Daily Brief: Thursday, July 2, 2026

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

Planned Parenthood expands mifepristone access to Kansas City suburbs

The Planned Parenthood clinic in Gladstone began offering medication abortion on Wednesday, becoming the fourth location in Missouri to open appointments following a court ruling that expanded access… — Missouri Independent

📼 From the PubDef archive: “Assassination Plot Foiled?” (Oct 2008)

Missouri education department’s A-F school grading plan comes with warnings

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education sent its plan Tuesday for grading public schools on an “A” through “F” scale to Gov. Mike Kehoe, fulfilling a directive from his January… — Missouri Independent

Missouri tax incentive program aims to turn empty offices into housing

Across Kansas City, it’s easy to find vacant office buildings and empty cubicles collecting dust. The companies once housed there saw employees switch to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic and… — Missouri Independent

This Week’s Photos: July 2nd, 2026

This week’s photo gallery celebrates the energy and spirit of summer across St. Louis. Community takes center stage at the Black Wall Street 314 Festival, where the Wellston Loop comes alive with… — St. Louis American

📼 From the PubDef archive: “Irene, Maida and Mike — a Tale of Delusion, Promise and Possibility” (Nov 2008)

Gallery: Pridefest 2026

PrideFest 2026 filled downtown St. Louis with color, celebration and community as thousands gathered for one of the region’s largest LGBTQ+ events. This photo gallery captures the energy throughout… — St. Louis American

📼 From the PubDef archive: “Thousands in St. Louis protest California’s gay marriage ban” (Nov 2008)

A community searches for answers

A week after 7-month-old Kiyomi Parker was fatally shot inside a North St. Louis home, her mother isn’t asking people to choose sides. She’s asking them to pray. “I want others to pray for my… — St. Louis American

Big ups to Black Wall Street 314

Big ups to Black Wall Street 314. I love her, but Mother Nature really be hating, don’t she? I was over the moon for my boy Farrakhan Shegog when I saw how he had the Wellston Loop looking all lively… — St. Louis American

📼 From the PubDef archive: “Irene, Maida and Mike — a Tale of Delusion, Promise and Possibility” (Nov 2008)

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