St. Louis on the Air

Protest and activism come in many forms, including music that draws attention to current issues that artists find most pressing, and important. On this episode of “The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air,” St. Louisans share their favorite protest songs and what that music means to them. We also hear from hip-hop artist KVTheWriter about her latest diss tracks aimed at Mayor Cara Spencer, developer Paul McKee and Congressman Wesley Bell, and talk with WashU professor Lauren Eldridge Stewart about the history of protest music.

Republicans have dominated St. Charles County elections for two decades. But recent municipal elections are giving Democrats some hope that they can gain ground in the fast-growing part of the St. Louis region. The Politically Speaking Hour talks with voters and political activists about why things could be changing in St. Charles County.

St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer delivers her State of the City speech Friday evening. The address comes at a moment of pressure and uncertainty for the city. On the eve of the speech, St. Louis Public Radio’s Rachel Lippmann and Lara Hamdan reached out to city residents about how they feel St. Louis is doing. Some said they were happy with the city’s trajectory, while many other people said St. Louis isn’t working for them.

In three months, MATI will return to Grand Center for a weekend of music, food and community. July 17-19 won’t just bring the humidity and heat — the festival, formerly known as Music at the Intersection, features a lineup packed with artists who call St. Louis home. On this month’s new music roundup, Larry Morris, the director of programs and partnerships for the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, joins “St. Louis on the Air” producer Miya Norfleet to discuss the latest music from some of the musicians representing St. Louis.

Country music artist Skylar Finean has been a fan of the genre her entire life. Though she started off as a shy performer, her friends in the scene saw her talent and encouraged her to get on stage. That encouragement eventually led her to create her debut album “Hit the Ground Runnin’” under the name Skylar Townsend. Townsend talks about her love for ‘90s country music stars like Reba McEntire and The Chicks, how the community helped her find her confidence, and how her album’s recording began with singing in a water heater closet.

The state of Missouri is suing a Missouri-based manufacturer of the 7-OH variety of kratom. Derived from plants, kratom is drawing increased scrutiny and concern. The products are widely sold in gas stations in St. Louis and across the state. We talk with PreventEd Executive Director Jenny Armbruster about kratom, the difference between kratom and 7-OH, why people are becoming addicted, and what educators and advocates are hearing about the substance from users.

At a ceremony at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville on Saturday, Gov. JB Pritzker awarded the Order of Lincoln — Illinois’ highest civilian honor — to five recipients, including East St. Louis civil rights activist and historian Reginald Petty. In conversation with STLPR Metro East reporter Will Bauer, the 90-year-old reflects on his work during the Civil Rights Movement and his ongoing efforts to preserve East St. Louis’ history.

It’s nesting season for Canada geese, and these protective parents are back to lay eggs, incubate and protect them in urban hotspots — from park pathways to office courtyard planters. During this time, their defensive, territorial behavior can lead to goose-human conflicts. Nancy Schnell, GeesePeace St. Louis founder, talks about how we can share outdoor spaces safely with these native birds during the peak of their nesting season.

The largest medical respite center in St. Louis will open its doors later this month. The Three Steps Home represents a major step for the groups supporting the city's homeless population. Three Steps Home CEO Sonia Deal talks about why homeless people often fall through cracks of existing medical care and how a respite center can help people recover from living on the streets. She also discusses how the nonprofit was recently aided by the Mennonite Disaster Service, and why she thinks homelessness as “a culmination of different things, whether it be a man-made disaster or an actual disaster, such as the tornado.”

Through a combination of engineering know-how, imagination and dedication to problem-solving, St. Louisan Kay Wells invented the Posie Pot: a 3-D printed, biodegradable and recyclable self-watering plant pot that’s in stores across the region and online for customers across the country. Wells talks about going from idea to prototype to product, support she’s received through major grants and fellowships, and her commitment to keeping Posie Pots’ production rooted here in St. Louis.

