St. Louis on the Air

Republicans will gain control of the House, Senate and presidency next month and that means Missouri Rep. Jason Smith will become even more powerful, as he’ll have a clearer path as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee to reshape taxation and trade policy. Smith, who represents Missouri’s 8th Congressional District, discusses priorities including renewing or expanding tax cuts — and governing with a narrow majority.

Congresswoman Cori Bush had an unlikely journey to Washington, D.C., rising from the Ferguson protest movement to the House of Representatives. Bush, who represents Missouri’s 1st Congressional District, will be leaving office in November after losing an expensive and bitter primary battle against St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell. She sits down for an exit interview reflecting on her four years in Congress — and why she won’t be disappearing from the public view anytime soon.

Aida Ade — born Jamie Hudson — took a step back from music after the passing of her cherished aunt. She returned to music this year with the EP, “The Unbreakable Aida Ade,” which features songs written to lift herself up and to celebrate the power of a strong circle of loved ones.

Metro Boomin takes trust seriously. The St. Louis native recently returned to his hometown to continue his annual tradition of celebrating single mothers and honoring his late mother Leslie JoAnne Wayne, who was killed in June 2022. Producer Miya Norfleet sat down with the Grammy-nominated music producer to talk about his accomplishments, values, and views on what it means to be part of hip-hop culture.

Courtney Dowdall, music reviewer for The Arts STL, joins producer Miya Norfleet and Elaine Cha for a roundup of new music releases from St. Louis musicians. Their picks cover a range of genres, from Midwestern country to jazz to death metal.

Lawyers for County Executive Sam Page and Governor Mike Parson met in court this week to argue their case for appointing a new St. Louis County prosecutor to replace Wesley Bell. The unusual legal battle that pits county and state interests against each other is just one of the topics tackled in this month’s Legal Roundtable. Attorneys Mary Anne Sedey, Liz Lenivy and Dave Roland also dig into a former St. Louis county staffer’s retaliation claim — and why the Los Angeles Rams prefer arbitration to a local courtroom.

A recent report out of the Policy Research in Missouri Education Center at St. Louis University shows that about 61,000 children in Missouri are homeschooled — an almost two-fold increase since 2020. Executive Director Collin Hitt and Senior Research Associate Amy Shelton discuss how Missouri compares to other states, what a continued trend toward homeschooled K-12 students could mean for state-level policy and funding for public schools, and the need for more research into demographic trends and homeschooling outcomes.

For more than 60 years, Santa’s House in Belleville’s historic downtown square has been a mainstay of the holiday season. Combined with an open air German Christmas Market, experiencing Christmastime in Belleville is a tradition for many Metro East families. Cindy Hawkins, co-president of the Optimist Club of Belleville and chairman of the Santa committee, shares the history and memories of Santa’s House.

A Black man from St. Louis has served a decade in prison for a crime he swears he didn’t commit. The only evidence linking him to the shooting that resulted in a 25-year sentence was the testimony of a white police officer. But what neither he, his attorneys nor the jury that convicted him knew at the time was the officer had mistakenly arrested another Black man seven months earlier, using an illegal choke hold that ended in the man’s death. The officer also had a long history of racist posts on social media denigrating Black people.

The closure of three Christian boarding schools in Missouri since 2020 is only a start, says Amanda Householder, whose parents ran the now-closed Circle of Hope Girls Ranch. Householder reflects on her upbringing at her parents’ unregulated boarding school, what happened after she escaped, and her feelings as her mother, Stephanie Householder, faces numerous charges of child abuse. We also hear from David Clohessy, the former national director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. Clohessy shares insights from a career of advocating for abuse victims, and why he is calling on Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey to do more to expose other abuse situations in the state’s boarding schools.

Former St. Louis Public Schools superintendent Keisha Scarlett misused district funds and violated hiring protocols according to a new report from the district. Scarlett also racked up nearly $210,000 worth of charges on credit cards assigned to her and the superintendent’s office during her 14-month tenure, including expenses at Bath & Body Works and Massage Envy. STLPR education reporter Hiba Ahmad discusses the report and how the school board and district leaders have responded.

A recent E. coli outbreak at several events in the St. Louis region has left more than a dozen people hospitalized and affected at least 115 others. That follows news of a shigella outbreak in Fairview Heights where nearly a hundred diners were sickened after eating at a LongHorn Steakhouse. We talk about food borne illness and pose your food safety questions to an infectious disease physician, a food safety attorney and a health inspector.

