FESTUS FOR THE REST OF US: CRG eyes Festus for new data center projects, claims $30-40 million economic impact. “It's unlike anything that any of these, certainly the city, or any of those institutions, those organizations, have ever seen before." www.stlpr.org/government-p...

"Some files mother..."

I know the city is slow walking my records requests. I just can’t prove it

When St. Charles sold Mueller Park for $3 million without a public vote, some residents decided they’d had enough. Now, they’re pushing to change the city charter and give voters a say before any city-owned park can be sold.

Remember how The Last Hotel abruptly closed and we learned it was b/c the owners hated each other? Yeah, still closed. But the owner offered to house tornado victims for just $700,000... www.stltoday.com/news/local/g...

I could not be more proud to be a part of my team. Read this one, out today, from @meredithnewman.bsky.social

As residents in St. Charles push for more say in public park sales, advocates and officials in St. Louis say the city is skirting the rules put in place by the STL city charter.

Scoop from me: Peabody Energy is leaving downtown St. Louis after 70 years. Co. had sought to leave several years ago when gunfire busted several of its windows. But now it's a done deal www.stltoday.com/news/local/m...

VENICE, Ill. — A food desert eliminating grocery store planned to open in the small Metro East town next summer will soon start construction. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/economy-busi...

Long live the jury trial in America.

“It’s been a year and a half since we passed the impacted tenants’ funds; it's been six months since the tornado." www.stlpr.org/government-p...

After a monthslong standoff, China has agreed to buy 12 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans this year — less than half of what the country has historically purchased. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/economy-busi...

A blighting determination on the Cortex district will continue after all, extending the nearly 20-year determination on the district in the Central West End.

The board took this bill back up and approved the blighting for another five years.

Board of Aldermen President Megan Green said the city legislature will fast-track the legislation, suspending board rules on Friday to introduce the bills. The bills will be heard in committees next week and then voted on again next Friday. www.stlpr.org/government-p...

"Every minute the city delays is another minute a family continues to suffer without the support that they desperately need," said a Ward 10 resident. Angry residents at the meeting called for the city to allocate the full $280 million of Rams settlement funding. www.stlpr.org/government-p...

The funds come from the city’s economic development sales tax, which dedicates 10% of sales tax revenue to neighborhood plan implementation awards. www.stlpr.org/government-p...

Me when I post economic development stories on Bluesky: "I know it's a banger."

As officials in Missouri try to attract data center proposals from companies, pushback grows in communities where the projects are planned. One expert says the economic benefit isn't clear — especially if they get tax breaks. (@stlpublicradio.bsky.social)

“For years we've been approving the security measures... whether it's a guard at the site, or this DAWG system … and it can't last. It can't go on forever. “ www.stlpr.org/government-p...

“It's incumbent on us at the local level to be strategic in terms of how we can deploy our limited resources to help fill some of those gaps in order to protect our residents and ensure that basic needs are met." www.stlpr.org/government-p...

YOU'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY!

The board may reconsider the extension in coming weeks, but it will need a two thirds majority for it to pass. www.stlpr.org/economy-busi...

Gotta remember this when I'm talking about golf carts in St. Louis.

New data obtained by @stltoday.com indicates hundreds of the buildings mangled by the May 16 tornado in St. Louis were likely vacant before the storm even hit. That could hobble the city's efforts to rebuild the neighborhoods hit hardest by the storm. www.stltoday.com/news/local/g...

One of the leaders of Green Street Real Estate Ventures has agreed to pay a disgruntled investor more than $3M to settle claims the troubled development firm did not pay out returns. The investor could get another windfall, court records show www.stltoday.com/news/local/b...

A scoop and a great explainer from my colleague and data center reporting partner @kgrumke.bsky.social. Must read! www.stlpr.org/health-scien...

Background on the perpetual blight in the #Cortex353 redevelopment area from @kavahnmansouri.bsky.social Final vote on BB 68 expected on Oct. 28 Related: #CortexTIF plays a silent role in #BOAbb83, which channels $1M in sales tax revenue to Corporate Interiors Inc. bsky.app/profile/kava...

Mood.

With the news coming out of SLPS, I've been BUMPED! Tune in to get the scoop from Hiba Ahmed on the firing of SLPS's superintendent Monday!

BREAKING

Of note from Sen. Josh Hawley today. Hawley sent a letter to Ameren this week demanding justification for recent rate hikes and disconnections.

STL officials and development heads touted the project as a big win for the city that would produce more than 150 jobs but critics called the battery plant a "compounding" of environmental racism. www.stlpr.org/economy-busi...

I've been sick as a dog this week, but next week I'm back in action! I'll join @kgrumke.bsky.social (who's hosting by the way) Monday at noon for St. Louis on the Air to talk more about data centers. Tune in!

Nice scoop here from Samir. www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news...

A deep dive from me dissecting how data centers might actually impact St. Louis and its tax base.

Of note, Dvorak hosted the first Armory town hall last night. A city resident asked why she didn't say who she was at the commission meeting. She said she regretted it and didn't know how to identify herself at the meeting due to her part in the Armory project.

My latest on the data center proposal at the Armory. Some new details from consultants for the project, but many questions went unanswered.

NEW from me: Months after turmoil engulfed the city’s minority program, the feds are upending DOT’s own diversity program. Thousands of local businesses are impacted www.stltoday.com/news/local/b...

Ms. Dvorak is in fact hosting the developer's Zoom round table starting right now. www.ksdk.com/article/news...

Blight — the most ambiguous word used in municipal government. From @kavahnmansouri.bsky.social: www.stlpr.org/economy-busi...

Art and objective local news are essential to the health of #STL. Our Arts & Culture Senior Reporter Jeremy D. Goodwin gets to champion both, and he's pretty thrilled about the sweet gig. Defend the arts and free expression ❤️ at stlpr.org/give. #STLPR #stlouis #stlart #stlartscene

The Board of Aldermen will vote to approve five more years of a blighting determination at a later date. The extension allows the Cortex West Development Corp. to use eminent domain when needed.

Thanks Kavahn! We look forward to introducing the legislation soon to update the Prop NS program and our rehab developer community. And I’ve sent a memo to the Office of Recovery specifically about the tornado damage to Prop NS participants, they are ineligible for insurance, FEMA aid, etc.

“The harsh reality is that redlining still exists, and a lot of those financial institutions are not making loans on the north side of the city or in the neighborhoods where we're doing stabilization work." www.stlpr.org/economy-busi...

Never.

I'd just note this was during public comment on the new rules put forth to add restrictions on data centers in St. Louis. For context.

A speaker at the STL Public Infrastructure and Utilities meeting tonight says she's a former city resident who works with a company in the city. She gave a very pro data center perspective. Google reveals she's an employee of Steadfast City, a consultant working on the Armory data center proposal.

2-0 Saka. And breathe.....