June 7th, 2013 edition

to see Jackson

Greater Mt. Carmel turns 100

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St.Louis

By Rebecca S.Rivas

Of The St.Louis

Astatue for Dred and Harriet Scott

Unveiling at Old Courthouse on Friday

By Isabelle Stillman Beacon intern

One hundred and fifty-five years after the infamous Dred Scott Decision, which denied citizenship to former slaves, a statue of the couple whose fight inspired the Emancipation Proclamation and three amendments to the Bill of Rights will be unveiled where their battle began: the Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis.

Alife-sized bronze statute of Dred and Harriet Scott will be dedicated Friday, June 8. The statue, by Harry Weber, is the first-ever

See SCOTT, A7

Stepping to Africa

Midwest Innocence Project can prove Kidd’s innocence if court will let them

Ricky Kidd’s appeal to his murder conviction has been taken on by the Midwest Innocence Project.

Circuit Court of Appeals. Yet both Missourians are free now. Ricky Kidd has served 16 years of a life sentence without parole for a murder in Kansas City he didn’t commit, he says. Like Burton and Amrine, Kidd also lost his battle in the Eighth Circuit Court, which represents Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. If Kidd were in Colorado or other circuits, he would be a free man too, said Kidd’s attorney Sean O’Brien, former chief public defender in Kansas City and current board member for the Midwest Innocence Project. However, inconsistencies in the federal courts are prohibiting justice to be served in wrongfully-convicted murder cases, and Kidd’s case is a prime example of that, O’Brien said.

On May 9, O’Brien filed a petition in the U.S. Supreme Court for a “writ of certiorari.”

“It’s Ricky’s last best chance,” O’Brien said. The purpose of the certiorari is to bring the Eighth Circuit Court in line with other federal circuits. Currently the Eighth Circuit’s standard for reviewing claims of innocence is “impossibly high and limited in scope,” O’Brien wrote in the May 9 petition.

Young dancers performed with Afriky Lolo during the African dance troupe’s 9th annual African Dance celebration at COCA on Sunday.

Photo by Wiley Price

Photo by Wiley Price

More drama surrounding Mary J. foundation

Last week Mary J. Blige’s charity, The Foundation For the Advancement of Women Now was exposed for owing the bank more than $250,000. The latest reveal regarding bad business with the foundation alleges FFAWN promised full 4 year scholarships to 25 underprivileged Bronx high school students but has not been fulfilling their obligations.

gave her the infamous honorary GED she tried to use to bolster claims she’d been accepted to Howard University when she had not. In exchange for the honorary GED Mary was supposed to appear at the school for a rally to encourage the students. But she allegedly showed up, stayed for a few minutes, complained of jet lag and left.

Latifah leaps back in the closet

The urban blog Rhymes with Snitch says checks written to colleges have bounced, several students are on the verge of being forced out of school and still others say they haven’t received any money in over a year and have been forced to take out loans.

The site also says there’s also an interesting connection between the failed scholarship fund and Mary’s ‘acceptance’ to Howard University back in 2010.

Apparently the Women’s Academy where Mary chose her scholarship recipients also

Queen Latifah says despite speculation online, her performance at Long Beach’s Lesbian & Gay Pride event on May 19 was not a signal that she was coming out as a lesbian.

“That definitely wasn’t the case,” she told EW. “I’ve never dealt with the question of my personal life in public. It’s just not gonna happen.”

Brian McKnight kicks up twitter beef after backlash

After releasing two songs with explicit themes and lyrics, R&B singer Brian McKnight fires off on his contemporaries in response to listeners dragging him for his latest style. He took to twitter and took shots at R. Kelly and Chris Brown

Since everyone’s so opinionated I’m taking suggestions on what I should do

next I’m thinking rent a lambo and beat the [expletive] outta my girl…that’s acceptable these days.” McKnight tweeted. “Or maybe have sex with a 14 year old girl and film it that’s acceptable these days.”

The tweets were thinly veiled shots at Chris Brown, who infamously had a run-in with then-girlfriend Rihanna in 2009 and R. Kelly’s trouble with the law.

Chris Brown wasted no time firing back. I see how this works now… When people’s careers get to the “nobody cares” stage they use my name for publicity! Lol. I can’t keep helping these old [n-word expletive]. Brown tweeted. “It’s a miracle the way I’m bringing the dead alive! Listening to “let me show u how ur P works”!!!! THAT S— IS TRASH! If u need help just ask!,” he added referring to McKnight’s controversial single.

Nicki Minaj Summer Jam no-show boils over on Hot 97

Nicki Minaj called in to New York City’s Hot 97 on Monday night to address her beef with the station’s DJ that caused her to pull out of its annual Summer Jam concert in New Jersey. Lil Wayne sent

out a brief tweet that read, “Young Money ain’t doing summer jam.” Word had gotten back to Weezy that Hot 97 personality Peter Rosenberg had disrespected Minaj, calling her single “Starships” “wack” and panning it for not being “real hip-hop.”

During their heated discussion, which opened with Funkmaster Flex admitting that they’d already been arguing for an hour, Minaj was adamant in insisting that Rosenberg chose the wrong time and place to voice his negative opinions. “It’s not about his opinion, because I have opinions about DJs on Hot 97 and I have opinions on Hot 97,” she said. “But when it’s about us uniting people [for] your show, I wouldn’t dare come on your stage and say something negative about Hot 97, leading up to that concert.”

Flex countered that Nicki was overreacting when she listened to Lil Wayne and pulled out of the show, and he accused her of riling up fans on Twitter before dealing with the issue internally.

“I don’t go against the president of my label. Before I had New York radio, I had Wayne,” she said emphatically. “I can’t believe after all these years, he’s still teaching me. After a man goes onstage and disrespects me and tries to rile people up, I still was going on that stage, and shame on me. Lil Wayne gave me a valuable lesson in self-worth. ”

Sources: TMZ.com, Rhymes with Snitch, Entertainment Weekly, Eurweb.com, Allhiphop.com, MTV.com

‘Scholars?’ ‘Yes, sir!’

SLU convenes conference on retaining African-American

By Lydia McGhee For the

St. Louis American

The African American Male Scholars Initiative at Saint Louis University recently convened more than 200 participants from as far away as Connecticut for a conference titled “The Campus and Beyond: The Role of the Black Male Scholar in the 21st Century.”

The African American Male Scholars Initiative (AAMS) is co-chaired by Latanya Buck, director of SLU’s Cross Cultural Center, and Stefan Bradley, associate professor of history and African-American Studies at SLU.

“We are very proud of our African American Male Scholars Initiative here and thought that it would be powerful if we could host similar groups and supporters of black male students,” Bradley said.

“In light of the events surrounding the tragic deaths of Trayvon Martin and so many other black youth, students and educators, as well as local community members, politicians, leaders, and organizations showed up in strength to support our young men.”

Bradley and Buck worked with SLU staff, students and other departments to produce an all-day conference featuring Syracuse University finance professor Boyce Watkins; faculty from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, Missouri State University, St. Louis Community College and the University of Missouri; and local community advocates such as James Clark of Better Family Life. SLU student Rodney Pruitt served as Master of Ceremonies.

“It is our mission to teach and foster a climate of multicultural awareness on our campus and surrounding community,” Buck said. “We strive to assist our students to be prepared to thrive in a multicultural society.”

Derrick Robinson and Rev. Timothy Hughes, co-founders of Youth Development Services, Inc. and co-hosts of Key to Life, which airs on WGNU 920 AM, conducted a session titled “Perspective of Culture and Character of the African American Male in the Post-Secondary Environment.”

The conference focused on the history and identity of black men on campus, ways black men on campus can engage the larger black community, the education and mis-education of black men, and best practices in black male student recruitment and retention.

“We came together to show that we not only care for those of the least-retained demographic on college campuses, but that we are willing to match the students’ efforts if they show the initiative,” said Bradley.

Session topics included “Learning the Unwritten Rules for African American Male Professionals,” facilitated by Steven Taylor of Southeast Missouri State University, Reginald Whitted and Allen Rice; and “Males to M.E.N.: Mentors/ Entrepreneurs/ Next Educated in the 21st Century,” facilitated by Keith Antone Willis, publisher of Who’s Who in Black St. Louis A session titled “Do You Have Swag,” facilitated by Valeri Reynolds of Webster University, provided a fun and interactive way of addressing the topic of African-American recruitment and retention on college campuses. Representatives from Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri were on hand to offer information about civic and community involvement.

“My favorite part of the conference was when I, in the way of the black communal tradition of call-and-response, shouted, ‘Scholars!’ and the young men in attendance loudly replied in unison, ‘Yes, sir!’” Bradley said.

“I felt that they believed they were scholars, and believing is one of the first steps to achievement.”

male scholars

For more information on the African American Male Scholars Initiative or other SLU Cross Cultural Center programs, call 314-977-2119 or visit slu.edu/ccc.xml.

A MAGICAL JOURNEY

Stefan Bradley, associate professor of history and African-American Studies at Saint Louis University; 19th Ward Alderwoman Marlene Davis; and Latanya Buck, director of SLU’s Cross Cultural Center at “The Campus and Beyond: The Role of the Black Male Scholar in the 21st Century” at Saint Louis University.

Photo by Carl Bruce

Editorial /CommEntary

Forging partnerships in community and media

We continue to bring our community The St. Louis American at locations across the St. Louis region every Thursday and on www.stlamerican. com every minute of every day in a media climate that is extremely discouraging, to put it mildly. Of course, black institutions always feel any economic pinch first, so the Black Press has had a chance to watch mainstream media organizations encounter ad droughts that are very familiar to us and squeeze their newsrooms to skeletal levels of staffing that look normal to us.

Here at our community newspaper in St. Louis, our strategy to survive these dire times and in fact improve our community service and journalism has been to commit to new collaborative partnerships. As with our more directly financial value for advertisers, we pose these partnerships as a value proposition that is shared equally by the partners.

On the community service side, we run a foundation, The St. Louis American Foundation, that routinely partners with major corporations, government agencies and grass-roots groups to impact our community positively in the key life areas: education, health, business. Our community recognizes these efforts from our Salute to Excellence series, which we recently expanded from Education, Health and Business to embrace Young Leaders. Net proceeds are used to fund scholarships and community grants; the foundation has facilitated nearly $2 million since its inception in 1994.

But the foundation continues to serve in other new directions. This Saturday we produced our first community event with the Circle of Promise, a movement within the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Together we forged a new partnership that included nationally lauded medical giants such as Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine and St. Louis Christian Hospital – which for the tenth consecutive year has been recognized as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” by U.S. News and World Report – and The Breakfast Club, Inc., a grass-roots breast cancer support group for local African-American women.

The most reliable predictor of health outcomes is health literacy. For this reason, we are committed to leveraging our deep access to St. Louis’ black community – with the overarching support of the Missouri Foundation for Health, a leader in health literacy and major supporter of our foundation – to educate our community and enhance its health and wellness.

On the journalism side, as our readers may have noticed, we have formed a remarkable publishing partnership with The St. Louis Beacon, a non-profit news organization founded by a group of seasoned journalists in Spring 2008 (Dina M. Suggs of the St. Louis American Foundation is a former Beacon board member). The Beacon has a strong staff of reporters publishing online at www.stlbeacon.org, but no print forum; we have a print newspaper that continues to thrive, but a newsroom that, like all newsrooms, has been pared to the core by the prolonged economic downturn. The staff numbers of The American and The Beacon are about the same, but without a print product or the same burden to sell advertising, The Beacon staffs four-times as many journalists as The American. In our partnership, The Beacon gives us quality reporting on a selected basis, and we give their reporters access to our readers.

“We’re very pleased to be working in partnership with The American,” Margaret Freivogel, a founder and the editor of The Beacon, wrote to us when we asked her about the partnership. “St. Louisans benefit, individually and together, when we’re informed by strong reporting. The Beacon’s job is not only to provide that reporting, but also to reach people in whatever way is most convenient and useful to them. The American has a loyal and longstanding readership, and we’re happy to be able to connect with those readers.”

And we will continue to innovate so that we can continue to provide The Beacon, the Missouri Foundation for Health, Christian Hospital, the Breakfast Club and the rest of our community partners access to those loyal readers.

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

The fight against voter suppression

“We must fight voter suppression, we must educate citizens so that new laws won’t catch them unaware on Election Day, and we must empower them to get to the polls.”

National Urban League

2012 State of Black America –Occupy the Vote

Recent attempts to prevent voters of color in Florida from fully exercising their constitutional right to vote suffered twin blows last week.

First, on Thursday, the Federal District Court in Miami granted a preliminary injunction effectively blocking several key provisions of Florida’s new and restrictive voter registration laws. Calling the new registration requirements “onerous,” the judge sided with the National Urban League, our Florida affiliates and a coalition of civil rights and voting rights groups who believe that these illegitimate and burdensome restrictions have only one purpose – to suppress the votes of millions of Floridians.

A second victory for voting rights occurred on Thursday when the U.S. Department of Justice Voting Section

informed Florida’s Secretary of State that the State’s current effort to purge voting rolls –allegedly to keep non-citizens from voting – was likely in violation of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and the 1993 National Voter Registration Act. The State has targeted about 2,700 so-called ineligible voters for removal from the rolls unless they provide proof of citizenship within 30 days. The effort is so flawed that hundreds of legal residents, including several heroic World War II veterans, have received insulting letters demanding proof of citizenship.

In its letter challenging the State’s actions, the Justice Department said that Florida failed to comply with Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act because it has not, as required, submitted any changes affecting voting to the federal court or the Attorney General for review. The letter also stated that under the National Voter Registration Act, any program to eliminate ineligible persons from the voting rolls must be completed 90 days prior to a Federal primary or general election and must be “uniform and non-discriminatory.”

With Florida’s primary slated for August 14th, the State has clearly missed the deadline. And with Hispanics comprising the majority of those targeted by this measure, we believe it also fails the nondiscrimination test. These federal rulings are a

victory for Floridians and for those of us on the front lines working to protect one of our most precious rights – the right to vote. Let’s not forget that because of voting irregularities in Florida, including clear instances of voter suppression, a mere total of 537 votes and the United States Supreme Court decided the 2000 Presidential election. The nation vowed to never let that happen again. But, Florida has emerged as a key battleground in a new and unprecedented war on voter rights currently underway across the country.

The National Urban League’s “Occupy the Vote” campaign has made the protection of voting rights our number one issue in 2012. We are calling on citizens to join us in the fight against voter suppression laws which are clearly designed to keep people of color, students, the elderly and people with disabilities from the polls. We have also teamed up with the NAACP to sponsor a voter empowerment hotline to enable callers to register to vote and report problems: 1-866-MYVOTE-1. Nothing will have a greater impact on the future of Black America in 2012 than the vote. That is why we will continue the fight to remove barriers and empower all citizens to fully exercise this precious right.

Morial is President and CEO of the National Urban League.

COMMENTARY

Romney plays his Trump card

Donald Trump has said he would be “open” to accepting a Cabinet post if Mitt Romney becomes president. Trump would prefer “a position where I negotiate against some of these countries, because they are really taking our lunch.” So is he on the short list, perhaps, for secretary of state?

Don’t laugh. OK, go ahead and laugh.

But then ask Romney why he chooses to embrace and encourage a puffed-up buffoon whose antic selfpromotion, once mildly amusing, has become rabid and toxic. Ask Romney if giving Trump a platform doesn’t cheapen what should be a serious debate about the future of the country.

In a week when Romney clinched the Republican nomination, his appearance at a Las Vegas fundraiser with Trump – and Trump’s doubled-down insistence that the thoroughly discredited, insane “birther” theories about President Obama have merit –dominated the political news. When pressed by reporters on Monday why he continues to associate with Trump, Romney gave an answer that was unintentionally revealing. “You know, I don’t agree with all the people who support me, and my guess is they don’t all agree with everything I believe in,” he said. “But I need to get 50.1 percent or more, and I’m

appreciative to have the help of a lot of good people.”

This raises two issues, the lesser of which is the suggestion that Romney will accept endorsements and donations from anyone who chooses to give them. One hopes that when he was running Bain Capital, he took his obligation to perform due diligence more seriously.

The greater issue is this:

Romney thinks Trump actually has the Romney campaign’s best interests in mind? Really? If so, one has to wonder if Romney is too gullible to be president.

The idea that Trump cares about anything bigger than Trump is absurd. In his mind, from all evidence, there is nothing bigger than Trump.

If he really wanted Romney to win, he wouldn’t have done an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that deserves a prominent place in the annals of lunacy. Trump begins by slamming a taped introduction as “totally inappropriate” and “actually very dishonest” because it focused on the birther nonsense. He goes on to tell Blitzer that Obama “uses reverse psychology” and pretends nonchalance about discussions of his origins when actually “it’s not an issue that he likes talking about.”

Actually, the Obama campaign did all it could this week to focus attention on Trump and birtherism. The mood of top advisers seemed to approach unrestrained glee.

Poor Blitzer notes that Hawaii has formally certified Obama’s birth certificate.

Letters to the editor

None of it good

In its 30 years of existence, the Hall of Famous Missourians had never sparked controversy until the recent selection of radio host and Cape Girardeau native Rush Limbaugh. But House Speaker Steve Tilley and his fellow Republicans didn’t so much induct Limbaugh into the Hall as sneak him in, a clear sign that they were ashamed of their own actions.

When you have to keep the induction ceremony a secret, you know it’s wrong. When you have to lock the doors of the House of Representatives and post armed guards to keep out the public, you know it’s wrong. When you have to clandestinely install the bronze bust of Limbaugh in the Capitol Rotunda over the weekend when no one is around, you know it’s wrong. And when you have to waste $1,100 in taxpayer money on a security camera for the bust because you’re afraid Missourians visiting the Capitol will vandalize it, you know it’s wrong.

At every step in the Limbaugh affair, Speaker Tilley and House Republicans have proven that they knew what they were doing was wrong, yet they did it anyway. That says a lot about them, and none of it good.

State Rep. Tishaura Jones St. Louis

Beyond being enamored

When Lyndon Johnson became president he said he saw that as his chance to finally do something for the poor and for the poor blacks he had taught during his early days as a school teacher in a deeply impoverished area of Texas. I know because of the election that it’s time to circle the wagons around our black president. We all need to go out and vote for him to get him re-elected. And then we need to get beyond being enamored by him. If he doesn’t in his second term address the specific needs of the black community, then we need to lovingly and collectively publicly put our foot up his you know

Trump contends that “many people” do not believe the document is authentic.

“Like who?” Blitzer asks.

“There are many people,” says Trump. “Give me a name of somebody,” demands Blitzer.

“There are many people,” says Trump. “I don’t give names.”

Indeed, Trump refuses to violate the Super-Secret Birther Code of Silence by naming a single person who doubts the facts of Obama’s birth. He does pin himself down, however, when Blitzer asks whether “the conspiracy” is supposed to have begun in 1961, when announcements of Obama’s birth were published in two Honolulu newspapers.

“That’s right,” Trump says. “And many people put those announcements in because they wanted to get the benefit of being so-called born in this country. Many people did it.” This is transparently crazy – and also stupid. It is a baldfaced lie that “many people” – or any people, far as I can tell – ever published fake birth announcements in hopes of establishing citizenship. Moreover, Obama has to be a U.S. citizen, even if he were born on the moon, because of his mother’s citizenship. Trump needs to hire some writers to come up with better material. As for Romney, he needs to decide whether Trump is the sort of person on whom he wants to rely for support and advice – if he’s one of the “good people” Romney would be proud to have at his side if he becomes president.

what. There ain’t likely to be another black president for a time to come, and if he/ we don’t use this opportunity to finally bring about some change, then we will have deserved staying relegated to an inferior economic and social status in this nation.

We need to remember what Ossie Davis told us in eulogizing Malcolm: It’s not about the man, but the plan.

Eric E. Vickers St. Louis

Insist on accountability

Trayvon Martin was obviously a very decent and good young man I subscribe to what his father said at a rally, “Trayvon did not deserve to die.”

Racial profiling motivated by hate, fear indifference, guilt, pride, selfishness, greed and many other negative sources is an everyday occurrence in America. We may never fully know the mindset of George Zimmerman, the man who shot Trayvon.

This reminds me of the many unjust acts that have stemmed from poor thoughts and resulted in detrimental outcomes. Jesus died for the sins of the world, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. died for justice, President Abraham Lincoln died for emancipation, Malcolm X died for truth.

The common denominator of all of these incidents is accountability. Just as these men sought accountability, we are responsible to stand up for right ... no matter what! Could the death of young Trayvon (if you can accept this idea) be a sacrifice to cause us to seek and insist on accountability?

Allif H. Dove St. Louis

That explains it

On April 28, 2010, the Belleville News Democrat published an article titled, “District 189 Consultants: Who makes how much, and for what job.” Three days earlier, they published “East St. Louis School District Spends $3.1 Million on Consultants.”

Education has taken over full control of District 189.

Matt Hawkins East St. Louis

From the titles alone, we should understand exactly why the Illinois State Board of

Columnist Eugene Robinson

Guest Columnist Marc H. Morial

YWCA selected for sexual assault prevention

YWCAMetro St. Louis’Regional Sexual Assault Center was recently selected to offer sexual assault prevention services to developmentally disabled populations who reside in the city of St. Louis. The YWCAis the first agency to be awarded funding for sexual assault prevention services through the St. Louis Office for Developmental Disability Resources (DDR).

Individuals with developmental disabilities are among the most vulnerable casualties of violent crimes.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s publication “Crime Against People with Disabilities (2008), “persons age 12 or older with disabilities experienced approximately 730,000 non-fatal violent crimes.”More than 90 percent of people with a developmental disability will experience sexual abuse, and 49 percent will experience 10 or more abusive incidents, according to published research.

