Given that the St. Louis area has the highest number of bicycle-related accidents in Missouri and that St. Charles County is considering banning bicycles on certain highways, how can St. Louis be touted as a great destination for cyclists?
"Cyclists from other cities come here and can't believe how much nicer motorists are than those in other cities," said Patty Vinyard, executive director of the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation. In response to questions posed through the Beacon's Public Insight Network, cyclists and motorists shared their experiences.

"It's broken."
Despite differing viewpoints, nearly everyone the Beacon spoke with about our immigration system had that same answer. Their thoughts on reform differ in many ways, but agreements did crop up and often included the need to simplify the bureaucracy, to control our borders better and to impose some penalties on people who came here illegally or who are now here undocumented, without necessarily sending them home. PIN source Jalesia McQueen Gadberry deals with immigration with employers wanting to sponsor employees and shared her experiences.

The federal health-reform train began rolling across America this summer, dropping off benefits at every stop along the way, offering coverage to children with pre-existing conditions, giving added protection to young people about to be removed from their parents' health plans, and setting up temporary high-risk pools for some unable to buy affordable insurance.
That's one view of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Another view is that this train is on an illegal run, set into motion by an overreaching federal government that is trying to force everyone to buy a product, health insurance, they might not want or need.
PIN sources Jen Amunategui and Nick Kasoff don't see eye to eye on this issue and shared with the Beacon their reasons why.

Proposition C, which is on Missouri's Aug. 3 primary ballot, asks voters whether Missouri should be able to opt out of federal health-care reform, specifically the mandate for individuals to buy health insurance. The Beacon, through our Public Insight Network, asked readers how they are likely to vote on this measure. Here are excerpts from some of their responses.

Nearly a month into the restoration of Metro service, some Metro riders have jumped back aboard while others are still waiting for their bus.
The June 28 restoration, which Metro called a "soft launch," mainly increased frequency on MetroLink and the most crowded bus routes, said Jessica Mefford-Miller, Metro's chief of planning and system development.
For Alex Ihnen, who lives in St. Louis, and several other sources in the Public Insight Network shared their experiences with the Beacon. For Ihnen, the restoration means he'll use MetroLink more often again to get to and from Washington University's west campus in Clayton and to meetings on the main campus.

When HOK was having trouble attracting potential mid-level employees two years ago, the architecture firm didn't set up booths in job fairs or advertise in the classified section. Instead of using these more traditional recruiting tools, the company connected with job candidates through social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn. Several sources from the Beacon's Public Insight Network helped inform this report.

With St. Charles County officials and his district solidly behind him, state Rep. Mark Parkinson says he definitely will resubmit a proposal to the Missouri Legislature next session patterned after Arizona's new illegal immigration law.
"It will be the first bill I file,'' said Parkinson, R-St. Peters.
Sources in our Public Insight Network also shared their knowledge on this issue.

Previously, three women told the stories of how they balanced family and work coming up in highly competitive fields when women were just starting to the labor force in great numbers. Today, we talk with working mothers with children still in their homes.
These women, who came to the Beacon's attention through our Public Insight Network, work in a world where working mothers have become the norm. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, three-quarters of moms are in the labor force, and among women with young children, a solid 60 percent still work.
Still some things haven't changed: Many of them still struggle to find good child care and to balance work and life. Like women of an earlier generation, they've adjusted, giving up some opportunities and hobbies to find time for everything else.

If you live in St. Louis, chances are you've got an Arch story to tell.
The St. Louis Beacon asked readers through our Public Insight Network to tell us their stories about the Arch and to offer suggestions to the teams and planners working on reconnecting St. Louis' iconic gateway to the rest of downtown.
Dozens of PIN sources responded. Here are some of the answers we received.

At a time when the cost of higher education continues to rise and the job market for recent graduates is somewhat tenuous, thinking about paying off student loans can make a person queasy. The uphill battle facing those seeking to repay hefty loans isn't lost on policymakers, but recently passed legislation overhauling the federal student-loan program did relatively little to help borrowers. Three former students -- all sources in the Public Insight Network -- share what it's like to be a borrower during recessionary times.

