The St. Louis American: July 21, 2016

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The St. Louis American endorses …

Jake Zimmerman for Missouri attorney general, Judy Baker for Missouri treasurer, Rochelle Walton Gray for County Council District 4, and more. - Page A4

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Vol. 88 No. 16 COMPLIMENTARY

Upstart challenge to Clay Maria Chappelle-Nadal invests in progressive candidates she thinks can help her win

By Chris King Of The St. Louis American When Maria Chappelle-Nadal filed to run against incumbent U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay in the August 2 Democratic Primary, she knew she would be out-funded. Less than two weeks before election day, Clay has roughly a half-million dollars to spend on his campaign, while the term-limited state senator has roughly half of $50,000 in her federal

Democratic primary is August 2 campaign treasury.

However, a year ago she had more than $200,000 left in her state campaign fund from her previous races for state representative and state senator. While she could not spend that money on a federal campaign for

U.S. Congress, she could donate it to other local campaigns. And that, she did.

“I vowed to support Ferguson See PRIMARY, A6

Photo by Wiley Price

Maria Chappelle-Nadal discussed her campaign for U.S. Congress with Hazelwood resident Zeehan Toor on Tuesday, July 19. She opposes incumbent U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay.

‘Justice will be fairly sought’ Kimberly Gardner on why she is running for circuit attorney

By Mike Jones Of The St. Louis American

Photo by Wiley Price

Hands-on geometry in the garden Brown Elementary School students Terrell Green, 6, Bruce Green, 8, Aniyah Kennady, 9, and Darron Kennedy, 10, receive a geometry lesson, as part of their math studies, every time they visit the school’s garden in the Hazelwood School District. The raised garden beds are built in geometric shapes, including squares, rectangles, triangles, hexagons, pentagons, trapezoids and diamonds.

Last week, The St. Louis American endorsed Kimberly Gardner for St. Louis circuit attorney in the Democratic primary on Tuesday, August 2.

Given the black community’s relationship with the criminal justice system and general breakdown of public safety in many black neighborhoods, no one can overstate the importance of the circuit attorney’s race. This is the city’s elected prosecutor who decides which cases to take to trial and what sentences to seek.

We asked Gardner some questions about her candidacy for this allimportant position.

The St. Louis American: Why are you running for circuit attorney?

Kimberly Gardner: As a lifelong city resident, mostly in North St. Louis, I see and feel the effects of crime on our community. I See GARDNER, A7

Photo by Wiley Price

Kimberly Gardner, who is running for St. Louis circuit attorney in the August 2 Democratic primary, participated in a candidate’s forum at the Central Library on Tuesday, July 19.

Black law students call for systemic reform

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American Black law students from around the country stood with St. Louis socialjustice organizers to call for systemic and institutional criminal justice reform.

“St. Louis is ground zero for bringing attention to what’s happening

in communities of color all across the country,” said Derick Dailey, national chair of the National Black Law Students Association, at a Friday, July 15 press conference at St. Louis City Hall.

As black law students, Dailey said, “We stand at that intersection of See LAW, A6

The National Black Law Students Association called for systemic and institutional criminal justice reform at St. Louis City Hall on July 15, on the eve of the 91st Annual Convention of the National Bar Association, held in St. Louis July 16-21.

Photo by Rebecca Rivas

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 - 27, 2016

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its benefits. There is something very mysterious about TGT right now, and when we come back, there will be that much more anticipation, even though the delay was not purposefully done.”

of Taylor Swift discussing “Famous” with Kanye West, despite claiming she had been blindsided by the release of the record.

Insiders told TMZ that Swift served West with legal papers back in February warning him not to release audio of their conversation or she would vigorously pursue her right to litigation.

Recording someone without their permission is a felony in California.

Suge threatens to sue Lifetime over Michel’le biopic

Tyrese spills tea on newly reunited TGT Tank revealed to HipHollywood.com that TGT has reunited and that the group comprised of fellow R&B singers Tyrese and Ginuwine will be dropping new music soon.

So what caused the break-up in the first place?

Tyrese told Hip Hollywood in New Orleans during the ESSENCE Festival that it was all over their personal trainer.

According to singer/actor, Tank stole his trainer, and the guys got into a huge argument about it.

“I was like dude that’s not cool that you would take my trainer,” said Tyrese. “So the album has been delayed because I’ve just been trying to get my trainer back.”

Tyrese said that they were not purposely trying to hurt their fans, and will make it up to them with the forthcoming new tunes.

“There are certain things that weren’t purposely done, that will come with

Vincent Embattled rap mogul Suge Knight threatens to sue the Lifetime Network Herbert if they trash him in an upcoming Vince shuts down Tamar biopic.

Earlier this year, it was announced infidelity and divorce rumors that Lifetime was producing a Michel’le biopic. According to TMZ, Knight Last week, news leaked that Tamar Braxton fired off legal documents warning Lifetime had been spotted in New York creeping with a not to defame him or invade his privacy when married man during Father’s Day weekend. handling the singer’s relationship with the Insiders reportedly told urban gossip and former Death Row CEO on the small screen. celebrity news personality B. Scott that Michel’le left Dr. Dre, took their son and Braxton’s husband/manager Vincent Herbert moved in with Knight after Dre was forced hired a private investigator to follow Tamar, out of Death Row Records. caught her cheating and confronted her in a messy verbal altercation in front of several people who had to be paid off to keep quiet.

The source also claims Braxton’s new secret Taylor Swift boyfriend is very high profile and also very considering legal married. action against Kimye Rumors that Herbert was planning to divorce Braxton, take full custody of their son Logan Earlier this week, Kim and cut all professional ties with the singer/ Kardashian leaked a reality television star immediately followed.

Tyrese video that includes audio Hebert told E! News that the couple is as

strong as ever.

He said his marriage is “totally fine” and that, “When God blesses people, there are always people who are going to try to tear them down.”

The couple was married in a lavish ceremony back in 2008.

Ludacris temporarily loses primary custody of daughter Rapper Ludacris temporarily lost primary custody of his two-year-old daughter with ex-side chick Tamika Fuller after she reported him to child and family services for abuse.

According to The Jasmine Brand, Ludacris has filed for a restraining order and demanded Fuller be held in contempt of court. He is accusing her of filing false abuse reports.

The rapper/actor claims Fuller is bitter over losing primary custody of their child last year after he was deemed the better parent in court.

Fuller was rumored to have called family services back in May after noticing a weird rash on their daughter. Ludacris insisted the rash was common and had already been treated by a doctor, but the primary custody agreement has been suspended due to the investigation.

Sources: E! News, TMZ.com, B. Scott, Hiphollywood.com, The Jasmine Brand

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 - 27, 2016

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Prosecutor, public defender fight over victim and witness info ‘Without law enforcement staring them down’

Judge calls out city prosecutor for ‘civil disobedience’ at hearing

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American The St. Louis circuit attorney’s office has been practicing “civil disobedience” for more than 10 years, a Missouri judge said on Thursday, July 7 regarding a lawsuit that the city’s public defenders filed against Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce’s office about a year ago.

“Even though you think you’re right, it’s kind of civil disobedience,” said Judge Gael Wood of Franklin County. “But I’m not sure if the prosecutor’s office should be engaged in disobeying the rules simply because they think it’s wrong.”

Wood was brought in from Union, Missouri to hear the lawsuit after St. Louis city judges – who work closely with both legal offices daily – recused themselves.

At the July 7 hearing held at the Carnahan Courthouse, Public Defender’s Office Director Mary Fox argued that for a decade the circuit attorney’s office has been redacting the information about victims and witnesses from records, even though Missouri Supreme Court rules require that it be given to defenders.

Fox asked the judge to order the circuit attorney’s office in all future cases to follow “Rule 25.03,” which requires prosecutors to hand over police reports, last-known addresses of witnesses and victims, and all written reports and oral statements within 10 days.

City prosecutors countered that automatically handing over the information violates the victim’s rights the under Article 32 of the Missouri Constitution, which gives victims the “right to reasonable protection from the defendant.”

Without the addresses of witnesses, public defenders can’t interview them and investigate their cases properly, Fox said. They are then forced to

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

The Carnahan Courthouse – seen here during a May 2015 protest – was the scene of a July 7 hearing regarding a lawsuit that the city’s public defenders filed against Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce’s office concerning access to victim and witness information.

file “motions to compel,” which slows down the process considerably, she said. The 22nd Circuit Court (which covers the city) has long been criticized for not moving cases along fast enough, resulting in some people waiting years in jail for hearings.

Prosecutors have withheld the information because they believe turning over their social security numbers and addresses could put victims and witnesses in danger, said Rachel Smith, chief prosecutor of the circuit attorney’s Community Partnership Bureau. The court rule never intended to include people’s identifying information, she told The St. Louis American.

The tension between the offices escalated after Fox filed the suit about a year ago. Now the situation has become “ridiculous,” Wood said, causing a “law jam that needs to be circumvented.”

Currently, 123 cases are held up in the Court of Appeals as a result of the clash – meaning these individuals’ cases can’t move forward until the two offices’ conflict is resolved.

The “law jam” started in April, when Circuit Court Judge Michael Mullen, who leads the Criminal Assignment Division, denied 14 of

prosecutors’ requests for protective orders – or permission to withhold the victim’s identifying information from defense attorneys. When Mullen did that, Joyce’s office filed a writ of mandamus against Mullen, and now the Court of Appeals will be looking into whether his decision was valid.

That happened again in 109 cases when, in closed hearings on June 20 and 21, Mullen reviewed more of the prosecutors’ protective order requests.

In an attempt to appease both sides, he granted many “partial” protective orders, Mullen said in his testimony.

In some of the 109 cases, he ordered prosecutors to give over information to defense attorneys, but withhold it from the accused. In other cases, he allowed prosecutors to redact the social security numbers from the records, but not addresses.

Mullen’s mediation efforts apparently failed, because Joyce’s office filed a writ on all 109 cases.

“If every time a high percentage of the cases that I make a decision on get writted up [slang for seeking a writ] for the Court of Appeals,” Mullen testified, “and then our circuit can’t touch those 109 cases pending the outcome of that writ, it is not exceedingly workable.”

At the hearing, prosecutors argued that their redaction practice doesn’t inconvenience defenders or obstruct justice; it makes the process smoother.

Instead of providing addresses, they set up meetings with the victims, witnesses and defenders in a court room. That takes the burden off of the defenders having to track down witnesses at their homes, they said.

However, Rick Kroeger, deputy district director of the public defender’s office, told the judge that they want to be able to talk to the witnesses “without law enforcement staring them down.” And it often takes months to schedule these meetings with busy prosecutors, he said.

Under law, the only time witnesses are required to answer the public defenders’ questions is when they are under subpoena, Fox said at the hearing. Defenders need addresses in order to issue subpoenas. Some witnesses have walked out of the prosecutors’ established meetings without giving the defenders statements because the individuals were not under subpoenas, Fox said.

In her opening argument, Chief Trial Assistant Beth Orwick said that they have the right to file protective orders under “Rule 25.11,” and they do it judiciously. Kroeger told the judge differently.

“They have taken Rule 25.11 and turned it into a rule they apply to every single case,” Kroeger said in his opening argument. “Rule 25.03 is not discretionary. Discovery is not discretionary.”

Kroeger told The American that the prosecutors are deciding that because they charged someone with a crime, that person is now “an evil person.”

“No matter who you are, you should have the rights that the system provides,” Kroeger said. “We just want to make sure our clients have the best defense.”

On August 18, the Court of Appeals will hear the arguments regarding the first 14 cases in which the Joyce’s office filed writs against Mullen. A request to consolidate the 14 and 109 cases into one hearing is still pending.

“If they agree with Judge Mullen’s interpretation, you can expect us to appeal it to the Supreme Court,” Smith

told The American.

If they fail in the state’s highest court, then they will take it to the legislature, Smith said.

In January, Joyce’s office asked the Supreme Court’s rules committee to look at revising Rule 25.03.

The committee – which includes prosecutors, defenders and judges – will review the rule at its September meeting.

Smith said they want the rule to reflect that a person’s social security number and address should not be given to the defense without good cause.

“If the defense can show why they need it with good cause, then they get it,” she said.

Kroeger said they agree that they don’t need the social security number in most cases, but they do need ways to contact witnesses. They want the committee to leave the rule as it is but refine what “good cause” is, as stated in Rule 25.11. It is currently too vague, he said.

As Joyce is not running for re-election, this situation is particularly interesting to circuit-attorney candidates who will possibly inherit the conflict when taking the helm next year.

State Rep. Kim Gardner, one of four circuit-attorney candidates on the August 2 primary ballot, said she supports protecting information of victims and witnesses.

“But, by law, the defense of the accused has a right to this information to investigate their case,” Gardner said. “Jennifer Joyce has said the law needs to be changed. In that case, change the law. As it stands now, prosecutors need to obey the law.”

A few months ago, prosecutors filed a motion to dismiss in regards to Fox’s lawsuit, and Smith said they are “optimistic” that Wood will rule in their favor.

“He can’t tell us not to protect the rape victim in a rape case,” Smith said.

In response to Wood’s comment about civil disobedience, Smith said, “I found it entertaining, though inaccurate. I don’t think any activist has ever associated civil disobedience with Jennifer Joyce. That’s not something that neither she nor I are known for.”

Follow this reporter on Twitter @ RebeccaRivas.

Editorial / Commentary ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 - 27, 2016

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The St. Louis American endorses …

The Missouri attorney general is the state’s chief law enforcement official and, now more than ever, the person who holds that position needs to understand the dynamics of law enforcement from the African-American point of view, and especially in St. Louis County, which became the epicenter of unrest as the relationship between police, courts and black people unraveled. We can make that claim for only one candidate on the 2016 ballot in either party, a lawyer from St. Louis County who was a progressive voice in the Missouri House and has been a competent, community-centered St. Louis County assessor. We strongly endorse JAKE ZIMMERMAN FOR MISSOURI ATTORNEY GENERAL. The Missouri treasurer, of all positions in state government, has the greatest potential to help improve financial literacy and services for those who most need them, and the AfricanAmerican community in the St. Louis region is the nation’s most unbanked and under-funded.

Only one candidate for state treasurer in 2016 has the endorsement of and close working relationship with St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura O. Jones, a national leader on these issues. We strongly endorse JUDY BAKER FOR MISSOURI TREASURER. The St. Louis County Council is a powerful policysetter and bully pulpit for the region, and African Americans have never had anywhere near a proportionate voice on this elected body. The entrenched incumbent in District 4 ostensibly represents a black majority of constituents, but in fact represents a much more narrow range of interests that have no investment in our wellbeing or concerns.

Thanks to a contribution of $25,000 from Maria Chappelle-Nadal to jump-start her campaign, we have a credible and serious challenger for this seat on the August 2 ballot, a term-limited state representative with deep roots in the black community, as well as in public policy. She can win – but only if there is a strong turnout by black voters. We strongly endorse ROCHELLE WALTON GRAY FOR ST. LOUIS COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 4.

There are many new, mostly young candidates running for office as change agents in 2016, and while we wholeheartedly welcome the participation of new, young people in the political process, in at least one instance, in Missouri Senate District 5, the incumbent is the change agent we need. She came literally from the grass-roots and has remembered her people and their needs, yet has shown great political skill in negotiating with the Republican playmakers who hold all of the power to move bills in the state Capitol. We strongly endorse JAMILAH NASHEED FOR MISSOURI SENATE DISTRICT 5.

Here is a face of Ferguson you don’t hear much about: She has a law degree from Saint Louis University and a graduate degree in public health from Washington University and has been

working in public health and policy in the region, from a home base in North County, for five years. If we are going to see systemic change to address the health disparities documented in “For the Sake of All,” we need leaders of this caliber to represent us in elected positions. We strongly endorse CORA FAITH WALKER FOR MISSOURI HOUSE DISTRICT 74.

Kimberly Gardner, who has our endorsement for St. Louis circuit attorney, vacated her House seat to run for citywide office. Since she was the only lawyer among the African Americans serving in the legislature, it is incumbent that we replace her with someone who has similar skills and savvy. Fortunately, a promising young attorney from St. Louis, who has the knowledge base needed in Gardner’s absence, is running an energetic campaign and deserves our strong support. We strongly endorse STEVEN ROBERTS FOR MISSOURI HOUSE DISTRICT 77.

In the crisis on the streets in St. Louis County and city following the wave of police killings of black civilians, it has not been easy – and often not possible – to hold the middle ground and continue to speak with credibility to both police and protestors. One of the very few people who have been able to hold that middle ground, without betraying either side, has launched a political campaign to oust a compromised incumbent from a North St. Louis political dynasty. We need people like him in the political process. We strongly endorse BRUCE FRANKS FOR MISSOURI HOUSE DISTRICT 78.

Without question, with the way campaign ethics laws are framed in Missouri, many of our elected officials in Jefferson City are for sale.

A young grinder in the city who has worked behind the scene for years is running for state representative on a platform of refusing lobbyist gifts and reforming campaign ethics laws. It’s hard to imagine one progressive Democrat making a difference against the Republican super-majority in the legislature, but it’s a needed voice. We endorse BEN MURRAY FOR MISSOURI HOUSE DISTRICT 80.

If there were any political organization to speak of in St. Louis’ black community, there would be one black candidate set up to win the race for sheriff for the first time it was an open seat since deep into the previous century.

This candidate nearly won an upset against that incumbent in the previous election cycle and should have had an open path to the office in 2016. Instead, he has a credible white opponent and a number of other black candidates crowding his path, but he is still the best choice for this patronage office within St. Louis’ troubled criminal justice system. We endorse VERNON BETTS FOR ST. LOUIS SHERIFF. Previously endorsed: We strongly endorse KIMBERLY GARDNER FOR ST. LOUIS CIRCUIT ATTORNEY. The primary election is Tuesday, August 2.

Absentee ballots are being accepted now.

Commentary

Black Power, then and now

By Mike Jones Of The St. Louis American An overwhelming number of commentators, including President Obama, compared what is happening in the United States to the 1960s.

Indeed, every issue we struggle with today – police brutality, American militarism, LBGT rights, voting rights – has its antecedent in the ‘60s, and an informed view of history can provide insight into the present moment.

The ‘60s saw the political triumphs of the Civil Rights Movement, such as the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and 1965 Voting Rights Act, both seismic historical events.

However, each was a day late and a dollar short. While that was going on, a new generation came of age that felt no gratitude for America finally “giving” us what we were entitled too.

That generation concluded that the problems of the black community weren’t an issue of bigoted individual behavior, but a function of the power imbalance between black and white people as a result of the structural racism endemic to America. The ‘60s produced the Black Power Movement, and this decade has produced Black Lives Matter.

The Black Power Movement provided the energy and talent for black progress for 30 years. Whether you’re talking about affirmative action for higher education, minority participation in economics or the expansion of black political representation, they are products of the sea change in black political and social

thinking during the ‘60s. But the generation that produced that effort is now old and tired.

Worse, we didn’t prepare the next generation of leadership.

The result is morally unacceptable conditions in too much of the black community.

Just as the call for Black Power sprung organically from the protest of the shooting of James Meredith in Greenwood, Mississippi in June 1966, Black Lives Matter was the organic black response to the killing of Michael Brown Jr. in August 2014. Opposing the murder of unarmed black men and boys by local police was the moral imperative that guided the mass movement, then and now.

What the Guest Columnist two movements Mike Jones have in common is a refusal of young black people (and their multiracial allies) to compromise with an American power structure that marginalizes the lives of black people. They demand a governance structure with a different value system.

They claim no allegiance to a culture that does not protect the rights and well-being of all its citizens, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual identity or country of origin.

This is lifetime work.

Mass social movements are successful when they create broad-based, informed support.

Everyone, from the operational leadership to the causal

volunteers, must have the same theory and practice. You need thinkers, theorists and writers to develop, define, defend and disseminate your agenda for change.

Elections matter.

Unfortunately, America has a flawed political system that often produces terribly flawed candidates. But mayors pick police chiefs; presidents pick attorneys general. So the relative fairness of the criminal justice system is a function of who’s running it, which is decided on election day.

In 1968, in our anger and youthful arrogance, we considered the political system morally bankrupt and irrelevant. We were half right – it was morally bankrupt, but a long way from being irrelevant.

It did matter whether the next POTUS was Hubert Humphrey or Richard Nixon, but we didn’t care – and Richard Nixon won. So thousands more young Americans and tens of thousands more Vietnamese died. Fred Hampton and Mark Clark never got the chance to be old men, but were murdered by police.

To sustain the struggle, you have to care whose hands are on the levers of power. You need to produce and elect a generation of politicians who have been baptized and forged in the fire of struggle. In the words of Lin-Manuel Miranda, you must make sure you are in the room where it happens.

Mike Jones, who has held senior policy positions in St. Louis and St. Louis County government, is a member of the St. Louis American editorial board, as well as the Missouri State Board of Education.

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

Obama helped reveal the racial divide President Obama gave a majestic speech in Dallas, one of the best of his presidency, at once a soaring tribute to slain police officers and an affirmation of peaceful protest.

But he was wrong about one thing: On race, sadly, we are as divided as we seem.

This condition is not due to anything Obama has said or done. He bends so far backward to avoid giving offense, even to those who richly deserve offending, that he must need regular sessions with a chiropractor. The racial divide, which has its roots in lingering claims of white supremacy, has been there all along. It was mostly silent and unacknowledged until the very fact of the Obama presidency cast it in stark and unforgiving light.

So I am not surprised at recent polls showing that Americans believe race relations are worsening. It is as if a dark corner has been illuminated to reveal the mess that was swept there long ago and willfully ignored.

I have long believed that the most revolutionary act the first African-American president could ever perform is to go about his official duties for all the world to see. A black man stands to deliver the State of the Union address. A black man toasts foreign leaders at glittering White House dinners. A black family crosses the South Lawn to board the Marine One helicopter.

These scenes are irrefutable evidence of how much America has changed, and to

some they are threatening.

Donald Trump’s campaign slogan – “Make America Great Again” – cannot be read simply as misty nostalgia for an economic golden age. For the overwhelmingly white crowds who fill his raucous rallies, Trump promises a return to a time when the nation’s leadership and cultural norms reflected what was then a clear racial majority.

Trump, you will recall, has been one of the most prominent “birther” voices seeking to deny Obama’s legitimacy as president. He Columnist encourages Eugene those who Robinson cannot abide the thought of a black president to pretend the whole thing never really happened.

Not all who support Trump, of course, are racists; and not all whites who blame Obama for heightening racial tension are Republicans. There are many others who honestly and naively thought the election of an African-American president meant that race was no longer an issue. Now we can just move on, they believed – looking past the disparities between black and white.

One glaring disparity is in how blacks and whites are treated by the criminal justice system. The high-profile incidents that have happened since Obama took office are nothing new. What is novel,

Letters to the Editor CORRECTION Last week’s story on the Equity Exchange misidentified Brittany Packnett as vice president of National Community Alliances at Teach For America. While that position has been announced, she will not assume it until October 1. At present she remains executive director of Teach For America St. Louis.

When will we stop?

America has gone from lynching black men in the name of justice to shooting down innocent, dark-skinned males and calling it law. We are killing black children and we are sighing while we say “the gun looked real, I swear” and “he didn’t look 12,” as if this justifies the deed. As if our sons and our daughters are not killed every day by the police.

As if white-skinned people of authority have not been doing this for years.

When will we as a country start calling out the injustice in our society? When will we apologize for it? When will we apologize for killing black men for doing nothing more than existing? When will we stop and realize that all dark-skinned people are one bad encounter from a CNN news story?

We are Tamir Rice. We are Michael Brown Jr. We are Philando Castile. We are Alton Sterling. We are all these people and more. We are those who could not save themselves.

We are Black America, and we will stand tall. We will not stay quiet. We will remain black and proud, and we will shout our gospel from the roof tops.

We will shout BLACK LIVES MATTER. Leyla Fern King, age 13 Via FaceBook

Travesty of social justice If the St. Louis Board of Aldermen passes Board Bill 66, the legislation will in effect prohibit citizens concerned for the wellbeing of the less fortunate from providing “a helping hand” to those in need.

