St. Louis on the Air

In 1972, Martin McNally hijacked American Airlines Flight 119 out of St. Louis Lambert International Airport – and years of chaos ensued. His story inspired the 2020 true crime podcast “American Skyjacker.” Now, a feature documentary film of the same name premieres in St. Louis on Friday, Oct.17 at Ronnie’s Cinema. St. Louis on the Air producer Danny Wicentowski’s 2017 cover story for the Riverfro...

Research shows that when people form strong emotional bonds with their home, communities experience greater economic growth, recover faster from natural disasters and foster deeper connection and meaning among residents. The Missouri Historical Society’s “I am St. Louis” campaign seeks to do just that. President and CEO Jody Sowell, alongside STLPR lead producer Luis Antonio Perez, share what they...

The approximately 3,200 unionized Boeing machinists in the St. Louis area have been on strike since August 4 in pursuit of better wages and benefits. The strike has been compared to the one in the Pacific Northwest in the fall of 2024, though it has not garnered as much national attention. Labor expert and Washington University Professor Jake Rosenfeld discusses how the strike may play out and whe...

Rejecting calls for mercy from opponents of the death penalty, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe announced Monday that Lance Shockley’s execution will be carried out as planned at 6 p.m. Tuesday. We sit down with Mary Fox, coordinator of the Death Penalty Abolition Program with the Archdiocese of St. Louis, and Heidi Moore of Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty, to react to Kehoe’s announcement and to...

For 16 years, St. Louis band Fister has brought their own brand of heavy metal doom to fans across the world. Their latest album, “Graceless,” was released last month under bassist Kenny Snarzyk’s record label Possession Press. Snarzyk shares the keys to Fister’s success, how their music and the metal scene has evolved over the years as well as their affinity for storytelling.

October’s new music round up is for those experiencing end-of-summer woes. Experimental jazz hits from the mad genius world of Mad Keys and Kaelin Ellis on “Citrus Punch” and Russo & Co.’s country cruisin’ song “Key West of the Midwest” are two tracks that will give your Fall 2025 playlist a fresh summery vibe. Musician and artist development coach Muhammad “Mvstermind” Austin, producer and music...

In 1987, 9-year-old John O’Leary was playing with matches in his family’s garage. In the blink of an eye he was fighting for his life at St. Louis Children’s Hospital with severe burns on 90% of his body. After years of rehabilitation and healing, O’Leary has shared his story to motivate thousands of people around the world. He has also written two bestselling books, one of which has now been adap...

An old favorite sandwich shop returned, many coffee shops opened and downtown St. Louis lost a pizza place of note. STLPR foodies Jessica Rogen and Abby Llorico share what’s good in St. Louis’ food scene. They also discuss the loss of food magazine, Feast, and how its closure may affect the food and events scene in the region.

Nicki Jacobsmeyer’s new book Spooky America: The Ghostly Tales of St. Charles could be just the thing to get the kids in your life into Halloween spirit. Jacobsmeyer takes us inside the new book and shares some of the ghostly experiences people have had on St. Charles’ historic Main Street.

Moon cakes are a traditional treat in many Asian countries that celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. St. Louisans Ray and Leah Yeh, owners and bakers at Foundry Bakery, have their own tradition of creating Taiwanese-style moon cakes: Instagram-worthy pastries whose fillings reflect personal heritage and a commitment to sourcing the best ingredients available from U.S. farmers and purveyors. The Yehs...

The relationship between U.S. Steel and the Granite City Works steel mill has been rocky for years. The company recently announced it would stop sending steel to the plant, then reversed that decision a few weeks later. Now, the plant is safe from closure until 2027, but the local United Steelworkers union is looking beyond that date and planning for an uncertain future. St. Louis Public Radio Met...

Fall marks the harvest of pumpkins, squash and cabbage. It’s also the perfect time to plan for next spring by planting things like garlic, shallot and shrubs. Horticulturists Daria McKelvey of the Missouri Botanical Garden and Eliza Pessereau of University of Missouri Extension discuss autumn planting, how to prepare your garden for winter, and what we can anticipate with fall tree-color this year...

