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Molina Homers, Leads Cards to 4-1 Win over Cubs

Dave Jobe — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:04:30 +0000

Yadier Molina two run sixth inning home run broke a 1-1 tie and led the Cardinals to a 4-1 win over the Cardinals on Wednesday night at Busch Stadium. The Major Leagues top hitter connected off former Cardinals pitcher Edwin Jackson for his 5th home run of the season to start a three run rally in the victorious sixth inning.

Jake Westbrook allowed one unearned run in seven innings pitched to win his third game of the season. Edward Mujica finished up in the ninth inning for his 21st save of the season. The Cardinals have won two of the first three games of this four game series with the Cubs. Game four is Thursday night at Busch Stadium with Lance Lynn getting the start for the Redbirds.

Here’s Cardinals manager Mike Matheny on the success that Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina is having both behind and at the plate in 2013.

Authorities Looking For Counterfeiters In St. Louis Area

George Sells — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:11:16 +0000

ST. LOUIS, MO. (KTVI) – Police and federal agents on both sides of the Mississippi are searching for counterfeiters who appear to be doing a sloppy job of passing bogus bills. But that’s no consolation to at least one victim, who has been left in desperate straits by the thievery.

The story begins with a five month old baby named Lillyana. Her early days have been tough ones.

“We had our daughter premature,” her mom, Krystal Hopper, said. “She spent a lot of time in the hospital. We were both out of jobs at the time.”

So in the last few weeks, hoping to cover some expenses, they put her fiancé’s motorcycle up for sale on Craigslist. They had an offer from a Ladue man Monday, but it was contingent upon him selling his car.

“He sold his vehicle. He comes and gives us the money for the motorcycle. He leaves

We get a call about 3 hours later and says, ‘The money I just gave you is counterfeit. It’s fake. You can’t use it.’”

They immediately examined the six, one hundred dollar bills more closely, and saw the problem. It was something they simply overlooked when they took the cash.

“It was folded up when he gave it to us. So hey. We counted it yeah. So then after he called, we looked at it, and the serial numbers on it are all the same. All the same,” she said.

They turned the money over to police in Illinois, but still don’t have the motorcycle back.

“No bike. No money. No title. No nothing. We are struck,” she said.

The U.S. Secret Service is in charge of counterfeiting cases. They say phony money is pretty easy to spot if you look for the signs.

“Water mark. Security strip. Color shifting ink,” Agent Doug Roberts said in an interview.

The water mark is like a faint image of the portrait on the bill which you can see when you hold it up to light. The security strip can also be spotted that way. And the number on the bottom right of a bill over five dollars will change colors when you shift it in the light.

“I think if people pay attention to the security features in the currency, they will protect themselves from something like this and not enable a criminal to rip them off,” Roberts said.

In the case of the money passed to Hopper, he says the job was a sloppy one.

“I don’t know if it was lazy, but it was pretty quickly done, and they didn’t take the time to change the security features, so it was pretty easy to recognize just looking at the photos you showed me.”

It’s a lesson Hopper has learned the hard way. She says she’s done with Craigslist, and fed up in general.

“Disgust. I was just absolutely disgusted. I mean there are so many people out there that are selling things because they need the money. Like us. Diapers. Wipes. Formula for our daughter. It’s absolutely asinine.”

For more information on how to spot phony bills, go to this link on the Secret Service website:
http://www.newmoney.gov/uscurrency/default.htm

Spike In Mosquito Infestations Wreaking Havoc On Local Communities

Shawndrea Thomas — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:38:47 +0000

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO (KTVI)– As the rain fluctuates around the St. Louis metro, it`s causing mosquitos to multiply and this year`s numbers are 15-percent higher than last year.

Drew Hane with the St. Louis County Vector Control says the infestation of disease carrying mosquitos is what has them on high alert. He says more than 37,000 specimens were sent to labs for examination. The sporadic rain and flooding just adds to the problem.

Workers say it`s the worst infestation they`ve seen in the last 7 years.

“We`d like for them to limit their activity outdoors during the time when these disease carrying mosquitos are out, which is the dusk and evening hours right before dawn,” said Hane.

Hane also says the public should do their part to keep the county in the loop on problem areas.

“Let us know if they are seeing high concentration of mosquitos if they have flood waters in their area so we can get to it inspect and treat. Anything that`s holding water pet dishes, bird baths stuff like that should be dumped out and flushed every 5 days,” he said.

St. Louis County sends out at least 20 employees a day to keep tabs on and four trucks go out each night to spray, they also plan to start the spray process earlier the coming weeks.

Report mosquito infestations

http://www.stlouisco.com/HealthandWellness/AnimalandMosquitoControl/VectorControlMosquitoandRodent

Follow Shawndrea Thomas on Facebook

Crystal City Homeowners Fed Up With Raw Sewage

Jeff Bernthal — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:34:53 +0000

CRYSTAL CITY, MO (KTVI)– Jim Laiben compares the odor around his back yard to what an outdoor bathroom would smell like.

