foundation for Health initiative Healthy Schools Healthy Communities. It illuminated many of our region’s problems that are beyond access to healthy food options for poor Black and brown neighborhoods.

“ I realized through that experience that local government impacts how our environment, and

communities are designed,” said McGowan. Straight Facts encourages residents to attend municipal and St. Louis County Council meetings, and McGowan believes that access to local government can be difficult - especially for everyday people. Straight Facts breaks down jargon and “lets the people know what’s going down.”

During her work with MFH initiative, McGowan visited north county communities and school districts including Riverview Gardens, Normandy, and Ferguson-Florissant.

She noted “how much red tape and hoops” she had to jump through to get free programs addressing healthy eating incorporated in many north

McGowan, C3

dle school and used it to make beats. Again, he developed the skill through trial and error.

Freeyo’s love of music followed him to Ritenour High School. He admits he joined the orchestra to impress a young lady, and he chose cello as his instrument.

She switched from orchestra and joined the

school band. Rather than leave the orchestra, Miistro stuck with his original plan and ended up liking it. He became popular in school for his music

Accolades continue for Vivian Gibson’s ‘The Last Children of Mill Creek’

By Kenya Vaughn The St. Louis American

When Vivian Gibson accepted her award as the 2022 Missouri Library Association’s Author of the Year in the nonfiction category earlier this month, she shared with the audience how much she loved reading books about spunky little girls.

Scout from To Kill A Mockingbird, Jo March in Little Women and Francie in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn were among her favorites. She related to those characters. And while she certainly found common ground in their personalities, she didn’t truly see herself.

“There simply weren’t stories about little spunky Black girls when I was growing up,” Gibson said.

With her debut literary work, The Last Children of Mill Creek, Gibson filled the void she experienced as a young reader. She also provided a voice for her long forgotten historically Black St. Louis community that became a casualty of urban renewal in the late 1950s – the place she called home in her early childhood.

“The newspapers and the politicians had to persuade white people that it deserved to be destroyed, so that’s all that they talked about,” Gibson said. “I wanted to talk about the humanity of the people there.”

Mill Creek has been written off by mainstream regional history as an insignificant slum razed for the greater good of the city.

“There were bad parts of Mill Creek, but there were some lovely homes right in the middle where Wells Fargo is today,” Gibson said. “There was a street called Lawton that had beautiful homes where a lot of black professionals lived. And there were working class people like us in the middle.”

Through the eyes of young Vivian – as she navigates through life as the seventh of eight children while meticulously observing her surroundings – readers get a true sense of family and community that existed within its borders.

“This whole thing, this journey – I don’t even know what to call it – has been like a

See Gibson, C8

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Straight Facts creator Kelly McGowan sitting in front of St. Louis City Hall where the idea for the series started.

Vivian Gibson, author of ‘The Last Children of Mill Creek,’ will be among the featured speakers for TEDxStLouis ‘Beyond Words’ innovation event taking place on Saturday, October 22 at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center (210 E. Monroe Ave).

Miistro Freeyo composing in his north county studio.

Be a Tourist in Your Own Town

St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission

New Kwanzaa forever stamp unveiled in St. Louis

By Jeanice Baker

Habari Gani! (What’s the news?)

Each year, millions of African Americans gather with family and friends throughout the week of Kwanzaa to honor the Pan-African holiday’s seven founding principles: umoja (unity), kujichagulia (self-determination), ujima (collective work and responsibility), ujamaa (cooperative economics), nia (purpose), kuumba (creativity) and imani (faith).

With origins in ancient and modern first-harvest festivities occurring across the African continent, Kwanzaa incorporates and reimagines many communal traditions as a contemporary celebration. Kwanzaa is an opportunity to celebrate ourselves, our history and our culture; it’s a time of reflection, reaffirmation and renewal. Kwanzaa reminds us to be intentional in making an impact on our families, communities and culture –building bridges, not barriers.

This year, the U.S. Postal Service continued its tradition of celebrating Kwanzaa by dedicating a new Forever stamp. In partnership with the Saint Louis Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the U.S. Postal Service unveiled the new Kwanzaa Forever stamp in the Ferrara Theatre at America’s Center on Oct. 13.

The first day of issue dedication ceremony included traditional drumming and

dancing by three members of Jahfi Studio, as well as an original song about Kwanzaa by Hon. Felica Ezell-Gillespie, municipal judge at City of Jennings. The program included Tracie Berry-McGhee, Valaur Dickerson, Eddie L. Banner, Cheryl L. Jordan, Cheryl McNeil, students of University City High School’s Junior

ROTC Color Guard Team and myself, as well.

Erin Robinson, an Emmynominated illustrator and the stamp’s artist, also spoke. As a visual storyteller, Robinson aims to uplift her community, and she said that creating a stamp has been on her bucket list for some time – a dream that she manifested. “Through

This year, the U.S. Postal Service continued its tradition of celebrating Kwanzaa by dedicating a new Forever stamp. The stamp was designed by Erin Robinson, an Emmy-nominated illustrator.

kuumba and imani, you can achieve legacy,” Robinson said at the ceremony.

