Children who live amid regular ongoing gun violence in U.S. cities like St. Louis often have a protocol when the gunfire erupts: hide in the bathtub, drop to the floor, seek shelter by the fridge. And sometimes the precautions have just become part of everyday life, such as watching TV from the floor, leaving the lights off at night so no one can see who is home. We tell the story of the long-lasting trauma of everyday living in America’s warzones where even one’s home or daycare center isn’t a safe space.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that as of midday Thursday, there are 18 states reporting confirmed and presumptive positive cases of the disease caused by the new coronavirus. That includes a total of 162 cases and 12 deaths from COVID-19 in the U.S. There are up to five reported cases in Illinois but none in Missouri. There are many efforts underway to create a vaccine to prevent the disease caused by the virus. In this episode, Sarah Fenske talks with a researcher in St. Louis who is doing just that. Sean Whelan, head of the Department of Molecular Microbiology at Washington University School of Medicine, joins the conversation, as well as Dr. Steven Lawrence, an infectious disease physician with Barnes-Jewish Hospital and an associate professor of Medicine and assistant dean for Curriculum and Clinical Science at Washington University.
When a country’s origin story is developed, whose stories get highlighted and whose get erased? How do we foster the ideals of a nation while recognizing that some perspectives have been trampled during its history? These are among several questions Abram Van Engen explores in his new book, “City on a Hill: A History of American Exceptionalism,” which examines the 1630 sermon “City on a Hill” by Massachusetts Bay Governor John Winthrop. In this interview, Sarah Fenske talks with Engen about how the sermon went from being lost to history for two centuries, to being invoked by politicians on both sides of the aisle. They’ll also discuss the conflict between the ideals of American exceptionalism and those of the America First agenda.
The rapidly narrowing Democratic presidential race is coming to Missouri — and supporters of Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders believe they can make a play for the state's 68 delegates.
Taulby Roach has made the safety of the St. Louis region’s transit system a major focus since becoming president and CEO of Bi-State Development 14 months ago. Just last week he and other area leaders gathered to mark the culmination of two years of study and planning aimed at improving safety on buses and light rail lines. They touted the creation of a four-prong “systemwide security strategy” aimed at reducing “the rate and perception of crime” on transit, among other commitments. Bi-State also recently selected private security firm GS4 for a three-year contract, and has a new plan in place for a bigger police presence on MetroLink. In this segment, Roach talks with host Sarah Fenske about the latest developments in the agency’s safety efforts. Kevin Scott, director of public safety for Metro Transit, also weighs in, and listeners join the conversation as well.
It’s a question savvy diners confront with regularity: What new place should I try this month? Once again, our friends from Sauce Magazine visited "St. Louis on the Air" to help us answer the question. And while some months offer an embarrassment of riches, so many options that it’s hard to know what to do, this month promises an entirely manageable list: one restaurant, one bar and one coffee shop. Sauce Magazine managing editor Heather Hughes Huff and art director Meera Nagarajan delve into each spot’s charm.
St. Louisans and tourists alike have lots of options for sporting their love of the Lou, whether they snap up airport tchotchkes or visit one of countless vendors around town making the most of the city’s prized Gateway Arch and other iconic #STL imagery. But one retail shop has stood out from the crowd in recent years: STL-Style. The brainchild of St. Louis-area natives Jeff and Randy Vines, STL-Style is marking a full decade of life on the city’s vibrant Cherokee Street this year. And on March 28, the identical twins promise a celebration featuring Brothers Lazaroff, drag performers, local brews and more. It will be, the Vines brothers say, “a block party for all ages and a must-do event for any self-respecting St. Louisan.” The Vineses join host Sarah Fenske to look back on their 10 years of business on Cherokee Street — and how they’ve observed the city and its image evolve during that time.
Getting an education can reduce recidivism in prisoners. But many people in Illinois' prisons aren't able to get a high school diploma, associate's degree or learn a trade skill.
Mark Glenshaw is obsessed with owls. By day, he is a manager at Fontbonne University’s library; but by night, he frequents a discrete area of Forest Park, checking in on a great horned owl he named Charles. In this episode, Sarah Fenske talks with Glenshaw about his observations of Charles and his new mate, Danielle, over the past couple months.
March 3 is United Nation’s annual commemoration of World Wildlife Day, a time to highlight the importance of Earth’s natural resources and call for action to protect them. Host Sarah Fenske discusses the impact of biodiversity loss on Missouri's lesser-known native plants and insects. Joining the discussion are experts from Missouri Botanical Garden: Quinn Long, director of the Shaw Nature Reserve, and Aaron Lynn-Vogel, horticulturist at the Kemper Center for Home Gardening. They talk about habitats and wildlife at Shaw Nature Reserve, which includes many species native to Missouri, and what homeowners can do to promote biodiversity in their own backyard through plant selection.
