October 1st, 2020 Edition

Cup

By Nigel Holloway

ocratic society. You must use it because it is not guaranteed. You can lose it.”

Every citizen has the opportunity of having their voice heard in the November 3 presidential election by casting their ballot. Absentee voting is underway, as of September 22.

Voters should note these other important dates:

• October 7: Last day to register to vote

• October 21: Last day to request ballot by mail

• October 31: Saturday absentee voting 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

• November 2: Last day to vote absentee in person

• November 3: Absentee ballots must be received by election authority by 7 p.m.

As a notary and a poll judge, let me explain the significance of these dates. September 22. If you are either unable or

How God got Ella Owens’ attention

Baptist church activist had her ministry interrupted by COVID-19 infection

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

The St. Louis American

“It appeared that my life was going along rather well.” In her letter to The American, Ella Owens expressed appreciation for her life. At 76, Ella and her husband, Phillip, 77, are retired empty nesters. With their three children all grown and living in different parts of the country, the couple lives comfortably in their home in Pasadena Park in Normandy.

Ella wrote of how God is using her in the ministry: “God is working through me. All of us have been created with a purpose, and I feel like this is my purpose. I enjoy my positions in the church and gathering with fellow parishioners.” On any day, the diminutive senior citizen climbs into her miniature, 2014 forest green, white-topped Mini Cooper and heads

When COVID-19 struck, Ella Owens was serving as the administrative assistant and missionary president at Greater Leonard Missionary Baptist Church is the Old North neighborhood. This involved attending to its business, collecting offerings, worshiping, doing missionary work in the neighborhood, and overseeing once-a-week food and clothing give-aways.

Ariel Turner is 2020 SEMO Counselor of the Year

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis

“busy bee” during her senior year at Lift For Life Academy in 2019. She was class president, heavily involved in sports, an activist and valedictorian.

“But yet, I was still growing up on the North Side of St. Louis,”

Photo by Wiley Price

Of

Photo by Sylvester Brown Jr.

Alpha Kappa Alpha’s Veronica Walton spent the afternoon of Saturday, September 26 near North Grand Boulevard and Spring Avenue encouraging residents in North St. Louis’ Greater Ville neighborhood to remember to vote on November 3. In fact, absentee voting is underway at the local election authorities, and many voters are eligible to cast their votes now.

Ariel Turner

The St. Louis American’s Mary Easter and Robin Britt display the 2020 Gold Cup.

NBA YoungBoy arrested on drug, firearms charges

Kentrell DeSean Gaulden, aka NBA YoungBoy,” landed in the slammer in Baton, Rouge Louisiana on Monday on weapons charges.

News reports there say the rapper was allegedly among a group of 16 people who were arrested for firearm possession and he faces a number of drug, felony possession, and stolen firearms charges. The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office told Page Six that he remained in custody as of Tuesday, and no court date or bond had been set.

vows, for better or worse, but I have to respect her decision.”

Luke, who starred in VH1’s “Luke’s Parental Advisory,” says his focus is now on being the best parent he can for their son.

“Please understand this is not a nasty split, so I would ask all who are aware, not to speak on our personal lives and respect our privacy by staying positive for our son’s sake,” Luke said.

Uncle Luke announces split from wife

2 Live Crew rapper Uncle Luke has parted ways with wife Kristin Thompson. As Page Six reported, she filed for divorce in July after 12 years of marriage, and Uncle Luke was blindsided. “It’s mind-boggling, hurtful, and a total surprise. I never intended to get married to get divorced,” he said, “That’s not in my DNA nor my family’s history. I believe in the sacred

Tory Lanez reportedly told Megan Thee Stallion to “Dance… before firing at her feet

Canadian rapper Shemuel Shua Peterson Tory Lanez, is using his new release “Daystar” to refute claims by “Savage” rapper Thee Stallion that he shot her on July 12. The incident occurred in Hollywood Hills following an alleged argument between Lanez and Stallion inside an SUV, reportedly about Kylie Jenner

Another person was reportedly inside the vehicle at the time.

As iHeartRadio reported, the Complex podcast cited a source as saying before firing four shots at Megan Thee Stallion’s feet, singer, songwriter and record producer “Tory Lanez allegedly told

her, ‘Dance, b***h.’ And then, desperate to fix his mistake, he offered hush money to cover it up.”

While Stallion has said publicly that Lanez shot her, Lanez’s “Daystar,” released Friday, refuted the accusation, rapping “How the f*** you get shot in your foot, don’t hit no bones or tendons?”

Lanez was arrested for felony possession of a concealed weapon following the incident, but so far, no one has been charged for the actual shooting, HipHop DX reported. Los Angeles police are investigating

Congratulations as the prince takes a Bow

yet on the baby’s real name. This is their first child together. Wow also has a 9-year-old daughter Shai Moss, with model Joie Chavis

Former ‘Basketball Wives’ star Brandi Maxiell hospitalized with COVID-19

In tweets and posts that include cute baby photos, , aka Bow and model Olivia Sky announce the recent birth of their son. The Growing Up Hip Hop star posted, “Man you gone take all the girls.” He confirmed to TMZ that “Prince Bow” is here. Sky posted a photo of their new bundle of joy, captioned, “My Dog For Life.” No word

Prayers are asked for by loved ones of Brandi Maxiell as she battles complications from COVID-19. The former “Basketball Wives LA” star was hospitalized last Thursday. As reported on BET, DJ Duffey, Maxiell’s best friend who also appeared with her on the reality show, posted her photo on Instagram asking for everyone, “Wherever you are right now, just uplift her in prayer please.” BET reported that Maxiell’s sister, Jayde Penn, Maxiell’s sister, spoke to The Shade Room and said, “My sister has been diagnosed with a severe case of COVID-19 and was hospitalized Thursday night after having trouble breathing,” Penn said. “We would like to ask everyone to please keep her in your prayers as she continues to fight through this. We love you all and please stay safe!”

Sources: BET, Complex, Heavy, HipHop DX, Hollywood Life, Page Six, TMZ, Twitter

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Brandi Maxiell

NBA Youngboy

Jordan Noble awarded 2020 Suggs Scholarship at SEMO

Isaiah Collins, Ezarion Grant and Marshell Jones receive foundation scholarships

American staff

Southeast Missouri State University freshman Jordan Noble of St. Louis was named the recipient of the 2020 Dr. Donald M. Suggs Scholarship. Noble is a mathematics, actuarial science major and a graduate and valedictorian of the Lift for Life Academy in St. Louis. This award is presented annually to recognize a student in the St. Louis metropolitan area who has demonstrated the potential for academic achievement, leadership and commitment to their community. It provides a full-tuition scholarship plus an additional $1,000 to cover other educational expenses and an IPad. The award is renewable for three additional years.

Three other Southeast students were awarded St. Louis American Foundation Scholarships and will be recognized during the 33rd Annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship and Awards Virtual Gala Weekend on October 16 and 17. This marks the third consecutive year Southeast students have been named recipients from the St. Louis American Foundation.

Southeast freshmen Isaiah Collins and Ezarion Grant each won $2,500 St. Louis American Foundation Scholarships that include a new laptop,

Chromebook or iPad. Collins is an exploratory major and Grant is majoring in business administration, and both hail from St. Louis, Missouri.

Senior Marshell Jones, a TRIO/McNair Scholars Program student, is the recipient of a $3,500 AnheuserBusch Better World Scholarship through the St. Louis American Foundation. Jones, of St. Louis, is a business administration major with a minor in political science.

Established in 1994, The St. Louis American Foundation is the 501(c)3 nonprofit arm of The St. Louis American newspaper. To date, The St. Louis American Foundation, along with its education partners, has fostered more than $7.25 million in scholarships for high-potential, local minority students, as well as community grants.

The Anheuser-Busch Better World Scholarships recognize college juniors or seniors from the St. Louis area studying mechanical, electrical, industrial or chemical engineering, computer science, chemistry, marketing, sales, accounting, finance supply chain or a business-related discipline, and have a minimum 3.0 grade point average. First preference is given to students of AfricanAmerican descent.

“I’m extremely proud of our students at Southeast,”

said Trent Ball, associate vice president for equity and access. “The three young men are first-year students that are already carving out their mark as scholars and leaders. Ms. Jones is graduating this academic year and is doing great work in our TRIO/McNair Scholars Program. It’s great to continue our tradition as representing well at the St. Louis American’s Salute to Excellence in Education.”

The 33nd Annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship and Awards Virtual

Gala Weekend will be shown on stlamerican.com, the St. Louis American’s Facebook page and its YouTube channel. The scholarship portion of the program will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, October 16. Registration is free at givebutter.com/SaluteEdu.

This will be the 15th year Southeast has partnered with the St. Louis American Foundation to sponsor the Annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship and Awards Gala.

The justice system failed Breonna Taylor and us

By the NAACP For The St. Louis American

The injustice we’re witnessing at this moment can be sensed throughout the nation.

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s failure to bring substantial charges against the officers who murdered Breonna Taylor causes angst and pain for far too many Americans still reeling from a pandemic. The charges of wanton endangerment in connection with the murder of Breonna Taylor does not go far enough and is a miscarriage of justice for her family and the people of Louisville.

Atrocities committed against the people of this country by the authorities cannot and should not go unanswered when miscalculations are made.

murder.

In this case and countless others, we must ask ourselves and those elected to serve, “Who is responsible for this system and its outcomes?” We must demand that our system of justice holds people working within it accountable. Black lives cannot continue to be considered collateral damage in these instances.

The recent announcement of one indictment against Police Officer Brett Hankison proves city officials believe otherwise.

The continuous and blatant failure of a system sworn to protect the very citizens it endangers is all too telling of its efficiency and viability.

The justice system failed Breonna Taylor and, as such, failed us. From the officers’ ill-informed conduct to the city official’s delayed response, their actions have discredited their pledge and responsibility to the greater community.

It is unacceptable that, once again, culpability has eluded those guilty of state-sanctioned

This devastating blow to the community of Louisville and the nation is heartwrenching. Our efforts to realize justice for Breonna Taylor should be redirected to bring attention to the faulty and burdensome justice system that compromises our society’s moral and humane fabric. Our course of action is to vote and make it abundantly clear that we will not tolerate the injustice we’re observing. Far too many Black lives have been lost due to the egregious malpractice of police officers, elected officials, and the justice system as a whole. We must press forward in our pursuit of dismantling oppressive ideologies that plague our country so we can reach parity and equity on all fronts.

Joe Biden believes we cannot build back better without a major mobilization of effort and resources to advance racial equity across the American economy

Ensure all small business relief efforts are specifically designed to aid businesses owned by Black and Brown people.

Spur more than $150 billion in additional public-private venture capital and non-profit lending programs to minority-owned small businesses.

Reform Opportunity Zones to Fulfill Their Promise.

Ensure his housing plan makes bold investments in homeownership and access to affordable housing for minority families.

Boost retirement security and financial wealth for minority families.

Ezarion Grant

Jordan Noble

Marshell Jones

Isaiah Collins

Editorial /CommEntary

Vote yes on Prop R for early childhood education

The first five years of a child’s life sets the stage for long-term social, cognitive, emotional, physical, and even economic wellbeing. Yet, despite the importance of this critical time of development, opportunities for early childhood enrichment has been overlooked and underfunded in St. Louis and Missouri.

But, if St. Louis voters approve Proposition R on November 3, more taxpayer money will go toward early childhood education for children ages 5 and under. According to the Health Equity Works report, formerly known as For the Sake of All, lack of quality early childhood education is a leading indicator of health disparities between white and Black residents in St. Louis, where white children are 38% more likely than Black children to be enrolled in pre-kindergarten.

Needless to say, our region needs this investment – and that means we need to vote for it. Proposition R, placed on the ballot by the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, increases the property tax rate by 6 cents – up to 25 cents per $100 of home value from the current rate of 19 cents – resulting in an estimated $2.3 million annual investment in early childhood education.

The informed readers of The St. Louis American understand the benefits that early childhood programs offer our kids. It is also important to understand how even during these most tumultuous times, investing in the future of our children’s wellbeing is more important than ever. Dealing with the public health crisis of COVID-19 and the recent economic downturn, there is increasing concern over the potential rollback of state investment in early childhood education, which is the last thing our communities and our families need right now.

A property tax increase during a global pandemic and economic calamity may seems counterintuitive, but our current circumstances have shone a glaring spotlight on the inequity in early childhood education and heightened the urgency to improve access to childcare and to support working families. The American strongly recom-

mends a vote of yes on the future of our youngest citizens – The American strongly recommends a vote of YES ON PROPOSITION R

Vote yes on Prop D for Black and progressive power

In the most recent mayoral election in the City of St. Louis, multiple qualified Black candidates were pitted against one another in a winner-takeall primary. In the end, this meant most citizens voted for a Black mayor. We don’t have a Black mayor.

In fact, the City of St. Louis elects mayors with as little as one-third of the primary vote. So, we end up with mayors most voters did not prefer. This is not democratic and diminishes the power of the city’s large Black voting bloc. We can change this on November 3 by passing Proposition D (for Democracy).

Prop D would make three changes to our voting process for St. Louis city elections. First, it creates a nonpartisan primary, meaning we will get to vote on all the candidates. Second, we will have the ability to approve (or disapprove) of every candidate on the ballot. Finally, the two candidates with the most votes in the primary election would advance to a run-off in the general election. These changes would make it possible for multiple Black candidates to compete in citywide races without risking the possibility of canceling each other out. It could also lift the fortunes of the emerging coalition of Black activists and white progressives pushing for necessary reforms in local governance. So, it’s no wonder elected leaders in this movement, like Cori Bush, Tishaura O. Jones, Rasheen Aldridge and Rev. Darryl Gray, have endorsed the proposal. We, now, add our name to this impressive list. The American strongly recommends a vote of YES ON PROPOSITION D

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

Amendment 3 would radically change who counts

By Nimrod (Rod) Chapel Jr.

For The St. Louis American Missourians from across the state are making themselves loud and clear — we will not stand for unjust systems that hurt our families and hurt our communities.

This November 3, Missourians will be voting on Amendment 3, a radical maprigging plan that would weaken constitutional protections for voters of color, and would hurt the political power of Black and Brown Missourians. The NAACP is joining with civil rights leaders, community leaders, activists and faith leaders to vote no and defeat Amendment 3, which threatens to turn back the clock and silence our voices in the state Capitol. Two years ago, the NAACP joined with leaders from across the state in a trans-partisan coalition to say that there was a better, more fair way to draw legislative district maps than Missourians have seen in the past. And voters agreed with us — by an almost 2-to-1 margin

— putting strong protections for voters and communities into our state constitution that will guide the drawing of new state House and state Senate maps. Amendment 3 would change the progress made by Missourians. This amendment would objectively weaken political power for Black and Brown communities. Under Amendment 3, maps are drawn based on the number of eligible voters in the state, not the total population of residents. That would mean that more than 1.5 million Missourians — almost all of them children under 18 — would simply not be represented in our Legislature.

Right now, Missouri is a national leader in protecting the voting rights and political representation of people of color.

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

We motivate young voters with young candidates

By Ben Jealous For The St. Louis American

One of the most exciting parts of this year’s Democratic National Convention for me was the keynote speech delivered collectively by a group of young progressive elected officials, many of them Black. They showed us the potential for a promising future once we have gotten past the presidency of Donald Trump.

They also showed us how to get there. One way to make sure we remove Donald Trump from the White House and his enablers from Congress is to support exciting candidates at all levels who can energize Democratic voters—especially progressive young people—to vote.

The mass mobilization we have seen in the Black Lives Matter protests is an essential tool for turning energy into political will and bringing pressure on public officials. Ultimately, though, voting is the only tool we have for putting people who are committed to making the changes our country urgently needs into positions of power.

Many of the problems that have been with us for far longer than the current administration—including systemic inequity in health care, education, housing, and policing--can and must be addressed at local and state levels.

That’s why transformational local candidates are a key to building progressive power and making progressive change. And getting elected and serving successfully in local office is often the first step to higher office.

Look at Virginia, where intense organizing over the

past few election cycles turned the former capital of the Confederacy blue. Candidates from underrepresented communities—young people, people of color, women, immigrants, LGBTQ candidates—helped Democrats take control of both chambers of the state’s General Assembly. And that has meant the power to make huge changes for the people of Virginia—expanding access to health care, addressing gun violence, and more.

Opposition to President Trump helped drive change in Virginia and will motivate many people to get to the polls in November. But energy doesn’t come just from the top of the ticket. It runs both ways. In fact, exciting local candidates can generate enthusiasm among people who might see national politics and candidates as far removed from their lives and concerns.

People For the American Way’s Next Up! project supports young candidates running at the state and local level, many of them from communities that have long been denied their fair share of political power. The enthusiasm for their candidacies can boost progressive prospects up and down the ballot.

There’s Arizona, for example, where Democrats have an excellent chance of picking up the U.S. Senate seat now held by the appointed Republican senator Martha McSally. We’re excited about supporting two

Letters to the editor

Most absurd legal maneuvering

Not only was justice not served, the desultory and insufficient result we received about Breonna Taylor’s killers was also unacceptably slow in manifesting. It has been over six months since Breonna Taylor’s innocent life was senselessly taken at the hands of careless, negligent, and indifferent law enforcement officials sworn to protect and serve her.

Amendment 3 would drag the state back to the days of Jim Crow, denying representation to a higher percentage of Black and Brown Missourians than any other group.

National outcry has shown that extreme, discriminatory laws like Amendment 3 are not only wrong, but expensive and regressive. Companies and conventions don’t want to bring their business to states that set new precedents for discrimination. Towns, school districts and counties get short-changed on the resources they need and deserve when children and families aren’t counted.

The stakes are high in this election for Missouri. We will be working with our coalition partners to make sure voters see past the distraction to the extreme, discriminatory and anti-democratic details hiding in the fine print of this dangerous proposal. Please join us by voting NO on Amendment 3 this November.

Nimrod (Rod) Chapel Jr. is president of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP.

As officers of the court that take our oaths and hold our bar licenses in high regard, we urge our families and friends of color around us to place faith in the justice system within which we work, pointing out that the system needs our participation if it is ever going to bring forth the results we deem to be just. However, when headline after headline consistently supports the theory we so desperately want to disprove, it’s beginning to become more and more difficult to make the case that black lives matter to anyone but us.

