Lyda Krewson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lyda Krewson
46th Mayor of St. Louis
In office April 18, 2017 – April 20, 2021
Preceded by	Francis Slay
Succeeded by	Tishaura Jones
Member of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen for Ward 28
In office 1997–2017
Succeeded by	Heather Navarro
Personal details
Born	(1953-11-14) November 14, 1953 (age 71) 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)
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Lyda Krewson was born on November 14, 1953. She is an American politician who is now retired. She served as the 46th Mayor of St. Louis, Missouri. Krewson is a member of the Democratic Party. She was the first female mayor of St. Louis, serving from 2017 to 2021. On November 18, 2020, Krewson announced that she would not run for mayor again.

Before becoming mayor, Krewson was an alderman for St. Louis's 28th ward. She held this position from 1997 to 2017.

Early Life and Education

Lyda Krewson was born near Davenport, Iowa, on November 14, 1953. Her family moved several times when she was young. They lived in St. Joseph, Missouri, and Fairfield, Illinois. Finally, they settled in Moberly, Missouri, where she finished high school.

In 1974, Krewson earned a degree in psychology. She also studied special education at Northeast Missouri State University. After that, she moved to St. Louis. There, she earned an accounting degree from the University of Missouri, St. Louis.

Lyda Krewson is a Certified Public Accountant. She worked for a company called Deloitte for seven years. Later, she became the chief financial officer for PGAV. This is a company that focuses on design and planning around the world.

Political Career

While serving as an alderman for St. Louis's 28th ward, Lyda Krewson worked on several important issues. In 2011, she helped the city successfully pass a law that banned smoking in many public places. She also led the Board of Aldermen's Transportation & Commerce Committee. Before that, she chaired committees for Ways & Means, Convention & Tourism, and Parks & Environment.

Results of the mayoral election by ward

In 2017, the mayor at the time, Francis Slay, decided to retire. Lyda Krewson then decided to run for mayor. She was one of seven candidates in the Democratic primary election. St. Louis is a city where the Democratic Party is very strong. The city had not elected a Republican mayor since 1949.

Krewson won the primary election on March 7, 2017. She received 32% of the votes. This was just 879 votes more than Tishaura Jones, who came in second. In the main election on April 4, she ran against Republican candidate Andrew Jones. Krewson won with 67% of the votes. This made her the first female chief executive in the history of St. Louis. She officially became mayor on April 18, 2017.

Helping People in Need

Mayor Krewson worked on programs to help people experiencing homelessness. She introduced the REAL Change Program. This program encouraged social services to help people in need. It aimed to connect people with resources rather than just giving money.

During her time as mayor, a homeless shelter called New Life Evangelistic Center closed. This shelter had provided temporary housing for many people. The city then expanded another shelter, the Biddle House, to offer more beds.

Working to Reduce Crime

In August 2019, Mayor Krewson supported a one-year contract with an organization called Cure Violence. This was in response to community concerns about crime rates in St. Louis. Cure Violence trains people in the community to help prevent conflicts. They focus on solving problems at a local level. This approach is different from just increasing police presence.

In April 2020, city officials discussed the local medium-security prison, often called the St. Louis Workhouse. There were calls to close it from advocates and activists. They said conditions there were not good. The city had installed temporary air conditioning units in 2017 after people inside needed help during a heat wave.

Public Communication Incident

On June 26, 2020, Mayor Krewson held a public briefing online. During this live broadcast, she shared some information about people who had signed a petition. The petition was about changing how money was spent on the police department. She later apologized for sharing this information and removed the video. The American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri said her actions were concerning.

After this incident, many people protested. They marched to Krewson's home to ask her to resign. They also called for the closure of the St. Louis Workhouse. Protesters also wanted changes to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.