St. Louis on the Air

Sam Altman wants to be careful about not overhyping Thursday’s release of the newest model of ChatGPT. But that’s not stopping the co-founder and CEO of OpenAI from celebrating OpenAI o1 as a new artificial intelligence model that can reason and solve complex problems. Altman grew up in St. Louis and was back in his hometown speaking at his alma mater, John Burroughs. Altman discusses his St. Louis upbringing, the origins, emergence and uses of AI, along with the newest version of ChatGPT.

St. Louis summers are infamously hot and humid. But this year saw a combination of much hotter, more humid and drier days. Matt Beitscher, lead meteorologist with the National Weather Service-St. Louis, and Trent Ford, Illinois’ State Climatologist speak to what’s causing extreme weather events in the Midwest region, and what is challenging about keeping vulnerable people safe.

Leticia Seitz is the owner of Arte Rojo STL and broadcaster behind Conectando Raices Radio. She joined “St. Louis on the Air” to discuss the importance of providing a way for people of Mexican descent living abroad to stay connected to their heritage as well as sharing her culture with those who are interested in learning more about Mexico. She also shares what’s planned for Fiesta Mexicana, a local celebration that commemorates Mexican Independence Day.

St. Louis took over the airwaves and the hip-hop Billboard charts in the early 2000s, and helping lead the charge was Walnut Park native Howard Bailey, Jr. — better known as Chingy. He’s bringing those nostalgic hits and newer works to the Music at the Intersection stage Saturday, Sept. 14.

The St. Louis initiative Dance the Vote is using the arts to get people to register to vote ahead of the November general election. Ahead of this Saturday’s Dance the Vote event at the Missouri History Museum, cofounder Joan Lipkin and youth activist Precious Barry discuss the importance of fostering civic engagement among young people before they hit voting age, disability voting rights and efforts to increase voter turnout in the St. Louis area.

A Missouri Supreme Court order this week ended days of legal drama surrounding an amendment to legalize abortion in Missouri. St. Louis Public Radio politics correspondent Jason Rosenbaum breaks down the legal developments and political ramifications, and what happens if voters approve Amendment 3 on November 5.

Sam Goodwin’s recreational trip to Syria took a terrifying turn when he was wrongfully accused of espionage and detained for nine weeks in 2019. While stuck on the inside of the country’s notoriously lethal prison system, his family in St. Louis worked relentlessly to secure his release. The story of his captivity, and the international network of people who helped him get out, is detailed in his new book, “Saving Sam: The True Story of an American’s Disappearance in Syria and His Family’s Extraordinary Fight to Bring Him Home.”

The BBC is turning its lens toward St. Louis. The Arts Hour on Tour will showcase the city’s talent on Tuesday night at the Touhill Performing Arts Center; and the flagship daily news program, Newshour, broadcast from STLPR’s studios on Monday. Newshour anchor James Menendez discusses the BBC’s reporting in St. Louis which included stories on efforts to legalize abortion and a trip to a rodeo in Defiance, Missouri.

Illinois has joined a slew of states and cities looking to redesign their flags. The Illinois Flag Commission — made up of political appointees and representatives from the state archives, state museum and state superintendent — will accept ideas online or by mail until Oct. 18.

Fifty years after his death, Bruce Lee’s status as one of the world’s most influential martial artists endures through his work as an actor and his philosophical teachings. In the 2020 book “Be Water, My Friend,” Lee’s daughter Shannon Lee speaks to principles that guided her father’s life as well as her own. In this encore episode, she talks with Elaine Cha about the book and her father's teachings.

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will square off in their first presidential debate on Tuesday. St. Louis has a rich history of hosting such events. Washington University hosted presidential or vice presidential debates in 1992, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2016. Longtime St. Louis journalist Jo Mannies discusses this history on the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, and we hear from WashU Chancellor Emeritus Mark Wrighton as well as notable moments from those debates.

St. Louis County Councilman Dennis Hancock recently faced scrutiny after he sought to hire his stepdaughter as his assistant. The Missouri Constitution prohibits nepotism and it’s been frowned upon throughout American history. In this episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, political correspondent Jason Rosenbaum speaks with historian Cassandra Good about the tradition and controversy around nepotism in American politics.

