Geography of Michigan

Detroit residents and officials are struggling with the Congress’ steadfast refusal to offer the recently bankrupt city any bailout money, especially while most have memories of the 2008 federal bailout of the auto industry including Michigan-based General Motors and Chrysler.

When Detroit filed for bankruptcy, it started a process to reduce its debt load. Often this involves surrendering assets to creditors. In the case of Detroit, perhaps the most valuable asset is the collection of the Detroit Institute of Arts. It will be up to the court to determine if creditors have rights to the pieces.

The wheels of Motor City have been slowing down for decades, but on Thursday things finally ground to a halt. Detroit has filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection, becoming the largest American city to do so.

Just months after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, another oil spill hit the United States, this one in Michigan. But the clean-up for this one has been long, involved and convoluted. The still ongoing effort led the EPA recently to levy one of its biggest fines relating to an oil spill, some $3.7 million.

The Dearborn community is talking more than ever about what the All-American Muslim show, filmed in its community, can teach us. The discussion has come in the wake of Lowe’s decision to pull its ads from the show.