Posted on 11/12/2009 12:18:43 PM PST by george76
If you think the recession has hit hard where you live, consider the little Northern Illinois town where almost half the working age adults are out of work. It's called Pembroke.
Imagine a community so deep in the hole, the government has fired the police force and closed two of three elementary schools. It's happened in Pembroke, a little town of some 3,000 in eastern Kankakee County near the Indiana border.
It's a town where these days, many folks don't rebuild after a fire. The charred remains just sit there.
Mayor Sam Payton puts it this way: "I'd say we're the forgotten community."
Payton says the unemployment rate is 46 percent and the median income is just half the statewide figure. Payton says his goal right now is to create jobs in a place where businesses don't seem to want to come, and the young people mostly want to leave.
"When they get out of high school, they're leaving because there's nowhere for them to work,"
At one time, Pembroke was home to a Nestle Corporation factory and more than 100 jobs. But the company moved out several years ago ...
(Excerpt) Read more at cbs2chicago.com ...
A simple solution: Demand that the marxist / socialist infesting the White house be removed immediately.
Why does a town of 3000 have 3 elementary schools?
Cities need to learn you don’t put all your eggs in one basket be it tourism, manufacturing, service or whatever. They need to diversify.
It’s actually called ‘Pembroke Township’.
3000? That’s a lot of adults to educate.
Till the 96 Dem convention the westside of Chitown had buildings still standing from the 68 riots that were charred. America has Atlas Shrugged all over.
Play the "victim card." Nice.
Where are the political leaders that lead this town to it’s destruction!!?
Oh yeah, THAT particular political leader is now leading this country to it’s destruction.
Perhaps the population used to be bigger or there was a larger pr0portion of school-age children. When the demographics change, schools don’t automatically evaporate.
Two things sealed their fate...Unions and Air Conditioning.
Maybe I’m just naive, but has anyone there thought of starting a business, rather than simply waiting for one to come to town?
Wayyy too preoccupied waiting for government checks for that! LOL
And the nation is not very far behind, unfortunately.
A spiritual and political point
Spiritual:
“From a spiritual aspect, you’re looking at a person who’s praying and praying and praying, but yet it doesn’t look like their prayers are being answered,” said Rev. Jon Dyson. “
All Prayer is answered Reverend, the answer might be no or wait but its still an answer.
Political:
“There are signs of hope however. The town is applying for millions of dollars in federal grants to build some 60 low-income homes. “
Millions of dollars? for a town of 3,000 people? which already has abandoned homes?
This town is about 30+ minutes south of Chicago. If BHO apparently sent millions of stimulus $$$$$$$ to Illinois, why is it that his own back yard is doing so poorly?
Is this just another cry out for more stimulus money. After all, we all know how effective the stimulus ha helped, at least, it appears to have helped a lot of democrats that helped put BHO into the whitehouse.
Yup, you got it.
All by design, naturally.
There are signs of hope however. The town is applying for millions of dollars in federal grants to build some 60 low-income homes.
What do they need 60 more homes for, if people are moving away in droves and there are no jobs? This is how our governments think and work. They do not see the problem as an over supply of homes in a dying community, or as circumstances suggesting that people should move to find jobs elsewhere, or as a call to develop and attract private business to the community. They look to bail out these people for their poor choices or lack of success.
“There are signs of hope however. The town is applying for millions of dollars in federal grants to build some 60 low-income homes.
And Pembroke hopes that soon, a local police department can be re-formed.”
So the answer is to build housing? It sounds to me like they’ve already got the people...they need jobs, not more poor people. I’m sorry if I sound cold hearted. Not to mention...shouldn’t they bring back the police BEFORE they move in more ghetto housing? Just thinking out loud here...
Oh wait...I forgot. The answer to everything is “millions of dollars in federal grants.” They will be fine and hunky dory in a matter of days after getting the money. Never gonna ask for anything ever again.
There is a good reason that almost all candy manufacturers got out of the US and moved to Canada or Mexico. US price controls have driven the price of sugar up to 400% of the world price. Notice that the Coke you get here is sweetened with corn syrup, go to Canada or Mexico and they still use sugar and you can really taste the difference.
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