St. Louis on the Air

Simone Faure, owner/chef of La Pâtisserie Chouquette, talks about baking the traditional New Orleans Mardi Gras king cake. The bakery opened in St. Louis in 2013 and was recently named a semifinalist in the annual James Beard Awards for outstanding bakery.

New Music Circle has evolved in tandem with boundary-pushing musical movements since 1959. Board members Alex Cunningham and Josh Levi discuss the upcoming New Music Circle concert and how the artists demonstrate the technological potential of experimental music.

Lamar Johnson gained freedom this week after spending 28 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Among the attorneys who worked to secure Johnson’s release was Lindsay Runnels, who represented Johnson since 2015. Johnson called Runnels a sister, a friend and “God’s best angel.” Runnels reflects on the journey that led to Johnson’s release and describes what it was like to experience it in the courtroom.

Damon Davis’ latest — and largest — work of art, “Pillars of the Valley,” took five years to go from concept to installation. For author Vivian Gibson, the formal recognition of her beloved childhood neighborhood Mill Creek Valley is worthy of celebration. Gibson brought new attention to the neighborhood's history with her 2020 book, “The Last Children of Mill Creek." The two reflect on the years of work that brought them to this moment — and the work left to do.

Afghans in St. Louis are welcoming newly arrived Afghan refugees with more support thanks to the new Afghan Community Center. The center also houses a new Afghan Chamber of Commerce, which will provide a number of educational services and mental health programs. Moji Sidiqi, Afghan Community Development Program Manager at the International Institute of St. Louis, and business owner Gul Totakhil discuss what community support means in action — and how they will continue to embrace fellow refugees who have escaped from Afghanistan.

Roz Lewy and Ralph Insinger discuss their book, "Beyond Beyond: A Chance Encounter, an Online Courtship and the Language of Love," which details how the couple fell in love late in life via the exchange of hundreds of emails.

Filmmaker Daniel Lawrence Wilson thinks that St. Louis can — and should — be the industry’s next premier filming location. Wilson, now living and working in Los Angeles, returned to St. Louis to film his directorial debut, “A Brush of Violence.” The film is the first to be sponsored by the nonprofit St. Louis Filmworks, and features many recognizable locations in St. Louis including Webster University, the Pulitzer Arts Foundation, Laumeier Sculpture Park, and the Magnolia Hotel. Wilson joined St. Louis on the Air to discuss how the city would benefit should it become a popular filming location.

We listen back to this conversation from April 2021 with Dan Martin about his daily doodling of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Weatherbird. Martin will retire from the position after 37 years at the paper.

Critically endangered elephants in the Congo Basin play a key role in creating forests, which in turn, store carbon and maintain the biodiversity of African rainforests. If the species becomes extinct, the second largest rainforest on earth would lose between six and nine percent of their ability to capture atmospheric carbon — that’s according to researcher Stephen Blake, an associate professor of biology at St. Louis University.

St. Louis Zoo and Brookfield Zoo in Chicago recently swapped two western lowland gorillas in an effort to help the survival of the critically endangered species. St. Louis zoological manager Helen Boostrom talks about how the recent gorilla swap plays into the goal of creating genetically healthy populations of the critically endangered species.

The Ferguson Uprising ushered in a new wave of young leaders looking to create systemic change in policing, education, and race relations. In the nine years since the killing of Michael Brown by now-ex-Ferguson officer Darren Wilson, several organizations have taken shape to address those very issues. David Dwight IV invested time and energy in one such organization — Forward Through Ferguson. Dwight plans to step down at the end of March, and he reflects on his years of activism, and shares his critiques of St. Louis’ tendency to shut out, and shut down, young leaders.

For centuries history has primarily been told from the perspective of white men. What was traditionally considered a “reliable source” has not included the voices of Black people and other people of color. Over the last decade tables have started to turn, and more historians are recognizing there is a lot of work to be done in addressing the interpretation of Black history. Cicely Hunter of the African American History Initiative at the Missouri Historical Society, Pam Sanfilippio of Gateway Arch National Park’s museum services, and Vivian Gibson, author of “The Last Children of Mill Creek” discuss the difficulties faced when attempting to provide inclusive interpretation of American history that spotlights the unique experiences of Black Americans.

German immigrants helped shape Missouri’s culture in myriad ways, as detailed in the book “Explore Missouri's German Heritage” and the documentary it inspired. Author W. Arthur Mehrhoff details the people, places and ideas that influenced the Show-Me State’s cultural heritage.

