I was in the Shoals over the weekend visiting with family and decided to drive around my hometown and other places.
The usual, depressing part of my trip was seeing Russellville. I grew up in that area and am saddened every time I see it now. With the exception of the new sidewalks they are putting in, the place has fallen into disrepair. I can remember it looking like your average small town when I was a kid. I remember parades with balloons and cotton candy. It just isn't the same. And, look, I know there's a large population of Mexicans living there now; that fact can't be ignored. Though I can understand them coming here for better opportunities, we can't keep importing another country's poverty...but that's a subject for another thread. It's just not the same town I grew up in.
On Sunday, I decided to drive around for a while before the fireworks were scheduled to start. I ended up at the Florence Industrial Park - just to see if I recognized any of the businesses that are out there now and discovered there's hardly anything out there anymore at all.
So I am curious: Where does everyone work now? Do most of you drive to Huntsville or something? There are some really nice, expensive homes in the Shoals, too, and I'm wondering how people are buying them. They can't all be doctors and lawyers. Have any of your family members or friends moved away for better job opportunities? Again, just curious.
The place just looks like a ghost town. I do sometimes miss living there but it looks so vacant now...and I know there are no jobs.
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