As is, the bill’s numerical designation should be 666 to

though, is that the president of the United States is himself African-American. So when Obama says that if he had a son the boy would look like Trayvon Martin, to some whites it sounds as if he is taking sides. U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, once just came out and said it: Obama, he claimed, “has a default mechanism ... that favors the black person.”

Obama takes pains to avoid having whites see him this way – which frustrates some African-Americans who wonder how he can watch the video of Castile’s life bleeding away and not speak with the raw anguish and anger that so many of us feel.

For black Americans, too, the Obama presidency creates perhaps unrealistic expectations – not that racism could somehow magically end but that it would be fully acknowledged and frontally addressed. I think some commentators underestimate the resistance that stronger words from the president would encounter. To win the White House, I once wrote, Obama had to be seen as the least aggrieved black man in America. As he prepares to leave office, this remains largely true.

When the next president is sworn in, Obama will leave office without having healed the nation’s festering racial wounds. He will not have made them worse; rather, he will have allowed us to see how deep they remain and how much healing still needs to take place.

All letters are edited for length and style.

signify legislation authored

by Satan! The bill’s creator, Alderman Jack Coatar, will inevitably have to answer to a higher power for fathering a piece of legislation that criminalizes citizens providing for their less-fortunate brethren.

And so will the Christians on the BOA who vote in favor of this travesty of social justice, as will citizens who see this egregious injustice and fail to stand against it.

The well-to-do and wellconnected that actually run the City of St. Louis have been trying for decades to run Reverend Larry Rice and the New Life Evangelistic Center (NLEC) out of town to free their martini-sipping cohorts from the anguish of having to look at the hungry, homeless and hurting people being served by the NLEC as they socialize in downtown St. Louis. Those who embrace the concept of St. Louis as a city with a good quality of life for all citizens will express their disdain for Board Bill 66.

Michael K. Broughton Green Park

Being better allies Friends of the Earth condemns the violence and loss of life in Dallas, Baton Rouge, and Falcon Heights, Minn.

These tragedies will forever be linked; however, we must not let the Dallas shootings delegitimize the Black Lives Matter movement that seeks to end the unjust treatment of black people by police in this country.

Born in response to the murder of Trayvon Martin and the acquittal of his killer, the Black Lives Matter movement is a clarion voice on racial injustice in America. It is elevating consciousness and challenging the pervasive inequality faced by African Americans.

The Black Lives Matter movement is challenging Friends of the Earth to deeply reassess how our activism redresses our broken economic, justice and electoral systems that neglect and actively oppress people based on the color of their skin. To achieve our mission to champion a healthy and just world, Friends of the Earth recommits

ourselves to being better allies to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Erich Pica, president Friends of the Earth

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A5

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 – 27, 2016

Let’s be wise with our words

By Michelle R. Robinson Guest columnist

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Adorable activist Leo Betts, 4, held his Black Lives Matter sign at a protest march in downtown St. Louis on July 8.

Absentee ballots accepted for August 2 primary Voters in the City of St. Louis who want to vote an absentee ballot for the Tuesday, August 2 Primary Election may do so at the Board of Election Commissioners, 300 N. Tucker Blvd., during regular office hours of 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. In addition, the Election Board will be open to the public the Saturday before the Election, July 30, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

The last day the Election Board can accept an absentee ballot application by mail is Wednesday, July 27.

The last day to vote an absentee ballot in person is Monday, August 1, at 5 p.m., the day before the election.

Any city resident who has any questions about their voter registration status should contact the Election Board at 314-622-4336. A sample ballot, as well as other helpful information, is available at www.stlelections. com.

August 10 deadline for arts fellowship applications The Regional Arts Commission has opened the application process for the $20,000 Artist Fellowships to local artists. Ten $20,000 fellowships will be awarded to individual St. Louis artists in any discipline.

Recipients will be chosen by an Advisory Committee of professionals, peers and RAC Commissioners.

Applications will be accepted through Wednesday, August 10. The application, eligibility, schedule and criteria for selection can be found at http://racstl.org/grant/artists-fellowships/. If you have any questions, contact Roseann Weiss at roseann@racstl.org or 314/863-5811.

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The police killing of Michael Brown Jr. led to the Black Lives Matter movement, which serves as a means for the voices of young, black adults to be heard. This movement, like most positive movements, often gets the blame for tragedies inflicted on those that the movement blames for its need to organize.

Black Lives Matter peacefully protested the killing of two black men at the hands of police within 48 hours of each other. This protest was infiltrated by a man who allegedly used it as a cover to kill innocent people, five white police officers.

We then hear some white politicians call the movement racist, despite the fact that people of all ethnicities, faiths and genders are a part of the movement. The Black Lives Matter movement was blamed for the ambush killing of the police officers. One could argue, instead, that the rhetoric and behaviors of trigger-happy, white law enforcement officers caused Micah Johnson to seek retribution for the loss of black male lives.

I listened to and read some angry, hateful comments and found myself agreeing. Before I knew it, my mouth uttered some words that not only shocked me, but my boyfriend as well.

The disappointing look he gave me, and the conviction that God Michelle R. laid on my heart, quickly brought me back to myself.

Robinson I thank God He didn’t allow me to say these things outside of my home, post on social media, and especially say them around young and impressionable minds. I would have done more harm than good.

Proverbs 12:18 states, “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Let’s be wise with our words when we talk to our children, grandchildren, or even to each other. Let’s talk honestly, but choose our words so that we help develop our young people socially and not create n Make our children aware animosity towards law enforcement. of the injustices of this cruel Make them aware of the injustices of this cruel world, but encourage them to get world, but encourage them educated and seek careers where they can to get educated and seek make positive changes. careers where they can Let’s seriously consider judicial make positive changes. candidates as we do presidential and lawmaker candidates. Judges rule on the laws that lawmakers create. Let’s also take serious consideration when we vote for prosecuting and/or circuit attorneys and attorneys general. Let’s vote!

Pray that lawmakers budget to improve education, increase mental health and drug rehabilitation care. Pray that our society finds a way to defeat poverty rather than ignore it and let it fester. Pray that we stop requiring police officers to do everything to restrain themselves in environments that are hostile towards them. Pray that we hold ourselves accountable for creating dangerous and hostile environments.

Supporting the Black Lives Matters movement isn’t simplifying the lives of others. It simply means we are continuing the fight of our ancestors for the justice we’re entitled to as American citizens. For those who may have infiltrated the Black Lives Matters movement, realize that the rhetoric used to condemn all police officers, or all white police officers, puts all police in more danger. It threatens the very justice and unity for which you claim to be fighting.

I urge everyone to be respectful and kind and, most importantly, to love one another.

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 - 27, 2016

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PRIMARY Continued from A1 activists and young people running for office who understand the challenge we face in terms of race and economic and social inequities,” ChappelleNadal told The American.

“I really want to have more young people involved in the government process in elected positions, at the local, state and federal levels.”

Of course, she also was buying herself a low-rent version of something her opponent, the son of a political dynasty, is famous for having: a GOTV (get out the vote) machine.

Starting at the roots of the political process, she donated at least $1,000 to 10 campaigns for committeeperson in six St. Louis wards, including Rasheen Aldridge, Megan Betts, Alison Dreith, Matt Carroll-Schmidt, Marty Murray Jr., Tony Zebrowski, Annie Rice, Max Cassilly, Laura Hladky, and Glenn Burleigh. And she plans to fund even more.

“A bunch of people running for committee seats in the city have been inspired by Ferguson and the revolution of Bernie Sanders,” Chappelle-Nadal said. “It’s really interesting that we’re all experiencing the same voice, the same movement.”

She gave much more generously – $25,000 – to a St. Louis County Council race very dear to her heart, Rochelle Walton Gray’s bid to oust incumbent Councilman Mike O’Mara. O’Mara is a close ally of County Executive Steve Stenger, an enemy of Chappelle-Nadal and mutual supporter of Clay’s.

Gray, a term-limited state representative, also faces a well-funded, entrenched incumbent from a local political dynasty. She told The American it was Chappelle-Nadal’s donation that enabled her to launch her campaign to defeat O’Mara.

Chappelle-Nadal also donated handsomely to a number of campaigns for state representative in the 1st

Photo by Wiley Price

Maria Chappelle-Nadal discussed her campaign for U.S. Congress with a Hazelwood resident on Tuesday, July 19.

She opposes incumbent U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay in the August 2 Democratic primary.

Congressional District: Jay Mosley, Bruce Franks Jr., John Collins-Muhammad and Rachel Johns. (Johns filed against a Clay mentee, state Rep. Joshua Peters, but Peters won a residency challenge and had her removed from the ballot. She remains a candidate for 27th Ward committeewoman.)

Chappelle-Nadal said she gave to all of these upstart campaigns because she “wanted to leave a legacy,” but it’s equally clear that she wanted to create a number of contested primaries in the 1st Congressional District. She is banking that new voters brought out by all of these firsttime candidates will also vote

for change in Congress – for her over Clay.

“Yes, I’m also being practical with the money in my state Senate campaign fund,” she acknowledged.

The Ferguson protest movement and its young, diverse allies is one base for Chappelle-Nadal. She was an early, vocal responder on the streets of Ferguson. Clay remained notoriously absent for nearly a week, arriving only, as Chappelle-Nadal said, after “four days after teargassing, two days of buildings burnings, and many days of police harassment and the 1st Amendment being infringed upon.”

Clay rightly takes credit for personally requesting that then Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. come to Ferguson and open Department of Justice investigations into the police killing of Michael Brown Jr. and into the Ferguson Police Department – as, indeed, Holder did.

Chappelle-Nadal, for one, was not impressed.

“When people are in pain in a human disaster, you don’t write a letter,” she said. “You have your staff write a letter and go to where the people are hurting. He wasn’t there.”

Chappelle-Nadal also has built a base in another local activist community, organized

LAW Continued from C1

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being lawyers in training, but also African Americans who understand the burden of being black in this country.”

The students’ press conference came on the eve of the 91st Annual Convention of the National Bar Association, held in St. Louis July 16-21.

“Charles Hamilton Houston said, ‘Lawyers had a choice,’” said Pamela J. Meanes, the NBA’s immediate past president and a partner at Thompson Coburn. “They could be a social engineer or parasites on society. Today, the National Black Law Students Association deemed that they would be social engineers to call in question a just system which is actually unjust.”

Meanes said that sometime what we see on video is not

around nuclear waste that was dumped in Cold Water Creek and at the Bridgeton Landfill, both in the 1st Congressional District. In the past eight months, she has held 41 town hall meetings on the issue.

The Bridgeton community activist group Just Moms also benefitted from her practical generosity, netting a $10,000 donation.

Chappelle-Nadal dipped further into that state campaign fund to send 12 women activists from Ferguson and Bridgeton to the Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life. “I want them to have the skill sets they need to run for office,” she said. The

n “St. Louis is ground zero for bringing attention to what’s happening in communities of color all across the country.”

– Derick Dailey, National Black Law Students Association

what is considered to be police brutality, but it’s considered policing under the 1985 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Tennessee v Garner. In that case, the court established that, under the Fourth Amendment, law enforcement officers may use deadly force against a fleeing suspect if they have probable cause that the

institute grooms women to run for office, seek judicial appointments and work in government policy positions.

“I’m building a coalition of truly progressive people who understand race and socioeconomic inequities,” Chappelle-Nadal said. “We need people who are going to stand up and actually say something if something else goes down.”

That’s the future of the community she is investing in. What about her political future, which will be decided on August 2?

In addition to an enormous advantage in cash on hand, Clay – first elected to Congress in 2000, after his father, Bill Clay, stepped down – has much more experience and 15 years of all-important seniority.

Chappelle-Nadal does not think Clay should campaign on his seniority.

“If seniority mattered, the Bridgeton Landfill would have been cleaned up a long time ago, along with the Cold Water Creek watershed; AfricanAmerican unemployment in the district would not be 17 percent; there would not be this high number of homeless people and buildings ripped apart because of decay; the streets would not look like Baghdad – and, I do have to say, I’ve been to Baghdad,” she said.

Clay also has the value of being a known quantity.

He did call the killing of Michael Brown Jr. “murder” on live television when the investigation into the youth’s killing was not finished (of course, Police Officer Darren Wilson was charged with no crime). But, in the heat of the moment, Chappelle-Nadal stepped much further over the line of propriety, publicly dropping the F-bomb on Gov. Jay Nixon.

“I said the F-bomb to the governor after being teargassed along with 150 young people while he was at the state fair,” she said. “I’m not going to apologize for my advocacy.

People need to be present when people are hurting.”

The Democratic Primary election is Tuesday, August 2.

individual posed a threat.

“And if, in fact, what we see shocks our consciousness, we should put efforts in getting Congress to set a standard for de-escalation of force. Until the law is changed, we will not see real reform in the justice system.”

Jordan Gaither, marketing director of the National Black Law Students Association, said that the black community is continually told to “get over it.”

“We will not get over the disproportionality,” Gaither said. “We refuse to believe that we are suspects.”

Several local organizations spoke alongside the students, including the ArchCity Defenders, St. Louis Strong, the ACLU, St. James AME Church and the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis.

“It is our responsibility, as much as our universities’, to help us come together and have these conversations,” said Alexus Williams, a black law student at Saint Louis University School of Law. Group members said, despite the widespread evidence of police brutality and the inequalities embedded in the criminal justice system, Congress and the judicial system have failed to address this “assault on the dignity of people of color.”

“A white man in South Carolina goes into a Wal-Mart, terrorizes the Wal-Mart, leads the police on a high-speed chase, gets into a fight with police, steals a Taser – and lives to tell about it,” Meanes said. “But a black man in Ohio standing in a toy aisle, holding a toy gun in an opencarry state, is gunned down in 0.06 seconds. That tells us something is wrong with the criminal justice system.”

“We should put efforts in getting Congress to set a standard for de-escalation of force. Until the law is changed, we will not see real reform in the justice system.” – Pamela J. Meanes

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 - 27, 2016

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n “We need to change decades of old practices that left many in our community distrustful of the criminal justice system as a whole.”

GARDNER Continued from A1 possess unique insight and qualifications to bring a new approach to how our city can reduce crime and fairly administer justice on behalf of the citizens. We need to change decades of old practices that left many in our community distrustful of the criminal Justice system as a whole.

I am confident that I can bring about the necessary change to make our city safer.

That is why I decided to give up a relatively safe state representative seat to enter a very competitive circuit attorney race.

The St. Louis American: What are some of those insights and qualifications that you are referring to?

Kimberly Gardner: My family’s 70-year North St. Louis funeral home business exposed me to the devastation that violent crime delivers to many of our city’s families.

My experience as an assistant circuit attorney for the City of St. Louis gave me insight into the complexities that hinder us from creating safer communities. My background as a licensed nurse has exposed me to many of the health-related causes and consequences of persistent crime in our neighborhoods.

Through my service as a state representative for residents of the 77th House District, I have gained a deeper understanding of the required legislative skill and political awareness necessary to change laws that we seek to enforce.

I have also spent most of my life in North St. Louis, where the vast majority of crime and victims are located. This gives me a point of view that has never existed in the circuit attorney for the City of St. Louis.

The St. Louis American: What does the circuit attorney do, and why should people care?

Kimberly Gardner: The circuit attorney is the chief criminal prosecutor of the City of St. Louis. The overarching role of the circuit attorney, through its leadership, is to ensure that justice is delivered fairly, diligently and efficiently.

The circuit attorney is uniquely positioned in our legal

– Kimberly Gardner

Photo by Wiley Price

Kimberly Gardner, who is running for St. Louis circuit attorney in the August 2 Democratic primary, interacted with the public at a candidate’s forum held at the Central Library on Tuesday, July 19.

system, and uniquely situated to drive the change that many our citizens demand. The circuit attorney has unequalled and broad discretion in the criminal prosecution process – from whether to pursue criminal charges, to offer plea deal, or recommendation for bail or sentencing. Throughout the entire prosecution process, the circuit attorney exercises significant discretion.

The St. Louis American: The circuit attorney and the police department are joined at the hip. Talk about that relationship.

Kimberly Gardner: The police and prosecutors work closely together in solving and prosecuting crime. The circuit attorney relies on police to present, investigate, and offer evidence and testimony in court, which is central to

effectively and successfully prosecute crime. However, law enforcement depends on the prosecutors to actually issue charges and prosecute or reject the case, based on the evidence they offer. Because of this close, interdependent relationship between police and prosecutors potential for conflict may surface when law enforcement is involved in criminal misconduct.

As the next circuit attorney, my job will be to insure that criminals who prey on citizens will be expeditiously and fairly prosecuted to the fullest extent of the laws of Missouri, regardless of their station in life or occupation.

The St. Louis American: Is the American criminal justice system fair?

Kimberly Gardner: Criminal justice system

statistics suggest and too many Americans feel our system is unfair. This lack of faith, and the resulting skepticism in communities of color, have devastating consequences.

It makes the job of holding those accountable who commit violent and serious crime difficult by lowering the levels of cooperation with law enforcement, prosecutors and courts in many of our communities.

The St. Louis American: Please expand on that?

Kimberly Gardner: By

Name: Rjeem Community College: Florissant Valley Community College Major: Marketing

virtually every criminal statistic – arrest rates, sentencing, victims of police use of excessive force – communities of color are disproportionately over-represented. This being a large part of the history of many communities of color, there exists a large, prevailing mistrust of the criminal justice system.

That’s not just a distrust of law enforcement. It is spread across the entire justice system to include police, prosecutors and the courts. The experiences of many white Americans with

law enforcement, prosecutors and the courts are significantly different from the experiences of many African Americans.

This difference fuels, in large measure, the conflict that our nation is experiencing today.

The St. Louis American: Because of the history you just alluded to, there is an obviously strained relationship between the criminal justice system and communities of color. How do you plan to address this?

Kimberly Gardner: Too many African Americans have significant mistrust in the criminal justice system. The circuit attorney is in a unique position to address this lack of public trust by holding the office to a higher ethical standard by implementing a stringent, yet workable, ethics policy. I will make detailed city prosecution data available for public scrutiny. I will establish an office-wide community engagement effort across the city, particularly in those areas that experience high levels of crime.

Most importantly, I will not only hold my office accountable to the residents of St. Louis, but I will hold serious and violent criminals accountable, whether I find them in our neighborhoods, in law enforcement or in other parts of government. Justice will be fairly sought and delivered.

The Democratic Primary election is Tuesday, August 2.

THEY TOLD ME TO CONSIDER MYSELF A L E A D E R , A N D I D I D. “At Maryville they encourage you to follow your passion. I knew I wanted to go into business and when I started looking at marketing I realized I found that passion. I was drawn to Maryville University because I was impressed with people in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. I helped launch Go Saints, a student organization that builds spirit, pride and tradition on Maryville’s campus.”

With more than 80 student organizations, student life at Maryville can be as busy as you want it to be. And if you don’t see the group you’re looking for, test your leadership skills like Rjeem and start your own.

“There were six students at that first event in 2013, and now we attract more than 50. I’m also now president of Go Saints. When I’m a Maryville alum, I expect to see over 200 students at a Go Saints event.”

M ANY CO NNECT IO NS . O NE U.

maryville.edu

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 - 27, 2016

A8

n If you think there is injustice in the criminal justice system, you’re wrong.

It is functioning exactly how it’s designed to function.”

City settles on warrant recall fees for $750K Jennings to pay $4.7M for ‘debtor’s prison’ fines and fees

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American The City of St. Louis must refund $750,400 to the 21,000 people who paid “warrant recall fees” in the past seven years.

On July 19, St. Louis Circuit Court Judge David Dowd gave final approval on a class-action lawsuit settlement with the city – which also deemed that St. Louis can never charge these fees again.

This is the first of nine total lawsuits that a group of lawyers filed against municipalities for similar court fees.

“As we’ve all heard since Ferguson, there are many municipalities that engage in what has been termed by some as ‘for-profit policing,’” said Erich Vieth, of Campbell Law firm. “That’s one of the big reasons we were attracted to this case.”

In St. Louis, if you missed a

– Thomas Harvey

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

A protestor demanded “equal justice under the law” at a direct action held at the St. Louis County Circuit Court in Clayton on January 26, 2015.

court date regarding a warrant fee, the court would charge you an extra fee of $35 for the first warrant and $10 for every subsequent warrant to reschedule the court date. The plaintiff in the case, Brandon Wann, paid this fee after he got pulled over for speeding in 2013. When he arrived half an hour late for his court date, a warrant had already been issued for his arrest. To cancel the warrant and reschedule his date, Wann had to pay $55 or face jail time.

In 2014, a team of lawyers – that included Saint Louis University School of Law Legal Clinics and ArchCity Defenders – took up Wann’s case in a class-action suit, arguing that these fees are not acceptable under the Missouri state statute.

Wann will receive $1,500 as part of the settlement. The other 21,000 people will receive a little over half of what they paid in fees. The lawyers will receive $249,889, which will be

taken out of a portion of each of the refunded fees.

“We are hoping that this case, being the first of its kind, will encourage other municipalities to settle,” Vieth said.

Vieth said they are suing Ferguson, Florissant, Pine Lawn, Jennings and others cities that collected millions in these fees. Since the suits started, the cities have stopped the practice.

St. Louis was the first city to agree to refund the fees, though it refunded only 75 percent of the $1.1 million it collected between December 11, 2009 and February 15, 2016.

Vieth said no one could pinpoint when the court began charging the fee, but it most likely was before technology made rescheduling court dates a matter of “clicking a button.”

“It’s easy in the computer age,” he said. “So saying you can pay $35 to come into court and pay your fine doesn’t make a lot of sense.”

If you paid a warrant cancellation fee related to the city’s municipal court, you can find more information about this settlement at https://secure. dahladmin.com/WANN.

Jennings settles over fines and fees Since Michael Brown Jr.’s death, the municipal courts in the region have come under scrutiny for using the justice system to bulk up the city’s general revenue.

Last week Jennings, a municipality that neighbors Ferguson, agreed to pay $4.7 million to compensate about 2,000 people who served jail time for not paying fines and fees related to traffic and other minor violations.

SLU Law Legal Clinics and ArchCity Defenders were also involved in bringing forth this legal settlement, which received preliminary approval in the

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri on July 13. The team of lawyers filed the suit on February 2015, arguing that the city’s policy of locking up majority poor and African-American residents for unpaid fines is unconstitutional.

The Jennings settlement outlines that if residents do not pay their fines, the city will refer the debts to a civil debt collector, which is allowable under state law. The “payment docket” is unconstitutional, the settlement stated.

Thomas Harvey, executive director of ArchCity Defenders, said there are about 500,000 people nationwide sitting in jail solely because they cannot afford a monetary payment to buy their freedom.

Every year, 11 million people cycle through local jails for the same reason, he said.

“They languish in these jails under terrible conditions,” he said. “That’s because of the scourge known as cash bail.”

Originally, the sole purpose of bail was to ensure that the defendant appears at court, he said. The law has developed to include a consideration of the safety of the community. There is overwhelming evidence to show it is a costly practice, both in terms of the cost of pretrial detention and the cost to the community in lost wages and collateral consequences.

“That policy must end,” he said. “We are working town by town for it to end. If you think there is injustice in the criminal justice system, you’re wrong. It is functioning exactly how it’s designed to function.”

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 - 27, 2016

Ballwin cop paralyzed by shooting Allegedly shot from behind by motorist on day after Dallas police killings

By Mariah Stewart Of The St. Louis American The morning after five Dallas police officers were killed in one of the most deadly attacks on law enforcement since 9/11, Ballwin Police Officer Mike Flamion was shot in the neck during a traffic stop. Flamion, 32, who is a nine-year police veteran, is now paralyzed from the neck down.

“This catastrophic injury will forever change Mike’s life and the lives of his family,” Ballwin Police Chief Kevin Scott said during a press conference on Monday, July 18.

On Friday, July 8 at around 11 a.m., Flamion pulled over 31-year-old Antonio Taylor for what police said was a traffic violation. According to a statement by the St. Louis County Police Department, Flamion was walking back to his police vehicle when Taylor fired three-shots, striking Flamion at least once.

Taylor was seized shortly after the shooting and charged with first degree assault on a law enforcement officer, unlawful weapon position and armed criminal action. Taylor is currently being held on a $500,000 cash only bond.

According to Scott, Flamion is “very alert” and recognizes family, friends and co-workers.”

