St. Louis on the Air

With roughly a year before the nation heads to polls for the 2026 midterm elections, STLPR’s Jason Rosenbaum examines some of the Missouri-based races that could foretell a national Democratic wave – or continued GOP dominance. Some of those contests include Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District contest, a slew of high-stakes ballot initiatives – and the race for the 8th Congressional District seat in southeast Missouri.

Sunday marks six months since a devastating tornado struck St. Louis and St. Louis County. And the recovery process still has a long way to go. St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer joins the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air to talk about the challenges of rebuilding parts of the city and whether the St. Louis region needs to work together on emergency management efforts.

St. Louis County is facing a sobering financial reality: The budget is nearly $80 million in the red. While a combination of reserve funds and special pots of money like the NFL settlement may bridge the gap this year, policymakers will have to make some tough decisions that may not be popular with residents. STLPR’s Jason Rosenbaum talks with St. Louis County Councilwoman Rita Days about the council’s posture toward the budget — and a public uproar over the future of the county animal shelter.

St. Louis is no stranger to sports championships, but you may have missed the news of the St. Louis Australian Football Club’s victory over its division rival Denver in the USAFL championships last month. Club players Dave Zitko and Rhiannon Duryea take us inside the championship season. They also break down the basics of the sport, from the hits, the kicks and many distinctive rules that make it unique.

As open enrollment is underway for people who rely on getting health insurance from the Affordable Care Act marketplace, many are facing steep premium hikes. STLPR health reporter Sarah Fentem talks about what’s driving the increases, how subsidies factor in and what the changes mean for consumers. We also hear real-life stories from people weighing tough coverage decisions.

On November 15, the Missouri History Museum will open a major new exhibit focused on Mill Creek Valley. Home to nearly 20,000 people, the neighborhood was erased in 1959 as part of St. Louis' push for urban renewal. We get to know two former residents of Mill Creek Valley who experienced that destruction as children, and who now are part of the larger effort to revive the neighborhood’s memory. Vivian Gibson, author of “The Last Children of Mill Creek," and Malaika Horne Wells, author of "Mother Wit,” share their memories of Mill Creek, their work to collect oral histories from other former residents. and a special preview of the documentary "Remembering Mill Creek: When We Were There."

Identical twin brothers and stand-up comedians Jason and Randy Sklar have become household names in the world of entertainment. The St. Louis natives will be returning home to headline the eighth annual Flyover Comedy Festival on November 13-16 . Jason Sklar joined us to talk about his and his brother’s comedy origins, their favorite memories growing up in St. Louis and what it means to him to see stand-up comedy growing and thriving in their hometown.

Wanda Sykes is most known for her stand-up prowess, comedic roles and activism on and off the stage. Sykes steps into a new kind of spotlight as a dramatic actor in “Undercard,” portraying Cheryl “No Mercy” Stewart: a former boxing champ and trainer trying to reconnect with the 21-year-old son she gave up when he was a child because of alcoholism. She joined “St. Louis on the Air” to discuss the role, her life and career, and what the Trailblazer Achievement Award from St. Louis International Film Festival means to her.

The reign of Mughal emperor of India Akbar the Great was more than four centuries ago, but for Dances of India President Nartana Premachandra, the story of his court — and its welcoming of all nationalities, religions and perspectives — is as salient as ever. She shares some of that history in her original dance-theater production, “Nine Jewels: Music, Art, & Splendor in the Court of Akbar the Great,” which takes the stage this weekend as part of Dances of India’s 48th annual performance.

St. Louis-based writer Daniel Blake Smith turned his 2018 novel “Mr. Wonderful” into a feature film starring the late Michael Madsen of “Reservoir Dogs” and “Kill Bill” fame. Ahead of its St. Louis premiere at the St. Louis International Film Festival on Tuesday, Smith talks with St. Louis Public Radio’s Chad Davis about the film, its personal roots and Madsen’s legacy.

The federal government shutdown has stretched into the longest in U.S. history, with ripple effects across the country — from unpaid federal workers to stalled safety net benefits. STLPR politics correspondent Jason Rosenbaum sat down with U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt in his Washington, D.C. office to talk about the shutdown’s impact, immigration policy and more. Jason then talks with Elaine Cha to add context and analysis.