If Patricia Brennan had a chance to talk health-care reform with President Barack Obama Wednesday in St. Charles, her advice would be this: Keep it simple and keep it clean. A political independent and a health-care financial analyst, Brennan was turned off by the Democrats' backroom deals that had less to do with health insurance than with appeasing some lawmakers to win their votes.
Brennan's attitude changed when Obama stepped in with a "wonderful" alternative plan, one stripped of the deals, outlined to the public in less than a dozen pages and addressing many of her concerns. Brennan and several other sources in the Beacon's Public Insight Network shared their experience and knowledge in this report.

When St. Louis County voters go to the polls April 6, they will determine the future of public transit in St. Louis. If Proposition A, a half-cent sales tax for Metro, passes, officials promise to restore the transit system to what it was before massive cuts last year. If it fails, they say they have no choice but to cut service further -- possibly in half. Once dismantled to that point, the system would be very difficult to resurrect down the line.
St. Louis County voters have strong views on both sides of the issue. The Beacon talked with a number of voters, including several sources in our Public Insight Network, about their views.

In the last month since the 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti, a lot has changed -- and a lot hasn't.
"There is actually some good news," says Kuumba Nia, whose wife, Myriame Robinson, is Haitian. Both live in St. Louis. "Well," he says, "good and bad." Nia is a source in our Public Insight Network and responded through the Network to provide an update on is family's situation.

Stephen Robin of University City is a big fan of the Zoo and the Art Museum in Forest Park and considers paying taxes to keep them going a privilege.
Robin, a source in our Public Insight Network, also thinks the institutions should remain free to everyone, not just to people who live in St. Louis and St. Louis County, the Zoo-Museum District where property taxes for those institutions and others are levied.

In her recent search to find a wedding present for a friend, Stephanie Kessler decided on an Amazon gift card. Kessler knew that the groom-to-be liked the television series "Lost," but instead of picking which seasons to buy on DVD, she wanted to give him the option to own whatever season he wanted.
Therein lies the allure of the gift card, which has become a staple during the holidays and other gift-giving occasions. Kessler responded through out Public Insight Network to tell reporter Elia Powers about her gift card experience.

The conference center at St. Patrick Center was nearly filled with unemployed business professionals in suits and ties and "casual Friday" attire, listening to Kenneth Harrington of Washington University discuss the ups and downs of being your own boss.
The subject was entrepreneurship, and they took notes in binders -- some imprinted with their old company logos. In a way, it all seemed comfortably similar to any other business seminar held on a Tuesday morning, down to the ubiquitous PowerPoint presentation and the aroma of coffee drifting in from the continental breakfast available in the adjoining room.
The program, presented by the GO! Network, offers professional networking and speakers, workshops, job fairs and resources to help members with resumes and job applications in the plugged-in world. The Beacon learned about the program through our Public Insight Network.

Growing up in Selma, Ala., Pamela Jackson used to sing a song.
"If you're yellow, you mellow. If you're brown, hang around. If you're black, step back. If you're white, you're all right."
She knew what it meant, she always did. But understanding colorism, or the preference or prejudice showed to people of color depending on the lightness or darkness of their skin, is one thing. Talking about it is another. Jackson is a source in our Public Insight Network.

Right after Barack Obama was elected in November 2008, James Spies, a retired school principal in St. Louis, had a message for his fellow Americans: Give the new president time to tackle the tough problems ahead. Spies and several sources in the Public Insight Network shared their reflections on Obama's first year in office and what they would like to hear in his State of the Union address.

So how's the new Highway 40 (officially Interstate 64) working out for you?
It's been nearly two months since the highway reopened Dec. 7, but with "sight-seers," the holidays and a run of bad weather, it's only now that the traffic is adjusting to its new normal.
Not surprisingly, St. Louis area drivers, including sources in the Public Insight Network, have a range of opinions -- everything from "It's great" to "We spent a half-billion dollars for this?" Still, love it or hate it, St. Louisans are glad the two-year closure of the highway is behind them.

