RFT 📰

Welcome back to the Big Mad, the RFT's weekly roundup of righteous rage!…

The Saint Louis Science Center (5050 Oakland Avenue, St. Louis; 314-289-4400) has two new additions to their popular laser light displays: The Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Michael Jackson. The artists' music will run with the December laser shows, taking place from December 27 to December 31.

This isn’t the first time the King of Pop has been included in the light shows, with his songs being played for a “Fright Light” Halloween session, but he will now have a full show dedicated to his music.…

This winter was supposed to be better.

As a cancer doctor trying to navigate immunocompromised patients through a respiratory pandemic, I have seen the devastating impact of COVID-19 from the outset. And as a lifelong resident of a blood-red county, I have also witnessed the battles of The Great Mask War in grocery stores, businesses and schools in this divided community.

The introduction of mRNA vaccines last December offered hope for a truce in The Great Mask War.…

A love of toasted ravioli arguably runs in the blood of every St. Louisan and now, t-ravs will be honored with an eatery at City Foundry (3730 Foundry Way) dedicated to nothing but the unofficial official food of The Lou.

STL Toasted is the latest addition to the City Foundry’s bustling lineup, and it will feature a range of “artisan toasted ravioli with creative fillings,” according to a press release. Boasting flavors like a Lemon Blackberry Gooey Buttercake dessert filling and a savory buffalo chicken bite, the restaurant will make its debut some time in 2022.

“We chose to open our concept at City Foundry STL because we believe it represents everything we love about St. Louis,” founder Matthew Fuller says in a press release.…

When Jennifer Clemons-Abdullah became the new commissioner of the city Division of Corrections in September, she took control of an organization that in just the past year had experienced national news-making uprisings, accusations of a culture of detainee abuse, and potential lawsuits from the federal government for civil rights violations.

In an interview with the RFT, Clemons-Abdullah says she isn't interested in "Monday morning quarterbacking" the mistakes of past administrators.…

Prominent St. Louis gay bars, like Attitudes Nightclub, have closed over the past year, but four people are hoping to create a new space for the LGBTQ community when Prism STL opens in early 2022.

The newest LGBTQ bar in St. Louis will take residence in the Monocle’s former building at 4510 Manchester Avenue. Divided up into three sections, Prism will have a cocktail lounge, outdoor patio and a cabaret stage that will feature regular drag shows.

Sean and Jack Abernathy, Michael Klataske and Matthew Connell announced their plans in a press release Monday morning, saying they hope Prism will become “another anchor in the Grove for the queer community to call home.” Sean and Jack Abernathy, a husband-and-husband duo, will become the bar managers, with the former acting as the bar’s compliance officer.…

In 2018, attorney Bret Narayan stood before the St. Louis City's Board of Aldermen and urged the members to "strike at the heart of the two-tiered justice system that we have now" — and to approve a bill that would effectively legalize marijuana in St. Louis.

That bill would fail. But three years later, on December 13, Narayan watched as St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones signed into law the most sweeping cannabis decriminalization bill in the city's history.…

Over 1,000 people have applied for the city of St. Louis’ direct cash assistance program since it opened on December 18, a press release from the mayor’s office says. St. Louis residents who are approved will receive a payment of $500.

In a press release, the mayor’s office announced more application clinics will be held to help those without internet access, as well as a partnership with Congresswoman Cori Bush’s “Congress in Your Neighborhood” program.…

Christina Robles knows how ridiculously large the burritos are at Padrino's.…

At a certain age, our testosterone levels start to decline and our bodies slow down production of this important hormone. Don’t worry, it’s not just you – it’s all men.…

Let’s face it! When looking for the best male enhancement pills over the counter, you must have encountered several products under the brand name Rhino.…

Metro Theater Company’s latest production will bring a St. Louis jazz legend to the stage: Native St. Louisan Denise Thimes will star in the company’s musical Last Stop on Market Street during next year's 2021-2022 season.

Beginning February 6 at the Grandel Theatre (3610 Grandel Square), the musical follows Thimes as Nana, with a press release describing the character as “a veritable force of nature who lives in a world considerably different” from her grandson, CJ, who is reluctantly staying with her.…

For a second year, Eckert's Farms in Bellville, Illinois is rolling out a Santa-sized globe for its annual meet-and-greet events. Encasing the jolly Christmas icon in plastic allows kids to interact with him safely — while not sharing anything more infectious than holiday cheer.…

Most of us know the feeling of glancing at our pup’s face as we shut the door behind us, leaving them for a night out on the town. This year, however, your beloved pet can join you for Bar K’s (4565 McRee Avenue, 314-530-9990) Ugly Sweater Party.

Both humans and furry friends can attend the event on December 18 from 12 to 5 p.m.…

When Andy Karandzieff wants to illustrate just how much Crown Candy Kitchen (1401 St. Louis Avenue, 314-621-9650) means to him and his family, he brings up his father, George.…

When Blake Askew thinks back on what inspired him to get into food in the first place, it all goes back to his nostalgia for a bygone era of dining — one that he hopes to recreate with his new pop-up series, The Mainlander (www.themainlanderstl.com).

"I always had this desire to go back in time, which is what drew me to restaurants in the first place," Askew says. "I got serious about cooking in my mid-twenties, and I read everything I could get my hands on — cookbooks, memoirs of chefs.…

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt is celebrating his attempts to dismantle the state's COVID-19 health protections. That mission — which has been met with dismay by health experts — got some support this week in the form of an irate cop berating a school bus driver over masks and the state treasurer warning school districts that he would not approve bond deals unless they fall in line.…

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt is celebrating his attempts to dismantle the state's COVID-19 health protections. That mission — which has been met with dismay by health experts — got some support this week in the form of an irate cop berating a school bus driver over masks and the state treasurer warning school districts that he would not approve bond deals unless they fall in line.…

UPDATE: On Dec. 21, it was announced that Big Bad Voodoo Daddy holiday shows for Dec. 21-23 (including the Dec. 23 show at the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts) were cancelled due to a confirmed COVID-19 case in the touring party. An announcement regarding a rescheduled BBVD show is anticipated.…

Two tornadoes left severe damage in the St. Louis area last week — one in Edwardsville, Illinois, and one in Defiance — and the St. Louis Area Foodbank has distribution events scheduled to help out.

Residents of St. Charles County who were affected by the tornadoes can stop by St. Paul United Church of Christ (150 Defiance Road, Defiance, 636-987-2696) on December 17 from 4 to 8 p.m. to receive assistance from both the food bank, local and state agencies and human service organizations. The food bank joins several other relief organizations to create the multi-agency resource center and will provide snack boxes, fruit cups and ready-to-eat meals.…