St. Louis on the Air

Dive into a good beach read this summer with recommendations from St. Louis librarians Tammy Albohaire and Ted Reidy.

When House Minority Leader Crystal Quade first won election to her Springfield-based seat in 2016, her fellow Democrats suffered catastrophic losses for state legislative and statewide posts. After eight years of near total GOP control of Missouri state government, Quade believes the state’s voters are ready to move on and place Democrats like her in the governor’s mansion. She joins the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air to discuss her candidacy ahead of the Aug. 6 primary.

Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe has worn a lot of different hats over the years: That includes car dealer, highways and transportation commissioner, state senator, and lieutenant governor. As one of three main GOP candidates seeking his party’s gubernatorial nomination on Aug. 6, Kehoe brushed aside the idea that he’s part of the Jefferson City establishment and explained why he thinks he’s the best choice for Missouri.

Missouri is going through what some are calling a "shroom boom." We talk to Missouri Mycological Society’s Mike Snyder about why there's so much fungi interest, his journey to loving mushrooms, and how Missourians can help document -- and even discover -- species of fungi through DNA samples. We also meet Indiana mushroom researcher Steve Russell, founder of Mycota Lab. The lab is trying to document all macrofungi in participating states, including a recent expansion to Missouri.

Food and fashion are common ways people begin acquainting with new cultures. In St. Louis, Adjo Honsou, chef and owner of the food truck Fufu n Sauce, makes both to introduce West African cuisine and her Togolese culture to locals. In just two years, Honsou has garnered a faithful following with traditional homemade meals and handmade clothing. On June 17th, her culinary reach will broaden with the Season 3 premiere of PBS’ reality cooking show “The Great American Recipe.” That same day, she’ll launch her line of spices and curries in collaboration with the St. Louis-based McCarthy Spice & Blends.

Spanning more than 2,300 miles, the Mississippi is one of the longest rivers in the world. The waterway has the distinction of being both a significant ecosystem and a commercial navigation route, which often leads to tension and competing visions for its future. In his new book “The Great River: The Making & Unmaking of the Mississippi” journalist Boyce Upholt traces the history of the river and presents deep questions about the consequences of infrastructure and where the boundaries of nature lie.

While grieving can get easier over time, it is a lifelong process. St. Louis-based content creator Kait Granger aims to illuminate that truth in her TikTok series, “Let’s Not Rot.” The series was born out of her need for vulnerability and connection after experiencing the traumatic loss of her mother. Granger talks about her journey with loss, misconceptions about grief and how showing up for small, everyday tasks can lead to bigger breakthroughs.

For over a century, numbers for baseball in America were missing a huge piece of history because of racial segregation. That changed when Major League Baseball announced the incorporation of Negro Leagues Baseball statistics into the official MLB record book in May. Ed Wheatley, baseball historian and author, talks about the St. Louis Giants and St. Louis Stars players now included in the statistical database and why recognizing the accomplishments of Negro Leagues players is important on a local and national level.

Timothy Nordmann, owner of Mr. Meowski's Bakery in St. Charles, knows a thing or two about a good loaf of sourdough. Behind each loaf, however, is a story of determination in moments of uncertainty. Nordmann shares his experiences as a bakery owner – and what it took to get there – on social media. One video in particular went viral back in May and has been viewed over one million times. The comment section of the video is filled with sentiments from thousands of viewers who resonate with Nordmann’s story, some of which were compelled to share their own difficult road to achieving their goals. Nordmann talks about how business has grown since and why he decided to share his stories in the first place

In our ongoing coverage of issues plaguing the Children’s Division of Missouri’s Department of Social Services, we discuss why a tool aimed at removing children from a home where drug use is evident isn’t being used to a great extent in the St. Louis area. STLPR politics correspondent talks about his reporting on the Temporary Alternative Placement Agreement — or TAPA.

The longtime head of Missouri’s Department of Conservation has stepped aside after taking the helm of the agency in late 2016. For years, Sarah Parker Pauley managed the state’s incredibly vast expanse of pristine wilderness and outdoor spaces where people hunt, fish and hike. During an in-depth conversation with STLPR politics correspondent Jason Rosenbaum last week, Pauley spoke about the ongoing challenges of balancing the commitment to preserving Missouri’s natural beauty with the need for economic development in struggling parts of the state.

In 2015, Erica Jones’ daughter, Whitney Brown, was killed in a drive-by shooting. Who did it remains unknown. Brown’s case is among the 1,000-plus from 2014 to 2023 that still haven’t been solved, according to a joint investigation by St. Louis Public Radio, APM Reports and the Marshall Project. Jones talks about how grief has changed her family, and why she is still seeking answers — and justice. She also discusses Voice of the Voiceless STL, a nonprofit support group she founded to help fellow St. Louisans who have lost loved ones to gun violence.

