Steph Kukuljan

OK sure most of us aren't James Baldwin.

But having someone who can report and write isn't rare unless you're in broadcast journalism.

This is such a nihilist take 🥸

“If [wealthy, powerful people] can get us to accept that the future’s already settled, AI is already here, the end is already here, then we will create that for them. My most daring idea is to refuse.” — @tressiemcphd.bsky.social

“I would guess a lot of state legislators don't even realize how much money could be going out the door with a program like this. This isn't something that shows up in the budget, it's just money that no one really knows that much about except for the businesses that are benefitting." #datacenterSTL

Data centers have invested billions in Missouri. They've cost $77 million in tax breaks. Missouri leaders are hot on data centers. State leaders are banking on a decade-old subsidy program to woo Big Tech.

I finally got records on a little-known tax incentive program the state of Missouri has been using to lure data centers here.

It's the first $$ we've gotten from officials www.stltoday.com/news/local/b...

Black Mirror episode

New York starts accepting applications to support newsroom jobs with tax credits | The NewsGuild - TNG-CWA New York opened applications for tax credits supporting journalism jobs. The state was the first to pass a journalism jobs tax credit in 2024.

Interesting newsguild.org/new-york-sta...

FWIW, I think AI tools can be helpful in journalism. But I don't believe having AI write up stories is the best use of it.

Data collection and analysis would be far more beneficial.

Being "chained to production" doesn't happen in a vacuum. It's set by editors. Sounds like the Plain-Dealer had a workflow issue and, perhaps, unrealistic expectations of its understaffed newspaper www.cjr.org/news/clevela...

I've been putting off saying this, but we're not going to be doing the STL Soccer Talk podcast this season. :( If you still want to hear me, you can find me most weeks on KTRS 550 on Thursday nites on St. Louis Soccer Weekly. Thanks to everyone for listening over the past 3 years; I had a great time

St. Louis pushes to demolish Tina Turner's historic Club Imperial. 'In terrible shape' The North Side music venue helped launch the careers of Ike and Tina Turner. But costs have ballooned to $18 million.

www.stltoday.com/news/local/g...

Board approves LRA’s ask to seek demo & deconstruction bids for historic Club Imperial.

LRA chief says roof, 1st and 2nd floors have collapsed. Costs to stabilize would be around $18M.

I stopped by this week. The building really is in bad shape

St. Louis Public Schools sells Cleveland, Marshall schools to development agency The city's economic development agency has finalized its deal to buy two long-vacant St. Louis school buildings.

SLDC closes on deal to buy Cleveland, Marshall schools www.stltoday.com/news/local/e...

St. Louis pushes to demolish Tina Turner's historic Club Imperial. 'In terrible shape' The North Side music venue helped launch the careers of Ike and Tina Turner. But costs have ballooned to $18 million.

8 years ago, Robert Vroman sought to demo Club Imperial. The city denied his permit, saying losing it “would be a real loss for our cultural history.”

Now, the city says it should come down. Costs could come via ARPA funds. Ope. www.stltoday.com/news/local/g...

Inside Missouri's prison nursery, some women finally find the help they need Feb. 1 marked the one-year anniversary of Missouri’s only prison nursery program at the state lockup for women in Vandalia.

Inside Missouri's prison nursery, some women finally find the help they need www.stltoday.com/news/local/c...

Here’s a link to the full data center Conditional Use app for 525,000sf facility on Market St. New construction replaces most of 1925 Famous-Barr warehouse on Nat’l Register of Historic Places. Vacant former JJ’s parcel to be consolidated into the property (1/2)
drive.google.com/file/d/1hbAE...

Do you remember the addy or cross streets?

He's lining up times for his golf game. Can't compete.

look at my country man, we’re getting out-No Kings’d by the fuckin’ british

Fire destroys historic police station in South City A historic building in south St. Louis was destroyed after an overnight fire Tuesday into Wednesday.

Carondelet has some of the region's most unique architecture. It can't afford to lose more of its history www.firstalert4.com/2026/02/18/f...

Journalists Arrested in Cameroon While Reporting on Trump’s Secretive Deportation Program

"An Associated Press reporter was beaten by the police and detained along with three other journalists on Tuesday in Cameroon while reporting on a secretive Trump administration program to deport migrants to the Central African country, according to two of the people detained." (gift link)

St. Louis program to fix tornado-damaged homes is about to go broke Tornado recovery officials say, without intervention, St. Louis will need to slow down the repair of damaged homes in North City due to a lack of funding for the repair programs.

NEW: After announcing plans to ramp up repairs to 40-100 homes a month in North City, St. Louis officials in charge of tornado recovery say the city may run out of funds to repair those homes by April or May.

www.stlpr.org/government-p...

SLMPD allows online payments!

a man and a woman are standing next to each other and the man is saying " oh my god " ALT: a man and a woman are standing next to each other and the man is saying " oh my god "

Every time you say "data center" three times in a row, a new proposal emerges somewhere in the region

Shortwave Coffee at 33 N. Sarah now softly open

Excellent news for a Monday!

You get what you pay for

glad we could workshop this post

A woman in her 50s said, “I don’t pay to go to church, to get a spiritual message, you know? And if you’re true, and your mission is to relay facts that are fundamentally important for people’s well-being, do I need to pay you for that?”

I'm going to become the joker www.niemanlab.org/2026/02/most...

More on that legislation I teased in last week's story: www.stltoday.com/news/local/g...

@2xaught7.ing thoughts on the cap?