“The Playscape will be a place for kids to imagine themselves. They can enjoy the beautiful spirits out here.”
–
Larry Thomas, chair
of the Forest Park Forever Board of Directors
Larry Thomas, chair of the Forest Park Forever Board of Directors, and Lesley S. Hoffarth, president and executive director of Forest Park Forever, show the inklings of site preparation for the Nature Playscape that will open in 2020.
By Chris King Of The St. Louis American
Breaking ground on nature would appear to be something only God could do, but on Monday, July 15 Forest Park Forever broke ground on a new feature in St. Louis’ great city park that is made out of nature.
The new Nature Playscape will not open until 2020, but some of its elements are already on view and, in fact, available for interaction. As ground crews are felling trees to open up 17 acres for the new experiential playground, they are leaving the trunks on the ground for later use.
“This is the kind of playground where, instead of having a constructed fort, you would have the logs laying there to play on,” said Lesley S. Hoffarth, president and executive director of Forest Park Forever, which is
Mike
funding the project through donors.
Using a natural space like a park to showcase nature seems a basic idea, but Hoffarth and Larry Thomas, chair of the Forest Park Forever Board of Directors (and a partner at Edward Jones), said the Nature Playscape will be the first of its kind at this scale.
Gardner: ‘We have to protect this university’
By Chris King Of The St. Louis American
When Dwaun J. Warmack said, “I was happy here,” the past tense was startling. Since August 2014, he has led Harris-Stowe State University as its 19th president, and on Thursday, July 11, the university and wider community bid him farewell.
Warmack is off to Orangeburg, South Carolina, where he will lead Claflin University as its ninth president. He acknowledged that Orangeburg (population about 14,000) “is not a destination,” but credited God with his decision without further explanation. To say the least, he was not pushed out. Ronald Norwood, who has chaired the HarrisStowe Board of Regents for the same period Warmack was president, listed Warmack’s many accomplishments. In five years, Warmack spearheaded dramatic increases in student enrollment, retention, graduates and degree programs. Tony Thompson, the Kwame Building Group president who served on the committee that offered Warmack the job at Harris-Stowe, said to him, “You did everything you said that you were going to do.”
The respect Warmack commands in St. Louis’ black community may be judged from the fact that one speaker imagined Warmack in dialogue with Jesus Christ and another compared him to a superhero. James Tyson, vice president of Institutional Advancement at the university, imagined Warmack in a scene from the Gospel of John, with Jesus eliciting from Warmack his devotion to education. Alderwoman Marlene Davis
‘The main goal is to humanize him’
Mike Brown’s father and stepmom work with Activists on memorial art show
By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American
Michael Brown Sr. is unapologetically quiet and
introverted.
“I’m not trying to be mean towards anyone, but sometimes I don’t have anything to say,” he said. His son, “Mike Mike,” was much the same way, he said, and it also made him a “believable” prankster. One day, Michael got a call from his son, telling his father that he had a baby on the way.
“I said, ‘What?!’ and he hung up the phone,” Michael said. “I’m calling him back and he ain’t answering.”
Cal Brown, Brown’s wife and stepmother of Mike Brown, chimed in, “We had made a whole plan of how we were going to deal with a grandbaby.” Michael laughed and said, “Then he just happened to call us later on, not knowing that that’s still on our minds. I said, ‘What was going on with that conversation when you said you got someone pregnant?’”
It was April Fool’s Day, 2014. And it was Mike Mike’s last practical joke on them.
Michael was remembering stories about his son on Thursday, July 11, while he lay on the hardwood
According to court documents obtained by The Blast, DJ Spinderella (real name Deidra Roper) is suing Salt (real name Cheryl James) and Pepa (real name Sandra Denton) after recently being fired from the legendary hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa. The suit explains the trio started recording and performing as SNP back in the mid1980s. Spinderella says she helped launch the group to be the success they are today. The band went into hiatus in the late 1990s, but she continued promoting the band. According to the Blast, Spinderella claims things became strained between the trio in the early 2000s when she learned of a compilation album being released. The suit reportedly claims Pepa told her they would pay her $125,000 but that never came.
“By the early 2000s, the Defendants discussed with Roper an SNP reunion which would have possibly involved, among other things, a television show based on the legendary female group’s rise to stardom,” the suit alleges, according to The Blast. Spinderella claims they promised her a one-third cut of profits.
Tamar is divorced from Vince Herbert Tamar Braxton is officially a free woman after a judge legally dissolved her marriage to Vincent Herbert, according to documents obtained by TMZ. Braxton split from Herbert in 2017 after nine years together. It’s believed the
estranged couple still have a few more details to sort out regarding their assets, and it’s not yet known whether they have agreed on a custodial arrangement for their six-year-old son Logan.
The 42-year-old singer – who filed for divorce citing “irreconcilable differences” –recently said she didn’t want to
stay married for the “sake of saying so.”
“Married people who are reading will know what I mean,” Braxton said via Instagram. “You can say he did this, she did that, I put up with “this”& I’ve
suffered & endured this for so long..but the TRUTH is that this was your choice 2 stay we get so caught up in WE are “winning” in love that we are LOSING a battle that doesn’t have ANYTHING 2 do with us! I decided I didn’t want to be married for the sake of saying so (sic).”
R. Kelly arrested, held without bond on federal child porn charges
they have 12 victims and possess three videos showing R. Kelly sexually abusing a 14-yearold girl.
Singer R. Kelly was arrested in Chicago on federal sex crime charges on Thursday, July 11. According to law enforcement officials, Kelly, 52, was arrested by Homeland Security Investigation agents and NYPD detectives on sex trafficking charges.
A CBS Chicago affiliate reported that federal prosecutors told the judge
R. Kelly
Prosecutors allegedly claim they have five witnesses who will corroborate what’s depicted on those videos. And they said the other two videos are new.
Prosecutors told the judge that if Kelly was released again, he would have an opportunity to pay off or intimidate victims, their families and other people with knowledge of his actions. The judge agreed, declining bond before Kelly pleaded not guilty on all counts.
Sources: Chicago. cbsglobal.com, The Blast, TMZ.com, Celebretainment.com
‘If anybody’s going to make a change, it’s got to be us’
By Charli Cooksey For The St. Louis American
On June 8, residents of West and North St. Louis City arrived at the Deaconess Center for Child Well-Being to start their journey as PowerBuilders. The Power-Building Academy, facilitated by WEPOWER, supports community members who commit to long-term organizing towards policy and systems change with the goal of improving outcomes for children in their neighborhoods.
This summer St. Louis Public Schools’ elected board of education will regain governance power. Now more than ever, it is important for our community to build towards a more effective and responsive district. An engaged base of residents strengthens the democratic process and ensures change is built from the ground-up. The Power-Building Academy is a launchpad for community-driven change to push the district towards advancing better policies and solutions.
Photo by Izaiah
The academy’s seven-month curriculum facilitates groups of residents through three phases. First, Power-Builders develop organizing skills, an analysis of systemic racism, and an understanding of how the K-12 education system works. Through door-knocking in their neighborhoods, Power-Builders engage community to surface major education issues.
Second, Power-Builders develop innovative and equitable policy solutions and a campaign strategy to bring about those policy solutions.
Third, Power-Builders disrupt current systemic educational inequities by implementing their campaign strategy to achieve tangible
policy change.
The cohorts include teachers, parents, students, young professionals, and social workers. Each resident applied to the program, sharing why they are personally motivated to improve the city’s K-12 education system.
“My goal is to help people realize that this is not how we’re supposed to be living,” said Thomasina Clarke, a retired St. Louis Public School theater teacher.
Clarke lives in The Ville in the house she grew up in.
She is driven to keep teaching summer school classes out of a desire to see the light bulb come on in her students’ heads.
“If anybody’s going to make a change,” she said, “it’s got to be us.”
Johnnie Day cares for his parents on the block he grew up on in College Hill. He said, “Instead of me being one person on one mission, when we work together as a group
our voice is heard more.” In his spare time, Day coordinates neighborhood improvement efforts and dreams of opening up a mentoring service for youth in the area.
Over the course of their first weekend, Power-Builders built relationships with one another and grew their analysis of the history of local neighborhoods and education in America.
WEPOWER is thrilled to start a journey with these cohorts. We hope you join us
in celebrating them. The next round of PowerBuilding Academies, starting in September, will engage residents of North and West St. Louis and East St. Louis, Illinois. The cohorts will focus on economic justice policy solutions. We welcome those interested to apply today. Apply for The PowerBuilding Academy at bit.ly/ applypba. Charli Cooksey is founder and CEO of WEPOWER.
St. Louis Circuit
Attorney Kimberly Gardner spoke as a HarrisStowe State University alumna when the university said farewell to President Dwaun J. Warmack on Thursday, July 11.
Photo by Wiley Price
In a relatively brief tenure at Harris-Stowe State University, Dwaun J. Warmack became a respected and beloved figure in black St. Louis, and he was praised in very warm terms when the university said farewell to its 19th president on Thursday, July 11. It’s not difficult to see why. In addition to bringing charisma and youthful energy to his leadership position at one of the community’s anchor institutions, in just five years he spearheaded dramatic increases in student enrollment, retention, graduates and degree programs, as documented by Ronald Norwood, chair of the Board of Regents. However, an alumna of the university received a reception nearly as warm and enthusiastic as the man of the hour when she delivered her remarks: St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner. Again, it’s not difficult to see why. The voice of the former student who succeeds is a compelling one. Before being elected as St. Louis’ first black prosecuting attorney, Gardner was a state representative. That elected position gave her a unique vantage point to appreciate Warmack’s work securing funding for an urban, black university from a state legislature dominated by outstate, white Republicans. The St. Louis NAACP has called attention to and threatened to file suit over the state’s paltry funding of Harris-Stowe, which received $9.7 million from the state, in addition to a $2.5 million land grant match, for the 2018 fiscal year. “I know your challenges and frustrations,” Gardner said to Warmack. “I was in those meetings when they discounted the students who come to this university.” That remark touches a very deep nerve in a community where being underestimated is a daily burden. Warmack knows it. He remembered how a high school guidance counselor told him that he “was not college material.” Gardner knows it. “When I came here, I was a single mom from North City who had been kicked out of a couple of schools,” she said. “No one else wanted me.”
This explains Warmack’s commitment to serving historically black universities – he is leaving Harris-Stowe for another, Claflin University – and what he described as his “ministry,” which is “serving first-generation college students and students from underrepresented communities.” And it helps to explain the rapturous reception that Gardner
received when she said, “We in the St. Louis community need to protect this university.”
St. Louis has been so segregated for so long, and we are only beginning to see blacks seize anything approaching proportional political power (proportional economic power remains in the distance). So mainstream St. Louis has little appreciation for the iconic role that Harris-Stowe plays in our community, very much including among people who did not choose it for their higher education. At a time when “equity” is on everyone’s lips, though not so much in the actions of most people, we encourage people committed to this region who have not taken Harris-Stowe seriously to start doing so. Dismissing the university’s potential, despite its flaws, will look to a great many black people like dismissing the potential of black people, something we have seen enough of and will tolerate no longer.
Of course, Gardner was cheered by the nearly all-black crowd at Warmack’s farewell event for a reason that has nothing to do with Harris-Stowe but everything to do with being dismissed and, indeed, targeted as a black person. Apparently, they have been keeping up with our reporting on how a group of unelected white attorneys have worked with the St. Louis police and Judge Michael K. Mullen to appoint a private defense attorney, Gerard Carmody, as special prosecutor to investigate Gardner’s handling of the Eric Greitens case. We have heard from many white people in our legal community who seem to take it for granted that Gardner is doomed and deserves to be. And we know of virtually no one in the black community – including black lawyers and even the city’s Public Safety a director, a former judge –who do not believe Gardner is being targeted for attack by the white status quo, including the police. Perhaps the wider public will be persuaded when a newly appointed special prosecutor begins to investigate Gardner’s claim that she was threatened by some of Greitens’ lawyers, which if true would be tampering with a judicial officer.
In the meantime, to borrow Gardner’s words, we affirm, with the black community standing behind us: We in the St. Louis community need to protect this elected prosecutor.
Harris and Biden’s political pasts come back to haunt them
By Richard OmoniyiShoyoola For The
St. Louis American
By Kelli Dunaway For The St. Louis American
I’m a suburban mom. I’m white, but I’m not fragile.
Columnist
When I moved to St. Louis, I was surprised that people seemed so blasé about the effects of segregation on communities here, more than surprised that no one wanted to talk about why most of the cars I saw pulled over had black drivers behind the wheel, and shocked how flippantly racial slurs and insensitive stereotypes were at the heart of jokes and casual conversation.
When Michael Brown was killed in the streets of Ferguson five years ago and his body was left lying face down in the street, I was over being surprised by St. Louis. The unrest that followed, the new political power that rose from the fires in Ferguson, the national and international focus on everything that’s wrong here that gave voices to all of those who were being wronged and empowered a new generation of leaders to demand change inspired me to look deeper.
Learning how deep and wide systemic racism is in our region, how skewed the public school system is to be built around property tax revenue rather than need, and how the industrial prison complex has trapped generations of black men in a vicious cycle cannot be unlearned.
Listening without judgment, reading really hard essays, articles, and books about the black experience in America, and exploring my own internal biases, I am awake to my own racism and complicity in a system that has historically promoted and protected white men above everyone else. These insights are at the very heart of who I will be as your representative, and fuel the work I want to do to help dismantle this system of subjugation.
I have no illusions about the complexity in unraveling racial bias from our laws, schools, tax structure, and justice system. But I’ve never been dissuaded from a tough fight, and I want to help tear down the barriers that have, so far, made equity impossible to achieve.
Having read Mike Jones’ article on the Democrats in 2020, I am compelled to concur that Donald Trump is amoral, Mitch McConnell is immoral, Republicans are thugs, and that the Republican Party is akin to a dumpster fire emitting a putrid odor. Also, that Democrat leadership at the federal level is little more than prey for these street corner gangsters who collectively
I will fight for the resources we all need to take advantage of such opportunities, things like childcare, early childhood education, treatment and prevention programs, and access to health services. And I will work with Council Member Rochelle Walton Gray, County Prosecutor Wesley Bell, likely Council Member Rita Heard Days, and County Executive Sam Page to make these things happen. I don’t claim to have all the answers or to know what it’s like to be a person of color in St. Louis County, but I am listening, I care, and I believe that together, we can make this region a whole lot better for a whole lot more of us.
Kelli Dunaway, the director of Learning & Development at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, is the Democratic candidate for St. Louis County Council in District 2. The special election (to fill the seat vacated by Sam Page when he was appointed St. Louis County executive) is Tuesday, August 6.
When I’m on our County Council, I will weigh everything before me with an eye toward equity. I will ask how any given economic development project will impact communities of color or if there is a community of color that is being overlooked. I will look for opportunities to bring jobs, housing, healthy food choices, shopping and entertainment centers, recreation centers, and reliable transportation to communities of color.
Be Lincoln and Sherman lack the soul, compassion and desire necessary to govern our democracy. Yes, America is in dire need of a President Lincoln and a General Sherman. Congressional Democrats: enough with the Texas twostep routine. Trump and his Republican muggers won’t work with you. They respect one thing: in-your-face power. So, put your dancing shoes aside, strap-on your MMA
fighting gloves, and unbridle the power vested in you by our Constitution. Impeach Trump, et al. and prosecute all with probable cause of committing a crime or crimes. The Mueller Report is a roadmap – follow it. Be the contemporary Lincoln and Sherman.
Michael K. Broughton Green Park
I was happy to see the recent letter “Address the causes of hunger.” Twentyone percent of kids in the U.S. living in poverty is an abomination. President Trump’s FY2020 budget proposal calls for increased tax breaks for the very rich while putting housing, education, Medicaid, etc. on the chopping block. But there’s good news. Many bipartisan U.S. senators and House legislators across many
states have recently introduced sweeping legislation to help solve the housing issue. This new bill, the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2019, would expand and strengthen the 30 year old bipartisan-supported Affordable Housing Tax Credit. Research show that when people have a safe and affordable place to live, many other problems (such as unemployment, ill health and lack of food) are lessened.
Our legislators do want to hear from us. You can call the Washington D.C. offices of Senator Roy Blunt (202-2245721) and Senator Josh Hawley (202-224-6154) and tell them to support the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2019. The aide who answers the phone will be happy to relay your brief message.
Donna Munro Bremerton, Washington
U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D- California), the only black person on the second Democratic Presidential Primary stage, proved the importance of a term political scientists refer to as “descriptive representation.”
