Rachel Lippmann

Larry Rice arrested at new homeless camp

The Rev. Larry Rice was among four people arrested last night at the site of a new homeless encampment in south St. Louis.

Construction at the UMSL South station will lengthen some commutes on Metro this weekend by 20-25 minutes.

MetroLink trains will run on a single track between the Wellston and North Hanley stations on Friday, causing 5-10 minute delays on the Red Line.

On Saturday and Sunday, trains will not run at all between those two stations. Eastbound travelers will board buses at the North Hanley stop to be transported to the UMSL North and South, Rock Road and Wellston stations. Westbound MetroLink passengers will board the bus bridge at the Wellston station. The same bus bridge will be in effect on June 2 and 3 as well. Metro says passengers should allow an extra 20-25 minutes.

County parks audit finds spending on vehicles during budget crisis

An internal audit of the St. Louis County Parks Department has found the department spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on new vehicles, even as county executive Charlie Dooley was threatening to close parks and lay off employees.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the audit also found about $129,000 in capital improvement dollars that had been sitting since the bonds were issued decades ago.

Record attendance for St. Louis Zoo

The first four and a half months of the year have been a record one for the St. Louis Zoo, no doubt helped by an unseasonably warm winter and spring.

Officials said Monday that more than one million people had entered the Zoo’s gates in through May 13. The Zoo expects those numbers to go higher once Sea Lion Sound opens on June 30.

A year after record floods, drought conditions in southeast Missouri

What a difference a year makes in southeastern Missouri.

Citizen's committee wants to know what public wants in transportation

A series of statewide meetings designed to take the pulse of transit needs in Missouri kicks off in Chesterfield later today.

House Speaker Steven Tilley put together the Blue Ribbon Citizens Committee on Missouri Transportation Needs in early March. Tilley said in a statement that he wants to "start a conversation" to ensure that Missouri’s transit system fosters economic growth. Members include transportation, political, business and union leaders.

Co-chair Bill McKenna says he'll work hard to keep the committee's report from gathering dust on a shelf.