The St. Louis’ homeless population is no longer residing at the tent encampment near Market Street following an order from St. Louis Health Director Fredrick Echols. Echols ordered the camp to be cleared on April 29. In response, the nonprofit civil rights law firm ArchCity Defenders filed a federal lawsuit on May 1 that included a temporary restraining order against the city, but a federal judge rejected it. Another hearing, in that case, is scheduled for May 12.
Host Sarah Fenske talks to Alex Cohen of grassroots collective #TentMissionSTL and with ArchCity about the City of St. Louis' attempt to clear the tent encampments downtown. We’ll also get the perspective of a homeless person who was a resident of the camp.
St. Charles County is open for business. Host Sarah Fenske talked with County Executive Steve Ehlmann about the decision that’s in line with Gov. Mike Parson’s plan for the state. STLPR reporter Jason Rosenbaum also joined the discussion to talk about how local governments are proceeding and the political ramifications of it all.
The first female chief in the 65-year history of the St. Louis County Police Department has moved into the role with the region in the grips of COVID-19. Mary Barton says assuming the leadership position during the outbreak is not as taxing as many would believe. Also, nursing home workers are seeking hazard pay during the pandemic and want paid sick leave if they contract coronavirus.
What started as a dare from his wife has blossomed into an 11-part book series for St. Louis attorney Michael Kahn. Kahn works as senior counsel at Capes Sokol law firm by day, and by night, he writes mystery novels. In this episode, Sarah Fenske talks with Kahn about the latest book in his Rachel Gold series, “Bad Trust.”
This week marks 50 years since the Kent State shootings and related Vietnam-era protests at colleges and universities across the country, including at Wash U. Host Sarah Fenske talks in depth with Mike Venso, the Missouri Historical Society's military and firearms curator at Soldiers Memorial downtown, who has recently been doing research on the subject for an upcoming exhibit. Also joining the conversation is Howard Mechanic, who was one of seven people who faced charges in the wake of protests at Wash U.
Governor Mike Parson is allowing a statewide stay-at-home order to expire today. It's is the first phase of his plan to allow businesses in most of Missouri to reopen. Similar restrictions remain in effect for St. Louis city and county. Also, some teachers in Missouri are working on a coronavirus curriculum.
In mid-April, the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control suspended laws preventing St. Louis area restaurants from selling pre-batched cocktails. Now the restaurants are free to sell the to-go cocktails to customers who order them. Our friends at Sauce Magazine join host Sarah Fenske to talk about how area restaurants are faring with the changes and some of the best places to get curbside cocktails during this period.
From working at a comic book store to writing and drawing a nationally syndicated newspaper comic strip, St. Louis cartoonist Christina Stewart — who goes by the name of Steenz — has made a name for herself. Stewart now produces former creator Mark Tatulli’s daily comic strip “Heart of the City." She joins host Sarah Fenske to discuss what plans she has for the beloved comic and her overall passion for the craft.
Early in the coronavirus pandemic, doctors described COVID-19 as a virus with symptoms identical to the flu — coughing, shortness of breath and fever. But recovered patients say it’s much worse: a painful, unpredictable sickness causing a feeling akin to “drowning.” In this episode, St. Louis Public Radio reporter Sarah Fentem shares the stories of those who are recovering from COVID-19.
The leader of the region's pandemic task force says officials can start planning to reopen the economy and ease some social restrictions. Dr. Alex Garza says that comes amid a decline in the number of COVID-19 patients at area hospitals. Also, families are worried about their loved ones because of the lack of coronavirus information from officials operating nursing homes.
Dairy farmers are having a hard time after the coronavirus pandemic. With the closures of schools, workplaces and restaurants, some farmers are having trouble distributing their products. In response to the closure of businesses, these farmers are having to dump milk. Host Sarah Fenske touches base with Michael Turley of Rolling Lawns to check in on how his milk farm is doing amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Imagine breaking up with a partner, only to remain in the same house as them following a pandemic. Host Sarah Fenske talks with exes Dani and Logan about their interesting situation. The COVID-19 outbreak has them sheltering in place in a one-bedroom apartment in St. Louis’ Tower Grove South neighborhood. Also joining the conversation is a family who talks about their decision to take care of their son’s school's two parakeets.