“Although it is evident that he will no longer be able to serve in the same capacity, I want to assure you that Officer Flamion is engrained in the Ballwin police family and forever will be a Ballwin police officer, no questions asked,” Scott said.

Sarah Flamion, his wife of two-years, said her husband is “very appreciative” of the support.

“Every day I’m at the hospital, there’s Ballwin police and officers from other municipalities and counties,” she said. “So many people there to help with anything they can.

It’s an overwhelming feeling.“ According to Scott, Flamion will need long-term medical treatment.

Immediately following the shooting, Flamion’s co-workers

Antonio Taylor was charged with first degree assault on a law enforcement officer, unlawful weapon position and armed criminal action for July 8 shooting of Ballwin Police Officer Mike Flamion, who was left paralyzed from the neck down.

set up a gofundme account, which has already raised nearly $223,000.

Ballwin is a relatively affluent municipality located in west St. Louis County with over 30,400 residents, according to the 2010 census.

“It’s a very difficult job.

No matter where you work, no matter what environment you work in,” Scott said. “We all face the same challenges, and when these things happen it’s very sobering,”

n “Attacks on police officers are attacks on all of us.”

– President Obama

Flamion’s injury updates came just a day after three Baton Rouge police officers were killed in an “ambush-style attack.”

In response, President Obama urged for unity within the country. “Attacks on police officers are attacks on all of us,” he said.

The St. Louis County Police Department’s Bureau of Crimes Against Persons is seeking further information or known witnesses related to the shooting. According to a statement, investigators believe several unidentified witnesses were driving or running in the immediate area during the time of the incident. Information can be directed to (314) 615-5400.

This story is published as

part of a partnership between The Huffington Post and The St. Louis American.

A9

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 - 27, 2016

A10

Judge dismisses suit against deseg program Plaintiffs plan to appeal ruling

By Dale Singer and Camille Phillips Of St. Louis Public Radio A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed against St. Louis’ voluntary desegregation program.

La’Shieka White sued the program because her son Edmund Lee, who is black, is barred from attending a city charter school now that her family has moved to Maryland Heights. Her suit called the program’s race-based restrictions unconstitutional.

In his order dismissing the case on July 15, Judge Ronnie White agreed with the argument of the Voluntary Inter-district Choice Corporation (VICC) that White lacked standing because the desegregation program processes applications for St. Louis Public Schools, not charter schools. He also noted that the VICC program is unique because it was created as a remedy for a violation of the equal protection clause – the same clause White sued VICC under.

In response, the Pacific Legal Foundation, which brought the suit on behalf of White and her family,

Edmund Lee

expressed disappointment and plans to appeal the ruling.

Under the rules of the desegregation program administered by VICC, AfricanAmerican students in the city may transfer to schools in St. Louis County, and students who are not African-American may transfer from the county to schools in the city. But AfricanAmerican students who live in

the county may not transfer to schools in the city.

The suit targeted VICC because it administers the voluntary transfer program that grew out of a case first brought by Minnie Liddell in 1972. The response filed on behalf of VICC argued that far from being a violation of the constitution, the transfer program exists because of the

constitution.

“The Liddell County-to-City magnet school transfer program administered by VICC does not and cannot violate the Equal Protection Clause,” one of the motions said. “The program is a product of the Equal Protection Clause.”

Further, the papers argued, even if Edmund’s family wanted to argue that excluding him from Gateway is unconstitutional, seeking a remedy by suing VICC is the wrong way to go about it.

The response said that the agency does not enforce any rules “with respect to Gateway or any other charter school, or with respect to plaintiff’s son or any other students attending or seeking to attend charter schools. VICC does not make admission decisions for charter schools. Nor is there anything VICC could or would do to ‘enforce’ any requirements on Gateway.”

The response added: “VICC plays no role in charter schools and does not tell them who they can and cannot admit. The decisionmaker regarding enrollment of plaintiff’s son was not VICC, but Gateway; there is therefore no present case or controversy between plaintiff and VICC, nor is plaintiff’s injury caused by or ‘traceable to’ VICC.” Charter schools were established by state law, not federal law, the response said, so a federal lawsuit against VICC is not the proper place for questions about it to be addressed. Gateway has said that since it is a public school, where no tuition is charged, Edmund cannot attend under current rules, and it does not consider allowing him to attend tuition-free even though he lives in the county to be an option.

“The not-so-subtle implication of plaintiff’s arguments is that the voluntary inter-district transfer program administered by VICC, one of the most successful of its kind in the nation, should abruptly end, interrupting the educations of current students and causing disruptions to schools throughout the city and county,” the filing stated.

“There is simply no sound reason to attempt to disrupt this successful program, now in the process of winding down, over an issue that can conceivably be resolved by Gateway.”

Follow Dale on Twitter: @ dalesinger Edited for length and reprinted with permission from news.stlpublicradio.org.

Guest Commentary

Listen to both sides

By Christi Griffin Guest columnist

presumptions of guilt on both side give little attention to the socio-economic changes desperately needed to end the Recently the cancelled divide. baseball game between We find it easier to have two teams of five-yearthose Kumbaya moments where olds generated a flurry of we listen to the thoughts and conversation in at least two concerns of the other side, St. Louis communities. than to develop strategies The concern of parents to end underemployment, from the affluent (and still mass incarceration, media predominantly white) St. biases, predatory lending, Louis County housing discrimination, mental community health disparities, excessive of Webster sentencing, over-medicating Groves with our children and elderly, their children over-prosecution, bussing and playing stripping of educational funds in a more in favor of more police and racially mixed University City prisons.

Reality wails. Two weeks park raised Guest Columnist before Michael Brown Jr. issues of racial was killed by a Ferguson insensitivity.

Christi police officer in August 2014, The Griffin a teenage boy was killed cancellation, and another wounded in a spawned by fears of violence and drive-by shootings, invoked University City park. Months later, a nine-year-old girl was discussions about the Delmar killed in yet another drive-by Divide, a symbol of the stark shooting. With those and other difference in economic and reports on the minds of parents social conditions between two whose children spend summers neighborhoods divided by a in the comfort and safety single street. University City, of country club pools, the once equally as segregated reality of violence forecloses as Webster Groves, has meaningful progress. embraced a much more diverse Suggestions that white population. parents have no right to express Understandably, the cancellation n Even well-in- concern or take action to protect was offensive. tended conversa- their children from The children on both sides were tions that dissect random bullets hold little, if any, merit. undoubtedly hurt. presumptions Indeed, those same The pastor of of guilt on both parents may very one school saw a well harbor thoughts teachable moment. side give little of racial animosity.

Parents were attention to the They may, in fact, incensed. Many were up in arms that socio-economic perpetuate racial someone dare speak changes desper- strife by their comments and truthfully about race. ately needed to actions. They may Truth be told, end the divide. be among those who more than one discriminate against child has died at blacks and avoid the hands of a guninteraction. But to wielding African minimize the validity of their American, fueled by years of concerns about errant bullets discrimination, criminalization that have killed teens and and benign neglect. Young children alike is to foreclose men – whose families have the possibility of bridging the been torn by poverty, underracial gap. employment, abuse and Denying a parent’s intergenerational incarceration – have often taken to the streets substantiated concern over the safety of their child, makes to diffuse the strife. But – impossible a rational approach unlike mass killings at Sandy to creating a world where the Hook, Columbine and Orlando need to shoot or otherwise that strike up conversations commit crimes is greatly about gun control, the NRA diminished. It’s time to listen to and mental health – individual shootings by blacks are quickly and act on the concerns of both sides. We’ve created a world racialized.

Too often in these situations, where both sides have very legitimate concerns. our defense mechanisms go up Christi Griffin is the founder and the focus quickly becomes of The Ethics Project, a nonthe narrow issue of race. Too profit organization addressing often, reactions that deny the the impact of crime, injustice stark realities add more layers and incarcerations, and the of gloss over the underlying author of “Incarcerations causes of violence. In the in Black and White: The end, even the well-intended Subjugation of Black America.” conversations that dissect

www.stlamerican.com www.stlamerican.com www.stlamerican.com

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 - 27, 2016

By Melanie Adams

Whose Route 66?

The Teens Make History Players’ current play follows an African-American family traveling along the segregated Route 66 in 1949. They will be performing “Whose Route 66?” every Thursday and Friday at 11 a.m. and Saturdays at 2 p.m. through Saturday, July 30

Green Book” in the mid-1930s. He created the guidebook to help African Americans know what businesses would serve them; it was a way to make traveling easier and safer.

The book was only focused on New York City in the beginning, but after a while, Green began to expand the book throughout the country to help more African Americans. Green updated

By Rachel Goldkamp and the book every year until the mid-1960s when Kendal Moore-Hughes integration began to take hold. There were For The St. Louis American similar books that helped other communities that also faced significant discrimination, such as the Imagine your family taking a cross-country LGBT and Jewish communities. road trip for vacation. Where do you eat? Where After creating this play, we feel that we have do you stop and stay for the night? What happens a better understanding of America’s history, and if you have car troubles along the way? we can use that knowledge to help educate others For African Americans traveling in Jim Crow about the hardships that people have endured to America, the answers to these questions were be where we are today. We hope our audiences not easy. Traveling before the Civil Rights Act will leave thinking about how very difficult it of 1964 – which made it illegal to discriminate was for African Americans in public accommodations to travel during segregation. like hotels, restaurants, and Even though they had helpful gas stations – required a tools to make their travels huge amount of planning and safer, African Americans perseverance. always had to be very We, the Teens Make cautious and be sure that they History Players, decided to weren’t caught in an unsafe tackle this historical moment area, such as a “sundown The Teens Make History with our current play, “Whose town.”

Players will be performing Route 66?” We chose to We want to inform the “Whose Route 66?” every focus on Route 66 to correlate public and pass on these Thursday and Friday at with the Missouri History stories so that we can learn 11 a.m. and Saturdays at Museum’s newest exhibit, from the mistakes of the past.

2 p.m. through Saturday, “Route 66: Main Street Our play also transcends July 30. Performances through St. Louis.” time because it discusses take place in the Des Lee This play is the product basic human experiences. For Auditorium on the lower of about two months of instance, the play shows that level of the Missouri researching and writing not everything can be done History Museum. and another two weeks of the easy way; that helping memorizing and rehearsing. one another out can go a long Through our play, we hope to way; that when there are show people another side of bumps in the road, it’s best to stay calm; and that Route 66. you shouldn’t ever be afraid to face your fears Our play follows an African-American family because at the end it could be the most beautiful traveling along the segregated Route 66 in thing you have ever seen.

1949. The family is from Chicago, and they’re We hope you’ll join us for our final headed to see the Grand Canyon. The family is performances of “Whose Route 66?” We will fictional, but the events that we highlight, like be performing every Thursday and Friday at being refused access to restrooms at a gas station, 11am and Saturdays at 2pm through Saturday, actually happened to many African-American July 30. Performances take place in the Des Lee families in the past.

Auditorium on the lower level of the Missouri Our play also highlights a very important History Museum. tool that African Americans would use to travel Rachel Goldkamp and Kendal Moore-Hughes across the country: “The Negro Motorist Green are members of the Missouri History Museum Book.” A man named Victor Green, who worked Teens Make History program. at a post office, started “The Negro Motorist

Teens Make History Players dramatize discrimination on the road

Final performances

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 - 27, 2016

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research at the CDC. Missouri has a Democrat – Jason Kander, the current Missouri secretary of state – challenging an incumbent U.S. senator who is a darling of the gun lobby, U.S. Senator Roy Blunt. Asked to comment on the priorities of the Fund to End Gun Violence, a Kander campaign spokesperson said, “Jason believes we need to pass commonsense legislation to require criminal background checks and to ban suspected terrorists from purchasing guns.” His campaign will not seek contributions from the new fund.

‘Policing for profit’ and the attorney general primary Of the two candidates for Missouri attorney general in the August 2 Democratic primary, one – Jake Zimmerman – is well known in the St. Louis region. A former progressive state representative who now serves as St. Louis County assessor, Zimmerman mixes well across the racial and political spectrum. Almost alone among St. Louis County Democrats, he survived the emergence of the Fanny Lou Hamer Caucus in the 2014 election cycle without losing any black political support. Of course, it helped greatly that he endorsed incumbent County Executive Charlie Dooley over Steve Stenger in that racially divisive campaign.

His opponent on August 2 is Teresa Hensley, an attorney from the other side of the state. Her address of record is Raymore, Missouri, a suburb of Kansas City that was 87.8 percent white in the 2010 Census. A response she gave to a Ferguson-based question in an April 20 candidate forum in Kansas City suggested that she has very little clue as to how many black people experience the lowest level of justice, the municipal courts.

“It is unfortunate that the Republicans in the legislature had a knee-jerk reaction to Ferguson,” Hensley said at the forum. She meant Senate Bill 5, which lowered the cap on how much revenue municipalities can take in from traffic tickets and fees, and added a provision to force a disincorporation vote on municipalities that can’t

obey that law.

Hensley said the next attorney general should form “a task force to discuss what to do about the municipal courts, police training, police shooting.” She spoke as if she did not know the Missouri Supreme Court already convened a working group on the municipal courts that released a report, or that a bit player named Barack Obama already formed a Task Force on 21st Policing that has released its report. Yet, she wants another task force before anything is done to address these over-studied problems.

Then she launched into a praise song about the smooth functioning of municipal courts in Missouri. If Thomas Harvey of ArchCity Defenders or John Amman of SLU Law is reading, watch your blood pressure.

“In Kansas City, the municipal courts work, they know what they’re doing, they handle their cases well, and they do the right job – they do it fair, do it reasonable, and everybody benefits,” Hensley said.

That may or may not be true, but in St. Louis County, the municipal courts don’t work, they don’t know what they’re doing, they handle their cases poorly, and they do the wrong job – they do it unfairly, do it unreasonably, and only the municipalities – if anyone – benefit. But Hensley seems not to know this.

“Unfortunately,” she continued, “the Republican

Photo: Show Me Progress

Teresa Hensley and Jake Zimmerman squared off at a candidate forum for the Missouri attorney general race in Kansas City on April 20.

legislature didn’t bother to find out what was going on around the state, what works and what doesn’t work, before they decided to do caps. It will end up costing cities to have this Republican legislature to continue to mess with municipal courts.”

Zimmerman, at that point, responded.

“If Senate Bill 5 costs municipal courts any money, it’s because those courts and the cities they serve were receiving substantial portions of their revenue from traffic fines, which brings into question very serious things like policing for profit,” Zimmerman said. “The purpose of a court system is to dispense justice. The purpose of a court system is not to raise money for any local elected officials or government.”

Uh, yeah, like Jake said.

Emmett Till renewal passes Senate The U.S. Senate has approved bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill that will renew the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act, continuing Department of Justice and FBI efforts to investigate and prosecute unsolved raciallymotivated murders.

The bill calls on the DOJ and FBI to partner with advocacy organizations, universities and other entities that have been gathering evidence on cold cases from the 1960s and beyond. The bill also recognizes the potential for prosecutions at the state level, and seeks to facilitate collaboration between state and federal law enforcement.

McCaskill helped lead the legislation’s original passage in 2008. The bill’s provisions will expire in 2017 if it is not renewed, and she worked closely with civil rightsadvocate Alvin Sykes of Kansas City to advance the renewal.

Fund to End Gun Violence U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) announced the establishment of the Fund to End Gun Violence, a new fundraising effort led by U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Kelly to elect candidates committed to combating gun violence.

The new effort will direct grassroots support to House and Senate candidates who support commonsense measures to stop the epidemic of gun violence that kills thousands

of Americans each year.

Joining Kelly and Murphy in this effort are U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.), U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Congresswoman Katherine Clark (D-Mass.).

“Do not be fooled by the ‘Silence of the Gun Lobby’ following mass shootings in Newtown, Charleston, San Bernardino, and the latest shootings of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile and five Dallas-area police officers,” Kelly said. “Their silence is feigned, but rest assured their voices are heard loud and clear every day by Republicans in exerting their undue influence with money and threats of election retaliation.

The Republicans have their marching orders: Remain silent.

No debate. No votes to save lives.”

The Fund to End Gun Violence will aid the campaigns House and Senate candidates who have made combating gun violence a priority by supporting: passing comprehensive background checks on all commercial firearm sales; barring individuals suspected of terrorist activity from buying firearms; and ending the ban on federally-funded gun violence

Jennings to elect mayor The Jennings City Council voted on July 14 to have an election to fill the remainder of the former mayor’s term, rather than appoint someone. They are not putting it on the ballot this November, but rather next April. The seat is open because the council impeached Mayor Yolonda Fountain Henderson.

Congressional candidate forum

The League of Women Voters of Metro St. Louis is moderating a candidate forum for the 1st District U.S. representative candidates at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 26 at Christ Church Cathedral, 1210 Locust St. Co-sponsors for the event are Christ Church Cathedral and Downtown Disability Action Network, an affiliate of Coalition for Truth in Independence.

The public will have the opportunity to learn more about the 1st Congressional District candidates by hearing them speak and answer questions in a public forum. All candidates have been invited. In ballot order, they are: (William) Bill Haas (Dem), Wm. Lacy Clay (Dem), Maria Chappelle-Nadal (Dem), Steven G. Bailey (Rep), Paul Berry III (Rep), and Robb E. Cunningham (Lib).

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 - 27, 2016

NEWSPAPER IN

EDUCATION

Planting the Seeds for Success!

The weekly Healthy Families series is presented by the Missouri Foundation for Health to encourage your family to work (and play) together to improve your health.

Healthy Families

Berries are often called, “Superfruit!” They get this super-hero name because of all of their health benefits. Not only do they help fight chronic disease and cancer, but they can even help reduce your chance of having a heart attack. According to Health.com, some berries

Take a Hike!

DANGER POISON IVY!

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One of the best ways to get exercise and enjoy the outdoors is to take a hike.

Put on good walking shoes, grab a bottle of water and pack a lunch.

Do you know how to identify poison ivy? Many people have allergic reactions to poison ivy that include a red, bumpy rash, blisters and a lot of itching!

How can you tell if a plant is poison ivy? Poison ivy is often found in the woods or on trails, but it can also be in your own yard. Poison ivy has three

PRESENTS:

that bring the most health benefits include blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, acai berries and cranberries.

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

Many parks have several hiking trails that vary in length, difficulty and scenery. Visit localhikes.com to find a park with trails that includes features that you and your family would enjoy.

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

leaves and the middle leaf has its own stem.

Some people mistakenly identify the fiveleafed ivy as poison ivy. So remember, Five-Leaf-Friendly and Three-LeafThreat. And if you do accidentally walk into some poison ivy, be sure to wash up with soap and water… even your clothes!

Learning Standards: HPE 1, NH 5 and NH 7

Missouri state parks offer almost 1,000 miles of hiking trails, and the trails at Route 66 State Park are some of the best! Route 66 State Park is located about a half hour drive from downtown St. Louis and has several trails of different lengths and features. Your family will see plenty of wildlife along the trails including several different kinds of birds and even deer!

Stop by the Visitors Center for trail information including which ones access playground and picnic areas. Some of the trails even connect to nearby trails that lead to other parks in the area. The Visitors Center also offers interesting memorabilia about historic Route 66.

LOCATION 96 North Outer Road East, Eureka, MO, 63025 COST No admission charge PLAN YOUR VISIT https://mostateparks.com/park/route-66-state-park PARK GROUND HOURS 7 a.m. to one-half hour after sunset, daily, year-round VISITOR CENTER HOURS 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. daily

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 – 27, 2016

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Something must be done!

Photo by Wiley Price

Tammy Betts has been living next to Coldwater Creek for four years. She speaks to Robin Parks, the lead engineer for FUSRAP, the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Testing moves further north along Coldwater Creek Residents in North St. Louis County who live or grew up around Coldwater Creek received the latest update on testing and remediation efforts by federal authorities who are checking properties for radioactive contamination.

The creek was polluted several decades ago by radioactive waste left during the nation’s nuclear weapons program.

Residents in Hazelwood and Florissant that back up to the creek are being tested.

At the James Eagan Center in Florissant, informational posters were set up around the auditorium that displayed areas in question along Coldwater Creek, with current locations undergoing testing and the areas for future soil testing.

Unlike previous meetings, there was no formal question and answer session in the June 29 presentation. Instead, community members could speak one-on-one to topic experts from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Agency for Toxic

n “Because we are out there looking doesn’t mean there is anything there, necessarily.”

Substances and Disease Registry and the Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources at tables posted next to displays.

Bruce Munholand, manager of the St. Louis District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP), provided the overview.

“All told, we took almost 12,000 samples … to determine where it was we needed to remediate, where we need to put back to it and look further to see if there is any remediation needed,” Munholand said. “About 10 percent of them have what are termed SOR- Sum of Ratios greater than one. That terminology is a

measurement that we use to determine whether or not those sites warrant going back to for further analysis.”

They have been testing along the 10-year flood plain area between Duschene Park and St. Denis Bridge and the data is undergoing its initial analysis.

“Of all the area that we are looking at, a very small portion of it warrants us going back – of those, very small portions of what’s been looked at – an even smaller subset is what we’re finding in need of remediating,” he added, saying, “Because we are out there looking doesn’t mean there is anything there, necessarily.”

The next phase of sampling will come from St. Denis Bridge to north of St. Ferdinand Park. “It is a sub-phase or a subpart of the complete phase …St. Denis Bridge and Old Halls Ferry Road,” he said. “This will be the first, roughly eight-mile stretch of that.”

For more information, call 314-331-8000 or visit http://bit.ly/FUSRAPstl.

Smoke screen Tobacco use, involuntary secondhand smoke exposure high in multiunit housing residents Americans living in multiunit housing, such as apartments and condominiums, are more likely to use tobacco products and less likely to have smoke-free home rules than people living in single-family housing, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

CDC researchers also found about 34 percent of multiunit housing residents who have adopted voluntary smoke-free home rules have recently been exposed to secondhand smoke that entered their living unit from nearby living units or shared areas.

Using data from the 2013-2014 National Adult Tobacco Survey, researchers found that 25 percent of adults ages 18 years and older who lived in multiunit housing used a tobacco product, compared with 19 percent of adults in single-family

The view from my perspective, I readily admit, is different. When young men and women see the exhilarating fun of riding motorcycles, I see the mangled bodies from crashes and the many organs then available for donation. When family and friends rave about the wide variety of food at the casino buffets, all I see is the high numbers of hypertension and uncontrolled diabetes particularly in minority communities. And finally, when I hear recent discussion as it relates to brutality against African Americans at the hands of police and retaliatory violence against the men and women who are to serve and protect our communities, again I see it much differently.

As a physician, I took an oath to care for those in need and above all do no harm. My care for each individual patient is not influenced by race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. So with this latest turmoil in our cities across the country, I feel like I am torn down the middle of some horrific civil war.

I have been extremely grateful over the years to have cared for all types of people: rich, poor, educated, non-educated, old, and young. In addition, these patients have had a multitude of different careers such as professional, laborers, law enforcement and some Denise Hooks- have been working “jobs” Anderson, MD that involved illegal activities such as selling drugs or themselves.

With this in mind, I feel deep empathy and sadness for the wives, mothers, husbands, and fathers who have lost their loved ones in the line of police duty. Not being able to sleep at night, not being able to eat, and not knowing how you will go on without that particular member of your family is an unbearable weight that no one should have to bear.

However, in that same breath, how do I calm the anxiety in my own dear friend’s voice when she has to worry about if her adult black sons will come home at n And please, I night? She worries every time they beg of you, lay enter their car and down the argudoesn’t stop worrying until they ment that guns reach their destidon’t kill people. nation. What about the mother who Yes, they do! sends her children to school? Instead of reviewing the multiplication facts with her child, she now has to review the intruder safety plan.

Again, my view, my perspective is that we are a nation obsessed with guns, violence.

To live in a civilized society with such high numbers of guns on our streets, movies/television shows that glorify death and mayhem and a lack of regard for each individual life is simply an abomination to me. Each day, I am overwhelmed by the news reports. Mass shootings, unarmed men and women violently killed by public servants, and countless other random acts of violence committed with guns.

And please, I beg of you, lay down the argument that guns don’t kill people. Yes, they do!

