1-31-2017: Inmate dies in St. Louis Justice Center
1-31-2017: Brian Owens to release ‘Soul of Ferguson’ February 24
Editorial note: For those not familiar with Brian Owens, I've included my personal favorites, a video of duet of Brian Owens and his father singing "A Change is Gonna Come". Disclaimer, although I don't know Mr. Owens, he is a friend of one of my sons.
1-31-2017: Messenger: Cut to St. Louis re-entry program could make homelessness worse
1-31-2017: Who Is Neil Gorsuch, Trump's First Pick For The Supreme Court?
1-31-2017: Family Questions Ex-Cop's Acquittal During 15-Minute Trial
1-30-2017: School bus struck by gunfire in St. Louis; no one seriously hurt
Editorial note: St. Louis has sunken to a new low. I don't care what kind of issue you have with another person, shooting at a school bus is a cowardly act. What kind of person believes it is okay to jeopardize children? The fact that someone would commit such a blazen act during the middle of the day speaks volumns about what they thought about getting caught by the police. There should definately be an increased police presence when kids are catching the bus to school in the morning and coming home in the afternoon.
1-30-2017: Missouri solidly mediocre when it comes to education
1-30-2017: African Union criticises US for ‘taking many of our people as slaves’ and not taking refugees
1-30-2017: Higher unemployment linked to more shootings at schools
1-30-2017: Ku Klux Klan fliers shock residents in Augusta, Gardiner, Freeport neighborhoods
1-30-2017: ACLU racks up $24.1 million in donations over weekend
1-30-2017: People are boycotting Starbucks after CEO announces plan to hire thousands of refugees
1-30-2017: Prisoner says Warren County, OH jailers raped her, nurses refused to give her epilepsy medication
1-30-2017: TN Govenor outlines tuition-free community college plan for adults
1-29-2017: 'Can you hear me' scam, reported in Upstate NY, makes answering phone a risk
1-28-2017: Judge Blocks Trump Order on Refugees Amid Chaos and Outcry Worldwide
1-28-2017: How Does Trump's Immigration Freeze Square With His Business Interests?
1-28-2017: KGB chief linked to Trump file found dead amid Kremlin cover up claims
1-27-2017: Police chief stands by suspension of Texas officer in video
1-26-2017: Missouri man thought new gun law protected him in shooting
Editorial note: See Gun Law in Missouri.
1-26-2017: Move over skimmers, 'shimmers' are the newest tool for stealing credit card info
1-25-2017: Trump Poised to Lift Ban on C.I.A. ‘Black Site’ Prisons
1-25-2017: Harvard class tackles segregation in St. Louis
1-25-2017: Four more journalists get felony charges after covering inauguration unrest
1-25-2017: Trump moves to build border wall, cut sanctuary city funds
Editorial note: Walls not only keep others out, it keeps you in.
1-25-2017: Affordable water may soon dry up, especially if you live here
1-25-2017: No charges against officer in fatal shooting of Memphis man
1-24-2017: Judge: Aetna lied about quitting Obamacare
1-24-2017: Staunton mom upset over son's controversial history lesson
Editorial note: Teacher puts black kids in front of middle school History class to act like slaves for a skit, by pretending to pick cotton and dig for coal
1-23-2017: Some St. Louis charter schools worry their popularity threatens diversity
Editorial note: See our post, "Hidden Racism of Charter Schools"
1-23-2017: Racist note about Trump's inauguration targets Villa Duchesne student
1-23-2017: Water company says 'cloudy' water a harmless rite of winter
Editorial note: Should I have my water tested (pdf)? If you use a private laboratory to conduct the testing, nitrate and bacteria samples will typically cost between $10 and $20 to complete. Testing for other contaminants will be more expensive.
1-23-2017: Missouri Bill Would Ban Red Light Cameras
1-23-2017: New Missouri concealed carry law causes permit application numbers to drop
Editorial note: Conceal carry permits cost up to $100 each. By February 2013, there were 171,000 active concealed carry permits and the number of permits increased each year through 2016. Under the old law, those permits needed to be renewed every five year. In additional to more guns on the streets, the new law means millions in lost revenue. See Gun Law in Missouri.
