St. Louis on the Air

Donald Trump’s return to the White House has prompted some St. Louis-area residents to scale back their social media usage. Others, though, say they’ve used Facebook and X more since Trump was sworn in. Those residents share their thoughts — then, Amber Hinsley, a journalism professor at Texas State University, shares how digital and social media continue to transform journalistic practices. Hinsley formerly taught at St. Louis University.

Missouri lawmakers are deep in the process of crafting a budget for the 2026 fiscal year, and it’s been a much different experience than the past couple of legislative sessions. The Missouri House on Thursday approved a $47.9 billion state operating budget — about $3 billion less than last year’s budget. STLPR statehouse and politics reporter Sarah Kellogg discusses the budget crafting process and other legislative issues.

President Donald Trump’s promised tariffs have become a reality: This week, he announced a 10% tariff on all imported goods as well as “reciprocal tariffs” on specific countries. Economists and business owners across the globe are stunned at how high these taxes will be, and that reaction is also playing out in the St. Louis region. Shayn Prapaisilp, COO of Global Foods Group, told St. Louis on the Air that he expected high levies on products from some countries, but was “shocked” by other reciprocal tariffs. Prapaisilp shares his perspective on navigating Trump’s tariffs, the lack of local options for specialty food items, and the challenge of keeping his customers happy as prices rise.

The St. Louis Zoo’s youngest residents are (almost) ready for the spotlight. Jet, a four-month-old Asian elephant calf, is weeks away from making his public debut. Katie Pilgram-Kloppe, zoological manager at the St. Louis Zoo's River's Edge, shares her insights into Jet’s development and family dynamic with his mother, Jade. We also talk with Curator of Carnivores Julie Hartell DeNardo about the details behind the zoo’s recent swap of polar bear Kali, who came to St. Louis in 2015, for twin polar bear cubs Kallik and Kallu.

Mental wellness and access to healthy food are areas with ample room for improvement in the St. Louis region — that’s according to community members who participated in a recent survey led by SSM Health. We discuss some solutions to those challenges, including a behavioral health urgent care clinic that aims to better meet the mental health needs of residents and a bread basket program that helps alert care providers whose patients may be experiencing food or nutritional insecurity.

Civil rights investigations have been cancelled in the wake of mass layoffs at the U.S. Department of Education and shuttering of civil rights offices nationwide. The move has put thousands of open civil rights investigations in jeopardy — hundreds of which originated in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa. Reporter Kavahn Mansouri of the Midwest Newsroom will discuss his recent reporting on the uncertain future of those investigations. Attorney Sarah Jane Hunt shares her insight into how these civil rights investigations functioned before the cuts and the chaos now moving through that system.

You can’t get a reservation at one of Midtown’s newest watering holes. And, to get in, you go through the biergarten at Urban Chestnut Midtown. There’s a small hut the brewery serves beer from during the summer. Go behind that, and you’ll find a waiting room and a black door. If the red light is on, go in. In our monthly restaurant episode, STLPR’s Jessica Rogen and Abby Llorico discuss new speakeasies around town as well as the latest restaurant openings and closings.

Coldwater Creek lies at the heart of one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history. It’s also where Jim Gaffney played as a child growing up in north St. Louis County. “We thought we'd stay there the rest of our lives. We had no idea we were swimming in uranium waste,” said Gaffney, who has battled multiple cancer diagnoses throughout his life. Gaffney and other former residents of Coldwater Creek spoke with journalist Mike Fitzgerald, who joined “St. Louis on the Air” to discuss his recent reporting. Along with Fitzgerald, Dawn Chapman, co-founder of the group Just Moms STL, shared her insight and takeaways from the recent visit to the West Lake Landfill by EPA administrator Lee Zeldin.

University City-based author Sarah Kendzior’s latest book is “The Last American Road Trip.” The memoir, which comes out Tuesday, showcases how America’s ravishing national parks and historic roadways cannot get away from political instability, climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and myth breaking realities of America’s past.

