"Life on the brink; Waves of shutdowns, layoffs overwhelm Fall River" by Erin Ailworth, Globe Staff | March 18, 2009
FALL RIVER - .... While the rest of Massachusetts copes with a recession, Fall River, and a few other places - mostly lower-income cities - teeter on the edge of economic depression....
Fall River, 50 miles south of Boston and with a population of about 91,000, once dominated the nation's cotton textile industry. Today, few working mills remain. The skyline is dominated by aging factory buildings. Around the city, some retail storefronts are dark, or appear so quiet that a "going out of business" sale could be one bad month away.
From 1991 to 2007, between 13,000 and 14,000 manufacturing jobs disappeared - a huge blow for city with a productive but largely blue-collar workforce. Nothing substantial has replaced them.... In 2007, for example, the city lost about 900 jobs when one of its largest employers, Quaker Fabric, closed.
There are efforts to change that: The career center offers training, and a billboard advertises a campaign to make sure high school students graduate....
The recently passed $787 billion economic stimulus bill provides some relief that should trickle down to Fall River's unemployed. Unemployment benefits have been temporarily expanded for those who file this year, and a subsidy has been put in place so people laid off can keep their healthcare coverage.
Pffffft! We NEED JOBS, not hand-outs!!!!
Despite the adversity, Kenneth Fiola Jr., executive vice president of the nonprofit Fall River Office of Economic Development, said he is hopeful about the city's long-term prospects. Since its establishment in 1978, the office has helped provide $65 million in loans to more than 500 businesses.
"We're used to fighting for survival every day, even in the good times, because we've lost so many manufacturing jobs," said Fiola, a Fall River native. There are some jobs being created, just not fast enough.
And wait until you see WHAT JOBS and HOW MANY!!!
NuOrtho Surgical Inc., a Fall River medical device start-up, plans to create 100 jobs in the next few years. BG Automotive Group, a Philadelphia company that manufactures electric cars, also is considering it for a plant that would employ about 150.
Yup, the BIOTECH and GREEN BOONDOGGLERS are going top SAVE US with their HUNDREDS of JOBS!!! That's a FAR CRY from the TEN THOUSAND+ GONE!!!!!
That's little consolation for people like Brian Rapoza. "Tough times have hit the city before, but not like this," said Rapoza, 44, a firefighter laid off this month....
Jason Burns's household took a double hit. The 33-year-old firefighter found out he was being laid off on the same day his girlfriend, Liz Silva, got a 30-day notice from the Swansea mortgage company where she works.
Like many, the couple isn't sure what will happen next. "I've bartended in the past. I'll look into that," Burns said....
Hell of a future, huh?