1-23-2017: Questions raised about where new Missouri attorney general is living
1-23-2017: Trump’s Withdrawal From Asia Trade Deal Viewed as Boon for China
Editorial note: Asia contains close to 60 percent of the world's population and some of the world's fastest growing economies and is nearer to Africa which also contains some of the fastest growing economies. Trump may have restricted the United State's access to this massive market. Computerization, robotics and artificial intelligence will result in manufacturing becoming mostly automated, so even if manufacturing does make it's way back to the US, it won't necessarily result in dramatic job increases. This is why half of all jobs in the U.S. are predicted to be eliminated.
1-23-2017: Cops can’t be forced to return marijuana in failed drug cases, Colorado Supreme Court says
1-22-2017: St. Louis police discipline hearings now closed, and alderman objects
1-22-2017: Philly teachers plan Black Lives Matter week – not all are happy
1-22-2017: American flag theft may become felony in Arizona
1-21-2017: As Trump Takes Power, Politicians Around the US Move to Make Protesting Illegal
1-21-2017: How 8 Men Have Become Richer Than Half of the Entire World’s Population
1-21-2017: US announces withdrawal from Trans-Pacific Partnership
1-20-2017: St. Louis police seek help in solving murder of 'good, hardworking student'
1-20-2017: Neighbors of abducted girl vow to patrol neighborhoods for children’s safety
Editorial note: We mentioned the need for increased police presence at bus stops after Kameill Taylor was found, however, citizen patrols are the next best thing, especially since conceal and carry requirements have been relaxed. Those interested in learning more or participating in the neighborhood patrol are encouraged to call Azim Aziz at 499-4200 or send an email to Azim.aziz@yahoo.com who stated, “If we cannot protect our children then we are worthless.”
1-20-2017: Messenger: In this Missouri tale of two cities, Kansas City shines, St. Louis sputters
1-20-2017: In a first, judge finds teacher’s Colorado high doesn’t count in Texas
Editorial note: Teacher who used marijuana while on vacation in Colorado where recreational use is legal, later tested positive during a drug test in Texas. “Possession of a usable quantity of marijuana is a criminal offense in Texas, but so is gambling,” But the court “would not recommend that the Board find a teacher unworthy to instruct in Texas because she legally gambled in Nevada.”
1-20-2017: Protesters clash with police at inauguration – video
1-20-2017: 'Dark Day': President Donald Trump Delivers Grim Speech as Protests Swell
1-20-2017: Demonstrators Gathered in Downtown St. Louis for Anti-Trump Protest
1-20-2017: Trump’s WhiteHouse.Gov Disappears Civil Rights, Climate Change, LGBT Rights
1-20-2017: Donald Trump has fired all foreign US ambassadors with nobody to replace them
1-20-2017: Indiana bill would allow police to shut down protests 'by any means necessary'
1-20-2017: AI System Scores Better Than 75% Of Americans In Visual Intelligence Test
Editorial note: Artificial intelligence is a contributing factor why half of all jobs in the U.S. are predicted to be eliminated.
1-19-2017: Missouri Times poll finds Krewson leading field for St. Louis mayor
Editorial note: The three major black mayoral candidates have an estimated combined 40 percent of the vote, but individually, all fall way below Krewson's 27 percent. As was very predictable, the three major black candidates are spliting a the black vote. It's not too late for these candidates to get together and rally behind a single candidate. If you agree, email all three candidates, let them know they need to join forces. Lewis Reed info@lewisreed.com; Tishuara Jones anne@tishaura4mayor.com; and Antonio French info@antoniofrench.com.
1-19-2017: Hack of St. Louis Public Library freezes checkouts, 700 computers
1-19-2017: St. Louis County police sergeant demoted after police shooting
1-19-2017: The truth about the treasurer’s travel budget
1-19-2017: As Body Camera Video Of Shooting Contradicts Cops' Story, SFPD Boots Reporters From Press Conference
1-19-2017: Obama commutes 330 drug sentences on last day as president
1-19-2017: Lack of Latinos in Trump Cabinet draws ire for 'setback'
Editorial note: After all the negative comments made during Trump's campaign, I still don't understand why an estimated 29% of Hispanics voted for Trump. Based on Trump's rhetoric, I would have been more surprised had he made a Latino appointment.
