Stephen Smith

The subprime mortgage debacle has given debt a bad rap lately. But there was a time when borrowing money helped establish a strong middle class. Stephen Smith reports.

A small businessman who runs a car repair shop in Minneapolis is doing rather well these days, as customers try to extend the lives of their beaters. But he has a big obstacle to success -- he's an undocumented Mexican immigrant. Stephen Smith reports.

After Hurricane Katrina destroyed her Biloxi, Miss., house, Ethel Curry waited a long time for help rebuilding it. That help finally came this winter — from an unlikely source. Stephen Smith reports.

Parts of Biloxi, Miss. wiped out by Hurricane Katrina are now prime turf for casinos. Some homeowners are getting big bucks for their storm-ravaged lots. Others won't be so lucky. Stephen Smith of American RadioWorks reports.

Hurricane Katrina wiped away most of East Biloxi, Miss. Now city officials are faced with two competing visions for the area's future. Stephen Smith reports.

Stephen Smith reports on how the Gulf Coast fishing and tourism industry is coping with the submerged debris left by Hurricane Katrina.