The Montage

Who’s

Oinsight into

JACOB POLITTE MANAGING EDITOR

ver the years, St. Louis Community College has been involved in an extensive history of litigation, including multitudes of cases in recent years concerning employee discrimination and intimidation, personal injuries and other matters.

Two recent cases involved those who were former long-time college employees.

Clendennen replaces Singer

Over the course of researching the matter, The Montage was informed that the college has a new General Counsel.

Amy Clendennen joined the college in mid-January 2024 following the departure of Lucy Singer; she most recently worked as the General Counsel for Truman State University, her alma mater. Prior to that, she worked for close to 15 years in private practice, including 13 years working at Tueth, Keeney, Cooper, Mohan & Jackstadt, P.C.

“They represent primarily K-12 school districts and higher education institutions,” Clendennen said. “So I’ve been in education law pretty much my whole career. Public education is a passion of mine.”

Clendennen said that while she enjoyed working at Truman State, family ties brought her back to the St. Louis area. She says her role as General Counsel for STLCC may have some different responsibilities than her role at Truman was, but spoke to what she has done in the past and what she expects to do in her new role.

“Aside from the litigation, I review a lot of contracts. I work with HR closely on any type of personnel issues [and] potential conflicts,” she said. “I work with Student Services, if there’s an issue of student has a concern or complaint that might potentially lead to litigation, a lot of what I do and why any university or college would have a general counsel, or an attorney in house is to try to prevent litigation from happening to try to solve problems before they occur.”

She continued, “And so I tend to be pretty conservative in my advice, and I tend to say ‘how can we fix this potential problem before it gets worse?’ So that tends to be my strategy. [It] doesn’t always work, but I do what I can.”

A prelude to the cases

The Montage reached out to several parties involved or named in the court documents. The only person to respond to a request for comment was Chancellor Jeff Pittman, who declined to speak on the cases other than to reiterate that “College staff cannot comment on personnel issues or pending litigation.”

The two plaintiffs in these cases were long time employees of the college, a fact that Clendennen speculates is not something the college dwells on.

“The college has so many employees and you’re talking about two out of the thousands of employees only to or have a problem, that’s not so bad,” she said. “I’ve experienced just meeting people here since I’ve started and the administration is all pretty new. So my hope is that if there were problems in the past, that one of the reasons we have a new administration, or one of the things that they were focused on is making sure not to repeat past mistakes.”

Clendennen also said she doesn’t think that the amount of litigation the college is involved in is a cause for concern.

“I think every employer, every business is going to be involved in litigation, because the reality is, you know, I can review a situation,” she said. “I can give my approval that we’re doing everything right, go ahead and proceed. And we can still get sued. Anybody can sue anybody for any reason. Now how far that goes, obviously, depends on the merits of what they’re claiming.”

The college has hired outside legal representation for many of its cases, including the two being discussed on the following pages. Clendennen says this is a normal practice.

“It’s just not possible to handle the litigation for the college and also do all of the other day-to-day stuff that I have to do,” she said. “So the college hires outside counsel from a variety of law firms to handle; not just lawsuits, but if there are disputes that arise that may potentially lead to litigation. Or sometimes if it’s like even negotiating, or a real estate lease, things like that, we may hire outside counsel for that.”

