Tom Scheifler News Today

A bill aiming to streamline the liquor license approval process for St. Louis City restaurant owners advanced out of committee last week, but some neighborhood leaders believe residents are being left out of the process

St. Louis Hills residents on Tuesday voted to pay higher taxes for technology and more manpower to make their neighborhood safer.

St. Louis Hills could be the second neighborhood in the past two years to start charging a special levy to pay for things typically run out of City Hall.

Police say the system in St. Louis Hills was recently crucial in getting a suspected child predator identified quickly.

An arrest has been made, but area residents are still coming to grips.

Osmani Haji Gul has been charged with first-degree statutory sodomy and sexual misconduct involving a child, as well as charges of first-degree attempted statutory sodomy and fourth-degree assault.

For more information on the St. Louis Hills Neighborhood Association's Security Initiative click here.

Residents and businesses donate $15 per month to support that single off-duty officer and purchase their roughly $150 camera.