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The Extreme Heat Warning from the National Weather Service remains in effect for the City of St. Louis through 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 30.

Did you know that nearly 20% of butterfly species worldwide are currently at risk of extinction? As pollinators, butterflies play a critical role in maintaining the health of ecosystems, yet their populations are declining due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change. Creating a butterfly garden in your backyard is a meaningful way to support these delicate creatures while adding natural beauty and biodiversity to your home environment. Choosing the Right Location and Layout Selecting an appropriate site is the first step toward establishing a thriving butterfly garden. Butterflies are cold-blooded and rely heavily on sunlight to regulate their body temperature. Therefore, choose a spot that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Avoid windy areas, as strong breezes can hinder butterfly activity. Consider the garden’s layout with a mix of nectar-rich flowers, larval host plants, and sheltered resting spots. Grouping plants of the same species together

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July 23rd holds a remarkable place in history, marked by events that have shaped cultures, nations, and the trajectory of human progress. Perhaps the most globally impactful event associated with the era around this date is the Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969. Although the actual lunar landing occurred on July 20th, the days following—including July 23rd—were critical as the astronauts safely returned to Earth, sparking worldwide celebration and a renewed sense of possibility for humanity. This monumental achievement not only demonstrated extraordinary technological prowess but also united people across the globe in awe and inspiration. Turning back the clock, July 23rd, 1829, saw the founding of the London Metropolitan Police Service by then-Home Secretary Sir Robert Peel. This development marked the beginning of modern policing, introducing principles of organized law enforcement aimed at maintaining public order in the rapidly growing urban centers of Britain. The Metropolitan

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Amid the outpouring of tributes to Ozzy Osbourne following news of the metal icon's death Tuesday at age 76, even more have arrived to honor the late Prince of Darkness.Metallica,…

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At times, people facing rare and aggressive cancer diagnoses may feel like there are no care options. OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute in Peoria, Illinois continues to expand care options for many types of cancers, including gynecologic carcinosarcoma. Gynecologic carcinosarcomas are rare cancerous tumors, mainly impacting the uterus and ovaries, which take on characteristics of epithelial (develops from the cells that cover the ovaries or line the uterus) cancers, as well as sarcomas (develops in bones, cartilage, muscle, fat, blood vessels and more). It’s estimated roughly two out of every 100,000 women will develop these rare tumors each year. OSF has been able to treat patients with this very rare cancer before, but now with additional oncology specialists at OSF Cancer Institute, the teams are able to better serve these patients and offer them clinical trials as well. Uniqueness of gynecologic carcinosarcoma: "One of the things that is unique about it is that it coul

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by Richard A. Webster, Verite News

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

Louisiana passed a new police accountability law following allegations of civil rights violations against a sheriff’s deputy caught on video dragging a Black woman by her hair and slamming her head into the ground.

The woman, Shantel Arnold, sued the deputy and the sheriff, accusing the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office of conspiring to cover up the 2021 assault. The Sheriff’s Office agreed in March to pay Arnold $300,000 after three days of trial but before jury deliberations began, Arnold’s attorney said.

After the incident, ProPublica, in partnership with WRKF, WWNO and The Times-Picayune, published an investigation detailing the long history of excessive-force complaints against Jefferson Parish sheriff’s Deputy Julio Alvarado. Alvarado, a 20-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office, was employed by the department as of March.

Arnold’s attorney, state Sen. Gary Carter, D-New Orleans, said he introduced the legislation after it emerged that Alvarado had failed to write a report about his encounter with Arnold despite his department’s policy that officers document each time they use force. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joseph Lopinto said during his testimony in the March trial over Arnold’s lawsuit that Alvarado’s commanders instructed him against writing such a report after video of his actions spread across social media.

Arnold’s run-in with Alvarado, which was captured in a 14-second video, left the woman with bruises and scratches across her body, a busted lip and recurring headaches, according to her subsequent account to police investigators.

“Had it not been for a bystander capturing how this officer beat up Shantel Arnold, there would be no report, there would be no evidence of it, there would be no indication that it ever happened,” Carter said in a recent interview.

The new law, passed unanimously by state legislators and signed by Gov. Jeff Landry in June, will require all law enforcement agencies to report every time an officer’s use of force results in serious injury. It directs the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training, which certifies police officers, to adopt a policy on mandatory use-of-force reporting by Jan. 1. Details of how the process will work have not been spelled out, nor has the penalty for failing to comply.

The bill was introduced as “Shantel Arnold’s Law,” but Carter said that name was removed because “Sheriff Lopinto got very upset about that, and that almost killed the bill.”

Neither the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office nor Alvarado’s attorney responded to requests for comment or an interview.

