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You can take beads to the St. Louis Aquarium now through Feb. 26 to be recycled.

A grenade was found shortly after 1 p.m. Monday in the 400 block of Burroughs Road in Columbia.

A car ran a yield sign and was struck in downtown St. Louis. The car then flipped and struck a 17-year-old who was walking in the area.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis

Gage Skidmore

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: A Florida representative filed legislation today aimed at scaling back protections against public figures weaponizing the courts against their critics.

The bill echoes talking points discussed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and his guests during a roundtable discussion on defamation law earlier this month. Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF) responded to that anti-press display in the Tampa Bay Times last week.

The bill would help powerful litigants evade the protections established by the landmark 1964 Supreme Court case New York Times Co. v. Sullivan which, along with subsequent cases, required public figures to prove “actual malice” in suits for defamation. It would stifle investigative reporting by presuming statements attributed to anonymous sources to be false.

It would also allow prevailing defamation plaintiffs to recover their attorneys’ fees, a rare exception to the “American rule” that litigants bear their own costs. The bill resembles a proposal DeSantis’ office considered, but ultimately did not introduce, last year.

A statement by Seth Stern, director of advocacy for Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF) and a First Amendment lawyer, is below:

Gov. DeSantis continues to make clear his disdain for freedom of speech and the press and to prioritize censoring dissent over governing. This bill would do nothing for ordinary Floridians but would allow government officials and celebrities to harass and even bankrupt their critics with expensive litigation. It would stifle investigative reporting by presuming any statements attributed to anonymous sources to be false despite that (or, given DeSantis’ ambitions, maybe because) confidential sources have literally brought down presidents in this country.

The Florida legislature should reject this political stunt and Floridians should not tolerate their governor’s experiments in authoritarianism in their name and at their expense. The U.S. Congress should safeguard the First Amendment by codifying Sullivan and ensuring that the press and public are protected from politically-motivated defamation lawsuits.

A high school in northeast Macoupin County was placed on lockdown Monday morning after local police received a report of an armed person on campus.

The store will be the local chain's first in the city of St. Louis.

Washington University researcher Calvin Lai discusses his latest study showing that the daylong implicit bias-oriented training programs commonly used by most police departments are unlikely to reduce racial inequity in policing.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 24.

EDWARDSVILLE - A total of 19 Edwardsville High School students earned All-State honors recently. Here is the list of EHS All-State Music students: Selin Aktuna, cello Jane Fitzgerald, violin Ashley Kim, violin Magdalyn Thomas, double bass Karis Chen, violin Alessia Heiser, bassoon Derek Markus, viola Peter Valkov, viola Hansen Zheng, cello Ben Moore, voice Da'Shon Dunn, voice Taylor Mollett, voice Savannah Kohlmiller, voice Julia Towell, voice Lucy Schapman, voice Ella Carter, voice Lauren Bruss, voice Natalie Becker, voice Sydney Andrews, voice These students were selected to All-State based on their All-District audition scores back in October 2022. ILMEA (Illinois Music Educators Association) is divided into nine districts throughout the state. Edwardsville's district region spans from Mt. Vernon to Carbondale. These students represent the top 2 percent of band, choir, and orchestra high school students in the state of Illinois. "The students that score at

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A medical examiner's office ruled the baby's death a homicide over the weekend.

If you're looking to learn more about a specific animal, especially one that's native to North America, or native to your own state, then an animal sanctuary might be just the place for you.

ALTON - The Alton High School Music Department has always ranked among the best in the State of Illinois. Recently, the Alton Music Department proudly represented the school at the 2023 Illinois Music Educators Association (ILMEA) All-State Festival. These students represent the top 2 percent of band, choir, and orchestra high school students in the state of Illinois. These are Alton High's Music All-Staters: All-State Chorus: Aaron Swanson, senior, 2nd year selected to All-State All-State Honors Chorus: Kyle Neace, senior, 2nd year selected to All-State Matt Taylor, senior All-State Honors Band: Melanie Parker, flute, senior, 2nd year selected to All-State All-State Orchestra: Brody Macias, violin, senior, 2nd year selected to All-State Ethan Fox, viola, junior Stephen Whiteside, cello, sophomore Will Hussey, bass, senior, 2nd year selected to All-State All-State Honors Orchestra: Victor Humphrey, viola, senior, 3rd year selected to All-State Wesley LeBrun,

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A suspected thief who would don FedEx attire to steal packages from unsuspecting homeowners is now in police custody.

The Riverview Drive on ramp to eastbound I-270 shuts down Tuesday through July 2024 for construction of a new interchange and new Chain of Rocks Bridge.

The Kansas City Chiefs are honored by Grant's Farm in St. Louis after the attraction named a yak born Super Bowl Sunday after the NFL champs.

Lamar Johnson was exonerated less than a week ago after serving three decades in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.  He walked out of prison with little more than the clothes on his back.  “Having been home just a few days, the difficulties of starting a new life after a wrongful conviction are fresh […]

The post Missouri legislators seek to expand law providing restitution for wrongful convictions appeared first on Missouri Independent.

COTTLEVILLE, Mo. -- Sauce on the Side is opening up its eleventh St. Louis area location in St. Charles County. The local chain is known for their hand-crafted calzones, salads and desserts. The newest location will be in the Cottleville Landing shopping center near Farm & Home Supply. “We are extremely excited to be opening [...]