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Our latest edition of the Politically Speaking podcast features St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger, who’s making his first appearance since taking office more than two years ago.

On the latest edition of the Politically Speaking podcast, St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum and Jo Mannies welcome Dan Guenther to the program for the first time.

They may nest in a tree stump, or holes in the ground, or pull nest fibers from the stalks of your dried-up native plants. Wherever they can make a home, you will find them fascinating, useful guests. Earthworms guest Heather Holm - a landscape designer, author and native plant expert - LOVES to introduce humans to them!

                           

They are Native Bees - species of insects that pollinate many kinds of plants. They are very different from familiar honeybees (introduced here from Europe) which live in huge colonies of thousands of bees. Our native bees are usually solitary, visible only during their brief adult lives, when their determined purpose is to build an out-of-the-way nest, provision it with "bee bread" made from flower pollen, lay eggs, seal their nest up - and die. Next year, new native bees will hatch from those obscure places and re-start the cycle of reproduction and pollination.

Heather Holm now works, researches, writes and speaks from her Minnesota home in the Twin Cities. She hails from the University of Ontario, Guelph, where another recent Earthworms guest brought us intel about honeybees. She visited St. Louis in early March, as keynote speaker for the Partners for Native Landscaping workshop, where she kindled many fires of interest in gardening to attract and observe native bees - including with Earthworms host Jean Ponzi!

Music: Divertimento K 131, performed by Kevin McLeod

Thanks to Andy Heaslet, Earthworms engineer.

Related Earthworms Conversations: Bees and People (January 2017)

Prairie Plants: Growing a Joint Venture with Nature (February 2017)

Gina Alvarez is the Executive Director at Living Arts Studio, a non-profit organization based in Maplewood that gives artists with disabilities a place to explore their passion for art. "We aren't approaching art as a rehabilitation or therapeutic tool," Alvarez explains -- nonetheless adding, "art does change lives." Given the freedom to express themselves and adapt to positive feedback, artists develop a unique confidence in their abilities: "They can initially walk in and think 'I don't know,' and then a year later say 'I am an artist.'"

Valentine' Day celebrations.

When I visited the studio just before Valentine's Day, everyone was getting ready to show their love. Colorful heart-shaped balloons made the environment even homier, while fellow artists collaborated on a project in which they drew hearts in their own unique styles. 

Aided by Alvarez, Living Arts not only facilitates art-making but also introduces artists with disabilities to a wider community beyond the studio. Member artists have exhibited their work at venues such as the Sheldon Art Gallery and the University City Library. For Alvarez, this represents the community-building promise of art: "The level of exhibition opportunities they are participating in is notable. I think that's huge. The sense of accomplishment anybody would experience with opportunities like that is tremendous." She also believes in the potential of her artists: "Pursuing exhibitions at high-calibre venues shows that people with disabilities can participate on that level, and should, and will."  

Since joining Living Arts Studio in May of 2012, Alvarez has witnessed the progress her artists have made in their art careers. But more importantly, she is thrilled to see them gain community and friendship in the studio as they build trust between each other and with facilitators. "I don't think it's easy walking into any studio and agreeing to be part of something that you are not entirely sure what it is."

Living Arts Studio is always actively seeking methods to improve their programs and increase accessibility. "We work with cultural institutions through workshops, and see what accessibility looks like in programing, in art tools, and how you adapt tools to meet the needs of people with disabilities," Alvarez explained. The studio also uses the help of other institutions to "mould the programs into a more universal design." As Alvarez put it, "Through universality, there is inclusion."  

        Larry Eisenberg at work.

Artist Larry Eisenberg has been part of the community at Living Arts Studio for over a year now. Seeing his father work on architecture design growing up, Eisenberg has taken to drawing houses and making art that shows a sense of space. "I am always looking for something that reminds me of landscape beauty," he pointed out. For Eisenberg, the freedom of creativity is expansive: "You never make mistakes because it doesn't matter if it it's art." Laughing, he added, "Nobody knows."

Melelani Perry, another artist, found belonging at Living Arts. When I asked Perry what the studio means to her, without hesitation she said, "Safe. Everyone is friendly and keeps us laughing." 

Melelani Perry with her work.

Perry came to the studio two years ago wanting something different. She learned to sew and alter her own clothes. A recurring theme in Perry's work has been images of women. Using self-portraits or pictures from magazines or self-portraits, she bedazzles her women with colorful tapes, glitter and stickers. Inspired by Buddhism and the mandala, Perry often gives her women a third eye, a symbol of spiritual enlightenment. She also uses markers for exaggerated makeup, which adds a postmodern quality to her work. "I put myself in my art a lot. It's my signature," Perry explained. Alvarez added, "Because you are the one thing you know the best, right?" 