2015 2016 2017 2018 01 Case Type AC Misc Associate Civi -Other Case Number: 15SL-AC20007 Filing Date 08/03/2015 Style of Case JAMES KEETON V ST LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE 2020 2021 2022 2023 LAWSUITS BY YEAR 02 Case Type CC Employment Discrim Case Number: 1522-CC09924 Filing Date 06/17/2015 Style of Case LYNN VENHAUS V STL COMM COLLEGE-FOREST PARK ET AL 03 Case Type CC In unction Case Number: 15SL-CC03511 Filing Date 10/13/2015 Style of Case JANE DOE V ST LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE 01 Case Type AP C vil Appeal Circuit Case Number ED104574 Filing Date: 07/01/2016 Style of Case: JANE DOE, APP V ST LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE, RES 02 Case Type AP Tran to SC- Post Opin on Case Number SC96018 Filing Date: 11/03/2016 Style of Case: THEODIS BROWN V ST LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE ETC 01 Case Type CC Employment Discrim Case Number: 1722-CC11963 Filing Date 12/18/2017 Style of Case MARK POTRATZ V THE COMM COLLEGE DISTRICT OF STL 02 Case Type CC Employment Discrim Case Number: 17SL-CC02695 Filing Date 07/26/2017 Style of Case DONNA WHITE V ST LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE ET AL 03 Case Type CC Employment Discrim Case Number: 17SL-CC03070 Filing Date 08/22/2017 County St Lou s County Style of Case DOROTHY J WELTY V THE JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT OF STL 01 Case Type CC Pers Injury-Other Case Number 1822-CC00151 Filing Date: 01/24/2018 County City of St Louis Style of Case: STEVEN TAYLOR V ST LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE ET AL 02 Case Type AP C vil Appeal Circuit Case Number ED106889 Filing Date: 05/31/2018 Style of Case: JEFF TACINA APP V STL COMMUNITY COLLEGE RES 01 Case Type CC Other Tort Case Number: 2022-CC09524 Filing Date 08/17/2020 Style of Case JEFF TACINA V ST LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE-FOREST PA 01 Case Type AC Small Cla ms over $100 Case Number 2122-SC00118 Filing Date: 05/24/2021 Style of Case: JEFF TACINA V ST LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE 01 Case Type CC Employment Discrim Case Number: 22SL-CC03137 Filing Date 06/29/2022 Style of Case IVORY HILL V ST LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION 02 Case Type CC Other Misce laneous Actions Case Number: 22SL-CC03780 Filing Date 08/24/2022 Style of Case RICHARD HERSHEY V THE JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRIC ET AL 01 Case Type: AC Small C a ms over $100 Case Number 23SL-SC00708 Filing Date: 07/21/2023 Style of Case: NRANCILIO LLC V ST LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE - CORP DISCLAIMER: This list does not include all lawsuits against STLCC per year. For more details, visit courts.mo.gov/cnet District Title p.8

2

Recent Cases Target Employment, Racial Discrimination

continued from p. 1

ANN M SCHREIBER V MARIE PETERS

This notable case names STLCC’s Chief Operating Officer Hart Nelson as a defendant, with former employee Ann Marie Schreiber as the plaintiff, who is seeking damages from the college. The suit alleges that Schreiber, an STLCC employee since 2005 and the Coordinator for Disability Support Services (CDSS), was reprimanded by her immediate supervisor Marie Phillips for reporting various ADA violations to the Office of Civil Rights. The suit alleges that this disciplinary action was sanctioned by and under the directive of Nelson. Schreiber is looking to collect punitive damages from the defendants totaling either the amount of $250,000 or two times the amount of lost back pay, whichever is the higher at the time of judgment. She’s also requesting that her service credit history be recalculated, and reinstatement in a position with similar responsibility, wages, and benefits.

The suit reads, “Because of the unlawful conduct of Defendants as described herein, Petitioner has suffered loss of wages, lost employment benefits, diminution and loss of retirement benefits, emotional pain and suffering, and attorney’s fees and costs due to this litigation. The conduct of Defendants was willful and malicious, thus subjecting Defendants to punitive damages in an amount that will punish said Defendants, and deter others from similar conduct.”

The suit states that “Schreiber remained continuously employed by STLCC as its CDSS on a full-time basis at all times relevant to this Petition, a period of time in excess of 17-years without one disciplinary incident prior to the retaliatory conduct by STLCC directed against her outlined herein. As the CDSS at STLCC, Schreiber managed a 30year long running project funded by an external agency that provided services legally required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.”

The suit then goes on to read, “Beginning in December 2021, and continuing through August 3, 2022, retaliatory actions were taken against Schreiber by STLCC through its agents and employees, including:

• Marie Peters, the Manager of Continuing Education at STLCC. Peters was named as Schreiber’s direct supervisor, and is claimed in the suit to have maliciously, willfully and intentionally retaliated against Schreiber for engaging in various Protected Activities, including contacting the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (“DESE”) to express concerns regarding the exclusion of students with disabilities from the AEL program at STLCC on the basis of disability status. This information was first brought to Peters attention by Schreiber in December 2021, and in the suit, Schreiber claims she was told to immediately cease and desist from engaging in all communication regarding her concerns. Among other claims, the suit reads that Peters allegedly disciplined Schreiber for reporting ADA violations of STLCC, and later called campus police to have Schreiber removed from STLCC’s campus when she attempted to show up for work on July 8, 2022 with a valid employment contract for the 2023 fiscal year. Prior to this, Peters was also accused by Schreiber in the court documents to have verbally berated her during a March 25, 2022 disciplinary hearing, apparently concerned that Schreiber’s actions may have cost the college some funding from DESE.

and remain at STLCC’s offices to perform her job duties under her valid STLCC-funded employment contract, and failing and refusing, through the filing of this Petition, to pay Schreiber amounts due to her pursuant to the legally binding STLCC-funded employment contract for the 2023 fiscal year.

