a Better Bubble™

The Gateway

Tuesday, Dec. 9 - A radical response to conspiracy theories

10 hours 43 minutes ago
University of Missouri sociologist Chris Conner has studied and written about conspiracy theories for years. And he says the belief in them is spreading beyond the typical fringe groups — it’s our friends and family, too. He shares why so many Americans are adopting even the most extreme-sounding ideas, and how to respond.

Monday, Dec. 8 - A bid to feed communities

1 day 10 hours ago
The nonprofit organization Feeding America was looking for a better way to distribute billions of pounds of food to food banks each year. It used to use an algorithm to answer that question. It generated a list of food banks based on need, and when a shipment came up, Feeding America called the food bank at the top of the list. But what if a food bank didn’t need or want that donation? The answer to that problem is a market economy, of sorts.

Friday, Dec. 5 - Making sense of rate agreements and insurance plans

4 days 10 hours ago
Ameren Missouri’s new rates for data centers are now in effect. But a consumer advocacy group is asking for a redo. St. Louis Public Radio’s Kate Grumke explains the case and the latest updates. Plus, Midwest seniors have two options for Medicare coverage– traditional Medicare through the government, or a private Medicare Advantage plan. While Advantage plans cost less up front, experts say seniors could pay the price with their health.

Thursday, Dec. 4 - Catering to a growing community

5 days 10 hours ago
People with alpha gal syndrome are suddenly unable to eat meat or dairy. It’s becoming more and more common in Missouri. In fact – so many people are living with the condition now, some restaurants are adapting their menus to accommodate, as Rebecca Smith reports.

Tuesday, Dec. 2 - Elvis has left the courtroom, for now

1 week ago
A St. Charles County judge who agreed to resign after being accused of misconduct by the state of Missouri, including for dressing in an Elvis Presley costume while on the bench, appears to have changed his mind. St. Louis on the Air producer Danny Wicentowski has the latest in the case.

Tuesday, Nov. 25 - A St. Louis tradition has the nation putting food on the porch

2 weeks ago
Thousands of people across the U.S. recently found blue grocery bags tied to their front door — to be stuffed with food donation items that scouts could come back and collect this past weekend. It’s an annual tradition known as Scouting for Food, which started 40 years ago in St. Louis. STLPR’s Lacretia Wimbley has this report on the collection, and the impact in the St. Louis region.

Friday, Nov. 21 - Heir band takes the St. Louis stage

2 weeks 4 days ago
The Allman Brothers Band had a 44-year run that landed the group in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The guitar-playing sons of two of its founders are behind the Allman Betts Family Revival, a tribute group that plays the Factory in Chesterfield after Thanksgiving. As St. Louis Public Radio’s Jeremy Goodwin reports, the roots of the tribute lie in a family relationship that needed repair.

Thursday, Nov. 20 - Who won the Boeing strike?

2 weeks 5 days ago
St. Louis Boeing machinists returned to work this week after reaching a settlement with the company. They had been on strike since August 4. STLPR’s Olivia Mizelle followed the strike for months, and has this report on its settlement and the after-effects.

Wednesday, Nov. 19 - Online sales tax may be boosting Metro East towns

2 weeks 6 days ago
Towns in the Metro East have seen increased sales tax revenue this year. That’s after Illinois started collecting tax on online sales from out-of-state, as STLPR's Will Bauer reports. Plus: The Trump administration has cut National Science Research grants by more than a billion dollars. STLPR's Jonathan Ahl finds Missouri S&T is doing ok with theirs, for now.

Tuesday, Nov. 18 - Sheriff heads to trial

3 weeks ago
St. Louis Sheriff Alfred Montgomery heads to trial this week: St. Louis Public Radio’s Brian Munoz breaks down the removal effort. Plus: The City of Ferguson has been under a consent decree for almost ten years. The city’s consent decree coordinator says her goal is to make sure reforms become deeply embedded in Ferguson’s identity. Consent decree coordinator Patricia Washington sat down with St. Louis Public Radio’s Chad Davis.

Monday, Nov. 17 - Touring the destruction in SLPS schools

3 weeks 1 day ago
St. Louis Public Schools closed seven of its buildings and relocated nearly two-thousand students six months ago after the deadly May 16 tornado. As weeks turned into months, community members began to wonder whether the schools would ever reopen. St. Louis Public Radio’s Hiba Ahmad toured some of the schools and has this report.

Friday, Nov. 14 - Area food banks stretched thin

3 weeks 4 days ago
St. Louis-area food banks and pantries are being put to the test. The uncertainty surrounding SNAP benefits during the government shutdown along with rising food costs and the ongoing impact of the May 16th tornado are adding extensive pressure to the upcoming busy holiday season. St. Louis Public Radio’s Olivia Mizelle reports.

Thursday, Nov. 13 - Documentary highlights "butterfly wing" disease

3 weeks 5 days ago
A documentary making its St. Louis debut this weekend takes a familiar format — the rock concert movie — and adds a few unexpected elements. As St. Louis Public Radio's Sarah Fentem reports, the film "Matter of Time" uses the genre to introduce audiences to a rare skin disease and the people searching for a cure.

Wednesday, Nov. 12 - Gotta catch 'em outside

3 weeks 6 days ago
More than nine years have passed since the mobile game Pokémon Go was released, allowing people to spend time outside while playing a video game. And some are still going outside. Finnegan Belleau caught up with a group organizing regular meetups to play the game.

Monday, Nov. 10 - Local nonprofit focusing on a different kind of trauma

4 weeks 1 day ago
As the government shutdown lingers and the future of benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program remains uncertain for two-and-a-half-million people in Missouri and Illinois, the UnGUN Institute in St. Louis is providing free groceries and other essential items to local residents. St. Louis Public Radio’s Lacretia Wimbley reports on rising food prices and how the nonprofit’s founder partnered with Operation Food Search to meet people’s needs.

Friday, Nov. 7 - A Tarantino favorite brings St. Louisan's story to the screen

1 month ago
The new film “Mr. Wonderful” makes its St. Louis premiere on Tuesday at the St. Louis International Film Festival. It’s the work of St. Louis-based writer Daniel Blake Smith, who adapted the screenplay from his 2018 novel of the same name. St. Louis Public Radio’s Chad Davis spoke with Smith about the film. It features the late Michael Madsen, of Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill fame, in one of his final leading roles, playing a fictionalized version of Smith.