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A Business Priority • See special publication inside •
St. LouiS AmericAn The
CAC Audited AUG. 27 – SEPT. 2, 2020
Serving, empowering and advocating equity in St. Louis since 1928
Vol. 92 No. 22 COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
Vitilas ‘Veto’ Reid passes at 91
David Dorn’s daughters oppose RNC appearance
Services are Sunday at Prince of Peace for pioneering postmaster
By Chris King Of The St. Louis American
‘She should not politicize our father’s death for Trump’s agenda’ David Dorn’s daughters want it known that their late father did not support President Donald Trump and would not want his name or image to be used to further Trump’s political agenda. They are angry that their father’s widow, St. Louis Police Sergeant Ann Dorn, is scheduled to speak on Thursday, August 27 at the Republican National Convention. “We know his wife is a Trump supporter, but he was not,” said his daughter, Debra White, a quality assur-
By Chris King Of The St. Louis American Funeral Services will be held at Prince of Peace Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday, August 30 for Vitilas “Veto” Reid, who peacefully passed away Sunday, August 16 at the age of 91. Visitation is at 2 p.m. and services at 3 p.m. Masks must be worn and social distance maintained. Reid faithfully attended Prince of Peace, 9350 Natural Bridge Rd., for more than 75 years. Vitilas Reid was “Veto” Reid a trailblazer in the United States Postal Service, where he served for 52 years. He was the first African-American postmaster in Godfrey, Illinois and in St. Charles. “He also played a prominent role in helping to blaze the trail of substantial opportunities n In for the next 2004, the generation,” Normandy said retired Post Congressman Office was Bill Clay, his lifelong friend. renamed In 2004, and desthe Normandy ignated as Post Office the Vitilas was renamed “Veto” Reid and designated Post Office. as the Vitilas “Veto” Reid Post Office. In 2006, his 52 years of service was entered into the Congressional Record. “Veto Reid is someone whose lifelong friendship and support I will always cherish and remember,” said U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay, who sponsored the legislation to honor Reid with naming the post office and the congressional recognition. Reid also was the first African See REID, A6
David Dorn, Debra White and Lisa Dorn
See DORN, A7
Photo by Wiley Price
Use-of-force policies under review County police commander responds to Commissioner Dr. L.J. Punch’s suggestions By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American
Photo by Wiley Price
Laughing with Dad Macy Weeden 3, enjoyed time with her dad Matt Weeden in the Muny parking lot in Forest Park on Tuesday, August 19.
Beloved singer and performer Lamont Hadley Sr. recently succumbed to the coronavirus.
In a recent letter to St. Louis County Police Chief Mary Barton, St. Louis County Police Commissioner Dr L.J. Punch outlined action steps in six areas of concern: training, diversity and inclusion, transparency, evaluation, use of force and protests. Punched said that the recommendations are based on the Ferguson Commission report, U.S. Department of Justice report, Homegrown STL and the St. Louis Violence Prevention Commission, as well as the Ethical Society of Police. During the Board of Police Commissioners meeting on St. Louis August 18, Lt. Colby Dolly, County Police commander of the Bureau Commissioner of Research and Analysis, Dr L.J. Punch responded to several of the use-of-force suggestions Punch made. However, because of the poor audio of the Zoom recording, the public could not hear his responses. The American discussed Punch’s recommendations with Dolly, who oversees policy development, grants, crime analysis, and accreditation. Punch: Rather than simply reviewing the useof-force policy, we must allow explicit sharing See PUNCH, A6
Losing Lamont Hadley Sr. COVID-19 takes from STL a beloved singer By Sylvester Brown Jr. Of The St. Louis American
Photo courtesy of Lamont Hadley Sr. Facebook
Black Americans have been hit hard by the coronavirus. Nearly 1 in 3 Blacks know someone firsthand who has died from the virus, compared to 9 percent of whites, according to a Washington Post poll. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Blacks are 11% of Missouri’s population yet account for 32% of the state’s coronavirus deaths. Although more than 56,000 blacks have succumbed to the virus, most of the deceased are unknown outside their circles of family and friends. This is not the case for thou-
sands in St. Louis who recently learned that beloved singer and performer Lamont Hadley Sr. had succumbed to the coronavirus. St. Louis’ live entertainment scene in the late 1980s and ‘90s was robust. Hadley’s rise to fame came at a time when St. Louis and East St. Louis clubs like the Ambassador, the Max, St. Louis Nites and Broadway’s featured live performances. The bookings of local groups and solo artists such as Plush, Transit Authority, Velvet, Marty Abdullah and Julius Williams guaranteed packed houses. See HADLEY, A7