Why city’s cameras are not where crime happens
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St. LouiS AmericAn The
CAC Audited OCT. 31 – NOV. 6, 2019
91 years serving, empowering and advocating equity in St. Louis
Vol. 91 No. 32 COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
St. Louis County police to undergo review Board of Police Commissioners stung by nearly $20M judgment in discrimination suit By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American The St. Louis County Police Department must now undergo an independent review from an outside consultant, after the Board of Police Commissioners voted unanimously on Tuesday, October 29 to initiate the review. The announcement comes on the heels of a nearly $20 million verdict against the police department in a discrimination lawsuit by a n “An gay officer. Soon after the independent October 25 verdict, St. Louis review is County Executive Sam Page long overdue. and several County Council However, the members called for a change in police commissioners community – who are charged with should insist reviewing police department that they policies and appointing the St. Louis County police have input chief. Councilwoman Lisa into this Clancy called for Belmar to review.” resign. Board chairman Roland – John Corvington resigned on Chasnoff, Monday, October 28. Coalition “A fresh perspective at Against Police the top is vital to the success Crimes and of our police department Repression in St. Louis County,” Page told media after the St. Louis County Council meeting on October 29. “I’ve been working for weeks to identify potential members of the board of commissioners of the police department. And I’ve been talking with Chief Belmar about his future and how these changes might fit into his plans. Serious change is needed to promote equity and inclusion in county government and throughout St. Louis County.” The outside consultant will review the department’s policies and procedures, the See POLICE, A7
By Chris King Of The St. Louis American Retired Congressman William (Bill) Clay (D-Missouri) served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 32 years with retired U.S. Rep. John Conyers (D-Michigan), who died Sunday, October 27 at age 90. Conyers was first elected to Congress in 1964, four years before Clay, and he would serve another 16 years after Clay retired in 2001. “We were getting together many times and traveled together often,” Clay told The American about his friend. “Conyers was an See CONYERS, A7
Photo by Wiley Price
Kumiel Israel and Brother Anthony Shahid took a knee before the St. Louis County Council meeting on Tuesday, October 29 to protest alleged police harassment of a 63-year-old African-American woman in April.
Brittany Packnett Cunningham and Kayla Reed dialogue on Ferguson at She Leads conference By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American
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Bill Clay remembers John Conyers Longest-serving black member of Congress passed Sunday at 90
Woman power in action
While introducing the opening talk for the She Leads conference Thursday, October 24 at Graham Chapel, Dean Diana Hill Mitchell, director of the Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Fellowship for Women in Graduate Study, delivered one of many “aha” messages that came over the course of the two days. “When you educate a woman, you educate more than an individual,” Mitchell said. “You educate a family and community.” She was quoting the words of Benjamin Godfrey, who founded Monticello College 1838 on what is now the campus of Lewis and Clark Community College in the Illinois city that would later be named in his honor. He had an indirect hand in the conference that was about to commence, nearly 200 years after
White House photo
U.S. Rep. John Conyers responded to the unveiling of his portrait in 2014.
Open Enrollment for health insurance is Nov. 1–Dec. 15 HealthCare.gov is hub for plans that offer essential benefits that cover preexisting conditions By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American
Photo by Wiley Price
Brittany Packnett Cunningham and Kayla Reed spoke during the opening talk for She Leads, a women’s leadership conference presented by the Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Foundation and Washington University, Thursday, October 24 at Graham Chapel on the Campus of Washington University.
Open Enrollment for health insurance coverage in 2020 through the Affordable Care Act begins Friday, November 1 through and ends Sunday, December 15. HealthCare. gov and CuidadodeSalud.gov are the official websites for the Federal Health Insurance Exchange, also known as the Marketplace, where U.S. citizens can insurance shop online and enroll and purchase health coverage. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said that for the first time HealthCare.gov will also display quality rating information in states that use See ENROLLMENT, A6