St. Louis on the Air

In the year since the school shooting on the Central Visual Performing Arts High School and Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience campus, students are finding ways to process their grief, anger and guilt. CVPA alum Raniyah Taylor and Collegiate alumni Axel Cortes and Mikayla Sanders talk about their experience of that tragedy, how they worked to process their trauma as seniors finishing high school, and what they wish people would better understand about their experience.

Keisha Acres’ daughter Alexzandria Bell was killed in the Oct. 24 shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School. Abbey Kuczka’s mother, CVPA teacher Jean Kuczka, was also killed in the shooting. Keisha and Abbey share their reflections on grief, trauma and hopes for the future, including their wish for people to take the country’s growing mental health crisis more seriously.

Electrical lineman Jason Novak was one of 8 teams sent by Ameren Illinois to compete in the International Lineman's Rodeo earlier this month. Novak and his team didn’t just crush much of the competition, they also raised more than $107,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

St. Louis Public Radio’s new STL Welcome Kit is a digital guide to help you understand the history, culture and ins and outs of the St. Louis region. It answers questions like: What are those stone towers throughout the city? What’s the deal with paying property taxes on vehicles? How can you take advantage of the city’s vibrant music scene? STLPR engagement editor Lara Hamdan and interim news director Brian Heffernan share the details.

Washington University sociologist Adia Harvey Wingfield’s new book, "Gray Areas: How the Way We Work Perpetuates Racism & What We Can Do to Fix it," examines racial biases that impact the hiring, pay, advancement, and sociocultural experience of Black workers in the U.S. Wingfield shares what she learned from seven Black interviewees, who all work in different sectors, and offers practical suggestions for movement toward equitable practices and workplaces.

There are 17 proposed ballot items in Missouri that would legalize abortion. They’re a response to the fall of Roe v. Wade, which led to the ban of most abortions. Dr. Colleen McNicholas of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri contends that only one of the 17 initiatives would push abortion access “beyond Roe.” McNicholas discusses how she believes abortion-rights activists should approach the initiative petition process.

Azra Selimovic, owner of the new luxury tattoo parlor Azra Tattoos, describes how Bosnian culture is connected to tattoo art and her journey to opening one of Missouri's first Bosnian-owned tattoo parlors. She also shares the story of how a bee helped her family escape from war-torn Bosnia in 1993 — and inspired her new business.

Earlier this month, St. Louis city workers cleared a homeless encampment outside City Hall. The forced removal of the people who lived there highlighted a yearslong struggle to craft policies that assist homeless people. St. Louis Alderwoman Alisha Sonnier has proposed an “Unhoused Bill of Rights.” Sonnier discusses the legislation that would, among other things, change the process for approving shelters, require 30 days notice to break up encampments, and provide space for what’s known as intentional encampments

Alisha Blackwell-Calvert didn’t plan on becoming an expert in wine. Now she’s a sommelier at Cinder House in St. Louis. She discusses her picks for favorite Missouri wines, and explains how the state’s climate gives many local wines a distinctive “musky” flavor. She also pours from her deep knowledge of wine varietals, and reveals what makes a good non-alcoholic wine work.

“Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom” is back on NBC this month. The TV program has deep St. Louis ties. Longtime former co-host Marlin Perkins was director of the St. Louis Zoo for eight years, and he co-founded the Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Mo. Perkins’ daughter Marguerite Garrick talks about her father’s legacy. Peter Gros, who co-hosts today’s “Wild Kingdom,” talks about the show’s focus on conservation success stories.

Violinist and mezzo-soprano Tona Brown lives life on her own terms. That determination is the subject of a new memoir narrated by St. Louis-based writer Chris King, “Tonacity: The Tona Brown Story.” Brown has toured the country, taught and released music, and later became the first openly transgender person to perform in front of a sitting U.S. president, President Barack Obama, in 2011.

Not only have public restrooms never been truly public, they’ve disappeared from America’s major metro areas, says historian Bryant Simon. In this encore episode first shared in April, we explore the rise and fall of America’s public restroom campaign and meet the woman behind the “Bathrooms In St. Louis” Instagram page.

In 50 years, hip-hop has become one of the most popular music genres in the world. In its early days, the recipe for a hip-hop duo or group was simple: two turntables for the disc jockey and a microphone for the emcee. In this encore episode first shared in April, Darian Wigfall, who DJs under the moniker DJ Whiz, shares the fundamentals of DJing — and why he feels vinyl is the best way to get into the craft.

