■ Although national health officials are saying the nasty 2017-2018 flu season has yet to hit its peak, the tide may have turned in Jefferson County. For the week of Jan. 21-27, there were 339 “laboratory-positive” influenza cases in the county. That was a drop from 444 cases the week before (Jan. 14-20), and the lowest number of new cases in six weeks. But keeping the statistics in perspective, the current flu season is the worst, by far, since Jefferson County started keeping track of flu numbers in 2004. See Peggy Bess’ story.
■ More than 100 people gathered Monday night at Crystal City High School for a prayer vigil to support Makenna Jones, 12, who suffered cardiac arrest on Sunday while playing in a CYC basketball game at St. Joseph Catholic School in Imperial. Jones, a Crystal City Elementary sixth-grader, was in critical condition Tuesday morning at the Heart Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, said Laura High, a hospital spokeswoman. See Russell Korando’s story.
■ The war of wills between the Jefferson County Council and County Executive Ken Waller that consumed most of 2017 looks as if it’s going to continue into 2018, with another showdown likely for the next council meeting, on Tuesday, Feb. 13. That’s when the council is expected to consider an amendment to the county’s $82.9 million budget. A final vote may come at its Feb. 26 meeting. See Steve Taylor’s story.
■ Comtrea’s Mardi Gras in Vegas annual fundraiser was a huge success, with about 325 people attending the event, held Saturday at the Quality Inn in Festus, said Kim Elbl, vice president in charge of marketing and fundraising. She said Monday that expenses for the Mardi Gras hadn’t been tallied, so she didn’t know exactly how much money was raised, but she estimated the event brought in $50,000 in donations, admission fees and auction bids. See Tracey Bruce’s story.
■ Jimmy McDermott, 48, of Grubville, a paramedic at Big River Ambulance District, has a special connection to coworker Scott “Scottie” Argurieo. McDermott delivered his fellow paramedic in the back of an ambulance almost 22 years ago. Lisa Argurieo said her son seemed destined for a career in emergency services – ever since those first few moments of life in the back of the ambulance. See Tracey Bruce’s story.
■ Retired Jefferson County Circuit Judge John L. Anderson died Jan. 27 in St. Louis at age 89. Judge Anderson helped set the tone for the legal system in Jefferson County and beyond. “He was a very learned man with deep compassion,” said Timothy Patterson, 76, a fellow retired Jefferson County Circuit judge. “The judges who served with him carried on his tradition. He was highly respected in the Missouri Judicial Conference and by the members of the bar in general. His reputation was wider than the county.” See Laura Marlow’s story.
■ Emmy Award-winning actress Loretta Swit will headline the sixth annual Frank Wilcox Film Festival in De Soto on Friday and Saturday, March 16-17. Swit, who turned 80 last November, is best known for her role as head nurse Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan on the television series M*A*S*H, which ran for 11 years (1972-1983) on the CBS network. She was nominated for an Emmy award 10 times for that role and won twice, in 1980 and 1982. See Gordon Bess’ story.
■ The Editorial section includes a Gordon Bess column on Jefferson County’s decision to hire a lobbyist and a collection of local letters on a wide array of topics.
■ Should girls wrestle with the boys or have their own category of competition? Sports editor Russell Korando addresses that topic in his Feb. 8 column and covers prep wrestling and basketball, and Jefferson College sports.
*** OK, winter, you can stop now.