He shared with us home video that shows sewer water backing up out of a manhole and running onto his property.

He lives near the Crystal City VFW. Laiben says the problem started in February.

City leaders say they are aware of the problem and are working to fix it. They blame flood waters, pointing out that the sewage plant has treated more than 4 times the normal amount of water on some days.

Laiben doesn`t buy it. He`s lived on the property for more than 50 years and says even during the big flood of 1993, he never saw a sewage backup like the one he sees now.

“I just want this problem corrected,” he said. “I`m 84 years old and I don`t think I should have to put up with this.”

City leaders say they plan on raising the manhole covers and inspecting the lines once water levels drop.

Laiben worries about any health problems the sewer water might pose and says he can`t even sit outside at night.

“It`s tough to put up with.”

Here is the information Crystal City has provided about the problem:

We have received numerous calls concerning the bubbling of ‘raw sewage’ from a manhole at County Rd. and VFW Dr. As a matter of record, the Sewage Treatment Plant typically treats 1.4 million gallons per day, with the infiltration issues due to flooding they have been treating as much as 6 million gallons per day. The Treatment Plant is a joint venture between the Cities of Festus and Crystal City, the infiltration is not just a Crystal City issue. We have contacted the Department of Natural Resources and filed the proper reports, DNR representatives have also visited the site. We have flushed the lines as well as sent our remote camera through the lines and found that there is no blockage of any mains in the area, the bubbling is occurring due to the flood waters infiltrating several manholes and backing up throughout the system. As the flood waters subside the bubbling has stopped. Once the flood waters completely subside and the system becomes accessible we will address these issues by raising the manholes and taking any other actions necessary to try and prevent this from happening in the future. As flood levels are unpredictable issues like this are not 100% preventable; however, we will continue to do our best to ensure we treat these concerns and any concerns with priority. Please be assured that the City takes these matters very serious. We sincerely hope this helps address any rumors or concerns you may have and as always we encourage you to call City Hall @ 937-4614 with any concerns you have.
Thank you.
Jason M. Eisenbeis, MBA
City Administrator

Widow Gives Birth 1 Week After Husband Was Murdered At 7-Eleven

Anthony Kiekow — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:10:08 +0000

ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI)– The widow of a Bhutanese man who was murdered at a south St. Louis 7 Eleven has delivered a baby.

Rachel Rai was born Monday. One week after her father Mon Rai was shot to death.

His widow Susila spoke exclusively with Fox 2 News on Wednesday.

She does not speak English, so a translator was used during the interview.

“On one hand I am happy to have gave birth, but when I look at her I think about my husband,” she said. “It is sad.”

Police have not made any arrests in the case.

“I want them to catch the person who did this to my husband,” she said.

Police released photos of the suspect in the June 10 murder.

He is described as a male with a medium build. He is 5’6″ to 5’9″ and was wearing a black and grey jacket.

If you have any information call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS.

The murder has left Susila struggling to support her two children.

You can donate at the Southern Commercial Bank. It’s located at 5515 South Grand Blvd. The account is under the name Mon Rai.

Cards Report: Talking Westbrook and Beltran

Charlie Marlow — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:02:02 +0000

(KTVI) – Jake Westbrook makes his second start since coming off the disabled list with an elbow injury.

And Carlos Beltran is currently leading All-Star balloting among NL outfielders, so he could make his 8th appearance in the midsummer classic back in New York, where he played with the Mets for 7 seasons.

FOX 2′s Charlie Marlow has the story.

*video courtesy of Fox Sports Midwest

Sopranos Actor James Gandolfini Dead At Age 51

Staff Writer — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:45:15 +0000

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(CNN) — James Gandolfini, best known for his role as an anxiety-ridden mob boss on HBO’s “The Sopranos,” died in Italy, possibly of a heart attack, an HBO spokeswoman and the actor’s managers said Wednesday. He was 51.

Gandolfini was on holiday in Rome, said Mara Mikialian, HBO’s vice president for program publicity.

The actor was scheduled to make an appearance at the Taormina Film Fest in Sicily this week, according to the festival.

Gandolfini won three Emmy Awards for his portrayal of Tony Soprano, the angst-ridden mob boss who visited a therapist and took Prozac while knocking off people. “The Sopranos” aired from 1999 to 2007.

“Jimmy was the spiritual core of our Sopranos family, and I am stunned at this devastating loss,” said Chris Albrecht, the former president of HBO who gave the green light to “The Sopranos.” “He was a great talent, but an even better man. My thoughts are with his family.”

Gandolfini was born September 18, 1961, in Westwood, New Jersey, according to Biography.com.

He graduated from Rutgers University and, as the story goes, he worked as a bartender and a bouncer in New York City until he went with a friend to an acting class.

