Aggregator

The Post-Dispatch is kicking off its 13th annual Top Workplaces program, again celebrating teamwork, leadership and workplace culture.

RIVERBEND - Sexual assault/abuse is all too common. While the ER is a good place to go immediately after an assault to treat physical wounds, sexual assault and domestic violence survivors usually have emotional or mental wounds that need attention, too. In the weeks, months and years following an assault, it can be difficult to process what happened or move forward without proper support. Therapists, support groups and loved ones can help you through this. There are also advocates who are specially trained to support survivors in the immediate aftermath of an assault. What advocacy groups are near me? Sometimes you aren’t sure what help you need; you just know you can’t do it by yourself. This is when an advocate can step in to help you through the process of going to the ER, reporting an assault to the police or finding resources to support long-term recovery. Many of these groups also offer counseling or support group services. Ultimately, you don’t

Continue Reading

BETHALTO - The children and grandchildren of Paul and Jo Ann (Walton) Stilwell have planned a 60th-wedding anniversary celebration for them and family and friends from 1 to 4 p.m. Jan. 14, 2024, at the Brick Hall, 220 N. Prairie St., Bethalto. The party will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Brick Hall. There will be a tribute presentation at approximately 2 p.m. No gifts are necessary for the celebration. Heavy appetizers and beverages will be served. Amy Gross, one of their children, said she and the rest of her family are so proud of the legacy her parents have built and the loving people they are today. The couple was married at St. Mary’s church in April 1964. They have three married children, Aaron and Tammy Stilwell, of Godfrey, Anessa and Jack Emmons of Brighton, and Amy and Tyler Gross of Wake Forest, N.C. Paul and Jo Ann have seven grandchildren: Curtis (and Megan) Stilwell, Sara Stilwell, Alex (and Amy) Dodge, Abbie (and Joel) Hobart, Jackson Emmons, and Audrey Gross.

Continue Reading

Riley Holtz & the Lost Cause will perform Jan. 12 at the Old Rock House in support of its debut album "Illegal Before Noon."

Duane Reed Gallery warmly welcomes the return of St. Louis based ceramicists Andrea Moon and Dryden Wells and landscape painter Ahzad Bogosian. Partners in the studio and in life, Wells […]

The post Andrea Moon, Dryden Wells, & Ahzad Bogosian appeared first on Explore St. Louis.

Using the theme of holiday color, the exhibition presents works by several Atrium Artists to set the mood for a happy and inspirational season. This will be a rotating exhibition […]

The post Holiday Exhibition “Let the Color Begin” appeared first on Explore St. Louis.

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) is launching an educational, public awareness campaign focused on reducing incidents involving road rage. The new campaign, Road Rage. Don’t Engage . is designed to raise awareness about an increase in road rage incidents leading to violence, as well as educate the public on the signs of road rage and tips on how to prevent and handle these situations. “Although road rage is nothing new, we’re seeing people react more aggressively and dangerously,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “The message is simple – if you see or become part of a road rage situation, don’t engage. That extra car length you gain by cutting someone off, or arriving 10 seconds earlier by tailgating another person, is not worth your life.” ISP developed a campaign to raise public awareness about road rage and the disturbing trend. The campaign consists of social media, including a social media toolkit

Continue Reading

Red Hot Chili Peppers are headlining Bonnaroo 2024, taking place June 13-16 in Manchester, Tennessee. The bill also includes Cage the Elephant, who is playing a show for the first…

Source

Longtime criminologist and St. Louis native Rick Rosenfeld died Monday morning at the age of 75.

RIVERBEND - An American is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) . While this number is staggering, that also means you aren’t alone. If you’ve been sexually assaulted, there are resources that can help you in the immediate aftermath and during your long-term recovery. What happens if I go to the emergency room? The last thing most people want to do after an assault is go to the emergency room, but that’s exactly what is recommended. If you go to the ER up to seven days after an assault, they can provide medical assistance and complete a Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kit (commonly called a rape kit) that can be used to report the assault to the police. “We’re not here to judge, we’re here to help,” said Traci Bromaghim, the director of emergency services and the sexual assault coordinator at OSF. “I know that there can be a lot of shame and pain that goes

Continue Reading

by Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman

This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with the Idaho Statesman. Sign up for Dispatches to get stories like this one as soon as they are published.

