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An 8-month-old was struck by a car and injured Wednesday afternoon in downtown St. Louis.

With a reporter surveillance scandal of its own embroiling Biden’s Department of Justice, it’s now more important than ever for his administration to throw its weight behind passing a strong journalist shield law, such as Senator Ron Wyden’s PRESS Act.

In the last week, the public learned that the DOJ secretly issued a subpoena seeking phone record information of Guardian journalist Stephanie Kirchgaessner in the course of a leak investigation by the Office of Inspector General, according to a report obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by reporter Jason Leopold. Subsequent reporting has revealed that the subpoena was issued in February of 2021, in the early days of the Biden administration.

Guardian editor-in-chief Katharine Viner described the secret subpoena as “an egregious example of infringement on press freedom and public interest journalism by the US Department of Justice.” We agree — and it’s not an isolated incident.

This revelation follows a series of scandals surrounding the surveillance of journalists in the waning months of the Trump administration, which weren’t disclosed until May 2021 — nearly a year later. In the following weeks and months, the Biden administration and Attorney General Merrick Garland introduced new, stronger guidelines purporting to further restrict the Department’s surveillance powers with regard to journalists. At the same time, the White House and Garland called for legislation to codify these new guidelines — a proposal Freedom of the Press Foundation endorsed.

But as we reported this February, the Department of Justice has taken no action to support any such legislation since, leading Senator Wyden’s office to issue harsh criticism of the administration’s silence.

The difference between DOJ media guidelines and an actual law like the one proposed by Wyden’s PRESS Act is significant, in terms of both clarity and effectiveness. As it stands, the DOJ’s Inspector General could argue that the new media guidelines do not apply to them. Other federal agencies, like DHS, which also recently faced a spying-on-journalists scandal, could claim the policy doesn’t apply to them either. As we explained when the guidelines were adopted, action from Congress is vital for the policy to have any teeth.

The Biden administration has repeatedly sought to distinguish itself from its predecessors in terms of its respect for press freedom; making gains that can be undone at the stroke of a pen is insufficient. Unfortunately, as with the Biden DOJ’s decision to continue pursuing charges against Julian Assange, this new fact pattern reveals a disappointing continuity that challenges the press-friendly image this White House has aimed to cultivate.

The best time for the Biden White House to take meaningful action to support the PRESS Act would have been upon its introduction. Failing that, the next best time is now.

Lt. Col. Michael Sack, who has been with the St. Louis department for 27 years, takes over next month for police Chief John Hayden, who will retire June 18.

Lt. Michael Reifschneider says he lost a promised promotion because he refused an order to lower the score in another officer’s job evaluation.

Robert Smith, a 52-year-old Black man, shot his roommate Todd Toston Sr. three years ago. Toston was high on drugs at the time and came at Smith with a knife.

Another Pearl Jam member has tested positive for COVID-19, forcing the band to cancel upcoming shows in Sacramento, California, and Las Vegas. The grunge rockers announced Wednesday that bassist Jeff…

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Mark Pirozzi, owner of Pirozzi Painting LLC, received probation for failing to report more than $200,000 in business income from 2015 to 2017.

A St. Louis County veteran admitted embezzling Veterans Administration disability compensation from 2000 to 2020 for a service-connected eye injury.

Anthony Jones will spend the next 45 years in prison for shooting a woman to death and stealing her car in 2019.

She’Kinah Taylor remembers the first time she saw the prairie. But mostly, she remembers not what she saw, but what she heard: a quiet totally unlike the noise of her St. Louis City neighborhood.

You’ve seen it: people driving while texting, watching a video or reading on their phones or tablets. You know how dangerous it is.  But did you know that Missouri is …

The post Distracted Driving is Dangerous Driving appeared first on Trailnet.

ROXANA - The Bacus family recently presented the Fourth Annual Shine Like Spencer Kindness Award to graduating Senior Sharlee Mason. The $500 award was established in memory of their son, Spencer Bacus who died in 2018 from a rare form of cancer. Spencer was described as a 2012 graduate of Roxana High School and known as "an extremely kind and caring young man who was a friend to all," Debbie Bacus said. When Spencer was three days old, we were told by doctors at Children's Hospital in St. Louis that most children born with his rare skin disorder (Giant Congenital Nevus) don't live past five years old. He certainly kept living - happily, joyfully, robustly – day after day, year after year, and inspired countless amounts of students and residents in his community and at SIUE. Spencer Bacus, 24, was an SIUE junior in the Department of Applied Communication Studies; Fine Arts Fellow, honor thespian, accomplished actor and performer, versatile musician – pianist, woodwinds,

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Police are investigating after a vehicle struck an infant Wednesday afternoon near downtown St. Louis.

Ben Westhoff discusses his relationship with Jorell Cleveland, with whom he was paired by Big Brothers Big Sisters — and his quest for the truth about Cleveland’s life and death after the 19-year-old was murdered in north St. Louis County.

Former Post-Dispatch metro editor Alan Achkar recently returned to lead the daily as its editor-in-chief. He discusses what got him into journalism, what brought him back to St. Louis, and why he’s axing arts reviews. He also takes questions from callers.

The victim was identified as 35-year-old Shalonda Miller, and the suspect was identified as 36-year-old Tyrone Barnes.

CARLINVILLE - On Saturday, May 14, 2022, Blackburn College in Carlinville, IL held commencement ceremonies on the campus’ Hudson Quad honoring 86 graduates from the class of 2022. These events marked the 153rd Commencement exercise for the College. The Blackburn Alumni Association presented its Outstanding Graduate Award at commencement. This year, two deserving seniors - political science major Blake Meyer of Greenfield, and elementary education major Brianna Milich of Washington, IL. - shared that distinction. During commencement, academic and leadership awards were presented to the graduating class, and one recognized Emily Fleck, a psychology major from Athens, IL, as class valedictorian. Dr. Mark L. Biermann, president of Blackburn, shared remarks and welcomed families and friends to celebrate a return to regular graduation activities on campus. “Gathering as we are today gives us a singular opportunity to pause, take stock, and think about what we have experienced,

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Police have ruled a St. Louis County shooting investigation Tuesday as a murder-suicide case.