September 6th, 2018 Edition

By Rebecca Rivas

mind that they’re turtles;

it’s clear that everyone considers them part of the family.

Just like Ru, the black lab that wags his tail at all his friends in the hallways, and Jake the ball python who stays in the all-boys classroom.

Moline, in the Riverview Gardens School District, has about 350 students and 98

percent of them are AfricanAmerican. When Principal Lisa Thompson came to Moline four years ago, she and the school community decided that the school needed to establish a more inviting culture. They also explored ways to help the students become more responsible and respectful.

Park renamed for Brig. Gen. C. David Turner

Former commander of the South Atlantic region of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

By Shantana T. Stewart

For The St. Louis American

The place where retired U.S. Army Brigadier General C. David Turner once played football as a boy has a brand new name and new significance.

In late August, the City of Rock Hill’s Greenwood Park – located between Lithia and Eldridge avenues –was renamed Brigadier General C. David Turner Park. The renaming took place during a ceremony attended by approximately 200 Rock Hill and Webster Groves’ community members, as well as Turner’s family and friends.

“The last park renamed in the City of Rock Hill was

Homegrown Black Males

My journey to training responsible fathers

By Halbert Sullivan For The

was born and grew up until the age of 15 in Memphis, Tennessee. I am the oldest of eight siblings, who were reared by a mother who was mostly a single mom. Eight children are a lot to provide for. I never knew my father prior to turning 55 years old. During my first 12 years of life, I met him briefly (maybe two times). I did, however, have a step-father, Fred Harmon, who was a good man but he was in and out of our lives. My mother Mennie Wilson was a strong, proud black woman. She taught us morals, values, manners, respect for authority, respect for ourselves

Retired U.S. Army Brigadier General C. David Turner was honored when a park in his hometown of Rock Hill was renamed after him during a ceremony on Saturday, August 25.

By Jamala Rogers and John Chasnoff For The St. Louis American

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner’s

The showdown has been coming for some

The

repression

Unprecedented community involvement in the search for a new police chief. The chief’s overhaul of the police Force Investigative Unit and new leadership in SWAT/Mobile Reserve. The election of St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell. All have created momentum for real change.

Photo by Rebecca Rivas

Photo by Wiley Price

Principal Lisa Thompson connects with Christan Griffin at Moline Elementary School.

Halbert Sullivan

Jamala Rogers John Chasnoff

Bishop Ellis apologizes to Ariana Grande, Franklin family offended by eulogy

After being slammed by the internet for invading the personal space of singer Ariana Grande – and accused of groping her – Bishop Charles Ellis has issued an apology for his interaction with the pop star during Aretha Franklin’s funeral on Friday.

“It would never be my intention to touch any woman’s breast. … I don’t know, I guess I put my arm around her,” Ellis said. “Maybe I crossed the border, maybe I was too friendly or familiar but again, I apologize. The last thing I want to do is to be a distraction to this day. This is all about Aretha Franklin.” Ellis also apologized for saying when he saw Grande’s name on the program he thought it was a new menu item from Taco Bell.

a program for nine hours you try to keep it lively, you try to insert some jokes here and there.”

In related news, Aretha Franklin’s family have slammed Rev. Jasper Williams Jr. for delivering an “offensive and distasteful” eulogy at her funeral. They blasted the pastor for neglecting to honor her memory and disparaging single mothers and the black lives matter movement during his remarks.

“We found the comments to be offensive and distasteful,” her nephew Vaughn Franklin, speaking on behalf of the family, said in a statement. “Rev. Jasper Williams spent more than 50 minutes speaking and at no time did he properly eulogize her.

We feel that Rev. Jasper Williams, Jr. used this platform to push his negative agenda, which as a family, we do not agree with.”

After the eulogy was delivered, Stevie Wonder address the comments when he took to the stage. He was applauded as he said: “We need to make love great again because black lives do matter, because all lives do matter.”

The pastor

“I personally and sincerely apologize to Ariana and to her fans and to the whole Hispanic community. When you’re doing

“regrets” upsetting Aretha Franklin’s

family and respects their opinion.

“I understand it. I regret it,” Williams said.

“But I’m sorry they feel that way.”

Orlando Brown arrested for alleged attempted burglary

According to TMZ.com, embattled former television star Orlando Brown was arrested in Las Vegas this week after allegedly trying to change the locks at Legends Restaurant & Venue.

The restaurant is owned by former Death Row artist Danny Boy, a longtime friend of Brown, who is best known for co-starring alongside Raven Symone in “That’s So Raven.”

TMZ is reporting that Danny claimed he let Brown sleep at the restaurant for a few nights because he didn’t have anywhere to go after checking out of the hospital, but received a security alert showing Brown wandering around.

Tyler Perry offers Geoffrey Owens work after being Fox News jab for job at Trader Joe’s

After veteran actor Geoffrey Owens was shamed by Fox News for being spotted working at a Trader Joe’s in New Jersey, Tyler Perry was one of the millions who came forward to show support. He told The Cosby Show star to “join” him on set. “I’m about to start shootings OWN’s number one drama next week! Come join us,” Perry tweeted to Owens. ““I have so much respect for people who hustle between gigs. The measure of a true artist,” the director added.

Owens called Perry’s gesture “kind of cool,” But the Yale University grad doesn’t just want to get roles because people feel bad for him, he wants to earn them.

Danny called the cops who found Brown on the roof, claiming he was there with permission to change the locks. Danny denied giving permission and Orlando was arrested and as of Wednesday is being held on $13,000 bond.

“I don’t expect to be offered things,” he told Robin Roberts of “Good Morning America”. “It would be lovely as one of the results of this, some doors open in terms of giving me the opportunity to audition. That, I would appreciate — always, as all actors do. I don’t necessarily feel comfortable being given things as a result of this.”

Sources: TMZ.com, Celebretainment.com, GMA.com

Geoffrey Owens

Bishop Charles Ellis

Orlando Brown

Voter Crosscheck may wrongly purge Missouri voters from voting rolls

Advocates urge voters to check with election board at least a month before Nov. 6

By Mark Hedin For The St. Louis American

U.S. citizens across the country soon will vote on all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, for 35 U.S. senators and three dozen governorships. The House of Representatives and possibly the Senate are up for grabs.

Given the high stakes, voters would do well to check at least a month ahead of time with their local board of elections to see if they’re still registered to vote. This is especially true for people of color. The reason is that millions could find their right to vote challenged or taken away under suspicion that they’re trying to vote more than once, largely due to 26 states using the Interstate Voter Crosscheck system, which compares lists of voters in different states and challenges the registration of those whose names come up more than once.

2005 by Kansas Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh as a free service for participating states, promised to detect voter fraud by comparing people’s names, social security numbers and birthdates. Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri first implemented it in 2006.

During his tenure as Kansas’ secretary of state, current GOP gubernatorial candidate Kris Kobach expanded Crosscheck to 15 states by 2012 and 29 by 2014 and in 2017 was appointed to a leading role in the White House’s shortlived Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity.

n In 2017, of 98 million voting records Crosscheck analyzed, it deemed 7.2 million potential duplicates, although Crosscheck has yet to produce its first voter fraud conviction.

For the 1,166,000 people in the country who share the surname Garcia, this could be a problem. Likewise for the Rodriguezes (1,094,924), Jacksons (708,099), Washingtons (177,386), Kims (262,352), Patels (229,973), Lees (693,023) and Parks (106,696). Crosscheck, developed in

In 2017, of 98 million voting records Crosscheck analyzed, it deemed 7.2 million potential duplicates, although Crosscheck has yet to produce its first voter fraud conviction. Eight states that originally signed on have since dropped out, citing unreliable data. Nonetheless, it’s still in use in dozens more. Eight of those state have Senate seats up for a vote this year in contests that are expected to be close: Arizona, Nevada, Indiana, Missouri, West Virginia, Tennessee, Ohio and Michigan.

And 19 Crosscheck-using states are voting on their governor for the next four years.

In a 2015 report named “The Health of State Democracies,” the Center for American Progress, a nonprofit funded in part by the Gates Foundation, Wal-Mart, Ford Foundation and many others, concluded that the voters Crosscheck tagged for review are disproportionately non-white.

“States participating in the Interstate Crosscheck system risk purging legally registered voters with a significant oversampling from communities of color,” it said, citing the work of journalist Greg Palast, who’s been studying the U.S. voting system since 2000, for the BBC, al-Jazeera America, Rolling Stone magazine and others and produced a film about it, “The Best Democracy Money Can Buy.”

Working with data analyst Mark Swedlund, Palast found that among states

using Crosscheck, one in six Hispanics, one in seven Asian Americans and one in nine African Americans landed on its list of suspect voters.

“The outcome is discriminatory against minorities,” Swedlund said.

The chief explanation for the racial inequity is that ethnic communities are more likely to share a surname, such as Washington, Lee, Patel or Kim, Palast told Ethnic Media Services.

Swedlund and Palast found that the Crosscheck system seems satisfied that if two people share a common first and last name, they’re suspect. Differences in their birthdate, middle initial, Social Security numbers or suffixes such as “Jr.” and “Sr.” don’t keep registered voters off Crosscheck’s lists.

Not all 7 million people whose names appear on Crosscheck’s lists will be denied a vote, though. For one thing, only 36.4 percent of the

people who were registered to vote even showed up at the polls in 2014. In one survey of elections between 1960 and 1995, the United States ranks dead last in the democracies of the world, with an average turnout of 48 percent.

Would-be voters whose names are missing from the lists of registered voters will be given what’s called a “provisional ballot,” to be tallied if the voter is ultimately found to have been wrongly left off the lists. Palast, however, skeptical that many provisional ballots are ever counted, refers to them as “placebo ballots.”

Voters eager to cast genuine ballots, then, might want to call their local board of elections well in advance of November 6 to be sure that they’ll be allowed to vote.

In 2018’s highly charged political environment, individual votes may count more than ever. Take, for example, the recent special election for the vacant

Voters cast their ballots at Nance Elementary School in St. Louis on April 4, 2017. Voting rights advocates are urging voters in Missouri to check with their local election board to make sure they are on the voting rolls at least a month before the November 6 election, because Missouri uses the Voter Crosscheck system, which may result in voters being purged from the rolls.

Photo by Wiley Price

appeared on the Crosscheck lists. The margin of victory in the state’s 12th District race may ultimately be found among the 5,048 absentee ballots not yet tallied and the still

Hawley ‘out of the mainstream’ on minimum wage

In Missouri – a state where Donald Trump garnered more than a half-million votes more than Hillary Clinton two years ago – a Republican challenger to U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri) who already has won a statewide election should stand a very good chance of picking up a Senate seat for the party of Trump this fall. But, fortunately for Democrats – and anyone who values affordable health care and a living wage – McCaskill’s challenger, Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley, is completely on the wrong side of at least two major campaign issues. And one of them – a more livable minimum wage – will be on the ballot with McCaskill and Hawley on November 6. Proposition B on the ballot statewide on November 6 would raise the state’s minimum wage incrementally to $12 by 2023. The initiative would increase Missouri’s minimum wage from its current rate of $7.85 an hour to $8.60 next year, and then increase it gradually each year until it reaches $12 an hour in 2023. “The increase to $12 phases in gradually, giving low-paying businesses time to adjust and experience the benefits of a rising minimum wage – such as increased consumer spending, cost savings from lower employee turnover, increased productivity, and happier customers,” said Pam Hausner, owner of Big Vision Design in Kansas City and business campaign manager for Missouri Business for a Fair Minimum Wage.

Advocates claim that raising wages for lowincome workers would cut government spending and save taxpayers money. A recent study by the Labor Center at the University of California Berkeley, “The High Public Cost of Low Wages,” showed that poverty wages for working families in Missouri alone are costing federal taxpayers more than $2.4 billion annually, and Missouri state taxpayers more than $335 million each year.

St. Louis Public Radio reported that Hawley opposed Proposition B when asked about it on the campaign trail, saying it was “out of the mainstream.” That is a nonsense response, devoid of evidence or argument, intended to brand the minimum-wage hike – and his opponent, McCaskill, who supports Proposition B – as something on the fringe, not part of “good Missouri values,” etc. We suspect that it is McCaskill, not Hawley, who is swimming with the mainstream of Missouri voters on this staggered hike to what is currently an unlivable minimum wage.

How Proposition A – the repudiation of the Missouri’s Legislature’s passage of so-called “Right to Work” legislation – fared on the August 7 ballot statewide is an indicator of how Proposition B will fare on November 6. Missouri voters rejected Proposition A by the same gigantic margin by which they elected Trump over Clinton – by nearly a half-million votes. Hawley supports “Right to Work” laws and opposed Proposition A; McCaskill opposes “Right to Work” and endorsed Proposition A. Clearly, McCaskill voted in the mainstream of Missouri workers on August 7, while Hawley was left on the antiworker, corporatist fringe. “Josh Hawley is on the wrong side of the table,” McCaskill has said on the campaign trail. “He is not fighting for the workers. He’s fighting for the folks in the boardroom.” This is inarguably true, given Hawley’s support of “Right to Work” and his attempt to brand a gradual minimumwage increase as something kooky.

McCaskill survived her last Republican challenge when her opponent, Todd Akin, told Charles Jaco some genuinely kooky stuff about women’s bodies having an innate ability to prevent pregnancy in cases of “legitimate rape.” Supporting “Right to Work,” opposing a gradual minimum-wage increase and litigating to allow health insurers to deny people coverage due to pre-existing conditions (as Hawley also is doing) may not be Todd-Akin crazy, but clearly these stances of Hawley’s are far “outside the mainstream” of Missouri voters. If people use their common sense and vote for the common good, as well as in their own interest, on November 6, then Proposition B should pass and McCaskill should beat Hawley as soundly as Hawley and other opponents of Proposition A were trounced on August 7.

Commentary

Trump doesn’t see Latinos as Americans

President Trump’s bigoted hatred of Latino immigrants has been clear from the beginning. Now his administration is aggressively persecuting Latino citizens as well. It is hard to be shocked anymore, given the multiple daily outrages committed by Trump and his minions, but a report on August 30 by The Washington Post was jawdropping: In the borderlands of southern Texas, the State Department is denying passports to hundreds and perhaps thousands of men and women who have official birth certificates demonstrating they were born in the United States. In some cases, valid passports have been confiscated and revoked, their holders stranded in Mexico, unable to come home. In other cases, people have been arrested, sent to detention centers and slated for deportation. Imagine how they and their American families must feel – and how their distress must make Trump and his fellow xenophobes feel warm inside.

Denial of passports effectively renders the victims stateless – meaning they cannot travel outside the country, because they would not be re-admitted – and potentially vulnerable to being deported. Again, these are people who have government-issued birth certificates, long accepted as gold-standard proof of citizenship. The Trump administration simply doesn’t see Latinos as full-fledged Americans.

The Post quoted a 40-yearold man named Juan – he didn’t want his last name used for fear of being targeted – who has a birth certificate stating he was born in the Texas border city of Brownsville. He served his country for three years in the U.S. Army, then was a

cadet in the Border Patrol, and now works as a Texas state prison guard. But when he applied to renew his passport this year, the State Department responded with a letter saying it didn’t believe he was a citizen.

It is important to understand that for Americans who live along the border, a passport is a necessity. People flow back and forth across the Rio Grande all the time to work, make business deals, see family or perhaps just try out a trendy new restaurant.

There is a backstory: In the 1990s, several Texas midwives admitted accepting bribes to falsely claim that some Mexican infants were born in the United States. These same midwives, however, also delivered many more Latino babies, at least tens of thousands, who were legitimately born in the United States. From official records, it is impossible to tell the difference. The Trump administration appears to be denying passports simply because the applicant is Latino, was born in south Texas and was delivered by a midwife – something the federal government explicitly promised not to do in a 2009 court settlement with the ACLU. The administration claims there has been no change in policy. But the Post quoted immigration lawyers who say there has been a dramatic surge in passport denials. In Juan’s case, the State Department demanded he produce documents including

Show me support for the national prison strike

By Amy E. Breihan For The St. Louis American

When voters recently defeated Prop A, it was rightfully touted as a victory for workers’ rights. Since election day in Missouri, another battle for workers’ rights has been underway –one you might not have heard about.

Starting on August 21, men and women incarcerated in prisons across the country declared a nationwide strike. According to a press release from Jailhouse Lawyers Speak, a group organizing the strike, these individuals are striking to demand humane living conditions, access to rehabilitation, sentencing reform, and the end of modern day slavery. In doing so, the inmates face the very real risk of harsh retaliation and additional punishment by prison staff.

One of the national demands is that prisoners be paid the prevailing wage for their labor – labor which is currently being exploited in Missouri and elsewhere. Incarcerated persons may hold a wide range of occupations within the prison economy. They make food for and tutor other inmates. They clean prison facilities. They even provide medical and hospice services to other inmates. But inmates also play a role in the state’s larger economy. Missouri inmates manufacture furniture and clothing for the state and stamp our license plates. They produce a whole range

of school products, including desks, chairs, lockers, and American flags. Ironically, they even produce decals for police vehicles. We all benefit from the fruits of their labor. In return, they receive paltry compensation. According to the Marshall Project, the average pay in state prisons is 20 cents an hour. The MacArthur Justice Center has represented individuals who have received no pay at all for their work behind bars.

According to the Missouri Department of Corrections’ own policy and procedure, the base pay for an inmate who has a high school diploma or GED is $8.50 per month. Assuming fulltime hours for a month (which is certainly no guarantee), that comes to approximately five cents an hour. An individual who does not have a high school diploma or GED starts off at even more of a disadvantage with a base wage of only $7.50 per month – less than the hourly minimum wage in the state of Missouri. Compare these wages to the prices of common goods from a prison commissary. According to records maintained by the Women’s Eastern Reception & Diagnostic Center, toothpaste costs $2.45; a box of tampons is $4.50; deodorant is $1.74.

Buy all of these basic

Letters to the editor

City must answer for situation at Biddle House

proof of his mother’s prenatal care in the United States, his baptismal certificate and rental agreements from when he was an infant. He managed to find some of this obscure material –and yet his passport application was denied a second time.

A military veteran who served his country was told that it isn’t his country after all.

Think how you would feel if this nightmare were happening to you. Like everyone else, you have no memory of the details of your birth. You only know what your parents have told you and what the official records say, all of which is almost surely true. Suddenly, because of your Latino heritage, your core identity is challenged and your right to live in the United States is threatened.

If the government had specific evidence that an individual’s birth certificate was falsified, then we could have a debate about the right thing to do. But this administration is assuming that a person of a certain ethnicity, recorded as being born in a certain part of the country and meeting other unspecified criteria, is de facto not a citizen – and has the burden of proving otherwise.

At this point, the Trump administration has the burden of proving this is anything other than vile, unadulterated racism.

Trump launched his presidential campaign by calling Mexican immigrants rapists and drug dealers. His administration cruelly separated nearly 3,000 Central American children from their families and seeks to make their parents ineligible for asylum. His clear message to would-be Latino immigrants is: No admission. And now, an equally blunt message for lifelong Latino citizens: Go away.

What a blessing it was in 2016 when St. Louis received a $1 million federal Housing First grant that allowed many homeless people to get permanent housing. Many people who were homeless in 2016 now have stable lives and are contributing members of the community. But not all people who applied in 2016 received housing. And in the last two years, many more people have become homeless. This is why there is a continuing need for emergency shelter and emergency services. Biddle House was renovated by the city at a reported cost of $2.4 million, and Peter & Paul and St. Patrick Center were jointly paid $515,000 annually to make things run. This year, for various reasons, neither nonprofit will be operating the Biddle House Opportunities Center, so a politically connected Ohio company, Homefull, will be paid $980,000 to make things run. The increased payment is 90 percent over what the two local non-profits were paid, but not only is Homefull being paid $465,000 more than the local charities, it is no longer providing services to nonresidents of the Biddle House. Thus, children, women, and unsheltered men are at the mercy of the generosity of other nonprofits to obtain meals, showers, laundry. First, the city must tell us how these additional dollars are being spent. Second, the city must increase the number of affordable units. Prevention is the best solution to homelessness.

Scott Egan

Connie Lamka

Robert Boettcher Metro St. Louis Coalition for the Homeless

Congrats to Andrew Gillum, Bill Nelson

Congratulations to gubernatorial nominee Andrew

necessities and it eats up your entire month’s wages – leaving nothing left for expensive collect calls home. (According to Wired, those calls can cost from 96 cents to as much as $18 for a 20-minute phone call.) At best, this treatment is unfair. At worst, it is modern day slavery. And it is happening right under our noses, in our name. The prison strike is planned to last through September 9 – the 45th anniversary of the Attica uprising. I encourage you to read more of the national coverage about the strike – including interviews with those directly impacted who discuss all their demands, beyond just fair pay; to raise awareness of the issues with your friends and colleagues; and to show your support for those who are working to improve their conditions of confinement by reaching out on their behalf to your elected officials and the director of the Missouri Department of Corrections. We cannot claim to be a state that cares about workers’ rights unless we are standing up for all workers, including those who are incarcerated. Amy E. Breihan (amy. breihan@macarthurjustice.org) is the director of the Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The MacArthur Justice Center is a non-profit civil rights firm which advances criminal justice reform through civil litigation.

Gillum, U.S. Senator Bill Nelson and all our Democratic candidates who won their primaries in Florida. In a historic victory, Andrew Gillum ran an inspiring campaign on his way to becoming the first African American to win a major-party nomination for governor in the Sunshine State. Democrats came out in record numbers to support an incredible slate of candidates who are committed to fighting for greater access to affordable health care, better public schools, and protecting the environment for Floridians. Andrew Gillum is the son of a construction worker and a school bus driver who understands the challenges hardworking families face on a daily basis. He is committed to fighting for Florida’s families by ensuring access to quality, affordable health care, creating good-paying jobs, and making sure every child gets a world-

class public education. A fifth-generation Floridian, Bill Nelson has been an independent voice in the Senate who will fight tooth and nail to protect access to quality, affordable health care. While Andrew and Bill are fighting for working families, Ron DeSantis and Rick Scott have spent the last year pledging their allegiance to Donald Trump and his radical agenda, while sabotaging the Affordable Care Act and causing premiums to increase for Floridians. The DNC is proud to work in partnership with the Florida Democratic Party to deliver real change for the people of Florida

Columnist Eugene Robinson

Guest Columnist Amy E. Breihan

Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley (R-Missouri)

East St. Louis chapter is Omegas’ Graduate Chapter of the Year

The Nu Chi Chapter of East St. Louis was named the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.’s 2017 International Large Graduate Chapter of the Year at its 81st Grand Conclave held in New Orleans. This is the fraternity’s top international large graduate chapter award, given to the graduate chapter whose members made significant contributions to their community, regional district, and the fraternity’s international programs. There are more than 800 chapters in the fraternity. Nu Chi Chapter executive leaders are Bro. Benjamin D. Trotter, basileus (president); Bro. George McClellan, vice basileus (vice president); Bro. Quinton Bellamy, keeper of records and seals (secretary); Bro. Rico Tibbs, assistant keeper of records and seals (assistant secretary), Bro. Darren Johnson, keeper of finance (treasurer); Bro Rich Weathers, assistant keeper of finance (assistant treasurer) and Bro. Thomas Hood (chaplain).