Vernon Betts, Sheriff for the City of St. Louis, will leave office after 8 years on Dec. 31. Betts lost his bid for re-election to Alfred Montgomery in the August primary. Known for his colorful personality (and controversies that have come with it), Betts has always spoken highly about serving St. Louis. STLPR Visuals Editor Brian Munoz sat down with Sheriff Betts, who reflected on his career in the St. Louis Sheriff's Department; his time at the helm, working alongside fellow St. Louis City leadership; and what he has planned next.

A land transfer agreement announced in November 2024 brings the Osage Nation one step closer to reclaiming Sugarloaf Mound — the last remaining Mississippian mound in St. Louis — in its entirety. Osage artist Anita Fields and her son Nokosee Fields created "WayBack," a sculptural and musical installation, at the Sugarloaf Mound site as part of a Counterpublic arts exhibition in 2023. Fields speaks to what this recent agreement means for her as an Indigenous person, Osage citizen and artist. The conversation includes comments from former Osage Nation Principal Chief Jim Gray, under whose leadership the first portion of Sugarloaf Mound was regained in 2009.

In January, Gov. Mike Parson will leave office after 6 ½ years as Missouri’s top executive. Thanks to Republican supermajorities and a flood of federal money, Parson was able to enact significant policies — and make appointments that shaped Missouri politics and the judiciary. STLPR’s Jason Rosenbaum and Sarah Kellogg conducted a wide ranging exit interview with Parson. Later, Jason and Sarah join the show to discuss the interview and Parson’s legacy.

Among Average White Band's hits are "Pick Up the Pieces," the 1974 song that highlights the group's funk and soul sound. The band's final performance is this Friday in St. Louis and ahead of that show, saxophonist Fred Vigdor reflects on his 28-year tenure with the group and its influence on hip-hop culture.

The “Ellington Strayhorn Nutcracker” from Jazz St Louis and St. Louis Dance Theatre will take audiences into the lives of Duke Ellington and LGBTQ composer Billy Strayhorn. Combining the holiday classic with a story set in 1960s St. Louis' Gaslight Square, the production represents “a love letter” to Strayhorn as an “unsung genius, who dared to live authentically in the face of adversity,” said choreographer Kirven Douthit-Boyd. Douthit-Boyd is joined by Jazz St. Louis CEO Victor Goines to discuss the importance of Strayhorn’s legacy, and the enduring significance of Strayhorn and Ellington’s 1960 album “The Nutcracker Suite.”

The GOP-controlled Missouri General Assembly spent recent years focusing on restricting the rights of trans people. That pattern is already repeating for 2025, with multiple pre-filed bills that propose ways to make it harder for trans people to change their gender markers on state-issued IDs. Katy Erker-Lynch, the executive director of the policy and advocacy organization PROMO Missouri, and Shira Berkowitz, senior director of public policy and advocacy at PROMO, discuss the state of Missouri’s anti-trans legislation and why ten advocacy groups are now asking the Department of Revenue to reconsider a controversial policy change made earlier this summer.

Missouri Democrats were fairly bullish that 2024 would be the election cycle where they would finally gain some ground. But not only did Democratic candidates get blown out in statewide contests for governor and the U.S. Senate, the party failed to gain any ground in the Missouri General Assembly. Missouri Democratic Party Chairman Russ Carnahan discusses the disappointing results and how the party intends to move forward.

It’s December: What better time to cozy up and open a great new book? Or perhaps you’re looking for the perfect book to give as a gift this holiday season. Ted Reidy of St. Louis Public Library and Tammy Albohaire of St. Louis County Library share their favorite books released in 2024.

Journalist Steven Thrasher was featured as a speaker at the Missouri History Museum during a commemoration of World Aids Day on December 1. Thrasher's 2022 book, "The Viral Underclass," draws deeply from his reporting in the St. Louis region, and explores the way viruses — from HIV/AIDS to COVID-19 — expose society’s fault lines.

Katie Lee, of Katie’s Pizza and Pasta, talks about writing her autobiography — a work being published in serial, print form — and its focus on her past struggles with alcohol addiction and the development of a thriving restaurant and fine foods business.

Democrats in St. Clair County in Illinois have previously enjoyed double-digit victories over their Republican opponents, but those margins of victory over the last three elections have crept into the single digits. STLPR Metro East reporter Will Bauer discusses his reporting on this topic.

Owen Ragland started his pop-project Whitworth alone, but over time has added friends-turned-collaborators to bring his nostalgic and optimistic sound across the country. In this “producers cut” of “St. Louis on the Air”, Ragland shares the journey behind his debut album “Earth To Dreamer.”

