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St. Louis Sister Cities Marks 60th Year Since Its First Partnership In Germany Feb 04, 2020

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The Sister Cities International program began in 1956, and the people-to-people, citizen diplomacy initiative took off across the country. A few years later, in 1960, St. Louis’ first partnership abroad flourished in Stuttgart, Germany, through the World Trade Center St. Louis' international mission. Now St. Louis has 16 sisters abroad, from Argentina and Senegal to Indonesia. Host Sarah Fenske learned more about what it takes to become a sister city with Susanne Evens, president of St. Louis-Stuttgart Sister Cities Committee, and Tim Nowak, executive director of World Trade Center St. Louis.

New St. Louis Restaurants To Try This February Feb 03, 2020

Show notes

Host Sarah Fenske talks up some of the latest additions to the St. Louis region’s food-and-beverage community. Joining her for the Hit List segment are Sauce Magazine managing editor Heather Hughes Huff and art director Meera Nagarajan.

The Black Vote, Then And Now Feb 03, 2020

Show notes

Host Sarah Fenske discusses the influence of the black vote on local and national politics. Joining her for the conversation is Shakia Gullette, director of African American Initiatives for the Missouri Historical Society, and Gena McClendon, director of the Voter Access and Engagement and the Financial Capability and Asset Building initiatives at the Center for Social Development at Washington University.

Local High School Senior Gabe Fleisher Launches ‘Wake Up To Politics’ Podcast Feb 03, 2020

Show notes

Host Sarah Fenske talks to Gabe Fleisher from the "Wake Up To Politics" podcast about the Iowa caucuses.

How Limited Attention Spans Can Hinder Decision Making — And Impact Impeachment Proceedings Jan 31, 2020

Show notes

The impeachment proceedings in Washington, D.C., have frequently lasted into the evening hours. Beyond thinking about the legal issues that senators are grappling with, we found ourselves contemplating something a bit closer to home. Namely, the modern American attention span. When you’re used to checking your phone every five minutes, how do you possibly sit quietly for hours on end … listening? Joining host Sarah Fenske to discuss the matter is Jameca Falconer, a professor of Behavioral Analysis in the Webster University. Steve Smith also joins the conversation. He’s the director of Washington University’s Weidenbaum Center.

Keeping The History Of St. Louis’ Historic Black Cemeteries Alive Jan 31, 2020

Show notes

Established in 1920, Washington Park Cemetery in Berkeley served as a for-profit burial place for African Americans. Before it stopped operating in the 1980s, the graveyard became the largest African American cemetery in the region. However, years of neglect and various city project expansions were not kind to the burial grounds. Now the cemetery may soon come under public ownership. The City of Berkeley is in the process of purchasing Washington Park Cemetery. In this episode, we talk about what happened to Washington Park Cemetery and remember the stories of those who are buried there. We also talk with advocates for two other historic black cemeteries in the region, Greenwood Cemetery in Hillsdale and Father Dickson Cemetery in Crestwood, about how they fight abandonment and lack of upkeep to keep their history alive.

FCC Investigation Of Bob Romanik, Entertainment Media Trust Reaches Critical Juncture Jan 30, 2020

Show notes

For years, Bob Romanik’s presence on St. Louis-area AM radio airwaves has been marked by constant, overt racism. Somehow, the Illinois-based shock jock remains on air, as the Riverfront Times’ Danny Wicentowski notes in his latest reporting on the saga. But as Wicentowski detailed in his story published Monday, the current Federal Communications Commission investigation surrounding Romanik has to do with something else: evidence that he is acting as the de-facto owner of Entertainment Media Trust, which owns multiple radio stations in the region. As a felon, that’s something Romanik is barred from doing. Jane Halprin, an FCC administrative law judge, issued an order last Friday setting a Feb. 10 deadline for EMT’s attorney to explain, as Wicentowski reported, “why she shouldn't throw the license renewal applications out due to ‘EMT’s continuous efforts at obfuscation.’” In this episode, host Sarah Fenske talks with Wicentowski about the implications of this investigation — and what happens next for the “Grim Reaper of Radio.”

Understanding The Impact Of The FDA’s New Tobacco Sales Age Limit Jan 30, 2020

Show notes

The year 2020 marks a lot of developments related to the habit of lighting up. The federal sales age for purchasing tobacco and nicotine products is now 21 and older. Recreational marijuana is now sold in cities across Illinois. Missouri dispensaries are selling medical marijuana. And, teenagers are continuing to vape at rates that concern public health officials. In this interview, Sarah Fenske talks about the impact of these developments with Dr. Laura Bierut, a psychiatry professor and founding director of the Health & Behavior Research Center at the Washington University School of Medicine.

How Bulrush Is Studying The Pre-1870 Cuisine Of Indigenous, Enslaved People Of The Ozarks Jan 30, 2020

Show notes

Chef Rob Connoley’s acclaimed St. Louis restaurant, Bulrush, isn’t just a delicious night out. It’s also a deep dive into the culinary history of the region. The Grand Center eatery takes its inspiration from cuisine in the Ozarks region prior to 1870, before railroads allowed for easy transport of foodstuffs. And, in recent months, the restaurant has doubled down on that exploration. Aided by college interns, Connoley has begun researching the food of marginalized populations in the area at that time. That includes both indigenous people, enslaved people and freed slaves. In this segment, we talk with Connoley and St. Louis University student Gabriel Shoemaker, and with Dr. Andrea Hunter, director/tribal historic preservation officer for the Osage Nation Historic Preservation Office. She discusses what the Osage ate prior to their first encounters with Europeans in 1673, and how that changed in the centuries that followed.

How This Attorney May Force St. Louis County To Revise Long Outdated Vagrancy Ordinances Jan 29, 2020

Show notes

In St. Louis County, it’s illegal to be a "vagrant." Host Sarah Fenske talks with attorney Bevis Schock — who is challenging the ordinance — and learns about what his client has endured.

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