Staging courage
St. Louis American See page C1
The
MAR. 26 – APR. 1, 2026
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Vol. 97 No. 50 COMPLIMENTARY
‘We don’t define it as progress’ Residents push for faster recovery nearly a year after tornado
year after the May 16 tornado tore through North St. Louis. The meeting came as key The meeting came as key forms of relief remain uncertain forms of relief remain Shouts from residents echoed or delayed. A proposed state through the room as community uncertain or delayed. tax credit aimed at helping tormembers described what they nado survivors cover insurance called a lack of response foldeductibles and other costs lowing last spring’s devastative remains in limbo, though some residents can tornado, with one attendee calling the recovery still apply for assistance, St. Louis Public Radio effort “horrible.” reported Monday. More than 300 residents, organizers and Residents and organizers said the gaps between local leaders gathered Saturday at the Northside Movement Center, voicing frustration over what See Tornado, A11 they see as slow and uneven rebuilding nearly a By Ashley Winters St. Louis American
Sylivia Wood Grisby took notes during the March 21, 2026 mass emergency meeting at the Northside Movement Center, as residents gathered to address ongoing recovery efforts following the May 16 EF3 tornado. Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American
The AI expansion As data centers loom, St. Louis confronts energy, equity questions
By Sylvester Brown Jr. St. Louis American
Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American
Rev. Dr. Anthony L. Riley, the 14th pastor of Central Baptist Church, speaks during the church’s 180th anniversary service Sunday, Mar. 22.
180 years of unshakable faith
Central Baptist Church was built on courage, rooted in faith
By Kenya Vaughn St. Louis American The members and guests who packed the pews of Central Baptist Church last Sunday, weren’t simply commemorating a milestone. They gathered because exactly 180 years earlier, 23 free and enslaved African Americans stepped into the Liberty Engine House with nothing but their faith, their courage and a determination to build something slavery could not silence. On this anniversary morning, the descendants of their faith stood in the sanctuary as living proof that those founders’ prayers did not fall on deaf ears. “Bound by chains of an unjust social system, they walked through those doors and did something bold — something resistant, something divinely ordained,” said Rev. Dr. Robert C. Scott,
See Church, A10
On this anniversary morning, the descendants of their faith stood in the sanctuary as living proof that those founders’ prayers did not fall on deaf ears.
As data center development tied to artificial intelligence expands across Missouri, St. Louis officials are weighing whether to slow that growth locally until clearer rules are in place. Multiple large data centers are planning to locate in the region, according to Ameren Missouri CEO Marty Lyons, who said some companies have already signed binding agreements. While proposals are spreading into rural counties, only one confirmed project has emerged within the city — a development tied to the Armory site in midtown. Last month, Alderwoman Alisha Sonnier said she would follow up on concerns raised by residents at a public meet-
See Data, A11
SAVE Act faces long odds in U.S. Senate By Sylvester Brown Jr. St. Louis American Six years after the 2020 presidential election, President Donald Trump continues to claim the race was marred by voter fraud and election insecurity — assertions that have helped fuel Republican support for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE Act. Now, as the measure faces long odds in the Senate, critics warn the proposal could make it harder for millions of eligible Americans to vote. Supporters say it is needed to secure elections, though there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud.
See SAVE Act, A10