We are all aware that the housing bubble bursting has caused Newton County and the rest of the country to plunge into a deep recession.

The real estate market and all of the industries associated with it have been reeling for more than a year now.

While the overarching cause of the recession is the same across the nation, the underlying causes of what happened in Newton County are unique.

Reporter Gabriel Khouli started a series of stories looking at the fallout last Sunday and it continues this Sunday.

Last Sunday we examined the explosive growth in the early 1990s and 2000s and how some of the practices used at the time created the economic mess we are in now.

This week we analyze how the cookie crumbled. Next week Khouli will end the series looking at the current conditions of the housing market in the county and how experts think the future of that industry will take shape in our area.

We are proud of this series and think that it is important information for every resident to read regardless of whether they work in real estate, development or construction.

Feel free to weigh in on this series by commenting on the stories on CovNews.com or mailing in a letter to the editor.