October 28th, 2020 edition

St. LouiS AmericAn

‘We

all have to show up’

St. Louis County Prosecuting

Attorney Wesley Bell and St. Louis Treasurer

Tishaura O. Jones organized more than 50 elected officials and community leaders to encourage people to vote in the November 3 election at the St. Louis County Board of Election Commissioners on Tuesday, October 27. Many voted early that day.

Black officials, community leaders vote early and

urge people to vote

By Dana Rieck Of The St. Louis American

Standing in a cold October drizzle on Tuesday, October

27, Cori Bush joined St. Louis city and county elected officials to encourage early voting and to remind the Black community their voices matter and need to heard.

The early voting awareness effort was led by St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell and St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura O. Jones, who organized the event because, Bell said, “it is not an exaggeration to say that democracy is on the ballot in November.” Bush, the Democratic candidate for Missouri’s First Congressional District, said the Black vote is so important right now because Gov. Mike Parson and countless other elected officials across the state do not represent the community. “This is such a crucial time in our community and in our

n “Our votes matter, and our votes are a way to make sure our voices are heard on the issues that we care about.”

– St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell

Page vetoes bills to preserve health protections

‘Taking steps to protect human life during a pandemic shouldn’t be political’

By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American

As promised, St. Louis County

Executive Dr. Sam Page vetoed two bills on Monday, October 26 passed by the County Council 4-3 last week that would have put time limits on his authority during an emergency and on public health restrictions during this coronavirus pandemic.

“The legal effect of these bills will end key public health protections that limit the spread of COVID-19 in our community. And these protections have put St. Louis County in a much better place than

n “These protections have put St. Louis County in a much better place than the rest of the country.”

– St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page

the rest of the country,” Page said. “And with growing numbers across the state and across the country, St. Louis

See PAGE, A7

“With growing numbers across the state and across the country, St. Louis County cannot give up fighting against COVID-19,” said St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page.

We’ve got to make this history ourselves

By Cori Bush For The St. Louis American

In a few short days, this election will be over. In a few short days, the hard work of two long years will draw to a close, and the United States will decide what we want the next two, or four, or 10 years to be like. It’s been said countless times before, but that’s because it’s true: this is one of the most consequential elections of our lifetimes. But it’s not just these past four years that will be accounted for on November 3. For many of us, this struggle has been decades in the making.

Nearly every day for the past four years, we’ve watched as the current father of racism, Donald Trump, and his administration stoop to new lows. Many of us are rightly shocked at the cruelty, bigotry, and hatred that our president and his white supremacist movement sow. We’ve watched the COVID-19 crisis only continue to grow—claiming 225,000 lives, forcing millions to lose their jobs and health insurance, and creating economic turmoil that has hundreds of thousands facing evictions and utility shut-offs, with no real relief in sight. The relentless disappointment and pain of this administration has made us numb, and most days we merely brace for what may come next. Four years ago, Hillary Clinton led in all the polls, and as appalled as we may have been by the big daddy of bigotry, we were sure he couldn’t possibly win. But he did. As the election got close, we got complacent. And we paid the price for it. Even though Donald Trump is behind in the polls today,

Community leaders say to vote against attempt to undermine

By Dana Rieck Of The St. Louis American

“What it’s really about how politicians want to draw their own district maps. They want to choose their voters instead of having the voters choose them,” said Louise Wilkerson, co-president of the League of Women Voters of Metro St. Louis. She was speaking of Amendment 3 on the statewide ballot in Missouri on November 3. A group of community leaders met virtually on October 21 to discuss the measure and why they’re urging voters to cast their ballots

Photo by Wiley Price

See BUSH, A6

Cori Bush

Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

Whitney Houston is in the billion-view You Tube club

The music of the late superstar singer and actress Whitney Houston lives on. Houston’s video of her 1992 hit, “I Will Always Love You” just reached 1 billion views on You Tube. Houston’s rendition of the 1973 Dolly Parton song was in the movie, “The Bodyguard.”

As Essence reported, this song flung Houston into superstar status, earning her Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 36th Grammy Awards in 1994. Houston’s version also spent 14 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. This year, on the official Whitney You Tube page that has over 5.3 million subscribers, the song is reportedly averaging 350,000 views per day.

folks together in a good way, especially among stars that shine bright in their own respective vocations. Such is the case with U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and actor RuPaul Andre Charles. On the PBS series “Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates,” it was discovered that the former Democratic presidential candidate and senator from New Jersey and the Primetime Emmy Awardwinning queen with the pole position on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” are actually cousins.

Cousin RuPaul, meet Cousin Cory Ain’t nothing like a little DNA to bring

“Blame It” music video.” On Instagram, Foxx posted, “My heart is shattered into a million pieces… my beautiful loving sister has transitioned… I say transitioned because she will always be alive… anyone who knew my sis… knew that she was a bright light.” Foxx asked for prayers for his family. “I know she is in heaven now dancing with her wings on... tho my pain is unbelievable I smile when I think of all the great memories that she left me… my family… and her friends.”

“I love RuPaul. I haven’t had a chance to talk to him since the news was revealed, but I was very happy about that news and hope he and I can have a family reunion soon,” Booker said to Wendy Williams on her talk show, as reported by Blavity. RuPaul appeared in a recent episode of the popular series, and noted the family resemblance, saying “He looks like my kin!”

Jamie Foxx’s beloved sister dies Actor, singer and game show host

Jamie Foxx is mourning the loss of his younger sister DeOndra Dixon, who died this week at age 36. No word on the cause of death.

As TMZ reported, some of his fondest memories of his sister is “DeOndra being named Ambassador for the Global Down Syndrome Foundation in 2011 and her dancing in his

Jay-Z puts his ‘Monogram’ on the marijuana industry

Entertainment mogul “Jay-Z” Carter has planted the seeds to launch his own can nabis brand, “Monogram,” as part of his new partnership with California-based cannabis com pany, Caliva. He joined them in 2019 as their new chief brand strate gist. On the Monogram website, it says it will be a small batch product. “Monogram flower is grown in small batches, allow ing for every plant to receive personal-

ized attention from our expert growers. Our batch-by-batch approach and unique potency designation allow us to highlight the nuances in between harvests and tell you the story of every flower.” No word on what products will be sold or the official launch date.

Sorors honor Kamala Harris with $19.08 campaign contributions

While Democratic Presidential candidate, Joe Biden’s camp and Act Blue have already figured it out, those thousands of campaign donations for $19.08 to the Biden-Harris campaign are coming from Vice Presidential Kamala Harris sorority sisters, none other than the ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc. AKA is the first historically black Greek-lettered sorority, which was founded in at Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1908.

Have you, or someone you know, experienced loss of a

or

Enroll your child ages 6 weeks to 5 years into the YWCA St. Louis Early Education Program. Go to www.ywcastl.org to begin the enrollment process today!

Sources: Black Enterprise. Blavity, Essence, Instagram, Smart News, TMZ

Jay-Z

Cory Booker

County Democrats accept $2M election grant

Republican

opposition loses Days,

who

said she had been mistaken

By Dana Rieck

Of The St. Louis American

After two weeks of debate and dozens of public comments, the St. Louis County Council on Tuesday voted 4-3 to accept a $2 million election grant from the Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL).

The $2,048,474 grant is one of several awarded to election boards throughout Missouri and nationwide to help with extra costs the COVID-19 pandemic has created for the election. The CTCL received a $250 million donation from Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, which is being re-granted to local election authorities throughout the country.

Democratic Director of Elections Eric Fey said the St. Louis County Election Board discovered and applied for the grant in early September in a bipartisan effort with Republican Director of Elections Rick Stream.

Despite the bipartisan effort on the board’s part, residents were hesitant to accept the grant money due to perceived left-leaning views of the CTCL and concerns that it would lead to ballot harvesting. Both Fey and Stream said last week using this grant could not result in ballot harvesting and the only strings attached to the grant

money are it must be used for election expenses incurred from June 2020 until the end of the year.

In addition, this grant comes at a time when several local governments are facing lawsuits after CTCL distributed grants to 385 election departments across Michigan and $6.3 million in grant money to five Wisconsin cities.

Before the vote Tuesday evening, several councilors explained the reason for their vote.

Councilman Tim Fitch reiterated his stance on waiting to accept the grant, even though Fey told him last week that the election board would need money as soon as possible to pay for the expenses, otherwise they would have to ask taxpayers to supply the funds.

“I see no reason why we can’t just hold this matter until after the election so that at least with respect to this election, that’s less than two weeks away,” Fitch said Tuesday night.

Councilman Ernie Trakas also opposed accepting the funds, but his concern centered on a private entity funding a public election.

“This is not a partisan issue for me,” he said during the meeting. “It has nothing to do with Republican or Democrat. The way I see it, though, is it’s

private entities giving money for a public election. That’s the problem I have with this.”

Councilwoman Rita Heard Days noted that she was

initially, she said, that were proven wrong: the first was that St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page would use the money for his campaign and the sec-

n Councilwoman Rita Heard Days said she had two main concerns initially that were proven wrong.

opposed to the grant money until she learned more about the CTCL and the grant itself. She had two main concerns

ond being the grant was an effort to harvest ballots.

“We are having an unprecedented number of people that

will be voting, voting absentee and even on Election Day,” said Days, the former director of the St. Louis County Board of Elections. “And I know how difficult it is to get people to work these elections. And now with the pandemic, it’s probably impossible to get the number of people that you needed. So perhaps a little more monetary incentive would help the election authorities do that. “

Chairwoman Lisa Clancy agreed, saying due to the unprecedented conditions presented a need for additional election funding.

“And I think that the hearing that we had from the board of elections last week dispelled many of the concerns that

On Tuesday, Councilmen Tim Fitch and Ernie Trakas voted no to authorize St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page to accept a $2 million grant to cover new election expenses related to COVID-19. Chairwoman Lisa Clancy voted yes, as did (not pictured)

Councilman Trakas had, and I heard from them very clearly the urgency in getting this money,” Clancy said. “Given the volume of participation in this election this year and the extra expenses associated with COVID, I think that is a very important request.”

Democratic councilwomen Clancy, Kelli Dunaway, Days and Rochelle Walton Gray voted in favor of accepting the grant. Republic councilmen Mark Harder, Fitch and Trakas voted against using the money. The county is not the first in the area to accept election funding from the CTCL. St. Louis has accepted a $1 million grant and the Missouri Secretary of State received $1.4 million.

Councilwomen Rita Heard Days, Rochelle Walton Gray and Kelli Dunaway.

File photo by Carolina Hidalgo/St. Louis Public Radio

Editorial / CommEntary

St. Louis American endorses Joe Biden/ Kamala Harris

What more can possibly be said to persuade people of the need to vote Donald J. Trump out of the White House by voting in the ticket of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris? Trump is a white nationalist, a racist, a traitor, a xenophobe, a misogynist, a science denier and a liar who has dishonored every American institution and done more to lower the standing of the United States in the eyes of the world than any one single other person in history. Joe Biden is sane, anti-racist, science-based, and accountable, and he made an inspired choice of running mate in Kamala Harris, a tough-as-nails U.S. senator, former state prosecutor and strong Black woman with recent immigrant roots. Only the very wealthy seeking tax cuts at the expense of social services and deeply racist committed to criminalizing abortion have any reason to vote for four more years of the hateful chaos that is the Trump presidency. With all of our might, we strongly endorse JOE BIDEN FOR U.S. PRESIDENT AND KAMALA HARRIS FOR VICE PRESIDENT

Those progressives for whom neither Joe Biden nor Kamala Harris was a first choice for the top of the ticket still have good reason to vote with unbridled enthusiasm in this election if they live in the 1st Congressional District. Voters in the district have the historic opportunity to elect Missouri’s first Black congresswoman in Cori Bush, the protest leader who delivered a stunning primary upset to 10-term incumbent Wm. Lacy Clay on August 4. Clay won the general election with 80% of the vote in 2018, and we expect Bush to do at least that well on November 3. So, though she may not need your vote as badly as Biden/Harris do, she has earned it as much or more. We strongly endorse CORI BUSH FOR U.S. CONGRESS

Comparing vote totals in the August 4 primary would not give Democrats much hope, as for most seats at least 100,000 more people voted for a Republican in the primary than for a Democrat. This is also true in the lieutenant governor’s race. However, because unelected, donothing incumbent Mike Kehoe had three primary challengers and the Democratic nominee Alissia Canady had only one opponent, Canady is the only statewide Democrat on the November 3 ticket who garnered more primary votes than her opponent. A former City Council member and prosecutor from Kansas City, Canady would be a powerful advocate for seniors and veterans and a voice of sanity as president of the Missouri Senate. We strongly endorse ALISSIA

CANADY FOR LIEUTENANT GOVER-

NOR

For an unusually calm, sedate and respectful politician, St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page has inspired strangely virulent opposition from the conservative Democrats who want the office back, their Republican allies and a few highly visible Black operatives. Before both the primary and general elections, prominent Black people in public life allowed their disagreements with Page to be weaponized as law suits against him. We consider Hazel Erby’s suit filed recently against Page to be a particularly desperate Hail Mary attempt to damage Page in the general election, considering that in the August 4 primary nearly 200,000 people voted for a Democratic county executive and less than 50,000 voted for a Republican. Despite his often unfair and (thinking here of youth sports) even unhinged opposition, we believe Page has made good choices in the COVID-19 pandemic, a leadership test of a lifetime that he is passing with unusual calm, despite the noise that surrounds him. We strongly endorse DR. SAM PAGE FOR ST. LOUIS COUNTY

EXECUTIVE

Amendment 1 on the November 3 ballot would impose the two-term restriction that currently applies to the Missouri governor and treasurer to the other four statewide offices: lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor and attorney general. Though these offices have mostly been used as stepping stones for politicians with their eyes on higher power, especially governor and U.S. Senate, we believe term limits would be good precautions. Term limits for state legislative seats have had a poor effect, with necessary, collective knowledge and experience regularly decimated by them, but an elected executive has the opposite dynamic: the longer they stay, the worse they get. A long tenure leads to a calcification and lack of imagination; the emphasis becomes on how do we stay, not what can we get done. Everybody starts with an agenda and a fixed amount of energy; you either execute the agenda or you don’t, but you always exhaust the energy. We strongly endorse a vote of YES ON AMENDMENT 1

Previously endorsed: Nicole Galloway for governor, Yinka Faleti for secretary of state, Vicki Englund for treasurer, Rich Finneran for attorney general, Jill Schupp for Congress, No on Amendment 3, Yes on Proposition D (City of St. Louis), Yes on Proposition R (City of St. Louis).

White America, history has its eyes on you

By Mike Jones Of The St. Louis American

I try to approach writing an opinion column the way serious jazz musicians approach their music. If you don’t have anything to play, then don’t play anything. And if somebody else has already played it, and you don’t have anything substantial to add or subtract, then don’t play anything. I haven’t commented much on the 2020 U.S. presidential election because I really don’t have anything substantive to add to what I wrote in 2016.

I wrote the following preceding the 2016 presidential election: “If you are AfricanAmerican, Latino, Asian, Muslim or a member of the LGBT community, voting for Hillary Clinton for president is a matter of self-defense – selfpreservation, really. If you are an American who identifies as white, you face a choice latent with profound moral and social implications.” That is from a column I wrote entitled “Donald Trump and the last stand of white male privilege in America.” Four years later on the eve of the 2020 presidential election, I would write exactly the same thing, with the exception of substituting Joe Biden’s name for Hilary Clinton’s. Because literally the circumstances and consequences for the enumerated groups have not changed. To the extent they may have changed, our circumstances are worse and the consequences are even more dire now than then.

But there is an improvisational rift to this based upon a quote of Joe Biden’s when he announced his candidacy in June of 2019: “We are in

the battle for the soul of this nation.” At the time, I wrote, “The election will not be a battle for the soul of the nation, but it will be a battle for the soul of white America.” What did I mean?

We are faced with an existential crisis in this election. And we have suffered what we have suffered these last four years because the majority of white Americans chose to be here by the choices they have made. Now, white political pundits and their AfricanAmerican enablers will tell you that what happened in 2016 was that the Black turnout wasn’t as high as needed for Clinton to win and that voters of color generally underperformed. Both assertions are a crock. (And, for the record, Black people are not responsible for political or moral salvation of white America.)

Let’s look at who really should own the outcome of 2016 presidential election.

While the census will tell you the country is 60% white and 40% people of color, the political reality is a little different. The country is politically whiter because of the difference in median age between white Americans and people of color. In the 2016 presidential election, the turnout looked like this: 70% white, 12% Black, 11% Latino and 7% Asian.

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

Don’t be deceived – vote no on Amendment 3

By Reggie Thedford For The St. Louis American

As Dushanne Stokes said, “When dealing in lies listen more to what is not said than what is said.” For Missouri voters like myself, that’s exactly what we need to do when we vote on Amendment 3. This statewide constitutional amendment seeks to undo critical redistricting reforms enacted by Missouri voters in 2018. But you may not know it from reading the text that on your ballot. To overturn those landmark changes, which included creating a fair, impartial process for drawing legislative districts in the state, politicians know their only path is to trick voters. Indeed, Amendment 3 is a deceptive effort to diminish the political power of millions of Missourians. Reading the full text of Amendment 3, it’s clear that it’s not real reform, but rather a sneaky attempt to reverse voter-approved measures and implement changes to the redistricting process that would once again allow lobbyists and political operatives to draw the lines for their favorite politicians. That’s why I’m voting no on Amendment 3.

In response to a lawsuit filed by No On 3, the group that championed the Clean Missouri reforms and is opposed to Amendment 3, two separate courts found that the ballot language politicians wanted to appear for Amendment 3 was misleading, unfair, and insufficient. Ultimately, the final ballot language was created and approved by the Missouri

Court of Appeals. While better than the language that was first proposed, voters should still be prepared for confusing and complicated language.

While Amendment 3 includes language that appears to reduce the influence of big money in politics, the illusion politicians have created falters under scrutiny.

If Amendment 3 passes, it would change the limit for gifts from paid lobbyists from $5 to $0—with exemptions. It would also change the maximum campaign contributions to state senate candidates by a mere $100. Most importantly and most concerning, Amendment 3 would open the door for districts to be created based on voting-age population rather than total population, effectively disenfranchising 1.5 million Missourians.

These are not real reforms. They’re a smokescreen to trick voters into overturning the landmark fair map and fair redistricting rules already passed by an overwhelming bipartisan majority of Missourians. This kind of deception was the reasoning for the court changing the original ballot language.

“The legislature’s summary instead seeks to entice voters to adopt the measure by misleadingly overstating a modest $5 reduction in allowable lobby-

Letters to the editor

ist gifts and a $100 reduction to Senate contribution limits,” Judge Joyce said in her ruling.

“The legislature seeks to override the recent, clearly expressed will of Missouri voters on a matter as important as redistricting, the law requires that voters be plainly informed what they are being asked to consider.”

Voters should always pick the lawmakers that represent them, but for far too long lawmakers have been able to pick their constituents instead – gerrymandering their districts to rig future elections in their favor. As voters, we have the power. We can create positive change in our communities. It’s unacceptable that the politicians behind Amendment 3 are attempting to deceive and mislead their constituents in order to serve their own interests. This power grab won’t just mean gerrymandered districts for the next decade, but also means that corrupt politicians will be able to impact policy for generations to come. As Missourians, we have a duty to protect our democracy and stop corrupt legislators from overturning the will of voters. I want my vote to matter and for our elected officials to be elected through a fair process. Voting against Amendment 3 will mean more competitive districts, fairer elections, and better representation for communities of color.

Reggie Thedford is the deputy political director at Stand Up America.

All letters are edited for

Traitor in the White House

voters 8% Trump, 88% Clinton; Latino voters 29% Trump, 65% Clinton; and Asian voters 29% Trump, 65% Clinton. Every ethnic group in America saw who Donald Trump was in 2016, but only white Americans saw in him something that allowed the majority of them to consider him morally fit to be POTUS. Donald Trump is president because of the moral failure of the majority of white Americans, not the failure of Black voter turnout.

Which brings us to November 3. Blacks voters are responding to this election like their lives depend upon it, because it does. Joe Biden is like just about all white Democratic politicians to Black voters: they’re not the one we love, they’re just the one we’re with. So, we’ll do what we need to do, as we’ve always done, not because we want to save American democracy but because we want to save each other. It’s white voters who are at the moral fork in the road. The United States since its inception has been a society based upon neoliberal, patriarchal, white supremacist values, but was a functioning democratic republic for white people. What white voters now have to decide is would they rather redefine what it means to be white in a multiracial, multicultural democracy or do they want to retain their white privilege in a neofascist, dystopian nightmare?

We’ll live – or not – with the consequences, but we don’t get to the make the call. White America, history has its eyes on you.

Mike Jones is a member of The St. Louis American’s editorial board. As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

Here’s how those groups voted: white voters 58% Trump, 37% Clinton; Black

In the fourth year of their pillaging of the U.S. Treasury, Donald Trump’s crime family continues to wheel-and-deal with oligarchs, dictators and despots worldwide. President Trump has shown his allegiance to these tyrants by providing cover for the grisly murder of an American journalist—a U.S. citizen, ignoring the bounty paid by Putin for the murder of U.S. military personnel, and by refusing to acknowledge the racial divisiveness and social chaos being sown in America by Russia’s cyber warfare, or to take action against Russia’s disruption of U.S. elections.

There is a traitor in the White House. And he continues the intentional dismantling of the U.S. Postal Service, the State Department and a plethora of other critical functions of government that have wellserved Americans and made the U.S. a trusted, respected world leader. Trump has clearly stated that in his next four years he and his Republican enablers will end the Social Security and Medicare programs, which are critical to the very survival of millions of Americans. Don’t be misled! They plan to do this! But this treasonous president and his self-serving Republican lapdogs need four more years to accomplish their corrupt goals. American lives and the fate of our democracy are at stake in the November election. Vote Biden and Harris to save America and our democracy.

Michael K. Broughton Green Park

Vote no on Amendment 3

In 2018, along with an overwhelming majority of my fellow Missourians, I voted for

the Clean Missouri initiative. Clean Missouri took steps to clean up politics in Missouri by reducing the power of special interests and ensuring that a fair, nonpartisan redistricting process prevents gerrymandering following each census. But there was one group that clearly did not like the move toward transparency, ethics, and accountability in government: incumbent politicians in Jefferson City. In the midst of a worldwide pandemic and the worst economic downturn we’ve seen since the Great Depression, our legislators voted to reverse Clean Missouri in an attempt to reset redistricting rules before our new nonpartisan system could even be used for the first time next year. What makes it worse is that these legislators are trying to hide this abysmal reversal of the will of people behind a strawman reduction in the lobbyist gift limit and state senate contribution limit. The legislature’s proposed ballot language was so deceptive, in fact, that two courts determined that it had to be re-written. Gerrymandering makes it so that politicians can choose their voters instead of voters choosing their representatives. That’s not how democracy works. Thankfully, we, the people, still have the power this time. By law, legislators had to get voter approval to gerrymander our districts. We can stop this trick in its tracks this November by voting No on 3.

Brian Earley, St. Louis

Guest Columnist Reggie Thedford

Guest Columnist Mike Jones

Tishaura asking folks to vote

St. Louis Treasurer

Tishaura O. Jones spoke to constituents during a Soup and Sandwich forum at St. John’s Church on October 15. Jones is working to energize people to vote in the November 3 general election. Absentee and mail-in voting is underway.

Free ice cream for educators and school staff

Midwest-made Hudsonville Ice Cream is seeking nominations for its Random Acts of Ice Cream program. Selected nominees will receive a box full of ice cream pints delivered directly to their doorstep. Hudsonville Ice Cream makes more than 50 flavors, with both traditional ice cream and dairy-free options available in scoop shops and grocery stores in more than a dozen states. Nominators can share why the teacher or other education professional (including cafeteria workers, librarians,

bus drivers and more) should receive a special ice cream delivery during this unusual year. Then, Hudsonville Ice Cream will send a box of their classic pint flavors to selected nominees, no purchase required.

Hudsonville plans to ship boxes out to a number of selected recipients each week through 2020. Nominations for Random Acts of Ice Cream can be submitted at www. hudsonvilleicecream.com/random-acts

Dec. 31 deadline for Teen Talent Competition

Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation has opened online registration for the 11th annual St. Louis Teen Talent Competition for high school students in the bi-state St. Louis metropolitan area. There are no fees to participate or register. This year the Preliminary Round of the competition will be conducted solely by video submissions. Students will be vying for scholarships, special awards, prizes, and the opportunity to compete in the Finals on the

Fabulous Fox Theatre stage. Contestants must be enrolled in the 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grade in the 2020-2021 school year and must attend a high school/home school within a 50-mile radius from the St. Louis Gateway Arch. Acts may be a solo or up to six students performing as a group. Performing arts categories include (but are not limited to): singers, dancers, actors, musicians, comedians, ventriloquists, and circus skill artists. Acts may perform original or published material.

Better health care and jobs would mean less crime

By Alissia Canady For The St. Louis American

St. Louis is under assault. This year, anyone has a 1 in 55 chance of being a victim of a violent crime and a 1 in 17 chance of being a victim of a property crime.

As a former prosecuting attorney, I know firsthand that crime is a complex issue. The foundation of a city’s safety is underpinned by a set of resources like education, healthcare and career opportunities. When one or more pillars weakens, our community faces the consequences with increased crime and a softer economic outlook.

Case in point: In 2019, only 23% of funding for schools in the St. Louis region is from the state, compared to the rest of Missouri where the average is 43%.

Implicitly, for our school system to improve, St. Louis leaders must receive support in the allocation of funding and buy-in from statewide leaders. One position in particular can help with this issue – the lieutenant governor.

The position of lieutenant governor is one that is often overlooked; however, it is in many ways one of the most influential. She sits on many of the state’s most impactful boards that influence Education, Housing, Economic Development and the Missouri Community Services Commission, as well as uniquely serving in both the Legislative and Executive branches of government. Unfortunately, our current lieutenant governor has flown under the radar – skirting basic responsibilities like protecting our seniors, growing our economy, advocating for investments in education and creating jobs. In the past seven months, his sedentary response to COVID-19 gave the virus a glide path to an unemployment spike to 9.7% and a $169 million cut in education funding.

As lieutenant governor, I will fight to strengthen the girders of St. Louis. Using the power of the office, I will advocate for allocating funds to our Department of Education and lend a special focus on quality, early childhood development and workforce training programs – all of which are statistically proven to reduce the likelihood of engaging in violent crime. I will also be an advocate for fair pay to the backbone of our education system: teachers. With better pay comes greater resources that will enhance the quality of our public schools.

Studies find a correlation between a lack of access to healthcare and crime. It is vital for our communities to have a lieutenant governor who advocates for quality, accessible healthcare for all – both mental and physical. As lieutenant governor, I will work to ensure one is not without the other, and everyone, from mental illness to the long-term effects of COVID-19, will receive the care they deserve.

This year has highlighted many of the inequalities we face as a state and nation. While COVID did not cause them, it revealed and accelerated their effects. It’s elevated our collective understanding that the government has a capacity and a responsibility to show up, protect and advocate for the people for which it serves.

This election, I am asking for your vote for lieutenant governor because I will fight for you.

Alissia Canady is the Democratic nominee for Missouri lieutenant governor.

Alissia Canady

Photo by Wiley Price

country,” Bush said. “It has to matter to everyone. And so, regardless of where you live, we all have to show up. And as far as turning out the Black vote, we get hit hard with what happens policy-wise, from the White House and all the way down.” Ferguson Mayor Ella Jones, one of more than 50 officials and community leaders who gathered on Tuesday, encouraged people to vote safely.

“We’re standing together and that gives me hope that things are on course to change,” she said.

Many in attendance actually cast their ballots on Tuesday. Treasurer Jones was present for both events in the city and county and addressed the crowds alongside Bell.

“We thought it was important to have a show of solidarity here today because, as Wesley said, these are really trying times, these are unprecedented times, and people are really concerned about voting and about catching COVID if they go vote,” Jones said.

And so, we want to make sure that everybody knows what their options are, especially because we have several places where people can go to vote early, so we want to make

Bush

Continued from A1 we cannot become complacent again—but I know that this time we won’t. Yes, Donald Trump’s victory was shocking. These past four years have been a collective traumatic experience for so many in our country. But in the face of that trauma, we galvanized a movement. We aren’t afraid. We’re angry— and together, we will take back our future. We protested in the streets

sure that they know that we are using that as an option and that they can, too.”

Bell noted at both events that people with questions about how to cast their ballot can call the hotline 866-OURVOTE, which is by the national and nonpartisan Election Protection coalition.

“Our votes matter, and our votes are a way to make sure our voices are heard on the issues that we care about,” Bell said. “They may mean different

of Ferguson for more than 400 days after the murder of Mike Brown Jr. That fight for justice continues still, for George Floyd, for Breonna Taylor, and for too many more. In the face of injustice in my own community, I went from a bystander to a fighter for the lives of my children, my friends, my family, and my country. That is why I ran for Congress, guided by a movement and a vision of what a better future might be like. I know we have the power to make change. In 2018, a record number of women ran for office, and so many of them

things to every person here, but the one thing we can all agree on is that it is important that everyone vote.”

That is a sentiment felt throughout numerous organizations that have worked to get the vote out in this election.

St. Francis Xavier College Church members have partnered with Rock Church to put on notary drives and help register people to vote.

“There are so many differences this year in terms of

won that Democrats overcame gerrymandering and retook the U.S. House of Representatives. New leaders for our movement of love, compassion, and equality emerged with the elections of U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Ayanna Pressley. And now, in 2020, I join proud Black voices for change, from Jamie Harrison in South Carolina to Mike Espy in Mississippi and Jamaal Bowman and Mondaire Jones in New York.

Across our region, Black organizers have taken the lead in making sure the voices of

how to vote,” said Christine Dragonette, director of Social Ministry at College Church.

“So, I think this is the most concentrated effort we’ve taken in terms of voter education.” College Church members

Lisa Burks and Sarah Leggett both serve on the church’s Racism and Reconciliation Committee and helped to register people to vote earlier this year.

“It is not only our right but our responsibility to create

St. Louisans are heard. Action St. Louis has led the charge to make sure our communities are fully counted in the census. Young Black organizers have been leading massive canvassing operations to increase voter turnout. We’ve built a framework for what it takes to win in St. Louis. We proved it worked in my primary victory in August by building a coalition that brought thousands of new voters to the ballot boxes. We did it by reaching out to the community and inviting voters back into the system, by letting them know that they had something important to bring to this

Young Voices with Action founder Farrakhan Shegog, Jennings Councilman Terry Wilson, Dellwood Mayor Reggie Jones and state Rep. LaKeySha Bosley joined more than 50 elected officials and community leaders to encourage people to vote in the November 3 election at the St. Louis County Board of Election Commissioners on Tuesday, October 27. Many voted early that day.

a community that meets the needs of all members,” Burks said. “Voting is the beginning of that process to express what your needs and desires are, and I hope that voting is just the start of that process.”

Another local organization, the St. Louis Chapter of The Drifters, has worked this election season to provide voters with access to registration, information about the various methods of voting, and a plan to cast their ballot.

movement. Because St. Louis voted, I am slated to become Missouri’s first Black congresswoman. I am slated to become Missouri’s first nurse congresswoman. I am slated to become the first woman to represent Missouri’s 1st Congressional District. And I am slated to become our nation’s first Black Lives Matter activist in Congress. But we still have more to accomplish.

We have a lot to be proud of—from my two close friends, former state Representative Bruce Franks Jr. and current state Representative Rasheen Aldridge, to my siSTARS Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner and St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura O. Jones— we have every reason to be full of hope for the future. Because we know what starts in St. Louis can effect change all across Missouri.

We have the chance to flip the whole state Blue and start a new chapter in our history. We can defeat Trump, Governor Mike Parson, and the entire movement of white supremacy that they rode to power on. So,

“We just really want to make sure that we’re getting as much out there as possible on making sure everybody has the opportunity to vote,” Rhonda LeBlue of The Drifters said. “You can intend to vote, but then things happen. You have to have a plan.”

The group also focused on encouraging residents to fill out the 2020 census, which is used to apportion government money to communities and draw congressional districts for the next 10 years.

“We are experiencing things that we’ve never even thought we’d see,” said Doretha Glibert, president of the St. Louis Chapter of The Drifters. “It’s right here, and you can’t miss it. And you can’t leave it alone, saying, ‘Somebody else will do it’ or ‘my vote won’t count.’ Everything you do counts — your efforts count.”

For those looking to vote early in the city, absentee ballots must be returned to select public libraries by 4 p.m. November 2 accompanied by an acceptable form of identification.

For those looking to vote early in the county, absentee ballots must be returned by November 3 to the St. Louis County Board of Election Commissioners.

All mail-in ballots must be received by 7 p.m. November 3.

let’s recognize our individual power. Let’s recognize that we all have something great to bring to the table. And let’s push that forward. Because this movement is strong, but collectively, we can make it even stronger. When we vote, we win. So, I’m asking you to vote. And I’m asking you to volunteer. Make phone calls. Send text messages. Knock doors, and help drop literature. Then do just a little bit more. Talk to your friends, talk to your neighbors, and talk to your colleagues. We don’t want to wake up on November 4 asking ourselves the same question we asked four years ago: Could I have done more? We have the opportunity to set our state and our nation on a new path. This is a history-making moment, but no one is going to make it for us. We’ve got to make this history ourselves—and we can. Let’s win this thing together, St. Louis. Cori Bush is the Democratic nominee for U.S. Congress in Missouri’s 1st Congressional District.

Photo by Wiley Price

Amendment

against it.

“As a public health leader in St. Louis I strongly oppose Amendment 3 because it would hurt our democracy and put policies that promote health and health equity at risk,” said Angela Fleming Brown, CEO of the St. Louis Regional Health Commission.

Amendment 3 is designed to draw district maps based on the eligible voter population of the state, meaning children and non-citizens would not count when the districts are drawn.

“This would dramatically impact how our communities are represented and funded at our state capital,” Brown said. “Amendment 3 would weaken our constitutional protections for voters of color, and data shows Amendment 3 would disproportionally take away political power from Brown and Black communities.

The Brennan Center and Schwarzenegger Institute have independently conducted studies on this amendment. The Brennan Center concluded that excluding children and noncitizens would exacerbate racial inequities and result in more than a quarter of Missourians left uncounted — including 21% of Missouri’s white population compared to 28% of the state’s Black population, 54%

Page

Continued from A1

County cannot give up fighting against COVID-19. But giving up is exactly what bills 222 and 223 is asking St. Louis County to do.”

Page’s vetoes were upheld by the council the following day, when a 3-3 vote failed to override it.

Page said the COVID-19 pandemic had already cost the lives of 870 St. Louis County residents, with 30,000 infections, with many more residents having to go through isolation and quarantine for prolonged periods of time. Page said that all ZIP codes in the county have been affected by the coronavirus, with disproportionate impacts on African-American and Hispanic residents.

He said the council members who supported the vetoed bills were voting to put an end to five public health orders from the Department of Public Health.