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s vow to “vigorously prosecute” Brett Hankison, the sole Louisville police officer criminally charged with three counts of wanton endangerment of the first degree as a result of Taylor’s death, falls on deaf and enraged ears. Breonna was a completely innocent woman, sleeping in her own home when she was killed by Louisville police attempting a no-knock search warrant. How much clearer do the facts have to be for public officials on the ground to take appropriate and just action without public unrest and protest! While we will certainly continue to use our voices, admittedly it is frustrating that it is even necessary given how egregious and outrageous these facts are.

local candidates Whitney Walker and Jevin Hodge, both young Black people who are engaging their communities by challenging Republican incumbents on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.

How about Michigan, a battleground state that helped put Trump in the White House? Chokwe Pitchford is generating excitement as a 21-year-old Black man running to flip a seat in the state house. Young voters have been going to the polls in higher numbers in recent elections. We must do everything in our power to keep that trend rising. If you know a young community-oriented person who ought to run for public office in the future, encourage them. We need their voices and energy to keep turning citizens and activists into voters. And between now and November, do what you can to support young candidates who have stepped up. They are running in a year when public health restrictions make traditional campaigning harder and when disinformation and voter suppression campaigns are trying to keep Black people from voting. We can and will move this country toward a more just future—and we can’t let anyone convince us to take our eyes off that prize. For reliable information on voting, visit https:// www.vote411.org/ (League of Women Voters) or https://866ourvote.org/ state/ (Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights under Law). Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way and People For the American Way Foundation.

NBA Vice President for Regions and Affiliates Lonita Baker is lead counsel representing Breonna Taylor’s family and was quoted: “This is the most absurd legal maneuvering that I have ever seen. If his [Ex-Officer Brett Hankison] behavior was wanton to those in neighboring apartments it was likewise wanton to Breonna and Kenny. He should have been charged with wanton murder and another count of wanton endangerment. To add insult to injury, an indictment for wanton endangerment was returned for Breonna’s white neighbors but none for her black neighbors that also had

gunshots from the police entering their home. This is another example of the devaluing of black lives.”

We stand in solidarity with Lonita, her co-counsel NBA Past President Ben Crump, their legal team, and Breonna’s family, and pledge the support of the National Bar Association in an effort to bring about honorable justice for Breonna and her family. May our precious Angel Breonna continue to Rest in Peace.

The National

Guest Columnist Nimrod Chapel Jr.

Guest Columnist Ben Jealous

Photo by Wiley Price

Bryan Hill Pre-K student Raven Slater painted the hands of classmate Melvin Nelson, both 5, as part of a 2019 MLK Holiday project.

Schnucks Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Bill Bradley presents a check to St. Louis Public Schools representative Emily Zevely.

Schnuck Markets, Inc. donated $100,000 donation to ease the technology crisis in St. Louis Public Schools and St. Louis Charter

Schools KIPP and Premier Charter. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, students of these schools are attending classes virtually this fall, many without access to the technology tools needed for virtual learning. The SLPS Foundation will receive $50,000, with each charter school receiving $25,000.

The funds will primarily be used to supply students with iPads and laptops as well as provide wireless hotspots to families who need them to ensure equitable access to the internet. “Thanks to donors like Schnucks, we’ve been able to provide headphones, laptops or iPads to 21,000 St. Louis Public Schools students,” said St. Louis Public Schools Foundation President Jane Donahue.

Items sought for Missouri time capsule project

The State Historical Society of Missouri and the St. Louis Ambassadors are teaming up to develop a bicentennial time capsule with a goal to collect items that document Missouri’s past, present and future. The two organizations are asking for public participation in this project.

Organizations, institutions, businesses, as well as local and state government agencies in Missouri are invited to participate by contributing three items: one to represent their past, one to represent their present, and a note to future Missourians. Items should measure no larger than 8.5 x 14 inches – i.e., no larger than legal size paper – and combined be no more than a quarter-inch thick. All submissions need to be in printed form and not electronic.

An online registration form is required for all submissions and items should be mailed to the following address: The State Historical Society of Missouri, Attn: Time Capsule, 605 Elm Street, Columbia, MO 65201.

All participants will be notified of their successful submission and receive a certificate for participating in the time capsule. Contributions will be accepted through August 10, 2021, and an event to commemorate the time capsule will be held August 27, 2021 in St. Louis. Once sealed, the time capsule will be housed at the State Historical Society of Missouri until August 10, 2046, when it will be reopened and shared with the public 25 years later.

Breonna Taylor received no justice

By Cori Bush For The St. Louis American

On September 23, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced the decision of the Grand Jury to indict former detective Brett Hankinson on three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment for shooting into the apartment of Breonna Taylor’s neighbors. In response, Democratic nominee for Missouri’s First District, Cori Bush, released the following statement.

Cori Bush

n To the people of Louisville, I stand with you, and I urge you to flood the streets in protest against this violence.

Breonna Taylor received no justice today. Breonna Taylor was shot six times. She received no medical attention for more than 20 minutes. We cannot stand while others reduce Breonna’s murder to a one-off “tragedy.” Her death was no accident. Breonna Taylor could have been any one of us. This decision shows us all that, in the eyes of the American criminal justice system, Breonna Taylor’s life did not matter. That the lives of EMTs as first responders matter less than those of police officers. But Breonna’s life did matter. Her role in the community as a first responder mattered. Accountability for her murder matters. All of our Black lives matter. To Breonna Taylor’s family and friends, my heart hurts for you like it did for Mike Brown’s in 2014. To the people of Louisville, I stand with you, and I urge you to flood the streets in protest against this violence; to care for one another; to raise your voices; to make it known that Breonna deserved so much better than this.

While we put our boots to the ground in the pursuit of continued justice for Breonna, we will not forget the clear negligence in the handling of this case. To the mayor of Louisville and Louisville Metro Police Department, you showed us you knew the pain that this decision would cause when you preemptively declared a state of emergency and called in federal backup. Any violence brought upon protestors from law enforcement is 100% premeditated and intentional. To every officer who believes that this ruling means that you will not be held to account for your actions, I am bringing the protest from the streets of St. Louis to the halls of Congress to ensure that is not the case.

Our demands are not complicated: we just want to live. Cori Bush is the Democratic nominee for Congress in Missouri’s 1st Congressional District.

a total team effort, from the reception desk to our news room, sales department, design team, accounting and administrative staff,” said Donald M. Suggs, publisher and executive editor of The St. Louis American “We couldn’t be more proud. We don’t take these awards lightly. These accolades from industry professionals are a testament to the consistent, professional, work we strive to provide for our community.”

The St. Louis American won 10 first place awards, including:

• Best Online Newspaper or Website

• Best Video (for the seventh year in a row and each of the seven years this award has been given, The American’s Rebecca Rivas won first place in the category, this time for her video on Early Childhood Education awardee Chandria Taylor)

• Multi-Media Reporting (for the only two years in this category’s existence, The St. Louis American won this first place award, this time for its extensive print and video coverage of the annual Salute to Excellence in Education Gala)

• Best Coverage of Government (for “Attacks against the city’s first Black prosecutor”)

Owens

• Best News Photograph (Wiley’s Price’s front-page photo “Comforting Pashance”)

• Best Breaking News Story (Sandra Jordan’s “50k eligible children dropped from Medicaid”)

• Best News or Feature Series (Rebecca Rivas’ series on “Surveillance and the city”)

• Best Photo Package (Mike

Continued from A1 to church. The modern, red brick building, Greater Leonard Missionary Baptist Church, is on 11th Street in the Old North neighborhood. Ella serves as the administrative assistant and missionary president for the church. Cherishing her roles, Ella is at the church constantly. She attends to its business, collecting offerings, worshiping, doing missionary work in the neighborhood, and overseeing once-a-week food and clothing give-a-ways.

Then, Ella’s fulfilled life was interrupted. The first jolt

Terhaar and Wiley Price’s coverage of Blues Stanley Cup celebration)

• Best Sports Feature Story (Kenya Vaughn’s piece “Goodbye, Charles Glenn”)

• Best Story About Religion (Chris King’s “Pastor with a bullet-proof vest”).

Second place awards include:

came on her birthday, March 22, as she prepared to attend the last Greater Leonard worship service for a while. At the time, the federal government strongly urged Americans to limit gatherings to no more than 10 people. St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson had even hosted a teleconference with 300 clergy members, including

• General Excellence

• Best News Story (Rebecca Rivas)

• Best Columnist – Serious (Mike Jones)

• Best News Photograph (Wiley Price)

• Best Feature Photograph (Wiley Price)

• Best Sports Columnist (Alvin A. Reid)

• Best Investigative Reporting (Rebecca Rivas)

• Best Coverage of

Black ministers, to encourage them not to hold services.

Government (Rebecca Rivas)

• Best Story About Religion (Rebecca Rivas)

• Best Story About Education (Chris King)

• Best Military Story (Clara Germani)

• Best Video (Rebecca Rivas)

Third place awards include:

• Best Overall Design

• Best Breaking News Story (Rebecca Rivas)

It was a smart move. By July, more than 650 coronavirus cases nationwide had been linked to religious facilities. Millions of churchgoers, like Ella, suddenly found themselves without the sanctuary of safety, solace and fellowship during an unsafe and chaotic time.

Laying Wayman to rest

Pallbearers carried the body of pioneering attorney, executive and education leader Wayman F. Smith III to a waiting hearse at Austin Layne Funeral Home on Monday, September 28. The former AnheuserBusch executive and Harris-Stowe State University board chair passed September 15 at the age of 80.

• Best Feature Photograph (Lawrence Bryant)

• Best Editorial Pages

• Best Sports Columnist (Earl Austin, Jr.)

• Best Newspaper In Education Project (Cathy Sewell)

• Best Video (Dawn Suggs)

• Best Headline Writing (Chris King)

• Best Health Story (Sandra Jordan).

Just as Ella was adjusting to the thought of missing her church and serving its community, another wave crashed into her world. She contracted the virus.

On March 29, Ella was at home listening to Greater Leonard’s first video worship service. The sermon that day, “Discovery in Darkness,” delivered by Rev. Ralph E. Irving, hit her like a thunderbolt. She had been feeling fatigued and was experiencing aches and pain for days. Anxiety was setting in, she said.

“I was in a dark place,” she said. “I’d never had that kind of pain before. That was darkness to me.” She remembered Rev. Irving saying, “Even in your darkness, you can come out in the light.”

Ella said she felt a strong need to journal her efforts to discover the source of her darkness. She wrote how her doctor prescribed her acid reflux medicine on March 31 and how on April 3, doctors at Barnes-Jewish Hospital’s emergency room diagnosed her lack of appetite, heartburn, and fatigue to acid Issues. She was given more medicine. Ella said she felt better and went back to her church duties, which included dropping off supplies to a church member suffering from cancer.

spread it to them,” Ella said. “I began to blame myself. I felt like everything was my fault. It was at that moment that I cried out to God.” Ella said Irving’s Easter Sunday video sermon, “The Hope of the Resurrection,” was the answer to her heavenly plea. “I knew then that I would rise up as Jesus did on that Sunday morning,” she said. “I rested in the knowledge of knowing that even if I were to leave here, I would be with Him.”

Ella changed her outlook about the illness. The Biblical story described in Daniel 3:12-30, about God’s servants walking into a blazing fire unscathed, empowered her. Ella, convinced she wasn’t going to die, saw herself instead as a vehicle to inspire others.

n “I feared I might have spread it to them. I began to blame myself. I felt like everything was my fault. It was at that moment that I cried out to God.”

– Ella Owens

The next day, Sunday, April 4, Ella was once again moved by Pastor Irving’s virtual sermon, “Conviction in Crisis.” Her problems had returned, this time more severe. She instinctively felt something other than acid reflux was ailing her. Her doctor suggested that she immediately go back to the emergency room for a full screening and further treatment. She was told she had viral pneumonia, even though she had no cough, no fever. She was also tested for the coronavirus.

The day before Easter, Ella got the call with the news she already expected. “God told me, ‘Ella, it’s going to be positive,’” she recalled. Even though she had her suspicions, the call rocked her. “That’s when the fear set in,” she said. She was not so much concerned about her own health as she was about the wellbeing of the people she had been in contact with the past few days: her husband Phillip, church members and the cancer patient she recently visited. “I feared I might have

“God told me, ‘Ella, you’re going to be a testimony to me and it’s going to bring me glory as you continue to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ,’” Ella said. “He wanted me to be a witness and let others know there is hope during these times of crisis.”

The journal Ella shared with this newspaper is titled: “God Got my Attention.” Although she was serving His will, Ella said God wanted more.

“With all the things I was doing, God wanted my attention on a personal level,” she said. “A lot of times as we’re going here and about, sometimes God will say, ‘Wait a minute … I want you to really get to know me personally and who I really am.’” Ella survived COVID-19. Neither Phillip nor any other church member she he had visited contracted the disease.

On a lovely sunny day last week, Ella sat in her forest green mini Cooper in front of her beloved church. There was a message she wanted to share. She said, “I want people to know that – not only during this coronavirus crisis, but the crisis’s we go through every day – that there is hope. Don’t give up!” She wants those consumed with fear during these perilous times to rely on the words found in Hebrews 11:1: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Sylvester Brown Jr. is The St. Louis American’s inaugural Deaconess Fellow.

Photo by Wiley Price

unwilling (due to COVID-19related concerns) to show up at the polling station, you can cast your ballot up to six weeks before election day. Vote as early as possible. You may have heard talk of possible postal delays in mail-in ballots due to a reorganization of the U.S. Postal Service. But a vote cast in late September will definitely reach the election authorities in good time and be counted.

October 7. Have you registered to vote? If not, this must be done almost four weeks in advance of polling. Any later than October 7 and you won’t be registered in your ward. Missouri residents may register in person, by mail or online, by this date. A mailed-in registration must be postmarked by October 7.

October 21. For those not planning to vote in person at the polling station, the last day to request a ballot by mail is 13 days before the election. Due to possible postal delays, don’t leave this until the last moment. There are two categories of mailed ballot.

The first is an absentee ballot. There are two types of

Salute

Continued from A1

Turner’s office.

Wilson is now attending Missouri State University on a full scholarship and majoring in business.

“Ms. Turner is really one of the most essential people in my life — still to this day,” Wilson said. “I honestly don’t think I would be where I am today without the guidance and support from Ms. Turner. Especially for the Class of 2019 at Life for Life, she wasn’t a staff member or just another administrator, she was like a second mom. She never judged us. She always had advice, and she always had a protective shield over us and all of the students.”

On Saturday, October 17, Turner will receive the 2020 SEMO Counselor of the Year Award at the St. Louis American Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Education virtual gala. The foundation will foster over $1.95 million in scholarships and grants this year for area youth and educators — a true tribute to the work Turner does every day.

Justin Plummer, who also

absentee ballot. In one, you are eligible if you are incapacitated or you are 65 or older. You can also request an absentee ballot if you have chronic health conditions. Also, you can request an absentee ballot if you expect to be out of town or you are incarcerated or due to religious beliefs. Then there is a second cate-

graduated in 2019, said Turner was unflinching in her mission to get him into a HBCU (historically black college or university.) He is now attending Southern University in Baton Rouge.

“She stayed on me,” Plummer said. “She made sure my ACT scores were great. She made sure my financial aid was great. She was one of those beings that you needed to push you, and that’s one thing I loved about her. Because without her, I probably wouldn’t be attending an HBCU. She took me on those college tours, and it was amazing. I was sold.”

This is Turner’s fourth academic school year at Lift For Life, the city’s first charter school to open in 2000.

It’s sponsored by Southeast Missouri State University.

“Lift For Life is one of the best-kept secrets in the City of St. Louis,” Turner said. “I think when you come here, a student will fall in love, just like myself. I had just one visit here, and it really became my home.”

Students are motivated to come to school, she said. In non-pandemic times, the daily attendance averaged

gory that the State of Missouri created for 2020 only, called a mail-in ballot. This is designed for people voting in this year’s elections who are concerned about the risk of catching COVID-19 if they go to the polls.

If you are incapacitated, 65 or older or have chronic health conditions, you do not need the

93%, and the academy maintains a graduation rate of 97%.

About four out of five of graduates are accepted into college, technical school or the military. Turner also started a new internship program this past year, where seniors interned at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Crossroads Technology and several other businesses. But it was cut short due to the pandemic.

ballot envelope to be notarized. But if you expect to be out of town or you are incarcerated or can’t vote on election day due to religious beliefs, or if you are mailing in your ballot, you do. A column in The St. Louis American in July (see https:// tinyurl.com/MO-vote-rules) explained the rules.

Unfortunately, finding a

East St. Louis and proud mother of two daughters, Gabby and Sydney. Her parents, Lou Jethro and Cheryl Turner, have been her strong supporters.

n “Especially for the Class of 2019 at Life For Life, she wasn’t a staff member or just another administrator, she was like a second mom.”

– Tylea Wilson on

Ariel Turner

“The COVID-19 pandemic has been very impactful on our families in many ways –parents losing jobs, possibly facing evictions,” Turner said. “Students not being in school, we don’t know if they’re safe just due to the day-to-day crime that happens out in the community.”

Turner said the school has been able to help by linking families to various community resources and agencies that help with rent, mortgage and utility assistance.

She is a “proud product” of

“My mom has always said, ‘Nothing beats an effort but a try,’” she said. “I use that all the time when working with my students.”

She received her degree in social work from Saint Louis University. Before working at Lift For Life, she spent over 10

notary is not easy, unless you already know of one. Many banks have notaries. The Missouri Secretary State has an online list of them (see https:// tinyurl.com/MO-notary). And Protect Missouri Voters is planning an online hub to connect notaries to people that need their ballots notarized.

October 31. In order to accommodate

years working with at-risk teens in various social service settings. Turner was previously the assistant dean at the academy, but she switched roles so she could serve the student body on a different level, she said.

“Growing up in East St. Louis, it is a poverty-stricken area, so I can identify with some of the same things that some of my students encounter on a day-to-day basis,” Turner said. “It took a village to raise me, it takes a village to raise a child, and that’s kind of how it is at Lift For Life Academy.”

Wilson said that Turner’s leadership style continues to

inspire her activism and leadership roles in college.

“She was this person who wasn’t afraid to be herself, but yet she still kept a professional manner at the same time,” Wilson said. “It’s hard to explain, but it was an amazing thing to witness.”

