September 30 2015

IKEA St. Louis opens Promotions are ongoing at new Midtown location.

St. Louis American See A5

The

CAC Audited SEPTEMBER 24 – 30, 2015

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‘This is not the time to be relaxed in our schools’

Vol. 86 No. 25 COMPLIMENTARY

More than half-million in scholarships awarded ‘This is a direct investment in our community and its future’

By American staff Scholarship awards drew admiring whoops from a capacity crowd of 1,400 at the 28th annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship and Awards Gala, held Friday, September 25 at America’s Center in downtown St. Louis – and it’s easy to see why.

“This year’s total for scholarships and community grants is $620,500,” said Donald M. Suggs, president of the St. Louis American Foundation, which produces the black-tie event. “This funding is a direct investment in our community and its future.”

With more than a half-million dollars being awarded this year, the foundation, together with its education partners, has fostered over $4 million in scholarships and community grants since 1994. n “Think of There are now minority scholarships the burdens endowed in Suggs’ that have name at seven been lifted Missouri universities. from these DeAngela BurnsWallace, assistant parents and vice provost for families with Undergraduate Studies this lifeat the University of changing Missouri-Columbia, presented three Suggs support.” scholarships.

Chlotte Crim, a – emcee Carol graduate of Nerinx Daniel High School majoring in biomedical engineering, received the 2015 Donald M. Suggs Scholarship at Mizzou. The scholarship is worth $57,000 and includes a study abroad option to study anywhere in the world for one semester.

Burns-Wallace also presented the University of Missouri Columbia Donald M. Suggs Dissertation Fellowship awards to Ambra Green, a third-year doctoral candidate in the Department of Special Education, and Veronica Newton-Burke,

28th

Photo by Maurice Meredith

Tiffany Anderson, 2015 Stellar Performer, shared her moment in the Salute spotlight with Jennings’ students Jasmine Richardson, Angel Cole and Andrew Cole. Left: Salute emcee Carol Daniel of KMOX.

Top 2015 Salute awardees challenge capacity crowd to ‘save our children’

By Chris King Of The St. Louis American The St. Louis American Foundation’s two top awardees at its 28th annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship and Awards Gala left no doubt that it’s all about the children – and the adults who must be provoked to teach them more creatively and effectively.

Both 2015 Lifetime Achiever Alice F. Roach and 2015 Stellar Performer Tiffany Anderson brought children to the stage and directly addressed them and their future needs, challenging the audience to get more involved in addressing those needs during the sold-out event on Friday, September 25.

Roach had her daughter Kim bring her grandbaby Mya to the edge of the Photo by Maurice Meredith

See AWARDEES, A7

2015 Lifetime Achiever Alice F. Roach

See SALUTE, A7

Yaphett El-Amin, executive director of MOKAN, Adolphus Pruitt, president of the St. Louis City NAACP; and Rev. Charles Brown, president of the Metropolitan Clergy Coalition, discussed their grievances with the Metropolitan Sewer District on Tuesday, September 29.

Inclusion advocates challenge MSD Claim verbal policy based on alleged safety concerns violated community agreement

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American The Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) implemented a “racist policy” that decreased minority and women workers’ opportunity for employment on some contracts, said individuals who signed a community agreement with the public agency.

“Racism in St. Louis is alive and well,

as evidenced by what MSD is doing and not doing,” said Jim Sahaida, president of Metropolitan Congregations United at a press conference on Sept. 29. “We have a history of excuses of not hiring minorities on construction projects. The excuse used to be there aren’t enough qualified people. Now the excuse is safety.”

See MSD, A6 Photo by Wiley Price

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2015

A2

THE STUFF THAT HAS PEOPLE TALKING Derrick Rose denies rape claims Chicago Bulls Point Guard Derrick Rose is denying all rape accusations in which an unknown accuser filed a civil suit against Rose alleging in 2013, Rose and his two friends drugged her before gang-raping her in her apartment.

In court documents filed September 24, Rose’s attorney claims “the plaintiff consented to all sexual interaction and was not injured at all, and did not Derrick report, show or claim any Rose injuries to anyone.”

The documents continue by saying the unknown victim became irate with the Bulls player after he didn’t answer text messages in a timely enough fashion.

The accuser “exchanged friendly texts with one or more co-defendants after the day in

question and became upset several to raise awareness about domestic weeks or months thereafter, when violence,” Brown tweeted. “I’m not the she felt that the defendant was not pink elephant in the room anymore. My responsive enough to her texts.” life mistakes should be a wakeup call A statement released by Rose’s for everyone. Showing the world that lawyers back in August said the mistakes don’t define you. Trying to accuser participated in a “nonprevent spousal abuse.” exclusive consensual, sexual relationship” with Rose for two Donnie McClurkin years and called the allegations responds to ‘Empire’ shade “outrageous” and a “desperate attempt Donnie to shake down the MVP. McClurkin Gospel singer and pastor Donnie During a Bulls press conference McClurkin was the butt of one of the Monday, Rose continued to deny the jokes in the season premiere of Fox allegations. megahit “Empire” and the singer’s camp didn’t “I will be proven innocent, but at the same take it lightly when characters on the show said time it hasn’t affected anything. It’s not true,” he would be in the audience for an LGBTQ Rose said. “I take it as motivation. I feel like show they were organizing. the devil is just working.

McClurkin’s camp released an official statement and McClurkin used his personal Chris Brown begs Twitter account to react to the jab. for Australian work visa “There’s no explanation or understandable reason for the actions people take under the Last week government officials in guise of entertainment,” The official statement Australia announced their intention read. “When did the art of creative writing to block Chris Brown’s work resort to penning scripts for shock value and visa because of his 2009 controversy? During the premiere of FOX domestic assault conviction Television’s hit show, Empire, the writers stemming from his now targeted gospel artist Donnie McClurkin.” infamous attack on Rihanna.

McClurkin took to Twitter to share his After first denying the comments reports Chris is now pleading “It was brought to my attention via social his case in a series of tweets. media that my name was included in a “back“I would be more than handed” manner during a scene in the FOX grateful to come to Australia show, Empire,” he tweeted. “What might

have been meant for evil, God uses for good!

Despite the scripting used by @leedanielsent it has helped bring attention to the gospel of Jesus Christ that I sing and preach, an empowering moment! To my brothers and sisters, thank you for your support, encouragement & love!

No negativity towards @leedanielsent let’s show the love of Jesus. Let this experience be a reminder that as loving Christians we’re called to share the good news of Christ and be examples of God’s love on the earth.”

TLC earns a mere $60K for ‘CrazySexyCool’ TV movie Perri “Pebbles” Reid is moving forward with her $40M lawsuit against Viacom, claiming she was defamed by the VH1 biopic “CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story.”

TLC’s Chili and T-Boz were eventually dragged into the lawsuit when Pebbles deposed and question them about the film and her portrayal in it. On September 23rd, the depositions of Chili and T-Boz were filed in the case and the two women revealed that they were only paid $60K each by VH1 for the rights to their life story.

Thejasminebrand.com obtained the court docs, in which T-Boz explains under oath that the contract with VH1 paid her $10K for her life rights and then $50K for a consultant fee on the film.

Sources: The Jasminebrand.com, TMZ.com, Eurweb.com, Vibe.com

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2015

Anarchy, cops and us

Eliminate city manager, election board

Reflections on police killings, protests and accountability

By Thomasina F. Hassler For The St. Louis American I live less than a handful of miles from Ferguson. I’ve attended meetings, participated in a protest or two, and made a few forays into discussions over endemic injustice and talked of justice for the oppressed. Yet, I still never experienced what it’s really like to be on the front lines where the police are lined up ten deep with flares and tear gas in the air.

Then a young man was shot and killed by police officers during an investigation at a house about a block from Thomasina the church I attend. I saw F. Hassler the alert on my phone announcing the incident, but assumed that everything had settled down by the time I arrived for a meeting at the church.

The meeting went off without a hitch. After it ended, most of us headed towards the sanctuary for Bible study.

However, upon entering the main hallway, I saw other members moving to an exterior door. I could hear snatches of conversation about some disruption on the street.

I followed the group outside only to see at least 40 police vehicles, all SUVs, lined up three or four across and at least 10 rows deep. About a block to the west were 100-plus officers, more police cars, at least one armored truck, a helicopter circling overhead and a sky filled with smoke.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

A man looked at the police on August 19 when the St. Louis police killing of Mansur Ball-Bey sparked protests that police shelled with chemical dispersants.

Suddenly, some people in the street and the police officers started to run in our direction.

It was then that we smelled the stench and felt the effects of tear gas released at the site of the earlier shooting incident where some people had gathered to protest, while others seemed intent on creating mayhem. With our eyes and noses burning, we ran back into the church building.

I was stunned! So this is what it feels like for a community to be under siege.

Tears rolled uncontrollably, not from the tear gas or fear, but sorrow.

The bitter fruit of planned inequality has come into full bloom. When decades of policies and legislation have been enacted to structure and maintain a society that benefits some at the expense of others, it should come as no surprise that volatile responses will come from oppressed communities.

Later in the evening, I called a dear friend who lives

in the heart of the affected neighborhood. She claimed that she and her husband were safe and unafraid and determined to stay in their home and protect it. At that moment, her husband was next door, inside his business securing it from roaming vandals, who were taking advantage of the protest scene.

My friend reported that she saw a fire started and immediately called the fire department, only for them to show up 45 minutes later. This, after she called the police chief, her alderman and a number of other officials. By the time fire department arrived, the burning car was completely destroyed and other small fires had been started.

There really seems to be enough blame to go around.

However, there is a tendency to divide into groups or factions.

One of the more prominent means of divisiveness is to separate ourselves by generations: the Greatest Generation, Baby Boomers,

A3

Gen-X, Millennials and so on.

This model creates a marvelous opportunity to point fingers at one another: “Those old people don’t know what they’re talking about,” or “I don’t know what to make of these young people today.”

Division is the master tool of deception and distraction.

As long as mistrust can be generated between groups, the status quo will remain intact.

What incentives exist to change systems of inequity? Until we, individually and collectively, acknowledge our accountability (responsibility) to something larger than ourselves, to something higher than our own interests, we will continue to experience anarchy.

Thomasina F. Hassler is a veteran educator with more than 40 years of experience in the metropolitan area. She currently serves as adjunct assistant professor at HarrisStowe State University and the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

would send a clear message The definition of insanity that ESL is out of the voteis doing the same thing stealing business and willing repeatedly and expecting a to become fiscally responsible different result. Therein lies by spending the half-million the problem with the city of in savings on things such as East St. Louis. police and firemen.

East Boogie has, over the For those reasons, two years, been a revolving door referendums should appear on for city managers, with some the ballot in the next elections. staying as little as a few One referendum should weeks and others for as long give the voters the option of as a few years, depending on the political agenda of the city eliminating the city manager position and return ESL to council and the prevailing a “strong mayor” “poli-tricks” of the form of government. day.

This would eliminate Most recently, the political despite being rejected gamesmanship and by voters in the recent instability that comes mayoral elections, with using the city Alvin Parks returned manager appointment to ESL as the newly as a pawn in a appointed city Columnist political game of manager at twice his chess. mayoral salary and James The other with twice the power.

Ingram referendum should Parks had the audacity be a vote to eliminate the to tell KTVI reporter Elliot ESL Board of Elections. It Davis that he feels that it was has outlived its usefulness, a “good deal” for the citizens. especially given ESL’s His predecessor, Traycee depleted population. It’s only Chapman, only held the purpose now is to harvest/ job for two weeks and was steal enough votes to win quickly dismissed without elections for the St. Clair explanation.

County Democratic machine.

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin St. Clair County is capable of was “stunned” and stated that performing that function and it “doesn’t make any sense at all – voters voted for change.” ESL desperately needs the $500,000 in savings for more Whether it’s playing essential services. musical chairs with the city Given the disgust and manager’s seat or controlling and manipulating the outcome frustration of voters with whom I have spoken, the of elections in St. Clair political climate is perfect County by virtue of the board to revisit both of these ideas of elections, political insanity and, hopefully, provide ESL remains the order of the day voters with an opportunity to in East Boogie. return East Boogie to some Considering the number of semblance of sanity.

ESL voter fraud convictions, Email: jtingram_1960@ one would think that yahoo.com; Twitter: @ scrapping the $500,000 JamesTIngram. per-year board of elections

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Editorial / Commentary A4

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2015

What are we waiting for?

Alice F. Roach

Tiffany Anderson

When an Education Salute gala feels most down-home, most familial, it feels like what our inimitable emcee Carol Daniel, the KMOX news anchor, likes to call “our thing.” Carol is a thought leader and inspirational figure in our community, and she knows that we need “our thing,” or what the black millennials call “black spaces,” where we can celebrate in our own ways.

At the same time, it is increasingly clear to us that in its 28th year, the Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship and Awards Gala is not only our thing. This year the St. Louis American Foundation facilitated the awarding of more than a half-million dollars in minority scholarships and grants. Some of our most committed and generous partners in awarding this vital support are individuals from outside of our community who intentionally have sought to partner with us to reach our community and to join in elevating our educators and students.

We believe, now more than ever, that more is going on here than what is sometimes dismissed as “throwing money at a problem” – the problem, in this case, being that minority students significantly under-perform in education, on average, compared to their white peers. That problem, certainly, is not “our thing.” While every family has the responsibility of overseeing the education of their own children, many of our urban students are burdened with severe problems, not of their own making, caused by intergenerational poverty and resulting circumstances in their everyday lives. It is these entrenched, underlying problems that require our collective attention. More leaders in the region seem to be collectively coming to appreciate that as a fact, judging by what is now a long series of public documents outlying our systematic problems as a region and crying for urgent change.

That cry for urgent change, too, is our thing.

If we reflect back on past Salute events – and this would include the Health, Business and Young Leader Salute ceremonies – we have facilitated annual appeals for urgent change that

come as reliably as the scholarship support. For nearly three decades we have awarded successful professionals in our community, and they have looked out from a podium and told an attentive, engaged audience that we have a crisis that requires our immediate attention. Our children need access to quality education; our people need access to affordable health care; our business leaders need access to equitable investment and opportunity; our brightest young people need to be engaged in creative, dynamic ways or we will keep losing them to larger, more inclusive regions with more vibrant, empowered minority communities.

That appeal for urgent change, now more than ever, is not only our thing. “For the Sake of All,” published just months before Ferguson erupted, was a black-led research project, but it argued – from its title forward – that the betterment of minority communities in the St. Louis region will make us all safer, healthier and stronger.

Skipping over important work by ArchCity Defenders, Better Together St. Louis and the Department of Justice, the Ferguson Commission issued its report just a little longer than a year after Ferguson erupted, and its voice sounded like a fired-up Salute speaker. The Ferguson Commission told the region unequivocally that we must prioritize racial equity in all of our problem-solving and decision-making, or we can expect to see continuing misery – and future unrest – that holds back the entire region. There must be bold action to provide greater access to quality education and economic opportunity for everyone to build a more prosperous and thriving St. Louis.

We invite the region and its leaders to really listen to our top 2015 awardees, Alice F. Roach and Tiffany Anderson, and hear what they were saying at Salute this year. Alice Roach said you need to get up and go out and do something – now – to help these kids learn and succeed. And Tiffany Anderson said come with her, she will show you what works and teach you how to do it yourself. What are we waiting for?

Photo by Maurice Meredith

Photo by Wiley Price

Commentary

Francis elevates discourse in D.C. “God bless America” sounds banal coming from politicians but profound when spoken by the shepherd of 1.2 billion souls. In his historic address to Congress, Pope Francis delivered a blessing of encouragement, not admonition – and spoke powerfully about the hot-button issues that keep our political leaders mired in bitter gridlock.

Francis was clear and strong on immigration. At a moment when presidential candidates are promising border walls and tough policies of exclusion, the first pope born in the New World noted that almost all Americans are immigrants.

“On this continent,” he said, “thousands of persons are led to travel north in search of a better life for themselves and for their loved ones, in search of greater opportunities. Is this not what we want for our own children?”

His message to those who would “turn their back on their neighbors” was unambiguous: “In a word, if we want security, let us give security. If we want life, let us give life. If we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities.”

Francis was also direct in issuing a condemnation of arms dealing in what sounded like a clarion call for gun control.

“Why are deadly weapons being sold to those who plan to inflict untold suffering on individuals and society?” he asked. “Sadly, the answer, as we all know, is simply for money: money that is drenched in blood, often innocent blood.

In the face of this shameful and culpable silence, it is our duty to confront the problem and to

stop the arms trade.”

Unlike his speech at the White House on September 23, Francis’ address to Congress did not include the phrase “climate change.” More obliquely, he said that “the United States and this Congress have an important role to play” in averting “the most serious effects of the environmental deterioration caused by human activity.”

There were moments when the pope’s words seemed to elicit predictable partisan responses.

His reminder of “our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every Guest stage of its Eugene development” Robinson – a clear reference to the Roman Catholic Church’s opposition to abortion and contraception – drew applause mostly from Republicans.

When he went on to say that this respect for life leads him to favor “the global abolition of the death penalty,” it seemed to be Democrats who did the clapping.

Similarly, his complaint that “fundamental relationships are being called into question, as is the very basis of marriage and the family” – an apparent reference to same-sex marriage – was applauded by conservatives. His view that the family is also threatened by a lack of economic mobility was warmly received by

progressives.

Francis was both subtle and shrewd in choosing the four American icons whose lives and work formed the scaffolding of his speech.

Abraham Lincoln and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. are, of course, universally known and admired. Dorothy Day, the founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, exemplified the church’s social mission and its undying advocacy for the poor.

Thomas Merton, a Cistercian monk and author whose bestknown book is “The Seven Storey Mountain,” gave witness to the interior struggle and journey that true faith requires.

After the speech, Francis emerged on the speaker’s balcony at the Capitol to briefly address a vast crowd. Pointedly, he asked nonbelievers who could not pray for him to instead send him their good wishes. Many surely did, because the pope’s visit had an impact far beyond the 70 million Americans who are Roman Catholics.

So much of our political life is sour and conflictive.

Francis’ message is optimistic and embracing. He reminds us of something elemental but easily forgotten: our common humanity.

With his intellect, charisma, moral authority and irresistible smile, Francis challenges us to remember that whatever our political or theological differences, we are all in this together. For those paying attention, he has shown how to raise our political discourse from the ridiculous to the sublime.

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

Local leaders turn tail and run By state Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal Guest columnist

St. Louis County is facing an epidemic of lip-service. We have serious problems and rank amateur leadership running away from everything that rears its ugly head.

It has been a year since protests in Ferguson called out numerous inequities the black community suffers in our region. We have yet to hear Gov. Nixon articulate his comprehension of the breadth of this problem, but equally as heinous is that he has run away from setting an agenda to rally behind.

Just as he has done on education, Nixon has run away from the heart of the problem. It is no coincidence the problems represented by the events in Ferguson would be found within a community dealing with substandard educational institutions. The failure of Normandy and Riverview Gardens were preceded by the implosion of the business community for whiter fences. Those remaining businesses have reaped massive tax abatements, furthering disinvestment in a struggling community.

The Department of Justice recently issued a scathing report of the St. Louis County Family Courts. The DOJ went above and beyond to call attention to constitutional violations of rights against black youth. County Executive Steve Stenger turned tail and ran from

the problem, despite the fact that the county provides over $26 million for the Juvenile Justice Center budget. Stenger made more of a fuss about the treatment of parks than he has about the treatment of black children, and he has exactly as much responsibility for both.

If the issues in the court are going to be addressed, both the governor and the county executive have to be at the table working through the problems. Their reaction has been much like the environmental catastrophe of radioactive waste seeping into our creeks, Guest Columnist yards, parks and basements Maria Chappelle- in North County. Both Nadal Nixon and

Stenger have turned tail and run from pushing for meaningful and substantial action. No state of emergency, just a glorious view of their backsides. Sure, you’ll see their faces at the photo op, the groundbreaking, for all of the five minutes that takes.

Lip service is a disease spreading through the business community, too. And why not?

If elected leaders can say one thing and do another without real implications, then business will deal with real problems with letters and press releases too.

The AFL-CIO has committed to better hiring practices for

Letters to the Editor Fight for health equity

“I am only a first-year medical student.” I could not even count how many times I have said this. I have said it in response to my mother asking me to explain my grandmother’s Parkinson’s, my father’s hypertension, and my aunt’s diabetes. I am only a first-year medical student, but I have a responsibility to all of these individuals.

As a black medical student, I feel it is my duty to fight for health equity for medically underserved communities, and many members of these communities look like me.

Some of these individuals are incarcerated in the St. Louis County Jail.

The county jail in Saint Louis is unique in that it is well known for providing excellent healthcare. Patients are diagnosed with conditions and offered resources to find clinics and pharmacies that can provide medications at reduced costs. These resources are not often provided in jails with privatized healthcare.

Because of the high-quality results, I was disheartened to hear that the county was accepting bids for privatizing their healthcare in the vein of lowering costs. While these claims to lower cost are dubious at best (increases in lawsuits due to poor care are likely to ensue), what is the cost to our human capital?

Those currently incarcerated in the county jail have not yet seen their day in court. Many will be released and will return to their communities. We have the right to provide them with the best care possible. This will not be achieved through privatization.

Kai Jones, St. Louis

Commission missed charter schools The Ferguson Commission report included a number of policy recommendations, but expanding access to charter schools was not among them.

This is puzzling, as most charter schools make it their mission to serve lowincome, urban populations.

Charter schools like North Side Community School, which is five minutes from the Normandy school district where Mike Brown graduated,

minorities since 1968 when the Kerner Commission lauded their commitment to better recruitment. How many minority businesses provide goods to the Cardinals, Rams or the Blues organizations? What about Emerson (in Ferguson), Scottrade or AnheuserBusch? How many minority firms provide them with supplies to run their business? They are all more than happy to take our tax money, whether through contracts or abatements.

We have all seen the promises of jobs for black youth in the papers and on TV. The youth of Ferguson were supposed to be a priority.

Did anyone ever tell you how many Ferguson youth were hired? No, because when the time came to organize for hiring those responsible had already turned tail and run.

If all of our leadership is going to turn tail and run on issues of any value to us, then we will have to use our resources to put a collar on them. Accountability and action are the policies of political action we demand today. Anyone unwilling to address our issues with actions instead of the tired old lip service isn’t worth our money or our votes. And anyone who turns tail and runs needs to be taught a lesson in what our expectations are.

Maria Chappelle-Nadal (D-University City) represents District 14 in the Missouri Senate.

All letters are edited for length and style.

are outperforming even some traditional public schools.

North Side earned a perfect score on the state’s annual progress report in 2014.

Charters like North Side want to enroll students who are trapped in failing districts, but can’t. Only students in St. Louis City and Kansas City currently have access to charter school options.

The Ferguson Commission could have recommended that the school transfer law be modified to allow students from failing schools to cross district boundaries in order to attend charter schools. Better yet, the commission simply could have proposed that charter schools be allowed to open in districts throughout St. Louis County, with open enrollment across districts.

Brittany Wagner, Education policy research assistant The Show-Me Institute

City law good for sheltered workshops I was very encouraged

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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to read that the proposal to raise the minimum wage in St. Louis, Missouri, did not contain a provision robbing blind people and those with other physical disabilities of the benefits intended from such legislation.

The National Federation of the Blind of Missouri would urge that St. Louis leave the law it passed as is. If, however, lawmakers feel that this represents too drastic a change for the sheltered workshops that operate in your city, you might consider as a compromise the language used in federal legislation to do away with the exemption and the subminimum wage it allows.

Two states in the union have outlawed the payment of subminimum wages for people with disabilities. The states are New Hampshire and Vermont, and despite the gloomy predictions that this would result in job losses and the closure of workshops, such has not been the case.

Gary Wunder, president National Federation of the Blind of Missouri

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A5

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 – 7, 2015

Forward to racial equity

By Jamala Rogers

Praying for justice

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

The family of VonDerrit Myers Jr. and supporters gathered for a prayer vigil in the Shaw neighborhood on September 10.

Prison reform group celebrates 25 years

Missouri Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants (CURE) will host its Annual Conference on Saturday, October 3, at First Presbyterian Church, 7200 Delmar, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The keynote speaker is Jamala Rogers. The theme is “Help Stop Mass Incarceration – CURE the Madness!” Workshops will be held on Juvenile Justice,

Wrongful Convictions, Prisoner Health, Re-entry, Legislation, and “Take Back the Vote,” an initiative petition that would allow prisoners, parolees and probationers in Missouri to vote. Admission is free and lunch will be provided. All are welcome to attend. Please RSVP to Hedy Harden at 877-525CURE (2873) or hedyharden995@gmail.com.

Visionary Awards accepting nominations

Saint Louis Visionary Awards are accepting nominations in honor of the numerous contributions and achievements of women who work in or support the arts in St. Louis.

Nominations are being accepted through October 14 in the

following categories: major contributor to the arts, outstanding arts professional, outstanding working artist, community impact artist, outstanding teaching artist and emerging artist.

Nominations should be submitted at www.vizawards.org.

The long-awaited report by the Ferguson Commission is appropriately titled “Forward Through Ferguson: A Path Toward Racial Equity.” Before I could be overwhelmed by the 189 recommendations embedded in the nearly 200 pages, I was underwhelmed by the region’s so-called leaders. Where were the declarations of commitment, of pledged resources, by those entrusted with the power to do so?

“I commit to you today that these efforts will not be in vain.” These were the words of Gov. Jay Nixon at the public release. That sounds nice, but the governor would’ve have been more convincing had he punctuated that remark with very specific actions his own office would be taking to implement parts of the report.

The impact of the release would be still reverberating had the governor, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, St. Louis County Jamala Executive Steve Stenger, a federal legislator Rogers or two, a few state legislators, a prosecutor, judge, rep from Civic Progress and, of course, a few police chiefs stood on the stage and proclaimed what they will do next.

Nixon was basically asked this very question, and he skirted by saying he hadn’t read the full report yet. That’s all you got?

Stenger, who saw Ferguson blow up right under his nose, didn’t bother to attend the public release. Slay made an appearance, then ducked out before he could be asked any hard questions.

The report contains some serious policy changes that could make a difference in the lives of black and working people. The lack of visible, tangible commitment of time, resources and, most critical, political influence to make it happen is a clear sign that we’re going to have an uphill battle to get accountability and cooperation.

It would be so much more productive if all of the citizen efforts could go towards implementing the recommendations and not fighting with those who choose to uphold the rotting status quo. The report was crystal clear that the structural inequities of the region are rooted in racism. We don’t have the luxury of wasting time and energy on pushing and pulling on resistant and uncooperative power brokers who stand in the way of progress.

The people I personally know on the Ferguson Commission – Rev. Starksy Wilson, Rev. Traci Blackmon, Rasheen Aldridge, Becky James-Hatter, Brittany Packnett, Felicia Pulliam and Dan Isom – poured their hearts and souls into the commission work.

They’re the main reason I’m mustering up some optimism for the long road ahead to turn the recommendations into reality.

I am not dousing cold water on the report, nor will I give anyone an out, regardless of their status. I am making an observation about how challenging this will be from the jump if you don’t have major players clear about their roles and responsibilities. This is a project that will take tens of thousands of citizens in motion together if we are to collectively forge a path to racial equity.

Forward!

A6

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 – 7, 2015

MSD

Continued from A1 For about 18 months, MSD implemented a policy that allowed some contractors to forego the agency’s goals for workforce inclusion – saying that it would be a safety concern to replace their workers. In a June 16, 2015 letter to the St. Louis City NAACP, MSD’s executive director Brian Hoelscher said it was true that the agency did not “require its contractors to replace full-time, non-diverse work crews.”

“Safety is a legitimate consideration when staffing a construction project with new, less experienced workers,” Hoelscher wrote.

Hoelscher told The St. Louis American in a meeting last week that it was an unwritten policy discussed among few staff members – not with MSD’s board of trustees or the signatories. The policy was tossed out completely, also verbally, on August 1, 2015, he said.

Now all contractors have to abide by the district’s workforce inclusion goals, which are 30 percent minority and seven percent women workers for contracts over $500,000. The goals are backed by a disparity study that was completed in February 2013.

MSD said the verbal policy did not affect many contracts.

“A lot of the contractors had already started changing,” said Vicky Taylor Edwards, director of human resources for MSD. “There were very few that did not make that leap over. Not everyone sat back and said, ‘We were not going to do this.’”

The American is in the process of analyzing how many contracts the policy did affect and examining Hoelscher’s claim regarding safety.

Hoelscher’s explanation of safety concerns offended some of the signatories, according to those who spoke at the press conference. The fact that Hoelscher seemed

Photo by Wiley Price

ESL students walk out

On the eve of an expected teachers’ strike in East St. Louis, district students walked out of classes on Wednesday, September 30 to protest in solidarity with teachers at School District 189’s administrative offices at 1005 State St.

to assume that minority or women workers would be “less experienced” is discriminatory and false, said Yaphett El-Amin, executive director of MOKAN, an advocacy organization for minority contractors.

El-Amin presented a list of 80 minority journeyman and apprentices who applied to work on MSD projects through the St. Louis Agency for Labor Training (SLATE). According to their research, none have been employed on any MSD jobs.

“These are experienced journeymen and women who are ready, willing and able to participate on projects,” El-Amin said. “They deserve

n “The excuse used to be there aren’t enough qualified people. Now the excuse is safety.”

– Jim Sahaida, Metropolitan Congregations United

the opportunity to work in their communities. We will no longer stand idly and allow them to use safety as a reason for not using skilled labor force to work on their projects.”

Edwards said that MSD is waiting for a report from SLATE based on payroll records to show how many people landed jobs. As per the Community Benefit Agreement, the district is paying SLATE to serve as a

hiring resource to ensure that some of the workers on MSD jobs are local residents and minorities. The contract is for $150,000.

Edwards would not comment on the signatories’ accusation that Hoelscher’s comment was offensive, but she said that 85 percent of their contracts are meeting their inclusion goals. However, not all of the goals on the contracts are MSD’s. Some are tied to

federal goals, which call for only 14.7 percent minority and 6.9 percent women workforce.

Since MSD signed the community benefits agreement, Hoelscher said, the district has dedicated a staff of seven people, under Shonnah Paredes’ leadership, to enforce and monitor participation goals – which are outlined in the disparity study’s recommendations.

MSD commissioned a disparity study in 2011 because it was undertaking one of the largest construction projects in the region. Over the next 23 years, MSD will spend approximately $4.7 billion to improve its

wastewater collection and treatment system. Pruitt said that if minorities don’t get in on the beginning of this work, they could be left behind.

Pruitt said the signatories filed complaints with the Missouri Human Rights Commission, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance and the Civil Rights Center with the Department of Labor concerning MSD’s compliance with the agreement. At a meeting with The American and MSD officials, he also hinted that legal action is forthcoming.

Follow this reporter on Twitter @rebeccarivas.

A7

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 – 7, 2015

SALUTE

Beth Stroble, president of Webster University, presented its 2015 Donald M. Suggs Scholarship to Tyron Showers and Kristopher Robertson.

This four-year scholarship is valued at $75,000 each, for a combined total of $150,000.

Continued from A1 a third-year Ph.D. student in Sociology.

This new $1,500 fellowship “will help support the research endeavors of two minority Ph.D students whose work offers the potential for advancing academic scholarship within their field of study,” BurnsWallace said.

Carlos Vargas, the new president of Southeast Missouri State University, presented its 2015 Donald M. Suggs Scholarship Award to Denia Peacock, a freshman who plans to major in Journalism and public relations.

This full-tuition scholarship includes an additional $1,000 to cover other educational expenses and is renewable for three additional years, with a total value of more than $30,000.

