From Left to Right: Metro’s Interim Director of Security and Fare Enforcement Jason Davis, St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Christopher Davis, MetroLink Transit Service Manager Amos Armour, St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department Commander Dominic Lauko, and St. Louis County Police MetroLink Unit Commander Captain Guy Means

One morning in January, Armour and another co-worker were helping passengers at the Emerson Park MetroLink Station. The pair then boarded the next eastbound train.  While waiting for it to depart, they heard a commotion in the aisle.

As passengers stepped aside, Armour saw a man trying to get away from the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department deputy who was assigned to the train. The passenger did not have a valid ticket, and pushed the law officer out of the way and headed toward the door. Deputy Christopher Davis grabbed his arm and upper body, to bring him to the floor.  But the man was determined to get away, so he grabbed on to one of the hand rails, and tried to position his foot outside the train door to escape.

Seeing that the fare evader was trying to get away, Armour jumped into action, and grabbed the man and held him down until Davis could get handcuffs on him.  The fare evader was immediately taken off the train and into custody at the Emerson Park Police Sub-Station.  He was later taken to the St. Clair County Jail where he faced a several violations.

On February 1, Armour was presented with a special certificate for his efforts. Armour said, “Looking back in hind sight, I am just glad there were no injuries and that everyone was okay!”  He smiled and went on to say, “I am not the hero because the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department is great. Whenever we call them, they’re right there, ready to assist.”

St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department Commander Dominic Lauko, Metro’s Interim Director of Security and Fare Enforcement Jason Davis, MetroLink Operations staff members, Deputy Christopher Davis and other police officers from St. Clair County and St. Louis County assigned to MetroLink attended the special ceremony which was held at the Illinois MetroLink facility in East St. Louis.

Armour enjoys being a MetroLink Transit Service Manager.  For the last six years, he has worked as a TSM for Metro in Missouri and Illinois. He is just one of the many Metro employees who continues to go above and beyond the call of duty whenever needed because they care about the Agency and its transit system.

Red Line customers may experience 5-minute delays. Blue Line service will not be affected by the work.

That’s why individuals, families, schools, community organizations, governments and public agencies like Metro are joining organizations in nine Midwestern states, including Missouri and Illinois, in the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut tomorrow, February 7, 2012.

Tomorrow at 10:15 a.m., we are each being encouraged to take part in the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” earthquake drill.  You are reminded to think about what you would you do in case of an earthquake. Planning can help minimize injuries, and help the community recover more quickly.

Go to www.ShakeOut.org/centralus to learn more about things you and your family should consider before an earthquake hits. And tomorrow, if you can, “Drop, Cover and Hold On.”

Yawn took a picture of the injured owl, a Great Horned Owl, before rescue.

A couple of weeks ago, Yawn was leaving the Belleville MetroLink Station near the end of his run, when he spotted something from the train cab that looked like an owl, motionless on the ground between the two tracks. He felt sorry for the bird, but assuming it had died, he continued on his route. He was traveling again past the station the next day when he noticed the owl turning its head, looking around. It was alive!

He called into MetroLink Dispatch, asked to permission to get out of the cab. Craig Blase in Dispatch gave permission, and using gloves and his coat, carefully carried the owl, which appeared to have a badly injured wing, over to a nearby fence away from the tracks, and continued his shift. After he finished up at 11:15 a.m., he contacted a woman named Sandie, a local wildlife rehabilitator in the O’Fallon, IL area to see if there was anything she could do for the injured owl.

Yawn had met Sandie several years ago when he struck a Barred Owl while driving a MetroLink train. He had sought help for the bird, and thanks to Sandie, the owl survived. Now, another owl needed help. Sandie agreed to meet Yawn, and with her husband, went out to rescue the fallen owl. The bird, a Great Horned Owl about two feet tall, had a broken wing and suffered from head trauma. Sandie and her husband transported this bird to the Treehouse Wildlife Center in Dow, Illinois.

The rescued owl, immobilized but now safe from harm.

Owls and other birds of prey are federally protected, supported for their contribution to the ecosystem and treasured by local conservationists. Sandie is a home animal rehabilitator, working with Treehouse to provide additional support for injured or orphaned wildlife. Treehouse Wildlife Center has been rescuing animals for more than 33 years, funded by grassroots support and serving seven counties in Illinois. The majority of the staff of animal rehabilitators are volunteers.

“We don’t take every animal, but a good portion of them,” said Treehouse founder Adele Moore. The Center’s mission is two-fold: rehabilitate orphaned and injured wildlife, and provide environmental education through the Center and outreach to schools and community groups. Many of their patients are birds of prey: owls, eagles, and hawks.  “It’s wonderful anytime we can partner with the community to rescue injured wildlife. Many people don’t realize there is help for these animals. We know the general public wants them cared for, as they’ve kept us going for over 33 years.”

Yawn's compassion comes from love of animals. "I just didn't want him to die on his own."

