New York Times: In Places Like North St. Louis, Gunfire Still Rules the Night
Written by a New York Times Correspondent, John Eligon, who is based in Kansas City.
Written by a New York Times Correspondent, John Eligon, who is based in Kansas City.
Check out the Tweetfest on the article.
What's interesting is that the city of Kansas City has had almost just as many homicides as St. Louis City, and its metro seems to be on pace to have just as many or MORE homicides than metro St. Louis this year.
(SOURCE)
So why did the NYT Correspondent, John Eligon, pack up his bags to go all of the way to St. Louis to expose its crime and murder problems when KC apparently has it own?
Is it that stereotypical crime stories about Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago, Philadelphia and Cleveland tend to sell more papers and create more buzz?
(SOURCE)
So why did the NYT Correspondent, John Eligon, pack up his bags to go all of the way to St. Louis to expose its crime and murder problems when KC apparently has it own?
Is it that stereotypical crime stories about Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago, Philadelphia and Cleveland tend to sell more papers and create more buzz?
The story in and of itself was a well-written and interesting look. It did nothing itself to paint St. Louis as a huge bastion of crime and murder or any worse than any other large city.
Unfortunately, the existence of the article itself, has the potential of doing that regardless of how fair and honest the content is.
I have trouble complaining about it being written, but it will unfortunately affect perceptions.
Unfortunately, the existence of the article itself, has the potential of doing that regardless of how fair and honest the content is.
I have trouble complaining about it being written, but it will unfortunately affect perceptions.
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yep.arch city wrote:Is it that stereotypical crime stories about Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago, Philadelphia and Cleveland tend to sell more papers and create more buzz?
at least one KC guy acknowledged that it could just as well have bee KC:
Jason Hancock State Government and Politics Reporter, Kansas City Star
MT @kckansascity Powerful story by J. Eligon about inner city life & violence in #STL, could have been #KC
I'm glad the NYT did this story. They described life for many in the northside better than most local journalists I've read.
This is a powerful article and well researched. I would discourage anybody from blaming this author for telling the truth. Rather, this should be a wake up call if we didn't already know that much work needs to be done to build the metro and society that we want.
It is shameful that the US government spent 2.4 trillion to destroy and rebuild Iraq but apparently can't spare any money for needy urban regions such as this. The war on terror is directly related to why our economy is so bad since 2001 and why infrastructure everywhere is crumbling. As Eisenhower said: "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed."
There is a huge need in the Northside and a huge desire by the people there to do good work. Something is failing in the marketplace that leaves this place economically unproductive. The way the market is supposed to work is that labor should be cheap in this area and it should attract jobs back from places like China and Vietnam, where they also take unskilled labor through a training program to produce their products. Where are all the factories that should be producing ipods and iphones in North STL? There needs to be concentrated and targeted spending of money by the government in conjunction with private investments. There needs to be huge education and job training programs to uplift people out of poverty. There needs to be dense public transportation and available child care. There needs to be a major urban university at its heart to give it a sense of innovation, not stagnation. Every decade, we should point to a census tract and say that this spot will receive a disproportionate amount of resources to become productive and gentrified, follow through with the plan, and then move on to the next sector.
The St. Louis metro area and its people, both black and white, have paid dearly for the sins of racism and sprawl over the years and it will probably take some amount of time to heal.
It is shameful that the US government spent 2.4 trillion to destroy and rebuild Iraq but apparently can't spare any money for needy urban regions such as this. The war on terror is directly related to why our economy is so bad since 2001 and why infrastructure everywhere is crumbling. As Eisenhower said: "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed."
There is a huge need in the Northside and a huge desire by the people there to do good work. Something is failing in the marketplace that leaves this place economically unproductive. The way the market is supposed to work is that labor should be cheap in this area and it should attract jobs back from places like China and Vietnam, where they also take unskilled labor through a training program to produce their products. Where are all the factories that should be producing ipods and iphones in North STL? There needs to be concentrated and targeted spending of money by the government in conjunction with private investments. There needs to be huge education and job training programs to uplift people out of poverty. There needs to be dense public transportation and available child care. There needs to be a major urban university at its heart to give it a sense of innovation, not stagnation. Every decade, we should point to a census tract and say that this spot will receive a disproportionate amount of resources to become productive and gentrified, follow through with the plan, and then move on to the next sector.
