GRIFFIN September 2026

September 2026 • CWEA GRIFFIN • 17 Former 17th Ward Alderwoman Tina “Sweet T” Pihl is keeping her community activism alive. Pihl, who lost to 9th Ward Alderman Mi- chael Browning in 2023, has formed a watchdog group called Voices4All that “works to make city govern- ment run more efficiently,” accord- ing to their website. Their current fight is the Armory Data Center. In late July, the city Board of Ad- justment upheld a permit for the $3 billion, 120-megawatt data center with a number of requirements. The historic Armory building is locat- ed near the CWE at Market Street and Vandeventer Avenue. But Pihl claims it’s “not a done deal” and is filing suit to stop the project and trying to enlist nearby residents. For more information, email info. Voices4All@gmail.com. As reported in the last Griffin , the bust of Kate Chopin was success- Tina Pihl Samson et Dalila finished Union Avenue Opera’s 2026 season. fully returned to its rightful corner —Writer’s Corner — at Euclid and McPherson avenues. A dedication ceremony was held May 31. The bust had been stolen in February, The Kate Chopin bust has returned to Writer’s Corner. of 2026. Beginning Sept. 1, the gal- lery will present The Wearer Worn , a solo exhibition by Sydney-based cast glass artist NC Qin, running through October. Then, its Win- dows Off Delmar will transform into a glowing showcase of St. Louis for the holidays, featuring glass creations from a year of Third Fri- day demonstrations and additional pieces made by its local artists. Visit thirddegreeglassfactory.com The Union Avenue Opera wrapped up its successful 2026 sea- son with the French opera, Samson Et Dalila on Aug. 22. The season follows last year’s, which was nearly derailed by the May 2025 tornado, when the church suffered signif- icant damage, including to many windows. You can support the Opera, which performs at Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 N. Union Blvd., at The Overture Party: A Gala on Thursday, Oct. 22. It will take place at the historic Mahler Ballroom in the CWE. Enjoy cocktails, a gourmet dinner and a musical performance by Brooklyn Snow and Matthew Greenblatt. Visit unionavenue.org . and a scrap metal dealer snatched it from the person who had stolen it on Valentine’s Day. The bust was re- installed with extra safety features. Neighborhood leader Jim Dwyer told us that the other three busts — T. S. Eliot, William Burroughs and Tennessee Williams — were also reinforced to help thwart any other potential thefts. Sure, they play a lot of chess at the St. Louis Chess Club , but the companion World Chess Hall of Fame & Galleries at 4652 Mary- land Ave. also hosts concerts. At 7 p.m. Sept. 24, they will feature a program called Passion and Poet- ry with classical music and poetry from Robert Schumann and César Franck, 19th century composers in the romantic tradition. Among the performers will be Hannah Ji, the assistant concertmaster for the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra. For more info, visit: worldchesshof. org/exhibits-programs/wchof-mu- sic-series. Third Degree Glass is pleased to announce its final two exhibitions Griffin News & Notes dents,” said 9th Ward Alderman Michael Browning. “We congratu- late Independence Center and all of the partners who made this possible and look forward to seeing these new homes help change lives.” Founded in 1980, Independence Center has a long history of sup- porting individuals with mental illnesses through various housing projects, including Newstead Place, Jane Howell Stupp Apartments, Lohmeyer Apartments, and the Laclede and Sarah Apartments. These facilities offer a range of supportive services, from 24-hour oversight to independent living options. This supports the organi- zation’s mission to provide com- munity-based rehabilitation for adults with severe and persistent mental illness, organizers said, helping them manage symptoms, find belonging and purpose, and achieve independence. Independence From Page 14