Years ago, when many multiple sclerosis researchers believed that a type of immune cell known as a T cell was the cause of the disease, Dr. Anne Cross turned her focus instead to B cells. Her findings have led to key breakthroughs in MS research – and also to receiving the John Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the American Academy of Neurology.

Cross, who is the Manny and Rosalyn Rosenthal and Dr. John L. Trotter MS Center Chair in Neuroimmunology at Washington University School of Medicine, joined Thursday’s St. Louis on the Air for a conversation with guest host Jim Kirchherr of the Nine Network.

More than two millennia after the ancient orator Demosthenes refined his speaking style by talking with pebbles in his mouth, great speeches continue to play a significant cultural role. That enduring impact on public life – as well as the value of public speaking skills for everyday contexts – is in the spotlight during Optimist International’s Oratorical World Championships.

Taking place at St. Louis University, the competition runs Thursday through Saturday, with several sizable scholarship awards awaiting the winners.

On Thursday’s St. Louis on the Air, guest host Jim Kirchherr talked with a past winner of the competition, Justice Hill, who is now a SLU student, as well as Rebecca Butler Mona, the president of Optimist International. Also joining the discussion was Wayne Fields, the Lynne Cooper Harvey Chair Emeritus in English at Washington University.

Missouri Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick on Thursday announced a low-interest loan program to help small-business owners and farmers who have suffered losses from storms and flooding this year.

LIFT (Linked Deposits to Invest and Fund in a Timely Recovery) offers loans of up to $2 million for those affected by natural disasters. 

State Rep. Derek Grier is the latest guest on the Politically Speaking podcast, where he talked with St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum about how Missouri is approaching economic development policy.

The Chesterfield Republican represents the 100th District in the Missouri House. The St. Louis County district takes in parts of Chesterfield, Town & Country, Winchester and Ballwin.

Olivia Goodreau is trying to help other people avoid what happened to her: Lyme disease.

Goodreau partnered with thePLAN, a software company in central Ohio, to develop TickTracker, a free smartphone app that lets users log the types of ticks they see and where they found them using geolocation. The ticks are displayed on a map.

“I hope that it will bring awareness to everyone so they don’t end up like me and they don’t end up with a bunch of diseases,” Goodreau said.

CHESS Cops was launched in February 2017. What began as a simple breakfast with officers and students enjoying chess over coffee and orange juice ultimately expanded into a multifaceted community outreach program.

The St. Louis Chess Club, St. Louis schools, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department partnered to start St. Louis CHESS Cops — or Chess Helping Enhance Student Skills. CHESS is currently comprised of city and county police officers who utilize chess to teach lessons on critical thinking, planning and logic.

The St. Charles County Planning and Zoning Commission voted Wednesday night to reject a housing development near the Katy Trail, a decision likely to be reversed by the St. Charles County Council.

It was the second time in less than two years the commission has voted down the Missouri Bluffs development, a project that would include more than 200 homes overlooking the Katy Trail and Missouri River in St. Charles. 

Several years ago, judges at the St. Louis Circuit Court came up with a simple idea: get everyone who handles criminal cases — from prosecutors to public defenders to police officers — together to share ideas about making improvements.

Now, legislation awaiting Mayor Lyda Krewson’s signature looks to turn an informal gathering into a professional endeavor with paid staff.