The tents are up on the lawn of the Loretto Hilton Performing Arts Center as Opera Theatre of Saint Louis prepares to open its 2013 Festival Season with Gilbert & Sullivan’s comic masterpiece The Pirates of Penzance. Directed and choreographed by Sean Curran and conducted by Ryan McAdams, Pirates is the first of four productions that will be staged in repertory from May 25 until June 30.

Opponents of agribusiness giant Monsanto say they expect as many as 500 people to gather at the company’s Creve Coeur headquarters Saturday for a protest.

The 1 p.m. rally is part of a larger March Against Monsanto taking place in several U.S. and foreign cities.

Daniel Romano with Safe Food Action St. Louis says he thinks people are ready to vent their frustration over Monsanto’s practices and power.

The caretakers of one of the oldest black cemeteries in St. Louis are hoping to get 300 people to converge on the property in North County tomorrow to help with the ongoing restoration efforts.

The Friends of Greenwood Cemetery Association does these clean-up days several times a year, and historian Etta Daniels says they've helped clear about half of the 32-acre cemetery in the last 13 years. This year, they'll tackle a 10-12 acre section that needs some TLC.

Will be updated.

The Illinois House has approved a plan to allow qualified gun owners to carry their weapons in public.

The proposal adopted Friday was brokered by House Speaker Michael Madigan, but it's opposed by several of his fellow Democrats, including the governor.

Gov. Pat Quinn's office has called the plan a "massive overreach" because it would wipe out all local gun regulations, including Chicago's ban on assault-style weapons. That's a deal-breaker for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who backs tough restrictions to curb the city's gun violence.

This is a developing story. Will update as we know more.

An accident involving a school bus has shut down traffic on southbound I-55 this morning just south of downtown St. Louis at 7th Street.

Traffic is currently backed up all the way into Illinois. (See here for the latest traffic conditions).

Updated 10:40 a.m.

A new economic development agreement between St. Louis City and County is a step closer to reality.

The St. Louis Board of Aldermen moved a bill forward Thursday that would create a long-talked about partnership.

The bill’s sponsor, Alderman Fred Wessels of the 13th Ward, says it will create entity to serve businesses that want to move into the region.