Mole is a staple of Mexican cuisine, but what’s special about this sauce isn’t just its flavors — chilis, nuts, fruits, chocolate — it's where those tastes come from. Sauce Magazine writer Ileana Martinez explored four local restaurants serving their own, region-specific takes on the staple. Angel Jimenez Gutierrez, co-owner of the Mexican restaurant Malinche in Ellisville, discusses why mole never leaves his menu — and how the dish reminds him of home.
Aug 06, 2024•22 min
Urban design, tax incentives and landscaping can make racial and economic inequality worse in suburbs like Ferguson. Patty Heyda, a professor of architecture and urban design at Washington University, talks about her new book “Radical Atlas of Ferguson, USA”. She shares what mapping Ferguson — in more than 100 different ways — reveals about how cities are unjustly built.
Aug 06, 2024•26 min
In the 1960s, St. Louis nearly became one of the most magical places on earth. A planned Disneyland, called the Riverfront Square, captured imaginations as local leaders sought to strike a deal with Walt Disney himself — until that deal went bibbidi, bobbidi, bust. In this encore episode from May 2024, writer Devin Thomas O'Shea reminds us of what the canceled Disney attraction might have been, the disputed reasons why the plan fell apart (no, it wasn't just over beer), and the problematic chara...
Aug 05, 2024•24 min
This Friday marks 10 years since Michael Brown Jr. was shot and killed by a white police officer in Ferguson. His death sparked a global movement calling for police accountability and an end to racial injustice. In this contributed episode, STLPR reporter Marissanne Lewis-Thompson talks with Michael Brown Sr. and Cal Brown about their son’s legacy and how they turned their pain into helping others.
Aug 05, 2024•27 min
Michael Brown Jr. has become a symbol and a gateway for people to talk about racial injustice and policing. St. Louis Public Radio's podcast "We Live Here" returns for a special season 10 years after Brown's killing. In this episode, we explore how people view Brown’s legacy, what young adults today know about his story and how his memory has shaped new conversations about race and justice.
Aug 04, 2024•37 min
Tuesday’s primaries could be one of the most important elections in Missouri’s modern history. Republicans will choose candidates for five statewide posts — including governor — who will be favored in November. Democratic voters will decide whether to send U.S. Rep. Cori Bush back to Washington and pick their candidates for U.S. Senate and governor. STLPR’s Sarah Kellogg and Jo Mannies join the “Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air” to discuss the key races.
Aug 03, 2024•24 min
Springfield businessman Mike Hamra has never run for office before, but the CEO of a company that franchises restaurants says his private sector experience makes him a compelling choice for Missouri governor. Hamra joins the “Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air” to discuss his bid for the Democratic nomination ahead of Tuesday’s primary election.
Aug 03, 2024•27 min
Before Parkway West graduate Elizabeth Franklin turned 18, she wrote for the school paper as a form of civic action and got named Missouri’s Student Journalist of 2024 along the way. Franklin shares how she uses journalism to challenge stereotypes about St. Louis and why she wants more young people to make their voices heard.
Aug 01, 2024•27 min
Jeremy Boyer is part of the fabric that makes going to a Cardinals or Blues games special. He’s delighted millions of fans over the years as an organist for both teams. Now, he’s racking up millions of views on TikTok for his in-game renditions of artists like Kendrick Lamar and Taylor Swift.
Aug 01, 2024•23 min
It’s been 10 years since Michael Brown Jr. was killed and the Ferguson Uprising that followed. To honor that history and reflect on where St. Louis is today, St. Louis Public Radio is bringing back the podcast “We Live Here” for a special season that reflects on the truths that Ferguson exposed, why there still is an open wound a decade later and how community members continue to push for a better future. “We Live Here” host Chad Davis talks with Elaine Cha about upcoming episodes which drop wee...
Jul 31, 2024•8 min
Mike Isaacson, executive producer and artistic director for the Muny, talks about the premieres of “Waitress” and “In the Heights” during its 106th season, and what each musical’s directors and lead performers bring to the stage.
Jul 31, 2024•17 min
When Cheeraz Gormon’s younger brother, John, was murdered in a domestic violence altercation, she turned to writing and poetry to channel her grief. While she sought support and comfort from family and friends, she realized there was a lack of holistic approaches and resources for those mourning the loss of their siblings. Gormon has since founded the Sibling Support Network to foster community with others with similar experiences.
Jul 31, 2024•25 min
The 2024 election season is unprecedented, and that includes how slang and memes are shaping campaign messages. To break down why people are talking about Kamala Harris falling out of a coconut tree, and how the album “Brat” by pop musician Charli XCX is involved, we hear from Sophie Hurwitz of Mother Jones, SLU professor Keli Jackson, and STLPR’s Jason Rosenbaum discuss how memes matter in political discourse.
Jul 30, 2024•26 min
Historian John C. McManus’ latest book opens with Gen. Douglas MacArthur aboard the USS Boise plunging through the deep blue waters of the South China Sea in January 1945. In this encore conversation, we hear from about the Missouri S&T professor’s book, “To the End of the Earth: The US Army and the Downfall of Japan, 1945.” The book completes his trilogy that focuses on the U.S. Army during the Pacific War.
Jul 30, 2024•24 min
Washington University Professor Ian Bogost says checking email is a source of daily torment. In this encore episode, he makes the case for why it’s time to give up on email entirely. He also digs into the history of email, its evolution, and how we can better use text communication tools in ways that benefit our lives.
