🌱 Man Dead After Shooting + Spotted Chinese Surveillance Balloon

Hello again, everybody. It's me, Miranda Fraraccio, your host of the Patch newsletter. Let's get this week started off right, with a quick dive into the most important things going on around town.

But first, today's weather:

Breezy in the afternoon. High: 59 Low: 48.

📢 I'm looking for business owners and marketers in St. Louis who want to build awareness, connect with customers and increase sales.

I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. If that's you, then I invite you to learn more and secure your spot now.

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

1. One person died after a Saturday double shooting in East St. Louis that occurred shortly after 2 p.m. According to Illinois State Police, two people were found suffering from gunshot wounds in a vehicle at the intersection of 18th Street and Old Missouri Avenue in East St. Louis. Police said one man was pronounced dead, and another person was taken to a local hospital for treatment. (KSDK.com)
2. Three former St. Louis Board of Aldermen members were sentenced to prison for taking bribes from a north St. Louis gas station owner. This follows the recent release of court documents indicating the FBI provided cash to an informant who offered bribes to at least two other public officials. Records point to former U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay and current 3rd Ward Alderman Brandon Bosley. (Subscription: St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
3. What is suspected to be a Chinese surveillance balloon was spotted over St. Louis on Friday. It also was spotted over Kansas City and Columbia earlier in the day. Sen. Schmitt called for an investigation and wrote a letter to the Biden Administration and Secretary of Defense for answers. (KMOV4)

Today in St. Louis:

• K-12 Art Show At Ritenour Art Gallery (7:00 AM)
• Story Time At Cliff Cave Branch Library (10:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Check out these can't-miss events and eateries in the St. Louis area during Mardi Gras. The country's second-largest Mardi Gras celebration will be located in the Soulard neighborhood and last for five weeks around the St. Louis area. From parades to BBQs, there are countless things to do and enjoy this year. (KTVI Fox 2 St. Louis)
• Check out St. Louis Symphony Orchestra's IN UNISON Chorus, highlighted in an article by KMOV. Singers shared the mission of the chorus is to preserve and perform music from the African diaspora, which is important to them personally and the community. (St. Louis Symphony Orchestra via Facebook)
• Saint Louis Zoo shared a Facebook video of a pig-nosed turtle enjoying his floating fruit. You can visit the pig-nosed turtles and other reptiles in the Herpetarium at the Zoo! (Saint Louis Zoo via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Online webinar about our roofing services in St. Louis (February 17)
• Add your event

You're officially in the loop for today! See you all tomorrow morning for your next 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.