St. Louis on the Air

As highly intelligent and adaptive animals, raccoons have learned to live alongside humans for many thousands of years. For the raccoons that live in Forest Park, adaptability includes the careful avoidance of crossing the road, despite the availability of food sources on the other side. Dr. Sharon Deem and Stephen Blake discuss their latest research, which sheds new light on the lives of 10 racoons, including a particularly adventurous forager named “Frankie.”

In September 2023, then St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones initiated a Guaranteed Basic Income pilot program that gave $500 direct cash payments to qualifying families across the city. Six months into the program, a lawsuit from members of the Holy Joe Society halted its funding for one month. Despite the pause in payments, researchers and city leaders said the pilot program was successful and provided a public benefit in addition to helping families meet their basic needs. Midwest Newsroom Reporting Fellow Naomi Delkamiller discusses the impact of the GBI pilot program in St. Louis.

St. Louis officials and advocates for homeless people say they are bracing for, and oppose, the Trump administration’s cuts to programs that put people in permanent homes. In November, HUD Secretary Scott Turner called the use of billions of dollars to provide permanent housing a “Biden-era slush fund” that would be replaced by a focus on temporary housing. Local advocates from Gateway Housing First and the director of the city’s Department of Human Services say the change could put hundreds of people in St. Louis at risk of returning to homelessness. In this episode, we also learn how the life of one family was changed through St. Louis’ Continuum of Care program, which allowed them to escape homelessness and move into an apartment of their own.

Longtime St. Louis food writer Matt Sorrell’s new book is a celebration of his favorite restaurants, bars and shops. Among the 80 selections are old standbys like the Hideaway and Crown Candy Kitchen, as well as newer arrivals like Kain Tayo and Balkan Treat Box. The book, “Matt’s St. Louis Food Story,” highlights not just the food, but the atmosphere, history and character that have made each spot memorable.

With the end of 2025 approaching and cold weather keeping us indoors, what better time to dig into some of the best books of the year? Jennifer Alexander of St. Louis County Library and Lauren Brickey of St. Louis Public Library share their top picks.

Many property owners in the EF3 tornado’s path are still locked in fights with their insurance companies more than six months after the storm. STLPR economic development reporter Kavahn Mansouri shares what he and fellow reporter Andrea Henderson found as they followed two households on their journeys for fair payouts — and how they hope to hold insurers accountable.

Missouri’s first day of legal sports betting drew gamblers to both casinos and mobile apps to place their first bets in the state. Questions about revenue and responsible gambling remain. STLPR journalists Olivia Mizelle and Brian Munoz talk about their reporting, which included visits to Horseshoe St. Louis Casino and a DraftKings event that featured Hall of Fame athletes Brett Hull and Isaac Bruce.

Generations of bleary-eyed St. Louisans have flitted into late night diners like moths to lamplight, drawn in by one of our most treasured regional dishes: the slinger — an artful pile of eggs, hash browns, onions, cheese, meat and chile (or gravy). So the city mourned at the beginning of November when one of the last best places to get a slinger — the Buttery on South Grand Boulevard — closed. STLPR’s Jessica Rogen and Abby Llorico talk about the latest restaurant openings and closings in the St. Louis area.

Thirty five years after its signing, the Americans with Disabilities Act has led to changes in schools, work, and public spaces. The stories of St. Louisans with disabilities reveal what that landmark legislation — and disability rights activists' work in St. Louis long before ADA — changed. They also illustrate what remains to be done. Guests Lori Becker, Raven McFadden, and Seyoon Choi talk about their classroom, workplace, and social experiences as children and adults living with a disability in St. Louis.

Missourians will finally get their chance to place wagers on sporting events on Monday, Dec. 1. That’s because the Show-Me State’s voters narrowly legalized sports betting last year, meaning that St. Louisans will no longer have to physically travel to Illinois to place a wager. STLPR’s Sarah Kellogg talks about what sports betting enthusiasts should expect.