Bill Raack

Credit Maria Frank
News Director

Raack has been in radio for over 20 years. After graduating with a degree in journalism from the University of Kansas in 1983, he worked at commercial radio stations in Kansas and then Illinois. He moved to public radio in 1990, joining the staff of WILL-AM/FM in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, as a host/reporter and then as news director in 1993. He returned to his hometown of St. Louis in 1995 as the local host of St. Louis Public Radio's Morning Edition program and also served as a reporter/producer until 1998, when he was named news director. Bill and his wife Kim are proud parents of two public-radio-listening children.

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St. Louis County Assessor
5:15 pm
Wed April 20, 2011

Zimmerman sworn in as St. Louis County Assessor

Credit (Courtesy Zimmerman Campaign)
Jake Zimmerman was sworn into office today as St. Louis County's Assessor.
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For the first time in more than 50 years, St. Louis County has an elected assessor - not one appointed by the county executive.

Jake Zimmerman was sworn into office today following his election on April 5. Zimmerman says his priority is to build an accountable office that listens to the county's taxpayers.

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City of St. Louis Transportation
1:57 pm
Tue April 19, 2011

St. Louis awarded $4 million in federal transit grant funding

Credit (St. Louis Public Radio)
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U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo. announced today that St. Louis has been awarded a $4 million federal grant for public transportation upgrades.

The money will be provided jointly by the Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration, according to a press release from McCaskill's office. 

So, how will St. Louis use the money?

The release states that the grants will be used to aid in the replacement of up to 12 buses in the Metro's current bus fleet.

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Susie Stephens Ceremony
5:41 pm
Fri April 15, 2011

Ceremony at Gateway Arch to honor woman struck, killed by bus in St. Louis

Credit (Martin Pion, Conservion)
The late Susie Stephens.
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A ceremony will be held on the Gateway Arch grounds tomorrow to honor a woman who was struck and killed by a charter bus while walking in downtown St. Louis nine years ago.

Susie Stephens was a strong advocate for bicycle and pedestrian safety, and was attending a conference on the issue in 2002 when she lost her life near the Adam's Mark Hotel. Her mother, Nancy MacKerrow, has been planting trees around the country in Susie's honor for years, but this is the first in St. Louis.

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Heroin in St. Louis
2:47 pm
Thu April 7, 2011

Area law enforcement to crack down on heroin use through three-pronged approach

Credit Bill Raack, St. Louis Public Radio
St. Louis County Chief of Police Tim Fitch (standing at podium).
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The use of heroin in the St. Louis area is at epidemic levels, according to law enforcement officials.

The number of heroin overdoses and deaths has doubled in the St. Louis County and city over the past four years. St. Louis County Chief of Police Tim Fitch said the drug is cheaper now and it can be snorted or smoked, instead of injected. He said it's no longer just an urban issue.

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St. Louis Public Radio at Grand Center
1:33 pm
Tue April 5, 2011

St. Louis Public Radio to break ground on new building April 15

Credit (Chiodini Associates, architects, and AxiOme, design consultant)
A rendering of the proposed exterior of the new home of St. Louis Public Radio at Grand Center in St. Louis. Groundbreaking for the new facility is set for April 15.
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Want to see more images of the new building's design? Check out a full gallery on Posterous.

Groundbreaking has been set for St. Louis Public Radio and the University of Missouri-St. Louis’ new home in Grand Center.

The public radio station’s general manager, Tim Eby, confirms that work will begin on the site just east of KETC public television on Friday, April 15. The three-story, 27,000-square-foot building is expected to take one year to complete.

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