Jamaa Birth Village founder Okunsola Amadou became Missouri's first Black certified professional midwife in 2019. She shares her unlikely life story, from a childhood in Texas and Ferguson, to becoming a water priestess in Ghana, to returning to Ferguson just in time to experience the uprising over Michael Brown’s killing in 2014. She spoke with producer Danny Wicentowski about her decision to return to Ferguson to build her dream birth center.

The digitization and curation team from the National Museum of African American History and Culture are helping families and institutions preserve Black history in the St. Louis region. Doretha Williams, director of the Digitization and Curation Center at the Smithsonian Institute and April Brown, director of Internship Management & HR Solutions at Cardinal Ritter College Prep discuss the importance of maintaining personal and community histories and how folks can participate

The HBO series "Chimp Crazy" has brought international attention to U.S. roadside zoos that offer exotic animal encounters. It also brought renewed attention to Missouri resident Tonia Haddix, who kidnapped a chimpanzee named Tonka in 2021 and lied about his death in court. PETA lawyer Brittany Peet shares insights on “Chimp Crazy” and the legal issues that Haddix now faces. Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation executive director Bob Baker also joins the conversation to discuss how Missouri exotic animal laws have allowed facilities like Haddix’s to sell chimpanzees in the entertainment industry and the exotic pet trade.

Math can be a dry and daunting subject for many students. Educator and author Kendall Ware decided to change it up with his math textbook, “Solving for Freedom,” which teaches the principles of algebra and features portraits of Black history makers. Ware talks about why making math relatable helps students succeed.

Eden Theological Seminary’s Praxis Cohorts program focuses on bringing people of faith together around locally-anchored community work and fostering relationships during the contentious 2024 election season. Steve Lawler, founding director of the Walker Institute of Leadership, shares anecdotes about Praxis Cohorts’ impact and details about its “Faithful Responses to the 2024 Election” breakfast panel on September 5.

A social media trend about what it means to be “demure and mindful” is playing out against the background of Society of Human Resource Management March 2024 findings that two-thirds of workers have experienced or witnessed incivility at the workplace within the last month of that spring study. The Modern School of Manners founder Asha Hornaday and WashU professor of organizational behavior Hillary Anger Elfenbein discuss why folks are ruder and how to manage poor manners and low emotional intelligence.

For many years, the U.S. Postal Service has worked with hatcheries to ship live birds across the country. Special handling and priority mail designed to meet specific timing standards are required — but delays are resulting in the delivery of dead birds. Investigative reporter Kavahn Mansouri of NPR’s Midwest Newsroom reports on the problems and their impacts.

Whether you love exploring regional delicacies, or tearing into a long-marinated rotisserie chicken, the latest issue of Sauce Magazine has something for you. We talk to Sauce Magazine managing editor Iain Shaw about Brasas, a new Peruvian rotisserie chicken restaurant and the latest project from Jalea chef/owner Andrew Cisneros. Meanwhile, Sauce Magazine writer Ileana Martinez has continued her culinary journey through Central American cuisine, highlighting dishes from Honduras and Nicaragua served at Sbor K-Trancho, Merendero Las Catrachitas, and Fritanga Nicaraguan Cuisine.

A visit to Ted Drewes Frozen Custard is a quintessential St. Louis experience on par with visiting the St. Louis Zoo or Muny – or going to a Cardinals game. The custard shop – with one on Chippewa and one on South Grand – has been in business for nearly 100 years and running the business for much of it was Ted Drewes Jr. He died earlier this week at the age of 96. St. Louis Magazine food writer Cheryl Baehr and listeners share their memories.

In St. Louis, trivia is no trivial thing. It’s ingrained in the region’s culture, from school gyms to neighborhood bars. Dan Dillon, long-time trivia emcee and author of “The Ultimate St. Louis Trivia Quiz” talks about the origins of trivia and its enduring popularity. Andi Barrett, a former bar trivia host and current player, shares how St. Louis’ bar trivia scene has grown, especially post-pandemic.

The Mark Twain National Forest encompasses more than 1.5 million acres in central and southern Missouri. Managing that vast wilderness for both conservation and recreation is a large task that takes a team of U.S. Forest Service employees in seven district offices. Vince Keeler was recently appointed as the supervisor and discusses his background, goals for the forest, and how he intends to make Missouri home.

