Comments & Feedback

Dear Allisaon,

Daniel here from the Deep Fried Pickle Project. We are a midwestern band that will be playing a show for the kids tomorrow (tuesday).

Coincidentally we play "depression era" old timey music which I think is timely considering the plight of our nation's midsection.

We hope to see you there and would love to talk to you about music, the economy, the music economy, or even education (we also pull double duty as teachers in addition to being musicians). We will look for the Biodeisel Truck (kudos!)

Keep it Green and Bumpy,

Daniel

— Daniel-1225921

Hi Allison, I thought I might leave a few comments with you as I browse thru the article on the Elkhart Project..... I live in Elkhart and have experienced the recession here first hand watching friends and relatives loose their jobs, homes, cars ect. Now I am fortunate to still be working just 12 days a month, and watched my own gross income drop 40% from Dec. 08 to present. I work for a local Manufacturing facility in Elkhart which provide wiring harness's and switch's to the Automotive industries big three. Now I haven't had an opportunity to sign up for our state wide unemployment benefits until recently, and have had my claims for sporadic week's off, first there was no benefits because I had to have a waiting week. The rest of my claims have been denied.

You have to file claims on the Internet where to a 55 yr. old Man finds this new environment very confusing, and if you make a mistake and your claim is denied, there is no way to arbitrate that denial.. Then your forced to call on the phone, where you can expect to find a whole slue of block aids in your quest to talk to a representative who may be able to help you find out what's happening so that you can correct your errors, or possible state errors, and get on track.

Now I have been trying to draw unemployment compensation since mid February and have not been able to draw one paycheck..... or make any sense at all as to what the problem can be. I was thinking that I cannot be the only one in this boat and the hold up created by this mess has to be effecting every one in the area which doesn't really help folks to pay the bills, get grocery's, pay utility's while they wait for the economy to make this turn around. Now I realize that The county has a huge unemployment rate which was the largest in America last month when President Obama spoke at our Jimtown High School, and I also realize that our State Ran Work One as is called is Managed by our State Government.

The point to these comments are not meant to grumble or growl, yet to put my own experience into the mix and point out just how ineffective and unorganized our resources in main street America really are.... this is realism from personal experience. I am old yet educated and work in a Managerial position my tile is Manufacturing Eng. But you don't have to have a fancy title and a College education to be able to see what chaos is here in these times A blind man could probably feel it with his cane.

Ron Lovely
Elkhart, IN

— Ron Lovely

Greetings Allison!! I am from Elkhart IN. I welcome you but pity you for having to come to such a depressed area. Today I emailed the Hon Senators Lugar and Bayh and Congressman Donnelly and President Obama regarding the lame way in which mortgage modifications are being handled by Chase Bank. Because of their errors when I still had a job I lost my ability to get a modification applied for in Aug 08; after I lost my job Dec 08 I was no longer eligible since I had no documented income. (details available upon request) I then requested possible loan extensions but those were rescinded in the end because after starting the process, they found that their "system: was unable to process extensions for mortgages with escrow accounts. Any other loans qualified. I am about to lose my home now. Still unemployed even though willing to relocate anywhere; but unable to qualify for a modification because unemployment monies are not considered documented income. I have over 100K in "fixed" assets (ESOP monies that can not be cashed in for 5 years after leaving company I worked for) I only owe 130K on my mortgage, but it has 8% interest and almost $1300 month pmt. Chase has given me a terrible turn and I'm sure I'm not the only person that's suffering and stands to lose their home even though I have played by all the rules, amazingly the odds come out in Chases favor. Modifications offers aren't even a band aid for our pathetic housing situation if a person cant find a job! Its a start... BUT How many other respectable folks such as myself qualify in every way for a Modification except for the documented income? Its like Chase handing a Million Dollars to an armless man; its great to look generous offering it... but its even better as Chase knowing that you'll always get to keep your assets. ; )

— Shari S

Leave a comment ...

As a new user, you may notice a few temporary content restrictions. Click here for more info.

Stop Tracking

Back To Top