Today’s top stories: Missouri’s ban on transgender care for minors faces Supreme Court review; St. Louis cancels its north-south MetroLink expansion; Boeing machinists remain on strike; SLPS follows a corrective plan after state audit. Plus: Food Truck Friday returns and a local musician joins the Gospel Hall of Fame.

MAIN STORY

Transgender Care Law in Court

The Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday over the state law that bars transgender minors from receiving gender-affirming care. Plaintiffs are seeking to overturn a Cole County circuit judge’s decision that upheld the law in November.

Passed in 2023, the legislation blocks access to puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors and prevents transgender athletes from joining teams matching their gender identity through college. Missouri joins dozens of states with similar measures. Attorneys for opponents argued the law violates constitutional rights to medical autonomy and parental authority. State lawyers countered that federal precedent and nearly identical statutes in other states support the law's legitimacy.

The court’s decision is pending and could set a state-level precedent distinct from a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding a Tennessee law. For more on the arguments and legal context, see detailed case coverage.

AROUND TOWN

The Saint Louis Public School District is implementing a Corrective Action Plan following a recent state audit. Earlier this month, SLPS submitted the plan to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, focusing on budget planning, forecasting, procurement, and payroll compliance. Superintendent Dr. Millicent Borishade stated that updating and discontinuing outdated policies are key steps in reaching compliance. SLPS is also collaborating with the Saint Louis Regional Business Council to review progress and align on future goals. Read more about the district's response to the state audit.

Sauce Food Truck Friday returns to Tower Grove Park on Friday, Sept. 26, from 3 to 7 p.m., featuring popular St. Louis food trucks, drinks, and live music. Neil Salsich and Friends will perform during the event, located at 4501 Southwest Drive, with admission free. Vendors will offer food and beverages for purchase. This marks the season’s penultimate Food Truck Friday, preceding the final event on Oct. 3 and the annual Harvest Festival on Oct. 12. See the full event details.

St. Louis entertainer Chuck Flowers was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame on Sept. 6. Flowers, whose career spans 35 years across jazz, R&B, gospel, and Motown, credits his grandmother for sparking his early love of music. The Hall of Fame’s founder, Monica R. Butler, called Flowers’ honor long overdue, as he joins renowned inductees like Cissy Houston and Kirk Franklin. A permanent Gospel Music Hall of Fame location is slated to open in 2026 at St. Louis’ historic Second Baptist Church.

ALSO READ

MetroLink Green Line Canceled

St. Louis has canceled plans for the $1.1 billion north-south MetroLink Green Line, city officials announced Wednesday. The light-rail expansion would have linked Jefferson Avenue, Chippewa Street, and Fairground Park.

Mayor Cara Spencer cited high costs and the unlikelihood of federal support as key reasons for ending the project, which proposed just 10 stations over a distance of less than 6 miles. Plans now shift to exploring bus rapid transit options in the Green Line corridor. In 2017, voters approved a sales tax to fund MetroLink expansion; however, officials note that federal grants remain highly competitive.

ALSO READ

Boeing Machinists Reject Contract

About 3,200 Boeing machinists in St. Louis rejected a new contract offer Friday, choosing to remain on strike. The vote means work stoppages at local Boeing plants will continue.

Union leaders criticized Boeing’s plans to relocate some fighter jet upgrade work out of St. Louis and have called for better contract terms. Boeing has begun searching for replacement workers but has not said if it will revisit the current offer. The strike, now in its fifth week, has not halted deliveries, according to company officials. Read more details at St. Louis local business news.

QUICK HITS

St. Louis City SC secured its second consecutive road victory as Brendan McSorley scored twice, added an assist, and made a key defensive play in a 3-1 win over San Jose.

Fairground Park for All, a new nonprofit formed by neighborhood residents and advocates, is launching efforts to revive the historically significant north St. Louis park following decades of neglect and recent tornado damage.

City of Collinsville officials are urging residents to use certified tap filters for drinking and cooking after recent tests revealed rising PFAS contamination in the city's water supply, with a treatment plant upgrade not expected until 2029.

St. Louis residents continue to wait for comprehensive tornado debris removal as city crews and contractors work through neighborhoods, facing delays and increased volume, with FEMA funding set to expand efforts to private properties this fall.

Missouri Historical Society launched the “I am St. Louis” campaign, inviting residents and local organizations to share their stories, as 38 groups join to boost regional civic pride and connection to St. Louis history.