The St. Louis metro area and its people, both black and white, have paid dearly for the sins of racism and sprawl over the years and it will probably take some amount of time to heal.
The article was well written and hopefully it inspires more public and private intervention, but unfortunately for the most part, it just seemed to paint an overall stereotypical view of north St. Louis. When St. Louis - as a whole - has been painted with that same broad brush - no one liked it.jstriebel wrote:The story in and of itself was a well-written and interesting look. It did nothing itself to paint St. Louis as a huge bastion of crime and murder or any worse than any other large city.
Unfortunately, the existence of the article itself, has the potential of doing that regardless of how fair and honest the content is.
I have trouble complaining about it being written, but it will unfortunately affect perceptions.
When suburbanites are quick to make negative and erroneous comments about the city in general, there are people who do not like it. You can't vilify a whole city, side of town or ward because of the actions of a handful of city troublemakers - some who come in from St. Louis County, Illinois and St. Charles County to raise Cain in the city.
Yes, there are social problems in north St. Louis. Yes, there is disproportionate crime in north St. Louis. However, contrary to popular belief, the vast majority - VAST majority - of people living in north St. Louis are law-abiding, hard working citizens. I know that is an assertion that is hard for some people to believe, but that is the reality. I have family and friends who live in north St. Louis and throughout the STL region.
I think people should be very careful when painting with broad brushes. It's not right or prudent - especially if you are someone who never goes over to north St. Louis - EVER.
I also know St. Louis has to take the bad with the good, but what was the purpose of the article? Why St. Louis? The writer lives in Kansas City and KC's Police Chief tweeted yesterday the city has 96 homicides so far this year - one less than St. Louis. Surely the writer began writing the article in the summer, but ultimately, what was the goal of the article? That's where I have the problem.
Cities are safer as the FBI has reported. Despite surges, upticks and hotspots, crime has dropped in St. Louis and other cities. Mr. Wayne's seemingly knucklehead stubborn ass along with other f-ups and troublemakers in north St. Louis (and other parts of the city) won't change that fact or the statistics. The city, however, should be inspired to act - and not only with the heavy hand of the law and silly bans.
Anyway, I expect so much more from the New York Times. It could have been written about New York, Chicago or Detroit and I'd feel the same. I can be hard on St. Louis and would be the first to say that St. Louis - north St. Louis in particular - needs to do more work - particularly on its crime problem. But to me, the article just seemed like a sensational piece. Those do tend to get a lot of attention.
They obviously know what sells papers.
This lady, Sheila Pargo, is on the NYT's cover.
Great interview. I hate that she had her house stripped of aluminium siding, but the NYT's photo is sort of hilarious. They literally stripped her house. Damn....
She was violated by some lowlifes and I wouldn't have wanted to be in her shoes. I just hope her A/C unit is on lock down.
In addition to the violence, it is disturbing how colloquial the possession, use, and distribution of drugs is. The problems in these neighborhoods go so far beyond economic opportunity. While that will help, it is going to take generations of positive family reinforcement to convince young people that it is not an option to bridge financial gaps with illegal activity. It will also take reinforcement of the values of safer sexual practices, conflict resolution, productive hobbies, education, two parent households, career development, and nutrition. Not to go all Bill Cosby on the topic but the cycle highlighted of eye for an eye justice seems like the secondary issue. The bad cycle is no parental influence-->misplaced loyalty to gangs/feigned support systems/premarital relationships---->lack of complete education--->child--->no money--->drugs/crime---->another child......repeat. Injecting financial opportunity is difficult, but much easier than teaching productive means to foster and cultivate it in a lasting way that will eventually be reflective in a census.
What was sensationalist about the article? It wasn't perfect, but it accurately described life for most young men in the northside. I'm not at all saying that most young men in the northside are "bad" or "criminals", just as I wouldn't describe the young man the article covered as "bad". But it's a pretty accurate description of how most young men and women in the northside fear and even expect that they might be "next". It's not a question of whether the majority of people in north St. Louis are "good" or not. Of course most people are just living their lives, working hard to take care of their families and friends. But this environment of crime and violence negatively and significantly affects life for every person in the northside. And the article gave an accurate portrayal of that.