Monday was no holiday for this 57-year-old St. Louisan who talked candidly about his life in underemployment limbo, as he walked the two miles between his day job and his night job.
He said he works about 50 hours a week to make a quarter of the six-figure salary he lost in the financial services industry more than a year ago -- and he'd work a third job, if someone would hire him. He has applied for the graveyard shift at a casino and a convenience store.This source responded through our Public Insight Network to share his experiences.

Kuumba Nia met Myriame Robinson years ago at a party in St. Louis. Then, on Christmas eve in 1996, the two married in Haiti, the home country of his new wife.
For their honeymoon, they stayed at the Hotel Montana in Petionville. Like so much of Haiti, the hotel's gone now. Just rubble remains.
That's true, too, of their family home, which crumbled with three tenants inside. Nia responded through the Public Insight Network to share what his family is experiencing.

In an elementary school library, between "Junie B. Jones" and "Lemony Snicket," a group of parents and teachers sit in a large circle.
Billie Mayo, with Educational Equity Consultants, asks them for their names, their connection with Avery Elementary School in Webster Groves, and where they are on their social justice journey.
Each person shares. They want to be respectful. They want to see issues of race with both eyes open. Several other parents, as sources through the Public Insight Network, also talked with Beacon reporter Kristen Hare about how they discuss race with their children.

Holidays are usually about celebrating family and friends, sharing gifts, honoring a time that to many is filled with significance, both spiritual and personal. It isn't until after Christmas that we usually start looking ahead, and by then the new year has begun.
The St. Louis Beacon asked people around the St. Louis Metro area, including sources in our Public Insight Network, two questions about the New Year.

Starting Jan. 1, it will become illegal in Illinois to write, send or read text messages, instant messages and e-mail, as well as to surf the web while driving. The law also prevents drivers from talking on their cell phones while driving through a highway construction zone or school zone. Several sources in our Public Insight Network shared their experiences with cell phones and driving.

What do you think of when you look back on 2009? Through our Public Insight Network, the Beacon asked our readers to share their top personal memories of 2009. Several mentioned the inauguaration of Barack Obama as a milestone in American history and a moment of which they were proud. Here is what they had to share.

About two dozen faith and community leaders from Missouri Health Care for All gathered at the St. Louis office of Sen. Claire McCaskill on Tuesday morning to deliver a special holiday card of thanks for her support of what many feel is a landmark health-reform bill.
Dr. William Fogarty, of Webster Groves, a source in our Public Insight Network, shared his reaction, and old the Beacon that he isn't as alarmed as some colleagues. The retired internist says the Senate's plan has the potential to cut costs, but he adds that "lots of things sound good on paper but can be extremely difficult to carry out in practice."

In March 2007, KaSaundra Reynolds changed her morning routine -- a decision that forever changed her life. Her son's car, which she normally drove to work, wasn't available, so she planned to take the bus. That meant Reynolds had to walk her Shih Tzu earlier than usual. As she passed by the neighborhood basketball court in the 5 a.m. darkness, Reynolds, then 59, sensed someone behind her. Suddenly, from out of the shadows, a man emerged, grabbed her, threw her down on her back and tore her pants off.
Reynolds fought back and was able to escape before she was raped. A woman who'd heard Reynolds scream called the police, and after officers finished their work, Reynolds went by ambulance to the emergency room at SSM St. Mary's Health Center.
There, she found much more than the medical care she sought for cuts on her back, legs and hands. Thanks to a volunteer from the YWCA's St. Louis Regional Sexual Assault Center, Reynolds also received encouragement, a change of clothes and the promise of free counseling.
The role of the YWCA's Sexual Assault Center came to the Beacon's attention through a source in our Public Insight Network.

On a recent Thursday just before noon, two Schnucks employees wearing elf hats and dressed entirely in black stood atop a granite counter in the services department of the company's new downtown Culinaria market. A female employee danced to "Eye of the Tiger" and "Celebration," her co-worker turned a broom into an air guitar and customers waiting in line smiled but mostly concentrated on paying their bills.
Several PIN sources shared their insights and experiences in with Beacon reporter Elia Powers for this report.

In this second holiday season of the recession, Marc Carr, 28, says he has less money to spend on gifts for his family than last year -- but, all in all, he's feeling better about his future.
Beacon reporter Mary Delach Leonard included Marc Carr and other PIN sources in this article.

