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Supporters rally for Kim Gardner
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“Leave Kim Gardner alone! Hands off Kim.” “It’s a Legal Lynching!” Shouts from protestors rang out Tuesday during a Community Justice Coalition (CJC) rally at the Carnahan Courthouse downtown. At issue is the evolving story related to a Feb. 18 vehicle accident where a criminal defendant, Daniel Riley, caused a
crash that led to the double leg amputation of visiting high school volleyball player, Janae Edmondson. Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner has come under fire for failing to put Riley, who was out on bond for a 2020 robbery, back in jail. The 21-year-old was placed on a recognizance bond, with GPS monitoring by Circuit Court Judge Bryan Hettenbach.
See GARDNER, A7
COMPLIMENTARY
Mayor Jones signs Safer Streets Bill
Ouster attempt continues in Jeff City By Sylvester Brown Jr. The St. Louis American
Vol. 94 No. 48
Follows fatal accident on Feb. 26
St. Louis American staff Photo by Sylvester Brown Jr.
Members of the Community Justice Coalition (CJC), gathered at the Carnahan Court Building Tuesday in support of Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner.
Historic note Vocalist Kennedy Holmes and Kevin McBeth, IN UNISON Chorus director, shared a story with the audience during the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s annual Black History Month concert at Powell Hall. More concert coverage is in today’s Living It section.
After a pair of devastating vehicle accidents in the past two weeks rocked St. Louis, Mayor Tishaura Jones signed the St. Louis Safer Streets bill on Wednesday the first citywide investment in road and pedestrian safety. Jones, who was joined at the bill signing by Board of Aldermen President Megan E. Green and Board of Public Service President Rich Bradley, said “Traffic violence tears families and communities apart, and to all those who say they feel scared on our roads: I hear you.” “Parents in our city are asking ourselves: How can we teach our teenagers how to drive in a city where the rules of the road can feel more like suggestions? This bill makes a historic investment in St. Louis’ infrastructure, prioritizing road safety to help calm
See BILL, A7
Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American
Mati Hlatshwayo Davis, director of Health for the City of St. Louis, has a laugh as Marcus Howard, founder & Chief Executive Officer, GreaterHealth Pharmacy & Wellness gives a hug to St. Louis County Health Director Dr. Kanika Cunningham.
A Greater day
Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American
CVPA students take gun control message to Capital ‘We can prevent this from happening’
By Sarah Kellogg St. Louis Public Radio As dawn broke on Tuesday, students from Central Visual and Performing Arts High School were boarding a bus destined for Jefferson City and the state Capital Building. Bryanna Love spoke with reporters just before departure, and told reporters “we want just not our voices to be heard, but also the voices of the people that are here.” The people who are actually here experi-
HEALTH
Coming together for community’s health
encing the violence and terror that very loose gun laws inflict on us.” The students and supporters shared stories of the school shooting that shocked St. Louis and the nation on Oct. 24, 2022. They asked for support of laws that would strengthen red flag laws and the right for communities, like St. Louis, to deal with gun possessions how they see fit. “More than anything, we want to make Jean and Alex’s voices heard because they can’t do that anymore.”
BUSINESS
CEO Mom Empire helps young entrepreeurs
Affinia Healthcare and Griot Museum of Black History provided a health fair on Saturday, Feb. 25 at the museum.
Devon Moody-Graham takes small startups under her wings and provides support ranging from assessing capital to structuring management.
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Tenth-grader Alexzandria Bell and 61-yearold physical education teacher Jean Kuczka died before police killed 19-year-old gunman, former student Orlando Harris. While in the third-floor rotunda, Love spoke to reporters saying “We can prevent this from happening in the future — it begins here with you.” “The more we allow gun violence to run rampant in the streets of Missouri, the bloodier
See CAPITAL, A6
New Black-owned pharmacy celebrates grand opening
By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis, St. Louis Department of Health director recently toured owner Marcus Howard’s GreaterHealth Pharmacy and Wellness in the Delmar Divine. Of the many items on the store’s shelves, Davis noticed black and brown bandage n “This pharmacy strips. Her 6-yearbelongs to the city of old daughter had St. Louis This story a scrape, so Davis started right here in St. purchased the Louis. It is so St. Louis bandages and took them home. and I love my city.” “My daughter said, ‘mommy look; – Marcus Howard It looks like me.’ I tear up just thinking about,” Davis told a crowd that included prominent physicians, medical administrators, elected officials and neighborhood residents. “Marcus is raising the quality of health care in this area through the work of being inclusive.” The Metro High School graduate had left St.
See PHARMACY, A6
SPORTS
College conference titles on the line in The Lou The Missouri Valley Tournament begins play on Thursday at Enterprise Arena and will conclude on Sunday afternoon with the championship game at 1 p.m.
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