Tim Lloyd

For the second week in a row, residents lined up to tell councilmembers that mandatory mediation would help save homeowners facing foreclosure.

But Councilwoman Hazel Erby, who sponsored the bill, moved to table its final passage at least until next week.

“We’re looking over some things,” Erby said.  “We just received some letters, so, we’re taking those into consideration.”

When asked, Erby didn’t specify what additional information needed to be considered.

Will be updated.

Updated 10:46 p.m. Palin suggests a third party candidate

Sarah Palin, who backed Sarah Steelman during the heated GOP Senate primary, is suggesting a third party candidate to run against Akin.

Speaking to Fox News Palin said: "Bless his heart, I don't want to pile on Todd Akin." 

But, she then said that it's time for Akin to step aside.

"Missouri is a must-win state," Palin said.  "The way we do that is to have someone like Sarah Steelman be able to run, even if it's as a third-party candidate, to be able to run and take this back."

Updated 5:00 p.m. with deadline passing, Akin remaining in the race

Updated 4:36 p.m. with additional reporting. A full list of earlier updates can be found at the end of the post. Original story posted Aug. 21 12.33 p.m.

Despite tremendous pressure on him to act otherwise, Todd Akin will stay in the race against Claire McCaskill for US Senate. 

The deadline for Akin to remove himself from the race was 5 p.m. CT today. He will need a court order by Sept. 25 if he wants to drop out beyond this point.

Metro will reopen its bus and MetroLink stops at the Grand Ave. Bridge tomorrow morning.

While crews were renovating the Grand Ave. Bridge, Metro was sprucing up its bus and train stops.

Upgrades include new seating at the bus stop along with redone elevators and stairs to the MetroLink station below the bridge.

Metro spokeswoman Patti Beck said the stop is a key part of Metro’s busiest route.

Ill. State Senator John Sullivan announced today that he is stepping away from his day-to-day duties for two to three weeks to receive cancer treatment.   

Sullivan represents the west central part of the state, including Quincy.  

In a press release, Sullivan said that he has a “rare but extremely treatable form of cancer called liposarcoma.”