In her first few days in her post, Melissa Price Smith is already making changes in the St. Louis County prosecutor’s office.
Former Gov. Mike Parson appointed Price Smith to fill out the term of @wesleybell4mo, who was recently sworn in as the state’s 1st District congressman. She’s established a violent crime unit and also plans to get a homicide unit up and running soon.
Price Smith told @stltoday earlier this month that she felt that crime in St. Louis County is at an “astronomical level.” And during an interview with @stlpublicradio’s @jasonrosenbaum and Rachel Lippmann, she pointed to how many attorneys in the office have large caseloads — signaling that the county’s crime rate isn’t where it should be.
“I just think we need a more efficient, stronger prosecutor’s office,” Price Smith said. “We need to work in partnership with law enforcement to lower crime. I think any resident of St. Louis County would say it’s definitely higher than we’re all comfortable with.”
You can listen to Price Smith’s Politically Speaking Hour on @stlonair interview by going to tapping the link in our bio, or wherever you get your “St. Louis on the Air” podcasts.
Cover photo: @brianmunoz
Wednesday’s first day of the Missouri General Assembly was largely ceremonial. Lawmakers were sworn into office, thanked their families and friends, and then adjourned for the day without conducting any business.
But there was at least one moment that went off the typical ‘first day of session’ script. State Rep. Justin Sparks, R-Wildwood, challenged Rep. Jon Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, to be speaker of the Missouri House. This was highly unusual, since the GOP has picked their speaker designee a year before they take the gavel since 2007.
Ultimately, Sparks received 10 votes. Patterson received 152, including from House Democrats who typically vote for their caucus’ minority leader. Sparks said in a statement on X that the vote sent a message that a group of Missouri House members are willing to diverge from the powerful speaker.
Patterson, however, saw things differently — contending that Sparks’ challenge was more about self-promotion than differences over policy. Whether or not the schism within the GOP caucus makes it harder for Republicans to pursue their agenda over the next few months remains to be seen.
Find this story by tapping the link in our bio, and be sure to follow @stlpublicradio’s coverage of the 2025 legislative session on stlpr.org.
Cover photo: @brianmunoz
Reel producer: @jasonrosenbaum
Wednesday marks the first day of the 2025 legislative session. And Republicans are hoping to turn the page from an era of division and dysfunction.
Whether that will actually happen is anybody’s guess. There are still some divides between GOP leadership and the Conservative Caucus on how to proceed — particularly on how to respond to the passage of a ballot measure legalizing abortion.
And Missouri Democrats must figure out the best defensive posture, especially if the GOP follows through on Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe’s desire to place a gubernatorial board in charge of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
On this Friday’s episode of @stlpublicradio’s Politically Speaking Hour on @stlonair, we’ll be talking with Missouri Democrats and Republicans about what to expect over the next few months. If you have a question you want posed on the show, send an email to [email protected] — or comment down below.
You can listen to Friday’s Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air at noon and 7 p.m on St. Louis Public Radio.
Cover photo: @brianmunoz
Scripting and Wolf Drawing: Declan Rosenbaum
Three Missouri appeals court judges ruled on Thursday that Gov. Mike Parson, and not St. Louis County Executive Sam Page, can appoint Wesley Bell’s successor as St. Louis County prosecutor.
Several hours after attorneys for both sides held a hearing in St. Louis, the three judge panel wrote “because the prosecuting attorney performs essential state functions as a state officer, the Governor has the constitutional and statutory authority to make the appointment to fill the vacancy.”
The dispute between Page and Parson is unusual. Both of the executive leaders want to appoint Democrats to succeed Bell, who is resigning to become a member of Congress on Friday. But even though other county executives filled vacancies in the recent past, Parson contended he had the right to make the selection.
A spokesman for Page says St. Louis County plans to appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court. For more on this high-stakes legal fight, go to http://stlpr.org.
Cover photo: @brianmunoz
Reel producer: @jasonrosenbaum
For the second year in a row, members of St. Louis' Jewish community gathered in Kiener Plaza to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah by lighting the 29-foot-tall Staenberg Menorah.
"It's a special privilege to welcome all of you to Hanukkah at the Arch," said Rabbi Yosef Landa, the regional director of Chabad of Greater St. Louis, to the crowd.
He had the honor of lighting what he called, "the tallest and coolest menorah this side of the Mississippi."
This year, Judaism’s eight-day Festival of Lights began on Christmas, something Rabbi Landa noted took place 19 years ago.
Does 2024 call for gettin’ figgy with it? 🙂↕️
Watch @stlonair host @elainechastl and the rest of our staff navigate the holiday party shenanigans in episode 5 of our “The Station” series.
Find the full episode by tapping the link in our bio, or in our “The Station” highlights tab. 🎅🎄
🎥: @cristinafletesmach
The Station, Ep. 5: The Holiday Band
There was no shortage of festive chaos at St. Louis Public Radio's holiday party this year. Was producer Danny Wicentowski's grueling work of building a tiny (gingerbread) desk for the Holiday Band concert all for nothing?
Meanwhile, Santa made a stop at all the good journalists' desks at STLPR this holiday season and Chad struggles to weather the cold this winter season.
Happy holidays!
Thanks to those in the St. Louis Public Schools community for coming to our first education listening seasion and meeting our new education reporter!
And thank you to @thegelateriastl for letting us your cozy space! ☕️ 🍨
Have an education story idea or news tip you want to share with our education reporter Hiba Ahmad? Fill out the Google form via the link in our bio. Thanks!
STLPR Listening Session
St. Louis Public Schools community members: Join us tonight at 6 p.m. at the Gelateria for a listening session where you can meet our education reporter, Hiba Ahmad, and help inform our reporting as the district navigates financial issues. Your drink is on us!
TIME: 6-8 p.m.
WHERE: The Gelateria in the Tower Grove neighborhood. (3197 S Grand Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63118)
https://info.stlpr.org/events/
For Syrians in St. Louis, last week marked a dramatic shift in their home country’s trajectory: In just a matter of days, the decades-long Assad dictatorship collapsed.
About 250 community members gathered in Chesterfield on Sunday to celebrate the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad on Dec. 8. Many in the room had personal stories of grief and loss, whether due to their own displacement, being imprisoned or knowing someone who was detained — or killed — by the Assad regime.
But at the local celebration where revolutionary songs filled the room and opposition flags were waved high, there was a sense of relief, joy and optimism for the country’s future.
As the challenging work of rebuilding begins, Syrians in St. Louis say they are committed to helping their country flourish.
“We would love to share our celebration with every single person, everyone, because it’s a celebration not only for Syrians,” Syrian American Afnan Chikhani said. “It’s a relieving of aggression from humanity, and we love to celebrate that with every person in St. Louis, in Missouri, in America and all around the world.”
Tap the link in our bio for the full story about local Syrian’s reaction to the official end of the Assad regime.
✍️: Ulaa Kuziez
🎥: Lara Hamdan | @journolara
With 2024 winding down, our politics team is taking stock of an event year for Missouri, St. Louis and Illinois.
On Dec. 31, Jason Rosenbaum will host a special edition of the Politically Speaking Hour on @stlonair counting down the top stories that affected state and regional politics throughout 2024. And we want to hear from you.
Either send an email to [email protected] or reply below with your pick for the top story of 2024, and we may use your comments on the show.
You can catch that episode Politically Speaking Hour on "St. Louis on the Air" at noon and 7 p.m. on Dec. 31 on St. Louis Public Radio.
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