Reducing child mental health disparities
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St. Louis American See page A14
The
CAC Audited AUGUST 1 – 7, 2024
Serving, empowering and advocating for equity in St. Louis since 1928
Vol. 96 No. 17 COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
Keisha Scarlett out as SLPS super
Centene connects Urban League with community Connected Center celebrates opening By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American The smoke from fires set during the Ferguson Uprising had barely cleared when Michael Neidorff, the late CEO of Centene Corp., announced the firm would build a $125 million call center in Ferguson. In 2016, the building opened and Michael McMillan, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis president and CEO, said Tuesday that, as Neidorff promised, 90% of its staff members were from the nearby community. When employees began working from home during the pandemic, the Centene staff in the building dwindled. Many would not return once the pandemic slowed. Rather than shutter the structure, Centene donated the building to the Urban Leage and the grand opening of the remodeled facility
Millicent Borishade named acting superintendent Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American
The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis announces the grand opening of the Urban League Centene Connected Community Center. This state-of-the-art facility, located at 2900 Pershall Rd., represents a significant milestone in their ongoing mission to empower and uplift communities across North County.
See CENTENE, A7
By Alvin A. Reid and Sylvester Brown Jr. St. Louis American Just over two weeks before the opening of the school year, St. Louis Public Schools is without a permanent leader following the sudden departure of former Superintendent Dr. Keisha Scarlett. Scarlett officially began her duties as superintendent on July 1, 2023, coming to St. Louis from Seattle to replace longtime former Superintendent Kelvin Adams, The SLPS Board of Education announced on July 26, she had Keisha taken “a leave of Scarlett absence.’ On Monday, Board President Toni Cousins said board members had multiple concerns about Scarlett, including a hiring decision that came under fire after a new school district employee posted online about her plans to “float” between the job here and her home in Houston. “Some of the things that we’ve been
See SCARLETT, A7
Photo by Sophie Proe / St. Louis Public Radio
Christopher Dunn speaks to the media with his wife, Kira, by his side after being released from prison on Tuesday outside the Mel Carnahan Courthouse in downtown St. Louis.
Christopher Dunn is free after legal haggling n “If I hold onto the past, I will never be able to move forward.”
“St. Louis, listen. It was 34 years ago that they took me away from you,” Dunn said. “It shouldn’t have been this long. Nor should it have taken this long for everyone to Thirty-four years of unjust incarceration want to come forward now. ended on Tuesday when the words of Circuit “All I can ask you to do is give the system Attorney Gabe Gore “the State elects not to – Christopher Dunn a chance to work itself out. You have to give proceed” in State of Missouri vs. Christopher the system a chance to work itself out. But at Dunn. the same time, we can’t give up on each other. Dunn walked out of the Mel Carnahan That’s what St. Louis has done for the last 34 Courthouse just after 7:30 p.m. Tuesday night years. I had to watch it from afar. And now, let’s see if we with his wife, Kira, and attorneys at his side. can get things together.” With so much of his life spent in prison, Dunn could be St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Jason Sengheiser granted a bitter man, but he told reporters he will be forgiving – and that he looks forward to attending St. Louis Cardinals baseball games again. See DUNN, A6 By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American
BUSINESS
Pivotal amendments, initiatives on ballot August 6 Key vote on KCMO police By Sylvester Brown, Jr. St. Louis American Most voters know they will choose candidates for Congress, the U.S. Senate and other elected offices during the Aug. 6 primary election. What many may not know, however, is that there are amendments and initiatives on the ballot aimed at raising the minimum wage, exempt child care establishments from property taxation and a police funding mandate that theoretically only applies to Kansas City but could have ramifications for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department as well. If it passes, the Missouri Minimum
See BALLOT, A6 SPORTS
National Black Business Month has tie to East St. Louis
A Phenom-enal summer basketball performance
August marks National Black Business Month but few Americans know its origin, and that East St. Louis, Illinois played a significant role in its founding.
The summer grassroots basketball season came to an end last weekend and some very talented girls teams came home with national championship trophies.
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