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How the Annie Malone Parade’s uncertain future sparked renewed interest in the woman for whom its named Feb 25, 2026

Show notes

For the second year in a row, the Annie Malone May Day Parade has been postponed. To understand why the event has been such a beloved St. Louis tradition, we revisit a March 2025 conversation about Annie Malone: the namesake of the parade who was the country’s first Black female millionaire, and a philanthropic and cultural force.

How St. Louisan Richard Hudlin shaped tennis in St. Louis and the world Feb 24, 2026

Show notes

Tennis begins at “love,” but it hasn’t always welcomed everyone. In 1945, St. Louis teacher and coach Richard Hudlin sued to desegregate the city’s courts. He wasn’t successful, but his lawsuit helped pave the way for the eventual end to segregation. A skilled player himself, Hudlin went on to coach legends Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson as they broke tennis’s color barriers. Public historians Cicely Hunter and Amanda Clark of the Missouri Historical Society discuss Hudlin’s legacy and lasting impact. (Editor’s note: After publication, we learned that Richard Hudlin’s 1945 lawsuit to desegregate St. Louis tennis courts and tournaments was not successful, because the Municipal Athletic Association was a private club that could choose its own members. Hudlin’s lawsuit and his ongoing fight for equal access, however, were instrumental in shaping the future of tennis in St. Louis and eventual desegregation of the city’s recreational facilities in 1950.)

Focus on regional Mexican fare nets St. Louis chef his first James Beard nomination Feb 24, 2026

Show notes

The James Beard Awards annually recognize the best of America’s dining scene. Chef Alex Henry of El Molino del Sureste is a 2026 semifinalist for Best Chef: Midwest. The honor brings national attention to the Yucatecan cuisine he and his co-owner, and brother, Jeff Henry bring to St. Louis. In this episode, they talk about the significance of this milestone, their culinary philosophies and the journey – including many childhood summers in Yucatán – that brought them to this point.

Missouri Republicans see difficult national environment as a challenge to key ballot items Feb 23, 2026

Show notes

Missouri Republicans gathered in Springfield this past weekend for Lincoln Days, the biggest gathering of the year for the state party. STLPR’s Jason Rosenbaum spent the weekend talking with GOP officials, consultants and activists – and found that the party is weighing how a bad national environment could affect key ballot initiatives and competitive state legislative races. Listen to Rosenbaum’s reporting on “The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air.”

Pritzker proposes $56B budget with minimal new spending, tax on social media companies Feb 23, 2026

Show notes

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker unveiled the final budget address of his second term, proposing a $56 billion plan that largely maintains the status quo while navigating federal funding cuts and rising costs. The budget includes targeted tax increases on social media companies and modest growth for education and pensions. STLPR Metro East reporter Will Bauer breaks down the speech and Pritzker’s priorities.

Under fire from former colleagues, Bill Eigel defends recurring donation strategy Feb 23, 2026

Show notes

As he tries to become the next St. Charles County executive, former state Sen. Bill Eigel is defending his fundraising strategies that inspired Republican House members to advance legislation curtailing recurring campaign contributions. Eigel joins “The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air.”

How WashU artists are sounding the climate alarm Feb 20, 2026

Show notes

In “Climate Change in Concert,” delicate violin strings mirror the buzzing of cicadas take the place of data analysis. The performance at Washington University will transform environmental science into sound on Feb. 24. Composer Christopher Stark collaborated with violinist Clara Kim and Dan Giammar, the director of WashU’s Center for the Environment, to create a work that invites audiences to feel the rhythms and disruptions of a dynamic climate. We also explore the role of creativity in environmental research and why artists, alongside scientists, are essential in shaping solutions.

Hey, there's the Arch! How the Gateway Arch came to mean St. Louis Feb 20, 2026

Show notes

For 60 years, the Gateway Arch has defined St. Louis’s skyline — a 630-foot engineering marvel and the city’s most recognizable symbol. An exhibit at the Old Courthouse, “Hey, There’s the Arch!,” explores how the monument became woven into the region’s identity, from branding and ballcaps to personal memories. STLPR morning newscaster and host of The Gateway podcast, Abby Llorico, talks about the Arch’s evolving meaning and its deep connection to the community.

Meet the new director shaping Black history at the Missouri Historical Society Feb 20, 2026

Show notes

Inside the Missouri History Museum’s “Mill Creek: Black Metropolis” exhibit, a once-thriving Black neighborhood erased by urban renewal comes back into focus. That’s where STLPR race, culture and identity reporter Andrea Henderson talked with Lyah LeFlore-Ituen, the new director of the Missouri Historical Society’s African American History Initiative. They discussed why Mill Creek’s story — and Black history more broadly — is foundational to St. Louis.

How a St. Louis scientist is decoding the ‘invisible language’ between plants and pollinators Feb 19, 2026

Show notes

Scientists are beginning to decode how floral scents attract specific pollinators. Mónica Carlsen of the Missouri Botanical Garden is taking her research of anthuriums, a common household plant known for their wide leaves and protruding spike, from the Climatron and will soon travel to Colombia to capture plant scents in the wild, aiming to better understand the “invisible language” between plants and pollinators. We also hear from Stephen and Peter Sachs Museum curator Nezka Pfeifer about the museum’s latest exhibit “Smelling the Bouquet: Plants and Scents in the Garden.”

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