Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders sits down with St. Louis on the Air host Sarah Fenske ahead of a campaign rally in St. Louis on Monday. Missouri voters will go to the polls to cast primary ballots on Tuesday. The Vermont senator’s visit follows a campaign stop in St. Louis Saturday by former Vice President Joe Biden, whose campaign did not respond to interview requests from the talk show team. The conversation with Sanders touches on the senator’s strong showing in the 2016 primary, the new coronavirus and who’s best situated to unify the Democratic party and defeat President Trump. It also delved into the potential impact of a transition to Medicare for All on one of the St. Louis region’s biggest employers: the health care industry. In this segment Fenske also speaks with St. Louis Public Radio’s Jo Mannies, who provides analysis of the dynamics in Tuesday’s race.
Host Sarah Fenske talks to experts about the Coronavirus. It’s now here in St. Louis County. What precautions should you take? The family of the first presumed case here has already broken its voluntary quarantine. Do officials see any hope for containing the disease Coronavirus spreads?
A St. Louis County woman presumed to be the first person in Missouri with the new coronavirus took steps that could keep others from becoming infected. But more cases are expected to be found in the coming days, especially as the state gets more kits to test people for the virus.
Eddie Cox has always been fascinated by words, whether he’s stringing together freestyle raps with his friends or fine-tuning coherent arguments on debate teams. That interest has translated well to his star turn as hip-hop artist Sir Eddie C. The Belleville native is making waves in the St. Louis music scene and recently notched his first performances in New Orleans and Chicago. Cox joins host Sarah Fenske to talk about his musical craft and inspirations.
On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum takes a look at some of the week’s biggest news stories — including what state and local officials are doing to prepare for the coronavirus.
Rosenbaum talked with St. Louis Public Radio’s Sarah Fentem about how state and local health officials are monitoring the coronavirus. There have been no recorded cases of the virus in Missouri, but there have been five confirmed cases in Illinois.
Here's what else is on this week's roundup show:
- St. Louis Public Radio statehouse reporter Jaclyn Driscoll talks about legislation in the Missouri General Assembly on LGBTQ issues.
- Rosenbaum and Driscoll also discussed some of the developments in the Democratic presidential campaign — and how they affect Missouri’s primary Tuesday.
- St. Louis Public Radio’s Rachel Lippmann broke down the resignation and federal indictment of St. Louis Alderman Larry Arnowitz, who is accused of using campaign money for personal use. Lippmann also explained the process for filing aldermanic vacancies.
Fifty-five years ago this week, Alabama troopers greeted peaceful protesters gathered along a Selma bridge with billy clubs, tear gas, bullwhips and horses. And they didn’t hesitate to use them. “I felt like it was the last demonstration, it was the last protest on my part, like I was going to take my last breath from the tear gas,” John Lewis told filmmakers in 1985, two years before he’d begin his long tenure representing Georgia’s fifth congressional district. Parts of that interview are included in “Eyes on the Prize,” a 14-part film series that originally premiered on PBS in two parts in 1987 and 1990. It’s still considered the definitive documentary on the civil rights movement in America, and the complete oral histories that were gathered during its production, including the conversation with Lewis, have been preserved by Washington University Libraries. Many of the interviews are now digitized and accessible to members of the public. In this segment, Associate University Librarian Nadia Ghasedi joins host Sarah Fenske for a closer look at the enduring value of the Wash U Film & Media Archive’s “Eyes on the Prize” materials, which are part of its Henry Hampton Collection.
For years, medical residents were taught how to give pelvic exams by performing them on women who were under anesthesia for unrelated procedures. The women were not asked to give consent first. In many cases, they weren’t even told the exam would happen. Illinois banned the practice in 2004. Host Sarah Fenske talks to GOP legislator Shamed Dogan, who is hoping to do the same in Missouri. Also joining the discussion is Jill B. Delston, a philosophy professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis who explores the issue of giving pelvic exams without consent in her book “Medical Sexism.”
Children who live amid regular ongoing gun violence in U.S. cities like St. Louis often have a protocol when the gunfire erupts: hide in the bathtub, drop to the floor, seek shelter by the fridge. And sometimes the precautions have just become part of everyday life, such as watching TV from the floor, leaving the lights off at night so no one can see who is home. We tell the story of the long-lasting trauma of everyday living in America’s warzones where even one’s home or daycare center isn’t a safe space.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that as of midday Thursday, there are 18 states reporting confirmed and presumptive positive cases of the disease caused by the new coronavirus. That includes a total of 162 cases and 12 deaths from COVID-19 in the U.S. There are up to five reported cases in Illinois but none in Missouri. There are many efforts underway to create a vaccine to prevent the disease caused by the virus. In this episode, Sarah Fenske talks with a researcher in St. Louis who is doing just that. Sean Whelan, head of the Department of Molecular Microbiology at Washington University School of Medicine, joins the conversation, as well as Dr. Steven Lawrence, an infectious disease physician with Barnes-Jewish Hospital and an associate professor of Medicine and assistant dean for Curriculum and Clinical Science at Washington University.
