In The Lou – Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Your one-stop spot for everything happening in St. Louis today. 

🌤 Today’s Weather

Partly cloudy.

High: 90° | Low: 72°

Rain: 30%

Humidity: 91%

Winds: 4 mph

Max UV Index: 9.6 (very high)

Sunrise: 5:44 a.m. | Sunset: 8:27 p.m.

🗞️ Lou News

🚨 Wrong-Way Driver Injures 2 in East St. Louis Crash: A Chrysler driving the wrong way in a construction zone on I-64 struck an IDOT vehicle around 2 a.m. Wednesday, injuring two people and shutting down the westbound lanes for hours.

🚔 Former Mizzou Coach Gary Pinkel Arrested for DWI: Ex-Tigers football coach Gary Pinkel was arrested late Monday in Camden County for allegedly driving under the influence. He’s since been released; no formal charges have been filed yet.

🖊️ Gov. Kehoe to Sign Dozens of New Missouri Laws: Governor Mike Kehoe will sign 13 new bills this week, including bans on phones in classrooms, expanded school safety standards, and Danny’s Law — an anti-hazing measure named after a former Mizzou student.

☢️ Nuclear Waste Relief Bill Brings Hope to St. Louis: Missouri has been added to the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, offering long-awaited federal relief to communities exposed to Manhattan Project-era waste in 21 local zip codes.

🏫 SLPS Tornado Recovery Sparks School Merger Tensions: A heated school board meeting broke out Tuesday over a controversial plan to consolidate tornado-damaged schools. Union leaders say the district isn’t properly bargaining or prioritizing student safety.

Weekly Construction Report

🎉 Events

Whitaker Music Festival – Missouri Botanical Garden | 5:00 PM

Disney’s Frozen – The Muny | 7:00 PM | Through July 14

Movies Under The Stars: The Grinch – Chesterfield Amphitheater | 6:30 PM

We Wiggle Dolls: DIY Puppetry Collective – The Heavy Anchor | 8:00 PM

$10 Wednesday Currywurst Supper – Das Bevo | 5:00 PM

Girls Night Out Group Ride – South Side Cyclery | 6:00 PM

Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator – Arkadin Cinema & Bar | 7:00 PM | Presented by Silents, Please! STL

Karaoke Dance Party – Tin Roof: A Live Music Joint | 9:00 PM

DJ Beat Daddy and Open Decks – Tim's Chrome Bar | 9:00 PM

🎶 Live Music & Performances

Glenn Jones – City Winery St. Louis | Doors 6:00 PM

Social Distortion with Plague Vendor – The Pageant | 8:00 PM

Dale Watson, Summer Dean – Off Broadway | Doors 7:00 PM

Of Monarchs featuring Ali Briley – Evangeline's Bistro and Music House | 7:00 PM

Andrea Taylor and her Motown Band – Blue Strawberry | 7:30 PM

Wednesday Night Jazz Jam – The Dark Room at The Grandel | 6:00 PM

⚾ Sports

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Washington Nationals – Busch Stadium | 6:45 PM | Tickets here

⛽ Lowest Gas Price in the City

$2.59 at ZX | 15302 Manchester Rd, Ballwin, MO 

📜 This Day in History

👑 1762 – Catherine the Great seizes power: On this day, Catherine II overthrew her husband, Peter III, and began her reign as Empress of Russia, bringing in a transformative era that expanded the empire and cemented Russia's influence in European politics and culture.

⚡ 1856 – Nikola Tesla born: One of the most influential inventors in history, Tesla was born in Smiljan (modern-day Croatia). His  work on alternating current, electromagnetism, and wireless energy still powers the modern world, like literally.

🇸🇸 2011 – South Sudan gains independence: Following a landslide referendum vote, South Sudan officially declared independence from Sudan, becoming the world’s newest country after decades of civil war and immense struggle for self-determination.

🎂 Famous STL Birthdays – July 9

D.H. Peligro (1959): A punk rock icon from St. Louis, Peligro was the longtime drummer for the legendary Dead Kennedys and also played with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Known for his explosive style and activist spirit, he helped shape the sound and politics of American punk.

Trent Green (1970): Born in St. Louis, Green was an NFL quarterback best known for his time with the Kansas City Chiefs. A two-time Pro Bowler, he threw for over 27,000 career yards and later became a respected football analyst.

Blake Strode (1987): A standout tennis player turned civil rights lawyer, Strode grew up in St. Louis and now serves as Executive Director of ArchCity Defenders. He’s nationally recognized for his work on racial justice, housing equity, and legal advocacy.

National Day's - July 9

😊 National Dimples Day: A nod to the small facial feature that always makes a big impression. Whether natural or admired, dimples get their own moment for today.

🍪 National Sugar Cookie Day: A simple, sweet staple of American baking, sugar cookies are celebrated today for their versatility, get them plain or perfectly decorated.