The Gateway

Alfred Montgomery became St. Louis sheriff in January, touting ambitions to make things better. But his tenure has been plagued with conflicts over spending, transporting detainees for medical care and a removal effort from the Missouri Attorney General. Montgomery sat down with St. Louis Public Radio’s Brian Munoz to explain himself.

A St. Louis grocery store is challenging more residents to ditch excessive waste. This comes as the city pulled the plug on its alley recycling program earlier this year. St. Louis Public Radio’s Marissanne Lewis-Thompson reports on how Local Harvest Grocery is helping its customers reduce waste one plastic container at a time.

The U.S. produces more than a third of the world’s corn, and most of that grain comes from a swath of the central U.S. called the corn belt. St. Louis Public Radio’s Kate Grumke reports some Midwestern farmers are planting a new variety of corn that might be an improvement over what’s in fields now.

Gov. Mike Kehoe announced that members of the National Guard will assist with administrative, clerical, and logistical duties at Missouri’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facilities. The GOP chief executive says this will free up ICE personnel to pursue immigration enforcement efforts.

Plus, a report on hurdles rural communities are now facing in getting connected to the internet.

Cancer treatments and screenings are lowering the disparity rates, but some doctors say the most effective way to reduce it is to start talking about the disease. Dr. Arnold Bullock is a urologist and surgeon at Washington University. He spoke with St. Louis Public Radio’s Andrea Henderson about prostate cancer disparities among Black men and how screenings can save lives.

Residents of a Central Illinois town recently couldn't use their tap water because of harmful algal blooms in city reservoirs. The problem threatens water systems in other parts of the Midwest, too. Harvest Public Media’s Jim Meadows reports.

Friday marks the reopening of Powell Hall after a two-year, $140-million dollar renovation and expansion. The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra will mark the occasion with three concerts this weekend. As St. Louis Public Radio’s Jeremy Goodwin reports, a recent sneak preview offered a taste of the changes.

Theatergoers have an opportunity this weekend to see something that doesn’t happen often on professional stages in St. Louis: an all-Latino cast and director presenting a show about life in a Spanish-speaking community. STLPR's Jeremy Goodwin speaks with the crew behind "Carmela, Full of Wishes."

This month, St. Louis launched a three-week cleanup blitz to clear debris from May’s deadly tornado. Our reporters have been tracking the progress, questioning both city leaders and the debris removal crews. STLPR's Andrea Henderson and Kavahn Mansouri are on the ground.

Nate Hayward started as the new commissioner of the St. Louis Division of Corrections on September 16. He says he plans to update the jail’s use of force policies and increase transparency at the facility, using his 32 years of experience at the St. Louis County Jail. St. Louis Public Radio’s Lacretia Wimbley spoke with Hayward about his plans for the troubled city jail.