1-19-2017: Today marks 1,000 days since Flint had clean drinking water
Editorial note: See our related post, "A City Full of Poor Black People Poisoned".
1-19-2017: Western Union admits to aiding wire fraud, to pay $586 million
1-18-2017: St. Louis Will Get a New Mayor This Spring. Meet the 5 Leading Candidates
Editorial note: See related, Divide and Conquer – The State of Black Politics in St. Louis.
1-18-2017: You could get money back if you bought milk
Editorial note: Missouri milk producers participated in an alleged conspiracy in which drove up the price of milk by prematurely killing half a million cows to artificially reduce supply and increase price. People can file a claim online by Jan. 31 by visiting www.boughtmilk.com.
1-18-2017: St. Louis soccer stadium funding bill revived, city would pay $60 million
1-18-2017: Right-to-work law advances in Missouri House
1-18-2017: Prosecutors say new state laws will not lead to felony charges for students
1-18-2017: St. Louis neighborhood in fear after girl, 15, is fatally shot by masked gunmen
1-18-2017: Feds sue nation's largest student loan servicer, accusing it of cheating borrowers
1-17-2017: St. Louis Cop Searched Woman's Vagina for Drugs in Public — and Found None, Suit Alleges
1-17-2017: Secret Service agrees to pay $24 million in decades-old race bias case brought by black agents
Editorial note: The first black secret service agent on the White House detail, Abraham Bolden, has ties to St. Louis and was personally selected by President's Kennedy. Bolden tried to warn about the poor security surrounding Kennedy prior to his death. To keep Bolden quiet after Kennedy's death, he was framed and put in prison. Listen to his very interesting story below.
1-17-2017: 15-year-old girl is fatally shot by masked gunmen in north St. Louis
Editorial note: I can't imagine what would cause anyone to perform a hit on a 15 year old girl. However, our hearts go out to the family. These killers are acting as honorary klan members doing with a gun what the klan used to do with a rope.
1-17-2017: Trade school fires president after he gave homeless student shelter in library during sub-zero weather
1-17-2017: Obama cuts short Chelsea Manning's prison sentence
Editorial note: Chelsea Manning, a transgender woman, formally Bradley Manning, was a former United States Army Private. Manning was arrested for passing classified material to the whistleblower website, WikiLeaks, in May 2010 in Iraq, where Manning had been stationed since October 2009. Manning was convicted in 2013 in military court of leaking more than 700,000 secret military and State Department documents and was serving a 35 year sentence. See related, "9 Liberties Lost Since 9/11"
1-17-2017: President Obama looks to lock in $1 billion to schools with low-income kids
1-17-2017: President Obama cuts sentences of hundreds of drug offenders
1-17-2017: 18 million Americans would lose health coverage if Republicans partially repeal Obamacare, CBO says
1-17-2017: Controversial Capitol painting by former St. Louis student taken down
Editorial note: See our response, "Police Depicted as Animals in Art".
1-17-2017: CIA Puts History Out in Open With Millions of Online Records
1-16-2017: Martin Luther King jr. vs Donald Trump
1-16-2017: Hundreds gather in downtown St. Louis for King celebration
1-16-2017: Gov. Greitens cuts $146 million from Missouri budget, with higher education taking brunt
1-16-2017: U.S. Supreme Court to hear Missouri case on state money for religious institutions
1-15-2017: Police Depicted as Animals in Art
1-15-2017: Messenger: With act of sanity, Greitens resets the gun debate in Missouri
Editorial note: See our related, Missouri Gun Law page.
1-15-2017: Ron Isley partners with school to provide full scholarships for area students
1-15-2017: Eight billionaires 'as rich as world's poorest half'
Editorial note: A while ago, we commented on our Educational Oppression page how the richest 85 people in the world held as much wealth as the poorest half; now a tenth of that number controls the wealth. For a few to be rich, many must be poor.
