St. Louis on the Air

Almost two months have passed since St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson declared the coronavirus pandemic a public health emergency. Following the declaration, Krewson ordered many venues, bars, and restaurants to close. Now Krewson says the city will ease public health restrictions starting May 18. In this interview, host Sarah Fenske talks to Krewson on about what reopening St. Louis will look like, the city’s decision to clear an encampment of homeless people downtown, and a digital program the city’s Department of Health is using to conduct COVID-19 contact tracing.

In March, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed a lawsuit against Branson-based televangelist Jim Bakker, alleging Bakker had touted a product called “Silver Solution” as a treatment for the coronavirus. Consumers, Schmitt suggested, could be victimized by the false information. Former Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon argues that the lawsuit violates Bakker’s First Amendment rights. Nixon explains to host Sarah Fenske why he thinks the televangelist is getting shafted by the state’s attorney general.

Transgender and non-binary individuals have it hard. And it’s gotten worse since the coronavirus pandemic hit the St. Louis area. Some don’t have access to cars and some are homeless. Sayer Johnson, co-founder and executive director of the nonprofit Metro Trans Umbrella Group talks to host Sarah Fenske about the challenges trans and non-binary people face before and during the coronavirus pandemic. Ashe Valentine, who is non-binary, also joins the conversation to discuss the challenges they’re facing through this time.

Photographer Nate Burrell has captured musicians for more than a decade, shooting album art for St. Louis’ rising stars in the scene, including Pokey LaFarge and Kevin Bowers. But when the coronavirus shut down bars and music venues, Burrell turned his eye to a different series of images: Capturing the new normal that the coronavirus brought upon the city. Host Sarah Fenske talks to Burrell to discuss his two-week project, “Covid Days” and what he has observed in his journey throughout St. Louis.

Geoffrey Soyiantet, a Kenyan immigrant, founded Vitendo4Africa 10 years ago to support African immigrants in St. Louis. He joins host Sarah Fenske to discuss the organization's work, as well as its unique partnership with the St. Louis Zoo. Mike Fitzgerald, a veteran journalist who recently wrote a cover story for the RFT about the group, joins Fenske and Soyiantet to explain what native-born residents can learn from the African immigrants in this pandemic.

The story that Alana Woodson has devoted so much of her time over the past few years to telling is far from a simple one. After all, it’s about Kinloch, Missouri — a once-thriving suburb that has nearly disappeared. Her father’s childhood home there is no more. And what was once a community of 6,500 black St. Louisans has dwindled to less than 200 residents today. But Woodson, who goes by Alana Marie professionally, has stayed the course, interviewing dozens of people and gathering countless hours of footage for her ongoing documentary project “The Kinloch Doc.” A short version of the film was screened at festivals in 2018 and 2019, and is available to view online. The feature-length iteration is currently in its rough-cut stage, and Woodson has been crowdfunding to help cover post-production expenses. She and her team launched a Kickstarter campaign April 10, and with just a handful of days left to raise funds, they’ve now surpassed their goal of $20,000, drawing support from several hundred backers.

Host Sarah Fenske discusses the political and cultural significance of Afro-Latin music here in the Midwest with Pablo Sanhueza and Carmen Guynn. Sanhueza is known as the region’s premier salsa and Latin jazz percussionist and Guynn is a salsa instructor and the artistic director and owner of Almas Del Ritmo Dance Company. Ten years ago, she founded the St. Louis International Salsa Bachata Congress.

Host Sarah Fenske talks with Marcus Harrison to learn about how morticians are organizing funerals and treating people who have died during the pandemic. Harrison is the general manager and embalmer at Austin Layne in north St. Louis County and said the center has seen COVID-19 victims daily.

