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Latest update: 15/10/2008
- Barack Obama - industry - John McCain - unemployment - USA
Hard times in swing state Ohio
Youngstown, in north-east Ohio, was once a steel-making boomtown. But its steel mills closed in the 70s and 80s, leaving its citizens jobless and desperate. Today, the swing state's eyes and hopes hang on the presidential candidates.
FRANCE 24 reporters Cyril Vanier and Frank Berruyer take us to the streets of Youngstown, Ohio, one of America’s fastest-dying cities.
Ten years ago Bruce Springsteen wrote his now-famous lament to Youngstown. Since then very little has changed.
In the 1970s, when steel work was in its prime, the town was a flourishing industrial centre. Today, all the old factories have closed down and the place is almost a ghost-town. Unemployment runs at 10%. Hundreds of the town’s 60,000 citizens leave Youngstown each year in search of employment and better prospects. In the past thirty years, Youngstown has lost half of its population.
Those left behind struggle to make ends meet. Scrappers in junk-yards sift though rubble for shreds of metal that can be sold to used-car garages. “This is what you do in Youngstown, to survive. Feed your family, pay your rent,” says one scrapper.
With another financial crisis looming, many are afraid that things will become even worse.
Just weeks before the presidential elections, all eyes are on the two presidential candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain, with hopes that they will implement policies that will improve living and working conditions. Ohio is a key swing state eyed by both candidates. But will they keep their promises to the jobless and the desperate?
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(51) Reactions
Better
Being from the Youngstown area, it's hard to watch this and see how others see our area. There are a lot of good things going on in Youngstown, but every day you see more and more decline, too. It's so hard to drive through the town and see the decline. Downtown is looking better than it did a few years ago, but there is so much further to go. Hopefully, with President Obama now in office, things will start to change even more towards the better.
Youngstown
I grew up in Youngstown and stayed there until I was 20 years old. I had to leave because I couldn't find a job that paid well enough to both feed and house me, as well as pay tuition for school. My dad was a steelworker for 40+ years, and by the time the mills went under, he was left with less than half of his pension. All those years working 16-hour shifts, often 6 days a week, and all for naught. I love the town and would like to return some day, but until I can make comparable money for the cost of living, I'm stuck here in Houston, TX. It saddens me to see the condition of the town, although I know areas around it (Boardman, Poland, Canfield, etc.) seem to be booming. I can only assume people living in those areas are commuting to bigger cities to work.
Youngstown
That was an intriguing--if pessimistic--story on the city of Youngstown. I am a life-long resident of the city w/ a 40-year perspective; I clearly recall my brother getting a job at the steel mill right out of high school and making good money, then losing that job the week he got married a few years later. My dad was a warehouseman who lost two jobs due to first the closure of A & P Grocery, then Strouss's department store. The 6 o'clock news and front page of the paper are peppered with reports of crime, usually drug-related or desperation-related.
However, that is not my Youngstown. There are seven universities within a 50-mile radius of the city, including a college downtown where I got my first degree and one just over the state line in Pennsylvania where I did my graduate work. I bought a cute little house in the neighborhood where I grew up and send my kids to Catholic school. Every weekend there is something to do at the Children's Museum, or at Butler Museum of American Art, or the breathtakingly beautiful Mill Creek Metropark--all here in Youngstown within a 10-minute drive of home. Your story on Youngstown accurately depicted the destitution, but completely ignored the good things; the rich culture, the thriving arts community, the enthic food, the revitilization of downtown, and the authenticity of the people here who take full advantage of it and fully appreciate it. I chose to become part of the solution for the city, and I am not alone. If you every make a return for another story, please do one on my Youngstown. It's a very different place than the one that this story depicted!
Youngstown, OH
One of the reasons that Youngstown has not been able to climb out of its rut is that so many local government officials are corrupt. The city has a history of being controlled/influenced by the mob, and I believe this is still the case. Although the city would be a perfect place for a large industry to set up shop, most are scared off by the corruption and the possibility of being under the control of the mob. The city needs to start at the top levels of its government, and clean itself up, before anyone can expect improvements.
in response to bob
This is a response to the message that my earlier message should "be taken with a grain of salt." Even though I was stereotyped as a "recent grad" who is "caught up in the excitement of moving," this is actually not the case. I was even one in the "scores of people who have "come back home" at one time in my life.