When a country’s origin story is developed, whose stories get highlighted and whose get erased? How do we foster the ideals of a nation while recognizing that some perspectives have been trampled during its history? These are among several questions Abram Van Engen explores in his new book, “City on a Hill: A History of American Exceptionalism,” which examines the 1630 sermon “City on a Hill” by Massachusetts Bay Governor John Winthrop. In this interview, Sarah Fenske talks with Engen about how the sermon went from being lost to history for two centuries, to being invoked by politicians on both sides of the aisle. They’ll also discuss the conflict between the ideals of American exceptionalism and those of the America First agenda.
The rapidly narrowing Democratic presidential race is coming to Missouri — and supporters of Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders believe they can make a play for the state's 68 delegates.
Taulby Roach has made the safety of the St. Louis region’s transit system a major focus since becoming president and CEO of Bi-State Development 14 months ago. Just last week he and other area leaders gathered to mark the culmination of two years of study and planning aimed at improving safety on buses and light rail lines. They touted the creation of a four-prong “systemwide security strategy” aimed at reducing “the rate and perception of crime” on transit, among other commitments. Bi-State also recently selected private security firm GS4 for a three-year contract, and has a new plan in place for a bigger police presence on MetroLink. In this segment, Roach talks with host Sarah Fenske about the latest developments in the agency’s safety efforts. Kevin Scott, director of public safety for Metro Transit, also weighs in, and listeners join the conversation as well.
It’s a question savvy diners confront with regularity: What new place should I try this month? Once again, our friends from Sauce Magazine visited "St. Louis on the Air" to help us answer the question. And while some months offer an embarrassment of riches, so many options that it’s hard to know what to do, this month promises an entirely manageable list: one restaurant, one bar and one coffee shop. Sauce Magazine managing editor Heather Hughes Huff and art director Meera Nagarajan delve into each spot’s charm.
St. Louisans and tourists alike have lots of options for sporting their love of the Lou, whether they snap up airport tchotchkes or visit one of countless vendors around town making the most of the city’s prized Gateway Arch and other iconic #STL imagery. But one retail shop has stood out from the crowd in recent years: STL-Style. The brainchild of St. Louis-area natives Jeff and Randy Vines, STL-Style is marking a full decade of life on the city’s vibrant Cherokee Street this year. And on March 28, the identical twins promise a celebration featuring Brothers Lazaroff, drag performers, local brews and more. It will be, the Vines brothers say, “a block party for all ages and a must-do event for any self-respecting St. Louisan.” The Vineses join host Sarah Fenske to look back on their 10 years of business on Cherokee Street — and how they’ve observed the city and its image evolve during that time.
Getting an education can reduce recidivism in prisoners. But many people in Illinois' prisons aren't able to get a high school diploma, associate's degree or learn a trade skill.
Mark Glenshaw is obsessed with owls. By day, he is a manager at Fontbonne University’s library; but by night, he frequents a discrete area of Forest Park, checking in on a great horned owl he named Charles. In this episode, Sarah Fenske talks with Glenshaw about his observations of Charles and his new mate, Danielle, over the past couple months.
March 3 is United Nation’s annual commemoration of World Wildlife Day, a time to highlight the importance of Earth’s natural resources and call for action to protect them. Host Sarah Fenske discusses the impact of biodiversity loss on Missouri's lesser-known native plants and insects. Joining the discussion are experts from Missouri Botanical Garden: Quinn Long, director of the Shaw Nature Reserve, and Aaron Lynn-Vogel, horticulturist at the Kemper Center for Home Gardening. They talk about habitats and wildlife at Shaw Nature Reserve, which includes many species native to Missouri, and what homeowners can do to promote biodiversity in their own backyard through plant selection.
While dating apps are making it easier to help people find love, many in St. Louis’ LGBTQ scene are finding drugs through the apps instead. As people put the letter “T” in capital letters in their usernames, or use ice cream or ice cube emojis to let others know they are carrying the drug on the dating apps, getting it is easier than ever. That’s according to former KSDK reporter Jeff Small.
He joins host Sarah Fenske to discuss how drugs are being trafficked through digital means to the LGBTQ community, and details his own experience on the apps and how he conquered his own addiction. Brandon Reid, a housing intake coordinator for the St. Louis nonprofit organization Criminal Justice Ministry, and Jason Eccker, a licensed clinical social worker for Synchronicity Counseling Solutions, also join the conversation.
Charlotte, North Carolina, a "city with the best of everything," is making Green a priority! Vision, leadership, and tracking replicable examples have become the norm thanks to efforts of Amy Aussieker and her organization, Envision Charlotte.
From mandating building energy efficiency (which benefits building owners and occupants) to innovating with Circular Economy principles this historic metro area is modeling 21st century sustainability in fiscally and socially beneficial action.
Amy Aussieker talked with Earthworms host Jean Ponzi in advance of her March 10 and 11 presentations to the US Green Building Council-Missouri Gateway Chapter and St. Louis Green Business Challenge. St. Louis is doing some of this too - how can we grow these efforts here?
THANKS to Andy Heaslet, Earthworms Engineer
Music: Butter II, performed live at KDHX by Ian Ethan Case
East St. Louis native and two-time Olympic medalist Dawn Harper-Nelson is gearing up to participate in the 2020 Olympics. She announced her retirement in 2018 to become a mother. Now, she’s picking up her cleats and hitting the track again.
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