Since its introduction in 1977, lethal injection has been the most commonly used method of execution by states with the death penalty. While it’s often viewed as more humane than other methods, when the curtain is pulled back, it is tainted with error, ineptitude and secrecy that has led to many botched executions and unnecessary suffering. University of Richmond law professor and death penalty scholar Corinna Barrett Lain’s debut book “Secrets of the Killing State” explores the secretive world of lethal injection in Missouri and throughout the U.S.

St. Louis’ restaurant scene had a “long-awaited” month. Nicky Slices finally opened its brick-and-mortar location — and sold out almost immediately. New spots like Extra Wavy and Prohibition brought fresh life to vacant spaces near Lafayette Square. And the supper club Mainlander reopened in its new location. We dig into the latest openings and closings with STLPR’s Jessica Rogen and Abby Llorico.

Animal shelters in the St. Louis region are facing unprecedented overcrowding as the number of surrendered and abandoned pets continues to grow. The Center for Animal Rescue and Enrichment of St. Louis reported a 64% increase in the amount of animals taken in between 2023 and 2024, and shelter staff are currently struggling to take care of more than 100 dogs in a facility that has capacity for 61. Unfortunately, they’re not alone in their struggle. Leaders with CARE-STL, Gateway Pet Guardians in East St. Louis, and St. Louis County Pet Adoption Center share the reasons behind the crisis and what residents and lawmakers can do to help.

Visual storytellers and creatives like filmmaker Cami Thomas are breathing life into the region’s TV and film industry by drawing in the attention of larger production companies. With her narrative short “Kennelan,” Thomas hopes to foster the region’s economic growth and civic pride, and to introduce St. Louis to a national audience. Thomas and “Kennelan” editor Jazzy Kettenacker share a behind-the-scenes look into the romantic-comedy ahead of its showing at this year’s St. Louis International Film Festival.

Journalist Jesse Bogan of the Marshall Project reports on the case of Megan Jolly, a 52-year-old woman who has been jailed at the St. Charles County Justice Center for nearly two years. Jolly is among more than 500 Missouri defendants deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial and are waiting for a state-mandated treatment to restore competency. The backlog has surged since 2013, leaving many in limbo. Bogan discusses why the Missouri Department of Mental Health is “continually at absolute bed capacity for competency restoration”. He also gives further details on Jolly and other defendants awaiting psychiatric treatment.

In the 1930s, the St. Louis sky was frequently darkened with coal smoke so dense that it could block out the sun for days at a time. Many cities in the country faced some form of this problem, but none of them solved it until 1941 — when St. Louis showed off its clear, blue skies. Journalist Bob Wyss, author of “Black Gold: The Rise, Reign and Fall of American Coal,” takes us inside St. Louis’ fight against coal. Joining the talk is local historian Andrew Theising to share insight on the role of Raymond Tucker, who became a key opponent of coal in the years before he became the city’s mayor. Theising is the author of the 2024 book, "Mid-Mod Mayor: How Raymond Tucker Shaped St. Louis."

As the federal government shutdown continues, people in the St. Louis region are stepping up to get food into people’s homes. Yet even with strong community support, local organizations can only fill a fraction of the gap left by suspended federal aid. Operation Food Search CEO Kristen Wild shares how she and her partners have prepared for an influx of clients seeking their help and what she wants more people to understand about food insecurity in the region.

American politics is littered with trends, coincidences, and dare we say … curses? Jason Rosenbaum and Sarah Kellogg discuss those that seem to plague Missouri politics, including the curse of the Missouri House Speaker’s office, the Missouri Democrats 41.7% curse, why a woman has never won the Missouri governorship, and more.

When Missouri Republicans made a bid to redraw the state’s congressional lines ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, many of them didn’t expect the logistical nightmare that has ensued. The map is being challenged by lawsuits and a petition to bring it to a statewide vote. That effort is making headway — and it’s looking increasingly likely that enough signatures will be gathered. Jason Rosenbaum speaks with Missouri lawmakers and activists about how this unexpectedly complex redistricting plan might shake out on “The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air.”