Latest news with #St.LouisPost-Dispatch
New York Post
3 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
Historic photos of the world's first floating McDonald's have resurfaced — and fans are getting nostalgic: ‘Good memories'
A famed sunken ship is finally resurfacing. Photos from the peak era of the world's first-ever floating McDonald's are bringing the culinary curiosity back into the spotlight. On March 11, 1980, the floating Golden Arches officially opened for business in St. Louis, Missouri, just south of the iconic Gateway Arch. Advertisement 6 On March 11, 1980, the floating McDonald's opened for business in St. Louis, Missouri. MHS Photographs and Prints Collection Built on a repurposed cement barge, the 702-ton boat was designed to resemble a 19th-century riverboat, with room for 134 indoor diners and an additional 200 on its open-air decks. The fast food chain initially hoped to open a location in the museum under the Gateway Arch, but as the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported, the government didn't want to open the space to a private business. Advertisement When Samuel Haynes, McDonald's real estate manager at the time, had the idea to put the restaurant on a riverboat, it was met with opposition from the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, who feared that the floating Golden Arch would compete with the Gateway Arch. But McDonald's executives believed in the idea, and a 25-year lease for the franchise was signed in February 1979. The McBoat ended up generating $100,000 in tax revenue annually. 6 The floating McDonald's was just south of the iconic Gateway Arch. MHS Photographs and Prints Collection 'We have nothing like this in the whole world,' Pat Flynn, a senior vice president for McDonald's at the time, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Advertisement 'If we can find a large group of people together, we should be able to feed them, The Arch draws more than 3 million people a year,' Haynes added. 'Then we looked down at the river and saw a lot of people taking advantage of it, so we thought there was no reason why a company as adaptable and progressive as McDonald's couldn't do it.' 6 The restaurant was built on a repurposed cement barge. MHS Photographs and Prints Collection Locals also were skeptical that it would cheapen the Missouri waterfront, but they came around to it eventually, and many have commented their fond memories on a Facebook post reminiscing about the floating McDonald's. Advertisement 'I thought at first McDonald's would make the riverfront look cheap, but it was pretty cool for a while,' someone admitted. 'This was my favorite place growing up. So many good memories feeding the fish all my french fries,' one person quipped. 'That was so much fun as a kid!' another exclaimed. 6 The fast food chain initially hoped to open a location in the museum under the Gateway Arch. MHS Photographs and Prints Collection 'This was me and my grandpa's spot. We used to go up in the arch and then go to McDonald's on the boat after,' one Reddit user remembered. 'Thanks for the good memory today. Needed it.' 'Took my kids up river in our old boat, tied off, climbed over the rails for lunch once. They still talk about it!' someone shared. In fact, it become so loved by locals that this year, the Gateway Arch put out an April Fool's press release joking that the McDonald's floating restaurant would be reopening. Despite the early concerns, the floating Mickey D's became a staple for many who grew up and lived in St. Louis as well as tourists who didn't want to be land-locked while eating their Big Macs. Advertisement 6 Locals worried the floating McDonald's would degrade the atmosphere along the historic waterfront. MHS Photographs and Prints Collection The riverboat in St. Louis closed in 2000 due to the high costs and difficulties of maintaining it as a floating restaurant — especially after the renovations needed due to the Great Flood of 1993, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Now, all that remains of the once beloved floating McDonald's are historical photographs, which have been captured both in black and white and in color. Based on the photos, the only clear link to the modern McDonald's that everyone knows and loves is the the iconic red and yellow coloring. Advertisement 6 All that remains of the once beloved floating McDonald's are historical photographs. MHS Photographs and Prints Collection After the floating McDonald's officially shut down on November 6, 2000, it was never seen on the St. Louis riverfront again. Though the St. Louis ship was the first floating McDonald's in the world, there was a second one built for the 1986 World Expo in Vancouver — and it very recently capsized. The McBarge, also called the Friendship 500, starting sinking in the Fraser River at the end of March, the Vancouver Sun reported. Advertisement The abandoned McDonald's barge sat vacant for five years on False Creek while McDonald's fought to keep it open to no avail. In 1991, the city forced the company to move the McBarge. Now, the second and last floating McDonald's has capsized and is sinking, joining the St. Louis boat in extinction.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Massive indoor playground ‘Lava Island' coming to St. Louis County this summer