To combat these national trends, DDR awarded YWCAa one-year grant of $106,076 to “increase the opportunity for individuals with developmental disabilities to have access to education related to forming healthy relationships, sex education and prevention of sexual assault.”

The YWCASexual Assault Center is a leading provider of services to assault victims. In 2011, the center provided crisis intervention services to 492 victims of sexual violence; delivered therapy and other support services to 408 survivors and offered educational and prevention services to more than 9,000 individuals, including students.

The new individual and group developmental disability prevention services will begin in July and will focus on three key areas: sexuality education, forming healthy relationships and sexual assault prevention.

This new funding will allow YWCAto expandits sexual assault prevention services that have been offered for more than 20 years throughout the St. Louis region at no cost to its clients.

Fill her up on Larry

Ferguson-Florissant offers free summermeals

Children 18 and under who live within Ferguson-Florissant School District boundaries are eligible for free meals during the district’s summer school program, which began last week and ends July 29. This “open site feeding” is financed by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Seamless Summer Option. Last year, the program cost approximately $37,000. The district has participated in the program since 2007.

Through July 27 breakfast is served from 7:45 to 8:15 a.m., and lunch is served from 11 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday, at Airport Elementary School, 8249 Airport Road, Berkeley, MO 63134. Through June 29 the meals are served at the following schools:

Johnson-Wabash Elementary School, 685 January Ave.

Wedgwood Elementary School, 14275 New Halls Ferry Rd.

From June 4 – July 27 lunch is served from 11 a.m. to noon, and a snack is served from 2 to 2:15 p.m., Monday through Friday, at Parker Road Elementary School, 2800 Parker Rd.

From June 4 – 29 breakfast is served from 7:10 to 7:25 a.m., and lunch is served from 10:50 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday, at the following schools:

McCluer North High School, 705 Waterford Dr.

McCluer South-Berkeley High School, 201 Brotherton Ln.

From June 4 – 29 breakfast is served from 7:30 to 7:50 a.m., and lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 11:50 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the Mark Twain Student Support Center, 1555 Derhake.

Visit www.fergflor.org, click on the About Us tab and the School Maps & Boundaries menu option to find out if your child can benefit from the program.

Operation Food Search also provides support. If you or someone you know is in need of emergency assistance, call (314) 726-5355 and follow the instructions to access the Hunger Hotline.

Black Jack offers reward forreporting vandals

The City Council of the City of Black Jack authorized the payment of a reward of $250 for the arrest and conviction of anyone found guilty for damaging public property. The reward covers the removing or damaging any traffic and street signs, and damaging, or vandalizing City of Black Jack property including streets, sidewalks, vehicles and buildings.

The reward will be paid to the first person who reports the individual or individuals that are subsequently convicted of the offence. City of

Black Jack Officials and employees of the City of Black Jack are not eligible for reward payments.

Mayor Norm McCourt said, “We hope that residents will assist us in the effort by keeping an eye out for suspicious activity within the neighborhoods and will report it to the police immediately.”

For more information, call Randy Gardner at 314-355-0400 ext. 120.

From poverty to self-sufficiency

By Judy Baker For The St.Louis American

In public life, you get the chance to talk to lots of people. And if you listen carefully, certain themes repeat themselves.

During conversations at the Annie Malone May Day Parade, the same topics just kept coming up in conversation. There are many priorities, but those that kept surfacing were access to entrepreneurial opportunities and jobs, the need for more access to high-quality and affordable housing, and healthcare that you can keep even if you change jobs.

In reflecting on those conversations it occurred to me that those are all tied to a single integrated notion – a need for stepping stones to opportunity.

Many of our current safety net programs that help people in transitional times of their lives like Medicaid, food stamps, housing, and unemployment are designed with a cliff – a point beyond which a recipient falls off completely when the eligibility requirements are exceeded – even by the slightest margin.

For example, a family may rely on Medicaid to insure a child with a pre-existing condition. That’s often true because the parent’s employer doesn’t cover families. Meanwhile, that parent is at constant risk of losing Medicaid coverage for a child if they would get even a 25 cent per hour raise. That has the effect of locking the working parent into a certain workplace and missing the chance to advance in their work.

This contributes to a cycle of poverty that the system itself helps create due principally to the artificial cliffs that discourage advancement by the very individuals the program was designed to serve. The net effect is to cause a cliff – a fall from support instead of stair steps out of poverty.

The Affordable Care Act addresses this very phenomenon. Health care reform provides for the development of private, market-based health care exchanges where individuals and small businesses can buy-in to health care coverage according to their ability to pay and on a sliding scale, in other words, no cliff. This, of course, is a positive step in the design of social supports that helps people out of poverty instead of trapping them in never-ending cycles.

Many of our other programs, like housing, food assistance, unemployment might do well to adopt a similar model of gradual and measured steps from assistance to self-sufficiency. Doing it through health care reform is surely a good model! Judy Baker is a Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor.

Judy Baker

NBA star Larry Hughes waved in cars into the parking lot of the Mobil on Jefferson last Sunday afternoon to give 200 cars free gas.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Continued from A1

“If they do that, then Ricky will have his day in court,” he said.

Kidd said that his lawyer failed to present key evidence and witnesses during his trial.

In a conference call with Ricky Kidd from prison, he said, “I had the worst representation that you could possibly get. The facts of my case have always been true. Unfortunately, I am uncovering the rubble now.”

Assistant Attorney General Andrew Hassell, who is representing the state, declined to comment on the petition or the case.

Kidd’s case

On February 6, 1996, three men wearing black skull caps robbed and murdered George Bryant and Oscar Bridges at Bryant’s home in Kansas City, Missouri.

Bryant’s four-year-old daughter, Kayla Bryant, witnessed the crime.

Although there were three perpetrators, only Ricky Kidd and Marcus Merrill were charged with the crime. Kayla Bryant said the men who shot her father had come to her house two days before the shooting, according to the petition.

During the trial, Kayla identified Marcus Merrill as one of the three men. The prosecutor asked Kayla twice if she saw the man who shot her daddy in the courtroom, and both times she replied, “No.” When shown a photo array that included both Marcus Merrill and Ricky Kidd, she selected only Merrill, as the “fat one.” Kidd became a suspect because he was one of 10 men named in anonymous calls to police. He was arrested on February 14, 1996, while in

BOND

Continued from A1

the company of his girlfriend, Monica Gray. In separate interrogations, Kidd and Gray told police that they were together all day on February 6, 1996, and they had gone to the sheriff’s office at Lake Jacomo to apply for a gun permit.

The only direct testimony linking Kidd to the crime came from Richard Harris, who lived on the same street. Harris was walking by Bryant’s house when he saw Bryant run out of his garage, with blood on his sweater, yelling “Somebody help!” Bryant was pursued by two men, one of whom carried a gold-plated pistol.

The first suspect grabbed Bryant and put him on the ground, and the second suspect walked up to Bryant and shot him. When the attackers saw Harris, he turned and fled. Harris identified Ricky Kidd at trial as the shooter, though there were inconsistencies in his description that didn’t match up to Kidd. No physical evidence linked Kidd to the crime. The murder weapon was never found. A slice of bread on the kitchen floor and a piece of linoleum recovered from the crime scene bore shoe impressions that did not match the footwear of George Bryant, Oscar Bridges or Ricky Kidd.

Kidd’s alibi

Jackson County Sergeant Tim Buffalow has identified a copy of Kidd’s application to buy a gun, signed by Kidd and dated February 6, 1996, the day of the murder.

Computer files show that a criminal record check was run on Kidd at 1:37 p.m. that day. On cross-examination by the state, Sergeant Buffalow testified that Kidd’s application could have been received on February 5, 1996. Kidd’s lawyer never tried to obtain the VHS surveillance tapes at the sheriff’s office.

Gary Goodspeed Sr. (“Big

The bond issue’s approval means residents will see their bills increase monthly to $43.67 by July 1, 2015. Today, the average monthly singlefamily wastewater bill is $28. On July 1, 2012, average bills will rise to $31. However, like a mortgage,

Gary”) and Gary Goodspeed Jr. (“Little Gary”) were never charged with the crime, but evidence implicated both.

Richard Harris identified Little Gary from a video lineup as the man who tackled Bryant as he ran from his garage. Merrill and Little Gary shared an apartment in Decatur, Georgia, and airline and hotel records established that Merrill and the Goodspeeds flew from Atlanta to Kansas City several days before the homicide, stayed at the Adam’s Mark Hotel, and returned to Georgia several days later. At Alamo Rent-ACar near the airport, Big Gary rented a white Oldsmobile Sierra that was believed to be the getaway car. Big Gary’s fingerprint was on a Carmex lip balm wrapper found in the rental car with a price tag from a “Good To Go” convenience store a block and a half from the crime scene.

Merrill’s counsel argued to the jury that the Goodspeeds committed the crime, and since the police developed four suspects in a crime committed by three people, the issue was whether Merrill or Kidd was the third accomplice or the odd man out.

Merrill and Kidd were found guilty of two counts of murder in the first degree. Kidd was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for each murder, and life imprisonment on each count of armed criminal action.

New facts

Since then, the Midwest Innocence Project accepted Kidd’s case and followed fruitful avenues of investigation that were obvious from the police reports, O’Brien said. Merrill also testified at the federal hearing that he and the Goodspeeds committed the murders, and that Kidd had no involvement.

residents will pay more over time from the accumulating interest in repaying the bonds. By 2020, property owners will face rates that exceed $80 per month, according to MSD’s projections.

by

Clay’s Career Fair draws 5,000

The USDA’s Collette McKinley talked with job seekers during a free career fair event hosted by 1st District Congressman Wm.Lacy Clay.The event was held at HarrisStowe State University on Monday.More than 100 employers participated in the fair, and more than 5,000 job seekers attended.

At the federal hearing, a friend of Merrill’s, Eugene Williams, said that Merrill had appeared at his house on the morning of the murders, and the Goodspeeds arrived later. In Williams’presence, the Goodspeeds and Merrill discussed plans to rob a drug house. Williams also knew Jean Bynum, Big Gary’s exwife, and was aware that she was having an affair with George Bryant, and that Big Gary was angry about it. When Williams saw the murder on the news that evening, he knew what had happened.

Williams further made clear that Kidd had not been at Williams’house, and his name had never come up in the conversation. Although Williams

If voters would have shot down Prop Y, their monthly bills would have spiked to $64 on July 1 – but rates would have remained at about $65.15.

The $945 million bond

is named in police reports, the federal habeas counsel’s investigator was the first person ever to interview Williams about the crime.

Eighth Circuit

At this point, in order to prove Kidd’s innocence, the U.S. Supreme Court must recognize the Eighth Circuit’s inconsistencies.

Kidd believes he has proven his innocence based on a 1995 case Schlup v. Delo. This case establishes that Kidd must show substantial evidence that “impeaches” the state’s main witness, establishes an alibi and identifies the actual perpetrators of the crime to prove innocence.

goes towards the first phase of the district’s $4.7-billion system overhaul, which MSD is legally bound to complete.

In June 2007, the State of Missouri and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) filed a lawsuit against MSD –in part because untreated sewage was flowing into the Mississippi River. In August 2011, the EPAannounced a settlement agreement that calls for MSD to spend $4.7 billion over the next 23 years to eradicate over 350 sewer

“They only have to look in Schlup,” Kidd said. “Didn’t we address this 20 years ago?” The Third, Sixth, Seventh, Ninth and Tenth Circuits have interpreted the Schlup case in the same way. However, the Eighth Circuit limits Schlup because it claims that Kidd must bring forth evidence “was not available at trial and could not have been discovered earlier through the exercise of due diligence.”

Though Kidd’s trial lawyer was inadequate, his lawyer could have found and presented the “new facts,” so the court refused to hear them.

“We know who did the crime and we can prove it,” O’Brien said. “Not many can go to court with convincing evidence like that.”

overflows. The proposed MSD wastewater sewer system improvements will significantly reduce the number of sewage backups in residential basements, said MSD representatives.

Nationally, the major election story was activist Republican Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker narrowly surviving a recall election prompted by his aggressive moves against unions representing state workers.

Photo

Wiley Price

SCOTT

Continued from A1

sculpted tribute to the Scotts. The idea began about four years ago, when Lynne Jackson, great-great-granddaughter of Dred and Harriet Scott and founder and president of the Dred Scott Heritage Foundation, decided St. Louis needed to officially recognize these heroes, her ancestors.

Weber was working on a statue of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark that was to stand in Frontier Park by the river. Having run into problems establishing a site on state property, Weber offered to help Jackson through this process.

Jackson had been working with a sculptor, but he had passed away. Ayear later, the foundation held a competition and Weber, the only St. Louis artist who had entered, was chosen in a blind selection.

“There are very few images of Dred Scott, so a lot of it was imagination and research into the case,” Weber said.

NANCE

Continued from A1

Sr., helped to make the church synonymous with civil rights, education and social reform in St. Louis.

“I think people see Greater Mt. Carmel has always been sincere in their practice of Christian love, whether it’s prayer or someone who needs clothing,” Nance said.

When Nance Sr. arrived, the church had been in a wilderness period for nearly 40 years after beginning as Olivet Baptist Church, originally located at 2920 Market St. The church’s name would change three times. It was a revolving door for pastors and members of the tiny storefront.

“Before my father got there in 1951, the church went through 35 pastors in seven years,” Nance Jr. said. “They were eating them up. But he got there and stabilized the church. He was pastor for 43 years, and I just completed my 18th year. So for 61 years his legacy has been leading the church.”

Leading and growing: the congregation has grown from 18 members in 1951 to more than 800 in 2012.

Nance Sr. spurred growth outside of his church as well.

“Rev. Nance was a mentor to young ministers trying to find their way in the early stages of their ministries,” retired Congressman William

Weber worked with Bob Moore of the National Park Service to dress the couple accurately. His long-time artistic partner Vlad Zhitomirsky helped to cast the statue in wax and wield the bronze together. “Any historical process we do we have to get exactly right, because it’s really like writing the history itself,” says Weber.

The history

Dred and Harriet Scott spent 62 and 37 years, respectively, without the distinction of U.S. citizenship, though they tried to claim it. After living for nine years in parts of the country that prohibited slavery, the Scotts filed a petition for freedom. After an initial setback, the circuit court in St. Louis found in favor of the Scotts. Their owner appealed.

In a 10-year journey from the St. Louis Courthouse to the United States Supreme Court, their case was appealed several times. In 1857, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Scotts’case be dismissed on the grounds that African

L. Clay Sr. writes in the commemorative book.

“Not only did he serve as advisor to five mayors, he also gave advice to a young alderman who later became the first black congressman from the state of Missouri. To us he was a pillar of strength, a beacon for those who believed in justice and a more humane existence.”

Nance:the next generation

One young pastor Nance Sr. nurtured was his son, to whom he passed the torch of Greater Mt. Carmel 18 years ago.

“He gave me no warning –he didn’t say a word to me,” Nance Jr. said. “He got up there that first Sunday in April 1994 and he told the congregation, ‘I’m not retiring, but I’m stepping aside as pastor and now Rev. Jr. will be your pastor.’I’m sitting there like, ‘Say what?’”

From his father, he learned leadership. He watched his father stand on the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement – at times, right next to Nance Sr.’s college roommate, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He saw his father take active roles in local politics and the public schools.

“He showed me that you can’t drive people – you have to lead them,” Nance Jr. said.

Nance has preserved and extended his father’s legacy at Greater Mt. Carmel.

“In the 18 years since he

Americans were not considered citizens and therefore did not have the right to sue in a court of law, and that Congress had no right to pass laws regulating slavery in different territories because the right to property was guaranteed in the Constitution.

In the opinion of the court, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney declared that African Americans “are not included, and were not intended to be included, under the word ‘citizens’in the Constitution, and can therefore claim none of the rights and privileges which that instrument provides for and secures to citizens of the United States.”

“The Supreme Court thought their decision would bring the country together, but it really had the opposite result,” says Bill Freivogel, who writes about the law for The Beacon, heads the journalism school at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and is a former Post-Dispatch legal reporter.

On Wednesday, June 27 at 11 a.m., The Beacon Festival will host a panel on this deci-

stepped down, and since 2000 when he passed away, the church has continued to grow,” Nance Jr. said. “The church has continued to work in the community and continued to be a voice in the community in social areas and political areas.”

‘A God thing’

Nance Jr. almost didn’t live to see his beloved church hit 100 years. On the cusp of its centennial he suffered a devastating heart attack. He was in a coma from December 18 until February 5.

“When I had the heart attack and it looked like I was-

sion at the Old Courthouse. Michael A. Wolff, former Missouri Supreme Court judge, will be joined by David Konig, history professor at Washington University, and Lynne Jackson of the Dred Scott Heritage Foundation in a discussion of the history involved with the case and the role of affirmative action today.

Freivogel, who will lead the discussion, hopes to introduce topics such as the upcoming Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin decision, which, he said, could “potentially end the era of affirmative action.”

For information on the June 27 event, email zstovall@stlbeacon.org or call 314-649-7852 Tax-deductible donations may be made at http://www.thedredscottfoundation.org or The Dred Scott Heritage Foundation, P.O. Box 2009. Florissant, MO 63032-2009.

Edited and reprinted with permission from www.stlbeacon.org.

n’t going to make it, the outpouring – and not just from the church community, but the city itself – it was overwhelming,” Nance Jr. said. “They were reaching out to me, but it was because of my ties to Greater Mt. Carmel and its impact in the St. Louis area.”

The legacy continued then, even when it looked like they might lose Nance Jr.

“Nobody left. People still came to church, put their money in the church and everything just kept going,” Nance Jr. said.

“The ministers that we trained knew how to get in a rotation, preach the word and keep that going. I never had

any worries. It’s amazing. It was truly a God thing.”

Nance is looking forward to the next 100 years, though he won’t be here to see most of those years.

“I hope that our legacy is strong enough that we will continue the work and teaching the next generation of young people to keep going,” Nance Jr. said. “I really want people to understand the legacy of Greater Mt. Carmel. There is the feeling of a long road behind and a long road ahead.”

While Nance Jr. cherishes the answered prayers that he would live long enough to see the church turn 100, he smiles at the thought of his father’s

presence at the celebration on Sunday.

“I think he would be filled with joy if he were here – he’d be more than 100 himself,” Nance Jr. said. “I think he would be overwhelmed with joy that the church has been able to carry on and do the work that it has done.”

Greater Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church (1617 North Euclid Ave.) will celebrate its 100-year anniversary on Sunday, June 10 at 10 a.m. For more information, visit http://www.greatermtcarmelmbc.org or call 314361-8893.

Lynne Jackson,great-great-granddaughter of Dred and Harriet Scott and founder and president of the Dred Scott Heritage Foundation,worked four years to establish a statue in honor of her ancestors.

Fresh ThoughTFulness

By Charles K. Poole

A Lesson In Forgiveness

When Brian Banks’ story made the rounds of newspapers and news broadcasts, I stopped and paid attention, reading and watching with great interest and some sadness. Banks is the now 26-yearold who was accused and convicted of kidnapping and raping a classmate, Wanetta Gibson, on the campus of the high school they both attended when he was 16. He was recently cleared of the crime after Gibson admitted it was all a lie.

News reports say she came forward after Banks had served more than five years for the crime and been released, reaching out to him via Facebook. The story revealed afterward was worthy of a network crime procedural drama, including a secret videotaped confession – Gibson’s admission that she was afraid of having to return a $1.5 million civil suit judgment she’d received from a suit her mother brought against the school district. Banks said he agreed to plead no contest to the charges on the advice of his lawyer because it was his word against hers, and because for “a big, black kid it didn’t look good” for him. So on May 24, when the judge threw out all the charges, Banks openly wept. I understood the tears. But when I learned his back story I understood even more. Banks was a star high school athlete actively recruited by several universities with exceptional football teams. He’d verbally agreed to attend the University of Southern California on a four-year scholarship at the time of his arrest. After his conviction, Banks had more than five years to

think about the injustice done to him. More than five years to feel anger, disgust and hatred. But watching him on the Today show, he was forgiving. Ann Curry asked him about wanting revenge. Banks responded, “It’s easy to have those feelings when you initially hear the story. I’ve been dealing with this now for 10 years, and I’ve had my moments where I was very angry and very vengeful. But I know it’s best for me to try and move forward in a positive manner.”

At 26 years of age, Banks has a lot of living left and hopefully, a lot of opportunity ahead. But he’s already learned lessons that it takes many of us all our lives to learn: Life’s not fair. We’re not always responsible for what happens to us, but we’re entirely responsible for how we choose to deal with it.

The most important lesson he’s learned and teaches us, however, is that when we forgive it’s not for the other person –it’s for ourselves. Though he served five years for a crime he didn’t commit, he was never—in mind or spirit—in jail. As I watched him, I knew that despite being imprisoned, Banks was always a free man. Free despite the false accusations and a legal system that too frequently assumes the worst of young, black boys and men. Free because he lived through it and didn’t become worse for it.

Banks clearly understands that, as Nelson Mandela once said, true freedom is not to “merely cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”

Scenes from Ecumenical Leadership Council awards

Last Tuesday the Ecumenical Leadership Council held A Very Special Evening of Recognition in the Grand Ballroom of the Ritz Carlton Hotel. Distinguished leadership awards were given to Robert J. Carlson, the Archbishop of St. Louis; Donald M. Suggs, publisher of The St. Louis American newspaper; Dr. Lewis C. Chartock, president of MERSGoodwill; Terry Nelson, Executive Secretary-Treasurer Carpenters’ District Council of Greater St. Louis and Vicinity; and Rev. Wallace S. Hartsfield, pastor emeritus of Metropolitan M. B. Church in Kansas City. For more coverage, see Religion, page D6.

