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The St. Louis region is days away from knowing the 2026 midterm elections. In this pre-election edition of “The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air,” our reporters examine what’s at stake for both major political parties in Missouri and Illinois.

In 1876, St. Louisans voted to split the city from the county. That decision, which came to be known as the Great Divorce, has had many consequences. It’s also been fodder for moves for and against unification over the last 150 years. In this episode, we listen to highlights from an in-person event from STLPR’s “Meet Me” team about the current state of the regional split.

Missouri voters will see a long list of judges up for retention on their ballots for the Nov. 3 general election. Need more information before you’re ready to fill out that part of the ballot? STLPR reporter Will Bauer has you covered. He shares details from this year’s Missouri judges voter guide as well as highlights from his recent conversation about retention elections with two St. Louis area judges.

A $4.2 million settlement was reached on Wednesday in a bizarre case that originated after a rookie St. Louis police officer drove his SUV into the storefront of a popular gay bar. The 2023 incident ended with both of the bar’s co-owners in handcuffs, but the case took several twists and turns before the trial began. On this Legal Roundtable edition of the show a panel of expert attorneys react to the settlement and discuss the case. The panel includes attorney Brendan Roediger, who represented one of the bar owners in the lawsuit. The panel also talks about the Archdiocese of St. Louis suing Ste. Genevieve County over the county's treatment of immigrants held in its jail, allegations that the St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners is violating the Missouri Sunshine Law, and more.

A recent study of autism diagnoses found a notable increase since 2016 — but only among women. The study’s lead author, St. Louis University psychiatrist Dr. Erick Messias, analyzed more than 170,000 medical records for new insights into the condition. In this episode, we hear from Messias and Lyla Novakowski, owner of We Rock the Spectrum, a children’s sensory gym in Fenton. They discuss the challenges involved in getting an autism diagnosis, how families of autistic children are finding support, and the reaction of St. Louis’ autism community to efforts by the federal government to treat autism as an epidemic with a “root cause.”

Missouri Botanical Garden is gearing up for Halloween with programs and blog posts about the relationship between witchcraft and plants. Missouri Botanical Garden’s Peter H. Raven Library director Holly Hubenschmidt and associate scientist Wendy Applequist share lore, history and practical uses of plants associated with witches.

Published more than 180 years ago, Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” endures. The poem tells the story of the narrator’s descent into madness as they deal with the grief of losing their beloved Lenore. In this encore episode, we listen to historical interpreter Anne Williams’ recording of “The Raven,” featuring original sound design by producer Avery Rogers.

Halloween decorations can harm local wildlife and end up in a landfill, but it doesn’t have to be that way. St. Louis sustainability content creator Alyssa Barber shares ways to decorate with the environment in mind — while having more fun in the process.

Missouri voters go to the polls on November 3, and there are a number of consequential matters on the ballot. When it comes to how those issues are worded – that is, what voters will see at the ballot box – that’s not necessarily so clear. STLPR’s politics team unpacked amendment and proposition language at our Voter Guide Live event held in late September in St. Louis Public Radio’s Community Room.

Almost 30 years after its creation, the Community Arts Training Institute has become an independent nonprofit. The institute’s fellowship program focuses on making social and civic change through the arts. Program co-director and CAT alum Pacia Elaine Anderson and founding board secretary Roseann Weiss discuss the institute’s history and development, the move to independence, and what the next CAT cohort can expect. Applications for that cohort close Oct. 28.

What does the Constitution mean to you? Heidi Schreck explores that question in her Pulitzer Prize-finalist play, “What the Constitution Means to Me.” Drawing on her own childhood experience competing in debate contests about the Constitution, Schreck examines how her understanding of the document changed as she grew older and confronted its failures to protect the women in her family. The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is presenting the play through Nov. 15. STLPR arts and culture senior reporter Jeremy D. Goodwin speaks with lead actor Michelle Hand about the play and then with the Rep’s artistic director, Kate Bergstrom.

As part of its annual Spark Prize, the Missouri Foundation for Health is awarding $1.5 million to 12 people who work to improve health and well-being in Missouri. That includes Jessica Gaines of Kendall Developments and Dream Builders 4 Equity, who is receiving $200,000 for her efforts to strengthen neighborhoods and expand opportunity across St. Louis. We talk with Gaines about workforce development, the link between housing and health, and tornado recovery in St. Louis. We also hear from 2025 Spark Prize recipient Ciearra “CJ” Walker.

This year, Eric Ellingsen became the first full-time executive director of the National Building Arts Center. A former professor of landscape architecture, Ellingsen has taken over the vision of a sprawling museum dedicated to the physical legacy of America’s buildings, factories and other marvels of artful engineering. He talks about his background, NBAC’s mission, and specific items at the museum, like “Minerva” and “Urania” — a pair of 150-year-old, 9-foot-tall statues that once adorned the St. Louis Mutual Life Insurance Company Building. Ellingsen also previews the Nov. 12 “Goddess Gala,” which will feature the two statues as an embodiment of NBAC’s goal of preservation through science and art.

As part of Counterpublic’s 2026 “Coyote Time” exhibition, the cafeteria at the International Institute of St. Louis has become the site of a pop-up art installation by Thai conceptual artist Rirkrit Tiravanija. The project includes Nepalese artist Jeena Gurung and Kabul Burger food truck owner Mudasir Ibrahim-Khil, who joined “St. Louis on the Air” to discuss the role of food and cooking in their lives as immigrants to the U.S. and how their participation is deepening their connections to the St. Louis community.

Concrete, bricks and urban infrastructure can trap heat, making St. Louis significantly hotter than surrounding areas. As extreme heat and the effects of climate change become more common, local organizations are stepping in to create a plan to help the city adapt. Missouri Coalition for the Environment Policy Manager Elyse Schaffer and Forest ReLeaf Forestry Manager Billy Haag join the show to discuss the extreme urban heat plan and how trees play a major role in it.