Salute to Excellence In Business Awards Luncheon
St. Louis American February 19, 2026
The
FEBRUARY 12 – 18, 2026
Serving, empowering and advocating for equity in St. Louis since 1928
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Vol. 97 No. 44 COMPLIMENTARY
A quiet street, a toxic past
Radioactive waste forces demolition of Florissant homes By Sylvester Brown Jr. and Lawrence Bryant St. Louis American Six perfectly good homes on a quiet Florissant street are being torn down this week, beginning Monday when workers using an excavator ripped apart the first house on Cades Cove Drive. The homes — once considered safe, livable and permanent — are not being demolished because they are structurally unsound, but because radioactive waste was found buried beneath them.
The demolition marks the start of the nation’s first residential teardown tied to radioactive contamination discovered under occupied properties, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Federal officials say the contamination traces back to uranium processing for the Manhattan Project during World War II and was buried decades ago when a subdivision was built along Coldwater Creek The cleanup is being conducted under the Corps’ Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action
See Demolition, A10
Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American
Workers using an excavator ripped apart the first house on Cades Cove Drive in Florissant on Monday. The homes are being demolished because radioactive waste was found buried beneath them.
Coming full circle From intern to CEO, Indigo Sams put her mark on COCA
By Kenya Vaughn St. Louis American When Indigo Sams moved to St. Louis from the Bay Area at 17, she was hardly a stranger to the region. Her father, George Sams, is considered a regional treasure for his work with the Black Artists Group in the 1960s. Today, Sams stands as one of the region’s most prominent Black arts leaders, guiding the Center of Creative Arts as president and Indigo Sams CEO. Her path — from student intern to chief executive — reflects both longevity and uncommon institutional knowledge. After beginning her career at COCA as a college intern, Sams spent 17 years with the organization before taking on
Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American
St. Louis City SC unveiled its Tina Turner kit Tuesday at The Foundry, the first Adidas soccer jersey collaboration with a female music artist. The launch also highlighted upcoming Turner-themed programs with COCA and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.
See Sams, A10
Gold standard
St. Louis takes on McKee
City SC honors Tina Turner with shimmering soccer apparel
City steps in after years of stalled North St. Louis development
By Kenya Vaughn St. Louis American There are jerseys — and then there are statements. On Tuesday evening inside City Foundry, St. Louis City SC unveiled a Tina Turner kit, featuring jerseys, shorts and other soccer apparel. Bathed in shimmering gold and anchored in unapologetic civic pride, the Adidas collaboration honors the Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll and the city where Anna Mae Bullock became Tina Turner. The Tina Turner kit marks what City SC called the first Adidas collaboration with a female music artist on a soccer kit. “Not only did Tina Turner change music, she impacted culture over decades and continues to permeate it today,” said Carolyn Kindle, CEO of St. Louis City SC. “We are so proud to honor the Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll and her deep ties to St. Louis.” Turner moved to St. Louis at age 16 and graduated from Sumner High School. It was here — in East St. Louis clubs and
By Sylvester Brown Jr. St. Louis American
“Not only did Tina Turner change music, she impacted culture over decades and continues to permeate it today.”
City officials have moved to seize dozens of properties owned by longtime North St. Louis developer Paul McKee, escalating a yearslong standoff over stalled redevelopment near the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency on Jefferson Avenue. Last month, Mayor Cara Spencer’s administration authorized the St. Louis Development Corporation to pursue eminent domain lawsuits against more than 80 parcels tied to McKee’s company,
– Carolyn Kindle
See McKee, A10
See Turner, A10 BUSINESS
SPORTS
McDonald’s economic impact tops $1.4 billion in Missouri
Under Wallace, MICDS basketball continues successful run
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The McDonald’s system generated more than $1.4 billion in economic activity in Missouri last year, supporting tens of thousands of jobs — an impact driven in part by St. Louis-area owner-operator Jimmy Williams.
In the past six seasons, Travis Wallace has guided the Rams to an average of 20 victories a season, including three district championships and a berth in the state quarterfinals in 2023.