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.

Three years after a St. Louis County man says he was attacked, and an attempted carjacking sent his vehicle crashing through the Hazelwood Police Department – he is the one going to trial. St. Louis Public Radio’s Danny Wicentowski shares his investigation into the night it all happened, the possible retaliation at play, and what happens next in the case.

It’s probably never been an easier time to find new music by big-name artists. (Just tune into any other popular podcast to hear Taylor Swift talk about her new album.) But that same tactic may not work for local artists. St. Louis Public Radio’s Chad Davis on how to find St. Louis musicians.

The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees will vote on the 2026 fiscal year budget Thursday morning. The proposal for Edwardsville’s campus marks the first balanced budget since 2017. That follows a 10 million dollar deficit last year. St. Louis Public Radio’s Will Bauer sat down with Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Chancellor James Minor to discuss the school’s improved financial picture.

Lorraine Hansberry’s 1959 play “A Raisin in the Sun” is a landmark of American theater. It had three hit Broadway runs with its story about the struggles of a Black family in mid-century Chicago. Less well-known is the musical adaptation, called simply: “Raisin.” The Black Rep is performing the seldom-seen show through Sunday. As St. Louis Public Radio’s Jeremy Goodwin reports, “Raisin” depicts racist systems that still impact life in St. Louis today.

Sports betting was legalized in Missouri last November, but it won’t be active until December 1 due to licensing and regulation requirements. St. Louis Public Radio’s Olivia Mizelle reports that some mental health advocates are concerned about the impact its impending availability will have on gambling addiction in the state.

Two conversations with STLPR reporters to better understand this moment in our region: Jason Rosenbaum on the conclusion of Missouri’s contentious special session on redistricting and making it harder to pass some constitutional amendments, and Chad Davis reports on where things stand ten years after the Ferguson Commission Report release.

Keyboard maestro John Medeski has played with dozens of bands, including John Medeski’s Mad Skillet, which plays its only U.S. show of the year Saturday at the Music at the Intersection Festival. St. Louis Public Radio’s Jeremy Goodwin shares this conversation.

Almost four months after a tornado ripped through north St. Louis, demolition crews are bringing down what’s left of many damaged homes. The Midwest Newsroom's Holly Edgell reports that more homeowners are applying for demolition permits and deciding whether to stay or leave the city.

Many incarcerated people say they’re working to better themselves while they do time. But, there are barriers to that… some of which are more than skin deep.

Lauren Frost takes us to Canton, Illinois where an inmate has an idea for a program that could help people in custody to start fresh.