Yawn has been working at Metro for 20 years this year, and driving MetroLink trains since 2000. He also trains new train operators. Yawn and his wife of 29 years, Trish, are big animal lovers, with four pugs at home with their two daughters Brianna, 18, Emily, 11, and adult son Bobby, Jr., 28. During his interview, Yawn showed off many pictures of his pets on his phone. “I just hate to see animals suffer,” said Yawn. “I figured even if we couldn’t nurse this owl back to health, at least he wouldn’t die in the cold or be attacked by other animals.”

Now, thanks to the efforts of Yawn and Blase, Metro will partner with Treehouse Wildlife Center and Sandie to provide 24-hour help for injured animals found near MetroLink tracks, or reported by MetroBus drivers in Illinois. If Metro operators spot an injured animal, they can report it to Dispatch, who will then contact Sandie or Treehouse. Not all animals can be rescued or rehabilitated, but many animals may have a better chance now thanks to the care of Yawn, Sandie, Treehouse and other concerned members of Metro and the community.

Unfortunately, the owl did not survive but lived its last week and a half of life, supported with food, warmth and personal care. Its legacy, however, will be a partnership that hopefully saves many more animals.

For more information on Treehouse Wildlife Center, or to schedule a field trip or educational outreach opportunity, visit the website or call (618) 466-2990. In addition, the bi-state Wildlife Hotline can help with referrals and information, available 24/7 for Missouri and Southern Illinois.  They answer general questions about wildlife as well as help people find animal rehabilitationists or animal control specialists when appropriate: 636-492-1610 or 800-482-7950.

Monday, January 30 – Thursday, February 2
The inspection of overhead MetroLink wires continues this week in Illinois between the Fairview Heights and Memorial Hospital stations starting at 9:30 p.m. from tonight, January 30 through Thursday, February 2. To accommodate these late night inspections, MetroLink will operate trains on a single track at the Memorial Hospital MetroLink Station until the end of service each night.

Red Line passengers may encounter 5-minute delays. Blue Line service will not be delayed by the inspections.

Friday, February 3
On Friday, February 3, MetroLink crews will replace the overhead wires near Union Station. In order to give the workers access to the wires, MetroLink will operate on a single track at Union Station and Civic Center Station starting at 8 p.m. until the end of service Friday night.

Blue Line trains will only operate from the Forest Park MetroLink Station to the Shrewsbury MetroLink Station.

Westbound Blue Line passengers traveling between the Fairview Heights MetroLink Station and the Central West End MetroLink Station, should board a Red Line train to the Forest Park MetroLink Station to catch a Blue Line train.

Eastbound Blue Line passengers traveling between the Central West End MetroLink Station and the Fairview Heights MetroLink Station, should board a Red Line train at the Forest Park station to continue eastbound.

Blue Line passengers should allow an extra 10 to 15 minutes for their commutes.

Welcome Home Our Heroes Parade –
Saturday, January 28, 2012, Noon – Kiener Plaza

MetroLink
Access the parade via the Civic Center, Union Station or 8th & Pine MetroLink Stations. MetroLink will run on a regular weekend service Saturday and Sunday.

MetroBus
Access the parade through MetroBus routes heading into the Civic Center Transit Center at 14th and Spruce Streets.
To accommodate the parade, several MetroBus routes will be rerouted:
#41 Lee, #70 Grand, #74 Florissant, #94 Page, #97 Delmar, #99 Downtown Trolley
#4 Natural Bridge, #10 Gravois, #11 Chippewa, #30 Soulard, #40 Broadway
The bus routes will still provide access to the parade for passengers; use the Rider Alert page to follow directions.

World Wide Entertainment Wrestling Royal Rumble
Sunday, January 29, 2012 6:45 p.m. Scottrade Center

MetroLink
Access the event via Civic Center MetroLink Station. MetroLink will run on a regular weekend service on Sunday.

MetroBus
Access the event through MetroBus routes heading into the Civic Center Transit Center at 14th and Spruce.
Reroutes for all Scottrade Events (to work with traffic) include: #4 Natural Bridge, #10 Gravois Lindell, #30 Soulard, #32 M.L. King Chouteau, #41 Lee, #74 Florissant, #94 Page, and #97 Delmar.
The bus routes will still provide access to the parade for passengers; use the Rider Alert page to follow directions.

Diane Earhart

Written by Special Contributor Diane Earhart; Administrative Assistant at St. Louis Downtown Airport in Cahokia, Illinois

As World War II loomed in 1939, Congress passed the Civilian Pilot Training Act, designating several colleges to provide pilot training to 20,000 students a year.  One of those colleges was Parks College (now part of St. Louis University) which is now named St. Louis Downtown Airport in Cahokia, Illinois.  Another was the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.

Over the weekend, millions of movie goers saw the story of The Red Tails, P-51 Mustang pursuit airplanes and the men who flew them.  These pilots would be known as the Tuskegee Airmen.

Like many young men in 1941, Ernest Henderson wanted to join the U.S. Military to defend his country against the intensifying war in Europe.  Already a proficient pilot and flight instructor, he dreamed of making a difference by flying bombers and fighters.  But Henderson could not fly those airplanes because he was an African American man.

