St. Louis on the Air

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Former Cardinals Team Physician Recommends Athletes Follow A Plant-Based Diet Nov 15, 2019

Show notes

In the new Netflix documentary, "Game Changers," the former team physician for the St. Louis Rams and Cardinals challenges what he refers to as a “locker room mythology about meat, protein and strength.” Dr. James Loomis says that contrary to popular belief, protein isn’t what sustains a person’s energy. Rather, energy comes from carbohydrates, and when carbohydrate calories are sacrificed for protein calories, athletes can develop symptoms like chronic fatigue or loss of stamina. In this segment, Sarah Fenske talks with Loomis about the rise of plant-based eating in professional sports.

Withdrawal From Paris Agreement Could Cost Midwest Commodities Producers Nov 14, 2019

Show notes

The Trump administration’s formal withdrawal of the U.S. from the Paris Agreement on climate change has members of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative concerned. The organization is worried that the withdrawal could lead to U.S. commodities producers being taxed or penalized by countries that signed on to the accord, something that the European Union has signaled they would like to pursue. In this interview, Sarah Fenske talks with the executive director of the Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative, Colin Wellenkamp, as well as Kimmswick, Missouri, Mayor Phil Stang, about what leaving the accord could do to the competitiveness of Midwest commodity exports.

Comparing Missouri And Illinois' Medical Cannabis Laws Nov 14, 2019

Show notes

At their core, Missouri and Illinois programs do the same thing: They allow doctors to certify patients to use cannabis if they have a qualifying condition. But there are significant differences in the details of each law. In this segment, Sarah Fenske talks with St. Louis Public Radio reporter Jaclyn Driscoll about the differences between the two state's medical marijuana programs.

Metro Theater’s Radio Play Within A Play Reimagines 'It's A Wonderful Life' At A 1940s Radio Station Nov 14, 2019

Show notes

Metro Theater Company’s Julia Flood was looking for a classic holiday show this fall — one that would also speak to Metro’s mission as a theater company inspired by the intelligence and emotional wisdom of young people. Her colleague John Wolbers’ fresh take on the story of George Bailey and the town of Bedford Falls aspires to fit the bill. Set at a fictional St. Louis radio station 70 years ago and framed as a radio play within a play, the local playwright’s retelling of “It’s a Wonderful Life” aims to build a generational bridge. The 50-minute production opens this Sunday at the Grandel, with the cast introducing younger theatergoers — and audiences of all ages — to the golden age of radio as well as a long-beloved tale. In this segment, Wolbers joins host Sarah Fenske to talk about his adaptation ahead of its opening matinee (performances run Nov. 17 through Dec. 15). Also joining the broadcast are cast members Alicia Revé Like, Abraham Shaw and Chris E. Ware. The trio present a scene from the play during the show, complete with Foley sound artistry.

As Farmers Market Season Winds Down, Tower Grove's Grows A Winter Version Nov 13, 2019

Show notes

The weather outside may be frightful, but Patrick Horine, co-founder of the popular Tower Grove Farmers Market, isn’t exactly closing up shop for the colder months these days. As he looks toward the final market of the season this weekend in the south St. Louis park, he’s also gearing up for its wintry equivalent — which is growing. Initially launched in 2007 as a monthly affair, the Winter Market this year will take place weekly beginning Dec. 7. And it’s moving to the spacious Koken Art Factory in St. Louis’ Fox Park neighborhood to accommodate dozens of local vendors. In this segment, Horine joins Sarah Fenske for a sneak peek at the wintry offerings, which also will feature a holiday theme the first three Saturdays of the season. He also discusses farmers market trends in the region as a whole.

Film Co-Produced By UMSL Professor Documents Mass Sterilization During Holocaust Nov 13, 2019

Show notes

In 2012, Rita Csapo-Sweet and her husband, the late Frederick Sweet, jointly published a paper on the ghastly but little-known legacy of Carl Clauberg, a German physician who conducted mass sterilization experiments at Auschwitz during World War II. Clauberg would use his work in the concentration camp to develop a pioneering fertility test. “Clauberg’s name needs to be placed next to [Josef] Mengele’s in its rightful place in infamy,” the two scholars concluded, emphasizing that Clauberg’s medical crimes against humanity “must be disclosed whenever the test bearing his name appears” in modern biomedical texts. As Csapo-Sweet and Sweet dug into their research, filmmakers Sylvia Nagel and Sonya Winterberg also began a documentary about Clauberg — and the St. Louis-based couple’s academic article filled in key gaps in the filmmakers’ story. Nagel and Winterberg reached out to Csapo-Sweet in 2015, and she joined the documentary as its American producer. Now complete, “Made in Auschwitz: The Untold Story of Block 10” will be screened this weekend as part of the St. Louis International Film Festival. In this episode of St. Louis on the Air, host Sarah Fenske talks with Csapo-Sweet about the film and the history of genocidal collaboration by medical professionals, both during the Holocaust and more recently. Csapo-Sweet is an associate professor of media studies at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

How Missourians Can Combat Honeysuckle Infestation, Other Invasive Species Nov 13, 2019

Show notes

Bush honeysuckle isn't native to Missouri, but the species is flourishing in the state. In an effort to upset honeysuckle infestation, the Missouri Botanical Garden has organized public events and volunteer removal days to raise public awareness about the need for bush honeysuckle removal and the benefits of replacing it with native plants. Host Sarah Fenske talks with the garden’s restoration outreach coordinator, Ali Brown, about the organization’s Honeysuckle Sweep Month, the impacts of honeysuckle and other invasive plants in Missouri and what can be done to combat their disruptions.

How An Influential—Possibly Flawed—Psychiatric Study Changed The Course of Modern Medicine Nov 12, 2019

Show notes

In 2009, New York Post reporter Susannah Cahalan suddenly experienced hallucinations, paranoia, seizures and catatonia. She was misdiagnosed for a month before she was finally treated for a rare autoimmune disease that can attack the brain, anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis. She investigated her experience and published the details in her 2012 book, “Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness.” Led by a concern that others suffering from this condition were being mistreated in psychiatric hospitals, she began looking into an influential 1973 study titled "On Being Sane in Insane Places" by psychologist David Rosenhan. The details of her investigation are found in her latest book, “The Great Pretender: The Undercover Mission That Changed Our Understanding of Madness.”

Working In Madagascar, St. Louis Scientists Hope To Help Both People And Planet Nov 12, 2019

Show notes

For nearly three decades, the Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center at the University of Missouri-St. Louis has bestowed its World Ecology Award on prominent biodiversity-minded individuals ranging from John Denver to E.O. Wilson. But this year the center is instead honoring a pair of world-class local institutions — the Missouri Botanical Garden and the St. Louis Zoo — for their critical research and conservation work in Madagascar. In this episode, Sarah Fenske talks with the center’s interim director, Patty Parker, and with a Malagasy scientist, Fidisoa Rasambainarivo, who is in St. Louis to speak at an upcoming gala where the zoo and garden are being honored. The conversation also includes comments from zoo and garden staff.

A Meteor Shower Caused The Fireball Spotted Over Eastern Missouri Nov 12, 2019

Show notes

Last night, a meteor shower caused a bright flash in the night sky that many home security cameras in the St. Louis area captured. The annual Taurid meteor shower, which is known to burn more brightly than other meteor events, hit its peak on Monday evening. In this segment, Sarah Fenske talks about the science behind Monday's meteor with Will Snyder, manager of the James S. McDonnell Planetarium at the St. Louis Science Center.

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