Ken Coopwood, vice president for Diversity and Inclusion at Missouri State University, presented its 2015 Donald M. Suggs Multicultural Leadership Scholarship to Olivia Obi, a graduate of Hazelwood West Senior High School who plans to major in art and design.

The scholarship is valued at $30,000 for four years of

AWARDEES Continued from A1

stage at America’s Center in downtown St. Louis, and a black-tie audience of 1,400 listened as she told Mya what to tell the children of the future.

“We apologize for everything that is happening right now, and tell the children we will take care of them,” Roach said.

Mya cheered and applauded her grandmother’s words.

Roach is now administrative director of the Parsons Blewett Memorial Fund, though she dedicated most of her professional life to St. Louis Public Schools in many leadership roles, including coming out of retirement to serve as chief of staff for current SLPS Superintendent Kelvin R. Adams. She addressed the superintendent as well.

“Dr. Adams, we need some Ninja-type, radical teachers,” Roach said. “This is not the time to be relaxed in our schools. We’ve got to save them. We can’t be comfortable while our children are getting killed.”

Without naming the St. Louis County municipality where it began, Roach made

Photo by Wiley Price

undergraduate work and one year of graduate work. It also includes an additional $2,000 for housing each of the first two years and a $500 voucher that can be used for the Study Away Program Dwaun Warmack, president of Harris-Stowe State University, presented its 2015 Donald M. Suggs Scholarship to Taevin Lewis, a sophomore majoring in biology/pre-medicine (and the newly elected vice-president of the Student Government

Association). The scholarship is valued at nearly $10,000 per year.

Jeff Pittman, the new chancellor of St. Louis Community College, presented its 2015 Donald M. Suggs Scholarship to Donna Adams, who is majoring in human services disabilities studies and pursuing a certificate in American Sign Language.

Beth Stroble, president of Webster University, presented its 2015 Donald M. Suggs Scholarship to Kristopher

Robertson, a graduate of Hazelwood East High School majoring in sound design, and Tyron Showers, a graduate of North County Tech High School majoring in game design.

This four-year scholarship is valued at $75,000 each, for a combined total of $150,000.

Mark Lombardi, president of Maryville University, awarded its 2015 Dr. Donald M. Suggs Scholarship to Brittany Pomilee, a graduate of Timberland High School who

is majoring in pre-med and biology.

With 100 percent of tuition and all room and board expenses covered, this scholarship is valued at more than $143,000 over four years.

Julio Suarez, senior director of community affairs at Anheuser-Busch, presented a total of $30,000 in funding to its 2015 Anheuser-Busch Scholars: Maikieta Brantley, University of Missouri, School of Law; Terrance Brown, University of Missouri-St.

reference to the Ferguson unrest, and without naming their report, she spoke with the same urgency that governs the Ferguson Commission.

“Our nation is in crisis, our city is in crisis, but wonderful things are born out of crisis,” Roach said. “This is an opportunity for us. Wake up!”

to factor out the effects of poverty in any way she can.

She has established many community partnerships to make good on her promise that “if you can just get your child to school, even if they don’t have any clothes or food or supplies, we can take care of the rest.” Every district school even has a washer and drier that parents can use for free in exchange for volunteer time.

Anderson established a creative partnership with St. Louis Community College where ambitious Jennings students can take classes at the college and graduate from high school with an associate’s

degree. She brought two of these college-track Jennings students, Angel and Jasmine, on stage with her.

“It’s their award,” Anderson said of the students, speaking of them before she spoke of herself, which she scarcely did.

Angel and Jasmine were joined onstage by Andrew, a Jennings third grader. Like Mya the grandbaby, Andrew was adorable and composed under the bright lights, on the big stage, with an audience of 1,400 adults staring at him.

“He wants to be a math teacher,” Anderson said of Andrew.

Andrew, the third-grade

future math teacher, nodded confidently in blazer and slacks.

The superintendent responsible for instituting the programs helping these students to succeed boasted of the students, but not of herself or her programs.

She openly encouraged an audience mostly comprised of educators to do what she is doing.

“Whatever we do, you also can do,” Anderson told the audience. “I can help you do it. When you leave here, you can help somebody else do it.”

Roach, who concluded

‘Whatever we can do, you can do’ 2015 Stellar Performer Tiffany Anderson is superintendent of the Jennings School District. Jennings neighbors Ferguson, and her district was impacted deeply by the Ferguson unrest. She even became a protest leader, in her own way. She led Jennings students on a march to the police station in Jennings, where St. Louis County Police Lt. Col. Troy Doyle facilitated a negotiation with students over police policy.

But Anderson’s primary work is on the community roots of the unrest: poverty and how it limits educational options and attainment. In The American’s 2015 Diversity edition this July, she published a long essay that explains her strategies for, as she wrote, “improving communities by improving schools.”

She works to involve the community in the schools and

Louis; Bryan Burns, University of Missouri-Columbia; Brittany Daniel, University of Missouri-Columbia; Christina Gardner, Missouri State University; Courtney Graham, Southeast Missouri State; Jordan Johnson, University of Missouri-Columbia; Maxine du Maine, Webster University; Kevin Redmond, University of Missouri-Columbia; Kendra Rowey, University of Pittsburgh; and Briana Wilson, University of MissouriColumbia.

Vanessa Cooksey, head of Community Affairs at Wells Fargo Advisors, and Laraine Davis, vice president for Community Development at Wells Fargo Advisors, awarded each of the 2015 Suggs Scholars and five St. Louis American Foundation Scholars—Anitra Adams, University of MissouriColumbia; James Ball, University of MissouriColumbia; Nathan DeBerry, University of MissouriColumbia; Amber Watson, DePauw University; and Kenya Willis, Missouri State University—with laptop computers.

As emcee Carol Daniel, KMOX news anchor, said, “Think of the burdens that have been lifted from these parents and families with this lifechanging support.”

the awards procession, would reaffirm this suggestion, but with much more fire.

“Wake up!” Roach said.

“What is it you are going to do? Because these children are expecting you.”

The St. Louis American Foundation presented Roach with a $2,500 educator grant, which she donated to New Cote Brilliante Church of God to fund scholarships. The St. Louis American Foundation gave Anderson a $1,500 education grant, which she donated to Jennings School District. The Regional Business Council also contributed $10,000 to the district.

A8

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2015

Act fast for SLPS gifted program

By Kip Warr Of St. Louis Public Schools Ensuring your child receives a top-notch education is greater than any gift you could ever buy them. Education is a survival kit in an ever-changing society; it never loses its value and can never be taken away.

Knowledge equips students with the necessary tools to solve life’s most pressing tasks and puzzling Guest Columnist questions. The decisions you Kip make for your Warr child as early as pre-k, play a critical role in their long-term success.

Since the creation of gifted and talented programs, there has been a constant trend, highlighting the lack of diversity. Nationally, there isn’t much diversity represented in these programs.

Here in St. Louis Public Schools, minority students are exceptionally underrepresented in our gifted schools as well.

Overall, the district is 81 percent African-American and 11% Caucasian; however; our gifted program’s AfricanAmerican population is 40 percent, compared to 51 percent Caucasian. Simply put, 24 percent of Caucasian students in SLPS are classified as gifted, while only 2 percent of African Americans are.

This is a trend we must change. Intelligence knows no race.

Although there are many high-achieving AfricanAmerican and Hispanic students in St. Louis city, they slip through the cracks. This can be a result of a lack of awareness or intimidation by the perception and stereotypes of gifted and talented education.

Historically, minorities have

been locked out of the best academic institutions without reason.

One thing is clear: St. Louis’ urban communities are facing difficult times. The best way to make fundamental change is by ensuring urban youth receive enriching, challenging educational experiences. In St. Louis Public Schools, every child has the chance to attend high-achieving schools.

The old saying is “the early bird gets the worm.” Have your child tested early for the free gifted and talented program with St. Louis Public Schools.

Most importantly, make sure you apply during the Pool A period, which begins Thursday, October 1.

It’s important you act

n Apply for free gifted and talented program at SLPS during the Pool A period, which begins Thursday, October 1.

quickly. Early action produces the most school options for your student. With increased options, your student can find their best fit school. Finding the right-fit and rigor is a critical component in a child’s academic career. It is important that your child is challenged and motivated to produce work at their highest level from an early stage.

Educators and parents must make efforts to challenge and elevate each student to the peak of their intellectual capacity.

The brain is a muscle too. It must be regularly exercised.

Once the muscle becomes complacent, positive gains and new results disappear. Brains are no different than biceps.

They’re just developed in

SHOP

different places: the classroom versus the gym.

In our gifted schools such as Kennard Classical Junior Academy and Mallinckrodt Academy of Gifted Instruction, students receive an enriched education at a young age.

Increasing the number of African-American and Hispanic students in these schools must be a priority. The mission of the St. Louis Public Schools’ Gifted and Talented program is to produce world-class academic scholars and leaders regardless of race.

I believe a high-quality educational experience increases confidence and capabilities in students. Gifted and talented curriculums prepare students to tackle academia, corporate America and society with self-confidence, increasing success and income-earning potential. Having the option to attend the best colleges leads to opportunities to work at some of the most prestigious organizations and corporations.

When this cycle begins, we see generational advancement.

Some education policymakers are cautious to place the label of gifted and talented on students solely based on test performance.

Our testing process includes a written exam and an observational component, for teacher recommended students.

Giftedness refers to natural abilities while talent refers to systematically developed abilities. It’s important that students are met at their individualized learning pace and pushed further.

The application process opens on October 1. The 6-week application period is followed by a lottery. Contact the district’s Gifted Office at 314-345-4548 or visit www. slps.org/gifted.

Kip Warr is director of Gifted and Talented for Saint Louis Public Schools.

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Valeda Keys, breast cancer survivor and PECaD community research fellow Valeda Keys believes that your life – every woman’s life – is worth talking about. As a breast cancer survivor, she talks about her journey to empower others and highlight the life-saving power of regular mammograms. A mammogram is a screening test that can catch breast cancer early when it is most treatable. Valeda’s mother is also a twotime breast cancer survivor, which changed the age when Valeda and her sister started getting mammograms. Ask a health care provider for details on when you should start getting regular mammograms as well. Read more about Valeda’s story and breast cancer screening and prevention in today’s “From the Doctor” column in the Health Matters section.

For research-proven ways to lower your cancer risk, visit

www.8ways.wustl.edu The Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities (PECaD) is a group of community members, local organizations, doctors and cancer researchers working together to end cancer disparities in St. Louis through community outreach and education, cutting-edge research, and training the next generation of cancer researchers.

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2015

A9

Highway Patrol should investigate deadly force

Here is what some participants said at the conference: “One of the speakers discussed the problem that arises when, even under satisfactory Currently the Missouri Highway Patrol may be called in at the “special request” of any sheriff administrative procedures, inadequate investigation at the lower police levels makes for or police chief to assist in an investigation. That power is found under RMS section poor prosecution. This problem is compounded by the reluctance of juries to convict a police 43.180. Routinely, the Highway officer. Another participant vocalized an Patrol has been called upon additional complication: the questionable when a local jurisdiction feels enthusiasm of some prosecutors in pressing such there is an inherent or perceived cases against police.” conflict of interest in having a Why 37 years later, for the love of heaven, are local law enforcement agency we still dealing with the same problem? investigate city or county officials Because faith has broken down, over such a or employees. How much more so are they needed now to investigate long period of time, between law enforcement and some of the communities they serve when it cases of the use of deadly force Guest comes to the use of deadly force, it is imperative against civilians?

Columnist that trust in the system we restored by having an There is not just a perception independent state agency take the lead on such of a conflict of interest having a Joshua investigations. Several other states, including police agency investigate one of Peters Connecticut, already have in place legislation to its own officers, but a very real and substantial conflict of interest. do just that and it is time Missouri join them.

I am proposing legislation that I feel should How can the community feel that be able to gather bi-partisan support that the well there will be an impartial investigation of the respected and professional Missouri Highway evidence and facts when those doing so may Patrol take charge of all future have worked side-by-side with the investigations of cases of use of officer involved, may have spent n There is a deadly force by police officers off-duty leisure time together, in the City of St. Louis and St. belong to the same professional code of silence Louis County. Since the local association, and have to be able to law enforcement agencies would count on one another in tough, even no matter how have been expending time and deadly situations. There is a code many police manpower on such cases anyway, of silence no matter how many the legislation should provide for police chiefs want the public to chiefs want the the State of Missouri billing the believe there isn’t. public to believe local jurisdiction for the time and This is not a new problem. expenses of the state investigation.

Thirty-seven years ago the National there isn’t.

Therefore the legislation would Organization of Black Law have no fiscal impact on the Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) Missouri budget. passed a resolution stating: “We When you look at the cost deplore those instances where of stubbornly trying to conduct people are injured or killed by the such investigations within departments, either police’s use of deadly force under circumstances because of concern for managing the outcomes where neither the life of the police officer, nor or out of a false sense holding onto power, that of any other person, was endangered... it our community has suffered enough. The is our contention that the unwarranted use of image of our state and region nationally has deadly force serves to perpetuate the schism between police and community; it generates fear, suffered enough. Families have suffered enough wondering if justice would be done. Everyone hostility, a climate of suspicion, indifference, involved, the community, the state all would and noncooperation, to the detriment of law benefit from putting these sensitive, tense and enforcement.” highly emotional investigations in the hands of The resolution grew out of a workshop that was even more prophetic. How prophetic? It was a trusted, professional group third party agency: the Missouri Highway Patrol. held right here in St. Louis on June 23, 1978, The 1979 NOBLE report: https://www.ncjrs. when the administration of Mayor James Conway gov/pdffiles1/Digitization/132789NCJRS.pdf. helped welcome 11 national organizations and Joshua Peters (D-St. Louis) represents District the U.S. Justice Department to a workshop on the 76 in the Missouri House of Representatives.

“Police Use of Excessive and Deadly Force.”

By State Rep. Joshua Peters Guest columnist

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2015

A10

ESL students walk out over teachers strike

By Melanie Adams

Gateway to … coffee?

History Museum opens exhibits devoted to java

Most often, St Louis is known for the Arch, or beer, or baseball, or maybe even the 1904 World’s Fair. But this fall, we’re adding another thing that St. Louis should be known for …. coffee!

Not only is coffee is the 2nd most traded commodity in the world, second only to oil, but in St. Louis in the early 20th century, the coffee industry accounted for more than $20 million of business for the area each year.

When we found out that we would be able to present the exhibit “Coffee: The World in Your Cup,” developed by the Burke Museum in Seattle, Washington, we decided to expand the exhibit to include the unique history of coffee in St. Louis. The final product is a 6,000-squarefoot exhibit full of both global and local stories, images, and objects.

Visitors will follow the process of growing and harvesting coffee, and even get to attempt to lift a full bag of coffee beans, just like workers in Columbia, Brazil and India do every day.

Despite the fact that coffee isn’t grown anywhere near St. Louis, by the time of the World’s Fair in 1904, St. Louis was known throughout the country as a center for the coffee trade. One of the biggest companies was the C.F. Blanke Tea & Coffee Company, owned by Cyrus Blanke. Advertisements for his Faust Coffee ran all over the country, and he had several booths at the World’s Fair, including a concession stand located inside Grant’s Cabin. (Yes, that Grant’s Cabin, now located on Grant’s Farm in south St. Louis.)

And of course, the history of coffee in St. Louis wouldn’t be complete without a nod to local celebrity, Dana Brown, owner of Safari Coffee. Many of his commercials, which included footage of his travels in Africa and Asia, will be aired in the exhibit, along with several artifacts.

Coffee shaped St. Louis as a city—both as an industry and as part of our culture. But the story of coffee in St. Louis isn’t just in the past—it’s happening now! Today, locally-owned coffee shops and coffee roasters are making a big comeback in the city, and in “Coffee: The World in Your Cup” and “St. Louis in Your Cup” visitors will find out about modern St. Louisans who make their living from coffee, and will also be able to share their own coffee stories.

Get a taste of our new exhibition as we serve up some great programming for its opening weekend!

Sunday, October 4

All programs are FREE St. Louis Percolates to the Top: A Peek at Historic Advertising Collectibles

Photo by Wiley Price

About 100 East St. Louis students walked out of classes on Wednesday to support teachers asking for a pay raise to avert a strike.

Planter’s House Coffee tin, ca. 1910.

Gift of Joan Crancer. Missouri Historical Society Collections

1pm • AT&T Foundation Multipurpose Room Randy Huetsch looks at the history of coffee in St. Louis and shares some rare coffee collectibles and antique advertising relics from the 1800s.

From Seed to Cup: A Coffee Journey 2:30pm • Lee Auditorium Join Scott Carey, owner of Sump Coffee, as he draws on his recent voyage to Nicaragua to illustrate the path that coffee travels from seed to cup.

The Late Great: A Poetry Reading 3:30pm | MacDermott Grand Hall The poet laureate of St. Louis, Michael Castro, co-hosts a poetry reading with East St. Louis poet laureate Eugene B. Redmond honoring some of the region’s great poets of yesteryear.

Tuesday, October 6th

Coffee and Cigarettes 7:00pm• MacDermott Grand Hall• FREE Enjoy Jim Jarmusch’s 2003 film comprised of 11 vignettes, each one featuring a conversation over coffee about coffee, cigarettes, and a variety of other topics.

(95 minutes; rated R for mature language)

‘We have a season planned and an education to get’

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American East St. Louis High School students walked out of school and marched to the Board of Education office on Wednesday, September 30 to support teachers, who rejected a tentative agreement with the school district on Tuesday night.

Junior Reyondous Estes, a starting quarterback at the high school, said he organized the protest with senior Trevour Simms because teachers told them that they plan on striking Thursday if an agreement is not reached soon.

“The thing that got our attention was when they said that this thing could last over a month,” Estes said. “That’s Homecoming. That’s football season. That’s volleyball season. If they get their pay raise, we will get to play this game Friday. We have a season planned and an education to get.”

East St. Louis School District 189 and the East St. Louis Federation of Teachers, Local 1220, have been in collective-bargaining negotiations since last school year, according to a September 30 letter that Superintendent Arthur Culver and Board of Education President Lonzo Greenwood addressed to the community. The negotiating committees from the union and district reached a “tentative agreement” on September 30 that was approved by the union president and its executive council, according to the letter.

However, the union membership – or the teachers – voted to reject the agreement Tuesday night and proceed to strike on Thursday, October 1. The agreement includes a one-time stipend of $2,000 in lieu of a salary increase for union members and $1,000 for non-union members. The increase pay scale for salaries would be on average 2.6 percent for union members and 1.5 percent for non-union members.

However, Kenzo Shibata, media director for the Illinois Federation of Teachers, said the Local 1220 members found the terms unacceptable.

“What we are looking for is something that is more comprehensive,” said Shibata,

n “If they get their pay raise, we will get to play this game Friday. We have a season planned and an education to get.”

– Reyondous Estes

speaking on behalf of the 1220 members. “Because of the pay freezes, there are some teachers who are making less than teachers who are just being hired. The union has made it clear at this point that they are ready to come back to the table and iron out a deal.”

If a deal can’t be reached, then they will begin the strike on Thursday. Shibata said, “People will have their phones on all night” awaiting word from the negotiating committees.

According to the district, for school years 2011 through 2015, the district’s enrollment has declined by more than 1,400 students. Due to the declining enrollment and “prorated general state aid payments,” the district’s

claim for state aid declined $16.5 million from 2011 to 2015. Student enrollment is also expected to continue to decline.

The district had to make budget cuts, resulting in closing two schools prior to the 2012 school year and five schools prior to the 2013 school year. About 470 positions have not been hired – or 40 percent of the staff – and union and administration employees have experienced salary freezes since 2012.

Still, despite the budgetary reductions, the district is being “sustained financially” by temporary funding from legislative appropriations, debt restructuring and the sale of working cash bonds, according to the district. A fact sheet on the district’s website states that its starting salary of $43,800 is several thousand dollars higher than surrounding school districts, including Collinsville and Edwardsville.

The district letter stated that the current deal is “mindful of the district’s obligation to its residents and community stakeholders.”

“Simply put, to do otherwise would not be fiscally responsible and would set the district on an unsustainable financial course,” the letter states.

Estes’ mother, Tamara Williams-Cunningham, attended the protest Wednesday morning to support her son and all of the students. She doesn’t want the teachers to strike and keep her son out of school, she said.

“It will tremendously affect their education and [football] season,” she said.

Estes said that he felt they put on a “strong protest” with about 100 students.

“We put something on their minds,” he said. “But, if the strike becomes official, we will be making a plan B tonight.”

Follow this reporter on Twitter @rebeccarivas.

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2015

Salute to ‘unsung community heroes’

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Educators, counselors, schools honored by foundation

By Chris King Of The St. Louis American Awardees at the 28th annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship and Awards Gala (held Friday, September 25 at America’s Center in downtown St. Louis) were greeted with the fervor of a pep rally. But these were educators and administrators being applauded and greeted with enthusiastic shouts, not athletes.

“The annual Education Salute enables us to pay homage to outstanding individual educators whose commitment and tireless efforts ensure a high-quality of instruction for our youth,” said Donald M. Suggs, president of the St. Louis American Foundation, which produces the annual black-tie event.

The foundation awarded more than a dozen educators, in addition to the top awards of Lifetime Achiever (Alice F. Roach) and Stellar Performer (Tiffany Anderson).

Albert Mitchell, assistant controller at Monsanto, introduced the 2015 Monsanto School of Excellence, Fairview Primary School in the Jennings School District.

“Just as the administrators and teachers at Fairview are committed to bridging the academic achievement gap, the Monsanto Fund is committed to bridging the gap between people’s needs and their resources,” Mitchell said.

The school’s recognition included eight laptops and a $2,500 education grant.

Michael Scully, PNC Bank regional president, presented the PNC Bank Early Childhood Education Award to Almaz Staggs, an educator at YWCA North County Head Start.

“We believe early childhood education is one of the best investments we can make to improve education, health and economic outcomes,” Scully said.

“Children who enter kindergarten prepared to learn exhibit better language, math, cognitive and social skills.

They are 40 percent less likely

to need special education or to be held back a grade. They also are more likely to graduate high school, go on to college and secure sound employment.

PNC Bank invested in a $2,500 donation to YWCA North County Head Start, while the St. Louis American Foundation issued a $500 educator grant to Almaz.

Carlos Vargas, president of Southeast Missouri State University, presented the 2015 SEMO Counselor of the Year

n “Early childhood education is one of the best investments we can make to improve education, health and economic outcomes.”

– Michael Scully, PNC Bank regional president

Award to Sonya Smith, a college advisor at Hazelwood East High School.

Vargas praised her for finding “innovative solutions” to student needs, such as starting a free income tax preparation night with the St. Louis Metro Tax Coalition and Fifth Third Bank to help families complete the Federal Free Application for Student Aid. Smith also received a $500 educator grant from the St. Louis American Foundation.

The foundation awarded 2015 Excellence in Education Awards to eight “unsung community heroes who meet the challenges of teaching and make a positive difference in the lives of our young people,” said emcee Carol Daniel, KMOX news anchor.

The 2015 Excellence in Education Award recipients were Russell Arms, physical education teacher at Lexington Elementary School; Erica L.

Supreme Court asks for sharper focus on muni courts

By Chris King Of The St. Louis American Missouri Supreme Court has narrowed down the focus it’s asking of its Municipal Court Work Group. The simplified directions to the work group cut to the heart of criticisms of St. Louis County municipal courts made by ArchCity Defenders, SLU Law legal clinics, Better Together St. Louis, the Department of Justice and the Ferguson Commission.

In a letter signed by Chief Justice Patricia Breckenridge on September 22, the high court asked for “analysis” on a briefer list of issues than initially commissioned. The narrowed focus is on conflicts of interest by individual officials serving roles in multiple courts, possible consolidation of municipal courts, incarceration issues, and remedies for enforcing nonpayment.

This response to the work group’s interim report – which asked for more clarity and better direction from the court – is promising. It suggests the

high court wants to focus on the elements of municipal court practice that have been blasted as unconstitutional by legal advocates.

Legal advocates have shown abundant evidence that St. Louis County municipal courts are used as debtor’s prisons and staffed by many individuals with multiple and conflicting power roles in more than one court.

The focus on possible consolidation of municipal courts also appears to respond to scathing reports on municipal court fragmentation

by Better Together St. Louis – and, again,

by ArchCity Defenders, whose white papers on the municipal courts have led calls for reform since before the Ferguson unrest called attention to abusive practices by the local courts.

The high court also extended the work group’s deadline to March 1 of next year and gave the group the option of asking for additional staff help, also signs of the court making a serious commitment to the problem.

Photo by Wiley Price

The eight 2015 Excellence in Education Award recipients were honored by the St. Louis American Foundation on Friday, September 25 at America’s Center.

Bumpers, associate professor of Education and director of Field Experience at Missouri Baptist University; Alicia G. Davis, 5th grade teacher at Northview Elementary School; Veronica Hildreth, 7th grade teacher at Hixson Middle School; Ingrid Clark-Jackson, interim superintendent at Hazelwood School District; Tiffany L. Taylor-Johnson, associate principal at Ladue Middle School; Ashley R. McGhaw, 4th grade teacher at North Glendale Elementary; and Bessie Bennett Peabody, lead educational advisor at Northern Illinois University.

Each received a $500 educator grant from the St. Louis American Foundation.

Two exceptional teachers from The American’s Newspaper In Education program also were recognized with Golden Apple Awards: Nicole Binion, 3rd grade teacher at Airport Elementary School in Ferguson-Florissant School District; and LaTonya Johnson, 5th grade teacher at Ford Elementary in St. Louis Public Schools.

Suggs quoted “our revered leader Malcolm X” in collectively praising all of the awardees: “Education is our passport to the future … for tomorrow belongs to people who prepare for it today.”

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2015

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Interfaith Partnership responds to Ferguson Commission

By Rev. C. Jessel Strong and Dr. Paul F. Hintze Guest columnists Listening – really listening – is an act of love. And most often, love demands an active response.

We, the members of the Cabinet of Interfaith Partnership, welcome the report of the Ferguson Commission as the fruit of active and intense listening to a wide variety of voices. Some provide ample statistical evidence of the racial disparities that plague our St. Louis community, while others testify from their

own experience to the painful effects that these disparities have had in their own lives.

The report challenges us to hear the voices of those who suffer under the current system and to respond to them. Together, the Cabinet of Interfaith Partnership pledges to do so, and we urge the St. Louis community as a whole to read this report, listen to these voices, be creative in responding to the challenges laid forth, and to work collaboratively to move forward.

While civic organizations and economic-development agencies have long pointed

Rev. C. Jessel Strong

Dr. Paul F. Hintze

out the economic and social benefits of addressing racial segregation and inequality, we strongly affirm that people of faith have a moral obligation to address the disparities addressed in this report.

Our faith traditions look to different writings and teachings for wisdom and guidance, but every one of them – in its own words – challenges us with the notion that we are, indeed, our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers.

Therefore, we believe that the areas of focus in the report – a justice system that treats all people equally and

with respect; a society that looks to the health, education and safety of young people; a regional economy that provides all people with an opportunity to thrive; and a culture that is willing to acknowledge and address racial disparity – are all worthy of our attention.

The report includes 189 separate calls to action and lists the people, agencies, organizations or structures that can address them. Specifically, it calls upon each of us, and we as the Cabinet of Interfaith Partnership encourage everyone to get involved in shaping policies and taking direct action in promoting racial equity.

Let us continue to listen to each other as we work together to heal our community.

Rev. C. Jessel Strong of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is chair of the Cabinet of Interfaith Partnership, and Dr. Paul F. Hintze of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is vice chair.

Advocates react to exclusion of immigrants American staff

Missouri Immigrant and Refugee Advocates and our coalition partners are gravely disappointed in the passage of anti-immigrant, anti-student SB 224, which closes the A+ Scholarship program to Missouri students who are not U.S. citizens or green card holders. As a result of this veto override, hundreds of lawfully present immigrant students around the state of Missouri will be denied a scholarship they have earned, and they will be denied solely because they are immigrants.

Students who qualify for the A+ Scholarship must meet strenuous qualifications, including excelling in coursework, volunteering to tutor younger students, and maintaining excellent

attendance and discipline records. As a result of SB 224, many students who have graduated from Missouri public high schools who have met all of these requirements will be discriminated against.

Individuals who will be disqualified include lawfully present immigrants and refugees, including asylum seekers and children of parents with visas.

In addition to enduring the injustices of the passage of SB 224, Missouri’s immigrant students are also contending with antiimmigrant instructions in HB 3, the appropriations bill for the Department of Higher Education. That bill instructs colleges and universities to charge students who have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

relief (DACA) out-of-state or international tuition rates as well as revoking their institutional scholarships.

While this language is nonbinding, it is being widely implemented by schools around the state, resulting in Missouri students being charged double or triple tuition while losing access to any institutional scholarship.

“MIRA and our coalition partners are organized, and will not stop our fight against this anti-immigrant, antistudent agenda,” said Vanessa Crawford Aragón, executive director of MIRA. “We are working with students, their families, and allies around the state to make college accessible to all Missouri students, regardless of their immigration status. Legislators should be working to make our state a

welcoming place where all residents have the ability to succeed. We look forward to addressing the larger tuition issue in the coming session.”

Karissa Anderson, policy manager for the Scholarship Foundation of St Louis said, “We are deeply disappointed in the legislature’s decision, but we will continue to work until higher education is accessible and affordable for all.”

Yara Puente, student leader from the KansasMissouri DREAM Alliance, remarked “As a result of these discriminatory policies, students like me are being discouraged from getting an education, or being forced to leave Missouri to go to college.

We will continue to pursue equal access to education, as well standing against any other anti-immigrant measures.”

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Opinion

Black people must value black lives thousands of urban blacks from county high schools. Many have gone on to graduate with college degrees and secure It seems that the definition high-paying jobs. Yet, many of what it means to be black in of these successful blacks America has been hijacked by are disconnected from the a cell of radicalized hoodlums. communities from which they This group has infiltrated the came. We have promoted movement to improve the the belief that success is image, progress and well-being measured by your ability to of black folks in America. move away from poor black Blindly, “real” black people people. Therefore, most of the have given them the authority people who can get away from and permission to represent majority-black communities us, inaccurately, to America will move as far away as they and the world. So, if these can. idiots who riot, loot, fight and It is the lack of value for terrorize innocent people in black people by black the name of blackness people that has led to this are our new leaders, I disconnect. Black people couldn’t possibly be must see and recognize the black anymore. value of black lives. We I believe the majority must understand that we of black Americans are equal inheritors of this are faith-centered great nation. We are a part citizens, dedicated of the creative and moral to the proposition fabric of our nation. And that freedom and equality is a right that Guest Columnist we must not allow that truth to be thwarted by must be cherished Harlan B. a small group of misled, and developed. We Hodge underdeveloped and believe and have misguided youth. been an example of We must be both how freedom is essential to cheerleaders for the best in human nature and how it can the black community and be cultivated out of the most first responders to the harm improbable circumstances. caused by the worst. We must It has been adherence to be the first to correct these these values that led to the young people. We must be rapid advancement of blacks the first to speak out against from the cotton fields of the their misbehavior. I am South to the highest offices disappointed by the lack of of America. Ironically, while outrage expressed by the black black individuals are earning community for the violent and buying more as a whole, assaults on black people by black people are faring worse in every measure of well-being, black people. In addition, the random violent acts by area including health, wealth and youth in the name of protest is education. unacceptable. Shame on these The question we must ask young people for their actions, is, “Why are we now spiraling and shame on us for our lack of downward, when 50 years action. ago we were closing the gap If there is going to be an between blacks and whites?” enduring and respected black I propose that we have community in America, we made a very tragic assumption must continue to develop and around individualism. We discipline our children. We have assumed that what was must recognize the value of our good for the individual was presence and accessibility to good for everyone. We have black children, both our own pumped resources into poor and our neighbors. There is communities to support the a direct correlation between advancement of black people the amount of time we spend in the hope that we could together and how valued we turn things around. Yet, these feel by each other. Let’s make efforts were targeted to help individuals with the assumption the time to be fathers, mothers, friends and neighbors to the that those individuals would people who need us. develop the communities from Harlan B. Hodge is a social which they came. worker and youth development After nearly 40 years of professional in St. Louis. He school desegregation and is the author of “Character millions of dollars spent on Chess, 10 Character Lessons our local voluntary transfer Through the Game of Chess.” program, we have graduated

By Harlan B. Hodge Guest columnist

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2015

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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 ONE SMALL CHANGE can make a big difference!

