Banjos On The North Side
They say that Pittsburgh is the City of Bridges, with 446 bridges spanning the three rivers and many creeks leading to them. There is the Hot Metal Bridge, leading from downtown to South Side; ...
Weekly Links Roundup
News of the Rust Belt from around the world, brought to you weekly by the staff of Belt Magazine. News links from the week of January 18-24, 2016.
“This Is Not America. This Is Dearborn.”
Nestled in a corner of the Flying Carpet Café with some of his favorite Lebanese delicacies, Nagib Kadri smiled a few times at the mention of his birthplace in Lebanon. But he calls Dearborn his real home.
An Honest Pitch: Stoner by John Williams
The novelist John Williams (1922-1994) wasn’t much of a pitchman for his work. In the late 50s he wrote a letter to his agent, Marie Rodell, to discuss one of the books he was working on...
So Many Houses, So Little Money: How to Manage the Abandoned Properties of North Braddock, PA?
Let's say you're in McKeesport, one of the many suburbs in western Pennsylvania’s Allegheny County. You want to get to Pittsburgh, but want to avoid the incessant construction on I-376.
Weekly Links Roundup
News of the Rust Belt from around the world, brought to you weekly by the staff of Belt Magazine. Links from the week of January 11-18, 2016.
In Bad Times And In Worse, Pastor Bobby Is Flint’s Water Man
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder was on his way to Flint to spend some quality time with reporters dodging questions about whether or not he was responsible for the lead that had found its way into Flint’s water supply ...
Hamtramck: Where Diversity Rules
Residents of Hamtramck say they know the secret to a peaceful existence among those of varied cultural backgrounds and faiths: close living. On Evaline Street, cream-colored homes with balconies stand a few feet apart ...
Until Then We Deal: Punch Bowl Social And Being Black In The New Detroit
Nolan Finley, a columnist for the Detroit News, recently asked for the second time where the black people were in downtown Detroit. Has he been to Punch Bowl Social lately? Let’s talk about Punch Bowl Social for a bit.
A Home Game
A winning tradition? Nah. The Bengals of the 90s were a joke. As a kid I never knew that there’s just no way to prepare yourself for the rending of your heart that comes with fandom.
Weekly Links Roundup
News of the Rust Belt from around the world, brought to you weekly by the staff of Belt Magazine. Links from January 4 - 10, 2016.
Refugees In Michigan: The Story Of Loss, Belonging And America
Sometimes conflicts and the suffering that they bring force people to leave their homes in search of a place where they can survive. It’s not easy for refugees to leave everything behind: their house, a secure job, a way of life and a family.