While dating apps are making it easier to help people find love, many in St. Louis’ LGBTQ scene are finding drugs through the apps instead. As people put the letter “T” in capital letters in their usernames, or use ice cream or ice cube emojis to let others know they are carrying the drug on the dating apps, getting it is easier than ever. That’s according to former KSDK reporter Jeff Small.
He joins host Sarah Fenske to discuss how drugs are being trafficked through digital means to the LGBTQ community, and details his own experience on the apps and how he conquered his own addiction. Brandon Reid, a housing intake coordinator for the St. Louis nonprofit organization Criminal Justice Ministry, and Jason Eccker, a licensed clinical social worker for Synchronicity Counseling Solutions, also join the conversation.
Charlotte, North Carolina, a "city with the best of everything," is making Green a priority! Vision, leadership, and tracking replicable examples have become the norm thanks to efforts of Amy Aussieker and her organization, Envision Charlotte.
From mandating building energy efficiency (which benefits building owners and occupants) to innovating with Circular Economy principles this historic metro area is modeling 21st century sustainability in fiscally and socially beneficial action.
Amy Aussieker talked with Earthworms host Jean Ponzi in advance of her March 10 and 11 presentations to the US Green Building Council-Missouri Gateway Chapter and St. Louis Green Business Challenge. St. Louis is doing some of this too - how can we grow these efforts here?
THANKS to Andy Heaslet, Earthworms Engineer
Music: Butter II, performed live at KDHX by Ian Ethan Case
East St. Louis native and two-time Olympic medalist Dawn Harper-Nelson is gearing up to participate in the 2020 Olympics. She announced her retirement in 2018 to become a mother. Now, she’s picking up her cleats and hitting the track again.
St. Louis County Councilman Tim Fitch is the latest guest on Politically Speaking. The St. Louis County Republican joined St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum and Rachel Lippmann to talk about some of the biggest issues circulating throughout county government.
Fitch, a former St. Louis County police chief, was first elected to the county council in 2018, succeeding longtime Councilwoman Colleen Wasinger. He represents the council’s 3rd District, which includes Town and Country, Huntleigh, Kirkwood, Des Peres, Fenton and Sunset Hills.
Gabrielle Bahr remembers being fascinated by the medical field even as a young child. And her family’s experience a handful of years later, when her younger sister spent a few months in a neonatal intensive care unit and interacted closely with the nurses there, solidified Bahr’s choice of career: She knew then and there it would become her passion. Now a staff nurse in the emergency department of Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Bahr has zero regrets about her job path despite its inherent stresses and difficulties. At the end of each long shift, she knows her work is meaningful. But sometimes she heads home feeling even more exhausted than usual. That’s because her nursing team, like so many in Missouri, is chronically short staffed. Industry veterans like Natalie Murphy describe the situation as a crisis, noting that the region’s nurse vacancy rate stands at about 20% among hospitals, clinics and outpatient provider locations. A leader at the University of Missouri-St. Louis’ College of Nursing, Murphy is working with a variety of partners to address the issue. But it’s not an easy thing to fix, as Murphy explains in this conversation with Bahr and host Sarah Fenske.
Last July, the Missouri Supreme Court enacted rules requiring judges to first consider non-monetary conditions for pretrial release when setting bond conditions. Since then, several high profile crimes have led to backlash against the new Missouri Supreme Court rules. Recently, more than 80 Missouri state representatives signed onto a letter asking the court to revoke the new bond rules. In this episode, we explore what was behind the initial rule changes by the Missouri Supreme Court and the current debate over whether those rules should be rescinded.
A small group of volunteers is trying to help St. Louis children stay connected with their incarcerated parents. Let's Start provides free monthly transportation for children and their caregivers to the women's prison in Vandalia. For many families, the trips are the only way for them to stay connected with their relatives in prison.
In this month’s Legal Roundtable discussion, panelists offer their insight on a federal judge’s refusal to approve a deal reducing Missouri public defender workloads, a Kansas City initiative to clear marijuana convictions more easily, and the huge verdict regarding Monsanto’s weed killer Roundup.
There are a few Underground Railroad stops in the Metro East verified by the National Park Service. Other places are believed to have been part of the network that brought as many as 100,000 slaves to freedom. But there is no physical marker of their existence.
On the latest edition of Politically Speaking, St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum and Jo Mannies try to wrap their arms around Missouri’s Democratic presidential primary — which will take place on March 10.
One of the reasons why that contest is difficult to handicap right now is because Missouri’s delegates are up for grabs a week after Super Tuesday. And it’s unclear how many of the seven major candidates will still be in the race by the time the Show Me State goes to the polls.
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