November 5 2015

No charges in Kajieme Powell killing

Prosecutor says cops ‘could have reasonably believed the use of deadly force was necessary’

St. Louis American See A12

The

CAC Audited NOVEMBER 5 – 11, 2015

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Officials protested for missing meeting Jamala Rogers, with the Coalition Against Police Crimes and Repression, led a protest in front of St. Louis City Hall on Monday, November 2.

The protest was organized because both the mayor and police chief did not attend a Public Accountability Mass Meeting on Sunday at Saint Louis University.

People’s merges with Health and Dental Care for Kids

By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American

‘We need this to keep moving,’ activists say of Ferguson Commission calls to action Rev. Starsky Wilson, co-chair of the Ferguson Commission, and about 10 representatives from activist groups occupied Mayor Francis Slay’s office at about 10 a.m. on Monday, November 2, demanding to know why he did not attend a Sunday community meeting to discuss the Ferguson Commission’s recommendations.

At 11 a.m. when The St. Louis American

COMPLIMENTARY

Butler: ‘This is a marriage of excellent organizations’

Photo by Wiley Price

By Rebecca Rivas and Mariah Stewart Of The St. Louis American

Vol. 86 No. 31

attempted to enter Slay’s office, a security guard said it was on “lockdown” and the group was still meeting with the mayor’s staff.

“We told them of the impact of what happened yesterday,” Wilson said at a press conference in front of City Hall after he came out of Slay’s office. “We responded to the call that was given to us as community over a year ago to come from the streets inside to meet at the policy table.”

More than a thousand people – including clergy, students, lawyers and school leaders

– attended the November 1 Ferguson Forward Public Accountability meeting at Saint Louis University to “prioritize” the commission’s almost 200 calls to action.

Slay, County Executive Steve Stenger, police chiefs Sam Dotson and Jon Belmar, Attorney General Chris Koster, County Judge Maura McShane and Frank Vatterott (who is heading up the committee for county court reform) were among those invited to the “people’s table” to See OFFICIALS, A6

Akande installed at Westminster Benjamin Ola Akande was installed as the 21st president of Westminster College on Saturday, October 31. He is the 165-yearold college’s first AfricanAmerican president and the first Nigerian-born president of a liberal arts college in America.

Chancellor Wrighton, Nigerian governor pledge partnerships with college

By Chris King Of The St. Louis American

n “That’s what I do. I strengthen colleges by growing them. I have a full mandate.”

FULTON, MO – It was evident what special value Benjamin Ola Akande brings as the 21st president of Westminster College during his installation on Saturday, – Benjamin Ola Akande October 31.

Washington University Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton delivered the keynote address, giving a detailed argument why Akande possesses the necessary traits of a successful president See AKANDE, A7

Photo by Rebecca Barr

Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers now has a fourth site for medical treatment, Health and Dental Care for Kids, located at 4055 Lindell Blvd. A merger agreement signed on Monday, November 2 connected the pediatric facility to the family of organizations at People’s.

Cozy Marks Jr. who chairs the boards of directors for both organizations, recognized the leadership of People’s for putting the merger together.

Dwayne Butler, n “We will president and CEO see a more of People’s, said the efficient merger means an additional 10,000 and higher children will benefit from quality of comprehensive health treatment services. for our “This is a marriage of excellent organizations children.” that together, in concert, will do better than each – Dwayne of us could apart,” Butler Butler said. “Their addition is not simply expanding our breadth, they also bring an expertise in pediatric care that is going to provide improvement for the entire community.”

The merger will result in nearly 500 employees for People’s. Butler said there will be executive management changes.

See PEOPLE’S, A6

Justice as criteria for reconciliation

By The Rev. Starsky D. Wilson For The St. Louis American “Too often ‘reconciliation’ is used merely to reach some political accommodation that does not address the critical questions of justice, equality and dignity. Such political arrangements invariably favor the rich and powerful but deprive the powerless of justice and dignity. This we call ‘political pietism.’

When Christians discover what is happening and refuse to run the risk and challenge of prophetic truth-telling, we become complicit.

This we call ‘Christian quietism.’”

These words were jointly penned by the Rev. Dr. Allan Aubrey Boesak, a founder of the United Democratic Front that led the See JUSTICE, A7

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2015

A2

THE STUFF THAT HAS PEOPLE TALKING Halle’s ex-husbands hang her out to dry after latest divorce

Wesley Snipes in the early 90s.

“It was a former Hollywood boyfriend (WS) that she told me! #getyourfactsright.

She was mad at me leaving the relationship so she and her Hollywood Team just tried to destroy my character,” Justice tweeted. “Just wait, Olivier...It’s coming! She insinuated that her daughter wasn’t safe around Gabriel..look it up and see the reason! Just wrong.smh.”

Berry’s other ex-husband Eric Benet chimed in to co-sign with Justice, saying, “My man is tweeting some truth.”

After Halle Berry filed divorce from her third husband, Olivier Martinez, her first K. Michelle saying husband David Justice felt compelled to go on a Twitter rant Tuesday morning. He said his goodbye to butt implants intent was to defend himself against persistent rumors that he beat Halle Berry when they In an interview with celebrity news and were married from 1992-97. media personality B. Scott, singer K. Michelle “Me, (second husband Eric Benet), revealed that she plans on downgrading her (boyfriend) Gabriel Aubrey and Olivier surgically enhanced derriere. were all her ‘Knight in Shining Armor’ “For me, I want my normal shape until it ends,” the former MLB star back,” Michelle said. “ For me, and tweeted. my career right now, and me doing “Then we all become the worst guys business — like really being on the in history.” frontline in business — I don’t need Justice alleged that Berry did to have a man looking down at my nothing to squash rumors that he had [expletive] when I’m trying to talk abused her during their five-year numbers. marriage, which ended in 1997. She As far as why she decided to previously stated that a “famous” alter her body in the first place, ex-boyfriend punched her in the ear, Michelle says, resulting in partial deafness.

“I just wanted it. I wanted that In his Twitter rant, Justice shape. That’s the shape that I mentioned “WS” as the “famous” wanted. I wanted to look like ex who abused Berry. Berry dated that. I think the older you get K. Michelle

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Bobby Kristina caregiver was a nurse impersonator

Montgomery has three Sweetie Pie’s restaurants in the St. Louis area.

Eric Riess, an attorney for Sweetie Pie’s, reportedly said Norman has set out on his own after working closely with his mother’s operation.

“We are seeking to protect legally the Sweetie Pie’s name, the recipes and the store dress.”

Norman opened a North Hollywood, Calif. restaurant called TJ Sweetie Pie’s separately from his mother, which according to Riess started the trademark dispute.

A woman who cared for Bobbi Kristina Brown in hospice care has been arrested for impersonating a nurse.

Taiwo Sobamowo was arrested in North Carolina Tuesday after it was revealed that she cared for Bobbi Kristina at Peachtree Christian Hospice using another nurse’s license number.

Lil Wayne property seized as Police reports describe Sobamowo as Bobbi Kristina’s collection to settle lawsuit primary care giver. Sobamowo is charged with nursing without a Multiple reports say Lil Wayne’s home Tim license and identity fraud. Bobbi in Miami was raided by sheriffs to settle Norman Kristina Brown died at Peachtree a debt. Back in September Lil Wayne lost Christian Hospice on July 26 after a $2 million lawsuit against a private jet being found face down in her company who claimed the rapper stopped bathtub on January 31. paying his jet lease and fees while continuing to fly for over a year.

Is Beef being served at Sweetie Pies?

On Tuesday, Miami-Dade County Sheriff deputies descended on Lil Wayne’s estate in According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Miami with a court order to seize property to The Berkeley City Council on Monday night settle the judgment.Thinly veiled tweets from approved a needed permit for a restaurant called the rapper seemed to confirm the news.

T.J. Sweetie Pie’s At The Airport, despite the “Its days like 2 day dat make me? everything fact that the Sweetie Pie’s restaurant chain is even myself,” Wayne tweeted. “Sumtimes its alleging trademark infringement against the tough 2 b tough and even tougher to be me.” operator of the business.

The restaurant will be owned by Tim Sources: TMZ.com, Twitter.com, US Norman, the son of Robbie Montgomery.

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2015

New judge assigned to Clemons case Judge Lisa White Hardwick assigned to case, possibly to break tie

Guest Commentary

North STL is ready for NGA

By U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay Guest columnist

By Chris King Of The St. Louis American On Monday, October 26 the Missouri Supreme Court issued an order assigning Judge Lisa White Hardwick as a special judge to rule on Reginald Clemons’ writ of habeas corpus challenging his conviction for the murders of Robin Kerry and Julie Kerry and asking for a new trial.

With the addition of Judge Hardwick – who sits on the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District – seven judges will now be considering the case. Judge George Draper previously recused himself from the case, leaving the seven-member bench with only six jurists.

Given that Judge Michael Manners, appointed a special master in the case in 2009, issued his report to the court more than two years ago, many legal observers speculated that Judge Hardwick was added to the bench, in effect, to break a tie.

Her selection was praised by Mike Wolff, dean of Saint Louis University School of Law and former chief justice of the Missouri Supreme Court.

“Excellent choice,” Wolff told The American. “Judge Hardwick is very bright, experienced – an African-American judge and Harvard Law grad.”

Judge Hardwick has served on the Court of Appeals since 2001 and served as chief judge 2010-2012.

In Judge Manner’s August 2013 report, he found that Clemons failed to prove his innocence in the 1991 murders of the Kerry sisters, for which he was convicted in 1993 as an accomplice and sentenced to death. Since the writ of habeas corpus is a civil action initiated by Clemons, he has the burden of proving his innocence, which was assumed in his jury trial.

Despite warnings issued in chambers and from the bench, Clemons proceeded to plead the Fifth Amendment 29 times in the evidentiary hearing before Judge Manners, on grounds that his answer might incriminate him. Though Clemons

A3

Pool photo provided by Post-Dispatch

Missouri Assistant Attorney General Susan Boresi shows Missouri death row inmate Reginald Clemons the flashlight that tied Clemons and his codefendants to the crime scene of the Chain of Rock Bridge rapes and murders when Clemons took the stand during the evidentiary hearing that the Missouri Supreme Court ordered in his case on September 19, 2012.

answered a few questions to deny that he murdered the Kerry sisters or directly aided in their murders, he refused to answer a string of questions relating to their rapes.

Clemons was charged with raping the Kerry sisters, though never tried Judge for rape. Clemons confessed to raping Lisa White Robin Kerry, but not Julie Kerry.

Two days after his interrogation by St. Louis police – and after being sent to the hospital for treatment of injuries – Clemons filed a complaint that he had been denied the rights to silence and counsel during his interrogation. He also claimed that his confession was coerced and scripted after an hour and a half of beatings.

Though he was not tried for rape, the

charge of rape was used as a “sentence enhancer” by prosecutor Nels C. Moss in his successful push for the death penalty.

Judge Manners did rule that the state suppressed evidence from a parole officer who noted that Clemons had an injury consistent with a police beating after his interrogation. Judge Manners ended his opinion on a dramatic note where he explicitly stated reasonable doubt as to whether or not Clemons’ confession to rape was coerced by St. Louis police.

Had the trial court ruled that the confession was coerced, his confession would not have been entered into evidence and heard by the jury that convicted Clemons and sentenced him to death.

Clemons’ execution previously was scheduled by the Missouri Supreme Court for June 17, 2009, before a federal court issued a stay of execution while it ruled on a separate procedural matter. In the meantime, the Missouri Supreme Court shockingly opened a new evidence phase by appointing Judge Manners as a special master with subpoena powers, opening a new evidence phase that ended with his August 2013 report.

The draft Environmental Impact Statement confirms what I have said from the beginning of this competition: the Northside site in the City of St. Louis would advance NGA’s vital mission, deliver maximum economic benefits, provide taxpayers with the greatest return on this $1.6 billion federal investment, and support President Obama’s stated objective to use federal dollars to transform urban failure into urban success.

When I was a young man, I used to visit my greatgrandmother who lived near the proposed new site for NGA. It was a vibrant neighborhood, every home was full, every corner had a store, and we had a real sense of community.

That’s not the way it is today. But if we win this competition, we can return the Northside to a vibrant center of jobs, new housing, new economic development and reconnect it to the larger community as a place of pride and accomplishment.

Just across the street from the proposed NGA site is the former footprint of the Pruitt-Igoe housing complex. In the federal government, we don’t often have an opportunity to replace a great federal failure Guest Columnist with an enormous federal victory, one that will transform a distressed and badly disinvested Wm. Lacy neighborhood – that is the unprecedented opportunity that NGA really represents.

Clay Seventy-five years ago, the War Department built the world’s largest small arms ammunition plant in North St. Louis. North St. Louis was truly a key hub in what President Roosevelt described as the “arsenal of democracy.”

Today, the “ammunition” that defends America is digital information, the very thing that NGA does around the clock, every day, to arm our military and intelligence agencies with the very best chance to succeed in their missions.

They say that history repeats itself. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if NGA relocated to Northside, so that once again North St. Louis could be at the very center of defending freedom?

That is my vision for this project, and I also want to commend Paul McKee Jr. and Northside Regeneration for their vision and risk-taking which helped assemble this outstanding site.

And I want to thank Governor Jay Nixon, Mayor Francis Slay, County Executive Steve Stenger, the Missouri State Legislature, the Board of Aldermen, and the St. Louis Development Corporation for joining me to create unprecedented public-private collaboration at the federal, state and local levels as we strive together to achieve this #1 economic development priority for our community.

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Editorial / Commentary A4

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2015

Long, bumpy road toward change The Public Accountability Mass Meeting held on November 1 revealed the movement toward change in St. Louis to be “at a crossroads,” as activist attorney Eric E. Vickers argued in a commentary on this page. The resulting direct action at St. Louis City Hall the following day – joined by the Rev. Starsky Wilson, Ferguson Commission co-chair – showed which way at least some community organizers turned at this crossroads: toward renewed direct action, in the spirit of the protests that finally forced the St. Louis region to make a serious assessment of its chronic inequities.

Protestors took their concerns to St. Louis City Hall – and, less aggressively, to St. Louis County Council the following night – because crucial public officials had avoided the Public Accountability meeting.

Mayor Francis Slay sent senior officials in his place, but the organizers did not invite senior officials, they invited the mayor. City Police Chief Sam Dotson responded to their concerns in a letter, but organizers requested his physical presence, not words on a page. Wilson said County Executive Steve Stenger told him he was staying home because his wife is pregnant – Stenger has used his first baby as a public shield, and now his second child is providing the same service in utero. County Police Chief Jon Belmar was another no-show. As was Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster, who presumably has a protest visit coming to him next.

It’s remarkable, in way, that public officials are being held accountable for not attending a Public Accountability meeting convened by the sort of political progressives they routinely ignore, since answers that would please this audience might well alienate the majority of voters to the right of them on the political spectrum. Of course, elected officials and police chiefs would rather address the concerns of progressive people seeking

Reconciliation at the crossroads

By Eric E. Vickers Guest columnist

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

At the Public Accountability Mass Meeting at Saint Louis University on November 1, organizers directed a spotlight towards people who said they would be accountable for pursuing change.

“Radical Reconciliation” anywhere but onstage in public. We are somewhat sympathetic to what we take to be their belief that negotiations for change in this volatile political environment are more constructively conducted in a less public forum. That is, after all, the way things are typically done.

But if Ferguson taught us anything, it’s that the world can be turned upside down and the public – very much including marginalized sectors of the public – can and will force elected officials to do things their way. We are reminded warmly of how, during the height of Ferguson unrest, all press conferences in Ferguson were transformed into town hall meetings, where ordinary citizens defiantly interrupted governors and police chiefs to demand answers. This raw, intense participatory democracy was continued with the Ferguson Commission, whose meetings started under stormy protest conditions and maintain a grass-roots, collaborative tone

until today. We believe the Public Accountability meeting and resulting protests show that many of the people seeking change for this region are not prepared to go back to the old, quiet way of doings things that make elected officials and their senior appointees comfortable.

One missed public meeting is a bump on the road for political professionals, but this is a very bumpy road we are on, and – from the perspective of this crossroads we have reached – we foresee a long, bumpy road ahead toward change, particularly in this highly contested political season. There are new voices in the political space now, a new generation of activists who became aligned through Ferguson with older, more seasoned advocates for change.

We encourage all those who seek systemic change to continue trying to force elected officials to do things in a new way, since it’s the old ways of avoiding doing the difficult work that got us here.

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

Citizens are not waiting

By Jamala Rogers Columnist

An elected official is not necessarily a leader. She or he could be, maybe even should be. In the current democracy, having leadership skills is not a pre-requisite to holding public office whether one is elected or appointed.

Last weekend we saw a spectacular display of indifference and lack of leadership when key decisionmakers were no-shows at the Public Accountability Mass Meeting. The meeting was the culmination of a weekend of activities held annually by the Beloved Community. This year, the Ferguson Commission report was the centerpiece under the banner of “Radical Reconciliation.”

Accountability Sunday was the safe space for designated mayors, police chiefs, elected officials, school superintendents and corporate reps to step up and commit to specific calls to action from the Ferguson Commission report, “Forward Through Ferguson: A Path Toward Racial Equity.” Most chose to thumb their nose at the 1,000-plus citizens who showed up from across the region.

There were key decisionmakers who did think it was important to make a public declaration. The commitments of Tom Irwin of Civic Progress and Joe Reagan of the St. Louis Regional Chamber should not be overlooked. They both committed to a creating a 25-year managed fund to support the infrastructure that his kind of initiative will need.

As honorable as the participation of volunteers is, this thing is going is need real and reliable funds for staffing and other resources in order to

Commentary

sustain community efforts.

Missouri Attorney General Chris “Wannabe Gov.” Koster had agreed to attend but backed out at the last minute.

St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, along with Police Chiefs Sam Dotson and Jon Belmar, came up with flimsy excuses for their absences.

St. Louis County Executive Steve “The People Stinger” Stenger and St. Louis County Judge Maura “ATM Courts” McShane flat out refused to attend. This unmitigated arrogance in the face of extreme incompetence and racist exploitation of citizens by the county court system is unconscionable.

As for Governor Jay “Lame Dude” Nixon, who convened the Ferguson Commission, we still have no idea what his office is committed to doing to move the report’s action plans. Is Columnist his lack of Jamala accountability rooted in Rogers the report’s reference to the research done

by Lindsey Lupo in her book “Flak-Catchers: One Hundred Years of Riot Commission Politics in America”?

Lupo appropriately points out the most commission reports “give the appearance of action but are little more than a tool to maintain the status quo” and that “social and racial issues in the cities are not actually addressed by the commission.”

When key decision-makers prove to be the worthless officials they are, it moves people who once had faith in the system into the ranks of

change agents. It’s the kind of easy recruiting I love – ordinary citizens radicalized by an unyielding and unfair system. Yes! Citizens are not waiting.

Thousands were moved to participate in the commission’s process to identify issues and actions, and thousands more were already in motion before the Ferguson Uprising and didn’t need a report to tell them that something was fundamentally wrong. These currents are now converging to become the sea change for a region rife with racial inequities and injustices on many levels.

Weeks and months of sustained street actions after the police killing of Mike Brown proved that the St. Louis region was experiencing a very different response to the years of accumulated and systemic abuses. Our collective commitment of faith and fight is already challenging an entrenched and uncaring status quo in unprecedented ways.

Wherever we stand, we must all be held accountable for our actions. Holding people accountable is part of organizing for change. It is not wasted resources or misplaced energy, it’s germane to the struggle for human liberation – and this especially includes making Black Lives Matter.

The fight is on. It is the fight to prove that empowered and informed citizens can transcend artificial boundaries of race, religion, gender and political affiliation to work together for real transformation.

This will not always be easy or harmonic, but we cannot turn back. We already know what’s behind us and found it unacceptable for a civilized society.

Destination: Racial Equity.

The four-day Beloved Community Conference at Saint John’s Church, whose theme this year was Radical Reconciliation, concluded on Sunday, November 1 with a Public Accountability Meeting, whose stated purpose was to “partner with local organizations to call on critical accountable bodies to articulate their plans to advance the recColumnist ommendations of the ‘Forward Erick E. Though FerguVickers son’ report.”

The Sunday meeting, held on the campus of Saint Louis University and moderated by, was heavily attended – perhaps by more than a thousand – with an audience that appeared to be predominantly white, with many from the Christian ministry.

Indeed, the meeting at moments had the feel of a revival, with a stirring rendition of the civil rights gospel anthem “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around” sung during the meeting, and “This Little Light of Mine” sung to close it out.

The meeting was designed to extract “commitments” from the institutions of power to address the various areas of racial inequity highlighted in the Ferguson Commission report. Those who were invited and expected to make commitments were political leaders, corporate leaders, police chiefs, court officials and education leaders. Those who actually

showed up were the heads of the two major corporate organizations, two state senators, three state representatives, an alderwoman, the St. Louis treasurer, and representatives of three St. Louis County school districts.

The no-shows included the Missouri Attorney General, any other statewide elected official, the mayor of the St. Louis, the St. Louis County executive, the St. Louis chief of police, the St. Louis County police chief, the police chiefs of the 56 county municipalities with police forces, any representative of the municipal court system, the superintendent of the St. Louis Public Schools, and the superintendents of all St. Louis County school districts with the

n This is the crossroads faced by those pushing the policy changes recommended by the Ferguson Commission report – radical action or reconciliation.

exception of Normandy.

The two corporate leaders who showed represented Civic Progress, the organization comprised of the 33 largest employers in the region, and the St. Louis Regional Chamber, whose corporate members account for nearly 30 percent of the region’s employment base (according to its website).

Letters to the Editor Voters want a vote We can build a stadium whenever we want. But this mania, this time crunch, this inability to hold a public vote is all to keep an NFL team who won’t stay unless forced to.

Let’s not forget there are lots of ways to generate jobs, build infrastructure and strengthen our region. The expansion of the Metrolink, for example, can accomplish all of those things.

I’m not opposed to development of the north riverfront. In fact, I think it’s the one of the most under-utilized land resources this great city has. I’m not opposed to football stadiums.

I recognize that professional sports bring excitement, economic activity, and hopes and dreams to youth in our schools. I don’t oppose the use of public funds, or entertainment taxes generated by stadiums to build boxes for men to throw balls at each other. Building a stadium has the potential to revitalize the riverfront, create much needed jobs, and excite the region.

What I am opposed to is skirting the vote of the people.

The residents of St. Louis, through an initiative petition, voted in 2002 to require public funds for a stadium to go to the general public. Even though this was thrown out of court on a technicality, the intent of voters was clear: they want a say in this funding.

A football stadium is a regional asset. St. Louis County currently pays on our still mortgaged, yet obsolete Dome.

Yet County Executive Stenger said the county won’t pay for a new stadium without a vote of the people. If St. Louis city says the same, will we be off the hook, too?

Alderwoman Cara Spencer St. Louis, Ward 20

Strategies, not ideology Unlike some other school districts, St. Louis chose to fix, not abandon, neighborhood public schools, and did it by engaging parents and working with teachers, not blaming or shaming them.

These organizations made a commitment at the meeting to work to establish the creation of a Racial Equity Fund, a 25-year fund recommended by the Ferguson Commission report to provide funding for social organizations and projects oriented toward ameliorating the depressed socioeconomic conditions of the black community.

No commitment was made by – or asked of – these corporations to employ more blacks.

The elected officials who showed all committed to seeking a $15 per hour minimum wage, and the Normandy school superintendent committed to ending the disparity in the disciplining of black students versus white students, a point poignantly illustrated through a role-playing exercise by the high school students who addressed the gathering.

What clearly stood out the most at the meeting, however, was the absence of the invited white leaders who hold the critical strings of power. And to emphasize their absence, Wilson placed empty chairs on the stage. Their absence was so conspicuous that it seemed it was intended to send a message – that power concedes nothing without it being demanded.

This seems to be the crossroads now faced by the leaders and activists pushing the policy changes recommended by the Ferguson Commission report – whether to engage in radical action that causes a response to demands, or seek reconciliation.

Eric E. Vickers is an attorney, activist and former chief of staff for state Senator Jamilah Nasheed.

All letters are edited for length and style.

Working in common cause, Superintendent Adams and AFT St. Louis worked together, using strategies that have track records. Their experience in working together, engaging children, fighting for resources and building on proven strategies – not ideology – is a lesson for others trying to help children and turn schools around in economically challenging and cash-strapped school systems.

Randi Weingarten, president, American Federation of Teachers

District-union partnership Returning the St. Louis Public Schools to full accreditation status can be credited to the collaborative district-teachers union partnership that focused on improving teaching and giving

The largest weekly newspaper in Missouri 70,000 copies - CAC Audited 100% Independently owned & operated Continuously published, without interruption since 1928

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educators the support and resources they need to excel.

This never would have been possible without genuine collaboration between the teachers, AFT St. Louis and the school district. Regaining full accreditation should give parents, students and communities confidence in our public schools and our teachers.

It shows that even under very challenging circumstances, teaching quality and student achievement can improve when labor and management work together on solutions that are good for everyone involved.

Regaining accreditation isn’t an end, but a beginning of a new era for St. Louis schools.

There’s a lot of work left to do, including making our communities and schools safer, and we’ll continue to push for additional resources to ensure that every school and student has what they need to succeed.

Mary J. Armstrong, president, AFT St. Louis

Lawrence Bryant - Photojournalist Denise Hooks -Anderson, M.D. Health Editor Jami Ballentine-Dolby Entertainment Danie Rae - Style Editor Dana G. Randolph Contributing Editor Fred Sweets - Contributing Editor Sales / Marketing Onye Hollomon- Sr. Acct. Exec.

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Phone: 314-533-8000 / Fax: 314-533-2332

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 – 11, 2015

Redlining Black America

Links supporting college students The St. Louis Chapter of The Links, Incorporated recently hosted its My Sister’s Keeper mentoring group to an evening of the arts at The Black Rep. The 26 high school and college students attended “Tell Me Somethin’ Good” at the Edison Theatre on the campus of Washington University and discussed the production during a reception afterward.

In its seventh year, the My Sister’s Keeper mentoring program was developed to expose primarily first-generation young women to non-academic college and careerreadiness skills necessary for success in both high school and college. Six of the My

Sister’s Keeper participants are currently attending Harris-Stowe State University, Alabama State University and UMSL. The students have received over $15,000 in scholarship funds raised by the St. Louis Chapter.

Pictured: Links Leonor Buchanan, Alicia Smith, Veria Williams, D’Anne Shelton, Joyce Price, President Mary Harper Thomas, Roselyn Kirkland, JoAnne LaBat, Esther Beeks, Deborah Berryman, Adrienne Davis, Barbara Bowman, Sandra Murdock.

Chaperones: Mr. and Mrs. Robert and Katrina Addison, directors.

Seeking: screenplays set in MO

The Missouri Film Office is looking for writers who have penned screenplays or TV pilot scripts set in the Show-Me State. Now in its second year, the Missouri Stories Screenwriting Fellowship Program will accept script submissions from screenwriters through November 30.

All entrants will receive feedback on their scripts from the reading judges and up to three winners will be selected to attend the all-expenses-paid fellowship experience Feb. 7-10, 2016, in Missouri. Full program details, including important dates to remember, rules and the submissions form, are available at MoFilm.org/MoStories.

Volunteers needed to drive veterans

VA St. Louis Health Care System and Disabled American Veterans are looking for volunteer drivers to transport veterans to and from appointments at the St. Louis VA Medical Centers and clinics, as well as within the Jefferson Barrack Campus. The VA provides the van. This service is provided free to any Veteran in need. If you are interested, contact Voluntary Service at 314-894-6530 or email at VHASTLVolunteer@va.gov.

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By Charlene Crowell Guest columnist

The old adage “the more things change, the more they stay the same” seems somehow an apt description for what a growing number of communities are suffering: a lack of fair lending.

In recent weeks and in varying locales, the issue of redlining has led to lawsuits that have been challenged or settlements that avoided courtroom dramas. Regardless of locale, allegations are remarkably similar: lack of access in mortgage lending coupled with a lack of convenient access to full-service banking.

On September 24, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Department of Justice jointly ordered Hudson City Savings Bank to pay a total of $32.75 million. Of these funds, $25 million will be dedicated to subsidizing increased mortgage opportunity for Blacks and Latino neighborhoods, $5.5 million paid in penalties, and $2.25 million for outreach and community programs in Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and both New York City and Staten Island.