Vanessa Okwuraiwe was born in the United Kingdom, went to school in Nigeria, and moved to St. Louis several years ago for work in the financial services industry. She’s now the author of the new children’s book “Jollof Rice with Grandma,” which focuses on 6-year-old Ada, who learns to make a classic West African dish when her grandparents visit from Nigeria. Okwuraiwe talks about the book, its characters and the diversity among Nigerians in St. Louis.

People with disabilities in the St. Louis area say recent disruptions to Call-A-Ride service reflect ongoing issues with the transportation service. Etefia Umana, a member of the St. Louis Metropolitan Alliance for Reliable Transit, talks about the challenges he faces using Call-A-Ride. Jeanette Mott Oxford of Paraquad, a local nonprofit dedicated to disability advocacy, discusses the changes advocates want to see put in place.

Seventy-one percent of women in domestic violence shelters report that their abuser threatened, injured or killed a pet. The fear of violence against a beloved animal can make survivors feel trapped. The Women’s Safe House in St. Louis is working to remove that deterrent. The domestic violence shelter is about to become one of only a few in Missouri — and the only emergency shelter in the greater St. Louis area — to welcome pets.

Missouri and Illinois residents will be able to witness a partial solar eclipse Saturday morning, October 14 at 10:26 a.m. While this is a must-see celestial event, astronomers, space fanatics and umbraphiles alike say that this is just a warm up to the big show: A total solar eclipse that will cross over parts of Missouri and Illinois on April 8, 2024. Author and eclipse chaser David Baron shares just how special total solar eclipses are.

The new podcast “A CRISPR Bite” explores how and why biotech companies are looking to use CRISPR technology to change our food. The five-part series was produced by journalist — and former St. Louis Public Radio reporter — Corinne Ruff. It’s hosted by food anthropologist Lauren Crossland-Marr. In its third episode, the St. Louis company Benson Hill takes center stage.

Across the U.S., reform-minded prosecutors have faced pushback from police departments. In St. Louis, issues around police accountability and racial bias were thrown in sharp relief after Michael Brown, Jr. was shot and killed by a Ferguson police officer in 2014. ProPublica reporter Jeremy Kohler is co-writer of the new piece, “A Detective Sabotaged His Own Cases Because He Didn’t Like the Prosecutor. The Police Department Did Nothing to Stop Him.” Kohler talks about that story, which focuses on local figures whose conflict reflects what’s happening in other parts of the country.

About 300,000 Americans will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023. Despite its commonality, the process of fighting the disease is difficult for patients and their loved ones. Musicians and life partners Marcy Marxer and Cathy Fink can attest to this. Both of them experienced receiving breast cancer diagnoses and becoming each other's primary caregiver. Marxer, Fink and Dr. Jovita Oruwari of SSM Health Medical Group discuss the musical “All Wigged Out” in advance of its St. Louis showing.

It’s undeniable that pork steak was popularized in St. Louis, but the identity of its inventor is sizzling with debate. The local supermarket chain Schnucks claims it deserves the title. Robert Moss, contributing barbecue editor for Southern Living, and restaurant critic for the Post & Courier, says that claim needs to be sent back to the kitchen. Moss investigated the controversy over the origin of the humble pork steak, and he shares why the pork steak is special, where it came from, and why Schnuck's, Google, and Wikipedia struggle to get the history right.

More than a third of food grown in the U.S. goes uneaten. Food waste takes up space in landfills and produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Harvest Public Media Reporter Eva Tesfaye digs into current zoning laws in places like St. Louis, where urban composting sites are beginning to pop up. The owners of New Earth Farm, John and Stacey Cline, share why they started their composting business in 2020.

A mob lynched a 24-year-old Black man named John Buckner in 1894. That's not disputed. But it's the location of Buckner's lynching that's creating controversy in Valley Park. Geoff Ward, a professor of African and African American Studies at Washington University and a member of the Reparative Justice Coalition, discusses the killing of John Buckner and how the record shows he was killed in Valley Park. Elizabeth Simons, community program manager for Great Rivers Greenway, describes the group’s plan to install a plaque on the Meramec Greenway.

More than 250 people are languishing in Missouri jails as they await mental health treatment. That's an improvement from this summer, when the wait was 11 months. Missouri Independent reporter Clara Bates discusses the state's long struggle to treat people who have entered the criminal justice system. She also provides an update on Missouri’s Medicaid program, and why 40,000 kids have been removed from the program this summer.

