Don Marsh

When the 2012 crime statistics were reported last week, there was good news in both St. Louis City and the portion of St. Louis County patrolled by St. Louis County Police. 

In the mid-1800s Elizabeth Keckley was a slave living in St. Louis.

As a highly skilled dressmaker, she was eventually able to earn the money to buy her freedom.

New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini is the author of a new book about Elizabeth Keckley.  She writes about Keckley moving from St. Louis to Washington D.C. and becoming First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln’s personal dressmaker.

St. Louis Public Radio’s Erin Williams talked with Chiaverini about her new book, “Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker.”

Earlier this week, prompted by the mass school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, President Barack Obama announced a series of measures aimed at curbing gun violence.

Among the proposals is increasing access to mental health care.

All too often access to mental health care is scarce.  Sometimes, the only place people can get care is if they are arrested and charged with a crime.

For the first time in a long time, no member of the Carnahan family is holding public office in Missouri.

Secretary of State Robin Carnahan left office earlier this week after deciding not to seek re-election last November.  Her brother, Congressman Russ Carnahan (MO – 3), served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.  After re-districting, he challenged Congressman Lacy Clay in the Democratic primary and was unsuccessful.

Leonard Slatkin has strong ties to St. Louis. His father, conductor and violinist Felix Slatkin, was born in St. Louis and joined the St. Louis Symphony when he was still a teen.  The younger Slatkin’s first conducting position with a major symphony orchestra came in 1968 when he was named Assistant Conductor of the St.