I was born and raised in Youngstown, went to school in Columbus, and moved to Washington DC for continued schooling. My experience in Washington did not go well for me and I decided to be one of the scores who went back home.
After 2 years working for less than what I was worth, I made the decision to move "to a thriving area." Now, I immediately wonder why one would question a decision like that. It was not an easy decision, yet everyone I asked about it told me to go.
As for LV "thriving", here's perspective. First, NV leads the nation in foreclosures. Second, Las Vegas is #6 in the country for home value decline at nearly 28%. Third, the gaming industry's revenues are down. Fourth, many companies have a hiring freeze due to loss of income and the credit freeze.
YET, since I have been here, my wife and I have been offered 15 different jobs at good wages. I have a job and my hours are flexible enough to allow me a second job...helps when everything is open 24 hours. Everything closes at 10pm there, right?
The real difference is that when the economy turns around, Las Vegas and other towns will rebound because these towns can adapt. Youngstown remains stuck in the 50's, thinking that magically everything will get better. It didnt work with the mills, and it wont work with lordstown.
Youngstown Woes
I grew up in Youngstown, left in my early 20's. Your video report explains why the area hasn't recovered. The people there are still expecting the steel mills to magically re-open. There is good reason why the steel industry left the USA. It is too expensive to make it here. The steelworkers, just like the autoworkers today, had nice compensation, but you reap what you sow. Other cities with bigger steel job losses have recovered from losing their industry, because they changed their outlook. The people of the Youngstown area have not.
Also, they are strongly Democratic, only in the sense of the Democrats of the mid 20th century. They do not have much in common with today's Democrats. They will be hurt by the election of Obama and a bigger Democrat congressional majority.
It is sad to see Youngstown today, after having lived there from 1964-1988. However Pittsburgh recovered, Akron, Ohio recovered, and to some extent Cleveland, Ohio has recovered. Youngstown is within 90 driving minutes or less of all of those cities
Youngstown article
Obviously a one-sided view of a town that is on its way back, beit slowly. I own four businesses in this valley and am looking to acquire more. They all are doing well and I am adding additional employees.
Comments from people like the guy in Las Vegas need to be taken with a grain of salt. He is likely a recent grad who relocated to a thriving area and is caught up in the excitement of moving. I have found this to be true in my businesses esp my medical practice. There are scores of people who have "come back home".
From Youngstown
Ok - I agree with mostly everyone else that this segment only talks about the bad, however lets be honest, this is how many parts of Youngstown are. I am from Youngstown, went to YSU and then left and didnt look back. I usually tell people that Youngstown is a great place to be from, just not a great place to be.
You should be ashamed of your horrible journalism
I dont even know where to begin. Your piece made it look as if those who work in Youngstown only sell scrap metal. Shame on you. There is life in the Mahoning Valley. I cannot believe you didnt even go to downtown Youngstown, which is starting to come out from the ashes. And to see some of local innovation taking place. Its amazing - I read this morning in the New York Times on how Europe is applauding the US for voting for a minority as president but would never do so in their home countries, esp France. I have been to the ghetto suburbs of Geneva (on the France side). I have seen the poor there. If we came and did a piece that only reflected that, you would call it American Hubris. I grew up in Youngstown, am proud of the city, and take the bad with the good. Too bad you couldnt report both.
