St. Louis on the Air

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Repeal Of Clean Missouri Redistricting Plan Will Go To Voters May 15, 2020

Show notes

In 2018, voters approved the Clean Missouri constitutional amendment that included state redistricting and ethics changes. Now the Missouri House is backing an initiative to repeal the effort. In this interview, host Sarah Fenske talks with St. Louis Public Radio correspondent Jason Rosenbaum about his reporting on the ballot initiative aimed at repealing the Clean Missouri redistricting system.

St. Louis Fire Department Works Through Coronavirus Challenges May 15, 2020

Show notes

St. Louis Fire Department employees are working on the front lines during the coronavirus pandemic. Captain Garon Mosby talks with host Sarah Fenske about the ongoing COVID-19 toll and some of the challenges the department faces as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. Also included are pre-recorded comments from Laura Keller, executive director of the St. Louis Fire Department Foundation, who herself battled COVID-19.

COVID-19 Dampens Ramadan Spirits, But Local Muslims Continue To Serve Community May 14, 2020

Show notes

The local Muslim community are halfway through observing the holy month of Ramadan. But this year, they've had to navigate it differently in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. With mosques closed, and social distancing recommended by city and county officials, many are having to observe the occasion without their friends and family. Joining host Sarah Fenske to talk about the changes are Dr. Mahrukh Khan and Donnell "Malik" Sims. They share how they're observing Ramadan while they treating and caring for patients infected with COVID-19 in underserved areas.

How One UMSL Professor And A Trio Of 3D Printers Are Making Masks More Comfortable May 14, 2020

Show notes

Back in March, the University of Missouri-St. Louis put out a university-wide call, asking those with 3D printers to print face masks in light of COVID-19. Glen Anderson, an associate professor at UMSL, sought to answer that call. After some research, Anderson soon found out that printing masks with these particular machines just wasn't feasible. Instead, he continued brainstorming and turned to manufacturing surgical mask ear savers. Host Sarah Fenske talks with Anderson about his grassroots operation aimed at making critical workers just a little more comfortable. The conversation also includes comments from two local respiratory therapists who are using the devices.

Pokey LaFarge On His Eighth Studio Album, Leaving St. Louis And Hitting Rock Bottom May 14, 2020

Show notes

Musician Pokey LaFarge’s concerts scheduled for this weekend at Off Broadway are on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. Leaving St. Louis for LA in 2018, LaFarge has gone through a self-described “fall from grace.” He’s now out with his eighth studio album and producer Alex Heuer talked with him.

'Shutterbee' Has Biologists Asking St. Louisans To Collaborate As Backyard Naturalists May 13, 2020

Show notes

Reading the headlines of 2020 can be pretty overwhelming. Between a pandemic, an economic crisis and even a much-hyped sighting of “murder hornets” in the Pacific Northwest, it can all leave one feeling pretty helpless about attempting to be a force for good in the world. But on an ecological level, at least one such attempt can take place right in one’s own backyard — and Nicole Miller-Struttmann and bee experts everywhere will be grateful for it. Miller-Struttmann and fellow biologists at Webster University and St. Louis University are launching Shutterbee, a collaborative project powered by citizen scientists. It requires only some sunshine, a camera and completion of a single virtual training session on May 20, 21 or 23. Shutterbee’s organizers are intent on reaching a real scientific goal: to discover how landscape features and land management decisions affect bee diversity and behavior. In this episode of the talk show, Miller-Struttmann joins host Sarah Fenske to talk about how Shutterbee works. She also delves into the critical roles bees play on Earth and some of the threats they face.

Why Railroad Lovers Are Turning Their Eyes To Quincy May 13, 2020

Show notes

As Quincy, Illinois, gets ready to be that state’s first Virtual Railfan location, we talk with local train enthusiasts about their devotion to the activity, and explore the success Virtual Railfan has already seen on the other side of the Mississippi River, in both La Plata and Kansas City, Missouri. Host Sarah Fenske is joined by Bob Cox, a station manager of Virtual Railfan at La Plata, and well known in the railfan community — he even has a bobblehead made in his honor. Also joining the program is Richard Cain, a meteorologist at KHQA in Quincy, and a train enthusiast who helped bring Virtual Railfan to that city.

Sunshine Law Loss Leaves University of Missouri With $175K Bill May 13, 2020

Show notes

Attorney Dan Kolde sued the University of Missouri on behalf of the Beagle Freedom Project for violating the state's open records law. After he won at trial, the university has agreed to spend $175,000 to close out the case. Kolde discusses the lawsuit with host Sarah Fenske.

Already-Struggling Rural Hospitals Now Deal With Coronavirus Challenges May 12, 2020

Show notes

Rural hospitals in Missouri have stopped elective and non-emergency procedures and have opened up their beds to treat those with COVID-19. As a result, those hospitals have lost income. Reporter Jonathan Ahl talks with host Sarah Fenske about his latest feature on how hospitals in central Missouri are dealing with the coronavirus.

‘Day One’ Highlights A St. Louis School’s Focus On Immigrant And Refugee Students May 12, 2020

Show notes

The documentary “Day One” follows a group of teenage refugees enrolled at a unique public school in St. Louis. The school only enrolls refugees and immigrants. The film is now playing on PBS stations around the country, including the Nine Network. In this interview, Sarah Fenske talks with the documentary’s producer and director, Lori Miller, about what she learned while filming these students.

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