The stamp itself is striking. It depicts a girl and a boy dressed in green and red robes akin to spiritual garments with a kinara, or candleholder, in front of them. The kinara represents our roots, our people as a collective whole and continental Africa, and the mishumaa saba, or seven candles, represent the seven founding principles of Kwanzaa. There is one black candle, in the middle, for the people, three red candles for their struggle and three green candles for the future and progress that come from that struggle.

You can view and purchase Kwanzaa Forever stamps on usps.com.

calling these politicians out,” said McGowan.

county municipalities.

“The fragmentation in North county was eye-opening for me,” said McGowan.

Bordering municipalities don’t collaborate, she said. This created many barriers and challenges, slowing progress on her work.

After ending her time with the Missouri Foundation For Health she immersed herself in talking with the locals about their thoughts and feelings about the elected officials in our region.

She heard concerns that many residents do not have enough time to engage in politics, and residents needed more explanation about zoning, development projects, legislation, and board bills.

McGowan listened to recordings of public meetings and wondered how she could get this information to the public in a way that is easily understood. The Straight Facts concept was born.

“The process to get the series up and running took over a year, but it was a real labor of love,” said McGowan.

The animated series made its debut in September at the Contemporary Art Museum, and the creator says it is “a conversation starter to get people to start asking questions, start

The first season included five-episodes, and covered former and current local elected officials. McGowan hopes viewers walk away feeling empowered and “revved up to make a difference, and address their complaints and concerns.”

“If we show up collectively actively we can make something shake,” she said. “I want everybody and their mama to see [Straight Facts],” she said.

“Too many of our elected officials feel like ‘who gon check me boo?’ and it’s time we start checking them. They work for us.

She is hoping viewers check out the show on YouTube, in particular high school students. She hopes to partner with St. Louis Public Schools to see how she can collaborate with them on how to incorporate Straight Facts into their curriculum.

“We have to be very intentional about nurturing our students and providing them with the tools to learn more about local government. Teaching them the importance of advocacy. I want to make sure young minds have the right information,” said McGowan. You can find Straight Facts on Youtube under Kelly McG314.

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

Interfaith events promote gun safety, spiritual connections

St. Louis American staff

Clergy members representing many St. Louis area’s denominations will join in the Vigil to Save Children’s Lives at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022, to collectively mourn over 100 children that have died in the St. Louis region over the past four years due to gun violence.

The vigil will be held at Mt. Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, 1600 Belt Avenue, 63112, and will kick off an Interfaith Gun Safety Initiative. The program will include the mourning rituals of various faith traditions and conclude with a candle lighting ceremony and refreshments. The

public is invited, and an RSVP is requested.

Many of these tragedies were preventable if guns had been safely stored, and Women’s Voices for Social Justice and the city of St. Louis have an existing program to provide gun locks free of charge for pick up at some Fire Stations and public libraries.

“We believe that houses of worship have a critical role to play in teaching our congregants about gun safety,” said Rev. Rodrick Burton, senior pastor of the New Northside Missionary Baptist Church and vice president of the Ecumenical Leadership Council.

“I don’t want to console

Seasons of change are spiritual in nature

By Rev. Sheila P. Spencer

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:” -Ecclesiastes 3:1 Seasons have a new meaning for me. Growing up in Southern California, for the most part, seasons were defined by the months of the year.

My first year in Indianapolis was my first time of literally experiencing the changes

another family who has senselessly lost a child, a child whose death could have been prevented if a gun had not been so easily accessible.”

Participating congregations will have access to gun safety programs developed by Everytown for Gun Safety, and materials from the Stop, Lock and Drop it initiative developed by the St. Louis Violence

lessons still apply.

of each season. (I think that everyone should have the experience of living through one year of being able to witness these transitions.) It was during this cycle that I would fall in love with fall. As we enter the fall season, I am reminded about the lessons that my first Midwest fall taught me and continues to teach me. Even if you are not surrounded by the changing colors of leaves and trees, the

Change Fall is a fleeting season. This is the season that reminds me to slow down and appreciate the beauty that’s literally right in front of me. As we see the changes of fall, it makes me more appreciative of the beauty that is right in front of me. I literally remind myself to be in the moment and take in the colors and views because they will be changing. It reminds me that the only constant thing about life is change.

Prevention Coalition. Gun locks will also be distributed at the event, and community partners will have information tables.

Maharat Rori Picker Neiss of the Jewish Community Relations Council said, “we know the power that is possible when communities come together. Our tradition teaches that to save a life is as if to

Guest Columnist

Rev. Sheila P. Spencer

Fall teaches us to treasure her season while she is here. It mirrors our life in that we should also take time to treasure the relationships, treasured loved ones and moments that we have with each other. Life is fleeting and will change. Make the most of each moment that you have. Treasure the beauty of each moment. These moments will not last forever. Fall reminds us to be appreciative of the beauty that is around us. The intimacy of a conversation, laughter, hugs,

Rev. Rodrick Burton, senior pastor of the New Northside Missionary Baptist Church and vice president of the Ecumenical Leadership Council.