Youth in Youngstown
I grew up in Yo. in my early youth. I have a lot of good memories from those days of past. I grew up in Boardman and spent a lot of time at Mill Creek Park during the summer months. I bicycled all over the park enjoying all the scenery and lakes. I spent a lot of time at Idora Park. I had a lot of friends on the north side were we spent time at Wick Park. I also have a few friends on the west side of town. We did a lot of swimming at North Side Pool. So I do have a lot of good memories. Before I left for the miltary I worked at a rug company on the north side of town for a dollar and hour, 60 hours a week and enjoyed that too. After i got out of the military I decided I would live in the land of the sun instead of shoveling snow from the house during the winter months. I used to go back to Yo. every year to celebrate my Mom's birthday until she passed away at Christmas in 1984 and was laid to rest at Calvary Cemetary. Now that I am older and am retired I still come back to Yo. occassionally for a visit to go down memory lane and sometimes i get lost trying to find my way around because of all the changes but i still enjoy the ride and the fond memories of the past.
x
again, trying to stay up on things
GREAT piece
I just want to thank the reporters who did this OUTSTANDING piece. It represents a true account of what is going on. I moved away about 6 months ago and when I look back, it is obvious how bad things are.
For anyone who is college educated, there is NO REASON to stay in Youngstown. There are no good paying jobs to attract bright people. It is really sad to see people still defending Youngstown as a viable place to live. I'm sorry, it isn't.
Youngstown is a town stuck in the past. The town is still run by corrupt, inept people. Progressive ideas are discounted by the same thinking that existed in the 1950's, 60's, and 70's when the town WAS viable. Now, Youngstown is where ideas, jobs, and the American dream go to die.
It is a town with very poor infrastructure, and no chance of bringing in good, high paying jobs. This is NOT to say that the people are inherently bad people. That couldn't be further from the truth. Youngstown has some of the hardest working people in the country. Most everyone WANTS to work, but people cannot live on minimum wage. However, when it comes to finding good paying jobs, it just isn't happening. It probably won't happen for a long time, especially in this economy.
Watching this piece, I really felt sad and sorry for those who struggle everyday. I am also so thankful I moved away when I did because it would be awful to be stuck in Youngstown for the rest of my life and know there is no hope for things to turn around.
These people who defend Youngstown might want to go or move away for a while and look at Youngstown as an outsider. These people are looking at the small details and missing the much larger, darker picture of the reality in the city.
Thank you for that well-done, objective, accurate picture of my hometown. I will not be back, and if these people were smart, they would leave too.
checking in
reading the updates is all....
Crazy: Definition - doing the same thing over w/ diff result
It is amazing to me that the voters in Youngstown do not take charge. This is a prime example of another Northeastern US City, once a predominant Union town failing. The failing, if you are not so astute, is due to poor Democratic leadership, corruption and cronyism.
I do not feel sorry for people who make poor decisions...you know it is true....Y-towners...get smart and change leaders or move....Socialism does not work!
This is grossly slanted.
This article and video are horrible. Youngstown is not "DYING." Why ignore YSU? Why ignore the West side of Youngstown? What about the NEW local government committed to more than demolition? You said nothing about the sale and lease of buildings that have stood vacant for years to new businesses; you completely ignored the Youngstown Incubator; the rebirth of the Downtown area...you missed so much it's disgusting. As a Youngstown resident, this article insults me.
Readers, if you want to know what Youngstown is really about, don't waste your time here. It's clear any story can be slanted to say anything with the right kind of footage.
Hard times in Youngstown
Euro Rubbish. Youngstown is still alive and kicking, it is not dying as "some" may try to get across. I am a student at Youngstown State University and all I have seen is improvment in the city and the surrounding communities. Plus, you have neglected to mention one of the best schools for education and nursing in the country YSU and what about Turning Technologies, hmmm? That company had its birth in this "fine" city. It sells the best power point presentation technology to universities all over the country. So before you air a bogus news story to the masses, You better get all the facts about YO, OH. Good night ladies and gentlemen!
YTown
YSU, Phantom Fireworks, Debartolo, Cafaro, The Youngstown Incubator, Mahoning Valley Scrappers, Arms Museum, Kelly Pavlik, Boom Boom Mancini, Ed O'Neil.
There are great things in Youngstown.
There is money in Youngstown.
youngstown, ohio
“I’m Coming Back To Youngstown” 4/13/08 (Revised 6-3-08)
They say you can’t go home again
Some say only time will tell
And never look behind you
Always sounded very well
But life is not a cliché
Thank you very much
Its all about what’s in your heart
And what you feel and such
Chorus:
‘So, I’m coming back to Youngstown
Where I was born its where I’ll die
I’m coming back to Youngstown
On that you can rely
To family and friends that I once knew
Though not many still remain, but
I’m coming back to Youngstown
To a new life once again.
