labor is cheap in china because china is a nation of slaves.

i left weirton in 81, when i was laid off from the mill. i have fond memories of weirton but i am glad i left. they should never of let the gambling in.

I agree with Diane Magnone, We shouldn't be stereotyped with that style of music. But the fact is that the only way to make Weirton better is change. People don't like change. I come home every year to the same thing. I like the direction the Mayor is trying to go in. Let's make our town something again....

I really appreciate doing this documentary, and my brother is featured. But. What's up with the banjo-playing introduction? Every time someone does a documentary about WV (Coal mines, the Wild Wonderful Whites, the Point Pleasant bridge collapse) it's always got that stupid banjo intro! how often have any of us really listened to people sitting on their porches pickin banjos in Weirton? I absolutely hate the stereotyping.

Please let me know when the documentary is complete and I will feature it on the carepoint seniors blog. Samantha Welch, carepoint.net

Thank you, JKL, for your comment. Weirton's story is complex and evolving, and it's good to read about the start of its rebirth, which we hope to experience for ourselves next week. When we make our full-length documentary, it will be about the United States, not just Weirton, and it will also include the positive outcomes that some older jobseekers have been able to create for themselves. Stay tuned!

Look around, everything is made in China/Korea/India and on and on, except our own USA. All the outsourcing/call centers are going abroad. Why does it come as a surprise that our millions are unemployed. What do we do? I asked a public official " Why are all the jobs going abroad?" His answer was " Simple, labor is cheaper there " I answered " If we could, we would outsource you also, we can get 10 for the price of one we support here. How would you like that ". There was silence. Many countries impose tarrifs on foreign good to the tune of 100 to 300 percent. They insist that to be able to do business with them, manufacturing has to be done there. How can we compete? By playing the same game. The companies would rather see their next quarter look good as the country goes down the tube. It seems that each company is working in vacuum, not realizing that one by one all manufacturing will go abroad, and there will be no buyers left here. China is too happy to lend us money because eventually it gets their employment go higher as we end up spending that money to buy goods made in China. If we default, they can always buy a skyscraper, then a city, then a state and eventually without firing a shot, own our country. We as consumer save a few pennies by buy foreign made goods, oblivious to the fact that because of one's action, some unseen face somewhere in this country is getting laid off. We pledge allegiance to the flag; it will be much better to pledge allegiance to the USA so that our flag keeps flying. Recipients of welfare/social security checks should volunteer time to do a job for the country, whether it is learning to do the job of a call center or whatever one is capable of. This will stem the tide of jobs rapidly flowing off of our borders. Making a documentary is a good educational tool. Just showing the problem only makes one to go into a cacoon of depression and makes the problem worse. It will be much better to show the problem but also devote lot of research and tap bright minds to suggest that the people can look for the light at the end of the tunnel rather than expect a train to run them over. Weirton is down on its luck because it was a one industry dependant town, but it is not out. We have improved parks, new school system with a proposed budget of 56 million dollars coming up, new museum under renovations, there is a new Events Center being developed, many ethnic festivals and Festival of Nations are celebrated, July 4th parade, Christmas parades, Renaissance festival, Symphony free to public, Smithsonian exhibitions in the Library, low housing costs and low crime rate are encouraging younger families to move in while they find jobs elsewhere. New Walmart, Bob Evans and two recently added hotels might suggest that the town may have seen its worst time and brighter days are ahead. JKL

Thank you, Joni. We're headed back to Weirton next week to do more shooting for a full-length documentary. Weirton is a special place with fascinating people. We're eager to get back there.

Weirton is 30 min. from where I grew up. Getting a job in a steel mill was a great career path for my father's generation & also for my generation. My father lost his steel mill job forever when he was 60 years old (late 1970's). Another generation in this area tells the same story.. which isn't any different from manufacturing workers in any other part of the US. Very well done documentary in the making. I look forward to your future videos. Blessings, Joni