This is the notion that elected representatives should share not just viewpoints, but also demographic characteristics in common with their constituencies. Harris, claiming the spotlight from her competitors, began with a story of the racial bias she experienced as a young girl just looking to make friends. The candidate then broke new ground when she called out Joe Biden for his opposition to federally mandated school busing during the 1970s. Biden found himself embodying a group that frustrated even Dr. Martin
Luther King; the good old boy club of white moderates who reached across the aisle in a spirit of compromise, but made deals that either ignored or directly harmed poor black and brown communities across America. A surprisingly unprepared Biden sought to evade Harris’ strong critique by asserting that he took the pragmatic position—letting the states and local municipalities decide on their own. Whether or not Biden’s position could realistically have been more progressive at the time is a debate for historians. What Harris did was force a prominent centrist like Biden to be confronted, very publicly, with the local reality of past decisions made on civil rights and racial justice at the federal level. In stating that “on this subject it cannot be an intellectual debate amongst Democrats” and “the federal government must step in,” Harris channeled her experience as a member of the black community to demonstrate the importance of moral courage and the recognition that too much compromise sacrifices “the fierce urgency of now” that civil rights leaders declare is a must for progress to occur.
Now, however, the robust critiques about Harris’ toughon-crime record as California attorney general undercut her stated commitments to racial justice. She also stated in the days following the debate that while she views federally mandated busing as having been necessary when she was a child, it should now be a last resort when localities fail to integrate. As such, while her debate performance shows the importance of descriptive representation, it has muddled the picture of whether or not Harris is a bold or moderate voice on issues of racial justice. A photo of the defiantlooking future senator on a T-shirt (“that little girl was me”) is neither a replacement for substantive policy nor for clear stances on the issues.
Many voters are hungry for bold ideas and plans. Time will tell whether or not Harris can deliver.
Richard Omoniyi-Shoyoola is a recent graduate of the University of Chicago, holding a B.A. in Political Science. He is currently serving as the Civic Engagement Program coordinator at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics.
I have read half of the Mueller Report. (Everyone should read it.). I am appalled at the number of shady/sleazy characters that associated with the Trump campaign. People who are self-promoting, aggrandizing and liars. So many times I have read these people couldn’t remember, forgot or couldn’t
recall. I actually wonder if they have dementia, or maybe that’s the new wording for taking the Fifth Amendment. Emails and data were deleted that could have proven innocence or guilt. (If innocent, why would you delete?). Not once did I read that these characters cared about our country or our citizens.
Most capable CEOs would not have surrounded themselves with the likes of many of these characters. I do question if Donald Trump is capable of differentiating capable from incompetent people.
Steve Wulff
St. Louis
Steven Moore, 8, a third grader at Larimore Elementary School in the Hazelwood School District, threw miniature basketballs into the crowd durng a St. Louis Surge basketball game at Washington University on June 30.
The Griot Museum of Black History is seeking donations or loans of items that help tell the story of HIV/AIDS in the St. Louis area’s black community. These items might be selected to appear in an upcoming exhibit.
The museum is interested in the experiences of people living with HIV, friends and loved ones of those affected by the disease, caregivers, medical professionals, activists, and more. It is looking for posters, pamphlets, and flyers addressing HIV; photographs; medical materials (test results, prescription forms, pill bottles); art and creative works; T-shirts, mementos, and keepsakes.
To learn more and to arrange your donation or loan, contact The Griot at (314) 241-7057 or info@thegriotmuseum.com.
The Hazelwood School District will host its annual Back-toSchool Corridor Community Fair on Saturday, July 27 at each of its three high schools from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students and families should attend at the high school for the district corridor in which they reside. All GALACTIC students should attend at Central High School; all East Middle School and Opportunity Center students should attend at East High School.
All schools will host booths with giveaways and important information about uniforms, school supplies, clubs, activities, and more. There will be free backpacks and school supplies, while supplies last, provided by local fire protection districts. Families also can get information from various departments and about immunizations. The event is free and open to HSD students in all grades and their families.
Hazelwood Central High School is located at 15875 New Halls Ferry Rd., Hazelwood East High School is located at 11300 Dunn Rd. and Hazelwood West High School is located at 1 Wildcat Lane.
By Jamilah Nasheed For The St. Louis American
Our city is struggling with a crime epidemic. It’s been festering for years, and we are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to put an end to violent crime. Despite our best efforts, St. Louis still has one of the highest crime rates in the country. A recent University of Missouri – St. Louis study confirms that violent crimes in our city are becoming deadlier. The study found that homicides stemming from robberies and assaults have increased by more than 50 percent over the past eight years. While we work to understand the current crime trends, we cannot lose sight of the crimes that have already been committed. According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department 2019 Uniform Crime Reporting Homicide Analysis, there are 69 open cases from incidents happening in 2019 alone. We cannot forget about these victims. It is imperative that we solve these cases.
Critically important to solving these crimes is information provided by witnesses cooperating with law enforcement. Unfortunately, there can be roadblocks that may prevent witnesses from coming forward to aid investigations. One of the major issues facing our community is the current system’s potential to inadvertently expose witnesses to needless risk. For instance, during the information-gathering discovery phase of an investigation, witnesses’ personally identifying information, like their names and addresses, may be provided to the defendant’s attorneys and possibly even the defendant. All of a sudden, a witness who did the right thing by coming forward may find themselves the target of harassment, intimidation or even physical harm by the suspect.
People should feel safe and protected when working with law enforcement to bring dangerous criminals to justice. They shouldn’t have to worry if doing the right thing will get them or their family hurt. To address this problem, the General Assembly passed and the governor signed Senate Bill 224, which includes legislation I sponsored to help protect witnesses and their families. This bill allows prosecutors to redact a witness’s personally identifying information in materials given to the defense.
This simple, commonsense change adds a much needed layer of protection for witnesses aiding investigations. Witnesses must have the confidence that their information is protected while law enforcement officers work to get dangerous criminals off our streets. By making cooperation with police safer, I hope we can solve more crimes, bring the perpetrators of these horrible acts to justice and help provide some closure to victims’ families.
At the end of the day, this is our city, and we must work together to solve the problems facing it. If you have any information that may help solve a crime, I encourage you to call Crimestoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS.
Jamilah Nasheed (D-St. Louis) represents the 5th District in the Missouri Senate.
When Thomas imagines the project, the natural edges into the spiritual.
“The Playscape will be a place for kids to imagine themselves,” Thomas told The American. “They can enjoy the beautiful spirits out here.” They can enjoy the wild things, too, beautiful and otherwise. Unlike its immediate neighbor to the southwest, the St. Louis Zoo, the Nature Playscape will be an unwalled part of the great city park. Crews will plant native species to attract pollinators (and because that would be more, in a word, natural), but any critter that creeps or slithers will be able to interact with the exhibits as well as the public.
access. Those local leaders included the true experts on play, children themselves. Like the child presented an expensive toy in a cardboard box who plays with the empty box, one thing that children said they wanted was nature without too much nature.
“They said they wanted a place to do cartwheels and find four-leaf clovers,” Hoffarth said. “So we will plant an open meadow with clover where they can do cartwheels and find four-leaf clovers.”
n “We realized we are missing the connection to nature and its effect on health and learning.”
– Lesley S. Hoffarth, executive director of Forest Park Forever
In the master plan to renovate the park, what is now the Nature Playscape was first envisioned as a conventional playground with rubber tires and chain-link swings. But the idea evolved. “We realized we are missing the connection to nature,” Hoffarth said, “and its effect on health and learning.”
As such, the Natural Learning Initiative consulted on the design, along with H3 Studio, Interboro Partners, Rubus Landscape Architecture, Forest Park Forever, the City of St. Louis and local leaders in the areas of child development, experiential and outdoor education, play and
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Continued from A1 compared his resourcefulness to that of Spiderman.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner, a HarrisStowe alumna, was a state representative when Warmack came to the university and first experienced the perennial
An accessible path will wind its way through the playscape, for guests who visit on wheels. Thomas noted that path also will provide new mileage for the many people who use the great park to run and walk for exercise. The idea of accessibility is being extended to include sensory experiences for guests who experience the sensory world in unique ways.
The entrance to the Nature Playscape will be right across from the World’s Fair Pavilion near the entrance to the park from Hampton Avenue, for those who want to go imagine the future of the space. This reporter used one of the downed logs as a desk to write these notes. Nature is already there inviting play.
“We want kids to dig around,” Thomas said, “get dirty.”
For more information or to donate to Forest Park Forever, https://www.forestparkforever. org/.
struggle of securing funds for an urban, black university from a state legislature dominate by outstate, white Republicans. “I know your challenges and frustrations,” Gardner said to Warmack. “I was in those meetings when they discounted the students who come to this university.”
It was remarkable how the speakers all addressed Warmack directly from the
n “We in the St. Louis community need to protect this university.”
– St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner
stage, as if savoring one of their last opportunities to talk to him in the same room. Warmack was equally eager
to talk back and return praise, frequenting going off-script to sneak back onstage to join the speaker and talk to and about
his friend or colleague.
For example, he joined state Senator Jamilah Nasheed onstage to stress to the audience how hard she fought to fund the university and to secure its privilege to offer graduate programs.
Indeed, the evening began with a conversation between Warmack and Bernie Hayes, who volunteers to direct the university’s jazz institute. Warmack was warm, personable and funny in conversation, calling himself a “‘hood rat” from Detroit, giving a vivid snapshot of his aunts “eating skins, playing cards and drinking beer,” and saying he found education as his ministry, rather than the actual ministry, because he has “a cussing spirit.”
He also was moving. He remembered how a high school guidance counselor told him that he “was not college material.” It was not
difficult to figure out how he arrived at his “ministry of serving first-generation college students and students from under-represented communities.”
Gardner was such a student when Harris-Stowe nurtured her, though President Emeritus Henry Givens Jr. was at the helm then. “When I came here, I was a single mom from North City who had been kicked out of a couple of schools,” Gardner said. “No one else wanted me” or could see her potential.
The mission of Harris-Stowe — which Warmack also takes with him to another historically black university — ultimately emerged as the hero of the event. A talented president is leaving the university, but the need for the university remains. As Gardner said, “We in the St. Louis community need to protect this university.”
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floor at the Art House in North St. Louis, the hub of the Ferguson activist group Artivists STL. Cal and local artist Dail Chambers were gluing strips of old St. Louis American newspapers onto his chest. They were building a paper mache cast of Michael’s chest to create a life-sized replica of his son for the fiveyear anniversary of his death on August 9.
The sculpture will be part of an exhibit that Cal envisioned, “As I See You: A Tribute to Mike Brown Jr.,” which will be open August 9-11 at the Urban League’s Ferguson Empowerment Center at 9420 W. Florissant Ave.
“The main goal is to humanize him,” Cal said.
“The media spent a lot of time de-humanizing him, forgetting that he was somebody’s son, brother, cousin, grandchild and friend. I just wanted people to see who he really was. In this exhibit, you’ll get to know the things he really liked, the people who were close to his heart, his different hobbies, some of his belongings.”
Michael and Cal are co-founders of the Michael Brown Chosen For Change Foundation, which hosts community events during the Michael Brown Memorial Weekend every year. At 18, their son was shot and killed by then-Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the North St. Louis County suburb of Ferguson on August 9, 2014. His death sparked a national movement that resonated around the world, demanding police accountability and an end to institutionalized racism.
Three weeks and three days before he was killed, Mike Mike was his father’s best man in his wedding to Cal. And five years later, people still don’t see him as a human being, Cal said.
“We continuously receive the nasty messages,” she said.
“A lot of people don’t believe that there is a family grieving
over their loved one being gone.”
Only a handful of people were in the room when the cast of Michael was being constructed on July 11, and The St. Louis American and Real STL News were the only media outlets present, using minimal equipment to capture the moment.
“It was just so intimate,” Elizabeth Vega, leader of the Artivists STL, said of the casting. “Watching Cal and Dail, it really felt like a collaboration with his family and other people who deeply cared about the issue. There was a gentleness but also a vulnerability that Mike had, laying there covered in paper mache and I’m sure thinking about his son.”
The stories Michael told about his son reminded Vega of the practical jokes her own sons would play on her.
“It felt like community; it felt like what art was intended to be,” Vega said. “Not highbrow, but from a place of needing to express that which is often inexpressible.”
The “As I See You” exhibit aims to be a direct counterpoint to white artist Ti-Rock Moore’s exhibit in Chicago in 2015, which portrayed a life-sized replica of Mike Brown lying face down on the floor and surrounded by crime-scene tape — as he remained for 4.5 hours after he was killed.
“It was the inhumanity of that scene that got us engaged,” Vega said. “But we do not have to recreate that scene to have our humanity. So Cal wanted to do Mike as he lived, and that spoke to my heart as a mother and grandmother.”
The question was how the Artivists were going to help Cal complete the project in only a month. The Artivists are currently fundraising for the project, while it’s being completed.
On July 13, two artists — Cbabi Bayoc from St. Louis and Ana Marcela Maldonado Morales from Kansas City — painted the first layer on the cast. Their paintings will
now be covered by a second layer of paper mache, and other artists will paint on the next layers – including young black St. Louis artist David Pulphus, whose painting about police brutality that was recognized by U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay and hung at the U.S. Capitol was censored by Republicans.
At 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 21, the Artivists will host an open house and invite the community to add their reflections on the cast at the Art House at 3911 Greer Ave. This is an important component for the family, Cal said.
“Without those people this movement wouldn’t be what it is. Mike would have been just another 18-year-old killed, and it would have been swept under the rug,” Cal said.
“It’s the activists and the community who we have to be thankful that they did what they did. While they were out in the streets getting tear gassed and assaulted by police, we were in the comfort of our homes watching.”
The American asked Michael if he wanted to speak about the anniversary and the exhibit coming up, but he said he wasn’t ready yet. However, he sat near Cal, supporting her, as she read a letter she wrote to Mike Mike.
“You were the Chosen One to make a difference, to awaken those who carried the fire in their pocket,” Cal wrote. “You let those who see us as having no value understand that the blood we bleed and this melanin we produce is priceless. It is God-given and something money can’t buy. You gave those little people in the back the courage to never go unnoticed. You unlocked passion and purpose in people of all ages around the globe.”
For more information about the project, visit the Michael Brown Chosen For Change Foundation Facebook page or email Elizabeth Vega at vegaeliza1120@gmail.com. Donations for the art project can be sent to the YeYo Arts Collective’s PayPal at yeyoarts or yeyoarts@gmail.com.
By Eugene Robinson Washington Post
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi believes opening an impeachment inquiry into President Trump’s misdeeds would be risky. She needs to realize that not doing so is beginning to look riskier.
After former special counsel Robert Mueller testifies before Congress, the impeachment question will demand an answer. Even if Mueller manages not to stray beyond the boundaries of his report, the evidence of impeachable presidential misconduct that his investigators found is clear and compelling. Hearing from Mueller’s lips what amounts to a criminal indictment of Trump will surely have more impact than Mueller’s dry and lengthy tome, which few have actually read.
Meanwhile, Trump’s abuse of presidential power, including his open defiance of the judiciary, becomes ever more brazen and alarming. The Supreme Court has no army to enforce its rulings. Only Congress has the power, and the duty, to check a president
run amok.
I think Pelosi is wrong when she warns that Trump is trying to bait House Democrats into impeachment. Even if he is confident that his lapdog Republican majority in the Senate would never actually remove him from office, I don’t believe for a minute that Trump really wants the stigma and shame of being just the third president to be hauled into the dock. He goes apoplectic at the notion that help from Russia made his election somehow illegitimate; there is no way he wants yet another asterisk next to his name in the history books.
But what Trump wants is irrelevant. Pelosi has to ask herself what’s best for the country – and, since this is the real world, what’s best for her party.
After Mueller’s highprofile testimony, what does she imagine Democrats are going to do for a next act? The House Judiciary Committee voted to issue a passel of new subpoenas on July 11, including one for Jared Kushner, the president’s adviser and son-in-law. But
does anyone think the White House is going to let Kushner testify without a long, drawn-out fight?
The administration’s policy of stonewalling congressional demands for documents and testimony may be unlawful, but it’s effective. Getting the courts to intervene takes months.
Convening a hearing with an empty chair at the witness table might be an effective public relations ploy – once.
In terms of using public hearings to command attention and educate the nation about Trump’s misdeeds, Mueller’s testimony may be as good as it gets – unless the House opens an impeachment inquiry. That could change things dramatically. Congress’ power to investigate would be at its height, and courts would recognize the obvious need to act speedily to enforce properly constituted subpoenas.
