🌱 St. Louis Mayor Approved $93M In Spending + St. Louis Man On Trial

Morning, friends! I'm back with your fresh copy of the St. Louis Daily. Come along to find out everything you need to know about what's happening in town these days.

But first, today's weather:

Times of clouds and sun. High: 52 Low: 38.

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

1. St. Louis Mayor Toshaura O. Jones approved a $93 million budget on Wednesday to transform neighborhoods in the city that have been struggling for a long time, including those on the historically Black North Side of the city. The budget includes over $50 million in federal pandemic aid. The spending plan will work toward helping to clean up derelict properties, bring in new investment and redevelopment, and train people in the city to help get involved with these initiatives. Mayor Jones said, "We can't turn back the clock, but we can work together towards a city where everyone can thrive." (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
2. Drew Hamilton Clark, 37, is on trial for three carjackings that took place on May 26, 2022. The St. Louis man is in federal court facing three counts of carjacking, possession of a stolen gun, and three counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime. Authorities say Clark's crime spree began at Union Station where he took a vehicle being unloaded and stole the gun out of the vehicle four days prior to the carjacking incidents. (Riverfront Times)
3. Two firefighters were injured during a battle at a vacant house fire on Monday morning. The St. Louis City firefighters responded to a fully-involved fire in the 4200 block of Harris. Although the fire was knocked down in about 30 minutes, two firefighters suffered minor burns to their faces, necks, and wrists. (KMOV4)

Today in St. Louis:

• Open Play At Play Street Museum - St. Louis (9:00 AM)
• Skills: Personalizing Your Apple Watch At Apple Saint Louis Galleria (1:00 PM)
• Human Design Types: Level 1 At Joy Of Yoga (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Looking to really commit to your New Year's resolution of a healthy lifestyle? Check out the five St. Louis-area places that could be your key to staying healthy at the link. (Sauce Magazine)
• If you are job hunting, look no further than one of the three upcoming job fairs at the link. The best part? There are sign-on bonuses! (KSDK.com)
• Need something to do this weekend? Why not visit the Saint Louis Zoo! The zoo is home to over 14,000 animals and garners visits from around three million visitors a year. (Saint Louis Zoo via Twitter)

Thanks for following along and staying informed. See you all tomorrow morning 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.