The 33rd Annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship & Awards Virtual Gala Weekend will be celebrated online as free virtual events on Friday and Saturday, October 16 and 17 on stlamerican.com, the St. Louis American’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. For additional details on how to participate, please visit givebutter.com/SaluteEdu.

Walnut Park West residents walked into Nance Elementary School to vote in the primary election on Tuesday. August 4. Absentee voting is underway for the November 3 general election.

Photo by Wiley Price

Rona tags Parson, Obama endorses Galloway and Schupp

“You don’t need government to tell you to wear a dang mask,” Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, unmasked, said on July 11 at the 17th annual Missouri Cattlemen’s Association Steak Fry in Sedalia. Parson also shared photographs of himself and his wife congregating with voters at the event, unmasked and elbow-to-elbow.

“Governor Parson reminds all Missourians to social distance, wear a mask, and wash your hands frequently,” Parson’s office announced on September 23. What happened in the intervening two and a half months?

On September 23, first lady Teresa Parson and then the governor himself tested positive for COVID-19. The first lady’s test was prompted by symptoms, but the governor reported no systems at the time of his positive test.

The virus, in addition to making Parson’s careless actions over the first, crucial six months of the pandemic look incredibly ill-informed and indeed dangerous, also drove a temporary wedge between the first couple. Because the first lady’s symptom onset occurred prior to the governor’s positive test while asymptomatic, her isolation could end earlier than the governor’s on September 28. The governor was scheduled to isolate through October 3. Illness being a serious personal matter, no one in the Missouri Democratic Party piled on publicly with “I told you so” comments mocking Parson for not wearing a mask or socially distancing at so many public and campaign functions.

State Auditor Nicole Galloway, the Democratic nominee for governor, issued a mild statement. “I wish Governor Parson and First Lady Teresa Parson a safe and full recovery,” Galloway stated. “This is a stark reminder that this virus can reach anyone, anywhere and that this pandemic is far from over. We must all continue to do our part in preventing the spread of the virus by practicing social distancing, washing hands, and wearing a mask.” The American did not bother to try to get more than that statement out of Galloway. This close to the November 3 election, she is not about to veer an inch away from her talking points. The state party and other Missouri Democratic leaders issued similarly mild and supportive public comments. The governor’s office said that he will continue to do his usual damage to the state by continuing “to fulfill his duties from the Governor’s Mansion” and participating online in scheduled events, calls, and interviews.

To show that the former sheriff can continue to do macho stuff while down with the rona, Parson almost immediately signed Executive Order 20-17 activating the Missouri National Guard “as a precautionary measure in response to recent instances of civil unrest across the country.” That means Missouri is once again in an official state of emergency.

Obama endorses (only)

Galloway, Schupp

In 111 total endorsements that former President Barack Obama made in his second round of endorsements in the 2020 elections, he endorsed only two candidates in Missouri: Nicole Galloway for governor and Jill Schupp for Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District. Compare this to 14 endorsement that Obama made in both Arizona and Florida and 11 that he made in both Georgia and Wisconsin. And this is after Obama passed over all Missouri candidates in his first round of 118 endorsements in August.

It’s interesting to speculate why. Though it’s true that less can be more in offering endorsements, clearly he did not use a “less is more” strategy in Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Wisconsin. It could be that Obama and his advisers don’t see much hope for Missouri Democrats flipping seats in this election. It could be that Obama, his advisers and his counterparts in Missouri are not sure his endorsement would help Democrats win in a state that Obama lost by a half-million votes to Mitt Romney Obama’s office offered only this insight into his strategy: “In every round of endorsements President Obama has issued since leaving office, he has supported candidates running at the state level who the National Democratic Redistricting Committee has identified as critical to the upcoming redistricting process. This fall is the last opportunity for voters to decide who will have a seat at the table when new maps are drawn in 2021 –maps that will be in place for the next decade. As President Obama has said, gerrymandering must be abolished so voters can choose their elected officials, not the other way around.”

One thing is clear: Obama was offering no symbolic endorsements. In a state that has never elected a Black person statewide, the nation’s first nationwide elected official did not endorse Yinka Faleti for secretary of state or Alissia Canady for lieutenant governor, both Black Democratic nominees in Missouri. And with an upstart activist in Cori Bush coming out of a stunning primary victory over 10-term Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay, Obama did not toss a bone to the activist base by adding Bush to his endorsement list.

Only Galloway and Schupp. Galloway is one of only three gubernatorial candidates across the country to receive Obama’s endorsement this year.

“From protecting Missourians with preexisting conditions to tackling COVID-19, President Barack Obama knows the stakes of this election couldn’t be higher,” Galloway said in a statement.

“Every day our campaign is growing and I’m proud to have earned President Obama’s endorsement in this race. This November, we will finally put Jefferson City back on the side of working families, build an economic recovery that leaves no one behind, and expand access to affordable healthcare.” Schupp also released an

obvious and unremarkable statement about Obama recognizing “a chance to flip Missouri’s Second District Blue and bring real change to our community. I’m committed to restoring civility and trust in our government, and working across the aisle to get things done for families in our district.” A month before a general election is not the best time to get a candidate to speak the unvarnished truth.

Ashcroft misleads on Amendment 3

Obama’s high-minded concern for democracy in America might have inspired him to pinch off one more Missouri endorsement to Yinka Faleti, a U.S. Army veteran born in

Nigeria who has to make up the 100,000 more primary votes that legacy Republican incumbent John “Jay” Ashcroft got on August 4, when both candidates had no primary opponent. Ashcroft responded to President Donald Trump undermining the U.S. Postal Service by telling Missouri voters that maybe they should not vote by mail –when the Missouri Legislature just established new mail voting options as a pandemic protection.

In his latest anti-democratic performance as the protector of Missouri’s electoral democracy, Ashcroft issued ballots in Buchanan and Vernon counties with false and misleading ballot language for Amendment 3 – ballot language that was defeated in a court challenge. Amendment 3 is the Republican effort to preserve

the Republican gerrymandering that voters strongly rejected when they passed Clean Missouri in 2018. Other counties did not receive their ballots in time for voters to cast their absentee vote.

“Jay Ashcroft’s disregard for our Missouri courts has reached a dire tipping point,” Faleti said in a statement. “We know from his own words that he lacks respect for orders of Missouri courts; and, now, we plainly see that his lack of respect extends to Missouri voters as well. He has failed to administer a fair and honest election, instead introducing chaos and confusion by allowing language that the Western District court has already ruled improper and incorrect to make it onto ballots that reached voters around the state.”

Two courts ruled that the

Republicans’ language for Amendment 3 broke the law because it gave voters false information about what is in the fine print of Amendment 3. The second and final ruling from the Western District Court of Appeals ordered new language to appear on all ballots. Sean Soendker Nicholson campaign director for the No on 3 campaign, pointed out that Amendment 3 only changes lobbyist gift limits by $5 and only changes contribution limits by $100.

“That’s not reform,” Nicholson said — “that’s a smokescreen to distract voters from the real goal of the plan, which is letting lobbyists and political operatives draw district maps to protect their favorite politicians.”

First lady Teresa Parson and Missouri Gov. Mike Parson government yucked it up with voters, unmasked and elbow-to-elbow during a pandemic, at the 17th annual Missouri Cattlemen’s Association Steak Fry in Sedalia on July 11.

STL Public Radio GM out after allegations of racism at the station

Newsroom had only white journalists until 2013

By Brian Munoz For St. Louis Public Radio

Tim Eby, general manager at St. Louis Public Radio, was removed from his post Thursday, September 24 after coming under fire alongside other station leaders over allegations of a “legacy of structural racism” at the station.

Tom Livingston, a twotime former vice chairman of the National Public Radio Board of Directors and chief executive officer of Livingston Associates, is now the station’s interim general manager.

The announcement was made to St. Louis Public Radio staff in an email from Paul Herring, University of Missouri-St. Louis vice chancellor of advancement, on September 24. “Tom will begin

meeting with station leaders, teams and staff members this week to listen, engage and build a foundation to move forward together,” Herring wrote.

In an August 7 public statement, a group of the station’s reporters and producers, all people of color, detailed racist incidents they have experienced at the station. Eby was described by the group as someone who could “make necessary changes to policies and practices” in order to “transform the station into a diverse, inclusive, and equitable place to work.” But, the journalists allege, he chose to maintain “white supremacy at the station by remaining complacent with the status quo.”

Despite St. Louis Public Radio having received a

$450,000 grant in 2017 from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting (to be shared with three other public radio stations), with the goal of diversifying the newsroom, the employees said little changed. The group said the station’s newsroom had been composed solely of white journalists until 2013.

In response, UMSL administration hired the St. Louis-based law firm Tueth Keeney to evaluate diversity, equity and inclusion practices at the station; the university holds the station’s licenses. After expressing concerns about the law firm and the investigative process, a group of 21 St. Louis Public Radio employees sent a letter to university leadership saying they have no confidence in the firm’s external investigation. Their objections were based, in part, on the firm’s “failure to acknowledge and rectify” an incident in which an employee who requested a witness during an investigative interview was denied. Staff members reportedly have also not been offered the right to legal representation, witnesses or mediators.

In addition, the group said there was no guarantee from the university that employees wouldn’t face retaliation for material disclosed during the investigation and noted that there was “unclear and inconsistent” messaging about the extent station leaders and

staff are required to participate in the investigation.

When asked about the change in leadership, UMSL spokesman Bob Samples said it “represents the first step toward resetting the direction and operation of the station to more closely align to the mission and values of the university.”

Eby became the manager at St. Louis Public Radio in January 2009. He was previously the station manager at WOSU at The Ohio State University and station manager at WVPE in South Bend, Ind., where he worked for more than 21 years.

No other St. Louis Public Radio employees have been replaced since the allegations

Tim Eby has been removed as general manager of St. Louis Public Radio after allegations of a “legacy of structural racism” at the station came to light.

Photo by David Kovaluk

against the station were brought forward. The external investigation by Tueth Keeney is ongoing.

Brian Munoz is a freelance journalist in southern Illinois. This story was reported by freelance reporter Brian Munoz and edited by Ellen Sweets, who are working independently, without oversight from station managers or editors. St. Louis Public Radio newsroom editors hired them to cover the story of Tim Eby’s departure from St. Louis Public Radio and the allegations of systemic racism at the station. Reprinted with permission from news.stlpublicradio.org.

“My philosophy is to treat every patient, the way I would want my family members treated. I feel passionately that my patients should not only understand the disease process, but also their treatment options. I see myself as an ally to my patients, many of whom I have long-term

SSM Health Breast Care at SSM Health DePaul Hospital is located at 3440 DePaul Lane, Suite 110A in St. Louis, Missouri. For more information or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Oruwari please call (314) 209-5225.

“I try to give them hope and let them know they

How do you practice medicine?

Board-certified oncologic breast surgeon Jovita Oruwari, MD, FACS, has joined SSM Health Breast Care at SSM Health DePaul Hospital in St. Louis and is welcoming new patients. Dr. Jovita Oruwari completed a fellowship training in breast diseases at Brown University Women and Infants Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. She attended medical school at New Jersey Medical School Newark, New Jersey and completed her general surgery residency at University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey. She is a member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons, American Medical Women’s Association, Mound City Medical Forum, and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

How else are you involved in the community?“I am on the Board of Directors for the St. Louis Crisis Nursery and Gateway to Hope. Both are excellent nonprofit organizations that have missions that align with mine in regard to caring for women and children.”

What do you like to do when you’re not caring for patients or working?“Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, running, cooking, traveling and writing.”

What’s most important for patients diagnosed with breast cancer to know? “First and foremost, stop and take a deep breath. Then know that breast cancer is not a death sentence.”

DePaul Hospital is dedicated to saving lives by ensuring patients receive a timely diagnosis and treatment by eliminating barriers to care. “The services we offer patients, from the time they schedule their mammograms until we walk them through the services that might be needed in order to diagnose breast cancer, are always patient focused,” Dr. Oruwari said. The tailored, patient-focused care and treatment offered by SSM Health Breast Center is designed to meet a patient’s needs on multiple levels. “This means that from the moment a patient walks into the breast center everything we do is all about them,” Dr. Oruwari said. A compassionate team of boardcertified doctors, supportive care professionals and breast care nurse navigators like Cindy Broder ensure patients always receive the best care possible. “I follow the patient through the whole care pathway process,” Broder, who is a registered nurse, said.

S SM Health Breast Center at SSM Health DePaul Hospital is located at 3440 DePaul Lane, in St. Louis, Missouri. For more information or to schedule an appointment please call (314) 739-0924.

• Bone density scans

• Breast MRI

• Breast biopsy services

• Breast ultrasound

• 3D screening and diagnostic mammography

So, keeping up with breast screenings in the form of a self-exam, annual breast imaging and clinical breast exams are all ways to maintain breast health and diagnose any abnormalities early.”

St. Louis. SSM Health Breast Center at SSM Health

DePaul Hospital in

Why is maintaining good breast health important?“Breast cancer in most cases is unfortunately not preventable, but if found early can be completely curable.

“I have a special interest in treating young women and minority women of all ages who have breast cancer and breast disease.”

What are your special medical interests?

relationships with.”

The journey from diagnosis to treatment is different for every person with breast cancer. Wherever you are in your cancer journey, having access to the best resources available makes a big difference in how you fight the disease. “It is so very important to seek help when you find something at home, like during a self-exam, no matter how benign you may think it is because early detection is critical in surviving breast cancer,” said Dr. Jovita Oruwari, oncologic breast surgeon for SSM Health

n

“Having everything under one roof eliminates a lot of wait time and worry for patients going through any type of breast problem.

will be okay.”Approximately one in eight women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. An estimated 4,500 women in Missouri annually are newly diagnosed. However, when breast cancer is detected in the earliest stages, the cure rate is a staggering 97%. “If you have a cancer diagnosis but don’t do anything about it that cancer can continue to grow and you may unfortunately suffer worse consequences,” Broder said. SSM Health Breast Center provides access to a multi-disciplinary network of breast care professionals and all the services needed in one location to monitor, diagnose and inform patients about their breast health. “Having everything under one roof eliminates a lot of wait time and worry for patients going through any type of breast problem,” Oruwari said. In addition to various surgical procedures, SSM Health Breast Center offers multiple types of therapies, including radiation, chemotherapy and more. Available SSM Health Breast Center exams include:

Screening mammography prevents deaths from breast cancer through early detection. American College of Radiology (ACR) and Society of Breast Imaging (SBI) recommend that women at average risk begin screening mammography at age 40 and continue annually as long as they are in good health. ACR and SBI recognize that African American women are at highrisk for the disease and should be screened as such. ACR and SBI now recommend that all women have a risk assessment at age 30 to see if screening earlier than 40 is needed. With SSM Health, you can take advantage of 3D screening mammography, as well as the most advanced treatment options that lead to the best possible outcomes. Schedule a mammogram appointment now by going to ssmhealth.com/ ScheduleMamm or call your women’s health center to make your appointment. Don’t waitschedule your mammogram appointment today!

SSM Health Breast Care at Saint Louis University Hospital 3655 Vista Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110 314-268-5555 to schedule

St. Louis 3440 DePaul Lane, Suite 100, Bridgeton, MO 63044 314-739-0924 to schedule

SSM Health Breast Care at DePaul Hospital

SSM Health Breast Care at St. Mary’s Hospital

When Margie O’Brien found out she was expecting her fifth child, she wondered if it would be a boy or girl. Being the mother of three boys and one daughter, she was definitely more used to video games, rough housing and sports in her house than the color pink. But she never could have realized how much the color pink would mean to her family. Shortly after finding out she was pregnant, Margie was diagnosed with breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, pregnant women can safely get treatment for breast cancer, although the types of treatment used, and the timing of treatment might be affected by the pregnancy. The goal when treating a pregnant woman with breast cancer is the same as when treating a non-pregnant woman: to cure the cancer whenever possible, or to control it and keep it from spreading if it can’t

SSM Health Breast Care at St. Clare Hospital –Fenton 1015 Bowles Ave., St. Francis Building, Fenton, MO 63026 314-768-2500 to schedule SSM Health Outpatient Center at Kisker Road & Highway 364 1475 Kisker Road, St. Charles, MO 63304 314-768-2500 to schedule be cured. Margie began treatment when she was in the second trimester of her pregnancy to avoid any harm in the development of the baby in the first trimester. From the beginning, the staff at SSM Health Cancer Care was there to support Margie through this very difficult time. Since treating an expectant mother with breast cancer

St. Louis 1031 Bellevue Ave., Suite 100, St. Louis, MO 63117 314-768-2500 to schedule SSM Health Breast Care at St. Joseph HospitalLake Saint Louis 400 Medical Plaza, Lake Saint Louis, MO 63367 314-768-2500 to schedule SSM Health Outpatient Center at Veterans Memorial Parkway 711 Veterans Memorial Parkway, St. Charles, MO 63303 314-768-2500 to schedule SSM Health Outpatient Center at West Meyer Road 1598 W. Meyer Road, Wentzville, MO 63385 314-768-2500 to schedule is a seldom occurrence, the nursing care team at SSM Health Cancer Care wanted to do something special for Margie. They marked her last pre-birth chemotherapy treatment by throwing her a baby shower! “I was very overwhelmed, and they really surprised me, and I just appreciate their kindness,” Margie said. “They have made me feel welcome and

An annual mammogram is the first step!

“I believe my baby saved my life,” Margie said. “She is my miracle baby.”

“Everyone in our office came together to give her a day to forget about the cancer and focus on this wonderful gift of life.” On Feb. 25, 2020, Margie gave birth to a beautiful baby girlBriana Sadako O’Brien weighing 6 pounds, 5 ounces and 19.5” in length!Since giving birth, Margie has undergone a successful partial mastectomy with a goal to complete targeted therapy in March 2021. Pregnancy can make breast cancer harder to find, diagnose, and treat. Margie said that if it wasn’t for Briana, she may not have visited her OB-GYN to discover the breast cancer in time.

All of our facilities have implemented enhanced safety measures. These include requiring all individuals to be screened for symptoms and requiring face masks for all upon entry. This will ensure you and your family are protected every step of the way. have given me hope.”

“We understood this has been a rough road for her,” said Dori Pollard, business lead with SSM Health Cancer Care.

