September 13th, 2012 edition

Brian Hamilton, coordinator of culturally diverse recruitment programs at University of Missouri and 2006 Donald M. Suggs scholar

Ambassador to Mizzou

Former Suggs Scholar Brian Hamilton recruits blacks to his alma mater

By Rebecca S.Rivas Of The St.Louis American

By Thanksgiving, Brian Hamilton, coordinator of culturally diverse recruitment programs at University of Missouri, will visit 52 high schools in St. Louis and Kansas City to recruit minority Mizzou students.

Hamilton, 24, graduated from Mizzou in 2010. When he tells his story about being an African-American male at

In the fall 2011 semester, Mizzou had 538 AfricanAmerican, first-time college students, which was a recruitment record for black students.

it tends to calm parents’anxiety about their children attending a “predom-

Gateway Elementary School third grade teacher Jim Triplett explains the place value of numerals to Miguel Sosa,Elijah Watkins,Devin Williams,Terrance Simpson,Guy Goolsby,Ahmad Muhammad,Dennis Ivy and Kellyphan Dang.

KAREN VERSTRAETE: helping first-generation

By Bridjes O’Neill

For The St.Louis American

“I really believe in the importance of education,” said Karen Verstraete, College and Career Counselor at Webster Groves High School. Jon Clark, principal of Webster Groves High School, nominated Verstraete for the St. Louis American Foundation’s 2012 SEMO Counselor of the Year award because of her “service to students, families and commitment to the counseling profession.” For more than 10 years, Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) has recognized commendable counselors in St. Louis who have nurtured first-generation

college students succeed

and historically underrepresented students in postsecondary education.

Kynedra Ogunnaike, a guidance counselor at Vashon High School, is the other counselor receiving the foundation’s 2012 SEMO Counselor of the Year Award.

It’s an equally joyous occasion for one of Verstraete’s former students.

The St. Louis American Foundation will award Kevin Redmond, 18, with the 2012 Dr. Donald M. Suggs scholarship. He is a recent graduate of Webster Groves High School who is studying mechanical engineering at

inately white institution” (PWI).

“When I tell them that I was absolutely comfortable my four years here and I couldn’t see myself going to any other school,” he said, “they feel more at ease.”

But Hamilton remembers having anxieties as a high school senior. Hamilton graduated from Webster Groves High School in 2006 and received the Donald

Clemons hearing is Monday

By Chris King Of The St.Louis American

Missouri death row inmate Reginald Clemons finally will have his new day in court on Monday, September 17 when Judge Michael Manners convenes a hearing in St. Louis. Manners is the Special Master appointed by the Missouri Supreme Court on June 30, 2009 to gather new evidence in the case and submit a report to the court. The instigation of a new evidence phase in the Clemons case by a court that had recently set an execution date for him was startling. For many years, Clemons and his pro bono defense team have claimed that the trial court permitted inadmissible evidence and that relevant evidence has appeared since his conviction that calls the verdict into question.

Gerald Early convenes national commission on humanities in St. Louis

By Chris King Of The St.Louis American

Adiverse sampling of St. Louis institutions providing education and programming in the humanities will help influence national policy for the humanities, thanks to the leadership of Gerald Early, director of the Center for the Humanities at Washington University and the St. Louis American Foundation’s 2012 Lifetime Achiever in Education.

Last Friday, Early and Leslie Berlowitz, president of the American Academy of Arts and

See EARLY, A6

Mizzou,

See HAMILTON, A6

Photo by Wiley Price

Photo by Wiley Price

Karen Verstraete, College and Career Counselor at Webster Groves High School

NSBE’s STL chapter awards scholarships

Black engineers promote STEM education

American staff

The Gateway Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) recently hosted its 17th chapter anniversary and its 16th scholarship program at Whittaker Hall on the campus of Washington University. This year’s theme was “The NSBE Blueprint: Leadership, Teamwork and Inspiration.” With over 200 in attendance, the chapter presented 10 students with financial awards to help defray the raising costs of tuition.

This year’s guest speaker was Joan Robinson Berry, director of Phantom Works Supplier Management for Boeing Defense, Space & Security. In this position, Robinson Berry is responsible for implementing supplier management strategy and execution throughout the Phantom Works business, in support of the development of advanced cross-cutting concepts and technologies. She was accompanied by Rick Martin, chief engineer for Advanced Boeing Military Aircraft, Phantom Works, and 30 members of their engineering staff.

“If present trends continue, the United States may soon find itself far behind other nations in both science and technology,” Robinson Berry said.

“We need more people of color to develop knowledge and skills in science, technology, engineering and math so they can apply these skills and develop products that make mankind healthier, safer, better connected and more secure. With a diverse and innovative scientific community, the United States

Jeff

will remain strong and globally competitive.”

The chapter’s focus is preparing area students in grades 6-12 to enter into Science Engineering Technology & Math (STEM) degree programs. Currently over 100 future engineers are in the program that meets at St. Louis Community College – Florissant Valley on the third Saturday of each month. The local chapter has helped develop, support, and mentor over 325 local high school students to enter into STEM degree programs over the last 14 years.

“We need our students to be excited about their futures and cognizant that their education will likely be the most important differentiator in their lives,” Robinson Berry said. The local chapter was rekindled by McDonald Douglas (now Boeing) engineers Carolyn Nichols (retired), Dave Black and Christina Brumfield, along with the encouragement of Keith Mathews, a St. Louis native living in Colorado and regional officer with NSBE who wanted to have an areawide chapter with suitability during economic downturns.

“My experiences as a NSBE Pre College Initiative student have inspired me to pursue a STEM degree,” said Rheanna Henson, president of NSBE Jr. and a scholarship recipient.

“At each meeting, we always worked on new and unique projects, anywhere from creating disco balls with old CD-ROMs and blinking lights to using soldering tools to create blinking LED lights. These lessons have been prime motivators in helping me strive towards a degree in computer science.”

Ronald Moore is director of the NSBE Pre College Initiative for St. Louis.

“Young people like Rheanna come into the program with a quiet and reserved nature and leave the program as young aggressive leaders,” Moore said. “Rheanna was one of our most successful leaders, and we know she will continue to be a blessing to the community as she grows academically and professionally.”

Moore wants to engage students even earlier through the Summer Engineering Experience for Kids (SEEK) program.

“Locally, NSBE is looking to provide the three

week summer program for grades 3 to 6 in 2013,” Moore said. “We are looking at four sites with 80 students at each site.”

The SEEK program is designed to be a fun and engaging educational experience, led by NSBE engineering students and technical professionals dedicated to pursuing professional excellence and giving back to the community. It utilizes a hands-on design curriculum developed by Society of Automotive International engineers.

Campers will work in teams, using their knowledge to solve problems and create products while discovering the underlying math and science principles involved in these processes. Each week, the campers will take on a new project, culminating with a presentation and design competition that all parents are invited to attend.

Rheanna Henson said, “I highly encourage all students to participate in the program and to apply themselves fully to everything that is offered by NSBE.”

For information, visit http:// nsbe-stl.org.

Charles Drew Blood Drive

Sept. 22 at East Saint Louis City Hall

The American Red Cross Missouri-Illinois Blood Services Region will host its annual East St. Louis Charles Drew Commemorative Blood Drive from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 22 at East Saint Louis City Hall, 301 Riverpark Drive, East Saint Louis. By matching patients with sickle cell disease to designated blood donors from the African-American community, the Charles Drew Community Blood Donation campaign helps bring awareness to the AfricanAmerican community about the need for blood.

“The Red Cross is committed to being a part of the life saving process for people living with sickle cell disease,” said Scott Caswell, CEO of the Red Cross Missouri-Illinois Blood Services Region. “With the assistance of our blood drive sponsors, volunteers and our blood donors, we strive to give hope to as many patients as possible.”

Sickle cell disease is prevalent in the AfricanAmerican community, and often donors with the same ethnic background provide the best match. A person having a sickle cell crisis may need up to four pints of blood in one week. To meet these needs, it’s important for African Americans to donate blood throughout the year. The Red Cross encourages all eligible donors to visit the blood drive, especially those who have never attempted to donate before. One blood donation may help save lives. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments take priority. Simply call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information.All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license, or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Theerman, executive director St. Louis Metropolitan Sewer District (far left, 2nd row) and Joan Robinson Berry, Director Boeing’s Phantom Works Supplier Management (far right, 2nd row) and others recently encouraged students at the Gateway Chapter of the NABE’s 17th chapter anniversary and its 16th scholarship program.

EdITORIAL /COMMENTARy

Committing to education and community

On the weekend of The St. Louis American Foundation’s special silver anniversary Salute to Excellence in Education, pardon us if we reflect on our years of work. After all, we’ve been putting on this event for 25 years!

After this weekend, The St. Louis American and The St. Louis American Foundation will have honored 240 outstanding individual educators, educational advocates and schools from throughout the region. This public recognition of individual and organizational education excellence is an important part of our mission to bring value to the community and is important on a variety of levels.

We’re proud that since its inception, including this academic year, our 501c3 St. Louis American Foundation, along with our university partners, has fostered and distributed more than $2.25 million in community grants and local minority scholarships.

Educating our youth is essential, and our community must place education at the peak of its priority list. If our children aren’t successful in school, don’t graduate and don’t have high aspirations, then there is a serious long-term negative effect on the entire region.

Consistent with our mission, in 2012 we have launched two substantial, education-related initiatives. We are looking towards the future, and even more ways in which we can partner with other institutions to assist in increasing academic outcomes and success in our region.

In July, we launched a partnership with Deaconess Foundation and The Scholarship Foundation, designating and distributing $100,000 in nursing scholarships each year for the next five years. This initiative supports the education of individuals from the St. Louis metropolitan area who are prepared to pursue nursing careers, but lack the financial means. Besides assisting them financially, The American will consistently highlight these students and their progress in their field, as well

Nance Elementary School teacher

Mrs. Ireland looks over newspapers during class with her students Traionna Johnson and Shanti Robinson. The St. Louis American is providing 5,000 students in more than 200 classrooms with papers as part of its Newspaper In Education program.

Photo by Wiley Price

as encourage more youths to seek increasinglyneeded careers in the health care industry.

In August, we launched one of The St. Louis American’s largest initiatives in its 84-year history, a unique, targeted Newspaper In Education (NIE) program. In collaboration with our NIE corporate partners and the Saint Louis Science Center, we are now providing, at no charge, actual newspapers to more than 5,000 students in more than 200 classrooms in the Saint Louis Public Schools and Normandy school districts. (The program is available to additional classrooms, online, at no charge, as well.)

According to the National Newspaper Association, students who use newspapers in the classroom score better on standardized tests, continue reading into adulthood, have greater civic understanding and are more engaged in their communities. Further research shows minority students who use a newspaper at least once a week score 29 percent higher on standardized tests than minority students who don’t use a newspaper.

After consulting with local educators, education administrators, cultural institutions, and leaders of some of the largest St. Louisbased companies, and gaining their support, our path to implementation became clear: to assist in increasing MAP test scores, as we focus our efforts on STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) literacy.

After just one month, the feedback from our NIE program has been strongly positive. The feedback came from the most important stakeholders in our children’s future: educators and parents. Without the true buy-in from the teachers and parental involvement, no matter how innovative the approach, it’s sure to fail.

On the weekend of our 25th Salute event, and looking to the future, we truly salute the work of, and desperately need, the unwavering support of dedicated educators and parents.

Commentary

A tale of two conventions

Judging by the party conventions, you’d wonder why this election is even close. In Tampa, despite some unexpectedly amateurish stagecraft, Republicans put on a credible display of unity and resolve. No one could come away doubting that the party very much wants to defeat President Obama in November. But I think it’s fair to conclude that the GOP’s emphasis is on “defeat Barack Obama” rather than “elect Mitt Romney.” And many of the party’s rising stars, judging by their convention speeches, seem to believe it’s likely that Romney will lose. Coming to Charlotte, I expected to see a party on the defensive. Instead, Democrats orchestrated a convention that felt strikingly focused and spirited. Speakers relentlessly emphasized the “re-elect Obama” side of the equation, relegating “defeat Romney” to second billing. The oratory was superior, the visuals were more telegenic and there were no Clint Eastwood moments.

You can’t conclude that just because the Democrats’ threeday infomercial was better than what the GOP put on, Obama is going to win. But even if the conventions aren’t remotely as important as they once were, they’re not meaningless. They do say something, and this year the message for Democrats is decidedly hopeful.

For the GOP, the most obvious missed opportunities came on the final night – not

just the Eastwood Incident, but also the failure to ensure that some of those tributes to Romney’s character from individuals whose lives he touched aired on the broadcast networks. But none of this amounts to a major disaster.

Thematically, however, there was a meandering quality to the Tampa convention. In large part, this was due to the decision by some of the marquee speakers to spend more time talking about themselves and their accomplishments than about Romney.

I’m talking about Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida – both, not coincidentally, seen as potential presidential candidates in 2016 should Romney lose. It was hard to imagine why Christie and Rubio would give such priority to their own political prospects if they really believed Romney would be occupying the White House for the next eight years. In Charlotte, by contrast, there was practically no freelancing. Every speech centered on one of two clear themes: Why voting for Obama and the Democrats is right and why voting for Romney and the Republicans is wrong. Selfindulgence and self-promotion were not allowed.

Even one of the most famously uncontrollable speakers of our time, former President Bill Clinton, stayed relentlessly on message throughout a masterful 50-minute speech. Republicans who hoped there might be a glimmer of daylight between Clinton and Obama must have been disappointed.

Clinton’s powerful argument for Obama’s re-election was constructed like a lawyer’s brief.

As i see it - A Forum for Community Issues

Good living and Todd Akin

I first met Claire McCaskill back in 2004 in a meeting held at my home in St. Louis. She was Missouri State Auditor Claire McCaskill then, far from the high-profile national figure she is today. Even then, I liked McCaskill; she was sharp, frank and down-to-earth. I recall a friend saying that she was headed for bigger things than Missouri; he was right. These days, McCaskill is a popular U.S. Senator with the President on “speed dial.” She is known as one of the sharpest political minds in Washington and still presents herself as “sharp, frank and down-to earth.” But make no mistake about it, the McCaskill who sat in my living room back in 2004 has long since been dethroned.

The Claire McCaskill of today is one of the most influential members of Congress. An early supporter of candidate Barack Obama, she undoubtedly has the President’s ear and is one of the most recognizable faces on Capitol Hill. She is both saluted and criticized for her propensity for detail, and has been known to cross party-lines when

necessary. Despite this reputation, until recently, McCaskill was a candidate left at death’s political door. Most national polls had her losing handily to Republican challenger Todd Akin, and political pundits had all but chalked Missouri up as a win for Republicans in the November 2012 elections. Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell Todd Akin! Adhering to the “Tea-party playbook for nut cases,” Akin

n The Claire McCaskill of today is one of the most influential members of Congress.

decided to feign political physician and pronounced that during a rape, a woman’s body had a way of shutting down portions of itself to prevent an unwanted pregnancy. Since no such medical breakthrough had ever been presented to society, especially women, Akin went from a candidate headed for the Senate to a charlatan lamenting a mouth too big for its own good.

Letters to the editor

Kenya’s courage

Thanks for providing the opportunity for us to read the Black & Single column written by Kenya Vaughn. She is transparent and offers deeply personal experiences which help people relate to what she’s saying, and helps us to see things differently. I miss the column when it’s not there, and always look forward to her ventures. Please continue to provide weekly space for her expression! Here’s to healthy relationships, good communication and courage!

Jo Lena Johnson Via email

He systematically countered the Romney campaign’s main lines of attack – Medicare, welfare, didn’t-build-that – and offered a wonderfully succinct distillation of how Democrats see the difference between the two parties: “We believe that ‘We’re all in this together’ is a far better philosophy than ‘You’re on your own.’”

Clinton’s embrace of Obama was complete and unreserved. Might the former president, totally by coincidence, have also begun to lay the ground for a presidential run by Hillary Clinton in 2016?

All right, Clinton is a unique political asset whom Republicans couldn’t be expected to match. But frankly, in terms of speechifying, any one night in Charlotte was better than the whole week in Tampa. The Democrats’ first evening featured a barnburner from Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, a stemwinder from San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro and a rafter-raiser from first lady Michelle Obama.

And for all the talk of an “enthusiasm gap” favoring Republicans, the energy levels inside the two arenas tell a different story. It’s not that the Tampa hall lacked enthusiasm, it’s that the Charlotte hall seemed absolutely on fire.

Maybe it was desperation among Democrats who realize that Obama could possibly lose. Whatever the reason, I don’t know anyone who didn’t notice the difference. Conventions don’t win or lose elections, but they can help or hurt. This tale of two cities says President Obama has had a very good couple of weeks.

Unscrupulous business partners

In mid-2009 the three Solamere Capital founders went into a new business. They partnered with three men who allegedly participated in an $8.5 billion dollar Ponzi scheme while working at Stanford Financial Group. This North Carolina financial advisory firm “wealth management business” was named Solamere Advisors. Tagg Romney lauded the “all-star lineup” of financial advisers at the new firm. Brandon Phillips, Deems Mays, and Timothy Bambauer were at Stanford and received incentive compensation derived from selling bogus certificates of deposits.