We need to publicly humanize and build understanding of the suffering that is going on in north St. Louis and places like it in this country. Not telling these human stories is much worse than the risk of painting too broadly with a negative brush. But only describing how life is for people in north St. Louis is just half the story. It's missing proper context.
I wish the article had gone into much greater detail on the many incredible individuals and organizations working hard and fighting everyday to improve life for the young people in their communities, because we in St. Louis don't give these efforts a fraction of the attention, celebration, and resources they deserve. And the stories of these efforts are essential to provide context for why the struggles in these communities persist. As we tell the stories of the individuals and organizations who are living and working to improve these communities, we also need to explain why these wonderful individuals and nonprofits are currently inadequate to address the immensity of the issues in these communities.
I suppose I'm torn a bit on the article. We cannot and should not ignore the people struggling in the northside out of fear that it would be bad PR if we lost control of where the story goes. We need to own it and implore the whole St. Louis region to own it. Most people in the St. Louis region don't have a clue about what life is like in the northside. Or the southside, for that matter. How can we expect things to get better when the people who have the resources to contribute to efforts to improve life conditions in the northside have an inaccurate and distorted understanding of life there? This article did do a good job of describing what goes on in a young person's life and painted the "mood" of the northside accurately. But it gave no context for why things are the way they are- as evidenced by the ridiculous comments following the online version of the story. And that context doesn't need to harp on the usual tired political arguments for why things are the way they are. A journalist simply needs to speak with the individuals and organizations working in this community to discuss what interventions are working and what resources are needed to have a greater impact.
I suppose I'm glad this article came out, because it should put the pressure on local journalists to continue the story, and not stop where this journalist stopped.
We need to publicly humanize and build understanding of the suffering that is going on in north St. Louis and places like it in this country. Not telling these human stories is much worse than the risk of painting too broadly with a negative brush. But only describing how life is for people in north St. Louis is just half the story. It's missing proper context.
I wish the article had gone into much greater detail on the many incredible individuals and organizations working hard and fighting everyday to improve life for the young people in their communities, because we in St. Louis don't give these efforts a fraction of the attention, celebration, and resources they deserve. And the stories of these efforts are essential to provide context for why the struggles in these communities persist. As we tell the stories of the individuals and organizations who are living and working to improve these communities, we also need to explain why these wonderful individuals and nonprofits are currently inadequate to address the immensity of the issues in these communities.
I suppose I'm torn a bit on the article. We cannot and should not ignore the people struggling in the northside out of fear that it would be bad PR if we lost control of where the story goes. We need to own it and implore the whole St. Louis region to own it. Most people in the St. Louis region don't have a clue about what life is like in the northside. Or the southside, for that matter. How can we expect things to get better when the people who have the resources to contribute to efforts to improve life conditions in the northside have an inaccurate and distorted understanding of life there? This article did do a good job of describing what goes on in a young person's life and painted the "mood" of the northside accurately. But it gave no context for why things are the way they are- as evidenced by the ridiculous comments following the online version of the story. And that context doesn't need to harp on the usual tired political arguments for why things are the way they are. A journalist simply needs to speak with the individuals and organizations working in this community to discuss what interventions are working and what resources are needed to have a greater impact.
I suppose I'm glad this article came out, because it should put the pressure on local journalists to continue the story, and not stop where this journalist stopped.
Dannyj, I see your points, good points. I trust your commentary is coming from the heart and I agree with you about the need for more intervention.
However, you keep saying, "life for people in north St. Louis". Perhaps you should quantify your assertion with “some people” or “many people”. Like I said, I have family on the north side and most of them do not fear that they are “next”. Nearly all of my very large family that remains in north St. Louis cannot necessarily relate to people like Mr. Wayne – who despite some strengths - cannot seem to disclose whether or not he has ever killed someone and has a friend who shoots guns in a public park.
