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Today Tucker Carlson got fired and tomorrow I get cured of cancer.¹ The week is shaping up nicely. What's on tap for Wednesday? ¹Sort of.

If you’re headed out of town this weekend, you might want to make sure you leave early to get a jump on whatever bad traffic situation could start happening on Interstate 270/Interstate 255 near Interstate 55. Starting at 8 p.m. this Friday, April 28, three lanes of I-255 approaching southbound I-55 will be closed so crews can get some painting work done on the bridge.

When Guatemalan-native Adelaida crossed the Mexican-American border at McAllen, Texas, to seek asylum, immigration officials told her very little before they attached a GPS monitor to her ankle. “I was scared because never in my life had I seen an ankle monitor,” said Adelaida, who asked that her last name be withheld out of fear […]

The post St. Louis protest targets use of ankle monitors, passport confiscation for asylum seekers appeared first on Missouri Independent.

ST. LOUIS, April 21, 2023 - Schnuck Markets, Inc. has issued an allergy alert on select Schnucks Pretzel Schticks because the products may contain undeclared milk - a known allergen. People who have an allergy or sensitivity to milk could run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. Schnucks customers are urged to check for: Schnucks Dill Pickle Pretzels Schticks 10 oz. UPC: 41318-25268 Lot code: D0052023 Lot code: D0132023 Lot code: D0142023 Lot code: D1182022 Lot code: D1232022 Lot code: D1812022 Lot code: D1872022 Lot code: D2902022 Schnucks Honey Mustard Pretzels Schticks 10 oz. UPC: 41318-25266 Lot code: D0112023 Lot code: D0172023 Lot code: D0182023 Lot code: D1582022 Lot code: D1932022 Lot code: D1942022 Lot code: D1952022 Lot code: D2882022. Affected products may be returned to the nearest Schnucks store for a full refund or exchange. Customers with questions may contact the Schnucks Customer Care team at 314-994-4400 or 1-800-264-4400.

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ST. LOUIS -- A lot of people were surprised to see the Northern Lights as far south as Missouri Sunday night, and they may be visible again Monday. Images of the aurora borealis have been shared from rural locations north of St. Louis. NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center says that the geomagnetic storm that earth [...]

GRAFTON - The Parks Committee and volunteers conducted a parks cleanup day on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, 2023. Grafton Parks Committee Chairwoman, Cheryl Rawe, and her husband, Mike, met the volunteers at The Grove Memorial Park at 9 a.m. Saturday. The goal for the morning was to clean and re-paint the Two Rivers mural painting in the concrete welcome circle at the park entrance. The city provided the paint and equipment and the volunteers quickly organized and started work. “It is exciting to see all our parks getting cleaned up and revived for the upcoming season,” said Rawe. “Thank you to everyone who has had a hand in making Grafton a beautiful place.” The Boy Scouts of Troop #59 met at the same time in Mason Hollow Park under the leadership and supervision of Scout Committee Chairman, Ray Hasty. Their mission was to prepare and stain the wooden pavilion in the center of the park. The Scouts quickly erected scaffolding and using portable electric

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced that a Will County man pleaded guilty and was sentenced to prison for burglarizing businesses and stealing cash from video poker machines. The plea is part of an ongoing burglary case Raoul announced in 2022 following a joint investigation with the Illinois Gaming Board, the Illinois State Police (ISP) and several local law enforcement agencies. Brian Morgan, 42, of Plainfield, Illinois, was sentenced to nine years in prison in Lee County Circuit Court Thursday after pleading guilty to one count of Class 1 felony theft. Morgan was also sentenced to nine years in prison, to be served concurrently, after pleading guilty to one count of Class 2 felony burglary. Morgan is currently in prison, serving a separate sentence in connection to unrelated charges. “Members of this burglary ring allegedly targeted bars, restaurants, social clubs and other small businesses that have video poker and video gaming machines. They broke into dozen

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Mötley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx has shared his thoughts on the legal battle between the band and former guitarist Mick Mars, who has suggested he was forced out after retiring from the road, not the…

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by Lulu Ramadan and Mike Reicher, The Seattle Times

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

Washington lawmakers voted nearly unanimously Friday to strengthen oversight of private special education schools that serve some of the state’s most vulnerable public school students.

These schools, called nonpublic agencies, received more than $50 million in public funding last school year to serve roughly 500 public school students with complex disabilities. But an investigation by The Seattle Times and ProPublica revealed that weak state oversight had allowed serious problems to fester for years at the largest of the schools in Washington state.

A wide-ranging bill, proposed in response to the stories, passed on Friday and is expected to be signed by Gov. Jay Inslee. It would expand the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s responsibility to investigate complaints and ensure programs have qualified staff.

The schools are meant to provide individualized curricula to students whose needs are too great to be met in traditional public schools.

The Times and ProPublica reported last year that the Northwest School of Innovative Learning — which operates a network of campuses in Tacoma, Redmond and Tumwater — had faced a steady stream of complaints alleging abuse, misuse of locked isolation rooms to manage student behavior and classes led by unqualified aides instead of certified teachers.

The legislation addresses “a travesty that has occurred” at Northwest SOIL, which served dozens of public school students, Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos, D-Seattle, who chairs the House Education Committee and authored portions of the bill, said Thursday on the House floor. Students “were not only not receiving special education services, but they were also not receiving their basic constitutional right to an education,” she said.

