Judge Douglas Beach recently told Patch how 40 years of wear has reduced safety and resulted in congestion at St. Louis County's two Clayton court buildings. The photos in this gallery represent some of the issues he and other advocates hope to fix with the adoption of Proposition S, a $100 million bond issue, on Tuesday, April 3. Voters will decide whether to approve the measure at that time. The issue would also fund the construction of a new Family Court building. Read more about Proposition S and what it means for county residents in this article.

In tough economic times, most people instinctively cut spending to keep their finances afloat; but adding the oldest form of exchange to the family financial toolkit can bring some wiggle room and maybe even a bit of luxury. Barter or the exchange of goods and services without cash, predates our monetary systems by centuries. Once our societies became cash-centric, the art of barter seemed to fall by the wayside. But many local families and individuals are re-discovering barter and the power it brings, says Karen S. Hoffman, with whom I co-authored the book The Art of Barter: How to Trade for…