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Missouri legislators are cutting their work week short because of concerns over a winter storm that's expected to dump snow, sleet and freezing rain on much of the state.

The House and Senate usually meet from Monday until mid-day Thursday each week. But with a mixture of ice and snow expected on Thursday, the Senate has decided to quit for the week around noon Wednesday -- early enough to give lawmakers time to get home before the weather hits.

The State House will also give members a chance to leave early, planning only a technical session on Thursday, in which no bills will be debated.

A zip line course is coming to Creve Coeur Park. The St. Louis County Council approved the contract Tuesday night that calls for building a treetop adventure course over seven-acres of the park.

Outdoor adventure company Go Ape will manage the course which will include ziplines, bridges, cargo nets and and other tree-top activities.

St. Louis County Parks Director Tom Ott says construction should begin in the fall, once the leaves have fallen from the trees.

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments today in Creve Coeur-based Monsanto's soybean patent claim. The biotech giant will argue that the patent for Roundup Ready soybeans extends to the offspring of the beans.

The case dates back to 2007, when Monsanto sued an Indiana farmer for planting the progeny of the patented beans. Monsanto won in U.S. District Court, and in the U.S. Court of Appeals. But that farmer, 75 year old Vernon Hugh Bowman has appealed to the high court.

Court watchers say this case has implications beyond genetically modified seeds, extending to other new technologies.

Briefs from Monsanto supporters, like the University of Missouri and Microsoft argue that a decision against Monsanto would have a chilling effect on innovation. Bowman's supporters argue that that would extend patent claims to an unreasonable length.