St. Louis on the Air

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 incl...

Author J. Courtney Sullivan joins host Sarah Fenske for a discussion of her new book, "Friends and Strangers," which explores privilege and the "hollowing out" of America through the lives of two women: journalist Elisabeth and her babysitter Sam.

The pandemic has led to an increased demand for food delivery services, like DoorDash and Postmates. In March, Chipotle Mexican Grill announced they would expand their delivery services by partnering with Uber Eats. But for local eateries, the price of working with a third party delivery service can be steep. In this episode, local restaurateurs share their experience working with third party deli...

With protests against police brutality and attention to systemic racism sweeping the nation in 2020, there’s renewed urgency surrounding the efforts of the American Civil Liberties Union. The organization is also celebrating 100 years of existence, both at the national level and in Missouri — and a crew at Washington University Libraries has recently dug deep into records of that century’s worth o...

On Monday, the St. Louis Board of Aldermen gave initial approval to a plan that would put airport privatization before voters. The citywide vote would come this fall, with a big push to lease the airport to a private vendor by next July. So why now? And who stands to benefit? In this episode of the talk show, St. Louis Public Radio's Corinne Ruff joins host Sarah Fenske to talk about the idea Mayo...

More often than not, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is associated with tracking drug cartels and arresting traffickers. But the law enforcement agency also ensures physicians and pharmacists are following the law with regards to prescriptions, a role that has become even more critical as well as more challenging in recent months. And in the DEA’s St. Louis Division, the COVID-19 pandemic...

Portland Place residents Mark and Patricia McCloskey came outside their million-dollar home in St. Louis Sunday evening and brandished guns at protesters who were making their way to protest in front of Mayor Lyda Krewson’s house. Did the McCloskey’s illegally brandish their weapons? Does the castle doctrine come into play? How does Portland Place being a private street affect the rights of its re...

"St. Louis on the Air" hears from residents sharing their fondest memories of Nelly's "Country Grammar" and what they admire most about Nelly’s success and representation of the region.

As an assistant professor of health management and policy at St. Louis University, Michael Rozier is used to thinking a lot about matters of public health — and finding plenty of reasons for hope. But last week, with COVID-19 case numbers in the U.S. suggesting any end to the pandemic is still a long way off, he took to Twitter to offer some less-than-optimistic predictions. In this episode, Rozie...

Twenty years ago, a record release on June 27 changed the course of St. Louis’ presence in the hip-hop world and overall cultural identity. Cornell Haynes Jr., a.k.a. Nelly, debuted his first solo album, “Country Grammar,” bringing national attention to St. Louis’ distinct accent and steez. The album rose to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and is in a rare class of hip-hop albums to be awarded a diamon...

When the coronavirus pandemic forced St. Louis courts to close, there were about 150 eviction cases in the works. Since then, the St. Louis Sheriff's Department says phones have been ringing off the hook with requests from landlords whose tenants have failed to pay rent. In this episode, Sarah Fenske talks with Sheriff Vernon Betts about how his office is preparing for a surge in evictions once th...

Host Sarah Fenske explores the 13th annual QFest, presented by Cinema St. Louis. The film festival showcases contemporary gay cinema, spotlights the lives of LGBTQ people and celebrates queer culture. Joining the discussion is Chris Clark, Cinema St. Louis' artistic director and QFest organizer, to talk through what this year's festival has to offer. Also joining the discussion is local director D...

Earlier this year, the federal government intercepted an unusual find: egg cases holding what could become hundreds of black market praying mantises. Host Sarah Fenske explores how those egg cases ended up at the Missouri Botanical Garden —and what happened when they hatched.

The author of the “The Immortals of Tehran” is an Iranian translator and writer. He was born in Tehran. But for the past four years, he’s lived here in St. Louis, where he's a PhD student at Washington University. He discusses his new book, and time in the Midwest, with host Sarah Fenske.

A drug developed in St. Louis is beginning human trials with the idea of helping those most at risk of dying from COVID-19. ATI-450 was originally developed by Confluence Discovery Technologies in 2013 as a treatment for autoimmune diseases, particularly rheumatoid arthritis. Confluence co-founder Joe Monahan discusses with host Sarah Fenske how it might now also help with the new coronavirus -- a...

Nearly 90% of the Crime Victim Center’s cases deal with domestic violence, and according to the nonprofit’s executive director Marti Kelly, there is currently an increase in such cases in the St. Louis region. She believes this is due to recent stay-at-home orders. In this episode, Sarah Fenske talks with Kelly about the organization's work, and domestic violence survivor Alexis shares how the Cri...

The city of St. Louis approved a $5.7 million contract last week to outfit its police officers with body cameras. City officials said some cops could be wearing cameras within a month. But the policies surrounding the cameras remain unclear. The spokesman for the city’s police union argued in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that any changes to equipment need the union’s approval. The city counselor di...

Juneteenth, sometimes called Freedom Day or Jubilee Day, is one of the oldest celebrations practiced in the United States. And it has taken on added significance during periods of the country’s history where the push to end racial inequities has been in the spotlight. Local Juneteenth parade organizer Carla "Coffee" Wright and Calvin Riley Jr, director of the George B. Vashon Museum, join host Sar...

In recent weeks, many St. Louis institutions have begun to reopen after months of coronavirus-mandated closures. City Museum General Manager Rick Erwin discussed the difficulties of adapting a free-for-all playland to the age of COVID-19. Reps from the St. Louis Science Center and Magic House also shared their thoughts.

Thursday marks 100 years since the inception of St. Louis Lambert International Airport. On June 18, 1920, Major Albert Bond Lambert and the Missouri Aeronautical Society leased 170 acres of farmland in north St. Louis County to serve as an airfield for St. Louis. Today it is the oldest continuously operating commercial airport in the U.S. Daniel Rust is the author of “The Aerial Crossroads of Ame...

At 17, St. Louis resident Antigone Chambers Reed is already a writer, actor and human rights activist. And earlier this month, she added yet another role to the mix when she was named the 2020 Jamala Rogers Young Visionary. The award is given annually by the Youth Council for Positive Development, recognizing young adults who are working for social justice and making a difference in their communit...

The average protester might seem like a young adult, but parents are also bringing out their children with them to demonstrate. Host Sarah Fenske explores that decision with parents about how they navigate the ongoing shift in culture when it comes to conversations about race, and making the decision to bring kids to protests. Joining the discussion are We Stories board members Jenna Voss and Pame...

After Tower Grove Park removed a statue of Christopher Columbus on June 16, it doesn't look like a new statue will be erected anytime soon due to COVID-19 budget challenges, according to a park official. But that got us wondering who St. Louisans should honor with a statue: Dred Scott, Josephine Baker, someone from the Osage Nation? We got the backstory from Washington University history professor...

In between all the news updates about the COVID-19 pandemic and protests against police brutality, a totally different story jumped out from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch the other day. “Mass species extinctions are accelerating,” the headline began. That’s the existentially disturbing takeaway from a new study co-authored by Peter Raven, president emeritus of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Examinin...

Nine of the top 10 books on the New York Times' nonfiction bestseller list are about race, or racism. And local book stores are seeing a similar surge. Jeffrey Blair of Eye See Me African American Children's Bookstore and Danielle King of Left Bank Books joined host Sarah Fenske to describe what they're seeing, and share their picks.