Inches from Glory’s latest EP “Changing Course” is a display of Blake Mickens, Marty Aubuchon and CJ Schrieber’s appreciation for emo and personal growth as musicians. The trio shared their creative process and their excitement for the greater punk scene in St. Louis.

The selections for this month’s music show takes us back to our punk days in school, on a trip to an island and connects us with nature. Jill “DJ Jillian” Firns and music reviewer Jonathan Rahul, along with producer Miya Norfleet, discuss the reasoning behind their music picks and an explanation of how it makes them feel.

When severe storms tore through the St. Louis area on March 14, local meteorologists played a critical role in keeping residents safe. KMOV First Alert 4 Chief Meteorologist Steve Templeton was on-air for hours, tracking tornadoes and delivering life-saving updates — even as one storm forced him to move to a safer studio. Templeton recounts that intense night, the challenges of broadcasting during extreme weather, and answers listener questions.

A Missouri appeals court has dealt a major defeat to ride-sharing app Lyft in the case of a driver who was slain while on the job. The implications of the case could open other tech companies to potentially “billions of dollars in damages,” says attorney Dave Roland, who joins this month’s Legal Roundtable. Roland is joined by attorney Eric Banks and former St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce. They also discuss recent criminal charges against former presidential candidate Jill Stein, a 10-year battle over open records, and an effort to raise the pay of juries.

Modern agriculture systems systems have helped increase bird flu’s ability to move between wild and domesticated animal populations, and humans, over recent years. That’s according to wildlife veterinarian and epidemiologist Dr. Sharon Deem of the St. Louis Zoo, who says that better recognition of how human health is dependent on animal health would go a long way toward limiting the spread of pathogens for all species.

Mother-daughter duo Arika Parr and Ava Johnson talk about the opening night of ‘But What Can You Do?’ play at the Sun Theater. The play is based on the book co-written and published by the duo. Parr and Johnson share the inspiration behind the book and the process of getting the book adapted into a play. Local actress and lead of the play, Aloha Mischeaux, shares how it feels to be a part of the play and entertain children with a positive message.

Earlier this month, more than 100 people gathered in a St. Louis church for a legal clinic on powers of attorney. The event was just one example of ways LGBTQ people are confronting an uncertain future regarding their legal rights — including what it would mean for the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn marriage equality. Attorneys Sara Marler and Ramona Gau discuss the current legal landscape and why LGBTQ couples should consider obtaining a power of attorney. We also talk about the risks trans people are facing with Merrique Jenson, executive director of the Kansas City-based nonprofit Transformations.

As a boy growing up in a small town outside Champaign, Illinois, Brad Dean recalls being awestruck when his family visited St. Louis on his first vacation. His career journey over the next several decades took him to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and to Puerto Rico. Earlier this month, Dean took the top job at Explore St. Louis, the organization responsible for marketing the region to convention-goers and tourists. STLPR’s Abby Llorico talks with Dean about the challenges and opportunities ahead, and then talks with STLPR reporter Eric Schmid about development in downtown St. Louis.

Robbie Daymond was bitten by the acting bug at a young age. The Warrenton, MO native has gone from the stage to the recording booth, bringing life to animated characters like Marvel’s Spider-Man, Japanese anime fan favorites including “Sailor Moon” and “Jujutsu Kaisen” and a host of video games across several genres. He stars in Netflix’s new animated series “Devil May Cry” which premieres April 3. In this encore episode of “St. Louis on the Air,” Daymond discussed his career, the art of voice acting, and some of his favorite characters.

After 27 years of incarceration, Bobby Bostic walked out of prison in 2022. Bostic was sentenced to 241 years for a robbery he committed in 1995 at just 16 years old. In the year after gaining his freedom, Bostic continued writing — a passion introduced to him while in prison — and now teaches youth in St. Louis’ juvenile detention centers. In this encore of “St. Louis of the Air,” we revisit host Elaine Cha’s conversation with Bostic from 2023 about life since his release and the experience of teaching young people in the same detention centers he spent his teenage years.