In existence are many nations who are able to maintain law and order without each of their citizens walking around carrying guns in their holsters like some type of vigilante on the streets. I do not enjoy counseling patients after their experience with tragedy from gun violence. My wish is that physicians can return to our mission of educating patients about ways to live a long, healthy life and furthermore our legislators will recognize the need for immediate action to curb this societal decline we are now in.

Your family doctor, Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D. Assistant Professor, SLUCare Family Medicine yourhealthmatters@stlamerican.com

See SMOKING, A13 Missouri Foundation for Health is a resource for the region, working with communities and nonprofits to generate and accelerate positive changes in health. As a catalyst for change, the Foundation improves the health of Missourians through partnership, experience, knowledge and funding.

Your Health Matters is provided in partnership with

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 – 27, 2016

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The secret to losing weight is drinking water problems can result.

But when it came to weight loss and gain, the science on (CNN) – Suddenly starving? the role of water has been murky. Some studies found Try drinking some water. drinking water helped control That recommendation isn’t weight gain, yet other studies new – but it suddenly got some showed the opposite. Part of serious evidence to back it up. the problem, said A study of nearly Chang, was the way 10,000 adults ages n “We 18 to 64 shows that found hydra- hydration has been measured. staying hydrated tion and “Water consumpby drinking water BMI/obesity tion is not an ideal and eating more measure of hydrawater-loaded fruits are assocition,” explained and vegetables could ated.”

Chang. “The amount help with weight of water it takes to management, espe– Dr. Tammy stay hydrated depends cially if you’re overChang, on your body size weight or obese.

University and many other “Staying hydratof Michigan ed is good for you Medical School factors like your no matter what, and activity level and our study suggests it the climate you live may also be linked in. Imagine if you to maintaining a were a landscaper in Arizona versus a receptionist in healthy weight,” said lead Michigan. The amount of water author Dr. Tammy Chang, it takes to stay hydrated will be an assistant professor in the drastically different.” department of family medicine at the University of Michigan Some need more Medical School. “Our findings water to stay hydrated suggest that hydration may deserve more attention when Chang and her fellow thinking about addressing oberesearchers at the University of sity on a population level.”

Michigan looked at the topic Being dehydrated can mess in a new way -- not how much with your mental, physical and water you drink, but how well emotional health. Numerous studies show attention, memory hydrated you are when you do so. To do that, they measured and mood can be damaged, and the concentration of water in physical distress such as headurine. aches, constipation and kidney

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN Reprinted with permission

They found that staying hydrated – which helps your heart pump blood more efficiently to your muscles, which then makes them work more efficiently – was especially important for anyone with a body mass index (BMI) over 25, which is technically overweight and unfortunately applies to all too many of us.

In fact, two out of every three Americans are overweight or obese.

“We found hydration and BMI/obesity are associated,” said Chang. “A bigger person needs more water than a smaller person to stay hydrated.”

“It could be that those people with higher BMI are more likely to be inadequately hydrated or that those that stay well hydrated are less likely to be obese.”

Signs you need more fluids More research is needed, said Chang. But in the meantime, here are ways you can find out if your body has enough fluids.

“Feeling thirsty is the most straight forward way to know if your body needs more water,” said Chang. “Your mouth may feel dry. You may feel run

down or less alert. However, I have found that my patients often confuse these symptoms with other urges like hunger or general fatigue.”

The color of your urine is another good way to tell.

If your urine is light yellow, almost the color of water, you’re in good shape. If your urine is dark yellow, it’s time to drink up.

And yes, water is best.

“Other beverages come with other substances like sugar in soda, or caffeine in coffee that are not recommended in large amounts,” said Chang. “Soft drinks typically contain sugar or chemical sugar substitutes that I do not recommend to my patients. Water is the best for hydration for most people.”

Here’s another easy way: Increase your intake of water-laden foods, such as cucumbers, celery, watermelon, raw broccoli and carrots, plums, apples and peaches.

“Eating fruits and vegetables with high water content is good for you not just because of the nutrients they deliver to your body, but also because they can improve your hydration.”

And they don’t come with a ton of calories. It’s a win all around.

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2016 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.

Health Snipets

Registration opens for Zero Prostate Cancer Walk Prostate cancer survivors and supporters of The Empowerment Network will partner with Zero Prostate Cancer Foundation this year on the Zero Prostate Cancer Run/Walk.

“We will be bringing prostate cancer survivors out of the urban community to the walk,” said Mellve Shahid, founder of The Empowerment Network.

The event takes place Saturday, September 17, at 8:45 a.m. at Creve Coeur Park, Sailboat Cove.

“I think it is a great partnership – a great collaboration that West St. Louis County and also the prostate cancer survivors from St. Louis City and North St. Louis County, are all walking together to save lives and to create awareness for prostate cancer,” he added.

The event is hosted locally by Arch Cancer Care and St. Louis Urological Surgeons.

For more information, visit www.zeroprostatecancer.org.

SLU to study Zika virus

SMOKING Continued from A10

Saint Louis University vaccine researchers received $1.3 million from the the National Institutes of Health National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to study the Zika virus. SLU and other Vaccine Treatment and Evaluation Unit (VTEU) contractors will study the immune responses of 200 volunteers who are diagnosed with or have symptoms of Zika, which causes serious birth defects.

SLU scientists will conduct laboratory work, analyzing blood specimens of study volunteers, to learn about how the body’s immune system responds to Zika virus infection.

Emory University and Baylor College of Medicine will recruit volunteers who traveled to or had sexual contact with someone who traveled to places where Zika is circulating locally and are diagnosed with or have symptoms of Zika virus. If Zika starts to circulate in the U.S., patients who have locally acquired infection also will be eligible to participate in the research.

Understanding the natural history of the disease and the body’s immune response could help researchers identify targets for treatments and vaccines, other strategies for protection and potential long-term health effects of the virus, said Daniel Hoft, M.D., Ph.D., leader of the initiative at SLU and director of SLU’s division of infectious diseases.

homes. Additionally, about 20 percent of adults in multiunit housing used combustible tobacco products, which are a source of secondhand smoke exposure. Combustible tobacco product use among single family home adults was about 14 percent.

“These findings show the importance of protecting all people who live in multiunit housing through smoke-free building policies and access to tobacco cessation resources,” said Corinne Graffunder, Dr.P.H., director of CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health.

“Smoke-free rules help reduce secondhand smoke exposure among nonsmokers, prevent smoking initiation among youth and adults, support

Missouri Foundation for Health is a resource for the region, working with communities and nonprofits to generate and accelerate positive changes in health. As a catalyst for change, the Foundation improves the health of Missourians through partnership, experience, knowledge and funding.

tobacco cessation among current smokers, and reduce the social acceptability of smoking.”

Disparities in tobacco use were also observed across population groups. Use of any tobacco product in multiunit housing was highest in their respective demographic categories among men; adults ages 45-64; non-Hispanic blacks; unmarried adults; lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults; people living in the Midwest; people with a high school diploma but no college education; and people with annual household income less than $20,000.

The study found that 81 percent of multiunit housing units had smoke-free home rules, compared with 87 percent of single-family homes.

Among multiunit housing residents with smoke-free home rules, 34 percent reported that secondhand smoke involun-

tarily entered their homes from somewhere else in or around the building. Almost 8 percent reported secondhand smoke entered their homes every day, and 9 percent reported secondhand smoke entered a few times a week.

“The Surgeon General has concluded there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Opening windows or using ventilation systems does not effectively eliminate secondhand smoke exposure in multiunit housing,” said Brian King, Ph.D., deputy director of research translation in the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health and a co-author of the study. “Exposure to secondhand smoke from cigarettes causes more than 41,000 deaths among nonsmoking adults each year, and about $5.6 billion annually in lost productivity caused by premature death.”

Your Health Matters is provided in partnership with

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 - 27, 2016

Business

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JULY 21 – 27, 2016

Ameren hosts networking event for Wyman youth

People On The Move Eric H. Holder Jr. received the inaugural NOBLE Award for Leadership in Law Enforcement from the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement ExecuEric H. tives (NOBLE).

Holder Jr. President Barack Obama nominated him to be the 82nd United States attorney general in January 2009, the first African-American to hold the post. “Mr. Holder used his tenure at the U.S. Department of Justice to stake out strong and laudable positions on the most contested issues of all times,” NOBLE said.

Warletta Brookins was appointed superintendent of the Madison Community Unit School District. A native of East St. Louis, she began her career there nearly 30 years ago Warletta in School District Brookins 189. She currently is in her sixth year as superintendent of Pembroke Community Consolidated School District is Hopkins Park, Illinois.

She holds a doctorate of philosophy degree in educational leadership and policy studies from Loyola University-Chicago.

Photo courtesy of Ameren

At the end of the speed-networking event that Ameren hosted for Wyman youth on June 30, the students and mentors gathered in a circle to reflect and debrief.

‘You can change that paradigm – use all the resources available to you’

By Morgan Bradley For The St. Louis American Recently Wyman hosted its 5th annual speednetworking event during its three-day summer bridge conference. The conference is designed to support the transition from high school to college and to make sure that the transition is successful.

Ameren, a longtime supporter of Wyman, hosted the event at its headquarters, located at 1901 Chouteau, through its Ameren Cares program. The speed networking event was just one of the many workshops in the conference.

Ten networking professionals from various fields were involved in the speed-networking event. They represented businesses and organizations that include Ameren, AT&T,

n “Before attending Wyman, I used to think, ‘I can’t go to college. I can’t afford that. We don’t even have a house. How can I do that?”

– Darlica Harrison

Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Eaton, Edward Jones, Emerson, Mercy Hospital St. Louis, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office and the Scholarship Foundation.

The goal of the speed-networking event is to expose young people to different professionals and opportunities, in addition to developing

and practicing critical networking skills. All participants are from the high school graduating classes of 2015 and 2016 and are part of Wyman’s Teen Leadership Program or its newest addition, Inspire STL. Darlica Harrison, 18, is a veteran of Wyman’s Teen Leadership Program. This upcoming school year she will be a freshman at the University Of Central Missouri pursuing a degree in nursing.

She became a member of Wyman when she was nominated for the program in 7th grade by a concerned teacher at Hazelwood West Middle School.

Harrison said her living arrangements were inconsistent during her 7th and 8th grade years due to moving from shelter to shelter with her See WYMAN, B6

Financial stability for all Making Missouri’s unbanked a priority for a prosperous economy

By Pat Contreras Guest columnist The St. Louis region has one of the largest populations of people not using mainstream banking services of any major city in the United States. This population, also known as “unbanked,” either does not have knowledge of available financial resources or does not have access to them.

A 2013 survey of households by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) finds that 4 percent Pat of households in the St. Louis Contreras metropolitan area is unbanked.

Additionally, more than 19 percent of St. Louisans are underbanked, possessing some, but not all, financial resources.

The underbanked often lack access to stable

n We need to recognize the danger that predatory lenders pose to the financial wellbeing of Missouri and put them out of business.

loans and lines of credit, which are critical for making big purchases and providing security in times of financial uncertainty.

African Americans make up the vast majority of the unbanked population in St. Louis. Thirteen percent of African-American households are unbanked, as opposed to a much smaller proportion of white households. These numbers have decreased since the last FDIC survey in 2011. However, many of our neighbors are still lacking access to the resources they need for financial stability.

Missouri should be a hub for economic

growth and social mobility. We need to ensure this by encouraging all consumers to participate in our financial system.

The situation in Kansas City is even more bleak. The same FDIC survey shows that 12.9 percent of residents in the Kansas City metropolitan area are unbanked, and that an additional 19.4 percent of residents are underbanked. Analysis from the Kansas City Star shows that 45 percent of the city’s AfricanAmerican households were unbanked.

We need to encourage all Missourians to pursue stable financial resources, and to utilize the mainstream institutions for their personal finances. According to a report from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, checking and savings accounts are an important first step to applying for a line of credit for example, loans for a home or a car. These resources allow people to make big purchases and pursue their financial dreams See UNBANKED, B2

Wayman F. Smith III will be inducted into the Fred David Gray Hall of Fame by the National Bar Association. He is a former St. Louis alderman, municipal judge and Anheuser Busch executive.

Wayman F. The National Bar Smith III Association is the oldest and largest national association of AfricanAmerican attorneys and judges in the United States. The current President is Benjamin Crump.

Sharon Stevens will be recognized as a 2016 Local Media Person of the Year by the St. Louis Press Club at its gala on November 30. She is a retired KSDKTV education Sharon reporter. She joined Stevens KSDK in 1993 after spending 10 years at KTVI-Channel 2. The honorees are recognized for their distinguished careers representing the highest standards of accomplishment in journalism.

James R. Neely Jr. will be inducted into the Fred David Gray Hall of Fame by the National Bar Association.

He is district director of the St. Louis District Office of the U.S. James R. Equal Employment Neely Jr. Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The National Bar Association is the oldest and largest national association of AfricanAmerican attorneys and judges in the United States.

Shanae Chapman was awarded NSBE Boston Professional Member of the Year by the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). She is a User Experience specialist at The Shanae MathWorks and Chapman has previously worked at IBM, Red Hat and Kronos in software design and testing. The award celebrates the member who has fulfilled the NSBE mission, by showing commitment to academic and professional success, as well as positively impacting the community.

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

B2

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 – 27, 2016

Personal Finance

Choosing the right project for your home renovation

By Nathaniel Sillin Before the housing market collapse of 2007, all renovation projects – no matter how expensive – seemed like winners. Today, home renovation is a whole new ballgame and why you should carefully research any potential fix-up project you’re planning for your home.

For the past 14 years, Remodeling magazine’s annual Remodeling 2016 Cost vs.

Value Report (http://www. remodeling.hw.net/cost-vsvalue/2016/) has tracked cost recoupment on renovation projects nationwide and by region, as local tastes are important. Based on trends from transactions tracked in 2015, several guidelines emerged: • Aim to cover your costs.

Pre-housing crash, people were investing heavily in their homes and seeing returns greater than 100 percent on their spending. In 2016, the cost and return at resale for the projects listed in the report averaged 64.4 percent for a home sold within a year of the upgrades. Making a profit on a renovation isn’t guaranteed, so aim instead to tackle projects that will allow you to recover your costs at the highest possible level.

• Smaller projects focusing on essentials can provide better returns. A decade ago, it was an upscale outdoor deck or a gourmet kitchen. These days, new doors, which can cost under $500 to replace and install, are one of the most popular projects. A high quality fiberglass entry door replacement can recoup an

average 82.3 percent of costs; a garage door replacement can return over 90 percent.

• Upgrade rooms and spaces, but keep it modest. A minor kitchen remodel including upgraded cabinet fronts, new hardware and the addition of one or two energy-efficient appliances averaged a return of more than 83 percent of original cost compared to the 65 percent for the gut jobs.

After assessing the national and regional averages, you’ll need to evaluate your personal

situation, local home market and the type of homes that are selling in your neighborhood.

Let’s start with the questions you need to ask yourself: • What kinds of improvements make sense for my neighborhood? Generally, exterior renovations that complement nearby homes have greater value, so consider how your new exterior might fit in with other houses on the street. As far as interior renovations, keep your spending in line with your

UNBANKED continued from page B1 without unnecessary risk.

Without bank accounts, consumers must turn to alternative financial services, which can be costly. Unbanked people spend anywhere from 2.5 percent to 5 percent of their checks just to cash them.

They also regularly purchase money orders to pay for routine expenses, like monthly bills.

A household making $20,000 could spend as much as $1,200 on alternative financial services, whereas a checking account costs significantly less.

The unbanked and underbanked rely on alternative financial services. FDIC estimates show that 12 percent of Missouri households regularly use these services nonbank check cashing

future sale price. For example, a $100,000 kitchen in a home that might not sell for more than $300,000 would probably be a wasted investment – but a kitchen update worth $10,000 or less might help your house move quicker once it’s listed for sale.

home more livable or to make it more salable. The longer you stay, the more you’ll get out of the investment – but if you have to sell soon, think carefully about what you’ll need to spend to attract a buyer.

• How long will I stay postrenovation? Remember, the latest Remodeling magazine numbers cover only one year of cost recovery on projects.

People renovate for a variety of needs, either to make the

• Will this send my property taxes through the roof?

Renovation projects that create larger homes can risk higher property taxes. You should think through potential property tax impact not only for yourself but also for your

services, payday lenders, and pawn shops, and that 25 percent of Missourians used them in the last 12 months.

Alternative lenders are particularly rampant in Missouri. A 2014 report from the Missouri Division of Finance shows that 838 payday lenders are registered in the state, issuing 1.87 million loans. There are 980 companies registered as installment lenders, offering loans over longer periods of time but still charging massive interest.

Some institutions offer both types of loans, in addition to title loans and check cashing.

Payday loans, installment loans, title loans, and other lending scams overwhelmingly target those with low incomes, people of color, and senior citizens; most of these Missourians are unbanked or underbanked.

If people can’t pay back

their initial loan, the industry will offer more loans to pay back the initial one, and more time to repay it. Individuals often take out multiple loans from these institutions just to pay back earlier ones. The problem is that they charge extreme interest rates some as high as 400 percent, ensuring that those who take out a loan keep slipping further into debt and can rarely escape it.

We need to recognize the danger that predatory lenders pose to the financial wellbeing of Missouri and put them out of business.

Financial stability requires access to financial resources: banks insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) that offer checking accounts, savings accounts, stable lines of credit, and affordable loans. Without these resources, people are forced to turn to high cost alternatives

future buyer.

Consider checking with your local residential taxing body to determine “before and after” property tax rates for renovated properties in your vicinity. Sometimes this information might be available on their websites. If you know a real estate broker with significant knowledge of your immediate neighborhood, you might consider speaking with them about this issue.

Consider consulting experts to help you answer the basic questions you’ll have as you make this decision. Start with trusted financial professionals who can offer a second opinion on what you’re planning to do, how much you want to spend, and what particular tax issues may arise when it’s time to sell. If you need to borrow to renovate, that means it’s time to make sure your credit reports (https:// www.annualcreditreport.com/ index.action) are accurate and you are pre-qualified or preapproved for your loan based on what is required.

In short, do your homework before you renovate your home.

Bottom line: In 2016, home renovation is far from a home run. Know how long you’re planning to stay in the home before you start and make sure the project you choose makes sense for your local marketplace or you won’t get your money back.

Nathaniel Sillin directs Visa’s financial education programs. To follow Practical Money Skills on Twitter: www. twitter.com/PracticalMoney.

such as predatory lenders if they can’t make ends meet.

The unbanked and underbanked lack access to financial resources that are the groundwork for future savings and financial stability. There either aren’t enough adequate financial institutions creating “financial deserts” or people simply don’t know about the resources available to them.

I have firsthand experience working to extend mainstream banking options to unbanked and underbanked Missourians. I began my career at the Kansas City Federal Reserve, working to grow community banking and combat financial deserts.

I will take that knowledge to Jefferson City to fight for stable financial resources for all Missourians.

I believe that all Missourians deserve to pursue stable financial growth, and that Missouri’s unbanked population does not have equal opportunity to pursue that growth. The unbanked need access to mainstream institutions where they can keep their hard-earned money more safely. The underbanked need additional financial services, especially affordable lines of credit, to ensure they don’t rely on predatory lenders.

We need to make sure Missourians have access to more stable financial options.

As Missouri treasurer, I will work with community banks to clear up financial deserts and introduce the unbanked into the stable banking community.

I will work to increase access to affordable loans and lines of credit in times of crisis or emergency and provide financial education so the unbanked and underbanked have the knowledge to accomplish their goals.

We need to clear up financial deserts and extend stable banking options to every Missourian. If Missouri is to be a place where everyone has the opportunity to pursue economic growth, then we must prioritize financial stability for all.

Pat Contreras (D-Kansas City) is running for state treasurer in the August 2 primary.

Sports

“I owed myself this opportunity to come back out here and compete for my country.”

– NBA star Paul george on re-joing the 2016 USA Olympic Basketball Team

INSIDE

In the Clutch See Page B5

B3 • ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 - 27, 2016

Jayson Tatum is Male Athlete of the Year

Jayson Tatum, a former Chaminade College Prep star, was selected the Gatorade Male Athlete of the Year.

The Female Athlete of the Year was track and field star Sydney McLaughlin of Scotch Plains, New Jersey.

‘I want to thank my parents, I owe them the world’

By Earl Austin Jr. Of The St. Louis American Jayson Tatum is currently in Durham, North Carolina. this summer as he prepares for his freshman year at national basketball powerhouse Duke University.

However, the former Chaminade College Prep star received one more big high school honor as he was selected the Gatorade Male Athlete of the Year. Tatum traveled to Los Angeles to receive his national recognition. He spent the evening at the ESPY Awards, where he got to rub elbows with all of the top stars in the sports industry.

“I want to thank my parents, I owe them the world,” Tatum told USA Today High School Sports. “I want to thank Gatorade for such a great honor, and I want to thank my high school teammates, my teammates at Duke and Coach K.” Tatum was eligible for the national award when he received the Gatorade National Player of the Year in boys basketball during the spring after his spectacular career at Chaminade, where he was a McDonald’s All-American. He was selected over 12 other candidates who were Players of the Year in their respective sports.

The 6’9” Tatum led Chaminade to the Class 5 state championship. He averaged nearly

Inside Sports With Earl Austin Jr.

Berry makes Olympic team

St. Louisan Gwen Berry qualified for the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Brazil as a member of the USA Women’s Track and Field team.

A graduate of McCluer High in 2006, Berry was a standout basketball player and a jumper in track.

Earl’s little brother inducted into Frontier League Hall of Fame Congratulations go out to St. Louisan Gwen Berry, who qualified for the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Brazil as a member of the USA Women’s Track and Field team.

Berry punched her ticket to Rio by finishing second in the women’s hammer throw at the recent USA Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon.

She finished second with a throw of 239 feet 9 inches.

A graduate of McCluer High in 2006, Berry was a standout basketball player and a jumper in track. She Earl did not take up throwing Austin Jr until she got to college at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.

She went on to enjoy a standout collegiate career at SIU, where she was the Missouri Valley Conference champion in the shot put in 2011.

Upon the end of her collegiate career, Berry joined the professional circuit where

n Tatum was eligible for the national award when he received the Gatorade National Player of the Year in boys basketball during the spring after his spectacular career at Chaminade.

30 points a game, including many 40-point performances during his senior year against a national schedule. He also won three gold medals as a member of USA Basketball in international competition. In his final game at Chaminade, Tatum scored 40 points to lead the Red Devils to a victory over Springfield Kickapoo in the state championship game.

The Female Athlete of the Year was track and field star Sydney McLaughlin of Scotch Plains, New Jersey. who recently qualified for the USA Olympic Team in the 400-meter hurdles at the age of 16.

See INSIDE, B5

Sports Eye With Alvin A. Reid

It’s time for black stars to get proactive; ‘Ballers’ quite entertaining The ESPYs, ESPN’s self-congratulatory annual awards gala, actually had two important moments this year.

Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade called for end to gun violence, racial profiling and questionable deaths of black men at the hands of police officers.

The comments came six days after five Dallas police officers were gunned down in the line of duty, allegedly by a black veteran – and four days before another African-American veteran of the U.S. Marines from Kansas City allegedly killed three Baton Rouge police officers.

The four players, who are friends off the

Alvin A. Reid

court, challenged other professional athletes to use their stardom, time and money to help stop gun violence.

Wade, the nephew of a police officer, recited the names of black men killed by police officers in the week leading to the ESPY celebration.

“We can’t ignore the reality of the current state of America,” Anthony said.

“The events of the past week have put a spotlight on the injustice, distrust and anger that plague so many of us. The system is broken. The problems are not new, the violence is not new, and the racial divide definitely is not new. But the urgency to create change is at an all-

Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James called for end to gun violence, racial profiling and questionable deaths of black men at the hands of police officers at the 2016 ESPYs.

time high.”

Later in the show, Zenobia Dobson, mother of the late 15-year-old Zaevion Dobson, accepted the Arthur Ashe Courage Award on behalf of her son.

Dobson was a 15-year-old high school football player from Knoxville, Tennessee, who died shielding two girls from gunfire.

See EYE, B4

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 - 27, 2016

B4

INSIDE

game and $12 for a day pass.

Admission is free for children.

