

St. Louis on the Air
St. Louis Public Radio
St. Louis on the Air creates a unique space where guests and listeners can share ideas and opinions with respect and honesty. Whether exploring issues and challenges confronting our region, discussing the latest innovations in science and technology, taking a closer look at our history or talking with authors, artists and musicians, St. Louis on the Air brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 25, 2020 • 18min
‘Enough’ Showcases Poetry And Protest Art
"Enough: Say Their Names..." is a 226-page, full-color compilation of images and words by several photographers, eight authors and a designer, all of whom donated their talents and time to the cause. Project ringleader Ronald Montgomery discusses the effort, and several contributors read poems that appear in the new volume.

Nov 24, 2020 • 21min
Consultant Makes The Case For Market-Based Health Care
It didn’t take a pandemic to prove that the U.S. health care system is broken, but this year’s COVID-19 outbreak certainly provided more evidence of what we all knew. To fix it, we need to “change the entire game,” says Rita Numerof, president and co-founder of the health care consulting firm, Numerof & Associates.

Nov 24, 2020 • 12min
Majority Of St. Louis County Residents Still Susceptible To COVID-19
Only a small fraction of St. Louis County residents have antibodies to the coronavirus, according to a recent survey launched by the Institute of Public Health at Washington University. This means that the vast majority of people in the region are still susceptible to COVID-19, says Dr. Elvin Geng, an infectious disease professor at the Washington University School of Medicine.

Nov 24, 2020 • 19min
Concerts Canceled, Beth Bombara Has Found Community By Livestreaming
Singer-songwriter Beth Bombara was gearing up to tour the U.K. Enter the coronavirus and those plans had to be canceled. Eight months later, Bombara was prepping for a show at the Pageant. Rising coronavirus case counts killed that too. The talented St. Louis musician explains how she’s still staying connected with fans even after months of canceled gigs and shuttered venues.

Nov 23, 2020 • 53min
Missouri Woman’s $100K Jury Verdict Shows How Sex Discrimination Takes Many Forms
St. Louis on the Air’s monthly Legal Roundtable dug into the case of a Greene County woman who says she was fired for being ugly, the lawsuit Tofurky Co. filed against Missouri, and lawsuits seeking to reopen indoor dining in St. Louis County.

Nov 20, 2020 • 17min
How Drones Are Taking Nadia Shakoor's Farm Tech Invention To the Next Level
In 2017, plant scientist, Nadia Shakoor developed the PheNode device, a solar-powered environmental sensor and phenotyping station for crops. Sensors and cameras on the tool take real-time measurements of everything from humidity to soil pH. And this past summer, she won a $1.4 million federal grant to enhance the platform by adding an autonomous drone. It’s called FieldDock. And it just might be a game-changer.

Nov 20, 2020 • 13min
Westminster Christian’s ‘Another Day Of Masks’ Is The Pandemic Parody We Needed
A Christian school's "LaLa Land" parody shows students juggling Zoom calls, Plexiglass barriers and social distancing restrictions — and, yes, getting an education — while wearing masks. The video's producer and star explained how they made it happen.

Nov 20, 2020 • 21min
Hounds Shakes Things Up For ‘Cattle In The Sky’ Album
The St. Louis-based band dropped a new single Nov. 13 — the same day the group announced its forthcoming sophomore record, titled “Cattle In The Sky.” Frontman Jordan Slone and bassist/vocalist Jack McCoy join "St. Louis on the Air" to talk about their musical evolution and share some tunes.

Nov 20, 2020 • 14min
Krewson Will Not Seek Second Term As Mayor, Announces Retirement From Public Office
St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson has announced she will not seek reelection and plans to retire in April. Krewson has been mayor for four years. In a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Krewson said that after 23 years as an elected official, she had decided to step away.

Nov 19, 2020 • 21min
Alleging Retaliation, Some St. Louis County Library Staffers Push For Culture Change
As a part-time clerk for St. Louis County Library, Maura Lydon felt like she was beginning to fulfill her calling over the past couple years. She had decided on a career in libraries and was eager to experience her next steps. Then, in August, the library system laid her off, along with 121 other part-time employees. The library administration cited reduced services and efforts to be “good stewards” of taxpayer funds as the basis for the staff cuts. But that reasoning doesn’t hold up in the opinions of some current and former employees.