SHOWERS NOT BATHS

We all enjoy a relaxing bath from time to time but it’s something we should consider a “luxury” instead of an everyday ritual. Cleaning ourselves is the largest indoor use of our water at home, making up about 27 percent of our total water consumption. But when it comes to the decision of shower versus bath the choice is clear. Showers use almost half as much water as a bath. Meanwhile, the average bathtub requires about 36 gallons of water! That’s a ton of water saved by switching to showers.

In addition to your reduced water consumption, you’ll be saving your family some money on their energy costs.

You probably don’t take many cold baths or showers right? All of that hot water takes energy to heat up so by switching to showers you’ll be cutting your energy-consumption in half too.

This one small change adds up.

Across a year you could save more than six thousand gallons of water.

THIS CHANGE SAVES 6,000+ GALLONS OF WATER PER YEAR!

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2015

NEWSPAPER IN

Healthy Kids

EDUCATION

PRESENT:

Planting the Seeds for Success!

Welcome to the new Healthy Kids series! This program will run each week throughout the school year.

Nutrition

Healthcare Careers

Nutrition Challenge:

Dividing Your Plate!

Exercise

Play Tag! And...

Don’t Sh a r e !

For years kids were taught the proper variety of different categories of food by the use of a “Food Pyramid.” The tip of the pyramid represented the small amount of fats a child should consume and that was followed by the five food groups (Milk/Cheese, Meat, Vegetables, Fruits and Grains/Breads). Now the more common image is a plate divided up into portions, showing how much room vegetables, fruit, meats and breads should fill.

A fun way to run around, get your heart rate up and have fun is to play good old-fashioned tag. One person is “it” and they must tag someone else who is now the chaser. This game has many variations including: Freeze Tag — Once you are tagged, you are frozen until a friend crawls through your legs to un-freeze you. Game continues until everyone is frozen. When this happens, the first one frozen is now “it.”

The image also includes a side of milk.

Weekly Newspaper in Education Seeing the different kinds of foods on a plate can help you see how much of each type of food you should eat. Notice that the fruits/ vegetables portion fills half of your plate. And remember to include whole grains into the “bread” section of your plate.

Technician, Emergency Department

For more information visit: http://kidshealth. org/kid/stay_healthy/food/pyramid.html.

Learning Standards: HPE 2, NH 1, NH 5

Partners Tag — Two people hold hands and chase the others. Once they catch another player, that player joins their chain. Once two more partners have joined the team, they can split into two teams of two, and so on. (Teams must always have at least two players.)

Most of our childhood we are taught to share. But there are some things that should never be shared! These include eating utensils such as forks, spoons, straws and even napkins. But some other items to keep to yourself are your brush, comb, toothbrush, headbands and makeup. Germs, allergens and even living organism (such as lice) can be passed through sharing these items. What are some other items that should not be shared?

Learning Standards: HPE 3, NH 1, NH 7

Program

Birdie McClain, Patient Care

Flashlight Tag — Instead of tagging other players, “it” must simply shine a flashlight on another player, who then becomes “it.”

What are some other ways to play tag? Share your ideas with your classmates.

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 3, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 5

Healthy Snacks

Taco Popcorn Ingredients: 3 Cps Air-popped popcorn 3 Tbsp Melted butter 1 Tsp Taco seasoning Salt, to taste (optional) Directions: Combine taco seasoning with the melted butter. Put popcorn in a large bowl and drizzle with the butter/seasoning mixture.

Toss to flavor all of the popcorn.

Where do you work? I work at Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital.

Where did you go to school? I graduated from Utica High School in Utica, MS. I then received an associate’s degree with an emphasis in Health Care from Utica Community College in Utica, MS, and St. Louis Community College, here in St. Louis, MO. What does a patient care technician do? Some of the things that I do include taking patient blood pressure, temperature and respirations. I also perform tests on patients to check for problems with their heart. Sometimes I assist the doctors and nurses with certain procedures on patients.

Why did you choose this career? I chose this career because I really enjoy helping people. When I was eight years old, my mother was very ill and I had to take care of her. From that, I knew this is what I was meant to do.

What is your favorite part of the job you have?

My favorite part of the job is the patients. I love having a patient tell me that my excellent care made a huge difference to them and that they could see that I really love my job and what I do.

Learning Standards: HPE 6, NH 3

Content—Cathy Sewell • Design—Beth Sharpe

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 - 7, 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 Aviation Pioneers Bessie Coleman & Donnie Cochran

Buder Elementary School 4th grade teacher, Lisa Talarski, works with

students Adriano Bajric, Tayliano Barbour, Ariana Loggins, Callie Dynes, and Daniel Tudor on how to use the newspaper to discuss community issues as a STEM lesson. Buder Elementary School is in the Saint Louis Public Schools District. Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American.

Bessie Coleman was born in 1892, and grew up in Texas where she had 12 siblings and her parents were sharecroppers. When she was 23, she moved to Chicago to live with her brothers and work as a manicurist. As she read and listened to stories about WWI pilots, she became interested in learning more about aviation.

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

Take to Flight!

People are often mesmerized by airplanes. There are many parts to an airplane that work together to achieve flight. The front section has a spinner, propeller, and engine. The engine provides the power of the plane, causing the propellers to spin and create air flow.

The spinner controls the propeller to ensure smooth airflow over the engine.

the flap and aileron, to help raise, lower, and steer the plane.

Finally, the rear of the plane contains the elevator, rudder, and tail. The tail holds the elevator and rudder. The horizontal part of the tail is the elevator, which moves up and down to control the pitch of the plane. The vertical part of the tail is called the rudder, which moves left to right. Pilots use the rudders to help steer the plane.

The body of the plane, which is the middle of the plane, contains the cockpit and fuselage. The cockpit is where the pilot sits. It houses the control panels and all of the navigational aids. The fuselage is the actual body of the airplane. The wings have two movable components, called

SCIENCE EXPERIMENT

To learn about the science of flight, visit: http://howthingsfly.si.edu/flight-dynamics/roll-pitch-andyaw.

Learning Standards: I can read nonfiction text for main idea and supporting details.

Build a Hot Air Balloon!

Background Information:

w Compare your results to your classmates.

Have you ever wondered how hot air balloons fly? In this experiment, you will use a variety of materials to build your own hot air balloon.

Which balloon flew the highest? Which balloon flew the longest? What changes would you make to your design? Does the amount of hot air affect the flight pattern?

Materials Needed:

Learning Standards: I can think critically

• Large Lawn Garbage Bags • Dry Cleaning Bags • Straws • Coat Hangers • String • Scoth Tape • Hairdryer

to construct a design. I can evaluate the effectiveness and draw conclusions. I can make text to world connections.

Process:

q Use the materials given to you to design a hot air

jet left Paris at the same time zas aApassenger plane. The planes flew in opposite directions. The passenger plane flew at a speed of 450 mph. After 11 hours they were 9460 mi. apart.

How fast did the jet fly? ______ mph

the same direction but with an average speed of 396 mph. How long did the jet fly before the Air Force plane caught up? ______ flight left at 6:45 p.m. If cherAlanna’s plane travels at an average rate of 600 mph and lands at 8:20 p.m., how many miles did she travel? ______ to Florida is on vsaleA forround$199.tripIfflight a one way ticket is

$119, how much money A jet left Tokyo and flew north at an do you save when average speed of 330 mph. An Air Force purchasing the round plane left 1.2 hours later and flew in trip ticket? ______

x

DID YOU KNOW? A Boeing 707 aircraft uses four thousand gallons of fuel during its take-off climb.

Hummingbirds are the only animals able to fly backwards.

Cochran has more than 4,350 total flight hours in seven different types of naval aircraft and completed 570 carrier landings. In addition, he has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, and many other honors. When asked the secret of his success, Cochran said there were four ingredients in his formula: self confidence, education and preparation, persistence, and performance.

Discuss: How were Coleman and Cochran pioneers in the field of flight? What is your formula for success? How does it compare to Cochran’s formula?

For more information about the Blue Angels, visit: https://www.blueangels.navy.mil/.

Learning Standards: I can read biographical information about a person who has made a contribution in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. I can make text to text connections, text to world connections, and text to self connections.

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

Flying is all about the math!

Answer these questions about flying.

Donnie Cochran was born in 1954 on a Georgia farm. After earning a degree in Civil Engineering Technology, he joined the Navy. In 1978, he earned his Navy “Wings of Gold,” and in September 1985, he was the First African-American pilot selected to fly with the prestigious Blue Angels. In 1994, he became the First African-American Commanding Officer and Flight Leader of the Blue Angels.

MAP CORNER

balloon. The hair dryer will provide the hot air to lift the balloon.

MATH CONNECTION

Coleman was the first African American to earn a pilot’s license.

Coleman was not allowed to attend flight school in the US, so she taught herself French and attended flight school in France. In only seven months, she earned her license and returned to the states where she wowed the crowd with her stunt flying and parachuting. In 1922, she became the first African-American woman in the US with a public flight.

If a family of four b purchased airline tickets for a total of $1675, what is the price per ticket? ______

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

Any modern jet is capable of breaking the sound barrier.

According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, an average of 1.73 million passengers fly per day.

Activity One — Recipe for reading the newspaper: Think about what you do when you read the newspaper. What do you do first? Second? Write a recipe for reading the newspaper by giving step-by-step directions. Make sure to e e p p i i c e include time order words.

RRec diinngg your recipe with a a e foorr RR pappeerr Trade friend. f sspa

thheeNNeeww t

Activity Two — Local famous Missourian: You have been given the task to write about a local Missourian who has contributed to your community. Skim through the newspaper to find the person who best fits this description.

Tell how this person has impacted the community and why he or she should be recognized for his or her contributions.

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can write for a specific purpose and task. I can make text to world connections.

This special Newspaper In Education initiative is made possible, and delivered to classrooms, through The St. Louis American Foundation and its NIE Corporate Partners:

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2015

A16

Jury decides cop lied about firing on fleeing black youth

On September 23, a St. Louis city jury acquitted 20-year-old Keyon Bennett, who is black, of all four felony charges for which he was charged, based on the testimony of a white city police officer. The jury did not believe that on June 11, 2014 Bennett pointed a gun at Officer James Zwilling before he fired one or possibly more shots at Bennett in the Greater Ville neighborhood. They did not believe that Bennett was carrying a gun at all, as Zwilling testified.

The other officer who assisted Zwilling that day was Officer Jason Flanery, who shot and killed VonDerrit Myers Jr. less than four months later while working private security in the Shaw neighborhood on October 8, 2014.

The EYE talked with a juror after the verdict to hear why the jury came to their decision. Juror Sarah Stout told the EYE that all but two of the 12 jurors immediately agreed that the officer was not telling the truth. But it did not take long for the other two jurors to find holes in Zwilling’s story as well, she said.

And if they did not believe that Bennett had a gun and was threatening Zwilling’s life, then Zwilling illegally fired a gun at the backs of three young black men. That act could cost Zwilling his job, and he could even face criminal charges. To some of the jurors, that seemed like enough motivation for Zwilling to fabricate a story, Stout said – a story that could have wrongfully put Bennett in jail for many years had the jury believed the officer.

According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, Zwilling was investigated after the incident, as are all officers who discharge their weapons. As of press time, the department had not responded whether or not the investigation was closed.

Conflicting accounts Bennett testified that he and his two friends were driving in a Cadillac with tinted windows on North Euclid Avenue at around 4 p.m. on June 11, 2014. At a stop sign, they passed a police vehicle, which flipped around

and began tailing them. Zwilling said the officers began to follow the car because it “rolled through” the stop sign. He said he and Flanery were on patrol in the Greater Ville neighborhood to conduct “self-initiated activity” in attempts to combat crime.

Bennett said his friend Anthony Tobias was driving the Cadillac, and he was sitting in the passenger seat.

Brian Davis was riding in the back seat, he said. Tobias testified that he took a quick right turn onto Cote Brillante Avenue and sped away from the cop car because they had two guns in the car. One gun was with Davis in the back seat, he said, and one was wedged into the driver’s seat and the center console. Davis and Bennett also said the two guns were in those positions.

Tobias said he only drove one block before he crashed on the corner of Marcus Avenue and Cote Brillante.

All three said they got out of the car and started running, but left the guns in the car.

Bennett said they were all running across a vacant lot, and Zwilling was chasing them on foot. All three heard Zwilling fire his weapon – while their backs were turned and running away.

Tobias said he was able to escape the scene, but Davis and Bennett were arrested. Neither Davis nor Tobias said they saw Bennett take a gun when they ran.

Zwilling’s account of the chase differs significantly. He said only two people were in the car, and Bennett was driving the Cadillac. Davis got out of the passenger side, he said, and he saw Davis toss his gun onto the passenger seat before they took off running.

Bennett ran in the field, and at one point he turned around and pointed a gun at him, Zwilling claimed. Fearing for his safety, Zwilling said, he fired his weapon. Bennett then dropped his gun in the field before he started running again, Zwilling said.

Prosecuting attorney Mobayonle Omolara Osundare showed photos taken by an evidence technician showing one gun on the seat of the car and the other in the field. The men did not have permits to carry the guns, Zwilling said. Osundare told The St. Louis American that there were no

St. Louis Police Officer Jason Flanery was not called to the stand to support the testimony of Police Officer James Zwilling regarding an incident they patrolled together last June. A jury decided Zwilling was lying and exonerated the accused of all charges. Four months later, Flanery killed VonDerrit Myers Jr. in what authorities decided was a justified shooting.

fingerprints taken from the guns found at the scene.

Zwilling’s supervising officer testified that only one bullet was missing from Zwilling’s weapon when he arrived.

However, the evidence technician testified that he could not find the shell casing from Zwilling’s gunshot.

The shell casing would confirm where Zwilling was standing when he fired his gun.

Bennett’s defense attorney Erika Wurst pointed to the evidence photo of the car where the gun was pictured on the passenger seat. She said it showed “lots of stuff” on the seats. She questioned Zwilling if the officers had touched anything in the car, and he said, “No.” If that was the case, Wurst said, the men would have been sitting on piles of things as they traveled in the car. Bennett said that those things were not on the seats when they got out of the car.

In Wurst’s cross examination of Zwilling, she said, “There are specific protocols for when you can use a firearm. … And if anyone found out that you shot your firearm at someone when you weren’t in fear of your life

or someone else’s, there could be some serious consequences.”

Zwilling said, “Yes.” “You could lose your job,” she said.

“You could be demoted. You could be investigated by Internal Affairs. You could possibly be criminally charged for that.”

He said, “Right.”

The jury speaks Stout said the jury members felt there were too many holes in Zwilling’s story. Stout, who is a social worker, said she watched the body language of all those who testified on September 22. She was especially watching Zwilling because he was the only person who testified on the prosecutor’s side that was actually present during the event in question.

“He did not seem very sure of what he was saying,” she said. “He was touching his mouth a lot and looking away. It just didn’t seem like a good testimony. A lot of people agreed.”

Stout also said that the jury agreed that the car clearly looked ransacked

and searched but they couldn’t understand why Zwilling would say he didn’t search the car.

The best witness was Anthony Tobias, she said, who took the stand in an orange jail suit. He had an “I don’t have anything to lose” attitude because he was already in jail, she said. Most people felt his testimony was most genuine, and his story corroborated Bennett’s.

The idea that the Bennett would have grabbed the gun from the seat when the police were only seconds behind them also seemed questionable to the jury, Stout said.

“It didn’t make sense,” she said.

“When your main objective is to get away, we didn’t believe that he would grab it.”

Stout said that they didn’t feel Bennett was innocent of wrongdoing, but he wasn’t guilty of the charges.

When the judge read the rules to the jury, he explained that the charge was resisting felony arrest, and the felony was having the gun and pointing the gun. It wasn’t resisting arrest for speeding away, she said.

“If we can’t find him guilty of pointing the gun, he can’t be guilty of resisting arrest for the charge we found him not guilty of,” she said.

The jury also wondered why Zwilling’s partner, Flanery, didn’t take the stand in his defense.

“Someone said, ‘If that was my partner, I’d be so mad,’” Stout said.

“None of us knew why – he was the one who killed VonDerrit.”

When she read The St. Louis American’s report on the case, she said she literally gasped when she saw that Flanery killed Myers.

Wurst’s closing arguments in Bennett’s defense were bold, Stout said. She told them that they needed to find Bennett innocent because Zwilling lied. He lied about only two people being in the car, and he was lying that Bennett had a gun.

“She said it multiple times,” Stout said. “She was just saying it. And when I looked at Osundare, she looked pissed.”

When asked if the jury discussed whether or not they thought Zwilling planted the gun in the field, she said, “Yes.” “I think he definitely might have,” Stout said. “He’s a fairly new police officer. He might have been scared.”

Business

B1

OCTOBER 1 – 7, 2015

Sigmas held rebuild Juanita’s

People On The Move Arica Harris was promoted at Edward Jones from a project leader to the group leader of Advisory Operations. She has been a key person on both the E-Signature initiative and the launch of Shareholder Arica Accounting for Harris Guided Portfolios in Canada. She apreviously spent 17 years in public accounting at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Deloitte & Touché.

Darryl Sams was promoted to chief warrant officer 5 in First Army headquarters at Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois. This denotes a technical and tactical expert performing at the Darryl highest level. They Sams provide leader development, mentorship and advice to fellow warrant officers and branch officers.

They outrank sergeant major, but report to second lieutenant.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

On Tuesday, September 22, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity presented $20,000 to Juanita’s Fashions R Boutique to assist in the store’s rebuilding at its new location, 11833 New Halls Ferry Rd. The store, which has been in operation for 28 years, was burned down during the Ferguson unrest on November 24 in a total loss. The fraternity, founded in 1914 at Howard University, made the donation as part of its Bigger & Better Business program. Pictured: Keith Jefferson of Creative Touch Beauty and Barbershop and Juanita Morris of Juanita’s Fashions R Boutique.

Bidding on ‘anchor catalyst for North St. Louis’ City will pursue eminent domain to obtain all land needed to woo NGA facility

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American The City of St. Louis needs to own all 99 acres before it can close the deal on building a new $1.6 billion site for the National GeospatialIntelligence Agency – if the federal agency chooses the North St. Louis city location.

Otis Williams, executive director of the St. Louis Development Corporation, told the press on September 23 that the city may need to use eminent domain to secure 368 properties.

Of those properties, Northside Regeneration developer Paul McKee Jr. owns 339 parcels, or about 40 acres, Williams said. n “We need On Friday, Williams to have one presented the Board of owner, and Aldermen with a list of we need to the 19 owners – including McKee – who the provide that to the [Army] city may take to court through eminent domain Corps of proceedings.

Engineers by Williams said eminent March of next domain is not optimal.

“It’s necessary for us to year.” stay competitive and realize – Otis Williams, the benefits of having the NGA here in the city,” he St. Louis said. “We need to have Development one owner, and we need to Corporation provide that to the [Army] Corps of Engineers by March of next year. This is one necessary step in the process.”

In April 2014, the NGA, currently located near the Anheuser-Busch In-Bev brewery, announced its plans to move and build a bigger facility that could potentially increase its current 3,100 employees – with an average salary of $83,000 – to an estimated 4,500 or more. The federal mapping agency is looking at four potential sites for its new $1.6 billion building.

The North St. Louis city location, 100 acres adjacent to the old Pruitt-Igoe site at Cass and Jefferson avenues, is the only one located within city limits.

The other locations in the running are 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.

Williams said landing this deal means See WORK, B2

Mary E. Nelson was appointed to the State Highways and Transportation Commission by Gov. Jay Nixon.

The commission makes and tracks transportation policy and has authority over Mary E. state transportation Nelson programs and facilities, including bridges, highways, aviation, railroads, public transportation, ports and waterborne commerce. Nelson is general counsel and chief legal officer for the St. Louis Community College District.

Mark Anthony Jones is the newly appointed program executive director for Smart Kid’s, Inc. based in St. Ann. Smart Kid’s, Inc. provides tutorial, mentoring and nutrition services to Mark area school children.

Anthony Jones also serves as Jones recording secretary for the African-American Alumni Chapter, University of Missouri-St. Louis Alumni Association.

Julia Burke was appointed associate superintendent for human resources in the Hazelwood School District.

Prior to this, she worked as a director of special education for Hazelwood and Julia Riverview Gardens Burke school districts.

She also served as assistant superintendent for student services where she was responsible for overseeing multiple departments.

Steven Francis received a Silver Beaver Award from the Greater St. Louis Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, the highest recognition a Boy Scout council awards to volunteers. Francis, Steven an Eagle Scout, is a Francis unit commissioner, Venturing Officer Association advisor and membership mentor for the North Star District.

He also helps train adults and youth with programs such as basic leader training, troop committee training and swimming skills.

The City of St. Louis needs to all 99 acres of land in the North St. Louis footprint being considered for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency for its West Campus Headquarters. The city may need to pursue as many as 368 properties through eminent domain because the Army Corps of Engineers will only buy land from a single owner. NGA West could increase its current 3,100 employees in St. Louis – with an average salary of $83,000 – to an estimated 4,500.

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

B2

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 – 7, 2015

Personal Finance

What you need to know about new payment cards

By Nathaniel Sillin If you’ve received a replacement for your credit or debit cards in the mail lately, take a closer look. That little gold chip on the front is going to make it tougher for thieves to steal your data.

By year-end 2015, Visa estimates that 63 percent of cards in American wallets will feature this new technology (www.VisaChip.com) aimed at derailing counterfeit fraud.

The new chip adds a unique, one-time code that changes every time you use your card to make an in-store payment.

That automatic security code change makes your data nearly impossible to use to create a counterfeit card.

Counterfeit or “cloned” cards account for about twothirds of in-store fraud to the tune of $3 billion, according to Boston-based research firm Aite Group. The transition to chip cards is expected to be nearly complete by year-end 2017.

You’ll see very slight differences in using these cards. First, you’ll need to insert a chip card into a new slot built for chip cards and keep it there until your purchase is complete. You won’t have to swipe traditional magnetic strip on the back anymore. You will still be able to sign, enter a PIN or

WORK

Continued from B1 retaining 3,100 jobs.

“It also means the NGA will become an anchor catalyst for redevelopment in North St. Louis,” he said. “There are so many opportunities around that site just because it is there.

just pay-and-go for everyday transactions as before. Just remember to take your card with you when the transaction is complete.

However, if you are currently using an old but unexpired card or if the business where you’re doing a transaction doesn’t have the upgraded chip card equipment, don’t panic. The strip on the back of your card will continue to work with all card terminals for the foreseeable future.

For merchants – the collective name for the stores, restaurants and other businesses where you use credit and debit cards every day – the transition to chip cards is moving along as well.

According to a recent survey

by Visa, approximately 90 percent of business owners are aware of chip technology and about 70 percent have already upgraded their equipment or have plans to do so. Current estimates show that 47 percent of U.S. terminals will be able to read chip cards by the end of the year.

There’s one more incentive for all businesses to get on board with chip card technology: Starting October 1, liability for some counterfeit fraud may shift from the cardissuing financial institutions to retailers unless they are able to accept and process chip card transactions.

mobile payments and they’re giving away 250,000 of them to small business customers at no cost.

If you travel overseas regularly, you’ve probably already seen chip card technology in action. It’s based on a global standard called EMV and is already at work in countries moving to cashless options for private and public goods and services.

One final note. While you’re waiting for your new chip cards, you’ll still be able to use your current strip-based credit cards in new machines under their zero liability fraud protection rules. However, debit card security rules are different, so it is best to check with your bank on their guidelines so you know your funds are secure.

For merchants, processing chip transactions will likely involve a hardware or software upgrade somewhat similar to upgrading a cellphone contract.

In many cases, the terminal will be included in the cost of

the service. About a third of merchant terminals are already chip card-capable and just need a software update to fully function.

For the smallest businesses, some low-cost options for

upgrading card acceptance terminals can cost $100 or less.

Square https://squareup.com/ contactless-chip-reader, for example, recently announced a new $49 card reader that accepts chip cards as well as

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

We look at all the others areas in the city where we have an anchor, and we see good things.”

In addition to McKee, Williams said the other properties in the eminent domain category include seven owner-occupied homes, four rental properties, 11 vacant lots, five vacant properties and two vacant commercial properties.

Williams said the list is changing daily because they have not been able to locate some of the owners and others have had issues obtaining home titles; the city is working with them on the titles. The court proceedings can stop at any time if they reach agreements with the owners. However, in order to meet the March deadline, Williams said they

need to start the eminent domain process now.

In total, the 99 acres represents 110 owners.

Of those, the city’s Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority (LCRA) has signed agreements or is awaiting signed contracts with 76 owners. Williams said those include 34 owners of homes, along with some churches and businesses. Negotiations are continuing with 15 owners, he said. And 19 owners are in the

eminent domain category.

Regarding his negotiations with McKee, Williams said, “We are having frank discussions. We think we can get a deal.”

If not, McKee can fight for his desired purchase price in court, he said.

Northside Regeneration released a statement saying that they are “very close to finalizing an agreement” with the city on the parcels within the NGA footprint.

“Northside Regeneration’s parcels were apparently included in the city’s condemnation list out of an abundance of caution, to assure the city meets the NGA’s deadlines,” the statement read.

In February, the Board of Aldermen passed a bill that authorizes the LCRA to use the powers of eminent domain to seize the properties in the proposed NGA area. However, the bill has a provision that requires the Board of Aldermen to give its approval every time the city wants to take a property owner to court over eminent domain.

The resolution introduced Friday, September 25 asks the aldermen to approve eminent domain on the 368 properties.

The board’s Housing, Urban Development and Zoning (HUDZ) Committee deliberated the resolution on September 30.

Alderwoman Megan Ellyia Green of the 15th Ward, who sits on the HUDZ Committee, said that Williams briefed the aldermen on the issue of eminent domain a couple weeks ago. Regarding the project overall, Green said many of the aldermen are hopeful that this would spur some much-needed redevelopment in the Northside area.

However, she said, “For a lot of us, there is always a balance in those decisions.

You have to weigh that against the impact of the people’s lives who live there already.”

She said the board members will look at the small group of residents who have grievances with the eminent domain negotiations. She said Williams told the board that the people who have agreed to sell their homes or land to the city would be well compensated.

The full board will most likely vote on the resolution around October 2, Williams said. If approved, the city’s lawyers will file court actions, Williams said.

In June, Gov. Jay Nixon signed into law House Bill 514, which provides additional capacity in the State Supplemental Tax Increment Financing program to aid the city in preparing the NGA site.

Williams said this legislation will help them meet all the federal requirements for infrastructure and land cleanup. However, the Army Corps of Engineers requires that the site have a single owner.

“It is so important that we end up as one owner,” Williams said. “The one owner thing is our biggest problem.”

Bottom line: The move from strip to chip cards will create a more secure environment for credit and debit card users. However, consumers will still need to keep their cards safe and confirm the accuracy of all their spending data.

Follow this reporter on Twitter @rebeccarivas.

n “You look at those guys’ roster, I don’t know how these guys don’t win the Super Bowl every year.”

– Arizona Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu, on the St. Louis Rams

Sports

INSIDE

KU football is at rock bottom, but they are still my guys ~ See ‘Sports Eye’ page B4 ~ B3

OCTOBER 1 – 7, 2015

Prep Football Notebook

Rams Roundup

137 points on 1,243 yards

Football that’s offensive

With Palmer L. Alexander III

With Earl Austin Jr.

Lutheran North wins 72-65 slugfest over South

Rams can’t catch football or find end zone

When Lutheran North and Lutheran South get together on the football field, there is a good chance that the scoreboard is going to get a good workout.

In 2002, Lutheran South defeated Lutheran North 62-52. In 2013, Lutheran North returned the favor by defeating South 44-33 in a “low-scoring” game.

Last Saturday, the two rival schools outdid themselves on offense as Lutheran North came away with a 72-65 victory in Earl one of the most Austin Jr. entertaining games of the year. Not only did the two teams combine for 137 points, but they also amassed a total of 1,243 yards.

Some of the individual performances were brilliant. For North, Donovan Mitchell rushed for 278 yards on 31 carries and two touchdowns, while teammate Cortez Simmons rushed for 252 yards on just 13 carries and four touchdowns. The North duo’s production offset a spectacular day from South’s Cody Schrader, who rushed for 383 yards on 34 carries and scored a total of eight touchdowns.

Earl’s Pick Game of the Week Gateway STEM (6-0) vs.

Vashon (5-1) at Sumner, Friday, 6:30 p.m. – Friday night’s showdown will go a long See PREP, B5

Photo by John Scott

Clayton Greyhounds’ running back Terry Henderson fights to stay up as Ladue Rams’ linebacker Justin Moore wraps him up for a sack. The Rams went on to defeat the Greyhounds 41-25 Saturday afternoon.

Over this past weekend every football team in the NFL scored at least one touchdown – except for the St. Louis Rams. However, the Rams did score another frustrating loss to the Pittsburg Steelers, 12-6.

This is some of the worst offensive football I’ve ever seen. Either the receivers can’t get open or they can’t catch. Most of the time it’s both. These guys have no field awareness whatsoever.

If you need 8 yards for a first down, then why run a route shorter than the distance for a first down? That makes zero sense to me. And the most disturbing part is not just the receivers not being cognizant of down and Palmer L. distance, it’s the coaches Alexander on the sidelines with the headphones on chewing gum looking the part.

Not trying to sound like a broken record or a scratched CD, but you can blame the players for only so much. It’s time to look at the people that brought them in. This Rams regime has been absolutely horrible in the area of signing impact free agents and drafting to n If it works, a degree. And it great. Since it reared its ugly head didn’t, blame in the loss to the Steelers. the coach.

I don’t know what the Rams were thinking when they resigned Lance Kendricks.

According to Spotrac he was resigned for 4 years at $18.5 million with $10 million guaranteed. It’s no secret that he drops passes. If you’re that wide open and still drop the ball, hey, it’s not your fault because the evaluators of talent here felt this was a great idea. As bad as this team struggles to score points, and the way the defense is doing all it can to keep the team in the game, the See RAMS, B5

In The Clutch With Ishmael H. Sistrunk

Time for Wilder to act like a champion

Saturday night, the first case of Berto eye. Don’t get it American heavyweight titlist twisted though, Wilder winged, since 2006 defended his title bombed and moved his way on network television. “The to a wide margin on the scoreBronze Bomber” Deontay cards before gaining the 10th Wilder stepped into the ring round stoppage by pummeling without much fanfare. Despite his overmatched opponent with his status as a heavyno return fire in sight. weight champion, the For casual fight fans fight didn’t cost an and those who love allexorbitant amount of out action, it was a fairmoney because it was ly exciting fight. Unlike on free TV, courtesy many in the current crop of Al Haymon’s PBC of safety-first fighton NBC. Many In the ers, Wilder is trying Clutch readers may to finish up and clock not have even realized out early every single that the fight occurred.

