Hickory metro jobless rate nears 11 percent

I heard The Systems depot and Elk Products was alos in financial trouble. Are they closing too? How long can Wade Moose fund a loosing business

I wouldn't doubt it.

I suspect he can fund it for as long as he cares to fund it.

century had me on temp lay off but i laid out of work for a week now im permantly laid off,so is my husband.

Elk Products has never actually made money. I've seen the books. Noland manages his loosing venture. Wade's ego won't let go and he can't face the fact Elk Products was a failure.

If you think it is 11 % you are being foolish. It is over 20 and probably closer to 25. How do I know. Every construction guy I know and I know a ton are out of work. Here is what people dont get. All these guys haven;t been on the unemployment books for years , so we don't get added in to the numbers..Hey Donald Trump believes the same thing is NATIONWIDE. Open you're eyes folks...it is bad and getting worse.. Wheres the new construction? Remodels? Repaints? New factories? New people being hired? So I respectfully disagree with the propaganda our gov. feeds us on the 11% joke. IMHO!

Boone Lumber is leaving as well from Lenoir.

Sealed Air is threatening to close its Valmead plant and move production else where. They depended on the rail to bring in cargo holds full of pellets in large quantities. With the rail now closed and the "Goggle" money spent to pay for trucks to haul from Whitnel to Valmead. the cost of continuing such practice is cost prohibitive as the trucks cannot carry enough pellets to keep up production.

Daniel is so right. I know people in the construction business who have had very little work in the past two years. Most of them are self-employed, so they are not counted as jobless, even tho they are not working. They are not receiving unemployed benefits either.

dandeeline wrote:

Daniel is so right. I know people in the construction business who have had very little work in the past two years. Most of them are self-employed, so they are not counted as jobless, even tho they are not working. They are not receiving unemployed benefits either.

They don't pay tax ,either and living of the Welfare system with there bitches

Daniel Boone wrote:

If you think it is 11 % you are being foolish. It is over 20 and probably closer to 25. How do I know. Every construction guy I know and I know a ton are out of work. Here is what people dont get. All these guys haven;t been on the unemployment books for years , so we don't get added in to the numbers..Hey Donald Trump believes the same thing is NATIONWIDE. Open you're eyes folks...it is bad and getting worse.. Wheres the new construction? Remodels? Repaints? New factories? New people being hired? So I respectfully disagree with the propaganda our gov. feeds us on the 11% joke. IMHO!

You are 100% correct.
When I saw the Topix title I started to write the
same thing you did, until I saw you had covered it all.
I retired from building because there is no way we
could have sold our homes for even what we had in them,
and we were in business for a long time.
Everyone thinks the economy is bad now. Just wait until unemployment is stopped. Talk about chaos.
My wife an I stopped at a drugstore to pick up some items and
we started talking to the cashier. She said her husband's
unemployment check had always been deposited into their checking
account by the government. He has been out of work for almost two
years. She said she had already mailed checks for their bills and
now they don't have the money to cover them. The lady said she
called and they told her his unemployment checks have ended.
What are they going to do?
When tens of millions of unemployment checks stop,and they will, we will have
times that will make the depression seem mild.
People are going to eat. They may have to live in their vehicle,
a tent, or who knows what, but they will start stealing from grocery stores, people's gardens, people's homes.
It will be a nightmare.
People may say that's gloom and doom talk.
It is, but it's also realistic.

If we elect the same big government dems and same big business republicans nothing will ever change except for the worse.
The only national candidates i have heard address this issue have been Ron Paul and Donald Trump.
Big business and Wall street have sold out our country and its people and big government has taxed out what is left. We need candidates and i don't care about the party label that will support the middle class and working poor.
I fear a nasty and violent future if something is not corrected soon

Howdy, Ex Builder,and Caldwell Guy.And to all others out there. I am unemployed and have been for some time. Your comments are right on target. My unemployment insurance deposits have ceased, and after finally getting back on my feet,financially,I paid the bills this month,but don't know what I will do next month. I have a job offer,however, it is barely above minimum wage,and as good as that may seem,I believe I can do better than that just staying home as we have learned to cut back and make do.But not everyone can do that. It really is going to be interesting to see the impact in the next few weeks. Stay tuned!

Hope things go better soon. I would not dismiss the low paying job becuase many employers will not consider anyone who has been unemployed long term Not fair-sure it is not. Just do some research on the attitude toward the long term unemployed first. It is not very pretty.

Southern Country...Typically ignorant and baseless talking points! Turn off the Fox News channel for awhile.

NOT an Obammy fan here at all and I agree with alot of what Southern mentions in his/her post. However, lets keep in mind that Bush was in office and had been for sometime when it all (the economy) started falling to hell in '07. I also agree with groucho in that Fox needs to be turned off as they are def. not fair and balanced, nor is any media really. I have been unemployed under both parties due to our areas economic conditions. Both parties are pitful these days. One wants to feed the rich and leave the poor to their own plight and the other wants to tax the hell out of everyone (including the working poor)so that they will never have a fighting chance. The American people need to grow "a set" big enough to kick both parties rear ends, but good!!!!! We need a new perspective in this country, not just the staus quo we continually receive from Pubs or Dems. We have become sheep to the shepherds on both sides. Feel free to feel different, and I can agree to disagree, but just my two cents.

New Perspective...An effective National 3rd Party to challenge the Republicans and Democrats stronghold will never exist as long as the outdated system of the electoral college remains in existence, and with Republicans and Democrats ruling the government, why would either one vote to diminish their own power? Until that happens, unfortunately, we are left with the bogged down two party system.

Groucho..I agree 100%. While the electoral college was originally designed to level the playing field, it is outdated and holds us prisoners with no chance for another "real" contender. My angst is with "we the people" of this great land,_including myself_. You are absolutely right in that, in their own best interest, neither party will willingly allow a serious third party, fourth party, or any serious contender. My belief is that until the "average joes", the "working man", the "rank and file" of this great land stand up and take back the country, for the benefit of _all_, and not the party, we will continue the downward spiral we have been in for some time now under _both_ parties. Unfortunately, it takes $, BIG $, and the "average joe", does not have the monetary means to mount a serious effort. Thanks for the conversation and the best to you.

New Perspective: Things I would like to see:

1.All lobbying outlawed and become a felony offense for elected officials to engage in.
2.No financial contibutions made by government to any candidate for upcoming elections. No PAC or Special Interest contributions.
3.Representatives remain in their respective districts and Congress conducted by video teleconferencing
4.Electoral college repealed.
5.The "28 Amendment" passed whereby no elected official can enjoy any benefit not given to all citizens.

These are just a few...You may add to the list as there are many changes needed.

Groucho- Agreed with reservations on pt.#3. Minor but worth discussing. I feel that they should be face to face. You can be anyone you want to be behind a screen, even though you can be seen.

I applaud loudly pt.#5.

Groucho--sure you don't want to run, lol?
Are you ready to start stumping?

Thanks!!

I would like to see a survey of how many formerly unemployed are working at less than their formal wage. Hope and change = unemployment at double Bush's worst rate, Gas at $1 more per gallon, record profits for big oil, less taxes for big corps, and a third unauthorized war. Think before you vote next time.