Where memories of steel mills
Are etched inside my mind
Wick, Crandall and Mill Creek Park
And others of that kind
Where Mahoning flows and so it goes
Some things never change
Smokey Hollow and Briar Hill
And rock and roll was the rage.
There were summers at Idora
And swimming pools did abound
YOCO became YSU
Yet they tore ole Rayen down
Friday night had football games
There were sock hops in the gym
Street cars soon became freeways
So many changes from within
Chorus:
‘But, I’m coming back to Youngstown
Where I was born its where I’ll die
I’m coming back to Youngstown
On that you can rely
To family and friends that I once knew
Though not many still remain, but
I’m coming back to Youngstown
To a new life once again.
I did my tour of this ole world
Of course I had to leave
To learn about the ’things’ out there
Leaving nothing back to grieve
So, one can come home again
I stand here as living proof
Come join in my celebration
From street level to the roof
Chorus:
‘You see, I’m coming back to Youngstown
Where I was born its where I’ll die
I’m coming back to Youngstown
On that you can rely.
Copyright 2008
J W James III
1500 N. E. 6 St.
Fort Lauderdale, Fla
33304
jwj3novels@yahoo.com
All rights reserved.
article
To Whomever "French" is: Some of what you say is true but when writing an article please be well rounded. Youngstown can boast of many great things. Youngstown State Univ. with it's great campus, curriculum and extra curricular agends: Butler Institute of American Art (the first of it's kind in the USA) Steel Museum ( now just whom should we thank for all our steel being imported with no tariffs charged causing our USA mills to close?); live theater; convention center; health care facilities with excellent doctors; many
businesses; beautiful homes; an expansive (one of the most beautiful and largest natural city park) Mill Creek Park. Our roads are under construction and slowly we are pulling ourselves up.... and we will make it
back to a thriving area because we are determined and a proud friendly area
What a shame.
I lived in the Youngstown area my whole life until two years ago. I think this report is shamefully done. What a worthless article that just echoes the nay-sayers. Creative journalism would have talked about the corruption being removed from the government in the last decade and a clean slate to start from. Instead, lets just ask a couple of guys looking for scrap how they are doing. I could find thousands of people in Dallas to say the same. Lets get some balanced journalism please...
France 24 report on Youngstown
This reporter needs to come back to Youngstown and report the positive in Youngstown. He could start with YSU, Mill Creek Park, Butler Art Museum, etc. He could also report on positive plans such as "Youngstown 2010" and the businesses that are trying to grow. I saw only the negative portrayed in this report and I believe the reporter should do a follow up report on what is positive...here in Youngstown. We need to believe that we can move in a positive direction. We really didn't need this unfair, biased report.
Youngstown, Ohio
France? Where is that? Is that part of Texas?
Youngstown, Ohio
Was born & raised in Youngstown, graduated in 66', South High School, day after graduation got on a train & went to Dallas, Tx. and never looked back....Have been back about 3 times since, 20yr. High School Reunion, a funeral and a wedding. Will always cherish the good times growing up there, the good schools then, Mill Creek Park and Idora Park, The Cleveland Indians, The Cleveland Browns and the kick-ass South Warriors, Football, Basketball & Track & Field Teams & the great teachers and coaches & YSU Penquins Basketball Team & Coach Pete Roselle, great guy, treated me like family.....
One more thing...
Now that I've had a chance to read other postings, I just want to say that the people who boast about the suburbs of Youngstown and the beautiful parks, the work ethics of the people who live in the area, etc. You are very right in those opinions, but the report isn't about those things, it's a straight forward account about the poor ECONOMIC standing that exists there. Yes it's true that not everyone is hurting financially but MOST are and the joblessness is also a reality. To the post that 10% unemployment exists therefore 90% are working, that's so wrong. The statistics that tell us about 10% unemployment, comes from those folks who are currently COLLECTING unemployment. It doesn't account for the people whose unemployment benefits have run out, therefore there are more people unaccounted for that aren't working than the 10% indicates!!!! Look, I liked the surrounding areas of Youngstown: Canfield, Boardman, Austintown, Poland etc. but just liking the people and the terrain doesn't pay my mortgage/rent, utilities, nor put food on the table, sorry. For me, the move OUT has been the best thing. No hard feelings...
