Headlines

Headlines are quick hits from media outlets from Missouri and around the world. Follow the headline link for the full story. The source of this headline says:

A Eureka/Pacific connecting trail could be the keystone to an extensive trail system. Myers and the supporting outdoor organizations have identified Pacific as the logical connecting point for a vast trail system through St. Louis County, through Pacific, across Missouri and Arkansas.

The mayor wants to marshal city resources to develop a system of trails in the city that starts at what he has identified as the Red Cedar Park complex.

“Jensen Point, Red Cedar and the property around it, make up the eventual trail extension that will run over to the Pacific Palisades Park and boat ramp,” Myers said. “It could all be part of a wonderful section of the city that could have a beautiful park setting around it.” . . .

Pacific stands to gain a trail that would carry hikers and bikers from St. Louis County to the Red Cedar tourist center, a planned way stop on a Pacific trail. . . .

For Myers, the proposed trail is one element of a plan for an expanded park system and a series of walking trails that connect St. Louis County trails, Pacific and the Shaw Nature Reserve.

It is a single leg in a much larger network of trails converging on Pacific that have occupied Myers’ interest for more than a decade.

The mayor sees Pacific as the hub connecting a network of trails in St. Louis County, to the Ozark Trail in Missouri and Arkansas. Myers has worked since 2002 to develop a river trail in Pacific.

Link: 

Public meetings planned on Pacific and Eureka area trail network plan - next meeting Feb 20, 2019 | emissourian.com

MoBikeFed comment: The next public meeting on the planned trail is 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019, at the Eureka Fire Protection District Training Center

Headlines are quick hits from media outlets from Missouri and around the world. Follow the headline link for the full story. The source of this headline says:

A proposed recreational walking, biking and horseback riding trail in Central Missouri would likely bring more tourism as well as help residents be more active, according to an analysis by the University of Missouri Extension Service.

The proposal would convert a 144-mile abandoned stretch of the former Rock Island Railroad corridor — from Windsor to Beaufort — for trail use. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has until Feb. 21 to decide whether to accept the corridor from Ameren. If accepted, the trail would become a state park and require maintenance from the State Parks division.

"We had a hard time coming to any kind of conclusions other than this is kind of a no-brainer," said Pat Curry, who co-authored the Infrastructure that Strengthens Communities report with Martha Bass.

MU Extension outlined the background and community impact of the proposed trail in a 33-page report, which found the trail could benefit the community and state from the standpoints of history, health, safety and economy.

"The economy along that part of Missouri, there's some good things going on but overall, that area needs a boost, and I think this is the sort of thing longer term that is going to have a real impact in those communities," Curry said.

Link: 

Economic Impact Report author: Rock Island Trail 'kind of no-brainer' | News Tribune

MoBikeFed comment: The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has set up a page to make it easy to weigh in with the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and State Parks leadership to let them know you support the trail. Please take two minutes to send them a message in support of the Rock Island Trail:

Headlines are quick hits from media outlets from Missouri and around the world. Follow the headline link for the full story. The source of this headline says:

If you see Orthodox Jews walking in University City on a Friday night, you might notice them wearing something else beside a headcovering, suit or a dress. You might notice them wearing reflective vests, belts or arm bands.

And that, of course, is the point: that you notice them. Orthodox Jews walk in greater numbers on Shabbat than the rest of the week because they observe the Jewish law that prohibits them driving or riding in a car on that day. That can also put them at greater risk of being hit by a car.

“The challenge we have in University City is that many of the streets don’t have sidewalks so many people walk in the street, and they need to wear reflective clothing so that cars can see them,” said Rabbi Moshe Shulman of Young Israel of St. Louis.

Over the last decade, rabbis in St. Louis and across the country have stepped up their efforts to encourage people to wear reflective clothing. The increased emphasis has been in response to pedestrians being hit by cars. . . .

Rabbis in University City have also met with the the local police department about drivers who don’t stop at crosswalks. Over the summer, the police “conducted a crosswalk campaign all throughout University City to address the issue,” Capt. Fredrick Lemons of University City Police Department stated in an email. “We believe it was informative and a [good] way to get the message out about the crosswalk safety for [drivers] as well as pedestrians.”

Link: 

Orthodox rabbis emphasize pedestrian safety | Local News | stljewishlight.com

Headlines are quick hits from media outlets from Missouri and around the world. Follow the headline link for the full story. The source of this headline says:

Interest was high in turning the old line into a trail that would connect with the Katy Trail, another former rail line, creating a large loop across the state that could make it the longest continuous trail in the United States.

After nearly four years of review and negotiation, hope continues for those in favor of turning the Rock Island Railroad corridor into a cross-state trail. Missouri State Parks and Missouri Central Railroad have applied for another extension of an interim trail use agreement while the state continues to study the potential for turning the 144-mile defunct line between Windsor and Beaufort into a recreational trail.

The project was facing a deadline of Feb. 21, 2019. If approved, the extension would give the state and railroad 180 more days to come to a decision.

Link: 

State files 180-day extension while working on scenarios for Missouri State Parks to accept Rock Island Trail corridor | Lake News Online

MoBikeFed comment: The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has set up a page to make it easy to weigh in with the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and State Parks leadership to let them know you support the Rock Island Trail State park. Please take two minutes to send them a message in support of the Rock Island Trail:

https://secure.railstotrails.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserActi...

They need to hear from thousands of constituents reminding them that the Rock Island Trail is a "no brainer".

Headlines are quick hits from media outlets from Missouri and around the world. Follow the headline link for the full story. The source of this headline says:

Saluto was biking to the River Market when he was hit and killed near Independence and Tracy in April of 2016 .

Shortly after it happened, members of the cycling community installed what’s known as a “ghost bike” at the scene of the crash. Ghost bikes, painted in all white, are used around the country to memorialize the lives of cyclists killed.

But earlier this year, Saluto’s ghost bike went missing.

“We’re not entirely sure what happened, whether it was stolen or something else happened,” BikeWalkKC Policy Coordinator Michael Kelley said.

Link: 

After "ghost bike" goes missing, fundraising efforts underway for memorial to slain KC cyclist | KSHB

MoBikeFed comment: More about Anthony Saluto and the ghost bike incident at the BikeWalkKC web site:

http://bikewalkkc.org/blog/2018/08/the-ghost-of-anthony-saluto/