St. Louis on the Air

A former St. Louis sheriff’s deputy who was fired is suing Sheriff Alfred Montgomery for defamation. Janae Edmondson, the visiting volleyball player who lost both of her legs in a terrible car crash in downtown St. Louis in 2023, has settled a lawsuit against the city. Producers of Nelly’s “Country Grammar” are suing the famous St. Louis rapper for alleged unpaid royalties. And, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey says Starbucks’ hiring practices are discriminatory. Those were among the topics discussed by Legal Roundtable panelists Nicole Gorovsky, Arindam Kar and Bevis Schock.

Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and her daughter, poet and writer Ruby Aiyo Gerber, talk about co-writing the opera, “This House.” Taking place in a majestic Harlem brownstone, the opera explores themes of gentrification and losing Black histories. It also delves into what connects – and binds – people to history and to one another. “This House” will have its world premiere at Opera Theatre of St. Louis this May.

About 2,680 people with developmental disabilities died under the care of the state of Missouri — on average, one person every day between 2017 through 2023. Reporter Will Skipworth’s new investigation from the River City Journalism Fund dives into that system and its flaws. Skipworth shares his findings from his investigation into why disabled people keep dying, why reports of abuse and neglect continue to be ignored, and what can be done to prevent further harm to the state's most vulnerable people.

More than three months after the voter-approved Amendment 3 went into effect, Planned Parenthood affiliates are once again offering abortions to Missourians. That’s because Jackson County Judge Jerri Zhang froze licensing requirements for clinics, which Planned Parenthood cited as a major obstacle for offering abortions for the first time in years. Nick Dunne, vice president of marketing and communications for Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, discusses last week’s ruling and abortion access moving forward.

When Ken Martin announced his first national tour since taking on the high profile post of DNC chairman, it may have come as a surprise to some that he included Missouri as one of the stops. On the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, Martin talks about his goals for the party and why deep red states like Missouri are important.

Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday compared President Donald Trump’s “authoritarian playbook” to the Nazi movement as he unveiled a $55.2 billion spending plan that also saves the state more than $400 million by nixing a health care program for adults who lack legal status. STLPR Metro East reporter Will Bauer joins the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air to discuss Pritzker’s address and budget proposal.

Music producers are behind-the-scenes creators who make the drumbeat, and heartbeat, of many experiences we enjoy. But this corner of the industry is male-dominated, leaving little recognition and appreciation for the women in the field — despite their major contributions. St. Louis music producers Lexxiii Beatz and Volume Speaks share their experiences as women in music production, the sisterhood they’ve found among other musicians and the obstacles they’ve overcome.

Due to past racial events, there is often a mistrust in communities with people of color when it comes to the healthcare system. Owner of GreaterHealth Pharmacy and Wellness, Marcus Howards recollects how Black people were experimented on during the Tuskegee experiment. He also discusses how GreaterHealth develops trusts and provides care for patients as a Black-owned pharmacy. The St. Louis native also reflects on the growth and obstacles since opening the pharmacy.

Weeding out invasive species can feel like a never ending chore because of the rapid growth and spread rate. Missouri Botanical Garden associate scientist Wendy Applequist encourages traditional uses of these plants to help the ecosystem — and ourselves.

Social media has put art and entertainment from all corners of the world in the literal palm of your hand. Manga and anime (Japanese comic books and cartoons) hit mainstream American bookshelves and screens starting in the 1990s, and cross-cultural exchange has resulted in the development of distinct subcultures — including “blerds” or Black nerds. In this encore episode, St. Louis born and raised content creator Shawn “Rab” Fentress discusses the popularization of Blerd culture. Shawn has accumulated hundreds of thousands of followers for his distinct voice-overs of anime shows, which he calls “hood dubs,” and found success in creating online content with Nappy Boy Network, founded by rapper and singer T-Pain.