Photo courtesy of New Northside M.B.

save an entire world. If we can save one child’s live or prevent a single suicide, this initiative will be a success.”

Participating organizations include: Archdiocese of St. Louis (Peace and Justice Commission), Ashrei Foundation (of Central Reform Congregation), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Kansas City Field Division, Ecumenical Leadership Council of St. Louis, Employment Connections, Be SMART, of Everytown for Gun Safety, Faces Not Forgotten, Jewish Community Relations Council, Missouri Faith Voices, St. Louis Violence Prevention Coalition, and Women’s Voices Raise for Social Justice.

Interfaith Partnership celebration Oct. 27

Religious communities in metropolitan St. Louis continue to cultivate friendships and join in bridge-building efforts that have transformed lives and communities.

The Interfaith Partnership of Greater St. Louis will celebrate these friendships and recommit to improving lives and strengthening community at its annual fundraising gala at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 27, at the Lambert International Airport Aero Event Space. The 2022 theme is “Journeys to Friendship.” Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Bishop Robert Farr, Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church, and Rev. Burton are co-chairs. For more information about the Interfaith Gun Safety Initiative, contact Rev. Rodrick Burton at (314) 246-1207. For more information about the Vigil and to RSVP, contact Elyse Picker, JCRC Program Manager at (314) 442-3874.

sunrises, and sunsets. Fall reminds us to treasure it all.

Letting Go “A right time to hold on and another to let go,” -Ecclesiastes 3 Autumn reminds us that there is beauty in letting go. Fall teaches us that there is sacredness in relinquishment. As the leaves let go and flutter to the ground, fall reminds us to there is a natural flow in letting go and releasing what burdens us. This season shows us how beautiful it is to let things go. When we let go, we make room for what is next. Fall teaches us that letting go means getting out of our own way and giving the Spirit room to guide us. Fall teaches us to release and let go. Letting go of who we are can open us up to possibilities of who we can become.

Preservation During this time of the year, animals store food and create cozy hibernation spaces. Farmers collect a reserve of crops. We also tend to retreat indoors and focus on cultivating a safe and comforting home. In a way, the autumn season offers us a chance to reconnect with ourselves as we preserve our safe havens. I am indeed grateful for the season.

VETERANS EDUCATION AND TRAINING ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

The state of Missouri is accepting applications for an Assistant Director with Veterans Education and Training in the St Louis area. Application deadline is November 1, 2022. Starting salary is $47,736. View job description and application instructions at https://mocareers.mo.gov/ hiretrue/ce3/job-board/ 5effe9b2-4b89-494b-ac76c45e25190768/27f76907feb9-4ede-97975661e5978712?jb=true

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Responsible for external messaging and materials development that promotes Safety National’s products, services, business relationships, account performance and other business value propositions to external audiences.

To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational. com/careers-page/

INSTRUCTOR –CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

To view complete job announcement visit: https://www.schooljobs.com/ careers/semoedu/ promotionaljobs

For more information contact the Human Resources Office (573) 651-2206 or humanresources@semo.edu

CITY OF CLAYTON HIRING FOR PT AND FT POSITIONS

The City of Clayton is hiring for PT and FT positions. Apply at https://bit.ly/3pGDCgY EOE

PUBLIC RELATIONS CONSULTANT

The City of Jennings is seeking to engage with a Public Relations Consultant to perform the following duties: supporting the city in maintaining and improving its image; serving as a liaison between the City and the media; preparing and presenting press releases; assist with building positive relationships amongst the community, businesses, and city officials; managing the City’s social media platforms. Qualified candidates should submit their proposal to Deletra Hudson, City Clerk, at cityclerk@cityofjennings.org Include on the subject line: PUBLIC RELATIONS CONSULTANT.

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.

INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Responsible for informing and motivating employees through strategic ownership of internal corporate communications, creating and coordinating the planning, development and distribution of internal corporate messaging and materials.

To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational. com/careers-page/

QUALITY ASSURANCE TEST ANALYST

Works across disciplines ensuring software meets business requirements and is thoroughly tested. Understands basic concepts of Information Technology and software testing methodologies. Follows Quality Assurance best practices. Works at the direction of the program Test Lead.

To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational. com/careers-page/

TREATY REINSURANCE – OPERATIONS ANALYST

Provide skilled and experienced technical support to Treaty Reinsurance (TRe) underwriters. Responsible for day-to-day operational needs, to include: booking premium-related transactions, maintaining systems data and business reports, handling contract wording approval processes, and adhering to daily and seasonal SOX compliance processes.

To apply, please visit: https:// www.safetynational.com/ careers-page/

FOOD OUTREACH OPERATIONS MANAGER

The Food Outreach Operations Manager manages all aspects of operations, including emergency management planning, risk management, facilities management, vehicle maintenance, forklift maintenance, security, janitorial services, HVAC and freezer maintenance and all computer networking, hardware and software needs. In addition, this role will supervise the Nutrition Center Coordinator and the Chef. Must have excellent people skills. Great benefits. Food Outreach is a non-profit agency providing nutritional support to men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS or cancer.

This is a full-time position governed by personnel policies related to full-time staff.