Herman Stone, 70, a Charlotte businessman, said he put $2 million into a C.D. after Bambauer and his assistant, Phillips, vouched for it. Tagg claimed his partners collected about $15,000 in the Ponzi scheme but court documents show that the men made over $1.6 million selling fraudulent CDs to investors.

The Romney name, money, and business connections have allowed Tagg to start his own business. It appears that Tagg was willing to go into business with unscrupulous business partners. Business ethics will not be an easy problem for Mitt’s money to fix.

Jo Ann Brown

Spanish Lake

don’t register, can’t vote

Please post this link to the non-partisan website, OurTime.

Depending on what you read and believe, Senator McCaskill now leads Akin by by 5 to 9 points. Despite losing all funding from the National Republican Party, and weathering a storm of cries for him to step aside, Akin remains adamant that he can still win. For those who watch Missouri politics, we know all too well that he has reason for hope. Despite his deeply held right-wing convictions and an obvious flirtation with political suicide, Akin still leads McCaskill in all rural corridors of the state. Fortunately, she maintains solid double-digit support in the Kansas City and St. Louis region. Ironically, support for McCaskill among white Missouri voters is almost split at 45 percent to 46 percent for Akin. Her support among African-American voters however is at 87 percent. Akin has also lost significant support among independents and women. If Senator McCaskill manages to in November, and indications are that she will, she owes benevolence to two factors: good living and Todd Akin! George Cotton serves as Senior Major Gifts Officer for The Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem North Carolina.

and

org, which allows your readers to register to vote http://www.ourtime.org/. Readers can also find out where to vote and if they need special ID. This is particularly important in this year’s election.

Why help your readers register?

• Over 6 million eligible African-Americans are not yet registered

• Of registered voters, more than 70 percent will likely vote in 2012

• Of unregistered voters, 0 percent will vote In 2008, RockTheVote registered over 2,000,000 new voters, mostly with on-line forms. Young Democrats of America and HuffingtonPost have already posted their on-line registration forms. Will you join us?

Laquita Banks St. Louis

Personhood quiz

Which one of these are NOT considered to be a person by Republicans?

A) Corporation

B) Woman

C) Fetus

If you guessed B - you are correct!

Marc Perkel Gilroy, CA

‘Business needs’ blues

Several years ago I was selected to read aloud the obituary for Charles Perry in St Louis. In it, I learned that my college friend Michele Perry-Williams was really born in Detroit. She said, “We moved here when I was six so dad could keep his job at Chrysler.”

The market was saturated there and Chrysler went looking for young cheaper labor here in St Louis. They call that “business needs.” So the Chrysler plant in Fenton was born.

Now that it’s closed. We see the older workers retired and the youngest workers, including many of our friends, moved to Kokomo, Ind. to keep their jobs at Chrysler. And so on and so forth. Now there is a lottery for younger, cheaper labor to get new jobs at GM in Chicago and next year in Wentzville.

for

But Sen. Paul Ryan says it is Obama’s fault that a plant closed in Janesville, Wis. Again I say, “business needs” is a decision made by management to hire, lay off, leave the country, cut benefits, reject unions, or refuse to hire workers from the communities surrounding them.

Victoria Ryan-Bailey St. Louis

Guest Columnist George Cotton

Columnist Eugene Robinson

ACTtest info in Hazelwood

During the 2012-2013 school year, Hazelwood School District juniors and seniors will have many opportunities to enroll in workshops to prepare for the ACTtests.

Math or science teachers will conduct math/science workshops while communication arts teachers will lead communication arts/reading workshops. The workshops include ACTTest-Taking Strategies and ACTContent Reviews for math/science/English, which have a $10 fee (pay in guidance office at sign-up). These are held after school over three days, starting at 2:35 p.m. and ending at 4:35 p.m.

ACTContent Review Workshops will take place on the following dates: October 9–11; November 27–29; January 29–31, 2013; and April 2-4, 2013 while ACT Test-Taking Strategies Workshops will occur on the following dates: September 4-6; October 16-18; December 4-6; February 5-7, 2013; April 9-11, 2013 and May 2224, 2013.

The ACTassesses high school students’general education development and their ability to finish collegelevel work. The test is multiple-choice and covers four skill areas – English, mathematics, reading and science. There is also an optional writing test that measures planning skills.

ACTexam dates are October 27, December 8, February 9, 2013, April 13, 2013 and June 8, 2013. Students interested in taking the ACTcan pick up registration packets in the counselor’s office and submit the completed forms to ACTby various deadlines for the desired ACTtest date. Students may also register online by going to www.actstudent.org

There are two fees, $35 for the regular ACTand $50.50 for the ACTwith the writing test. Students who cannot afford to pay the registration fees may be eligible for an ACTfee waiver. These students should consult with their high school counselor for fee waiver eligibility requirements.

The district will reimburse one ACTfee for each student who is ineligible for a fee waiver during the student’s senior year. To receive reimbursement, students must complete a six-hour ACTWorkshop or the ACT Prep class. Students must sign up for the workshop in the school’s guidance office and the following documentation is needed for reimbursement:

Proof of enrollment in ACTPrep class or complete an ACTWorkshop (six-hour minimum) for each ACT fee reimbursement. ACTteachers will submit attendance to the guidance offices.

ACTscores – College Board sends scores to the guidance offices. High schools use ACTresults in academic advising and counseling, to identify students who need extra help in certain subject areas and to plan changes and improvements in the curriculum. Colleges use ACT results in admission decisions, course placement, academic advising and to disburse scholarships and loans. Students are encouraged to check with their high school counseling office for updated ACTworkshop dates.

Swinging in Carr Square

Are you ready forschool?

By Aline R.Phillips For The St.Louis American

Here are a few steps to guarantee you turn the page to begin the next chapter for a successful school year.

Know the school principal. If the principal is new to the school community, do not refer to the practices of the previous principal. Develop a relationship with the new principal and get to know his or her expectations. Become an active member of the PTO or Principal’s Advisory Panel.

Make sure you know and commit to memorizing your child’s teacher’s name(s) and room number. For middle and high school students the homeroom teacher or team name (if applicable) is a great place to start.

If your child has medical needs, be sure you connect with the school nurse and complete all necessary forms. Make sure necessary prescription medicines are stored in the nurse’s office with the appropriate forms on file.

Set a routine for bed times.

Recommended sleeping patterns for school age children should be followed and a part of your routine.

3-6 years old: 10-12 hours per day. Children in this age group should go to bed between 7 and 9 p.m. and wake up around 6 and 8 a.m. In pre-school most children are still napping by Kindergarten 5 or 6 years of age naps are not included in the school day.

7-12 years old: 10-11 hours per day. Children in this age group tend to have more social, school and family activities and bedtimes gradually become later. Most 12 year olds are going to bed by 9 p.m. Agood practice would be to look at the range between 7:30 and 10:00 and set a consistent time that will allow your child to receive the recommended sleeping pattern for this age range. 12-18 years old: 8-9 hours per day. Sleep needs remain just as vital to health and well-being for teenagers as when they were younger. Children in this age range need to begin scheduling their study time and activities utilizing the academic planners and/or electronic calendars to help monitor time management.

Continuously update your contact information as changes occur.

Read the school and district handbook.

Post the district calendar and monthly menus on your refrigerator in plain view

Make sure your child has the appropriate tools to start the school year. Many school districts have distributed their supply lists to local department stores. They also make these items available on their district websites. As you start this school year make a commitment to engage more in your child’s education than you did last year. If you are extremely involved already continue your plan and find one area you can strengthen to continue to make a difference.

Aline R. Phillips

Photo by Wiley Price

During the 47th Annual Carr Square Reunion held recently in Loretta Hall Park,Lathan Kates 2,took a ride on a swing with Princilla Gold.

EARLY

Continued from A1

Sciences, convened a public forum for the Academy’s Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences, of which Early is a member.

The forum held in St. Louis at the Missouri History Museum was one of only four data-gathering events convened by the commission and the only forum held in the Midwest, Early said in opening the meeting. The American Academy of Arts and Sciences created the commission in answer to a bipartisan call from U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Mark Warner (DVir.), and Reps. Tom Petri (R-Wis.) and David Price (D-N.C.), Berlowitz said. The forum was documented in multiple media, which will be edited into the commission’s report to Congress that will “recommend specific steps that government, schools and universities, cultural institutions, businesses and philanthropies can take to support and strengthen” the humanities and the social sciences,

according to the Academy.

Panelists reporting to Congress were chosen to represent a wide geographic and institutional range for the metropolitan area. Senior administrators in art and humanities from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, the University of Missouri-St. Louis and Webster University all spoke, as did leaders of presenting organizations ranging in size from small (the Griot Museum), to medium (Jazz St. Louis, Circus Harmony) to large (Laumeier Sculpture Park, Opera Theater of Saint Louis).

“We should not encourage, we should require large institutions and universities to collaborate with small and developing institutions.”

– Lois Conley

Lois Conley, founder and director of the Griot Museum, spoke in very plain terms on behalf of both smaller institutions and the AfricanAmerican grass roots.

“We should not encourage, we should require large institutions and universities to collaborate with small and developing institutions,” Conley said. She said this is required because of “the institutional capacity required for many funding opportunities,” which has the effect of starving smaller community-based organizations. These smaller, often-overlooked organizations, she said,

HAMILTON

Continued from A1

M. Suggs Scholarship, which includes a full four-year ride to University of Missouri–Columbia. He and his parents had some fears about him attending a PWI. What fears? “Not really finding anyone to relate with or that looked like you,” he said. “Standing out in a class or in a crowd. My parents

shared those anxieties. But I learned that happens sometimes, that’s life. Eventually, I got more comfortable with it, and I saw it as an opportunity to educate my peers as well.”

Hamilton’s story and experience are reaching parents and students. In the fall 2011 semester, the university had 538 African-American, firsttime college students, which was a recruitment record for black students. And under Hamilton’s leadership, African-American freshman in

Gene Dobbs Bradford,executive director of Jazz St.Louis,and Lois Conley,founder and director of the Griot Museum,presented Friday at a forum convened by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences' Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences,which is preparing a report to Congress.

have unique value.

“Education is about study, but it is also about experience,” Conley said. “That’s where community-based institutions can help. We can offer

fall 2012 rose by 23 percent to 662 students.

As a student himself, most of his personal fears were quieted when he attended the Clue N 2 Mizzou, an orientation event specifically geared towards African-American students from St. Louis and Kansas City. It was his first experience with the campus.

“The whole idea of the event is to make incoming African-Americans students feel more comfortable on campus,” he said. “You can talk

real-time opportunities for human experience.”

Conley spoke immediately after Gene Dobbs Bradford, executive director of Jazz St. Louis, whose organization has

with your academic department and meet with a student on campus. For me, it really did. I was a little more at ease, and that encouraged me to apply and do the same for other students.”

Immediately when he arrived at Mizzou, he applied to become a United Ambassador, a member of the university’s minority student recruitment team. He didn’t make the cut his first year, but he was persistent and applied again his sophomore year. He

major-league experience with just such partnerships. Jazz St. Louis under his direction has partnered with the Center for the Humanities at Washington University on national jazz

was accepted, and for three years he guided potential recruits as an ambassador.

When he graduated in December 2010, he wasn’t sure what his next step would be, he said. Working at the front desk in the Office of Admissions as a senior, he found out about the open position for coordinator of culturally diverse recruitment programs. The coordinator also oversees the United Ambassadors, and when he was chosen for the post, he

education projects funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, and locally Emerson has funded its Jazz in the Schools program.

“I just got an email this week from a jazz performance major at the University of Miami, and he said the jazz he learned from our program played a great role in earning his scholarship,” Dobbs Bradford said. “Unlocking that potential is what humanities is all about.”

Conley also spoke up for the importance of supporting institutions that represent a diversity of perspectives.

Though she spoke with the frustration commonly experienced by the black grass-roots community in St. Louis –“there is a continuing racial divide” – her message was anything but black cultural nationalist. Her message was one of inclusion.

“We need to embrace a new paradigm of inclusion, rather than it being a second thought,” Conley said. “We need a genuinely inclusive education that is holistic.”

Early said he was proud to be able to add these local voices to the national conversation about humanities.

“I am proud St. Louis was chosen for this forum,” Early said. “It is a great opportunity for our community to hear from local people on the front line of doing things for the humanities and the arts.”

said it was the natural next step.

“I have been recruiting since before I graduated, and it’s nice to do that in a bigger capacity now,” he said. Hamilton graduated with a bachelor’s in English, although he came in as a secondary-education major.

“Wherever life takes me next,” he said, “I want to continue to work with minority students and in the realm of education.”

Photo by Chris King

CLEMONS

Continued from A1

Indeed, on the day Clemons was sentenced to death, the key witness against him, Thomas Cummins, settled a police brutality claim against the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Clemons alleged almost identical acts of brutality by some of the same detectives working the same case. Clemons’coerced confession was permitted in court and helped to convict him, whereas Cummins’coerced confession was retracted and he was paid $150,000 to settle his claim.

Clemons was convicted as an accomplice to the murders of Julie and Robin Kerry on April 4, 1991, though no forensic evidence was produced. Under coercion Clemons confessed to rape, not murder; he has never been tried for rape, though the rape charge was used in his sentencing phase to get the death penalty.

The Cummins police brutality settlement, which jurors’ could not have known because it coincided with their verdict, is one troubling aspect of the case emphasized in a new series on the Clemons case being produced in multiple media by The Guardian,

SALUTE

Continued from A1 the University of Missouri –Columbia.

“I am so proud of him,” Verstraete said. “Kevin taught me a whole lot last year about perseverance, dedication and character. He’s just a special person.”

Verstraete, Redmond says, goes above and beyond as a counselor and he considers her like family.

“She’s the one who initially told me about the Suggs scholarship,” he said. “She was

England’s bastion of progressive journalism. The Guardian team, which relied on The American extensively for primary sources and reporting on the case, also pointed out compelling objective support for Clemons’ claim of police coercion: Judge Michael David ordered Clemons sent to the hospital, rather than jail, following his interrogation. Clemons filed his police brutality claim immediately after he was released from the hospital and finally was allowed to see an attorney.

Judge Manners can recommend to the Missouri Supreme Court one of four outcomes for Clemons, according to Michael Wolff, a law professor at Saint Louis University who was serving on the Supreme Court when it appointed Manners as Special Master.

“One result, he could say Clemons should be released,” Wolff said. “Another, he could say there were defects in the trial; grant him a new trial. He could suggest vacating the death penalty and leaving Clemons in prison for the rest of his life. The fourth thing is he could recommend they do nothing” – which would likely put Clemons back on the schedule for execution.

Wolff said he has no idea what form Manners’report to the Supreme Court will take or

originally going to be my guest at the Salute to Excellence.”

The two were pleasantly shocked to hear that Verstraete would receive her own award.

“I was very honored and humbled,” she said.

Verstraete strives to reduce the amount of stress associated with students who are transitioning from high school seniors to college freshmen. She says the challenges are often greater for first-generation students whose parents never attended college. The issue isn’t that their parents don’t want to help their children, they just may not be prepared to do so.

if Manners will even recommend any specific course of action. “I do think he will make some new findings for the court to consider,” Wolff said.

Wolff also remains sure that he and his colleagues picked the right judge for the job.

“Mike Manners is a very, very, very well-respected judge from an urban area in a different part of the state,” Wolff said. “He is not from St. Louis, so he will not face St. Louis voters for retention.”

Manners’relative immunity to politics in judging the case is worth stating.

St. Louis politics was critical to the outcome of the Clemons case, since he and his co-defendants Marlin Gray (who was executed in 2005) and Antonio Richardson (whose death sentence was commuted to life in prison) were tried by Nels C. Moss when Moss was running for Circuit Attorney in the City of St. Louis. Moss turned these cases into show trials and was censured for prosecutorial misconduct after repeatedly making outlandish claims and comparisons in court. For example, Moss continued to compare Clemons – a youth with no criminal record – to confessed mass murderers like Charles Manson even after being ordered by the bench to stop.

“There’s a lot of jargon that gets thrown around in the college admissions process that gets really overwhelming for a lot of parents who’ve not gone through it themselves,” she said.

Rally for Reggie

Supporters of Reggie Clemons are holding a prehearing rally on Saturday, September 15 from noon-3 p.m. at Kiener Plaza, 6th and Market. Tef Poe will perform.

“Sometimes the students who think they can afford college the least are the ones who can afford it the most.”

– Karen Verstraete

It is during these moments in her role as counselor that she has the greatest impact on her students.

“We can call her any time day or night and she is always there for us,” said Cari Hill,

18, Verstraete’s former student and recent Webster Groves High School graduate. Currently, Hill is studying at William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo.

“Mrs. Verstraete means absolutely everything to me,” she said. “She was like a second mother.”

Verstraete strives to dispel a common myth among her students of lower socioeco-

Speakers will include Brian Coverson, Midwest Director for Amnesty International, and Clemons’mother Vera Thomas. The event is sponsored by the Justice for Reggie Campaign in conjunction with

nomic backgrounds.

“Sometimes the students who think they can afford college the least are the ones who can afford it the most,” she said. “Because there are government grants, institutional grants and scholarships to help students meet their college goals.”

Verstraete relates to these students because she, too, was a first-generation college student.