The legislation would create a centralized repository of complaints against these schools.

For years, school districts across western Washington fielded alarming reports about Northwest SOIL. Though some of these complaints made it to state education officials, many stayed at the school district level, making it difficult for regulators to spot widespread issues.

Fairfax Hospital, the largest private psychiatric facility in Washington, owns Northwest SOIL and defended its program, denying allegations that it misused restraint holds or skimped on staffing.

Following The Times and ProPublica’s reporting, OSPI launched an investigation into Northwest SOIL in January. The state requested a trove of records and set deadlines in February and March. As of April, however, the inquiry is ongoing, and the state is still collecting documents from the private school, according to OSPI.

In a statement to the news organizations last week, the agency noted that the information it requested covers several years through the present and that the probe may include interviews and on-site visits. “It is our priority to fully understand the scope of the concerns being raised and assess the responses from the three NW SOIL campuses in order to identify appropriate next steps,” the agency said in a statement.

The bill, SB 5315, also requires these private schools to report police incidents to school districts and OSPI. Currently, there is no explicit requirement that the schools report police investigations. State officials said they were unaware of several police investigations at Northwest SOIL until The Times and ProPublica reported on allegations that one teacher choked students and another dragged a boy across a classroom.

“We all agree that there needs to be a tighter rein and more accountability for these schools, for vulnerable students,” said Sen. Claire Wilson, D-Auburn, who filed the legislation at the request of OSPI. The House passed the bill unanimously, while the Senate passed the bill with just one vote against it.

Currently, these private schools are subject to few state requirements. OSPI reviews annual applications that include staff lists and certification details. But the programs do not have to provide a specific curriculum or employ more than one special education teacher.

The legislation would tighten oversight, requiring annual visits and contracts with school districts that detail education plans and curriculum. It would also require more staff training at the private schools.

Some school districts accused Northwest SOIL of billing for services it never provided, including one-on-one aides. In 2021, the school’s top administrator reported to a school district that Northwest SOIL skimped on qualified staff, curriculum and basic education tools so Fairfax Hospital’s multibillion-dollar parent company, Universal Health Services, could increase profits.

Fairfax Hospital denied the allegations that it cut corners on education and staffing in a past statement to The Times and ProPublica. UHS said it had no comment beyond Fairfax’s statement.

Fairfax also did not respond to a request for comment on the legislation when it was first filed in January.

“We want to make sure we can get that public money back if schools are accused of overbilling and not providing services,” said Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn, who said his caucus pushed for the financial accountability provisions in response to The Times and ProPublica’s reporting.

Wilson said there was broad agreement over the need to strengthen oversight and accountability, but the House and Senate versions contained some small differences that had to be worked out. The bill passed with just two days left in the legislative session after a last-minute debate among lawmakers and ultimately included provisions suggested by both bodies.

For instance, the original Senate version did not include state auditor oversight, and the House version did not call for a centralized tracking system for complaints. The bill also renames nonpublic agencies as “authorized entities.”

The Washington Federation of Independent Schools, a nonprofit that represents private schools, worked with Wilson’s office on the legislative language. Many of the private programs are certified by the state Board of Education, though some are not. Northwest SOIL is among the programs that is not formally certified as a private school.

Suzie Hanson, the federation’s executive director, noted that many certified private schools already offer comprehensive programs. The group supports “whatever the law can do to make sure there is accountability, responsibility and recognition that the work being done is difficult and good and needs to be done by experts and by people who care a lot about making sure students get what they need,” she said.

PIASA - Southwestern Middle School announced its 3rd Quarter Honor Roll lists. To view them, please click the link below: Southwestern Middle School 3rd Quarter Honor Roll

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“There is a migration going on. We need to be aware of it and help people, and we need to document it.”

Alissa Heinerscheid is one of two executives involved in a social media campaign that had critics calling for a boycott.

“JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR” will Play The Fabulous Fox Theater May 9-21 Following critically acclaimed, sold-out engagements in the UK, the reimagined 50th Anniversary tour of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR will come to St. Louis at the Fabulous Fox Theatre May 9-21. The 2017 Olivier awarding-winning production from Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre is on sale now […]

The post Award winning production of ‘Superstar” Returns to St. Louis appeared first on flovalleynews.com.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — At the sprawling array of laboratories and test facilities in the southeastern Idaho desert where the U.S. nuclear power industry was born more than 70 years ago, past, present and future are converging. Not far from where the first reactor to ever produce usable electricity made history in 1951, Idaho National Laboratory nuclear engineer […]

The post With decarbonization, advocates see a bright future for nuclear after decades of dormancy appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Managing personal finances is an important life skill that underpins the national effort to require personal finance education in every state. But that effort shouldn’t edge out teaching economics, a Fed official argues.

Metallica's new album 72 Seasons has debuted on the Billboard 200 with the biggest sales week for a rock record in nearly four years. The 11th studio effort from the…

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Over a year after reality TV star Andy Cohen received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, his hometown will give him the same honor. Cohen, a Clayton native and host of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen,  will be inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame along Delmar Boulevard next month. Cohen will receive his star and make remarks during a ceremony on May 5.