It is time for tenant organizing in St. Louis

By Sunni Hutton

For The St. Louis American

Just a few miles from the shadows of cranes erecting luxury apartments and tax-financed commercial expansion along St. Louis’ central corridor, the illusion of equitable development quickly evaporates. It is painfully obvious to tenants throughout the metro area, struggling to find healthy, well-maintained, and affordable homes, that our interests are shared by few. Profit-driven markets provide no motivation to deliver housing for all who need it.

Decades of disinvestment in housing justice prove that local, state and federal institutions lack the will to boldly address the housing crisis.

The report “Segregation in St. Louis: Dismantling the Divide,” states that the injustices we see are particularly along racial lines with decades of racist housing policies. But we also know

that we possess the power to change them.

That power is called tenant organizing. Homes For All, a national alliance of affected people for housing justice, defines a tenant or renter, terms we use interchangeably, as someone paying rent or seeking to pay rent but without the resources to do so. This definition includes low-income homeowners, mobile home park residents, public housing residents, the homeless, and squatters.

Tenants are directly affected by poor living conditions, rent increases, and the pressures of gentrification that lead to displacement. Standing together, we can combat these issues: Uniting against landlords or developers around properties and neighborhoods builds our power. An organized tenant union allows for independent and democratic decision-making, planning, and implementation of policy, based on a community – not a boardroom or bank account.

In late July, tenants across

the St. Louis region, from Ferguson to South City, gathered at the Deaconess Center for Child Well-Being and declared, “Housing is a human right.” Five months before this mass meeting, 40 tenants (mostly renters) gathered in a South Side learning center to voice their grievances about housing conditions.

Twenty three days before, tenants of the Clinton-Peabody public housing complex held a public demonstration for better living conditions.

From next door to next neighborhood to adjacent county, tenants are exercising their power and activating their neighbors to amplify their impact in their houses, the state houses and courthouses.

Tenant organizing has played an important role in St. Louis’ history and helped shape today’s federal housing laws.

In 1969, public housing tenants staged the nation’s first public housing rent strike, lasting nine months. Fighting back against unsafe housing conditions and increasing rental rates, tenants withheld $600,000 in rent from the St. Louis Housing Authority, nearly causing it to go bankrupt. This strike in St. Louis resulted in the passage of the Brooke Amendment, which set public housing rents to be no more than 30 percent of individual income.

Today, organizations and activists in housing justice, constrained by the capacities of liberal reform, now proclaim their belief that the leadership of impacted people move movements.

Guided by this ideal, Homes For All St. Louis was started by South City renters and low-income homeowners of Dutchtown South Community Corporation’s Community

Empowerment Committee. They echoed concerns of neglected pest and maintenance issues, unresponsive landlords and a lack of enforcement from municipal departments.

Homes For All St. Louis’ alliance of tenant unions set goals to enforce current tenant protections, one slumlord at a time, whether they be St. Louis Redevelopment Co. or Rutherford Group, and to reinforce municipal departments’ obligations to their most vulnerable populations.

Homes For All St. Louis organizes with these values to transform the St. Louis region:

• Housing is a human right. It should be built and maintained to meet the needs of communities, not to create profit for corporations or white suburbanites who have benefited from historically racist policies and who built their wealth off the backs of renters by extracting wealth from urban communities.

• The people most impacted must lead. This includes

low-income and working class communities, black, indigenous, Latinx and Asian communities, women and LGBTQ communities who experience the impacts of the crisis first hand.

• Land and housing should be collectively-controlled by communities and sustained for future generations through democratic processes and stewardship.

United with renters, low-income homeowners, homeless individuals, activists, social service providers, and housing justice advocates, this movement shouts out, “Housing is a human right!” and upholds that tenants possess the power to make that proclamation so. Interested in hearing more? Email us at h4astl@gmail.com.

Sunni Hutton is the community development manager at Dutchtown South Community Corporation, whose Community Empowerment Committee launched the Homes For All St. Louis campaign.

Sunni Hutton

Dismantling the DiviDe

FATHERS

Continued from A1

and for others. She gave us love, tough love, but we knew we were loved. Education was a must; we went to school every day and did homework every evening. Church was every Sunday and Friday, with Bible study during the week. Structure was part of my training; so was responsibility and a strong work ethic. When my stepfather was there, he provided for us and disciplined us when needed. There were rewards for good grades and good behavior – love and training.

When I was 15 years old, we moved from Memphis to Rochester, New York, and at that age I thought I was a man. I began to run the mean streets of Rochester, and by the age of 16 years old I was out of my mother’s house and on my own. At the age of 17, I was sentenced to Elmira Correctional Reformatory Institution for burglary and released after serving 14 months. At 19, I was arrested again and sent to Auburn Correctional Facility for suspicion of burglary and parole violation. I was released after serving one year. Then at the age of 24 I was sentenced to life in prison and sent to Attica Correctional Facility for selling drugs. Fortunately, I made some money in the street life and I had a paid attorney. As a result

GARDNER

Continued from A1

Those closely watching the St. Louis police, and the community most affected by police abuse, have long known about bad cops. Those who plant drugs or guns and hide their actions behind boilerplate arrest reports. Those who are trigger-happy, especially in communities of color. Defense attorneys have their own lists of cops who play fast and loose with their clients’ lives.

of having a paid attorney, I won an appeal and sentence reduction. During the appeals process, my original charge of selling drugs was changed to operating as an agent of a drug seller. I was offered a plea bargain and my sentence was reduced to three years. I had already completed two and a half years, so I took that plea bargain and was released. After each release, I returned to those mean streets. I used marijuana, cocaine and at times heroin during my street run. but it was that crack that took me to my knees – I became a drug addict. Finally, at the age of 31, I figured it out. This street life is not working for me. My mother’s training kicked in. I made the effort to change, and my life began to improve.

Whistle-blowing by the Ethical Society of Police has confirmed cops of conscience inside the department also know who the bad actors are. The Coalition Against Police Crimes and Repression (CAPCR) is confident these lists are consistent with Gardner’s list of 28. Gardner deserves kudos for taking a stand. Let’s be clear: Gardner’s decisions have to do with fair and effective prosecution, and she is not responsible for internal police due process or the ramifications for these officers’ jobs. Still, she would

But that crack proved hard to put down until the age of 43 when I entered drug rehab. After a 30-day stay in rehab I left, and the very next day I enrolled at St. Louis Community College.

n That crack proved hard to put down until the age of 43 when I entered drug rehab.

After earning my associate’s degree in May 1995, I enrolled in Fontbonne University and received my bachelor’s degree in August 1996. That fall I enrolled at the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University, and in December 1997 I earned my Masters in Social Work. The structure and educational training I received from my mother paid off. I have often wondered

provide a community service if she would publish the list, names redacted as required by Missouri Sunshine law, showing the reasons for each officer’s exclusion. Such a release would provide a roadmap for needed change. Attention could then turn to the executive branch to push for a response. This is a test whether the mayor, the director of Public Safety and the police chief understand the times we are in. Chief Hayden’s response to the current situation has so far been to stick with his

what life would have been like for me with my father or a consistent father figure in my life. Fathers help to guide a child in the right direction. I would not have been able to run the streets and get caught up in that life. We were rewarded for good grades, which means I would have completed my education as most normal young people do. I would have grown up with and in a family environment that most likely would have led me to become a family man, not a street thug. I founded the Fathers’ Support Center, St. Louis in December 1997. The overarching goal of the agency

troops, at least in public. We encourage him to tone down any rhetoric and work behind the scenes to take on the police union (who had an interest in leaking the list, thereby turning a cooperative effort into a public confrontation) and the entrenched network of good ol’ boys who support each other in “owning the streets.” We will learn if his bosses will have his back.

Some changes must come from other areas of city government. One brewing issue that folds into the exclusion list: the Force Investigative

Halbert Sullivan teaching responsible parenting at Fathers’ Support Center, St. Louis, which he founded in 1997 and leads as chief executive officer.

in its infancy was to impact outcomes for children, and now more than 20 years later that is still the primary goal. In 1997 I started with one employee, me. Today we have 57 employees and have achieve national attention for our impact.

The methods and strategies employed in our responsible fatherhood programing were created by me through my lessons learned. We teach men responsible behavior in the area of parenting and living life as a citizen in our community. In 2016 we developed a mom’s project to help women to develop the skills for responsible parenting – children do not come with a manual.

According to Kids Count, in St. Louis city and county there are 127,000 kids growing up

Unit (FIU). Chief Sam Dotson created this unit in the wake of Michael Brown for the purported purpose of professionalizing investigations of police shootings. However, the FIU has been plagued by a backlog of cases, sketchy members and conflicts regarding coordination with the Circuit Attorney’s Office. Gardner has proposed that her office expand so that it can take over leadership of police shooting investigations. This would help solve the issue of police investigating themselves. But there would still persist the problem of circuit attorney investigations of police misconduct committed during the commission of crimes by others; the police officers involved claim they can’t aid in the prosecution of the underlying crime because they themselves are in legal jeopardy. Their choice to plead the Fifth Amendment is purported to be a major reason for adding them to the

in homes without their fathers – and 56 percent of those are African-American. Almost half of those children are African-American boys. We have learned that our young black males desire the love of a father and benefit from the directions that a father can give. Fathers help to shape the emotional and psychological development of children. Fathers also provide structure and stability for their children and help to shield them from the various pitfalls of life. Over these 20-plus years, we have served over 14,000 fathers with over 97 percent being African-American males. We target fathers as a way to produce positive outcomes for children. Most fathers who come to us are the non-resident and non-custodial father – the so-called deadbeat dads. It is our vision that every father can be a responsible father committed to a cohesive family relationship.

Halbert Sullivan is the founder and chief executive officer of Fathers’ Support Center, St. Louis.

“Homegrown Black Males” is a partnership between HomeGrown STL at the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis and The St. Louis American, edited by Sean Joe, Benjamin E. Youngdahl Professor and associate dean at the Brown School, and Chris King, managing editor of The American, in memory of Michael Brown.

exclusion list. The solution? CAPCR advocates that the Board of Aldermen move FIU’s functions to a new Department of Civilian Oversight. Besides looking at police shootings, the new unit could also investigate allegations of police misconduct involving a civilian prosecution, alleviating this conflict between the circuit attorney and police. The new department would assure independence and neutrality. It might someday house the Civilian Oversight Board and oversight of the city jails. The coming period could be a time of rapid cooperative growth – or a period of unproductive conflict and stagnation. Let’s hope we don’t have to force our city leaders to learn the lessons of recent years. They need to opt for substantive change.

Jamala Rogers and John Chasnoff are co-chairs of the Coalition Against Police Crimes and Repression.

“We figured the best way to do that was to give kids the opportunities to practice it,” Thompson said, “through taking care of the pets, through taking care of the gardens.”

Now they have pets in many of the classrooms and some that travel around the building. They also have several garden beds located around the school. Once they started to work on the culture, Thompson said they started to see a bump in attendance.

“Kids were coming to school more because they had responsibilities,” Thompson said. “And we all know that once kids are coming to school and they’re staying in class, then achievement is going to happen because they are spending more time actively engaging in the classroom.”

In the last four years, Moline Elementary’s overall score on its state-issued report card has gone from 16.4 in 2013, which is in the unaccredited range, to 62.9 in 2017. They have also cut their suspensions down by half.

On September 29, Moline Elementary School will receive the 2018 Bayer School of Excellence at the St. Louis American Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Education. Proceeds from the foundation’s four annual Salute to Excellence events benefit community grants as well as scholarships for local minority students. In 2018 alone, the St. Louis American Foundation and its educational, corporate and individual supporters will foster a record-breaking $1 million in minority scholarships and community grants.

TURNER

Continued from A1 Whitfield Park, named in honor of the previous Mayor Kennard Whitfield,” said 1st Ward Alderman Ed Johnson. Whitfield served as mayor 1994-2002.

Johnson recommended the new handle for Greenwood Park in February and brought it to the City Council for a vote.

“The renaming of the park means recognition of cultural diversity, educational and professional accomplishments and its connection to our neighborhood, community and region,” Johnson said.

Turner – president of American Water Military

“Our students started to see themselves as a part of the school,” Thompson said. “They started taking more risks in the classroom. If we are going to ask them to put themselves out there and to really try and be vulnerable, then there has to be something making them want to do that. Those are the animals; those are the programs.”

Thompson said the biggest gains were in math and reading. Looking at the scores the school’s students received on the state standardized tests, they earned 216.8 in English language arts in 2015. In 2017,

Services Group and former commander of the South Atlantic region of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers –said, “There are no words that can describe how having a park named after you feels. It really just takes your breath away.”

The program officially opened and closed with Turner’s sister, U.S. Army Chaplain Cynthia Turner, standing behind her big brother, praying.

“We’re thankful, Father, for what has happened, and we ask this question just as the psalmist asked, ‘Who are we, that you are mindful of us?’” she prayed.

The American flag was saluted and allegiance was sworn to the United States of America. The Fort Leonard

that jumped to 269.4, which is a 52.6 point-increase.

In math, they made an almost 100-point jump, going from 167.8 in 2015 to 265.9 in 2017.

When she arrived, there were 150 out-of-school suspensions, which dropped to 60 after the first year of the “cultural shift.”

More than half of Moline’s student population has experienced some kind of trauma in their lives, and every staff member goes through training on trauma-informed practices.

In order to curb discipline

Wood Band played the national anthem and the U.S. Army Engineer song.

Mayor Edward Mahan said that he and Turner have a long history together, which started in Boy Scouts as children. Mahan explained that he referred to the brigadier general as “David” because that is how he knows him.

“One of the sayings says, ‘Give me my flowers, while I can yet smell them, so that I can see the beauty that they

issues, Thompson said they have a classroom that is dedicated to offering alternative outlets for emotional outbursts from children. They have punching bags, clay, putty, sand and several other therapeutic activities to help students cope with their emotions in a positive way. They also have an in-school suspension room.

“We try to do everything we can before we have to do an out-of-school suspension,” Thompson said. “And 99.9 percent of the time if I’m keeping a kid home, it’s because they did something to

bring,’” Mahan said. “So I am so honored that we didn’t have to wait until David made transition and that he was able to see that we named something after him, a true Rock Hill resident and a Webster Statesman.”

U.S. Rep. Tom Rice (R-South Carolina) spoke about Turner’s efficacy and ability to generate results.

“This is a very, very special man,” Rice said. “He helped me accomplish infrastructure permits that

Moline Elementary School student

Marquise Patterson works on a drawing. The school will receive the 2018 Bayer School of Excellence at the St. Louis American Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Education.

repairing the environment for the kids who are still there. We are not going to allow them to make it an unsafe place.”

She said they are constantly trying to catch the behavior before it gets out of control. Many of the classrooms have bike-pedaling stations under the desks for students who need to release some energy. She plans on getting a bikepowered blender, where students can make Smoothies by pedaling. The gardens are also another great place for students to find solace.

“I love this school, but we know that they come with those issues,” Thompson said. “We have to choose to be ready to educate the whole children and make them into whole people before we send them onto middle school.” Jacquelyn Sharp, teaching methods coach, said teachers are proud of the progress that the school has made over the last four years.

make the environment unsafe.”

St. Louis leads the nation in school suspensions for AfricanAmerican children. Young students who are expelled or suspended are 10 times more likely to drop out of high school, experience academic failure, hold negative school attitudes and face incarceration.

In regards to these studies, Thompson said, “The research makes sense. We know if we suspend a student out of school, they may be home watching TV or doing video games. It’s not really a consequence. Sometimes we have to keep them home because you are

had been denied in my district for decades over silliness. This man cut through all that and made it happen.”

Besides the mayor and congressman, other national and local politicians gave remarks in person or by letter. Members of the National Society of Black Engineers, current and former administrators from the Webster Groves School District and representatives from the Boy Scouts of America attended the

“We’ve worked really hard,” said Sharp, who has been at Moline for seven years. “Our teachers come in early and stay late. Our teachers really believe in our students. Our students’ success is our teachers’ success. We’re all in this together.” The 2018 Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship & Awards Gala will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, September 29, 2018 at the America’s Center Ballroom, following a reception at 5 p.m. Tickets are on sale now. Individual tickets are $85 each/$850 table, and VIP/Corporate tickets are $1,500 table. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit tinyurl.com/ Salute-tix or call 314-5338000.

ceremony. Rosemary Turner – a slight woman with fine white curly hair seated in the front row – held back tears during the program in honor of her son. Still a Rock Hill resident, now she can stand on her front porch, look across the street and smile as she looks down on a park named for her son.

“I just can’t describe it,” she said. “I knew it was coming, but I just didn’t know there would be this many people.”

Photo by Rebecca Rivas

The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU), A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI) and the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) spearheaded organized labor’s Community Outreach Program to the St Louis African American communities to defeat Prop A “right-towork for less” on August 7, 2018.

We appreciate and sincerely give thanks to the black printed & radio media outlets and to all the individuals, community organizations, churches/pastors, local unions, small businesses, elected officials and ward organizations for knocking on doors, putting up signs and phone calling.

Proposition A was defeated by a 2 to 1 margin.

Eighty-eight per cent of African American voters throughout the state of Missouri rejected Prop A.

The city of St. Louis predominantly African-American wards repealed “right to work for less law,” voting NO by 93%.

Dr. King said, “don’t be fooled by false slogans such as right to work” and by standing together we were not.

Again, thanks for all the support!

“The votes are in and the people of Missouri have spoken! We knew Proposition A, so called “right-to-work”, was wrong for Missouri and you, along with thousands of other Missourians, helped drive that point home by voting to reject Prop A. This is a time to celebrate all of the great work we have accomplished together. But it’s also time to look ahead. We will keep fighting for good jobs, middle-class wages, and strong communities. Together we can build a Missouri that works for all.” - Mike Louis, President, Missouri AFL-CIO

PARTIAL LISTING SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORTERS NOT PICTURED

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WeAre Missouri, Thomas E George, Treasurer

Missouri, Thomas E George, Treasurer

Rauner says no to teacher raises and voting rights

By James T. Ingram

For The St. Louis American

French statesman and military leader Napoleon Bonaparte is famous for saying

“Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.”.

Those words of wisdom may prove to be a fitting epitaph for the short reign of Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner and perfect advice for his opponent, Democratic nominee J.B. Pritzker, as they head toward their November 6 showdown.

And with a political enemy like Rauner, Pritzker doesn’t need any friends. All J.B. needs to do is just sit back, with a bucket of popcorn and his favorite beverage and simply watch the governor implode.

Take, for instance, two pieces of legislation which were recently passed by the state Legislature, but vetoed by Rauner without any plausible explanation.

The first example is Rauner’s senseless and cruel veto of a bill that would have raised the minimum salary of public school teachers to $40,000 over a period of five years. The current minimum salary has been stuck at $9,000 since 1980.

It is a widely held opinion

that teachers are overworked and underpaid, yet are responsible for educating our youth, the future leaders of tomorrow.

This should be a no-brainer, especially with a very powerful political lobby in the state’s teacher’s union. But Rauner dismissed the bill as an “inefficient way to compensate teachers.” Coming from a billionaire, that’s particularly tone deaf.

And given the growing shortage of teachers in Illinois and a need to provide a livable minimum wage to lure them to the state, this veto provides a disincentive to teachers, which may cause them to go elsewhere in making their career choices – a fact

n With a political enemy like Rauner, Pritzker doesn’t need any friends.

pointed out by Pritzker and state Senator Andy Manor of Bunker Hill. Rauner’s second recent stroke of wisdom came in his veto of a bill that would have required corrections officials throughout Illinois to educate and provide ballots, registration forms and information regarding voting rights to persons detained in jails. Rauner’s veto came in spite of the ACLU’s offer to provide voting rights materials

at no cost to the state.

In Illinois, voting rights are immediately restored after a prison term is completed yet, according to the Sargent Shriver Center on National Poverty Law, many jail detainees have no idea that they are eligible to vote.

This disproportionately affects incarcerated minority groups (African Americans and Latinos) to the tune of 4 million potential voters in Illinois alone.

So, who benefits from what seemingly amounts to voter suppression of minority ex-offenders? Based upon voting patterns of blacks and Latinos, the GOP would benefit, given that both groups, if registered, have a greater leaning toward the Democratic Party.

And, in the final leg of the gubernatorial race, it would behoove Rauner not to register voters who would likely vote against him.

Meanwhile, as “Governor Veto” shoots himself and his candidacy in the foot, Pritzker is running strongly as both a pro-education and criminal justice reform candidate, the antithesis of the incumbent governor’s politics.

Rauner is either supremely misadvised, misinformed and/ or ignorant – or he realizes that the political handwriting is on the wall and, in the meantime, is doing as much damage as possible before he is finally forced from the governor’s mansion.

Email: jtingram_1960@ yahoo.com; Twitter@ JamesTIngram.

Ken Page: His tradition is rockin’ the boat

‘Muny

Memories: 100 Seasons Onstage’ on display at Missouri

History Museum

By Sharon Smith For The St. Louis American

Ken Page’s name is known far and wide in theatre circles – especially by Muny fans –but it wasn’t always that way. It took a little encouragement from a teacher and some moxie of his own to carve out a niche.

Ken Page was born in St. Louis and grew up in Carr Square Village. As a toddler he was nicknamed “Kenny Cool” because he was content to sit and listen rather than run and play: He learned about people by simply watching them and soaking it all in.

Theatre was his safe haven. Page’s family would take him to the Muny and sit in the free seats, and after the show he’d go home and re-create the sets out of shoeboxes. By eighth grade Page was writing and directing his own plays. His music teacher recognized his gifts and insisted he transfer to Bishop DuBourg High School. There, in his senior year, he was cast as Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof.”

After he graduated he enrolled in Fontbonne University on a scholarship, and in the summer of 1973 he was cast in the Muny ensemble. After appearing in the ensemble again in 1974, he had worked enough to earn his Actors’ Equity card.

Page remembers how watching the ensemble of “See Saw” in 1973 stirred a passion to act even more.

As a member of the Actors’ Equity Association, greater opportunities were now available. He left St. Louis for New York in 1974, first working with small repertory groups. In 1976 he got his first big Broadway break when he was cast in the ensemble of “Guys and Dolls” and as understudy of Nicely-Nicely Johnson. When the actor playing NicelyNicely dropped out, Page got the part. He sang “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat,” a showstopper that earned him a Theatre World Award.

