St. Louis on the Air

Voters in Missouri and Illinois go to the polls on Tuesday to cast their ballots. We spoke with STLPR journalists Jason Rosenbaum and Sarah Kellogg about the major races and issues.

No county in Missouri has sent more people to the executioner than St. Louis County. Eighteen men sentenced through the county circuit since 1976 have been given the ultimate punishment. Another six people currently sit on death row. Kevin Johnson is among them, and, on November 29, he is scheduled for execution. In his first-ever interview with a reporter, he spoke with the RFT's Monica Obradovic, who shares what she learned from Johnson in what may be his final months alive. - Executive Editor at Euclid Media Group Sarah Fenske also returns to the show to discuss "Shadow of Death," a series of investigative stories exploring Missouri's death penalty, and to introduce the River City Journalism Fund.

What was once an empty lot, Love Bank Park on Cherokee Street has been an active gathering place for the community for years. Now, the park is undergoing a community led redevelopment. Cherokee community members join St. Louis on the Air to discuss the reasons for the redevelopment, as well as Cherokee Community Improvement District vice chair Kaveh Razani. We also address the question of whether this redevelopment contributes to gentrification in St. Louis.

Scott Joplin — popularly known as the “King of Ragtime”— lived at 2658 A Morgan Street 120 years ago. Plenty has changed since then: Morgan Street was renamed Delmar and the modest apartment and adjacent buildings were transformed into the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site. Since 1991, the museum exhibits have kept Joplin’s music and legacy alive. Cookie Jordan, site administrator at Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, dives into Joplin’s time in St. Louis, his experience being a musician in America at the turn of the century, and the many discoveries still left to unearth about this legend of music.

Halloween conjures images of ghouls, goblins, ghosts and other spooky creatures. Every year it’s inevitable that you’ll see a child, or adult, dressed up as a witch complete with a broom and pointy hat. But for Jade Moore, the owner of Sincerely, the Craft, mysticism is more than a trend — it’s a connection to heritage.

As a Halloween treat, historical interpreter and Kirkwood resident Anne Williams gives a powerful performance of “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe. Producer Avery Rogers accompanies Williams’ performance with chilling sound design that is sure to send shivers down your spine.

Beginning Tuesday, Planned Parenthood will take over the former Tri-Rivers Family Planning center in Rolla. The Title X health center will offer contraceptives, pregnancy tests and other reproductive health services to residents throughout Missouri. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Colleen McNicholas and nurse practitioner Hailey Kramer discuss their hopes for the new center.

Two schools remain closed in St. Louis in the aftermath of Monday’s deadly shooting. Some attention has turned to the shooter, and the weapon he used in carrying out this attack, which left two dead, a health teacher and a 15-year-old student. STLPR reporter Rachel Lippmann talks about the latest information.

The Tabernacle Church is more than a church. In 2014, leaders there created the Tabernacle Community Development Corporation, which went on to purchase dozens of vacant properties around the JeffVanderLou neighborhood in north St. Louis. Andre Alexander, the church’s lead pastor and president of the non-profit, discusses combining faith and community development, and, what a $1.5 million rehab of a former elementary school will bring to the neighborhood.

Toxic masculinity can be described easily: Destructive emotions, misogynistic comments and views, avoiding vulnerability. But what could healthy masculinity look like? ‘UnMasc: A Storytelling Event’ will feature experiences and reflections by 10 men as they take a step back to evaluate moments in their lives in front of an audience. Bryant Antione of The Village PATH and James Meinert of Undo Bias Consulting preview the event and discuss how they are learning to detoxify what it means to “be a man.”