Position Qualifications: Minimum of 5 years’ experience in nonprofit management. COVID vaccination required. Experience in managing staff, volunteers, and vendors. Must have facilities management experience. Must have inventory management experience. Knowledge of computer networking and hardware. Familiarity with Access software a plus. Available to work or respond to emergencies on short notice and to work some evenings and weekends.

The position may be financed (in part) (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. Food Outreach is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Email resume to kathy@foodoutreach.org

RESOURCE COORDINATOR

The Housing Partnership, Inc. has an opening for a Resource Coordinator. The primary function is to serve as the initial point of contact for clients (potential/current/previous), answer questions as trained, coordinate intake/closing procedures, documents, and files, and properly connecting clients with appropriate staff when necessary. Duties include intake, file management, reporting, closeout, and follow-up for various programs. For a full job description go to www.TheHousingPartnershipSTL.org

Submit resume to The Housing Partnership, Inc. P.O. Box 16356, St. Louis, MO 63125 or via email to kevin@TheHousingPartnershipSTL.org An Equal Opportunity Employer

SPECIALIST – ACCOUNT SERVICES – INSURANCE OPERATIONS

Individual is responsible for monitoring and handling the various tasks associated with the submission set-up and processing needs for all lines of business written, including new prospects and renewal policies. This includes the review and verification of received business applications, as assigned, while maintaining department timelines and processing guidelines. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/careers-page/

SYSTEMS ENGINEER II

Responsible for the design, implementation, and support of Microsoft 365, including MS Teams, SharePoint, Exchange Online, OneDrive and other associated technologies. Manage the day-to-day operations of these technologies and assist with the changing needs as the company increases adoption of M365. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/careers-page/

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

Sealed Bids for:

SCULPTURE HALL REMEDIAMTION

THE SAINT LOUIS ART MUESEUM

PROJECT NO. 22.01094.00

Will be received by The Saint Louis Art Museum, Mark Macinski, at 1 Fine Arts Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63110 at 2:00 p.m. on November 28, 2022. The bids will be privately opened and read. Bids from certified M/WBE contractors are encouraged. Electronic copies of the drawings, specifications and other related contract information will be available beginning October 19, 2022 and may be downloaded at no cost from Dropbox (https:// bit.ly/3TnzHmk, link is case sensitive).

A mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held on Monday, November 14, 2022 at 2pm at the West Loading Dock, 1 Fine Arts Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63110.

Questions regarding the scope of work should be directed, in writing, to Charlie Lutz, AIA, HOK, charlie.lutz@hok.com. Questions over the phone will not be accepted. Deadline for questions is October 31, 2022.

The Owner reserves the right to waive informalities in bids and to reject any and all bids.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District Requests for Quotes, Bids and Proposals are posted online for public download. Please navigate to www.msdprojectclear.org > Doing Business With Us > View Non-Capital Bids (commodities and services) or >Visit Planroom (capital construction bids) Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

NOTICE TO M/WBE BUSINESSES

Plocher Construction Company, Inc. 2808 Thole-Plocher Road Highland, IL 62249

PH: (618) 654-9408

Fax: (618) 654-6454 bids@plocherco.com

Seeking MBE & WBE businesses for the MSD Bissell & Lemay Incinerator Project for Union Subcontracting & Supply opportunities in the following areas:

Existing Conditions, Concrete, Masonry, Metals, Wood, Plastics & Composites, Thermal & Moisture Projection, Openings, Finishes, Specialties, Equipment, Furnishings, Conveying Equipment, Fire Suppression, Plumbing, HVAC, Electrical, Communications, Electronic Safety & Security, Earthwork, Exterior Improvements, Utilities, Process Interconnections, Material Processing & Handling Equipment, Process Heating, Cooling & Drying Equipment, Process Gas & Liquid Handling, Purification & Storage Equipment, Pollution & Waste Control Equipment, Water & Wastewater Equipment,

All interested and qualified business should contact Andrew Wirz (amwirz@plocherco.com) in writing or via email to discuss the subcontracting and supply opportunities. All quotes are requested to be received by November 14, 2022, which is one day prior to the bid opening.

All proposals will be reviewed for the lowest, responsive, and responsible quote.

Plocher Construction will host a Virtual Pre-Bid conference. It will be held at 10:00 AM on Thursday, October 27th via Teams. Please contact Andrew for the link to the meeting.

For access to the plans and specifications, please contact Plocher Construction.

INVITATION TO BID

WEBSTER GROVES SCHOOL DISTRICT

SOUTH ADDITION TO: WEBSTER GROVES HIGH SCHOOL

Sealed bids are requested from qualified contractors for an addition to the school referenced above.

A mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held on Thursday, October 27, 2022 at 4:00 p.m., at Webster Groves High School.

Bids will be received by Mr. Rob Steuber, Construction Project Manager, on Tuesday, November 15. 2022 at 2:00 p.m., at the District Service Center Building, 3232 South Brentwood Boulevard, Webster Groves, MO 63119. Public bid opening will follow immediately thereafter.

The project consists of South Addition to Webster Groves High School.

