Slow down has hit our town

[hillrancher]

Learned today the Chevrolet dealer is closing doors as of the 21st. We have had a Chevrolet dealer in our town over 70 years. The Chrysler dearer was moving inventory last month to close they may have found a investor to go into the business. The Ford dealer is from another town they have pulled about all their inventory. This is the first time I have ever seen business close here. Houses are still in demand, land is not selling, but the price haven't dropped any. In the past when everyone else was struggling we did not change because our economy was some what depressed at all times.

 

[Jogeephus]

I'm seeing a lot of auction signs going up. Things are bad - especially the manufacturing jobs. Of course, since they tripled our land taxes last year the local government is really growing. We got us a new $3.2 million dollar courthouse with a $30,000 water trough in front of it. Behind that we got three armed guards who watch Oprah in the lobby all day while they guard the new metal detector. Got more county employees than ever and we get 1/3 of the services we used to receive. We are building two new schools - big ones. Most of the labor is hispanic. Its wonderful to see my tax dollars going for all this progress. Oh, I forgot, state came in to the diner where I like to eat yielding shotguns and emptied the place and locked the doors. Didn't even let them take the food off the buffet. Turns out the mother of the girl running the place didn't pay her taxes while she was bed ridden with cancer so they shut the place down to teach her that her taxes was more important than her health care expenses. Of course, she is dead now so I doubt they will collect a cent. Yep, I sure am glad I live in a free country and where you don't have to fear the government. But then again, can't you still smoke in most restaurants in Russia? Ahh shucks, what's a cigarette compared to freedom. (Did I mention things are bad)

 

[hillrancher]

Joe, the court house in our county is in the county politics at present. It got our county judge beat and a commissioner. The mandate is handed down that they ( we have 2 court districts) will have to meet security standards by 2010. Both are old and is going to be and expense for use the tax payers. The past judge and commissioner wanted to go to the quorum court and levey the tax they are not here to do so. In 2010 we are going to have court 5 day a week. It is going to be the new industry in our county then we may be able to buy those new Cheys. and the dealer will move back to town.

 

[Jogeephus]

We just voted a few commissioners out ourselves. Not soon enough in my opinion but at least they are gone and in two years we will clean house again. FBI, dethroned the DA, sheriff, three judges and a host of underlings. It was a good day for democracy but it sure did take them long enough to build their cases.

Am told, the security is mandated here as well. Seems like an aweful waste of resources but after the shooting at the courthouse in Atlanta, someone got real nervous. Its really pretty stupid though cause if I wanted to clean the place out I'd just go in at lunch time cause the guards leave for lunch. Of course, nothing is going to happen here. Worst criminals we have where suits and ties and call themselves servants of the people.

 

[skyline]

You fellas are about to start sounding as cynical as me. Sorry if I've rubbed off on you... :frowns: In case you haven't heard, change is on the way.

 

[Jogeephus]

Don't mean to sound cynical. Actually glad of the house cleaning but am not thrilled with the "improvements". But its like a wise man told me when I told him I just didn't understand why. He said, "Joe, have you ever seen a barrel of corn with two rats in it?" He said, "as long as there is plenty of corn the rats will get along fine. But if you drop a few more rats in the barrel, they will shortly begin tearing each other apart and fighting even though there is plenty of corn in the barrel. So you see, our county just has too many rats in it at the moment and after the rat killing - everything will be peaceful again". I think he is right.

 

[grannysoo]

Don't worry. Everything will be ok as soon as we start spreading the wealth like the kids spread peanut butter...

 

[dun]

Don't mean to sound cynical. Actually glad of the house cleaning but am not thrilled with the "improvements". But its like a wise man told me when I told him I just didn't understand why. He said, "Joe, have you ever seen a barrel of corn with two rats in it?" He said, "as long as there is plenty of corn the rats will get along fine. But if you drop a few more rats in the barrel, they will shortly begin tearing each other apart and fighting even though there is plenty of corn in the barrel. So you see, our county just has too many rats in it at the moment and after the rat killing - everything will be peaceful again". I think he is right.

Sounds like a case of "The evil you don;t know vs the evil you already know"

 

[Lammie]

School where I work canned the AD yesterday and will be bringing in a new one in January. Or course, the old one is still on contract until Sept 1. I guess we can afford to double pay two figureheads. He gets a house provided for him by the district, too. Got some coaches worried, some of whom just started this year. Bad feelings all around. I didn't like our AD, either, but really, I think we could have waited until Spring to do this. It isn't going to change anything now.