If Pelosi’s strategy is to build public support for impeachment with a series of didactic, consciousness-
raising committee hearings, it seems to me she’s putting the cart before the horse. Only an impeachment inquiry is likely to produce the kind of witness testimony and documentary evidence that is vivid and compelling enough to shape public opinion. I know that Pelosi worries impeachment might damage the reelection prospects of the moderate House Democrats who won last year in districts Trump carried. Her concern may be justified. But she should also worry about the overall effect on the Democratic Party – including its eventual
presidential nominee – of the House appearing to spin its wheels impotently while Trump continues to do whatever he pleases, trampling constitutional norms in the process.
Beyond the political calculation, there is also the question of what Congress is obliged to do, like it or not.
Mueller’s report provides ample evidence that Trump committed multiple acts of obstruction of justice. Whether or not Mueller characterizes the report as a roadmap for impeachment, that’s effectively what it is. Pelosi and other Democrats keep saying that no one is above the law, including the president. But the Justice Department’s view that a
sitting president cannot be made to face criminal charges means that Trump is indeed above the law – unless the one body that can hold him accountable, the Congress, does its job. Doesn’t the lawmaking branch of our government have a sacred obligation to uphold the rule of law? After we hear from Mueller, Pelosi and her caucus are going to have to answer that question. Whatever you think of Mueller’s reluctance to draw conclusions, he took his job seriously. Members of the House –beginning with Pelosi – now must do the same.
Eugene Robinson’s email address is eugenerobinson@ washpost.com.
Children in kindergarten through third grade can receive free tutoring on a walk-in, first come, first served basis July 18 and concluding August 8 at two St. Louis County Library thanks to a partnership with the Oasis Intergenerational Tutoring program. Tutoring will be offered at Florissant Valley Branch (195 New Florissant Rd.) 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays, July 18-August 8, and at the Weber Road Branch (4444 Weber Rd.)
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, July 18-August 8. No registration is required. Children participating in the free program will work one-onone for 30-minute sessions with older adults who serve as tutors with the Oasis Intergenerational Tutoring Program, the largest older adults tutoring program in the U.S. The sessions will focus on reading and literacy skills. Each week, kids who participate in the program will take home a free book to
encourage reading after the tutoring session. Oasis Intergenerational Tutoring was launched in 1989. In 2018, more than 4,000 Oasis tutors helped 21,000 children in 682 schools across the country. To find out more about the free summer reading program with the St. Louis County Library, call 314-994-3300 or visit www.slcl.org/events. For more information about Oasis, visit www.oasisnet.org.
Stevie Wonder’s planned kidney transplant serves as reminder of ongoing need for donors
By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American
Fans were shocked when world-renowned singer and entertainer Stevie Wonder announced on July 6 that he is taking a break from touring to have a kidney transplant in September. Former NFL football player Albert Haynesworth recently took to social media to plea for a donor for a kidney transplant, which reportedly generated significant interest. The plight of these high-profile individuals puts the spotlight on kidney failure, which can affect the life of anyone.
It is estimated that 1 in 7 adults in the United States have chronic kidney disease.
That’s 30 million people – and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that most are undiagnosed and half of those with severely reduced kidney function who need dialysis don’t even know it. Part of the problem is that there are no early signs or symptoms of chronic kidney disease, which gets worse over time, although treatment can slow progression. Kidney diseases are the ninth leading cause of death in the U.S.
Kidney disease can be genetic, as with polycystic kidney disease, or caused by autoimmune disorders, such as lupus.
However, in the U.S., the most likely culprits causing kidney failure (End Stage Renal Disease) are diabetes and high blood
pressure, which account for 3 out of 4 new cases.
“The arteries throughout the body get destroyed by high blood pressure – they become thickened where the blood pressure can become worse and the arteries inside the kidney become thickened, and they decrease the blood flow through the kidney, causing scarring,” said transplant specialist Henry Randall, M.D., executive director and professor of Surgery at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital.
“The same thing occurs in diabetes, but it’s more than just the arteries – it’s the
See TRANSPLANT, A11
By Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D.
Of The St. Louis American
On December 3, 2018, Missouri State Representatives Tracy McCreery and Holly Rehder pre-filed bills that would modernize HIV criminalization laws and make them current with the 21st century. When these laws were originally made, they were designed to deter people from knowingly spreading HIV and causing the death of another person. But with the latest medicinal advances and proper lifelong treatment, we now know that an HIV diagnosis is not necessarily a death sentence.
Denise
MD
n There is no evidence that HIV criminalization laws reduce HIV transmission or make people more likely to disclose their HIV status or get tested.
If unable to prove that the HIV-positive status of the defendant was disclosed to their partner, Missouri’s current HIV-specific criminal codes enable prosecutions of persons where the defendant can face up to 30 years’ imprisonment, which is similar to the sentences for manslaughter or child abuse. It seems a little harsh to equate a medical diagnosis of HIV with murder and the abuse of children. Moreover, with HIV criminalization cases, it is the accuser’s word against the defendant. How do you define the “burden of proof” in such cases? HIV criminalization laws spread throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. Now over 34 states and two territories have some type of HIV criminalization laws. A variety of acts in which bodily fluids are exchanged, such as having sex or sharing needles without disclosing one’s status, are illegal if a person has been diagnosed with HIV.
The intent of these laws was meant to slow the spread of this fatal disease, but instead it actually causes more health disparities. HIV criminalization laws disproportionately affect minorities and sex workers. It is
See ANDERSON, A11
With St. Louis in peak summer mode, more and more people are cooling off in the water, whether or not they know how to swim.
Sixty-four percent of African-American children can’t swim, compared to 40 percent of their white peers, according to a 2017 study by the USA Swimming Foundation and the University of Memphis.
“Swimming is a life skill, much like riding a bicycle or learning how to use a computer,” said Lisa Kramer, Gateway Region YMCA program director and swim lesson trainer. “Unlike other hobbies, being a strong swimmer is a life-saving skill that all children should have access to develop.”
African-American children have a fataldrowning rate three times higher than white children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) These racial disparities in water safety
n “Unlike other hobbies, being a strong swimmer is a life-saving skill that all children should have access to develop.”
– Lisa Kramer, Gateway Region YMCA
gap can be traced to a variety of cultural, historical, and socioeconomic factors. The Fairground Park pool riot happened 50 years ago this summer. On June 21, 1949, when 30 to 40 black youth showed up at the newly integrated municipal pool, whites gathered outside the fence and
The Gateway Region YMCA, offers free, year-round water safety evaluations for everyone ages three and older. African-American children are less likely to know how to swim and have a fatal-drowning rate three times higher than white children. Formal swim lessons have been proven to reduce the risk of drowning by 88 percent among children ages one through four.
Continued from A10
shouted threats and obscenities, just before violence erupted.
This cultural backdrop makes it all the more important to reduce racial disparities when it comes to swimming. The USA Swimming Foundation study found that if a parent does not know how to swim, there is only a 13 percent chance that their child will learn how to swim.
One local organization leading the way to reversing this trend is the Gateway Region YMCA, which is offering free, year-round water safety evaluations for everyone ages three and older. The session, conducted by trained YMCA swim instructors, takes just a few minutes to assess basic water safety skills needed to be a competent swimmer.
Formal swim lessons have been proven to reduce the risk of drowning by 88 percent among children ages one through four. And while many local families don’t have access to a pool or the financial means for swim lessons, the YMCA aims to bridge this gap with affordable lessons.
Beginning in fall, the Carondelet, Emerson, and South City branches of the YMCA will offer $5 swim lessons for members and $10 for non-members who qualify for financial assistance.
The Monsanto Family and O’Fallon Park branches will offer the same rates, regardless whether participants qualify for financial assistance.
The Gateway Region YMCA has 21 branches across St. Louis and Southwest Illinois that can conduct swim evaluations and offer swimming lessons. You do not need to be a member to participate. To schedule a water safety evaluation or inquire about swim lessons, contact your local YMCA branch at www.gwrymca. org/locations.
Continued from A10 functional unit of the kidney, called glomeruli. So you get glomerular thickening or scarring; you can get arterial thickening and fibrosis [excess fibrous connective tissue] in the kidney.”
As kidneys weaken over time, the organs cannot clean the blood as well. Health issues that chronic kidney disease can cause include fatigue and weakness from anemia or low red blood cell count; bone problems due to low calcium and high phosphorus in the blood; abnormal heart beats from high potassium; nausea; appetite loss; fluid retention in the body which can cause high blood pressure, leg swelling and shortness of breath; infections due to a weakened immune system; and depression.
To lower the risk of kidney failure and to manage chronic kidney disease, experts recommend management of blood sugar and blood pressure and making lifestyle changes – eating healthy and exercising – to reduce further damage. A dietician can create an eating plan that is low in salt, fat and has the proper amount of protein for a kidney-healthy diet. Other actions include eliminating smoking, preventing bladder and kidney infections, and avoiding over-the-counter pain medication like ibuprofen and naproxen, which can worsen kidney function. Your doctor can suggest other actions to protect your kidneys, which could include avoiding certain antibiotics and herbal supplements.
While patients can wait months, years or even die while waiting on an organ transplant list, a donation
Continued from A10
already established that racial disparities exist related to many matters of law enforcement and public safety nationally. For example, according to the NAACP Criminal Justice Fact Sheet, African Americans
As
by a living donor allows fortunate transplant recipients like Wonder time to advance schedule his kidney transplant.
“There is no such thing as a new kidney, except from a newborn baby. These are used organs,” Randall said. “I tell people, ‘You are getting a used car. Our job is to find the ones that you’re going to get quite a bit of mileage with, and you’re going to be able to drive off the car lot and they don’t fall apart on you soon as you leave the lot, and you get years of function out of them.’”
Most organs donated for kidney transplants come from deceased donors. Belleville, Illinois resident Nikki LoveMcIntyre was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes after her
are incarcerated at more than five times the rate of whites; the imprisonment rate for African-American women is twice that of white women; and, though African Americans and Hispanics make up approximately 32 percent of the U.S. population, they comprised 56 percent of all incarcerated people in 2015.
pancreas no longer produced insulin. For many years, she checked her blood sugar four times a day and took insulin injections to stay alive. Over the years, diabetes caused her kidneys to fail. By the time she started having related health problems, she was in the third stage of kidney failure, which quickly moved to stage four of five for End Stage Renal Disease.
The idea of dialysis terrified her, and after doing some research, she asked her doctor, Dr. Randall, if a double transplant – of a kidney and a pancreas – was an option for her. A double transplant would resolve Love-McIntyre’s diabetes and the kidney failure.
“They say the shelf life for
a kidney is 10 years. In half of that time, I would have needed another kidney and the same thing would have kept happening,” Love-McIntyre said. “Because of my needing dual organs, when I got on the list I was placed at the top of the list.” Her transplant surgery took place almost four years ago, and she will be on antirejection medication for the rest of her life.
Dr. Randall said surgeons typically don’t use live donor kidney donations from persons with diabetes and high blood pressure – “because if they are headed down a road where they are going to have or realize End Stage Kidney Disease, then we don’t want to expedite or speed up the process for
Transplant specialist Dr. Henry Randall, executive director and professor of Surgery at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital, said high blood pressure and diabetes damage arteries, leading to End Stage Renal Disease and the need for dialysis or a kidney transplant.
n “If you are interested in helping out the general public, designate yourself as a donor and have that important conversation with your family members.”
– Henry Randall, M.D.
donor, Love-McIntyre is both grateful and emotional. She knows his age (23), where he was from and how he died. And she wrote letters to her donor’s family to let them know what his gift of life means to her and her family. Love-McIntyre said she had written several letters to the family after her transplant and decided to write her last letter on the one-year anniversary of the surgery.
them.” However, Randall did say that persons with type 2 diabetes can be candidates for a kidney and pancreas transplant, if they have lost kidney function.
“Both type 1 and type 2 diabetics have to have End Stage Renal Disease to the point where they are either going to end up on dialysis or they currently are on dialysis.” Randall said. “Most type 2 diabetics aren’t at the point where they need insulin. So we are looking for people who have End Stage Renal Disease and are already on insulin. Just because you are a diabetic, which many people are, doesn’t qualify you for a kidneypancreas transplant.”
About her double-organ
“I just wanted to let them know that I appreciate it and I pray for them every day and he lives within me now,” she said, tearfully. “I don’t know what he was able to accomplish in those 23 years, but anything that I do – he’s doing. And I’m going to do my best to take care of him.” The donor’s aunt responded and wrote back to her.
“If you are interested in helping out the general public,” Dr. Randall said, “designate yourself as a donor and have that important conversation with your family members.”
Love-McIntyre said, “Let your last act of selflessness be to donate.” For more information about kidney disease, visit https://cdc.gov/kidneydisease. To learn more about organ transplants, visit https:// midamericatransplant.org.
From 1996-2005, there were 19 more African-American defendants than white defendants in HIV-related trials in Missouri, about 55 percent of persons charged. This was true even though African Americans are a distinct minority in Missouri, comprising 11.8 percent of the state population in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Furthermore, there is no evidence that HIV criminalization laws reduce HIV transmission or make people more likely to disclose their HIV status or get tested. In addition, several professional organizations oppose these laws, including the American Psychological Association and the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Since the 1980s, there has been a stigma associated with HIV and AIDS. Even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends universal HIV testing, people continue to opt out of testing for reasons such as fear of the diagnosis or believing they are not at risk. Criminalizing individuals with HIV further complicate public health initiatives to decrease the rates of transmission.
Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D., is assistant professor at SLUCare Family Medicine and the medical accuracy editor of The St. Louis American. Email yourhealthmatters@ stlamerican.com.
On the outside, it seems like a win for the black community and anyone else who would like to see the old boys’ club in St. Louis disrupted and held accountable.
St. Louis’ Presiding Judge Rex M. Burlison has appointed a special prosecutor to investigate allegations that the attorneys of former governor Eric Greitens threatened to “ruin” St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner if she continued to prosecute a felonious invasion of privacy charge against the governor.
“We advocated for it,” said Adolphus Pruitt, president of the St. Louis NAACP. “To us, that’s more serious of a charge than someone lying during a deposition” (for which William Tisaby, an investigator hired by Gardner on the Greitens case, was indicted for perjury and evidence tampering in a separate special prosecutor proceeding). “If prosecutors could be threatened or harassed to drop charges out of fear of retaliation, then the scales of justice are tipped towards those who have the ability to make threats and carry them out.”
Greitens’ lawyers allegedly made the first threats that they would “ruin” Gardner’s professional career at a March 16, 2018 meeting, Gardner told The American in past interviews and again in April 2018. Greitens’ lawyers allegedly did not want Gardner to pursue charges against Greitens for allegedly taking a semi-nude picture of a woman without her consent and then transferred it in a way that it could be accessed by a computer.
Gardner then reported the threats to the police, she said.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department has
completed its investigation and is pursuing charges, according to court documents. The police department would not comment on when it completed its investigation.
On June 5, the Circuit Attorney’s Office filed a motion requesting appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate the case of tampering with a public officer and a judicial officer. The motion states that multiple former and current assistant circuit attorneys are potential witnesses.
The American reached out to the lawyers at Dowd Bennett law firm, where Greitens’ lawyers practice, but they did not return our call.
However, they were quite verbose with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the newspaper that has been championing the lawyers’ attacks on Gardner and Tisaby. And they said some disturbing things.
Lawyer Jim Martin told the Post-Dispatch, “We are well aware of the fact that the police department has been looking into this for several months. The police officers investigating this matter have told us that no one, including two members of Ms. Gardner’s staff, have provided any evidence that there was a threat. The two staff members denied that they heard any threat, according to the police officers. We have been told that there is no credible evidence of a threat.”
Gardner has not even seen the police report in this case and has only received a heavily redacted incident report, according to sources in Gardner’s office. She even went to the police department herself to get the report and was denied.
Yet Martin — one of
the attorneys whom the police were supposed to be investigating — seems to have quite a bit of information about their investigation into him and his colleagues.
The American asked the police department to comment on the accuracy of Martin’s assertions and a spokeswoman said, “We do not comment on pending litigation.”
Well, according to Martin, this statement is a lie — or Martin is lying.
“If he’s telling the truth, that raises serious questions about the police investigation,” Pruitt said. “They won’t give the police report to Kim, but the person who is accused of making the threat, you can share with them the investigation. If it’s true, it’s a very serious problem.”
Asked to comment, Martin only said, “We expect that this matter will be concluded in a timely and just manner.”
Conflicts of interest
The judges of the 22nd
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner was surrounded by supporters on Thursday, July 11 when she made public remarks following the lifting of a gag order regarding an investigation into her office’s handling of the Eric Greitens case.