EYE

Continued from B3

Congrats, Little Brother

Continued from B3 She stunned the crowd when she said that four months after her son’s death, his 12-year-old cousin was killed in a drive-by shooting when returning home from a basketball game in Zaevion’s honor.

“I’m here to fight back. We as a country need to take a stand to consider the effects of gun violence on the families throughout America,” she said.

“All the athletes in this room, you have a lot of power.

People look up to you. I know Zaevion did. I urge you to think tonight about why he died and what you can do tomorrow to prevent the next innocent man or woman from being lost.”

she currently competes for Nike. As well as being a top competitor in the hammer throw, she is a world class performer in the weight throw.

Berry won the weight throw at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships earlier this year.

McCaw lights up Summer League Former CBC basketball standout Patrick McCaw is making some early waves in his first games as a member of the Golden State Warriors.

The 6’7” McCaw enjoyed an excellent week with the Warriors at the Las Vegas Summer League.

In five games, McCaw averaged 15.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.0 steals. In Golden State’s last game of the summer league, McCaw erupted for 28 points against the Toronto Raptors’ summer league entry. McCaw made five 3-pointers in the game. McCaw was the 38th player selected in the recent NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks, who then traded his rights to Golden State.

Surge begin postseason The St. Louis Surge will begin postseason play this weekend as the top seed in the Women’s Blue Chip Basketball League Midwest Playoffs, which will be held on Saturday at UMSL. The Surge will take on the Iowa Force in the opening semifinal game at noon. The Nebraska Strikers and the Elsberry Flyers will follow at 2:30 p.m. The winners will meet for the championship at 7 p.m. The Surge will be seeking its fourth consecutive regional championship.

Admission for Saturday’s games are $8 for a single

Set in Miami, “Ballers” stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as a former NFL player who is now an agent and entrepreneur.

It examines the lives of professional football players (mostly black ones) as young stars and also near the end of careers.

Congratulations go out to my brother, Richard Austin, who was inducted into the Frontier League Baseball Hall of Fame in Florence, Kentucky last week.

Richard played 10 years of professional baseball in the independent leagues, four of which were with the Rockford Riverhawks of the Frontier League. In 2004, he was the league’s Most Valuable Player after leading the Riverhawks to the Frontier League championship. He also led the league in hitting with a .359 average. He was one of the top players in the history of the Riverhawks’ organization.

During his 10-year career, Richard played pro baseball in five different countries. He was the MVP of the Italian League after leading his team to the championship in 2008.

He also played pro baseball in Columbia, Mexico and Canada.

It has been fun watching this kid grow from this eightyear old little boy playing in the yard with my father and I to this young man who would become a future Hall of Famer.

Congratulations, Richard. Earl Sr. and Sandra Austin would be very proud.

Some Cards fans in contempt There is nothing in the world like a St. Louis Cardinals fan – good and bad.

The bad took center stage when many a Cardinal supporter took to various comment sections and social media to blast the sentence imposed on former scouting director Chris Correa for industrial espionage.

Correa was tagged for 46 months in prison Monday for tapping into the Houston Astros player personnel database and email system. This is a violation of federal law that obviously is taken very seriously.

Correa, labeled as a “rogue” by team owner Bill DeWitt II, pleaded guilty to five counts of unauthorized access of a protected computer from 2013 to at least December ‘14. He accessed Houston’s files more than 60 times on at least 32 occasions.

While I think the majority of Redbird fans are fair-minded people, too often the zealot crew that protects anything Cardinals to the hilt makes us (I, too, am a Cardinals fan)

look foolish.

In the wake of the sentencing there was much outcry about the judicial system being a mess, with comments such as, “This was just gamesmanship; not a crime. There is no way he should have received such a lengthy sentence.”

One constant theme followed this thinking: “How could Hillary Clinton get off without being charged with a crime and Correa is going to prison for almost four years?”

Naturally, these trolls claim that Black Lives Matter members and supporters should be imprisoned for exercising First Amendment rights, not the guy who pleaded guilty to a federal crime. “You can threaten police officers and say they should be killed and Obama protects you. But read someone else’s email…”

Speaking of President Obama, it once again is all his fault, say the trolls. “Obama’s Justice Department at work.”

The Cardinals must now await a Major League Baseball investigation and, most likely, some type of fine, loss of draft choices or both.

“Now that the criminal process has been completed, Commissioner Rob Manfred has asked the Department of

Investigations to conduct a complete investigation of the facts in this matter, including requesting information from the appropriate law enforcement authorities,” according to a MLB statement.

“The commissioner hopes that the investigation can be completed promptly to put him in a position to take appropriate action.”

I can’t wait to read and hear what many Cards’ fans will have to say when another hammer comes down on the team. Of course, this is the Cardinals, and Correa was a “rogue.”

Quite frankly, it would not surprise me if the Cardinals get off easy.

‘Ballers’ is entertaining “Ballers” is back on HBO this summer and Mark Wahlberg, the show’s executive producer, said he has been contacted by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and some owners because they are not happy with its content.

Set in Miami, “Ballers” stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as a former NFL player who is now an agent and entrepreneur.

It examines the lives of professional football players (mostly black ones) as young stars and also near the end of careers.

Terrell Suggs and Johnson’s character get in a fight on a live TV show in the first episode of the season, which also introduced Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and Dolphins receiver Jarvis Landry.

There is sex, drugs and a whole lot of hip-hop. The closing credits on last week’s show featured a song that is about as misogynistic and violent as it gets.

“The key is to make it as authentic as possible, you know, no matter how outrageous it gets,” Wahlberg said.

“We always kind of surround ourselves with the real guys and, because the show is so accurate, that’s why we get guys like Ndamukong Suh [and] Terrell Suggs ... you know, guys know that we make sure that we make it real.”

ESPN had a similar show called “Playmakers,” but the NFL was clear it did not like its major TV partner airing the controversial show, and it ended after one season.

Goodell, through operatives, said he has never contacted Wahlberg or anyone at HBO about “Ballers.”

Alvin A. Reid is a panelist on the Nine Network program, Donnybrook and appears on ABC’s The Allman Report and several sports radio shows. His Twitter handle is #aareid1

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 - 27, 2016

B5

The maturation of Carmelo Anthony In the Clutch

2016 Olympics, Anthony will once again go for the gold in Rio. Like Tommie Smith and John Carlos, he stated that he is committed to using the platform of the Olympics to demand justice for minorities and take a stand against gun violence in America. The Olympics should serve as a perfect platform. Countries that have watched America play the moral police for decades will be front and center to hear what Anthony and his Olympic teammates have to say about race relations in the United States.

It seems that Anthony is not just talking the talk either.

He marched with protesters in Baltimore after the death of Freddie Gray. According to The Undefeated, he is planning a town hall event in Los Angeles in the near future. He has also called for more direct community involvement by all athletes.

Now, a man who was so often referred to as a poor leader in basketball circles is now emerging as possibly the mostimportant leader in professional sports. It should be no surprise that Melo has matured from an immature 20-year-old kid in the Stop Snitchin’ video to a confident and capable leader as a 32-year-old freedom fighter.

That’s what generally happens as boys grow into men.

Hopefully Anthony will be successful in inspiring others to take a stand, and more importantly take action, against injustice and violence. Watching Anthony grown into a leader, only proves that other young, black boys can do the same, as long as they can survive to see adulthood.

Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch @IshmaelSistrunk

With Ishmael H. Sistrunk

However, fast-forward to 2016 In the year 2004, Carmelo and that’s exactly what has hapAnthony was entering his secpened. ond year in the NBA. He was In last week’s column, I coming off a fantastic rookie mentioned Anthony’s Instagram season in which the one-andpost calling for athlete’s to done product of Syracuse take a stand against issues such University averaged 21 points as police brutality and vioand 6.3 rebounds per game and lent crime in the community. propelled the Denver Nuggets Anthony didn’t stop there with to the NBA Playoffs. His pera simple social media post formance was good enough to though. Anthony joined James, earn him a second-place finish Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade in the Rookie of the Year votonstage at ESPN’s ing to LeBron James.

ESPY awards to call Unfortunately, the for justice and peace. cornrowed kid from “The system is Baltimore was also broken,” Anthony pegged as a selfish said. “The problems player on the court as are not new, the he never saw a shot violence is not new, he didn’t like. Off and the racial divide the court, some of his definitely is not new, decisions were as dizbut the urgency for zying as his signature change is definitely at spin move. He was an all-time high.” arrested at the Denver Ishmael H. Anthony’s ability International Airport for Sistrunk to help bring together marijuana possession four NBA superstars (Charges were eventualto make a bold stately dropped after a friend confessed to being the owner of ment calling for change is a feat in itself. For many years, the marijuana). He also briefly top NBA stars have tried hard appeared in a video entitled to remain apolitical Stop Snitchin’ in which a selfto avoid offending sponsors described drug dealer warned in order to maximize their Baltimore residents about the dangers of talking to the police. endorsements and earning potential. Now, as the body A few years later, Anthony counts continue to rise and was suspended for 15-games the body cam and cell phone for punching Mardy Collins footage make their way to the during a brawl between the public eye via social media, Anthony’s Nuggets and the athletes can no longer afford to New York Knicks. Sprinkle in stand silent on the sidelines. an alcohol-related arrest and Just look at Thabo suspension during his Nugget’s Sefolosha of the Atlanta tenure and Anthony was not Hawks. Last year, Sefolosha likely on anybody’s list to had his leg broken by the emerge as one of the NBA’s NYPD after being beaten by most-prominent and outspoofficers outside a New York ken leaders against injustice.

Carmelo Anthony joined protesters on the streets of Baltimore in 2015 after the death of Freddie Gray. Now he is leading the rally cry for professional athletes to be more vocal and committed to stand against injustice and violence.

n Anthony’s ability to help bring together four NBA superstars to make a bold statement calling for change is a feat in itself.

night club. Sefolosha and former teammate Pedro Antic were both arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and obstruction of governmental administration for simply standing outside and waiting for a car. Antic’s charges were dropped but Sefolosha was forced to go to a jury trial, where he was acquitted of all charges. He has now filed a lawsuit against the

NYPD for $50 million.

How many black men without Sefolosha’s wealth or notoriety would’ve survived such an encounter or managed to beat the bogus charges in a court of law? Wealth doesn’t make Anthony, James, Sefolosha or any other athlete immune to the unjust realities of America. It does, however, provide them with a certain

level of influence. That’s what Anthony is banking on as he transitions from chasing scoring titles to chasing civil rights and justice for all.

Anthony penned an article for The Guardian entitled, We athletes can no longer remain on the sidelines in the struggle for justice. In the article, Anthony wrote, “No athlete should think: If I speak up, I’m going to lose an endorsement or a sponsorship. Because if that’s the case then you have to question the kind of people that you’re doing business with and ask yourself where their heads and morals are at.”

While other NBA superstars have taken a pass on the

Eagles win Battle for the Arch Championship Featuring:

Erectile Dysfunction (E.D.) When the “Magic Pill” isn’t so magic

The St. Louis Eagles 15U boys team won the championship at the Battle for the Arch Tournament in the 16U Division this weekend in St. Louis. The Eagles defeated Team Nebraska in the championship game to complete an undefeated weekend. They also finished 3-2 at the recent Peach State Invitational in North Augusta, S.C. The team members are (in alphabetical order): Cyrus Alexander (Whitfield), Keyyaun Batchman (Chaminade), Lawrence Brazil III (CBC), Atavian Butler (McCluer North), Yuri Collins (St. Mary’s), Keelan Handy (St. Mary’s), Kevin Jones (Sikeston), Eric Liddell (Belleville West), Lewis McDaniel (Ensworth, TN), Joshua Wallace (CBC), Jeramy Shaw (Valley Park). The coaches are Mylin Johnson, Ladon Champagne, Rashara Givahn and Bryant Golston.

Erectile dysfunction (E.D.) affects more than 30 million men in the U.S. It is especially common in men with prostate surgery, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and obesity.

However, it is now possible to treat almost all men with E.D! E.D. undermines a man’s sexual conf dence—but successful treatment can restore it!

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B6

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 – 27, 2016

Financial Focus

By Veronica Coleman

Are you prepared for financial disasters?

Photo courtesy of Ameren

Recently Wyman hosted its 5th annual speed-networking event during its three-day summer bridge conference. The conference is designed to support the transition from high school to college and to make sure that the transition is successful.

WYMAN continued from page B1 father and two younger sisters.

“I felt as though I had to hold everybody together and do everything myself,” she said.

“Then I came to the realization that I can do nothing in this situation.”

Wyman changed that.

“At that point, I’d been back and forth from homeless shelters and women’s shelters, always having to be more mature,” she said. “Wyman allowed me to be a kid again.”

Harrison believes that without the help of Wyman she would not be preparing to attend college next year.

“Before attending Wyman, I used to think, ‘I can’t go to college. I can’t afford that. We don’t even have a house. How can I do that?” Harrison said.

“The Wyman staff showed me that it was possible. They were my support system and mentors.”

This summer, Harrison came back to serve as a counselor

n “I see that these children in our community have so much potential. The kind of work that they’re doing here at Wyman cannot be replaced by technology.”

– Rob Foley, Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis

at Wyman and plans to be involved with the program for years to come.

Rob Foley, IT director of the Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis, has participated in the speed-networking event since its formation. He described the event as energizing and inspiring.

“I come because it’s rewarding for me,” Foley said.

“I see that these children in our community have so much potential. The kind of work that they’re doing here at Wyman cannot be replaced by

technology. If I can take one or two afternoons to participate in this program, I will do it proudly.”

Foley said that he and the Scholarship Foundation intend to participate in the program for as long as it continues.

At the end of the event, the students and mentors gathered in a circle to reflect and debrief. While in the circle of reflection, both the students and professionals shared powerful thoughts. Professionals offered the students sound pieces of advice: “Be excellent wherever you are, because doors will open”; “Surround yourself with good people, always look for mentors, because they will help you advance”; “Don’t underestimate the impact you can have as one person.”

Gwen Mizell, director of Diversity and Inclusion at Ameren, concluded the event by offering the students a final word of advice: “Don’t be defined by your circumstance.

You can change that paradigm.

Use all the resources available to you.”

“Be prepared” is the Scout motto, and it’s also pretty good advice for anyone seeking to guard against various disasters – including financial ones.

Here are some events that can have serious financial consequences, along with suggestions on preparing yourself: • Loss of employment – If you were to lose your job, your family might have to struggle financially to make it until you’re employed again. To protect against this potential threat, try to build an emergency fund containing three to six months’ worth of living expenses. That’s a lot of money, of course, so it will be challenging to build such a fund – but try to contribute something each month to a liquid, low-risk account.

Without such an emergency fund, you might be forced to cash out your 401(k) or other retirement plan to pay for your living expenses during your period of unemployment.

• Loss of health – If you were ill or injured, you might be out of work for weeks or months. Your employer may offer you some type of disability insurance as an employee benefit, but it might not be sufficient. So you may also want to purchase an individual plan to cover as much of your aftertax income as possible. You’ll have the flexibility to create a policy that is tailored to your

sure it’s kept up with any improvements or additions you’ve made to your house or other property. If you’re under-covered, and had to pay out-of-pocket for some major damage, you might be • Loss of life – Death may be forced to dip into your longan uncomfortable topic to discuss. term investments.

However, if you And while you’re were to pass away, it making sure your would be emotionally n If you were property is covered, devastating to your you might also loved ones – but it to lose your want to consider could also be finanjob, your adding “umbrella” cially catastrophic. coverage, which Would your family family might can provide extra still be able to pay have to strugprotection to you the mortgage? Could your surviving spouse gle financially in case someone is injured at your afford to send your to make it home, or even at an kids to college? until you’re event at which you Without life insurmay be in charge, ance, your death employed such as a Scout could leave your famagain. meeting. ily without the ability With luck, to cover financial you can avoid obligations. The exact all the threats to amount you require your financial security and depends on a variety of factors, such as that of your family. But your family’s expenses, size of family, you can’t count on always savings needs over time, and so on. being lucky – so you need Generally speaking, you can choose to take “financial disaster between two broad categories of preparedness” measures soon. insurance: term and permanent. Term insurance, as the name suggests, is This article was written by designed for a specific number of years Edward Jones for use by your and only provides a death benefit. local Edward Jones Financial Permanent insurance is typically more Advisor. expensive, because, in addition to the death benefit, it offers a savings comFor further information ponent. A financial professional can contact Veronica Coleman help guide you through your options to at (618) 931-2397 or determine which one is appropriate for 1-800-EDJONES your needs.

Copyright © 2015 Edward D. • Loss of property – If you own a Jones & Co., L.P. All rights home, you already have homeowners reserved. Member SIPC. insurance, but it doesn’t hurt to periodically check your policy to make needs, budget and overall financial goals. However, policies vary widely in cost and benefits, so you’ll want to shop around for the coverage that best meets your needs.

• Only Online •

Classic Soul Fest starring War and Switch coming to Chesterfield Amphitheatre this Saturday

www.stlamerican.com C1 • ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 - 27, 2016

UNCF honors Cedric The Entertainer

Desiigner

Cedric The Entertainer will be the inaugural honoree for the UNCF’s St. Louis Evening of Stars Concert Gala next Sunday, July 31 at The Sheldon Concert Hall. The event will be headlined by nine-time Grammy Award nominated soul singer Ledisi.

Ledisi to headline St. Louis Evening of Stars Gala

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American “When you are just starting out, you have no idea where the journey will take you – I just wanted to be funny,” said Cedric The Entertainer.

“But I grew up as the child of a schoolteacher who was known for her integrity, her attitude, her gracefulness – and giving back.”

The n Through The crowned “King of Cedric The Comedy” Entertainer Charitable can check “mission Foundation – a accomplished” partner of UNCF – he next to his goal as a created an extension funny man. of his mother’s efforts He also has a successful to aid local young film and television people financially. career to stand on.

But the nuggets instilled in him by his late mother Rosetta Boyce Kyles also compelled him to use his celebrity as a platform for philanthropy.

“She worked hard not only to provide for me and my sister, but a lot of my family,” Cedric said. “So many members of my family had a chance to go to college because of her leadership, personality and generosity.”

A solid Super Jam 2016

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American Even with one of the headlining acts missing, the revolving door of popular hip-hop acts that was Super Jam 2016 was a win for audiences – and its presenter Hot 104.1 FM – Saturday night at Scottrade Center.

The popular summer concert show has developed a brand that seems to supersede the lineup, as thousands of young people poured into the arena to hear a series of abbreviated sets from the artists behind some of their favorite radio hits.

After some mixes by the Hot 104.1 DJ Squad, relatively unknown Canadian rapper

n Latest annual summer concert sat well with Hot 104.1 FM crowd

came on stage in a boxing robe that honored Muhammad Ali. By the end of his mini-set, he had certainly earned some new fans with a confident, highenergy show that was polished well beyond his fame level.

St. Louis natives rose to the bar set by Belly for their contribution to Super Jam 2016 as part of the STL Mixtape portion of the show. So did Super Jam Madness winner Mark Q and hip-hop duo JGE. National acts DJ Luke Nasty, JR, Kent Jones, Young Greatness and Dreezy were among those that followed.

Belly kicked off the show.

Though Belly’s a Juno winner (Canada’s equivalent to the Grammy Award) in his native country, most of the crowd – who was still in the process of arriving when his set began – had no clue what they were in for when he

Da Brat

See SUPER JAM, C4

Mai Lee

2 Chainz

See CEDRIC, C4 Photos by Lawrence Bryant

Vernon Mitchell Jr., curator of Popular American Arts at Washington University Libraries in the Department of Special Collections gave a lecture on drummer Max Roach’s “We Insist!.” The lecture was followed by a live performance of the album by local musicians.

Jazzing on social justice Lecture series at the Bistro dissects Max Roach’s ‘Freedom Now Suite’

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American “This talk isn’t just about the music and its creation, it’s about social justice and how it can be fought through art – and how social justice can impact artistry,” said Vernon Mitchell Jr., curator of Popular American Arts at Washington University Libraries in the Department of Special Collections.

On Thursday night the audience spilled from the overflow area of the Ferring Jazz Bistro to the outside patio, where they hovered over speakers to hear Mitchell’s lecture on drummer Max Roach’s “We Insist!” album, which is subtitled “Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite,” followed by a live performance of the album by

local musicians.

The presentation was the second of the Whitaker Jazz Speak Series, entitled “Jazz, Race and Politics.”

Nearly five years before the Civil Rights Movement was in full swing, Roach and actor/ playwright/poet Oscar Brown Jr. were inspired by the ripple effect of the first sit-in on February 1, 1960 in Greensboro, North Carolina. They decided to create a body of work that offered a musical backdrop to the young people’s push back against Jim Crow.

The album cover itself is a staged homage to the inaugural sit-in.

“Look at that – it’s art imitating life,” See JAZZ, C4

Calendar

C2

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 – 27, 2016 demonstrations, models, live music, poetry, Afrikan drumming, dancers, vendors and so much more. The Ambassador, 9800 Halls Ferry Rd., 63136. For more information, call (618) 5145240 or email nhbce@yahoo. com.

How to place a calendar listing 1. Email your listing to calendar@stlamerican. com OR 2. Visit the calendar section on stlamerican.com and place your listing

Sat., July 23, 12 p.m., SMKE & Liquid Assets present The Show Me Kicks Expo.

This is the premier buy, sale, and trade sneaker expo in St. Louis, Missouri. Our objective is to place sneaker enthusiasts and the casual sneaker fan in a fun and healthy environment, where we can converse and discuss our growing culture.

Peabody Opera House, 1400 Market St., 63103. For more information, call (314) 458-1840 or email info@ showmekicks.com.

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

concerts Thur., July 21, 7:30 p.m., Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre presents New Edition and Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds. 14141 Riverport Dr., 63043. For more information, visit www. concerts.livenation.com.

July 22 – 23, Jazz at the Bistro presents Montez Coleman’s Generations feat. Houston Person. 3536 Washington Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www. jazzstl.org.

Fri., July 29, 7 p.m., District Rhythms Series with Dru Hill. Ballpark Village, 601 Clark Ave., 63102. For more information, visit www.tickef. ly.

Sat., July 30, 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m., Lumiere welcomes The Spinners, Lumiere Live Theatre. Visit www. ticketmaster.com for tickets.

Sun., July 31, 7 p.m., UNCF St. Louis presents An Evening of Stars Benefit Concert with Ledisi. We will be highlighting and acknowledging our area youth scholarship recipient and our person of the year award recipient, actor and comedian, Cedric The Entertainer.

All proceeds benefit The United Negro College Fund.

Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108.

For more information, call (314) 533-9900 or visit www. thesheldon.org.

Fri., Aug. 26, Lumiere welcomes Betty Wright, Lumiere Live Theatre. Visit www.ticketmaster.com for tickets.

Sat., Aug. 27, 7 p.m. An Evening with Chaka Khan and El DeBarge, a benefit concert for Mathews-Dickey Boys and Girls Club, The Fox Theatre. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com .

local gigs Sat., July 23, 6 p.m., Gifted Productions and Carondolet Throwback present Music!

Music! Music! A showcase of songs from various genres of music featuring some of St. Louis’ hottest and most well known artists and groups in an exciting explosion of music from the 50’s to the present. All proceeds will go toward the Precious Word Ministries Men’s Transitional Living House and Food Pantry. The Word at Shaw, 4265 Shaw Blvd., 63110.

Sat., July 23, 7 p.m., CURTIS “No Apologies” Album Release/Listening Party. Be the first to hear and celebrate the new album release of St. Louis’ own, R&B/Pop singer, CURTIS. Not officially released until July 29th, the artist wants to meet you and celebrate his release a week early. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www.curusm.com.

Jazz at the Bistro presents Montez Coleman’s Generations. For more information, see CONCERTS.

Featured Event Sat., Aug. 27, 7 p.m. An Evening with Chaka Khan and El DeBarge, a benefit concert for Mathews-Dickey Boys and Girls Club, The Fox Theatre. For more information, visit www.metrotix. com .

Sun., July 24, 5 p.m., Union Communion Ministries presents Free Concerts at Ivory Perry Park feat.

Soulard Blues Band with Marty Abdullah. 800 N. Belt, 63112. For more information, visit www.ivoryperrypark.com.

