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:

Important reporting for @stlpublicradio.bsky.social from @brianmunoz.bsky.social, Chad Davis, and @kavahnmansouri.bsky.social:

Mornings have been BUSY lately, and I fell off my regular a.m. headline posts. May or may not pick those back up. Same with social media in general. The flowers in my neighborhood are blooming and the weather’s warming and there’s just so much world to get sucked into, my phone can’t really keep up.

Today’s Gateway: -Why/how MO Reps passed a nearly $2B supplemental budget -The latest on the future of an FDA facility in STL -Another lawsuit against the new STL Sheriff -A call for help from local refugee groups -A goodbye, for good reason, to a beloved Zoo resident Listen wherever you ‘podcast:

Today’s Gateway recaps the STL municipal primary, the latest in the saga involving City Personnel Director Jenkins-Gray, and looks at how MO TikTok creators are planning for an uncertain future:

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

What do looming federal job cuts mean for the St. Louis area’s economy? Some economists said it will have overall trickle-down effects, while others believe it wouldn’t have broader implications:

Tomorrow is the STL Municipal Primary, with the first round of voting for Mayor and Comptroller. Today’s podcast gives an overview, plus — -Bird flu found at the Zoo -Fed job cuts impact on economy -STL not currently considering cash reparations -Feb. restaurant openings/closures + More: listen!

A NPR interview last year with the filmmaker behind 'No Other Land' which just won an Oscar. www.npr.org/2024/11/21/n...

An employee at Gateway Arch National Park told St. Louis Public Radio that the Trump administration, with its ongoing workforce reduction measures, is “terrorizing” the park’s federal employees. via @abbyllorico.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/government-p...

I spoke with an NPS worker at the Arch, who described trauma & confusion amid ongoing cuts and changing directives. Separately, Ryan McClure of the Gateway Arch Park Foundation: “These are real people, they're not just lines on a balance sheet. And without them, we have a real problem.”

Best news of the year?

What’s in the news this a.m.? -STL authority approves redeveloper for Millennium Hotel site -MO lawmakers concerned about possible plans to cut federal healthcare funding -Thousands of kids lost healthcare coverage post-pandemic -Local Forest Service employees impacted by federal job cuts + more:

As Congress mulls its reconciliation package, one idea raising alarms in Missouri is starkly reducing the 90% federal match to Medicaid expansion states. Because MO Medicaid expansion is constitutionally protected, reducing the match to around 60% could blow a $750 million hole in the state budget:

A surprise gnome in the park.

This morning on STLPR: -Fired deputy sues STL Sheriff for defamation, in latest twist in the ongoing drama -SCOTUS declines to rule on abortion clinic “bubble zone” laws -SLPS BOE candidate wants out of the race -MO sports betting delayed for months 🎧 These + more stories on air and The Gateway:

Must see: @brianmunoz.bsky.social snapshots from the Soulard Mardi Gras Purina Pet Parade 📸 🐕🦜🐎 😍

Along with an insightful story on how STL is tackling the vacant property issue, today’s Gateway covers: -Details on city settlement with TN teen, in town for a volleyball tournament, who lost both legs after being hit by a STL driver -Mo House prioritizes “family issues”

So much news today: -Sheriff’s deputy says he was told to roll dice to keep his job -STL Co to resume control of formerly troubled animal shelter -Mo House OKs bills to give state control of STL police and ban DEI -SLPS gives interim superintendent the permanent job, w/o a formal search

“He breaks out a pair of golden dice. Two dice. They're gold. He says, ‘I'll tell you what Tony, if you could roll a seven, you can take your leave. If you don’t, you resign.’” www.stlmag.com/news/st-loui...

Ed Martin’s ascent to a high-profile D.C. gig is recalling his colorful tenure in MO politics. “It may be that the people of Washington, D.C., don't know who he is, have no idea about all of this…It’s on us from Missouri to bring these things to the surface.” @jasonrosenbaum.bsky.social reports:

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker proposed a $55.2 billion budget without new taxes, while later comparing President Trump’s legislative playbook to the Nazi movement.

News from STLPR: -More snow overnight! Powdery stuff, and additional flurries/snowfall shouldn’t accumulate much today. After dangerous cold in the coming days, it should warm up by the weekend.

Road conditions aren’t great this morning: I’ve been checking area maps/crash reports to find quite a few crashes, slide-offs, and spin-outs, and hearing from folks who navigated “worse than they look” local roads. This morning, my brakes were certainly tested! Please be safe and take it slow today.

This morning’s Gateway features the latest on the weather, a new grant program for local businesses, drama over who has authority at the city jail, how IL educators are preparing for possible $ cuts, and a story about a program that helps people get back on their feet after incarceration. Listen!

