St. Louis on the Air

We’ll listen back to a conversation about emotional intelligence, manners, and their impact on how we handle ourselves among other people. The Modern School of Manners founder Asha Hornaday and WashU professor of organizational behavior Hillary Anger Elfenbein discuss why folks are ruder and how to manage poor manners and low emotional intelligence.

Before a city lawsuit accused her of running a massive illegal rooming house operation, the residents of Virginia Avenue in St. Louis’ Tower Grove East neighborhood knew all about Dara Daugherty. Brittany Marquardt says she watched how Daugherty operated as a slumlord while allegedly renting rooms in condemned houses to vulnerable tenants. Marquardt takes us inside the situation and shares how complaints from her and other neighbors ultimately led to a courtroom confrontation with Daugherty. St. Louis Magazine reporter Ryan Krull discusses the latest on the legal case and the impact of Daugherty’s surprise filing of bankruptcy earlier this month.

For the first time since 1948, St. Louis will soon have an official transportation plan. St. Louis city officials say the new plan will lead to safer streets in the future — but 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.