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ST. LOUIS (AP) - The U.S. government says Tyson Foods has agreed to pay roughly $4 million in civil penalties to settle alleged violations related to eight accidental releases of anhydrous ammonia that happened over a four-year span and caused one death.

The Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency says the deal in a St. Louis federal court with the nation's biggest meat company involves alleged Clean Air Act violations at Tyson sites in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska.

The government says the incidents in questioned happened between 2006 and 2010.

Arkansas-based Tyson says it cooperated with the EPA and immediately addressed the agency's concerns.

As part of the settlement, Tyson also will provide $300,000 to help purchase emergency response equipment for fire departments in nine communities where it has plants.

Less than two weeks ago, the region was hit with a foot of snow. This weekend highs in the 70's are expected. What does the weather roller coast bring next? 

The Climate Predication Center forecasts a pretty standard April for St. Louis, with what they call an equal chance for precipitation. Julie Phillipson with the National Weather Service tells KTRS News, that means there is an even chance for more, less, or average amounts of rainfall, but it doesn't rule out severe weather.

"It is Spring an generally during the spring, especially in this part of the country, we do see a rise in thunderstorms climatologically, so we will be seeing those more and more often as we move further into the spring months", says Phillipson.

Rain and storms are expected to move into the area late this weekend and stick around through early next week.

   A South County man is in custody after an eight hour standoff with police that had included a SWAT team.

   It started Thursday afternoon around 4:00 when a man barricaded himself in his Sunset Hills home on Old Gravois Road.  

   A police tactical unit was called in.

   Sunset Hills Police police believe the issue that set the man off was a domestic dispute.

   The man finally surrendered without incident around 12:15 Friday morning.  His name hasn't been released.