MONDAY, DECEMBER 4. A chance of snow was supposedly on tap for morning rush hour, but instead there’s just a little rain, and it’s 48 degrees by mid-afternoon. Officials convene a week-long crime conference at the Washington University School of Medicine campus to develop a regional solution to St. Louis’ biggest black eye: crime. Elsewhere in the city, critics protest at the Delmar Divine against the possible expansion of charter schools, saying the nonprofit complex’s tenant the Opportunity Trust does not have St. Louis’ best interests in mind.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5. Bitter winds make today’s high of 47 feel much colder — or maybe we’re just spoiled by eternal fall. The Post-Dispatch reports that the city’s red-light camera plan is now stalled at the Board of Aldermen, another policy split between Mayor Tishaura Jones and Aldermanic President Megan Ellyia Green. Green wants a full review of police surveillance activity as part of the bill; Jones just wants the cameras.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6. TV trailblazer Norman Lear is dead at 101. Locally, just one day after trumpeting the progress he’s making in clearing Kim Gardner’s backlog and all the people he’s locked up, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore says he’s running to hold onto the job.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7. There’s some good news for once: The city is apparently waking up from its 911 nightmare. Officials tell the Post-Dispatch they’re now picking up 80 percent of calls within 10 seconds or less, and on some days it approaches 90 percent. It’s almost like a real, functional city! Also, almost like a real, functional state, Governor Mike Parson has a plan to spend $4 million to address maternal mortality in Missouri. When even Parson calls the state’s record “embarrassing,” you know it’s bad.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8. Ryan O’Neal dies, reminding us that love means never having to say you’re sorry, which is not even true, but it was the 1970s, man. Back home, the Board of Aldermen votes to freeze property taxes for seniors living in homes worth $500K or less, meaning you can be in the top 5 percent of St. Louis residences and still qualify for welfare as long as you’re not of childbearing age. Also, the local leaders who’ve been huddling all week have a plan to reduce homicides by (another) 20 percent — using “focused deterrence” to tell some of the city’s biggest troublemakers to shape up or face “targeted enforcement action.” Unsurprisingly, the business community is totally on board.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9. It’s again lovely weather — when it’s almost 60 in December, you have to wonder what happened to winter in St. Louis. Also, what happened to the Blues? They lose 3-1 to the Blackhawks, their second consecutive loss to a last-place team. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles: The Dodgers announce they’ve signed superstar Shohei Ohtani for $700 million. That’s 4.5 times the Cardinals’ entire payroll.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10. Approximately 450 people march in support of Israel in the Delmar Loop — along with 30 counter protestors. Meanwhile, the Post-Dispatch reports that St. Louis lost another 17 cops last month, or 2 percent of their entire workforce. The city is budgeted for 1,224 officers but only has 912 on the rolls — making it yet another city department with major problems with retention and recruitment. Will the last St. Louis city employee turn out the lights?
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