Circuit Court don’t seem to get it.
“I just don’t know why they can’t get this right,” Pruitt said. For months, the black community has criticized a circuit judge’s selection of Special Prosecutor Gerard Carmody in the William Tisaby case. Circuit Judge Michael K. Mullen picked Carmody without vetting him for his potential conflicts of interest. And in fact, Carmody is close friends with one of the attorneys, Ed Dowd, that filed the complaint against Tisaby.
And now the tables have turned. Dowd and some of Greitens’ attorneys will be put under the microscope, just as Gardner’s office has been throughout this year.
On Tuesday July 16, the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court Presiding Burlison appointed the retired Judge Michael Bradley of Columbia as special prosecutor to investigate allegations of tampering with a judicial officer. Bradley retired as a Boone County associate circuit
judge on December 31. He had served since 2011 and presided over criminal, civil and probate dockets. Bradley is a former assistant attorney general who worked for former governor Jay Nixon from 1995 to 2009 when he served as attorney general. Nixon appointed Bradley to the bench in April 2011.
And wouldn’t you know it?
Nixon is currently a partner at the Dowd Bennett law firm, the same law firm as the accused Greitens’ attorneys in this case.
According to a spokesman for the circuit court, Burlison did not hold any hearings to vet Bradley for conflicts of interest or require that Bradley fill out any forms stating his conflicts of interest before he made his decision.
Pruitt brought up the fact that as a judge, Bradley had to recuse himself in a drivingwhile-intoxicated case against Willson Wheeler Nixon, Jay Nixon’s son. It was due to the fact that Bradley had worked with Nixon for so long.
“The governor is working
for the firm that he’s investigating,” Pruitt said. “Does he have to recuse himself now?”
Gardner released a statement that she is pleased that the court has assigned a special prosecutor “in this important matter.”
“I’m confident Mr. Bradley has been a fine and honorable attorney throughout his career,” Gardner said.
However, she did make veiled references to Bradley’s ties with the Dowd Bennett firm.
“In June, my office made the recommendation to appoint well-respected retired Buchanan County prosecutor Dwight Scroggins to this role,” Gardner stated. “It’s critical that this matter gets an objective and independent review. Given the controversy over the past year, I believe the special prosecutor should not possess even the appearance of a conflict. Mr. Scroggins has no personal ties to anyone associated with this matter or the Greitens’ matter.
We encourage the community to continue to review the facts, scrutinize the process and identify close relationships with firms, judges, and individuals in this case to determine the objectivity and fairness of the special prosecutor.”
The American was not able to reach Bradley for comment.
“Between the police investigators sharing and updating the person they are investigating on top of this, it just continues to boggle the imagination,” Pruitt said.
“Gardner is a woman and the first African American to hold this office — are those two factors are influencing some of this stuff? It’s hard to frame that as not.”
JULY 18 – 24, 2019
Chalana ScalesFerguson is the new director of Academic Success Program at the University of Missouri School of Law. It will teach foundational academic skills, counsel students regarding academic performance, provide writing support to students and administer a bar exam success program. She comes from Saint Louis University School of Law where she taught the “Law and Social Change” course and LSAT preparation.
Kahlil Robert Irving was one of three artists selected for the ninth Great Rivers Biennial Arts Award Program 2020. More than 80 artists applied for the collaborative initiative between Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis and the Gateway Foundation designed to recognize artistic talent in the greater St. Louis metro area. It awards each artist with $20,000 and a major exhibition in CAM’s main galleries.
Malia Hamilton, 7, put her painting skills to work at the kid’s corner at the 4th Annual Black Wall Street Festival, held in the Wellston Loop on Saturday, June 29. She will be a third grader at the Biome School in the Central West End in the fall. The festival was organized by Wellston Community Coalition, Hamilton Heights Neighborhood Organization and Young Voices with Action at the former site of the Wellston Loop Building, at the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King Drive and Hodiamont Avenue. “We seek to empower, challenge and educate the communities comprising of the Wellston Loop in cooperative economics and social uplift,” organizers stated. For more information, visit www.youngvoiceswithaction.org.
State Auditor Nicole Galloway asks Gov. Parson in a letter, asking for a ‘plan of action’
By Chris King Of The St. Louis American
When will Missouri taxpayers get their state tax refunds? State Auditor Nicole Galloway wants to know.
On Thursday, July 11, she sent a letter to Gov. Mike Parson asking him to take action to help thousands of Missourians who are still waiting for their tax refunds, often after months of delay.
“My office has heard from Missourians who are waiting on their refunds to pay bills and for necessities,” Galloway wrote to Parson. “Those bills can’t get paid with canned responses and generic excuses. Taxes are processed at the same time every year. There is no excuse for taxpayers to be experiencing this level of dysfunction.”
Parson’s office did not immediately return a request for comment on Galloway’s letter. His response will be included if received.
‘Black Wall Street’ on the Wellston Loop n Taxpayers whose tax refunds have been delayed can contact the State Auditor’s Whistleblower Hotline at 800347-8597 or at moaudit@ auditor.mo.gov.
Galloway said her office previously has sent several letters to the acting director of the Department of Revenue about the situation, copying the govenor. “As you oversee the Department of Revenue, I’m asking for immediate action to address the backlog of delayed refunds,” Galloway wrote to the governor.
Galloway referenced recent media reports in which the Department of Revenue, which reports to the governor, stated more than 70,000 Missourians are waiting on their refunds. Galloway said that more than 1,000 of those individuals, many of whom are seniors or have disabilities or lower incomes, have contacted her office asking for help in getting answers about their the delayed refunds.
While the state auditor has no authority over the Department of Revenue or tax returns,
Tiffany Anderson was appointed to serve on the Postsecondary Technical Education Authority for the state of Kansas by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly. Anderson is Topeka Public Schools superintendent; previously, she was superintendent of Jennings Public Schools. She was the St. Louis American Foundation’s 2015 Stellar Performer in Education. The TEA makes recommendations to improve postsecondary education across the state.
Chris Hicks joined Hicks-Carter-Hicks, LLC as a lead consultant managing the company’s new Safety and Health practice and leading the firm’s business development efforts in these areas. He is also a national speaker on the topics of workplace safety and health. HicksCarter-Hicks partners with clients who want to achieve organizational excellence through improving employee performance, and creating a highly engaged and aligned diverse workforce.
Ryane Amanda Owens received a number of awards and recognitions during her 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony at Gateway Math Science and Technology Middle School. She received a Leadership Award with a $5,000 per year scholarship from Webster University, a medallion for achieving Honor Roll and a Perfect Attendance trophy. She will attend Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in the fall.
Bishop Jacques Anthony Hughes Sr. was consecrated bishop at the Evangelistic Ministries International Fellowship Convocation by the Presiding Prelate and Founder Bishop James E. Bolden III and Lady Cynthia E. Bolden of Jacksonville, Arkansas. Bishop Hughes and his wife Lady Inez Cunningham Hughes are the founders, pastors of the Evangelistic Word Ministry of St. Louis, a multimedia ministry that operates on Face Book and YouTube. On the move? Congratulations! Send your good professional news and a color headshot to cking@stlamerican. com
By Chris King Of The St. Louis American
Raising the minimum wage does not cost people jobs and helps to increase the incomes of older workers, contrary to the notion that higher minimum wages force earlier retirements, according to Mark Borgschulte, a professor of economics at the University of Illinois.
undermine our public policy goals of trying to get people to work longer,” he said.
“We find that the minimum wage not only increases the financial resources of these older households, it also more than offsets whatever small, negative unemployment effects may exist, which are statistically indistinguishable from zero.”
n “The (higher) minimum wage more than offsets whatever small, negative unemployment effects may exist, which are statistically indistinguishable from zero.”
“If we think the minimum wage has harmful effects on employment – which is a controversial position in economics, but one that a lot of economists subscribe to –then it’s going to potentially
– Mark Borgschulte
Borgschulte co-authored the paper, which will appear in ILR Review, with Heepyung Cho, a graduate student at Illinois. They studied the effect of the minimum wage on the employment outcomes and Social Security claiming of
older U.S. workers from 19832016.
“From a public policy perspective, lawmakers are really interested in incentivizing people to work longer –it’s the uniform prescription across the political spectrum for how we can tackle aging-related budget issues,” Borgschulte said. “For programs like Social Security, getting people to work longer is very helpful.”
a decrease in the number of Social Security beneficiaries as well as the amount of benefits disbursed,” Borgschulte said.
Borgschulte and Ho found that higher minimum wages increase earnings and may have small positive effects on the labor supply of workers in the key age 62-70 demographic.
“Higher minimum wages result in increased earnings and delayed retirement in that cohort, which translates into
“The way the Social Security systems works in the U.S. should not disincentivize work, but for whatever reason, many retirees perceive Social Security claiming as indicative of an exit from the labor force. And so we were able to show that there is no harmful effect of the minimum wage on older workers’ employment – and, in fact, it seems to delay Social Security claiming, which would be consistent with increased financial resources for older households.”
If anything, employment goes up for workers who are at retirement age, which suggests
that minimum wage jobs keep people in the labor force a little bit longer, Borgschulte said.
“Public policymakers have not spent as much time as they should thinking about how we should keep people in the labor force,” he said.
“So in that way, having a minimum wage is an effective policy for keeping people in the labor force for longer.
And economists haven’t spent enough time studying why people retire. So this paper is a small step in that direction. The reality is that many older workers are working for low wages, so the minimum wage is particularly relevant for this part of the labor market.”
The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, and the minimum wage at the state level can go as high as $11.50 per hour.
“An absolutely essential caveat to any minimum wage paper is that we’re only able
to study – empirically, at least – the range of minimum wages observed in the data,” he said. “And the theories about how the labor market works suggests that small changes in the minimum wage likely will have small changes in employment. Firms have some wage-setting power, and if they make changes at the margins, a higher minimum wage will likely only have a marginal effect or no change at all.”
Since the minimum wage is not $15 per hour, as advocates are demanding, there is no evidence for what raising the minimum to $15 would do. negative consequences for older workers’ employment status, but it’s not clear what happens when it goes up to $15 per hour,” he said. “It’s harder for economists to predict when you make large changes because you’re moving out of the range of what the previous data can tell you.”
American staff
‘Improving true minority participation’ requires vetting businesses, says Rep. Green
The recent decision by St. Louis officials to remove five businesses from its list of certified minority-owned businesses due to allegations that the companies’ owners falsely claimed Native American ancestry highlights the need for stronger oversight and review of programs aimed at providing opportunities for groups that historically have been passed over for government contracts based on race or gender, state Rep. Alan Green (D-Florissant) said in a statement.
proved crucial in helping many of these companies to grow and thrive,” stated Green, who has represented House District 67 since 2014.
of improving true minority participation is achieved while avoiding rewarding bad actors.”
“Efforts by state and local governments to give women and minority owned businesses a fair shot at winning government contracts have
“Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous operators who will fraudulently claim minority status to win contracts. That’s why it is vital for officials to closely monitor these programs so that the goal
According to a July 2 story by the Riverfront Times, St. Louis officials last month decertified five businesses that had claimed minority status based on an allegedly dubious affiliation with a particular Cherokee tribe whose legitimacy is not recognized by the federal government.
State Rep. Alan Green n “It is vital for officials to closely monitor these programs so that the goal of improving true minority participation is achieved while avoiding rewarding bad actors.”
– state Rep. Alan Green
“The American capitalist system is based on ownership,” Green said. “It may be ownership of a home, a business organization or stocks in a corporation. For most Americans, what gives a sense of power, of control over one’s destiny, though, is ownership of a business enterprise.”
continued from page B1
taxpayers who have contacted her office and whose concerns she has previously brought to the governor’s attention.
The Missouri Democratic Party has questioned whether Parson has withheld tax refunds in an effort to wait for a tax cut. If the state’s revenue growth exceeds 1 percent, a state tax cut would be triggered. The state has not met
Green, the ranking Democratic member of the Special House Small Business Committee, has sponsored several bills in recent years to expand and improve opportunities for women and minority owned businesses. Green formerly served as director of the Office of Equal Opportunity for the Missouri Office of Administration, which generally oversees the awarding of state contracts.
that threshold yet.
“Either the administration is incompetent or this is an excuse for a fiscal strategy intended to trigger tax cuts ahead of a campaign launch,” Missouri Democratic Party Executive Director Lauren Gepford said in a statement.
“If Parson held back tax refunds for tens of thousands of Missouri taxpayers in a failed effort to implement a tax cut then those taxpayers still waiting for a refund deserve accountability.” Galloway, the only
Democrat who holds statewide office, is expected to challenge Parson for governor next year. Parson was elected lieutenant governor in 2016 and became governor when Eric Greitens resigned.
Galloway said her office will continue to work on behalf of citizens to process their complaints and get answers. Taxpayers whose tax refunds have been delayed can contact the State Auditor’s Whistleblower Hotline at 800347-8597 or at moaudit@ auditor.mo.gov.
n “I would put our roster up against anybody.”
— Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers
‘Please,
“We all have a platform. Please, please let’s give back to the youth. They need us; they’re the future. It’s way bigger than basketball.” These words were spoken by St. Louisan Bradley Beal at the NBA Awards Show, moments after he was announced as the winner of the NBA Cares Community Assist Award for 2019.
I’ve been watching this young man play a brilliant game of basketball ever since he was in eighth grade and have chronicled his tremendous career from Chaminade College Prep to the University of Florida to his current all-star status as a guard for the Washington Wizards. Not only has Bradley become a professional basketball star with the Wizards (my favorite team since 1969), but he has become a superstar off the court and in the community. Well, let’s make that two communities. That would be his current home in Washington, D.C. and, of course, his hometown of St. Louis.
Beal earned his Community Assist Award for his charitable work in partnering with the Ron Brown College Preparatory High School, an all-boys public high school in Washington, D.C. He has donated his money, his time and his mentorship to the young men of this school with a myriad of activities. He has done some amazing things for those kids and has developed relationships with them as well, so it was great to see him get recognized for it in such a big way. Beal has become the self-described “Big Brother” to many of those youngsters who are looking for such inspiration from such a relationship
American staff
Hazelwood West High School’s Justin Robinson has been named the 20182019 Gatorade Missouri Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year. The award recognizes both athletic excellence and high standards of academic achievement and character demonstrated on and off the track, and distinguishes Robinson as the best high school boys’ track & field athlete in Missouri. Robinson, who just completed his junior year, won three individual events and anchored the winning 4x200 relay team at the Missouri Class 5
n
With Alvin A. Reid
In the City of Brotherly Love, they now call it, “the most devastating play in Philadelphia sports history.”
The St. Louis Cardinals won a best-of-five, first-round playoff series behind a complete game 1-0 shutout by Chris Carpenter. The 102-win Phillies, the best team in baseball in 2011, were eliminated and the Cardinals went on to win the World Series.
It’s the last out of that series that was beginning of the end for St. Louis native Ryan Howard and the championship run of the Phillies. Howard snapped his Achilles and laid helpless on the ground as the Cardinals celebrated. He came back a season later and he was not the same. Neither were the Phillies.
instead of David Freese hitting (a clutch World Series double), maybe it’s me.”
The guy who grew up watching the Cardinals, became a Major League Prospect at Lafayette High School and played at Missouri State University before being drafted by the Phillies had a stellar career.
During his 13-year career, he hit 382 home runs and collected 1,194 RBIs. He was the 2005 Rookie of the Year, MVP in 2006 and helped the Phillies win their first World Series in 28 years in 2008. The Phillies returned to the World Series in 2009, but lost to the surging New York Yankees.
Yet, Howard remains an icon in Philadelphia. The Ryan Howard Training Center, a 7,500 megaplex for youth softball and baseball is going strong and he remains active in the community that adopted him.
Last Sunday, Howard was honored before a sold-out stadium and received numerous standing ovations.
There is always that lasting question: “What if?”
“Man let me tell you this,” Howard said in a press conference before the game. “If it was going to blow, it was going to blow. Game 5. Game 1 of the NLCS, my Achilles was probably going to blow regardless.
“Yeah you want to look at a crystal ball and try to do best-case scenario, yeah. If my ankle doesn’t go out, maybe
He is the fastest player in baseball history to reach 1,000 RBIs, 100 home runs, and 200 home runs. With Howard batting cleanup, the Phillies won five consecutive NL East titles.
During the ceremony, several retired and current stars shared congratulations with Howard – including Mike Trout.
Via the video screen, the native of South New Jersey said, “It was a thrill growing up and watching you play.”
Unlike the Cardinals, Howard played for a team where the fans have no problem showering players with boos. When Howard returned after his injury and struggled, the hero was on the receiving end of jeers from the home crowd.
