St. Louis On The Air

Clayton was once home to a large and thriving Black community. The First Baptist Church of Clayton — which sat on South Brentwood Boulevard — was part of that physical community until the city’s urban development plans forced the church to move in 1961. Five years later, the luxury high-rise Park Tower took up that space. On April 30, the church and the community that was impacted by its displacement will be honored at a city ceremony and the installation of a memorial plaque. STLPR reporter Chad Davis joined “St. Louis on the Air to take us deeper into the background of the plaque, the church once stood there, and why the city of Clayton is recognizing its legacy.

When Owen Ramsingh returned to the U.S. from visiting his father in the Netherlands, he expected to go home to Columbia, Missouri — where he’d lived for decades. Instead, he was detained at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport and ultimately deported over a drug charge from his teenage years, despite being a legal permanent resident. We talk with KBIA journalist Addison Zanger about Ramsingh’s life in mid-Missouri, how he and his family are coping with the changes and how he’s trying to forge a new life in the Netherlands.

Last month, we recognized 100 years since the commissioning of historic Route 66 by talking about its legacy and notable stops along the highway. We were only able to touch on a small portion of the route’s history, so now, we’re back with another conversation about the Mother Road. Missouri History Museum historian Andrew Wanko talks about the Missourians who were instrumental in marketing the highway and its Missouri-based attractions, what made Route 66 uniquely American, and notable attractions along the roadway. We also hear recollections from Irv Logan. Irv is the grandson of Alberta Ellis, whose hotel along Route 66 was one of the only safe places in Missouri for Black travelers to stay during the Jim Crow era.

Dozens of Holocaust survivor portraits, each standing more than seven feet tall and over three and a half feet wide, are on display at the District of St. Louis entertainment center in Chesterfield. These images are part of a traveling public art project called “Lest We Forget” by Italian-German photographer Luigi Toscano. The UNESCO Artist for Peace discusses what inspired his project in Germany in 2014 and how people have responded to its installations in different cities across the U.S. He also shares why bringing the “Lest We Forget” program to U.S. public schools — the first such partnership is happening with two rural Missouri schools in Houston and Sedalia — reflects the forward-looking orientation of his work: portraits and stories as a reminder of the past and a reflection of what is possible.

Protest and activism come in many forms, including music that draws attention to current issues that artists find most pressing, and important. On this episode of “The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air,” St. Louisans share their favorite protest songs and what that music means to them. We also hear from hip-hop artist KVTheWriter about her latest diss tracks aimed at Mayor Cara Spencer, developer Paul McKee and Congressman Wesley Bell, and talk with WashU professor Lauren Eldridge Stewart about the history of protest music.

Republicans have dominated St. Charles County elections for two decades. But recent municipal elections are giving Democrats some hope that they can gain ground in the fast-growing part of the St. Louis region. The Politically Speaking Hour talks with voters and political activists about why things could be changing in St. Charles County.

St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer delivers her State of the City speech Friday evening. The address comes at a moment of pressure and uncertainty for the city. On the eve of the speech, St. Louis Public Radio’s Rachel Lippmann and Lara Hamdan reached out to city residents about how they feel St. Louis is doing. Some said they were happy with the city’s trajectory, while many other people said St. Louis isn’t working for them.

In three months, MATI will return to Grand Center for a weekend of music, food and community. July 17-19 won’t just bring the humidity and heat — the festival, formerly known as Music at the Intersection, features a lineup packed with artists who call St. Louis home. On this month’s new music roundup, Larry Morris, the director of programs and partnerships for the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, joins “St. Louis on the Air” producer Miya Norfleet to discuss the latest music from some of the musicians representing St. Louis.

Country music artist Skylar Finan has been a fan of the genre her entire life. Though she started off as a shy performer, her friends in the scene saw her talent and encouraged her to get on stage. That encouragement eventually led her to create her debut album “Hit the Ground Runnin’” under the name Skylar Townsend. Townsend talks about her love for ‘90s country music stars like Reba McEntire and The Chicks, how the community helped her find her confidence, and how her album’s recording began with singing in a water heater closet.