Contract documents will be available on October 18, 2022 for a refundable deposit of $50.00. Checks to be made out to Webster Groves School District. Documents will be available through County Blue; call 314-961-3800 to arrange for documents. For project related questions, please contact Dickinson Hussman Architects (Stan Hampton) at (email at shampton@ dharch.com). Documents also on file at McGraw Hill Construction Dodge, 6330 Knox Industrial Drive, St. Louis Missouri 63139.

The owner reserves the right to reject any and all bids. Bidders must provide a Bid Bond in the amount of 5% of the proposed contract sum. The successful bidder will be required to provide 100% Performance and Payment Bonds, comply with the Missouri Department of Labor Standards Prevailing Wage Rates, and be enrolled in the E-Verify Federal Work Authorization Program.

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Repair Swimming Pool, Missouri School for the Blind, P r o j e c t N o . E2107-01, will be received by F M D C , S t a t e of MO, UNTIL 1 : 3 0 P M , 11/17/2022 via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. For specific project information, go to: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

INVITATION TO BID

The Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit is currently soliciting bid proposals for replacement of doors/locks at the Juvenile Family Court, 920 N. Vandeventer, St. Louis. The request for proposal is available on the Court’s website www.stlcitycircuitcourt.com Click on General Information, Then Request for Proposals. A mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held on November 14, 2022 at 9:00 a.m.in the lobby, of the Juvenile Family Court located at 920 N. Vandeventer, St. Louis, MO 63108. Bids are due November 30, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. EOE

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The St. Louis Economic Development Partnership solicits proposals to provide liaison services with federal-level governmental officials, agencies, and elected representatives, on behalf of the Partnership, its related entities, and St. Louis County government, for up to a three-year period. A copy of the full RFP is available at https:// stlpartnership.com/rfp-rfq/. A five percent bid preference may be available to certified MBE firms. Submissions should be received no later than 3 PM CST on November 10, 2022.

St. Louis Economic Development Partnership Equal Opportunity Employer

NOTICE TO SMALL (SBE), DISADVANTAGED (DBE), MINORITY (MBE), & WOMEN’S (WBE), SERVICE DISABLED VETERAN OWNED (SDVOB) & VETERAN OWNED (VOB) BUSINESSES ADVERTISEMENT

RIVER CITY CONSTRUCTION, L.L.C., 6640 AMERICAN SETTER DRIVE, ASHLAND, MISSOURI 65010, (573) 657-7380 (PHONE) (573) 657-7381 (FAX) IS SEEKING QUALIFIED SMALL, DISADVATANGED, MINORITY, & WOMEN’S BUSINESSES FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI PCT BUILDING RADIOLOGY EXPANSION FOR THE SUBCONTRACTING OPPOR-

TUNITIES IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: DEMOLITION, WOOD AND PLASTICS, THERMAL/ MOISTURE PROTECTION, DOORS, DRYWALL, FLOORING, PAINTING, SPECIALTIES, RADIATION PROTECTION, FIRE SUPPRESSION, PLUMBING, HVAC, ELECTRICAL, COMMUNICATIONS, AND ELECTRONIC SAFETY AND SECURITY. ALL INTERESTED AND QUALIFIED SMALL, DISADVANTAGED, MINORITY AND WOMEN’S BUSINESSES SHOULD CONTACT, IN WRITING, (CERTIFIED LETTER, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED) JT MOSBACH, TO DISCUSS THE SUBCONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES. ALL NEGOTIATIONS MUST BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO THE BID OPENING BID DATE OF 11/10/2022 @ 1:30 PM. PROPOSALS WILL BE EVALUATED IN ORDER ON THE BASIS OF LOW RESPONSIVE BID RECEIVED. CERTIFICATION OF DBE/WBE/MBE/SDVOB/VOB STATUS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH BID. BID DOCUMENTS MAY BE OBTAINED BY:

1) Email your company name, contact name and phone number, as well as the project you are interested in to bid@rccllc.com

2) You will then receive an email invitation for that project with a link to our SmartBidNet system.

BID NOTICE

Great Rivers Greenway is seeking a Major Gifts Vice President to join our Foundation team! Go to www.greatriversgreenway.org/ jobs-bids and submit by November 11, 2022.

BID NOTICE

Great Rivers Greenway is seeking a Fund Development Manager to join our Foundation team! Go to www.greatriversgreenway.org/ jobs-bids and submit by November 11, 2022.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The St. Louis County Port Authority requests proposals from separate, qualified contractors to perform the following services for a retaining wall located at the former Jamestown Mall site in St. Louis County, Missouri 63034: (1) site preparation; (2) block placement and reinforcement; (3) wall backfill; (4) wall drainage; and (5) subsequent protections of wall and fence installation. The full RFP is available at https://stlpartnership.com/rfp-rfq/. Proposals should be received no later than 3:00 PM CST on November 4, 2022. St. Louis County Port Authority Equal Opportunity Employer

CITY OF ST. LOUIS

BOARD OF PUBLIC SERVICE

SECTION 001113.1

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS-SHORT

Electronically sealed bids for the hereinafter mentioned project will be received online by the Board of Public Service through Bid Express at https://www.bidexpress.com/ businesses/20618/home. The Bidder must pay $40 to submit a bid through the Bid Express Service. Monthly subscriptions are available. Proposals must be submitted before 1:45 PM, St. Louis Time, on Tuesday, November 15, 2022. The proposals will then be publicly opened and read.

