A winter storm is impacting St. Charles County with snowfall and frigid temperatures. About an inch of snow has fallen, and it will continue to be bitter cold today with a high only reaching 17 degrees, which makes it harder for ice melting chemicals to work on roads. Many area schools and businesses are closed today due to the weather, a list can be found at 1021theriver.org. Motorists are urged to take caution, and can check the MoDOT Traveler Information Map at Modot.org to check road conditions across the state. Warmer temperatures this weekend and early next week are forecast to bring melting of yesterday’s snow. Listen to 102.1 The River at 15 and 45 past every hour for up to the minute weather forecasts.
Governor Mike Kehoe has signed an executive order barring state agencies from using public funds for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, including hiring decisions based on those factors. Kehoe emphasized that the order does not override federal or state anti-discrimination laws. However, he did not specify how many programs would be affected or the extent of state funding involved. Meanwhile, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has also challenged DEI efforts, recently suing Starbucks over its hiring practices, alleging discrimination.
Missouri House Republican leaders are demanding the immediate termination of David Spears, a clerical employee in the Missouri State Public Defender’s Office, due to his past felony convictions related to the 2007 murder of his stepdaughter, Rowan Ford. Spears pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child and hindering prosecution but was not convicted of murder or sexual assault. Lawmakers, led by House Speaker Jon Patterson and Rep. Lane Roberts, have threatened to block the public defender’s budget unless Spears is fired. Public Defender Director Mary Fox defended his employment, citing Missouri’s “ban the box” policy, which supports second chances for those with criminal records.
The O’Fallon Police Department responded to 1,156 incidents between February 3rd and 10th, booking 59 individuals and investigating 31 traffic crashes. Notable incidents include a theft of tools from a construction site, a man in crisis with a firearm who was safely taken for treatment, and a felon arrested for unlawful firearm possession with a $5,000 cash-only bond. Officers also assisted in a highway pursuit, successfully deploying spike strips to stop the vehicle, and helped the fire department extinguish a grease fire at a closed business. Investigations into these incidents remain ongoing.