Ishmael H. fight. He swings for the Why? Wilder was fences with nearly every Sistrunk fighting a tomato can. punch like an off-the(I know what you’re thinking, wagon knockout addict. He but let’s let the retired folks throws vicious hooks, crosses rest in the shade.) and jumpercuts with reckless The wild and free-swinging abandon. It’s exciting and fun Wilder got more of a battle to watch, but raises concerns than he probably bargained on how long he can continue for when his bargain basewinning with the obvious flaws ment opponent proved to be in his technique. feisty and durable. Johann Like many fighters, Wilder Duhaupas, a fighter who had feasted on nothing but bums as never been heard of outside a talented prospect. He impresof France, brought the fight to sively knocked out unimpresthe offensive-minded Wilder sive fighters while building his for much of the night and even reputation and fan base. It says managed to give him a bad a lot that his toughest opponent

n Like many fighters, Wilder feasted on nothing but bums as a talented prospect. He impressively knocked out unimpressive fighters while building his reputation and fan base.

Photo by Lucas Noonan/Premier Boxing Champions

WBC Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder lands a crushing blow to game-butovermatched opponent Johann Duhaupas on PBC on NBC. before the title match against Bermaine Stiverne was against an internet troll named

Charlie Zelanoff (YouTube it!) Even Stiverne, who is universally regarded as the only

opponent with a pulse Wilder has seen in the ring, doesn’t have the greatest resume. The

only decent fighter Stiverne faced before Wilder was Chris Arreola, who is more of a division gatekeeper than a legitimate title contender.

I’m OK with the fact that Wilder took the easy route to his first title. Now that he owns a belt though, it’s time to act like a champion and leave the tomato cans home in the pantry. The ultimate fight for Wilder would be one with the universally recognized heavyweight champion, Wladimir Klitschko, who holds the IBF, WBA, WBO and RING verSee CLUTCH, B5

B4

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 – 7, 2015

Sports Eye

KU football is at rock bottom, but they are still my guys With Alvin Reid

Equipment manager turned columnist roots on Jayhawks

Get ready to laugh Missouri addition, the Scarlet Knights football fans, this one’s for you. have also seen seven players A highlight of my collegiate arrested this season – and career, and my life, was serving three former players – on on the equipment staff for the charges including assault, home University of Kansas football invasion and armed robbery. team during the 1979-82 Both teams are ranked in a seasons. I got paid a monthly weekly column called The stipend that topped at $110 a Bottom 10. KU is second and month my final season, could Rutgers was seventh before last eat dinner with athletes Saturday. on the training table, Rutgers prevailed paid in-state tuition and 27-14 and probably received a per diem ended KU’s chances when we traveled. of winning a game While players received this season. There a full-ride scholarship, is a chance that the in many ways I had a Jayhawks could beat a better deal. lousy Iowa State team Like now, the next week, but the Alvin Jayhawks were in yet Jayhawks have lost 34 Reid another “rebuilding” consecutive road games. mode when I became Coach David Beaty, a manager. Unlike now, the Texas A&M’s former offensive team turned things around coordinator, inherited this quickly and qualified for the grease fire from Weis who took 1981 Hall of Fame Bowl in over for Turner Gill.

Birmingham, Alabama. We lost Gill had done an outstanding to Mississippi State 10-0, but I job at Buffalo before getting in still have my bowl watch and a over his head with KU. Kudos lot of great memories. to KU for hiring its first black Bobby Johnson, a wide coach in 2010, but Gill was a receiver out of Assumption disaster. He had stupid policies High School in East St. like no cell phones for players, Louis, came to KU after a but didn’t seem to care if two-year stop at they ever attended Independence class, broke the n Kudos to Junior College. law or refused to KU for hiring We were friends do required weight its first black his two years at training.

KU and later when He got the coach in 2010, he played for the but Turner Gill heave-ho after New York Giants. a 5-19 was a disaster. compiling He was a member record and leaving of the 1987 Super the cupboard bare Bowl team. for Weis.

In fact, KU I bought Weis’ football has given the world line of garbage hook, line John Hadl, Gale Sayers and and sinker. I thought he was John Riggins. Current star the answer. He is a blowhard defensive backs Chris Harris who failed as Notre Dame and Aqib Talib of Denver and head coach, failed as offensive Darrell Stuckey of the San coordinator at Florida and Diego Chargers are former failed miserably at KU. His Jayhawks. Former NFL Allfirst order of business was to Pro defensive lineman Gilbert chase off scholarship players Brown and Dana Stubblefield and sign a crop of worthless also played at Kansas.

JUCO transfers.

Fast forward to 2015, and After a 1-11 season in 2012, KU has one of the – if not the when asked about his recruiting – worst teams in FBS college pitch, Weis said, “Have you football. Several ESPN writers looked at that pile of crap out lampooned last Saturday’s KU there? If you can’t play here at Rutgers game as one of the where can you play?” worst matchups of the last halfWeis was 6-22 at KU and century. Pathetic KU has just was fired during his third year 65 players on scholarship out at the helm. He is the reason of a possible 85. We can thank that KU is down 20 scholarship former coach Charlie Weis for players and that is the reason that nonsense. More on that the team is historically bad. later.

What is crazy about the Rutgers coach Kyle Flood meltdown at KU is that it is in the midst of a three-game comes after one of the most suspension for contacting a successful eras in the school’s professor in regard to a player’s football history. Coach Mark grade. That’s a no-no. In Mangino took over a losing

Dana Stubblefield and Alvin A. Reid were in Lawrence for KU’s season opener against South Dakota State on September 5 along with many other former players, several of whom had NFL careers. Stubblefield was an all-pro defensive lineman with the San Francisco 49ers.

program in 2002 and during his seven years at the helm turned the Jayhawks into a Top 10 program. It went to four bowl games and won three.

Everyone remembers the showdown between Missouri and Kansas in November 2007 at Arrowhead Stadium. The winner would be No. 1 in the nation – and it was Mizzou, 36-28.

The Tigers would fall to Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship game and KU would be invited to the Orange Bowl, where the Jayhawks

prevailed over Virginia Tech.

This irritates Missouri fans to this day and will forever.

BCS Bowl appearances? KU 1, Mizzou 0. BCS Bowl wins?

KU 1, Mizzou 0.

But I digress.

Mangino’s downfall started with an investigation of verbal and physical abuse of players.

An incident involving a young man from St. Louis showed Mangino’s true character.

Former KU receiver Raymond Brown told ESPN that Mangino said “personal, hurtful and embarrassing things

in front of people.”

After his younger brother had been shot in the arm in St. Louis, this incident occurred during the following week’s game.

“I dropped a pass and he was mad. I said, ‘Yes sir, yes sir.’ Then he yelled, ‘Shut up.

If you don’t shut up I’m going to send you back to St. Louis so you can get shot with your homies,’” Brown said.

Mangino is now an Iowa State offensive coordinator and would like nothing more than to pin a major whooping on his

former employer.

It’s not all gloom and doom at KU. For one, Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little is the only African American to hold the top leadership position at a Power 5 school (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, PAC 12 and SEC). Also, it’s almost basketball season and KU is ranked in the Top 5 of almost every preseason publication.

Go Jayhawks!

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

Commits keep coming Tyler Cook of Chaminade will go to Iowa

There is an abundance of good basketball talent in the St. Louis metro area’s Class of 2016. This year’s senior class is deep and talented.

That has been clearly evident in the past week as we’ve seen a barrage of verbal commitments to colleges from our area prep ballers. The commits just kept on coming.

Leading the way was Tyler Cook, the 6’8” power forward from Chaminade College Prep, who made a verbal commitment to the University of Iowa. Cook is ranked among the Top 75 players in the country by virtually every national recruiting outlet. He chose the Hawkeyes over Missouri, Florida, Arkansas, Virginia and Iowa State.

As a junior, Cook averaged 12.7 points and 6.3 rebounds while shooting 63 percent from the field in helping the Red Devils to a third-place finish in the Missouri Class 5 state tournament. Cook was also a key player on the St. Louis

Inside Sports With Earl Austin Jr.

Eagles’ 17U team is headed to Arkansas during the summer that State. The 6’2” Willis qualified for the finals averaged 15.5 points of the prestigious Nike and 4.3 rebounds to EYBL Peach Jam in lead the Cadets to July. a 19-8 record last Another member of year. Senior power that talented Eagles’ forward Duane Clark 17U team was 6’5” committed to UMKC Earl swingman Xavier last weekend. The 6’7” Austin Jr. Sneed of Hazelwood 235-pound Clark is a Central, who committed transfer from Lift for to Kansas State on Monday.

Life Academy who will be Sneed made his announcement eligible to play for the Cadets on live television, choosing this season. the Wildcats over Illinois Also making a commitment and Xavier. The high-flying on Monday was senior forward Sneed averaged 18.7points, 6’4 Mark Rogers of Ladue, who rebounds and shot 40 percent gave a pledge to Truman State from 3-point range in leading in Kirksville (MO). The 6’6” the Hawks to the Class 5 state Rogers averaged 18.4 points quarterfinals in 2015. and 9.4 rebounds in leading A pair of CBC teammates the Rams to a 17-10 record last also made the collegiate season. intentions known last week.

On the junior college Senior guard Christian Willis front, former Madison Prep

standout Arlando Cook made a commitment to the University of Nevada. The 6’9” Cook is a sophomore at Connors State (OK) College, where is ranked as one of the top junior college forwards in the country. As a freshman, Cook led Connors State to the NJCAA National Tournament and a Region 2 championship.

Cook was selected the Most Valuable Player of the Region 2 Tournament.

Some of the area’s top players who have already committed include AllAmerican Jayson Tatum of Chaminade to Duke, CBC point guard Jordan Barnes to Indiana State and standout shooting guard Mike Lewis of Chaminade to Duquesne.

Senior Brendon Gooch of Belleville Althoff is headed to Southern Illinois. Former Madison Prep standout Kevin Baker committed to Jacksonville State (AL) after playing two years at Pensacola Junior College (FL).

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Standout forward Tyler Cook of Chaminade College Prep gave a verbal commitment to the University of Iowa last week. The 6’8” Cook is ranked among the top players in the country in the Class of 2016.

B5

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 – 7, 2015

RAMS

St. Louis American Prep Athletes of the Week

Continued from B3 most basic fundamentals of playing football are not getting executed.

Then there is TE Jared Cook. He got a handsome contract of 5 years at $35.1 million, and has played the ugliest football that money can buy. In that game against the Steelers, he looked like he checked out. He just looked like he was somewhere else.

He basically was sleepwalking through the game. Cook got flagged for a penalty, his blocking was subpar, and what’s a game if he doesn’t drop a pass. His contract has $16 million of guaranteed money. As much as some people want him to be cut, the Rams are stuck with him.

The poor running backs don’t have any running lanes to ramble through. It’s a crying shame the Rams’ longest run of the game was on a 24-yard end-around by wideout Chris Givens. The Rams has more penalty yards, 97, than rushing yards, 71. So is it the players’ fault? Or is it the man that selected them?

Now see what being a player’s coach got you? This team is still undisciplined, getting hit with penalties and failing to execute the simplest task of catching a football.

Special teams blew up in Fisher’s face when punter Johnny Hekker under-threw wideout Stedman Bailey on a

PREP

Continued from B3 way towards deciding the championship of the Public High League, although Miller Career Academy is still in the hunt. Gateway Tech’s defense has given up only 26 points this season with four consecutive shutouts. The Jaguars are led by Fabian Harris, who has three sacks, three interceptions and four fumble recoveries. Miquel Pillow-Smiley has recorded seven sacks while Kenjon Robinson has a team-high 50 tackles. The offense is led by the talented trio of quarterback Antonio Cunningham, running back Dominique Holman and receiver Donnell Williams.

CLUTCH

Continued from B3

sions of the crown. Wilder owns the WBC strap that Klitschko’s brother, Vitali, vacated when he retired from the sport.

Hurdles exist before Wladimir Klitschko and Wilder can meet in the ring. Both have mandatory fights ordered by the sanctioning bodies.

Klitschko was scheduled to fight on October 24 against Tyson Fury, but the fight has been postponed due to a calf injury suffered by the champion. The rescheduled bout will likely take place at the end of November. Meanwhile, Wilder’s mandatory is Alexander Povetkin, who is a top contender whose only loss came at the hands of Klitschko.

Povetkin is scheduled to fight Mariusz Wach on November 4. Should he emerge victorious (as expected), the WBC then expects him to challenge

Dyllan Conway Westminster Christian – Football The junior wide receiver enjoyed his best game of the season in leading the Wildcats to a 49-21 victory over Priory.

The 5’8” 150-pound Conway caught seven passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns. He scored on plays of 69, 30 and 29 yards.

For the season, Conway has 24 receptions for 379 yards and five touchdowns. As a sophomore, Conway had 52 receptions for 946 yards and eight touchdowns in helping the Wildcats to the Class 4 state quarterfinals. He was an All-State selection for his efforts.

Westminster (6-0) will host undefeated John Burroughs on Saturday in a big Metro League showdown.

St. Louis Rams’ Tavon Austin tries to elude the tackle of Pittsburgh Steelers Antwon Blake during their game Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome. Pittsburgh defeated the Rams 12-6. n TE Jared Cook has played the ugliest football that money can buy. fourth-down play. If it works, great. Since it didn’t, blame the coach.

Look, trick plays are good, but I think it’s time for this team to stop relying on tricks and gadgets and just execute the basic fundamentals. Like,

I don’t know, maybe tackling, catching the football – and catching the football goes for the defense, too; Lamarcus Joyner dropped an easy interception.

The Rams should be better.

The next game is on the

Vashon is enjoying one of its best seasons in recent years.

Quarterback Clifton Dickerson has thrown for 1,135 yards and eight touchdowns. Running back Charvon Lewis is the leading rusher while Anthony Durant and Dahlen Jones are capable receivers. On defense, big Levi Stockard has recorded eight sacks.

Tyler Foote (13 TD passes) and running back Jake Bain (13 TDs). Seniors Chris Booker and Ronald Smith form an explosive pair with a combined 20 touchdowns.

Westminster will counter with its standout junior tailback Steve Webb who has scored 12 touchdowns and junior receiver Dyllan Conway. Both teams shared the Metro League title last season along with Lutheran North. Kickoff is at 2 p.m.

Metro League title on the line John Burroughs will visit Westminster Christian on Saturday afternoon in a game that will decide the championship of the Metro League. Both teams enter the contest with 6-0 records.

John Burroughs is led by the sophomore duo of quarterback

Wilder for the title. Povetkin is a skilled and dangerous fighter and would be a serious threat to dethrone Wilder. He is leaps and bounds better than any of Wilder’s previous opponents, Stiverne included, and has plenty of experience on the world-class level.

Wilder has stated that he wants to be the most active heavyweight champion in recent history. Instead of waiting for Povetkin, he is expected to petition the WBC for a match in December, presumably against another scrub.

He’s also stated that he wants to finally fight Klitschko at the end of 2016. What that means is if he beats Povetkin, he’ll likely try to fight one or two more bums before Klitschko.

It’s improbable that he would risk the biggest fight and payday of his career by facing real opponents.

Wilder and his handlers have it all wrong. Instead of waiting for Klitschko to get old overnight, they should be fighting for a unification

Other Top Games this Week CBC (6-0) at SLUH (5-1), Friday, 7 p.m.

Kirkwood (5-0) at Ritenour (4-1), Friday, 7 p.m.

bout as soon as possible. Yes, Klitschko is a much better fighter than Wilder. His technique is better, his defense is better, he’s more powerful and he has the experience.

However, once upon a time, Klitschko’s chin was thought to be one of the worst in boxing. While it’s been more than 11 years since Klitschko was last knocked out, chins rarely get better. Defense does.

The 6’6” Ukrainian normally has a big reach advantage over his opponents, which he uses to punch them from a distance then hogtie them in close quarters. Wilder stands 6’7” and actually has a twoinch reach advantage. That means if the powerful pride of Tuscaloosa can land one of those wild power shots on Dr. Steelhammer’s chin, he could shock the world and become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis.

On the other hand, Wilder’s chin would also probably get stopped and frisked in NY (it’s

road against a good Arizona Cardinals team, and the Rams’ backs are already against the wall.

For more Rams Roundup, please subscribe to youtube. com/stlamerican video. You can also hear me on The Charlie Tuna Show on Talk1380AM M-F 6-7 p.m. and on my weekly podcast @NTheZone with Arlington Lane II.

Ladue (4-2) at Parkway West (3-3), Friday, 7 p.m.

Marquette (5-1) at Eureka (5-0), Friday, 7 p.m.

Althoff (5-0) at Marion, Friday, 7 p.m.

Edwardsville (5-0) at East St. Louis (3-2), Friday, 7 p.m.

Clayton (4-2) at Parkway Central (4-2), Friday, 7 p.m.

Belleville West (3-2) at Belleville East (3-2), Saturday, 1 p.m.

Hazelwood East (4-2) at Hazelwood Central (4-2), Saturday, 1 p.m.

MICDS (3-3) at Lutheran North (2-4), Saturday, 2 p.m.

suspicious). If he keeps fighting garbage men, eventually one will get lucky and knock him into the back of the truck.

It’s time for Wilder to get serious and fight credible, championship-caliber opponents. He’s already an exciting fighter, so a loss to a real fighter would not be devastating to his career. A loss to a bum might. Time to put his on the line and face the best like a true champion.

Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @ IshmaelSistrunk

Kentrail Moran O’Fallon – Football The senior running back enjoyed a huge performance in leading the Panthers to a 42-7 victory over Alton.

Moran rushed for 294 yards on 20 carries and scored four touchdowns in the victory.

He scored on runs of 27, 61, 21 and 61 yards.

For the season, Moran has rushed for 629 yards and eight touchdowns. He has verbally committed to the University of Illinois.

O’Fallon will host Granite City in a Southwestern Conference game on Friday night.

B6

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 – 7, 2015

Local microlender gets $150K SBA grant

Program for Investment in MicroEntrepreneurs funds Justine Petersen American staff St. Louis-based Justine Petersen, which serves the state of Missouri as an SBAcertified micro-lender, will be awarded a $150,000 PRIME grant to help low-income entrepreneurs gain access to capital to establish and expand their small businesses.

PRIME is the Program for Investment in MicroEntrepreneurs, which was created by Congress as part of the Program for Investment in Microentrepreneurs Act of 1999. Funds become available on September 30 and the grant is for one year.

“By training low-income and disadvantaged microentrepreneurs on how to grow their businesses, particularly through the smart use of information technology, the PRIME Program helps small businesses thrive in a 21st century economy,” said Maria Contreras-Sweet, head of the SBA. “The beauty of PRIME is that it assists small businesses and micro-entrepreneurs to become lender-ready, complementing the roughly $140 million approved this year through SBA’s missionbased lending programs.”

Justine Petersen is a community organization named after a trailblazer who helped low-to moderateincome families achieve homeownership. Today, the organization also works with small business owners to help them with micro-lending so they can access capital.

n “The people coming to us often aren’t served by institutional banks.”

– Rob Boyle of Justine Petersen “The people coming to us often aren’t served by institutional banks,” said Rob Boyle, Justine Peteresen’s president and CEO. “They need help with building their credit.”

Thirty-nine communitybased organizations from 16 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia that provide assistance to disadvantaged entrepreneurs are set to receive $5 million in PRIME grants. The grants range from $35,000 to $200,000 and typically require at least 50 percent in matching

funds or in-kind contributions.

SBA placed special emphasis in this year’s competition on applications for projects utilizing information technology and software to help small businesses start, strengthen and/or grow.

Assisting small businesses with the tools needed to implement automated financial accounting, financial reporting, inventory management and web-based marketing and distribution is emerging as an industry best practice among SBA’s most successful microlenders.

This year’s awards also emphasized organizations participating in SBA’s Community Advantage Program. This program provides mission-oriented, non-profit lenders access to SBA’s 7(a) loan guarantees to help small businesses that have outgrown microlending but are not able to access more traditional financing, including funding from SBA commercial lending partners.

For more information on PRIME grants and a list of this year’s grantees, visit http:// www.sba.gov/content/primegrantees.

Contact Justine Petersen at www.justinepetersen.org or 314-533-2411.

For updates on news, sports and entertainment visit us at www.stlamerican.com

Financial Focus

By Charles Richards

Avoid emotional investment decisions What’s the biggest obstacle to your ability to invest successfully? Is it the ups and downs of the financial markets? Political events? The fact that you weren’t born rich?

Actually, the chief hurdle you face is something over which you have control: your own emotions.

Your emotions can lead to a variety of ill-advised investment behaviors, such as these:

• Cutting losses – Declines in the financial markets can lead some investors to try to “cut their losses” by selling investments whose price has declined. Yet, when prices have dropped, it may actually be a good time to buy investments, not sell them, especially when the investments are still fundamentally sound.

• Chasing performance – In the investment world, the flip side of “fear” is “greed.”

Just as some investors are propelled by fear of loss, others are motivated by quick, big gains. They may pursue “hot” investments, only to be disappointed when the sizzle quickly fizzles. Instead of trying to “score” that one big winner, you may be better off spreading your investment dollars among a range of vehicles – stocks, bonds, government securities, certificates of deposit (CDs) and so on.

While diversification can’t guarantee a profit or protect

of the market during that time, your $10,000 would only have grown to less than $206,000 – a difference of about $220,000, according to • Focusing on the short term – Ned Davis Research, a leadWhen the market is down, you might ing investment research orgaget somewhat upset when you view nization. The bottom line? your monthly investment statements.

Staying invested But any individual stateover the long term ment is just a snapshot in can pay off. (Keep time; if you were to chart in mind, though, your investment results n Don’t that the S&P 500 over a period of 10, 15 or overreis an unmanaged 20 years, you’d see the act to index and isn’t true picture of how your meant to depict an portfolio is doing – and, in short-term actual investment. all likelihood, that picture downturns Also, as you’ve no would look better than doubt heard, past a statement or two you by makperformance is received during a down ing hasty not a guarantee of market. In any case, don’t “buy” future results.) overreact to short-term

downturns by making or “sell” Our emotions hasty “buy” or “sell” decisions. are useful in guiddecisions. Instead, stick ing us through with a long-term strategy many aspects of that’s appropriate for your our lives, but when goals, risk tolerance and you invest, you’re better off time horizon. using your head – and not your heart.

• Heading to the investment “sidelines” – Some people get so This article was written by frustrated over market volatility that Edward Jones for use by your they throw up their hands and head local Edward Jones Financial to the investment “sidelines” until Advisor. “things calm down.” And it’s certainly true that, when owning stocks, there Edward Jones, its are no guarantees; you do risk losing employees and financial some, or all, of your investment. But advisors cannot provide if you jump in and out of the market tax or legal advice. You to “escape“ volatility, you may take should consult your attorney on an even bigger risk – the risk of or qualified tax advisor losing some of the growth you’ll regarding your situation. need to reach your goals. Consider

this: If you had invested $10,000 in a For further information package of stocks mimicking the S&P contact Charles Richards 500 in December 1979, your investat (618) 257-2397 or ment would have grown to more than 1-800-EDJONES $426,000 by December 2013. But if you had missed just the 10 best days against loss, it may help reduce the impact of market volatility on your portfolio.

Check out the latest Edition of

PARTYLINE Page C10

Black

& Single

C1 • ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2015

Filmmaker discusses his life and work at Webster University

Spike live

When the text tables turn

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

Photo by Fred Sweets

Bidding farewell to long-distance dysfunction

During “An Evening with Spike Lee,” the talk was broken into two segments – a conversation with theatre professor Gad Guterman and an audience Q&A. Lee was everything one would expect him to be: a blunt open book.

Wearing orange hi-top tennis shoes, a hoodie and a wooden peace symbol necklace, Spike Lee looked like a grownup version of his “Mookie” character from “Do The Right Thing” when he took the stage at Webster University’s Loretto-Hilton Performance Center on Monday night.

Dubbed “An Evening with Spike Lee,” the talk was broken into two segments – a conversation with theatre professor Gad Guterman and an audience Q&A. Lee was everything one would expect him to be: a blunt open book.

He talked about his latest film project “Chiraq,” street gun violence and the serendipitous way he stumbled into his passion.

Of “Chiraq,” Guterman said,

“The mayor of Chicago said he hoped the movie prompts some serious and much needed conversation about gun violence.”

“Where did he say that?” Lee interrupted. “All he told me to my face was the title was going to hurt tourism and economic development.”

Guterman attempted to assure Lee that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was excited about the film.

“I don’t think so,” Spike said.

“It’s a war zone in Chicago right now. We started shooting ‘Chiraq’ this past June 1 and wrapped on July 9 – during that time 331 people got wounded and 65 people got murdered. It’s all young black men killing young black men.”

The premise of the film comes See SPIKE, C4

In the mix with Microsoft and Notes for Life

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American “If you don’t call me back, I’m never calling you again. Quit playing. You need me.”

Those words are the price you pay when you’re not tech-savvy enough to figure out how to block someone and settle for the auto reject call list.

I have known this man since before he was a man – more than 20 years.

For 15 of those years he either ignored me or toyed with my emotions in a long-distance nonrelationship. He shouldn’t even have my number to text me in the first place.

Several years ago we had a real heart-toheart, and I thought it would be worth it to remain friends – mainly because he just kept calling.

After being delivered from any desire to pursue or maintain a romantic relationship with this man, I didn’t see any harm in it. But out of my liberation came clarity. n I thought it I noticed how when would be worth we talked on the phone, I never came up. In it to remain hindsight, I should have friends – mainly been charging him an hourly therapist rate. He because he just would vent about his life and encourage me to tell kept calling. him how wonderful he was and how everything was going to work out for his good.

After he believed it, he would hang up and I wouldn’t hear from again until he felt like his sky was falling again.

His pattern actually worked for my good because I was able to steal just enough moments to get to the bottom of why things never worked out between us and get closure. Thank Jesus for saving me from what would have been a disastrous union.

I would catch him complaining about how “I’m not the same.” Translation: I wasn’t behaving like the fiancée for Prince Akeem in “Coming to America.” There was no need for the “whatever you like” action I once served up for him in my desperate attempt to prove myself a worthy (more like compliant) partner.

Then he became single again and decided that

A unique partnership with Microsoft and Notes For Life gave young people a crash course on spinning, mixing, scratching and more during the Notes For Life Arts and Technology Experience (NFLATE) presented at Microsoft’s Galleria Store two weeks ago. Notes For Life brainchild and St. Louis native Ronnie Notch is taking NFLATE sessions to Microsoft Stores across the nation. Photos by Lawrence Bryant

See SINGLE, C4

Fall back into black films

Cinema STL screens ‘Do The Right Thing,’ Henry Hampton Series at Wash U., Classic Black Film Festival at History Museum

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

Radio Raheem suffered an eerily similar fate in “Do The Right Thing” (1989) to what would befall Eric Garner in one of the 2014 police killings that sparked the Black Lives Matter movement.

“One of great criticisms of ‘Do The Right Thing’ is that Spike Lee doesn’t give an answer to racism at the end of the movie,” Lee said of his iconic piece of black cinema during his visit to Webster University earlier this week.

On Sunday guests will have the opportunity to talk amongst themselves about the impact of the film thanks to a special screening presented

by Cinema St. Louis at The Missouri History Museum.

The relevance of “Do The Right Thing” was thrust back into the spotlight in the wake of

unrest in response to people color dying at the hands of law enforcement that was sparked in Ferguson with the death of Michael Brown Jr. Particularly striking was the choking death of Eric Garner in New York City, which saw life imitating art more than a quarter-century after “Do The Right Thing” character Radio Raheem suffered an eerily similar fate.

“We shot that in ’88, and here we are in 2000-whatever and the same thing is still happening,” Lee said.

A social media post that offered side-by-side See FILMS, C4

• Only Online • Infrared Rockers to headline Young Visionary Scholarship Fundraiser

On Friday (Oct. 2), reggae legends Infrared Rockers will headline a special concert with proceeds benefiting the Scholarship named in honor of author, activist and longtime St. Louis American columnist Jamala Rogers at the Gateway Classic Sports Foundation (2012 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive).

www.stlamerican.com

Calendar

C2

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 – 7, 2015 10th Anniversary of the Distinguished Gents Concert, featuring special guest Shirley Murdock.

For more information, see CONCERTS.

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 Fri., Oct. 2, 8 p.m., Sheldon Concert Hall presents Black Violin. Classically trained Wil Baptiste and Kevin “Kev Marcus” Sylvester are the new standard. There has been no band to meticulously meld classical, hip-hop, rock and pop music into a single genrebusting act until now. 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108.

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

Fri., Oct. 2, 8 p.m., The Chaifetz Arena presents Gateway Music Festival feat.

Keith Sweat, Bell Biv DeVoe, Salt-N-Pepa, 112, Silk, and Troop. 1 South Compton Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www.thechaifetzarena. com.

Sat., Oct. 3, 8 p.m., Sheldon Concert Hall presents Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis.

Today’s most honored jazz musician, composer and educator, Wynton Marsalis has been credited with revitalizing jazz as an art form, bringing it into the new century as an American institution. He leads 15 of the most accomplished soloists working in jazz today for an evening of classic big band sounds, celebrating the history and diversity of the genre. 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, call (314) 533-9900 or visit www.thesheldon.org.

Sat., Oct. 10, 6 p.m., 10th Anniversary of the Distinguished Gents Concert, This year’s concert will be celebrating the “10thAnniversary of the Distinguished Gents,” featuring special guest and national recording artist, Shirley Murdock. The Distinguished Gents Concert also includes the following performers: Leslie Johnson, Jeff Radford, Jermaine Smith, Pastor Norman Owens, Jr, Pastor Willie Kilpatrick, Pastor Shadrack Robinson, Damon Debarge, Jan Strickland and Daniel Peaston. Sun Theatre in the Grand Center Arts District. For More information, call The David Peaston Foundation at 314-629-7901 or reserve tickets online at www. davidpeastonfoundation.org Sat., Oct. 10, 8 p.m., World Wide Technology, Inc. presents An Evening with Cedric the Entertainer and Friends feat. musical guest Patti LaBelle. A St. Louis native and an active philanthropist, Cedric is proud to come back home to host this special gala to support the women’s pavilion, which will be named after his mother Rosetta Boyce Kyles, a former cancer patient at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital. Peabody Opera House, 1400 Market St., 63103. For more information, visit www.ssmstmarys.org.

Sun., Oct. 25, Stevie Wonder: Songs in The Key of Life

Performance, Scottrade Center. For more information, visit www.ticketmaster.com.

local gigs Tues., Oct. 6, 7:30 p.m., Sheldon Notes From Home Series Present Wendy L. Gordon & Jeanne Trevor & Friends Memories Lights The Corners Of My Mind, Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Blvd. For Tickets call 314-524-1111 or www.Metrotix.com

special events Oct. 2 – 4, 9 a.m., Missouri Botanical Garden presents Best of Missouri Market.

More than 120 food producers and crafters from Missouri and the surrounding region offer fresh produce, baked goods, fresh and dried flowers, herbs, handcrafted items,

Featured Event Oct. 2 – 4, Lit in the Lou 2015: Literature in Our Lives.

Noted authors read and discuss their books, poetry, and plays. University City City Hall Building, 6801 Delmar Blvd., 63130). The festival will take place at The Julia Goldstein Early Childhood Center, 737 Kingsland Ave., 63130. For more information, call (314) 447-3888.

(In LITERARY)

baskets, wooden toys, custom jewelry and more. Live music and a Kids Corner with cow milking, pumpkin decorating and barnyard animals. 4344 Shaw Blvd., 63110. For more information, call (314) 577-5100 or visit www. missouribotanicalgarden.org.

