We know that you listen to us on air and check our website for news and information about our region. We hope that you look at our website every day, but we know that's not always possible. So, once a week, on Friday, we will highlight some of the website's top stories of the week.
The future of Ferguson
Ferguson Commission: Meet The Members
Three hundred people answered Gov. Jay Nixon's call to apply for the Ferguson Commission. Of those applicants and others, the governor selected 16 and announced their names on Tuesday. The group includes teachers, attorneys, community organizers, law enforcement officials and protesters from across the region. It has nine blacks and seven whites; six women and 10 men. Here are brief introductions to the members.
Ferguson Commission: Who Didn't Make It?
While we'll presumably be hearing and seeing a lot from the 16 people tapped for the commission, here’s a sampling from people who did not make the cut. More than 300 people from all corners of the state applied.
Five Questions About The Missouri National Guard
After he declared a state of emergency, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has been coy about exactly when and how many National Guard troops will come to the St. Louis area ahead of a grand jury decision in the Michael Brown case. to understand how the National Guard works generally, St. Louis Public Radio reached out to some experts to get a better understanding of what the National Guard is and what we can expect.
Love And Desperation: Two Musicians Respond To Ferguson
Two leaders in the St. Louis music community released Ferguson-related songs this month. Tef Poe’s War Cry levels harsh criticism at political leaders while Brian Owens' Love, Love addresses the hope for community understanding. The songs approach the problems that have gained attention since Ferguson Police officer Darren Wilson killed 18-year-old Michael Brown in August from radically different perspectives. But taken together, the songs portray a city frustrated, critical and cautiously hopeful.
St. Louis on the Air
Four Months In, Harris-Stowe President Discusses Job, Ferguson
Dwaun Warmack took over as president of Harris-Stowe State University in July. A month later, Michael Brown was shot and killed in Ferguson, about 12 miles away. It was almost a case of deja vu: "I was 18 miles from the Trayvon Martin tragedy," Warmack said. "I had some experience, from an educational perspective and institution of higher learning, (with) how do we create a space to have some meaningful dialogue around some tragedies that may happen like that in this country.” Warmack said one of his big responsibilities is to work with students and university officials to define the role of the university, a historically black school in midtown St. Louis.
How he won
North St. Louis County Carried Stenger Across The Finish Line
If it weren’t for voters in north St. Louis County, Democrat Steve Stenger wouldn’t have won the tight Nov. 4 contest for county executive. Stenger lost most of his home turf in south St. Louis County to Republican Rick Stream. Stenger carried north county strongly, but the percentage was far less than County Executive Charlie Dooley's performance in 201o. Even so, Stenger's north county showing -- despite opposition from north county Democrats -- proved crucial to victory. Check out our maps of township breakdowns.
Art, life and reinvention
Surviving The Nightlife — How Music Venues Stay Afloat in St. Louis
This month, local venue the Gramophone announced it was closing as a concert space and reopening this spring as a bar. Although they’ll still occasionally have live acts, the venue’s shift is away from high-energy music and toward a relaxed food and drink. As the Gramophone reinvents itself, St. Louis Public Radio turned to a few veteran venue owners to find out how they find success in the city.
But For Accident, STL Artist Would Have Wielded Hockey Stick Not Paintbrush
Fontbonne professor Tim Liddy is one of 102 artists displayed ina national exhibition at the Crystal Bridges museum in Bentonville, Ark. But Liddy was never going to be an artist. Looking forward to a career on the ice, he was planning to play games, not paint them. Three of his game-related works are in the Crystal Bridges “State of the Art” exhibition, which runs through Jan. 19.
And don't forget...
Food Pantries Depend On Holiday Donations To Help Them Get Through The Year
The holiday wish list for St. Louis agencies that assist the hungry is long and never-ending because what comes in, soon goes out -- and the shelves need to be filled again. Five years after economists say the Great Recession officially ended, St. Louis agencies that feed the hungry say the need for donations remains great because people who need help need it longer.
