Planting a future in East St. Louis
St. Louis American See page A5
The
Serving, empowering and advocating for equity in St. Louis since 1928
JULY 9 – 15, 2026
stlamerican.com
Vol. 98 No. 13 COMPLIMENTARY
Rams funds are approved
But the debate continues By Sylvester Brown, Jr. and Na’Porsha Williams St. Louis American More than a year after a powerful tornado devastated North St. Louis, the city’s decision to devote $120 million in Rams settlement money to tornado recovery and neighborhood investment is drawing praise from some residents and frustration from others who say neighborhoods hit hardest by the storm were still shortchanged. After months of public debate, the St. Louis Board of Aldermen voted 12-3 last week to approve a $255 million spending plan directing the city’s remaining
A building at the corner of Harris and Carter, damaged by the 2025 tornado, still sits dilapidated.
The St. Louis Board of Aldermen voted 12-3 last week to approve a $255 million spending plan.
Rams settlement proceeds to tornado recovery, neighborhood redevelopment, infrastructure improvements, downtown revitalization and efforts to reduce vacant properties.
See Rams Funds, A10
Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American
Justice and childhood Infant’s death puts focus on Missouri juvenile law
By Sylvester Brown Jr. St. Louis American A day after a 10-year-old boy was arrested for allegedly shooting and killing an infant girl in the city’s Baden neighborhood, juvenile authorities filed a petition alleging first-degree murder. The case raises questions about how Missouri’s legal system handles very young children accused of its most serious crimes. It also comes as Missouri’s juvenile justice system continues to confront longstanding racial disparities affecting Black children. According to the Missouri Department of Public Safety’s Under Racial and Missouri law, 2023 Ethnic Disparities children gen- Action Plan, Black erally must youth are referred be at least 12 to juvenile offices a rate 2.32 times before a judge at higher than White can consider youth, are less likely transferring to have their cases them to adult diverted from the court on seri- formal court process and are certified to ous felony stand trial as adults charges. at significantly higher rates. Reducing those disparities is one of the system’s stated priorities. Dr. Kenya Brumfield-Young, a criminal justice associate professor at Saint Louis University, noted how quickly the 10-year-old was charged before a thorough psychological examination was conducted. “In Missouri, first-degree murder requires that a person knowingly caused the death of another person after deliberation,” Brumfield-Young explained, adding, “with a 10-year-old, the question of intent is much deeper. “A child may understand that something is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ in a basic way and may even understand that death means someone is not coming back,” she continued. “But that is not the same as understanding the totality of the circumstances, the long-term consequences of the act, or the meaning of being processed through court on a homicide allegation.” According to court documents, the 10-year-old shot 7-month-old Kiyomi
Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American
Tony Lorthridge pumps gas at QuikTrip in Berkeley as rising fuel costs continue to strain St. Louis families.
Feeling the squeeze Black St. Louisans weigh economic pressures under Trump
By Sylvester Brown Jr. St. Louis American High gas prices. Rising grocery bills. Inflation. A war most Americans don’t want. Those are the economic pressures weighing on working families across the country. But many Black St. Louisans interviewed by The St. Louis American said those burdens have become even heavier under President Donald Trump, pointing not only to the rising cost of living but also to administration policies they believe have disproportionately affected Black communities. Residents interviewed for this story cited the administration’s rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, changes in civil rights enforcement and efforts to reshape how Black history is taught in schools as part of a broader climate that has left them feeling increasingly uncertain about the future. The Black unemployment rate stands at 6.6%, compared
More than half of Americans said the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran has been harmful to the nation.
See Squeeze, A10 HEALTH
See Juveniles, A10 LIVING IT
Could the next flu shot work better? WashU study says yes!
Luda shows STL love during celebrate 250 set
Washington University researchers have found evidence that an mRNA flu vaccine could offer stronger protections against influenza than a traditional flu shot.
Luda opened his set with “Number One Spot,” a 20-year-old track that proved prophetic. Before he settled into his show, he gave props to St. Louis for supporting him from the very beginning.
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