Sun., July 24, 5 p.m., Union Communion Ministries presents Free Concerts at Ivory Perry Park feat.

Soulard Blues Band with Marty Abdullah. 800 N. Belt, 63112. For more information, visit www.ivoryperrypark.com.

Sun., July 31, 6 p.m. (5 p.m. doors) Community Women Against Hardship Summer Jazz Benefit Concert with Johnny O’Neal, Anita Jackson, Eric Slaughter, Jerome Harris and Jeffrey Anderson. Harold and Dorothy Steward Center For Jazz, 3536 Washington.

For more information, call (34) 571-6000 or visit www.jazzstl. org.

special events Sat., July 23, 9 a.m., Ferguson 1000 Hiring Event.

Come meet with over 50 companies that will be hiring on the spot. Companies include Boeing, KPMG, Washington University, UPS, Fed Ex and others. Positions will be available for entry-level employees, mid managers and upper level executives.

Ferguson 1000 will also provide an “Access to Capital” workshop in partnership with Eagle Bank for entrepreneurs.

Ray Lewis NFL Great will give 10 autographed books to the first 10 people hired.

Meet Billionaire Jeff Hoffman, founder of Priceline and Richmond McCoy President Urban America. JC Penny Building, UMSL, 1 University Blvd., 63121. For more information and to pre-register, visit www.ferguson1000jobs. com.

Sat., July 23, 12 p.m., 4th Annual Natural Hair Health & Cultural Expo. This event will be showcasing; health

Sat., July 23, 6:30 p.m., Style-Taneous Styles presents its 1st Annual Fashion Show. This event is a launch for a new boutique opening September 2016. The show will feature three exclusive fashion designers: Alisha’s Pieces, Nyla Coleman and K’Veor. We are also looking for additional vendors and models. 4530 N. Lindbergh Blvd., 63044.

For more information, call (314) 378-3443 or email styletaneousstyles@gmail.com.

Sun., July 24, 4 p.m. (3 p.m. registration), Better Love Yourself Foundation presents their 10th Anniversary Trunk Event for College Bound Students, Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd. For more information or tickets, visit www.betterloveyourself.com.

Mon., July 25, 7 p.m., The League of Women Voters of Metro St. Louis presents St. Louis Circuit Attorney Candidate Moderated Candidate Forum. The public will have the opportunity to learn more about the St. Louis Circuit Attorney candidates by hearing them speak and answer questions in a public forum.

All candidates have been invited; all are Democrats.

In ballot order, they are: Kimberly M. Gardner, Patrick Hamacher, Steve Harmon, and Mary Pat Carl. Williams Temple Church of God in Christ, 1500 Union Blvd., 63113. For more information, call (314) 807-8346.

Thurs., July 28, 4 p.m.

Rep. Rochelle Walton Gray and Alan Gray present the 5th Annual Community

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 – 27, 2016 Resource Fair, Christ the King United Church of Christ, 11370 Old Halls Ferry Rd. Florissant, Mo., 63033. For more information, call (314) 355-6789.

Sat., July 30, 9 a.m., Mothers Against Killing presents Thousand Women March.

Featuring human service providers, companies and organizations at the fair, ready to empower young men, women and families with human and social services information that will lead to a brighter future through job training and placement services, free legal services, counseling, financial literacy, mental & physical health services, voter registration, trade schools and much more. Fairground Park, 3740 Kossuth Ave., 63107. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Sun., July 31, 3 p.m., North & South/Delmar Block Party. Several restaurants and retailers in the North & South Business District will participate in bringing food, music, kids activities and more to this fantastic celebration. Attendees will have the opportunity to enter a raffle featuring awesome prizes. North & South Business District, 63130.

For more information, call (314) 337-2439 or visit www. universitycitychamber.com.

comedy Sat., July 23, 6 p.m., All Laughs Matter/All Lives Matter. Come out and have an evening of family fun and laughter as we came together to help and heal through laughter. Proceeds will help support the End Homeless Mission. This event will consist of comedians both locally and nationally known.

There will also be musical entertainers performing in between acts. Harris Stowe State University, 3026 Laclede Ave., 63103. For more information, call (314) 2436034.

Fri., July 29, 8 p.m. Martin Lawrence, Chaifetz Arena.

For more information, visit www.ticketmaster.com.

literary Sun., July 24, 5 p.m., STL Book Fair. This is not just your average book fair; we will have authors onsite to discuss their book and answer questions. Utopia

C3 Greater St. Louis to learn about Healthy People, a federally led plan that aims to improve the health of our nation.

Learn how older adults can take advantage of programs available to lead longer and healthier lives. Registration required. Thornhill Branch, 12863 Willowyck Dr., 63146.

For more information, call (314) 994-3300 or visit www. slcl.org.

Tuesdays & Thursdays, 7:30 p.m., Get Sexy Movement Boot Camp. Station styled boot camp with 1 minute at each station for three rounds.

North County Recreation Center, 2577 Redman Rd., 63136.For more information, call (314) 898-8898.

spiritual The Chaifetz Arena welcomes Martin Lawrence. For more information, see COMEDY.

Studios, 3957 Park Ave., 63110. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ letterinvisibledaughter.

theatre Through July 28, The Muny presents Mamma Mia! Now it’s your turn to have the time of your life at this smashhit musical that combines ABBA’s greatest hits, including “Dancing Queen,” “Take A Chance on Me” and “The Winner Takes It All,” with an enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship. 1 Theatre Dr., 63112.

July 29 – 30, COCA presents Memphis. Set in the underground dance clubs, radio stations and recording studios of 1950s Memphis, this hot musical bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a tale filled with laughter, soul and rock & roll. Edison Theatre, 6465 Forsyth Blvd., 63105.

For more information, call (314) 725-6555 or visit www. cocastl.org.

Sat., Aug. 6, 7 p.m., Still – a stage play. The play speaks to the business of relationships and will cause you to question how you handle marriage, friendships, and faith in God when life happens. JC Penny Building, UMSL, 1 University Blvd., 63121. For more information, visit www. iamtheatre-srd.com.

lectures and

workshops Thur., July 21, Missouri History Museum presents Culture and Couture Panel Discussion. A panel of local fashion bloggers and fashionistas will discuss the ways in which religion, culture, and personal beliefs influence their personal style.

5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112.

Sat., July 30, 2 p.m., National Blues Museum presents Let’s Talk About Juke Joints. This event looks into the history and culture behind juke joints, a gathering place made popular

by African Americans in the early and mid- 20th century where musicians could perform and attendees could eat, drink, dance and socialize without outside pressures. Leading the discussion is businesswoman and “Delta Blues Queen” Mary Frances Shepard. For 34 years, Shepard and her husband Willie owned and managed

the famed Club Ebony in Indianola, Mississippi. 615 Washington Ave., 63101. For more information, visit www. nationalbluesmuseum.org.

Fri., August 5, 5 p.m., The Truth Telling Project & The Michael Brown Chosen for Change Foundation presents Youth Speak Truth: Responding to Racial Violence in America. The event will provide a space to bring forth and amplify the voices of young people who have experienced racialized violence. Greater St. Mark Family Church, 9950 Glen Owen Dr., 63136. For more information, call (314) 8687967.

health Wed., Aug. 10, 4 p.m., St. Louis County Library presents Healthy People 2020: Older Adults. Join the Visiting Nurse Association of

July 25 – 29, Church of God in Christ Missouri Midwest’s 1st Annual Holy Convocation. Our theme will be “Fighting for Salvation and Righteousness in a Violent and Immoral World.” We will have a different guest speaker every night, including Bishop Marvin Sapp, Dr. Dorinda Clark Cole, and Bishop Willie James Campbell. Kennerly Temple COGIC, 4307 Kennerly Ave., 63113. For more information, call (314) 761-5148.

Sat., July 30, 10 a.m., Lutheran Church of the Living Christ presents Neighborhood Fun Day. Come out for food, games, a kids’ area, car show and more. Please bring can goods, old or new shoes, toiletries, and school supplies to benefit our community charities.

2725 Concord Dr., 63033.

For more information, call (314) 741-4588 or visit www. lc-LivingChrist.org.

film

Through July 21, The Whitaker St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase.

The Showcase, an annual presentation of the nonprofit

Cinema St. Louis, serves as the area’s primary venue for films made by local artists.

See works that were written, directed, edited, or produced by St. Louis natives of films with strong local ties. The programs range from full-length fiction features and documentaries to multi-film compilations of fiction and documentary shorts.

Many of the programs with feature-length films include post-screening Q&As with filmmakers. Tivoli Theater, 6350 Delmar Blvd., 63130.

For more information, call (314) 289-4150 or visit www. cinemastlouis.org.

Mon., July 25, 6 p.m., Ballpark Village presents Frozen. Busch II Infield, 601 Clark St., 63102. For more information, visit www. stlballparkvillage.com.

Tues., July 26, 7 p.m., Missouri History Museum presents The Illusionists Film Screening. The Illusionists turns the mirror on media, exposing the absurd, sometimes humorous, and shocking images that seek to control us. Stay for a discussion after the film. 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112.

Fri., July 29, 6 p.m., St. Louis Art Museum presents Art Hill Film Series: Forrest Gump.

One Fine Arts Dr., 63110. For more information, visit www. slam.org.

ART Sat., July 30, 6 p.m., Vibes STL presents The Grand Arts Event. Vibes is a grand arts showcase in St. Louis all about positive vibes and giving local artists from both St. Louis and outside of St. Louis a chance to showcase their talent. This marks #5, it’s 50% visual Art 50% music. There’s also food, drinks, and merchandise vendors. This year a portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Finesse Center. 2720 Cherokee St., 63118. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 - 27, 2016

C4

SUPER JAM

medley of her rap hits.

Brat, fellow Chicago rapper/

singer Dreezy, St. Louis own’ Mai Lee and singer K. Michelle

were the lone females on the testosterone-heavy roster.

K. Michelle was the only R&B representative among the mainstream acts, but she matched them pound-for-pound on the adult content by mostly focusing on her 2012 mixtape “0 [expletive] Given.”

Her set was the first of the extended performances and resonated well with the crowd – particularly the ladies. Michelle managed to hold the attention of the hip-hop-loving crowd by keeping it upbeat, save for the mid-tempo “Can’t Raise A Man” and her current radio hit “Ain’t You.” The audience was vocal in their discontent with Hot 104.1 FM Operation Manager Boogie D’s announcement that there would be no Young Thug

an extension of his mother’s efforts to aid local young people financially as they pursue higher learning.

Since its inception in 2002, his foundation has awarded more than $150,000 and assisted more than 50 students in achieving a college education.

“It is vitally important to honor local champions who understand the plight in providing quality education,” said McFarlane Duncan, UNCF area development director.

“Our honorees continue to lead

the charge in changing our community by securing better futures.”

Proceeds from this fundraising gala will raise public awareness and further provide Missouri students with resources to get to and through college.

The event will be headlined by nine-time Grammy Award nominated soul singer Ledisi.

“I try to imagine myself as the audience member,” Ledisi told The American last year. “If I spent money getting there and making all of this effort to see

you, I want to feel something.”

In recent years, her concerts have become a must-see for local soul music lovers, but seeing her show knowing that it will benefit a cause as worthy as UNCF will certainly make the experience even more memorable.

Since UNCF’s inception in 1944, more than $4.5 billion has been awarded in financial support to students across the country.

“UNCF is honored to pay tribute to individuals who are aligned with those efforts,”

Duncan said.

In addition to Cedric, The UNCF St. Louis Evening of Stars will also honor Southeast Missouri State University as organization of the year, and Kielah Harbert and Wilgory Tanjong as youth of the year.

Cedric’s mother passed away last year after a long battle with cancer, but he is happy to stand in her light as he follows her footsteps of pulling future generations forward, both through her work as an educator and as a financial anchor to her immediate family,

extended family and beyond.

“Having her as a role model has definitely contributed not only to my success, but being able to represent for the people who live here,” Cedric said.

“We are classy, we’re cool, we’re funny – but we’re always ourselves – and we always look out for each other.”

The Inaugural UNCF St. Louis Evening of Stars Concert Gala will take place at 7 p.m.

Sunday, July 31 at the Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Blvd. To purchase tickets, visit: www.aneveningofstarsstl.com.

Keyon’s lament

youth culture,” Mitchell said.

“It was unheard of to see an album with this much political fire. It was unapologetically black and unapologetically political.”

Roach’s future wife Abbey Lincoln made the words and sounds echo in the hearts and mind of listeners, as the five-movement composition included a journey from slavery

in America to freedom in Africa.

“Driver man just made a life, but the mammy ain’t his wife,” Lincoln stated in the flat, unemotional tone that reflected the desensitization of a people battered by the traumas of slavery. Her indifference to the evils of the overseer is more haunting that any overtly stated pain.

“Driver man the kind of boss, drive a man and lead a horse,” Lincoln continued.

“Better make your hammer ring. Driver man will start to swing. Ain’t but two things on my mind, driver man and quittin’ time.”

The live performance of the album featured a talented ensemble of musicians: Ben Reece on saxophone, Danny Campbell on trumpet, Cody Henry on trombone, Bob DeBoo on bass, Marty Morrison on drums, Matt Henry on percussion and Kim Fuller on vocals. Roach and company would have been pleased by the musical tribute.

trumpeter called on his friends and fellow area natives Mark Colenberg and Shedrick Mitchell to record the piece, which was released in January of this year.

“They grew up in Ferguson and went to the same high school,” Mitchell said. “If I’m being completely transparent, so did I.” In a recording of a live performance of “MB Lament,” Harrold belts through his horn the anguish and heartache of Brown’s death and the subsequent unrest in his hometown stomping grounds.

“Black creative expression throughout the Diaspora is radical in that it speaks to the long-suffering social and political dehumanization,” Mitchell said. “Those are the tools of political revolution and accountability, and the soundtrack to social justice – from the African drum to the sounds of today.”

K. Michelle

Continued from C1 Of the lineup of rising rappers, Desiigner has the most buzz with his Future carboncopy massive hit “Panda.” With a set that began and ended with him pouring water into the crowd, he was the best remembered because of his high-impact presence as he stomped the stage down and bounced incessantly from start to finish.

The Super Jam audience got a surprise snippet from The Rickey Smiley Morning Show co-host Da Brat, with Smiley providing hilarious support as a 1990s backup dancer for a brief

CEDRIC Continued from C1 Because of his efforts, Cedric will be the inaugural honoree for the UNCF’s St. Louis Evening of Stars Concert Gala next Sunday, July 31 at The Sheldon Concert Hall.

Through The Cedric the Entertainer Charitable Foundation – a partner of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) – he created

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

JAZZ Continued from C1 Mitchell, said as he displayed the album cover on a slide.

The collaboration album was supposed to take place in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.

“But history called for ‘Freedom Now’ sooner rather than later,” Mitchell said.

The album’s creative process was marred by disagreement between the collaborators from the very beginning – mostly because of their contrasting views on the proper path for black people to achieve liberation.

Brown followed the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., while Roach was a Malcolm X man. Things ended with a bitter argument over the difference in doctrine between the two leaders and how they should approach the project.

Roach moved forward with the project. Brown had no idea that Roach proceeded with the album’s recording until he was contacted to contribute his bio for the liner notes.

Although the album wasn’t a critical or commercial success, it was without a doubt groundbreaking.

“Think of jazz as hip-hop.

Think of it as the cool, chic

performance, but they quickly regrouped –mainly because the next act was on stage before they had a chance to let their disappointment marinate.

By the time The G. Unit squad led by 50 Cent settled into their set, Super Jam fans seemed to have forgotten about Young Thug altogether.

The label’s crew powered through a medley of some of the rapper’s most recognizable hits. He was billed as the Effen Vodka Legend Performer.

After an “In Da Club” encore, Rapper (and St. Louis Regular) 2 Chainz took the stage for what was the evening’s best showing.

He’s been to town four times in the past three years, but St. Louis rap fans don’t seem to tire of the Atlanta Rapper’s

catchy “trap” style. The same can be said of the Super Jam 2016 crowd as they rapped along to every word of “All Me,” “Watch Out” and others.

They happily rode with him back to his Playaz Circle days for a taste of “Duffle Bag Boy” and were on their feet for his “Birthday” finale.

As the headliner, Fetty Wap paled in comparison to 2 Chainz for his surprisingly brief performance. Perhaps it was in lieu of time, but maybe not.

The length of the four-song set was underwhelming, but the crowd didn’t seem to grumble as they made their exit.

Maybe because Wap had actually performed just about every hit he had to give.

“Since then there have been many, many albums that speak to social justice. Right now we hit another seminal moment,” Mitchell said. “We had our February 1st, 1960, and we also had our August 9, 2014 with the killing of Michael Brown Jr.” The “die-in” picked up where the sit-in left off.

“What happened is people cried out in Ferguson, and it began an international storm,” Mitchell said. “You see militarized police. You see babies holding signs – just like their great grandmothers did before them – seeking justice.”

Mitchell also pointed to the musical response to Ferguson, highlighting Ferguson native Keyon Harrold’s “MB Lament.”

“The ‘MB’ stands for Michael Brown,” Mitchell said.

“Like Roach, he picked up his instrument to capture his emotion.”

The internationally renowned

C5

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 – 27, 2016

Celebrations Educators honored

Centenarian

Dr. Rance Thomas was recently awarded the Hazelwood School District Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Thomas was a longstanding Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice and Coordinator of the Sociology Program at Lewis & Clark Community College before his retirement in 2002. Dr. Thomas is also the co-founder and President of the North County Churches Uniting for Racial Harmony and Justice (NCCU). From left to right: HSD Board of Education member Karlton Thornton, Dr. Rance Thomas and HSD Board of Education member Dr. Brenda Youngblood.

Reunions All reunion announcements can be viewed online!

Beaumont High School Class of 1976 will have its 40th year reunion September 23-25, 2016. For more detailed information please email bhs1976@swbell.net or Facebook: Beaumont High class of 76.

Beaumont High School, Class of 1978 is organizing

to celebrate our 40th Class Reunion in 2018. For further information, please contact: Marietta Shegog Shelby, 314-799-5296, madeshe@ sbcglobal.net.

Beaumont High Class of 1984 can stay updated via our Facebook page “Beaumont Class of 1984”. We meet the last Friday of every month.

Contact Rochelle Williams at rochellewilliams001@yahoo. com.

East St. Louis Lincoln High Classes of 1966 will celebrate its 50-year reunion August 19 - 21, 2016 at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel in Fairview Hts., Ill. The cost is $100 for classmates and $50 for guests.

A late fee of $25 pp will be

Girls on the Run St. Louis honored Kimberly Berry, a Girls on the Run Head Coach and Kindergarten teacher at Bermuda Elementary in the Ferguson-Florissant School District, with its inaugural Energy Award at the Power of ONE Gala.

Pictured: Kimberly Berry and GOTR Board Vice Chair David Pokorny.

assessed after May 31. Please contact John Cunningham for details and reservations at: 618-692-6610.

East St. Louis Class of 1971 will celebrate its 45-year reunion Sept. 2-4, 2016 at the Casino Queen. For more information, please contact Opal at 314-952-4729, Sandra at 314-249-7295 or Glenda at 618-781-4888 or email timac48@aol.com.

Hadley Technical High School Class of 1961 will celebrate its 55th class reunion, September 16-18, 2016 at the Renaissance Airport Hotel.

For more information, contact Ralph Johnson 477-2042, Shirley Woods 361-5351, or Jeffery Raybon 382-

1875. Send updated contact information to celiajteach@ gmail.com. Our Annual Picnic on Sunday, September 4th at John L. Brown Park, 4300 Calvert Ave 63134 (off Woodson Rd.).

Harrison School All Class Reunion Saturday September 10, 2016, 6:30 pm-10:30 pm at Ambruster Great Hall (6633 Clayton Rd. Tickets are $60 per person.For more info contact; Judy Darris at 314-443-6741, Yolanda Beck at 314-346-8103 or Làshell Tolliver at 314-420-3566.

Ritenour High School Class of 1976 is having its 40th reunion on October 1, 2016. For more information please see our Facebook page,

Happy Birthday to Lizzie Noah, who will celebrate her 100th birthday on July 29! She will celebrate with family and friends on July 30 at the Heritage House.

Ritenour Class of 1976 or email ekbyers58@gmail.com.

Soldan is having its 11th AllClass Alumni Picnic August 13, 2016 at Tiemeyer Park, 3311 Ashby Rd., St. Ann, MO 63074 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

The picnic is free. Bring your own basket or grill. T-Shirts will be sold for $15. For more information call 314-413-9088.

Sumner Class of 1966 50-year reunion is scheduled for August 26-28 at the St. Louis Embassy Suites Hotel located off Lindbergh Blvd.

For complete information, please contact Ida Harris at ezmaxx2@sbcglobal.net or Ella Scott at Els12188@ sbcglobal.net.

FREE OF CHARGE Do you have a celebration you’re proud of? If so we would like to share your good news with our readers.

Whether it’s a birth, wedding, engagement announcement, anniversary, retirement or birthday, send your photos and a brief announcement (50 words or less) to us and we may include it in our paper and website – AT NO COST – as space is available. Photos will not be returned.

Send your announcements to: kdaniel@stlamerican. com or mail to: St. Louis American Celebrations c/o Kate Daniel 2315 Pine St. St. Louis, MO 63103

Reunion notices are free of charge and based on space availability.

We prefer that notices be emailed to us!

However, notices may also be sent by mail to: Kate Daniel, 2315 Pine St., St. Louis, MO 63103 Deadline is 10 a.m. on Friday. If you’d like your class to be featured in a reunion profile, email or mail photos to us.

Our email address is:

reunions@ stlamerican.com

Religion

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 - 27, 2016

C6

We must defend the Black Church Complacency regarding our heritage in the face of vandals is unacceptable

By Rev. Rodrick Burton For The St. Louis American I found out a couple weeks ago via the pastor’s grapevine that another church had been struck by an arsonist. Greater St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church – a neighboring congregation within the 27th Ward in St. Louis, where New Northside Missionary Baptist Church is located – was severely damaged when a duo of vandals (caught on surveillance video) rolled a burning tire into the sanctuary.

Just like that, Pastor Titus Guest Columnist Irving saw years of labor for structural and aesthetic work Rev. go up in smoke. Just like that, Rodrick a church and a pastor, who Burton invested and ministered to a community others had long neglected, went up in smoke. Just like that, a sacred and peaceful refuge for congregants and the community went up in smoke. Just like that, a symbol of our cultural heritage was disrespected, denigrated, and destroyed by suspects who were not white, but black.

This one in a series of assailments is yet another troubling sign illustrating a lack appreciation of our cultural ancestry, the Black Church. An appreciation of this heritage has been reinforced by the many books, lectures, sermons, and classes I have taken or sat through over the years; yet this idea was never more viscerally real to me as to when the church I pastor was struck by an arsonist last October.

The suspect, who awaits trial on the 2015 churches fires, is African-American. Last fall, as I tried to alert the community to this alarming series of events – and it was found that the suspected perpetrator was not a racist extremist, as historically was the case –

Greater St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, 5503 Gilmore, is one of 16 local churches that have been targeted by arson and vandalism. Anyone with evidence regarding these crimes in encouraged to call CrimeStoppers at 866371-TIPS (8447). All calls are anonymous.

suddenly the black community fell silent.

Joe Madison, the Black Eagle, interviewed me on his syndicated satellite radio show and made this telling observation: “The fact that the perpetrator is black is actually more alarming than if he were white, because a line has been crossed. We shouldn’t even want this seed to be in our collective minds that our heritage can be disrespected by one of our own.”

n A symbol of our cultural heritage was disrespected, denigrated, and destroyed by suspects who were not white, but black.

I’ve repeated what he said over and over, and it is why everyone in our community should be outraged and very concerned at the recent string of fires, graffiti and vandalism striking our churches all over this city.

Police analysis of the evidence that the Black Israelites’ beliefs – or someone pretending to hold those beliefs or wanting to smear that group – accounts for the messages being

spray painted on over a dozen churches.

Whoever heard of a Jewish person vandalizing a synagogue? You won’t, because the synagogue represents the Jewish cultural identity. Whether practicing or not, Jewish people respect their heritage.