It’s worth noting that while the long-departed Phillips is listed as a defendant in the case, Clendennen, at the time of the interview, was not entirely sure that Schreiber’s team can bring this case against her.

• Hart Nelson, the Chief Operating Officer of STLCC, who is claimed in the suit to have maliciously, willfully, intentionally retaliated against Schreiber for engaging in the Protected Activities. He is claimed to have sanctioned the illegal disciplinary actions of Peters without cause or justification. He also allegedly refused to sign off on and submit STLCC’s application for thirdparty funding of its long-standing Disability Support Services program for the 2023 fiscal year which was the funding-source of Schreiber’s 17-year position of employment at STLCC in the Coordinator role. Later on in July 2022, he supposedly allowed all employees of STLCC who previously worked in Disability Support Services to resume employment at STLCC pursuant to direct funding by STLCC of their employment… except for Schreiber.

• The institution of STLCC itself, for both Peter’s and Nelson’s conduct and for failing and refusing to honor Schreiber’s STLCC-funded employment contract for FY-23 with the college. The latter was confirmed by an Aug. 2023 letter to Schreiber from Robin Phillips, formerly the Associate Vice Chancellor of Human Resources at STLCC, and now the Vice President of Human Resources and Co-Chief Diversity Officer at California State University in San Bernardino. The institution is accused of failing and refusing to allow Schreiber to enter

“The issue is when does a court have jurisdiction over a person, and when they don’t live in the states, then you’ve got to find another way to get them into this state,” she said. “And I have no idea what this person’s situation is. I’m taking your word that she lives in California, but let’s say she does, then it could be a problem unless she’s done something to consent to jurisdiction and the Missouri court, then the plaintiff may have a problem actually bringing this case against her. And that’s because, you know, jurisdiction really stops at state lines, unless [for example] when you do business in another state, then you’re consenting to jurisdiction in that state. And there are some other exceptions, but there may not be personal jurisdiction in this case.”

Despite this, Phillips appears to be represented by a Kirkwood attorney, Jason Scott Retter. Retter is also representing Nelson, Peters, and the college. Schreiber is represented by Edward Joseph Rolwes, an attorney for the Rolwes Law Firm.

The suit says, “STLCC demonstrated an ongoing, persistent, and institutionalized pattern of retaliation against Schreiber after each Protected Activity.” Specifically, the suit lays out a detailed timeline of events that can be viewed by clicking on links available in the online version of this story at meramecmontage.com.

continued on p. 3

continued from p. 2

DEBORAH BUSH-MUNSON V THE JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT

Former longtime Forest Park Professor Deborah Bush-Munson is suing the college for damages over what she claims is racial discrimination. While the college is the only named defendant, it appears that Chancellor Pittman was served with the suit at a Forest Park address; he does not appear to be a defendant as of the most recent filing.

As of press time, the matter is set to go to trial in early June 2024. Bush-Munson is represented by Jonathan Charles Berns, while the college is represented by Timothy John Reichardt and Kyle Christopher Westbrook.

In the suit, Bush-Munson claims that as a result of the college’s conduct and actions, she has suffered lost wages and benefits of employment and will continue to suffer lost wages and benefits in the future. She also says that she has suffered emotional distress and mental anguish.

Bush-Munson was a professor for several years at the Forest Park campus before beginning her role as the Program Director for the Dental Assisting Program in 2011, a role that she apparently served in for over a decade before being placed on administrative leave on in January 2022, and her official removal from the role on Feb. 14 of that year. Her final year at the college was, according to her, demeaning and damaging to her reputation.

According to the suit, upon William Hubble’s arrival as District Dean of Health and Science in 2018, the following occurred:

• Two years later in 2020, Bush-Munson filed a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) and the City of St. Louis Civil Rights Enforcement Agency (“CREA”), alleging that the college and Dean Hubble discriminated against her on the basis of her race.

• A year later in 2021, Dean Hubble allegedly told BushMunson and others that he was angry and upset at her over the EEOC charge.

• Five months later in January 2022, Bush-Munson was placed on administrative leave for the Spring 2022 semester. The college’s stated reason for the decision was that students had made complaints about her. In the filing, Bush-Munson said that she believes that this stated reason was pretextual, and later determined that the complaints had no merit.

• At the same time, the college reportedly made the decision to discontinue the Dental Assistance Program, where she was still the program director.

• On Feb. 11, 2022, Bush-Munson filed another charge of discrimination based on race and retaliation with the EEOC and CREA, alleging that the college discriminated and retaliated against her by placing her on administrative leave. In addition to the filing of the charges of discrimination, she complained of discrimination and/or retaliation internally at STLCC. She claims that the college did not take adequate steps to respond to her complaints. Throughout the remainder of the year, Hubble is claimed by Bush-Munson to have repeatedly harassed her by making inappropriate demands for her to provide him information that he did not legitimately need and/or had already been provided.