Mother and breast cancer patient welcomes her ‘Miracle Baby

Breonna Taylor and America’s two-tiered justice system

Marc H. Morial

National Urban League

“The rallying cries that have been echoing throughout the nation have been once again ignored by a justice system that claims to serve the people,” said Benjamin Crump, attorney representing Breonna Taylor’s family.

“But when a justice system only acts in the best interest of the most privileged and whitest among us, it has failed. For the sake of Breonna Taylor, for the sake of justice, and for the sake of all Americans, law enforcement agencies and their representatives throughout the country need to take a long, hard look in the mirror. Is this who you are? Is this the example you want to set for the rest of the world and for future generations.”

them. Witnesses are questioned only by the prosecutor, and there is no one to challenge inconsistencies in their statements or cross-examine them.

Perversion of justice is too feeble a term to describe the decision of a grand jury in Louisville not to file even a single criminal charge related to Breonna Taylor’s death.

The barrage of gunfire that endangered Breonna’s neighbors is the very same gunfire that took Breonna’s life. The grand jury’s decision that the risk of injuring neighbors is a crime but the actual killing of an innocent young woman is not defies comprehension.

Grand juries respond to the evidence presented to them by prosecutors; because the proceedings are secret, we don’t know what the jurors were told and what was withheld from

The tragedy of Breonna Taylor’s death is likely to go down in history as one of the most glaring examples of the two-tiered system of justice we have in the United States in 2020 – one for white Americans and another for Black people. Kentucky is a Castle Doctrine state and has a “stand your ground” law. But when Breonna’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker – a licensed gun owner with no criminal record – exercised his right under Kentucky law to defend himself and Breonna, he was charged immediately with attempted murder. There is no earthly reason to doubt that he believed a home invasion was in progress and their lives were at stake. He immediately telephoned 911, crying and pleading for help.

The white officers who smashed their way into the home and returned Kenneth’s single shot with a flurry of deadly and reckless gunfire, are absolved. That’s the justice system for white America. If not for the sustained pressure of activists and protesters, Kenneth would still be in jail. That’s the justice system for Black America.

Endangering neighbors with gunfire is a crime. That’s the justice system for white America. Fatally shooting an innocent woman is not a crime. That’s the justice system for

State Rep. Rasheen Aldridge led an Expect Us protest march on September 24 following the announcement that the police officers who killed Breonna Taylor in Louisville while executing a no-knock search warrant would not be brought to justice.

Black America.

When white shooters who live in a “stand your ground” state claim self-defense in the death of a Black person, 36 percent are ruled justifiable homicides. That’s the justice system for white America. When Black shooters claim self-defense in cases involving the deaths of white people in these same states, just 3 percent are ruled justifiable homicides. That’s

the justice system for Black America.

In February in Georgia, father and son Gregory and Travis McMichael, who are white, fatally shot 25-year-old jogger Ahmaud Arbery, who is Black, after running him down in their truck. The prosecutor in charge of the case immediately determined the gunmen were justified under Georgia’s citizen arrest and self-defense laws

It wasn’t until May, after the New York Times shone light on the case and video of the killing emerged, that the pair were criminally charged.

Attorney Robert Patillo, executive director of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s Peachtree Street Project in Georgia, told NBC News, “Let’s say Arbery was a 19-year-old cheerleader named Lily White, running down the

street. Two or three black men hopped in a pickup truck and the chase ended when they shot Lilly White down on tape. I ask you, who among us believes seriously we would be having a conversation, any kind of debate, about whether they should be charged, will be tried or convicted?”

Would police have filed attempted murder charges against a white man who fired on intruders who burst into his home, smashing the door off its hinges? Would police even have sought, or been granted a “no knock” warrant for Breonna’s apartment had Breonna been white? Such warrants, which allow police to enter without declaring themselves, are reserved for targets who are a known danger. Neither Breonna nor Walker had criminal records.

The grand jury’s decision was all the more disheartening for the six months Breonna’s family has waited for justice. It is hard not to give in to despair. In his most famous speech, Martin Luther King Jr. called despair both a valley and a mountain. He encouraged us not to wallow in that valley, and to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. Our protests and our advocacy have not been in vain. They have shone a light on injustice. They pressured prosecutors to drop the unjust charges against Kenneth Walker. The criminal justice system may continue to discriminate against men and women of color, but it no longer does so in the shadows. Marc H. Morial is president and CEO of the National Urban League.

are hosted live by a local, licensed Essence Healthcare advisor. You will be able to ask questions and interact with the advisor just as you would at an in-person meeting.

Columnist Marc Morial

Photo by Richard Reilly

“TakingCareofYou”

Free flu shots

Health providers try to prevent viral ‘twindemic’ of influenza and coronavirus

By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American

Health experts are saying the influenza vaccine is more important than ever during this coronavirus pandemic and encouraging people to get their flu shots as soon as possible, to lessen the chance of being hit this fall and winter with a “twindemic” – a double whammy from two potentially deadly viruses, influenza and coronavirus.

Hospitals have been dealing with COVID-19 since early February.

“The real worry we have coming up is that COVID numbers are still high and we’re coming up to where flu season typically starts,” Dr. Steve Lawrence, a Washington University infectious disease specialist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, said.

Flu season usually begins in October and lasts through fall and winter. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says while influenza viruses circulate all year long, most of the time flu activity peaks between December and February, but activity can last as late as May.

n “Getting a flu vaccine will help to prevent the spread of respiratory illness, making our community more resilient to viruses we are facing this winter.”

– Demetrius CianciChapman, St. Charles County Department of Public Health

“We’re really concerned that both of these could be hitting at the same time,” Lawrence said. The flu, which kills thousands every year in the U.S., combined with COVID-19, could stretch hospital capacity and resources.

“If we can prevent the flu from occurring, then it may be able to mean that if somebody were to get COVID, they are less likely to get COVID and flu at the same time, which means that they’ll have less of a chance of getting really super sick,” Lawrence said.

While getting an influenza vaccine does not protect you from COVID-19, and there is no safe and available vaccine approved for the coronavirus yet, one similarity is that the two deadly viruses attack the respiratory system. Between the two infections, Lawrence said, any one person may not be able to tell if they have one or the other, because there are a lot of symptoms that are similar.

“However, flu, more oftentimes, comes on all of the sudden. It’s that classic, situation where it feels like you just got hit by a truck – you have a high fever, super tired, achy muscles and your body hurts; headache, sore throat, dry cough,” Lawrence said. Flu, he said, comes on all of the sudden and usually goes away in a couple of days, though it may take about a week to really feel back to normal.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says while influenza viruses circulate all year long, most of the time flu activity peaks between December and February, but activity can last as late as May.

“COVID, on the other hand, tends to be a little more just like these upper-respiratory symptoms, and sometimes too the loss of taste or smell is associated with it,” he said.

Many people only have these mild symptoms and then they get better and then there’s no problem, but that’s not always the case.

“Some people, after about a week or so of mild symptoms, start to develop problems breathing, more of a cough, really short of breath, and that’s those instances when more severe disease occurs – where people may need to go to the hospital, and that’s where we see more serious illness,” Lawrence said.

“Overall, the likelihood of getting really sick from COVID or dying from COVID is a little bit higher than from flu.”

Sporting games begin for St. Louis

COVID transmission clusters tied to high school student athletes

By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American

Updated recommendation for schools in St. Louis County allows some sports and games to be played by youngsters and middle schoolers; however, restrictions remain for high-contact high school games due to risks of contracting COVID-19.

“I am announcing new Health Department recommendations for school districts to all middle school students to return to in-person learning. Also based on data, we are going to announce some relaxation of restrictions on youth sports,” St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page said on September 23. “The COVID-19 rates among children are going down in a general sense.” Page said the decision was data-driven and is posted at stlcorona.com.

“In the most recent two weeks, we see a sharp reduction in the rate of COVID-19 in the

n A limited number of parent and spectators will be allowed for both indoor and outdoor games to limit crowds where COVID-19 can spread. Social distancing still applies.

15-to-19 age group. The rate of new cases in this age group is still higher, but it’s headed in the right direction,” Page said. “A couple of weeks ago, it was 20%, but more recently, in the most recent data, we see a positivity rate in the 15-to-19-year-old age group of 7.4%.” Page says this means more adolescents

See ATHLETES, A15

Prison and the pandemic

By Dr. Valda Crowder, M.D.

For The St. Louis American

What happens in prison does not stay in prison. The cell blocks and bars give us a false sense of containment. Nothing could be further from the truth. According to the Justice Department, “The average time served by state prisoners released in 2016, from initial admission to initial release, was 2.6 years, and the median time served was 1.3 years.”

As a former medical director in a jail, I know that a constant flow exists between a correctional facility and a community. This back and forth includes cultural trends like saggy pants which became fashionable in the 1990’s. It can also include diseases, such as COVID-19 and before that HIV, carried by people in prison and correctional staff.

What happens in the correctional setting during a pandemic?

Despite reports that the top five largest hotspots are in correctional facilities, it turns out the answer is not enough.

n Why would any taxpayer want to be responsible for expensive COVID19 medical care of a person who has not been found guilty of a crime and just could not post bail?

Our biggest tool to tackle coronavirus is social distancing. Creating space between people, wearing masks, washing hands and keeping them away from our faces can reduce the spread outside prisons. But inside the barbed wires, lawsuit after lawsuit documents the hurdles correctional facilities face with these tactics from overcrowding to shortages of personnel protective equipment and cleaning products, such as masks and soap.

There have been a few high-profile releases, such as former Donald Trump lawyer and “fixer” Michael Cohen and Ray Nagin, former New Orleans mayor. Many more releases are needed. Too many people at high risk for COVID-19, due to age or underlying medical conditions, and with only months remaining on their sentence remain under lock and key. For almost half of Americans, or 133 million people with a chronic disease,

County youth

Updated recommendation for schools in St. Louis County allows some sports and games to be played by youngsters and middle schoolers; however, restrictions remain for high-contact high school games due to risks of contracting COVID-19.

A14

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 – 7, 2020

Photo by Wiley Price

Photo by Wiley Price

See FLU SHOTS, A15

Valda Crowder, M.D.

Athletes

Continued from A14

are getting tested and more of those test results are coming back negative. He is hoping that trend will continue.

The St. Louis County Department of Public Health says sports activity is a factor in a number of coronavirus cases in the county among high schoolers. Spring Schmidt, acting co-director of the health department, said the county recently documented five clusters of COVID-19 transmission among student athletes that are directly linked to sports-related activities.

“We don’t give the locations of each cluster, but they were all high school athletes, whose only association with each other was either a practice or they were travelling to an out of town game,” Schmidt said.

“It is a mix of public and private schools as well and some club teams. There is also a mix of some activities. There was football and soccer, and lacrosse and hockey.”

In addition to those cases, the St. Louis County DPH identified more than 20 other student-athletes who have contracted COVID-19 in recent weeks; however, in those instances, it’s not clear whether transmission occurred at an athletic event or a social activity.

“We also have a wide variety of student athletes who tested positive, but the athletes also engaged in other activities with each other,” she said. “They may have gone to a party or to a social event, or they ended up in school together, or they also played a game, so we can’t pinpoint where they had the transmission.”

Low- and moderate-contact sports and games are now

Flu Shots

Continued from A14

BJC offers drive-through and walk-up flu shots

Through funding from the Foundation for Barnes Jewish Hospital, BJC is offering free flu shot shots for St. Louis-area residents age six months and older who don’t have primary doctors or have other means to receive the flu vaccine. However, the sites have moved to new locations that allow for social distancing and crowd control. Safety precautions will include COVID-19 symptom screenings, mandatory masking, and social distancing. Free flu shots for the community are available at the following locations (while supplies last). Visit BJC.org/flushots for more information. Its webpage will continue to be updated as details are finalized. Note that BJC flu shot events are offered in a number of ways, including drive-through, and walk-up, accessible by public transportation.

Saturday, October 10

9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Adult & pediatric vaccinations (6-months and older) BJC at the Commons

4249 Clayton Ave (enter from Sarah St.)

St. Louis, MO 63110

Format: Drive-through; by appointment (visit www.bjc.

Crowder

Continued from A14

such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, arthritis, obesity or oral disease, the coronavirus may be deadly.

It is hard to understand why any taxpayer would want to be responsible for expensive COVID-19 medical care of a person who has not been found guilty of a crime and just could not pay 10 percent of bail

“TakingCareofYou”

allowed for younger children to middle schoolers, as of September 28.

“We are changing our guidelines to allow games and high frequency contact sports for children under 14 and in middle school with some restrictions,” Page said. “That means sports such as football, basketball, ice hockey and wrestling, competitive games will be allowed for middle school and kids 14 and under.”

A limited number of parent and spectators will be allowed for both indoor and outdoor games to limit crowds where COVID-19 can spread. Social distancing still applies.

“We will also allow all students, including high school students of any age, to play competitive games in moderate-contact sports. This

org/flushots and click on the event tab to register)

Sunday, October 11

9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Adult & pediatric vaccinations (6-months and older)

BJC at the Commons

4249 Clayton Ave (enter from Sarah St.)

St. Louis, MO 63110

Format: Drive-through; by appointment (visit www.bjc. org/flushots and click on the event tab to register)

Saturday, October 17 In partnership with the St. Louis Blues

9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Adult & pediatric vaccinations (6-months and older)

Enterprise Center 1401 Clark Ave, St. Louis, MO 63103

Format: Walk-in; first come, first served

Free parking available in adjacent parking lots, provided by the Office of the Treasurer for the City of St. Louis

Saturday, October 24

In partnership with The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and Christian Hospital

9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Adult & pediatric vaccinations (6-months and older)

Jamestown Mall Parking Lot

175 Jamestown Mall

Florissant, MO 63034

Format: Drive-through; first come, first served

money. If not for people behind bars, consider the safety of correctional staff, doctors, nurses, guards and their families.

On Facebook, head of the sheriff’s deputy union Randall Crawford posted that “Working in Wayne County Jail has now become a death sentence.”

His comments followed the deaths due to COVID-19 of the medical director, emergency specialist and jail commander. Among New York City’s 9,680 mostly Black and Brown officers, 1259 tested positive.

includes sports such as soccer, cheerleading, crew, rowing, dance team, floor hockey, field hockey, lacrosse and racquetball,” Page said. “For all outdoor youth sports, we will allow two parents or spectators per athlete to attend games, with an overall limit of 50.”

High-contact sports and games remain off limits for high schoolers.

“Although we are not permitting games in high-contact sports for high school students yet, such as football or basketball, we are actively working on a path forward that might include competitive games for those sports sometime later this fall,” Page said.

A continued drop in COVID-19 positivity rates and testing numbers among this age group will indicate whether

Sunday, October 25

In partnership with The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and Christian Hospital

9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Adult & pediatric vaccinations (6-months and older)

Urban League Northside Community Empowerment Center

1330 Aubert Ave St. Louis, MO 63113

Format: Drive-through; first come, first served

All vaccines are free of latex and preservatives. Those 65-years and older are eligible to receive a high dose (HD) vaccine while supplies last. If the HD vaccine is not available, the standard dose can be given.

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

Additional information about flu vaccinations and resources in the St. Louis region also can be found at vaccinateSTL.org.

These high rates of COVID-19 are reflected in their neighborhoods. The guards have a higher rate of infection than the population at Rikers. And that’s saying something. New York City’s jail is a hotspot within a hotspot. Although the Empire State has the largest number of cases, this should not distract from the dizzying number of infections among people in correctional facilities. As the number of COVID-19 deaths exceeded 100,000, “at least 43,967 peo-

The St. Louis County Department of Public Health says high contact sports activity is a factor in a number of coronavirus cases in the county among high schoolers.

staff at schools in St. Louis County who have been quarantined because of potential exposures, all while no games were being played in high-contact sports. Through contact tracing, Schmidt said, “Especially from our young people, I’m learning that they’re just pretty active in a lot of different kinds of gatherings and experiences, and some of those are high-risk activities. We do caution that and try to offer protections. It’s difficult to make sure that our young people have enough information, as well as the resources and tools they need to protect themselves and be really careful with each other, and how much contact they have.” Social distancing and keeping masks on when around other people also pose challenges.

By

high-contact sports can safely be played by high schoolers.

“Because their case numbers are still higher, they deserve special protections, as do the teachers and staff who participate in their education,” Page said. “We expect new recommendations on that in coming weeks.”

The health department has broadened its advisory group to include public and private school athletic directors, medical personnel, youth and sport club officials, sports enthusiasts and parents.

The concern is that high-contact sporting games pose a risk of transmitting the coronavirus. Players are within inches of other players, breathing, spitting and yelling without masks. Physical exertion entails heavy breathing, which

SSM offers drive-through flu shots Oct. 10, 17

A number of socially distant, free flu vaccine clinics are being held for the community in the St. Louis area, by BJC Health Care, St. Charles County and by SSM Health.

SSM Health is offering free, drive-through flu vaccination clinics on two separate Saturdays in October.

The first one takes place on Saturday, October 10 at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, from 8 am – noon, on the parking lot of the Ronald McDonald House. Cardinal Glennon will vaccinate ages 6 months and older.

SSM Health’s four other clinics will be held Saturday, October 17 from 8 am – noon, at SSM Health DePaul Hospital (Parking Lot 1); SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital – St. Charles (parking lot at Jefferson & 4th streets); SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital – Lake Saint Louis(100 Medica Plaza); and in the parking lot of Ronnie’s Plaza in South St. Louis County (behind the SSM Health Medical Group office, 30 Ronnie’s Plaza) for persons 9 years of age and older.

For those unable to attend the clinics, visit http://www. ssmhealth.com/access/ now/ to schedule a visit with a physician’s office, urgent care or SSM Health Express Clinic at Walgreens.

ple in prison” had the virus. This infected population was larger than the population of Selma, Alabama or Key West, Florida. Five states –Ohio, Tennessee, Michigan, California and New Jersey – account for most of the infections in correctional settings. Estimates of COVID-19 cases and deaths are undercounts. Some states do not test regularly in prisons. Most have not tested people who do not show symptoms of the disease. If nothing changes, prisons

is known to be a vector of respiratory disease spread. And related activities such as team huddles, shared meals, team bus rides, frequent carpooling and crowds of spectators, further compound transmission risk.

“It’s critical to understand that every single person who contracts COVID-19 has the potential to infect multiple networks of people around them. Young people with COVID-19 may spread it to older relatives, friends and those in the community who are more apt to develop serious symptoms – or die – from the disease,” the county stated. “Research indicates that adolescents spread the virus just as efficiently as adults.”

