Blogs

The VItal Voice just got wind that barring a very unlikely "no" vote to close off the street by its City Council, Belleville will be hosting its first ever Gay Pride event on Saturday, June 21, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. It will be held on 2nd street between W. Main and A street(s) outside of Club Escapade, which is located at 133 W. Main street.

The confirmed speakers are:

The Honorable Tom Holbrook, Illinois State Rep.
Mr. Lynn Clapp, Chair, Belleville Human Relations Commission
Mr. Mark Kern, Chair, St. Clair County Board.

It is all too easy to forget that these old-school hate mongers exist. If it wasn't live and Memorex, one could be lulled into thinking they were a set piece from Geraldo's greatest hits, or one could stare in curious wonderment at a movement thought extinct, much like the first South African to gaze in the Cretaceous eyes of a coelacanth.

Kingsbury Animal Hospital hosts a celebration in honor of its 30th anniversary Saturday, June 7 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The event will include refreshments, entertainment and a silent auction to support the Barkley House. The Barkley House is a temporary establishment where pets who are undergoing medical treatment at the University of Missouri Veterinary Teaching Hospital can meet with their owners.

The Hospital is accepting donations, merchandise and artwork for the silent auction. You can contact Kingsbury Animal Hospital at (314) 721-6251 with questions.

Well into the dot-com era, we have immediate access to information about everything we could possibly envision. A common problem, though, is that despite the availability of information out there (and despite powerful, wide-reaching search engines), people still have difficulties filtering through the mess. Where exactly could you purchase eco-friendly furniture made with FSC-certified wood? Is there such a company in St. Louis who deals with termite and mold control that is safe for humans and pets? What “green” events are happening in your neighborhood?

Via Yahoo's LGBTA listserv, The Vital Voice got wind of an attempted robbery, a shooting, and a possible death on the 2000 block of Russell on Sunday, April 27. St. Louis City Police spokesperson Schron Jackson confirmed an incident happened, sending an email that stated:

At 5:27 a.m. Sunday, detectives responded to the 2000 block of Russell for a shooting, the victim was en route to an area hospital.

Annual Huge Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Wide Yard Sales - Saturday, 5-03, 7:30am – 2pm. Approx. 20 different houses with treasures for sale. Pick up your map of registered homes at The Original Crusoe’s parking lot on the morning of the sale, 3152 Osceola @ So. Compton .

Hollywood has lost one of its best and brightest with the passing of Stan Winston.

Winston, the mind behind such memorable special effects as the Tyrannosaurus of "Jurassic Park", the extraterrestrial monsters in "Aliens," and a great many others has died from cancer at the age of 62.

Winston's work was widely recognized in the industry, earning him Oscars in 1986, 1992, and 1993 for "Aliens," "Terminator 2: Judgement Day," and Jurassic Park. He also earned a makeup effects award for his work on Tim Burton's "Batman Returns."

According to data released by the Pew Research Center last September, 58% of Americans know little or nothing about the practices of Islam, a percentage that has changed very little since 2001.

When I met with Melissa Matos, director of the St. Louis chapter of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a civil rights advocacy group for Muslims in North America, I started the conversation with questions that I hoped were basic, but not misguided.

“Can you clarify the terms Islamic and Muslim?” I asked.