It didn’t alter his love for the city or the franchise. He closed his remarks by reminding fans to support the current team and to remember the glory days.
“Y’all support these guys the same way you supported us,” Howard said.
“It’s not going to be good all the time, but damn it, when it’s good, we know what it feels like. Let these men know what it feels like. Because, they come out here every single day and put it on the line win, lose, or draw.
The good, the bad, the ugly. But damn it, they’re trying. As long as they give you the hustle and play the game the way it’s supposed to be played, don’t ever boo these men.”
“I’m out.”
One more, “what if?” What if Howard had been drafted by the Cardinals? Actually, he probably would have been traded because some guy named Albert Pujols would eventually become the Cardinals everyday first baseman.
Do right by Dave Parker
Eric Davis, Fred McGriff, Dave Parker and Dave Stewart were honored as the 2019 inductees to the Negro League Baseball Museum “Hall
of Game.”
All are deserving of the honor and all can make a case to be in the Hall of Fame. But I want to concentrate on Parker. He deserves to be in the hall of Fame immediately – especially since the ridiculous induction of Harold Baines on Sunday, July 21.
Parker played 11 of his 19 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates and was the NL MVP in 1978. He led the NL in batting average in 1977 and 1978 and during his career he was at the summit of the league, respectively, in hits, doubles, RBI, slugging, OPS and total bases.
His Pirates won the 1979 World Series and 10 years later won again in Oakland under Tony La Russa. He was never tainted by the scandal like several of his A’s teammates.
La Russa was instrumental in a very-average DH Baines earning enough votes from the Today’s Game Era Committee to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame. La Russa has not shown similar love for Parker.
Parker, who is battling Parkinson’s disease, was cocky and brash. He rocked to Parliament/Funkadelic and other funk artists. He played hard and had a similar lifestyle. Some voters say it’s a debate as to whether he should be in the Hall of Fame. If he had been a mild-mannered soul, the debate would be over. He would be in.
“There was no one in his era that was more revered and more feared than Dave Parker year in and year out,” fellow Hall of Game member Davis said. “All of the accolades an individual could have won, he did. He was not only a difference-maker on the field, but in the clubhouse, especially to a generation of young black players. That was Dave Parker.”
MLB, once again, wants to find more black layers and fans. Then it allows the travesty of Parker not being in the Hall of Fame go unchecked. It’s said.
The Reid Roundup
Distressing news that St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer Bob Gibson is battling pancreatic cancer. If anyone can beat it – even at the age of 83 – it’s Gibson. I must admit, it does sound ominous … I’d hire Willie McGee to manage my team in a heartbeat Mike Florio of website ProFootballTalk reported Monday that “a league source” says Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has told friends and family he will not attend training camp without a new contract … I was wrong (what else is new) in predicting that Elliott would receive a one-game suspension for his Las Vegas hijinks in late May.
Commissioner Roger Goodell let him off with a reprimand
Last Sunday, Ryan Howard was honored before a soldout stadium in Philadelphia.
Tiger Woods begins pursuit of his 16th major PGA title today in Northern Ireland in The Open. (We call it The British Open). His odds are 18-1 … Serena Williams missed another chance to win her record 24th women’s Grand Slam tennis tournament when she fell 6-2, 6-2 to Simona Halep at Wimbledon last weekend. She would have tied Margaret Court for most Grand Slam titles … Proctor and Gamble, through its product Secret deodorant, donated almost $600,000 to the USWNT for its World Cup victory. It’s a darn shame a private company had to step up and do the right thing for the women, while U.S Soccer fights them in court over remuneration … The local ownership group attempting to land an MLS expansion team made its official pitch in New York last week. I wonder what additional demands (legal extortion) they will now face…
Alvin A. Reid was honored as the 2017 “Best Sports Columnist – Weeklies” in the Missouri Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest and is a New York Times contributor. He is a panelist on the Nine Network program, Donnybrook, a weekly contributor to “The Charlie Tuna Show” on KFNS and appears monthly on “The Dave Glover Show” on 97.1 Talk.” His Twitter handle is @aareid1.
Congratulations to the St. Louis Trotters on winning the championship of the
It is the team’s third professional championship in the past five years. The
Hicks, Quis
the
championship. The team members are: Harold
Clifford
Youth sports leagues are ubiquitous year-round, offering athletic opportunities outside of school teams. They can lead to opportunities on elite, competitive teams, including teams that travel to various tournaments, which have proliferated in recent years. Better Business Bureau (BBB) reminds parents to do their homework, as with any opportunity offered to their child, before enrolling in a travel team or sports league.
Nationally, BBB processed about 240 complaints in 2018 about sports and recreation businesses. Common issues reported to BBB include programs not held as scheduled, refund issues and concerns about coaching quality.
BBB St. Louis issued a warning in June 2019 on an Illinois coach who reportedly took parents’ money for travel teams that never got off the ground and camps that were never held. According to the coach’s federal bankruptcy court filings, he collected just over $75,000 from young athletes and their parents.
“It’s important that parents screen these programs before their children sign up,” said Michelle L. Corey, BBB St.
Louis president and CEO.
“As with anything, there are honest coaches looking to foster youth’s growth and leave them with great athletic memories, and there are businesses whose dishonest practices will leave families with nothing but a lighter wallet.”
BBB offers the following tips for dealing with youth sports programs. Research any business and its owners carefully before paying any money. Check the company’s BBB Business Profile at bbb.org or by calling 888-9963887. Ask for references and contact them Talk to others who have participated with the program. Most organizations – from youth sports teams to dance studios – have an online presence that can help seek out parents who have experience with the organization. Ask for what your money is paying. An organization should be able to detail all of its expenses for the team. The most common fees are for
n Nationally, Better Business Bureau processed about 240 complaints in 2018 about sports and recreation businesses for programs not held as scheduled, refund issues and coaching quality.
court/field rental, uniforms and tournament or league fees. A reputable organization will give its members an itemized list of those fees. Find out what a uniform entails. Costs and equipment for sports varies. Are helmets and pads included for football, hockey and lacrosse, or are players expected to purchase or rent these items for a fee? Does the program provide bats and gloves in baseball and softball? Is loaner equipment available in good condition and suitable for your child’s size, age and ability?
Know how much your child will play. The parents, player and coach should have clear expectations for how often the child will play.
Unlike recreational leagues where everyone plays equal time, most competitive travel teams do not use the same philosophy. Research a program’s philosophy with respect to playing time before agreeing to join the
organization.
Find out the program’s refund policy. What happens if your child wants to quit or is injured? The refund policy should be clearly spelled out by the organization and explained to the parents and players before the seasons begins.
BBB is a nonprofit, businesssupported organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. BBB services to consumers are free of charge. Visit bbb.org for more information.
Continued from B3
from someone such as Beal.
As a lifelong of the Bullets/Wizards, it was personally gratifying to see Beal receive this award. He follows current teammate John Wall, who won the award in 2016 and my uncle Wes Unseld, who was a star for the Bullets in the 1970’s and a giant in the communities of Baltimore and Washington, D.C. He received the Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for his outstanding community service back in 1975. So, it was wonderful to see Beal continue this tradition.
n Beal will be taking over the sponsorship of the very successful St. Louis Eagles girls’ basketball program and bring it under the Brad Beal Elite umbrella.
Back home in St. Louis, Bradley continues to do big things as well. A couple of years ago, he took over sponsorship of the St. Louis Eagles Basketball Club, which is one of the top grassroots boys’ basketball clubs in the country. Beal was a star on the Eagles’ 2010 team that advanced to the championship game of the Nike EYBL Peach Jam, the most prestigious grassroots basketball tournament in the nation. The club was renamed Brad Beal Elite, and it continues to produce quality basketball on a nationwide level. And just a couple of weeks ago, Beal announced that he will be taking over the sponsorship of the very successful St. Louis Eagles girls’ basketball program and bring it under the Brad Beal Elite umbrella.
Beal made that announcement on June 29 at a Celebration of Life ceremony for the late Rich Gray, who founded the St. Louis Eagles boys’ program in the late 80’s and started the Eagles’ girls program six years ago. Gray, who passed away in the spring, was not only a coach for Beal with the Eagles, but also a strong role model and mentor for the up and coming basketball star. And the hits just keep on coming for Beal as it was announced last week that he was joining the ownership group for the new Powerplex, a $63 million sports complex in Hazelwood, which is on the site of the old St. Louis Outlet Mall at 5555 St. Louis Mills Boulevard. The mall is being transformed into a complex that will include sports venues, restaurants and space for hotels. It was also be the headquarters for the Brad Beal Elite for games, tournaments and a training facility.
At just 26 years old, Bradley Beal has already accomplished some tremendous things to become an impact player on and off the basketball court. And young people in St. Louis and Washington, D.C. continue to benefit from his work.
American staff
Rung for Women – a St. Louis nonprofit agency focused on empowering women to achieve sustained independence –broke ground on its new 3.7 acre facility in Fox Park in May, and it intends to enroll an initial class of 100 members in the second quarter of 2020, primarily through partner referrals.
It is specifically focused on recruiting women who earn less than St. Louis’ average annual median household income (currently around $59,800), but enough to make them ineligible for state or federal assistance. Many of these women struggle at multiple jobs without the ability to improve their financial situation, and Rung for Women aims to help them break out of a cycle of poverty that is often proliferated from one generation to the next.
in setting her own goals through a customized program based on each woman’s personal experience,” said Executive Director Leslie Gill.
“The coaching element makes Rung for Women truly unique. Many other organizations focus on helping a woman through an experience –sometimes traumatic – in her past, but Rung for Women is forwardlooking and helps each member develop a plan to achieve her own future success.”
Rung for Women’s network of service providers will focus on four main areas that lead to selfsufficiency: well-being, family stability, career development and wealth building. These service providers be located in the same facility and connected through software created by Rung for Women, similar to the software used in hospitals, helping them work together and keep track of progress on personalized plans for each member.
By Lucien Blackwell Market
Applicants must be at least 21 years old with a high school degree or GED, have at least six months of stable housing and employment, and be committed to finding a career and financial stability.
“Once a new member is enrolled in our program, she will be paired with one of Rung for Women’s certified coaches, who will advise her
“Our new space in Fox Park will bring together an amazing group of co-designers in one convenient location to provide women in the St. Louis region with the tools, training and resources they need to find success,” said founder Ali Kindle Hogan.
To learn more about Rung for Women, visit RungforWomen.org.
Two companies based in the St. Louis region were ranked among the Best Workplaces for Millennials in 2019 by Fortune and Great Place to Work, based on feedback from more than 4.5 million employees at Great Place to Work-Certified organizations across the country. Edward Jones was ranked 6, and World Wide Technology was ranked 48. The organizations on the list were evaluated on more
than 60 elements of employee experience, including trust of leadership, respectful treatment of team members, fairness of workplace decisions, and camaraderie.
“Feeling valued and appreciated is a refreshing change,” employee feedback on Edward Jones was summarized.
“The culture of this company is so inclusive of the employees, and the value and confidence they place in us helps us to
succeed. We transfer that directly to our clients, and our clients love us.”
“Executives walk the talk, and ensure all managers down the latter from them do as well.” employee feedback on World Wide Technology was summarized. “Employees at every level are provided every resource possible to be successful at what they do. The strong culture spreads like a wildfire.”
By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American
Urban radio pioneer and syndicated morning show personality
Tom Joyner sent shockwaves across the airwaves two years ago when he announced that he would be stepping down from his long-running syndicated morning show.
“I’m putting in my two-year notice,” Joyner said on the show.
“With the contract that I just signed, at the end of 2019 will be the end of the ‘Tom Joyner Morning Show.’ I want to have a swan song that’s two years long. It’s been a good ride, but like everything, it must come to an end.”
Our city was a part of that swan song Saturday night at Chaifetz Arena. Joyner is saying goodbye personally by way of a concert series that highlights R&B artists that have been in regular rotation over the course of his quartercentury in syndication and nearly 40 years on air. St. Louis was one of the lucky cities to host the Tom Joyner
See JOYNER, C4
“I feel incredibly fortunate to be stepping into the rep in this moment, because it has had such magnificent stewardship with Steve Woolf and Mark (The Rep’s Managing Director Mark Bernstein),” said Hana S. Sharif, the newly appointed Augustin Family Artistic Director for The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.
The announcement came last year, but the moment has arrived for Sharif to fill the shoes of Steven A. Woolf, who helmed the artistic arm of the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (more commonly known as The Rep) for more than 30 years. He announced in 2017 that the 2018-2019 season would be his
When she assumed the position two weeks ago, Sharif made history as the first African-American artistic director in the 53-year history of the organization.
“This is a moment of extraordinary transition and hopefully transformation for the American theater,”
Sharif said while discussing her next professional chapter during A&E’s Catalyst Conversation
See SHARIF, C4
By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American
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.
Sun., July 21, 6 p.m., Fox Sports Midwest Live presents Bone Thugs-N-Harmony ft. Dirty Muggs. 601 Clark Ave., 63102. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com.
Sun., July 21, 7:30 p.m., Stifel Theatre presents Earth, Wind & Fire. 1400 Market St., 63103. For more information, visit www. ticketmaster.com.
Thur., July 25, 8 p.m., The Fox Theatre presents Diana Ross: Music Book Tour. 527 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, visit www. fabulousfox.com.
Sat., July 27, 8 p.m., Blac Youngsta Live. Ambassador, 9800 Halls Ferry Rd.,63136. For more information, visit www.metrotix.com.
Wed., July 31, 8 p.m., Live Nation presents Mary J. Blige and Nas. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, 14141 Riverport Dr., 63043. For more information, visit www. ticketmaster.com.
Thur., Aug. 1, 6 p.m., Wiz Khalifa: The Decent Exposure Tour. With guests French Montana, Playboi Carti, Moneybagg Yo, Chevy Woods, and DJ Drama. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, 14141 Riverport Dr., 63043. For more information, visit www. ticketmaster.com.
Mon., Aug. 12, 8 p.m., Fox Theatre presents Gary Clark Jr. 527 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, visit www.ticketmaster.com.
Thur., July 18, 6 p.m., EDP Productions, LLC presents An Evening with Erica Reed: A Gospel and Blues Affair. With guest artist Vince Martin
and Friends. Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, visit www.metrotix.com.
Sat., July 20, 7 p.m., Masters Touch Summer Concert The Ambassador, 9800 Halls Ferry Rd., 63136. For more information, visit www. thenewambassadorstl.com.
Sat., July 20, 5 p.m., Reggae MusicFest 19. Boenker Hill Vineyard & Winery, 12855 Boenker Lane, 63044. For more information, visit www. purplepass.com.
Tues., July 23, 7:30 p.m., Gaslight Jazz Series. Arvell and Co featuring Jim Manley and the Wild, Cool and Swingin’ Horns. Gaslight Theater, 358 N. Boyle Ave., 63108. For more information, call (314) 458-2978.
Fri., Aug. 2, 7 p.m., FarFetched presents Katarra Parson and Tonina. Pulitzer Arts Foundation, 3716 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. pulitzerarts.org.
Sat., July 20, 12 p.m., Frizz Fest 2019: To Encourage Self-Love and Inspire Confidence Among Women. Vendors, food trucks, performances, activities, giveaways, and more. Tower Grove Park, 4256 Magnolia Ave., 63110. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.
July 20 – 21, Ultimate HBCU Experience Majorette Dance Workshop. Auxiliary Studio, 8894 Jennings Station Rd., 63136. For more information, call (314) 884-8650.
Sat., July 20, 7:30 p.m., The Willie Akins Scholarship Benefit Concert. Scholarships provide tuition assistance
Kenya Vaughn recommends
to music majors at Webster University. The Grandel, 3610 Grandel Sq., 63103. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.
Wed., July 24, 9:30 a.m., HireLive presents St. Louis Job Fair. DoubleTree Westport, 1973 Craigshire Rd., 63146. For more information, visit www.hirelive.com.
Wed., July 24, 6 p.m., Jammin’ At The Zoo: The Zoo Uncorked feat. Dirty Muggs. 1 Government Dr., 63110. For more information, visit www.stlzoo.org.
Thurs., July 25, 11 a.m., The Community Action Agency of St. Louis County, Inc. (CAASTLC) is hosting an employment and resource fair at St. Louis Community College – Florissant Valley, Student Center Multipurpose Room, 3400 Pershall Rd. For more information, or job readiness assistance, contact James Ingram at (314) 4464431 or jingram@caastlc.org.
Sat., July 27, 10 a.m., Saint Louis World Day Against Trafficking. International Institute, 3401 Arsenal St., 63118. For more information, visit www.unausa.org.