1-15-2017: US Agrees to Pay Billions to Marines Affected by Toxic Water
1-15-2017: Ringling Bros. circus says it is closing after 146 years
Editorial note: Our family used to attend this circus every year until we saw the UniverSoul Circus.
1-14-2017: St. Louis area factories say they have plenty of work, but not enough skilled workers
Editorial note: These factories and the machinst union should get together with St. Louis area public schools and the community colleges and help create and support programs to inform students about these opportunities. Many students, especially in St. Louis City, simply don't know about these sort of jobs and may be interested once informed.
1-14-2017: Architect of the U.S. Capitol plans to remove controversial painting on Tuesday
Editorial note: See our response, "Police Depicted as Animals in Art".
1-14-2017: Police find St. Louis girl, 12, missing for two days in abandoned building
Editorial note: We are glad to hear Kameill Taylor was found alive and our hearts go out to her family. My family moved back to St. Louis City almost 10 years ago. Both my sons rode school buses. My youngest son has caught a school bus since he was in the 6th grade, he's a high school senior now. Over the years my wife and I have suggested to the St. Louis police department that there should be a greater police presence near bus stops. Usually, my son sends a text or we text him to make sure he's on the bus, however, not all kids have phones. With so much crime and so many children waiting to catch their bus more needs to be done. School bus drivers should have a list of riders and turn over a list of missing kids to the school. If the kid doesn't show up at school after a certain time, then a parent could be called. Had Kameill's mother known she wasn't on the bus, that may have made a difference. Instead of giving "welfare to millionaires and billionaires" maybe we can provide grants to fix up existing vacant buildings.
1-14-2017: Montgomery County Student Video Attracts Worldwide Interest
1-14-2017: AT&T cuts 'lifeline' discounts in Missouri
Editorial note: Access from AT&T is another program that still provides high speed Internet access for only $5 or $10 per month depending on the speed available in your area. To qualify, at least one member in your household must receive SNAP benefits (food stamps).
1-13-2017: St. Louis city police officer involved in fatal shooting of Kajieme Powell resigns
1-13-2017: MSD, St. Louis near agreement to demolish hundreds of vacant structures for rain gardens
1-13-2017: Missouri faces 'dire' budget hole, may need $456 million in cuts
1-13-2017: Evanston police release arrest video of man suspected of stealing car that was his own
1-13-2017: Tragedy 400 years in the making
Editorial note: See our post related to post traumatic slave syndrome which is mentioned in the article.
1-13-2017: Feds release scathing report on Chicago police abuse
1-13-2017: 3 Cleveland Police Officers Facing Administrative Charges in Tamir Rice Case
1-13-2017: US Congress takes big step to Obamacare repeal
1-13-2017: Obama's five new national monuments set a US record for land protection
1-13-2017: Central Florida Muslims open free health clinic
1-12-2017: Rev. Rice loses city appeal, must close his downtown St. Louis homeless shelter April 1
1-12-2017: Messenger: Greitens' first two orders collide as utilities seek weakened ethics rules
1-12-2017: Former MI6 spy known to U.S. agencies is author of reports on Trump in Russia
1-11-2017: 'Ferguson effect' quantified: Study says officers more reluctant to use force, make stops
1-11-2017: Trump’s News Conference: What You Missed
1-11-2017: DOJ Lawsuit: Detroit suburb denies blacks equal voting rights
Editorial note: Current estimates place the city's black population at close to 40 percent, however, the white population votes sufficiently as a bloc to usually defeat the preferred candidate of black voters," the lawsuit argues. See related, Divide and Conquer – The State of Black Politics in St. Louis.
1-11-2017: FBI warns about scammers calling about jury duty
1-11-2017: Rapper sues city of San Diego over gang conspiracy law
Editorial note: Claimed federal civil rights violations for being jailed on gang-related charges based on rap lyrics and social media postings. The lawsuit alleges that police violated constitutional rights to free speech and against unreasonable search and seizure.
