St. Louis on the Air

The Nolan family faced many hurdles since an EF3 tornado tore through their neighborhood on May 16, 2025. The storm ripped the roof off their family duplex, displacing their family as well as their tenants next door. Today, they are looking forward to moving into their new home and welcoming their tenants back to the neighborhood. Gloria and Kevin Nolan share an update on how reconstruction has progressed for themselves and their community — and their hopes for the neighborhood they call home.

Veteran astronaut Tom Akers was born in St. Louis, grew up in Eminance, Missouri, and attended Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla. Then, he went to space — an experience he calls “an honor of a lifetime.” This weekend, Akers will be inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. He joins STLPR’s Jonathan Ahl ahead of the ceremony to talk about his upbringing, his love of teaching, and making the leap from small-town Missouri to floating in orbit above the planet.

On a rainy day in 1947, a scrappy alley cat walked into the Hamilton Hotel in St. Louis. Two days later, he made national news for beating his pedigreed peers to win prizes at the Greater St. Louis Cat Club Show. The cat’s story is the subject of a new classical composition that will be performed this weekend by the Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis alongside a concurrent reading of the children’s book, “How Mr. Silver Stole the Show.” Author Kate Klise, composer and Mizzou professor Stefan Freund, and Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis principal conductor Roger Kaza, talk with us about Mr. Silver’s story and the art it inspired. The performance takes place at 3 p.m. on May 17 at Washington University’s E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall.

It’s been nearly a year since an EF-3 tornado tore through the St. Louis region, with north St. Louis bearing the brunt of the destruction. In this episode, we begin the STLPR series: “Torn, the struggle to recover from the tornado, the flailing government response and the fight for north St. Louis.” We hear from St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer, who defends the city's work on the recovery while acknowledging some of the shortcomings and the challenges that lie ahead. We also hear from STLPR reporters whose investigation found that inexperience and key decisions within the Spencer administration slowed recovery efforts.

Touted as an effective way to keep people out of the prison system, mental health courts have expanded across the country over the past two decades. But in southern Illinois, around two million residents don’t have access to them. The Illinois Answers Project and MindSite News spent months reaching out to every court in the state for data and updates on their mental health courts. The investigation found "a promising model with limited funds supporting small oases in an otherwise barren desert." Illinois Answers Project reporter Grace Hauck and Tony Ohlhausen, director of research and policy at NAMI Illinois, share their insights into the state of Illinois’ mental health court system, including the programs in the Metro East in Madison and St. Clair counties.

Lafayette High School Graduate Nathaniel Mahone has always found joy in bringing laughter to others. Now, after several summers as a Muny Kid and Teen and graduating college, Mahone is touring the country with the musical comedy “Monty Python’s Spamalot”. Mahone shared his journey from small plays to big stages, and what it means to be coming home to St. Louis on his first national tour.

Since 2022, Transform 314's founder Kelly McGowan has worked to inform Black St. Louisans about the inner workings of local government. As communities continue to rebuild since last year's May 16 tornado, she has focused on helping citizens understand the policies and identify the accountable officials. On May 13, McGowan will be premiering her first film, “Transforming Our Legacy: A St. Louis Story.” The documentary highlights personal stories of Black St. Louisans from the 1930s to the present day. It explores the ways that generations of policies, including segregation and disinvestment, have shaped the city's predominately Black neighborhoods.

“Gifted: The Docuseries” poses the ultimate question: If you could save the lives of eight strangers, would you? The project looks at the humanity behind organ donation, featuring stories from St. Louis and beyond. Its creator, critical care registered nurse and St. Louis native, Robert Horsey, discusses the story behind the series alongside Kim Cupp, who honors her daughter Maissa Abdallah’s life-saving legacy in the series.

In 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, along with 31 other men, set out on the Corps of Discovery expedition from a site just north of St. Louis, at the mouth of the Missouri River. A new book by historian Craig Fehrman, “This Vast Enterprise: A New History of Lewis & Clark,” draws on newly surfaced documents and oral histories to offer a more layered portrait of the expedition and the people involved.

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 a person to “find yourself transported to some memory from your past, often quite vividly, or some fictional scene that you've never really experienced.”

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 artificial intelligence in art and more.

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 Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air” to explain why it could help the state in the long term.

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 what hikers can look forward to on ShowMe Hikes’ guided treks.

