Three people were trapped inside Centennial Christian Church in Fountain Park on May 16 after a tornado swept through St. Louis. But calls for help to 911 went unanswered — and one of them did not make it out alive.

Tornadoes don't select the communities they hit. But, the aftermath can expose racial disparities in disaster recovery. A new journal article notes that tornado damage in Black communities can significantly increase poverty levels, vacancies and displaced families:

An absolute must read story by @stlpublicradio.bsky.social's @marissanne2011.bsky.social:

Black St. Louis tornado victims likely to face disproportionate mental health impacts. www.stlpr.org/health-scien...

Students at a Catholic school in south St. Louis are doing their part to get drivers to slow down on area roads. They collected nearly 1,300 signatures from drivers making a pledge to slow down and stop at all stop signs.

A new lawsuit says extreme heat in the summer at the minimum-security Algoa Correctional Center in Jefferson City violates the constitutional rights of inmates.

NEW: A St. Louis man who died while in custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement never received a mental health evaluation, ICE said. Previous reporting by St. Louis Public Radio uncovered that Brayan Garzón-Rayo died by suicide:

The new play, “Alberta Hunter: Jazz, Sass, and Spice Live at the Cookery,” runs Saturday and Sunday at the National Blues Museum. It follows the life and career of the Blues trailblazer known for her wit on stage and penning the notable hit: Down Hearted Blues.

President Trump fired Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, via email late Thursday night, the latest in a string of actions the president has taken to shape American cultural institutions.

Linda Lockhart, a longtime St. Louis journalist, leader in the local Black press corps and mentor to many, died Sunday. She was 72. Tune in at noon during "St. Louis on the Air" as we remember Lockhart and her community-centered legacy:

Love this story from our afternoon newscaster and reporter extraordinaire, @marissanne2011.bsky.social. Well worth four minutes of your time to listen: www.stlpr.org/economy-busi...

A really interesting story from @marissanne2011.bsky.social about two thorny issues the local flower industry is facing: tariffs AND a lack of federal funding, with great photos as usual from @brianmunoz.bsky.social:

While many people across the St. Louis region have called the recent street collapses “sinkholes,” they are technically “cave-ins.” Here's why:

Two years after arriving in the country, a St. Louis mother is left grieving after her son died while in ICE custody. Now she is demanding answers about what happened — and why his last days were marked by apparent illness, self-harm and despair:

A new program at St. Louis County Public Libraries is helping parents and caregivers teach their kids how to read through research-based methods.

Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis has resigned her position as director of the St. Louis Department of Health. She will continue at the health department while the city finds a replacement, she said. “This moment is about claiming my agency, my rest and doing what is best for me and my family."

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Protesters gathered yesterday to rally behind the Collinsville Kahoks, Mascoutah Indians and Granite City Warriors, which all could be required to change by a bill working its way through the Illinois legislature. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social #twill www.stlpr.org/government-p...

On April 8, Ballwin voters elected the city's first Black alderwoman, Tequila Gray. Her overall goal is to improve neighborhood walkability and help the city’s Board of Aldermen gain a better reputation with the community:

The Trump administration is walking back its decision to revoke the visas of hundreds of international students across the country for unexplained reasons, including dozens in the St. Louis region.

People are flocking to backyard chickens this year, in part due to the sky-high cost of eggs at the grocery store. Some are even renting the chickens themselves:

St. Louis University has settled a class-action lawsuit over a data breach that exposed patients’ data.

A bill passed by the Missouri House today would make it legal to bring guns on public transportation and lower the minimum age for a concealed carry permit. It now goes to the Senate:

St. Louis will have its third new mayor in 12 years. Cara Spencer wins St. Louis mayor race, ousting Tishaura Jones in bitter rematch:

The National Park Service has restored the changes to its website about the Underground Railroad following public outcry www.nps.gov/subjects/und...

A new art exhibit featuring the work of South Asian artists who emigrated to the U.S. is putting a spotlight on the challenges immigrants face. Here's how local artist Mee Jey's new identity in the U.S. shaped her art:

RIP Murphy the bald eagle. He may not have been the biological father of those two orphaned eaglets, or to the rock he incubated like an egg. But he was their daddy.

A new University of Missouri study found that first-time mothers living in rural Missouri are more likely to stop breastfeeding earlier than urban and suburban moms.

Southwest Airlines to end free checked bags policy for first time in its 54-year history

Judge temporarily blocks effort to deport Palestinian activist who helped lead Columbia student protests

A doctor has been serving one of Baltimore’s poorest neighborhoods for decades — and if his patients can’t pay, that’s OK with him. So when he was diagnosed with cancer, his community rallied to raise $100,000 for his treatments.

SCOOP: St. Louis will see school closures beginning with charter school Aspire Academy next school year — then public schools in 2026.

George Lowe, the voice actor best known for Space Ghost Coast to Coast, has died at 67

NEW: Tammy Ross, the deputy commissioner of the St. Louis City Justice Center, is suing Sheriff Alfred Montgomery alleging false imprisonment, battery and civil rights violations.

Black pediatric patients believed to have neurological conditions are falling through the cracks. A new study finds that just half of Black patients completed the necessary genetic tests for diagnosis and treatment:

The 2025 race for St. Louis mayor is officially a rematch. Incumbent Tishaura Jones and 8th Ward Alderwoman Cara Spencer were the top two vote-getters in Tuesday’s mayoral primary:

Harrison, whose plasma contained a rare antibody, rolled up his sleeve 1,173 times from 1954 to 2018. The Australian is credited with helping 2.4 million babies and advancing scientific research.

The St. Louis Reparations Commission ended its 18-month study on the city's history of racism last October. Mayor Tishaura Jones doesn’t yet have a plan for reparations but says cash payments would be unconstitutional:

The St. Louis match will also be a homecoming for former U.S. captain Becky Sauerbrunn.

Paul Tazewell is the first Black man to win Best Costume Design at the #Oscars  See the full winners list: bit.ly/OscarWins25

Angie Stone, singer and member of the iconic hip hop trio The Sequence, has died at 63

Hadley Township, a former neighborhood in Richmond Heights, is one of the last Black communities in the St. Louis region destroyed by urban renewal efforts. Resident Margie Hollins recently debuted her documentary that captured its demolition in 2014:

Skype is shutting down after two decades

NEW YORK (AP) — Roberta Flack, Grammy-winning singer known for 'Killing Me Softly With His Song' and other intimate hits, dies at 88.

NEW: Abortions to resume in Missouri after judge halts licensing requirements.

Ameren Missouri wants to upgrade its power grid to meet what they anticipate will be a growing demand from new companies moving into the state.

Firaol Ahmed founded Moii Coffee from his dorm room to help fix a broken coffee supply chain and amplify the voices of Ethiopian coffee farmers.

KCUR leaders are pleased to announce that the University of Missouri-Kansas City plans to transition ownership of KCUR and Classical KC to a community-led nonprofit organization. Read more:

The University of Missouri-St. Louis announced plans to transfer the governance of St. Louis Public Radio. In a transition that may take up to three years, STLPR’s radio licenses and governance will transfer to Friends of KWMU. For more information visit stlpr.org/friends

WASHINGTON (AP) — The US government is suing Southwest Airlines over delayed flights.