Missouri Children's Division Director Darrell Missey talks about where the massive backlog of child abuse and neglect case investigations stands, and other issues affecting children in the state. Last year, St. Louis Public Radio reported that the division's office serving St. Louis and St. Louis County had a backlog of 6,124 cases that remained open after 45 days. Missey describes the division's improvements since then, and where things stand now.

Missouri Children’s Division head sees progress on St. Louis abuse and neglect case backlog

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Kirkwood-raised musician David Sanborn died earlier this week after an extended battle with prostate cancer. He won six Grammy awards and sold millions of albums across a more than 50-year career. Known for his warm sound on alto saxophone, Sanborn won acclaim as a solo artist and as a collaborator with a long list of stars in the worlds of jazz, rock and pop.  Earlier this year, Jazz St. Louis honored Sanborn with its first lifetime achievement award. We listen back to his conversation with STLPR’s Jeremy D. Goodwin.

Saxophonist David Sanborn, 6-time Grammy winner raised in Kirkwood, dies at 78

St. Louis’ juvenile justice system is supposed to rehabilitate youth but it often makes things worse. That’s the topic of a recently published article written by Taylor Tiamoyo Harris and commissioned by the River City Journalism Fund. Taylor is a St. Louis-based journalist and recently began a job as investigative fellow for the New York Times. Harris discusses her recent reporting on juvenile justice.

How St. Louis' juvenile justice system often harms the kids it intends to help

Civil rights attorney and former South Carolina state lawmaker Bakari Sellers says national police reform is currently dead, but there is hope through voting to change the makeup of Congress. STLPR reporter Andrea Henderson recently spoke with Sellers when he was in St. Louis to talk about his new book, “The Moment: Thoughts on the Race Reckoning That Wasn't and How We All Can Move Forward Now.”

Civil rights attorney says Michael Brown’s death wasn’t in vain despite lack of police reform

A St. Louis judge on Tuesday will hear arguments as to why the 1991 murder conviction of Chris Dunn should be vacated. Dunn has spent more than 30 years in prison. Two witnesses who identified him as the killer have recanted and two St. Louis prosecutors, Kim Gardner and Gabe Gore, believe that he is innocent. After Gore announced earlier this spring he would file a motion to vacate Dunn’s conviction, producer Danny Wicentowski spoke with Dunn from the South Central Correctional Center in Licking, Missouri, about his reaction.

Hearing to vacate Chris Dunn’s 1991 murder conviction to begin Tuesday

Gardening season is well underway, but it’s not too late to start planting. Local farmer Tosha Phonix is encouraging fellow north St. Louis residents to grow their own food through a new, free zine, “A Guide to Black Farming in North St. Louis.”

Missouri Children’s Division head sees progress on St. Louis abuse and neglect case backlog

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