St. Louis on the Air

St. Louis city planners say a new transportation plan will lead to safer streets in St. Louis in the future. Residents want action now. We dig into the city’s Transportation and Mobility Plan and discuss regional efforts to curb traffic violence.

In 1991, St. Louis native Toni Popham was 13 and pregnant when her family sent her to Virginia, to the Liberty Godparent Home. The treatment of pregnant girls at the facility is the subject of "Liberty Lost," a new podcast that features Popham and other former residents describing isolation, coercion and religious manipulation. Popham and the podcast's creator T.J. Raphael discuss the impact of the Godparent Home and the resurgence of maternity homes across the country.

Syrian refugee Nashat Aljerwan, his wife and their children were set to arrive in the U.S. in February as part of a U.S. State Department resettlement program. But days before their travel date, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that suspended refugee resettlement. Since then, St. Louisan Anne Ross has not stopped fighting for the Aljerwans to receive an exception to the order. Aljerwan and Ross share their respective journeys, their work together on his family’s case and their hopes for meeting, in-person, if or when resettlement in St. Louis finally becomes a reality.

Late last week, the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives voted to pass a bill that includes the cancellation of nearly $1.1 billion dollars in federal funds for public media – funds that Congress had previously approved for this year and next. The bill now goes to President Donald Trump, who is expected to sign the measure into law. STLPR’s interim general manager Jess Luther and Vicki Boutwell, Vice President and Chief Planning Officer at Nine PBS share what the St. Louis region stands to lose.

There’s no excuse to be out of the know when it comes to the music scene in St. Louis. St. Louis Magazine contributing writer and Free 4 All showcase co-founder Joe Hess joins “St. Louis on the Air” producer Miya Norfleet and host Elaine Cha as they discuss their favorite new releases from St. Louis-area artists. Check out our “St. Louis on the Air” new music round up playlist.

In St. Louis, the lines between music genres are blurry. Collaboration shapes every scene — and few embody that spirit like EDM producer Umami, born Pajmon Porshahidy. While many artists resist labels, Umami has no problem pointing out how their sound is directly tied to subgenres of electronic music, hip-hop and R&B. Their latest album “Pajmon” blends their Iranian-American heritage and wide-ranging musical tastes.

St. Louis native Noah Niznik has found his home on the baseball field with the Savannah Bananas, which has gone viral across the country for turning America’s pastime into "Banana Ball”. Nizknik talks about his lifelong love of baseball, being discovered by the Savannah Bananas, and how the team helped him realize his dream of being a professional baseball player. The Savannah Bananas will be bringing their baseball tour to Busch Stadium on July 18.

New research suggests that the Delmar Divide, a socioeconomic and racial dividing line in St. Louis, not only separates people, it segregates wildlife. Washington University postdoctoral fellow Elizabeth Carlen’s study of one of St. Louis’ most common residents, eastern gray squirrels, demonstrates the phenomenon. She shares what she’s discovered about the ways politics have shaped the genealogy — and even evolution — of St. Louis squirrels.

Red Lantern City Night Market began in St. Louis in 2021 as a response to community needs brought on by the pandemic. Red Lantern founder and chef Heidi Hamamura of Taberu STL, co-organizer Mike Ly of Cafe Saigon, and longtime co-organizer Dorrie Levy talk about the event’s origins, development and broad community appeal. Red Lantern City Night Market — described as “part carnival, part bazaar, part block party” — returns to St. Louis’ Central West End neighborhood on July 19.

On Wednesday a new study by Harvard researchers unveiled new evidence that people who lived near Coldwater Creek as children have a higher than normal risk of developing cancer later in life. Researchers used donated baby teeth from 4,209 participants of the St. Louis Baby Tooth Survey (1958-1970) to assess exposure — and scientists, using the results of self-reported cancer diagnoses, found that incidences of cancer increased in people who lived closer to the creek. The study’s lead author, Marc Weisskopf, from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, joins Elaine Cha and STLPR health reporter Sarah Fentem to discuss the new findings, and what they tell us about St. Louis’ nuclear past, present and future.