Producer Miya Norfleet and STLPR reporter Chad Davis discuss their favorite recent releases from St. Louis’ music scene, including Brock Seals, Aida Ade, Occults, Foxing and Jordan Ward.

Psychologist Dr. Marva Robinson shares ways to prepare for — and navigate — the potentially challenging situations that could come up at gatherings this holiday season.

Research around adult sibling relationships shows the health of those bonds has a significant bearing on long-term psychological and emotional well-being. Megan Gilligan, professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia, directs the Families in Later Life Lab at Mizzou. In this encore episode, she discusses what makes sibling relationships unique, how various stages and phases of adulthood affect sibling dynamics, and how future research can help us understand the roles adult siblings play in one another’s lives — especially as they care for aging parents and family members.

Tonia Haddix, the subject of the HBO series “Chimp Crazy,” is likely to face federal criminal contempt charges after flouting orders from a federal judge. Taxes on recreational marijuana are high, but could come down in Missouri after an appeals court ruling that forbids the so-called “stacking” of taxes by local governments. And, the club of soccer supporters called the St. Louligans says that an unnamed company had sought to trademark their name — without their consent. Those are just some of the cases that attorneys Erin Lueker, Javad Khazaeli and Mark Smith discussed on our monthly Legal Roundtable edition of the show.

Several St. Louis area election reform groups want to set up a public financing system for St. Louis County elections, which they say would help build trust in elected officials. The proposal would set up a dedicated tax to give eligible voters $25 certificates that could be directed to candidates running for posts like county executive, prosecutor, assessor and county council. UMSL political science professor Anita Manion and Benjamin Singer of Show Me Integrity join the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air.

The City of St. Louis has about $250 million from a settlement with the Rams over its relocation to Los Angeles. Unlike money from the American Rescue Plan Act, there’s no deadline to spend it. That hasn’t stopped competing proposals and disagreements at City Hall. STLPR reporter Rachel Lippmann breaks down the divisions on the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air.

Missourians have backed ballot items supported by Democrats in the past decade while also giving Republicans unfettered control over state government. On this episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, we hear from a voter who split his ticket voting for Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe and U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, and for legalizing abortion and raising the minimum wage. Longtime Republican political consultant John Hancock also joins the show.

A recent report from the U.S. Department of Education shows that millions of dollars of American Rescue Plan Act funding for homeless students still remain unspent in the Midwest, including Missouri. Schools are scrambling to file extensions. Midwest Newsroom investigative reporter Kavahn Mansouri explains why school districts did not know the funds were available or struggled to find ways to use them. Mansouri's reporting continues his look into his investigation of the "hidden population" of homeless students in the Midwest, and what we know about why school districts continue to undercount thousands of students in need.

Bob Costas has been a mainstay of sports broadcasting for decades. He’s done the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals and the Olympics. But before he was on national and international stages, he got his start in St. Louis — at KMOX in 1974. Costas is back in St. Louis, the place he considers his hometown, to receive the Stan Musial Lifetime Achievement Award for Sportsmanship. He reflects on his start in broadcasting, lengthy career, retirement from baseball play-by-play and potential return to NBC Sports.

St. Louis County Animal Care and Control Adoption Center volunteers have spent nearly 28,000 hours walking dogs, cleaning kennels and promoting adoptable pets so far this year. Despite their contributions, the county’s Department of Public Health has decided to end the shelter’s volunteer program. That decision has volunteers and advocates worried about what will happen to the animals at the facility — especially since the shelter has previously come under fire for improper care. STLPR journalists Danny Wicentowski and Ulaa Kuziez discuss their reporting on the decision, share background on the shelter’s history and talk about plans for the shelter’s future.

Eighteen inmates have died at the St. Louis City Justice Center since 2020, which is higher than what public safety officials previously shared. STLPR reporter Lacretia Wimbley investigated the discrepancy between those figures. She shares her findings and how city leaders have responded.

St. Louis-based early childhood art educator Colleen Fitzsimmons-Wiviott (founder of Start With Art) and Missouri Alliance for Arts Education executive Phyllis Pasley speak to the student benefits of art, music, dance, theater, and media arts; and why there’s urgency in turning the tide on disinvestment in arts education locally and statewide, especially post-pandemic.

St. Louis Public Schools has had a tumultuous year. It struggled to transport students to school, and in October, the SLPS school board voted to fire Superintendent Keisha Scarlett. SLPS Board of Education members speak with STLPR reporters Jason Rosenbaum and Hiba Ahmad about how the district is trying to move on under new leadership, while facing scrutiny over its projected budget deficit of $35 million, and with many community members worried about possible school closures. (You can listen to an extended version of this interview on the Politically Speaking podcast.)