From fashion-forward folks to those who couldn’t care less about what they wear, everybody – and every body – needs clothes. The fashion industry, however, is notorious for prioritizing certain figures and excluding others. Ethical Bodies x the Good-Ish, a new vintage thrift store in south St. Louis, is centering people whose fashion needs are often disregarded by offering plus-size pieces exclusively. Store co-founders Maura Hampton and Erica Hallman discuss the mission of the store, their plans for its future, and speculate why the fashion industry is hesitant to make clothes inclusive for all.

St. Louis spelling bee champ Sonia Kulkarni placed 17th in last week's Scripps National Spelling Bee. In this follow-up interview with the eighth grader at John Burroughs School, she talks about what it was like appearing in the spelling bee for the final time, and her reaction to being eliminated on a vocabulary word — “gainsay.”

While Christopher Loss was winning the hearts of St. Louisans with his successful apparel line Profield Reserve, he was also building community with local musicians and visual artists. Now, he is shifting focus — Loss has moved Profield Reserve back to online only and is dedicating time to uplift artists by providing an entry into the arts scene by opening Field Club Media, a space for creatives to work and collaborate. He’s also curated Inside/Outside, an art exhibit that opens at Sophie’s Artist Lounge June 8.

St. Louis’ intimate one-ring circus, Circus Flora, is back at the Big Top in Grand Center. Artistic and executive director Jack Marsh and Cecil MacKinnon, the show’s narrator, discuss “Marooned!” The original production takes place on a magical island where two pirates encounter amazing, weird and wacky people — and animals — as they search for treasure.

Before the Stonewall Riot in 1969, queer love, experiences and struggles for civil rights were woven into the fabric of American — and St. Louis’ — culture. The Missouri History Museum will unveil the Gateway to Pride exhibit, highlighting queer history for the first time since the Missouri Historical Society’s founding in 1866.

Fine dining typically isn’t synonymous with cannabis cravings, but a pop-up dinner series is bridging those two worlds. Celebrated St. Louis chefs Nick Bognar (iNDO, Sado) and Alex Henry (El Molino del Sureste, Sureste Mexican) talk about creating elevated edibles and why participating in Swade Cannabis’ canna-culinary series was a no-brainer.

Local scientists have theories about why parts of the St. Louis region are swarming with cicadas while others are eerily silent. STLPR morning newscaster Abby Llorico talks with University of Missouri-St. Louis biologists to learn more.

Telling AI-made audio apart from authentic human voices is getting harder, and that has experts and average people worried. A Washington University professor’s new program works to prevent voice cloning and deepfake scams that often target vulnerable people. Ning Zhang, an assistant professor of computer science and engineering at WashU, talks about how his DeFake program works and why artificial intelligence can be beneficial.

High electricity costs are hitting homeowners hard in the Midwest and across the nation, prompting the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to adopt updated energy standards for new HUD-funded homes. The rules, announced in April, are estimated to save homeowners $950 a year. Midwest Newsroom managing editor Holly Edgell talks about how the new federal building codes will make homes more affordable, energy efficient and climate resilient.

In the wee hours of the morning on May 29, Illinois lawmakers passed a $53.1 billion state budget — the largest in state history. Capitol News Illinois Editor-in-chief Jerry Nowicki details notable budget items, including a $50 million child tax credit, a $350 million increase in education funding, and a repeal of the state’s 1% grocery tax. He also talks about what to expect from a lawsuit against Illinois Speaker of the House Emanuel “Chris” Welch over legislative employees’ right to unionize.

Over about the past decade, roughly 1,900 homicides were committed in St. Louis. Of that number, more than 1,000 cases remain unsolved. St. Louis Public Radio, APM Reports and the Marshall Project undertook a multi-year investigation that shows that while there’s been an improvement in the number of cleared cases in the last two years, St. Louis police have failed to clear many homicides. Shoddy detective work, lack of resources and eroding community trust are the main reasons. STLPR’s Rachel Lippmann and APM Reports’ Tom Scheck discuss this investigation.

State Sen. Bill Eigel spent his roughly two terms in the Missouri Senate going against the grain of GOP leaders. But the Weldon Spring Republican doesn’t believe his clashes with fellow GOP elected officials will be a detriment to his gubernatorial bid. On the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, Eigel said his anti-establishment posture puts him in a good position in a competitive GOP primary that includes Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft.

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore knew he was coming into a challenging situation when Gov. Mike Parson appointed him to his job last year. But with one year of service under his belt, Gore said on the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air that the biggest surprise he encountered was just how much the circuit attorney’s administrative functions were in disarray. He also discusses what he hopes to achieve during a full four-year term.