“They would no longer have the ability to define when a positive case or a suspected

of its Asian population and 54% of its Latino population.

The Schwarzenegger Institute concluded that

“Amendment 3 presents a new form of gerrymandering with significant implications for changing who and how people are represented.”

Amendment 3 would undo the reforms passed by voters in the Clean Missouri Act in 2018. That initiative was approved by two-thirds of statewide voters.

“So now, once again, we have elected officials sending out a clear message to us that they don’t think we’re smart enough to know what we want,” said John Bowman, president of the St. Louis County NAACP.

“The NAACP and our membership have clearly decided to oppose Amendment 3 based up equitable opportunities for people of color and then the minority community. This is a very discriminatory act that they’re trying to force down our throats.”

Sean Soendker Nicholson, who is leading the effort to defeat Amendment 3, said the politicians and lobbyists are trying to trick voters.

“They want super-safe incumbent protection maps, regardless of what voters are saying that they want from their legislature,” he said.

“To do that they are going to need to trick voters – that is their plan – to be able to trick

positive case should be quarantined or should be isolated, or others who are exposed should be quarantined. They would end the ability of the Department of Public Health to require masks; they would end the ability to set capacity limits at 50% or limit gatherings, which are currently limited to 50,” Page said.

“They would limit the Department of Public Health’s ability to require nursing homes to report positive cases or deaths in nursing homes. And they would end the ability of the requirement that all positive tests, negative tests, and deaths are immediately reported to the Department of Public Health.”

Page said those actions are commonsense, elementary, public health rules.

“They set the basis for isolation and quarantine. They ensure that we can provide the public with the most accurate, up-to-date information to help people understand the data behind how we are making our decisions,” he said. “They protect our grandparents, they protect our children and schools, and they protect our frontline workers.”

“Politicians want to draw their own district maps. They want to choose their voters instead of having the voters choose them,” said Louise Wilkerson, League of Women Voters of Metro St. Louis co-president.

– Louise Wilkerson

voters with the $5 lobbyist gift change and hope that voters don’t pay attention to what’s going on in the fine print. So, we know that in the fine print that there are redistricting details [and] policies unlike anything Missouri has ever seen and unlike anything else in the United States.”

While the first two items on the amendment are a $5 change to lobbyist gift limits and a $100 change to contribution limits for state Senate candidates, everything else is about gerrymandering. He said that

Page said without knowing what orders were being terminated, council members tried to wrest control of crafting public health orders from public health officials – and take it for themselves.

“The lives of those who are struggling with COVID-19 are being tossed around like a political football,” Page said.

“The public health decisions should be made by public health experts – they shouldn’t be political. Taking steps to protect human life during a pandemic shouldn’t be polit-

“Amendment 3 because it would hurt our democracy and put policies that promote health and health equity at risk,” said Angela Fleming Brown, CEO of the St. Louis Regional Health Commission.

– Angela Brown

two different judges have ruled that the politicians have broken the law with what is in the fine print (the major changes to the redistricting process).

The Amendment 3 language is as follows: “Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to: Ban gifts from paid lobbyists to legislators and their employees; Reduce legislative campaign contribution limits; Change the redistricting process voters approved in 2018 by: (i) transferring responsibility for drawing state legislative districts

ical. Designing protections to make sure that our economy will rebound after a pandemic shouldn’t be political.”

Attending the county executive’s news briefing and speaking in support of keeping health restrictions in place were representatives of the service sector, the Black clergy and the NAACP.

“These orders keep workers in our community safe,” grocery worker Lamia Terrell said. “We should trust experts above all else when dealing with a health crisis.”

from the Nonpartisan State Demographer to Governorappointed bipartisan commissions; (ii) modifying and reordering the redistricting criteria.”

The Brennan Center study noted that the politicians and lobbyists behind the measure have close ties to national conservative operatives including Thomas Hofeller, “whose posthumously released memos revealed a scheme among high-ranking Republican donors and operatives to encourage states to make a

“As people of faith, it was our prayer that the St. Louis County Council would have done the right thing by placing the safety of our citizens above politics and vote down bills 222 and 223,” said Bishop Elijah Hankerson, president of the St. Louis Metropolitan Clergy Coalition.

“Since that was not the case, here we are today, standing in unity with our St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page, commending him for today vetoing the decision of the council.”

He said masks and other health

‘radical departure’ from total population to adult citizen apportionment, arguing that it would be ‘advantageous to Republicans and non-Hispanic whites.’”

Ellen Alper, CEO of the National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis, said her organization is distressed with what Missouri politicians are trying to do with Amendment 3.

“Clean Missouri passed by 2 to 1 margin in 2018 — 1.4 million voters wanted fair, non-gerrymandered, non-political maps in order to make the best decisions for our state,” Alper said. “The politicians didn’t like it and they came back with this amendment to undo the will of the voters.”

Nancy Mille, co-president of the League of Women Voters of Metro St. Louis, said the league has actively been working on redistricting for the last 12 years.

“Before endorsing what was in Clean Missouri, we carefully studied it, read the whole thing … we backed it and worked hard to pass it,” Mille said.

“But maybe legislators didn’t like the reforms, even though every Senate district approved of them. They didn’t listen when league members across the state asked them to respect their vote. Many of us appeared before committees across the legislature, where our opinions and even our presence was just disregarded.”

orders have helped.

“This is not the time that to take steps backwards,” said John Bowman, president of the St. Louis County NAACP. “Mid-Missouri, the numbers are spiking. We are finding that COVID-19 is not going away if we do not follow the guidelines of public health officials. I would hope the rest of the council members would follow those leads of professional health care officials that say we cannot take these aggressive steps backwards.”

Urban League’s MLK Clean Sweep Targets Academy/Sherman Park Neighborhood “Screen Sweep” Health Component Sponsored by TYLENOL®

The Urban League’s Department of Public Safety and Community Response hosted its second Clean Sweep event October 17, 2020. More than 200 volunteers, and 30 companies helped clean and beautify the neighborhood along two miles of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive from Union Boulevard to Euclid Avenue. Construction crews demolished 12 vacant and abandoned buildings along Aldine Avenue and Dr. MLK. Trees were removed, weeds were trimmed and debris was also removed from several vacant lots.

Clean Sweep continues its added focus on health and wellness with a second “Screen Sweep” initiative. TYLENOL® was the presenting sponsor for the Screen Sweep wellness event that provided a number of free health screening opportunities, including blood pressure screenings, from BJC Healthcare Barnes Jewish Hospital, Siteman Cancer Center and Washington University School of Medicine.

“We are especially proud of the health component added to Clean Sweep. We started with BJC Healthcare taking the lead and we have added TYLENOL® through a campaign with the National Urban League,” said Michael McMillan, Urban League President and CEO. “TYLENOL®, as our presenting sponsor, donated 200 blood pressure monitors for distribution to individuals with high blood pressure.”

TYLENOL® also distributed important health education materials during Screen Sweep to educate attendees on the safest over-the-counter medications to take for any individuals with high blood pressure.

“If there’s one thing this year has taught us, it’s not to take our health for granted. As part of our partnership with the National Urban League, we are proud to support the St. Louis community, where many don’t have easy access to the tools they need to stay healthy,” said Anne Cashman, Marketing Director for TYLENOL®. “We’re here to help by providing free health screenings and educational information on TYLENOL® for safe, effective pain relief when used as directed, particularly for those with high blood pressure.”

Nearly 2,000 Receive Flu Shots at Drive-Through Event Hosted

by BJC Healthcare and The Urban League

The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis partnered with BJC to provide nearly 2,000 free flu shots at a two-day drive through flu vaccination event. The first event was held at Jamestown Mall on October 24th and the second on October 25th at 1330 Aubert, behind the Urban League’s new headquarters in the Victor Roberts Building. The flu shots were funded through a grant from the Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital. The free flu shots were made available to St. Louis area residents (six-months and older) who do not have primary doctors or other means to receive flu shots. This is the 17th year Barnes-Jewish Hospital has offered free flu vaccinations.

“By getting a flu shot, you are helping to protect yourself and the people around you from flu this season, as well as helping reduce the strain on health care systems in our area as we continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic,” says John Lynch, MD, president of Barnes-Jewish Hospital. “We are grateful for the partnership of organizations like Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and the St. Louis Blues to make these flu shot events possible and to help keep our community safe.”

“Protecting our community is critical and preventing a dual health crisis of coronavirus and influenza is even more important,” said Michael McMillan, President and CEO of The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Inc. “We must do all that we can to lessen the tremendous strain on our healthcare system and getting a flu vaccination is one thing we can all do. We are grateful for this partnership opportunity with BJC.”

Panera Bread provided lunch for more than 100 volunteers both days Additional information about flu vaccinations and resources in the St. Louis region also can be found at vaccinateSTL.org.

Virtual Events at Missouri History

By Lindsay Newton and Mark Sundlov Missouri Historical Society

‘When Jay Ashcroft wins, the people of Missouri lose’

Museum and Soldiers Memorial Appeals court sides with Ashcroft: mail-in ballots must be returned by USPS

Two traditional events at the Missouri History Museum and the Soldiers Memorial Military Museum will be held virtually this year: the Día de los Muertos festival and the Veterans Day parade.

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a holiday that is celebrated widely throughout Mexico and in parts of Central and South America and the United States. It is based on a cultural belief that the barrier between the worlds of the living and the dead is most transient from October 31 to November 2, allowing the spirits of the deceased to return for a brief visit.

Día de los Muertos corresponds with All Saints Day, but it is far different from Halloween. It is not about hauntings, and it isn’t supposed to be scary. Instead, it’s a joyful holiday when people acknowledge that death is a natural part of the life cycle. The traditions are rooted in the customs of the Indigenous peoples of Latin America, influenced by Spanish and—in some regions of Mexico—African cultures. Ofrendas are altars that families build to welcome the souls of their loved ones back into their homes. These altars are filled with special things that the person who has died is sure to enjoy, such as favorite foods and belongings.

This year, much of the annual celebration is virtual. Join Hispanic Festival Inc. and the Missouri History Museum to view videos of traditional cemetery celebrations, paper

flower making, food preparation, face painting, and dance traditions on the Missouri Historical Society’s YouTube channel. You can also visit traditional altars and original artwork inspired by the holiday in person at the Museum through November 8. Artwork will be on view from 10am to 5pm, while altars may be viewed from 1 to 4pm. The Veterans Day parade in downtown St. Louis will also be held virtually this year. Originally called Armistice Day, November 11 was reserved for commemorating the end of World War I. The day was filled with reverent events to remember the brave individuals who made the supreme sacrifice, as well as joyous events to celebrate victory in the Great War. After the end of the Korean War, Armistice Day became

Veterans Day, and an emphasis was placed on thanking all veterans, living or deceased. In the 1954 St. Louis Veterans Day parade, “martial airs alternated with the tramp of marching feet and the heavy rumble of military vehicles in downtown streets” according to newspaper accounts. Thousands of St. Louisans were five to six people deep along the sidewalks as the parade marched by.

A highlight of the 1954 parade was the Royal Panthers drum and bugle corps of Amvets Post No. 41, an allBlack post that was named for hero and Tuskegee Airman Captain Wendell O. Pruitt. Born in 1920 in St. Louis, Pruitt graduated from Sumner High School and then Lincoln University before becoming an officer in the Army Air Corps, where he served as a fighter pilot in the famed 332nd Fighter Group. Pruitt earned

the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters. Tragically, Pruitt died in a training accident in 1945. He was a true St. Louis hero.

On Veterans Day 1956, thousands of St. Louisans watched the Veterans Day parade wind through downtown. Newspapers reported that spectators were five deep at some points. The renowned, championship-winning drum and bugle corps of Tom Powell Post 77, the oldest African American post in the American Legion, tore into “Anything Goes” as they passed the reviewing stand at Soldiers Memorial. What a treat it must have been to take in the sights and sounds of that esteemed corps!

Due to the threat of COVID19, this year’s Veterans Day parade has been canceled. We will sadly miss the sights and sounds of the parade and its show of support for our veterans. However, Soldiers Memorial Military Museum and the City of St. Louis have partnered with past parade participants to deliver a virtual parade at 12pm on Veterans Day, featuring thank-you messages from organizations across the area. While it will be different from parades of the past, it’s an important reminder that St. Louis is thankful to its veterans. To watch the virtual parade, visit Soldiers Memorial online at mohistory.org/memorial or on social media.

The Missouri History Museum and Soldiers Memorial are open Wednesday through Sunday. To reserve your free tickets in advance, visit mohistory.org.

By Dana Rieck Of The St. Louis American

Missouri residents voting by mail must return those ballots by U.S. mail, a federal appeals court ruled on October 21, siding with Missouri Secretary of State John “Jay” Ashcroft and upholding the law that was challenged in a district court.

Mail-in ballots must be received by Election Day, November 3, to be counted.

The appeal, filed by Ashcroft, came after a judge ruled against Ashcroft in a federal suit filed by St. Louis-based Organization for Black Struggle. The court’s ruling in that suit stated mail-in ballots (not to be confused with absentee ballots) could also be returned either in-person to local election authorities, by private party mailing services and by third parties, like a family member.

Local election authorities did not appeal the ruling, but Ashcroft did. He was granted a temporary stay until the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals reviewed the case. While Ashcroft’s motion for stay was granted, the court’s opinion had not been published.

Following the ruling, Yinka Faleti, Democratic nominee for Missouri Secretary of State, released a statement accusing Ashcroft of making it more difficult for Missourians to vote.

“When Jay Ashcroft wins, the people of Missouri lose,” said Faleti. “There is no justification for the secretary of state to be fighting this hard to make it more difficult for Missourians to return their ballots. It is clear that he has only his personal partisan motives in mind and cares nothing about performing his duty as our state’s chief elections officer.”

American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri Legal Director Tony Rothert noted that under the current rule for mail-in ballots, a voter who went to their local election authority to get their mail-in ballot notarized would have to leave that office and then mail the ballot to the very office they just left.

“We don’t think that makes much sense,” Rothert said. “So, our hope is that the secretary of state resolves this situation by just dismissing his appeal, and that would resolve it instantly.” Rothert said he doesn’t think it was a coincidence that no local election officials appealed the ruling that would allow the various delivery methods of all mail-in ballots, not just absentee. He believes it would simplify their job by erasing the need to determine whether each ballot is an absentee or mail-in — which have different requirements.

According to Ashcroft’s government website, as of October 19 there had been 6,896 mail-in ballots requested and 539,863 absentee ballots requested.

Rich Finneran, Eric Schmitt and conviction integrity units

Democratic challenger says AG is blocking prosecution

reform in Missouri

This story was reported by Rebecca Rivas for the Missouri Independent.

St. Louis-native Lamar Johnson has spent 26 years in prison praying that someone would hear his case. In August 2019, that day almost came.

“I finally got taken back to St. Louis, and freedom is just right there,” Johnson said in a phone call with The Independent from Jefferson City Correctional Center. “And it was snatched away from me for something procedural that shouldn’t be more important than someone being wrongfully convicted.”

Last summer, Johnson was brought back to St. Louis for the first time in more than two decades. It was also supposed to be the first time St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner would present a case of alleged prosecutorial misconduct as part of her new conviction integrity unit.

In July 2019, Gardner asked 22nd Circuit Court Judge Elizabeth Hogan to set aside Johnson’s 1995 murder conviction, alleging that former prosecutors and police fabricated evidence to get Johnson’s conviction. Gardner filed a 67-page motion that she claims provides evidence that the homicide detective in the case made up witness testimonies for the police report that was entered into evidence. Witnesses were not aware of the changes until later.

Documents included in the motion allege that an assistant circuit attorney paid off the only eyewitness and cleared some of his outstanding tickets. But what happened next has sparked a renewed, intense

debate among attorneys and judges throughout the state — most notably between the two candidates for attorney general in the November 3 election.

Do elected prosecutors in Missouri have the power to investigate past convictions and ask for a new trial when they feel a person was wrongfully convicted?

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who was appointed to the position in 2018 and is seeking a full term on November 3, says no. Prosecutors don’t have the authority to take action in cases that they feel lack integrity unless state legislators pass laws permitting this. He’s argued his position all the way to the state’s highest court through Johnson’s case.

Democrat Rich Finneran, a former federal prosecutor who is challenging Schmitt, disagrees. He says prosecutors have a duty to uphold justice, not just convictions. He is calling on Schmitt to abandon his opposition to Gardner’s motion and instead advocate to the court that Johnson be granted a new trial.

With St. Louis County and other jurisdictions looking to follow Gardner’s lead, the outcome of the case will resonate for years to come. Through 2018, conviction integrity units across the country had been responsible for producing 344 exonerations nationwide, according to an amicus brief in support of Gardner submitted to the Missouri Supreme Court signed by 45 elected prosecutors in 25 states. A loss in this case could undermine the work of elected prosecutors nationally who are

20-0206_Print_Instacart_06_ROP3rdPage_4Print.pdf 1 10/9/20 2:04 PM

Lamar Johnson’s sister Candace Crisp and his mother Mae Johnson braved the cold to bring attention to Johnson’s case on Dec. 10, 2019, in front of the Old Post Office downtown. A group of about 25 community leaders and residents, organized by Color Of Change and Organization for Black Struggle, demonstrated outside of Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s office to demand that he stop trying to block a new trial for Lamar Johnson.

looking to increase accountability, said Miriam Krinsky executive director of Fair and Just Prosecution.

“And it could embolden those who are trying to push back on these reform-minded leaders,” she said.

Enter Eric Schmitt

After Gardner filed the motion in July 2019, Judge Hogan ordered that the attorney general’s office represent the state. Gardner, who represents the state in the City of St. Louis, disputed Hogan’s authority to bring in the attor-

ney general. Hogan countered that Gardner, by acting to address misconduct of a former employee, might threaten the integrity of the judicial process.

“That appointment has resulted in an unprecedented tug-of-war between two political offices who both claim to speak on behalf of the State,” according to the elected prosecutors’ amicus brief. “Johnson, in the meantime, remains stuck in the middle.”

Finneran is calling for Schmitt to take steps to secure Johnson’s release, saying the attorney general’s involvement in the case so far “is denying justice to a man who is by all

accounts innocent.”

“Eric Schmitt’s responsibility is not merely to secure and protect convictions,” Finneran said, “but to do justice.”

The Attorney General’s Office declined comment because the Johnson case is still ongoing, and Schmitt’s campaign did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

However, during the Missouri Supreme Court arguments in April for Johnson’s case, Schmitt’s team said the only way for a person to seek relief is to go through the appeal process or habeas corpus. That process can take years just to get a hearing, and historically the Attorney General’s Office opposes those appeals.

In court, the Attorney General’s Office also argued that Gardner could investigate wrongful convictions, but then she would have to turn over the evidence to the people sitting in prison and their lawyers for them to present it in court themselves.

“That’s not a very efficient mechanism,” said Missouri Supreme Court Judge Patricia Breckenridge. “We are much more likely to reach the truth of the matter if the circuit attorney, who has that information, is the party who can raise the issues before the court.”

Thirty elected prosecutors from rural Missouri counties submitted an amicus brief in support of Schmitt’s position. They stated that they “do not desire for this court to reallocate the appellate responsibilities of the Missouri Attorney General onto their already full shoulders.”

Landmark case

This case means more than just Johnson’s freedom.

It will also define the work of the conviction integrity units not only in St. Louis but in prosecutor’s offices throughout the state that are looking to follow Gardner’s lead.

Aside from wrongful convictions, the units also independently investigate and prosecute allegations of excessive force and other wrongdoing by law enforcement. These new units are one of the strongest, most tangible results of the movement for criminal justice reform in Missouri, said some advocates and attorneys.

If the state Supreme Court sides with Schmitt, then the future work of these units will be extremely limited in scope.

The Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments in Johnson’s case on April 14.

“All we are asking for is a court to hear this evidence,” said Daniel Scott Harawa, a professor at Washington University School of Law, who argued on behalf of Gardner’s office.

There are currently about 65 conviction integrity units throughout the country, but Missouri has had the toughest time moving forward, said Lindsey Runnels, Johnson’s attorney, who has worked on

many wrongful conviction cases through the Midwest Innocence Project.

Runnels pointed to Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, whose unit has led to 17 exonerations since 2018.

“A defense or innocence organization could never come close to effecting the number of exonerations that a CIU can accomplish,” Runnels said. “They can do things so much faster than the lawyers on the defense side can do through traditional post-conviction challenges.”

Krasner’s office can fast track a wrongful conviction case.

“He’s got his own investigators and he’s working alongside defense lawyers,” she said. “And that’s what we would hope a conviction integrity unit would eventually be able to do here.”

Unlike Gardner, other Missouri prosecutors have been able to take action in cases they think lack integrity — including Tim Lohmar, president of the Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys and the St. Charles County prosecutor.

In 2018, Lohmar moved to set aside the guilty pleas of two teenagers accused in 2015 of raping a 17-year-old woman, saying subsequent evidence cast doubt on the alleged victim’s accusation. Lohmar told Law360 that, “We felt it was our responsibility to be proactive in correcting a serious wrong.”

The attorney general did not join this case and the circuit judge did not refuse Lohmar’s motion, as the St. Louis City judge did.

“When I as a prosecutor believe that a conviction I obtained lacks integrity, I have a responsibility to make it right,” Lohmar told Law360. “It’s really that simple.”

Not willy nilly

In the states that already have a mechanism for elected prosecutors to bring forth wrongful conviction cases, they only recommend about 20 cases out of thousands of petitions, said Dana Mulhauser, chief of the Conviction and Incident Review Unit in St. Louis County.

“This is not a willy nilly undoing of the criminal justice system,” Mulhauser said. “This is fixing very specific and very egregious wrongs.

The units are a big part of addressing issues on the forefront of movement for criminal justice reform: accountability, integrity and violent crime.

“The conviction integrity unit is important in building the community’s trust with the criminal justice system,” Gardner said. “We all want the right person to be held accountable.”

Schmitt’s role in this case makes a notable difference from his predecessors, said Mike Wolff, former Missouri Supreme Court justice. While attorney generals in the past have perhaps disagreed with local prosecutors, Wolff said one has never overtly attacked and usurped a local prosecutor as Schmitt has done with Gardner.

“The attorney general doesn’t see himself as being on the same team as this local prosecutor,” Wolff said. Ricky Kidd was exonerated in August 2019 after spending 23 years in prison, and he was cellmates with Johnson at one time. He knows Johnson’s case well.

Now as an advocate with the Midwest Innocence Project, Kidd explained it this way: Schmitt is like the quarterback and Gardner is the offensive coordinator — and Schmitt threw a flag on his own team.

“Something is strange about that type of leadership,” Kidd said, “when Kim couldn’t go before the court and say that, ‘We got it wrong. Here’s the remedy to make it right.’ And you come running all the way from Jefferson City, going to St. Louis city metaphorically, and saying ‘Hold on, she don’t even have the authority to do that.’ The state is challenging itself.”

Rebecca Rivas is a reporter for The Missouri Independent: missouriindependent.com.

Photo by Wiley Price

From pandemic to collective plan

Non-profit leaders plot to use the COVID crisis to articulate a new movement

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

Of The St. Louis American

Standing on Evergreen Avenue right off Martin Luther King Drive in Wellston, Melvin White, founder of Beloved Streets of America, couldn’t have been prouder.

After 12 years, the organization dedicated to revitalizing MLK Dr. from Wellston to downtown St. Louis and beyond held its first annual MLK Street Festival on October 10. The blocked-off street was bustling with smiling faces, food trucks, live music, speeches, and vendors selling clothing, art, jewelry, oils and candles, and free COVID-19 testing.

n “I’m hoping the pandemic serves as an incentive for businesses and organizations to finally come together and form a collective plan.”

– Melvin White, Beloved Streets of America

“We’ve brought out the best in Black businesses,” White said. “Individuals and families are socializing and supporting one another. I’m looking at this event as proof that we can come together even during the most drastic conditions and empower one another.”

The “drastic conditions” White referenced is, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic. It was refreshing, he said, to see people who have been socially isolated, fearful, and distanced from community activities relax while demonstrating community support.

“Because of COVID we’ve lost a lot of businesses and lives,” White said. “I’m hoping the pandemic serves as an incentive for businesses and organizations to finally come together and form a collective plan to generate resources within our communities.”

Ironically, the conversation with White coincided with rapper/actor Ice Cube’s “Contract with Black America” proposal. Its introduction explains how the plan was written in the backdrop of “a global pandemic in which the Black mortality rate is more than double the White rate and in which 45% (nearly half) of Black-owned businesses closed.”

Deaconess Foundation takes step to increase inclusivity

Early adopter of Power Moves Assessment by National Committee For Responsive Philanthropy

By Dana Rieck Of The St. Louis American

After commissioning an outside agency to assess inclusivity and diversity efforts, the Deaconess Foundation is implementing changes and improvements to its practices. Kiesha Davis, director of Partnership and Capacity Building at the foundation, said the assessment is part of an ongoing effort within the organization.

“A few years ago, the foundation really worked to identify ways that we could codify our approach to advancing equity and justice within our approach to grant making,” she said. “Our board established a commitment to racial equity in our operations and all of the activities that we embarked on. This was really an opportunity to do a litmus test, as it were, on how well we were

The National Committee For Responsive Philanthropy launched the Power Moves Assessment tool kit a little over two years ago and has since been working with a variety of different funders.

‘Rising’ Black star at Midwest BankCentre, Inc.

Region’s only Black-led bank acquires Black-led data analytics firm

By Chris King Of The St. Louis American

Midwest BankCentre, Inc. is getting more analytical – and adding yet more Black leadership in the financial sector.

The parent company of Midwest BankCentre, the only regional bank led by an African American, it has now acquired Taylored Analytics to launch a new subsidiary, Rising Analytics. Founded in October 2007 by the husband-wife team of Kelvin and Tamila “Tammy” Taylor, the firm helps small to midsized businesses harness their data to drive business strategy and processes. It has worked with Fortune 500 companies in the financial, retail, restaurant, utility and telecommunications sectors.

Terms of the purchase were not disclosed.

Kelvin Taylor joined Midwest BankCentre in November 2019 as executive vice president-chief information officer. He remains in that role, while also serving as managing director of Rising Analytics.

“Kelvin’s strengths in the application of data analytics provide a tremendous advantage to businesses and organizations that want to continually improve the quality and effectiveness of their sales and marketing decisions,” said Orvin T. Kimbrough, chairman and CEO of Midwest BankCentre.

“He is passionate about equipping business leaders to effectively trans-

See BLACK STAR, A12

Melvin White, founder and CEO of Beloved Streets of America, on Martin Luther King Drive

Laura Godwin

Kelvin Taylor

Photo by Wiley Price

Continued from A11

The entertainer has come under fire after he met with President Donald Trump’s team and parts of his proposal was reportedly incorporated in Trump’s “Platinum Plan” for Black Americans. Controversy aside, considering the disproportionate damage done to African Americans, a post-COVID strategy is a priority for Malik Ahmed, retired founder and CEO of Better Family Life, Inc.

“What we’ve seen from the Great Recession that started in 2008 and with this pandemic is that the federal and state government doesn’t prioritize Black communities that have been disproportionately impacted by these catastrophes,” Ahmed said. Ahmed is the author of the newly released book “From the Projects to the Pyramids: In Search of a Better Family Life.” The symbolism of the title speaks to evolving from the current level of consciousness to another level of collective consciousness where improving and sustaining healthy Black lives and communities are priorities.

“We can use this COVID-19 crisis we’re in to start articulating a new civil and human rights movement,” Ahmed said. “We can start by addressing the disproportionate health disparities in the Black community then move to establishing robust small enterprises, then community and neighborhood development, and keep expanding until we become a major force in our own communities.”

Deaconess

Continued from A11

along the way in that journey and what other areas we could grow in that space.”

The outside agency, La Piana Consulting, conducted their study from March through June of this year, even as the pandemic and calls for racial

When White and Ahmed spoke of community development, both used the word “independent,” focusing on ways to make community reform self-starting and self-sustainable without solely relying on the government or mainstream corporations.

justice gripped the country.

“We’re always humbled by the insights that we get from our partners,” Davis said.

“This is like a snapshot of time, certainly in the midst of everything that’s happening in the community, we really appreciated folks being able to be thoughtful and candid in the feedback that they shared with us.” The assessment included

Michael Woods, co-founder of Dream Builders 4 Equity, is in complete agreement. Woods and his partner, Neal Richardson, started the nonprofit in 2017 with the goal of teaching urban youth how to rehab buildings, own property and make money from publishing books about their experiences.

“We want to be inspirational

18 recommendations categorized in areas where the foundation could either start some new activity to advance equity and justice or continue efforts that are already underway.

She noted one of the recommendations that is a newer concept to the foundation

to people to let them know we can create our own wealth,” Woods said. “We can be intentional about who we deal with, who we get funding from and prove that we don’t necessarily need anybody outside our community to do what we do.”

Trump’s plan, “The Biden Plan for Black America” and Cube’s “contract” all neglect to specify funding for grass-

is being more intentional and thoughtful when it comes to the language used in their public policy agenda communications across all platforms — in-person, social media and in other places online. She emphasized the need to be inclusive for folks who are differently abled.

Another area of the assessment Davos highlighted is offering more than just a grant to the foundation’s funded partners.

“So, for instance, if our partner said that social media training — given our transition to a more virtual environment — would be helpful and supportive in how they advance their work within the community, it would be incumbent upon us to figure out strategies, to bring information, learning and training to our partners in that particular space,” she said.

Black Star

Continued from A11

late their financial goals into well-informed business strategies and actions. We’re excited to make this practical expertise readily accessible to Midwest BankCentre’s clients and other small to mid-sized businesses and nonprofits.”

Kelvin Taylor earned bachelor’s degrees in economics and mathematics at Morehouse College and completed post-graduate studies in economics at University of Maryland, College Park. He has served locally on the United Way and Urban League

roots Black-led nonprofits.

“Black Responsibility” is one of Cube’s bullet points, but he doesn’t encourage hip-hop artists or Black entertainers to contribute to a fund to spearhead land ownership or community entrepreneurship.

Entertainers like Jay Z, TI, Queen Latifa and Akon all promote these community endeavors. In the post-COVID

As for how foundation officials will measure their success in incorporating these recommendations in the next year, Davis said it’s really about how their community of partners would assess the progress they have made.

“So, we will engage in deep listening with all of our partners throughout the course of the year and we’ll seek out opportunities for them to continue to provide us feedback on how well we’re doing,” Davis said.

“I would imagine within the course of the next year we could do a recap on where we said we wanted to start with our action planning and the kind of accomplishments that we have been able to make.”

Davis said the National Committee For Responsive Philanthropy launched the Power Moves Assessment tool kit a little over two years ago and has since been working with a variety of different funders. This tool kit touts itself as a self-assessment guide

boards of directors. He and his wife, Tamila Taylor, annually host a charity golf tournament to fund scholarships to Morehouse College, the nation’s top producer of Black males who continue their education and receive doctorates.

Kelvin Taylor said the acquisition is timely and strategic.

“It’s estimated that 90% of all the data in the world has been generated in the last two years. That explosive growth in customer, financial and operational data has changed the way businesses can achieve their goals,” Taylor said.

era, Ahmed said, Blacks have to face a harsh realism.

“We’ve got to come face-toface with the reality that these folks who control governments are not concerned with our interests,” Ahmed said, “and start to look out for ourselves.”

White said that Black nonprofits should collaborate, choose specific areas for redevelopment, create a plan based on their specific contributions (home and land ownership, small business and trade development) and collectively demand federal, state and local funding for their plan.

“With COVID, it’s only gotten worse for our businesses, our families and our communities,” White said. “Each year the state earmarks $30 billion for development. Part of those billions should flow to organizations out here dedicated to revitalizing neighborhoods, creating small businesses, jobs, and reducing crime. The time is now!”

Woods said he’s very much interested in partnering his nonprofit with others.

“Once other cultures see that we are building our own in respectable, equitable and possible ways,” Woods said, “I believe that’s when the transformation begins. It always starts with our mindset.”

“We have to make it known that we can pool our resources and believe in ourselves,” Ahmed said. “Because, after all, the only thing we have is ourselves.”

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

to help organizations view their strategies and practices through the lens of the power-equity relationship.

“We were very early on within that process of kind of supporting the launch of the toolkit. But we were apparently the first funders who have publicly kind of shared what our journey has looked like,” Davis said.

“And that was very surprising to us, but very heartening for us in being able to be transparent, not only for the folks who provided insights but to the larger filling product field — whether it be local or national. So, we hope to continue to be transparent with the entire sector, as folks kind of explore ways to pursue how they can advance equity and justice within their own work.”

The full assessment can be found on the Deaconess Foundation’s website. www. deaconess.org.

“But the majority of data projects fail when the data science team is unable to translate ‘geek speak’ to business language or when overly complex models fail to deliver one source of truth within organizations.”

Rising Analytics’ seven-member team focuses on capturing and using reliable data to help small to mid-sized business owners, franchises and nonprofits gain customer insights and automate routine tasks.

“We apply the skills and insights used by industry giants to develop data strategies that deliver actionable insights through advanced analytics,” Taylor said. “Our implementation roadmaps, customer segmentation analyses, sales pipeline scoring and customer profitability analyses help organizational leaders better plan and communicate their priorities, concentrate their brainpower and create stronger futures.”

Midwest BankCentre’s assets exceed $2 billion and deposits total more than $1.5 billion. The bank employs a staff of about 280 working at 18 bank locations in the City of St. Louis, St. Louis, Jefferson and St. Charles counties in Missouri and St. Clair County

Kiesha Davis

Photo by Wiley Price

St. Louis County has new voting app for Nov. 3 election

Democratic Director of Elections Eric Fey (left) and Republican Director of Elections Rick Stream discussed a new voting app at the board’s offices in St. Ann on October 21.

Photo by Dana Rieck

‘We are trying to give people some kind of idea of how many people are in line’

By Dana Rieck Of The St. Louis American

3 election.

Democratic Director of Elections Eric Fey and Republican Director of Elections Rick Stream held a press conference to unveil the app and update the public on election operations.

The app allows voters to see how many people are in line at any polling place in the county in almost real-time, with county employees updating the website frequently.

“It gives the voters a closeto-exact number of how many people are standing in line at the time,” Fey said. “So, we are trying to give people some kind of idea of how many people are in line, and we hope to roll this through all the way to election day.”

Thanks to updated election equipment, St. Louis County voters are not confined to one polling place and are able to vote at any of the 231 polling locations open for the election.

And while the county had over 400 polling places for the last presidential election, the directors said the new technology, coupled with changing voter methods, means that cutting locations in half should not create any logistical problems. Stream cited several reasons for the reduced number of polling places, which are all tied into the COVID-19 pandemic.

First, he noted that private entities like churches and business are no longer volunteering their space for polling due to safety concerns. Second, the county lost a large portion of its poll workers also due to concerns of safety. Stream noted that 70% of poll workers are over the age of 60 and 35% of those people are over the age of 70. And third, Fey added, the

approximately 20% increase in absentee ballots reduces the need for physical polling places.