ROCK HILL, Mo. – Lava Island, a tropical-themed indoor playground featuring slides, trampolines and a massive jungle gym, is planning to open its first St. Louis-area location in Rock Hill, Missouri, this summer. Alexa Hubbard, Vice President of Marketing for Lava Island, tells FOX 2 the company hopes to open its Rock Hill playground at 9610 Manchester Road by August or late summer, pending some final steps. Lava Island describes itself as 'ultimate indoor playground' and 'a tropical play oasis built for the entire family to play together.' Current plans call for a three-level jungle gym, trampolines and foam pits, in addition to a volcano slide, Jump Tower, Jacob's ladder, tricycle track and dedicated toddler area. While the playground will largely appeal to children, the facility also aims to be an immersive and family-friendly experience for all ages. 'We hope to be the hub for friends and families to connect and unplug in a screen-free, active play environment where hospitality and customer service are our guiding lights in creating the best possible experience for everyone who enters our doors,' said Hubbard in a statement to FOX 2. Plans also call for a variety of food options, including burgers, chicken wings, pizza, milkshakes and smoothies, along with several themed party rooms for birthday celebrations. While the company initially hoped to open last year, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, some construction and procedural delays have pushed the projected grand opening to August. The exact opening date will be determined at a later time. According to Hubbard and Rock Hill City Administrator Garrett Schlett, Lava Island still needs to complete fire and occupancy inspections and formally obtain a business license for the Rock Hill site. Lava Island has three current locations in Aurora, Coloardo; Englewood, Colorado; and Billings, Montana. Additional locations are under construction in Centennial, Colorado; Manchester, Connecticut; and Tucson, Arizona are all under construction. The company is also planning for future expansion in Georgia, Minnesota and Wisconsin. For the latest updates on Lava Island's planned Rock Hill location, click here or follow Lava Island Rock Hill's Facebook and Instagram pages. The photo slideshow above includes photos from Lava Island's locations in Colorado. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Winnipeg Free Press
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
St. Louis agrees to pay $4M to settle lawsuit alleging inhumane conditions at now-closed jail
St. Louis has agreed to pay $4 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging that inmates at a former medium-security jail were housed in 'inhumane conditions' that included rodent feces in food, infestations of bugs and snakes, and unbearable overcrowding. The nonprofit ArchCity Defenders announced the settlement on Tuesday as it filed a motion in federal court seeking authorization to begin notifying people who were incarcerated at the St. Louis Medium Security Institution that they could be eligible for damages. Demolition of the troubled jail, known as the Workhouse, began earlier this year. Around 16,000 people jailed there for five or more days from November 2012 through June 2022, when it closed, may be eligible to file a claim if the settlement is approved. FILE - Protesters begin pushing in one of the exterior fences outside the St. Louis medium security jail, known as the Workhouse, on July 21, 2017, as people gather to call attention to what they say are inhumane conditions at the facility. (Christian Gooden/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP, File) The agreement, signed April 10, said that the city denied any wrongdoing or liability. Mayor Cara Spencer, who was sworn into office five days after the agreement was reached, declined to elaborate during a news conference Tuesday. 'I can't really speak to those decisions before I was sworn into office,' she said. All seven of the original plaintiffs who sued in 2017 are Black, as were the vast majority of inmates at the jail, although just over half of St. Louis' residents are Black. Virtually all of the people jailed there were awaiting trial because they couldn't afford bail, mostly for non-violent crimes. 'It was a horrible place,' said one of the plaintiffs, Jasmine Borden, in a written statement. 'They treat dogs at the shelter better than they treated us. It's nice to be compensated with the settlement, but I can't get back any of the time that I was dealing with being locked up and being away from my kids in that unsuitable environment.' Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Sign up for The Warm-Up Another of the plaintiffs, James Cody, also said dogs were treated better during a news conference when the lawsuit was first filed. Cody, who was jailed for eight months on a probation violation, said he often found mouse feces in cake served at the jail. Jail staff would simply scrape them off, he said. Cody said he was housed in a dorm with 69 other men, all sharing a single working toilet, sink and shower. He recalled the heat of summer, when temperatures inside the jail reached 125 degrees Fahrenheit (51.67 degrees Celsius), according to the lawsuit. The hot conditions led to protests that resulted in city officials temporarily bringing in portable air conditioners. 'This jail came to be such an infamous symbol of injustice and inhumane treatment in St. Louis, a symbol of racism, a symbol of the way in which we target poor people in our criminal legal system,' said Blake Strode, ArchCity Defenders' executive director, in a phone interview. 'So many generations were harmed by it. And so, I think the fact that we are here in 2025 with the jail empty, partially demolished, fully defunded, and now you have thousands of people who are actually going to receive some recovery for the horrific conditions that they endured in the jail. I think that's a huge accomplishment.'
