Chance of more classical in St. Louis

Hi there — apologies for the extended absence, but I’ve been whupped with deadline after deadline as of late. It’s nice to come up for air. As Douglas Adams said, “I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.”

So it looks as if classical fans in St. Louis despondent over the imminent loss of KFUO might have some salvation coming. KRCU, a public radio station in Cape Girardeau, Mo., is eying an upgrade of its signal in Farmington, about 80 miles outside of St. Louis. In a release on KCRU’s website, General Manager Dan Woods says that could get the station’s signal into parts of St. Louis.

The station is waiting for FCC approval and, if it gets the go-ahead, could boost its power by May. The increase would more than double the repeater’s current wattage.

KRCU doesn’t air as much classical as KFUO — it’s a dual-format station that airs classical between the NPR newsmagazines and most weeknights, as well as an opera program on Sundays. But for classical lovers missing their city’s full-time outlet, KRCU’s fare would certainly be an improvement over no classical at all.