A proposal has been laid out that would give discounts on things like parking or admission at the city’s major tax-funded attractions to city residents. For instance, the Zoo would offer discounted parking to all city residents…except for those that live close enough to walk, who get nothing we guess. Maybe we can give them a balloon with a zebra on it or something?

Gloria Wessels recently suggested that four of the five institutions funded by the zoo-museum district offer discounts on parking, concessions and special exhibits to visitors who live in the taxing district. If necessary, those discounts could be funded through price increases for visitors who live outside the district, she said.

“I’d like to see city and county residents get a break,” said Wessels, one of four city residents on the district’s eight-member board. “And I think it would make people (from outside the district) more aware of what city and county taxpayers provide.”

The zoo, of course, hates the idea. Not because they don’t want to give tax-payers a break, but because they don’t want to have to check your ID.

Jeffrey Bonner, the zoo’s president and chief executive, said he didn’t think it was practical to offer district residents a discount for parking, which costs $12, because it would take too much time for lot attendants to check drivers licenses for proof of residency.

“We already have cars lined up more than 100 deep,” he said.

…but you have time to take their money?

The upshot here is that for the five tax-funded attractions in town, you might, if passed, be able to get a slight discount on a few things the next time you go to one of these things, which is, lets be honest, close to never. Guys that tip $5′s instead of $1′s at the Hustler Club get better perks than this. Free parking is nice guys, but if you want to keep people in the city, you need to be a little more like the Hustler Club and find a way to give us whatever the equivalent of a handjob in a gross East-Side bathroom stall next to a guy doing coke is. …Maybe that’s free Zoo parking and a free ice cream cone.

City living: Ever so slightly more worth the crime, horrible schools and taxes!

via STLToday

The train that takes the wheezing fat parents that turn to their excited child and say “Maybe…maybe…wheeew….maybe we take the train for a little….while? That’ll be fun huh? …no, walking isn’t always fun and we can see the monkeys some other time…lets just ride the train for a little while and then, ooooohhh! Dippin Dots!” derailed Saturday afternoon in a tunnel near “Big Cat Country”.

No one was injured. One car had derailed wheels about 5 inches off the track, but it did not tip over.

The engine did not leave the tracks.

My god. What horror stories. Our only hope is those passengers that managed to survive can somehow get on track and eventually lead normal lives.

Can you imagine all of the locomotive power behind this behemoth coming 5 inches off the track? Thank god for the steady hand of the old guy in an old-timey conductor costume!

via STLToday

The Missouri State Senate continues to make me believe that that are comprised of nothing but morons.  Not only did they recently take a unneeded swipe at Missouri’s gentlemen bars, but now they’re trying to make our special Zoo less special.

Recently University City’s State Senator Joan Bray proposed legislation that would charge any non-St. Louis County residents for admission.

Well the Zoo was all like “Whateva!” and released the following statement:

“The St. Louis Zoo does not intend to charge admission. We are committed to remaining free to all, including non-residents of St. Louis and St. Louis County, consistent with the language of the original legislation. We are not aware of the impetus behind the recent Missouri Senate amendment, but we are not in support of it as it pertains to the St. Louis Zoo.”

The Zoo closed it’s statement with: ”Also, we at the Zoo hope that nothing tragic happens to Senator Bray any time soon, like seeing your driveway covered in elephant crap or running in to a lion in her garage.”

via KSDK

St. Louis’ first elephant family is pregnant again.

As the Post Dispatch reported:

The St. Louis Zoo is expecting a 300-pound bundle of joy next summer. Asian elephant Rani is almost five months into her 22-month pregnancy. Raja, the first elephant ever born at the St. Louis Zoo, is the father.

Rani is eating her regular diet of grain and hay and has stepped up her exercise routine, said Martha Fischer, the zoo’s mammal curator. She will gain some 500 pounds during her pregnancy.

Zoo officials hope that his birth goes a little better than Rain’s last baby Jade three years ago.   After initially nursing Jade, Rain rejected her.  The rumor around the zoo was always that Jade looked a little different and thus probably wasn’t Raja’s child.  A quick trip to the Maury show confirmed, that Raja was not the father…though one look could tell the child (left) looked a little different than dad.

Despite many a man’s claim that St. Louis has its fair share of girl elephants walking around, Raja, citing lacking of options, went back to Rain.

Good luck you two!

via STLToday