Carl Jackson was no stranger to cancer.

He knew about prostate and colon cancer, and he watched his own daughter and several in-laws battle breast cancer. But multiple myeloma? Carl had never heard of this cancer of the blood until the day he was diagnosed with it in 2009.

Doctors originally told Carl that his chest and shoulder pain was caused by muscle spasms. When his symptoms didn’t go away, Carl and his wife pushed on for an explanation. An MRI showed a massive cancerous growth on Carl’s vertebrae. Two surgeries, chemotherapy and a round of radiation later, Carl was faced with the tough reality that the cancer was still there. That’s when he turned to the Siteman Cancer Center for a stem cell transplant. Carl thanks everyone he came in contact with – from the cleaning staff to the nurses and physicians – for supporting him through the difficult treatment.

Today, Carl’s cancer is in remission. As a survivor, Carl knows the importance of a healthy lifestyle. He now eats more fresh vegetables, less fried food, and he exercises several times per week.

When it comes to taking the best care of yourself now in order to prevent cancer, Carl says consequences, not fear, should be a motivator. “Think about the long-term health effects. What would happen if you delayed?”

Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities (PECaD) at the Siteman Cancer Center is working to eliminate local and regional disparities in cancer education, prevention and treatment through community outreach, research and training.

Charles K. Poole

Bishop Lawrence M. Wooten presented Archbishop Robert J. Carlson with his award.

Dr. Lewis C. Chartock was given his award by the Rev. Linden Bowie.

Rev. Carlton Caldwell presented Rev. Wallace S. Hartsfield from Kansas City with his award.

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill gave welcoming remarks at the Ecumenical Leadership Council awards event.

Judge Jimmie Edwards was the keynote speaker at the Ecumenical Leadership Council awards event.

Photos by Maurice Meredith

On Carnahan campaigns and lazy voting records

One can only imagine what Jeff Smith was thinking when Russ Carnahan went negative on Wm. Lacy Clay just after Memorial Day – and he did it by going after Clay’s attendance record for votes in Congress.

Political insiders have been waiting for Carnahan to pull the trigger since he filed for Clay’s seat in Missouri’s 1st Congressional District. It’s difficult to defeat an incumbent with great name recognition and no scandal, so it was assumed from day one that Carnahan would run an attack campaign against Clay.

Late Thursday, Carnahan’s campaign blasted Clay for missing important votes that week, including amendments related to the intelligence bill and project labor agreements.

Clay fired back, as The Beacon reported, explaining that “the House Democratic leadership excused my absence to allow me to return home to St. Louis to attend my daughter’s high school graduation.” Clay added a dig: “If my opponent wants to accuse me of being a devoted father, he can go right ahead.”

The EYE would score this exchange to the advantage of Clay. But what is fascinating is that Carnahan went there at all – which is where Jeff Smith comes in.

When Carnahan ran for

Congress for the first time, following Congressman Dick Gephardt’s retirement from serving Missouri’s 3rd Congressional District, he faced Jeff Smith as his most spirited opponent in a crowded field. Smith was then a textbook political outsider – an adjunct professor of politics who had never run for public office. Carnahan was the son of a political dynasty with the kind of name recognition that an adjunct professor with the last name “Smith” can only dream of.

Russ also had a lazy voting record in the Missouri House of Representatives. This opposition research is discussed by Smith’s campaign in the documentary film Frank Popper made about that campaign, Can Mr. Smith Still Get to Washington? That film would later become evidence for the federal prosecution of Smith when Jeff lied to the feds about funding and working with an outside political contractor who did an attack postcard against Carnahan based on Russ’ lackadaisical voting record in Jefferson City. Carnahan was attacked for missing votes – and won. Now he has attacked Cay for missing votes – and missing them for a reason why many people miss work: to celebrate the graduation of a daughter.

Carnahan has done nothing to win here.

Roll call

Carnahan missed far more votes in the Missouri House than Clay has in the U.S. House, but he does have a better voting attendance record in the Congress than Clay. Carnahan’s campaign spokesperson said, “At nearly 10 percent of the votes missed, Clay has the lowest

participation rate amongst the Missouri Democratic delegation in the U.S. House since 2005.” One wonders why Russ does not man up and say such things himself!

The Beacon crunches the numbers, going further back than 2005 – the incumbent Clay has served in the Congress since 2001 – which brings Clay’s absentee number down. “An analysis of ‘missed votes’ by U.S. House members by the legislative tracking project GovTrack.us indicates that

Tishaura O. Jones visited with the Rev. Jesse Jackson when he was in St. Louis recently to talk to black clergy and elected officials about the importance of the 2012 elections. Jones is a candidate for Treasurer of the City of St. Louis on the August 7 primary ballot, when that seat will effectively be decided.

Jones’ father Virvus Jones ran the caucus in St. Louis for Jackson’s 1984 presidential bid.

Photo by Maurice Meredith

Clay’s career percentage of missed votes was 7 percent from January 2001 to May of this year, compared to the House median of 2.4 percent.

During that period, Clay missed 592 of 8,215 recorded or roll call votes, GovTrack found,”

The Beacon noted.

“By comparison, Carnahan has a better than average record on missed votes during his shorter career in the House.

From January 2005 to May, Carnahan missed 135 of 5,998 recorded or roll call votes,

which is 2 percent.” However, not all missed votes are consequential and raw numbers do not take into account the relevant importance of any congressman’s vote to any missed voting opportunity.

Past present tense

Carnahan has been spending some time in his clip file. An April 28 post on Carnahan’s Facebook page, “I was proud to earn the St. Louis American’s endorsement in 2010. They recognize that, together, we can keep moving St. Louis forward.”

It’s misleading and just incredibly tacky to post an endorsement from 2010 when you are running in a different district and under completely different circumstances in 2012. Particularly when Carnahan or his staffer writes in the present tense about a past endorsement: “They recognize that, together, we can keep moving St. Louis forward.” At this point in time, any St. Louis American endorsement of Carnahan should be described in the past tense.

Hazelwood names Outstanding First-Year Teachers

Lindsay Negwer, Eliza Rivas recognized by district

American staff

The 2011-2012 Outstanding First-Year Teachers in the Hazelwood School District are Lindsay Negwer from Brown Elementary School and Eliza Rivas from Hazelwood Central High School. Negwer teaches kindergarten while Rivas teaches Spanish.

“All students can learn, but it’s my job to help them figure out why the class matters in life,” said Rivas.

“It can be difficult to do that, especially in foreign language classes. What I try to do is tap into things they know, things they enjoy, things that are part of real life in my

class. For example, I teach through telling and reading stories about rappers and athletes and other celebrities the students like using current grammar and vocabulary. The

students then have the desire to communicate with me, which we only do in Spanish.”

Negwer said her philosophy “holds students to high expectations and creates equal

The Hazelwood School District named its Outstanding First-Year Teachers for the 20112012 school year. Eliza Rivas, right, is a Spanish teacher at Hazelwood Central High School. With her is Principal Cheryol Mitchell.

community here in St. Louis, including the Venezuelan and Puerto Rican Societies, the Hispanic Leaders Group and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce,” Rivas said.

“I remember attending the opening of La Casa de Salud downtown and feeling proud to know such a great service was being offered in my city.”

La Casa de Salud is a health care facility in South St. Louis that delivers clinical and mental health services for uninsured and underinsured patients, especially new immigrants and refugees.

Rodney C. Duncan

Rodney C. Duncan was born in St. Louis, MO on January 30, 1949. He was the youngest of three sons born to the union of William B. and Mildred E. Potter Duncan.

Rodney attended the St. Louis Public Schools, graduating from Beaumont High School in 1967. He later attended Harris Stowe State Teachers College.

opportunities for all children to learn in the classroom.”

When they are not teaching, both remain active.

“My husband and I have been involved with the Latino

As part of the criteria for the award, principals submitted nomination letters about first-year teachers who they believe are distinguished in student instruction, interactions with students, parents, faculty, staff and community members and who the principal believes have a quality that sets them apart from other first-year teachers. They each received flowers and $250 from the district’s professional development committee.

Growing up, Rodney attended the Antioch Baptist Church of St. Louis with his family. He had a happygo-lucky personality, and he greatly enjoyed talking and joking with his children. In fact, he was a very sociable person and enjoyed talking in general. He had many, many friends and was a sports enthusiast. He was also a person who enjoyed helping others. Among his other jobs, Rodney was employed by Colonial Bread and Coca-Cola. His last job was that of an overthe-road truck driver. Rodney had been ill for the past several years. He passed quietly into eternity on Saturday, April 21, 2012. He leaves to cherish his memories: his children, Christopher C. (Lauren) Duncan of Los Angeles, CA; Stephon C. Duncan of New York, NY; Rodney C. Duncan, Jr. of St. Louis and Jacinta Duncan, also of St. Louis; his grandchildren, Ryan, J’Cori, Catherine and Malachi; his brothers, Lawrence Duncan and William B. (Diane) Duncan, III, both of St. Louis; aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends. He was preceded in death by both of his parents.

Happy Birthday

Charles “Lil Bro”

June 26, 1958—Jan 28, 2011

Though your smile is gone forever, And your hand we cannot touch; We still have memories of you, One we all loved so much. Your memory is our keepsake, With which we’ll never part; God has you in His keeping, We have you in our hearts. Miss you, Bobbie, Willia Mae, Maine, Tooky, Angie Rodney C.

Duncan

Charles

McMillan, foundation recognize academic achievement

Students at 6 SLPS schools awarded for grades, attendance, behavior

The St. Louis Community Empowerment Foundation recently recognized highachieving students from six schools in the St. Louis Public School District: Dunbar, Earl Nance and Woerner elementary schools; L’Overture Middle School; and Metro and Vashon High Schools.

This 14-year initiative of the St. Louis Community Empowerment Foundation (STLCEF) is designed to inspire and reinforce students who excel in their grades, have excellent attendance records and display commendable behavior.

“You give students a sense of hope that there is someone out there that cares not only about their well being, but their lifelong goals,” Dunbar Elementary Principal Carla Cunigan wrote to Michael McMillan, STLCEF’s Board Chair.

“You speak to them about their daily attendance and how you have to be at school each and every day.”

The impact McMillan and the foundation are having is helping Dunbar’s bottom line statistics with the State of Missouri, Cunigan said in her letter.

“The state requires that the school reaches 93 percent or higher in order to meet the state requirements for making Adequate Yearly Progress,” the principal wrote to McMillan.

“The students you are recognizing have reached that 93 percent or higher attendance this year. Through programs like this, it is a motivation to other children to do the same.”

McMillan said the foundation’s work has been improved through community input.

“Over the past few years, more family members and mentors have attended our ceremonies, which reinforces our intent to engage and reinforce the learning process in and out of school,” said McMillan, who serves as License Collector for the City of St. Louis and previously was 19th Ward Alderman.

Children recognized by the foundation receive Honor Medallions, certificates of recognition from STLCEF as well as the Office of the License Collector, and educational incentive gifts. Papa Johns annually provides lunch for each school’s Academic Achievement Programs.

McMillan and the foundation have garnered support for

High-achieving Vashon High School

Foundation and its Board Chair Michael

and commendable behavior.

their initiatives from Dana Brown Charitable Trust, Ameren Missouri, Edward Jones, AT&T, Union Pacific, Walgreen’s and Monsanto.

“Education can not occur in isolation,” McMillan said. “It is important to surround

our children, youth and young adults with positive support and resources by literally keeping their eyes on the rewards that consistent academic achievement can obtain.”

Now the foundation is gearing up for the collaboration

McMillan created last year with the St. Louis Public Schools and STLCEF for a Back to

students were recognized recently by the St. Louis Community Empowerment

McMillan. The foundation rewards excellent attendance, exceptional grades

Senator for hire

Last summer, the A&E Network took their cameras to the St. Clair County (IL) jail to film an episode of Beyond Scared Straight, a show which focused on in-yourface scare tactics designed to reach troubled youth.

In the process, the cameras also captured a dilapidated, filthy and overcrowded facility with almost a medieval, dungeon-like quality when compared to many modern jails.

But that hasn’t stopped our friend, State Sen. James Clayborne (Belleville, IL), from using his influence as the Senate majority leader to monetize his influence with the feds in order to make a few extra bucks for himself, a business associate and, maybe, for a few county jails in Illinois.

As you read these words, Clayborne and his partner Joseph Summerill, of Washington, D.C., are finalizing negotiations with the Federal Marshals Service, to boost the federal inmate per diem rate as well as double the federal inmate population of the St. Clair County Jail from 25 to 50.

The result: a $35,000 fee

for Clayborne and Summerill within 30 days following the end of negotiations and the potential of generating nearly $3.6 million in federal revenue for St. Clair County over the next three years.

Now correct me if I’m wrong, but I’ve always assumed that state legislators are already paid to lobby in behalf of their constituents, not to get paid twice for what they should already be doing.

Secondly, why would Senator Clayborne attempt to increase the federal inmate population for a jail which is already grossly overcrowded?

On the day that the A&E cameras visited the St. Clair County Jail, a sign read “Capacity: 330, Today: 464”, meaning that the jail was 164 prisoners beyond capacity. And Senator Clayborne wants to stuff even MORE inmates into already horrific conditions?

Just two weeks ago, a female inmate stabbed another inmate nine times and within the same week a male inmate bit off the ear of a fellow inmate and flushed it down the toilet.

To say that the St. Clair County Jail is already out of control is the understatement of the year. Yet Clayborne’s solution is to add MORE prisoners to the mix. And now Clayborne and his partner want to promote their idea to other Illinois counties,

for a small fee, of course.

Back on February 17, Clayborne and Summerill met with Sheriff Don Albrecht of Macoupin County and others regarding a similar deal which would attract up to 30 federal inmates, with the potential to net as much as $600,000 for Macoupin County. Whether their goals are met, Macoupin County would be obligated to make three payments of $20,000 over two fiscal years, to Summerill. However, the contract does not spell out Clayborne’s payment terms.

Sheriff Merl Justice of St. Clair County confirmed their agreement. Sheriff Don Albrecht of Macoupin County confirmed their negotiations with Clayborne and Summerill. Also, Sumerill himself has confirmed the contractual specifics.

The true ugliness of this and similar dealings by Sen. Clayborne is how legislators can turn political influence into personal profit.

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

NOTE: If you like my column, then you will love my radio show on WGNU920am every Sunday from 4-5 pm and Tuesday from 5-6pm. Please tune-in and call-in. I love to hear from my St. Louis American readers.

Women of Achievement honors Thelma Steward

Past Women of Achievement honorees and board members Cheryl D. Polk and Dr. Katie Harper Wright visit with 2012 honoree Thelma Steward and past honorees Valerie Patton and Carol Weir at the recent ceremony. Mrs. Steward was recognized for Social Responsibility. The other 2012 honorees were Carolyn Cotta, Sandra S. Lauschke, Kimberly Ritter, Marsha J. Rusnack, Barbara Langsam Shuman, Carol Staenberg, Carol J. Voss, Mary Pillsbury Wainwright and Lisa Orden Zarin

Hazelwood student selected for national summit

Mahranda Chapman nominated to be an ‘aspiring environmentalist’

American staff

Mahranda Chapman, who just inished her junior year at Hazelwood Central High School, was selected to the Washington Youth Summit on the Environment as a National Youth Delegate. The program will take place this month at George Mason University, and offers “aspiring environmentalists and student leaders an unparalleled experience.”

Placement U.S. History. Her favorite subjects are English and science.

“I understand science very well. It’s one of my strongest subjects,” she said. “I like medical science.” Her family is working toward covering the cost of tuition. If she is able to go, Chapman said it will “open my eyes. I have some concern about the environment, but I’m not sure how to approach it.”

Junior and senior students are nominated on strong academic performance, a demonstrated interest in conservation and the environment, and the ability to be an exceptional representative for their state and high school.

Mahranda Chapman

Chapman is involved in Student Council, theatre and the University of Missouri-St. Louis Bridge Program Saturday Academy. Her classes include honors pre-calculus and Advanced

Students will participate in hands-on, experiential learning through decisionmaking simulations. The program is designed to challenge students to solve problems and explore the creative, practical and ethical aspects of environmental issues. The program includes guest speakers who are wellknown leaders in the ield, such as researchers, directors and recent college graduates.

She wants to study biology to become a doctor or work in forensics. Her college interests are Washington University, Syracuse UNiversity, University of Missouri-Columbia and George Mason.

James Ingram

Pink Pizzazz Mardi Gras!

American, Komen, Siteman team up for cancer awareness

Circle of Promise held last Saturday at Harris-Stowe

The St. Louis American and St. Louis Affiliate of Susan G. Komen For the Cure recently held a special breast cancer awareness event and health and wellness fair at HarrisStowe. The Circle of Promise event, presented by Siteman Cancer Center, was created to bring awareness to African-American women about breast cancer. The event included screenings, a speech by radio personality Ebony Steele, and a doctor panel discussion and Q&A.

Breast cancer survivor and founder of The Breakfast Club, Sherrill Jackson, smiles with other members of The Breakfast Club at the Circle of Promise event.

Panelists Dr. Lannis Hall of Siteman Cancer Center, Sherrill Jackson, and Dr. Jay Jensen, chief of surgery at Christian Hospital

Celebrity guest speaker Ebony Steele shared her personal story of breast cancer and survival with the crowd.

Emcee Rebeccah Bennett Celebrity guest speaker Ebony Steele with some of the attendees

St. Louis American team members Robin Britt, Barbara Sills, Kate Daniel and Onye Hollomon

Photos by Wiley Price

BUSINESS

JUNE 7 – 13, 2012

$1B Impact reports $275M in new MBE contracts

Incomplete data clouds new Minority Supplier Development Council effort

By Rebecca S.Rivas Of The St.Louis American

Can regional businesses and agencies come together to collectively increase contracts with minority businesses by $1 billion each year?

If they can, it might be hard to track.

There were 24 organizations –from corporations to public agencies – that awarded the $275 million in contracts to MBEs.

their contract amounts. However, only 14 of the council’s 300 MBE members reported new contracts by the May 15 deadline. It’s not clear whether these were the only MBEs who received more business last year, or if some members just missed the deadline.

PEOPLEON THE MOVE

Chuck Berry will be honored with the 2013 Lifetime Achievement in the Arts by the Arts and Education Council on January 21, 2013 at the Chase Park Plaza. The award honors individuals who achieve a legacy of artistic excellence, and organizations and businesses that enrich St. Louis’arts and cultural community. Born in St. Louis, Berry was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2000.

The council received these numbers from the MBEs themselves, who voluntarily reported

In May 2011, the St. Louis Minority Supplier Development Council announced that it would facilitate the “Billion Dollar Impact,” an initiative in which corporations collectively commit to do an additional $1 billion of business with MBEs annually by 2014. So far, MBEs were awarded $275 million in new contracts since 2011, according to the council’s announcement at its May 31 Business Opportunity Fair luncheon.

Several of the council’s top 25 MBE companies (based on reported sales) did not report their numbers. One of these companies’leaders, Michael B. Kennedy, president of KAI Design & Build, said he just didn’t get to the paperwork in time.

See MBE, B2

Representatives from MBE Companies that have reported contracts in categories from $1M to more than $100M.Front row (left to right):JL Brown Contracting Services (Jimmie Brown),Project Controls Group (Viola Pancratz),S2 Tech (Day Veerlapati), Midwestern Construction (Yvette Kirkwood) and World Wide Technology (Shay Gillespie).Back row (left to right):TD4 (Tommy Davis),Talisen Technologies (Eddie Williams),Simms Building Group (Floyd Simms),Success Promotions (Diana Everette), Gonzalez Companies (Carlos Huddleston),David Mason & Associates (David Mason),Rose International (Eric Token),EMED (Eric Bailey).Not shown:Signature Packaging.

‘Business is getting done today’

Minority Supplier Development Council hosts annual conference

By Rebecca S.Rivas

“Minority companies can’t change the market themselves,” Steve Cockerham, corporate vice president at BJC Health Care, said at the St. Louis Minority Supplier Development Council’s annual conference on May 31. “The

Last

only one who has the opportunity is to change the landscape is the owner.”

Changing the landscape means opening doors for minority and women-owned businesses in the region, he said during the sessions designed just for corporations and public agencies.

Cockerham is working to “grow the St. Louis region $1 billion at a time,” which was the

theme at the council’s day-long conference at the Renaissance St. Louis Grand Hotel.

“It’s easy to say the words,” Cockerham said. “You have to think about it and do it.”

Aside from the sessions, the Business Opportunity Fair also included several hours

See BUSINESS, B6

Obama launches $26M manufacturing competition

14 federal agencies collaborate on challenge grants to create jobs

build an entrepreneurial ecosystem, and promote cluster-based development in regions across the United States. Approximately 12 projects are expected to be chosen through a competitive inter-agency grant process.The deadline for applications is July 9, 2012, and guidelines for submissions are at http://www.manufacturing.gov.

capital,

Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals that will help grow a region’s industry clus-

ters by strengthening connections to regional economic development opportunities and advanced manufacturing assets; enhance a region’s capacity to create high-quality sustainable jobs; develop a skilled and diverse advanced manufacturing workforce; increase exports; encourage the development of small businesses; and accelerate technological inno-

See OBAMA, B2

Dennis Williams received a lifetime achievement award from the National Society of Black Engineers for his accomplishments and years of work to improve the survivability of combat aircraft. Williams works for the Systems Engineering Operations Analysis group with Boeing Defense, Space & Security in St. Louis. He analyzes the survivability and directs the incorporation of design hardening features and techniques into combat aircraft platforms.

