BJ the DJ celebrates career milestone
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St. Louis American See page C1
The
Serving, empowering and advocating for equity in St. Louis since 1928
CAC Audited AUGUST 7 – 13, 2025
Vol. 97 No. 18 COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
‘Very disrespectful’
Boeing workers walk out over pay, benefits
By Ashley Winters St. Louis American
Terrell Polk (left) assembly mechanic for Boeing in Berkley, MO. is striking for higher wages and more vacation time.
Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American
By Ashley Winters St. Louis American Kiefer Been believes he deserves more pay for the work he does at Boeing, and that the company can easily afford it. Yet, Boeing and thousands of its workers in Berkeley, Missouri, are locked in a labor dispute. “This whole thing just feels very disrespectful,” Been said. “Especially to the workers who put in the time and effort to grow this billion-dollar corporation.” Been, an operator on the F-15 final assembly line in Berkeley, is one of more than 3,000 defense workers in the St.
INSIDE SPORTS
Earl’s 30 for 30 at the St. Louis American This has been an exciting year for me because it is my 30th year of covering sports for the St. Louis American.
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BUSINESS
Low pay, burnout fuels teacher shortage
Louis area represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 837. They voted overwhelmingly to reject Boeing’s latest contract offer and walked off the job Monday. He says workers were clear about what they wanted: competitive pay, a faster path to top wages, a better 401(k) and a fair sign-on bonus. “We have guys who have been here 15 years and still haven’t reached their top salary,” he said. The striking workers, represented by the International
Interest in becoming a teacher has plummeted to historic lows over the past decade, and Missouri is feeling the impact. With the state ranking near the bottom nationally for teacher pay and grappling with rising living costs, nearly one in four Missouri teachers n “Lots of works a second teachers work job just to get by, according to the multiple jobs state Department and are strug- of Elementary gling to make and Secondary Education. ends meet.” Nationwide, the story is similar: – Corrie One in five public Hamilton school teachers — about 20% — work a second job during the school year, often outside the education field, according to the U.S. Department of Education and Education Week. Towina Jones left the classroom in 2020 after 21 years as an educator in Missouri. “The ever-increasing demands put on
See TEACHERS, A6
See STRIKE, A6
Faith, joy and longevity
Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American
St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer announced last week that the city has paused its certification programs for women- and minority-owned businesses.
Spencer pauses minority contracting program
Edna Fletcher, Gloria Sanders and Opal Green were among those who honored Mother Illaree Triplet (seated) as she celebrated her 105th birthday last month at Christ Community Temple Church of God in Christ.
By Sylvester Brown, Jr. St. Louis American
STL Public Radio raises $800K The local National Public Radio affiliate embarked on a one-week fundraising campaign to offset a $575,000 loss in annual funding – which was revoked by Congress on July 18.
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Community Temple Church of God in Christ. She sits on the Mothers Board of the church, on Norwood Avenue, and took pride in saving souls during revival services in her younger years. “When the Lord saved me, he made a new person out of me,” Mother Triplet said. “Jesus is in you, and you in him when you get the Holy Ghost. Where he
St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer announced last week that the city has paused its certification programs for women- and minority-owned businesses “to assess next steps.” She also said city departments will not issue “any new non-emergency contracts” for construction projects that fall under the city’s Minority and/or Women-owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) goals. City officials have already halted the certification of new businesses under the current program, shifting instead toward what some have quietly called a “race-neutral” small business approach. While acknowledging that the city’s
See TRIPLET, A7
See SPENCER, A7
Photo courtesy of Mother Illaree Triplet
Mother Triplet continues to serve Christ at 105 By Zaria Mac St. Louis American Illaree “Mother” Triplet is a woman full of joy — and faith personified. She recently celebrated her 105th birthday with family and friends at Christ