The Gateway St. Louis Public Radio

Galileo’s observations about the solar system made him the father of modern astronomy. They also clashed with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. And in 17th century Italy, spreading scientific facts could earn a death sentence. Opera Theatre of St. Louis is presenting a work about Galileo by the American composer Phillip Glass that opens Saturday. In a report by STLPR's Jeremy Goodwin, Performers Paul Groves and Vanessa Becerra reflect on some key moments in the opera and its continuing relevance.

Precision agriculture has promised to revolutionize farming since the mid-1990s. The idea is to give growers more granular data about their operations and new technology to put that information to use. Some of this has come to pass: farmers have more sophisticated equipment and hard data on how their operations perform. But St. Louis Public Radio’s Eric Schmid reports, some of the loftiest promises of precision ag are still out of reach.
This reporting is in conjunction with Harvest Public Media, a collaboration of public media newsrooms in the Midwest and Great Plains - including St. Louis Public Radio.

The right haircut can be hard for anyone to find. Some St. Louis hairdressers understand a good haircut is especially important for transgender clients. As St. Louis Public Radio’s Lauren Brennecke reports, these stylists and barbers are moving toward gender-free terminology and using in-depth consultations.

One of the centerpieces for free public gathering in downtown St. Louis is back open after eight months of renovations. Citygarden, the three-acre sculpture park stretching along the Gateway Mall, is again offering a greener and more peaceful environment than the busy streets and city sidewalks it sits among. As St. Louis Public Radio’s Jeremy Goodwin reports, an opening day party at Citygarden offered a view of the amenity as a colorful hub for city residents and visitors.

A recent report showed child abuse investigators missed warning signs parents were taking fentanyl before their children overdosed. As St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum explains, the report is prompting sharp questions about why Missouri’s Children’s Division isn’t using a process to steer parents into rehabilitation programs.

Missouri’s Department of Conservation has a new director. Jason Sumners, a former deputy director of the department, is taking the reins from Sara Parker Pauley who stepped down after 30 years. St. Louis Public Radio’s Sarah Kellogg spoke with Sumners about how conservation work has changed over the years and his goals for the department.