Community Calendar

Join author Troy Taylor for a chilling look at the true stories behind some of the scariest and most unsettling films about ghosts, murder, mayhem, and the supernatural that have ever been shown on the silver screen. You can't watch any of these horror films and dismiss them as a work of fiction -- because each one is "Based on a True Story!" Hold your breath as Troy presents the real stories that inspired these films, which you'll soon find are much stranger than anything a movie studio can create!

From THE EXORCIST to POLTERGEIST, THE CHANGELING, TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE, THE CONJURING and many others, you'll be entertained -- and possibly a little frightened -- by this interactive night!

Spectrum is the region’s premier conference for nonprofit marketing communications professionals. The day-long conference, brought to you by Nonprofit Marketers Network–STL, brings together a diverse group of professionals representing 90+ nonprofit organizations, marketing experts, and industry leaders. You’ll learn from some of the leading minds and voices in the nonprofit marketing sector as you gain valuable insights and practical strategies to succeed in today’s evolving nonprofit landscape.

Spectrum 2025: Business NOT as Usual will focus on the many innovative ways that nonprofit marketing professionals think and work differently to accomplish their goals and move missions forward. Join us to hear from local subject-matter experts, connect with peers, and take away ideas that you can implement in your own role.

The Civil Society Initiative at Washington University in St. Louis is pleased to present a public talk by Alex Guerrero, Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers University and author of Lottocracy: Democracy without Elections. Professor Guerrero is a leader scholar of "lottocracy" (also known as "sortition"), whereby public officials or political representatives are selected at random.

All are welcome; RSVP if you plan to attend.

Abstract: Democracy is in trouble. What is going wrong? What should we do? In this talk, I will suggest that perhaps surprisingly, the problem is with the heart of modern democracy: the election. Elections are failing as accountability mechanisms. Elections provide powerful short-term incentives, leading elected politicians to downplay long-term catastrophic concerns. Elections create division where none need exist. The most powerful among us take advantage of this to control who is elected, what policies are enacted, and which problems are ignored. Policy complexity, citizen ignorance, elite capture and manipulation, algorithmically reinforced echo chambers, intensifying partisan division and distrust, and the dissolution of political community combine to render modern electoral democracies incapable of helping us solve the urgent problems we face. Although electoral democracy may have been better than all systems that have been tried, the basic mechanism at its core-the election-is broken, and unworkable under modern political conditions. We should move past the Churchillian shrug ("the worst system, except for all the others") and consider a new form of democracy: lottocracy. Lottocratic systems include many new elements, but the most striking is the shift from using elected representatives to using representatives selected through lottery. The second half of the talk introduces and discusses lottocratic systems, their potential advantages, and potential concerns.

This event is sponsored by the Frick Initiative and the Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government, and Public Policy.

After the successful completion of Mental Health 2024, We cordially invite you all to attend the “5th International Conference on Psychology and Mental Health” on November 05-06, 2025 at Dubai, UAE. This worldwide conference encompasses a diverse range of sessions addressing both the scientific and academic aspects of Psychology and Mental Health.

World War I Veterans of St. Louis and Bellefontaine Cemetery
St. Louisans and their role in “The War to end all Wars” was significant. Participation in battles such as Chateau Thierry, Soissons, and the Argonne Forest would see loss of life of native sons while making America a World Power for the first time. The Marines at Belleau Woods will earn a reputation still known throughout the world today-but at what cost? Even some of our local businesses and institutions played important roles in the War effort. Learn some of their stories all connected with St. Louis and Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum.

1904 World’s Fair and Bellefontaine Cemetery
Over 120 years ago, St. Louis welcomed 20 million visitors to the Grandest of World’s Fairs from April 30 through December 1, 1904. David R. Francis, President of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, was vital in securing this event for the City of St. Louis. All eyes turned to St. Louis as the new century was on display in the fair’s larger-than-life palaces, and new technology was front and center throughout the Fair Grounds. In our presentation, we will identify and explain some of the key figures in the creation and execution of the 1904 World’s Fair. Those who are featured in these presentations are forever at rest at Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum.

Make it a date night, a family night, or enjoy the presentation by yourself. Reservations are required, so please sign up today!