🌱 Police Chief Postpones Retirement + New COVID Test Site Opens

Get on up, St. Louis! It's Wednesday, so let's get you started with everything you need to know going on today in St. Louis.

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny. High: 50 Low: 30.

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

1. St. Louis Chief of Police John Hayden has postponed his retirement until further notice as the search for his replacement continues. Officials say Hayden, who has served in his current position for four years, agreed this week to continue serving as chief beyond his intended Feb. 23 retirement date. The move follows remarks from Mayor Tishaura Jones in recent weeks expressing a desire for a more diverse pool of finalists for the position. (KSDK.com)
2. The City of St. Louis Department of Health is partnering with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) and other public health partners to provide between 500-1,000 COVID tests a day at a new location in the city. Beginning Jan. 12, COVID-19 drive-through testing will be available at 1408 N. Kingshighway Boulevard, the parking lot at The Shops at Roberts Village. Pre-registration is required for the new testing location. (Press Release Desk)
3. Two scratcher tickets worth $100,000 each were recently sold in the St. Louis area. The tickets were sold separately at the QuikTrip on Page Avenue in Overland and the Crown Food Mart on Dr. Martin Luther King Drive. The jackpot winners must claim their winnings at one of the Missouri Lottery’s regional offices or by mail. (KTVI Fox 2 St. Louis)

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Today in St. Louis:

• Vaccine Clinic At Lewis And Clark Branch Library (1:00 PM)
• Community Blood Drive With The American Red Cross At Central Branch Library (1:00 PM)
• Adult Book Discussion At Richmond Heights Memorial Library (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Have you seen the Saint Louis Zoo's newest friends in the lake near The Wild? Swan geese goslings that hatched in June 2021 have joined the geese group out on the lake. (Facebook)
• January is an exceptional time to view eagles in Missouri! Because of its big rivers, many lakes, and expansive wetlands, Missouri is one of the leading lower 48 states for bald eagle viewing. (Facebook)
• Republic Services, the City's solid waste service provider, was not able to perform yard waste pickup as regularly scheduled yesterday. Impacted routes will be serviced today, Jan. 11. (Nextdoor)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll see you 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.