Daily Brief: Friday, June 12, 2026

St. Louis news worth your time today — summarized by PubDef, with receipts from the archive. Click through for the full stories.

Juan Cox takes helm of St. Louis County police

Cox was named the department’s permanent chief Tuesday after serving as acting chief since Kenneth Gregory’s retirement in April. — St. Louis American

📼 From the PubDef archive: the last time we watched a new chief take over — “Police Board Hires Isom as New Chief” (Oct 2008)

States step into the voting rights void

As the U.S. Supreme Court pulls back from the federal Voting Rights Act, a growing number of states are passing their own laws to prohibit discrimination in state and local elections. — Missouri Independent

📼 From the PubDef archive: “How to disenfranchise (um, disenchant) a voter in 59 easy steps” (Nov 2008) — plus ça change.

Missouri vape recall exposes fight over cannabis testing rules

After regulators recalled hundreds of marijuana vape pens last month, the Kansas City manufacturer and the state are pointing fingers over “evolving” testing requirements. — Missouri Independent

(No archive twin for this one — in the PubDef era, this beat did not exist yet.)

ARCHS expands network for victims of violence

The violence-intervention network is growing, with the Urban League’s James Clark crediting faith leaders who “meet people where they are.” — St. Louis American

📼 From the PubDef archive: “Stop the Violence” (Aug 2008) — same fight, eighteen years on.

New intergenerational community center planned for the Ville

Northside Youth and Senior Service Center unveiled plans for a new Intergenerational Community Center in the Ville neighborhood. — St. Louis American

📼 From the PubDef archive: “Clay: Northside Neglect is Real, Team 4 is Real” (Mar 2008)

The Daily Brief runs every morning. Summaries are ours; the reporting belongs to the linked outlets — support them. Missouri Independent stories are republishable under Creative Commons.