Although the Equal Credit Opportunity Act bans businesses from discriminating against applicants in credit transactions on the basis of race, color or national origin, 94 percent of Hudson City’s branches were in areas with scant consumers of color. Further, 94.5 percent of the bank’s top 50 brokers’ offices were concentrated outside of minority communities.In Philadelphia and in Camden, none of bank’s 47 loan officers were based in Black and Latino areas.

“Hudson City Savings Bank structured its business operations to systemically avoid providing credit services in predominantly minority neighborhoods,” said U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman of the District of New Jersey. “There is no room for such behavior in our banking system.”

Nor is Hudson City Savings alone. Just a few days later on September 29, Charlene another Justice Department settlement noted redlining in the St. Louis area by Eagle Crowell Bank and Trust. Citing both the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, a $975,000 settlement will now open two new locations in northern St. Louis among other changes.

The next day, September 30, a federal judge in Chicago denied efforts by HSBC Holdings to stop a fair housing lawsuit brought by Cook County in Illinois. On behalf of its citizens, Cook County charged that foreclosures dating to the late 2000s were the result of steering minority borrowers into high-cost loans even when their credit profiles made them eligible for cheaper loans offered to whites.

In his decision, U.S. District Judge John Z. Lee wrote, “These discriminatory actions increased the minority borrowers’ risk of default and foreclosure, resulting in a rash of foreclosures in the county, which in turn caused economic and noneconomic injury to the County.”

HSBC must now decide whether to appeal the denial, defend its actions in court or broker a settlement with Cook County.

In yet another case in Buffalo, NY, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman secured an $825,000 agreement with Evans Bank to end its discriminatory redlining that denied services to the largely Black East Side of the city. In this action, Evans Bank was found to use a lending map that excluded Black consumers while including neighboring communities. It also disqualified East Side mortgage applicants regardless of their creditworthiness.

The largest portion of settlement funds – $475,000 – will be used to create a Housing Opportunity Fund to support development and restoration of affordable housing. Remaining monies will be dedicated to marketing and advertising to communities of color ($200,000), a special financing program to increase lending activity in underserved areas ($100,000), and payment of fees and costs to the state ($50,000).

In recent months, even more similar legal actions have been filed; but the pattern should be clear: communities of color often lack access to mortgages and/or fair credit. Artificially raising the cost of the single largest investment most consumers make is just as harmful as the failure to approve mortgages to creditworthy borrowers.

The moral to this continuing saga is that once laws have been passed to correct discriminatory lending, vigorous enforcement will make those laws real for consumers and lenders alike.

Charlene Crowell is a communications manager with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.

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PEOPLE’S Continued from A1

“However, we respect the legacy and excellence of HDCFK and anticipate few day-to-day operational changes.”

Health and Dental Care for Kids will keep its name, with changes to bring its physical structure up to the standards of other People’s sites. Butler said the most important change is going to take place system-wide.

“We will learn from them and they will learn from us,” Butler said. “We’re going to bring the best of both organizations, the best practices, and we will see a more efficient and higher quality of treatment for our children.”

People’s sites include the Delmar headquarters, the Amanda Luckett Murphy Hopewell behavioral health center on Grand, and a medical and dental facility on West Florissant in North St.

OFFICIALS Continued from A1

give updates on what they will do to move the region forward.

But at the “last minute,” organizers said, all declined or cancelled. They also invited all 56 municipal police chiefs in St. Louis County – three originally said “yes,” but none came.

“The failure of democracy didn’t begin on August 9, but it’s been continued,” Montague Simmons of the Organization for Black Struggle said at the press conference. “And it’s been sharply felt as of yesterday.”

However, many regional leaders did show up to give updates – including Civic Progress Executive Director Tom Irwin, Regional Chamber President and CEO Joe Reagan, City Treasure Tishaura O. Jones and several school superintendents and state

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 – 11, 2015 Louis County. It also operates a People’s Community Action Corporation.

Ida Goodwin Woolfolk, Hopewell Center board member, said the community at large enjoys the convenience of this health center in the middle of town. “I am glad that you acquired it, along with all the other entities that we have,” she said.

People’s board member Irving C. Clay Jr. said he is “overjoyed” with the progress of the agency over the years, which was founded

by Betty Jean Kerr in 1972 and continues under her son.

“We have all been very concerned and supportive of People’s Health Centers’ mission and the good they do in the community,” Clay said. “We serve all of the community.”

Health and Dental Care for Kids, located at 4055 Lindell Blvd., may be reached at 314535-7701. For more information on People’s, visit http://www. phcenters.org.

officials.

In a statement, Slay’s office told The American that the mayor had an obligation and “made that clear to the organizers that he was unable to attend.” However, he sent his chief of staff, Mary Ellen Ponder, and his director of strategic policy initiatives and community partnerships to the event. Wilson said the invitation was to the mayor and Slay knew that surrogates were not sufficient.

“He’s the one who can make the commitment we are looking for,” said Jessica Wernli of Metropolitan Congregations United, organizer of the Public Accountability event.

Wilson said that during the meeting at City Hall, they reinforced three commitments that they are looking for Slay to make. First, they need his support in strengthening the civilian oversight bill to make sure it includes subpoena power, as recommended by the Ferguson Commission.

Photo by Wiley Price

Seated: Irving C. Clay Jr.; state Rep. Karla May; Cozy W. Marks Jr.; state Rep. Joshua Peterson; Ida G. Woolfolk. Standing: Hewart Tillett, Mark Sanford, Doretha Gilbert, Dwayne A. Butler, Vickie C. Wade, Jacqueline G. Harvey, Kevin J. Fairlie, Carole Colich and Sam Joseph.

They are asking for the city’s confirmed that he will be there. public endorsement of a fair “We will take your RSVP and impartial policing act. at any time,” Wilson said of They also want the mayor to the other officials. “We have “deploy the lobbyists that we met with you. You know the pay as the citizens of the city issues we want you to respond to make sure that to that have n “If you all aren’t been identified it gets passed in Jefferson City,” willing to get out in and prioritized Wilson said. public and discuss by members of And they are community these issues, then this asking the mayor around the table.” we don’t want and police chief During the you.” to work towards press conference, consolidation of protestors put up – Susan Clark, police training, a table in front Ladue resident “so that we of City Hall, standardize illustrating that policing and that they will bring your zip code the table to them does not determine the quality if they don’t come to the table. of public safety you get,” Wilson said, “It is our hope Wilson said. that we don’t have to carry this There was more than one table around too long.” seat vacant at the table, Wilson said, and they are looking to give Slay, Dotson, Stenger, Table goes to Belmar and Koster another County Council opportunity to attend a public meeting on November 23 During Tuesday night’s St. at 6 p.m. Wilson said Slay Louis County Council meeting,

several residents went before the council to express their disappointment in the council’s absence at the Ferguson Forward Public Accountability meeting.

The public comment section began with University City resident Rhonda Britton reciting the Langston Hughes poem “I Too Have Seen America.” After her recital, the resident called out Stenger and Belmar for not showing up “at the table.”

“Will you come to the table on November 23, or will we have to continue to have to eat at the table alone?” Britton asked.

Susan Clark, a Ladue resident, said she couldn’t think of anything else in the community that is more pressing at this time than dealing with racial strife and social justice issues.

“I can’t imagine anybody involved in St. Louis County not feeling that what the Ferguson Commission has

recommended is not worth time, commitment and energy,” said Clark. “If you all aren’t willing to get out in public and discuss these issues, then we don’t want you.”

Kristen Blackmon, a Ferguson resident, said if the council does not address the Ferguson Forward Public Accountability meeting, then “people are going to be in the streets.”

“It seems to be the only way some you get the urgency of what was in this report,” Blackmon told the council.

“We need this to keep moving.

Not you reading and saying, ‘Oh, this is nice, let’s support it.’ This is the people’s report.

We did our part, now we hope that you do yours.”

Follow these reporters on Twitter @RebeccaRivas and @ MzzzMariah.

This story is published as part of a partnership between The St. Louis American and The Huffington Post.

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 – 11, 2015

JUSTICE

The Reverend Starsky Wilson, Ferguson Commission co-chair, pointed at empty chairs during a Public Accountability Meeting on November 1 to indicate public officials who did not attend.

Continued from A1

fight against apartheid in South Africa, and the Rev. Dr. Curtiss DeYoung, whose Community Renewal Society is organizing people of faith to combat a culture of violence in Chicago.

They describe the distractions 1,700 people gathered at the Beloved Community Conference this weekend are working to avoid.

With teaching and preaching from this global champion and national leader in reconciliation studies, between Thursday, October 29 and Sunday, November 1, citizens of the St. Louis region modeled the work and opportunity for true reconciliation during the seventh annual convening hosted by Saint John’s Church (The Beloved Community).

Seven local congregations partnered to host ecumenical and interfaith worship services, while a table of nine community organizing and advocacy groups joined to coordinate issue-area caucuses, workshops and a public accountability meeting. Together, these efforts strengthened the base for positive policy change in St. Louis and Missouri by grounding it in deeper institutional relations, shared language and common values.

While, in the interest of accountability, many will focus on the empty chairs set for those called to be public servants, I’m inspired by

AKANDE Continued from A1

and affirming that they would “strengthen the partnership” between Westminster College, with nearly 1,000 students, and the state’s most elite university.

Abiola Ajimobi, the executive governor of Oyo State in Akande’s home country of Nigeria, announced an academic partnership between Westminster College and Oyo State, which funds and oversees Samuel Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, a public university in Ogbomoso in southwest Nigeria. Oyo State also funds other colleges and universities within its geographic boundaries.

Ajimobi said the new partnership will enable the college and university to exchange students and faculty. The focus will be on information technology, cybersecurity and the sciences.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

the witness of those who sat together for months and made what should have been the real news on Sunday.

In August, after the Ferguson Commission released its preliminary list of what was then more than 200 callsto-action, organizers began to meet weekly to vet and assess alignment with their respective campaigns. By the time the Forward Through Ferguson Report was released on September 14, they had already set and allowed me to announce the November 1 public meeting date.

On Friday and Saturday of the conference, a little less than 300 people met for all-

day work sessions. As we engaged in conversation with Boesak and DeYoung about making justice a criteria for reconciliation in international and urban organizing, we received the news of our state’s highest-ranking law enforcement officer’s Sunday “campaign conflict.”

(Attorney General Chris Koster is campaigning for governor as a Democrat.) With principles of reconciliation and accountability in mind, the group mobilized to flood his office with calls of renewed invitation and initiated a Twitter storm.

The morning case study generously offered up by

the attorney general set the stage for the afternoon conversation about working together to move progressive policy change in Missouri by building capacity, sharing communications infrastructure and moving together at the grassroots. With detailed presentations based on months of research on the political environment, state policy and assessment of the network’s strength, participants identified areas of opportunity for building the will and skills for positive change.

On Saturday morning, Bethany Johnson-Javois, the Ferguson Commission’s managing director, presented

the commission’s findings and called everyone in the room to find their purpose and place on the path toward racial equity called for in the report. Then residents broke into caucuses to enlist in the work led by local organizers. This is where reconciliation is happening for our region.

This is the real headline from Sunday’s culminating accountability meeting: The conference chairs filled in rooms since August. The pews filled in our sanctuary for joint worship this weekend.

The folding chairs in the basement organized in circles for conversation. The 1,000 banquet chairs filled at

“This partnership will help our students become globally competitive, and enable them to improve their communities in Nigeria,” Ajimobi said.

The academic partnership – Westminster College’s first student-and-faculty exchange program in Africa, and its first with an international government – will become effective in September 2016.

“That’s what the Board of Trustees hired me to do,” Akande told The American.

“That’s what I do. I strengthen colleges by growing them. I have a full mandate.”

Most recently, Akande was business dean and head of corporate partnerships for Webster University.

The namesake of Webster’s business school, Ambassador Bert Walker, was among the power hitters in Akande’s inner circle who traveled to Fulton, Missouri, for two days of installation events.

Former Gov. Bob Holden and Washington University Chancellor Emeritus Bill

Danforth, a former Westminster student, also attended.

The festivities saw the college’s impressive Churchill Singers – named after the its most famed guest lecturer, Sir Winston Churchill, who gave his Iron Curtain speech here in 1946 – learn new repertoire in Yoruba, Akande’s native tongue, and sing over African drums.

Fulton’s population of some 13,000 is 12 percent black,

according to the city’s website, and Westminster’s student body is about 5 percent black, according to Forbes. But for the weekend, the campus and town had a Nigerian flavor, as Akande’s large family turned out in rich African attire, including his parents, the Rev. Dr. and Mrs. S.T. Ola Akande, of Ibadan, Nigeria. Many women dressed in brightly colored native geles (Nigerian head ties), iros (long, wrapping

skirts) and bubas (matching blouses).

LeRoy Benton, mayor of Fulton, praised the city’s newest leader, saying of Akande that “his vitality is invigorating and exciting, as is his collaborative attitude.”

Akande is the 165-yearold college’s first AfricanAmerican president and the first Nigerian-born president of a liberal arts college in the United States. The perception

Saint Louis University. The places warmed by leaders of Civic Progress, the Regional Chamber, the House minority leader, state senators and representatives, an innovating city treasurer, a reforming school superintendent, and a progressive alderwoman who expressed public commitment to building a better region.

These far outweigh and will ultimately overwhelm the empty chairs on the stage. The real news is that the people who filled the room literally signed their names on the dotted line to work, organize and learn together on the path to true reconciliation, marked by justice and equity. Nine powerful organizations have joined to set a unified table to guide them. It’s time to take a seat.

The community organizations partnering to advance Ferguson Commission recommendations together are: Arch City Defenders, Coalition Against Police Crimes and Repression, Empower Missouri, Metropolitan Congregations United, Missouri Jobs with Justice, Missourians Organizing for Reform and Empowerment, Organization for Black Struggle, St. Louis Graduates and Students 4 Change.

Rev. Starsky Wilson is president/CEO of Deaconess Foundation, pastor of Saint John’s Church (The Beloved Community) and co-chair of the Ferguson Commission.

Follow @revstarsky.

of making history and starting an era of change at the college was not lost on the students.

Molly C. Dwyer, president of the Student Government Association, spoke on behalf of the student body.

“What is happening today, not every student who attends Westminster gets to experience,” Dwyer said. “You are all part of the transformation of the college.”

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2015

North City meets the NGA

Federal agency gets local feedback on location for new $1.6B NGA West

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American Dozens of city officials and a handful of residents came out on Thursday, October 29 to hear about the federal government’s latest study in selecting a site for the new $1.6 billion National GeospatialIntelligence Agency (NGA) West facility.

The Environmental Impact

Statement looked at how the new construction would impact the environment in all four possible locations. As part of the process, the government wants to hear from the public.

The public comment portion is open until November 23.

The decision on the site location will be made by March, and finalized at the end of April.

The North City location,

Kevin Bryant, CEO of Conversions Global Marketing, spoke with ABNA Engineering principal Nicole Adewale on Thursday, October 29 at a public hearing about the new NGA West facility held at the St. Louis Gateway Classic Sports Foundation.

Photo by Wiley Price

which is a 99-acre site adjacent to the old Pruitt-Igoe housing project, is the only one that would allow the City of St. Louis- the region’s economic

engine - to retain $2.19 million in earnings tax annually by keeping NGA’s 3,100 jobs in the city.

The other three locations

vying for the federal agency’s attention - including the old Chrysler plant in Fenton, the Met Life facility in South St. Louis County and an area adjacent to Scott Air Force

Base in Illinois.

The North City site is the only urban location, and it’s also the only one that is currently partially occupied.

Clarence and Annett Dugger attended the meeting and live within in the proposed site location. They said they moved into their North City neighborhood in the 1980s when it was vibrant and highly populated. Now only 30 percent of the buildings are occupied, Annett said.

Clarence said he signed an agreement with St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) to move because he said something needs to happen in that neighborhood.

“I’m willing to move because this neighborhood needs redevelopment,” he said. “There’s too much empty land.”

Annett said her original plan was to wait until Developer Paul McKee’s Northside redevelopment plan came to fruition. But so far, it hasn’t.

“At first it was a heart blow because we’ve been down there so long,” she said. “But I look forward to development one way or another. It’s like living in a ghost town.”

Annett said SLDC explained the process well, and she didn’t feel pressured to sign.

The Duggers are among the majority category of the 110 owners who are willing to move. Last week, the St. Louis Board of Aldermen gave final approval for the use of eminent domain on 339 properties owned by McKee and another 58 properties - eight of which are occupied by owners.

However, three sisters who attended the meeting said they do not want to leave their homes in the proposed area.

They said about 12 people in their family, living in four separate homes, will be displaced.

“No amount of money will compare to the bond you have with family,” said Rose Green.

Joyce Cooks said she hasn’t received anything from the St. Louis Development Corporation about a buy out and she “better not.” She is living in her mother’s home, and their family still has Sunday dinners at her sister Shirley Booker’s home. They do not want to leave their childhood neighborhood.

Brittany Leeks, who is looking to start her own demolition business, came to see about the possibilities of getting demolition contracts.

She attended the meeting with her father Charles Westbrook, who is retired from owning his own demolition business and is looking to pass it on to Leeks, once she becomes certified.

“She can do anything a man can do. She can identify any kind of metal,” he said proudly.

David Berczek, regional NGA spokesman, said the minority participation goals for construction are set regionally.

“They would be more in line with what we have here rather than what comes out of Washington, which is the minimum,” he said.

The Army Corps would be the construction manager on the project, he said.

As part of the presentation, the Army Corp representative Laurie Farmer said that the construction project will bring 1,350 new jobs.

The city ordinance on minority workforce participation outlines that 25 percent of labor hours go to minorities; 5 percent to women; 20 percent to city residents; and 15 percent to apprentices enrolled in an approved training program.

Westbrook’s main concern was that local residents get jobs out of this deal.

“What opportunities do they have?” he said. “They don’t just want to sit around. They need jobs.”

Comments will be collected on the statement from October 9 - November 23. The public also can comment online, via email at NextNGAWest@ usace.army.mil or by mail at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Kansas City District, Attn: Amy Blair, Room 529, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, MO 64106.

The entire Environmental Impact Statement can be found here: http://nextngawest.com/ site/index.php/deis.

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2015 killing of Antonio Martin. His sentencing is on December 10

by St. Louis County Circuit Judge John D. Warner.

McCulloch is prosecuting this case and sure to ask for no mercy. If you protested along with Josh and see potential in him, send an appeal for leniency to the court via his attorney of record, Nick Zotos, 4235 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis MO 63108-2915.

Winners – and losers – in politics and justice Lots of winners and losers in St. Louis – and Ferguson – politics and criminal justice this past week.

St. Louis County Prosecutor Attorney Robert McCulloch was a loser, along with one of his judicial allies. He got the rebuke so many have been dreaming of giving him over all these years when the Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District ruled that Steven H. Goldman abused his discretion by removing a foreperson from a grand jury at McCulloch’s request. The higher court ordered the grand jury to be immediately adjourned.

Admittedly, McCulloch got something he wanted – the pesky grand juror he wanted removed is still gone – but he got the public humiliation of having lost an entire grand jury by tampering with it.

The grand juror, whose identity remains secret under conditions of the grand jury system, was selected to be the foreperson of the St. Louis County Grand Jury for the September 2015 term and served in that capacity for two weeks. That’s when Goldman dumped him at McCulloch’s request, though he met all of the requirements and no misconduct was alleged, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri asked the Missouri Court of Appeals to review the decision.

“It is disappointing that St. Louis County’s decision to put secret information about the grand jury’s proceedings into the public record will force the discharge of an entire

grand jury that was acting independently,” said Tony Rothert, legal director of the ACLU of Missouri.

Politics or performance?

Steve Roberts Jr. lost a job with St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce. His uncle and campaign manager – Roberts Jr. is running to succeed Joyce, who is not seeking reelection – Mike Roberts told the PostDispatch he was dismissed “out of the blue, without any explanation other than reference to political stuff.”

Joyce answered with a statement that Roberts Jr. was dismissed due to poor performance and after being “provided written notice of his performance issues” and meeting “dozens of times with his supervisors who worked diligently to help him succeed at the office.”

Joyce said she did not want to provide evidence of these written notices or meetings unless Roberts Jr. consented to a public airing of his personnel files.

Assistant prosecutor pleads to felony Roberts Jr.’s losing his job – for whatever reason – is nothing in comparison to the shameful losses of two of his colleagues: Bliss Barber Worrell and Katherine Dierdorf. (Speaking of winning and losing, both are ballplayers daughters.)

Worrell pleaded guilty

HSSU loses discrimination suit Photo by Wiley Price

St. Louis County Prosecutor Attorney Robert McCulloch – seen here addressing Saint Louis University School of Law on February 20 – asked a judge to remove a grand juror for what an appellate court ruled were inadequate and improper reasons. before U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey of the Eastern District of Missouri to misprision of a felony after she concealed her knowledge of a St. Louis police officers’ assault upon an arrestee.

Dierdorf, who was fired by Joyce along with Worrell, is cooperating with federal investigators, according to a court source. The cop also lost his job.

Worrell admitted that she failed to notify authorities that on July 22, 2014, police officers assaulted an arrestee in their custody, and that she actively tried to conceal the felony. Worrell also admitted that she filed charges without disclosing knowledge of the assault to her colleagues, supervisors or the judge assigned to setting a bond. She admitted that she allowed the charges to stand despite later learning that the facts that made out the charge of attempted escape were fabricated to cover for injuries the arrestee sustained during the assault.

For all of this to come out, there must have been snitches in Joyce’s office who cooperated with federal investigators.

The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of

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Missouri, due to the recusal of the Eastern District of Missouri, because Worrell interned in that office. For the Western District to pick up this case after the Eastern District dropped it shows that someone on the eastern side of the state wanted to see this case prosecuted.

Ferguson arsonists in court Two Ferguson arsonists were big losers, in federal and state court.

Antonio Whiteside was sentenced to five years in prison by U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on the federal charge stemming from arson at the Ferguson Supermarket on Ferguson grand jury decision night, November 24.

Remember? When McCulloch announced no charges against Police Officer Darren Wilson at night, knowing that Ferguson protests got crazy at night when they got crazy at all. Whiteside pled guilty in April to one count of attempted arson.

Popular Ferguson protestor Josh Williams pled guilty in state court to the attempted arson of the QuikTrip in Berkeley (along with burglary and theft) during protests on December 23, after the police

Harris-Stowe State University was apparently a big loser in St. Louis Circuit Court. Beverly Wilkins, a white former instructor at the historically black institution, was awarded $4.85 million in a racial discrimination suit. She claimed she was discriminated against in decisions for promotion and dismissal on the basis of her race.

Open college trustee seat Somebody is set to be a winner of an open seat on the St. Louis Community College Board of Trustees. It has received five applications for an interim trustee to fill a Subdistrict 1 vacancy.

Subdistrict 1 includes the following school districts: Clayton, Ferguson-Florissant, Hazelwood, Jennings, Ladue, Normandy, Pattonville, Ritenour, Riverview Gardens, and University City.

The applicants are: Teresa Huether, former STLCC faculty and senior project associate; Keith Turner, president, CEO and senior technology consultant of Turngroup Technologies; Monique Abby, of the Abby Law Firm, LLC and prosecutor of the City of Riverview Municipal Court; Lisa Savoy, staff attorney at Maritz Motivation Solutions; and Derek Novel, retired educator.

The Subdistrict 1 seat became vacant following the resignation of Theodis Brown Sr. in the second year of his six-year term. Brown beat Redditt Hudson in a race

it is still difficult to believe that Hudson could lose.

On November 19, the five remaining trustees will meet to appoint one person from the five applicants by majority vote to fill the vacancy until the next election, which will be held by the St. Louis Community College District on April 5. A trustee will then be elected for the remainder of the six-year term, which expires in 2020.

If no applicant is appointed at the November meeting, the board will continue to accept applications and conduct interviews until the vacancy is filled.

You be the judge The Twenty-Second Circuit Judicial Commission (City of St. Louis) is accepting applications for an associate circuit judge vacancy that will be created by Gov. Jay Nixon’s appointment of one of the three associate circuit judge finalists named to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Circuit Judge John F. Garvey.

Qualifications for associate circuit judges may be found in article V, section 21 of the Missouri Constitution.

Application forms may be picked up in the Clerk’s Office at the Missouri Court of Appeals in the Old Post Office, 815 Olive Street, Room 304, St. Louis, Missouri. Applications are also available at www. courts.mo.go.

Applicants who previously applied for the Circuit vacancy created by Garvey’s retirement need only send a letter requesting their previous application be transferred to the current opening.

The members of the TwentySecond Circuit Judicial Commission are: Lisa Van Amburg, chief judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District; Steven L. Groves; Thomas Neill; Rita L. Burlison; and Tiffany Mapp Franklin.

Applications and/or the letter must be received by each commissioner no later than 5 p.m. November 20.

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2015

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By Melanie Adams

‘Dia de los Muertos’ at the History Museum Royal Banks

15th Annual

o f

M i s s o u r i

Economic Forecast Breakfast There are many challenges facing our country, government and everyday lives. Find out from St. Louis’ economic and financial experts about what lies ahead in the future.

Tuesday, December 1st, 2015 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

Ritz-Carlton Saint Louis 100 Carondelet Plaza Clayton, Missouri 63105

Master of Ceremonies

Bob Ramsey - On-Air Personality

Speakers

Dr. William Emmons Mr. Stephen Freedman Mr. Robert Hardcastle

Reservations

Please call Christina Willey at (314) 212-1634 or e-mail christina.willey@royalbanksnet.com

by November 24th, 2015 to reserve your seat.

Continental breakfast will be available.

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Equal Housing Opportunity

The Missouri History Museum is happy to host the annual Dia de los Muertos festival. To learn more about this Hispanic holiday, I spoke with festival organizer, Elisa Bender of Hispanic Festival, Inc. Tell me a little about Dia de Los Muertos?

Dia de los Muertos is an annual holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and around the world in other Hispanic cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to remember those who have died. Traditions with Dia de los Muertos include altars honoring the deceased with sugar skulls, marigolds, and favorite foods of the departed in a festival setting.

Why did you think it was important to produce this event for the St. Louis community?

The Hispanic Community is consistently growing in the St Louis area. With that, it is important to educate and celebrate the Hispanic Cultures and Traditions. We saw an opportunity to have a Dia de los Muertos in St Louis and collaborate with the Missouri History Museum.

What can people expect to see when they come to the event?

The family event will showcase over 12 beautiful decorated altars from various Hispanic countries created by local artists and community organizations: Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama.

Also, local Artists will be displaying their work.

On Saturday, a Ceremony honoring lost loved ones will take place at 2:30pm.

Everyone is encouraged to participate. Bring photos, food or something that reminds you of a person that has passed away. The altars will be available for viewing and face painting will be available for the kids.

On Sunday, attendees can enjoy a variety of dance performances. Expect a children’s area which will include various children’s activities including face painting, crafts, calavera masks and Mexican tissue flowers.

Snacks and beverages will also be served.

What do you hope people will learn from attending the event?

We hope attendees will learn the Day of the Dead is a true celebration of life. It’s not about being sad, it’s about positively honoring those who had departed us with their favorite foods, favorite drinks, pictures, flowers. Some believe that the souls of the departed

Missouri History Museum hosts “Dia de los Muertos and a Celebration of Hispanic Culture” Saturday, November 7, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, November 8, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

return to earth to visit and to provide council to family and loved ones. The rituals used to celebrate are varied and colorful.

What is your favorite part of the event and why?

My two favorite parts are the altars and the children who attend the event.

n “We hope attendees will learn the Day of the Dead is a true celebration of life.”

They learn so much about this holiday and really enjoy the calavera masks and face painting. While death is usually so solemn and sad, this is a happy and positive event to celebrate those who have passed.

For a complete schedule of activities, please visit the museum’s website at www. mohistory.org

Dia de los Muertos and a Celebration of Hispanic Culture Saturday, November 7th 11am to 4pm Sunday, November 8th 11am to 5pm FREE

– Elisa Bender

Every altar is different.

While each represents someone, for the person assembling the altar, it is up to their interpretation. They are influenced by their country of origin, the departed person, and their personal preference.

Some altars are simply, extravigent, colorful, small and large.

It’s also exciting to see all the children that attend.

Throughout the Museum Dia de los Muertos is a holiday celebrated throughout Latin America and around the world in many other cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of people to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died.

Join us for an expanded version of the holiday commemoration with traditional music, dancing, an art display, alters, informational tables, and more.