• Throughout the remainder of the year, and into 2023,

Bush-Munson repeatedly expressed interest in, or applied for, other teaching positions at the college; there were open positions for teaching Biology courses or in Biology, jobs that she was qualified to and experienced in teaching. In the suit, Bush-Munson claims that the college repeatedly refused to select her for those open positions.

• In September 2022, the college informed Bush-Munson that they had decided not to renew her contract set to expire in May 2023, effectively terminating her from the college. They also reportedly denied her requests for a transfer or teaching assignments for the remainder of the year, instead assigning her menial tasks or no tasks at all. The suit states “The assignment of such tasks or no tasks at all was demeaning and diminished her professional stature with her colleagues in the College and in her profession.” In addition, the suit alleges that when the college deactivated other programs which had non-Black program directors and/or program directors who had not complained about discrimination, they allowed such other program director(s) to transfer to a different position while refusing her requests.

• Bush-Munson made another charge of discrimination with the EEOC and the Missouri Commission on Human Rights (“MCHR”) alleging race discrimination and retaliation on Jan. 31, 2023.

Bush-Munson’s suit claims that her race and her complaints and charges of discrimination were deciding factors in the college’s decision to effectively terminate her employment.

In a response document to Bush-Munson’s suit, among other denials, the college refused to confirm Munson’s exact time of employment, a strategy Clendennen hypothetically discussed.

“I truly don’t know anything about the length of time Ms. Bush-Munson was employed,” she said. “But I can tell you, hypothetically, or in theory, why an attorney would do that. And it’s because they’re only responding to what is in the petition. [...] So, if you don’t know, for sure you deny it. So it may be one of those things where our records aren’t entirely clear there. You know, it’s really a technicality.”

Bush-Munson claims in the petition that she had been employed with the college since 2007.

Hubble is not directly named as a defendant in this case, despite being mentioned several times in the suit.

The suit lays out a detailed timeline of events, that can be viewed, along with other documents, by viewing the online version of this story at meramecmontage.com.

Push for Students to Vote is Underway

ryan winzen STAFF WRITER

With the presidential election coming up in November this year, the issue of voting has been a prominent discussion both locally and nationally.

Rita Fitzjarrell is the leader of 350 St. Louis, a local chapter of the climate change organization 350.org. “I want students to get involved in a life-long process. Make it something they want to do,” said Fitzjarrell.

Fitzjarrell talked about how she originally got involved with voting and how that has impacted her work. “My dad took me to register at 18, he wanted me to get involved. For those who did not get that opportunity, we want to be that opportunity. It makes a big difference,”

she said.

Fitzjarrell said that 350 St.Louis is doing everything possible to get young students to vote.

“We’re trying to register enough voters that we can before the next presidential election. We come two days a week, Wednesday and Thursday. We try to get students who attend on different patterns. We’ll do it until May and will have registration on campus until Oct. 8,” said Fitzjarrell.

Why are not as many young people voting as compared to the older generations?

“I think they are getting the impression that voting is not getting them what they want. You have to look at the overall picture and look for the candidate who checks off the most boxes for you. I’ve hardly found a candidate who checks off all the boxes,

but I’ve found ones who check off the boxes that are most important to me,” said Fitzjarrell.

Fitzjarrell and her group will be collecting signatures for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom (MFCF) Women’s Reproductive Healthcare Initiative Petition (IP) until the end of April.

Political science professor John Messmer said voting can bring power and change.

“Simply, most of us don’t have connections to interest groups that lobby the government. The government is only gonna change its policies and laws if it’s pressured,” said Messmer.

Messmer also mentioned why voting may not appeal to younger generations.

“Students say that politicians don’t care about issues that I care about. These campaigns have access to data and this data says that young people don’t want to vote, so they don’t appeal to those groups,” said Messmer.

Meramec Minute

What Are Your Thoughts on Voting?

“Young people are just in a completely different universe than older people. If they constantly see policies that favor these old people stuff, they might be the fire that urges them to vote.”

Fitzjarrell stressed the importance of how voting can lead to unfavorable results. “Bad politicians get elected by good people who don’t vote,” said Fitzjarrell.

“I think local elections are important for people to vote for,” said Mohr. “A lot of these people for Congress run unopposed. Runforsomething.net encourages young people to run for offices that are generally unopposed."

PATRICK SMITH

“I believe that it is important in our society for everyone to vote.”

