St. Louis on the Air

Music has the power to conjure memory and emotion. In her new book, “Transported: The Everyday Magic of Musical Daydreams,” St. Louis native and professor Elizabeth Margulis investigates the source and implications of music’s impact on human cognition. The director of Princeton University’s Music Cognition Lab shares insights from her research, including the way that emotion and memory can trigger...

Artist and educator Carmon Colangelo retired at the end of April after 20 years as founding dean of Washington University’s Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts. Blending traditional and digital printmaking techniques, his work is currently on view at the Bruno David Gallery in Clayton. STLPR arts and culture senior reporter Jeremy D. Goodwin talks with Colangelo about his career, the role of ar...

From diners to desserts, St. Louis’ food scene is transforming — and, in some cases, expanding. This month, STLPR’s Jessica Rogen and Abby Llorico talk about the latest news from St. Louis’ food and dining scene, including the opening of several new restaurants. They also discuss the local arrival of the “slop bowl” — and whether the slinger belongs in that category.

Scott Sifton left the Missouri legislature in 2021. But even though he’s been out of politics, he’s still making his mark in the legal profession. The former Democratic lawmaker joins “The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis the Air” to talk about his involvement in Monsanto v. Durnell, a high-stakes case the U.S. Supreme Court heard this week about how the herbicide Roundup is labeled.

Scott Sifton left the Missouri legislature in 2021. But even though he’s been out of politics, he’s still making his mark in the legal profession. The former Democratic lawmaker joins “The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis the Air” to talk about his involvement in Monsanto v. Durnell, a high-stakes case the U.S. Supreme Court heard this week about how the herbicide Roundup is labeled.

A plan to build a data center near the Armory in Midtown provoked passionate opposition – and some passionate support – within St. Louis. Alderwoman Anne Schweitzer talks about why the topic is stoking so many strong emotions and why she has concerns about how this plan came together.

Missouri lawmakers placed Gov. Mike Kehoe’s ambitious tax plan on the ballot last month. It gives lawmakers five years to expand sales and use taxes as a way to phase out the state’s income tax. The proposal has sparked bipartisan opposition – and raised the ire of some powerful groups who may spend money to defeat it. Economist Aaron Hedlund, a supporter of the plan, joins “The Politically Speaki...

Earlier this month in STLPR’s Community Room, St. Louis-area residents came together for an open mic event to reflect on how last year’s May 16 tornado changed their lives. On the latest episode of our podcast “Meet Me,” we share highlights from an evening of powerful, personal stories about loss, recovery and resilience.

Missouri is teeming with scenic hiking trails and unique ecological features, but it can be intimidating to explore the outdoors alone. Jessie Donovan and Mike Roth founded ShowMe Hikes to connect people with Missouri’s natural environment firsthand, and bring beginner, intermediate and experienced hikers together. They share what has shaped their own personal relationships with the outdoors and w...

On Wednesday, friends and family gathered in Creve Coeur to say goodbye to Ray Hartmann. The longtime St. Louis journalist, who founded the Riverfront Times and helped launch Nine PBS’ “Donnybrook,” died suddenly last Thursday in a car crash at 73. In this episode, we revisit a 2024 conversation with Hartmann and hear from St. Louis journalists Jeannette Cooperman and Sarah Fenske about his legacy...

Nearly six years have passed since Troy Doyle sued the St. Louis County Police Department over what he alleges was a broken promise to promote him to police chief. After multiple delays, the case has cost the county more than $900,000. Attorneys Dave Roland, Arindam Kar and Jenny Woulfe discuss the employment discrimination case in this month’s Legal Roundtable alongside other notable, ongoing law...

At Parkway West High School, students play Monopoly and research current issues to learn about the effects of economic systems here in the U.S. and abroad. History and economics teacher Rachel Money — yes, that’s her real name! — joins Parkway West senior Lily Overmann to share how such methods not only equip students for AP exams, but build their skills in media literacy, strategic thinking and p...