The two contenders for St. Louis mayor engaged in an often tense discussion on Tuesday over the city’s immediate and long-term challenges. St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones and Alderwoman Cara Spencer tackled a number of issues during an episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, including clamping down on crime, managing city services, and how to stem population decline in the city. The election is April 8.

A new invasive tick species was recently found in St. Louis County, with more sightings expected this spring and summer. St. Louis senior scientist Solny Adalsteinsson shares how the longhorned tick may affect our already tick-riddled ecosystems, how to avoid tick bites, and what to do if you’ve been bitten.

As Jurassic beasts roamed the earth, a little weasel-like animal called Morganucodon was making an evolutionary breakthrough in parenting — producing milk to feed her young. Author Cat Bohannon calls this creature Morgie in her 2023 book “Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution.” Bohannon discusses the book, and insights from the evolution of Morgie, ahead of an author event in St. Louis County.

314 Day gets bigger each year in the St. Louis region. While there’s a lot to celebrate and several options of where to party, 2025 also brings a lot of serious matters to the fore. For this 314 day, hip-hop artist and community advocate Kayla “KVTheWriter” Thompson, “Overarching” podcast host and realtor David Lemon, and host of “Voice of the Streets” Dsmoovee Shabazz share what they love about St. Louis, what worries or frustrates them the most about the region, and their ideas of how to make their hometown a better place to work and live.

At four years old, Susan Polgar was already playing chess — and winning. At 15, in the mid-1980s, she was already the top-ranked woman in the world. By 1991, she’d become a grandmaster. The former Webster University chess coach discusses her new memoir, “Rebel Queen: The Cold War, Misogyny, and the Making of a Grandmaster.”

The Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday challenging the constitutionality of Proposition A, the minimum wage and sick leave law that voters passed with 58% support last November. In this episode, Fran Marion, a longtime fast food restaurant worker, details her support for the measure. Buddy Lahl, CEO of the Missouri Restaurant Association, explains his opposition. <p><em>This story was originally featured as part of KCUR’s talk show, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/podcast/up-to-date">Up to Date</a>.</em></p>

In the 19 years St. Louis naturalist Mark H.X. Glenshaw has studied Charles the great horned owl, Charles has fathered 27 owlets with seven mates. This year, Glenshaw was waiting to see if Charles would mate with the new lady owl in Forest Park: a one-year-old owl that Glenshaw named May. He shares what Charles and May have been up to and why their “May-December romance” hasn’t yet come to fruition.

From tools and materials to varieties of edible and decorative plants, this home gardening conversation offers growers tips for making the most of their yards – and porches and window sills – this spring planting season. Daria McKelvey, home gardening information and outreach supervisor at Missouri Botanical Garden; and Megan Moncure, engagement director for Seed St. Louis, join the show to share advice and respond to listener calls.

When organizers of the annual Annie Malone May Day parade in St. Louis announced its cancellation this year, many people — especially in the Black community — were disappointed. Funds for the parade were redirected to support clients who needed shelter and food. But, the outpouring of community support means the parade can forward as planned. The attention also reignited a passion and interest in the woman for whom the parade is named: Annie Malone. Linda Nance, who founded the Annie Malone Historical Society in 2013, discusses Malone’s legacy and why it’s more than “just a parade.”

Even after Christopher Dunn won his release from prison in July, Missouri's Attorney General is still trying to put him back. It's just one of the consequences of the unique way Missouri law treats claims of "actual innocence.” We discuss the state of Missouri's innocence laws with Saint Louis University criminologist Kenya Brumfield-Young, as well as attorney Charlie Weiss, who has represented five people who were released from prison after being found innocent. Weiss and Brumfield-Young also share their insights into a proposed bill that would expand the scope of who can make a claim of “actual innocence” under current Missouri law.

Less than a week after President Donald Trump promised to crack down on student protests at colleges and universities, he’s pulled funding to Columbia University in New York City — where students engaged in pro-Palestinian protests against the war in Gaza — and praised U.S. Department of Homeland Security agents for arresting a graduate student who is a permanent U.S. resident for his role in those protests. We hear from St. Louis college student activists who are focused on building community and protections for actions to come, and discuss the implications of the president’s proposal with St. Louis University history professor and chair of African American Studies Chris Tinson.

