The protest movement condemning police killing Black people is one of the top issues in the contest for St. Louis County Executive. All four Democratic candidates say they are the right person to bridge social, economic and public safety divides.
St. Louis band CaveofSwords promises that its new album is quote “Good Music to Feel Bad to.” That’s a great title, and the songs deliver. Two of its members join host Sarah Fenske to discuss the band’s inspiration and perspiration. In the words of the band, these are “Songs to quote wallow and grieve with your friends, but also dance to." All proceeds from digital sales of "Good Music to Feel Bad to" for the summer of 2020 will go to Arch City Defenders & Action STL.
For a long time, 27-year-old St. Louis native Joseph Puleo mostly associated the city’s iconic Hill neighborhood with a wealth of delicious Italian food and colorful fire hydrants. That changed a couple years ago when a conversation with a fellow Italian American, Rio Vitale, prompted Puleo to begin what would become his first feature-length film. “He was concerned we were losing stories that need to be told,” Puleo says. Within five days of Vitale’s suggestion that he dig into the history of the Hill, Puleo was in longtime residents’ homes. Many dozens of interviews and months of film editing later, “America’s Last Little Italy: The Hill” is making its debut at the 20th Annual — and first virtual — Whitaker St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase. The documentary is one of 15 film programs that will be available for streaming July 10 to 19. Listen as host Sarah Fenske talks with Puleo and with Chris Clark, artistic director for Cinema St. Louis.
St. Louis County Assessor Jake Zimmerman is the latest guest on Politically Speaking, where he talked with St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum about his bid for county executive.
Zimmerman is one of four Democrats seeking the post. All four candidates will appear on Politically Speaking in separate episodes released this week. This episode was recorded in mid-June.
Many environmental groups consider a recent federal court decision to ban three dicamba herbicides as a big victory. Several farm organizations are criticizing the ruling, which comes in the middle of spraying season. The case is raising questions about the future use of dicamba.
Earthworms remembers a great Great Horned Owl, Charles, whose hoots and habits enlivened conversations on KDHX with Mark H.X. Glenshaw, "the Owl Man of Forest Park." Mark informed readers of his Forest Park Owls blog on July 7, 2020, that he had not seen Charles in any of the habitats he observes since May 14. He has been observing Charles and his mates since 2005. Although Mark says it's possible Charles has relocated to an entirely new habitat, it is likely that he has died.
Charles in the Nest Tree, 2013
Mark is a keen, respectful observer of owls, whoooo he comes to know and love. Earthworms honors this relationship passage!
And as we followed this summer's saga of Bruno, a black bear who walked from Wisconsin down into Missouri, we recalled our conversation Bears! in July 2018 with Laura Conlee, State Furbearer Biologist for MO Dept of Conservation.
MDC Biologist Laura Conlee at work - Bruno in Missouri
Conlee was featured in news reports of MDC deciding to tranquilize Bruno and remove him to the safety of a bear-suitable habitat, after he got backed into a corner of suburban St. Louis roadways - with over 400 people watching him. Bruno became a media sensation. Conlee reminds us to Be Bear Aware - for our safety and especially for well being of the bears!
Summer breeze past your helmet, streets fly beneath your wheels, intriguing sites interpreted by a leader of St. Louis' cycling scene.
Most years, this is one of the annual St. Louis Community Rides, hosted on a specific date by Trailnet, our town's cycling advocacy group. Staying safe and healthy for 2020, Trailnet invites you to ride Placemaking STL anytime July 25 to August 24, taking a new app with your refillable bottle, for cycling with a Scavenger Hunt twist, exploring some of our town's cool plazas.
The app has clues to find ride locales. When you get into site proximity, a lovely virtual human will pop up to interpret the site for you. Fun on two wheels!
Dana Gray, community sustainability advocate and "Plaza-Making" tour guide, joins Trailnet's Mobility Coordinator Joe Windler talking these innovations with Earthworms host Jean Ponzi.
Defunding police departments is a major goal for many Black Lives Matter protesters. But for others, it’s a scary idea — and that’s true for many St. Louis residents. In this episode, we explore what it means to defund the police in a city that struggles with high rates of violent crime. Criminologist Richard Rosenfeld joins the discussion, as well as California-based reporter Abené Clayton. Clayton talks about what’s behind a big drop in violent crime in Oakland and what St. Louis can learn from the West Coast city’s experience.