1-11-2017: Majority of police in the U.S. say their jobs have gotten harder
1-10-2017: President Obama – Farewell, We Will Miss You!
1-10-2017: Obama speech marks unofficial countdown for black Americans
1-10-2017: Trump Denies Allegations Of Secret Ties, Collusion Between Campaign And Russia
Editorial note: See related, "Billionaire Overthrow of U.S. Government" and None Dare Call It Conspiracy .
1-10-2017: These Reports Allege Trump Has Deep Ties To Russia
1-10-2017: St. Louis Public Schools fully accredited once again
1-10-2017: Grasping for change on America's most violent streets: 'We must stop killing'
1-10-2017: Clay will return controversial painting depicting police as animals to U.S. Capitol complex wall
1-10-2017: State appellate court shoots down St. Louis County police standards legislation
1-10-2017: Dylann Roof Sentenced To Death
1-10-2017: Dylann Roof: I have a right to ask forgiveness, 'but I’m not sure what good that will do'
1-10-2017: St. Louis soccer stadium funding bill is dead
1-10-2017: California court backs grand juries in charges over police killings
1-9-2017: 'Code of conduct' sought for administrators, police on school discipline
Editorial note: See related, Educational Oppression and School to Prison Pipeline.
1-9-2017: Black Men Still Predominant Victims Of Police Violence In 2016
1-9-2017: Man fatally shot by St. Louis officer after pointing gun at police, chief says
1-9-2017: Poll: Krewson Leads Democrats in Run for STL Mayor
Editorial note: See related, "Divide and Conquer – The State of Black Politics in St. Louis"
1-9-2017: Dreaming of Opening a Restaurant? Old North St. Louis Is Making an Amazing Offer
1-9-2017: One year in, some progress, some frustration with St. Louis crime plan
Editorial note: This is one of the reasons why it was so important for our black political leaders to stand united instead of divided.
1-9-2017: Greitens signs his first executive order on ethics reform
1-9-2017: Eric Greitens sworn in as Missouri governor: 'I come as an outsider, to do the people’s work'
1-9-2017: McClellan: Only one St. Louis area judge has been voted out since 1940
Editorial note: See related, reporting misconduct by judges.
1-9-2017: Messenger: A sewer bill goes unpaid and the next tenant pays the price
1-9-2017: Missouri, meet your new statewide officeholders
Editorial note: #MissouriSoWhite Missouri a former slave state has never elected a black statewide official in 196 years despite being 12% of population.
1-9-2017: Donald Trump had nothing to do with our new US jobs, Fiat Chrysler reveals
1-9-2017: Supreme Court Has Had Enough With Police Suits
1-8-2017: KKK members leave Klan after befriending black musician
1-8-2017: Meryl Streep attacks Trump in Golden Globes acceptance speech
1-7-2017: Divide and Conquer – The State of Black Politics in St. Louis
1-7-2017: DOJ Finds More Deaths from Police Encounters than Previously Reported
Editorial note: The Department of Justice estimates 1,900 people died during a police encounter in the 12 months ending in May of 2016.
1-6-2017: An even dozen file to run for St. Louis mayor's job
1-6-2017: Kim Gardner sworn in as St. Louis' first African American Circuit Attorney
Editorial note: See our recent post, "The Prosecutor – The Most Powerful Position in the Criminal Justice System"
1-6-2017: St. Louis comptroller: Scottrade Center proposal could hurt credit rating, public safety funding
1-6-2017: Congressman removes painting approved by Lacy Clay that depicts police officers with animal heads
1-6-2017: Third lien on Trump hotel brings alleged unpaid bills to over $5 million
1-6-2017: Saddam Hussein's death warrant signed 'on day one' after 9/11, former CIA analyst reveals
Editorial note: See our related page, "War is a Racket".
