clayton | Since we’ve been simmering awhile and may go into a rolling boil in all this beastly heat, we’d thought that the freshly tuckpointed brick wall in DeMun awaiting its Big Bee mural might only be half primed by Robert Fishbone and his daughter Liza. But it’s not plain red brick anymore. Its pastel tones are striking, adapted somewhat from the rendering we published in our June 22 issue. The Fishbones are climbing the scaffolding very early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the blistering heat dome, or whatever term the TV weatherperson uses to describe global warming this week. The creative process is a sight to behold, and we’re all welcome to visit the relatively cool, shaded neighborhood along DeMun Avenue north of Clayton Road to do just that. The awe-inspiring wall faces a recently upgraded playground, where there’s a water sprayer/mister for overheated kids. And adults. There’s also a Clementine’s Creamery nearby, 730 DeMun. Meanwhile, as you chill, don’t just sit there and watch the paint dry. Consider supporting the project, which is being funded through Clayton Community Foundation, with our support: claytoncommunityfoundation.org/projects/art. Scroll halfway down the webpage to ‘DeMun Park Mural’ for a little historical perspective and more details about the area, along with specific donation instructions. Then plan to take some epic selfies in the not-too-distant future.
brentwood
Once upon a time, somebody exclaimed, “Hey, this funky-looking plant smells heavenly once it’s dried. Why not rake a whole bunch of leaves into a pile, set it on fire and deeply inhale all the smoke?” We’re talking about tobacco, not hemp. Nicotine is so addictive, most smokers have hella time quitting because after a few minutes or hours, they crave another cigarette. They quit dozens of times a day, but can’t stay quit. About a decade ago some smart alecks introduced ‘e-cigs’—electronic doodads that deliver nicotine via water vapor. They’re supposed to help smokers taper off, but folks who say they want to quit seem to vape all the time. Vaping is now a $6 billion enterprise. The FDA, despite years of incessant industry lobbying, on June 23 finally banned Juul products, the hip e-cigs once preferred by teens. Trix are for kids; Juul is not. Brings to mind Joe Camel, the cartoon character who made Camel cigarettes so attractive to young folks. Eventually, Joe was ‘retired.’ Not all that long ago, Juul was unapologetically, aggressively hawking its products at concerts and parties via young influencers. Their e-cigs had higher, albeit synthetic—read: as yet unregulated—nicotine content and came in fruit and dessert flavors, not just menthol like traditional cigarettes. Used to be when I went to 7-Eleven for beer, teens would pop out between police cars in hopes of persuading me to buy theirs, too. Next time I visit Discount Smoke to buy a carton of Winston Lights for my stubborn, beloved wife, might there be kids lurking outside with a fistful of cash for Puff Bar e-cigs? No matter. I quit in 1985, and am now a rabid anti-smoker. Well, except for Cate.
old north st. louis
Names have been changed to respect privacy. Miel Sloane has lived for years with her son Iluka’s mental illness: severe obsessive-compulsive disorder complicated by ADHD, anxiety and depression with suicidal thoughts. Now 18, Iluka will soon be off to college to study fashion design. A while back, however, Miel’s insurance company denied Iluka a recommended extended residential treatment, and he was sent home early. During a reading at UrbArts, Miel followed a poet and an a cappella gospel singer to present a passage from Mother Matter, the book she is writing about their ordeal at the hands of the health care system. “The Letter” addresses a nameless insurance company doctor who essentially rubber-stamped Iluka’s denial. Her presentation was timely. Acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns’ recent documentary, Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness, aired last month on PBS. Miel has yet to watch more than the trailer. “I’ve no doubt it will resonate and bring me to tears,” she says. Burns says awareness of mental health has been surging after years of our shared COVID-19 trauma, with particular concerns about the young. Miel’s intensive research, including many peer-reviewed articles, has her convinced. “We are in a serious mental health pandemic, with a dearth of psychiatrists, therapists, nurses and facilities.” Iluka says he feels like the rug was pulled out from underneath. As Miel writes to the anonymous doctor, “since you never met my son in the three appeals on his behalf, I offer you a snapshot of the human being he is …” She recounts anecdotes about his compassion for animals, starting as a toddler, and as a teen for other people enduring painful challenges themselves. The last portion of the passage is devastating, as Iluka describes his feelings upon having to return home early. “It was like surgery. They cut me open from collarbone to navel. They started to operate and then sent me home without sewing me up. I trusted them. I shouldn’t have.” Miel remains angry and frustrated. She hurts for Iluka and articulates her feelings through her writing. As a full-time academic, she’s not sure when she’ll be able to complete the book. But she notes, “The wealthy kids get the best care, the poor get nothing, and those of us in the middle hobble along.”
notable neighbors
washington university
Writer, film producer and director Seth Ferranti, 51, spent his lengthy sentence as a nonviolent drug offender in seven different prisons by getting an education; he earned an associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degree. He’d distributed LSD, was a most-wanted fugitive on the lam, met his future wife Diane, started his sentence in the early 1990s, was released in 2015 and married Diane, with whom he lives in the house where she grew up. And if that seems like a lot, we’re just getting started. With this dude, you pretty much need to get questions and comments out in one breath: Ferranti is a colorful character with whom it’s hard to get a word in edgewise. And man, does he have stories to tell, and be told about him: Ferranti has been featured in The Washington Post and Rolling Stone, has written articles for VICE and has plenty more to say from his time inside. This weekend you can see his docu-drama shot on the mean streets of North St. Louis, which will have its world premiere at WashU’s Brown Hall on Sunday at 7:30 p.m., as a centerpiece of St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase. Ferranti’s directorial debut, Night Life, is a full-length call to action focusing on the ministry of The Rev. Kenneth McKoy, known in the StL as the Pastor of the Streets. The mission of McKoy’s NightLIFE ministry is to fight an epidemic of mental illness and drug addiction while actively interrupting the gun violence in our city, notorious as the murder capital of America. “He’s a roguish, but likable, character,” Ferranti says, with a smile. Many talk the talk, but Ken walks the walk. “His is a ministry of presence. He’s a ‘violence interrupter’ who steps in to solve problems.” And he goes where and when problems are most likely to escalate into violence—10 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. As an ex-con, Ferranti knows what it feels like to be marginalized, but he’s witnessed how much worse it is for a Black man. Over two years of filming, and more than 25 on-camera interviews, Ferranti did what he could to, in his words, “un-vilify” his subjects. And the social inequities infuriate him: “I find it ludicrous that an 11- or 12-year-old kid feels they need to have a gun to protect themselves.” But throughout the experience, at the end of the day Ferranti thought the people he portrays still felt like their glass was half-full. And McKoy has an awesome presence. “We were threatened, chastised, ridiculed, and looked down upon. But being with The Rev. Kenneth McKoy is like being with an angel,” notes Ferranti. “Yes, we filmed the poverty and homelessness, the drug addiction and drug dealers, the gang-bangers and prostitutes and the degradation of these communities.” He pauses for a moment, then adds: “But we also filmed the hope, love, consideration, caring and the lust for life and all things.” Information and tickets for the Showcase Premiere can be found at cinemastlouis.org/night-life. For more on Ferranti and his endeavors, visit gorillaconvict.com.