Next, he was cast as the Cowardly Lion in “The Wiz.”

Then in 1978 he created the role of Fats Waller in the production “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” which netted him a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor and a spot on The Tonight Show. Back in New York, he auditioned for a part in the new musical “Cats” and was cast as Old Deuteronomy. He continued to work in New York and Los Angeles until one day in 1994 when he received a phone call from Paul Blake, then the Muny’s artistic director. Blake wanted him to come back to St. Louis and reprise the role of Fats Waller in the Muny version of “Ain’t Misbehavin’.”

have standing on the stage for the final scene in the final production of the 100th season, he was unsure, but he said that energy lingers. Page quoted some of the lines he would speak in that final scene. “Nothing is forever, Tootie. It will be here long after both of us are gone.” “Wow,” says Tootie. “Exactly! Little girls will still come here with their families and say the very same thing.” Then Tootie delivers the final line: “Right here in St. Louis.” How fitting that Ken Page, a long-time Muny favorite, was onstage for that final declaration. Were those words referencing the 1904 World’s Fair, or could they be a prophetic observation about the legacy and the future of the Muny – and the thousands of actors who have graced its stage over the last century?

n Page said it was amazing to see himself as part of the exhibition, and he was in awe of the many stories shared about a place he holds so dear and close to his heart.

After bargaining with Blake to use the same choreographer and the same leading lady, Page agreed, saying, “I want to do it at home.”

Fast-forward to the Muny’s 100th season in 2018. Page was cast as Grandpa Prophater in the audience favorite “Meet Me in St. Louis.”

It was his 40th Muny production – and maybe his richest. When asked what feelings he would

Ken Page is one of the alltime greats. An interview in the Ladue News called him a national treasure. That’s an accurate assessment. He has been onstage with big-name actors. He has been cast in traditional white roles. At the Missouri History Museum’s exhibit “Muny Memories: 100 Seasons Onstage,” he is featured as one of its Top Ten stars. Page said it was amazing to see himself as part of the exhibition, and he was in awe of the many stories shared about a place he holds so dear and close to his heart. Page realized he had come full circle, rockin’ the boat every chance he got. The exhibit “Muny Memories” is on display at the Missouri History Museum through June 2, 2019. Admission is free and open to the public. Sharon Smith is curator of Civic and Personal Identity at the Missouri Historical Society.

Photo courtesy of The Muny

At the Missouri History Museum’s exhibit “Muny Memories: 100 Seasons Onstage,” Ken Page is featured as one of its Top Ten stars.

Columnist James Ingram

We are excited to invite you to the newly launched “Get Connected.” It is the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America’s (SCDAA) National Patient Powered Registry. There is power in numbers and we want the St. Louis Metropolitan sickle cell community to be well represented. Your input through “Get Connected” will help us to identify critical needs. But more importantly, your voice can inform and support vital research and lead to the development of much needed care improvement guidelines. The www.GetConnectedscd.org registry is FREE and confidential. Once you register with your basic contact information, you will receive a verification email link that allows you to go back into the r egistry to complete your profile. You can choose to connect with your local SCDAA agency; for example, the (St. Louis) Sickle Cell Association. The Sickle Cell Association will give priority for resources and programs to those who have completed profiles in the Get Connected Registry.

Get Connected!

$2,127,273

“This work

Sickle cell is the most common genetic blood diease in the country. But awareness is far too uncommon.

Education: Complications of SCD

Try not to get too hot or too cold. Try to avoid places or situations that expose you to high altitudes (for example, flying, mountain climbing, or cities with a high altitude). Try to avoid places or situations that expose you to low oxygen levels (for example, mountain climbing or exercising extremely hard, such as in military boot camp or when training for an athletic competition).

Adults with severe SCD can take a medicine called hydroxyurea to help reduce the number of pain crises. People taking hydroxyurea must be checked often by a doctor because the medicine can cause serious side effects, including an increased risk of dangerous infections. New research has shown that babies and children with SCD also benefit from hydroxurea.

Treatment

• Pale skin color

• Jaundice (yellow color to the skin and whites of the eyes)

• Slow growth

• Delayed puberty

Anemia Anemia is a very common complication of SCD. With SCD, the red blood cells die early. This means there are not enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. When this happens, a person might have:

• Tiredness

• Irritability

Most pain related to SCD can be treated with over the counter pain medications such as ibuprofen and aspirin. Some people who have severe pain are given opioid (i.e. morphine) medications daily, along with additional pain medication. Some people may be admitted to the hospital for intense treatment.

People with sickle cell disease (SCD) start to have signs of the disease during the first year of life, usually around 5 months of age. Symptoms and complications of SCD are different for each person and can range from mild to severe. The reason that infants don’t show symptoms at birth is because baby or fetal hemoglobin protects the red blood cells from sickling. When the infant is around 4 to 5 months of age, the baby or fetal hemoglobin is replaced by sickle hemoglobin and the cells begin to sickle. There is no single best treatment for all people with SCD. Treatment options are different for each person depending on the symptoms. Pain Episode or Crisis Pain is the most common complication of SCD, and the top reason that people with SCD go to the emergency room or hospital. When sickle cells travel through small blood vessels, they can get stuck and clog the blood flow. This causes pain that can start suddenly, be mild to severe, and can last for any length of time.

• Dizziness and lightheadedness

• A fast heart rate

• Difficulty breathing

Prevention There are simple steps that people with SCD can take to help prevent and reduce the number of pain crises: Drink plenty of water.

Working Together To Make Our Future Whole Education: Sickle Cell Trait

Diagnosis

Trait is Inherited

Cell

Sickle

How

SCT is diagnosed with a simple blood test. People at risk of having SCT can talk with a doctor or health clinic about getting this test. Some people with SCT have been shown to be more likely than those without SCT to experience heat stroke and muscle breakdown when doing intense exercise, such as competitive sports or military training under unfavorable temperatures( very high or low) or conditions. Studies have shown that the chance of this problem can be reduced by avoiding dehydration and getting too hot during training.

If both parents have SCT, there is a 50% (or 1 in 2) chance that any child of theirs also will have SCT, if the child inherits the sickle cell gene from one of the parents. Such children will not have symptoms of SCD, but they can pass SCT on to their children. If both parents have SCT, there is a 25% (or 1 in 4) chance that any child of t heirs will have SCD. There is the same 25% (or 1 in 4) chance that the child will not have SCD or SCT. If one parent has SCT, there is a 50% (or 1 in 2) chance that any child of this parent will have SCT and an equal 50% chance that the child will not have SCT.

Meet the Director

SCD is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders. Healthy red blood cells are round, and they move through small blood vessels to carry oxygen to all parts of the body. In someone who has SCD, the red blood cells become hard and sticky and look like a C-shaped farm tool called a “sickle”. The sickle cells die early, which causes a constant shortage of red blood cells. Also, when they travel through small blood vessels, they get stuck and clog the blood flow. This can cause pain and other serious problems such infection, acute chest syndrome and stroke.

HbSC People who have this form of SCD inherit a sickle cell gene (“S”) from one parent and from the other parent a gene for an abnormal hemoglobin called “C”. Hemoglobin is a protein that allows red blood cells to carry oxygen to all parts of the body. This is usually a milder form of SCD. HbS beta thalassemia People who have this form of SCD inherit one sickle cell gene (“S”) from one parent and one gene for beta thalassemia, another type of anemia, from the other parent. There are two types of beta thalassemia: “0” and “+”. Those with HbS beta 0-thalassemia usually have a severe form of SCD. People with HbS beta +-thalassemia tend to have a milder form of SCD. There also are a few rare types of SCD: HbSD, HbSE, and HbSO People who have these forms of SCD inherit one sickle cell gene (“S”) and one gene from an abnormal type of hemoglobin (“D”, “E”, or “O”). Hemoglobin is a protein that allows red blood cells to carry oxygen to all parts of the body. The severity of these rarer types of SCD varies.

Types of SCD

Following are the most common types of SCD: HbSS People who have this form of SCD inherit two sickle cell genes (“S”), one from each parent. This is commonly called sickle cell anemia and is usually the most severe form of the disease.

About: The Sickle Cell Association is a nonprofit community-based organization With sickle cell disease seemingly spiraling out of control and the severe suffering of individuals and families affected by the disease, the Sickle Cell Association was established to fill a need in the community. The Sickle Cell Association will bridge the gap between the medical community and the general public. Mission: To support the sickle cell community while working to eliminate the disease through collaborations on research, education and resources. Vision: A world free from the pain of sickle cell.

Rosemary Britts, Executive Director

Rosemary Britts enjoys helping others and takes every opportunity in life to do just that. She is a happily married mother of five children, ages 8 to 28. Her oldest daughter lives with sickle cell disease (SS) which gives her a natural passion for bringing awareness of the disease to the forefront. Rosemary is the Executive Director of Sickle Cell Association, a nonprofit that she founded November 2011. This was a move prompted by the lack of a community-based organization for sickle cell and that she knows firsthand how the lack of services can affect families dealing with the disease. The Sickle Cell Association has hosted an awareness walk, the Sickle Cell Stroll, each year since 2012 to increase awareness of sickle cell disease, under Rosemary’s leadership. She has also headed up the annual Sickle Cell Advocacy and Awareness Day at the Missouri State Capitol since 2017. Rosemary has obtained her Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. She is a devoted choir member at her church –Christ Temple Family Church –as well as a member of the Professional Women’s Group of Connections to Success for which she serves on the leadership team. Rosemary is a member of the American Red Cross Charles Drew Advisory and Planning Committees and has volunteered as a wish granter for the Make A Wish Foundation as a way to give back after her daughter’s wish was granted.Rosemary finds time to support sickle cell activities in other states. This includes attending walks and symposiums in Kansas, Illinois and Indiana, as well as mentoring individuals looking to create sickle cell support groups or become an advocate. Rosemary believes in “Working together to make our further whole.”

The History of Sickle Cell Disease

Programs and Services Support Group

A monthly meeting designed as an outlet of encouragement, an opportunity to share in discussions with like minded individuals, and to receive updates and answers on issues concerning your health. The support group meets on the 4th Monday of each month at 6:30 pm. The meeting are held at the SCA office, 5615 Pershing Ave, ste 29, St. Louis, MO 63112. Conference call is available for most meetings. Call 314-8336751 for more information. Whether you are an individual living with sickle cell, a caregiver/parent or someone who wants to know more about sickle cell to be of support, come join us!

a genetic disease was linked to a mutation of a specific protein, a milestone in the history of molecular biology, and it was published in their paper “Sickle Cell Anemia”. The origin of the mutation that led to the sickle-cell gene was initially thought to be in the Arabian peninsula, spreading to Asia and Africa. It is now known, from evaluation ofchromosome structures, that there have been at least four independent mutational events, three in Africa and a fourth in either Saudi Arabia or central India. These independent events occurred between 3,000 and 6,000 generations ago, approximately 70-150,000 years. Content source: Sickle-Cell Disease History

infant mortality rate caused by this condition. A history of the condition tracked reports back to 1670 in one Ghanaian family. Also, the practice of using tar soap to cover blemishes caused by sickle-cell sores was prevalent in the black community.Linus Pauling and colleagues were the first, in 1949, to demonstrate that sickle-cell disease occurs as a result of an abnormality in the hemoglobin molecule. This was the first time

This collection of clinical findings was unknown until the explanation of the sickle cells in 1904 by the Chicago cardiologist and professor of medicine James B. Herrick (1861-1954), whose intern Ernest Edward Irons (18771959) found “peculiar elongated and sickle-shaped” cells in the blood of Walter Clement Noel, a 20-year-old first-year dental student from Grenada, after Noel was admitted to the Chicago Presbyterian Hospital in December 1904 suffering from anaemia. Noel was readmitted several times over the next three years for “muscular rheumatism” and “bilious attacks”. Noel completed his studies and returned to the capital of Grenada (St. George’s) to practice dentistry. He died of pneumonia in 1916 and is buried in the Catholic cemetery at Sauteurs in the north of Grenada. The disease was named “sickle-cell anaemia” by Vernon Mason in 1922. However, some elements of the disease had been recognized earlier: A paper in the ”Southern Journal of Medical Pharmacology” in 1846 described the absence of a spleen in the autopsy of a runaway slave. The African medical literature reported this condition in the 1870s, when it was known locally as ”ogbanjes” (“children who come and go”) because of the very high

Black candidates are breaking through the statewide glass ceiling

Don Calloway, CEO of Pine Street Strategies, a lobbying and campaign consulting firm, writes a guest Political EYE this week from his base of Washington, D.C.

Recently on a work trip, I drove through miles of Arkansas highway. After several minutes, I noticed how even in the biggest city, Little Rock, there were wide swaths of, well, nothing. “I’m amazed that a guy from here imagined himself as the president,” I said. My business partner’s reply was profound:

“If you can become a governor...”

He was right. America chooses its leader from our most exclusive clubs: governors and United States senators. To get there, one must win a statewide election, an elusive prize for African Americans. Six blacks have been elected to the U.S. Senate. Two blacks have been elected governor.

Black candidates have an extremely hard time winning statewide elections, presenting a formidable glass ceiling that exists equally in primary and general elections. Since we have a hard time compet-

ing statewide, we rarely enter the down-ballot statewide races that feed candidates to marquee Senate and gubernatorial races. This is changing. 2018 has produced a surge in diverse candidates pursuing – and, in primary contests, winning –statewide elections.

Stacey Abrams, the hyperqualified Democratic gubernatorial nominee in Georgia, can make history in November. Andrew Gillum, the progressive mayor of Tallahassee, Florida can do the same.

State Senators Aaron Ford in Nevada and Kwame Raoul of Illinois are looking strong as attorney general nominees; Raoul faces Republican Erika Harrold, who is also African-American, thus guaranteeing Illinois a black A.G. Keith Ellison looked like a promising candidate for A.G. in Minnesota - not to mention a rising star in the Democratic Party embodying the Dems’ diversity as both an African American and Muslim - but now is dodging a former partner’s claims of emotional abuse, which he denies but hasn’t been able to escape. Mike Espy will likely make it to Mississippi’s U.S. Senate runoff.

It is encouraging that the trend is not limited to states with concentrated minority populations. Deidre DeJear is Iowa’s Democratic secretary of state nominee, and Mandela Barnes – branding himself

“The Other Mandela” –won Wisconsin’s lieutenant governor primary.

We should consider why black candidates haven’t succeeded statewide en masse. Money is an issue in two ways. Black folks generally don’t come from any. Therefore, black political aspirants don’t have the natural funding base of family, friends, and highnet-worth associates who provide the “seed round” and subsequent injections of capital to sustain a statewide campaign. Secondly, many African Americans who would be excellent candidates and officers are of the first or second generation of blacks who had expansive career opportunities. And remember, they don’t come from family money. So, when presented with the options of public service at a modest salary or a plethora

of options in corporations or entrepreneurship, it’s not financially sensible to forego the chance to create generational wealth.

And while it is often implied in discussions about why blacks haven’t succeeded statewide, let’s remember plain racism. Black candidates face a challenge in appealing to white folks; i.e., “normalizing” their identities or creating common ground so an average white voter can say, “I’m comfortable allowing this person to lead. She shares my experiences and values.”

This is not only rural and suburban whites in general elections, who comprise the majority of statewide electorates yet have virtually no black neighbors or relationships with black people. This is an issue among all white voters, as evidenced by black candidates not succeeding or even running

KIPP St. Louis to benefit in part from $499K award from Gates Foundation

The KIPP Foundation received a $499,000 award from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as part of the Networks for School Improvement (NSI) grant program. KIPP St. Louis Public Schools are among 30 schools in 22 cities that will benefit from the award.

The KIPP Foundation will use the NSI funding to provide professional development, tools and support to KIPP’s network of college counselors and high school academic leaders. The grant will support KIPP counselors and leaders as they help students prepare for college, apply to colleges or post-secondary programs that meet their career goals, and make strong transitions after high school.

Eighty-five percent of KIPP students are from low-income families, and 95 percent of KIPP students are AfricanAmerican or Hispanic.

Candidates for U.S. senator, state auditor to debate in STL on Sept. 14

Missouri candidates for U.S. senator and state auditor will participate in forums on Friday, Sept. 14, in St. Louis at the Sheraton Westport Chalet Hotel sponsored by the Missouri Press Association (MPA). Candidates for state auditor, including incumbent Democrat Nicole Galloway and Republican Saundra McDowell, will give statements and answer questions beginning at 1:30 p.m. The forum for

U.S. Senate candidates will begin at 3 p.m. with incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill and Republican Josh Hawley. Third-party candidates confirmed to be on the November ballot also will be invited to participate in these forums. David Lieb, the Associated Press’ chief correspondent in Jefferson City, will moderate the forums. Candidates will be questioned by Carol Stark,

editor of The Joplin Globe; Dave Marner, editor of the Gasconade County Republican in Owensville; and Scott Lauck, senior reporter for Missouri Lawyers Weekly

The debates are part of the MPA’s 152nd annual convention being held September 13-15. MPA was founded in 1867. Its membership includes nearly every newspaper in Missouri.

Representation matters, and dozens of black candidates, both viable and quixotic, normalized blackness on statewide ballots over decades, such that most voters now see black candidates as less anomalous.

Today’s contenders should thank Harvey Gantt of North Carolina (Senate ‘90 and ‘96), Missourians Allen Wheat and Robin Smith (Senate ‘94 and secretary of state ‘16), Ron Kirk of Texas (Senate ‘02), Thurbert Baker of Georgia (attorney general from 19972010), Bakari Sellers of South Carolina (lieutenant governor ‘14), and all the other intrepid souls – successful or not – who took the leap.

in primaries, where white Democratic voters reside in diverse markets.

African-American candidates are starting to break through for three major reasons.

In 2008, the country was in such shape that we gave the black dude a chance, because he couldn’t do much worse. That’s happening now. The resistance is real and it presents as Americans being willing to consider those who are the opposite of what Trump represents.

Race is a part of that change case. This is why record numbers of women, minorities, LGBTQIA people, and nonChristians are running for all offices, and some are taking swings statewide. Given an abundance of candidates, inevitably a few will break through.

Second, in the AfricanAmerican tradition of reverence to the ancestors, yesterday’s black statewide candidates paved the way for today’s.

Finally, today’s black politicos have a greater chance being elected statewide because of shifting demographics within the Democratic primary electorate. Most black statewide candidates are Democrats. Blacks, women, young people and labor comprise the Democratic core. If Democrats field exciting candidates and sustain today’s energy, increased awareness and turnout in the “stay woke” era should bode well for blacks competing in future primaries. Once through a primary, candidates are subject to the political winds of the day, which in the right cycle, can favor the Democratic nominee. I was once an elected official who calculated that statewide office was impossible. I didn’t come from money, had opportunities in the private sector, and couldn’t see my home state Missouri electing a black person statewide. At that time, Democrats remained committed to running center right, which is now fading in favor of expanding the progressive base. So, while it wasn’t for me, I’m elated to see my friends Stacey, Andrew, and the other Mandela climbing the mountain, and I honor those who made their paths more conceivable. Most importantly, I’m excited about policies that inclusive ranks of statewide leadership can create.

State Senator Kwame Raoul of Illinois is looking strong as attorney general nominee; he faces Republican Erika Harrold, who is also African-American, thus guaranteeing Illinois a black A.G.

Don Calloway

St. Louis County voters will have an opportunity to ban smoking in enclosed public spaces, among other spaces, on the November 6 ballot.

Voters could ban smoking in public places

St. Louis County will vote on the issue November 6

St. Louis County voters will have an opportunity

smoking in enclosed public spaces, among other spaces, on the November 6 ballot. The St. Louis County Board of Elections verified that a petition submitted by Committee for a Healthy Community has a sufficient number of valid signatures to comply with the County Charter.

Voters will be asked: “Shall the St. Louis County Charter be amended by providing for prohibitions against smoking in or upon various County-owned properties, all enclosed public places, and all enclosed places of employment and certain outdoor spaces owned by other public or private entities; and by providing for various rights of persons pertaining to such prohibitions

and methods of enforcing such rights and prohibitions?”

The Committee for a Healthy Community is “working towards smoke-free air in all public places in the state of Missouri, including restaurants, bars, workplaces, and casinos,” according to its mission statement.

See http://www.smokefreemo.com for more information.

Deaconess convenes forum on foster care

Rev. Wilson: ‘We hope to catalyze faith-based action in the foster and adoptive care realm’

By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American

“We hope this forum on Faith Communities and Child Welfare will catalyze faith-based action in the foster and adoptive care realm and beyond,” said Rev. Starsky Wilson, president and CEO of the Deaconess Foundation, while introducing William C. Bell. Bell, president and CEO of Casey Family Programs, spoke at a public forum convened at the Deaconess Center for Child Well-Being on August 21. Bell said there are hundreds of thousands of children who live separated from their families every day. “On average every 24 hours, 2,000 children are confirmed as victims of child abuse and neglect,” Bell said. “On average in this county, every 24 hours 700 children are removed from their families and placed in foster care.” Casey Family Programs – founded by

See FOSTER CARE, A15

By Jamala Rogers For The St. Louis American

World-renowned chef Jose’ Andres called out the U.S. government’s insensitive response to Hurricane Maria. Andres took initiative and his culinary skills and organized getting food to people in the aftermath of one of the worst natural disasters in Puerto Rico’s history. He righteously questioned the concept of “emergency” in the “Federal Emergency Management Agency.” Twelve years out from Hurricane Katrina, it appears that there’s little change in FEMA’s effectiveness.

Jamala Rogers

Since August 29, 2005, the trauma of Katrina still haunts this nation and, for the residents of the Gulf Coast, life will never be the same. Almost a year out from Hurricane Maria, the lives of Puerto Ricans are still turned upside down with no relief in sight. The facts are clear and irrefutable for both situations. The levees broke in New Orleans based upon governmental negligence. Unconfirmed reports state that approximately 1800 people died directly or indirectly because of Katrina. The storm’s damage was estimated at $125 billion. One million people were displaced. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimated that about $1 billion of the FEMA payouts were fraudulent.

Translation to me is that the hustlers who knew the system were the beneficiaries and the others who didn’t have the hook-up were taken through miles of red tape and most never received the funds needed to rebuild. The population of New Orleans was cut in half with many residents never able to return.

Puerto Rico is a colonized island of the U.S. and has no political representation relative to Congress. Maybe that’s why Congress only approved $5 billion in aid when the estimated damage is $94 billion. As with Katrina, the death toll is under-estimated. We now know the death count is thousands more than the original count of 74. The island still doesn’t have complete power. There are food shortages, and other services are not at capacity.

n We need to be demanding that the agency produce a more effective plan for response and recovery in times of disaster.