Vivian Ross Gibson received a master’s degree in nonprofit management through University College, the professional and continuing education division of Arts & Sciences at Washington University. She is senior director of volunteer recruitment at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri. Previously she served 20 years as volunteer recruitment manager at St. Louis Public Schools.

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Wells Fargo is 2012 Komen Corporate Partnerof the Year

Wells Fargo Advisors received the 2012 Komen St. Louis Affiliate Corporate Partner of the Year Award. Since 2008, the company has been the Local Presenting Sponsor of the Komen St. Louis Race for the Cure.

The company has committed$600,000 in sponsorship funds for the St. Louis Race to date, and has raised over $1 million for Komen since 2008. By June 23, Wells Fargo Advisors hopes to top its 2011 Race Day participation of 3,800 employees, friends and family members, including employees from the firm’s home office and 12 St. Louis market branches.

Missouri Foundation forHealth releases report on charity care

Missouri hospitals’charity care costs are part of a growing trend, rising from $61.7 million in 2004 to $159.5 million in 2008, according to a new report, Charity Care at Missouri Hospitals: 2007 to 2008, prepared for Missouri Foundation for Health by the St. Louis Business Health Coalition.

The report uses data from hospitals and federally qualified health centers to chart the increasing financial burden borne by health providers that serve people in need. It also examines bad debt expense, hospital use patterns, emergency room care, and the ripple effect of 2005 Medicaid changes that reduced the rolls of the insured in Missouri. The Charity Care report can be downloaded at http://www.mffh.org/mm/files/ CharityCareReport2007-2008.pdf. An Executive Summary is available at http://www.mffh.org/mm/files/CharityCareExecSummary2007-2008.pdf.

EPAawards SLDC $400K for brownfields assessment

The St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) will receive $400,000 in EPAbrownfields funding to assess and conduct cleanup planning for hazardous substances and petroleum in the St. Louis area. The funding is being awarded through EPA’s Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund and Cleanup process. SLDC will use $200,000 to conduct community-wide assessments on properties potentially impacted by hazardous substances, and $200,000 for petroleum assessment for the same tasks at sites with potential petroleum contamination.

Vivian Ross Gibson

Chuck Berry

Dennis Williams

Of The St.Louis American

Photo:L.D.Ingrum Gallery & Studio

An annuity is a contract with an insurance company that is funded by the purchaser and designed to generate an income stream in retirement. It is a flexible financial vehicle that can help protect against the risk of living a long time because it provides an option for a lifetime income. Two advantages of annuities are that the funds accumulate tax deferred and they can be distributed in a variety of ways to the contract owner. There are many different types of annuities. Immediate annuities are designed to provide income right away, whereas deferred annuities are designed for long-term accu-

Continued from B1

vation.

U.S. Commerce Secretary John Bryson said, “This challenge further bolsters our efforts and builds on the momentum we have seen in the manufacturing sector in recent months, including the 489,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs that have been added since January 2010.” Manufacturing accounts for 70 percent of private-sector R&D and 60 percent of U.S. exports – including a record $1.2 trillion in goods exported in 2011. Over the past 25 months, manufacturers have created nearly half a million jobs – the best streak since 1995.

“The Advanced Manufacturing Jobs Accelerator is an opportunity to build on the momentum we’re seeing in U.S. manufacturing and to support small businesses and local economies through regional innovation clusters,” said Small Business Administration Administrator Karen Mills. “By working with other

What is an annuity?

mulation. Some annuities offer a guaranteed rate of interest, whereas others do not.

Generally, annuities have contract limitations, fees, and charges, which can include mortality and expense charges, account fees, underlying investment management fees, administrative fees, and charges for optional benefits. Most annuities have surrender charges that are assessed during the early years of the contract if the contract owner surrenders the annuity. Withdrawals of annuity earnings are taxed as ordinary income and may be subject to surrender charges, plus a 10 percent federal income tax

federal agencies, we can link, leverage, and align our resources to give small businesses the tools they need to work together, grow and create jobs in the manufacturing sector.”

The Jobs Accelerator Challenge is designed to assist the development and implementation of regionally-driven economic development strategies that will support advanced manufacturing and cluster development.

Thomas Peterson, National Science Foundation (NSF) Assistant Director for Engineering, said, “NSF is making available up to $1 million for existing NSF Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Phase II grantees that are part of winning projects.”

The Obama Administration has invested over $200 million promoting regional innovation clusters. The administration also created an interagency task force, known as the Taskforce for the Advancement of Regional Innovation Clusters (TARIC), to develop and administer interagency grant competitions. More than a dozen federal

PERSONAL FINANCE

By Charles Ross

penalty if made prior to age 59 1/2. Withdrawals reduce annuity contract benefits and values. Any guarantees are contingent on the claimspaying ability of the issuing company. Annuities are not guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency; they are not deposits of, nor are they guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank or sav-

Charles Ross

ings association. For variable annuities, the investment return and principal value of an investment option are not guaranteed. Variable annuity subaccounts fluctuate with changes in market conditions; thus, the principal may be worth more or less than the original amount invested when the annuity is surrendered.

Variable annuities are sold

agencies have participated in TARIC-led grant competitions by providing grant funding or other forms of support to the winners of the Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenges.

The new challenge grant is the third round of the Jobs Accelerator competition, which is being funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration and National Institute of Standards and Technology; the U.S. Department of Energy; the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration; the SBA; and the NSF.

In addition to the six funding partners, the initiative is supported by eight other Federal agencies: U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Education, Housing and Urban Development; Environmental Protection Agency; Denali Commission; and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration , Minority Business Development Administration and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

by prospectus. Please consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses carefully before investing. The prospectus, which contains this and other information about the variable annuity contract and the underlying investment options, can be obtained from your financial professional. Be sure to read the prospectus carefully before deciding whether to invest.

The information in this article is not intended to be tax or legal advice, and it may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. You are encouraged to seek tax or legal advice from an independent professional

advisor. The content is derived from sources believed to be accurate. Neither the information presented nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. This material was written and prepared by Emerald. ©2012 Emerald Connect, Inc.

Charles Ross is host of the syndicated radio program “Your Personal Finance.” Contact him at P.O. Box 870928; Stone Mountain, Georgia 30087; or email to charles@ charlesross.com.

GM opens $380M expansion

million

MBE

Continued from B1

James Webb, the council’s president and CEO, said the council doesn’t plan to update the amount again until next May. He will start contacting MBE businesses in December to report their numbers.

The 14 MBEs that reported contracts between $1 million to more than $100 million included: David Mason & Associates, EMED, Gonzales Companies LLC, JLBrown Contracting Services Inc., Midwestern Construction, LLC, Rose International Inc., Project Controls Group, Inc., S2 Tech, Signature Packaging, Simms Building Group,

Success Promotions Inc., Talisen Technologies, TD4 and World Wide Technology Inc.

There were 24 organizations – from corporations to public agencies – that awarded the $275 million in contracts to MBEs. However, several of the region’s largest corporations were not on the list, although they are supportive of the initiative and are council members.

St. Louis-based Peabody Energy, a $2 billion-coal company, didn’t make the cut this year. Rob Cox, Peabody’s director of supply chain for the Americas region, said that the company awards $50 to $60 million in MBE contracts domestically and about 25 percent of that is in St. Louis. Cox said the company wasn’t rec-

ognized by the Billion Dollar Impact initiative because they have not increased spending to MBE companies beyond their annual $10 to $12 million.

Peabody is trying to partner with MBE firms to possibly help with its growing interest in Australia and Asia, he said. Opportunities to increase MBE spending would most likely come from the engineering side, Cox said.

Also absent on the list was Express Scripts – the region’s business with the largest annual revenue and the nation’s largest pharmacy benefit managers. Debra Heck, vice president of corporate procurement for Express Scripts, sits on the council’s board of directors.

The company declined comment to why they were not recognized for awarding new contracts last year, said Brian Henry, spokesman for Express Scripts.

The corporation has had a robust diversity program since 2003, said Mark Graham, Express Scripts’director of supplier diversity.

Over the course of the past several months, Express Scripts has been working on its merger with Medco Health Solutions. Now with the merger complete, Express Scripts is further developing its procurement process, which includes supplier diversity, Henry said.

“Our commitment to supplier diversity continues to be strong, and we expect that to continue now that the merger is complete,” Henry said.

The council anticipated a slower start this year, Webb said. However, once the initiative is in full swing, it could create 2,000 new jobs, he said.

“It will position St. Louis as a leader in economic growth,” Webb said.

Organizations who provided the $275 million in reported contracts included: Ameren, Barnes-Jewish Corporation, Harrah’s Casino, Illinois Central Management Services, Illinois Housing Development Agency, City of Kansas City, MO, Lumiere Casino, MACO Companies, McCarthy Building Companies, McCormack Baron Salazar, Monsanto Company, Metropolitan Sewer District, Missouri

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon wasjoined by representatives of General Motors and leaders from General Motors Wentzville Assembly Plant for the official groundbreaking of a $380

expansion projec that is creating 1,660 new local auto manufacturing jobs in Wentzville on May 21.To the right of Nixon is John Dansby, the GM plant manager.

Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

“It was one of the hardest ones I’ve ever pulled off.That was a pretty sweet shot.”

– Tiger Woods,on his spectacular shot on the 16th hole in winning the Memorial last weekend

14 highlights from 2012

Another year to remember in STLprep sports

By Earl Austin Jr. Of The St.Louis American

It was another great season of high school sports in the St. Louis metropolitan area. As we move forward and prepare for 2013, it is time to look back at what was a memorable 2012 season in high school athletics.

Senior Jamesha Howard and freshman Jordan Jennings were a big part of University City’s first state championship in girls track. Senior forward Jordon Granger led McCluer North to its second consecutive Class 5 state championship in boys basketball.

McCluer North goes back to back: The McCluer North Stars won their second consecutive state title in boys basketball by defeating Nixa 69-62. It marked the Stars’third state championship in six years and fourth Final Four appearance under head coach Randy Reed. After the graduation of AllAmerican B.J. Young, the Stars rallied around a group of nine seniors led by Auburn-bound forward Jordon Granger and stellar guard Galen Brown.

Emmonnie Henderson: The 6’2” junior two-sport star has brought the Edwardsville girls athletic program to new heights. Henderson led the Tigers to the

INTHE CLUTCH With Ishmael H.Sistrunk

JORDANBOMBS WITH BOBCATS

Though it seems like ancient history, Michael Jordan once owned the NBAand every single player in the league. Kids and adults adorned #23 jerseys, stood in sneaker lines that would make iPhones envious and sang how they wanted to “be like Mike.” Fast-forward a mere 15 years and “His Airness” now owns the worst team in basketball, with minimal respect and an uphill battle to regain legitimacy in a sport once synonymous with his name. As today’s biggest stars jockey and jostle to bring home a championship, it’s ironic to see Jordan’s extreme futility. As the majority owner of the

Ishmael H. Sistrunk

Charlotte Bobcats, MJ watched his team finish 759 for the worst winning percentage of alltime (.106). To make matters worse, despite winning 14 less games, the Bobcats lost out in the league’s draft lottery when Charlotte’s old team, the New Orleans Hornets, leapfrogged them to claim the number one pick in the 2012 draft. With that pick, the Hornets are

expected to pick all-world Kentucky player Anthony Davis, who summoned his furrowed brow power to lead the Wildcats to a NCAA Championship in his freshman season. With the top pick, Jordan’s choice would’ve been automatic. Without it, in order to make a sensible pick Jordan will have to rely on his basketball IQ, which depreciated the moment he traded his basketball shorts for pinstripe suits. Let’s re-examine just a few not-so-brilliant Jordan frontoffice decisions: Drafting Kwame Brown #1 overall in 2001

INSIDE SPORTS

With Earl Austin Jr.

If you are looking for a little weekend sports entertainment, you might want to check out a St. Louis Surge women’s basketball game. The Surge are members of the Women’s Blue Chip Basketball League (WBCBL). They play an exciting brand of basketball. The girls run, press and play up-tempo for the full 48 minutes. So far, the results have been very successful as the Surge are currently 4-1 and averaging close to 90 points a game. In their last game, the Surge dominated the Chicago Steam 99-57 in a home game played at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. The crowds have been big and very energetic at Surge games. The Surge have two more home games coming up in the month of June. They will play again on Saturday night against Indy’s Finest at 7 p.m. They will then return to action at UMSLon Sunday, June 17 to play the Illinois Shooting Stars at 3 p.m.

The Surge roster is filled with several former prep stars from the St. Louis metro area. The threeguard trio of Rita Adams (East St. Louis/Kentucky), Keri Koch (Elsberry/Missouri State) and Jordann Plummer (Cardinal Ritter/Drake) is exciting and dynamic. Team owner Khalia Collier has managed to fortify the ranks by adding some more outstanding talent from the area. Former area standouts Shakara Jones (Francis Howell Central/Mizzou) and Jaleesa Butler (Vashon, Alton/Georgetown) are professional players overseas who are in town for the summer playing for the Surge. Also in the mix is former Incarnate Word standout Bianca Beck, who played at SEMO.

Hill stands out

Belleville East standout basketball player Malcolm Hill has been selected to play in the National Basketball Association Players Association Camp next week in Charlottesville, VA. The camp features more than 100 of the top high school players in the country. The 6’6” Hill is playing this summer for the Southwest Illinois Jets. Elite Barnett

Junior basketball standout Jordan Barnett of

Earl Austin Jr.

Michael Jordan,who once owned the NBA,now owns the worst team in basketball,with minimal respect and an uphill battle to regain legitimacy in a sport once synonymous with his name.

See INSIDE, B5

Photo by Wiley Price

Photo by Wiley Price

CLAIB’S CALL

With Mike Claiborne

Life afterLakers isn’t so bad

The NBAConference Finals have been more than what the doctor could have ordered.

Mike Claiborne

Yes, the playoffs can survive without the Lakers. With the young talent that Oklahoma City is displaying and a coach who lets players play, this team has been a hoot, especially against a oncethought-invincible San Antonio Spurs team that steamrolled everyone in getting to the Western Finals.

The NFL is going to find every zebra on two legs that is not housed in Forest Park to officiate games.

To see the likes of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook as new faces of the league is comforting. They give good interviews, show high basketball IQ’s and the fact that they have elected not to use their bodies as tattoo billboards is not a distraction. Being folically challenged myself, I am almost all in on the James Harden beard which could become a convenient place to store his car keys soon. The Thunder and Spurs actually run plays. They play defense, make adjustments and, yes, they can score. The winner of the NBAfinals will come out of the West this season.

Now before you Miami Heat frontrunners get worked up, let me remind you that

CLUTCH

myself,I am almost all in on the

could become a convenient place to store his car

Continued from B3 YOU are front runners. Oh yeah, Lebron and DWade. I think the Cleveland Cavilers that Lebron was on when they lost to the Spurs in

ï Trading a prime Rip Hamilton for Jerry Stackhouse

ï Hiring Sam Vincent and Paul Silas

ï Firing Larry Brown the year after he lead the Bobcats to its only playoff appearance

ï Not resigning Raymond Felton or Tyson Chandler after the aforementioned playoff run

the Finals are better than this bunch. No doubt they finish on the fast break as well as anyone and, yes, Lebron is the league’s best player, but this is

Word around the league is also that Jordan’s inner-circle is full of “yes” men. As a player, #23 performed his best when he was challenged. When the lights were the brighest, opponents were toughest or when a player or coach was foolish enough disrespect Jordan in an interview,

a team that has a lot of shortcomings. They are having a tough time with a broken-down Boston Celtics team. Celtics

he literally rose to the occasion. If there is indeed no one to push him to achieve frontoffice excellence, it may explain why he has seemingly become the Kwame Brown of front office execs – lazy and listless. Now Jordan finds himself at somewhat of a crossroads.

coach Glenn Rivers is doing a masterful job keeping the Celtic team in this thing.

As for excitement, you can always count on the fourth quarter run by both teams. The home team with the blessing of the referees will have the last run. That is what they draw up at half-time, I guess. If there is one flaw about the playoffs it has to be the flopping and the shoddy officiating. It seems like all sports are having a tough time finding a few good men to officiate the games. The NBAis in dire need, but then again I get the feeling that it has become more accepted than what it should be.

In any event, the playoffs have been more than entertaining. Too bad it is winding down. Then again, all good things must come to an end.

When will it stop?

Another chapter of the book entitled “The NFLCan’t Get Out of Our Way” is being written. This chapter is now about the officials and the possible lockout.

Let’s see, what has has happened since last year?

We have had the owners lock out the players for 100 days. The players again took a bad deal.

Terrible officiating haunted the league week in week out.

Because of the condensed training camp, a huge rash of injuries league-wide watered down the game even more.

“Bounty Gate.”

Holdouts.

Law suits.

Concussion issues that have spurred more lawsuits.

Now the labor issues with the officials, where the NFLis threatening to use replacement officials.

You are kidding, right? The

After setting the record for futility and firing yet another coach, the Bobcats find themselves in a familiar position. While they failed at landing the #1 pick, the team should still be able to land an impact player with the second overall pick. Team General Manager Rich Cho was a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s frontoffice staff in 2007 when it drafted Kevin Durant. Cho is seemingly using the Thunder method of attempting to build through the draft. Of course, he and Jordan will have to make the right decisions (and get a little lucky along the way) to be successful.

most powerful league in the world is having its officials wanting more of the the billion-dollar pie and the NFLis responding with replacements?

This group will come from retired officials and other retreads. So what does that leave? Mathews-Dickey League guys, refs in the arena league and the new women’s league. Perfect! The league is going to find every zebra on two legs that is not housed in Forest Park to officiate games – games that they have stressed will be more safety-conscious. You know, protect the players from themselves.

Yep, this league has bigger problems that continue to grow, and some slob is panting about when training camp starts and “Save our Rams.” Really?

No pity parties, please

In case you have not noticed, the Cardinals hit a bit of a speed bump recently. They have been struggling and, yes, losing.

While I am not one to push the panic button this early, I am not one that would like to host a pity party. This is the big leagues, and big leaguers should perform like big leaguers. Yes, the injuries have been a setback, but that also means someone else has a chance to be a difference-maker. If that person is not on the bench, then it will be time to look around for him. While it is not a buyer’s market now, you will have to make a wish list at some point on what you want and another list on who you would be willing to part with. Again, there is time as we have yet to approach Flag Day. That’s when the season really starts for the Cardinals.

As the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, MJ watched his team finish 7-59 for the worst winning percentage of all-time (.106).

Hiring a quality coach is even more important. Brown is the only good (and relevant) coach Jordan hired, but even he had a reputation for short stays. The Bobcats need to do and pay whatever it takes to bring in a quality

coach who can bring consistency, confidence and culture change to a team down in the dumps. Several candidates have reportedly talked to the world’s greatest shoe salesman about the position, including Jerry Sloan, Patrick Ewing, Lakers’assistant Quinn Snyder, Nate McMillian and a host of other coaching candidates. Jordan and Cho need to make the right choice to return the franchise to its brief era of respectability. If they flop, Jordan’s legacy of greatness may be permanently damaged. It would be a shame to see Jordan, the greatest and mostdominating player in history, remembered by the next generation as the horrible owner with the cool shoes instead superhuman player who routinely shook defenders out of them.

Being folically challenged

James Harden beard which

keys soon.

Senior Durron Neal of DeSmet was one of the many outstanding receivers in the St.Louis area who will be attending a big-time college football program next season.

Continued from B3

IHSAClass AAstate championship game in basketball for the first time, where they finished second to Chicago Whitney Young. In the spring, Henderson led the Tigers to their first state title in track and field as she set new state records in winning the shot put and discus events.

CJ runs wild: Sophomore Charles Jones of Cardinal Ritter College Prep set the Missouri State Track and Field Championships on its ear with a spectacular performance in the 800-meter run. Jones clocked a winning time of 1 minute 49.96 seconds, which was a new Class 3 state record and one of the best times in the country this season. Jones also anchored the Lions’ 4x400- and 4x800-meter relay teams to state titles and state records.

Year of the Receiver: It was a tremendous year for wide receivers in the St. Louis area during football season. We witnessed tremendous performances from athletes such as DeSmet’s Durron Neal (Oklahoma), Parkway Central’s Brandon Shepard (Oklahoma State), Kirkwood’s Mike McHugh (Northwestern),

Ladue’s Jehu Chesson (Michigan) and Soldan’s Paul McRoberts (Southeast Missouri State).

Hazelwood Central dynasty: The Hawks won their third consecutive Missouri Class 4 state championship in track and field. Hazelwood Central used a team effort to edge Suburban North Conference rivals McCluer and McCluer North for the state title.

U-Time!: The University City girls won their first state title in track and field when they ran away with the Missouri Class 3 championship. The Lions bombarded the competition with athletes in several events as they scored 66 points. Senior Kayla Heidelberg was one of the individual stars for U. City throughout the season.

Soldan Tigers: In their third try in the Final Four, Soldan broke through to win the Missouri boys Class 4 state championship in boys basketball. Coach Justin Tatum’s veteran crew of nine seniors overwhelmed the competition en route to the school’s first state title since 1981. Seniors Paul McRoberts, Randy Holmes and Partice Sanders led the way.

Valentine’s Day: Hazelwood East star track athlete Tianna

Valentine finished her career as one of the top sprinters in the history of the state of Missouri. Valentine won the 100-meter dash for the third consecutive year in a blazing time of 11.51 seconds. She followed up by winning the 200meter dash in a state record time of 23.71 seconds.

