I enjoyed reading this op-ed in the Youngstown Vindicator, written by a newcomer to the community.
She points out that negative attitudes by Youngstowners toward their city have been surprising to her.
“[F]orgive me if this suggestion to the natives is way off base, but when somebody tells you they just moved to Youngstown it probably isn’t helping the town’s image to blurt out, ‘Why?’”
How much do negative attitudes impact your city?
Do they prevent positive change from taking place or are people just being realistic and pragmatic after years of problems?
-KG

Braddock Mayor John Fetterman has been named to The Atlantic’s list of “Brave Thinkers.”
Fetterman and his efforts to revitalize Braddock, attract artists and businesses, and advocate for forgotten places like Braddock, have gained national media attention.
Sadly, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center announced last week it will close UPMC Braddock, the community’s hospital. It’s another blow to a community that has suffered greatly, just as there were some positive things happening.
Thanks to Rust Wire reader Alex Parker for bringing the Atlantic cover story to our attention.
-KG

As the Rust Belt takes in hockey and football season, news of local troubles and successes beyond the rink and field keep percolating in the national media. What were the hot topics about our already-frosty region this week?
While MSNBC suggests that the Rust Belt has something against environmental protection, their sub-headline is more appropriate for understanding our attitudes: “It’s All About Jobs.”
Another month, another Forbes list pointing out the problems with Rust Belt cities. Ease up, guys!
Crain’s Detroit highlights some solid regionalism: Pittsburgh’s mayor lends some advice to ailing cousin …

What can Las Vegas learn from the Rust Belt? Quite a bit, according to this article in the Las Vegas Sun.
Not to toot our own horn, but this story references Rust Wire, and our own Angie Schmitt!
I thought this story was well-written, and made an interesting comparison: though many wouldn’t think of it this way, Las Vegas and Detroit are both one-industry towns - Vegas’ industry of course, being tourism.
The author definitely did his homework- and talked to a number of knowledgeable folks in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Boston and elsewhere.
I …

In this video, Detroit residents rally to save their neighbor from foreclosure.
“The crime wave that is going on in this neighborhood is a crime wave by the banks that are evicting people unfairly instead of modifying their mortgages and doing everything they can to make sure they stay in their homes,” one neighbor says.
I wanted to note that the particular bank involved is Wells Fargo, one of the leading villains of the foreclosure crisis. In Cleveland this $25-million bailout recipient refuses to appear in court for code violations on its …