Local bishop makes history Bishop Lawrence M. Wooten joins COGIC General Board
Page C7
Vol. 84 No. 36
CAC Audited DECEMBER 6 – 12, 2012
COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
Nixon pushes for Medicaid expansion Gov. faces stiff challenge in legislature By Jason Rosenbaum Of The Beacon Gov. Jay Nixon announced his full support for expanding the state’s Medicaid program, a key provision of the Affordable Care Act that he contends will bolster the state’s economic fortunes and help an estimated 300,000 poor Missourians get access to health care. But the Democratic governor’s advocacy could face a steep challenge in the Republican-led Missouri
General Assembly, unless GOP legislators make an about face from their decision in 2005 to cut eligibility for the health-care program for the poor. When Nixon first campaigned for governor in 2008, he said he would make restoring Medicaid cuts one of his major priorities. But then, after he was elected, he did little – aside from a failed 2009 effort – until last week. Speaking at the BJC Outpatient Center in St. Louis,
See NIXON, A6
Photo by BIll Greenblatt/UPI
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon outlines his plans to provide health care coverage for an additional estimated 300,000 Missourians, while BJC Health Care President and Chief Executive Officer Steven Lipstein looks on in St. Louis on November 29.
CORTEX to present inclusion plan Admits to ‘playing catch-up’ on proposed $2.2B project By Rebecca S. Rivas Of The St. Louis American
Photo by Wiley Price
Tiny fiddler
As far as putting minorities and women to work, BJC’s goals mark the lowest on a St. Louis city project of this scale in the last several years.
For the past few months, the question for CORTEX, a research park in the Central West End, has been: how do you plan on employing taxpayers – especially minorities, women, city residents and students – on your $2.2 billion, 200acre redevelopment
Nicole Womack holds the sheet music for her daughter Samiyah Quinn Womack, 5, as the girl performs a piece on her miniature violin during the Katy Ann Foundation’s appreciation program held Friday evening at Innovative Concept Academy.
United Way introduces mentor program U.S. Olympic medalist Dawn Harper and St. Louis Rams Pro Bowl safety Quintin Mikeel visited Soldan International Studies High School recently as ambassadors for a United Way program called Education Express.
Education Express rolled out at Soldan with celeb athletes By Bridjes O’Neil Of The St. Louis American “Mentors and tutors can help make dreams a reality,” said Cheryl Polk, executive vice president and chief strategy and engagement officer for the United Way of Greater St. Louis. A pep rally was recently held at Soldan International Studies High School to introduce United Way’s new Education Express community ambassadors. East St. Louis
United Way hopes to recruit 2,000 Education Express volunteers by 2014.
See MENTOR, A7
See CORTEX, A6
Supreme Court hears Northside’s appeal McKee challenges Dierker’s ruling on $390M TIF By Rebecca S. Rivas Of The St. Louis American Attorneys for Paul McKee’s $8-billion Northside redevelopment plan and the City of St. Louis made a plea before the Missouri Supreme Court last week to defend their $390 million taxincrement-finance agreement, which a lower court shot down in 2010. Basically, the Supreme Court judges focused their questions – to both sides – around: What is a See McKEE, A7
Photo by Wiley Price