For just more than nine months, Alfred Montgomery has led the St. Louis Sheriff's office. He came in with ambitions to make changes — but his tenure has been marked by disputes over spending, controversies around transporting detainees for medical care and even an effort by Missouri’s attorney general to remove him from office. Montgomery sat down with STLPR’s Brian Munoz for a wide-ranging interv...

It’s been a week since President Donald Trump conducted a press conference where, among other things, he promoted a highly disputed link between Tylenol use during pregnancy and autism. But while most of the news coverage focused on Trump’s fixation on what causes the neurological disorder, St. Louis’ autistic community and its allies were struck by how the GOP president characterized autism “a ho...

On the latest episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, BiState’s Taulby Roach talks about the demise of the Green Line MetroLink plan – and why bus rapid transit could be a boon for St. Louis at a fraction of the cost. Roach also explained how BiState works, and also delved into whether it could expand to other parts of the region.

A “Big Year” is a birder’s race against the calendar to identify as many bird species as possible in one year. The new documentary “Listers,” created by two brothers from Collinsville, follows the highs, lows and quirks of that quest — and their newfound appreciation for birdwatching.

Over 40 years ago, Tom “Papa” Ray helped open Vintage Vinyl, one of America’s last independent record stores. In 2020, Ray started production on a docuseries made for television called “Papa Ray’s Vintage Vinyl Roadshow.” The show’s second season premieres on Nine PBS this Saturday, Oct. 4. Ray shares how he went from selling records at Soulard Market to traveling the world to interview record sto...

St. Louis County Library and the St. Louis County Board of Elections are inviting students in grades 6-12 to participate in their second “I Voted” sticker contest with a new “Future Voter” category. SLCL Director Kristen Sorth and St. Louis County Board of Elections Public Information Officer Kate Springer discuss the focus on youth, contest rules and how to enter. The contest runs through 5 p.m.,...

The Missouri National Guard is now assisting Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Gov. Mike Kehoe says 15 Guard members will help with administrative and logistical work at ICE processing facilities. STLPR politics correspondent Jason Rosenbaum explains what this means — and how it differs from troop operations in Los Angeles and Chicago.

Years of complaints from tenants has led to multiple lawsuits against the developers behind Lux Living, Asprient Properties and STL CityWide. But federal fraud charges looming over Sid Chakraverty, his brother, Vic Alston, and their accountant, Shijing “Poppy” Cao were abruptly dropped this summer. On this episode of the Legal Roundtable, our panel of expert attorneys discuss the case, which raise...

Almost half of skilled trade workers are nearing retirement. ConstructReach aims to fill that imminent gap by providing young people with training and skills for careers in construction. CEO and founder Paul Robinson discusses the challenges facing the construction industry, the job landscape for young professionals and the mission of his organization.

John Buckner was lynched in 1894; his body left to hang from a bridge over the Meramec River. More than 130 years later, Buckner’s killing is being memorialized through a new historical marker in Buder Park in St. Louis County. Washington University professors Geoff Ward and David Cunningham discuss the role of public memorials and America’s history of racial violence, why it has taken years to cr...

After years of construction and planning, Friday marked the opening of the new National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency campus in St. Louis. STLPR economic development reporter Kavahn Mansouri was on the scene for the event, along with public officials including U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell and director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Mansouri shares his takeaways from the grand opening of the $1....

Powell Hall, the century-old home of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, has reopened after a two-year, $140 million expansion and renovation. STLPR arts and culture senior reporter Jeremy D. Goodwin talks about the hall’s transformation. Then, newly appointed composer-in-residence Kevin Puts, a St. Louis native and Pulitzer Prize- and Grammy Award-winning composer, discusses the world premiere of h...

St. Louis artist Henry Moyerman transforms small Lego sculptures into monumental works of art. His new exhibit, “Built Over Time,” features large-scale photographs that make his tiny creations appear much larger. Moyerman discusses how a childhood fascination with Lego bricks and photography grew into an art practice — and why scale and perspective are central to his work. The exhibit is on displa...