James Beard Award winner Gerard Craft is open about his experiences with anxiety, pressure and seeking help — and why mental health is a critical issue in the hospitality industry. Craft, the executive chef and CEO of Niche Food Group, is among several acclaimed St. Louis chefs coming together for a May 4 luncheon, “Hands for Mental Health Luncheon.” Some of the proceeds will benefit NAMI St. Loui...

Debate over a proposed hyperscale data center in Festus made local and national news this month when voters ousted city council members who approved the plan. With a lawsuit filed and a new city council, the controversy is far from over. We go behind the headlines with STLPR reporters Kavahn Mansouri and Katie Grawitch, who have spent months covering the debates and voter backlash over data center...

For the first time in 32 years, Lou Magdits is not on the Rolla City Council. He did not seek re-election after 12 years as mayor — three terms that followed 20 years representing the city’s fourth ward. Madgits sits down with STLPR’s Jonathan Ahl to talk about his time in office and how things have been different recently.

In the immediate aftermath of the May 16 tornado that tore a path through St. Louis last spring, the 314Oasis clinic was set up to provide people impacted by the storm with physical and mental health support. Co-founder and director Dr. LJ Punch provides an update on the organization's continued work around food access, housing help and grief support — including its expansion to O’Fallon Park, ano...

Missouri is on the brink of changing how it funds and provides naloxone to first-responders. The program is credited for reducing overdoses, but it faces a potential budget cut of $8 million. Rachel Winograd discusses the origins, successes and uncertain future of naloxone in Missouri. Winograd is a University of Missouri-St. Louis professor and director of addiction science at the Missouri Instit...

Clayton was once home to a large and thriving Black community. The First Baptist Church of Clayton — which sat on South Brentwood Boulevard — was part of that physical community until the city’s urban development plans forced the church to move in 1961. Five years later, the luxury high-rise Park Tower took up that space. On April 30, the church and the community that was impacted by its displacem...

When Owen Ramsingh returned to the U.S. from visiting his father in the Netherlands, he expected to go home to Columbia, Missouri — where he’d lived for decades. Instead, he was detained at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport and ultimately deported over a drug charge from his teenage years, despite being a legal permanent resident. We talk with KBIA journalist Addison Zanger about Ramsingh’s life in mid-Mis...

Last month, we recognized 100 years since the commissioning of historic Route 66 by talking about its legacy and notable stops along the highway. We were only able to touch on a small portion of the route’s history, so now, we’re back with another conversation about the Mother Road. Missouri History Museum historian Andrew Wanko talks about the Missourians who were instrumental in marketing the hi...

Dozens of Holocaust survivor portraits, each standing more than seven feet tall and over three and a half feet wide, are on display at the District of St. Louis entertainment center in Chesterfield. These images are part of a traveling public art project called “Lest We Forget” by Italian-German photographer Luigi Toscano. The UNESCO Artist for Peace discusses what inspired his project in Germany...

Protest and activism come in many forms, including music that draws attention to current issues that artists find most pressing, and important. On this episode of “The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air,” St. Louisans share their favorite protest songs and what that music means to them. We also hear from hip-hop artist KVTheWriter about her latest diss tracks aimed at Mayor Cara Spe...

Republicans have dominated St. Charles County elections for two decades. But recent municipal elections are giving Democrats some hope that they can gain ground in the fast-growing part of the St. Louis region. The Politically Speaking Hour talks with voters and political activists about why things could be changing in St. Charles County.

St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer delivers her State of the City speech Friday evening. The address comes at a moment of pressure and uncertainty for the city. On the eve of the speech, St. Louis Public Radio’s Rachel Lippmann and Lara Hamdan reached out to city residents about how they feel St. Louis is doing. Some said they were happy with the city’s trajectory, while many other people said St. Louis...

In three months, MATI will return to Grand Center for a weekend of music, food and community. July 17-19 won’t just bring the humidity and heat — the festival, formerly known as Music at the Intersection, features a lineup packed with artists who call St. Louis home. On this month’s new music roundup, Larry Morris, the director of programs and partnerships for the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, joins...