1-5-2017: Northwoods man shot to death in St. Louis' Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood
Editorial note: See, "MLK Day and St. Louis' First Murder of the Year" written after I discovered the first murder victim of 2016 was someone I knew. Our sympathy goes out to this man's family and friends. We are all connected. As John Donne wrote, "Any man's death diminishes me," for that man many may be an unknown relative, the father or brother of my my son's best friend, the next MLK or Malcolm X, the person who would have cured cancer or the man who would have one day saved my life or someone close to me.
1-5-2017: Two firms file liens on Trump's D.C. hotel
1-5-2017: Hate crime charges filed against 4 black suspects in beating of white man on Facebook Live
Editorial note: White people in this sort of situation are rarely denied justice so they don't have to protest when this sort of situation happens. The Black Chicago Chief of Police didn't wait for results of an investigation to denounce the dispicable treatment of a white teen by a group of black teens. That's the way it should be. However, when the situation is reversed, we are told that an investigation needs to be conducted before any comment can be made, the tape doesn't show wait happened before or some other excuse that delays justice. When the victim is black, the perpetrator often isn't arrested and hate charges are almost never brought unless a protest occurs.
1-5-2017: Wells Fargo Advisors paying $35.5 million to settle racial discrimination case
1-4-2017: Death rates in St. Louis County Justice Center double national average
1-4-2017: Missouri Supreme Court upholds suspension of Lincoln County judge
Editorial note: This judge purposefully violated people's rights and denied their due process, why is she allowed to keep her job and pension. The practice of judges and lawyer protecting each other needs to be stopped. I can't think of any other situation where an employee would not be fired for these types of abuses. See our related, "Corrupt Judges" and "Reporting Misconduct by Judges" pages.
1-4-2017: Tillerson and Exxon part ways; $180M retirement package
Editorial note: See related, "Billionaire Overthrow of U.S. Government".
1-4-2017: Black teen files $5m lawsuit against white police officer who pinned her to ground at pool party
1-4-2017: Facebook Live attack: Four held in Chicago
1-4-2017: Family of man killed by Bend police said he was unarmed, still had seat belt on when shot
1-4-2017: CDC keeps details secret of laboratory mishaps with deadly viruses, bacteria
1-4-2017: As Jennifer Joyce hits the road, Kim Gardner takes over as St. Louis' first black circuit attorney
Editorial note: See our recent post, "The Prosecutor – The Most Powerful Position in the Criminal Justice System".
1-3-2017: Wednesday: Jennifer Joyce leaves the City of St. Louis’ Circuit Attorney’s office
1-3-2017: St. Louis Murder Toll Hit 188 in 2016 — Tying 2015's Unusually High Number
1-3-2017: New St. Louis City Sheriff to Focus on Safety, Training, More
1-3-2017: Missouri Judge Suspended Over Dispute With Public Defenders
Editorial note: See, "Reporting Misconduct by Judges".
1-3-2017: Missouri education officials recommend full accreditation for St. Louis Public Schools
1-3-2017: City, business leaders want millions in renovations for Scottrade Center
1-3-2017: Detroit cop calls city residents ‘garbage,’ brags about assaulting them
1-3-2017: Bill and Hillary Clinton Will Attend Trump’s Inauguration, as Will George W. and Laura Bush
Editorial note: "Each new administration, whether it be Republican or Democrat continues the same basic policies of the previous administration which it had so thoroughly denounced during the election campaign." … FDR once said "In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way." – None Dare Call It Conspiracy (1971)
1-3-2017: Pentagon to Pay Back Soldiers Whose Reenlistment Bonuses Were Garnished
1-2-2017: Billionaire President Equals Massive Military Industrial Complex Profits
1-2-2017: Missouri bill could get rid of mandatory minimum sentences
1-2-2017: Greitens: 'I have completely ruled out state funding for stadiums'
1-2-2017: Former Edward Jones Dome has future potential, but not for MLS
1-2-2017: St. Louis Police Participation in The First 48 Hours a Mistake, Tishaura Jones Says
Editorial note: I wasn't familiar with the program, I've never watched it. If the incidents described in the article, "The First 48 Makes Millions Off Imprisoning Innocents," are representative of the show in general, I'd have to agree that it was a mistake to allow the show's participation.