In 1955, a sign was erected in Clayton, Missouri. It recounted the history of the founding of St. Louis County. According to the sign, that history began when the county was “first visited by white colonists” in the early 1700s. Then, in November 2022, the sign was quietly removed — but Geoff Ward, a professor of African and African-American studies at Washington University, says the removal was a missed opportunity to publicly confront white supremacy.

A Missouri Botanical Garden exhibition that examines the relationship between sound and plants will close at the end of March. Nezka Pfeifer, the curator of “Botanical Resonance: Plants and Sounds in the Garden,” discusses how the exhibition reveals important things about how we interact with our environment.

Illinois’ state museum system holds more than 7,000 burial remains taken from Native American mounds and other sites. Yet, despite a 1990 federal law that required museums start returning remains, Illinois did “close to nothing” for more than 20 years. That finding is among the takeaways from ProPublica reporter Logan Jaffe’s latest investigation. She discusses her findings on the Illinois State Museum system, its decades-long refusal to return thousands of burial remains to tribal groups, and also signs that this pattern may be changing for the better.

Immigration stories told in the United States often center around people and families planting roots in the U.S. “This Is Not My Home” tells a different immigration story — that of someone emigrating from the U.S. — from a point of view that is often ignored, a child’s perspective. Author and illustrator duo Eugenia Yoh and Vivienne Chang share the inspiration behind the main character, Lily, and how their friends’ experiences moving from the U.S. to Taiwan inspired them to write a children’s book.

St. Louis’ best theater performances and productions of the year are being honored once again. St. Louis Theater Circle announced its award nominations Monday, covering approximately 90 shows from 2022. Calvin Wilson, theater critic for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and Lynn Venhaus, writer and reviewer for PopLifeStL.com, discuss the nominations, and their observations on the state of St. Louis theater amidst its recovery from pandemic interruptions. Among the biggest nomination-getters of 2022 were the productions of “In the Heights,” from STAGES St. Louis, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s “Much Ado About Nothing” and “Brontë Sister House Party” from SATE.

Missouri greenlit several dispensaries to sell recreational cannabis last Friday. St. Louis Public Radio’s Metro East reporter Will Bauer shares what he heard from customers on that first day of recreational sales, the tax breakdown on both sides of the Mississippi River, and how Missouri and Illinois may be competing for consumers.

On January 20, Bob Kramer’s Marrionnettes went up in flames. The fire claimed the 125-seat theater, a workshop, gift shop and residence and, most significantly, Bob Kramer’s life. Firefighters rescued his longtime partner, Dug Feltch, who spent four days in the hospital unconscious. Dug Feltch joins the show to remember his partner and to listen back to an excerpt of a 2015 conversation with Kramer.

Kate Grumke updates St. Louis on the Air about the newly appointed superintendent for St. Louis Public Schools: Keisha Scarlett from Seattle.

Felia Davenport’s new exhibition “Torn Mixology” addresses how motherhood changed her perspective on racism and generational trauma as a person of mixed-race. The exhibition tells her personal story through detailed hand-stitched clothing on life-sized mannequins.

Metro Theater Company’s latest production, “Spells of the Sea,” tells the story of a 15-year-old fisherwoman and a grumpy lighthouse keeper who encounter mermaids, monsters and pirates in their quest to find the elixir of life. Metro Theater Company Artistic Director Julia Flood and cast member and choreographer Tyler White preview the musical and its use of scent design.

Workplaces across many industries struggle to attract employees of color.. One solution is the practice of “cluster hiring,” in which companies hire groups of individuals with similar identities. In the documentary film “Clusterluck,” Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville professor and first time film producer Candace Hall chronicles her personal experience in a cluster hire in the university’s School of Education.

Monster trucks roared and tumbled in St. Louis last month at Monster Jam, but, it turns out that the St. Louis region has a distinct connection to the culture of massive motocross vehicles. That connection includes Rich Inman and Concussion Motorsports, in Ellis Grove, Illinois, which manufactures monster trucks. Its work is stamped on some of the most famous monster trucks in the world, including the local legend, Bigfoot. Rich Inman discusses how to build a monster truck that can jump, flip and smash, while also ensuring the driver can walk away after the show is done.

Black maternal mortality rates in Missouri are among some of the highest in the United States. And with the near-total ban on abortions in Missouri, the demand for full spectrum doulas and midwives is increasing. STLPR reporter Andrea Henderson discusses how Black women are seeking out Black doulas to improve their birth outcomes.

