🌱 Customer Shoots McDonald's Worker + Talent Finalists Chosen

Good morning, people of St. Louis! It's me again, Helen Eckhard, your host of the St. Louis Daily.

First, today's weather:

Mostly sunny. High: 19 Low: 7.

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

1. Police say a McDonald's customer shot one of the restaurant's employees after getting into an argument in the drive-thru lane on Wednesday afternoon. The incident occurred at the store's location in the 1700 block of South Florissant Road, where the suspect approached the worker during a cigarette break and shot her once in the chest. The worker was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, and the shooter drove away. (STLtoday.com)
2. Visitation services were held Wednesday for a St. Louis firefighter who was killed while battling a house fire last week. Benjamin Polson was killed after a roof collapsed during a fire at a two-story brick building in the 5900 block of Cote Brilliante. Polson served with the St. Louis Fire Department for more than two years and had recently been reassigned to Engine House 13 in the Hamilton Heights Neighborhood. (KMOV.com)
3. Finalists have been chosen in the 12th Annual St. Louis Teen Talent Competition after forty-two metro area high school acts competed in the semi-final round on Jan. 16. The acts included vocal, instrumental, dance, and specialty performances and were judged by fifteen St. Louis performing arts professionals. The final competition will be held at the Fox Theatre on Friday, Feb. 11, and is free and open to the public. (fox2now.com)

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Today in St. Louis:

• Uncanny Book Club: "Exhalation" By Ted Chiang At Central Branch Library (6:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Work is continuing through the winter months on the construction on Manchester Road between Big Bend Boulevard and Lindbergh Drive as weather permits. Most of the work currently underway continues to construct sidewalks and remove, grade, and replace entrances in various sections on each end of the project. (Nextdoor)
• Join the Missouri Botanical Garden for a winter virtual tour! See seasonal blooms like witch hazel and snowdrops, and take a walk through the Climatron to see blooming aroids, orchids, and more. (Facebook)
• Procure, a new retail experience concept, is making space for 50 women-owned, local brands in their new store at City Foundry. Opening in February, the store will feature an intentionally curated selection of local items such as skincare, beauty, lifestyle, apparel, accessories, and home goods. (Facebook)

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You're all caught up for today! See you all tomorrow for your next 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.