🌱 Omicron Surge Peaks + Schnucks, Dierbergs Alter Hours

Happy Thursday, St. Louis! Let's get you all caught up to start today off on an informed note.

First, today's weather:

Very cold with a little snow. High: 22 Low: 13.

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

1. St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force officials say the Omicron variant surge of COVID-19 cases has peaked in St. Louis. The Task Force shared in a report released Wednesday that the region’s hospitals have fewer than 900 COVID patients for the first time since Jan. 1. For the last seven days, the number of discharged patients has outnumbered the number of admitted patients with COVID-19. (KTVI Fox 2 St. Louis)
2. Schnucks stores across St. Louis have altered their hours to accommodate the ongoing winter storm. Multiple locations of the grocery store closed at 6 p.m. yesterday and plan to reopen at 10 a.m. today. Dierbergs grocery stores also announced they would be closing early on Wednesday and opening late today. (KSDK.com)
3. A St. Louis-area glass factory is closing in March, resulting in the termination of 243 employees. A representative for PGP Glass USA Inc. says the factory's furnaces need repair, and company leaders have elected to close the facility rather than pay for replacements. The facility is located in Park Hills in St. Francois County. (KSDK.com)

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Today in St. Louis:

• Words Of Wellness At Machacek Branch Library (All Day)
• AARP Tax-Aide At Lewis And Clark Branch Library (9:30 AM)
• Free Vaccination Clinic At Divoll Branch Library (10:30 AM)

From my notebook:

• The Saint Louis Zoo will be closed all day today, Feb. 3, due to inclement weather; the Zoo is closed in the interest of public and employee safety. Only staff directly related to critical operations will be expected to report to work. (Facebook)
• MoDOT provides a very detailed map of road conditions throughout Missouri. If you do venture out during the ongoing storm, please be sure to check the latest road conditions on their app or website. (Facebook)
• It's been cold and snowy this week, but this weekend, conductor Elim Chan and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra will bring the warmth of the Lunar New Year to Powell Hall! Celebrate the Year of the Tiger with performances of Chinese composer Tan Dun's new percussion concerto, "The Tears of Nature." (Facebook)

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That's it for today! I'll be back in your inbox tomorrow morning with 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.