St. Louis on the Air

The St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners prompted plenty of controversy earlier this month when members pushed a pay boost for command staff. STLPR's Rachel Lippmann joins “The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air” to explain how the move prompted opposition from St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer — and renewed discussions about how pay boosts for police require salary increases for firefighters.

St. Louis' top officials are working with members of Missouri's congressional delegation to obtain much-needed funds to rebuild parts of the city that were destroyed by last year's EF3 tornado. But getting that money will require Congress to act. Sarah Labowitz of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace discusses the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Relief program on “The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air.”

Get ready for a musical joyride — this month's new music roundup is filled with tracks that will keep your windows down and the volume up all summer long. Musicians Skylar Townsend, Ryan Koenig and STLPR's Brian Heffernan dive into their favorite recent releases from St. Louis artists. Check out our new music roundup playlist.

Singer/songwriter Emerson Magaña's childhood was filled with the rhythms of Central and South America. Born in Colima, Mexico, he first picked up guitar from his father. Eventually, nature, women, and tequila inspired him to write new original music. On this episode, Magana talks about his musical journey and how those songs became his debut album “Tequila Time” – an ode to his home in Mexico and his time playing at tourist resorts in the beautiful Barra de Navidad.

St. Louis is set to host the 2028 U.S. Olympic marathon trials, bringing the nation's top distance runners back to the city that hosted America's first Olympics. We hear from St. Louis Sports Commission President Marc Schreiber, Go! St. Louis President Mona Vespa and St. Louis Run Club founder Ricky Hughes about the excitement around the marathon trials and what it'll take to pull it off. We also listen back to a conversation with public historian Adam Kloppe of the Missouri Historical Society about the disastrous 1904 Olympic marathon.

Created by St. Louisan Lindsey Goodhart, “Closet Space” is a sapphic blind dating show that fosters a welcoming space for the LGBTQ community through its live studio audience. Goodhart reflects on how the show has sparked genuine connections and the importance of establishing dedicated queer spaces in Missouri, both on and off the stage.

Multiple dog attacks in St. Louis have made local headlines and shown up on social media feeds this past week. The issue's not new, but data shows a marked increase in dangerous animal complaints in St. Louis in recent years. For residents like Slayden Figg, who was attacked by three loose dogs last year, the issue is so pervasive that he's decided to move out of the city. We talk with him about the attack and the physical, mental and financial hardships he endured from it. We also discuss the underlying causes behind these attacks, city enforcement of animal laws, irresponsible dog ownership, and how to stay safe during a dog attack with the medical director at the Center for Animal Rescue and Enrichment of St. Louis and an animal control supervisor with the City of St. Louis.

Encouraging a child's love of books has benefits beyond reading. Ahead of a literacy event this Saturday, St. Louis authors Darian Wigfall and Pancho Rucker share what motivates their advocacy, and how encouraging youth to love books and write their own stories promotes confidence and self-worth. The writers are part of a free, all-ages June 13 “Reading is Fire” event, organized by Wigfall, that includes books, games, live music, and readings by several local Black authors.

"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" introduced readers to characters inspired by the childhood of its author Mark Twain. June 9 is the 150th anniversary of the book's publication in 1876. Multiple events are planned in Twain's hometown of Hannibal, Missouri, marking the book's real-life setting and literary impact. Mark Schneider, development and marketing manager at the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum in Hannibal, talks about the history of Twain's book, its unique place in American culture and history, and why its language, characters and lessons remain relevant today – and hotly debated.

Beyond aprons and roadside diners, women helped power and preserve Route 66. Edwardsville resident Cheryl Eicher Jett's new book “Aprons Away: Women's Work on Route 66” — which first premiered as a play — chronicles untold stories of more than 80 women who worked along the Mother Road's 2,448-mile stretch. We talk with the author about some histories of the women who shaped the landmark, including some from the St. Louis area.

More than 20 new restaurants, bars and cafes came onto the St. Louis area food scene in May. We discuss a sampling of them — and a few places that closed — in our monthly new restaurants run-down.

When the Riverfront Times abruptly closed its newsroom and ceased print publication, it marked the end of an era for the alt-weekly that had chronicled St. Louis arts, culture and public affairs for decades. But the newspaper's history lives on through the archival efforts led by Washington University Libraries. Miranda Rechtenwald, curator of local history in the Department of Special Collections at WashU, discusses how the partnership came together, the importance of preserving local publications and how the general public can engage with the collection.

