Lindsey Smith

One year after an oil spill, workers are still cleaning up the bottom of the Kalamazoo River in southern Michigan. An estimated 840,000 gallons leaked from a broken pipeline owned by Enbridge Energy. Life for those living near the accident site in Michigan has not returned to normal yet, and it probably won't for some time.

The recession forced many small manufacturers to adapt to survive, especially in the industrial Midwest. In Michigan, a yacht-building company started a new venture in the wind-energy industry to keep its factory open.

In 2005 and 2006, Tiara Yachts was operating at full capacity, turning out about 400 yachts per year, with most of them going for around $1 million each. To keep up with demand, the company nearly doubled its manufacturing space in Holland, Mich.

A Fateful Decision To Expand