NYT: An Indiana Town Appreciates Obama, and That Stimulus Cash, Too

[Pirate Smile]

Anthony J. Malone is the president and C.E.O. of Madison County Community Health Center. Thanks to the stimulus plan, a part-time dentist and three other health workers will soon arrive at the center, which sits along Ohio Avenue in the shadows of closed plants. The building, where patients squeeze into in a few examination rooms, will expand and nearly triple the workforce of 35, if a federal grant of $450,000 arrives.
Photo: Sally Ryan for The New York Times

An Indiana Town Appreciates Obama, and That Stimulus Cash, Too

By JEFF ZELENY
Published: April 26, 2009

ANDERSON, Ind. — At the city parks office, Pam Clendenen thumbed through a three-inch-thick printout of President Obama’s economic stimulus plan to see if the money could be used to replace dilapidated playground equipment.
In his office at a cramped medical center across town, Anthony Malone called his accountant with a question: Has the government pledge of $198,420 arrived in the clinic’s bank account yet?


A drive through Anderson, Ind., brings to life some of the complex challenges that President Obama inherited, notably the final shift to a service-based economy. Tiffany Dzerve, 25, was selected to introduce Mr. Obama to more than 1,000 people who turned out to see him on a Saturday afternoon last year in Anderson, Ind. Ms. Dzerve and her husband were laid off from jobs at an auto parts plant. Today she is a student at Ivy Technical College, working on an associate's degree to become a teacher. Her husband is still looking for work. Both collect unemployment and were grateful to Mr. Obama when their weekly checks suddenly contained an extra $25 each.
Photo: Sally Ryan for The New York Times

-snip-
As Mr. Obama’s presidency approaches 100 days, an arbitrary but inescapable milestone for first assessments, he is touching Americans’ lives in concrete ways. In the process, he is producing what polls suggest is an improving, if still wary, sense of national optimism despite persistent economic and national security challenges.
The flood of federal money Mr. Obama has sent coursing through the economy offers a chance to begin addressing deeply rooted problems in cities like this one, a once-proud automaking center that is a study in deindustrialization. At the same time, the president and his party have the opportunity to build a political consensus around a more activist, effective government.

-snip-
A general election, an economic crisis and other challenges later, those concerns from the primary seem distant to residents here, who say they have grown comfortable seeing him in office. Viewed through the eyes of most of more than three dozen residents interviewed this month, Mr. Obama is off to a strong start.
He ultimately carried Indiana last fall — the first Democratic presidential candidate to do so in 44 years — in part because of his showing in Anderson and other cities with deteriorated economic fortunes. And Anderson, while still dotted with foreclosure signs and quiet factories, is registering progress, if in small increments.

Thanks to the stimulus plan, a part-time dentist and three other health workers will soon arrive at the health center that sits along Ohio Avenue in the shadows of closed plants. The building, where patients squeeze into in a few examination rooms, will expand to house nearly triple the work force of 35 if a federal grant of $450,000 arrives.
“As far as I’m concerned, I’m saying, Thank God,” said Mr. Malone, president of the Madison County Community Health Center, which like other offices here is troubled by budget shortfalls. “Yes, stimulus money makes a difference. It’s created a new sense of hope in this community.”


In the offices of the Parks and Recreation Department, a sign warns visitors to avoid part of the building because of asbestos. For weeks, officials have been preparing a grant application through the stimulus plan to convert the closed North Anderson Elementary School to a community center. The mayor authorized spending $6,000 to help prepare the application, despite layoffs by the city and budget cuts that threaten the annual veterans' concert before July 4.
Photo: Sally Ryan for The New York Times


Pamela Clendenen, pictured in the Quonset hut gymnasium in the current parks department facility, is fiscal supervisor for the City of Anderson Parks and Recreation Department. "Some people probably think Anderson won't ever see any of that money, but I know different," said Ms. Clendenen, the administrator overseeing the parks department. She already plans to put a plaque on the building thanking Mr. Obama for making it possible. "We felt like he was talking about Anderson."
Photo: Sally Ryan for The New York Times


President Obama carried Indiana last fall -- the first Democratic presidential candidate to do so in 44 years -- in part because of his showing in Anderson and other cities with deteriorated economic fortunes. And Anderson, while still dotted with foreclosure signs and quiet factories, is registering progress, if in small increments.
Photo: Sally Ryan for The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/us/politics/27anderson.html

edit to add a little personal tidbit - my kids' elementary school is redoing their parking lot so the parking/drop off/pick up situation has required some rearranging. The priest (it is a parochial school) sent out an e-mail last week explaining why they did it now instead of waiting until the summer - the contractors wanted to do it NOW (and gave the school a better deal to do it sooner) because they are bidding on and planning on getting stimulus jobs this summer. According to the priest in the e-mail, the stimulus money will be set "loose" in July for the contractor's jobs this summer.

I just enjoyed that little stimulus shout-out in the e-mail sent out to all the parents in the school.

[amitten]

1. God bless Obama. He's on the right track. n/t

[JitterbugPerfume]

2. Dupe!

Dammit this has happened to me twice today

[JitterbugPerfume]

3. Anderson Indiana needs help

and that's a fact

It is depressed and depressing

[AwakeAtLast]

7. It's the Flint, MI of parts suppliers

Unfortunately I think Kokomo is next. :(

Anderson Schools are cutting 70 teachers because of the loss of students. Sad, sad, sad.

[Pirate Smile]

4. Kick because I added more to the OP.

[Kdillard]

5. kick I am glad that the stimulus cash is going to help those who need it and I am sure that it is

going to get even better as it gets working throughout the year.

[Pirate Smile]

6. kick

[Cha]

8. Reports like this one need

to Go Viral! This is so priceless.