St. Louis on the Air

Local musician Mark Pagano is leading the way for St. Louis’ “kindie” music scene, making charming kids’ music their parents also listen to. He explains how his band FIRE DOG fell into kids’ music and the reason for his new moniker.

A switch to permanent daylight saving time might seem appealing for those who enjoy lighter evenings. Wash U’s Erik Herzog discusses research that shows it could have dangerous effects on health and safety and our natural biological rhythms.

Jerry Tovo is a successful commercial photographer, but instead of glossy advertisements or models, his new exhibition at the International Photography Hall of Fame turns the focus on homeless veterans. A former drill sergeant, Tovo discusses his past in the military, the challenges of finding his subjects, and his hopes for change.

A spill from Marathon Petroleum unleashed around 165,000 gallons of crude oil in and around Edwardsville. For nearby residents like Toni Oplt, the environmental disaster raises questions — and concerns about the next spill. The Sierra Club also shares its concerns.

Camp Indigo Point is a week-long summer camp for LGBTQ youth. While some camps exist like this on the coasts, this one — located in southern Illinois — is the one of the first in the Midwest. It’s now drawn kids from 19 different states, and will take place for the first time this June. The response from parents and kids has been greater than the founders ever anticipated.

Lance Geiger is “The History Guy” on YouTube. The former corporate trainer was laid off in 2015, and in 2017, he launched the channel. He recently surpassed 1 million subscribers and his videos have more than 2.7 million total views. In this episode, Geiger shares his unusual path to becoming a YouTube star.

Adults who struggle with alcoholism miss an average of 32 workdays a year — double the number of workers who don’t suffer from alcohol use disorder. Two Wash U psychiatrists discuss their new study — and how workplaces hold the solution.

Major St. Louis hospitals rely on one volunteer to place discharged patients who need shelter — instead of United Way’s 211. The hospital has called Nicole Warrington 400 times in the past year. She explains how the unpaid role has affected her life and what local officials need to do to fix the problem.

The EPA admits that nuclear waste at the West Lake Landfill Superfund site is more extensive than previously stated. Dawn Chapman, a Maryland Heights resident who lives two miles from the site, discusses her frustration with the agency — and her fears over what the tests will reveal.

Buildings across St. Louis of 50,000 square feet or more must comply with new energy guidelines — or face fines of up to $500 a day beginning in 2025. The manager of the city's new Office of Building Performance explains the new rules, while Cara Spencer, director of the new Building Energy Exchange St. Louis, explains how her organization will help building owners comply.

A Missouri mom was trapped in a 15-year sentence for selling a few ounces of weed – until a commutation from the governor set her free last month. But clemencies can only chip away at the ongoing effects of Missouri’s draconian drug laws. One lawmaker hopes her new bill can do more.

The Irish immigrants who flocked to St. Louis in the 19th and 20th centuries faced prejudice and violence — but in many cases also found good fortune.

Easton Romer of De Palm Tree, businessman Max Tsai and barber shop owner Carl Walker share their experiences being displaced by the Costco now under construction in University City. They say they received little, if any, information from city officials.

Former First Lady of Missouri Sheena Chestnut Greitens, a foreign policy expert, discusses China's response to the war in Ukraine, China’s strategic partnership with Russia and the lessons China and Taiwan are taking from the conflict.

Fenton native Michael Yochim refused to let an ALS diagnosis stop him from writing a book-length tribute to the national parks. “Requiem for America’s Best Idea” is out now. Yochim’s dear friend, William R. Lowry, discusses the book and his friend’s life.

BandTogether has been a space for LGBTQ musicians and their allies for 25 years. Their artistic director Gary Reynolds and longtime member Jerry Farris discuss the history of the band, how they’ve cultivated a close-knit community, and how society’s views on LGBTQ folks have changed since BandTogether first started out.

For more than eight years, Gary Boyd has donned the crown and scepter of “Mister Gary,” host of the interview show “Them Yo People.” Boyd tells us about his favorite interview subject, the meaning behind “Them Yo People,” and what it takes to be St. Louis’ “King of Hospitality.”

314 Day was celebrated by St. Louis’ Black community in the aughts, but has since become a city-wide celebration. Author Keisha Mabry Haymore explains how she found her way in St. Louis, while others share their favorite things, from the city’s accent to its cuisine.

We explore the origins of 314 Day and what's planned for this year's "homecoming weekend," with perspective from founder Young Dip and STLPR engagement editor Lara Hamdan.

Acclaimed poet Carl Phillips discusses the ideas in his new poetry collection, his interactions with the St. Louis police and why he plans to leave the city.

Missouri lawmakers are considering the biggest expansion of gambling in the state since voters approved riverboat — and ultimately riverside — casinos three decades ago. Rudi Keller shares the details.

Irish folk singer Seth Staton Watkins discusses finding success on TikTok, why everyone can relate to Irish culture, and the special guest who will join him on stage at his first ever in-real-life-concert on St. Patrick’s Day.

One of Cortex’s first tenants in the early aughts, Stereotaxis has now moved to a new headquarters in downtown St. Louis. CEO David Fischel explains why he bet big on the surgical device maker and why the former home of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat makes sense for its future growth.

Washington University is conducting a study to look at the psychiatric toll of divorce in children. We talk to the researcher leading the effort. By studying participants’ brains — and hair follicles — they can see how divorce might affect childrens’ stress levels.

In September 2020, a St. Louis couple took a trip to Lake Centralia in Illinois for a weekend getaway. When they arrived, their dog Zeus jumped in the lake and lapped up the crystal-clear water. The dog died after exhibiting textbook symptoms of toxic algae poisoning. Harvest Public Media reporter Dana Cronin explains why toxic algae is a growing concern, and why Missouri and Illinois don’t regularly test their lakes.

