News of the Rust Belt from around the world, brought to you weekly by the staff of Belt Magazine. We’re independently owned; become a member and support us (plus get cool stuff for free!).

Why Bike Commuting Is Taking Off In The Nation’s Car Capital [Fast Company]
New bike lanes are a big part of the growth, but not all of it. “We talk about the building blocks of a bike-friendly community, and it really takes several pieces — focusing on not just the infrastructure but also on education, the policies and laws to protect cyclists, and planning.”

Is Indiana To Blame For Chicago’s Gun Violence? [USA Today]
A report from Chicago authorities found that nearly 60% of illegal guns recovered in the city from 2009 to 2013 were first sold in states with more lax gun laws. The largest portion came from Indiana, which accounted for 19% of the illegal guns in Chicago.

“Tearing Down the City to Save It?” Authors Respond [Scene]
The goal of our article was to answer this question for Cleveland. Therefore, we are not immediately concerned with judging whether demolitions are the most effective response to the housing crisis and we view the support that many people have for demolitions as a rational response to how the national housing crisis is unfolding locally.

Toledo, Railroad Betting On Auto Storage At Track [Toledo Blade]
The city of Toledo and the Ann Arbor Railroad are working toward a redevelopment agreement to transform the former harness-racing track at 5700 Telegraph Road into an outdoor storage facility for managing distribution of newly manufactured vehicles.

The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of Detroit’s Whiskey Scene [Eater]
“Detroit is getting better, not worse, all the time now. It’s filled with hardworking people,” says Peter Bailey, co-founder of Two James Spirits, which officially opened its doors two years ago. He moved back to Detroit in 2002. “People who have been here for a long time are looking to make a good life for themselves and their families, too,” Bailey says. “Now, together, we all get to define what the city’s going to look like in the future.” That future has a lot to do with Detroit’s boozy past.

Bison Now Roaming Their New Illinois Home [Chicago Sun-Times]
More than two dozen bison have arrived in Illinois from Colorado and South Dakota and are making a new home on the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie south of Joliet.

The Skills Gap Isn’t Just A Manufacturing Issue [Dayton Daily News]
80 percent of Associated Builders and Contractors members say there is a shortage of skilled labor, and about 25 percent of current construction workers are expected to retire in the next 10 years, according to the Ohio Valley association, which represents about 350 Cincinnati- and Dayton-area contractors.

Banner photo by Dennis Jarvis.

Don’t miss a thing in the world of Belt by signing up for our weekly newsletter: http://bit.ly/1Qto86t