St. Louis on the Air

In 1972, Martin McNally hijacked American Airlines Flight 119 out of St. Louis Lambert International Airport – and years of chaos ensued. His story inspired the 2020 true crime podcast “American Skyjacker.” Now, a feature documentary film of the same name premieres in St. Louis on Friday, Oct.17 at Ronnie’s Cinema. St. Louis on the Air producer Danny Wicentowski’s 2017 cover story for the Riverfront Times first brought McNally’s story to the attention of filmmakers Eli Kooris and Josh Shaffer. Wicentowski and Kooris break down the ins and outs of the notorious skyjacking, and what it took to transform it into a film.

Research shows that when people form strong emotional bonds with their home, communities experience greater economic growth, recover faster from natural disasters and foster deeper connection and meaning among residents. The Missouri Historical Society’s “I am St. Louis” campaign seeks to do just that. President and CEO Jody Sowell, alongside STLPR lead producer Luis Antonio Perez, share what they love about St. Louis — and how confronting the city’s darker chapters helps us better understand and approach the challenges we face today.

The approximately 3,200 unionized Boeing machinists in the St. Louis area have been on strike since August 4 in pursuit of better wages and benefits. The strike has been compared to the one in the Pacific Northwest in the fall of 2024, though it has not garnered as much national attention. Labor expert and Washington University Professor Jake Rosenfeld discusses how the strike may play out and whether it will have an impact on future labor disputes nationwide.

Rejecting calls for mercy from opponents of the death penalty, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe announced Monday that Lance Shockley’s execution will be carried out as planned at 6 p.m. Tuesday. We sit down with Mary Fox, coordinator of the Death Penalty Abolition Program with the Archdiocese of St. Louis, and Heidi Moore of Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty, to react to Kehoe’s announcement and to discuss the law that allowed a judge to singlehandedly sentence Shockley to death.

For 16 years, St. Louis band Fister has brought their own brand of heavy metal doom to fans across the world. Their latest album, “Graceless,” was released last month under bassist Kenny Snarzyk’s record label Possession Press. Snarzyk shares the keys to Fister’s success, how their music and the metal scene has evolved over the years as well as their affinity for storytelling.

October’s new music round up is for those experiencing end-of-summer woes. Experimental jazz hits from the mad genius world of Mad Keys and Kaelin Ellis on “Citrus Punch” and Russo & Co.’s country cruisin’ song “Key West of the Midwest” are two tracks that will give your Fall 2025 playlist a fresh summery vibe. Musician and artist development coach Muhammad “Mvstermind” Austin, producer and music show originator Miya Norfleet, and host Elaine Cha break down their top picks in this anniversary edition of new music by artists in or from St. Louis. Check out our “St. Louis on the Air” Spotify playlist here: new music round up playlist.

In 1987, 9-year-old John O’Leary was playing with matches in his family’s garage. In the blink of an eye he was fighting for his life at St. Louis Children’s Hospital with severe burns on 90% of his body. After years of rehabilitation and healing, O’Leary has shared his story to motivate thousands of people around the world. He has also written two bestselling books, one of which has now been adapted for the silver screen. O’Leary’s biopic “Soul on Fire” premieres in theaters Friday, Oct. 10. In this episode, he discusses the importance of filming in his hometown, bringing big budget filmmaking back to St. Louis, and what it was like to see his story come to life in a brand new way.

An old favorite sandwich shop returned, many coffee shops opened and downtown St. Louis lost a pizza place of note. STLPR foodies Jessica Rogen and Abby Llorico share what’s good in St. Louis’ food scene. They also discuss the loss of food magazine, Feast, and how its closure may affect the food and events scene in the region.

Nicki Jacobsmeyer’s new book Spooky America: The Ghostly Tales of St. Charles could be just the thing to get the kids in your life into Halloween spirit. Jacobsmeyer takes us inside the new book and shares some of the ghostly experiences people have had on St. Charles’ historic Main Street.

Moon cakes are a traditional treat in many Asian countries that celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. St. Louisans Ray and Leah Yeh, owners and bakers at Foundry Bakery, have their own tradition of creating Taiwanese-style moon cakes: Instagram-worthy pastries whose fillings reflect personal heritage and a commitment to sourcing the best ingredients available from U.S. farmers and purveyors. The Yehs talk about their newest moon cake flavour — jujube, goji berry and walnut — and the role word-of-mouth and key partnerships have played in their products reaching a broad audience locally and nationally.