New research out of St. Louis shows that removing invasive plant species and planting native ones have gone a long way toward boosting bird populations in Forest Park. Lead study author Stella Uiterwaal is particularly excited to see the populations of native bird species on the rise.

Refugee resettlement in the U.S. is at a historic low. At the start of his second term, President Donald Trump set the refugee cap at 7,500 for fiscal year 2026, down from 125,000. That reality adds urgency to Race for Refugees, a 5K and 1-mile fun run that returns to Tower Grove Park this Saturday, April 18. We talked with race founder Heather Huewe and organizer Samson Hillary of the International Institute of St. Louis about why the event matters now.

Over 40 local artists entered into NPR’s 2026 Tiny Desk Contest. “St. Louis on the Air” producer Miya Norfleet and STLPR reporter Chad Davis talk about some of their favorite St. Louis submissions and the artists behind them.

After decades shaping St. Louis theater, STAGES St. Louis co-founder Jack Lane has stepped into a new spotlight. Following the 2023 death of his husband and creative partner Michael Hamilton, Lane reflects on grief, legacy and what it means to keep moving forward. Now 69, he’s shifting from behind-the-scenes support to lead producer, with four Tony Awards already to his name and a new Olivier Award nomination for a revival of “Evita.” At the same time, his musical “The Karate Kid,” which debuted in Kirkwood, is launching a U.K. tour. STLPR’s Jeremy D. Goodwin talks with Lane about his path from St. Louis to Broadway and London.

Woman grandmaster in chess Dorsa Derakhshani came to the U.S. from Iran to attend St. Louis University. Now a Mizzou medical student, St. Louis Chess Club instructor and U.S. citizen, Derakhshani is watching the war from her Missouri home, unable to communicate with her family and friends still living in Iran. She shares how growing up under the Iranian regime influences her perspective on the conflict, the need for greater compassion for the plight of the Iranian people — including those in the Iranian diaspora — and her hopes for the future.

This year, plant scientist Giles Oldroyd left his previous post at the University of Cambridge to become the new president of the Danforth Plant Science Center. Oldroyd has spent decades studying how plants thrive and communicate with the world around them. He’s now leading a research nonprofit with a mission to use plant science to “improve the human condition.” In conversation with STLPR Senior Environment and Data Reporter Kate Grumke, Oldroyd shares insights from his work in plant genetics, agriculture and sustainability.

Missouri voters went to the polls Tuesday and weighed in on a slate of municipal races, including St. Louis’ overwhelming renewal of the 1% earnings tax and a closely watched Francis Howell school board race that signaled a rebuke of focusing on culture war issues. STLPR reporters Hiba Ahmad and Rachel Lippmann break down the key results.

Diadie Bathily is on a mission to share his culture. Born in Ivory Coast, he’s taken his knowledge of traditional West African dance around the world. That love for dance and culture led him to call St. Louis home and thrusted him into the spotlight at the 98th Academy Awards, alongside ballet star Misty Copeland, for a performance of “I Lied to You” from the “Sinners” soundtrack. Bathily shares what the Oscars performance means to him, his mission to share West African cultures and leading his dance company Afriky Lolo for 20 years.

Laumeier Sculpture Park kicks off its half-century anniversary with “Begin Again: 50 Years and Counting.” The exhibition reflects on five decades of artistic milestones, rare archival materials and ephemeral works that have defined the park’s legacy. Curated by Dana Turkovic, it offers a look into the intersection of art, nature and public engagement that has made Laumeier a cultural gem in St. Louis. We talk with Turkovic and Juan William Chávez, an artist, cultural activist and 2026 Visiting Artist in Residence at the park, to learn more about the exhibition’s highlights.

St. Louis is a premiere destination for traditional Irish musicians from across the pond and throughout the U.S. In this encore episode, we explore the people and institutions that have fostered the region’s Irish music scene since the 1970s. We also get a preview of this year’s St. Louis Tionól — an annual, four-day Irish arts and culture festival featuring music, dancing and community.