Jul 29, 2024•38 min
Every Wednesday, Peggy Winckowski opens her home to cook and host breakfast for up to 35 teenagers before they head to school. What started as a casual breakfast with her grandsons has turned into a regular gathering — one that’s become particularly special after the loss of Peggy’s grandson, Sam Crowe, who was killed in a vehicle crash in 2022 at age 15. In this encore episode, we join the Wednesday crew for breakfast and learn about Peggy’s wish for a national breakfast day movement.
Jul 29, 2024•13 min
After four years out of office, former Missouri state Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal is trying to make a comeback in the closely-watched 1st Congressional District contest that includes incumbent Cori Bush and St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell. Chappelle-Nadal joins "The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air" host Jason Rosenbaum to discuss her campaign.
Jul 26, 2024•25 min
Since he announced his second bid for the U.S. Senate in early 2023, Independence attorney Lucas Kunce has been the consistent frontrunner in the Democratic race to take on U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley. He joins "The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air" host Jason Rosenbaum to share why he thinks he's the best candidate to take on the role.
Jul 26, 2024•26 min
Radio personality and media veteran Tammie Holland passed away July 20, 2024 at the age of 53 after a three-year fight against cancer. Her long time friends and former colleagues Arika Parr and Tony Scott reflect on Holland’s legacy, career, and impact on St. Louis.
Jul 25, 2024•34 min
Christopher Dunn has spent 34 years in prison for what multiple judges have deemed a wrongful conviction. Earlier this week, a St. Louis Circuit judge ordered Dunn’s release — yet he remains behind bars. STLPR reporter Lacretia Wimbley discusses why Dunn is still not free and what comes next. We also listen back to a conversation with Dunn taped earlier this year, just days after St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore announced that his investigation showed evidence Dunn was innocent.
Jul 25, 2024•17 min
When Parkway School District teachers Mike Steep and Matt Wall aren’t in the classroom, the long-time friends and musicians are playing wide-ranging tunes from the 1990s and early 2000s with their cover band, DadBod. Their shows have become a space to reminisce about the music of their adolescence along with their faithful fans – some of which are fellow teachers and former students. Mike and Matt discuss the origins of DadBod and why seeing former students at their shows isn’t as awkward as one...
Jul 24, 2024•24 min
The Rooted initiative started by Invest STL gives Black and low-income residents of the West End and Visitation Park neighborhoods $20,000 to invest in their homes and community. The program aims to help residents stay in their neighborhoods amidst rising concerns about nearby developments. Invest STL CEO Dara Eskridge explains how the non-profit’s wealth-building program works and why it is getting national attention.
Jul 24, 2024•27 min
Growing up in St. Louis in the 1950s and 60s, Lee Hendrix was taught to fear the Mississippi River. But the sense of adventure it offered ended up being the seed that became a five decade career of piloting boats on the Mississippi. Hendrix discusses his new book, “Peep Light” , where he shares stories about the dangerous work of starting as a deckhand and later ascending to the pilothouse. He also talks about what it was like to pilot passenger vessels, including the grand American Queen, and t...
Jul 23, 2024•50 min
Yesterday, President Joe Biden announced that he’d no longer seek re-election this November. He also endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as nominee for the Democratic Party. People in the St. Louis region share a broad range of reactions to this historic political moment: relief, disappointment, uncertainty — and even, hopefulness.
Jul 22, 2024•9 min
A panel of attorneys discuss local and regional legal issues, including the latest on the Bar: PM lawsuit, allegations by a chess star against the U.S. Chess Federation, and, why a Wendy’s restaurant in Bridgeton is paying $5 million to a former worker who was a victim of sexual assault on the job.
Jul 22, 2024•42 min
Of all U.S. states, Missouri has more miles of the Cherokee Trail of Tears. A new episode of the film series “My Ozarks” tells the story of Erin Whitson, an archaeologist who researches her hometown’s connections to the brutal history of Cherokee removal. Whitson talks about her intentional approach to uncovering that history in Steelville, Missouri. Sharon Benoit, a member of Cherokee Keetoowah Tribe of Oklahoma, also joins the conversation to explain why she worked with Whitson, and what makes...
Jul 19, 2024•23 min
Social media has put art and entertainment from all corners of the world in the literal palm of your hand. Manga and anime – Japanese comic books and cartoons – really started hitting mainstream American bookshelves and screens starting in the 1990’s, and cross-cultural exchange has resulted in the development of distinct subcultures, including “blerds” or Black nerds. Shawn “Rab” Fentress, a St. Louis born and raised content creator, is part of the popularization of Blerd culture. He has accumu...
Jul 19, 2024•47 min
St. Louis’ Asian American community celebrates recent work to bring light to the lives and contributions of early Chinese immigrants to St. Louis, including an honorary street-naming in the city and the 100th anniversary of a Chinese gravesite at Valhalla Cemetery.
Jul 18, 2024•26 min
This week, more than 500 federal and local first responders converged in the St. Louis region to practice for an 8.4 magnitude earthquake. The drill accounted for collapsed bridges, crumbling buildings and more than 40,000 people trapped in Busch Stadium. First responders also dropped portable roads from helicopters near the Grafton ferry dock for a river crossing. Joining the discussion was Maj. Kelly Hudson, project officer for Michigan-based National Guard Task Force 46, and Samantha Lewis, e...
Jul 18, 2024•24 min
The mind-bending effects of “magic mushrooms” could help treat mental illness. A new Washington University School of Medicine study offers an explanation for how psilocybin, the active drug in magic mushrooms, distorts the brain’s networks, and why that could alleviate post-traumatic stress disorders and other illnesses. Dr. Joshua Siegel and Dr. Ginger Nicol talk about what their research participants experienced while on a trip and how their findings could accelerate the development of psilocy...
Jul 17, 2024•26 min
