A night of R&B royalty
St. Louis American See page B1
The
Serving, empowering and advocating for equity in St. Louis since 1928
APRIL 2 – 8, 2026
Vol. 97 No. 51 COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
Earnings tax faces scrutiny St. Louis to vote on the critical measure April 7 By Sylvester Brown Jr. St. Louis American Since 1959, St. Louis residents have paid a 1% earnings tax on income to help fund city services such as police, fire, streets and trash collection. Next week, voters will decide whether to continue the tax under Proposition B, a measure that appears on
the ballot every five years. If rejected, the tax would be phased out over 10 years. Each year it has appeared on the ballot, voters have approved it. But Cheryl Walker will not be among them this year, but not because she has gripes with the city. “It’s because of the current climate
in this country. I believe we all need to keep as much of our funds in our pockets as possible,” Walker said. “At this time, I’m against it because I need to look inward.” Mayor Cara Spencer is urging voters to take a different view, encouraging support for Proposition B while acknowledging the city’s heavy reliance on the
earnings tax and the need to identify additional revenue sources. “We do have some work to do to make sure that we have a more robust stream of revenue going forward, and that’s something that you’ll be hearing from us as we move forward through
See Tax, A13
A night worth 35 years Saint Louis U. Billikens deliver on biggest stage By Earl Austin Jr. St. Louis American As many of you know, I am one of the radio voices of the Saint Louis University Billikens basketball team. I just completed my 35th season, and it was one of the most rewarding years of my broadcasting career. Led by head coach Josh Schertz and his talented staff, the Billikens won a school-record 29 games along with a share of the Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season Earl championship. A great season culAustin Jr. minated in a berth in the NCAA Tournament, the first for SLU in seven years. The Billikens were a perfect 19-0 in Chaifetz Arena, and there were sellout crowds for the last
See Billikens, A12
Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American
Paris LeFlore marches with demonstrators during the No Kings March on March 28, joining a crowd advocating for democracy and civic action.
‘Vote the right way next time’ St. Louis ‘No Kings’ protesters push back on Trump’s power, cruelty By Rod Hicks St. Louis American Linda Oliver stood among thousands of protesters in downtown St. Louis last weekend, voicing what she said many in the crowd were feeling: fear, frustration and a growing sense that President Donald Trump is acting with cruelty while consolidating too much power. “He hasn’t even been in a year, and he’s caused problems for so many people,” said Oliver, who lives downtown. “Some of it is just downright mean. He hurts people.” Other St. Louis participants described the Saturday “No Kings” demonstrations — locally
and nationwide — as a way to be seen and heard, to push back against an expansion of presidential authority and to signal to elected officials that opposition is building, even as many acknowledged the protests may not produce immediate change. New national polling underscored the moment. A Reuters/Ipsos survey released last week, just four days before the demonstrations, showed Trump’s approval rating at its lowest point of his second term, with 36% of Americans approving and 62% disapproving. A UMass Amherst poll released earlier this week found approval even
See No Kings, A13
Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American
Steve Runge, Interim Police Chief, stands with an officer while reviewing a fragment during an active search effort in a backyard, as Berkley Police continue investigating a long-term missing person case.
Cold case has new life New lead prompts search in decades-old missing teen By Na’Porsha Williams For The St. Louis American Police say they found what appears to be a bone and several small fragments after a tip led investigators to search a backyard in Berkeley. The search was part of the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of 16-year-old Shemika Cosey, who went missing 17 years ago. Officers searched in the 6100 block of Jefferson Avenue using search dogs. Officer Ryan Young, who recently took over the case, said investigators
See Cold Case, A12 SPORTS
HEALTH
Tarris Reed Jr. leads UConn to NCAA Final Four
‘We deserve wellness. It is our birthright.’
The UConn Huskies will be making their third trip to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament in four years, and St. Louisan Tarris Reed Jr. is one of the major reasons why it’s happening.
Black-led organizations receive just 1% of philanthropic dollars even as they absorb the heaviest demand for community care.
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