St. Louis News (BETA)

For 37 years, it has been my privilege to be a member of the St. Louis Police force and for the last 7 1/2, it has been my joy to lead the department as Chief of Police.

A former clerk for the village of Calverton Park has been accused of stealing more than $8,000 in village funds in December 2005 in warrants issued today charging her with three counts of felony theft.

UPDATE: Five-year-old Joshua Branham died today of injuries suffered when the car in which he and his grandmother were riding plunged into the Meramec River. His grandmother, Sandra Branham, was hospitalized in critical condition.

"Chief Joe Mokwa has many admirers. I count myself among them — and have for years. "Earlier this week, I spoke to a lawyer for the chief.

A pedestrian was struck and killed by a train near South 44th Street and Citizens Park in Belleville about 12:30 a.m. today, Belleville police reported.

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) -- Madison County's coroner says a 6-year-old Edwardsville boy's death in May was of natural causes. Coroner Steve Nonn says Evan Allen died of sudden death associated with an unspecified viral infection.

Washington (AP) -- Another Republican candidate running in northeast Missouri's 9th Congressional District primary is pouring his own money into the race.

Dr. Steve J. Dasovich, Ph.D. During the third summer of excavations at the site of the homestead of Louis Blanchette who founded St. Charles in 1769, the first tangible link to the site's French Colonial founder has been found.

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners is expected to discuss possible discipline for Chief Joe Mokwa at a meeting this morning.

(KMOV) -- A man is dead after being hit by a train in Belleville, IL. It happened around 12:30 a.m. on Friday near South 44th Street and Citizen's Park.

Embattled St. Louis Police Chief Joe Mokwa said Friday he would retire amid a controversy over his daughter and police officers' free use of towed cars.

Total back-to-school spending this year is estimated to reach $20.1 billion, a $1.7 billion increase over last year's estimate, according to the National Retail Federation.

So far, Wall Street likes what it's hearing from new Wachovia Corp. Chief Executive Bob Steel. (WB)

Money manager Legg Mason Inc. reported its second consecutive quarterly loss Friday as it took more charges to support its money-market funds and investors continued to pull billions of dollars out of the firm. (LM) (TROW) (SF)

The number of houses facing foreclosures in St. Louis shot up 76.7 percent in the second quarter compared to a year earlier, according to statistics released Friday.

Interstate 55 is shut down between mile marker 170 and 174 in Festus, MO. Jefferson County authorities are not giving any information as to why the closure has occurred, but neighbors in the area have called and told FOX 2 that they have been told to stay in their homes due to gunshots in the area.

Protesters are taking to the streets in front of the St. Louis Archbishop's residence in the Central West End. They are expressing how upset they are with the office about treatment of a local nun. The controversy began when the nun attended the ordination of two other women as priests last November.

St. Louis Police Chief Joe Mokwa has retired amid controversy surrounding his daughter’s and other police officer’s use of impounded vehicles. Mokwa will receive his full severance package. On his website, mayorslay.com, Friday morning St. Louis City Mayor Francis Slay says he had a conversation with Mokwa’s lawyer and had suggested that the chief should retire.

An emotional day in Maplewood as firefighter Ryan Hummert is laid to rest. The funeral mass drew firefighters from all over the country. Hummert, 22, a rookie firefighter, was murdered early Monday morning as he stepped off his fire truck while responding a call. Two other emergency personnel were also shot and survived the ambush.

St. Louis Police Chief Joe Mokwa has retired amid controversy surrounding his daughter’s and other police officer’s use of impounded vehicles. The Police Board Of Commissioners is meeting to work out a severance package. On his website, mayorslay.com, Friday morning St. Louis City Mayor Francis Slay says he had a conversation with Mokwa’s lawyer and had suggested that the chief should retire.

Ask Glenn Parrott what it was like to work 41 years without a vacation or sick day at General Motors, first in St. Louis and then in Wentzville, and a twinkling smile slowly creeps across his face, until his eyes light up and you know you’re about to hear one heck of a story.

You won't find Tower Street on a map of St. Louis, but it certainly existed.

The American Civil War shaped the destiny of our nation. The epic struggle between the North and the South claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and its effects echoed throughout the world.

A hospital can be a difficult place. Medical staff are faced with death and critical situations on a daily basis. Patients with terminal illnesses reside there for months at a time waiting for a transplant or receiving treatment. Other patients are there for less than 24-hours to have a surgical procedure.

The family of the man who police suspect is responsible for Monday's shootings in Maplewood said Mark Knobbe had not spoken to his family in many years.

Joe Mokwa has resigned as chief of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

You won't find Tower Street on a map of St. Louis, but it certainly existed.

When the noise began late on July 21, Michael Wilmering knew it was more than just fireworks.

It was the Roaring Twenties. Times were good and merchants around South Broadway, South Jefferson Avenue and Chippewa Street decided to sit down over a meal and talk about how to make them better.

New disclosures by Police Chief Joseph Mokwa about his daughter’s use of automobiles formerly seized for evidence may cast a shadow on his relationship with the St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners.

Two local organizations have received Drug-Free Communities Program grants through the Office of National Drug Control Policy, announced U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Belleville, today.

A hungry Belleville teenager was arrested after an early morning home invasion on Eastview Drive.

"The War Within," an 11-minute documentary film by News-Democrat photojournalist and videographer Zia Nizami and reporter Mike Fitzgerald, won first prize in the short documentary division at the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase.

A homeless man died early this morning after he was struck by a train in an apparent suicide, according to Belleville Police.

BELLEVILLE -- The city this week passed an 85-acre tax increment financing district for the area along the MetroLink tracks between Scheel Street and Carlyle Avenue, and some residents are speaking out against the action.

PARK HILLS — Motorists are likely to do a double take when Science and High streets reopen next month.

A day later than usual, fairgoers learned who had been chosen as the 2008 St. Francois County Fair Queen.

A Leadwood man who was already facing charges for an incident involving a machete is now facing more charges after police say he assaulted an officer.

BONNE TERRE — Last week, county and city officials, State Sen. Kevin Engler and a representative of U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson’s office met with the Missouri Department of Transportation to discuss safety issues related to U.S. 67 north of Bonne Terre.

PARK HILLS — The Park Hills Police Department issued a press release about the investigation into a tragic accident involving a firearm and the death of a Park Hills boy. He has been identified as 12-year-old Nathanial Rawlins. He is the son of Heath and Kathy (Whited) Rawlins Sr.

FLORA - During the last year, the Grand Exalted Ruler (GER) of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE), Flora’s own Lou Sulsberger and his wife Beth have done a bit of traveling. They have:

A view from inside the By Danielle McGrew of the Advocate-Press Editor’s Note: This is the first in the two part series, the second of which will appear on Tuesday.

Becomes Flora’s newest pediatrician By Becky L. Hiemenz Special to the Advocate-Press FLORA - Thursday morning will bring Dr. Michael Klingler to CCH Medical Clinic to join the clinic’s medical staff as Flora’s new pediatrician.

Sheriff James C. Sulsberger released the following:

FLORA - On Friday evening at Charley Brown Park, new royalty was crowned. After this year’s Clay County Fair Pageant, Leah Woods, 18, of Flora, received the crown and sash and was declared the 2008 Fair Queen.