Michigan

(Newser) - After over a month of wildfires throughout Montana, a fire that started Friday near Missoula prompted the governor to declare a state of emergency. No homes have burned, but 200 were evacuated and a 30-mile stretch of highway was closed. The state fire information officer estimated containment at 0%, "...

(Newser) - A cluster of towns in Western Massachusetts has created its own currency—BerkShares. The banknotes, which trade for 90 cents on the dollar, feature local heroes like Norman Rockwell and are accepted as cash at 280 cafés, shops, and even the local "chakra balancing" joint. 

(Newser) - Home foreclosures hit a record high in first-quarter 2007 as more subprime borrowers failed to make their mortgage payments. The number of mortgages entering foreclosure spiked four basis points to 0.58% and over 2.4% of subprime mortgage holders defaulted, up from 2% last quarter, according to a report...