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Two suspects are on the loose after shooting a man at the Metrolink station in Pagedale.

Police say the shooting happened just after noon near St. Charles Rock Road. The suspects are both black men, one of the men is armed. No word on the victim's condition.

   The ballots have been counted and after two days of voting, St. Louis public transportation workers are unanimous in their support for a job action.   

   Ninety percent of the voting membership of Transit Local 788 gave a thumbs up for a strike authorization. Local president Mike Breihan says the International office still needs to sanction the job action. 

  "The largest majority supported the strike," Breihan said.  "So what we do now is send the information up to the International. They make a decision on to sanction the strike or not. And then if that happens we will follow procedures and see what happens."  

   Breihan says the Union will wait to set a strike date until after a mediator issues his report in late June.

   Transit workers in St. Louis appear poised to walk off the job as members of Local 788 of the Amalgamated Transit Workers Union continue a strike authorization vote Tuesday.  The union represents public transportation workers and any job action could effect Metrobus and Metrolink service.

   Nearly 600 of the 1,500 members cast ballots on Monday. Bus drivers, mechanics, Metrolink operators and clerical staff have all been working without a contract for two and a half years.

   Local 788 President Mike Breihan says he hopes it doesn't come down to a work stoppage.  "You know we really don't want to hurt the public," Breihan said.  "The people out here that ride the bus, they're like our family. And you know we don't want to hurt any of them, but we're going to have to do whatever we can do to protect our own."

   "This vote was just strictly to show that we are united and we're ready to move forward if we have to, to do whatever we need to do to get a contract," Breihan said. "You know we're not trying to rob the bank. All we're trying to do is make a decent living for our members and our families."       

   Breihan says no action will be taken until after a mediator, who is reviewing information submitted by both the Union and Metro, issues an opinion at the end of the month.

 

 

   Transit workers in St. Louis appear poised to walk off the job as members of Local 788 of the Amalgamated Transit Workers Union continue a strike authorization vote Tuesday.  The union represents public transportation workers and any job action could effect Metrobus and Metrolink service.

   Nearly 600 of the 1,500 members cast ballots on Monday. Bus drivers, mechanics, Metrolink operators and clerical staff have all been working without a contract for two and a half years.

   Local 788 President Mike Breihan says he hopes it doesn't come down to a work stoppage.  "You know we really don't want to hurt the public," Breihan said.  "The people out here that ride the bus, they're like our family. And you know we don't want to hurt any of them, but we're going to have to do whatever we can do to protect our own."

   "This vote was just strictly to show that we are united and we're ready to move forward if we have to, to do whatever we need to do to get a contract," Breihan said. "You know we're not trying to rob the bank. All we're trying to do is make a decent living for our members and our families."       

   Breihan says no action will be taken until after a mediator, who is reviewing information submitted by both the Union and Metro, issues an opinion at the end of the month.

 

 

An East St. Louis man is back home after spending nearly four months in jail for a crime he did not commit.

The Belleville News-Democrat reports that DNA evidence cleared 20-year-old Marlon Miller as a suspect in a brutal rape and robbery. The victim was walking home from a Metrolink stop in East St. Louis when someone pointed a gun at her and forced to a secluded area, then robbed and raped her.

Miller may still be headed to court, he alleges that former East St. Louis detective Orlando Ward coerced a confession to the robbery and helped charge him with sexual assault. Ward was arrested last month for allegedly being a part of a drug ring. 

   Authorities are taking extra security precautions around St. Louis in light of the Boston bombings.  

   St. Louis Police and Metro Transit authorities say they'd added security measures downtown Tuesday during both the Mayor's inauguration and the Blues game.  But they say there have been no specific threats made.  The extra measures are precautionary.

   There was a stepped up police and security presence both inside and outside Scottrade Center Tuesday night.  Hockey fans endured long lines to get inside, passing through extra screenings that included metal detectors and bag searches.  

   Just before the Blues game against the Vancouver Canucks, the team paid tribute to the Boston victims with a moment of silence.

     Metro will be giving some passengers free rides under a federal class action settlement agreement.  The transit agency was sued over MetroLink credit and debit card receipts that violated the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act.  

     Under the law, merchants can print up to the last five digits of a customer's credit or debit card number or the card's expiration date on their receipt, but not both.  Between January 2010 and August 2011, Metro had been printing both.  

     The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that people who used credit or debit cards to buy tickets during the 20 month period can make claims by July 3 for free ride passes or tickets.  Those who still have their receipts could get $30 cash instead.

     Metro will be giving some passengers free rides under a federal class action settlement agreement.  The transit agency was sued over MetroLink credit and debit card receipts that violated the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act.  

     Under the law, merchants can print up to the last five digits of a customer's credit or debit card number or the card's expiration date on their receipt, but not both.  Between January 2010 and August 2011, Metro had been printing both.  

     The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that people who used credit or debit cards to buy tickets during the 20 month period can make claims by July 3 for free ride passes or tickets.  Those who still have their receipts could get $30 cash instead.

Metro has completed a major project on the UMSL campus.

The ten million dollar project at the UMSL South MetroLink Station is designed to minimize delays along the line. It should also decrease the need for maintenance. 85 percent of the cost of the project was covered by federal stimulus funds.