He got his start on Broadway, with a role in the 1992 revival of “A Streetcar Named Desire” with Jessica Lange and Alec Baldwin.

Gandolfini’s big screen debut came in the role of a heavy in the bloody “True Romance” in 1993. His breakthrough came on the small screen in 1999 with the role of Tony Soprano.

“He was a genius. Anyone who saw him even in the smallest of his performances knows that,” David Chase, who developed “The Sopranos,” said in a statement. “…A great deal of that genius resided in those sad eyes.”

Gandolfini, who was notoriously press shy, had a reputation in the tabloids for being sometimes difficult.

“He wasn’t easy sometimes. But he was my partner, he was my brother in ways I can’t explain and never will be able to explain,” Chase said.

While Gandolfini was known for sometimes ruthless, often imposing characters, those who worked with him described an actor who put his heart into a role.

“He was just so good at the emotion. A very passionate man and a very, very tender man,” Matthew Warchus, who directed Gandolfini in the 2009 Broadway play “God of Carnage,” told CNN. “I really loved him and admired him a great deal.”

Gandolfini’s acting credits included roles in “The Last Castle” with Robert Redford, “The Mexican” with Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts and “Surviving Christmas” with Ben Affleck.

In recent years, he had starred in several movies, including the Oscar-nominated “Zero Dark Thirty,” “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3″ and “Killing Them Softly.”

Gandolfini showed a softer side, too, voicing Carol, a wild thing, in the 2009 movie adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s classic “Where the Wild Things Are.”

He also took to the stage to do a reading of Sendak’s “In The Night Kitchen” to mark the author’s 80th birthday.

News of the actor’s death spread quickly, drawing shock and sadness from those who had worked with him.

“James Gandolfini was a kind, funny, wonderful guy. I’m so lucky to have worked with him. Sending love to his family. Such a sad, sad day,” Olivia Wilde, who starred with the actor in “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone,” said in a post on Twitter.

Actor Steve Carrell, who also appeared in the movie, simply said on Twitter: “James Gandolfini. What a great loss.”

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie described himself as a “huge fan” of Gandolfini.

“It’s an awful shock. James Gandolfini was a fine actor, a Rutgers alum and a true Jersey guy,” he said.

Gandolfini is survived by his wife, Deborah, and their 9-month-old daughter, Liliana. He is also survived by a son, Michael, from another marriage.

CNN’s KJ Matthews, Douglas Hyde, Elise Miller and Henry Hanks contributed to this report.

MoDOT releases St. Louis work zones for June 20-26

Staff Writer — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:30:39 +0000

ST. LOUIS, MO. (KTVI) – MoDOT has released its weekly work zones report for the week of June 20^th through June 26^th.

The list of work zones is in addition to permanent work areas around or near the Blanchette Bridge and Tower Grove Interchange projects.

The Missouri Department of Transportation has weekend and nighttime work scheduled for Thursday, June 20 through Wednesday, June 26.

Motorists should be aware of the following on-going closures:
· I-64, St. Louis City, ramp from Pine Street to westbound I-64 closed until August 2013.
· I-64, St. Louis City, ramp from Ewing to eastbound I-64 closed until August 2013.
· Jefferson Avenue Bridge, St. Louis City, closed over I-64 until August 2013.
· I-64, St. Louis City, the Vandeventer ramp to westbound I-64 is closed until late 2013.
· I-64, St. Louis City, drivers in both directions have three shifted, 10-foot lanes between Kingshighway and Vandeventer until November 2013. The rightmost lane of eastbound I-64 exits at Hampton.
· I-70, (westbound section of the Interstate 70 Blanchette Bridge over the Missouri River) remains closed late summer 2013. The eastbound I-70 bridge has three lanes of traffic in each direction. The ramp from northbound 5^th Street to eastbound I-70 is also closed.
· I-70, St. Charles County, the ramp from westbound I-70 to southbound 5^th Street closes between June 10 and July 1.
· I-70, St. Charles County, loop ramps from Mid Rivers Mall Drive to eastbound and westbound I-70 remain closed until fall 2013.
· I-70, St. Charles County, far right lane westbound closed from Route 370 to the Mid Rivers Mall Drive exit until fall 2013.
· I-70, St. Charles County, right lane closed westbound between Mid Rivers Mall Drive and Route 79 until August 2013.
· I-64, St. Louis City, ramp from Jefferson Avenue to westbound I-64 closed June 17 and remains closed for three weeks. Drivers can use 14^th or Market/Compton to access westbound I-64.