Typically, bands and music groups make stars of the lead singer: the “front man” and spokesperson who gets all the eyes and attention. So most fans do not consider the team of people working behind the scenes to make the music radio-ready — especially those who produce, mix, and master the audio. Music producers are integral to the music-making process. Producer Miya Norfleet explores the Fresh Produce Champions Battle and sits down with emcees, judges, and participants of the competition.

The events of September 17, 2017 were expensive for the city of St. Louis. In the years since police used a “kettle” to mass-arrest dozens of people downtown, the city has settled with protesters and bystanders caught in the cordon. Now, with the $4.9 million settlement reached this week in a class-action lawsuit, the bill has hit a total of roughly $10 million. Attorneys Bill Freivogel, Eric Banks and Jennifer Joyce analyze the settlement and provide an update on the viral story about how GEICO paid a Missouri woman $5.2 million after she had sex in a car and contracted HPV.

Volunteers and advocates for people in St. Louis who are homeless say the city's failure to create a 24-hour shelter is "unacceptable" and endangering lives during frigid winter nights. Although a new 24-hour shelter has just opened, questions remain: Why did it take so long? And what of the millions of APRA dollars earmarked for homeless services that remain unspent? NPR Midwest Newsroom investigative reporter Kavahn Mansouri discusses his findings and shares his latest reporting.

This past summer and fall, our team hosted a series of listening sessions to get a better sense of how we can best serve the communities in St. Louis Public Radio’s listening area. What kinds of stories should we focus on? What are we missing? Who should we have on the show? Producers Emily Woodbury and Miya Norfleet discuss how it all went down and how we will continue to engage moving forward.

Work: What does it mean, and how has the place, shape, and meaning of work changed over time? Carrie Lane, Professor and Acting Chair of American Studies at California State University Fullerton, provides an overview of the history work in the U.S.; and St. Louisan Amber Murphy adds personal, in-real-life perspective on navigating – and challenging – the binary that separates work and life.

A wide assortment of St. Louis bands, trios and DJs continue to depend on the living room stage. But even when those musicians move on to real clubs, networks of musicians continue to find themselves on unconventional stages to fill the gaps between club shows and traditional venues. This scene is alive and well in St. Louis. To talk about why these kinds of shows continue to thrive, we get to know Joe Mancuso and Stanley Jones of the Judson House; Larry Fuchs of the Kinda Blue Club; and Darian Wigfall, co-founder of the former artist collective FarFetched.

Featured on the Netflix show "I Am a Killer,” the 2013 murder of Chris Smith led the arrest and life sentence for his wife, Vicky Isaac. But Vicky’s sister, Betty Frizzell, a former Missouri police chief, is convinced that Vicky is covering for the true killer, Vicky’s adult son Kenny. Frizzell previously joined St. Louis on the Air in January last year to discuss her memoir, “If you can’t quit cryin’, you can’t come here no more,” which chronicled both the murder, and her family’s history of abuse, addiction and mental illness.

Reported cases of syphilis in St. Louis and St. Louis County are on the rise. STLPR health reporter Sarah Fentem and Washington University Associate Professor Dr. Hilary Reno discuss what the rates of transmission tell us about how these diseases are spreading and what it will take to get more people tested for STIs.

A facilities worker at Principia College in Elsah, Illinois, was moving soil when he discovered a white object about 12 feet below the surface. Researchers confirmed that it’s an ancient tusk that belongs to either a mammoth or a mastodon. Professor Andrew Martin talks about the remarkable find and how he plans to use the excavation in his class this fall.

Nearly one-third of Hazelwood School District students have been assigned to in-person classes where the teacher is virtual, instructing from hundreds or thousands of miles away. A new Riverfront Times story highlights how the arrangement is failing students. Reporter Mike Fitzgerald and Tamar Brown, education advocacy director for A Red Circle, discuss how the national teacher shortage has led to this point and what happens next for students and families in the district.

During his State of the State address last week, Gov. Mike Parson announced his budgetary vision for Missouri. His plan includes money to widen Interstate 70 in three places and fully fund the state’s K-12 education formula and school transportation, as well as another round of raises for state employees. This episode contains much of STLPR's Sarah Kellogg interview with Parson along with analysis from Kellogg and Jason Rosenbaum.

Local filmmaker Josh Guffey directed his debut feature-length film in St. Louis and surrounding areas. Starring Tony Todd as drug kingpin Lamont Hughes, “All Gone Wrong” follows a detective trying to clean up a small town in Illinois. The film took Guffey 15 years to create and will start streaming January 27.

