St. Louis on the Air

Makini Morrision is a musical polymath. His mastering of jazz, hip-hop and soul music as K Kudda Muzic makes him in high demand to produce music in the St. Louis area. He joined “St. Louis on the Air” to share his music journey, starting with his parents album collection, and his approach to creating his original works as well as collaborating with others.

For Ryan “Big Esco” Brown, a St. Louis DJ and artist with the hip-hop duo Souls of Liberty, hip hop is having a moment — a particularly vulnerable and authentic one. He shares a few of his favorite recent music releases from St. Louis artists alongside producer Miya Norfleet in the June edition of our new music roundup. In addition to hip hop tracks, their selections include Irish bluegrass, EDM, R&B and meditative/ambient music.

The recovery from St. Louis' tornado is affecting both the physical and mental health of residents. Dr. LJ Punch, founder of the Bullet Related Injury Clinic in St. Louis, shares how his group and others are continuing to help the community heal in the Fountain Park neighborhood. The nonprofit is one of dozens of organizations that lost half of their federal funding just before the storm. Dr. Punch says that loss isn’t stopping them from getting resources to residents who need them.

At La Pâtisserie Chouquette in south St. Louis, Juneteenth is a time for celebration and stories. Simone Faure, pastry designer and co-owner of the James Beard-nominated bakery, shares the inspiration behind the bakery’s Juneteenth menu this year, which includes items with Gullah Geechee influences and backstories that involve genealogical research and an international recipe exchange.

Thousands of St. Louisans impacted by the May 16 tornado are beginning to apply for aid programs provided by the city and the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency. STLPR reporter Hiba Ahmad discusses where relief efforts stand so far, what impacted communities need to move forward, and what’s still to come.

Thousands took to the streets in downtown St. Louis on Saturday for the "No Kings" protest against the actions of President Trump. People came from throughout the region to call attention to Trump’s immigration policies, cuts to the federal workforce and federal grants, and his expanded domestic military use. STLPR reporter Hiba Ahmad takes us on the scene.

InvestSTL’s Dara Eskridge and 4TheVille’s Aaron Williams helped lead the 4TheVille Emergency Hub, which provided aid to thousands of north St. Louis residents after the May 16 tornado. Now they’re raising money for cash assistance. In this episode, STLPR correspondent Jason Rosenbaum speaks with them about next steps and how they plan to advise the city on how to rebuild.

Experienced tradesman Erion “Prop-Man” Johnson has spent 30 days teaching St. Louis youth key skills with his 100 Tiny Homes project: an effort prompted by the desire to assist residents of north St. Louis was devastated by the May 16 EF3 tornado. Johnson speaks to the project's alignment with his larger vision for teaching Black youth and supporting the community; we also hear teen participants in the project share why they value what they're learning from -- and with -- Johnson.

President Donald Trump’s high-profile immigration raids have sparked protests across the country and even prompted some Republicans to question whether the strategy is misguided. But Missouri U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt says Trump is carrying out a campaign promise to deport people who are in the country without legal status. He also said that critics of the president are being inconsistent, pointing to how Democratic presidents like Barack Obama deported millions of people when he was in office. Schmitt also downplayed Trump’s rift with Elon Musk.

During the just-concluded special session, a bipartisan contingent of Missouri lawmakers were able to get the stadium package across the finish line while also aiding victims of the May 16 tornado. State Sen. Steven Roberts, D-St. Louis, and House Speaker Jon Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, discuss the legislative action. STLPR statehouse and politics reporter Sarah Kellogg also joins the discussion.