St. Louis on the Air

Former St. Louis Public Schools superintendent Keisha Scarlett misused district funds and violated hiring protocols according to a new report from the district. Scarlett also racked up nearly $210,000 worth of charges on credit cards assigned to her and the superintendent’s office during her 14-month tenure, including expenses at Bath & Body Works and Massage Envy. STLPR education reporter Hiba Ah...

A recent E. coli outbreak at several events in the St. Louis region has left more than a dozen people hospitalized and affected at least 115 others. That follows news of a shigella outbreak in Fairview Heights where nearly a hundred diners were sickened after eating at a LongHorn Steakhouse. We talk about food borne illness and pose your food safety questions to an infectious disease physician, a...

Vernon Betts, Sheriff for the City of St. Louis, will leave office after 8 years on Dec. 31. Betts lost his bid for re-election to Alfred Montgomery in the August primary. Known for his colorful personality (and controversies that have come with it), Betts has always spoken highly about serving St. Louis. STLPR Visuals Editor Brian Munoz sat down with Sheriff Betts, who reflected on his career in...

A land transfer agreement announced in November 2024 brings the Osage Nation one step closer to reclaiming Sugarloaf Mound — the last remaining Mississippian mound in St. Louis — in its entirety. Osage artist Anita Fields and her son Nokosee Fields created "WayBack," a sculptural and musical installation, at the Sugarloaf Mound site as part of a Counterpublic arts exhibition in 2023. Fields speaks...

In January, Gov. Mike Parson will leave office after 6 ½ years as Missouri’s top executive. Thanks to Republican supermajorities and a flood of federal money, Parson was able to enact significant policies — and make appointments that shaped Missouri politics and the judiciary. STLPR’s Jason Rosenbaum and Sarah Kellogg conducted a wide ranging exit interview with Parson. Later, Jason and Sarah join...

Among Average White Band's hits are "Pick Up the Pieces," the 1974 song that highlights the group's funk and soul sound. The band's final performance is this Friday in St. Louis and ahead of that show, saxophonist Fred Vigdor reflects on his 28-year tenure with the group and its influence on hip-hop culture.

The “Ellington Strayhorn Nutcracker” from Jazz St Louis and St. Louis Dance Theatre will take audiences into the lives of Duke Ellington and LGBTQ composer Billy Strayhorn. Combining the holiday classic with a story set in 1960s St. Louis' Gaslight Square, the production represents “a love letter” to Strayhorn as an “unsung genius, who dared to live authentically in the face of adversity,” said ch...

The GOP-controlled Missouri General Assembly spent recent years focusing on restricting the rights of trans people. That pattern is already repeating for 2025, with multiple pre-filed bills that propose ways to make it harder for trans people to change their gender markers on state-issued IDs. Katy Erker-Lynch, the executive director of the policy and advocacy organization PROMO Missouri, and Shir...

Missouri Democrats were fairly bullish that 2024 would be the election cycle where they would finally gain some ground. But not only did Democratic candidates get blown out in statewide contests for governor and the U.S. Senate, the party failed to gain any ground in the Missouri General Assembly. Missouri Democratic Party Chairman Russ Carnahan discusses the disappointing results and how the part...

It’s December: What better time to cozy up and open a great new book? Or perhaps you’re looking for the perfect book to give as a gift this holiday season. Ted Reidy of St. Louis Public Library and Tammy Albohaire of St. Louis County Library share their favorite books released in 2024.

Journalist Steven Thrasher was featured as a speaker at the Missouri History Museum during a commemoration of World Aids Day on December 1. Thrasher's 2022 book, "The Viral Underclass," draws deeply from his reporting in the St. Louis region, and explores the way viruses — from HIV/AIDS to COVID-19 — expose society’s fault lines.

Katie Lee, of Katie’s Pizza and Pasta, talks about writing her autobiography — a work being published in serial, print form — and its focus on her past struggles with alcohol addiction and the development of a thriving restaurant and fine foods business.

Democrats in St. Clair County in Illinois have previously enjoyed double-digit victories over their Republican opponents, but those margins of victory over the last three elections have crept into the single digits. STLPR Metro East reporter Will Bauer discusses his reporting on this topic.

Owen Ragland started his pop-project Whitworth alone, but over time has added friends-turned-collaborators to bring his nostalgic and optimistic sound across the country. In this “producers cut” of “St. Louis on the Air”, Ragland shares the journey behind his debut album “Earth To Dreamer.”

Producer Miya Norfleet and STLPR reporter Chad Davis discuss their favorite recent releases from St. Louis’ music scene, including Brock Seals, Aida Ade, Occults, Foxing and Jordan Ward.

Psychologist Dr. Marva Robinson shares ways to prepare for — and navigate — the potentially challenging situations that could come up at gatherings this holiday season.

Research around adult sibling relationships shows the health of those bonds has a significant bearing on long-term psychological and emotional well-being. Megan Gilligan, professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia, directs the Families in Later Life Lab at Mizzou. In this encore episode, she discusses what makes sibling relationships unique, how various stages and phases of adulthood affect...

Tonia Haddix, the subject of the HBO series “Chimp Crazy,” is likely to face federal criminal contempt charges after flouting orders from a federal judge. Taxes on recreational marijuana are high, but could come down in Missouri after an appeals court ruling that forbids the so-called “stacking” of taxes by local governments. And, the club of soccer supporters called the St. Louligans says that an...

Several St. Louis area election reform groups want to set up a public financing system for St. Louis County elections, which they say would help build trust in elected officials. The proposal would set up a dedicated tax to give eligible voters $25 certificates that could be directed to candidates running for posts like county executive, prosecutor, assessor and county council. UMSL political scie...

The City of St. Louis has about $250 million from a settlement with the Rams over its relocation to Los Angeles. Unlike money from the American Rescue Plan Act, there’s no deadline to spend it. That hasn’t stopped competing proposals and disagreements at City Hall. STLPR reporter Rachel Lippmann breaks down the divisions on the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air.

Missourians have backed ballot items supported by Democrats in the past decade while also giving Republicans unfettered control over state government. On this episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, we hear from a voter who split his ticket voting for Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe and U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, and for legalizing abortion and raising the minimum wage. Longtime Republ...

A recent report from the U.S. Department of Education shows that millions of dollars of American Rescue Plan Act funding for homeless students still remain unspent in the Midwest, including Missouri. Schools are scrambling to file extensions. Midwest Newsroom investigative reporter Kavahn Mansouri explains why school districts did not know the funds were available or struggled to find ways to use...

Bob Costas has been a mainstay of sports broadcasting for decades. He’s done the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals and the Olympics. But before he was on national and international stages, he got his start in St. Louis — at KMOX in 1974. Costas is back in St. Louis, the place he considers his hometown, to receive the Stan Musial Lifetime Achievement Award for Sportsmanship. He reflects on his s...

St. Louis County Animal Care and Control Adoption Center volunteers have spent nearly 28,000 hours walking dogs, cleaning kennels and promoting adoptable pets so far this year. Despite their contributions, the county’s Department of Public Health has decided to end the shelter’s volunteer program. That decision has volunteers and advocates worried about what will happen to the animals at the facil...

Eighteen inmates have died at the St. Louis City Justice Center since 2020, which is higher than what public safety officials previously shared. STLPR reporter Lacretia Wimbley investigated the discrepancy between those figures. She shares her findings and how city leaders have responded.