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St. Louis on the Air

St. Louis Public Radiostlpr.org
St. Louis on the Air creates a unique space where guests and listeners can share ideas and opinions with respect and honesty. Whether exploring issues and challenges confronting our region, discussing the latest innovations in science and technology, taking a closer look at our history or talking with authors, artists and musicians, St. Louis on the Air brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region.
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Episodes

Strong sibling relationships in adulthood make life brighter and less lonely

Research around adult sibling relationships shows the health of those bonds has a significant bearing on long-term psychological and emotional well-being. Megan Gilligan, professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia, directs the Families in Later Life Lab at Mizzou. In this encore episode, she discusses what makes sibling relationships unique, how various stages and phases of adulthood affect sibling dynamics, and how future research can help us understand the roles adult siblings play in on...

Nov 26, 202425 min

Legal Roundtable discusses ‘Chimp Crazy,’ St. Louligans, cannabis taxes, more

Tonia Haddix, the subject of the HBO series “Chimp Crazy,” is likely to face federal criminal contempt charges after flouting orders from a federal judge. Taxes on recreational marijuana are high, but could come down in Missouri after an appeals court ruling that forbids the so-called “stacking” of taxes by local governments. And, the club of soccer supporters called the St. Louligans says that an unnamed company had sought to trademark their name — without their consent. Those are just some of ...

Nov 25, 202450 min

Voters in St. Louis County could be asked to publicly finance elections

Several St. Louis area election reform groups want to set up a public financing system for St. Louis County elections, which they say would help build trust in elected officials. The proposal would set up a dedicated tax to give eligible voters $25 certificates that could be directed to candidates running for posts like county executive, prosecutor, assessor and county council. UMSL political science professor Anita Manion and Benjamin Singer of Show Me Integrity join the Politically Speaking Ho...

Nov 25, 202415 min

How St. Louis will spend $250 million in Rams settlement money causes disagreements at City Hall

The City of St. Louis has about $250 million from a settlement with the Rams over its relocation to Los Angeles. Unlike money from the American Rescue Plan Act, there’s no deadline to spend it. That hasn’t stopped competing proposals and disagreements at City Hall. STLPR reporter Rachel Lippmann breaks down the divisions on the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air.

Nov 22, 20249 min

Why did Missourians vote for liberal ballot items — but conservative candidates?

Missourians have backed ballot items supported by Democrats in the past decade while also giving Republicans unfettered control over state government. On this episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, we hear from a voter who split his ticket voting for Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe and U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, and for legalizing abortion and raising the minimum wage. Longtime Republican political consultant John Hancock also joins the show.

Nov 22, 202427 min

A missed deadline to spend federal funds means homeless students will lose out on services

A recent report from the U.S. Department of Education shows that millions of dollars of American Rescue Plan Act funding for homeless students still remain unspent in the Midwest, including Missouri. Schools are scrambling to file extensions. Midwest Newsroom investigative reporter Kavahn Mansouri explains why school districts did not know the funds were available or struggled to find ways to use them. Mansouri's reporting continues his look into his investigation of the "hidden population" of h...

Nov 22, 202411 min

Musial Award brings Bob Costas back to his broadcasting roots in St. Louis

Bob Costas has been a mainstay of sports broadcasting for decades. He’s done the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals and the Olympics. But before he was on national and international stages, he got his start in St. Louis — at KMOX in 1974. Costas is back in St. Louis, the place he considers his hometown, to receive the Stan Musial Lifetime Achievement Award for Sportsmanship. He reflects on his start in broadcasting, lengthy career, retirement from baseball play-by-play and potential return to ...

Nov 21, 202440 min

Once-troubled St. Louis County animal shelter ends volunteer program, worrying advocates

St. Louis County Animal Care and Control Adoption Center volunteers have spent nearly 28,000 hours walking dogs, cleaning kennels and promoting adoptable pets so far this year. Despite their contributions, the county’s Department of Public Health has decided to end the shelter’s volunteer program. That decision has volunteers and advocates worried about what will happen to the animals at the facility — especially since the shelter has previously come under fire for improper care. STLPR journalis...

Nov 20, 202420 min

Missouri advocates say arts education boosts student outcomes — especially post-COVID

St. Louis-based early childhood art educator Colleen Fitzsimmons-Wiviott (founder of Start With Art) and Missouri Alliance for Arts Education executive Phyllis Pasley speak to the student benefits of art, music, dance, theater, and media arts; and why there’s urgency in turning the tide on disinvestment in arts education locally and statewide, especially post-pandemic.

Nov 20, 202421 min

SLPS board president and VP discuss year of turmoil, superintendent firing and school closures

St. Louis Public Schools has had a tumultuous year. It struggled to transport students to school, and in October, the SLPS school board voted to fire Superintendent Keisha Scarlett. SLPS Board of Education members speak with STLPR reporters Jason Rosenbaum and Hiba Ahmad about how the district is trying to move on under new leadership, while facing scrutiny over its projected budget deficit of $35 million, and with many community members worried about possible school closures. (You can listen to...

Nov 19, 202422 min

Rolla typewriter enthusiasts open store for those enchanted by the ‘clickety clack’

A new shop in Rolla, Missouri, aims to make typewriters a more appreciated — and regularly used — mode of communication. Owners Amanda and Shane Byrne discuss what inspired them to open Clickety Clack Typewriters and why it’s a store, workshop, museum and community space all in one. They also share stories about the people and machines they’ve come to know through the shop.