The St. Louis’ homeless population is no longer residing at the tent encampment near Market Street following an order from St. Louis Health Director Fredrick Echols. Echols ordered the camp to be cleared on April 29. In response, the nonprofit civil rights law firm ArchCity Defenders filed a federal lawsuit on May 1 that included a temporary restraining order against the city, but a federal judge rejected it. Another hearing, in that case, is scheduled for May 12. Host Sarah Fenske talks to Alex Cohen of grassroots collective #TentMissionSTL and with ArchCity about the City of St. Louis' attempt to clear the tent encampments downtown. We’ll also get the perspective of a homeless person who was a resident of the camp.

St. Charles County is open for business. Host Sarah Fenske talked with County Executive Steve Ehlmann about the decision that’s in line with Gov. Mike Parson’s plan for the state. STLPR reporter Jason Rosenbaum also joined the discussion to talk about how local governments are proceeding and the political ramifications of it all.

What started as a dare from his wife has blossomed into an 11-part book series for St. Louis attorney Michael Kahn. Kahn works as senior counsel at Capes Sokol law firm by day, and by night, he writes mystery novels. In this episode, Sarah Fenske talks with Kahn about the latest book in his Rachel Gold series, “Bad Trust.”

This week marks 50 years since the Kent State shootings and related Vietnam-era protests at colleges and universities across the country, including at Wash U. Host Sarah Fenske talks in depth with Mike Venso, the Missouri Historical Society's military and firearms curator at Soldiers Memorial downtown, who has recently been doing research on the subject for an upcoming exhibit. Also joining the conversation is Howard Mechanic, who was one of seven people who faced charges in the wake of protests at Wash U.

In mid-April, the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control suspended laws preventing St. Louis area restaurants from selling pre-batched cocktails. Now the restaurants are free to sell the to-go cocktails to customers who order them. Our friends at Sauce Magazine join host Sarah Fenske to talk about how area restaurants are faring with the changes and some of the best places to get curbside cocktails during this period.

From working at a comic book store to writing and drawing a nationally syndicated newspaper comic strip, St. Louis cartoonist Christina Stewart — who goes by the name of Steenz — has made a name for herself. Stewart now produces former creator Mark Tatulli’s daily comic strip “Heart of the City." She joins host Sarah Fenske to discuss what plans she has for the beloved comic and her overall passion for the craft.

Early in the coronavirus pandemic, doctors described COVID-19 as a virus with symptoms identical to the flu — coughing, shortness of breath and fever. But recovered patients say it’s much worse: a painful, unpredictable sickness causing a feeling akin to “drowning.” In this episode, St. Louis Public Radio reporter Sarah Fentem shares the stories of those who are recovering from COVID-19.

Dairy farmers are having a hard time after the coronavirus pandemic. With the closures of schools, workplaces and restaurants, some farmers are having trouble distributing their products. In response to the closure of businesses, these farmers are having to dump milk. Host Sarah Fenske touches base with Michael Turley of Rolling Lawns to check in on how his milk farm is doing amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Imagine breaking up with a partner, only to remain in the same house as them following a pandemic. Host Sarah Fenske talks with exes Dani and Logan about their interesting situation. The COVID-19 outbreak has them sheltering in place in a one-bedroom apartment in St. Louis’ Tower Grove South neighborhood. Also joining the conversation is a family who talks about their decision to take care of their son’s school's two parakeets.

As most of us are self-quarantining in the wake of COVID-19, some of us are spending a lot more time with a significant other. In Ernest Hemingway’s case, nearly a century ago, it was with significant others — plural. Hemingway wound up sequestered with both his wife and his lover after his son Bumby was diagnosed with a highly contagious respiratory illness. Host Sarah Fenske talks with acclaimed author Lesley Blume about the whole ordeal.

Missouri filed a lawsuit against China on April 21, alleging that the country did little to stop the spread of the COVID-19. On that same day, a judge ruled in favor of a genealogy group looking to obtain public records. And, two days later, advocates and workers from Missouri meat processing plant Smithfield Foods filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri for unsafe work conditions following the COVID-19 outbreak. In this episode, Sarah Fenske digs into these cases and more with legal experts Mark Smith, Bill Freivogel and Catherine Hanaway.