The recovering bad actors may express such “next” feelings to the New York Times and St. Louis Post-Dispatch, but the men and women I personally know as friends and relatives do not feel like Mr. Wayne from the article - although they do take their safety seriously. I even have a middle-class friend, who until recently, lived in College Hill (just south of West Florissant) with his family and never had a problem. Further, when I visit north St. Louis, I do not feel as though I will be “next” although I am vigilant regardless of the city I visit. Point is, Mr. Wayne’s norm is not the norm for many northsiders. Many northsiders aren't glum and mood depressed. You don't blanket all of South County just because you see the bad stuff on television. One size doesn't fit all.
I guess for me, coddling drives me nuts. Giving help and assistance are okay, but as I see it, if you go to school like you are supposed too, stay out of trouble and away from bad elements and influences, you have should have nothing to worry about whether you grow up in a no-parent, two-parent, single-parent, grandparent or gay-parent household. Whether you are rich or poor, keep your ass out of trouble. Take your ass to school and graduate even if you have to struggle to finish. Period. Again, I have family and friends deeply entrenched in north St. Louis and all over the St. Louis region. Sure criminals with their senseless acts of violence impact ordinary law-abiding NSTL residents and I agree that more should be done. I also feel there are will never be enough community resources.
Like I said previously, there are troubled areas, households, poverty and despair crippling parts of north St. Louis. Bad schools, loss of jobs, poor personal choices, institutional racism etc. has led to a lot of problems for a lot of people - not unlike in other regional pockets. There's no denying this, but contrary to popular belief there are tons of solid families with solid expectations in NSTL. By not acknowledging this, it only would help to continue to perpetuate dangerous stereotypes.
And I still say the article was sensational. For a change, go beat up on some other cities instead of St. Louis, Chicago and Detroit. The NYT owes St. Louis a positive article in the very near future.
However, you keep saying, "life for people in north St. Louis". Perhaps you should quantify your assertion with “some people” or “many people”. Like I said, I have family on the north side and most of them do not fear that they are “next”. Nearly all of my very large family that remains in north St. Louis cannot necessarily relate to people like Mr. Wayne – who despite some strengths - cannot seem to disclose whether or not he has ever killed someone and has a friend who shoots guns in a public park.
The recovering bad actors may express such “next” feelings to the New York Times and St. Louis Post-Dispatch, but the men and women I personally know as friends and relatives do not feel like Mr. Wayne from the article - although they do take their safety seriously. I even have a middle-class friend, who until recently, lived in College Hill (just south of West Florissant) with his family and never had a problem. Further, when I visit north St. Louis, I do not feel as though I will be “next” although I am vigilant regardless of the city I visit. Point is, Mr. Wayne’s norm is not the norm for many northsiders. Many northsiders aren't glum and mood depressed. You don't blanket all of South County just because you see the bad stuff on television. One size doesn't fit all.
I guess for me, coddling drives me nuts. Giving help and assistance are okay, but as I see it, if you go to school like you are supposed too, stay out of trouble and away from bad elements and influences, you have should have nothing to worry about whether you grow up in a no-parent, two-parent, single-parent, grandparent or gay-parent household. Whether you are rich or poor, keep your ass out of trouble. Take your ass to school and graduate even if you have to struggle to finish. Period. Again, I have family and friends deeply entrenched in north St. Louis and all over the St. Louis region. Sure criminals with their senseless acts of violence impact ordinary law-abiding NSTL residents and I agree that more should be done. I also feel there are will never be enough community resources.
Like I said previously, there are troubled areas, households, poverty and despair crippling parts of north St. Louis. Bad schools, loss of jobs, poor personal choices, institutional racism etc. has led to a lot of problems for a lot of people - not unlike in other regional pockets. There's no denying this, but contrary to popular belief there are tons of solid families with solid expectations in NSTL. By not acknowledging this, it only would help to continue to perpetuate dangerous stereotypes.
And I still say the article was sensational. For a change, go beat up on some other cities instead of St. Louis, Chicago and Detroit. The NYT owes St. Louis a positive article in the very near future.
The article's fine, but its subject ("Mr. Wayne") definitely should not be misconstrued as a sympathetic victim of his environment. He's dedicated to going straight, but he'll still sell a little when he needs some extra cash. He loves his daughter, but he doesn't live with her and her mother. Says 'beefs' lead to ongoing deaths, but carried a gun. He doesn't know why someone tried to shoot him, but breaks into houses, sells drugs and runs with a gang.
