Soul train
Gladys Knight, O’Jays deliver delightfully scenic trip through vintage R&B
St. Louis American See C1
The
CAC Audited NOVEMBER 19 – 25, 2015
stlamerican.com
‘Please consolidate the municipal courts’ Missouri Supreme Court work group hears appeals By Chris King Of The St. Louis
The signs told the story when a large crowd turned out to address a work group that the Missouri Supreme Court has appointed to review municipal courts and suggest reforms on November 12 at the Missouri Court of Appeals inside the Old Post Office building in downtown St. Louis.
A large crowd gathered at the Missouri Court of Appeals inside the Old Post Office building in downtown St. Louis on November 12 to address a work group that the Missouri Supreme Court has appointed to review municipal courts and suggest reforms. By the time Dave Leipholtz of Better Together St. Louis addressed the work group, more than a dozen people had testified. All but two of them described rampant abuse of power and miscarriage of justice in St. Louis County municipal courts. And, Leipholtz reminded the work group, “the only two people who defended the current system”
See COURTS, A7
Vol. 86 No. 33 COMPLIMENTARY
Jennings mayor faces recall effort Fountain-Henderson said residents are ‘haters’ influenced by political foe By Mariah Stewart Ferguson Fellow
Photo by Wiley Price
A group of concerned citizens have begun a recall effort for the first black female mayor of Jennings, Yolanda Fountain-Henderson. Fountain-Henderson, who was elected in April, made history by becoming Jennings’ first female and African-American mayor. Although her term began with celebration, it took a quick turn toward controversy when she filed a lawsuit against many city officials, including City Council members, municipal judge, city attorney and city clerk. In the Yolonda lawsuit, she pleads to have policy Fountain makers and members of her Henderson cabinet appointed by her. Residents who are part of the recall effort said it is not about race. The group leading the recall is racially diverse. “’I’m the mayor, you have to do what I say or else’ – that’s the kind of attitude she has,” said Robert Cotton, Jennings resident. Cotton said he saw Fountain-Henderson’s work ethic when she served on the council. “When you
See MAYOR, A6
Player-coach for scholar-athletes Photo by Wiley Price
Academy at the Rock
The U.S. Naval Academy Gospel Choir performed to a full sanctuary at St. Alphonsus Liguori “The Rock” Church on Saturday, November 14.
Bringing transparency to inclusion Black aldermen working on proposed revisions to stadium plan By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American Public accountability is one of the weakest aspects of the minority inclusion plan for the proposed $1-billion football stadium on the Riverfront, some aldermen say.
Last week, the stadium taskforce and the city’s St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) presented the inclusion plan – meant to ensure that minority businesses and workers are employed on the project – to the Board of Aldermen. According to the inclusion plan, the public
would see a report “at least twice a year” on whether or not the contractor is hitting the city’s goals – which include awarding 25 percent of contract dollars to minority-owned companies and five percent to women-owned
See INCLUSION, A6
Wendell Covington Jr. takes helm at Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American Growing up in the East St. Louis area, Wendell Covington Jr. said his childhood sports programs molded him into the man he is today. “Without my youth coaches creating the college expectation, I don’t know if I would have gone to college,” Covington said. “I want to foster that again Wendell and create a pipeline for college Covington graduation in the St. Louis area.” On November 9, the MathewsDickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club’s Board of Directors appointed Covington to serve as its president and chief executive officer. Covington, an administrator
See COVINGTON, A6