President George W. Bush patted thenFEMA head Michael D. Brown on the back for a great job during the Katrina un-recovery efforts. Williams Brock Long was appointed to head FEMA by Trump who declared he was doing a “fabulous” job in the Puerto Rican un-recovery. I’m thinking that if you look at both these president’s racist policies towards black and brown people in general, then you can conclude that Brown and Long are doing a great job of following policy.

Here’s where we come in. These are our tax dollars being squandered and unaccounted for. Billions are going into the coffers of cronies who are getting (no-bid) contracts to do work that is barely getting done or not getting done at all. The people who are supposed to benefit aren’t in much of a position to advocate for themselves because they are in survival mode, so we need to step up and hold our government accountable.

The grand piano of Fats Domino could have been a casualty of Katrina but people who valued it saved it. The piano was literally dismantled piece by piece and cleaned of mold and debris, restoring it to its original and historic status. The same passion and serious attention to detail must be applied to the restoration of human lives and their communities. There’s hardly a media mention of Katrina tragedy on the anniversary or any

Study: Parents and teachers have difficulties recognizing depression in children

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America reports that as many as 2 to 3 percent of children ages 6-12 might have major depressive disorder. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri have found that children who show mild to severe symptoms of depression in second and third grades are six times more likely to have skill deficits, such as difficulties with social skills or academics, than children without symptoms. Parents and teachers also had difficulties recognizing depression in children. Keith Herman and Wendy Reinke in the MU College of Education completed profile analyses

of 643 children in early elementary school to explore how patterns between student, teacher and parent reporting can be used to gain a holistic picture of a child’s mental health. They found that even though 30 percent of children in the study reported feeling mildly to severely depressed, parents and teachers often failed to recognize the child as depressed.

However, teachers and parents were more skilled at identifying other symptoms that might predict long-term risk for depression, such as social problems, inattention and skill deficits. This could be crucial, as Herman found that the children showing severe signs of depression were six times more likely to

have skill deficits than their peers.

“The gold standard for identifying children who might be at risk for developing depression later in life is to ask the children themselves,” Herman said. “However, even if a child doesn’t say they feel depressed, certain outward behaviors might provide clues to the state of the child’s mental health. It’s important for teachers and parents to catch these behaviors early to prevent long-term problems that occur with depression.”

Herman said that mental health professionals can work with teachers and parents to identify depressive symptoms early by including self-reports from children in mental health evaluations. Screenings also

should consider social difficulties, inattention and skill deficits as this might help provide support to at-risk students before they develop further depressive symptoms.

Their research was published in the Journal of School Psychology Co-authors include Daniel Cohen, assistant professor at the University of Alabama; Rick Ostrander, associate professor at John Hopkins University; Lori Burrell, research associate at John Hopkins University; Elizabeth McFarlane, associate scientist at John Hopkins University; and Anne Duggan, professor at John Hopkins University.

Addiction is a Family Disease conference on Sept. 14

CenterPointe Hospital will host the conference Addiction is a Family Disease 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, September 14, with registration at 7:30 a.m., at Old Hickory Golf Club, #1 Dye Club Drive in St. Peters. This conference

FOSTER CARE

Continued from A14

Jim Casey, founder of United Parcel Service – offers free consulting services designed to help provide sustainable responses to the needs of the most vulnerable children, families and the communities where they live. Its mission is to provide and improve – and ultimately prevent the need for – foster care, by working with individuals, groups, systems and policymakers to ensure that all children can be raised in a safe and permanent family.

“Contrary to popular belief, family separation didn’t just start at the border,” Bell said. “There may still be over 300 children who were separated from their families at the border and who have not yet been reunified because many of their parents have already been sent back from where they came from – the children are sitting

will discuss the unwanted inheritance of addiction and introduce a compassionate way of thinking about the family experience of addiction, as well as offer healing activities for families. It has 6.25 Continuing Education Credits approved

here, in trauma that you cannot possibly understand,” Bell said. “But, there are over 400,000 children – many of them going through family court right across the way – who live separated from their families every day in America, and they are American citizens.”

Over the past decade, poverty rates have risen on both sides of the Mississippi River for the over 650,000 kids in the eight-county grantmaking footprint of Deaconess Foundation. Poverty hurts children and families.

“On average every 24 hours, more than 7 million children in this great America wake up in homes where their families of four are trying to live off the average of $8 a day per family member,” Bell said.

“Our government calls that ‘extreme poverty,’ as though trying to live off of $10 a day per family member wouldn’t be so extreme. If we don’t do something – those of us who can – if we don’t take what we

for physicians, physician assistants, pharmacists, psychologists, nurse practitioners, nurses, nursing home administrators, social workers, EAP counselors, licensed professional counselors, substance abuse counselors, activity/recreation

therapists and educators. The general public is invited to attend. To register, visit www.CenterPointeHospital. com/registration. For more information, call 636-4772157 or email. dmorgan@ cphmo.net.

n “Contrary to popular belief, family separation didn’t just start at the border.”

– William C. Bell, president and CEO of Casey Family Programs

have to help those who have not, it will continue.”

He said on average every 24 hours in the U.S., 13 young people under the age of 25 are lost to homicide, and almost as many to suicide.

“On average, every 24 hours across this great nation, with all of its riches and all of its wealth and all of its opportunity, we lose 12 young people under the age of 25 to suicide – making the statement that one more day of life as I know it is not an option for me – death is a better proposition,”

Brain Injury Association hosts monthly meetings New play space in Pine Lawn

The Brain Injury Association of Missouri hosts three monthly support group meetings for survivors of traumatic or acquired brain injury and their caregivers in Eastern Missouri. Individuals are encouraged to attend these open discussion groups to share the experiences, challenges and triumphs of living with brain injury.

The St. Louis Group meets the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Brain Injury Association of Missouri Office, 2265

ROGERS

Continued from A14

other time. Climate change is informing us that natural disasters are going to be more frequent and more destructive. FEMA has decreed September as Emergency Preparedness Month. The alarm is for citizens, but we need to be demanding that

The City of Pine Lawn has been awarded a Let’s Play Construction Grant funded by KaBOOM! and the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group. Volunteers came together Saturday, August 25 to build a playground in one day to give kids a new play space for more active and healthy living. The new playground for children ages 2-12 is located near the corner of Arden and Lexington.

Bell said.

“We have to decide: Is that our America? Is that the land that we hope for? Is that the ‘land of the free, home of the brave’ – or do I choose to do something about it?”

Bell, who is also an ordained Pentecostal minister, said that “the time has come for the church” to address this crisis. “If you are a member of the people who just want to do God’s will, then hope demands that you take up the challenge,” Bell said.

Electing leadership to

address and change existing obstructionist policies is needed to reduce the need for foster care, Bell said. His historic example was ADC –Aid to Dependent Children, government funds that went primarily to white women with children in the 1930s50s – even if a man lived in the house. He said around the time when women of color began applying for ADC, in 1961, the program changed to AFDC, Aid to Families with Dependent Children.

“When AFDC was created, part of the construct was, money that is incorporated into AFDC is allowed to be utilized to pay for out-of-home care for children who have been removed from AFDC recipients under the premise of the policy that the home is unsuitable.

So, there was family breakup, removal and placement into foster care, government money to pay for foster care in place as a part of policy in 1961,” Bell said.

Schuetz Rd., St. Louis, MO 63146. The St. Charles Group meets the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m.at St. Joseph Health Center, 300 First Capitol Dr., St. Charles, MO 63301. The Fenton Group meets the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at SSM Health St. Clare Hospital, 1015 Bowles Ave., Fenton, MO 63026

For more information, call the Brain Injury Association of Missouri at 314-426-4024.

the agency produce a more effective plan for response and recovery in times of disaster.

During the month of September, write your congressperson to find out what is their commitment to holding themselves and FEMA accountable. It’s time we see a new and improved FEMA which has a genuine understanding of the word “emergency.”

“The challenge for us is: How many other policies that we live with today have beginnings in the auspices of ‘You don’t deserve what we have,’ ‘I need to control your behavior,’ and ‘I just don’t like you’? Until we stand up and demand through our collective impact that things must be different, they will not be different, in all likelihood –they will get worse.” The forum was one of a series hosted by the called the Just for Kids (J4K) Community Conversations. The series is designed to catalyze change to improve conditions for kids in the region. Upcoming J4K forums: September 20 with Manuel Pastor, University of Southern California, on “Equity, Growth, and Community,” and October 23 with Leslie Crutchfield, Georgetown University McDonough School of Business, on “How Change Happens.” Find out more at https://deaconess.org.

Nutrition Challenge:

Eating nutritious healthy foods often starts at the grocery store. Here are some tips to smart shopping.

4 Eat Before You Go

Healthy Kids Healthy Kids

Careers

4 Read Labels (Look for lower fat, sodium and sugar and higher fiber options!)

Dr. Justin Ogbevoen, Pediatrician Shopping Cart!

4 Make a List

4 Shop the Walls (Natural, healthier choices are often located along the walls of the store.)

Your heart is an amazing thing! It is actually a muscle that pumps blood throughout your body. A beating heart is what keeps you alive.

4 Colorize — Just like your dinner plate should be “colorful,” so should your shopping cart. Fill your basket with colorful, fresh fruits and vegetables.

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 3, NH 5 How Healthy Is Your Heart?

Let’s test your heart health. First make sure you have been completely inactive for at least 10 minutes. Locate your pulse* and count how many beats you feel in 15 seconds. Multiply that by 4 and you have your resting heart rate. Ideally this number should be 60-100 beats for anyone over 10 years old.

Learning Standards: HPE 1, HPE 2, NH 1, NH 5 Get Some Sleep!

> Do you often feel tired during the day?

> Do you fall asleep at your desk? In order to be at your best, go to bed early enough to allow for at least 8 hours of sleep. You’ll feel more rested and alert and ready to start a new day!

If your resting heart rate is above that, your heart is possibly working too hard. Discuss with your pediatrician or school nurse ways that you can improve your heart’s health. Following the Nutrition and Exercise guidelines in the Healthy Kids page over the next several months can help improve your heart health too!

Visit: *http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/heartfailure/watching-rate-monitor for tips on how to take your pulse.

Learning Standards: HPE 1, NH 1, NH 5

P.B. Dip

Dippers: Pretzels, Apple Slices, etc.

Directions: Mix together the first three ingredients for a delicious dip!

Where do you work?

I work at Edgemont Pediatrics, P.C., East St. Louis, IL.

Where did you go to school? I received my medical doctorate from the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Nigeria. I completed my residency in pediatrics at the former Cook County Hospital, Chicago, and my Fellowship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.

What does a pediatrician do? We see all children from when they are teeny-weeny babies until they think they are too grown to see a pediatrician. We talk about cool stuff like yummy foods, being smart in school and exercising every day. We help you stay healthy by checking you at every visit to make sure your organs are in great shape.

Why did you choose this career? As a kid, I did not have a pediatrician and had to go to the emergency department every time I was sick, even for stuff like a cold. At every visit, I saw a different doctor, which I did not like. At Edgemont Pediatrics, I hope every child can see the same doctor at every visit, which is awesome.

What is your favorite part of the job you have? We like to talk to children about how food and exercise affect their health. We talk about how too much junk food, watching TV and playing video games for too long affect health. Every year in August, we invite the community kids to a hulahoops and basketball shootout contest with gift cards for school supplies.

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

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

Our summer programs offer something for every budget, schedule and interest. From our ever-popular summer camps to programs tailored for little ones, adults and the whole family, we have the adventure for you. Mail-in and online registration options are open now!

Visit stlzoo.org/education for the complete list of summer programs and detailed registration information. Questions? Please contact the Zoo’s Education Department at (314) 646-4544, option #6.

Woerner Elementary 3rd & 4th grade teacher

Mrs. Johnson teaches science to Omed Abdali, Avin Pham, Noah Foster, and Deionte Merrill using The St. Louis American’s

Elementary is in the

Price/St. Louis American

What Does An Industrial Engineer Do?

Do you enjoy solving problems? Are you creative? Do you work well as part of a team? If so, industrial engineering may be a good career for you. Industrial engineers carefully observe a process—such as creating or delivering a product and analyze ways to make the process more efficient.

Industrial engineers help companies increase their productivity.

Industrial engineers must earn a bachelor’s degree and show skills in math, science, and language arts. Due to the nature of their job, industrial engineers must work well with others. For example, if an industrial engineer is studying the process in a factory, they will go to the factory and make

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

Background Information:

Industrial engineers study efficiency. This involves careful observations and modifications. In this procedure, you will be creating and testing a parachute.

Materials Needed: • A Plastic Bag or Lightweight Material • Scissors • String

• A Small Object (to act as a weight—a little action figure would be perfect)

Procedure:

q Cut a large square from the plastic bag/material.

observations and collect data. This career also requires a lot of research, as well as the ability to communicate clearly and effectively.

For More Information About Industrial Engineers, Visit: http://www. sciencebuddies.org/ science-engineeringcareers/engineering/ industrial-engineer -orhttp://www.careercornerstone.org/industrial/industrial.htm.

Learning Standards: I can read nonfiction text for main idea and supporting details to help provide background knowledge.

Design and Test a Parachute

r Cut 8 pieces of string to the same length and attach them to the holes.

t Tie the pieces of string to the object you are using as a weight.

y Test your parachute by dropping it from a high spot. A parachute should land as slowly as possible.

u Evaluate your design, make modifications, and retest.

AFRICAN AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER: April Savoy

April Savoy grew up in a small Louisiana town, where she received encouragement from her parents that she could be anything she wanted to be. Savoy graduated as valedictorian from her high school before attending Xavier University, where she earned an impressive perfect grade point average in Computer Science. In 2008, she earned her doctoral degree in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University.

While at Purdue, she was part of an eight-person team that won a national NASA Exploration Systems Directorate competition. This victory granted them invites to be VIP attendees at a space shuttle launch and a reward of $2,500. In this competition, Savoy helped to improve communication amongst NASA ground operations personnel. (To read more about the competition, go to: https://engineering.purdue. edu/IE/Spotlights/IEstudentswinNASAcompetition.)

After graduating from Purdue, Savoy worked as a professor at the American InterContinental University in the Department of Information Technology while serving as a guest lecturer at Purdue University and Central Catholic High School in West Lafayette, Indiana. From there, she went to Indiana University East to serve as assistant professor of business administration and program director for Informatics. Savoy also works as a research associate for SA Technologies Inc., where she has authored chapters for textbooks and educational journals. She is also a member of the following organizations: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Women in Engineering Program, National Society of Black Engineers, Computer Science Women’s Network, Alpha Pi Mu, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

In an interview with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Savoy states, “I recognize my responsibility as an engineer to make the world a better place by using new technology to solve the neglected simple problems… My aim is to bridge the gap of the digital divide and provide technology to those that need it.”

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

w Trim the edges of the square to create an octagon shape.

e Cut a small hole on the edge of each side.

MATH CONNECTION

Industrial engineers use math skills to help individuals and businesses become more efficient. Store owners need to know how much of a product they should stock on a shelf and how many employees are needed to work each shift. Industrial engineers study these types of situations and much more.

In the following word problems, you will be applying some of those skills to answer the questions.

z The local pizza shop found that they were wasting money by ordering too many ingredients. The ingredients often went to waste, which resulted in a loss of profit. They hired an industrial engineer to help them. The industrial engineer observed that the local pizzeria sold an average of 40 pizzas on a weeknight, and 108 pizzas

DID YOU KNOW?

i Repeat step 7 until you have a satisfactory design. Analyze: Which designs worked best? What did they have in common? Why do you think those designs were successful?

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

on a weekend. They also noted a 65% increase in sales after a sports tournament at the local high school. If the sports tournament took place on a week night, how many pizzas were sold at that time? ________

x The sequel to a New York Times best seller is going to be released. After analyzing the advertisements and spending techniques, industrial engineers predict that 38% of women ages 20-35 will buy the book. If a town has approximately 3,500 women of this age, how many copies of the book should the bookstore stock?

For More Information About Math and Industrial Engineers, Visit: http://www.xpmath.com/careers/ jobsresult.php?groupID=2&jobID=20.

Learning Standards: I can add, subtract, multiply, and divide to solve a problem. I can connect the importance of math to an individual career.

Frederick Taylor is credited with being the first Industrial engineer. He is also known as the “father of scientific management” and an “efficiency expert.”

After studying the efficiency of an operating room, industrial engineers created the procedure of nurses handing doctors the necessary tools and supplies for surgery. This allowed the doctor to work more quickly and efficiently to help the patient.

Use the newspaper to complete the following activities.

Activity

One — Writing to Persuade: addition to being informative, newspapers often intend to be persuasive. You’ll find advertisements created to persuade you to try a product, service, or company. You’ll find campaign information to persuade you to vote a certain way. You’ll find editorial cartoons, letters to the editor, editorial columns, etc., all designed to persuade you to think about a certain issue or topic. Use the newspaper to find an example of persuasive writing. Who is the author? Who is the intended audience? What techniques are they using to persuade the readers? Is it effective? Why?

Activity Two — Area/Perimeter: Use the front page of the newspaper to calculate the area and perimeter of a news story and a photograph. Next, calculate the area and perimeter of an article and photograph found in a different section of the paper. Compare your results. Why was the newspaper designed this way?

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can analyze persuasive writing techniques. I can calculate area and perimeter.

This special Newspaper In Education initiative is made possible, and delivered to classrooms, through The St. Louis American Foundation and its NIE Corporate Partners:

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

The snowboard was invented by engineers. It developed from an invention created by Sherman Poppen called a Snurfer.

MAP CORNER

STEM page. Woerner

Saint Louis Public Schools District.

Photo by Wiley

Business

SEPTEMBER 6 – 12, 2018 People

Mizzou Journalism School pushes for more diversity

associate professor; Suggs; Jeimmie Nevalga, associate professor and chair, Radio-TV faculty group; Ebony Reed, associate professor and director, Innovation & Futures Lab; Earnest Perry, associate dean for Graduate Studies; Cristina Mislan, assistant professor; Kurpius; and Ruby Bailey, professor and executive editor of the Columbia Missourian, Missouri Community Newspaper Management chair.

Summer of design & build

Interns reflect on their experiences at KAI and imagine their future careers

American staff

KAI Design and Build has hosted an internship program for several years, pulling from the region’s brightest and most qualified students, and its 2018 class was no different. These interns come from a wide variety of backgrounds and areas and even had stark differences in many of their interests, but they all shared a common goal of wanting to learn as much as they were capable of within their respective departments. These brilliant minds received several weeks of hands-on training and experience in accounting, marketing, project management, architecture, engineering and other areas. These are their stories.

John Greene of St. Louis is majoring in Communications Studies at Harris-Stowe State University with an expected graduation date of May 2019. He interned in KAI’s Marketing Department.

I was interested in interning with KAI because of the workplace culture and diversity, the work that KAI does in the community, and my constant desire to expand my knowledge and experience of marketing and communications and the relationship between the two. I hoped to learn how marketing and communications are used in the architectural sector, what it takes to elevate and expand a business, and the entire Adobe Creative Cloud. My dream job would be director of Communications for an entertainment/sports management company like Roc Nation or as

n “What really made me want to intern with KAI was seeing how involved they are in the community.”

– Markayle Wicks

the director of Communications for the first black female president. (It’s coming!) My career choice is influenced by my personality, passion and the experience I possess.

An interesting fact about myself is that I love stand-up and improvisational comedy and can impersonate many celebrities.

Malik Simmons of Cahokia, Illinois is majoring in Accounting at Harris-Stowe State University with an expected graduation date of May 2021. He interned in KAI’s Administration Department.

I was interested in this internship because it was a chance to learn from everyone’s personal experiences and journeys – which is something money can’t buy and no book can teach you. I hoped to learn everything there is on what it takes to turn a small business into a billion-dollar company. Also, how to become a better leader and businessman.

My dream job is running a million-dollar business as a real estate developer. People like Robert Kiyosaki and Jay Morrison have inspired

and motivated me to get out of the rat race I was standing in. An interesting fact about me is I’m a first-generation college student.

Markayle Wicks of St. Louis is majoring in Accounting at Harris-Stowe State University with an expected graduation date of December 2019. She interned in KAI’s Accounting Department.

After researching KAI, I learned how it has grown so much since it began in 1980 in St. Louis, MO. What really made me want to intern with KAI was seeing how involved they are in the community.

Volunteering and being a helping hand is a big part of my life, and being able to intern with a company that shares that mindset makes the experience even better. I hoped to learn the different tips and skills that are necessary to be a successful accountant. I also hoped I’d learn the best ways to stay on track with my different tasks and the proper way to conduct myself in an office setting.

My dream job is to one day become a Human Resources manager or chief financial officer. My aunt, who is an accountant, has helped to guide me throughout my life. The way she carries herself and the way she can provide for herself really motivated me to choose business as a career field. (Plus, I really like numbers!)

An interesting fact about me is that I put my family first when making a lot of decisions; the

Judge David C. Mason received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Teaching Advocacy from Stetson University College of Law. He serves on the 22nd Circuit bench in St. Louis and has helped his Washington University Law Trial Team win more than 24 regional and national trial championships or finalist titles, among many other accomplishments teaching trial advocacy.

Norma Jackson joined Thompson Coburn as director of Diversity and Inclusion. She comes to Thompson Coburn from the University of Missouri system, where for 14 years she served in a number of recruitment and diversity-focused positions. There, she created The Bridge, the university’s first standalone diversity and inclusion center within a college on campus.

Fred Onovwerosuoke will premiere his composition “America, We Need to Talk” on March 24 at Harvard University’s Sanders Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is a kaleidoscopic world premiere by an immigrant composer that shines light on America through the prisms of three great poems: Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” Langston Hughes’ “As I Grew Older,” and Michael Castro’s “We Need to Talk.” He is founder and director of African Musical Arts in St. Louis.

Allena Brazier was awarded the 2018 Katherine Dunham Fellowship by the Arts and Education Council. She is a student at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville who hopes to open an art gallery in her hometown of East St. Louis. The program promotes diversity in arts leadership by giving African-American students an opportunity to explore, gain experience and be mentored in arts administration.

Anthony Lloyd was named vice president of Finance and People Operations for LaunchCode. He holds a master’s degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Business in New York, a bachelor’s degree from Tuskegee University in Tuskegee Alabama and completed the Emerging CFO program at Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Lakesha Butler was named president of the National Pharmaceutical Association. She is a clinical professor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and is the school’s coordinator of Diversity and Inclusion. She plans to lead her colleagues with a focus on Advocacy, Collaboration, Transformational Branding, Inclusion, Operational Excellence and Next Generation Preparation. She has served as the faculty advisor for the Student National Pharmaceutical Association’s SIUE chapter for more than 10 years.