As most of us are self-quarantining in the wake of COVID-19, some of us are spending a lot more time with a significant other. In Ernest Hemingway’s case, nearly a century ago, it was with significant others — plural. Hemingway wound up sequestered with both his wife and his lover after his son Bumby was diagnosed with a highly contagious respiratory illness. Host Sarah Fenske talks with acclaimed author Lesley Blume about the whole ordeal.
A nearly $35 billion budget is headed to the Missouri Senate. House members approved the package which reflects a roughly $400 million drop in state revenue related to the coronavirus outbreak. Also, as many states prepare to restart their economies, some restaurant owners in the Metro East are still worried about the future of their businesses.
Missouri filed a lawsuit against China on April 21, alleging that the country did little to stop the spread of the COVID-19. On that same day, a judge ruled in favor of a genealogy group looking to obtain public records. And, two days later, advocates and workers from Missouri meat processing plant Smithfield Foods filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri for unsafe work conditions following the COVID-19 outbreak. In this episode, Sarah Fenske digs into these cases and more with legal experts Mark Smith, Bill Freivogel and Catherine Hanaway.
U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley wants to force a paradigm shift in how the United States handles mass employment during an economic calamity.
The Missouri Republican senator wants the federal government to step in to help pay for an employee’s wages at companies negatively affected by the COVID-19 crisis. It’s a move he says will substantially tamp down on economic anxiety among workers and employers.
Hawley’s proposal, which mirrors what some European countries are doing to deal with the economic downturn, has some fans among economists and Democrats. But it’s an open question whether his GOP colleagues that run the U.S. Senate will make it a priority.
Many in the region who have recovered from COVID-19 are telling others to take the disease seriously. They say it's unlike any sickness they've ever experienced. Also, some communities in the St. Louis region are planning to follow the state of Missouri's lead in restarting their economies next week. St. Charles County and Eureka are among the locations planning to reopen businesses Monday.
Ecologists know health is connected for all that lives. But most humans are not yet hip to this fact. One Health, both title and theme of a globally vital body of work makes this point for elephants, turtles, water, soil, etc. etc. etc. - and us.
Dr. Sharon Deem directs the Institute of Conservation Medicine for the Saint Louis Zoo. Her work with animals, here and abroad, gave rise to the research, understanding, philosophy and curriculum called One Health, a collaboration with Drs. Elizabeth Rayhel and Kelly E. Lane-deGraaf, who teach this material at Fontbonne University. One Health draws from many disciplines, shows a way toward many solutions to issues from human to planetary scale.
This Earthworms conversation ranges around One Health implications for our species during this Big Time Out, from a place of deep appreciation for Nature's health commitments and safeguards - for all species, on this 50th Earth Day.
THANKS to Earthworms engineering team, Andy Coco, Andy Heaslet, Jon Valley.
Music: Main theme from Swan Lake, performed live for Earth Day and Earthworms by Stephen Blake, husband of Sharon Deem, from the shelter of their home.
Some hospitals across the U.S. are swamped from the COVID-19 outbreak and many health care workers are working around the clock to help those affected. But what about St. Louis-area hospitals? What’s going on here? Emergency medicine physician Dr. Kristen Mueller joins host Sarah Fenske to give a sense of how St. Louis area health care workers are doing in the midst of an (estimated) peak in COVID-19 cases in the area.
“Crimp Camp,” a Netflix documentary produced by former U.S. president Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama has won raves for its unflinching depiction of how Camp Jened brought together young people with wide-ranging disabilities and allowed them to experience life without their parents. Judy Heumann and Colleen Starkloff join host Sarah Fenske to discuss “Crip Camp” and the challenges the disability rights movement faces today.
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