The Marble City

This blog is not intended to tell the story of Sylacauga from an historical perspective; indeed, several publications, as well as Sylacauga's Wikipedia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylacauga,_Alabama), provide ample information on the city's history and vital statistics. I'm more interested in recording my own observations about life in a small southern town as I see it. As each person's life experiences are different and, when taken as a whole, affect one's perspective and point of view, my perception of this city may seem entirely foreign to your own. As a disclaimer, I would like to go on record as saying that I have no intention to portray Sylacauga in any particular light. My goal is to be as impartial an observer as I can be, recording daily events and observations, in hopes of creating a snapshot of life in this place I call home. Initially, I'll focus on trying to identify some of the pros and cons of modern-day life here, and then move more into more of a "day in the life" journalistic style. I suppose what I'm tying to say is that there is no real road map that I intend to follow. One post may be funny, one scathing, one inspiring, and one heart breaking. Such is the nature of life in any town, large or small.

Sylacauga, along with thousands of other small towns throughout the United States, faces numerous serious problems. Many of these problems cannot be (nor should they be) sugar-coated or subjected to positive spin in order to create the illusion of a progressive town on the move. While not as idyllic as a high-gloss chamber-of-commerce-style brochure might have you believe, Sylacauga does possess many positive attributes, including one of the best libraries in the state, a first-rate municipal airport, and a marble quarry from which pure white marble is mined, comparable in quality only to the finest white marbles of Carrera, Italy. In fact Sylacauga is the nation's largest producer of calcium carbonate, a product found in everything from paint to antacids to toothpaste. The city maintains a small-town charm and feel with all of the typical accoutrements one would expect--high school football games during cool, fall Friday nights, a bustling little league baseball program, beauty pageants, numerous churches and civic organizations, and, of course, a ubiquitous Wal-Mart Supercenter that is, for better or worse, the cultural and social hub for many a Sylacaugan. Without a doubt the single greatest asset of this place is its people. And yet despite their resiliency and tenacity, most struggle on a daily basis to feed their families and put gas in their cars.
Just under the Rockwellian surface of Sylacauga lies a darker interior. Unemployment has remained steadily high since the closure of Avondale Mills, once the driving force behind Sylacauga's economy and one of the most progressive and profitable textile mills in the Southeast. Driven into bankruptcy due primarily to competition from Central American and offshore markets, Avondale's closure left in its wake thousands of unemployed blue-collar workers, many who had never held another job. Without other local industries to absorb these individuals, many left the area. Those who remained turned to government support programs in order to survive. The number of people living at or below the poverty line in areas all over the state is staggering, and Sylacauga is certainly no exception. The average unemployment compensation check provides roughly $135 per week, and food stamps supply an additional $200-$600 per month for food items. Even with the area's relatively low cost of living, individuals and families on this type of budget must forgo many everyday conveniences most people take for granted. Further perpetuating this cycle of poverty is the financial catch-22 of returning to the workforce. Since most local jobs are in the retail sector (and by retail sector I mean convenience stores, so-called dollar stores, Wal-Mart, national fast-food restaurant chains and the like), starting wages are likely to be in a range from $7.25 to at most $10.00 per hour. If one is lucky enough to obtain a full-time job working 40 hours a week at $8.00 an hour, that person can expect to earn $320 a week before deductions. On the surface this may seem markedly better than the $135 they were receiving from unemployment benefits, but from the moment that person reenters the job market, food stamp benefits are reduced, often dramatically. In addition, loans and credit cards must be paid off, many of which may have had payments put on hold or made payable at a reduced rate during the time of unemployment. In many cases these credit cards were maxed out months before work was found, and inability to make minimum payments in the interim has led to an unending barrage of phone calls from debt collectors, provided the individual's phone has not been disconnected for lack of payment. To make matters worse, those single mothers and fathers of pre-school age children must now rely on relatives or begin paying considerable sums of money to daycare facilities. Consider, also, that it has become a relatively common practice to pawn one's car title while maintaining physical possession of the automobile. These "loans", issued to the desperate, are accompanied by usurious interest rates. When the loan comes due and can't be paid, the loan company may choose to repossess the car and file a civil suit for any fees or interest still due. Now, without a car and perhaps a lien on their already meager weekly check, the person who struggled to find and acquire a job against tremendous odds in a faltering economy comes to the almost maddening conclusion that he or she was actually better off unemployed. By having a job, no matter how insignificant in its compensation, one is almost summarily disqualified from all types of financial aid. And thus, a seemingly inescapable cycle begins. Minimum payments every week to numerous creditors, in most cases, do not even cover the interest owed. The stress of such an existence would be tremendous for even the most emotionally-stable and stoic individual. It is then no wonder that many in this town turn to their physicians (if they can afford an office visit) or to the local hospital emergency room, or, in many cases, to a local drug dealer for whatever chemical relief they might find to ease their intractable financial and physical anxiety. In addition to alcohol and tobacco, the drugs of choice in Sylacauga are primarily prescription medications, from benzodiazepines--such as Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan and Valium--to the new sleep aids Lunesta and Ambien; to narcotics, among the most popular being Lortab and Oxycontin. Marijuana, crack cocaine, and crystal methamphetamine use are also on the rise, with several meth labs having been discovered in the Sylacauga in the past year. Unfortunately, the above scenarios are being played out on a daily basis in home after home all over south Talladega county.

This first blog post merely begins to introduce a superficial overview of what is truly a complex and difficult situation. And yet, as is human nature, those who call Sylacauga home continue to persevere and to take pride in this town. Sadly, though, the level of pride and sense of civic duty has declined rapidly in recent decades. In future posts I will address this issue, as well as continue to give my view of the current state of Sylacauga. It is my fervent hope that we as citizens of this town can act as we have in the past to pull together in this difficult time to revitalize and rejuvenate our community. For this to happen, though, a community movement unlike anything in Sylacauga's history will be needed. There are already stirrings of change, and there are amazing men and women doing heroic things to help guide this city forward. Leadership Sylacauga, SAFE, the Chamber, Rotary, Civitan, and the B.B. Comer Library (to name but a few) continue to set the standard for compassion and service. A handful of individuals and organizations, however, cannot shoulder the weight of an entire community on their own. More thoughts on this in my next post.