“So, while we may have a higher turnout this year than we did in 2016, many fewer voters will be voting at a polling place on election day than they did in 2016.” Fey said. “And voters have more flexibility now than they did 2016. You can vote at any polling place in St. Louis County.”

The announcement came the day after St. Louis County Council voted of 4-3 to accept a $2 million grant Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL), an organization doling out election grants across the country which are funded by a $250 million donation from Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan.

Stream said they expect to receive the $2,048,474 grant almost immediately and put it to use on unforeseen election expenditures, like the increase in mail-in ballot postage as well as salaries for poll workers and absentee ballot handlers.

“There’s just a tremendous number of additional expenditures over and above what we had budgeted for last year before COVID,” Stream said. “So, we will be able to use the money on these additional expenditures.”

October 21 was the deadline for both St. Louis County and city residents to request an absentee ballot. The deadline to apply for absentee ballots was 5 p.m. October. Both directors urged people to mail in those ballots as soon as they receive them.

Stream also said that even if a person requests a mail-in or absentee ballot, they can always vote in person. He emphasized a person cannot vote twice, even if they request a mail-in ballot and then decide to vote in person.

“If you request an absentee or mail-in ballot and it never gets there for some reason … you always have another opportunity to vote,” he said. “We’ve

had a massive shift in the method of voting in Missouri and St. Louis County so a lot of people are voting by mail and they’ve never done that before. So, they are uncertain about it and they have questions. We will tell you if something went wrong with your ballot and give you a chance to fix it.”

Access the voting app at https://tinyurl.com/STL-voteapp.

“Taking Care of You”

A&E Council awards $115K

Jason Frazier, president and CEO of MindsEye, shows where the radio station for the blind has listeners.

MindEye’s Pandemic LongDistance Audio Description Network is one of 13 grant recipients awarded by the Arts and Education Council in partnership with Missouri Foundation for Health.

Funding will benefit 13 organizations through the Arts and Healing Initiative

American staff

The Arts and Education Council awarded 13 organizations a total of $115,000 in funding through the Arts and Healing Initiative, a new program, in partnership with Missouri Foundation for Health, aimed at increasing the capacity to heal through the arts.

“I’m thankful for the support of Missouri Foundation for Health, who made this initiative possible and for the additional support from Crawford Taylor Foundation, Missouri Arts Council, Marillac Mission Fund, Graybar and Church on the Rock,” said Cynthia A. Prost, Arts and Education Council president and CEO.

In the Angel Band Project Telehealth Music Therapy for Survivors, board-certified music therapists with experience in trauma will conduct music therapy programs with survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence. Arts as Healing Foundation Creative

n “We believe the arts have a critical role in improving an individual’s health and social well-being.”

– Cynthia A. Prost, Arts and Education Council president and CEO

Outreach Program will provide virtual and in-person art classes customized for two organizations in the St. Louis area: Pink Ribbon Girls, working with breast and gynecologic cancer patients, and the City of Ferguson, focusing on community residents with chronic illnesses. A Call to Conscience Celebration of Survival Project will use the arts, including

theater, visual art and narrative storytelling, to provide information, resources, opportunity and access to restorative health.

Fathers and Families Support Center Youth Leadership and Development Program provides integrated services and activities that reduce high-risk behaviors and increased self-sufficiency of youth, specifically between the ages of 14-24 with assistance and guidance from mentors.

Girls Inc. Girls and Images of Healing will use girl-generated photography inspired by what they “see” as relevant and healing about their homes, families and community. Girls in grades 8-12 will receive disposable cameras, learn photography techniques and be supported by experienced photographers.

Good Journey Development Foundation Xpress U Thru Art will allow young people to explore trauma, oppression,

See A&E COUNCIL, A15

Kids, stress and COVID

By Dr. Denise Hooks-Anderson Of The St. Louis American

In the past several months, our lives have been altered in multiple ways. Many of our jobs transitioned to home, that is if we were privileged enough to have such an option. For others, job loss is what they experienced. Children began virtual school, and ZOOM became a normal part of our daily vernacular. In other words, the COVID19 pandemic, infiltrated every aspect of our existence and uprooted our well-established routines. Therefore, it is no surprise that anxiety and depression have been on the rise. Therapists and psychiatrists have reported that they have seen their caseloads increase. Those of us in primary care are also noticing more headache and insomnia complaints which are both somatic manifestations of stress and anxiety. Gastrointestinal concerns such as abdominal pain, nausea, and indigestion are also frequently reported during times of distress.

n Be creative and schedule a socially distanced drive through parade or a ZOOM scavenger hunt with their friends and family.

However, I feel like we have spent a lot of time discussing adult related issues during this pandemic and not enough time on the effects this public health crisis has had on our children. Disruption in routine is a major cause of behavior problems in young children. Therefore, adults need to be keenly aware of changes they are noticing in the young people in their lives.

“Has the child’s appetite changed?” “Has the child started to wet the bed when they had previously been potty trained?” “Have you noticed the child is showing no interest in things they once found pleasurable?” These behaviors are warning signs that something is wrong and needs to be addressed immediately. Children are not mini adults, and they lack the ability to fully express themselves in words. Most children cannot tell you that they feel depressed and anxious. Children act it out instead.

So, what should you do if you start to notice some of these behaviors? How and

Overdose death disparities widen

Call for action to address unequal access to treatment as pandemic rages

By Nichole Dawsey For The St. Louis American

As the COVID-19 global health pandemic continues to impact every part of our lives, overdose deaths continue to skyrocket, particularly in the Black community.

Between January 2020 and the end of June, 165 individuals in the City of St. Louis lost their lives to an overdose, representing a 36% increase from the same period in 2019. But those deaths are not impacting white and Black residents proportionally. In fact, according to preliminary data released by the Missouri Institute for Mental Health, overdose death rates for the first half of 2020 among Black residents have increased by 54% while increasing among white residents by just 11%. This despite the fact that only 33% of the regional population is Black.

Black males continue to bear the brunt of

n We must advocate for a rapid implementation and full funding of Missouri’s Medicaid Expansion.

this tragedy. And for those paying attention, this comes as no surprise.

Hesitancy in Calling 911. Our region, our state, and our country have a long, storied history of racial segregation, health disparities, systemic racism, and generally ignoring issues that impact communities of color. Indeed, one of the biggest barriers to seeking help for a substance use disorder is fear of arrest. According to a Pew

See OVERDOSE, A15

by 54% while increasing among white residents by just 11%.

Photo by Chris King

According to the Missouri Institute for Mental Health, overdose death rates for the first half of 2020 among Black residents have increased

Photo by Wiley Price

Denise HooksAnderson, MD

“Taking Care of

Regional Health Commission says vote no on Amendment 3

Change in voting policies would worsen health equity by disempowering minorities

American staff

The St. Louis Regional Health Commission joined more than 300 business, community and civic organizations across the state in taking a public stand against Amendment 3, which would radically change how state House and Senate districts are drawn in Missouri and would reverse fair mapping policies passed by Missouri voters in 2018 under “Clean Missouri.”

“The public health landscape is constantly changing and expanding. The more we learn, the more we understand that factors indirectly related to health – like voting policies – are critical in building a healthy society,” said Angela Fleming Brown, CEO of the St. Louis Regional Health Commission. “As a public health leader in St. Louis, I strongly oppose Amendment 3, which would hurt our democracy and put policies that promote health and healthy equity at risk.”

The St. Louis Regional Health Commission – an appointed body of government, health care and community leadership that serves as a key regional health planning body for the region – believes in health equity where someone’s race, background or ethnicity should not predict their ability to obtain health care access or good health outcomes. Amendment 3 would weaken constitutional protections for voters of color, and Amendment 3’s proposed change to who counts in legislative district maps would disproportionately take away political power from Black and Brown communities.

Amendment 3 is designed to draw district maps based on the eligible voter population of the state, meaning that children and noncitizens would not count when district maps are drawn. This would dramatically impact how communities are represented and funded at the State Capitol, in ways that would negatively impact the entire St. Louis region. Data also show that drawing maps without counting everyone would also disproportionately impact Black, Latino and Asian communities.

To learn more about why the St. Louis Regional Health Commission is encouraging Missourians to vote NO on Amendment 3 visit https://tinyurl.com/STLrhc-3.

Overdose

Continued from A14

Charitable Trust survey in 2016, white people were far more likely to have confidence in their police department (42% a lot, 39% some) than Black people (14% a lot, 41% some).

The War on Drugs, a failed, racist, agenda has only perpetuated the problem. Far too often, white folks seeking respite from their chronic illness are channeled into treatment facilities, self-help groups, and drug courts. Black folks, on the other hand are more likely to see the inside of a jail cell or probation office.

Anderson

Continued from A14 when should you intervene?

It is important to acknowledge that a problem exists, which is the first step. Secondly, examine ways to

A&E Council

Continued from A14

emotions, resiliency, the ability to develop self-care, to develop community care, and ability to positively project internally and externally through the creation of art. For the Jazz St. Louis Beat

NF: A Jazz Music Motor Therapy Program for Toddlers with Special Needs, Washington University Neurofibromatosis (NF) Center has developed a oneof-a-kind jazz music motor therapy program that focuses on frequently delayed skills in

Lack of access to resources

The American Community Survey reveals that within the City of St. Louis, Black residents are twice as likely to be uninsured than white residents. Lack of insurance (either Medicaid or private commercial insurance) means that people are unable to access affordable treatment or harm reduction measures, like Narcan. A lack of transportation infrastructure also makes it difficult for people who want help to receive help. This is only exacerbated by a lack of brick and mortar treatment facilities north of the infamous Delmar Divide.

Distrust of existing systems. While opioid use began to appear on newspaper and

lessen the impact of all the changes that were made early in the pandemic. For example, many children have been unable to have play dates or spend time with extended family. Therefore, be creative and schedule a socially distanced drive through parade or a ZOOM scavenger hunt with

young children with NF1, in partnership with Jazz St. Louis educational staff and St. Louis Children’s Hospital Therapy Services practitioners.

MindsEye Pandemic LongDistance Audio Description Network (PLAN) will build on the success of the Audio Description Program and the Arts and Culture Accessibility Cooperative in improving quality of life and community connection of people in our region with a visual disability. This initiative will translate aspects of these programs into in-home access to ensure that patrons with a visual disability have access to the power of the arts, even amid the COVID-19

television headlines between 2010 and 2015, St. Louis’s Black community had been enduring an opioid crisis for decades. Many still attest that systems only began to pay attention when white, suburban teenagers began to overdose.

Incarceration-first policing models, prejudice against “drug addicts,” misunderstanding about medication-assisted-treatment and the rise of “white savior” mentalities have created deep rifts between the entities charged with providing assistance and those most needing that assistance.

What now? We must insist that entities apply a racial equity lens when providing

their friends and family. I have also seen families taking hikes or learning new skills such as fishing or baking.

services. We must demand innovative strategies to address community needs that elevate lived experience. Entities like NOMODEATHS (www.nomodeaths.org) and the MO-HOPE Project (www.mohopeproject. org) are attempting to do this work, but more must be done. We must tear down barriers that prevent people from getting the help they need and further explore strategies that will save lives. Sample strategies include sterile syringe access and expansion of addiction medicine into the primary health care setting. Moreover, so long as individuals at high risk of witnessing or experiencing an overdose have a deep distrust of 911 responses, we must expand access to nalox-

Focusing attention on ways to help the underserved in our communities is also beneficial to children during this time. Encourage children to think of ways to help others. Some families have been making masks or creating positive messages and printing them on cards. These activities keep children busy and help them channel their energies in other directions. It is never too early to instill in children an “attitude of gratitude” so that they can recognize their blessings. This

one and breathing masks, at homes, in churches, and in community centers.

We must advocate for a rapid implementation and full funding of Missouri’s Medicaid Expansion. Medicaid Expansion, as passed by Missouri voters in August 2020, will increase access to affordable treatment and medication, helping to reduce the racial disparities that exist due to socio-economic and employment factors.

We must empower African-American families with knowledge and education to be an advocate for their loved one, by providing support and attending provider appointments.

new ability helps children learn how to reflect upon those blessings when they are feeling sad.

As we navigate this new normal that the year 2020 has ushered in, let us be sensitive to how this pandemic has affected our children. If you continue to notice that your

Nurse practitioner Nicole Crisp wears a see-though mask donated to CareSTL Health pediatricians and nurse practitioners by the Missouri Commission on the Deaf and Hard of hearing. The masks are for providers who have hearing-impaired patients so they can still see facial expressions and read lips while providers wear masks as part of safety protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic. Masks

This is not an exhaustive list of ways to remedy the situation. Rather, they are next steps in a long journey to address the consequences of systemic racism in our region. The current surge in overdose deaths particularly among our Black residents, is a cause for serious alarm and should serve as a wake-up call to service providers, politicians and corporations. All options must be on the table to remedy this dire situation, as every data point represented is someone’s mother, father, brother, sister, cousin, or child. To talk to a counselor or to join the fight, contact us at www.ncada-stl.org Nichole Dawsey is executive director of NCADA.

child is exhibiting concerning behavior, please reach out to their doctor. Some children during this time may need professional help.

Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D., FAAFP, is the medical accuracy editor of The St. Louis American. pandemic.

Saint Louis University Radical Forgiveness and Radical Imagination with the Justice Fleet is a mobile, social justice, pop up museum that fosters communal healing through art, dialogue, and play, expanding safe access to the arts and healing through interactive exhibits.

SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation Dance Therapy will help patients improve self-esteem and body image, develop effective communication skills and relationships, expand their movement, gain insights into patterns of behavior and create new options for coping with

problems.

St. Louis ArtWorks Art Therapy will be provided to participants in individual art therapy sessions at St. Louis Art Works. Their art therapist will meet with each participant at the start of every program to identify and address barriers and to engage with participants throughout the program to address issues identified by apprentices.

St. Louis Crisis Nursery Healing Hearts provides critical art and expressive play interventions for children between the ages of 3-12 years whose families are facing challenges such as homelessness/ transiency, domestic violence,

extreme poverty, parental substance abuse, and significant parental health issues. Each participating child will receive their own art supply kit, delivered to their home or shelter and will be led through art and expressive play activities virtually.

Prison Performing Arts’ The Healing Power of Telling Your Story allows individuals completing their sentences at the Transition Center of St. Louis, a community reentry facility in North City operated by the Missouri Department of Corrections, opportunities for self-paced, hands-on learning in their pursuit of selfawareness and healing.

“We believe the arts have a critical role in improving an individual’s health and social well-being,” said Prost. “This initiative was needed in our community even before the spread of COVID-19, but now more than ever people will look for ways to heal, emotionally and physically. As our arts community continues to find innovative ways to lift our community during the pandemic, we know that they will find innovative ways to heal through the arts.” For more information about the Arts and Education Council and the Arts and Healing Initiative, visit KeepArtHappening.org

Angela Fleming Brown

Photo by CareSTL Health

Clean energy, Black power and Joe Biden

By Dana Rieck Of The St. Louis American

“Clean energy is benefiting communities of color not only by reducing air pollution, but also providing good jobs,” said Bob Pashos, a climate activist who works for Straight Up Solar, a local company that installs solar panels. “That is why folks are supporting Biden, who is advocating a major expansion of clean energy.”

The Clean Energy for Biden (CE4B) network acknowledges the disproportionate impact climate change and pollution have on Black communities and other minority communities.

Richmond Heights Councilman Maurice Muia said that’s a particularly important issue in the St. Louis region.

“Under the Biden plan, he talks about how he would like to focus on communities where there are high concentrations of people of color — especially those who have been disadvantaged for a long time,” Muia said. “We live in St. Louis — we know the ills of policies of the past that have impacted St. Louis. Specifically on clean energy, it’s an opportunity to train and rebuild communities.”

Muia, who is also an electrical engineer, said St. Louis needs to prepare for the clean energy of the future by ensuring all newly constructed buildings are compatible with solar panels and edging toward mass use of electrical vehicles.

“Hopefully we can do that through the county and throughout the whole state of Missouri,” Muia said. “But I know where we live, and that’s going to take some time.”

Gilbert Campbell, co-founder and CEO of Volt Energy, pointed to health disparities such as Black children are three times more likely than white children to suffer from asthma – and a disparity in a little-

Maurice Muia

“Biden talks about how he would like to focus on communities where there are high concentrations of people of color,” said Richmond Heights Councilman Maurice Muia.

known area called “climate wealth.”

“The communities that have benefited the least from environmental policy and things like that should be at the front line of benefiting from the

n “Clean energy is benefiting communities of color. That is why folks are supporting Biden, who is advocating a major expansion of clean energy.”

– Bob Pashos, of Straight Up Solar

climate revolution in our country — which has really going on through the last 10 years — and that hasn’t happened,” Campbell said. “So there needs to be more African-American solar firms that are thriving.”

To get to that point, Campbell argued, Fortune 500 companies and entities such as universities are going to have to intentionally seek out Black-

“The communities that have benefited the least from environmental policy should be at the front line of benefiting from the climate revolution,” said Gilbert Campbell of Volt Energy.

owned companies when searching for long-term clean energy solutions.

“That’s important, as a developer, when we sign a power purchase agreement (PPA), that’s a 20-year agreement that the client is going to buy electricity from us, so that creates real wealth,” Campbell.

“You’re getting residual income for 20 years. You know most of the Fortune 500 companies have signed record numbers of PPAs, but a very low percentage with African American developers.”

Muia and Pashos emphasized the need for long-terms plans and goals that are acted on immediately – for both how to involve communities of color and to slow the negative effects of climate change. Muia said it’s all about making investments in the future now, even if the returns take a little longer than people would like.

“We need to make sure that schools are where they need to be, because when you make that investment at age five, you don’t see that return until age 18, at the very least, and then you see a much larger return at age 20, 21, 22, by the time someone graduates with their bachelor’s,” Muia said. “So, it takes time to see that return.”

Gilbert Campbell

NEWSPAPER IN EDUCATION

Planting the Seeds for Success!

PRESENT:

Healthy Kids

Healthcare Careers

Resisting Leftover Candy

If you have a bag FULL of Halloween candy — what can you do to help you resist over-loading on sweets? Some tricks to follow are:

Brush your teeth after you’ve had a piece of candy. Having fresh, clean teeth can help you resist eating another piece. Bonus — brushing also helps get the sticky sugar off of your teeth to help prevent cavities!

Consider “donating” your candy to a food pantry, family shelter or other

Exercise Challenge:

Unplug!

Halloween Safety

Now is the time to talk about staying safe during your trickor-treating. Here are a few very important things to remember.

According to some statistics, the average American child spends as much as 4 hours a day watching TV and another 2 hours playing video games and having fun on a computer. That’s 6 hours each day!

Instead of spending so much time in front of screens… why

Walk with a parent or older sibling.

Wear reflective clothing or something light/bright to be more visible to cars.

Carry a flashlight, if possible, to watch for obstacles while walking such as holes, fences, flower-pots, etc.

group that might appreciate your leftover treats. When you do have a treat, remember to do some extra, fun activities to burn off the extra calories.

Weekly Newspaper in Education Program

Can you think of other uses for your bag-o-candy?

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

not go outside and get some exercise? Try reducing your TV watching by one hour each day, and spend that hour throwing a football, riding a bike, playing kickball or some other fun outdoor activity with your friends. That one hour can make a big difference in how you look and feel.

Do not eat any candy until your parent(s) have had a chance to “inspect” it.

Never go inside someone’s home.

Watch for cars! They might not see you in the dark.

Do you know other ways to help you stay safe?

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 5

Cracker Spiders

Ingredients:

10 Round Wheat Crackers, 40 Small Stick Pretzels, 4 Tbsp Low-Fat Cream Cheese, 10 Raisins

Directions: Spread softened cream cheese onto five of the crackers. Lay eight of the pretzels onto the cheese (like legs) and top with the second set of five crackers. Use a dab of cream cheese to add raisin eyes to the spiders. Makes 5 cracker spiders.

Where do you work? I work at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Where did you go to school? I graduated from Dupo Community High School in Dupo, Illinois. I then earned an Associate in Applied Sciences from Forest Park Community College in St. Louis, Missouri. What does a radiology technologist do? Each day that I work, I take pictures of kids’ broken bones and upset stomachs. I try my best to make my patients feel at ease even though they may be in pain.

Why did you choose this career? It is very rewarding knowing that I can help people by figuring out what is wrong with them — through the x-rays that I provide.

What is your favorite part of the job you have?

Children can be the least judgmental people and they have the biggest hearts. Making kids smile in their time of need is my favorite part of my job.

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

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

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

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

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT

Patrick Henry

Elementary School teacher Ms. Jackson works with 3rd grade student Leana to complete a STEM activity using dominoes energy to study force, an activity inspired by the weekly STEM page found in The St. Louis American.

SCIENCE CORNER

What is Microbiology?

Microbiology is the study of organisms that are so small, they can only be seen with a microscope. These micro pic organisms include bacteria, algae, fungi, protozoa, and viruses. These are also known as microbes. Why is it important to study microbiology? It can give scientists information about nutrients, climate change, food safety, and the cause and control of diseases.

There have been many big discoveries in microbiology, such as the invention of

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

Soaps and Sanitizers:

Do they prevent the growth of mold?

In this experiment, you will see how effective soap and hand sanitizers are at preventing the growth of mold.

Materials Needed:

• 8 Slices of Bread with No Preservatives

• 16 Ziploc Bags • Latex Gloves • Masking Tape • Pen

• Toaster • Knife • Spray Bottle • Baking Sheet

• Camera • Teaspoon • Liquid Soap • Hand Sanitizer

penicillin, the smallpox vaccine, etc. Microbiologists can work as health care professionals, teachers, research technicians, veterinarians, and environmental scientists. If you enjoy gardening, working with microscopes, healthy lifestyles, and environmental causes, microbiology is for you.

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

Procedure:

STEP ONE: Put on latex gloves and toast 4 slices of bread, leave 4 slices untoasted.

STEP TWO: Cut all 8 slices of bread in half so that you have 16 slices of bread—8 toasted, 8 not toasted.

STEP THREE: Prepare the Ziploc bags according to the chart.

STEP FOUR: Begin filling the bags. Place the bread and toast in the bags that receive no treatments. Place these bags on the baking sheet.

STEP FIVE: Next, use the spray bottle to mist water on the bread and toast that receive water only. Place these bags on the baking sheet.

STEP SIX: Next, add a teaspoon of hand soap to the spray bottle and spray the bread and toast samples with “hand soap only.” Place these bags on the baking sheet.

STEP SEVEN: Rinse out the spray bottle and add the hand sanitizer. Spray the remaining bread and toast samples and place them in their bags on the baking sheet.

STEP EIGHT: Place the baking sheet next to a window in sunlight.

STEP NINE: Take pictures each day for 21 days to observe the rate that mold grows.

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

Finding Patterns

African-American Microbiologist Agnes Day

Agnes Day was born in 1952 in Plains, Georgia. She was the youngest of 13 children and was raised by her third grade teacher, Rose Marie Bryon. As a young child, Day was very interested in science. She enjoyed walking in the woods, catching insects, and observing animals. She graduated from Mainland Senior High School and then went to Florida, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Bethune Cookman College. In 1984, she earned a PhD in microbiology from Howard University.

After graduation, Day worked at the Bone Research Branch at the National Institute of Dental Research. Four years later, she returned to Howard University as a professor. In 1992, she became a tenured associate professor of microbiology in Howard University’s College of Medicine. Day taught students medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy. Day has served as a mentor to more than 40 students. Personally, her research focused on breast cancer and drug resistant fungi. She also worked to review research grants for the National Institute of Health, National Science Foundation, and the Department of Defense Cancer Research Institute.

Day has published journal articles, has been interviewed by PBS, and has been a part of numerous speaking panels. Day was awarded the Outstanding Research Award by the Howard University College of Medicine, in 1995. She also received the College’s Kaiser-Permanente Outstanding Teaching Award. She received the William A. Hinton Award for outstanding mentoring in 2011. Day is a member of the American Association for Cancer Research and the American Society for Microbiology where she is a member of the Committee on Microbiological Issues which Impact Minorities (CMIIM). She also served as a consultant for the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Black Churches-Black Colleges program.

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

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

Phrases: Scan the front newspaper looking for phrases that give acknowledgment to the source of information, such as: he said, allegedly, an informed source, according to, etc. Underline the phrases as you find them in the newspaper.

DID YOU KNOW?

bacteria. There are approximately 100,000 bacteria on a square centimeter of human skin.

The Four Kinds of Sentences: Find two examples of each of the four kinds of sentences: declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, and imperative

Learning Standards:

I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can find identified sources and identify types of sentences.

Photo by art teacher Carolyn Bryant

JJOIN OIN TThe he HSD TEAM! HSD TEAM!

How to watch the election returns on Nov. 3

By Mike Jones Of The St. Louis American

•Amendment3iswritten totrickyou. Itchanges lobbyistgiftlimitsby only$5andcontribution limitsbyjust$100.

•Amendment3reverses voter-approved redistrictingreforms to letlobbyistsandpolitical operativesdrawmaps thatprotectincumbent politicians.

•Amendment3willhurt ourcommunities. It weakensconstitutional protectionsforBlack andbrownvoters,and wouldweakenour politicalpowerin JeffersonCity.

The underlining operating principle of cable television news is not to inform viewers but to attract viewers because basically they’re in the business of selling advertising and people who buy advertising are primarily concerned with the size of the viewing audience. So, your favorite cable channel’s primary concern on Tuesday, November 3 will be to keep you watching. To keep you watching, they have to keep you in suspense. So, here’s a cheat sheet for watching election returns that will take the mystery and suspense out of election night. It’s how hardened political professionals like James Carvell and Steve Schmidt will be watching and the tells they’ll be looking for. The first early state that matters is Florida. If Joe Biden wins Florida, the game is over; you can put a fork in Trump. If Trump wins Florida, the next early state tell is North Carolina. If Biden wins North Carolina, he has probably won the night, but you’ll want to wait for Pennsylvania for confirmation. If Biden wins Florida and North Carolina then it will be a rout; you can change the channel or go to bed early, because it’s game, set, match. The only question is the final score. If Biden loses Florida and North Carolina, then don’t panic if you’re a Biden voter, because all that has happened is

Trump didn’t lose the first two home games. The series then moves to Pennsylvania, where a Biden win means Biden is in position to close out the series with wins in Wisconsin and Michigan. Biden holds the serve by winning Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan; Trump can’t win the election because there’s no Republican road to 270 electoral college votes at that point. If you’re interested in what the professionals will be watching if Biden wins Florida and North Carolina, then it’s Texas, Arizona and Iowa, especially Texas. If Biden wins these three, it means the Republicans have been gutted and are no longer in a position to be a national party and America’s politics have finally caught up with its tectonic demographic changes.

It would also mean that Democrats have picked up

two additional U.S. Senate seats (they’re on track to win Arizona regardless) and have control of the Senate with room to spare. You will also wake up on Wednesday, November 4 to a changed national state-level political landscape as well. The board is set that one of the above scenarios is possible and even probable, but probability is not predictability. You still have to run the race, and because something should have gone a certain way, doesn’t mean it will go a certain way. So, what’s the plan if Trump wins and Republicans maintain control of the Senate? Then on Wednesday morning start, searching for countries that may welcome Black American refugees. Because we’re out of here.

Mike Jones is a member of The St. Louis American

editorial board.

Guest Columnist Mike Jones

The first early state that matters is Florida. If Joe Biden wins Florida, the game is over; you can put a fork in Trump.

Street artist and musician keeps it tropical

Jamaica Ray braves COVID and cops to make his art and music

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

Of The St. Louis American

This story was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center as part of the 63106 Project, a St. Louis-based non-profit racial equity storytelling project.

“Oh, oh.” Jamaica Ray kept an eye on the patrol car slowly rolling down the alley where he was working. The cruiser backed up and stopped in front of the metal fence where Ray knelt in the back yard.

The artist and musician is well known as the man who plays steel drums in front of the iconic century-old Crown Candy Kitchen. Since the spread of the new coronavirus early this year, Ray has been working elsewhere. On this day he was painting elaborate, tropical and cultural images on the exterior of a historic two-story building in the Old North neighborhood.

The window of the cruiser slid down. The officer inside asked, “Can we talk with you a minute?” Ray remembered thinking: “Oh s**t. Here we go.”

He wasn’t doing anything wrong, just painting a wooden pole on his lap that would soon host a colorful bird house. But he realized, sitting on the ground, he might look suspicious.

“Jamaica, is that you?”

Turns out a policeman was showing a new female recruit the neighborhood, and he recognized Ray from Crown Candy. The encounter ended pleasantly with Ray giving the officers a tour of the building and his work. As they parted, the policeman wished Ray a quick return to the restaurant once the virus is under control.

That may be awhile. Crown Candy, like many other restaurants, has reopened, but without nearly as many customers as it had pre-pandemic. Jamaica, the Rastafarian artist, has been working on his mannequins and building his steel drum sets inside his cubby next door Crown. But because of the virus, he’s neither playing nor mingling with waiting customers as he used to do.

Even so, Jamaica said, “Life is still “100% tropical. In my mind, it’s always palm trees and 90 degrees outside. I may not be there visually, but I’m there mentally.”

Life may be copacetic in his head but his predictions about the surging pandemic and the upcoming election betrayed his calm, detached demeanor. “We haven’t seen the worst yet,” he said. “It’s going to get bad, Mon.” This season will be the first real “COVID winter,” Ray predicted.

“The pandemic started at the end of a mild

n “People think I’m a street musician, but I never played on a corner until I came to St. Louis.”

– Jamaica Ray

winter,” Ray said. “Last year, when it hit, I was outside of Crown with just a jacket on. This winter ain’t gonna be no joke. And I think it’s going to be worse.”

Last year in the U.S., there were 40 times as

many flu cases in the fall and winter as in the previous spring and summer. Influenza colliding with a surging coronavirus pandemic is a lose/ lose scenario. The symptoms of the flu and COVID-19 are similar. Outbreaks of both simultaneously could overwhelm hospitals, doctor offices and laboratories that test for both respiratory illnesses.

Ray and his neighbors may be particularly vulnerable. They live in 63106, a zip code that has been identified as ranking last in our region for social determinants of health. Based on data from the 2010 census and the St. Louis Department of Health, the life expectancy of a child born in 63106 is 67 years old, compared

BAG brought to life on screen

Documentary on the Black Artists’ Group premieres at SLIFF

By Chris King Of The St. Louis American

Bryan Dematteis’ documentary film

“The Black Artists’ Group: Creation Equals Movement,” which will premiere at the 2020 St. Louis International Film Festival from November 5-22, was a long time in the making. Dematteis began working on the film in 2014, and the Black Artists’ Group dissolved back in 1972, so this movie took either six years or a half-century to be made, depending on how you look at it.

Dematteis told The American that he canned more than 50 hours of on-camera interviews for this lean, 48-minute film. The new interviews he conducted – of BAG principals such as Oliver Lake, the late Hamiet Bluiett, Malinke Elliott, the late Shirley LeFlore, Portia Hunt, George Sams and the late Charles “Bobo” Shaw – form a valuable contribution to the history of black artist movements and of St. Louis. The interviews all look and sound great, and the subjects are eloquent. Given how long Dematteis worked

‘Culturally competent leadership is necessary in Missouri’ Page B8

Black women rock at The Rep

Hana Sharif welcomes Regina Taylor and Adena Varner to creative team

American staff

When Steven Woolf selected Hana S. Sharif to follow in his legendary footsteps as the Augustin Family Artistic Director at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis last summer, a door of diversity and inclusion was opened within the leadership of the nationally acclaimed regional theater company. The past few weeks have seen Sharif use the same door to usher two Black women into significant creative roles within the organization. First, The Rep announced that Award-winning actress and playwright Regina Taylor was named Playwright-in-Residence.

“We are thrilled to have Regina Taylor’s multi-disciplinary artistry and activism integrated into The Rep’s artistic and community programming models for three years,” Sharif said. “Over the course of her residency, we look forward to collaborating on innovative artistic forms, grassroots community building and developing new work for the national canon.” The residency, funded in collaboration with The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and HowlRound Theatre Commons, provides three years of funding for a diverse group of American playwrights to embed with selected theatres around the country.

“My goal is to create work that speaks to community,” said Taylor. “I believe the arts flow through everything, and I live and breathe it. That’s who I am and what I do. I’m very excited about this opportunity.”

n “My goal is to create work that speaks to community.”

Most recently seen in Episode 9 of HBO’s critically acclaimed drama “Lovecraft Country,” Taylor is a Golden Globe and NAACP Image Award-winning actress best known for her starring role in the mid-century NBC period drama

– Regina Taylor

Bryan Dematteis’ documentary film “The Black Artists’ Group: Creation Equals Movement” will premiere at the 2020 St. Louis International Film Festival from November 5-22.

Photo courtesy of Oliver Lake

“I’ll Fly Away.” As a playwright, Taylor penned “Crowns.” The musical celebrates Black identity and offers insight on the Black experience from the perspective of faith – and the opulent hat fashions that have been synonymous with Black church fashion for centuries.

“Crowns” was a part of the Rep’s 20042005 season. Nationally the show has become a popular touring production within the Black musical theater canon since it debuted nearly two decades ago.

Taylor’s first piece with The Rep, titled Love and Kindness in the Time of Quarantine, reflects her investment in the artistic voices of St. Louis.

“I am excited to experience the ways Regina’s artistry will be influenced by the richness of the greater St. Louis landscape and in turn how her resonant voice and vision will impact our region,” Sharif said.

Taylor is also currently working with local and national artists to create songs and spoken word pieces that reflect the times.

“I want to partner with a variety of local artists: writers, art-makers, musicians, museums –connecting with the art but also connecting the art to life: policy-makers, social justice groups, health, welfare, education,” said Taylor. “I

Adena Varner joined the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis last month as the company’s new director of Learning and Community Engagement. She previously worked alongside Augustin Family Artistic Director Hana S. Sharif at Baltimore Center Stage.

Photo by Sylvester Brown Jr.

Jamaica Ray paints elaborate, tropical and cultural images on the exterior of a historic two-story building in the Old North neighborhood.

lic school children are riveting and tantalizing.

at heart of the group absconded to Paris. Little known and poorly understood in St. Louis, the BAG musicians were hailed as visionaries in France; live recordings of the band, released as “In Paris, Aries 1973” is one of the few documents of BAG’s creative efforts to survive. That record was the most substantial trace left by the group until Benjamin Looker’s 2004 book “‘Point From Which Creation Begins’: The Black Artists’ Group of St. Louis” (Missouri Historical Society Press) and now this film.

Dematteis unearthed some powerful film and photographs of BAG in action, which he uses to stitch together and illustrate his interviews of talking heads. Dematteis would make an even greater contribution to history if he were to release these archival documents in their totality along with his documentary. The fragments of Malinke Elliott doing dramatic improvisations to the music of J.D. Parran and the late Julius Hemphill or of the late Emilio Cruz teaching visual art to pub-

These images from the past are especially haunting given that creative forces like Hemphill and Cruz are no longer with us. These fugitive, flickering images are precious. For many people who lived through BAG and its aftermath in St. Louis, this will be a moving, poignant, emotional film.

