We are deeply saddened to share the news that our beloved sales director, Cathleen “Cat” Criswell, has passed away at her home. Cat was an indispensable pillar of the St. Louis media landscape. She dedicated two decades of her career to the Riverfront Times, serving from 2004 until the publication’s sale in 2024. During…
St Lou Fringe Celebrates 15 Years of Bold, Boundary-Pushing Art
Fifteen years ago, St Lou Fringe began STLFringe FEST with just three shows and a simple but stubborn belief: St. Louis deserved a stage for the art that didn’t fit anywhere else. Today, that belief has grown into one of the Midwest’s most vital independent arts festivals. As St Lou Fringe prepares to celebrate its…
Why Those Who Support Trump’s Assholery Demand Civility From Everyone Else
Just as the human body has no defenses against a completely new virus, our body politic had no immunity against Donald Trump’s off-the-charts willingness to violate every norm and boundary. He wasn’t smarter, smoother, or more charismatic than his opponents. He was simply willing to say or do anything. That was his superpower. And…
A Big Year for Neon Artist and Glass Blower Jeffrey Dunn
Neon artist and glass blower Jeffrey Dunn is at the height of his craft, with work featured in the Missouri History Museum’s Route 66 centennial exhibit and prominent commissions across the region, from the magnificent restored marquee at Wildey Theatre to a large-scale neon installation at the National Building Arts Center in Sauget that will…
Scott Lokitz is the OG Community Photographer
I first blew into St. Louis from Oklahoma in 1997, at age 22. I remember hearing about this city’s larger-than-life household names as I was learning the ropes. There was nightclub owner Howard Meyer, who would entertain in his opulent West End mansion. There were entertainers everyone flocked to see, like Dieta Pepsi, Petrina Marie,…
Morally Bankrupt MAGA Delighted Over Pride Sail Vandalism at West County Church
Emboldened by the current Christian nationalist administration, MAGA supporters have been more belligerent than ever during this Pride Month. At 1:19 a.m. Sunday, security cameras at Parkway United Church of Christ captured an individual laughing while tearing down eight Pride sails displayed on church property. Greg Schmelig, who serves the church in several capacities, shared…
Finding Q-mmunity Along Route 66
No other road has captured the American imagination quite like Route 66, the iconic 2,400-mile corridor stretching from Chicago to Los Angeles and running directly through our region. “Growing up in St. Louis, we heard as much about Route 66 as we did the Mississippi — the lore of both is embedded. Both promise adventure…
Leading the Way: Dale Wrigley on His Career Journey and Novus Health’s Transformative New Facility
St. Louis has maintained an uncommonly robust LGBTQ healthcare ecosystem for decades. Nationally, much of HIV care has been relegated to large, impersonal university hospitals or federally qualified health clinics. In St. Louis, however, LGBTQ practitioners stepped up long ago to create community-centered practices such as Southampton Healthcare, University Club Medical, and Central West Health…
Lawn Care Owner Apologizes, Blames Alcohol After Sending Vulgar, Homophobic Texts to West County Woman
Tori, who requested that only her first name be used, says a simple text message to her landscaper sparked an unexpected and vulgar response. The West St. Louis County resident texted her landscaper to ask that her lawn be mowed every other week instead of weekly. The request prompted a barrage of hostile text messages…
Joan Lipkin Receives National Award at Sunday Evening Event
Theatre artist and activist Joan Lipkin was honored Sunday evening with the 2026 Margo Jones Award, one of the most prestigious recognitions in American theatre. The award, which had never previously been awarded to a St. Louis resident, celebrates a lifetime of achievement, honoring individuals who have made a profound and lasting impact on the…