IMRAN KUNDALIC

“I believe that participating in the election is a fundamental right and responsibility,” said Kundalic. “It is a way to ensure that diverse voices are heard and that our democracy reflects the values and preferences of the entire population.”

Need Help Filling out the FAFSA? Visit the FAFSA Workshops This Month

beatrice johnson Contributor

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the next several weeks, the Meramec Admissions and Financial Aid offices will host clinics to help students fill out their 2024-25 FAFSA forms in the Applied Sciences building in Room 102B and 102A.

Meaghan Karl, an admissions counselor, said a false start to the program already spelled bad news for the program’s attendance when email issues caused a lack of advertisement for the first three days of the event, and now, attendance is almost as dire.

“We get some people in our office throughout the day, but this is really the time that we want to help students complete their 2024-25 FAFSA,” they said. “If we can, we want to help

people with the form while they’re on campus.”

Clinicians are knowledgeable and can help you fill out your 2024-25 FAFSA form or your 2023-24 FAFSA form, Karl said. The workshops are open to anyone who wants to drop in for any amount of time. The FAFSA Clinic is designed to help students on an individual basis, every step of the process, Karl said.

The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is a form completed annually by current and prospective college students to determine their eligibility for student financial aid.

The 2024-25 FAFSA was “soft launched” according to the official Federal Student Aid Twitter account on Jan. 1, 2024. Just like every year, the FAFSA this year has gone through some changes, including a shift from

the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) system to the Student Aid Index (SAI), which according to Karl could impact the amount of money people receive.

“We have not been given information, at least that I know of yet, of how those numbers are going to help us determine the student loans people are able to receive,” Karl says.

An additional benefit of attending the clinic is that anyone who attends can enter their student ID number into a raffle for a $300 book scholarship provided by the school’s board of trustees, Karl said.

“This is just another reason that I wish we could get more people to attend the clinic because it might not seem like a lot, but it could really help a student,” said Karl.

Student Mohamed Saady worked with Karl on his 2024-25 FAFSA, and works on campus in the financial aid office. He said he felt comfortable asking any questions he needed and that they would be able to assist with just about anything.

“There isn’t a question they wouldn’t be able to answer,” said Saady. Overall, Saady said he had a positive experience and would recommend the clinic to anyone who might need help filling out their FAFSA form.

HANS MOHR

rita fitzjarrell

john messmer

ART & LIFE

The Allies of the Pride Alliance Club

A Q&A With the Members of a Revamped Club on Campus

macy gillick STAFF WRITER

Even though the Pride Alliance isn’t a new club at Meramec, the club does have a new look to it. According to Vice President Iz Silva, the Pride Alliance Club is available for LGBT and allies to make friends, plan events and be a little support network for each other. The club also meets weekly according to the Club President Ali Sajjad Almamori.

What’s your club like? What do you guys do?

Almamori: The club is still in the beginning stages. It had to shut down last semester because there was no advisor. I’m a freshman here and I’m not entirely sure how it worked before. But right now we are trying to get it started. What we do is talk about our experiences and kind of build a community. We listen to music and we plan events for campus.

Why do you want people aware of your club?

Silva: We want LGBT students, allies and people who want to know more that this is a safe place for them on campus even when things may seem scary.

Almamori: I think it’s really important for queer people to know there’s a space for them on this campus and that if they have any issues or just need people to talk to or friends we are there. Also we can have events on campus and raise awareness for people

Spring Break Stay-Cation

macy gillick STAFF WRITER

STLCC’s Spring Break begins at the end of this week. If you find yourself with nothing to do on your upcoming week off school then according to “Explore St. Louis” here are some fun places to go.

• The St. Louis Zoo is the perfect place to walk around to get fresh air and look around at all the animals throughout each exhibit and building. Plus, it’s free to enter, although parking is $10 for regular vehicles and $20 for oversized.

• If you haven’t gone to check out the newer amenities at Union Station then Spring Break would be the perfect time to try it out. While you’re there you could try the ferris wheel and the aquarium. According to the St. Louis Aquarium’s website the aquarium and the wheel are $40 for adults.

who aren’t apart of the community, and we can make sure the campus is a very accepting environment and also just because it’s fun and we would love to have more people

Why did you join the club?

Almamori: I was talking to my friend about how I signed up at the beginning of the school year and nothing happened because it had to be closed down. My friend told me there was no sponsor so I thought I could

find a sponsor and so I started it up again.

Silva: I joined because I’m queer myself and non binary. All my friends when pride was running a couple years ago were in the club so it seems kinda natural so we got together and ramped it up again this semester with a new advisor.