Please see the list of daily interstate lane closures, weather permitting:
Thursday, June 20
· I-64, St. Louis City, westbound 64 Jefferson on ramp closed for replacement.
· I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., westbound right lane closed between Biddle and Madison.
· I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., eastbound right lane at Madison/10^th off ramp closed.
· I-270, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., one westbound lane closed at New Halls Ferry.
· I-170, St. Louis County, 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., right northbound lane closed between Page and Rte. 180 (St. Charles Rock Road).
· I-170, St. Louis County, 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., ramp closed from eastbound Rte. 180 (St. Charles Rock Road) to northbound I-170.
· I-170, St. Louis County, 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., ramp ( left turn lanes) from northbound I-170 to westbound Rte. 180 (St. Charles Rock Road) will be closed.
· I-270, St. Louis County, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., various single lane northbound and southbound closed between I-70 and Page.
· I-64, St. Charles County, 9 a.m. 3 p.m., two eastbound lanes closed between Research Park and Boone Bridge.
· Rte. 370, St. Charles County, one westbound lane closed from Railroad Bridge to westbound I-70.
· I-270, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., one southbound lane closed between Rte. 100 (Manchester) and Dougherty Ferry.
· Rte. 141, St. Louis County, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., various single northbound and southbound lane closed between Rte. 340 (Olive) and St. Luke’s Hospital.
· Rte. 141, St. Louis County, 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., various single northbound and southbound lane closed between Ladue Road and Rte. 364 (Page).
· Rte. 340, St. Louis County, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., right northbound lane closed between Rte. 100 and Clayton Road.
· Rte. 340, St. Louis County, 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., various single northbound lane closed between Clayton Road & Lea Oak.
· I-55, Jefferson County, 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., single variable northbound lane closure at Rte. Z.
· I-55, Jefferson County, 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., single variable southbound lane closed between McNutt and Route Z.

Friday, June 21
· I-64, St. Louis City, westbound 64 Jefferson on ramp closed for replacement.
· I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., westbound right lane closed between Biddle and Madison.
· I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., eastbound right lane at Madison/10^th off ramp.
· I-170, St. Louis County, 9 p .m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday, two northbound lanes closed between Page to Rte. 180 (St. Charles Rock Road).
· I-170, St. Louis County, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, ramp closed from eastbound Rte. 180 (St. Charles Rock Road) to northbound I-170.
· I-170, St. Louis County, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, ramp ( left turn lanes) from northbound I-170 to westbound Rte. 180 (St. Charles Rock Road) will be closed.
· I-270, St. Louis County, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., various single lane northbound and southbound closed between I-70 and Page.
· I-64, St. Charles County, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., single eastbound lane closed between Research Park on ramp and Boone Bridge.
· I-270, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., one southbound lane closed between Rte. 100 (Manchester) and Dougherty Ferry.
· Rte. 141, St. Louis County, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., various single northbound and southbound lane closed between Rte. 340 (Olive) and St. Luke’s Hospital.
· Rte. 340, St. Louis County, 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., various single northbound lane closed between Clayton Road & Lea Oak.
· I-55, Jefferson County, 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., single variable northbound lane closure at Rte. Z.
· I-55, Jefferson County, 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., single variable southbound lane closed between McNutt and Route Z.

Saturday, June 22
· I-170, St. Louis County, two northbound lanes closed between Page to Rte. 180 (St. Charles Rock Road) until 5 a.m. Monday.
· I-170, St. Louis County, ramp from eastbound Rte. 180 (St. Charles Rock Road) to northbound I-170 remains closed until 5 a.m. Monday.
· I-170, St. Louis County, ramp (left turn lanes) from northbound I-170 to westbound Rte. 180 (St. Charles Rock Road) remains closed until 5 a.m. Monday.

Sunday, June 23
• I-170, St. Louis County, two northbound lanes closed between Page to Rte. 180 (St. Charles Rock Road) until 5 a.m. Monday.
• I-170, St. Louis County, ramp from eastbound Rte. 180 (St. Charles Rock Road) to northbound I-170 remains closed until 5 a.m. Monday.
• I-170, St. Louis County, ramp (left turn lanes) from northbound I-170 to westbound Rte. 180 (St. Charles Rock Road) remains closed until 5 a.m. Monday.

Monday, June 24
· I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., westbound right lane closed between Biddle and Madison.
· I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., eastbound right lane at Madison/10^th off ramp closed.
· I-270, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., partial ramp closure westbound to southbound Rte. 67.
· I-170, St. Louis County, 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., single northbound lane closure between Page and Rte. 180 (St. Charles Rock Road).
· I-170, St. Louis County, 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., ramp ( left turn lanes) from northbound I-170 to westbound Rte. 180 (St. Charles Rock Road) will be closed.
· I-270, St. Louis County, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., various single lane northbound and southbound closed between I-70 and Page.
· I-64, St. Charles County, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., single eastbound lane closed between Research Park on ramp and Boone Bridge.
· I-270, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., one southbound lane closed between Rte. 100 (Manchester) and Dougherty Ferry.
· Rte. 141, St. Louis County, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., various single northbound and southbound lane closed between Rte. 340 (Olive) and St. Luke’s Hospital.
· Rte. 340, St. Louis County, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., right northbound lane closed between Rte. 100 and Clayton Road.
· Rte. 340, St. Louis County, 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., various single northbound lane closed between Clayton Road & Lea Oak.
· I-55, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., various single northbound and southbound lane closed at Loughborough.
· I-55, Jefferson County, 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., single variable northbound lane closure at Rte. Z.
· I-55, Jefferson County, 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., single variable southbound lane closed between McNutt and Route Z.

