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She fell in love with a woman in 1998. It meant nearly losing her kids Dec 22, 2022

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“In 1998, I nearly lost custody of my three young children. It wasn’t because I was a bad mother. It was because I’m gay.” So begins a recent essay by in the Huffington Post from former St. Louis Public Radio arts and culture reporter Nancy Fowler. Fowler discusses the wrenching decisions she made during the divorce, how Missouri law equated being gay with being an unfit parent, and why she’s speaking out publicly about her experiences now. Nancy’s daughter, Jamie Larson, also shares her perspective on her mother’s perseverance.

R&B singer Mai Lee defines her sound and honors her inspirations in debut album ‘FRIENDZ’ Dec 21, 2022

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St. Louis singer/songwriter Mai Lee has been in the performing arts since she was in grade school. She and her family of restaurateurs joke that the debut album, ‘FRIENDZ’ is 20 years in the making. In this conversation Mai Lee shares how her friends, family, and St. Louis shaped her music and who she is as an artist.

Missouri voters legalized weed. What comes next? Dec 21, 2022

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On December 8, recreational cannabis became legal in Missouri. But the stakes are far higher than adults buying legal weed. The law enacted a provision for "automatic expungement" of nonviolent marijuana convictions from criminal records, but there are concerns about the process and its stated deadlines. To discuss what comes next for legal weed in Missouri, we hear from Legal Missouri campaign director John Payne, as well as public defender Matt Schmidt, who has been helping his clients clear their records. We also hear from Brian Pezza, an attorney at Lewis Rice law firm, about the impact on cannabis legalization in the workplace.

Testing Lamar Johnson’s claim of innocence in a St. Louis courtroom Dec 20, 2022

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What’s next for Lamar Johnson’s attempt to overturn his 1995 murder conviction? And who really owns the Fabulous Fox Theater? What’s the latest on Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s deposition of Dr. Anthony Fauci? Those cases, and more, are tackled by our Legal Roundtable, with attorneys Booker T. Shaw, Sarah Swatosh and Dave Roland.

For 14 years, Kelvin Adams led St. Louis Public Schools. He’s retiring with mixed feelings. Dec 18, 2022

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St. Louis Public Schools Superintendent Kelvin Adams has led the district through some major changes during his 14 years in the position. The district became fully accredited, returned to a locally-elected school board and passed two major bond measures, including a $160 million measure approved in August that funds school repairs and improvements. Adams reflects on his career, and where SLPS is headed, before his retirement at the end of the month.

With expansion, St. Louis nonprofit continues to open doors for HIV/AIDS clients Dec 16, 2022

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The St. Louis nonprofit Doorways has spent decades connecting people living with HIV/AIDS with housing. The organization recently moved into a headquarters on its $40 million campus on Jefferson Avenue. Doorways President and CEO Opal Jones discusses the group’s strategy that prioritizes connecting people with housing while also stabilizing their health. Cory McCormick, a Doorways program participant who moved into a new apartment on the group’s campus last week, discusses what the program means to someone who has experienced homelessness.

Amber McLaughlin transitioned on death row. Now she faces execution Dec 15, 2022

Show notes

Missouri has killed 93 men since 1976. Amber McLaughlin, a convicted murderer, could be its first woman. But Amber's story goes deeper than her crime. Jessica Hicklin met Amber while both were incarcerated. In 2018, Jessica won a landmark transgender-rights case in a lawsuit against the Missouri Department of Corrections, allowing her and other trans inmates, like Amber, access to hormone therapy. Jessica Hicklin discuses her friendship with Amber, and why she's asking Gov. Mike Parson to grant her clemency. Riverfront Times staff writer Ryan Krull discuses Amber McLaughlin's crimes, and how her case fits into the larger pattern of Missouri executions.

‘Little Bosnia’ residents tell their stories in documentary now on Amazon Prime Dec 15, 2022

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A documentary about Bosnians who took refuge in St. Louis during the Bosnian War, “A New Home,” can now be streamed on Amazon Prime Video. We spoke with the film’s director Joseph Puleo as well as two Bosnians featured in the film, Nejla Mustafic and Nedim Ramic, about their experiences.

The 2 largest parks in St. Louis are getting basketball courts. But, why is it taking so long? Dec 14, 2022

Show notes

New basketball courts are scheduled to make their debut next year in St. Louis’ two largest parks: Forest Park and Tower Grove Park. In Forest Park, development progress has been slow because of efforts to get as much community input as possible. Their next advisory board meeting is set for December 15. In this encore episode, producer Miya Norfleet talks with St. Louisans and park leadership about how access to basketball courts tells the story of St. Louis’ past and hopes for the future.

Prosecutors in St. Louis sentenced Lamar Johnson to life. Now they're trying to free him Dec 14, 2022

Show notes

This week, the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office has been making its case to overturn the conviction of Lamar Johnson. Johnson has spent the last 28 years serving a life sentence for murder – and was sent there by the same prosecutor’s office that’s now working to exonerate him. St. Louis Public Radio justice reporter Rachel Lippmann breaks down the case, and the story behind what one attorney has called a "historic moment in this court."

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