Wadley Waits

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2009/09/rural.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1174;s:6:"height";i:792;s:4:"file";s:17:"2009/09/rural.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:12:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:17:"rural-336x227.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:227;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:17:"rural-771x520.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:520;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:17:"rural-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:17:"rural-768x518.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:518;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:15:"rural-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:17:"rural-800x450.jpg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:17:"rural-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:17:"rural-461x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:461;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:17:"rural-393x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:393;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:17:"rural-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:17:"rural-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:17:"rural-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:0;s:14:"optimized_size";i:0;s:7:"percent";i:0;}s:5:"sizes";a:1:{s:4:"full";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => already_optimized
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

)
1636095294 
1252368000

It’s hard to find a one company town any more. But in rural east Alabama, there is a town where three-quarters of residents work at the same manufacturing plant. Or at least they did, until the plant closed down. WBHM’s Tanya Ott reports.

Mayor pro-tem Toni Gay is a one-woman welcome wagon for Wadley, Alabama.

“You never have to ask anybody for help because somebody knows what you need help before you need it and they’ve already helped you. It is a beautiful, beautiful, sweet little town.”

Small town picturesque, on the outside. But walk inside City Hall and you see the decay that symbolizes the challenges facing this town of 650 people. Gay points to water stains on the ceiling. The roof leaks.

“We are seeing the sheetrock that’s deteriorated back there. We’re seeing the ceiling that is almost falling in…”

The town doesn’t have money to fix up the historic building. The poverty rate was already 31% before the largest employer filed for bankruptcy. And MeadowCraft Incorporated owes Wadley more than $100,000 in back utility bills. Sales tax revenues are down, too, since MeadowCraft laid off hundreds of workers.

Just a few blocks from the plant, Bonnie’s Country Kitchen no longer opens for breakfast. Bonnie used to deliver chicken biscuits to the plant every morning. These days the meager lunch crowd is all that’s left. While steak quesadillas sizzle on the griddle, resident Kathleen Newman chews on the changes Wadley’s gone through. After a textile plant closed two decades ago, the city had a hard time attracting any new businesses. It put all its eggs in one basket – Meadowcraft.

“Almost at times makes you want to cry! To think about what the impact it’s doing on the families in town.”

Newman runs a small accounting firm. She kept the books and did tax prep for some of the local businesses that closed. She says she may have to lay off some of her employees.

And that’s what frustrates locals. They’re suffering, even though MeadowCraft’s business was up. The company says it had plenty of orders from big retailers. What got the nation’s largest manufacturer of outdoor wrought iron furniture in trouble was an accounting scandal. In March, the company announced its president and chief financial officer were “no longer with the company”. Wells Fargo and several others financial institutions revoked the company’s credit and pushed Meadowcraft into involuntary bankruptcy. Wells Fargo did not return requests for an interview. Johnny Whitaker is with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union.

“Ahhh, you know I get irritated every time I think about that because all of these billions of dollars that was given to the banks, and you’ve got a group of people in rural Alabama that’s gonna be put out on welfare. And when you call Congress and say ‘help us!’, no response.”

Alabama Congressman Republican Mike Rogers says he did ask Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner for help.

“And still, just got a vanilla response, well you know it’s painful, we’re gonna have to work through this and he wouldn’t really address the direct problem that I presented him with.”

Roger says he hopes to find money to retrain the laid off workers. But the union’s Johnny Whitaker says there’s no place else nearby for them to work.

“I mean, how can you buy gas to drive 50 miles? They lost their cars, they’re losing their homes. It’s depressing!”

The laid off workers are trying to keep busy. When word spread that a Texas company was coming to Wadley to look at the plant – and possibly buy it – a group of them voluntarily came in to tidy up the place. But so far, there’s no deal.

 

Boeing machinists approve contract, bringing an end to a bruising seven-week strike

Striking machinists voted to approve an agreement that will hike wages by 38%. The deal was endorsed by union leaders, who warned that Boeing’s next offer might be worse.

States and cities beef up security to prepare for potential election-related violence

Washington state's governor activated the National Guard to stand by to help local law enforcement as needed. Meanwhile, extra security is in place at locations across Washington, D.C.

When will mail-in and absentee ballots be counted?

Various state rules regarding when election officials can process and count mail ballots means it will likely take some time after Election Day before the results from these ballots are fully known.

When do polls close in every state? Here’s a timeline

The Associated Press can't call any races until polls close in their respective state. Here's a breakdown of when that will happen.

How has the Electoral College survived, despite being perennially unpopular?

Despite its substantial-sounding name, the Electoral College isn’t a permanent body: It’s more of a process. For decades, a majority of Americans have wanted it to be changed.

Thousands of Pennsylvania voters have had their mail ballot applications challenged

Thousands of last-minute challenges to voters’ mail ballot applications, along with baseless claims by former President Donald Trump, are adding pressure on Pennsylvania county officials.

More Economy Coverage