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Republicans rewrote the US Senate megabill in its last moments

7 months 1 week ago
WASHINGTON — The final “big beautiful bill” approved by Senate Republicans Tuesday included some last-minute changes on hot-button issues such as safety net programs and clean energy tax credits. Senate Republicans had wrangled for weeks to deliver legislative text to satisfy concerns from lawmakers who objected to cutting Medicaid, the federal-state insurance program for low-income […]
Ashley Murray

44-Year-Old Arrested for Methamphetamine and Driving Offenses in Kampsville

7 months 1 week ago
KAMPSVILLE — A Pearl man faces various charges after a traffic stop on Highway 96 in Kampsville. At 11:22 p.m. on March 12, 2025, law enforcement officials with the Calhoun County Sheriff's Office conducted a traffic stop on Illinois State Highway 96 in Kampsville, Calhoun County. During the stop, Christopher A. Bournais, 44, of Pearl, Illinois, was arrested following an investigation. Bournais faces charges of possession of methamphetamine (less than 5 grams), driving while suspended or revoked, and operating an uninsured vehicle. He was taken into custody without incident and subsequently released with a Notice to Appear at a later date at the Calhoun County Courthouse. Authorities emphasized that all suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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STL Art Place Initiative – Transforming Vacant Places into Creative Spaces

7 months 1 week ago

by Michelle Kim, Washington University Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement 2025 St. Louis Fellow In Gravois Park, an innovative partnership is reshaping what community development looks like – one home at a time. STL Art Place Initiative (STL API), working with the Community Development Administration (CDA), is leading a movement to convert vacant […]

The post STL Art Place Initiative – Transforming Vacant Places into Creative Spaces appeared first on Construction Forum.

Dede Hance

Trump administration tells states it’s freezing $6.8 billion for K-12 school programs

7 months 1 week ago
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has put on hold $6.8 billion in federal funds for K-12 schools, according to an Education Department notice obtained by States Newsroom. The agency informed states on Monday that it would be withholding funding for several programs, including before- and after-school programs, migrant education and English-language learning, among other initiatives. […]
Shauneen Miranda

Jerseyville Resident Charged with Meth Possession and Driving Offenses

7 months 1 week ago
BRUSSELS — A Jerseyville man faces multiple charges following a traffic stop on Illinois River Road near the Brussels Ferry in Calhoun County. At approximately 3:06 a.m. on April 17, 2025, a deputy with the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office stopped Darin L. Day, 44, for an unspecified reason. After an investigation, Day was taken into custody on charges of possession of methamphetamine (less than five grams), driving while suspended, and operating an uninsured vehicle. Day was arrested without incident and later released with a Notice to Appear at the Calhoun County Courthouse. Authorities have not provided further details regarding the circumstances leading to the stop. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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Logistics and Manufacturing Drive the St. Louis Region’s Economy

7 months 1 week ago

by Mary Lamie The importance of the logistics and manufacturing sectors as key drivers of the St. Louis region’s economy was front and center during FreightWeekSTL, a weeklong conference hosted in early June by the St. Louis Regional Freightway, a Bi-State Development enterprise. With a $209 billion gross domestic product (GDP)—placing it in the top […]

The post Logistics and Manufacturing Drive the St. Louis Region’s Economy appeared first on Construction Forum.

Tom Finan

Worker Wellness Blog: Pope Leo’s View of Workers and AI Copy

7 months 1 week ago

by Dr. John Gaal Editor’s Note: Each week, Dr. John Gaal, director of worker wellness for the Missouri Works Initiative, a non-profit workforce formed by the Missouri AFL-CIO, collects and comments on news and trends in workforce wellness and life balance. Construction Forum carries the Worker Wellness & Well-Being Blog as a regular feature. The […]

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Dede Hance

Rebuilding Metro East: Interstate Projects Highlight Another Historic Construction Season

7 months 1 week ago

From RiverBender: As part of one of its busiest construction seasons ever, the Illinois Department of Transportation is delivering several major projects in the Metro East, fueled by Gov. JB Pritzker’s historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program. Eighteen major projects combined represent a total investment of nearly $895 million, improving safety and mobility while sustaining […]

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Dede Hance

McBride Homes, Builder’s Bloc Reach Settlement Over Deed Claims

7 months 1 week ago

From St. Louis Post-Dispatch: A Chesterfield contractor has agreed to drop its lawsuits against McBride Homes in which the homebuilder was accused of filing fraudulent deed records across the region. Builder’s Bloc and McBride Homes said in a joint statement Tuesday that they had reached a settlement that resolved “all outstanding matters” between the two […]

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Dede Hance

City Launches New Recovery Programs for St. Louisans Impacted by the May 16 Tornado

7 months 1 week ago
ST. LOUIS, MO. – The City of St. Louis has launched new recovery programs to assist residents impacted by the May 16 tornado. These programs address urgent repair needs, provide trusted technical guidance, and protect homeowners from fraud or further damage. Four initiatives are underway: Emergency Stabilization, Electricity Reconnection, Ask an Architect and the Contractor Registry. Emergency Stabilization Program The Emergency Stabilization Program provides immediate weatherization to prevent further damage, including roof tarping, boarding windows and doors, hazardous tree removal, and moving debris to the right-of-way. The program is free to eligible residents in tornado-impacted areas, with priority given to seniors, uninsured households and homes in Zones A-C. Work is completed by licensed and insured contractors. Electricity Reconnection Program Hundreds of homes remain without power due to structural damage. The Electrical Reconnection Program provides free

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Missouri educators sue state over $51 million appropriation to private school vouchers

7 months 1 week ago
The Missouri National Education Association is suing the state in an effort to block the appropriation of $51 million to MOScholars, the state’s K-12 scholarship program. In a lawsuit filed in Cole County Circuit Court Monday, MNEA argues that state funds cannot be directly given to MOScholars under the current statute. MNEA vice president Rebeka […]
Annelise Hanshaw

The Moral Imperative Of Clear Language

7 months 1 week ago
I need to say something that will make many of you deeply uncomfortable: your refusal to call fascism “fascism” is not sophistication—it’s complicity. When Donald Trump posts explicit orders for “REMIGRATION” and “Mass Deportation Operations” targeting American cities because they are “the core of the Democrat Power Center,” that’s not “controversial immigration policy.” That’s mass deportation directed against […]
Mike Masnick