Today: Gov. Kehoe confirms Lance Shockley’s execution, Missouri’s new school vouchers primarily fund religious schools, and a historic Black teacher disparity persists. Plus, Boeing strike delays fighter jets, Ferguson Brewing Company to close, and a St. Louis Symphony premiere marks Powell Hall’s reopening. More top headlines below.

MAIN STORY

Kehoe Confirms Execution

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe said Monday that the execution of Lance Shockley will proceed as planned at 6 p.m. Tuesday, despite calls for clemency from death penalty opponents. This will be Kehoe’s first execution since taking office.

Shockley was convicted of killing Missouri Highway Patrol trooper Carl DeWayne Graham Jr. in Carter County in 2005. While the jury deadlocked on sentencing in 2009, Missouri law allowed the judge to impose the death penalty. Critics, including Mary Fox from the Death Penalty Abolition Program, argue that this law gives judges too much discretion when juries cannot agree.

Advocates recently delivered a petition with 31,000 signatures to the governor’s office, urging a review based on claims of innocence and untested DNA evidence. For further discussion, listen to the whole conversation on St. Louis on the Air.

AROUND TOWN

Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach confirmed that Boeing’s ongoing strike is delaying deliveries of the F-15EX fighter jet. Six of 12 planned Lot 2 F-15EX aircraft for the Air Force remain undelivered, impacting the initial 2023 delivery schedule, according to Wilsbach’s testimony before his Oct. 9 confirmation hearing as Air Force chief of staff. Boeing St. Louis, which has completed over 53 test flights since the strike began Aug. 4, plans to train permanent replacements for striking union manufacturing workers.

Ferguson Brewing Co. will close on Dec. 20 after 15 years, with Good News Brewing set to take over the space. Good News Brewing Company Ferguson, led by Rodney and Julie Fickas, plans to reopen at 418 South Florissant Road in early 2026, introducing craft beers, wood-fired pizzas, and an expanded menu. The franchise operates six area locations and aims to maintain a community focus, hosting neighborhood events and daily lunch and dinner service. Read more details about the transition.

Leonard Slatkin marked his return to a renovated Powell Hall by conducting his own “Schubertiade: An Orchestral Fantasy.” The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra delivered the imaginative U.S. premiere to a large audience Saturday, June 15, blending Schubert’s works with influences from Glass and Reich. Guest soloist Emanuel Ax performed Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25, followed by an intense rendition of Elgar’s Symphony No. 1. Read more about Slatkin’s return to Powell Hall.

ALSO READ

Missouri’s Ongoing Black Teacher Disparity

A new report from St. Louis University researchers finds that more than 2,230 Black educators lost their positions in Missouri after the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling, with the disparity persisting today.

The study highlights that between 1954 and 1970, 31,584 Black teachers were displaced across 17 states, resulting in an income loss of $245 million in 1970 ($1.7 billion today). Black teachers currently represent about 6% of Missouri’s workforce, matching the national average but still falling far below student parity. Read more about the report’s findings and implications for state policy here.

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Missouri School Voucher Funds Go Mostly to Religious Schools

Nearly 98% of direct state funding for Missouri’s MOScholars K-12 scholarship program went to religious schools in its first month, according to state records from August. Of 2,329 scholarships awarded, only 59 supported students attending nonreligious institutions.

State lawmakers approved $50 million for MOScholars this year, more than doubling the number of available scholarships compared to previous donation-only funding. The allocation has drawn criticism from Democrats who argue public dollars are subsidizing private, religious education with limited transparency. Program administrators report that the new state funds cleared longstanding waitlists. Read more on MOScholars funding trends.

QUICK HITS

St. Louis County Police announced a new dedicated early childhood center for officers' children, launching this summer in partnership with three foundations and KinderCare to aid police recruitment and retention.

Missouri's proposed SNAP food aid changes would ban the purchase of candy, soda, and several other products, with state officials aiming to promote healthier eating and support local agriculture starting in October 2025.

Trailside Farms plans to add 383 single-family homes, 87 townhomes, a trail system, and recreation amenities in fast-growing Wentzville, aiming to expand housing options in St. Charles County.

St. Louis Zoo is introducing its first Komodo dragon in 12 years, Charlie, whose new habitat opens to the public Oct. 20 after a Halloween sneak peek.

John Burroughs secured a 10-3 Metro League win at Westminster Christian Academy Saturday, with Jack Donnelly’s 59-yard touchdown pass to Spencer King breaking a late tie and clinching the team's second consecutive victory in the rivalry.