The Gateway

Illinois election authorities have released absentee and mail-in voting totals from the general election on a county by county basis. Missouri is soon to follow. We examine how election night in November might change voting forever.

The most recent farm bill legalized hemp production nationwide, but left individual states in charge of oversight. As the crop rolls out across the Midwest, some states are seeing more success than others, but overall, farmers remain optimistic.

St. Louis City FC signed its first player, more than two years before the team will take the pitch. But this player will compete only on the screen. And, we take a ride with a passionate model airplane club.

Tik Tok, the social media video platform, might not be the first place you think of for politicians. But some state lawmakers in Missouri and Kansas are using the app to reach a younger audience.

The first piece by The Rep's playwright-in-residence is a compilation of vignettes by nine artists. Regina Taylor says the production addresses pandemic life through monologue and song.

High school seniors are applying to college in uncertain times. They're struggling to market themselves following an academic year without many extracurricular activities and standardized tests because of COVID-19.

Former Iowa Governor and previous Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack is President-elect Joe Biden's choice for the cabinet post he held under President Obama. While he was perceived to be the "safe" choice, Midwest farmers from across the political spectrum have major concerns.

The Chief Executive Officer of Niche Food Group says many restaurants will close over the winter without more financial support and a regional plan. Gerard Craft discusses how the region’s restaurant owners are trying to stay in business during the coronavirus outbreak.

A licensed counselor has launched a wellness mobile to give young girls access to safe therapy to help address trauma and anxiety. Girls have access to 15-minute mental health check-ins, virtual sessions, and a wellness kit.

Food service, nursing homes, janitorial. Industries whose workers are essential. Those workers say they’re risking their health and safety during the coronavirus pandemic as they have to go to work every day. Some say limited hazard pay, long hours and losing coworkers has left them drained and exhausted.

Staged versions of Charles Dickens’ short novel “A Christmas Carol” are reliably popular every December. With theaters closed this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, some creative people in St. Louis are finding new ways to adapt Dickens’ story to fit the times and keep the tradition intact.

The expansion of absentee voting in Missouri is set to go away at the end of the year. Some election officials and lawmakers want to permanently change how Missourians can vote early.

The St. Louis region lacks a cohesive approach to coronavirus restrictions. Area counties have different regulations to deal with the pandemic. Those differences are severe for businesses along country borders.

Information from Johns Hopkins University shows the pace of coronavirus infections in the U.S. continues to increase. And as state health officials continue to battle the outbreak, the virus has claimed the life of a former Illinois state senator.

Those on the frontlines at St. Luke’s Hospital in Chesterfield have been working overtime for months to care for patients with the coronavirus. Nurses, therapists and others are trying to cope emotionally and physically while admitting more sick patients every day.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson says the state has hired a private health care company to provide temporary workers and additional beds for hospitals overrun with coronavirus patients.

The Missouri legislature is expected to discuss expanding Medicaid in the 2021 session, which begins next month. That’s after voters approved the concept in August. But some lawmakers might try to limit expansion or put a stop to it.

The number of COVID-19 patients in St. Louis area hospitals is at its highest level since the start of the pandemic. The head of the St. Louis Area Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force says if the trend continues, hospitals will reach maximum COVID patient capacity in about a week.

About half of America’s ethanol plants shuttered as gasoline demand plunged at the beginning of the pandemic. Most have reopened, but there are questions about returning to pre-coronavirus production levels once the outbreak is over

Interest in outdoor education for younger students is growing. In part, because of digital fatigue from the pandemic. Nature education and forest preschools have long been popular in parts of Europe.

With fewer and smaller Thanksgiving gatherings this year, local turkey producers, particularly smaller ones that supply specialty birds, are making sales during the pandemic. Also, many families are opting to dine only with household members this holiday to curb the spread of the virus.

More passengers are expected to go through St. Louis Lambert International Airport this holiday season, compared to previous months during the pandemic. The overall numbers are expected to be down from last year and likely won’t be back to pre-coronavirus levels until a vaccine is widely distributed.

The pandemic has isolated many nursing home residents as officials implement strict no visitor rules to slow the spread of coronavirus. Several families are worried about the impact another spike in COVID-19 cases could have on their loved ones.

The first female mayor in St. Louis history will not seek a second term. Lyda Krewson is leaving elected office after more than two decades. Also, we examine some unexpected challenges with a Missouri law allowing cameras inside nursing homes

Female farmers are at a disadvantage when it comes to agricultural equipment. Most of the tools are designed for tall, heavy, and strong male bodies. But there is an effort to design farm tools and machinery for women.