Job Title: Forest Park Bowl Lake Pavilion

Letting No.: 8755

Authorizing Ordinance: 69049

Contract Time: Substantial Completion by December 23, 2023, with procurement activities started within one (1) week after receipt of construction NTP and 90 Calendar Days once Work has started.

Schedule Related Liquidated Damages Per Day: $500

Project Contact Person, Email: Helen Bryant, Contract Supervisor, BryantH@stlouis-mo.gov

Estimated Cost: $575,000

Bid Deposit: $14,600

Bid Opening Location: Via Zoom, https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83445052494?pwd=eHZvQIRESxmxBREhJWjZFLzVBcitSUT09

(Passcode: 621348)

The proposed Work includes the construction of a new pavilion on Bowl Lake in Forest Park and associated site work, including a walking path and related pedestrian bridge upgrades.

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

An optional pre-bid conference for all contractors bidding on this project will be held onsite at the existing Seven Pools Bridge located at 5032 Clayton Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, on October 17, 2022, at 10:00 AM. All bidders are strongly encouraged to attend the pre-bid meeting. Attendance at the pre-bid meeting is considered an important element of a Contractor’s Good Faith Effort to maximize the utilization of M/WBE if M/WBE participation goals cannot be met.

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

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

St. LouiS american Bids & Public Notices St. LouiS american

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Project: SLPS District

Wide Flooring Repair

Hankins Construction is asking for proposals to be emailed in by 11-14-2022 at 4:30 PM. Project is Tax Exempt and Prevailing Wage. Estimator working on this project is Stephen Hankins Please email all bids to office@hankinsmidwest.com

LINEN RENTAL SERVICE RFP 2022

The Saint Louis Zoo is seeking quotes from qualified linen rental companies to service and supply the linen needs for catering and special event functions. Bid documents are available as of 10/19/22 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE:

Advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, imitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial\status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.

“We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.”

Call Angelita Houston at 314-289-5430 or email ahouston@ stlamerican.com to place your ads today!

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Project: Parkview Apartments

Elevator Replacement

Owner: St. Louis Housing Authority

Business Participation:

25% MBE and 5% WBE

Workforce Participation: 25% MBE and 5% WBE

Bid Date: October 20th, 2022 @ 11:00 AM

The estimator working on this project is Erik Hankins. Please send all bids to office@hankinsmidwest.com

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Playground R e p l a c e m e n t , M i s s o u r i S t a t e Parks West Region, Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site, Knob Noster State Park & Confederate Memorial State Historic Site, Sedalia, K n o b N o s t e r , and Higginsville, Missouri Project N o . X 2 1 0 9 - 0 1 will be received by FMDC,State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, November 1, 2022. The State of Missouri, OA/ F M D C , h e r e b y n o t i f

s a l l bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, businesses owned a n d c o n

d by socially and e c o n o m

y d i s a d v

n

a g e d individuals will be afforded full o p p o r t u n i t y t o submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, ancestry or national origin in consideration for an award. Federal Land and Water Conservation Funds are being used in this project, and all relevant federal, state and local requirements apply. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

SOLICITING BIDS

Curtiss-Manes-Schulte, Inc. is soliciting bids from MBE/WBE/ SDVE/DBE subcontractors and suppliers for work on the UPMB 4th Floor MOA Clinic Renovation, University of Missouri-Columbia. Bids are due Tuesday, November 1, 2022 by 1:00 pm and can be faxed to (573) 392-4527 or emailed to bbrown@cms-gc.com. For more information, call Bob @ (573) 392-6553. Curtiss-Manes-Schulte, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

SEALED BIDS

SEALED BIDS

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The STLVentureWorks solicits proposals for a firm to provide general maintenance, repairs, and property management services at four business centers located in St. Louis County, for up to a three-year period. A copy of the full RFP is available at https://stlpartnership.com/rfp-rfq/.

A five percent bid preference may be available to certified MBE firms. Submissions should be received no later than 3 PM CST on Thursday, November 3, 2022.

PUBLIC NOTICE

ADVERTISE

If you would like more information on the job, please reach out and we will be more than happy to help you access the project documents. ROOMS FOR RENT

St. Louis City Area

Newly Remodeled Quiet 314-723-0543 ROOMS FOR RENT Upscale, Very Clean, Good heating and cooling. Cable 314-484-3147

SEALED BIDS

Bids for New Comfort Station, Project No. F2206-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 Tuesday, N o v e m b e r 1, 2022. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

Bids for ReBid –Install Fire alarm System NW MO Psychiatric R e h a b i

n Center, St. Joseph, MO, Project No. M2001-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, November 10, 2022. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http:// oa.mo. gov/facilities

Center, Project No. M2114-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, November 1, 2022. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

St. Louis Economic Development Partnership Equal Opportunity Employer

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Great Rivers Greenway is requesting qualifications for environmental consulting services. Go to www.greatriversgreenway.org/ jobs-bids and submit by October 27, 2022.