An incident that’s been deemed the worst case of fraternity hazing in the U.S. left a University of Missouri freshman with serious brain damage. The victim had a blood alcohol level six times the legal limit for drivers in Missouri. Two frat members who were instrumental in the hazing were charged with misdemeanors. Attorneys Eric Banks, Nicole Gorovsky and Jeff Johnson dive into the high-profile case and consider whether potential bias may have led to light sentencing. The panel also discusses whether GOP senators should get taxpayer-funded lawyers to fight a defamation suit, a court ruling on St. Louis’s 1% earnings tax, and a judge who revoked a man's right to represent himself after spouting “sovereign citizen” conspiracy theories in court.

Rates of people seeking and receiving shelter due to domestic violence are increasing in Missouri and Illinois. That includes a lot of children who, whether or not they experience abuse directly, will live with long standing effects from their experience. Domestic violence survivors and advocates reflect on the ways domestic abuse affects children and how to support families who are dealing with, or escaping from, such abuse.

Sauce Magazine writer Alexa Beattie went looking for hidden food treasures. The search took her to several gas stations, where she found delicious delicacies that you won't find at any QuikTrip. Beattie shares her discovery and explores the trend of restaurant owners choosing to turn over their businesses to employees. We also meet Sydney Caldwell, who reflects on what it’s meant to go from server to boss at Retreat Gastropub.

Immigration is a hotly debated and highly politicized topic that pundits on either side of the aisle can’t seem to agree on. With the election season quickly approaching, is there a different way that the country – political affiliation aside – can address it? According to two UMSL immigration experts, the first step is empathy. Uma Segal and Adriano Udani discuss the nuances missing from the election season debate over immigration, and why a deeper conversation is needed.

Less than two years since she moved to Los Angeles to pursue film, Sharee Silerio has made it big. The St. Louis native is part of the Academy Award winning team behind “The Last Repair Shop,” which took home the Oscar for “Best Documentary Short.” She reflects on the film, her goal of telling stories in ways that showcase vulnerability and foster inspiration, and her plans to come back to St. Louis to finish work on her film, “Black Girl, Bleu,” which explores mental health challenges and ways to cultivate healing and self-love.

10 years ago, the landmark health report “For the Sake of All” was jointly published by Washington University and St. Louis University to much acclaim for its eye-opening — and affirming — data on the health disparities of Black St. Louisans. Lead researcher Dr. Jason Purnell shares how he thinks St. Louis has changed in the last decade, where he sees possible improvement and how his current role as president of the James S. McDonnell Foundation will play a major role in addressing the racial inequities from an economic standpoint.

Former Missouri U.S. Senator John Danforth and two other prominent Republicans recently wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post announcing a new group that seeks to move the Republican Party away from Donald Trump: Our Republican Legacy. Danforth represented Missouri in the Senate from 1976-1995. STLPR politics correspondent Jason Rosenbaum spoke with Danforth.

The Riverfront Times has been sold to an undisclosed buyer and on Wednesday its entire news staff was laid off. St. Louis’ alt-weekly held a unique position in local journalism for 46 years. In its early years, it was known for its free (and at times) raunchy personal ads. Over the years, the paper became known for its stories on the city’s arts and culture, irreverent headlines and serious journalism. Former RFT Executive Editor Sarah Fenske and paper founder Ray Hartmann discuss the RFT’s sale and its legacy.

St. Louis Shakespeare Festival will launch the 2024 season with their production of “As You Like It” for Shakespeare in the Park. Along with homegrown talent, this year’s production features original music from singer-songwriter Beth Bombara who added her sound and lyrics to Shakespeare’s sonnets. She previews the show alongside Tom Ridgely, producing artistic director of St. Louis Shakespeare Festival.

Your immune system has a "memory," which can be both a good and bad thing. When it comes to COVID boosters, scientists like Washington University's Dr. Michael Diamond found that our body doesn't just "remember" its previous vaccines – it uses that memory to fight viruses it hasn't even met yet. How does the immune system "remember" a brand-new virus? What makes COVID vaccines different from the flu vaccine? And what does this mean for COVID vaccines in the future? Dr. Diamond, lead author of a new study in Nature, explains.

Cicadas are a nutritional boon to birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians — and yes, even humans. With the St. Louis region estimated to have about 1 to 1.5 million periodical cicadas per acre for the next few weeks — and nymphs continuing to crawl out of the ground — there is still time to take advantage of this once-in-every-13-years culinary event. We get tips and tricks for catching, preparing and cooking cicadas. We also discuss the growing interest in cricket powder, an ingredient suitable for the most squeamish of interested eaters.

The Solid Sound Collective, a music project of the St. Louis nonprofit Action Art Collaborative, celebrates the long and living legacy of community activism. Three of its producers and musicians – Colin McLaughlin, Ryan Marquez, and Alicia Revé – talk about original songs commissioned for the project and the role of interviews in creating music that addresses social and economic inequities. The collective premieres its music at an event on June 2 at Work & Leisure in Midtown St. Louis.