“The Black Artists’ Group: Creation Equals Movement” provokes musing upon the lost world of the late 1960s and early 1970s and departed genius. It also has lessons to teach St. Louis in 2020. The notion that artists need to own their work and produce their own shows and recordings without external meddling is more commonplace now, but it’s refreshing to see the birth of this idea in St. Louis. In fact, the financial support that BAG finally attracted from the Rockefeller and Danforth foundations was a mixed blessing, given that the eventual loss of funding was critical to BAG falling apart. Live by the grant, die by the grant – it’s a bitter lesson that creative artists keep learning the hard way.

Today’s Black Lives Matter activists (many of them also creative artists) have come to expect that their movements

and social media will be monitored by law enforcement. BAG was stung by COINTELPRO, the granddaddy of U.S. government surveillance and disruption of Black-led social justice movements. It’s infuriating to be reminded of federal agents trailing Black artists as they educated Black youth, certainly one of American history’s most laughably wrongheaded forays in threat assessment.

“The Black Artists’ Group: Creation Equals Movement” inspires more than regret and rage, though. The archival footage captured young Black artists in St. Louis reveling in the joy of improvisation and creation. Dematteis did us all a favor to bring to the screen these blasts of free jazz, Black dance, painting, acting and mime. If you have even one single creative bone in your body, this film will compel you to try to create something no one has ever seen or heard before.

Watch “The Black Artists’ Group: Creation Equals Movement” as part of the 2020 St. Louis International Film Festival from November 5-22 at https://tinyurl.com/SLIFFBAG. For more festival screenings, visit https://www.cinemastlouis.org/festival-home.

think Hana is really brilliant. And fierce. I was very happy that she gave a call to extend this invitation to collaborate.”

Verner joins Sharif in St. Louis

In addition to Taylor, The Rep also welcomed Adena Varner as its new director of Learning and Community Engagement.

“We are thrilled to have her on the team as we bring the magic of theatre to our communities and the power of our communities into our theatres,” Sharif said.

A teaching artist, playwright and director, Varner previously held the titles of director of Learning and Social Accountability and Director of Education at Baltimore Center Stage, where she worked with Sharif – who served as associate artistic director before taking helm of The Rep. While there, Varner managed all education, family and civic programming, with a focus on storytelling that reflects and connects all communities and is eager to extend the partnership she and Sharif shared in Baltimore to St. Louis.

“I’m so inspired to bring

the departments of education and community engagement together at The Rep so we can be more intentional about how art, life and learning intersect as a community,” Varner said. “I’m excited to join The Rep family and its dedicated staff in serving St. Louis’ children, families and communities in a myriad of ways.”

Varner has been a lifelong theatre-lover and artist, graduating from the Baltimore School for the

Arts’ Theater Department, earning her Bachelor of Arts in Theater at the University of Maryland and obtaining a Master of Arts in Theatre Education from The Catholic University of America.

“Adena is a passionate thought leader in arts education, a gifted facilitator of civic and social discourse and a champion of life-long learning, families and educators,” Sharif said. For more information, visit www. repstl.org.

to 85 years old in 63105 – that would be Clayton, the St. Louis County seat located six miles west of 63106. And that was before the pandemic.

Ray said he has none of the underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes that place older citizens at a higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19. Still, he has no health insurance. Instead, Ray relies on the services of Gateway to Better Health, a temporary health care program for uninsured adults in the city and county. At 63, he isn’t yet eligible for Medicare.

Ray’s other concern is an outbreak of violence after the election. “I think something’s going to happen that the police won’t be able to handle,” he said.

Politics, as far as Ray is concerned, is a reflection of human nature:

“Man gonna be man, mon,” he said. “Man is like an animal with a brain. It’s a concrete jungle out there, and nothing’s going to change that.”

Ray can’t influence the pandemic or politics, but he can control his destiny. So as the coronavirus surges, he still practices social distancing, survives off his monthly social security checks, and is still getting around on his dependable, silver and blue Northwoods Pomona bicycle. That, however, is about to change.

Ray hasn’t driven a car since he came to St. Louis in 2013 to care for his dying father. He recently passed his driver’s test and plans to purchase a vehicle when and if the next round of stimulus checks passes through

Congress. With a large van, he’ll soon be able to fully practice what he defines as “his first love”: music.

“People think I’m a street musician, but I never played on a corner until I came to St. Louis,” he said. Ray, who plays keyboards, guitar and an array of drums including steel drums, said he was an in-demand musician in California before he returned to his hometown. He performed reggae music with local bands or did private gigs for famous sports figures like basketball great Dennis Rodman.

Once he’s mobile, Ray said, ““I won’t be turning down gigs anymore.”

A native St. Louisan, Sylvester Brown Jr. has been a journalist and social justice advocate since 1987. Along with working on the 63106

Project, Brown has joined the St. Louis American as its inaugural Deaconess Fellow. The fellowship is funded by the Deaconess Foundation as part of its support for Black-led COVID-19 relief efforts. Before Ferguson Beyond Ferguson, a nonprofit racial equity project, is telling the story of families in 63106 one by one over the course of the pandemic. This is the second chapter in Jamaica’s Ray’s life. Reporter Sylvester Brown will be following the challenges he faces until the pandemic abates. The St. Louis American is one of several St. Louis media outlets that have published stories as part of the project. You can find an archive of the stories at https://beforefergusonbeyondferguson.org/63106-project/.

Bag

Continued from B1

Photo by Eli Joshua Ade for HBO

Jurnee Smollett with Regina Taylor in HBO’s “Lovecraft Country.” Taylor, an award-winning actress and playwright, was recently named Playwright-in-Residence for the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. She will serve in the role for three years.

Jamaica Ray

Photo by Michael Emerick

BAG Headquarters

Sports

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

Hamilton becomes most victorious driver in Formula One history

Lewis Hamilton became the most victorious driver in Formula One history following his dominant 92nd career win in last Sunday’s Portuguese Grand Prix.

“It is going to take some time to fully sink in. I cannot find the words at the moment,” he said following the historic win. “I could have only ever dreamed of being where I am today.” Hamilton left McLaren, where he won one driver’s championship, for Mercedes in 2016. He has ruled Formula 1 ever since and, barring a disastrous run or an injury, will soon win his record seventh driver’s title.

“I knew we would win championships, but did I think we would win as many as we have? No. Did I think we would win this many races? Of course not,” Hamilton said.

from that morning’s Wichita Beacon: “Strangle holds, razors, horsewhips and other violent implements of argument will be barred at the baseball game at Island Park this afternoon when the baseball club of Wichita Klan Number 6. Goes up against the Wichita Monrovians, Wichita’s crack colored team.”

Yes, a Ku Klux Klan team played a team of Black players on a Sunday afternoon. Not only did the game go on without incident, Black fans were invited to attend. Certainly, the Black and white fans did not sit together. But this game was about baseball, and the writer complimented the Klan’s opponent.

“I am 35-years-old and I still feel physically strong, but of course you wonder when it is going to tip over and when you are going to start losing performance. Judging by today, it is not yet.”

Hamilton and his father, Anthony, have patched their relationship, which was strained for several years after the driver fired his dad as his manager in 2010.

The two men shared a long embrace minutes after Hamilton claimed the record victory.

“My dad is here, which is amazing, and my stepmum Linda too and my dog Roscoe so it is a blessed day,” Hamilton said.

The Wichita Klan vs. ‘the colored boys’

There are so many tidbits of information at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City that each time I’ve returned I’ve seen something I missed on a previous visit.

If I could zap myself back in time, there are hundreds of Negro League players and games I would attend - and then immediately zap myself back.

There is one particular game that would be a must for me and any fan of baseball and American history. It took place on Sunday, June 21, 1925 in Wichita. Here is the lead of a story

“The colored boys are asking all their supporters to be on hand to watch (the) contest, which beside its peculiar attraction due to the wide difference of the two organizations, should be a well played amateur contest,” the Wichita Beacon reported. On the side of the colored boys is the fact that they have had a ball team here for several years, while the Klansmen are comparatively newly organized but both are playing good ball.”

How could this game possibly go on without the Klan team cheating or taking some type of physical action against the black players on the same diamond? What would keep white fans from doing the same?

“The novelty of the game will attract a large crowd of fans (although) both teams say that all the fans will see is baseball,” the Wichita Beacon reported. “The umpires have been instructed to rule any player out of the game who tries to bat with a cross. The names of Irish Garrity and Dan Dwyer, well known amateur umpires and Catholics, have been suggested to get away from any favoritism.”

With the temperature topping 100 on that Sunday, Black and white fans were treated to an exciting game.

I’ve saved the best for last because I’m sure readers have come to the conclusion that the Monrovians lost the game – thus no riots, violence or lynching.

The Monrovians, a team comprised of barnstorming Black players from Kansas

Lewis

City, Kansas and the Midwest, actually won the game 10-8.

The Klan had men on base when the final out was recorded, and the Black players left the field, peacefully, with a victory.

Also, the Monrovians often played white teams, but this is the only reported game played against a Klan unit. The team went 52-8 that summer, including the historic game that demonstrated the shame of Major League Baseball’s color line.

Also, on that hot Sunday afternoon in Wichita, there was obviously one black manager. Ninety-five years later, there are only two black managers guiding teams among MLB’s 30 franchises.

It’s Tua time in Miami

It’s one thing to hire a Black head football coach and a Black general manager. It’s something else to trust them.

Miami Dolphins owner Steven Ross, a noted friend and financial supporter of the president, has done both.

This was proven last week when head coach Brian Flores announced that first-round draft pick Tua Tagovailoa is taking over for starter Ryan Fitzpatrick at home against the L.A. Rams on Sunday. Fitzpatrick had guided the Dolphins to a 3-3 record and played well in back-to-back wins by a combined score of 60-17. He threw six TD passed and had a completion rate of

InSIdE SportS

With Earl Austin Jr.

73 percent in those victories. He said he was “heartbroken” by Flores’ and the front-office decision.

But the Dolphins were on a bye week and Flores decided it was time for a change. The choice has caused a positive stir of fan excitement unseen for decades in Miami.

Flores called it “a difficult decision – but the best thing for the team.”

“I’m confident in all of our players, Tua included,” Flores said.

“He’s practiced well, he’s worked hard in meetings and walkthroughs. He’s got good rapport with teammates. I’m confident that, if he prepares the way that he’s been preparing, I’m confident that we’ll go

District playoffs slated to begin

We have now entered the postseason stage of high school football season with the district playoffs slated to begin this weekend around the state. Here is a quick summary of the upcoming district playoffs involving teams in the St. Louis metropolitan area. To see the full district playoff brackets, visit the website, www.mshsaa. org

Class 6 District 1 shapes up to be a very competitive field with Fox getting the top seed, followed by a talented Kirkwood team, Lindbergh and Lafayette. Sitting at the sixth seed is Eureka, which also has talent.

Earl’s Prediction: Kirkwood

District 2 is a loaded field which features defending state champion DeSmet as the top seed. Looking to challenge the powerful Spartans are Francis Howell, Wentzville Holt and Metro Catholic Conference rival CBC.

Earl’s Prediction: DeSmet

Class 5 District 1 features St. Louis area teams Seckman and Mehlville, but the team to be here is No. 1 seed Jackson and its potent passing attack. Jackson advanced to the state championship game a year ago.

Earl’s Prediction: Jackson

District 2 should be very competitive with No. 1 seed Rockwood Summit being chal-

lenged by Chaminade, Ladue and Parkway South.

Earl’s Prediction: Chaminade

District 3 features Fort Zumwalt North, who advanced to the state semifinals a year ago. The Panthers are once again very strong.

District rivals Fort Zumwalt South and Fort Zumwalt East are looking to challenge North.

Earl’s Prediction: Fort Zumwalt North

Class 4

challenged by Hillsboro, North County and Cape Central. Earl’s Prediction: Festus

Earl Austin Jr.

District 1 features Jefferson County leader Festus and its 8-1 record. The Tigers will be

District 2 features top seed John Burroughs and its high-powered passing attack with several talented weapons. The Bombers are followed by Union, Affton and Windsor. Earl’s Prediction: John Burroughs

District 3 is a very competitive district with MICDS getting the top seed. Parkway North, St. Dominic, St. Charles West and Trinity all have quality teams as well.

Earl’s Prediction: Trinity

Class 3 District 1 is one of the most talented districts in the state with three teams listed among the latest Top 10 rankings. They are No. 1 seed Kennett, No. 2 Valle Catholic and No. 3 St. Mary’s. Buckle up.

Earl’s Prediction: St. Mary’s

District 2 features a talented Cardinal Ritter team as the only area team in the field. The top seed is a strong Park Hills Central team followed by St. Clair.

Earl’s Prediction: Cardinal Ritter

out and have good results. But it’s not a one-man game. It’s football. We’ll need all 11 guys to go out there and play together [and] play as a team. And I’m confident that we can do that.”

Flores is in his second season with the Dolphins and Grier was instrumental in hiring him. The Dolphins would be the eighth seed in the AFC playoffs if the postseason began today and are just one and a half games behind the AFC East leading Buffalo Bills.

The head coach could have played it safe and left Fitzpatrick as his starting quarterback until the Dolphins ran into trouble later in the season. But, regardless of the owner’s trust, he and Grier trust themselves. Their team and their fans are on board.

“Our locker room, it’s tight,” tight end Mike Gesicki said.

“We all believe in one another and believe in coach Flores, Grier and Ross and everybody that is upstairs making decisions. I think that we all have confidence in Tua to go out and make plays.” It’s Tua time, and Miami fans are ecstatic.

The Reid Roundup

Maurice Massey, now a former Missouri wide receiver, was dismissed from the team last Sunday after being arrested on suspicion of third-degree domestic assault, fourth-degree assault and first-degree property damage, according to the Boone County Sheriff Department. Massey, 20, played at Kirkwood High School…The Monday after his Washington Football Team beat the pathetic Dallas Cowboys 25-3, head coach Ron Rivera completed his last melanoma chemotherapy treatment and left the hospital to the cheers of its healthcare workers. Rivera, the NFL’s lone Latino head coach, said the cheers should be for those workers…

Alvin A. Reid was honored as the 2017 “Best Sports Columnist – Weeklies” in the Missouri Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest. He is a panelist on the Nine Network program, Donnybrook. His Twitter handle is #aareid1

District 3 features top seed Lutheran North, who has moved up to Class 3 after winning the Class 2 state championship last season. They will be challenged by Borgia, Priory and Orchard Farm. Earl’s Prediction: Lutheran North

Making a correction In last week’s football spotlight on Lutheran North, I incorrectly named one of its standout defensive players as Jerrell Fuller. The young man’s name is Jerrell Carter, senior defensive back.

Alvin A. Reid

Hamilton became the most victorious driver in Formula One history following his dominant 92nd career win in last Sunday’s Portuguese Grand Prix.

Local churches work to get out the vote

St. Alphonsus Ligouri “Rock”

Church partners with St. Francis Xavier (College) Church

By Winnie Sullivan For The

St. Louis American

Members of two Catholic churches in St. Louis have come together to make the voting process easier.

Parishioners at St. Alphonsus Ligouri “Rock” Church and St. Francis Xavier (College) Church, whose neighboring spires dot the landscape along Grand Avenue, are joining forces to support civic engagement, with a focus on minimizing voting barriers faced by communities of color. Collaboration between the two parishes is an old habit.

Members of the Rock Church’s Peace and Justice Committee and the College Church’s Racism and Reconciliation Committee have been meeting regularly for six years. They’ve jointly sponsored a number of events and opportunities for cross-racial dialogue.

tion of the signature on their ballot envelope.

In addition, with the aid of materials provided by the League of Women Voters and other nonpartisan organizations, voters were able to learn about the voting process, the difference between absentee and mail-in ballots, the manner in which ballots are to be submitted, and the important deadlines to which voters must adhere.

n “Voting is not just our right, but it is our responsibility to ourselves, our faith, and our community.”

– Shira Truitt

On October 10, the two groups offered their second notary drive, leading up to the November 3 general election; the first was held in July, just before the August 4 primary. At these events, notaries public were available, free of charge, for those who require notariza-

“Voting is not just our right, but it is our responsibility to ourselves, our faith, and our community,” said Shira Truitt, an attorney, notary public, parishioner at St. Alphonsus Rock, and participant in the notary drives. Within their respective parishes, members of the two committees also are working to encourage fellow parishioners to exercise their right to vote.

For example, at the College Church, committee members are helping parishioners prepare for the election by using materials provided by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops, as well as those prepared by the Ignatian Solidarity Network that tie the obligation to vote to Catholic social teaching principles.

“As we approach the elec-

tion, we will help parishioners access resources that will assist their personal discernment as they make voting decisions,” said Lisa Burks, who co-chairs the Racism and Reconciliation Committee at St. Francis Xavier.

“That will include making available Catholic publications, creating occasions to reflect in small faith groups, and offering individual and communal prayer.”

For additional information about the notary drive and other events sponsored by the two parishes, contact Kathy McGinnis at kathyppjn@aol.

com or Christine Dragonette at christine@sfxstl.org.

Drive-through communion on election day

Manchester United Methodist Church, Community Christian Church, and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church are partnering to offer DriveThru Communion on election day, 3:30-7:30 p.m.

Tues., November 3 at 14380 Manchester Rd. in Manchester. Called “Go to the Polls, Come to the Table,” it signifies

that regardless of denomination, faith, or politics “all of us are one in Jesus Christ,” organizers said.

“To celebrate the sacrament on election day is to announce that what unites us is stronger than what divides us,” said Rev. Andy Bryan, lead pastor at Manchester UMC.

“At the table we are all one, and our oneness stands in stark contrast to the divisiveness we experience in a campaign season. Holy Communion is the church’s embodiment of the counter-cultural message of the Gospel: the reign of God is here now, within us, among us, and around us.” This ecumenical experience is open to everyone. Come as you are, no reservations are needed. For safety reasons, everyone must remain in their vehicles.’

Officiating clergy will wear masks, use hand sanitizer, and practice physical distancing. Passengers in each vehicle will be provided an individual presealed disposable container that includes both a wafer and juice. Gluten-free elements will be available upon request. For more information, visit https://manchesterumc. org/table.

Parishioners at St. Alphonsus Ligouri “Rock” Church and St. Francis Xavier (College) Church held notary drives before the primary and general elections this year. Absentee and mail-in voting is underway for the November 3 general election.

Photo by Lisa Burns

St. LouiS american Career Center

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT IEDUCATIONAL PROGRAM COORDINATOR

The Department of Biomedical Engineering at Washington University has an immediate need for an individual to provide administrative support for the undergraduate and graduate educational programs in biomedical engineering.

High school diploma or equivalent high school certification and two years relevant office experience. Proficient in the use of PC’s and office suite software. Experience with web management and maintenance. Learn more at https://jobs.wustl.edu

Enter 49196 in the keywords search bar

CLEAN-TECH COMPANY IS INTERVIEWING FOR VARIOUS LOCATIONS!

Interviews on the spot!

Every Thursday 1 PM – 4 PM! 211 South Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, MO

JOBS AVAILABLE!

WE ARE HIRING! Apply online www.cleantechcompany.com/ careers

JANITORIAL - HIRING

TRANSPORTATION PLANNER I

East-West Gateway Council of Governments has an opening for a Transportation Planner I position. Please follow the link to view posts at http://www.ewgateway.org/ careers/

The City of Clayton is hiring for a full-time Municipal Service Worker I—Public Works. Apply by 11/06/20: https://claytonmo.applicantpro. com/jobs/ EOE

SENIOR MANAGER, HUMAN RESOURCES

BIDS & NOTICES

Gateway Greening, Inc.

Position: DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNICATION

Summary: Leads the organization’s efforts in fund development and communications. This role is part of the Gateway Greening leadership team. This position is fulltime exempt. For full posting, visit http://www.gatewaygreening.org/ about/careers/

The Senior Manager of Human Resources will coordinate all generalist HR functions for a non-profit organization that currently employs 60 team members. This includes developing, implementing and coordinating policies and programs encompassing all aspects of human resources, including: employment, compensation, training, staff planning and development, benefits, employee relations, and diversity, equity and inclusion programs in a manner which reflects the mission, philosophy and policies of Covenant House. To apply, visit our website at www.covenanthousemo.org www.stlamerican.com

To Apply: Please send a cover letter and resume to info@gatewaygreening.org No phone calls, please.

ST. LOUIS COUNTY PORT AUTHORITY

LEGAL NOTICE

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

St. Louis County Port Authority will accept bids from qualified firms for asbestos abatement and environmental materials removal at the Former St. Louis County Family Courts Building (the “Project”) located at 501 S. Brentwood. Interested firms or joint ventures should submit one (1) original and two (2) copies of their fully completed and signed Bid Proposal, along with all required documentation, in a sealed envelope marked “CONFIDENTIAL: Proposal for Former Family Courts Abatement Project” to the offices of Sandberg, Phoenix & von Gontard, P.C., 120 S. Central Ave., Suite 1600, Clayton, MO 63105, Attn: Andrew C. Ruben, by December 1, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. (CST) at which time the bids will be opened and read aloud. There will be a mandatory pre-bid meeting and walk-thru on Thursday, November 5, 2020 at 9:00 a.m., at the Project site. The Project Request for Proposals may be obtained from the Port Authority’s web site at www.stlpartnership.com/rfp-rfq/. Copies of all Contract Documents may be viewed or purchased at County Blue Reprographics, 811 Hanley Industrial Ct., St. Louis, MO 63144 (http://www.countyblue.com) or at Cross Rhodes Print & Technologies, 2731 S. Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63118. All questions shall be submitted via email to Elizabeth Noonan at bnoonan@ced-solutions.com, no later than November 18, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. The Port Authority actively encourages submission of proposals from disadvantaged business enterprises and companies owned by minorities, women, immigrants and veterans. The Port Authority does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, national origin, disability or veteran status in consideration of this award.

Equal Opportunity Employer

PUBLIC NOTICE

K&S Associates, Inc. is soliciting

MBE/WBE/SDVE/DBE/VBE for the following projects for Oct-NovMS&T Vivarium Lab Renovation, Valley Park Fire Protection District #2 and AP-Stem Building-Plans and Specs can be viewed at www.ksgcstl.com-submit bids to estimating@ksgcstl.com or Fax 314-647-5302

PUBLIC NOTICE

Gladiator Building, 1339 Magnolia Manor Court, St. Peters, MO 63303 is seeking subcontractor bids for six (6) new construction homes at 2748 and 2750 Rutger Street, St. Louis, MO 63104 and 2706, 2708, 2710 and 2716 Hickory Street, St. Louis, MO 63104.

Scopes of work include, but are not limited to: New Construction of six (6) single family homes. Section 3, Minority, Women and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises are encouraged to bid.

Project plans and specifications are available by request. Please contact Gladiator Building at (314)328 -5545, GladiatorHomes314@gmail.com

All bids are due to Gladiator Building’s office by 11/16/19, 12 p.m. Gladiator Building is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

INVITATION TO BID

E.M. Harris Construction Company (EMH), 2600 Delmar Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63103 seeks subcontractor and supplier bids for the renovation of Hidden Valley Estates, a 200-unit apartment complex located at 1290 Evergreen Court, Wentzville, MO 63385. Scope of work includes updating and replacing items in disrepair and beyond their remaining useful life, including, but not limited to, kitchen and bath remodels, new windows, siding, roofs and general repairs throughout the property, as well as energy efficient HVAC systems in all units. This project IS NOT tax exempt. This IS a prevailing wage project. Section 3, Minority, Women and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises are strongly encouraged to bid. EMH is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Project plans and specifications are available for viewing online through an Invitation to Bid and at EMH Plan Room, 2600 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103 by appointment. Please fill out Bid General Information sheet. All bids due to EMH office by 5 pm, Friday, November 20, 2020. Fax: 314-436–6691. Bids or questions may be sent via e-mail to: bidassist@emharris.com

REQUEST FOR LETTERS OF INTEREST FOR DESIGN-BUILD SERVICES

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is soliciting Letters of Interest from companies interested in providing Design-Build services for the I-70 Cave Springs to Fairgrounds Project in St. Charles County, Missouri.

One Design-Build team will be selected to design and construct the project. MoDOT will use a Best Value selection process to evaluate the ability of the Design-Build proposers to meet or exceed the following project goals:

1. Maximize improvements within the program budget of $62 million.

2. Improve safety and efficiency of the transportation network while supporting connectivity for the local community.

3. Provide a durable and maintainable transportation infrastructure allowing for future expansion.

4. Minimize impacts to the traveling public during construction while safely delivering the project by November 1, 2023.

5. Deliver the project using a diverse workforce.

A virtual informational meeting is scheduled at 1 p.m. on Monday, December 7, 2020. A link to the meeting will be available on the project website at www.modot.org/i70csfg. It is anticipated the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) will be released that same day. At the meeting, a presentation will be made on the project, followed by a question and answer period.

Firms interested in receiving I-70 Cave Springs to Fairgrounds Design-Build information should send a one-page Letter of Interest to MoDOT via email to i70csfg@modot.mo.gov no later than Monday, November 30, 2020, to ensure that you receive all information. The Letters of Interest will allow MoDOT to compile a list of interested companies for notices and any announcements relating to this project.

Address all letters or emails to:

Stacey Smith, P.E. I-70 Cave Springs to Fairgrounds Design-Build Project i70csfg@modot.mo.gov

Include in your Letter of Interest the company name and a contact person at your company including, address, phone number, and e-mail. Please indicate if your firm is a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE).

PUBLIC NOTICE

The City of Crestwood is seeking bids for the 2021-2023 “Sanitary Sewer Lateral Repairs” project. Qualified contractors may obtain a project manual online at www.cityofcrestwood.org

Bids will be received by the Public Works Department of the City of Crestwood at the Crestwood Government Center, One Detjen Drive, Crestwood, Missouri, 63126 until 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 12, 2020.

ADVERTISE YOUR REAL ESTATE, RENTALS, FOR SALES, PUBLIC NOTICES, JOB FAIRS JOBS & MORE

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

L. Keeley Construction Co. is seeking qualified, disadvantaged businesses (DBEs) proposals for the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District Bissell Point WWTF Trickling Filter Media Replacement Project under Letting No.12566-015.1. Work to be completed: Removal of approximately 2,700,000 cubic feet of PVC trickling filter media and surface grating from six trickling filters, each 134-ft diameter by 32-ft media depth, and replacement with new media and grating; removal of trickling filter wall liners and replacement with new liners; removal of trickling filter distributor arms and drives, and replacement with new arms and drives; repairs to FRP ductwork and replacement of supports; and concrete trickling filter repairs and recoating. Proposals are due via email by Close of Business on Wednesday, November 11th, 2020 to Nick Timmermann via email at ntimmermann@lkeeley.com. All negotiations must be completed prior to November 11th, 2020.

PUBLIC NOTICE

The City of Crestwood is seeking bids for the 2021-2023 “Sanitary Sewer Lateral Investigations” project. Qualified contractors may obtain a project manual online at www.cityofcrestwood. org. Bids will be received by the Public Works Department of the City of Crestwood at the Crestwood Government Center, One Detjen Drive, Crestwood, Missouri, 63126 until 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 12, 2020.

CITY OF ST. LOUIS

ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Solicitation For Bids (SFB) for Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) and Associated Battery System Maintenance Services Bids Wanted

Bid documents may be obtained at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Airport Properties Division, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., or by calling (314) 890-1802. This SFB may also be obtained by visiting our website at www.flystl.com/business/ contract-opportunites Robert Salarano Airport Properties Division Manager

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The St. Louis Economic Development Partnership requests proposals from a qualified firm or firms to facilitate a strategic planning process and to assist the Partnership to develop a new comprehensive strategic plan. A copy of the complete RFP is available at https://stlpartnership.com/ rfp-rfq/. To be considered, proposals must be received no later than 3:00 PM CST on Thursday, November 5, 2020.

HOMES

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)

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Replacement Rooftop Units, North County Service Center Florissant, MO Project No. O1805-01 will be received by FMDC, S t a t e o f M O , UNTIL 1:30 PM, November 12, 2020 via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

ed by St. Louis County Council. To be considered, proposals must be received no later than 4:00 PM CST on Friday, November 13, 2020. For the complete RFP and questions, please contact Angela Pinex at 314.733.9020 or angela@spanishlakecdc.org

project encourages connectivity within the downtown core and connects two regional destinations. Public comment period closes December 3, 2020. Documents and more will be made available at https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/ departments/sldc/ Anyone needing an accommodation must notify Amanda Bloomfield, 314-657-3708 or bloomfielda@stlouis-mo.gov, no later than two days prior. Anyone experiencing technical difficulty should also contact Amanda.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Great Rivers Greenway is Seeking the professional services for security camera maintenance, repair and ongoing service at the National Park Service’s Gateway Arch National Park.Go to www.greatriversgreenway.org/ jobs-bids/ and submit by November 6, 2020.

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!

NOTICE OF ELECTION OFFICIAL BALLOT

GENERAL ELECTION

CITY OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a General Election will be held at the designated polling place for each precinct in the City of St. Louis, State of Missouri, on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. The polls will be open between the hours of 6:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. for the purpose of electing candidates for President and Vice President, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, Attorney General, United States Representative District 1, State Senate District 5, State Representative Districts 66, 76-84, 91 and 93, Circuit Attorney, Sheriff and Treasurer. Voters will also be able to vote on whether certain Judges on the Missouri Supreme Court, the Missouri Court of Appeals for the Eastern District of Missouri, the Circuit Court and Associate Circuit Court for the 22nd Judicial Circuit should be retained in office, as well as on two Missouri Constitutional Amendments and four City propositions.

The last day the Board of Election Commissioners could accept an application to vote an absentee or mail-in ballot by mail in the November 3, 2020 General Election was 5:00 P.M. on Wednesday, October 21, 2020. Absentee voting in person will conclude at 5:00 P.M. on Monday, November 2, 2020. The Board of Elections office will be open on Saturday, October 31, 2020, from 9:00 A.M. until 1:00 P.M., and the four library satellite locations will be open that day from 11:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M.

THE OFFICIAL BALLOT WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE FOLLOWING FORM:

INSTRUCTIONS TO VOTERS: In today’s election, you have your choice of using either an electronic, touch-screen voting machine or an optical scan voting machine to cast your ballot.

IF YOU USE THE OPTICAL SCAN VOTING MACHINE to cast your ballot, you must completely darken the oval to the left of the name of the candidate of your choice. To vote on an amendment or proposition, if you are in favor of the amendment or proposition completely darken the oval to the left of the word “YES.” If you are against the amendment or proposition, completely darken the oval to the left of the word “NO.” To vote on a judge’s retention, if you are in favor of retaining a judge in office darken the oval to the left of the word “YES.” If you are against retaining a judge in office, darken the oval to the left of the word “NO.” Do not try to punch through the ballot. Use only the marking device provided to you. If you tear, deface or make a mistake and incorrectly mark the ballot, return it to the Election Judges and obtain a new ballot.

IF YOU USE THE ELECTRONIC, TOUCH SCREEN VOTING MACHINE, follow the directions on the screen to cast your ballot. For each candidate, touch the box on the screen to the left of the name of the candidate of your choice. To vote on an amendment or proposition, if you are in favor of the amendment or proposition touch the box on the screen to the left of the word “YES.” If you are against an amendment or proposition, touch the box on the screen to the left of the word “NO.” To vote on a judge’s retention, if you are in favor of retaining a judge in office touch the box on the screen to the left of the word “YES.” If you are against retaining a judge in office, touch the box on the screen to the left of the word “NO.” If you need assistance in using the machine, please ask the Election Judges to help you. REPUBLICAN

(REP)

FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT (A VOTE FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT IS A VOTE FOR THEIR ELECTORS) (Vote for One Pair) Donald J. Trump/Michael R. Pence – Rep Joseph R. Biden/Kamala D. Harris – Dem Jo Jorgensen/Jeremy (Spike) Cohen – Lib Howie Hawkins/Angela Nicole Walker – Grn Don Blankenship/William Mohr – Cst Write-In _________________

FOR GOVERNOR (Vote for One) Mike Parson - Rep Nicole Galloway - Dem Rik Combs - Lib Jerome Howard Bauer – Grn Write-In __________ FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR (Vote for One) Mike Kehoe - Rep Alissia Canady - Dem Bill Slantz - Lib Kelley Dragoo – Grn Write-In __________

FOR SECRETARY OF STATE (Vote for One)

John R. (Jay) Ashcroft - Rep Yinka Faleti – Dem Carl Herman Freese – Lib Paul Lehmann – Grn Paul Venable – Cst Write-In __________ FOR STATE TREASURER (Vote for One) Scott Fitzpatrick – Rep Vicki Lorenz Englund – Dem Nicholas (Nick) Kasoff – Lib Joseph Civettini – Gen Write-In __________

FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL (Vote for One) Eric Schmitt – Rep Rich Finneran – Dem Kevin C. Babcock – Lib Write-In __________

FOR U. S. REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 1 (Vote for One) Anthony Rogers - Rep Cori Bush – Dem Alex Furman – Lib Write-In __________

FOR STATE SENATOR DISTRICT 5 (Vote for One) Michael Hebron – Rep Steve Roberts – Dem Write-In __________ FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 66 (Vote for One) Marlene Terry - Dem Write-In __________ FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 76 (Vote for One) Marlon Anderson - Dem Write-In __________ FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 77 (Vote for One)

Collins - Dem Write-In __________ FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 78 (Vote for One)

Gartin – Rep Rasheen Aldridge, Jr. – Dem Write-In __________

FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 79 (Vote for One)

LaKeySha Bosley – Dem Write-In __________

FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 80 (Vote for One) Peter Merideth – Dem Write-In __________ FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 81 (Vote for One)

__________

FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 83 (Vote for One)

Jo Doll - Dem Andrew Bolin – Lib Write-In __________

FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 84 (Vote for One) Wiley (Chip) Price IV – Dem Write-In __________ FOR STATE

COURT OF APPEALS JUDGES EASTERN DISTRICT Shall Judge Kurt S. Odenwald of the Eastern District Court of Appeals be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Robin Ransom of the Eastern District Court of Appeals be retained in office? Yes No

CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES 22 nd Judicial Circuit

Shall Judge David L. Dowd, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 2), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Elizabeth Byrne Hogan, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 3), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Katherine M. Fowler, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 4), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Calea Stovall-Reid, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 5), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Michael F. Stelzer, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 6), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Timothy J. Boyer, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 8), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Scott A. Millikan, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 9), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Madeline Orling Connolly, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 10), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Joseph P. Whyte, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 14), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Annette Llewellyn, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 15), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Clinton Robert Wright, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 21), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Stephen R. Ohmer, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 30), be retained in office? Yes No

ASSOCIATE CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES 22 nd Judicial Circuit

Shall Judge David A. Roither, Associate Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No.16), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Thomas Adrian McCarthy, Associate Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 24 & 29) be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Michael J. Colona, Associate Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 25), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Craig K. Higgins, Associate Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 26), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Lynne R. Perkins, Associate Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 27), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Nicole Colbert-Botchway, Associate Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 28), be

PROPOSITION T

St. LouiS AmericAn

‘We

all have to show up’

St. Louis County Prosecuting

Attorney Wesley Bell and St. Louis Treasurer

Tishaura O. Jones organized more than 50 elected officials and community leaders to encourage people to vote in the November 3 election at the St. Louis County Board of Election Commissioners on Tuesday, October 27. Many voted early that day.