BID PROPOSALS

Alberici Constructors, Kwame Building Group and the Saint Louis Zoo seek bids from qualified firms to submit proposals for a project at the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park. The project consists of interior construction, sitework and fencing for 10 barns. To request bid documents, please send an E-mail to stlzoobids@alberici.com

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for the District 6-Northwest CRS Pavement Rehabilitation, St. Louis County Project No. CR-1867, will be received electronically thru the County’s Vendor Self Service portal at https://stlouiscountymovendors. munisselfservice.com/Vendors/ default.aspx, until 2:00 p.m. on October 26, 2022 Plans and specifications will be available on September 26, 2022, 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

The City of Wellston will hold a public hearing to discuss the estimated allocation of $261,000.00 in Community Development Block Grant funds that will become available after January 1, 2022. In addition, the city will discuss the allocation or reallocation of $87,000.00 per year in funds for years 2020, 2021 and 2022. The public hearing will be held 6:00 pm on Friday, October 28, 2022, at Wellston City Hall, located at 1414 Evergreen Ave., St. Louis, Mo., 63133. If you have questions or if you are a person with a disability or have special needs in order to participate in this public hearing, please contact Janice Trigg no later than Monday, October 24, 2022 at (314) 553-8001. jann.trigg@gmail.com cityofwellstonmo.com

Sealed bids for the above projects are being requested from the FFSD and will be received and publicly opened on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28th, 2022 @ 1:00pm CST at the Operation and Maintenance Dept. located at 8855 Dunn Rd. (REAR) Hazelwood, MO 63042. Bid specs must be obtained at http://new.fergflor.k12.mo.us/ facilities-rfq. Contact Matt Furfaro at mfurfaro@fergflor.org for further information/questions.

CITY OF ST. LOUIS PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE AND

DRAFT 2023 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW AND COMMENT

The City of St. Louis is soliciting comments on its draft 2023 Annual Action Plan, which includes annual priorities for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) programs.

The Community Development Administration (CDA) will conduct a virtual public hearing on November 8, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. CST to solicit public comments and answer questions pertaining to the draft 2023 Annual Action Plan. Instructions for attending the Virtual Public Hearing are available on the website: http://www.stlouis-mo.gov/ cda/

The 2023 Annual Action Plan will be available in draft form for review beginning on October 7, 2022. The plan will be available at the Central Branch of the St. Louis Public Library, located at 1301 Olive Street; on the City of St. Louis website at http://www. stlouis-mo.gov/cda/ and at CDA’s office, located at 1520 Market Street, Suite 2000. The views of citizens, public agencies and other interested parties are encouraged. Written comments may be submitted to CDBG@stlouis-mo.gov and will be accepted until 12:00 p.m. CST on November 7, 2022.

Persons with special needs should contact CDA Executive Director Mr. Nahuel Fefer at FeferN@stlouis-mo.gov or (314) 657-3835 or (314) 589-6000 (TDD). Interpreting services are available upon request by calling the Office on the Disabled at (314)622-3686 (voice) or (314)622-3693 (TTY).

CDA is an equal opportunity agency (employer). Minority participation is encouraged.

Continued from C1

ability, so much that his teachers would ask him to bring his keyboard to play in class after he finished his work. He wrote and performed songs at assemblies and talent shows using his beats or rapping.

How he got the name Miistro Freeyo is definitely a conversation piece. He formerly went by Lil Reggie because he shares his father’s first name, and “Big Money” for always having a dollar on him whenever peers asked for money during the lunch hour.

Miistro, pronounced maestro, comes from his Uncle Steve from Texas who was visiting St. Louis and encouraged him to continue his musical pursuits. Steve referred to him as a young maestro. He said the spelling comes from the era when people spelled words differently for creative purposes.

“Freeyo comes from me talking to my manager one day, I wanted to have a purpose behind my brand,” he said. “Freeyo comes from ‘free

yo mind.’ When I look at my music I never want to be put in a box, I’ll never let society dictate who I am.” His big break in music started around 2014/2015. He did his first show where it was just him performing, he had a live band and DJ Cuddy from 100.3 the Beat was the deejay for the event.

“Cuddy got on the mic and was like man give this dude props he’s putting on a real show,” Freeyo said. “He gave me word that he would go to his boss at the station to tell him about my music. He did, that’s how they started playing my songs and how I got stamped.”

“Wish You Was Me,” and “Change Up,” were Freeyo’s first songs that got him radioplay. The songs were successful and took him on school tours and more.

“Durrty Drive at 5 you are now tuned in, Freeyo Gang in this thang coming live from the crib,” Freeyo raps on DJ Krisstyle of Hot 104.1’s old Durrty Drive at 5 intro theme song.

He was chosen by DJ Krisstyle to write and produce the memorable tune that sound-

ed like an actual record.

