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.
Ferguson: Reform, reflection, reaction
Two Visions Of Municipal Court Reform
One of the most important changes to emerge from Michael Brown’s shooting is progress toward reform of St. Louis County’s balkanized municipal court system, where traffic tickets can derail poor people’s lives. Change is certain. The extent of the reform is not. Two of the most important figures in the reform efforts illustrate starkly different views of how seriously the muny court system is broken and how thoroughly it needs to be reformed.
St. Louis Area Gun Shops Seeing More Sales, First-Time Buyers
Several St. Louis area gun shops are reporting a spike in sales, and some are attributing it, in part, to preparations ahead of an expected grand jury decision in the Michael Brown case. About two-thirds of the local gun stores St. Louis Public Radio spoke with report increased sales.
All Ferguson: Your Guide To The Facts And Issues
Since Aug. 9 when 18-year-old Michael Brown was killed by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, St. Louis Public Radio reports have been digging into many facets of what happened and the aftermath. This webpost includes all of our articles divided into topics. We also have been running a live blog that pulls in tweets and articles of interest.
Helping heroes
Young, Disabled, Combat Veterans Are Grateful For St. Louis Supporters
People often call Todd Nicely a hero, but the 30-year-old Marine combat veteran would prefer that they didn’t. Nicely, who lost his arms and legs in a bomb blast in Afghanistan four years ago, says the heroes of the 13-year war on terror are the 6,841 U.S. service members who have died while serving their country since Sept. 11.
The Life And Mirror Of A St. Louis Veteran
Elmer Boehm's life is a story about war, survival, love and life-saving luck. The World War II veteran went to Washington, D.C., on Veterans Day as part of the final Greater St. Louis Honor Flight of 2014. In September 1944, he was one of the soldiers who landed on Utah Beach and he was wounded while part of an assault on the Germans. What saved his life was a mirror.
Election blues
When Losing An Election Isn't The End Of The Story
Some of Missouri’s most prominent politicians came back to win some of the state’s highest offices after losing an election. Gov. Jay Nixon lost two races for the U.S. Senate; U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., fell short in statewide bids for lieutenant governor and governor before winning election to the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate. And U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo. lost a bid for governor in 2004. She said that the race provided some lessons for her future campaigns. Other winners who once lost agree.
Easy riders
St. Louis Bike Share Study Recommends Initial Locations, Membership Prices
New recommendations from the St. Louis Bike Share Feasibility Study are calling for an initial phase involving 540 bicycles at an initial cost of up to $3.3 million. The study recommends first putting 60 bike stations in high-demand areas including the downtown, Midtown, Central West End, Forest Park, The Grove, Delmar Loop, Carr Square, Vandeventer and Academy neighborhoods. This initial phase, the study estimates, would cost $1.8- to $3.3-million in capital costs.
You must remember this
The Berlin Wall: A St. Louisan Recalls The Fall As Germany Celebrates Unification
BERLIN - One by one, like birds soaring into flight, the bright orbs surged upward into the night sky. To the cheers of tens of thousands of people, the white balloons of the Lichtgrenze flew past the Reichstag’s giant flags, floated above the divine music of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” at the Brandenburg Gate, and lifted spirits along the 12-kilometer scar that marked the path of the Berlin Wall. Across a city that had once been divided, the 8,000 balloons – each tagged with a message or a wish – brought a spirit of unity to the thousands who watched them rise into the darkness. And, for many in Berlin on Sunday night, the soaring “Border of Lights” rekindled memories of the momentous days 25 years earlier when a divided city – with a startlingly peaceful swiftness – became one.
The Return Of The Cassette Tape — This Time Also As Work Of Art
Ask someone younger than 10 if he's ever heard a cassette and you may be met with a blank stare. Before CDs or the ubiquitous MP3, tapes were the go-to method for album releases. Major record labels stopped releasing cassettes years ago, but St. Louis is home to a dedicated tape community. Musicians turn to tape for artistic, creative and practical reasons.
Lights, camera, action
14 Mini Reviews For The St. Louis International Film Festival
The St. Louis International Film Festival is underway with enough options to ensure that almost everyone can find something of interest. Some of us in the newsroom of St. Louis Public Radio checked out the list of offerings and asked to review films that caught our interest. As you check out our mini reviews, you should know that several these are just a taste of what is available.
Meet St. Louis’ Forgotten King Of The Movies
The St. Louis International Film Festival, which opens tonight, will pay tribute to the man considered to be the first movie star. Today, he's largely forgotten. But St. Louis native King Baggot acted in and directed hundreds of films, nearly all of them silent.
