🌱 Gas Station Thieves In St. Louis + Winter Weather Advisory

Good morning, friends. It's me, Miranda Fraraccio, your host of the St. Louis Daily — back in your inbox with all the most important things happening in the community today.

But first, today's weather:

Cloudy, snow, 1-2"; colder. High: 38 Low: 27.

🏠 If you're a real estate agent in St. Louis, of course you're looking for a way to stand out from the crowd and attract new clients. We can help you do that with an exclusive sponsorship in the St. Louis Patch newsletter. Click here to learn more.

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

1. Thieves are hitting southern St. Louis County gas stations and stealing purses from cars. The St. Louis County Police Department says thieves are taking off with women’s handbags left behind in vehicles. In recent cases, customers pump gas, leaving their purses in the driver’s or passenger’s seat. The thieves pull up to the side of the car, receiving gas in their vehicle, open that car’s door, and quickly take off with the purse. (KTVI Fox 2 St. Louis)
2. You can expect delays from snow this morning. The winter storm that came through last night comes with snow overnight and is expected to disrupt the morning commute. Snow will turn to a wintry mix later today. (KTVI Fox 2 St. Louis)
3. Dan Isom plans to step down as the interim public safety director in St. Louis. Isom has served as the interim public safety director for two years. After his departure to Ameren, veteran Deputy Fire Chief and Fire Marshal Charles Coyle will become the next interim public safety director. Isom's last day will be Feb. 11, and Coyle will begin Feb. 13. (KSDK.com)

Today in St. Louis:

• Approaching the Job Search After 60 At St. Louis Library Thornhill Branch (10:00 AM)
• All Ability Crafting At Prairie Commons Branch Meeting Room (11:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Saint Louis Zoo shared the passing of 20-year-old Jaguar, Ceiba. Ceiba was nearly 21 years old and the oldest female jaguar in the Association for Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) for jaguars in North American zoos. She was recently humanely euthanized due to advanced-stage renal failure, which is common in older cats. (Saint Louis Zoo via Facebook)
• Food and drink vendors were announced for The Market on Thursday. The Hawthorn will host one of St. Louis’ largest Arts & Culture Markets this Thursday, Jan. 26th, with local vendors, food, a live DJ, and a photo booth. (Saint Louis, MO via Instagram)
• On Jan. 28-29, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra will bring voices of the Cahokia site to life. It gives its world premiere of Composer James Lee III's Visions of Cahokia. Lee found inspiration for the piece from his visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cahokia Mounds. (St. Louis Symphony Orchestra via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Get your medical cannabis card, CBD or seeds all from home! (January 28)
• Add your event

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Wednesday! I'll see you soon.

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a staff writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. She is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island, where she earned degrees in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies. In her free time, you can find her traveling, drinking tea, or practicing film photography.