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Missouri Supreme Court upholds voter-approved paid sick leave law
The Missouri Supreme Court takes the bench on Sept. 10, 2024, in Jefferson City to hear a case questioning whether an amendment to overturn the state's abortion ban will remain on the state's November ballot. From left are Judges Kelly C. Broniec, Robin Ransom, W. Brent Powell, Chief Justice Mary R. Russell, Zel. M. Fischer, Paul C. Wilson and Ginger K. Gooch (Pool photo by Robert Cohen/St. Louis Post-Dispatch). Missouri's Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld Proposition A, the voter-approved law expanding paid sick leave set to go into effect Thursday. It was a unanimous opinion but one judge dissented on the reasoning. 'This court finds there was no election irregularity and the election results are valid,' Chief Justice Mary Russell wrote in the opinion. Business groups have been fighting on two fronts to gut the law since it passed in November. Tuesday's decision marks the failure of one front, but efforts to convince Republican lawmakers to overturn the law remain in play. A bill that cleared the House and awaits action in the Senate would repeal the sick leave provisions. Negotiations between Senate Democrats and Republicans on that legislation appear to have stalled. The Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments last month seeking to strike down the law, filed by a coalition of business groups and individuals. The lawsuit argued the law should be thrown out for violating constitutional rules on ballot initiatives, including violations of the state constitution's single-subject requirement and a lack of a clear title, which the court ruled it lacks jurisdiction over. Prop A passed with nearly 58% of the vote and had the support of numerous unions, workers' advocacy groups, social justice and civil rights organizations, as well as over 500 business owners. Senate Democrats have spent two nights this month blocking Republican efforts to overturn the law. They have worked on reaching a compromise regarding implementation details. Lawmakers and business groups push rollback of Missouri minimum wage hike, sick leave law Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O'Laughlin, a Republican from Shelbina, has been an especially loud voice urging full repeal. She has said that even though requirements go into effect May 1, the Senate could continue working to weaken the law until the end of session on May 16. A bill sponsored by state Sen. Mike Bernskoetter, a Republican from Jefferson City, would overturn the law requiring most employers to provide paid sick time off for hundreds of thousands of qualifying workers and modify the minimum wage law by removing the requirement that it be indexed to inflation. State Sen. Brian Williams, a Democrat from University City, spent over two hours blocking action in the chamber with a filibuster Tuesday morning, saying some had been acting in bad faith during negotiations. 'This year, there's been again, people going back on negotiation, bad faith efforts, distrust, people feeling deceived and members of the body feeling disrespected,' he said. 'But most importantly, all in the name of disregarding voters. The very same voters that have sent us here.' Under the law, beginning May 1 employers with business receipts greater than $500,000 a year must provide at least one hour of paid leave for every 30 hours worked. Employers with fewer than 15 workers must allow workers to earn at least 40 hours per year, with larger employers mandated to allow at least 56 hours. The law also gradually increases the minimum wage. 'It is financially burdensome, just short of devastating, and its regulatory requirements are extremely difficult for single unit operators,' Buddy Lahl, CEO of the Missouri Restaurant Association, told The Independent Tuesday. The bill would allow the minimum wage to increase to $15 per hour in 2026, as voters approved, but it would not be adjusted for inflation thereafter — a policy that has been in place since 2007. The sick leave provisions would be repealed entirely. Prop A would make sick leave guaranteed for around 728,000 workers who currently lack it statewide, or over 1 in 3 Missouri workers, according to an analysis from the progressive nonprofit the Missouri Budget Project. This story may be updated. The Independent's Rudi Keller contributed reporting.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
The St. Louisan that had a key role in the Titanic disaster
ST. LOUIS – It's been 113 years since the infamous sinking of the RMS Titanic ship in the North Atlantic Ocean. Following the tragedy, one St. Louis reporter held an important role in sharing the stories recounted first-hand. 36-year-old Carlos Hurd and his wife, Katherine, were embarking on a two-month vacation to Europe aboard the S.S. Carpathia steamship on April 11, 1912, according to our partners at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. At the time, Carlos was a 14-year-veteran at the St. Louis newspaper company as a reporter. Just a few days into the trip, what once was a holiday trip for the Hurd's turned into a a groundbreaking story that led to his nickname as the 'Titanic Man,' the Titanic Historical Society noted. The Carpathia was notified of a distress call from the Titanic on April 15, 1912 at 12:20 a.m. as the ship had already began sinking due to hitting an iceberg. Although the Carpathia had arrived to the Titanic's location around three hours later, they managed to rescue 705 passengers in lifeboats, before making their way back to New York City, according to Britannica. The St. Louis Mercantile Library emphasized that Hurd was the one to break the story to the world—which came after his curiosity surrounding the ship's standstill led to him making the discovery of what had just occurred. Carlos and Katherine immediately stepped into reporter mode, speaking with those that were rescued to gather the stories of those who lived to tell the tale, the Post-Dispatch noted. This story became the first full account of the tragedy, but it didn't come without some struggles along the way. Arthur Rostron, the Carpathia's captain, restricted Carlos from using the steamship's wireless telegraph to send the 5,000-word story back to New York editor Charles Chapin. But that didn't stop Carlos. While the Titanic lifeboats were being dropped off at Pier 54 in New York, Carlos threw his story off the boat inside a cigar box to give it to Chapin, according to the New York Times. The story was out to the world on April 19, and the rest is history. Katherine and Carlos died in 1928 and 1950 respectively, and they are both buried at the Bellefontaine Cemetery in north St. Louis. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