The Black Church represents the cultural heritage of African Americans. Every advancement, every victory, every sector of African-American life, including music, can be directly tracked through the church.

Our education, once completely outlawed, started in the church. Our only refuge throughout slavery, Reconstruction, the nadir of racism, Jim Crow segregation, Civil Rights Movement days, was and still is the church.

Our people may not attend or support our heritage as in days past, but surely every African American should be in uncontested agreement that no hand of disrespect should be laid against our collective cultural heritage: the church. There should be some things we just don’t do. Attacking our heritage should be one of them.

Anyone with evidence regarding these crimes in encouraged to call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8447). All calls are anonymous.

Rev. Rodrick Burton is pastor of New Northside Missionary Baptist Church.

The Message

I am who God made The concept of freedom has been rattling around in my brain lately. I am focusing on the freedom afforded all of us who claim salvation through Christ.

There is something quite liberating when you know or realize that you have been “set free.” Have you ever thought about what that really means? The word “release” comes to my mind. However you want to describe it, I think the revelation of Jesus as Lord and Savior removes a lot of barriers, obstacles and burdens that we place upon ourselves.

That’s why, I believe, as people initially come to Christ they are overcome by a fresh perspective about life. It’s an enlightened one; one filled with less pressure. I think that’s why folk cry in church when it happens.

“For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1.

The question is: What are you a slave to?

In a very real sense, this type of freedom provides incredible spiritual insight where addictions are overcome, hurt feelings are healed, guilt is removed, and insecurities conquered when Jesus enters the picture. Whatever Columnist you have been enslaved by, you James become freed from.

Washington One of the biggest things that happens when Christ enters your life is that fears are conquered. And if we’re honest with ourselves, we all have fears. I know I do. It can be the fear of being alone, of being without, of being humiliated, ostracized or even the fear of dying. The knowledge of Christ in all of these situations cancels those fears. You are released from them.

That’s what I believe people mean when they say “set free.” That’s how I’ve come to understand real joy in the context of spiritual awareness, i.e., being blood bought and saved. I have been set free from fear, anger, greed, selfishness, self-doubt and even self-hatred. Believe it or not, so have you.

These things have hopefully been replaced with honesty and integrity, hope and truth, confidence, selfworth, the promise of everlasting life and, above all, love. When love is set free within you, life takes on a whole new meaning. You no longer have to live in the shadows of pretense; rather, you can now live in the light of truth.

I can be who I really am, and so can you. Then the world will see you as God sees you and not who you think it ought to see. I am who God made. If that’s good enough for God, then certainly it’s good enough for anyone who wants to deal with me.

THE

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

Career Center ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Experienced multitasker, nonprofit office.

Excellent Benefits Apply at www.crisisnurserykids.org click on Career tab for instructions - EOE

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES Seeking food service worker/cashiers in the St Louis Metro Area. Responsible for prepping food, setting up service lines, serve and or work computerized cashier station. Help clean up.

5 hrs per day, Mon-Fri. No benefits Please e-mail your resume to npullen@fspro.com

NOW HIRING Lead Teachers for the Pre-K, Older Toddlers, and Infant classes. CDA or 9 ECE college credits required. Will consider those working towards CDA. Qualified applicants e-mail your resume to goodshepherdjobs@yahoo.com or call 314-725-5710.

CITY OF KIRKWOOD, MO.

SANITATION WORKER

Original Friendship M.B. Church is seeking a Pastor. Must be able to demonstrate pastoral leadership. The deadline is August 31, 2016.

Submit resumes with references.

P.O. Box 150307 St. Louis, MO. 63115 or e-mail ofmbchurch@yahoo.com

“JANITORIAL” Full, Part-Time positions, background check.Steady work history for 3-5 years preferred. MUST apply in person at 314 N. Jefferson at Olive. Monday - Friday 9A to 5P. Two forms of I.D.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, Inc., a non-profit law firm that provides free legal assistance to persons living with low income/low opportunity, seeks a Program Director and an Outreach and Enrollment Specialist for its Connecting Kids to Coverage program. For more information on how to apply visit our website at www.lsem.org.

Application deadline is July 31, 2016.

POLICE OFFICER

Visit us today at www.stlamerican.com

ASSEMBLY JOBS

Turn Your Social Media into a

Window mfg. co. has assembly jobs now!

Temp-to-perm, 1st shift, 40 hr/wk, mid-Stl For info email County. Tape measure & power tool skills and 75# Adasane200@gmail.com lifting req’d. $10.00/hr, Nextemps Staffing, Now hiring 314-727-1060, Jerry.

EVENING CNAS Search Nextemps on (1:45 pm - 10 pm) craigslist.

MECHANICAL MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN Explore St. Louis seeks a Mechanical Maintenance Technician for the America’s Center complex (including Cervantes Convention Center and the Dome Stadium).

Duties include: maintaining HVAC & refrigeration systems; servicing the plumbing system; and repairing & maintaining machinery (i.e. engines/motors/conveyor systems). High school diploma and 1yr certificate from a trade or technical school, or 1 to 2 yrs related experience and/or training is required. This position is part of the bargaining unit represented by IUOE Local 148. Participation (membership/fair share) in said union is a requirement. Must be able to work a flexible schedule including nights/weekends/holidays.

Email resume & cover letter to jobs@explorestlouis.com

CASH MACHINE.

Apply in person at Big Bend Woods Healthcare 110 Highland Ave. Valley Park, MO

HANDYMAN

314-298-7002

314-575-2665

Landlord would like to hire experienced Hiring home health handyman. & personal care aides $8- $10/hr depending Call, on experience.

City of Wentzville Police Department Benefits, bonuses!

POLICE OFFICER Weekly pay. Hometime $21.55 per hour varies. Haul food grade Plus excellent benefits flour or cement. Good To apply, visit driving record, CDL-A. www.wentzvillemo.org E.O.E. 319-754-1944 x112

DRIVERS:

The City of Richmond Heights is accepting applications for the full-time position, Recreation Assistant--Aquatics & Sports.

Apply at www.richmondheights.applicantpro.com/jobs/.

Position open until filled. EOE

REMODELING TECH Basic carpentry & general construction.

Able to lift 80 lbs.

Good Pay & Hours.

Call for appt.

314-450-8011

Need an apartment?

See page C9.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Eden Theological Seminary seeks an Administrative Assistant for Academic Programs. Responsibilities include clerical and adminstrative support for academic programs working with the adminstrator, faculty, students and staff. Skills required include collegiality, hospitality/reception, communication, collaboration, and capacity to work within Microsoft Office suite. 20 Hours/Week.

Email letter and resume to dstauffer@eden.edu.

NO PHONE CALLS OR WALK INS! EOE.

EOE

Job Announcement

www.stlamerican.com

Full-Time CITY OF OLIVETTE - MPCCF Certified Candidates MUST be POST Certified and have a minimum of 60 hours college. Must work rotating shifts. Duties include, but are not limited to, Patrol, Traffic Enforcement, Enforcement of State and Local Laws.

Starting Salary $54,000.

Apply in person: Olivette Police Department, 9473 Olive Blvd., Olivette, MO 63132 or www.OlivetteMO.com Deadline: Friday, August 5, 2016 at 5PM

www.stlamerican.com

The Missouri State Employees' Retirement System (MOSERS) is recruiting a customer service focused individual for a highly responsible Benefit Counselor position. This position calculates and verifies new retirement benefits and counsels members on retirement, long-term disability, and life insurance benefits.

Counselors interact with members in person, over the phone, in writing and apply complex statutory language and contractual provisions daily. Must possess a bachelor’s degree and 3 years of professional or technical experience in benefit administration, customer relations, insurance, personnel administration, or closely related field. Significant experience in public pension field may be subbed for degree requirement. Anticipated salary $40,500 - $50,000, depending on qualifications.

Qualified candidates apply online at www.mosers.org by Monday, August 1, 2016.

To learn more about MOSERS and the position, www.mosers.org.

EOE:M/F/V/D.

HOME HEALTHCARE

RECREATION ASSISTANT

POLICE OFFICER

BENEFIT COUNSELOR

C7

JULY 21 - 27, 2016

www.stlamerican.com

The City of Eureka (population approximately 11,000) is accepting applications for a full-time Police Officer. There is no application deadline, and interviews will be conducted periodically until the position is filled. Application and job description available at Eureka Police Dept., 120 City Hall Dr., Eureka, MO and on the City's website at www.eureka.mo.us. Starting salary is $40,000.00, plus excellent benefits.

For additional information, call 636-938-6600 (Relay Missouri: 1-800-735-2466).

The City of Eureka is an EOE/ADA employer.

GULLY TRANSPORTATION CDL A – 1 Year Experience Nightly Turn and Regional Positions Available!!

INCREASED PAY AND BENEFIT PACKAGE!!Call Sarah! 877-722-8980

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

www.stlamerican.com

Collect and transport waste, refuse and recycling from streets, dumpsters and backyards using hydraulic system on refuse truck. Must be available to work 3 to 5 days/week, starting at 6:30 a.m., including holidays and weekends.

CDL Class B with air brakes required. Class A preferred with 1-3 years driving experience. $17.28/hour. Fulltime & Part-time opportunities available. Call 314-984-6975 for an application or apply online at: www.kirkwoodmo.org. EOE

PASTOR

•

THE

PASTOR Pleasant Green MB Church

DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT

The Pleasant Green M.B. Church is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Pastor.

Preference will be given to candidates with 5 or more years in ministry, earned degree from an accredited seminary, and a strong record of biblically based teaching and preaching.

Effective leadership, as well as oral and written communications skills a plus.

Send resume and cover letter to Pulpit Committee, Pleasant Green MB Church, P.O. Box 2244, St. Louis, MO 63109 No phone calls please

Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (CAM) Position Description The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (CAM) seeks a detail-oriented, organized, and thoughtful Development Assistant. Thisis a critical position within the museum’s Development Department, which is responsible for a $3 million annual operating budget and a growing $6 million endowment.

This position oversees the Museum’s donor database and day-to-day management of the membership process. Reporting to the Director of Development, the Development Assistant works in close collaboration with other members of the Development team and other Museum departments.

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL MISSOURI,

POLICE OFFICER This position is located in Warrensburg, MO. The position offers retirement through the State’s MOSERS system and many other benefits including health, vision, and dental.

The starting pay for this position is $15.29/hr for applicants that currently hold the proper POST license. Options are available including attending a department provided police academy at a reduced pay rate of $13.12/hr while in the academy. This position does require a Bachelor’s degree. For full details and requirements visit: jobs.ucmo.edu.

This is a full-time position with competitive salary and benefits package.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE RELATIONS & DEVELOPMENT University Advancement Full Time

The University of Central Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer and specifically invites applications from women, minorities, veteran status and people with disabilities.

HIRING FAIR

Primary Responsibilities: • Develops relationships with employers, industry representatives and Tuesday, July 26, 2016 other industry contacts that raise the profile of the university in the 10:00 am – 2:00 pm St. Louis region and grow experiential learning opportunities for students YWCA St. Louis Head Start Overland Center and faculty 2210 N. Warson • Communicates regularly with academic units on campus and with St. Louis, MO 63114 campus-based Career Services personnel to provide information on partnership, employment and experiential learning opportunities located Thursday, July 28, 2016 in the St. Louis region 10:00 am – 2:00 pm • Creates a comprehensive outreach strategy to promote and grow YWCA St. Louis Head Start Pagedale Center Southeast Online, to include the development of partnership agreements 1436 Ferguson with employers throughout the institution’s service area St. Louis, MO 63133 • Establishes a prospect pool of donors and participate in the moves management process by identifying, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding alumni, friends, corporate partners, foundations or other external Head Start Teacher supporters for the betterment of the University Early Head Start Teacher • Participates in the University’s comprehensive campaigns and other Nutrition Aide funding initiatives as required For complete listing of vacancies and additional • Plans and coordinates events or activities to increase the engagement of information about the positions listed, visit our alumni residing in the St. Louis region website at www.ywcastlouis.org • Represents the University and Advancement Division as necessary at appropriate events

Available positions:

ASSISTANT MOTOR CARRIER SERVICES DIRECTOR The Missouri Department of Transportation has a vacancy for an Assistant Motor Carrier Services Director at its Central Office in Jefferson City, Missouri. This director position is responsible for leading motor carrier services functions related to administration, customer service, and financial operations; assists in setting the direction for the division, and acts as director in the director's absence.

Successful candidates will possess a bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, accounting, computer information systems, public administration, or related field.

Nine years of experience in analyzing data, researching trends, and developing reports is required.

We offer an excellent benefits package. To view the entire job description, and to apply on-line, please visit www.modot.org/jobs. The deadline to apply for this position is August 4, 2016.

EEO/AA

Required Qualifications: • Bachelor’s degree • Three years of progressive experience and demonstrated record of success in resource development, marketing, business development, public relations, or not-for-profit fundraising • Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills • Ability to manage multiple projects and work collaboratively • Proven ability to create and nurture productive working partnerships internally and externally • Strong analytical and technical aptitude with an attention to detail • Ability to maintain confidentiality • Knowledge of electronic and technical media and Microsoft Office software • Ability to travel and willingness to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends • Demonstrated experience and understanding of sales and customer service • Demonstrated commitment to a diverse work environment, including working with multi-cultural populations and an understanding of, and sensitivity to, issues affecting women and minorities Application Deadline: To ensure full consideration, application materials must be received by July 29, 2016. The position will remain open until filled.

To Apply: Applications must submitted online by visiting, http://agency.governmentjobs.com/semoedu/default.cfm. Candidates will need to upload a letter of interest addressing all position qualifications, resume, and the names and contact information of three professional references in order for application materials to be complete.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER

Administrative • Responsible for accurate and timely data entry and data management, including: o Contact reports and prospect status updates o Gift entry and tracking o Acknowledgement of gifts o Pledge payments • Manage direct mail strategy: planning, implementation, and follow-up Membership • Responsible for planning and implementation of membership program, including: o Management of membership renewal process o Identification, cultivation, and solicitation of New and Renewed Members up to the Contributor level ($1 – $250) o Provide training, support, and supervision of Visitor Service Associates’ membership sales Events Management and Support • Responsible for design, planning, and support of membership-related events, including: o Exhibition Patron Previews o Breakfast with the Curators o First Fridays events o Take 5 Adult Education programs o Monthly Stroller Tours and Playdates • Assist with planning, management, and execution of major fundraising events, including the Annual Gala, art auctions, and cultivation events, among others QUALIFICATIONS • Some fundraising experience with demonstrated skills in effective inter personal communications • Knowledge of donor database software; Raisers’ Edge experience strongly preferred • Non-for-profit experience a plus • Excellent customer service skills • Ability to establish effective relationships with volunteers, staff, visitors, members, and prospects • High degree of critical thinking and attention to detail • Positive attitude and ability to work well collaboratively • Ability to maintain strict confidentiality regarding donor records and information • Available to travel throughout the area and work some evenings and weekends • Bachelor’s degree required Applicants for this position should submit their materials via email to Valerie Rudy-Valli at vvalli@camstl.org

"We have received some great responses. It is a great paper and I am seeing it more and more places."

-Wendi B. Recruiting Manager Seniors Home Care, LLC

THE

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

Bids & Public Notices

C8

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BID Goodwin Bros. Construction Co. is requesting subcontract bids and/or material quotations from qualifying minority and women’s business enterprises for relevant phases of work for Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District, Re-Bid Lemay Channel Aeration Blowers Contract Letting No. 12496-015.1. Interested parties should contact the Goodwin Office at (636)931-6084. A pre-bid meeting will be held at our office at 1766 Highway 61 South, Crystal City, MO 63019 at 8:00 am on July 20, 2016.

Subcontractor/Supplier bids are due August 3, 2016 at 5:00 p.m.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

for Replace Roof, Rehabilitation Center Building, St. Louis Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center, St. Louis, Missouri, Project No. M1602-01 will be received

by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 8/25/2016. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

www.stlamerican.com

SEALED BIDS

METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS SEWER DISTRICT Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District will receive sealed bids in the Purchasing Division, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2555 until 10:00am August 10, 2016 for Purchase of: PUMP Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from www.stlmsd.com - click on “MSD At Work”, then “Bidding on Projects”. The bid document will be identified as 6550 RFQ. If you do not have access to the internet, call (314) 768-6314 to request a copy of this bid.

The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Notice is hereby given that The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (District) will receive sealed bids for LARKIN LANE 24 STORM SEWER REPLACEMENT (IR) under Letting No. 11985-015.1, at this office, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103, until 02:00 PM on Thursday, August 11, 2016, at a place designated.

Bids will be received only from companies that are pre-qualified by the District’s Engineering Department for: SEWER CONSTRUCTION – St. Louis County drainlayer’s license required Plans and Specifications are available for free electronic download. Please go to MSD’s website and look for a link to “ELECTRONIC PLANROOM.” Plans and Specifications are also available for viewing or purchase at Cross Rhodes Reprographics located at 1710 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis MO 63110. All bidders must obtain a set of plans and specifications in order to submit a bid in the name of the entity submitting the bid.

The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

www.stlamerican.com

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Notice is hereby given that The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (District) will receive sealed bids for Brightwell I/I Reduction (PIR) Storm Sewer under Letting No. 12477-015.1, at this office, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103, until 02:00 PM on Friday, August 12, 2016, at a place designated.

Bids will be received only from companies that are pre-qualified by the District’s Engineering Department for: SEWER CONSTRUCTION – St. Louis County drainlayer’s license required Plans and Specifications are available for free electronic download. Please go to MSD’s website and look for a link to “ELECTRONIC PLANROOM.” Plans and Specifications are also available for viewing or purchase at Cross Rhodes Reprographics located at 1710 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis MO 63110. All bidders must obtain a set of plans and specifications in order to submit a bid in the name of the entity submitting the bid.

The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Notice is hereby given that The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (District) will receive sealed bids for Everman-Tennyson Storm Sewer under Letting No. 11036-015.1, at this office, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103, until 02:00 PM on Wednesday, August 17, 2016, at a place designated.

Bids will be received only from companies that are pre-qualified by the District’s Engineering Department for: SEWER CONSTRUCTION – St. Louis County drainlayer’s license required Plans and Specifications are available for free electronic download. Please go to MSD’s website and look for a link to “ELECTRONIC PLANROOM.” Plans and Specifications are also available for viewing or purchase at Cross Rhodes Reprographics located at 1710 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis MO 63110. All bidders must obtain a set of plans and specifications in order to submit a bid in the name of the entity submitting the bid.

The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS East-West Gateway is seeking submittals from consultants to complete a conceptual planning study of three MetroLink corridors in St. Louis County. Submittals are due no later than 1:00 p.m. on August 19, 2016. Submittal details and specifications can be obtained at www.ewgateway.org or by calling 314-421-4220 ext. 263.

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Notice is hereby given that The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (District) will receive sealed bids for N Castello 1170 and 1190 Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) under Letting No. 12646-015.1, at this office, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103, until 02:00 PM on Wednesday, August 31, 2016, at a place designated.

Bids will be received only from companies that are pre-qualified by the District’s Engineering Department for: SEWER CONSTRUCTION – St. Louis County drainlayer’s license required Plans and Specifications are available for free electronic download. Please go to MSD’s website and look for a link to “ELECTRONIC PLANROOM.” Plans and Specifications are also available for viewing or purchase at Cross Rhodes Reprographics located at 1710 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis MO 63110. All bidders must obtain a set of plans and specifications in order to submit a bid in the name of the entity submitting the bid.

The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

JULY 21 - 27, 2016

BOARD MEMBER ELECTION

Conceptual Planning Study

www.stlamerican.com

•

THE

The Castle Point Street Light District will hold an election for three (3) Board Members on Tuesday, November 1, 2016 for the purpose of maintaining and operating street lights.

Candidates wishing to file a declaration, must appear in person at the St. Louis County Library - Lewis & Clark Branch to file a ‘Declaration of Candidacy’. Candidate filing opens 3:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. on July 21 and Aug. 8, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.2016. Filing period closes Aug 8, 8:30 p.m. 2016. Identification required: (Missouri Drivers License or Missouri State ID.) 6-year term, 4-year term, 2-year term, highest to lowest votes

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS BANKING SERVICES RFP No. HASLC-16-P-30 The Housing Authority of St. Louis County, 8865 Natural Bridge, St. Louis, MO 63121 a nonprofit entity, is seeking bid proposals from qualified banking institutions to provide Banking Services.

Copies of the RFP and proposal documents may be obtained at no cost by qualified entities by writing or faxing for proposal packages to: Purchasing Department at 8865 Natural Bridge, St. Louis, MO 63121; phone: 314-227-3122 fax: 314-429-0742. RFP documents may also be picked-up in person at the above address, Monday-Friday from 8:30 AM to 5 PM beginning 7/25/2016.

Proposals are due no later than 8/18/2016 by 3:30 p.m. local time.

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS Conceptual Design Study East-West Gateway is seeking submittals from consultants to complete a conceptual design study of the Northside-Southside MetroLink corridor. Submittals are due no later than 1:00 p.m. on August 19, 2016. Submittal details and specifications can be obtained at www.ewgateway.org or by calling 314-421-4220 ext. 263.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, on behalf of the St. Louis Critical Technology Corporation, issues a Request for Proposals for a Website and Mobile Application Design. The RFP will be available upon execution of a non-disclosure agreement. For more information including an electronic version of the non-disclosure agreement, please see our website at https://main.stlpartnership.com/ requestforproposals.html

METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS SEWER DISTRICT Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is accepting proposals in the Purchasing Division, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2555 until 10:00 a.m. on August 18th, 2016 to contract with a company for: Structured Data Cabling Services.

Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from www.stlmsd.com, click on the “MSD AT WORK” link, (bid opportunities). The bid document will be identified as 6559 RFP. If you do not have access to the internet, call 314.768.2735 to request a copy of this bid.

The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The Lemay Child and Family Center, at 9828 South Broadway Saint Louis Missouri, is requesting bids from qualified firms for construction services associated with the sitework, for their proposed Outdoor Learning Center Exterior Improvement Project. The scope of work for this portion of the work will include layout, swpp, excavation, grading, area drains, MSD water quality, concrete, backfill ect.

Interested parties should contact Denise Wiese by email at dwiese@lemaychildandfamily.org.

Upon request Denise will send interested parties a detailed invitation to bid, project plans and specifications, scope of services and other documents necessary for a complete proposal submission. Interested parties must request bid documents by July 28th 2016 with bids due at the Lemay Child and Family Center by 3:00pm on August 18nd 2016. Bids will be privately opened by selected Lemay Child and Family River City Construction, L.L.C., 6640 American Setter Drive, Ashland Center board members. No bid bond or Missouri, 65010, (573) 657-7380 (Phone)(573) 657-7381 (Fax) Is Seeking performance and payment bonds are required. Qualified Small, Disadvantaged, Minority, And Women’s Businesses For The Missouri University Of Science And Technology Schrenk Hall Phase II Renovation In Rolla, MO For The Subcontracting Opportunities In The CITY OF BELLEFONTAINE NEIGHBORS, Following Areas: Selective Demolition, Site Work, Paving, Concrete, MISSOURI Masonry, Metals, Structural Steel, Carpentry, Finish Carpentry, Thermal And Moisture Protection, Doors And Frames, Glazing, Specialties, The City of Bellefontaine Neighbors is entertaining bids for an editor for the production Flooring, Drywall, Equipment, Furnishings, Plumbing, Electrical, Fire Protection, Hvac, Communications, Security. All Interested And Qualified of an 8-12 page quarterly (November, 2016; February, 2017; May, 2017; and August 2017) Small, Disadvantaged, Minority And Women’s Businesses Should Contact, In Writing, (Certified Letter, Return Receipt Requested) Cody Gerdes Or newsletter for delivery to the residents of the Eric Bursott To Discuss The Subcontracting Opportunities. All City of Bellefontaine Neighbors.

Negotiations Must Be Completed Prior To The Bid Opening Bid Date Of Specs can be requested from the City Clerk, 8/11/2016 @ 2:00 Pm. Proposals Will Be Evaluated In Order On The Basis Deni Donovan, by calling 314-867-0076 or Of Low Responsive Bid Received. Proof Of MBE/WBE/DBE Certification going to the City’s website at Must Be Submitted With The Bid. www.cityofbn.com (Bidding and Contracting).