Verstraete has been employed at Webster Groves High School since 1999. Overall, she has worked in education for 17 years.

President Barack Obama,right, is picked-up and lifted off the ground by Scott Van Duzer,left, owner of Big Apple Pizza and Pasta Italian Restaurant during an unannounced stop,Sunday, Sept.9,in Ft. Pierce,Fla.

the ACLU, NAACP, Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (MADP) and Amnesty International. For more information, contact the Justice for Reggie Clemons Campaign at justice4reggie@yahoo.com.

Verstraete wants her legacy as a counselor to be that of a person who made a difference in the lives of her students. As her students reflect on their lives and education 10 or 15 years later, she said, she wants her students to say,

“Mrs. Verstraete helped me.” That certainly is true for Cari Hill, one of those students who didn’t think she could attend college on her budget.

“She was looking up different scholarships that personally fit me,” Hill said of Verstraete, “and now I’m going to college for free.”

Best-in-class automatic highway fuel efficiency,* automated hands-free liftgate and active park assist.** Introducing the incredibly fun and fuel-efficient ALL-NEW 2013 ESCAPE. It’ll make a brand-new you. Visit ford.com/brandnew

* EPA-estimated 33 hwy mpg, FWD. Class is Small Utilities vs. 2012/2013 competitors.

** Hands-free liftgate and active park assist are available features. © 2012 Ford Motor Company

John Doe the blackmailer pleads on parking fraud

People concerned – or titillated –by reports of public corruption in St. Louis have been waiting for some other shoes to fall since August 20, when the U.S. Attorney announced the plea bargain of Dannielle Benson owner of Dankar Enterprises, which had a minority subcontract from Duncan Solutions, the Milwaukeebased firm that has the city Treasurer’s Office $1.74 million contract to deliver parking services

Benson pled guilty to one felony count of mail fraud for bilking the city and the majority contractor out of more than $328,000 by paying two unnamed people who didn’t do any work, paying a third party who blackmailed her after learning about the payoffs to these two “ghost employees,” and also paid an unnamed consultant who didn’t do any consulting.

The wording of Benson’s plea agreement suggested more fraud would be prosecuted based on these incidents. The two “ghost employees” were indicated in her plea agreement by initials, M.K. and A.G., which suggested their identities are known but were being withheld for a future indictment or plea agreement. In charging documents both the blackmailer and “ghost consultant” were named with the generic phrase “John Doe,” often used for someone who is either a cooperating witness or a suspect for larger fraud schemes. Those are four more fraud busts that could follow quickly upon Benson’s plea.

One of those four other shoes dropped on Friday when a plea agreement with John Doe the blackmailer – one Frank Habeebullah – was announced. Habeebullah, who worked for the majority contractor Duncan, confessed to blackmailing Benson for a total of

$59,000 of taxpayer money, since she billed Duncan who was being paid by the city.

It is telling that Habeebullah was an employee of the majority contractor Duncan, since now both an employee of the majority contactor and the owner of the minority subcontractor have confessed to bilking the public of money through the Treasurer’s Office.

“It makes me concerned that there is more to come and what else is going on in the office,” Tishaura O. Jones, who is the city’s next presumptive Treasurer, told The American after Benson’s plea was announced. Now it certainly would seem that Jones will be in the market for new parking contractors at every level of the operation. The Treasurer’s Office manages $1.5 billion in revenue every year, according to a budget estimate provided to the Board of Aldermen.

Duncan, based in Milwaukee with more than 2,000 clients worldwide, has an unusually long contract with the Treasurer’s Office for a provider of municipal services – 10 years – which certainly will be reviewed under the new administration.

The EYE is certain the U.S. Attorney is looking at that suspiciously lengthy contract term – 10 years! – to see if there were any improper dealings at a more senior level between Treasurer Larry Williams and Duncan. Duncan has maintained that the company is being investigated only as a victim of fraud, not a perpetrator.

Williams’ complicity with the “ghost consultant” fraud is suggested by the fact that, according to Benson’s plea agreement, she arranged the bogus consultancy with John Doe the ghost consultant “at the direction of the St. Louis Treasurer’s Office.”

Williams has been dogged by rumors of federal investigations for decades.

However, the rumor mill has not churned out any speculation that the feds have Williams up against the wall over the Benson- Habeebullah-John Doe sting.

Ready, fire, aim

The Post-Dispatch, which always seems to have its wet finger to the wind for “swirling rumors” about a black man, has covered as news an unsourced allegation that Rodney Hubbard is John Doe the ghost lobbyist. Hubbard is not talking to them, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office has now released two plea agreements in this case that did not name the ghost lobbyist.

The EYE also has a source who claims to know the identity of John Doe the ghost lobbyist, but this source would not be named and has clear motive to lie about this matter.

The Post’s source clearly will not be named either, yet without verification the Post ran Hubbard’s face and name on the newspaper’s (increasingly devalued) front page and subsequently recycled the anonymous allegation about Hubbard in a mostly irrelevant story about another lobbyist with a different contract.

The Post has played “ready, fire, aim” in printing unsourced allegations about black men before. This Sunday (September 23, 2012) will be the three-year anniversary of Paul Hampel’s lame 1A Post-Dispatch “news” report citing “swirling rumors”

– unbelievably, the Post’s sourcing was no more specific – that a federal investigation into corruption in St. Louis County government went “all the way to the top,” which would mean to County Executive Charlie A. Dooley It’s been three years now, and Dooley never has been charged with any wrongdoing. Further, no one has produced any evidence that Dooley was even investigated for corruption.

The Post’s source of the rumors, at times “swirling” and at other times “unconfirmed,” would not count as evidence in any court of law or at most news media.

Tight-lipped Joe

The EYE understands the journalistic thrill of having a source you believe who has a hot secret but who refuses to be named. The problem is, a source can always claim fear of retaliation or any number of other credible reasons for wanting to remain anonymous, but unless the accused is aware of the identity of his accuser –and until the motives of the accuser are probed in depth – it is impossible to know what is true and whether the journalist is simply being set up.

To be more specific, the EYE has for many years heard damaging allegations about former Police Chief Joe Mokwa from people whose personal backgrounds would put them in a position to know the things they claimed to know. These claims about

Street team Butler

Michael Butler, who soundly won his Democratic primary for District 79 in the Missouri House of Representatives, poses with some of his winning stream team. Several victorious North St. Louis stream teams from the August 7 primary are still waiting for calls from statewide Democrat candidates.

Mokwa predated the towing scandal, but were perfectly consistent with the towing scandal, which – if Mokwa had been involved in the towing scam – would have merely shown that the old dirty dog learned new and bigger tricks as he moved up in the chain of command. Mokwa was never charged with wrongdoing in connection to the towing scam or any other criminally corrupt act.

The EYE assumes that PostDispatch reporters’ ears for “swirling rumors” brought these same allegations about Mokwa to them, and the reporters discussed these stories with their editors. The EYE is not aware of any disturbing 1A Post-Dispatch stories about what anonymous sources claim to be true about Mokwa. The Post should have had these same rumors when Mokwa was police chief and the towing scam – which the Post did so much to uncover – was active but falling apart. But the EYE recalls reading nothing in the Post other than Mokwa’s tightlipped denials that he was involved in the towing scam. As for the older and more rampant swirling rumors about how Mokwa conducted himself as a police officer, the EYE is not aware that the Post has printed the slightest mention.

Yet they set the likes of Charlie Dooley and Rodney Hubbard on fire with no named source and no official confirmation. The reader is left to his or her own judgment to conclude why the Post acts on some unconfirmed rumors as news and not others.

By Melanie Adams

History Museum launches Break Beat Scholars

Academy for 9th graders focuses on cultural identity and history

Last February I wrote a column about the origins of Black History Month and Carter G. Woodson’s intent for this celebration to focus on youth. At that time I said that in February 2013, the History Museum’s Black History program would be developed and implemented by young people. I am happy to announce the launching of Break Beat Scholars, a Saturday academy for 9th graders focusing on cultural identity and African American history.

While I like to think I am somewhat hip and cool, I sadly realized I am not because I came up with the title of Saturday History School, but Assistant Director of Community Events and Education MK Stallings suggested “Break Beat Scholars.” Since my hip-hop history is very limited, I asked MK to tell me (yet again), what Break Beat means. MK explained that it is a term made popular by hip hop practitioners in reference to the instrumental portion of a song that accounts for only a few seconds of the total track time but is extended and explored as its own sound. Like the idea of break beats in music, this program will look at areas of history typically overlooked or ignored and will expound on their relevance and meaning.

Break Beat Scholars

on African American History. These three individuals along with many others helped pave the way for the Break Beat Scholars program. The Break Beat Scholars program will not be your typical history program. Instead of listening to lectures about historical figures and events, the program uses music, documentaries, and young African American scholars to help students explore the ideas found in African American history. Beginning on Saturday, October 20th the program opens with More than a Month, Shukree Hassan Tilghman’s documentary which asks the central question of whether we still need Black History Month. The filmmaker will join the students via Skype to discuss the issues brought up in the film. In addition to discussions, the students will have opportunities to express themselves through writing workshops which will culminate in their program presentation in February.

(the website www.mohistory. org for full schedule)

For more information and to sign up for the program, please contact MK Stallings at 454-3106

Just one look at the typical school curriculum and you will find that any truly comprehensive history of African Americans is largely absent. This absence is explained away by lack of time in the school day or the need to focus on test-specific areas. Regardless of the excuses given, I firmly believe you teach what you think is important. If you don’t think African American history is important, it will never move out of February.

As the Museum embarks on this new program, we look back to the African American historians who have been doing this pioneering work in St. Louis. We remember men such as Dr. Herman Dreer and his work as a teacher at Sumner High School. The founder of Negro History Week in St. Louis, Dr. Dreer also wrote a weekly newspaper column about African American history. Since history is also made up of strong intelligent women, we look to Dr. Julia Davis, a teacher and historian, who tenaciously shared her knowledge of African American history throughout the community. Finally we look to Dr. John Wright; the Museum has had the pleasure of working with him on numerous occasions to provide research and programs

We can’t merely offer the program. We have to promote interest and engage students in the topic. As parents and caregivers, it is difficult to effect change in school curriculum, but you can determine how your children spend their out-ofschool hours. Many cultures use the Saturday school format to help supplement the learning that takes place during the regular school week. Dr. Herman Dreer did that in the 1920s and 1930s to help African American students learn their history. It is time to reinstate that concept. As a community we cannot wait for someone else to determine that our history is significant enough to add to the curriculum. We have to find other ways to teach our history or else it will be forgotten.

OBITUARIES

Delores Swanson Merritts

Delores Swanson Merritts, an 83 year old East St. Louis, IL native and St. Louis, MO resident, passed Wednesday, August 29, 2012. She leaves to mourn her: an only daughter, Charlotte VM Ottley, and a younger sister, Gloria Howze. Her husband, Edward Merritts, and her parents, Jessie and Zilphia Swanson, preceded her in death. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to BASIC-CMOTWC (Charlotte Merritts Ottley Transitional Women’s Center) for the Delores Swanson Merritts’ Scholarship Fund, 3028 Locust Street, St. Louis, MO 63103.

George William Hickman, Jr.

August 6, 1924 –August 19, 2012

George Hickman, Jr. was born to George and Corean (Jordan) Hickman. He grew up in St. Louis and served as a Tuskegee Airman in World War II. George received his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Education with a minor in Engineering from Bradley University in Peoria, IL. He had a successful 30-year career with the Boeing Company in Seattle as part of the Minuteman Instructor Group. Active in the Seattle community, his service included: Special Olympics volunteer organizer, Seattle Catholic Youth Organization coach, President of St. Joseph’s Catholic School Board, member of the Catholic Archdiocesan SchoolBoard,andVicePresident of the Seattle Black Catholic Lay Caucus. George received the Fulcrum Foundation’s champion of Catholic School Education honor in 2008. He was also a 63-year member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.

After retiring, George worked as an event staffer with the University of Washington athletic department, and later with the Seattle Seahawks. He received the 12th Man honor from the Seattle Seahawks during their Veterans Day weekend game in 2011. George was selected by the Seattle Mariners to throw out the first pitch in their game against the Boston Red Sox in May of 2009. He received the Congressional Goal Medal in 2007 for his service as a Tuskegee Airmen in World War II.

Melonson, Deanno and Lucien Robinson; two great grandsons: Jameir Melonson and Lucien Robinson, Jr. He is also survived by his aunt, Beatrice Jordan Catchings, his nephew James Forrester, sister-in-law Joan Scott and many relatives and friends throughout the country.

Burial services will take place Monday, September 17 at 11:30am at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, MO. Funeral Services were held on Thursday, August 30th, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Seattle, WA.

Navy. When he retired in 1983 he was deputy commander of the Bureau of Field Operations with the rank of Major.

“He was a darn good police officer who took a great interest in some of the younger men, including me,” said Calzona Hall, a longtime friend who later became deputy chief of the department.

Calif., a niece, Daphne Brown Wright of O’Fallon, Ill., and a host of cousins. Visitation for Mr. Wren will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 14, 2012, at Wade Funeral home, 4828 Natural Bridge Ave. A funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. at Wade. Burial will be in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.

Sarah Jean Turner

George is survived by his wife, Doris Baptist Crawford Hickman, daughter Regina Melonson, daughter Sherie HickmanGaines, son Vincent Hickman, and daughter Shauneil Robinson.

George has three sons-inlaw: Wayne Melonson, Vincent Gaines and Dean Robinson; five grandchildren: Ryan, Jeffrey and Jordan

Charles M. Wren

Charles M. Wren, a veteran police officer, passed away Tuesday (Sept. 4, 2012) at Parkside Towers nursing home in St. Louis after a long illness. He was 87. His parents George and Sophia Wren, both of East St. Louis, preceded him in death.

Mr. Wren, a native of East St. Louis, had a stellar career with St. Louis Police Department. He joined the department in 1952 as a patrolman in Ninth District after serving in the U.S.

“Our friendship led to us building homes side-by-side in North St. Louis,” Hall said.

Retired Lt. Stephen Olish, executive director of the Police Retirement System, said Officer Wren was an outstanding law enforcement officer.

“He was a great guy,” Olish said. “He was strict but fair, and he had very high professional standards.”

One of the highlights of Major Wren’s career was when he worked with the Secret Service on a security detail to guard George H.W. Bush during his official visit to St. Louis.

Mr. Wren graduated from Lincoln High School in East St. Louis in the late 1940s and later attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1950 and served on a ship in the Pacific.

In August of 1969, Officer Wren married Pelagie Green, a professional dancer who operated the Pelagie Green Wren Dance Academy in St. Louis. For many years, the couple produced popular dance recitals at the old Kiel Auditorium where hundreds of young people were introduced to the worlds of dance and entertainment. Some of her students won national awards and danced on Broadway.

After retiring from the St. Louis Police Department, he became chief of the East St. Louis Police Department for three years. He later started his own private investigation and security services.

Besides his wife, Mr. Wren is survived by a daughter, Jess Marie Wren of Los Angeles,

Sarah Jean Turner, age 74, a resident of East St. Louis, IL, departed this life on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 at St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis, MO surrounded by family and relatives. Sarah leaves to cherish her memory: her devoted daughter, Varnay Denise Turner of Saint Louis, MO, her beloved son, Kenneth (Tracy) Turner Senior of Saint Louis, MO; two grandchildren, Kaci Miller Turner and Kenneth Turner Junior of Saint Louis, MO. She leaves a whole host of other relatives and friends.

In Blessed Memory of our angel, Nicole “Nikki” LaShea Fletcher-Anderson

May 22, 1972— September 5, 2010

We love you and you will forever hold a warm place in our hearts.

Missed immensely, Marcus, Demetria, Mom, Dad, nine siblings, the Collins, Fletcher and Anderson families

Delores Merritts

George Hickman Jr.

Charles Wren

Sarah Jean Turner

Nicole FletcherAnderson

Mr. Spray’s 5th Grade Class Bel Nor Elementary Normandy School District

Mr. Jason Spray observes students Viseel Beckworth, Denetria Holman, Shamieah Moore, Cody Ragsdale, Jordan Goble, and Harold Smith, performing weather

SCIENCE EXPERIMENT

Background Information:

St. Elmo Brady was able to study the motion of color. You can see color in motion with a few common ingredients.

Materials Needed: milk (2% or whole), a cotton swab, food coloring (2-3 different colors), liquid dish soap, and a plate.

Directions: After you have gathered your materials, you are ready to begin.

STEP 1. Pour the milk to cover the bottom of the plate.

STEP 2. Add several drops of food coloring, but DO NOT STIR.

STEP 3. Dip a cotton swab in liquid dish soap.

MATH CONNECTION

STEP 4. Touch the cotton swab to the center of the milk. DO NOT STIR.

Newspapers contain many numbers.

ACTIVITY q

Find numbers in your newspaper and use them to create number sentences that compare the numbers using the following symbols: <, >, = For Example: 675 > 212

ACTIVITY w

Using the same set of numbers, find a variety of ways to compose and decompose that number. For example: 620+55= 675. 725-50=675.

LIFE SCIENCE

By the Numbers stlamerican.com

INVENTORS & INVENTIONS

St. Elmo Brady

Color in Motion

STEP 5. Observe as the colors begin to swirl in the milk.