Tuesday, June 25
· I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., westbound right lane closed between Biddle and Madison.
· I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., eastbound right lane at Madison/10^th off ramp closed.
· I-64, St. Louis City, 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.., two westbound lanes closed at Kingshighway.
· I-170, St. Louis County, 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., single northbound lane closure between Page and Rte. 180 (St. Charles Rock Road).
· I-170, St. Louis County, 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., ramp ( left turn lanes) from northbound I-170 to westbound Rte. 180 (St. Charles Rock Road) will be closed.
· I-270, St. Louis County, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., various single lane northbound and southbound closed between I-70 and Page.
· I-64, St. Charles County, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., single eastbound lane closed between Research Park on ramp and Boone Bridge.
· I-44, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., single various eastbound lane closed at Lindbergh.
· I-270, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., one southbound lane closed between Rte. 100 (Manchester) and Dougherty Ferry.
· Rte. 141, St. Louis County, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., various single northbound and southbound lane closed between Rte. 340 (Olive) and St. Luke’s Hospital.
· Rte. 340, St. Louis County, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., right northbound lane closed between Rte. 100 and Clayton Road.
· Rte. 340, St. Louis County, 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., various single northbound lane closed between Clayton Road & Lea Oak.
· I-55, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., various single northbound and southbound lane closed at Loughborough.
· Rte. 141, Jefferson County, 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., various single northbound and southbound lane between I -55 and Rte. 61/67.
· I-55, Jefferson County, 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., single variable northbound lane closure at Rte. Z.
· I-55, Jefferson County, 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., single variable southbound lane closed between McNutt and Route Z.

Wednesday, June 26
· I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., westbound right lane closed between Biddle and Madison.
· I-70, St. Louis City, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., eastbound right lane at Madison/10^th off ramp closed.
· I-64, St. Louis City, 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.., two westbound lanes closed at Kingshighway.
· I-170, St. Louis County, 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., single northbound lane closure between Page and Rte. 180 (St. Charles Rock Road).
· I-170, St. Louis County, 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., ramp ( left turn lanes) from northbound I-170 to westbound Rte. 180 (St. Charles Rock Road) will be closed.
· I-270, St. Louis County, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., various single lane northbound and southbound closed between I-70 and Page.
· I-64, St. Charles County, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., single eastbound lane closed between Research Park on ramp and Boone Bridge.
· I-44, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., single various eastbound lane closed at Meramec.
· I-270, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., one southbound lane closed between Rte. 100 (Manchester) and Dougherty Ferry.
· Rte. 141, St. Louis County, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., various single northbound and southbound lane closed between Rte. 340 (Olive) and St. Luke’s Hospital.
· Rte. 340, St. Louis County, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., right northbound lane closed between Rte. 100 and Clayton Road.
· Rte. 340, St. Louis County, 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., various single northbound lane closed between Clayton Road & Lea Oak.
· I-55, St. Louis County, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., various single northbound and southbound lane closed at Loughborough.
· Rte. 141, Jefferson County, 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., various single northbound and southbound lane between I -55 and Rte. 61/67.
· I-55, Jefferson County, 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., single variable northbound lane closure at Rte. Z.
· I-55, Jefferson County, 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., single variable southbound lane closed between McNutt and Route Z.

Botanical Garden offering free summer concert series

Patrick Clark — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:21:03 +0000

ST. LOUIS, MO. (KTVI) – Patrick Clark is at the Whitaker Music Festival being held at the Missouri Botanical Gardens in south St. Louis. The festival is part of the Botanical Gardens free summer concert series, where visitors can bring a picnic basket, cooler or purchase drinks and food at MoBot; all the while listening to some good music.

The concerts are held every Wednesday night from June through August.

Follow Patrick Clark on Facebook and Twitter:
Patrick Clark on Facebook
Patrick Clark on Twitter
Email: patrick.clark@tvstl.com

South St. Louis Residents Rally To Fight Against Crime

George Sells — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:18:32 +0000

ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI)–Members of St. Louis’ large Bosnian community in the Bevo Mill neighborhood packed the room at the Bosnian Chamber of Commerce office on Gravois Thursday night, looking for answers from the city’s police chief on what he’s going to do about a recent rash of violence in the area. Two people have been shot to death in the last three weeks.

Chief Sam Dotson joined the local alderwoman and several other commanders from the police department to meet with residents who say they’re scared following the recent surge of violence.

A nineteen year old clerk at the Quick Stop cellular phone store on Chippewa was gunned down May 31^st. His brother was also shot and wounded.