Donnell doubles his pleasure: Senior Donnell Walker of Parkway South enjoyed a senior year to remember as a double-state champion. Walker won the Missouri Class 4 state title in wrestling in the heavyweight class when he upset defending state champion Evan Boehm of Lee’s Summit West. Walker followed in the spring by winning the Class 4 state title in the shot put at the state meet in Jefferson City.

The Adams Family: Led by the dynamic junior Whitney Adams, the Francis Howell Vikings won the Missouri Class 4 state championship in girls track. The diminutive speedster won the 400-meter dash and anchored the 4x400meter relay to a dramatic victory to clinch the state championship by one point.

Mr. and Ms. Show-Me Basketball: Cameron Biedscheid of Cardinal Ritter and Taylor Manuel of Incarnate Word were the toast of basketball in the state of Missouri as they garnered state Player of the Year honors. The 6’8” Biedscheid averaged more than 30 points a year while Manuel’s displayed allaround excellence in leading IWAto a third-place finish in the Class 5 state tournament.

Cahokia Track: The Cahokia boys track and field dynasty continued as they won their second consecutive Illinois Class 2 state championship. Led by coach Leroy Millsap, the Comanches have won six state championships in the past eight years.

Cheyenne: Affton High senior Cheyenne Hoerr enjoyed a spectacular day at the Missouri Class 3 girls state championships. Hoerr won four gold medals to lead Affton to a second-place finish in the team standings. She won the 100meter high hurdles, 300-meter low hurdles and 100- and 200meter dashes.

Cleveland Commands the State: Cleveland Naval Jr. ROTC celebrated its first state championship this spring when its boys track team won the Missouri Class 2 state championship. The Commanders had an elite group of sprinters, led by junior Michael Wells and hurdler Dominic Ball to win the state title by one point.

The three-guard trio of Rita Adams of East St.Louis/Kentucky,Keri Koch of Elsberry / Missouri State and Jordann Plummer of Cardinal Ritter/Drake (all in the front row) makes the St.Louis Surge an exciting and dynamic team to watch.

The Surge are currently 4-1 and averaging close to 90 points a game.In their last game, the Surge dominated the Chicago Steam 99-65 in a home game played at the University of MissouriSt.Louis.

Team WITTS Elite wins tournament

Congratulations to the Team WITTS Elite boys 14U basketball team on

championship of the Nike Memorial Day Classic in Atlanta,GA.WITTS ELITE finished the tournament with a 6-0 record,including a 54-39 victory over The Family from Detroit in the championship game.Back row,left to right:Corey Frazier, coach,Xavier Sneed,Jontae Huntspon,Will Gladson,Jayson Tatum.Front row,left to right:Warren Davenport,Jordan Barnes,Derrick Henderson,Ishaiah Williams, Tarkus Ferguson,Ryan Johnson,coach.Not pictured are Reggie Crawford, Christian Willis,Courtney Barlow,Jacob Stoecklin,Karon Randolph,Roman Young,Nick Cacciarelli and Mark Thornhill.

Photo by Wiley Price

Photo:L.D.Ingrum Gallery & Studio

Organizations that have reported to have awarded contracts to MBEs that together represent over $275M.Front Row (left to right):Monsanto Company (Daphanie Pointer),Washington University in St.Louis (Leah Merrifield), MSD (Ramona Dickens), BJC (Marvin Johnson),Harrah's Casino (Jessica O'Neil).Back row (left to right): Missouri University of Science & Technology (Ted Ruth),The Boeing Company (Ron Hancock),McCarthy Building Companies (Monica Bailey),Lumière Casino (Josh McLeod),Ameren (Dennis Weisenborn).

BUSINESS

Continued from B1 of networking in the exhibit hall.

“It would have taken months for me to see all these companies,” said Michael B. Kennedy, president of KAI Design & Build. “If you’re an MBE and you’re not part of this conference, you’re crazy. I’m seeing the heads of corporations – true decision-makers here. Business is getting done today.”

The same goes for corporations, said Mark Graham, director of the supplier diversity for Express Scripts.

“You need this kind of forum to connect corporate and minorities businesses,” Graham said. “Since it’s a local event, it’s impacting the local community.”

Juliette H. Campbell, owner of Juliette’s Interior, said she learned about several upcoming opportunities for minority businesses, including construc-

tion at the Arch, BJC’s Kingshighway renewal and new casino hotels. Campbell has been attending the conference for several years as a minority business enterprise (MBE) owner.

“It’s a starting point,” she said. “If you continue coming every year, you watch your company grow and see new companies come in.”

Corporations and organizations can grow minority business while still reducing their capital budgets, said Dennis Weisenborn, vice president of supply services at Ameren, during his presentation in the corporate sessions.

“Minority and small businesses are key drivers of our economy right now, and we can’t do enough to support their efforts,” Weisenborn said.

Cockerham agreed that it doesn’t cost more to hire minority companies. In fact, minority firms often bid lower, he said. Where small companies get stuck is with bonding and contracts that delay payment. With some contracts, the

contractors don’t get paid for 90 to 120 days. Small companies can’t afford to front materials and subcontractors for that length of time, he said.

To overcome this barrier, BJC pays these companies sooner and tries to find them opportunities to bond, Cockerham said.

Marquis Miller, vice president of field operations for the National Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc., spoke at the event’s luncheon. Benjamin Akande, dean of the George Herbert Walker School of Business & Technology and professor of business and management, kicked off the welcome breakfast.

In a letter to the council and conference attendants, Governor Jay Nixon said, “I appreciate your dedicated efforts to increase the amount of dollars spent with minority vendors, while helping member corporations develop and maintain the highest quality diversity-procurement programs.”

Financial Focus

By Roger Macon, AAMS

Congratulations to Alexis Welch,

Popping the question in Paris

Congratulations to Alexis Welch, the future Mrs. Amare Stoudemire

The New York Knicks Captain popped the question to long-time girlfriend and mother of his three children on Saturday June 2 while vacationing in Paris, France. According to family and friends the groom to be designed Alexis’ 8.5 carat engagement ring with LA celebrity jeweler Shayan Afshar. Amare popped the question while the couple overlooked the Eiffel Tower outside of their penthouse at Le Meurice Hotel Belle Etoile Royal Suite. St. Louis family and friends say a 2013 wedding is planned. Best wishes!

Happy 60th Birthday (May 14) to P. Michele Berry (Wells Fargo). Michele celebrated her birthday with gal pals at the popular Bricktops restaurant in Frontenac. A weeklong celebration, this was the first of several including a couple of surprise luncheons and dinners. Friends on hand included Debbie Clymer Sheryl Pruitt Kemba Logan, Kathy Donahue, Martha Ballantine and Judy Stith. Later in the week Michele caught up with Duann Willis, Joyce Robinson and Judy Vaughn for more fun and laughter. Missing in action was #1 granddaughter Ella Michele Lamothe (Los Angeles) who sent greetings via video. Ella promises to be here for Mimi’s next birthday.

NFL Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk teams up with Lumière Place Casino and Hotels to Host the First

Adding mingle to the catwalk

STL Mixxer Exchange mixes style, fashion and cosmetology stars

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

“My business partner and I travel out of town for classes,” said Patricia Moore, STL Mixxer Exchange co-creator. “But we can build a platform and we can get those companies to come here.” On Saturday, June 9, Moore’s Reflections Makeup Artistry and D. Harper Facebeats will present stylists, fashion designers and makeup artists collaborating on

West African Festive

The West African Dance troupe Afriky Lolo performed Monday during the 21st Annual St. Louis African Arts Festival in Forest Park. The festival recreates an African village atmosphere that exposes culture through educational and entertaining activities.

Photo by Wiley Price

the Mixxer Exchange. hosted by Dwight Stone and Fox 2’s April Simpson.

“The event itself will be edgy, colorful and high-energy,” Moore said. “We have a lot of people who

n Instead of ripping the runway, the models will rub elbows with guests and artists – creating the possibility for networking opportunities among the pretty faces.

are passionate, eager and focused on their talent and very driven. Educators who love talking about the industry will be there as well.”

See MINGLE, C4

By Chris King Of The St. Louis American

Friday, June 15-17, the Neighbors of Fountain Park will partner with Centennial Church and comedian/promoter Eric Rivers to mix up some consciousness, community, entertainment and worship at The Fountain Park Juneteenth Celebration. Alderman Terry Kennedy has the consciousness thing down. “The Fountain Park Juneteenth Celebration is one of the major St. Louis observances of the historic ending of chattel slavery in America. It is important

that this date is not forgotten for it marks a significant turn in the political affairs of America,” Alderman Kennedy said. Juneteenth is a mashup of June 19th. It commemorates the date in 1865 when the last of the slaves in the former Confederacy were freed in Texas.

Fountain Park is the place to celebrate it in St. Louis.

“Fountain Park holds the only statute of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a public park in St. Louis,” Kennedy said. “These residents felt that this park would be an

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

In five days I will be 36 years old.

I’m not looking for birthday wishes, but thank you very much.

n “Oh, so what you saying? You want to be like your friend and end up with Morgan Freeman?”

So I’m now facing a situation in my life that I assumed was at least 10 years away, and I’m not sure – well, the truth is I’m absolutely certain I don’t know how to deal with it. I believe to my soul somebody is trying to make me their cougar. I thought it was just me, but when I was out last weekend a second opinion has confirmed what I knew to be true. Already? I still have nearly a week before my late thirties officially stare me in the face! Anyway, this tender, all of 24 years old, I see out all of the time has been going out of his way to get in my face to for about six months. Three months ago I was starting to think it was more to it than him trying to pick my brain about “this industry,” which has been his pitch to get the two of us to “hang out.”

“Girl, he’s a cutie,” said a friend also who moseyed over to say hello and caught him in the act. “What’s up with that?”

“Oh, yeah, he’s single too, you want me to hook y’all up?” I responded.

“I was talking about for you, girl,” she snapped back. “He didn’t even notice me for real.”

I decided to try and brush it off, but she was not having it.

“Oh no, he steps to me all the time and I think it’s work-related,” I said. She didn’t bite.

She said, “If he steps to you all the time, it might be a little bit work-

Local Rivers Boyz, Two Legit and Y.N.P., Yung N Rekklace (above) will perform Saturday at The Fountain Park Juneteenth Celebration, a weekend-long event.

SINGLE, C4 See POTPOURRI, C4

Dana G. Randolph

the future Mrs. Amare Stoudemire.

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

Thur., June 7, 8 p.m., The Pageant hosts Childish Gambino (Donald Glover). 6161 Delmar, Blvd., 63112. For more information, call (314) 7266161.

June 8 – 9, Jazz St. Louis and Wells Fargo Advisors present Erin Bode. Jazz at the Bistro, 3536 Washington Ave., 63103. For more information, call314-289-4030 or visit www.jazzstl.org.

Fri., June 8, 9 p.m., L.L.C. Back TogetherConcert Show. The Ambassador, 9800 Halls Ferry Rd., 63136. For more information, call (314) 495-5974 or (314) 869-9090.

Sat., June 9, 7:30 p.m., St. Louis Symphony presents Sounds of New Orleans: A Tribute to Louis Armstrong 718 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 534-1700 or visit www.stlsymphony.org

Sat., Jun. 9, SuperJam 2012 featuring Young Jeezy, Diggy Simmons, Elle Varner, Miguel, MasterPand more, Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. Visit www.hot1041stl.com for more information.

Tues., June 12, 6 p.m., Twilight Tuesdays feat. Wendell Brown: Tribute to LutherVandross. Missouri History Museum, Lindell and DeBalivere in Forest Park. For more information call 314-

746-4599 or visit www.mohistory.org.

June 15 – 16, Jazz St. Louis and Wells Fargo Advisors present Tim Cunningham Jazz at the Bistro, 3536 Washington Ave., 63103. For more information, call314289-4030 or visit www.jazzstl.org.

Fri., June 15, 8 p.m., Gateway Men’s Chorus “extrABBAganza.” The award winning Gateway Men’s Chorus will turn the Edison Theatre into a disco palace. Don your ABBAapparel and help us bring back the 70s. Edison Theatre, Washington University, 6445 Forsyth, 63105. For more information, call (314) 289-4169.

Sun., June 17, 6 p.m., VMBB Productions presents The Dramatics feat. LJ Reynolds. The Ambassador, 9800 Halls Ferry Rd., 63136. For more information, call (314) 4564826.

Sun., June 24, 8 p.m., Disco Donnie & Live Nation present Afrojack. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., 63112. For more information, call (314) 726-6161.

Sat., June 30, 8 p.m., The Pageant presents Will Downing. 6161 Delmar Blvd., 63112. For more information, call (314) 726-6161.

Sun., July 15, The Summer Music Festival feat. Maze with Frankie Beverly, Pattie LaBelle, The O’Jays, Babyface, and Tank. Verizon

CALENDAR

Wireless Amphitheatre, 14141 Riverport Dr., 63043. For more information, visit www.ticketmaster.com.

Sun., Jul. 22, 6 p.m., Mindless Behavior with special guests Jacob Latimore and Lil Twist, The Fox Theatre.

Tues., July 31, 7 p.m., Peabody Opera House presents Nicki Minaj. 1400 Market St., 63103. For more information, call (314) 4997600..

local gigs

Jazz on Broadway presents Tim Cunningham. Every Friday through June 8th at 8 p.m. 554 E. Broadway, Alton, IL, 62002. For more information, call (618) 465-5299.

Fri., June 8, 9 p.m., L.L.C. Back TogetherConcert Show. The Ambassador, 9800 Halls Ferry Rd., 63136. For more information, call (314) 495-5974 or (314) 869-9090.

Sat., Jun. 16, 2 p.m., S.L.U.M Fest 2012, ATOMIC COWBOY,4140 Manchester Ave, St. Louis MO 63110. For more

information, call (314) 4428749 or visit http://www.slumfest.com

Through June 25, Missouri History Museum presents Twilight Tuesdays. Free OutdoorConcerts. Lindell and DeBalivere in Forest Park. For more information call 314746-4599 or visit www.mohistory.org..

special events

Thur., June 7, 10 a.m., 5th Ward 8th Annual Job Fair. Bring your résumé and talk to recruiters about immediate job openings. Polish Heritage Center, 1413 N. 20th St., 63106. For more information, (314) 289-9900.

Thur., June 7, The Women’s Committee of Forest Park Forever and the Regional Business Council host the Hiram W. Leffingwell Award Luncheon. World’s Fair Pavilion, Forest Park. For more information, call (314) 367-7275 or visit www.forestparkforever.com.

June 7 – 8, 8:30 a.m. & 2

Registration is required. For more information, call 1-800334-6946.

Sat., June 9, 6 p.m., Dani Harper& Reflections Makeup Artistry present Professional Mixxer. Come mingle with fellow artists and industry insiders. Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar Blvd., 63112. For more information, call (314) 863-5811.

Sun., June 10, 7 p.m., 2nd Annual I’m a SurvivorAll White CancerBenefit & Party. James S. McDonnell Planetarium, 5100 Clayton Rd., 63110. For more information, call (314) 289-4400. Mon., June 11, 10 a.m., 30th Anniversary Lutheran Association forSpecial Education Golf Tournament. Events includelunch, an 18 hole scramble format, cocktails, silent and oral auctions, tournament contests and prizes, tournament gift and an evening hors d’oeuvre dinner buffet. Sunset Hills Country Club, 9555 S. Geyer Rd., 63127. For more information, call (314) 268-1234.

p.m., 24 HourFitness hosts Harlem Globetrotters SummerSkills Clinic. For youth ages 6 to 14. Kids will go behind the curtain to see the magic behind the Globetrotters’electrifying basketball skills and tricks. Participants will also learn about the importance of staying active and eating healthy. 24 Hour Fitness, 215 Arnold Crossing, Arnold, MO., 63010. For more information, call 1(800)-641-HOOPor visit www.harlemglobetrotters.com.

Fri., June 8, 8 p.m., Gateway Area ChapterYoung Professionals hosts Society Night on the Greens. Come for the party alone or join us for a night of golf. We’ll be playing 6 holes with glow in the dark golf balls and equipment. Live music will cover 8 decades of rock & roll, funk, disco, and swing! Highlands Golf & Tennis Center in Forest Park, 5163 Clayton Ave., 63110. For more information, call (314) 781-9020.

Sat., June 9, WOWnational OutdoorRecreation & Conservation School hosts OutdoorDiscovery Day in Forest Park. Experience awesome outdoor activities.

Wed., June 13, 7 p.m., Firefighters Institute for Racial Equality hosts Rolling Out White Party. Skate King, 6100 Natural Bridge Ave., 63120. For more information, call (314) 393-3231.

Fri., June 15, 7 p.m., Wells Fargo Advisors presents A Zoo Ado 2012: Flamingo Fling. Creative casual party benefits the Saint Louis Zoo. Evening includes dinner, live music, dancing, silent auction and more. Reservations required. Ages 21 and up only. St. Louis Zoo, One Government Dr., 63110. For more information, call (314) 781-0900.

Fri., June 15, 10 p.m., Firefighters Institute for Racial Equality hosts Rolling ForBackstoppers. The Jazz Loft, 3112 Olive, 63103. For more information, call (314) 393-3231.

June 15 – 17, The Doctorate Group presents St. Louis Greek Weekend. Greeks young and old” will come together and make new acquaintances, network and celebrate during this eventfilled weekend. Over $4000 will be rewarded during the weekend. For more information, visit www.stlgreekweekend.com.

Fri., Jun. 15,, 5:30 p.m., St. Louis City of NAACP hosts

The Contemporary Art Museum presents Oliver L.Jackson.See ART for details.

their Annual Freedom Fund

Dinner: “Affirming America’s Promise.”

Renaissance Grand Hotel, 800 Washington Ave., 63101. For more information, call (314) 361-8600 or (314) 367-8739.

Sat., June 16, 6-Mile Fun

Ride with Ronald McDonald. Bike around Forest Park to support families of seriously ill children. St. Louis Community College at Forest Park, 5600 Oakland Ave., 63110. For more information, call (314) 932-4132.

Sat., June 16, 8 a.m., Firefighters Institute for Racial Equality hosts Roll Out Remembrance. Motorcycle ride in remembrance of the fallen Police, Fire, and EMS workers. Skate King to Forest Park, 6100 Natural Bridge Ave., 63120. For more information, call (314) 393-3231.

Sat., June 16, 2 p.m., St. Louis Underground Music Festival 2012. The biggest Hip Hop Festival in the Midwest is going down again with a 12hour celebration. With over 60+ local artists performing, 11 DJ’s spinning and setting the mood, a slew of graffiti artists doing live displays, and more. Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester Ave., 63110. For more information, call (314) 442-8749.

Sun., June 17, 7:30 a.m., GO!

St. Louis All-American 5K & Fun Run. This 5k race (3.1 miles) & Fun Run (1-Mile) promises to be pure AllAmerican fun, complete with Apple Pie and Ice Cream, and is open to all ages and fitness abilities. Kirkwood YMCA, 325 N. Taylor Ave., 63122. For more information, call (314) 727-0800

literary

Thur., June 7, 6 p.m., Julia Davis Public Library will host authorDr. Tullia Brown Hamilton, author of Up From Canaan. 4415 Natural Bridge Ave., 63115. For more infor-

mation, call (314) 206-6779 or visit www.slpl.org.

Thur., June 7, 7 p.m., Schafly Public Library will host author Laura Moriarty author of The Chaperone. 225 N. Euclid Ave., 63108. For more information, call (314) 206-6779 or visit www.slpl.org.

Thur., June 21, 7 p.m., Schafly Public Library will host author Ellen Abramson author of Live to Dance. 225 N. Euclid Ave., 63108. For more information, call (314) 206-6779 or visit www.slpl.org.

Fri., June 29, 9 a.m., KMOX and Fontbonne University Book Club host author Janet Evanovich. Best known for her numbered series of thrillers, starting with “One for the Money” starring Bounty Hunter Stephanie Plum. Now, this New York Times best-selling author turns to “Wicked Business” in the latest installment of her Lizzy and Diesel series. KMOX’s Charlie Brennan will interview live at this event. Stages St. Louis, 111 S. Geyer, 63122. For more information, call (314) 3676731 or visit www.kmox.com.

comedy

Sat., June 16, 7 p.m. & 9 p.m., Lumiere Place Casino & Hotels hosts Eddie Griffin 999 N. Second St., 63160. For more information, call (314) 881-7777.

theatre

Through July 1, Stages St. Louis presents Ain’t Misbehavin’. The swingin’ nightclubs of 1930s Manhattan come to life in this musical revue. 444 Chesterfield Ctr., 63017. For more information, call (314) 821-2407 or visit www.stagesstlouis.org.

Jun. 11, 7 p.m. The Black Rep will present a staged read-

ing of a new comedy, HALLELUJAH ANYWAY! By Luther Goins. The reading is free and open to the public. Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square. For more information, call (314) 534-3807.

Sun., Jun. 17, 3:30 p.m. & 6 p.m., WHO KILLED THE CHURCH? The Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. Visit www.whokilledthechurch.com

Through Jun. 17, 8 p.m. Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents Othello Shakespeare Glen in Forest Park (Fine Arts Drive).

arts

Through June 10, The Contemporary Art Museum presents OliverL. Jackson, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, 3750 Washington Ave. For more information, visit www.camstl.org.

Fri., June 15, 6 p.m, “The Third Dimension” Exhibition Opening Reception. The exhibition runs June 15 – July 20. Sculptures of all shapes, sizes, media and forms will be on display. Foundry Art Centre, 520 N. Main Center, 63301. For more information, call (636) 255-0270 or visit www.foundryartcentre.org.