I guess we have more money than I thought. I hope we remember this when it comes time for raises... I don't see land selling around here. Prime real estate on Hwy 67 that should have been gobbled up by now just sitting there. I don't necessarily mind it. I don't think we need another motel here. That is all anyone has been building. Oh, and there's a new strip shopping center going up. Never leased all the space from the last one that got built two years ago.

We keep building new schools here even though the student population is dropping.

 

[Jogeephus]

We keep building new schools here even though the student population is dropping.

What ya'll need is our grant director who gets us grant money. She is marvelous. That way she can get you all the "free" money to build all them schools like she is doing for us. I bet she could swing a $30,000 water trough for you too. Granted it could have been built for $8000 but who cares since its "free" money and doesn't cost the taxpayers a thing. Of course since she will be so busy, you will also have to hire two "assistants". If your mayor has a daughter-n-law they would be perfect for the job. Works for us.

If you can concince your county to hire her, I will personally pay her moving expenses so ya'll don't have to.

Its wonderful living in a small town cause nothing much can escape the ever watchful eye of the barber shop. :nod:

 

[Lammie]

The thing that bothers me about Alvarado is that you can't really get anything you need. I can't buy a blouse here, unless I go to the dollar store, we have two of those. I can't buy fabric or a spool of thread or a pair of athletic shoes. I can get my hair cut, rent a movie, tan or eat out. We have gazillions of restaurants. Those will be the first things to close. I can get doughnuts. We had four of those shops at one time. We still do have barber shop and a hardware store and two grocery stores, one of which I won't shop at because time stands still in Brookshires and they are so expensive it isn't worth buying anything but staples there. I also get a coat for my son. We don't have a Walmart, but we are surrounded by them. I can't get printer cartridges or paper. The things I need I have to go out of town for. I shop here when I can, but there are things we need I just can't get here.

Thank God we have two feed stores.

Saw a new feed store in Venus the other day. It is in an old single wide. "Redneck Feed" it is called. I think I will stick with Cook's.

 

[skyline]

Yep, we've been through the dot.com boom and the real estate boom. It appears that the next boom is going to be the government boom.

 

[GMN]

The businesses hardest hit here are the boat places, they have laid off mega people already. The Grandfather of one of my sons friend in school, worked for a boat place, for over 25years, last week Tuesday he went to work, was told that he and 59 others were out of a job. They also told them their insurance was no good starting that very same day. I do not think they can do that, I think the rule is 30 days notice, then COBRA can be in effect.He was 3 months away from retirement-now that I think is gonna be a very common practice with companies in the future who go out of business.

With this govt bail out, I read that one of the companies who was bankrupt, got some money, and they went and took their executives to a fancy resort, that cost $300,000, seems that they aren't taking the bail out very seriously, and I personally think the bailout is a big mistake. Now the automobile industry wants to get bailed out--I do not think that is wise at all.

GMN

 

[I luv herfrds]

The local car dealership here has cut their inventory by about 3/4 and laid off several people. Found it rather funny that they could build a new office and hire a new sales manager, but couldn't keep the long time employees.

Noticed that houses south of us are not moving and the prices are being cut drastically. Have some land up for sale south of us along the highway. Normally that would habve been sold, but it's still sitting there. It is in CRP.

 

[Lammie]

The businesses hardest hit here are the boat places, they have laid off mega people already. The Grandfather of one of my sons friend in school, worked for a boat place, for over 25years, last week Tuesday he went to work, was told that he and 59 others were out of a job. They also told them their insurance was no good starting that very same day. I do not think they can do that, I think the rule is 30 days notice, then COBRA can be in effect.He was 3 months away from retirement-now that I think is gonna be a very common practice with companies in the future who go out of business.

With this govt bail out, I read that one of the companies who was bankrupt, got some money, and they went and took their executives to a fancy resort, that cost $300,000, seems that they aren't taking the bail out very seriously, and I personally think the bailout is a big mistake. Now the automobile industry wants to get bailed out--I do not think that is wise at all.

GMN

He can get insurance through COBRA but it may be expensive. He needs to talk to someone from your state labor board about it. They may have violated some rules there. It is different from state to state, though. I don't think it's right to fire someone without just cause three months before retirement. That really sucks.

Yes, it was AIG who went on a corporate retreat for 400K after their bail out. I think that Americans are about to get a belly full of this crap.

