The Gateway

What has changed in the region politically five years after Ferguson? The past 12 months have showcased big policy gains in St. Louis County government, and some modest advances in Jefferson City.

Science Fiction writers have long warned us about the dangers of modifying organisms. But new technologies are becoming a reality and researchers are trying to figure out how to present gene-editing technology to a skeptical public.

The cannabis industry is predominantly white, and Missouri has said it won’t consider racial equity in its selection process for medical marijuana licenses. A St. Louis minority-owned business is focusing on community impact in its application. REAL Cannabis Co. wants to counteract the negative effects of marijuana in communities of color.

After homes in flood-prone areas have been bought through the FEMA buyout program, the federal agency allows local governments to use the land as long as they don’t build any developments on the properties. Some have been turned into parks and others have been leased very inexpensively to residents who have gardened or allowed people to use them for camping.

St. Louisan Alana Marie is exploring local history and her family’s roots in a film project about the city of Kinloch, where her father grew up. Missouri’s oldest incorporated African-American community now has fewer than 300 residents but was once a vibrant and flourishing place.

Doctors often don’t want to treat pregnant women with substance use disorder. Many times those women are left without access to medications to control their addictions. Washington University’s medical school has started a clinic for pregnant and postpartum women addicted to opioids.

As part of our Curious Louis series, we look into the hidden history of Castlewood State Park — including the clubs, dance halls, and speakeasies once tucked into its hills — and visit the ruins that remain.

After leaving Bosnia in the 90s, Nermana Huskic looked for a way to give back to St. Louis. She saw the growing need to care for the homeless population. Now she owns RukaNade, one of the largest Bosnian nonprofits in the city.

Every July and October, the Belleville nonprofit MindsEye sponsors unique baseball tournaments for St. Louis-area athletes who are legally blind. The games are played with beepballs that emit sounds and bases that buzz. Players with normal eyesight are welcome to play – blindfolded.

St. Louis artist and activist De Nichols will focus on the Griot Museum of Black History in her newly awarded Loeb Fellowship from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. Through the one-year program which begins this fall, Nichols will create a plan for the north St. Louis institution to deepen and sustain its impact as a space for black arts and history.

About 6,000 school nutrition professionals from across the country have spent part of this week in St. Louis sampling food, testing equipment, and sharing best practices for meeting federal nutrition requirements for school cafeteria lunch options.

Some north St. Louis County teenagers are learning the basics of ecology and wildlife conservation this summer and passing that knowledge to the next generation. Also, a local non-profit is turning some vacant St. Louis lots into community gardens.

New laws are allowing farmers to grow hemp for the first time in decades. Millions of dollars could be made, but there are significant challenges that hemp farmers will face for years to come including seed fraud, weather and a lack of machinery.

If you have more time to read this summer, consider picking up a book written by St. Louisans or set in Missouri. Left Bank Books' Shane Mullen shares some of this year's biggest local releases that might interest readers of all ages.

A 16-year-old chess Phenom from Webster Groves is competing in the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship that started this week at the St. Louis Chess Club.

A 16-year-old chess phenom from Webster Groves is competing in the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship at the St. Louis Chess Club. Thalia Cervantes started playing while her family was still living in Cuba. Her international success prompted her family to move to the U.S. five years ago.

Kim Massie never pursued her dream of becoming a professional singer until her 40s. She moved back to St. Louis and competed in karaoke contests. Massie had a weekly residency at the now-defunct Beale on Broadway for 15 years. She sings many styles, from the music of Aretha Franklin to tunes by Steely Dan.

Puerto Rican circus children visiting their counterparts in St. Louis are busy juggling, tumbling and catching up with old friends. They are working with Circus Harmony, a local organization that teaches acrobatics, juggling and life skills like perseverance and teamwork.

St. Louis native Merrique Jenson discusses her work nationally and in the Kansas City LGBTQ community, along with the start of her transition as a transgender woman.

When José moved his family to the U.S. from Mexico nearly two decades ago, he hoped to give his children a better life. Now, the Illinois resident worries about the future of his 21-year-old-son, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. José fears his son's mental illness could lead to deportation.