St. Louis on the Air

Last week, supporters of a plan to privatize St. Louis Lambert International Airport announced they would withdraw the initiative set for city ballots this November. A week later, two of the major entities behind the privatization push announced they had decided to part ways just one day before the announcement on the airport initiative. In this episode, St. Louis Business Journal reporter Jacob Kirn talks about the end of the 14 year relationship between conservative billionaire Rex Sinquefield and political consultant Travis Brown.

Artist William Morris' latest video debuts at the Bruno David Gallery this Saturday. “The Protest Project" explores how the coronavirus pandemic collided with an equally devastating problem this spring — racism and police brutality.

First-time author Eric Von Schrader discusses “A Universe Less Traveled," a work of speculative fiction that toys with St. Louis history. He explains some of the real-life legends that inspired it.

The documentary “Papa Ray's Vintage Vinyl Roadshow" debuted on the Nine Network. Vintage Vinyl co-founder Tom Ray discusses the show's inspiration, his shop on Delmar and his lifelong love of music.

Ever since he was a kid, Kip Loui has been fascinated by Defiance, Missouri. Something about the name of the town captured his imagination, and once he became a musician, he told himself that someday he would write a song called “Defiance.” “Then the current guy was elected president,” Loui says. And soon that song was in the works — along with the 11 others that would eventually become “Show Me State,” the album that he and his wife, JJ Loui, released earlier this year.

Last week, just before St. Louis Public Schools kicked off a fall semester like no other, Jana Flynn’s masked colleagues surprised her with flowers, a plaque and signs — all in celebration of her being named the district’s 2020 Educator of the Year. SLPS cited the gifted specialist's “passion, dedication and desire to think outside of the box” in her work with students ranging from preschool to eighth grade.

St. Louis R&B legend Lamont Hadley Sr. recently died after a long battle with COVID-19. His longtime partner and son remember his life and music.

Many schools are now conducting classes 100% online. Navigating virtual education has many families scrambling to make it work, but likely none more so than families with special needs students. We explore how families with children with developmental disabilities are particularly challenged by schools moving to virtual learning.

Monty Cole's new play “Black Like Me,” grapples with John Howard Griffin’s seminal book. He explains how he adapted it for 21st century audiences, and how it found its way to the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.

This summer, the Perseverance rover launched as part of the Mars 2020 mission. It’s scheduled to land on the Red Planet next February. Washington University's Raymond Arvidson will explain his lab’s role with the mission.