🌱 I-55 Lane Changes On Monday + Woman Charged With Human Trafficking

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

1. Commuters could see increased traffic on I-55 on Monday, Jan. 9. The Missouri Department of Transportation said work crews will begin at 9:00 a.m. closing two northbound lanes between Virginia Avenue in St. Louis and Weber Road in St. Louis County. Two additional lanes will be shifted to the southbound side of I-55. During this time, northbound ramps at Germania Street and Loughborough Avenue will also be shut down. (Subscription: St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
2. Marlaa Jackson, 22, has been charged with human trafficking and sodomy. The St. Louis woman was with a 15-year-old girl at a hotel in Paducah, Kentucky, where they were "stranded." Jackson had posted about the 15-year-old and "commercial sex activities" earlier that evening. The girl was returned to her legal guardian in St. Louis. (Fox 2 Now)
3. A man is in the hospital after jumping off the upper deck of I-64 to allegedly get away from police officers during a chase early Friday morning. The chase began in Illinois where officers were able to spike the suspect’s vehicle, but he made it into Missouri through I-64. The suspect left his vehicle and jumped from the upper deck and fell to Market Street where he landed in front of the Armory. He was taken to the hospital and his charges are unknown as of Friday afternoon. (KFVS 12)

Today in St. Louis:

• Singer Songwriter Brunch: West End Junction At Evangeline’s Bistro And Music House (11:00 AM)
• The One Wedding Show At St. Charles Convention Center (11:00 AM)
• Harlem Globetrotters At Enterprise Center (2:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Did you know the average Missouri resident’s average monthly electric bill in 2022 increased by nearly 10 percent from the previous year? Learn more about where the Show-Me State stands on power consumption and costs compared to the rest of the country in this new Ownerly data study. (Ownerly)
• Monday is your last chance to recycle yourlive Christmas tree at one of the city’s parks. Trees will be accepted through Monday, Jan. 9 at Forest Park, O'Fallon Park, or Carondelet Park. (City of St. Louis Government via Facebook)
• Do you have friends or relatives coming to visit soon and need to find them a place to stay? Consider the historic home away from home in St. Louis at the Tuxedo Park STL Bed & Breakfast Inn. (Explore St. Louis via Facebook)

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That's it for today! See you all Monday for another update.

— 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.