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David and Thelma to receive leadership award from Jazz at Lincoln Center.
See page C1
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2016 Gold Cup Newspaper Missouri Press Association
St. LouiS AmericAn The
CAC Audited APRIL 20 – 26, 2017
COMPLIMENTARY
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Meet the ‘Mathletes’ ‘We problem-solve, we cooperate, because if we cooperate, we can do more’ By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American
Steve Baybo, a fifth-grade teacher at Twillman Elementary School, facilitates a math drill for the Mathletes, an afterschool club of boys in the fourth and fifth grades who explore everyday mathematics.
If there’s one thing people should know about the Twillman Elementary Mathletes, it’s that they have unstoppable teamwork, said the group’s members. “We problem-solve; we cooperate,” said Angelo Robinson, a fifth grader at Twillman Elementary in the Hazelwood School District. “Because if we cooperate, we can do more.” The Twillman Mathletes are a group of boys in the fourth and fifth grades who meet after school on Tuesdays to explore mathematics. The group’s facilitator, fifth-grade teacher Steve Baybo, said his main goal in starting the Mathletes this year was to “instill camaraderie”
See MATHLETES, A6
Vol. 89 No. 5
Photo by Wiley Price
Dotson resigns as police chief Krewson negotiates his departure on first full day as mayor By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American Police Chief Sam Dotson is retiring from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, Mayor Lyda Krewson announced on her first full day in office, April 19. Dotson, 47, a 23-year veteran of the department, will continue to serve the police force as a consultant for one year at his current salary, $129,000. Dotson, who has been chief since 2012, did not respond to The St. Louis American’s request for comment. “The chief and I had a chance to talk about the future of the department, and he made the decision Sam Dotson to retire,” Krewson said following a Wednesday morning meeting with Dotson. “I am grateful to Chief Dotson for his service and commitment to the people of the City of St. Louis.” Krewson said a search will begin immediately to find a new police chief and director of public safety. Lt. Colonel Larry O’Toole, formerly assistant police chief, will serve as acting police chief in the interim. Dotson’s retirement is a “good sign” of
See DOTSON, A7
Locked out
Photo by Wiley Price
City’s first woman mayor takes office Lyda Krewson was sworn in as St. Louis’ 46th mayor on Tuesday, April 18, becoming the first woman to lead the city. Tuesday also marked the beginning of Comptroller Darlene Green’s historic sixth consecutive full term. See Political EYE, page A9.
involves using ultraviolet (UV) spectrum light (unseen to the naked eye) as a weapon against cancer. One of his inventions, cancer goggles, uses UV light as an illuminating agent to see cancer cells. The eyewear helps surgeons
See SALUTE, A7
See EVICTIONS, A6
Seven excellent awardees Salute to Excellence in Health Care is April 28 On Friday, April 28, the St. Louis American Foundation will honor seven area professionals with 2017 Excellence in Health Care awards at the Salute to Excellence in
Health Care Awards Luncheon, an event whose net proceeds fund college scholarships through. Samuel Achilefu, Ph.D., is chief of the optical radiology laboratory at Washington University School of Medicine. His research
By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American One winter day, a 14-year-old living in Milwaukee was throwing snowballs at passing cars. Someone got out of the car, chased the boy to his home and kicked down the door. The landlord learned about the incident and immediately evicted the boy, his younger brother and his mother, Eileen. Eileen’s small family was soon homeless, and that eviction blemish on her rental record pushed the family into worse living conditions and unsafe neighborhoods. At one point, looking for a landlord who would accept her application for a rental took 90 phone calls. “When we think of the typical low-income family today, we should not think of them living in public housing or benefiting in any kind of way from the government when meeting basic housing needs,” said Matthew Desmond, an associate
Salute to Health Care
By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American
Harvard professor says evictions are a crisis and show failure of housing policy