The Associated Press

Will be updated with more information.

Missouri schools appear likely to get a 2 percent funding increase next year. And state employees could get a small raise.

Those decisions appear to be locked into the budget as a result of decisions Tuesday by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Baseball-mad St. Louis is welcoming the Cardinals for the first home game of the year.

After starting the season with six road games, the Cardinals host the Cincinnati Reds this afternoon.

The usually festive occasion in St. Louis is a little melancholy this season. Monday's game is the first Cardinals home game since the death of Stan Musial.

The Hall of Famer died in January at age 92. His absence was notable before the game as the team's other members of the Hall of Fame circled the Busch Stadium warning track in Mustangs.

Updated 3:51 p.m. April 4

Ameren Missouri released a statement today saying that the plant is operating safely, but did not release any further details about those injured. An excerpt of the statement: 

Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander is taking action against a financial management company connected to the failed Mamtek artificial sweetener plant in mid-Missouri.

In his role as Secretary of State Jason Kander also serves as Missouri’s chief securities regulator.

He’s accusing Morgan Keegan, a Memphis-based firm of helping defraud Missourians based on a list of falsehoods, including the claim the Mamtek held several production patents.