St. Louis on the Air

Latest Episodes:

Breaking down the top Missouri and Illinois political stories of 2024 Dec 31, 2024

Show notes

In 2024, Missouri voters got rid of the state’s near total ban on abortion yet overwhelmingly voted for Republicans who were opposed to doing so. St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell defeated Rep. Cori Bush in the Democratic primary. And, former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan went on trial for public corruption. On this episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, STLPR reporters discuss the top Missouri and Illinois political stories in 2024.

A Mississippi River boat captain traces his routes from St. Louis to a decades-long career on the river Dec 30, 2024

Show notes

Growing up in St. Louis in the 1950s and 60s, Lee Hendrix was taught to fear the Mississippi River. But the sense of adventure it offered ended up being the seed that became a five decade career of piloting boats on the Mississippi. In this encore episode, Hendrix discusses his book, “Peep Light,” where he shares stories about the dangerous work of starting as a deckhand and later ascending to the pilothouse. He also talks about what it was like to pilot passenger vessels, including the grand American Queen, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ largest towboat, the MV Mississippi.

A tribute to St. Louisans who passed away in 2024 Dec 23, 2024

Show notes

In 2024, we said goodbye to a number of remarkable people who lived and worked in the St. Louis region. In this episode, we honor those we lost this year by listening back to conversations with them or by hearing from those who knew them well.

Rep. Jason Smith expects tough road to get tax package passed in 2025 Dec 20, 2024

Show notes

Republicans will gain control of the House, Senate and presidency next month and that means Missouri Rep. Jason Smith will become even more powerful, as he’ll have a clearer path as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee to reshape taxation and trade policy. Smith, who represents Missouri’s 8th Congressional District, discusses priorities including renewing or expanding tax cuts — and governing with a narrow majority.

For Cori Bush, departure from U.S. House isn’t an exit from public activism Dec 20, 2024

Show notes

Congresswoman Cori Bush had an unlikely journey to Washington, D.C., rising from the Ferguson protest movement to the House of Representatives. Bush, who represents Missouri’s 1st Congressional District, will be leaving office in November after losing an expensive and bitter primary battle against St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell. She sits down for an exit interview reflecting on her four years in Congress — and why she won’t be disappearing from the public view anytime soon.

Aide Ade’s new album affirms self and others who love, and may bend but don’t break Dec 20, 2024

Show notes

Aida Ade — born Jamie Hudson — took a step back from music after the passing of her cherished aunt. She returned to music this year with the EP, “The Unbreakable Aida Ade,” which features songs written to lift herself up and to celebrate the power of a strong circle of loved ones.

Metro Boomin credits family, faith, and St. Louis roots for his rise to stardom Dec 19, 2024

Show notes

Metro Boomin takes trust seriously. The St. Louis native recently returned to his hometown to continue his annual tradition of celebrating single mothers and honoring his late mother Leslie JoAnne Wayne, who was killed in June 2022. Producer Miya Norfleet sat down with the Grammy-nominated music producer to talk about his accomplishments, values, and views on what it means to be part of hip-hop culture.

New songs by St. Louis artists to add to your playlist in December 2024 Dec 19, 2024

Show notes

Courtney Dowdall, music reviewer for The Arts STL, joins producer Miya Norfleet and Elaine Cha for a roundup of new music releases from St. Louis musicians. Their picks cover a range of genres, from Midwestern country to jazz to death metal.

The fight over St. Louis County’s next prosecutor, and more from the Legal Roundtable Dec 18, 2024

Show notes

Lawyers for County Executive Sam Page and Governor Mike Parson met in court this week to argue their case for appointing a new St. Louis County prosecutor to replace Wesley Bell. The unusual legal battle that pits county and state interests against each other is just one of the topics tackled in this month’s Legal Roundtable. Attorneys Mary Anne Sedey, Liz Lenivy and Dave Roland also dig into a former St. Louis county staffer’s retaliation claim — and why the Los Angeles Rams prefer arbitration to a local courtroom.

Homeschooling in Missouri has almost doubled since 2020, with no slowing in sight Dec 16, 2024

Show notes

A recent report out of the Policy Research in Missouri Education Center at St. Louis University shows that about 61,000 children in Missouri are homeschooled — an almost two-fold increase since 2020. Executive Director Collin Hitt and Senior Research Associate Amy Shelton discuss how Missouri compares to other states, what a continued trend toward homeschooled K-12 students could mean for state-level policy and funding for public schools, and the need for more research into demographic trends and homeschooling outcomes.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected