After some 5 months battling brain cancer, DJ Wilson returns to the studio with a friend of the show, Professor Todd Swanstrom.
DJ starts his interview by discussing a conversation he had with Swanstrom just hours before the St Louis region learned that there would be no trial for Officer Darren Wilson (no relation), who had killed Mike Brown in Ferguson some three months earlier.
You can read a piece DJ wrote the next day, reflecting on the protests and his recorded conversation with Swanstrom right here.
These two old friends go on to speak for about an hour about race, politics, economics, and if St Louisans should feel bad about the state of the region when comparing themselves to other urban areas.
Here's a look at how the conversation went:Chapter 1. "Same DJ Wilson as before, just sittin' in a wheelchair." DJ briefly explains his health and jumps into a familiar topic, Ferguson, and whether we've learned or done anything to improve the region since that tragedy and subsequent uprising. (0:00-9:45)
Chapter 2. The poor have been unable to accumulate wealth while the already wealthy have been profiting off of "unearned increments." Thankfully, the professor explains this all very clearly. (9:45-15:30)
Chapter 3. DJ asks Swanstrom to take out the metaphorical yardstick to compare St Louis to other cities and regions. Sprawl, Prof Swanstrom explains, is related to segreation and inequality. (15:30-31:30)
Chapter 4. Can urban areas improve on their own or is Federal and State intervention and empowerment necessary? Yes. (31:30-39:00)
Chapter 5. A look at the political landscape: There's a new police chief in town, we're in the middle of a race for County Executive, Expresscripts has been bought out, and more. (39:00-60:00)
Thanks to DJ's family who have been helping him heal and a huge shoutout to Hank Thompson, who has been keeping Wilson's seat warm in the studio these past several months. Look for a new show from Thompson coming out in late March 2018 - right here at Podcasts.KDHX.org.