The county has identified at least 600 students and

St. Charles County will offer drive-through flu shots Oct. 7

The St. Charles County Department of Public Health is joining with several area organizations to provide 800 free flu vaccines at a drive-through clinic on Wednesday, October 7, from noon until 7 p.m. at St. Charles Community College. The event takes place in the Yellow parking lot at 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in Cottleville.

The COVID-19 pandemic is going to continue to be a health threat this flu season, said Demetrius CianciChapman, director of the St. Charles County Department of Public Health. “Getting a flu vaccine will help to prevent the spread of respiratory illness, making our community more resilient to viruses we are facing this winter. We appreciate the support from St. Charles County healthcare, education, non-profit and other organizations in providing this beneficial service to our residents.”

Participants should remain in their cars and follow instructions from event staff at the site. No appointment is necessary to receive a flu shot, but groups of six or more planning to arrive in the same vehicle should call 636-949-1857 before Oct. 2. All participants who complete an event evaluation

may become an unwitting ally and engine of community spread of the virus. To avoid this outcome, correctional administrators and the courts should strictly follow the CDC’s new guidelines.

“Ramping up cleaning and hygiene reminders” are a good start. Limit transfers between prisons. Screen everyone coming into a facility. Practicing social distance in prisons means managing distance in lines and staggering meals among other steps. Know the

“It’s hard to make sure our young folks understand the risk and have the need to protect themselves. Many youth just developmentally credit the importance that they feel about these social connections, and the social connections feel like it’s the most important thing to you in the whole world,” Schmidt said. Protests near Page’s Creve Coeur home and near the St. Louis County Government Center in Clayton have been taking place in recent weeks, primarily by white parents who were pushing for their children to participate in high school fall sports. Some expressed concerns about their child missing out on scholarship opportunities. Find youth sports guidelines by the Missouri High School Sports Activities Association at https://www. mshsaa.org and find St. Louis County’s youth sports guidelines at stlcorona.com or https://bit.ly/3cqWrhg.

following their vaccination will be entered to win a gift package courtesy of Martian Car Wash.

St. Charles County offers the standard flu vaccine that builds immunity against the four most prevalent viruses expected this season (H1N1, H3N2 and two B influenza viruses) and is for ages 6 months and older. They also have a high-dose influenza vaccine for persons ages 65 and older, which contains four times the amount of antigen than the traditional flu shot to boost the body’s ability to create antibodies against the illness.

“Getting a flu vaccine helps one’s body develop antibodies to fight the flu,” Cianci-Chapman notes. “This immunity not only helps the person who gets vaccinated but also helps prevent the spread of the disease to those around that person—making everyone healthier. Those who get a flu vaccination are less likely to get the flu or have milder symptoms if they do get the flu.”

Vaccines for their drive through clinic is made possible by the St. Charles County Department of Public Health, BJC Health Care, SSM Health, Compass Health, St. Charles Community College, St. Charles County Ambulance District and St. Charles County Parks.

non-respiratory symptoms of the virus. And the last prevention step is to implement no-contact prison visits. We need to demand full compliance with this guidance and personnel protective equipment for people in prison and correctional staff. We are all in this global pandemic together. Valda Crowder, MD, MBA, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician who serves as chair of the Health Committee for Black Women for Positive Change.

Photo

Wiley Price

NEWSPAPER IN EDUCATION

Planting the Seeds for Success!

The weekly Healthy Kids page provides health tips on nutrition, exercise and more.

Try New Foods— Adventure!

Nutrition Challenge:

When is the last time you tried a new food? Have each member of your family make a list of five different food items that he or she has never eaten. Compare your list with those of your family members. Now,

PRESENT:

Healthy Kids Kids

as a family, pick three of these food items that you would like to try. Research to see which of these has the best nutritional value. Search in the newspaper and online to see which store has the best price on

Exercise Challenge:

Walk! Walking is one of the best forms of exercise and most of us can do it. While always keeping safety in mind, seek out opportunities to walk each day. Your goal should be to walk for at least 30 minutes, 5 days per week.

As the weather starts to turn colder, flu season can hit your family. To avoid passing/or getting someone else’s germs, remember to:

> Sneeze into a tissue and immediately throw it away.

> If caught without a tissue, sneeze into your elbow (while turning away from your friends). Do not sneeze into your hands!

> Wash your hands frequently throughout the day and avoid touching your face: eyes, nose, and mouth.

Learning Standards: HPE 3, NH 1, NH 7

Learning Standards:

your choices, and purchase these new food items. Now have a fun family taste-test. Each person should decide which is their favorite new food. Try including this in future family meals.

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

Banana Pops Ingredients: Small Ripe Banana, peeled, 2 Tbsp Natural Peanut Butter Toppings: Coconut, Chopped Peanuts, Raisins, etc.

Directions: Insert a Popsicle stick into the banana. Spread peanut butter over the top 4-6 inches of the banana and dip into your favorite healthy topping.

Healthcare Careers

Rick L. Stevens, President of Christian Hospital

Where do you work? I work for Christian Hospital/ BJC Healthcare.

Where did you go to school? I graduated from Rockford West High School in Rockford, IL. I then earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Tennessee State University and a Master of Public Health degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee.

What does a hospital president do? I interact with doctors, nurses and patients every day. As president of Christian Hospital, I make decisions to help make our community healthier.

Why did you choose this career? I chose this career to make a difference in the health care system. I have the privilege of being able to do that in my role as president. My goals for Christian Hospital are being a great community partner and leader in quality and innovative programs that positively impact our community’s health.

What is your favorite part of the job you have? My favorite part of my job is making changes that help others and also establishing partnerships in the community that build trust. Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

“Questions or comments? Contact Cathy Sewell csewell@stlamerican.com or 618-910-9551

The St. Louis American’s award winning NIE program provides newspapers and resources to more than 8,000 teachers and students each week throughout the school

Questions or comments? Contact Cathy Sewell csewell@stlamerican.com or 618-910-9551

FAMILY SPOTLIGHT

Families use creative solutions to continue science lessons away from the physical classroom.

works on understanding density at the Inspire Young Tutoring Services program.

Photo by Lauren Young

SCIENCE CORNER

Brain Tumors

Brain tumors are a mass of cells that have grown abnormally. These tumors can put pressure on different parts of the brain and can affect the way your body functions. Although the exact cause of brain tumors is not known, research has shown that they are caused from either genetics (passed down from family members), or environment. Some tumors are cancerous, which means they can travel to other parts of the body. Some tumors are not cancerous. These are called benign tumors. Doctors can treat tumors with surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation.

Doctors use CT scans or MRI imaging to diagnose tumors. They look at the location, types of cells involved, and how quickly it grows. They use the information to categorize

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

Have you ever wondered why some foods taste better than others? Do you know how the brain affects the ability to distinguish between flavors?

Materials Needed:

SCIENCE STARS

African-American Neurosurgeon Dr. Keith Lanier Black

the tumors. There are three categories. Low grade/high grade: - Low grade tumors are slow growing and high grade tumors are fast growing. Localized tumors are in one area and are usually easier to remove; invasive tumors have spread to other areas of the body. Primary tumors start in the brain and secondary tumors start elsewhere in the body. Localized/invasive: localized tumors are in one area and are usually easier to remove, invasive have spread to other areas and are more difficult to remove. Primary/secondary: primary tumors start in the brain, secondary tumors start elsewhere in the body and spread to the brain.

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

Taste Testing Without Smell!

• A small piece of sliced potato •

• A small piece of sliced apple

• Volunteer Procedure:

q Be sure the apple and potato slices are the same shape and size.

Put your brain to work and develop your critical thinking skills with these word problems.

z In a given school, there are 280 boys and 230 girls.

a) What is the ratio of the number of girls to the number of boys?

w Ask your volunteer to close their eyes and hold their nose.

e Give the volunteer the potato and then the apple.

r Can they identify the food?

Analyze: How do smell and sight affect your brain’s ability to tell the difference between foods?

Brain Builders!

b) What is the ratio of the number of boys to the total number of pupils in the school?

DID YOU KNOW?

x If Tim and his family had lunch at $30.50 and he gave a 15% tip, how much did they spend? ______

c If a car can travel 26 miles per gallon of gasoline, how many gallons of gasoline would be needed to travel 150 miles? ______

v If gas costs $2.10 per gallon, how much would it cost

Keith Black was born in 1957 in Tuskegee, Alabama. His mom was a school teacher and his father was a school principal. They taught their children that education was very important and that they could achieve their goals with hard work. Black enjoyed biology as a young child and dissected a frog.

To encourage his interest in biology, Black’s father bought a cow heart for him to dissect. At age 10, Black’s family moved to Ohio. As a teen, he joined a program at Case Western Reserve Hospital to learn laboratory skills. These skills allowed him to get a part time job at Cleveland’s St. Luke’s Hospital as a teenager. While there, he learned how to perform transplant surgeries and heart valve replacements on laboratory dogs. Black noticed that patients with heart valve replacements had damage to their blood cells. He wrote a research paper about this at age 17. This paper won the Westinghouse Science Award.

After graduating from Shaker Heights High School, Black attended the University of Michigan. He was chosen to be part of an accelerated program that allowed him to earn his undergraduate and medical degree in only six years. Black developed a strong interest in the brain and began to study neurosurgery (surgery of the nervous system) at age 24. In 1987, Black moved to UCLA to teach neurosurgery. In 1994, he patented a method to deliver chemotherapy directly to a brain tumor. He also created vaccines to boost the immune system of patients.

In 2007, Black opened a brain tumor research center named the Cochran Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He is the director of the Neurosurgical Institute there, as well. Black preforms an average of 200 brain surgeries per year, which is twice the average of other neurosurgeons. He has even successfully performed surgeries on patients who were told their brain tumor was inoperable. In 2009, he published his autobiography titled, “Brain Surgeon.”

Learning Standards:

person who has made contributions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Learning Standards: I can follow sequential directions for an experiment. I can draw conclusions and analyze results. Enjoy these activities that help you get to know your St. Louis American newspaper.

to fill a car that holds 18 gallons?

b The exchange rate for U.S. dollars to euros is 1 to 0.86 euros. How many euros are $150 U.S. dollars worth?

Learning Standards: I can add, subtract, multiply, and divide to solve a problem.

MAP CORNER

Activities — First Amendment

Freedoms: One of the five freedoms listed in the First Amendment is the Right to Assembly. That is the right of people to peacefully gather together. Use the newspaper to find examples of events in your city. Categorize these events as: political, religious, sports, education, or community.

Advertisement Estimations: A family member wants a new television and thinks a reasonable price is less than $300. Using the advertisements, locate three televisions (include brand, price, size, etc.) Compare the prices. Is $300 a reasonable estimate?

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can classify information. I can make text-to-self connections.

Brayden Edwards

FREEFlu Shots

Confessions of a last responder

Ronald L. Jones on COVID’s impact on the funeral business

Jerina Phillips, a member of St. Louis-based law firm Lewis Rice who serves on the firm’s Recruiting Committee, was selected for the 20202021 Leadership 100 Cohort within the Young Professionals Network (YPN) of the St. Louis Regional Business Council. The YPN was established in 2008 to attract, retain, develop and engage diverse young professionals in St. Louis. Membership in the YPN helps young professionals develop leadership skills, cultivate social and business networks and give back to the community. Phillips is one of 29 distinguished young professionals to be chosen for the cohort.

“As a valued member of the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee, we look forward to the infusion of knowledge, inspiration, and diverse perspectives Jerina will bring back to Lewis Rice from the YPN,” said John J. Riffle, RBC member and chairman of Corporate Department at Lewis Rice.

Phillips maintains a wide-ranging litigation practice representing individuals and companies in a variety of disputes, including complex commercial litigation, employment litigation, media and communications law, and consumer litigation. She has successfully represented companies in defending against a wide variety of claims, including breach of contract claims, breach of fiduciary duty claims, and claims brought under the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act. She also has significant experience defending employers in all types of employment matters, as well as representing clients in a variety of First Amendment issues.

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

Of The St. Louis American

“In this business, if you don’t adapt, you fail, huh.”

Ronald L. Jones has a unique way of using the word “huh.” For Jones, it’s more of an affirmation than a question. Like a preacher uses “Amen,” Jones employs “huh” to emphasize his points. In this case, he was discussing his trade in the wake of COVID19.

n “People don’t realize that every time you move a body the compression of the lungs is expelled in the air.”

– Ronald L. Jones

“I’ve been through swine flu, Ebola, spinal meningitis, even active cases of tuberculosis, you name it. This is the first pandemic I’ve ever been through,” Jones said. “You just have to be very cautious about what you’re dealing with, huh.”

Jones, 73, owner of Ronald L. Jones Funeral Chapels on East Fair Avenue near O’Fallon Park, is as distinctive as his word usage. He dresses

flamboyantly and speaks lyrically. His style made him the perfect candidate for two documentaries – the 2002 short film “Laid Out: Life and Death Inside an American Funeral Home” and 2005’s “Pushing Up Daisies,” about the world of funeral directors.

Jones has been in the death care business since 1969. The castle-like interior of his building is an homage to his career. A window-sized oil painting of an elegantly dressed Jones hangs above a plush, smokey grey sectional in the common area. Ornate glass cases throughout the building hold several trophies and plaques in recognition of Jones’ embalming work or his talent as a “restorative artist,” the technical term for morticians who restore the appearances of those who may have experienced gruesome deaths.

Jones is a member of the National Funeral Directors Association, which

NGA, Harris-Stowe sign agreement to develop STEM educators

‘This is just the start of the partnership’

American staff

National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

Director Vice Adm. Robert Sharp and HarrisStowe State University President Corey S. Bradford Sr. signed an agreement September 21 that lays the foundation for NGA and HSSU to collaborate on course offerings at Harris-Stowe for STEM educators.

“Our national security depends on the leadership and innovation that will come from the next generation of science, mathematics, engineering and technology professionals,” said Sharp. “We’ll need top-quality STEM educators to teach and mentor that next generation.” NGA, which delivers geospatial intelligence to policymakers, warfighters, intelligence professionals, is a unique combination of intelligence agency and combat support agency.

A partnership with NGA offers HSSU the opportunity to collaborate on education initiatives with professionals who are experts in their STEM fields.

See STEM, B2

HarrisStowe State University President Corey S. Bradford Sr. and Vice Adm.

Ronald L. Jones’ chapel provided the services for Jazmond Dixon in March. Dixon, 41, a biomedical services employee, was St. Louis’ first recorded COVID-19 death.

Photo courtesy of HSSU

Jerina Phillips

See JONES, B2

Photo by Sylvester Brown Jr.

Continued from B1

ing Atlanta, Birmingham, Dayton, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York City and St. Louis. The company will bring together identification, financial access and payment functionalities in one place through Mastercard City Key, enabling more than 1 million residents with digital access to essential financial tools and support. Affordable financial tools and services. Mastercard is working to reduce the cost and access to financial products for Black families with a collection of digital services being offered first through African American-owned fintech MoCaFi. The digital Mastercard Money Connect Solutions will allow people to send money to relatives affordably; enable real-time bill payment and check deposits by phone; and help people manage wage fluctuations and unexpected bills through earned wage access instead of having to wait until payday.

Capital and resources for Blackowned businesses. Mastercard will expand its relationships with Community Development Financial Institutions, including Accion Opportunity Fund and the Community Reinvestment Fund, to increase capital availability in minority communities. The company is also investing directly in Black- and minority-led startups and expanding its work with Black-owned goods and service providers.

“In the City of St. Louis, we’re exploring ways this investment can support our youth and future generations through expanded access to education, summer programming, and financial literacy opportunities,” St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson said in a statement.

Jones

Continued from B1

represents 20,000 funeral directors and 11,000 funeral homes. In April, the organization petitioned Congress to include the death-care profession in emergency economic stimulus packages. According to the association, the “vital net-

Emerson

On August 14, Emerson’s Blacks Reinforcing Diversity (BRD) partnered with Chick-Fil-A to serve lunch to 50 essential employees at People’s Health Centers who are continuing to serve our community in the COVID landscape. Left to right:

Edwards (People’s Health Centers), Dr. Jacqueline Harvey

Fox (Chick-Fil-A), Emma Monroe

Renee Henderson

Health

Sam Bush

Carl

BRD is a group of employees dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment by pursuing strategic recruiting, retention and advancement initiatives that support Emerson’s corporate objectives. The group also strives to enhance Emerson’s engagement with local communities by forging active partnerships with organizations that share Emerson’s core values. The St. Louis Chapter has been gathering donations this summer to deliver lunch for essential workers at North

County locations to support them during the pandemic.

work of often-overlooked first responders” are in desperate need of emergency assistance during the national crisis. Jones has become the local voice for funeral directors fighting for access to federal funds. Personal protective equipment (PPE) – masks, hazmat suits, gloves, body bags, etc. – have become scarce and costly, Jones told KMOV reporter, Kim St. Onge.

“I’m not just concerned about myself,” Jones said. “I’m concerned about every funeral director in the country because they’re facing the same problem and same risks that I am.”

The coronavirus has also changed how Americans grieve and cope with death, Jones said. Because of social distancing restrictions, infected people have died alone, leaving families without a

proper “goodbye.” Attendance at funeral services have been limited to a fraction of capacity crowds. More than 200,000 people have died of COVID19 in the United States. Those deaths are in concurrence with the loss of tens of millions of jobs. Because of the economic downturn, many families have been forced to delay or postpone services, with many opting for less costly cremation services.

According to the funeral association, a funeral and a burial can cost up to $10,000. Crowdfunding campaigns like GoFundMe have become an increasingly useful way to help families manage astronomical health care and expensive funeral costs.

Jones’ chapel provided the services for Jazmond Dixon in March. Dixon, 41, a biomedical services employee, was St. Louis’ first recorded COVID19 death. Dixon’s family created a GoFundMe account to cover her final expenses.

During these turbulent times, funeral directors, Jones said, must serve as psychologists, counselors and even referees for families dealing with the heavy emotions of burying loved ones. Federal funding, he adds, is but one obstacle funeral directors must face.

“The biggest challenge,” Jones said, “is trying to comply while at the same time trying to satisfy, huh.”