If you’re interested in joining, contact the club advisor at hscheckel@ stlcc.edu

Art in Bloom Brings Together Local Florists

heather kenyon contributor

Art in Bloom, an annual event held this year from March 1st to March 3rd, 2024, brought together florists from across the region to show off their talent in interpreting artworks through floral arrangements. Hosted at the St. Louis Art Museum, this event

offered special ticketed events, family activities, shopping opportunities, and dining, making it a versatile experience.

This event was an opportunity for florists to draw inspiration from paintings housed in the museum and to interpret them into styled floral displays. With 30 participating florists tasked with this challenge, attendees were provided a diverse range of interpretations, each with a unique perspective on the art pieces.

One distinct feature of Art in Bloom was the inclusion of real flowers in all of the floral arrangements, creating a bittersweet temporary aspect of the event, according to one attendee, Isabelle Hilbert. This added a unique dimension to the experience, she said.

“You could really see the natural beauty of the flowers up close, knowing that they’ll eventually fade and die,” she said.

Among the participants, Rich West was selected as the people’s choice No. 1 winner. He interpreted the artwork “Ölberg”, by the artist Gerhard Richter and paid close attention to the artist’s influence. West said, “Pollock’s uninhibited splash of color on canvas had a major impact on Richter, provoking him to reflect on his own artistic ideology.”

He further added, “His abstract

paintings evolved as he absorbed, reinterpreted, and synthesized various aspects of abstract expression and pop art.”

Judging was conducted by a panel, resulting in three people’s choice winners, three judges’ choice winners, and two staff choice winners.

A notable aspect of this year’s event was the presence of featured speaker Doan Ly, the founder, and artistic director of a.p. bio floral design and photography studio in New York City.

Ly shared insights into her practice, offering a glimpse into her creative process in floral design. Following the program, Ly signed copies of her 2023 book “Still Life,” which describes her artistic journey and philosophy.

Despite logistical challenges such as parking, attendees were able to immerse themselves in a visually stimulating environment and witness the imaginative interpretations of renowned artworks through the medium of flowers.

Art in Bloom offered a blend of artistic expression and floral design, bringing florists from the region to interpret famous artworks through flowers. The incorporation of real flowers added a unique authentic touch to the event, Hilbert said. “It truly was an immersion into the florists’ creative processes and minds,” she said.

• Going to the movies is perfect for relaxing in those big comfy chairs with your overpriced popcorn, slushies and candy. You could go see the movie you’ve been wanting to see or see a movie you’ve already seen but can’t get enough of it. The movie theater nearest to campus is Ronnies 20 Cinema, and ticket prices on Tuesday are reduced compared to other days of the week.

• Bowling is always fun. You could make a whole day out of it, bowling 3 rounds then working your appetite to the bowling alley food. A nearby place is Concord Bowling which according to the website on Monday thru Thursday before 4pm is $3 per game and person and $4 for shoes. Anytime after 4pm on those days and on weekends is $4 for both shoes, games, and players.

• You could go mini golfing and play 18 different holes. A perfect game to get rid of your frustrations and to play with your loved ones. A nearby place is Aloha Mini Golf and Shaved Ice. According to their website it’s $8 for unlimited play. The shaved ice is between 3 and 6 dollars.

• Grants Farm in Affton is another great chance to get some fresh air and to look around at the animals. When visiting, you can go to the goat den and feed the goats, check out the animal shows or just enjoy a nice afternoon on a giant Beer Garden patio.

• Going to a park near you is always a good free option, as it allows you to get some fresh air and some exercise. At the park you could walk around nature or walk on the trails. You could also bust out your bike and bike around the park on the trail. Or you could have a picnic or even do a craft there.

Members of the Pride Alliance Club pose with a flag that represents their identities. Back row from the left: Iz Gillis, Naomi Collis, Spencer Dellas, Cory Dewald; Front row from the left: Parker Weinberg, Cat Manes-Boyer, Alisajjad Almamori, Emerson Jones and Moth Rowe

submitted photo

ART & LIFE

From Smiles To Hogwarts Houses

The more well-known holidays aren’t necessarily the most fun

EMILY WEBER STAFF WRITER

The major holidays in March aren’t the only holidays that should be celebrated. Here is a list of the remaining weird, wacky and interesting holidays that you can celebrate in the month of March according to daysoftheyear.com:

March 11 is “National No Smoke Day.” For some people who have a loved one that smokes cigarettes or if you smoke cigarettes, this day aims to bring awareness to the dangers of this addiction. The day also tries to spotlight some resources that are available to help people to try and quit, try to offer encouragement and support in a useful and nonjudgmental way. Here are ways to observe this holiday: learn the facts about smoking, encourage a friend/ family member to quit smoking, and celebrate those who have already stopped smoking.

