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🌱 Patch AM: Why a St. Louis cab ride ended in a violent gas-station attack

Make time for Home Alone in Concert on the St. Louis Patch calendar

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Good morning St. Louis! We're back in your inbox this morning to keep you in the loop with what's happening in and around town. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • Why a St. Louis cab ride ended in a violent gas-station attack
  • Will modular homes finally fill the Ville’s long-empty blocks?
  • How grieving families are lifting St. Louis neighbors in recovery

Also on today's calendar: Nicholas Brooks and 6 more events.

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

Today's riddle: What did the little needle say to the mother needle when it brought home a failing report card? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

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

  • Thursday: Fog, a.m. mist; mostly cloudy, with a high of 66 and low of 57 degrees.
  • Friday: Mostly sunny, temps: high: 69, low: 44.
  • Saturday: Times of clouds and sun, with a high of 68 and low of 50 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Police investigating after cab driver assaulted by group claiming he was watching inappropriate videos (kmov.com) — Police are investigating after a cab driver was beaten and robbed at a gas station on the 5700 block of W. Florissant in St. Louis, where a group of men accused him of watching inappropriate videos with juvenile passengers. The men allegedly assaulted him, stole his wallet and tablet, and then fled, leaving the driver with facial injuries as detectives continue their active investigation.
   

2. City turns to modular homes in effort to revive the Ville (stlamerican.com) — St. Louis is launching a modular-housing pilot to replace long-vacant lots in the Ville and Greater Ville, using $3.2 million in federal relief funds. About 10 homes would be factory-built, installed on city-owned land, and reserved for moderate-income households, with community meetings planned into 2026 so neighbors can help shape how this reinvestment unfolds.
   

3. Local peer support group brings holiday gifts and hope to recovery house residents (firstalert4.com) — In St. Louis, a peer support group called SOUL is bringing holiday gifts, encouragement, and hard-earned wisdom to residents at local recovery houses like ARCA. Formed by families who lost loved ones to overdoses, the group offers compassion, testimonies, and year-round outreach that help people in early recovery feel valued, rebuild relationships, and see how their struggles affect those who care about them.
   

4. Map could shed light on 'night owls' and 'morning larks' (futurity.org) — St. Louis researchers at Washington University and Saint Louis University have mapped how key “hub” brain cells keep our internal clocks running on time. Their new MITE tool, tested in mice, could eventually guide treatments for jet lag, shift work fatigue, and seasonal affective disorder. The work highlights how a small group of neurons may control whether you feel like a night owl or a morning person.
   

5. Rockettes' Legacy: How St. Louis created an iconic Christmas tradition (ksdk.com) — St. Louis gets full credit here for launching the famous Rockettes, who began as the Missouri Rockets performing at the old Missouri Theatre on Grand and Lucas. This piece walks you through how that local dance troupe evolved into a New York Christmas icon, and how the Rockettes have periodically returned to St. Louis stages like the Muny and today’s Stifel Theatre.
   

📸 Around St. Louis

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🗓 Upcoming Events in St. Louis

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

    Saturday December 27
  • Home Alone in Concert
    St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, 718 N Grand Blvd, St. Louis
    2:00 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

📣 St. Louis Shout Outs!

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🗓 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!

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Young St. Louis Skaters Named to the 2026 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships Sweeper Team —Courtney Megliola Read on Patch

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 guess I’m not as sharp as I thought.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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