I also think that the auto industry needs to bail itself out. And they can start by cutting salaries and benefits like everyone else. The UAW has just a bit too much power. My neighbor is a total doofus, and I mean, he can't find his butt with both hands, and he was making 90K a year working in the parts department at GM in Arlington. He can't even put a sentence together, and he's stoned out of his mind half the time. Every calls him Bud, and I don't know if it is because of all the beer he's drunk or all the bud he's smoked. He's one creepy dude. That is an obscene amount of money to pay a stupid person a job that someone else could do for 12 bucks an hour.

 

[TexasBred]

Lammie...I thought Alvarado was booming. Always looks that way anyway. Seems like construction has been going on there on 67 for ages. But...have heard of several car dealers shutting down around the countryside. Nephew works for a Ford dealer in East Texas and he said Fort Credit was auditing them and shut down was inevitable. Chevy dealer has already shut down in the same town. Both had been in operation since the 50's.

 

[GMN]

The businesses hardest hit here are the boat places, they have laid off mega people already. The Grandfather of one of my sons friend in school, worked for a boat place, for over 25years, last week Tuesday he went to work, was told that he and 59 others were out of a job. They also told them their insurance was no good starting that very same day. I do not think they can do that, I think the rule is 30 days notice, then COBRA can be in effect.He was 3 months away from retirement-now that I think is gonna be a very common practice with companies in the future who go out of business.

With this govt bail out, I read that one of the companies who was bankrupt, got some money, and they went and took their executives to a fancy resort, that cost $300,000, seems that they aren't taking the bail out very seriously, and I personally think the bailout is a big mistake. Now the automobile industry wants to get bailed out--I do not think that is wise at all.

GMN

He can get insurance through COBRA but it may be expensive. He needs to talk to someone from your state labor board about it. They may have violated some rules there. It is different from state to state, though. I don't think it's right to fire someone without just cause three months before retirement. That really sucks.

Yes, it was AIG who went on a corporate retreat for 400K after their bail out. I think that Americans are about to get a belly full of this crap.

I also think that the auto industry needs to bail itself out. And they can start by cutting salaries and benefits like everyone else. The UAW has just a bit too much power. My neighbor is a total doofus, and I mean, he can't find his butt with both hands, and he was making 90K a year working in the parts department at GM in Arlington. He can't even put a sentence together, and he's stoned out of his mind half the time. Every calls him Bud, and I don't know if it is because of all the beer he's drunk or all the bud he's smoked. He's one creepy dude. That is an obscene amount of money to pay a stupid person a job that someone else could do for 12 bucks an hour.

Thats it exactly, all these auto places are union, and they pay their assemmbly line people a fortune, $20-$25 an hour, full benefits, paid vacation, Holidays, U name it. Those kind of wages have been going on for 30 plus years, but the difference now is that people can't afford the new vehicles anymore,so of course something will have to change. But I do not think the govt bailing them out is the answer. Maybe the CEO's need to take a drastic pay cut, and have some of there benefits decreased, and the wages lowered across the board. What good is it going to do, to just give them money, when the economy overall is in such bad shape?

GMN

 

[bigbull338]

the job depression an layoffs are hitting east texas as well.talked to a friend of mine that works for prefert.an he said that they layed off 100 workers in 1 swift kick.he said he didnt know how long he would have a job there.

 

[Lammie]

Lammie...I thought Alvarado was booming. Always looks that way anyway. Seems like construction has been going on there on 67 for ages. But...have heard of several car dealers shutting down around the countryside. Nephew works for a Ford dealer in East Texas and he said Fort Credit was auditing them and shut down was inevitable. Chevy dealer has already shut down in the same town. Both had been in operation since the 50's.

In so much as the Barnett Shale is booming, so is Alvarado. I do detect a slowdown, though. Property along 67 is so danged expensive and leasing existing buildings is cost prohibitive, especially for new businesses with no customer base. And it is hard to get of and off the road anyway. I avoid 67 as much as I can and drive through town and sidestreets. It gets extremely congested through there at rush hour. I don't see as many new homes going up and I have seen a lot of the older homes being bought now in town. Just seems to be slowing down a little. I don't mind, though. All the new businesses seem to be restaurants and motels.

You ought to try Scooters the next time you pass through. It's homey and pretty good. I know that folks that own it. Mexican food.

 

[hurleyjd]

Lammie I buy all of my ink Cartridges and paper online from HP. The shipping is cheaper than driving to town and Ups brings it to the door. You might check online with the company that mfg your printer and do the same. Any way it saves me money and I do not buy something else that I do not need when I go to the store.