Julie Bierach

Don't put your boots or ice scraper away, snow is coming again to St. Louis -- and soon.

The Missouri Department of Transportation has prepared area roadways for the 3 to 6 inches of snow that is forecasted for the St. Louis metropolitan area.

MoDOT crews began treating roads last night with a salt brine mix. Bruce Pettus, maintenance superintendent for MoDOT, says as the snow begins to fall, conditions will begin to deteriorate during rush hour traffic, making it difficult for crews to clear the roads.

"That's why we're asking the motorists to minimize travel, maybe leave a little early from work. And make that commute before we get accumulating snow. And then this evening, do the same thing, minimize travel. We're gonna have all of our forces on the road, but it'll just allow us more space to work."

Pettus says MoDOT will have over 200 trucks on the road once the snow begins to accumulate.

• The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for the St. Louis region from noon today to noon tomorrow. Snow accumulations of 3-to-6 inches are expected. Meteorologist Laura Kanofsky says the snow could cause problems on the road. The snow should reach the St. Louis metro area by late afternoon or early evening.

"Because the snow is going to be lighter and fluffier, it's going to blow around a lot easier. And so with some winds picking up behind the system as it departs, some blowing and drifting snow could cause some areas of low visibility."

• The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the trial to decide the fate of St. Stanislaus Kostka Church is beginning today. The trial in St. Louis Circuit Court is expected to last about three weeks. The church and archdiocese have been in conflict since 2004, when the parish board refused a demand by former Archbishop Raymond Burke to follow the same legal and financial rules as other parishes. When the board appointed its own pastor, Burke stripped the church of its standing as a Roman Catholic parish.
• The Missouri Baptist Convention says its executive director has resigned due to what it calls "immoral behavior with a woman." The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Sunday that the Rev. David Tolliver had led the 600,000-member state arm of the Southern Baptist Convention since February 2009. The organization said in a news release Friday that his departure is immediate. Jay Hughes, one of the organization's leaders will fill in as executive director until a permanent replacement is named.

• A former CIA agent is jailed after allegedly leaking classified information about Iran to a New York Times reporter. Jeffrey Sterling, 43, of O'Fallon, Mo. is charged in a ten count indictment. The federal indictment charges Sterling with unauthorized disclosure of national defense information. The indictment did not specify what he leaked, but The Associated Press reports the leaks were to Pulitizer Prize winning journalist James Risen for his 2008 book State of War. The book details information about the CIA's covert spy war in Iran.
• Some Missouri legislators want to limit the growth of the state's minimum wage. A 2006 law approved by Missouri voters requires the state's minimum wage to be adjusted annually with inflation. But if the federal minimum wage is higher, then that is used instead. Republic House member Jerry Nolte, of Gladstone, has filed legislation prohibiting the Missouri minimum wage from rising above the federal one. The bill has the backing of several other Republicans, as well as a coalition of business groups. Nolte says it's important for Missouri businesses to keep wages comparable to those of most neighboring states. Missouri currently follows the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. The state labor department says Missouri's wage this year would otherwise be $7.00 per hour.
• People who want a state ballot initiative that could lead to early voting have a green light from the  state to start gathering signatures. The Missouri secretary of state's office approved a summary of the initiative petition yesterday. Supporters must collect between 91,800 and 99,600 signatures, and the question would appear on the 2012 ballot. The proposal would change Missouri law to let voters cast ballots in person before federal general elections.
• The Missouri Department of Transportation says the westbound lanes of the Daniel Boone bridge will close for maintenance from about 8 or 9 p.m. tonight until around 5 a.m. Monday. The bridge carries Interstate 64 traffic over the Missouri River. Drivers are encouraged to use one of three other bridges that cross the river in the St. Louis area - on Interstate 70, Route 364 or Highway 370. The work is preventative maintenance on the Boone bridge, which carries about 75,000 cars daily.

The ACLU of Eastern Missouri says it has learned that the state is running out of its supply of one of the three drugs used in executions.

The ACLU says the state has 50 units of sodium thiopental, but it expires March 1.

The state is preparing for the execution of Richard Clay next week.

• According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, an initial autopsy of 27 year-old Adrienne Martin did not reveal any signs of disease. St. Louis County medical examiner Dr. Mary Case, also said that Martin's cremation won't hurt the investigation of her death. Martin was found dead Dec. 19 in the Huntleigh home of former Anheuser-Busch CEO August Busch IV. Case says tissue samples were taken from Martin's organs to help determine the cause of her death.
• An Illinois appeals court will decide whether imprisoned former Gov. George Ryan will be able to visit his ailing wife. Lura Lynn Ryan is in intensive care suffering complications from chemotherapy. The ex-governor's attorneys asked the court to release him yesterday in an emergency motion.
• The Missouri lottery is moving its evening drawings back more than two hours so more people will have time buy tickets. Sales currently end at 6:45 p.m. for the daily drawings for Pick 3, Pick 4, Show Me Cash, and for Missouri lotto on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Starting Monday, sales for the drawings will end at 8:59 p.m., and the Lottery says numbers will be drawn between then and 9:15 p.m.