Mayor Tishaura Jones wants red light cameras in St. Louis — but their fate at the Board of Aldermen seems inextricably linked to a bill meant to provide oversight of police surveillance. Aldermanic President Megan Green is adamant that it’s important not to implement an automated traffic enforcement system that would enable another vast network of cameras in the city, without first passing a bill that would allow for accountability and transparency for citizens’ civil rights. As a result, bills that may seem unrelated to one another have led to tensions between the former allies.
The Sydney Sweeney train keeps chugging along, as the physically blessed actress/influencer takes command of the box office one movie genre at a time. Anyone But You, the silly Much Ado About Nothing redo she did with that pretty boy from Top Gun: Maverick, shocked the hell out of everyone by making more than $200 million worldwide. What wasn’t shocking was how much Madame Web, the sisterly superhero movie she co-starred in with Dakota Johnson, was reviled by critics and audiences.
Looking for a mellow evening happy hour, perhaps something cannabis-related? (Yeah, us too.) Swing by Hello Juice & Smoothies(1000 South Newstead Avenue) this Thursday, March 21, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for their Chill Happy Hour.
The Beer: Sunny Cat
The Brewery: 2nd Shift 2nd Shift Brewing’s beloved New England-style IPA, Sunny Cat, owes its inspiration — and name — to the orange tabby immortalized on its label, Sunny. According to Libby Crider, co-owner of 2nd Shift Brewing, Sunny lived the first few years of his life as a barn cat before he decided to join the Crider family.
Spring is finally springing in the Gateway City, and with the temperate weather comes three new exhibitions at the Saint Louis Art Museum. The first of the three, Concealed Layers: Uncovering Expressionist Paintings, is currently on view in the Caro Nichols Holmes Gallery 214 and the Sherry and Gary Wolff Gallery 215, and will run through August 4. According to press materials, this exhibit "will take visitors behind the scenes and below the surface for an inside look at art from the museum’s permanent collection."
Brianna Coppage was fired after her employer found out about her OnlyFans gig. If that sounds similar to headlines that made news all across the country last September, that's because it is. Six months ago, Coppage was a high school English teacher in St. Clair, Missouri, when school administrators let her go after discovering she was moonlighting as an OnlyFans performer.
A woman was killed in a hit-and-run crash in the early hours of Sunday morning in Soulard, police say — but they have yet to identify the victim. A preliminary investigation by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police indicates that the unknown woman was in the eastbound lanes of Gravois Avenue at Russell Boulevard when she was struck by an unknown vehicle. "The driver of that vehicle continued eastbound on Gravois and left the scene," the police summary states.
The family of Justin Brooks — the 14-year-old who was stabbed to death last week just one block from Rose Mary Johnson Jennings Junior High School — is working to raise money for his funeral. Brooks was stabbed days after a viral video of a brutal fight near another north county school — Hazelwood East — drew outrage and sent shockwaves throughout the region. Police say Brooks was stabbed on Tuesday, March 12, at 3:05 p.m. on Hord Avenue, RFT previously reported.
A new eatery called Garden Variety Deli is on its way to Tower Grove South at 3131 Morgan Ford Road, in the former home of retail establishment Art of Aquaria. Travis Howard, who helped bring Retreat Gastropub, Yellowbelly and Lazy Tiger to life, along with former general manager of Retreat Gastropub Jack McGinn, are bringing the deli to the neighborhood. At first glance, the eatery’s moniker seems to be a bit tongue in cheek.
If you frequently traverse South Grand Boulevard in the area just south of Tower Grove Park, you’ve probably noticed the sleek looking hearse frequently parked out front of the Phillips 66 at Humphrey Street. Maybe you thought it was the mascot for the station, à la the old Sinclair dinosaur, or maybe you thought it was for sale. Maybe one day when you stopped for gas you asked Mark McDonald, the guy working the register, “Hey, what’s up with that hearse always parked out front?”
The entire police department responsible for the safety of two north county municipalities has resigned, according to a post made this afternoon by the Velda City Police Department. That police department only had three officers. But still.
Olivia Rodrigo’s team reportedly told abortion funds partnered with her GUTS tour that they can no longer distribute emergency contraception at her shows following backlash from conservatives. The decision follows a photo of emergency contraception and educational information handed out at her St. Louis concert that went viral and received national media coverage. In February with the launch of her world tour, Rodrigo promised to donate a percentage of her ticket sales to abortion funds across the country, calling the initiative “Fund 4 Good.” At her concert Tuesday night at Enterprise Center she partnered with the Missouri Abortion Fund and Right By You to pass out the morning-after pill to fans who wanted it.
A Missouri teacher won't do jail time after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual contact with a student — despite admitting to the statutory rape of a 16-year-old boy. Victoria Fowler, 30, had been a teacher in the Bakersfield School District in Bakersfield, Missouri, where she met the student. That's a small town between Rolla and Branson in south-central Missouri.
The nonprofit seeking to continue the People's Joy Parade on Cherokee Street has been slapped with a letter ordering it to cease and desist. The letter comes from People's Joy Parade LLC, an organization started by a trio of longtime parade organizers and registered with the state one year ago. Its lawyer says it owns the name "People's Joy Parade" — and will do what it takes to protect it, including blocking the Cherokee Street Foundation from continuing the event on its usual date (Cinco de Mayo) and location (Cherokee Street).
I don’t remember the first time I was almost run over in my neighborhood, but I do remember the last. This morning, as my five-month-old puppy and I crossed the street at Connecticut and Spring, some dude in a red sedan turned left without stopping and came inches from mowing us down. He was treated to a string of expletives and then I guess went back to his TV show or Candy Crush or other such nonsense.
After just a few months of operating in Hazelwood, CC's 2 Seriously Good at 211 Village Square has closed. The restaurant had previously been known as CC’s Vegan Spot and CC’s Vegan Spot SoulVeganlicious in other locations, including the Princeton Heights neighborhood of St. Louis and Alton, Illinois. The closure was announced on social media on Wednesday, March 13.
Milque Toast Bar has officially moved into a new spot just six blocks from its old location and is now operating at 2924 South Jefferson Avenue in the former home of California Do-Nut Co. It has also dropped the “Bar” in its name, now going simply by Milque Toast. Owner Colleen Clawson says they quickly outgrew their original location, which opened in 2015, and had long been eyeing the California Do-Nut Co. space, which had been a doughnut shop for more 50 years. “I always loved this building; the facade is really striking,” Clawson says.
Old Bakery Beer Co.'s ninth annual Buzz’d Beer Festival returns this month — and if you like beer, this one's for you. On Sunday, March 24 from 1 to 5 p.m, stop by Old Bakery Beer Co. (400 Landmarks Boulevard, Alton, Illinois) to enjoy an expansive lineup of more than 50 craft beers from renowned local breweries, including this year’s special cake-themed beer.
A St. Louis couple is suing a notorious local slumlord after the ceiling of the Dutchtown duplex they rented from him collapsed on them as they slept. According to Faustin Nshimiyimana and Grace Umutoni's lawsuit, they began renting the duplex at the intersection of Gustine Avenue and Alberta Street from Cuong Quang Tran in March 2023. Their daughter was born a few months later.
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