When Brad Keller left his job at Pfizer in January, he brought two things with him: more than 20 years of laboratory work in pharmaceuticals and the notion that he could use that knowledge well by working for himself, not for someone else.
But moving from the lab bench to an entrepreneur's office isn't always the easiest journey, so he -- and many of the hundreds who will be laid off in Pfizer's latest job contraction -- could use a little help.
Beacon reporter Dale Singer included insights shared by several PIN sources in this report.

Ask small business owners about the U.S. House's health-reform legislation, and some will say it will take them a while to wade through the proposal. That's understandable because the bill is 2,000 pages long and filled with lots of jargon, such as "health-insurance exchange" and "bundling."
Several in sources shared information and ideas that helped Beacon reporter Robert Joiner as he worked on this article.

Four weeks and dozens of media interviews later, Regis Murayi, one of the six black Washington University students who were kept from entering a Chicago nightclub, has finally had a chance to catch his breath.
He has accepted an apology from Original Mother's, the club that’s been under fire since students reported that a manager told them that their baggy pants violated its dress code. And he has spent significant time thinking about the value of dress codes, how they are worded and the ways in which they are enforced.
Stephen Eckelkamp, who says he was once turned away from a downtown restaurant because he wasn't wearing a suit with a shirt and tie, used to be part owner of a bar in St. Louis. It’s an owner’s prerogative to enforce a dress code, he says, though he doesn’t remember having such a code at his establishment.
Eckelkamp and other PIN sources shared their insight with Beacon reporter Elia Powers as he worked on this article.

Let's say you're going to Boston for the holidays. And let's say you haven't gotten your ticket yet.
That's becoming increasingly difficult because American Airlines is the only airline with a direct flight to Boston from St. Louis. And as of Nov. 17, it's cutting down to one flight a day, as well as stopping service to a few other markets, with more cuts to come next year.
Reporter Kristen Hare included several PIN sources in this story about how travelers are coping with American Airlines' service cuts.

St. Louis remains in the top 10 of the nation's most segregated cities, according to the Lewis Mumford Center.
Several sources from the Public Insight network shared their experiences in this report.

To: Matt Holliday, Cardinals slugger and left fielder
From: Cardinal Nation
Dear Matt,
Today is the first day of the rest of your life, and you should know that Mary Catherine Reidy -- who wears Cardinals earrings the size of ping-pong balls - has not given up hope. Several members of the Beacon's Public Insight Network also shared their thoughts in this "letter" to Matt Holliday.

Each month as a part of our Race, Frankly series, we've tried to tell the stories of regular people and their experiences. "The View From Here" continues this month, with a slightly different set of voices -- students. From an 11-year-old black boy being raised by white parents, to a young Iraqi woman, race continues playing a vital role in education, sometimes hindering, sometimes enriching, and sometimes simply making people very aware of who they are.
Beacon reporter Kristen Hare found some of her sources for this story through the Public Insight Network.

Business is booming for Brandon Dempsey, and he knows that's due in no small part to the coming fall flu season.
Dempsey works for a company called Suite Commute, which advices other businesses on how to set up remote work arrangements. As employers brace for what could be a prolonged period of workers infected with the seasonal flu or the H1N1 virus (commonly called swine flu), they are calling Dempsey to find out what it would take to allow ill employees to work from home.
Beacon reporter Elia Powers also interviewed PIN source
David Reddick, director of communications for Pandemic Prep.org, who said companies should expect to be short-staffed at some time during the flu season.

The moment that changed Carolyn Langston's life happened around a wide kitchen table, surrounded by her cousins, shuffling through old papers. First, they passed around the family tree. Then, they laughed over the old-fashioned names their ancestors had -- like Zorobable.
Langston, of Rock Hill, told the Public Insight Network about how she first learned that her ancestors had owne slaves.