Sat., Oct. 3, 7 a.m., Great Things Incorporated Foundation’s 10th Annual Charity Golf Tournament: Hitting the Greens to Feed the Hungry. Entry fee includes 18 holes greens fee, cart, continental breakfast, and lunch. All proceeds assist TGIF in its mission to improve the social and economic environment in St. Louis.

Eagle Spring Golf Course, 2575 Redman Rd., 63136. For more information, visit www. greatthingsinc.org.

Sat., Oct. 3, 2 p.m., 10th Annual Grove Fest. Grove Fest will boast nationally recognized musical acts, a grand main entrance and enhanced family areas. For the first time the event will close with a firework display celebrating 10 years. Also

on tap, the traditional Paint

by Number mural returns plus over 60 vendors will be the on hand with locally produced art, vintage goods, fashion, jewelry, clothes and more. The festival features a wide array of international cuisine, all from Grove establishments. Manchester between Kingshighway and Vandeventer, 63110. For more information, call (314) 5355311 or visit www.thegrovestl. com/events.

Oct. 8 – 10, Women of True Essence presents Rebuild the City Women’s Bootcamp.

Come out for extravagant worship and prayer sessions, powerful teaching workshops and community outreach opportunities. Participants will share prophetic ministry and evangelism to mobilize, unite and empower women with the tools, techniques and strategies to create much needed change in the U.S. and abroad. Ferguson has been an epicenter of global interest, bringing to the fore a host of questions centered on equality, civil rights, race relations and police methodology. The

Rebuild the City Women’s Bootcamp brings a message of love, hope and peace to a fractured community and provides attendees with ways to turn the tide toward a unity for rebuilding and restoration around the globe. Ferguson Community Center, 1072 Smith Ave., 63135. For more information, call (314) 5368173.

Fri., Oct. 9, 6 p.m., Healing Womens Ministries hosts 2nd Coffee House Session: Ladies Paint Night. Come out for an evening of food, laughter, freedom, and much more. Evangelist Cynthia Bennett will be the guest speaker and there will be a performance by Precious J. This event is free and open to the public. University City Library Auditorium, 6701 Delmar Blvd., 63130. For more information or to RSVP, call (314) 690-5673.

Sun., Oct. 11, 3 p.m., African Musical Arts presents A Cappella Africa. Come out for a classical music concert featuring flutists Wendy Hymes and Matt Allison, as well as our very own Songs of Africa Ensemble. The concert will present meditation music for flutes and voices. All proceeds will go towards funding the African Performing Arts Exchange, a newly proposed online music database for preserving and promoting the music of African-descent composers, scheduled for launch in spring of 2016.

Parkway United Church of Christ, 2841 N. Ballas Rd., 63131. For more information, call (314) 652-6800 or visit www.africarts.org/season2015.

Sun., Oct. 11, 5:30 p.m., Bridge The Gap314 presents Sylent Heart Casino Night Fundraiser. This will be an evening of live entertainment, appetizers and gaming tables that will be fun for all participants.

The new book by Twyla E. Lee, Letters of Empowerment to the Next Generation of Men and Fathers, will also be unveiled. Proceeds from this event will go to a Sylent Heart, a national non-profit organization dedicated to providing social services to children with an incarcerated mother. Friends A Meeting Place, 716 N. Compton, 63106.

For more information, call (314) 400-0451 or visit www. bridgethegaph314.org.

Fri., Oct. 16, 9 a.m., St. Louis World Food Day 2015. Come out for this annual food-packaging event providing nutritious meals to hungry children and families living locally and internationally. Packaging Partners register for a onehour packaging session and their registration fees ($10 students/educators; $20 adults), along with sponsorships and donations, help defray the cost of the ingredients, supplies, and delivery of the food to hungry kids and families in need. Leadership Volunteers sign up at no cost to volunteer in four-hour shifts throughout the day assisting with the event’s execution (i.e. set-up, packaging trainers, floor supervisors, reloading food bins, sealing boxes, clean-up and take down).

John Burroughs School, 755 S. Price Rd., 63124. For more information, visit www.

STLWFD.org.

Sat., Oct. 17, 1 p.m., 3rd Annual Brew in the Lou. More than 50 vendors will share their wares, including New Belgium Brewing, Swiss Meats, Kaldi’s Coffee, Blue Moon, Ski Soda, Goshen Coffee, Westphalia Vineyards, Goose Island, Double G Ham, Gobble Stop Smokehouse and many more. Proceeds benefit the 8,300 students served by the Lutheran Elementary School Association. The Lutheran Foundation of St. Louis is matching every dollar raised. Concordia Seminary, 801 Seminary Place, 63105.

For more information, visit www.lesastl.org.

Sat., October 24, 2015 at 6 pm. The Dr. James Whittico 100th Birthday Scholarship Gala at the St. Louis Airport Marriott. For more information, contact Dr. Jacaqui Turner @jsturner47@

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 – 7, 2015 msn.com.

Thursdays, 7 p.m. (6 p.m. practice), The Cultural Bop Society Of St. Louis Continuing the Bop with Style (CBS) (BOP the official Dance of St. Louis, Free Bop Lessons and Bop Set Every Thursday Night, 7555 Olive Blvd. in U-City, St. Louis, MO 63130.

literary Thur., Oct. 1, 7 p.m., St. Louis County Library Foundation and the 2015 Greater St. Louis Humanities Festival present Elizabeth Terry, John Wright and Patrick McCarthy, authors of Ethnic St. Louis. Library Headquarters, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 63131. For more information, call (314) 994-3300 or visit www.slcl. org.

Oct. 2 – 4, Lit in the Lou 2015: Literature in Our Lives. Join the conversation as noted authors read and discuss their books, poetry, and plays.

University City City Hall Building, 6801 Delmar Blvd., 63130. The festival will take place at The Julia Goldstein Early Childhood Center, 737 Kingsland Ave., 63130. For more information, call (314) 447-3888 Thur., Oct. 8, 7 p.m., Left Bank Books hosts author Treasure Shields Redmond, author of chop: a collection of kwansabas for fannie lou hamer. 399 N. Euclid Ave., 63108. For more information, call (314) 367-6731 or visit www.left-bank.com.

Sat., Oct. 10, 7 p.m., St. Louis County Library hosts Senator John Danforth, author of The Relevance of Religion: How Faithful People Can Change Politics. Library Headquarters, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 63131. For more information, call (314) 994-3300 or visit www.slcl.org.

Tues., Oct. 13, 5 p.m., Left Bank Books hosts authors Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely, authors of All American Boys. 399 N. Euclid Ave., 63108. For more information, call (314) 367-6731 or visit www.left-bank.com.

Thur., Oct. 15, 7 p.m., St. Louis County Library hosts author Damon Tweedy, author of Black Man in a White Coat: A Doctor’s Reflections on Race and Medicine.

Library Headquarters, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 63131. For more information, call (314) 994-3300 or visit www.slcl. org.

theatre Oct. 2 – 11, COCA presents wUNDERland. Shows are Friday through Sunday.

COCA Founders’ Theatre, 524 Trinity Ave., 63130. For more information, call (314) 3837685 or visit www.cocastl.org.

Sun., Oct. 4, 5 p.m.,

C3 at 14 area-wide Walgreens.

We accept tax-deductible donations of manual and power wheelchairs, electric hospital beds, shower chairs, canes/ crutches/walkers, grab bars, elevated toilet seats, portable commodes, lift chairs, seating cushions, back supports, folding ramps. For more information and participating locations, call (314) 567-4700 or visit www.stlhelp.org.

Black and Blue, by Gitana productions, written by Lee Patton Chiles will be shown at Parkway United Church of Christ, 2814 N. Ballas Rd, in Town & Country, 63131.

Sat., Oct. 17, 3 p.m., Freshstart Productions presents “How Bad Do You Want It,” a benefit stage play for The Katherine Dunham Museum, The Sun Theatre, 3625 Grandel Square, St. Louis 63108. For more information, call 314.330.3442 or visit www.JLDFreshstartprod.com

arts Oct. 2 – Dec. 13, COCA presents Daniel Burnett’s Denizen Kim. 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.

Oct. 3 – 4, The Shaw Neighborhood Improvement Association presents The Historic Shaw Art Fair.

Visitors and artists will enjoy the festive atmosphere that includes live music, a food court featuring food from many local restaurants, and a children’s art area. Bring a nonperishable food item to receive $1 off admission—benefiting Isaiah 58 Ministries. Blocks of 4100-4200 Flora Place, 63110.

For more information, visit www.shawstlouis.org.

lectures/ workshops Sun., Oct. 4, 2:30 p.m., Missouri History Museum presents Preaching on Wax: The Phonograph and the Shaping of Modern African American Religion. Lerone A. Martin offers the first full-length account of the oftoverlooked religious history of the phonograph industry. 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, call (314) 7464599 or visit www.mohistory. org.

Thur., Oct. 8, 9 a.m., University of Missouri Extension presents Selling to the Government Seminar.

10650 Gateway Blvd., 63132.

For more information, call (314) 400-7378 or visit www. missouribusiness.net.

Sun., Oct. 11, 3 p.m., The Essential Playzone Tutorial Resource Center presents a College Planning Workshop.

640 N. Highway 67, 63031.

For more information, call (314) 830-3836 or visit www. essentialplayzone.com.

Wed., Oct. 14, 8 a.m., The Greater North County Chamber of Commerce hosts 2nd Annual Women’s Empowerment Seminar.

Learn how to market yourself in a digital age with speaker Justine Craig-Meyer (Doorways Housing) and how to build your personal brand with Tamiko Cuellar (Pursue Your Purpose). This seminar

Cinema St. Louis presents a free screening of Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing.A post-screening panel discusses the film’s status and explores its continuing relevance in light of recent events, both in Ferguson and throughout the country. See FILM for details.

includes a light breakfast, lunch, a fashion show, vendor tables, goodie bags and more.

Our special host will be Sharon Stevens. Catering to You Banquet Center, 12775 New Halls Ferry Rd., 63033.

For more information, call (314) 831-3500 or visit www. greaternorthcountychamber. com.

Thur., Oct. 15, 4:30 p.m., For the Sake of All presents Community Action Forum: Investing in Quality Neighborhoods in St. Louis.

This is the fourth in a series of six forums that will provide actionable steps to improve the health and well-being of St. Louis residents. The workshop will explore ways to invest in high-quality neighborhoods in the St. Louis region.

Speakers include Rebeccah Bennett, Founder of Emerging Wisdom LLC and InPower Institute (Moderator); Bob Hansman, Associate Professor, Washington University; Will Jordan, Executive Director, Equal Housing & Opportunity Council; Sandy Moore, President, Urban Strategies; and Representative Stacey Newman. City Garden Montessori School, 1618 Tower Grove Ave., 63110.

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

Sat., Oct. 17, 9 a.m., Woman’s Place will present a free workshop on THE PAIN OF BREAKING UP. Workshop will explore the pain of a loss not recognized by others, grieving a relationship that ‘was bad for me’, and healing strategies for moving through loss. Preregistration is required by calling 314-645-4848. Located at 8300 Morganford Rd. St. Louis, MO 63123.

Sat., Oct. 17, 1 p.m., St. Louis County Library presents Be Prepared: Older Adults and Winter Weather. Are you ready for winter? Join us for a panel discussion, audience Q&A and information from community organizations.

Light refreshments will be provided. Reservations are requested. Library Headquarters, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 63131. For more information or to register, call (314) 615-4426.

Fri., Oct. 23, 4 p.m., Accelerate St. Louis “Friday Meeting”. Network with St. Louis startups and investors, and enjoy complimentary appetizers and drinks. Also features a pitch contest where 3 selected startups will have the opportunity to give a two-minute pitch in front of judges from the St. Louis startup ecosystem and local media. The winner will receive a Ballpark Village prize package. If you want to pitch, simply register as a pitching company in addition to your other tickets and we will be in touch to inform you if you have been selected. Drunken Fish in Ballpark Village, 601 Clark Ave., 63102. For more information, call (314) 3459481 or visit www.bit.ly/ SeptemberFridayMeeting.

health Sat., Oct. 10, 12:30 p.m., Zeta Charitable Foundation of St. Louis Inc., Xi Zeta Chapter and Zeta Rho Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. present a Breast Cancer Awareness Seminar. The presenter will be Dr. Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D., Assistant Professor, SLUCare Family Medicine and wellknown columnist for the “Your Health Matters” section in the St. Louis American Newspaper.

Donations of New Wigs will be accepted for women who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy treatment. This seminar is free and open to the public. No prior registration is required. Emerson Performance Center, Harris Stowe, 3101 Laclede Ave., 63103. For more information, call (314) 355-0365.

Sat., Oct. 10, 9:00 a.m., St. Louis HELP Medical Equipment Donation Drive.

We are hosting another medical equipment donation drive

The Pulitzer has collaborated with local yoga studio Urban Breath Yoga to create a movement and sound class for infants of up to twelve months. Led by instructor Stacy Broussard, with live music by a harpist, cellist, flutist, and violist of Chamber Music St. Louis, classes will engage infants and their caregivers in gentle movement and light yoga. The class will take place on a set of custom-designed cushions

by Dosa Inc., beneath the mobiles of Alexander Calder, current exhibiting artist of the Pulitzer’s Calder Lightness.

For more information and to register, please email programs@pulitzerarts. org.

spiritual Sun., Oct. 4, 4 p.m., Berean Word Ministries 5th Church Anniversary. Join us as we celebrate our anniversary and the gift of God’s Grace. Bethel Providence Christian Church, 14700 New Halls Ferry, 63033.

Oct. 4- 6, The 161st Missouri Annual Conference Of The African Methodist Episcopal Church “The Oldest Annual Conference West of the Mississippi River,” The St. Louis City Center Hotel (Formerly the Sheraton Hotel).

400 S. 14thSt. St Louis, MO 63103 1-855-537-4770. Hosted

By The Cathedral @ St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, 1260 Hamilton Ave. St. Louis, MO 63112. For more information, call 314-385-8900 or email: stpaulcathedral@att. net

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2015

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my grave knowing that was supposed to happen.”

‘Self-inflicted genocide’

Photo by Fred Sweets

SPIKE Continued from C1 from the ancient Greek play “Lysistrata” by Aristophanes.

Lee remixes the 411 B.C. play, where women withheld sex to end the senseless violence of war, for present-day audiences.

“The goal of this film is really to save lives,” Lee said.

“We have to be as outraged when we kill ourselves as when the police kill us. We hope that with ‘Chiraq’ we will compel these young brothers to think before they pull the trigger.”

Spirit of the camera Being on a college campus, Lee spoke of his own days as an undergraduate at the historically black Morehouse College. “My first two years, I was wandering – floundering, even,” Lee said. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do.”

The summer after his sophomore year, Lee dropped in on a neighborhood friend in New York. “We were in her living room, and I said, ‘What’s in the box?’” Lee recalled. “She said, ‘That’s a camera. You can have it. I’m going to be a doctor. I don’t need it.’”

He took the “Super 8” and went to work. With it he was able to capture the great blackout in 1977, the first summer of Disco and reaction to The Son of Sam killings.

He spent the next semester at Clark College (now Clark Atlanta University), assembling a film because Morehouse didn’t have a Mass Communications Department at the time. Upon graduation from Morehouse, Lee studied at New York University’s film school and has gone on to make 35 films and will receive an honorary Academy Award next year.

“That day, in that moment, the Spirit told me to go see her,” Lee said about being gifted the camera. “I’ll go to

During the Q&A, Lee challenged the idea that violence is solely a symptom of systemic racism and oppression.

“I understand that the system is set up for young black men not to succeed. I understand that with the privatized prisons, young black men are the new crop. I understand that half of young black men don’t graduate high school.

I understand that there are more black men incarcerated than enrolled in colleges or universities. I understand that we have many times where cops have killed young black men simply because they are black,” Lee said.

“But if you do your research on what’s happening in Chicago, it’s self-inflicted genocide.”

He detailed his experiences in Chicago during his six weeks of filming.

“You ask a young kid what he wants to be when he grows up, and he says, ‘Alive,’” Lee said. “There’s no value of life.

They don’t care that they’ll only live to 17 years old. And if they don’t care about their life, then they don’t care about anyone else’s life.”

Lee said there is a disintegrated code of honor among gangs that has given way to even more senseless deaths.

“If you killed a kid back in the day, if you didn’t turn yourself in, you got killed,” Lee said. “Now all bets are off.

If the person they want to kill is in a crowd of 50, they just spray the group.”

A woman asked Lee to speak about the unrest in Ferguson and what young people could do to incite positive change.

Lee asked Michael Brown Sr. – father of Michael Brown Jr. – to respond on his behalf.

“You just have to stay positive,” Brown said. “If you have your mind made up on doing something bigger and better – and you’re with the right people to help you push forward – that’s all you need.”

FILMS Continued from C1 playback of the video footage of Garner and Radio Raheem’s death went viral during the height of protests.

Lee’s day-in-the-life in Brooklyn tale will hit home for Ferguson, New York, Baltimore and other metropolitan areas that saw outraged communities take to the streets after fatal encounters between police and people of color.

And Public Enemy’s hiphop classic “Fight The Power,” which anchored the film’s soundtrack, continues to serve as a protest anthem.

“I don’t consider myself a historian,” Lee said. “I see myself as a storyteller.”

A post-screening panel discussion will include Sowande’ Mustakeem, Washington University assistant professor; St. Louis native Tiffany Shawn, an educator, social-justice activist and writer; and Calvin Wilson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch critic, who writes on film, jazz and

SINGLE Continued from C1 he would make me his layover relationship.

In order to get the most out of this standby situation, he pretended like I was “the one” and went through this whole performance of trying to make me believe that he knew we were meant to be together.

I didn’t buy it, but I didn’t have anything going on at the time so I didn’t see any harm in playing along.

The whole thing was quite cute the way he was the nearboyfriend that I always hoped he would be.

I’m a deadbeat on Facebook, so when I got a notification that he was “In a Relationship”

dance; and will be moderated by a member of The St. Louis American’s editorial staff.

Cinema St. Louis’ free screening and post-film discussion for Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing will take place at 6 p.m. on Sunday, October 4 at The Missouri History Museum. For more information, visit www. cinemastlouis.org or www. mohistory.org.

Henry Hampton Series at Wash U.

programs have won many awards including 7 Emmys, the George Polk Award for Investigative Journalism and the First Amendment Award.

Washington University Libraries’ Film Screening and Q&A with Jack Willis will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 8 in the Etta Eiseman Steinberg Auditorium of Washington University, 6465 Forsyth Blvd., 63130. For more information, call (314) 9358679.

Classic Black Film Festival honors actresses

On Thursday, October 8, Washington University Libraries will present a Film Screening and Q & A with filmmaker Jack Willis as part of the Henry Hampton Minority Documentarian Series. The event will include a free screening of two short documentaries made by Willis at the height of the Civil Rights Movement, “The Streets of Greenwood” (1963) and “Lay My Burden Down” (1966), as well as a post-film discussion with Willis.

A journalist, filmmaker, television producer and executive, his films and

The 3rd Annual Classic Black Film Festival will celebrate the contributions of African-American actresses when it gets underway October 9-11 at The Missouri History Museum. This year’s festival is aptly named “A Tribute to Leading Ladies” and will feature eight classic films starring the likes of Eartha Kitt, Cicely Tyson and Pam Grier.

For a full schedule and lineup, visit https://www.facebook. com/Classic-Black-FilmFestival-1648779208705364/ timeline/

I was like, “Aww, how sweet … I guess I’ll let him rebound with me until things get really heavy. We don’t live in the same city, so how far could this really go?”

We talk, Skype and Facebook for dear life. I was waiting for him to bring up the fact that he took us to the next level on Facebook, but he never did. Me either. I didn’t see the point since nothing had really changed.

Then two months later, Facebook would strike again.

The notification to end all notifications bings for dear life alerted me to what’s popping in my feed: He was married. No, of course, not to me.

I told him to lose my number, and I blocked him on Facebook.

Once the honeymoon ended – figuratively and literally – he

slid back into my texts.

“How dare you not call me,” was the tone of the text campaign at first. But he flipped the script.

“Twenty-plus years, and this is what you do,” he said.

“You are the only person who understands me and loves me. I thought I had one true woman who would always be there for me without conditions. I guess I was wrong.”

By “one true woman,” he must have meant permanent side piece.

I typed and erased, “What about your wife?” a handful of times before I thought, “Of course, he knows about his wife! She’s probably lying right next to him as he’s texting you.”

That was when I made my way to the “add to spam numbers” option for texts.

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 – 7, 2015

Celebrations Anniversary

Family Reunion

FREE OF CHARGE

Happy Anniversary to my darling virtuous wife, Shay Kasyupa on September 26. I thank God for you! Eternally loving you, Your hubby, Lusajo Sr.

Birthdays Happy 100th Birthday to Audrey Rivers on September 29. The St. Mary’s Alumni salutes you as the first graduate of SMI school of Nursing for the Colored—the only Black Catholic Nursing school in the nation.

The Barrett Family recently enjoyed a reunion weekend full of fun, fellowship and entertainment. Festivities included game night, a spirit-filled church service at Greater Grace, a formal banquet and their own family version of “The Barrett Ido!!” Additionally, the family participated in community service efforts by donating hundreds of canned goods to the Faith Empowerment Center in Ferguson, Missouri.

Happy 1st Birthday to Isabella Earl on October 1!

Love, Mommy Vivian and Daddy Thess

Reunions All reunion announcements can be viewed online!

Beaumont Class of 1970 will be celebrating their 45th Class Reunion Saturday, October 24,2015, at Catering to You.12775 New Halls Ferry Rd,63033. For more info please contact: Oneita (Meeks) Murphy: (314) 322-4205, Chuck Campbell: (314) 5204581, Toni (Brady) Hopson: beaumontclassof1970@gmail.

com, or see our Facebook page.

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.

Roosevelt High School Class of 1990 is hosting a “Rough Rider Alumni Reunion” and is inviting classes ‘87-‘93 to join them Saturday October 24, 2015 from 7pm -1am at the Bus Drivers Hall located at 1600 S. Broadway St. Louis, MO 63104. Tickets are $10 in adv. and $15 at the door.

For more info, contact Talisha Shelton at (314)363-1064 or on Facebook @Roosevelt class of 90.

Soldan Class of ‘65 presents: “On the Road Again” to Washington, DC. Cost: $479 per-person, double occupancy, 6-Days and 5-Nights, Thurs.

June 2- Tues. June 7, 2016.

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.

The Sumner Alumni Association presents it’s Maroon & White Homecoming Week Oct. 11-17, 2015. The SHS c/o 1980 kicks off Homecoming Week with a Sunday Jazz Session @ Dejavu II, Bowling Mon. at Crest Bowl, ALL Family Skate Party Tues. at Skate King, Alumni Happy Hour Wed. @ Dejavu II, Ladies Maroon & White Kick Ball & Men’s Flag Foot-Ball Game Thurs. at SHS, Alumni Dance Fri., 8 pm–1 am at the Machinist Hall; $15/$20 (Vendors $50 request appl.), Parade Sat. 10 am (Cars, floats, SUV’s,

Marching Bands, etc.; request Parade Appl.), Tailgate Party noon, Sumner’s Homecoming Football Game @ Sumner’s Tuskegee Airmen Field at 1 pm Sumner vs. Vashon. For more info, contact Ms. Prissy at 314.556.3944, Michelle Elgin at 314.452.1275, Sheila Goodwin SHS 314.371.1048 (Parade) or email: sumneralumniassn@yahoo.com.

Calling all University City Alumni to participate in Homecoming Activities Saturday October 10, 2015.

Parade starts at 10 am, Football Game at 1 pm and Alumni Homecoming Dance at 7pm. For more information contact Denise WeatherfordBell at 314-484-6318 or msdenise38@yahoo.com.

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

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

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Religion

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2015

Pope Francis preaches gospel of compassion

What we can learn from the pontiff’s visit to America

By Marc H. Morial National Urban League

Like “power,” with compassion comes great responsibility. So much more than a feeling, the person with compassion is compelled to transform their compassion into intent, and most importantly, action. To be compassionate is to see, to feel and to do something.

The recent arrival of Pope Francis on our shores has rekindled our national conversation over how we will protect and care for our marginalized, provide access to our disenfranchised communities and promote justice for all. Francis, the spiritual leader of more than one billion Catholics the world over, has placed the poor and the treatment of the poor at the center of his papacy.

But, his message of mercy, compassion and service as the engines of much-needed change is not solely limited to the Catholic faithful. It is a message that can transcend boundaries of faith, gender, political cultures or borders. It is a message that can transform the entire world for the benefit of the common good.

While calls for societal change precede the pope, his papacy and his status as a respected global leader, gives added voice to the voiceless and the oppressed, and encourages the men and women who have decided they would no longer observe (or suffer) injustice from the sidelines--instead they would advocate, and when necessary, agitate for a more just society for the excluded and marginalized among us.

From Moses to the man registering students to vote, or the woman fighting for environmental justice in an impoverished community today, for as long as inequality has plagued society, people have always appeared in the pages of history to carry the heavy and unavoidable banner of change.

For Francis, this call to action is motivated

by God’s presence, which he said in his final homily in Cuba, “never leaves us tranquil: it always pushes to do something. When God

Official White House photo by David Lienemann

Vice President Joe Biden watches as Pope Francis addresses the crowd assembled on the mall below the Speaker’s Balcony of the U.S. Capitol following a Joint Meeting of Congress, Sept. 24, 2015. comes, He always calls us out of our house.

We are visited so that we can visit others; we are encountered so as to encounter others; we receive love in order to give love.”

For more than 100 years, the National Urban League has dedicated itself to loving, visiting and encountering people and communities in their times of need.

Our mission – like the mission of so many people of faith dedicated to changing lives and reforming the structures that compromise the quality of life of the most vulnerable – is to establish mechanisms and policies aimed at economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities. This crosssection of compassion and social justice has been, and continues to be, a defining element of our existence and struggle across a range of social justice movements.

The pope is visiting the United States at a pivotal time in our history, when justice and equality is facing challenges on many fronts. We face challenges in the constitutional right of citizens to vote; we are experiencing a rash of deaths of black men at the hands of police officers who are rarely held accountable; equity in funding and resources for public school education remains a distant reality; and the economic gap that

exist between the rich and the poor only continues to widen.

The National Urban League continues to tackle these ever present issues with programs and policy recommendations that not only benefit communities of color, but our nation as a whole. Our education programs, like Project Ready, support academic achievement, civic involvement and the physical and emotional development of our young people.

But it doesn’t end there, we also challenge our states and federal government to develop formulas to distribute resources to schools in a fair manner that does not discriminate based on what community you live in. Our workforce development programs delivers jobs and valuable employment services to the people who need it the most and encourage economic self-sufficiency. We have, and continue to fight on the frontline of the battles to rid our nation of pervasive criminal justice abuses.

The gospel of compassion has guided many into service beyond their own lives and self-interests. It is a call to minister and serve those who find themselves on the margins of any given society.

Marc H. Morial is president and CEO of the National Urban League.

The Message

Can you make the effort?

Is it possible for you to really get inside of what putting your life in the hands of God really means?

The obstacles in the way of making an honest effort to embrace and step to God are at times huge and obvious.

At other times they are so subtle they’re practically indiscernible.

For example, pride can get in the way because pride has no place in the relationship between you and God. Then the truth be told, pride has no place in your relationships with your fellow man either. To pride, you can always add envy, vanity, greed, lust, selfishness and bitterness just to name a few more impediments to an honest attempt to let God order your steps in His Word.

Many of us, including me, especially me, want to hold on to our own abilities to solve our own problems, cure our own ills (sinful natures) and figure our way out of impossible circumstances by ourselves. We routinely pass judgment, think and act as if we’re better than others and give God no credit for the many blessings we do have.

Can you make the effort? Can you let go and let God? Submit first and then see what God has to say about your situation? Without this submission, I don’t think any of us is in a position to first hear and then listen to the Word of God. Satan shouts, and God whispers. If Columnist you’ve ever been whispered to when you think the person speaking is saying James Washington something important, then you know your capacity to shut the world up and out. You can be anywhere and hear a whisper. I believe if we put forth the effort, we can hear God tell us how to give our lives to Him. There is a singularity to hearing God’s Word. He is specific in what He says to you as opposed to what He says to me. That singularity becomes a plurality as we begin to understand His message, if not His words. They are intended to have the same effect on each of us.

It’s like an optical illusion. Once you finally see it, you can’t not see it. Failure is then only a byproduct of lack of effort. But the saved make the sincere effort. It’s not always successful. But it’s always there. The key is to build upon the successes of putting things in the hands of God is take it one success at a time.

Do not, I repeat do not, dwell on the failures one failure at a time. Therein lies the answer to my original question. You can do it and God expects it to be done one step, one day and one situation at a time.

Career Center

THE

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

“JANITORIAL”

•

THE

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN C7

OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2015 City of Wentzville

Full, Part-Time positions, background check.Steady work history for 3-5 years, forklift or equipment operating experience preferred. MUST apply in person at 314 N. Jefferson at Olive. Monday - Friday 9A to 5P. Two forms of I.D.

Dedicated Runs Available. Frequent Home Time, Top Pay, Benefits; Monthly Bonuses & More!

CDL-A, 1yr Exp. Req'd. EEOE/AAP. Limited Positions Available. 866-370-4476

www.drive4marten.com

St. Louis Community College is a multi-campus district comprised of four campuses and six satellites serving 718 square miles of St. Louis city and county and portions of Jefferson and Franklin counties. The college employs over 3,000 full and part time staff, faculty and administrators and over 500 student employees.

St. Louis Community College invites applications for the following positions: Manager, Instructional Resources http://jobs.stlcc.edu/postings/3357

JOIN OUR TEAM!

• Competitive wages/free meal per shift/

commuter benefits Open positions in St. Louis On-call catering services, Cashiers, Cooks, Dishwashers, Café supervisors Want to learn more about Bon Appetit and/or apply for an open position?

Visit: www.bamco.com/about/join-us

Project Associate II – Campus Coordinator (2) http://jobs.stlcc.edu/postings/3381 Sr. Project Associate http://jobs.stlcc.edu/postings/3384 Visit https://jobs.stlcc.edu/ for additional information and other employment opportunities

RESOURCE PROTECTION OFFICER Full-time The Missouri Historical Society is seeking a full-time Resource Protection Officer.

Professional training and experience in security-related field required and valid drivers license required. Must obtain Metropolitan Security Officer’s license. Availability to work flexible schedule, including weekends and holidays required.

Please visit www.mohistory.org for full position details.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

St. Louis Community College is an Affirmative Action /Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and ideas who embrace and value diversity and inclusivity.

www.stlamerican.com

CORRECTIONS TECHNICIAN

Email your ads to

$17.24 per hour Plus excellent benefits 636-639-2190 or www.wentzvillemo.org E.O.E.

vmedina@ stlamerican.com

RNs and LPNs

U.S. Census Bureau FIELD REPRESENTATIVE

In-Home Agency hiring RNs and LPNs for Home Visits.

Must have Home Health Exp.

314-361-3373 EOE

City of Wentzville

POLICE OFFICER $21.33 per hour Plus excellent benefits 636-639-2190 or www.wentzvillemo.org E.O.E.

www.stlamerican.com

HOUSEKEEPER Full-time The Missouri History Museum seeks a full-time Housekeeper. 3-5 years work experience and drivers license required. Must be able to lift and work weekends and evenings.

