Here’s what’s happening around St. Louis today — from a comedy festival scrambling after a nationwide flight ground stop, to a tense hearing over the city jail, to national beer honors for two local favorites.
Flyover Comedy Festival schedule shifts amid FAA nationwide ground stop
Friday’s nationwide FAA ground stop — ordered after a telecommunications outage, with all departing flights held “until further notice” — stranded comics traveling to St. Louis for the Flyover Comedy Festival, the city’s annual “comedy invasion.” Organizers reshuffled Friday night’s lineup: the Bangers Only Showcase, featuring some of the festival’s best stand-ups, took over Cameron Esposito’s slot, and Willie Simon, a Comedy Store paid regular and Just For Laughs New Face, stepped in for Opey Olagbaju. Festival co-founder Zach Gzehoviak told wristband holders those were the only changes for Friday night, but warned more shake-ups were possible as the situation developed. The FAA lifted the ground stop Friday night, though delays were expected to linger into the weekend.
Why it matters: The festival runs through the weekend, and anyone flying in — or out — should check flight status before heading to the airport.
St. Louis jail commissioner faces hostile crowd, frustrated aldermen
Jail Commissioner Nate Hayward defended operations at the troubled City Justice Center before the Aldermanic Public Safety Committee, telling aldermen the jail has revamped its use-of-force policy, expanded tablet access, and now gets detainees to medical staff within a day of arrival. He estimated about 20 use-of-force incidents in the last 60 days. But the packed room — activists, formerly incarcerated people, and relatives of people who died in the jail — repeatedly shouted back, accusing him of dodging questions, after nearly two hours of testimony about conditions in the facility. At least 22 people have died in custody at the downtown jail since 2020.
Read more: https://www.stlmag.com/news/st-louis-jail-commissioner-faces-hostile-crowd-frustrated-aldermen/
Why it matters: The hearing is the latest flashpoint in the long-running fight over the jail’s future — reform it, or shut it down.
SLPS school closures could hang in the balance as residency case goes to court
St. Louis Board of Education member Robert Harvey goes to court Monday to answer questions under oath about where he lived during the first 10 months of 2024. If the judge finds against him, Harvey could be removed from the board — and that could upend last week’s 4–3 votes to close schools across the city, since Harvey was the deciding vote. A revote could follow, and the math is already shifting: Emily Jane Hubbard, who voted with the closure majority, lost her seat in the November 3 election and will be replaced in January by Wendy Goss, who urged the board to delay the closures.
Read more: https://www.stlmag.com/news/slps-school-closure-vote-robert-harvey-residency/
Why it matters: The future of eight St. Louis public schools may hinge on a residency question, not an education debate.
Little Lager, Side Project earn national beer honors
Little Lager in Princeton Heights was named one of the 10 best beer bars in America, ranking No. 7 nationally in Craft Beer & Brewing magazine’s 2026 Readers’ Choice awards — up seven spots from No. 14 last year. The magazine’s annual Best in Beer issue also recognized Maplewood’s Side Project Brewing, featured a Perennial Artisan Ales beer among an editor’s favorites, and included St. Louis among America’s top 20 beer cities. The honor comes as Little Lager owner Manny Negron prepares to open a second location on Cherokee Street, targeting a December 1 opening.
Read more: https://www.stlmag.com/dining/little-lager-side-project-earn-national-beer-honors/
Why it matters: St. Louis keeps stacking up national beer recognition — and there’s another lager bar on the way.
Truck Norris Twisted Eats & Bar in Ellisville to close November 15
Truck Norris Twisted Eats & Bar in Ellisville will permanently close Sunday, November 15, less than a year after the restaurant temporarily shut down when an auto accident destroyed its food truck. Owner Todd Norris — known as “The Totfather” — announced the decision in an Instagram post, saying he and his wife Ashleigh poured more money into the business and tried new ideas, but could not keep putting their health and financial future at risk. The closure ends a run that began in 2017 with a brightly colored truck and loaded tater tots.
Read more: https://www.stlmag.com/dining/truck-norris-twisted-eats-bar-to-close-november-15-in-ellisville/
Why it matters: Sunday is the last chance to get the tots that built the Truck Norris name.
Where to order Thanksgiving dinner in St. Louis
If you’d rather skip the cooking this Thanksgiving, St. Louis Magazine has rounded up the local options for dine-in and carryout holiday meals — from full feasts at spots like Ari’s ($29.95 for adults) to steakhouse specials at 801 Chophouse and a holiday buffet at Café la Vie. The list covers dine-in, pickup, and either, with hours, ordering details, and prices where available.
Read more: https://www.stlmag.com/dining/where-to-order-thanksgiving-dinner-in-st-louis/
Why it matters: Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away, and the popular spots book up fast.
That’s your St. Louis Today for Saturday, November 14. Check back tomorrow afternoon for the next roundup — and if you’re heading out this weekend, double-check your flight before you leave for the airport.
