St. Louis on the Air

Latest Episodes:

How St. Louis chef Loryn Nalic honored Bosnian traditions on her way to a James Beard Award Jul 07, 2026

Show notes

Loryn Nalic, chef and co-owner of Balkan Treat Box in St. Louis brought home the Best Chef: Midwest honor at the 2026 James Beard Awards. This recognition marks the first time in nearly a decade that a St. Louis-area chef has won one of the U.S. culinary world’s highest honors. Nalic reflects on the achievement, what it’s taken to get to this point, the importance of preserving cultural traditions, and balancing creativity and innovation in cooking.

WerQfest returns with beat battle and ‘intentional’ focus on femme artists Jul 06, 2026

Show notes

On July 11, WerQfest returns to the Grove Business District to celebrate Black queer music and culture in St. Louis. The event’s 2026 theme is “Express Yourself,” a spirit that has animated every WerQfest since its debut in 2020. The event was created to give St. Louisans who identify as Black and queer an opportunity to be their authentic selves, fostering community with music, resources, and showcasing the city’s talented residents. WerQfest co-founder Tre G and performer Volume Speaks discuss how WerQfest has evolved since its premiere and why this year focuses on women and femme artists.

Mill Creek exhibition presents a ‘Black Metropolis’ before its 1959 destruction Jul 06, 2026

Show notes

On Sunday, July 12, the Missouri History Museum will close its “Mill Creek: Black Metropolis” exhibit, which looks back at the history and community members’ lived experiences of Mill Creek Valley: a neighborhood home to nearly 20,000 people that was erased in 1959 as part of St. Louis' push for urban renewal. In this encore presentation from 2025, we hear from Vivian Gibson, memoirist of “The Last Children of Mill Creek," and Malaika Horne Wells, author of "Mother Wit.” The women share their memories of Mill Creek Valley, and their work to collect oral histories from other former residents for the museum’ exhibit. The conversation includes a special preview of the documentary "Remembering Mill Creek: When We Were There."

Marking the sizzling history of fried chicken, from KFC to Korea Jul 02, 2026

Show notes

Fried chicken ranks among the top five most popular foods in the U.S., beating out apple pie and even outranking hot dogs. This coming Monday is National Fried Chicken Day, dedicated to all things chicken. In this encore presentation, we revisit a conversation with Adrian Miller, the “Soul Food Scholar” and author of the James Beard Award-winning book “Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time.” He shares his insights into the history of fried chicken, where it got its start, the stigma associated with it and the ways the crispy and crunchy dish is celebrated today.

Connect250 from StoryCorps is putting strangers together to tell a story of America Jul 02, 2026

Show notes

A new storytelling initiative called 250Connect is collecting conversations between American strangers in honor of the country’s founding. In St. Louis and cities and across the country, participants will be paired for recorded conversations that will eventually be housed in the Library of Congress. Nearly 10,000 people have already registered ahead of the project’s July 7 start, said StoryCorps founder Dave Isay. In this episode, Isay explains why stories shared between strangers are so powerful, even in moments of national tension and alienation.

Then ICE arrived: Inside the rural Illinois traffic stop that upended 3 immigrants' lives Jul 02, 2026

Show notes

On June 9, three immigrants from Collinsville, including two teenagers, were detained by ICE after a traffic stop in central Illinois. The immigrants, who were in the country without legal status, were on their way to work when they were stopped just outside of Morrisonville in Christian County. A new trove of records obtained by St. Louis Public Radio reveals the minute-by-minute breakdown of the traffic stop and sheds light on conversations among local law enforcement. STLPR visuals editor Brian Munoz discusses his reporting.

Inside the Veiled Prophet’s ‘rancid’ past, a St. Louis author searches for meaning Jul 01, 2026

Show notes

St. Louis writer Devin O'Shea's debut book "The Veiled Prophet: Secret Societies, White Supremacy, and the Struggle for St. Louis" takes readers inside the mysteries of the Veiled Prophet Society, a group that's maintained influence over St. Louis institutions since its founding in 1878. Today, the group lives on as VP St. Louis. Its leaders are behind the non-profit Celebrate Saint Louis and “America’s Birthday Parade,” an event that is returning to St. Louis this weekend after taking last year off. In conversation with STLPR’s Danny Wicentowski, O'Shea traces the Veiled Prophet’s origins, members, rituals and controversies, and builds a case for why St. Louis would be better off without it.

Early Intervention therapies help kids. But Illinois pays providers less than other states Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

For many parents in Illinois, time is running out to get the specialized help they need for their young children with developmental disabilities. They are waiting to get their kids into a state program called Early Intervention, which is open only to kids under the age of three. An investigation from the Illinois Answers Project found that Illinois pays providers less than other states, including Missouri, which leads to stalled access and reliance on telehealth appointments. The reporters interviewed therapists and identified dozens of Illinois families who have waited as long as 17 months for care. Reporter Meredith Newman talks about the challenges facing the program, what drew her to the investigation, and the impact on families waiting for specialized services.

In St. Louis, U.S. vs. Bosnia is a match between two ‘home’ teams Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

The United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday will go head-to-head in a FIFA World Cup Round of 32 knockout game. And, for many in St. Louis, it means cheering on two countries they can call home. Elvir Kafedzic, founder of the St. Louis Dragons youth soccer club, and his 11-year-old daughter, Emina Kafedzic, a participant in the program, discuss the July 1 match as soccer players and fans and as Bosnian Americans.

Outgoing WashU scholar says support for humanities is vital for students in the AI age Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

In 2006, Ignacio M. Sánchez Prado moved to St. Louis to teach Mexican literature as part of Washington University's Latin American Studies program. Twenty years later, that program has expanded immensely. As Ignacio prepares to leave St. Louis for a new role at Cornell University, we talk with him about his work building WashU's Latin American Studies Program, AI in the classroom, and the importance of — and challenges facing — humanities programs across the country.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

St. Louis on the Air

Related Podcasts

1

2

3

4

5

6