I'm curious what programs, if any, are in place to recognize children who have displayed high aptitude and interest in learning and achieving, to support their growth and personal development.
I'm imagining a local privately-funded boarding school in which children from poor/high-crime environments (and low-support family environments, in many cases) can be recruited and, in essence, removed from these environments. It sounds -- and actually kind of is -- really bad, I know -- you'd basically be asking a child to separate him/herself from their community and family. But if that separation breeds success, isn't it then worth consideration? Would a parent (or parents) consider it an opportunity or take it as an insult?
Maybe if this Mr. Wayne had been recruited at 14 when his mother died, there wouldn't be a story for the NYT to tell. Or at least the author would have needed to find another subject.
I'm curious what programs, if any, are in place to recognize children who have displayed high aptitude and interest in learning and achieving, to support their growth and personal development.
I'm imagining a local privately-funded boarding school in which children from poor/high-crime environments (and low-support family environments, in many cases) can be recruited and, in essence, removed from these environments. It sounds -- and actually kind of is -- really bad, I know -- you'd basically be asking a child to separate him/herself from their community and family. But if that separation breeds success, isn't it then worth consideration? Would a parent (or parents) consider it an opportunity or take it as an insult?
Maybe if this Mr. Wayne had been recruited at 14 when his mother died, there wouldn't be a story for the NYT to tell. Or at least the author would have needed to find another subject.
not all north city blocks are the same. I agree with archcity that some are actually far more stable than others. clearly, the author focused on the tougher wards. Overall though, I didn't think the article was unfair. I think it clearly highlighted a group of real people on the north side and what they often face.
Here's what infuriates me. Today I saw a Clayton cop sitting idle on Forest Park Parkway waiting to pull someone over and the same in Rock Hill. While we have all of these high crime areas, we allow police in our region to sit on roadsides and act as traffic cops. I never have seen cops sit idle on Forest Park Parkway in the city and i've never seen any crazy accidents because of it. Does Clayton get money from the state to police its city? If so, it should be drastically reduced. Clayton, if it doesn't already, can completely pay for itself. Also, in these hot areas like Walnut Park, why aren't more cameras installed? London style. I also think these are needed on Wash Ave.
Here's what infuriates me. Today I saw a Clayton cop sitting idle on Forest Park Parkway waiting to pull someone over and the same in Rock Hill. While we have all of these high crime areas, we allow police in our region to sit on roadsides and act as traffic cops. I never have seen cops sit idle on Forest Park Parkway in the city and i've never seen any crazy accidents because of it. Does Clayton get money from the state to police its city? If so, it should be drastically reduced. Clayton, if it doesn't already, can completely pay for itself. Also, in these hot areas like Walnut Park, why aren't more cameras installed? London style. I also think these are needed on Wash Ave.
I know how much you guys hate rankings but here is a good one!
St. Louis is #12 for the best major metros for students. Now we need newer and bigger schools for students from everywhere to come and enjoy our city!
1 New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA
2 Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH
3 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
4 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
5 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
6 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
7 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA
8 Baltimore-Towson, MD
9 Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO
10 Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL-IN-WI
11 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
12 St. Louis, MO-IL
13 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL
14 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA
15 San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA
https://www.aier.org/cdi
https://www.aier.org/sites/default/file ... _Louis.pdf
St. Louis is #12 for the best major metros for students. Now we need newer and bigger schools for students from everywhere to come and enjoy our city!
1 New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA
2 Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH
3 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
4 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
5 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
6 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
7 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA
8 Baltimore-Towson, MD
9 Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO
10 Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL-IN-WI
11 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
12 St. Louis, MO-IL
13 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL
14 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA
15 San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA
https://www.aier.org/cdi
https://www.aier.org/sites/default/file ... _Louis.pdf
Couldn't agree more, but I'd take it farther and try to identify whatever risk factors correspond to bad outcomes in greater than 50% of a population sample, and use that as the basis for recruitment. ALL of these NSL kids have the aptitude when they are born to achieve as much as their middle class counterparts. What they lack is the environment and expectations and the resources to do it. Willpower and fortitude only get one so far.I'm imagining a local privately-funded boarding school in which children from poor/high-crime environments (and low-support family environments, in many cases) can be recruited and, in essence, removed from these environments. It sounds -- and actually kind of is -- really bad, I know -- you'd basically be asking a child to separate him/herself from their community and family. But if that separation breeds success, isn't it then worth consideration? Would a parent (or parents) consider it an opportunity or take it as an insult?