Refusing to look at the forecast for this week 🫣 Mentally still living in my photos from this past weekend on Miami’s warm and sunny South Beach 🤩

Back at it this morning at STLPR, where headlines include: -Abortions could resume in MO this week following judge’s additional ruling -Ameren’s plans to build up production capacity spark questions on transparency -Madigan’s IL pension paused -Life sciences company relocates to STL

A few members of the @stlpublicradio.bsky.social and @npr.org morning team: Yours truly, @steveinskeep.bsky.social and @abbyllorico.bsky.social having a nice #STL morning.

This morning from STLPR: -STL Board discusses how federal funding freeze could impact the city -Bakery with ties to controversy cleared to open in N. STL -Tech jobs rebound in the region -Former IL House speaker found guilty on several federal charges These and more on today’s Gateway podcast:

This morning’s Gateway catches you up on lots of local news: -MO AG sues Starbucks for its hiring practices -Closing words at fiery STL civil service commission hearing -STL Co Council will bring forth ballot question that Co Exec calls a “power grab” -Renovations at major STL arts venues

Missouri universities and research organizations will need to cut about $100 million from administrative costs for research funded last year by the National Institutes of Health if President Donald Trump’s attempt to reduce indirect costs is successful. #moleg #mogov

Why did the BOA punt on a plan for the Rams $? What do affair allegations against her husband have to do with whether the city personnel director should keep her job? Is STL going to handle this winter wx event differently? And how might MO gun laws get even looser? These answers + more on the pod:

This AM from STLPR: -Local groups launch hotline for immigration enforcement confirmation, legal resources -IL officials agree on $10M settlement with Sonya Massey’s family -Local students showcase charter schools to MO lawmakers -WashU students develop tech for people with disabilities + More:

Can we at least agree that we’re all rooting against this new Fox graphics package? #SuperBowlLIX

A proper obit for one of the finest journalists to ever work for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. We will miss you Bobby. www.stltoday.com/news/local/m...

I’ve been back in STL for months…. Tonight I’m emceeing a trivia night in a parish gym…so I guess you could say, I’m BACK. 🤌🏽

About 30 Hispanic-owned businesses in St. Louis will temporarily close next week. It's part of a coordinated effort to highlight the contributions of immigrants to the region's economy and culture in the wake of Trump’s mass deportation plans.

New, by @ryankrull.bsky.social at @stlmag.bsky.social: The St. Louis firefighter who pled guilty to stealing from a crash victim has been rehired by the city-- this time, by its troubled Building Division www.stlmag.com/news/st-loui...

AP’s last correspondent in St. Louis takes buyout, ending wire service’s continuous presence since before Civil War. One AP photographer and a regional environmental reporter remain. gatewayjr.org/aps-last-cor...

Booking an STL staycation for myself + my bestie this spring: Where should we stay for a night?

Listen to STLPR today for: -MO lawmakers’ attempts to restrict new minimum wage expansions and cell phone use in schools -Why Shaq was in the MO Statehouse -How a beloved Metro East theater found a new home -A football star’s journey into the global spotlight, and a rock star’s music in a new light:

Keep it cozy

Eric Schmidt’s unsettling thoughts about AI, politics, and the future of democracy: www.npr.org/2025/02/05/n...

This morning’s Gateway title crams a lot in—luckily, the actual podcast does that, too, making sense of… -New attempts to add abortion restrictions in MO -Why the BOA punted on Rams $ bills -Who/what can be discussed at the city’s Personnel Director hearing -How refugee orgs are pivoting And more:

Tuesday morning news from STLPR: -MO lawmakers consider making permanent some bans impacting certain transgender youth -Mo bipartisan group aims to keep lawmakers from changing constitutional amendment process -Ritenour SD left with the bill for electric buses after the halt of a promised EPA grant

Bobby Carter was part of a major shift for NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concerts. The St. Louis native (and Riverview Gardens High School alum) emphasized diversity in music genre and representation of race and gender for the viral video series:

So much news to catch up on this morning: -Local ICE action + community response -Drama over discourse + accusations of inebriation at STL BOA -KDHX fires DJs+volunteers, ends live broadcasts -Festival of Nations on hold, International Institute furloughs staff For the latest on these + more news:

Trump’s FCC chief investigates NPR, PBS My conversation with Mary Louise Kelly (and my earlier story 👇🏼 www.npr.org/2025/01/30/n...

Fully loaded newscasts and pod this morning: -MO House leader says there’s no appetite in his chamber for bill putting bounties on people without legal status -Advocates + those impacted by enhanced immigration enforcement gather, share stories in Woodson Terrace -Mo State Univ. ends DEI programs

Essential listening this morning on the Gateway, taking you inside: -A law office helping local families prepare for enhanced immigration enforcement -Increasingly contentious hearings around the STL personnel director -State nonprofits and local groups worried about future funding freezes