Visit www.mohistory.org for full position details.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

Looking for Field Interviewers in St. Louis County, to conduct personal visit & telephone interviews using laptop computer. Hours vary, but will be approximately 30-50 hours per month. Requirements: US Citizenship, valid driver’s license, auto and access to a land line, must pass basic skills test, mock and structured interviews. $13.68/hr. & .575 cents/mile. For testing info call 1-800-865-6384 ext. 15 or email Chicago.recruiting@census.gov Visit our website at: www.census.gov/rochi/www/emply.html The U.S. Census Bureau is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This agency provides reasonable accomodations for people with disabilities.

www.stlamerican.com

BUSINESS OFFICE MANAGER

DIRECTOR

St. Louis Catholic Academy seeks an organized, personable business office manager to assist with financial aspects of the school including tuition setting, assistance, and collection; UDSA food program submissions and billing; and revenue and donor deposits. This part-time position begins immediately, with salaried wage commensurate with experience.

St. Louis Catholic Academy is committed to the success of each student regardless of family or cultural background. Located in the Penrose neighborhood of North St. Louis City, St. Louis Catholic Academy offers a quality K-8 Catholic education. School employees are dedicated professionals who seek to meet the needs of every individual child and family. The business manager holds an important role within the school community, serving as an important connection between the families and the school.

To apply, please email a cover letter and resume to Stephanie Welling, Associate Superintendent for School Personnel, at swelling@archstl.org.

Application Deadline: Friday, October 9, 2015

www.stlamerican.com

of Information Technology The Missouri Historical Society seeks a full-time Director of Information Technology.

Degree in Computer Science, minimum of 8 years experience within information technology. Minimum 5 years supervisory experience managing an IT department. Cisco Certified Network Professional and/or Microsoft Certified System Administrator.

Visit www.mohistory.org for full position details.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

City of Jennings

SPECIAL SERVICES COORDINATOR Responsibilities include acting as director of purchasing and inventory control, safety and risk management coordinator, Community Development Block Grant coordinator, fleet manager, emergency management coordinator, building maintenance supervisor and IT coordinator. Oversees a staff of three full-time and two part-time employees.

Hours of work are generally Monday-Friday, 8:30 to 5:00 p.m.

In addition, attends city council meetings and other committee meetings as necessary. Starting salary of $37,693.50.

MISSOURI PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION JOB OPPORTUNITY

ADVISOR TO THE COMMISSION

Applications available at Jennings City Hall, 2120 Hord Ave., or online at www.cityofjennings.org. NO RESUMES ACCEPTED UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY CITY OF JENNINGS APPLICATION! Applicants should include a cover letter detailing their experience in any of the job duties listed above. Applications accepted through 5:00 p.m., Friday, October 16th and can be emailed to jobs@cityofjennings.org.

Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. Friday, October 16th.

The Public Service Commission is seeking a Program Consultant to serve as policy advisor to Commissioner Maida Coleman. This position requires advising decision-makers in various areas of utility regulation, including traditional rate of return issues, legislative and consumer-related issues, and federally mandated changes to the telecommunications, energy, electric, natural gas, and water and sewer industries. Position is located in Jefferson City, with moderate travel involved.

QUALIFICATIONS: Juris doctorate strongly preferred, with membership to the Missouri Bar or eligible through reciprocity. Other qualifying experience would include graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a specialization in one or more of the following disciplines: accounting, business, economics, engineering, finance, or related fields. Five years of professional experience in a utility or regulatory environment preferred. Advanced degree in the specified educational areas may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for up to three years of the required professional experience. Must be a self-starter, capable of anticipating needs of the Commissioner.

This is an “at-will” position, serving at the pleasure of Commissioner Maida Coleman. No employee of a company or corporation regulated by the PSC, no employee of the Office of Public Counsel or the Public Counsel, and no staff members of the Utility Operations or Utility Services Departments within the PSC who were an employee or staff member may be a member of the Commission’s advisory staff for two years following the termination of their employment with the corporation, Office of Public Counsel, or PSC (see RSMo 386.135).

“An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V”

BIDS & PUBLIC NOTICES REQUEST FOR BIDS for St. Louis Co. Library RenovationsPh. 1B, due 10/6/15 by 1PM to Demien Const.Co. Office 636-332-5500, call for email for bids.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Construction Estimating Services The Great Rivers Greenway District (GRG) requests services of qualified professionals for Construction Estimating Services in connection with 2016 projects. Questions or information related to this request should be directed to: Hilary Smith, Director of Finance and Administration at 314-932-4908 or via email Hsmith@grgstl.org. Specifications can be found at www.greatriversgreenway.org.

Proposals are due October 6, 2015 at 10:00am Central Standard Time.

SUBMITTAL LOCATION: The Great Rivers Greenway District 6174A Delmar Boulevard St. Louis, MO. 63112 GRG reserves the right to reject any or all proposals.

EOE

INVITATION TO BID Sparks Constructors, Inc., a General Contractor, is seeking bids from subs and suppliers for all phases of construction for Chloe Place Apartments to be constructed at 100 Chloe Place in Hannibal, MO. Chloe Place is a new single story, slab on grade, wood framed, apartment housing complex with office building. The project consists of 5 - 1 bedroom apartments, 16 – 2 bedroom apartments, 4 – 3 bedroom apartments and an office / community center building. Bid date & time is Thursday, October 15, 2015 -- 2:00 p.m.

A pre-bid conference will be held in the conference room of Preferred Family Healthcare at 4355 Paris Gravel Road in Hannibal on Friday October 2, 2015 at 1:00 p.m.. The project has participation goals of 10% MBE, 5% WBE and 10% Section 3. Prevailing wages must be paid to all workmen employed on this project. Call the G.C. at 660-665-4623 for information on obtaining bidding documents.

BIDS AND NOTICES NOTICE TO MINORITY, WOMEN, DISADVANTAGE & SERVICE DISABLED VETERAN ENTERPRISES: WE ARE LOOKING FOR 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

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Sealed bids for Christopher Drive Infrastructure, St. Louis County Project No. CR-1444, will be received at the Office of the Director of Procurement for the County of St. Louis, County Government Center Administration Building, 41 South Central Avenue, 8th Floor, Clayton, Missouri 63105, until 2:00 p.m. on October 14, 2015.

Plans and specifications will be available on September 21, 2015 from the St. Louis County Web Site (www.stlouisco.com), or by contacting County Blue Reprographics, Inc., 1449 Strassner Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63144, (314) 961-3800.

DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT AND ADMINSTRATIVE SERVICES ST. LOUIS, COUNTY

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Notice is hereby given that The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (District) will receive sealed bids for Re-Bid Stansberry Ave #9262 Storm Sewer under Letting No. 11039-015.1, at this office, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103, until 02:00 PM on Tuesday, October 27, 2015, at a place designated.

Bids will be received only from companies that are pre-qualified by the District’s Engineering Department for: SEWER CONSTRUCTION – St. Louis County drainlayer’s license required Plans and Specifications are available for free electronic download. Please go to MSD’s website and look for a link to “ELECTRONIC PLANROOM.” Plans and Specifications are also available for viewing or purchase at Cross Rhodes Reprographics located at 1710 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis MO 63110. All bidders must obtain a set of plans and specifications in order to submit a bid in the name of the entity submitting the bid.

The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

www.stlamerican.com

The annual salary for this position is $76,259. To be considered for this position, you must submit a current application, resume, a copy of all transcripts, an article from a law journal or other technical writing sample, and professional references by 5:00 p.m. October 15, 2015 to the MO Public Service Commission, Reference Number EX021015, PO Box 360, Jefferson City, MO 65102 or via e-mail to pscjobs@psc.mo.gov.

For additional information visit http://psc.mo.gov/General/Career_Opportunities.

Need a quote?

Send your ad text to vmedina@stlamerican.com

THE

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN C8

Bids & Notices ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

LETTING #8592 IMPROVEMENTS TO TILLES 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 October 20, 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.

A pre-bid conference for all contractors bidding on this project will be held on Monday October 5, 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).

•

IS YOUR HOME A HEALTH HAZARD FOR YOUR CHILDREN? DO YOU HAVE LEAD-BASED PAINT? DO YOU HAVE CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN PLAYING AT YOUR HOUSE?

In order to qualify you must meet the following criteria: • You own a home built before 1978 • You are current on your property taxes • You have a child under the age of six living in the home OR you have a child under the age of six who frequently visits the home • You have an adjusted household income that meets HUD guidelines

LETTING #8593

Bradley R. Waller: 314-615-4428 Email: bwaller@stlouisco.com

MWBE PREBID MEETING NOTICE The SITE Improvement Association is hosting a Prebid meeting for Qualified and Certified MWBE contractors to discuss working on

Lucas & Hunt and I-70 Sanitary Sewer Contract Letting No. 11928-015.1

Bidders shall comply with all applicable City, State and Federal laws (including MBE/WBE policies). ). Mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 13, 2015, at 10:00 AM in the Training Room, 4th This meeting is being held on behalf of the following SITE contractor members: Floor, at the Airport Office Building, 11495 Navaid Rd., Bridgeton, MO 63044.

LETTING #8591 2015 Roof Replacement for: Terminal 1, East Extension; ‘D’ Concourse Gates D6-D26 At Lambert-St. Louis International Airport 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 October 20, 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 Mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at 1:30 PM in the Training Room at the Airport Office Building, 11495 Navaid Rd., Bridgeton, MO 63044.

All bidders must regard Federal Executive Order 11246, “Notice of Requirement for Affirmative Action to Ensure Equal Employment Opportunity”, the “Equal Opportunity Clause” and the “Standard Federal Equal Employment Specifications” set forth within and referenced at www.stl-bps.org (Announcements).

www.stlamerican.com

MWBE PREBID MEETING NOTICE The SITE Improvement Association is hosting a Prebid meeting for Qualified and Certified MWBE contractors to discuss working on

Claverach Park I/I Reduction and Sewer Separation Contract Letting No. 11115-015.1 This 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

Fred M. Luth & Sons 4516 McRee Avenue St. Louis, MO 63110 314/771-3892 The meeting will take place at

10:00 a.m.

October 14, 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.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

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.

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The State of Missouri (Department of Economic Development), in conjunction with St. Louis County and the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, will hold a public hearing on October 7, 2015, 3:00 p.m. at Better Family Life, 9195 W. Florissant Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63136, to discuss the State’s submission of a “Part 2” application to compete for National Disaster Resilience Funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Missouri was invited to submit under “Part 2” as a result of the success of the development and submission of an eligible “Part 1” application in March of this year.

The State, County and Partnership, in collaboration with our Consultants, have been gathering data to document the need, distributing surveys and holding focus groups as part of the public engagement component to develop the correct approach, and seeking leverage funding opportunities in order to compile the draft application. This hearing will provide necessary feedback to determine if we have incorporated that information accurately and consistently.

HUD is making available approximately $1 billion in a national competition to address unmet needs stemming from previous disasters and to build resilience against future disasters. St. Louis County is eligible based on federal disaster declarations in 2011. The “Part 1” application created a target area encompassing a large portion of North St. Louis County.

The State’s application focuses on unmet need remaining from the disasters in the areas of economic revitalization and housing. The application proposes to increase economic resilience (both individual economic security and neighborhood and community resilience) through sponsorship of a program that brings resources to fund activities including housing rehabilitation, economic development, and job training. A presentation that summarizes the draft application content will be provided at the hearing.

The draft application is also available at www.ded.mo.gov.

For more information on the proposed project, or if you need a specific accommodation, contact Sallie Hemenway at 573-522-4173.

Cliff Cave Branch Natural Bridge Branch Oak Bend Branch Prairie Commons Branch Samuel C. Sachs Branch

Work Package #1 – Demolition / Abatement Work Package #2 – Cast-In-place Concrete Work Package #3 – Masonry Work Package #4 – General Works Work Package #5 – Roofing & Sheet Metal Work Package #6 – Glass & Glazing Work Package #7 – Drywall, Framing, Insulation & EIFS Work Package #8 – Acoustical Ceilings Work Package #9 – Tile & Flooring Work Package #10 – Painting Work Package #11 – Fire Protection Work Package #12 – Plumbing Work Package #13 – HVAC Work Package #14 – Electrical There will be Outreach Meetings/Pre-bid Meetings held on the following dates and locations; Tuesday September 22, 2015 at 10:00 AM Prairie Commons 915 Utz Ln. Hazelwood, MO 63042-2739 Tuesday September 22, 2015 at 2:00 PM Samuel C Sachs 16400 Burkhardt Pl. Chesterfield, MO 63017-4660 Wednesday September 23, 2015 at 8:00 AM Natural Bridge 7606 Natural Bridge Road St. Louis, MO 63121-4905 Wednesday September 23, 2015 at 10:00 AM Cliff Cave 5430 Telegraph Road St. Louis, MO 63129-3556 Wednesday September 23, 2015 at 2:00 PM Oak Bend 842 S. Holmes Ave. St. Louis, MO 63122-6507 The pre-bid meetings will be held in the meeting room at each branch location. The purpose of these meetings is to address technical questions about the projects from the prospective bidders and to encourage collaboration between majority subcontractors and W/MBE subcontractors.

This project will have W/MBE enterprise goals of 15% MBE participation and 5% WBE participation.

Bidding documents will be available as of September 15, 2015 and can viewed and/or downloaded from the following link.

Posted: September 18, 2015 at 1:00 p.m.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is holding a public meeting on October 7th relating to the revision of the Missouri School Improvement Program Scoring Guide as required by Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 161.092. This meeting will be conducted in room 450 of the Governor Office Building, 200 Madison Street, Jefferson City, Missouri and will commence at 9:00 a.m. and will conclude at 10:00 a.m. The room will open to accommodate public seating at 8:30 a.m.

A tentative agenda is as follows: • Discussion of revisions to Missouri School Improvement Program Scoring Guide • Open Comments Individuals who are unable to provide testimony at the public meeting may submit comment to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in writing to P.O. Box 480, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0480 or by email at: msip@dese.mo.gov.

Anyone attending the public meeting of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education who requires auxiliary aids or services should request such services by contacting the Executive Assistant to the Office of Quality Schools, telephone (573) 751-4234 or Relay Missouri (800) 735-2966, no later than 48 hours before the meeting.

The news media may obtain copies of this notice by contacting: Sarah Potter, Communications Coordinator PO Box 480 Jefferson City, MO 65102 573-751-3469 Communications@dese.mo.gov

https://secure.smartbidnet.com/External/PublicPlanRoom.aspx?Id=196113&i=1 Bidding documents may also be viewed in the following locations.

Smartbid.Net For access to SmartBid.net contact Debra Sheahan at S. M. Wilson. debra.sheahan@smwilson.com

McGraw Hill Online Plan Room www.construction.com/projectcenter

St. Louis Minority Business Council 308 North 21st Street, Suite 700 St. Louis, MO 63103 314-241-1143

Cross Rhodes Reprographics 1712 Macklind Ave. St. Louis, MO 63110 314/678-0087 Reed Construction Data 30 Technology Parkway South Suite 100 Norcross, GA 30092 Hampton Printing Services 2185 Hampton Avenue P.O. Box 5210 St. Louis, MO 63139 314/633-9623

MOKAN 4144 Lindell, Suite 316 St. Louis, MO 63108 314/535-9200 Construction Managers Office 2185 Hampton Ave. St. Louis MO 63139 314/645-9595

The plans may also be ordered from Hampton Printing Services (2185 Hampton Avenue P.O. Box 5210 St. Louis, MO 63139). Contact Hampton Printing Services to order a set of documents. (314-633-9623 phone, keith.tegeler@smwilson.com e-mail, or 314-644-0390 fax.)

Contractors must request plans at least 24 Hours in advance of pick up.

St. Louis County Library is a TAX EXEMPT entity. All bids are to be submitted without tax.

INVITATION FOR BIDS NORTH SARAH PHASE III PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS SOLICITATION NO. RD 15-06

10:30 a.m.

October 15, 2015

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDDERS

Sealed bids will be received by the Construction Manager, S. M. Wilson & Co. at the St. Louis County Library – Oak Bend Branch Meeting Room (842 S. Homes Ave. St. Louis, MO 63122), at 2:00 PM on Tuesday October 6, 2015 for the Bid Package(s) described herein. Bids will be opened publicly and read aloud at that time. Bids MUST be hand delivered to the above address by 2:00 pm on October 6, 2015. No mail in Bids will be accepted. Courier bids will be accepted to the above stated bid location with Attention to Mr. Steve Hunter St. Louis If your home was built before 1978 it could have lead-based paint. St. Louis County Library.

County’s Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Program offers NO-COST home improvements to ensure your children are safe. These St. Louis County Library improvements may include window and door replacement, exterior trim Master Plan Phase 1B – 2015 enclosure and interior and exterior painting.

CHILLER 2 REPLACEMENT, EAST CLIMATE CONTROL At Lambert-St. Louis International Airport

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).

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2015

Contact:

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 3, 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.

THE

The St. Louis Housing Authority (SLHA) is soliciting bids from qualified contractors for the construction of North Sarah Phase III Public Improvements. The project consists of, but is not limited to, street, curb and sidewalk improvements, new street lighting and trees, utility upgrades, and new sewer and storm water improvements.

Bidders will be charged the cost of reproduction for each bid set purchased.

Bid documents will be available for distribution Monday, October 5, 2015.

Plans will be available for purchase at the following location: Cross Rhodes Repro 1712 Macklind Ave. St. Louis, MO 63110 Phone: (314) 678-0087 Fax: (314) 678-0176 repro@x-rhodes.com A pre-bid conference is scheduled for Tuesday, October 13, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. (local time) in the 1st Floor Conference Room at 3520 Page Blvd. There will be a site visit immediately following the conference.

SLHA will receive sealed bids for this work until 2:00 p.m. (local time) Wednesday, November 4, 2015, at the St. Louis Housing Authority, 3520 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO, 1st Floor Conference Room, at which time and place all qualified bids will be publicly opened and read aloud. All bidders must comply with prevailing wage requirements and with Section 3 and MBE/WBE requirements.

Cheryl A. Lovell Executive Director AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

St. Louis County Library reserves the right to reject any and all Bids, to waive informalities therein to determine the lowest and best bid, and to approve the Bond (if applicable). The prevailing wage law is in effect on this project. No Bid may be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) days subsequent to the specified time for receipt of Bids.

A Bid Bond or Certified Check made payable to the St. Louis County Library, in the amount of 5% of the Base Bid shall accompany the Bid Packages as a guarantee that the bidder, if awarded the Contract, will furnish a satisfactory Performance and Payment Bond; execute the Contract; and proceed with the work. Upon failure to do so, he shall forfeit the deposit or amount of the Bid Bond as liquidated damages, and no mistakes or errors on the part of the Bidder shall excuse the Bidder or entitle him to a return of the deposit or Bid Bond.

If a Bid Bond or Certified Check is not attached to the bid at the time of the opening, the bid will not be read or considered for the project.

The Statutes of the State of Missouri require that not less than the prevailing rate per diem, legal holiday and overtime wages in the locality where the work is to be performed, be paid to all laborers, workmen and mechanics employed in the execution of the Contract. All other Statutes of the State of Missouri covering employment shall apply to any Contract awarded.

Bidders must be in compliance with the rules and regulations of the Fair Employment Practices Commission.

The Construction Management Agency for this project is S. M. Wilson & Co. The Senior Estimator is Mrs. Debra Sheahan, email debra.sheahan@smwilson.com, phone 314-645-9595, or fax 314-645-1700, Pre-Construction Director is Mr. Brian Nuehring, e-mail brian.nuehring@smwilson.com, phone 314-645-9595, or fax 314-645-1700, and the Project Director is Mr. Kort Cole, email kort.cole@smwilson.com 314-645-9595, or fax 314-645-1700.

This is a Missouri Public Works Project.

St. Louis County Library is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

S. M. Wilson & Co. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Visit our award winning website. www.stlamerican.com CLICK CLASSIFIEDS

Real Estate & Rentals

THE

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN Manchester!

Unique 2 bedroom, central air, appliances included, hardwoods, pets, off street parking, w/d hookups! $550

BIDS & PUBLIC NOTICES CONTINUED

www.stlamerican.com

FOR GENERAL CONSTRUCTION WORK FOR TENANT FINISHES OF THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF THE BETTER FAMILY LIFE (BFL) FACILITY IN ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI. Project: BFL Third Floor - The Business Development Center – General Office Area and Existing Corridor Finishes.

HOUSES & APTS

2-4 bdrms North City 2-3 bdrms South City Sect 8 OK

314-772-4563 FOR RENT Total Rehab 1-3 bedroom homes & apts. C/A, w/d hookups & private yards.

FALL SPECIAL! Newly remodeled apt for rent, 5231 Lotus spacious 2BR, new hdwd fls through out, some utils incl., $600/mo+Dep Neg., Sec 8 welcome

Notice is hereby given that BFL will be selecting a general contractor for this project and will receive sealed bids clearly marked “The Business Development Center” on or before 10:00 AM CDT, Friday November 6, 2015 to: DeBorah Ahmed – Executive Director, Better Family Life Cultural, Educational and Business Center, 5415 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63112.

Phone: (314) 367-3440. Bids will be publicly opened at that time in the 2nd floor main conference room.

314-724-2054 Sec 8 Welcome North City

Section 8 Welcomed

314-534-3863 South City!

Stylish 3 bedroom house, full basement, garage, central heat/air, fenced yard, kitchen w/dishwasher! $700

2, 3, 4 & 5 BR Single family homes

Scope of work: The project is a 5,460 sf area on the third floor, with a vaulted ceiling partially built out with new lightweight concrete slab, corridor partitions and some Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing systems in place, to be verified, and brought in full working order as needed for completion of the space.

314-518-5898 Morganford!

Redone 1 bedroom, all appliances, central heat/air, basement storage, carpet & tile, pets ok, hookups! $385

Existing corridor receives new paint and flooring finish, some lighting and signage along with the new entrances to the suites. The tenant space receives new carpet and painted walls. Existing vaulted ceilings receive new tongue and groove stained wood plank covering and suspended direct/ indirect light fixtures. Pre-manufactured wall dividers create separate offices. Construction Bid Documents consist of Architectural sheets A1 through A-5 dated September 1, 2015, as produced by Lauer Architecture Progressive Design.

rs-stl.com AGX5M 314-309-2043 APT. FOR RENT NORTH CITY Newly remodeled 1BR $475/mo + $475 Dep. Stove, Fridge, carpet, w/d hkup.

314-537-4429 Maplewood!

All Utilities Paid!

Redone 1 bedroom, cold a/c, newer carpet, ceiling fans, all appliances w/dishwasher! $475

Contractors are to comply with all regulations and reporting including but not limited to Section 3 requirements and preparing a Section 3 plan, completion of the enclosed MBE/WBE Utilization forms, and HUD Federal Labor Standards, along with a mandatory RFQ bidder's questionnaire that is due with the bids (all of which will be available from the Owner). The Contract Documents will be made available no later than October 2. They are on file at Cross Rhodes Reprographics,1720 Macklind Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110, 314-678-0087; at Better Family Life, and are open for public inspection. Copies of documents may be obtained from Lauer Architecture at cost plus handling. BFL reserves the right to reject any and all bids, offers, or proposals submitted, or to advertise for new bids.

rs-stl.com AGX5O 314-309-2043

Castle Park Apts ONE (1) Bedroom and TWO (2) Bedroom Apt waiting list closed Sept. 30th. Castle Park will no longer be accepting applications due to current wait list length of one year.

FOR RENT

SENIOR APARTMENTS

rs-stl.com AGX5Z 314-309-2043

CWE Near Loop, bus, and L-Rail SUPER NICE 1br, 3rd fl $450 1br, 1st fl 500

314-805-1406 ROOMS FOR RENT Good heating and cooling. Fully furnished & Cable

314-484-3147 314-717-9966

APARTMENTS FOR RENT

NORTH COUNTY

completely re-decorated, new carpet.

3 BRs Newly Rehabbed Section 8 Preferred

2BR, 1BA,

314-389-1804 314-346-1302 FURNISHED ROOMS

for rent North City Clean, cable utils included, off bus line

$105/wk 314-575-6633

FOR RENT

636-939-6664 South City!!

Updated 1 bedroom, cold a/c, kitchen appliances, bring the pets, part utilities paid, ready now! only $395

rs-stl.com AGX5N 314-309-2043

ATTENTION!

PRIVATE BATH & KITCHEN FURNISHED KITCHENETTES FOR RENT

$149/wk & up!

C9 Starting at $100/wk FURNISHED ROOMS FOR RENT

314-740-1878

314-651-6671

Mrs. Davis

North County!

APTS. FOR RENT

ROOMS FOR RENT

1 BR on Minnesota $475+ $475 Dep 2BR + Bonus 2 fam flat upstair unit on Ashland $535/mo + $535

FALL SPECIAL!

Easy move in! 4 bed, 2 bath house, full basement, nice fenced yard, pets welcome, flexible deposit! $750

rs-stl.com AGX5Y 314-309-2043 APTS. & HOUSES FOR RENT Looking for a few great tenants to live in a God fearing environment.

Sec. 8 welcome with open arms.

Call Mr. Robert

314-368-1298 PAGE PROPERTIES

3 BR apartment, Large rooms, washer & dryer hook-up. near busline. $600/mo $1000 Dep.

314-583-8764

All utils. included, Fully Furnished, major bus lines Men/Women All Ages Starting at $100/wk

314-629-1220 Natural Bridge! $200 deposit! Loaded 3 bed, 2 bath home, central air, finished basement, family room, w/d hookups! $500

rs-stl.com AGX6O 314-309-2043 Potential Free Rent APT FOR RENT ONE UNIT LEFT

314-629-5051

618-781-7968

1220 Warren

South City

2125-27 Obear 3 rms, (1 BDRM) $425/mo For details call

314-436-0733

314-537-4429

314-255-4733

South City!

Park Place Apts

Senior over age 55 & Newly remodeled 2BR stove, fridge, eligible handicapped w/d hk-up individual1 bedroom microwave, on 2nd fl, c/a, carpet, apt. Income base. walk-in closet, 4 Electric included call ceiling fans

APT. FOR RENT NORTH CITY starting at $120/wk Near bus stop, utils, phone, dish satellite, w/d all included. Shared bathroom & kitchen

Ready to rent 2 bedroom, central heat/air, appliances included, newer carpet, off street parking! only $500

314-761-5709

rs-stl.com AGX59 314-309-2043

Florissant!

FOR RENT

No Lease! 1 bedroom, frosty a/c, hardwoods, w/d hookups, storage, utilities paid, ready to rent! only $375

Rolling Hills Apts.

Winter Garden 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

2 BR apt North City $550/MO + $550 Dep

SOUTH CITY Near bus line and Metrolink, All Utilities & Cable Included Clean & Quiet

314-575-2665

(Nothing Like Your Own)

FOR RENT Small 2 BR house in Berkeley $550/mo $550 Dep

Back yard Carriage house for rent, 1 br, full basement. $500/mo. 1st & last mo. 5834 Saloma Ave. Prefer single person or couple

rs-stl.com AGX5L 314-309-2043

for further details.

8869 Maya Lane, St. Louis MO 63136

SAN REMO APARTMENTS

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

314-925-9406 TTY 800-735-2966 Equal Housing Opportunity

Professionally Managed by NHPMN Management, LLC

51XX Cote Brilliante Newly redecorated 1 & 2 BR

314-382-4826

A Senior Community Now Accepting Apps!

62+ Sec 8 housing avail, income restr. apply 1-bdrm apts, A/C, on-site laundry Free gas/water/trash 4399 Forest Park Blvd St. Louis, MO 63108

314-925-9405 TTY 800-735-2966 Equal Housing Opportunity

Professionally Managed by NHPMN Management, LLC

MARK TWAIN 2 MONTHS HOTEL 1/2 OFF RENT Summer discounts avail.

314-421-2980 (Downtown)

Centrally Located & Connected to Metro and Buses, Short Term Weekly RentalsNo credit check $110.50 and up per week (utilities and Housekeeping svcs included) Other terms and conditions may apply.

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

EADS SQUARE APARTMENTS

Move-In Special!

North City 1 & 2 BR $415 - $575 Stable Income / No evictions

rs-stl.com AGX6P 314-309-2043

South City!

Updated 4 bed, 2 bath house, full basement, central air, fenced yard, appliances, pets, hardwood floors! $775

(314) 869-5033

REAL ESTATE & RENTALS 2 BR c/a, Dining Room Living Room, Fenced Yard , basement $695/mo + Dep

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2015

rs-stl.com AGX6A 314-309-2043

ADVERTISEMENT TO SOLICIT BIDS

A mandatory pre-bid meeting at 5415 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63112 on Monday, October 5, 2015 at 10:00 AM to discuss the project. The bids are due at 10:00 AM CDT, Friday November 6, 2015 at 5415 Page Blvd. Bids will be publicly opened at that time in the 2nd floor main conference room.

Project to be Substantially Complete within 90 business days (18 weeks) after the date of the award of the contract (by March 11th, 2016), with Final Completion for Occupancy within 120 business days (24 weeks – April 22nd, 2016).

•

THE

2BR $575

62 YEARS & OLDER

636-227-3647 (314) 239 - 2861

2700 Henrietta

Fall is Fun with us!!

Move-In Special

848 N. Kingshighway St. Louis, MO 63108

McCormack House

314-454-9305

Heat is Paid - 24 Hour Desk Attendant

Mon-Fri 8:30am-5:00pm Saturdays 10:00am -2:00pm

Sr. Living Apartments

Fully Equipped Kitchens - Walk-in Showers Beautiful! A must see for those 62 yrs or older!!

1 Bedrooms

www.mccormackhouseatwestminsterapts.com

*Coded entry system *Free Gated Parking *Small pets allowed *Includes appliances & utilities.

866-347-8650

Please call 314.773.6674 Rent based upon 30% of adjusted income.

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 Dental

Hearing Aids

314-334-0211 CHURCH RUMMAGE SALE

As low as $150/Pair

Cornerstone Institutional Baptist Church 4700 Washington Blvd.

STL, MO 63108

Co-pay

Friday, October 2nd & Saturday, October 3rd 8AM - 3PM Great Household Items Available!

$1000/year Dentures, Partials, Crowns, Root Canals & Other Dental Services

Glasses As low as $15/Pair Co-pay

Call 1-800-733-1912 to see if you qualify.

CHARITY GARAGE SALE from the Resale Shop Sat. Oct. 3, 8-3 at the College Hunks Warehouse 1616 Woodson Road, 63114 -Look for the red signs Men’s and Women’s clothing $1 Children’s clothing $.25

Fall Clean-up Man & His Truck Light Hauling Yard Work, Moving & Gutter Cleaning REASONABLE

314-583-6971

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 1 - 7, 2015

C10

Celebrity Swag Snap of the Week Tony Thompson has assembled a team of super producers to aid him in growing his TBeats vision, including Producer Jo capo, Mix engineer Dwhit White, Neil Bernard and James “Fat man” Bowens. They were all on hand at the TBeats listening party Sunday at the rooftop of the Four Seasons.

