St. Louis on the Air

The United Brotherhood of Carpenters was long a political powerhouse in the St. Louis region — but now the organization has shuttered its St. Louis office and moved leadership to Chicago. Two experts analyze possible reasons for the shakeup and explore the potential fallout.

Most of what mankind knows about Mercury, Venus, Mars and Earth’s moon sits on servers in St. Louis thanks to researchers at Washington University. Earth and planetary sciences professor Raymond Arvidson discusses his department's latest $11.8 million contract renewal with NASA.

Former Missouri Appellate Court Judge Booker Shaw discusses the latest Hail Mary attempt by Stan Kroenke and the NFL — and why even a loss may not be enough to stop their efforts to move the trial from St. Louis

"Summer in St. Louis'' recently won Best Super Short Drama at the Berlin Flash Film Festival. Director Câmi Thomas shares how the film reflects her love for her community and the “constant narrow avoidance of danger” in St. Louis.

Ahead of the “Indigenous Knowledge & Sustainability” conference kicking off in St. Louis, two Native American scholars discuss how some solutions to climate change can cause great harm to indigenous communities.

A large crowd and energetic choir came together at the Sheldon Concert Hall on Saturday night for Requiem of Light, a public memorial honoring the thousands of St. Louisans lost to COVID-19. In this episode, we share reflections and musical highlights.

The Cardinals' offense is better on the road than it is at Busch Stadium. This episode of "St. Louis on the Air" discusses what role the stadium itself plays, and looks into how physics can affect the game.

St. Louis Art Museum’s new show features art inspired by, and made within, the region where the three most powerful rivers in the U.S. come together. The curators explain the road trips and rare finds that brought the exhibit together.

As the St. Louis Chamber Chorus returns to the stage after 20 months, artistic director Philip Barnes discusses choirs in the age of COVID-19 and masks you can actually sing in.

As of 2020, more people are dying than being born in Missouri. St. Louis University professor Ness Sandoval explains how we got here and what it will take to rebound from that decline.

The Native American Rights Fund donated 20 acres of ancestral Osage lands in Lafayette County, Missouri, to the Osage Nation this month. Andrea Hunter, the director of the Osage Nation Historic Preservation Office, discusses the gift, and the sale of Picture Cave, in this episode.

Michael Politte was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for allegedly murdering his mother as a 14-year-old. Attorneys and advocates explain the growing body of evidence that he’s actually innocent — and Politte tells his story.

The Legal Roundtable digs into litigation around mask mandates and how Zoom testimony affects the right to confront your accuser — and the panelists disagree as to whether they’d settle with the NFL and Stan Kroenke or take their chances at trial.

At Eckert’s Farm in Millstadt, Illinois, there’s an intricate 12-acre corn maze that, this year, honors health care workers. Hugh McPherson of Maize Quest talks about the precise high-tech operation of corn mazes.

The Bail Project is closing its St. Louis office after nearly four years. CEO Robin Steinberg explains why, and discusses how the bigger fight against cash bail continues, with former St. Louis-based “bail disruptor” Mike Milton.

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Conductor Laureate Leonard Slatkin lays out possible solutions to the lack of native-born music directors in American orchestras and the lack of a thoughtful career path for talented assistant conductors.

Artist Bill Christman never considered his Cherokee Street statue, installed in 1985, among his best work. He explains why — and shares its design process and why he’s not upset about the sculpture’s removal.

A new concert series is now up and running in what may seem like an unlikely place: Laclede’s Landing. It hasn’t come without complications. Drew Jameson of Jamo Presents discusses what the concert series has to offer and how it’s part of a larger effort to revive downtown St. Louis.

The Latino community is leading Missouri in vaccination rates — thanks to a local volunteer group connecting local Spanish speakers with both resources to navigate the pandemic and health professionals.

Comedian Nikki Glaser recently started taking voice lessons. In this bonus podcast episode, she explains how she has a new job in mind.

“USS St. Louis: Centuries of Service” highlights the first USS St. Louis’ role fighting piracy and the slave trade, “Lucky Lou’s” escape from Pearl Harbor, and the current crew’s reflections on their vessel and the city she honors. The documentary is produced, written and narrated by St. Louisan Kara Vaninger.

Born in Afghanistan, Qais Meraj has made a life in St. Louis. He discusses his work as an interpreter for the U.S. military, his family’s journey and his fears for loved ones left behind.

Comedian Nikki Glaser talks about reacquainting herself with her hometown after moving back to St. Louis in 2020, what her hit HBO Max show “FBoy Island” taught her about love and more.

Atlantic staff writer Adam Harris discusses his new book “The State Must Provide,” which explores the long history of inequality in higher education, and offers a provocative remedy for the funding woes of historically Black colleges.

Leonard Slatkin, conductor laureate of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, discusses his new book and what it will take for classical music to thrive again.