St. Louis on the Air

Local non-profit Unlimited Play designed and built dozens of accessible playgrounds in the St. Louis area and many more across the country. Founder Natalie Mackay talks about what makes playgrounds truly inclusive and fun for all kids.

Video games were once synonymous with cartridges. A St. Louis game developer, Graphite Lab, is turning back the clock with its release of “Mr. Run and Jump.” Out on modern consoles from Playstation, Xbox and Nintendo, a version of the game is also being released for the Atari 2600 — and, for the first time since 1990, Atari is releasing the new game on a cartridge. Graphite Lab developer John Mikula reveals how he created “Mr. Run and Jump” as a passion project and what happened after Atari took notice.

Debbie Njai, the St. Louis-based founder of Black People Who Hike, is being honored with a portrait that’s part of a national art exhibition focused on Americans who are improving their communities. In this episode, Njai and her portraitist discuss the healing aspects of nature and the ways art can be used as a vehicle for inspiration and education.

The St. Louis Shakespeare Festival is hitting the road, with its production of “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” Performers Christina Yancy and Joel Moses discuss performing in a different park every night, and how they put on a production (complete with laugh track) while playing multiple characters in a 90-minute, sitcom-inspired version of Shakespeare’s legendary comedy.

The St. Louis Queer Support Helpline — or SQSH — has experienced an increase in calls for help finding resources and community. Executive Director Luka Cai shares how SQSH’s goals are shaped by the needs of the local queer community — and how infrastructural changes as well as cultural shifts would make for a more welcoming and healthy St. Louis.

For the first time in its history, the St. Louis Art Museum (SLAM) has curated an exhibition of work by modern Indigenous American artists. “Action-Abstraction Redefined” showcases 20th-century pieces paired with an audio guide featuring their creators. Alex Marr, the museum’s associate curator of Native American Art, talks with STLPR senior reporter Jeremy D. Goodwin about SLAM’s history of collecting, and not showing, Native American art — and how this exhibition aims to bring visibility to Native histories.

The Hicks Dome volcano sits dormant in southern Illinois. While there’s no chance it will erupt anytime soon, geologist Daniel Hummer says researchers are interested in the site because it’s concentrated with rare Earth minerals and radioactive materials.

Several new restaurants and bars have opened their doors this summer, with offerings ranging from high-minded cocktail combinations to Chinese street food. Sauce Magazine Executive Editor Meera Nagarajan breaks down her picks for what to try at three newly opened eateries and bars: Maryland House by Brennan’s, Dumplings & Tea, and B Juiced.

St. Louis on the Air’s Legal Roundtable convenes to address a lawsuit targeting St. Louis’ ailing 911 system, a $6.1 million settlement issued to a former guidance counselor, a major ruling in the ongoing defamation lawsuit against The Gateway Pundit’s Jim Hoft, and more. Joining the discussion is attorney Mark Smith, a former associate vice chancellor and dean at Washington University; Attorney Eric Banks, a former city counselor for the city of St. Louis; and attorney Sarah Swatosh, who specializes in labor and employment law.

Against the backdrop of the new feature film “Joy Ride,” three St. Louis residents who grew up in Metro St. Louis and near Kansas City, Missouri, talk about their personal experiences as Asian American transracial adoptees navigating identity, family and belonging.