Idaho Gov. Brad Little on Monday proposed spending $2 billion over 10 years to help school districts repair and replace their aging buildings. This would mark the largest investment in school facilities in state history, he said.

The proposal, announced during the governor’s annual State of the State address, follows an Idaho Statesman and ProPublica investigation, which showed how Idaho’s restrictive school funding policies and the Legislature’s reluctance to make significant investments in school facilities have impacted students and teachers. Hundreds of students, teachers and administrators shared photos, videos and stories with the publications about the conditions they deal with on a daily basis.

“We’ve all seen the pictures and the videos of some Idaho schools that are neglected — crumbling, leaking, falling apart,” Little said, standing before the Legislature in the Idaho Capitol. “In one school I visited, raw sewage is seeping into a space under the cafeteria. Folks, we can do better.”

Showing photos of fallen ceiling tiles, cracked paint and damaged drains published by the Statesman and ProPublica, he added, “Let’s make this priority No. 1.”

Idaho has long ranked last or near last among states in spending per pupil, and it spends the least on school infrastructure per student, according to the most recent state and national reports. Districts across the state struggle to pass bonds — one of the few ways they can get funds to repair and replace their buildings — because Idaho requires two-thirds of voters for a bond to pass. Most states require a simple majority or 60%. Many superintendents told the Statesman and ProPublica that reaching Idaho’s threshold has been nearly impossible in their communities, and some have given up trying altogether.

As a result, students have had to learn in freezing classrooms and overcrowded schools, with leaky ceilings, failing plumbing and discolored drinking water. These conditions have made it difficult to learn, students and educators said, and have, at times, caused districts to temporarily close schools.

“It’s just a continuous struggle,” Jan Bayer, superintendent of the Boundary County School District, told the Statesman and ProPublica. Boundary County, a rural district in North Idaho, has run two bond elections to try to replace one of its elementary schools plagued with disintegrating pipes, cracked walls and a roof that’s reaching the end of its lifespan. But while one bond had 54% of voter support, both elections failed to reach the two-thirds threshold.

“It would be such a relief to be able to go to our local taxpayers and say our state’s going to invest in us too now,” Bayer said. “It would be a pretty joyful and hopeful moment for our teachers and for our community.”

The governor said his proposal would help make schools more modern, address “unmet critical maintenance” and bring long-term property tax relief. The Legislature would need to determine how the money is distributed to school districts.

The State of the State address often sets the tone for the legislative session, which began Monday, with the governor outlining his priorities for the budget and the coming year.

Addressing Idaho’s school facilities is expected to be a key part of this year’s legislative session.

Legislators have been discussing a series of proposals that would make it easier for school districts to get the money needed to repair and replace their buildings, including one that would start the process of lowering the supermajority required to pass bonds.

“People are generally getting more and more dissatisfied with the fact that we’re not able to address our aging facilities in public education,” Sen. Dave Lent, the chairman of the Senate Education Committee, told the Statesman and ProPublica last month.

Reducing the threshold would require a constitutional amendment, which needs support from two-thirds of legislators and a majority of voters. In the past, that proposal has failed to gain traction, and some lawmakers have argued the threshold needs to remain in place as a protection for taxpayers.

Legislators have also talked about proposals to offer more state funding to reduce the burden that falls on property taxpayers.

Misty Swanson, the executive director of the Idaho School Boards Association, said school board members have been advocating for decades for a “more strategic and effective approach to address the ongoing school facilities crisis.”

“The governor’s approach is a huge step in ensuring Idaho students have access to safe school buildings for years to come,” she said in an email.

Following the speech, education groups and state officials applauded the governor’s proposal on school facilities. Board of Education President Linda Clark called it a “game changer.” Idaho Education Association President Layne McInelly said the group is excited to work with legislators to make sure “a child’s ZIP code doesn’t determine whether their classrooms are up-to-date or crumbling, supportive or overcrowded, kept warm or freezing.”

Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield said in a statement: “In recent years the state has focused on supporting educators by increasing salaries, improving their health insurance and adding money to school budgets for support staff. Now, the time is right to put that same emphasis on the buildings where our students learn. I appreciate that Governor Little recognizes the need and is making it a priority.”

