This one feels like spin, so let me offer MY spin in return. Rail got the money, but it has a terrible reputation before even being built. So, the HART P.R. people reach out to a handful of news editor with a sad story about the need to bring the community together again with personal stories. CB bites the bait and gives Neal the thankless job. But, someone forgets to tell Neal that using personal stories is an old marketing gimmick that has become quite transparent over time. And then Neal over-intellectualizes the piece by giving us a story about story-telling, which falls flat and fluffy.
Here's a hint, CB readers yearn for the truth, not stories. How about writing about how HART, C&C and the State are going to remediate traffic gridlock over the next ten year while we wait for the 2% solution or rail to be functional. That would be a worthwhile "story."