By Don Corrigan
(photos/video: Magnificent Missouri)
The Sweet Corn Sunday Celebration on Aug. 10, 2025, held along the Katy Trail at Treloar in the Missouri River Valley, had special significance this year:
• The 2025 hoedown marked the fifth anniversary for this event.
• It was well-attended, despite a noisy, flashy Midwest thunderstorm.
• Visitors took tram rides on the trail from Treloar to Marthasville.
• The event inspired a YouTube based on Sweet Corn Sunday.
The YouTube video highlights the economic regeneration of small river towns, thanks to the presence of the Katy Trail and the efforts of Magnificent Missouri.
A preview of cinematic things to come for the iconic river valley and its celebrations, this new video can an enjoyed by going to this web link:
This year’s Sweet Corn Sunday encompassed and included three small towns: Treloar, Marthasville, and Peers, all villages along the Katy Trail in Missouri.
The event celebrated the area’s agricultural heritage with locally grown sweet corn, bratwurst, bluegrass music, and Katy Trail tram rides. Guests had the opportunity to visit a vertical log structure, check out native trees, and explore the historic Katy Depot in Marthasville.
Sweet Corn Sunday is a community event that began in Treloar in 2020, to celebrate a long-standing, rich agricultural heritage. Historic landmarks for admiration included the giant Treloar Grain Elevator.
The Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park released a new fly-through rendering video and an economic impact report projecting that the project will generate over $660 million in economic activity across the St. Louis region within the next 10 years.
“We are creating a place where endangered and threatened animals can thrive,” said Dwight Scott, Dana Brown President & CEO, Saint Louis Zoo. “But this report makes it clear WildCare Park will help the regional economy thrive too.”
WildCare Park, a safari park and conservation center under development in north St. Louis County, is expected to open to the public in 2027.
The economic impact report totals WildCare Park’s estimated operational expenditures, visitor spending both on and off site and the project’s larger impact on regional employment and wages, business sales and tax revenue through 2034.
The report estimates WildCare Park will generate:
– Average attendance of 421,900 guests each year after opening with approximately 65% of guests originating from outside St. Louis City and St. Louis County.
– WildCare Park guests will spend about $184 million at regional businesses outside of the safari park within the next 10 years.
– An annual average of 384 jobs, which includes positions at WildCare Park and in the region.
– A total of $97.3 million in governmental revenue, including $49.9 million in state and local tax revenues.
Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis Inc., applauded the combined economic impact of both the Saint Louis Zoo in Forest Park and WildCare Park in north St. Louis County, expected to total over $2.5 billion over the next decade.
“The Saint Louis Zoo alone already averages around $200 million of economic value annually, a number enhanced by its considerable cultural impact,” said Hall. “With the additional value WildCare Park brings to the metro, the Zoo will continue to act as an increasingly significant economic engine for our region.”
The development of WildCare park is estimated to cost $230 million funded through multiple sources, including philanthropy, external financing proceeds, which includes Zoo and Saint Louis Zoo Association cash reserves and tax revenue generated by Prop Z passed by St. Louis County voters in 2018. With the passage of Prop Z, St. Louis County residents will be able to experience WildCare Park admission-free.
“WildCare Park will bring with it a major tourism boost for our region and an economic boost for north St. Louis County,” said St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page. “The Zoo is a favorite of locals as well as a national tourist destination and WildCare Park will join the list of must-sees when in the St. Louis region.”
The report estimates that guests to WildCare Park will generate significant spending in a wide range of local industries.
“This project is an amazing opportunity for businesses in north St. Louis County,” said Rebecca Zoll, President/CEO North County Inc. “With around $184 million in off-site guest spending over the next decade, hospitality, retail, transportation and entertainment sectors will all get a significant boost.”
Even before WildCare Park opens to the public, the organization is staffing up with quality full-time positions and will post the job openings on its website here: stlzoo.org/employment.
“We want WildCare Park to be a job creator within and beyond its gates for the region,” said Sabarras George, Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park Director. “As we grow, I look forward to seeing our region’s businesses do the same.”
Tourism Economics and Canopy Strategic Partners prepared the WildCare Park economic impact report based on analysis from the economic impact model IMPLAN. The operational spending accounts for expenditures from 2021 through 2034, which includes planning and development (2021 through 2026) and the first eight years of operations (2027 through 2034). The guest spending impacts are for the eight-year period from 2027 through 2034. Impact modeling is based on an IMPLAN input-output (I-O) model for two regions: City of St. Louis/St. Louis County and St. Louis, MO-IL metropolitan statistical area (MSA).
The economic impact report and more updates on WildCare Park are available at stlzoo.org/wildcarepark.
About Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park
Located in north St. Louis County with a target public opening of 2027, the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park features two completely different, but complimentary components. The first is what the public will experience: An outdoor adventure that sends guests on a safari through herds of animals roaming wild over gently rolling, grassy meadows and through native forests. The second component is the Kent Family Conservation and Animal Science Center, a dedicated conservation facility within WildCare Park designed to sustain endangered and threatened species, made possible by the generosity of the Jerry and Judy Kent Family. The 17 animals on site now live in the pastures and barns in this area, while the remainder of the barns and pastures are constructed.
Over the last two years, activity at WildCare Park has included demolition of a few older buildings, fence installation and grading around the perimeter of the property, restoration of 260 acres from golf course turf to native grasses, removal of honeysuckle and other invasive plant species, construction of barns and a utility building, and renovation of the headquarters building with a new observation deck.
The Zoo expects more than 250 animals will live on site by the public opening in 2027. For the public opening, the focus is on endangered ungulates — hoofed mammals such as Grevy’s zebra, addax, Somali wild ass, giraffe and white rhino — as well as kangaroos, birds and other threatened species.
