Paper mills in Fitchberg, Mass

Another strange economic analysis in the USAToday today, to prove, I suppose how bad "this economy is." There's a large photo in the print edition with caption, "Troubled times: the paper mills have closed in Fitchberg Mass., on the Nashua River, and the city is in an economic slow down." We visited that part of the East in the late 70s, and most of the paper mills, furniture factories, and textile mills were on their way out then or were being turned into renewal projects from the perfect storm of union strikes, environmental regulation, and improved technologies which reduced the number of workers, or required expensive upgrades to old buildings. I've checked several web sites about Fitchberg, and can't find anything about a recent closing of paper mills, at least not since its unemployment rate of 5% in April 2008.

But also, I found on the web the 2000 census, and guess what? In 1999 (i.e., long before George W. Bush), Fitchberg was below the national average in college and high school graduates, it was above average in disabilities, it had fewer foreign born than the rest of the U.S. (was about 1/3 foreign born in 1920), had a lower household income than the rest of the country, lower median income, and families below the poverty rate was 12.1% compared to 9.2% for the country, and 15% for individuals, compared to 12.4% for the country. Clearly, Fitchberg was in trouble a decade ago, but it certainly wasn't "this economy" and the current slow down.

Also, the reporter decides to feature a 47 year old divorced mother of 17 year old twins who was 9 months behind on her mortgage before she sought help from the non-profit counseling agency. This is the example of what "change" is needed? Four years ago she had purchased a home for $210,000 on an income that was from 2 jobs--a house cleaner and a home health care worker. Her patient went to a nursing home, and she lost that part of her income. What she did to bury herself even further is not told, but clearly, she shouldn't have had that level of indebtedness no matter who was in the White House.

And yet she's hopeful that a "change" in Washington might make a difference in her life. Yes, 'mam the way FDR dug the hole deeper that Hoover started in the late 20s and extended for 10 years.

The good news about Fitchberg is its 29 year old woman mayor. Seems to be a trend, because she looks like a woman who plans on big things, just like another small town mayor who's been in the news lately.

Also, the rivers are clean now, not brown like they were when the paper mills were running.