Welcome to your St. Louis news roundup. Highlights today: 22 children found homes during St. Louis County’s Adoption Day; the 100 Neediest Cases campaign starts; senior tax freeze impacts schools. Plus, Missouri SNAP payments return, federal ban hits local hemp seltzers, and rebuilding continues after tornado devastation.

MAIN STORY

St. Louis County Adoption Day

Twenty-two children were adopted Saturday during a National Adoption Day event at St. Louis County Family Court. The annual initiative highlights the need for permanent homes among the more than 100,000 children in foster care across the United States.

Past adoption days in St. Louis County have seen up to 40 adoptions in a single day. This year, children received donated gift bags, and families like the Blakes and the Sappingtons officially welcomed siblings Emma, Elliot, and Eva. Organizers emphasize the importance of maintaining sibling bonds and providing stable families. National Adoption Day, founded in 1999, has helped over 90,000 children nationwide find permanent families in 400 communities.

Local officials encourage families interested in fostering or adopting to learn more about opportunities in the area. Details are available at First Alert 4’s adoption resource page.

AROUND TOWN

THC-infused hemp products in St. Louis face uncertainty after Congress passed a sweeping federal ban this week. The legislation, included in the recent bill to reopen the federal government, prohibits most hemp-derived products such as seltzers and gummies, directly impacting local companies like Mighty Kind, which produces CBD and THC seltzers at 2nd Shift Brewing. Industry advocates argue the ban threatens small businesses and consumer choice; legal challenges and state-level responses are likely as the policy rolls out. Read more about the ban and local impact.

T-REX, a downtown St. Louis innovation hub, named Vikram Lakhwara as its first investor-in-residence. Lakhwara, founder of Stakehouse, a pre-seed venture capital firm focused on Midwest university startups, plans to mentor emerging founders and boost regional innovation. He called St. Louis "the gateway to innovation," highlighting the city’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. The initiative aims to attract more early-stage investors and support local talent, building on T-REX’s established role in the area’s tech and startup development. Read more about Lakhwara and T-REX's plans.

Missouri will resume full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits after partial benefits were affected by the federal shutdown. State officials said Thursday that enrollees began receiving up to 65% of their regular monthly funds this week due to delayed federal funding, with full November benefits expected after system updates. Federal guidance shifted several times as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) threatened penalties against states issuing full payments and warned of possible future shortfalls. Read more about Missouri’s SNAP updates.

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100 Neediest Cases Begins

The 100 Neediest Cases campaign has launched for the season, aiming to assist 4,900 families across the St. Louis area. The campaign kicked off this week and will continue throughout the holidays.

First established in 1922, the annual effort has raised millions for families in need. Local charities partner with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch to distribute funds and resources. Organizers encourage residents to learn more about the campaign’s impact and consider donating or volunteering this holiday season.

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Senior Tax Freeze Impacts Local Schools

St. Louis County launched its senior tax freeze program this year, receiving over 82,000 applications from residents 62 and older wishing to freeze their property tax bills. As a result, districts like Rockwood, Parkway, Ladue, and Special School District are losing millions in revenue.

For example, Rockwood expects to lose more than $4 million, while Ladue will lose $2.3 million. Some seniors say they would support tax increases to help schools, but others feel the freeze is essential for their financial stability. Learn more about the program’s impact at this local news update.

QUICK HITS

Grassroots Redeeming Love volunteers helped tornado survivor Melvin Arnold move into a new home in North St. Louis six months after the May 16 storm destroyed his former residence.

St. Louis County hunters must bring harvested deer to mandatory Chronic Wasting Disease testing sites this hunting season, as state officials expand sampling efforts to manage and contain the fatal illness affecting regional deer populations.

St. Louis University goalkeeper Jeremi Abonnel made a penalty kick save in a shootout during the Atlantic 10 Conference men’s soccer championship game against Dayton on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, at Hermann Stadium.

St. Louis residents continue to rebuild neighborhoods and support each other six months after a May 16, 2025, tornado destroyed 5,000 structures and caused $1.6 billion in damage across north St. Louis.

Legal Services of Eastern Missouri's Microenterprise Program is honoring three St. Louis-area entrepreneurs—Adjo Honsou of FuFu N Sauce, Josh and Shay Danrich of Mr. Fresh, and Rita Wright-Jones of Nacho Average Lemonade—for their business achievements during National Entrepreneurship Month and Small Business Saturday.