The Gateway

President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better plan includes proposals to expand subsidized child care, free school meals, and a plan to establish universal preschool. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona says the childcare provisions could help many parents return to the workforce.

Missouri had one of the highest rates of anxiety medication prescriptions in the country before the pandemic. The research from a leading pharmacy benefits management company comes as the state deals with a shortage of mental health care providers.

Schools in the Ritenour district are closed today, so stressed teachers, other staff, and students can focus on their mental health. The pandemic and the return to in-person learning have caused more stress than usual.

A Washington University professor says Missouri has an opportunity to evaluate its cybersecurity practices after a flaw on a state-run website exposed the personal information of thousands of workers.

The new director of the St. Louis Art Museum wants to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion at the 142-year-old institution. Min Jung Kim is the first woman, the first immigrant, and the first person of color to lead the institution permanently.

The St. Louis Department of Health’s new leader plans to tackle continuing vaccine hesitancy and pandemic complacency. Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis is also dealing with a department suffering from high burnout rates, increasing staff turnover, and lack of funds.

The Missouri legislative redistricting commission is holding hearings to help determine future state House and Senate maps. Similar panels in the past have deadlocked along party lines, sending the issue to the courts.

Illinois has taken steps to overhaul energy programs to combat climate change. Now, there is a call to reach a goal of eventually putting 1 million electric vehicles on the state’s roads.

Thousands of high school bands from nine states are packing the Dome at America’s Center over the next couple of days for the Bands of America Super Regional Championship. It marks a return to competition for students after being sidelined during the pandemic.

Despite last year's protests and petitions calling for the removal of statues and street names in St. Louis that honor people with ties to slavery, genocide, and other atrocities, little has changed.

Several districts in the Midwest are setting up school farms. They help students develop a work ethic while learning about caring for animals and growing food.

St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones has joined a coalition of U.S. mayors to commit to reparations for the descendants of enslaved Africans. Many Black Americans say it's past time for a reparations program to address the legacy of slavery, legalized segregation, and to address the wealth gap between Black white people.

Families and friendships have been strained by those who don't get the COVID-19 vaccine. For people who want their loved ones to be safe from the virus, trying to persuade others to change their minds can be frustrating but not impossible.

More Black families are choosing to homeschool their children. The U.S. Census Bureau says the rate of Black families shifting from traditional learning to homeschooling is increasing at a greater pace than other racial groups.

The Grammy Award-winning band plays a fusion of Gospel, blues and music from the Gullah culture of enslaved Africans who lived in South Carolina. A member of the band what it means to interpret the music for a contemporary audience.

Americans import the vast majority of chestnuts they eat each year, despite it being one of the few countries where the nut can be grown. That's changing as interest in starting orchards of the nut trees is gaining traction in the Midwest.

St. Louis-based online learning company Nerdy recently started trading on the New York Stock Exchange. The company has gone public as it focuses on helping students who have fallen behind during the pandemic.

A new publication driven by artists in the region will hit the streets at the end of October. Search Party Magazine will highlight the work of Black artists in St. Louis.

For the first time, Missouri's Teacher of the Year comes from the Ferguson-Florissant School District. James Young teaches music at the Johnson-Wabash 6th Grade Center and is the second African American to receive the honor.

The museum at Fort Leonard Wood is celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Army's Military Police Corps with a new display showcasing the history and evolving role of the unit.

A franchise-record 17-game winning streak is the big reason why the Cardinals are in the playoffs. One of the team’s beat writers says that was an impressive run but St. Louis best remembers teams for winning World Series championships.

The federal government says Missouri will receive nearly $1 billion for expanding Medicaid to individuals making roughly $17,800 a year. U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Chaquita Brooks-LaSure says the money helps the state cover more people and encourage more individuals to enroll.

The first Missouri gas tax hike in more than 20 years took effect last week. The money will address crumbling roads and bridges. State officials are trying to figure out how much money will come in and which projects the increase will fund.

A mural near the Delmar Loop highlights the connection between African Americans and Latinos. The artists hope it will spark conversations about the similar struggles of African Americans and Afro Latinos.

Frustration over the media’s coverage of autism, myths surrounding the disability, and policies shaped by society’s misconceptions have prompted a journalist to try to change perceptions. We’ll speak with Eric Michael Garcia, author of “We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation.”