Gibron Jones had big plans for an industrial kitchen in north St. Louis. The kitchen was located in the city’s Vandeventer neighborhood, just a bit north of Delmar. And his plan was to open a food production incubation space there — the North Sarah Food Hub. He wanted to help St. Louisans start food-based businesses — and bring healthier options to their neighbors. Jones got his city permits finalized in March. Then COVID-19 shut the city down. He found himself making a very unusual pivot. He joins Sarah Fenske to describe what happened — and what comes next for this innovative food hub.
On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, Mark Mantovani joins St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum to talk about his campaign for St. Louis County Executive.
Mantovani is one of four Democrats seeking the post. All four candidates will appear on Politically Speaking in separate episodes released this week. This episode was recorded on June 29, 2020.
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order suspending certain work visas for immigrants. Donald Danforth Plant Science Center President Jim Carrington discusses how the decision impacts the region's economic growth and innovation
Zulyema Tang-Martinez wanted to join the protests sweeping the U.S. this year. She has a long record of activism dating back to her days as a student at Berkeley in the 1960s and 70s. But the University of Missouri-St. Louis biology professor emeritus is now 75. She has health conditions. How could she join in without taking unnecessary risks? The solution for Tang-Martinez was a car caravan — and on June 20, it found big success. She joins host Sarah Fenske to to talk about that protest, and marching for justice when you probably shouldn’t be marching at all.
Loathed by many police officers but beloved by progressive supporters, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner is arguably the city's most controversial elected official. Journalist Nicholas Phillips explains what he learned about her in a deep dig for St. Louis Magazine, and what the statistics tell us about her performance as city prosecutor.
Soul singer Brian Owens credits the "heavenly hookup" for two developments at the nonprofit he founded in his native Ferguson: the donation of a building it will use as headquarters and $200,000 in funding. Owens joins host Sarah Fenske to describe his vision for Life Creative, a "creative ecosystem" that includes both the Life Arts nonprofit and a for-profit platform.
St. Louis County Executive hopeful Jamie Tolliver is the latest guest on the Politically Speaking podcast. The University City resident talked with St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum about her bid.
Tolliver is one of four candidates running in the Aug. 4 Democratic primary. All four candidates will appear on Politically Speaking in separate episodes released this week.
Hundreds of inmates at Illinois prisons have contracted COVID-19 since the pandemic began. At least 13 have died. According to data obtained by Illinois Newsroom, the Illinois Department of Corrections has only conducted about 950 tests as of a couple weeks ago out of more than 30,000 people in state prisons.
It was one thing to navigate the initial stress and disruptions of the coronavirus pandemic. And early on, as people looked for ways to guard mental well-being amid big changes, many people realized that it helped to have a sense of horizon in sight. “I can shelter in place for a month” and “One semester at home is manageable” were common — and useful — mindsets. But as weeks turn into months and maybe even years of new normals, frustration and anxiety may be mounting. In this conversation with host Sarah Fenske, Dr. Jessi Gold of Washington University offers strategies and insights for safeguarding your mental health at this time.
For more than two years, activists have sought to persuade city officials to close the city's Medium Security Institution, better known as the Workhouse. They believed they had the votes to strip funding for the jail from the city's Fiscal Year 2021 budget, only to see their dreams dashed. Now they're pinning their hopes on a new board bill introduced by President Lewis Reed. Action St. Louis Executive Director Kayla Reed joined us to discuss the legislation.
A group of black and white men who were trying to prevent their business from being looted in downtown St. Louis in early June was held at gunpoint, cussed out, and handcuffed by St. Louis Metropolitan Police officers. The incident was caught on camera and has been shared on social media, but there is no police report. The department says there is an internal investigation.
Many sanctioned fireworks shows are canceled this summer due to the pandemic, but people continue to set off everything from firecrackers to Roman candles in backyards and streets throughout the region. The number of calls to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department about illegal fireworks has quadrupled from the same time last year. This episode features various perspectives on fireworks including enthusiasts, the mildly annoyed and pet owners. We also hear from the St. Louis Fire Department about the dangers of using fireworks.
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