Posted by Roger on November 25, 2000 at 15:20:20:
In Reply to: need help!!!!!!! please read!!!!! everyone!!!!!! posted by girl on November 15, 2000 at 12:14:06:
WHATSUP? SEEMS LIKE YOU HAVE GOTTEN ALOT OF DESCENT INFO ALREADY, BUT I WILL DROP MY OPINION ON THE SUBJECT TOO AND MAYBE IT CAN HELP YOU OUT MORE. I GREW UP IN WICK CITY, NEAR THE HIGH SCHOOL, SEVERAL MEMBERS OF MY IMMEDIATE & EXTENDED FAMILY WERE IN THE MINES & THE MILLS. I HAVE A LITTLE MORE INSIGHT THAN MOST ON THIS MATTER CAUSE I GRADUATED FROM IUP WITH A DEGREE IN URBAN PLANNING & A MINOR IN ECONOMICS, AND NOW LIVE IN VA. YOU DEFINATELY NEED TO LOOK AT THE ROLE OF UNIONS. THEY CAN DO ALOT OF GOOD, BUT WHEN THEY BECOME STUBBORN, GREEDY & SELFISH THEY ARE A PROBLEM. THE COAL MINES & PPG UNIONS WERE GREAT FOR ALOT OF REASONS; PICNICS, BENEFITS & DURING THE HOLIDAYS. HOWEVER THEY NEEDED TO TAKE SOME CONCESSIONS WHEN IT WAS OBVIOUS THE COMPANIES COULD & WOULD MOVE THEIR BUSINESS TO CHEAPER PRODUCTION LOCATIONS, SUCH AS THE SOUTH & OVERSEAS. YOU NEED TO LOOK UP THE TERM "RIGHT-TO-WORK STATE". THATS WHAT VA & ALOT OF SOUTHERN STATES ARE & THAT WILL EXPLAIN WHY ALOT OF NORTHEN COMPANIES HAVE MOVED SOUTH. ANOTHER IMPORTANT REASON FOR THE ECONOMIC FALL OF KITTANNING & THE COUNTY IS THE RESULT OF IGNORANT & STUBBORN OFFICIALS THAT WOULD NOT CHANGE WITH THE TIMES. WHEN THEY REALIZED THEIR BIG COMPANIES WERE LEAVING THEY NEEDED TO AGGRESSIVELY PURSUE LARGE COMPANIES IN BUILDING THERE. WHETHER IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE COMPUTER OR AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRIES. EVEN A NEW STATE PRISON, BUT ALL THE WORRIED, OLD PEOPLE THERE WOULD PANIC. THEY ARE BUILDING A LASER-SOMETHING FACTORY DOWN AT THE SLATE LICK INDUSTRIAL PARK & MOVING THE IUP-ARMSTRONG CAMPUS THERE TOO IN A FEW YEARS. I LIKE BOTH PLANS, BUT THEY DO NOT HELP THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNTY, ONLY THE SOUTHERN PART. ANOTHER STRONG PROBLEM WAS THAT WHEN PEOPLE STARTING LOSING JOBS THEY NEEDED TO USE IUP-ARMSTRONG/MAIN CAMPUS, LENAPE VO-TECH & BCCC TO REEDUCATE THE UNEMPLOYED TO GAIN ADEQUATE JOBS. I KNOW A FEW PEOPLE I MET AT IUP WHO STRUGGLED TO DO IT ON THEIR OWN WITH A FAMILY & ONLY ONE INCOME, BUT MANY PEOPLE ARE SCARED TO RETURN TO SCHOOL SEVERAL YEARS LATER. THEY HAVE TO HAVE ALOT OF MOTIVATION & I THINK THE LOCAL & STATE OFFICIALS SHOULD HAVE PROVIDED SOME FOR THEM OR BEEN MORE AGGRESSIVE. FINALLY & UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK THE PEOPLE OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY NEED TO GET OVER THERE LOCAL DIFFERENECES, TEAM UP WITH COMMON GOALS & GET OUT THERE & ACTIVELY COURT LARGE, SUCCESSFUL COMPANIES. REMEMBER ARMSTRONG CENTRAL? ITS DISMANTELING WAS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF SELFISH PEOPLE WHO ARE AFRAID OF CHANGE & UNTIL THEY CHANGE THOSE OPINIONS IN KITTANNING & FC THEN THINGS WILL ULTIMATLY STAY THE SAME. THATS WHY SEVERAL PEOPLE IN THE PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE LIKE MYSELF, MY FRIENDS & OTHERS I KNOW GET OUT OF THE AREA THROUGH THE MILITARY, COLLEGE OR SIMPLY GET FRUSTRATED WITH THE GENERATIONS OF ECONOMIC FAILURE & LEAVE FOR GREENER($$$$) PASTURES. HOPE I HAVE HELPED YOU OUT, TAKE CARE.