Daily Brief: Wednesday, August 19, 2026

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

Missouri education board wary of $300 million school funding increase

Missouri education officials are preparing to ask lawmakers for roughly $300 million more for public schools next year, setting up a potentially difficult budget fight as the state faces a projected… — Missouri Independent

If we care about students, we must broaden Missouri’s teacher pipeline

Genis Tobias smiles as she kneels next to a young learner and watches him sign his message to a classmate. Just months ago, this learner relied almost entirely on repeating words and phrases he heard… — Missouri Independent

Judge promises fast ruling on ballot status of Missouri amendment to protect initiatives

A Cole County judge will decide Wednesday on whether a proposed constitutional amendment goes too far or if state law directs him to allow it to go to a November vote. At the end of an hour of… — Missouri Independent

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

SLAM keeps Gallery Laughs going with Dulcé Sloan on Friday

The Saint Louis Art Museum will keep the laughs going this weekend as Gallery Laughs continues its second season this weekend. The one-of-a-kind, four-part stand-up series — produced by Chris Denman… — St. Louis American

📼 From the PubDef archive: “Democrat Nadal supports Republican Gibbons for A.G., slams Chris Koster” (Nov 2008)

Homes are where her heart is

Right before Kayla Johnson turned 23, she faced a choice. She’d spent several years in retail services, where e-commerce shaped the pace and promise of the industry. Her supervisors encouraged her to… — St. Louis American

📼 From the PubDef archive: “Project: Safe Halloween brings trick-or-treating fun to northside kids” (Oct 2008)

Boil order lifted citywide after Chain of Rocks Water Treatment Plant power outage

The precautionary boil order that covered dozens of St. Louis neighborhoods was lifted Tuesday morning after storm-related power outages were resolved at the Chain of Rocks Water Treatment Plant. The… — St. Louis American

📼 From the PubDef archive: “Koster Lands Another Big Union ” (Jan 2008)

Focus St. Louis has named attorney Norma Jackson, Thompson Coburn, to its board of directors.

Jackson serves as Thompson Coburn’s chief opportunity & attorney development officer, leading the firm’s strategy for inclusion, attorney development, and professional growth. She is a 2011… — St. Louis American

📼 From the PubDef archive: “60,000 pages, but no smoking gun — yet” (Nov 2008)

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