The fulfillment Alvarez gets from her work goes beyond seeing the positive change art-making can bring to others -- it has also made her a better artist. "They work totally intuitively without criticism of their own personal process, often with reckless abandon. The freedom they have is extremely inspiring to me."

Producing sculptural objects and installations using ceramics, glass, fiber and print techniques, Alvarez has exhibited her own work in solo and group exhibitions at many venues, including the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, Gallery 210, Boots Contemporary Art, the Center for Creative Arts, Craft Alliance, the Des Lee Gallery, Pele Prints and fort gondo. She has received abundant recognition from both local and national organizations and has also curated many shows at these same spaces. 

Besides her careers as an artist and director of Living Arts, Alvarez teaches at St. Louis Community College, Forest Park and serves as Executive Director of VSA Missouri, which promotes arts resources for people with disabilities. 

Her path to Living Arts began when she was Gallery Director at the St. Louis Artists' Guild. While working there, she and the former Executive Director of Living Arts Studio and VSA Missouri curated an exhibition in the Sight and Vision series called Speaking Volumes, for artists Susan Shie, who is visually-impaired, and Richard Meyers, who is hearing-impaired. Through that experience Alvarez decided to come work at Living Art Studio.

Alvarez recalled how, with no background in social services, she went through a learning curve as she transitioned from a working artist to something of a community organizer, aided in part by her experience in the Regional Arts Commission's Community Arts Training Institute. But being an artist rather than a social worker has meant that she makes sure to treat members as artists first and foremost. Alvarez explains, "It has changed my personal practice to be less individual and more community-based. It has had an impact on me personally in ways I never anticipated as a working artist." 

On the latest edition of the Politically Speaking podcast, St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum and Jenny Simeone welcome state Rep. Jean Evans to the program.

In Earthworms' experience, when people want to do something Green they think recycling - or solar panels! But what makes solar tick? What are your options? How is solar evolving, in efficiency, affordability, and influence in the "energy space?"

                         
Paul McKnight, owner of St. Louis-based EFS Energy, has made solar his business since 2011. He's weathered solar's ups/downs - and continues to be excited by innovations in power storage, renewable energy financing - and more.

                    

Music: Giant Steps, Dave Stone

THANKS to Andy Heaslet, intrepid engineer

Related Earthworms' Conversations: PACE Financing (January 2017)

Energy: Efficiency, Policy, Financing (September 2016)

All-Electric America> (August 2016)

The melee to get closer to becoming St. Louis mayor is mere hours away from its conclusion.

On this edition of the Politically Speaking podcast, St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum and Rachel Lippmann welcome former St. Louis Alderman Jimmie Matthews to the program.

On the this edition of the Politically Speaking podcast, St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum and Jo Mannies welcome Alderman Lyda Krewson to the show for the second time.

How can you not love a tiny, gorgeous creature that flies from Mexico to Canada to keep its species on the Earth? Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) are one of our most iconic nature-kin. They need our help - and we can give it to them, beautifully.

                    

Dr. Orly R. "Chip" Taylor has championed Monarchs since the early 1990s.  His studies through University of Kansas-Lawrence have documented a drastic decline (over 90%) of Monarch populations along their  North American migratory flyway, and his advocacy - as founder of Monarch Watch, Monarch Waystation and Milkweed Market - continues to mobilize citizen science and gardening support to restore habitat needed to preserve this species.

Chip Taylor will  keynote the second annual Grow Native! workshop in Edwardsville, IL on Friday, March 10. This is an opportunity to hear one of nature's Green Giants, learn how YOU can contribute to the health of Monarch and other native critter populations through Native Plant landscaping - and you can GET PLANTS!

Don't let this spring pass without digging into the Native Plant movement. Opportunities abound! You - and Monarchs - will benefit, beautifully.

Music: Artifact, Kevin MacLeod

THANKS to Andy Heasley, Earthworms engineer - and to Andy Coco.

Related Earthworms Conversations: 

Native Plants: Growing a Joint Venture with Nature (February 2017) 

Prairie Power (March 2016)

On the latest edition of the Politically Speaking podcast, St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum and Rachel Lippmann welcome St. Louis Republican mayoral candidate Andrew Jones to the show for the first time.

On the latest edition of the Politically Speaking podcast, St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum, Jo Mannies and Rachel Lippmann welcome back St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura Jones to the show.

On the latest edition of the Politically Speaking podcast, St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum and Rachel Lippmann welcome mayoral candidate Andy Karandzieff to the program.

On this edition of the Politically Speaking podcast, St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum, Jo Mannies and Rachel Lippmann welcome St. Louis School Board member Bill Haas to the program.

It’s an odd-numbered year after a presidential election. And you know what that means? It’s time for a rough and tumble race for St. Louis mayor. This isn’t any ordinary election. Because Mayor Francis Slay isn’t running for a fifth term, a big field of candidates have signed up to succeed him.

