Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols and St. Louis native Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies are on the National League All Star team for the 80th Major League Baseball All Star game July 14.

STL TV is offering double coverage of the biggest event to hit St. Louis in decades, the 2009 Major League All Star Game. The current Downtown is Alive program on STL TV, produced in cooperation with the Downtown St. Louis Partnership, has interviews with Ron Watermon of the St. Louis Cardinals, Greg Saunders of Hyatt Regency St. Louis Riverfront and Gary Van Matre of Mike Shannon's on how they are all preparing for the July 10-14 All Star Weekend and festivities. See our program guide for show times.

During the weekend, STL TV will bring you MORE complete coverage than any other St. Louis station. “We’ll have crews everywhere,” said STL TV’s Rick Davis. “Kim Hudson will be a ‘kid for a day’ at the Major League Baseball All-Star FanFest at America's Center.” And what fun she’ll have. The All Star Fanfest will feature an interactive baseball theme park, video batting cages and game zone, home run derby, exhibits and attractions, Major League clinics and seminars, free autograph sessions with Cardinals legends and Hall of Famers, memorabilia, the “Largest Baseball Interactive Spectacular in the World” and much more.

“We’ll have special reports on players including our local Ryan Howard of the Phillies, and we’ll be talking with Hall of Famers and All Stars,” Davis said. Other weekend activities include an All Star Concert at the Gateway Arch on Saturday, All Star 5K and Fun Run on Sunday and All Star Game Red Carpet Show on Tuesday. Watch for STL TV’s extensive coverage of the 2009 All Star events on Inside Sports. See our program guide for air times.

STL TV hosts Cassandra Walker and Gilberto Pinela congratulate Soul Search winner Katrina Reece.

We have a winner! Over the past several weeks, soul-singing wannabes competed in the fourth annual McDonald’s R&B Soul Search, which is highlighted on special episodes of The Best of the STL. This year it was held at The Loft nightclub, 3112 Olive Blvd. In the end, Katrina Reece (pictured here) was crowned McDonald’s R&B Soul Search queen. LeAndra took second place and Maree Sanjay third. For details visit www.mcdonaldsstl.com/promo or read the review by by Kenya Vaughn of the St. Louis American at stlamerican.com. Check our program guide for airings of The Best of the STL Soul Search.

Your favorite STL TV on-air personalities are at your service to add a professional touch to your grand opening, music festival, health fair, block party and more, including presentations at libraries and schools and businesses. Call on our talented Ambassadors to host your next event. For more information phone 314-552-2900.

Front row, from left: Sarah Thompson, Ivy Hartman, Gilberto Pinela, Kara Kaminsky, Rick Edlund; back row: Todd Thomas, Cassandra Walker, Debbie Monterrey and Steve Potter.

On this week’s edition of It's Your Money, City of St. Louis Comptroller Darlene Green discusses the ramped-up efforts on job training and employment with Ohala J. Ward, executive director of Near Southside Employment Coalition (NSEC), and Michael Holmes, executive director of the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE).

The NSEC, explained Ms. Ward, was created in 1983 by several churches and agencies to address high unemployment rates among residents of the Darst-Webbe and Clinton-Peabody communities and other areas and now successfully assists a large number of near-south side citizens.

For more information visit www.nsecworks.org.

SLATE works with job seekers and employers in the St. Louis Area. Holmes announced that SLATE is hoping to find 1,600 summer jobs for young persons living in the city of St. Louis as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, signed into law by President Barack Obama on February 17. The city’s UrbanFORCE program is run by SLATE’s UrbanWorks Department to help young adults from ages 14 to 24 find meaningful work and experience new career opportunities this summer, Holmes noted. For details visit www.stlworks.com.

See our program guide for It's Your Money show times.

The Best of the STL will air live August 19. Make your reservations now to be a part of our live studio audience! Send reservation requests to bryante@stlouiscity.com. Please include contact information and the number of people.

"I found it quite interesting and informative.” - Eileen Wolfington