In honor of Twitter co-founder and St. Louis native Jack Dorsey's hometown appearance on Friday, at 10 a.m. at Webster University's Loretto-Hilton Center, it seems fitting to look this week at the popular microblogging service from several different angles. Following a news roundup yesterday, here are three tales of how St. Louisans use Twitter for business and pleasure. There's an early adopter looking to engage an artistic audience, an actor looking to promote himself and a newcomer to the microblogging service who's still figuring out how her company can benefit.
Bill Chott, a St. Louis actor and comedian told us through the Public Insight Network about how he uses Twitter to promote his acting career and get the word out about his improv school in St. Louis.

One year after the U.S. economy started its messy slide down the melting financial mountainside, some economists believe the bottom is in sight.
On Wednesday, for example, economists at the Federal Reserve offered this glimmer of hope that the U.S. recession is nearing an end: All but one of its 12 regions described recent economic activity as "stable," showing "signs of stabilization" or "firmed." The exception, by the way, was the St. Louis district, which offered a more cautious viewpoint: Economic activity remains weak here, but the pace of decline is "moderating."
Several Public Insight Network sources shared their experiences in this report.

During the past 50 years, Labor Day has transformed from a day to observe labor unions and the accomplishments of the labor movement, such as 40-hour-work weeks and minimum wage, to a day when everyone gets a break, barbecues some burgers and celebrates the end of summer.
"It's become a national holiday even for people who don't consider themselves to be workers in the traditional sense of the word," says Henry Berger, professor emeritus of history at Washington University.
PIN sources Karen Duree and Dan Jaboor shared some of their insights.

Suzanne Miller has always worked in food -- as a waitress, a hostess, she even worked in catering for a while. She got tired of that, though, and started working as a bartender 10 months ago.
With this slow summer season for restaurants, it hasn't been great timing. Thanks to the economy, people are eating out even less, she says, and tipping less, too. So, Miller's had to make some changes.
PIN source Jackson Foote, a development associate with the non-profit, Citizen's For Missouri's Children, also shared some of his insights.

Readers of the St. Louis Beacon share their own personal experiences with race and education -- and show how they learned more than just their ABCs and times tables. Their stories help demonstrate that things can look different, depending on where you stand.
All the sources came from our Public Insight Network, a group of people in the St. Louis area and beyond who have agreed to help us cover the news by sharing their observations, knowledge and expertise with us.

On the rooftop terrace of the Moonrise Hotel, more than a dozen members of the Young Asian-American Professional Association (YAPA) watched the sun setting during a recent weeknight happy hour event.
Peter Chang, a banker and one of the founders of YAPA, met Beacon reporter Elia Powers through our Public Insight Network.

When it comes to health-care rationing, the discussions can be anything but rational.
In the current highly charged atmosphere over changes in health care, "rationing" is one of the hottest buttons around. Yet any debate over how medical resources can be used most wisely inevitably reaches the fact that because demand outstrips supply, patients can't ever get everything they want, so some form of allocation is needed. That's what rationing is all about.
PIN source Elizabeth de Laperouse shared her experience from living in France, Spain and England and coming from a family of doctors in Canada. Now living in the Ladue area, she has a perspective on the health-care systems in other countries that does not reflect well on what she sees here.

Bus routes returned to the road Monday and riders and employees breathed a collective sigh of relief as Metro's partial-service restoration plan went into effect.
PIN source George Richardson of O'Fallon, Mo., was among the employees Metro called back to work on July 6 after being laid off, and told he the Beacon about his experience.

While some St. Louisans aspire to reach levels of cycling ability established by Tour de France racers, others take a more pragmatic approach, combining their motivations to ride with the daily need to get to work.
PIN source Carrie Zukoski, who lives in the Central West End, told Beacon intern Joe Milner about her experiences in commuting to work for more than 10 years.

When Vivian McBride ran for the Maplewood Richmond Heights Board of Education a decade ago, she found herself defending a decision made years earlier to pull her oldest daughter out of the district after seventh grade and send all four of her children to schools in Ladue, where her husband taught.
Lori Allen is a PIN source who moved with her family to Maplewood more than four years ago. She told reporter Elia Powers about how she as  sold on Maplewood because of its "affordability, diversity of residents and neighborhood feel."