“Crimp Camp,” a Netflix documentary produced by former U.S. president Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama has won raves for its unflinching depiction of how Camp Jened brought together young people with wide-ranging disabilities and allowed them to experience life without their parents. Judy Heumann and Colleen Starkloff join host Sarah Fenske to discuss “Crip Camp” and the challenges the disability rights movement faces today.

Some hospitals across the U.S. are swamped from the COVID-19 outbreak and many health care workers are working around the clock to help those affected. But what about St. Louis-area hospitals? What’s going on here? Emergency medicine physician Dr. Kristen Mueller joins host Sarah Fenske to give a sense of how St. Louis area health care workers are doing in the midst of an (estimated) peak in COVID-19 cases in the area.

Naturalist Mark Glenshaw joins host Sarah Fenske and gives an update on the great horned owls Charles, as well as his other owl friend Daniel and other critters he keeps track of in Forest Park.

When Cody Stokes decided to shoot “The Ghost Who Walks” in his native St. Louis, it wasn’t because he was trying to make the city itself a character or was set on showcasing certain regional icons. The Gateway Arch, for example, doesn’t really make an appearance. But Stokes did choose St. Louis as his backdrop with good reason — and for viewers who know the region well, there’s plenty of local imagery to enjoy over the course of the fast-paced, 106-minute film. In this conversation, Stoke joins host Sarah Fenske for a closer look at his feature-length directorial debut, which is now reaching a wide audience on Netflix.

Los Angeles artist Tim Youd is taking on his biggest challenge yet. Beginning May 1, Youd is retyping William Gass’ mammoth novel “The Tunnel” on live video stream, all 652 pages of it. It will be Youd's 67th project retyping a classic novel. He joins host Sarah Fenske to discuss this new project and why he chose this notoriously difficult work.

Embracing the new virtual landscape many musicians find themselves in during the age of social distancing, St. Louis musician John Henry is using a Kickstarter campaign for pre-orders of his new album, “Out at Sea.” If the fundraiser is successful, donors will not only receive a record and a screen print from local shop Sleepy Kitty, they will also be supporting a cause close to Henry’s heart: mental health advocacy. Every dollar of his $3,500 campaign will be matched by national and local businesses to benefit the National Alliance on Mental Illness St. Louis. In this episode, Henry talks about his inspiration for the album and the Kickstarter campaign.

Having sleep problems during this pandemic? If so, you're not alone. Dr. Joseph Espiritu of the SLUCare Sleep Disorders Center answers your questions and has tips for getting better sleep. Stress, anxiety, screen time, alcohol and caffeine all play a role. Listen to learn how.

Where some crime shows spin their speculative wheels or endlessly whip listeners back and forth between evidence of innocence or guilt, “Criminal” looks beyond the headlines and instead delves deep and focuses on the human moments and stories that lurk behind the headlines. 
 
 Host Sarah Fenske talks to “Criminal” podcast’s co-creators, Phoebe Judge and Lauren Spohrer about what local fans can look forward to at the Pageant later this year. They also touch on the evolution of the show, how they’ve gone about expanding their repertoire to include “This Is Love” and “Phoebe Reads A Mystery”, and some of the most memorable St. Louis-related episodes of “Criminal.”

Host Sarah Fenske explores a collaboration between Feast Magazine and Small Circle Recipes: their “Extra Helping” community-sourced cookbook project features recipes from local chefs around the St. Louis area. The digital PDF cookbook and donation platform aims to benefit hospitality industry employees affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.

On April 17, the ACLU of Missouri filed a lawsuit against the state of Missouri, the Missouri Secretary of State and a few local boards of election to allow voting by mail in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. The lawsuit argues that the “illness or disability” clause in state law should apply to those staying at home to avoid the coronavirus and allow them to cast absentee ballots.Host Sarah Fenske talks to Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft about his reasons for deferring to local boards of elections on the absentee ballot issue.