Life-long friendships are truly special. Growing up with someone who’s not blood-related but family just the same — someone who holds you accountable and supports you through good and bad — is a rare gift. And even rarer? Creating art together and navigating multiple career paths while becoming closer than ever. That’s the story of hip-hop duo Souls of Liberty. Tenelle Winmore and Ryan “Big Esco” Brown share their story and what inspired their latest album, “20,000 Hours Vol. 1: Return of the Gods.”

In addition to shelters being overcrowded, the number of stray dogs and cats on the streets continues to grow. Shelter leaders Weng Horak of CARE STL and Alisha Vianello of Gateway Pet Guardians share what animal shelters are going through and what you can do to help.

Washington University sophomore Julian Trejo was 15 years old when his mother helped him change his surname. He was ashamed to be the son of a felon, but now feels free. In this personal and sound-rich essay, Julian reflects on his upbringing and his quest to "not become a statistic — not just another brown kid with an absent dad who went down the wrong path.” Julian is a fellow with the River City Journalism Fund and a soccer journalist in St. Louis.

Hispanic Heritage Month has been celebrated in the U.S. since 1988, but unlike Black History Month, the culturally commemorative month has never had a flag to fly. That is, until St. Louis-based artist Jose Garza was approached by the Regional Arts Commission to come up with a flag design.

A dramatic case of bounty hunters, bail, and body cameras concluded last week in a federal courtroom in St. Louis. After deliberating for less than two hours, a jury found Wayne Lozier, owner of Bayou Boyz Fugitive Recovery, guilty of kidnapping and conspiracy. Katie Kull, courts reporter for the St. Louis Post Dispatch, covered the trial from the courtroom. She discusses the bounty hunter industry, Lozier’s defense, and the trial’s dramatic verdict.

St. Louis officials attempted to clear a homeless encampment just outside St. Louis City Hall on Monday night. The city called off those plans after being met with resistance from residents, advocates and some city aldermen, but a spokesperson for Mayor Tishaura Jones said they would try again today. STLPR interim digital editor Brian Munoz explains what happened, why the city wants to remove the encampment, and what he heard from residents.

2534 North Grand has a reputation, and it’s not a good one. That’s the address of what was once the Grand Motel, a place notorious as a hotspot for crime, illicit drugs, and prostitution. And for decades, residents of surrounding neighborhoods have voiced their desire to see the nuisance property taken care of. Realtor Monique Buchanan shares her plans to transform the location into a center for survivors of domestic violence.

The gut microbiome you develop early in life can have a lasting effect on your health. Poor gut health leaves people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, severe asthma or other lung illnesses. Washington University researcher Liz Mallott digs into what we know about gut health and what we can do to shape its development.

Eviction hearings are often tipped in favor of the landlord. A mediation program aims to balance the power dynamic by offering a free, non-legal route for problem solving. Cat Straubinger and Sheila Webster of the Conflict Resolution Center- St. Louis discuss how mediation works, and Isaiah Di Lorenzo, a landlord who has used the mediation service, talks about why it’s a compelling option for landlords.

St. Louis native Norbert Leo Butz’s latest album is a conversation with his eldest daughter. He celebrates the release of “King of Hearts” with a homecoming concert Friday night at the Sheldon. Butz has won two Tony Awards for Best Actor in a Musical for his roles in “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” and “Catch Me If You Can.” He’s also appeared in TV shows and films.

Every year, Saint Louis Story Stitchers Artists Collective goes on an immersive trip to a Missouri’s prairie land. For many of the teens, this is their first chance to engage with the outdoors. Young participants and mentors share why the trip is meaningful and how it inspires their artistry.

In the mid-1800s, an enslaved man named Dred Scott sued for his freedom in St. Louis. Scott’s yearslong legal battle culminated in an infamous U.S. Supreme Court ruling that helped push the country closer to civil war. Today, Dred Scott and his wife, Harriett Scott, are celebrated, and there’s a new monument that befits that legacy in Calvary Cemetery in north St. Louis. STLPR’s Marissanne Lewis-Thompson talked with the Scotts’ great-great-granddaughter Lynne Jackson about that legacy in front of the newly erected monument.

Concern over a rise in traffic violence has led St. Louis officials to consider an option the city first tried in 2007: Installing automated cameras to catch traffic violators and deter others. Missouri's Supreme Court ruled the ordinance unconstitutional in 2015, but the city is looking to try again. The Legal Roundtable’s Brenda Talent, Bill Freivogel and Eric Banks tackle that issue, as well as a $745 million verdict against the company that manufactures Whip-Its and a squabble between KMOV and KSDK on who owns the right to say “First Alert Weather.”