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2015

Guest Commentary

It comes down to trust

By Kimberly Gardner Guest columnist

It was reported that a former St. Louis city assistant prosecutor pleaded guilty to crimes involving her participation in a cover up with a St. Louis Metropolitan policeman by issuing false charges. This unethical and illegal misconduct goes to the heart of why crimes are so difficult to Guest Columnist solve in the City of St. Kimberly Louis where Gardner we have the vast majority of unsolved murders.

However, in a system where there is strong evidence of bias in the treatment of minorities and the socioeconomically disadvantaged, this type of incident validates and provides fuel to the fires of mistrust of the criminal system. This creates difficult challenges in delivering justice to victims of crimes that plague our great city.

This mistrust is particularly true for African Americans throughout the St. Louis region. Reports generated by the Missouri Attorney General and the United States Department of Justice have shown that a disproportionately high number of minorities are detained and interrogated by

law enforcement officers. When these statistics are published, the disclaimer that such statistics “do not prove racial bias” most times follows it.

However, it does not disprove the existence of bias either.

The truth of the matter is that it is not proof that matters rather it’s the lingering perception that these statistics leave in the minds of many African Americans. In turn, this continues to perpetuate an environment of mistrust that exists at the core of many citizens’ interactions.

When citizens have perceptions of inequity of the criminal justice system, it compromises the system as a whole. Many would like to oversimplify these discussions

n When citizens have perceptions of inequity of the criminal justice system, it compromises the system as a whole.

in terms of pro-law enforcement versus anti-law enforcement.

It comes down to trust. The cooperation of victims and witnesses are essential to solve many of the unsolved serious and violent crimes that occur in our City. The confirmed actions of two assistant prosecutors

(and possibly others) stand to indict the honorable efforts and dedication of the police officers and prosecutors that serve our city.

This current case is the most recent chip off an already unstable foundation of trust that exists in high-crime neighborhoods. Relatively recent illegal allegation of St. Louis city law enforcement have ranged from excessive force to internal collusion to inconceivable actions of assisting drug dealers in their murderous acts. With the current case involving a St. Louis city assistant prosecutor, there continues to be a perception of mistrust that is affecting our ability to deliver justice.

When public servants are entrusted to administer justice and they violate that trust, the consequences are catastrophic and slowly erode and weaken the criminal justice system as a whole. This further disenfranchises these communities where the real perception of lawlessness and cronyism permeates.

We must send a strong message in the resolution of this case that public servants’ misconduct will not be tolerated at any level and will be punished to the fullest extent of the law like any other criminal that preys on the community and betrays our trust.

Kimberly Gardner (D-St. Louis) represents District 77 in the Missouri House of Representatives.

The latest in News, Sports and Entertainment!

www.stlamerican.com

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2015

No charges in Kajieme Powell killing

Prosecutor says cops ‘could have reasonably believed the use of deadly force was necessary’

By Chris King and Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American There will be no criminal charges filed against the two St. Louis police officers who shot and killed Kajieme Powell, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer M. Joyce announced on Tuesday, November 3.

After reviewing forensic, video, 911 call, police dispatch and witness evidence, and a 3-D spatial analysis, prosecutors “determined a criminal violation against either officer could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt,” as Joyce stated in a 40-page report.

This conclusion rests on their finding that Powell was wielding a knife as he walked towards the two police officers outside Six Star Market on the 8700 block of Riverview Boulevard in the early afternoon of August 19, 2014.

Both police officers and some witnesses testified that Powell had a knife, and prosecutors found that a video

of the incident shows Powell at one point pulling a knife out of his pocket, which some have disputed.

Police claimed to recover a knife from Powell, described as “nine inch-long, wood-handled and metal-bladed” in the report.

Photographs of a knife are included. One picture has an evidence tag next to it, but the picture is framed too tight to establish it as the crime scene.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department claims its crime lab swabbed the knife and found blood on it to have Powell’s DNA. Certainly, the police officers believed Powell had a knife.

Based on 911 calls, they were told a man fitting Powell’s description had a knife and was acting dangerously. In the video, they clearly directed him to put down a knife as he approached them.

“Shortly after Officer 1 and Officer 2 arrived on scene, they observed Powell openly displaying a knife in an angry or threatening manner,” the report states.

Photo by Wiley Price

Ferguson protestors visited the home of St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay on February 9 in the name of Kajieme Powell, who was killed on August 19, 2014 by St. Louis police called to the scene of a man dangerously wielding a knife.

“Under the law, this conduct would constitute the crime of Unlawful Use of WeaponExhibiting, a Class D felony.

By advancing upon the officers, Powell could also have been committing the offense of

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OPEN HOUSE Sunday, November 8 11:30 am-4:00 pm www.nerinxhs.org

Second-Degree Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer, a Class C felony. The officers, therefore, would have had legal justification to arrest Powell.”

Jermaine Wooten, attorney for Powell’s family, said that he had the video professionally enhanced and reviewed it many times. “In no enhanced version can you see a knife,” he said.

The police officers’ belief they had a lawful reason to arrest Powell makes their killing of him subject to laws pertaining to police use of deadly force in an attempt to make an arrest.

“Under Missouri law, police officers may use deadly force to make an arrest when they reasonably believe that deadly force is necessary to make the arrest and when they also reasonably believe that the person being arrested may endanger life or inflict serious physical injury unless arrested without delay,” the report states.

Both officers testified to police investigators that they feared serious injury.

Both declined to speak to prosecutors. Knives are legally regarded as a dangerous instrument.

“Under the circumstances, it was reasonable for the officers to believe that Powell was advancing on Officer 1 (who was closest to Powell) to inflict serious physical injury or to

commit the forcible felony of assault against one or both of the officers,” the report states.

“Therefore, prosecutors conclude that the officers could have reasonably believed the use of deadly force was necessary to protect them from Powell.”

The 3-D spatial analysis conducted by the company St. Louis Traffic Accident Reconstruction estimated that Powell came within 15 feet of Officer 1 when the first shot was fired. It estimated, based upon the pace of his approach – “significantly above that of a typical pedestrian” – that Powell could have been in contact with Officer 1 in about 1.2 and 2.4 seconds from the time of the first shot.

Wooten questioned why Joyce put so much weight into the 3-D spatial evidence.

“It was designed for traffic accidents,” he said. “So you get an expert on traffic to reconstruct a deadly force shooting? That doesn’t make any sense at all.”

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department is the first police department to use the analysis in a deadly force case, a department spokesperson said.

Police claimed 12 cartridge casings were recovered from the scene and eight 9mm caliber bullets were recovered from the morgue, four from

each of the officers’ guns.

According to the City of St. Louis Medical Examiner’s report, there were 13 entrance wounds and five exit wounds on Powell’s body. One of the entrance wounds was likely a re-entry wound.

The shooting lasted approximately three seconds.

Many have questioned why the officers did not try to subdue Powell with a Taser.

Officer 1 testified to police that “the incident was unfolding so rapidly, he felt he didn’t have time to deploy the Taser” and that it “was not a viable option” for his safety.

News and social media coverage of the killing have included claims that Powell struggled with mental illness.

The report points out that “no 911 caller indicated that Powell was or appeared to be suffering from any kind of mental illness or ailment.”

Transcripts of the 911 are included in the report. One caller simply said someone had taken some items from the market and refused to return them. The other caller described the conflict that resulted, saying the man had a knife and “must be threatening the store owner,” with no mention of mental disturbance.

The police dispatches received by the officers, also transcribed in the report, described Powell as “creating a disturbance and refusing to give back items” while armed with a knife. No mention of mental illness was made to the officers.

Wooten said even if the police were not alerted beforehand that Powell was mentally ill, it should have been apparent when they arrived and Powell was yelling, “Kill me.”

Under the law, however, “an aggressor’s mental state does not change a person’s legal ability to protect him or herself from that aggressor,” the report states.

The report numbers, rather than names, the two officers.

Officer 1 is a 32-year-old white male who graduated from the city police academy in 2011 and did not have Crisis Intervention Team training at the time of the shooting.

Officer 2 is a 27-year-old white male who graduated from the city police academy in 2011 and had Crisis Intervention Team training in April 2012.

However, St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson identified the officers as Officers Nicholas Shelton and Ellis Brown.

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2015

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12 WEEK 7

ONE SMALL CHANGE is an ongoing series that challenges us to take very small steps toward being more environmentally-friendly. If we all participate then participate, thenONE ONESMALL SMALLCHANGE CHANGEcan canmake makeaabig bigdifference! difference!

SHOWERS EAT YOUR NOT LEFTOVERS BATHS

You it’s inathere, lurking in the We know all enjoy relaxing bath from time back of the just waiting for to time butfridge it’s something we should someone it. What started considertoa find “luxury” instead ofas anaeveryday delicious chicken dinner has now curdled ritual. Cleaning ourselves is the largest into a vacuum-packed science indoor use of our water at experiment home, making complete moldof and rainbow fungus. up aboutwith 27 furry percent our total water It’s too late for this but it doesn’t consumption.

Butdish when comeshave to the to be this way.

By making this one small decision of shower versus bath the choice change, can makeuse a huge impact on as much water as a is clear.we Showers almost half ourselves and the environment. bath. Meanwhile, the average bathtub requires about 36 gallons of water! That’s a ton of water saved by switching We waste a lot of food. On average, to showers.

Americans throw away 15-40% of their food! It gets even worse around excessive holidays.

In addition to your reduced waterThat’s like throwing $5 to $10 intoconsumption, your garbage every we don’t you’llday be and saving yourhave family to let this happen! Commit tosome making one small change and eating money on their energy costs. your leftovers before they turn into unidentifiable glob.

Youa slimy probably don’t take many

cold baths or showers right? All

Look online for recipes that’ll let of youthat use hot leftover foodtakes from your water energy fridge. Also, some foods like tortillas, bread, are perfectto to heat upand so rice by switching showers you’ll be your supplements andcutting are edible energy-consumption half too. containers for yourinvarious This one small change adds up. leftovers.

Finally, get more Across aorganized year youwith could yoursave food more than thousand andsix make one nightgallons of the of water. week a “Leftover Night” with your family.

THIS CHANGE SAVES 6,000+ 15-40% OF THE FOOD GALLONS OF YOU PURCHASE! WATER PER YEAR!

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2015

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NEWSPAPER IN

Healthy Kids

EDUCATION

PRESENT:

Planting the Seeds for Success!

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

Take

Your

T ime!

Exercise

What Fits?

Healthcare Careers

Nutrition Challenge:

stomach to “catch up” with your eating, and you’ll know when you’re full. Eating slowly allows Weekly Newspaper in Education Program you to know when you’ve had enough Dentist, Healthy Kids Express Dental Van and you can stop eating before Where do you work? you become uncomfortable from I work for St. Louis overeating… and you’ll eat less!

Children’s Hospital Try this— in the Child Health Practice chewing each bite 30 Advocacy and Outreach times before swallowing.

Department.

Dr. LaToya Smith Wilson

It seems that all of us are usually in a hurry. But when it’s time to eat, sit down, relax and focus on eating. With each bite, set down your fork and chew your food completely before swallowing.

This allows your

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

Exercise Challenge: Is biking your thing? Or do you like to play basketball? The best “exercise” you can do is through an activity you enjoy. Make a list of 10 activities that you like to do, that are active enough to be considered exercise. Some possibilities include kickball, baseball, football, dancing, biking,

running, skating, jump rope, walking or playing Frisbee.

Make it a goal to do one of these activities each day of the week (at least five days a week). Exercise can be fun!

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

Healthy Snacks

And...

Standard Tim e

On November 1, Daylight Savings Time ended. What does this mean? Well, it means that it gets dark a lot earlier than it used to! So plan ahead when you have outdoor activities or if you have to walk or bike somewhere. You may want to leave a little earlier in order to get home before it’s too dark. Also, wearing light colored clothing and carrying a flashlight can help keep you safe.

Learning Standards: HPE 5, NH 5

Chocolate-Dipped Pretzels Ingredients: 4 oz Semisweet chocolate, chopped ¼ Cp Creamy peanut butter 30 Braided honey-wheat pretzels Directions: Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Microwave chocolate in small glass bowl for one minute, stirring every 15 seconds until melted. Mix in peanut butter until smooth. Dip one end of each pretzel into melted chocolate, turn to coat and place on the parchment paper.

Refrigerate until set. Serving size – 3 pretzels.

Where did you go to school? I graduated from Washington Marion Magnet High School in Lake Charles, Louisiana. I received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, Louisiana, and a Doctorate of Dental Medicine from Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine in Alton, Illinois.

What does a community outreach dentist do?

I work with 3 dental assistants aboard a 40-footlong van that brings dentistry to families at their churches, daycares, and schools so that parents will not have to miss work and kids won’t miss school due to tooth issues. We do all of this for free, thanks to donations from people who care about oral health and kids.

Why did you choose this career? I chose dentistry because it allows me to get to interact with interesting people, relieve their dental pain, and help their smiles to improve. Sometimes patients enter our van in pain in tears. Being able to rebuild their courage and self-esteem with a healthy smile warms my heart.

What is your favorite part of the job you have?

I really feel as though community outreach dentistry is not a job at all; it is my life’s mission and gives me so much joy!

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

Content—Cathy Sewell • Design—Beth Sharpe

Nutrition

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2015

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The St. Louis American’s award winning NIE program provides newspapers and resources to more than 7,000 teachers and students each week throughout the school year, at no charge.

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT

SCIENCE STARS African -American Inventor and Nurse Marie Van Britten Brown

Coldwater Elementary School 3rd grade teacher, Stephanie Knight,

shows students Dejah Robinson, Hunter Scott, Raqeebah Sowemimo, Desean Gray, and Demetrius Grooms how to budget money using the food section in the newspaper.

Coldwater Elementary School is in the Hazelwood School District. Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American.

Marie Van Britten Brown was born in Queens, New York, in 1922. Much of her childhood and early life is unknown. As an adult, she worked as a nurse. Her husband, Albert, worked as an electronics technician. Due to their work schedules, Marie was often home alone. The crime rate in her neighborhood increased dramatically. She noticed the police response time in her town was very slow. She wanted to feel safe at home. She wanted others to feel safe, too. With the help of her husband, she created a home surveillance system.

Teachers, if you are using the St. Louis American’s NIE program and would like to nominate your class for a Classroom Spotlight, please email: nie@stlamerican.com.

SCIENCE CORNER

Surveillance Cameras

Many stores use surveillance cameras to spot shoplifters, but did you know they also use surveillance cameras for research purposes?

Store owners are able to watch the videos and analyze the shoppers. What types of displays catch their attention? This information can help the store owners as they create new displays to attract shoppers.

What areas of the store are the most crowded?

This information can help them make changes in the layout of the store to help crowd control.

There are an estimated 40 million security cameras in the U.S. that could be used to gather shopping data.

Mondelez is the name of a major food company that owns such brands as Chips Ahoy and Ritz. Mondelez has developed

a type of shelves with built in cameras that grocery stores can buy. These shelves will be used to record people as they shop.

The information gathered will let them know the age and gender of shoppers and what their preferences are when they choose a product. This allows the company to market (sell) their products more easily and effectively.

Discuss: What do you think of surveillance cameras in stores? What are the pros and the cons?

Learning Standards: I can read nonfiction text for main idea and supporting details. I can defend my answer with specific facts.

SCIENCE EXPERIMENT Make A Blind Spot!

Background Information: A blind spot refers to a specific area where you are unable to see. For example, many drivers have a blind spot to their sides. In this experiment, you will find your blind spots.

at the X you should be able to see the dot out of the corner of your eye.)

r Slowly move the paper in front of you. Try moving it left and right or closer and farther away. Remember to keep looking at the X.

Materials Needed:

• Paper • Marker • Ruler

t At a certain point, the dot will seem to

Process:

disappear out of the corner of your eye. That is your blind spot.

q Take a piece of paper and draw a small X on the right side.

Compare results with your classmates:

w Take your ruler and measure about

Do your blind spots appear in similar areas? Were you surprised by the results?

5 inches to the left of the X. Draw a dot there about the size of a penny.

Learning Standards: I can follow sequential directions to complete an experiment. I can draw conclusions and analyze results.

e Hold the paper in front of you and close your right eye. Look at the X. (Even though you're looking

MATH CONNECTION Practice Your Money Skills!

Many businesses install surveillance cameras to save money.

In this activity, you will practice your money skills.

z

Katherine starts with $25.00 and spends $7.45 on stickers. How much money does Katherine have left? ______

x

After buying some oranges for $5.00, Lillian has $4.05 left. How much money did Lillian have to begin with? ______

c

Steven has $20.08 and Deborah has $6.74. How much more does Steven have than Deborah? ______

v

Ashley worked to earn $357.76. If she earns $4.16 per hour, how many hours did Ashley work? ______

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

DID YOU KNOW? According to the FBI, a home burglary occurs every 13 seconds in the U.S. Homes with surveillance cameras are far less likely to be a target.

Alarm systems that also include a siren or horn are most effective.

Modern security methods include the use of a timer that controls lights, television, and radio. It makes the house appear to be occupied.

The security system consisted of four door peepholes and a camera that could slide up and down to look out each one. This would allow them to see visitors of different heights, even a young child. The images from the camera would appear on a television monitor. The system included a device that enabled a homeowner to use a television set to view the person at the door and hear the caller's voice.

If the homeowner was concerned about the person at the door, a button could be pushed that would sound an alarm to signal a security firm, a neighborhood watchman, or a nearby neighbor. If the person was a friend, a button could be pushed that would unlock the door by remote control so that the visitor could come in. In 1966, their home security system was patented. It is patent #3,482,037. The security system was not only used for homes, but it was used in public buildings, as well.

The New York Times wrote an article about the Browns and their security device in 1969. In the interview, Marie states, “A woman alone could set off an alarm immediately by pressing a button, or if the system were installed in a doctor’s office, it might prevent holdups by drug addicts.”

Their invention became a model for future security systems.

In fact, the Browns’ patent is referenced by 13 inventors seeking a patent. Brown was given an Award for the National Scientists Committee (NSC).

Marie had two children. One of them grew up to be a nurse and an inventor. Many of her daughter’s patents involve helping patients with health issues. Marie Van Britten Brown died in Queens on February 2, 1999, at the age of 76.

Learning Standards: I can read a biography about a person who has made contributions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

MAP CORNER Enjoy these activities that help you get to know your St. Louis American newspaper.

Activity One — Evaluating the Layout: Choose a page of the newspaper to evaluate. Measure the square area of text, advertisements, and photographs. Place the measurements from least to greatest and write the percentage of space that each type of category utilized.

Activity Two — The Shape of the Final Scores: Locate the sports section of your newspaper. Record all of the final scores shown for a particular sport, such as football. Arrange the final scores in order from least to greatest. Calculate the median, mode, and range of the numbers. Discuss your results.

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can use measurements and compare numbers. I can make text to text connections.

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2015

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! w o W Thank you to hundreds of members who have already committed to helping people live their best possible lives.

As United Way African American Leadership – Charmaine Chapman Society members, these driven local leaders are making the entire St. Louis region a better place.

Watch this list grow in the coming weeks, recognizing these and hundreds of other leaders who are joining the premier African-American philanthropic society in the country.

Be a part of it!

Contact Ashley at ashley.edwards@stl.unitedway.org.

Charmaine Chapman Society de Tocqueville Million dollar roundTable The Steward Family (David, Thelma, David II, Mary, Kimberly)

de Tocqueville chapMan circle ($50,000-$74,999) Lawrence E. Thomas

de Tocqueville WilliaM e. MariTz circle ($25,000-$49,999) Charmaine S. Chapman Endowment Michael and Gail Holmes Reuben A. Shelton and D’Anne Shelton

de Tocqueville Silver circle ($15,000-$24,999) Mr. & Mrs. Arnold Wayne Donald Ms. Cynthia E. Jordan Andrew and Peggy Newman Daryl and Connie Scales Timothy and Sheila Slater

de Tocqueville ($10,000 -$14,999) Edward and Claudette Adams Robyn Coan Allieze Ruby Curry Mark C. Darrell and Vivian M. Darrell Alex M. David, DPS Cheryle Dyle-Palmer Honorable Jimmie M. and Stacy M. Edwards Johnny and Minga Furr Rodney Gee Henry Givens, Jr. Bettye and John J. Glenn, Jr. Melvin & Rochelle Griffin Steven L. Harris and Arica Harris Pamela B. Jackson and John R. Bush Karen M. Jordan Orv and Latriece Kimbrough Roy G. Lee Chris & Kris Lewis Roger M. Macon, AAMS Richard and Melissa Mark Ric and Seanna McGough Michael P. McMillan Steven C. Mizell The Newberry Family Foundation Deborah J. Patterson Valerie E. Patton Emily Pitts Elizabeth Powitzky Luther M. Reames, Jr. JoAnna Schooler Ronald and Michelle Sherod Crystal (Ross) and Patrick E. Smith, Sr. Patricia Smith-Thurman and Solomon Thurman Donald M. Suggs Michelle D. Tucker & Kennard Tucker Herbert J. Vallier Cheryl D. S. Walker Dwaun J. Warmack, Ed.D. Richard B. White, M.D. and Anita R. White, Ph.D. Keith H. Williamson Dr. LaToya and Rev. Starsky D. Wilson

• largest and oldest African American philanthropic giving group associated with any United Way • leverages $19 million allocated annually to agencies that primarily serve African Americans • more than $28.25 million raised since its inception in 1994 • opportunity to engage with other leaders through events, mentorship and service projects

keySTone ($7,500 - $9,999) Mr. Gary Carroway Dr. Flint W. Fowler and June McAllister Fowler

pillar ($5,000 - $7,499) Kenneth Bell Steven N. and Holly A. Cousins Michael D. Mulligan Joseph Orlet Kelvin and Tammy Taylor

cornerSTone ($2,500 - $4,999) Lynn Beckwith, Jr., Ed.D. Marty Blaylock Barbara Bowman Vernon and Adrian Bracy Alonzo Byrd S. Wray Clay Darryl and Kenita Collier Brigiett Cunningham Trisha Gordon and Douglas Rei Cunningham Bernadette Donohue Jimauria Evans West Ewing Yinka and Ronke Faleti Mr. & Mrs. James Farmer Jerome Farquharson Vanessa U. Halim Laurna C. Godwin and Sam Hutchinson Everett & Amy Johnson Victor and Mabeline Julien Lynn Maupin & Dale Bilyeu Dorothy McMurtry Keith A. Mills Darryl Munden Ronald Norwood Dr. Steven Player Byron Price Vera M. Price Harry K. Ratliff Raymond & Iris Riddle John E. Roland, Jr. Steve Sharpe Will & Nancy Smith Thomas H. Sullivan Tony & Kim Taylor Daniel Tea Maurice A. Tennial LaTonja Thomas Virginia Dowsing Toliver Frederick Lee Webb Pamela A. Westbrooks-Hodge Drs. Martin Weir and Jamie Wooldridge Allen & Toni Worthy

FoundaTion ($1,500-$2,499) Yusuf A. Abdullah Letitia Avery Greta Bai Cleo Ball Lashanda Barnes Darryl Bennett Rozitta Bennett Maxine Birdsong Steve Bradley Reginald Brandon Alexandria Bratcher Robin R. Britt Leslie Tolliver Stephanie Brown Dr. and Mrs. Craig Savoy Brummer Carole Bryant Zundra L. Bryant Kevin & Kim Buie Tamara L. Byrd Gwen Y. Cabe Monica Campbell Paula E. W. Carey Gloria Carter-Hicks Anne-Marie Clarke and Richard K. Gaines

Mildred Clines Carnecia Cole Gale Crenshaw Cathy Dansberry Chandrea Davis-Clark Kelly Deloch Helen Douthit Willie J. Epps Jr. & Mischa Buford Epps Jerome Farquharson Lauren Foster Rev. & Mrs. Rodney T. Francis Terrence L. Freeman William E. Fronczak Vivianne Frye-Perry Delesha N. George Marilyn L. Gooch-Hill Ms. Lisa G. Gould Regina L. Greer Michelle N. Griffin Vicki Hardiman-Riley Lena Harness Falishia G. Harrold Sharon Harvey Davis Patricia Hernandez Jan Hess Dr. Kimberly Hodge-Bell Harlan and Traci Hodges Darlene Holland Timothy Holloway Phakisha K. Horne Jerry M. Hunter Tanja J. Huston Cyeria Jackson Dana L. Johnson Cheryl Jones Debbie Jones Dr. Roderick Jones Terry “Chip” Jones Pamela P. Kelly Dr. Audrey M. Lee Osbert L. Lomax Daryl Luster Pamela J. Malone Kerwin Marshall Mary & Dave Matin Kimberly Matthews Anthony A. McBride Brandon McClain Marquis McCoy Cheryl McCree Keith A. Mills Mr. and Mrs. James F. Monafo Al Moore Jeffery L. Moore, Sr. Matt Nelson Cris Gavin O’Neal Diane J. Peal Kim Perry Horace L. Pete Debra J. Pitts Dr. Jason Q. Purnell Victoria Reaves Gussie M. Reed Michael E. and Jada D. Reese Shaneetra P. Riley David K. Rodgers Angela Ruffin-Stacker Tracy D. Shepard Leroy J. Shumpert, Jr. Nick Sims Tiffany Cooley-Slater Susan M. Arceneaux Tara M. Snipes Veronica Dario Stacker Charles A. Stewart, Jr., C.P.A. Dr. Monica A. Stewart Susan A. Stith Brittany S. Story Halbert Sullivan Gail E. Holmes Taylor Christopher J. Terry Dr. Rance Thomas Leonora M. Trawick Mr. and Mrs. Kennard Tucker Robin L. Turner Dr. Maxine Valdez Sumit Verma Michael D. Washington Antoinette Watson Christopher and Meredith Chambers

Michael R. Williams, CISA, MBA Jennifer A. Willingham Linda Wofford James R. Wood Wanda W. Wyatt

builder ($1,000-$1,499) Cynthia D. Ackins Kelvin R. Adams Ph.D. Jamie Marie Amerson Autumn Anthony Veronica Armouti Cheryl Armstead-Batey Judith R. Arnold M.A. CFRE Patrice Ashford Colby T. Autrey Christina P. Bailey Melvin Leonard Ballenger Angela and Ernest Banks Nikole Banks Ebony Beattle Kimberly R. Beck Christina and Vince Bennett Emma Benton Angelia D. Bills Charlene P. Blair Karlos Bledsoe Wendy A. Blocker Gregg W. Booker Norma R. Boozer Erica Bosley Cenia K. D. Bosman Danya L. Boyd Akberet Boykin Farr Errin Braddock and India Boodram Derrick Brooks Jamell Brooks Amanda C. Brown Darryl Brown Leonor S. Buchanan Susan E. Buford and James H. Buford Donna M. Bullock Julia Robinson Burke Pat Burns Vergia A. Burrell Darrell Butler Michael Butler Mr. & Mrs. Michael Byrd, Sr. Rochelle Anita Calhoun Mr. and Mrs. Allen Calicutt Taylor Calvin Doreen Carmichael J. Danielle Carr Jamad Carter Johnetta Carver Brenda Cass Tia F. Cattaneo Melissa C. Chambers Tiffany Chandler Tiffany (Hayes) Charles Michele Cheatham Tina Clark-Scott Yvonne Clemons Lucia M. Clifton Frank and Darnetta Clinkscale Henry L. Colbert Phyleccia Reed Cole Desiree and Rasheen Coleman Kendrick Coleman Patricia Coleman Veronica D. Coleman Chad Collins Cheryl Cook Dr. Don and Mrs. Wilma Cook Wilbon Cooper Roland Corvington Anita Shanks Cross, Esq. Jennifer L. Curtis Anthony and Vanessa Curtis Christina L. Dancy Donna Roberts Dansberry Oluwemimo Daramola Sacoyya N. Davis Stephanie Davis Vickie Denise Dear Debra F. Denham Larry L. Deskins Jill Dixon-Young Erika Dominick

Frederick and Juliette Douglas Mr. and Mrs. Jeffery Douglas Irasa L. Downing Renita Duncan Tanniesha R. East Andre L. Edison Ashley V. Edwards Kelli D. Edwards Vicki Taylor Edwards Barry A. Eggleston II Mary Elizabeth Enderle Joelle Enyard Mr. and Mrs. Lathon Ferguson Fern Y. Ferguson Bush Jovita Foster Latasha L. Fox Marvin Franks Erica Glanz Frankie M. Freeman Wm. Kenneth Freeman Ashley D. Gammon Antonio A. Gardner Mr. and Mrs. Savoy Gardner II Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs Maureen Gieseler Dawna R. Gilbreath Gayle D. Gill Shay Gillespie Shertina Gillespie Erica Glanz David E. Glenn, Sr. Gregory M. Glore Obarijima Godwinchu Venita M. Govan Rhonda Gray Phillice A. Gregory Karl and Anne Grice Gerald Grier Bert Griffin Deana Griffin Constance Gully Sherita Michelle Haigler Lekisha Hamilton Sarajeni A. Hammond Kenya Haney, MSN, RN Clarence Hanks John D. Hardiman Sharonica L. Hardin Freddie L. Harris Mr. Julian M. Harris Laconia E. Harris Victoria A. Harris Denise Harrison Terrie Hart Donna Harvey Raymond M. Harvey Walter L. Hawkins Leonard Hawthorne Tara Hearns Margot M Hemphill Eric Henderson Karan P. Henderson Roslyn Ashley Henderson Odell Hendricks Christopher Hicks Alisha N. Hill Sean C. Hill George and Stacy Hollins Leslie Holloway Aliah B. Holman Desarie Holmes, Ph.D. Linda Hopkins Melvon L. Houston, Jr. Crystal Howard Earline Huddleston Petra Humphrey Amy A. Hunter Kristina Ingram Paulette Isaac-Savage and Rev. Gerald L. Savage Carlos Jackson Carolyn A. Jackson Francella Jackson Keith S. Jackson Sylvia Jean Jackson MCRP Ralonda M. Jasper Kimberly Jeter Frederick Johnson Dr. and Mrs. Kevin Johnson Andwele M. Jolly Darryl and Villa Jones Denyse Jones

Ingrid Jones Lora L. Jones Mareka M. Jones Rhonda Denise Jones Vanessa C. Jones Rosetta Keeton Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Kerford Kamarrah Killion Sharon A. Kitchens Jacqueline R. Knox Catrice Kolieboi Brian K. Leonard Sr. Jerilyn C. Leonard Lashonda Lewis Mr. and Mrs. Lee Lewis, Jr. Angela Wallace Little Sharon Luster Brenda Mahr Donald G. Maier Hazel Mallory Elizabeth Marengo Michelle A. Martin Ms. Nicole Y. Martin Bridget Marzette-Bender Earl May Derek and Keia Mays James Mcbride Arlett McCain Felicia Mcgee Rita McIntosh Vanessa R McKenzie Clara P. McLeod Cheryl McNeil Nicole McPherson Yolanda McPherson Priscilla J. Merriweather Bianca Merriwether Matt Mickens Deborah L. Miller Lauren Ming Marsha M. Montgomery Monnika Morey Pamela Y. Moore, CFRE Shelley R. Morris Morris Earnest Muex Jr .