Continued from B1

“HSSU and NGA have many shared goals that will be furthered through the exchange of ideas, personnel and resources made possi-

Even as the pandemic rages across the country, Jones said he has difficulty convincing families that they can’t honor the deceased the way they’ve been accustomed. Funerals, for Black people, “from before slavery and after,” Jones stressed, “is a process of our culture.”

Ida Harris, writing for YES! Media, elaborated on the cultural phenomenon.

“Black funerals are a testament of rhythm and blues that fill chapels,” Harris wrote, “soul that pours from organs, intonation wrapped around eulogies, final farewells at the close of the casket, and jubilance of breaking bread and celebrating Black life at the repast.”

On average, Jones said at least 500 people attend typical funeral services at his chapel.

For the services of former football player Damien Nash and blues artists Johnny Johnson and Bennie Smith, more than 10,000 people visited his chapel to bid farewell.

In July, researchers at Oxford University issued a call for more studies on the risks COVID-19 poses for funeral directors.

“Often, they do not know the specific cause of someone’s death and at times they do not know the guidelines for treating corpses or follow them strictly,” the university health officials wrote. “These dangers

ble through this agreement,” Bradford said. “Furthermore, HSSU is a vital resource in meeting the region’s ongoing workforce needs. This partnership will offer enhanced educational experiences to the HSSU students through research and other hands-on learning opportunities.”

are especially important with regard to COVID-19, as the virus seems to be very contagious and can survive in dead bodies.”

Although many are adjusting to health regulations for the living, Jones said some are having a hard time understanding how those rules apply to the dead.

“People don’t realize that every time you move a body the compression of the lungs is expelled in the air,” Jones said. So, I have to tell families who insist on viewings that we just don’t do it because the risk factor is too high.”

With all the challenges within his industry, Jones has few complaints. His loyal customer base was built on satisfying “one family at a time” for more than four decades, he said, and business “is steady.” Jones said he is thankful that he hasn’t had to lay off any of his 15 employees. In time, he said assuredly, when a COVID vaccine is found, the country will get through this pandemic. Jones shares his philosophy as a key to coping.

“I had to learn to respect death,” he said. “As you get older, you get more serious about life. It makes you appreciative of every day. It keeps us rooted, huh.”

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

The partnership also:

• provides HSSU students and faculty with access to NGA’s personnel, facilities and technology so they can learn about and collaborate in the disciplines associated with NGA’s mission

• allows NGA scientists and professionals to leverage the educational knowledge and capabilities of HSSU students and faculty to execute their mission

• encourages early interest in STEM topics by people at NGA and HSSU at all stages of their academic careers

• and provides the potential for more opportunities for HSSU and NGA to work together in areas of mutual opportunity, including on topics of critical thinking and analysis.

“This is just the start of the partnership,” said J.N. Markiel, senior GEOINT authority for geomatics. “The agreement can be amended going forward, so additional goals may be added as appropriate as we continue our collaborative efforts.”

Gail Montgomery-

(People’s

Centers),

Green (People’s Health Centers), Tasha

(Emerson),

(Emerson),

(Emerson), Chris Carpenter (Emerson)

St. Louis

diversity group serves People’s front line

Photo courtesy of People’s Health Center

2020 Prepare.ai conference now free to all

American staff

The 2020 Prepare.ai Conference, scheduled over 5 afternoons during the month of October and featuring more than 60 nationally-known AI and technology thought leaders, will be free and open to all for the first time. A handful of sponsors and founders have underwritten the entire cost of the conference in order to allow anyone, whether a middle-school student or a Fortune 25 CEO, to attend at no cost.

This year’s content is divided into five themed afternoons: a Workforce Development Forum on Thursday, October 1; Our Planet and Beyond, focusing on precision agriculture and geospatial technologies on Wednesday October 7; Health & Wellbeing on Wednesday October 14; AI@ Work&Home on Wednesday October 21; and Societal Implications & Ethical Impact on Thursday, October 28.

Speakers include Marlon West, head of Effects Animation for Frozen 2, Frozen and Moana; 2016 TED-Prize winner and space archaeologist Sarah Parcak; National GeospatialIntelligence Agency Deputy Director Dr. Stacey Dixon; Ranveer Chandra, chief scientist of Microsoft Azure Global; and Chris Sakalosky, managing director of Healthcare & Life Sciences for Google. Prepare, co-founded by David Karandish and Chris Sims of Answers.com along with Prepare’s Technical Director Dave Costenaro, aims to increase awareness of, access to, and collaboration around AI and other technologies in order to advance the human experience.

“We happen to be headquartered in a region that thrived in the first and second industrial revolutions and got left behind in the third,” said

Prepare CoFounder David Karandish.

“We believe that the region cannot afford to let that happen again. The conference is one way that we can bring people together around big ideas, grow partnerships within the community and beyond, and lay groundwork to ensure that St. Louis’ role in the new tech-driven economy is as a leader, not a follower.”

The Prepare Conference was originally an in-person, 1,000-person event to be held in late April, but pivoted to virtual when the coronavirus pandemic hit. The in-person conference was always going to include a free component called the Workforce Development Forum, spon-

sored by Daugherty Business Solutions and the support of all sponsors.

Prepare’s first Annual Conference was in 2018 at the Eric P. Newman Education Center on the Washington University in St. Louis Medical School Campus, where 350 tech and AI enthusiasts gathered to hear from 30 speakers from organizations including IBM Watson, Amazon Web Services, and NVIDIA. The 2019 Conference sold out 550 tickets and hosted 60 speakers. For more information, visit https://prepare.ai. Follow Prepare on Twitter @Prepare_ Ai, Facebook /prepareAi and LinkedIn @prepare.ai.

Marlon West, head of Effects Animation for Frozen 2, Frozen and Moana, is among the speakers at the 2020 Prepare.ai Conference.

Metro establishes new safety and security policy

By Kevin Scott For The St. Louis American

Kevin Scott

The safety and security of our region’s public transit system has taken another significant step forward with the implementation of a new Ride and Abide policy. Developed in collaboration with regional leaders and law enforcement partners, our new Metro Transit policy is an important tool that allows us to suspend the transit privileges for individuals who repeatedly engage in prohibited conduct on the Metro Transit system or whose behavior is determined to be unacceptably offensive or serious.

While serious incidents and crimes on our system are rare, they do occur, and a thorough analysis of the crime data reveals the majority of these more serious incidents result from the actions of a very small number of individuals. Now we can directly address those violators through the new Ride and Abide policy. The focus is not to address minor offenses, like eating on the train or not validating your ticket. This new policy puts individuals who engage in serious, unacceptable behavior on alert that their behavior will not be tolerated.

While we will determine the length of suspensions of transit privileges on a case-by-case basis, certain criteria will apply

to all. For the first offense, the suspension period will range from one day to six months. Anyone committing a second offense will face a suspension period of more than twelve months, up to a permanent suspension of transit privileges. A suspension in excess of twelve months for the first offense

n This new policy puts individuals who engage in serious, unacceptable behavior on alert that their behavior will not be tolerated.

may be issued if it is determined the individual poses an immediate and serious threat to the safety of the Metro Transit system. If an individual returns to the Metro Transit system during their suspension period, then the individual may be subject to arrest and criminal prosecution. We are already enforcing the Ride and Abide Policy. In fact, five individuals currently have their transit privileges

suspended for conduct that includes major property damage, assault and disorderly conduct. Any passenger whose transit privileges are suspended is entitled to a review, and is informed through a written notice that includes a description of the conduct that led to the suspension and instructions for requesting a review. We firmly believe this new policy will help us deliver on our commitment to continue to operate a safe transit system that provides millions of trips each year. Safety and security is our top priority every single day. We want our riders to enjoy a safe, comfortable, and convenient transit experience on Metro. To achieve that, we expect everyone who rides Metro Transit to follow the Passenger Code of Conduct. That is a reasonable set of rules and guidelines that reinforce respecting their fellow riders. Through mutual respect and compliance with this expectation, together we can create a positive and comfortable transit community. Kevin Scott is general manager of Field Security at Metro Transit.

Living It

Sister authors

Aja

Owens and Adrienne Draper self-publish the books they needed as Black girls

By Ashley Winters

For The St. Louis American

“Don’t make excuses, make it happen” is a mantra Aja Owens and Adrienne Draper live by. Collectively, Owens and Draper have published five children’s books that reflect families and children of color. These sisters credit their success as published authors, educators, and civic leaders to their strong family background and community.

“It’s important to live a life like you’re creating a blueprint that somebody can follow and model,” said Owens. Owens and Draper pride themselves in creating stories that Black and Brown children can identify with. Their goal is for their books to leave a lasting impression on kids who can model the positive messages found in their stories. It all began for them as young children living in Jennings. Both sisters describe their upbring-

ing as being raised in a village. They remember family fish fries, family trips to Chicago and neighborhood parties. Their family, extended family and community taught them the value of hard work and giving back. They believe having those kindred ties pushed them to reach their fullest potential. Owens and Draper believe it is imperative

n “We are trying to create tangible things that people can pass on.”

– Aja Owens

to invest in children, especially Black and Brown children who come from underserved backgrounds. Their books highlight AfricanAmerican experiences that are sometimes overlooked. They believe by painting a different picture young Black and Brown children can aspire

The

series by DREAM Collective at SIUE

By Patricia Merritt

The DREAM (Dismantling Racism through Education, Advocacy and Mobilization) Collective at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville aired the latest episode of its podcast, “Blacktivism in the Academy,” on September 24 and the podcast is now available in its archive.

‘Smiling isn’t bad and troubles don’t last forever’

to reach their fullest potential.

As a kid, Draper didn’t see a lot of books written by African Americans in the school library, and she couldn’t relate to the characters she read about.

“It’s important to us for these young people to see themselves in this literature,” Owens said.

Their career as children’s book authors started when Draper created a curriculum for Risen Publishing Camp 4 Kids. Camp officials were amazed with her curriculum and decided to hire her and Owens as mentors for the students attending the camp. They taught campers how to write and self-publish their own book. Then a variety of schools in the region and community members reached out to the dynamic sisters for advice and guidance on self-publishing books.

So, it came quite naturally for Draper to pub-

See Sisters, C2

North County rapper Retro Champ bounced back from near suicide with message of hope

By Danielle Brown For The St. Louis American

After watching Bow Wow’s performance of “Bounce Wit Me” with Jermaine Dupri on BET’s “106 & Park” and seeing the crowd’s reaction, Garrett Cooper decided he too wanted to become a rapper. Once he realized he wanted to rap, he played around with rhymes as early as 8-years-old, but it wasn’t until four years ago that he took it seriously and dropped his first project, “Thoughts of a Champion,” under the name Retro Champ via Soundcloud.

“I had a lot on my mind and never really talked about my problems, so I felt led to put it out and allow others to hear my story,” Retro Champ said. Retro Champ, 24, has since released his debut EP, “Backlash,” which came out last year, and he released his second EP, “F.Y.I.” in July. His music has grown a lot within those four years.

“I feel like ever since I started to find my sound and what kind of vibes I like, it all started to connect and hit different,” Retro Champ said. “I make music for the people, of course, but I had to learn to make music for me first.”

A common theme often reiterated by rappers is how they’re different from the rest and their competition doesn’t stand a chance. Retro Champ frequently uses the same sentiment in his music.

Episode three, “CRiT Walkin,” featured DREAM Collective member J.T. Snipes as the host. Snipes facilitated a conversation with School of Education, Health and Human Behavior Dean Robin Hughes, a DREAM Collective member, and her guest, Mark Giles. Hughes and her long-time friend and co-author, Giles, had a conversation about Critical Race Theory in action and what it means to “CRiT walk” in the academy. Other DREAM Collective members include See Dream, C3

‘Fannie’s voice needed to be heard during this critical time’

Black Rep production, voter registration efforts to honor civil rights figure

By Kenya Vaughn

The

Of

St. Louis American Art and activism will intersect again this weekend for The Black Rep when they team up with The Organization for Black Struggle, Better Family Life, and Action STL in the effort to get people active in the upcoming election.

The Black Rep is presenting an abbreviated outdoor staging of “Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It,” the newest play by Cheryl L. West, at a trio of locations from October 2-4. Action STL, Better Family Life and OBS will have representatives on-site for the production to register individuals to vote ahead of the October 7 deadline.

“It’s so very important. It’s important to get the word out – to stand up and make sure that we are getting information out against all of the

lies that the current administration is putting forth to suppress the vote,” said Ron Himes, founder and producing director of the Black Rep. “We just had to make sure that we did our part to get the word out about how important it

See Fannie, C3

See Rap, C2

Aja Owens and Adrienne Draper, sisters have published five children’s books that reflect families and children of color.

Retro Champ independently released his second EP, “F.Y.I.” in July. His music can be found on most streaming and social media platforms.

DREAM Collective at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has a podcast series “Blacktivism in the Academy.”

Fannie Lou Hamer sitting on her porch, circa 1960s, Will D. Campbell Papers, University of Southern Mississippi

lish her first book, “Missy’s Mouthing Off,” in 2011. The bright pink cover displays a little Black girl with two puff ponytails and her big mouth. Draper said AfricanAmerican girls love seeing these pigtails on the cover of her book, with that big smile and chocolate face.

In a lighthearted fashion, Draper’s book points out the consequences of mouthing off, an important lesson she believes is needed in all homes.

In 2011, Owen published her first book too, “Refuge,” a poetry book for adults. One poem, “Rock What You Got,” took on a life of its own. After receiving praise on how powerful the message is, Owens thought it would be compelling to expand this poem into a book for kids, teaching self-confidence. She published “Rock What You Got!” in 2018. Draper said, “Our books focus on character education, because we’re old school.”

This year alone, each author has written two books. Draper’s “Rona, Rona, Go Away!” speaks to the COVID-19 pandemic in a language that children can understand and addresses some of the feelings they might be experiencing. Draper felt it was her responsibility to focus on the mental well-being of kids through her book, as children might be dealing with trauma from the pandemic.

“We have so many things the universe needs right now,” said Owens.

Owens’ book “Jaylon’s Going To Be A Barber!” highlights positive images of African-American men. She wants to help change how Black men are viewed in the community. Her way to be a part of that change is by telling stories that show entrepreneurship, writing stories that show Black men’s involvement in their family and community.

“We are trying to create

tangible things that people can pass on,” Owens said. Their next project is to co-write a children’s book called “Which Shoes Should I Choose?” The creative idea behind this book comes from a man they met who donates shoes to less fortunate kids in the neighborhood. “One of the unique qualities in our books is that, along with the actual story, at the end there are discussion questions, fun facts, activities and more,” Owens said. “Our books are a great investment for families during this time of virtual learning.”

Being a self-published author comes with its own hurdles. One challenge is finding an illustrator who can create realistic Black characters. They want African-American kids to be able to connect with the

hair styles, facial features and complexions of the characters in their books.

Being an author is just one of their many accomplishments. They have worked in education, including in the Jennings and Hazelwood school districts.

Owens is Jennings’ 4th Ward councilwoman. She also has taught workshops on childhood trauma and worked as a reading tutor. Draper is an in-school suspension supervisor for Pattonville School District and teaches English as a Second Language. She also has a Teaching Artist Certificate from the Regional Arts Commission and is working towards her certification in Anxiety in Children and Adolescents. For more information, visit www.ajalastarr.com and www. adriennedraper.com.

Continued from C1

“I will talk about the things they don’t want to address,” Retro Champ said. “There’s a lot of things in hip-hop and life that happen many don’t want to talk about, but I will.”

Mental health has always been a taboo and controversial topic in the Black community, especially in the hip-hop world. When Retro Champ dropped “Rollercoaster” on “Backlash,” he showed a vulnerable side.

“I was in the hospital for three days because I almost committed suicide right before my birthday,” Retro Champ said. “I was at a low point in my life where I was stressed, and I figured I was a burden to everyone around me.”

“I didn’t feel like I was good enough. A lot of things crossed my head that day. So, I thought the way to end all the voices was to go to the top of this highway and jump off the ledge. Before I jumped, the police came and got me.”

During that challenging time in the hospital, Retro Champ decided to rely on one of his biggest inspirations, God, to help him cope. With no phone and no one to talk to, he saw it as the perfect opportunity to self-reflect and dedicate his focus on God and writing.

“I thought about everything while I was in there and how I needed to change my environment before I self-destructed,” Retro Champ said. “When I finally told myself that I was strong and that I was meant to be here, I felt better.”

Since being in the hospital that day, he has gained a more balanced mental state thanks to a lot with prayer and avoiding problematic cycles and patterns. Retro Champ details the joy of being self-assured on his second single, “Confidence,” off “F.Y.I.”

“I lost my confidence in middle school. It felt like everything in my life was crumbling around me,” Retro

Champ said. “When I started writing ‘F.Y.I.,’ I felt my confidence coming back because I was mentally in a great space and I finally felt good about myself and my music, so I decided to write about it.”

With 1,000 streams, his “F.Y.I.” EP has the independent rapper receiving more attention. Fans are particularly taking notice of the lead single, “Lawd Have Mercy,” where he raps, “Lawd Have Mercy. Showing all love who gone show it back. Lawd Have Mercy. Yeah, I’m done talking time to give them action.”

The song has obtained more than 33,000 spins to date and over 600 views on YouTube.

n “There’s a lot of things in hip-hop and life that happen many don’t want to talk about, but I will.”

– Retro Champ

Retro Champ is pleased with the reception.

“I love that everybody is enjoying it and catching a vibe,” Retro Champ said. “I love seeing and hearing feedback on it. It drives me to go even harder.”

The North County native shows pride in being from St. Louis and brags on the city every time he is out of town. He makes it his mission to recommend many of the city’s artists to other people.

“With St Louis being my hometown, I want to make the city proud. I always try to go

out of my way suggesting different artists from here when I’m traveling,” Retro Champ said. “St. Louis is a major part of why I’m the person I am today. I’m inspired to evolve and showcase the talent we have to offer.”

While a tour is still in the works, he has had numerous shows in St. Louis. The momentum from those shows has his adrenaline rushing and given him tour fever. “The reception here has gotten a lot better since I’ve grown as an artist and now,” Retro Champ said. “I’m trying to spread my music to other cities so I can see how they react to a rapper like me.”