With a belief in the power of ideas and the backing of individuals who trusted their ability to uphold them, the owners of Left Bank Books have nurtured their Mecca of free thought for 40 years.
The St. Louis Beacon, through a source in our Public Insight Network, learned that the downtown Left Bank store the store in July was forced to layoff or cut back the hours of several employees. The source was responding to our PIN query, What does economic recovery look like to you?

For a long time, many people wanted to be color blind. But is that still true? For some, yes, but after seeing the response to a question about being colorblind from our PIN survey, we found that almost as many people wanted to see race as a way of understanding and appreciating where people are coming from.

When the Beacon sent out a query on our Public Insight Network asking about people's experiences with race, we got more than 100 responses from old and young, black, white, Hispanic, American Indian and foreign-born.
Here, we share some of those stories, from a black woman who saw a Middle Eastern man refused service, to an Iranian family business who found community support when they least expected it.
Part 2 of two parts.

Ever move seats in a classroom, in church or a coffee shop? Moving away from that usual spot seems simple enough, but it can a little disorienting.
When the Beacon sent out a query on our Public Insight Network asking about people's experiences with race, we got more than 100 responses from old and young, black, white, Hispanic, American Indian and foreign-born.
And with the stories they told, we got to move into seats all over the room.

You've seen the problem too many times in too many ways already.
Maybe you've encountered it in the doctor's office where you found yourself digging deeper into your wallet because the co-pay has doubled since your last visit. Perhaps it hit you when a catastrophic illness, such as cancer, made you lose your job and your employer-paid health insurance. Or maybe your eyes were opened after a divorce when you realized you not only had parted company with a spouse but with health benefits.
Cynthia Bauer, 55, of Florissant, is one of the 750,000 Missourians in that category. Bauer, a source through out Public Insight Network, told Beacon reporter Robert Joiner that she learned her lesson the hard way after a divorce a couple of years ago left her with no health insurance.

Don Wiegand's studio in Chesterfield survived the onslaught of Missouri River water in the great flood of 1993. He hopes it will be able to withstand efforts to protect Chesterfield Valley from future floods.

Supporters of the well-known sculptor are mobilizing in the face of what they say is a threat that the historic studio will be condemned and razed as part of plans to improve protection of the area, from a levee that currently provides 100-year flood protection to 500-year protection.

Beacon reporter Dale Singer wrote this story after we received a tip from a PIN source.

The severe economic downturn has been particularly unnerving for Baby Boomers on the verge of retirement who have watched their investment accounts shrink and home prices plummet. What about its effect on their sons and daughters who are early in their earning years and forming investment strategies for the longer term?

Public Insight Network source Ashley Weber, 29, told Beacon reporter Elia Powers that she isn’t noticing any hesitancy to invest among her friends.

The Rockwood and Hazelwood school districts have about the same number of students, similar budgets and a common experience -- having to cope with the loss of revenue from the permanent shutdown of automobile plants.

The jolt began in Hazelwood in 2002 when the Ford plant, then one of the region's key economic engines, began closing its doors, eventually depriving the school district of about $2.5 million in tax dollars and denying millions more to the city of Hazelwood. The school district has about 19,000 students and an operating budget of about $200 million.

At the end of its session last week, the Missouri Legislature passed a bill that prohibits under most circumstances anyone 21 or younger from sending or reading text messages while driving on the highway.

Since then, much of the debate has focused on whether the ban would be enforceable and where you draw the line trying to prevent people from using potentially dangerous technology in their cars. Then there’s the question of whether the legislation is ageist.

Keaton Hanson, an avid cyclist, says he sees far too many drivers tapping on their cell phones. Hanson, a source in our Public Insight Network, supports the idea of an all-out ban on texting while driving.

One month after Metro's cuts, some riders face only minor inconveniences -- 10 or 15 minute longer wait. But for others, especially those who rely on the bus for most or all of their trips, the cuts the cuts have been painful: earlier starts, longer trips, missed connections.

Shawn Bullock and Perez Eric Maxwell, both Public Insight Network sources, shared their experience with Metro buses.

While Vice President Joe Biden is visiting the University of Missouri-St. Louis Friday, he might want to meet Tony Georges, director of financial aid, whose office oversees the distribution of about $100 million each year to more than 15,700 students pursuing degrees in such fields as business administration, nursing, education, the arts and sciences.