Christine Myrick Trelana M. Nance Michael T. Naughton Lolita K. Nero Nevels Nevels Crys Newsom Sonni L. Nolan Dr. Roderick Nunn Dr. Aaron & Mrs. Nekisha Omotola Janine N. Parham Dana L. Parker Wilbert Peebles Tyronica Peery Wanda J. Pelloquin Dwight Perry Sylvester and Charlotte Petty Celeste Player Jennifer N. Poindexter Kenneth Poole April Pore Rouzell Porter Kendra Powell Anne E. Price, Ph.D. Carmin M. Pruitt Robert L. Pullen, Jr. Melissa Quinn Jacqueline Randolph Robert Redmond Vincent D. Reese Wendy Richardson Nicole (Nicci) Roach Linda Robinson Angela H. Roffle Dana Rogers Lewis Nakeeta M. Saddler Bernard Sammons Betty J. Sanders Raymond Saunders Antwinette Scaifesmith Darrell J. Scott Kittrell Sheffield Christan E. Shelton Heather Shelton Daniel W. & Samantha Sherrod Kim Simmons Kourtney Singleton

William Skeeter Denise P. Sleet, Ph.D. Michelle Y. Smart Carmen Smith Earnrolyn C. Smith Mark Smith Muriel Smith Shar and Javas Smith Sylvester Smith Yvonne Smith David J. St. James Jeannie Starks Kimberly N. Stemley Shirley Stennis André Stevens Leon Stewart Leah Reynolds Harris Kristi Storman Dr. Lisa N. Strauther Andrew Streuter Timothy Sutter Chris Tabourne Nicole Durr Tabron Fineza D. Tangua Janet Tate-Anglin Kim Tate Nicole & Corey Tate Katrina Tatum and James Tatum Constance L. Taylor Danise L. Taylor Dawn Taylor Deanna B. Taylor Angela V. Thomas M. Denise Thomas CaSonya Thompson Karlton Thornton Vicki Thorpe-Rhodes Yvonne Tisdel Charles Tisdell Randolph Toles John and Kedra Tolson Chon Tomlin Valerie Torres Brian M. Turner Dr. Jacqueline Turner Tasha Turner Atrice Virgil Beth Volkmann Sonja Wadley Mark Waight Charles Walker II Krishna Walker and Jerry Walker Dr. Dorris J. Walker-McGahee, D.D., Th.D. Robert E. Wallace, Jr. Courtney Bond Walters Kel and Donna Ward Dr. Michael D. Ward VonDina O. Washington Linda Weaver Dara M. Webb Ms. Jameseva Webb Deborah Denise Weber Shelita Wellmaker Kelvin R. Westbrook and Valerie D. Bell Pam Weston Philesa White Roy J. Whitley Akella L. Wicker Sharon B. Wilder Joe E. Wiley Erika Williams Marian M. Williams Terrell Williams Diana J. Wingo Byron Witherspoon Duron Witherspoon Tyonia L. Wright Aundrea C. Young

33 members wish to remain anonymous.

List complete as of 10.29.2015.

Business

LaunchCode opens new center on Delmar

B1

NOVEMBER 5 – 11, 2015

People On The Move Tonya Barnes received a 2015 Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award.

She is a 10th grade chemistry and advanced placement chemistry teacher Tonya at Hazelwood East Barnes High School. She led her colleagues in professional development workshops, presenting on Mastery Learning and Flipped Classrooms, as well as other subjects in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Richard Mark received the 2015 Corporate Leadership Award from the Illinois Black of Chamber of Commerce.

Mark is president of Ameren Illinois.

The objective of Richard the chamber is Mark to help promote job creation and growth among African-American businesses and to promote a healthier business climate and economic empowerment through entrepreneurship.

Photo by Wiley Price

Samara Henry signed up her son Nickolaus Robinson, 13, a student at Pattonville Heights Middle School, for free classes during the grand opening of LaunchCode at 4811 Delmar Blvd in the city’s central West End last week.

New community tech education and skills training facility

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American

LaShana Lewis remembers going to her first CoderGirl meeting – an all-women’s programming meetup group.

“I think a lot of people of color get discouraged,” said the East St. Louis native.

“That’s why I was so glad when I walked into CoderGirl, there were all sorts of people there.

There was a whole myriad of ethnicities there.”

For years, Lewis felt like she kept getting stuck in customer service positions when she really wanted to land a position in coding, she said. CoderGirl is one of the most popular programs at LaunchCode, a St. Louis-based startup nonprofit dedicated to job placement and training.

Once she entered the LaunchCode apprenticeship, she said it changed her life. She

n “The first step is signing up for computer programming classes.

They’re free and we provide mentors and support to help you succeed.”

– Jamie Corley, LaunchCode

now has a full-time position at MasterCard.

“I would describe LaunchCode as an opportunity to show yourself,” she said. “I feel like LaunchCode took a look at me and my skills and saw what I could do and took me to the next level.”

On October 29, LaunchCode celebrated the “lift off” of its new community tech education and skills training facility, located at 4811

Delmar Blvd.

The LaunchCode Mentor Center will host training programs and serve as the hub for collaborating with several other like-minded partners – including Washington University and The Roy Clay Sr. Tech Institute.

The center is significantly located on Delmar Boulevard – a street long considered a symbol of St. Louis’ socioeconomic divide, said LaunchCode’s Jamie Corley.

“The Mentor Center aims to bridge the social and digital divide through mentorship, resources, and education in technology,” Corley said.

The space will focus on bringing more women, youth, and minorities into the city’s tech community by providing them a pathway to “upwardly mobile tech jobs,” she said. And they pride themselves on having programs for See CENTER, B6

Local ‘Survivor’ thrives on helping local people

Tasha Fox is a member of United Way’s Charmaine Chapman Society

By Kylie Fairman United Way of Greater St. Louis If she’s not playing to win on an island of the TV show “Survivor,” cheering on the Rams on any given Sunday or creating a hassle-free travel experience for Edward Jones associates, perhaps you can catch Alton, Illinois, native Tasha Fox doing what she considers one of her most important jobs – giving back to her community.

Fox, who currently is a travel and event management leader at Edward Jones and a former Rams cheerleader, recently wrapped filming of her second season on the reality TV show “Survivor,” and still finds time to give back through her involvement with United Way of Greater St. Louis’ African American Leadership-Charmaine Chapman Society. In fact, Fox believes that “giving back is the foundation of our community.”

In her career and in and out of the spotlight, Fox credits her success and many of the opportunities she has been afforded to the support she received from family, friends and local people. “If you get to a certain level and forget about where you came from, if you forget about the Tasha Fox struggles that you had and forget about the people that helped you, then you don’t pay it forward and everyone suffers,” Fox said.

It’s why she’s so passionate about giving back through United Way. Through Edward Jones, a long-standing philanthropic partner in the region, Fox was introduced to United Way and has become

involved with the nonprofit’s Charmaine Chapman Leadership Society. The society includes more than 800 African Americans in the region who are passionate about giving back to their community through United Way. You can root for Fox now on the current season of ‘Survivor,” which airs on CBS Wednesdays at 7 p.m. She is enthusiastic about using her celebrity to bring awareness to the issues people are facing in the community. As a long-time fan of the show, Fox said it was a dream to be selected. She was first selected in season 28, but didn’t win the final prize. Because she was a fan favorite, viewers voted her back on the show for a “second chance” themed season, which was filmed in Cambodia. Fox also is grateful to Edward Jones for allowing her to pursue a dream twice. She believes, “Life is See FOX, B2

Mary Dyson joined Legal Services of Eastern Missouri (LSEM) as a full-time development assistant.

Previously she served LSEM as a contract Mary worker to assist Dyson the Development Department and has more than 10 years of experience as an event specialist.

LSEM provides legal assistance in civil cases to the low-income community.

De’Angelo Jones received the 2015 Sidney Johnson Learning Award from the St. Louis County Library Foundation.

He has worked more than 600 volunteer hours De’Angelo at the Florissant Jones Valley Branch of St. Louis County Library. He helped reorganize the family literacy kits and helped with the branch’s free lunch program this summer.

Jan JacobsBrown joined the Board of Directors for Youth In Need. She is the strategic sourcing analyst for Safety and Supply Chain at Ameren Corporation. Youth Jan Jacobs- In Need serves Brown more than 13,000 children, teens and families each year with residential programs, homeless street outreach, education, counseling and support groups, foster care case management and development programs.

Dennis Vinson’s company Signature Packaging & Paper was recognized in Black Enterprise magazine’s listing of the nation’s 100 largest black businesses for 2015. Vinson Dennis is president Vinson and CEO of the company, a fullservice corrugated manufacturer headquartered in Jackson, Missouri.

The company manufactures corrugated boxes, point of purchase displays, CAD design, testing lab and warehousing.

On the move? Congratulations!

Send your good professional news and a color headshot to cking@ stlamerican.com

B2

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 – 11, 2015

Salute to Business

Architect as social worker

Karl Grice is 2015 Entrepreneur of the Year

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American Architect Karl Grice spent many of his childhood days running around the MathewsDickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club in North St. Louis. Martin Mathews, co-founder and president emeritus of the club, is like a second father, he said.

One of his proudest moments as an architect was designing the existing club facility in 1981 and incorporating perks that he didn’t have as a child, he said.

“We ended up with the gymnasium, the swimming pool and all of the activity spaces,” he said. “The other aspect was bringing in the educational component.

Mathews-Dickey always got the young boys there through sports, but Mathews always kicked in the educational component to get us to think about things in a different manner.”

Mathews said Grice has been by his side through many obstacles, including the several years it took to plan and build the new facility.

“He’s always found a way around them,” Mathews said.

“He’s a first-class young man.

The facility and his design was one of the best things to happen for St. Louis and our youth.”

Grice started his small architecture firm, Grice Group Architects, in 1984. And since then, he said 99 percent of his work throughout the metropolitan area has been community-type projects – including schools, churches, recreational centers and financial institutions that are in neighborhoods. His office, at 4332 Lindell Blvd., sits only two miles from where he grew up.

On Friday, November 20, Grice will receive The St. Louis American Foundation’s 2015 Entrepreneur of the Year award at the 16th annual Salute to Excellence in Business Awards & Networking Luncheon, which will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis. The networking reception begins at 11 a.m., and the luncheon program at noon.

Grice grew up near St. Louis and North Taylor avenues, back when the Greater Ville area was a vibrant African-American neighborhood, he said. His father was a construction laborer.

“He would always bring blueprints home, and I’d take a look at them,” he said.

He once told his father that he wanted to follow in his footsteps, but his father steered him in a different direction.

Photo by Wiley Price

Karl Grice, principal of Grice Group Architects, is the St. Louis American Foundation’s 2015 Entrepreneur of the Year. The 16th annual Salute to Excellence in Business Awards & Networking Luncheon will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis on Friday, November 20. The networking reception begins at 11 a.m., and the luncheon program at noon.

“He said, ‘Why don’t you be an architect? You don’t have to work as hard, and you can also help more people through designs of buildings,’” Grice said.

After graduating from Sumner High School, Grice earned two master degrees from Washington University – one in architecture and another in social work.

“My philosophy there is thinking about architecture

from a social standpoint and how the buildings will impact people,” he said.

His firm centers its practice around the idea of “participatory design,” where the client is immersed in the design process, he said.

“Each building we work on is designed specifically for that client and specifically for that site,” he said.

His architecture practice has given him the ability to be an

entrepreneur, he said. In 1983, Grice remembers meeting with KAI’s Michael Kennedy Sr., who is one of his mentors in architecture.

“I said, ‘Mike, I’m thinking about hanging out my shingle.

Could you give me some advice?’”

Kennedy told him to “stay small” because it would give him the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of the projects – from the drawings to the construction administration.

“I think if it was larger, you end up – as Mike would say – looking for work or trying to get paid for work,” Grice said.

“That is the difference from what I would say in having a small practice compared to a larger practice. I’ve really enjoyed operating in this manner.”

Grice still very much

enjoys drawing by hand, and he stresses to his employees “that’s a critical part of what we do,” he said.

Outside of his own practice, Grice has served in many civic leadership roles. In 1995, Gov. Mel Carnahan appointed Grice as the first African-American architect to sit on the Missouri Board for Architects, Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. In 1994, the then Mayor Freeman Bosley Jr. appointed him to the planning commission where he led the task of updating the city plan – which had not been revised since 1947.

He has also served on several boards, including the St. Louis Zoo Association, Forest Park Forever and Laumeier Sculpture Park.

And through the National Organization for Minority Architects, he has constantly pushed to encourage more minority youth to consider architecture as a career.

Grice said he feels has been able to combine a career in architecture with community engagement, mixing his “architect’s sensibilities and training as a social worker.” Focusing his work in underserved communities, Grice has tried to offer a “service to society” in all aspects of his career, he said.

“This service to society is a benefit to all of us,” he said, “bringing out the best so we can give our best.”

The 16th Annual Salute to Excellence in Business Awards & Networking Luncheon will be held Friday, November 20 at the Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis, with a networking reception at 11 a.m. and luncheon program at noon.

Tickets are $100 for VIP/ Preferred seating, $75 for general admission. Call 314-533-8000 or visitwww. stlamerican.com for more information or to purchase tickets.

n “Wins define my value scale. If you are not getting the ‘W,’ nothing else really matters.”

– Dallas Cowboys defensive end Kevin Hardy

Sports

INSIDE

Fan hypocrisy on minority hiring on display at NFL meeting ~ See ‘Sports Eye’ page B4 ~ B3

NOVEMBER 5 – 11, 2015

Prep Football Notebook

Rams Roundup

Titles on the line

‘The only thing that matters is Minnesota’

With Palmer L. Alexander III

With Earl Austin Jr.

Winners advance, losers go home

District championships will be on the line this weekend as postseason play continues in the state of Missouri. The winners in Classes 2-5 will advance to state sectional play while the Class 6 winners will move right into the state semifinals.

Here is the schedule of this weekend’s district championship matchups involving St. Louis area teams:

Rams taking winning record north to Vikings after 49ers upset

Class 6 District 1: Kirkwood (9-1) at Eureka (10-0), Friday, 7 p.m.

Earl Austin Jr.

District 2: Hazelwood Central (9-2) at CBC (11-0), Friday, 7 p.m.

District 3: Blue Springs South (11-0) at Francis Howell (10-0), Friday, 7 p.m.

Class 5 District 1: Rockwood Summit (9-2) at Fox (8-2), Friday, 7 p.m.

District 2: Pattonville (8-3) at Chaminade (9-1), Friday, 7 p.m.

District 3: Parkway West (6-5) at Fort Zumwalt North (10-0), Friday, 7 p.m.

Class 4 District 2: Vashon (8-3) at Affton (10-1), Friday, 7 p.m.

District 3: St. Dominic (6-5) at University City (6-5), Saturday, 1 p.m.

District 4: Borgia (8-3) at Westminster (11-0), Saturday, 1 p.m.

Class 3 District 2: McCluer SouthBerkeley (7-4) at John Burroughs (10-1), Saturday, 1 p.m.

See PREP, B4

Photo by Wiley Price

Gateway STEM’s Dominique Holman (3) had 13 carries for 83 yards in a losing effort to the Vashon Wolverines 6-0 last Friday night during the Missouri Class 4 State District semifinals.

The St. Louis Rams have now posted back to back wins and presently are sitting one game over .500 with a record of 4-3. The Rams are now 3-0 in the NFC West for the first time since 2004.

This past Sunday the Rams upended their NFC West division rival San Francisco 49ers by the score of 27-6. This marks the second straight game that the Rams defense hasn’t given up a touchdown. The Rams defense is starting to really warm up.

All afternoon the Rams hit, hurried, harassed 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick.

Palmer L. The Rams defense also Alexander recorded a safety. Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams called a fantastic game. It sometimes looked like the Rams knew exactly what the 49ers were trying to do. The Rams were extremely disciplined in not allowing the mobile QB beat him with his legs. Rams defenders also sure to get n All afternoon made their hands up the Rams in the throwing hit, hurried, lanes and batted down several harassed by the 49ers QB Colin throws 49ers QB. Kaepernick.

After the game I talked with Rams DE William Hayes.

“Our goal is that it’s just one game at a time,” Hayes said. “We don’t want to focus on the record and look ahead of the schedule. You know that’s one of the things that’s been kind of hurting us for a long time. We’ll say, well, if we do this right here and these next couple of games, we can potentially make it to the playoffs.

The only thing that matters this week is Minnesota.”

And even though the Rams won by See RAMS, B5

In The Clutch With Ishmael H. Sistrunk

Ramblings of a scatter-brained sports writer

According to a study done a scatterbrained sports writer.

by Microsoft Canada, the average attention span of humans Shout out to the Kansas is now just 8.25 seconds. Let’s City Royals. I realize that ignore that fact that study was some St. Louisans are still bitconducted by the same people ter from the I-70 series in 1985 who gave us Windows Vista when umpire Don Denkinger and Internet Explorer royally shafted the and take them at their Redbirds. However, the word. The miniscule Cardinals have played number may seem in five World Series implausible but it since, winning two makes sense. Think world championships. about that way we Until last season, the now consume sports.

Royals hadn’t even On television, camermade the playoffs since as switch the camera ’85. The scrappy Royals angle, cut to announcIshmael H. team reminded me a lot ers, instant replays, of the Cardinals 2011 Sistrunk fans shots or computchampionship squad er-generated graphics after that simply refused to lose, every play. On mainstream no matter the inning or the sports websites, such as ESPN. odds. This isn’t the Cubs, in com, there are auto-play vidthe absence of the Cardinals, eos, pop-up ads, photos, videos I will gladly and proudly root and thumbnails to other stories for Missouri’s other team. every few inches on the screen. Congrats KC. The wait was Social media websites and apps long overdue. That said, expect such as Facebook, Twitter, the Redbirds to reload this offInstagram and Vine ensure that season. We’re coming for you. we are able to move to the next topic in record time. Therefore, Give the Black Mamba a in honor of our attention spans, break. As a recovering Kobe or lack thereof, here are the Bryant-hater, many presume short and random ramblings of I would be thrilled to watch

St. Louis Rams running back Todd Gurley’s vision is second-to-none.

Despite missing the first three games of the season, his 575 yards rank as fifthbest in the NFL.

Bryant struggle through a terrible spell to start the season.

The Lakers great has come

full circle to the air-balling, shot-forcing 18-year-old, minus the hops and athleticism. But

I refuse to revel in his losing fight with Father Time. What did people expect? Bryant is

n The scrappy Royals team reminded me a lot of the Cardinals 2011 championship squad that simply refused to lose.

coming off two consecutive season-ending injuries at the age of 37. He’s put a lot of miles on those tires, but made plenty of epic memories. As Bryant works his way back into shape, two things will likely happen. First, he’ll go off every once in a while to remind everyone why he’s one of the greatest talents that game has ever seen. Secondly, he’ll probably get hurt again and be forced to walk away.

Regardless, I won’t revel in the superstar’s last days. I’d rather tip my cap to O.G. Kobe and wish him the best.

Gurley’s vision is !

People across the NFL have taken notice to Rams running See CLUTCH, B5

B4

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 – 11, 2015

Sports Eye

Fan hypocrisy on minority hiring on display at NFL meeting With Alvin Reid

If the St. Louisans that were battle between County in tears and overwrought at the Executive Steve Stenger and NFL town hall meeting last council member Hazel Erby Tuesday put that same emotion over minority participation into solving some of our legislation. region’s problems, they would Several speakers commented have an immediate impact. on the diversity of the crowd Of course, the at Rams games and thought of losing the how people of different St. Louis Rams to Los ethnic backgrounds Angeles is much more cheer together, highterrible than educational five each other and have learning gaps, crime, a good time. police brutality, racism If they knew one of and wasted lives. the fans had a “Black Judy Mundle of St. Lives Matter” sign in Louis County was one the front yard, would Alvin of the first speakers to they be as friendly?

Reid beg Eric Grubman, It’s fine to want NFL senior vice to keep the Rams in president, and NFL executives St. Louis. But using minority to not allow the team to hiring and training and racial re-locate. tranquility as speaking points “I’m envisioning a January and not being truly dedicated playoff game with Todd to those ideals is somewhat Gurley leading the Rams and hypocritical. beautiful shots of our new stadium on the river,” she said.

She also asked them to Free forward pass “think about the minority for St. Louis County hiring, the minority job training.”

I’m still Several other wondering why St. speakers mentioned n Several Louis County is other speakers minority hiring. not being scolded This is probably the mentioned for avoiding first and last time it minority hiring. involvement in will happen. financing for a This is probably proposed new If they are that the first and concerned about stadium. County minority hiring, Executive Steve last time it will I invite them to Stenger reportedly happen. attend the next would not proceed Metropolitan without a vote of Sewer District county residents in board meeting and regard to spending discuss fairness and minority their money. opportunities.

He should be commended My guess is that most are for that, but why is the region not aware of the ongoing so hesitant to go back and ask

A look at what the proposed new stadium will look like if it comes to fruition. again? Forget the urgency nonsense. St. Louis should demand that St. louis County

kick in some cash.

Why should the city be asked to make up the difference in financing by promising to give the team owner (whoever that might be, if there is a team in St. Louis other than the Rams) two-thirds of tax revenue generated at the stadium?

Why is Comptroller Darlene Green so alone in standing up to David Peacock and the Task Force and saying that the City of St. Louis really can’t afford the deal? Mayor Francis Slay said months ago that there is a chance the city will not make its money back once a final deal is approved.

As a result, any comptroller who signed off on the deal is not being a watchdog for the people.

PREP

Continued from B3 Class 2 District 2: Jefferson (8-3) at Cardinal Ritter (10-1), Friday, 7 p.m.

District 5: Lutheran North (7-4) at Brentwood (10-0), Friday, 7 p.m.

District championship notes The Francis Howell-Blue Springs matchup is the only area district championship game between two undefeated teams.

The Kirkwood-Eureka final will feature current Kirkwood head coach Farrell Shelton

Again, why is the County getting a free pass? The city makes up less than one-fourth of the region’s population. The majority of workers who would build the proposed stadium and fans who attend games will NOT live in the city of St. Louis. Most will reside in St. Louis County.

In April, city voters will again be asked to renew the 1 percent earnings tax. While it passed by a 3-1 margin in 2011, the tax must be renewed every five years. Rex Sinquefield will certainly back the repeal effort with some of his vast fortune. Renewal is not guaranteed.

If the earnings tax is rejected, it would be phased out over 10 years. In the meantime, the city would lose a ton of

taxes if construction workers aren’t obliged to surrender a full 1 percent.

St. Louis County is right in not moving forward without a vote, but it should not be in a position of reaping the benefits of a new stadium. It’s beyond time for the county to be asked to start doing some creative scheming and find a way to plug obvious holes in the stadium financing plan.

Don’t put it past the NFL, as it scrambles to find rationale to allow a Rams relocation, to cite “unfair tax burden on city of St. Louis” as a reason to reject the current financing proposal.

Alvin A. Reid is a panelist on KETC channel 9’s mostpopular show “Donnybrook,” and is also a radio commentator and author.

taking on his former team at Eureka. Shelton enjoyed a very successful run at Eureka before taking over Kirkwood’s program this season.

CBC and Hazelwood Central will be meeting for a district title for the third consecutive year. The two teams have split the last two meetings.

University City and St. Dominic both entered the postseason with losing records, but now they will square off for the Class 4, District 3 championship on Saturday.

The Class 2, District 5 final will feature a powerful Brentwood team that is 10-0 against a very hot Lutheran North team that has won six in a row and has averaged 58 points a game during that winning streak.

Illinois playoffs continue The IHSA playoffs continue with second-round action.

There are four metro east teams still alive in the postseason.

Here is the schedule: Class 4: Althoff (10-0) at Quincy Notre Dame (7-3), Saturday, 2 p.m.

Class 4: Mater Dei (7-3) at Columbia (10-0), Saturday, 1 p.m.

Class 5: New Lennox Lincoln Way (8-2) at Triad (9-1), Saturday, 3 p.m.

Tre Bryant re-opens recruitment Standout running back Tre Bryant of CBC has decided to re-open the recruiting process. Bryant had originally committed to Kansas State, but now has changed that to a soft verbal. He took a visit to Minnesota last weekend and has a scheduled visit to Nebraska this weekend. The 5’11” 195-pound Bryant has rushed for 903 yards and scored touchdowns for the 11-0 Cadets, who will host Hazelwood Central for the Class 6, District 2 championship on Friday night.

(You can catch Earl Austin Jr. on Friday nights talking high school football on the Fox 2 Prep Zone at 10:20 p.m. You can also follow him on twitter @earlaustinjr.

B5

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 – 11, 2015

HSSU hosts HBCU Basketball Classic Harris-Stowe vs. Lincoln University on Nov. 21

The basketball programs at More than 800 students from Harris-Stowe State University 5 area high schools will be on and Lincoln University have campus for Senior Day. That teamed up for a special same morning, the members weekend of sports and of both basketball teams will activities. be delivering food baskets The two to students at institutions will Griffith Elementary n “Athletic meet in the School and Koch competition inaugural ShowElementary School, has always Me State HBCU which are part been a way Basketball Classic, of the Fergusonwhich will be Florissant and to bring held at HarrisRiverview Gardens communities Stowe’s Emerson School Districts, together.”

Gymnasium on respectively.

Saturday, Nov. 21.

“Harris-Stowe’s – Jamaal Mayo, The doubleheader Athletics department Harris-Stowe’s will begin with the is playing a athletic director women’s game at 2 critical role in p.m. and followed the University’s by the men’s game revitalization and at 4 p.m. we are looking The basketball games are forward to an exciting weekend just a small part of what will be with the Lincoln University a weekend full of activities on family,” said Jamaal Mayo, the Harris-Stowe campus. On Harris-Stowe’s athletic Friday, Nov. 20, Harris-Stowe director. “Athletic competition will be hosting its Senior has always been a way to Day from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. bring communities together

Inside Sports With Earl Austin Jr.

and having Coach general admission John Mosely and LU’s and $5 four students. basketball program join The weekend us in our community will conclude with outreach enhances the the official HBCU comradery between our Classic Official universities.”

