Of all the alliances I didn't see coming, it's Mayor Cara Spencer and the union representing St. Louis police—but a big raise hastily pushed through behind closed doors has a tendency to raise hackles. Get up to speed on the Police Board's latest bold move below. And don't miss Samir Knox's story about some simple policy changes that could help address a growing problem in both city and county.
The weather should be glorious this week: Sunny skies, highs in the 70s. Make an excuse to get outside!
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St. Louis police chief Robert Tracy's hasty contract extension means his full annual salary will be paid by taxpayers, not UMSL or a private foundation. Photography by Ryan Krull
THIS JUST IN
Chief's raise draws dissent from mayor, union
In two emergency meetings closed to the public, the state-appointed Police Board governing St. Louis police signed off on a big raise for Police Chief Robert Tracy, even while extending his contract until 2030. The new contract includes a provision where the city must pay Tracy up to two years' salary if the parties part ways before the contract expires.
In a statement, the Police Board said the bump was necessary because Tracy was being pursued by other employers, saying that "experienced police executives with a record of results are in demand across the country." The increase is designed to replace money previously provided to Tracy through a private foundation and then the University of Missouri St. Louis, even while upping his total compensation.
Both Mayor Cara Spencer and the St. Louis Police Officers Association, which represents rank-and-file officers, criticized the contract. The union noted that civilian staff has been without a contract since June 2025 and blasted the Police Board for "allowing outside pressure to overshadow the needs of the officers and civilian professionals who serve this city." Its statement said, "We supported a change in governance to protect this department from political interference, not to watch that interference take a different form."
Tracy will now make $295,000, with built-in 4 percent raises. And because the money will be paid by the city, not a private entity, the city is likely on the hook to pay as much to the fire chief. See Spencer's statement here and former AG Andrew Bailey's take via X. —S.F.
The troubled Northern Village apartment complex at Lucas and Hunt and I-70. Photography by Samir Knox
DEEP DIVE
How Missouri could hold corporate landlords accountable
Big news is coming today for two out-of-state landlords with significant St. Louis holdings. Troubled Benton Park property Senate Square is up for auction on the courthouse steps. Today is also the deadline St. Louis County set for the owners of the Northern Village apartment complex to address two years of code violations, overdue taxes and utility bills.
The complexes have different locations and different owners. But each is under the control of opaque LLCs that trace back to out-of-state owners, and in each case, residents and neighbors have suffered as housing conditions deteriorate. As rental housing is increasingly snapped up by corporate owners in the U.S., local leaders say there are things that state and local governments can do to keep them from dooming communities to uninhabitable housing.
One idea being pushed by County Executive Sam Page and others is a rental registry. Cities including Buffalo, Minneapolis, and Portland require landlords to disclose their full portfolios and provide a point of contact for problems. Identifying the real people behind opaque limited liability companies could be a first step towards holding them accountable. State law could also be changed to require people with a certain level of equity in a limited liability company to be disclosed. —Samir Knox
A MESSAGE FROM CARDINAL GLENNON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
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Police arrest jail escapee charged with twice breaking into elderly woman's home, sexually assaulting her (Fox2):
Maurio Thomas, 29, who police considered "extremely dangerous," was apprehended in South County.
SLPS cancels football for Sumner, Clyde C. Miller over “seriously inappropriate behavior” (KSDK): The two St. Louis Public Schools share a football team, but its season is now over. The district says that “reports of potential harm cannot be dismissed as horseplay.”
Will Missouri legislature take a stand against the logrolling of bills? (stltoday): A lawsuit challenging a 2024 “public safety” bill says it violates Missouri’s single subject rule, which requires bills to have a clear title and a single subject. If it’s found unconstitutional (the Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments last week) it could lead to the state takeover of St. Louis police being tossed out as well.
Word of warning: Watch out for these guys. Illustration by Randy Lutz
BIRD DORK CLUB
The American Crow is scary smart
Welcome to the Bird Dork Club, where each week we introduce dorks like you to a bird you can currently find in St. Louis.
Throughout human history, crows have been associated with death. And for good reason! They can actually kill you.
Not directly, of course. I mean, maybe there’s been an instance where an American Crow has accidentally flown into someone’s face while they were driving too fast in their convertible, causing them to careen off a cliff and explode. I bet that’s happened at least once.
But indirectly, crows can kill you by carrying the West Nile virus. If one gets bit by a mosquito, and that mosquito then bites you, you can die! Which is another good reason to never do anything ever.
Also scary: their intelligence. Crows may very well be the smartest animal in the world. An American Crow is so smart that when it dies, its friends will set up a crime scene to determine what happened so they can avoid the same fate. There’s also sometimes some light necrophilia involved in these gatherings, which doesn’t seem particularly helpful.
Crows also have the ability to recognize human faces, and can hold grudges if you behave negatively toward them. So be nice to them or this will happen.
Where to See This Bird: At sunset during the colder months, you can often see a large trail of American Crows flying overhead, heading to their roost to communicate to each other about how ugly you are. —Collin Preciado
🐦 For more bird stuff, check out The Bird Dork Club on Instagram and Facebook.
The 9th annual Flyover Comedy Festival hits the Delmar Loop November 11 to 15. David Cross, Roy Wood Jr., Dropout Improv, and the Sklar Brothers headline, plus nearly 150 comics across a dozen rooms you can walk between. Pick a night, pick a show, go. Get your tickets.
Heard on the Street
Bringing in the dough: Jake Zimmerman. The Democratic nominee for St. Louis County executive raised $993,001 to win the competitive August primary and has since raised another $97,732 for the general election, according to last week's campaign finance filing. He has $131,637 on hand heading into the home stretch. That's more than Republican Dennis Hancock has raised the entire campaign; he's raised $110,628, which includes $50,000 from his own coffers.
Talking a lot, and effectively: St. Louis Alderwoman Sharon Tyus, who did more than her fair share to keep the conversation going for hours Friday morning at the Board of Aldermen, speaking against Alderman Rasheen Aldridge’s bill to allow a new operator to take over the city-owned Homer G. Phillips senior apartments. (You may recall a dispute over these very apartments prompted Tyus’ comments about putting a bullet in Aldridge’s head.) Tyus, like a river-eroding rock, wore away support for Aldridge’s bill. By the end of the meeting, Aldridge had put the bill on the informal calendar. “The inaction of current alderman will not stop residents from getting ... what they need,” he said afterward. “It’s a pause, not a stop.”
Topping the list: Three Kings Public House. The local brewhouse’s Lambert location was just named the best airport bar in the U.S. by USA Today. Says the newspaper, “Three Kings' cozy atmosphere both comforts and rejuvenates weary travelers, including those with dietary restrictions or preferences.”
Hoisting a mug: Former Post-Dispatch writer Nancy Cambria, who won the women's steinholding competition at yesterday's Compton Heights Oktoberfest celebration. The East-West Gateway Council spokesperson bested Alderwoman Daniela Velazquez, among others. Mayor Cara Spencer stopped by Oktoberfest, but didn't compete. A lederhosen-wearing Ben Clement took the men's prize, not for the first (or last?) time.
St. Louis has left the union, says the guy in charge.
SOUNDBITE
“I think that generation was so starved for community experiences during COVID that now they're discovering this tactile, rich experience that was so neglected.”
—Cinema St. Louis executive director Bree Maniscalco, sharing her thoughts on The 314 Podcast about why young people are returning to movie theatres, despite previous predictions.
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