Tim Lloyd

The St. Louis County Parks Department presented its business plan to the County Council last night, and for now, no park closures are being discussed. 

Officials with the parks department said they’re doing their best to cut unnecessary expenses and uncover new revenue streams, but currently the department has a $500,000 budget shortfall for 2013.

The budget outlook could get much worse in 2014, and Parks Department Director Tom Ott said they would need to make drastic cuts without adequate funding.

The Drought is starting to severely impact shipping along the Mississippi River as water levels continue to drop.

The region’s shipping companies have had to lighten their loads to keep from running aground and that’s starting to cut into their bottom lines.

The longer the drought lingers, the harder it is to snap

Temperatures are expected to get back into the triple digits today and there is little chance of rain in the coming week. 

That’s making it less likely the worst drought in at least a quarter century will be snapped any time soon. 

National Weather Service Meteorologist Jon Carney said a lack of ground moisture in the region is making rain less likely.

A bill introduced at the St. Louis County Council meeting last night would require lenders give homeowners a chance to go into mediation before foreclosure.

On the surface the bill is straightforward, but the details of the process could take months to iron out. 

Nevertheless, Councilwoman Hazel Erby said as the foreclosure crisis lingers she felt compelled to ask for the bill’s introduction.