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St. Louis on the Air creates a unique space where guests and listeners can share ideas and opinions with respect and honesty. Whether exploring issues and challenges confronting our region, discussing the latest innovations in science and technology, taking a closer look at our history or talking with authors, artists and musicians, St. Louis on the Air brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region.
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Pigeons are assumed to be common in most urban areas, but St. Louis does not have as many of these birds compared to other major cities. Washington University researchers have found that urban design and planning has a lot to do with that pigeon disparity, which highlights what’s missing in the city’s ecosystem. Postdoctoral fellow Elizabeth Carlen shares why a lack of pedestrians is the culprit, and how curiosity about minimal pigeon sightings in St. Louis landed her and her research partners in Madrid, Spain.
In reviews of Mexican restaurants across St. Louis, you’ll find numerous mentions of “authenticity.” But what makes a Mexican dish, like the taco, truly authentic? For Ignacio M. Sánchez Prado, that’s asking the wrong question. In his new book, “Taco,” Sánchez Prado challenges the idea of authentic food by exploring how migration and modernity have shaped the taco from its origins as a working-class staple in Mexico to a transnational icon that comes in many different textures and flavors.
A documentary-style play opening this week in St. Louis presents the experiences of transgender people and allies in their own words. Jamie Linson, a clinical psychologist, wrote the play after conducting more than 30 interviews with trans people and their families. The result is “Just Human: Transgender Lives in the 2020s.” Along with Linson, we talk with performer Jordan Braxton about playing herself, how the show confronts the harsh reality facing trans people face in Missouri, and how it also showcases the ways trans people find joy in their lives.
After the police shooting of Michael Brown, the City of Ferguson entered into a consent decree agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice. Now, almost a decade later, Ferguson residents and officials are eager for that contract to end. We’ll get an update on its progress from Ferguson Consent Decree Coordinator Patricia Washington, who spoke with STLPR reporter Chad Davis earlier this week. Washington shared examples of successful reforms made as part of the consent decree and the impact of cuts to the program’s funding. She also discussed the conditions for Ferguson to ultimately make its “exit strategy” from the consent decree.
Each year, more than 10 million visitors make their way to Branson, Missouri. Over many decades, the once-small hillside town developed a reputation for being the U.S. capital for performances with overtly religious and patriotic themes, and sometimes, a Christian nationalist bent. Joanna Dee Das’s new book, “Faith, Family, and Flag: Branson Entertainment & the Idea of America,” explores how conservative values and politics have played out on Branson’s stages and with audiences. She also describes what makes Branson an important site for the performing arts and how its presentation of American history, values and politics is far more complicated than its reputation suggests.
Firearms are deeply politicized in the United States, hampering regulation and safer gun laws. In St. Louis, 44% of residents say firearm violence is their top public health concern. A new report in JAMA Health Forum outlines a five-step, evidence-based roadmap to safer firearm regulation Dr. Sandro Galea, dean of Washington University’s School of Public Health and editor-in-chief of JAMA Health Forum, discusses why the plan — and public health — are key to addressing gun violence.
The Nolan family in St. Louis has been on a long road to recovery since an EF3 tornado tore the roof off their O'Fallon neighborhood home on May 16. We check in with mom Gloria Nolan and her 13-year-old daughter Dylan about how their family's been navigating busy schedules, a new school year, ongoing house repairs and questions they still have about what's next.
The EF3 tornado that ravaged parts of St. Louis six months ago devastated thousands of homes and businesses — and a dozen buildings in the St. Louis Public Schools district. Seven schools were so severely damaged that students were displaced. Now, SLPS administrators plan to have the schools either reopened or renovated by December 2026. STLPR’s Hiba Ahmed discusses the impact of the school closures, what the plan to reopen looks like and what the community's response has been in the six months since the tornado.
Six months after an EF3 tornado devastated parts of St. Louis, affected residents are still dealing with debris. Others are just now getting their roofs repaired. Without adequate support to rebuild and repair, some are left asking themselves: “What level of degradation to my home am I willing to live with long term?” STLPR engagement producer Paola Rodriguez shares notes from recent conversations with survivors of the May 16 tornado.
