ShareBy Jo Schaper
The St. Louis County Council submitted legislation to approve a compromise budget December 6, which would allow the parks threatened with closure in 2012 to remain open, and reduce the number of employee layoffs from 173 to 40. Other service cutbacks, such as closing a satellite government center, and cutting back [...]

ShareIt’s a fact that Don Corrigan of the Webster-Kirkwood Times, the South County Times, and probably more publications, is known to Traveler staff. After all, we carry his nature books: Show Me Natural Wonders and Show Me Nature’s Wrath. We’re entirely separate publications, but in these days, newsprint people need to stick together.
In [...]

ShareNew Links Page: Funding St. Louis County Parks
Archived: St. Louis County Links Page updated to Nov. 22
By Jo Schaper
The people have spoken. The St. Louis County Council is well aware they are tasked with finding funding to keep St. Louis County Parks open and park staff in place. The question now is: how? [...]

ShareBy Jo Schaper
If St. Louis County successfully shuts down county parks from Meramec River mile marker 162 to 180 (West Tyson Park, Sherman Beach, Lone Elk, Simpson, Unger and George Winter parks) one of the shining success stories of riparian management will have gone for naught.
Ask Brittany Barton, project manager of the Open [...]

ShareSeen at Onondaga Cave State Park on Nov. 11:

Yes, it really does say “4 a.m.”

ShareCommentary by Jo Schaper
Much of the last week’s protest and calls to action in regards to the proposal to close St. Louis County parks is being coordinated through Facebook. This is not news. But, despite their claims, Facebook is not ubiquitous. There are the other 7/8ths of the planet who are not into social media. [...]

ShareBy Jo Schaper
With a chill breeze rustling the early November leaves, a small but dedicated changing cast of 6 to 8 people stood peacefully by the side of the road in the late morning, Saturday, November 5th, outside the entrance to Lone Elk Park. Some held signs. Others took turns approaching each car [...]

ShareUpdated Nov. 22
Governor Jay Nixon announced Nov. 16 that Missouri might be able to help St. Louis County with their park woes, touching off discussion in Jefferson City about the ramifications of state aid from either general revenue sources or the Department of Natural Resources dedicated state park sales tax to help the county. [...]

ShareText and Photos (unless otherwise noted) by Jo Schaper
While stumbling around on the internet some months back, Jo found a link to a blog of a fellow named George Weber, who literally brought elk to Lone Elk Park back in the day. Some months back, she also contacted St. Louis County Parks and was [...]

ShareCommentary By Jo Schaper
(Here’s a little historical backstory why targeting St. Louis county parks along the Meramec for possible closure may not be a good idea. These thoughts are Jo’s alone…)
The lower Meramec River, from about the Pacific Palisades to its confluence with the Mississippi south of the modern town of Arnold, has been a [...]