Black officials, community leaders vote early and

urge people to vote

By Dana Rieck Of The St. Louis American

Standing in a cold October drizzle on Tuesday, October

27, Cori Bush joined St. Louis city and county elected officials to encourage early voting and to remind the Black community their voices matter and need to heard.

The early voting awareness effort was led by St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell and St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura O. Jones, who organized the event because, Bell said, “it is not an exaggeration to say that democracy is on the ballot in November.” Bush, the Democratic candidate for Missouri’s First Congressional District, said the Black vote is so important right now because Gov. Mike Parson and countless other elected officials across the state do not represent the community. “This is such a crucial time in our community and in our

n “Our votes matter, and our votes are a way to make sure our voices are heard on the issues that we care about.”

– St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell

Page vetoes bills to preserve health protections

‘Taking steps to protect human life during a pandemic shouldn’t be political’

By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American

As promised, St. Louis County

Executive Dr. Sam Page vetoed two bills on Monday, October 26 passed by the County Council 4-3 last week that would have put time limits on his authority during an emergency and on public health restrictions during this coronavirus pandemic.

“The legal effect of these bills will end key public health protections that limit the spread of COVID-19 in our community. And these protections have put St. Louis County in a much better place than

n “These protections have put St. Louis County in a much better place than the rest of the country.”

– St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page

the rest of the country,” Page said. “And with growing numbers across the state and across the country, St. Louis

See PAGE, A7

“With growing numbers across the state and across the country, St. Louis County cannot give up fighting against COVID-19,” said St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page.

We’ve got to make this history ourselves

By Cori Bush For The St. Louis American

In a few short days, this election will be over. In a few short days, the hard work of two long years will draw to a close, and the United States will decide what we want the next two, or four, or 10 years to be like. It’s been said countless times before, but that’s because it’s true: this is one of the most consequential elections of our lifetimes. But it’s not just these past four years that will be accounted for on November 3. For many of us, this struggle has been decades in the making.

Nearly every day for the past four years, we’ve watched as the current father of racism, Donald Trump, and his administration stoop to new lows. Many of us are rightly shocked at the cruelty, bigotry, and hatred that our president and his white supremacist movement sow. We’ve watched the COVID-19 crisis only continue to grow—claiming 225,000 lives, forcing millions to lose their jobs and health insurance, and creating economic turmoil that has hundreds of thousands facing evictions and utility shut-offs, with no real relief in sight. The relentless disappointment and pain of this administration has made us numb, and most days we merely brace for what may come next. Four years ago, Hillary Clinton led in all the polls, and as appalled as we may have been by the big daddy of bigotry, we were sure he couldn’t possibly win. But he did. As the election got close, we got complacent. And we paid the price for it. Even though Donald Trump is behind in the polls today,

Community leaders say to vote against attempt to undermine

By Dana Rieck Of The St. Louis American

“What it’s really about how politicians want to draw their own district maps. They want to choose their voters instead of having the voters choose them,” said Louise Wilkerson, co-president of the League of Women Voters of Metro St. Louis. She was speaking of Amendment 3 on the statewide ballot in Missouri on November 3. A group of community leaders met virtually on October 21 to discuss the measure and why they’re urging voters to cast their ballots

Photo by Wiley Price

See BUSH, A6

Cori Bush

Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

Whitney Houston is in the billion-view You Tube club

The music of the late superstar singer and actress Whitney Houston lives on. Houston’s video of her 1992 hit, “I Will Always Love You” just reached 1 billion views on You Tube. Houston’s rendition of the 1973 Dolly Parton song was in the movie, “The Bodyguard.”

As Essence reported, this song flung Houston into superstar status, earning her Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 36th Grammy Awards in 1994. Houston’s version also spent 14 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. This year, on the official Whitney You Tube page that has over 5.3 million subscribers, the song is reportedly averaging 350,000 views per day.

folks together in a good way, especially among stars that shine bright in their own respective vocations. Such is the case with U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and actor RuPaul Andre Charles. On the PBS series “Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates,” it was discovered that the former Democratic presidential candidate and senator from New Jersey and the Primetime Emmy Awardwinning queen with the pole position on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” are actually cousins.

Cousin RuPaul, meet Cousin Cory Ain’t nothing like a little DNA to bring

“Blame It” music video.” On Instagram, Foxx posted, “My heart is shattered into a million pieces… my beautiful loving sister has transitioned… I say transitioned because she will always be alive… anyone who knew my sis… knew that she was a bright light.” Foxx asked for prayers for his family. “I know she is in heaven now dancing with her wings on... tho my pain is unbelievable I smile when I think of all the great memories that she left me… my family… and her friends.”

“I love RuPaul. I haven’t had a chance to talk to him since the news was revealed, but I was very happy about that news and hope he and I can have a family reunion soon,” Booker said to Wendy Williams on her talk show, as reported by Blavity. RuPaul appeared in a recent episode of the popular series, and noted the family resemblance, saying “He looks like my kin!”

Jamie Foxx’s beloved sister dies Actor, singer and game show host

Jamie Foxx is mourning the loss of his younger sister DeOndra Dixon, who died this week at age 36. No word on the cause of death.

As TMZ reported, some of his fondest memories of his sister is “DeOndra being named Ambassador for the Global Down Syndrome Foundation in 2011 and her dancing in his

Jay-Z puts his ‘Monogram’ on the marijuana industry

Entertainment mogul “Jay-Z” Carter has planted the seeds to launch his own can nabis brand, “Monogram,” as part of his new partnership with California-based cannabis com pany, Caliva. He joined them in 2019 as their new chief brand strate gist. On the Monogram website, it says it will be a small batch product. “Monogram flower is grown in small batches, allow ing for every plant to receive personal-

ized attention from our expert growers. Our batch-by-batch approach and unique potency designation allow us to highlight the nuances in between harvests and tell you the story of every flower.” No word on what products will be sold or the official launch date.

Sorors honor Kamala Harris with $19.08 campaign contributions

While Democratic Presidential candidate, Joe Biden’s camp and Act Blue have already figured it out, those thousands of campaign donations for $19.08 to the Biden-Harris campaign are coming from Vice Presidential Kamala Harris sorority sisters, none other than the ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc. AKA is the first historically black Greek-lettered sorority, which was founded in at Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1908.

Have you, or someone you know, experienced loss of a

or

Enroll your child ages 6 weeks to 5 years into the YWCA St. Louis Early Education Program. Go to www.ywcastl.org to begin the enrollment process today!

Sources: Black Enterprise. Blavity, Essence, Instagram, Smart News, TMZ

Jay-Z

Cory Booker

County Democrats accept $2M election grant

Republican

opposition loses Days,

who

said she had been mistaken

By Dana Rieck

Of The St. Louis American

After two weeks of debate and dozens of public comments, the St. Louis County Council on Tuesday voted 4-3 to accept a $2 million election grant from the Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL).

The $2,048,474 grant is one of several awarded to election boards throughout Missouri and nationwide to help with extra costs the COVID-19 pandemic has created for the election. The CTCL received a $250 million donation from Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, which is being re-granted to local election authorities throughout the country.

Democratic Director of Elections Eric Fey said the St. Louis County Election Board discovered and applied for the grant in early September in a bipartisan effort with Republican Director of Elections Rick Stream.

Despite the bipartisan effort on the board’s part, residents were hesitant to accept the grant money due to perceived left-leaning views of the CTCL and concerns that it would lead to ballot harvesting. Both Fey and Stream said last week using this grant could not result in ballot harvesting and the only strings attached to the grant

money are it must be used for election expenses incurred from June 2020 until the end of the year.

In addition, this grant comes at a time when several local governments are facing lawsuits after CTCL distributed grants to 385 election departments across Michigan and $6.3 million in grant money to five Wisconsin cities.

Before the vote Tuesday evening, several councilors explained the reason for their vote.

Councilman Tim Fitch reiterated his stance on waiting to accept the grant, even though Fey told him last week that the election board would need money as soon as possible to pay for the expenses, otherwise they would have to ask taxpayers to supply the funds.

“I see no reason why we can’t just hold this matter until after the election so that at least with respect to this election, that’s less than two weeks away,” Fitch said Tuesday night.

Councilman Ernie Trakas also opposed accepting the funds, but his concern centered on a private entity funding a public election.

“This is not a partisan issue for me,” he said during the meeting. “It has nothing to do with Republican or Democrat. The way I see it, though, is it’s

private entities giving money for a public election. That’s the problem I have with this.”

Councilwoman Rita Heard Days noted that she was

initially, she said, that were proven wrong: the first was that St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page would use the money for his campaign and the sec-

n Councilwoman Rita Heard Days said she had two main concerns initially that were proven wrong.

opposed to the grant money until she learned more about the CTCL and the grant itself. She had two main concerns

ond being the grant was an effort to harvest ballots.

“We are having an unprecedented number of people that

will be voting, voting absentee and even on Election Day,” said Days, the former director of the St. Louis County Board of Elections. “And I know how difficult it is to get people to work these elections. And now with the pandemic, it’s probably impossible to get the number of people that you needed. So perhaps a little more monetary incentive would help the election authorities do that. “

Chairwoman Lisa Clancy agreed, saying due to the unprecedented conditions presented a need for additional election funding.

“And I think that the hearing that we had from the board of elections last week dispelled many of the concerns that

On Tuesday, Councilmen Tim Fitch and Ernie Trakas voted no to authorize St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page to accept a $2 million grant to cover new election expenses related to COVID-19. Chairwoman Lisa Clancy voted yes, as did (not pictured)

Councilman Trakas had, and I heard from them very clearly the urgency in getting this money,” Clancy said. “Given the volume of participation in this election this year and the extra expenses associated with COVID, I think that is a very important request.”

Democratic councilwomen Clancy, Kelli Dunaway, Days and Rochelle Walton Gray voted in favor of accepting the grant. Republic councilmen Mark Harder, Fitch and Trakas voted against using the money. The county is not the first in the area to accept election funding from the CTCL. St. Louis has accepted a $1 million grant and the Missouri Secretary of State received $1.4 million.

Councilwomen Rita Heard Days, Rochelle Walton Gray and Kelli Dunaway.

File photo by Carolina Hidalgo/St. Louis Public Radio

Editorial / CommEntary

St. Louis American endorses Joe Biden/ Kamala Harris

What more can possibly be said to persuade people of the need to vote Donald J. Trump out of the White House by voting in the ticket of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris? Trump is a white nationalist, a racist, a traitor, a xenophobe, a misogynist, a science denier and a liar who has dishonored every American institution and done more to lower the standing of the United States in the eyes of the world than any one single other person in history. Joe Biden is sane, anti-racist, science-based, and accountable, and he made an inspired choice of running mate in Kamala Harris, a tough-as-nails U.S. senator, former state prosecutor and strong Black woman with recent immigrant roots. Only the very wealthy seeking tax cuts at the expense of social services and deeply racist committed to criminalizing abortion have any reason to vote for four more years of the hateful chaos that is the Trump presidency. With all of our might, we strongly endorse JOE BIDEN FOR U.S. PRESIDENT AND KAMALA HARRIS FOR VICE PRESIDENT

Those progressives for whom neither Joe Biden nor Kamala Harris was a first choice for the top of the ticket still have good reason to vote with unbridled enthusiasm in this election if they live in the 1st Congressional District. Voters in the district have the historic opportunity to elect Missouri’s first Black congresswoman in Cori Bush, the protest leader who delivered a stunning primary upset to 10-term incumbent Wm. Lacy Clay on August 4. Clay won the general election with 80% of the vote in 2018, and we expect Bush to do at least that well on November 3. So, though she may not need your vote as badly as Biden/Harris do, she has earned it as much or more. We strongly endorse CORI BUSH FOR U.S. CONGRESS

Comparing vote totals in the August 4 primary would not give Democrats much hope, as for most seats at least 100,000 more people voted for a Republican in the primary than for a Democrat. This is also true in the lieutenant governor’s race. However, because unelected, donothing incumbent Mike Kehoe had three primary challengers and the Democratic nominee Alissia Canady had only one opponent, Canady is the only statewide Democrat on the November 3 ticket who garnered more primary votes than her opponent. A former City Council member and prosecutor from Kansas City, Canady would be a powerful advocate for seniors and veterans and a voice of sanity as president of the Missouri Senate. We strongly endorse ALISSIA

CANADY FOR LIEUTENANT GOVER-

NOR

For an unusually calm, sedate and respectful politician, St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page has inspired strangely virulent opposition from the conservative Democrats who want the office back, their Republican allies and a few highly visible Black operatives. Before both the primary and general elections, prominent Black people in public life allowed their disagreements with Page to be weaponized as law suits against him. We consider Hazel Erby’s suit filed recently against Page to be a particularly desperate Hail Mary attempt to damage Page in the general election, considering that in the August 4 primary nearly 200,000 people voted for a Democratic county executive and less than 50,000 voted for a Republican. Despite his often unfair and (thinking here of youth sports) even unhinged opposition, we believe Page has made good choices in the COVID-19 pandemic, a leadership test of a lifetime that he is passing with unusual calm, despite the noise that surrounds him. We strongly endorse DR. SAM PAGE FOR ST. LOUIS COUNTY

EXECUTIVE

Amendment 1 on the November 3 ballot would impose the two-term restriction that currently applies to the Missouri governor and treasurer to the other four statewide offices: lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor and attorney general. Though these offices have mostly been used as stepping stones for politicians with their eyes on higher power, especially governor and U.S. Senate, we believe term limits would be good precautions. Term limits for state legislative seats have had a poor effect, with necessary, collective knowledge and experience regularly decimated by them, but an elected executive has the opposite dynamic: the longer they stay, the worse they get. A long tenure leads to a calcification and lack of imagination; the emphasis becomes on how do we stay, not what can we get done. Everybody starts with an agenda and a fixed amount of energy; you either execute the agenda or you don’t, but you always exhaust the energy. We strongly endorse a vote of YES ON AMENDMENT 1

Previously endorsed: Nicole Galloway for governor, Yinka Faleti for secretary of state, Vicki Englund for treasurer, Rich Finneran for attorney general, Jill Schupp for Congress, No on Amendment 3, Yes on Proposition D (City of St. Louis), Yes on Proposition R (City of St. Louis).

White America, history has its eyes on you

By Mike Jones Of The St. Louis American

I try to approach writing an opinion column the way serious jazz musicians approach their music. If you don’t have anything to play, then don’t play anything. And if somebody else has already played it, and you don’t have anything substantial to add or subtract, then don’t play anything. I haven’t commented much on the 2020 U.S. presidential election because I really don’t have anything substantive to add to what I wrote in 2016.

I wrote the following preceding the 2016 presidential election: “If you are AfricanAmerican, Latino, Asian, Muslim or a member of the LGBT community, voting for Hillary Clinton for president is a matter of self-defense – selfpreservation, really. If you are an American who identifies as white, you face a choice latent with profound moral and social implications.” That is from a column I wrote entitled “Donald Trump and the last stand of white male privilege in America.” Four years later on the eve of the 2020 presidential election, I would write exactly the same thing, with the exception of substituting Joe Biden’s name for Hilary Clinton’s. Because literally the circumstances and consequences for the enumerated groups have not changed. To the extent they may have changed, our circumstances are worse and the consequences are even more dire now than then.

But there is an improvisational rift to this based upon a quote of Joe Biden’s when he announced his candidacy in June of 2019: “We are in

the battle for the soul of this nation.” At the time, I wrote, “The election will not be a battle for the soul of the nation, but it will be a battle for the soul of white America.” What did I mean?

We are faced with an existential crisis in this election. And we have suffered what we have suffered these last four years because the majority of white Americans chose to be here by the choices they have made. Now, white political pundits and their AfricanAmerican enablers will tell you that what happened in 2016 was that the Black turnout wasn’t as high as needed for Clinton to win and that voters of color generally underperformed. Both assertions are a crock. (And, for the record, Black people are not responsible for political or moral salvation of white America.)

Let’s look at who really should own the outcome of 2016 presidential election.

While the census will tell you the country is 60% white and 40% people of color, the political reality is a little different. The country is politically whiter because of the difference in median age between white Americans and people of color. In the 2016 presidential election, the turnout looked like this: 70% white, 12% Black, 11% Latino and 7% Asian.

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

Don’t be deceived – vote no on Amendment 3

By Reggie Thedford For The St. Louis American

As Dushanne Stokes said, “When dealing in lies listen more to what is not said than what is said.” For Missouri voters like myself, that’s exactly what we need to do when we vote on Amendment 3. This statewide constitutional amendment seeks to undo critical redistricting reforms enacted by Missouri voters in 2018. But you may not know it from reading the text that on your ballot. To overturn those landmark changes, which included creating a fair, impartial process for drawing legislative districts in the state, politicians know their only path is to trick voters. Indeed, Amendment 3 is a deceptive effort to diminish the political power of millions of Missourians. Reading the full text of Amendment 3, it’s clear that it’s not real reform, but rather a sneaky attempt to reverse voter-approved measures and implement changes to the redistricting process that would once again allow lobbyists and political operatives to draw the lines for their favorite politicians. That’s why I’m voting no on Amendment 3.

In response to a lawsuit filed by No On 3, the group that championed the Clean Missouri reforms and is opposed to Amendment 3, two separate courts found that the ballot language politicians wanted to appear for Amendment 3 was misleading, unfair, and insufficient. Ultimately, the final ballot language was created and approved by the Missouri

Court of Appeals. While better than the language that was first proposed, voters should still be prepared for confusing and complicated language.

While Amendment 3 includes language that appears to reduce the influence of big money in politics, the illusion politicians have created falters under scrutiny.

If Amendment 3 passes, it would change the limit for gifts from paid lobbyists from $5 to $0—with exemptions. It would also change the maximum campaign contributions to state senate candidates by a mere $100. Most importantly and most concerning, Amendment 3 would open the door for districts to be created based on voting-age population rather than total population, effectively disenfranchising 1.5 million Missourians.

These are not real reforms. They’re a smokescreen to trick voters into overturning the landmark fair map and fair redistricting rules already passed by an overwhelming bipartisan majority of Missourians. This kind of deception was the reasoning for the court changing the original ballot language.

“The legislature’s summary instead seeks to entice voters to adopt the measure by misleadingly overstating a modest $5 reduction in allowable lobby-

Letters to the editor

ist gifts and a $100 reduction to Senate contribution limits,” Judge Joyce said in her ruling.

“The legislature seeks to override the recent, clearly expressed will of Missouri voters on a matter as important as redistricting, the law requires that voters be plainly informed what they are being asked to consider.”

Voters should always pick the lawmakers that represent them, but for far too long lawmakers have been able to pick their constituents instead – gerrymandering their districts to rig future elections in their favor. As voters, we have the power. We can create positive change in our communities. It’s unacceptable that the politicians behind Amendment 3 are attempting to deceive and mislead their constituents in order to serve their own interests. This power grab won’t just mean gerrymandered districts for the next decade, but also means that corrupt politicians will be able to impact policy for generations to come. As Missourians, we have a duty to protect our democracy and stop corrupt legislators from overturning the will of voters. I want my vote to matter and for our elected officials to be elected through a fair process. Voting against Amendment 3 will mean more competitive districts, fairer elections, and better representation for communities of color.

Reggie Thedford is the deputy political director at Stand Up America.

All letters are edited for

Traitor in the White House

voters 8% Trump, 88% Clinton; Latino voters 29% Trump, 65% Clinton; and Asian voters 29% Trump, 65% Clinton. Every ethnic group in America saw who Donald Trump was in 2016, but only white Americans saw in him something that allowed the majority of them to consider him morally fit to be POTUS. Donald Trump is president because of the moral failure of the majority of white Americans, not the failure of Black voter turnout.

Which brings us to November 3. Blacks voters are responding to this election like their lives depend upon it, because it does. Joe Biden is like just about all white Democratic politicians to Black voters: they’re not the one we love, they’re just the one we’re with. So, we’ll do what we need to do, as we’ve always done, not because we want to save American democracy but because we want to save each other. It’s white voters who are at the moral fork in the road. The United States since its inception has been a society based upon neoliberal, patriarchal, white supremacist values, but was a functioning democratic republic for white people. What white voters now have to decide is would they rather redefine what it means to be white in a multiracial, multicultural democracy or do they want to retain their white privilege in a neofascist, dystopian nightmare?

We’ll live – or not – with the consequences, but we don’t get to the make the call. White America, history has its eyes on you.

Mike Jones is a member of The St. Louis American’s editorial board. As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

Here’s how those groups voted: white voters 58% Trump, 37% Clinton; Black

In the fourth year of their pillaging of the U.S. Treasury, Donald Trump’s crime family continues to wheel-and-deal with oligarchs, dictators and despots worldwide. President Trump has shown his allegiance to these tyrants by providing cover for the grisly murder of an American journalist—a U.S. citizen, ignoring the bounty paid by Putin for the murder of U.S. military personnel, and by refusing to acknowledge the racial divisiveness and social chaos being sown in America by Russia’s cyber warfare, or to take action against Russia’s disruption of U.S. elections.

There is a traitor in the White House. And he continues the intentional dismantling of the U.S. Postal Service, the State Department and a plethora of other critical functions of government that have wellserved Americans and made the U.S. a trusted, respected world leader. Trump has clearly stated that in his next four years he and his Republican enablers will end the Social Security and Medicare programs, which are critical to the very survival of millions of Americans. Don’t be misled! They plan to do this! But this treasonous president and his self-serving Republican lapdogs need four more years to accomplish their corrupt goals. American lives and the fate of our democracy are at stake in the November election. Vote Biden and Harris to save America and our democracy.

Michael K. Broughton Green Park

Vote no on Amendment 3

In 2018, along with an overwhelming majority of my fellow Missourians, I voted for

the Clean Missouri initiative. Clean Missouri took steps to clean up politics in Missouri by reducing the power of special interests and ensuring that a fair, nonpartisan redistricting process prevents gerrymandering following each census. But there was one group that clearly did not like the move toward transparency, ethics, and accountability in government: incumbent politicians in Jefferson City. In the midst of a worldwide pandemic and the worst economic downturn we’ve seen since the Great Depression, our legislators voted to reverse Clean Missouri in an attempt to reset redistricting rules before our new nonpartisan system could even be used for the first time next year. What makes it worse is that these legislators are trying to hide this abysmal reversal of the will of people behind a strawman reduction in the lobbyist gift limit and state senate contribution limit. The legislature’s proposed ballot language was so deceptive, in fact, that two courts determined that it had to be re-written. Gerrymandering makes it so that politicians can choose their voters instead of voters choosing their representatives. That’s not how democracy works. Thankfully, we, the people, still have the power this time. By law, legislators had to get voter approval to gerrymander our districts. We can stop this trick in its tracks this November by voting No on 3.

Brian Earley, St. Louis

Guest Columnist Reggie Thedford

Guest Columnist Mike Jones

Tishaura asking folks to vote

St. Louis Treasurer

Tishaura O. Jones spoke to constituents during a Soup and Sandwich forum at St. John’s Church on October 15. Jones is working to energize people to vote in the November 3 general election. Absentee and mail-in voting is underway.

Free ice cream for educators and school staff

Midwest-made Hudsonville Ice Cream is seeking nominations for its Random Acts of Ice Cream program. Selected nominees will receive a box full of ice cream pints delivered directly to their doorstep. Hudsonville Ice Cream makes more than 50 flavors, with both traditional ice cream and dairy-free options available in scoop shops and grocery stores in more than a dozen states. Nominators can share why the teacher or other education professional (including cafeteria workers, librarians,

bus drivers and more) should receive a special ice cream delivery during this unusual year. Then, Hudsonville Ice Cream will send a box of their classic pint flavors to selected nominees, no purchase required.

Hudsonville plans to ship boxes out to a number of selected recipients each week through 2020. Nominations for Random Acts of Ice Cream can be submitted at www. hudsonvilleicecream.com/random-acts

Dec. 31 deadline for Teen Talent Competition

Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation has opened online registration for the 11th annual St. Louis Teen Talent Competition for high school students in the bi-state St. Louis metropolitan area. There are no fees to participate or register. This year the Preliminary Round of the competition will be conducted solely by video submissions. Students will be vying for scholarships, special awards, prizes, and the opportunity to compete in the Finals on the

Fabulous Fox Theatre stage. Contestants must be enrolled in the 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grade in the 2020-2021 school year and must attend a high school/home school within a 50-mile radius from the St. Louis Gateway Arch. Acts may be a solo or up to six students performing as a group. Performing arts categories include (but are not limited to): singers, dancers, actors, musicians, comedians, ventriloquists, and circus skill artists. Acts may perform original or published material.

Better health care and jobs would mean less crime

By Alissia Canady For The St. Louis American

St. Louis is under assault. This year, anyone has a 1 in 55 chance of being a victim of a violent crime and a 1 in 17 chance of being a victim of a property crime.

As a former prosecuting attorney, I know firsthand that crime is a complex issue. The foundation of a city’s safety is underpinned by a set of resources like education, healthcare and career opportunities. When one or more pillars weakens, our community faces the consequences with increased crime and a softer economic outlook.

Case in point: In 2019, only 23% of funding for schools in the St. Louis region is from the state, compared to the rest of Missouri where the average is 43%.

Implicitly, for our school system to improve, St. Louis leaders must receive support in the allocation of funding and buy-in from statewide leaders. One position in particular can help with this issue – the lieutenant governor.

The position of lieutenant governor is one that is often overlooked; however, it is in many ways one of the most influential. She sits on many of the state’s most impactful boards that influence Education, Housing, Economic Development and the Missouri Community Services Commission, as well as uniquely serving in both the Legislative and Executive branches of government. Unfortunately, our current lieutenant governor has flown under the radar – skirting basic responsibilities like protecting our seniors, growing our economy, advocating for investments in education and creating jobs. In the past seven months, his sedentary response to COVID-19 gave the virus a glide path to an unemployment spike to 9.7% and a $169 million cut in education funding.

As lieutenant governor, I will fight to strengthen the girders of St. Louis. Using the power of the office, I will advocate for allocating funds to our Department of Education and lend a special focus on quality, early childhood development and workforce training programs – all of which are statistically proven to reduce the likelihood of engaging in violent crime. I will also be an advocate for fair pay to the backbone of our education system: teachers. With better pay comes greater resources that will enhance the quality of our public schools.

Studies find a correlation between a lack of access to healthcare and crime. It is vital for our communities to have a lieutenant governor who advocates for quality, accessible healthcare for all – both mental and physical. As lieutenant governor, I will work to ensure one is not without the other, and everyone, from mental illness to the long-term effects of COVID-19, will receive the care they deserve.

This year has highlighted many of the inequalities we face as a state and nation. While COVID did not cause them, it revealed and accelerated their effects. It’s elevated our collective understanding that the government has a capacity and a responsibility to show up, protect and advocate for the people for which it serves.

This election, I am asking for your vote for lieutenant governor because I will fight for you.

Alissia Canady is the Democratic nominee for Missouri lieutenant governor.

Alissia Canady

Photo by Wiley Price

country,” Bush said. “It has to matter to everyone. And so, regardless of where you live, we all have to show up. And as far as turning out the Black vote, we get hit hard with what happens policy-wise, from the White House and all the way down.” Ferguson Mayor Ella Jones, one of more than 50 officials and community leaders who gathered on Tuesday, encouraged people to vote safely.

“We’re standing together and that gives me hope that things are on course to change,” she said.

Many in attendance actually cast their ballots on Tuesday. Treasurer Jones was present for both events in the city and county and addressed the crowds alongside Bell.

“We thought it was important to have a show of solidarity here today because, as Wesley said, these are really trying times, these are unprecedented times, and people are really concerned about voting and about catching COVID if they go vote,” Jones said.

And so, we want to make sure that everybody knows what their options are, especially because we have several places where people can go to vote early, so we want to make

Bush

Continued from A1 we cannot become complacent again—but I know that this time we won’t. Yes, Donald Trump’s victory was shocking. These past four years have been a collective traumatic experience for so many in our country. But in the face of that trauma, we galvanized a movement. We aren’t afraid. We’re angry— and together, we will take back our future. We protested in the streets

sure that they know that we are using that as an option and that they can, too.”

Bell noted at both events that people with questions about how to cast their ballot can call the hotline 866-OURVOTE, which is by the national and nonpartisan Election Protection coalition.

“Our votes matter, and our votes are a way to make sure our voices are heard on the issues that we care about,” Bell said. “They may mean different

of Ferguson for more than 400 days after the murder of Mike Brown Jr. That fight for justice continues still, for George Floyd, for Breonna Taylor, and for too many more. In the face of injustice in my own community, I went from a bystander to a fighter for the lives of my children, my friends, my family, and my country. That is why I ran for Congress, guided by a movement and a vision of what a better future might be like. I know we have the power to make change. In 2018, a record number of women ran for office, and so many of them

things to every person here, but the one thing we can all agree on is that it is important that everyone vote.”

That is a sentiment felt throughout numerous organizations that have worked to get the vote out in this election.

St. Francis Xavier College Church members have partnered with Rock Church to put on notary drives and help register people to vote.

“There are so many differences this year in terms of

won that Democrats overcame gerrymandering and retook the U.S. House of Representatives. New leaders for our movement of love, compassion, and equality emerged with the elections of U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Ayanna Pressley. And now, in 2020, I join proud Black voices for change, from Jamie Harrison in South Carolina to Mike Espy in Mississippi and Jamaal Bowman and Mondaire Jones in New York.

Across our region, Black organizers have taken the lead in making sure the voices of

how to vote,” said Christine Dragonette, director of Social Ministry at College Church.

“So, I think this is the most concentrated effort we’ve taken in terms of voter education.” College Church members

Lisa Burks and Sarah Leggett both serve on the church’s Racism and Reconciliation Committee and helped to register people to vote earlier this year.

“It is not only our right but our responsibility to create

St. Louisans are heard. Action St. Louis has led the charge to make sure our communities are fully counted in the census. Young Black organizers have been leading massive canvassing operations to increase voter turnout. We’ve built a framework for what it takes to win in St. Louis. We proved it worked in my primary victory in August by building a coalition that brought thousands of new voters to the ballot boxes. We did it by reaching out to the community and inviting voters back into the system, by letting them know that they had something important to bring to this

Young Voices with Action founder Farrakhan Shegog, Jennings Councilman Terry Wilson, Dellwood Mayor Reggie Jones and state Rep. LaKeySha Bosley joined more than 50 elected officials and community leaders to encourage people to vote in the November 3 election at the St. Louis County Board of Election Commissioners on Tuesday, October 27. Many voted early that day.

a community that meets the needs of all members,” Burks said. “Voting is the beginning of that process to express what your needs and desires are, and I hope that voting is just the start of that process.”

Another local organization, the St. Louis Chapter of The Drifters, has worked this election season to provide voters with access to registration, information about the various methods of voting, and a plan to cast their ballot.

movement. Because St. Louis voted, I am slated to become Missouri’s first Black congresswoman. I am slated to become Missouri’s first nurse congresswoman. I am slated to become the first woman to represent Missouri’s 1st Congressional District. And I am slated to become our nation’s first Black Lives Matter activist in Congress. But we still have more to accomplish.

We have a lot to be proud of—from my two close friends, former state Representative Bruce Franks Jr. and current state Representative Rasheen Aldridge, to my siSTARS Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner and St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura O. Jones— we have every reason to be full of hope for the future. Because we know what starts in St. Louis can effect change all across Missouri.

We have the chance to flip the whole state Blue and start a new chapter in our history. We can defeat Trump, Governor Mike Parson, and the entire movement of white supremacy that they rode to power on. So,

“We just really want to make sure that we’re getting as much out there as possible on making sure everybody has the opportunity to vote,” Rhonda LeBlue of The Drifters said. “You can intend to vote, but then things happen. You have to have a plan.”

The group also focused on encouraging residents to fill out the 2020 census, which is used to apportion government money to communities and draw congressional districts for the next 10 years.

“We are experiencing things that we’ve never even thought we’d see,” said Doretha Glibert, president of the St. Louis Chapter of The Drifters. “It’s right here, and you can’t miss it. And you can’t leave it alone, saying, ‘Somebody else will do it’ or ‘my vote won’t count.’ Everything you do counts — your efforts count.”

For those looking to vote early in the city, absentee ballots must be returned to select public libraries by 4 p.m. November 2 accompanied by an acceptable form of identification.

For those looking to vote early in the county, absentee ballots must be returned by November 3 to the St. Louis County Board of Election Commissioners.

All mail-in ballots must be received by 7 p.m. November 3.

let’s recognize our individual power. Let’s recognize that we all have something great to bring to the table. And let’s push that forward. Because this movement is strong, but collectively, we can make it even stronger. When we vote, we win. So, I’m asking you to vote. And I’m asking you to volunteer. Make phone calls. Send text messages. Knock doors, and help drop literature. Then do just a little bit more. Talk to your friends, talk to your neighbors, and talk to your colleagues. We don’t want to wake up on November 4 asking ourselves the same question we asked four years ago: Could I have done more? We have the opportunity to set our state and our nation on a new path. This is a history-making moment, but no one is going to make it for us. We’ve got to make this history ourselves—and we can. Let’s win this thing together, St. Louis. Cori Bush is the Democratic nominee for U.S. Congress in Missouri’s 1st Congressional District.

Photo by Wiley Price

Amendment

against it.

“As a public health leader in St. Louis I strongly oppose Amendment 3 because it would hurt our democracy and put policies that promote health and health equity at risk,” said Angela Fleming Brown, CEO of the St. Louis Regional Health Commission.

Amendment 3 is designed to draw district maps based on the eligible voter population of the state, meaning children and non-citizens would not count when the districts are drawn.

“This would dramatically impact how our communities are represented and funded at our state capital,” Brown said. “Amendment 3 would weaken our constitutional protections for voters of color, and data shows Amendment 3 would disproportionally take away political power from Brown and Black communities.

The Brennan Center and Schwarzenegger Institute have independently conducted studies on this amendment. The Brennan Center concluded that excluding children and noncitizens would exacerbate racial inequities and result in more than a quarter of Missourians left uncounted — including 21% of Missouri’s white population compared to 28% of the state’s Black population, 54%

Page

Continued from A1

County cannot give up fighting against COVID-19. But giving up is exactly what bills 222 and 223 is asking St. Louis County to do.”

Page’s vetoes were upheld by the council the following day, when a 3-3 vote failed to override it.

Page said the COVID-19 pandemic had already cost the lives of 870 St. Louis County residents, with 30,000 infections, with many more residents having to go through isolation and quarantine for prolonged periods of time. Page said that all ZIP codes in the county have been affected by the coronavirus, with disproportionate impacts on African-American and Hispanic residents.

He said the council members who supported the vetoed bills were voting to put an end to five public health orders from the Department of Public Health.

“They would no longer have the ability to define when a positive case or a suspected

of its Asian population and 54% of its Latino population.