Sat., July 27, 11 a.m., Girlz
4 Life Back 2 School BBQ and Bookbag Giveaway. Saint Ferdinand Park, 25 Saint Ferdinand Park Dr., 63031. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.
Sat., July 27, 4 p.m., Queen Camp, Inc., presents Worthy: The 6th Annual Miss Divine Destiny Pageant. St. Louis University Center for Global Citizenship Auditorium, 3672 West Pine Mall, 63108. For more information, visit www. thequeensguidetolife.com.
Sat., July 27, 5:30 p.m., African Diaspora Council, Inc. invites you to their 6th Annual Diner Gala. 1425 Ferguson Ave., 63133. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.
Sat., July 27, 6 p.m., StyleTaneous Styles 4th Annual Fashion Show. New Spring Church, 10229 Lewis and Clark Blvd., 63136. For more information, visit www. styletaneousstyles.com
Sun., July 28, 3 p.m., The Metropolitan St. Louis Fisk University Alumni Association Back to School Reception. Incoming and returning students of Fisk University are invited. West Side Missionary Baptist Church, 4675 Page Blvd.,
Kirk Franklin’s Long Live Love Tour. See SPIRITUAL for details.
63113. For more information, call (314) 226-6841 or (314) 503-2580.
Aug. 2 – 4, 5th Annual Ferguson Unity Weekend. Aug. 2, 10 a.m.: Career Fair, 1050 Smith Ave.; 6 p.m.: Souls Never Forgotten, 501 N. Florissant Rd. Aug. 4, 2 p.m.: Backpack giveaway, 3390 Persall Rd. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.
Sat., Aug. 3, 6:30 p.m., Families United Community Benefit Megafest. Enjoy music and entertainment while helping raise money for local families in need. Crowne Plaza St. Louis Airport, 11228 Lone Eagle Dr., 63044. For more information, visit www. healthyrelationshipstl.com.
Fri., Aug. 9, 7 p.m., Anita Jackson: This Woman’s Work! A candid conversation with hard-working women. The Grandel, 3610 Grandel Sq., 63103. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.
Sat., Aug. 10, 11 a.m., George B. Vashon Museum 4th Anniversary: Thriving in Spite Of…Living in Segregated St. Louis Communities. 2223 St. Louis Ave., 63106. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.
Aug. 10 – 11, Saint Louis Public Schools and the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis present Urban Expo: Back to School & Community Festival America’s Center, 701 Convention Plaza, 63101. For more information, visit www. slps.org.
Sun., Aug. 11, 1 p.m., Made Moguls presents their 5th Annual Back To School Youth Summit 2019. Harris Stowe, 3026 Laclede Ave., 63103. For more information, call (314) 951-8393.
July 19 – 23, 41st Annual YMCA Book Fair. The
largest single fundraising event for the Gateway Region YMCA. Greensfelder Recreation Center, Queeny Park, 550 Weidman Rd., 63011. For more information, visit www.ymcabookfair.org.
Sun., Aug. 11, 7 p.m., Churchboy Productions presents Lyricism: The Show. Church will infuse the smooth melodic sounds of R&B with the classy artistry of poetry. The Grandel, 3610 Grandel Sq., 63103. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.
Sat., Aug. 3, 7 p.m., SPARC. A curation of St. Louis based artists showcasing their work in the nature of art as activism. Good Shepherd Arts Center, 252 S. Florissant Rd., 63135. For more information, visit www.goodshepherdarts.org/ exhibits.
Sat., Aug. 3, 5 p.m., American Conversations Exhibition Reception. 43 artists from around the region will display works depicting what it is like to live in St. Louis in 2019. Exhibit runs through Sept. 5. Art St. Louis, 1223 Pine St., 63013. For more information, visit www. artstlouis.org.
July 18 – 20, Helium Comedy Club presents Don “DC” Curry. 1151 St. Louis Galleria St., 63117. For more information, visit www. heliumcomedy.com.
Fri., July 19, 7 a.m., The Funniest Friday Night Ever. Feat. Deon Benson, Brandon Taylor, and Mike Gerdine. Special Tymes Banquet Hall, 5950 Natural Bridge Rd., 63120. For more information, visit www.facebook.com.
July 19 – 20, Funny Bone St. Louis presents Roy Wood Jr 614 Westport Plaza, 63146. For more information, visit www.stlouisfunnybone.com.
July 25 – 28, Helium Comedy Club presents Tony Rock 1151 St. Louis Galleria St., 63117.
July 20, Encore Theater Group presents A Raisin in the Sun. Fellowship STL, 3453 S. Jefferson Ave., 63118. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com.
July 19 – 20, JPEK Creative Works presents A Deeper Shade of Blues. A one-man show, interwoven through music, dance, and monologue about being Black in America. .Zack, 3224 Locust St., 63103. For more information, visit www.metrotix.com.
July 26 – 27, Rockshow Productions presents Disney’s Frozen Jr. The Grandel, 3610 Grandel Sq., 63108. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.
July 26 – 27, COCA 15th Annual Summer Musical: Into the Woods. Edison Theatre, 6445 Forsyth Blvd., 63105. For more information, visit www.cocastl.org.
Sat., Aug. 3, 7 p.m., Beyond Measure, LLC presents Soul of a Woman. A show that deals with the complexities of womanhood. Featuring members of Afroetics. Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.
Aug. 3 – 4, The Release: A Ritual by Basil Kincaid. In this Afro-surrealist performance, Kincaid creates an immersive sensory experience to encourage the release of internalized trauma. Pulitzer Arts Foundation, 3716 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. pulitzerarts.org/program.
Aug. 5 – 11, The Muny presents Matilda. Forest Park, 1 Theatre Dr., 63112. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.
Sat., Aug. 17, 3:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. StarFire Productions presents NOT MY SONS written and directed by Star Ellis. A full length play coupled with a served 2 course catered dinner by StarFire Catering. The Empowerment Center @ The Center for Divine Love 3617 Wyoming Street St. Louis, MO 63116. Tickets can be purchased online at www.StarFireHot.com or call 314.732.5146 for group/ organization rates.
Tues., July 23, 9 a.m.,
U.S. Small Business Administration Workshop
St. Louis Public Library, 1301 Olive St., 63103. For more information, visit www.slpl. org.
July 23 – 24, St. Louis Equitable Economic Development Strategy
Open House. 23rd: Vashon High School, 3035 Cass Ave, 63106. 24th: Sheet
Kenya Vaughn recommends
Metal Workers Union No. 36, 2319 Chouteau Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www.stleconomic developmentstrategy.com.
Thurs., July 25, 7 p.m.
(6 p.m. registration) The Comedy Credit Clinic with speaker Stacy C. Notley, President and CEO of The Manning Group, Room C, Brentwood Community Center, 2505 S. Brentwood Blvd. For more information, visit www. Manning-Group.com
Sat., July 27, 10 a.m., How to Dismantle the School to Prison Pipeline. Julia Davis Library, 4415 Natural Bridge Ave., 63115. For more information, visit www.
eventbrite.com.
Tues., Aug. 13, 6 p.m., Ending the City-County Divide: Pros and Cons Local journalists will lead a discussion with St. Louis leaders on whether the current structure is helping or hurting the region. St. Louis Public Library, 1301 Olive St., 63103. For more information, visit www.slpl.org.
Sat., July 20, 11 a.m., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Omicron Theta Omega Chapter presents a Pathway to Health – Health Fair. Ferguson
Live Nation presents Mary J. Blige and Nas. For more information, see CONCERTS.
more information, call (314) 371-4436.
July 19 – 20, Ferguson Gospel Choral Workshop The Gospel Workshop will culminate in a Saturday evening performance highlighting the workshop choir. St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 33 N. Clay Ave., 63135. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com.
Sat., July 20, 1 p.m., Speak to the City presents Speak! 2019 Outdoor Family Concert. Feat. Tish Haynes Keys, Cedric Shannon Rivers and the Brothers, Ricky Davaine, and DJ Quinn. Hosted by Kimm Gaines. Fairgrounds Park, 4061 N. Grand Blvd., 63107. For more information, call (314) 699-4100.
July 21 – 26, Missouri Midwest Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction – C.O.G.I.C. invites you to the 4th Annual Holy Convocation. For more information, visit www.mmej. org
Sun., July 28, 3 p.m., The Celebration Choir of Christ Our Redeemer AME Church Annual Concert
This year’s theme: How Kind of God! 13820 Old Jamestown Rd., Florissant, MO 63033. For more information, call 314-7414222.
Community Empowerment Center, 9420 W. Florissant Ave., 63136. For more information, call (3140 4398306.
Mon., July 22, 6 p.m., Update on Single Payer Medicare for All. Belleville Public Library, 121 E. Washington St., Belleville, IL 62220. For more information, call (314) 265-3412.
Through July 19, Newstead Avenue Missionary Baptist Church invites you to Vacation Bible School. 4370 N. Market St., 63113. For
Aug. 2 – 4, Faith Miracle Temple Youth Department presents Evolve Worship Encounter. Aug. 2, 11 p.m.: Skate Night at CoachLite, 3754 Pennridge Dr. Aug. 3, 7 p.m.: Worship Encounter ft. Jonathan Taylor and Lloyd Nicks. Aug. 4, 10:30 a.m.: Worship Service ft. Isiah Williams. 870 Pershall Rd., 63137. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com.
Thur., Aug. 8, 7 p.m., Kirk Franklin’s Long Live Love Tour. With guests Koryn Hawthorne and Travele Judon. Friendly Temple, 5515 Dr. Martin Luther King Dr., 63112. For more information,
visit www.friendlytemple. simpletix.com.
Thursdays, 6 p.m., Coffee Cake & True Islam, 4529 Emerson Ave.
Thur., July 18, 6:30 p.m., ArchCity Defenders, Inc. invites you to the Summer 2019 Racial Justice Film Series – Time: Kalief Browder Story (Part 1). The Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.
Through July 21, Cinema St. Louis presents the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase. Brown Hall, Washington University, 1 Brookings Dr., 63105. For more information, visit www. cinemastlouis.org.
Fri., July 19, The Lion King starring Donald Glover, Beyonce, Alfre Woodard, and James Earl Jones opens in theaters nationwide.
Fri., July 26, 6 p.m., St. Louis Art Museum presents Art Hill Film Series: Ocean’s 8. 1 Fine Arts Dr., 63110. For more information, visit www.slam.org.
Mon., July 29, 6:45 a.m., Nine Network invites you to Of Black and Blue: The Journey of African American Police Premiere Screening. Public Media Commons, 3653 Olive St., 63108. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com.
Sat., Aug. 3, 9 a.m., Rigged: The Voter Suppression Playbook Documentary Film Screening. 24:1 Cinema, 6755 Page Ave., 63133. For more information, email csd@wustl. edu.
Fri., Aug. 9, Brian Banks starring Greg Kinnear, Aldis Hodge, and Xosha Roquemore opens in theaters nationwide.
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One More Time Experience. The show was presented locally by Radio One St. Louis’ 95.5 FM The Lou and featured R&B veteran Kem and legends Maze featuring Frankie Beverly. Much like the title of the show implied, the show’s namesake was a fixture on stage for nearly the entire night. Joyner introduced both acts personally. Instead of retreating out of sight, he sat visibly perched on stage for his listeners to see. Joyner genuinely enjoyed himself from start to finish. He jumped off his stool and danced along during the performances of Kem and Maze featuring Frankie Beverly. When Kem’s background singer L. Renee was invited center stage for a solo, Joyner and Kem danced together as the woman slayed a rendition of Chaka Khan’s “Sweet Thing.” And when Joyner took off his own blazer and draped it across the shoulders of Beverly to signal the end of the band’s set, Joyner’s navy shirt was soaked with sweat after he bounced and grooved through the legendary R&B band’s entire performance. It was
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series this past November.
“Many of our largest institutions are going through leadership shifts. For The Rep to be going through this transition at the same time is an incredible opportunity for collaboration and shared learning.”
St. Louis will have an additional opportunity to get to know Sharif through a special summer block party that will allow the community to engage with the world-renowned regional theater company.
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis Summer Block Party will take place next Thursday
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a show Joyner declared was “among the top five” of the best performances over the many times he has seen Maze grace the stage. And while the concert was a part of the bowing out of his eponymous “Tom Joyner Morning Show,” there wasn’t a hint of sadness over the course of the night. The fans who packed into Chaifetz provided Joyner with an arena-sized going away party that had the vibe of an intimate gathering or family reunion – where he was revered as a beloved patriarch.
The party kicked off with 95.5 FM personalities DJ Kut and Isis Jones and a spin session that had the near capacity crowd dancing and singing along to Kut’s playlist of old-school R&B and hiphop.
St. Louis native and renowned comedian Guy Torry, who has been a recurring guest on TJMS, served as the evening’s official host, though Joyner took the liberty of introducing Kem and Maze.
As Kem took the stage, he credited Joyner as being critical to his success as an urban adult contemporary artist.
“Tom Joyner has been riding with us since ‘Kemistry,’” Kem said. “I don’t know where the music would have been without him.”
As per usual, Kem delivered
outside their resident theater, the Loretto-Hilton, from 5p.m.8 p.m.
Along with a performance by former St. Louis Blues National Anthem singer Charles Glenn, the festivities will feature food trucks, lawn games, Q&As and demonstrations from Rep artists, kids› activities and more. Sharif will be on hand to meet with attendees and share her vision for The Rep.
“I’m super excited about coming to St. Louis and meeting all of the artists and figuring out the lay of the land,” Sharif said. “The first step for me is to learn the community that I’m entering. I think it’s a huge mistake for someone to come from the outside and
a stellar set that highlighted his 15-plus year career.
He started out with “Love Calls,” the song that put him on the map of R&B music.
His hour-long set pulled from each of his studio albums, with fans particularly connected with his performances of “Share My World” and “If It’s Love” (performed with L. Renee).
think that they have all the answers for what this city needs without having had the time to sit down and talk to the many different communities.”
During her chat with Chuck Harper, SIUE chair of theatre and dance and YoungLiars co-founder, Sharif gave an intimate audience of artists and influencers the complete rundown of her creative career – from the first production she mounted in high school of her native Houston, to her previous post as associate artistic director for Baltimore Center Stage.
“Baltimore is a city that is not unlike St. Louis in its demographic and in some of the challenges of the city,” Sharif said. “Baltimore went through very public issues in
Broderick – a fact that the #notmyAriel community has willfully ignored in their ridiculous campaign against Halle Bailey, the African-American singer/actress tapped to lead the upcoming live-action production of the Disney classic “The Little Mermaid. “The Lion King” was a gamble that paid off quite handsomely for Disney – not only with the box-office shattering run of the film, but the long-running musical it inspired that still connects fans to Simba, Mufasa, Nala and company.
A quarter-century after its original release, Disney’s timeless story will be presented with an extreme visual makeover when the 2019 version lands in theaters nationwide on July 19.
The advancements in technology give director Jon Favreau’s update stunningly
He paid homage to the late Al Jarreau as one of his primary influences, and personally mentioned a host of other artists – artists he said Tom Joyner was known for playing on his show – and gave another of his background singers, J.J. Evans, an opportunity to wow audiences with a snippet of Shalamar’s “For The Lover In You.”
the same way that St. Louis has.”
She was referring to the unrest in Baltimore in response to the death of Freddie Gray and the uprising in Ferguson stemming from the death of Mike Brown at the hands of then-Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. Sharif comes to The Rep a month before the five-year anniversary of Brown’s death.
“I feel really fortunate to have been in Baltimore for the last five years and been able to work at the largest institution in the state and to help with the healing through art,” Sharif said. “I feel like the experiences that I’ve had in those last five years will hopefully bear fruit and be great foundational
Before Maze took the stage, Joyner was presented with a proclamation by St. Louis Board of Alderman President Lewis Reed, a special gift from a local chapter of his beloved Omega Psi Phi fraternity and gifted a personalized St. Louis Cardinals jersey by Torry.
Beverly’s voice is not what it once was – which shouldn’t have been a shock to anyone at
things for me coming into this community.”
Sharif said she wants to have more community conversations and “learn what is the heartbeat beneath the energy in different sectors of the city” and wants to know how people’s artistic lives are being fulfilled as she settles into her position.
“[I want to know] Where are the theaters, where are the independent artists, what are the community rituals that have seeded into the lives of children and multi-generations,” Sharif said. “And to figure how we at The Rep can collaborate to deepen impact – and engage and support the work that is already happening in the city.” Sharif said she plans to be
realistic imagery that is likened more to an episode of “Animal Kingdom” than an animated film. The visuals are so realistic that “The Lion King” update allows for cinematic liberties unimaginable at the time of the original film – including illustrating the beauty even in the most mundane tasks of animals operating in the comfort of their habitat.
this point – but the energy and connection with fans he has been providing for more than fifty years as the band’s front man was in mint condition. And he was able to maintain that energy for the entire set.