On the move? Congratulations! Send your good professional news and a color headshot to cking@stlamerican. com

David C. Mason

Fred Onovwerosuoke

Lakesha Butler

Anthony Lloyd

Norma Jackson

Allena Brazier

When Dean David Kurpius joined the Missouri School of Journalism in July 2015, one of his many goals was to create a more inclusive environment regarding both the staff as well as the student body. St. Louis American Publisher and Executive Editor Donald M. Suggs recently visited the school and met with the dean and some of the team.

From left to right: Jeannette Porter, assistant professor; Ron Stodghill, associate professor; Monique Luisi; assistant professor; Ron Kelley,

Photo by Kevin Jones

John Greene

Malik Simmons

Markayle Wicks

Have you done estate planning for your digital assets?

By Mike Hauser For The St. Louis American

Social media and email accounts. Creative works, photos and keepsakes kept on home computers, the cloud or external storage drives. E-commerce accounts. Domain names. These are all examples of digital assets. You will manage them closely as long as you live – but what will happen to them once you die?

Have you talked about it with those you love? In a recent survey of baby boomers, antivirus software provider AVG Technologies found that only 16 percent of respondents had thought about what would happen to their digital assets after their deaths. A mere 3 percent had alerted or prepared their loved ones in regard to this issue.

If you have a will or a revocable trust, you should plan for the transfer and/or administration of digital assets just as you have for tangible

assets. Your digital assets may or may not be of great financial value, but they may need protection against exploitation as well as abandonment.

Distributing digital assets is part of fiduciary duty. That is what makes articulating your wishes so important.

A financial professional or financial firm acting in a fiduciary role on your behalf has an obligation to distribute your digital assets – but many social media and e-commerce websites will not readily allow this without the permission given by the user or his or her heirs.

How about social media & email accounts? Facebook has a legacy contact feature for its users. You can appoint a custodian for your page after you are gone. Your legacy contact will be able to respond to friend requests, change your cover photo and profile picture, and write a notice of your memorial service or funeral; he or she will not be permitted to

log in with your password or username, read messages sent to you or modify your account settings.

Alternately, you can simply tell Facebook that you would like to have your account immediately deleted at your death. Google has an Inactive Account Manager option that will let you leave instructions for what should be done with your Google Drive docs or Gmail account once you are deceased.

n Your digital assets may or may not be of great financial value, but they may need protection against exploitation as well as abandonment.

As for LinkedIn, a loved one fills out an online form on behalf of the deceased, which is reviewed by LinkedIn pursuant to getting in touch with that person. The notifying party will need to supply your name, profile URL, email address and date

of death plus information on the company you last worked for and a link to your obituary. Twitter handles accounts of the deceased in similar fashion, and it can also remove images in a person’s account per request; the Twitter account is frozen at death, with access barred even to immediate family. 4,5 Your executor or trustee should be provided with the location of your computers, tablets or e-readers after your death and the passwords to them if you have set password protection. Locating backups may also become crucial. Remember that annual fees for antivirus programs and website hosting may no longer need to be paid; the executor or trustee will need to be informed about those user agreements.

Most of us have eBay, iTunes or PayPal accounts, all with monetary value (with a PayPal account, the value may reach into the five-figure range). Moreover, these accounts can serve as pathways toward our banking and credit card information. What if your idle e-commerce account is hacked after your death? What if the account balance is drained or the cybercriminal uses the account to go on a shopping spree? What if your username and password could be stolen and used at other websites you have accessed? These what-ifs need to be considered - and addressed during your lifetime and in your estate plan.

How can you keep a website going after you die? One way is to pay for a decade (or more) of hosting or domain name ownership with such URL longevity in mind, and letting your trustee or executor know just how

to renew the agreement. Only that trustee or executor should have access to that knowledge - unless you want business partners or a future owner to know how the arrangements work. Does your will or trust need amending? Language regarding your digital assets is essential. At the very least, you want to tell your executor or trustee where digital assets are stored. Even better, the amendment should give your executor or trustee the authority to administer, archive, alter or destroy digital assets in addition to the power to direct them to heirs or other named beneficiaries. That means turning over your online passwords to your executor or trustee at your death, or having them access password management software used to create them. Mike Hauser, CPA/PFS may be reached at 314-822-0344 or mike@hausergroupwm.com.

International Trade Commission votes against permanent newsprint tariffs

American staff

The International Trade Commission voted 5-0 on August 29 against imposing permanent tariffs on newsprint that were causing many newspapers in the U.S. to struggle and cut jobs and pages.

NORPAC, a Washington State mill purchased by One Rock Capital Partners in 2016, had asked the Commerce Department and International Trade Commission (ITC) to impose them. NORPAC said Canadian suppliers were being unfairly subsidized by their governments and were dumping paper into the U.S. below fair value. Commerce imposed the tariffs on a preliminary basis in January and March of 2018. Canadian

paper companies have been paying at the border since then. Deposits have been held by the U.S. government awaiting final determination.

“The paper markets serving community newspapers can soon begin to move back to market pricing without the heavy hand of government imposing taxes upon the primary suppliers

of newsprint,” said National Newspaper Association President Susan Rowell, publisher of the Lancaster News in South Caroline. Rowell said it will take a couple of months for the preliminary tariffs to be unwound and credits to be issued back to those companies who had paid duties at the border since last January.

She said publishers are “particularly grateful to U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King of Maine, and Rep. Kristi Noem of South Dakota, and all of their co-sponsors for introducing the PRINT Act of 2018 in support of our views.”

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri) co-sponsored the bill.

“Local news, and newspapers that provide it, are critical pieces of a community and our democracy – they pay attention to what’s going on, hold those in authority accountable, and tell the important stories of folks making a difference in the

community,” McCaskill said.

“Newspapers are already struggling to stay in business with the changing economy –and the last thing they need are

n “The last thing newspapers need are added costs that were imposed based on what appears to be the request of a single mill owned by a venturecapital firm.”

– U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill

added costs that were imposed based on what appears to be the request of a single mill owned by a venture-capital firm that’s looking to increase their profits on the backs of newspaper companies across the country.”

NORPAC has the right to appeal the decision. Because

the case is not final until September 17, its decision may not be known until then. But tariffs would not be re-imposed during an appeal, barring some unusual action. The ITC is an independent commission, with five members appointed by the previous two presidents. President Trump has the right to appoint a sixth commissioner but his nominees have not yet been seated. The president does have some power to impose tariffs under his national security authority, as he did in the steel/aluminum cases, but there has been no indication that such an action is considered in the newsprint cases.

“We will not know until mid-September the commission’s rationale for its vote of 5-0 against continuing newsprint tariffs,” Rowell said. “But it is an enormous relief to know that the ITC does not find a basis for continuing sanctions.”

Treasurer accepting applications for Park(ing) Day

The City of St. Louis Treasurer’s Office is accepting applications for Park(ing) Day, which is Friday, September 21. PARK(ing) Day is a collaborative effort between the Treasurer’s Office and several neighborhood organizations to find alternative uses for metered parking spaces for

a day. Parking meters are “rented” by participants and turned into temporary public places. Any metered space in the city is eligible to be rented for Park(ing) Day. PARK(ing) Day started in 2005 in San Francisco when a group of architects “rented” a parking space by paying the meter and setting up a small park. It has since become an international event. St. Louis has participated in PARK(ing) Day since 2011. There is no cost to participate. For more information, or to download the Park(ing) Day application, visit www.parklouie.com.

n “Don’t ask if your dreams are crazy. Ask if they’re crazy enough.”

– Colin Kaepernick, in his new Nike ad

Sports

PreP FooTball noTebook

With Earl Austin Jr.

East side reigns in triple OT

The first order of business this week is to congratulate the organizers of the Gateway Scholars Football Classic for putting on another tremendous showcase last Saturday in East St. Louis.

When it came to presenting an all-day high school football extravaganza, the Gateway Scholars Classic checked all of the boxes.

*Individual star power and top programs from the two-state region. Check.

*A festive atmosphere with all-day tailgating, booming music and some great work on the mic from public address announcer Maurice Scott, who kept things popping. Check.

• A full house of nearly 10,000 people at Clyde C. Jordan Stadium. Check.

• A series of competitive football games that kept fans interested from start to finish for the most part. Check

• A marquee game that featured two prominent programs that wasn’t decided until after midnight and three exciting overtimes. Thank you East St. Louis and Trinity. Check.

It was a long 13-hour day at Clyde C. Jordan Stadium and it was very hot, but it was a tremendous day of football and fellowship for the communities on both sides of the river. I loved every minute of it. Congratulations to the student-athletes from Cahokia, Cardinal Ritter, Chaminade, Chicago Phillips, East St. Louis, Homewood Flossmoor, Lutheran North and Trinity for putting on a great show for the prep football fans in St. Louis.

Individual Standout Performances from Week 2

• Maurice Massey of Kirkwood had seven receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown in a 37-28 victory over Francis Howell.

• Arcullous Heard of Lutheran St.

Career Academy’s Dwaun Valley (5) carries the ball for a gain of two yards against the

Gateway STEM High School. The

on

In The CluTCh

With Ishmael H. Sistrunk

Harper’s bizarre ring walk, just another day in boxing

Nike and Kaepernick ‘Just Do It’

Boxing fans are accustomed to weird occurrences. In fact, every Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum should have a wing set aside for the sweet science. What other sport can you find personalities as big and brash as Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Don King? Boxing’s history is littered with zany moments. Ask a fight fan about the Fan Man (a man who parachuted into the ring during a fight), the Bite Fight (Tyson snacked on Evander Holyfield’s ear) or “No Mas” (Roberto Duran quit during a big fight with “Sugar” Ray Leonard) and their eyes will immediately light up as they recall the insane tales of unexpected occurrences. Not all the sport’s strange moments happened inside the ring. Riddick Bowe infamously threw his WBC heavyweight belt in a trash can rather than face off against Lennox Lewis Tyson and Mitch “Blood”

Green once banged it out in the streets of Harlem. Bernard Hopkins was literally chased out of town by a mob of angry fans after he slammed the Puerto Rican flag to the ground in San Juan. Needless to say, when it comes to boxing, bizarre is considered par for the course. The latest entry into boxing’s encyclopedia of ridiculousness occurred on Aug. 24, when Curtis Harper (13-6-0, 9 KO) was set to face off against highly-touted prospect Efe Ajagba (6-0-0, 5 KO) in a televised Premier Boxing Champions fight on FS1. The fight was set to be a six-round preliminary bout. Think of it as a bread roll fight. What does that mean? At dinner, bread rolls are brought out before the appetizer, which is brought out before the salad, which is brought out before the entrée. In most cases, nobody is showing up to the restaurant for the bread rolls. However,

since you’re already there, you hope they are fairly decent. Everything seemed normal when the fighters stepped into See

the ring. They were introduced to the fans. Cornermen gave last-minute commands to their charges. The combatants

Earl Austin Jr.

CLUTCH, B5

received the instructions from the referee at the center of the ring. Harper and Ajagba touched gloves.

The fighters returned to their respective corners to await the

See PREP, B5

Ishmael H. Sistrunk

Madison Trojans on Saturday, September 1, 2018 at

Trojans of Madison went

to defeat the Phoenix 6-0.

After touching gloves with Efe Ajagba (left) at the center of the ring, Curtis Harper (right) walked out of the ring and headed back to the locker room. The heavyweight fighter was upset over his pay and circumstances surrounding the fight contract.

Photo by Wiley Price

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

Nike knows just what it is doing with Kaepernick ‘Just Do It’ advertisement

Nike is celebrating the 30th year of its “Just Do It” slogan with a series of TV and print ads. One features Colin Kaepernick’s face with the words, “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”

Naturally, previews of the ad have gone viral, and there are threats of boycotts and videos of people burning their shoes are all the rage.

This is exactly what Nike wants. This is exactly what any company wants from an advertisement. Buzz. NIKE knew the ad would be greeted negatively in many circles. It could care less.

Serena Williams, who is part of a Nike campaign celebrating her tennis career and motherhood, said Monday on Twitter, “Especially proud to be part of the NIKE family today.”

Importantly, she discussed why the work of Kaepernick and fellow blackballed NFL player Eric Reid is vital.

“I think every athlete, every human, and definitely every African American should be completely grateful and honored how Colin and Eric are doing so much more for the greater good, so to say,” Williams told reporters at the U.S. Open.

“They really use their platform in ways that is really unfathomable. I feel like they obviously have great respect from a lot of their peers, especially other athletes, people that really are looking for social change.”

LeBron James sent a copy of the ad to his followers on Twitter and will likely follow up with additional comment during the week.

Don’t hold your breath waiting for Michael Jordan to make a strong comment on the ad or the Kaepernick predicament or anything else other than Michael Jordan.

While most adults have an opinion on national anthem protests that will not be changed by an ad, protests or the POTUS, NIKE says the Kaepernick ad is aimed at teenagers.

“We believe Colin is one of the most inspirational athletes of this generation, who has leveraged the power of sport to help move the world forward,” Nike vice president Gino Fisanotti told ESPN.

NIKE has enraged the NFL. It wants to put the Kaepernick/ Reid unemployment behind it and national anthem protests, as well.

Just three days before the season opens on Sept. 6, Nike unleashed a firestorm that is sure to set President Donald

Trump off and ignite his zealot base into action. Look for some high schools to drop Nike apparel, especially in rural communities.

Pat Tillman, the Arizona Cardinal safety who was killed in Afghanistan, is being used by some to attack Nike. They say his image should have been used.

Tragically, Tillman was killed by fellow Americans. His was a “friendly fire” death. Tillman was also an unabashed liberal. The Army reportedly obscured findings on his death from the American public and his own family. When the president used Tillman’s legacy to attack Kaepernick and other peace-

ful protesters, Tillman’s wife released a statement that read, “The very action of self-expression and the freedom to speak from one’s heart — no matter those views — is what Pat and so many other Americans have given their lives for.”

On Tuesday morning, Nike stock was down more than 2 percent in early trading, and #NikeBoycott was trending on Twitter.

Yahoo Sports columnist Dan Wetzel wrote Tuesday, “Nike calculated this.”

“Nike clearly believes that making a deal with Kaepernick is worth whatever backlash ensues. Some people will burn their shoes. Some will swear off buying the swoosh.

“Nike has to figure it can make up those sales with this campaign. Or at least bolster its brand for the next couple of decades. Nike picked a side here, which it has always been willing to do. This one, though, may be its most fascinating to watch.”

Harbaugh, KU and Mizzou

If Michigan decides to can coach Jim Harbaugh after (or during) this season, you’ll hear his name linked to Kansas. You finished laughing, yet? That’s what most people do when I tell them it could happen.

In November 2016, the day after KU shocked Texas and things were looking up for the pathetic program, Dennis Dodd reported at cbssports. com that Harbaugh and the Jayhawks had been close to reaching a deal seven years earlier.

In 2009, KU Lew Perkins

Nike is celebrating the 30th year of its “Just Do It” slogan with a series of TV and print ads. One features Colin Kaepernick’s face with the words, “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”

wouldn’t be tracked by the school. Meanwhile, he and (his father-in-law) Merle drove over to Lawrence to check out the facilities.”

Harbaugh would remain at Stanford and take them to the Orange Bowl the next season. He then headed to the 49ers and reached the Super Bowl. His next stop was Michigan.

After Saturday night’s 24-17 loss at Notre Dame, and annual losses to Ohio State at the close of the regular season, Harbaugh finds himself on the hot seat.

Harbaugh brought Michigan back from mediocrity in one year when he arrived – but the Wolverines can’t get over the hump. Harbaugh is known for moving on to new challenges. And what a challenge it would be. The Jayhawks hired Turner Gill and he was fired during his third season. Charlie Weis was hired and was a disaster. He set the program back big time. KU is 3-34 under coach David Beaty including last Saturday’s embarrassing 23-20 home loss to Nichols State. He will probably be fired next Sunday if KU loses on the road at Western Michigan.

If you’re wondering why I’m sharing this with you, there are two reasons.

First, Harbaugh would schedule Missouri in football as soon as possible. He’d want to quickly make a big splash and there would be no better way than to lead his pitiful Jayhawks to an upset over the Tigers. Second, I turn 58 on Sept. 6 and this is a birthday present to myself. Smile.

The Reid Roundup

orchestrated the removal of successful, but troubled Mark Mangino as head coach.

Harbaugh had gone 8-5 at Stanford in his third season at Stanford but had not crafted the Cardinal into a perennial Pac12 threat yet.

“The Kansas job intrigued Harbaugh because it suited him at the time. His wife Sarah is from nearby suburban Kansas City. There is a gaggle of in-laws scattered 30 miles from the KU campus,” Dodd wrote.

Harbaugh told the San Francisco 49ers website in 2014, “There was some discussion (with Kansas.)

“It was done,” a source close to the situation told CBS Sports.

Perkins didn’t go that far, but said “It was close, very close.” Dodd wrote, “Harbaugh was so interested in Kansas at that time that he left his Stanford phone behind, so it

The Willie Taggart era at Florida State got off to a rough start on Labor Day night. The Seminoles were manhandled at home by Virginia Tech 24-3, committed five turnovers and left Taggart to say, “We played a sloppy game and that’s on all of us, starting with me.” … North Carolina A&T is a HBCU football power, but its 28-23 win over FBS-Division 1 East Carolina on Saturday has suddenly put the Aggies in the national spotlight. Weather caused the game to be suspended Saturday night and resumed Sunday afternoon. Winston-Salem Journal columnist Ed Hardin said the A&T win “sent a shockwave across the state.” … Herm Edwards had a successful debut at Arizona State. His Sun Devils trounced TexasArlington 49-7. They host Michigan State on Saturday. Kevin Sumlin didn’t fare as well in his first game as Arizona’s coach. BYU upset the host Wildcats 28-23. … Adam Wainwright will return to the rotation on Monday at home against Pittsburgh. He hasn’t pitched since May. He did well in rehab starts, but I thought the Cardinals had moved beyond the sentimental stuff. … Patrick Mahomes KC Chiefs’ young, gifted and black QB told a local radio station he prefers “Showtime” as a nickname. …Marshall Faulk’s employment with the NFL Network has officially come to an end. He and six others were suspended last December after being sued for sexual harassment. … The lack of referees for high school sports – both boys and girls - is a telling sign that dealing with fans isn’t worth the pay check and willingness to help young people play a sport they enjoy. …

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

Alvin A. Reid

With Maurice Scott

East St. Louis and Edwardsville ready for conference play

For Darren Sunkett and his staff at East St. Louis, the first two weeks of the 2018 season will go a long way towards the Flyers making another run at the IHSA state championship.

The Flyers’ defensive unit has run into two of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the Midwest in Detroit King’s Dequan Finn and Trinity Catholic’s Isaiah Williams.

It will not get any easier this week for the Flyers as they go on the road to open Southwestern Conference play against the rival Edwardsville Tigers. For the third consecutive week, East Side will be

Continued from C5

bell, seemingly ready to rumble. Once the bell was tolled, the almost-unthinkable happened. Harper calmly stepped back through the ropes, walked down the stairs, to the catwalk and disappeared back into the dressing room.

Onlookers were stunned, as was the FS1 broadcasting crew.

“Wait! What?” Jermall Charlo asked. The former IBF super welterweight titlist was serving as a commentator for the fight.

Angry fans in attendance yelled at Harper on his way back to the locker room. He was called a coward on social media.

Ajagba’s promoter, Richard Shaefer attempted to seize the moment to pump up his prodigy.

“This was legendary, Schaefer told ESPN. “We waited a long time to have another heavyweight who instills fear in his opponents by just being in the ring and looking at them.”

According to Harper though, it wasn’t fear that drove him to ease on down the road. Harper said he chucked the deuces to Ajagba due to a lack of money and respect by the fight’s promoters.

“I signed the contract, but they never gave me a signed contract back,” Harper told Sporting News. “They told me that there was no TV, and then it was a TV fight. I kept asking for the signed contract, and they wouldn’t give it to me.” ESPN reported that Harper

Continued from B3

Charles rushed for 227 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns in a 40-14 victory over Father Tolton.

• Julian Williams of CBC had nine receptions for 216 yards and a touchdown in a 58-45 victory over Edwardsville.

• Sam Sanderson of Pattonville scored five touch-

tested by another prime-time dual-threat quarterback as Kendall Abdur-Rahman leads the Tigers. Rahman made his mark last week in a big showdown against CBC when he rushed for 238 yards on 19 carries and four touchdowns.

The Flyers are coming off on of their most exciting victories in recent years when they defeated Trinity in a triple-overtime thriller at the Gateway Scholars Classic. However, there is no time to celebrate as the team prepares for Rahman and the Tigers in this upcoming conference showdown.

“It was a great win for our team and community last Saturday night,” Sunkett said. “But we have to get ready for conference play and Edwardsville tomorrow night. We as a staff knew going in how good the teams were and the quarterbacks were on their rosters. There is no better way to prepare for Rahman than the two quarterbacks that we’ve faced the past two weeks.”

game with 1-1 records.

Edwardsville shellacked McCluer North 63-0 in its opener before losing to CBC 58-45. East St. Louis dropped its opener to Detroit King in the Zenith Classic before rebounded to edge Trinity last Saturday. Junior running back DeMonte Witherspoon rushed for 115 yards on 20 carries and scored three touchdowns.

Sophomore quarterback Tyler Macon rushed for 113 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown.

Both Edwardsville and East St. Louis head into Friday’s

Senior Lawaun Powell, Jr.

was set to earn just $6,000 for the fight, despite the fact that it was televised.

“I decided to walk out when we touched gloves and I looked over my opponent’s shoulder and I saw the matchmaker [Chico Rivas] in my opponent’s corner,” Harper told ESPN. “It’s just disrespect. And then I never got a full contract. The matchmaker shouldn’t be in the opponent’s corner.”

It’s likely that the Minnesota boxing commission will withhold Harper’s pay and hit him with a suspension for walking out of the ring. The fight was declared a disqualification.

downs in a 49-21 victory over Wentzville Holt.

• Caleb Hughes of John Burroughs rushed for 221 yards on 22 carries and three touchdowns in a 41-12 victory over Brentwood.

Earl’s Pick Game of the Week

Christian-O’Fallon (2-0) at Lutheran-St. Charles (2-0), Friday, 7 p.m. – Yes, I will be hanging out in St. Peters on Friday night to watch this battle of two up and coming teams

Harper was accessed with a loss on his record. He has already petitioned to have the DQ changed to a No-Contest.

While his protest is likely to get him blacklisted by plenty of promoters and matchmakers, PBC should give him a big, fat bonus. The YouTube clip of Harper’s walkout has amassed more than 800K views. Who knows how many additional times the footage has been shared on Twitter and Facebook. Harper has been meme-ified.

Had he actually gone through with the fight against Ajagba, it’s unlikely the bout would have gotten more than

with a lot of young talent. Both have been impressive in their two early season victories.

