Beer giant A-B InBev gets bigger
Anheuser-Busch InBev has confirmed that it will buy the remaining 50 percent of Mexican brewer Grupo Modelo for $20.1 billion.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the headquarters of Groupo Modelo, which makes Corona and 12 other brands, will remain in Mexico City. Under the terms of the deal, the Mexican brewery will "simplify its corporate structure," after which A-B InBev will make an all-cash offer for the stock.
A-B InBev says it expects the merger to save at $600 million annually. There is no word yet if any of Groupo Modelo's 37,000 employees will be laid off.
The deal still needs approval from anti-trust regulators. The two companies have a combined revenue of $47 billion.
Biden to campaign with McCaskill
One of the top targets for Republicans in November is getting a boost from the Obama administration.
Sen. Claire McCaskill's campaign announced yesterday that Vice President Joe Biden will be in Kansas City on July 9 for a fundraiser. McCaskill says she considers the vice president a friend, and is humbled and honored to have his support.
McCaskill made waves earlier this week when she announced she would skip the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte to campaign. She has emphatically denied it's an effort to put some distance between herself and President Obama.
City, county police chiefs launch serious look at expanding collaboration
Shrinking budgets may force what leaders in St. Louis city and county could not – greater collaboration among the police departments.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that chiefs Dan Isom from the city and Tim Fitch in the county met yesterday to start serious discussions about combining some resources.
The paper says the chiefs’ priorities include combining the arson and explosive units, greater collaboration between the crime labs, and mutual assistance in homicide investigations.
A top staffer for Mayor Francis Slay said the mayor is thrilled by the meeting, and an advisor to County Executive Charlie Dooley says the County Council is likely to support any legislation needed.
Isom and Fitch are expected to meet again in about 60 days to review their progress.
Three Mo. hospitals will work to boost breastfeeding rates
Three hospitals in Missouri are joining a national effort to improve breastfeeding rates.
Barnes-Jewish hospital in St. Louis, Truman Medical Center in Kansas City, and the University of Missouri’s Women and Children’s Hospital in Columbia are among 90 hospitals chosen to participate in the Best Fed Beginnings initiative. They’ll get help establishing support groups for nursing mothers, and encouraging new moms to nurse within the first half hour of birth.
Studies show that half of babies born in the US are given formula in their first week, and that by nine months, just 31 percent of babies are breastfeeding.
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