Episodi

  • Revisiting City-County Reunification

    Revisiting City-County Reunification
    Oct 29 2026

    Should St. Louis join the county as its largest municipality? In March, County Executive Sam Page said, yes, it should. One month after the first two episodes of “Meet Me” explored the St. Louis city-county divide and past efforts to reunite, Page reignited the conversation. In this episode of “Meet Me” host Luis Antonio Perez moderates a discussion with three local leaders about the impact of such a move.

    Dara Eskridge, CEO of Invest STL, which works to shift the region's approach to development through equitable investment in neighborhoods.

    Pat Kelly, executive director of the Municipal League of Metro St. Louis, which represents the interests of the municipalities in the city and county.

    Karen Branding, CEO and president of the Regional Business Council, a group made up of 100 CEOs in the region.

    Video vignettes - Living on the border

    V1: The Brodsky’s in St. Louis/Maplewood

    V2: Honey J’s Snack Shop in Wellston

    V3: Mr. Larry Jackson in Jennings

    Sign up for the Meet Me newsletter at STLPR.org/newsletters

    Follow us on Instagram @MeetMeSTL

    Credits: This episode was hosted, produced and mixed by Luis Antonio Perez. Additional production and editing by Alex Heuer. Paola Rodriguez is the engagement producer for “Meet Me” and produced the video vignettes with STLPR Visuals Editor Brian Munoz. Technical assistance from Drew Yount, Mike Everding, David Torrence and Josh Walowitz. The executive producer of “Meet Me” is Brian Heffernan. Podcast art by Cristina Fletes-Mach. Our theme music is by Kudda & Friends. Additional music by Thomas Paden. Special thanks to Elaine Cha, Leslie Davis and the staff of the Missouri Historical Society including Emily Underwood, Lindsay Newton, Sam Moore, Jody Sowell and Andrew Wanko.

    Grant support comes from the James S. McDonnell Foundation.

    Support this work at stlpr.org/donate
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    39 min
  • To Choose A School

    To Choose A School
    Sep 29 2026
    About half of the school-aged kids in St. Louis don’t attend the city’s public school district. St. Louis parents face an overwhelming number of school options: magnet, neighborhood, gifted, charter, parochial, private or homeschool. Host Luis Antonio Perez walks to school with a family in Ellisville, then sits down with three parents. Each chose different educational paths for their kids: moving to a school district in St. Louis County, sticking with public schools in the city and homeschooling. In a candid conversation they talk about why they love their choices, what they wish they had from the other options, and how people react when they find out. And, STLPR education reporter Hiba Ahmad also explains how a new proposal to close 14 schools next year might affect students and families. Sign up for the Meet Me newsletter at STLPR.org/newsletters Follow us on Instagram @MeetMeSTL Credits: This episode was written, hosted, produced and mixed by Luis Antonio Perez, with story editing by Alex Heuer and Brian Heffernan and additional editorial support from Hiba Ahmad. The executive producer of “Meet Me” is Brian Heffernan. Paola Rodriguez is our engagement producer with editorial support from Lara Hamdan. Podcast art by Cristina Fletes-Mach. Our theme music is by Kudda & Friends. Special thanks to Rukiya Anthony. Grant support comes from the James S. McDonnell Foundation. Support this work at stlpr.org/donate
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    40 min
  • Update: MO Supreme Court Historic Redistricting Decision

    Update: MO Supreme Court Historic Redistricting Decision
    Sep 5 2026
    Missouri Supreme Court ruled unanimously that a referendum challenging the Trump-backed 2025 Missouri First map belongs on the November ballot. This means voters will get a chance to weigh in on the state’s new congressional map but also that congressional districts drawn in 2022 will be in effect for the November election. In this episode of “Meet Me” host Luis Antonio Perez sits with STLPR politics correspondent Jason Rosenbaum to catch up on the latest news and the significance of this historic decision.
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    19 min
  • Drawing Divides II

