Rachel Lippmann

A former auxiliary police officer in Uplands Park, a tiny municipality in North County, has pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights charge for stealing money and cell phones from prostitutes he and another officer had pulled over during traffic stops.

A former CIA operative accused of disclosing confidential documents to a New York Times reporter has agreed to be returned to Virginia to face prosecution.

Jeffrey Sterling of O'Fallon, Mo., waived extradition Monday during a brief federal court appearance in St. Louis. The timing of his flight back to Virginia is unclear. Sterling recently had a knee replaced and he will be returned to Virginia as soon as it is medically possible.

A federal appeals court in Missouri has upheld the sentences of two men who were involved in the one of the largest dog-fighting rings ever broken up in the United States.

The subject of jobs and how to create them was front and center at the sixth annual State of St. Louis breakfast this morning.

The chief executives of St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County and St. Clair County Illinois all say they expect a better economy in 2011 than 2010.

They all trumpeted the need to cooperate to ensure that happens.

St. Clair County executive Mark Kern wants to see the focus on one industry in particular.

Update 10:35am with additional details about the hazard and possible reopening time.

Technicians from General Electric are at the scene at SSM Imaging to help the Mehlville Fire Department vent helium gas from an MRI machine at the medical office.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the venting should take about 15 minutes, and emergency officials hope to reopen a closed stretch of Lindbergh Blvd by noon today.