🌱 Park Shelter Honors Fallen Officer + 1 Charged In Pandemic Fraud

Hey, everybody! It's Wednesday in St. Louis and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on the most important things happening in town.

But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny; breezy, cooler. High: 40 Low: 23.

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

1. A North County park is renaming a shelter in honor of a St. Louis County police detective who died in the line of duty. Antonio Valentine was killed on Dec. 1, 2021, in a crash in Bellfontaine Neighbors near Bella Fontaine Park. The dedication ceremony for the new "Detective Antonio Valentine Memorial Shelter" will be held Thursday on the one-year anniversary of his death. (KMOV4)
2. A St. Louis woman has been accused of acquiring $291,000 through a pandemic loan fraud scheme. An indictment alleges that the loan, issued in September 2020, was used by 44-year-old Jeannine R. Buford on personal expenses including a $5,000 couch and rent for a luxury apartment. Buford pleaded not guilty on Monday to three felony charges including wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering. (KTVI Fox 2 St. Louis)
3. New information in the Jul. 20 drowning death of 6-year-old T.J. Mister reveals a 911 call for aid was delayed due to a failure by St. Louis County to properly set up its phone system. The call for the incident at the Kennedy Recreation Center pool was instead routed to Colorado before being rerouted to the proper authorities in St. Louis. As of Monday, a county representative said the phone issue has been fixed. (KTVI Fox 2 St. Louis)

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Today in St. Louis:

• Story Time At Lewis And Clark Branch Library (10:00 AM)
• Craft Hour: Project Holiday Cheer At Meremac Valley Branch Library (2:00 PM)
• Karaoke Night At The Sliced Pint (5:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The St. Louis County Police Department has issued an Endangered Persons Advisory for 12-year-old Michael Gonzalez and 15-year-old Maya Gonzalez. Visit the link to view photos of the siblings and contact the department at 636-529-8210 with any information. (St. Louis County Police Department via Facebook)
• This weekend, the City Museum will feature holiday light displays, Steampunk Santa Magic shows, and storytelling from Mrs. Claus. All holiday activities are free with general admission and free for museum members. (City Museum, St Louis, MO via Facebook)
• The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and St. Louis Symphony Chorus will perform George Frideric Handel's Messiah this weekend, Dec. 2-4. Click here for ticket information. (St. Louis Symphony Orchestra via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Online zoom meeting with the best roofing contractors in St. Louis (December 3)
• Add your event

You're all caught up for today. I'll see you around!

— Helen Eckhard

About me: Helen Eckhard is a marketing associate at Lightning Media Partners. Outside of work, she enjoys constructing crossword puzzles, knitting, or devising increasingly crafty ways to kill off characters in her mystery novels.