STL on the Air 📻

Host Don Marsh talks to three guests about the benefits of dance therapy – also known as movement therapy –for cancer patients.

Last month, NBC premiered Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s show “Titan Games,” a reality television program where men and women compete in emotional and daunting physical challenges. Tonight, the semi-finalists will compete and inch one step closer to the final prize –among them is native St. Louisan Derik Scott. The 30-year-old attorney joins host Don Marsh to talk about his participation in the athletic competition. 

The Marvel hit “Black Panther” brought the fictional country of Wakanda to the big screen and showcased exuberant sub-Saharan African culture – and St. Louis native Kevin Mayes was a part of that process. Mayes is a clothing designer who served as the head tailor for the film’s costumes, helping bring the visions of designer Ruth E. Carter to life. 

Host Don Marsh talks with incumbent President Lewis Reed, who has held the seat since 2007, along with two key challengers, Alderwoman Megan Green, who currently represents the city’s 15th Ward, and state Senator Jamilah Nasheed, whose 5th District includes the eastern half of St. Louis.

A recent study of American teenagers showed a big jump in nicotine vaping among young people in 2018. Even as many steer clear of other substance-related activities such as binge drinking and drug use, the number of teens who are vaping has more than doubled since 2017. "The data shows that one in five middle schoolers are using these products and one in three high school [students] are using these products, so those are incredibly concerning numbers,” Dr. Patricia Cavazos-Rehg said during Tuesday’s St. Louis on the Air Cavazos-Rehg, who is an associate professor in the Washington University School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry, told host Don Marsh there’s a need for more education about vaping – and its risks – among both teens and their caregivers.

Host Don Marsh discusses the current state of the St. Louis Fire Department, touching on various recent initiatives as well as challenges ahead. Joining him for the conversation are Chief Dennis Jenkerson and Capt. Garon Mosby.

Host Don Marsh delves into the way in which police departments use civil asset forfeiture as well as its legal implications. St. Louis Public Radio city politics reporter Rachel Lippmann and legal expert William Freivogel join the discussion. 

Host Don Marsh talks with Caitlyn Collins, author of "Making Motherhood Work: How Women Manage Careers and Caregiving." The newly released book looks at working mothers' daily lives and the revolution in public policy and culture needed to improve them.

St. Louis Public reporters Ryan Delaney and Lindsay Toler talk about the effects of cyberbullying and its impact a one local family as well as the challenges in trying to get cyberbullying removed. Tina Meier, whose 13-year-old daughter Megan took her own life in 2006 after she was bullied online, joins the conversation. Tina established the Megan Meier Foundation in 2007 to wage a campaign against cyberbullying.

The St. Louis Public Radio newsroom has been fielding a wide range of questions from listeners the past few weeks concerning Better Together’s recently unveiled proposal for a reunification of St. Louis and St. Louis County. Host Don Marsh and several STLPR journalists aim to provide answers to a number of those Curious Louis queries that haven’t already been answered.

For more than 30 years, Steven Woolf has been at the heart of the Repertory Theater of St. Louis. Since taking the helm as artistic director in 1986, Woolf oversaw three decades of productions and directed 47 shows. He joins host Don Marsh to reflect on his career, and to discuss his last production at The Rep – “Oslo.”

Constance Gully, CEO of Parents as Teachers, joins host Don Marsh to talk about the national (with local roots) organization’s efforts to promote optimal early development in children by educating and engaging parents and guardians.

Host Don Marsh talks with Quincy Troupe about his friendship with Miles Davis, stories about the jazz great and a review of some of his music.

If a child faces abuse, neglect and/or household dysfunction early on life, those experiences can later affect how they form relationships with others. Some may resort to treating others in harsh ways, reflecting what they perceive as something that “resembles love.

Stephen Zwolak, founder and CEO of LUME Institute and executive director of University City Children’s Center, and Joshua Carlson, a licensed clinical social worker in Illinois and associate director of The Knowledge Center at Chaddock, explain to help intervene and address children struggling with challenging behavior. 

The Selfie Room just made its debut in downtown St. Louis, offering the latest evidence of a seemingly ever-present selfie phenomenon. The museum’s mission is to “bring people together by taking photos with fun, whimsical backdrops” that comprise its interactive art exhibits. In this episode, host Don Marsh talks with Selfie Room co-owner Erica Klotz about what visitors can expect at the new entertainment destination – and also discusses the broader cultural landscape that surrounds it. Amber Hinsley, an associate professor in the Department of Communication at St. Louis University, and Jennifer Siciliani, a University of Missouri-St. Louis psychology professor in the area of behavioral neuroscience, also participate in the conversation.

While the art of persuasion and the study of public discourse have enriched human civilization for millennia, negative connotations frequently surround contemporary notions of rhetoric. Politicians are dismissed as "all rhetoric, no action," and talking heads on TV make everyday people sigh over "all the rhetoric" of the 24-hour news cycle. But for those who conduct research in the academic field of rhetoric – and anyone interested in the work that words can do – the term "rhetoric" still holds great hope and possibility for society. Host Don Marsh talks with two local scholars, Lauren Obermark and Paul Lynch, about cultural understandings of rhetoric, its positive uses and the ever-shifting ways in which humans communicate.

A two-night History Channel series, “Presidents at War,” will tell the stories of eight men who served in active duty and who would later become presidents of the United States. Host Don Marsh talks with military historian John McManus, a professor of history at Missouri S&T, who is featured in the show. In it, McManus specifically comments on the role of Dwight D. Eisenhower.

STLPR reporter Nancy Fowler talks about her story published earlier in the week about first-generation student Ngone Seck whose dental problems are presenting a roadblock. 

STLPR reporter Nancy Fowler talks in-depth about her story published earlier in the week about Ngone Seck, a first-generation student at Washington University whose encountered dental problems.