re: Inside America's Fastest-Shrinking City

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That is what happened in Helena.

Mohawk tire closed it's doors in the early 80s and it was a huge employer for the area. That is where both of my grandfathers worked.

So many of the white people began to leave for employment in different towns. The black people were happy they were leaving and the decline was happening rapidly in the 80s and 90s.

Now they blame white people for leaving and becoming the horrible town as it is.

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I'd imagine a bunch of black families with the means to do so have left over the years too.

You're left with a void of owner-occupied houses and people who take care of their properties and join civic groups and volunteer at the recreation department and with the PTA and stuff like that. What you're left with is a bunch of renters and Section 8ers and people who expect everybody to do everything for them. Becomes a shite spiral.

Yeah that ain’t working…that’s the way you do it!

Pine Bluff is the Bogalusa of Arkansas