Analyze: Why does this happen? If you place a cotton swab in the milk without dish liquid, you won’t have the same reaction. This is another example of chemistry. The liquid dish soap reacts with the protein in the milk. As it dissolves those molecules, the colors are free to move.

Do you think the experiment would have the same result with skim milk? Why? Defend your answer with specific details.

Standards: I can follow steps to complete and science experiment and analyze the results.

ACTIVITY e

For this activity, you will need a highlighter, a newspaper, and a partner. You will highlight the odd numbers you find in the newspaper. Your partner will highlight the even numbers he finds in the newspaper. See who can find the most numbers in a 10 minute race.

ACTIVITY r

On a piece of paper, create three columns to represent a place value chart for ones, tens, and hundreds.

Chemistry is all around you—from the laundry detergent to bread baking in the kitchen. Chemistry is the study of the interaction between matter and energy. If you have witnessed a diet soda/mint candy geyser, you have seen chemistry. Doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and physical therapists must be knowledgeable about chemistry. But did you know hair dressers need chemistry, too? They need to understand how the chemicals used in processes to color, straighten, or curl your hair will react to your hair type. Firefighters must also study chemistry to understand how to extinguish different types of fires. If you have a chemistry degree, you could work in a lab or on a computer. You could teach or write and share your results.

Extension: Here is a chemistry experiment that you can try at home for invisible ink. Mix an equal amount of baking

DID YOU KNOW?

Use the numbers you have in the newspaper to fill the chart. For example: 675 would have a 5 in the ones column, a 7 in the tens, and a 6 in the hundreds.

Standards: I can apply mathematical skills to add, subtract, multiply, and divide. I can identify odd and even numbers. I can identify place value in three digit numbers.

soda and water. Use a cotton swab or toothpick to write a message with invisible ink on a piece of paper. After the ink has dried, you can read the message by brushing a thin layer of grape juice over the paper. Your message will appear. This is chemistry in action!

Discuss: What is chemistry? Why is chemistry important?

Read All About It:

Want to learn even more about chemistry? Check out:

“The Periodic Table: Elements With Style,” by Simon Basher and Adrian Dingle. “Kitchen Chemistry,” by Ted Lister and Heston Blumenthal.

Standards: I can read non-fiction text for main idea and supporting details.

St. Elmo Brady was born in Louisville, Ky., in 1884. At the age of 24, he received his college degree and began teaching at Tuskegee Institute. While there, he followed his passion in science. In 1916, he became the first African American to receive his doctorate’s degree in chemistry, which is the study of interactions of matter and energy. When asked about his experience earning his degree, Brady said, “We began with 20 whites and one other and ended with six whites and one other.”

St. Elmo Brady is best known for his study of the movement of colors. He also published studies which described the composition of a magnolia seed and castor beans. This information was helpful not only to farmers, but also to inventors who could use this data to create new materials. In November 1916, The Crisis Magazine (An NAACP publication) named St. Elmo Brady the “Man of the Month.” Brady shared his love of science with other professors and devoted his career to encouraging African Americans to study science. Brady died on Christmas Day in 1966.

Discuss:

What is significant about St. Elmo Brady? In your opinion, what is his biggest achievement?

In the News: New technology continuously changes the way we do things. Use the newspaper to locate a picture of an invention that has affected or changed your life in some way. Write about how the invention changed your life.

Try It:

If you want to see color in motion, try this experiment. Fill a cup halfway with water. Add several drops of food coloring to achieve a bright color. Take a stalk of celery and place the stalk in the cup of colored water. The water travels up the celery stalk and is absorbed into the leaves a few hours later.

Standards:

I can read non-fiction text to understand a biography. I can identify new vocabulary words.

Local Famous Missourian: You have been given the task to write about a local Missourian who has contributed to your community. Skim the newspaper to find the person who best fits the description. Tell how this person has impacted the community and why he or she should be recognized for his or her contributions.

Can I Quote You on That: When quoting their interviewees, reporters must think of interesting ways of saying “said.” Use quotes in your newspaper to see how reporters quote their subjects. Make a list of 10 different ways that were used. Share your results with your classmates.

Relevant Information:

Find an interesting news story to evaluate. Read the story and identify the main ideas. Number the main ideas in order of importance. Explain why you chose that order.

The Interview: Select someone in the newspaper that you would like to interview. Create a list of five questions for this person. Trade lists with a classmate and answer the questions the way you think the interviewee would answer them. Use specific details from the news story to support your responses.

Standards: I can use newspapers to follow directions. I can identify main idea and supporting details in a nonfiction text. I can write for an audience and purpose.

Magnolia seeds

Castor bean seeds

Photo by Wiley Price

BUSINESS

Black MBAs mentor

‘Leaders of Tomorrow’

By Chris King Of The St.Louis

STLblack business students compete in Atlanta, now bound for Indy

American

The St. Louis Chapter of the National Black MBAAssociation recently participated in the The Leaders of Tomorrow National Business Case Competition at the Emory Goizueta Business School in Atlanta.

Chaperoned by Paula Hughes, VPof Operations for the St. Louis Chapter of the National Black MBAAssociation, St. Louis Chapter’s Leaders of Tomorrow (LOT) team included Justin Farrar, Alexis Jasper, Charles McElroy and Willard Moore. These students analyzed an MBA-level

High-tech startup moves to St. Louis

Arch Grants entices search-engine startup simMachines to relocate

American staff

The startup simMachines is relocating its headquarters to St. Louis from Costa Rica after receiving funding from Arch Grants, the global business plan competition providing $50,000 grants to startups and taking no equity in return. The startup is working on search engine technology that allows companies to retrieve similar objects in a database with software like that used in fingerprint searches or music recognition found in cell phones. Located in the T-REx shared workspace in downtown St. Louis, simMachines plans to hire up to 10 people, including a co-founder, by the end of 2013.

“I am excited and proud to be a part of the American startup community,” said Arnoldo

See STARTUP, B2

“It allows them to discuss career choices with industry professionals and network with successful corporate, civic, and academic professionals.” – Tracy Blue,NBMBAA-St.Louis Chapter

graduate school business case about the social media platform Facebook and presented recommendations before a panel of senior corporate executives and business school faculty. In the process, Hughes said, they had to master advanced math, critical thinking, ana-

lytical, writing, research and survey development and public speaking skills, and then present detailed financial projections and implementation plans. The judges are instructed to evaluate participants not as high school stu-

COUNTYPASSES FORECLOSUREMEDIATION ORDINANCE

Mortgage lenders required to offer homeowners mediation before foreclosure

By James H.Buford For The St.Louis American

Since the beginning of the recession, mounting foreclosures have plagued thousands of communities across the United States. In St. Louis County, nearly 2,000 homes have been foreclosed in 2012. As you may already know foreclosures have reached epidemic proportions in North County and parts of South County have fallen prey to foreclosure. As houses are abandoned, crime and lowered property values are left in their wake.

Being a non-judicial state, Missouri has one of the fastest foreclosure rates in the country. In judicial states, court actions are required for foreclosing on homes. People often lose their homes within five months of falling behind on their mortgages in the State of Missouri.

To curtail the crisis, St. Louis County Councilwoman Hazel Erby (D-University City) proposed the Mortgage Foreclosure Intervention Code, a bill requiring foreclosure mediation of all homes with loans in

default in St. Louis County. This bold measure requires mortgage lenders to offer defaulting homeowners foreclosure mediation prior to foreclosure. The Council recently gave approval to this ordinance with a 5-2 vote. This code requires mortgage lenders to pay for mediation services to take place between themselves and the homeowners. Defaulted homeowners will have 30 days to respond in writing to a Notice of Mediation that will be sent from the mediation coordinator. Once this response is received, homeowners will be able to negotiate in good faith with their lenders and qualified housing counselors to resolve the defaulted loan. According to the Center for Responsible Lending, foreclosure prevention programs ensure communication and negotiation between parties, levels the playing field by incorporating an experienced third party

PEOPLEON THE MOVE

Gayla E. Jackson, MD, recently joined Mercy Clinic, the multi-specialty physician group affiliated with Mercy Hospital. Dr. Jackson received her medical degree from the University of Kansas and completed her residency in internal medicine at Saint Louis University. She received a bachelors in business at the University of Kansas, a masters in tax from the University of Oklahoma and completed her premed studies at Rockhurst University in Kansas City.

Keith Jones is the new Executive Room Chef at Stadium Sports Bar & Grill at Lumière Place. Born and raised in St. Louis, Chef Jones started a catering company while still in middle school. He graduated from Johnson & Wales University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Culinary Arts and Entrepreneurship.He joined the Lumière culinary team in 2010 as a Sous Chef for Stadium and was instrumental in the opening of the location.

Lillie Thomas is one of three new members of the board of directors for the St. Louis Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. She is a former operations and business director with experience in the health care industry. She also is a past Komen St. Louis grantee and a 15-year breast cancer survivor. Komen St. Louis is dedicated to meeting the breast health needs of the

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Marks & Assoc. is diversity consultant forBJC medical centerrenewal

Marks & Associates has been named the diversity consultant for the 10-year project to renew the medical center campus on Kingshighway Boulevard encompassing BJC HealthCare’s Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital and the Washington University School of Medicine.

Led by President and CEO Sandra Marks, Marks & Associates is a 25-year-old firm specializing in the creation and growth of minority- and women-owned firms. Past projects include assisting Washington University in increasing the breadth, depth and scope of minority firms working on the Danforth and medical center campuses.

Marks & Associates – a member of the team responsible for all aspects of the campus renewal, according to BJC – joins construction manager ACWAlliance, executive architect HOK and program manager Jacobs. Achief engineer will be selected in the coming months.

Human Resource Management Diversity Conference Sept. 21

The second annual Diversity and Inclusion Conference of the Missouri State Council of the Society for Human Resource Management (MO SHRM) will be held 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday, September 21, 2012, at Stoney Creek Inn in Columbia. All human resources professionals, both SHRM members and nonmembers, are welcome.

The conference’s keynote speaker is Joe Gerstandt, co-author of Social Gravity: Harnessing the Natural Laws of Relationships. He serves on the board of directors for the Global Diversity and Inclusion Foundation.

Visit http://mo-shrm.org and see “Events and Conferences” for more information about the conference or to register.

Keith Jones

Gayla E. Jackson

Paula Hughes,VP of Operations for the St.Louis Chapter of the National Black MBA Association and Case Competition chap-

erone with the St.Louis Chapter’s Leaders of Tomorrow (LOT) team:Alexis Jasper,Charles McElroy,Justin Farrar and Willard Moore.

Sandra Marks

James H. Buford

Government proposes simplified mortgage disclosure forms

By Jason Alderman

No doubt many wannabe first-time homebuyers have been sitting on the sidelines of the volatile housing market, unsure when or how to enter the game. If that describes you, you’re probably fortunate to have missed out on the housing bubble and lax lending standards of a few years ago, when millions of people took out mortgages they couldn’t afford – or understand.

Homeownership is a longterm commitment filled with expenses (both expected and unexpected) and responsibilities. The upsides – not to mention the tax advantages – are why approximately two-thirds of Americans own instead of renting. But homeownership is not always right for everyone

STARTUP

Continued from B1

Müller-Molina, founder and CEO of simMachines.

“Receiving my E2 visa demonstrates that the United States is willing to support startups as a means of economic growth in the country. I have big plans for simMachines as we establish operations and grow in St. Louis, creating jobs locally and participating in the startup economy.”

Attorneys Jeffrey Bell of Polsinelli Shughart and George Newman of Stinson, Morrison, Hecker provided pro bono services to support MüllerMolina’s move to St. Louis. Getting the E2 visa was the last hurdle.

“With simMachines’relocation to St. Louis, we’ve made progress in international entrepreneurship for the U.S. and for St. Louis,” said Sarah Spear, executive director of Arch Grants.

“It’s historically been quite difficult for foreign-born entrepreneurs to come here and we are hopeful that Arnoldo’s case

or at every stage of life.

Here’s hoping that now, as home prices have plummeted and loan interest rates are at historic lows, you can resist the temptation to get in over your head and first bone up on the many one-time and recurring costs involved in owning your own home.

Agood place to start is

Know Before You Owe, the financial education initiative launched last year by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to ensure that people receive concise, easyto-understand information regarding mortgages, credit cards and student loans, among other major financial decisions (www.consumerfinance.gov).

After soliciting input from thousands of consumers, lenders, mortgage brokers and

signals increased government support for foreign-born entrepreneurs beginning their startups in America. We’re excited to bring companies like simMachines to the region as part of our efforts to establish an innovation hub in St. Louis.”

As one of 15 winners of the 2012 Arch Grants Business Plan Competition, simMachines was awarded $50,000 in startup capital to help the aspiring entrepreneur’s vision.

BUFORD

Continued from B1

negotiator into the process and provides increased oversight and transparency to loan modification efforts.

Following Nevada’s enactment of mandatory foreclosure mediation in 2009, the state’s nationwide foreclosure rankings fell to 6th from 1st place in 2008. In Connecticut and New York, over 70 percent of homes went into foreclosure

PERSONAL FINANCE

consumer advocates, the CFPB recently developed new prototypes for the federal disclosure forms borrowers receive after applying for a mortgage and before closing on the loan.

“When making what is likely the biggest purchase of their life, consumers should be looking at paperwork that clearly lays out the terms of the deal,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray.

The proposed forms combine several different but overlapping documents now required by various federal agencies. But they will simplify the language and format and make it easier to compare different mortgages and more

mediation proceedings. Of these percentages, 62 percent of homes were saved through permanent modifications in New York.

In states where mediations were not mandatory, less than 20 percent of troubled homeowners received help. So as you can see, mandatory foreclosure mediations are crucial to helping troubled homeowners find the help they need to keep their homes.

easily understand loan terms, including interest rates, monthly payment amounts, closing costs and how the loan amount might change over time (e.g., with an adjustable-rate loan). They also highlight features borrowers may want to avoid such as prepayment penalties and negative amortization.

In the meantime, if you’re considering buying a home, review the proposed forms to get an idea of which costs you should be watching out for. And, even if you’re already comparing loans or in escrow, ask your lender to show you where the various costs highlighted in the new forms are located in your current disclo-

To curtail the foreclosure crisis,St.Louis County Councilwoman Hazel Erby (DUniversity City) proposed the Mortgage Foreclosure Intervention Code.

Since this measure has now passed into law in St. Louis County, defaulted homeowners will now be offered mediation services at no cost. It is important to remember that homeowners will only have 20 days to respond to the notices in order to save their homes.

Housing counseling agencies such as the Urban League, Beyond Housing, Catholic

Charities and Better Family Life offer free help to those who are late on their mortgages. Those who are having problems maintaining their mortgages should seek help as soon as possible. Missouri is one of the fastest states in terms of foreclosure processing. According to research conducted by the University of Missouri-St. Louis, most foreclosures in the state of Missouri occur during a timeline of 60 days, which ranks it near the top in the nation. With that said, it is critical to allow homeowners in our region the necessary time to assert resources when faced with losing their home. The utilization of a thirdparty mediator and strategic intervention of housing counseling can help more families remains in their home.

The Urban League’s sup-

sure documents – it might help avoid costly last-minute surprises. Here are some factors future homebuyers should keep in mind: ï Start planning now. It could take years to save enough for a down payment and closing costs.

ï Don’t forget ongoing expenses like a monthly mortgage payment, mortgage insurance, homeowner’s insurance, property taxes, furnishings, maintenance and repairs.

ï People with poor credit ratings usually either don’t qualify for loans or pay much higher interest rates. Work on repairing your credit at the same time you launch a savings plan.

port of this policy is premised on the need to help homeowners retain the dream of homeownership. The Urban League provides leadership to the St. Louis Foreclosure Intervention Task Force. The mission of the St. Louis Foreclosure Intervention Task Force is to “develop and implement strategies that decrease the number of foreclosures, which will preserve homeownership for families and stabilize neighborhoods in the St. Louis region.” Foreclosure mediation for St. Louis County will serve as a model for the region and this mission will continue to reverberate to each block and neighborhood. Each family that avoids foreclosure equates to one less family having to change school districts, one less vacant home which stifles home values, and a neighborhood that progresses towards stabilization for years to come.

ï If your down payment isn’t at least 20 percent, you’ll probably

It is important to remember that homeowners will only have 20 days to respond to the notices in order to save their homes.

Next, the necessitude to strengthen the lines of communications between the servicer and borrower is an essential element of avoiding foreclosures. For years through this housing crisis, our housing counselors have heard the cries of homeowners not being able to effectively communicate with their servicer or lender. Homeowners would send documents and would have to send them again or call and not reach the same point of con-

tact. For homeowners who have not met with a housing counselor and/or mediator, have they been made aware of all of their options, whether it is a loan modification, unemployment forbearance, repayment plan, deedin-lieu or short sale? And lastly, foreclosure scams are still out there. While there are reputable HUD-certified housing counseling agencies such as the Urban League that provide foreclosure intervention counseling for free, there are several unscrupulous entities that charge outrageous costs and fees and don’t deliver, while “guaranteeing” loan modifications and interest rates. As housing counseling agencies we have to reach homeowners before these predators reach them. Before a family spends the last of their resources on these loan rescue scams, homeowners must be directed to agencies that will hold their best interests.