St. Louis University assistant professor Sarah Adam is the first woman to make the USA's Paralympics wheelchair rugby team. Adams shares what it means to represent her country, and women, as an elite athlete at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris — and one of her biggest fans explains why Adam’s story embodies the spirit of the Olympics and her chosen profession: occupational therapy.

Missouri anti-abortion group Coalition Life calls itself “America’s largest professional sidewalk counseling organization" — and it's benefitting from millions in public funds while also taking its message outside the state. ProPublica's Jeremy Kohler shares his latest investigation into how Missouri is subsidizing anti-abortion groups and pregnancy centers through tax credits, and what that means for Missourians when abortion is almost completely banned under state law.

A panel of attorneys discuss local and regional legal issues, including the latest attempts by death row inmate Marcellus Williams to make his case for innocence, and an update on a $495 million verdict against the manufacturers of Similac baby formula.

In 1993, a turtle whose shell grew around a discarded plastic 6-pack ring was found in the St. Louis region. She was named Peanut, and she’s become one of the best-known animal ambassadors for litter awareness ever since. We celebrate Peanut’s 40th birthday and talk about her story with her caretaker, Missouri Department of Conservation naturalist Matthew Cavanaugh. Tierra Curry of the Center for Biological Diversity and David Mizejewskiv of the National Wildlife Federation also join the conversation to discuss the power of individual animals’ stories, like Peanut’s, to promote social change.

Missouri AFL-CIO President Jake Hummel, who heads the state's umbrella organization for most unions, said organized labor wants to see candidates who protect workers. On the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, Hummel discusses the state of labor in Missouri and its relevance in local and state politics.

Third-party candidates often struggle to gain traction in a political system dominated by Republicans and Democrats. Jared Young, a businessman from Webb City, is seeking Missouri’s U.S. Senate seat as a member of the newly formed Better Party. On the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air we hear why, and talk with St. Louis University political science professor Christopher Duncan about the role and relevance of third parties.

Reporters from Reuters investigating the impact of radioactive waste near West Lake Landfill tracked down dozens of former and current residents of Spanish Village in Bridgeton, finding more than 30 people diagnosed “with types of cancer that have been linked to radiation.” Two members of the team that produced it, reporters Michelle Conlin and Mike Pell, discuss their findings, and how a little-known federal agency is has become “a shield for polluters.”

Museums only show about 2% of their collections to the public. Archivist and entrepreneur Emma Prince deals with the other 98%. Prince talks about founding the St. Louis-based company Backlog, and describes its work building archives for libraries, schools and other organizations, and helping individuals learn about their family history.

Self-care is often marketed as an individual, consumption-driven activity. Soul Spa Collective, a new wellness group in St. Louis, is challenging that. Collective co-founders Jessica Wernli and Steven Hunt talk about the group’s Self Care Sunday series, and its focus on promoting self-care practices that prioritize community connection.

Music at the Intersection is back for its third year — and they are bringing living legends and beloved local acts on stage together. Acts include Chaka Khan, Black Pumas, Chingy and Keyon Harrold. Kranzberg Arts Foundation’s Chris Hansen, executive director, and Larry Morris, director of programs and partnerships, shared what audiences can expect during the festival.

Many educators say their districts aren’t supplying everything their students need. Non-profit groups, community organizations and even the courts are stepping in to help meet needs across the Midwest, but education advocates say it’s not a long-term solution.

The St. Louis Mural Project is bringing 28 new murals to St. Louis. Tracey Morgan of the Regional Arts Commission discusses how the federally funded project is meant to highlight the city’s history and encourage economic growth. Three artists also share about the murals they have painted in various parts of the city.

Even before some 19,000 St. Louis Public Schools students started the 2024-25 school year yesterday, questions have swirled about the district’s leadership, its financial stability, and its capacity to get students to and from school. STLPR reporter Lacretia Wimbley discusses the challenges facing the district.

Frog hunting has connected Missourians to one another and served as a food source for generations. STLPR reporter Lauren Brennecke describes its hows and whys, including what folks who dismiss or disparage the longtime practice miss about its cultural importance.

St. Louis has another football team that can claim the title of "Greatest Show on Turf." Last month, after a thrilling comeback against the Boston Breakers, the St. Louis SLAM won its fifth Women's Football Alliance championship. The team's players aren't paid like NFL players— but they hit hard and play to win. Player-turned-coach Myrt Davis and second-year running back Jada Humphreys share their love of the game, and what it takes to keep football thriving in St. Louis.

