Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: What’s really getting cut in St. Louis County’s 2026 budget?

Also, don't miss Javier Mendoza (Hobo Cane) on the St. Louis Patch calendar

Patch AM Team's profile picture
Patch AM Team, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
Thursday January 1st Patch AM
Thursday January 1st Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Hi St. Louis! We have the latest buzz right here. Let's keep you in the loop and get this morning started right! ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • What’s really getting cut in St. Louis County’s 2026 budget?
  • How one St. Louis nonprofit gives artists $350,000 in free help
  • Why a missing package led to felony charges in St. Louis County

Also on today's calendar: Javier Mendoza (Hobo Cane) and 5 more events.

Find out what's happening in O'Fallonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: Playing golf is bad for your brain. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in O'Fallonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high of 38 and low of 29 degrees.
  • Friday: Mostly cloudy, temps: high: 39, low: 27.
  • Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high of 41 and low of 25 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. St. Louis County executive signs $1B budget but warns cuts to public safety, health too deep (ksdk.com) — St. Louis County’s $1 billion 2026 budget is now signed, but Executive Sam Page warns cuts to public safety and public health go too far. The council trimmed $48 million, including $11 million from the Department of Public Health, and county leaders expect to push for supplemental funding next year to restore key services.
   

2. Nonprofit Provides Free Legal and Accounting Aid to Artists, Celebrates Retirement of Long-Time Executive Director (riverbender.com) — St. Louis artists can continue to access free legal and accounting help as St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts transitions from longtime leader Sue Greenberg to new executive director Nathaniel Carroll. After 39 years guiding the nonprofit, Greenberg is retiring, while the organization’s 300 volunteers will keep supporting hundreds of creative professionals across the metro each year.
   

3. St. Louis County postal employee assaulted over missing package (kmov.com) — A postal worker was reportedly choked, thrown down, and repeatedly punched inside a St. Louis County apartment lobby after being confronted about a missing package. Police say the victim struggled to breathe and was hospitalized, and prosecutors have charged Shaun Lewis with third-degree assault. The case highlights safety concerns for local mail carriers on their routes.
   

4. Missouri lawmaker looks for solutions to car theft problem (firstalert4.com) — A St. Louis-based state representative is pushing a new Auto Theft Task Force to tackle Missouri’s high rate of car thefts, which heavily affects local drivers and insurers. The proposal would pool state and local law-enforcement resources and may stiffen penalties for armed carjackings, aiming to reduce both stolen vehicles and related crimes across communities like St. Louis.
   

📸 Around St. Louis

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in St. Louis

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

📣 St. Louis Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

 

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making St. Louis PatchAM possible:

  • Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
    Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

🪧 Patch Classifieds

  • Nominate an Outstanding Volunteer to be a 2026 Woman of Achievement
    It’s the final days of Women of Achievement’s call for nominations for the 2026 Women of Achievement. Please nominate an outstanding volunteer... (More info)

Ok St. Louis! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I just heard a golfer say he had four strokes on the first hole!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from O'Fallon