Tomorrow is primary election day in Illinois. Illinoisans have contested races for U-S Senate, Governor and some local U-S House seats.

St. Louis Public Radio Metro East reporter Will Bauer breaks it all down.

Diving in to the (latest) pitch to merge St. Louis to dig out of a financial pit, to eliminate the income tax in Missouri, and the big game for St. Louis University Basketball. Plus, a conversation with comedian Samantha Bee ahead of her local show.

The city recently learned the Federal Emergency Management Agency won't reimburse for the cost of demolishing most vacant buildings destroyed during the May 16 tornado, leaving the future of the buildings and the north city neighborhoods in limbo. But STLPR's Kavahn Mansouri reports, the vacant buildings in the path of the tornado are just the most recent chapter in the city's long history of vacancy issues.

A Syracuse University researcher says new ICE agreements spreading across Missouri will shift immigration enforcement onto local police — with possible consequences for towns and taxpayers.

East-West Gateway, the bi-state area’s council of governments, kicked off an initiative to create a common vision for the St. Louis region. They’ll do that by creating a regional alignment plan they hope will create a framework that helps leaders from different sectors, like government, the arts and non-profits, work together. St. Louis Public Radio’s Kavahn Mansouri spoke with Jim Wild, executive director of East West Gateway, about what the plan might look like in practice.

Cities and suburbs may not be connected to the region's farms, but they are seeing a growth in FFA chapters.

St. Louis drinkers love Stag – the historic lager with roots in Belleville. But some distributors have recently told bar owners they will soon be out of kegs of the beloved beer. St. Louis Public Radio’s Sarah Fentem reports on the future of Stag, and whether the pints being enjoyed this year could be the last.

In the past few years, video gaming machines have become a controversial public policy and political issue in Missouri. The devices, also known as video lottery terminals or VLTs, resemble slot machines in casinos and can be found in gas stations, convenience stores and fraternal organizations all over Missouri. And while state lawmakers are divided about whether they should be legal or not, a federal judge’s ruling is prompting state and local officials to get them removed.

Protein is having its moment in the spotlight. Companies are adding more protein-enhanced products to their lineups as demand grows. The new federal dietary guidelines unveiled earlier this year also put the nutrient front and center. Harvest Public Media’s Tadeo Ruiz Sandoval reports on whether Americans actually need more protein.

The increasing cost of electricity and gas has replaced eggs as inflation's poster child. Doing something about it will likely fall on state governments.