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Missouri legislative leader files bill targeting time-of-use utility pricing plans

1 year 8 months ago
One of Missouri’s highest-ranking lawmakers hopes to stop state regulators from forcing electric utilities to charge a premium for power used at times of high demand. The legislation filed by Senate Majority Leader Cindy O’Laughlin was inspired by Evergy’s roll out of time-of-use pricing plans to its customers last summer, which included a plan that would have quadrupled customers’ charges for energy used at times of high demand. The new rates were mandated by the Public Service Commission,…
Allison Kite

Bar K acquisition deal falls through

1 year 8 months ago
A release announcing the deal expressed the buyer's interest in taking the Bar K concept nationwide and into Canada. This included moving the headquarters from Kansas City to Arizona.
Leslie Collins

Lunchtime Photo

1 year 8 months ago
This is the Eglise Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois in Paris and it's one of the great things about a city like Paris. It isn't a cathedral. It isn't a basilica. It's just a parish church that happens to have been built in the 13th century and is about the size of Notre Dame. Just your ordinary old ...continue reading "Lunchtime Photo"
Kevin Drum

Missouri Supreme Court strikes down law banning sleeping on public land

1 year 8 months ago
A wide-ranging bill passed by the state legislature last year banning sleeping on public land was struck down on Tuesday by the Missouri Supreme Court for violating the constitution’s single subject requirement. Missouri lawmakers last year made sleeping on state-owned land a Class C misdemeanor and restricted state funds for combating homelessness. The legislation was passed as an amendment in a broader bill relating to political subdivisions just before the end of the 2022 session. Critics…
Clara Bates

Infrastructure Nudges Backlog Higher as Other Sectors Struggle

1 year 8 months ago
From Construction Dive:  Backlog inched up in November to 8.5 months due to an uptick in infrastructure projects, according to a Tuesday release from Associated Builders and Contractors, but other sectors continue to struggle. The group’s Construction Backlog Indicator moved up 0.1 month in November, marking the first positive shift following three months of decline. […]
Kacey Crawley

Quick quiz: Where have housing prices gone up the most? LA or Dallas?

1 year 8 months ago
So here I am this morning, reading an LA Times piece about people migrating out of California to places like Texas. This is old news, but the twist this time is that affluent people are moving away at higher rates than before. This is chalked up to California's high tax rates, but I'm thinking: hold ...continue reading "Quick quiz: Where have housing prices gone up the most? LA or Dallas?"
Kevin Drum

"Christmas With A Cop" Once Again Shows Edwardsville Officers Devotion To Community

1 year 8 months ago
EDWARDSVILLE - Every year one of the more special events of the holiday season in Edwardsville is the Edwardsville Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 244, "Christmas With A Cop" Day. This was the 14th year for the very special occasion and it took place Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at both Chick-fil-A on Troy Road, followed by a police escort to Target, complete with flashing lights and sirens. One of the Christmas With A Cop coordinators Jarrod Sprinkle said: "This is the thing that gets you right in the mood and the Christmas spirit. Some of the families have gone through some hard times and it is great for us to be able to help them out. "You can't beat it. More officers showed up Saturday than expected and more kids than planned and we made it work. There is a real need in the community and these guys stepped up and hit it out of the ballpark." Through the program this past Saturday, Edwardsville Police Department officers enjoyed breakfast and holiday shopping with 30 area children

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Illinois Minimum Wage Increases Jan. 1, 2024

1 year 8 months ago
SPRINGFIELD – The minimum wage in Illinois is increasing on January 1st, 2024. Workers will see an increase of $1 per hour from $13 to $14. The minimum wage for tipped workers will rise to $8.40 per hour and youth workers (under 18) working fewer than 650 hours per calendar year will see their hourly wage increase to $12 per hour. “Since day one as Governor, I’ve made it my mission to put Springfield back on the side of working families,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “With this new minimum wage increase, we are once again making Illinois a more affordable and equitable place to live for all of our residents.” “We're continuing to not only strengthen our workforce but sustain it by increasing the minimum wage. Leadership matters and we're proud to see our administration's sixth increase go into effect on January 1,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “As we continue our work to make Illinois the best state to live, work

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Wait, Grimes Also Has An AI Toy Called Grok?

1 year 8 months ago
Oh boy. We’ve already written a few times about Elon Musk’s “Grok” AI from his company xAI, which may or may not be a part of ExTwitter or possibly Tesla, but no one really knows because all of Elon’s companies blend together in a mishmash of hell for anyone who believes in good, normal corporate […]
Mike Masnick

Glen Carbon Senior Center Receives Statewide Recognition

1 year 8 months ago
GLEN CARBON - The Glen Carbon Senior and Community Center was recognized by the Illinois Department of Aging for their work in serving older community members. On Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023, Department of Aging Director Paula Basta presented the center with the 2023 Governor’s Engaging Aging Award. The center, located at 157 N. Main Street in Glen Carbon, is one of up to 13 organizations to be recognized this year. “This award is presented annually to a handful of community organizations throughout the state where you have gone above and beyond making a positive impact on the lives of older adults, and you can see that right here in this room,” Basta said. “You have a vibrant hub of programming. You have events, activities, social engagement. I heard there was belly dancing — I don’t know when, but I’m going to get out of here before that.” Basta noted the various programs and activities offered at the center, including yoga, art classes

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