The Schwarzenegger Institute concluded that

“Amendment 3 presents a new form of gerrymandering with significant implications for changing who and how people are represented.”

Amendment 3 would undo the reforms passed by voters in the Clean Missouri Act in 2018. That initiative was approved by two-thirds of statewide voters.

“So now, once again, we have elected officials sending out a clear message to us that they don’t think we’re smart enough to know what we want,” said John Bowman, president of the St. Louis County NAACP.

“The NAACP and our membership have clearly decided to oppose Amendment 3 based up equitable opportunities for people of color and then the minority community. This is a very discriminatory act that they’re trying to force down our throats.”

Sean Soendker Nicholson, who is leading the effort to defeat Amendment 3, said the politicians and lobbyists are trying to trick voters.

“They want super-safe incumbent protection maps, regardless of what voters are saying that they want from their legislature,” he said.

“To do that they are going to need to trick voters – that is their plan – to be able to trick

positive case should be quarantined or should be isolated, or others who are exposed should be quarantined. They would end the ability of the Department of Public Health to require masks; they would end the ability to set capacity limits at 50% or limit gatherings, which are currently limited to 50,” Page said.

“They would limit the Department of Public Health’s ability to require nursing homes to report positive cases or deaths in nursing homes. And they would end the ability of the requirement that all positive tests, negative tests, and deaths are immediately reported to the Department of Public Health.”

Page said those actions are commonsense, elementary, public health rules.

“They set the basis for isolation and quarantine. They ensure that we can provide the public with the most accurate, up-to-date information to help people understand the data behind how we are making our decisions,” he said. “They protect our grandparents, they protect our children and schools, and they protect our frontline workers.”

“Politicians want to draw their own district maps. They want to choose their voters instead of having the voters choose them,” said Louise Wilkerson, League of Women Voters of Metro St. Louis co-president.

– Louise Wilkerson

voters with the $5 lobbyist gift change and hope that voters don’t pay attention to what’s going on in the fine print. So, we know that in the fine print that there are redistricting details [and] policies unlike anything Missouri has ever seen and unlike anything else in the United States.”

While the first two items on the amendment are a $5 change to lobbyist gift limits and a $100 change to contribution limits for state Senate candidates, everything else is about gerrymandering. He said that

Page said without knowing what orders were being terminated, council members tried to wrest control of crafting public health orders from public health officials – and take it for themselves.

“The lives of those who are struggling with COVID-19 are being tossed around like a political football,” Page said.

“The public health decisions should be made by public health experts – they shouldn’t be political. Taking steps to protect human life during a pandemic shouldn’t be polit-

“Amendment 3 because it would hurt our democracy and put policies that promote health and health equity at risk,” said Angela Fleming Brown, CEO of the St. Louis Regional Health Commission.

– Angela Brown

two different judges have ruled that the politicians have broken the law with what is in the fine print (the major changes to the redistricting process).

The Amendment 3 language is as follows: “Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to: Ban gifts from paid lobbyists to legislators and their employees; Reduce legislative campaign contribution limits; Change the redistricting process voters approved in 2018 by: (i) transferring responsibility for drawing state legislative districts

ical. Designing protections to make sure that our economy will rebound after a pandemic shouldn’t be political.”

Attending the county executive’s news briefing and speaking in support of keeping health restrictions in place were representatives of the service sector, the Black clergy and the NAACP.

“These orders keep workers in our community safe,” grocery worker Lamia Terrell said. “We should trust experts above all else when dealing with a health crisis.”

from the Nonpartisan State Demographer to Governorappointed bipartisan commissions; (ii) modifying and reordering the redistricting criteria.”

The Brennan Center study noted that the politicians and lobbyists behind the measure have close ties to national conservative operatives including Thomas Hofeller, “whose posthumously released memos revealed a scheme among high-ranking Republican donors and operatives to encourage states to make a

“As people of faith, it was our prayer that the St. Louis County Council would have done the right thing by placing the safety of our citizens above politics and vote down bills 222 and 223,” said Bishop Elijah Hankerson, president of the St. Louis Metropolitan Clergy Coalition.

“Since that was not the case, here we are today, standing in unity with our St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page, commending him for today vetoing the decision of the council.”

He said masks and other health

‘radical departure’ from total population to adult citizen apportionment, arguing that it would be ‘advantageous to Republicans and non-Hispanic whites.’”

Ellen Alper, CEO of the National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis, said her organization is distressed with what Missouri politicians are trying to do with Amendment 3.

“Clean Missouri passed by 2 to 1 margin in 2018 — 1.4 million voters wanted fair, non-gerrymandered, non-political maps in order to make the best decisions for our state,” Alper said. “The politicians didn’t like it and they came back with this amendment to undo the will of the voters.”

Nancy Mille, co-president of the League of Women Voters of Metro St. Louis, said the league has actively been working on redistricting for the last 12 years.

“Before endorsing what was in Clean Missouri, we carefully studied it, read the whole thing … we backed it and worked hard to pass it,” Mille said.

“But maybe legislators didn’t like the reforms, even though every Senate district approved of them. They didn’t listen when league members across the state asked them to respect their vote. Many of us appeared before committees across the legislature, where our opinions and even our presence was just disregarded.”

orders have helped.

“This is not the time that to take steps backwards,” said John Bowman, president of the St. Louis County NAACP. “Mid-Missouri, the numbers are spiking. We are finding that COVID-19 is not going away if we do not follow the guidelines of public health officials. I would hope the rest of the council members would follow those leads of professional health care officials that say we cannot take these aggressive steps backwards.”

Urban League’s MLK Clean Sweep Targets Academy/Sherman Park Neighborhood “Screen Sweep” Health Component Sponsored by TYLENOL®

The Urban League’s Department of Public Safety and Community Response hosted its second Clean Sweep event October 17, 2020. More than 200 volunteers, and 30 companies helped clean and beautify the neighborhood along two miles of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive from Union Boulevard to Euclid Avenue. Construction crews demolished 12 vacant and abandoned buildings along Aldine Avenue and Dr. MLK. Trees were removed, weeds were trimmed and debris was also removed from several vacant lots.

Clean Sweep continues its added focus on health and wellness with a second “Screen Sweep” initiative. TYLENOL® was the presenting sponsor for the Screen Sweep wellness event that provided a number of free health screening opportunities, including blood pressure screenings, from BJC Healthcare Barnes Jewish Hospital, Siteman Cancer Center and Washington University School of Medicine.

“We are especially proud of the health component added to Clean Sweep. We started with BJC Healthcare taking the lead and we have added TYLENOL® through a campaign with the National Urban League,” said Michael McMillan, Urban League President and CEO. “TYLENOL®, as our presenting sponsor, donated 200 blood pressure monitors for distribution to individuals with high blood pressure.”

TYLENOL® also distributed important health education materials during Screen Sweep to educate attendees on the safest over-the-counter medications to take for any individuals with high blood pressure.

“If there’s one thing this year has taught us, it’s not to take our health for granted. As part of our partnership with the National Urban League, we are proud to support the St. Louis community, where many don’t have easy access to the tools they need to stay healthy,” said Anne Cashman, Marketing Director for TYLENOL®. “We’re here to help by providing free health screenings and educational information on TYLENOL® for safe, effective pain relief when used as directed, particularly for those with high blood pressure.”

Nearly 2,000 Receive Flu Shots at Drive-Through Event Hosted

by BJC Healthcare and The Urban League

The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis partnered with BJC to provide nearly 2,000 free flu shots at a two-day drive through flu vaccination event. The first event was held at Jamestown Mall on October 24th and the second on October 25th at 1330 Aubert, behind the Urban League’s new headquarters in the Victor Roberts Building. The flu shots were funded through a grant from the Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital. The free flu shots were made available to St. Louis area residents (six-months and older) who do not have primary doctors or other means to receive flu shots. This is the 17th year Barnes-Jewish Hospital has offered free flu vaccinations.

“By getting a flu shot, you are helping to protect yourself and the people around you from flu this season, as well as helping reduce the strain on health care systems in our area as we continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic,” says John Lynch, MD, president of Barnes-Jewish Hospital. “We are grateful for the partnership of organizations like Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and the St. Louis Blues to make these flu shot events possible and to help keep our community safe.”

“Protecting our community is critical and preventing a dual health crisis of coronavirus and influenza is even more important,” said Michael McMillan, President and CEO of The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Inc. “We must do all that we can to lessen the tremendous strain on our healthcare system and getting a flu vaccination is one thing we can all do. We are grateful for this partnership opportunity with BJC.”

Panera Bread provided lunch for more than 100 volunteers both days Additional information about flu vaccinations and resources in the St. Louis region also can be found at vaccinateSTL.org.

Virtual Events at Missouri History

By Lindsay Newton and Mark Sundlov Missouri Historical Society

‘When Jay Ashcroft wins, the people of Missouri lose’

Museum and Soldiers Memorial Appeals court sides with Ashcroft: mail-in ballots must be returned by USPS

Two traditional events at the Missouri History Museum and the Soldiers Memorial Military Museum will be held virtually this year: the Día de los Muertos festival and the Veterans Day parade.

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a holiday that is celebrated widely throughout Mexico and in parts of Central and South America and the United States. It is based on a cultural belief that the barrier between the worlds of the living and the dead is most transient from October 31 to November 2, allowing the spirits of the deceased to return for a brief visit.

Día de los Muertos corresponds with All Saints Day, but it is far different from Halloween. It is not about hauntings, and it isn’t supposed to be scary. Instead, it’s a joyful holiday when people acknowledge that death is a natural part of the life cycle. The traditions are rooted in the customs of the Indigenous peoples of Latin America, influenced by Spanish and—in some regions of Mexico—African cultures. Ofrendas are altars that families build to welcome the souls of their loved ones back into their homes. These altars are filled with special things that the person who has died is sure to enjoy, such as favorite foods and belongings.

This year, much of the annual celebration is virtual. Join Hispanic Festival Inc. and the Missouri History Museum to view videos of traditional cemetery celebrations, paper

flower making, food preparation, face painting, and dance traditions on the Missouri Historical Society’s YouTube channel. You can also visit traditional altars and original artwork inspired by the holiday in person at the Museum through November 8. Artwork will be on view from 10am to 5pm, while altars may be viewed from 1 to 4pm. The Veterans Day parade in downtown St. Louis will also be held virtually this year. Originally called Armistice Day, November 11 was reserved for commemorating the end of World War I. The day was filled with reverent events to remember the brave individuals who made the supreme sacrifice, as well as joyous events to celebrate victory in the Great War. After the end of the Korean War, Armistice Day became

Veterans Day, and an emphasis was placed on thanking all veterans, living or deceased. In the 1954 St. Louis Veterans Day parade, “martial airs alternated with the tramp of marching feet and the heavy rumble of military vehicles in downtown streets” according to newspaper accounts. Thousands of St. Louisans were five to six people deep along the sidewalks as the parade marched by.

A highlight of the 1954 parade was the Royal Panthers drum and bugle corps of Amvets Post No. 41, an allBlack post that was named for hero and Tuskegee Airman Captain Wendell O. Pruitt. Born in 1920 in St. Louis, Pruitt graduated from Sumner High School and then Lincoln University before becoming an officer in the Army Air Corps, where he served as a fighter pilot in the famed 332nd Fighter Group. Pruitt earned

the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters. Tragically, Pruitt died in a training accident in 1945. He was a true St. Louis hero.

On Veterans Day 1956, thousands of St. Louisans watched the Veterans Day parade wind through downtown. Newspapers reported that spectators were five deep at some points. The renowned, championship-winning drum and bugle corps of Tom Powell Post 77, the oldest African American post in the American Legion, tore into “Anything Goes” as they passed the reviewing stand at Soldiers Memorial. What a treat it must have been to take in the sights and sounds of that esteemed corps!

Due to the threat of COVID19, this year’s Veterans Day parade has been canceled. We will sadly miss the sights and sounds of the parade and its show of support for our veterans. However, Soldiers Memorial Military Museum and the City of St. Louis have partnered with past parade participants to deliver a virtual parade at 12pm on Veterans Day, featuring thank-you messages from organizations across the area. While it will be different from parades of the past, it’s an important reminder that St. Louis is thankful to its veterans. To watch the virtual parade, visit Soldiers Memorial online at mohistory.org/memorial or on social media.

The Missouri History Museum and Soldiers Memorial are open Wednesday through Sunday. To reserve your free tickets in advance, visit mohistory.org.

By Dana Rieck Of The St. Louis American

Missouri residents voting by mail must return those ballots by U.S. mail, a federal appeals court ruled on October 21, siding with Missouri Secretary of State John “Jay” Ashcroft and upholding the law that was challenged in a district court.

Mail-in ballots must be received by Election Day, November 3, to be counted.

The appeal, filed by Ashcroft, came after a judge ruled against Ashcroft in a federal suit filed by St. Louis-based Organization for Black Struggle. The court’s ruling in that suit stated mail-in ballots (not to be confused with absentee ballots) could also be returned either in-person to local election authorities, by private party mailing services and by third parties, like a family member.

Local election authorities did not appeal the ruling, but Ashcroft did. He was granted a temporary stay until the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals reviewed the case. While Ashcroft’s motion for stay was granted, the court’s opinion had not been published.

Following the ruling, Yinka Faleti, Democratic nominee for Missouri Secretary of State, released a statement accusing Ashcroft of making it more difficult for Missourians to vote.

“When Jay Ashcroft wins, the people of Missouri lose,” said Faleti. “There is no justification for the secretary of state to be fighting this hard to make it more difficult for Missourians to return their ballots. It is clear that he has only his personal partisan motives in mind and cares nothing about performing his duty as our state’s chief elections officer.”

American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri Legal Director Tony Rothert noted that under the current rule for mail-in ballots, a voter who went to their local election authority to get their mail-in ballot notarized would have to leave that office and then mail the ballot to the very office they just left.

“We don’t think that makes much sense,” Rothert said. “So, our hope is that the secretary of state resolves this situation by just dismissing his appeal, and that would resolve it instantly.” Rothert said he doesn’t think it was a coincidence that no local election officials appealed the ruling that would allow the various delivery methods of all mail-in ballots, not just absentee. He believes it would simplify their job by erasing the need to determine whether each ballot is an absentee or mail-in — which have different requirements.

According to Ashcroft’s government website, as of October 19 there had been 6,896 mail-in ballots requested and 539,863 absentee ballots requested.

Rich Finneran, Eric Schmitt and conviction integrity units

Democratic challenger says AG is blocking prosecution

reform in Missouri

This story was reported by Rebecca Rivas for the Missouri Independent.

St. Louis-native Lamar Johnson has spent 26 years in prison praying that someone would hear his case. In August 2019, that day almost came.

“I finally got taken back to St. Louis, and freedom is just right there,” Johnson said in a phone call with The Independent from Jefferson City Correctional Center. “And it was snatched away from me for something procedural that shouldn’t be more important than someone being wrongfully convicted.”

Last summer, Johnson was brought back to St. Louis for the first time in more than two decades. It was also supposed to be the first time St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner would present a case of alleged prosecutorial misconduct as part of her new conviction integrity unit.

In July 2019, Gardner asked 22nd Circuit Court Judge Elizabeth Hogan to set aside Johnson’s 1995 murder conviction, alleging that former prosecutors and police fabricated evidence to get Johnson’s conviction. Gardner filed a 67-page motion that she claims provides evidence that the homicide detective in the case made up witness testimonies for the police report that was entered into evidence. Witnesses were not aware of the changes until later.

Documents included in the motion allege that an assistant circuit attorney paid off the only eyewitness and cleared some of his outstanding tickets. But what happened next has sparked a renewed, intense

debate among attorneys and judges throughout the state — most notably between the two candidates for attorney general in the November 3 election.

Do elected prosecutors in Missouri have the power to investigate past convictions and ask for a new trial when they feel a person was wrongfully convicted?

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who was appointed to the position in 2018 and is seeking a full term on November 3, says no. Prosecutors don’t have the authority to take action in cases that they feel lack integrity unless state legislators pass laws permitting this. He’s argued his position all the way to the state’s highest court through Johnson’s case.

Democrat Rich Finneran, a former federal prosecutor who is challenging Schmitt, disagrees. He says prosecutors have a duty to uphold justice, not just convictions. He is calling on Schmitt to abandon his opposition to Gardner’s motion and instead advocate to the court that Johnson be granted a new trial.

With St. Louis County and other jurisdictions looking to follow Gardner’s lead, the outcome of the case will resonate for years to come. Through 2018, conviction integrity units across the country had been responsible for producing 344 exonerations nationwide, according to an amicus brief in support of Gardner submitted to the Missouri Supreme Court signed by 45 elected prosecutors in 25 states. A loss in this case could undermine the work of elected prosecutors nationally who are

20-0206_Print_Instacart_06_ROP3rdPage_4Print.pdf 1 10/9/20 2:04 PM

Lamar Johnson’s sister Candace Crisp and his mother Mae Johnson braved the cold to bring attention to Johnson’s case on Dec. 10, 2019, in front of the Old Post Office downtown. A group of about 25 community leaders and residents, organized by Color Of Change and Organization for Black Struggle, demonstrated outside of Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s office to demand that he stop trying to block a new trial for Lamar Johnson.

looking to increase accountability, said Miriam Krinsky executive director of Fair and Just Prosecution.

“And it could embolden those who are trying to push back on these reform-minded leaders,” she said.

Enter Eric Schmitt

After Gardner filed the motion in July 2019, Judge Hogan ordered that the attorney general’s office represent the state. Gardner, who represents the state in the City of St. Louis, disputed Hogan’s authority to bring in the attor-

ney general. Hogan countered that Gardner, by acting to address misconduct of a former employee, might threaten the integrity of the judicial process.

“That appointment has resulted in an unprecedented tug-of-war between two political offices who both claim to speak on behalf of the State,” according to the elected prosecutors’ amicus brief. “Johnson, in the meantime, remains stuck in the middle.”

Finneran is calling for Schmitt to take steps to secure Johnson’s release, saying the attorney general’s involvement in the case so far “is denying justice to a man who is by all

accounts innocent.”

“Eric Schmitt’s responsibility is not merely to secure and protect convictions,” Finneran said, “but to do justice.”

The Attorney General’s Office declined comment because the Johnson case is still ongoing, and Schmitt’s campaign did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

However, during the Missouri Supreme Court arguments in April for Johnson’s case, Schmitt’s team said the only way for a person to seek relief is to go through the appeal process or habeas corpus. That process can take years just to get a hearing, and historically the Attorney General’s Office opposes those appeals.

In court, the Attorney General’s Office also argued that Gardner could investigate wrongful convictions, but then she would have to turn over the evidence to the people sitting in prison and their lawyers for them to present it in court themselves.

“That’s not a very efficient mechanism,” said Missouri Supreme Court Judge Patricia Breckenridge. “We are much more likely to reach the truth of the matter if the circuit attorney, who has that information, is the party who can raise the issues before the court.”

Thirty elected prosecutors from rural Missouri counties submitted an amicus brief in support of Schmitt’s position. They stated that they “do not desire for this court to reallocate the appellate responsibilities of the Missouri Attorney General onto their already full shoulders.”

Landmark case

This case means more than just Johnson’s freedom.

It will also define the work of the conviction integrity units not only in St. Louis but in prosecutor’s offices throughout the state that are looking to follow Gardner’s lead.

Aside from wrongful convictions, the units also independently investigate and prosecute allegations of excessive force and other wrongdoing by law enforcement. These new units are one of the strongest, most tangible results of the movement for criminal justice reform in Missouri, said some advocates and attorneys.

If the state Supreme Court sides with Schmitt, then the future work of these units will be extremely limited in scope.

The Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments in Johnson’s case on April 14.

“All we are asking for is a court to hear this evidence,” said Daniel Scott Harawa, a professor at Washington University School of Law, who argued on behalf of Gardner’s office.

There are currently about 65 conviction integrity units throughout the country, but Missouri has had the toughest time moving forward, said Lindsey Runnels, Johnson’s attorney, who has worked on

many wrongful conviction cases through the Midwest Innocence Project.

Runnels pointed to Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, whose unit has led to 17 exonerations since 2018.

“A defense or innocence organization could never come close to effecting the number of exonerations that a CIU can accomplish,” Runnels said. “They can do things so much faster than the lawyers on the defense side can do through traditional post-conviction challenges.”

Krasner’s office can fast track a wrongful conviction case.

“He’s got his own investigators and he’s working alongside defense lawyers,” she said. “And that’s what we would hope a conviction integrity unit would eventually be able to do here.”

Unlike Gardner, other Missouri prosecutors have been able to take action in cases they think lack integrity — including Tim Lohmar, president of the Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys and the St. Charles County prosecutor.

In 2018, Lohmar moved to set aside the guilty pleas of two teenagers accused in 2015 of raping a 17-year-old woman, saying subsequent evidence cast doubt on the alleged victim’s accusation. Lohmar told Law360 that, “We felt it was our responsibility to be proactive in correcting a serious wrong.”

The attorney general did not join this case and the circuit judge did not refuse Lohmar’s motion, as the St. Louis City judge did.

“When I as a prosecutor believe that a conviction I obtained lacks integrity, I have a responsibility to make it right,” Lohmar told Law360. “It’s really that simple.”

Not willy nilly

In the states that already have a mechanism for elected prosecutors to bring forth wrongful conviction cases, they only recommend about 20 cases out of thousands of petitions, said Dana Mulhauser, chief of the Conviction and Incident Review Unit in St. Louis County.

“This is not a willy nilly undoing of the criminal justice system,” Mulhauser said. “This is fixing very specific and very egregious wrongs.

The units are a big part of addressing issues on the forefront of movement for criminal justice reform: accountability, integrity and violent crime.

“The conviction integrity unit is important in building the community’s trust with the criminal justice system,” Gardner said. “We all want the right person to be held accountable.”

Schmitt’s role in this case makes a notable difference from his predecessors, said Mike Wolff, former Missouri Supreme Court justice. While attorney generals in the past have perhaps disagreed with local prosecutors, Wolff said one has never overtly attacked and usurped a local prosecutor as Schmitt has done with Gardner.

“The attorney general doesn’t see himself as being on the same team as this local prosecutor,” Wolff said. Ricky Kidd was exonerated in August 2019 after spending 23 years in prison, and he was cellmates with Johnson at one time. He knows Johnson’s case well.

Now as an advocate with the Midwest Innocence Project, Kidd explained it this way: Schmitt is like the quarterback and Gardner is the offensive coordinator — and Schmitt threw a flag on his own team.

“Something is strange about that type of leadership,” Kidd said, “when Kim couldn’t go before the court and say that, ‘We got it wrong. Here’s the remedy to make it right.’ And you come running all the way from Jefferson City, going to St. Louis city metaphorically, and saying ‘Hold on, she don’t even have the authority to do that.’ The state is challenging itself.”

Rebecca Rivas is a reporter for The Missouri Independent: missouriindependent.com.

Photo by Wiley Price

From pandemic to collective plan

Non-profit leaders plot to use the COVID crisis to articulate a new movement

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

Of The St. Louis American

Standing on Evergreen Avenue right off Martin Luther King Drive in Wellston, Melvin White, founder of Beloved Streets of America, couldn’t have been prouder.

After 12 years, the organization dedicated to revitalizing MLK Dr. from Wellston to downtown St. Louis and beyond held its first annual MLK Street Festival on October 10. The blocked-off street was bustling with smiling faces, food trucks, live music, speeches, and vendors selling clothing, art, jewelry, oils and candles, and free COVID-19 testing.

n “I’m hoping the pandemic serves as an incentive for businesses and organizations to finally come together and form a collective plan.”

– Melvin White, Beloved Streets of America

“We’ve brought out the best in Black businesses,” White said. “Individuals and families are socializing and supporting one another. I’m looking at this event as proof that we can come together even during the most drastic conditions and empower one another.”

The “drastic conditions” White referenced is, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic. It was refreshing, he said, to see people who have been socially isolated, fearful, and distanced from community activities relax while demonstrating community support.

“Because of COVID we’ve lost a lot of businesses and lives,” White said. “I’m hoping the pandemic serves as an incentive for businesses and organizations to finally come together and form a collective plan to generate resources within our communities.”

Ironically, the conversation with White coincided with rapper/actor Ice Cube’s “Contract with Black America” proposal. Its introduction explains how the plan was written in the backdrop of “a global pandemic in which the Black mortality rate is more than double the White rate and in which 45% (nearly half) of Black-owned businesses closed.”

Deaconess Foundation takes step to increase inclusivity

Early adopter of Power Moves Assessment by National Committee For Responsive Philanthropy

By Dana Rieck Of The St. Louis American

After commissioning an outside agency to assess inclusivity and diversity efforts, the Deaconess Foundation is implementing changes and improvements to its practices. Kiesha Davis, director of Partnership and Capacity Building at the foundation, said the assessment is part of an ongoing effort within the organization.

“A few years ago, the foundation really worked to identify ways that we could codify our approach to advancing equity and justice within our approach to grant making,” she said. “Our board established a commitment to racial equity in our operations and all of the activities that we embarked on. This was really an opportunity to do a litmus test, as it were, on how well we were

The National Committee For Responsive Philanthropy launched the Power Moves Assessment tool kit a little over two years ago and has since been working with a variety of different funders.

‘Rising’ Black star at Midwest BankCentre, Inc.

Region’s only Black-led bank acquires Black-led data analytics firm

By Chris King Of The St. Louis American

Midwest BankCentre, Inc. is getting more analytical – and adding yet more Black leadership in the financial sector.

The parent company of Midwest BankCentre, the only regional bank led by an African American, it has now acquired Taylored Analytics to launch a new subsidiary, Rising Analytics. Founded in October 2007 by the husband-wife team of Kelvin and Tamila “Tammy” Taylor, the firm helps small to midsized businesses harness their data to drive business strategy and processes. It has worked with Fortune 500 companies in the financial, retail, restaurant, utility and telecommunications sectors.

Terms of the purchase were not disclosed.

Kelvin Taylor joined Midwest BankCentre in November 2019 as executive vice president-chief information officer. He remains in that role, while also serving as managing director of Rising Analytics.

“Kelvin’s strengths in the application of data analytics provide a tremendous advantage to businesses and organizations that want to continually improve the quality and effectiveness of their sales and marketing decisions,” said Orvin T. Kimbrough, chairman and CEO of Midwest BankCentre.

“He is passionate about equipping business leaders to effectively trans-

See BLACK STAR, A12

Melvin White, founder and CEO of Beloved Streets of America, on Martin Luther King Drive

Laura Godwin

Kelvin Taylor

Photo by Wiley Price

Continued from A11

The entertainer has come under fire after he met with President Donald Trump’s team and parts of his proposal was reportedly incorporated in Trump’s “Platinum Plan” for Black Americans. Controversy aside, considering the disproportionate damage done to African Americans, a post-COVID strategy is a priority for Malik Ahmed, retired founder and CEO of Better Family Life, Inc.

“What we’ve seen from the Great Recession that started in 2008 and with this pandemic is that the federal and state government doesn’t prioritize Black communities that have been disproportionately impacted by these catastrophes,” Ahmed said. Ahmed is the author of the newly released book “From the Projects to the Pyramids: In Search of a Better Family Life.” The symbolism of the title speaks to evolving from the current level of consciousness to another level of collective consciousness where improving and sustaining healthy Black lives and communities are priorities.

“We can use this COVID-19 crisis we’re in to start articulating a new civil and human rights movement,” Ahmed said. “We can start by addressing the disproportionate health disparities in the Black community then move to establishing robust small enterprises, then community and neighborhood development, and keep expanding until we become a major force in our own communities.”

Deaconess

Continued from A11

along the way in that journey and what other areas we could grow in that space.”

The outside agency, La Piana Consulting, conducted their study from March through June of this year, even as the pandemic and calls for racial

When White and Ahmed spoke of community development, both used the word “independent,” focusing on ways to make community reform self-starting and self-sustainable without solely relying on the government or mainstream corporations.

justice gripped the country.

“We’re always humbled by the insights that we get from our partners,” Davis said.

“This is like a snapshot of time, certainly in the midst of everything that’s happening in the community, we really appreciated folks being able to be thoughtful and candid in the feedback that they shared with us.” The assessment included

Michael Woods, co-founder of Dream Builders 4 Equity, is in complete agreement. Woods and his partner, Neal Richardson, started the nonprofit in 2017 with the goal of teaching urban youth how to rehab buildings, own property and make money from publishing books about their experiences.

“We want to be inspirational

18 recommendations categorized in areas where the foundation could either start some new activity to advance equity and justice or continue efforts that are already underway.

She noted one of the recommendations that is a newer concept to the foundation

to people to let them know we can create our own wealth,” Woods said. “We can be intentional about who we deal with, who we get funding from and prove that we don’t necessarily need anybody outside our community to do what we do.”

Trump’s plan, “The Biden Plan for Black America” and Cube’s “contract” all neglect to specify funding for grass-

is being more intentional and thoughtful when it comes to the language used in their public policy agenda communications across all platforms — in-person, social media and in other places online. She emphasized the need to be inclusive for folks who are differently abled.

Another area of the assessment Davos highlighted is offering more than just a grant to the foundation’s funded partners.

“So, for instance, if our partner said that social media training — given our transition to a more virtual environment — would be helpful and supportive in how they advance their work within the community, it would be incumbent upon us to figure out strategies, to bring information, learning and training to our partners in that particular space,” she said.

Black Star

Continued from A11

late their financial goals into well-informed business strategies and actions. We’re excited to make this practical expertise readily accessible to Midwest BankCentre’s clients and other small to mid-sized businesses and nonprofits.”

Kelvin Taylor earned bachelor’s degrees in economics and mathematics at Morehouse College and completed post-graduate studies in economics at University of Maryland, College Park. He has served locally on the United Way and Urban League

roots Black-led nonprofits.

“Black Responsibility” is one of Cube’s bullet points, but he doesn’t encourage hip-hop artists or Black entertainers to contribute to a fund to spearhead land ownership or community entrepreneurship.

Entertainers like Jay Z, TI, Queen Latifa and Akon all promote these community endeavors. In the post-COVID

As for how foundation officials will measure their success in incorporating these recommendations in the next year, Davis said it’s really about how their community of partners would assess the progress they have made.

“So, we will engage in deep listening with all of our partners throughout the course of the year and we’ll seek out opportunities for them to continue to provide us feedback on how well we’re doing,” Davis said.

“I would imagine within the course of the next year we could do a recap on where we said we wanted to start with our action planning and the kind of accomplishments that we have been able to make.”

Davis said the National Committee For Responsive Philanthropy launched the Power Moves Assessment tool kit a little over two years ago and has since been working with a variety of different funders. This tool kit touts itself as a self-assessment guide

boards of directors. He and his wife, Tamila Taylor, annually host a charity golf tournament to fund scholarships to Morehouse College, the nation’s top producer of Black males who continue their education and receive doctorates.

Kelvin Taylor said the acquisition is timely and strategic.

“It’s estimated that 90% of all the data in the world has been generated in the last two years. That explosive growth in customer, financial and operational data has changed the way businesses can achieve their goals,” Taylor said.

era, Ahmed said, Blacks have to face a harsh realism.

“We’ve got to come face-toface with the reality that these folks who control governments are not concerned with our interests,” Ahmed said, “and start to look out for ourselves.”

White said that Black nonprofits should collaborate, choose specific areas for redevelopment, create a plan based on their specific contributions (home and land ownership, small business and trade development) and collectively demand federal, state and local funding for their plan.

“With COVID, it’s only gotten worse for our businesses, our families and our communities,” White said. “Each year the state earmarks $30 billion for development. Part of those billions should flow to organizations out here dedicated to revitalizing neighborhoods, creating small businesses, jobs, and reducing crime. The time is now!”

Woods said he’s very much interested in partnering his nonprofit with others.

“Once other cultures see that we are building our own in respectable, equitable and possible ways,” Woods said, “I believe that’s when the transformation begins. It always starts with our mindset.”

“We have to make it known that we can pool our resources and believe in ourselves,” Ahmed said. “Because, after all, the only thing we have is ourselves.”

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

to help organizations view their strategies and practices through the lens of the power-equity relationship.

“We were very early on within that process of kind of supporting the launch of the toolkit. But we were apparently the first funders who have publicly kind of shared what our journey has looked like,” Davis said.

“And that was very surprising to us, but very heartening for us in being able to be transparent, not only for the folks who provided insights but to the larger filling product field — whether it be local or national. So, we hope to continue to be transparent with the entire sector, as folks kind of explore ways to pursue how they can advance equity and justice within their own work.”

The full assessment can be found on the Deaconess Foundation’s website. www. deaconess.org.

“But the majority of data projects fail when the data science team is unable to translate ‘geek speak’ to business language or when overly complex models fail to deliver one source of truth within organizations.”

Rising Analytics’ seven-member team focuses on capturing and using reliable data to help small to mid-sized business owners, franchises and nonprofits gain customer insights and automate routine tasks.

“We apply the skills and insights used by industry giants to develop data strategies that deliver actionable insights through advanced analytics,” Taylor said. “Our implementation roadmaps, customer segmentation analyses, sales pipeline scoring and customer profitability analyses help organizational leaders better plan and communicate their priorities, concentrate their brainpower and create stronger futures.”

Midwest BankCentre’s assets exceed $2 billion and deposits total more than $1.5 billion. The bank employs a staff of about 280 working at 18 bank locations in the City of St. Louis, St. Louis, Jefferson and St. Charles counties in Missouri and St. Clair County

Kiesha Davis

Photo by Wiley Price

St. Louis County has new voting app for Nov. 3 election

Democratic Director of Elections Eric Fey (left) and Republican Director of Elections Rick Stream discussed a new voting app at the board’s offices in St. Ann on October 21.

Photo by Dana Rieck

‘We are trying to give people some kind of idea of how many people are in line’

By Dana Rieck Of The St. Louis American

3 election.

Democratic Director of Elections Eric Fey and Republican Director of Elections Rick Stream held a press conference to unveil the app and update the public on election operations.

The app allows voters to see how many people are in line at any polling place in the county in almost real-time, with county employees updating the website frequently.

“It gives the voters a closeto-exact number of how many people are standing in line at the time,” Fey said. “So, we are trying to give people some kind of idea of how many people are in line, and we hope to roll this through all the way to election day.”

Thanks to updated election equipment, St. Louis County voters are not confined to one polling place and are able to vote at any of the 231 polling locations open for the election.

And while the county had over 400 polling places for the last presidential election, the directors said the new technology, coupled with changing voter methods, means that cutting locations in half should not create any logistical problems. Stream cited several reasons for the reduced number of polling places, which are all tied into the COVID-19 pandemic.

First, he noted that private entities like churches and business are no longer volunteering their space for polling due to safety concerns. Second, the county lost a large portion of its poll workers also due to concerns of safety. Stream noted that 70% of poll workers are over the age of 60 and 35% of those people are over the age of 70. And third, Fey added, the

approximately 20% increase in absentee ballots reduces the need for physical polling places.

“So, while we may have a higher turnout this year than we did in 2016, many fewer voters will be voting at a polling place on election day than they did in 2016.” Fey said. “And voters have more flexibility now than they did 2016. You can vote at any polling place in St. Louis County.”

