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Governor Rick Snyder ‘Very Sorry’ About Flint Water Lead Levels Debacle [The Guardian]
The governor … apologized for the pollution problems, in what appears to be the first instance he has directly offered an expression of regret since the crisis arose several months ago.

The Other Children Killed In Cleveland [The Daily Beast]
There have been more than 100 homicides in Cleveland so far this year, an increase for the second straight year. If you consider the youth of our society to be especially innocent and undeserving of murder, like Tamir at the hands of Officer Timothy Loehmann last year, what happened over the summer should make you shudder.

The Underground Bucks The Trend Of The Dying Dive Bar [Buffalo Rising]
While neighborhood book stores and vinyl shops are making a comeback, dive bars are being stricken from the face of many cities, including Buffalo. No more Golden Key. No more Golden Swan. No more Swan Lounge. While it’s incredible to see new life breathed into vanquished neighborhoods, part of Buffalo’s Rust Belt luster is biting the dust in the process.

Cleveland’s Derf Conquers Comix World With Best-Selling Works, Like New ‘Trashed’ [Plain Dealer]
The new-and-expanded “Trashed” is already creating a big buzz in publishing and comics circles both in the United States and Europe. It has been named one of the best books of 2015 by Entertainment Weekly and received glowing accolades from The A.V. Club and Publishers Weekly.

Thousands Of Downtown Detroit Apartments Are On The Way [Detroit Free Press]
Developers estimate the greater downtown needs 3,000 to 5,000 new rental apartments — enough to keep construction crews busy for the next few years at least. Beyond projects already under construction, there are many others close to breaking ground.

Farming Is A Growing Business In Cities [Toledo Blade]
Step into Joseph Swain’s backyard and it is clear that this is no residential garden. A pair of long raised beds and a small hoop house take up much of the narrow lot. Chickens peck and scratch in a pen tucked into a corner. Bright green garlic shoots poke from the dark soil that hasn’t been covered with straw for the winter. This is urban agriculture — small plots, novice farmers, and a belief that people want locally grown food.

Banner photo of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, OH by Laszlo Ilyes.