March 13 is “National K9 Veterans Day.” K9’s are not only good as pets but they are also great co-workers.

It is especially true for military dogs who were trained to accomplish a wide range of tasks, support activities in conflict and war zones. Here are ways to celebrate this holiday about K9 Veterans: Honor a K9 Veteran, attend a K9 Veterans Ceremony, and/ or watch a K9 military dog movie.

If anyone reading this is a Harry Potter fan, the next few days on this list are for you.

On March 20 is “Hufflepuff Pride Day.” Hufflepuffs are known for their unquestionable loyalty, hard work, and kindness. Here are some ways to celebrate Hufflepuff Pride Day: check out some awesome Harry Potter themed gadgets and treats, wear Hufflepuff household colors (yellow and black) and throw a Hufflepuff party.

On March 21 is “Slytherin Pride Day.” Slytherins are known to be ambitious, resourceful, have determination and are very clever. Slytherins are not someone to be trifled with; meaning plan so many steps ahead of anything that you do is bound to turn out in their favor. Here are some ways to celebrate this house:

check out some awesome Harry Potter themed gadgets and treats, wear Slytherin household colors (green and silver) and throw a Slytherin party.

On March 22 is “Gryffindor Pride Day.” Gryffindors are some of the most bravest, heroic and selfless people you’ll ever meet. They’ll drop whatever they are doing and come help you when you need it. Here are some ways to celebrate this house: make a Gryffindor themed desserts, watch the films, and dress up in the house colors of red and gold.

On March 23 is “Ravenclaw Pride

Day.” If anyone is a Harry Potter fan and is a Ravenclaw, this day is for you. Wisdom, creativity, cleverness and a ready mind are the traits of a Ravenclaw. Here are some ways to celebrate: watch all the Harry Potter films, dress up in the house colors (gold and blue), and host a Ravenclaw party.

There were some holidays that happened before this issue went to publication. For more information, visit meramecmontage.com.

Fear Of A Revolution?

jack jursnich STAFF WRITER

From corporate and government corruption, the wars at home and away, to the lacking trust in our systems of information, it is easy to make the mistake of losing sight for the future. I will not preach to you about ‘waking up’ but the signs of revolution are not hard to notice, and I wonder whether or not we are prepared for the times.

AI technologies expanding rapidly under global corporate control, recognition of long-awaited UAP coverups, government censorship, and the entanglements and intimidations of our nation’s adversaries, all under a veil of sugar-coating and wasted press

conferences. Is anyone else in silent fear?

I fear the weight of the times, and I can imagine the repercussions of our current decisions when based in such fears. FDR had said that we have only to fear “fear itself,” and to be guided by fear is to gamble away the chances of a choice, a choice to do right without the fear of being wrong.

Too many folks my age see this moment now as the time of ‘storming the castle gates’; too many generalizations of smashing the ‘system’ and destroying the ‘establishment’. And replace it with what? What is the master plan? Are we so in fear of the flaws of such ‘systems’ that we must throw them out entirely? This type of thinking is not healthy for any kind of revolution.

I fear we pick at problems too much,

posing complaints and our awareness as viable solutions, when it only gives a broader platform for the problem to stand on. We think charging ahead with our mouths and our pitchforks will be an act of heroism, of doing our part to some higher deed and those not aligned be kept out of mind.

Who are we to think of us all as such heroes? Who are we to think of ourselves as the hand that all should want to be lent?

I only press what I guess to be a warning for those too excited for a revolution, that we shouldn’t be too quick to call out ‘Final Answer’ when trillions of dollars, billions of lives are on the line. Consult with your neighbor without the fear of uncertainty and of being wrong. You are going to be wrong in life; it is best to find a right

way to handle it.

The best thing we can do is learn. All of humanity has evolved on the basis that we’ve learned something, adapted, passed onto generation after generation, learning more with each perspective. What will we learn in this time? What will we teach? Perhaps it will be the hope in our ability to learn.

‘The Ones Who Live’ Recap: Dana and the Village People

jacob politte managing editor

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live | “Gone”

Season 1, Episode 2

Airdate: 3/3/2024

*** SPOILERS BELOW ***

Last week, we finally found out what Rick Grimes has been up to for the past 6 years. Until this point, that was always shrouded in mystery.

On the flip side of that coin, Michonne’s journey has been a bit more defined, even if we haven’t seen any more of it than we saw of Rick’s. We knew what Michonne was

setting out to do when she departed the flagship show; we even see two of her companions. For the majority of “Gone” we get to follow a bit of that journey, and it’s a little hard to watch at points. Not because the acting is bad. Not because of anything having to do with the character, the story or the dialogue.