Aaron Malin and attorney Dave Roland have spent a decade in a legal battle to unseal the records of Missouri's drug task forces. These multijurisdictional law enforcement groups can seize vast quantities of drugs, money, and property, but they operate in secrecy. Ten years and many lawsuits later, Malin and Roland are upping the stakes with a motion for civil contempt against the Cole County Prosecuting Attorney’s office. Malin and Roland reflect on a decade of fighting government secrecy and the state of Missouri's Sunshine Law.

Republican Missouri Rep. Peggy McGaugh wants to allow someone to serve up to 16 years in either the House or the Senate. Currently, most legislators can serve up to eight years in the House and eight in the Senate. McGaugh discusses her proposal on the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air. Then, term limits expert Thad Kousser, a political science professor at the University of California-San Diego, discusses the history and trends behind term limits in the U.S.

Some GOP lawmakers have faced angry crowds at town hall meetings, particularly over federal job reductions. That led to one GOP member suggesting an end to in-person town halls. During an appearance on the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, U.S. Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Springfield, agreed saying, “I think that the town halls create a dynamic where only political nutjobs show up.” Burlison also discusses why he thinks Medicaid needs major changes.

The 2017 slaughterhouse escape of six steers turned "The St. Louis Six" into animal rescue celebrities and inspired an expansion of the California-based nonprofit Gentle Barn to Missouri. Eight years later, the sanctuary’s abrupt closure this past October has left its former volunteers and staff feeling abandoned. An investigation by St. Louis on the Air producer Danny Wicentowski goes inside the final days of the sanctuary's existence and the aftermath of its closure. The investigation confirms the deaths of five former residents of Missouri's Gentle Barn in the just four months since its closure. Gentle Barn co-founder Ellie Laks defends the decision to close and addresses the recent animal deaths at the nonprofit’s Tennessee sanctuary.

The broader St. Louis economy would not necessarily be left in turmoil if the Trump administration cuts some of the nearly 26,000 federal employees in the region, but there could be negative trickle-down effects. STLPR Metro East reporter Will Bauer and interim managing editor Jonathan Ahl discuss their reporting on this topic.

When Ron Branstetter created the memecoin Unicorn Fart Dust, he knew he’d learn from the cryptocurrency experiment. He didn’t know that he was building a space for tens of thousands of people to support, connect and learn from one another across the globe. Branstetter discusses the highs and lows of memecoin creation, shares what he’s learned about crypto, and reflects on why the token has amassed a loyal following of “dusters.”

The 2025 race for St. Louis mayor is officially a rematch. Mayor Tishaura Jones and 8th Ward Alderwoman Cara Spencer were the top two vote-getters in Tuesday’s St. Louis primary and now will compete head-to-head in the April 8 general election. STLPR reporter Rachel Lippmann discusses the results of the Tuesday primary and sets the stage for the general election.

Ujima wants to change how St. Louis eats and grows. The nonprofit, which operates urban farms in north St. Louis’ Fairground and Hyde Park neighborhoods, offers apprenticeships to teens to grow produce and learn to work the land. But Ujima is facing significant change this season: Its community garden was abruptly closed down last summer after SLPS evicted several nonprofits, including Ujima, from the Clay Community Education Center. The nonprofit’s founder, Nick Speed, discusses Ujima’s plans for 2025, preparing for the next teen cohort of the group’s "Sunflower Institute," and how it’s adjusting from the loss of its community garden.

Operation Food Search invested $10 million to renovate its headquarters in Overland to better distribute fresh meat and produce, and frozen food, last year. Now that its facility updates are done, the organization can continue its mission to feed those who have fewer means to obtain fresh and nutritious food. President and CEO Kristen Wild shares how the upgrades and additions will directly impact the region’s food pantries and reach individuals in 25 counties in Missouri and Illinois.

