Neighbor near site of North County home explosion assesses damage
NORTH ST. LOUIS COUNTY (First Alert 4) - One-by-one, homeowners are meeting with insurance adjusters to assess the damage caused by a powerful explosion in north St. Louis County Monday morning. Five homes were destroyed and at least 20 houses were damaged when the blast took place around 9:15 a.m....
Coyote sightings grow near St. Louis trail, graveyard
ST. LOUIS — Coyote sightings in the city aren't that uncommon, but being followed by a curious one while out walking your dogs is. "He was about 30 feet away from us, and he was looking at us very curiously because of the dogs and they started barking," recalls south city neighbor Cory Hammerstone, "he didn't run...
Thick smoke prompts interstate closure in Midtown St. Louis
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Thick smoke billowed through the Midtown neighborhood Wednesday morning. On Wednesday, the St. Louis Fire Department reported that an abandoned two-story brick warehouse on S. Vandeventer and Market had caught fire. The department said the fire was on the second floor, with visible...
Experts warn of hidden dangers in home appliances after north St. Louis County explosion
Criminal activity ruled out as cause of home explosion in North County, police say. Criminal activity has been ruled out as the cause of a home explosion that occurred in north St. Louis County on Monday, police say. FEMA will not extend deadline for individual assistance application for those impacted...
National gas station brand, new to St. Louis region, begins rebranding local stations
ST. LOUIS — A gas station brand new to the St. Louis market has taken over a number of local gas stations in a short period of time. Marathon Petroleum Corp., a refiner based in Ohio, has a presence in 41 of 50 states, but until recently had little to no presence in the St. Louis region. In the course of several...
Some Sumner High School alumni are pushing to make the school a National Historic...
A St. Louis preservation organization is pushing for north St. Louis’ Sumner High School to receive a National Historic Landmark designation through the National Park Service. Members of Protect, Restore, Forever, Celebrate Sumner Inc., want to preserve Sumner's rich history and legacy because it is the first high...
Ongoing crime issues along Gravois frustrate businesses
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Persistent issues along Gravois Avenue with drug use, vagrancy, violence and other crimes have long frustrated businesses in the corridor. During and after FirstAlert4’s coverage on Tuesday of traffic-related issues along Gravois, a few businesses reached out to complain about ongoing...
How St. Louis’ Top Doctors of 2025 lead with empathy, innovation, and hope
Dr. Edwards initially went into gynecological oncology. After experiencing the maternal death of a patient as a second-year resident, however, her trajectory changed. “I felt the weight of the death, the impact on her family, and became interested in critical care,” she says. “I chose maternal-fetal medicine as my...
Venice Mother Grieves Son Lost To Gun Violence
VENICE – On Saturday, August 25, 2025, in Venice, Illinois, Natasha Thomas, a Venice mother, experienced a devastating loss when her only son, Jerry Lamont Haynes Jr., was fatally shot in his yard after returning from a birthday celebration for his young son. What should have been a day of joy turned into a tragic...
Ameren Missouri is offering customers up to $1,400 in energy bill assistance
ST. LOUIS — Ameren Missouri customers struggling to keep up with high summer utility bills may now qualify for up to $1,400 in payment assistance through a mix of new and existing programs. The utility company recently donated $4 million to community action agencies to expand access to bill...
