Lyda Krewson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lyda Krewson
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| 46th Mayor of St. Louis | |
| In office April 18, 2017 – April 20, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Francis Slay |
| Succeeded by | Tishaura Jones |
| Member of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen for Ward 28 |
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| In office 1997–2017 |
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| Succeeded by | Heather Navarro |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 14, 1953 Davenport, Iowa, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
Jeff Krewson
(m. 1988; died 1995)Mike Owens
(m. 1998) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Truman State University (BA) University of Missouri, St. Louis (BS) |
| Signature |  |
Lyda Krewson (born November 14, 1953) is an American politician who used to be the mayor of St. Louis, Missouri. She was the 46th person to hold this job. Lyda Krewson is a member of the Democratic Party. She made history by becoming St. Louis's first female mayor. She served from 2017 to 2021. In late 2020, Krewson decided not to run for a second term.
Before becoming mayor, she served as an alderman for St. Louis's 28th ward. She held this position for 20 years, from 1997 to 2017.
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Early Life and Education
Lyda Krewson was born on November 14, 1953, near Davenport, Iowa. Her family moved several times when she was young. They lived in St. Joseph, Missouri, then Fairfield, Illinois, before settling in Moberly, Missouri. She finished high school in Moberly.
In 1974, she earned a degree in psychology from Northeast Missouri State University. She also studied special education. After that, Krewson moved to St. Louis. There, she earned a degree in accounting from the University of Missouri–St. Louis.
Lyda Krewson is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). This means she is a professional who helps people and businesses with their money and taxes. She worked for a company called Deloitte for seven years. Later, she became the chief financial officer (CFO) of PGAV, a company that designs and plans projects around the world.
In 1988, she married Jeff Krewson, who was an architect. Sadly, he passed away in 1995. Lyda and their two young children were with him at the time. In 1998, Krewson married Mike Owens, who was a local news anchor.
Political Career
Lyda Krewson had a long career in public service. She started as an alderman for St. Louis's 28th ward. An alderman is like a city council member. They help make decisions for their local area.
While an alderman, Krewson worked on important issues. In 2011, she helped the city pass a law that banned smoking in many public places. She also led several important committees on the Board of Aldermen. These committees focused on things like transportation, tourism, and parks.
Becoming Mayor of St. Louis
In 2017, the mayor of St. Louis, Francis Slay, decided to retire. This opened up the chance for a new mayor. Lyda Krewson decided to run for the job. Many people ran in the Democratic primary election that year. St. Louis usually elects Democratic mayors.
Krewson won the primary election on March 7, 2017. She won by a small number of votes. In the main election on April 4, she ran against a Republican candidate. Krewson won with 67% of the votes. This made her the first woman to become mayor of St. Louis. She officially started her term on April 18, 2017.
Helping People in Need
As mayor, Lyda Krewson worked on programs to help people experiencing homelessness. She introduced the REAL Change Program. This program aimed to connect people in need with social services. It also tried to reduce aggressive panhandling in certain areas.
Another important event during her time as mayor involved a homeless shelter. A legal case that started before she became mayor ended in April 2017. This allowed the city to close a large shelter. To help, the city expanded another shelter, the Biddle House, to offer more beds for people.
Public Communication Incident
On June 26, 2020, Mayor Krewson held a public meeting online. During this meeting, which was broadcast live on Facebook, she read out the names and addresses of some people. These people had signed a petition asking for changes to how the police department's money was used.
Later that day, she apologized for reading the information. She also removed the video. Some people were upset by this and protested outside her home. The American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri said her actions seemed meant to scare people.
After this incident, a local activist started a petition asking for Krewson to resign. Many people signed it. Protesters also marched to her home. On their way, they went through a private neighborhood. There was a confrontation between the protesters and some residents of a house nearby.
Images for kids
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Lyda Krewson's signature
