Daily Brief: Friday, July 24, 2026

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

Missouri maternal deaths remain mostly preventable, sixth state report finds

From 2019 to 2023, 340 Missourians died while pregnant or within a year after pregnancy. Of those, 108 deaths were classified as pregnancy-related — meaning caused or aggravated by the pregnancy… — Missouri Independent

MATI 2026

Another memorable MATI. I knew when Jon Batiste and his megawatt smile hit that second line Thursday night that the 6th Annual Music at the Intersection was going to be something spectacular. Y’all… — St. Louis American

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

From zoo visitor to zookeeper

Jackson Tucker, who works in the inaugural class of zookeepers at the St. Louis Zoo’s new WildCare Park in North County, has been connected to this zoo for almost all of his 24 years on Earth. His… — St. Louis American

Hidden heart condition 

Chris Hill remembers his 14-year-old son, Colin, as a boy who loved to run. “I look back at him as a kid, he always loved running,” Hill recalled. “He always loved being fast. That was kind of his… — St. Louis American

📼 From the PubDef archive: “POLL: Should the Gov’t rescue the auto industry?” (Nov 2008)

Wiley Price, Bernie Hayes among Living Legends honorees 

The Be The Change Foundation will celebrate its eighth Living Legends Awards Ceremony at 5 p.m. Saturday, July 25, 2026, at the Missouri History Museum. The annual event honors individuals whose… — St. Louis American

📼 From the PubDef archive: “Obama Touring Battleground States, Including MO” (Aug 2008)

It was an exciting season of high school sports in the St. Louis metro area. 

A couple of weeks ago, we began our annual Prep Year in Review series by looking at the great teams in the area. This week, we conclude our high school coverage by looking at the great athletes by… — St. Louis American

‘Fierce champion of St. Louis Public Schools,’ dies at 73

Mary J. Armstrong, an educator and longtime president of the American Federation of Teachers St. Louis, Local 420, has died after struggling with a chronic illness for several years, family members… — St. Louis American

📼 From the PubDef archive: “Man-Made Missouri Flood Fight” (Mar 2008)

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