Posts Tagged ‘Mayor Slay’

Despite earlier rough seas in the November, 2010 general election when Missouri voters forced the one-percent earnings tax in the City of St. Louis to come before its residents every five years, city voters got a chance to show the importance of keeping about $140 million in annual revenue.  About 75 Prop E officials and volunteers gathered Tuesday at Walker’s restaurant and bar in south St. Louis to yield their grassroots efforts. Mayor Slay, campaign supporter Patrick Brown, Brian Wahby and Mary Ellen Ponder repeatedly visited the websites for updates.  With a highly more than expected turnout of 20 percent of city voters casting their ballots, Prop E easily sailed to victory with more than 80 percent of the vote.  The Citizens for a Stronger St. Louis coordinated more than 100 community outreach meetings and executed scores of neighborhood canvas calls. BTW:  Mary Ellen Ponder has returned to City Hall, not only as a point person for Room 200, but as a superstar.

L TO R Brian Wahby chief of the Democratic Central Committee; Mayor Francis Slay; volunteer Patrick Brown and Mary Elllen Ponder

Rumors that Dr. Henry Givens may step down as chief of Harris-Stowe State University were in abundance at the Missouri MLK Statewide Celebration Kick-Off Program the other night on the campus. However, Givens was in full command as an audience of 2,000 gave enthusastic hosanahs for the Rev. Al Sharpton.  The civil rights leader, who filled his keynote with humor, biblical tales and blunt street-talk, was caught twittering in Givens’ office, while Cong. Lacy Clay, Jr. and Cong. Russ Carnahan chowed-down.  KSDK, Channel 5′s most-watched education reporter and the station’s young, news/weather anchor Anthony Slaughter kept the program moving in a timely and pleasant pace. InBev AB’s John Furr and honorary chair of the event introduced Rev. Sharpton as “a transformational leader, a man who has challenged the American social and political establishment.”President Obama calls Rev. Sharpton ‘the voice of the voiceless and a champion for the downtrodden,”  said Furr. Rev. Sharpton mused, “You know, it’s amazing how many people marched with Dr. King.  They will tell you they marched with him and they are probably lying.”  Sharpton began his ministry at the age of  four.  Others getting their time in the spotlight were Robin Wright-Jones, Tishaura Jones, Mayor Slay, Charlie Dooley and Percy Green, who was heckled by an attendee, who was ejected from the room.  MIA was Gov. Jay Nixon, who only did a brief drive-by at a private pouring and then blew the Hood. On Sunday, just getting warmed-up from his Saturday night bombastic and poignant keynote, Rev. Sharpton accepted an invite to deliver a sermon to an SRO crowd at the Friendly Temple Baptist Church on Martin Luther King Drive. Faces in the crowd: the Rev. Earl Nance, Jr., James and Susan Buford, Merdean Gales, Ruth Smith, Gwen Packnett, Betty Thompson, Anita Banks, Frankie Muse Freeman, Stacy and Judge Jimmie Edwards, Judge Charles Shaw and wife, Kay, Argus publisher Yaphett El-Amin, Joe Keaveny and Lou Brock. (See photos taken by the Metro Evening Whirl).