SUMMARY: A groundbreaking project in North St. Louis, Doorways, has completed a $40 million initiative to combat homelessness and health disparities among individuals living with HIV. The facility offers 39 permanent housing units with on-site career services, a food pantry, behavioral health support, and the newly opened Boca Pharmacy, addressing a local pharmacy shortage. The units are intentionally unfurnished to allow residents to personalize their spaces, emphasizing a connection to nature and health. This project addresses the urgent need for housing, as there are over 8,000 reported HIV cases in St. Louis, according to state health services.

A groundbreaking effort to combat homelessness and health disparities in north St. Louis is now complete. Doorways is offering …

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SUMMARY: Montgomery County leaders convened a special meeting in Hillsboro after property owners faced staggering tax increases of up to 1500%. Local officials, including state representatives Blain Willauer and Rosenthal, expressed concerns that solutions are unlikely from Springfield. The steep assessment hikes, particularly for wooded acreage, stem from a poorly implemented 2007 state law intended to promote conservation. Assessor Kendra N. has offered to delay increases for landowners committing to conservation plans. However, Willauer argues this compromise undermines private property rights and urges the county to adopt a fairer approach, as other counties manage these assessments differently.

Two local State Representatives are urging the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners to find a solution after some landowners saw a 1500% increase in their wooded acreage assessments.

“At the drop of a hat here they’re going one year to the next with 1000% to 3000% increase in property taxes,” Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-IL 110th) said.

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SUMMARY: Homeschooling has surged in Missouri, with at least 61,000 students, or 6% of the school-age population, now homeschooled, according to a report from the PRiME Center at Saint Louis University. This rise began during the COVID-19 pandemic but has persisted. The number of homeschooled students has doubled since 2019, with no sign of a decline. Despite Missouri’s lack of enrollment data collection for homeschooling, the study uses estimates to highlight the shift in education attitudes. This growing trend signals a permanent change in Missouri’s educational landscape, prompting a need for policymakers to understand the numbers.

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