Each year, the Landmarks Association of St. Louis recognizes projects for its "Most Enhanced Awards." This year, awardees include a former gas station-turned-piano-cafe, a classic shotgun-style brick home and a senior living facility in East St. Louis. Landmarks executive director Stuart Keating talks about why the renovations of those and other cultural institutions like Powell Hall and Uncle Bill's made the cut for this year. We also meet an awardee, architect Max Bemberg. Keating and Bemberg share their insights into what “most enhanced” means in St. Louis and what these buildings can teach us.

For more than 20 years, so-called “troubled” kids and teens from across the country have been sent to Change Academy at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. Now, former students of the youth treatment center are suing, alleging physical assault by its staff, and sexual abuse by fellow residents. Midwest Newsroom reporter Luke Nozicka shares the details of his new investigation into those allegations, and what former students and staff say about years of abuse they witnessed.

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, talked about his new book, “The Crisis of the Common Good: The Search for Meaning and Connection in a Broken America," at an event at St. Louis County Library last week. STLPR politics correspondent Jason Rosenbaum talked with him.

One year ago, a few dozen Phelps County residents met at Public House Brewing Company in Rolla to share their thoughts about the U.S. Immigration and Customs detention of immigrants at the Phelps County Jail. That meeting led to the creation of Abide in Love: an organization that's since supported hundreds of people detained by ICE — along with their spouses and children. Today, the nonprofit has grown across Missouri and Oklahoma. STLPR Rolla correspondent and newscast editor Jonathan Ahl shares what the organization has accomplished this past year and what they hope to do moving forward.

Now in its 40th season, Circus Flora is going back to high school for its “Fly High” show, which runs June 4-21. Circus Flora artistic director and executive director Jack Marsh previews the show, where classrooms are “filled with a mix of world-class acrobats, aerialists, jugglers and class clowns.” We also meet Chad Damiani, an influential figure in the modern clown scene in Los Angeles, who teaches clowning across the country. Ahead of his Circus Flora debut, Damiani talks about the nature of modern clowning and what it means to perform in St. Louis, in a more traditional circus, for the first time.

St. Louis Bosnians will paint the city blue, white and yellow in welcoming the Bosnia and Herzegovina national soccer team on Saturday at Energizer Park. It's the team's first appearance in St. Louis since 2014. Ahead of the friendly against Panama, we talk with Elvir Kafedžić, assistant coach for St. Louis City 2 and founder of the St. Louis Dragons youth club, about what this match means for the city's Bosnian diaspora.

Dive into a good beach read this summer with recommendations from Lauren Brickey of St. Louis Public Library and Heather Neill of St. Louis County Library.

During the final hours of the Missouri General Assembly, the GOP-controlled legislature approved a measure moving school-related elections from April to November. Critics contend it will politicize local education. But state Rep. Richard West says it will prompt more people to decide on high-stakes contests, especially around bond issues. West, a Republican from Wentzville, talks about the legislation on “The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air.”

Christian Mitchell accepted Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker's offer to be the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor. And during an appearance on “The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air,” Mitchell discussed why Pritzker deserves a third term — and why he says he's ready to step up as governor if Pritzker departs for the national stage.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has called for a formal diplomatic protest of the United States government in response to Brayan Garzón-Rayo's death in a Rolla jail last year. STLPR's Brian Munoz discusses why Garzon-Rayo's case caught international attention.

At this time, Missouri isn't joining other southern states in redrawing its congressional maps. But the demise of key Voting Rights Act protections is raising alarms among Black elected officials in the St. Louis-based 1st Congressional District.

St. Louis civic and political leaders want to expand Gateway Arch National Park across the river to Illinois. The project would fulfill the vision of the Arch's architect, Eero Saarinen, and the dream of Malcolm W. Martin, who dedicated his life to park expansion. In the latest episode of “Meet Me,” we explore the Mississippi River as both a physical and psychological divide — and one effort that seeks to link communities on both banks of the river.

Missouri's landscape features diverse geology ranging from shut-ins formed by volcanoes, sand dunes and tributaries. Author Don Corrigan and photographer Diana Linsley have compiled more than 80 locations across the state in their new book “Scenic Natural Wonders of Missouri,” a full-color guide to encourage emerging and experienced outdoor explorers to enjoy all the splendors Missouri has to offer.

