🌱City Must Repay Millions + BJC Postpones Elective Procedures

Hello, neighbors! Helen Eckhard here with the Thursday copy of the St. Louis Daily.

First, today's weather:

Frigid; a bit of morning snow. High: 18 Low: 7.

Here are the top 3 stories today in St. Louis:

1. A Missouri appeals court confirmed Tuesday that St. Louis will be required to repay millions of dollars after an offer by the Attorney General to forgive the debt fell through. The city will spend a total of $5 million to pay back the State Legal Expense Fund for the state's share of a $14 million wrongful conviction settlement to the family of George Allen Jr. The city will also be required to pay legal fees for several other similar cases involving St. Louis police. (STLtoday.com)
2. BJC HealthCare announced Wednesday that it will postpone all elective surgeries, citing the recent surge in COVID-19 cases. The hospital system is currently contending with more than 500 COVID cases, leaving nurses and staff "stretched to their limits." Patients with procedures scheduled that are not considered urgent will be contacted by a staff member to reschedule.(Riverfront Times)
3. A St. Louis native is a contestant on a new competitive cooking show. 34-year-old Kenny Everett will compete to win $250,000 on FOX’s new program, "Next Level Chef," which was created by Gordon Ramsay. The series airs Wednesday evenings on FOX. (KTVI Fox 2 St. Louis)

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Today in St. Louis:

• Open Mic Comedy Night At Steve's Hot Dogs (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Clayton Police Department officers responded to 326 calls for service last week, including 12 automobile accidents, 27 calls to assist the City of Clayton Fire Department, and four fireworks complaints. (Nextdoor)
• Public Works Crews began salt brining city streets on Wednesday in anticipation of the possible snow moving in, concentrating on the main roads, snow routes, and hilly areas. (Nextdoor)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Thursday. I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow morning with another update!

— Helen Eckhard

About me: Helen Eckhard is a marketing assistant at Lightning Media Partners. She is a self-professed logophile who is currently pursuing her master’s degree in library science. Outside of work, you can find Helen constructing crossword puzzles, knitting, or devising increasingly crafty ways to kill off characters in her mystery novels.