Beacon update: Frankie Freeman, civil rights pioneer, called back into action

Frankie Freeman said she was ready to wind down, but it hasn't quite worked out that way. The veteran civil rights lawyer has been called back into action with the special advisory committee on the St. Louis Public Schools. Oh, and she's become a Missouri Squire as well. Get to know this remarkable woman profiled earlier this year, as the Beacon updates some of its most popular stories.

Beacon update: Town and Country's 'deerly departed'

Town and Country's pre-Christmas effort to reduce the number of deer was "extremely successfully completed," with 112 deer killed by sharpshooters and 100 more sterilized, Alderman Fred Meyland-Smith said. But with only $10,000 budgeted for next year for deer control, compared with $150,000 this year, he's not certain how well the program will be able to continue.

Beacon update: Sylvester Brown is moving forward, working with Tavis Smiley

When columnist Sylvester Brown and the Post-Dispatch parted company in April, the two questions that immediately came to mind were: What will you do next? And do you plan to sue?  To take the second one first, Brown says that after conferring with attorneys, he decided not to take his departure to court.

Beacon update: There's fresh paint, but the rules still apply at Hence Forland's home for veterans

Hence Forland's house on Windsor Place is freshly painted and tastefully furnished now, but the rules for the homeless veterans who live here haven't changed since last summer's highly publicized cable TV makeover. Several hundred volunteers, including local trade unions, stepped forward and local companies donated materials, boosting the remodel value to about $250,000.

Beacon update: Citygarden quickly captured St. Louis' heart

Citygarden, the new sculpture park on the Mall downtown, opened with huge splashes in July. No fewer than 250,000 visitors have visited the park, its sculptures, its plantings, its jumbo video screen and its snazzy restaurant, the Terrace View, since its opening in July. It is open all day, every day, all year long

Beacon update: Grace Bumbry receives Kennedy Center Honor

Grace Bumbry will be lauded in a two-hour special on CBS Dec. 29 that highlights her accomplishments as well as those of Bruce Springsteen, Mel Brooks, Robert De Niro and Dave Brubeck . Earlier this year Patricia Rice interviewed Miss Bumbry about her long, stellar career and how it began in St. Louis. 

Beacon update: St. Louis non-profit up and running after salmonella scare but facing challenges

Over the past two years, Meds and Foods for Kids has treated 2,400 children for malnutrition at two public hospitals and three rural clinics in Haiti. They've trained medical professionals and estimate that 75 percent of the children treated have recovered. But the future funding of the program is uncertain. 

Beacon update: Wild Ones tame south side 'wilderness' 

The neighbors who weren't all that wild about Rick Allard's wild-looking yard in south St. Louis have a new vista outside their window. Earlier this year, Allard worried that the city might cut down the vegetation. So with the help of volunteers from a group known as Wild Ones, the property on Juniata was transformed -- not into a typical south side lawn, but into a fledgling woodland look that is far more manageable.

Beacon update: Regional Business Council's mentoring program gives students a competitive edge

The Regional Business Council mentoring program is designed to give students behind-the-scenes insight into how companies work as well as a valuable contact they can use to help further their careers. Based on the reaction of three students who have been in the program this past semester, the program is working just as intended.

Beacon update: Things getting worse for domestic violence victims and groups that serve them

Usually, things get a little better around the holidays for victims of domestic violence. People try and keep it together, says one local expert in domestic violence. Not this year. In May, the Beacon reported a rise in domestic violence, thought to be caused, in part, by the economy. We contacted some of the same sources from that story, and all report a continued rise. 

Beacon update: Missouri's caveman -- and son -- rock on in Festus cave home

When William Curtis Sleeper listed his Festus cave home on eBay last winter -- asking price $300,000 -- he was hoping for a little attention to his quest for refinancing. What he got was an internet-driven frenzy that caught the fancy of people around the world. 

Beacon update: ArchCity Defenders get ready to make their case

When 2010 begins, the holistic legal advocacy group ArchCity Defenders will move into a downtown office and begin taking cases on a limited basis. None of the three lawyers will be paid. The firm will focus primarily on low-income clients facing state prosecution on criminal charges and those who can't afford legal representation.