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 lawsuits against the City of St. Louis’ police department and school system. They also react to news of the lawsuit filed by the influencer “The Woke Ginger,” who alleges his employer violated an obscure Missouri law that prohibits employers from terminating people for their political beliefs.

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 problem solving.

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. Louis.

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 centers in Festus and the St. Louis region. Festus resident Erica Carter shares what a data center would mean for her community, and attorney Steve Jeffrey discusses the lawsuit filed against Festus to stop the project before it breaks ground.

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, another north St. Louis neighborhood that sustained significant tornado damage.

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 Institute for Mental Health. Her team is responsible for distributing naloxone for the entire state.

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 displacement will be honored at a city ceremony and the installation of a memorial plaque. STLPR reporter Chad Davis joined “St. Louis on the Air to take us deeper into the background of the plaque, the church once stood there, and why the city of Clayton is recognizing its legacy.

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-Missouri, how he and his family are coping with the changes and how he’s trying to forge a new life in the Netherlands.

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 highway and its Missouri-based attractions, what made Route 66 uniquely American, and notable attractions along the roadway. We also hear recollections from Irv Logan. Irv is the grandson of Alberta Ellis, whose hotel along Route 66 was one of the only safe places in Missouri for Black travelers to stay during the Jim Crow era.

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 in 2014 and how people have responded to its installations in different cities across the U.S. He also shares why bringing the “Lest We Forget” program to U.S. public schools — the first such partnership is happening with two rural Missouri schools in Houston and Sedalia — reflects the forward-looking orientation of his work: portraits and stories as a reminder of the past and a reflection of what is possible.

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 Spencer, developer Paul McKee and Congressman Wesley Bell, and talk with WashU professor Lauren Eldridge Stewart about the history of protest music.

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 isn’t working for them.

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 “St. Louis on the Air” producer Miya Norfleet to discuss the latest music from some of the musicians representing St. Louis.

Country music artist Skylar Finan has been a fan of the genre her entire life. Though she started off as a shy performer, her friends in the scene saw her talent and encouraged her to get on stage. That encouragement eventually led her to create her debut album “Hit the Ground Runnin’” under the name Skylar Townsend. Townsend talks about her love for ‘90s country music stars like Reba McEntire and The Chicks, how the community helped her find her confidence, and how her album’s recording began with singing in a water heater closet.

The state of Missouri is suing a Missouri-based manufacturer of the 7-OH variety of kratom. Derived from plants, kratom is drawing increased scrutiny and concern. The products are widely sold in gas stations in St. Louis and across the state. We talk with PreventEd Executive Director Jenny Armbruster about kratom, the difference between kratom and 7-OH, why people are becoming addicted, and what educators and advocates are hearing about the substance from users.

At a ceremony at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville on Saturday, Gov. JB Pritzker awarded the Order of Lincoln — Illinois’ highest civilian honor — to five recipients, including East St. Louis civil rights activist and historian Reginald Petty. In conversation with STLPR Metro East reporter Will Bauer, the 90-year-old reflects on his work during the Civil Rights Movement and his ongoing efforts to preserve East St. Louis’ history.

It’s nesting season for Canada geese, and these protective parents are back to lay eggs, incubate and protect them in urban hotspots — from park pathways to office courtyard planters. During this time, their defensive, territorial behavior can lead to goose-human conflicts. Nancy Schnell, GeesePeace St. Louis founder, talks about how we can share outdoor spaces safely with these native birds during the peak of their nesting season.

The largest medical respite center in St. Louis will open its doors later this month. The Three Steps Home represents a major step for the groups supporting the city's homeless population. Three Steps Home CEO Sonia Deal talks about why homeless people often fall through cracks of existing medical care and how a respite center can help people recover from living on the streets. She also discusses how the nonprofit was recently aided by the Mennonite Disaster Service, and why she thinks homelessness as “a culmination of different things, whether it be a man-made disaster or an actual disaster, such as the tornado.”

Through a combination of engineering know-how, imagination and dedication to problem-solving, St. Louisan Kay Wells invented the Posie Pot: a 3-D printed, biodegradable and recyclable self-watering plant pot that’s in stores across the region and online for customers across the country. Wells talks about going from idea to prototype to product, support she’s received through major grants and fellowships, and her commitment to keeping Posie Pots’ production rooted here in St. Louis.

