Author: William H. Freivogel

Beacon-St. Louis Public Radio a National Model

St. Louis Public Radio and the St. Louis Beacon announced Thursday that they are moving ahead with their previously announced merger plan and that final action by the University of Missouri Board of Curators could come as soon as November. The merger is thought to be the first of its kind in the nation - combining

Missouri Senate narrowly blocks controversial veto

BY WILLIAM FREIVOGEL / The Missouri Senate fell one vote short of overriding Gov. Jay Nixon's veto of a bill that would have made it a crime to print the name of a person who owned a gun. The bill also would have made it a crime for Missouri law enforcement officials

Missouri bill curtailing First Amendment rights may pass

BY WILLIAM FREIVOGEL / The Missouri Legislature may override a veto next week and enact the "Second Amendment Preservation Act," a bill that virtually reads the First Amendment out of the Constitution. The law makes it a crime to publish a story identifying a person as a gun-owner. The First Amendment isn't

History looks clearer in the rear view mirror

BY WILLIAM H. FREIVOGEL / Thirty years ago, this reporter was covering the 20th anniversary of the March on Washington. To prepare, a check was made of the bound volumes of the stories written on the day of the march by the Post-Dispatch Washington Bureau. It turned out that the Rev. Dr. Martin

Media dust storm fuels Obama rodeo clown incident

BY WILLIAM H. FREIVOGEL / The national dust storm kicked up by the "Obama" clown in a bull ring at the Missouri State Fair is the latest illustration of the way a small local controversy about race can quickly turn into a national one with the help of video, social media, traditional