Please bring your bid packet to City Hall or mail to: City of Bellefontaine Neighbors, 9641 All rights reserved; common-law copyright of trade-name/trademark Bellefontaine Road, St. Louis, MO 63137, Elivinias Gypsy, Clower ©, an original expression created on or about ATTN: Deni Donovan; or via email August 02 1964, with all rights reserved, held by Elivinias Gypsy, Clower. ddonovan@cityofbn.com. for the Elivinias Gypsy, Clower. hereinafter Trust, Saint Louis, Missouri.

Bids should be in by 4:00 pm on August 12th, Said common-law trade-name/trade-mark may not be used, printed, 2016. An Equal Opportunity Employer. duplicated, reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, neither in whole nor in part, nor in any manner whatsoever, without the prior, express, written consent and acknowledgement of the Trust, hereinafter “Secured Party.”

Deni Donovan With the intent of being contractually bound, any juristic person, as well as City Clerk the agent of said juristic person, assents, consents, and agrees that neither said juristic person, nor the agent of said juristic person, shall display, nor otherwise use in any manner, the common-law trade-name/trade-mark, nor the common-law copyright described herein, nor any derivative, variation, Notice is hereby given that The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (District) will receive and/or spelling and printing of Elivinias Gypsy Clower, including and not sealed bids for Murat Dr 10585 Sanitary limited to all derivatives, variations in the spelling, abbreviating, upper/ Sewer (IR) under Letting No. 12636-015.1, at lower case rendering and writing of said trade-name/trade-mark. Secured this office, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Party neither assents, nor consents, nor agrees with, nor grants, nor implies Missouri 63103, until 02:00 PM on Tuesday, any authorization for, any unauthorized use of tradename/trade-mark, and all August 30, 2016, at a place designated. unauthorized use is strictly prohibited. Mutual Assent Implied and Express Bids will be received only from companies that Contract Executed by Unauthorized Use of Secured Party’s Common are pre-qualified by the District’s Engineering Law-Copyrighted Property; Self-Executing Security Agreement in Event of Department for: Unauthorized Use of Secured Party’s Common Law-Copyrighted Property: SEWER CONSTRUCTION – St. Louis By these terms, both the person and the agent of said person engaging in County drainlayer’s license required unauthorized use of copyrighted property, hereinafter jointly referred to as the “Interloper” does assent, consent, and agree that any use of the Plans and Specifications are available for free tradename/trade-mark, except the authorized use as set above constitutes electronic download. Please go to MSD’s unauthorized use, unauthorized reproduction, copyright infringement, and website and look for a link to “ELECTRONIC PLANROOM.” Plans and Specifications are also counterfeiting, of Secured Party’s common-law copyrighted property, is available for viewing or purchase at Cross contractually binding upon said Third Party Interloper, securing an interest Rhodes Reprographics located at 1710 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis MO 63110. All bidders must in said Interloper’s assets, land, and personal property for equal obtain a set of plans and specifications in order consideration and not less than $1,000,000.00, based on the estimated value to submit a bid in the name of the entity of the secured trade-name/trade-mark at the time of this notice. Any person submitting the bid. claiming an adverse interest, challenging, or rebutting the rights of the Secured Party may write to the Trust in care of: 225 St. Louis Ave. # 10951, The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an St. Louis Missouri, 63135-9998, nondomestic/without the USA. Equal Opportunity Employer.

Need a quote?

E-mail your text to

vmedina@stlamerican.com

NOTICE TO SMALL (SBE), DISADVANTAGED (DBE), MINORITY (MBE), AND WOMEN’S (WBE) BUSINESSES

NOTICE

REQUEST FOR BIDS Contegra Construction Company, LLC, 22 Gateway Commerce Center Drive W, Suite 110, Edwardsville, IL 62025, O-618-931-3500, F-618-931-3535 will be submitting bids on the following Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) project: (Rebid) Lemay WWTF Channel Aeration Blowers-12496015.1, bid date 8/04/16. We are requesting bids from qualified Minority Business Enterprises (MBE) on this project to help in our effort to meet or exceed the 30% goal set forth in MSD’s MBE utilization program. MBE firms interested in bidding are encouraged to contact Joe Koenig (ext. 106) for more information regarding subcontracting opportunities.

SEALED BIDS

SEALED BIDS

for for Uniterruptible Replace Power Supply & Membrane Air Conditioning Roof System, Replacement, College View State Lottery School, Joplin, Headquarters, Missouri, Project Jefferson No. E1603-01 will City, MO 65102, be received Project No.

by FMDC, State N1602-01 will be of MO, UNTIL received by FMDC, 1:30 PM, State of MO, 8/18/2016. For UNTIL 1:30 PM, specific project 8/11/2016. information For specific and ordering project information plans, go and ordering plans, to: go to: http://oa.mo.gov/ http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities facilities

INVITATION FOR BIDS Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority of the County of St. Louis (“LCRA”) is soliciting bids from qualified firms for the construction of a water well on property consisting of sub-parcels in St. Louis County, Missouri, located at 7100 & 7120 North Market Street and 6823 & 6825 St. Charles Rock Road. The work generally consists of assessing the site for an electric pump-operated water well, as well as excavation of the well and installation of the pump and piping.

LCRA will accept sealed bids for the work at 7733 Forsyth Blvd., Suite 2300, Clayton, MO 63105, Attn: Rebecca Donnelly until Friday, August 5, 2016 at 3:00 p.m., at which time and place bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. DBE, MBE, and WBE firms are encouraged to bid.

Bid documents may be obtained from the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership’s web site at www.stlpartnership.com. LCRA reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive informalities therein. Any questions should be directed to Rebecca Donnelly, St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, at (314) 615-7663 or rdonnelly@stlpartnership.com.

St. Louis Economic Development Partnership Equal Opportunity Employer

COPYRIGHT NOTICE:

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Visit our website www.stlamerican.com Click Classifieds to find a great career & the perfect living space!

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS DEVELOPMENT PARTNER FOR NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION AT LA SAISON SOLICITATION NO. RD 16-04 The St. Louis Housing Authority (SLHA) is seeking Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) proposals from developers of affordable housing to plan, finance, construct, market and sell 10 single-family, for-sale homes on sites already owned by SLHA. Pre-existing construction plans for model homes are available for use. The desired outcome is a development which blends into the surrounding areas and create additional for-sale housing. SLHA contemplates providing homeownership opportunities to low, moderate, middle-income and market rate families within the “La Saison” neighborhood. The La Saison community is bordered on the west by 13th Street and 14th Street, Rutger and Hickory Streets on the north, Tucker on the east and Park Avenue to the south. The project lots are buildable and have infrastructure improvements already installed.

SLHA can offer approximately $814,000 of public funds that can be used as a construction loan or to subsidize buyers whose income is below 80% of AMI (Average Median Income). The developer is expected to obtain other private or public sources to finance the development.

Solicitation documents will be available at no charge beginning Monday, July 18, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. from the SLHA Development Department, 3520 Page Blvd., 2nd Floor, St. Louis, MO 63106.

A Pre-Proposal Conference will be held on Wednesday, July 27, 2016, at 3:00 p.m. (Local Time), at the SLHA Central Office. SLHA will answer questions and/or provide clarifications as they relate to the requirements of the proposal. Attendance at the Pre-Proposal Conference is not mandatory; however, participation is strongly encouraged.

Please direct all inquiries regarding this solicitation to the following contact(s): Christopher White, Chief Development Officer, (314) 286-4269; Email: cwhite@slha.org or Fran Bruce, Development and Planning Coordinator, (314) 286-4365; Email fbruce@slha.org.

The SLHA will receive sealed proposals for this solicitation in the Development Department of the SLHA at the above address until 3:00 p.m. (local time) Monday, August 8, 2016. Proposals received after the closing date and time will not be considered.

All offerors must comply with MBE/WBE and Section 3 requirements.

The SLHA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Cheryl A. Lovell Executive Director

THE

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

Real Estate & Rentals ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

ROOMS FOR RENT North City Clean, cable utils included, off bus line $105/wk

FOR RENT

LARGE 2 BR with small 3rm 40XX Lexington 2nd Fl Refrigerator/Stove Move-In Ready Now $550/ mo

Natural Bridge!

Affordable 2 bedroom, appliances, frosty a/c, w/d hookups, walk-in closet, storage, neat & clean! $475

rs-stl.com AHNAA 314-200-0014

314-575-6633 314-792-4183 FOR RENT 1 BR

2 BR 1 BA and full basement, c/a, ADT alarm system & garage 69XX Lexington Ave, 63121, $800/mo + Dep

314-389-6726

South City!

Private 2 bedroom house, full basement, fenced yard, appliances included, pets allowed, ready to rent! $575

rs-stl.com AHNAC 314-200-0014

1220 Warren Senior over age 55 & eligible handicapped individual1 bedroom apt. Income base.

Electric included call

314-436-0733

South County!

Starting at $100/wk

FURNISHED ROOMS Bargain 1 bedroom, kitchen appliances, FOR RENT central air, washer/dryer St. Louis City & North Co. included, hardwood 1-4 BRs homes & apt floors, ready now! $425 Near bus line & Metrolink

ROOM FOR RENT North City

314-397-1542

314-942-3400

call after 5pm

rs-stl.com AHM99 314-200-0014

$450/MO Fully furnished, internet Elec, gas, cable & phone Singl men receiving SSI Accepted easy access to public transportation

Apartments has one and two bedrooms apartments for rent and is section 8 approved, please call us at

HOUSE FOR RENT Potential Free Rent!

5758 TERRY @ GOODFELLOW 2ndND FL, AC, CEILING FANS, STOVE, FRIG, MINI BLINDS,CURTAINS, PRIVATE WASHER & DRYER, STORAGE AREA,OFF STREET PARKING, HIGH GLOSS FLOORING. WELL LIGHTED. SECTION-8 WELCOME. $500.00 PER MONTH, $400.00 DEPOSIT. 314-276-0593

ROOMS FOR RENT

POPLAR GARDEN

$300.00 OFF THE FIRST FULL MONTH OF RENT. Blue Fountain Apartments has 1 and 2 Bedrooms and is Section 8 approved.

Now offering senior discounts!!!

Please call for an appointment today 314-942-3400.

We are located at 819 Gustav Ave off of North Broadway in Baden.

PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC HOUSING WAIT LIST OPENING

Very nice Large Room $125/wk + Dep. Near bus line, nice neighborhood Employed Single Male Occupancy

314-761-5400

314-558-1397 COLD A/C 45XX Athlone Newly finished 2 story 2BR, townhouse (6rms) stove & fridge $575/mo

314-910-0482 314-910-0433

5200 Block of Palm

VERY NICE APTS.

$125/wk

New Unit $375/mo

314-267-7757

314-718-0642

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James House Apartments – 0/1 bedroom, 4310 St. Ferdinand, 63113 (314)535-3399 Euclid Plaza Apartments – 2 bedroom, 5310 N Euclid, 63115 (314)382-9211 Accepting pre-applications online at www.slha.org beginning July 26, 2016 at 8:00a.m. and closing 12:00a.m. July 28, 2016 Applicants with disabilities that need assistance in completing an online application or who do not have access to a computer can be accommodated at 4310 St. Ferdinand or SLHA Corporate Office located at 3520 Page from 8:00a.m to 5:00p.m. on July 26th and July 27th

Winter Garden Apts.

MARK TWAIN HOTEL

2BR Available TODAY for qualified applicant 62+ and/or disabled Sec. 8 housing avail, income restrictions apply. ADA. Pet friendly, gated, near Metro Link 5708 Kingsbury Place St. Louis, MO 63112

Summer discounts avail.

314-925-9406 TTY 800-735-2966 Equal Housing Opportunity

Professionally Managed by NHPMN Management, LLC

HOUSES & APTS

Sec 8 Welcome

2-3-4-5 bdrms North City City Sect 8 OK

North City 1 BR Apts., 5 & 6 BR

rs-stl.com AHM98 314-200-0014

APTS. & HOUSES FOR RENT

314-772-4563

314-421-2980 (Downtown)

Centrally Located & Connected to Metro and Buses, Short Term Weekly RentalsNo credit check $110.50 and up per week (utilities and Housekeeping svcs included) Other terms and conditions may apply.

*private & shared homes

314-793-8129

Single family homes

314-518-5898

North City!

Family style 3 bed, 2 bath house, finished basement, central air, thermal windows, fenced yard! only $650

rs-stl.com AHNAE 314-200-0014

ATTENTION!

PRIVATE BATH & KITCHEN

C9 South City!

Private 1 bedroom, all appliances, central air, extra storage, carpet & tile, pets ok, w/d hookups! only $385

APARTMENT FOR RENT 2BR, 1BA, completely re-decorated, new carpet.

North City!

Updated 1 bedroom apartment, cold a/c, fenced yard, kitchen appliances, ready to rent! only $375

rs-stl.com AHM97 314-200-0014

314-389-1804 314-346-1302

rs-stl.com AHM96 314-200-0014

ROOMS FOR RENT

South City!

ROOMS FOR RENT

Custom 3 bed, 1.5 bath Centrally located newly house, finished remodeled shared house basement, central air, $135/wk + Dep,washer fenced yard, dishwasher, & dryer, cable, internet, fireplace, pets! $750 all utils. included. rs-stl.com

314-741-1951 leave a message.

AHNAF 314-200-0014

Good heating and cooling. Fully furnished & Cable

314-484-3147 314-240-9677

www.stlamerican.com APARTMENT FOR RENT Very Spacicous 4BR 2BA stove, fridge.

Union & Delmar Area

$775/mo

314-532-9891

FURNISHED KITCHENETTES FOR RENT

$149/wk & up!

314-575-2665

(Nothing Like Your Own)

FOR RENT 1 & 2 bd. garden style starting at $507.00 & 2 bd. duplexes $683.00 Full basements w/ washers & dryers in all duplexes Some utilities paid Terrific onsite management & maintenance!!!

1ST MONTH Call us today 314.869.3400 FREE

Major bus lines

OFFENDER

South City!

314-629-5051

MOVE-IN SPECIAL $850 56XX Terry 3 bdrm house Alarm, deck, fenced back yard Call

South City!

Spacious 2 bedroom, APPROVED central air, kitchen HOMES appliances, thermal WAITING LIST IS OPEN windows, hardwoods, *home confinement pets, extra storage! $525 *state & federal home plans

618-501-3361 Loaded 1 bedroom, appliances, central air, hardwood floors, w/d hookups, privacy fence, enclosed porch! $400

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

JULY 21 - 27, 2016

rs-stl.com AHNAB 314-200-0014

314-262-0792

APT FOR RENT

Couples welcome

bus line a/c, washer & dryer $100/wk+ $100 Deposit

All Utils & Cable Included

Page Ave!

ROOMS FOR RENT MEN & WOMEN

North Side Page & Whittier

Looking for a few great tenants Sec. 8 welcome with open arms.

All-electric 3 bedroom, hardwood floors, frosty a/c, ceiling fans, lawn care included, recently updated! $600

rs-stl.com AHNAD 314-200-0014

FURNISHED ROOM FOR RENT

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THE

www.stlamerican.com

Rolling Hills Apts.

1Br @ $405/mo 2Br @ $505/mo Extensive Renovations, Stove, Refrigerator, AC, gas & elec., App Fee $25; 1sm pet allowed, nearby schools, shops, businesses & parks; laundry facility, park-like setting; credit friendly, rent credit special Call

(314) 869-5033

for further details.

8869 Maya Lane, St. Louis MO 63136

HOPEWELL

SENIOR VILLAGE 62 YEARS & OLDER 4558 McMillan

1 Bedrooms *Coded entry system *Free Gated Parking *Small pets allowed *Includes appliances & utilities.

Please call 314.371.1227 Rent based upon 30% of adjusted income.

Park Place Apts A Senior Community Now Accepting Apps!

62+ Sec 8 housing avail, income restr. apply 1-bdrm apts, A/C, on-site laundry Free gas/water/trash 4399 Forest Park Blvd St. Louis, MO 63108

314-925-9405 TTY 800-735-2966 Equal Housing Opportunity

Professionally Managed by NHPMN Management, LLC

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: Advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, imitation, or discrimination because of race,color, religion, sex, handicap, familial\status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference,limitation, or discrimination.

“We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.”

Call Vida at 314-289-5406 to place your rental/real estate ad today!

SERVICE DIRECTORY 314-289-5406 Need to sell your car, furniture, clothes or motorcycle? Place an ad in the Service Directory.

Advertise your yard sale, auction or service here today for as little as $29.

MEDICARE & MEDICAID ACCEPTED

Montford Point Marine Association

Dental

Hearing Aids

Ladies Auxilary - St. Louis Chapter

Are you new to Medicare and have the red,white and blue Medicare card with both part A and part B? Then you are entitled to Medicare

Come join us for a meet and greet. part C at no cost. Benefits include As low as $175 EACH Co-pay

$1000/year Dentures, Partials, Crowns, Root Canals & Other Dental Services

Glasses $0 CO-PAY

Call 1-800-733-1912 to see if you qualify.

ONE OF ST. LOUIS' LARGEST NEIGHBORHOOD YARD SALES! "Rags To Riches" In Skinker DeBaliviere!

Saturday, August 27 from 8AM to 2PM Maps available at the corner of Skinker & McPherson Breakfast & Food available

www.stlamerican.com

For more information, please call

314-741-1868 314-322-3526

preventive dental, $100 towards glasses or contacts, free transportation, and a silver sneakers gym-membership.

Medicare part C may also lower your co-pays.

For more info call Mike: 314-285-2198

Spring Clean-up Man & His Truck Light Hauling Yard Work, Moving & Gutter Cleaning REASONABLE

314-583-6971

North County Rec 2577 Redman Tuesdays & Thursdays at 7:30pm

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 21 - 27, 2016

C10

Rapper and actor 50 Cent was flanked by a club full of fans when he made his way to the stage at Lux for the Super Jam 2016 After Party.

Swag Snap of the week Above: A few of the Emerging 100 of St. Louis @ their All White Party Friday @ Highlands Golf in Forest Park

STL Female songstress Mai Lee with Orlando of RockHouse Ent. after she slayed the stage as part of STL Mixtape segment of Super Jam Saturday @ Scottrade Center

St. Louis legends Murphy Lee, Shorty Da Prince and Kyjuan hung out backstage @ Hot 104.1 FM’s Super Jam 2016 Saturday @ Scottrade Center

Keithen and Daphne Stallings @ Highlands Golf course in Forest Park for Emerging 100 Black Men of Metropolitan All White Party Friday

Debbie and Bell came out to kick it with 50 Cent and G-Unit Saturday @ The Lux

Grand slam Super Jam. Though much of the lineup was rightfully for the generation younger than me, I got life at Super Jam 2016. When I saw the roster of performers I was like “is this going to be an overnight lock in concert?” But baby, that talent moved on and off of that stage with the efficiency of the drivethru lanes at the Brentwood Chick Fil A! I tip my crochet twists to the Hot 104.1 FM team for pulling off yet another successful Super Jam. Now Let’s get on with the performances. First, let me shout out to all the local artists who made the most of showcasing on such a huge stage. On to the national artists…Desiigner stayed true to the meme inspiring manic performance persona. He hopped around like he needed some medication or just had some. I was like, “what is this, the trap version of shouting?” The only thing missing was for him to run up and down the aisles of the Scottrade and the health unit ministry swooping in. It was almost as funny as watching Rickey Smiley pop and lock like we used to do in the days of “New Jack Swing” as the lone backup dancer for Da Brat. After the newbies finished, K. Michelle took the stage in an outfit I imagine Blaq Chyna handed down when she gave up the booty shakin’ game to officially become a Kardashian. Seriously, Lawrence Bryant had to make Photoshop magic happen to make her pictures safe for print. Her set was as _____(insert new slang for “off the chain”) as her outfit, but it worked – as did the remainder of the performances. I was pleasantly surprised by 50 Cent and his G Unit reunion show. And every time I think I don’t have to see 2 Chainz again he impresses me. Young Thug didn’t show and Fetty Wap was in and out, but the youth seemed beyond satisfied.

Epic Effen after party. Speaking of 50 Cent, Phil Assets and Niddy pulled off quite the after party on his behalf. I was going to say it looked like a club scene from “Power,” but “BET Uncut” was more like it. And I was glad that I got a chance to hear him rap a bit of “Wankster” too. Phil and Niddy really should team up more often if this is the end result. I’m still trying to decide if Fiddy outdid Diddy’s legendary visit to the club formerly known as the Coliseum, but I’m still not quite sure. Either way, it was impossible to prepare myself for the “mature adults only” turn up that went down. I could name names of all of the folks who stopped through – and had traffic on Washington and Jefferson looking like Times Square – but I would need a whole separate Partyline.

JB Smoove has jokes. Friday night I had decided that I was going to rest up for the full day and night session that typically comes with Super Jam. However, I decided to catch the late show of JB Smoove at Helium – and I’m so glad I did!

When he said that his nickname was “that brown bread they put on the table at the Cheesecake Factory,” I was like, “I can totally see the resemblance” and laughed so hard that if every other joke had bombed, it would have still been worth it to go.

I was so busy gagging at seeing the outline of his face on a roasted oat loaf that I didn’t even notice my boy DJ Kut of Old School 95.5 FM was my seat neighbor.

And there was no time for our lengthy catch up sessions because we were too busy cackling. The show had its slow points, but when he hit, oh he nailed it. I think my favorite was when he talked about how he orders at restaurants – always ordering the special – and one time a lobster had a steak in each claw and gently placed them on a plate for his enjoyment. He said he was so devastated when the Lobster came back as the main course he didn’t want to eat him, until he was comforted by a note the lobster left – and when he realized the special was $479.

District Rhythms with Dru Hill. Speaking of Old School 95.5, Sisqo and the crew will once again be shutting down Ballpark Village as headliners of the second District Rhythms concert presented by the grown folks’ radio station. Even though Mint Condition was uncharacteristically regular, and the rain threatened to ruin everything, I still had a ball as I watched the masses get their life. I must say that I’ve seen Dru Hill in every type of venue – from “hole in the wall” to arena – and they’ve never disappointed. And I’m certain NEXT Friday night (July 29) at Ballpark Village will be no different. Doors open at 6 p.m. and I suggest arriving early if you want to have any sort of vantage point.

Rapper 2 Chainz with LooseCannon S.L.I.M. backstage @ Hot 104.1 FM’s Super Jam 2016 Saturday night @ Scottrade Center

Arlances, Sharnique, Gernita and Pearl cooled down inside @ The Four Seasons Saturday for the Midday Soirée

Darryl and Old School 95.5 FM’s DJ Kut were all smiles backstage @ Hot 104.1 FM’s Super Jam 2016 Saturday @ Scottrade Center

Classic Soul Fest coming Saturday. As I was making my rounds backstage at the Scottrade Center for Super Jam, the lovely catering goddesses that made sure the talent, Hot 104.1 FM team and the VIPs were well nourished (that rice and gravy with chicken was absolutely everything) made sure that the Classic Soul Fest was on my radar. I didn’t need a reminder. I have a feeling that this will be the spot for the folks too grown to get “turnt” but still groove hard when the music is right. They’ll get a chance to do just that thanks to War and Switch this weekend (Sat., July 23) at the Chesterfield Amphitheatre. Showtime is 6 p.m. Get your tickets at metrotix.com.

Raven, Travis and Larissa found time to catch up and connect @ The Midday Soiree Saturday @ The Four Seasons

www.stlamerican.com

Charging to march? I try not to get involved in stuff like this, but I feel like somebody needs to send a “note from a concerned community member” to the organizers of the Michael Brown anniversary march on August 6 that has the nerve to institute a cover charge. Now look, I know as well as anybody that it takes money to operate a foundation, but this is not the way. I’m giving the folks involved the benefit of the doubt and charging it to the game of ill-advice and inexperience. But if this goes forward as is, it gives so much ammunition to the “pimp the protest” narrative that it’s not even funny. Taking in collections for the foundation at the march or having sponsorship is one thing, but a cover charge is something else altogether. There. I’ve said it.

Javas and Shar soaked in the sun Saturday @The Midday Soiree @ The Four Photos by Lawrence Bryant & John Scott