ST. LOUIS COUNTY - The deceased in a recent St. Louis County homicide has been identified as Jaimarcus McDaniel, 17 years of age, of the 1800 block of North 44th Street in East St. Louis. St. Louis County Police Department Crimes Against Persons detectives are investigating a homicide in the area of Apricot Avenue and Emma Avenue in the City of Jennings Precinct that resulted in the death of a male. A St. Louis County police officer from the City of Jennings Precinct observed a person down in a field in the area of Apricot Avenue and Emma Avenue. The officer observed the person, described as a young male in his late teens, to be deceased. Preliminary investigation has revealed the male suffered apparent gunshot injuries. The investigation is ongoing. Additional information will be disseminated as it becomes available. Please contact the St. Louis County Police Department at 636-529-8210 to speak with investigators if you have any information regarding this incident. To remain anonymous

Continue Reading

POINTFEST, a large outdoor rock music festival, is coming back to the St. Louis metro in a few months.

ST. LOUIS -- The final phase of our latest storm will bring a change from cold rain to light snow and flurries this afternoon. Winds will also be increasing later today into this evening as well. Additional accumulations will be less than 1" in the St. Louis metropolitan area, with a couple of inches possible [...]

GRANITE CITY - The Rotary Club of Granite City recognized eight juniors from Granite City High School as Students of the Month for September, October, November and December. Students were nominated by teachers, and were chosen on the basis of academics, as well as scholastic, extracurricular and civic honors and awards, and organization membership and leadership. Each honoree will receive a framed certificate and a gift card, and will be recognized at the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast on March 12, 2024. A'MIYA JAMES - September Member of Secondary Honors ... Honors chemistry and English ... Volunteer at Church ... Daughter of Loreal and Rekeida White. AUDREY WHITEHEAD - September Three-year member of volleyball team ... Member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Student Council, Spirit Club and Varsity Club ... Volunteer at Coolidge and GCHS Volleyball Camp ... Coolidge Volunteer Assistant Volleyball Coach ... Daughter of Scott and Jane Whitehead. LYDIA HARRIS - October

Continue Reading

Ruh-roh! Scooby-Doo and the gang will need your help to solve a gem of a mystery when the SCOOBY-DOO!™ Mansion Mayhem exhibit comes to The Magic House.   The immersive […]

The post SCOOBY-DOO!™ Mansion Mayhem appeared first on Explore St. Louis.

DECATUR - The U.S. Supreme Court has denied a request to review the Illinois Supreme Court’s decision on Illinois’ weapons ban law on due process, equal protection, and Second Amendment grounds, according to State Representative Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur), who filed the request. “Our case, along with about 200 cases, were denied a U.S. Supreme Court review,” Caulkins said. “The Supreme Court’s refusal to hear our case does not change the fact two of the Illinois Supreme Court justices, who accepted millions of dollars in donations from gun control advocates, should have recused themselves from voting. The denial of a hearing does not mean SCOTUS approves the conduct of the Justices. It is not just that they received donations from gun control advocates, but it also is the exorbitant amount of money they received in donations. There is no question, they should have recused themselves.” At issue is the denial of due process under the 14 th Amendmen

Continue Reading

ALTON - While national projections indicate a 4%-6% decline in inpatient admission volumes for hospitals during the next 10 years, OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center experienced the opposite in 2023 by realizing an increase in inpatient admissions. In fact, going back to 2021, OSF Saint Anthony’s has seen its market share increase by 15% overall with year-to-year increases from 2021-2022 and 2022-2023. “Our diligent and hyper-focused work is to make OSF Saint Anthony’s a full-service community hospital with all of the necessary primary and specialty care services needed to provide a comprehensive platform for patients here in the Riverbend region,” says Jerry Rumph, president, OSF Saint Anthony’s. “Our overall goal is to keep care close to home while minimizing the need to send patients to St. Louis for care.” And it’s not only in the inpatient acute care area that OSF Saint Anthony’s witnessed increased patient volumes.

Continue Reading

Missouri U.S. Rep. Cori Bush (D-St. Louis) requests a federal investigation over the abrupt closure of the Northview Village Nursing Home in St. Louis.