The Gateway

For most people, Walt Disney's name evokes cartoons, castles and the sprawling theme parks in California and Florida. But for a group of students from Western Michigan University, understanding Disney's imagination meant starting somewhere much smaller: a town of roughly 2,000 people in north-central Missouri.

The Missouri Supreme Court has ruled that a new Congressional Map that would have made it more difficult for Democratic Congressman Emanuel Cleaver to be re-elected is subject to a vote. That means that a Donald Trump-backed effort to oust the Kansas City Democrat may have failed. STLPR’s Jonathan Ahl talks with St. Louis Public Radio’s political correspondent Jason Rosenbaum about the decision’s impact.

Of the more than one million animal-related car accidents across the country each year, more than 3,000 of them happen in Missouri. As Trevor Grandin reports, a recent study by the Missouri Department of Transportation aims to stem the problem with wildlife-friendly infrastructure.

There are nine data centers operating in Missouri today, with another 52 in the works. Illinois already has more than 90.

The growth of these facilities is pitting voters against big tech – often with elected leaders caught in the middle.

The Trump administration has eliminated thousands of federal jobs for experts who help farmers with conservation efforts. It's having a negative impact on farmers and their land.

A gnarly looking corn infection that Midwestern farmers dread is also a culinary delicacy in Mexico. Now, more chefs are introducing it to St. Louisans.

St. Louis Public Radio’s Kate Grumke dove into the local world of corn smut to understand this emerging menu trend.

St. Alphonsus Liguori Catholic Church, also known as “The Rock” officially welcomed its newest priest this month. One of the few majority-Black Catholic parishes still in existence now has its first Black priest in over 20 years. As St. Louis Public Radio’s Andrea Henderson reports, Father Royce Thomas says he has big plans to revitalize the church.

A program known as the Housing Eviction Law Project, has struggled to meet the high demand for legal representation and fallen far short of the goals set for it by city legislators several years ago. But a new injection of funds could make a massive difference for renters in the city.

Breeding has been a debate for decades, and with shelters overflowing, there’s even more of a reason to adopt a dog rather than buying. But some dog breeders in St. Louis say that they breed ethically, and that buying a dog might not always be a bad thing.

A trip to the grocery store has gotten a lot more expensive in recent years. Ground beef, tomatoes, and coffee have all seen big spikes. Those higher prices can be especially hard on older adults on fixed incomes.