Northern Ireland is in the news again as the implementation of Brexit by the United Kingdom brings worries that the strife of the past could be re-ignited by borders, economic upheaval and sectarian distrust.
Don Corrigan recently spoke on Ireland’s troubles, past and present, at the International Week sponsored by the University of Missouri-St. Louis. His Irish talk coincides with the much-praised movie, Belfast, recently opening in St. Louis.
Corrigan’s presentation focuses on his reporting of the Irish Troubles in Belfast and Derry at the time prior to the Easter Agreement to bring peace to Northern Ireland. He provides background on the surprises for an Irish American in covering the conflict and its emotional overtones.
He also touches on the film portrayals of the Irish Conflict and how those depictions have influenced perceptions in America. And, of course, he had a few things to say about Belfast.
Corrigan is professor emeritus of journalism and communications at Webster University in St. Louis and an editor of the Webster-Kirkwood Times newspaper group in suburban St. Louis.
He has reported from Ireland, Russia, Bosnia and Vietnam. He has taught global journalism at Webster campuses in Geneva and London and has presented papers on the Irish Troubles as portrayed in film at Trinity College in Dublin and in the United States.
Forest Park Forever recently announced a new video series highlighting visitors of Forest Park. This new mini-series will feature a video each week. During the first episode, we encourage you to flow with yoga instructor Spenser Gaines, who says, “Forest Park has always played a role where I knew I could come and just feel centered.”
Other episodes in the series will include sketching, dancing, circuit training, fly fishing, birding and more!
The article and video give valuable information about the ongoing fight against the invasive Asian carp and the destructive impact the species have on our rivers and lakes. Please take a few moments to read the article and watch the video to learn more about the efforts to reduce damage caused by the Asian carp and to also help the “global malnutrition crisis.”
“These fish are a delicacy in China, where they are native, but Americans tend to dislike them,” said Mark Morgan, an associate professor in the School of Natural Resources. “Why eat bony, ugly carp when we can have trout and salmon, instead? But taken as a nutritional supplement, these fish, which have high amounts of macro and micronutrients, could have an incredibly positive impact on society while we loosen their hold on our waterways at the same time.”
Photo and video: Helen Boostrom and Kim Emerson, Saint Louis Zoo
Utamu (pronounced oo-TAH-moo), an 18-year-old chimpanzee at the Saint Louis Zoo, gave birth to a yet-to-be-named female baby around 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 28, 2020, at Jungle of the Apes.
“We are all very happy to have a new baby in the troop and it is so great to see Utamu become a mother,” said Heidi Hellmuth, Curator of Primates, Saint Louis Zoo.
The baby appears to be healthy and is clinging to mom well, according to the Zoo’s primate care team and veterinarians. The team will watch the mother and infant closely during the coming days and weeks, monitoring for nursing and observing the behavior of Utamu and the baby.
“We are hopeful that everything will continue to go well for both mom and baby. The next couple of months are critical,” said Helen Boostrom, Zoological Manager of Primates, Saint Louis Zoo. “Our highly skilled, experienced primate care team has built strong, trusting relationships with the chimpanzees, which are integral to providing the high level of care and training involved in preparing Utamu for birth and rearing her infant.”
Forest Park Forever and our City of St. Louis partners are thrilled to share a special update about the 17-acre Anne O’C. Albrecht Nature Playscape under construction in Forest Park.
Since spring 2019, the site has transformed from just mowed grass into natural landscapes with native and diverse plant species, water-based activity areas and more. The destination features nine distinct activity areas — including Mounds, a Spring, a Meadow, a Wetland and more — and a series of accessible paths and boardwalks between them. Visitors, especially children, will connect with nature and engage their senses as they explore, discover and learn.
Forest Park Forever and our City partners are anticipating a late spring 2021 opening of this remarkable new destination. Our teams will work together to ensure that the site opens to visitors with the proper health and safety protocols and guidelines in place.
Continue reading below for more details included in the project.
The St. Louis Media Hall of Fame Foundation recently posted on YouTube all of this year’s inductees, including Environmental Echo’s Don Corrigan. A professor of journalism and long-time newspaper editor, Corrigan is introduced here by the Webster University School of Communications Dean Eric Rothenbuhler.
In his acceptance speech, Corrigan recalls his early years of journalism in grade school with his neighborhood newspaper. He ends his remarks with his interest in covering outdoor and environmental issues, from Times Beach to TMI radioactive rail shipments, to the radioactive waste problems such as those at West Lake and Coldwater Creek in the St. Louis region.
Corrigan also thanks the many inspirational women who have helped with his journalism projects over four decades.
Region’s Solar Group Buy Programs Provides Additional Discount for Program Participants
The pandemic has prompted many people to make their households more efficient and for some St. Louis area residents that means investing in solar power. Twin programs, Grow Solar St. Louis and Grow Solar Metro East, make this process easier and more affordable.
In 2020, more than 60 property owners have already committed to go solar through the programs.All are expected to be producing electricity before the end of the year. The 500 kW of new capacity will offset more than 700,000 pounds ofcarbon dioxide in their first year of operation. It will save solar homeowners roughly $40,000 on electricity bills, collectively, in that same time period.
“Another 60 households are actively considering their own commitments, and hundreds of people are joining us to learn all about solar,” said Peter Murphy, Solar Program Director for the Midwest Renewable Energy Association, which is co-facilitating the programs with local sponsors. “It’s really exciting to see how much interest there is in solar in the Gateway Region as we approach the September 30 program deadline.”
Continue reading below for more information about the program.
Environmental Echo 