Despite ex-St. Louis cop Dustin Boone's role in the beating of an undercover police officer, his texts in which he freely used the N-word, and his habit of bragging about violently abusing and humiliating people he arrested, his family and friends say he's a great guy.
"I agree that the text messages pulled from Dustin's phone are vile, but these texts do not portray the true Dustin Boone," his stepfather, retired St. Louis police Sergeant Anthony Boone, writes in a letter — one among a dozen testimonials sent by fellow cops, relatives and friends of Dustin Boone to Senior U.S. District Judge Richard Webber in advance of the former police officer's sentencing next week.
The letters reflect the long-running tension around the case against Boone, which has now run through two trials.…
Fans who have eagerly waited for Hamilton to return to the Fabulous Fox Theatre(527 North Grand Boulevard) can score their tickets beginning November 29.
The show comes to the Lou on April 12 and runs through May 15, 2022. Single tickets for the show will be available at 10 a.m. on November 29 through Metrotix or by calling 314-534-1111.…
U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Jeff Merkley of Oregon sent a letter to President Joe Biden last week calling on him to use his executive authority to issue a blanket pardon for all nonviolent federal cannabis offenders, whether currently or formerly incarcerated.
In the letter, the Senators, all Democrats, called America's war on drugs "failed and racist."
"America’s cannabis policies have punished Black and Brown communities for too long," the Senators wrote, adding that despite legalization in states across the country, as well as roughly equal cannabis usage rates, "Black Americans are still nearly four times as likely to be arrested for cannabis possession as white Americans."
The Senators also note that 27 states and Washington, D.C. have decriminalized cannabis possession, while 36 states have legalized cannabis for medical use and 18 states, two territories, and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for adult use.
The Senators also point out that a majority of Americans, nearly 7 in 10, support cannabis legalization.
On the campaign trail, Biden said that "we should decriminalize
marijuana" and "everyone [with a marijuana record] should be let out of jail, their records expunged, be completely zeroed out."
"Our country’s cannabis policies must be completely overhauled, but you have the power to act now: you can and should issue a blanket pardon for all non-violent federal cannabis offenses, fulfilling your promises to the American people and transforming the lives of tens of thousands [of] Americans," the letter states.
"The Constitution grants you the authority to pardon broad classes of Americans to correct widespread injustice, as previous Presidents have done," the letter added.…
Missouri Governor Mike Parson seems a little confused lately. Decades into a political career of faithfully resisting such scourges as health care and jobless benefits for poor people, Parson has stumbled upon a handout he can get behind: welfare for people who would rather lose their jobs than get vaccinated for COVID-19.…
Santa Claus is coming to town — well, Belleville. He’s hopping in his sleigh and hauling all the way from the North Pole to Skyview Drive-In(5700 N Belt W, 618-233-4400) for three Saturdays after Thanksgiving.
Skyview guests will watch as Santa drives through the lot, handing out candy to kids before the movie begins.…
A new annual arts magazine focused on St. Louis-based creatives of color will see its debut today with a launch party at Cherokee Street apparel store Profield Reserve.
The print and online publication, dubbed Search Party, is the brainchild of longtime journalist and St. Louis native Tara C. Mahadevan, who serves as its editor-in-chief. Mahadevan, a regular freelance contributor for Complex with additional bylines in a slew of publications including St. Louis' Stereo Assault, Made Monarchs,Eleven Magazine and the Riverfront Times,conceived of the endeavor in the spring of last year and soon secured a Futures Fund grant from the Luminary.
According to Mahadevan, the effort started as a simple idea — and a case of great timing.
A Friday morning fight at Bomber O’Brien’s Sports Bar and Grill turned into a hit-and-run — killing the bar's owner and leaving another man injured.
The incident involved a total of five victims and four suspects.…
Two African lions, two jaguars, two snow leopards, a puma and an Amur tiger at the Saint Louis Zoo have all tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The animals are expected to make a full recovery, thanks to receiving their COVID-19 vaccine earlier this year and “ongoing care,” a press release from the zoo says.…
Calling all Pretty Woman fans — or even just those who like a good cocktail — Kranzberg Arts Foundation’s Central Stage(3524 Washington) is making sure it treats you so nice, you’ll never let their new cocktail experience go.
In honor of Pretty Woman opening at the Fabulous Fox Theatre, Central Stage partnered with Mid Coast Media and STL Barkeep to host a pop-up experience for guests to enjoy before they hit the musical, beginning November 16.
Custom cocktails with names related to the movie and musical will be served.…
One of the greatest frontmen of all time, David Yow, will be at the Heavy Anchor(5226 Gravois Avenue, 314-352-5226) tonight to perform in an eclectic show.
The Jesus Lizard singer is also an actor and he spends a decent amount of time in St. Louis for his various projects. During his time here, he even served as the guest bartender one legendary night at the Waiting Room in St. Ann, where he was very cool about spending quality time with the many fans who showed up to get served a drink by a legend.
Yow’s performance on this tour isn’t expected to be as wild as his time on stage in bands, though.…
With the ability to heat homes hanging in the balance, St. Louis is suddenly facing uncertainty about its access to natural gas for the winter. Last week, Spire Missouri warned in an email sent to more than 600,000 customers that there are "no guarantees" the company's key pipeline can operate beyond December 13.…
We get it — you’re a parent, you’re busy, trying to balance all you can into your kiddo’s schedule, but you want to get them vaccinated against COVID-19. There are plenty of opportunities this weekend to get your kiddo the COVID-19 shot this weekend.
SSM Health offers five different drive-thru vaccine clinics on November 13 from 8 a.m. to noon.…
Taco Circus(4940 Southwest Avenue) will close its doors on November 20 after its last dinner service, according to a Facebook post from the business today.
“There are many ways for restaurants to fail, and only a couple ways that they end up working,” the post from owner Christian Ethridge reads. “So given the way I handled the variables, I could not make it work.…
There is now an easy way to get a COVID-19 test right in the heart of Grand Center.
Many St. Louisans visit the area to take in events at the Kranzberg Arts Foundation or to see a world-class show at The Fabulous Fox, but hot spots now require a vaccination card or a recent negative COVID-19 test to enter.
Located on the second floor at 3526 Washington Avenue, this testing site operated by Nomi Health now offers antigen and PCR testing. The site advertises “no out-of-pocket cost” and they accept insurance, but for those without insurance they say “no one will be turned away.”
The clinic is right next door to KDHX and is presented with support from the Kranzberg Arts Foundation and Grand Center, Inc., who help to sponsor the site in an effort to keep their businesses full and their patrons safe.
"Easy access to free Covid testing has been a hindrance to our arts community both on the artist and patron side throughout the pandemic.…
Andy Cohen is headed back to the Lou, or more specifically, Clayton High School — his alma mater — in partnership with Left Bank Books. Fresh off a partnership with Clementine’s Creamery, Cohen heads to the high school to promote his new book, “Glitter Every Day: 365 Quotes from Women I Love.”
The book gathers quotes from women Cohen has worked with on his talk show or that he admires in his every day life.…
In the most stunning, post-pandemic shakeup in the St. Louis restaurant scene to date, restaurateur Zoë Robinson has announced the sale of her acclaimed restaurant portfolio to her friend and local art leader, Susan Barrett. Under Barrett's new ownership, Robinson's restaurant's Bar Les Freres and I Fratellini will reopen beginning in early 2022 while Billie Jean will close and be rebranded as a new concept.…
Separated by security glass in a visiting room in the St. Louis Workhouse, Mike Milton looked into the face of a broken system. It was a weekday in early April 2019, and the face belonged to Samuel Lee Scott.…
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