    Drawing Divides II
    Aug 27 2026
    Missouri’s Trump-backed congressional map is one court ruling away from being locked in for the 2026 midterms. Host Luis Antonio Perez talks with voters about a confusing congressional primary election, then sits down with STLPR politics correspondent Jason Rosenbaum to unpack the redistricting drama and the upcoming final court battle. Along the way, they revisit why the plot of the ‘90s film “Air Bud” is key to understanding the legal arguments over voting rights and representation in Missouri.
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    30 min
  • The Rams’ Final Gift

    The Rams’ Final Gift
    Jul 31 2026

    St. Louis city leaders voted to spend $255 million from a legal settlement tied to the departure of the Rams football team. Host Luis Antonio Perez revisits the glory days of the St. Louis Rams’ Super Bowl runs and the disappointment of team owner Stan Kroenke moving the team to Los Angeles. He also sits with two St. Louis residents — Brendalyn King and Eli Front — who live in different parts of the city. Brendalyn lives in the city’s historically disinvested north side that was also impacted by an EF3 tornado last year, and Eli lives downtown, where conversations about regional economic development are often centered.They discuss what it’s like to live in their respective neighborhoods, what they think would help their communities flourish, and issues that they see that money can’t fix.


    Eli Front is a member of the Laclede’s Landing neighborhood association and co-founder of OpsCompanion, a software startup based in downtown St. Louis.


    Brendalyn King is an executive leadership coach and steward and developer of a 244-acre retreat property in the Missouri Ozarks, originally founded in 1934 by an African American physician.


    Credits: This episode was hosted, produced, written and mixed by Luis Antonio Perez with story editing by Brian Heffernan and Alex Heur, who also engineered the conversation. Meet Me's engagement producer is Paola Rodriguez with editorial support from Lara Hamdan. Brian Heffernan is our executive producer. Theme music by Kudda and Friends. Additional music by Holizna. Special thanks to Denis Beganovic, Alyssa Potter, Vontriece McDowell, Rachel Lippmann, and Sean Malone at KMOX for archival audio.


    Grant support for "Meet Me" comes from the James S. McDonnell Foundation.


    Follow us on Instagram @MEETMESTL and sign up for the "Meet Me" newsletter.


    Support this work with a donation to St. Louis Public Radio.
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    37 min
  • Drawing Divides

    Drawing Divides
    Jun 25 2026
    At the start of every decade the Census redraws America's lines of representation. But in 2025, at President Trump's urging, several states — including Missouri — moved to redraw their congressional maps mid-decade. The result is a high-drama scramble that could reshape who controls the U.S. House. In this episode, host Luis Antonio Perez sits down with St. Louis Public Radio politics correspondent Jason Rosenbaum to break down the "what, how, and why" of Missouri's new 2025 map and how the movie “Air Bud” explains part of this saga. With August primaries already underway, we trace where things stand and what's still left to play out.
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    28 min
  • Other Side of the Arch

    Other Side of the Arch
    May 29 2026
    St. Louis civic and political leaders want to expand Gateway Arch National Park across the river to East St. Louis, Illinois. It would fulfill the vision of Eero Saarinen whose original design included park grounds on both sides of the river. It would also fulfill the dream of a man who spent his life — and dedicated his fortune — to park expansion, Malcolm W. Martin. Host Luis Antonio Perez visits Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park - directly across from the Gateway Arch, learns about Malcolm Martin's life from his longtime friend and colleague, and sets out on a canoe trip down the Mississippi River.
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    34 min
  • Bonus: Tornado Open Mic Montage

    Bonus: Tornado Open Mic Montage
    May 15 2026
    More stories from the "Meet Me" open mic eleven months after an EF3 tornado ripped through St. Louis. Residents were invited to share experiences and reflections about the tornado almost a year later. This piece was produced for the STLPR series TORN - about the struggle to recover from the tornado, the flailing government response, and the fight for north city.
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    10 min