The iconic Route 66 is approaching its 100th birthday. To celebrate the historic ‘Mother Road’, the State Historical Society of Missouri is working to collect items and anecdotes from around the state to build an exhibit that opens to the public in 2026. Researchers Katie Seal and Sean Rost talk about the stories they want to collect and why the highway remains a source of nostalgia decades later.

On Tuesday, Missouri's Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft confirmed that the fate of abortion rights in the state will be decided on the ballot in November --- but how we got here tells us a lot about the state of Missouri's politics. St. Louis Public Radio statehouse reporter Sarah Kellogg discuses the fight to put abortion on the ballot, and how the initiative petition process survived opposition from the same official who certified its collection of voter signatures,

Carl Phillips was day-drinking last year when he found out he won the Pulitzer Prize in poetry. The recently-retired Washington University professor is now out with a new book, “Scattered Snows, to the North.” STLPR arts & culture senior reporter Jeremy D. Goodwin talks with Phillips about the prestigious recognition and his new book, “Scattered Snows, to the North.”

PBS’ “The Great American Recipe” introduced viewers to St. Louis’ own Adjo Honsu, chef/owner of the food truck Fufu n’ Sauce. Her mission to share her Togolese cuisine and culture with others put her alongside seven other home-trained chefs from across the U.S. competing, sharpening their skills, and telling their familial and culinary stories — and she won!

Dr. Amjad Musleh, an emergency medicine and intensive care physician at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, volunteered at one of the last functioning hospitals in Gaza last month. He shares why he went to an active war zone to treat Palestinian war victims and how he saw extraordinary examples of human resilience.

Few editions of the Olympics can out-crazy the 1904 Games hosted in St. Louis. Adam Kloppe, public historian at the Missouri Historical Society, shares the many ways St. Louis left its mark on Olympic history — including its hot mess of a marathon and being the first modern Games to award a medal to an African American athlete.

Standardized K-12 media literacy education is scarce in schools across the country. But with an ever-evolving media landscape, navigating today’s information overflow with skill is crucial. Three students – high school seniors Charlie Meyers and Diego Perez Palomino, and college freshman Aylah Hopper – share what they think is the best approach to teaching young people how to critically engage with the media they consume and create. We’ll also hear from Donnell Probst, deputy director of the National Association of Media Literacy Education, about the importance of media literacy education.

There are about 415 St. Louis area restaurants, entertainment venues, stores and more highlighted in the second edition of “Lost Treasures of St. Louis.” Among other gone-but-not-forgotten entries, the coffee table book features the floating McDonalds, St. Louis Arena and Famous-Barr. In this encore segment from December 2023, co-author Cameron Collins — and listeners — share their memories about the Millennium Hotel, Casa Gallardo and the Admiral.

Many people found their power and voices in the midst of the Ferguson Uprising. Some used streaming technology as they found themselves defining their own class of media, with no editors and no rules. They brought the story of the Ferguson Uprising live to our computers and smartphones. This episode of STLPR’s podcast “We Live Here,” explores their dispatches from the frontlines that kept viewers up to date while the national news played catch up. Their stories didn’t end in 2014, though, as many of them continued to demonstrate for causes in the St. Louis area to the present or until their deaths.

On Wednesday, August 6, St. Louis Public Radio and NPR news co-hosted "Ferguson and Beyond: A Community Conversation 10 Years Later" at Greater St. Mark Family Church, just miles from the epicenter of protests sparked by the killing of Michael Brown, Jr. by a Ferguson police officer in August 2014. This episode presents highlights from that event, with a panel and audience Q&A moderated by NPR “Morning Edition” host Michel Martin and a special performance by St. Louis spoken word artist, poet, and community arts educator Pacia Elaine Anderson.

In this encore presentation, St. Louis librarians Tammy Albohaire and Ted Reidy share their book recommendations for the summer.

Missouri Republicans and Democrats wrapped up a historic primary on Tuesday night. Perhaps the most consequential result was St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell toppling Congresswoman Cori Bush — a big loss for St. Louis’ progressive faction and a win for supporters of Israel. University of Missouri-St. Louis political science professor Anita Manion and STLPR’s Sarah Kellogg join the “Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air” to break down election results and what they mean for Missouri and St. Louis’ political future.