Forbes names Rocky Mount one of most impoverished U.S. cities

Posted: Today at 4:07 p.m. Updated: Today at 7:13 p.m. The city of Rocky Mount is making national news, and it's not welcoming.

[lemuel]

when they talk about poverty in edgecombe county, they are talking primarily about the part of edgecombe county from the tracks down town to the west side of Tarboro. All major businesses are located on Nash county side. All we have is dilapidated buildings, high illiteracy rates,crime and a city council,chamber of commerce that promotes no good opportunities for our side of the twin city.

[BetterTimesAhead]

The railroad tracks to the west side of Tarboro is being inaccurately described here. There are plenty of homeowners who do not live in dilapated buildings and who are not impoverished. If this was true, Tarboro, not Rocky Mount, would have been named. Rocky Mount has its own issues. Edgecombe County has employment issues that go back to the early 80's. Factories constantly laying off people, constant buy and sell offs with loss benefits each time, continuous cut in hours,... The majority of Sprint employees were moved to Wake Forest, most other businesses moved overseas to take advantage of lower pay rates overseas, limited to no jobs at all, anchor malls and strip malls going out of business...and so much more. Funding has never been equally distributed; instead they have been distributed in growth areas--new malls, etc. especially after the flood and seldom in impowerished areas.

I see this more of an opportunity to better promote self-sufficiency and bring new businesses and new ideas into the area. Any suggestions?

[dajames07]

And for Rocky Mount to get to the point where it's on Forbes pooriest list, it had to have happened over time. It did'nt just get that bad off over a weekend. So look at the Leadership Rocky Mount has had in the recent past....Mayor Fred Turnage!!! He's been the Mayor of Rocky Mount for HOW LONG!!?????? Get real!! I don't believe Sadam Hussain was in power as long as this guy has been the leader of Rocky Mount!! The city is simply a reflection of Fred's hard work and dedication