St. Louis on the Air

Before the Major League Soccer season even started, 13 experts for MLS.com predicted that St. Louis City SC would either finish last or second-to-last in the Western Conference. Sports journalist Julian Trejo explains the keys to the team's success just past the midway point of the season.

Nick Lammering achieved St. Louis celebrity status after he was spotted on the Apple broadcast of a St. Louis City SC game in mid-March wearing toasted ravioli headgear. The fame has turned into a side-hustle of selling t-rav merch and dreaming up even more ways to share his passion for St. Louis, soccer and toasted ravioli.

Forbes arts and travel contributor Chadd Scott discusses how large arts institutions support the arts and artists in St. Louis — and how those support systems compare with other cities in the Midwest. Two recent recipients of regional artist grants, musician Kasimu Taylor and video and performance artist Carlos Salazar-Lermont, discuss realities around funding specific projects and sustaining themselves as artists.

While St. Louis’ artist communities and art districts are nationally recognized— and homegrown foundations have uplifted the arts for decades — there are still artists that fall through the cracks and struggle to connect with the greater St. Louis art scene. Instead of waiting for a seat at the table, multidisciplinary artist and St. Louis native Brock Seals decided to build his own with his event, “Art, Mimosas and Pancakes.”

In a ruling issued last week, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a southwest Missouri judge improperly jailed two kids as part of a bitter child custody dispute. The case involves two children who were semi-finalists on the reality show “America's Got Talent.” That case and more were discussed on the Legal Roundtable edition of the show with attorneys Bevis Schock, Connie McFarland-Butler and Jim Wyrsch.

On July 2, the East St. Louis Historical Society and the Illinois State Historical Society will dedicate a new historical marker commemorating the 1917 East St. Louis Race Massacre. The new marker is significant, and Will Shannon, executive director of the St. Clair County Historical Society, and Jaye Willis, of the East St. Louis Historical Society, discuss the continuing efforts to educate people on the terrible events that took place there 106 years ago.

Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis are using nature as inspiration to combat the growing problem of plastic pollution. With a new $3.6 million grant, the team is working to develop sustainably sourced plastics by mimicking natural materials like spider silk fibers.

Chris Dunn has spent more than 30 years in prison for a crime that witnesses now say he did not commit. Shortly before resigning from office, St. Louis’ top prosecutor, Kim Gardner, filed a motion to vacate Dunn’s conviction. But new Circuit Attorney Gabriel Gore withdrew the motion explaining that he needed to review the details himself. We listen back a conversation about Dunn’s case and get a new update from Dunn’s wife, Kira Dunn.

This year, Counterpublic’s art exhibition deals with the tragic histories of St. Louis and the country. The displacement of Indigenous people and loss of their land is showcased through billboards, films and other art installations. Beyond sparking reflection and conversation through art, Counterpublic is working with the Osage Nation to help return the entirety of the sacred Sugarloaf Mound to tribal control.

On May 16th, Jeopardy! contestants faced a clue for "A recipe completion card game in which you try to build the perfect hot dog is called 'turn for' this." None of the competitors got it — but in St. Louis, the brother-and-brother team of Phill and Jake Wamser, creators of the rummy-style card game “Turn for the Wurst,” knew their fortunes had taken a turn for the better. Phil Wamser discusses what it felt like to have his game featured on the show, his love of game-making, and the new Kickstarter-backed game, “Shiner,” which is generating its own interest.