Once strong and tight-knit, Clayton’s Black community was almost entirely wiped out by urban renewal policies that drove Black families away during the 1950s and 60s. A new historical marker commemorates those who were pushed out. Historian and retired Clayton High School teacher Donna Rogers-Beard discusses the history of the community, which dates back to the 1880s. Derek Novel recalls his memories of growing up in Clayton and how displacement changed the community.

Mayor Tishaura Jones says she has set the city of St. Louis on a course to be “safer, stronger and healthier” than it is today. Jones highlighted accomplishments at her State of the City speech last Tuesday. She also launched her re-election bid last week. STLPR reporter Rachel Lippmann joins the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air to discuss this news.

In a rare instance of triumph for Missouri Democrats, an effort to raise the bar to amend the state constitution — a central GOP priority — was defeated. Infighting among Republicans was a highlight of this year’s Missouri legislative session that ended Friday. STLPR statehouse and politics reporter Sarah Kellogg joins the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air. We also open up our mailbag and answer listener and reader questions about the session and political process.

Kirkwood-raised musician David Sanborn died earlier this week after an extended battle with prostate cancer. He won six Grammy awards and sold millions of albums across a more than 50-year career. Known for his warm sound on alto saxophone, Sanborn won acclaim as a solo artist and as a collaborator with a long list of stars in the worlds of jazz, rock and pop. Earlier this year, Jazz St. Louis honored Sanborn with its first lifetime achievement award. We listen back to his conversation with STLPR’s Jeremy D. Goodwin.

St. Louis’ juvenile justice system is supposed to rehabilitate youth but it often makes things worse. That’s the topic of a recently published article written by Taylor Tiamoyo Harris and commissioned by the River City Journalism Fund. Taylor is a St. Louis-based journalist and recently began a job as investigative fellow for the New York Times. Harris discusses her recent reporting on juvenile justice.

Civil rights attorney and former South Carolina state lawmaker Bakari Sellers says national police reform is currently dead, but there is hope through voting to change the makeup of Congress. STLPR reporter Andrea Henderson recently spoke with Sellers when he was in St. Louis to talk about his new book, “The Moment: Thoughts on the Race Reckoning That Wasn't and How We All Can Move Forward Now.”

A St. Louis judge on Tuesday will hear arguments as to why the 1991 murder conviction of Chris Dunn should be vacated. Dunn has spent more than 30 years in prison. Two witnesses who identified him as the killer have recanted and two St. Louis prosecutors, Kim Gardner and Gabe Gore, believe that he is innocent. After Gore announced earlier this spring he would file a motion to vacate Dunn’s conviction, producer Danny Wicentowski spoke with Dunn from the South Central Correctional Center in Licking, Missouri, about his reaction.

Gardening season is well underway, but it’s not too late to start planting. Local farmer Tosha Phonix is encouraging fellow north St. Louis residents to grow their own food through a new, free zine, “A Guide to Black Farming in North St. Louis.”

Most conversations about race and identity in the St. Louis region focus on Black and white residents, a binary that excludes one of the fastest growing populations in the area: the Asian and Asian American community. The Japanese American Citizens League - St. Louis and the St. Louis Pan Asian Collective have curated, “InVISIBLE: A Reclamation of the Asian Gaze,” a visual and literary arts exhibition that’s focused on sharing the diverse stories and experiences of those community members.

Nadia and Maya Turner grew up eating batches of their mom’s chocolate chip cookies and watching “Shark Tank.” The University City sisters founded Chocolate Girls’ Cookies in 2019, after perfecting the family’s cookie recipe. They share what makes a good chocolate chip cookie, their aspirations for their business, and how they feel about sour cream as a cookie dough ingredient.

The St. Louis metropolitan area is showing troubling signs when it comes to population trends. There are fewer residents than in years past in St. Louis and St. Louis County, and the region isn’t keeping pace with other areas of the country where the population is growing. St. Louis University Professor Ness Sandoval and International Institute of St. Louis CEO and President Arrey Obenson discuss why this is happening and what needs to be done to turn the tide.

As students across many college campuses express solidarity with Palestinians during the latest war in Gaza, the parallels to other student and youth-led protests are apparent — including in St. Louis. St. Louis University history professor and chair of African American Studies Chris Tinson discusses those parallels and how it’s natural students are attuned to social and global issues — and that they congregate and participate in civil-disobedience.

Despite the exorbitant amount of money spent on health care in the U.S., its population is relatively unhealthy. Dr. Alexander Garza, the Chief Community Health Officer at SSM Health, believes that improving health outcomes in the St. Louis community starts well before patients walk through clinic or hospital doors. Alongside his colleague Karen Bradshaw, Garza discusses how SSM Health is partnering with other area hospital systems to complete a federally mandated assessment that identifies community health needs.