The state of Missouri is suing a Missouri-based manufacturer of the 7-OH variety of kratom. Derived from plants, kratom is drawing increased scrutiny and concern. The products are widely sold in gas stations in St. Louis and across the state. We talk with PreventEd Executive Director Jenny Armbruster about kratom, the difference between kratom and 7-OH, why people are becoming addicted, and what educators and advocates are hearing about the substance from users.

At a ceremony at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville on Saturday, Gov. JB Pritzker awarded the Order of Lincoln — Illinois’ highest civilian honor — to five recipients, including East St. Louis civil rights activist and historian Reginald Petty. In conversation with STLPR Metro East reporter Will Bauer, the 90-year-old reflects on his work during the Civil Rights Movement and his ongoing efforts to preserve East St. Louis’ history.

It’s nesting season for Canada geese, and these protective parents are back to lay eggs, incubate and protect them in urban hotspots — from park pathways to office courtyard planters. During this time, their defensive, territorial behavior can lead to goose-human conflicts. Nancy Schnell, GeesePeace St. Louis founder, talks about how we can share outdoor spaces safely with these native birds during the peak of their nesting season.

The largest medical respite center in St. Louis will open its doors later this month. The Three Steps Home represents a major step for the groups supporting the city's homeless population. Three Steps Home CEO Sonia Deal talks about why homeless people often fall through cracks of existing medical care and how a respite center can help people recover from living on the streets. She also discusses how the nonprofit was recently aided by the Mennonite Disaster Service, and why she thinks homelessness as “a culmination of different things, whether it be a man-made disaster or an actual disaster, such as the tornado.”

Through a combination of engineering know-how, imagination and dedication to problem-solving, St. Louisan Kay Wells invented the Posie Pot: a 3-D printed, biodegradable and recyclable self-watering plant pot that’s in stores across the region and online for customers across the country. Wells talks about going from idea to prototype to product, support she’s received through major grants and fellowships, and her commitment to keeping Posie Pots’ production rooted here in St. Louis.

New research out of St. Louis shows that removing invasive plant species and planting native ones have gone a long way toward boosting bird populations in Forest Park. Lead study author Stella Uiterwaal is particularly excited to see the populations of native bird species on the rise.

Refugee resettlement in the U.S. is at a historic low. At the start of his second term, President Donald Trump set the refugee cap at 7,500 for fiscal year 2026, down from 125,000. That reality adds urgency to Race for Refugees, a 5K and 1-mile fun run that returns to Tower Grove Park this Saturday, April 18. We talked with race founder Heather Huewe and organizer Samson Hillary of the International Institute of St. Louis about why the event matters now.

Over 40 local artists entered into NPR’s 2026 Tiny Desk Contest. “St. Louis on the Air” producer Miya Norfleet and STLPR reporter Chad Davis talk about some of their favorite St. Louis submissions and the artists behind them.

After decades shaping St. Louis theater, STAGES St. Louis co-founder Jack Lane has stepped into a new spotlight. Following the 2023 death of his husband and creative partner Michael Hamilton, Lane reflects on grief, legacy and what it means to keep moving forward. Now 69, he’s shifting from behind-the-scenes support to lead producer, with four Tony Awards already to his name and a new Olivier Award nomination for a revival of “Evita.” At the same time, his musical “The Karate Kid,” which debuted in Kirkwood, is launching a U.K. tour. STLPR’s Jeremy D. Goodwin talks with Lane about his path from St. Louis to Broadway and London.

Woman grandmaster in chess Dorsa Derakhshani came to the U.S. from Iran to attend St. Louis University. Now a Mizzou medical student, St. Louis Chess Club instructor and U.S. citizen, Derakhshani is watching the war from her Missouri home, unable to communicate with her family and friends still living in Iran. She shares how growing up under the Iranian regime influences her perspective on the conflict, the need for greater compassion for the plight of the Iranian people — including those in the Iranian diaspora — and her hopes for the future.

This year, plant scientist Giles Oldroyd left his previous post at the University of Cambridge to become the new president of the Danforth Plant Science Center. Oldroyd has spent decades studying how plants thrive and communicate with the world around them. He’s now leading a research nonprofit with a mission to use plant science to “improve the human condition.” In conversation with STLPR Senior Environment and Data Reporter Kate Grumke, Oldroyd shares insights from his work in plant genetics, agriculture and sustainability.