Maybe if this Mr. Wayne had been recruited at 14 when his mother died, there wouldn't be a story for the NYT to tell. Or at least the author would have needed to find another subject.
Slate just did a feature on Cementland in St. Louis
Cementland: The Unfinished Adventure Land For Mischievous Adults
http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obscur ... ished.html
Cementland: The Unfinished Adventure Land For Mischievous Adults
http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obscur ... ished.html
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arch, the numbers in your source show KCMO has far fewer murders (82) even though they have 150K more people than we do... we simply have to acknowledge that we have a huge problem here that is on a scale that few other cities face. That is not to say that KC has no issues of its own, but if we had its homicide rate we'd probably be under 70 murders at this point for the year instead of around 100. That would be huge progress, while still too many. As for the metro, it also appears we have many more than theirs, although the homicide rate numbers may be more even as we're a larger metro.arch city wrote:What's interesting is that the city of Kansas City has had almost just as many homicides as St. Louis City, and its metro seems to be on pace to have just as many or MORE homicides than metro St. Louis this year.
(SOURCE)
First, no one is denying St. Louis City struggles with violent crime and homicide. It would be ridiculous to think otherwise, However, read what I wrote.......I said, "has had almost just as many homicides as St. Louis City," As of today, Kansas City sits at 87 and St. Louis 100. Within the last week or so, STL increased its margin. Still not a big gap, in my opinion, but the KC metro is on pace with St. Louis' metro homicide numbers for 2013.roger wyoming II wrote:arch, the numbers in your source show KCMO has far fewer murders (82) even though they have 150K more people than we do... we simply have to acknowledge that we have a huge problem here that is on a scale that few other cities face. That is not to say that KC has no issues of its own, but if we had its homicide rate we'd probably be under 70 murders at this point for the year instead of around 100. That would be huge progress, while still too many. As for the metro, it also appears we have many more than theirs, although the homicide rate numbers may be more even as we're a larger metro.
Of course Kansas City's homicide rate would be lower because of those additional 150,000 people in 318 square miles. I know how to do math. If St. Louis City could add 256 square miles it likely would have a lower homicide rate because nearly 550,000 people would be added. This is one of the reasons why St. Louis City and County are considering blending crime statistics so that the region as a whole can look as good on paper as other cities/regions that have demographic, numeric and boundary advantages.
Socio-economics, demographics, population-size etc. do matter. For example, the City of San Francisco's population (826,000) is almost double that of Kansas City and it is within smaller city boundaries (47 square miles), but so far in 2013 there have been only 39 homicides in the city.
While all homicides are bad, there are different socio-economic, demographic and numeric (poverty, boundaries, etc.) dynamics for many cities that lead to crime rates being higher in some cities than others. St. Louis City has disadvantages in all noted categories - it has more poverty and is landlocked. This is why the FBI doesn't rank cities by violent crime - although other sources/entities do.
And let's not even get into the metro numbers. While a bulk of the region's violent crime, unfortunately, occurs in St. Louis City, metro St. Louis' overall crime rate is always ranked low.
Nonetheless, St. Louis City, like all cities, must address ALL types of crime as well as improve socio-economic disparities within its population.
I think I hear what you’re saying arch city. I didn’t mean to say that I think every young person in the northside is involved with selling drugs or gangs or violence, and I apologize that what I wrote might’ve come off that way. But as someone who has lived and worked in the Ville for years, I stand by what I said that this is an accurate portrayal of the experience for most young men and women in the northside that I’ve known. Not every young person is directly engaging in these activities by any means- most aren’t- but these pressures and struggles are something that every young man and woman in north St. Louis faces and can relate to on a personal level. These are experiences every young person growing up in the northside today has come into contact with.
But you’re absolutely correct that the northside- even in its “worst” parts- is not some warzone. It is not some other world. Life for every person in north St. Louis goes through the same ups and downs and the ordinary as it does for everyone. And there are neighborhoods in which crime and violence are not as prevalent as they are in others. But an environment touched by crime, violence, and high unemployment on a daily basis significantly affects life for every person in it. It creates real challenges for all residents of the community no matter if they’re directly involved with these activities or not. When I said that most young people in north St. Louis fear and even expect they might be “next”, I didn’t mean that everyone is tiptoeing around their days, expecting an ambush at every corner. Montez Wayne might because he fears he is a target due to prior events in his life. But most people, not feeling like a target, still carry with them a daily awareness that they could be victimized next, simply because of the prevalence of violence in their community and the people they know who have been victims of violence. That’s not normal or acceptable. Daily life marches on and many people thrive despite these conditions in their community, but compared to the daily realities of most communities in St. Louis, the environment of north St. Louis is a crisis. The things that happen in north St. Louis on a daily basis shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Thinking about the article for a couple days, I’ve found there are more things I take issue with than I did in my first reading. Maybe we have different understandings of the word sensationalism in journalism, but I still wouldn’t call it sensationalist. It gave an honest and well written account of what life is like for a young person in north St. Louis. I don’t think it exaggerated what life can be like in this community. But it did fail to provide a more complete picture of what life is like for people who aren’t as involved in the types of activities as Montez Wayne. The writers should have given more time to present the perspective of someone like Debra Gordon, who seems like a more typical resident. Through her, the writers could’ve discussed how the issues introduced in the article affect her and her family and neighbors. I don’t like to emphasize what is in my opinion a false dichotomy, but as someone said in the article, the majority of residents are “law-abiding” citizens but the “lawbreakers” are the squeaky wheels and get all of the attention. It seems that by focusing so heavily on a character like Montez Wayne, the NYT perpetuated this pattern. People in this region need to hear Montez Wayne's story, but they need to hear Debra Gordon's more. I think this could’ve been a more useful article had it done more to show how crime in these communities creates challenges for the many who are not wrapped up in it. And it could’ve provided greater context for those who don’t see how Montez Wayne is both a perpetrator but also a victim here.
Like I said before, I don’t have a problem with this article if it motivates local journalists and leaders to take a harder look.
But you’re absolutely correct that the northside- even in its “worst” parts- is not some warzone. It is not some other world. Life for every person in north St. Louis goes through the same ups and downs and the ordinary as it does for everyone. And there are neighborhoods in which crime and violence are not as prevalent as they are in others. But an environment touched by crime, violence, and high unemployment on a daily basis significantly affects life for every person in it. It creates real challenges for all residents of the community no matter if they’re directly involved with these activities or not. When I said that most young people in north St. Louis fear and even expect they might be “next”, I didn’t mean that everyone is tiptoeing around their days, expecting an ambush at every corner. Montez Wayne might because he fears he is a target due to prior events in his life. But most people, not feeling like a target, still carry with them a daily awareness that they could be victimized next, simply because of the prevalence of violence in their community and the people they know who have been victims of violence. That’s not normal or acceptable. Daily life marches on and many people thrive despite these conditions in their community, but compared to the daily realities of most communities in St. Louis, the environment of north St. Louis is a crisis. The things that happen in north St. Louis on a daily basis shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Thinking about the article for a couple days, I’ve found there are more things I take issue with than I did in my first reading. Maybe we have different understandings of the word sensationalism in journalism, but I still wouldn’t call it sensationalist. It gave an honest and well written account of what life is like for a young person in north St. Louis. I don’t think it exaggerated what life can be like in this community. But it did fail to provide a more complete picture of what life is like for people who aren’t as involved in the types of activities as Montez Wayne. The writers should have given more time to present the perspective of someone like Debra Gordon, who seems like a more typical resident. Through her, the writers could’ve discussed how the issues introduced in the article affect her and her family and neighbors. I don’t like to emphasize what is in my opinion a false dichotomy, but as someone said in the article, the majority of residents are “law-abiding” citizens but the “lawbreakers” are the squeaky wheels and get all of the attention. It seems that by focusing so heavily on a character like Montez Wayne, the NYT perpetuated this pattern. People in this region need to hear Montez Wayne's story, but they need to hear Debra Gordon's more. I think this could’ve been a more useful article had it done more to show how crime in these communities creates challenges for the many who are not wrapped up in it. And it could’ve provided greater context for those who don’t see how Montez Wayne is both a perpetrator but also a victim here.
