Congressman Todd Aking (R-Mo.), a candidate for US Senate, holds a press conference to confirm that he will remain in the race against Sen. Clair McCaskill (D-Mo.) after a controversy about his comments about rape during an interview.

St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley, former mayor of Northwoods, Mo., was selected by the St. Louis County Council to be county executive after the death of county executive Buzz Westfall.

Sandy Barnett poses for a photograph near her trailer home in Springfield, Ill., Friday, March 20, 2012. Barnett is struggling to pay student loan debt associated with graduate study at Sangamon State University and the University of North Texas at the same time she is trying to prepare for retirement. More about the topic can be found on The Washington Post website: https://wapo.st/38bnkUt

St. Louis University law professor Teri Dobbins Baxter commutes to the campus from the Chicago area. Baxter, a faculty member at SLU since 2002, relocated to Flossmoor, Ill., a suburb of Chicago, three years ago. She commutes to St. Louis every week for classes and other university commitments. More about the topic can be found on the Post-Dispatch website: https://bit.ly/389kkbd

Numerous law enforcement officers from both Missouri and Illinois attended the funeral for retired St. Clair County sheriff Mearle Justus at Holy Family Catholic Church in Cahokia, Ill. Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. Justus died a week after retiring as sheriff.

Emerald Automotive is an Irish company attempting to establish an assembly facility in suburban St. Louis to build hybrid electric delivery vehicles.

In the hotly-contested Illinois 12th Congressional District retired Illinois National Guard Gen. Bill Enyart beat Southern Illinois businessman Jason Plummer for the opportunity to represent the district in the US House of Representatives during balloting Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012.

- Advanced ICU Care, based in Creve Coeur, Mo., monitors patients through the company's offices Monday, Sept. 10, 2012. The firm's doctors and nurses monitor hospital intensive care units in 12 states. More about the company can be found on the St. Louis Post-Dispatch website: https://www.stltoday.com/business/local/creve-coeur-company-monitors-intensive-care-patients-nationally/article_514f608e-002d-11e2-9f12-0019bb30f31a.html

Following redistricting in 2011 U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-Mo.) and fellow Democrat and fellow incumbent William Lacy Clay Jr. were forced into a primary battle in the Aug. 7, 2012 election in the newly-formed first district. Clay won, knocking Carnahan from Congress after three terms.

Roman Catholic Sisters from Religious Orders across the United States gathered in St. Louis Aug. 7-10, 2012 for the 2012 Assembly of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious. During the gathering the group worked to formulate a response to a Doctrinal Assessment from the Vatican and Pope Benedict calling for reform of the group.

Three Republican candidates running for US Senate from Missouri met July 6, 2012 at Washington University in St. Louis for their final debate before the Aug. 7 primary. The candidates are competing to challenge sitting US Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) in the fall. Please contact Sid Hastings LLC (at http://is.gd/IoBSR3) to purchase prints or license images for publication from this event.

Crowds gather along Washington Avenue in downtown St. Louis Wednesday, July 4, 2012. The city's police department has introduced enhanced patrols and establishments have increased security in the entertainment and loft district in response to recent incidents involving crime and violence.

Supporters of the St. Louis Tea Party Coalition gathered at Art Hill in Forest Park following the ruling upholding the Affordable Care Act by the US Supreme Court Thursday, June 28, 2012 in St. Louis.

Members of the 571st Air Force Band, part of the Missouri Air National Guard, rehearse at Lambert Field in St. Louis Saturday, June 23, 2012. The group, which is attached to the 131st Fighter Wing of the Eighth Air Force, was organized in 1941 and has been based in St. Louis since 1946. It is being hosting a final tour of the Midwest this summer, and will be decommissioned in September 2013.

Team Battle Back, comprised of battle-wounded British Army veterans who fought in Afghanistan and Irag, competes in the Race Across America Thursday, June 21, 2012 near Vandalia, Ill. The is a non-stop, tag-team bicycle race from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

Worshipers gathered at the First Presbyterian Church in Festus, Mo. for the congregation's final service Sunday, May 13, 2012. The church was organized in 1874, and moved to this building 110 years ago.

Patricia and Merle Butler, holder of one of the winning tickets from the Mega Millions lottery drawn on March 30, 2012, were introduced by the Illinois Lottery in their hometown of Red Bud, Ill. Wednesday, April 18, 2012.

Sales staff at Modern Auto Company in Washington, Mo. work to sell cars in a difficult economy Friday, April 6, 2012. More can be found on The Washington Post website: https://wapo.st/3hIGQvC and https://wapo.st/37LYBpu

Gun enthusiasts from around the country gathered in St. Louis for the 141st annual National Rifle Association Meetings and Exhibits at the America's Center and the Edward Jones Dome April 13-15, 2012. The convention included trade show and events, among them a Celebration of American Values Leadership Forum where politicians and policy makers spoke, including Gov. Mitt Romney, Speaker Newt Gingrich and Sen. Rick Santorum.

Jason Plummer, a Republican candidate for Congress in Illinois' 12th District, celebrates winning the party's nomination during the primary March 20, 2012.

Missouri Republicans gathered March 17, 2012 at locations across the state to select local delegates to eventually select delegates to attend the Republican National Convention this summer. Former US Sen. Rick Santorum made appearances at several caucus sites in St. Louis County.

Republican Presidential candidate Rick Santorum, former Senator from Pennsylvania, delivered an address on economic issues at St. Charles Community College in Cottleville, Mo. Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. Missouri's Republican primary is scheduled for Feb. 7, 2012.

Leaders from across Missouri gathered at Harris-Stowe State University Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012 for the 20th Annual Dr. Martin Luther K ing Jr. Statewide Celebration Kick-off. Keynote speaker was comedian and activist Dick Gregory.