Daily Brief: Thursday, October 29, 2026

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

DHS targeting naturalized Americans in voter investigations, civil rights groups say

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is unlawfully scrutinizing naturalized U.S. citizens and placing them at risk of disenfranchisement, civil rights groups alleged in a lawsuit Wednesday, less… — Missouri Independent

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

Missouri passed a law to compensate the wrongfully convicted. Now it doesn’t want to pay.

After Missouri lawmakers expanded eligibility for wrongfully convicted people to receive compensation last year, Dale Helmig thought he could get nearly $1 million for the more than 14 years he spent… — Missouri Independent

Commentary: Why Missouri’s doctors and lawyers hide burnout until it breaks

Burnout among Missouri’s doctors, lawyers and executives rarely announces itself. It shows up as a surgeon in Kansas City who stops sleeping through the night, a litigator in Clayton who adds a… — Missouri Independent

📼 From the PubDef archive: “FLASHBACK: Ed Martin: “No Bailout!”” (Oct 2008)

Courts to decide fate of Trump’s latest push to control voting as Election Day nears

Less than a week before Election Day, President Donald Trump’s unprecedented drive for power over elections has set the stage for a series of courtroom fights that could quickly lead to a high-stakes… — Missouri Independent

📼 From the PubDef archive: “Red Light Money Grab Postponed” (Oct 2008)

Missouri pastors take opposing sides in fight over abortion amendment

The Rev. Alex Bryant set a goal for 2026: Talk to 200 Missouri pastors about abortion.  Bryant, an Assemblies of God pastor in Springfield, began traveling across Missouri to sit across from his… — Missouri Independent

This Week’s Photos: October 29th, 2026

This week’s photo gallery highlights care, civic engagement and St. Louis nightlife. Meet Angela Talton of MEDA Spa in Florissant, where primary care, aesthetic treatments and a membership for… — St. Louis American

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

Coleman making early impression at Illinois

Former Principia basketball star Quentin Coleman is already turning some heads with his play during preseason games with the University of Illinois. The 6-foot-4 Coleman had 14 points, seven rebounds… — St. Louis American

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

The Daily Brief runs every morning. Headlines and excerpts belong to the linked outlets — click through and support them. Missouri Independent stories are republishable under Creative Commons.