Ernest Henderson. Courtesy: South Carolina Aviation Association

At a 2004 air show in his hometown of Columbia, South Carolina, Henderson told a reporter, “As a black soldier as I went into the service, we went in with the feeling that we were facing two opponents, facing two different battles.  First, we were facing the battle of segregation and the federal government for not letting us join because of our color and the second battle of the Germans against whom we had to fight.”

Black soldiers in WWII were trained to fly the P-51 Mustang.  The “P” designated it as a “pursuit” airplane, fast and maneuverable.  The P-51s flown by the 99th Pursuit Squadron were distinctive for their red-painted tails.  This squadron, commonly known as The Tuskegee Airmen, was tasked with escorting bombers over Germany, engaging the German fighters and allowing the   American bombers to continue safely to their target.  No bomber escorted by a Red Tail was ever lost in battle.

Henderson trained an average of 20 cadets a year in the Tuskegee program.

“Even though I was hit with great segregation here, I really felt that I could not let that segregation deter me from joining the Army Air Corps and work to keep democracy safe.”

Courtesy: 1973-74 school year Golden Tiger yearbook for Fairwold Middle School, Columbia, South Carolina

After the war ended, Henderson returned to his beloved home state of South Carolina.  It was at Fairwold Middle School, then-student Gary Streeter remembers Henderson as an Assistant Principal.  “He knew all the students and would greet them in the hall, very cordial.  He’d say, ‘Mr. Streeter, how are you today?  Hope your day is well.’  He was very polite, always respectful to all the students.  But don’t get out of line!  I never had a problem, but some students would get in trouble, and they’d get quite a talking to in Mr. Henderson’s office and often met with the “Board of Education” paddle that he kept in his office.”

Seventeen years later, Gary Streeter became a flight instructor at Columbia Downtown Airport.  One afternoon, a man poked his head in Streeter’s office and said, “I need a flight instructor.  Know where I can find one?”  It was Streeter’s former assistant principal, Ernest Henderson.

“Mr. Henderson came in my office; we chatted about school, and he told me about being a Tuskegee Airman.  He had never mentioned it before, but he told me many stories.  He needed to fly a short checkride to satisfy the requirements of the company for him to become a renter of our airplanes.  So, we flew in a Cessna 172 four-passenger airplane, and after the flight I completed the necessary paperwork.  He produced his logbook, and I realized it was a WWII service logbook!  All his flights over Germany were logged in it!”

Gary Streeter

You will find Streeter’s signature in Henderson’s logbook which has been  displayed at the State Museum in South Carolina in an exhibit honoring its favorite aviator, Ernest Henderson.

Today Streeter lives in the St. Louis area and you will find him at St. Louis Downtown Airport where he is a flight instructor for St. Louis Flight Training.  If you’d like to see Streeter’s signature in your own logbook documenting a flight lesson, call St. Louis Flight Training at 618-670-5782 or contact Streeter at GaryPilot@aol.com or 618-641-1822.

The Henderson quotes featured in this blog are from video interviews about Tuskegee Airmen courtesy of South Carolina ETV. 

 The very first trip of the day from Macklind & Arsenal to the Central West End will be starting SIX minutes earlier. That means the bus will leave at 4:24 a.m. now instead of 4:30 a.m. This change will allow the #80 passengers to catch the 4:48 a.m. westbound Blue Line train. This will result in a better MetroLink connection for those first customers of the day on the #80 so they can now connect to the first trips of the day on the #58, #158 and #258 at Clayton and Brentwood I-64 stations.

 Signs have been posted at MetroBus stops from Macklind & Arsenal to the Central West End to let customers know the new schedule goes into effect tomorrow morning.

As a result, Red Line customers may experience 5-minute delays while Blue Line service will not be affected by the inspections.

MetroLink will operate on a single track Friday evening in preparation of the weekend construction.  Regular MetroLink service will resume at the start of service on Monday, January 23.

Starting at 11:30 p.m. on Friday, January 20, MetroLink will run trains only on one track at the Wellston, Rock Road, UMSL South, UMSL North, and North Hanley stations through the end of service Friday night. Red Line customers may encounter 10 minute delays. Blue Line service will not be impacted.

Beginning at start of service Saturday, January 21 through end of service Sunday, January 22, eastbound passengers at the North Hanley MetroLink Station will need to board shuttle buses which will transport them to the UMSL North, UMSL South, Rock Road and Wellston stations. When passengers arrive at the Wellston station, they can board the train and continue their eastbound trips.

Westbound passengers at the Wellston MetroLink Station should board the shuttle buses to take them to the Rock Road, UMSL South, UMSL North, and North Hanley stations. When passengers arrive at North Hanley, they can resume their westbound trips on the train.

Red Line MetroLink customers should allow for delays of 20 to 25 minutes.  Blue Line service will not be affected.  Updates on MetroLink operations can be found at www.metrostlouis.org in the Rider Alert section.

To accommodate Blues fans taking MetroLink to the game Saturday night, extra buses will be added to the shuttle starting at 5:30 p.m. Saturday night (Jan. 21). The bus shuttles will transport fans and MetroLink passengers from the North Hanley station to the Wellston station. After the Blues game, Metro will provide extra buses to transport fans from the Wellston MetroLink Station to the North Hanley.