DETROIT – This coming Saturday, republicans will gather for their nominating convention. Some expect it to be a volatile affair given the divides that currently exist in the party. Others believe those divides will dissolve once the republican slate is final.

The topic of abortion keeps shaking the house. On Friday, an Oakland County judge ruled that abortion will remain available in Michigan until either voters or the state Supreme Court get their say.

We’ve expected Michiganders will have their say on the matter, but we’ve got a fight that has developed over the language in petitions and ballot initiatives that critics say should push the question right off the ballot.

And a need to put a closer focus on something that has been troubling to Detroit business backers, especially those who’ve watched the growth in Downton come via the energy and money at Dan Gilbert’s Rocket companies. This month they posted a $60 million profit for the second quarter — which might be fine for most. But that’s more than 90% drop from the previous year. It’s a good time to take stock of Detroit business and what higher interest rates might do to a city now very reliant on mortgages.