A new study has found that the city of St. Louis’ various agencies and officials need to work together more closely in order to cut down on crime and make the city a safer place to live.

A team of IBM consultants spent three weeks in St. Louis this spring studying the use of data and technology in the city’s various law enforcement agencies. St. Louis was awarded a grant by IBM as part of the technology firm's "Smarter Cities" program.

The cost to repair tornado damage at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport could reach as much as $30 million.

Airport officials said Wednesday they've received estimates of $25 million to $30 million to restore Terminal 1 and Concourse C following the April 22 tornado.

The airport said it expects the total bill to be even higher, when its insurance company finishes calculating costs for the interruption of business, lost revenues and emergency repairs that were made.

Scrap yard owners, the police, and St. Louis city aldermen have a week to hammer out a deal on legislation the city's police department says will cut down on the rising number of metal thefts in the area.

The legislation would put several new restrictions on the owners of scrap yards, including:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it will release even more water from the Gavins Point Dam this week. But in spite of these record high flows on the Missouri River, the Corps does not expect major flooding in the St. Louis area this summer.

Illinois lawmakers are cutting their pay for the third straight year as the state struggles with a major budget deficit.

The Illinois Senate approved the pay cut 48-4 Wednesday. The House had passed the measure in May.

It requires lawmakers to take 12 unpaid furlough days and give up their annual cost-of-living increase. The cost for each legislator is about $3,900.

Democratic Sen. Dan Kotowski said it's important for legislators to share the pain so many others in state government are feeling.

But Sen. Annazette Collins disagreed.

As volunteers and residents in Holt and Atchison counties in northwest Missouri continue sandbagging to keep the rising Missouri River at bay, Sen. Claire McCaskill is looking for answers from the Army Corps of Engineers.

 McCaskill says she feels the frustration and anger of residents living in the small communities that have been ordered to evacuate, and wants the Army Corps of Engineers to explain the motivating factor for releasing water from reservoirs upriver when they did.

Updated 11:13 a.m. with information from St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Marine Corps spokeswoman comment.

St. Louis detectives are investigating an apparent attack on two Marines visiting the city as part of Marine Week.

Police say the incident happened early Monday. The Marines, ages 21 and 22, were walking in the area of downtown where Marine Week attractions are located. The victims told police that two young men approached them and offered to sell jewelry.

FEMA to House Displaced Tornado Victims Near Joplin Airport

The federal government is planning to use 50 acres south of the Joplin Regional Airport to provide temporary housing for people who lost their homes in the May 22 tornado.

With 2011 marking the 150th anniversary of the Civil War's beginning, tourists and history buffs are expected to travel to famous battle sites, such as Gettysburg and Bull Run, in record numbers. Missouri would like some of that attention — only Virginia and Tennessee contain more Civil War battle sites.

Missouri was on the western front of the Civil War. The Battle of Wilson's Creek was fought there; in total, more than 1,000 skirmishes and battles took place in the state.