St. Louis Beacon

Updated 6:10 p.m. with reporting from the St. Louis Beacon's Rob Koenig.

Overcoming a late surge of tea party backing for his opponent, U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., was elected to the No. 5 Senate leadership post Tuesday in a close vote that pitted an experienced GOP leader against an "outsider" businessman.

U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk says exploring natural gas supplies in Illinois and making tax credits for renewable energy permanent could be ways to lower soaring gas prices.

Kirk told reporters Monday that federal officials need to research possibilities for harnessing natural gas from New Albany shale in the Illinois basin.

The Republican also says he'd like to see permits granted more quickly for off shore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and reduce so-called small gasoline monopolies.

Reporting from the The St. Louis Beacon's Dale Singer used in this report.

By the time Catholic education in St. Louis celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2018, Archbishop Robert Carlson wants classrooms to be fuller, Catholic identity to be more vibrant and finances in such good shape that everyone who wants to attend should be able to enroll regardless of whether they can pay.