St. Louis Observer: May 20, 2022
SLMPD names interim chief; SLDC to join national effort to review racial inequities in development; a special announcement on St. Louis Observer's next phase
Editor’s Note
Nearly a year ago today, the idea of relaunching the St. Louis Observer - an 19th century abolitionist newspaper - was merely a lofty idea with no real concrete plans.
But when St. Louis’s own ultra-wealthy “KKK” - the Veiled Prophet - reared its ugly, racist head, we understood that it was time to turn that idea into action.
For almost every week for the last 51 weeks, we have delivered to your email inbox a weekly review of the abolition-related news in St. Louis and Missouri. After a year of covering abolition-related issues like police accountability & judicial reform, workers’ rights, access to quality healthcare & education, and economic development, we re-commit ourselves to empowering our readership with knowledge and information in the greater quest to abolish prisons, to end the death penalty, and to re-imagine a more just & equitable society that works for everyone.
To that end, we are thrilled to announce the launch of the St. Louis Observer Podcast. Each month, we will be joined by Joshua Lawrence at St. Louis PoliticClips to discuss the month’s biggest events and to interview community leaders & activists on the forefront of the abolition movement.
Please stay tuned for our first episode, and thank you for being part of this movement with us!
In the News
Police, prosecutorial, and judicial accountability
St. Louis City has named an interim police chief while a national search for a permanent candidate has begun. Lt. Col. Michael Sack, a 27-year veteran of SLMPD, will replace outgoing Police Chief John Hayden, who retires on June 18. Sack’s appointment is supported by the Ethical Society of Police (ESOP), the Black police officers union in St. Louis. [Riverfront Times/Monica Obradovic; St. Louis American/Rachel Lippmann and St. Louis American staff]
Krista S. Peyton, former general counsel for the St. Louis Housing Authority, has been appointed to the St. Louis County bench as an associate circuit judge. Peyton previously worked in the St. Louis County Family Court system and for the Missouri Department of Social Services prior to her appointment. [St. Louis American/Staff]
The St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s office has a reported backlog of nearly 4,500 cases, classified as “pending application of warrant” (or “PAW”). This status means that SLMPD has turned over that many cases to the Circuit Attorney’s office, but it is unclear why some of the files - several more than 2 years old - have not seen further movement. [Riverfront Times/Ryan Krull]
Economic development & housing
The St. Louis Development Corporation has joined a national cohort program to research racial inequity, systemic racism, and the impact on economic development in communities of color. The national effort is funded by a number of large foundations and its goal is to create an “equitable action plan to address racial disparities in development.” [St. Louis Public Radio/Chad Davis]
The U.S. Senate has voted to appoint Lisa Cook to the Federal Reserve Board, becoming the first Black woman to serve on its board of governors in more than 100 years. Cook’s appointment was along partisan lines, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the decisive vote, 51-50. [St. Louis American/Staff]
Further reading
A bipartisan Senate panel is expressing concerns for upcoming elections this fall, including widespread lack of paper ballots, coordinated misinformation campaigns on social media, and threats of physical violence. The panel did not indicate if or whether it would take any concrete action to address the issues before the November election date arrives. [Missouri Independent/Jacob Fischler]
A Black teenager and his family have filed a federal lawsuit against the Kearney School District, north of Kansas City, for failing to protect him from repeated racial targeting and abuse, culminating in white students threatening to lynch him. The high school, where the child no longer attends, is the subject of a federal civil rights investigation, related to the school’s administration allowing the ongoing abuse without intervening after complaints were made. [Columbia Missourian/Heather Hollingsworth]
CareSTL Health, one of the recipients of Congresswoman Cori Bush’s federal earmark allocations, plans to open its new $25 million facility in The Ville neighborhood next year. The 45,000 square foot facility will include a drive-thru pharmacy, chiropractic & behavioral health services, a community center, auditorium, on-site park & walking trail, a commercial kitchen, and training rooms.[St. Louis Public Radio/Andrea Y. Henderson]
The May 14 Buffalo shooting, where a white supremacist gunman targeted Black grocery shoppers, has renewed calls for stronger laws to protect people of color. Since the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, nearly 200 city councils and boards across the country have passed formal resolutions & statements - none of which are legally enforceable. [St. Louis American/Alexa Spencer]
Beyond the Paywall
To read these below articles in full, please visit SLPL.org and access these articles through the Digital Content tab. St. Louis City & County residents can read these publications for free using their library cards.
“‘Replacement’ theory promoted by Schmitt, Greitens, other GOP Senate candidates,” by Steve Peoples, AP National Politics, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“St. Louis area NAACP question police pursuits after seven innocent motorists killed in 15 days,” by Kim Bell, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“Michael Sack to be interim St. Louis police chief; Hayden to retire in June,” Dana Rieck and Erin Heffernan, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“Developer plans $250,000 affordable housing contribution at Alderman Tina Pihl’s request,” by Jacon Barker, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“St. Louis County officer sues, says he was sidelined for refusing to retaliate against Black colleague,” by Nassim Benchaabane, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“St. Louis correctional officers might get body cameras under new proposal,” by Mark Schlinkmann, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“St. Louis County seeks to borrow more money as cost of 2 police stations keeps climbing,” by Nassim Benchaabane, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“Former Northwoods police officer admits assaulting woman at driver's license office“ by Joel Currier, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“St. Louis’ assistant police chief to retire, receive $160K in lawsuit settlement,” by Joel Currier and Dana Rieck, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“St. Louis personnel panel endorses new entry-level 911 dispatcher position,” by Mark Schlinkmann, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“Messenger: Second prosecutor cites new Missouri law in seeking to overturn bad conviction,” by Tony Messenger, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“Missouri court records to become easier to access under state’s new budget,” by Kurt Erickson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“Former Maryland Heights police officer admits accessing child pornography,” by Joel Currier, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Legislative Update
St. Louis City Board of Aldermen
BB 18, sponsored by Ald. Megan Green (Ward 15), would establish the “City Youth Council,” comprised of children and adults, to serve as an advisory board on youth-related issues to both the Office of the Mayor and to the Board of Aldermen. The bill was assigned to the Education and Youth Matters Committee on May 6 for further hearing.
R 25, introduced by Ald. Pamela Boyd (Ward 27), would formally support and endorse Medicare for All legislation, which would expand health security and health services to all, eliminate health disparities, and lower health care costs. The Resolution was passed by the full Board on May 13.
BB 26 and BB 29, sponsored by Ald. Green, would put before City voters the ballot issue of enacting a surcharge on developers who reduced the number of units for housing rehabs and redevelopment. The bills were assigned to the Neighborhood Development Committee on May 13.
Learn more about how a bill becomes a City ordinance.