On Tap this Weekend

• Clayton (2-0) at Jennings (2-0), Thursday, 6 p.m.

• Eureka (2-0) at Hazelwood Central (1-1), Friday, 4:30 p.m.

• East St. Louis (2-0) at Edwardsville (2-0), Friday, 7 p.m.

• Kirkwood (2-0) at Marquette (2-0), Friday, 7 p.m.

made some big hits at safety and big catches at wide receiver while Demond Taylor anchored a strong Flyers’ defense.

It promises to be another major dogfight for the Flyers as they face Edwardsville in the Tigers’ back yard on Friday night. And Coach Sunkett and his staff would not want it any other way.

Scott’s Notes

Let’s be clear about something. There were plenty of people, myself included, who

although Kaepernick hasn’t suited up in the NFL since 2016, Nike has still honored the endorsement contract it had with the former San Francisco 49ers QB. He is also expected to be featured in upcoming Nike apparel.

MAGA Americans were predictably incensed by the news. Some went so far as to burn, cut and/or destroy Nike branded footwear and apparel and post the footage onto social media.

The POTUS called the upcoming Kaepernick-featured marketing campaign, “a terrible message and a message that shouldn’t be sent.”

Ironically, that sentiment applies to every tweet sent by the current commander-in-chief.

Kudos to Nike for taking the risk to publicly support Kaepernick. Many brands are currently scrambling to avoid angering anybody in this highly-polarized political climate.

10,000 views. Maybe he’ll even land a Pizza Hut commercial like former Tyson knockout victim Peter McNeeley back in the 90s.

Nike claps back with Kap snapbacks?

Shout out to Nike to making Colin Kaepernick a central figure in its 30th anniversary “Just Do It” campaign. The first ad was revealed this week. It featured a close-up of Kaepernick’s face with text that reads, “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” It was later revealed that

• Chaminade (1-1) at CBC (2-0), Friday, 7 p.m.

• MICDS (2-0) at Lutheran South (2-0), Friday, 7 p.m.

did a whole lot of trash talking prior to last weekend’s game against Trinity. At the end of the day, the kids, coaches and fans on both sides have nothing but respect for each other. And it showed after the game ended after midnight early Sunday morning. There was a lot of love and respect for each other after a hard-fought game. It was an atmosphere that more than 13,000 watched at Clyde C. Jordan Stadium last Saturday night. It was everything that high school sports should be about.

However, Nike has shown that it isn’t afraid to pick sides when it comes to the fight for civil rights and social justice. The brand has also always supported LeBron James’ activism efforts. Many believe that it’s just a money grab for Nike. While Nike will be glad to capitalize on the “woke” dollar, my hunch is that the move was done moreso as a chess move in the battle for high-profile athlete endorsers.

The athletic footwear and apparel landscape has changed significantly over the past few years. The Swoosh is now fielding challenges from Adidas, Under Armour, Puma, Anta, Li Ning and others when it comes to signing the biggest stars in sports.

By showing it will go to bat for Kaepernick, Nike is letting other athletes know it will have their backs as well. Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @ishcreates.

The sT. Louis american area coLLege aThLeTes oF The Week

Tate Jennings – Football

The 5’10,” 180-pound junior two-way standout enjoyed a big performance in the Warriors’ 62-0 victory over Gateway STEM.

On offense, Tate rushed for 132 yards on eight carries and three touchdowns on runs of 54, 15 and 52 yards. On defense, he had two interceptions, one of which

he returned 30 yards for another touchdown.

After two games, Tate has rushed for 239 yards and six touchdowns in leading the Warriors to a 2-0 record. He is averaging 12 yards per carry.

Jennings (2-0) will host Clayton (2-0) on Thursday night at 6 p.m.

Maurice Scott

Colin Kaepernick is one of the athletes featured in the 30h anniversary of Nike’s ‘Just Do It’ ad campaign.

KAI

continued from page B1 people that I have in my life really mean a lot to me.

Ryan Wilson of St. Louis is majoring in Architecture and Construction Management at Washington University with an expected graduation date of May 2019. He interned in KAI’s Build Department.

I was interested in KAI so that I can gain experience in the Construction Management field. Also, I like that KAI is a design & build firm. I love architecture, and KAI will give me the opportunity to merge the two within what I do every day. I hoped to get a better understanding of what goes on within the Construction Management field. Also, to give me an idea of what I want to do within the field. The number one thing that influenced my career choice is my love for architecture and construction and, for as long as I can remember, I have

been fascinated with both. As a kid, I would always take every chance I could get to look at buildings and watch them go up in construction. My grandfather was the person who told me that I should find something in life that I loved to do and something that would

n “My grandfather was the person who told me that I should find something in life that I loved to do and something that would never be phased out of society.”

– Ryan Wilson

never be phased out of society. Architecture and construction will always be a part of our world, so I will always be able to have job opportunities within it.

I am a single dad of one son named Bryan. He is nine years old and is the love of my life.

Yelana Moton of East St. Louis is majoring in Construction Management at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville with an expected graduation date of December

2018. She interned in KAI’s Build Department. KAI grabbed my attention by having family-oriented personnel, a positive project success rate, and having an interest in my future. I couldn’t help but to find out why KAI’s name was hot on the market. This summer, I wanted to get a good grasp on the sequence of new construction and enhance my abilities to work through difficult situations in a timely manner.

My dream job would be yacht design. More realistically, landing a sweet job on somebody’s E-board or potentially having my own within the construction industry. My grandfather had a demolition business back in the day. Listening to his stories and hearing about his impact in the industry and in people’s lives steered me toward this career choice.

I have my motorcycle license and will be making a purchase when the time is right! For more information, visit http://www.kai-db.com.

United Way of Greater St. Louis sets $76M campaign goal

The United Way of Greater St. Louis aims to raise $76 million in its 2018 community campaign. Last year, more than 100,000 individuals and 2,000 businesses donated to United Way to collectively raise a record $75.65 million. The 2018 campaign co-chairs are Mark S. Wrighton, chancellor at Washington University, and Jeff Fox, chairman and CEO of Harbour Group. The campaign officially began on August 29 and runs through early November.

“United Way is woven into the fabric of our community, helping residents on both sides of the river through education, financial stability, health and basic needs,” Wrighton said. “Having lived in St. Louis for more than two decades, I’ve seen the people of this region come together time and time again to help one another.” Fox said he is “confident that our community will once again come together to support our neighbors in need.”

United Way of Greater St. Louis invests more than $1 million each week in a 16-county region throughout Missouri and Illinois. Because of donors’ generosity, “we can not only provide assistance with the temporary needs of today, but also focus on finding and developing solutions to create lasting change for generations to come,” said Orv Kimbrough, president and CEO of United Way of Greater St. Louis. To pledge online, visit HelpingPeople.org.

Financial Focus

By Veronica Coleman

Have you planned for long-term care?

If you are fortunate, you will retain your physical and mental capacities throughout your life and can always live independently. But there are no guarantees for any of us. If you ever require some form of long-term care, will you be prepared? So what is the risk of need-

Ryan Wilson

Yelana Moton

‘Queen of Soul’ mourned by the world

Biggest names in black culture, politics and music remember

Aretha

Franklin

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

“It was a homegoing fit for a queen,” Marc Lamont Hill said as he sat behind a commentator’s desk for BET following the funeral of music legend Aretha Franklin on Friday. It was nearing 6 p.m. He and fellow commentator Emil Wilbekin of Afropunk.com had been sit-

Music legend Stevie Wonder delivered the final scheduled performance funeral services of Aretha Franklin on Friday, August 31 at Greater Grace Church in Detroit, MI. He was joined on stage by Angie

own Jenifer Lewis and Shirley Murdock– who provided impromptu background vocals for his soul classic ‘As.

ting there since 10 a.m. Instead the usual recap and highlight reel, the two simply sat in awe of what they experienced for a moment or two and bid the audience farewell. After all, there was not anything they could have said that wasn’t said already over the course of the morning that turned afternoon and then crept upon evening.

Soul of

Sy Smith

Alternative soul songbird Sy Smith blew fans away with selections from her latest studio album ‘A Rose Grows From the Concrete’ during her St. Louis visit Wednesday night at .Zack. Smith’s soprano resembles a seamless blend of Roberta Flack and Minnie Ripperton – and was perfectly matched with the musical accompaniment of the Mo Egeston All-Stars.

‘I was so looking forward to it’

Organizers cancel

By American Staff

St. Louis native and rising rap star Smino ripped the stage with selections from his ‘Blkwsn’ album during the LouFest U festivities last year.

By Chris King Of

to police harassment), but the work can be unsettling and – especially its video components – difficult to watch.

Biggers takes African sculptures he has collected at flea markets and tourist shops, dips them in wax, then has his director of photography Raoul Germain riddle them with bullets. He then either bronzes the mutilated figure or coats it with ferric nitrate and titles each one in memory of a victim of police violence, first name only. These mutilated figures in memory of people killed by police are haunting. The videos of the figures being pierced by bullets can be downright disturbing. Biggers edits the videos so that the shootings also run in reverse, with the figure becoming reassembled and the bullets exiting the way they came. But this mostly reinforces the tragedy that victims of police violence do not get to reverse their deaths and become whole again.

Asked if he had concerns that this work could be triggering, Biggers said, “Yes, I have spoken to some who felt that. I myself even feel that way. But this art work is not about any beautification. It’s about memorializing people, keeping them in memory, never forgetting. The actions are traumatic, but they will be traumatic

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Stone, Dottie Peoples, St. Louis’

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. 7, 5 p.m., LouFest

U. A free festival for area university students featuring local and national bands, guest speakers, and networking opportunities. Forest Park, 1 Theatre Dr., 63112. For more information, visit www.loufest. com/loufestu.

Sept. 8 – 9, LouFest Music Festival featuring Gary Clark Jr., Tank and the Bangas, Michael McDonald, Keyon Harrold, The Knuckles, Anita Jackson, Ptah Williams, Mo Egeston All-Stars, Tonina and more. Four stages with alternating performances, children’s stage and village, vendor area and food court. Forest Park, 1 Theatre Dr., 63112. For more information, visit www.loufest. com.

Wed., Sept. 12, 7 p.m., St. Louis Symphony presents a Concert in Forest Park Enjoy a beautiful evening as the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra performs classical favorites at this free concert. Art Hill, Fine Arts Dr., 63110. For more information, visit www.slso.org.

Fri., Sept. 14, 8 p.m., Old Rock House presents Big Sam’s Funky Nation. 1200 S. 7th St., 63104. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.

Sat., Sept. 15, 9 p.m., The Pageant present Moneybagg Yo. 6161 Delmar Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www.ticketmaster.com.

Sun., Sept. 16, 7 p.m., Chaifetz Arena presents RBRM: Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky & Mike. 1 S. Compton Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www. ticketmaster.com.

Fri., Sept. 28, 6 p.m., Joy FM presents Mandisa: Girls Night Live. With guests

Blanca, Candace Payne, and Jasmine Murray. Family Arena, 2002 Arena Parkway, 63303. For more information, visit www.metrotix.com.

local gigs

Fri., Sept. 14, 8 p.m., Sheldon Concert Hall presents Illphonics with Black Spade 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www.thesheldon.org.

Sun., Sept 30, 5 p.m., An evening of Blues, Soul and R&B starring blues legend Eugene Johnson, The Signature Room, 9002 Page Ave. Tickets can be purchased at Afro World 7276 Natural Bridge Ave. For more information, call (314) 3895194 or e-mail cjames4280. cj@gmail.com

special events

Fri., Sept. 7, 8 p.m., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Omicron Theta Omega Chapter presents the HBCU House Party. Machinists Hall, 12365 St. Charles Rock Rd., 63044. For more information, call (314) 283-8213.

Fri., Sept. 7, 5 p.m., LouFest U. A free festival for area university students featuring local and national bands, guest speakers, and networking opportunities. Forest Park, 1 Theatre Dr., 63112. For more information, visit www.loufest. com/loufestu.

Sun., Sept. 9, 8 a.m., Clayton Fire Department hosts the 7th Annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb. Proceeds benefit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Pierre Laclede Building II, 7733 Forsyth Blvd., 63105. For more information, visit www. claytonstairclimb.com.

The Guide

Kenya Vaughn recommends

Sat., Sept. 8, 9:30 a.m., Kiener Kids. a whole morning of fun family activities. Preregistration is required to receive a free Kiener Kids goodie bag. Kiener Plaza, 500 Chestnut St., 63102. For more information or to register, visit www.archpark.org/kids.

Sat., Sept. 8, 7 p.m., Vashon Class of 1983 35 Year Reunion. Orlando Gardens, 2050 Dorsett Village, 63043. For more information, visit www.VashonClassof83.com.

Sun., Sept. 9, 10 a.m., Show Me Reptile & Exotics Show, Machinist Hall, 12365 St. Charles Rock Rd, Bridgeton, MO 63044. For more information, visit : http:// www.showmesnakes.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/ showmesnakes

Sun., Sept. 9, 3 p.m., Spoken Word - We Speak Life! Registration required. William L. Clay Sr. Center, HarrisStowe State University, 3026 Laclede Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www. spokenword-wespeaklife.org.

Wed., Sept. 12, 10 a.m., JobNewsUSA.com St. Louis Job Fair. Meet with recruiters hiring for immediate openings in positions ranging from entry level to

professional & management. Hilton DoubleTree, 1973 Craigshire Rd., 63146. For more information, visit www. jobnewsusa.com.

Fri., Sept. 14, 6 p.m., Radio Arts Foundation presents Wine & Jazz Under the Stars. The Butterfly House, Faust Park, 15193 Olive Blvd., 63017. For more information, visit www.rafstl. org/wineandjazz.

Sept. 14 – 15, Great Forest Park Balloon Race and Glow. Art Hill, Fine Arts Dr., 63110. For more information, visit www. greatforestparkballoonrace. com.

Sat., Sept. 15, 9 a.m., Truelight Baptist Church invites you to their Annual Clothing, Shoes & Household Items Giveaway. 1535 Tudor Ave., East St. Louis, IL. 62207. For more information, call (618) 874-0812 or visit www.truelight-estl.com/event/ gems-annual-giveaway.

Sat., Sept. 15, 10 a.m., Guns & Hoses Basketball Charity Event 2018. St. Louis Fire Department vs. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Proceeds benefit the Mathews-Dickey Boys and Girls Club. 4245 N.

of music and tastings. Proceeds support Operation Backpack, which provides weekend meals to food-insecure kids. 1644 Lotsie Blvd., 63132. For more information, visit www. operationfoodsearch.org.

Sat., Sept. 22, 11 a.m., Everybody Eats STL hosts Taste of Black St. Louis Tower Grove Park, 4256 Magnolia Ave., 63116. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Sat., Sept. 22, 1 p.m., Glennon Gallop FieldSide Party. Sport your best Kentucky Derby inspired attire for this derby-like party. Proceeds benefit Danis Pediatric Center. Kraftig Polo Club, 4020 Benne Rd., 63341. For more information, visit www.glennon.org/gallopfieldside.

Kingshighway Blvd., 63115. For more information, call (314) 345-0280.

Sun., Sept. 16, 3 p.m., 3rd Annual Heaven Sent Brunch and Fashion Show Fundraiser. 2668 Daman Ct., 63136. For more information, visit www.healmending.org.

Sun., Sept. 16, 4 p.m., AllN-1 Entertainment hosts a Red Carpet Balloon Fashion Show. LaunchCode, 4811 Delmar Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Mon., Sept. 17, 9 a.m., Pfizer St. Louis Career Fair. In search of professionals in Quality, Inspection, Operations, Process and Validation engineering positions to join our teams. Hilton Frontenac, 1335 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 63131. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Tues., Sept. 18, 11 a.m., National Career Fairs St. Louis Career Fair Hilton DoubleTree, 1973 Craigshire Rd., 63146. For more information, visit www. nationalcareerfairs.com.

Thur., Sept. 20, 5:30 p.m., Operation Food Search’s Party for Packs. An evening

Sat., Sept. 22, 6:30 p.m., Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Epsilon Lambda Chapter and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Omicron Eta Omega Chapter present The Phirst Phamily Paragon Awards Soiree. Renaissance Hotel, 9801 Natural Bridge Rd., 63134. For more information, visit www.facebook.com.

Sat., Sept. 22-Sept. 23, 4th Annual The St. Louis Natural Hair & Black Culture Expo, Holiday Inn Downtown, 811 N. 9th St. For more information, https://www.eventbrite.com/ e/4th-annual-stlouis-naturalhair-black-cultural-expo2018-tickets-46887190850

Sat., Sept. 29, 6 p.m., The St. Louis American Foundation presents the 31st Annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship and Awards Gala, America’s Center. For more information, visit www.stlamerican.com

Thur., Sept. 6, 7 p.m., Overcoming Political and Recovering Our American Democracy. A public conversation between Amy Chua and Senator John Danforth. Graham Chapel, Washington University, 1Brookings Dr., 63130. For more information, visit www. facebook.com

Sept. 7, 5:30 p.m., Dr. Malaika Horne will discuss her book Mother Wit, Better Family Life Cultural,

Chaifetz Arena presents RBRM: Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky & Mike. See CONCERTS for details.

Educational and Business Center, 5415 Page Blvd. For more information, email WGRRofSTL@gmail.com.

Fri., Sept. 7, 8 p.m., St. Louis Science Center First Fridays: Harry Potter. 5050 Oakland Ave., 63110. For more information, visit www. slsc.org.

Sun., Sept. 9, 2 p.m., St. Louis County Library hosts author Sylvia Acevedo, author of Stars: My Journey from Girl Scout to Rocket Scientist. St. Louis County Library Headquarters, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 63131.For more information, visitwww. slcl.org.

Wed., Sept. 12, 7 p.m., St. Louis Public Library hosts authors Eion Colfer, Andrew Donkin & Giovanni Rigano authors of Illegal. Ebo must make the hazardous voyage from Ghana to Europe. Schlafly Branch, 225 N. Euclid Ave., 63108. For more information, visit www.slpl. com.

Thur., Sept. 13, 7 p.m., DeRay Mckesson signs and discusses On The Other Side of Freedom. Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www.leftbank.com.

Thur., Sept. 20, 3 p.m., Center for Social Development hosts author Richard Reeves, author of Dream Hoarders: How the American Upper Middle Class Is Leaving Everyone Else in the Dust, Why That Is a Problem, and What to Do About It. Brown School, Washington University, 6351 Forsyth Blvd., 63105. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Fri., Sept. 21, 7 p.m., Bookfest St. Louis: An Evening with Sally Field. The actor will discuss her book, In Pieces, a memoir about being a woman in the last half of the 20th century. Chase Park Plaza, 212 N. Kingshighway Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www.leftbank.com.

Sat., Sept. 22, 10:30 a.m., Bookfest St. Louis. The festival features author presentations, panel discussions, book signings family-friendly activities and more. Central West End, 63108. For more information, visit www.bookfeststl.com.

theatre

Sept. 6 – 9, TLT Productions presents Voices: Sounds of America. .Zack, 3224 Locust St., 63103. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.

Sept. 7- 9, Zella written and directed by Sir Ervin Williams III, Emerson Performance Center, HarrisStowe State University. For tickets, full schedule and additional information, visit https://www. brownpapertickets.com/ event/3595548

Sat., Sept. 8, 12 p.m., Community Arts Festival 2018. Enjoy everything from dance and film to painting and theater. Grandel, 3610 Grandel Sq., 63108. For more information, visit www. communityartsfestival.com.

Sat., Sept. 8, 12 p.m., Community Arts Festival 2018. Enjoy everything from dance and film to painting and theater. Grandel, 3610 Grandel Sq., 63108. For more information, visit www. communityartsfestival.com.

Fri., Sept. 14, 7:30 p.m., Deeply Rooted Dance Theater. Chicago’s DRDT is rooted in traditions of American and AfricanAmerican dance and storytelling. Dunham Hall Theater, SIUE, 50 Hairpin Dr., Edwardsville, IL. 62026. For more information, visit www. artsandissues.com.

Sept. 19 – 21, Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site’s Dramatic First Person Impressions. Sept. 19: Frederick Douglass by Charles Pace; Sept. 20: Martin Luther King Jr. by Stephon Ferguson; Sept. 21: Harriet Tubman by Kathryn Harris. 7400 Grant Rd., 63123. For more information, visit www.nps. gov/ulsg/index.htm.

Through Sept. 23, The Black Rep presents Crowns. Edison Theatre, 6445 Forsyth Blvd., 63105. For more information, visit www.edison.wustl.edu.

Thur., Sept 6, 6:30p.m., Contemporary Art Museum presents Artist Talk: Sanford Biggers. 3750 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www.camstl. org.

Sat., Sept. 8, 12 p.m., Community Arts Festival 2018. Enjoy everything from dance and film to painting and theater. Grandel, 3610 Grandel Sq., 63108. For more information, visit www.

Kenya Vaughn recommends

Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis hosts A Conversation on Jean-Michel Basquiat. For more information, see ART.

communityartsfestival.com.

Sat., Sept. 8, 11 a.m., A Conversation on Jean-Michel Basquiat. Alexis Adler, Nora Burnett Abrams, Felice Rosser, and Carlo McCormick host a discussion about the artist’s life. Contemporary Art Museum, 3750 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www.camstl. org.

Fri., Sept. 14, 7 p.m., GLoveBoxX Arts & Ent. presents septembERotica: The Art Show. Celebrating the Black body and exploring Black sensuality. Third Degree Glass Factory, 5200 Delmar Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. GLoveBoxX.com.

Through Sept. 28, Fontbonne University Faculty and Staff Exhibition & Speaker Series. Artist talks will take place weekly. Fontbonne University Gallery of Fine Art, 6800 Wydown Blvd., 63105. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Through Sept. 28, Emerging Artists Showcase. TechArtista, 4818 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Through September 30,

Let’s Play Ball! Field House Museum, 634 S. Broadway, 63102. For more information, visit www.facebook.com.

lectures and workshops

Fri., Sept. 7, HerTomorrow St. Louis. An assembly of brilliant and compelling women to share their thoughts about their lives, the world, and the state of women. Brown School, Washington University, 1 Brooking Dr., 63130. For more information, visit www.everyeventgives. com.

Wed., Sept. 12, 7 p.m., Whitaker Jazz Speaks: The Crisis in Music ft. Ted Gioia.

Gioia discusses disruptions that are changing — and perhaps destroying — the music infrastructure in America. St. Louis Public Library, 1301 Olive St., 63018. For more information, visit www.slpl. org.

Thur., Sept. 13, 8:30 a.m., Citizens for Modern Transit and St. Louis Community College present Talking Transit. Discuss the results of the Northside/Southside MetroLink Corridor Study. Forest Park Campus, 5600 Oakland Ave., 63110. For more information, call (314) 231-7272.

