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Step into Santa’s House in downtown Belleville this holiday season Dec 16, 2024

Show notes

For more than 60 years, Santa’s House in Belleville’s historic downtown square has been a mainstay of the holiday season. Combined with an open air German Christmas Market, experiencing Christmastime in Belleville is a tradition for many Metro East families. Cindy Hawkins, co-president of the Optimist Club of Belleville and chairman of the Santa committee, shares the history and memories of Santa’s House.

Racist posts online raise questions about cop’s testimony that sent a Black man to prison Dec 16, 2024

Show notes

A Black man from St. Louis has served a decade in prison for a crime he swears he didn’t commit. The only evidence linking him to the shooting that resulted in a 25-year sentence was the testimony of a white police officer. But what neither he, his attorneys nor the jury that convicted him knew at the time was the officer had mistakenly arrested another Black man seven months earlier, using an illegal choke hold that ended in the man’s death. The officer also had a long history of racist posts on social media denigrating Black people.

Amanda Householder escaped abuse at a Missouri boarding school. She’s still waiting for justice Dec 13, 2024

Show notes

The closure of three Christian boarding schools in Missouri since 2020 is only a start, says Amanda Householder, whose parents ran the now-closed Circle of Hope Girls Ranch. Householder reflects on her upbringing at her parents’ unregulated boarding school, what happened after she escaped, and her feelings as her mother, Stephanie Householder, faces numerous charges of child abuse. We also hear from David Clohessy, the former national director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. Clohessy shares insights from a career of advocating for abuse victims, and why he is calling on Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey to do more to expose other abuse situations in the state’s boarding schools.

Report: Former SLPS superintendent misused district funds and violated hiring practices Dec 13, 2024

Show notes

Former St. Louis Public Schools superintendent Keisha Scarlett misused district funds and violated hiring protocols according to a new report from the district. Scarlett also racked up nearly $210,000 worth of charges on credit cards assigned to her and the superintendent’s office during her 14-month tenure, including expenses at Bath & Body Works and Massage Envy. STLPR education reporter Hiba Ahmad discusses the report and how the school board and district leaders have responded.

What you need to know about E. coli and shigella outbreaks in the St. Louis region Dec 12, 2024

Show notes

A recent E. coli outbreak at several events in the St. Louis region has left more than a dozen people hospitalized and affected at least 115 others. That follows news of a shigella outbreak in Fairview Heights where nearly a hundred diners were sickened after eating at a LongHorn Steakhouse. We talk about food borne illness and pose your food safety questions to an infectious disease physician, a food safety attorney and a health inspector.

'I've said some things': Vernon Betts reflects on 8 years as St. Louis sheriff Dec 11, 2024

Show notes

Vernon Betts, Sheriff for the City of St. Louis, will leave office after 8 years on Dec. 31. Betts lost his bid for re-election to Alfred Montgomery in the August primary. Known for his colorful personality (and controversies that have come with it), Betts has always spoken highly about serving St. Louis. STLPR Visuals Editor Brian Munoz sat down with Sheriff Betts, who reflected on his career in the St. Louis Sheriff's Department; his time at the helm, working alongside fellow St. Louis City leadership; and what he has planned next.

Osage Nation moves a step closer to reclaiming all of Sugarloaf Mound in St. Louis Dec 11, 2024

Show notes

A land transfer agreement announced in November 2024 brings the Osage Nation one step closer to reclaiming Sugarloaf Mound — the last remaining Mississippian mound in St. Louis — in its entirety. Osage artist Anita Fields and her son Nokosee Fields created "WayBack," a sculptural and musical installation, at the Sugarloaf Mound site as part of a Counterpublic arts exhibition in 2023. Fields speaks to what this recent agreement means for her as an Indigenous person, Osage citizen and artist. The conversation includes comments from former Osage Nation Principal Chief Jim Gray, under whose leadership the first portion of Sugarloaf Mound was regained in 2009.

Parson reflects on 6 ½ years as governor in wide ranging exit interview Dec 10, 2024

Show notes

In January, Gov. Mike Parson will leave office after 6 ½ years as Missouri’s top executive. Thanks to Republican supermajorities and a flood of federal money, Parson was able to enact significant policies — and make appointments that shaped Missouri politics and the judiciary. STLPR’s Jason Rosenbaum and Sarah Kellogg conducted a wide ranging exit interview with Parson. Later, Jason and Sarah join the show to discuss the interview and Parson’s legacy.

Average White Band caps 5 decade funk and soul run with St. Louis show Dec 10, 2024

Show notes

Among Average White Band's hits are "Pick Up the Pieces," the 1974 song that highlights the group's funk and soul sound. The band's final performance is this Friday in St. Louis and ahead of that show, saxophonist Fred Vigdor reflects on his 28-year tenure with the group and its influence on hip-hop culture.

A fresh take on ‘The Nutcracker’ turns a jazz spotlight on Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn Dec 10, 2024

Show notes

The “Ellington Strayhorn Nutcracker” from Jazz St Louis and St. Louis Dance Theatre will take audiences into the lives of Duke Ellington and LGBTQ composer Billy Strayhorn. Combining the holiday classic with a story set in 1960s St. Louis' Gaslight Square, the production represents “a love letter” to Strayhorn as an “unsung genius, who dared to live authentically in the face of adversity,” said choreographer Kirven Douthit-Boyd. Douthit-Boyd is joined by Jazz St. Louis CEO Victor Goines to discuss the importance of Strayhorn’s legacy, and the enduring significance of Strayhorn and Ellington’s 1960 album “The Nutcracker Suite.”

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