Then last week a 30 year old father with a second baby on the way was gunned down while working the overnight shift at a Seven-Eleven in the Bevo neighborhood.

The president of the chamber of commerce here says he’s nearing his limit.

“Well I am city resident for 19 years,” Sadik Kukic said. “That is how long I’ve been in United States in St. Louis, and for the first time in my life that thought has passed through my head, to move out of St. Louis.”

The publisher of the local Bosnian newspaper, Sabah, is Sukrija Dzidzovic. He says word of the violence is spreading back to his homeland, and costing St. Louis its reputation among those looking for a potential new home in America’s largest Bosnian community.

“This is a great town for new comers. A great town for new businesses. A great town for residential areas, but recently, suddenly, what’s going on around is not good for such positive stories,” he said.

Chief Dotson told the group assembled that, as hard as it may seem to believe when you’re this close to the problem, things are actually improving.

“What we’re here to say that actually those are isolated incidents,” Dotson said in an interview. “Crime is down in this area seven percent. Now I’m not going to be polyana-ish about it. I know that any crime is too much. But what I’m here to say is that we’re here in numbers to make sure any crime is addressed.”

New Chance For Students From Failing Schools

Betsey Bruce — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:57:11 +0000

ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI)– Missouri state education officials issued guidelines Wednesday to help school districts in the St. Louis and Kansas City areas prepare for students transferring from failing districts.

A recent Missouri Supreme Court ruling requires accredited districts to accept students from unaccredited districts if they are located in the same or an adjoining county. The decision is based on a Missouri law passed in 1993 known as the Outstanding Schools Act.

The guidelines offered by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) say parents should notify both the home unaccredited district and the new district that the student wishes to transfer by August first.

School districts were told to adopt and publish a policy for class size and student-teacher ratios that follow the range of class sizes established for different grade groupings under the Missouri School Improvement Program. That means the districts taking transfer students will have some say in how many students they accept.

Missouri’s Deputy Commissioner of Education Ron Lankford said the court decision did not specify answers to every issue or question. “Districts must demonstrate an effort was made to take transfer students,” Lankford said. He indicated more lawsuits may arise as issues surface. The Missouri Legislature could also amend the existing law to help clarify transfers.

Parents will be allowed to request enrollment in a specific school, but the final assignment will be determined by the receiving school district.

The child’s home district will continue to receive state assistance for that student, but must pay tuition for the student to his or her new school district.

St. Louis area school districts are working together under the umbrella of the Cooperating School Districts to find an efficient and uniform system for accepting student applications and verifying student addresses.

The unaccredited districts face major challenges. Both Normandy and Riverview Gardens hired new superintendents to begin in July. Cooperating School Districts spokesman Dave Kuschel noted the difficulty the districts face, “They are uncertain about the number of students that may be leaving their districts and how much money is going to leave with those students when they go to other districts which could make it very difficult for those two districts to provide a quality education.”

The Normandy School Board and administration promised their efforts will, “remain focused on developing programs, systems and processes for improving student performance and regaining accreditation.”

So far no central site for student transfer applications has been established.

For more information on the Missouri DESE Guidelines go to :

Transfer Guidelines

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Federal Agents & Police Raid St. Charles Business

Roche Madden — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:49:05 +0000

ST. CHARLES, MO (KTVI)– Federal agents and St. Charles City Police raid a business on south Old Highway 94.

It happened at D & L Towing and Used Auto Sales. Police and U.S. Postal officers took part. One lawman only gave one comment, that they were serving a federal search warrant. Workers said they were told to park their tow trucks and go home.

About a half dozen officer converged on the scene. They carried boxes from the building. They also confiscated computers and electronic equipment. Witnesses said the process of raiding the company took hours.

One neighbor, Myrle Brickles said he never saw any trouble at D & L before today. Brickles said, “It does surprise me because there`s no confrontation with customers or anything. Madden: It`s quiet over here here? Brickles: says Yes, it is.”

An attorney for the business did not comment. No word on any charges or arrests. This search warrant does not appear to be in anyway related to recent raids at towing companies in Metro East.

City To Start Enforcing Parking Meters On Saturday’s

Paul Schankman — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:21:19 +0000

ST. LOUIS, MO. (KTVI) – When it comes to the luxury of being able to park for free on Saturdays in downtown St. Louis, time is ticking away.
And on July 1, it will expire.

“We are bringing downtown St. Louis into conformity with the rest of the city,” said City Treasurer Chief of Staff L. Jared Boyd.

“Meters will be enforced on Saturdays from 8:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. just like they do in the Central West End and every other part of the city,” Boyd said.

Many businesses are closed downtown on Saturdays. And on Washington Avenue, where most of their weekend customers come at night when parking will still be free.

But some who visit places like City Garden are not happy.

“You have all the parking meters real close for free and I don`t think anyone is going to want to pay to park where they could for free,” said Melissa Hedge, who also works downtown.

Another group unhappy is Cardinals fans.

Not only are they losing their free parking, but they’ll have to feed the meters every two hours if they want to avoid a ticket.

The treasurer’s office suggests parking instead in the stadium garages, but some fans like Arthuir Jackson, have done the math.

“The parking down here will cost you $15 or $20 so a $10 ticket is cheaper than paying to park especially for a ball game,” Jackson said.
“Long term we are going to look at parking meters that provide dynamic pricing or event parking so that if someone is going to park for an event they will be charged a different rate for a different duration,” Boyd added.

The city will only be issuing warning tickets the first two weeks so people can get used to the change.

While the treasurer’s office insists this is not being done to raise money but rather to streamline the parking policy, it will raise money just the same. About 40 percent of parking fees go to the city’s general fund, the rest goes to the treasurer’s office, which uses it to pay expenses including the debt on its own parking garages.

Sundays and holidays will still be free.

Cards Rally For The All-Star Vote

Staff Writer — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:19:20 +0000

ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI) – Cardinal fans, civic leaders, and Cardinals officials joined together in a rally outside the stadium on June 19th, to help get voting up for the Cardinals All-Star candidates. The #VoteSTL Rally hopes to use the power of social media to support and celebrate and campaign for the Cardinals candidates.

There are many different ways to vote to have Cardinals players in the All-Star Game. You can vote at every Cardinals game by filling out the ballot. Ballots are handed out and collected during the game. There are also voting booths located outside the stadium.

Want to vote from home? You can vote online by visiting cardinals.com/vote. You are eligible to vote up to 25 times. However, if you have a MLB.com account, log in and cast your votes to earn an extra 10 ballots.

You can also support the Cardinals via Instagram by ‘Gramming the Ballot Box. Post a photo displaying your Ballot on Instagram including the hashtags #VoteSTL and another for one of the Cardinals player you selected (#AllStarAllen; #FreesePlease; #YadiYadiYadi; #HollidayIn; #SayJay; #SavedbytheBeltran; #PickPete; #CarpenterSkills).

Using Vine, Cardinals supporters are able to create a video dedicated to their favorite Cardinal All-Star candidate. Include the hashtag #VoteSTL and #VinetheVote to get the chance for your video to be shared by the Cardinals.

Online voting ends July 4 at 10:59 p.m. CT so get your votes in.

Download a sign to print and Instagram here:

Fellow citizens of Cardinal Nation– the time has come to rally support for our All-Star candidates. Join us! #VoteSTL http://t.co/RraR367QN9—
St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) June 18, 2013

DAVE MURRAY’S LATEST FORECAST AND DISCO…THURSDAY–JUNE 20, 2013

Dave Murray — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:25:34 +0000

Dave murray’s latest stl forecast and weather disco…For thursday…June 20, 2013.

*** another nice day for the last day of spring over st. Louis…Slightly warmer and more humid but still pretty nice…However…Summer weather is ready to knock on the door***

Thursday:

Partly sunny and nice…Maybe a spot storm
Winds: south 5-15 m.P.H.
High: 88 degrees

Thursday night:

Partly cloudy skies and mild
Winds: southeast 5-15 m.P.H.
Low: 69 degrees.

Friday:

Partly sunny…Hot and humid…Maybe a spot storm
Winds: south 5-15 m.P.H.
High: 90 degrees.

All about summer saturday and sunday and well into next week

The weather disco:

Not alot of change in the overall thinking…The swings of spring still alive and well in the atmsophere from coast to coast…The two main features…The northwest flow and the large dome of summer weather in the southwest…We are on the edge of both these systems…That is why our weather is swinging back and forth and why we seem to get rain every few days with those temperature swings…The humidity starts to pour back into the middle of the nation…A surge from the southwest that will be the main player friday and all weekend long…Everyone into the pool.

Surface map:

Www.Nws.Noaa.Gov/outlook_tab.Php

National radar:

Www.Weather.Gov/radar

Severe weather:

Www.Spc.Noaa.Gov

Prog maps:

Www.Aviationweather.Gov/adds/progs

Snow maps:

Www.Nohrsc.Noaa.Gov/nsa

PHOTOS: Chesterfield Jazz Festival

Lakisha Jackson — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:39:28 +0000

CHESTERFIELD, MO (KTVI)– Take a look at photos from the Inaugural Chesterfield Jazz Festival. Even rain couldn’t keep this jazz-loving crowd away.

www.chesterfieldjazzfestival.com/

Country singer Slim Whitman dies

Staff Writer — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:13:54 +0000

(CNN) — Slim Whitman, the high-pitched yodeling county music singer whose productive career spanned decades, died Wednesday, his son-in-law told CNN. He was 90.

The singer-songwriter, born Ottis Dewey Whitman Jr., died of heart failure at Orange Park Medical Center in Florida, Roy Beagle said.

