Joel Goldstein, a professor at St. Louis University Law School and expert on the vice presidency, sees more ups than downs in Barack Obama's selection of Joe Biden as his running mate. Missouri Republicans, Matt Blunt and Jim Talent don't see a benefit for Obama in Missouri.

The deal hasn't been signed yet, but already beer industry experts are predicting that InBev's takeover of Anheuser-Busch will provoke more mergers and acquisitions in a rapidly consolidating industry.  "The targets are obvious," says one expert. International brewers will feel the need to grow because InBev plus Anheuser-Busch creates the world's largest brewer by a wide margin.

In 2005, in a controversial move, Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt (right) cut health assistance to 100,000 Missourians and reduced benefits to about 300,000 more. In part because of those cuts, today more than 700,000 Missourians are without health insurance of any kind. Both candidates for governor -- Democrat Jay Nixon and Republican Kenny Hulshof -- will have to address this issue, and their positions on health care my determine the outcome of the campaign. 

The bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth (Feb. 12, 1809) promised to be a big tourist year for Illinois. But budget cuts have caused some places to reduce hours and more cutbacks are expected.

When Wachovia Corp. bought A.G. Edwards last year, many financial analysts said the deal reflected another major step in the extinction of regional brokerages. While A.G. Edwards decided that independence was strategically insupportable, other St. Louis brokerages still embrace their freedom and independence: Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. and Edward Jones. And they plan on keeping it that way.

Hotel developer Charles Drury and associates gave the public on Tuesday an early glimpse of their still-evolving proposal for two 16-story hotels overlooking Forest Park along Kingshighway, just south of the newly opened Kingshighway and Interstate 64 interchange. The approximately $100 million hotel project would be the largest in terms of size and expense for Drury Development Corp. since it built its first hotel in Cape Girardeau in 1969. Nearby residents have expressed concerns about the fate of the Lambskin Temple and 1906 Calvary Christian Church.

If -- some experts say when -- the "big one" hits the middle of the country, local leaders should be prepared to be on their own for the first 72 to 96 hours. That's the message an emergency preparedness official had for those who would be in the forefront of response and recovery following an earthquake in Missouri.

On Tuesday afternoon -- two weeks after the Aug. 5 primary election -- Missouri's counties turned in their final results for the Democratic race for attorney general to the secretary of state's office for certification. The numbers will be released Tues., Aug. 26, on the secretary of state's website.  That's when a recount, which Rep. Margaret Donnelly wants, would begin. In the meantime, state Sen. Chris Koster is vigorously campaigning as the Democratic nominee.