St. Louis on the Air

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How Rosemary Woodruff Leary left St. Louis and became ‘The Acid Queen’ Sep 08, 2025

Show notes

Rosemary Woodruff Leary, a St. Louis native, was best known during her life as the wife of Harvard psychologist and LSD evangelist Timothy Leary. But a new book highlights Rosemary’s unsung role in that movement. Author Susannah Cahalan’s “The Acid Queen: The Psychedelic Life and Counterculture Rebellion of Rosemary Woodruff Leary," uses diaries and Rosemary’s own writing to explore how she guided the public persona and mythmaking of Timothy Leary — including how Rosemary helped him escape prison to become international fugitives. Cahalan argues that Rosemary was so much more than a side character, but “a pioneer whose unacknowledged sacrifice helped safeguard an underground movement.”

Missouri House committee votes to make it harder to pass some ballot issues Sep 05, 2025

Show notes

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe isn’t just calling lawmakers back to Jefferson City to redraw the state’s congressional lines. He’s also urging lawmakers to make monumental changes to Missouri’s initiative petition system. Kehoe’s proposal would drastically raise the bar for some proposed constitutional amendments to be enacted. The idea has received strong support from Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, a Republican. Hoskins responds to points raised by the plan’s detractors and explains why he feels the proposal will fare well at the ballot box.

Trump-approved congressional redistricting gets Missouri House committee approval Sep 05, 2025

Show notes

President Donald Trump and his staff have been pressuring Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe and GOP lawmakers to engage in mid-decade redistricting ahead of next year’s elections. Missouri Republicans explicitly rejected a similar plan just three years ago, but Democrats expect those GOP lawmakers to change their mind. Democratic House Minority Leader Ashley Aune talks about the daunting challenge for her caucus during this special session, how Democrats plan to respond to the remapping plan, and whether it could actually boost her party’s prospects in the Kansas City area.

Missouri ranks high in primate ownership. Here’s why experts warn against it Sep 04, 2025

Show notes

It’s estimated that up to 1,000 monkeys and apes are owned as pets in Missouri. Despite the challenges, and even dangers, of such ownership, pet primates are legal to own in the state. But most arrive in the U.S. through illegal smuggling operations. Animal advocates share the dark side of the exotic pet trade, why primates don’t make good pets, and the effort to end the illegal sale and trafficking of primates at the federal level.

Local news veteran Art Holliday retires after 46 years at KSDK Sep 03, 2025

Show notes

After 46 years at KSDK Channel 5, veteran sports and news journalist Art Holliday has retired. Holliday shares stories about his earliest days in sports reporting, memorable moments with fans of the morning show he co-anchored for 22 years and reflections on ways the positions he held at KSDK informed his time as the station’s first ever Black news director.

Inaugural Free 4 All showcase features 100 St. Louis music acts this weekend Sep 03, 2025

Show notes

The inaugural Free 4 All showcase this weekend features 100 local music acts. Co-founder of Free 4 All Joe Hess joins “St. Louis on the Air” to share the motivations behind curating Free 4 All. He also shares the emerging and well-known artists on the showcase. Hess is joined by hip-hop artist and one of the Free 4 All performers Tamara Dodd, who performs as Bates, to share her experience as an independent musician and what she’s looking forward to during the showcase on Saturday, September 6 and Sunday, September 7.

Modern parenting is exhausting. This St. Louis mom aims to lighten the load Sep 02, 2025

Show notes

St. Louis mom Amanda Hausmann knows what it feels like to be overwhelmed by the demands of a career and parenthood. It’s why she left her job as an attorney to create MomMoment. The app connects moms who need support tackling everyday household tasks with other parents who are looking for flexible income. Hausmann discusses the demands of modern parenthood and why she believes labels like “stay at home mom” and “working mom” are divisive and insufficient.

The Midwest's only cookbook store is in STL. It's just 6 feet wide Sep 02, 2025

Show notes

A love of cookbooks inspired Sara Johnson and Stephanie McKinney to found Anchovy Book Co., a bite-sized, brick-and-mortar store on Cherokee Street that's just six feet wide. There are only about 20 cookbook-exclusive stores nationwide. Anchovy, which opened in November, is the first in the Midwest. We explore the store’s origin and the cookbooks that remain beloved by its founders. We also look at cookbook recommendations and local authors with St. Louis Magazine food writer Cheryl Baehr.

‘They Called Me a Sellout’ docuseries centers the importance of Black artists to rock music Aug 29, 2025

Show notes

Rock music has its roots in Black culture and with his docuseries “They Called Me a Sellout: Being Black in the ‘White’ Rock & Roll Industry”, Chan Maurice Evans explores that history. The series features St. Louis legends like Bernie and Uvee Hayes, Steve Ewing, and rock icons like Ben Kenny of Incubus. The series centers Black artists in the rock genre and their experiences. Evans joins St. Louis on the Air to discuss how, after years of being called a “sellout” for being a Black rock artist, he made it his mission to show Black people that rock is rooted in Black culture.

Mayor Spencer says turmoil at FEMA left St. Louis to respond to deadly tornado alone Aug 29, 2025

Show notes

More than 100 days ago, an EF3 tornado ripped through St. Louis. In the weeks since, volunteers have stepped up, frustrations have grown over slow recovery efforts and many residents are still struggling. St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer reflects on the past 15 weeks and shares what her administration is doing to help the city move forward.

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