A new shop in Rolla, Missouri, aims to make typewriters a more appreciated — and regularly used — mode of communication. Owners Amanda and Shane Byrne discuss what inspired them to open Clickety Clack Typewriters and why it’s a store, workshop, museum and community space all in one. They also share stories about the people and machines they’ve come to know through the shop.

Sara Bannoura, the research and storytelling program manager for Food City, breaks down what contributes to food insecurity in parts of the St. Louis region and how Food City is helping to decrease it.

The documentary film “Silence in Sikeston” juxtaposes two instances of violence and interrupted justice. The first is the 1942 lynching of Cleo Wright, a Black man accused of stabbing a white woman. Then the 2020 police shooting death of Denzel Taylor who was killed outside his family’s home after a violent altercation with his father. Both killings left mental and emotional scars on their families and in Sikeston, Missouri, which is just a two hour drive south of St. Louis. Producer and KFF Health News Midwest correspondent Cara Anthony shares what she learned from the film’s production and how justice and public health go hand-in-hand.

In the late 1940s, the Lustron Corporation presented a solution to the post-war housing crisis: A prefabricated, all-steel home. Around 2,500 were made in the U.S., thanks to a government grant, but the company went bankrupt in 1950. Today, just thirteen Lustron homes remain in St. Louis, including a newly restored, 3-bedroom home. Kaleb Higgins, who has spent months restoring the home to its all-metal, 1950s-accurate condition, and Nathan Wilber, board president of the nonprofit ModernSTL, take us on a tour of the Lustron’s unique design and strange history.

Alondra Orozco, a DACA recipient, has dreamed of becoming a nurse since she was introduced to the profession in high school. After she completed her studies at St. Charles Community College and passed the National Council Licensure Examination, she was blindsided by the fact that Missouri will not issue her a registered nurse license because of her citizenship status. Orozco and SLU Law professor Kelly Gillespie discuss the hurdles non-U.S. citizens face in obtaining professional licensure and how other states, including Illinois and Kansas, have made it possible for non-citizens to become registered nurses.

Missouri politics and government have emerged in recent years as a battleground for the rights of trans people. A landmark lawsuit brought by transgender children and their parents claims Missouri’s gender-affirming care ban is a form of discrimination and is unconstitutional. Missouri Independent reporter Annalise Hanshaw covered the case’s 13-day trial. With a decision expected by the end of 2024, Hanshaw shares her insight into the case, the arguments, and how the judge’s decision could affect the lives of Missouri’s trans population.

For seventh generation St. Louisan Andy Hahn, maps are a critical part of understanding urban growth and family history. In “Mapping St. Louis,” the author showcases 40 rare maps that span St. Louis history from the 1760s to the present day.

Lúcia Lohmann will become Missouri Botanical Garden’s first woman president. The internationally recognized botanist highlights climate change and biodiversity as the greatest challenges of our time. She shares how we can battle them while keeping Missouri Botanical Garden as a world-class institution in botany.

The Great Rivers Biennial initiative, a collaborative initiative between the Gateway Foundation and the Contemporary Art Museum, has awarded artists Saj Issa, Basil Kincaid and Ronald Young sizable grants and a six-month exhibition featuring their work. Young and CAM’s chief curator Dean Daderko share the coincidental connections between the artists’ works; and the intersection of Young’s inspiration from West Africa and reclaimed materials from St. Louis’ built environment.

The WNBA is looking to expand to a 16th team in the coming years, and NBA player Jayson Tatum — alongside billionaire investors — hopes that team will land in St. Louis. Noah Cohan, assistant director of American Culture Studies at Washington University, talks about the effort and shares a brief history of women’s basketball in St. Louis.

The Arch Rival All Stars took 2nd place at last week’s global roller derby championships. Skaters “Bolt Action” and “LuxFurious” discuss what it means for St. Louis’ roller derby team to be ranked number two in the world, share some roller derby 101, and talk about their passion for the sport.

A history of St. Louis’ Chinese restaurants sheds light on the role these establishments have played in taste-making and community-building for more than 150 years. The Missouri Historical Society’s Magdalene Linck discusses who owned some of the best-known Chinese restaurants in St. Louis, what they served beyond the plate, and how changes in Chinese food options over time reflect changes in the local population as well as diners’ palates.

STLPR's political correspondent Jason Rosenbaum caught up with Missouri's Governor-elect Mike Kehoe in Jefferson City after his gubernatorial race win to discuss his future plans for Missouri's Child Services department, sporting arenas, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and more.