On April 22, 1943, Dr. Raul Artal Mittelmark was born in a Nazi concentration camp in Transnistria, a region in Eastern Europe. After the camp was liberated, his parents returned to their hometown: Czernowitz in Bukovina, which was under Communist rule. After several attempts to flee Communist Russia, the family was able to move to Romania, then the U.S. and, eventually, Israel. It was in Israel where Artal met his wife, and they eventually moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where Artal ended up serving 17 years as chairman of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health at St. Louis University. In this episode, host Sarah Fenske talks with Artal about how his upbringing influenced his career in medicine as well as the medical ethics lessons we can still learn from the Holocaust.

The coronavirus pandemic has prompted questions about ways to be sustainable at a time when single-use goods are preferred. The outbreak has also led to a decrease "St. Louis on the Air" to take questions on sustainability is Missouri Botanical Garden’s “planet doctor” Jean Ponzi. She is their EarthWays Center program manager.

The ACLU of Missouri recently filed a class-action lawsuit to allow Missouri voters to cast absentee ballots during the pandemic without fear of prosecution. The organization's legal director, Tony Rothert, discusses why the suit is necessary with Sarah Fenske.

How do you sign "coronavirus?" American Sign Language interpreters are communicating virtual government briefings to the deaf and hard of hearing population. Host Sarah Fenske talks with an interpreter from Paraquad’s Deaf Way Interpreting Services about the effects of the pandemic on interpreters and those who require their services.

Seniors living in the St. Louis area may well have some extra space in the house. At the same time, younger people are in need of good, affordable housing options. Put the two together, and everybody wins. That’s the idea behind a new St. Louis-based service called Odd Couples Housing. In this episode, host Sarah Fenske talks with the founders of Odd Couples Housing about the benefits of intergenerational living.

As movement is restricted to essential travel in many areas due to the COVID-19 outbreak, many families are stuck at home. Unfortunately, for victims of domestic and sexual violence, staying at home with their abusers leaves them with limited options to escape a hostile environment. Host Sarah Fenske checks in with Safe Connections, a local organization that works to prevent domestic and sexual violence, to discuss how they’re navigating victims who are more in contact with their abusers as of late.

As more people work from home during the COVID-19 outbreak, it's harder than ever to hit your 10,000 step goals. Some have found themselves gaining weight. Author (and self-described "former fat guy") Andy Boyle joins host Sarah Fenske to discuss his new book "Big Problems," which delves into "why we're getting fatter and what you can do to fix it."

Back in January, long before other Americans were suddenly stocking up on groceries and other essentials, Regina Mossotti and her colleagues were already paying close attention to COVID-19 headlines. They decided to order several months’ worth of food — for their wolves, that is. And now, they’re glad they did. Mossotti, a wildlife biologist, is director of animal care and conservation at the Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Missouri. While some staff members are now working from home, Mossotti and other animal caregivers are carefully continuing their essential on-site roles, even as they’ve had to temporarily shut down the educational programs so critical to the nonprofit’s revenue. In this segment, Mossotti joins host Sarah Fenske to discuss how the nearly 50-year-old nonprofit is adapting its efforts during this pandemic — and brainstorming alternative funding streams.

Host Sarah Fenske talks with St. Louis Public Radio health reporter Sarah Fentem about the fears emergency room doctors are facing as they’re treating the most seriously ill or injured patients from COVID-19 — a disease that puts them, their co-workers and their families at risk.

On Friday’s “St. Louis on the Air” host Sarah Fenske talks to the newly appointed University of Missouri-St. Louis Chancellor Kristin Sobolik who joins us for a look at how she plans to lead the university in the challenging months ahead.

In this episode of the talk show, local business owner Rob Connoley, who owns Bulrush in Grand Center, joins host Sarah Fenske and talks about his process of applying for a forgivable loan through the U.S. Small Business Administration. Also in the discussion is Joe Roberts, director of Webster University’s Entrepreneurship Program. Roberts talks about challenges people have encountered applying for the loans.