Whitman gained fame in Europe as well as the United States. “Love Song of the Waterfall,” which a Country Music Television biography calls his “breakthrough” hit, was released in the early ’50s.

His next single “Indian Love Call” brought him stardom, according to the bio.

“Whitman joined the Grand Ole Opry, and then went to Britain in 1956 as the first country singer to play the London Palladium. Throughout the late ’50s and early ’60s, he had a string of British hits, including ‘Tumbling Tumbleweeds,’ ‘Unchain My Heart,’ and ‘I’ll Take You Home Again Kathleen,” the bio said.

He gained cult status after he filmed a TV commercial that touted a released of his top greatest hits, a compilation that was a great success.

“Between 1980 and 1984, Whitman had a small run of minor hits, highlighted by 1980′s number 15 hit ‘When.’ In the late ’80s, he returned to television-marketed albums, releasing Slim Whitman: Best Loved Favorites in 1989 and 20 Precious Memories in 1991. During the ’90s, Whitman recorded infrequently but continued to tour successfully, particularly in Europe and Australia,” CMT said.

His music was featured in the 1996 film “Mars Attacks!” In the film, the sound of Whitman’s “Indian Love Call” made the heads of invading Martians explode.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk Announces Recall By Tweet

Staff Writer — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:09:40 +0000

NEW YORK, NY — Tesla Motors has announced the first recall of its widely-praised Model S sedan for a seat problem.

CEO Elon Musk announced the recall with a tweet and a blog post early Wednesday.

Musk said Tesla has discovered a problem with a weld that could allow one of the back seats to come loose in the case of an accident.

The electric car maker will contact the affected vehicles’ owners and arrange to pick up the cars at their convenience, give them a loaner Model S if necessary, and return their cars within a few hours.

Musk said there had been no customer complaints, no injuries or near injuries caused by the problem, and that it was not brought to the company’s attention by any safety regulator.

The cars being recalled were built over four weeks in May and early June. Tesla said there were 1,300 of the Model S built during that period. It couldn’t say how many of the recalled cars have already been delivered to customers.

Through the end of the first quarter, there had only been about 7,600 of the Model S sold since it became available last year, and estimates from sales tracker Autodata are that about 2,500 have been sold in the United States since then. So this recall could represent a little more than 10% of the Model S sedans on the road.

The Model S has won rave reviews, with Consumer Reports calling it the best car it has ever tested and Motor Trend giving it Car of the Year honors.

Tesla’s announcement is in stark contrast, in both size, seriousness of the problem and automaker response, to Tuesday’s news that Chrysler Group was relenting and recalling 2.7 million Jeeps. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration believes the Jeeps pose an increased fire risk if hit from behind.

Chrysler had initially insisted it wouldn’t do a recall and continued to say the older model Grand Cherokees and Libertys are safe. But it agreed to the recall when faced with the prospect of a public hearing into the problem and the deaths that occurred.

Shares of Tesla, which have tripled in value so far this year, rebounded from early losses Wednesday to rise in midday trading.

Start-up Tesla had its first recall in 2010. It recalled 429 of its Roadsters after a single customer incident prompted it to replace a power cable.

By Chris Isidore

5,000-Acre Blaze In Arizona Caused By Human; Fire Still Out Of Control

Staff Writer — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:44:56 +0000

(CNN) — The Arizona fire that has engulfed more than 5,000 acres was caused by a human, officials said.

But the precise cause of the fire remains under investigation, said Jeff Andrews, deputy fire staff officer for Prescott National Forest.

As of Tuesday night, the central Arizona fire was 0% contained. But no injuries nor any lost structures had been reported, forest officials said.

But the situation could get uglier Wednesday.

“Without a doubt, we’re going to incur a pretty difficult day tomorrow with the wind,” Andrews said Tuesday night.

The fire was reported Tuesday morning about 8 miles northwest of Prescott, Arizona. Prescott is about 100 miles north of Phoenix.

“Driving into town, the smoke is really horrendous. Just huge, huge overwhelming smoke,” said Trudy Thompson Rice, spokeswoman for the American Red Cross’ Grand Canyon chapter.

She said the Red Cross opened one emergency shelter and could open a second, if necessary.

“There is a steady stream of vehicles leaving the area,” she said. “It was pretty much bumper to bumper. They are getting out of the fire area, which is exactly what they need to be doing.

By Elwyn Lopez and Tina Burnside
CNN’s Greg Morrison contributed to this report.
™ & © 2013 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.

Tree Trimmer Killed Near Columbia Golf Club

Joe Millitzer — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:39:53 +0000

COLUMBIA, IL (KTVI) – A tree fell on a man while he was removing debris at the Columbia Golf Club. An ambulance is at the the scene of the accident at an open lot of the Brellinger subdivision.

The Columbia Fire Department is also on the scene. They are trying to get the tree off of the fallen tree trimmer.