In June 2022, minutes after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Missouri led the nation as the first state in the U.S. to enact an abortion ban. A new lawsuit, filed by faith leaders in Missouri, is challenging that ban, arguing that it not only violates the separation of church and state, but also the beliefs of other religions. Discussing the lawsuit, and their religious objections to Missouri's abortion ban, are Moharat Rori Picker Neiss, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis; Democratic state Representative Barbara Phifer, and Bishop Deon Johnson of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri.

Dennis Bentley, St. Louis Public Radio systems specialist, has a notable hobby: He finds graves. As a volunteer for FindAGrave, he has submitted over 3,000 pictures of gravestones: the small bejeweled ones, the wealthy towering ones and the just plain ‘ol regular ones. Bentley discusses finding meaning in his many journeys through cemeteries in Jefferson County, and why it’s the broken, mossy and unmarked ones that get him contemplating life — and what it means to contribute.

Recovery friendly workplaces hire and support employees in recovery from drug addiction as they would an employee with any other health condition. Ann McCauley, the director of Recovery Friendly Workplace Missouri, and John Gaal of the Missouri Works Initiative, say these workplaces uplift workers and employers alike.

The first federal student aid program in the United States, the National Defense Education Act, was signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958 — six years before the Civil Rights Act federally ended “Jim Crow'' laws across the nation. The Higher Education Act of 1965, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, followed the Civil Rights Act, and while codified into law, American citizens and lawmakers still struggled with equality. Nick Hillman, professor in the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, shares his theories on the slow progress to update federal student aid and provide relief to student loan debt.

Katie Rodas-Santizo, a local eighth grader at Marian Middle School, will defend her school’s championship title in this year’s Clavicus Project Jamboree — a yearly robotics competition that challenges the STEM skills of middle school students in St. Louis. Robotics Coach Mark Viox and Marian Middle School Interim Principal Sierhah Price share how they encourage a love of STEM in young girls like Rodas-Santizo.

Christopher Dunn has spent more than 30 years in prison for a 1990 murder he did not commit in St. Louis. The two witnesses whose testimony led to his conviction have recanted, leading to a dramatic moment in 2020, when a Missouri judge ruled: “This court does not believe that any jury would now convict Christopher Dunn under these facts.” Yet Dunn remains in prison on a life sentence, doomed to die behind bars. Christopher Dunn, his wife Kira, and attorney Kent Gipson discuss the case and why Missouri law is uniquely blind to Dunn’s case for innocence.

A college education is often touted as the means to a successful and comfortable life. For students who take out loans, the burden of debt puts brakes on wealth building for them and their families. Faith Sandler, executive director of Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis has helped students and their families navigate student aid for 34 years. As conversations about debt continue and debt forgiveness plans remain on hold in the court system, Sandler talks about the rising cost of higher education and what it tells us about economic and racial inequalities.

A controversial Missouri bill to ban "unauthorized" sleeping and camping on state-owned land is now now. Advocates for the homeless say it turns peoples’ survival into a crime. But, what does “unauthorized” sleeping mean, and how are homeless people supposed to avoid state-owned land? We talk with St. Louis attorney Stephanie Lummus, who is representing seven homeless clients in a new federal lawsuit seeking to strike down the law, and Phil Telfeyan, the executive director of nonprofit Equal Justice Under Law, who is co-counsel on the lawsuit.

Alumni and staff cheered outside as students returned to class at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School on Tuesday for the first time since a deadly shooting in October closed the school. STLPR education reporter Kate Grumke talks about the return of students.

A new report claims that most utility companies in the U.S. contaminate groundwater and evade federal regulations, including four energy plants in the St. Louis area. Patricia Schuba, president of the board of Labadie Environmental Organization, talks about why she’s concerned, what St. Louisans can do to protect their home’s water supply and what people can do to change things and hold companies accountable.

In March 2022, community advocates said St. Louis' 211 hotline fails homeless people and leaves volunteers to pick up the slack. Nearly a year later, they report that things are even worse. STL Winter Outreach volunteers sit down with St. Louis Department of Human Services Director Dr. Yusef Scoggin to discuss how the system is working and the city’s role in making sure that vulnerable residents have access to shelter.

Will Jordan, executive director of the Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing and Opportunity Council, and Nate Johnson, the president of the organization’s board of directors, discuss the role realtors play in increasing Black homeownership in St. Louis.