Ferguson eyes economic rebirth as corporations invest in troubled region, its residents

The Washington Times ^ | March 18, 2015 | Kelly Riddell

[2ndDivisionVet]

When the national news media descended on Ferguson, Missouri, in August, the city’s QuikTrip quickly became a symbol of civil unrest and racial tensions. The convenience store’s windows were smashed, the steel awnings were disfigured, and the building was looted and burned during street protests over the police shooting of unarmed black teen Michael Brown in a confrontation just a few blocks away.

Today, with the help of QuikTrip’s corporate parent, the first structural casualty of the protests will be reconstructed into a jobs training center and given to the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis to manage. QuikTrip will demolish the structure and donate the land and some funds to the league, company spokesman Mike Thornburgh said.

“The QuikTrip became such a focal point after Mike Brown died, so we wanted to turn that tragedy into a triumph — to let the community know we’re in the rebuilding process, that there are people investing time, money and energy to help provide you with the resources you need to take care of yourself,” Michael McMillan, president and CEO of the Urban League of St. Louis, said in an interview....

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

You just cant fix stupid.

[gemoftheocean]

“Let the heeling begin.”

Yeah, I’d “heel” it on out of there too.

[kingu]

Mmm, more jobs for liberal extortionists, no market for the local citizens, a showpiece for local political leaders, fewer jobs for local citizens, and worst of all, one less place to steal boxes full of cigar wrappers for blunts.

But there’ll be a jobs program.

Huh. Guess it kinda is helpful to also have a place to work, but surely that’ll solve itself once a whole bunch of well trained perspective employees with felony criminal backgrounds graduate...

[sten]

75% of the local population has warrants

as a business owner, unless my operation catered to the criminal element, i’d never open up shop in that area

[cherry]

“troubled”......they’re “troubled”.....

[aquila48]

Is Starbucks “racing “ to build a coffee shop there?

[A Navy Vet]

"Well, I read that housing in Feguson is cheap and getting more so my the day ..."

Yup, could be a gold mine for foreign investors like they are doing in Detroit and Chicago. Saw a satellite photo of a blighted part of Detroit today. I didn't realize it was that bad - looked like a tornado hit it.

My question is: When those investors bring in big money to gentrify the blight, at what point do the race-baiters start to whine? My guess is a few large middle-class housing projects and a modern mall until Sharpton and Jackson notice that blacks can't afford their former self-made ghettoes on their welfare checks. I can see the marches/protests as I write this. Got long-term stock in popcorn?

gen·tri·fy; verb 1. renovate and improve (especially a house or district) so that it conforms to middle-class taste.

gen·tri·fy; verb 1. to change (a place, such as an old neighborhood) by improving it and making it more appealing to people who have money

[Impala64ssa]

the demonrats (and Obama) went after medtronic with a vengenace- taxes- laws- assesments- they Moved to -IRELAND -(corporate did)- they talked GLOWINGLY as to the -”NEW” jobs it would create here!-
I saw similar situations around the NYC metro area. My dad had a chemical business, many of his customers got fed up with the increasingly outrageous taxes and regs, as well as the union thuggery and simply relocated, mainly to the South. I remember up in Bridgeport, Conn when Bridgeport machinery, one of the largest employers in that area shut down their old plants and moved to Japan.

[Impala64ssa]

Jobs Training Center for the Urban League
Wouldn't surprise me if they don't even put a "jobs training center" there. They may end up putting basketball courts and some nice landscaping that'll get ruined by the druggies before long and call it Michael Brown Park.