Daily Brief: Monday, June 22, 2026

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

Childbirth left a Missouri mother paralyzed. Childcare access helped her heal

The birth of Danielle Stewart’s daughter thrust her into advocacy. She tells the story often. “Imagine walking into a hospital to have your first child,” Stewart said. “And leaving on a stretcher… — Missouri Independent

📼 From the PubDef archive: “McMillan Hands Out $600K in Grants” (Dec 2006)

Mildly blue or a blue tsunami? 9 states will decide if Dems flip control of U.S. Senate

Democrats are growing hopeful they can recapture the U.S. Senate in this fall’s midterm elections amid President Donald Trump’s plummeting approval ratings.  But they still need nearly everything to… — Missouri Independent

📼 From the PubDef archive: “His Name is John Wayne… John Wayne Tucker” (Apr 2008)

SLSO and IN UNISON honor the soul of a people

When LaKisha Jones sang “I’m Here,” the signature song from the Tony Award-winning musical The Color Purple, she made two pronoun changes that captured the intention behind the St. Louis Symphony… — St. Louis American

Bailey Hensgens wins gold medal at USATF U20 Championships

Incarnate Word Academy girls track and field star Bailey Hensgens continued her magnificent season by winning another championship. Hensgens won the gold medal in the high jump at the USATF U20… — St. Louis American

📼 From the PubDef archive: “Protester strips downtown to bring attention to animal mistreatment” (Nov 2005)

A presidential prince and the paupers

America once worried about an imperial presidency. Now we have an imperial presidency merged with a family business. And somehow, too many Americans are shrugging. Perhaps that shrug is less… — St. Louis American

Keke Palmer gets candid about growing up in fame

Keke Palmer opened up about how early fame affected her and her family during a conversation with Whoopi Goldberg at the Tribeca Festival. Palmer said that while she was becoming a star in projects… — St. Louis American

SERA Rodeo brings Black cowboy culture to Chaifetz Arena

The SERA Rodeo returned to Chaifetz Arena on Saturday afternoon, drawing a crowd ready for an afternoon of competition, culture and community. Riders from across the country arrived with the horses… — St. Louis American

📼 From the PubDef archive: “O'Brien Asks State to Step In” (Nov 2006)

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