I’ve found it both unsettling and a little bit amusing that some people have attempted to use Middletown as a national example of what is wrong in America and how their candidate can fix it. For example:
“Hillbilly Elegy Recalls a Childhood Where Poverty Was the Family Tradition
Trump Seen as Saviour in Dying Ohio Town
Here’s the thing. We have a LOT of work left to do, but those articles reflect Middletown through the recession and not its current state.
Ask Kyle Schwarber, Jalin Marshall and Kayla Harrison how Middletown has been for them and I think you’ll get a different viewpoint of the world. We have three current sports stars dominating their respective sports, all from Middletown.
Beyond sports, however, there’s an underlying change in Middletown that I’m not sure people have seen and fully appreciated yet.
In last week’s Cincinnati Enquirer and other large market Ohio newspapers, there was an article describing the latest employment data for Ohio. Unemployment statewide in September rose slightly from 4.7% to 4.8%. The report posted a loss of 1,700 jobs in durable goods manufacturing, 1,700 jobs in food services and 1,900 jobs in retail for the month.
While other parts of the state are losing jobs, Atrium Medical Center has over 300 open positions. All of our local manufacturers are hiring, not shedding jobs. While others are losing food service positions, Buffalo Wild Wings just opened with over 100 new staff members. Aspen Dental also opened with new staff, and we are looking forward to the smaller retail spots between them being filled in the next few months.
Middletown is bucking the state trend. We have hundreds of open positions, most paying a living wage. If you need good paying work, come to Middletown. We are expanding, not contracting.
If you need education or training to take your career to the next level, come to Middletown. Warren County Career Center, Butler Tech, Cincinnati State and Miami University Middletown are ready to take you to that next level with additional training and education.
As I said, we still have a lot of work left to do to bring the city back to full prosperity, but don’t you dare let the outside media tell you that we are a dying city. They either haven’t bothered to come here to see for themselves or they don’t care because the truth doesn’t fit their message of despair.
