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Four Uneasy Pieces: How Detroit Moved Beyond Ruin Porn [The Millions]
Not so long ago, Detroit tended to enter the popular imagination through one of three routes: pictures in coffee-table books, in art galleries, or on the Internet. You’ve seen those ubiquitous images of the city’s decline that fall under the banner of “ruin porn” … Now, with the same astonishing swiftness that the city emerged from bankruptcy, Detroit has begun to go beyond ruin porn and take a different route to the popular imagination: movie screens.

Cleveland Judge Finds Probably Cause To Charge Officers In Tamir Rice Death [The New York Times]
In his ruling, Judge Ronald B. Adrine, presiding judge of the Municipal Court, found probable cause to charge Officer Timothy Loehmann, who fired the fatal shot, with murder, involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide and dereliction of duty. He also found probable cause to charge Officer Loehmann’s partner, Officer Frank Garmback, with negligent homicide and dereliction of duty.

Forging Ahead 2: Buffalo [The Hamilton Spectator]
It’s not like there’s no industry in Buffalo. Driving the skyway you sometimes catch the scent of baking Cheerios blowing over from the General Mills factory. There’s some steel. Smaller specialized firms, such as Buffalo Armory, which makes high-strength, formable steel. At this point, the challenge lies in keeping up the momentum.

Pro BMX Rider Tyler Fernengel Bikes Through Abandoned Silverdome [ESPN.com]
Perhaps not traditional Belt weekly links news, but some great “ruin porn” footage of Michigan-native Tyler Fernengel performing tricks throughout the abandoned Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, MI.

Could A Cavaliers Win Spark A Revival For The City Of Cleveland? [The Guardian]
LeBron James and his cohorts – especially gritty Aussie guard Matthew Dellavedova, Irving’s replacement – have a chance to break the Cleveland curse, and it comes at a time when the city is at the precipice of turning things around after a long slide of Rust Belt economic decay. So important is this series for the city, that many are wondering how the city will react if the Cavs lose and the curse remains.

Startup Index Is A Reality Check For St. Louis [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
The main reasons for our dismal performance are familiar: We’re an aging Rust Belt city with relatively few immigrants. Immigrants are almost twice as likely as native-born Americans to take the risk of starting a business, and a slow-growing population means fewer opportunities to start shops and restaurants in new neighborhoods.

Housing Might Fuel Rust Belt’s Comeback [The Columbus Dispatch]
… affordable housing is what will set the former Rust Belt states apart in coming years, according to an expert on global, economic, political and social trends. “I hear a change in tone about the people and attraction of the Midwest from young people. A big part of it is that it’s affordable.”

Banner photo credit: Ken JP Stuczynski, via Wikimedia Commons