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St. Louis County’s health director wants to preserve clinics amid budget crunch Nov 26, 2025

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St. Louis County officials are grappling with a major budgetary hole, one that includes a roughly $20 million deficit for the county’s health department. But while acknowledging the perilous financial times for the county, St. Louis County Director of Public Health Dr. Kanika Cunningham is pushing back against the idea that the county should shutter some of its Federally Qualified Health Center Look-a-Like health clinics as a way to save money. Cunningham joined the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air.

Contemporary Art Museum celebrates 30 years of teen art in ‘We Find Ourselves’ Nov 25, 2025

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Thirty years ago, a group of St. Louis teens walked into the Forum of Contemporary Art, sparking youth programs that have since reached more than 30,000 young people. Now the Contemporary Art Museum, a new exhibit, “We Find Ourselves: 30 Years of Teens Making Art,” looks back on that legacy and showcases new works by emerging artists in St. Louis. We talk with Roseann Weiss, founder of one of the early teen programs, Juan William Chavez, artist and former teen program participant, and CAM education manager Miriam Ruiz. The exhibit is on display until Feb. 8, 2026.

The holidays can be stressful. A St. Louis psychologist offers tips on protecting your peace Nov 25, 2025

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For many people, the holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year. But even the most heartwarming Thanksgiving meal with loved ones can come with sides of social obligation, financial strain and expectation. St. Louis clinical psychologist Dr. Marva Robinson shares advice on connecting with family, managing expectations and making the most of your holiday celebrations.

A little less conversation, a lot more consequences for 'Elvis' judge in St. Louis County Nov 24, 2025

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In Charles County, Elvis has left the courtroom. That’s thanks to an official Missouri disciplinary commission whose decision is forcing the retirement of Judge Matthew Thornhill. Thornhill drew complaints for his habit of dressing up as Elvis in the courtroom, wearing an Elvis wig and making jokes about Elvis to litigants. In this month’s Legal Roundtable, our experts react to the judge’s unusual retirement and discuss other cases. That includes an update on the bizarre case of Bar PM: Two years ago, a police SUV collided with the bar in south St. Louis. The city charged the bar’s owner with assault after the accident, but last month dropped the criminal charge.

Bates’ passion for music production, horror inspired her album ‘The Terrible Tales of Mother Goose’ Nov 21, 2025

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Bates is a self proclaimed music and horror fanatic. The St. Louis rapper’s latest album, “The Terrible Tales of Mother Goose” blends her love of music and scary stories by flipping classic nursery rhymes with twisted origins and showcasing her expansive music tastes with her lyricism. She takes us behind the scenes of her fifth album and she shares her future plans of becoming a music executive producer.

Sensual and rebellious – this month’s new music round up highlights St. Louis’ take on R&B Nov 21, 2025

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November’s new music roundup is full of R&B bangers.. Alternative R&B tracks like “Mistakes” by Brock Seals and Nate Fox blend jazz and hip-hop with soulful vocals. Latoya Sharen’s “90’s R&B Love (Remix), featuring The HamilTones, takes us on a romantic trip back in time. Along with the music highlights, singer-songwriter Alexia Simone joins host Elaine Cha and music show producer and originator Miya Norfleet to discuss their picks for this month’s top tracks. Check out our November new music playlist. .

There are few pigeons in St. Louis. Research shows it’s due to design Nov 20, 2025

Show notes

Pigeons are assumed to be common in most urban areas, but St. Louis does not have as many of these birds compared to other major cities. Washington University researchers have found that urban design and planning has a lot to do with that pigeon disparity, which highlights what’s missing in the city’s ecosystem. Postdoctoral fellow Elizabeth Carlen shares why a lack of pedestrians is the culprit, and how curiosity about minimal pigeon sightings in St. Louis landed her and her research partners in Madrid, Spain.

Why there’s no such thing as an ‘authentic’ taco Nov 20, 2025

Show notes

In reviews of Mexican restaurants across St. Louis, you’ll find numerous mentions of “authenticity.” But what makes a Mexican dish, like the taco, truly authentic? For Ignacio M. Sánchez Prado, that’s asking the wrong question. In his new book, “Taco,” Sánchez Prado challenges the idea of authentic food by exploring how migration and modernity have shaped the taco from its origins as a working-class staple in Mexico to a transnational icon that comes in many different textures and flavors.

Trans voices take center stage in St. Louis play ‘Just Human’ Nov 19, 2025

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A documentary-style play opening this week in St. Louis presents the experiences of transgender people and allies in their own words. Jamie Linson, a clinical psychologist, wrote the play after conducting more than 30 interviews with trans people and their families. The result is “Just Human: Transgender Lives in the 2020s.” Along with Linson, we talk with performer Jordan Braxton about playing herself, how the show confronts the harsh reality facing trans people face in Missouri, and how it also showcases the ways trans people find joy in their lives.

Coordinator wants ‘true reform in Ferguson’ as consent decree faces funding cuts Nov 19, 2025

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After the police shooting of Michael Brown, the City of Ferguson entered into a consent decree agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice. Now, almost a decade later, Ferguson residents and officials are eager for that contract to end. We’ll get an update on its progress from Ferguson Consent Decree Coordinator Patricia Washington, who spoke with STLPR reporter Chad Davis earlier this week. Washington shared examples of successful reforms made as part of the consent decree and the impact of cuts to the program’s funding. She also discussed the conditions for Ferguson to ultimately make its “exit strategy” from the consent decree.

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