St. Louis on the Air

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Finding joy, misery and hallucinations on a race down the Missouri River Oct 20, 2025

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St. Louis Magazine editor Nick Phillips spent three days kayaking across the state of Missouri in the MR340, the world’s longest nonstop paddling race. He crossed the finish line after nearly 74 hours. Writing about the experience in St. Louis Magazine, Nick describes the journey as a "sweaty, maddening hell.” Along with Phillips, MR340 race director Steve Schnarr discusses the race’s history and the extremes it places on the bodies and wills of its participants.

Another St. Louis Public Schools superintendent has been fired. What happens next? Oct 20, 2025

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The St. Louis Public Schools Board of Education voted Friday to fire Superintendent Millicent Borishade without cause during a closed session. Borishade served in the role for just over a year and previously served as deputy superintendent and Chief of Schools. STLPR education reporter Hiba Ahmad shares what we know so far about what happened, and what’s next, for the school district.

Missouri is courting data centers. Here's how it could affect your energy bill Oct 20, 2025

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As officials in Missouri and St. Louis try to attract data center proposals, advocates and academics are raising the alarm about the effects such centers may have on utilities. Energy policy expert Ari Peskoe shares how the data center boom is changing the utility landscape, why everyday consumers may be left footing the bill for big tech’s use of electricity, and what regulators and lawmakers can do to protect the public.

Missouri Attorney General Hanaway’s agenda includes fighting crime and restricting abortion Oct 17, 2025

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Just over a month into her new role as Missouri’s attorney general, Catherine Hanaway is outlining her priorities — focusing on fighting crime and defending the state’s abortion laws. A former Missouri House speaker, U.S. attorney and chair of Husch Blackwell, Hanaway discusses her agenda and the case to remove St. Louis Sheriff Alfred Montgomery.

Missouri Rep. Graves leads bipartisan push to overhaul FEMA Oct 17, 2025

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Missouri’s Republican and Democratic elected officials have been underwhelmed by the federal response to the May 16 tornado in St. Louis. And at least one member of Missouri’s congressional delegation, Republican U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, said the problems he sees this year aren’t new – and should prompt lawmakers to overhaul the disaster response agency. The Tarkio Republican talks about his bipartisan legislation to overhaul FEMA on the “Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air.”

Not your average ghost tour — 'Voices at Bellefontaine' looks to educate, not scare Oct 16, 2025

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There are a multitude of stories waiting to be discovered at the historic, 175 year old Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum. The annual event “Voices at Bellefontaine” brings new life to the stories of those buried and memorialized there. In collaboration with theatre company Hawthorne Players, Bellefontaine puts on the outdoor theatrical experience throughout the cemetery grounds. Cemetery chronicler Dan Fuller and writer/director Larry Marsh talk with producer Darrious Varner about the lives of notable people buried at the cemetery, how their stories are rediscovered, and how Voices at Bellefontaine uses theatrical elements to preserve such history.

The Lemp family history is dogged by death. A new book tracks the rise of its beer empire Oct 16, 2025

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The story of the Lemp beer dynasty still holds sway in St. Louis, but it’s the tragedies, suicides — and a supposedly haunted mansion — that have made the family name infamous. But there is so much more to the Lemp family than tragedy. A new book, “Adam Lemp and Western Brewery,” has uncovered records that give us a better picture of what it took to build that beer dynasty, and provides new hints of the dysfunction behind the scenes. We talk about the Lemps with the book’s author, historian Chris Naffziger, and Amanda Clark, a public historian and See STL Tours Manager at the Missouri Historical Society.

Students report greater focus and ‘more social conversations’ after Missouri cellphone ban Oct 15, 2025

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Missouri passed legislation earlier this year that requires school districts to adopt a cellphone policy that limits usage during the school day. STLPR education reporter Hiba Ahmad and two student journalists from Rockwood Summit High School discuss how the school and its students have adapted to the policy so far.

‘American Skyjacker’ brings one of St. Louis’ wildest true-crime tales to the big screen Oct 15, 2025

Show notes

In 1972, Martin McNally hijacked American Airlines Flight 119 out of St. Louis Lambert International Airport – and years of chaos ensued. His story inspired the 2020 true crime podcast “American Skyjacker.” Now, a feature documentary film of the same name premieres in St. Louis on Friday, Oct.17 at Ronnie’s Cinema. St. Louis on the Air producer Danny Wicentowski’s 2017 cover story for the Riverfront Times first brought McNally’s story to the attention of filmmakers Eli Kooris and Josh Shaffer. Wicentowski and Kooris break down the ins and outs of the notorious skyjacking, and what it took to transform it into a film.

How the Missouri Historical Society’s ‘I am St. Louis’ campaign is building civic pride Oct 14, 2025

Show notes

Research shows that when people form strong emotional bonds with their home, communities experience greater economic growth, recover faster from natural disasters and foster deeper connection and meaning among residents. The Missouri Historical Society’s “I am St. Louis” campaign seeks to do just that. President and CEO Jody Sowell, alongside STLPR lead producer Luis Antonio Perez, share what they love about St. Louis — and how confronting the city’s darker chapters helps us better understand and approach the challenges we face today.

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