Alvarado came across Arnold in September 2021, when the officer responded to a 911 call about a fight among 25 people in Jefferson Parish. When the deputy pulled up in his patrol car, Alvarado saw Arnold, covered in dirt, walking down the street. Arnold told the deputy she was attacked by a group of boys who frequently bullied her. When Alvarado ordered her to stop, Arnold said she just wanted to go home and kept walking. That’s when the deputy jumped out of his vehicle, grabbed Arnold and slammed her into the sidewalk, according to several witnesses.

In a video taken by a bystander, Alvarado drags Arnold along the pavement, holds her by her braids and slams her repeatedly onto the pavement. Arnold was not charged with a crime and was later taken to a hospital. The Sheriff’s Office did not use body cameras at the time but has since begun using them.

The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office denied wrongdoing. A 2022 internal investigation by the Sheriff’s Office determined Alvarado’s actions against Arnold were “both reasonable and acceptable.” Alvarado received an “approximately” 40-hour suspension for failing to file a written report, Lopinto said in his March testimony.

Arnold alleged in her 2022 lawsuit that the Sheriff’s Office knew Alvarado had a propensity for violence against Black people and other minority groups yet continued to have him patrol such communities, putting the public in danger.

Lopinto attributed Alvarado’s history of complaints to his working a high-crime beat, according to a 2022 Times-Picayune interview. “It’s not like he’s getting a complaint every month,” Lopinto said. During that same interview, Lopinto dismissed Arnold’s account and accused her of “looking for a paycheck.”

Alvarado’s alleged misdeeds fit a broader pattern in the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, as the yearlong investigation into the Sheriff’s Office by ProPublica, WRKF and WWNO found. Between 2013 and 2021, deputies disproportionately discharged guns against Black people. Of the 40 people shot at by Jefferson Parish deputies during that time, 73% were Black, more than double their share of the population. Twelve of the 16 people who died after being shot or restrained by deputies during that time were Black.

Alvarado has been named in at least 10 federal civil rights lawsuits since 2007, all involving the use of excessive force; eight of the plaintiffs were members of minority groups.

The Sheriff’s Office settled three of those lawsuits. Arnold’s $300,000 payout is the third — and largest — settlement involving Alvarado. Five other lawsuits were closed in favor of the Sheriff’s Office, one was dismissed on a legal technicality and one was indefinitely delayed.

The Sheriff’s Office said in filings responding to the eight lawsuits that were not dismissed or delayed that officers’ actions were “reasonable under the circumstances” and characterized the claims as “frivolous.”

Prior to the 2021 incident involving Arnold, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office had settled a 2016 lawsuit accusing Alvarado of grabbing a 14-year-old Hispanic boy by the neck and slamming his head against the concrete as the child screamed, “Why are you doing this to me?” A woman had called the police complaining that the boy and a friend were wrestling in a parking lot. Alvarado then threatened to have the boy and his family deported, according to the suit. The Sheriff’s Office, which paid the boy’s family $15,000, said in court filings that Alvarado’s actions were “reasonable under the circumstances.”

In 2018, another lawsuit claimed Alvarado and three deputies beat Atdner Casco, a Honduran native, and stole more than $2,000 from him during a traffic stop the year before, then conspired to have him deported. Casco claimed Alvarado beat and choked him until he agreed to keep silent about being robbed. The Sheriff’s Office denied wrongdoing but settled that case in 2020 for $50,000.

Both incidents were cited in Arnold’s lawsuit as evidence that Alvarado has exhibited a pattern of behavior throughout his career that made him unfit for duty. Carter, Arnold’s attorney, raised yet another incident during the March trial in which sheriff detectives in December 2019 witnessed Alvarado patronizing a massage parlor that was being investigated for suspected prostitution. Alvarado denied he went there to “have a sexual act performed on him.” He was demoted from sergeant to deputy for “bringing the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in disrepute” and for patronizing an “illegitimate business while on duty and neglecting your responsibilities to detectives under your command,” Carter said during the trial, citing an internal police report.

Carter said in an interview that Lopinto’s continued defense and employment of Alvarado represented a permissive attitude toward questionable behavior.

“He stood by” Alvarado, who “shows no contrition, no remorse,” Carter said.

“Anytime somebody drives by and doesn’t like something, they call the police, and somebody comes out to harass the residents.”

