Josie Butler is a junior at the University of Missouri at Columbia. She majors in journalism, specifically international news reporting, and political science. She spent a semester working in Jefferson City, the state capital, where she learned a lot about the political process and increased her interest in politics. She is interested in writing about politics, health issues and the environment. In the future, she hopes to travel and cover international news and politics.
Those who have had success with their gardens this summer have had to put in a lot of effort. One key is to water regularly, mulch heavily and be vigilant against insects. For some, though, the costs and effort of watering meant that choices had to be made.
To try to understand what small farmers have to do to get their produce to market, a Beacon intern spent the day at EarthDance Farm in Ferguson. Hot, tired and dirty, at the end of the day, she hoped the seedlings she had planted would survive.
Most days, business along food truck is slow, say vendors. But several food truck vendors see promise in the future and are hopeful that business will boom once the area gets known and established.
St. Louis resident Mark Stark is an inventor, who typically designs gas valves. Stark's friend Dave Vogt was born without a hand and has used a hand hook. Stark set out to create something better for this friend. His work will be featured at 10 a.m. Aug. 5 on the Nine Network of Public Media.
Members of the local Explorers Club were in Alberta, Canada on an excursion to view dinosaur excavations. Instead, they were present for the discovery of vandalism of a once fully intact hadrosaur skeleton. Although some of the skeleton remains, the scientific loss is significant.
On July 28, the St. Louis annual World Nakedl Bike Ride will take to the streets of St. Louis. The organization is asking protestors to come as bare as they dare to protest oil dependency, raise cyclist awareness, and advocate positive body image.
As a response to tough economic times and an increasing demand for services, local nonprofits are experiencing a tectonic shift in the way they function, requiring many organizations to experiment with new practices, partnerships and fund-raising.
The St. Louis County Library and Gateway Greening are partenering to create a community gardening space for the residents of northwest St. Louis County at the Prairie Commons branch. An informational meeting will be Aug. 1.
Since the discovery of colony collapse disorder in 2006, few improvements have been made, and bee colonies continue to decline almost 30 percent every year. The heartland Apictutural Society is hosting the annual beekeeping conference July 12-14 at UMSL.
Farmers markets are easy to find this time of year. They not only provide healthy food, they present a community bonding experience and even help the local economy. Despite the growth, local farmers struggle to compete with grocery stores and large corporate farms.
Cindy Peters · Mark Stark · Pokey LaFarge · Judi Linvill · Roy Kasten · Donna Frederick · Ryan Barker · Christopher S. "Kit" Bond · Richard Baron · Patricia Wolff
Public Insight Network · Bipartisan Policy Center · Meds and Food for Kids · Washers for Public Safety · Gateway Center for Giving · Nine Network of Public Media
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Meeting in St. Louis next week, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious will have its first opportunity as an assembled group to consider what to do after the Vatican issued a mandate for change this spring. It calls on the conference to reorganize and more strictly observe church teachings.
When a family of four goes to the St. Louis Zoo, they can be forgiven for not knowing it will cost them $60, $72 if they park. If they can't pay, the alternative is to tell the kids they can't do what kids do at the zoo.
Missouri House Speaker Steve Tilley gave reporters less than a half-hour’s notice today when he announced that conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh’s sculptured bust will be formally installed in the Capitol at 1 p.m.
The world seems eager to learn more about Pope Francis, so learning that he admires St. Philippine Duchesne and her spiritual daughters — Argentinean nuns who have been under Francis' spiritual direction as they live among the poor — adds to understanding.
The celebration in Sikeston will reunite residents of the community which was destroyed in May 2011 when the Army Corps of Engineers opened the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway to alleviate flooding on the Mississippi. Residents are still hoping for a FEMA buyout so they can relocate their village.
The Newman Money Museum at Washington University has a quirky pseudo-robot Ben Franklin in the basement that is essentially a TV screen projected into a plastic shell head.
The Beacon's Mary Delach Leonard and Rob Koenig extensively covered flooding in 2011 in Missouri. Now this coverage is compiled in an iBook. Read the stories.
"Lost Egypt," at the St. Louis Science Center, combines real images shot in Egypt with art and artifacts as well as interactive and family-friendly features and explanations of the science used to uncover the ancient world. The exhibit will run through Sept. 2.
Opera is for snobs. Country music is for rednecks. Everybody loves Chuck Berry now that he's been around for a few decades, but what about Nelly? Why can't we simply respond to what's before us without dragging preconceptions and prejudices into play?
Organizers aren't trying to replace the rib fest, but music lovers will be able to find tangy sustenance as they listen to such greats as Mavis Staples (pictured), Big George Brock, Trombone Shorty, Kim Massie and Marquise Knox take the stage.
Donna Korando is the Beacon's arts and features editor. You can contact her at dkorando@stlbeacon.org.
Developers on the south side come in all shapes and sizes, with ambitions that vary from single buildings to entire city blocks. In the first of a two-part story, Jason Deem talks about building community.
Speaking to reporters at Monsanto, Howard Buffett warned that future generations would foot the bill for irresponsible soil use. He urged leaders to address thorny issues such as malnutrition and environmental destruction.
Twenty winners will split a million dollars and a wide array of professional services after this year's Arch Grants competition. Victors will also see one-on-one business mentoring in their prize package. The diverse group includes everything from biotech concerns to fashion enterprises.
Innovation and entrepreneurial activity are on the rise in St. Louis, especially in bioscience, technology and alternative energy. The Beacon's InnovationSTL section focuses on the people who are part of this wave, what they're doing and how this is shaping our future. To many St. Louisans, this wave is not yet visible. InnovationSTL aims to change that. We welcome you to share your knowledge, learn more about this vibrant trend and discuss its impact.
The Academy of Science-St. Louis hosts tours of EarthDance, an organic farm, and the Monsanto Agronomics and Breeding Facility May 21-22. The workshop is meant to prompt discussion and answer questions about these two competing philosophies of food production.
Speaking to reporters at Monsanto, Howard Buffett warned that future generations would foot the bill for irresponsible soil use. He urged leaders to address thorny issues such as malnutrition and environmental destruction.
Vernon Bowman's challenge to Monsanto Co.'s patent on its Roundup Ready soybean seeds was billed as a David vs. Goliath contest. Goliath won and won big. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that an Indiana soybean farmer had violated Monsanto's patent on its genetically engineered soybean seeds.
Sally Altman is the Beacon's Health and Science editor. You can contact her at saltman@stlbeacon.org.
Opera is for snobs. Country music is for rednecks. Everybody loves Chuck Berry now that he's been around for a few decades, but what about Nelly? Why can't we simply respond to what's before us without dragging preconceptions and prejudices into play?
You have to know your audience: McDonald's regulars don't need free-range chicken or a certain breed of beef; a second-chance high school needs personally motivated students as opposed to people ordered to attend and low-income Democrats by and large don't want a cigarette tax.
Last week, Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura sacrificed his crown as the King of America. He faced an individual decision to play against the best in the nation or the best on the planet. Find out what happened at that world-level tournament.
Donna Korando is the Beacon's Voices editor. You can contact her and submit opinion pieces for possible publication at dkorando@stlbeacon.org.