Born and raised Youngstown
I just moved to Las Vegas, NV five months ago from Youngstown, OH and this report is a very well done, TRUE to the facts account, of how Youngstown is today. The video and first hand interviews are exactly what the reality is for those still there. It's like being imprisoned but you're free to move about the city because you can't go anywhere since you have no money to get out anyway. You wouldn't believe it unless you lived it, honestly. I'm 43 years old and grew up and lived my whole life in a suburb of Youngstown called Canfield, which ironically was named one of the best places to live in the USA because of affordable housing, the strong education system and it's beauty. The reason I was there so long was due to a divorce/child custody situation that prevented me from moving my son out of Mahoning County (a ruling by a visiting judge back in 1997 when my son was just 5 years old). During the last ten years, I lost several jobs due to company closures, lost any savings I had, then ended up foreclosing on my house. My move to Las Vegas was funded in part by selling everything I own, including my car, and moving with someone else from Youngstown at the same time. Sure, the economy is bad everywhere, but I have found numerous job opportunities here in Nevada (taken 3 of them) when in Youngstown I couldn't even get interviews. (I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Advertising and Public Relations from a college in Fort Worth, TX.) I just wanted Frank Berruyer and Cyril Vanier to know they did a great, and tasteful, job on this report. We can all hope for the best for the city of Youngstown, but pray for those who can't get out as they lose hope every day (take it from one who lived it first hand). Sincerely, Lynn (last name withheld)
Response to Youngstown, Ohio Story
I am somewhat dismayed to see only negative aspects of our area. I was born in Youngstown, grew up here and am now retired and while we have surely experiences major setbacks, there is also much that is unique and even positive. Youngstown maintains a diverse cultural environment with the arts, theatre and the local university. Our area has one of the premier metro parks in the country, Mill Creek Park, which is rich in history as well beautiful with several lakes and breathtaking Fellowship Gardens. I wish you could see it.
Several technology companies have settled in town and call centers have as well. Youngstown has a long way to go but we are seeing good things happen more and more. While our country ( and the world) is taking a hard knock with the current economic crisis - we can say that we have already been there in a big way and perhaps even ahead of the capability to respond because of that! I guess I have been accused of being an eternal optimist but I can tell you this: for every sad, blighted scene in your piece, I could show you many beautiful sights around town.
Thank you.
Declining economic community
This is true journalism. This is not sensationalized a bit. The only jobs readily available are minimum wage and zero benefits for employees. A business degree buys you a job where you ask, "would you like fries with that? "
The only solution is for unions to disband and politicians to entice companies to youngstown with large tax breaks. There are many skilled and educated potential employees in this area waiting to be hired. Doctors do not want to practice here due to more than half of their practice being medicare or medicaid patients. Perhaps the Governor or Tim Ryan would like to help our economic future.....they have done little so far.
Economy
My son and daugher-in-law left there jobs in Columbus,Ohio, Moved here October 2007 rented a house for $500 per month, both had jobs within three weeks good jobs.
The advantage here is it's very affordable to due business and the people are wonderful loving and caring.
You just need to be optimistic The problem is the media doesn't always inform good news.
Some people thrive on bad news and some people are still Closed minded pessimists.
Youngstown
I agree with all of the reporters findings. There is a Youngstown that wasn't shown, however. The worst of the worst is having to leave the city due to finances, leaving behind your home that you have paid a mortgage on for YEARS only to have some scrappers break in and steal the copper out of your home....for them to survive.
Employment is needed the most.
Article about Youngstown Ohio
I can't believe that this is the way that some people portray our great city! You only got one side of it from some people in this area that don't want to do better for themselves. I've lived her my whole life and I am very proud to say I'm from Youngstown Ohio. If you WANT to work there is work here! Some people need to quit blaming everyone else for their misfortunes. I just think that this was an injustice to our great city!