After-Party, featuring There will be DJ Biz Markie at a Show-Me State the Marriott St. Earl HBCU Classic Prep Louis Grand Hotel, Austin Jr. Rally at the Emerson beginning at 9 p.m.

Gymnasium at 1 Tickets are on sale p.m. Friday’s activities will for $35 in advance and $45 at conclude with an Alumni the door.

Networking Event at the Both basketball programs Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel at Harris-Stowe have firstat 8 p.m. Admission for this year head coaches. The event is $10. men’s program is being led Saturday’s activities will

by Alfred Williams, who begin with a Presidential spent the past six seasons Tailgate at the Jet Banks as an assistant coach at Courtyard, beginning at 11 a.m. Xavier (LA). The women’s Admission for the event is $10. program is now in the hands Admission for the Saturday’s of 23-year old Hana Haden, basketball games is $15 for who was an assistant coach at

RAMS

Continued from B3 three touchdowns head coach Jeff Fisher knows that they can play better. That goes for all three phases of the game.

The Rams hit a couple of home runs on offense with the emerging explosive duo of rookie RB sensation Todd Gurley and WR Tavon Austin. Gurley posted another game over 125 rushing yards, including a 71-yard dash that brought the crowd to its feet and chants rang out all through the Edwards Jones Dome.

Gurley! Gurley! Gurley!

Not to be outdone by the Rams rookie, Tavon Austin scored twice in the game, his first was a two-yard run where Austin had to use all of his speed and length to get the ball to the pylon for the score. The second touchdown was just as electric as he caught a swing pass from QB Nick Foles, broke a tackle at midfield and was gone.

If you think Austin looks fast on television you should see it in person. He is the most improved of the receivers.

I watched him on the Rams

CLUTCH

Continued from B3

back Todd Gurley. There’s no coincidence the Rams are 3-1 since Gurley made his way onto the football field.

Some have already called him the best running back in the league. Gurley is a rare blend of speed and power, however his vision is what really sets him apart. Gurley is running behind a so-so offensive line and has little support from a below average passing game.

But watch the youngster run and you’ll see that he rarely misses the hole, and if there’s no hole, he’ll cut back and find one. Gurley’s vision is secondto-none. Though the sample size is small, I haven’t seen a running back with such great vision since Marshall Faulk.

If anybody besides Gurley and Tavon Austin can figure out how to actually catch that oblong ball a few times per game, Gurley could run the Rams right into the playoffs.

Fastest backtrack of the season. Last week in my NBA column, I mentioned that LeBron James is still the best player in the world and listed guys who were hot on his tail. I was wrong. Stephen Curry now sits atop the Iron Throne. Curry is like the guy who cheeses on NBA 2K, hitting fake shots until you hurl your controller through the TV in disgust – only it’s real life.

The certified shot-maker and ankle-breaker is playing on a level beyond anybody in the game right now – King James included. Considering he’s already coming off a championship and MVP season, there’s really no reasonable argument otherwise. All hail

The St. Louis Rams celebrate one of Tavon Ausatin’s two touchdowns on Sunday during their win over the San Francisco 49ers. bench after every possession talking with receivers coach Ray Sherman looking at images sent down to the sideline. His route running has improved greatly, and he’s only going to get better.

Often criticized TE Jared Cook made a tough end zone catch for a two-point conversion. And then he also

contributed a big 49-yard catch and run. The offensive line played a solid game up front.

I’ve got to give them credit, they gave Foles plenty of time to make throws. Foles was decent. He didn’t turn the ball over, but he did throw a couple of lollipop Tecmo Bowl bombs downfield that were either overthrown or underthrown.

King Curry.

Mayweather, Pacquiao has generally put legacy and competition over cash. That means if Pac-Man is serious about following the route of Vitali Klitschko and retiring into the life of politics, Crawford is the likely choice. Expect a river of tears from Khan once the decision comes down.

Amir Khan should just shut up. Amir Khan might as well move to America and star in his own reality show. The British boxer and professional attention seeker managed to talk his way out of a lucrative fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. last year. Clearly he didn’t learn his lesson and now appears headed down the same route with Manny Pacquiao. Khan and his people have been insinuating that a fight against Pacquiao is essentially a done deal. However, Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, insists that no offer has been made and that the Filipino superstar is still mulling between Khan and WBO junior welterweight champion Terence Crawford for his next, and likely final, fight. Not that Arum is exactly Honest Abe, but unlike

In Zeke we trust. I’m not sure how Ohio State went from three All-American caliber quarterbacks to zero, but it happened. Still, the defending national champion sits at 8-0, primarily on the legs of Ezekiel Elliott and Braxton Miller.

Elliott has rushed for more than 100 yards in 13 straight games, dating back to last season.

Despite Ohio State’s QB carousel, Elliott continues to carry the team.

Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch @IshmaelSistrunk

The Rams are going to have to start executing better on offense. This is championship caliber defense that’s been playing lights out with the exception of a hiccup game against the Washington Redskins earlier this season.

The last two times the Rams faced the Minnesota Vikings, their offensive coordinator Norv Turner stymied the aggressive pass rush with quick throws and misdirection. I’m very interested in how the Rams plan on attacking the Vikings offense led by Adrian Peterson and QB Teddy Bridgetwater.

This is another tough game for the Rams. Scratch that – this is going to be a tough game for the Vikings.

For more Rams Roundup, please subscribe to our page at youtube/stlamerican video and you can also hear me on my weekly podcast @NTheZone with Arlington Lane II.

Missouri-St. Louis last season.

Harris-Stowe is a member of the America Midwest Conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

Lincoln University is a member of the powerful Midwest Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), which is one of the top NCAA Division II Conferences in the country. One of Lincoln’s top players is former Lutheran North standout Anthony Virdure, who was junior college All-American at Mineral Area College.

For more details, you can visit www.showmestateclassic. com.

Vashon hosts Meet the Coach event Vashon High School will be hosting a “Meet the Coach Day” event on Sunday, Nov. 15 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the school’s gymnasium (3035 Cass Ave.). Fans will get a chance to meet the 2015-16 Wolverines and its new head coach Tony Irons, the son of Hall of Fame coach Floyd Irons. The Wolverines will field one of the top teams in the St. Louis metro area this season and will be one of the top contenders for the Class 4 state championship. There will also be a silent auction, free food and T-Shirts given out at the event.

St. Louis American Prep Athletes of the Week

Lawrence Woods McCluer South-Berkeley – Football Woods enjoyed a stellar all-around performance in leading the Bulldogs to a 66-28 victory over Soldan in the Class 3, District 3 semifinals.

Woods scored four touchdowns on the day, including a 56-yard pass reception, a 42-yard interception return and on runs of 13 and 30 yards. He rushed for 150 yards on 12 carries on offense and had eight tackles and an interception on defense.

For the season, Woods has rushed for 428 yards and has scored six touchdowns. On defense, he leads the team with five interceptions. McCluer South-Berkeley will take on host John Burroughs for the district championship on Saturday.

Bam Gilmore Rockwood Summit – Football The senior wide receiver came up with a big performance in the Falcons’ 35-28 victory over Vianney in the Class 5, District 1 semifinals.

Gilmore caught only three passes all evening, but those three receptions all resulted in touchdowns. He finished the evening with 174 yards and scoring plays of 61, 71 and 42 yards.

For the season, Gilmore has caught 33 passes for 696 yards and 12 touchdowns. Summit will visit Fox on Friday night for the district championship.

B6

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 – 11, 2015

CENTER

Continued from B1

learners of all backgrounds and skill levels, she said.

All of The Mentor Center’s education and skills training programs are offered for free or reduced cost.

“LaunchCode is building a bridge for members of the community to access nextgeneration tech training, and for growing businesses to access a pipeline of trained workers,” said Gov. Jay Nixon.

LaunchCode partners with educators and employers in 10 states to offer training, paid apprenticeships and job placement. Over 90 percent of LaunchCode apprentices are converted to permanent hires within 90 days.

Earlier this year, President Obama recognized the St. Louis-based program as a national model for bridging the talent gap in high tech industries.

According to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, the demand for information technology occupations continues to

FOX

Continued from B1 short … enjoy it!”

Keeping to her motto of enjoying life, Fox says being around people is what energizes her. Her positive outlook is rooted in the familyatmosphere she feels being a resident of St. Louis. “It’s a great area for networking and building relationships, and the Charmaine Chapman Society is a major component of that,” said Fox. “When there are so many negative things going on, the Chapman Society is one of

grow with nearly nine in 10 industries in Missouri employ information technology workers.

The State of Missouri is partnering with LaunchCode, offering support through the Youth Opportunities Program ($250,000 tax credit), the Missouri Works Program ($354,600 in tax credits) for creating 20 new full-time jobs at the center, and the

n Over 90 percent of LaunchCode apprentices are converted to permanent hires within 90 days.

Community Development Block Grant program ($1 million) to help expand job placement programs. In addition to these programs administered by the Missouri Department of Economic Development, the state’s Division of Workforce Development is also partnering with LaunchCode on providing entry-level tech training residents from the community.

“The LaunchCode Mentor Center illustrates what can be accomplished when we work together to improve our

communities, our economy and our state,” Nixon said.

The Mentor Center will offer classes both during the day and in the evenings in order to accommodate learners from all backgrounds. Additional information on course schedules will be announced soon.

“The average salary increase for a LaunchCode apprentice is 235 percent.

That’s a life-changing number, and it’s more in reach than people may think,” said Corley. “The first step is signing up for computer programming classes. They’re free and we provide mentors and support to help you succeed.”

Registration is now open for the center’s upcoming skills training and education courses, including Hello World, a two week introduction to the fundamentals of programming and CS50x, a free, online version of Harvard’s Introduction to Computer Science course.

Those still interested in registering for a limited number of spots can learn more at www.LaunchCode.org.

n Through Edward Jones, a long-standing philanthropic partner in the region, Fox was introduced to United Way and became involved with its Charmaine Chapman Leadership Society.

together with like-minded young professionals who are passionate about helping other people. As the largest giving initiative of its type in the country, the Chapman Society members invested more than $2.25 million into the St. Louis region in 2014. Last year, $19 million was invested into United Way-supported organizations that primarily served African American families and individuals.

the great, positive things in the region.”

The Charmaine Chapman Society has helped her to do just this by coming

For more information on joining United Way’s African American Leadership – Charmaine Chapman Society, visit HelpingPeople.org.

Financial Focus

By Courtney Bond Walters

Tips for setting – and pursuing – financial goals You can get lucky by finding a parking meter with time left on it. You can “luck out” by having nice weather on your vacation. You can even be lucky at love.

But when it comes to financial matters, you’re better off not counting on Lady Luck — and focusing instead on setting and pursuing goals.

Here are some suggestions for establishing and pursuing your financial objectives: • Be specific. You probably have a lot of ideas about what you want to do, but if you’re going to turn these wishes into reality, you need to get specific. So, for example, instead of telling yourself that you want to retire early, set a goal of retiring at, say, 62. You can then use this target number to help guide your overall investment strategy. To illustrate: You can determine that you need to invest a certain amount of money each year, and earn a certain rate of return, to be able to retire at 62.

You can also estimate about how much money you can afford to withdraw from your investment accounts each year to sustain a retirement that begins at 62.

• Prioritize your goals. Of course, you want to achieve all your financial goals —and

then make whatever adjustyou can have a better chance of ments may be necessary. doing so if you rank these goals in terms of both importance and timAs you can see, it will ing. For example, you may want to take considerable effort to send your kids to college, purchase set, review and (hopefully) a vacation home and still be able achieve your goals. And it to retire at age 62. How should you can be somewhat complex, allocate your resources to each of too, so you may these goals? Should you want to work with invest more at any given a financial profestime for a specific goal? n You What types of investsional — someone shouldn’t who takes time ments are best for each of to talk with you these goals? Prioritizing be surabout your goals, your goals can help you prised, or understands your answer these and other alarmed, if risk tolerance questions — and help you have and family sitdirect your overall investuation, and has ment strategy. to change the training and your goals experience neces• Be prepared to accordingsary to help you change your goals. Over ly. work toward your time, your family and objectives. financial circumstances But in any can change considerably case, think hard — which means you about your goals and how shouldn’t be surprised, or alarmed, you might accomplish them. if you have to change your goals And don’t delay in taking accordingly. And you’ll find it action — because goals are easier to maintain this flexibility if generally easier to attain if you’ve worked diligently to create an you have time on your side. investment portfolio with sufficient resources to allow you to change

direction, as needed.

This article was written

by Edward Jones for use by • Review your progress regularly. your local Edward Jones If you’re going to eventually achieve Financial Advisor. your goals, you absolutely need to Edward Jones, its measure your progress along the employees and financial way. Are your investments performadvisors cannot provide tax or legal advice. You ing the way you had anticipated? Are should consult your attorney your goals becoming more expensive or qualified tax advisor than you had initially envisioned? To regarding your situation. achieve these goals, are you taking For further information on too much — or too little — risk? contact Courtney Bond To answer these types of questions, Walters at (314) 731-8188 or it’s a good idea to review your over1-800-EDJONES all progress at least once a year and

Check out the latest Edition of

PARTYLINE Page C10

C1 • ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2015

Black films matter

Cutting edge of art and community

Barber Rance John

Black barbers talk shop at CAM on Sunday

By Kenya Vaughn Of The ST. Louis American “It’s an interesting concept and the story behind it is interesting as well when you think about it,” said Keith Shackleford, owner of The Shack Barbershop.

Inspired by the paintings that are part of Hurvin Anderson’s The Backdrop exhibit (currently on display through December 27), The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis is using the art to create conversation and understanding about the cultural relevance of the barbershop in black community with RE: Barbershop. The event takes place next Sunday afternoon (Nov.8) in partnership with Cultural Leadership – an award-winning youth development organization in St. Louis.

Shackleford and n “The barber- fellow barber and proprietor Rance shop is a place John will discuss the role of the of comfort – barbershop as the you literally let anchor in many and your hair down communities guests will see that and can just be the sentiment also held true across the yourself.” ocean as Caribbean and African - Keith migrants came to Shackleford Europe after World War II. “The fact that they almost mirrored each other was an amazing thing to learn,” Shackleford said about being versed on the backstory behind Anderson’s paintings.

“What I learned was it was strikingly similar to what I can remember my dad telling me about his experiences as a barber – how it helped him and what his presence meant to the community.”

A second-generation barber, Shackleford’s father began his career around the time that is said to have inspired the Anderson paintings.

“Because of segregation, the barbershops were the focal point of their community over here and over there too,” Shackleford said. “But they gained great financial stability and in some cases, wealth, being barbers.”

For many young black men, the black barber is the first business owner they get to know and can relate with – and see as an attainable career goal.

Such was the case with Rance John.

Legendary local barber Lee Moss came to John’s high school for career day.

“He talked about the different things he does for the community but also how See BARBER, C4

Taxless Lifestyle threads together visual arts street gear

By Danie Rae, styleBROKER For The St. Louis American This day and age, clothing lines come a dime a dozen. Like, literally, everybody and their mama have a couple of t-shirts with some dry, stock, copy-and-paste logo blazoned across the chest and think that classifies it to be a “clothing line.” These “late” logoed tees make it hard for legitimate streetwear-themed clothing brands to have a strong design presence in the oversaturated market. On the plus side, this has forced brands to become more innovative, and ultimately true to their own design, and style perspective. Taxless Lifestyle embodies that innovation.

We got a chance to sit down with owners Geno Jackson and Tom

Photos: Lawrence Bryant Styling: Danie Rae, styleBROKER Models: Geno Jackson, Owner Tom Turner, Owner Danielle Collins Kennard McDonald, Jr Christopher Sample, Jr Chase Rose

See FASHION, C4

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American African and African American sidebar has been a notable component of Cinema St. Louis’ presentation of the St. Louis International Film Festival for several of its nearly quarter-century of providing the local film community a festival that is on par with some of the best in the nation. In the wake of the Ferguson unrest last year, SLIFF responded with an expanded platform of cinema that speaks to the global narrative of the blacks that highlighted black life in the U.S. Race in America: The Black Experience has once again been augmented with an unprecedented number of selections – nearly 30 total – that weave together a century of black life from all aspects. When the 24th Annual St. Louis International Film Festival opens this week, audiences will have an opportunity to compare and contrast the Civil Rights struggle with Ferguson unrest and The Black Lives Matter Movement.

Social justice, education, faith, black family, black love, black history and black music are framed to showcase the continuing struggle for equality in an allegedly postracial society.

The black experience – in America and beyond – is a complex existence that encompasses an array of perspectives. The diverse lineup of films for Race In America offers a broad reflection of the black experience.

Ferguson on film The Ferguson unrest in response to the death of Michael Brown Jr. in August 2014 energized nationwide protest in response to See SLIFF, C4

24:1 opens cinema in Pagedale

• Only Online • Lil Wayne to headline State of Emergency 3

‘The Martian,’ ‘Woodlawn,’ ‘Sceptre,’ ‘Snoopy and Charlie Brown’ screen Friday

By Chris King Of The St. Louis American Pagedale is getting a movie theater of its own. It must be the first movie theater ever named after a collaborative effort between 24 municipalities that all feed students into the same school district.

It’s the 24:1 Cinema, located at 6755 Page Ave., and it opens on Friday, November 6 with four movies on the big screen – “The Martian,” “Woodlawn,” “Sceptre” and “Snoopy and Charlie Brown,” for starters – and 375 seats.

The owner is the 24:1 Land Trust, which is part of Beyond Housing. Beyond Housing convened the 24:1 collaboration in Normandy public schools and has been transforming Pagedale with a new supermarket, bank and (of course) housing.

The goal is long-term, systematic, comprehensive change that empowers the community from within, said Chris Krehmeyer, president and CEO of Beyond Housing. But that See CINEMA, C4

LooseCannon S.L.I.M.’s popular concert will return to Chaifetz Arena on Feb. 21 with some of the biggest names in hiphop, including rap star Lil Wayne as the show’s anchor with more names to be released as the concert date nears.

www.stlamerican.com

NEXT FRIDAY!

FOX BOX OFFICE • METROTIX.COM OR CHARGE BY PHONE AT 314.534.1111

Calendar

C2

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 – 11, 2015 Church of God in Christ 108th International Holy Convocation featuring dynamic speakers, including Bishop T.D. Jakes and Bishop Paul S. Morton.

For more information, see SPIRITUAL.

How to place a calendar listing 1. Email your listing to calendar@stlamerican. com OR 2. Visit the calendar section on stlamerican.com and place your listing Calendar listings are free of charge, are edited for space and run on a space-available basis.

concerts Nov. 13, 8 p.m., The Fox Theatre welcomes Gladys Knight and The O’Jays.

The Fox Theatre. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com or call (314 5341111.

Fri., Nov. 13, 8:30 p.m., Fuse TV Presents: Big Freedia - Bounce Shakedown Tour 2015, The Pageant, 6161 Delmar. For more information, visit www.thepageant.com, www.ticketmaster.com or call (314) 726-6161.

Sat., Nov. 28, 8 p.m., The Fox Theatre welcomes Michael McDonald, for more information, visit www. metrotix.com or call (314) 534-1111.

Feb. 13, 7 p.m., St. Louis Music Festival starring Fantasia, Joe and Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly.

For more information, visit www.thechaifetzarena.com Feb. 28, 8 p.m., Gary Clark Jr. - The Story of Sonny Boy Slim Tour, The Pageant, 6161 Delmar. For more information, visit www.thepageant.com, www.ticketmaster.com or call (314) 726-6161.

local gigs Sat., Nov. 7, 6 & 8 p.m., Love: A Cabaret Starring Dom Thomas. Featuring a full band; Dom will perform classic tunes from the american song book. Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand Blvd., 63103.

For more information, call (314) 533-0367 or visit www. kranzbergartscenter.org.

Fri., Nov. 13, 8 p.m., Randy Holmes Quintet performs a Tribute to Clifford Brown. Ozark Theatre, 103 E. Lockwood Ave., 63119.

For more information, call (314) 578-2049 or visit www. ozarktheatre.com.

Sat., Nov. 14, 9 p.m., Fubar presents Casey Veggies. 3108 Locust St., 63103. For more information, call (314) 2899050 or visit www.fubarstl. com.

special events Sat., Nov. 7, 6 p.m. 100 Black Men of Metropolitan St. Louis Black Tie Gala, Hyatt Regency At The St. Louis Arch. For more information, call (314) 367-7778 or visit www.100blackmenstl.com.

Sat., Nov. 7, 7 p.m., The Skinker DeBaliviere Community Council presents Stepping Out for Skinker DeBaliviere – 7th Annual Homecoming. Throw on your favorite pair of party shoes and share a good time with neighbors. Joe’s Café and Gallery, 6014 Kingsbury Ave., 63112. For more information, call (314) 862-5122 or visit www.skinkerD.org.

Wed., Nov. 11, 7 p.m., Left Bank Books Customer Appreciation Night. Kick off the holiday shopping season with a night of books, prizes, raffles, refreshments, and fun!

The event is free but RSVPs are required. Crossroads College Preparatory School – Library, 500 DeBaliviere, 63112. For more information or to register, visit www.leftbank.com/customernight.

Thur., Nov. 12, 9 a.m., St. Louis Professional Hiring Event. Doubletree Westport Hotel, 1973 Craigshire Rd., 63146. For more information, email esweeney@hirelive.com or visit www.hirelive.com.

Fri., Nov. 13, 7 p.m., Kingdom House presents Toast & Taste the 1970s.

Guests will enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres while Millennium Productions plays tunes from the 1970s

Featured Event Sat., Nov. 7, 9 a.m., TEDxGatewayArch presents Catalyst, an incredible day with local speakers and performers. Catalyst is to be held on the campus of HarrisStowe State University. isit http://tedxgatewayarch.org (In LECTURES)

and beyond. An auction will round out the evening. 1970s attire encouraged, but not required. Anheuser-Busch Biergarten, 1200 Lynch St., 63118. For more information, (314) 460-6369 or visit www. kingdomhouse.org.

Sat., Nov. 14, 6 p.m., The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (BGCSTL) annual gala, the Great Futures Gala, formerly known as All That Jazz, The “Great Futures Gala is the largest fundraiser benefitting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis. For ticket information, visit www. bgcstl.org.

Sun., Nov. 15, 5 p.m., St. Andrew’s presents 13th Annual Ageless-Remarkable Saint Louisans Gala. Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch, 315 Chestnut St., 63102.

For more information, call (314) 726-0111 or visit www. standrews1.com.

Tues., Nov. 17, 7 p.m., Childcare Worldwide presents the Ugandan Kids Choir. The children in the choir bring a message of hope – sharing the power of love through music and dance. Missouri History

Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, call (314) 746-4599 or visit www.mohistory.org.

Wed., Nov. 18, 4 p.m., Chaifetz Arena presents Alvin and the Chipmunks Live.

Chaifetz Arena, 1 S. Compton Ave., 63103. For more information, call (314) 9775000 or visit www.thechaifetz. com.

Fri., Nov. 20, 11 a.m., World Wide Technology, Inc. presents The St. Louis American Foundation’s 16th Annual Salute to Excellence in Business Awards & Networking Luncheon. Four Season Hotel St. Louis, 999 N. 2nd St., 63102. For more information, call (314) 5338000.

Fri., Nov. 20, 7 p.m., The Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition’s Sizzling Celebration. Put on your Friday night best and dancing shoes to join us for a night of great food, great music, and special surprises. Event proceeds fund programs supporting St. Louis area families served through the Coalition. Moulin Event

Center, 2017 Chouteau Ave., 63103. For more information, call (314) 367-8373 or visit www.foster-adopt.org.

Nov. 20 – 21, 2015 United Story Summit. For more information, call (314) 3225588 or visit www.summit. unitedstory.org.

Sat., Nov. 21, 7 p.m., FOCUS St. Louis presents The FOCUS Affair 2015.

Come celebrate the leadership experience, while connecting with FOCUS alumni and regional leaders. Magnolia Hotel, 421 N. 8th St., 63101.

For more information, call (314) 622-1250 or visit www. focus-stl.org/events.

Nov. 26, 11 a.m.

Thanksgiving Day Turkey Dinner, Buffet Style, All You Can Eat! Adults, $12; Seniors (Age 62+), $10; Children 6 to 12, $5; 5 and Under, Free.

St. Ignatius Parish, Concord Hill, Missouri. For more information call 636-932-4445 or email thecarols@saintig. com. Handicap accessible. (www.saintig.com).

comedy Thur., Oct. 29, 7 p.m., She Say He Say Sketch Comedy Show Premiere. The show is a blend of late-night talk TV, parodies, satire and special performances. A Emerson Performance Center, Harris Stowe State University, 3026 Laclede Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www. shesayhesaycomedy.com.

literary Sat., Nov. 7, 1 p.m., The Inspired Overflow Radio Show presents The 2015 St. Louis Christian Authors’ Book Fair. Mount Zion Christian Complex, 1444 S. Compton, 63104. For more information, call (314) 324-7248 or visit www.2015ChristianBookFair.

EventBrite.com.

Sat., Nov. 7, 2 p.m., St. Louis Public Library hosts author Alison Weir, author of Against Our Better Judgment: The Hidden History of How the U.S. Was Used to Create Israel. Schlafly Branch, 225 N. Euclid Ave., 63108. For more information, call (314) 3674120 or visit www.slpl.org.

Wed., Nov. 11, 6:30 p.m., Subterranean Books hosts author Valerie Elverton Dixon, author of Just Peace Theory Book One: Spiritual Morality, Radical Love, and the Public Conversation. 6275 Delmar Blvd., 63130. For more information, call (314) 862-6100 or visit www.store. subbooks.com.

Thur., Nov. 12, 7 p.m., Left Bank Books hosts author Toni Tipton-Martin, author of The Jemima Code: Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks. 399 N. Euclid Ave., 63108. For more information, call (314) 3676731 or visit www.left-bank. com.

Sat., Nov. 14, 3 p.m., Love Yourself, Love Your Life!

Book Launch Mix & Mingle. Reprieve Spiritual Wellness for Women, 6614 W. Florissant, 63136. For more information, call (314) 537-2215 or visit www. raechelrivers.com.

Wed., Nov. 18, 7 p.m., Left Bank Books hosts author Denise Bogard, author of The Middle Step. 399 N. Euclid Ave., 63108. For more information, call (314) 3676731 or visit www.left-bank. com.

theatre Through Nov. 5, The Fox Theatre presents Matilda the Musical. Matilda is the captivating musical masterpiece that revels in the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination and the inspiring story of a girl who dares to change her destiny.

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 – 11, 2015 527 N. Grand Blvd., 63103.

For more information, call (314) 534-1111 or visit www. fabulousfox.com.

Nov. 6 – 7, COCA Theatre Company presents Songs for a New World. A contemporary pop/rock musical, which introduces the audience to an array of characters ranging from a young man who has determined that basketball is his ticket out of poverty to a woman standing on a ledge 57 stories above Fifth Avenue.

What emerges is a world on the brink of change filled with extraordinary people moving it forward. 524 Trinity Ave., 63130. For more information, call (314) 561-4877 or visit www.cocastl.org.

Nov. 6 – 7, The South Asian Student Association presents Diwali. Diwali is a major Hindu holiday known as the “Festival of Lights” and it has been celebrated not only

by Hindus, but by Jains and Sikhs as well all across India.

The show not only draws in a diverse audience, but also attracts participants of many different backgrounds, making the show an integrated experience of cultures.

Edison Theatre, Washington University, 6445 Forsyth Blvd., 63105. For more information, call (314) 935-6543 or visit www.edison.wustl.edu.

Nov. 6 – 8, The Fox Theatre presents Mamma Mia! The ultimate feel-good show that has audiences coming back again and again to relive the thrill. Now it’s your turn to have the time of your life at this smash-hit musical that combines ABBA’s greatest hits, including “Dancing Queen,” “S.O.S.,” “Super Trouper,” “Take A Chance on Me” and “The Winner Takes It All,” with an enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship. 527 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 5341111 or visit www.fabulousfox. com.

Nov. 13 – 14, 8 p.m., Modern American Dance Company presents Liquid Roads.

Infused with the music that flowed up the Mississippi and into our hearts, the show reaches beyond contemporary dance to pure entertainment as four musicians accompany the dancers onstage with original and familiar songs. Broadway World raved that it is a “very special presentation.” Touhill Performing Arts Center, 1 University Blvd., 63121. For more information, call (314) 341-5407 or visit www.touhill. org/events.