Lumiere Place Casino & Hotels hosts Eddie Griffin.See COMEDY for more information.

health

Sat., June 16, 7:30 a.m., Epilepsy Foundation of Missouri & Kansas hosts Seize the Day Epilepsy 5K Run/1 mi. Walk. $20 adult registration fee; $5 children’s registration fee. Kirkwood Train Station, 110 W. Argonne Dr., 63122. For more information, call (314) 781-4949 or visit www.seizetheday.kintera.org.

lectures

Mon., June 11, 5:30 p.m., The 2012 Boeing Distinguished Guest Lecture in International Business welcomes H.E. Choi, Young-Jin. John Cook School of Business, Saint Louis University, 3674 Lindell Boulevard, 63108. For more information, call (314) 977-3898.

Through Jun. 15, 9 a.m., Intensive with Michelle Jarvis, Michelle Jarvis, Associate Dean and Professor of Dance at Butler Jordan College of Fine Arts leads this ballet intensive for high intermediate and advanced dancers (ages 14-22). COCA, 724 Trinity Blvd. For more information, visit www.cocastl.org

Saturdays (Jun. 16 – Aug. 11), 8:30 a.m., College Tutors hosts Free ACT Practice Test. College Tutors will proctor this simulated examination for students to learn what they can expect on the college admission tests. Students must pre-register forthis test; space is limited. College Nannies & Tutors, 5988 Mid Rivers Mall Dr., 63304. For more information and to register, call(636) 926-2681.

Fri., June 22, 6 p.m., Caliente forthe Cure 2012 Zumba Fitness Event. 2-Hour Zumba®Fitness Event where 1005 of the registration fees goes directly to the Susan G Komen for the Cure St. Louis Affiliate®. There will be raffles, door prizes, vendors, tshirt sales & special guests. Simon Recreation Center, SLU Campus, 3639 Laclede Ave., 63108. For more information, call (314) 724-7283.

Sat., June 23, 6:30 a.m., Wells Fargo Advisors presents The 14th Annual Susan G. Komen St. Louis Race for the Cure. Raises funds for the local fight against breast cancer, celebrates breast cancer survivorship, and honors those who have lost their battle with the disease. Seventy-five percent of the net money raised stays in the St. Louis community to fund breast cancer screening, treatment, education and support programs. The remaining 25 percent goes toward breast cancer research. Downtown St. Louis, Market St. and Tucker Blvd., 63190. For more information, call (314) 569-3900.

Sat., Jun. 23, 10 a.m. 13th Annual Charles Drew Commemorative Blood Drive, Omega Center, 3900 Goodfellow St. Louis, MO 63120. For more information, call 1-800-RED CROSS.

Sat., June 30, 10 a.m., The St. Louis Walk to Defeat ALS. Teams and individuals can register. There is a 1 and 3-mile route, but participants do not need to walk the entire

route to participate. Visitor Education Center, Forest Park, 5595 Grand Dr., 63112. For more information, call (314) 432-7257 or visit www.walktodefeatals.org.

Sat., Jun. 30, 9 a.m., Our Journey of Hope: Free CancerMinistry Training, Breakfast, lunch and snacks provided, Washington Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, 3200Washington Blvd. RSVPby May 30, 2012 to Phone: (314) 533-5374 Or Email: washtabernacle@att.net

Sat., July 28, 9 a.m., Sickle Cell Stroll. Registration is free; $20 donation gets a Walk T-shirt. Upper Muny Parking Lot in Forest

Through June 21, Entry deadline for TOPSCREEN FILM FESTIVALCONTEST, July 4, 2012 showcasing Christian student and non student/professional or amateur film shorts (films 30 minutes or less) that reflect values such as: Love, Peace, Faith, Joy, Goodness, and in some way tells a spiritually inspiring story that appeals to the human spirit. Visit www.topsdachurch.org for entry details (click on “TOPSCREEN FILM FESTIVAL” tab)

Blair is the Next Promgirl Blair

Blair Branch is representing for the Metro East in the 2012 Are You The Next Promgirl Campaign Hosted by Next Model Management and Bakers Shoes. Blair has a passion for modeling and has the hopes of receiving the grand prize of a modeling contract with Next Model Management NYC

MINGLE

Continued from C1

It’s a networking thing to boost St. Louis as a trade capitol.

“We have so much talent here in St. Louis. My ultimate goal is I want artists to unify and work together. If we work together we can be successful.”

Shi Salon, J. Marie Fashions, RSVD Boutique, Daisha Putman, Reflections Makeup Artistry, Theory Makeup, Shay Chaunteia and Adorned Clothing will contribute to Moore’s mission.

The Mixxer adds the mingle concept to the catwalk. Instead of ripping the runway, the models will rub elbows with guests and artists – creating the possibility for network opportunities among the pretty faces and allowing guests to get up close and personal.

SINGLE

Continued from C1

related, but trust – it ain’t really 100 percent about the gig. And the way he was looking at you, I was expecting him to bust out singing. ‘I may be young, but I’m ready.’”

Help.

“If he serenades me with that selection, not only is he not interested in me but he’s not interested in anyone with my kind of chromosomes,” I told her. “Besides, he’s a toddler –and if he’s trying to get at me starting out from a work tip, I would feel so used.”

The relentlessness was nonstop.

“Oh, so what you saying? You want to be like your friend and end up with Morgan Freeman?” she said. “Girl, if Hugh Hefner wasn’t in his line of work the only blonde bombshells that would be

among many other prizes. Please help her dream come true by voting for her at http:// areyouthenextpromgirl.com/ vote/.

She is currently featured in Bakers Shoe Stores Spring 2012 Look Book and has modeled in Professional Touch Hair Shows.

Moore said, “The Mixxer will be an eye opening experience – letting everyone know that we have these people in St. Louis and letting the people see them in action.” Proceeds from the event will benefit Safe House, an organization that aids survivors of domestic abuse.

“It’s a perfect partnership,” Moore said, “because they bring out the inner beauty of the women they serve by helping them get back on their feet and become successful.”

She said guests who are not necessarily in tune with industry trends should come out and experience the mixer.

“Even if you’re not ‘into fashion,’ people should still come out and see something you’ve never seen. It’s like someone who’s not necessarily a fine artist and goes to exhibit – chances are you will see that one painting that takes your breath away and you really love,” Moore said.

brushing up against him these days would be his physical therapist. Men do that mess all the time.”

Hugh Hefner – to me at 35.99 years of age. It was really insensitive – and borderline low-class – but she was trying to prove a point … I guess.

“He just graduated college. When I graduated college, he was in the second grade,” I said. “I don’t feel like I would be okay dating someone who I could have biologically given birth too.”

I moved to wrap it up.

“I don’t even know why we’ve talked about this for as long as we have, because this is strictly a work-related friendship in passing,” I said. “Even if you’re right, more than likely he wants someone that can teach him a thing or two about being in a relationship. I cannot. And I don’t think I have the patience for us both to learn at the same time. Look at the time. I have three more spots to hit before

“We are going to have everything for you. You’re going to see things that range from GQ Magazine to W Magazine, from fun and colorful to couture.” Guests will have one-of-akind access to beauty, hair and fashion that range from classic timeless styles to hot summer trends.

“Everything we see in other cities, I’m inspired and aspire to build that in our city,” Moore said. “And I think The Mixxer is a great opportunity to build relationships and ideas – and help each other.”

The Mixxer Exchange will take place this Saturday at the Regional Arts Commission (6128 Delmar). The cocktail hour will take place from 6–7 p.m. and the event begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 in advance and $10 at the door. For advance tickets and more information, visit http:// mixxerexchange.eventbrite.com.

the night is out.”

She finally conceded.

“I see you’re trying to ease on out of this, so I will let you,” she said. “Since you love to use work as an excuse FOR EVERYTHING, I’m going to give you something to think about – wouldn’t you love to actually discuss an actual firsthand dating experience in your column? Here’s your chance.”

“But then wouldn’t I be using him?”

“Not if you like him too … which you obviously do or we wouldn’t have talked about it for this long. But I see what you’re doing, and I’ll let you carry on. But you seem like the one who needs to learn something AND grow up in the game. You sound like you’re in middle school.”

She really gave me something to think about. As far as acting on it, well … I’d say we’ll see, but I don’t want make a liar of myself.

POTPOURRI

Continued from C1

Lumière Golf Classic on June 10 and June 11, 2012. Marshall, circa Greatest Show on Turf is looking forward to hosting fellow celebrities here in Rams town. A few confirmed are Eric Dickerson Marcus Allen, Bruce Smith and Vince Coleman The tournament will take place Sunday June 10th and Monday June 11 at Stonewolf Golf Club, a Jack Nicklaus signature course. Sunday shotgun start is 1 p.m.; Monday shotgun start is 10 a.m. For more information or to purchase foursomes contact Amit Dhawan –Managing Partner – Synergy Productions – 314-7064080. Marshall says he is passionate about the game of golf and looks forward to a fun-filled but competitive weekend on the course. The Black Rep will present a staged reading of a new comedy, Hallelujah Anyway! By Luther Goins on June 11 at 7 p.m. The reading is free and open to the public. Linda Kennedy Artistic Associate at The Black Rep, will direct the reading at Grandel Theater, and the cast includes Marsha Cann Thomasina Clark Vivian Watt Autry Jackson, Blaque Pearl, Rosetta Keaton Curtis Lewis, Tom Wethington and Terell Randall Atty. Joan K. Miller recently returned from a

JUNE

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appropriate location for a celebration that marks the ending of slavery for African Americans – for Dr. King stood for justice.”

The Neighbors of Fountain Park are bringing the community services.

“The Neighbors of Fountain Park are committed to bring about change and create awareness and connect people with resources that are available,” said Clint Potts, Chairman, Neighbors of Fountain Park.

“We’ll have several community agencies out, like Beyond Housing, Planned Parenthood and

Bannister and miss everyone in St. Louis.

trip to Northhampton, MA and Boston. MA. Joan began her three-year term as Chair of the Network of Alumnae Admission Coordinators at Smith College last month. The position also makes Joan a member of the board of the Alumnae Association at Smith. Joan found the meetings productive also stayed for the school’s celebrated Ivy Day where she met Thelma Golden, class of ’87(Chief Curator and Director – The Studio Museum –Harlem). Another notable alumnus in attendance was Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, the Emmy and Oscar awardwinning Pakistani-Canadian journalist and documentary filmmaker. Sharmeen won an Emmy for her documentary, Pakistan: Children of the Taliban in 2010. N’Goundo Magassa (St. Louis), class of ‘10 also returned to Smith for the weekend. While in the area Joan

the mammogram mobile to empower our people, and also educate them about Juneteenth.”

Eric Rivers wants to entertain the people.

“I’ll have our hot local artists that are on the radio now,” Rivers said. “I’m gonna have Rivers Boyz, Two Legit and Y.N.P., Yung N Rekklace.” DJ Ice T, a female DJ, will spin.

Centennial Church, a prominent 100-plus-year-old congregation, will spark the worship with morning worship services in Fountain Park from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 17, Father’s Day. Free gifts will be given to all fathers, and Karen Hylton will lead in song.

“Centennial Church’s outreach ministry partners

made it a priority to visit with former St. Louisans (Uncle and Aunt) Dr. Frank and Ruth Gordon Richards Frank and Ruth moved to Boston in 2010 to live near daughter Susan Richards Wyndham Bannister and Hubby Gordon Bannister. A fun-filled reunion, the family enjoyed a great lobster feast at Legal Seafood. Joan says Frank and Ruth miss everyone in St. Louis, especially sister Marion Gordon Miller. Don’t they look great! Attention Jazz Aficionados…. Dear Diz (Every Day I Think of You) is Arturo Sandoval’s exceptional

with the community to do this work,” Potts said, praising Pastor Derrick L. Perkins and musical director Larry Kent for “tremendous support.” Friday, June 15 is sort of an opening night from 5-7 p.m., with a few guest speakers like Alderman Kennedy. Saturday, June 16 is the big show with activities scheduled from 1-7 p.m. Sunday, June 17 is the Father’s Day Tribute and worship service. The Fountain Park Neighborhood is bounded by Martin Luther King on the north, Delmar on the south, Walton on the east, and Kingshighway on the west. For info, contact Clint Potts, Chairman, Neighbors of Fountain Park at 314-4434081 or cpottssped@yahoo. com.

Dr. Frank and Ruth Gordon Richards. moved to Boston in 2010 to live near daughter Susan Richards Wyndham

Branch

Presenting and Preserving African American Culture in Museums

The Saint Louis Art Museum will convene nationally renowned scholars, artists, art professionals, and art collectors in our city July 12 through July 15. As hosts of the 12th National Alliance of African and African American Art Support Groups (NAAAAASG), the Art Museum invites art supporters and art connoisseurs to join us for Navigating the Mainstream: Learning from the Past, Looking to the Future.

The conference will serve as a forum to discuss both the successes and challenges of the constantly evolving African and African-American arts field. A wide variety of perspectives and topical conversations will be considered in presentations by more than 25 distinguished scholars and internationally celebrated artists. In addition to the panel presentations and speakers, conference participants will tour several art institutions and the home of a private art collector. Discussions will examine best practices for collecting, interpreting, presenting, and preserving our cultural heritage in mainstream museums.

The National Alliance Conference (NAAAAASG) is dedicated to the promotion of African and African-American art through support groups in museums by unifying and empowering members to create and shape how diasporic cultural art is viewed, collected, and valued. Headquartered in Washington, DC, previous NAAAAASG conferences have been held at several museums to include, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Milwaukee Museum

of Art, and the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts, NY.

The Alliance Conference is also in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Saint Louis Art Museum Romare Bearden Graduate Minority Museum Fellowship. Established in 1992, this fellowship aims to prepare minority graduate students for work in museums and cultural institutions. Several fellows have continued on to successful careers in the arts, thereby contributing to the rich legacy of African-American scholarship, creativity, and education. The long term goal of the program is to build a pool of talented young minority professionals to work in art museums, galleries, and arts organizations, as well as in universities. The Fellowship, named for African American artist Romare Bearden, was established with a gift to the Museum from Dan and Adelaide Schlafly, frequent donors to the Museum and great supporters of education and equal opportunity in the St. Louis community. We encourage you to be a part of this historic event and participate in discussions to conserve African American art and culture in mainstream museums throughout the country. For a full listing of conference details and to register, please visit http://www.slam. org/Bearden2012/ We encourage you to take advantage of our early bird registration by June 12, 2012. Contact Renee, renee. frankin@slam.org or 314-655-5437 if you have any questions about the conference or the many other programs sponsored by the Saint Louis Art Museum.

For more information and a complete listing of programs at the Saint Louis Art Museum, please visit www.slam.org.

Bridgette Alexander White House Art Advisor

Radcliffe Bailey Artist

Dr. Bridgette Cooks Assoc. Prof of Art History, U of CA, Irvine

Dr. David Driskell Prof of Art Emeritus, U of Maryland

~ CELEBRATIONS ~

Miss Black Missouri

I

Congratulations

Diana Emuge

Reunions

All reunion announcements can be viewed online!

Hadley Tech Classes of “6263” will be celebrating their 50th class reunion at the Marriott Hotel St. Louis Airport, October 12-14, 2012. For more information contact: Hellon Jefferson at 314-3073681, Virdell Stennis at 314773-8177 or Wilhelmina Baker at 314-588-0779.

Kinloch Reunion; June 29, 30, July 1, 2012 at St Louis Renaissance Hotel. For information contactBernice Noah Fortune 314-303-9618.

Northwest High School Class of 1972: Friday, July 20, Rooftop Party, 7 pm at Moonrise Hotel on Delmar in the Loop. No cover, open to public, food/drinks on your own. Saturday, July 21, Mount Pleasant Winery in Augusta, MO. Bus leaves at 1 pm ($25) from Signature Room parking lot, 9006 Overland Plaza, Live band at 5 pm, Dinner ($45) at 6 pm with music by classmate Billy Tyler. Wine tasting at your own expense. Call “Wine” at 314-420-7301 for more information.

O.N.R.I Wanted: New mem-

bers to join Old Neighborhood Reunion, Inc . Streets: Cass, Elliot, Garrison, Glasgow, Leffingwell, Madison, Sheridan, The Huts. Call 3822038, 660-9981 or 534-2282.

Soldan All Class Alumni Picnic 2012; Alumni from Soldan/Blewett , Soldan, Soldan International; August 18, 2012, 10 a.m.—6 p.m. at Blanchette Park, 1900 W. Randolph St., St. Charles, MO; Food/Music/Prizes/Memorabili a; Adults $15 / Children $8 (412); Tickets can be purchased at Legacy Book / Cafe’, 5249 Delmar (at Union); 314-3612182; Visit Website: http://www.70cos.org/. Everyone is welcome.

Soldan All Class Alumni Picnic Committee 2012 pres-

Happy 90th

Wishing Annie B. Bullock a very Happy 90th Birthday on June 9, 2012! From your family and friends! We love you!

Birthdays

Tristen Bailey (3) — June 11

Ken Davis — June 11

Michelle Davie — June 13

ents Jazz Brunch; Saturday, June 16, 2012, 10am—2pm; Legacy Book and Cafe’, 5249 Delmar (at Union); Brunch Tickets $15/$20 at door; for ticket info: please call 3612182 or VisitWebsite: http://www.70cos.org/.Hosted by 70’COS (Class of Soldan).

SumnerHigh School Class of 1952 will hold its 60th class reunion August 10-11, 2012 at the Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel. We would like to hear from all graduates. For more information, contact: Mary McCauley at 314-3835017 or email mmccaul8@sbcglobal.net.

SumnerClass of 1964 Reunion Committee sponsoring a Nite at the Races at Fairmont Park, Sat. July 14, 6-

Kinloch Honors Pastor

On June 16, 2012 Rev. Earbie Bledsoe, Sr. will be honored by the City of Kinloch by a portion of Monroe Ave being renamed in his honor. Rev. Bledsoe has been the pastor of Devotional Missionary Baptist Church, 5744 Monroe Avenue in Kinloch, for 41 years.

10; Leaving Buzz Westfall Plaza at 6pm; first come first served for transportation. cost $45.00 includes buffet at the track and entry; money orders only made payable to Class of 64 and send to PO Box 8204, St. Louis, 63156. Contact Fannie Rogers (Clark) 3554337.

SumnerClass of 1992 planning group is getting ready to celebrate their 20th Class Reunion on July 20, 21, 22, 2012. For more information contact Karen Pickensat (314) 378-8270, Patricia Matz at(314) 6104343, Melissa Baylarckat (314) 276-3262or Joe Westbrook at (314) 2655631 for questions.

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

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

Archbishop Carlson, Suggs, MERSGoodwill president among honorees

American staff

Last Tuesday the Ecumenical Leadership Council held A Very Special Evening of Recognition in the Grand Ballroom of the Ritz Carlton Hotel.

Distinguished leadership awards were given to Robert J. Carlson, the Archbishop of St. Louis; Donald M. Suggs, publisher of The St. Louis American newspaper; Dr. Lewis C. Chartock, president of MERSGoodwill; Terry Nelson, Executive Secretary-Treasurer Carpenters’ District Council of Greater St. Louis and Vicinity; and Rev. Wallace S. Hartsfield, pastor emeritus of Metropolitan M. B. Church in Kansas City.

“We recognize the giants in our midst – those who have made significant contribution towards the improvement of the lives, faith, employment, and betterment of the citizens of St. Louis, Kansas City and the entire state of Missouri,” the Ecumenical Leadership Council said in a statement.

The invocation was given by Bishop James Stewart, and the benediction provided by the Rev. Tommie Pierson.

The keynote speech was provided by Judge Jimmie Edwards, presiding Family Court judge and founder of Innovative Concept Academy, which targets dropouts from St. Louis Public Schools and other at-risk city youth.

Welcoming remarks were offered by Bishop Lawrence M. Wooten, president of the Ecumenical Leadership Council, U. S. Senator Claire McCaskill and Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay. A proclamation by Gov. Jay Nixon was read.

NCCU Summer Youth Computer Camp

North County Churches Uniting for Racial Harmony and Justice (NCCU) is sponsoring its second Summer Youth Computer Camp this year, and it will be offered from June 20-July 20, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at John Knox Presbyterian Church, 13200 New Halls Ferry Rd., Florissant.

Students entering grades 6 through 10 will be accepted. The program will include training of how to build a computer, use software, and upon completion students will be given a free computer. Registration fee is $60 but may be waived for those who receive approved scholarships. The first 20 applications received will be accepted into the program.

“Last year we were able to accept only 10 students due to the cost; however, we had many more apply,” said Rance Thomas, NCCU President. “This year we have been able to secure funding for up to 20 students, therefore we are able to double the number of students accepted into the program. Applications must be submitted by June 10. Please call 314 921-7364 to obtain an application.

InspIratIonal Message

Don’t look right now, but there is someone who is dead set against you and your spouse enjoying a good marriage. I’m talking about someone who is very evil, powerful and devious. I’m talking about God’s main foe and the enemy of your soul. I’m talking about Satan.

Now perhaps you’re saying, “What’s so special about my marriage that the devil himself is out to destroy it?” Here’s the bottom line: Your marriage is to reflect God’s creation and your family is to reflect God’s joy, and this is the reason the devil is out to destroy it. It is extremely important that you guard your heart and your marriage from the devil’s ongoing attacks and assaults.

essence of how God wants to be in relationship with us. God wants your marriage to paint a true picture. He wants your family, neighbors, co-workers, etc. to see how you humbly serve one another and say, “Amazing!” So this is what it means to serve God. No wonder the devil wants to destroy this image by ruining marriages or at the very least from keeping your marriage from becoming all it can be.