The passage of this bill is historic and will help keep more homeowners in their home, provide more financial/housing options, and bring all parties to the table to discuss the single most investment most of us will make in our lives – our home.

Heart of a champion Rams show resolve, Tigers dissolve

Serena grits out fourth U.S. Open title

When the underdog Houston Rockets completed a 4-0 sweep of the powerful Orlando Magic to repeat as 1995 National Basketball League world champions, head coach Rudy Tomjanovich uttered a simple, yet profound phrase.

“Never underestimate the heart of a champion.”

I was thinking about Rudy T.’s quote last Sunday when Serena Williams trailed No. 1 seed Victoria Azarenka 5-3 in the third set of the finals of the U.S. Open.

Although I was thinking about it, I hate to admit I was not believing it at that time. I even called my brother-in-law and told him, “Man, Serena is getting ready to lose this match.”

– Serena Williams,after her improbable comback victory in the women’s singles championship match of the U.S.Open Over the past weekend, I declared it as one of the most exciting weekends in regards to football in the city of St.Louis. The Missouri Tigers faced off against the No. 7 Georgia Bulldogs in front of a sellout stadium and a ESPN2 audience. For the most part, the game went back and forth. Both teams had trouble getting their offense started. That’s nothing knew with the Missouri Tigers. The Tigers notoriously started games off slowly then claw back and win in the end. Well, the Tigers started off slow but struck first and got a lead against Georgia. But, the Tigers defense eventually wore down and didn’t get any help from the offense. The Tigers offense, led by quarterback James Franklin had to make do with the loss of Elvis Fisher at the center position. And plenty of bad snaps ensued. Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones made himself at home in the Tigers backfield. Later, we learned that Jarvis Jones figured out the Tigers snap count. Hmm. I remember something similar happening to the Tigers last year when they played against Arizona State, and then linebacker Vontaze Burfict had a monster of a game terrorizing Franklin and the Tigers. I wonder if that little thing that Franklin does, when he flicks his right hand before the ball is hiked. And can someone please tell me what was Gary Pinkel thinking about with the fake punt? Pinkel should know better. This weekend, the Tigers will try to avenge loss to Arizona State as they travel to Columbia. The St. Louis Rams played with some grit and earned a little respect in their 27-23 loss to the Detroit Lions. The Rams defense intercepted Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford on three occasions. And not to nitpick, the Rams should have easily had five picks. One at the end of the second quarter with the Lions pushing the ball downfield and cornerback Bradley Fletcher had a bead on the ball, Fletcher knocked the pass down with both hands instead of just squeezing it into his hands killing, a Detroit Lions drive and that would’ve keep the score at 13-7. The other dropped pick was from Craig Dahl. On offense, the Rams lost center Mark Wells and left tackle Roger Saffold, but the

On Sunday Serena Williams won her fourth U.S.Open title and 15th Grand Slam championship after trailing No.1 seed Victoria Azarenka 5-3 in the third set of the finals. IN THE CLUTCH

With Earl Austin Jr. Earl

What happened in the next twenty minutes or so was truly remarkable. Somehow, Serena reached down for a little extra and won the next four games to win her fourth U.S. Open title and 15th Grand Slam championship in truly improbable fashion. In those final four games, Serena displayed

With Ishmael H.Sistrunk

Super middleweight boxing sensation

Andre Ward

H.

one may think S.O.G. stands for something similar such as “Str8 Original Gangsta,” “Smash Opponent’s Grills,” or “Shining on Gold” considering his 1994 gold-medal Olympic victory. But a deeper look at the reality of his name lends insight to the completeness of his game. Ward’s S.O.G. stands for Son of God.

Oh he’s one of those fighters? I know what you’re thinking. Kurt Warner in boxing gloves and a fade, right? Wrong.

Well, on second thought, let’s give that comparison some credence. Just as Warner was known for his amazing accuracy and quick release on the field, Ward has made a name for

why she may be the greatest women’s tennis player of all time; or, at the very least, be in that serious conversation. She was two points away from defeat, yet she showed true championship heart and grit in coming back.

In wresting that championship away from Azarenka, Serena hit some wonderful shots and broke her serve twice in the final four games, including the final game of the match. Williams, 31, also became the first women 30 or older to win the U.S. Open in 25 years.

It was truly a great display of what being a champion is all about. Although I have marveled at how easily Serena won the Wimbledon

See ISIDE, B5

What was Gary Pinkel thinking about with the fake punt? Pinkel should know better.

“The Viking Warrior” are designed to induce fear into opponents. With that in mind,

See RAMS, B5

Andre Ward connects with a solid left hook to the jaw of “Bad”Chad Dawson.Ward dominated the light-heavyweight champion knocking him down three times.

Palmer L. Alexander

Now that the opening day dust has settled for both Missouri and the Rams, the question is: Just what do we have here?

For Mizzou, it was their first venture in their new conference, the SEC. Yeah, we heard all the talk about it being “big time” college football in how they handle their business on and off the field, and we found out something. They were right. From the droves of fans that made their way to the state of Missouri from Georgia to the loads of talent they have on the field, one has to only wonder how long will it take those who tote the Tiger Tail to fall in line and act like they belong here.

It was reported that Georgia may have found a way to gobble up as many as 17,000 tickets for the game. They were staying in hotels as far away as St. Louis in order to go to the game. The restaurants and hotels looked at this as manna from heaven, and Alabama has not even rolled in as yet. If not for the Georgia fans buying up tickets, one would have to wonder if the game would have been a sellout. On the field, it was evident that Missouri has work to do. I understand that they may have played with too much emotion early, but when everything got back to a normal Saturday night football game, the Tigers had a problem. Whenever a team loses a big game, you can always sec-

CLAIB’S CALL

Mizzou 0-1 in the SEC

ond-guess the play calling. The Tigers became rather predictable with the running game, and Georgia just clamped down. I understand that, as well as the failed fake punt. As Head Coach Gary Pinkel said, had it worked you would not have asked why they should have run it. Here is where the coach and I have a disconnect. When

things have gone awry, Coach Pinkel is quick to remind the junior media in Columbia that he has been around a long tine and that he knows what he is doing. I would agree that he has been there longer than any other coach at Mizzou, and he he has won a lot of games. No championships on the overall conference nor national level but make no mistake, he is a

winner.

With that said, just because you have been around and claim you know what you are doing does not always make you right. Pinkel is quick to take the blame for the miscues and move on, but in some cases they are the same miscues that have gotten Mizzou into trouble in the past. The media just shakes their head and moves on.

I was also scratching my head about Dorial Green

Beckam. You remember him, the greatest player ever recruited by Missouri since Tony Van Zandt? “Best player in the country” is what I was told, and yet he had one reception for five yards.

I know Georgia is good, but it was not like they had a bunch of Pro Bowlers in the secondary to thwart Green Beckam. With all the time and practices that he has under his belt, I was expecting more. Pinkel is a good coach. He

could coach for me most Saturdays. He will now have to do some real coaching, as his offensive line is in near shambles already.

No pats on Rams backs

While some have almost started to inquire about Rams’ playoff tickets after the LOSS to Detroit on Sunday, if there was a better way to lose than what we have witnessed in the past few years this was it. There will be no pats on the back nor should there be, as the Rams lost a game that they could easily have won.

The last play that cost them the game indicated that the basics are still in need of being taught. In most cases, linebackers are coached to cover running backs coming out of the backfield. Yes, it’s taught at all levels, so forgive me if I am not forgiving on the blown assignment. Physical mistakes are part of the game, but mental errors are unacceptable –especially in this era of classroom meetings and less field work.

I appreciated the fact that Coach Jeff Fisher was not as quick to accept losing as some of us have. Even with the grandeur of hope, there is too much to be better at than finding a basket to put the eggs in. The Rams also face questions about why some do not play, as early draft selection Brian Quick was a non-factor at the receiver spot on Sunday. Aposition that Rams fans have been clamoring to have fixed every since Torry Holt left. Now you take a guy early, and he cannot contribute on opening day? What about all the meetings and off-season workouts, mini-camps, training camp and pre-season games? The whispers are that he is still learning the offense. Excuse me but this is football, not a lesson on how to put a roving vehicle on Mars.

While I am hopeful that Quick gets it sooner than later, I have to wonder at what point did the Rams realize that this was going to take a while? Patience, you ask? Sure, why not?

Like Gary Pinkel, Jeff Fisher has a bigger problem than why receivers cannot get on the field sooner. Both coaches are saddled with multiple injuries in the offensive line. Key players are down for awhile and the replacements will have to learn on the fly. It’s my hope that we do not find out the hard way on why they were replacements and not starters, as the health of James Franklin, Steven Jackson and Sam Bradford hinge on that. We are about to see why they pay big-time coaches big-time money to produce big-time victories.

Mizzou tailback Marcus Murphy is overwhelmed by Georgia Bulldogs in the 41-20 blowout that introduced Missouri to the SEC.

With Mike Claiborne

Mike Claiborne

Great American Football Classic at the Dome

Four games this Saturday including Kirkwood vs. Rockwood Summit

The Great American Football Classic will return to the Edward Jones Dome for the second consecutive season. The four-game event will be held on Saturday, beginning at 11 a.m. The featured game of this year’s Classic will be the Suburban South Conference clash between Kirkwood and Rockwood Summit. Kickoff is at 4 p.m. Both teams enter the contest with a 3-0 record and have serious aspirations for the 2012 season.

Kirkwood advanced to the Class 5 state-championship game in the Edward Jones Dome last season where it finished second to Staley. The Pioneers are again one of the top teams in the state of Missouri. They are led by senior quarterback Jordan Bishop, senior tailback Ramon Alton and senior receiver Andre Harris, who has committed to Iowa.

Rockwood Summit is looking to become one of the area’s big breakthrough teams of the season. After making the playoffs last season, the Falcons also have high expectations for the season. Summit is led by

Continued from B3

FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK

With Earl Austin Jr.

6’4” 235-pound senior linebacker Eric Beisel, who has already committed to the University of Missouri. The Falcons also feature a talented running back in senior Ian McIntosh.

The rest of schedule for Saturday night is as follow: Waterloo vs. Triad at 11 a.m.; Sikeston vs. Farmington at 1:30 p.m. and Oakville vs. Eureka at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale in advance for $11. The price is $15 at the door and $8 for youth football players.

Othertop games of the week

Hazelwood East at Jefferson City, Friday, 7 p.m; CBC at Lindbergh, Friday, 7 p.m. East St. Louis at Belleville East, Friday, 7 p.m. Miller Career Academy at Gateway Tech, Saturday, 1:30 p.m. Vashon at Soldan, Saturday,

CLUTCH

Continued from B3

I even called my brother-inlaw and told him, “Man, Serena is getting ready to lose this match.”

title and Olympic gold medal earlier this summer, but what she did in New York last weekend may have been her finest hour. It it quite easy to extol the virtues of a champion when they are blowing out their opposition without a challenge. However, the true test comes when that person or team faces true adversity and their feet are held to the fire. And Serena’s feet were burning.

After dropping the first set, Azarenka was really taking it to Serena and she appeared to be knuckling under to the onslaught. To the point where Serena admitted that she was mentally thinking about her runner-up speech after the match. But somehow, the girl found a way to get it done. And it was a beautiful thing to watch.

himself in the ring with his quick, accurate punching. This past weekend, in a bout billed as the “toughest fight of his career,” Ward obliterated “Bad” Chad Dawson. The linear light-heavyweight champion was dominated by S.O.G., who took control of the fight early with a crisp, compact left hook that sent his opponent to the canvas and left his legs as loose as linguini. Ward went on to down his bigger foe twice more over 10 rounds. The whooping was so precise and devastating that even though Dawson made it to his feet after the third knockdown, he had no desire to continue and told referee Steve Smoger, “I’m done.” And I don’t blame him one bit.

With the impressive victory, Ward now finds himself in discussions for the pound-forpound crown. Some boxing writers have already elevated him past Manny Pacquiao and anointed him the heir to Floyd Mayweather’s throne. I’d place him in the number three spot due to the lack of bonafied boxing legends on his resume. Still, his impressive performance in Showtime’s Super Six Tournament, where he cleaned out the 168 lb. division by defeating Mikkel Kessler, Allan Green, Arthur Abraham

1:30 p.m.

DeSmet at Chaminade, Friday, 7 p.m.

Football on the radio

High school football will be making its debut on KATZAM Hallelujah 1600 with Play by Play Friday Night this week with Riverview Gardens at Pattonville in a Suburban North Conference game at 7 p.m. Veteran broadcaster Kevin Pulley will be providing play-by-play. I will be part of the pre-game show, which airs 30 minutes before kickoff. The broadcasts are being presented by Rare Gem Productions. Several Public High League football games will also be featured throughout the season.

4 #1s

As of this week, the St. Louis area boasts four No. 1 teams in the statewide polls in Missouri. Maplewood is No. 1 in Class 2, John Burroughs is

and Carl Froch had already legitimized his status as one of the world’s top fighters.

The victory against Dawson was different. Ward has typically been the type of fighter content to outbox his opponent and cruise to comfortable decision victories. In fact, before the Dawson victory, Ward hadn’t knocked out an opponent in over three years. That could be why it was clear Ward wouldn’t be satisfied with an easy

Andre Ward would rather credit God for his ability or spend time with his wife and kids instead of boasting about himself or showing up at the hottest after-parties.

decision this time around.

Following the first knockdown, he relentlessly, but intelligently pressured his bigger, supposedly stronger opponent in order to get him out of there before the final bell.

Sadly, despite the impressive resume and skillset, Ward’s moniker and his lessthan-outspoken nature hasn’t won over a ton of fans. While the fight vs Dawson was televised on HBO, the paid attendance in Los Angeles was only 8,500, paltry in comparison to

Prep Athletes of the Week

Tyler Walker Clayton – Football

No. 1 in Class 3, Kirkwood is No. 1 in Class 5 while CBC has the top ranking in Class 6. That is quite impressive. But as well all know, it’s not where you start, but where you finish. In recent years, the West side of the state can boast to having all of those state championship trophies. There are some opportunities for our schools, but we’ll have to see how it all plays out.

On the college front

I want to give a shout-out to my collegiate alma-mater Lindenwood University on their 2-0 start in their inaugural season as a NCAADivision II program. The Lions defeated Lincoln U. and Southwest Baptist in their first two games. LU has a big challenge on Saturday when it host Central Missouri State in St. Charles. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. Go Lions!

(You can catch Earl Austin Jr. talking high school football on Friday nights on The Prep Zone on KTVI-Fox 2 with Maurice Drummond at 10:20 a.m.)

the Las Vegas megafights of more outspoken contemporaries like Mayweather and Bernard Hopkins. Ward would rather tell you that he works harder than you rather than insulting you. He’s exudes self-confidence in his interviews but rejects the notion of being ignorant or disrespectful in order to sell a fight. He’d rather credit God for his ability or spend time with his wife and kids instead of boasting about himself or showing up at the hottest after-parties. While his humbleness is admirable, it won’t make him a household name - unless he keeps sending his opponents face first.

That seems to be just what he intends to do. After the fight, Ward stated he’d been focusing on finishing his opponents and his victory over Dawson marked the beginning stages of the final piece of the puzzle in completing his maturation as a boxer. Considering the fact that he’s already defeated nearly every top super middleweight and just pulverized the best light heavyweight on the planet, S.O.G. may be the king of the ring for years to come.

Follow In the Clutch on Twitter @intheclutchstl and online at www.stlamerican.com.

by

RAMS

Continued from B3

makeshift offensive line didn’t do that bad. Especially, with the game on the line in the fourth quarter and Sam Bradford had a great fourth quarter drive to set up Greg Zuerlein then go ahead field goal to give Rams a 23-20 lead . Then on the ensuing kickoff Zuerlein booted the ball and the next thing you know the Lions have to go 80 yards to win the game.

Before you can blink, the Lions carved up the Rams defense and marched the ball downfield for a game winning touchdown. While I’m sure the players in the locker room are upset about the loss as they should. This team played its backside off and they’re young and will only get better from here.

Head coach Jeff Fisher has these young men playing with confidence. Now, the lesson they should learn from this loss is to finish what they start. On Sunday, Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins come to town. RG3 is a much different player to prepare for than Stafford.

We’re getting ready to find out, how this young squad will adjust from a heartbreaking defeat as they received last Sunday. I can’t wait.

MICDS – Football

The 5’8” 150-pound junior enjoyed a big performance in the Rams’21-14 comeback victory against Lutheran South in a Metro League game last Saturday. Muhammad caught three passes for 162 yards and scored a touchdown and set up another. He scored on an 86-yard catch-and-run in the third quarter. He also added a 55-yard diving reception to set up a fourth-quarter touchdown. For the season, Muhammad is averaging 21 yards per reception. He has 10 catches for 214 yards and two touchdowns. He is also an excellent cornerback on defense.

MICDS will visit Priory on Saturday at 1 p.m.

The 5’9” 185-pound senior enjoyed a big all-around performance in leading the Greyhounds to a victory over Affton in Suburban East Conference action on Monday night. Walker rushed for 122 yards and scored three touchdowns in Clayton’s 39-14 victory. He scored on runs of 9, 5 and 15 yards. Walker also had two receptions for 59 yards and another touchdown, giving him four for the evening. On defense, Walker contributed six tackles and an interception. For the season, Walker has scored a total of 10 touchdowns. He has rushed for 359 yards while averaging 14.4 yards per carry. He also has six receptions for 159 yards for an average of 26.5 yards per reception. On defense, he leads the Greyhounds with 25 tackles.

