...
Burlington will shift some of its operations in Hurt to Burlington, N.C., and Raeford, N.C., said Delores Sides, company spokeswoman. Employees learned of the plant closing Tuesday.
With more work being done overseas, the plant has been operating at 25 percent capacity, Sides said. Most of the synthetic fabrics are being sourced from Asia, where many of the cutting and sewing plants are located. The Hurt plant employed 1,200 people a decade ago.
"It's disappointing news for us," Sides said.As if that weren't bad enough, this is the clincher:
Hurt Mayor Lillian Gillespie said the closing will be a blow for this town of approximately 1,200 located between Lynchburg and Danville in Virginia's hard-hit textile and furniture manufacturing center.The Danville metropolitan area had an 8 percent unemployment rate in June, the highest in the state.
"We're shocked, but not surprised. We've heard rumors for years and now those rumors are a reality," Gillespie said. "We all have friends, neighbors and relatives who work there. It's a big problem."
Del. Robert Hurt, R-Chatham, said he has spoken to Gov. Timothy Kaine's office and U.S. Rep. Virgil Goode about getting aid to workers.
Notice how the article says that Delegate Hurt asked both Governor Tim Kaine and Rep. Virgil Goode for aid in this situation.
I would agree, Tim Kaine should be asked. Virgil Goode? Not so much. While he is technically the congressman for that area, I wonder what he can do in his weakened state? I say weakened because of the drama and hoo-ha over the closing of the MZM/Athena FSAC facility in Martinsville, as well as the taking of illegal donations from convicted felon Mitchell Wade.
Instead of promoting hateful ideas like supporting legislation that leaves some of our citizens with inferior and wholly inadequate civil rights and privacy rights; while he is arguing for English to be the 'official' language of the US (who is going to enforce that, Virgil?); Mr Goode should be looking out for the interests of all his constituents in the Fifth District, not just millionaire defense contractors like the convicted felon Mitchell Wade.
He should be looking for and promoting real alternatives to Middle Eastern oil, so we don't have to spend billions of dollars every year protecting it. There is also the cost of the current and future wars in the area, both in treasure and in bodies of dead Americans.
He should be getting true funding for first responders (fire and rescue), instead of giving his tainted contributions from convicted felon Mitchell Wade to firehouses across the district, most for around $300.
He should be trying to stop the runaway spending in the Congress; last time I checked real Republicans and real Democrats don't like deficit spending.
Virgil should be trying to attract clean industry to Southside. No landfills or truckstops or other polluting industries should be alternatives.
And when was the the time you heard Virgil complaining about the cost in lives of Americans the war has brought us? When did he object to any single thing Bush asked for? When did he vote for the correct equipment for our soldiers?
Oh, wait; if Virgil did that, and actually had any original ideas that pertain to this district he would be Al Weed. Al would be asking why we are still in Iraq, Al would ask what happened to the money that has disappeared; things Virgil will never do. Other than to strike a faux-patriotic pose, Virgil will never ask the tough questions. He will never challenge the current administration.
And I like Al a lot better anyway. He has the ideas and the skills to put those ideas to work. Al needs the support of a grateful (National) Democratic Party and a lot of individual supporters like you and I to enable him to remove Virgil from office. Kind of like regime change. Please give.
< /rant >
Comments
Now main streets whitewashed windows and vacant stores
Seems like there aint nobody wants to come down here no more
They're closing down the textile mill across the railroad tracks
Foreman says these jobs are going boys and they ain't coming back to
Your hometown, your hometown, your hometown, your hometown
That's Virgil Goode's - and George Allen's - America for you. An American nightmare coming right now to "your hometown."