An unusually fast verdict this month from the Missouri Supreme Court has set the stage for Missouri voters to use a map in August that could soon be challenged — and reversed — by a public referendum. Meanwhile, in St. Louis, a state-run police board is seeking an expedited ruling to force the city to spend another $67 million on the police budget. On this episode of the Legal Roundtable on “St. Louis on the Air,” a panel of attorneys analyzes the speed, timing, and politics of these cases. They also discuss a federal court judge who used a local immigration case to make a point about national politics, and a Louisiana couple suing a Creve Coeur fertility clinic.

While many St. Louisans are celebrating signs of the start of summer, heat-related illnesses can put a damper on summertime fun — and can lead to serious harm. In this encore episode, clinical assistant professor and community pharmacist Catherine Gilmore joins St. Louis on the Air to discuss the science behind what happens to the body when it fails to regulate heat and how certain types of medication can increase the risk of heat intolerance.

Multidisciplinary artist Maxi Glamour has shared their storytelling prowess through songwriting, drag and queer-friendly events by way of their Faeded series. Recently, they have completed “Faeded: The Opera” which premieres June 5 at the Contemporary Art Museum in partnership with the Pulitzer Arts Foundation. Glamour gives us a peek into their motivations to write their first opera, the evolution of Faeded over the years and their take on how “queerness” transcends sexual orientation.

When the diagnostic test PrecivityAD hit the market in 2020, it democratized early detection of Alzheimer's disease. The blood test, developed by C2N Diagnostics, is more accessible than brain imaging and spinal fluid tests, which can be expensive and invasive. WashU Medicine professor and C2N Diagnostics co-founder Dr. David Holtzman talks about his team's innovation and how their work has contributed to our understanding of the disorder and how to treat it. He also shares how the commercialization process afforded to universities through the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980 has brought innovative discoveries like PrecivityAD to the general public. Holtzman and his colleague, Dr. Randall Bateman, will receive the American Innovator Award from the Bayh-Dole Coalition in Washington, D.C. next week.

Sister Nancy Corcoran is an unusual nun. Now 81, she has spent the last two years quietly hosting meetings for Catholic parents of transgender children. The gatherings are intentionally “affirming” meetings. There is no talk of celibacy or prayer that children will stop being trans or gay. Instead, parents share meals and stories about the pressure on their families, and their faith, as they support their kids at a time when transgender Missourians are a focus of heated political and cultural battles. Producer Danny Wicentowski interviews Corcoran to learn how she's turned her ministry into a gathering place for local Catholics. We also meet the Rev. Eli Anthony, who shares insights from his experiences in Jefferson City with other trans people and faith leaders.

For more than 26 years, Victor López Delara lived a life not unfamiliar to most Americans. The Florissant resident has two children, owns López Mechanics, a small mobile mechanic business, and is engaged. In February, that world began crashing down when he was pulled over by O'Fallon, Missouri, police during a traffic stop for not having a front license plate. López Delara was arrested and will be deported back to Mexico, a country he left 26 years ago when his family migrated to the United States. STLPR reporter Chad Davis shares the latest updates on the case, including that Delar's fiancée and children will be following him to Mexico.

St. Louisan Stephanie Perkins turned her Rosati-Kain Academy trivia roots into a two-episode “Jeopardy!” run, winning nearly $20,000 earlier this month. The Nerinx Hall High School math teacher and quiz bowl club moderator talks about her time on the show and the impact it's had on her students.

The St. Charles City Council voted Tuesday to block large-scale data center developments within city limits. The 7-1 vote makes permanent a one-year moratorium on proposals that was put in place in the fall — in part due to widespread community opposition to a $1 billion data center proposal. Scott Stratton-Henderson was among many residents celebrating the council's decision. Last year, the Lindenwood University undergrad launched a petition opposing the data center project. He reflects on his community organizing efforts and his new nonprofit, which aims to advance accountability, transparency and integrity in the city.

The Clean Slate Act now sits on Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe's desk. The bill would automatically expunge the criminal records of thousands of Missourians convicted of certain non-violent crimes. It's part of a larger, nationwide campaign to pass similar laws. Thirteen states have already passed their own version of the measure, including Illinois. In this encore, we talk with Empower Missouri Executive Director Mallory Rusch and advocate Patty Berger, president of the St. Louis chapter of All of Us or None, about the four-year effort to help people move on from their past criminal convictions.