Nov 19, 202429 min

‘Silence in Sikeston’ explores the effects of racism on justice and public health

The documentary film “Silence in Sikeston” juxtaposes two instances of violence and interrupted justice. The first is the 1942 lynching of Cleo Wright, a Black man accused of stabbing a white woman. Then the 2020 police shooting death of Denzel Taylor who was killed outside his family’s home after a violent altercation with his father. Both killings left mental and emotional scars on their families and in Sikeston, Missouri, which is just a two hour drive south of St. Louis. Producer and KFF Hea...

Nov 18, 202433 min

Going back to the future of housing with a Lustron home in St. Louis

In the late 1940s, the Lustron Corporation presented a solution to the post-war housing crisis: A prefabricated, all-steel home. Around 2,500 were made in the U.S., thanks to a government grant, but the company went bankrupt in 1950. Today, just thirteen Lustron homes remain in St. Louis, including a newly restored, 3-bedroom home. Kaleb Higgins, who has spent months restoring the home to its all-metal, 1950s-accurate condition, and Nathan Wilber, board president of the nonprofit ModernSTL, take...

Nov 15, 202425 min

Missouri won’t permit DACA recipients nursing licensure. Here’s what’s being done about it

Alondra Orozco, a DACA recipient, has dreamed of becoming a nurse since she was introduced to the profession in high school. After she completed her studies at St. Charles Community College and passed the National Council Licensure Examination, she was blindsided by the fact that Missouri will not issue her a registered nurse license because of her citizenship status. Orozco and SLU Law professor Kelly Gillespie discuss the hurdles non-U.S. citizens face in obtaining professional licensure and h...

Nov 14, 202429 min

Trial over Missouri ban on trans medical care included clashing facts and Jerry Sandusky

Missouri politics and government have emerged in recent years as a battleground for the rights of trans people. A landmark lawsuit brought by transgender children and their parents claims Missouri’s gender-affirming care ban is a form of discrimination and is unconstitutional. Missouri Independent reporter Annalise Hanshaw covered the case’s 13-day trial. With a decision expected by the end of 2024, Hanshaw shares her insight into the case, the arguments, and how the judge’s decision could affec...

Nov 14, 202422 min

‘Mapping St. Louis’ tells the region’s story in 40 rare maps

For seventh generation St. Louisan Andy Hahn, maps are a critical part of understanding urban growth and family history. In “Mapping St. Louis,” the author showcases 40 rare maps that span St. Louis history from the 1760s to the present day.

Nov 14, 202437 min

Great Rivers Biennial art showcases home and heritage, in St. Louis and beyond

The Great Rivers Biennial initiative, a collaborative initiative between the Gateway Foundation and the Contemporary Art Museum, has awarded artists Saj Issa, Basil Kincaid and Ronald Young sizable grants and a six-month exhibition featuring their work. Young and CAM’s chief curator Dean Daderko share the coincidental connections between the artists’ works; and the intersection of Young’s inspiration from West Africa and reclaimed materials from St. Louis’ built environment.

Nov 13, 202421 min

What it will take for St. Louis to make a competitive bid for a new WNBA team

The WNBA is looking to expand to a 16th team in the coming years, and NBA player Jayson Tatum — alongside billionaire investors — hopes that team will land in St. Louis. Noah Cohan, assistant director of American Culture Studies at Washington University, talks about the effort and shares a brief history of women’s basketball in St. Louis.

Nov 13, 202430 min

How Chinese restaurants in St. Louis have served food and helped build community

A history of St. Louis’ Chinese restaurants sheds light on the role these establishments have played in taste-making and community-building for more than 150 years. The Missouri Historical Society’s Magdalene Linck discusses who owned some of the best-known Chinese restaurants in St. Louis, what they served beyond the plate, and how changes in Chinese food options over time reflect changes in the local population as well as diners’ palates.

Nov 11, 202426 min

NASA mission will determine if a moon of Jupiter can sustain life

Jupiter’s icy moon Europa could have the ingredients to sustain life, and NASA’s massive Europa Clipper spacecraft is on a mission to find out. Washington University Professor William McKinnon discusses the potential for life within Europa’s oceans and what researchers might find in 2030, when the spacecraft arrives at Jupiter.

Nov 10, 202425 min

The St. Louis Chamber Chorus is performing hits by Nine Inch Nails and Ed Sheeran

The St. Louis Chamber Chorus may be most well known for its repertoire that features classical and religious songs from centuries ago. But the chorus has also featured new compositions and for its 69th season, the nearly 50 singers will add 21st century pop to its choral selections. St. Louis Chamber Chorus artistic director Philip Barnes talks about this Sunday’s “Classic Pop” performance at the Sun Theatre in Grand Center.

Nov 08, 202415 min

‘Concrete Jungle Gym’ traces life of Bob Cassilly, from City Museum to Cementland

The documentary "Concrete Jungle Gym" chronicles the brilliant life and legacy of Bob Cassilly and the creation of the City Museum. Premiering Nov. 10 at the St. Louis International Film Festival, the film draws on decades of footage to create an unusually intimate portrait of an artist driven to create new art from the demolished pieces of the city around him, and who often found himself at odds with St. Louis authorities. We talk with the film's creators, Mike Gualdoni and Zach White.

Nov 07, 202448 min

Key takeaways from Missouri and Illinois election results

The GOP once again dominated an election in Missouri. Every Republican won statewide office but they did suffer a stinging policy defeat with the passage of Amendment 3, which legalizes abortion up to fetal viability. On the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, we hear analysis from UMSL political science professor Anita Manion about the results and check-in with STLPR reporters. We also discuss key takeaways in Illinois’ election results.

Nov 06, 202450 min
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