“He hit me up asking for an intro for Durrty Drive at 5,” Freeyo said. “He said it couldn’t be no longer than two minutes, had to be 150 BPM (beats per minute), and had to mention the radio station. I treated it like a song. I wrote it out, put a hook at the end and the song took off. I perform it

dream,” Gibson said. “I wrote this book not intending to really write a book. I was just writing some things for my family, and it has taken on a life of its own. Every day – and every week –something comes up to make it even more unbelievable. She will be a featured speaker for the TEDxStLouis “Beyond Words” innovation event taking place from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 22 at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center (210 E. Monroe Ave).

“The way people have responded to this book just has me flabbergasted,” Gibson said. “I couldn’t have imagined any of this.”

Vivian Gibson walked into a writing workshop for older adults hoping to get feedback on stories had been writing and compiling for decades. She started writing them in her twenties. Her mother had passed away and she wanted to give her yet-to-be-born children a sense of the relationship she had with her mother – and what her mother was like as a person. Recent retirement from a versatile career that started in the fashion industry and concluded in nonprofit management gave her the flexibility to rediscover them.

“The description for the class said, ‘no writing experience necessary.’ I went, ‘this is perfect,’” Gibson said. A class specific to aspiring writers of a certain age was another selling point. She shared her stories with the group, which typically

consisted of 10-12 members. To Gibson’s shock, they were unanimously enamored with her work.

“I was like, ‘What’s going on? Why do they think this is so interesting,’” Gibson said. “Then I thought, ‘maybe it’s the topic?’ I wrote about my childhood in Mill Creek and people had never heard of it.”

With each story, she received more encouragement. She kept on writing. The woman who facilitated the workshop suggested that Gibson submit her stories for publications. “I went, why? And she said, ‘because they are really good, and people want to know this.’”

Her short story entitled, “Sunup to Sundown,” was published in St. Louis Anthology (Belt Publishing) in June 2019. In early 2020, she released The Last Children of Mill Creek. She received rave

at shows because people come together from being familiar with it.”

Krisstyle’s show recently moved from five to noon and Freeyo is currently working on a new theme song for him to release soon.

Freeyo’s production has placed him in the rooms of many St. Louis legends includ-

reviews – and was scheduled to do a launch event at the Missouri History Museum. COVID-19 hit before she had the chance.

Gibson faced the challenge of being a first-time author promoting a book in the midst of a global pandemic. She applied the resourcefulness she learned from her parents, siblings and neighbors as a young girl in Mill Creek.

“I got on Zoom. I built a Facebook community,” Gibson said. “I started out with 30 people that included my family and people I went to school with. It grew into the thousands.”

Two years later, her book is in its second printing and expected to have a third. Her book was used as a historical reference for the St. Louis City Soccer Team as they prepared to pay tribute to Mill Creek – which once occupied

n “It feels good to be a student of the game,” Freeyo said. “I love watching St. Louis artists come from here and go off to bigger and better things. It’s always motivation to have my name stamped in the mix of names you can throw on and bring up, it represents a time in the city that’s dope.”

ing Nelly, J-Kwon, and NBA shooting guard Ben McLemore, who also raps.

Freeyo has been cooking up beats for McLemore for two years. His connection to the basketball star has introduced him to mainstream artists interested in collaborating on his beats including Atlanta’s Young Scooter. He and Scooter

the land where their stadium will stand – with a mile-long sculpture that will serve as a monument. This past year, John Burroughs replaced Lorraine Hansberry’s classic A Raisin in the Sun with The Last Children of Mill Creek on its required reading list and used the book as a teaching tool.

“There’s room for us both,” Gibson said. “But to be in that same rarified air was incredible.”

She has become an unofficial ambassador for the legacy of Mill Creek. A responsibility that she does not take lightly –and is constantly reading and researching to ensure that she has accurate information to share.

“I was doing some research from the 1950s and was looking through a census report,” Gibson said. “I was going down my block and I couldn’t believe

have developed a close professional relationship and friendship, where Freeyo will often send him beats then Scooter will tell him Lil Durk and Future loved the beat and they laid a verse down to it.

Freeyo is a free agent and said Scooter and many other artists and record labels are interested in signing him. Right now he’s trying to figure out which opportunities make the most sense for him and be the most profitable for him and his family.

Freeyo is in the process of reshaping his brand by placing more emphasis on producing than being an artist, dropping more videos, releasing more features with people, and dropping merchandise.

“It feels good to be a student of the game,” Freeyo said. “I love watching St. Louis artists come from here and go off to bigger and better things. It’s always motivation to have my name stamped in the mix of names you can throw on and bring up, it represents a time in the city that’s dope.”

Miistro Freeyo is on all platforms.

how many men were listed in the homes. People have been trying to make us believe that Black men weren’t responsible for their children and their family – and these men were there. They don’t get the credit they deserve.”

She thought the book was about her mother, but when it was finished The Last Children of Mill Creek gave her a whole new appreciation for her father.

“The book went beyond this story of this one little girl,” Gibson said. “It became the story of a community.”

Vivian Gibson will be a featured speaker for the TEDxStLouis “Beyond Words” innovation event taking place from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 22 at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center (210 E. Monroe Ave). For more information,