Ever see St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay at a banquet or fundraiser with a glass of water in his hand? Here's why: He really likes water, and he doesn't want people feeling obligated to offer him soda or beer or any other drink that's loaded with calories.

While Slay rarely knows what food awaits him at political functions, he figures he can at least control what he drinks. And plus, he can always just say that the ice water is a vodka tonic.

Claire Berman is a self-described "foodie." The 25-year-old constantly conjures up new recipes in the kitchen of her University City apartment. Berman's recipes span the exotic to the ordinary but they all have one thing in common: They are all gluten-free.

The St. Louis Beacon, in partnership with KETC/Channel 9, is using a new tool for gathering information known as Public Insight Journalism. We solicit knowledge and insight from people who join our Public Insight Network. Dozens of people responded recently to our query about the St. Louis mayoral primary election, which will be held on March 3.

When it comes to running for mayor in the city of St. Louis, the third time isn't always the charm.

Eight weeks into work on the eastern half of the Interstate 64/Highway 40 reconstruction, just as with work on the western section, "Carmaggedon" is a non-event.

We know the time, the place, the people killed and the person who did the killing on Feb. 7, 2008. Those moments remain in the minds of those present that night and those present for the retelling after. But what about the moments that followed? What's happened in Kirkwood and around St. Louis since Charles "Cookie" Thornton opened fire at a Kirkwood City Hall meeting, killed five and wounded the mayor, who died months later? Organizations have formed, essays have been written by school kids imagining a prejudice-free community, and remembrance ceremonies are planned.

But what have people learned? What's different now, inward and outward, since that night that we all know so well?

Those who watch KMOV - Channel 4 - have been seeing an announcement that the station boosted its broadcasting power tenfold this weekend. This change exemplifies all the problems and confusion surrounding the switch from analog to digital television.

A year after the City Hall murders of Feb. 7, 2008, important changes have come to Kirkwood, while other things have remained unchanged.

The new mayor, Art McDonnell, walks down from the dais and into the audience before council meetings to greet citizens and tell them how they can express their views. The city has called two town meetings to open the lines of communication further. More people have volunteered for city commissions than any time in recent history. And a group of several hundred citizens has been meeting regularly for the past year to talk about white privilege and race in a way it never had been talked about before in this idyllic railroad town turned comfortable suburb.

After nearly a decade working as an occupational therapist, Jeanne Hahn retired several years ago when she became eligible to receive Social Security. She sold her home, gave away most of her possessions and moved into a mobile home with her husband.

The PIN helped the Beacon find people who John McCain and Hillary Clinton during the campaigns, to find out how they feel on the eve of the inauguration.

The Beacon used the PIN to look for opinions about what it means to be bi-racial in America today, and whether the election of Barack Obama changes those opinions.

A Public Insight Network source suggested the Beacon look into this group, based on a general "What stories should we be covering?" query. Do you have a suggestion?

Multiple Public Insight Network sources told us how their commute was affected by the reopening of half of Highway 40 and the closure of the other half.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce wants to talk to you about a new economic stimulus package, the Russian president wants to mend diplomatic fences and Patricia Schuba of St. Louis would like to take you along the next time she sees her doctor.

"You really don't know until you're there, just how bad it can be to lose good health-care insurance,'' explains Schuba, 44, who has chronic diabetes.

Schuba was among Beacon readers who either shared their priorities for the new president by joining the Public Insight Network or were interviewed on Election Day.

The St. Louis Beacon, in partnership with KETC/Channel 9, is using a new tool for gathering information known as Public Insight Journalism. This tool lets us solicit knowledge and insight from people who join our Public Insight Network. Dozens of people responded today to our first queries, which asked them about their voting experience and about what sort of change they would like to see.

Mary Sprague, 74, has lived -- and voted -- in the same ward for 22 years. That's why she never dreamed that she'd wind up casting a provisional ballot in today's election.

In the Beacon's running blog on election night, sources in the Public Insight Network talked about their experiences at the polls, why they voted and why, and why this election was important to them.