America’s next top model finalist and Recording artist Don Benjamin with HG Nightlife’s Sabrina after he packed the house out Friday @ HG Kisha and Curtis were among the evening’s most progressively stylish guests of the 28th Annual Salute To Excellence In Education Scholarship and Awards Gala Friday @ America’s Center

Tonda, Monica, Mekia, Jasmine and Ashia came from Memphis to check out some local talent Sunday @ The Four Seasons for the Tbeats listening party

Salute stylin’. Okay so Salute 28 is a wrap and it was everything I hoped it to be and more – hopefully y’all felt the same. Of course you did. You can read about the fantabulous honorees and the more than $500K (yes you are reading these zeros correctly – that’s as in half-million) in scholarships that were awarded on 1a, so please check it out. But I’m here for the superficial, so get ready to get into the outfits and that after party action. The shoe game HANDS DOWN goes to my Girl Scotti of Shop Basic Instinct. Girl, those patent leather red bottoms have me on the verge forsaking my entire wardrobe fund for next (and adding a couple of c-notes) just so I can slay with my footwear. If I had Scotti’s Salute shoes, I could come up in America’s Center next year wearing my lavender housecoat and all anyone would be talking about is my sickening pumps. Our own Mary Easter was giving it to as far as the formal footwear goes. Her solid gold bow front peep toe stiletto– which looked like a Madden Girl, but I don’t know for sure, was among my favorites. As far as hair, the short bobs and big natural hair put the sew-ins to shame. Our jazz cabaret featured entertainment Denise Thimes was among the slayers with those chestnut highlights on her side-swept short do. Also there was a woman from the Jennings School District named Candice who was giving me everything with her revival of Halle Berry’s hair circa 1993. And young scholar who said to herself “I’m going to make everyone in this room want to look like Medusa with my supersized Marley hair braids,” girl, you did that. Now let’s get to the clothes. Off-white was clearly the new black –as were bold colors like Purple and turquoise. Tracie McKeown proved that you can be a regular sized woman and look as stunning as the petite girls in strapless with her regal plum floor length gown. . Her girl Charli Cooksey made my best dressed list for the second year in a row with her “Mad Man”-ish 50s formal floral dress. It was life. The men really spiced it up for the Salute 28 and went against the grain of your standard black tie. They had velvet, navy, the Euro fit and stylish loafers that had me serenading them with “I’m Classic Man” under my breath as they walked by. My favorite was Brett Johnson (I think that’s his name) who works for Riverview Gardens. That fit, that facial hair and those shoes…yes, yes and yes. Now let’s get to that party.

Salute slide machines. Y’all are usually all about those slides on the dance floor for the Salute after party, but the folks took it to a whole other level for the 2K15. DJ Kut was helping the folks facilitate the slides with “The Wobble” “Cha Cha” and so on…and so on…Is it me or does the “Fantasy” slide go on for 45 minutes. Based on what I saw Friday night, I would like to crown Frank and Veronica the official Salute Slide Grand Marshals. Those two were everything on the dance floor do you hear me, so much so that I had to find out their names and shout them out. They made up slides on the spot – and were ready, willing and able to teach them live on the dance floor to our other partygoers. Y’all might think they came prepared with 15 slides on deck (which is a feat in itself) but when I saw them go off the cuff and create a slide routine to “Nothing But A G Thing,” I was ready to gift them tickets for life to make sure they are there to pump the party from here to infinity. Now I know that there was some folks who felt that DJ Kut didn’t go old school enough –and that’s fair – but the younger old school folks (like myself) weren’t mad at all – especially that glorious dancing machine in the turquoise dress. I would say that we clocked yet another win with the program, the spectacular panache and the after party. I cannot wait for Salute 29!

Autumn, of Radio one, Erica and Tiffany, of the St. Louis Rams, and Mya Friday night for the Leading Ladies Model Search Contest @ OBar

New Jack Old School with Café Soul. I was able to slide out (all pun intended) of Salute to catch a sip of the New Jack Swing Throwback Edition of Café Soul. I wish the poor thing could have learned the words to “All About The Benjamins,” but Nite Owl redeemed things on the rap side with his ode to Rakim that included a medley of “Move the Crowd” and “Paid in Full.” I had a nice time and enjoyed most everybody, but the king of the New Jack Swing Café Soul goes hands down to Justin Hoskin. From the first note of “Forever My Lady,” let me tell you…ev-er-ry-thing!!!!

Mr. and Mrs. Winston enjoyed some live tunes Friday night @ The Marquee for Café Soul

Passion and fashion designer Qristyl Frazier following The Made in America STL Fashion show Sunday @ Kranzberg Arts Center

Basketball Wives LA star Angel Brinks came and partied with Niddy and his crew for Fetish Friday @ HG One of the lovely couples that mixed classic elegance with a taste of new age swag @ 28th Annual Salute To Excellence In Education Scholarship and Awards Gala Friday @ America’s Center

TBeats on the roof top. Look, if anybody had any doubts on whether Tony Thompson is serious about his passion for music and giving opportunities to young local artists, Sunday night should have shut them up for good. He had the rooftop of the Four Seasons looking like a major label listening party as he gave the artists of TBeats a chance to shine in front of the who’s who in STL. I caught the tail end of if, but from what I saw I was impressed. Who was the gentleman who looked like he escaped his own wedding to slay the stage for TBeats? I got my life. And Tony has enlisted some heavy hitters to help him make St. Louis a music Mecca - including Grammy Award nominated producer Joe Capo and Neil Bernard aka the Swizz Beatz of Trinidad. Sunday’s presentation has me good and ready to see what TBeats comes up with in their lab!

Quan, Stacy and Angie came together to show love to TBeats Sunday @ The Four Seasons Photos by Lawrence Bryant & John Scott

A Mo Spoon B-Day party. After it was over at the Four Seasons I scooted on over to Bar Napoli to help my boy Mo Spoon ring in another year at what was left of his day party. When I tell you he brought out the local heavy hitters, understand that he had Blu Bolden of Derrty Ent., Abe, Shaki and T-Luv of Star Power to name a few. There were all sorts of “Where Are They Now: The Eye Candy Edition” action. I saw several models all grown up like Tamar and Brittanye Skye. Blu’s niece Dominque was killing the game in some acid washed jeans and I’m gonna say 13-inch stilettos that would have been a suicide mission for yours truly. I promise I would’ve fell out the car in those glorious suede bangers with all the buckles.

Ashley and Tamar helped hometown beauty Cherie party for her and Mo Spoon’s b-day Friday night @ Mood

www.stlamerican.com

Page 4

CHOICES

OCTOBER 1-7, 2015

How to be a financial guide for graduates

By Michelle Singletary Washington Post It’s going to be a whole new financial world for college and high school graduates. Many of them will confront a number of money issues for the first time in their lives.

So I’d like to offer some advice that you can use to help your graduate navigate this new fiscal terrain. Here are three of my top tips for college graduates.

Commiserate with them about the overwhelming amount of information they’ll get about planning for retirement.

College graduates entering the workforce will be bombarded with financial information. Offer to help go through the information with them. If you don’t feel equipped to offer advice, as a graduation gift hire a fee-only financial planner to help explain what’s in his or her company’s plan and map out an investment strategy.

Or encourage them to use the financial advising services many company plans offer. If there is a fee for some extra guidance, make that a graduation gift.

Don’t pressure your graduate to buy a Data System. The database will list federal home as soon as possible. loans, so make sure graduates check Too many people early in their work with their college for information about years feel pressure to buy a home. They any private loans. They also can track will start to hear advice about what a down loans by getting their credit reports good investment it will be. That makes at www.annualcreditreport.com. Have them too anxious and they may jump them pull their file from each of the three into this decision sooner than they agencies in case a lender doesn’t report to should. all of them.

Tell them renting is OK until Here are three helpful tips for they are better off financially. high school graduates.

Encourage them to tuck away Discourage them from getting a emergency funds until all or a credit card. significant amount of any debt, Although it’s harder for them especially student loans, are paid to get credit, they still can. Credit off. Home ownership is right card companies want to catch them when it’s truly affordable and not early so they become devoted a day sooner. customers.

Offer to help gather all the But they have time to build a Guest Columnist information about their student good credit history. While they are Michelle loans. in college or starting out on their Singletary Bug them when it comes to own, it’s important to make sure making sure they know how they know how to manage their much they owe. Many borrowers lives by living within their means find out years later they had forgotten without the crutch of a credit card. about a student loan and were faced Always say “no” until you see a budget. with a lot more interest, plus penalties.

Make them count the cost of every Start the search on www.nslds. move that involves a financial decision, ed.gov, the site for the U.S. Department especially one you have to sign off on. of Education’s National Student Loan Our daughter, who will be a junior this

fall at the University of Maryland, wanted to move to off-campus housing. She initially tried to make her case by saying it would be cheaper than living on campus.

We asked her a series of questions that often got the response, “I don’t know.” Or she tried to get away with estimates.

Until we saw an actual budget – hard numbers – we said, “Nope. Not going to happen.” Many conversations later, she’s moving into the apartment, and she has a good handle on the costs.

Help them get into the habit of doing a detailed cost-benefit analysis for their choices.

Always speak ill of debt.

Sure they’ll borrow if they haven’t already for a car or student loans, and eventually a home. But they don’t have to like it.

And if they don’t like it, they will want to get rid of it as soon as possible.

Do your best to make them a hater of debt long before they graduate from college. Then the other list comes in handy.

Michelle Singletary writes a nationally syndicated personal finance column for the Washington Post.

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Page 2

CHOICES

OCTOBER 1-7, 2015

Links, Inc. awards seven scholarships

Community Service Scholarships value totals $8,400 American staff

The Archway (MO) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated assists college bound students with $8,400 in scholarships this summer. The Community Service Scholarships are given annually to help students as they enter their first year of college.

It also recognizes the many hours the student has spent helping others through community service.

The high school graduation rate for African Americans is improving in metropolitan St. Louis. The United States Census shows it increased in this region from 74 percent in 2007 to 78.5 percent in 2011.

But at the same time poverty continues to impact a student’s ability to get a college education. In 2010,

In August the Archway (MO) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated presented scholarships to seven students in the amount of $1,200 per student. approximately 52,200 children were living below the poverty line in the St. Louis area, according to the United States Census. The Lumina Foundation, a Higher Education advocacy

organization, estimates that by the year 2018, 59 percent of all jobs in Missouri will require some form of postsecondary education.

The Archway (MO) Chapter of The

Links scholarship winners Olivia Obi Missouri State University 2015 Graduate of Hazelwood West High School Brijuana McCrary – Missouri State University 2015 Graduate of Riverview Gardens High School Darren Cunningham – Harris Stowe State University 2015 Graduate of Clyde C. Miller Career Academy Kacey Tatum – Grambling State University 2015 Graduate of Frances Howell High School Kaliyah Cosentino Southeast Missouri State University 2015 Graduate of Hazelwood East High School Glenda Nelson – St. Louis University 2015 Graduate of Hazelwood East High School Victoria Miller – Howard University 2015 Graduate of Metro High School

Links, Incorporated is strongly committed to supporting students entering college. In August the Chapter presented scholarships to seven students in the amount of $1,200 per student.

These high school graduates are recognized for performing community service relating to one or more of The Links, Incorporated five National Program Facets: National Trends and Services, to address legislative and educational issues; International Trends and Services, focusing on improving the quality of life for people of color worldwide; Services to Youth, emphasizing the betterment of the lives of children, particularly those of African-American descent; The Arts, bringing attention to the contributions of African Americans who are involved in activities such as visual and performing arts, writing, and music; and Health and Human Services, targeting health and wellness, healthy life styles, and obesity.

During the presentation, chapter President Susan E. Buford told students and parents how much they are respected.

“The Archway Chapter is very proud of these students as they take this next important step in their lives,” Buford said.

“We are honored to partner and assist them.”

The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. The membership consists of nearly 14,000 professional women of color in 281 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.

OCTOBER 1-7, 2015

CHOICES

Page 3

Intern cracks cold case Marques Williams of Mizzou identified a human trafficking ringleader

something new, his bosses told him it had already been investigated. Until one day he uncovered a mistaken identity.

Marques Williams is pretty sure his “Did you know this person is actually bosses thought they were giving him this [other] person?” he asked. They busywork. He was two weeks into a didn’t. The discovery cracked open summer 2014 internship the case. n “I found a with the U.S. State “For the first time, Department in Guangzhou, passion for figurI stayed late and came China, when he was just to figure it out,” ing out who’s doing early assigned to investigate he says. “At the end of what and why and two months, not only a human trafficking ring case that had been cold for stopping it. It came did I get a picture [of the two years. ringleader] but a name natural to me.”

Williams, Mizzou and [location of] where BS ’14, from Florissant, she was.”

– Marquis Williams was working in the fraud Williams is a master’s prevention office at the student in the Truman U.S. Consulate. His regular School of Public Affairs at duties were to track trends Mizzou. His experiences in fraudulent activity and identify in China — he also spent a semester fake or dishonest visa documents and at Beijing Language and Culture applications. He was also to sift through University as an undergraduate — the trafficking files for fresh leads. cemented his desire to work for the Each time he thought he’d found federal government.

By Erik Potter.

Of MIZZOU magazine

Photo by Rob Hill

University of Missouri student Marques Williams found his passion for government service while cracking a human trafficking case during a U.S. State Department internship in China.

“I found a passion for figuring out who’s doing what and why and stopping it,” he says. “It came natural to me.”

The work was so rewarding, Williams says, that he gained a career insight:

IChoseUMSL

“I want a job I love so much I’d do it for free.”

Republished with permission from MIZZOU magazine.

88,000 alumni made the right choice - more than 75 percent of whom still live and work in St. Louis.

S

Serious education. Serious value.

PID.2014173 SALUTE TO EXCELLENCE AD 10"X5.5" .indd 1

8/22/14 11:48 AM

Page 4

CHOICES

OCTOBER 1-7, 2015

How to be a financial guide for graduates

By Michelle Singletary Washington Post It’s going to be a whole new financial world for college and high school graduates. Many of them will confront a number of money issues for the first time in their lives.

So I’d like to offer some advice that you can use to help your graduate navigate this new fiscal terrain. Here are three of my top tips for college graduates.

Commiserate with them about the overwhelming amount of information they’ll get about planning for retirement.

College graduates entering the workforce will be bombarded with financial information. Offer to help go through the information with them. If you don’t feel equipped to offer advice, as a graduation gift hire a fee-only financial planner to help explain what’s in his or her company’s plan and map out an investment strategy.

Or encourage them to use the financial advising services many company plans offer. If there is a fee for some extra guidance, make that a graduation gift.

Don’t pressure your graduate to buy a Data System. The database will list federal home as soon as possible. loans, so make sure graduates check Too many people early in their work with their college for information about years feel pressure to buy a home. They any private loans. They also can track will start to hear advice about what a down loans by getting their credit reports good investment it will be. That makes at www.annualcreditreport.com. Have them too anxious and they may jump them pull their file from each of the three into this decision sooner than they agencies in case a lender doesn’t report to should. all of them.

Tell them renting is OK until Here are three helpful tips for they are better off financially. high school graduates.

Encourage them to tuck away Discourage them from getting a emergency funds until all or a credit card. significant amount of any debt, Although it’s harder for them especially student loans, are paid to get credit, they still can. Credit off. Home ownership is right card companies want to catch them when it’s truly affordable and not early so they become devoted a day sooner. customers.

Offer to help gather all the But they have time to build a Guest Columnist information about their student good credit history. While they are Michelle loans. in college or starting out on their Singletary Bug them when it comes to own, it’s important to make sure making sure they know how they know how to manage their much they owe. Many borrowers lives by living within their means find out years later they had forgotten without the crutch of a credit card. about a student loan and were faced Always say “no” until you see a budget. with a lot more interest, plus penalties.

Make them count the cost of every Start the search on www.nslds. move that involves a financial decision, ed.gov, the site for the U.S. Department especially one you have to sign off on. of Education’s National Student Loan Our daughter, who will be a junior this

fall at the University of Maryland, wanted to move to off-campus housing. She initially tried to make her case by saying it would be cheaper than living on campus.

We asked her a series of questions that often got the response, “I don’t know.” Or she tried to get away with estimates.

Until we saw an actual budget – hard numbers – we said, “Nope. Not going to happen.” Many conversations later, she’s moving into the apartment, and she has a good handle on the costs.

Help them get into the habit of doing a detailed cost-benefit analysis for their choices.

Always speak ill of debt.

Sure they’ll borrow if they haven’t already for a car or student loans, and eventually a home. But they don’t have to like it.

And if they don’t like it, they will want to get rid of it as soon as possible.

Do your best to make them a hater of debt long before they graduate from college. Then the other list comes in handy.

Michelle Singletary writes a nationally syndicated personal finance column for the Washington Post.

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OCTOBER 1-7, 2015

CHOICES

Page 5

Find your place at St. Louis Community College

Registration for spring classes begins November 4

Whether you’re just starting out, looking to re-enter the workforce, wanting to switch careers, or simply want to brush up on your business skills, St. Louis Community College provides you with the classes you need to ensure success.

STLCC offers an array of degree and certificate programs in nearly 100 career and technical fields, such as business, engineering and technology, healthcare, art and design, and civil and community service. Career and technical education programs at STLCC are designed to prepare you for a high-skill, high-wage, high-demand career in the real world.

Many of the instructors in STLCC’s career and technical education programs are working professionals in their fields.

Their top priority is to provide the classroom experience that gives you the knowledge and skills you need to walk right into the workforce.

If you need to get back to work

St. Louis Community College -Forest Park is the district’s city campus, located on Highway 40 across from the 1,293-acre city park. immediately, STLCC offers short-term career training for in-demand occupations through its Workforce Solutions Group.

Funding to cover tuition is available for individuals who qualify.

One of the most unique attributes about STLCC is its value. All that the college offers comes to you at less than one-third the cost of other public

universities. This gives you the ability to obtain a quality education at a price you can afford.

St. Louis Community College’s four campuses – Forest Park, Meramec, Wildwood and Florissant Valley – and multiple learning centers give you the opportunity to pursue an education right in your own backyard. Each campus

focuses on the needs and success of its students, ensuring that you leave STLCC with the skills you will need to succeed.

The college also offers online and hybrid courses for even more flexibility.

Registration for spring classes begins November 4. Visit stlcc.edu/startnow to find your place at St. Louis Community College today.

Ferguson Job Fair

Photo by Wiley Price

Karen Farria and Taria Dyson assisted Alicia Buchanan and Bridget Goodlow at the Urban League’s Ferguson Job Fair held September 12 at St. Louis Community College-Florissant Valley.

Page 6

CHOICES

OCTOBER 1-7, 2015

STEM education energizes electrical careers

Electrical Connection partnership has engaged more than 9,000 students

By Jim Curran and Dennis Gralike Guest columnists The July 23 front page of The St. Louis American had the quintessential picture that told a 1,000 words. The story was about the diversity building the IKEA project in the Cortex Innovation Community. The photo showcased that diversity, but also was a reminder of the growing reliance on STEM education in the construction trades.

If you haven’t noticed, the construction industry is becoming more complex, especially electrical and communications installations.

We’ve always needed workers who understand the ohm, amp and watt.

But now, renewable energy, the digital age, advanced manufacturing and other technologies have created enormous complexities.

IKEA is not just a retail store. It’s a retail store with Missouri’s largest rooftop solar array, hosting 4,085 solar panels, enough to power 169 homes. It is a store lit with 100 percent energy-saving LEDs (light emitting diodes). It and other structures utilize high-tech building automation to efficiently operate lighting and environmental controls.

A few blocks away in the Cortex district, Shriners Hospital made extensive use of on-site building information modeling (BIM). The 3D computer program was used in conjunction with iPads in the field to precisely engineer specialized healthcare infrastructure including voice, data, nurse call systems, access control, security, television, fire alarms, and wireless access. Further west, the newly expanded GM plant in Wentzville relies on intricate process controls that operate advanced robotics in auto manufacturing.

STEM subjects – science, technology, engineering and math – are critically important to developing the workforce of the future that can build this level of complexity. That’s why the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local One and the St. Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) are in the sixth year of helping improve STEM education in our schools.

Through its Electrical Connection partnership, IBEW/NECA has engaged

Photo by Wiley Price

On Tuesday, July 21, Pat Wittich and Daniel Adkinson of Aschinger Electric placed rails around solar panels installed on the roof of the IKEA store then being built in Midtown St. Louis that opened on September 30. The store’s 259,000-square-foot solar array – the largest rooftop solar installation in the state, with 4,085 panels – will produce enough electricity annually to power 169 homes.

more than 9,000 students in the value of STEM subjects and how it translates into careers in the electrical industry.

Each year, a growing number of applicants fail to meet minimum qualifications in STEM subjects to be admitted as an apprentice at the IBEW/ NECA Electrical Industry Training Center at 2300 Hampton Avenue. Ten years ago, about five percent failed to meet

so as post-war America introduced more advanced robotics to the manufacturing process, and again when computers and the Internet forever changed the transmission of voice/data/video, and once again with the growth of renewable energy. This fall, more than 40 of our journey workers have signed up for our new BIM curriculum. Keeping pace with technology is an endless mission at the

Connect with the Electrical Connection The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local One and the St. Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association collaborate to present the Electrical Connection, which has engaged more than 9,000 students in the value of STEM subjects and how it translates into careers in the electrical industry.

Visit www.electricalconnection.org. qualifications. Today, it’s 15 percent.

That’s alarming because the buyers of construction services are demanding a heightened level of skill and safety on all of their projects.

Over the past 70 years, the training center has continuously updated its curriculum to meet that demand. We did

training center, which is self-funded by IBEW/NECA at no taxpayer expense.

While the training center offers online remedial education to elevate STEM proficiencies for applicants, it’s important to make an impact in the formative years of childhood. So the Electrical Connection has hosted highly informative

STEM programs for school children in the third and fourth grades, junior high and high school. We’ve done this by creating partnerships with the St. Louis Rams, Saint Louis Science Center, FIRST Robotics, Cortex, TechShop, and other institutions including school districts such as the Jennings district and its “Project the Way” program.

We encourage you to learn more about our partnerships by visiting the Electrical Connection web site at www.electricalconnection.org. More importantly, if you are parent or school administrator, we suggest you tear out this article and post it to the refrigerator door or school bulletin board as a daily reminder to your students when they ask that age-old question, “Why do I have to learn this?”

Jim Curran is executive vice president of the Electrical Connection, a partnership of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local One and the St. Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). Dennis Gralike is director of the IBEW/NECA Electrical Industry Training Center.

Jim Curran is executive vice president, Electrical Connection and Dennis Gralike is director, IBEW/NECA Electrical

CHOICES

OCTOBER 1-7, 2015

Page 7

SLU partners with Jennings Schools Urban Education Learning Collaborative will prepare teachers for urban classrooms American staff The School of Education at Saint Louis University has announced a new program – the Urban Education Learning Collaborative (UELC). The program invites undergraduate students to commit to careers in urban and under-resourced schools.

UELC students will be enrolled in special sections of core education courses focused on teaching and learning in urban settings. These courses will explore topics such as urban youth development, leadership in urban schools and communities, research-based instructional strategies for urban students and leadership in urban communities.

The collaborative is partnering with the Jennings School District located in north St. Louis County. UELC cohorts will

engage in meaningful field experiences such as classroom observations, professional development and student teaching in these districts. Jennings superintendent and SLU alumna Tiffany Anderson, Ed.D., is enthusiastic about the partnership, noting that UELC students will learn to be intentional about school and community relationships.

“As we serve the whole child and interrupt the cycle of poverty by helping families create new positive narratives, partnering with Saint Louis University for teacher preparation in urban schools is a powerful next step to ensure together we are effectively training future urban educators,” Anderson said.

Anderson is one of 10 SLU graduates who will receive the Alumni Merit Award during homecoming weekend September 25-27. She also is the St. Louis American Foundation’s 2015 Stellar Performer in Education.

Each UELC cohort will consist of 10 undergraduate education majors who share a commitment to social justice and teaching in city schools.

This tight-knit community will work in close collaboration with SLU faculty, partnering district faculty, doctoral

Jennings School District Superintendent Tiffany Anderson leads a roundtable discussion with students. Photo courtesy of Jennings School District students and stakeholders in the St. Louis urban education community who share similar commitments. Consequently, the UELC will serve as a site for professional as well as personal growth through conversations, friendships and networking opportunities.

Alex Cuenca, Ph.D., assistant professor of social studies education, said the hope is to expand to 40 students who will spend all four years working in the same urban school.

“Because to us the formation of the educator isn’t about simply giving them tools and techniques, it’s about forming the person, especially in high-

poverty settings with situations that are challenging,” Cuenca said.

The UELC is a four-year undergraduate experience that awards a Bachelor of Education degree with Missouri teacher certification. Applicants will apply to the program through Saint Louis University undergraduate school admissions and through recruitment and applications in School of Education classes.

For more information on the Urban Education Learning Collaborative, visit: www.slu.edu/urbaneducation or contact Cuenca at 314-9778178 or acuenca@slu.edu.

Page 8

CHOICES

OCTOBER 1-7, 2015

Online tools for teachers

Making classrooms work for all our students

By Ben Jealous Guest columnist

The most important factor in a student’s success is a great teacher. But in the modern classroom, even great teachers Online Learning face daunting obstacles.

Resources This is a story about what happens when big data meets the “three R’s” – reading, writing, and arithmetic. It’s https://newsela.com/ a story about the recent revolution in https://www.noredink.com/ Education Technology, and how we in https://www.frontrowed.com/ EdTech can help make our education system work for all American students.

Kids learn at different speeds and in different ways. A lesson perceived as boring and under-stimulating to one students based on their personal interests student could strike another student as far – for instance, Harry Potter or Spongebob. too complicated to keep up. According to The program allows teachers to track one study, seven out of 10 middle and high students’ growth and progress and adapts school students require instruction that is questions based on what a student gets specifically targeted to their strengths and right or wrong. Like Newsela, it meets weaknesses. students where they are.

This is partly a function of human On the other side of the academic nature, but it is also a function of spectrum is Front Row (https://www. inequality. The first few years of a child’s frontrowed.com/). Front Row is an online life are crucial for their development, software that generates math exercises as they learn to recognize words for students based on their current and numbers by sight and sound. skill level. Like Newsela and No Many children who grow up poor Red Ink, it tailors the lesson to - particularly poor children of students’ needs and automatically color - have fewer books in their tracks progress. The program even homes, less access to good libraries reads math questions aloud for and less access to the Internet. As ESL students – something that’s early as kindergarten, children in particularly important in light of the the highest socioeconomic level fact that by high school, fewer than already outperform their playmates Guest Columnist one out of ten students taking AP in the lowest socioeconomic level by Computer Science are Latino.

60 percent.

We are entering a new age of Ben This creates a challenge for Edtech. As Silicon Valley investor Jealous teachers: how do you take a class Umang Gupta has pointed out, of 20 or 30 students who all have there has never been a “megadifferent home lives, backgrounds and breakout” in the education software space, skill sets, and somehow manage to teach and only one percent of all education them the same material? A new generation spending right now is on technology. of education software is beginning to help But that is likely to change. Computers teachers answer that question. and tablets only continue to get cheaper, One of these services is Newsela and broadband access only continues to (https://newsela.com/). Newsela provides improve. teachers with daily news articles from In an increasingly diverse nation, we national and local newspapers, written at need to use all the tools at our disposal five different reading levels. The class can - old-fashioned and new - to ensure that discuss the news as a group, and students schools work for all of our kids. The era can earn the satisfaction of moving up a of widespread personalized education is level when they are ready. The software rapidly approaching, and social justicehelps struggling students keep up with the minded entrepreneurs are starting to break class, and allows the brightest students to the code on how to teach using tech. find engaging material.

Ben Jealous is former president and What Newsela does for reading CEO of the NAACP, and partner at comprehension, NoRedInk (https://www.

Kapor Capital, a social impact investing noredink.com/) does for writing. The web- firm that invests in EdTech companies based learning engine generates writing including Newsela, No Red Ink and Front exercises and grammar questions for Row.

Page 2

CHOICES

OCTOBER 1-7, 2015

Links, Inc. awards seven scholarships

Community Service Scholarships value totals $8,400 American staff

The Archway (MO) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated assists college bound students with $8,400 in scholarships this summer. The Community Service Scholarships are given annually to help students as they enter their first year of college.

It also recognizes the many hours the student has spent helping others through community service.

The high school graduation rate for African Americans is improving in metropolitan St. Louis. The United States Census shows it increased in this region from 74 percent in 2007 to 78.5 percent in 2011.

But at the same time poverty continues to impact a student’s ability to get a college education. In 2010,

In August the Archway (MO) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated presented scholarships to seven students in the amount of $1,200 per student. approximately 52,200 children were living below the poverty line in the St. Louis area, according to the United States Census. The Lumina Foundation, a Higher Education advocacy

organization, estimates that by the year 2018, 59 percent of all jobs in Missouri will require some form of postsecondary education.

The Archway (MO) Chapter of The

Links scholarship winners Olivia Obi Missouri State University 2015 Graduate of Hazelwood West High School Brijuana McCrary – Missouri State University 2015 Graduate of Riverview Gardens High School Darren Cunningham – Harris Stowe State University 2015 Graduate of Clyde C. Miller Career Academy Kacey Tatum – Grambling State University 2015 Graduate of Frances Howell High School Kaliyah Cosentino Southeast Missouri State University 2015 Graduate of Hazelwood East High School Glenda Nelson – St. Louis University 2015 Graduate of Hazelwood East High School Victoria Miller – Howard University 2015 Graduate of Metro High School

Links, Incorporated is strongly committed to supporting students entering college. In August the Chapter presented scholarships to seven students in the amount of $1,200 per student.

These high school graduates are recognized for performing community service relating to one or more of The Links, Incorporated five National Program Facets: National Trends and Services, to address legislative and educational issues; International Trends and Services, focusing on improving the quality of life for people of color worldwide; Services to Youth, emphasizing the betterment of the lives of children, particularly those of African-American descent; The Arts, bringing attention to the contributions of African Americans who are involved in activities such as visual and performing arts, writing, and music; and Health and Human Services, targeting health and wellness, healthy life styles, and obesity.

During the presentation, chapter President Susan E. Buford told students and parents how much they are respected.

“The Archway Chapter is very proud of these students as they take this next important step in their lives,” Buford said.

“We are honored to partner and assist them.”

The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. The membership consists of nearly 14,000 professional women of color in 281 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.

OCTOBER 1-7, 2015

CHOICES

Page 3

Intern cracks cold case Marques Williams of Mizzou identified a human trafficking ringleader

something new, his bosses told him it had already been investigated. Until one day he uncovered a mistaken identity.

Marques Williams is pretty sure his “Did you know this person is actually bosses thought they were giving him this [other] person?” he asked. They busywork. He was two weeks into a didn’t. The discovery cracked open summer 2014 internship the case. n “I found a with the U.S. State “For the first time, Department in Guangzhou, passion for figurI stayed late and came China, when he was just to figure it out,” ing out who’s doing early assigned to investigate he says. “At the end of what and why and two months, not only a human trafficking ring case that had been cold for stopping it. It came did I get a picture [of the two years. ringleader] but a name natural to me.”

Williams, Mizzou and [location of] where BS ’14, from Florissant, she was.”

– Marquis Williams was working in the fraud Williams is a master’s prevention office at the student in the Truman U.S. Consulate. His regular School of Public Affairs at duties were to track trends Mizzou. His experiences in fraudulent activity and identify in China — he also spent a semester fake or dishonest visa documents and at Beijing Language and Culture applications. He was also to sift through University as an undergraduate — the trafficking files for fresh leads. cemented his desire to work for the Each time he thought he’d found federal government.

By Erik Potter.

Of MIZZOU magazine

Photo by Rob Hill

University of Missouri student Marques Williams found his passion for government service while cracking a human trafficking case during a U.S. State Department internship in China.

“I found a passion for figuring out who’s doing what and why and stopping it,” he says. “It came natural to me.”

The work was so rewarding, Williams says, that he gained a career insight:

IChoseUMSL

“I want a job I love so much I’d do it for free.”

Republished with permission from MIZZOU magazine.

88,000 alumni made the right choice - more than 75 percent of whom still live and work in St. Louis.

S

Serious education. Serious value.

PID.2014173 SALUTE TO EXCELLENCE AD 10"X5.5" .indd 1

8/22/14 11:48 AM

OCTOBER 1-7, 2015

CHOICES

Page 5

Find your place at St. Louis Community College

Registration for spring classes begins November 4

Whether you’re just starting out, looking to re-enter the workforce, wanting to switch careers, or simply want to brush up on your business skills, St. Louis Community College provides you with the classes you need to ensure success.

