Happy Thanksgiving! Vol. 84 No. 34
CAC Audited NOVEMBER 22 – 28, 2012
COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
Service, diversity stressed at Salute 500-plus guests celebrate excellence and community at Ritz-Carlton By Chris King Of The St. Louis American More than 500 guests celebrated excellence in African-American business and the business imperative of diversity at the 13th Annual Salute to Excellence in Business Awards & Networking Luncheon held Thursday, November 15 at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis. Hosted by the St. Louis American Foundation, St. Louis RCGA and the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, the event awarded executives, entrepreneurs and
See story video at www.stlamerican.com one corporation, but it also offered breaking business news and moments of high emotion. Joe Reagan, president and CEO of St. Louis RCGA,
See SALUTE, A7
Photo by Maurice Meredith
Barbara A. Washington, vice president of public relations and special events for Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club, made a spirited appeal to the community to support the club when accepting the 2012 Non-Profit Executive of the Year Award.
Birthday blessing for a lifetime of service Central Baptist Church names health room after Dr. James M. Whittico Jr. By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American A stroll through the office of Dr. James M. Whittico Jr. in the medical building at St. Louis ConnectCare quickly reveals why he is such a beloved treasure inside and outside of the medical community in St. Louis. He has been in the private practice of medicine, specializing in surgery, since 1952 and has been a medical Photo by Wiley Price
Dr. James M. Whittico Jr.
See WHITTICO, A7
Hip-hop symphony Dancers in COCA’s Hip Hop Crew performed recently with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra at Powell Hall, where the audience learned about musical forms in an innovative program pairing hip-hop choreography by Redd Williams of COCA with classical favorites performed by the orchestra.
‘Change agent’ leaves ACLU Brenda Jones retires after diversifying and unifying civil liberties affiliate By Rebecca S. Rivas Of The St. Louis American When people walk into the ACLU’s modern and spacious office in the Central West End, they see a framed photo of a classiclooking, historic home. It’s a tribute to the ACLU’s former office and
foundational years. When Brenda Jones became executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri eight years ago, she urged the organization to sell the house. “It was a charming old house,” said Jones, who will retire at the end of January. “But it was indica-
City prepares to take over police department from state board on July 1
tive of the time and the state of development we were in. While it was a lovely place to work, I wanted the organization to grow and project.” In her tenure, she grew the ACLU-EM from a small, insular group of loyal workers who put their own money into the organization to keep it afloat into an organization that is a national strategic affiliate with a growing donor base. She will soon lead the
By Jo Mannies Of The Beacon
Photo by Wiley Price
See JONES, A6
Making transition to local control
Brenda Jones
On election day, voters across the state voted to end 150 years of state oversight of St. Louis’ police force. Officially, the city must wait almost eight months before it finally gains control. But to be ready for the July 1 hand-off, work is already underway. Proposition A requires St. Louis Mayor Francis G. Slay and the state to set up within 30 See CONTROL, A7