The announcement came the day after St. Louis County Council voted of 4-3 to accept a $2 million grant Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL), an organization doling out election grants across the country which are funded by a $250 million donation from Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan.

Stream said they expect to receive the $2,048,474 grant almost immediately and put it to use on unforeseen election expenditures, like the increase in mail-in ballot postage as well as salaries for poll workers and absentee ballot handlers.

“There’s just a tremendous number of additional expenditures over and above what we had budgeted for last year before COVID,” Stream said. “So, we will be able to use the money on these additional expenditures.”

October 21 was the deadline for both St. Louis County and city residents to request an absentee ballot. The deadline to apply for absentee ballots was 5 p.m. October. Both directors urged people to mail in those ballots as soon as they receive them.

Stream also said that even if a person requests a mail-in or absentee ballot, they can always vote in person. He emphasized a person cannot vote twice, even if they request a mail-in ballot and then decide to vote in person.

“If you request an absentee or mail-in ballot and it never gets there for some reason … you always have another opportunity to vote,” he said. “We’ve

had a massive shift in the method of voting in Missouri and St. Louis County so a lot of people are voting by mail and they’ve never done that before. So, they are uncertain about it and they have questions. We will tell you if something went wrong with your ballot and give you a chance to fix it.”

Access the voting app at https://tinyurl.com/STL-voteapp.

“Taking Care of You”

A&E Council awards $115K

Jason Frazier, president and CEO of MindsEye, shows where the radio station for the blind has listeners.

MindEye’s Pandemic LongDistance Audio Description Network is one of 13 grant recipients awarded by the Arts and Education Council in partnership with Missouri Foundation for Health.

Funding will benefit 13 organizations through the Arts and Healing Initiative

American staff

The Arts and Education Council awarded 13 organizations a total of $115,000 in funding through the Arts and Healing Initiative, a new program, in partnership with Missouri Foundation for Health, aimed at increasing the capacity to heal through the arts.

“I’m thankful for the support of Missouri Foundation for Health, who made this initiative possible and for the additional support from Crawford Taylor Foundation, Missouri Arts Council, Marillac Mission Fund, Graybar and Church on the Rock,” said Cynthia A. Prost, Arts and Education Council president and CEO.

In the Angel Band Project Telehealth Music Therapy for Survivors, board-certified music therapists with experience in trauma will conduct music therapy programs with survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence. Arts as Healing Foundation Creative

n “We believe the arts have a critical role in improving an individual’s health and social well-being.”

– Cynthia A. Prost, Arts and Education Council president and CEO

Outreach Program will provide virtual and in-person art classes customized for two organizations in the St. Louis area: Pink Ribbon Girls, working with breast and gynecologic cancer patients, and the City of Ferguson, focusing on community residents with chronic illnesses. A Call to Conscience Celebration of Survival Project will use the arts, including

theater, visual art and narrative storytelling, to provide information, resources, opportunity and access to restorative health.

Fathers and Families Support Center Youth Leadership and Development Program provides integrated services and activities that reduce high-risk behaviors and increased self-sufficiency of youth, specifically between the ages of 14-24 with assistance and guidance from mentors.

Girls Inc. Girls and Images of Healing will use girl-generated photography inspired by what they “see” as relevant and healing about their homes, families and community. Girls in grades 8-12 will receive disposable cameras, learn photography techniques and be supported by experienced photographers.

Good Journey Development Foundation Xpress U Thru Art will allow young people to explore trauma, oppression,

See A&E COUNCIL, A15

Kids, stress and COVID

By Dr. Denise Hooks-Anderson Of The St. Louis American

In the past several months, our lives have been altered in multiple ways. Many of our jobs transitioned to home, that is if we were privileged enough to have such an option. For others, job loss is what they experienced. Children began virtual school, and ZOOM became a normal part of our daily vernacular. In other words, the COVID19 pandemic, infiltrated every aspect of our existence and uprooted our well-established routines. Therefore, it is no surprise that anxiety and depression have been on the rise. Therapists and psychiatrists have reported that they have seen their caseloads increase. Those of us in primary care are also noticing more headache and insomnia complaints which are both somatic manifestations of stress and anxiety. Gastrointestinal concerns such as abdominal pain, nausea, and indigestion are also frequently reported during times of distress.

n Be creative and schedule a socially distanced drive through parade or a ZOOM scavenger hunt with their friends and family.

However, I feel like we have spent a lot of time discussing adult related issues during this pandemic and not enough time on the effects this public health crisis has had on our children. Disruption in routine is a major cause of behavior problems in young children. Therefore, adults need to be keenly aware of changes they are noticing in the young people in their lives.

“Has the child’s appetite changed?” “Has the child started to wet the bed when they had previously been potty trained?” “Have you noticed the child is showing no interest in things they once found pleasurable?” These behaviors are warning signs that something is wrong and needs to be addressed immediately. Children are not mini adults, and they lack the ability to fully express themselves in words. Most children cannot tell you that they feel depressed and anxious. Children act it out instead.

So, what should you do if you start to notice some of these behaviors? How and

Overdose death disparities widen

Call for action to address unequal access to treatment as pandemic rages

By Nichole Dawsey For The St. Louis American

As the COVID-19 global health pandemic continues to impact every part of our lives, overdose deaths continue to skyrocket, particularly in the Black community.

Between January 2020 and the end of June, 165 individuals in the City of St. Louis lost their lives to an overdose, representing a 36% increase from the same period in 2019. But those deaths are not impacting white and Black residents proportionally. In fact, according to preliminary data released by the Missouri Institute for Mental Health, overdose death rates for the first half of 2020 among Black residents have increased by 54% while increasing among white residents by just 11%. This despite the fact that only 33% of the regional population is Black.

Black males continue to bear the brunt of

n We must advocate for a rapid implementation and full funding of Missouri’s Medicaid Expansion.

this tragedy. And for those paying attention, this comes as no surprise.

Hesitancy in Calling 911. Our region, our state, and our country have a long, storied history of racial segregation, health disparities, systemic racism, and generally ignoring issues that impact communities of color. Indeed, one of the biggest barriers to seeking help for a substance use disorder is fear of arrest. According to a Pew

See OVERDOSE, A15

by 54% while increasing among white residents by just 11%.

Photo by Chris King

According to the Missouri Institute for Mental Health, overdose death rates for the first half of 2020 among Black residents have increased

Photo by Wiley Price

Denise HooksAnderson, MD

“Taking Care of

Regional Health Commission says vote no on Amendment 3

Change in voting policies would worsen health equity by disempowering minorities

American staff

The St. Louis Regional Health Commission joined more than 300 business, community and civic organizations across the state in taking a public stand against Amendment 3, which would radically change how state House and Senate districts are drawn in Missouri and would reverse fair mapping policies passed by Missouri voters in 2018 under “Clean Missouri.”

“The public health landscape is constantly changing and expanding. The more we learn, the more we understand that factors indirectly related to health – like voting policies – are critical in building a healthy society,” said Angela Fleming Brown, CEO of the St. Louis Regional Health Commission. “As a public health leader in St. Louis, I strongly oppose Amendment 3, which would hurt our democracy and put policies that promote health and healthy equity at risk.”

The St. Louis Regional Health Commission – an appointed body of government, health care and community leadership that serves as a key regional health planning body for the region – believes in health equity where someone’s race, background or ethnicity should not predict their ability to obtain health care access or good health outcomes. Amendment 3 would weaken constitutional protections for voters of color, and Amendment 3’s proposed change to who counts in legislative district maps would disproportionately take away political power from Black and Brown communities.

Amendment 3 is designed to draw district maps based on the eligible voter population of the state, meaning that children and noncitizens would not count when district maps are drawn. This would dramatically impact how communities are represented and funded at the State Capitol, in ways that would negatively impact the entire St. Louis region. Data also show that drawing maps without counting everyone would also disproportionately impact Black, Latino and Asian communities.

To learn more about why the St. Louis Regional Health Commission is encouraging Missourians to vote NO on Amendment 3 visit https://tinyurl.com/STLrhc-3.

Overdose

Continued from A14

Charitable Trust survey in 2016, white people were far more likely to have confidence in their police department (42% a lot, 39% some) than Black people (14% a lot, 41% some).

The War on Drugs, a failed, racist, agenda has only perpetuated the problem. Far too often, white folks seeking respite from their chronic illness are channeled into treatment facilities, self-help groups, and drug courts. Black folks, on the other hand are more likely to see the inside of a jail cell or probation office.

Anderson

Continued from A14 when should you intervene?

It is important to acknowledge that a problem exists, which is the first step. Secondly, examine ways to

A&E Council

Continued from A14

emotions, resiliency, the ability to develop self-care, to develop community care, and ability to positively project internally and externally through the creation of art. For the Jazz St. Louis Beat

NF: A Jazz Music Motor Therapy Program for Toddlers with Special Needs, Washington University Neurofibromatosis (NF) Center has developed a oneof-a-kind jazz music motor therapy program that focuses on frequently delayed skills in

Lack of access to resources

The American Community Survey reveals that within the City of St. Louis, Black residents are twice as likely to be uninsured than white residents. Lack of insurance (either Medicaid or private commercial insurance) means that people are unable to access affordable treatment or harm reduction measures, like Narcan. A lack of transportation infrastructure also makes it difficult for people who want help to receive help. This is only exacerbated by a lack of brick and mortar treatment facilities north of the infamous Delmar Divide.

Distrust of existing systems. While opioid use began to appear on newspaper and

lessen the impact of all the changes that were made early in the pandemic. For example, many children have been unable to have play dates or spend time with extended family. Therefore, be creative and schedule a socially distanced drive through parade or a ZOOM scavenger hunt with

young children with NF1, in partnership with Jazz St. Louis educational staff and St. Louis Children’s Hospital Therapy Services practitioners.

MindsEye Pandemic LongDistance Audio Description Network (PLAN) will build on the success of the Audio Description Program and the Arts and Culture Accessibility Cooperative in improving quality of life and community connection of people in our region with a visual disability. This initiative will translate aspects of these programs into in-home access to ensure that patrons with a visual disability have access to the power of the arts, even amid the COVID-19

television headlines between 2010 and 2015, St. Louis’s Black community had been enduring an opioid crisis for decades. Many still attest that systems only began to pay attention when white, suburban teenagers began to overdose.

Incarceration-first policing models, prejudice against “drug addicts,” misunderstanding about medication-assisted-treatment and the rise of “white savior” mentalities have created deep rifts between the entities charged with providing assistance and those most needing that assistance.

What now? We must insist that entities apply a racial equity lens when providing

their friends and family. I have also seen families taking hikes or learning new skills such as fishing or baking.

services. We must demand innovative strategies to address community needs that elevate lived experience. Entities like NOMODEATHS (www.nomodeaths.org) and the MO-HOPE Project (www.mohopeproject. org) are attempting to do this work, but more must be done. We must tear down barriers that prevent people from getting the help they need and further explore strategies that will save lives. Sample strategies include sterile syringe access and expansion of addiction medicine into the primary health care setting. Moreover, so long as individuals at high risk of witnessing or experiencing an overdose have a deep distrust of 911 responses, we must expand access to nalox-

Focusing attention on ways to help the underserved in our communities is also beneficial to children during this time. Encourage children to think of ways to help others. Some families have been making masks or creating positive messages and printing them on cards. These activities keep children busy and help them channel their energies in other directions. It is never too early to instill in children an “attitude of gratitude” so that they can recognize their blessings. This

one and breathing masks, at homes, in churches, and in community centers.

We must advocate for a rapid implementation and full funding of Missouri’s Medicaid Expansion. Medicaid Expansion, as passed by Missouri voters in August 2020, will increase access to affordable treatment and medication, helping to reduce the racial disparities that exist due to socio-economic and employment factors.

We must empower African-American families with knowledge and education to be an advocate for their loved one, by providing support and attending provider appointments.

new ability helps children learn how to reflect upon those blessings when they are feeling sad.

As we navigate this new normal that the year 2020 has ushered in, let us be sensitive to how this pandemic has affected our children. If you continue to notice that your

Nurse practitioner Nicole Crisp wears a see-though mask donated to CareSTL Health pediatricians and nurse practitioners by the Missouri Commission on the Deaf and Hard of hearing. The masks are for providers who have hearing-impaired patients so they can still see facial expressions and read lips while providers wear masks as part of safety protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic. Masks

This is not an exhaustive list of ways to remedy the situation. Rather, they are next steps in a long journey to address the consequences of systemic racism in our region. The current surge in overdose deaths particularly among our Black residents, is a cause for serious alarm and should serve as a wake-up call to service providers, politicians and corporations. All options must be on the table to remedy this dire situation, as every data point represented is someone’s mother, father, brother, sister, cousin, or child. To talk to a counselor or to join the fight, contact us at www.ncada-stl.org Nichole Dawsey is executive director of NCADA.

child is exhibiting concerning behavior, please reach out to their doctor. Some children during this time may need professional help.

Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D., FAAFP, is the medical accuracy editor of The St. Louis American. pandemic.

Saint Louis University Radical Forgiveness and Radical Imagination with the Justice Fleet is a mobile, social justice, pop up museum that fosters communal healing through art, dialogue, and play, expanding safe access to the arts and healing through interactive exhibits.

SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation Dance Therapy will help patients improve self-esteem and body image, develop effective communication skills and relationships, expand their movement, gain insights into patterns of behavior and create new options for coping with

problems.

St. Louis ArtWorks Art Therapy will be provided to participants in individual art therapy sessions at St. Louis Art Works. Their art therapist will meet with each participant at the start of every program to identify and address barriers and to engage with participants throughout the program to address issues identified by apprentices.

St. Louis Crisis Nursery Healing Hearts provides critical art and expressive play interventions for children between the ages of 3-12 years whose families are facing challenges such as homelessness/ transiency, domestic violence,

extreme poverty, parental substance abuse, and significant parental health issues. Each participating child will receive their own art supply kit, delivered to their home or shelter and will be led through art and expressive play activities virtually.

Prison Performing Arts’ The Healing Power of Telling Your Story allows individuals completing their sentences at the Transition Center of St. Louis, a community reentry facility in North City operated by the Missouri Department of Corrections, opportunities for self-paced, hands-on learning in their pursuit of selfawareness and healing.

“We believe the arts have a critical role in improving an individual’s health and social well-being,” said Prost. “This initiative was needed in our community even before the spread of COVID-19, but now more than ever people will look for ways to heal, emotionally and physically. As our arts community continues to find innovative ways to lift our community during the pandemic, we know that they will find innovative ways to heal through the arts.” For more information about the Arts and Education Council and the Arts and Healing Initiative, visit KeepArtHappening.org

Angela Fleming Brown

Photo by CareSTL Health

Clean energy, Black power and Joe Biden

By Dana Rieck Of The St. Louis American

“Clean energy is benefiting communities of color not only by reducing air pollution, but also providing good jobs,” said Bob Pashos, a climate activist who works for Straight Up Solar, a local company that installs solar panels. “That is why folks are supporting Biden, who is advocating a major expansion of clean energy.”

The Clean Energy for Biden (CE4B) network acknowledges the disproportionate impact climate change and pollution have on Black communities and other minority communities.

Richmond Heights Councilman Maurice Muia said that’s a particularly important issue in the St. Louis region.

“Under the Biden plan, he talks about how he would like to focus on communities where there are high concentrations of people of color — especially those who have been disadvantaged for a long time,” Muia said. “We live in St. Louis — we know the ills of policies of the past that have impacted St. Louis. Specifically on clean energy, it’s an opportunity to train and rebuild communities.”

Muia, who is also an electrical engineer, said St. Louis needs to prepare for the clean energy of the future by ensuring all newly constructed buildings are compatible with solar panels and edging toward mass use of electrical vehicles.

“Hopefully we can do that through the county and throughout the whole state of Missouri,” Muia said. “But I know where we live, and that’s going to take some time.”

Gilbert Campbell, co-founder and CEO of Volt Energy, pointed to health disparities such as Black children are three times more likely than white children to suffer from asthma – and a disparity in a little-

Maurice Muia

“Biden talks about how he would like to focus on communities where there are high concentrations of people of color,” said Richmond Heights Councilman Maurice Muia.

known area called “climate wealth.”

“The communities that have benefited the least from environmental policy and things like that should be at the front line of benefiting from the

n “Clean energy is benefiting communities of color. That is why folks are supporting Biden, who is advocating a major expansion of clean energy.”

– Bob Pashos, of Straight Up Solar

climate revolution in our country — which has really going on through the last 10 years — and that hasn’t happened,” Campbell said. “So there needs to be more African-American solar firms that are thriving.”

To get to that point, Campbell argued, Fortune 500 companies and entities such as universities are going to have to intentionally seek out Black-

“The communities that have benefited the least from environmental policy should be at the front line of benefiting from the climate revolution,” said Gilbert Campbell of Volt Energy.

owned companies when searching for long-term clean energy solutions.

“That’s important, as a developer, when we sign a power purchase agreement (PPA), that’s a 20-year agreement that the client is going to buy electricity from us, so that creates real wealth,” Campbell.

“You’re getting residual income for 20 years. You know most of the Fortune 500 companies have signed record numbers of PPAs, but a very low percentage with African American developers.”

Muia and Pashos emphasized the need for long-terms plans and goals that are acted on immediately – for both how to involve communities of color and to slow the negative effects of climate change. Muia said it’s all about making investments in the future now, even if the returns take a little longer than people would like.

“We need to make sure that schools are where they need to be, because when you make that investment at age five, you don’t see that return until age 18, at the very least, and then you see a much larger return at age 20, 21, 22, by the time someone graduates with their bachelor’s,” Muia said. “So, it takes time to see that return.”

Gilbert Campbell

NEWSPAPER IN EDUCATION

Planting the Seeds for Success!

PRESENT:

Healthy Kids

Healthcare Careers

Resisting Leftover Candy

If you have a bag FULL of Halloween candy — what can you do to help you resist over-loading on sweets? Some tricks to follow are:

Brush your teeth after you’ve had a piece of candy. Having fresh, clean teeth can help you resist eating another piece. Bonus — brushing also helps get the sticky sugar off of your teeth to help prevent cavities!

Consider “donating” your candy to a food pantry, family shelter or other

Exercise Challenge:

Unplug!

Halloween Safety

Now is the time to talk about staying safe during your trickor-treating. Here are a few very important things to remember.

According to some statistics, the average American child spends as much as 4 hours a day watching TV and another 2 hours playing video games and having fun on a computer. That’s 6 hours each day!

Instead of spending so much time in front of screens… why

Walk with a parent or older sibling.

Wear reflective clothing or something light/bright to be more visible to cars.

Carry a flashlight, if possible, to watch for obstacles while walking such as holes, fences, flower-pots, etc.

group that might appreciate your leftover treats. When you do have a treat, remember to do some extra, fun activities to burn off the extra calories.

Weekly Newspaper in Education Program

Can you think of other uses for your bag-o-candy?

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

not go outside and get some exercise? Try reducing your TV watching by one hour each day, and spend that hour throwing a football, riding a bike, playing kickball or some other fun outdoor activity with your friends. That one hour can make a big difference in how you look and feel.

Do not eat any candy until your parent(s) have had a chance to “inspect” it.

Never go inside someone’s home.

Watch for cars! They might not see you in the dark.

Do you know other ways to help you stay safe?

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 5

Cracker Spiders

Ingredients:

10 Round Wheat Crackers, 40 Small Stick Pretzels, 4 Tbsp Low-Fat Cream Cheese, 10 Raisins

Directions: Spread softened cream cheese onto five of the crackers. Lay eight of the pretzels onto the cheese (like legs) and top with the second set of five crackers. Use a dab of cream cheese to add raisin eyes to the spiders. Makes 5 cracker spiders.

Where do you work? I work at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Where did you go to school? I graduated from Dupo Community High School in Dupo, Illinois. I then earned an Associate in Applied Sciences from Forest Park Community College in St. Louis, Missouri. What does a radiology technologist do? Each day that I work, I take pictures of kids’ broken bones and upset stomachs. I try my best to make my patients feel at ease even though they may be in pain.

Why did you choose this career? It is very rewarding knowing that I can help people by figuring out what is wrong with them — through the x-rays that I provide.

What is your favorite part of the job you have?

Children can be the least judgmental people and they have the biggest hearts. Making kids smile in their time of need is my favorite part of my job.

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

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

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

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

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT

Patrick Henry

Elementary School teacher Ms. Jackson works with 3rd grade student Leana to complete a STEM activity using dominoes energy to study force, an activity inspired by the weekly STEM page found in The St. Louis American.

SCIENCE CORNER

What is Microbiology?

Microbiology is the study of organisms that are so small, they can only be seen with a microscope. These micro pic organisms include bacteria, algae, fungi, protozoa, and viruses. These are also known as microbes. Why is it important to study microbiology? It can give scientists information about nutrients, climate change, food safety, and the cause and control of diseases.

There have been many big discoveries in microbiology, such as the invention of

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

Soaps and Sanitizers:

Do they prevent the growth of mold?

In this experiment, you will see how effective soap and hand sanitizers are at preventing the growth of mold.

Materials Needed:

• 8 Slices of Bread with No Preservatives

• 16 Ziploc Bags • Latex Gloves • Masking Tape • Pen

• Toaster • Knife • Spray Bottle • Baking Sheet

• Camera • Teaspoon • Liquid Soap • Hand Sanitizer

penicillin, the smallpox vaccine, etc. Microbiologists can work as health care professionals, teachers, research technicians, veterinarians, and environmental scientists. If you enjoy gardening, working with microscopes, healthy lifestyles, and environmental causes, microbiology is for you.

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

Procedure:

STEP ONE: Put on latex gloves and toast 4 slices of bread, leave 4 slices untoasted.

STEP TWO: Cut all 8 slices of bread in half so that you have 16 slices of bread—8 toasted, 8 not toasted.

STEP THREE: Prepare the Ziploc bags according to the chart.

STEP FOUR: Begin filling the bags. Place the bread and toast in the bags that receive no treatments. Place these bags on the baking sheet.

STEP FIVE: Next, use the spray bottle to mist water on the bread and toast that receive water only. Place these bags on the baking sheet.

STEP SIX: Next, add a teaspoon of hand soap to the spray bottle and spray the bread and toast samples with “hand soap only.” Place these bags on the baking sheet.

STEP SEVEN: Rinse out the spray bottle and add the hand sanitizer. Spray the remaining bread and toast samples and place them in their bags on the baking sheet.

STEP EIGHT: Place the baking sheet next to a window in sunlight.

STEP NINE: Take pictures each day for 21 days to observe the rate that mold grows.

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

Finding Patterns

African-American Microbiologist Agnes Day

Agnes Day was born in 1952 in Plains, Georgia. She was the youngest of 13 children and was raised by her third grade teacher, Rose Marie Bryon. As a young child, Day was very interested in science. She enjoyed walking in the woods, catching insects, and observing animals. She graduated from Mainland Senior High School and then went to Florida, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Bethune Cookman College. In 1984, she earned a PhD in microbiology from Howard University.

After graduation, Day worked at the Bone Research Branch at the National Institute of Dental Research. Four years later, she returned to Howard University as a professor. In 1992, she became a tenured associate professor of microbiology in Howard University’s College of Medicine. Day taught students medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy. Day has served as a mentor to more than 40 students. Personally, her research focused on breast cancer and drug resistant fungi. She also worked to review research grants for the National Institute of Health, National Science Foundation, and the Department of Defense Cancer Research Institute.

Day has published journal articles, has been interviewed by PBS, and has been a part of numerous speaking panels. Day was awarded the Outstanding Research Award by the Howard University College of Medicine, in 1995. She also received the College’s Kaiser-Permanente Outstanding Teaching Award. She received the William A. Hinton Award for outstanding mentoring in 2011. Day is a member of the American Association for Cancer Research and the American Society for Microbiology where she is a member of the Committee on Microbiological Issues which Impact Minorities (CMIIM). She also served as a consultant for the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Black Churches-Black Colleges program.

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

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

Phrases: Scan the front newspaper looking for phrases that give acknowledgment to the source of information, such as: he said, allegedly, an informed source, according to, etc. Underline the phrases as you find them in the newspaper.

DID YOU KNOW?

bacteria. There are approximately 100,000 bacteria on a square centimeter of human skin.

The Four Kinds of Sentences: Find two examples of each of the four kinds of sentences: declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, and imperative

Learning Standards:

I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can find identified sources and identify types of sentences.

Photo by art teacher Carolyn Bryant

JJOIN OIN TThe he HSD TEAM! HSD TEAM!

How to watch the election returns on Nov. 3

By Mike Jones Of The St. Louis American

•Amendment3iswritten totrickyou. Itchanges lobbyistgiftlimitsby only$5andcontribution limitsbyjust$100.

•Amendment3reverses voter-approved redistrictingreforms to letlobbyistsandpolitical operativesdrawmaps thatprotectincumbent politicians.

•Amendment3willhurt ourcommunities. It weakensconstitutional protectionsforBlack andbrownvoters,and wouldweakenour politicalpowerin JeffersonCity.

The underlining operating principle of cable television news is not to inform viewers but to attract viewers because basically they’re in the business of selling advertising and people who buy advertising are primarily concerned with the size of the viewing audience. So, your favorite cable channel’s primary concern on Tuesday, November 3 will be to keep you watching. To keep you watching, they have to keep you in suspense. So, here’s a cheat sheet for watching election returns that will take the mystery and suspense out of election night. It’s how hardened political professionals like James Carvell and Steve Schmidt will be watching and the tells they’ll be looking for. The first early state that matters is Florida. If Joe Biden wins Florida, the game is over; you can put a fork in Trump. If Trump wins Florida, the next early state tell is North Carolina. If Biden wins North Carolina, he has probably won the night, but you’ll want to wait for Pennsylvania for confirmation. If Biden wins Florida and North Carolina then it will be a rout; you can change the channel or go to bed early, because it’s game, set, match. The only question is the final score. If Biden loses Florida and North Carolina, then don’t panic if you’re a Biden voter, because all that has happened is

Trump didn’t lose the first two home games. The series then moves to Pennsylvania, where a Biden win means Biden is in position to close out the series with wins in Wisconsin and Michigan. Biden holds the serve by winning Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan; Trump can’t win the election because there’s no Republican road to 270 electoral college votes at that point. If you’re interested in what the professionals will be watching if Biden wins Florida and North Carolina, then it’s Texas, Arizona and Iowa, especially Texas. If Biden wins these three, it means the Republicans have been gutted and are no longer in a position to be a national party and America’s politics have finally caught up with its tectonic demographic changes.

It would also mean that Democrats have picked up

two additional U.S. Senate seats (they’re on track to win Arizona regardless) and have control of the Senate with room to spare. You will also wake up on Wednesday, November 4 to a changed national state-level political landscape as well. The board is set that one of the above scenarios is possible and even probable, but probability is not predictability. You still have to run the race, and because something should have gone a certain way, doesn’t mean it will go a certain way. So, what’s the plan if Trump wins and Republicans maintain control of the Senate? Then on Wednesday morning start, searching for countries that may welcome Black American refugees. Because we’re out of here.

Mike Jones is a member of The St. Louis American

editorial board.

Guest Columnist Mike Jones

The first early state that matters is Florida. If Joe Biden wins Florida, the game is over; you can put a fork in Trump.

Street artist and musician keeps it tropical

Jamaica Ray braves COVID and cops to make his art and music

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

Of The St. Louis American

This story was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center as part of the 63106 Project, a St. Louis-based non-profit racial equity storytelling project.

“Oh, oh.” Jamaica Ray kept an eye on the patrol car slowly rolling down the alley where he was working. The cruiser backed up and stopped in front of the metal fence where Ray knelt in the back yard.

The artist and musician is well known as the man who plays steel drums in front of the iconic century-old Crown Candy Kitchen. Since the spread of the new coronavirus early this year, Ray has been working elsewhere. On this day he was painting elaborate, tropical and cultural images on the exterior of a historic two-story building in the Old North neighborhood.

The window of the cruiser slid down. The officer inside asked, “Can we talk with you a minute?” Ray remembered thinking: “Oh s**t. Here we go.”

He wasn’t doing anything wrong, just painting a wooden pole on his lap that would soon host a colorful bird house. But he realized, sitting on the ground, he might look suspicious.

“Jamaica, is that you?”

Turns out a policeman was showing a new female recruit the neighborhood, and he recognized Ray from Crown Candy. The encounter ended pleasantly with Ray giving the officers a tour of the building and his work. As they parted, the policeman wished Ray a quick return to the restaurant once the virus is under control.

That may be awhile. Crown Candy, like many other restaurants, has reopened, but without nearly as many customers as it had pre-pandemic. Jamaica, the Rastafarian artist, has been working on his mannequins and building his steel drum sets inside his cubby next door Crown. But because of the virus, he’s neither playing nor mingling with waiting customers as he used to do.

Even so, Jamaica said, “Life is still “100% tropical. In my mind, it’s always palm trees and 90 degrees outside. I may not be there visually, but I’m there mentally.”

Life may be copacetic in his head but his predictions about the surging pandemic and the upcoming election betrayed his calm, detached demeanor. “We haven’t seen the worst yet,” he said. “It’s going to get bad, Mon.” This season will be the first real “COVID winter,” Ray predicted.

“The pandemic started at the end of a mild

n “People think I’m a street musician, but I never played on a corner until I came to St. Louis.”

– Jamaica Ray

winter,” Ray said. “Last year, when it hit, I was outside of Crown with just a jacket on. This winter ain’t gonna be no joke. And I think it’s going to be worse.”

Last year in the U.S., there were 40 times as

many flu cases in the fall and winter as in the previous spring and summer. Influenza colliding with a surging coronavirus pandemic is a lose/ lose scenario. The symptoms of the flu and COVID-19 are similar. Outbreaks of both simultaneously could overwhelm hospitals, doctor offices and laboratories that test for both respiratory illnesses.

Ray and his neighbors may be particularly vulnerable. They live in 63106, a zip code that has been identified as ranking last in our region for social determinants of health. Based on data from the 2010 census and the St. Louis Department of Health, the life expectancy of a child born in 63106 is 67 years old, compared

BAG brought to life on screen

Documentary on the Black Artists’ Group premieres at SLIFF

By Chris King Of The St. Louis American

Bryan Dematteis’ documentary film

“The Black Artists’ Group: Creation Equals Movement,” which will premiere at the 2020 St. Louis International Film Festival from November 5-22, was a long time in the making. Dematteis began working on the film in 2014, and the Black Artists’ Group dissolved back in 1972, so this movie took either six years or a half-century to be made, depending on how you look at it.

Dematteis told The American that he canned more than 50 hours of on-camera interviews for this lean, 48-minute film. The new interviews he conducted – of BAG principals such as Oliver Lake, the late Hamiet Bluiett, Malinke Elliott, the late Shirley LeFlore, Portia Hunt, George Sams and the late Charles “Bobo” Shaw – form a valuable contribution to the history of black artist movements and of St. Louis. The interviews all look and sound great, and the subjects are eloquent. Given how long Dematteis worked

‘Culturally competent leadership is necessary in Missouri’ Page B8

Black women rock at The Rep

Hana Sharif welcomes Regina Taylor and Adena Varner to creative team

American staff

When Steven Woolf selected Hana S. Sharif to follow in his legendary footsteps as the Augustin Family Artistic Director at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis last summer, a door of diversity and inclusion was opened within the leadership of the nationally acclaimed regional theater company. The past few weeks have seen Sharif use the same door to usher two Black women into significant creative roles within the organization. First, The Rep announced that Award-winning actress and playwright Regina Taylor was named Playwright-in-Residence.

“We are thrilled to have Regina Taylor’s multi-disciplinary artistry and activism integrated into The Rep’s artistic and community programming models for three years,” Sharif said. “Over the course of her residency, we look forward to collaborating on innovative artistic forms, grassroots community building and developing new work for the national canon.” The residency, funded in collaboration with The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and HowlRound Theatre Commons, provides three years of funding for a diverse group of American playwrights to embed with selected theatres around the country.

“My goal is to create work that speaks to community,” said Taylor. “I believe the arts flow through everything, and I live and breathe it. That’s who I am and what I do. I’m very excited about this opportunity.”

n “My goal is to create work that speaks to community.”

Most recently seen in Episode 9 of HBO’s critically acclaimed drama “Lovecraft Country,” Taylor is a Golden Globe and NAACP Image Award-winning actress best known for her starring role in the mid-century NBC period drama

– Regina Taylor

Bryan Dematteis’ documentary film “The Black Artists’ Group: Creation Equals Movement” will premiere at the 2020 St. Louis International Film Festival from November 5-22.

Photo courtesy of Oliver Lake

“I’ll Fly Away.” As a playwright, Taylor penned “Crowns.” The musical celebrates Black identity and offers insight on the Black experience from the perspective of faith – and the opulent hat fashions that have been synonymous with Black church fashion for centuries.

“Crowns” was a part of the Rep’s 20042005 season. Nationally the show has become a popular touring production within the Black musical theater canon since it debuted nearly two decades ago.

Taylor’s first piece with The Rep, titled Love and Kindness in the Time of Quarantine, reflects her investment in the artistic voices of St. Louis.

“I am excited to experience the ways Regina’s artistry will be influenced by the richness of the greater St. Louis landscape and in turn how her resonant voice and vision will impact our region,” Sharif said.

Taylor is also currently working with local and national artists to create songs and spoken word pieces that reflect the times.

“I want to partner with a variety of local artists: writers, art-makers, musicians, museums –connecting with the art but also connecting the art to life: policy-makers, social justice groups, health, welfare, education,” said Taylor. “I

Adena Varner joined the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis last month as the company’s new director of Learning and Community Engagement. She previously worked alongside Augustin Family Artistic Director Hana S. Sharif at Baltimore Center Stage.

Photo by Sylvester Brown Jr.

Jamaica Ray paints elaborate, tropical and cultural images on the exterior of a historic two-story building in the Old North neighborhood.

lic school children are riveting and tantalizing.

at heart of the group absconded to Paris. Little known and poorly understood in St. Louis, the BAG musicians were hailed as visionaries in France; live recordings of the band, released as “In Paris, Aries 1973” is one of the few documents of BAG’s creative efforts to survive. That record was the most substantial trace left by the group until Benjamin Looker’s 2004 book “‘Point From Which Creation Begins’: The Black Artists’ Group of St. Louis” (Missouri Historical Society Press) and now this film.

Dematteis unearthed some powerful film and photographs of BAG in action, which he uses to stitch together and illustrate his interviews of talking heads. Dematteis would make an even greater contribution to history if he were to release these archival documents in their totality along with his documentary. The fragments of Malinke Elliott doing dramatic improvisations to the music of J.D. Parran and the late Julius Hemphill or of the late Emilio Cruz teaching visual art to pub-

These images from the past are especially haunting given that creative forces like Hemphill and Cruz are no longer with us. These fugitive, flickering images are precious. For many people who lived through BAG and its aftermath in St. Louis, this will be a moving, poignant, emotional film.