With St. Louis area officials extending stay at home orders either indefinitely or until mid May, the curve seems to be reaching its peak. That’s according to Dr. Alex Garza, the chief medical officer at SSM Health and is the commander of the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force. Garza, who joins host Sarah Fenske on Friday’s “St. Louis on the Air” talks about predictions regarding COVID-19 hospitalizations reaching its peak as early as April 25, but he cautions it’s not over yet.

For most people, the main ingredients of social distancing and self-quarantine include the walls of one’s dwelling, a solid stash of groceries and a comfy couch. But Mike Clark, who’s the founder of Big Muddy Adventures, isn’t like most people. Since the COVID-19 outbreak started to spread throughout the St. Louis area, Clark left the city for an isolated location on the Mississippi River for a purpose — to raise money for the Gateway Resilience Fund. Big Muddy Adventures is encouraging people to pledge $1, $5 or maybe even $10 to the local COVID-19 relief fund for each day Clark stays put.

Many regular transit riders have taken to heart the push to only use buses and trains right now if absolutely necessary. And, as is the case among other rail and bus systems across the country, Metro Transit ridership and service frequency have both decreased significantly. Meanwhile, the transit agency has taken steps to try to protect its workforce, but some bus drivers and other workers would like to see more action. In this episode of the talk show, Bi-State Development CEO and President Taulby Roach joins host Sarah Fenske to provide the latest updates on the current challenges facing transit workers, riders and leaders.

Following the April 9 shakeup when officers woke up tent residents at 14th and Market Street at 4 a.m. and told them to leave, many have received conflicting messages from police since that day on whether they should vacate the premises. 
 
 On Thursday’s “St. Louis on the Air” host Sarah Fenske joins Alex Cohen, a member of grassroots collective #TentMissionSTL, and talks to him about what’s going on in the tent encampments downtown. During the conversation, Cohen will discuss what #TentMissionSTL is doing to ensure the safety of the homeless population in St. Louis. 
 
 Chico Williams, who stays in one of the tents downtown, will also join the discussion and give a first-hand account of what he’s experienced during the coronavirus outbreak in the city.

Host Sarah Fenske checks in with how doulas have had their practice disrupted due to the coronavirus and their efforts to ensure that their presence remains in hospitals, for the families that wish to have in-person care.

Vivian Gibson's new memoir describes growing up in St. Louis' Mill Creek neighborhood, a black enclave the city razed in 1959 in the name of urban renewal. Gibson discusses her book with host Sarah Fenske and how she became a published author at 71.

On April 8, St. Louis Health Director Dr. Fred Echols brought attention to the fact that, at that point, all 12 people who died of COVID-19 in St. Louis were African American. This echoed what other cities have experienced in treating COVID-19 patients — there are racial disparities in who is more at risk of a COVID-19 diagnosis due to long-standing socioeconomic factors that have disproportionately affected black Americans. In this episode, guests discuss the inequalities brought into stark light by COVID-19. Joining the conversation: Washington University’s Dr. Laurie Punch, who is currently working in Christian Hospital Northeast’s ICU, and Michal Grinstein-Weiss, the director of Washington University’s Social Policy Institute and of the Centene Center for Health Transformation. Grinstein-Weiss recently looked into COVID-19 case counts in ZIP codes across the St. Louis region.

Musicians around the country are having to postpone concerts across various areas in the region due to the COVID-19 outbreak. "St. Louis on the Air" touched base with five area musicians to see how they’re experimenting with reaching audiences in different ways — from dropping new projects while self-isolating to putting on free virtual concerts.

While many are sheltering in place during the COVID-19 outbreak and looking for something to do, some are turning to gardening to pass the time. For National Gardening Day, Missouri Botanical Garden’s Daria Mckelvey joined host Sarah Fenske on Tuesday’s “St. Louis on the Air” to give advice to those wanting to get their start tending to plants.

Candidates Yinka Faleti and Michelle Sherod talked to host Sarah Fenske on Monday's "St. Louis on the Air" about the difficulties of campaigning online and bridging the gap regarding human interaction.