The unfolding controversy at KDHX on September 22 when the station fired 10 volunteer DJs. To understand what led to mass firings, how the beloved station got to this point, and the response from its fans and supporters, STLPR reporter Jeremy Goodwin shares insights from his recent coverage of the issue. Former KDHX DJ Ital K, who resigned from his show in solidarity on September 23, reveals what it’s like for longtime volunteers and supporters now watching the controversy unfold.

NPR Legal Affairs Correspondent Nina Totenberg has covered the U.S. Supreme Court for about 50 years. As she gears up for a new court session that begins Monday, Totenberg discusses the cases she’s watching. She also talks about the headline-grabbing ethics concerns swirling around the high court, breaking the Anita Hill story in 1991, and her recent memoir, “Dinners with Ruth.”

Dennis Bentley, St. Louis Public Radio systems specialist, has a notable hobby: He finds graves. As a volunteer for FindAGrave.com, he has submitted more than 5,000 pictures of gravestones: the small bejeweled ones, the wealthy towering ones and the just plain ol' regular ones. In this encore episode initially aired this January, Bentley discusses finding meaning as he visits cemeteries in Jefferson County.

UK-born, St. Louis resident Jon-Paul Wheatley turned his fascination with crafting soccer balls into more than a half million followers on TikTok. In this encore presentation that initially aired in July, Wheatley discusses how he turned a pandemic hobby into trips to Qatar, the World Cup, and crafting soccer balls for the likes of superstar Lionel Messi and FIFA.

A new exhibition at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation showcases the city’s architectural salvage that was left in the wake of urban renewal. Pulitzer Arts Foundation curator Stephanie Weissberg and Michael Allen, director of the National Building Arts Center, discuss their collaboration on “Urban Archaeology: Lost Buildings of St. Louis.”

A video of two Missouri elected officials blasting flamethrowers got a lot of attention online last week. While the display was symbolic, Missouri’s record on book bans is very real: A new report from PEN America shows Missouri had the 3rd highest number of book ban cases in the country last year. Lisa Gilbert, an instructor at Washington University (and who teaches future teachers) discusses the ongoing impact of book bans, and reflects on the importance of giving students access to knowledge, even when the content is difficult.

Refugee and immigrant communities in the U.S. are losing loved ones to opioids — and often, people in these communities have a hard time talking about it openly. St. Louis-based coalition ECORN is working to build in-language, culturally appropriate resources and data to help.

Ballroom culture, now a mainstay in popular culture. Not to be confused with waltzing, swinging or doing the two-step — ballroom scene has become a global phenomena. It’s championed by Black and brown LGBTQ artists in dance, music and fashion. Filmmaker Bobby Best captured St. Louis’ ballroom scene in his latest documentary film, “Tens Across the Board,” which was produced by the founder of Tens Ballroom, Maven Lee.

Early childhood educators are bracing for September 30. That’s when the Child Care Stabilization Program — funding allocated as part of the American Rescue Plan Act — will end, leaving hundreds of St. Louis and Metro East facilities in a lurch. Providers Aimee Washington-Hart, Paula-Breonne Vickers and Shona Lamond share what it will take to get early childhood education and the support and funding necessary to keep facilities open.

Jamie Corley founded the Missouri Women and Family Research Fund in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court Dobbs decision, which led to Missouri’s ban on most abortions. Corley, a Republican who has worked for several high-profile GOP lawmakers, has put forth six ballot initiative petitions that would chip away at the state’s ban. She shares the details of her proposals and makes the case that the current abortion law is too extreme for most Missouri conservatives.

Danny Jacobs thought he knew his father Richard Jacobs. But after his father’s death, Danny began to discover that the man he knew as a manipulator, liar and fabricator had even more layers. Danny and his childhood best friend Darren Grodsky returned to St. Louis to search for the truth behind Richard Jacobs’ life, which is the subject of the new podcast “How to Destroy Everything.”

St. Louis is among the few cities that don't regulate short-term rentals. That’s left the city’s Assessor Michael Dauphin to investigate units to see if they’re being operated as a business, or if they’re being controlled by absentee landlords or LLCs. City legislators are working on a bill that could change how people use platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo. Ward 4 Alderman Bret Narayan adds his insight on the challenge of regulating short-term rentals, and shares updates on the bill’s status.

Since it opened in April 2022, St. Louis ramen shop Menya Rui has received plenty of local acclaim, and the long lines of diners waiting to experience the delicious house-made noodles are about to get longer. Food & Wine has named chef-owner Steven Pursley one of this year's 11 “Best New Chefs.” In this encore episode, Pursley discusses his experience connecting with his roots in Japan and what he learned about the different types of ramen during his time there.