Social justice and Aerotropolis China Hub Commission Chairman Mike Jones explains why the community should support the airport project.
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Vol. 83 No. 6
CAC Audited MAY 12 – 18, 2011
COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
Reaching for the sky – together
The American mourns Paul Reiter Teen charged with murder of beloved longtime circulation manager By Rebecca S. Rivas Of The St. Louis American
“He never asked for anything in return. He was one of a kind.”
The St. Louis American newspaper would not be where it is today without the loyal, disciplined work of one unheralded employee – Paul Reiter, circulation manager. For 22 years, he ensured every neighborhood in the St. Louis area received copies of The American on time. And he showered many in the community with his unending, selfless giving spirit. On May 9, 2011, Paul was shot and killed in the backyard of his home, on the 5000 block of Idaho Avenue in Dutchtown. He was 58. That morning at about 10 a.m., the next-
– Christopher Paul Reiter
door neighbor reported an attempted burglary to the police. Investigators believe there is a strong possibility that Paul may have interrupted the suspects as they attempted to burglarize the home. Police found him lying face-down, dead, in his yard at about 7:30 p.m. That morning, See REITER, A6
Mathews-Dickey hosts mentoring program for girls Photo by Wiley Price
Paul Reiter, longtime circulation manager of The American, celebrating the wedding of a colleague in 2007.
Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
Zumba for Life Skills Young girls practice their Zumba moves as they stretch for the start of the Life Skills Walk, Run and Roll event in Maryland Heights on Saturday. Hundreds turned out to help raise over $150,000 to help 10 organizations that assist those with developmental disabilities.
By Rebecca S. Rivas Of The St. Louis American A young African-American lady took the podium with command and a beaming smile. “Generations of my family have been part of the Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club – my mother, my grandmother and even my uncles,” said Chaquill Merriweather, the 2011 “The Sky is the Limit” scholarship winner. On May 6, she spoke to a banquet hall of about 300 high school students, like herself, “When I and their professional was a girl mentors at The Sky is the Limit luncheon, a growing up in mentoring and netrural working event for Mississippi, young women. there weren’t Merriweather said any avenues one of her fondest for me to have memories has been being part of the mentors who Mathews-Dickey are lawyers, cheerleading program. PhDs, market- When Merriweather paused and began to ing execs.” choke up, Barbara Washington, who – Barbara founded The Sky is Washington the Limit program, jumped up and hugged her. “She’s been with us since she was a baby,” Washington said. Merriweather was the last person to take the stage, following several moving and heartwarming presenters that included journalist and best-selling author Susan Wilson Solovic and actress Maria Horsford. The Sky is the Limit career-readiness program couples young women with role models, scholarship funds and skills they need for the workforce. At the luncheon, 29 graduating seniors were presented with 1,000 scholarships and 300 young women were See GIRLS, A7
TALKING SEX IN THE CHURCH ‘Saving Our Selves Summit’ offers ministry about sexual decisions By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American They are talking sex in the church. And it’s about time. “You cannot look at a person and tell if he has HIV/AIDS,” said Sheila Grigsby, founder and director of Faith Communities United. “The only way to tell is a diagnosis by a physician.” At the Sister to Sister Saving Our Selves SOS Summit held recently at Christ the King United Church of Christ in St. Louis County, women and girls engaged in frank, non-judgmental discussion of sexuality, spirituality and HIV/AIDS
SPORTS
prevention. National HIV/AIDS awareness advocate Hydeia Broadbent was born HIV-positive. She began speaking out about HIV/AIDS because she saw so many of her friends engaging in behaviors that put their lives in jeopardy. Now in her twenties, her keynote address was about removing fears and stigma concerning HIV/AIDS. “If you meet someone who has HIV or AIDS, they have more reason to fear you than you do them,” Broadbent said, because of their weakened immune systems. The importance of knowing your HIV status
and routine testing was stressed – at least once a year or every time you change sex partners. About 270 women and girls from age 8 to 89 participated in the SOS Summit, and 67 were screened for HIV. Better decisions Not having grown up in the church, Broadbent said she never felt she was living up to her potential. After finding God and re-examSee CHURCH, A7
BUSINESS
Photo courtesy of Christ the King UCC
SOS Summit Worker Gabrielle Fields and Michael Alexander Mason of Chicago attended the Sister to Sister Saving Our Selves SOS Summit held recently at Christ the King United Church of Christ in St. Louis County.
LIVING IT
Maplewood High wins district
Black presence on corporate boards declines
Hip-hop missionaries
Maplewood took its first step towards a “three-peat” Class 2 state title at the District 2 meet at Principia..
A new census reported a decline in the number of seats for women and minorities on the boards of leading corporations.
Dwight Stone and Willie “P. Dub” Moore team up on Young Fly and Saved ministry through mainstream music.
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