Their coal plant is gone, the golden age is over. What's next for the people of Milam County, Texas?
ROCKDALE — David Montelongo isn’t used to being alone.
He's spent his 60 years in the Central Texas town of Rockdale, surrounded by family and working the last 39 years in the local coal mine. He has a wife, three grown children, eight grandchildren and many other relatives in this town of 5,600.
Now, his days are lived on the road and at a West Texas oil field, where he is a supervisor.
"All I do is go home, sit in an apartment and wait for the morning to come," Montelongo said.
His time in an overpriced one-bedroom Odessa apartment is mostly quiet as he counts the weeks until he can visit his family in Rockdale and the years until retirement.
Read more: https://www.dallasnews.com/business/energy/2018/07/08/happens-coal-economy-dies-story-one-texas-town-life-support
= new reply since forum marked as read
Kick in to the DU tip jar?
This week we're running a special pop-up mini fund drive. From Monday through Friday we're going ad-free for all registered members, and we're asking you to kick in to the DU tip jar to support the site and keep us financially healthy.
As a bonus, making a contribution will allow you to leave kudos for another DU member, and at the end of the week we'll recognize the DUers who you think make this community great.