Angela Staehling, an artist based in Wildwood, scored a deal for a book titled “How to Pet a Cat.” It’s available now at retailers across the U.S. She shares the idea behind it and a few petting techniques, including how not to pet.

Community resistance has stalled the $900,000 project to establish St. Louis’ first city-funded intentional encampment. The project’s sponsor, St. Patrick Center, talks about what’s next.

Since the 2014 Maidan Revolution, Ukrainians have become experts at combating Russian disinformation. UMSL Professor Lara Zwarun shares what Ukrainians today are getting right — and how they’re winning hearts and minds around the world.

“Kidz Klub” splices together low-budget children's movies into something new and darkly funny. Hear from the co-founder of the artist collective Everything Is Terrible! about what he calls an “assault on all your senses.” The one-night only event is at Off Broadway this Friday.

Maria Ellis has her choir students rehearsing some 90s classics, like “No Diggity,” for their upcoming Black History Month performance. And, she hopes to take them to Carnegie Hall to perform next year.

At exactly 2 p.m. around the world on March 13, theater lovers will take part in a production of “White Rabbit, Red Rabbit.” St. Lou Fringe Festival President Matthew Kerns explains why — and what makes the play so unique.

At 92, Shirley Norris manages projects worth millions of dollars at the Missouri Department of Transportation. Norris shares her secrets of longevity and tells tales from her nearly half-century of work for the agency.

After nearly 15 years at KSDK, Casey Nolen is leaving St. Louis for WUSA. He discusses his work as a “backpack journalist,” his journey from Missouri’s Bootheel to Mizzou and how he fell in love with coworker Abby Llorico.

There’s an 18-year gap in life expectancy between Clayton and north St. Louis. Jason Purnell of BJC Healthcare discusses the health care system’s plan to narrow that gap by partnering with community organizations and focusing on healthy food access, financial investment and maternal health.

Last fall, Missouri inked a no-bid contract worth more than $30 million with a Texas company. Despite the company's promise to send the state hundreds of healthcare workers, there were many no-shows — and the costs for services were high. Missouri Independent reporter Tessa Weinberg digs into the story.

A brochure Mario Coronado’s uncle found for the Best Healthcare Institute led Coronado to the free summer school program — and his job as a pharmacist. Institute co-founder Steven Player of BJC Healthcare joins Coronado to discuss how the program prepares minority high school students for future studies in pharmacy and other health care fields.

The Pulitzer Arts Foundation’s new exhibition “Assembly Required” asks visitors to engage with, construct, deconstruct and even step on art. Curatorial Associate Heather Alexis Smith gives a preview of the show ahead of its opening day on March 4.

Javad Khazaeli represents a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel swept up in the mass arrests that followed St. Louis Police’s “kettling” tactics in 2017. He explains his shock that the city is appealing a recent appeals court verdict — and who he thinks is really driving the city’s strategy.

Eureka native Matt Jordan talks about making a name for himself in the country-rock genre and going against the grain by emphasizing his Midwestern roots.

The nonprofit organization Forest ReLeaf has distributed tens of thousands of free trees around St. Louis. Executive director Meridith McAvoy Perkins explains how it’s removing barriers to make it easier for underserved neighborhoods to plant and sustain more trees.

Since 2006, Fontbonne University has sought to record oral histories from survivors of the Bosnian War. Now the Bosnian Memory Project has a new name, a permanent home and an expanded mission. Director Adna Karamehic-Oates and Srebrenica massacre survivor Behedin Piric discuss the importance of preserving this history.

Monica Butler says gospel music history is being lost. To salvage it, she wants to open a gospel music hall of fame on the site of a historic Central West End church. She discusses her inspiration for the project and her reaction when fire broke out in the church last fall.

In the past four decades, smaller-brained birds have been shrinking, but a Wash U study finds that’s less true of their bigger-brained counterparts. Study co-author Justin Baldwin shares what’s driving the changes, as well as his passion for birds both as a researcher and bird watcher.

After Glenda Seim, 81, became the victim of a Nigerian scam artist, she herself victimized others. Seim was sentenced in federal court yesterday after pleading to two felonies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry and journalist Ryan Krull discuss online scams and the heartbreaking details in Seim’s case.

The Agave pelona is nearly extinct, thanks to its extremely limited native habitat and threats from humans. One is in bloom now at the Missouri Botanical Garden, offering a once-in-decades opportunity to shore up the species’ future.

The Legal Roundtable discusses how companies could face liability over their employees’ actions — even when the employees aren’t on the clock. The panel also digs into a new lawsuit against the state’s administration of federal SNAP benefits and lawsuits challenging Missouri’s new gun law.

As COVID-19 cases drop in the St. Louis region and across the U.S., researchers are wasting no time in the development of vaccines for other emerging diseases. SLU researcher Dr. Sarah George discusses vaccines in the works now and answers listener questions about antibodies, boosters and public health precautions.

Pam Hupp is now a suspect in three murders (and has been convicted of one). Defense attorney Joel Schwartz discusses the long road to exonerate his client Russ Faria and bring attention to the O’Fallon, Missouri, woman now charged with killing Faria’s wife.

St. Louis-area pedestrian deaths increased in 2021 from the prior year. And while car crashes with injuries slightly decreased, that’s no reason to celebrate — 2020 saw record-high numbers. Trailnet’s Sam McCrory discusses a new study outlining the problem and offering possible solutions.

Kim Daniel waited 10 years to get housing through her Section 8 voucher. Eventually, her voucher was approved in her ideal neighborhood, but a surprise health issue left her disabled — and almost cost her the housing she waited so long for.