Sat., Nov. 14, 6 p.m., Gifted Productions presents Our Money Matters the Musical.

An electrifying production that will have you patting your feet and rocking in your seats while teaching you the value of fostering favorable finances in your business and personal life.

Through song and dance you’ll enjoy helpful tips on managing your finances, the importance of saving, investments, budgeting, planning for college and retirement and it’s all set

C3 uses Medicare, Medicaid, or has other healthcare questions.

FREE and open to the public.

to popular music. Friendly Temple MBC, 5515 Dr. Martin Luther King Dr., 63112. For more information, call (314) 951-4097.

spiritual

arts Through Dec. 13, COCA presents Daniel Burnett’s Denizen Kim. St. Louis painter, curator, and community-based artist Daniel Burnett will transform the Millstone Gallery with his large-scale wall paintings and constructions inspired by hip-hop, graffiti, mythology, dreams, and nightmares, in collaboration with the COCA world premiere of wUNDERland. The opening reception will be held Friday, Oct. 9, at 8:30 p.m. 524 Trinity Ave., 63130. For more information, call (314) 3837685 or visit www.cocastl.org.

Through March 2016, Pulitzer Arts Foundation hosts Kota: Digital Excavations in African Art. The exhibition examines a new digital database created

by Belgian computer engineer and independent researcher Frederic Cloth to study and reveal the hidden histories of Kota reliquaries. Featuring nearly fifty of these guardian figures, visitors will go through a visual process to detect groupings and similarities between the sculptures that will enhance understanding of their origins, creation, and function—information that has largely been considered lost.

The Kota exhibition will run through March 2016. 3716 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. pulitzerarts.org.

lectures/ workshops Sat., Nov. 7, 9 a.m., TEDxGatewayArch presents Catalyst, an incredible day with local speakers and performers. Catalyst is to be held on the campus of Harris-Stowe State University.

Spend time between speakers mingling with TED-focused exhibitors and enjoying our delicious local snacks and drinks. Visit http:// tedxgatewayarch.org Mon., Nov. 9, 9 a.m. West County Democrats Speaker Series presents “Women’s Work: A Conversation on Race, Class, and Privilege Post Ferguson” featuring Amy A. Hunter, Director of Racial Justice for YWCA Metro St. Louis, United Food & Commercial Workers, Local 655, 300 Weidman Road, Ballwin, MO, 63011. For more information, visit http://www. westcountydems.org Tuesdays, Nov. 10 – Dec. 8, 7 p.m., VA Learning Hub. Veterans and transitioning service members are invited to sign up for a no-cost four-week course focused

Nov. 2 – 9, Church of God in Christ 108th International Holy Convocation. This year’s Convocation will feature dynamic speakers, including Bishop T.D. Jakes and Bishop Paul S. Morton; major label Gospel music artists; a job fair and health fair; Christmas in November; community outreach and much more. America’s Center, 701 Convention Plaza, 63101. For more information, visit www. cogic.org.

The Fox Theatre welcomes Festival Of Praise Tour starring Kim Burrell, Fred Hammond and Donnie McClurkin. See SPIRITUAL for details.

on High-Impact Business Writing. Effective writing is a powerful tool in the business environment. Express Scripts Hall - Computer Lab 107, UMSL, 1 University Blvd., 63121. For more information or to register, visit www. eventbrite.com/e/va-learninghub-tickets-19083491236.

Wed., Nov. 14, 3 p.m., Education 4 All presents Involved Parent Squad MeetUp. “It takes a village to raise a child.” Join other like-minded parents in an interactive discussion and discovery session of who is best in your child’s village. CIC@CET Building, 20 S. Sarah St., 63138. For more information, call (314) 397-8757 or visit www.education4allinc.com.

Wed., Nov. 14, 6:30 p.m., The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Workshop. This free workshop is to help students and their families to understand how to navigate applying for financial aid. Attendees will learn about different sources of financial aid (federal, state, and private) and how to implement a successful scholarship search. 8215 Clayton Rd., 63117. For more information, call (314) 725-7990 or visit www.sfstl.org.

health Fridays, Nov. 6 – Dec. 18, 1 p.m., Myrtle Hilliard Davis Health Centers presents Diabetes Education Empowerment Program.

Join us for our diabetes selfmanagement workshop, which focuses on quality of life improvements to help better manage your relationship with diabetes. Our approach to teaching this class is primarily community-based, but may also incorporate brief one-onone consultation. 5471 Dr. Martin Luther King Dr., 63112.

For more information or to register, visit www.mhdchc. org.

Saturdays Through Nov. 21, St. Louis County Public Health presents Slide into Fitness. This class focuses on good nutrition, healthy selfesteem, and fun exercises for 12 to 17 years old and their parents or legal guardians.

Each class will include classroom instructions and slide dance aerobics. The class is free but advanced registration is required. For more information or to RSVP, call (314) 679-7870 or email tprowell@stlouisco.com.

Sat., Nov. 21, 10 a.m., St. Louis Alzheimer’s Association presents The Care & Conquer Conference.

This conference is for caregivers and individuals with early-stage dementia. Dr. Lenise Cummings-Vaughn, M.D., Assistant Professor at Washington University, will give a presentation. She is the Medical Director of the Stay Healthy Clinic, a clinic created to decrease re-hospitalization in those older adults at greatest risk. In addition, she sees patients in the Older Adult Assessment Clinic.

Registration is required. New Northside Conference Center, 5939 Goodfellow Blvd., 63147. For more information or to register, call (800) 2723900 or visit www.alz.org/stl.

Mon., Nov. 23, 5:30 p.m., St. Louis Alzheimer’s Association presents The Care & Conquer Conference. This conference is for caregivers and individuals with earlystage dementia. Registration is required. Jewish Community Center, 2 Millstone Campus Dr., 63146. For more information or to register, call (800) 272-3900 or visit www. alz.org/stl.

Sat., Nov. 21, 11 a.m., The West Side Missionary Baptist Church Social Justice Ministry, in conjunction with the Health Ministry, will present a Health Care Forum. 4675 Page Blvd, 63113. Representatives from Missouri Healthcare for All will share important updates on healthcare reform, relevant legislation in Missouri, and answer audience questions.

This event is for everyone who

Sun., Nov. 8, 2 p.m., New Sunny Mount Baptist Church Anniversary/Retirement Event Jazz Brunch. 4700 W. Florissant Ave., 63115.

For more information, call (314) 389-4544 or visit www. newsunnymountmbc.org.

Sat., Nov. 14, 6 p.m. UCM Banquet: Where Love, Justice and Mercy Walk Together with keynote speaker Pastor Dietra Wise Baker, National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows, 442 DeMazenod Dr. Belleville,IL. For more information, visit ucmetroeast. org or call 314-941 2614 Sat., Nov. 14, 7 p.m., The United States Naval Academy Gospel Choir In Concert, A Salute to America’s Heroes, St. Alphonsus Liguori ‘Rock’ Church, 1118 North Grand Blvd, St. Louis, MO. 63106.

For more information, call 314-533-0304 Or visit www. stalphonsusrock.org Nov. 18 – 20, 7 p.m., Kenneth Hardin Ministries and Barbara McClain Ministries present Thy Kingdom Come: The Revival. Join us for an action packed time as this dynamic duo gives out what the Lord has given them. Grace Fellowship Church Center, 4276 Athlone Ave., 63115.

For more information, call (314) 783-6411 or visit www. kenhardin.org.

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2015

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CINEMA

Chris Krehmeyer, president and CEO of Beyond Housing, said they are opening 24:1 Cinema as part of their comprehensive community development efforts because “people need to see activity and successes to stay committed.”

Continued from C1 is all hard work. And there is more to community than work.

“People need to see activity and successes to stay committed,” Krehmeyer told The American. That’s where the movie theater comes in.

“When people see a new building, a new grocery store, a new movie theater, all that activity is an indicator things are happening,” Krehmeyer said. “It’s a little energy and hope that things are getting better in the place you call home. It’s like: ‘Wow, there’s a movie theater. It’s ours.’”

Beyond Housing worked collaboratively with the community to envision the theater. Krehmeyer said community members were concerned with security – a movie theater is, after all, a place for people to meet at night, when most trouble goes down – and jobs. They hired from within the community.

One employee is a resident of

BARBER Continued from C1 he was able to provide for his family,” John said. “It sparked something in me.”

John now has nearly 20 years of experience as a barber and groomer.

Both hope to share with the audience how barbershops do so much more than provide careers and opportunities for owners to become pillars of the community. In its finest form, the shop itself can be a cornerstone.

“The barbershop is a place of comfort – you literally let your hair down and can just be yourself,” Shackleford said. “You can express all of your opinions – from sports,

Photo by Wiley Price

the senior building across the street, and four are youth who participate in 24:1’s college savings program.

The 24:1 Cinema will bring the community new movies and concessions, both at “slightly below the market rate,” though not for free. “We have to make some money,” Krehmeyer said.

For one thing, it’s expensive to open and operate a movie theater – especially one that

serves popcorn.

“Do you know how much it cost us just to serve popcorn?”

Krehmeyer said. “Because we had to put in a grease trap. But people wanted popcorn, so we’re serving popcorn.”

24:1 Cinema is located at 6755 Page Ave. in Pagedale.

Tickets are available at www.24-1cinema.com as well as the box office. For more info, call 314-721-2242.

music, politics and feelings about a host of things along with others. It’s often called the black man’s country club, but it’s so much more – and that’s a great community thing that really sort of has its own distinctive identity.”

The barbershop can also be a vehicle to aid in serving the community, as John has shown through more than one initiative.

Rance John Back to School Cuts for Kids partners with the Cherokee Rec Center for school supplies and haircuts.

In addition, Cutting out Homelessness will be rolling out at the first of the year – which will partner with homeless shelters to provide certain individuals with minimakeovers in addition to helping assist with job training.

“We have our stamp out here

in the community,” John said.

“We are inspired to reach out and touch the people.”

In the meantime, both Shackleford and John are excited and honored to present the cultural relevance and phenomenon of the black barbershop and to show how it relates to the creative arts.

“For me it intersects because I’m very inspired by art – I set the tone at my shop with it,” John said. “Through their creativity, visual arts help inspire my creativity. We are artists ourselves. We create as well as they create. It’s very parallel.”

Re: Barbershop will take place at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 8 at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis. For more information, visit www. camstlouis.org or call (314) 535-4660.

SLIFF Continued from C1 the death of blacks at the hands of police and the dysfunctional relationship between the African American and law enforcement communities, so it was only natural that films that speak to the movement rooted in the St. Louis region. The “No Justice, No Peace” Shorts suite will feature Chris Phillips, a filmmaker and Ferguson native, showcasing his year of covering the unrest with “Ferguson 365.”

Carla Usher and Luis Abarca “Ferguson Documented: In 36 Hours” will display a diverse collection of voices sharing their experiences with racism and policing of communities of color. Zinhle Essamuah’s “Hands Up” offers a look at the #BlackLivesMatter movement and the complexities of race, justice, peace, and guilt while on the ground in Ferguson. No Justice No Peace Shorts will take place on Sunday, Nov. 15, 6 p.m., Missouri History Museum, Phillips and “Hands Up” director Essamuah will participate in a post-film discussion.

So St. Louis

FASHION Continued from C1 Turner to get the background on how to stay fashion trill in a world of fashion trite.

Danie Rae: What made you all want to start a clothing line? How was Taxless Lifestyle born?

Taxless Lifestyle: Originally, the clothing line was a spinoff of the music that we create. Apparel design has always been a passion.

Growing up, people have always swagger jacked our style. So it was beneficial to start our own line to reap the benefits of the people wanting dress like us.

DR: How long has the brand been in business?

TL: Since 2011 DR: How does the apparel mimic or spinoff of the music you all create?

TL: Taxless is a direct visual representation of our music we create under Taxfree Mafia.

Our mantra is “We are exempt from the boundaries society forces people to adhere to, therefore, we can’t be taxed.”

We come from an era where artists wore their own clothing line, so we’re basically keeping the tradition.

DR: What drew my attention to the brand was the use of distinct artwork.

The city is getting special shine thanks to the commendable efforts of local filmmakers that illustrate the varying black experiences even within St. Louis city limits.

With “Ota Benga,” UMSL professor Niyi Coker gives audiences a compelling glimpse at the life of Benga, who was removed from Central Africa and brought to St. Louis for exhibition at the World’s Fair as evidence of an inferior species. At the end of the fair, Ota Benga was sent to New York City’s Bronx Zoo, where he was housed with primates and displayed with monkeys as the “missing link” between human and apes. In the eyes of his captors, he served as living proof of Darwin’s theory of evolution. The film recently played the Smithsonian to a standing-room-only audience.

First time filmmakers Efi da Silva and Michael J. Larnell show varying slices of life for young black men with “Four Way Stop” and “Cronies.”

In “Four Way Stop,” da Silva presents the trials and tribulations of making a life for oneself while attempting to rise above the circumstances of a complicated family dynamic and resisting the urge of the fast life.

Larnell’s Cronies is a

What inspired you all to use original visual artwork for the design of the apparel?

TL: We’ve been art enthusiasts before it became “cool” in St. Louis. It was only right to have that representation be on the apparel. We collab with mostly women artists. This is to primarily contrast the masculine apparel to offer a balance to our designs.

Most of our designs are in-house productions, but we also collab with a couple of area artists including Del Chambers and Kelly who are both local art talent.

DR: What inspires the artwork for the apparel?

TL: Most of the artwork is just purchased. We source different artists who have already produced prints and other transferrable works, and we actually purchase the rights to the work. That way we can produce the work on all of our apparel.

DR: What does the Fall 2015 season consist of?

TL: Well, we pretty much stick to our same apparel, but we switch the artwork up, so this season we have polo-style hats, snap backs, scullies, crew necks, sweatshirts, and hoodies. We do custom-made satin jackets and of course, we have to have stickers on deck.

DR: Who is the target consumer for the Taxless Brand?

TL: We are a classic

lighthearted a-day-in-the-lifeof tale that takes an unlikely trio on an even more unlikely adventure through the streets of North city. The film received Spike Lee’s stamp of approval and was especially wellreceived at some of the most acclaimed festivals – including Sundance and Tribeca.

Ota Benga will screen Monday, Nov. 9, 7 p.m., Missouri History Museum.

Cronies will play Saturday, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m., Washington. U./Brown Hall.

Four Way Stop will play Friday, Nov. 13, 9:35 p.m., Tivoli and Sunday, Nov. 15, 1 p.m. at Webster U./Moore Auditorium.

Cinema St. Louis Presents the 2015 Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival will screen at various locations from November 5 -15. SLIFF will screen an unprecedented 447 films: 97 narrative features, 86 documentary features and 264 shorts. The fest also will feature seven special-event programs, including two free master classes and the closing-night party. For more information on locations, as well as a full schedule of films and related programming, visit www. cinemastlouis.org or call (314) 289-4150.

streetwear brand. It’s more about a certain lifestyle that our clientele possesses. They are usually into rocking comfortable, yet stylish gear that is also classic.

DR: What advice would you give other artists who want to be designers or just brands in general?

TL: With anything you do, it has to be your passion. With the music and fashion, my biggest advice would be to do as much as you can in-house.

Not only does it save money, but it keeps your content authentic to your brand. It’s sometimes a labor of love, but ultimately it will be worth it.

If you wanted to start a brand in STL, it’s about your support and consumer base.

If you’re not seeing a direct market for your product, don’t jump off a bridge and open a store front. Take the time to build your brand’s customer base.

DR: Where can we purchase Taxless Lifestyle?

TL: We want to keep the brand exclusive, so the brand is sold via our website www. taxfreegov.com or we can be purchased at Yeyo Art Gallery in South St. Louis.

DR: Where can we find you via social media?

IG: @taxfreegovFB: taxlesslifestyle To keep up with the latest brands, follow Danie Rae @ style_broker via Twitter, and IG.

C5

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 – 11, 2015

Celebrations Birthdays

Happy Birthday to Annie Sue Preston November 2! Love you more!

Your daughter Jessica; granddaughter Brooklyn and family

Happy 7th Birthday to my lovely dimple-cheeked granddaughter, Arin Gregory, born on November 8! Nana loves you!

LeeDoshia Hudson recently celebrated her birthday surrounded by family and friends.

First Row (seated): Patricia Brady, Mary LaVern Brown, LeeDoshia Hudson, Edna Smith, Jackie Williams Second Row: Marquise Lewis, Marvin Lewis, Jeff Carter, Vincent Washington, Marissa Price, Tiaris McFadden, Justin Cleveland, Stephanie Lewis Third Row: (Left side): Stephanie Carter, Otha Carter, Tre’Vionne Ray, Timothy Ray, (right side): Tanya Davis, Candace Saddler

Reunions All reunion announcements can be viewed online!

Beaumont Alumni Class 1968 will have its 48-year reunion June 11-12, 2016.

Meetings for the Reunion will be at Florissant Valley Library Branch, 195 New Florissant Rd., S. Florissant, MO 63031, 4th Saturdays of the month.

Schedule : Nov. 28, 2015, 2-5 p.m.; Jan. 23, 2016, 1-4 p.m.;

Feb. 27, 2016, 1- 4 p.m. For more information call 314-8698312.

Beaumont High School – Class of 1980 has planned its 35 year class reunion.

However all BHS Alumni are welcome to attend. Fri, Nov 13 – Sun., Nov. 15, 2015 Hotel Lumiere; Info available on www.eventbrite. com; Search on Beaumont Class of 1980. We need your home and/or email address immediately. Cutoff for reservations is Sat., Oct. 31, 2015. For more information, please contact: Terri Harris Pruitt: terrilynnhpruitt@att. net, 314-478-8923; Janice Lindsey Alphin: jmaphin1@ yahoo.com, 314-330-7881.

Call evenings only please.

Mizzou Black Theatre/World Theatre Workshop Reunion classes are celebrating 34 years of the founding of the theatre program and our founding director. As we plan this event for 2016, we are asking former cast members to forward your names and contact information to Glenn Ellis at btwreunion@ outlook.com. The goal is to meet up in April. More info will follow.

Soldan High Class of 1965 presents: “On the Road Again” to Washington, DC. Cost: $479 per-person, double occupancy, 6-Days and 5-Nights, Thurs.

June2- Tues. June 7, 2016.

Happy 80th and 70th birthdays to William and Dorothy Nick on November 14.

We love you! From your daughter Arreanna, son-in-law Jarrold and grand-daughter Emerald

First payment due now $75 each person. For more information and reservations contact: Corinne Stuckes (636)-294-4373, Brenda Yancey (314)-830-1334 or Isaiah Hair, Jr. (314)-387-7592 email: cstukes@charter.net.

Soldan High Class of 1966 has planned its 50-year reunion for September 9-10, 2016 at Christian Hospital Atrium, 1111 Dunn Road St. Louis, Mo 63136. For more information, please contact: Meredith Wayne Farrow, 314.521-8540, Robert Collins, 908.313-5002 or Marilyn Edwards Simpson, 341.837-7746. Facebook, soldan class of 1966 or email: stlsoldan1966@yahoo.com.

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

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

Soldan High Class of 1971 is planning its 45th year reunion for: June 17-19, 2016 at the Ameristar Casino Resort & Spa, One Ameristar Boulevard, St. Charles, Mo 63301.

University City High Class of 1976 is planning its Fabulous 40th year class reunion for June 24-25, 2016. We need your contact information.

Please email your information to: weareuc76@gmail.com or call the UCHS Class of 76 voicemail at 314-301-9597.

University City Class of 1981 will have its 35-year reunion August 5-7, 2016. Please send your contact information to Denise Weatherford -Bell at msdenise38@yahoo.com.

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

C6

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2015

Christian Authors Book Fair this Saturday Washington Tabernacle celebrates 113th anniversary American staff The 2015 St. Louis Christian Authors’ Book Fair is scheduled to take place on Saturday, November 7 from 1pm - 4pm at the Mount Zion Christian Complex at 1444 S. Compton Ave. Hosted by the Inspired Overflow Radio Show, the fair will bring inspired authors and the readers who love their books under one roof. Inspired Overflow is a weekly Christian broadcast, hosted by Kacie Starr Long, who recently released her own book. The radio show’s mission is to encourage and inspire listeners through the word of God. Inspired Overflow Ministries’ Christian Authors Book Fair is free and open to the public.

A seminar will be provided, enabling aspiring, emerging and would-be authors to learn the secrets for writing a book. Titled “How to Write A book,” the seminar draws from a wellspring of knowledge to reveal the things an author needs to know in order to have a book they can be proud of and market to the masses at the end of their efforts.

The 2015 Christian Authors Book fair will also feature local Christian authors. The authors are diverse, sharing their gifts and love of writing. Children’s books, fiction, non-fiction, inspirational books, biblical teaching books for the whole family will be showcased and available for sale.

To add to the enjoyment there

Kacie Starr Long, author of “God, Where Is My Husband?” has organized the 2015 St. Louis Christian Authors’ Book Fair for Saturday, November 7 from 1-4 p.m. at the Mount Zion Christian Complex at 1444 S. Compton Ave.

2015ChristianBookFair.EventBrite.com

will be music, author readings, and a bonus seminar and author signings.

Registration is now open. In addition, author exhibitor opportunities are available on a firstcome, first-served basis.

To register for the How to Write a Book seminar or to become an author exhibitor visit:www.

Washington

Tabernacle celebrates 113th anniversary

Washington Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, 3200

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17 AT 7:30PM

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✴ 314-2 8✴6-41 55

✴ Kevin McBeth, conductor Thomas Young, tenor St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON Chorus ✴

YOUNG

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Grammy Award-winning tenor Thomas Young joins the STL Symphony and IN UNISON Chorus led by Kevin McBeth.

One of the original Three Mo’ Tenors, Young brings his “magnificent and superbly focused and colored tone,” (The Boston Globe) to the Powell Hall stage for a night of soul-stirring Gospel music to celebrate the most joyous of seasons.

SUPPORTED BY

314-534-1700 stlsymphony.org

MEDIA SUPPORT PROVIDED BY

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

Washington Ave. (at the corner of Compton), will celebrate its 113th church anniversary on each Sunday during November. The celebration will be held during morning worship service beginning at 10: a.m. The anniversary theme is “Onward with Christ.”

The celebration includes the following: Sunday, November 8, Family & Friends Day. Speaker: Pastor Rodney T. Francis, M.Div., Washington Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church. Musical guest: Kelvin Adams, saxophonist.

Sunday, November 15. Children, Youth and Young Adult Day. Guest speaker: Rev. F. Willis Johnson, Wellspring United Methodist Church. Musical guest: Leslie Johnson, psalmist.

Sunday, November 22, Harvest Homecoming Sunday.

Guest speaker: Pastor Earl Griffin, Greater Mt. Vernon Baptist Church Sunday, November 29, Rededication Sunday. Guest speaker: Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould, Quinn Chapel AME Church.

All services are free and open to the public. For more information you may contact the church at (314) 533-8763 or visit www. washtabmbc.org.

Naval Academy Choir coming to the Rock The U.S. Naval Academy Gospel Choir will travel to St. Louis to present “A Salute to America’s Heroes” Saturday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. The concert will be held at St. Alphonsus Liguori “The Rock” Church, located at 1118 N. Grand Blvd. The concert is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. For more information on the Naval Academy Gospel Choir, please visit www.usna.edu/music.

The Message

Set free

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. Some claim “relief” as how they understand it. However you want to describe it, I think the revelation of Jesus as Lord and Savior removes a lot of barriers and obstacles and burdens that we as human beings 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.

What are you a slave to? In a very real sense, addictions are withstood, hurt feelings are healed, guilt is removed and insecurities conquered when Jesus enters the picture. Whatever you have been enslaved by, you become freed from.

Fears are conquered. We all have fears. It can be the fear of being alone, of being without, of being humiliated, ostracized or 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.” In that context Columnist of spiritual awareness being blood James bought and saved. I have been set free Washington from fear, anger, greed, selfishness, selfdoubt 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. One of the hardest things to understand in this life, and then act upon, is this love yourself thing. God even commands us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

Without Christ in your life, I believe that concept of self-love can sometimes be distorted and in many cases become perverted. Love with humility is an awesome thing. 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 I am free and it is wonderful. Freedom is my gift from God paid for by Jesus Christ. Know the truth and the truth shall set you free. You are not what the world would have you be. You are what God made you to be.

Seek Him and you will undoubtedly find the real you.

THE

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

Career Center ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

•

THE

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN C7

NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2015

$29 $22.50/week $19.50/week

CLEANING SPECIALIST NEEDED! Part time evenings in O’Fallon & Wildwood, MO Monday – Friday Apply online at www.Janitron.com Or call us at 636-444-9055

MR. T'S CARWASH & DETAILING is looking for experienced car washers and detailers.Contact: Mr. T's Carwash @ 9845 Halls Ferry Rd. phone - 314-868-7676 ask for Mr. T or Reggie for more information.

“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.

CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER MANAGER Licensed and accredited Center with Head Start and Early Head Start. Must meet qualification as stated in Rule 19 CSR 30-62.102(2) (A) 2.

Must be highly motivated to lead and achieve.

For immediate consideration, please forward cover letter and resume to: HR, St. Louis Transitional Hope House, Inc., 1611 Hodiamont Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63112.

ENROLLMENT SPECIALIST

SENIOR LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

The primary purpose of this position is to ensure that Volunteers and Clients successfully move through the enrollment process from pre-match to match.

Requires a high degree of customer service, process management, and goal orientation.

Education level: Minimum Bachelor’s degree.

Social services or related field preferred.

Experience in youth development field a plus.

EEO. See www.bbbsemo.org for job description.

Sent cover letter and resume to HR@bbbsemo.org

supporting the Gateway Arch, its grounds and neighboring public space now and for decades to come.

CityArchRiver Foundation is currently conducting national searches for a DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT and DIRECTOR OF FINANCE. Learn more about these exciting leadership roles at www.csiapply.com.

EOE

RELATIONSHIP SPECIALIST The primary purpose of this position is to provide support and encouragement to mentoring relationships.

Requires a high degree of independent judgment and efficient time managements.

Education level: Minimum Bachelor’s degree.

Social services or related field preferred.

Experience in youth development field a plus.

EEO. See www.bbbsemo.org for job description.

Sent cover letter and resume to HR@bbbsemo.org

Email your ads to vmedina@stlamerican.com CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE The Public School Retirement System of the City of St. Louis seeks a Customer Service Representative (CSR) responsible for assisting members & staff with retirement & health insurance benefits, retirement applications, retirement payroll, health insurance plan enrollment, insurance premiums, retirement seminars, data entry, receptionist duties & some accounting functions. The CSR must have two or more years combined experience in customer service, health insurance administration, retirement benefits & payroll processing.

Candidates should have working knowledge of MS Office & accounting software, stellar communication skills & be detail oriented.

Applications accepted by mail carriers only.

No search firms please. To apply, send resume, cover letter & salary history to PSRSSTL, Attn: Executive Director, 3641 Olive Street, Ste. 300, St. Louis, MO 63108-3601, an EEOC employer.

THE

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN ATTN: ALL DBE VENDORS & SUBCONTRACTORS

BIDS AND NOTICES CITY OF ST. LOUIS BOARD OF PUBLIC SERVICE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS for PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR PARTIAL CONDITION ASSESSMENT OF THE WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM VALVES (LPZ), CITY OF ST. LOUIS – WATER DIVISION, STATE REVOLVING FUND PROJECT. Statements of Qualifications due by 5:00 P.M., CT, DECEMBER 1, 2015 at Board of Public Service, 1200 Market, Room 301 City Hall, St. Louis, MO 63103. RFQ may be obtained from website www.stl-bps.org, under On Line Plan Room, or call BPS at 314-622-3535.

25% MBE and 5% WBE participation goals.

The project is financed through the Missouri State Revolving Fund, established by the sale of Missouri Water Pollution Control bonds and federal Capitalization Grants to Missouri.

St. Louis Bridge Construcion Company is requesting proposals for the MoDOT - Route 141 and I-44 Design/Build project in St. Louis County which bids on November 25, 2015.

Please send quotes to janet@stlbridge.com or fax 636/296-7416. Please email all questions.

Equal Opportunity Employer

www.stlamerican.com 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 9:00 a.m. on November 30th, 2015 to contract with a company for: Network Implementation 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 6219 RFP. If you do not have access to the internet, call 314.768.2735 to request a copy of this bid.

Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Bids & Notices

NORTH COUNTY TRANSIT CENTER PROPOSED METROBUS SERVICE PLAN Metro announces four public information sessions and an online feedback opportunity for the proposed MetroBus transit plan to serve the new North County Transit Center. The transit center will open in spring 2016 at 3140 Pershall Road in Ferguson, Missouri.

Tuesday, Nov. 10 6-9 a.m. Riverview Transit Center Riverview Dr. at Hall Street, St. Louis, MO 63137 Wednesday, Nov. 11 2-6 p.m. North Hanley Transit Center 4398 Hanley Road, Berkeley, MO 63134 Thursday, Nov. 12 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley Student Center 3400 Pershall Road, St. Louis, MO 63135 Tuesday, Nov. 17 4-6:30 p.m. Trinity Catholic High School Library 1720 Redman Road, St. Louis, MO 63138

THE

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

MWBE PREBID MEETING NOTICE The SITE Improvement Association is hosting a Prebid meeting for Qualified and Certified MWBE contractors to discuss working on

Providence Sanitary Relief Contract Letting No. 11700-015.1 The prebid meeting is being held on behalf of the following SITE contractor members:

Fred M. Luth & Sons 4516 McRee Avenue St. Louis, MO 63110 314/771-3892

All are welcome. To request interpretation services, call 314-982-1406 72 hours prior to the session you wish to attend.

The meeting will take place at

To find out more information about the new MetroBus service plan for North St. Louis County and to provide online feedback, please visit metrostlouis.org/northcounty.

10:00 a.m.

November 13, 2015

www.stlamerican.com

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

For questions regarding this prebid meeting, Contact the SITE Improvement Association office at 314/966-2950.

BIDS & PUBLIC NOTICES C8

LETTING #8595 IMPROVEMENTS TO RIVER DES PERES EXTENSION PARK Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of Public Service in Room 208 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Mo. Until 1:45 PM, CT, on December 8, 2015, then publicly opened and read.Plans and Specifications may be examined on the Board of Public Service website http://www.stl-bps.org/planroom.aspx (BPS On LinePlan Room) and may be purchased directly through the BPS website from INDOX Services at cost plus shipping. No refunds will bemade.

A pre-bid conference for all contractors bidding on this project will be held on November 23, 2015 at 10:00 A.M. in Room 208 City Hall.

Bidders shall comply with all applicable City, State and Federal laws (including MBE/WBE policies).

All bidders must regard Federal Executive Order 11246, “Notice of Requirement for Affirmative Action to Ensure Equal Employment Opportunity”, the “Equal Opportunity Clause” and the “Standard Federal Equal Employment Specifications” set forth within and referenced at www.stl-bps.org (Announcements).

LETTING #8594 MUNICIPAL RIVER TERMINAL SOUTH DOCK WAREHOUSE IMPROVEMENTS, MODOT GRANT #FRE15000051, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of Public Service in Room 208 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Mo. Until 1:45 PM, CT, on Tuesday, November 24, 2015, then publicly opened and read. Plans and Specifications may be examined on the Board of Public Service website http://www.stl-bps.org/planroom.aspx (BPS On Line Plan Room) and may be purchased directly through the BPS website from INDOX Services at cost plus shipping. No refunds will be made.

Bidders shall comply with all applicable City, State and Federal laws (including MBE/WBE policies). ).

A pre-bid conference for all contractors bidding on this project will be held on November 3, 2015, at 10:00 A.M. at the Municipal River Terminal South Dock Warehouse.

All bidders must regard Federal Executive Order 11246, “Notice of Requirement for Affirmative Action to Ensure Equal Employment Opportunity”, the “Equal Opportunity Clause” and the “Standard Federal Equal Employment

LETTING # 8596 CONCRETE AND BRICK REMOVAL/REPLACEMENT AND COMPLETE SIDEWALK INSTALLATION SP-98 Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of Public Service in Room 208 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Mo. Until 1:45 PM, CT, on DECEMBER 1, 2015, then publicly opened and read.

Plans and Specifications may be examined on the Board of Public Service website http://www.stl-bps.org/planroom.aspx (BPS On Line Plan Room) and may be purchased directly through the BPS website from INDOX Services at cost plus shipping. No refunds will be made.

There will be a MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE on NOVEMRBER 9, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. in Room 208 City Hall (Board of Public Service).

Bidders shall comply with all applicable City, State and Federal laws (including MBE/WBE policies).

All bidders must regard Federal Executive Order 11246, “Notice of Requirement for Affirmative Action to Ensure Equal Employment Opportunity”, the “Equal Opportunity Clause” and the “Standard Federal Equal Employment Specifications” set forth within and referenced at www.stl-bps.org (Announcements).

LETTING #8597 CONCRETE AND BRICK REMOVAL/ REPLACEMENT AND COMPLETE SIDEWALK INSTALLATION SP-99 Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of Public Service in Room 208 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Mo. Until 1:45 PM, CT, on DECEMBER 1, 2015, then publicly opened and read. Plans and Specifications may be examined on the Board of Public Service website http://www.stl-bps.org/planroom.aspx (BPS On Line Plan Room) and may be purchased directly through the BPS website from INDOX Services at cost plus shipping. No refunds will be made.

There will be a MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE on November 9, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. in Room 208 City Hall (Board of Public Service).

Bidders shall comply with all applicable City, State and Federal laws (including MBE/WBE policies).

All bidders must regard Federal Executive Order 11246, “Notice of Requirement for Affirmative Action to Ensure Equal Employment Opportunity”, the “Equal Opportunity Clause” and the “Standard Federal Equal Employment Specifications” set forth within and referenced at www.stl-bps.org (Announcements).

LETTING # 8598 CONCRETE AND BRICK REMOVAL/ REPLACEMENT AND COMPLETE SIDEWALK INSTALLATION SP-100 Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of Public Service in Room 208 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Mo. Until 1:45 PM, CT, on DECEMBER 1, 2015, then publicly opened and read.

Plans and Specifications may be examined on the Board of Public Service website http://www.stl-bps.org/planroom.aspx (BPS On Line Plan Room) and may be purchased directly through the BPS website from INDOX Services at cost plus shipping. No refunds will be made.

There will be a MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE on NOVEMBER 9, 2015at 9:00 a.m. in Room 208 City Hall (Board of Public Service).

Bidders shall comply with all applicable City, State and Federal laws (including MBE/WBE policies).

All bidders must regard Federal Executive Order 11246, “Notice of Requirement for Affirmative Action to Ensure Equal Employment Opportunity”, the “Equal Opportunity Clause” and the “Standard Federal Equal Employment Specifications” set forth within and referenced at www.stl-bps.org (Announcements).

Visit our award winning website @www.stlamerican.com CLICK CLASSIFIEDS

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2015 Concession Opportunity –Management Contract REQUEST FOR Echo Bluff State Park • Shannon County • Salem, MO PROPOSAL

The brand new Echo Bluff State Park is currently under development in Shannon County, Salem, MO. Located adjacent to the Current River in the area historically known as Camp Zoe, the new state park will have a lodge with 20 guest rooms including suites, nine cabins, casual dining, outside dining, a multi-purpose room, two meeting rooms, a fitness room and general store. The Park will also include 60 campsites plus ten walk-in sites, hiking trails, shelters, pavilions, tubing on Sinking Creek and other activities in an unspoiled natural landscape.

A pre-bid conference will be held at the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Lewis and Clark State Office Building in December. The date and time of the pre-bid conference will be announced in the bid package.

All interested parties should register on the official bidder list by contacting Denise Massman via telephone call, letter, fax or e-mail; or check with her for any additional information on this concession opportunity. Bid packages will be sent out to all interested parties registered on the official bidder list.

Denise Massman • Procurement Officer – General Services Missouri Department of Natural Resources P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102 Telephone: (573) 522-3299 • Fax to: (573) 526-1355 Denise.Massman@dnr.mo.gov

MWBE PREBID MEETING NOTICE The SITE Improvement Association is hosting a Prebid meeting for Qualified and Certified MWBE contractors to discuss working on

Rosemary, Philo, & Kathleen Sewer Separation Contract Letting No. 10748-015.1 The prebid meeting is being held on behalf of the following SITE contractor members:

Fred M. Luth & Sons 4516 McRee Avenue St. Louis, MO 63110 314/771-3892 The meeting will take place at

10:00 a.m.

November 12, 2015 SITE Improvement Association 2071 Exchange Drive, St. Charles, MO 63303

For questions regarding this prebid meeting, Contact the SITE Improvement Association office at 314/966-2950.

MWBE PREBID MEETING NOTICE The SITE Improvement Association is hosting a Prebid meeting for Qualified and Certified MWBE contractors to discuss working on

Duchesne and Gott I/I Reduction Contract Letting No. 11739-015.1 The prebid meeting is being held on behalf of the following SITE contractor members:

Fred M. Luth & Sons 4516 McRee Avenue St. Louis, MO 63110 314/771-3892 The meeting will take place at

10:30 a.m.

November 12, 2015 SITE Improvement Association 2071 Exchange Drive, St. Charles, MO 63303

For questions regarding this prebid meeting, Contact the SITE Improvement Association office at 314/966-2950.

INVITATION TO BID – BID DATE: December 10, 2015 Kiener Plaza The Great Rivers Greenway District (District), the Developer, is soliciting sealed bids for Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis, Missouri.

Sealed bids will be received at the District offices, 6178 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63112 until 2:00 p.m. prevailing Central time, Thursday, December 10, 2015, and immediately thereafter, they will be publicly opened and read aloud in the Developer’s Conference Room. A 5% Bid Security in the form specified in the bidding documents is required. Bids will be received for the following Work Categories: Description Work Category #2 Earthwork/Demolition #3 Site Sewers #4 Plumbing/Site Water/Fountains #5 Concrete #6 Electrical #7 Pavers/Stone #8 Metals/Railings #9 Landscaping/Irrigation #10 Carpentry/Miscellaneous The Contract will be awarded to the lowest responsible, responsive Bidder for each Work Category. The District reserves the right to waive informalities in bids, and to reject any and all bids submitted.

The Great Rivers Greenway District hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, ancestry, or national origin in consideration for an award. Participation Goals for the project are 25% MBE and 5% WBE. Bidders are required to comply with the provisions of the Mayor’s Executive Orders 28 and 47. Bidders that do not obtain the MBE/WBE participation goals in their base bid must demonstrate good faith efforts.

Brightside St. Louis is seeking proposals to enhance the City of St. Louis Recycling Program’s web presence. Bid specs available at www.brightsidestl.org/3155/request-for-proposal/.

Bid closes 11/24/15.

REQUEST FOR BIDS Orf Construction is requesting MBE/WBE bids on the “UNIVERSITY WELLNESS AND PARKS MULTI-PURPOSE RECREATION CENTER” at the Campus of Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri. Bids are due on November 19, 2015 and must be in our office no later than 10:00 am. Plans can be viewed at various plan rooms including our plan room in Bridgeton, Missouri.

Please contact us at 314-298-0770 or 314-298-0939 (fax) with questions.

REQUEST FOR BIDS Four Door Crew Cab Three Quarter Ton 4x4 Pickup Truck Great Rivers Greenway The Great Rivers Greenway District is seeking sealed bids for one (1) full four door crew cab three quarter ton 4x4 pickup truck. One copy of a sealed printed bid should be submitted by 4:00 P.M. Central Standard Time, November 12, 2015 to Great Rivers Greenway, 6174A Delmar Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63112. Bid instructions can be found at www.greatrivers.org. Questions or information related to this request should be directed to: Ben Grossman, Operations Manager bgrossman@grgstl.org

NOTICE TO MINORITY, WOMEN, DISADVANTAGE REQUEST FOR & SERVICE DISABLED VETERAN ENTERPRISES: QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) WE ARE LOOKING FOR FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING SERVICES MBE, WBE, DBE & SDVE Subcontractors and Suppliers to bid on upcoming projects. Please contact GBH Builders for upcoming projects.

GBH Builders is an EEOE. Phone: (573) 893-3633 / Fax: (573) 893-5847

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE St. Louis Community College will receive separate sealed bids for Contract No. F 16 501, Replace Exterior Classroom Doors at CDC, St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley, until 2:00 p.m. local time November 19, 2015. Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud at the office of the Manager of Engineering and Design, 300 South Broadway (Room 423, Fourth Floor).

Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from the Manager's office, at the above address or by calling (314) 539-5015.

An Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer

METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS SEWER DISTRICT Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District will receive RFQ’s in the Purchasing Division, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2555 until 10:00 a.m. on December 3, 2015 to contract with a company for: OIL & LUBRICANTS. 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 5927-2 RFQ. If you do not have access to the internet, call 314-768-6254 to request a copy of this bid.

Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) is seeking Statements of Qualifications from environmental engineering firms for the purpose of establishing a “short list” of firms from which SLDC and its affiliated agencies and authorities may secure environmental engineering services. The term of this prequalification is expected to be 4 years, from 1/1/2016 through 12/31/2019. See https://www.stlouismo.gov/sldc/documents environmental-engineering-rfq-2015.cfm for full RFQ or call Amy Lampe, Project Manager, at 314-657-3737 or lampea@stlouis-mo.gov.

Minority and Women Business Enterprises are encouraged to submit responses. Responses due 12/4/15 by 5 PM.

CITY OF ST. LOUIS BOARD OF PUBLIC SERVICE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS for PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR PARTIAL CONDITION ASSESSMENT OF THE WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM VALVES (HPZ), CITY OF ST. LOUIS – WATER DIVISION, STATE REVOLVING FUND PROJECT. Statements of Qualifications due by 5:00 P.M., CT, DECEMBER 1, 2015 at Board of Public Service, 1200 Market, Room 301 City Hall, St. Louis, MO 63103. RFQ may be obtained from website www.stl-bps.org, under On Line Plan Room, or call BPS at 314-622-3535. 25% MBE and 5% WBE participation goals.

The project is financed through the Missouri State Revolving Fund, established by the sale of Missouri Water Pollution Control bonds and federal Capitalization Grants to Missouri.

CITY OF ST. LOUIS BOARD OF PUBLIC SERVICE

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS for OPEN-ENDED CIVIL, STRUCTURAL, SURVEYING, GEOTECHNICAL, ESTIMATING, AND DRAFTING SERVICES, LAMBERT-ST. LOUIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. Statements of Qualifications due by 5:00 PM CT, NOVEMBER 5, 2015 at Board of Public Service, 1200 Market, Room 301 City Hall, St. Louis, MO 63103. RFQ may be obtained from BPS website www.stl-bps.org, under On Line Plan Room, or call Board of Public Service at 314-622-3535.

25% MBE and 5% WBE participation goals.

The Great Rivers Greenway District is seeking the services of qualified professionals for Auditing Services. Specifications can be found at www.greatriversgreenway.org.

Respondents should submit one electronic copy and two hard copies of their proposals by 4:00 p.m., CST, November 20, 2015. Questions or information related to this request should be directed to: Hilary Smith, Director of Finance & Administration at 314-932-4908 or via email hsmith@grgstl.org.

NOTICE: McAfee Construction, Inc. is seeking MBE, WBE, SDVE, & DBE Subcontractors and Suppliers who are interested in bidding on the University of Missouri – RADIL – Fit Out Labs Project # CP151971. Plans and Specs may be viewed at http://www.cf.missouri.edu/pdc/ adsite/project.php?project=CP151971& format=html Bids are due in our office by 5:00pm on November 9th, 2015. Interested bidders please contact McAfee Construction, Inc. at 573-474-4397.

MCAFEE CONSTRUCTION, INC. IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

INVITATION FOR SUBCONTRACTOR BID Millstone Weber, LLC is requesting bids for the MoDOT Route 141 and I-44 Design-Build project in Valley Park, MO. Work will include earthwork, drainage, MSE walls, concrete flatwork, landscaping, traffic control, surveying, rebar, onsite hauling, fencing, signal, lighting, seed, sod, material delivery, guardrail, sweeping, material testing, PC girders, geotechnical services, asphalt paving, engineering support. DBE goals are 20% professional services and 18% construction.

Bids should be sent to Charlie Hayes at Charlie.Hayes@millstoneweber.com by November 18, 2015. Millstone Weber, LLC, 601 Fountain Lakes Blvd, St. Charles, MO 63301. 636-949-0038.

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Auditing Services

SUBMITTAL LOCATION: The Great Rivers Greenway District 6174A Delmar Boulevard St. Louis, MO. 63112 Great Rivers Greenway reserves the right to reject any or all proposals.

EOE

SEALED BIDS

SEALED BIDS

for Sealed bids for Drinking Water System Improvements, Washington State Park, Desoto, Missouri, Project No. X1426-01 will be received

by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 12/17/2015. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to http:// www.oa.mo. gov/fmdc/dc/ list.htm

for Lagoon Renovation, MaconTraining Site, Macon, Missouri, Project No. T1227-02 will be received

by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 12/3/2015. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to http:// www.oa.mo. gov/fmdc/dc/ list.htm

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Graphic Design

Notice is hereby given that The Metropolitan Photography/Videography St. Louis Sewer District (District) will receive Public Relations sealed bids for Caulks Creek Trunk Sewer Community Engagement Planning (SKME-011) Phase I under Letting No. Interpretive Planning 11720-015.1, at this office, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103, until 02:00 PM on Great Rivers Greenway requests services of Wednesday, December 09, 2015, at a place qualified professionals for a variety of projects. designated.

Full RFP documents are available at One hard copy of the Bid Documents and other information relating to the Bids will be received only from companies that www.greatriversgreenway.org/opportunities. project can be obtained starting November 9, 2015. Bid Documents are are pre-qualified by the District’s Engineering Questions or information related to this request available at Cross Rhodes Reprographics located at 1712 Macklind Ave. Department for: should be directed to: Emma Klues, Director of St. Louis, MO 63110, telephone 314-678-0087. All questions should be DEEP SEWER CONSTRUCTION – communicated to Lonny Boring, District Project Manager, via email at St. Louis County drainlayer’s license required Communications and Outreach at 314-932-4919 or eklues@grgstl.org. Proposals are Plans and Specifications are available for free lboring@grgstl.org. A Pre-Bid Conference will be held on Tuesday, due November 13, 2015 at 4:30pm electronic download. Please go to MSD’s November 17, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark Central Standard Time.

Gateway Ballroom (2nd Floor), 1 S. Broadway, with a site visit immediately website and look for a link to “ELECTRONIC PLANROOM.” Plans and Specifications are also thereafter. All bidders are strongly encouraged to attend.

SUBMITTAL LOCATION: available for viewing or purchase at Cross Great Rivers Greenway Successful Bidder shall be required to comply in all respects with applicable Rhodes Reprographics located at 1710 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis MO 63110. All bidders must 6174A Delmar Boulevard statutory provisions concerning payment of prevailing wages on public obtain a set of plans and specifications in order St. Louis, MO 63112 works, Sections 290.210 through 290.340 R.S. Mo. 1959, as currently GRG reserves the right to reject any or all amended, and shall pay to all workmen performing under work contract not to submit a bid in the name of the entity submitting the bid. proposals. less than prevailing hourly rate of wages as determined by the Department The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an of Labor and Industrial Relations of the State of Missouri.

Equal Opportunity Employer.

EOE

Real Estate & Rentals

THE

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

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North City!

ASK FOR GARY

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Sec. 8 welcome with open arms.

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Newly remodeled Nice.

Quiet. Clean. Furnished Rooms. Utils incl, cable, w/d. $125/wk + $125 Dep

Call 314-558-1397

314-440-9803 PAGE PROPERTIES

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EXCEPTIONAL ROOM FOR RENT Halls Ferry Circle $450/mo + $50 Dep. Sec. Cameras Weapon & Drug Free Property, Proof of Income Req.

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314-504-2173

Month 2 Month! 1 bedroom, cold a/c, hardwoods, w/d hookups, basement/ storage, utilities paid, ready now! $375

rs-stl.com AG0LC 314-309-2043

FOR RENT NORTH COUNTY

3 BRs

ONE UNIT LEFT

FOR RENT Back yard Carriage house for rent, 1 bed room, full basement. $500.00 mo. 1st and last mo. 5834 Saloma Ave. Prefer singe person or couple

314-583-8764 Mrs. Davis

South City!

Neat 2 bedroom, central air, fenced yard, toasty fireplace, all appliances, storage, short term lease! $495

2BR on 2nd Fl stove, fridge, hwd fls, blinds, cable ready, free hot water, off -street parking, curtains, ceiling fans, a/c $525/mo + $400 Dep

314-255-4733

314-276-0593

Good heating and cooling. Fully furnished & Cable

rs-stl.com AG0LS 314-309-2043

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314-484-3147 314-240-9677

Winter is Fun with us!!

Move-In Special

McCormack House Sr. Living Apartments

Heat is Paid ! 24 Hour Desk Attendant.

1298 Hamilton at Page

Section 8 Welcome.

Broadway!

Clean 3 bed, 1.5 bath house, safe dry basement, fenced yard, hardwoods, central air/heat, w/d hookups! $650

rs-stl.com AG0LI 314-309-2043

ROOMS FOR RENT Midtown Near Downtown Furnished, TV, satellite, personal phone, Wi-Fi avail., utilities included, w/d, off street parking. $150/wk

Fully Equipped Kitchens - Walk-in Showers

314-397-8422

Beautiful! A must see for those 62 yrs or older!!

HOUSES & APTS

www.mccormackhouseatwestminsterapts.com

2-4 bdrms North City 2-3 bdrms South City Sect 8 OK

866-347-8650

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

FOR RENT

North City 44** Greer Ave 1 Bedroom 1 Bath St. Louis, MO 63115 First and Last month rent to move in $495 a month. Call Roderick

3146048914 FOR RENT 4639 FARLIN 1 BR, Living Rm Dining Rm, Air- Nice. $375/mo + Security

314-361-8585 Skinker!

All-electric 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath, hardwoods, central air, nice kitchen w/dishwasher, w/d hookups, ready! $525

314-772-4563

rs-stl.com AG0LG 314-309-2043

4 RENT

FALL SPECIAL!

52XX Thekla & 18XX Rauschenbach 1 & 2BR stove & fridge, $375-$450/mo + Dep,U pay utils. 1 yr lease.

Service animals ok.

Newly remodeled apt for rent, 5231 Lotus spacious 2BR, new hdwd fls through out, $575/mo+Dep Sec 8 welcome

314-306-2448

314-724-2054

618-781-7968 Ready now! 1 bedroom, appliances, central heat/air, storage, carpet & tile, pets ok, w/d hookups! only $385

rs-stl.com AG0LE 314-309-2043

ROOMS FOR RENT

314-534-3863 South City!!

Updated 4 bed, 2 bath house, full basement, central air, fenced yard, appliances, pets, hardwood floors! $775

rs-stl.com AG0LV 314-309-2043

APARTMENTS FOR RENT 2BR, 1BA, completely re-decorated, new carpet.

314-389-1804 314-346-1302

$149/wk & up!

(Nothing Like Your Own) North City

2, 3, 4 & 5 BR Single family homes

314-518-5898 NORTH CITY 1 BR apt. stove, fridge, very clean & quiet.

Minutes from major grocery store plaza, Senior citizens Discount $450/mo + Dep

314-243-2222 FURNISHED ROOMS FOR RENT North Co. & South City Near bus line and Metrolink, all Utilities & Cable.

CLEAN

314-740-1878

FURNISHED

C9

Page!

Remodeled 2 bedroom, hardwood floors, fenced yard, frosty a/c, appliances, walk-in closets, lawn care included! $550

rs-stl.com AG0LF 314-309-2043

HOUSE FOR RENT

2 BR, stove, c/a & h, fenced off-st parking, w/d hk-up, finished basement, desk, $700/mo

314-952-1558 Natural Bridge!

$100 deposit! Loaded 3 bed, 2 bath home, central air, finished basement, family room, w/d hookups! $500

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FURNISHED ROOMS FOR RENT A/C & Heat Shared Bath and Kitchen

314-652-6154

FURNISHED

ROOMS FOR RENT

South City!

Redone 3-4 bedroom, Large Rooms - near bus central air, appliances, hardwood floors, nice lines, utilities, cable, laundry. Mature adults & deck, flexible deposit, ready to rent! $650 Veterans welcome ROOMS FOR RENT

Shared House, Fully loaded $400/mo SSI Accepted Call Ms. Shonda

314-761-7991

$110/wk. Please call

314-546-8130

rs-stl.com AG0LT 314-309-2043

Find a career.

Visit www.stlamerican.com

2 MONTHS 1/2 OFF RENT Blue Fountain APARTMENTS has 1 and 2 BR apartment homes for rent and is Section 8 approved.

Please call for an appointment today

314-942-3400.

We are location on 819 Gustav Ave off of North Broadway in St. Louis City

FOR RENT Large 3BR 2BA Remodeled Kitch, Liv, Din, 2 Car Garage, Clean, Stove $775 +Dep. Near Lucas & Hunt & Halls Ferry

314-323-9335 ROOMS FOR RENT $400/mo + Key Dep $50 314-657-7071

Park Place Apts

314-575-2665

EADS SQUARE APARTMENTS

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

62 YEARS & OLDER 2700 Henrietta

4399 Forest Park Blvd St. Louis, MO 63108

314-925-9405 TTY 800-735-2966 Equal Housing Opportunity

Professionally Managed by NHPMN Management, LLC

MARK TWAIN HOTEL

1 Bedrooms

*Coded entry system *Free Gated Parking *Small pets allowed *Includes appliances & utilities.

Summer discounts avail.

314-421-2980

Please call 314.773.6674

(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.

Rent based upon 30% of adjusted income.

PT Bosley Estates is now accepting applications from Seniors 62+

Winter Garden Apts.

ROOMS FOR RENT All utils. included, Fully Monthly $400 & Up Furnished, major bus utilities, a/c& heat lines Men/Women included. Proof of All Ages income required. Call Starting at $100/wk

Section 8 Welcomed

PRIVATE BATH & KITCHEN

FALL SPECIAL!

314-629-1220

FOR RENT Total Rehab 1-3 bedroom homes & apts. C/A, w/d hookups & private yards.

FURNISHED KITCHENETTES FOR RENT

Sec 8 Welcome

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2015

ATTENTION!

www.stlamerican.com

(314) 869-5033

for further details.

8869 Maya Lane, St. Louis MO 63136

3 BR apartment, Large rooms, washer & dryer hook-up, all electric, near busline. $600/mo $1000 Dep.

South City!

2125-27 Obear 3 rms, (1 BDRM) $425/mo For details call

ROOMS FOR RENT

•

THE

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

314-644-8056

We offer:

*Beautiful 1BRs *Utilities included *Small pets *Security system 314-925-9406 *Community room *Air conditioning TTY 800-735-2966 Equal Housing Opportunity *Laundry facility *Income based rent Professionally Managed by 314-534-4700 • 4301 Warne St. Louis, MO 63107 NHPMN Management, LLC

Email your ads to vmedina@stlamerican.com

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 MEDICARE & MEDICAID ACCEPTED

Montford Point Marine Association

Hearing Aids

Dental

Ladies Auxilary - St. Louis Chapter

Come join us for a meet and greet.

Health Insurance {ACA}

HAIL DAMAGE AUTO REPAIR!

Open Enrollment is Here!

Call us today to learn about our no money out of pocket hail repair option and free rental car while your car is being repaired.

* You may qualify for a SUBSIDY *You may have a Zero or very Low monthly premium *In person or virtual enrollment available *Health coverage you & your family deserve

CALL TODAY! GET COVERED TODAY!

(314)656-1433 TRC AGENCY LLC 7220 N. LINDBERGH Ste 100 63042

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PH. 314-221-3838 Ask for Olav

Co-pay

$1000/year Dentures, Partials, Crowns, Root Canals & Other Dental Services

Glasses

For more

information, please call

As low as $15/Pair Co-pay

314-741-1868 314-322-3526

Call 1-800-733-1912 to see if you qualify.

Fall Clean-up

Man & His Truck Light Hauling Yard Work, Moving & Gutter Cleaning REASONABLE 314-583-6971

Need a quote for an ad?

Email your text to vmedina@stlamerican.com

314-334-0211

Mid-America Clinical Research, LLC 6651 Chippewa St. Ste 305 St. Louis, MO 63109

314-647-1743

www.stlamerican.com

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2015

C10

Celebrity Swag Snap of the Week Veteran supermodel and actor Tyson Beckford was in the building for the Halloween edition of Fetish Fridays as crowd favorite T Marley kept the party live with his signature amped up hosting style.

