The 314 Podcast

In this episode of The 314 Podcast, host Sarah Fenske talks with Jake Zimmerman. The county assessor recently surprised many people with the margin of his victory in the Democratic primary and now stands as the favorite to be elected St. Louis County executive in November. He shares his view of the race, his vision for the job, and what drew him back home after college in California and Harvard Law. Then, S...

In this episode of The 314 Podcast, host Sarah Fenske talks with Amy Marie Yaeger, who was part of the producing team for TLC’s new show “Double Lives of Suburban Wives,” which is billed as featuring St. Louis women who make spicy content. Amy explains what it’s like working on an unscripted show, why you should never believe complaints about cast members saying they were edited to look like villains, and ho...

In this special bonus episode of The 314 Podcast, business editor Eric Schmid talks to Stephen Westbrooks, who recently took over as head of the St. Louis Development Corporation. The St. Louis native explains how he sees his job facilitating development by making it easy—and reducing the risk for people who might want to invest here. He also previews the challenges ahead. 

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In this episode of The 314 Podcast, host Sarah Fenske talks with the artist Mvstermind, who co-wrote and performs the title track in a new HBO documentary and performed in Los Angeles at a World Cup game. The North City native explains how St. Louis shaped him and how he’s building his career from the Midwest even while raising two young kids. Then, Sarah chats with SLM staff writer Ryan Krull ab...

In this episode of The 314 Podcast, Ryan Krull fills in for Sarah Fenske and sits down with Peter Hoffman. Through his work with Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, Peter is doing more than anyone in town to combat the problem of vacant buildings in the City of St. Louis. And that is a problem. As Hoffman details, the city has just shy of 10,000 vacant structures weighing down its neighb...

In this special episode of The 314 Podcast, recorded before a sold-out audience at The Sheldon, host Sarah Fenske talks with Bill McClellan, the legendary columnist at the Post-Dispatch and founding panelist at Nine PBS’ Donnybrook, about his storied career in local journalism. Bill discusses his work as a columnist, his battle with cancer, and some of his greatest journalistic hits. Watch on&nbs...

In this episode of The 314 Podcast, host Sarah Fenske talks with Diane Lochner and Emily Howard, two longtime employees recently tapped to join the ownership group of PGAV Destinations. The St. Louis-based firm is behind many of the biggest aquariums and coolest attractions in the world, and they share how being in the city is actually the firm’s secret weapon. Then, Sarah chats with SLM staff wr...

In this episode of The 314 Podcast, host Sarah Fenske talks with Martha Garcia Kampen, president and CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro St. Louis. The Latino community in St. Louis has seen huge growth. Garcia Kampen shares her thoughts on what’s driving that—and why she’s not worried that the federal immigration crackdown will set back the region’s efforts. Then, Sarah chats wit...

In this episode of The 314 Podcast, host Sarah Fenske talks with Dr. Tim Miller, co-director of the ALS Center and a professor of neurology at WashU Medicine, on the major breakthrough his team recently made in their quest to find a cure for ALS—and how it could also portend a cure for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. Then, Sarah chats with SLM staff writer Ryan K...

In this episode of The 314 Podcast, host Sarah Fenske talks with Kevin McKernan, who went from teaching high school to founding The Improv Shop to owning a portfolio of only-in-St. Louis originals: Epiphany Lanes, Donut Drive-In, Blackthorn Pub, and Cafe Manhattan. Kevin explains how growing up in South City helped inspire his appreciation for these neighborhood businesses—and how he’s been able to innova...

In this episode of The 314 Podcast, host Sarah Fenske talks with Julian Nicks, St. Louis’ chief recovery and transformation officer, who has spent the past year trying to help the city battle back from the deadly May 16, 2025, tornado. Along with Mayor Cara Spencer, Julian has taken heat for the city’s sluggish response to the devastation. He shares his thoughts on how we got here, what happens next,...

In this episode of The 314 Podcast, host Sarah Fenske talks with Amy Shaw, CEO of Nine PBS, which is thriving even after public television stations across the country were stripped of all their federal funding. Amy shared what she believes has been the key to the station’s success, why it’s embarking on a major capital campaign now, and why St. Louis has made it the most watched PBS station in the U....

In this episode of The 314 Podcast, host Sarah Fenske talks with Gabe Gore, the St. Louis circuit attorney widely credited with restoring order to what had been a “rudderless ship of chaos” under predecessor Kim Gardner. Gore talked about what makes prosecution harder than it used to be, his priorities going forward, and his personal story as a kid from Detroit abruptly transplanted as a teen to West County. Then, Sarah...

In this episode of The 314 Podcast, host Sarah Fenske talks with Lúcia G. Lohmann, president and director of the Missouri Botanical Garden. A native of Brazil, Lohmann explains her vision to make the garden provide more education to locals—and what drew her back to St. Louis after more than 20 years away. Then, Sarah chats with SLM staff writer Ryan Krull about a controversial group of home rehabbers who are now in legal jeop...

In this episode of The 314 Podcast, host Sarah Fenske talks with Nahuel Fefer, who worked at City Hall under four mayors, most recently as executive director of the Community Development Administration. The native of Argentina explains what’s broken in St. Louis city government—and his ideas for city-county unification. Then, Sarah chats with SLM staff writer Ryan Krull about the ...

In this episode of The 314 Podcast, host Sarah Fenske talks with Haliday Douglas, CEO of the St. Louis Education Fund, which harnesses private dollars to help St. Louis Public Schools students. Douglas discusses how teachers at SLPS helped change his life—and propel him to Harvard—and the work his nonprofit is doing to give kids a chance at upward economic mobility. Then, Sarah chats with SLM staff writer Ryan Krull abo...

In this episode of The 314 Podcast, host Sarah Fenske talks with Fred Wellman, who is running against six-term U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Ballwin). A U.S. Army veteran, political consultant, and podcast host, Wellman discusses why he thinks this could be Democrats’ year, why his opponent is like a jellyfish, and what brought him back to St. Louis after decades away. Then, Sarah chats with SLM staff write...

In this episode of The 314 Podcast, host Sarah Fenske talks with Nicholas Phillips and Samir Knox, the two reporters anchoring St. Louis Magazine’s new Economic Mobility Lab funded by the James S. McDonnell Foundation. They discuss Nick’s new story about a high-achieving young man who went from a working class background to earning a doctorate—and how social capita...

In this episode of The 314 Podcast, host Sarah Fenske talks with Giles Oldroyd, the British scientist who recently took over as president of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. He talks about settling into Missouri, responding to federal cuts hitting the not-for-profit research institute, and St. Louis’ role as an agtech hub. Then, Sarah chats with SLM staff writer Ryan Krull about the hard...