With roughly a year before the nation heads to polls for the 2026 midterm elections, STLPR’s Jason Rosenbaum examines some of the Missouri-based races that could foretell a national Democratic wave – or continued GOP dominance. Some of those contests include Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District contest, a slew of high-stakes ballot initiatives – and the race for the 8th Congressional District seat in southeast Missouri.
Sunday marks six months since a devastating tornado struck St. Louis and St. Louis County. And the recovery process still has a long way to go. St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer joins the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air to talk about the challenges of rebuilding parts of the city and whether the St. Louis region needs to work together on emergency management efforts.
St. Louis County is facing a sobering financial reality: The budget is nearly $80 million in the red. While a combination of reserve funds and special pots of money like the NFL settlement may bridge the gap this year, policymakers will have to make some tough decisions that may not be popular with residents. STLPR’s Jason Rosenbaum talks with St. Louis County Councilwoman Rita Days about the council’s posture toward the budget — and a public uproar over the future of the county animal shelter.
St. Louis is no stranger to sports championships, but you may have missed the news of the St. Louis Australian Football Club’s victory over its division rival Denver in the USAFL championships last month. Club players Dave Zitko and Rhiannon Duryea take us inside the championship season. They also break down the basics of the sport, from the hits, the kicks and many distinctive rules that make it unique.
As open enrollment is underway for people who rely on getting health insurance from the Affordable Care Act marketplace, many are facing steep premium hikes. STLPR health reporter Sarah Fentem talks about what’s driving the increases, how subsidies factor in and what the changes mean for consumers. We also hear real-life stories from people weighing tough coverage decisions.
On November 15, the Missouri History Museum will open a major new exhibit focused on Mill Creek Valley. Home to nearly 20,000 people, the neighborhood was erased in 1959 as part of St. Louis' push for urban renewal. We get to know two former residents of Mill Creek Valley who experienced that destruction as children, and who now are part of the larger effort to revive the neighborhood’s memory. Vivian Gibson, author of “The Last Children of Mill Creek," and Malaika Horne Wells, author of "Mother Wit,” share their memories of Mill Creek, their work to collect oral histories from other former residents. and a special preview of the documentary "Remembering Mill Creek: When We Were There."
Identical twin brothers and stand-up comedians Jason and Randy Sklar have become household names in the world of entertainment. The St. Louis natives will be returning home to headline the eighth annual Flyover Comedy Festival on November 13-16 . Jason Sklar joined us to talk about his and his brother’s comedy origins, their favorite memories growing up in St. Louis and what it means to him to see stand-up comedy growing and thriving in their hometown.
Wanda Sykes is most known for her stand-up prowess, comedic roles and activism on and off the stage. Sykes steps into a new kind of spotlight as a dramatic actor in “Undercard,” portraying Cheryl “No Mercy” Stewart: a former boxing champ and trainer trying to reconnect with the 21-year-old son she gave up when he was a child because of alcoholism. She joined “St. Louis on the Air” to discuss the role, her life and career, and what the Trailblazer Achievement Award from St. Louis International Film Festival means to her.
The reign of Mughal emperor of India Akbar the Great was more than four centuries ago, but for Dances of India President Nartana Premachandra, the story of his court — and its welcoming of all nationalities, religions and perspectives — is as salient as ever. She shares some of that history in her original dance-theater production, “Nine Jewels: Music, Art, & Splendor in the Court of Akbar the Great,” which takes the stage this weekend as part of Dances of India’s 48th annual performance.
St. Louis-based writer Daniel Blake Smith turned his 2018 novel “Mr. Wonderful” into a feature film starring the late Michael Madsen of “Reservoir Dogs” and “Kill Bill” fame. Ahead of its St. Louis premiere at the St. Louis International Film Festival on Tuesday, Smith talks with St. Louis Public Radio’s Chad Davis about the film, its personal roots and Madsen’s legacy.
The federal government shutdown has stretched into the longest in U.S. history, with ripple effects across the country — from unpaid federal workers to stalled safety net benefits. STLPR politics correspondent Jason Rosenbaum sat down with U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt in his Washington, D.C. office to talk about the shutdown’s impact, immigration policy and more. Jason then talks with Elaine Cha to add context and analysis.
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