OMG!!!

President Obama just mentioned my hometown in the State of the Union Address!

Galesburg, Illinois

Galesburg was a great place to grow up, but it is a town that is facing unbelievable economic challenges. Many large businesses have closed leaving people without jobs. The population there when I was growing up was close to 38,000. I believe the population is now less than 30,000. The area is suffering a serious "Brain drain." If you're not familiar with this term... that's when kids leave town for college and then don't return. I hope the town bounces back... there are some hopeful signs. A few new businesses have opened, including a book store opened by a classmate of mine. But the city is just crying out for a major employer to come to town... someplace that has more than just minimum wage jobs.

Okay... that's it. I'm watching the speech on DVR and I still have to do the dishes... so must get back to it!