When Dr. Cole Woodcox of The Missouri Alliance for Historic Preservation announces the group’s annual list of “Most Endangered Historic Places” next week, he will do so in front of a building which is surely on the list — the Mullanphy Emigrant Home in Old North St. Louis.
Last week, PubDef Intern Reporter Dan Martin visited this endangered piece of St. Louis history and spoke with a representative from the group fighting to save it, as well as a woman who thinks they may just be wasting their time.
On Wednesday, May 16, supporters of the project to save Mullanphy will hold a benefit concert at Christ Church Cathedral at 7:00 p.m. Advance tickets are $20 each or buy them at the door for $25. Go to www.savemullanphy.org for more info.
EXTRA:Click here to watch Dan Martin’s full interview with Sean Thomas of the Old North St. Louis Restoration Group.
A native St. Louisan and former reporter for several local publications, Jabari Asim’s byline can now be regularly seen in the pages of The Washington Post as deputy editor of the book review section. But it is his own book which is earning this “hometown boy made good” national attention.
Asim’s book details the history of what is perhaps the most controversial word in our language today: nigger (commonly referred to in polite company as “the N word”).
You can meet Asim tonight at the St. Louis Public Library Central Branch, 1301 Olive Street, at 7:00 p.m. He will be discussing and signing copies of his book. The event is free to the public and all are welcome.
There was a time not too long ago when religious leaders in America focused the energies of their flocks on social ills like poverty, education and civil rights. But in recent decades, religious conservatives have refocused those energies on the narrow fights against abortion and homosexuality.
While the country engages in wars which result in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians, with only some notable exceptions, the religious community is largely silent. What happened to the Christian calling for social justice?
The name Kennedy is synonymous with a religious calling leading to social action through politics. The family and their two most famous sons have a legacy of public service that is rooted from their Catholic values and has branched into nearly every arena of public service thanks to a family tree as large as any in Yellowstone.
Earlier this week, I sat down with Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and the eldest of Robert F. and Ethel Kennedy’s 11 children. We discussed her new book, “Failing America’s Faithful: How Today’s Churches Are Mixing God with Politics and Losing Their Way”.
Click here to buy “Failing America’s Faithful: How Today’s Churches Are Mixing God with Politics and Losing Their Way” on Amazon.com.
Blame it on Imus. The debate over the use of the so-called “N-word” is back in the national discussion. Who can say it? Should anyone say it? Why is it apparently alright for some people to say it and others not?
Jabari Asim is a native St. Louisan and deputy editor of the Washington Post Book World. He has written a very timely book called “The N Word: Who Can Say It, Who Shouldn’t and Why”. This week he appeared on Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report” to promote the book and discuss (with some delicate humor) the most controversial word in our language.
Yesterday I appeared on WGNU’s “The Real Deal with Syl and Tim” to discuss a wide range of current events. And like at so many dinner tables across America recently, somehow a discussion of the Imus controversy led to a broader discussion about language and the N-word specifically.
Asim will be in St. Louis to discuss his book on Monday, April 30, at the St. Louis Public Library Central Branch, 1301 Olive Street, at 7:00 p. m.
Take a ride with Umar Lee, a local white Muslim cab driver/philosopher/writer…
Umar is a frequent contributor to the Arch City Chronicle. Check out his blog at www.umarlee.blogspot.com and click here to watch Part 1 of “Cabbie Tales”.
And Resurrection Lutheran Church, on the corner of West Florissant and Fair Avenues in north St. Louis, was destroyed by fire last night. Click here to see Channel 2’s report.
STILL BLUNTED – Missouri Congressman Roy Blunt, father of Gov. Matt Blunt, fended off opposition to his House leadership post today. By a vote of 137-57, Papa Blunt beat out Arizonan John Shadegg to be minority whip when the new Congress convenes in January.
AND THE OSCAR GOES TO… Director Frank Popper and State Senator-elect Jeff Smith have to be worried silly with excitement about the recent announcement of the Academy’s short list. I mean, will this actually beMartin Scorsese’s year?
THE TROOPS TURN THEIR BACKS ON AMERICA –– Where has the patriotism that followed September 11, 2001 gone? We can remember when Americans dared not question the leadership of our country’s elected officials! But leave it to some battle-scarred war veterans to go and disrespect our local political warrior.
At last weekend’s scantly-attended Veteran’s Day parade, eight veterans literally turned their backs on Mayor Francis Slay when he rose to speak. They told a Post-Dispatch reporter they were angry about the departure of the Soldiers Memorial’s longtime superintendent, Ralph Wiechert.
According to the Post, Wiechert, who was in the audience, said he had had “no support” from City Hall for repairs at the Memorial.
Well, I guess next they’ll be asking Congress not to cut their health benefits! Don’t they realize we’re at war? It’s about sacrifice, people.
Yesterday we took our camera over to the East Side, near Brooklyn, Illinois. No, it’s not what you’re thinking. It was for a project. No, not that kind of project… Look, can we just get back to the story?
Anyway, not far past all the strip clubs and prostitutes, in a town called Lovejoy (oh boy), is a school appropriately named Lovejoy School. Six decades ago, a boy named Hamiet Bluiett attended that school. That boy grew up to become one of the most respected saxophonists on the planet. Yesterday, he returned to Lovejoy and he brought along three of his friends. Together, they call themselves the World Saxophone Quartet.
The World Saxophone Quartet — comprised of founding members Bluiett and Oliver Lake, and master saxophonists James Carter and St. Louis native Greg Osby — are currently celebrating their 30th Anniversary. They will be performing tonight and Saturday at the Bistro, 3536 Washington Ave., across from the Fox Theatre.
All of these producers were given the same prop (a shopping bag), the same character (Leo or Linda Garren, a bank manager), the same line of dialogue (”Is that all I am to you?”), and just 48 hours to make a short movie. Here are some of the results:
“IN THE BAG” Produced by: Andrea Dixon Genre: Disaster Winner of “Best Use of Prop”
“I HATE ZOMBIES” Written and Directed by: Matt Stuertz Genre: Horror
“FROM THE HIP” Directed by: Phil Voissem Genre: Western
“SPACE BETWEEN US” Co-Produced and Directed by: Ezra Hubbard and Jonathan Eberle Genre: Family Film
“ROVER” Directed by: Jeff Chamberlin Produced by: Joshua Hawkins Genre: Road movie
And as a special treat, here are some outtakes from another film also called “In the Bag.” This one was produced by a group called Section Six.
Oh, wait! Here’s a late entry… and it’s animated!
“ROMANTIC INTEREST” Directed by: Joe Millitzer Written and Voiced by: Peter Wilberding Art by: Katie Johanness Genre: Film Noir
UPDATE: Here’s “IN THE BAG” by Section Six Productions:
Deb Peterson and Steve Patterson are reporting that a documentary about Jeff Smith’s unsuccessful 2004 campaign for Congress has been selected as one of the docs at a Washington D.C. film festival.
Smith narrowly lost to then-State Rep. Russ Carnahan in 2004. He is currently one of five candidates running for an open state senate seat.
“Can Mr. Smith get to Washington Anymore?” is directed by Frank Popper and will be seen at the Silverdocs Festival in Washington D.C. June 13-18.