New research out of St. Louis shows that removing invasive plant species and planting native ones have gone a long way toward boosting bird populations in Forest Park. Lead study author Stella Uiterwaal is particularly excited to see the populations of native bird species on the rise.

Refugee resettlement in the U.S. is at a historic low. At the start of his second term, President Donald Trump set the refugee cap at 7,500 for fiscal year 2026, down from 125,000. That reality adds urgency to Race for Refugees, a 5K and 1-mile fun run that returns to Tower Grove Park this Saturday, April 18. We talked with race founder Heather Huewe and organizer Samson Hillary of the International Institute of St. Louis about why the event matters now.

Over 40 local artists entered into NPR’s 2026 Tiny Desk Contest. “St. Louis on the Air” producer Miya Norfleet and STLPR reporter Chad Davis talk about some of their favorite St. Louis submissions and the artists behind them.

After decades shaping St. Louis theater, STAGES St. Louis co-founder Jack Lane has stepped into a new spotlight. Following the 2023 death of his husband and creative partner Michael Hamilton, Lane reflects on grief, legacy and what it means to keep moving forward. Now 69, he’s shifting from behind-the-scenes support to lead producer, with four Tony Awards already to his name and a new Olivier Award nomination for a revival of “Evita.” At the same time, his musical “The Karate Kid,” which debuted in Kirkwood, is launching a U.K. tour. STLPR’s Jeremy D. Goodwin talks with Lane about his path from St. Louis to Broadway and London.

Woman grandmaster in chess Dorsa Derakhshani came to the U.S. from Iran to attend St. Louis University. Now a Mizzou medical student, St. Louis Chess Club instructor and U.S. citizen, Derakhshani is watching the war from her Missouri home, unable to communicate with her family and friends still living in Iran. She shares how growing up under the Iranian regime influences her perspective on the conflict, the need for greater compassion for the plight of the Iranian people — including those in the Iranian diaspora — and her hopes for the future.

This year, plant scientist Giles Oldroyd left his previous post at the University of Cambridge to become the new president of the Danforth Plant Science Center. Oldroyd has spent decades studying how plants thrive and communicate with the world around them. He’s now leading a research nonprofit with a mission to use plant science to “improve the human condition.” In conversation with STLPR Senior Environment and Data Reporter Kate Grumke, Oldroyd shares insights from his work in plant genetics, agriculture and sustainability.

Missouri voters went to the polls Tuesday and weighed in on a slate of municipal races, including St. Louis’ overwhelming renewal of the 1% earnings tax and a closely watched Francis Howell school board race that signaled a rebuke of focusing on culture war issues. STLPR reporters Hiba Ahmad and Rachel Lippmann break down the key results.

Diadie Bathily is on a mission to share his culture. Born in Ivory Coast, he’s taken his knowledge of traditional West African dance around the world. That love for dance and culture led him to call St. Louis home and thrusted him into the spotlight at the 98th Academy Awards, alongside ballet star Misty Copeland, for a performance of “I Lied to You” from the “Sinners” soundtrack. Bathily shares what the Oscars performance means to him, his mission to share West African cultures and leading his dance company Afriky Lolo for 20 years.

Laumeier Sculpture Park kicks off its half-century anniversary with “Begin Again: 50 Years and Counting.” The exhibition reflects on five decades of artistic milestones, rare archival materials and ephemeral works that have defined the park’s legacy. Curated by Dana Turkovic, it offers a look into the intersection of art, nature and public engagement that has made Laumeier a cultural gem in St. Louis. We talk with Turkovic and Juan William Chávez, an artist, cultural activist and 2026 Visiting Artist in Residence at the park, to learn more about the exhibition’s highlights.

St. Louis is a premiere destination for traditional Irish musicians from across the pond and throughout the U.S. In this encore episode, we explore the people and institutions that have fostered the region’s Irish music scene since the 1970s. We also get a preview of this year’s St. Louis Tionól — an annual, four-day Irish arts and culture festival featuring music, dancing and community.

Municipal elections often don’t get as much round-the-clock attention as hotly contested congressional elections. But some decisions voters could make this Tuesday could have a profound impact on how St. Louis area cities are governed and financed. We talk with STLPR education reporter Hiba Ahmad on "The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air" about the closely-watched election in St. Charles County to fill out the Francis Howell School Board.