If you were running a local newspaper and some 800 to 900 people in your community were suddenly laid off, would you cover the story?
Logic would say you would because those 800 people were breadwinners with children in the schools, mortgages, car payments and consumers at local businesses.
A Cameron County Workforce Solutions Office rapid response coordinator confirmed to a local broadcaster that the layoffs would affect them as well saying that they’ll have to prepare for the potential increase of people seeking unemployment benefits.
Maria Gonzalez, the rapid response coordinator, said Southwest Key notified them earlier this week about the potential layoffs. Eight hundred to 900 employees were let go, she said.
This story broke at about midweek, but if you rely on the Brownsville Herald for your news, you would not know that your neighbor and 800 to 900 others are now without a job. In fact, since they started working in March, when Southwest Key opened its doors, some may not qualify for any significant amount of unemployment insurance.
In Texas, as in most states, the base period is the earliest four of the five complete calendar quarters before you filed your claim for benefits. For example, if you filed your claim in October 2012, the base period would be from June 1, 2011 through May 31, 2012.
To their credit, the reporters at KRGV, Channel 5, interviewed some of those Brownsville residents affected.
To their credit, the reporters at KRGV, Channel 5, interviewed some of those Brownsville residents affected.
“They let us go like we were herds, next, next, next. That’s all you heard, badges, badges and escort them out. And it wasn’t the way they were supposed to. This was supposed to be a professional place, a place of hope, that went out the window,” they quoted a laid off worker.
The former employee said she wonders how she is going to support her family.
“What’s going to happen to us? What are our kids going to be fed? You know what I mean? We don’t get benefits like other people, so what’s going to happen with my mortgage, my car payment, my kids at the end of the month?”
“What’s going to happen to us? What are our kids going to be fed? You know what I mean? We don’t get benefits like other people, so what’s going to happen with my mortgage, my car payment, my kids at the end of the month?”
And what do we get in the Herald?
A feel-good story about honoring the police, the zoo taking care of an endangered species, and a student winning a free admission to an Apple Computer developer's conference.
A feel-good story about honoring the police, the zoo taking care of an endangered species, and a student winning a free admission to an Apple Computer developer's conference.
Desperate people without jobs often turn to crime, so there might be more work for the cops, and animals aren't the only endangered species here, we have 800 to 900 the endangered families who probably won't be able to get a home PC, much less a trip to and Apple conference.
And of course, City of Brownsville commissioner Jessi Tetreau chimed in on the broadcaster's website to say that it was no great deal since the amount of taxes paid by Southwest Key didn't amount to much. How about the welfare of your constituents and the businesses they patronized, Jess? That doesn't matter much either?
If you lived in a planet somewhere else and all you had to tell you what is going on in Brownsville was the Sunshine Holler, you'd think that the place was a feel-good paradise. By ignoring the human tragedy in its coverage area that this massive layoff has engendered, it has now shown us that it's perfectly content to be a cash cow while the community wallows in squalor.
If you lived in a planet somewhere else and all you had to tell you what is going on in Brownsville was the Sunshine Holler, you'd think that the place was a feel-good paradise. By ignoring the human tragedy in its coverage area that this massive layoff has engendered, it has now shown us that it's perfectly content to be a cash cow while the community wallows in squalor.
10 comments:
I feel bad for those people - I wish Brownsville had jobs for everyone, but dumbasses running the City can't get together to have bowl of cereal.
But on the other hand - you make it sound as if they were working their for 10 years and were used to receiving pay and had a mortgage, etc. etc.
In your own article, state they started working their in March, thats only 2 1/2 months ago. Come on dude, they are going to do what they were doing 2 months ago.
Again I feel bad but cut the drama - its bad news as it is.
What do you care what the Herald does? Thats why I read this funny blog, If you want the Herald to improve ill just start reading the Herald and stop reading your partially fake articles.
To Dude @ 11:42 am
Reading the Brownsville Herald requires a subscription.
Reading this blog is FREE; if you don't like it, quit your whining & go read the comics @ "The No-News Brownsville Herald".
So what?!!!! What does it mean to Joe Six-Pack, Guey?!!!!!!
"The former employee said employees knew for weeks that that the layoffs were coming, but the day came sooner than expected."
From the channel 4 web site.
Tetreau is a dumb blond...a bimbo. But, like the other city commissioners, they don't really understand the impact on citizens. Loss of jobs isn't a big thing for them...they only think of themselves. The Brownsville Herald is read by so few people (especially those who lost their jobs) that they can't help.
We have to wonder when the RGV will have only one newspaper....centralized in McAllen....more jobs shift up the valley.
Brownsville aka turdville
Play government games
Win government prizes
Thank you President Trump for keeping your campaign promises. Stem the flow of wetbacks and putting an end to government waiste. The bleached bimbo city commissioner is an uneducated moron much like the majority of Brownsville residents.
I and most others who fortunately get their news from other than the Brownsville Herald are already having trouble contemplating the loss of 800-900 jobs in a city the size of Brownsville. That is a lot of heartache and fear. I am always amazed when I see anyone buying or reading the Herald. From what I can tell, the only purpose of looking at it is to see who is in the obituaries. I would say the Herald should shut down, too, but there are jobs there as well.
Sorry about your job loss so abruptly, but maybe you can sell your car back and buy a bicycle at the Gowen Bicycle World at 6th and Madison. You will have to get in line cause you, of course, have notice the immense increase in bicycle traffic in all those bicycle lanes created in Brownsville - the Gowen Bike Lanes - that are a waste of money and make traffic the worst in the valley.
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