St. Louis invites residents to help shape tornado recovery, Boeing workers consider a new contract, and the Forest Park Balloon Race returns. Also: the city posts a budget surplus, SLPS promises accountability, and goats are clearing Brentwood park. Food trucks, R&B legends, and local sports round out today’s updates.

MAIN STORY

Residents Sought for Tornado Recovery Committees

St. Louis officials are inviting residents, business owners, and organizations from tornado-impacted neighborhoods to join new community-led committees, part of a push to guide North St. Louis recovery efforts after May’s devastating storm.

More than 10,000 buildings were damaged, and five people died when an EF3 tornado cut a 20-mile path through the region on May 16, displacing hundreds. The PlanSTL Neighborhood Planning Program will launch five committees to help create a vision for rebuilding, with Mayor Tishaura Jones emphasizing the importance of community partnership. Residents can apply through the city’s planning program by October 13.

Committee members will work with local officials through workshops, pop-up events, and public forums. Final plans are expected in late 2026, but officials say early actions and investments will be shaped by community feedback over the coming months.

AROUND TOWN

St. Louis closed Fiscal Year 2025 with an $18.7 million General Fund surplus, officials announced Wednesday. Comptroller Donna M. C. Baringer credited the surplus to revenue gains and underspending, noting that revenues were 0.8% higher than last year and expenditures were 2.56% below budget. Half of the surplus—$9.36 million—will fund city infrastructure, while the rest will boost reserves to $162.9 million, representing 26.8% of next year's budget. Residents can learn more through the city’s official comptroller website.

St. Louis Public Schools pledged increased accountability after a critical state audit and recent leadership turnover. The Missouri state auditor rated SLPS poorly last month for past issues in budgetary practices, procurement, and hiring, prompting the district to develop a corrective action plan. Superintendent Millicent Borishade said new and existing leadership are addressing inherited financial and operational gaps, while bus ridership and on-time performance have improved slightly with the new provider, Zum. Enrollment reached over 17,000, but attendance lags, partly due to May’s tornado displacement. Read more about the district’s response and next steps.

Brentwood has introduced goats to clear invasive plants at Memorial Park as a sustainable solution. City Parks and Recreation officials partnered with Goats on the Go, inviting the public to watch the animals restore parkland near Pavilion #2. The goat crew helps reduce reliance on herbicides and machinery, aligning with Sustainable September. Similar goat grazing projects have aided in wildfire mitigation in the Southwest, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service studies.

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Boeing, Union Reach Tentative Deal

The union representing striking Boeing workers announced a tentative five-year agreement with Boeing Defense on Wednesday. Members of IAM District 837 will vote on the deal on Friday from 8 to 11 a.m. at St. Louis Music Park.

The agreement reportedly includes average wage increases of 45% and restores a signing bonus. Approximately 3,200 workers have been on strike since Aug. 4 at Boeing facilities in St. Louis, St. Charles, and Mascoutah. Boeing officials said it is the best offer made to the union. Read a breakdown of the tentative agreement.

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Forest Park Balloon Race Returns

The Great Forest Park Balloon Race will take place September 19-20 in Forest Park, featuring two days of festivities and hot air balloon launches. Events kick off at 5 p.m. Friday with The Balloon Glow at Emerson Central Fields.

Saturday’s activities begin at 1 p.m., including parachute team performances and balloon races. Spectators can interact with pilots and crews, and a fireworks finale will close Friday’s festivities. For those unable to attend in person, a one-hour special will air at 6 p.m. on September 19. More details are available on the event overview site.

QUICK HITS

Sauce Food Truck Friday returns to Tower Grove Park’s southwest corner on Friday from 3:30-7:30 p.m. with 20 food trucks, live music by Moon Valley, and appearances by Louie and the Blue Crew.

Uncle Charlie’s R&B Cookout tour brought El DeBarge, K-Ci Hailey, Babyface, and Charlie Wilson to Hollywood Casino Amphitheater, delivering classic throwback performances to a lively crowd on Sunday night.

Missouri students have adapted to the state's first-ever ban on cell phones in schools during the 2025-2026 year, with reports of increased social interaction and engagement three weeks after implementation.

St. Louis Blues first-round draft picks will participate in a key prospects tournament, according to a discussion with Blues reporter Matthew DeFranks and columnist Jeff Gordon.

Schnucks implemented Logile’s AI-powered Fresh Item Management Solutions across its 114-store network, increasing efficiency, reducing waste, and improving consistency in fresh food operations through automated forecasting, production planning, and compliance tracking.