Two airports in Missouri -- Columbia and Branson -- as well as five in Illinois will see their control towers close as of April 7, because of sequestration, the FAA has announced. U.S. Sens. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.; Roy Blunt, R-Mo., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., lament the closures -- but disagree over who's to blame.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and U.S. Rep. Bill Enyart told reporters that “steady progress” is underway to make the Mississippi River navigable, adding there are “no threats to close down commerce” on the waterway. Low levels on the river have raised concerns for months that barge traffic will be hindered.
In the wee hours of New Year's Day, U.S. Sens. Roy Blunt, Dick Durbin and Claire McCaskill voted for the fiscal cliff compromise, saying it would help protect the nation's middle class and provide more certainty for the American economy.
The Army Corps of Engineers now says expedited dredging, blasting and other steps – combined with more favorable rain forecasts – are now likely to guarantee a deep enough channel to sustain barge traffic on the middle Mississippi River (from St. Louis to Cairo, Ill.).
As the fiscal cliff looms, some initial signals – including Friday’s closed-door White House meeting between President Barack Obama and congressional leaders – indicated that a way might be found to stop the automatic tax increases and spending cuts. Lawmakers from Missouri and Illinois weigh in.
Mitt Romney's GOP running mate Rep. Paul Ryan has been defined by a deficit-reduction plan that is a lightning rod for its proposals to revamp Medicare while avoiding tax hikes or major Pentagon cuts.
With livestock producers running out of forage, great rivers shrinking fast and food prices on the rise, the Drought of 2012 – likely the worst since the 1950s – is having an impact on millions of Americans. But the response so far by governments and lawmakers has been mixed.
WASHINGTON – If Congress can’t come up with a deficit deal, $1 trillion in automatic cuts is scheduled for January. If it happens, Missouri’s defense industry would be hurt as sequestration’s biggest hits would strike Pentagon spending.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin has spoken out for week sto try to cajole East St. Louis officials to close liquor stores and clubs earlier. The lawmaker ratcheted up his message Wednesday after meeting with East St. Louis’ religious and civic leaders.
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President Barack Obama’s gaffe about arms control and Russia got the publicity, but the most time-sensitive issue is whether concerns over Russia's foreign human rights record will affect the debate on legislation to boost U.S. trade with Russia.
sequestration · deficit · Drought · Federal budget · Airport control towers · military defense
Roy Blunt · Claire McCaskill · William Lacy Clay · John Shimkus · Russ Carnahan · Jerry Costello · Zachary Lee · Bernadette Bowens · Todd Akin
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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.