The Gateway

It's probably never been an easier time to find new music by big-name artists. (Just tune into any other popular podcast to hear Taylor Swift talk about her new album.) But that same tactic may not work for local artists. St. Louis Public Radio's Chad Davis on how to find St. Louis musicians.

The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees will vote on the 2026 fiscal year budget Thursday morning. The proposal for Edwardsville's campus marks the first balanced budget since 2017. That follows a 10 million dollar deficit last year. St. Louis Public Radio's Will Bauer sat down with Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Chancellor James Minor to discuss the school's improved financial picture.

Lorraine Hansberry's 1959 play “A Raisin in the Sun” is a landmark of American theater. It had three hit Broadway runs with its story about the struggles of a Black family in mid-century Chicago. Less well-known is the musical adaptation, called simply: “Raisin.” The Black Rep is performing the seldom-seen show through Sunday. As St. Louis Public Radio's Jeremy Goodwin reports, “Raisin” depicts racist systems that still impact life in St. Louis today.

Sports betting was legalized in Missouri last November, but it won't be active until December 1 due to licensing and regulation requirements. St. Louis Public Radio's Olivia Mizelle reports that some mental health advocates are concerned about the impact its impending availability will have on gambling addiction in the state.

Two conversations with STLPR reporters to better understand this moment in our region: Jason Rosenbaum on the conclusion of Missouri's contentious special session on redistricting and making it harder to pass some constitutional amendments, and Chad Davis reports on where things stand ten years after the Ferguson Commission Report release.

Keyboard maestro John Medeski has played with dozens of bands, including John Medeski's Mad Skillet, which plays its only U.S. show of the year Saturday at the Music at the Intersection Festival. St. Louis Public Radio's Jeremy Goodwin shares this conversation.

Almost four months after a tornado ripped through north St. Louis, demolition crews are bringing down what's left of many damaged homes. The Midwest Newsroom's Holly Edgell reports that more homeowners are applying for demolition permits and deciding whether to stay or leave the city.

Many incarcerated people say they're working to better themselves while they do time. But, there are barriers to that… some of which are more than skin deep. Lauren Frost takes us to Canton, Illinois where an inmate has an idea for a program that could help people in custody to start fresh.

The northside of St. Louis looks like a wasteland following the May 16th tornado, and residents say they fear it will remain this way if the government doesn't provide the resources to rebuild. Some say the money they received from the Federal Emergency Management Agency wasn't enough, and others simply want the city to put its money where its mouth is. St. Louis Public Radio's Lacretia Wimbley reports that while city leaders agree that things should be moving faster, they say they're doing the best they can to disperse limited resources.

Lawmakers return to Jefferson City this week to consider Republican proposals to change the state's congressional map and limit voters' ability to pass laws. Democrats are calling those efforts illegal and racist. We'll get a preview from STLPR's Jason Rosenbaum. Plus, actress Tina Lifford credits her longevity towards prioritizing her mental wellness. STLPR's Marissanne Lewis-Thompson spoke with the Illinois native ahead of her appearance this week at the Own Your Now Wellness Experience in St. Louis about her career, mental health, and how she became an actress.

As private companies like Illinois American Water expand their footprint in the Metro East, some communities are left with a decision: spend millions to upgrade municipal water systems or sell to a corporation that can afford the upkeep. St. Louis Public Radio's Will Bauer explores the tough question posed to southwest Illinois towns.

St. Louis community members are still helping clean up debris from the May tornado. Some have spent tens of thousands on dumpsters for north St. Louis neighborhoods, where city clean-up lags behind. St. Louis Public Radio's Andrea Henderson spoke with people who've committed many months and dollars on the effort.

A group of activists is offering assistance to ICE detainees during their stay at a Ste. Genevieve jail. Volunteers with “Abide in Love” say it's a form of protest, and a way to provide comfort to immigrants facing possible deportation. Organizer Susan Johnson discusses why she formed the group with St. Louis Public Radio's Ulaa Kuziez.

As President Trump threatens a federal deployment to Chicago to combat crime, the former leader of Illinois' National Guard is admonishing that prospect. St. Louis Public Radio's Will Bauer speaks with former Adjutant General of Illinois and Democratic Congressman Bill Enyart.

We have updates in the ongoing legal dramas for the St. Louis Sheriff, the St. Louis County Executive, and Missouri's abortion laws. Then: starting Tuesday, visitors to the Cahill courthouse in Downtown St. Louis will have a chance to learn about pioneering judges from the 22nd Judicial Circuit. The St. Louis Law Library is hosting the exhibit, which is based on oral histories done for the Judicial Legacy Project. St. Louis Public Radio's Rachel Lippmann gets a preview. The Gateway is off Monday for Labor Day, and will be back in your feed Tuesday.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey will be leaving state politics in September to take a high level position with the FBI. As St. Louis Public Radio's Jason Rosenbaum reports, some Missourians expect Bailey could make a big impact nationally.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey will be leaving state politics in September to take a high level position with the FBI. As St. Louis Public Radio's Jason Rosenbaum reports, some Missourians expect Bailey could make a big impact nationally.

Nikki Glaser grew up in Kirkwood and lives in St. Louis, and she's a nationally known comedian. Her notoriety got a boost recently when she hosted the Golden Globe Awards and participated in the roast of quarterback Tom Brady. Glaser spoke with St. Louis On The Air senior producer Emily Woodbury about how even with those accolades, she still suffers from imposter syndrome.

For more than a decade, Urban Born has been a safe haven for St. Louis area youth. But the nonprofit's mission of combining education and a love for basketball in the College Hill neighborhood was paused indefinitely after its building sustained substantial damage during the tornado. St. Louis Public Radio's Marissanne Lewis-Thompson reports the couple behind the organization is facing a unique problem: the building is also their home.

