With the April elections just around the corner, the fate of St. Louis Metro is once again at the mercy of another proposal after the failure of last year’s Proposition M. And this time around, the coalition of transit supporters is more determined than ever as it prepares its campaign.

Desmond Lee, a magnanimous businessman, civic leader and philanthropist who donated more than $70 million over the decades, died at the age of 92 on Jan. 12 of a stroke. In 1996, he founded the Des Lee Collaborative Vision, which endows professorships at three major universities in St. Louis: University of Missouri-St. Louis, Washington University and Webster University.

Only a decade ago, the thought of taking a pill to enhance longevity would have been equivalent for many to the idea of time travel, but now researchers at the School of Medicine are studying the active component of a timeless drink that may hold such a promise.

Despite the improving national economy, Chancellor Mark Wrighton reported earlier this September that as of June 30, 2009, the market value of Washington University’s endowment, about $4.2 billion, is down by 30 percent from its peak value two years ago, and the University anticipates an annual deficit of $30 million through fiscal 2011 and beyond.

In an effort to make science more accessible and engaging, Science on Tap is reaching out to Washington University students. Held in a bar, the program invites interested students to listen to short presentations given by University professors and participate in discussions while enjoying their favorite brew.

Following a series of crimes on the Loop and various off-campus locations surrounding Washington University, the University Police Department has installed a closed-circuit television system on the Greenway Walk. According to Chief of Police Don Strom, the installation process began Feb. 2.