Kayla and Lauren came ready to frisk in their cop uniforms Friday @ HG

PR and Smooth got a chance to score a picture with stunning video model and Wild’n Out girl Rosa Acosta Friday @ HG

Old School 95.5’s Staci Static struck a pose with Moo, Tino and Cass during her “The Connect” networking event” Thursday @ Barnett on Washington

Connecting with the best of them. I made my way to Staci Static’s The Connect Networking event Thursday night and I am so glad I did, because there were more movers and shakers in Barnett’s than one could imagine. The whole starpower team (Abe, Shaki and T-Luv) Gary Gunter (GM) and Christina Bailey (sales maven) of Radio One as well as the fantastically fit Brandon Hinkle and Andrea Jordan – who I heard was second in the nation among in her class of bodybuilding. Staci was snatched for dear life from head to toe in a tan ensemble with a honeyblonde natural textured updo that has me ready to make the big chop and start all over. Her daughter Asha was in the building too. She is all grown up and I hear she’s making a name for herself as a college rep for a major record label.

A new twist on Nina. Now I know y’all didn’t come here for jazz, but I would be shady boots if I didn’t let y’all know how Lamar Harris and his musical crew – including vocalist Anita Jackson put their ankle bone up in the Nina Reloaded show at Jazz at The Bistro Thursday night. He remixed a few classics, but stuck to her more obscure stuff and showcased the world class talent we have right here in town.

Halloween model behavior at HG. For almost two decades now whenever Tyson Beckford’s name used to come up, I would be like “I mean he has a nice enough body or whatever, but I don’t see what the big deal is with him.” Well, Friday night I saw what all the fuss was about when I got to see all that fineness face to face thanks to Niddy and ‘nem over at HG. When I tell you pictures, TV and film do him no justice. And he looked like he was either on his way into witness protection – or just coming out – with a black skull cap that covered most of his face that matched an utterly awful black velour jogging outfit. Maybe he was dressed as a cat burglar to play up those adorable slanted eyes. Whatever the case, you know a man is officially fine when he can wear my auntie’s Bid Whist uniform and get a pass. The fellas were probably saying the same thing about Rosa Acosta with regard to her fineness even though I don’t really see it. I mean, she’s a cute girl, but she looks so synthetic with that cleavage of hers. It almost looks crunchy. Either way there was eye candy for both sexes who packed out Fetish Friday’s Halloween Costume Party Edition.

Arika’s Parrfect party. My first stop in the “Sip or Treat” festivities was to Arika Parr and her boo Korey Johnson’s 3rd annual Costumes and Cocktails at Lumiere Live. It gets most improved party for sure among the yearly events. Not that it was bad before, but the 2015 edition was almost as glamorous as Arika’s costume.

I saw all kinds of folks – including St. Louis’ own Jamal Nichols, who plays bass for jazz star Gregory Porter.

St. Louis Horror Story. How cute was it that Rockhouse Ent. Had a party at the Old Rock House for Halloween? I made my way there as my second stop of the night on Halloween. I thought it was nice enough. I thought there would be more people, but it was by no means empty boots up in there. Actually, the front floor by the stage was wall to wall. It was when you trickled back towards the exit that it got a bit scattered. Nobody seemed to mind and all the folks up in there were having a blast.

Angie and Nicole came out to support the Emerging 100 of Metropolitan St. Louis at the 2nd Annual All Black Affair Masquerade Ball Friday @ Barnett on Washington

Costumes and concert. The win of the weekend goes to LooseCannon S.L.I.M. But how can you lose with a $5K costume contest and 2 Chainz – who appeared serving a trapped out reggae singer in costume as Inspector Gadget. It was packed to the gills up in the Lux. That spot has been three different clubs since it opened . And with every reincarnation I come in with the hopes that the sound system is upgraded, yet every.single.time I’m supremely disappointed that the new name seems to inherit that same lil’ microphone and speaker box. Even with the sound being what it was 2 Chainz did his thing and gave the people a show they couldn’t have possibly felt cheated by. I was shocked he was in the building so early myself.

Usually he strolls in five minutes before last call. But he was perched at midnight waiting to get the show on the road.

State of Emergency Super Sale. Speaking of S.L.I.M., y’all know he’s bringing Lil Wayne to headline State of Emergency 3, right? Word on the curb is that he’s rolling out a few more heavy hitters from hip-hop and R&B – and that was not an August Alsina pun either. Anyway, SOE3 is shaping up for folks to get their life in a major way. Tickets go on sale this Friday and S.L.I.M. is kicking things off with the sale of the CENTURY. Peep this – so the first 700 folks at the Chaifetz box office on Saturday will be able to buy seats for a flat rate of $7. Yes, you are reading this correctly – there are no zeros or ones involved. Tickets will be less than a pack of Oscar Meyer lunch meat and a loaf of bread. Y’all better get into that deal, because you will never get a chance to see that caliber of star for so few coins. Lil Wayne for $7…you can’t even see Lil Tyrone do Karaoke for $7. Ya’ll better not miss out.

Brittani and Tanjii spent their Halloween @ The Old Rockhouse for the Bfree, Umbrella group and Rockhouse production of St. Louis Horror Story Photos by Lawrence Bryant & John Scott

2 Chainz ripped the stage as the finale for LooseCannon S.L.I.M.’s Annual Halloween Costume Party

A Modest Halloween. Halloween night STL was an upgrade from the utter bust that it’s been the last couple of years, but the climb to the glory days of the mid- to late-2000s seems to be a slow one – even though a handful of parties were absolutely winning. Some of y’all ladies just put cotton balls and animal ears on your regular club outfits and called it a doggone day. But I will say I thought it was cute that the girls kept it classy and were much more covered and tasteful than I typically seen.

Body paint and panties costumes must be so 2009. I got life from Black Jesus, Sho Nuff - and the person who braved the body heat and humidity of Lux as folks waited to see Two Chainz take the stage . I don’t know who he was, but he had fashioned a replica of the grocery store stuffed animal claw machine. The fake glass had all condensation. I had every man with a beard and a sweater pegged as Drake’s interpretive dance spirit from “Hotline Bling.” But my favorite costume of the night went to the S.L.I.M. vs. Nelly duos.

Lewam and Shanai looked amazing and festive in Masquerade masks @ Emerging 100 Ball Friday @ Barnett on Washington

Arika Parr and Korey Johnson went all out as usual with their costumes for their 3rd Annual Costume and Cocktails Party Saturday night @ Lumiere Live

Selena Washington and Aliah Holman enjoyed themselves at the elegant Masquerade ball Friday @ Barnett on Washington Floyd and Rita of the Simms Building Group represented royalty Saturday @ 3rd Annual Costumde and Cocktails Halloween Party Saturday @ Lumiere Live

www.stlamerican.com

Page 2

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

November 5 – 11, 2015

SLCC and Webster U. offer dual admission for nursing students

St. Louis Community College and Webster University have signed a dual admission agreement for nursing students at the college. This agreement will make it possible for students to be jointly enrolled at STLCC and Webster University. The agreement will provide nursing students the opportunity to seamlessly complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at Webster University while obtaining college credit at STLCC. A landmark report on the future of the nursing profession issued by the Institute of Medicine in 2010 recommended that 80 percent of registered nurses obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing by the year 2020. Higher education institutions are therefore likely to see an influx of registered nurses seeking bachelor’s degrees in the coming years.

“This partnership between STLCC and Webster serves not only the needs of nursing students, but also the needs of the evolving healthcare industry,” said Jeffery L. Pittman, Ph.D., chancellor at STLCC. “BSN-educated nurses are in greater demand than ever before. Employers are seeking nurses with higher education credentials as the role of nursing expands and becomes increasingly complex.”

The partnership and transfer agreement between STLCC and Webster aims to encourage a smooth transition from STLCC’s Associate in Applied Science (AAS) program to Webster’s Bachelor of Science degree (BSN) program.

“Both institutions are making a dedicated effort to improve nursing educational opportunities within the greater St. Louis area,” said Jennifer Broeder, interim co-dean of Webster University’s College of Arts and Sciences Division of Professional Programs and chair of the nursing department. “Both St. Louis Community College and Webster University are funneling significant resources into nursing instruction, and by partnering on a dual admission agreement, we are creating a synergy that will deliver the skilled nurses that our profession requires.”

Students who participate in the program will have their application fees at Webster University waived, maximize credit transfer from St. Louis Community College, gain access to resources at both institutions, and have the opportunity to begin coursework at Webster while completing their nursing program at STLCC.

November 5 – 11, 2015

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

Understanding Medicare

It’s that time of the year again. No, I’m not talking about football season, nor the World Series. I’m referring to the Medicare open enrollment period (October 15- December 7), the time where individuals can change their prescription or health coverage. And, just like the NFL and NBA Draft, Medicare enrollment can be just as confusing! I am absolutely convinced that you need a PhD in governmental bureaucracy to decipher the hieroglyphics on the paperwork and I am someone who is actively involved in healthcare on a daily basis. Therefore, if I struggle to understand it, how do we expect some sweet, mildly demented 80-year-old grandmother to figure it out?

Individuals who turn 65 and are receiving Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board benefits will be automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A and B. This group will get their red, white and blue card 3 months prior to turning age 65. The complication of this process occurs when individuals are not receiving those benefits (example: a 65-year-old who is still working) and must sign up for Medicare during the Initial Enrollment Period.

When participants are first eligible for Medicare, they have a seven month Initial Enrollment Period to sign up for Part A

and/or Part B. Depending on service work and transition to when the participant signs up concierge practices. will determine coverage start Many people mistakenly dates. Per Medicare.gov, not believe that Medicare will enrolling in Medicare Part B cover all healthcare costs. when you are eligible could However, vision and dental result in a late enrollment expenses are services not penalty for the duration of covered and depending on the Part B coverage in addition to type of plan you have, certain a gap in coverage. copays may be required at the There are also circumtime of service. In addition, stances that qualify for a medical devices, such as hearSpecial Enrollment Period, ing aids may also not be covsuch as a change of address, ered and can be as expensive Denise Hooks eligibility for Medicaid, or as several thousand dollars.

Anderson, M.D. if the participant is receiving Once your Medicare is services in an institution like effective, I recommend that a skilled nursing facility. you schedule your “Welcome to MediThe two principle ways to utilize care” physical with your primary care Medicare is original Medicare, Part A/B, doctor. This visit is comprehensive and and the Medicare HMO plans. Part A addresses issues, such as living wills, is hospital coverage and Part B is the immunizations, and preventative services medical insurance, which covers doctor such as mammogram, colonoscopy, and visits and other medical services. Part C bone density. is the advantage plan offered by private This yearly visit gives your doctor an insurance plans and often times cover opportunity to also assess your ability to medications. In 2003, President George perform day-to-day tasks, such as making W. Bush established Medicare Part D, meals, cleaning home and bathing self. a program to help cover prescription Some patients at this visit need mental costs as well. Most medical providers health evaluations to determine early accept Medicare, but many physicians are stages of dementia and whether or not choosing to abandon traditional fee-forthey are safe to live independently. Other

Page 3

areas of concern addressed include senior safety as it relates to poly-pharmacy.

Seniors aged 60-65 on average take 14 prescriptions per year.

If I had to list an area where Medicare recipients could use a little more assistance is understanding the importance of that living will. Family members need a clear, concise message about the wishes of their loved ones long before they are unable to speak for themselves. Basic questions like, “Do they want CPR in the event their heart stops?”; “Do they want a tube placed down their throat to help them breathe?” or “Do they want to be given electrical shocks to revive their heart?” need to be asked and the answers documented so that the family and healthcare providers are on one accord.

Growing older is difficult enough and carries more than its fair share of ups-and-downs without adding to it the burden of confusion regarding health insurance. AARP and Medicare.gov are excellent resources to aid future and current Medicare participants to better comprehend their benefits or lack thereof.

Yours in Service, Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D. Assistant Professor SLUCare Family Medicine yourhealthmatters@stlamerican.com

Your Health Matters

A bi-monthly special supplement of the St. Louis American

November 5, 2015 Your Health Matters provides up-to-date information, from an African-American perspective, about one of the most important subjects in evryone’s life – their personal health.

Donald M. Suggs, President and Publisher Kevin Jones, Senior Vice President, COO Dina M. Suggs, Senior Vice President Chris King, Editorial Director Denise Hooks Anderson, M.D., Medical Accuracy Editor Sandra Jordan, Health Reporter Debbie Chase, Director of Health Strategy & Outreach Onye Hollomon, Barb Sills, Pamela Simmons, Sales Michael Terhaar, Art/Production Manager Angelita Jackson, Cover Design Wiley Price, Photojournalist

St. Louis American The

uly

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

Page 4

Profile in Health

Briana Davenport

Position/Where: Clinical Supervisor at Christian Hospital

Career Highlights: I began my career as staff nurse at Christian Hospital on the Progressive Care Unit and Respiratory Care Unit. I later transferred to the Acute Medical Care Unit and presently, I am a Clinical Supervisor on 9 Telemetry.

I grew up in Black Jack and graduated from Hazelwood East High in 2005.

Journey to Success: I always knew that I loved to help people, and in nursing, I can do for people who cannot do for themselves. I love to educate patients on their disease process; their medication, and how to live their life with the new disease.

Briana As a supervisor, I love to Davenport Education: teach and see my new nurses Associate in Applied Sciencelearn things and patients being Nursing, St. Louis Community able to give back information College-Forest Park you just taught them.

Will begin a Bachelor of Science-Nursing I contribute my success to my late program at the University of Missouri-St. mother. At a very young age, she instilled Louis in 2016 the importance of education, but showed it as well. She was able to obtain three Personal: degrees while working full time. There I am the middle child between two were many long nights where I would brothers and attend Faith Church in Earth watch her studying and writing papers.

City.

With me observing those behaviors at a young age, I can honestly say that it St. Louis Connection: forced me to strive and work a little bit I have lived in St. Louis my entire life, harder for what I wanted in life.

November 5 – 11, 2015

Health Briefs Several St. Louis area hospitals earn honors for stroke care

In an effort to help women identify the best hospitals for stroke care, the Women’s Choice Award partnered with the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to identify America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Stroke Care and America’s Best Stroke Centers across the nation.

Hospitals earning the award must be certified as an advanced primary stroke center or advanced comprehensive stroke center by the Joint Commission. Then they must meet clinical and patient level data that qualifies them as clinically excellent with high patient recommendations.

This award is unique in that it is the only national award that is evidence based and focuses on patient satisfaction.

Barnes-Jewish, Barnes-Jewish St. Peters, Mercy, F -Face Drooping Missouri Baptist and St. Luke’s hospitals, along with A -Arm Weakness St. Mary’s, SSM DePaul, SSM St. Joseph’s, SSM S -Speech Difficulty St. Clare, and Progress West medical centers were T -Time to call 9-1-1 awarded the Women’s Choice Award as America’s Best Stroke Centers.

Source: AHA/ASA In addition, publicly available data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) patient recommendation ratings were included when assessing each hospital’s overall performance. The Women’s Choice Award seal is the only credential that integrates clinical excellence (CMS) and consumer experience.

“By adhering to this very specific set of treatment guidelines these recognized hospitals have clearly made it a priority to deliver high quality care to all patients affected by stroke,” states Nancy Brown, CEO AHA/ASA. Additionally, SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital has received the AHA/ASA Get With the Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Achievement Award, the award is the highest level of recognition given by the AHA/ASA for quality stroke care. It recognizes the hospital’s commitment and success ensuring that stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.

“With a stroke, time lost is brain lost, and this award demonstrates our commitment to ensuring patients receive care that is based on nationally-respected clinical guidelines and second-to-none,” said Sid Kaul, M.D., Ph.D., medical director of stroke services at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital.

Soon after a stroke, the Get With The Guidelines-Stroke teaches patients how to manage their risk factors while still in the hospital and recognize the F.A.S.T. warning signs of a stroke.

F.A.S.T. Signs of a Stroke

Share your weight loss success story in

Your Health Matters Email us at

yourhealthmatters@stlamerican.com

November 5 – 11, 2015

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

Page 5

Health insurance open enrollment now underway

Photo by Wiley Price

Reneice Ball talks with B.J.K. People’s Health Centers councilor Lillian Oketch about what plans would benefit her.

It runs November 1, 2015 – January 31, 2016 For Missourians who are looking to purchase health insurance this year for 2016, shopping coverage options on the Marketplace at Healthcare.gov provide options.

“If consumers come back to the Marketplace and shop, they may be able to find a plan that saves them money and

meets their health needs,” said Kevin Counihan, CEO of the Health Insurance Marketplaces. “Last year, over half of re-enrolling consumers on HealthCare. gov shopped and half of those who shopped selected a new plan – that sort of choice and competition was limited prior to the Affordable Care Act.”

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently released a rate snapshot of health insurance marketplace rates for plans offered in Missouri that shows there will be a 10.4 percent increase for second lowest cost silver plans offered in 2016. The increases do not take into account the advance premi-

um tax credits, which lower the monthly costs for the overwhelming majority of Marketplace consumers. About eight in 10 individuals who selected a 2015 Marketplace plan qualified for financial assistance, and the average advance

See INSURANCE, page 7

uly

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Asthma Free asthma and allergy clinic by Saint Louis University students at the HRC, every other Wednesday afternoon 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. by appointment with SLU physician Dr. Raymond Slavin.

The clinic offers allergy skin tests, pulmonary function tests and asthma and allergy education. It is located in the Victor Roberts Building, 1408 N. Kingshighway, between Martin Luther King Drive and Page Blvd. For more information, call 314-720-1522.

Behavioral Christian Hospital offers free and confidential psychiatric and chemical dependency evaluations at the Christian Hospital Center for Mental Health. For more information, call 314-839-3171.

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

Health Resources

portvictims.org, visit or call the 24-hour hotline 314-OK-BE-MAD (652-3673) or visit www.supportvictims.org.

Bike helmet safety The St. Louis County Health Department provides free bicycle helmets to St. Louis County residents between ages 1 and 17 by appointment only. Proof of residency is required. For the location nearest you, visit www. tinyurl.freebikehelmets.

Breast Cancer Gateway to Hope offers no-charge medical and reconstructive treatment for uninsured breast cancer patients in Missouri. Contact 314-569-1113.

Christian Hospital Key Program offers support and education to patients with chronic mental illness to prevent increased severity of symptoms and to reduce the need for inpatient re-hospitalization. Call confidentially to 314-8393171 or 1-800-447-4301.

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

Crime Victim Advocacy Center provides no cost support for persons affected by criminal acts. Email peggy@sup-

Diabetes CHIPS Diabetes Support Group is open to anyone and meets on Wednesday

November 5 – 11, 2015

evenings from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. For more information, call 314-652-9231.

who are uninsured. For more information, call 314-533-0534.

SSM St. Mary’s Health Center provides free, Diabetes Support Group sessions the second Tuesday of every month from 6 – 7 p.m. to address health management issues. It’s located at Meeting Room 1 on the second floor, 6420 Clayton Rd. in St. Louis. To register, call toll free 866-SSM-DOCS (866-776-3627).

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

St. Louis Milk Depot - SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital is a breast milk depot for the Indiana Mother’s Milk Bank. Milk Depot staff will store and ship your milk to IMMB. For more information, call (314) 242-5912.

Fresh Food Coop Community Helpings Coop sells fresh fruits, vegetables and other foods at wholesale prices in locations throughout the St. Louis area and Metro-East. For more information, visit www.communityhelpingscoop.com.

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

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

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

Information Missouri 2-1-1 offers referral and information on a wide range of social service and helpful resources. Call 2-11.

Wal-Mart Pharmacies – offer select prescriptions for $4 or less for a 30-day supply or $10 for a 90-day supply.

View the list at www.walmart.com/ pharmacy.

Lupus A Lupus Support Group in North St. Louis County meets the third Thursday of the month from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Community Room #1 at Northwest Health Care, 1225 Graham Rd. in Hazelwood. RSVP to the Lupus Foundation of America at 314-6442222 or email info@lfaheartland.org.

Respiratory Health Free lung function screening - Christian Hospital Breathing Center at Northwest HealthCare, 1225 Graham Rd. For more information, call 314-953-6040.

Free flu shots for patients being treated for an illness or injury at Downtown Urgent Care (314-436-9300), North City Urgent Care (314-932-1213), Creve Coeur Urgent Care (314-5486550) and Eureka Urgent Care (636549-2100).

Medical CHIPS Health & Wellness Center offers no cost medical, dental, psychiatric, chiropractic health care for uninsured children and adults by appointment only. $25 annual fee requested.

For more information, call 314-6529231 or visit www.chipsstl.org.

Boys & Girls Clubs Dental & Vision Clinic at Herbert Hoover Club, 2901 N. Grand, St. Louis. Open yearround for members at no additional fee by appointment only. Teeth cleaning, braces, x-rays, root canals, some extractions; vision mobile unit, comprehensive exam and glasses, if required.

Make an appointment by calling 314355-8122.

Salam Free Saturday Clinic, 10 a.m.

– 2 p.m. at the Isom Community Center at Lane Tabernacle CME Church, 916 N. Newstead, St. Louis, Mo. for those

Sexual Health St. Louis County Health Department offers free, confidential testing, counseling and treatment at the North Central Community Health Center, 4000 Jennings Station Road, St. Louis, MO 63121. For more information, call 314-679-7800.

The SPOT offers private, reproductive, mental and behavioral health services at no charge to youth ages 13-24, Monday – Friday, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. at 4169 Laclede Ave. For more information, call 314-535-0413 or visit http://thespot.wustl.edu.

STI testing and treatment at North City Urgent Care and Downtown Urgent Care. For more information, call 314436-9300.

November 5 – 11, 2015

INSURANCE Continued from page 3

premium tax credit for those enrollees who qualified for financial assistance was $270 per month.

“For most consumers, premium increases for 2016 are in the single digits and they will be able to find plans for less than $100 a month,” Counihan said.

The overall average rate increase of 7.5 percent is based on the benchmark plan for all counties in the 37 states that used the HealthCare.gov platform in 2015.

Avoiding penalties for no coverage With the opening of the third Missouri

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS Health Insurance Marketplace enrollment period, Nancy Kelley, the Expanding Coverage Program director at Missouri Foundation for Health said it’s more important than ever for consumers to explore their options and avoid paying a penalty.

“Our focus is to make sure Missourians know that help and information about insurance is available to them at the local level,” Kelley said.

“Health insurance can be a complicated topic, but with the right in-person help and resources, it does not have to be.”

To assist Missourians interested in signing up for health insurance, the Cover Missouri Coalition added several tools to its covermissouri.org website, including an insurance cost calculator , a “find local help” tool and a dedicated toll-free call center (800-

466-3213) where consumers can talk to an expert and make an appointment with a local assister.

This year marks an important milestone in providing uninsured Missourians with access to coverage, as the penalties for not having health insurance increase significantly in 2016. If consumers choose not to enroll in 2016 health coverage, they will pay one of two amounts, whichever is greater:

Page 7 who enroll before Dec. 15 will receive coverage beginning Jan. 1.

Across the state, Certified Application Counselors and Navigators are trained to help consumers find their best plan in terms of coverage and affordability, and to make sure consumers are aware of their options – and the penalties associated with choosing not to enroll.

• 2.5 percent of the individual’s yearly household income

For help with enrolling, call 1-800318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325) 24/7 or find in-person assistance by location by visiting localhelp.healthcare.gov or covermissouri.org.

• Or $695 per person ($347.50 per child under 18)

Check out open enrollment events listed in this insert’s Health Calendar.

The enrollment period will remain open until Jan. 31, 2016. Consumers

Start a new family tradition – prostate cancer screening can lives Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United States. Nearly 200,000 men are diagnosed with it each year, and most men have no symptoms prior to their diagnosis.

That’s why screening for prostate cancer is so important. Dr. Arnold Bullock of the Siteman Cancer Center passionately advocates for prostate cancer screening for men, especially for men with a high-

er risk of developing the cancer. That includes African-American men over age 40 and men with one or more close relatives (father, brother, grandfather, etc.) who had prostate cancer before age 65.

What are the screening tests for prostate cancer? There are two – the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test and the Digital Rectal Examination (DRE). The PSA test measures the level of PSA in the blood. An elevated PSA

level does not necessarily equal prostate cancer. Because African-American men have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer, it is important for them to talk with their doctor about prostate health and prostate cancer screening.

When caught early, survival rates for prostate cancer are very high. The Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities (PECaD) encourages men to not only talk about screening with their doctor, but also with the other men in

their families. That’s one family tradition that’s worth starting – it can save a life.

To learn more about prostate cancer or PECaD’s community events, visit: PECaD: http://www.siteman.wustl. edu/pecad.aspx 8 Ways to Stay Health and Prevent Cancer: http://www.8ways.wustl. edu

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YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

November 5 – 11, 2015

Calendar Wed. Nov. 11 – Dec. 16, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m., Healthy Cooking Classes, Mt. Beulah Terrace, 7550 Page (No class Dec. 2). Trained culinary and nutrition professionals will demonstrate how to prepare healthy, delicious meals and stretch food dollars. Participants will receive a free bag of groceries for one of the lesson’s recipes each week for home preparation. To sign up for the free classes, contact Mariella Funk at 314-7265355 x.18 or by email at mariellafunk@ operationfoodsearch.org.

Sat. Nov. 14, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., Health Insurance Marketplace Open Enrollment by Legal Services of Eastern Missouri at Divoll Library, 4234 N. Grand Blvd. St. Louis. 63107.

For more information, visit http://bit. ly/1GMNZq6.

Sat. Nov. 14, 7:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Turkey Day Health and Resource Fair, BJK People’s Health Center, 5701 Delmar. Onsite medical, dental and behavioral health screenings and clinic vouchers, health insurance education and enrollment assistance and turkey giveaway.

Sat. Nov. 14, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m., Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America

St. Louis, 11th Annual Trivia Night, JCC Staenberg Family Complex, Creve Coeur. For more information, visit aafastl.org.

Tues. Nov. 17, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., BJK People’s Health Center’s O’Fallon Rec Health and Resource Fair, 4343 West Florissant. Medical, dental, vision and behavioral health screenings; haircuts, health insurance enrollment assistance; family and nutrition services; and Play Zone available for children. Items for distribution include food and clothing boxes, Avon products and winter coats.

Tues. Nov. 17, 3:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., “Early Childhood: The Foundation of Our Region’s Future,” at Nine Network of Public Media, 3655 Olive Street, St. Louis. The goal is to explore steps the St. Louis region can take to help ensure more young children receive the supports to succeed in school and in life. Register at 314-534-6015 or visit http://visionforchildren.org/raising/.

Wed. Nov. 18, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Health Insurance Marketplace Open Enrollment by Legal Services of Eastern Missouri at Jefferson College Library, 1000 Viking Dr. Hillsboro, Mo.

63050. For more information, visit http:// bit.ly/1GMNZq6.

Sat. Nov. 21, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Lively Stone Church Bountiful Blessings, 4015 St. Louis Avenue. Health insurance enrollment and education assistance.

For Turkey Basket Pick-up – Applicants must certify income and residency with People’s Community Action Corporation for St. Louis City/Wellston residents, or CAASTLC for St. Louis county residents.

Qualified households must be at 125 percent of the federal poverty guidelines or below.

• MUST submit an originally signed referral in person at the distribution site.

Picture ID may be required.

• Proxy pick-ups may be honored with the originally signed referral form; note from the intended recipient and proxy’s picture ID. For more information, call Myron Gray at 314-406-8878.

Fridays & Saturdays, 11 am – Noon, Get Pumped! Free Slide/Zumba classes, O’Fallon Park Recreation Complex YMCA, 4343 W. Florissant Ave. 63115.

Sundays, 10 a.m. – Alcoholics

Anonymous Group 109 meets in the 11th floor conference room at Christian Hospital, 11133 Dunn Road at I-270/ Hwy. 367. This is an open meeting for alcoholics, drug addicts and their family and friends.

Mondays, 7 p.m. – “Tobacco Free for Life” support group – free weekly meetings at St. Peters Mo. City Hall.

Supported by SSM Cancer Care; RSVP initial participation to 636-947-5304.

Tuesdays, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. – Alcohol and Drug Informational meeting, Christian Hospital, Professional Office Building 2, Suite 401. For information, call 314-839-3171.

Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. – STEPS Schizophrenia Support Group This nationally recognized program provides education and support for those with schizophrenia. Group is facilitated by an experienced STEPS nurse. For more information, call 314-839-3171.

Free psychiatric and chemical dependency evaluations are confidential at the Christian Hospital Center for Mental Health. Call 314-839-3171.