“The Black Artists’ Group: Creation Equals Movement” provokes musing upon the lost world of the late 1960s and early 1970s and departed genius. It also has lessons to teach St. Louis in 2020. The notion that artists need to own their work and produce their own shows and recordings without external meddling is more commonplace now, but it’s refreshing to see the birth of this idea in St. Louis. In fact, the financial support that BAG finally attracted from the Rockefeller and Danforth foundations was a mixed blessing, given that the eventual loss of funding was critical to BAG falling apart. Live by the grant, die by the grant – it’s a bitter lesson that creative artists keep learning the hard way.

Today’s Black Lives Matter activists (many of them also creative artists) have come to expect that their movements

and social media will be monitored by law enforcement. BAG was stung by COINTELPRO, the granddaddy of U.S. government surveillance and disruption of Black-led social justice movements. It’s infuriating to be reminded of federal agents trailing Black artists as they educated Black youth, certainly one of American history’s most laughably wrongheaded forays in threat assessment.

“The Black Artists’ Group: Creation Equals Movement” inspires more than regret and rage, though. The archival footage captured young Black artists in St. Louis reveling in the joy of improvisation and creation. Dematteis did us all a favor to bring to the screen these blasts of free jazz, Black dance, painting, acting and mime. If you have even one single creative bone in your body, this film will compel you to try to create something no one has ever seen or heard before.

Watch “The Black Artists’ Group: Creation Equals Movement” as part of the 2020 St. Louis International Film Festival from November 5-22 at https://tinyurl.com/SLIFFBAG. For more festival screenings, visit https://www.cinemastlouis.org/festival-home.

think Hana is really brilliant. And fierce. I was very happy that she gave a call to extend this invitation to collaborate.”

Verner joins Sharif in St. Louis

In addition to Taylor, The Rep also welcomed Adena Varner as its new director of Learning and Community Engagement.

“We are thrilled to have her on the team as we bring the magic of theatre to our communities and the power of our communities into our theatres,” Sharif said.

A teaching artist, playwright and director, Varner previously held the titles of director of Learning and Social Accountability and Director of Education at Baltimore Center Stage, where she worked with Sharif – who served as associate artistic director before taking helm of The Rep. While there, Varner managed all education, family and civic programming, with a focus on storytelling that reflects and connects all communities and is eager to extend the partnership she and Sharif shared in Baltimore to St. Louis.

“I’m so inspired to bring

the departments of education and community engagement together at The Rep so we can be more intentional about how art, life and learning intersect as a community,” Varner said. “I’m excited to join The Rep family and its dedicated staff in serving St. Louis’ children, families and communities in a myriad of ways.”

Varner has been a lifelong theatre-lover and artist, graduating from the Baltimore School for the

Arts’ Theater Department, earning her Bachelor of Arts in Theater at the University of Maryland and obtaining a Master of Arts in Theatre Education from The Catholic University of America.

“Adena is a passionate thought leader in arts education, a gifted facilitator of civic and social discourse and a champion of life-long learning, families and educators,” Sharif said. For more information, visit www. repstl.org.

to 85 years old in 63105 – that would be Clayton, the St. Louis County seat located six miles west of 63106. And that was before the pandemic.

Ray said he has none of the underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes that place older citizens at a higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19. Still, he has no health insurance. Instead, Ray relies on the services of Gateway to Better Health, a temporary health care program for uninsured adults in the city and county. At 63, he isn’t yet eligible for Medicare.

Ray’s other concern is an outbreak of violence after the election. “I think something’s going to happen that the police won’t be able to handle,” he said.

Politics, as far as Ray is concerned, is a reflection of human nature:

“Man gonna be man, mon,” he said. “Man is like an animal with a brain. It’s a concrete jungle out there, and nothing’s going to change that.”

Ray can’t influence the pandemic or politics, but he can control his destiny. So as the coronavirus surges, he still practices social distancing, survives off his monthly social security checks, and is still getting around on his dependable, silver and blue Northwoods Pomona bicycle. That, however, is about to change.

Ray hasn’t driven a car since he came to St. Louis in 2013 to care for his dying father. He recently passed his driver’s test and plans to purchase a vehicle when and if the next round of stimulus checks passes through

Congress. With a large van, he’ll soon be able to fully practice what he defines as “his first love”: music.

“People think I’m a street musician, but I never played on a corner until I came to St. Louis,” he said. Ray, who plays keyboards, guitar and an array of drums including steel drums, said he was an in-demand musician in California before he returned to his hometown. He performed reggae music with local bands or did private gigs for famous sports figures like basketball great Dennis Rodman.

Once he’s mobile, Ray said, ““I won’t be turning down gigs anymore.”

A native St. Louisan, Sylvester Brown Jr. has been a journalist and social justice advocate since 1987. Along with working on the 63106

Project, Brown has joined the St. Louis American as its inaugural Deaconess Fellow. The fellowship is funded by the Deaconess Foundation as part of its support for Black-led COVID-19 relief efforts. Before Ferguson Beyond Ferguson, a nonprofit racial equity project, is telling the story of families in 63106 one by one over the course of the pandemic. This is the second chapter in Jamaica’s Ray’s life. Reporter Sylvester Brown will be following the challenges he faces until the pandemic abates. The St. Louis American is one of several St. Louis media outlets that have published stories as part of the project. You can find an archive of the stories at https://beforefergusonbeyondferguson.org/63106-project/.

Bag

Continued from B1

Photo by Eli Joshua Ade for HBO

Jurnee Smollett with Regina Taylor in HBO’s “Lovecraft Country.” Taylor, an award-winning actress and playwright, was recently named Playwright-in-Residence for the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. She will serve in the role for three years.

Jamaica Ray

Photo by Michael Emerick

BAG Headquarters

Sports

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

Hamilton becomes most victorious driver in Formula One history

Lewis Hamilton became the most victorious driver in Formula One history following his dominant 92nd career win in last Sunday’s Portuguese Grand Prix.

“It is going to take some time to fully sink in. I cannot find the words at the moment,” he said following the historic win. “I could have only ever dreamed of being where I am today.” Hamilton left McLaren, where he won one driver’s championship, for Mercedes in 2016. He has ruled Formula 1 ever since and, barring a disastrous run or an injury, will soon win his record seventh driver’s title.

“I knew we would win championships, but did I think we would win as many as we have? No. Did I think we would win this many races? Of course not,” Hamilton said.

from that morning’s Wichita Beacon: “Strangle holds, razors, horsewhips and other violent implements of argument will be barred at the baseball game at Island Park this afternoon when the baseball club of Wichita Klan Number 6. Goes up against the Wichita Monrovians, Wichita’s crack colored team.”

Yes, a Ku Klux Klan team played a team of Black players on a Sunday afternoon. Not only did the game go on without incident, Black fans were invited to attend. Certainly, the Black and white fans did not sit together. But this game was about baseball, and the writer complimented the Klan’s opponent.

“I am 35-years-old and I still feel physically strong, but of course you wonder when it is going to tip over and when you are going to start losing performance. Judging by today, it is not yet.”

Hamilton and his father, Anthony, have patched their relationship, which was strained for several years after the driver fired his dad as his manager in 2010.

The two men shared a long embrace minutes after Hamilton claimed the record victory.

“My dad is here, which is amazing, and my stepmum Linda too and my dog Roscoe so it is a blessed day,” Hamilton said.

The Wichita Klan vs. ‘the colored boys’

There are so many tidbits of information at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City that each time I’ve returned I’ve seen something I missed on a previous visit.

If I could zap myself back in time, there are hundreds of Negro League players and games I would attend - and then immediately zap myself back.

There is one particular game that would be a must for me and any fan of baseball and American history. It took place on Sunday, June 21, 1925 in Wichita. Here is the lead of a story

“The colored boys are asking all their supporters to be on hand to watch (the) contest, which beside its peculiar attraction due to the wide difference of the two organizations, should be a well played amateur contest,” the Wichita Beacon reported. On the side of the colored boys is the fact that they have had a ball team here for several years, while the Klansmen are comparatively newly organized but both are playing good ball.”

How could this game possibly go on without the Klan team cheating or taking some type of physical action against the black players on the same diamond? What would keep white fans from doing the same?

“The novelty of the game will attract a large crowd of fans (although) both teams say that all the fans will see is baseball,” the Wichita Beacon reported. “The umpires have been instructed to rule any player out of the game who tries to bat with a cross. The names of Irish Garrity and Dan Dwyer, well known amateur umpires and Catholics, have been suggested to get away from any favoritism.”

With the temperature topping 100 on that Sunday, Black and white fans were treated to an exciting game.

I’ve saved the best for last because I’m sure readers have come to the conclusion that the Monrovians lost the game – thus no riots, violence or lynching.

The Monrovians, a team comprised of barnstorming Black players from Kansas

Lewis

City, Kansas and the Midwest, actually won the game 10-8.

The Klan had men on base when the final out was recorded, and the Black players left the field, peacefully, with a victory.

Also, the Monrovians often played white teams, but this is the only reported game played against a Klan unit. The team went 52-8 that summer, including the historic game that demonstrated the shame of Major League Baseball’s color line.

Also, on that hot Sunday afternoon in Wichita, there was obviously one black manager. Ninety-five years later, there are only two black managers guiding teams among MLB’s 30 franchises.

It’s Tua time in Miami

It’s one thing to hire a Black head football coach and a Black general manager. It’s something else to trust them.

Miami Dolphins owner Steven Ross, a noted friend and financial supporter of the president, has done both.

This was proven last week when head coach Brian Flores announced that first-round draft pick Tua Tagovailoa is taking over for starter Ryan Fitzpatrick at home against the L.A. Rams on Sunday. Fitzpatrick had guided the Dolphins to a 3-3 record and played well in back-to-back wins by a combined score of 60-17. He threw six TD passed and had a completion rate of

InSIdE SportS

With Earl Austin Jr.

73 percent in those victories. He said he was “heartbroken” by Flores’ and the front-office decision.

But the Dolphins were on a bye week and Flores decided it was time for a change. The choice has caused a positive stir of fan excitement unseen for decades in Miami.

Flores called it “a difficult decision – but the best thing for the team.”

“I’m confident in all of our players, Tua included,” Flores said.

“He’s practiced well, he’s worked hard in meetings and walkthroughs. He’s got good rapport with teammates. I’m confident that, if he prepares the way that he’s been preparing, I’m confident that we’ll go

District playoffs slated to begin

We have now entered the postseason stage of high school football season with the district playoffs slated to begin this weekend around the state. Here is a quick summary of the upcoming district playoffs involving teams in the St. Louis metropolitan area. To see the full district playoff brackets, visit the website, www.mshsaa. org

Class 6 District 1 shapes up to be a very competitive field with Fox getting the top seed, followed by a talented Kirkwood team, Lindbergh and Lafayette. Sitting at the sixth seed is Eureka, which also has talent.

Earl’s Prediction: Kirkwood

District 2 is a loaded field which features defending state champion DeSmet as the top seed. Looking to challenge the powerful Spartans are Francis Howell, Wentzville Holt and Metro Catholic Conference rival CBC.

Earl’s Prediction: DeSmet

Class 5 District 1 features St. Louis area teams Seckman and Mehlville, but the team to be here is No. 1 seed Jackson and its potent passing attack. Jackson advanced to the state championship game a year ago.

Earl’s Prediction: Jackson

District 2 should be very competitive with No. 1 seed Rockwood Summit being chal-

lenged by Chaminade, Ladue and Parkway South.

Earl’s Prediction: Chaminade

District 3 features Fort Zumwalt North, who advanced to the state semifinals a year ago. The Panthers are once again very strong.

District rivals Fort Zumwalt South and Fort Zumwalt East are looking to challenge North.

Earl’s Prediction: Fort Zumwalt North

Class 4

challenged by Hillsboro, North County and Cape Central. Earl’s Prediction: Festus

Earl Austin Jr.

District 1 features Jefferson County leader Festus and its 8-1 record. The Tigers will be

District 2 features top seed John Burroughs and its high-powered passing attack with several talented weapons. The Bombers are followed by Union, Affton and Windsor. Earl’s Prediction: John Burroughs

District 3 is a very competitive district with MICDS getting the top seed. Parkway North, St. Dominic, St. Charles West and Trinity all have quality teams as well.

Earl’s Prediction: Trinity

Class 3 District 1 is one of the most talented districts in the state with three teams listed among the latest Top 10 rankings. They are No. 1 seed Kennett, No. 2 Valle Catholic and No. 3 St. Mary’s. Buckle up.

Earl’s Prediction: St. Mary’s

District 2 features a talented Cardinal Ritter team as the only area team in the field. The top seed is a strong Park Hills Central team followed by St. Clair.

Earl’s Prediction: Cardinal Ritter

out and have good results. But it’s not a one-man game. It’s football. We’ll need all 11 guys to go out there and play together [and] play as a team. And I’m confident that we can do that.”

Flores is in his second season with the Dolphins and Grier was instrumental in hiring him. The Dolphins would be the eighth seed in the AFC playoffs if the postseason began today and are just one and a half games behind the AFC East leading Buffalo Bills.

The head coach could have played it safe and left Fitzpatrick as his starting quarterback until the Dolphins ran into trouble later in the season. But, regardless of the owner’s trust, he and Grier trust themselves. Their team and their fans are on board.

“Our locker room, it’s tight,” tight end Mike Gesicki said.

“We all believe in one another and believe in coach Flores, Grier and Ross and everybody that is upstairs making decisions. I think that we all have confidence in Tua to go out and make plays.” It’s Tua time, and Miami fans are ecstatic.

The Reid Roundup

Maurice Massey, now a former Missouri wide receiver, was dismissed from the team last Sunday after being arrested on suspicion of third-degree domestic assault, fourth-degree assault and first-degree property damage, according to the Boone County Sheriff Department. Massey, 20, played at Kirkwood High School…The Monday after his Washington Football Team beat the pathetic Dallas Cowboys 25-3, head coach Ron Rivera completed his last melanoma chemotherapy treatment and left the hospital to the cheers of its healthcare workers. Rivera, the NFL’s lone Latino head coach, said the cheers should be for those workers…

Alvin A. Reid was honored as the 2017 “Best Sports Columnist – Weeklies” in the Missouri Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest. He is a panelist on the Nine Network program, Donnybrook. His Twitter handle is #aareid1

District 3 features top seed Lutheran North, who has moved up to Class 3 after winning the Class 2 state championship last season. They will be challenged by Borgia, Priory and Orchard Farm. Earl’s Prediction: Lutheran North

Making a correction In last week’s football spotlight on Lutheran North, I incorrectly named one of its standout defensive players as Jerrell Fuller. The young man’s name is Jerrell Carter, senior defensive back.

Alvin A. Reid

Hamilton became the most victorious driver in Formula One history following his dominant 92nd career win in last Sunday’s Portuguese Grand Prix.

Local churches work to get out the vote

St. Alphonsus Ligouri “Rock”

Church partners with St. Francis Xavier (College) Church

By Winnie Sullivan For The

St. Louis American

Members of two Catholic churches in St. Louis have come together to make the voting process easier.

Parishioners at St. Alphonsus Ligouri “Rock” Church and St. Francis Xavier (College) Church, whose neighboring spires dot the landscape along Grand Avenue, are joining forces to support civic engagement, with a focus on minimizing voting barriers faced by communities of color. Collaboration between the two parishes is an old habit.

Members of the Rock Church’s Peace and Justice Committee and the College Church’s Racism and Reconciliation Committee have been meeting regularly for six years. They’ve jointly sponsored a number of events and opportunities for cross-racial dialogue.

tion of the signature on their ballot envelope.

In addition, with the aid of materials provided by the League of Women Voters and other nonpartisan organizations, voters were able to learn about the voting process, the difference between absentee and mail-in ballots, the manner in which ballots are to be submitted, and the important deadlines to which voters must adhere.

n “Voting is not just our right, but it is our responsibility to ourselves, our faith, and our community.”

– Shira Truitt

On October 10, the two groups offered their second notary drive, leading up to the November 3 general election; the first was held in July, just before the August 4 primary. At these events, notaries public were available, free of charge, for those who require notariza-

“Voting is not just our right, but it is our responsibility to ourselves, our faith, and our community,” said Shira Truitt, an attorney, notary public, parishioner at St. Alphonsus Rock, and participant in the notary drives. Within their respective parishes, members of the two committees also are working to encourage fellow parishioners to exercise their right to vote.

For example, at the College Church, committee members are helping parishioners prepare for the election by using materials provided by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops, as well as those prepared by the Ignatian Solidarity Network that tie the obligation to vote to Catholic social teaching principles.

“As we approach the elec-

tion, we will help parishioners access resources that will assist their personal discernment as they make voting decisions,” said Lisa Burks, who co-chairs the Racism and Reconciliation Committee at St. Francis Xavier.

“That will include making available Catholic publications, creating occasions to reflect in small faith groups, and offering individual and communal prayer.”

For additional information about the notary drive and other events sponsored by the two parishes, contact Kathy McGinnis at kathyppjn@aol.

com or Christine Dragonette at christine@sfxstl.org.

Drive-through communion on election day

Manchester United Methodist Church, Community Christian Church, and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church are partnering to offer DriveThru Communion on election day, 3:30-7:30 p.m.

Tues., November 3 at 14380 Manchester Rd. in Manchester. Called “Go to the Polls, Come to the Table,” it signifies

that regardless of denomination, faith, or politics “all of us are one in Jesus Christ,” organizers said.

“To celebrate the sacrament on election day is to announce that what unites us is stronger than what divides us,” said Rev. Andy Bryan, lead pastor at Manchester UMC.

“At the table we are all one, and our oneness stands in stark contrast to the divisiveness we experience in a campaign season. Holy Communion is the church’s embodiment of the counter-cultural message of the Gospel: the reign of God is here now, within us, among us, and around us.” This ecumenical experience is open to everyone. Come as you are, no reservations are needed. For safety reasons, everyone must remain in their vehicles.’

Officiating clergy will wear masks, use hand sanitizer, and practice physical distancing. Passengers in each vehicle will be provided an individual presealed disposable container that includes both a wafer and juice. Gluten-free elements will be available upon request. For more information, visit https://manchesterumc. org/table.

Parishioners at St. Alphonsus Ligouri “Rock” Church and St. Francis Xavier (College) Church held notary drives before the primary and general elections this year. Absentee and mail-in voting is underway for the November 3 general election.

Photo by Lisa Burns

St. LouiS american Career Center

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT IEDUCATIONAL PROGRAM COORDINATOR

The Department of Biomedical Engineering at Washington University has an immediate need for an individual to provide administrative support for the undergraduate and graduate educational programs in biomedical engineering.

High school diploma or equivalent high school certification and two years relevant office experience. Proficient in the use of PC’s and office suite software. Experience with web management and maintenance. Learn more at https://jobs.wustl.edu

Enter 49196 in the keywords search bar

CLEAN-TECH COMPANY IS INTERVIEWING FOR VARIOUS LOCATIONS!

Interviews on the spot!

Every Thursday 1 PM – 4 PM! 211 South Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, MO

JOBS AVAILABLE!

WE ARE HIRING! Apply online www.cleantechcompany.com/ careers

JANITORIAL - HIRING

TRANSPORTATION PLANNER I

East-West Gateway Council of Governments has an opening for a Transportation Planner I position. Please follow the link to view posts at http://www.ewgateway.org/ careers/

The City of Clayton is hiring for a full-time Municipal Service Worker I—Public Works. Apply by 11/06/20: https://claytonmo.applicantpro. com/jobs/ EOE

SENIOR MANAGER, HUMAN RESOURCES

BIDS & NOTICES

Gateway Greening, Inc.

Position: DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNICATION

Summary: Leads the organization’s efforts in fund development and communications. This role is part of the Gateway Greening leadership team. This position is fulltime exempt. For full posting, visit http://www.gatewaygreening.org/ about/careers/

The Senior Manager of Human Resources will coordinate all generalist HR functions for a non-profit organization that currently employs 60 team members. This includes developing, implementing and coordinating policies and programs encompassing all aspects of human resources, including: employment, compensation, training, staff planning and development, benefits, employee relations, and diversity, equity and inclusion programs in a manner which reflects the mission, philosophy and policies of Covenant House. To apply, visit our website at www.covenanthousemo.org www.stlamerican.com

To Apply: Please send a cover letter and resume to info@gatewaygreening.org No phone calls, please.

ST. LOUIS COUNTY PORT AUTHORITY

LEGAL NOTICE

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

St. Louis County Port Authority will accept bids from qualified firms for asbestos abatement and environmental materials removal at the Former St. Louis County Family Courts Building (the “Project”) located at 501 S. Brentwood. Interested firms or joint ventures should submit one (1) original and two (2) copies of their fully completed and signed Bid Proposal, along with all required documentation, in a sealed envelope marked “CONFIDENTIAL: Proposal for Former Family Courts Abatement Project” to the offices of Sandberg, Phoenix & von Gontard, P.C., 120 S. Central Ave., Suite 1600, Clayton, MO 63105, Attn: Andrew C. Ruben, by December 1, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. (CST) at which time the bids will be opened and read aloud. There will be a mandatory pre-bid meeting and walk-thru on Thursday, November 5, 2020 at 9:00 a.m., at the Project site. The Project Request for Proposals may be obtained from the Port Authority’s web site at www.stlpartnership.com/rfp-rfq/. Copies of all Contract Documents may be viewed or purchased at County Blue Reprographics, 811 Hanley Industrial Ct., St. Louis, MO 63144 (http://www.countyblue.com) or at Cross Rhodes Print & Technologies, 2731 S. Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63118. All questions shall be submitted via email to Elizabeth Noonan at bnoonan@ced-solutions.com, no later than November 18, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. The Port Authority actively encourages submission of proposals from disadvantaged business enterprises and companies owned by minorities, women, immigrants and veterans. The Port Authority does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, national origin, disability or veteran status in consideration of this award.

Equal Opportunity Employer

PUBLIC NOTICE

K&S Associates, Inc. is soliciting

MBE/WBE/SDVE/DBE/VBE for the following projects for Oct-NovMS&T Vivarium Lab Renovation, Valley Park Fire Protection District #2 and AP-Stem Building-Plans and Specs can be viewed at www.ksgcstl.com-submit bids to estimating@ksgcstl.com or Fax 314-647-5302

PUBLIC NOTICE

Gladiator Building, 1339 Magnolia Manor Court, St. Peters, MO 63303 is seeking subcontractor bids for six (6) new construction homes at 2748 and 2750 Rutger Street, St. Louis, MO 63104 and 2706, 2708, 2710 and 2716 Hickory Street, St. Louis, MO 63104.

Scopes of work include, but are not limited to: New Construction of six (6) single family homes. Section 3, Minority, Women and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises are encouraged to bid.

Project plans and specifications are available by request. Please contact Gladiator Building at (314)328 -5545, GladiatorHomes314@gmail.com

All bids are due to Gladiator Building’s office by 11/16/19, 12 p.m. Gladiator Building is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

INVITATION TO BID

E.M. Harris Construction Company (EMH), 2600 Delmar Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63103 seeks subcontractor and supplier bids for the renovation of Hidden Valley Estates, a 200-unit apartment complex located at 1290 Evergreen Court, Wentzville, MO 63385. Scope of work includes updating and replacing items in disrepair and beyond their remaining useful life, including, but not limited to, kitchen and bath remodels, new windows, siding, roofs and general repairs throughout the property, as well as energy efficient HVAC systems in all units. This project IS NOT tax exempt. This IS a prevailing wage project. Section 3, Minority, Women and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises are strongly encouraged to bid. EMH is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Project plans and specifications are available for viewing online through an Invitation to Bid and at EMH Plan Room, 2600 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103 by appointment. Please fill out Bid General Information sheet. All bids due to EMH office by 5 pm, Friday, November 20, 2020. Fax: 314-436–6691. Bids or questions may be sent via e-mail to: bidassist@emharris.com

REQUEST FOR LETTERS OF INTEREST FOR DESIGN-BUILD SERVICES

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is soliciting Letters of Interest from companies interested in providing Design-Build services for the I-70 Cave Springs to Fairgrounds Project in St. Charles County, Missouri.

One Design-Build team will be selected to design and construct the project. MoDOT will use a Best Value selection process to evaluate the ability of the Design-Build proposers to meet or exceed the following project goals:

1. Maximize improvements within the program budget of $62 million.

2. Improve safety and efficiency of the transportation network while supporting connectivity for the local community.

3. Provide a durable and maintainable transportation infrastructure allowing for future expansion.

4. Minimize impacts to the traveling public during construction while safely delivering the project by November 1, 2023.

5. Deliver the project using a diverse workforce.

A virtual informational meeting is scheduled at 1 p.m. on Monday, December 7, 2020. A link to the meeting will be available on the project website at www.modot.org/i70csfg. It is anticipated the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) will be released that same day. At the meeting, a presentation will be made on the project, followed by a question and answer period.

Firms interested in receiving I-70 Cave Springs to Fairgrounds Design-Build information should send a one-page Letter of Interest to MoDOT via email to i70csfg@modot.mo.gov no later than Monday, November 30, 2020, to ensure that you receive all information. The Letters of Interest will allow MoDOT to compile a list of interested companies for notices and any announcements relating to this project.

Address all letters or emails to:

Stacey Smith, P.E. I-70 Cave Springs to Fairgrounds Design-Build Project i70csfg@modot.mo.gov

Include in your Letter of Interest the company name and a contact person at your company including, address, phone number, and e-mail. Please indicate if your firm is a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE).

PUBLIC NOTICE

The City of Crestwood is seeking bids for the 2021-2023 “Sanitary Sewer Lateral Repairs” project. Qualified contractors may obtain a project manual online at www.cityofcrestwood.org

Bids will be received by the Public Works Department of the City of Crestwood at the Crestwood Government Center, One Detjen Drive, Crestwood, Missouri, 63126 until 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 12, 2020.

ADVERTISE YOUR REAL ESTATE, RENTALS, FOR SALES, PUBLIC NOTICES, JOB FAIRS JOBS & MORE

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

L. Keeley Construction Co. is seeking qualified, disadvantaged businesses (DBEs) proposals for the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District Bissell Point WWTF Trickling Filter Media Replacement Project under Letting No.12566-015.1. Work to be completed: Removal of approximately 2,700,000 cubic feet of PVC trickling filter media and surface grating from six trickling filters, each 134-ft diameter by 32-ft media depth, and replacement with new media and grating; removal of trickling filter wall liners and replacement with new liners; removal of trickling filter distributor arms and drives, and replacement with new arms and drives; repairs to FRP ductwork and replacement of supports; and concrete trickling filter repairs and recoating. Proposals are due via email by Close of Business on Wednesday, November 11th, 2020 to Nick Timmermann via email at ntimmermann@lkeeley.com. All negotiations must be completed prior to November 11th, 2020.

PUBLIC NOTICE

The City of Crestwood is seeking bids for the 2021-2023 “Sanitary Sewer Lateral Investigations” project. Qualified contractors may obtain a project manual online at www.cityofcrestwood. org. Bids will be received by the Public Works Department of the City of Crestwood at the Crestwood Government Center, One Detjen Drive, Crestwood, Missouri, 63126 until 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 12, 2020.

CITY OF ST. LOUIS

ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Solicitation For Bids (SFB) for Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) and Associated Battery System Maintenance Services Bids Wanted

Bid documents may be obtained at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Airport Properties Division, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., or by calling (314) 890-1802. This SFB may also be obtained by visiting our website at www.flystl.com/business/ contract-opportunites Robert Salarano Airport Properties Division Manager

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The St. Louis Economic Development Partnership requests proposals from a qualified firm or firms to facilitate a strategic planning process and to assist the Partnership to develop a new comprehensive strategic plan. A copy of the complete RFP is available at https://stlpartnership.com/ rfp-rfq/. To be considered, proposals must be received no later than 3:00 PM CST on Thursday, November 5, 2020.

HOMES

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)

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Replacement Rooftop Units, North County Service Center Florissant, MO Project No. O1805-01 will be received by FMDC, S t a t e o f M O , UNTIL 1:30 PM, November 12, 2020 via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

ed by St. Louis County Council. To be considered, proposals must be received no later than 4:00 PM CST on Friday, November 13, 2020. For the complete RFP and questions, please contact Angela Pinex at 314.733.9020 or angela@spanishlakecdc.org

project encourages connectivity within the downtown core and connects two regional destinations. Public comment period closes December 3, 2020. Documents and more will be made available at https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/ departments/sldc/ Anyone needing an accommodation must notify Amanda Bloomfield, 314-657-3708 or bloomfielda@stlouis-mo.gov, no later than two days prior. Anyone experiencing technical difficulty should also contact Amanda.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Great Rivers Greenway is Seeking the professional services for security camera maintenance, repair and ongoing service at the National Park Service’s Gateway Arch National Park.Go to www.greatriversgreenway.org/ jobs-bids/ and submit by November 6, 2020.

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!

NOTICE OF ELECTION OFFICIAL BALLOT

GENERAL ELECTION

CITY OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a General Election will be held at the designated polling place for each precinct in the City of St. Louis, State of Missouri, on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. The polls will be open between the hours of 6:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. for the purpose of electing candidates for President and Vice President, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, Attorney General, United States Representative District 1, State Senate District 5, State Representative Districts 66, 76-84, 91 and 93, Circuit Attorney, Sheriff and Treasurer. Voters will also be able to vote on whether certain Judges on the Missouri Supreme Court, the Missouri Court of Appeals for the Eastern District of Missouri, the Circuit Court and Associate Circuit Court for the 22nd Judicial Circuit should be retained in office, as well as on two Missouri Constitutional Amendments and four City propositions.

The last day the Board of Election Commissioners could accept an application to vote an absentee or mail-in ballot by mail in the November 3, 2020 General Election was 5:00 P.M. on Wednesday, October 21, 2020. Absentee voting in person will conclude at 5:00 P.M. on Monday, November 2, 2020. The Board of Elections office will be open on Saturday, October 31, 2020, from 9:00 A.M. until 1:00 P.M., and the four library satellite locations will be open that day from 11:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M.

THE OFFICIAL BALLOT WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE FOLLOWING FORM:

INSTRUCTIONS TO VOTERS: In today’s election, you have your choice of using either an electronic, touch-screen voting machine or an optical scan voting machine to cast your ballot.

IF YOU USE THE OPTICAL SCAN VOTING MACHINE to cast your ballot, you must completely darken the oval to the left of the name of the candidate of your choice. To vote on an amendment or proposition, if you are in favor of the amendment or proposition completely darken the oval to the left of the word “YES.” If you are against the amendment or proposition, completely darken the oval to the left of the word “NO.” To vote on a judge’s retention, if you are in favor of retaining a judge in office darken the oval to the left of the word “YES.” If you are against retaining a judge in office, darken the oval to the left of the word “NO.” Do not try to punch through the ballot. Use only the marking device provided to you. If you tear, deface or make a mistake and incorrectly mark the ballot, return it to the Election Judges and obtain a new ballot.

IF YOU USE THE ELECTRONIC, TOUCH SCREEN VOTING MACHINE, follow the directions on the screen to cast your ballot. For each candidate, touch the box on the screen to the left of the name of the candidate of your choice. To vote on an amendment or proposition, if you are in favor of the amendment or proposition touch the box on the screen to the left of the word “YES.” If you are against an amendment or proposition, touch the box on the screen to the left of the word “NO.” To vote on a judge’s retention, if you are in favor of retaining a judge in office touch the box on the screen to the left of the word “YES.” If you are against retaining a judge in office, touch the box on the screen to the left of the word “NO.” If you need assistance in using the machine, please ask the Election Judges to help you. REPUBLICAN

(REP)

FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT (A VOTE FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT IS A VOTE FOR THEIR ELECTORS) (Vote for One Pair) Donald J. Trump/Michael R. Pence – Rep Joseph R. Biden/Kamala D. Harris – Dem Jo Jorgensen/Jeremy (Spike) Cohen – Lib Howie Hawkins/Angela Nicole Walker – Grn Don Blankenship/William Mohr – Cst Write-In _________________

FOR GOVERNOR (Vote for One) Mike Parson - Rep Nicole Galloway - Dem Rik Combs - Lib Jerome Howard Bauer – Grn Write-In __________ FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR (Vote for One) Mike Kehoe - Rep Alissia Canady - Dem Bill Slantz - Lib Kelley Dragoo – Grn Write-In __________

FOR SECRETARY OF STATE (Vote for One)

John R. (Jay) Ashcroft - Rep Yinka Faleti – Dem Carl Herman Freese – Lib Paul Lehmann – Grn Paul Venable – Cst Write-In __________ FOR STATE TREASURER (Vote for One) Scott Fitzpatrick – Rep Vicki Lorenz Englund – Dem Nicholas (Nick) Kasoff – Lib Joseph Civettini – Gen Write-In __________

FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL (Vote for One) Eric Schmitt – Rep Rich Finneran – Dem Kevin C. Babcock – Lib Write-In __________

FOR U. S. REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 1 (Vote for One) Anthony Rogers - Rep Cori Bush – Dem Alex Furman – Lib Write-In __________

FOR STATE SENATOR DISTRICT 5 (Vote for One) Michael Hebron – Rep Steve Roberts – Dem Write-In __________ FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 66 (Vote for One) Marlene Terry - Dem Write-In __________ FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 76 (Vote for One) Marlon Anderson - Dem Write-In __________ FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 77 (Vote for One)

Collins - Dem Write-In __________ FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 78 (Vote for One)

Gartin – Rep Rasheen Aldridge, Jr. – Dem Write-In __________

FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 79 (Vote for One)

LaKeySha Bosley – Dem Write-In __________

FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 80 (Vote for One) Peter Merideth – Dem Write-In __________ FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 81 (Vote for One)

__________

FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 83 (Vote for One)

Jo Doll - Dem Andrew Bolin – Lib Write-In __________

FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 84 (Vote for One) Wiley (Chip) Price IV – Dem Write-In __________ FOR STATE

COURT OF APPEALS JUDGES EASTERN DISTRICT Shall Judge Kurt S. Odenwald of the Eastern District Court of Appeals be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Robin Ransom of the Eastern District Court of Appeals be retained in office? Yes No

CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES 22 nd Judicial Circuit

Shall Judge David L. Dowd, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 2), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Elizabeth Byrne Hogan, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 3), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Katherine M. Fowler, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 4), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Calea Stovall-Reid, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 5), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Michael F. Stelzer, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 6), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Timothy J. Boyer, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 8), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Scott A. Millikan, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 9), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Madeline Orling Connolly, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 10), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Joseph P. Whyte, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 14), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Annette Llewellyn, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 15), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Clinton Robert Wright, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 21), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Stephen R. Ohmer, Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 30), be retained in office? Yes No

ASSOCIATE CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES 22 nd Judicial Circuit

Shall Judge David A. Roither, Associate Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No.16), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Thomas Adrian McCarthy, Associate Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 24 & 29) be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Michael J. Colona, Associate Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 25), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Craig K. Higgins, Associate Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 26), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Lynne R. Perkins, Associate Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 27), be retained in office? Yes No

Shall Judge Nicole Colbert-Botchway, Associate Circuit Judge of Judicial Circuit No. 22 (Division No. 28), be

PROPOSITION T