The clergy, 250 strong, gathered on the steps of the Kansas City Convention Center. They proclaimed a clear, moral argument opposing the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign targeting immigrants. “God knows no border” was among the chants. They were among thousands attending the United Church of Christ General Synod in Kansas City July 11-15. The […]

MADISON AND ST. CLAIR COUNTIES – The Metro East Park and Recreation District (MEPRD) is pleased to announce the launch of its Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) grant cycle, making a total of $6.43 million available to support the development and enhancement of public parks, trails, and recreation facilities in Madison and St. Clair Counties, Illinois. This year’s cycle introduces the new Priority Paths Grant Program , a significant initiative aimed at funding the construction of critical trail connections between the two counties, with the ultimate goal of creating a bi-county loop, uniting the Madison County and St. Clair County trail systems. Available grant opportunities under the FY26 cycle include: Park and Trail Grant Program ($3,000,000) Community Planning Grant Program ($400,000) Event Sponsorship Grant Program ($30,000) Priority Path Grant Program ($3,000,000) Applications open July 9, 2025 , and will be accepted on a rolling basis through May 29,

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EDWARDSVILLE - These three artists - Cindy Hose, Dganit Moreno and Robert Asselmeier - will have their art showcased at the upcoming Edwardsville Arts Fair Sept. 26-28. Artist #1: Cindy Hose Medium: Painting Artist Statement: "I begin by meticulously preparing my canvas, ensuring a smooth and receptive surface for the paints to flow upon. Using a combination of paints and pigments I’ve carefully selected for vibrancy and compatibility, along with my own unique pouring medium and cell activator, I manipulate the paints to form intricate cellular patterns and striking contrasts. "As I guide the paints onto the canvas, I become a conductor of color — tilting, turning, applying fire and breaths of air — watching in awe as the colors mingle and marry, creating marbled swirls and organic shapes that seem alive." Artist #2: Dganit Moreno Medium: Textiles Artist Statement: "I use cotton fabric to create architectural imagery. The softness

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City officials have approved plans to demolish a long-vacant, century-old home in Maryland Heights to make way for a new senior care facility.

by Perla Trevizo, Melissa Sanchez, Mica Rosenberg and Maryam Jameel

Leer en español.

The Trump administration sent more than 230 Venezuelan immigrants to CECOT, a maximum-security prison in El Salvador, and accused them of being members of the violent Tren de Aragua gang. For the past four months, ProPublica and The Texas Tribune have been reporting on these men, their backgrounds and how they ended up in custody. We’ve written about how the administration knew before removing them that the vast majority had not been convicted of any crimes in the U.S., contradicting its claims that the men were “the worst of the worst,” and how, by and large, they were abiding by the immigration system and not absconding from authorities. Now that they’ve been returned to Venezuela, we’re continuing to report on who the men are and what they went through.

Do you have information about the men or about the operation in which they were deported that you can share? Fill out this form or contact us via Signal at 917-512-0201 or WhatsApp at 917-327-4868.

We appreciate you sharing your story and we take your privacy seriously. We are gathering this information for the purposes of our reporting, and we will contact you if we wish to publish any part of your story.

Boeing’s air and space museum, the James S. McDonnell Prologue Room, will be open to the public this summer! From biplanes to space capsules, the Prologue Room displays artifacts and […]

The post Visit the James S. McDonnell Prologue Room appeared first on Explore St. Louis.

For as much promise as artificial intelligence shows in making life better, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is worried. The tech leader who has done so much to develop AI and make it accessible to the public says the technology could have life-altering effects on nearly everything, particularly if deployed by the wrong hands. There’s a […]

Heat Advisory in effect until 7 p.m. Thursday. Today's high will reach a sizzling 95 degrees with a low tonight of 75. The day will be mostly sunny, hot, and humid, making it feel like 110 degrees at times. Winds will be light from the south-southeast with some gusts up to 15 mph. UV levels are very high, so don't forget your sunscreen! Air quality is moderate with low pollen counts for grass, ragweed, and trees, and mold is also low. Stay hydrated and avoid strenuous outdoor activities during the peak heat hours. If you must be outside, take frequent breaks in the shade or air conditioning. Tomorrow, expect another hot day with a high near 98 and a low around 76. It will be partly sunny and very humid, with a chance of isolated thunderstorms. The heat will feel dangerous again, with feels-like temperatures soaring above 100 degrees. Be prepared for sudden storms and keep an eye on the sky in the afternoon. For the latest updates, visit https://riverbender.com/weather .

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District 3 is investigating a stealing incident that occurred on June 23, 2025 in the 1700 block of Park Avenue. Around 3:30 p.m. on June 23, a victim contacted police to report she had just arrived at her residence when she was approached by an unknown male suspect asking for money. At that point, the […]

The post PHOTOS: Suspect Wanted for Theft in Lafayette Square appeared first on St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

This story was originally published by KCUR 89.3.   In July 2023, LaTonya Williams, volunteer president of the school board in St. Joseph, Missouri, posted photos on her personal Facebook page of recent purchases from Target. Among them were rainbow pillows and other colorful items she found in the dollar bin, intended for use at […]