St. Louis On The Air

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.

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 Found Ourselves Here: 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.

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.

In St. Louis 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 gay bar in south St. Louis. The city charged the bar’s owner with assault, but last month dropped the criminal charge.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Each year, more than 10 million visitors make their way to Branson, Missouri. Over many decades, the once-small hillside town developed a reputation for being the U.S. capital for performances with overtly religious and patriotic themes, and sometimes, a Christian nationalist bent. Joanna Dee Das’s new book, “Faith, Family, and Flag: Branson Entertainment & the Idea of America,” explores how conservative values and politics have played out on Branson’s stages and with audiences. She also describes what makes Branson an important site for the performing arts and how its presentation of American history, values and politics is far more complicated than its reputation suggests.

Firearms are deeply politicized in the United States, hampering regulation and safer gun laws. In St. Louis, 44% of residents say firearm violence is their top public health concern. A new report in JAMA Health Forum outlines a five-step, evidence-based roadmap to safer firearm regulation Dr. Sandro Galea, dean of Washington University’s School of Public Health and editor-in-chief of JAMA Health Forum, discusses why the plan — and public health — are key to addressing gun violence.

The Nolan family in St. Louis has been on a long road to recovery since an EF3 tornado tore the roof off their O'Fallon neighborhood home on May 16. We check in with mom Gloria Nolan and her 13-year-old daughter Dylan about how their family's been navigating busy schedules, a new school year, ongoing house repairs and questions they still have about what's next.

The EF3 tornado that ravaged parts of St. Louis six months ago devastated thousands of homes and businesses — and a dozen buildings in the St. Louis Public Schools district. Seven schools were so severely damaged that students were displaced. Now, SLPS administrators plan to have the schools either reopened or renovated by December 2026. STLPR’s Hiba Ahmed discusses the impact of the school closures, what the plan to reopen looks like and what the community's response has been in the six months since the tornado.

Six months after an EF3 tornado devastated parts of St. Louis, affected residents are still dealing with debris. Others are just now getting their roofs repaired. Without adequate support to rebuild and repair, some are left asking themselves: “What level of degradation to my home am I willing to live with long term?” STLPR engagement producer Paola Rodriguez shares notes from recent conversations with survivors of the May 16 tornado.

With roughly a year before the nation heads to polls for the 2026 midterm elections, STLPR’s Jason Rosenbaum examines some of the Missouri-based races that could foretell a national Democratic wave – or continued GOP dominance. Some of those contests include Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District contest, a slew of high-stakes ballot initiatives – and the race for the 8th Congressional District seat in southeast Missouri.

Sunday marks six months since a devastating tornado struck St. Louis and St. Louis County. And the recovery process still has a long way to go. St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer joins the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air to talk about the challenges of rebuilding parts of the city and whether the St. Louis region needs to work together on emergency management efforts.

St. Louis County is facing a sobering financial reality: The budget is nearly $80 million in the red. While a combination of reserve funds and special pots of money like the NFL settlement may bridge the gap this year, policymakers will have to make some tough decisions that may not be popular with residents. STLPR’s Jason Rosenbaum talks with St. Louis County Councilwoman Rita Days about the council’s posture toward the budget — and a public uproar over the future of the county animal shelter.

St. Louis is no stranger to sports championships, but you may have missed the news of the St. Louis Australian Football Club’s victory over its division rival Denver in the USAFL championships last month. Club players Dave Zitko and Rhiannon Duryea take us inside the championship season. They also break down the basics of the sport, from the hits, the kicks and many distinctive rules that make it unique.

As open enrollment is underway for people who rely on getting health insurance from the Affordable Care Act marketplace, many are facing steep premium hikes. STLPR health reporter Sarah Fentem talks about what’s driving the increases, how subsidies factor in and what the changes mean for consumers. We also hear real-life stories from people weighing tough coverage decisions.