Good morning, St. Louis. Over 3,000 Boeing defense workers are on strike after rejecting a contract offer. Catch up on how this action could impact local jobs and defense manufacturing in our coverage below.

MAIN STORY

Boeing Defense Workers Strike

More than 3,000 Boeing defense workers in the St. Louis area began striking Monday after rejecting the company’s latest contract offer. The strikers assemble and maintain F-15 fighter jets and missile systems.

Boeing’s defense division accounted for 30% of its $42 billion revenue in the first half of the year. The rejected offer reportedly included a 20% wage increase, a $5,000 ratification bonus, and improved retirement benefits. Boeing said it has contingency plans in place and does not expect the strike to cause major disruptions. Union leaders from District 837 said the offer improved pay for top-tier workers, but members still voted it down.

The strike follows last year’s larger walkout, when more than 32,000 unionized Boeing machinists halted work after contract talks failed. Talks between the St. Louis-area workers and Boeing may resume as the strike continues. Read more from local coverage here.

AROUND TOWN

The City of St. Louis paused its program supporting women and minority-owned business contractors, citing federal funding risks. Mayor Cara Spencer announced on Friday that the city would halt M/WBE (Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise) certification activities amid concerns over potential funding losses under Trump administration DEI policies, potentially impacting FEMA relief for tornado victims. St. Louis County officials, including Executive Sam Page, are similarly reviewing their programs. Local contractors expressed disappointment at the decision. Read the mayor’s letter and more here.

St. Louis businesses hit by the May 16 tornado can now apply for zero-interest recovery loans of up to $5,000. The St. Louis Local Development Company, in partnership with the St. Louis Development Corporation and STL Partnership, will manage about $2 million in aid for for-profit organizations whose buildings or operations suffered storm damage. Officials say businesses in the tornado’s path will be prioritized, with applications due by Aug. 29. See program details here.

Mark McCloskey received his AR-15 back from St. Louis police after his gubernatorial pardon. The rifle was confiscated in 2020 after McCloskey pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault for pointing the weapon at protesters outside his home during racial justice demonstrations. Following former Governor Mike Parson’s pardon in 2021, McCloskey petitioned for the return of his rifle, which police returned to him on Friday. The incident remains a touchstone in ongoing debates about gun rights and protester safety. Read more about the development.

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Artists Find Homes

Two St. Louis artists have purchased affordable homes in Gravois Park through the St. Louis Art Place Initiative, a nonprofit aiming for 20 artist-owned homes. Six more homes are set for completion by the end of 2024.

Art Place, created in 2019, responds to the Gravois-Jefferson Historic Neighborhoods Plan by combining affordable housing, public art, and community engagement. Funded in part by the city’s Community Development Administration, the group helps with down payments while artists cover mortgages and taxes. Read more about artist Stan Chisholm’s experience.

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Coffee Cart’s ‘Latte Buckets’ Go Big

Chris and Brittany Stier, owners of Noctua Coffee in Imperial, launched 34-ounce “latte buckets” about a month ago, grabbing national media attention for their mobile coffee cart.

The new menu item has more than double the size of a typical 16-ounce latte and includes four espresso shots, reaching about 240 mg of caffeine. Noctua Coffee serves the latte buckets at the De Soto Farmers Market on Saturdays and Crystal City Farmers Market on Sundays. For more details, visit the Noctua Coffee feature.

QUICK HITS

The Muny will hold a lottery for 1,500 free tickets to the Aug. 28 season-ending concert featuring Diana Ross and Jon Batiste, with online entries open and winners announced Aug. 15.

East St. Louis offensive lineman Mytrell Tillman ranks No. 24 on the Post-Dispatch Super 30 countdown, highlighting his emergence as a leader among the area’s top senior college football prospects.

City of St. Louis unveiled "Archie," a $150,400 compact street sweeper designed to clean bike lanes, with Mayor Cara Spencer taking the first drive Monday to highlight ongoing safety and infrastructure improvements.

Normandy Schools Collaborative teachers and staff conducted a neighborhood canvassing effort near Washington Elementary to boost enrollment and attendance before the Aug. 18 start of school, aiming to regain full district accreditation.

Return to the Land has drawn condemnation from Missouri lawmakers and civil rights groups after confirming it is considering the Springfield area for its whites-only, "Christian nationalist" community, prompting an investigation by state Attorney General Andrew Bailey.