Like I said before, I don’t have a problem with this article if it motivates local journalists and leaders to take a harder look.
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I just bumped my head on the desk.arch city wrote: First, no one is denying St. Louis City struggles with violent crime and homicide. It would be ridiculous to think otherwise, However, read what I wrote.......I said, "has had almost just as many homicides as St. Louis City," As of today, Kansas City sits at 87 and St. Louis 100. Within the last week or so, STL increased its margin. Still not a big gap, in my opinion, but the KC metro is on pace with St. Louis' metro homicide numbers for 2013.
Of course Kansas City's homicide rate would be lower because of those additional 150,000 people in 318 square miles. I know how to do math. If St. Louis City could add 256 square miles it likely would have a lower homicide rate because nearly 550,000 people would be added. This is one of the reasons why St. Louis City and County are considering blending crime statistics so that the region as a whole can look as good on paper as other cities/regions that have demographic, numeric and boundary advantages.
Socio-economics, demographics, population-size etc. do matter. For example, the City of San Francisco's population (826,000) is almost double that of Kansas City and it is within smaller city boundaries (47 square miles), but so far in 2013 there have been only 39 homicides in the city.
While all homicides are bad, there are different socio-economic, demographic and numeric (poverty, boundaries, etc.) dynamics for many cities that lead to crime rates being higher in some cities than others. St. Louis City has disadvantages in all noted categories - it has more poverty and is landlocked. This is why the FBI doesn't rank cities by violent crime - although other sources/entities do.
And let's not even get into the metro numbers. While a bulk of the region's violent crime, unfortunately, occurs in St. Louis City, metro St. Louis' overall crime rate is always ranked low.
Nonetheless, St. Louis City, like all cities, must address ALL types of crime as well as improve socio-economic disparities within its population.
The December 20th issue of The Week features homes in St. Louis in the "Best Properties on the Market" section!!! Each week, the real estate section features different "themed" homes on the market from all over the country and the world-- sometimes it's homes on a lake, mid-century homes, lofts in converted warehouses, homes with tennis courts, etc etc etc, and once in a while they feature homes in a particular city. This particular section of the magazine is not available online (yet at least), but here's a pic. Sorry for the crappy quality:
Featured properties include a CWE mansion, a TGE converted 4-flat, a rowhouse in Fox Park, a new construction home on The Hill, a downtown loft, a rowhouse in Benton Park, and a mini-Victorian rehab in South City (my guess is the Gate District, but not positive). Really handsome houses (well, the one on The Hill is kinda cheesy, but not terrible either), and it really makes St. Louis look like a cool city. If you aren't familiar with The Week, do yourself a favor and read it: http://theweek.com/
Featured properties include a CWE mansion, a TGE converted 4-flat, a rowhouse in Fox Park, a new construction home on The Hill, a downtown loft, a rowhouse in Benton Park, and a mini-Victorian rehab in South City (my guess is the Gate District, but not positive). Really handsome houses (well, the one on The Hill is kinda cheesy, but not terrible either), and it really makes St. Louis look like a cool city. If you aren't familiar with The Week, do yourself a favor and read it: http://theweek.com/
Looks like Olio was featured on CNN. Neat!
Old gas stations come back to life as trendy restaurants
http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/30/living/aj ... index.html
Old gas stations come back to life as trendy restaurants
http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/30/living/aj ... index.html
The Brain, in Exquisite Detail
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/07/scien ... etail.html
This is a NYT feature of WUSTL's contributions to the human connectome project. Cool!
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/07/scien ... etail.html
This is a NYT feature of WUSTL's contributions to the human connectome project. Cool!
ST. LOUIS — Deanna Barch talks fast, as if she doesn’t want to waste any time getting to the task at hand, which is substantial. She is one of the researchers here at Washington University working on the first interactive wiring diagram of the living, working human brain. To build this diagram she and her colleagues are doing brain scans and cognitive, psychological, physical and genetic assessments of 1,200 volunteers.