Kirkwood High senior Ramon Alton will be one of the top players to watch at Saturday’s Great American Football Classic at the Edward Jones Dome.Kirkwood will face Rockwood Summit at 4 p.m.

Photo

Wiley Price

Collection Due Process Appeals and you

By Alma M Scarborough

For The St.Louis American

Experience dictates that IRS Revenue Officers (ROs) are programmed to issue the Final Notice of Intent to Levy pretty quickly after the case is assigned to them, usually upon first contact.

Right place, right time to negotiate with

This is not the first contact by the IRS it is the first contact by the revenue officer. A decided difference, the IRS has sent out several letters prior to contact by a revenue officer. Professionally, the revenue officer should wear a sign that reads “the buck stops here.” The goal of the revenue

officer is to be ready to levy if cooperation and resolution is not forthcoming. They do not have to wait to get into position the revenue officer operates to be in position. He or she is waiting for you. It is not often

that you must wait on them. This position creates a situation where the RO is and can make aggressive overtures before the taxpayer is even given a chance to comply (at the RO level) to resolve the case. The result may be to file a Collection Due Process Appeal or request a Cap Appeal. Otherwise, if it takes more than 30 days to resolve the case, negotiations will be obtained with the risk of levy or lien a chance too great to take for your client. Arequest can be made for the RO to withdraw the Final Notice of Intent to Levy so

STUDENTS

Continued from B1

dents but with the same level of objectivity they would use when evaluating a graduate student or a potential professional consultant.

Through the Business Case Competition, students are exposed to National Black MBAAssociation (NBMBAA) mentors and coaches who work with them intensively for months. In the process, they develop the ability to draw connections between what they are learning in school and what it takes to be a successful leader – and the discipline to set goals and achieve them.

“Most importantly, they develop the confidence that comes from believing you can accomplish anything,” Hughes said. “Congratulations to our students. They weren’t the champions, but they all are winners!”

Founded in 1991 at the 13th Annual NBMBAAConference and Exposition in New York,

the IRS

that everyone is on equal footing to negotiate without the overhang of levy while attempting resolution. In most cases, the RO will hold the case up to 40 five days after the filing of the Collection Due Process.

If the RO cannot achieve case resolution within 90 days, then the case is expected to be sent to appeals for a hearing. Either way, it is important to preserve rights and protect property when a Final Notice of Intent to Levy is sent out. The major drawback in the CDPis that it stops the statute from running. The time it takes the IRS to investigate the CDP, maybe one month or six months, is then added back onto the time allowed for col-

Leaders of Tomorrow (LOT) is an academic enrichment and leadership program serving high school students who demonstrate leadership potential. The LOTprogram currently serves hundreds of young adults, ages 14 – 18, in chapters throughout the United States and Canada, along with a contingency in London.

The NBMBAA-St. Louis Chapter’s LOTProgram was established in 1994. From the beginning, the NBMBAA-St. Louis Chapter has had a long tradition of sending students to participate in the annual case competition, the national conference and leadership camps.

“Having our students attend these events helps to create a great learning experience because it allows them an opportunity to interact with more than 125 LOTstudents domestically and internationally,” said Tracy Blue, NBMBAA-St. Louis Chapter chapter relations officer.

“It enhances their leadership skills; allows them to discuss career choices with industry professionals and network

lection of the tax. If it takes six months for them to investigate then the statute is extended by six months. The IRS wants time to fully collect during the 10 years allotted by statute; so if they have to stop for six months; then they get 10 years and six months.

Filing the Collection Due Process to stop a levy or lien, may be helpful, however; it certainly is not free. There is a price to pay for the negotiations where time is stopped by the IRS to make case resolution. The price is time.

Alma M Scarborough: www.taxhitlady.com; taxhitlady@sbcglobal.net; 314-6211402.

with successful corporate, civic, and academic professionals; shapes their outlook on life; and fills their future with possibility.”

This year the NBMBAA 34th Annual Conference & Exposition will be held in Indianapolis from September 25-29. The NBMBAA-St. Louis Chapter plans to send six students and one chaperone to the conference.

“However, the cost for a student to attend the five-day conference has risen to $1,500 per student, which includes hotel, meals, ground transportation and conference registration,” Blue said.

“These rising costs have made it necessary for the chapter to reach out to its members and friends for assistance in getting these students to the competition and the conference with our ‘Adopt-a-Leader’ campaign.”

Visit the chapter website http://stlblackmba.org for more information about the Leaders of Tomorrow program and/or to make a donation.

Alma M Scarborough

Soul of Ray with SLSO

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

Equipped with a vocal riff morning greeting and accompanying improvised stride piano strokes, Ellis Hall’s charm is almost as awe-inspiring as his musical gift – almost.

But tuning in to sound bytes and YouTube clips of performances –including an awe-struck Jamie Foxx during rehearsals for Academy Award winning film Ray – made it apparent Hall’s infectious charisma can’t touch the incomparable gift he shares with

audiences.

Next week St. Louis will be blessed with the opportunity to experience Ellis Hall as he pays tribute to some of his musical heroes – particularly his mentor Ray Charles – on stage with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra.

“The show is called Ray, Motown and Beyond. And I tell people when they come to the show, don’t hold it in – because you might hurt yourself,” Hall said.

“It’s a soul celebration, and I’m

The Music of Ray Charles starring Ellis Hall will take place at Powell Symphony Hall (718 N. Grand) on Friday, September 21 at 7:30 p.m.

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

“People

the time to come here and take a picture,” Montgomery said after the paparazzi-style cell phone frenzy was done. People in The Upper Crust had come all the way from Houston to celebrate a birthday. “Where’s Charles? Where’s Janae? Where’s the baby?” they said while they snapped photos. “Patti LaBelle said, ‘Love the people while they love you because it doesn’t always have to be that way,’” Norman co-signed. “We are that phase and I’m thankful for it.” They are also thankful for plenty

of other things that have come with the celebrity of being the breakout hit of Oprah’s network – namely a successful business and being an inspiration to others through their

“People say, ‘Miss Robbie, you’re an inspiration to me, but this thing materializing has been an inspiration to me too,” Montgomery said. “It’s almost like a dream. Who other than Oprah – next to Jesus – would you want to have supporting you? It can’t

The family has survived on-air

UCM Black Alumni host reunion

By Lydia McGhee For

The St. Louis American The Black Alumni Association for the University of Central Missouri (UCM), formerly Central Missouri State University, will host its 3rd Black Alumni Reunion Weekend during Homecoming Weekend in Warrensburg, MO, October 12–14. The Black Alumni Committee,

which is headed by Latonia CollinsSmith, Mychal Bridges, Antoinette Cousins, Curtis Bledsoe and Melita Ware, has organized for the past five years to bring together UCM Black Alumni from all over the country. Nestled in Warrensburg, MO, just 200 miles away from St. Louis and 50 miles outside of Kansas City, UCM unsurprisingly has a large St. Louis and Kansas City, MO alumni

struggles since they made their OWN debut. But these days it’s mostly all good. Business is booming. The premature baby they saw in the first season clinging to life is now a gorgeous, chubby toddler.

“That’s the first thing people ask – they say, ‘How’s the baby?’” Montgomery said. “And they let us know that they prayed for the baby. The whole world prayed and, believe me, we felt it.”

Their successes also included a visit from Winfrey herself who sang praises of the fried chicken and pear cobbler while at the Mangrove location.

“It’s amazing because the entertainment industry was my dream and something that I had

See SWEETIE, C4

The truth hurts, but it can set you free

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

Thanks to the conversation in the spirit of a “concerned church member” I laid out in the last column, I FINALLY came to the conclusion that I was more than just an option. And, naturally, I figured it was only right for me to say so to all parties involved.

I can only liken the notion to do so to the chick on the side – knowing that her part-time lover is fully engaged in a real relationship or marriage – deciding that she should have the “where is this going?” talk with her occasional boo.

n A series of messages revved up emotions that I just knew I had already eulogized and interned to the earth.

But whether or not it makes complete sense to anyone else, sometimes the urge to honor our emotions by way of a heart to heart – even when there is only one heart truly involved –supersedes. So, I did it. An epic note that took entirely too long to come to the conclusion of “you don’t really care about me, or you wouldn’t have strung me along as your backup plan for all of these years” with a side of “if you love me, stop dangling yourself in front of me for the sake of your own affirmation.” I added a “neither one of us wants to be the first to say goodbye” element for the sake of scraping an ounce of dignity out of the exchange.

I expected one of two things to happen from my note:

1. He’d say he finally realized the error in his ways after considering my endless devotion and realized that not taking us seriously was the biggest mistake of his life. He had basically said as much in a series of messages he sent my way – which revved up emotions that I just knew I had already eulogized and interned to the earth.

2. He would apologize for any heartache he caused. Thank

population. The alumni committee, which is comprised of proud UCM graduates, has built and dramatically

strengthened the post-baccalaureate network amongst black alumni for

University of Central Missouri Black Alumni Committee members Mychal Bridges, Latonia Collins-Smith, Antoinette Cousins and Curtis Bledsoe present a $10,000 check for the Black Alumni Scholarship Fund to UCM President Charles M. Ambrose.

How to place a calendar listing

1.Email your listing to calendar@stlamerican.com OR

2.Visit the calendar section on stlamerican.com and place your listing

Calendar listings are free of charge, are edited for space and run on a space-available basis.

concerts

Fri., Sept. 14, 6:30 p.m., The Family Arena presents Buddy Guy. 202 Arena Pkwy., 63303. For more information, call (636) 8964200.

Sun., Sept. 16, 4 p.m., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Gamma Omega Chapter presents Scholarship FundraiserConcert feat. Kirk Whalum, The Sheldon, 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, call (314) 533-9900.

Sept., 19 – 22, Jazz St. Louis presents Terence Blanchard. Jazz at the Bistro, 3536 Washington Ave., 63103. For more information, call314-289-4030 or visit www.jazzstl.org.

Fri., Sept. 21, 7:30 p.m., St. Louis Symphony presents Music of Ray Charles. His friend and protege, Ellis Hall, joins the STLSymphony for a one-night only celebration of this American music icon.

718 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 534-1700.

Thur., Sept. 27, 7:30 p.m., The Fox Theatre presents Anthony Hamilton Back to Love Tour feat. Estelle and Antoine Dunn. 527 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 534-1678.

local gigs

Tues., Sept. 18, 6 p.m., Twilight Tuesdays feat. The Fabulous Motown Revue. Missouri History Museum, Lindell and DeBalivere in Forest Park. For more information call 314-746-4599 or visit www.mohistory.org.

Through October30, Wednesdays – Saturdays, The Griot Museum of Black History presents “Songs From the Soul”: African American Icons of Music History. 2505 St. Louis Ave., 63106. For more information, call (314) 241-7057 or visit www.thegriotmuseum.com.

special events

Fri., Sept. 14, 11 a.m., United Way of GreaterSt. Louis hosts 9th Annual United Way BBQ: “United We Grill.” All proceeds benefit the United Way of Greater St. Louis. Kiener Plaza, 601 Market St, 63101. For more information, call (314) 342-0893.

Fri., Sept. 14, 6 p.m., The St. Louis American Foundation hosts Special 25th Anniversary Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship & Awards Gala and BudweiserPlatinum Afterparty featuring

CALENDAR

Spinderella. For more information, call (314) 533-8000 or visit www.stlamerican.com.

Fri., Sept. 14, 8 p.m., John B Ervin Scholars Program 25th Anniversary Welcome Reception. Grand Hall, Marriot Union Station, 1820 Market St., 63103. For more information, call (314) 9357106.

Sept. 14 – 15, Energizer presents The 40th Great Forest Park Balloon Race. Events include a photo contest, a balloon race, and more.

Sept. 15 – 16, Stories of Resilience: Food Summit with keynote speaker Wendell Pierce. Events include workshops on food access, food jus-

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Gamma Omega Chapter presents Scholarship Fundraiser Concert feat. Kirk Whalum. See CONCERTS for details.

tice, and more. Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, call (314) 746-4599 or visit www.mohistory.org.

Sept. 15 – 16, 11 a.m., Cherokee Street Latino Business Owners Association presents Fiestas Patrias (Mexican Independence Day) St. Louis 2012 Festival. Come celebrate Mexico’s independence with free food, music, and more. 2800 Cherokee St., 63118.

Sat., Sept. 15, 9 a.m., All former schoolmates, neighbors and friends who lived in the Mill Creek area plan to attend the Annual Picnic, Heman Park - University City . Donations of money, soda, hot dogs and other are needed. Make your check payable to Waring School Originals and mail it to Otha Giles, 5332 Goodfellow - St. Louis,Missouri 63136.

Sept. 15 – 16, 11 a.m., Cherokee Street Latino Business Owners Association presents Fiestas Patrias (Mexican Independence Day) St. Louis 2012 Festival. Come celebrate Mexico’s independence with free food, music, and more. 2800 Cherokee St., 63118.

Sept., 20 – 23, The Chaifetz Arena presents Disney on Ice: Treasure Trove. Get tangled up with Rapunzel and Flynn, then enter the worlds of Tiana, Cinderella, Jasmine, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Mulan and Snow White. Set sail with Peter Pan. Trek the wilds of Africa with Simba. And don’t be late to a very important date with Alice. 1 S. Compton Ave., 63103. For more information, call (314) 977-5000.

Fri., Sept. 21, 7 a.m., Ronald McDonald House Charities of Metro St. Louis presents 19th Annual Scramble for Charity. Foursomes will compete for great prizes in either a morning or afternoon round. Golfers have the opportunity to “test their luck” at several par 3 games set up on the course. All money raised from the tournament helps support RMHC. Forest Park Golf Courses, 6141 Lagoon Dr., 63112. For more information, call (314) 367-1337.

Fri., Sept. 21, 6 p.m., St. Louis Gateway Classic Sports Foundation & Ameren presents 19th Annual Lifetime Achievement and Walk of Fame. Millennium Hotel St. Louis, 200 S. 4th St., 63102. For more information, call (314) 621-1944 ext. 211.

Sept. 21 – 30, Nationally Televised PokerShowdown. $50 can start you on a journey to life-changing money and a spot on TV.Lumiere Place Casino & Hotels and River City Casino. For more information, visit www.lumiereplace.com or www.rivercity.com.

Sat., Sept. 22, 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., The Family Arena presents Craft BeerFestival. Admission includes souvenir tasting glass and the freedom to enjoy 2 oz. samples from any exhibiting brewery. There will be plenty of water and food available for purchase, special demonstrations and entertaining programs. Must be 21+. 2002 Arena Pkwy., 63303. For more information, call (314) 534-1111 or visit ww.metrotix.com.

Sat., Sept. 22, 1:00 p.m. Gitana Productions presents “Celebration of Oneness in Colors” with music, art, poetry and more at Strauss Park in Grand Center (across from the FOX). For more information call (314)721-6556 or e-mail info@gitana-inc.org

Sat., Sept. 22, 5 p.m., The FAN-tabulous Fling: a citywide scavengerhunt. Each team is required to have a digital camera/phone with ability to upload photos instantly. Each team will need their own car and driver. 21 and older event, participants will be carded at registration. Centene Center for Arts & Education, 3547 Olive St., 63103. For more information, call (314) 289-4169.

Thur., Sept. 27, 5:30, Habitat forHumanity St. Louis Build Women Build: Raise the Roof Fall Auction. All proceeds from this event will benefit the Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis Women Build program. Enjoy a silent auction, appetizers, entertainment, and more. SqWires Annex, 1415 S. 18th St., 63104. For more information, call (314) 3710400 or visit www.habitatstl.org/auction.

Thur., Sept. 27, 6:30 p.m., Seeds of Hope Benefit Event with guest MC Kelly Jackson of NewsChannel5. Event includes live entertainment, interacting displays, and live cooking demonstrations. Visitor Center in Forest Park, 5595 Grand Dr., 63112. For more information, call (314) 446-4465.

Sept. 28 – 29, 4 p.m., Charter

presents The 2012 Taste of St. Louis. Celebration of the best food, art, music and culture our great city has to offer.

Featuring Celebrity Chefs, 50+ restaurants, and more. Soldiers Memorial Park, 1315 Market St., 63103. For more information, call (314) 534-2100 ext. 22 or visit www.tastestl.com.

literary

Tues., Sept. 18, 7 p.m., Left Bank Books hosts Mary Jo Bang. Bang discusses and signs her new translation of Dante’s “Inferno.” Dante wrote his poem in the vernacular, rather than in literary Latin. Bang has similarly created an idiomatically rich contemporary version that is accessible, musical, and audacious. 399 N. Euclid Ave. For more information, call (314) 367-6731

theatre

Sept. 14 – Sept. 30, The Black Rep presents NO Child, MICDS for September 14th performance, Edison Theatre at Washington University Sep. 21-30. For more information, call (314) 534-3807.