The Ecumenical Leadership Council is composed of leaders in predominantly African-American church denominations. Collectively they represent over 120 churches throughout St. Louis, St. Louis County and Kansas City. Their goals include providing a path for economic and political empowerment for the AfricanAmerican population, as well as building bridges with other faiths including Catholics, Jews and Muslims.

A portion of proceeds from the dinner benefitted St. Louis Transitional Hope House.

“NCCU is committed to promoting understanding between individuals and social justice within North County,” Thomas said. “Of course, this includes providing opportunities for our youth to succeed in their efforts in school and in the community.”

Children’s Ministry Annual Day

Southern Mission Baptist Church, 8171 Wesley Ave. in Kinloch, will host its Children’s Ministry Annual Day 8 a.m. Sunday, June 10.

Solomon’s love poem illustrates the kind of relationship God wants for you and your spouse. Song of Solomon 6:3 says, “ I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.”

This is what your marriage is supposed to look like: a husband and wife totally devoted to one another. When you love your spouse sacrificially and unconditionally, according to the guidelines of scripture, and when he or she loves you the same way, you are modeling for all to see the

One of the devil’s primary weapons is the godless culture we live in. Yes, we refer to the United States as a Christian nation, but we must be honest and admit that there is certainly a lot going on in America that is working against the health and success of our marriages. If you fail to guard against these subtle and sometimes blatant influences, then this world will drain the vitality and passion from your marriage. Some of these influences include but are not limited to the messages in media, the lives of the prominent and famous, other people and spirits of division. We are in this world for now. But as Jesus said, “We are not of this world any more than He is of this world.” The distractions are strong and plentiful. But guarding love is the way to make it through together. Get on guard!

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

Molly Yvonne Redding

The Rev. Douglas Parham of the Ecumenical Leadership Council with leadership awardee Donald M. Suggs publisher and executive editor of The St. Louis American newspaper.

Photo by Maurice Meredith

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

D.C.-based think tank recognizes STLagencies

American staff

From talks by U.S.

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to references by St. Louis’own Regional Chamber and Growth Association, one of today’s hot topics in education is the decreasing rate of college graduation despite the increase of college attendance. Despite the fact that college attendance has increased considerably over the last three decades, the proportion of students who complete college has decreased.Internationally, the United States’college completion status is plummeting –over the past three decades the U.S. has fallen from first to twelfth in completion rates among 36 developed nations.

The news is even bleaker for students from impoverished backgrounds: just 1 in 10 lowincome students graduate from college by age 24.

Despite the dim outlook, there is hope for real change.

Right here in St. Louis, local nonprofit organizations College Bound and Boys Hope Girls Hope were two of 10 organizations recently selected out of a national pool of nearly 400 by the Educational Policy Institute for having thorough evidence that their programs are impacting college completion. Educational Policy

Institute (EPI) is a major international nonprofit research corporation based in Washington DC.

After an intensive sixmonth study, EPI recognized College Bound and Boys Hope Girls Hope for their outstand-

ing strategies and programs, which now can be studied and replicated by other organizations nationwide to improve college completion. The results are published in ABlueprint for Success: Case Studies of Successful Pre-College

Outreach Programs – the second of two reports by published by EPI with support from TG. The first was the 2012 National Directory of Pre-College Programs, based on a large-scale national survey conducted by the EPI in 2011.

Historically, postsecondary institutions were considered the only stakeholders who could impact college completion, but in recent years college access organizations such as College Bound and programs like that of Boys Hope Girls Hope have taken on the critical role of helping students reach this goal.

The EPI study concentrated on programs whose work is specifically with students from low-income families – the population of students most underrepresented in U.S. higher education and most likely to drop out. The programs selected for the study demonstrated proven strategies and methodology and showed excellent outcomes. The study revealed common practices and strategies capable of being replicated and scaled by hundreds of access programs nationwide. The findings can also contribute to policy recommendations at the state and federal level.

Boys Hope Girls Hope was selected for this study in part for its long-term approach –children generally enter the program between the ages of 9-11 and remain part of the program until completing college – and for its success rate.

Since 1991, 100 percent of children completing the program have gone on to pursue higher education. Once enrolled in college, between 88 and 94 percent remain enrolled in college throughout the course of the academic year: a dropout rate more than 30 percentage points lower than the national average.

“This is extremely important for Boys Hope Girls Hope,” says Julie Allen, Boys Hope Girls Hope’s Chief Academic Officer. “It’s external validation of our methods and practices. It means that an outside evaluator is saying, ‘This works. This is effective.’” College Bound was recognized for its long-term, wholechild approach to college access and success.College Bound students typically enter the program at the end of their ninth grade year and remain until they graduate from college.College Bound provides a year-round curriculum that includes career exposure, community engagement, test preparation and academic enrichment so that students not only get into college, but also graduate from college.Since its founding, 100 percent of College Bound students have matriculated into college. The students who started with the program in 2006 are beginning to graduate from college this year and 75 percent are on track to graduate within 6 years – the same rate as students from the highest income families.

“College Bound is very proud to be part of a report by such a distinguished research group as EPI,” says Lisa Orden Zarin, College Bound Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “We hope that our outcomes and dissemination of our practices will expand the vision of not only who can attend college but also who can impact college completion rates.” For further information about Boys Hope Girls Hope, please contact the National Office at 314.298.1250 or visit www.boyshopegirlshope.org. For further information about College Bound, please call 314.361.4441 ext. 112 or visit

Local nonprofit organizations College Bound and Boys Hope Girls Hope were two of 10 organizations recently selected out of a national pool of nearly 400 by the Educational Policy Institute for having thorough evidence that their programs are impacting college completion.

College Bound, Boys Hope Girls Hope influencing college completion

Celebrity Swagger Snap of the Week

Super Jam 2012. Y’all already know that it’s going all the way down on Saturday. Already? It seems like only yesterday I was sipping on a $35 slush with my heels kicked up taking in Ludacris’ latest hits (peep the side read). Y’all know I know it’s on its way for real…because the folks have been hittin’ me up worse than those ADT security telemarketers trying to get the hookup on some tickets. And why do y’all all start your Super Jam beg campaign with the old “I got some lawn seats…but…?” You just opened the door for me to say “But what? Enjoy the show. You’re lawn seats will be a better view than anything I can swing your way. All I can offer is a via satellite. And when I say via satellite, I mean putting my cell phone on speaker and letting you listen until my battery threatens to get low.”

But back to my point. Super Jam is goin’ down this Saturday and the folks have bought all of the strapless wide leg print pantsuits at every clothing establishment from here to Pontoon Beach in preparation to prance up in the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre looking like they are “about that life.” I’ve come to the conclusion that it doesn’t even matter who the acts are anymore for most of the ten thousand or so that will be piling in. But just to make sure y’all know they’ve got everything from urban alternative soul to down home trap music. Elle Varner, Jeezy, St. Louis’ own Fresco Kane, Diggy Simmons, Wale,…did I say Jeezy and plenty more. I know the masses will be there for Jeezy and Diggy, but my sole purpose in life on Super Jam day is to rub up against Miguel. I live for that cutie pie cat face…so much so that I’ve requested a complimentary clothes burn as a part of my media credentials. What? It’s no harm in asking. They have some scattered seats left, so be sure to get your tickets.

Constant Coliseum. I finally made my way over to the all-new Coliseum to hear Foxy 95.5’s DJ Kut tear it up for the grown folks on Friday evening – and by evening I mean 6:30 p.m. a.k.a midday for the thunder cats right. Anyway, I ate good and got one of the best throwback spin sessions I’ve had in a long time. The thing I love about the new spot (at the corner of Jefferson and Washington) is the layout. The simplicity of it means that some of y’all won’t risk your lives after sipping until you stumble – and eventually tumble. A couple of these places designed for sheer sexiness have shamed some folks as they try to climb and maneuver through. I can tell that the Coliseum will be one of my regulars as I make my rounds.

2nd level First Friday. I was really making my rounds on Friday, and y’all know I had to stop through and show Fred and Harry (two of my favorites) some 1st Friday love. They had it at Brenan’s and I was too out of breath after climbing that stairway to heaven to say hello! It was snug as a bug in a rug up in there, but the beauty and baller ratio made up for any bruising my bosom may have endured from trying to maneuver my way around.

Coliseum: The nightcap. Even though I love to say I told you so, even I didn’t expect to be heading back to the Coliseum twice in one day. But it’s obviously what’s hot on these streets. I went to an empty boots event and was going to charge my night to the game, and on my way towards the highway I saw that the block was hot (in a good way) with folks on their way in and decided “why not?” It was a whole different energy, and an entirely new crowd. While the grown and sexy crowd had left the building, the fresh faces were in full effect! I had a blast all over again.

Soul Survivor. It would be enough for me to kick it with Orlando “Pretty Boy” Watson for his second annual I’m A Survivor All White Party. But him adding Carl Thomas as the featured entertainment took the party’s “official can’t miss” status to a whole ‘notha level (yes, I said notha). I have to jack 50 Cent and say I love Carl Thomas like a fat kid loves cake. And as a former fat kid, I know how serious that statement is. I hope he will re-incarnate his curly texturizer so that I can fully relive my “So Emotional” moment. And to top it off the party is for the worthy cause of fighting cancer. It’s going down at the James S. McDonnell Planetarium (i.e. the white building that looks like a spaceship) on Sunday. Doors open at 7 p.m.

Get into Got Lyrics. That’s right, it’s going down TONIGHT (as in Thursday) at the InSpot! Corey Black, one of my poetical emcee delights, will be stepping to the mic as the featured artist and I’m willing to bet that on the strength of him that it will be standing room only up in there. Doors open at 8 p.m. and the show starts at 9:30 p.m.

A sad face moment. I must bid a heartfelt farewell to Jeff Small who left KSDK last week. I’ve been meaning to call and get more details –but I promise that I will let y’all know what he has on deck. I really hate to see the faces of our homegrown talent go, but I know bigger and better things are in store for Jeff. Hopefully I’ll still see him serving the latest styles on the scene in these streets Oh yes, don’t let the suit fool you…he serves. I also want to bid farewell to Courtney Gousman, who has also moved on from Channel 5. I have a feeling she’s still salty with me, but I still wish her the best. Happy B-days in order. Believe it or not, it was one of my new year’s resolutions to make sure I give birthday shout outs to people at least twice a week. Six months in is as good a time as any to get started, right? Whatever. Well, I’m doin’ it. Some Stevie Wonder-style happy birthday high notes are in order for Abe From Starpower (May 31), the lovely Miss Kira Van Niel (June 6) , Hot 104.1’s Staci Static (June 5), our own Lawrence LB Bryant (June 5) and PR princess Latonya Spencer (June 6) so far. Send me a note to dshante@ stlamerican.com and if space allows, I’ll be sure to shout you out as well. Send me your b-day shout out by Monday morning before the next week’s edition and I’ll see.

Michael and Star Friday night @Forever Fly Fridays @ The Loft

Lovelies Allie and Sharida couldn’t help but be a part of the 1st Friday festivities @ Brennan’s

Brittany, Lonell and Amanda were among the beautiful faces @ 1st Friday June edition @ Brennan’s in the CWE

Cousins Desiree, Janae and Domonique get it in for girls night @ The City for A-List Fridays

Coliseum owner Chris Little, Foxy 95.5’s Dj Kut and Dj Fred Dee were all smiles about the hottest new happy hour going down every Friday @ The Coliseum

Forever Fly’s Hollywood and Bell where the hosts with the most Friday night @ The Loft

Briana and Tina were in the mix getting their weekend started @ Forever Fly Fridays @ The Loft

Rochelle and Stacy were among the crowd that had the all new weekly Foxy 95.5 Happy Hour cracking Friday @Coliseum

Dj Nune and Thelonius Kryptonite kept the crowd hype with their DJ/live band combo Friday night @ Lola

Photos by Lawrence Bryant

2Million2Many educates on osteoporosisrelated bone breaks in adults, age 50+

The National Bone Health Alliance (NBHA), a public-private partnership with 42 member organizations, is urging a simple solution to a big problem: if it’s 50+ fracture, request a test, a call-toaction for the NBHA’s new public and healthcare professional education campaign – 2Million2Many.

The campaign reflects the two million bone breaks that occur in the U.S. each year that are caused by osteoporosis and urges the public and healthcare professionals alike to take action and request a test for osteoporosis when someone age 50 or older breaks a bone. Despite the fact that 50 percent of osteoporosis-related repeat fractures can be prevented with existing treatments, only two in 10 initial bone breaks get a follow-up test or treatment for osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by weakened and fragile bone tissue leading to an increased chance of breaking a bone, is the most significant bone disease in America. More than 40 million people either live with or at risk of developing osteoporosis and breaking a bone.

“The sad reality is that the vast majority of patients over age 50 presenting with their first bone break are not tested for osteoporosis, placing them at the highest risk to suffer another bone break which could cause severe debilitation or even death,” said Robert Lindsay, M.D., Ph.D, chief of Internal Medicine, Helen

Hayes Hospital, professor of clinical medicine, Columbia University and chair, NBHA2Million2Many Project Team. “If we do not make major strides to intervene and tackle this problem, it will only get worse. The number of annual fractures is expected to swell to around three million and cost the health-

care system $25 billion per year by 2025; hence NBHA’s ‘20/20’vision to reduce the incidence of bone breaks 20 percent by 2020.”

Bone mass in older adults equals the peak bone mass achieved by age 1825 minus the amount of bone subsequently lost. Peak bone mass is determined largely by genetic factors, with contributions from nutrition, endocrine status, physical activity and health during growth. Lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking alcohol to excess, and inadequate physical activity cause or contribute to osteoporosis and bone breaks. Low calcium intake and vitamin D deficiency also play a role.

One in two women over age 50 will suffer a bone break caused by osteoporosis in their lifetime, as will up to one in four men. The NBHAreports the number of bone breaks per year caused by osteoporosis exceeds the incidence of heart attack, stroke and breast cancer combined.

For more information, go to www.2Million2Many.org.

Researchers in Washington University in St.Louis are trying to determine why some people are resistant to developing obesity-related metabolic diseases and disorders (like diabetes and high cholesterol) while others are not.

$3,500 foroverweight participants to eat theirway through study

By Sandra Jordan

Of The St.Louis American

When more than two-thirds of persons living in the U.S are overweight and obese, why would researchers pay people who are already fat – big bucks to pack on more pounds?

For the sake of medical science, of course, but it’s really not that simple. Specifically, researchers in Washington University in St. Louis are trying to determine why some people are resistant to developing obesity-related metabolic diseases and disorders (like diabetes and high cholesterol) while others are not.

It’s meant to improve treatment of obesity and complications of obesity.

“There are some very large people who don’t get diabetes; they don’t get high blood pressure; they don’t have abnormal lipids; they’re metabolically completely normal,” said Samuel Klein, M.D., principal investigator of the study. “And some of them can be very, very obese – why is their body able to resist this excess weight when other people with a little bit of weight gain get all the complications of obesity?”

Researchers are hoping the results of the study could lead to better therapies to break the link between obesity and

unhealthy metabolic function.

Fast food is on the study menu for several reasons.

“Fast foods are popular; we know what’s in them … one hamburger made in one place at one day is similar to another hamburger at another place,” he said.

Because fast foods are mass produced, there is certainty in the nutritional content of the items.

“We know the calorie content of these foods more than you would if you went into a restaurant, for example and ordered a pizza or a hamburger in a restaurant. These are very carefully regu-

lated stuff,” Klein said.

Five fast food restaurants are selected for the study.

“It is McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Burger King,” Klein said.

Eating the fast food is in addition to other foods normally eaten. They want participants to gain at about 5 percent of their starting body weight – but there will be no whole hog pig outs.

“We actually supervise them by our dieticians because the increase in the calories that they eat is not just anything

See STUDY, page 5

Photo courtesy of Ozioma News service

School climate can affect overweight children forlife

With childhood obesity rates reaching unprecedented levels, there is increasing concern that bullying at school may be part of the blame.

Researchers at Oklahoma State University and the University of Arkansas studied 1,139 first-graders in 29 rural schools where obesity risk is especially high. Specifically, they tested their hypothesis that obese and overweight children are more disliked than their classmates by directly asking children as young as six years old.

Each child was weighed and measured so that body mass index score (BMI) could be calculated; this information was used to classify each child as having healthy weight or being overweight or obese. Children were then shown photos of their classmates and asked how much (on a 1-to-3 scale) they liked to play with each child, and the researchers calculated a score for each child representing the average of their classmates’ratings. Asimilar procedure was used to determine how the teachers perceived each child’s acceptance by the other kids in his or her classroom. According to both the children’s and teachers’reports, both overweight and obese children were significantly more disliked than healthy-weight children.

“It is important to remember that these children are only in first grade! So children with weight problems are experiencing a negative social environment very early in their educational experience,” the researchers concluded. “This is significant because other research shows that children who are rejected or unhappy in school have trouble learning.”

Researchers suggested one reason some children’s weight problems increase with age: if overweight children are disliked at school, they may be less likely to play actively on the playground, during physical activity classes, and after school. They may also be more likely to engage in emotional eating as a way to cope with feeling bad at school.

Obesity prevention programs should start very early, the findings suggest, and should involve peers, not just the overweight children themselves. In this case, it may take a classroom.

This study was funded by the United States Department of Agriculture.

HEALTH BRIEFS

Fish oil could be therapy forperiodontal disease

Periodontitis, inflammation of the tissue surrounding the teeth, affects more than half of adults and is linked to an increased risk of stroke and other heart problems. To evaluate whether fish oil supplementation could be an adjunct therapy for periodontitis, Dr. Alison Coates from the University of South Australia and colleagues from the School of Dentistry at University of Adelaide in Australia reviewed evidence from eight unique studies that involved humans.

Their review of these studies showed that improvements in clinical measures were common in all studies, but were scientifically significant in two that used a combination of fish oil and aspirin. Although this is not conclusive evidence, intake of fish oil is recommended for health benefits beyond the teeth.

“I would recommend that people ensure they have a sufficient intake of long chain omega-3 fatty acids in their diet for general health,” said Coates. “In Australia, these types of fatty acids are considered to be essential with ~500 mg recommended as the suggested dietary

target. This equates to approximately 2 fatty fish meals per week.”

There are no serious dangers to consuming fish oil. At high levels of fish oil above the GRAS limit, people may experience a delayed clotting time and at very high doses potential gastric upset. If people are taking blood thinning medication, then they should consult with a doctor.

The group reports that the evidence for fish oil being effective in reducing periodontal symptoms is building but there is a need for more well designed studies that evaluate the supplement both alone and in combination with aspirin to be able to tease out whether fish oil by itself is effective. It is important that compliance to treatment is considered and that the dose and length of supplementation is appropriate. A clinical trial is underway in Australia that is investigating the effects of fish oil as adjunct therapy for periodontitis.

Eating fish, chicken, nuts may lowerAlzheimer’s risk

Anew study suggests that eating foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish, chicken, salad dressing and nuts, may be associated with lower blood levels of a protein related to Alzheimer’s disease and memory problems. The research is published in the May 2, 2012, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

“While it’s not easy to measure the level of betaamyloid deposits in the brain in this type of study, it is relatively easy to measure the levels of beta-amyloid in the blood, which, to a certain degree, relates to the level in the brain,” said study author Nikolaos Scarmeas, MD, MS, with Columbia University Medical Center in New York.

For the study, 1,219 people older than age 65, free of dementia, provided information about their diet for an average of 1.2 years before their blood was tested for the beta-amyloid. Researchers looked specifically at 10 nutrients, including saturated fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, mono-unsaturated fatty acid, vitamin E, vitamin C, beta-carotene,

vitamin B12, folate and vitamin D.

The study found that the more omega-3 fatty acids a person took in, the lower their blood beta-amyloid levels. Consuming one gram of omega-3 per day (equal to approximately half a fillet of salmon per week) more than the average omega-3 consumed by people in the study is associated with 20 to 30 percent lower blood beta-amyloid levels.

Other nutrients were not associated with plasma beta-amyloid levels. The results stayed the same after adjusting for age, education, gender, ethnicity, amount of calories consumed and whether a participant had the APOE gene, a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.

“Determining through further research whether omega-3 fatty acids or other nutrients relate to spinal fluid or brain beta-amyloid levels or levels of other Alzheimer’s disease related proteins can strengthen our confidence on beneficial effects of parts of our diet in preventing dementia,” Scarmeas said.

The study was supported by the National Institute on Aging.

STUDY

Continued from page 3

that they want – it has to be the same proportion of calories in a regular diet … a certain percentage of fat; a certain percentage of protein; a certain percentage of carbohydrate,” Klein explained. “It’s a very-regulated increase calorie intake in that we monitor and instruct them on what they should be eating so that the increased calories have the same distribution of protein, fat, carbohydrates that’s in a normal diet.”

Researchers are willing to pay 40 participants $3,500 each upon completion of the 18-week study.

“We are looking for 20 people who are obese but are metabolically healthy and 20 who are metabolically unhealthy,” Klein said.

“Metabolically unhealthy” in this case means the volunteers may have insulin resistance or evidence of pre-diabetes, not having diabetes, Klein explained.

“Having some evidence of abnormalities in their blood lipids – high triglycerides; low HDLcholesterol; people who also have increased fat in their liver, which is a marker for metabolic health,” he added.

“We have them eat excess calories every day,” Klein said. “Every week they come in for blood tests and medical monitoring, so if there is any evidence of medical harm, we would just stop the study, but this mild weight gain does not cause any medical harm.”