He credits Hospin, Kendrick Lamar, NF, B.o.B., Eminem, Joey Bada$$, Logic, and Dizzy Wright as his biggest influences. It would be a dream come true for him to collaborate with any of these artists. On the production side, he would love to work with 6ix, Tommee Profitt, Kenny Beats, Dr. Dre, and Ronny J. Retro Champ enjoys being independent but is openminded about signing with a major record label. “I love being independent because I can do whatever I want when I want with nobody looking over my shoulder trying to take from me or trying to manipulate me and my music,” Retro Champ said. Retro Champ’s goal is to touch as many hearts as possible with his music. “I want fans to know that I understand and I’m here to get them through whatever they’re feeling. I want them to understand that smiling isn’t bad and that troubles don’t last forever,” Retro Champ said. “I accept my fans, no matter what race, religion and sexual orientation they are. If they love the music and it’s helping them, I’m doing my job.”

Retro Champ’s music can be found on all streaming platforms. You can follow him on Instagram and Twitter @ TheRetroChamp, subscribe to him on YouTube at Retro Champ and follow him on Facebook at Retro Champ.

My match is my hero. He saved my life.

Now on view

Ethiopian contemporary artist Elias Sime creates monumental modular artworks out of salvaged technological materials including electrical wires, circuit boards, keyboards, and other computer parts. Currents 118:

and recent

#Currents118

including two new free

Watch Curtis’ donation story at ssmhealth.com/livingdonor and learn how a living donation made all the difference.

More than 94,000 people in the US are waiting for a

When Curtis’ kidney disease became life threatening, his family began looking for a living kidney donor. He found his match thanks to a living donation from his uncle, Steve.

Curtis and his family are grateful to SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital and the SLUCare physicians and transplant team for giving him a lifesaving transplant.

#EliasSime

Elias Sime showcases 12 new

works,

standing sculptures inspired by his visit to St. Louis.

Aja Owens and Adrienne Draper

Be a Tourist in Your Own Town

St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission

Celebrating International Day of the Girl

Missouri Historical Society highlights local LGBTQIA+ history

By Shakia Gullette and Sharon Smith Missouri Historical Society

In 2012 the United Nations commemorated October 11 as International Day of the Girl, an annual day to highlight and address girls’ needs and challenges as well as promote their empowerment and human rights. This year the Missouri Historical Society is pleased to collaborate with Tracie Berry-McGhee, founder of Sistakeeper, for our second annual International Day of the Girl celebration on Friday, October 9, at 12:30 p.m. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s event will take place virtually on Zoom. Berry-McGhee founded SistaKeeper Empowerment Center, a culturally relevant mentoring program, in 2002 and later created the I Define ME Movement. Both organizations are based in St. Louis.

Berry-McGhee notes, “International Day of the Girl is important because it celebrates positivity. Girls historically have been told that they should be seen and not heard. Girls need to know that they can change the world and are keepers of our community.”

“We are expecting nearly 500 girls through the Zoom platform. We will continue to empower our girls to have a positive identity; stand up for themselves; and define their freedom through self-awareness and positive academic and community engagement. This year’s target audience is middle and high school students,” BerryMcGhee states.

This year MHS and Berry-McGhee are pleased to welcome WNBA Chicago Sky player Diamond DeShields as the keynote speaker. Additionally, guests can participate in an interactive panel and Q&A with women entrepreneurs, enjoy music and dance, and hear from teen girl speakers who have taken the I Define ME pledge. Visit the Missouri History Museum on Sunday, October 11, to walk through the current exhibition Beyond the Ballot: St. Louis and Suffrage and visit the I Define Me wellness mobile van, which will be parked near the Museum’s North lawn (Lindell Boulevard entrance). The I Define Me van brings attention to mental wellness, literacy, and community resources for girls and women. From 1 to 3 p.m., we will be gifting over 200 wellness swag bags with personal protective equipment (PPE) kits for families, masks, journals, skincare products, and more, available on a first-come, first-served basis. Sunday’s event is sponsored by the I Define ME Movement, the YWCA, and PrepareSTL. Schools and individuals can register for Friday’s program on eventbrite.com at I Define ME International Day of the Girl Virtual Summit. Advance ticketing is required for Missouri History Museum entrance. Visit mohistory.org/museum to plan your visit and reserve your free tickets. No registration is needed for the I Define Me van.

LGBTQIA+ history

As an organization dedicated to preserving the history of our region, the Missouri Historical Society has been collecting materials related to St. Louis’s LGBTQIA+ communities for years.

The Missouri Historical Society will collaborate with Tracie Berry-McGhee, founder of Sistakeeper, for its second annual International Day of the Girl celebration on Friday, October 9.

Yet many people—particularly those who most needed to know, the LGBTQIA+ communities themselves—had no idea.

Artifacts and archival materials had been collected somewhat sporadically over the decades as they were offered. But there was no intentional effort to collect specifically in the LGBTQIA+ communities until more recently.

In 2013 MHS staff members met with Steven Brawley of the St. Louis LGBT History Project to discuss possible artifacts for the 2014 Missouri History Museum exhibit 250 in 250. Brawley told the staff that he was looking for a home for the huge collection of artifacts and archives in his basement. Since then, MHS has worked with Brawley to collect materials relating to local LGBTQIA+ communities.

Today over 70 advisers work on MHS’s Gateway to Pride Initiative, focusing on collecting, programming, fundraising, and communications surrounding local LGBTQIA+ history.

MHS has also hired a curatorial assistant to work with the curator of civic and personal identity on collecting, programming, and planning a Museum exhibit that will open in the mid-2020s.

On Thursday, October 15, at 6:30 p.m., join MHS on Zoom for Five (More) Turning Points in St. Louis LGBTQIA+ History. One of the stories featured is that of Black blues singer George Hannah.

MHS’s YouTube channel playlist also includes a recent virtual program on Black Pride featuring Jeffrey McCune Jr., associate professor at Washington University in St. Louis. To view this and other past programming, visit MHS’s YouTube channel. In an effort to be as inclusive and diverse as possible, MHS is looking for objects and archives that tell the stories of LGBTQIA+ people of color. For submissions, please contact gatewaytopride@mohistory.org.

To join these programs virtually via Zoom, visit the MHS events calendar at mohistory.org. Select the event, then look for the “Join Through Zoom” button at the bottom of the program description.

Fannie

Continued from C1

is to vote and get registered. Your vote is your voice and we want people to speak up – I mean, that’s the name of the piece, ‘Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It.’”

The play tells the story of the famous activist best known for her quote “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.” While the organizations pay homage in the present day to how Hamer put her life on the line in the effort to ensure that Black voters in Mississippi had a voice, the play will share her story.

“Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It” features songs and speeches that inspire and chronicle the story of Fannie Lou Hamer’s experience. This production will feature Thomasina Clarke in the role of Fannie Lou Hamer with accompaniment by Dennis Brock on guitar.

“So much of the work that we do has been ways to hopefully educate the next generation, and there are plenty of people who don’t know who Fannie Lou Hamer was,” Himes said. “They don’t know how hard she worked for voter registration all through Mississippi and fought her way all the way to the Democratic National Convention to have their delegation recognized. The effort that she put forth and the outright racism and violence she experienced just to be able to register to vote and help others register.”

The play was originally set to premiere at The Goodman

Dream

Continued from C1

Jessica Krim, Jennifer Hernandez, and Nate Williams, PhD.

DREAM Collective podcasts

Theatre in Chicago this year as a full-length production. With the combination of the COVID19 pandemic and the upcoming critical election, the playwright and the company worked together to create a 30-minute version for various organizations to produce because as Henry Godinez, director of The Goodman’s production, said, “Fannie’s voice needed to be heard during this critical time.”

Himes says Hamer’s journey and her success were a testament that local politics are just as important – even more important than just voting every four years for the president.

She and others put their bodies on the line when met with walls of oppression and violent racial terror so that Black people across the south could exercise their rights as citizens at the polls in order to make change in their communities.

“Because of that legacy, we owe it them to vote,” Himes said. “For those who fought so hard and sacrificed so much just for you to be in the position to say, ‘I’m not gonna vote.’ You didn’t have the choice to say that before them, because you couldn’t vote.”

Himes talked about the disappointment in seeing people dishonor the legacy of Hamer, the late Congressman John Lewis and so many others that made it possible.

“We are obligated to do all that we can to help get that word out and to help inspire people the opportunity to register to exercise that right,” Himes said.

He hopes to inspire those who come to the one or more of the three presentations of “Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak

On It” are made aware of how others fought for us to have certain rights. But he also hopes to serve of the power that lies within us all to be change agents.

“Fannie Lou – like many other women in the Civil Rights Movement and throughout our existence here – have always been vital to the movement and the struggle and in many instances their contributions are not recognized,” Himes said. “Especially if they didn’t look a certain way or act a certain way. And Fannie Loui Hamer was like, ‘I’m just me. I talk like I talk. I look like I look. I walk like I walk. But I want my right to vote. And I want my people to have their right to vote.”

The Black Rep’s presentation will take place at 6 p.m. on Friday, October 2 in the parking lot of the Black Rep administrative offices with a preshow spin session by DJ James Biko and Action St. Louis voter registration tables at 5 p.m. The Black Rep Summer Performing Arts students will also perform an excerpt from their final performance.

The Saturday, October 3 production will take place at 1 p.m. as part of the Organization for Black Struggle Community day at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. and Hodiamont. This event will have COVID testing as well as health and job vendors.

Better Family Life (5415 Page Blvd.) will host the final performance at 2 p.m., on Sunday, October 4. For more information, visit theblackrep.org.

encourage and facilitate learning, activism and antiracist action. They feature prominent speakers from communities of color, who address how to step out of the societal cyclical patterns of the past. Listeners can tune into the podcast on Spotify, Stitcher and Apple podcasts. For more information, visit the DREAM Collective on Facebook at @ DREAMCollective20, Twitter at @DREAMcollect20 or Instagram at @ DREAMCollective20, or email TheDREAMCollective@ siue.edu.

OBS and MO-CURE partner on Prison Families Project

By Ashley Jones

For The St. Louis American

The Organization for Black

Struggle and MO Citizens for the Rehabilitation of Errants (CURE) have teamed up to do their part to keep prison families connected during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Organization of Black Struggle founding member and Executive Director Jamala Rogers reached out to MO-CURE early in the pandemic to collaboratively raise funds for their members in prison to help them stay connected to their loved ones.

“We decided to raise some funds to put on their prison account so that they continue to at least have telephone conversations and emails to speak with their loved ones and their legal teams, because some of them are working on their cases and this also has cut them off from their legal support,” Rogers said.

The collaborative project raised $4,000 for their Prison Families Project.

Keith Brown-El understands the importance of staying in touch with loved ones. BrownEl spent 36 years incarcerated

in Missouri prisons. Brown-El is co-chair of MO-CURE.

“Prisoner communication with family members and loved ones is important because it carries with it the hope of one day being united with them no matter how the remote the possibility may seem,” Brown-El said.

Prisoners have been in lockdown and visits by families prohibited. Connection with families is one of the primary ways that prisoners maintain their sanity and humanity during the pandemic.

“They already are in a system that’s repressive and oppressive, so those links to the outside are extremely important, particularly during COVID, when a number of these facilities have cases and there’s nowhere for these inmates to go,” Rogers said.

“We’ve been keeping track of the cases from inmates inside the facilities across the state and how many COVID cases that they are identifying. And there’s going to be information that helps us to say, ‘These facilities need to get some testing.’”

OBS and MO-CURE have been working together since

MO-CURE’s inception in 1990. Rogers and MO-CURE Co-Chair Edna Harden have been working together since the 1970s.

MO-CURE began as a state chapter of National CURE.

CURE was founded in 1972, originally as a faith-based organization started by Charles (Charlie) and Pauline Sullivan.

Charlie quit the calling of the priesthood after criticizing the Catholic Church for its cautious position on civil rights issues in his native Alabama at the same time span that Pauline quit

The Message

New Christians and old friends

her sisterhood after 13 years, disenchanted by the Catholic Church’s cautious stance on the American Indian Movement and gay rights in her native Minnesota.

“If you want to live in peace and harmony with people who have been formerly incarcerated,” Brown-El said, “they have to be treated like human beings while they are incarcerated.”

To donate to the Prison Families Project, visit www. obs-stl.org using PayPal button or call 314-367-5959.

Columnist James Washington

MO-CURE Co-Chairs Edna Harden and Keith Brown-El with Organization of Black Struggle Executive Director Jamala Rogers

Sports

SportS EyE

Gale Sayers was gifted with far more than just football talent

If you met the late Gale Sayers, and I had that privilege several times, your first thought might have been “this guy did all that?” He wasn’t that tall and he wasn’t muscle bound. He played at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, He was soft-spoken and seemed more like a business executive than a football player. He was bright, you could tell that for sure.

Sayers, a two-time AllAmerican running back and kick returner at Kansas, was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1965 and took the NFL by storm.

Freshmen were not eligible during Sayers’ collegiate career and, during the 1962-64 seasons, he compiled 3,917 all-purpose yards.

Sayers led the Big Eight Conference with 1,125 yards rushing his first season, which ranked third nationally, and averaged a nation-leading 7.1 yards per carry.

two years after he became a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Sayers came out to practice, and this would be the first time I met him. I told him that his six-touchdown game against the San Francisco in December 1965 on a muddy Wrigley Field gridiron is the first memory of the NFL that I could recall. I was five at the time.

“It was freezing that day,” he said with a smile. He didn’t recount all the TDs or how a great a day it was for him. His historic game took second place to his remembering he was cold when he accomplished this great feat.

The next season, he became the first player in NCAA Division IA history to record a 99-yard TD run. Fittingly, the young man from Omaha accomplished the feat against Nebraska. He also returned a 96-yard kickoff in a 15-14 KU upset over Oklahoma.

During his seven-year career with the Bears, which was shortened by a devastating knee injury in 1968, Sayers rushed for 4,956 yards, scored 39 touchdowns and was named All-Pro X five times. He would become the youngest player inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame at 34 in 1977.

I’ve shared some tales of my days as an equipment manager with the KU Jayhawks football team during the 1979-82 seasons. Sayers and quarterback John Hadl are the greatest two KU football players, and Hadl was offensive coordinator and assistant head coach during my tenure. I worked alongside Hadl for three years before he became head coach of the USFL’s L.A. Express franchise.

One afternoon there was a buzz in the football building. KU basketball head coach Ted Owens and several of the school’s top administrators were around. Hadl was a bit late to the practice field. I soon learned why.

Gale Sayers was in the building. This was in 1979,

Born in Wichita, Sayers would grow up in Omaha, not far from St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson. Nebraska wasn’t ready to have a Black guy as a football star just yet, which is a leading reason that Sayers landed at Kansas.

Like Gibson, Sayers was thrust into a sports world rife with racism. The N-word and other racial insults were still flying from the stands of Big 8 stadiums when I was on the sideline during the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. You can just imagine what it was like in the early 1960s.

Sayers put up with it, as did all Black players. They had no choice.

Sayers was drafted by the Bears on March 6, 1965. The Bloody Sunday march was held in Selma, Ala., the following day. On Monday, Sayers was arrested while staging a sit-in to protest discrimination at KU housing and Greek housing.

When interviewed, Sayers told reporters, “They respect me as a football star, but not as a Negro.”

Segregation was still very much a part of the NFL when Sayers arrived in 1965. His Bears team, coached by George Halas, did not allow Black and white players to room together during training camp or when the team traveled for road games. That changed when Sayers and the late Brian Piccolo became friends and roommates. Their friendship and Piccolo’s unfortunate fate would become legendary.

Piccolo, a fellow running back, would be diagnosed with

cancer. It ended his career and then took his life in 1970.

The relationship was captured in a made-for-TV movie entitled “Brian’s Song.”

Starring Billy D. Williams and James Caan, the film would later be shown in movie theaters and received critical acclaim.

I mentioned that Sayers’ knee injury, which occurred in 1968, cost him a lengthy career. This was before the amazing types of surgery that can save athletic careers in all sports today. His knee was a painful wreck.

Yet, he gutted it out after being pushed to return to football by Piccolo. He pieced together a season in which he rushed for an NFL-leading 1,032 yards. He averaged 4.4 yards per carry during the 14-game season. It is called Sayers’ greatest year and he was awarded the NFL’s Most Courageous Player Award, which is now called Comeback

Player of the Year. In all, Sayers would play in just 68 games with the Bears. But his amazing talent led to his NFL Hall of Fame enshrinement.

Sayers was a Bear in 197071, but he rarely played. After retiring in 1972, Sayers served as assistant athletic director at KU for four years. While in Lawrence, Sayers completed a BA in physical education. He earned an MA in educational administration in 1977, two months before his Hall of Fame celebration.

Sayers served as athletic director at SIU-Carbondale for four years before founding technology and consulting businesses in Chicago.

He would later say, “You must prepare to quit, and they should start doing that from day one because the average life of a pro-football player is only three and a half years. It’s not five. It’s not seven. It’s not 10.”

prEp Football NotEbook

With Earl Austin Jr.

Football also took a dreadful toll on Sayers’ mind, along with his body. He suffered from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease at the time of his death on Sept. 23, 2020. He was 77.

A lawsuit was filed in Sayers’ name in 2013 against the NFL, alleging that repeated head injuries during his career “were handled negligently.” The suit was withdrawn when Sayers said he had not given his approval. However, Sayers refiled the suit in January 2014 along with six other former players. It was instrumental in the NFL’s decision to reach settlements with former players dealing with concussions.

These words from his Hall of Fame speech in 1977 still ring true today.

“We hear a lot today about how the American people have lost their dedication to excellence. I don’t believe that is true,” he said.

“Each of us excels at differ-

ent things, sometimes in areas that are only a hobby, more often than in our life vocation. The most important thing, however, is to strive to do our very best.

“Nothing is more of a waste than unrealized potential. Sometimes failure to use one’s talents to the fullest is often the fault of the individual.” Rest in peace, Gale. You were so much more than just a football player.

Heat of the night

The Miami Heat vs. L.A. Lakers NBA Finals got underway on Wednesday night after the Heat dispatched of the favored Boston Celtics in a sixgame NBA Eastern Conference Final battle.

After scoring no points in a pivotal Game 4, Jayson Tatum poured in 28 points in the second half - but the Celtics still fell.

“I wasn’t aggressive enough I didn’t score in the first half. That’s unacceptable,” Tatum said. “I know I have to play better. That’s what I tried to do [in the second half].”