Sunday marked the 100th day since the May 16th tornado tore through the St. Louis region, leaving at least 5,000 buildings damaged or destroyed. St. Louis Public Radio's Kavahn Mansouri walked the path of the tornado to see the recovery, or lack thereof, 100 days later.

It's been a week since Doug Burris' short-term contract ended as commissioner of corrections over the St. Louis City Justice Center. Amid announcements of new criminal justice leadership around the region, and the funeral for a man who died in local custody, Burris discusses his tenure and the city's troubled jail with STLPR's Lacretia Wimbley.

For years, Missouri Department of Corrections officials kept a Black transgender woman in solitary confinement. She sued the department claiming officers kept her isolated based on a policy that singles out people with HIV. The suit was settled yesterday.

At just 6 feet wide, the store on Cherokee Street is compact, like its namesake tin of fish, but it is thoughtfully packed with color and cookbooks. The specialty store opened last November and has been attracting novices and avid cooks alike who are seeking good bites.

The Festival of Nations will take place this weekend in Tower Grove Park. The two day, multicultural festival was in doubt earlier this year when federal funding cuts hit the International Institute of St. Louis, which has organized the annual event since 1934.

Americans are losing their starry views to light pollution. But communities can make lighting decisions to help preserve night skies – while benefiting wildlife and human health.

Illinois is one of the bluest states in the country, so much so that more than two-dozen Texas House Democrats fled there to protest a proposed congressional map in their home state that could broaden Republican power in Washington. Governor J-B Pritzker is among the Democrats promising to fight – and some people think the fight might include a new map in Illinois.

Missouri lawmakers probably didn't think as the summer began that they'd likely return in the fall to redraw the state's eight congressional districts. The push from President Donald Trump could have huge consequences for Missouri politics.

Four members of the Missouri National Guard and twelve members of the Illinois National Guard are seeking voluntary separations from the military because they are transgender. This comes as the Trump administration set a deadline for trans military members to apply to leave on their own, or to be removed from service. One member shares her decision.

It's the time of year when our air conditioners run a lot … and power bills go up. That's caused many people to ask if utility monopolies are to blame. We'll learn about utilities and the challenges of keeping energy bills under control.

Like most of the nation, there seems to be a coffee shop on every corner in St. Louis. But what many may not know is that St. Louis was considered the largest inland coffee hub in the United States one hundred years ago.

Missouri voters back in November approved Proposition A, which included mandatory earned paid sick leave. Months later, the Republican-led state legislature repealed the paid sick leave policy, citing hardship for businesses. A proposed constitutional amendment could bring it back.

The St. Louis-area was experiencing a shortage of nearly 20,000 seats prior to the tornado, according to the Gateway Early Childhood Alliance. That number has grown since the May 16 tornado. 44 centers were in the path of the storm and 40 of them were damaged.

The Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis starts its 10th season tomorrow night with “A Streetcar Named Desire” at the Grandel Theatre in Grand Center. The 11-day festival continues with special performances and other events throughout the weekend.

The Delmar divide can be seen from above - there are fewer trees in lower-income, majority-Black neighborhoods in St. Louis. In recent years, nonprofits have been working to even things out. The May 16 tornado changed that work overnight.

The St. Louis Art Place Initiative was founded in 2019 to help artists buy homes with affordable down payments and mortgages. Its goal is to build at least 20 such homes in the Gravois Park neighborhood. So far, two artists are living in Art Place homes and the nonprofit plans to complete six more houses by the end of the year.

Sumner is the first high school west of the Mississippi River to graduate Black students. This year is its 150th anniversary. At a recent celebration, alumni say Sumner is here to stay and will fight to keep it open.

The Connections to Success program is helping St. Louisans of various ages to find economic independence. That includes finding out what paperwork is needed to obtain an ID card, learning about relationship love languages or how to set and reach realistic goals.

The so-called Crown Act was signed by Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe on July 9. Missouri became the 28th state to pass legislation that makes it illegal to discriminate based on the texture or style of one's hair.

While most high school football fields sit quiet in the dog days of summer, one in the Metro East is bursting with music and motion. Dive inside the world of drum corps and its ties to the Metro East.

Retirees of Sheet Metal Workers Local 36 are bringing a replica of the famous SS Admiral steamboat back to life. And, a team from Rolla is world champions. But it's not an athletic team - it's a collection of more than 100 students at Missouri University of Science and Technology who designed and built a Mars rover.

A documentary is highlighting St. Louis's Black history through the eyes of a retired priest. Father Gerry Kleba is a white priest from south St. Louis who headed up two Catholic churches in Black neighborhoods for decades and has led tours of Black St. Louis' history for five years.

Missouri's Medicaid program is about to go through a major transformation with the advent of federally-imposed work requirements. And while critics of this idea believe they're aimed at kicking eligible people off of the health care program, Missouri's Medicaid director contends they could be implemented in an unobtrusive way.

Approximately 9% of Missourians say they have significant medical bills they can't pay. In the St. Louis region, physicians groups have filed hundreds of lawsuits to collect unpaid debt. New research in the open-access journal JAMA Network Open found groups sued those in zip codes with low-income and Black residents more.

Nashat Aljerwan and his family have lived at Za'atari Refugee Camp in Jordan for 12 years. But in 2023, a path to resettlement opened that would have allowed them to come to St. Louis. That path quickly closed. In the wake of President Trump's January executive order to suspend all refugee resettlement, the Aljerwan family became one amongn thousands already vetted, approved, and in limbo.

A group of Southern California teenagers formed the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band amid the folk revival of the mid-60's. The group became a pillar of country music radio for decades, scoring 17 straight top-ten singles. The Dirt Band plays Chesterfield Amphitheatre on Thursday as the group bids farewell to touring.