Sat., Sept. 15, 10 a.m., Rich Girls, Real Women Incorporated presents Enough is Enough. Girls ages 12-18 will learning about self-

love and healthy relationships. William J. Harrison Education Center, 3140 Cass Ave., 63106. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com.

Sat., Sept. 8, 8 a.m., Lustgarten Foundation Walk All proceeds benefit pancreatic cancer research. Frontier Park, 500 South Riverside Dr., 63301. For more information, visit events.lustgarten.org/ event.

Sat., Sept. 8, 11 a.m., Community Health & Wellness Day @ 4700. To schedule a Mammogram, please call (314) 7477222. New Sunny Mount MB Church, 4700 West Florissant Ave., 63115. For more information, call (314) 389-4544 or visit www. newsunnymountmbc.org.

Sun., Sept. 16, 8 a.m., The National Children’s Cancer Society 2nd Annual Golf Classic. Proceeds will go to families that are battling childhood cancer. Stonewolf Golf Club, 1195 Stonewolf Trail, Fairview Heights, IL. 62208. For more information, visit www.thenccs.org/golf.

Fri., Sept. 21, 11 a.m., Falls Prevention Awareness Day Free Event. Event includes fall risk assessments, flu vaccinations, games, giveaways, a light lunch and more. Maryland Heights Community Center, 2300 McKelvey Rd., 63043. For more information, visit www. stloasis.org.

spiritual

Sat., Sept. 8, 4 p.m., Repreievefest Gospel Concert. Feat. local artists and special guest Sam Huddleston. Proceeds will help a local homeless shelter. New Paradise Missionary Baptist Church, 7348 W. Florissant Ave., 63136. For more information, visit www.reprievewellness. org.

All those in their seats and the viewing audience had been informed of what they were in for before the ceremony began.

“This is going to be a lengthy service, there is no other way to honor her,” host pastor Bishop Ellis of Greater Grace said. “We are going to take time, but we are going to try not to waste time.”

Thousands had already lined up to pay their respect to the Queen of Soul during the two-day public viewing at the Charles Wright Museum of African American History.

Millions watched as she was given a royal send-off by some of the biggest names in music, politics, social activism and black culture.

Franklin wouldn’t have had it any other way.

“Lord, you gave us a true queen,” Rev. Dr. E.L. Branch said of Franklin. “Thank you Lord for Aretha! She inspired us, she motivated us, she gave us hope.” Bishop T.D. Jakes spoke of witnessing Franklin fill-in for Pavarotti at the 1998 Grammy Awards.

“She was classy beyond measure, but had an earthiness that cannot be denied,” Jakes said.

Aretha Franklin, freedom fighter

“Aretha Franklin was not only an unparalleled artist, she was also a civil rights activist and freedom fighter,” said Rev. Al Sharpton. “It’s easy to celebrate one’s God-given gifts. It’s harder to celebrate a person uses those gifts for the betterment of humanity.” Songs like “Think,” “Respect” and “Young, Gifted and Black” played as part of the Civil Rights Movement, The Women’s Movement and The Black Liberation Movement. The host of speakers pointed out that Franklin also provided resources to

social causes. Sharpton spoke of how Franklin and Harry Belafonte rescued Dr. King’s movement from the brink of bankruptcy with an 11-city tour for which both worked for free and donated 100 percent of the proceeds to King’s cause.

In his eulogy, Rev. Jasper Williams Jr. spoke about the friction that came between Franklin and her father, the late Rev. C.L. Franklin, when she decided to give bail money to Angela Davis.

According to Williams, Rev.

Franklin scolded her – and told her there would be repercussions for his ministry and her music because she had allied herself with a communist by funding her release.

“She said, ‘Daddy she is a black woman and had nobody to help her – and I wanted to help her. Period,’” Franklin said, according to Williams. Outspoken pastor and political activist Rev. William Barber II called Franklin the voice of black America.

“She sang in our key – and she taught the world how to hear it,” Barber said. “When Aretha sang, she made you want to get up – not just to dance, but to do something about racism or poverty. She made you want to choose togetherness over division and love over hate. And Aretha told us that respect was nonnegotiable.”

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder also pointed out that Franklin’s voice was registered as a natural resource in the state of Michigan.

“She was in a class by herself thanks to her life, song and service,” Snyder said.

Music in memoriam

It would have been impossible to bid Franklin a proper farewell without tributes from the biggest names in music.

Accompanied by The Aretha Franklin Celebration Choir and The Aretha Franklin Celebration Orchestra, the musical selections – which rested inbetween the speeches – gave insight with respect to how her impact on music transcended generations and genres.

“Nothing sounded better to me than hearing my grandmother sing,” Victorie Franklin said as she offered reflections from the family. “Every time she sang you felt something.”

The long list of performers let the world know that they felt something too. Country star Faith Hill was the first singer in the pulpit. Hill was followed by Ariana Grande, who currently holds the number one album on the pop charts, with a rendition of “Natural Woman.” By funeral’s end, more than a dozen artists peppered the service with gospel and Aretha favorites, including Ron Isley, Chaka Khan, The Williams Brothers, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Sapp, Tasha Cobbs. Pastor Shirley Caesar, Fantasia, Bishop Paul Morton, Yolanda Adams, Jennifer Holliday and rising classical vocalist Audrey DuBois Harris.

Politics and parting reflections for ‘The Queen of Soul’

Eulogizer Williams lost sight of the afternoon’s intention when he took his remarks in the direction of condemning the black community. He said that “black America has lost its soul,” but as he closed the services, Stevie Wonder reminded Williams and everyone else that mourning the queen of soul was the order of business for the day.

“The reason we are here today is because of love,” Wonder said. “We loved this woman so much. If it weren’t for God’s goodness [and love]

we would have never known the queen of soul. The queen did what she could, now it’s time for us to do what we can.”

Many of the speakers suggested that the community should use Franklin’s life as motivation to make a difference.

“With her music, Aretha added passion to our protest,” said Rev. Donald Parsons. “There shouldn’t be long lines at the funeral, short lines at the voting polls. If you leave here and are still an unregistered voter, you are dishonoring Aretha.”

Many also called Franklin a symbol of black pride.

“Very few people that have come along that can shift the consciousness of the world and shift the universe and moved us all – not only with her song, but through her spirit and her love,” said Michael Eric Dyson. “She was black girl magic before there was black girl magic. She was black without apology or excuse and American without exception.”

“Her loss leaves a great hole for a lot of us,” said popular Detroit radio personality Mildred Gaddis. “But she gave us so much to use and keep moving.”

“She gave us pride and a regal bar to reach,” Sharpton said. “We don’t agree on everything, but we agree on Aretha.” Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder echoed Sharpton.

“God sang through her,” Holder said. “She made our lives richer and better. Made this country more sensitive and more just.”

Continued from C1

of Listen Live Entertainment, followed up with more details about the decision.

“We know this is a great disappointment to many and that there has been wide speculation around our event,” Van Hee said in the statement was addressed to the city of St. Louis. “We want to share what’s been going on directly with you.”

The letter said LouFest had several financial hurdles, including the loss of two of the event’s top sponsors as well as scheduling and contract issues with major artists, and existing debt from previous events that “all put immense pressure on the balance sheet.”

“A bit of unfortunately timed media coverage caused many of our vendors and artists to demand up-front payment just days before gates were set to open,” Van Hee continued, referring to the initial St. Louis Public Radio report and followup reports by The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “LouFest simply couldn’t make that happen.”

Citing the rainy and muddy 2016 LouFest, Van Hee said weather also factored into their decision to cancel.

The 2018 lineup was set to include Michael McDonald, T-Pain, Gary Clark Jr., Robert Plant and Tank and Da Bangas and many more local and national artists. Over the years, some of the biggest names in music have graced the LouFest stage at the two-day music festival that includes a host of genres. Snoop Dogg, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Buddy Guy and Outkast are among the

previously featured artists in the years since its 2010 inception.

This year a comedy stage was to be folded into the programming. And a Jazz and Heritage stage funded in part by the Kranzberg Arts Foundation was set to debut this year– which highlighted local acts that are among the group of Kranzberg Arts Foundation Fellows.

Singer Anita Jackson was among those set to take the Jazz and Heritage stage.

“I was so looking forward to it,” Jackson said. Her cohorts – including Ptah Williams, Mo Egeston All Stars and Tonina –were also scheduled to perform.

“We spent many hours preparing and we were just really looking forward to debuting our original music [at LouFest].” Jackson said. “Everybody was really excited, all of us Kranzberg Fellows, to be chosen to participate. It was going

to be a great opportunity to have access to the national artists at LouFest and network with them.”

Grammy Award-winning Ferguson native Keyon Harrold was scheduled to close the Jazz and Heritage stage Sunday night.

Up until Tuesday evening, LouFest organizers said the show will go on, despite the original St. Louis Public Radio report where sources implied otherwise.

Among them was Scott Foner, owner of Valley Parkbased CODA Music Company, which was contracted to provide onstage instruments for musicians not traveling with their own. He told St. Louis Public Radio’s Jeremy D. Goodwin that they’ve had “very little communication with the LouFest folks over the last few days and last few weeks in

particular.”

“At this point our participation with the festival is uncertain at best, and probably pretty unlikely,” Foner told Goodwin. He added, however, that if the festival “somehow comes up with the ability to pay down our previous balance as well as come up with full payment for this year, my guys can rally.”

Because of their previously mentioned financial hurdles, LouFest could not meet the financial demands of vendors.

Van Hee also said in the statement that Listen Live doesn’t have the funds to issue refunds.

But he noted that those who purchased tickets for this year’s festival will be repaid in full.

“The exceptional festival ticketing company we selected, Front Gate Tickets, owned by Live Nation and Ticketmaster, will be stepping up to refund all

n“This art work is not about any beautification. It’s about memorializing people, keeping them in memory, never forgetting.”

– Sanford Biggers

fans in full while we work to repay our debts,” Van Hee said. As far as the performers, Jackson says that the circumstances were beyond everyone’s control. She is still grateful for what would have been at LouFest thanks to her connection to the Kranzberg Arts Foundation – performing before the tens of thousands that were expected to visit this year’s festival and expanding her growing fan base. “I’m disappointed, but things happen for a reason,” Jackson said. “St. Louis is bustling with good music, new music, new artists and new opportunities.” As of Wednesday morning, a link beneath the cancellation notification on Facebook directs those seeking more information to a page on loufest.com that reads, “Got questions about the festival? Contact us at info@ loufest.com.”

until changes are made. Meanwhile, the dialogue continues.”

Biggers did make a “BAM” piece in memory of Michael Brown (“For Michael”), but it did not travel to St. Louis; it is on display at the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery,

Alabama. The video associated with it may be viewed on Biggers’ Vimeo page, https:// vimeo.com/moonmedicin, though Ferguson veterans are advised to view it with a

trigger warning. The St. Louis audience likely will focus on the “BAM” pieces, given the region’s engagement with police accountability and continuing

trauma over the loss of lives to police, but for Biggers they form part of a larger body of work that will be represented at CAM. He also makes videos other than the “BAM” videos and paints on old quilts, “forming a dialogue that speaks to the past and present and a collaboration between the unknown quilters and himself,” as the CAM exhibition notes state.

“All the work speaks together, not in a vacuum,” Biggers said. “You have to spend time with all of the objects. They all speak with one another and inform one another. Every piece informs the next piece. It’s a process work.” Biggers see the “BAM” work in the tradition of African power figures, where objects retain transformative spiritual power. Similar power figures appear in his quilt work and other videos as well. “I look at them as power objects that continue to symbolize the loss of lives and potential to still fight,” Biggers said. “They are injured, but still in battle.” Or, as we say to those we lose: Rest in power.

“Sanford Biggers” – which was organized for CAM by Lisa Melandri, executive director –will be on display September 7 - December 30. Biggers will give an artist talk 6:30 p.m. Thursday, September 6. It also will be the focus of the program

“RE: Black Visual Mourning” 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 10, featuring Rebecca

and

For more information, visit https://camstl.org.

Wanzo of Washington University, Nichole Bridges of the Saint Louis Art Museum,

Michael Gillespie of City College of New York.

Singer Fantasia was among the many well known music artists to bid Franklin a proper farewell

Anniversaries

Drs. John

recently returned

RV

Celebrations

Birthday

Happy Blessed 16th Birthday to Keenan Squires on September 16! Thank you for being a caring, talented young man with a wonderful sense of humor. We are proud of you broson and love you to the moon and back! The Squires Family

Harvest Homecoming

First Baptist Church of Creve Coeur invites family, friends and former members of FBCCC to join in celebrating the Harvest on Sunday, September 23 at its 10 am morning worship service. Dinner will be served. Please RSVP 314434-4625 or fbcrevecoeur@hotmail.com. On August 31, Calvin and Leslie Lang celebrated their 9th wedding anniversary. “He who finds a wife finds what is good for life.”

Reunions

All reunion announcements can be viewed online!

Beaumont High Class of 1978 40th Reunion

Extravaganza, Save the Date: October 5-7, 2018. Call or text Marietta Shegog Shelby at 314-799-5296 for further details.

East St. Louis Sr. High School Class of 1968 will celebrate its 50 year reunion

on Friday, October 12, 2018 at the Main Street Brewing Center, 6435 West Main Street, Belleville, IL. 62223. For more information contact Linda Ward Spencer (618) 830-8221 or laws50@aol.com.

Hadley Teach classes of 1962-1963 will host their Annual Picnic on Saturday, Aug. 18 at Marvin’s Park, 4003 Camellia. Hot dogs, soda and water provided. Bring chairs, family and friends! For more information, contact: Virdell Robinson Stennis 314773-8177, Ora Scott Roberts 314-222-3662, Wilhelmina Gibson Baker 314-630-9647 or Marvin Young 314-422-5757.

Northwest High Class of 1979 is planning on cruising for our 40th class reunion and

would love for you to join us! Date to sail is set for July 20, 2019 and you can feel free to contact: Duane Daniels at 314-568-2057 or Howard Day at 414-698-4261 for further information. Please don’t miss the boat!

Southwest High School Longhorns would like to announce the class reunion for the classes 1985-1989, Date: September 14-16, 2018. For more information please contact Revitra Greco (314) 358-9522 or Kim Taylor (314) 369-3537.

St. Rose of Lima (Goodfellow & Etzel, closed 1977) will host an all-class reunion on Saturday, Sept. 8, Jewel Center, 407 Dunn Rd. See www.strosereunion.com for details.

Sumner High Class of 1979 will hold its “Bulldogs Rock the Boat” BIG 4-0 Reunion Cruise, June 22-27, 2019. For further information, email your contact information to sumner1979@ymail.com or call 314-406-4309. Join our Facebook group at Sumner High Class of ‘79.

Vashon High School Class of 1973 will celebrate its 45th reunion on Saturday, August 11, 2018 in St. Louis. We’re still in the process of rounding up all of our graduates and would love for you all to contact us. Please email us at tpjgramells@aol.com for additional information. You may also RSVP and pay by going to VashonHigh1973.

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

reunions@stlamerican.com

myevent.com. For those not on the internet, please call Terri (Bell) Johnson 314-313-2113. O’Fallon Tech will be celebrating its “50th” Class Reunion on Nov. 2-3, 2018 at Hollywood Casino, 777 Casino Center Dr. Maryland

MO 63043. Class of 1969 and others are invited. To RSVP for the head count, so please contact: Joann Durham Harris 314-363-4260, Donnell Jackson 314-494-4807, Gloria Houston King 314-591-7306 or Kelvin Murphy 314-616-1007.

H. & Marilyn L. Robinson

from a three week,

road trip to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, Canada, celebrating their 54th wedding anniversary. Their tour included a stop in Nova Scotia to visit the “Black Loyalist” museum.

One

Top notch Neighborhood Flavor. I don’t know what it is about that public commons space by the Nine Network and St. Louis Public Radio, but every event that I’ve been to in that gorgeous open air spot has been epic! Saturday was no different when I made my way to the Neighborhood Flavor St. Louis presented by Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey and a whole team of tastemakers! Listen, everybody who even thought about being somebody was out there – and the crowd was so grown and gorgeous and we all got home at a decent hour! Even after being blown away last year, Neighborhood Flavor raised the bar even higher. It’s all but official that it’s on my list for best of 2018. Sy Smith is…O.G. Mariah Carey 2.0. While I was feeling a sort of way for having to start my nightlife beat in the middle of the week when I popped into .Zack Wednesday to catch underground soulstress Sy Smith. But when she opened her mouth, all was forgiven. Listen, I haven’t heard notes like that since back When Mariah had us feeling emotions! Yes, Sy has the range! Ooh, it was life. And she had me locked in when she took a tiny bite out of the underrated Aretha classic “Jump to It!” Mo Egeston and his crew deserve props for backing her up so beautifully too!

Don’t know how to feel about D.C. Curry. I was excited to see Don “D.C” Curry when I hit up Helium Friday night. And cackled when he came out asking at 11:30 p.m. if Aretha Franklin’s funeral was still underway. But it was a different story when he got all the way up into his tried and true (translation: repeat) set. How you gonna go out of your way to call R. Kelly a predator, only to victim blame when it comes to Bill Cosby? I don’t understand it. And you better hope Terry Crews don’t catch you out in the streets, because you might catch a pair of musclebound hands the way you shamed him. I will say that I laughed my face off when he made himself the butt of the joke when he gave context to his beef with Mo’Nique. Anyway when he brought up that Kevin Hart and Katt Williams used to open up for him and now he’s headlining the basement of a mall at “Club Nitrogen” but he’s still running laps around Jimmie Walker I like to have fell clean out. Don’t shame the club if you took the gig…I’m just saying – plus Kings of Comedy have come through Helium. His opening act BT Kingsley had me hollering as well when he pointed out the generational disconnects between the young and the old. And as I get ready to be slayed to the heavens for Salute 31 (on September 29) I could especially relate with the portion of his routine about his diet struggles.

September is for Salute. Since I’m already discussing my Salute diet, I might as well go ahead and let the few folks who don’t know already that the St. Louis American Foundation’s 31st Annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship and Awards Gala is happening on September 29 at America’s Center – which temporarily becomes the intersection of black elegance and black excellence each year thanks to Salute. Yes, I am tooting our horn like that…anybody who has ever been will cosign. Don’t sleep on getting your tickets or you will find yourself on the outside looking in on all of that glamour, honey. And by “all of that glamour,” of course I mean me. Don’t miss my big reveal. Visit stlamerican.com or call 314-533-8000 (for the few analogs we have left in the world).

Yes ma’am to Siam. I must say that I truly appreciate the St. Louis promoter community for realizing that we only need to sacrifice our late-afternoon to mid-evening in the name of tearing the club up every once in a while. This day party season has been more about quality than quantity. Remember when there were so many day parties poppin’ that the folks didn’t even bother changing out of their church clothes? I must say that I’m certainly glad that era is over. But the Day Party STL crew (I’m not naming all of y’all because I will surely leave somebody out and get a hot note about it…lbvs) gave us something to talk about Sunday at Siam in the Grove. It was really cute! I love the fact that it brought out folks I hadn’t seen in a while – like Jamie, Patrice, Sona, Jenny and my boy Bo – my favorite security guard from the late great HG. I’m sure Orlando Watson was falling asleep at the grill on Monday after having a day party and a night comedy show. You wore me down with that double booking too, sir. Labor Day eve laughs. The elderly D.C. (he said it, not me) was hitting and missing thanks to some insensitive material, and the young D.C., better known as D.C. Young Fly had me feeling like I had overdosed on 5-hour energy drinks by the way he was hopping around that stage at the Pageant Sunday for the Labor Day Comedy Jam. It was like watching Serena Williams square off with herself. I got some good laughs in at the show, which starred DC, Ha Ha Davis and Karlous Miller. It was generous of D.C. to let Miller headline. He was pretty funny until he found out the hard way he wasn’t familiar enough to roast our city. Now Ha Ha might want to consider changing his name – or run the risk of being sued for false advertisement. What…how many of y’all laughed at any of his little jokes? But between D.C. and Karlous it was still quite worth it!

Life at Art and Soul Live. I had a relapse of my Salute detox after hitting up Art and Soul Live at the request of my girl Bell Darris. Girl, who stationed Gigi Delights Desserts right next to the elevator as soon as you get off of it? Satan, that’s who. That peach cobbler was worth those extra three hours on the elliptical. But enough about my gluttony, back to the event. It was a gorgeous time with beautiful people – and it spoke to the youthful creative spirit of STL by way of music, fashion and visual art.

Let us know next time LouFest. Because by now the shock of it has worn off, I still want to express my sadness that I won’t be turning up with the general population in Forest Park this weekend at LouFest. I as already to get down with Tank and Da Bangas and gaze into the eyes of Gary Clark Jr. one of the few men I’ve ever seen who can still be fine while looking utterly musty at the same time and give props to the local folks gracing the stage. Oh well. I’m hoping it will be back next year. If not, don’t wait until I’ve already ironed my cut up jean shorts to let a sista know.

Soul singer Sy Smith and DJ JMO after her magnificent set Wednesday @ .Zack

Bell Darris was happy to strike a pose with activist and “shero” Mama Kat @ Art and Soul Live Sunday @ .Zack

Keith, Eddie and Ono had to be over the moon after the super successful Neighborhood Flavor St. Louis event Saturday @ The Public Commons

Sherrell and Skylar were two of several in the building representing for the St. Louis Style community Sunday @ Art and Soul Live @ .Zack

St. Louis comedy star Will C with Labor Day Comedy Jam stars Ha Ha Davis and D.C. Young Fly Sunday night @ The Pageant

Jasmine and Brenda of Gigi’s Delight Desserts set up shop and sold out of treats @ Art and Soul Live Sunday @

LaRonn and Onnie enjoyed Sunday’s perfect patio weather as the Day Party STL crew brought the masses to Siam

Steven and Freda laughed all night long @ The Labor Day Comedy Jam Sunday night @ The Pageant

Jenny and Sona stopped through Siam to kick it for the Day Party STL

Arika and Drea were just two of the many beautiful faces in the building for Art and Soul Live Sunday @ .Zack

Comedy vet-

eran Don “DC” Curry stopped through Radio

St. Louis studios during his weekend set at Helium and, as usual, showed love to the one and only Mama Jackie.