Oct 16 – 28, The Fox Theatre presents Les Miserables. An epic and uplifting story about the survival of the human spirit. 527 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 534-1678.

arts

Sun., Sept. 30, 10 a.m., Art in the Park—St. Louis Hills. Sixty-five artists come together to showcase their creative wares amidst live music, tasty eats and hands-on art projects. Nottingham Ave. and Childress Ave., 63109. For more information, call (314) 752-3185.

Oct. 6 – 7, 20th Annual Historic Shaw Art Fair. Fair features 135 artists from across the nation and a wide variety of media and styles. 4100 Flora Pl., 63110. For more

information, call (314) 7713101 or visit www.shawartfair.org.

Through Oct. 7., 11 a.m., Women’s Caucus forthe Art presents Contemporary Women Artists XVI: Longevity. Wednesdays through Sundays.The juried exhibition features works in a variety of media by women artists from around the globe. The St. Louis University Museum of Art, 3663 Lindell Blvd., 63156. For more information, call (314) 977-2666.

Through October27, In the Still Epiphany, Approximately 50 works of art from Emily and Joseph Pulitzer Jr.’s Collection, Opening reception 5 p.m. April 5, The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts (in Grand Center) 3716 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108

lectures

Sept. 19 – 20, Scarborough’s Tax Affair. IRS approved sponsor of continuing education for Registered Tax Return Prepares and Enrolled Agents. Parkway Hotel, 4550 Forest Park Ave., 63108. For more information, call (314) 6211402 or visit www.taxhitlady.com/seminarsandclasses.

Fri., Sept. 28, 8 a.m., The St. Louis Association of Health Underwriters presents The Changing Distribution of Healthcare in America Symposium. Get up to speed on our nation’s evolving healthcare system and how it will impact businesses now, and in the years to come. Insurance agents, brokers, consultants, HR executives and other professionals are encouraged to attend. The Doubletree Westport Hotel, 1973 Craigshire Rd., 63146. For more information, call (636) 519-9300.

Wed., Oct. 3, 5 p.m., Predicting the 2012 Election and Its Aftermath: Views from Political Scientists.

Three prominent University of Missouri political scientists will present perspectives that emphasize how the 2012 election fits general patterns and what that fit (or lack thereof) indicates about the outcome and consequences of the election. Edward Jones Headquarters, 12555 Manchester Rd., 63131. For more information, call (573) 884-4482 or visit www.coas.missouri.edu/events/ electionstl.shtml.

health

Thurs. Sept. 13, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., American Red Cross Blood Drive at Christian HospitalDetrick Building Atrium, 11133 Dunn Rd. St. Louis. Register at www.redcrossblood.org and use the code: christianhospital; or email slm9123@bjc.org.

Fri., Sept. 14, 8 a.m., The CenterforCancer Prevention will host The inaugural Community Forum on Advocacy, The inaugural Community Forum on Advocacy targets communi-

The Fox Theatre presents Anthony Hamilton Back to Love Tour feat. Estelle and Antoine Dunn.See CONCERTS for more information.

ty leaders, agencies and representatives of grassroots groups and brings together speakers who will suggest practical strategies to spread the word about fighting illness. SLU’s Doisy Research Center,1100 S. Grand. The forum is open to the public and reservations are accepted at 314-268-7015.

Fri. Sept. 14, 8 a.m. – Saint Louis University Community Forum On Advocacy. Doisy Research Center, 9th Floor, 1100 South Grand Avenue in St. Louis. For more information, call 314-268-7015 or email communityforum@slu.edu.

Sat. Sept. 15, 8:30 a.m., 2nd annual Refuse to Lose WalkA-Thon, Frank Holten State Park, Centreville, Illinois at the Whispering Willow Pavilion,1-mile fun walk and 3-mile walk. The proceeds from the Walk-A-Thon go to assist Metro East non-profit agencies and the Eagles Nest, a shelter for our homeless military veterans. For more information, please contact New Life Community Church, East St. Louis, Ill. at 618-875-5989.

Sat. Sept. 15, 7 a.m. – 12th Annual CHIPS Community Health Festival & Run Walk, 2431 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis. $25 for adults and $10 for children under age 18; 5K run or 1 mile walk; free health screenings begin at 9:30 a.m. Call 314-652-9331 for more information or register at www.chipsstl.org.

Sat. Sept. 15, 9:00 a.m. –1:30 p.m., Celebrate Pregnancy, Childhood and Motherhood, by BarnesJewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals at the Sheraton St. Louis City Center Hotel and Suites, 400 South 14th St. Participants will learn more about nutrition, caring for infants, breast-feeding and having a safe birth from Washington University physicians.Educational booths, light refreshments, attendance prizes and free parking are also available. Child care not provided.For more information or to register call 314-TOPDOCS (867-3627).

Wed., Sept. 19, 9-10 a.m., Exercise Plan forWeight Loss by Gena Napier, MD, board-certified in family medicine and sports medicine. Jamestown Mall Food Court. Call 314-747-WELL(9355) to register.

Wed., Sept. 19, 1:30 p.m. –3:00 p.m., Medicare Update 2013 at Northwest HealthCare Community Room, 1225 Graham Rd., Florissant, Mo. Get a synopsis of the CLAIM program and how to access services, plus information on Part D Prescription Drug Coverage. Registration required by calling 314-747WELL(9355).

Thurs. Sept. 20, 4:00 p.m. –7:30 p.m., Men’s Healthy Happy Hour& Health Screenings at Christian Hospital Detrick Building Atrium. Free screenings for prostate (blood test only), cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose and A1Cand flu shots.

“Finding the Fountain of Youth” presentation featuring Jacques Van Ryn, MD, ortho-

pedic surgeon. Register by calling 314-747-WELL (9355)

Fri., Sept. 14, 7 p.m., Missouri Annual Conference—Lay Witness Night: Jazz Night & Christian Comedy feat. Anita Jackson. Sheraton St. Louis City Center Hotel and Suites, 400 S. 14th St., 63103. For more information call (314) 231-5007.

Fri., Sept 14, 6:30 p.m., Christian Embassy Church hosts its 2nd Annual “Step Together4 Christ” Showcase. Groups from the metropolitan area will perform step, mime, and praise dance. Proceeds benefit Build-a-Body Kid’s Fitness, Inc. Tickets $5.00. 314-7414GOD (4463) or www.cecharvestfest.com.

Sept. 14 – 15, Olivet Free Will Baptist Church Women’s Conference. 16625 Swingley Ridge Rd., 63017. Sat., Sept. 15, Christian Embassy Church hosts its 8th Annual Harvest Fest Proceeds benefit Build-aBody Kid’s Fitness, Inc. Enjoy the games, vendors, paddleboats, food, live performances, health screenings and more. Call 314-7414GOD (4463) or visit www.cecharvestfest.com.”

Sun., Sept. 15, 10 a.m., Southern Missionary Baptist Church hosts Christian Women Annual Prayer Breakfast. 8171 Wesley Ave., 63140. For more information, call (314) 521-3951.

Sun., Sept. 16, 4 p.m., Christ the King United Church of Christ Annual Women’s Day program, with guest speaker Carol Daniel, host of Emmy Award winning show, Great Day St. Louis, Christ the King, 11370 Old Halls Ferry Road, Florissant, MO. For additional information, please call 314-741-6808.

the past five years through a number of programming, social networking and community outreach efforts. One of the group’s proudest accomplishments to date is the creation of the Black Alumni Scholarship program. The Alumni Committee presented a $10,000 scholarship to the university on behalf of the Black Alumni Association following the 2010 Black Alumni Reunion Weekend. The efforts of the Black Alumni committee have been recognized and well-received by the University of Central Missouri.

This year’s reunion agenda has been finalized and the committee hopes to raise enough funds through alumni reunion registrations to continue making college possible for future area students who chose to attend UCM.

In addition to serving on the Black Alumni Committee, Latonia Collins serves on the Alumni Board of Directors for UCM. Antoinette Cousins is a dedicated staff member in the Ward 27 Community office, where the late Greg Carter served as Alderman. In addition to their professional careers, Mychal and Curtis are dedicated members of Kappa Alpha Psi and serve in various ways in the community. Some of the distinguished

Powell with SLSO, Hall has a St. Louis connection.

Continued from C1

honored to be the vessel to bring it to you.”

He embodies the spirit of Charles’ music in a way that floored Charles himself.

“When Ray heard me, the reason why he signed me –and he told me this – was I wasn’t trying to be him and I wasn’t afraid of any style of music,” Hall said.

Before Hall teamed up with Charles – just a couple of years before he passed away at the age of 74 in 2004 – he struck gold (and platinum) as a member of the California Raisins in the 1980s.

In that same decade, he brought the house down as a member of Tower of Power.

But the two years he spent with Ray Charles have a special place in his heart.

“He called me up after the first day of us meeting and he said, ‘Boy, why didn’t some of my friends tell me about you?’” Hall said. “‘I should have known about you years ago.”

Hall would become the only artist other than Charles signed to Charles’ record label.

As he takes center stage at

His high school vocal coach taught about “unlocking the soul in you,” which Hall did not understand until he heard Donny Hathaway sing “Thank You Master For My Soul.”

“When I heard that, I didn’t know whether to smile or cry,” Hall said. “It was another epiphany and setting me on my course.”

New face of Ray

With all of the talk of soul, it was surprising to hear that Hall’s favorites among Charles’ catalog are found in the country section.

“He did ‘You Don’t Know Me’ and then later he did ‘You Are My Sunshine,’” Hall said. “Those things turned country music and popular music as it were on its ear because this black gentleman was making country music and making it sound soulful –I mean soulful.” Creating a frenzy in the music industry became standard practice for Charles from the very beginning.

“Back in the ‘50s they had race music. All of this music that they were trying to keep off of the white stations at the time. It was seeping through because all of these white kids were looking for that music,”

graduates of UCM include David Steward, founder of World Wide Technologies, attorney Jerryl Christmas and countless other business professionals, politicians and athletes. The committee hopes to continue to expound upon and publicize the rich legacy UCM’s Black alumni. The alumni committee has designed a weekend packed full of fun and service for all interested former UCM students and graduates. For more information, please contact the UCM Black Alumni page on Facebook or contact Antoinette “Toni” Cousins at 6085 West Florissant St. Louis MO 63136 Monday- Friday between 9-5, or call Toni Cousin 314-3826001.

Hall said.

“They were looking for the honesty, so when it finally came to the mainstream they were snatching up these records like crazy. And Ray –lightning in a bottle – captured that vibe. When you hear stuff life ‘Hallelujah I Just Love Her So,’ it’s like having church on the radio.”

Though the majority of the SLSO concert features Charles’ music in the spotlight, Hall said the show also includes tributes to Marvin Gaye, his California Raisin days and Stevie Wonder.

“It’s going to be a musical journey – my soul celebration,” Hall said. “I pray that the audience enjoys the soul celebration of his passing his legacy on to me.”

The Music of Ray Charles starring Ellis Hall will take place at Powell Symphony Hall (718 N. Grand) on Friday, September 21 at 7:30 p.m. The presentation will also include St. Louis American Night at the Symphony. Tickets for American readers are $25 in Orchestra Left and Right. For more info, go to Stlsymphony.org/stlamerican or call (314)534-1700. For more information on the show, visit www.slso.org.

n “People say, ‘Miss Robbie, you’re an inspiration to me, but this thing materializing has been an inspiration to me too.”

SWEETIE

Continued from C1

always been chasing,” Norman said. “And for it to come to a realization through the restaurant was something I never expected.”

What can fans and viewers expect from season three?

“Tim and I are still bickering and fighting,” Montgomery said. “We are still praying for Charles and Andre. Little TJ is growing up – he just had his first birthday two weeks ago. We still have a lot of other

SINGLE

Continued from C1

me for being an anchor of unconditional love and tell me any man would be lucky to have me, but our history would prevent us from being truly happy with each other.

I couldn’t have been more delusional in my best case scenario response predictions.

What I got instead was, essentially, “I never really felt that way about you – and you should have known better. Goodbye.”

I was stunned. It was like being suddenly laid off (effective immediately) from a job you’re overqualified for and falls far beneath your talent, purpose and potential –but you still need the check.

“The only reason I stayed around this long was because

struggles that we are facing.”

“With success comes more problems, so you are going to see a lot of the growing pains we are having right now, and us trying to work through it and stay afloat mentally,” Norman said.

“But I want people to watch it and see that dreams can come true. The Upper Crust was my mother’s dream, and she made it happen.”

Miss Robbie says that she is venturing off into another business, but Norman won’t say much.

“Sometimes things are forecasted, but I’m not going to forecast,” Norman said.

I thought you needed me,” is what you tell yourself – after telling that lie to yourself so long that you eventually come to believe it.

After being unceremoniously let go after years of service in my faux relationship, my entire thought process for two days was like those Claritin Clear commercials – fuzzy and unfocused.

I mean, how do you reconcile saving heart space for someone for an embarrassing length of time only to have him to dust you in a handful of keystrokes when you say that you deserve better than a onesided relationship?

“Why can’t you believe it?” a voice whispered from inside my head. It caused me to think I had made myself crazy from laboring over the experience so relentlessly over the short span of a few days.

I would say it was the voice of reason, but we all know that reason typically jumps out of the window and runs down the street when it comes to matters of the heart. So, I will call the

- Miss Robbie Montgomery

“You’re going to see some surprises.”

At the base, though, is the basics: the family.

“I’m happy that we are an example of a black family trying to do something positive and making it happen,” Norman said.

“As a family we argue and we fight, but at the end of the day we’re family and families need to stick together.”

‘Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s’ third season will premiere on Saturday, September 15 on OWN at 8 p.m. CST. Check local listings or visit www. oprah.com/own for details.

voice what it really was: The Holy Spirit.

“Well … um … after all these years …,” I said as I attempted to gather my thoughts and offer my side of the story.

“You are surprised that a man who has proven that he doesn’t love you had the nerve to say so … after you told him that you knew he didn’t?” It only took me a second to learn that you shouldn’t bother trying to rationalize with The Holy Spirit. Because instead of a traditional argument that ends with the losing opponent being shut down, THE TRUTH has a way of opening you up. And the truth I received is: Regardless of how much we accept our station or circumstances, when we decide to rise above them don’t expect the people embracing and/or enabling your former state of being to come along for the ride – especially when they were quite possibly keeping you from shifting gears and moving forward in the first place.

Photos by Wiley Price

~ CELEBRATIONS ~ A golden

celebration

Mrs. Ann White and Rev. Dewitt White Sr., Pastor of the El-Bethel M.B. Churh, will celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary on Saturday, September 15, 2012. The celebration includes daughter Patricia (Marty); sons, Dewitt Jr. (Sharon), Courtney (Keisha); one granddaughter, eight grandsons, family members, church members and friends.

Pastoral anniversary

CPR Baptist Church Celebrates the 5th Anniversary of Pastor William Johnson Sr.’s leadership and kingdom building with a banquet celebration at Norwood Hills Country Club on Friday, September 21 and 10 am services at CPR Baptist Church on Sunday, September 23.

Reunions

All reunion announcements can be viewed online!

Beaumont High Alumni Class of 1983, let’s get together to start planning for our 30th Class Reunion in 2013. If you would like to be on the committee to help with meet-

ings,fundraisers, and great ideasin making this 30th reunion a success, then we need you! Please contact Tammy Flowers at 314-3247615, Pat Ricks Wiley at 314583-2954 or email bhs83alumni@ymail.com.

Central Visual & Performing Arts High School Class of 1992, 20year Reunion Dinner & Dance, Saturday September 22, 2012, 6 pm to 12 am, Sheraton Westport Hotel. For questions contact: Kasandra Hodge 314-704-7628 or Shalonda Norman 314-2655444.

Normandy Class of 1984 Alumni: We would like to start planning our 30th Class Reunion and we need your input. Email: Keith Spears or Darlene Holland with questionsat normandy1984@sbcglobal.net .

O’Fallon Tech Class of 1968, if interested in a reunion in 2013,email contact info to OfallonTech68@gmail.com.

Roosevelt High School Class of 1983 committee is in the process of planning their 30th High School Reunion. We are looking for ‘83 Rough Riders

Birthdays

Kyndal L. Dickerson September 16, 2005 We are so blesses to have such a sweet daughter and granddaughter. We love you! God bless! From, Geraldine Miller and family

A’Nyla White Strickland September 14, 2010 Happy 2nd Birthday to our sweet little girl. You have been a true blessing. Love, Mommy & Daddy

Jerrid Morris September 18 Wishing my son Jerrid a very Happy 9th Birthday! From, Your loving Mom, Dad and brother Kenan

Austin — September 14 Michael Austin — September 17

to call us with their contact info:Rhonda Jones-Jackson (312) 554-5330, Bettye Clark-Potter (314) 484-2032, Deneen Lott-Baker (314) 772-2655, Carmen Williams (314) 546-1260, Randy Smith revrtaylor@gmail.com, email info to: roosevelt-class-of1983@hotmail.com.

SumnerHigh School Classes of 1958 will celebrate their 55th reunion in 2013.We’re in the process of rounding up all of our classmates and would like for you to contact us as soon as possible. We want you included

Do you have a celebration you’re proud of? If so we would like to share your good news with our readers. Whether it’s a birth,graduation, wedding, engagement announcement, anniversary, retirement or birthday, send your photos and a brief announcement (50 words or less) to us and we may include it in our paper and website –AT NO COST – as space is available Photos will not be returned.