While his second half was amazing, Tatum had a pair of costly turnovers late in the game. He would rebound with a 31-point effort in Boston’s 121-105 Game 5 victory, but the Heat prevailed in Game 6 to move on to the Finals.

While it was interrupted for months, and concluded in an Orlando “bubble, Tatum the finest season of his career and is now recognized as one of the NBA’s brightest young stars. He is under contract through the 2020-21 season, and is eligible for a five-year rookie-scale extension that would be worth around $160 million.

“I haven’t even thought about that yet,” Tatum said following his team’s exit from the playoffs.

“I was just focused on this season. The front office and my agent gotta talk about it. But I’m not thinking about that right now. We just lost a series. Just thinking about the guys in the locker room and the games. That’s what I’m thinking about. Stuff like that, going to happen, if it happens, [is] not really my concern. I’m not even thinking about that.” It’s almost been a week since losing to the Heat. I’m sure young Mr. Tatum is thinking about it now.

Justin Johnson commits to West Virginia

By Earl Austin Jr. Of The St. Louis American

One of the top high school football prospects in the Metro East area will be headed to the Big XII Conference. Justin Johnson, a standout running back from Edwardsville High, has given a commitment to West Virginia University. A 6’0” 200-pound senior, Johnson made his announcement on his Twitter

account on Monday. Rated as a four-star prospect, Johnson rushed for 1,132 yards and 12 touchdowns in leading the Tigers to an 8-3 record and a postseason berth. Johnson had more than a dozen scholarship offers from NCAA Division I programs. Johnson becomes the second St. Louis area football player who will be making his collegiate home in Morgantown, W.V. Former DeSmet standout defensive end Lanell Carr is a freshman at West Virginia.

Arlen Harris Jr. narrows list to six Standout junior running

back Arlen Harris Jr. of Lutheran St. Charles has narrowed his final recruiting list to six schools last week. The six schools that made the final cut for Harris’ services include Missouri, Iowa, Michigan, Florida, Penn State and Stanford.

The 5’11” 205pound Harris is having an excellent junior season so far in leading the Cougars to a 4-1 record. Through five games, he has rushed for 606 yards on 77 carries and 13 touchdowns. In last Friday’s victory over Father Tolton, Harris

rushed for 182 yards and three touchdowns. He also added a fourth touchdown on a 60-yard punt return. As a sophomore, Harris rushed for 1,788 yards and 32 touchdowns in leading the Cougars to a 10-3 record and a Class 3 district championship.

Few more top performances

Senior wide receiver Kalin Black of Christian-O’Fallon had four receptions for 147 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-26 victory over St. Francis Borgia.

Black had TD receptions of 51 and 48 yards.

Junior quarterback Cole Rickerman of Festus passed for 258 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 90 yards and another score in the Tigers’ 41-26 victory over Hillsboro. Festus improved its record to 5-0 with the victory.

Quarterback Blake Seaton of Wentzville Liberty passed for 157 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 100 yards and another score in a victory over Francis Howell North.

Running back Dane Mohrmann of Francis Howell rushed for 150 yards on 12 carries and scored three touchdowns in the Vikings 57-28

victory over Troy.

On tap this weekend

On this day archive

On October 1, 2016, defensive back Jarrod Smith of Ladue returned two interceptions for touchdowns of 70 and 27 yards in the Rams’ 56-7 victory over Clayton.

With Alvin A. Reid

Alvin A. Reid

Earl Austin Jr.

Gale Sayers, who became the youngest player inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame at 34 in 1977, died on September 23 at 77.

Justin Johnson

St. LouiS american Career Center

PROVOST

McKendree University seeks candidates for the position of Provost. The Provost will report to and work closely with the President to provide academic direction for the University. As the chief academic officer of the institution, the Provost has administrative responsibilities for all academic affairs. The successful candidate will have served as a tenured faculty member and as an academic administrator at a regionally accredited four-year institution of higher education. The candidate will have demonstrated leadership experience creating a team environment and fostering cooperation and respect among diverse constituents. An earned doctoral degree is required. McKendree University is a private, comprehensive, regional university in Lebanon, Illinois, with a strong tradition in the liberal arts and a focus on excellent teaching. With a total enrollment of over 2,500 students, McKendree offers undergraduate and graduate programs on campus, online, and at off-site locations in Southern Illinois and Kentucky. The beautiful campus is located in the historic city of Lebanon, Illinois, 25 minutes from downtown St. Louis. Annual compensation will be competitive and commensurate with experience. The University provides a comprehensive benefits package.

Application Process:

The Search Committee will begin reviewing applications immediately and continue until the position is filled. Applicants must submit: a curriculum vitae, cover letter describing relevant experience and interest in the position, and contact information for three professional references to Shirley Baugh, Director of Human Resources at hr@mckendree.edu. EEO/AA/ADA Employer Full job advertisement is listed at https://www.mckendree.edu/about/ resources/index.php

JANITORIAL - HIRING

FULL-TIME MECHANIC

The City of Clayton is hiring for a full-time Mechanic. Apply by 10/16/20: https://claytonmo. applicantpro.com/jobs/ EOE

PUBLIC WORKS MAINTENANCE WORKER

The City of Maplewood is seeking a qualified person for the position of maintenance worker. Position is responsible for maintaining streets, parks, sewers, swimming pool and city buildings. Must be available for occasional evening and weekend work. The city offers a comparative salary and benefits package. Starting salary is negotiable based on qualifications and experience. For application, contact the Public Works Department at (314) 646-3640 or visit www.cityofmaplewood.com. Applications accepted until October 26, 2020. Equal Opportunity Employer.

THE BRENTWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT SEEKS TO HIRE THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS

FT Teacher Aide-Early Childhood Center

M-F 9am-5:30pm

FT Teacher Assistant or Aide Elementary Schools FT Night Custodian 2:30pm-11pm PT English as Second Language Teacher

Substitute Teachers-District Wide

Substitute School Nurse-District Wide

Substitute Teacher Aides-Early Childhood Center

Visit the following website for to apply: www.brentwoodmoschools.org Click on the Join our Team tab at the top of the page, review the Q and A section and proceed to the link in the middle of the page, Employment Opportunities. Positions are open until filled, however interviews will begin once sufficient applications have been received. Only online applications are accepted.

Please No Phone Calls. EOE.

SOFTWARE DEVELOPER

Vintech Solutions Inc has openings for the position Software Developer with Master’s degree in Computer/ Digital Science,Engineering any,Technology or related to design, develop, implement, maintain and test business functions and web applications using a variety of languages, tools, methodologies and technologies. Develop, create and modify general computer applications software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions. Design software or customize software for client use with the aim of optimizing operational efficiency. 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

DATA ENGINEERING SCIENTIST II

Bayer CropScience LP’s Chesterfield, MO, office seeks a Data Engineering Scientist II to work closely with Products & Engineering IT teams, R&D IT and other global partners to influence the BLX data engineering strategy and design as well as extend new and existing data repositories to enable the future of Biologics research and discovery. Apply at http://career.bayer.us, #249421.

BUILDING INSPECTOR

The City of Maplewood is seeking a dedicated and qual- ified professional to perform occupancy permit, building and property maintenance inspec- tions. Applicants should have a minimum of two years building or property maintenance inspection experience, construc- tion experience can be used in lieu thereof. Must obtain property maintenance certi- fication within six months of employment. The city offers a comparative salary and benefits package. Starting salary is ne- gotiable based on qualifications and experience. For applica- tion, contact the Public Works Department at (314) 646-3640 or visit www.cityofmaplewood. com. Applications accepted until October 26, 2020. Equal Opportunity Employer.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURT COMPLIANCE COORDINATOR

Family Court of St. Louis County is seeking a Domestic Violence Court Compliance Coordinator. The incumbent will assist with Domestic Violence Court including monitoring compliance by persons ordered to attend batterers intervention/counseling programs; collaborating with court Victim Advocates; developing and implementing programs designed to assure compliance by persons ordered to relinquish firearms in the entry of a Full Order of Protection; monitoring compliance with mental health services and/or substance abuse treatment; and participating in compliance hearings and making recommendations to the court. This position may require schedule flexibility including the possibility of evening hours. Related work as required. Salary range is $40,535.52 - $64,856.64 annually with 10% addition to pay included.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master’s degree (preferred) in Social Work or related social/behavioral science, plus at least one year of professional social work experience working with victims or perpetrators (preferred) of domestic violence; or any equivalent combination of training and experience. For a full job description and to apply visit http://agency.governmentjobs.com/ stlouis/ by October 7, 2020. Contact Human Resources at 615-4471 (voice) or RelayMO711 or 1-800-735-2966 for accommodations in the application process or if you would like this posting in an alternative format.

MWBE PreBid Meeting Notice

The SITE Improvement Association is hosting a Prebid meeting for Qualified and Certified MWBE contractors to discuss working on MSD’s Gentle Court Channel Improvement (WILL-06) Unincorporated St. Louis County Contract Letting No. 11558-015.1

This meeting is being held on behalf of the following SITE contractor member: Gershenson Construction Co., Inc.

2 Truitt Dr., Eureka, MO 63025 636/938-9595

The meeting will take place at 10:00 a.m.

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

SITE Improvement Association Office, 2071 Exchange Drive St. Charles, MO 63303

Project plans are available from MSD. For questions regarding this prebid meeting, Contact the SITE Improvement Association office at 314/966-2950

PUBLIC NOTICE

Donald Maggi Inc. is accepting bids from Disadvantaged Business Enterprises for subcontracting opportunities on the City of Potosi, MO. Potosi Sidewalk Improvements TAP 9901 (518)

Bid Date and Time: October 21, 2020 at 1:30 pm Plans/Specification is available via dropbox or zipfile via email.

Contact Donald Maggi Inc. at 573-364-7733 or email maggiconst@gmail.com

Donald Maggi Inc.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR A PHYSICAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND ENERGY AUDIT

SOLICITATION NO. RD 20-04

SLHA Public Housing Units – 2,790

The St. Louis Housing Authority (SLHA) invites proposals for a Physical Needs Assessment and Energy Audit of the SLHA’s public housing units.

Solicitation documents will be available Monday, September 28, 2020 at https://www.slha.org/for-partners/vendors/ or at www.questcdn.com under Login using QuestCDN #7338392. Contact QuestCDN.com at 952-233-1632 or info@questcdn.com for assistance in membership registration, downloading this digital project information and online submittal of your proposal.

A Pre-Proposal conference will be held Wednesday, October 14, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. via ZOOM https:// us02web.zoom.us/j/84439424637, 1-312-626-6799, Meeting ID: 844 3942 4637, Passcode: 462367. SLHA will receive sealed proposals for this service until 3:00 p.m. (CST), on November 5, 2020.

Krista S. Peyton Contracting Officer

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS SEWER DISTRICT

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District Requests for Quotes, Bids and Proposals are posted online for public download. Please navigate to www.msdprojectclear.org > Doing Business With Us > View Non-Capital Bids (commodities and services) or >Visit Planroom (capital construction bids) Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

MWBE PreBid Meeting Notice

The SITE Improvement Association is hosting a Prebid meeting for Qualified and Certified MWBE contractors to discuss working on MSD’s Riverview Storm Sewer Replacement (IR) City of St. Louis Contract Letting No. 13430-015.1

This meeting is being held on behalf of the following SITE contractor member:

Gershenson Construction Co., Inc.

2 Truitt Dr., Eureka, MO 63025

636/938-9595

The meeting will take place at 10:30 a.m.

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

SITE Improvement Association Office, 2071 Exchange Drive St. Charles, MO 63303

Project plans are available from MSD. For questions regarding this prebid meeting, Contact the SITE Improvement Association office at 314/966-2950

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for the Spanish Pond Road ADA Improvements, St. Louis County Project No. CR-1676, will be received electronically thru the County’s Vendor Self Service portal at https://self-service.stlouisco.com/ MSS/Vendors, until 11:00 a.m. on October 28, 2020

Plans and specifications will be available on September 28, 2020 from the St. Louis County Web Site (www. stlouiscountymo.gov) or by contacting Cross Rhodes Print & Technologies, 2731 South Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63118 (314) 678-0087.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Carondelet Leadership Academy Charter, a Missouri non-profit corporation, has filed Articles of Dissolution with the Missouri Secretary of State. Any person holding a claim against the corporation must submit their claim in writing within two years after the date of publication of this notice; otherwise, the claim will be barred. All claims must be sent to: Joe Jacobson, Esq., Jacobson Press P.C., 222 S. Central Ave., Suite 550, Clayton, MO 63105. The claim must include the following information: (1) the amount claimed; (2) the legal basis for the claim; and (3) contact information for the claimant, including email and mailing addresses. The claim must also include a copy of any documents on which the claimant relies in support of their claim

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

The City of Pagedale is Accepting Bids for Towing Services. For Information and Bid Package Contact: 314-726-1200 x 310 Email: cityclerk@cityofpagedale.org

Sealed bids for the Longview Drive Bridge No. 511-C and Partridge Farm Estates Concrete Replacement, St. Louis County Project Nos. CR-1511/ CR-1832, will be received electronically thru the County’s Vendor Self Service portal at https://self-service.stlouisco.com/ MSS/Vendors, until 11:00 a.m. on October 28, 2020

Plans and specifications will be available on September 28, 2020 from the St. Louis County Web Site (www. stlouiscountymo.gov) or by contacting Cross Rhodes Print & Technologies, 2731 South Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63118 (314) 678-0087.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Vanstar has been selected as the GC for the historic renovation of 1800 Washington Ave. The project consists of a 5 story renovation creating 72 apartments. We are requesting proposals for design/ build HVAC, Plumbing, Electric, and Fire sprinklers by 10/20/2020 at 10 a.m. Other scopes will be bidding at a later time when construction documents are complete. This project will have business and workforce participation requirements per Ordinances 70767 and 71094. All prospective bidders, must register with Erin Hugeback ehugeback@vanstarconstruction.com to receive prequalification form and drawings.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Carondelet Leadership Academy [Charter-Holder], a Missouri non-profit corporation, has filed Articles of Dissolution with the Missouri Secretary of State. Any person holding a claim against the corporation must submit their claim in writing within two years after the date of publication of this notice; otherwise, the claim will be barred. All claims must be sent to:

Joe Jacobson, Esq., Jacobson Press P.C., 222 S. Central Ave., Suite 550, Clayton, MO 63105. The claim must include the following information: (1) the amount claimed; (2) the legal basis for the claim; and (3) contact information for the claimant, including email and mailing addresses. The claim must also include a copy of any documents on which the claimant relies in support of their claim.

CITY OF ST. LOUIS

ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Solicitation For Bids (SFB) for Elevator, Escalator, and Power Walk Services Bids Wanted

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

Robert Salarano Airport Properties Division Manager

CITY OF ST. LOUIS ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

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

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

Robert Salarano Airport Properties Division Manager

PUBLIC NOTICE

The City of Wellston, Mo., will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, October 7, 2020 at 6:00 pm at Wellston City Hall, located at 1414 Evergreen Ave., on the following proposition, to-wit: To purchase by Exodus Reentry Villages, Inc. Central Elementary School, located at 6328 Ella Ave., for the purpose of establishing an RRC (Residential Relief Center) in cooperation with the United States Probation Office for the Eastern District of Missouri that would house federal releases/ reentrants in a supervised educational/training facility whose counselors and staff will support reentrants in entering the metropolitan area job market. Citizens will have an opportunity to be heard. Anyone with special needs should contact the City Administrator at least five days prior to said public hearing by calling 314-553-8001.

CITY OF ST. LOUIS ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Solicitation For Bids (SFB) for PEST & RODENT CONTROL SERVICES

Bids Wanted

Bid documents may be obtained at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Airport Properties Division, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., or by calling (314) 426-8174. This SFB may also be obtained by visiting our website at www.flystl.com/business/ contract-opportunites.

Robert Salarano Airport Properties Division Manager

CITY OF ST. LOUIS ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Solicitation For Bids (SFB) for CHAIR UPHOLSTERY SERVICES

Bids Wanted

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

Robert Salarano Airport Properties Division Manager

AUCTION NOTICE

The following people are in debt to Gateway Storage Mall of Belleville, Columbia, & Dupo. The contents of their storage unit(s) will be sold at auction to compensate all or part of that debt. Auction will be held online with Jersey County Auctions on October 12, 2020 at 12:00 PM. A cash deposit will be REQUIRED for all winning bids. Col. A014 – Sarah Woodard, Col. 182 –Rhonda Little, Dupo 66 – Tanya Bagwell, Dupo 95 – Sonja Edwards, Dupo 401 –Morris “Junior” Macke, Dupo 403 – Roy/ Amanda Venus, Dupo 418 – Jessica Nixon, Dupo 202 – Jim White, Bel. F12 – Delores Bledsoe, Bel. E09 – Octavia Mack, Bel. H11 – Erica Pittman, Bel. B07 – Jerry Price, Bel. A04 – Heather Gonzalez, Bel. F11 – Pamela Roberts, Bel. A11 – Andreia Stallings, Bel. G17- Kathi Statler, Bel. G34 – Kathi Statler, Bel. G19 – Vyktoria Gonzalez, Bel. G30 – Rick Jerashen, Bel. 618 – Aaron Muhamed, Bel. 317 – Joi Harris, Bel. 217 – Chris Ciszczon, Bel. 532 – Beverly Driver, Bel. 318 –Kelleye McCormick. For all rules, regulations and bidding process, contact Jersey County Auctions. All other questions, please call 618-421-4022 or mail 300 Rueck Road, Columbia, IL 62236.

Final roll call for Sergeant Heather Taylor

Sergeant Heather Taylor celebrated her retirement from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department with fellow officers on Friday, September 25. She was the longtime, courageous president of the Ethical Society of Police, which advocates for racial equity in law enforcement.

Lt. Cheryl Orange, Sgt. Donnell Walter

Sergeant Heather Taylor, Police Officer Kelli Swinton

Sergeant Heather Taylor, Brian Taylor, Lt. Angela Dickerson

Sergeant Heather Taylor, Lt. Cheryl Orange, Brian Taylor

Right: Police Officer Reginna Moore, Sergeant Heather Taylor, Brian Taylor

Cathy “Mama Cat” Daniels, Sergeant Heather Taylor, Brian Taylor

Brian Taylor, Sergeant Heather Taylor

Sergeant Heather Taylor, Lt. Cheryl Orange, Sgt. Donnell Walter, PO Nicole Bentley, PO Sean James