I think that is one area the Gazette could improve. There are certainly more stories beyond GM and the big suppliers.

Unidentified- My comment wasn't directed just towards you I understand that many of the non-GM workers will not get the benifits that the GM workers do. I am just so sick of everyone just talking about those companies and not some of the little people. If it wasn't for the Rail those companies wouldn't be able to get their supplies as efficiantly.

Good point snarly:
Have Doyle get all his buddies at the Potawatamee tribe come in. That would actually seem the most sensable use for the place.

KCopinion: I'm sorry to hear about your husbands and your situation. I was definitely NOT griping. As I mentioned numerous times "There are those who have it worse." I would like to mention that I will be getting 355 per week and that is before taxes for the next two years. That equals 237 per week after taxes. Lear workers do not get sub pay like GM workers (I'm not griping about that either, simply pointing it out). That isn't enough to cover rent and bills in most apartments in town. Fortunately I was able to save money prior to this announcement. Again, there are those who are in far worse shape than I.

I am also sorry to only hear about GM, Lear, LSI, and Allied. My husband and family will be directly effected also. He works for Union Pasific Rail Road and will most likely be forced to transfer and that will be with little or no notice. When GM went to one shift they forced 11 people to transfer with only 3 days notice. Do you really think that is enough time for a family? I don't. Plus it isn't like it is just to the next town, my husband will end up down in the Chicago suburbs and with the gas prices of today it will cost to much for him to commute, also he can get called in to work and have to be ther in 1 1/2 hours. That is impossable during heavy traffic. So do all of you that are either griping about losing your jobs but still getting paid for at least 2 years, plus getting school paid for or are able to collect unemployment want to keep complaining? Try being in my shoes!! I have 2 kids who are 5 and 1 1/2 plus one due in Oct do you really think I want to have to move at the drop of a hat? I don't think any of you wil.l have to do that!!

sell the land to the indians and open up a casino, and all the GM people can have a job

Losing a job that pays as well as Lear or GM is what makes this even harder. I've been laid off from numerous other jobs before, but they were easily replaced. It's no fun for middle aged workers to attend school after being away from it, in many cases, for more than twenty years. Moreover, the schooling we get may still not get us back to our current wages. Granted, there are many who, as I mentioned, have it far worse than us. However, this is still a big local story that will change the face of Rock county either for the better or worse forever. Consequently, this story will be in and out of the headlines until the locks are on the doors at GM and the new jobs begin to materialize.

Quite frankly I am tired of people just thinking about GM, Lear, LSI, there are many places and people in the state who have lost their jobs. People who made alot less money than any of you, you are not special cases. AT least GM could have at least two years to gather your selves, go to school, find a job. Most people do not get that much time to plan.

Get over your selves.

Unidentified: I think that is the most real, and intellegent comment I have heard about the effects of GM closing. I wish you and your family well.

I’m getting laid off from Lear after more than twelve years. The displaced worker and TRA program is overwhelmed already. Even if I manage to get something approved for training, I still ponder what? The job market was lousy before this news. There is the big push for medical jobs because of Dean coming, but there are backlogs years long at various local schools for any medical jobs that pay more than twelve dollars an hour. In addition, I wonder how secure some of these jobs will really be once peoples good Lear medical benefits (and other related companies) run out. Moreover, do we really need another hospital when Mercy Hospital has empty beds already? I’d move out of town if need be, but my house has lost about 20,000 in market value over the last year and that was before the GM news. We all knew it was coming, but the alternatives weren’t there. I started attending school a few years ago and managed some credits. Nonetheless, I’m still far from knowing, what, where, or how I’m going to start over. On a good note, I have my health, wife, and dogs. What's more, there are certainly those who have it much worse than I. It will be a tough couple of years maybe more, but hopefully I’ll come out of it better off than I was before. If not, I’ve had a good twelve plus year run at a Lear, where I was able to enjoy good wages , benefits, and the good things that come with them for at least part of my life. Some people never get that opportunity.

snarly- proof read your run on sentence.

long time, planned, newspaper, goes, strike, really, difference.

And by the way, the reason all those "good people" have a job is because of GM.

Yes, jdd, you're right. Here's the basics: http://www.gazettextra.com/weblogs/lates....

I also just got back from the Evansville city council meeting where the topic was discussed. Stay tuned for complete coverage in Wednesday's paper and more blog posts here. Thanks!

The bio diesel production facility has been canceled. Please write about that.

no more GM in janesville, yes it will hurt the area for a long term but the city should have planed ahead for this the gravy train for those people will dry up quick. the news paper should do a story on the rest of the suppliers like allied,lear,lsi,but no its always about GM, when GM go's on stike or shuts down the paper always report on GM, not the rest of the suppliers the people who realy make a differance wake up and smell the real world GM is out and so is the rest of the good people who work hard so GM workers can make the big money, Big Idea give the plant to the indians and open up a casino,then we will have jobs,