No, it’s because once again, the Walking Dead’s stellar cinematography shines, taking us into the midst of a Civic Republic Military (CRM) chlorine gas attack. And that is extremely tough to watch. This is the same kind of attack that the CRM has used to great success to meet their goals, as our characters in this series may or may not find out about later.

The attack wipes out all but one of Michonne’s new companions, that

being Nat, the coolest awkward little person ever. He has to be seen to be believed, really. Eventually, after spending a significant amount of time recovering, the two happen across another CRM helicopter, and Nat shoots it down with a harpoon grenade launcher, not realizing it holds the precious cargo they’ve been looking for until Michonne almost slices Rick’s throat (as seen last week).

The reunion between Rick and Michonne is shown in full here, but the bliss of reuniting doesn’t last long as Nat is shot dead almost immediately, and an uncharacteristically afraid Rick informs Michonne that the CRM are close by and already on their way. Rick politely takes Michonne’s belongings and pretends to capture her so that the CRM doesn’t kill her, and tells her to hide everything about herself.

That’s with good reason, as while Michonne (or Dana, as she calls herself) does manage to get through the CRM’s screening process and dons one of their jackets, it doesn’t take long for Jadis to resurface and head straight to Rick’s apartment to threaten him. Fresh off assisting with the downfall of Omaha, and seemingly sometime after her failed excursion to New York, Jadis wastes no time in letting Rick know that she has no problem killing everyone back in Virginia if he and Michonne try anything at all, specifically asking him “Rick, what the f**k are you doing?” with the most malice of anyone in this franchise in some time. And based off the promo for next week, it doesn’t look like that conversation is quite finished. Major General Beale may be this show’s big bad, but Jadis isn’t that far behind him.

SCATTERED THOUGHTS

• I’d like to take the opportunity to remind readers that the CRM was bested by a bunch of children and scientists with next to no fighting ability in World Beyond, and now they were bested by a little person, so if Michonne can’t figure a way out of the CRM, I’m gonna be really surprised.

• The leader of the caravan at the beginning is the worst and I don’t know why a whole group of people follow her. Her own people hate her! Her sister hates her!

• I have no idea why Michonne didn’t tell Rick that he has a new son.

• I’d like to think Michonne picked up tips on how to create a convincing backstory from Carol’s exploits in Seasons 5 and 6 of the flagship.

• RIP Nat, one of the most awesome one-episode characters ever. He’s right up there with Lt. Okafor.

• Rick and Michonne sneaking around like high schoolers to make out is unintentionally funny.

• Jadis is very intentionally the scariest CRM villain thus far, much like she was in World Beyond. Her past with Rick and Michonne only makes that carry more weight.

• The musical score of this series is really spectacular.

Check out new reviews of “The Ones Who Live” Every Sunday Night at MeramecMontage.com

Men’s Basketball Wins District 2 Title

The Archers will head to Arkansas this Saturday

TJacob Politte STAFF WRITER

he STLCC Men’s Basketball team won the Men’s Region 16 D2 Basketball Tournament hosted on their home court at the Forest Park campus this past Sunday, defeating North Central Missouri College 67-64 to keep their season going.

According to the Archers Athletics website, “Coach Collins and the team had spent the week preparing for this pivotal matchup, knowing they were in for a fierce battle. From the opening tip-off, the Archers applied pressure to the Pirates’ offense and fought tenaciously on the boards. They managed to edge ahead just before halftime, leading 31-30.”

As the second half unfolded, the Archers had a five-point lead at one point thanks to crucial three-pointers from players DeMarco Buchanan and Jamaray Davenport.

However, North Central managed

to tie the game up with two minutes remaining.

Archers Athletics reported, “In a nail-biting finish, both teams traded points until the final seconds. With just 20 seconds remaining, [player] Jemeal Goines made a crucial basket and added an extra point from a Pirate foul. The Archers then held strong on defense, securing the win when a lastsecond shot from the Pirates missed its mark. Buchanan’s final defensive rebound sealed the victory for the Archers.”

Now, the Men’s Basketball team will advance to the Region 2 Central Plains District game in Arkansas this Saturday, Mar 9th.

It will be hosted at South Arkansas Community College, with a game time yet to be announced.

As of press time, the team had a regular season record of 22 wins and 9 losses, and a conference/tournament record of 3 wins and 2 losses.

PHOTO COURTESY OF STLCC

Demarco Buchanan cuts down a piece of the basketball net after the Archers’ victory this past week. Photo by Archers Athletics.

photo by archers athletics