“We Are One,” “Happy Feelings,” “Golden Time of Day,” “Joy And Pain,” “Can’t Get Over You,” and others had fans grooving in their seats. As usual, they closed out the show with the black cookout playlist classic “Before I Let Go.” The audience spontaneously erupted into an arena-wide electric slide that commenced as soon as the opening orchestral intro and Frankie’s “whoa ooo whoa…” followed by the guitar riff that kick off the song – and continued for nearly ten minutes.
Joyner was so moved by the finale that he ran up and draped his blazer across Beverly’s shoulders much like a cape and bounced to the beat alongside the singer as the band played out the selection.
The night was capped off by a toast to Joyner led by Jones.
“I love you St. Louis,” Joyner said in response. The performances and the exchange of energy between the artists, the audience and Joyner made for the best possible goodbye.
intentional about expanding the organization’s view of the art and their current and prospective audiences’ view of the organization.
“The foundation of what The Rep has been is quite extraordinary,” Sharif said. “I feel very lucky to be building on that.”
The Rep Summer Block Party will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 25 at the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves. The event is completely free and open to the public. For more information, visit http:// www.repstl.org/events/detail/ summer-block-party or call (314) 968-7340.
But there is a price to pay for the stunning visual updates. The rich detail of imagery comes at the expense of a somewhat depleted emotional connection for the new version – which was part of what made the original a masterpiece in its own right. Audiences will marvel at the realism – but also realize how much they had taken for granted with respect to the care and detail that illustrators and animators painted the emotions and nuances of the beloved original characters. In 2019’s “The Lion King,” technology hasn’t yet come to a place where these high resolution figures can emote – or even move their mouths – as they dive into the words and songs that are famous for pulling at heartstrings.
Favreau and screenwriter
Jeff Nathanson play it safe and take very few creative liberties with their take on “The Lion King.” Nathanson’s additions are so minimal that they are barely noticed. What he subtracts – though still minor in the scheme of things – is a bit more jarring and further lends to the flattening of the heart and the soul of “The Lion King.” Perhaps the lines he cuts and scenes he modifies are being mindful that in the new version the characters don’t have the capacity to convey the emotions the respective lines and scenes require.
Even with the moderate emotional regressions, the most purist of original film fans will still thoroughly enjoy “The Lion King” 2.0 – mainly out of appreciation for the intention that went into casting the actors to reprise the iconic performances.
James Earl Jones is the lone original actor lending his voice to the new film. He reprises his role as Mufasa and delivers a nearly identical praiseworthy performance.
Though still a joy to watch, lovers of the original film will experience disappointments by way of the hyenas and Rafiki. The 1994 crop of villains led by the voice of Whoopi Goldberg managed to sprinkle charm and wit on top of the terror – elements missing from the vicious crew in “The Lion King” of 2019. And late actor – and St. Louis native –Robert Guillaume was proved irreplaceable, though some of the lack of connection could be due to Rafiki’s somewhat diminished role in the updated film.
Disney’s The Lion King opens in theaters nationwide on Friday, July 19. The film is rated PG with a running time of 118 minutes.
Actor Chiwetel Ejiofor has the toughest task of all of the new cast, with recreating Jeremy Irons’ charismatically vicious Scar. Aside from a pedestrian singing voice in the character’s lone solo selection, Ejiofor is absolutely masterful in role. He’s not alone. The entire ensemble of the production – which includes Seth Rogan, Alfre Woodard, Keegan Michael Key, and John Kani – are up for the challenge of portraying the characters in a manner that pays tribute without being a carbon copy mimic. John Oliver’s portrayal of Zazu, Billy Eichner as Timon and Seth Rogen as Pumba were particularly delightful among the ensemble. Unlike some of the selections with the original version, 2019’s “The Lion King” saw each cast member sing their own tunes – which is wonderful for JD McCrary as young Simba, Donald Glover as adult Simba and Beyonce KnowlesCarter as adult Nala, but presents a challenge for Oliver, Eichner, Rogen and Ejiofor. While they don’t pack the punch of their vocal powerhouse co-stars, they all deliver an applaudable effort during their moments of song. Knowles and Glover are delightfully good together as Simba and Nala – as are their younger versions McCrary and Shahadi Wright Joseph. Both pairs are impressive in vocally conveying the emotional connection and chemistry that the technology won’t allow visually.
Vashon High School Class of 1974 is planning for its 45-year reunion. We are in the process of rounding up all classmates. To provide or update your contact information, please email ljbady@gmail.com or contact: Joe Verrie Johnson 314-6405842, Jordan Perry 314-724-
4563, or LaVerne James-Bady 314-382-0890.
Vashon-Hadley Old School Reunion 1960-67, October 19, 2019, 2-6 pm at The Atrium in Christian Hospital. For more details text (only) Brenda Mahr at 314-580-5155 or email at: brendamahr@att.net.
Sumner Class of 1974 is having its 45-year reunion: July 26 and 27, 2019. Friday Meet and Greet at the Machinist Hall, 12345 St. Charles Rock Road, Bridgeton, Mo “Roaring Twenties” event. Saturday Dinner Dance, “A Red Carpet Affair” at The Four Seasons Hotel, 999 North Second Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63102. Rooms have
been blocked. Please call 314.881.5800 Contact Pamela Mason Clarkson, President 314.324.5439, or Irving Hanks Vice President 314.229.2582 for information.
Sumner Class of 1969 50-year reunion “Living Life Like It’s Golden” June 28-30, 2019. Looking for classmates of 1969 to contact us with your updated information via address:sumnerclass1969@ gmail.com or our FB page: Sumner High.
Soldan Class of 1979 is planning its 40-year reunion for the weekend of August 2-3, 2019. Yearlong reunion activities will begin with a kickoff at Soldan High School
Homecoming on Saturday, October 13, 2018 prior to the game at 1 p.m. For more information or to assist with reunion activities, please email at: soldanclassof1979@gmail. com or call Barbara at 314 456-3391.
Soldan Class of 1974 Alumni Association is planning its 45-year reunion. Please get your contact information to dhblackjack@charter.net or call 314-749-3803.
Soldan is having its 14th AllClass Alumni Picnic, August 17, 2019, at Tiemeyer Park, 3311 Ashby Rd., St. Ann, MO 63074 from 10 am-6 pm. Bring your own basket or grill out there. Food trucks
Happy Birthday to our beautiful sister, Shirley Ann Johnson, who will be celebrating her birthday on July 26. We wish you nothing but the best on your day...and ALL days! Love and hugs to you from all of us...your sisters and brothers. Enjoy your day!
Parkway North Class of 1999 will celebrate its 20-year reunion on July 20 at 7 pm at the Fox Sports VIP Lounge at Ballpark Village. Cost is $60/person. For info contact Cyndi at Cyndi@varsityreunion.com.
Northwest Class of 1979 is planning its 40-year reunion. Date to sail is set for July 20, 2019 and you can feel free to contact: Duane Daniels at 314-568-2057 or Howard Day at 414-6984261 for further information.
Ain’t no party like a Tom Joyner party! I knew I was in for a party when I punched it on down to the Chaifetz Arena Saturday for the Tom Joyner One More Time Experience presented by 95.5 FM The Lou, but when I tell you that the fun exceeded my expectations – trust and believe. First off, DJ Kut was absolutely killing it with the throwback jams. Second of all, I was on the fence about whether or not Tom Joyner would make an appearance. Yet, having him perched onstage and busting a move whenever the feeling hit him, was not what I had in mind – and I got my whole entire life from it. He said, “I’m partying my way out the door to start picking up my Social Security check.” And I’m not the least bit mad about it. Even though that had to be the least amount of audience participation regarding the request to wear all white that I’ve ever seen, y’all packed the Chaifetz out – and along with the performers, the city gave Tom Joyner the going away party he deserved. As per usual, Kem absolutely killed it. Boldly wearing a “Hello Kitty” colored pink suit with a black shirt that had a bowed collar, he tore that stage all the way down. And his background singers did not waste their moment in the spotlight either. JJ Evans (not to be confused with television character) hit high notes that stretched up to heaven when he paid tribute to Howard Hewett’s falsetto during a snippet of Shalamar’s “For The Lover In You.” And I knew when she was singing Chrisette Michele’s part on “If It’s Love” that L. Renee was not to be trifled with on the mic. She proved me right when she took on Chaka’s “Sweet Thing.” Baby, it was such life that Tom Joyner and Kem coordinated a little two-step during her performance. During the break between acts, Guy Torry and Isis Jones facilitated a lip-sync battle that had me hollering. Next time turn the mics off, though. Guy had me giggling all night when he lifted his shirt up and poked his stomach to mock the woman he referred to as “Ghetto Angel.” With her two-piece white ensemble, she decided you can wear a midriff top regardless of how round that non-pregnant belly is. And though she came onstage looking like she walked out of her cubicle and headed straight to the Chaifetz, I was happy that the woman who paid homage to Chingy won. Maze featuring Frankie Beverly closed things out. At this point, I truly don’t understand how y’all act like his voice not being the same as it was is some kind of breaking news. He has sung his
By Delores Shante dshante@stlamerican.com
heart out for us for three generations. Yes, he sounded weathered – but the energy he served up, especially for a 70-something yearold man, deserves a round of applause. Do I wish he had taken better care of his vocal cords? Yes. But he is a legend, which gives him a grace I will not give other folks tattered voice and all. And that’s that. We still had a blast from the time things kicked off until Frankie led us to electric slide on out the door. Funny and black…and that’s about it. So I must give my girl Amanda Seales a cute little curtsey for thinking enough of our city to bring her “Smart, Funny and Black” tour back – despite the disastrous contestant that worked her nerves and nearly ruined the second show by only possessing the “black” prerequisite and lowkey making us look bad because he had no smart or funny to speak of. For second go ‘round, Amanda decided she was going to bring her own folks to compete to keep that from happening again. Comediennes Shan J and B. Simone were definitely black and somewhat funny (depending on who you asked), but I still don’t think they were the ideal fit for the concept of the show – which I absolutely love. So, the show pins two “Blacksperts” against each other to test their knowledge and rep for the culture through a series of questions, categories and debates. However, I know for a fact from all of my lurking on social media that there are plenty of funny woke folks. I feel like if she got our own Willie Lynch Jr. up on that stage to vie for the crown along with another funny Hotep, the show would do everything she intended for it to do.
Seales herself is great and the show was still fun to watch – even though she put her band, The Clapbacks, all the way through it for not knowing Nelly’s “Hot In Herre.” She actually drove them most of the night – it reminded me of how Ms. Lauryn Hill treated her band when she came to the Pageant that one time that she made us wait all night. I was lowkey ashamed of the audience participants who didn’t know their STL history like they should. They got it together at the end, but still… “Who is Kathy Dunaham?” and Felicia, who was as cute as she could be, was doing so much that my seat neighbors kept yelling “Bye Felicia” the whole time she was on that stage. Amanda Seales has a brilliant concept, but she is going to need folks as witty and woke as she is for it to be in its full glory.
Onnie Bella has the sauce. On Friday, I made my way to toast to my girl Onnie Bella over at Blue Dine and Lounge for her all white birthday bash of Sauce. It was so cute. I saw some of my favorite folks and couples from the Gen Y scene (late 20s-early 30s). I wouldn’t have thought that I would enjoy LaRon’s gold metal tie that set off his white suit, but I totally did. You know a party is poppin’ when it’s packed before 11 p.m. ‘Black Panther’ on Art Hill. Friday evening, I decided to see what was up with the Saint Louis Art Museum’s Art Hill Film Series. I figured it was the least I could do if they were willing to take us to Wakanda with “Black Panther.” Since I didn’t read the promo all the way through, I thought it started a 6 p.m. and almost had the whole Art Hill to myself when I arrived. I was like, “So, it’s just gonna be me, M’Baku and T’Challa. Oh well, at least I can stretch out. Wait, how am I gonna be able to see the movie with the sun glaring in my face?” Turns out the film didn’t actually start until 9. That made sense, considering there was no sun to speak of on that screen. I left and came back to the cutest opportunity to catch “Black Panther” on the big screen again. They play Friday nights through August 2. It makes for a perfect date night. However, bring you some Off. I might go back to catch “The Goonies.”
ARCHS, a highly respected not-for-profit funding agency, is seeking a full-time Meetings and Events Specialist with creativity and resourcefulness in organizing and implementing successful functions that strategically support ARCHS’ funded initiatives. The ideal candidate should have superior organizational/logistic skills, great leadership qualities, excellent multi-tasking skills, and superb interpersonal skills. Candidates must be proficient in Word Office Suite (Word, PPT, Excel), budgeting, vendor coordination, timeline/task assignments, sponsor/exhibitor recruitment, on-line registrations, survey tools, photography, data processing, and report writing. Position will include additional administrative support assignments. Requirements: Minimum of associate’s or bachelor’s degree, 3+ year experience and documented portfolio of meeting/event management. ARCHS’ benefit package includes a 401(k) match. Be prepared to provide examples of work upon request. EMAIL initial letter of application and resume, by August 9 to careers@stlarchs. org or FAX to ARCHS’ HR, 314-289-5670. No phone calls please.
The City of Jennings is accepting applications for Code Enforcement Inspectors, Correctional Officers, Public Works Street/Park Laborers, Part Time Bus Driver, and Youth Sports positions. Please see the full job descriptions online at www.cityofjennings.org. Applications are available at the Jennings City Hall or online at www.cityofjennings.org.
The City of Jennings is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.
The City of Clayton is now accepting applications for the full-time positions of Police Officer and Firefighter/ Paramedic. To apply, go to www.claytonmo.gov/jobs. EOE
Vintech Solutions Inc has openings for the position Big Data Developer with Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering (any), Technology or related to design, develop, implement and support of Big Data applications using existing and emerging technology platforms. Work with large streams of data with tools like Hive, Spark, etc. Design and build data services to auto craft Hive structures, HDFS directory structures and partitions based on source definitions using a configuration and metadata driven framework. Use Cloud Era Distribution to distribute Data across the Internal Data Lake.
Work location is Olivette, MO with required travel to client locations throughout the USA.Please mail resumes to 9715 Olive Blvd, Floor 2, Olivette, MO, 63132 (OR) e-mail: legal@vintech.com.
The Housing Partnership, Inc. has an opening for a Program Manager. Responsible for the operation and administration of a first-time homebuyers program. For a full job description go to www.thehousingpartnershipstl. org
Please submit a cover letter, resume and three references to The Housing Partnership, Inc. P.O. Box 16356, St. Louis, MO 63125 or via email to kate@thehousingpartnershipstl. org
POLICE OFFICER/PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER
Teachers with current pre-school CDA credential or current infant/toddler CDA credential. Please reply to Center Manager Linda Davis at (314) 679-5440.
Are you a team player? Work for an employer who values and supports teamwork for their employees.
St. Peters Rec-Plex and Golf Course offer their employees competitive pay and a chance to work in a fun atmosphere.
To view current openings and to apply please visit: www.stpetersmo.net/jobs AA/EOE
SCHOOL BUS DRIVER
Looking for a long term career with growth opportunities? Great opportunity to join an organization making a positive impact in the community. Excellent pay, Employer pays 100% of Medical and Dental premiums all year long, safety & attendance bonuses, pension and 403(b) retirement, vacation and holiday pay and breakfast. Lift For Life Academy is seeking seasoned bus drivers looking for Full or Part time driving for our new Elementary School K-2 students opening August 1st. Must have valid Class B CDL with Passenger and School Bus endorsements, DOT card, good driving record and relevant driving experience. Must be able to pass fingerprint background check and drug screen. Please email your resume to HR Director at jderby@liftforlifeacademy.org or call James Lane, Transportation Manager at 314-565-4231 . EOE
MOSERS is recruiting for a Financial Planning Education Specialist. This position reports to the Defined Contribution Education Coordinator who is located in Jefferson City, but works remotely in the greater St. Louis and Southeast Missouri areas. This position is in the field 80% of the workweek, meeting with plan participants and presenting about our 457 and 401a plans and providing information about investment concepts, cost of living in retirement, and financial planning. Three years’ experience in financial planning and Certified Financial Planner or Chartered Financial Consultant designations strongly preferred. Bachelor’s degree required. Starting salary $56,500 - $61,500 dependent on experience. Read full job description and apply at www.mosers. org, click “Careers”. EOE:M/F/V/D. www.stlamerican.com
The Des Peres Department of Public Safety is hiring a full-time Police Officer/Public Safety Officer. Starting salary is $56,117 to $61,692 depending on qualifications and experience including an excellent fringe benefit package. Successful applicant may be cross-trained as a Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), and will be primarily assigned to patrol operations or the West County Center Detail (until fully trained). Applications are available at www.desperesmo.org or apply in person at the Des Peres Department of Public Safety, 1000 N. Ballas Road 63131. Applications will be accepted until 5:00 P.M. on Friday, July 19, 2019.