On this episode of the Politically Speaking podcast, St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum, Jenny Simeone and Rachel Lippmann welcome Alderman Antonio French to show for the first time.

Longest in the US, muddy-waters famous for music-inspiring - and one of the most-altered rivers on Earth. We humans have channelized, narrowed and straightened the Missouri almost (not quite) beyond recognition.   
   
                         

With enough River Issues to float a boat, we STILL have opportunities to protect and in some spots even restore health to the Mighty MO. Greg Poleski, VP of Greenway Network, works on river issues by leading paddling outings on "water trails," leading river clean-ups, and organizing public education events. Brad Walker, River Director for the Missouri Coalition for the Environment, works with legal, legislative, public education and other means to protect the Missouri from further degradation.

LEARN MORE at River Soundings - a free panel discussion of Missouri River issues. Wednesday February 22, 5:30-8 p.m. Visitor Center in Forest Park. Panelists Tony Messenger, Brad Walker and Dr. Robert Criss, moderated by Jean Ponzi from KDHX.

Music: Big Piney Blues, performed live at KDHX by Brian Curran, December 2003

THANKS to Josh Nothum, Earthworms engineer.

Related Earthworms Conversations: Mississippi River Town Mayors: Leadership in a Global Way (June, 2016)

On the latest edition of the Politically Speaking podcast, St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum and Jo Mannies welcome state Sen. Ryan Silvey back to the program.

Wildflowers are moving into the city - and plants with "weed" in their names are welcome even in the 'burbs. Sure and steady as Oak trees, a Native Plant revolution is changing the ways we experience our yards, our parks, our school grounds and even our corporate campuses. 

                     

Neil Diboll, President of Prairie Nursery in Westfield, Wisconsin, has grown this wild idea for 35 years. He was digging native plants when his business "couldn't give 'em away." Now he - and many humans like him - can't get enough of the kinds of plants that let our species garden in a Joint Venture with Nature. 

                                    

Mitch Leachman cultivates this mania here in the KDHX listening area. As head of St. Louis Audubon, he leads volunteers from groups with names like Wild Ones and Master Naturalists in efforts to "Bring Conservation Home" - the wildly successful Audubon program that comes to your yard with guidance to garden ecologically. 

Let this Earthworms conversation welcome you to the realm of Native Plants. Want to learn more? You're in luck! March brings workshops, talks and plant sales bursting like Milkweed pods with Native Plant knowledge, opportunity, and FUN! Neil Diboll will headline the 2017 Partners for Native Landscaping Workshop on March 3 & 4 - hosted this year at St. Louis Community College-Meramec, where native plant horticulture training is taking off like Prairie Blazing Stars. 

Additional visiting Native Plant maven: pollinator plant author Heather Holm.

Need a lift for your spirits? Start gardening for butterflies, birds and bees. Pick some flowers with "weed" in their names. Meet folks who've got the Native bug - and let yourself catch it too!

Music: Agnes Polka, performed at KDHX by the Chia Band, 1999.

THANKS to Andy Coco, Earthworms engineer, and to all the Partners for Native Landscaping organizations.

Related Earthworms Conversations: Prairie Power: Native Plants, Soil Health, Biodiverse BEAUTY (March 30, 2016)

Wes Jackson and The Land Institute: Growing Our Food Crops as Prairies? (September 15, 2015)

Honeybees are giving humans a sustainable buzz! Eastern Missouri Beekeepers Association will host their 10th annual workshop for beginning and advanced beekeepers on Saturday February 11th. Local beekeepers - at hobby and commercial scales - gather at this event to learn basic and advanced apiculture from guest faculty and each other. 

Local beekeepers and EMBA members, Steve Rudolph and John Pashia, are joined by Paul Kelly, who is Research and Apiary Manager in the School of Environmental Sciences at University of Guelph, Ontario. Paul is coming to St. Louis as guest faculty for the advanced course in the EMBA workshop. 

      

We buzz about: Virroa destructor, the mite pestilence wreaking havoc in bee colonies across North America; honeybee health measures that are evolving to work with bee biology and habits, vs. techno-fixes; some beekeeping history; what folks like about interacting with these industrious insects - and of course, those enjoyable products of the hive.

Beekeeping is a popular, fast-growing hobby among sustainably-minded humans. And bees are essential partners in producing over half of the foods our society eats. If you've thought about beekeeping, now's the time to get to learn more!

Music: Divertimento K131, performed live at KDHX by Kevin MacLeod, February 2009.

Photos: EMBA members learning together (Ray Marklin); Paul Kelly (Guelph Mercury) 

THANKS to Earthworms engineer Josh Nothum, joined this week by Andy Heaslet.

Related Earthworms Conversations: Vanishing Bees: Science, Politics and Honeybee Health (January 16, 2017; Honeybee Democracy - Dr. Tom Seely is WILD About Bees (February 23, 2016)