Special sections with reports, documents and multimedia coverage of the biggest news stories

The Recession Chronicles

Behind the grim headlines are the people of Michigan, whose courage, resilience and humor are carrying them through the worst economic times in at least a quarter century. These are their stories.

• Read the Recession Chronicles

The Synagro deal

• The FBI and a federal grand jury are investigating a multimillion-dollar sludge deal approved by Detroit City Council

• Maxed out on prison spending: Michigan runs one of the nation's largest and most costly prison systems, a $2 billion-a-year expense that is crowding out other spending priorities
• Searching for R. Kelley: A discarded piece of paper found in Detroit's decaying train depot tells the story of a man, a landmark and a city.
• Detroit's racial divide, 40 years later: Four decades after violence left Detroit with a legacy of destruction and distrust, racial attitudes and suspicions are tempering, a Detroit News poll shows.
• Detroit tax breaks go to the well-heeled: A little-known city committee empowered to give property tax exemptions to needy residents has awarded tax breaks to apparently well-to-do homeowners, a three-month investigation by The Detroit News has found.