HS Diploma. Responsible for processing assigned caseload for the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8). Conducts interviews, orientation sessions for applicants seeking assistance through Section 8. Process changes in client status to vacate, evictions, inspection action notifications, voucher issuance, program terminations, contracts, lease agreements, inspection requests, income changes, interim reviews, housing assistance payment adjustments and/ or withholdings. Good communication skills and ability to deal with the public. Must type 30 wpm. Starting Salary $36,855 Annually. Apply or send resume to: St. Louis Housing Authority, HR Division, 3520 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63106 by 5:00 p.m. July 23, 2019 via our website www.slha.org or email athomas@slha.org. A Drug Free Work Place/EOE.
Saint Louis Zoo 2019 Arc Flash Hazard Analysis/Short Circuit/Coordination Study RFP
The Owner shall be furnished an Arc Flash Assessment on their electrical distribution system. Mandatory PreBid Meeting & Site Inspection – On 7/26/2019 at 12:30pm. Meet at the Living World Lower Rotunda. Note for the walkthrough, individuals must have a Tb test conducted within the last 12 months & know their status & bring appropriate N95 respirator or PAPR hood. For the Scope of Work & Specifications, Please see Bid Documents at: https://www.stlzoo.org/about/contact/ vendoropportunities/
NOTICE TO
Public Notice of Single Source Procurement
Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: PARTS FOR PRIMARY TANK REBUILD. The District is proposing single source procurement for these parts because EVOQUA WATER TECHNOLOGIES is the only known available source for the parts. Any inquiries should be sent to gjamison@stlmsd.com.
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Public Notice of Single Source Procurement
Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: Lamps – Lemay TP. The District is proposing a 3-year single source procurement to Suez Treatment Solutions Inc. Any inquiries should be sent to acooper@stlmsd.com.
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure service for an escrow account for the payment of lien submissions (delinquent balances for sewer service) for St. Louis County. The District is proposing a single source procurement for this service because St. Louis County requires the use of E-Recording Partners Network solely for this service. Anyinquiries should be sent to strenz@stlmsd.com.
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Public Notice of Single Source Procurement
Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: Sulzer ABS Submersible Pump. The District is proposing single source procurement to Municipal Equipment Company, Inc for this equipment. Any inquiries should be sent to ameyer@stlmsd.com
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
The SITE Improvement Association is hosting a Prebid meeting for Qualified and Certified MWBE contractors to discuss working on St. Louis County’s 2019 CRS Pavement Rehabilitation, Area C Project No. CR-1789
This meeting is being held on behalf of the following SITE contractor members:
Krupp Construction, Inc. 415 Old State Rd., Ellisville, MO 63021 636/391-8844
Pace Construction Company 1620 Woodson Rd., St. Louis, MO 63114 314/524-7223
J.M. Marschuetz Construction Co. 15 Truitt Drive, Eureka, MO 63025 636/938-3600
The meeting will take place at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, July 25, 2019 St. Vincent Community Center 7335 St Charles Rock Road, St. Louis, MO 63133
Project plans are available from St Louis County. For questions regarding this prebid meeting, contact SITE Improvement Association at 314/966-2950.
BIDS for Retrofit AntiLigature, Northwest Missouri Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center,St.Joseph, Missouri,Project No. M1911-01 willbereceived byFMDC, StateofMO, UNTIL1:30 PM,8/1/2019. For specificproject informationand orderingplans,go to:http://oa.mo. gov/ facilities
forRepair, Sealcoat&Stripe AsphaltPavement, MissouriNational Guard,Camp Clark, CampCrowder, &IkeSkelton Training Sites, Nevada, Neosho,Jefferson City,Missouri, Project No.T1925-01, willbe receivedby FMDC, StateofMO, UNTIL1:30PM, 8/1/2019 Forspecificproject information and orderingplans,go to:http://oa.mo. gov/ facilities
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS
SEWER DISTRICT
Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District will receive RFQ’s in the Purchasing Division, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2555 until 10:00 a.m. on August 14, 2017 to contract with a company for: P-158 Dickson Pump Station Roof Replacement. Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from www.stlmsd.com, click on the “MSD AT WORK” link, (bid opportunities). The bid document will be identified as 10064 RFQ. If you do not have access to the internet, call 314.768.2735 to request a copy of this bid.
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS
SEWER DISTRICT
Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District will receive RFQ’s in the Purchasing Division, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2555 until 10:00 a.m. on August 13, 2019 to contract with a company for: 2020 SINGLE AXLE UTILITY TRUCKS WITH DUMP BED & HOIST.
Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from www.stlmsd.com, click on the “MSD AT WORK” link, (bid opportunities). The bid document will be identified as 10055 RFQ. If you do not have access to the internet, call 314.768.2735 to request a copy of this bid.
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure temporary help services from Amitech Solutions in an effort to support the IT Technology Plan. The District is proposing single source procurement for this service because it does not have the internal expertise to fulfill this Information Technology role. Any inquiries should be sent to strenz@stlmsd.com.
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Public Notice of Single Source Procurement
Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: Motorola ACE Radio Mitigation. The District is proposing single source procurement to Electronic Controls Company Inc for this equipment and service. Any inquiries should be sent to ameyer@stlmsd.com.
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS SEWER DISTRICT
Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District will receive RFQ’s in the Purchasing Division, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2555 until 10:00 a.m. on August 20, 2019 to contract with a company for: P-164 Trudeau Pump Station Roof Replacement.
Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from www.stlmsd.com, click on the “MSD AT WORK” link, (bid opportunities). The bid document will be identified as 10069 RFQ. If you do not have access to the internet, call 314.768.2735 to request a copy of this bid.
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
The WGSD is issuing a Request for Qualification (RFQ) from firms to provide “Elementary Redistricting and GIS Analysis Services.” RFQ submissions are due to the Webster Groves School District Central Office (400 E. Lockwood Avenue, 63119) no later than 4:30 pm on August 5, 2019. The RFQ will be available online Monday, July 22, 2019 at www.webster.k12.mo.us
Keller Construction Inc. Requests subcontractor and or material supplier quotations from Illinois Department of Transportation Certified subcontractors, suppliers and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises for the letting to be held August 2, 2019. Interested parties should contact Keller Construction at (618) 656-0033. All quotations must be submitted by 4:30 PM Thursday August 1, 2019. Keller Construction is an equal opportunity employer.
Public Notice of Single Source Procurement
Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure temporary help services from Insight Global in an effort to support the IT Technology Plan. The District is proposing single source procurement for this service because it does not have the internal expertise to fulfill this Information Technology role. Any inquiries should be sent to strenz@stlmsd.com.
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Public Notice of Single Source Procurement
Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure service for water usage data fees for the residents of St. Louis County. The District is proposing a single source procurement for this service because American Water is the only supplier of this information. Any inquiries should be sent to strenz@stlmsd.com.
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS # 57819196
Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU) is requesting proposals for an Executive Search Firm to assist with selection of the University President. Interested parties may obtain a copy of the RFP by emailing: morrowb@hssu.edu; calling (314) 340-5763 or faxing a written request to: (314) 340-3322. Proposals must be received no later than 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 13, 2019 and should be mailed or delivered in sealed envelopes clearly marked “Executive Search Firm” to Harris-Stowe State University, Dr. Henry Givens, Jr., Administration (HGA) building, ATTN: B. A. Morrow, 3026 Laclede Avenue, Room 105, St. Louis, MO 63103. Proposals will be opened and the names read at 10:15 in room 123 of the HGA building.
# 57819192, Customer Relationship Management software
Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU) is requesting sealed proposals for Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software built specifically for the needs of University Admissions and Enrollment Management professionals. A copy of the RFP is available by calling (314) 340-3325, emailing: barskys@hssu.edu or faxing a written request to: (314) 340-3322. Proposals will be received until 10:00 a.m. on Monday August 5, 2019 and should be mailed or delivered in sealed envelopes clearly marked “Proposal for Customer Relationship Management software” to HarrisStowe State University, Attn: Shelley Barsky; 3026 Laclede Ave., Room 105, St, Louis, MO 63103.
Altman-Charter Co., requests subcontractor/supplier proposals for the construction of Preservation Square Phase I in St. Louis, MO. This is a new development consisting of 131 New & Remodeled Apartment Units. Proposals are due at the office of Altman-Charter Co., 315 Consort Dr., St. Louis, MO 63011 on or before Thur., August 15, 2019 at 3:00 PM (CT). Qualified Minority, Section 3, and Women owned businesses are encouraged to submit proposals. Plans can be viewed at FW Dodge, Construct Connect, SIBA, MOKAN, and the Altman-Charter plan room in St. Louis. Bidders should contact Mr. Greg Mehrmann with any questions or to submit a proposal at gregm@altman-charter.com. Our telephone # is (636) 207-8670, and our fax # is (636) 207-8671.
Downtown STL, Inc. is seeking bids for providing Marketing & Public Relations Services. A copy of the RFP can be found at downtownstl.org/bids.
ELECTRIFICATION PHASE II At St. Louis Lambert International Airport
Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of Public Service in Room 208 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri, 63103. Until 1:45 PM, CT, on July 30, 2019, then publicly opened and read. Plans and Specifications may be examined on the Board of Public Service website http://www.stl-bps.org/planroom (BPS On Line Plan Room) and may be purchased directly through the BPS website from INDOX Services at cost plus shipping. No refunds will be made.
Bidders shall comply with all applicable City and State laws (including DBE/MBE/WBE policies). Mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 9, 2019, at 1:30 P.M. in the Ozark Conference Room (AO-4066) at the Airport Office Building, 11495 Navaid Rd., Bridgeton, MO 63044.
All bidders must regard Federal Executive Order 11246, “Notice of Requirement for Affirmative Action to Ensure Equal Employment Opportunity”, the “Equal Opportunity Clause” and the “Standard Federal Equal Employment Specifications” set forth within and referenced at www.stl-bps.org (Virtual Plan Room).
Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: IBM Maximo Annual Renewal of Maintenance Agreement: Software and Licenses. The District is proposing single source procurement to IBM for this service as MSD is in the final year of the contract of services. Any inquiries should be sent to ameyer@stlmsd.com.
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: Oracle Database Enterprise Edition Software, Renewal of Licenses. The District is proposing single source procurement to Oracle America Inc for this Annual Renewal. Any inquiries should be sent to bschubert@stlmsd.com.
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
E-bids for St. Louis Community College Invitation for Bid No. B0003842 for a Moving & Storage Service, will be received until 2:00 p.m. (local time) on August 5, 2019 at Purchasing@stlcc.edu, and immediately thereafter opened and read. Bid documents can be accessed on our website at www.stlcc.edu/purchasing or call (314) 539-5226. EOE/AA Employer.
Notice
Purchased
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
WCM/_PlanRoom/Plan_Room.aspx?hkey=88f4960d%20 -8355-4746-9a12-8c13c7331d9b o Drexel Technologies Plan Room - 913-371-4430 http://planroom.drexeltech.com/View/Default.aspx
Advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, imitation, or discrimination because of race,color, religion, sex, handicap, familial\status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.“We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.”
Installation Service is Friday, July 19, Installation Worship is Sunday, July 21
American staff
The historic Central Baptist Church will celebrate the official installation of its 14th senior pastor, Reverend Anthony L. Riley, during two special events on Friday, July 19, and Sunday, July 21 at Central Baptist Church, located at 2842 Washington Blvd.
The Installation Service will be held 6:30 p.m. Friday, July 19 with guest preacher Reverend Jerry M. Carter Jr., senior pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Morristown, New Jersey.
The Installation Worship will be held 10 a.m. Sunday, July 21 with guest lecturer Reverend Brianna K. Parker, curator and founder of Black Millennial Café in Dallas, Texas and guest preacher Reverend Timothy W. Sloan, senior pastor at The Luke Church in Humble, Texas.
Riley left his position as executive pastor at The Luke Church – where he had leadership responsibilities for staff, associate ministers and diaconate, strategic initiatives and managed a multimillion dollar budget – to join Central Baptist Church. Since arriving in St. Louis in March, Pastor Riley has already spent time meeting with church members and business and civic leaders to better understand the needs of the community and how he can make an impact.
Reverend Anthony L. Riley
“Through these events, we want St. Louisans to know that Central Baptist Church is a great place to worship and is fully committed to moving our region forward by creating opportunities for individuals and families to grow spiritually, socially and educationally,” says Reverend Alice C. Price, Central Baptist’s executive pastor. In addition to local guests, friends, family and colleagues of Pastor Riley will travel from Connecticut,
New Jersey, Virginia and Texas to St. Louis to celebrate his installation as senior pastor. The Voices of Central (choir), led by Reverend Christopher J. Watkins, will also be featured at both events. Central is prepared for record-breaking attendance.
Riley will be Central’s 14th senior pastor in its 173-year history. He fills the role most closely associated with Rev. Robert C. Scott, who led Central Baptist from 1999-2016 and is now the senior pastor of St. Paul Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Rev. Traci D. Blackmon said of Scott that he “helped establish that church as a prophetic manifestation of the Gospel in a neighborhood where the radical love of Jesus was desperately needed, not only on Sundays, but through the week.” When he left Central Baptist, it had some 1,500 congregants on the roll, with 750900 people attending church on Sundays between the two services.
Central Baptist Church is a purpose-driven church creating purpose-living disciples engaging in five-star ministry for building the kingdom of God.
The ministry of Central Baptist Church is grounded in the life, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and return of Jesus Christ. As a historic urban African-American Baptist Church, Central’s approach to kingdom building is biblically based and holistic. Central faithfully serves humanity and develops disciples spiritually, physically, emotionally, culturally, socially, and financially Its motto is “Making Disciples…Transforming Lives.”
All are welcome to attend the two, freewill offering, public events at Central Baptist Church, located at 2842 Washington Blvd., Saint Louis, Missouri 63103.
At the end of the day, any day, I sometimes wonder if many of us reflect on what we could have done to support a theory, a hypothesis, a professed belief that one is a man or woman of God. I’m talking about serious reflection that requires a definitive yes or no to the question, “Was this a good day for me in the eyes of the Lord?”
It’s not until I’m face down in prayer that I realize just how insulting I must have been to God on that day. I mean petty, pride-filled, maybe even condescending are good examples of how I might have acted on that day. The thought of being an active, giving, loving Christian may never have entered into any decision I made or act I performed.
Unfortunately, it’s only at the end of the day that I realize as far, as the Lord was concerned, this was a wasted day. Has this ever happened to you?
I’m coming to realize that this is the question to ask oneself on a daily basis, if walking the walk of faith is of issue with you. I’m not talking about “go to church on Sunday” faith walking. I’m talking about the “can anyone see Jesus in me?” kind of walking.
From a spiritual perspective, I believe we’re all God has here on earth. I mean you and me, we’re it! Through us the life and death and life of Jesus Christ will be fulfilled. The goal is to meet up with J.C. in heaven. We, who call ourselves Christian, have a covenant to keep. It involves a whole hell of a lot more than going to church on Sunday morning.
When the lights go out at night, I should know whether or not I have accomplished anything that resembles service to God. Or have I merely gone through the motions of life on automatic pilot? “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16.
I’m sure you understand the words. This is not confusing. Rather, it is as simple as faith itself. Belief in God is a verb. Forget what people say. Let’s take a look at what they do. From a divine perspective, let’s take a look at their hearts. When you pray, after all, isn’t that where God is?
The habit I’m trying to establish is to ask myself the question of works during the day when I have a chance to make a difference, rather than at night when it’s too late. It’s a chilling thought, or should I say a burning thought, to realize while in prayer you ain’t got a leg to stand on. A certain fear factor comes into play when you think through all of the things God could do to so undeserving a person as you. Yet He still showers us with blessing.
I’m reminded of Isaiah 6:8. “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send and who will go for us.’ Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
Some of us don’t need the hot coal on our lips to know what’s expected. Some of us need much more to get the message. At the end of day, recognizing that I’m all God has to work with, I’m trying to in all humility let God know I tried this day and hope it’s acceptable to Him. After a while I’m sure “oops, I forgot” even gets old to God.