Webster University is currently seeking a part time Online StudentAdmissions Counselor in the Online Learning Center. Please visit our website at https://webster.peopleadmin.com/ for a complete job description. No phone calls please. We are proud to be an equal opportunity affirmative action employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

LOYOLA ACADEMY OF ST. LOUIS Donor Relations Manager

Loyola Academy of St. Louis, a Jesuit-sponsored middle schools for boys, seeks a dynamic person to serve as the full-time Donor Relations Manager. Loyola Academy is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty by providing a rigorous education, extra-curricular programming, and an emphasis on personal and spiritual development to sixty students. The Donor Relations Manager is a new position at Loyola and will play a pivotal role in helping the school nurture relationships and properly steward donors. This position reports to the Director of Development and Marketing. The Donor Relations Manager will track and acknowledge donor gifts, develop new and creative approaches to communicate with donors, assist in marketing strategies and help to coordinate fundraising events. The successful candidate will have a Bachelor-level degree and a 1-2 year solid track record in development. Please submit a letter of interest and resume to Tim Plunkett, Coordinator of the Search Committee, at tplunkett@loyolaacademy.org by September 21, 2018. No phone inquiries. For additional information and a full job description, please visit the school’s website, www.loyolaacademy.org.

Now Hiring

Brooking Park, a not-for-profit, faith-based Life Plan Retirement Community for active seniors, offering a full spectrum of health services is seeking to hire compassionate individuals who enjoy enriching the lives of others. We offer competitive salaries and excellent benefits. Immediate opening include:

• RN/LPN/CMT/CNA

• Maintenance tech

• Music Therapist

• Servers & Cooks

Please visit our website at www.brookingpark.com. or apply in person at: 307 S. Woods Mill Road, Chesterfield, MO. 63017.

DAYCARE WORKER

South City Experienced is a plus but not necessary 314-853-5653

FINANCIAL REPORTING MANAGER

Ensure accuracy and timely completion of responsibilities within the financial reporting and analysis area. Ensure accuracy and timely completion of responsibilities within the reporting analysis area with regard to internal management reporting. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/ careers-page/.

COORDINATOR - PSAPOLICY OPERATIONS (2)

Responsible for providing client / customer support for the department’s operational functions to include the production of Excess Workers’ Compensation transactions (New Business, Renewals, Endorsements, Cancellations, Reinstatements, Notices and Non-renewals). This position includes the accuracy in which transactions are issued, correct billing and proper distribution of final product to our customers. To apply, please visit: https://www. safetynational.com/careers-page/.

COORDINATOR CORPORATE COMPLIANCE SYSTEMS

Responsible for coordination of various functions and duties to support implementation of filed/ adopted/approved/required rates, rules and forms for all product lines written across the Safety National platform.

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

DIRECTOR - CORPORATE COMPLIANCE

Under direction of the VP Corporate Compliance, provide managerial oversight of the Product Compliance functional unit of the Corporate Compliance Department in addition to conducting compliance-related research, analysis, guidance and documentary support related to all underwriting products and services across the Safety National platform. To apply, please visit: https://www. safetynational.com/careers-page/.

NATIONALDIRECTOR OF CONTRACTING & CONSTRUCTION

This role will require heavy engagement with construction specialists throughout the industry, working with national brokers as well as regional brokers and independents, including their specialty divisions, to identify current and emerging customer needs and to craft and deliver product and service solutions that will result in differentiation and underwriting profitability over the long term. Long term coverage solutions will span both the primary and excess casualty lines, written on both an admitted and non-admitted basis, with specific line of business responsibilities to encompass WC, GL,Auto, supported Excess/Umbrella and supported Contractor Controlled/ Owner Controlled programs. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/ careers-page/.

COORDINATOR-PSAPOLICY OPERATIONS

Responsible for providing client / customer support for the department’s operational functions to include the production of Primary and Excess Workers’Compensation, CommercialAuto, General Liability, Excess Liability and Specialty Lines transactions (New Business, Renewals, Endorsements, Cancellations, Reinstatements and Non-renewals). This position includes the accuracy in which transactions are issued, correct billing and proper distribution of final product to our customers.

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

SPECIALIST - CORPORATE COMPLIANCE - SYSTEMS

Under direction of department managers, responsible for development, system implementation, testing and maintenance of filed/adopted/ approved rates, rules and forms for all product lines written across the Safety National platform. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational. com/careers-page/.

SPECIALIST - TREATY REINSURANCE

Responsible for day-to-day

Department operational and high-level technical support needs. Senior level position, works under minimal supervision with much independence. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational. com/careers-page/.

REINSURANCE ACCOUNTANT

To ensure that the daily tasks required to perform ceded and assumed reinsurance and program accounting are completed accurately and timely. Responsible for claims payment funds for Large Casualty claims and Large Primary Workers Compensation over the SIR andAGG limits.

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

INTERIM PASTOR

Missionary Baptist Church is seeking a Interim Pastor. Please submit resumes to Johnsonc1625@yahoo.com Contact Person Cynthia Johnson 314-922-8396

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

The St. Louis County Department of Human Services, Homeless Services Program, is seeking proposals for the Continuum of Care Planning Consultant Grant FY2018. The total funding available is approximately $150,000.00. Proposals are due by 2:00 p.m. on September 13, 2018. A Pre-Proposal Conference will be held on August 27th at 10:00 -11:00 a.m. Request For Proposal details and specifications can be obtained on August 23rd at the St. Louis County Bids and RFPs webpage located at http://www.stlouisco.com/ YourGovernment/BidsandRFPs

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR TRAINING SERVICES

East-West Gateway Council of Governments is seeking a qualified consultant to provide a GIS Training Course. Funding for this project will be provided by the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security. Proposals due 2:00 p.m. Sept. 26, 2018. Late proposals will be returned. Details can be obtained at www.ewgateway.org or by calling 314-421-4220 ext. 208.

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Notice is hereby given that The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (District) will receive sealed bids for Grand Glen Dr. #702 Storm Improvements under Letting No. 11611015.1, at this office, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103, until 02:00 PM on Tuesday, October 09, 2018, at a place designated. Bids will be received only from companies that are pre-qualified by the District’s Engineering Department for: SEWER CONSTRUCTION – St. Louis County drainlayer’s license required Plans and Specifications are available for free electronic download. Please go to MSD’s website and look for a link to “ELECTRONIC PLANROOM.” Plans and Specifications are also available for viewing or purchase at Cross Rhodes Reprographics located at 1712 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis MO 63110. All bidders must obtain a set of plans and specifications in order to submit a bid in the name of the entity submitting the bid. The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Public Notice of Single Source Procurement

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: Landscape Remediation and Maintenance of 12 green infrastructure sites. The District is proposing single source procurement to Native Landscape Solutions for this service. Any inquiries should be sent to ameyer@stlmsd.com. Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

St. Louis Community College will receive separate sealed bids for Contract No.F 19 601, Replace Medium Temperature Hot Water Lines St. Louis Community College at Meramec, until 2:00 p.m. local time, Tuesday, September 11, 2018. Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud at the office of the Manager of Engineering and Design, 5464 Highland Park Drive (Plan Room). Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from the Manager’s office, at the above address or by calling (314) 644-9770.

Voluntary Pre-bid Meeting: September 6, 2018, 9:00 AM, Meramec, Service Building

An Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS:

Site and related work to install a provided pre-mfg. restroom at Queeny Park 1675 S. Mason Rd. IFB: 2018-08-590-PR, due Sept. 11, 2018, 12 pm, Demien Const. Co. 636.332.550 / Fax 636.332.5465 / Call for Email.

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Notice is hereby given that The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (District) will receive sealed bids for Chadwick #2816 Sanitary Replacement (IR) under Letting No. 13200-015.1, at this office, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103, until 02:00 PM on Friday, September 28, 2018, at a place designated. Bids will be received only from companies that are pre-qualified by the District’s Engineering Department for: SEWER CONSTRUCTION – St. Louis County drainlayer’s license required Plans and Specifications are available for free electronic download. Please go to MSD’s website and look for a link to “ELECTRONIC PLANROOM.” Plans and Specifications are also available for viewing or purchase at Cross Rhodes Reprographics located at 1712 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis MO 63110. All bidders must obtain a set of plans and specifications in order to submit a bid in the name of the entity submitting the bid. The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS

SEWER DISTRICT

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is accepting proposals in the Purchasing Division, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2555 until 10:00 a.m. on September 20th, 2018 to contract with a company for: Website Support & Hosting Services. Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from www.stlmsd.com, click on the “MSD AT WORK” link, (bid opportunities). The bid document will be identified as 9531 RFP. If you do not have access to the internet, call 314.768.2735 to request a copy of this bid. Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Paric Corporation is seeking proposals for the following project: Union Station Park Phase 3.

The project consists of an exterior site work, utility work, Landscaping and concrete patios as well as rough in for a ferris wheel, carousel and concession stands.

Bids for this project are due on September 17, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. For any questions or would like to find out more detailed information on this opportunity, please contact Melissa Severs at 636-561-9500 or mbsevers@paric.com.

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

Plans and specifications will be available to view at Paric’s Main office at 77 Westport Plaza, Suite 250, St. Louis, MO 63146.

PARIC CORPORATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS:

Site and related work to construct a masonry restroom at Tilles Park 9551 Litzinger Rd. IFB: 2018-08-591PR, due Sept. 11, 2018, 12 pm, Demien Const. Co. 636.332.550 / Fax 636.332.5465 / Call for Email.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

The St. Louis County Department of Human Services, Homeless Services Program, is seeking proposals for the St. Louis County FY18-19 Warming and Cooling Shelter. The total funding available is approximately $130,000.00. Proposals are due by 2:00 p.m. on October 12, 2018. A Pre-Proposal Conference will be held on September 20 at 9:30-10:30 a.m. Request For Proposal details and specifications can be obtained on August 31 at the St. Louis County Bids and RFPs webpage located at http://www. stlouisco.com/YourGovernment/ BidsandRFPs

METROPOLITAN

SEWER DISTRICT

ST. LOUIS

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is accepting proposals in the Purchasing Division, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2555 until 10:00 a.m. on October 5th, 2018 to contract with a company for: Facing Brick.

Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from www.stlmsd.com, click on the “MSD AT WORK” link, (bid opportunities). The bid document will be identified as 9551 RFQ. If you do not have access to the internet, call 314.768.2735 to request a copy of this bid. Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT OF ST. LOUIS COUNTY ACCEPTING SEALED BIDS

Notice to contractors, Special School District is accepting bids for Interior Renovations of Offices and Learning Center. For details, please visit the website at www.ssdmo.org/rfps.html

CITY OF ST. LOUIS BOARD OF PUBLIC SERVICE

SEALED BIDS for Upgrade Perimeter Security, Infrastructure, Camp C l a r k , N e v a d a , M i s s o u r i , C a m p Crowder, Neosho, Missouri, Springfield AVCRAD, Springfield, Missouri, Project No. T1824-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 9/13/2018. For specific project i n f o r m a t i o n a n d ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/

DISADVATANGED, MINORITY, & WOMEN’S BUSINESSES FOR THE SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY CRISP HALL RENOVATION, CAPE GIRARDEAU, MISSOURI FOR THE SUBCONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: SELECTIVE DEMOLITION, SITE WORK, CONCRETE, MASONRY, METALS, ROUGH CARPENTRY, THERMAL/MOISTURE PROTECTION, DOORS, GLAZING, DRYWALL, TILE, PAINTING, SPECIALTIES, FURNISHINGS, FIRE SUPPRESSION, PLUMBING, HVAC, ELECTRICAL, COMMUNICATIONS, SECURITY & UTILITIES. ALL INTERESTED AND QUALIFIED SMALL, DISADVANTAGED, MINORITY AND WOMEN’S BUSINESSES SHOULD CONTACT, IN WRITING, (CERTIFIED LETTER, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED) JOE MISCHLER, TO DISCUSS THE SUBCONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES. ALL NEGOTIATIONS MUST BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO THE BID OPENING BID DATE OF 9/13/2018@ 2:30 PM.PROPOSALS WILL BE EVALUATED IN ORDER ON THE BASIS OF LOW RESPONSIVE BID RECEIVED. CERTIFICATION OF DBE/WBE/MBE/SDVOB/VOB STATUS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH BID. BID DOCUMENTS MAY BE OBTAINED BY:

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

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

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS for DESIGN SERVICES FOR TERMINAL 2 BAGGAGE CAROUSEL EXPANSION AT ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. Statements of Qualifications due by 5:00 P.M., CT, September 27, 2018 at Board of Public Service, 1200 Market, Room 301 City Hall, St. Louis, MO 63103. RFQ may be obtained from website www.stl-bps.org, under On Line Plan Room, or call Helen Bryant at 314-589-6214. 25% MBE and 5% WBE participation goals.

SEALED BIDS for Replace Dry Pipe Sprinkler Systems, Roberts State Office Building, Jefferson City, Missouri, Project No. O1814-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 10/4/2018. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/ facilities

SEALED BIDS for Upgrade Building Automation System, Lewis & Clark State Office Building, Jefferson City, Missouri, Project No. O1804-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 10/4/2018. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/ facilities

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The St. Louis Economic Development Partnership (the “Partnership”) solicits proposals from qualified firms to assist small and medium-size defense manufacturers in Missouri to comply fully with the cybersecurity requirements in Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 252.204-7012.

To be considered, proposals must be received no later than 3:00 PM CST on Thursday, September 6, 2018. Proposals should be sent by email to hbean@stlpartnership.com, or to St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, ATTN: Howl Bean II, 7733 Forsyth Blvd., Suite 2200, St. Louis, Missouri 63105. DBE, MBE, and WBE firms are encouraged to bid, and a five percent bid preference may be available to certified MBE firms. The Request for Proposals may be obtained from the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership’s web site at www.stlpartnership.com. The Partnership reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive informalities therein. Any questions should be directed to Howl Bean II at (314) 615-7663 or hbean@stlpartnership.com.

St. Louis Economic Development Partnership Equal Opportunity Employer

Missouri 63005.

To be considered, proposals must be received no later than 3:00 PM CST on Thursday, September 6, 2018. Proposals should be sent by email to hbean@stlpartnership.com, or to St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, ATTN: Howl Bean II, 7733 Forsyth Blvd., Suite 2200, St. Louis, Missouri 63105. DBE, MBE, and WBE firms are encouraged to bid, and a proposal discount may be available to certified MBE firms.

The Request for Proposals may be obtained from the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership’s web site at www.stlpartnership.com. The Partnership reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive informalities therein. Any questions should be directed to Howl Bean II at (314) 615-7663 or hbean@stlpartnership.com.

St. Louis Economic Development Partnership Equal Opportunity Employer

INVITATION TO BID

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. requests bids from qualified and certified MBE and WBE subcontractors and suppliers for the following project:

St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station Bid Packages 4B and 4C

For the following scopes of work: Concrete Paving, Fire Suppression, Plumbing, Communications & Low Voltage, HVAC T&B, Conveying Equip., Masonry, Aquarium Tanks, Flooring, Painting, Exhibits & Graphics, Signage, Play Equip., Fountains, Drywall, General Work - Carpentry & Casework/Doors/ Specialties & Equip./Furnishings/Hoists, Glazing, Food Service Equip., Landscaping, Misc. Metals

BIDS DUE: September 13, 2018 by 2:00 PM CST Contact: Mary Peterein at mpeterein@mccarthy.com or 314-919-2171

Project plans and specs can be obtained through our online Plan Room at https://www.mccarthy.com/subcontractors

Prequalification is required and can also be accessed through the McCarthy website above.

Macklind Avenue, St. Louis MO 63110. All bidders must obtain a set of plans and specifications in order to submit a bid in the name of the entity submitting the bid. The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Public Notice of Single Source Procurement

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: services to design retaining wall and storage shed. The District is proposing single source procurement to Geotechnology Inc. Any inquiries should be sent to ameyer@stlmsd.com.

The

St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for the Koch Road – Robert Koch Hospital Road CRS Overlay and the Kerth Road CRS Resurfacing projects, St. Louis County Project Nos CR-1570 and CR-1576, will be received at the Office of the Director of Procurement for the County of St. Louis, County Government Center Administration Building, 41 South Central Avenue, 8th Floor, Clayton, Missouri 63105, until 11:00 a.m. on September 26, 2018

Plans and specifications will be available on September 3, 2018 from the St. Louis County Web Site (www.stlouisco.com), or by contacting County Blue Reprographics, Inc., 1449 Strassner Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63144, (314) 961-3800.

PROMOTIONAL

T-SHIRTS

The Missouri Lottery is accepting bids for the purpose of establishing a contract for promotional t-shirts. The bid document with the specifications can be obtained by going to http://www.molottery.com/learnaboutus/bid_opportunities.shtm or by contacting Melissa Blankenship at melissa.blankenship@molottery. com or 573-751-4050.

SEALED BIDS

for Roof Replacement, Lohman Building, Jefferson Landing State Historic Site, Jefferson City, Missouri, Project No. X1810-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 9/27/2018. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/ facilities

O1806-01

1:30

9/20/2018.

BIDS for Structural Repairs to Tunnel Way, Guhleman Forensic Buildings - East and West, Fulton, Missouri , Project No.M1804-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 9/13/2018. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/ facilities

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for Big Bend North ARS Infrastructure project, St. Louis County Project No.-AR-1675, will be received at the Office of the Director of Procurement for the County of St. Louis, County Government Center Administration Building, 41 South Central Avenue, 8th Floor, Clayton, Missouri 63105, until 11:00 a.m. on September 26, 2018.

Plans and specifications will be available on September 3, 2018 from the St. Louis County Web Site (www. stlouisco.com), or by contacting County Blue Reprographics, Inc., 1449 Strassner Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63144, (314) 961-3800

70,200 NEWSPAPERS PRINTED EVERY THURSDAY!!!

Saint Louis Zoo Herpetarium Water Heater Replacement RFP

The scope of work involves the removal of two, large gas fired water heaters, and two storage tanks, and replacing them with (two) new 600k btu high efficiency water heaters in the Herpitarium. Owner will provide the new water heaters.

Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting and site inspection to be held on September 7, 2018 at 10:00am in the Lower Rotunda of The Living World Building on Government Drive in Forest Park. Sealed Bids marked with the project name will be accepted on or before 2:00pm September 21, 2018 and opened immediately thereafter in the Facility Management Conference Room. Documents can be found at: https://www.stlzoo.org/about/contact/ vendoropportunities/

Religion

Arts & Faith St. Louis to present ‘Great Music of Many Faiths’

Free concert of faithbased music at the Sheldon on Sept. 16

American staff

Arts & Faith St. Louis will present Great Music of Many Faiths,” its 8th annual Interfaith Concert, 5:30 p.m. Sunday, September 16 at The Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Blvd. in St. Louis. Tickets are free and available for pickup at the performance. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. The concert will feature both adult and young singers and musicians from faith communities across the metropolitan area who will share their most treasured music. Also performing will be celebrated soprano Christine Brewer and the 442s, an ensemble including members of the St. Louis Symphony. A specially assembled interfaith youth chorus led by Maria Ellis will perform music written by Adam Maness and Paul Reuter.

Each year, Milton Kendrick III, director of the choirs, brings talented, inspiring young performers to The Sheldon to be part of the concert. At last year’s concert, the performance by The NuVoices and Children’s Choirs of Central Baptist Church-St. Louis electrified the audience with “Every Praise” by Hezekiah Walker and John David Bratton. For this year’s concert, the Central Baptist Church-St. Louis’ Harvest will perform “Ride on, King Jesus.” Short video interludes will transport the audience into local places of worship.

The welcome and opening remarks will be given by Mufti Asif Umar, imam of the Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis. Closing remarks will be made by Rev. Dr. Dieter Heinzl, associate pastor of Ladue Chapel Presbyterian Church.

After the concert, the audience will be invited to mingle outside with the artists and faith ensembles and have

Soprano Julia Bullock performed “Love is Love” by Adam Maness with Youth faith ensembles and the 442s at Arts & Faith St. Louis’  Interfaith Concert in 2017. This year’s concert will be held Sunday,  September 16 at The Sheldon Concert Hall.

opportunities to learn about other Arts & Faith St. Louis activities during the year. Arts & Faith St. Louis was established in 2011 on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and continues to bring together the faith and arts communities by using the unique power of the arts to create shared experiences and inspire thoughtful discussion among diverse audiences. Its mission is to build a harmonious St. Louis.

In recent years, Arts & Faith St. Louis expanded its reach beyond its annual concert to further community and interfaith connections through new collaborations. In 2018, Arts & Faith St. Louis is focusing on Faith and the Visual Arts in partnership with the Saint Louis Art Museum and the Interfaith

Partnership of Greater St. Louis to create interfaith tours that use the museum’s collection to build understanding among religions.

Arts & Faith St. Louis is working with other organizations on additional projects that will take place in the coming year. Michael McMillan, president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, and Rev. Sheila Bouie-Sledge, newly assigned to North Park United Methodist Church, are members of the Arts & Faith Planning Committee.

For more information about the concert or other programs of Arts & Faith St. Louis, contact Barbara Murray at bmurray@thesheldon.org or 314-5539900.

The Message

The point, not the rule

Have you ever wondered how a lawyer feels, who knows his or her client is guilty of a crime, but is able to get that person off based on a legal technicality?

According to our legal system, the person is innocent. But actually, morally, that person is as guilty as, shall we say, sin.

I’ve come to believe this must have been one of the most important issues being debated by the traditional Jew of Christ’s time and those early Christians who chose to follow Him. I think this is probably the focal point of what got Him crucified and the focal point of many a debate today.

When Jesus was trying to get the Pharisees and the Sadducees to understand that the will of God was more important than the strict traditional interpretation of the Laws of Moses, they were more interested in being right than being moral.

through whom we have obtained everlasting life. Out of love and compassion for our fellow man, out of service in God’s name, out of honoring Him will we, too, fulfill our purpose here on earth. Law or no law, the Word of God was never intended to punish the pure of heart when acting on behalf of the Almighty.

So Jesus was constantly at odds with the religious scholars of His times (you know, church folk) about the literal interpretation of the Law of Moses versus the holy activities of serving the Lord. Hence his parables were constantly illustrating to those who would listen that, yes, you might be right, but according to the will of God, what’s your point?

“Thus you nullify the Word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’” Matthew 15:6-9.

Over and over again throughout the New Testament Jesus tells us He is the fulfillment of the Law. He is the embodiment of God’s Word. He is the point, not the rule. The point of law is to protect the innocent, punish the guilty and thereby preserve the social and political order of man. Technicality or not, the law was never intended to let a murderer go free.

The point of God’s Word is that Christ is indeed His Son, risen from the dead, who died for our original sin and

Can’t you hear Jesus imploring the traditionalists with,

“Okay! You’re right.

Technically I shouldn’t be healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, feeding the hungry and teaching the gospel on the Sabbath. But what are you arguing about? Why are you so angry? I’m merely doing my Daddy’s will. It seems you’re more interested in being politically correct than you are in bringing the righteous closer to God. So what you gone do, crucify me?

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it; ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:3740. It sounds simple enough. But watch your back if you choose to live this creed. Play by the rules. But remember don’t ever forget the point.

Columnist James Washington