STLCC offers an array of degree and certificate programs in nearly 100 career and technical fields, such as business, engineering and technology, healthcare, art and design, and civil and community service. Career and technical education programs at STLCC are designed to prepare you for a high-skill, high-wage, high-demand career in the real world.

Many of the instructors in STLCC’s career and technical education programs are working professionals in their fields.

Their top priority is to provide the classroom experience that gives you the knowledge and skills you need to walk right into the workforce.

If you need to get back to work

St. Louis Community College -Forest Park is the district’s city campus, located on Highway 40 across from the 1,293-acre city park. immediately, STLCC offers short-term career training for in-demand occupations through its Workforce Solutions Group.

Funding to cover tuition is available for individuals who qualify.

One of the most unique attributes about STLCC is its value. All that the college offers comes to you at less than one-third the cost of other public

universities. This gives you the ability to obtain a quality education at a price you can afford.

St. Louis Community College’s four campuses – Forest Park, Meramec, Wildwood and Florissant Valley – and multiple learning centers give you the opportunity to pursue an education right in your own backyard. Each campus

focuses on the needs and success of its students, ensuring that you leave STLCC with the skills you will need to succeed.

The college also offers online and hybrid courses for even more flexibility.

Registration for spring classes begins November 4. Visit stlcc.edu/startnow to find your place at St. Louis Community College today.

Ferguson Job Fair

Photo by Wiley Price

Karen Farria and Taria Dyson assisted Alicia Buchanan and Bridget Goodlow at the Urban League’s Ferguson Job Fair held September 12 at St. Louis Community College-Florissant Valley.

Page 6

CHOICES

OCTOBER 1-7, 2015

STEM education energizes electrical careers

Electrical Connection partnership has engaged more than 9,000 students

By Jim Curran and Dennis Gralike Guest columnists The July 23 front page of The St. Louis American had the quintessential picture that told a 1,000 words. The story was about the diversity building the IKEA project in the Cortex Innovation Community. The photo showcased that diversity, but also was a reminder of the growing reliance on STEM education in the construction trades.

If you haven’t noticed, the construction industry is becoming more complex, especially electrical and communications installations.

We’ve always needed workers who understand the ohm, amp and watt.

But now, renewable energy, the digital age, advanced manufacturing and other technologies have created enormous complexities.

IKEA is not just a retail store. It’s a retail store with Missouri’s largest rooftop solar array, hosting 4,085 solar panels, enough to power 169 homes. It is a store lit with 100 percent energy-saving LEDs (light emitting diodes). It and other structures utilize high-tech building automation to efficiently operate lighting and environmental controls.

A few blocks away in the Cortex district, Shriners Hospital made extensive use of on-site building information modeling (BIM). The 3D computer program was used in conjunction with iPads in the field to precisely engineer specialized healthcare infrastructure including voice, data, nurse call systems, access control, security, television, fire alarms, and wireless access. Further west, the newly expanded GM plant in Wentzville relies on intricate process controls that operate advanced robotics in auto manufacturing.

STEM subjects – science, technology, engineering and math – are critically important to developing the workforce of the future that can build this level of complexity. That’s why the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local One and the St. Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) are in the sixth year of helping improve STEM education in our schools.

Through its Electrical Connection partnership, IBEW/NECA has engaged

Photo by Wiley Price

On Tuesday, July 21, Pat Wittich and Daniel Adkinson of Aschinger Electric placed rails around solar panels installed on the roof of the IKEA store then being built in Midtown St. Louis that opened on September 30. The store’s 259,000-square-foot solar array – the largest rooftop solar installation in the state, with 4,085 panels – will produce enough electricity annually to power 169 homes.

more than 9,000 students in the value of STEM subjects and how it translates into careers in the electrical industry.

Each year, a growing number of applicants fail to meet minimum qualifications in STEM subjects to be admitted as an apprentice at the IBEW/ NECA Electrical Industry Training Center at 2300 Hampton Avenue. Ten years ago, about five percent failed to meet

so as post-war America introduced more advanced robotics to the manufacturing process, and again when computers and the Internet forever changed the transmission of voice/data/video, and once again with the growth of renewable energy. This fall, more than 40 of our journey workers have signed up for our new BIM curriculum. Keeping pace with technology is an endless mission at the

Connect with the Electrical Connection The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local One and the St. Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association collaborate to present the Electrical Connection, which has engaged more than 9,000 students in the value of STEM subjects and how it translates into careers in the electrical industry.

Visit www.electricalconnection.org. qualifications. Today, it’s 15 percent.

That’s alarming because the buyers of construction services are demanding a heightened level of skill and safety on all of their projects.

Over the past 70 years, the training center has continuously updated its curriculum to meet that demand. We did

training center, which is self-funded by IBEW/NECA at no taxpayer expense.

While the training center offers online remedial education to elevate STEM proficiencies for applicants, it’s important to make an impact in the formative years of childhood. So the Electrical Connection has hosted highly informative

STEM programs for school children in the third and fourth grades, junior high and high school. We’ve done this by creating partnerships with the St. Louis Rams, Saint Louis Science Center, FIRST Robotics, Cortex, TechShop, and other institutions including school districts such as the Jennings district and its “Project the Way” program.

We encourage you to learn more about our partnerships by visiting the Electrical Connection web site at www.electricalconnection.org. More importantly, if you are parent or school administrator, we suggest you tear out this article and post it to the refrigerator door or school bulletin board as a daily reminder to your students when they ask that age-old question, “Why do I have to learn this?”

Jim Curran is executive vice president of the Electrical Connection, a partnership of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local One and the St. Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). Dennis Gralike is director of the IBEW/NECA Electrical Industry Training Center.

Jim Curran is executive vice president, Electrical Connection and Dennis Gralike is director, IBEW/NECA Electrical

CHOICES

OCTOBER 1-7, 2015

Page 7

SLU partners with Jennings Schools Urban Education Learning Collaborative will prepare teachers for urban classrooms American staff The School of Education at Saint Louis University has announced a new program – the Urban Education Learning Collaborative (UELC). The program invites undergraduate students to commit to careers in urban and under-resourced schools.

UELC students will be enrolled in special sections of core education courses focused on teaching and learning in urban settings. These courses will explore topics such as urban youth development, leadership in urban schools and communities, research-based instructional strategies for urban students and leadership in urban communities.

The collaborative is partnering with the Jennings School District located in north St. Louis County. UELC cohorts will

engage in meaningful field experiences such as classroom observations, professional development and student teaching in these districts. Jennings superintendent and SLU alumna Tiffany Anderson, Ed.D., is enthusiastic about the partnership, noting that UELC students will learn to be intentional about school and community relationships.

“As we serve the whole child and interrupt the cycle of poverty by helping families create new positive narratives, partnering with Saint Louis University for teacher preparation in urban schools is a powerful next step to ensure together we are effectively training future urban educators,” Anderson said.

Anderson is one of 10 SLU graduates who will receive the Alumni Merit Award during homecoming weekend September 25-27. She also is the St. Louis American Foundation’s 2015 Stellar Performer in Education.

Each UELC cohort will consist of 10 undergraduate education majors who share a commitment to social justice and teaching in city schools.

This tight-knit community will work in close collaboration with SLU faculty, partnering district faculty, doctoral

Jennings School District Superintendent Tiffany Anderson leads a roundtable discussion with students. Photo courtesy of Jennings School District students and stakeholders in the St. Louis urban education community who share similar commitments. Consequently, the UELC will serve as a site for professional as well as personal growth through conversations, friendships and networking opportunities.

Alex Cuenca, Ph.D., assistant professor of social studies education, said the hope is to expand to 40 students who will spend all four years working in the same urban school.

“Because to us the formation of the educator isn’t about simply giving them tools and techniques, it’s about forming the person, especially in high-

poverty settings with situations that are challenging,” Cuenca said.

The UELC is a four-year undergraduate experience that awards a Bachelor of Education degree with Missouri teacher certification. Applicants will apply to the program through Saint Louis University undergraduate school admissions and through recruitment and applications in School of Education classes.

For more information on the Urban Education Learning Collaborative, visit: www.slu.edu/urbaneducation or contact Cuenca at 314-9778178 or acuenca@slu.edu.

Page 8

CHOICES

OCTOBER 1-7, 2015

Online tools for teachers

Making classrooms work for all our students

By Ben Jealous Guest columnist

The most important factor in a student’s success is a great teacher. But in the modern classroom, even great teachers Online Learning face daunting obstacles.

Resources This is a story about what happens when big data meets the “three R’s” – reading, writing, and arithmetic. It’s https://newsela.com/ a story about the recent revolution in https://www.noredink.com/ Education Technology, and how we in https://www.frontrowed.com/ EdTech can help make our education system work for all American students.

Kids learn at different speeds and in different ways. A lesson perceived as boring and under-stimulating to one students based on their personal interests student could strike another student as far – for instance, Harry Potter or Spongebob. too complicated to keep up. According to The program allows teachers to track one study, seven out of 10 middle and high students’ growth and progress and adapts school students require instruction that is questions based on what a student gets specifically targeted to their strengths and right or wrong. Like Newsela, it meets weaknesses. students where they are.

This is partly a function of human On the other side of the academic nature, but it is also a function of spectrum is Front Row (https://www. inequality. The first few years of a child’s frontrowed.com/). Front Row is an online life are crucial for their development, software that generates math exercises as they learn to recognize words for students based on their current and numbers by sight and sound. skill level. Like Newsela and No Many children who grow up poor Red Ink, it tailors the lesson to - particularly poor children of students’ needs and automatically color - have fewer books in their tracks progress. The program even homes, less access to good libraries reads math questions aloud for and less access to the Internet. As ESL students – something that’s early as kindergarten, children in particularly important in light of the the highest socioeconomic level fact that by high school, fewer than already outperform their playmates Guest Columnist one out of ten students taking AP in the lowest socioeconomic level by Computer Science are Latino.

60 percent.

We are entering a new age of Ben This creates a challenge for Edtech. As Silicon Valley investor Jealous teachers: how do you take a class Umang Gupta has pointed out, of 20 or 30 students who all have there has never been a “megadifferent home lives, backgrounds and breakout” in the education software space, skill sets, and somehow manage to teach and only one percent of all education them the same material? A new generation spending right now is on technology. of education software is beginning to help But that is likely to change. Computers teachers answer that question. and tablets only continue to get cheaper, One of these services is Newsela and broadband access only continues to (https://newsela.com/). Newsela provides improve. teachers with daily news articles from In an increasingly diverse nation, we national and local newspapers, written at need to use all the tools at our disposal five different reading levels. The class can - old-fashioned and new - to ensure that discuss the news as a group, and students schools work for all of our kids. The era can earn the satisfaction of moving up a of widespread personalized education is level when they are ready. The software rapidly approaching, and social justicehelps struggling students keep up with the minded entrepreneurs are starting to break class, and allows the brightest students to the code on how to teach using tech. find engaging material.

Ben Jealous is former president and What Newsela does for reading CEO of the NAACP, and partner at comprehension, NoRedInk (https://www.

Kapor Capital, a social impact investing noredink.com/) does for writing. The web- firm that invests in EdTech companies based learning engine generates writing including Newsela, No Red Ink and Front exercises and grammar questions for Row.

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In my practice, I spend a lot of time discussing the same subjects, giving the same advice, and relaying the same information to patients who sometimes seem interested in what I have to say and other times who seem quite disengaged with the conversation regarding their health. I utilize a variety of methods to impart important messages: motivational interviewing, scared-straight tactics, and familial pressure-I invite the spouse or significant other to come to the visits.

Ok, I know you are thinking why would a doctor resort to using information to evoke fear? But in my defense, every bit of knowledge I share can be found in reputable journals, online, and from other healthcare professionals. The only difference in the techniques used above is the tangible examples I add. I am a firm believer that patients need a visual picture to understand the gravity of certain diseases. Telling someone that diabetes can cause microvascular disease is evidence based and should be included in routine care. However, showing a picture of diabetic foot ulcers or describing how those ulcerations progress to below the knee amputations is a lot more powerful!

Recently, researchers have shown more people than previously reported are

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

October 1 – 7, 2015

Prediabetes

pre-diabetic and are unaware Americans with diabetes has of their diagnosis. Hemoglomore than tripled, 5.6 million bin A1C (HbA1c) is a diabetic people in 1980 compared to marker that gives an average 20.9 million people in 2011. of blood sugars over the last Approximately 8 million peofew months. Individuals ple are undiagnosed! Many of without diabetes or prediayou reading this column are betes should have a reading probably undiagnosed pre-diless than 5.7 percent, which abetics. Hispanics, blacks and indicates normal blood sugAmerican Indians share the ars. Readings greater than or greatest burden of diabetic equal to 5.7 percent and less disease. than 6.5 percent are considIn 2011, the primary cause ered to be in the pre-diabetic of kidney failure in 44 percent Denise Hooks range. of the new cases was diabetes.

Anderson, M.D. I like to think of the Blindness, strokes, heart atHbA1C marker as a diagtacks are all possible sequelae nostic tool similar to the ones used by of diabetes. Furthermore, the cost of mechanics. If the mechanic noticed a treatment, time spent at doctor’s visits, problem with the tires on your vehicle, loss of job productivity, and the other powho in their right mind would ignore his tential health problems are all additional warnings and continue to drive on those concerns piled upon the diabetes burden. faulty tires? Would you actually gamble This is why prevention is crucial to with such a risky situation? I seriously this conversation. My mantra is and doubt it, because you can picture in your always will be: “preventing disease is head the potential result. This is what I cheaper than treating it.” Therefore, heed try to do in the outpatient setting as well. the warning signs. Excess weight is a I try to provide a vivid mental collage of major risk factor for diabetes. Looking the consequences of ignoring the warning good in a bathing suit and being in the signs of diabetes. best shape as compared to your former In the last 30 years, the number of high school classmates are not the only

reasons for maintaining a healthy weight.

Although those goals are good reasons, they should not be number one on the list.

The initial priority is appropriate height/ weight ratios which then help reduce the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.

Being diagnosed with prediabetes is merely an alert switch in your body. Once that knowledge is obtained, it is up to you to determine your life’s course. I have countless examples of people who have been on both sides of the fence when it comes to preventative care. I’ve had patients who when diagnosed with prediabetes, immediately made some lifestyle modifications and thereby halted diabetes progression. They started exercising, met with the diabetic educator, and changed their eating habits. Others on the other hand, chose to delay making those changes and progressed to full blown diabetes.

The choice is yours. Get tested for prediabetes today. Testing is a simple finger stick or blood draw. Call your doctor and begin the awesome adventure to wellness!

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

October 1, 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 Onye Hollomon, Barb Sills, Pamela Simmons, Sales Michael Terhaar, Art/Production Manager Angelita Jackson, Cover Design Wiley Price, Photojournalist

St. Louis American The

October 1 – 7, 2015

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

Wilson stresses importance of equity in nursing to Deaconess Scholars

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By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American

The Deaconess Foundation awarded more than $80,000 in scholarships to invest in 13 students who are pursuing nursing careers. The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis presented the first of two awards to St. Louis area students before the fall semester. The scholarships are the result of collaboration between the St. Louis American Foundation, Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis and Deaconess Foundation.

The 2015-2016 awardees include Deja Adair, Brooke Chambers, Radhika Chamlagai, Michele Cotton, Kristen Crawford, Savannah Edwards, Brittany Ferrell, Javaniesha Kincaid, Kathleen Mohrmann, Heather Rowland, Rachel Sites, Aleyna Tostado and Shavaughn Wallace.

“This foundation is here for you to help bridge that gap and make sure that you continue on in your goals in what you strive to achieve,” said Scholarship Foundation Board Vice President Hardy Washington. “As you go through this journey, you’ll be challenged. Stay with it; stick to it and you will achieve your goal.”

The St. Louis American Foundation President Donald M. Suggs said, “You all are embarking on a very, very important journey; the training is very demanding but the rewards are great.”

Rev. Starsky Wilson, CEO of the Deaconess Foundation, said the Foundation has expressed its faith-based mission to seek healing in the greater St. Louis metropolitan community in different ways for 125 years.

“These healing professions, like nursing, should inform other practices that the individual contact is critically important; for people who have an understanding of that contact, who have done the work of nursing should be forming our community polices,” said Wilson, who is co-chair of the Ferguson Commission.

Social media images taken last year of imprints on the wrists of a Deaconess nursing scholar – arrested last year while protesting against police brutality after the killing of unarmed teenager Mike Brown, gave him pause. He described the action as her response to what was going on in her own community in Ferguson.

“The clamps captured me, because her orientation to caring for people had drawn her into a space outside of the clinical into the community,” Wilson said. “That’s just who she was and that’s what drew her into these caring professions. Quite frankly, I assume there is some of that in each and every one of you.

Photo by Wiley Price

2015 Deaconess Nursing Scholars: Savannah Edwards, Shavaughn Wallace, Deja Adair; second row: Aleyna Tostado, Michele Cotton, Kristen Crawford, Kathleen Mohrmann and Javaniesha Kincaid.

I was really inspired by those clamp marks, because it showed how much she cared and what she was willing to risk because she cared.”

Wilson said the student decided to take the semester off to engage in the young people’s movement.

“She understood that health was more than the clinical, rather it is community,” Wilson said, adding she understood about toxic stress and its realities; and for children, exposed to tear gas, violence and other traumatic elements in their community, that the clinical is not enough to get to healing.

“I applaud that in her because she has done it and I hold it up for others, because if we truly get to healing in our communities, it will require not only the clinical work, but it will also require significant attention to equity in the concept of community,” Wilson told the students.

He said in health settings, there is a lot of privilege, and in the St. Louis com-

munity, there are challenges related to the provision of care toward equity and cultural competence.

“Equity is important in the professions that you will go,” Wilson said. “Giving the attention to cultural competency in your work – making sure you are reminded that people who come to you, who receive your clinical care are impacted by toxic stress; and by trauma; and may come from communities that are not your own; and being able to care for them – as they have already been harmed, hurt, and placed in a vulnerable position – is more important for nurses than it is for anyone else.”

The Deaconess Foundation Nursing Scholarships are awarded to 10-15 students annually (avg. award $6,000).

Students must be permanent residents of the St. Louis metropolitan area and pursuing nursing (RN, BSN) at an accredited, nonprofit school. The awards consider financial need, strength of character, and

academic potential.

Applicants are required to have a valid email address when beginning the application as all correspondence will be arrive by email.

To apply, students are required to complete the two applications by November 15: the Deaconess Foundation Nursing Scholarship and The Scholarship Foundation Interest-Free Loan in Scholarship Central atwww.sfstl.org.

If selected, Deaconess Scholarship recipients may be able to choose to accept or decline an interest-free loan or other grants through Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis.

For more information, call The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis at 314-725-7990 or via email at info@sfstl. org.

For applications, select the link “Deaconess Foundation Nursing Scholarship” at http://bit.ly/1LhgtcY.

uly

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

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October 1 – 7, 2015

St. Louis area free flu vaccines

BJC free public flu clinic dates

Oct. 5- Oct. 7, 7 a.m. - 6 p.m., Barnes-Jewish Hospital Main Floor Lobby Adult Vaccines only (ages 18+), One Barnes-Jewish Hospital Plaza, St. Louis, Mo. 63110 South Garage parking $2 per hour Oct. 5 – Oct. 7, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Center for Advanced Medicine 3rd Floor Lobby 4921 Parkview Place, St. Louis, Mo. 63110 North Garage and Forest Park Laclede Garage parking $2 per hour Sun. Oct. 11, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital Medical Office Building 2 Siteman Cancer Center, 10 Barnes West Drive, Creve Coeur, Mo. 63141 Free onsite parking Sun. Oct. 18, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church 5515 Dr. Martin Luther King Dr., St. Louis, Mo. 63112, free onsite parking Wed. Oct. 21, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monsanto Family YMCA 5555 Page Blvd., St. Louis, Mo. 63112, free onsite parking Fri. Oct. 23, 7:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., O’Fallon Park Rec Complex 4343 West Florissant, St. Louis, Mo. 63115, free onsite parking Additional BJC free flu shot listings in the Oct. 15 issue of Your Health Matters

SSM Health free public flu clinic dates Sat. Oct. 10, 8 a.m. – Noon, ages 9 and up; no preservative-free • SSM Health DePaul Hospital May Center 12303 DePaul Drive, St. Louis, Mo. 63044 • SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital - St. Charles St. Charles Room, 300 First Capitol Drive, St. Charles, Mo. 63301 • SSM Health St. Clare Hospital Conference Center, 1015 Bowles Ave., Fenton, Mo. 63026 • SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital, Lake Saint Louis Education Center-Koenig Bldg., 100 Medical Plaza, Lake St. Louis, Mo. 63367 • SSM Health Medical Group 172 Professional Parkway, Troy, Mo. 63379 Sat. Oct. 10, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Drive-thru flu Clinic for ages 6 months and older at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital & SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital, in parking lot next to Ronald McDonald House, 3450 Park Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 63104

October 1 – 7, 2015

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

Page 5

SLU Launches Missouri’s first Palliative Care Fellowship Saint Louis University has started the first hospice and palliative medicine fellowship program in the state.

Palliative care physicians care for patients who need active treatment to manage a serious disease as well as those at the end of their lives. Many older adults receive palliative care, and Medicare recently announced plans to reimburse physicians for talking with their patients about end of life issues.

SLUCare Physician Group geriatrician Dulce Cruz Oliver, M.D., who is board-certified in hospice and palliative medicine and an assistant professor of internal medicine at SLU School of Medicine, directs of SLU’s new fellowship, which began in July.

“Palliative care helps a patient adapt to all of the changes that come with a specific disease,” Cruz Oliver said.

“This field creates an awareness of how important it is for doctors to treat the whole patient – not just his or her medical symptoms – to talk with and

listen to patients.

“We need to hear from patients about their expectations and goals, and spend time with them to help them understand what is going on.”

The Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship will train one physician this year in the subspecialty that cares for those who have chronic, life-changing illnesses like cancer, congestive heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Fourth year medical school students and residents also will receive training related to the

program through a palliative care educational elective.

In addition to the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship, Cruz has started the Supportive Care Clinic, a pilot program held twice a month for Saint Louis University Cancer Center patients who are referred by their physicians. “It’s not only a physician who provides the care, you need a team that might include a chaplain and social worker,” said Cruz, who is part of the treatment team.

More screening. Less cancer Seven surgeries in three years.

A mother who battled breast cancer. A sister who tested positive for BRCA-2, a gene mutation that increases the lifetime risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. Valeda Keys’ journey with breast cancer has undoubtedly been long, hard and trying, but it also gave her the strength to tell her story and impact women throughout St. Louis.

She launched Valeda’s Hope, a nonprofit that raises breast cancer awareness and hosts an annual conference. Valeda also became a community research fellow in the Program for the Elimination of

Cancer Disparities (PECaD). Through a training program led by researchers and physicians, Valeda learned how community members play a crucial role participating in and improving research studies for cancer and other diseases.

Valeda’s dedication to getting regular mammograms saved her life and led to her bringing more good into the world through her advocacy work.

Mammograms are essential to catching breast cancer early and will save the lives of African-American women. The Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities (PECaD) works with community members, local organizations and health care providers to find new

ways to improve access to mammograms and treatment, improve breast cancer research, and spread the word about things you can do to lower your risk of developing breast cancer.

To learn more about cancer screening and prevention, visit: PECaD: http://www.siteman.wustl. edu/pecad.aspx Cancer Screening Guidelines: http:// www.siteman.wustl.edu/ContentPage. aspx?id=4535&content=165 8 Ways to Stay Health and Prevent Cancer: http://www.8ways.wustl.edu Where you get your mammogram makes a difference: http://sitemanmammogram.wustl.edu

The Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities (PECaD) at the Siteman Cancer Center is working to eliminate local and regional disparities in cancer education, prevention and treatment through community outreach, research and training. To learn more about cancer or to get involved with PECaD, call 314747-4611, email PECaD@wudosis.wustl.edu or write to us at SCC-PECaD, Campus Box 8100, 660 S. Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO, 63110. Look for future articles in Health Matters.

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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

October 1 – 7, 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.

October 1 – 7, 2015

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

Mammothon breast screening event at Touchette – Centreville, Ill. Oct 9-10

Each day in Illinois, 25 women are diagnosed with breast cancer. While the best prevention is early detection, many women in low-income communities are unable to get the yearly mammograms they need because of financial or transportation constraints.

On Friday October 9 and Saturday, October 10, The Touchette Regional Hospital’s second annual Mammothon Breast Cancer Screening will remove these barriers. From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m, any woman can receive a mammogram, even if she has no insurance. Last year, more than 70 women received screenings during the event.

The Mammothon is hosted by Touchette’s START NOW Breast Cancer Awareness and Patient Navigator program. START NOW is funded in part by the Komen Foundation and serves women in East St. Louis and surrounding communities.

The START NOW team of patient navigators ensures that women who are facing a cancer diagnosis receive quality care, helps guide them through the healthcare system, and serves as their advocates and case managers throughout their battle with the disease – all at no additional cost to patients or their families.

“Many women in underserved communities view quality healthcare as something out of their reach, and that’s just not true” remarked Debra Custer, the START NOW Program Manager & Treatment Navigator at Touchette.

“We are here to serve and support all patients without judgment. By offering screenings during our Mammothon, Touchette and its START NOW program make it easy for all women to get the care and breast health services they need and deserve.”

The mammogram screenings will take place at Touchette Regional Hospital, 5900 Bond Ave. in Centreville, Illinois. Schedule appointments by calling 618-332-6130.

For more information, visit www.touchette.org.

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Sat. Oct. 3, 8 a.m. -1:00 p.m., PINKTOBER Zumba Class & Health Fair benefitting SLUCare at Hard Rock Café, St. Louis Union Station. $10 Zumba class from 9:30 to 10:30; health fair until 1p.m. For more information, visit www.hardrock.com/stlouis.

Thurs. Oct. 8, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., Places for People Hear Our Voices Town Hall Forum at the Ethical Society of St. Louis, 9001 Clayton Rd., St. Louis, 63117 to discuss the current state of mental health treatment in the community. Register at http://pfptownhall. eventbrite.com.

Fri. Oct. 9 & Sat. Oct. 10, 7a.m. – 7 p.m., Second annual Mammothon Breast Cancer Screening Event at Touchette Regional Hospital, 5900 Bond Ave. in Centreville, Ill. Available to uninsured and insured women.

Schedule appointments by calling 618332-6130.

Sun. Oct. 11, 9 a.m., Bosom Buddies, Friends for Life Pep Rally & Walk at Orlando Gardens, 4300 Hoffmeister Ave., St. Louis 63125. Proceeds benefit

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

Calendar

Gateway to Hope, which connects breast cancer patients in Missouri and Illinois with medical, emotional and financial assistance. For more information call 314-569-1113 or visit www.gthstl.org.

Thurs. Oct. 15– Fri., Oct. 16, Health Literacy Missouri Tribute Awards & Summit, Doubletree by Hilton Hotel St. Louis. For more information, visit healthliteracymissouri.org.

Sat., Oct. 17, 1 p.m., Older Adults & Winter Weather, at St. Louis County Library, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, 63131, presented in partnership with Saint Louis County Older Resident Programs (CORP). This is a discussion on winter weather preparedness, featuring a panel discussion, audience Q&A and information from community organizations. For more information, call 314615-4426 or visit slcl.org.

Sat., October 24, 2015 at 6 pm., The Dr. James Whittico 100th Birthday Scholarship Gala at the St. Louis Airport Marriott. For more information, contact Dr. Jacaqui Turner @jsturner47@msn.com.

Sun., Oct. 25, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Free Kidney Health Check for ages 18 and older at Saint Cecilia’s Catholic Church Gymnasium, 5418 Louisiana Ave. St. Louis, 63111. Risk factors include diabetes and high blood pressure. Check includes blood pressure, BMI, educational materials and ACR urine test for albumin for persons at risk for kidney disease. Preregister by calling 314-961-2828 ext. 482, email Suzanne.McComb@kidney.org or visit kidney.org/KEEPhealthy.

Sat. Nov. 14, Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America St. Louis, 11th Annual Trivia Night, JCC Staenberg Family Complex, Creve Coeur. For more information, visit aafastl.org.

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

October 1 – 7, 2015

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.

IKEA St. Louis opens

Promotions are ongoing at new Midtown location.

St. Louis American See A5

The

CAC Audited OCTOBER 1-7, 2015

stlamerican.com

‘This is not the time to be relaxed in our schools’

Vol. 86 No. 26 COMPLIMENTARY

More than half-million in scholarships awarded ‘This is a direct investment in our community and its future’

By American staff Scholarship awards drew admiring whoops from a capacity crowd of 1,400 at the 28th annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship and Awards Gala, held Friday, September 25 at America’s Center in downtown St. Louis – and it’s easy to see why.

“This year’s total for scholarships and community grants is $620,500,” said Donald M. Suggs, president of the St. Louis American Foundation, which produces the black-tie event. “This funding is a direct investment in our community and its future.”

With more than a half-million dollars being awarded this year, the foundation, together with its education partners, has fostered over $4 million in scholarships and community grants since 1994. n “Think of There are now minority scholarships the burdens endowed in Suggs’ that have name at seven been lifted Missouri universities. from these DeAngela BurnsWallace, assistant parents and vice provost for families with Undergraduate Studies this lifeat the University of changing Missouri-Columbia, presented three Suggs support.” scholarships.

Chlotte Crim, a – emcee Carol graduate of Nerinx Daniel High School majoring in biomedical engineering, received the 2015 Donald M. Suggs Scholarship at Mizzou. The scholarship is worth $57,000 and includes a study abroad option to study anywhere in the world for one semester.

Burns-Wallace also presented the University of Missouri Columbia Donald M. Suggs Dissertation Fellowship awards to Ambra Green, a third-year doctoral candidate in the Department of Special Education, and Veronica Newton-Burke,

28th

Photo by Maurice Meredith

Tiffany Anderson, 2015 Stellar Performer, shared her moment in the Salute spotlight with Jennings’ students Jasmine Richardson, Angel Cole and Andrew Cole. Left: Salute emcee Carol Daniel of KMOX.

Top 2015 Salute awardees challenge capacity crowd to ‘save our children’

By Chris King Of The St. Louis American The St. Louis American Foundation’s two top awardees at its 28th annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship and Awards Gala left no doubt that it’s all about the children – and the adults who must be provoked to teach them more creatively and effectively.

Both 2015 Lifetime Achiever Alice F. Roach and 2015 Stellar Performer Tiffany Anderson brought children to the stage and directly addressed them and their future needs, challenging the audience to get more involved in addressing those needs during the sold-out event on Friday, September 25.

Roach had her daughter Kim bring her grandbaby Mya to the edge of the See AWARDEES, A7

Photo by Maurice Meredith

See SALUTE, A7

2015 Lifetime Achiever Alice F. Roach

Inclusion advocates challenge MSD

Yaphett El-Amin, executive director of MOKAN, Adolphus Pruitt, president of the St. Louis City NAACP; and Rev. Charles Brown, president of the Metropolitan Clergy Coalition, discussed their grievances with the Metropolitan Sewer District on Tuesday, September 29.

Claim verbal policy based on alleged safety concerns violated community agreement

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American The Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) implemented a “racist policy” that decreased minority and women workers’ opportunity for employment on some contracts, said individuals who signed a community agreement with the public agency.

“Racism in St. Louis is alive and well,

as evidenced by what MSD is doing and not doing,” said Jim Sahaida, president of Metropolitan Congregations United at a press conference on Sept. 29. “We have a history of excuses of not hiring minorities on construction projects. The excuse used to be there aren’t enough qualified people. Now the excuse is safety.”

See MSD, A6

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