Brown recluse spiders are infamous for their necrotic venom. But how dangerous are they, really? Missouri Botanical Garden senior entomologist Tad Yankoski says the arachnids get an unnecessarily bad wrap. He shares why you should stop worrying about brown recluses and learn to appreciate the spider.
Holiday shopping is here, and trying to figure out what to get, and where, can be overwhelming. Black Friday deals traditionally draw shoppers to big box stores and massive e-commerce sites, but small business owners want consumers to consider shopping local for their gift giving needs. Lisa Potts, vice-president of Delmar Main Street, and serial entrepreneur Dallas Holland join the show to share the benefits of shopping local and keeping dollars close to community.
At least 105 people have died behind Missouri prison bars this year, and that's just one sign that things are not right in the state's prisons. The Missouri Justice Coalition is holding a series of statewide town halls, with its most recent stop in St. Louis. The nonprofit’s founder and director Michelle Smith discusses what she's learned at the town halls, and shares her thoughts on the group's goals for legislation and what has to change in the state’s 21 prison
When Carol Daniel announced her retirement from KMOX in April, it signaled the end of a 40-year, award-filled career in media. But Daniel is back behind the mic as senior producer and host at Nine PBS. Carol Daniel’s new podcast, "Listen, St. Louis" premiered this month, with a focus on the region's complex challenges and the people working to address them. Carol reflects on her new role and what audiences can expect from her post-KMOX.
In the St. Louis region, eviction filings are happening at a faster rate than before the coronavirus pandemic. An in-depth report by journalist Mike Fitzgerald explores the reasons why. Fitzgerald discusses the current eviction crisis alongside Kennard Williams, organizing manager with the group Action St. Louis.
St. Louis County is going through a period of relative government tranquility, especially compared to past years. But county officials are still dealing with steep challenges, including a budgetary gap and lingering questions about collaborating with the City of St. Louis. On the latest episode of the “Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air,” St. Louis County Councilwoman Lisa Clancy talks about the county’s big challenges.
It’s been about five years since a serious proposal to combine St. Louis and St. Louis County was on the table. But interest in ending the so-called “Great Divorce” remains high, even though there are a lot of details to work out. We open our mailbag with St. Louis Public Radio reporter Chad Davis to discuss some of the opportunities and challenges for a city-county reunion.
Former U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley of New Jersey will return to the St. Louis area this weekend to receive the Stan Musial Lifetime Achievement Award for Sportsmanship. On the “Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air,” the Crystal City, Missouri, native and two-time NBA champion discusses his Jefferson County upbringing, his long-standing push for racial equity and whether he thinks the NBA will ever return to St. Louis.
New restaurants in the St. Louis region are enticing customers with a bevy of savory cocktails and fresh flavor combinations. Sauce Magazine Executive Editor Meera Nagarajan runs down her favorite new spots to eat and drink and shares how she and her team tackled the daunting task of tasting and ranking all 40 sandwiches at the Gramophone.
Clinical psychologist Dr. Marva Robinson discusses how to navigate complex family dynamics and divisive topics that may come up during gatherings this holiday season.
The St. Louis General Strike of 1877 was a pivotal moment in labor history. It involved hundreds of railroad, factory and transit workers who were able to grind commerce to a halt. A new play, “1877,” shares that story and premieres this week at the Missouri History Museum. Playwright Colin McLaughlin and actors Josh Mayfield and Courtnei Morris join the show.
The International Institute of St. Louis recently launched an effort to attract Latin American immigrants to the region. Their plans have garnered criticism from St. Charles County officials this week. Karlos Ramirez, vice president of the institute's Latino Outreach Program, talks about how immigrants can boost the city’s population and contribute to its workforce. International Institute President and CEO Arrey Obenson discusses how the St. Charles proposal hurts their efforts at creating a welcoming region.
The marathon hat trick is a goal that some committed distance runners aim for but few have achieved. To accomplish this feat runners must complete 100 marathons, a marathon in all 50 U.S. states, and a marathon on all seven continents. Fewer than 60 runners have completed the marathon hat trick and only three of them are Black. Two of those three are from St. Louis: Tony Reed and Lisa Davis. A documentary, “We Are Distance Runners: The Marathon Hat Trick,” is about their story and it screens Wednesday evening as part of the St. Louis International Film Festival.
Missouri shows little progress in cutting rates of new cancer cases, according to the latest American Lung Association report. The ALA also found the state ranked fourth in the nation for lung cancer patients receiving no treatment after diagnosis. Kavahn Mansouri, investigative reporter with the NPR Midwest Newsroom, and Laura Turner, advocacy director for the American Lung Association in Missouri, dig into these statistics and other takeaways from the report.
In marathon running, the hat trick entails three accomplishments: doing at least 100 races… running in each of the U.S.’s 50 states… and completing a marathon on all 7 continents — which means marathoning in Antarctica. Among the fewer-than-60 runners worldwide who’ve achieved that feat, only 3 are Black. And two of those three are St. Louis natives. They’re also alumni of the same grade school – a decade apart, but the very same building! Lisa Davis and Tony Reed are the focus of the documentary, “We Are Distance Runners: The Marathon Hat Trick,” which screens at the Alamo Drafthouse as part of the St. Louis International Film Festival
In 1833, Gustave Koerner fled his homeland of Germany and came to the United States. He settled in Belleville, Illinois and became an attorney, served on the Illinois Supreme Court and was lieutenant governor. He was also a confidant of Abraham Lincoln. The 170 year old home where Koerner lived still stands and there are renewed efforts to restore and preserve it. In an interview recorded on location, producer Alex Heuer talks with two people behind the effort.
On July 12, 1973, a fire in the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis destroyed 80% of U.S. Army records between 1912 and 1960. It was one of the largest destructions of federal records in the history of the county. To explore the legacy of the fire, producer Danny Wicentowski goes searching for his grandfather’s records, which were burned in the fire. He also talks to firefighter Captain David Dubowski, archives specialist Eric Kilgore, and Jessie Kratz, historian of the National Archives.
St. Louis sound healer Aria Thome knows how devastating it is to experience rejection from a traditional faith community. She was raised Roman Catholic and worked as a choir director in the Catholic Church for many years. When she came out as transgender, she lost her job, her community and some family members. By offering a series of free, monthly sound healing and breathwork sessions for those who have experienced religious trauma, Thome hopes to help people heal and build a supportive, welcoming community for people of all backgrounds.
St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell last week dropped his bid for U.S. Senate to challenge U.S. Rep. Cori Bush in the upcoming Democratic primary for Missouri’s 1st Congressional District. He said he’s entering the race, in part, because of Bush’s comments that are critical of Israel. STLPR Political Correspondent Jason Rosenbaum talks with Bell, and later we get analysis from Jason and hear from Rep. Bush.
Nikki Giovanni has challenged and inspired people of all ages as an acclaimed poet, writer, and activist. Her life, lived with insistent fidelity to who she is as a Black American woman, reflects insights and wit that reach across the miles she’s traveled and the experiences she’s been through. She’s coming back to St. Louis on November 9 to deliver the keynote address for the 2023 St. Louis Racial Equity Summit.
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