The U.S. immigration system has long faced criticism as overcrowded and broken. In this episode, STLPR's Marissanne Lewis-Thompson speaks with the Rev. Deon Johnson, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri, about how a routine green card appointment in Mexico led to a yearlong separation from his husband and upended their family's life.

When the Arcega family moved their restaurant, Kain Tayo, from Trenton, Illinois, to Midtown St. Louis, they brought more than Filipino cuisine. Through traditional home-style meals and music, Sally and Randy Arcega and their son, Jeross, share the culture and joy they grew up with. Their annual singing competition, Kain Tayo Idol, has become another way they connect with the St. Louis community.

After 24-year-old Jake Zeller took his own life in December 2013, his family faced a decision: “What do we tell people?” Ultimately, they decided to share the truth about what happened. By speaking openly, the Zellers sought to start a movement of radical honesty about mental health. Thirteen years later, their nonprofit Team Jakey is dedicated to ending the stigma around mental illness and suicide. To date, the nonprofit has raised more than $500,000 for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Provident Behavioral Health in St. Louis. Jake's sister, Jenna Zeller, and Team Jakey executive director Logan Janis share their story and how a decision to speak out turned into a decadelong mission to help others.

Tired of costly levee repairs at the Missouri and Mississippi confluence, the Missouri Department of Conservation is turning a portion of the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area back into its natural state. With this strategic flooding, conservationists hope to restore natural wetlands while significantly cutting down on maintenance costs. STLPR's Katie Grawitch shares how the new levee will save taxpayer dollars and increase freshwater supply.

Missouri lawmakers have spent years either repealing or trying to repeal voter-approved initiatives. But a potential November 2026 proposal known as Respect Missouri Voters could make it much harder for the legislature to do that. Respect Missouri Voters' Benjamin Singer and two volunteer petition gatherers, Bridget Salberg and Matt Andrews, talk about the proposal on "The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air."

The last week of session didn't feature many moments of dramatic rhetorical duels or heart-stopping parliamentary standoffs. Instead, for the most part, lawmakers in Missouri finished work on legislation overhauling public safety and healthcare. STLPR's Sarah Kellogg and Lilley Halloran join "The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air" to break down what passed and what didn't pass during the 2026 legislative session.

Ryan “Big Esco” Brown and Tenelle Winmore have always envisioned their music as a beacon for Black youth. Their latest project, “20,000 Hours Vol. 2: The Devil's Defeat,” doubles down on this ethos, channeling the realities of their lives in St. Louis into musical storytelling. We talk with them and music producer Chris “Klevah!” Shaw about the work behind the music and why they hope their messages resonate now more than ever.

This month's new music round up takes us on a rollercoaster of emotions, genres and vibes. St. Louis Post Dispatch music, arts and entertainment reporter Jasmine Osby joined music show originator Miya Norfleet to discuss what songs from St. Louis artists they are loving. Check out our new music roundup playlist.

St. Louis is not ready for the next natural disaster. The problems are complicated, but the solutions are possible. STLPR education reporter Hiba Ahmad and editor Jessica Rogen walk us through how city government can improve, from better funding its emergency management agency to making mutual-aid agreements with neighboring cities. We also hear a montage of voices from people in north St. Louis impacted by last year's tornado. They gathered recently at St. Louis Public Radio for a special “Meet Me” open mic event to share their stories of May 16, 2025, and what happened afterward.

The Nolan family faced many hurdles since an EF3 tornado tore through their neighborhood on May 16, 2025. The storm ripped the roof off their family duplex, displacing their family as well as their tenants next door. Today, they are looking forward to moving into their new home and welcoming their tenants back to the neighborhood. Gloria and Kevin Nolan share an update on how reconstruction has progressed for themselves and their community — and their hopes for the neighborhood they call home.

Veteran astronaut Tom Akers was born in St. Louis, grew up in Eminance, Missouri, and attended Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla. Then, he went to space — an experience he calls “an honor of a lifetime.” This weekend, Akers will be inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. He joins STLPR's Jonathan Ahl ahead of the ceremony to talk about his upbringing, his love of teaching, and making the leap from small-town Missouri to floating in orbit above the planet.