Metro Arts in Transit & EarthLinks - Ecology in Transit, an education outreach project of the International Center for Tropical Ecology, UM-St. Louis, will celebrate Earth Day 2005 by inviting anyone who can hold a brush to help paint the fifth MetroBus for this event!. SLFP.com file photo
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St. Louis Earth Day Celebrations Strive to Educate, Celebrate, Cultivate
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), April 17, 2005 - Make a change for the better in your life for Earth Day 2005. This year the theme is "Educate, Celebrate, Cultivate."
Learn about the latest ways to protect our environment and keep our world healthy at the St. Louis Earth Day festival on May 1st at the Muny in Forest Park.
Opportunities for fun and creativity include: make crafts out of recycled materials, learn about Missouri fish and how to preserve fish habitat, take an eco-adventure with prizes for the kids, clean up the Missouri River, ride a bike on the Riverfront Trail, or go to a toy and book swap. The grand finale of the Earth Day celebration will be held at a variety of venues in Forest Park on May 1st. Get fit in the Earth Day 5K Run/Walk for the Rivers, volunteer for one of three exciting stewardship projects, visit the park's cultural institutions and/or attend the festival on the Muny grounds.
One easy way we can all help the environment is by purchasing products made from recycled materials. Consumer demand for products with recycled content keeps our local recycling programs working. At the St. Louis Earth Day festival, the Earth Day t-shirts will be made from recycled plastic soda bottles. But its not the polyester from the 70's -- today's recycled plastic weaves are soft, comfortable and breathable.
Other products made from recycled materials that are available locally include: patio furniture made from recycled plastic, doormats made from recycled tires, carpet made from recycled soda bottles, and trash bags made from recycled grocery bags. Making new products out of recycled materials instead of virgin materials saves energy, reduces pollution, and conserves our natural resources.
"The Earth Day t-shirts made from recycled plastic are just one example of the latest in earth-friendly products that can be seen at the festival", stated St. Louis Earth Day Director Karla Wilson. "We'll also be using biodegradable trash bags and cups that will be composted along with all of the food waste". More information about recycled products and recycling at the Earth Day festival is available at www.stlouisearthday.org
Broadway Bridge Over River des Peres Closes
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), April 17, 2005 - The Broadway Bridge over the River des Peres Drainage Channel will close, April 18, 2005, to begin Phase I of the two-phased project to replace the bridge. The bridge is located between Kayser and Catalan Streets in south St. Louis City.
Due to structural reasons, the existing 4-lane bridge has been reduced to three lanes, and the sidewalks have been closed. The existing bridge will be demolished and a new 4-lane bridge will be constructed with sidewalks on both sides of the bridge. The future bridge will be 3 feet to 7 feet higher than the existing bridge, raising the bridge to 13.5 feet higher than the water elevation of a 100-year flood.
The contractor on the approximately $2.2 million Phase I project is KCI Construction Company. Phase I of the project includes removal and replacement of the approximately 265-foot long bridge and roadwork on Broadway, north of the bridge. The total length of the project is 510 feet. Phase II of the project entails roadwork south of the bridge, and the two phases will be constructed concurrently.
It is anticipated that construction will take two years to complete, putting the re-opening in the spring of 2007. The detour routes will be:
1. Southbound West on Marceau to Alabama, South on Alabama (which becomes Lemay Ferry Road/Rte. 267 in St. Louis County) to Hoffmeister, East on Hoffmeister to Broadway, and South on Broadway
2. Northbound West on Hoffmeister to Lemay Ferry Road/Route 267, North on Lemay Ferry Road/Route 267 (which becomes Alabama in St. Louis City) to Marceau, East on Marceau to Broadway, and North on Broadway.
$1.5 Million to Aid Laid Off St. Louis Auto Workers
JEFFERSON CITY, (SLFP.com), April 17, 2005 - Gov. Matt Blunt and Senators Jim Talent and Kit Bond have announced a $1,527,711 National Emergency Grant (NEG) for more than 400 former workers of Ford Motor Co. and Lear Seating Corporation in Hazelwood who lost their jobs because of a drop in car sales. The Missouri Division of Workforce Development will administer the grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor. The initial outlay for the services this grant will provide is $497,176.
This is a dual-enrollment project to provide "wrap-around" services not covered under Trade Adjustment Assistance, such as assessment, counseling, case-management, supportive services and follow-up. The project will also provide short-term training not allowable under the trade program.
"Many of these men and women have dedicated their lives to Ford," said Sen. Talent, a longtime advocate for the Ford Assembly Plant. "Some have families and mortgages, and are at a stage in life where it might be difficult for them to retrain and find other employment. The least we can do is provide the resources they need to get back to work."
"For the former workers at Ford Motor Company and Lear Seating, today's announcement is much-needed good news," said Senator Kit Bond. "These federal dollars will provide crucial assistance to these families who are working to get back on their feet."
"This kind of assistance is critical to former workers and their families and I appreciate the Labor Department's response to our request," Governor Blunt said. ``We hope that this additional funding will be beneficial to these individuals in helping them find new jobs."
The Department of Economic Development's Work Force Development Division submitted the grant application on Feb. 9, 2005.
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