Send your announcements to: kdaniel@stlamerican. com or

in the planning.Please contact: Marjorie Jackson Ambus –Midget_6740@sbcglobal.ne t - 314-381-0009 or Rosemarie Wilbourn Hauck – hauckrw@sbcglobal.net314-355-4675.

Vashon High School Class of 1978 will celebrate its 35th year reunion July 1921, 2013. Please contact Zaro McPherson (314) 2853350, or Vareda Madison at (314) 381-5250 or geddyupgang@yahoo.com. Please leave name and number.

Reunion notices are free of charge and based on space availability. We prefer that notices be emailed to us! However, notices may also be sent by mail to: Kate Daniel, 4242 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108. Deadline is 10 a.m. on Friday. If you’d like your class to be featured in a reunion profile, email or mail photos to us. Our email address is: reunions@ stlamerican.com

Shonta

RELIgION

Aquinas Institute honors Bishop J. Terry Steib

‘Great Preacher’ welcomes ‘Catholics across a diverse cultural spectrum’

American staff

Aquinas Institute of Theology will honor the Most Reverend J. Terry Steib, S.V.D, the bishop of the Catholic diocese of Memphis, as the 2012 recipient of its annual Great Preacher Award. The award will be presented to Bishop Steib on Thursday, October 25 at Rose of the Hill, 2300 Edwards, in St. Louis.

Aquinas Institute, run by the Order of Preachers (Dominicans), instituted the Great Preacher Award in 1995 to recognize those who by their words and actions have contributed in an outstanding way to the building up of the Catholic community. Aquinas Institute considers the Great Preacher Award a powerful means of renewing the Church and promoting good preaching while sharing its Dominican charism. The award is intended not only to sustain preachers of the Word but also to help Catholics become more attuned to hearing the Word.

Aquinas Institute honors Bishop Steib for his dedication to encouraging a Church that welcomes and values Catholics across a diverse cultural spectrum. He has served as Consultant for the African-American Catholics Committee of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, committee member for Hispanic Affairs in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Catholic Extension Society.

Bishop Steib is also committed to the Catholic school system in Memphis, re-opening several closed schools in the diocese, schools which since have become community anchors and models for education in the city.

in Vacherie, Louisiana, to Rosemond and Vivian Jones Steib, J. Terry Steib was ordained a priest in 1967 in the order of the Society of the Divine Word.

After ordination, he was Dean of Students at Divine Word Seminary, and also taught seminary students at St. Stanislaus Seminary in Bay St. Louis. From 19761983, he served three terms as Provincial Superior of the Divine Word Missionaries, Southern Province, and from 1979-1983 he was Vice President of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men. In 1984, he was ordained Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of St. Louis by Archbishop John L. May. In 1993, Bishop Steib was installed as the fourth bishop of the Memphis, Tennessee diocese. He currently serves as a member on the USCCB Committee of Clergy & Consecrated Life & Vocations, is a Consultant for the USCCB Committee for Cultural Diversity, the Commission on Religious Life & Ministry; and on the

Aquinas Institute of Theology will honor the Most Reverend J. Terry Steib,S.V.D,thebishopoftheCatholic diocese of Memphis, as the 2012 recipient of its annual Great Preacher Award. on Thursday, October 25 at Rose of the Hill, 2300 Edwards.

Sub-Committee of Catholic Campaign for Human Development.

Aquinas Institute of Theology is a Saint Louis-based Roman Catholic graduate school of theology and ministry administered by the Order of Preachers (Dominicans). Offering both residential and on-line degree programs, Aquinas Institute of Theology is the only Catholic institution in the U.S. to offer a Doctor of Ministry (D. Min.) degree in preaching. For more information or to purchase tickets for the October 25 award dinner, contact Aquinas Institute of Theology at (314) 256-8857, or e-mail great. preacher@ai.edu.

13th Pastoral Celebration

The members of Life Center International Church Of God In Christ (8500 Halls Ferry, St Louis) would like to invite the public to the 13th Pastoral Celebration of their pastors (Dr. Elijah H. and Evangelist Rachel Hankerson). This service will take place on Sunday, September 16 at 3 p.m. at the church. There will be great preaching, singing and celebrating. Please do not miss this joyous occasion. If you have any questions (or would like to serve on the program) please call the following individuals: Deacon Kevin Knox, Pastoral Aid Committee (PAC) President, 314-299-4661; Bro. Isaac Hayes, PAC 1st Vice President, 314-583-2823; or Reg. Field Rep. Jean Gardner, PAC 2nd Vice President, 314-435-9806.

Do you remember the day you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? I do, it was May 2001, days after graduating from law school. I loved to share my story of salvation, how I grew up in a home that didn’t stress a religious practice. A home where my mother was a quiet Catholic and my father, a practicing heathen. Or was he? My father never had much to say about any situation our family or his children faced. In fact I often joked as an adult how my father raised us with a book of one liners. My favorites included “think before you speak,” “do you have your rocks in your pocket?” “don’t start none, won’t be none” and his all-time favorite “do what you gotta do.”

bear a little more explanation. I was a skinny kid and on windy days, my father insisted I would need rocks in my pocket to keep my feet on the ground. Not only was he encouraging me to be prepared, but to remain grounded at all times. Matt. 24:44 says, “So you also must be ready … because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

The more I live the more I understand that Negro spiritual that we’ll understand it all by and by. Regardless of the outer appearance and/or lack of discussion, of religion in our home, through their actions, love, and one liners, God was present in ours all the time. Seems like my father was onto a few things.

“Think before your speak.”

James 1: 19 encourages us to do just that: “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.”

“Do you have your rocks in your pocket.” This may

“Don’t start none, won’t be none.” Matt 5:9: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” Starting trouble, mess, and strife in the world prevents you from being a peacemaker as we’ve been called. And finally his favorite “Do what you gotta do.” This one speaks volumes to me daily. Life isn’t easy; however, not living on purpose isn’t an option either. Whatever it is you desire to be, a wife, mother, successful professional, doctor, preacher or teacher, ultimately it only happens by getting up and doing whatever it is that has to be done for the end result. Do I understand all the things that life has or hasn’t given me? NO! However, this I know for sure: my God knew exactly what he was doing in giving me my Father. A lifetime of wisdom compacted in a series of one liners. God makes no mistakes.

The American is accepting Inspirational Messages from the community. Send your column (no more than 400 words) as a Word document and pasted text to cking@stlamerican.

Born

Leslie T. Bradnax

Celebrity Swagger Snap of the Week

Ready.Set.Salute. One more day! Are y’all as excited as I’ve been leading up to the silver anniversary of the St. Louis American Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Education Gala? Of course you war! And being thrilled that I can take a deep breath without busting out of my dress like the Incredible Hulk is only part of the source of my joy! Year 25 is going to be something for the record books and I can’t wait to see how some of our city’s most stylish movers and shakers are going to serve with their formal fashion. Denise Thimes is going to ROCK.THE.HOUSE with her cabaret show and the oneand-only Spinderella is gonna set the roof on fire at the America’s Center for the Budweiser Platinum After Party. I don’t want to get you too excited, so I won’t mention all of the prizes (that include a vacation and a DIAMOND tennis bracelet) and open BAR for A-B products. As sure as my middle name is…well, it’s tragic…so never mind – we are going to KICK IT! For those few who couldn’t pull it together to participate this year, we will have hundreds of photos and all types of footage online and in print to see what you missed. But I would strongly recommend you all to consider being a part of the action instead of the viewing audience. Stayed tuned for the recap!

Forever full Fridays. In my hunt to find and show some b-day love to my boy Deevine Soundz of Foxy 95.5, I ended up bouncing back and forth from the Midtown “urban” hotspots. My first stop in “The Hunt for the Tall Brown Virgo” landed me in the midst of a September b-day celebration like I hadn’t seen in a while. The Loft was to the windows and the wall with folks getting’ it in for the sake of Forever Fly Fridays. The crowd was a soulful one, which meant they went hard in the paint on the dancefloor and poppin’ bottles –and the way they repped for their zodiac sign was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. The folks lost their mind when Luke’s “Birthday Song” blasted through the speakers. They were twerkin’ and hunchin like nobody’s business. I’m too old for the crowd, but all you 25 and unders who are completely at ease with the non-violent element who frolics on the Northside should check it out. According to Dre, the crowd is packed out and hyped up (in a good way) every first Friday of the month.

Fall into 1st Fridays. Speaking of first and Fridays, I stopped through EXO for the September edition in round two of my search for Soundz after peeking into every VIP Booth, The DJ Booth and the private party in the Hennessey room in the Loft. It was kind of light up in there – especially after leaving the crunked up crowd around the corner. The music was nice though – and they had a group of general pops celebrating somebody’s birthday or something… nothing better than nightlife diversity! After climbing the stairway to heaven to the second floor, peeking around on the patio like a cat burglar I still didn’t find Soundz. But I really tried. I only found out after the fact that his happy hour was at the Loft, but his party was at EXO – and I JUST missed him and his Virgo caravan at BOTH. Oh well, I tried and was able to cross two stops off of my hot (or not) spot list in the process. Happy B-Day to Soundz and all of the folks repping Team Virgo – Vanita Applebum, attorney Daniel Brown, Kevin C. Johnson, C.J. Conrod, Loni Swain (formerly of Loni’s Love Lounge), Dre Whitt and a whole host of other Virgos who I will only remember once they send me a hot e-mail about how I left them out of the paper!!! I’ll tell y’all what, send me a line for a Virgo birthday shoutout and I will happily oblige!

Mondays in the mix. For those folks who like to start their work week the same way they kick off their weekend, the nightlife folks are giving y’all a chance to tear the club up ALL.WEEK.LONG. Martini Mondays is back in full effect at the Loft. Doors open at 5 and martini drink specials go down until 10 p.m. And thanks to Koncepts and MPAC the folks who don’t want to just hover in the living room for Football season can come out and enjoy some good quality kicking it time before, during and after kickoff at Area 14 ( a part of Tani Sushi Bistro, 16 S. Bemiston in Clayton). The party starts at 7 p.m.

Sizzlin’ Seviin Li at TwilightTuesday. Speaking of early week kicking it, I don’t know what I was expecting to see on stage when I heard Seviin Li was headlining the latest installment of Twilight Tuesday concert series at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. Okay, maybe I did have in mind. And while I thought she was going to serve up the standard pretty girl R&B hot tracks with a sip of urban influenced pop hits, she surprised me… in a good way! I knew she was a cute girl with a GREAT voice, but I had no idea she was going to offer up such musical diversity with her set! Cee Lo Green, Carrie Underwood, Jill Scott and Anita Baker were all in the mix. Now I can’t say I caught life from the special guest man’s rendition of “Forget You” – mainly because his timing was all the way off. And there were a few instances where Seviin reached too far out of her vocal range, but it was still an impressive performance! I especially lived for her Sept. 11 commemoration tribute of “America The Beautiful.” I almost had an accident because once she started singing it I was backing out and was so enraptured that I put my hand on my heart and started singing along! The Motown Revue will grace the stage for the next edition of Twilight Tuesday, so you know it’s going to be ____________(insert new slang for “off the chain”)! The party starts at 6 p.m. I’m already preparing to park at the Wash. U. Sam Fox School of Design and

walking down from Skinker.

Damon, Bri, Quenisha, Devin and E were among the hundreds who came out to kick it @ Forever Fly Fridays @ The Loft

Kim and Fresh listening to the soulful sounds of Jon Bibbs Thursday night @ Lola

Ryan,Casper, Sista Sol’Chile and Ras Tra’ brought Caribbean rhythm to the Coliseum with live Reggae music Friday night

Ciealon, birthday girl Chauncey and Bridgette got it in for September babies Friday night @ The Umbrella Group’s Virgo party @ Lola

Jessica, Sharon and Brandi used 1st Friday for a girl’s night out @ EXO

Nicci Roach, souful Singer Teresa Jenee and Najah got an earful of soul thanks to Jon Bibbs Thursday night @ Lola

Lamont and Scott help Foxy 95.5’s Deevine Soundz celebrate his b-day and show the Virgos love @ The Sapphire Bash Friday night @ EXO

1st Friday is always a favorite for Tess, Roosevelt, and Renita and they were eager to show support at the September edition @ EXO

Jennifer and Kanika kicked their weekend off @ Forever Fly Fridays @ The Loft

Stacy and Marc enjoying the pulsating beats of live Reggae music Friday night @ The Coliseum

National recording artist Jon Bibbs stopped through The Lou last Thursday to deliver his rare brand of soul to a lively crowd at Lola. Concert presenter Vanita “Applebum” Thompson – one of St. Louis’ ambassadors of soul – presented him to a delight of local music influentials and fans of true soul.

Photos by Lawrence Bryant

UNCFrecognizes 45 scholars from STL

American staff

The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) recently held their annual scholarship awards dinner at Norwood Hills Country Club with Niecy Nash as the guest speaker and over 200 people in attendance.

UNCF recognized 45 outstanding students from the St. Louis metropolitan area for their academic excellence. All of the students were required to meet academic criteria as well as show leadership qualities. The school districts that were represented include the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Clayton, Confluence Academy, East St. Louis, FergusonFlorissant, Fort Zumwalt, Hazelwood, Jennings, Kirkwood, Lutheran North, Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School, Normandy, Riverview Gardens, Special School District, St. Louis Public Schools, University City and Westminster Christian Academy.

Of these students, 42 received local scholarships and three students received the Gates Millennium Scholarship. The Gates Millennium Scholarship began in 1999

with a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation of over $1 billion. It is one of the most prestigious UNCF scholarships. Each year, 1,000 students from across the country are selected. The scholarship provides funding for the student’s undergraduate and graduate studies at any four year accredited college or university.

The local scholarships include Cedric the Entertainer, McDonald’s Academic Excellence Award, Normandy and Ryan Howard.

The event was sponsored by Fifth Third Bank, Wells Fargo Advisors and Southeast Missouri State University.

UNCF’s mission is to increase minority degree attainment by providing financial support to its 38 member institutions, reducing financial barriers to college and serving as a national advocate for minority education. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 18 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and

curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 900 colleges and universities across the country.For more information, go to www.uncf.org or call (314) 241-5958.

Scholarship students

Aiceanna Baker (Gateway)

– Benedict College

Jasmine Banks (Normandy)

– Northwest Missouri State University

LutherBanner (Hazelwood Central)

– Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Rheyana Branch (East St. Louis)

– University of Kentucky

Benjamin Burnett (McCluer North)

– Southeast Missouri

State University

Jenee Chisholm (University City)

– Missouri State University

Armani Cross (University City)

– University of MissouriColumbia

Seria Fields (Riverview Gardens)

– University of MissouriColumbia

Tyra Fondren (McCluer North)

– Southeast Missouri

State University

Tina Garrett (McCluer North)

– Southeast Missouri State University

Remy Gates (Metro)

– Williams College

Jermanaye Gray (McCluer North)

– University of MissouriColumbia

Audresha Grigsby (McCluer)

– St. Louis University

Gregory Hardnett (Lutheran North)

– Spring Hill College

Chantel Hardy (Beaumont)

– Central Missouri State University

Alisha Harris (Hazelwood East)

– Southeast Missouri State University

Ebone Harris (Normandy)

– Tennessee State University

Keana Henderson (University City)

– Southeast Missouri State University

Tiffany Hennings (Westminster Christian Academy)

– Southeast Missouri State University

Lauren Hutton-Work

(Mary Institute & St. Louis Country Day)

– Northwestern University

Ghia Johnson (Gateway)

– University of MissouriColumbia

Masika Johnson (Gateway)

– Southeast Missouri State University

Saraiya Kalu (Jennings)

– Claflin University

Kim Thanh Le (Gateway)

– St. Louis University

Brianna Ledbetter (Confluence Academy)

– University of MissouriColumbia

Nikkia Lomax (Central VPA)

– Southeast Missouri

State University

TylerMorgan (Carnahan School of the Future)

– Southeast Missouri

State University

Kayla O’Neal (McCluer North)

– Xavier University

Ebony Parks (East St. Louis)

– Jackson State University

Marissa Price (Fort Zumwalt)

– St. Louis University

Anissa Quilling (McCluer)

– Murray State University

Wendy Reyes (Hazelwood Central)

– Fontbonne College

Johnnie Rush (Carnahan School of the Future)

– Morehouse College

Kristina Scott (North Technical)

– Southern Missouri

State University

Mariah Smith (Soldan)

– University of Missouri

–Kansas City

Shannon Smith (Clayton)

– Xavier University

Rachel Turner (Confluence Academy)

– Missouri State University

Mark Vassell (McCluer)

– University of Missouri

–

Columbia

Devon Walker (McCluer North)

– Murray State University

Chelse Williams (Hazelwood East)

– Rockhurst University

Cierra Wallace (University City)

– Southeast Missouri

State University

Dajae Williams (Kirkwood)

– Missouri University of Science and Technology

Jasmine Williams (Hazelwood Central)

– Southeast Missouri

State University

Nora Williamson (Rosati Kain)

– University of Notre Dame

Misra Yassin (Roosevelt)

– University of MissouriSt. Louis

The United Negro College Fund recognized 45 outstanding students from the St.Louis metropolitan area for their academic excellence at its annual scholarship awards dinner recently at Norwood Hills Country Club.