The researchers say their device could keep farmers from having to cull their flocks when they detect the contagious virus, which has affected more than 5 million birds in Missouri since 2022. STLPR health reporter Sarah Fentem shares how the device works and the latest on how avian influenza is affecting the St. Louis region.

Season 37 of the CBS original reality show “The Amazing Race” premieres March 5 at 8:30 pm central. Jeff Bailey Sr. and Jeff Bailey Jr. are one of 14 teams competing for $1M — and they’re representing St. Louis at the same time. The pair, known as Pops and Jeff on the show, share how their careers as lumberjacks — and the sensibility that comes with being born and raised in St. Louis — prepared them to compete on one of the longest running reality shows in the U.S.

The fine dining restaurant Tony’s, in Clayton, closed in February as did Mom’s Deli in southwest St. Louis. STLPR’s Jessica Rogen and Abby Llorico discuss notable closures of St. Louis area restaurants — and openings. Restaurant openings in February included four new spots at Energizer Park, Good Strangers on Cherokee Street and Side Project Pizza in Maplewood.

Ahead of the April 8 general election, St. Louis voters will go to the polls Tuesday for the primary election. There are four candidates for St. Louis mayor: Tishaura Jones, Cara Spencer, Michael Butler and Andrew Jones. Comptroller and two aldermanic races are also on the ballot. The top two finishers under the city’s approval voting system will go on to the general election. STLPR reporter Rachel Lippmann discusses.

Alexia Simone is admittedly a bashful person, but she pushes that all to the side with 808 beats and low-end R&B sound in her new project, “Multiply.” She takes host Elaine Cha behind the scenes of the album’s production which includes collaborations with local music producers and her InBloom partner, Slikk Darko.

February’s new music roundup showcases Black artists with ties to St. Louis. The various genres highlight the artists’ creativity and talent. Producer Miya Norfleet and WSIE host “Tracey J” Shanklin discuss their top picks.

A St. Louis County Girl Scout troop was told to stop fundraising for child war victims in Gaza. Instead, they created their own organization. Less than a year later, Salam Scouts has more than 200 members in 24 troops nationwide. Co-founder Nawal Abuhamdeh says she hopes Salam Scouts will empower young girls and boys not only to be confident leaders, “but compassionate, kind leaders who will always stand up for what's right — despite what other people are telling them to think or say.”

Between 2023 and 2024, the number of homeless Missourians increased by almost 10%. Regional coordinator for the Missouri Balance of State Continuum of Care April Redman, Director for the Department of Human Services Adam Pearson and NPR Midwest Newsroom’s investigative reporter Kavahn Mansouri discuss the challenges in providing an accurate count of homeless people in order to provide appropriate services across the region.

The Animal Protective Association cut ties with the St. Louis County animal shelter on Friday. The partnership’s dissolution comes at a time of anxiety and suspicion among shelter volunteers, who were told they would need to reapply in order to continue volunteering at the facility. Animal advocates are also concerned after a Missouri Sunshine Law request revealed a proposal suggesting the use of mass euthanasia to lower the shelter’s population. We talk about the shelter’s operations with Post Dispatch reporter Kelsey Landis and County Health Director Kanika Cunningham.

Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins is defending his decision to reject sports betting emergency rules, saying there isn’t an urgent need and also he doesn’t want to short circuit public input. STLPR politics correspondent Jason Rosenbaum talks with Hoskins. Later, Rosenbaum joins the show for context and analysis about the future of sports gambling in Missouri.

A former St. Louis sheriff’s deputy who was fired is suing Sheriff Alfred Montgomery for defamation. Janae Edmondson, the visiting volleyball player who lost both of her legs in a terrible car crash in downtown St. Louis in 2023, has settled a lawsuit against the city. Producers of Nelly’s “Country Grammar” are suing the famous St. Louis rapper for alleged unpaid royalties. And, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey says Starbucks’ hiring practices are discriminatory. Those were among the topics discussed by Legal Roundtable panelists Nicole Gorovsky, Arindam Kar and Bevis Schock.