“When African Americans gain weight, they have much less increase in liver fat and in blood lipids, but they have an increased risk of diabetes.”

–

Samuel Klein, M.D.,principal investigator of the study

Volunteers must be between the ages of 18 and 65; who are already obese with a BMI between 30 -39.9; they must not smoke and they cannot have diabetes.

Klein said the study seeks a mixture of participants because they want to study the differences among races.

“Asians, for example, are much more prone to developing diabetes when they gain a little bit of weight.

“When Caucasians gain weight, it seems they have abnormal lipids, abnormal liver fat, high blood pressure and diabetes,” Klein said.

“When Hispanics gain weight, they get much higher abnormalities in their liver and blood lipids than do Caucasians.

“When African Americans gain weight, they have much less increase in liver fat and in blood lipids, but they have an increased risk of diabetes.”

In addition to tests related to the study, the University put participants in a free weight loss program after the study.

“We put them on a very-supervised weight loss program to make sure they’ve lost all the weight they’ve gained, plus more,” Klein said. “And it’s not hard to lose weight when you put it on this way – by forcing yourself to eat extra food. It’s easy to lose weight this way because you’ve gone beyond your normal lifestyle.”

The hard work, he says, is getting them below that weight afterwards.

Klein said they’ve received a huge number of phone calls from people wanting to participate in the study, but unfortunately, most have not qualified to enroll.

“If they have diabetes – they are excluded from the study; if they are on medications to control their blood lipids for example, we exclude them,” Klein explained. “We are taking people that have metabolic abnormalities but it’s very low risk because they don’t have severe metabolic abnormalities – no diabetes, no cholesterol medication.”

Klein says it will take about a year for results to be analyzed and released publicly.

For more information, contact Emily at 314-747-3758, email jenkersone@wusm.wustl.edu or visit vfh.wustl.edu/ currentstudies.

By Denise Hooks Anderson,M.D. Medical Accuracy Editor

Ok. By now, many of you have read or at least heard about Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose DrivenLife. After reading it, I am sure you then started asking yourself: What am I here for? Am I making a difference in someone’s life?

I often ask myself those same questions. I ponder my very existence and the true meaning and purpose of that existence. What am I called to do? How am I to impact my family, friends, and community? Am I fulfilling my mission?

So therefore, I have what I call “introspective moments” during my morning walks. I love to work out in the mornings. For me, there is just something about watching the sun rise while getting your heart pumped up. The brisk air wakes me up much better than a piping hot cup of coffee.

While walking, I sometimes listen to great hymns such as “How Great Thou Art” by Mahalia Jackson. That song allows me to revel at the mere beauty of my surroundings. I marvel at the birds chirping pleasantly in the trees. I notice

Changing a nation

the budding flowers on the bushes. Not to mention the sweet fragrances of spring. What majesty! Have you ever noticed?

So what else do I think about during these times? I think about how many of my family members, co-workers, friends, patients, and church members are sound asleep in their cozy beds. I think about how that same family, friends, patients, and church members may suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and osteoarthritis. I think about all the research that tells us that maintaining a healthy weight and engaging in regular exercise promote longevity and decreases morbidity.

cent of African Americans in Missouri are obese. In addition, blacks have the highest rates of diabetes. And the list goes on and on! It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. ~Author unknown, commonly misattributed to Charles Darwin.

I also think about how tired I am of going to conferences and hearing that African Americans have the poorest outcomes in a host of disease states. Forty percent of African Americans have hypertension, 40 percent of African American women are obese (a body mass index of 30 or greater), and 36 per-

I earnestly believe that as a culture we are at the crossroads of survival versus destruction. We can continue to do things as we have done for generations (cook with the same fatback that grandma used, fry everything we eat, put pork in everything, drink sugar-laden beverages, and believe that we are just “big-boned” people) or we can choose to live an abundant life. Who in their right mind would not choose life?

The blood in our veins is that which originated from an ancestral hierarchy that included individuals who started voting rights marches, individuals who integrated schools, individuals who developed medical devices, and individuals who for years have somehow overcome mounting adversity and oppression.

Now with that information in mind, what do we do now? What will our community do to alleviate healthcare disparities? We have never been a people who sat idly by and watched our communities crumble. Nor can we afford to start now. Each of us has a responsibility. We can make small but vital changes in our homes. We can then extend those changes to our relatives, co-workers, and friends. There was a popular campaign a few years back that said: “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk”. Well, I believe: “Friends don’t let friends eat themselves to death.”

So therefore, I would like for this column to be one of inspiration, hope, knowledge, and perseverance. If you have successfully made some changes in your life: developed an exercise regimen, lost weight, changed your diet, changed how your family eats, developed a wellness program at your church, etc.: I want to hear about it. Email me at yourhealthmatters@stlamerican.com . Your story could potentially be printed. I want us to inspire each other and together we can change a nation!

Yours in service, Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D. Assistant Professor SLUCare Family Medicine

YourHealth Matters

Abi-monthly special supplement of the St. Louis American June 7, 2012

YourHealth Matters provides up-to-date information, from an African-American perspective, about one of the most important subjects in evryone’s life – their personal health.

Donald M. Suggs, President and Publisher

Kevin Jones, Senior Vice President, COO

Dina M. Suggs, Senior Vice President

Chris King, Editorial Director

Denise Hooks Anderson, M.D., Medical Accuracy Editor

Sandra Jordan, Health Reporter

Debbie Chase, Director of Health Strategy & Outreach

Onye Ijei, Barb Sills, Pamela Simmons, Sales

Michael Terhaar, Art/Production Manager

Angelita Jackson, Cover Design

Wiley Price, Photojournalist

S

. LOUIS AMERICAN

Denise Hooks Anderson

Sitting at work all day increases diabetes risk in women

Anew study finds women who spend four to seven hours a day sitting are more likely to show early signs of type 2 diabetes. However, researchers have found no such link in men.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is encouraging all women to take steps to increase physical activity and decrease their risk of developing diabetes.

“The reality for many Americans is that we work nine-to-five jobs and are sedentary most of the work day, increasing our risk for developing type 2 diabetes,” said Jessica Crandall, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy. “The good news is that type 2 diabetes is preventable through maintaining a healthy weight and engaging in physical activity throughout the day, not just after you get home from work.”

The risk is still significant for women even if they engage in moderate or vigorous physical activity after a sedentary day at the office, according to the study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine

“If you have a desk job, fight the urge to be a desk potato and take frequent breaks throughout the day – go for a walk or go to the gym during lunch, and instead of picking up the phone to call a coworker during the day, walk to his or her office to talk,” Crandall said.

She also recommends taking short stress breaks throughout the day.

“During the day, take a brisk tenminute walk, stretch your muscles and stand while you’re on the phone instead of sitting,” Crandall said. “Also, keep the candy bowl off your desk to avoid the urge to nibble for stress relief.”

It is also important to know if you are at an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Risk factors include obe-

sity, physical inactivity, older age, family history of diabetes, history of gestational diabetes or race/ethnicity.

“When you take steps to prevent

diabetes, you will also lower your risk for possible complications of diabetes such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, nerve damage and other

health problems – that’s a big reward for you and your family and friends,” Crandall said. For more information, visit www.eatright.org/womenshealth.

Wed., June 13, 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., CancerSupport Group, May Center at SSM DePaul Health Center. Call 314344-6090 to register or for more information.

Wed. June 20, 8 a.m. – 11 a.m. Heart Screenings at main entrance of SSM DePaul Medical Center. Screen for LDLcholesterol, triglycerides, HDLcholesterol, total cholesterol, cholesterol ratio, blood glucose, body fat analysis and blood pressure for $20. Participants may qualify for a free screening by completing SSM Heart Institute’s online heart disease risk assessment. Register by calling toll-free 1-866-SSM-DOCS (1-866-776-3627) or visit ssmhealth.com/heart.

Wed., June 20, 6:30 p.m., Infant Care Class at SSM DePaul Health Center helps parents with the care of an infant. Topics include: bathing, feeding, nutrition; taking temperatures, immunizations, growth and development. Cost is $15 per couple. Call 314-SSM-DOCS (776-3627) to register.

Sat. June 23, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., American Red Cross 13th Annual Charles Drew Commemorative Blood

CALENDAR

Drive, Omega Center, 3900 Goodfellow. Bring a form of photo ID to present prior to donating. All presenting donors will receive a Rock-n-Roll t-shirt and be eligible to win a Gibson guitar. To schedule an appointment, please call 1-800-RED CROSS.

Sat. June 23, 2012 Komen St. Louis Race forthe Cure 5K or 1 Mile Run/Walkin downtown St. Louis. For more information, call 314-569-3903 or visit www.komenstlouis.org.

Wednesday, June 27, 6:30 p.m.Breastfeeding Class at SSM DePaul Health Center is designed for mothers and significant family members to learn more about breastfeeding. Includes information on how the breast makes milk, establishing a good milk supply, avoiding sore nipples and nurturing the breastfeeding family. Cost is $10 per couple. Call 314-SSM-DOCS (776-3627) to register.

Sat. July 28, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Sickle Cell Stroll 2012, in the Upper Muny Parking Lot in Forest Park in St. Louis. Registration is free; $20 donation gets a Walk T-shirt. For more information, call 314-277-3950, email rbritts@sicklecellassociation.org or visit

sicklecellstroll.com.

Sat. Aug. 4, Lupus WolfRide GranFondo 56 or112 Mile Bike Ride in Columbia, Illinois by Lupus Foundation of America. Registration will be $45 with a minimum pledge of $50. For more information, call 1-8009LUPUS6 or go to wolfwride.com.

Sun. Aug. 5, 1:15 p.m. – March of Dimes “Marching forBabies” at Busch Stadium. The Cards face the Brewers at 1:15 p.m., and a portion of each specially priced ticket sold will support important research and programs that help babies begin healthy lives. Terrace level tickets are $20 and include a free hot dog and soda. All ticket buyers will have an opportunity to participate in an on-field parade. For more information, go to http://tinyurl.com/ForBabies.

Sat. Oct. 27, 9 a.m., Making Strides Against Breast Cancer by the American Cancer Society, Upper Muny Parking Lot at Forest Park in St. Louis. For more information, call 314-286-8159 or visit online at makingstridesstlouis.org.

Sundays, 10 a.m., Alcoholics Anonymous Group 109 meets in the

11th floor conference room at Christian Hospital, 11133 Dunn Road at I270/Hwy. 367. This is an open meeting for alcoholics, drug addicts and their family and friends.

Mondays, 7 p.m., “Tobacco Free for Life” support group – free weekly meetings at St. Peters Mo. City Hall. Supported by SSM Cancer Care; RSVP initial participation to 636-947-5304.

Tuesdays, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., Help fora drug-free life - chemical dependency information meeting. Call 314-839-3171.

Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., STEPS Schizophrenia Support Group

This nationally recognized program provides education and support for those with schizophrenia. Group is facilitated by an experienced STEPS nurse. For more information, call 314-839-3171.

First Thursdays, 10 a.m., Family Support Group by NAMI St. Louis, The Alliance on Mental Illness at the Grace Hill Murphy-O’Fallon Health Center, 1717 Biddle St. No registration needed; no cost. For more information, call 314-962-4670.

HEALTH RESOURCES

Sexual Health

St. Louis County Health Department offers free, confidential testing, counseling and treatment at the North Central Community Health Center, 4000 Jennings Station Road, St. Louis, MO 63121. For more information, call 314-6797800.

St. Louis Metropolitan HIV/AIDS Program offers confidential or anonymous Testing at St. Louis ConnectCare, Suite 203 at 5535 Delmar, St. Louis, Mo. 63112. For more information, call (314) 879-6468.

Respiratory Health

Free lung function screening - Christian Hospital Breathing Center at Northwest HealthCare, 1225 Graham Rd. For more information, call 314-9536040.

Prescription Cost Help

St. Louis ConnectCare Retail Pharmacy – Offers a $4 generic prescription program. Hours are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Mon. – Fri., no weekends or holidays. Located at 5535 Delmar Blvd. in St. Louis, Call 314-879-6208.

Schnucks Pharmacies – now offers certain prescription prenatal vitamins for free and offers no-cost generic prescription antibiotics at select locations.

Wal-Mart Pharmacies – offer select prescriptions for $4 or less for a 30-day supply or $10 for a 90-day supply. View the complete list at www.walmart.com/pharmacy.

Prostate Cancer

The CancerCenterof The Empowerment Network at 6000 W. Florissant in St. Louis provides information on prostate and other types of cancer, and services and support. For more information, call 314-385-0998.

Nutrition

Food Outreach provides food, meals and nutritional education/ counseling to eligible persons living with HIV/AIDS or cancer in St. Louis. For more information, call 314-652-3663 or visit www.foodoutreach.org.

Angel Food Ministries operates in hundreds of churches nationwide and offers heat and serve meals, canned and fresh food boxes at a reduced cost. Find the nearest locations by zip code at www.angelfoodministries.com.

Medical

St. Louis ConnectCare offers walk-in services Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and most holidays. For information, call 314-879-6300.

Salam Free Saturday Clinic, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Isom Community Center at Lane Tabernacle CME Church, 916 N. Newstead, St. Louis, Mo. for those who are uninsured. For more information, call 314-533-0534.

Information

Missouri 2-1-1 offers referral and information on a wide range of social service and helpful resources. Call 2-1-1.

Health Partnerships:

The CenterforCommunity Health and Partnerships: Building Bridges for Healthy Communities works to develop and support beneficial community-academic partnerships to address the health needs of the St. Louis. For more information, email publichealth@wustl.edu; phone 314-747-9212 or visit publichealth.wustl.edu.

Eye Health

Free glaucoma screenings at Myrtle Hilliard Davis Comprehensive Health Center, 5471 Dr. Martin Luther King Dr. St. Louis, 63112 (second floor - Health Education Dept.).Walk-in screenings are Mon. - Fri., 8:00 a.m. to 4:.30 p.m. For more information, call (314) 367-5820 ext. 2259.

Dental

Free Dental Hygiene Clinic - No charge dental exams, x-rays, cleanings and other dental services for children and adults provided by dental students at Missouri College. Patients needing more extensive dental work (fillings, crowns, etc.) will be referred to local dentists. For information, call 314-768-7899.

Can allergies cause high blood pressure?

Q. I have allergies. Could they be the reason I have high blood pressure?

A. Although allergies don’t usually directly increase blood pressure, they can contribute indirectly to high blood pressure in two very different ways.

Decongestants commonly used by people with allergies, such as pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, Actifed, others) and phenylephrine (Sudafed PE), constrict small blood vessels in the nose. Although this eases nasal congestion and improves breathing, the effect isn’t limited to the nose. Constricted blood vessels throughout the body mean the heart must work harder to pump blood. This increases blood pressure. If you take an over-the-counter allergy product, look for one that doesn’t contain pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine. Antihistamines such as cetirizine (Zyrtec), chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), and loratadine (Claritin) can help with the congestion that accompanies allergies and are safer for the heart. Another option is to use a nasal spray, which acts directly on the blood vessels in the nose and has less impact elsewhere in the body.

If your allergies cause nasal congestion at night, they could interfere with your breathing when you sleep. This can promote, or worsen, the type of gasping-forbreath snoring known as sleep apnea, which can raise blood pressure. If you often wake up at night, or if your sleeping partner has noticed that you snore and sound like you choke or gasp for air every so often, talk with your doctor about being checked for sleep apnea.

— Thomas Lee, M.D., Editor in chief, Harvard Heart Letter

Free meals, activities forchildren during summer

By Sandra Jordan Of The St.Louis American

Many children get their best meals at school. Now that school is out, a North St. Louis County church and a private school is providing nutritious meals to school-aged kids over the summer break.

The Summer Feeding Program at Christ Our Redeemer AME Church in Blackjack, Mo. is welcoming all children, youth and teens between the ages of 6-18 for free breakfast and lunch three days per week. Breakfast is served from 8:15 a.m. – 9:00 a.m., and lunch is served from 11:00 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Friday, June 1 through Friday, August 10.The church is located at

13820 Old Jamestown Rd.

No proof of residency or income is required.

Rev. Edmund E. Lowe Sr., pastor at the church, said the program is government-funded based on the number of children eligible for free and reduced lunch at the nearest elementary school. Jamestown Elementary is next door to the church, where Lowe said 68 percent of students are eligible for free or reduced lunch.

“The program is a stop gap for those families who traditionally would have been receiving free or reduced meals during the school year,” Lowe said. “It’s an opportunity for them to still receive lunch and breakfast.”

Each meal includes milk, a grain, a

protein and a vegetable/ fruit.

Children will also be able to keep their learning skills sharp during the summer months. Between breakfast and lunch on Wednesdays at the church, children can participate in story-telling, reading enrichment and math.

“Beginning the third week, we’ll have it every day Monday, Wednesday and Friday,” Lowe said. “The high school students are using this for their community service hours, so this is working out very nicely.”

The feeding program at the church is in partnership with ASAChristian Academy, which is also offering a Summer Feeding Program between 8a.m-9 a.m. for breakfast and 11:00 a.m.12:30 p.m. Monday – Friday.

ASAChristian Academy is located at 8390 Latty in Hazelwood. Between meals, ASAis offering youth a summer sports camp.

“In between breakfast and lunch they can play different sports – basketball, soccer and softball,” said Janet Strickland, head of school.

Volunteers are working both locations and more volunteers are needed.

Calling in advance is preferable, but not necessary if you plan to bring youth to ensure adequate preparation and meal counts.

Contact Christ Our Redeemer AME Church at 314-741-4222 or contact ASA Christian Academy at 314-524-4272.

Multiple myeloma

I’ve neverheard of multiple myeloma until someone in my family was diagnosed with it. What is multiple myeloma?

Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer. It forms when the body makes too many plasma cells. Plasma cells are found in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is spongy tissue in the center of the bone. Plasma cells are an important part of the body’s immune system, which fights infections. When too many plasma cells grow, they form a tumor (cancer growth) in the bone marrow. This type of caner prevents the bone marrow from making enough healthy blood cells to fight infections in the body, carry oxygen through

the body, and develop platelets which help stop bleeding if you get a cut.

One in 159 people will get multiple myeloma in their lifetime in the U.S. Most people are over 65 years old. Men are slightly more likely to get multiple myeloma than women. The disease is almost twice as common among blacks as among whites.

The exact cause of multiple myeloma is not known. However, there is growing evidence that weight may play a role. A recent study found that being overweight or obese increases a person’s risk of getting multiple myeloma. It is not clear why, however.

An important way to stay up-to-date on what is happening with your body is to have regular check ups with a doctor. During check ups, your doctor may order

lab test on the blood or take x-rays which will help you know what is going on in your body and with your blood before there are any problems.

Read about St. Louis resident area resident, Carl Jackson’s cancer journey in the newspaper in June.

Where can I find a doctorand more information about multiple myeloma?

Visit www.siteman.wustl.edu. Also, try our online tool to test your disease risk www.yourdiseaserisk.wustl.edu.

If you need help finding a primary care doctor, visit www.211.missouri.org or call 2-1-1 from most landlines (1-800427-4626 from cell phones).

Visit http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/ hematologic/myeloma/ for information about multiple myeloma.

The Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities (PECaD) at the Siteman Cancer Center is working to eliminate local and regional disparities in cancer education, prevention and treatment through community outreach, research and training. To learn more about cancer or to get involved with the PECaD, call 314-747-4611, email PECaD@siteman.wustl.edu or write to us at SCC-PECaD, Campus Box 8100, 660 S. Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO, 63110. Look for future articles in HealthMatters.

Free carseats, bike helmets for families in need

Thanks to a $123,478 grant from Kohl’s Department Stores to fund the Kohl’s Passenger Safety Program at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center, local families in need will receive 850 car seats and 532 bike helmets, free of charge, this year.

Each week, Kohl’s Passenger Safety Program partners with SSM Cardinal Glennon to give car seats away at three or more community sites. Nationally certified car-seat technicians install the seats to ensure optimal fit. The technicians are also on hand to check for proper installation of car seats that families currently own.

In addition to car seats, the hospital distributes and fits bike helmets at area events, where they use an interactive display called Safety Town to teach bike safety. It is a street grid lined with typical town buildings. Children navigate peddle carts through the streets while being coached to observe street signs and safety rules.

Kohl’s has funded the program since 2006. For more information, visit kohlspassengersafetyprogram.org

How do you know you are obese?

By Sandra Jordan Of The St.Louis American

Many people would like to lose a few pounds, tighten up a few pudgy areas or to have a little more room to tuck in their shirt.

How do you know when being a bit overweight has tipped the scales in the danger zone of obesity?

Most health practitioners use the Body Mass Index, or BMI to calculate whether a body is in the normal range, overweight or obese using a formula that includes weight, height, and sometimes gender and age. Having a body mass index or BMI of 30 or greater is considered obese.

It means a person is taking in more calories than their body burns and those extra calories are stored for future use as fat. If this occurs on a regular basis – you see the effects adding fat on top of fat.

Obesity is a serious public health problem. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says obesity is associated with some of the leading causes of death in the U.S. and worldwide, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer.

Data from the 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from the CDC revealed more than one-third of adults and almost 17% of youth were obese. That’s over 78 million U.S. adults and about 12.5 million U.S. children and adolescents and the numbers haven’t changed much.

Regular, vigorous exercise for 30 minutes a day for most days of the week is a great fat burner. Try turning off the TVs and electronic devices and go for a walk, bike, garden; try walking up and down stairs in your home or walking on the treadmill that’s collecting dust in the garage.

Eat less junk and processed foods and opt for more fresh vegetables, fruits and lean meats and fish.