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General Motors Plant  SURVEY: Is GM Making The Right Move?SURVEY: Who Do You Blame? TALKBACK: What Do You Think? READ: Doyle: Janesville Plant Closing Is Like Death In FamilyREAD: State Officials Reviewing $10M Given To GMREAD: Janesville Looks Ahead to Retraining GM Workers for New JobsREAD: Residents Uncertain About Future After GM Plant's ClosureREAD: GM Plant Closing Difficult For Workers, Families VIDEO: Auto Expert Dissects GM's DecisionOther News Video |
Locals, Officials React To GM Plant's Final Day
Plant Operated In City For 86 Years
UPDATED: 1:07 pm CST December 24,
2008
JANESVILLE, Wis. -- Tuesday was an emotional day for many people in Janesville as the city's top employer closed its doors for the last time.VIDEO: Watch The ReportThe uncertainty for both former General Motors plant workers and the city is on the minds of many residents. Some locals are coming together to offer support for those men and women who are now without a job, WISC-TV reported.The Janesville Gazette newspaper printing 25,000 copies of Tuesday's paper, which featured stories of tears and pride on this last day. That same feeling was being shared by many throughout the community.The news that the longtime plant was closing wasn't surprising, but that didn't make it any easier for Janesville residents to say goodbye to a plant that's given so much to so many.The plant's closure and the 1,200 people now out of work was the topic of the day at the Riverside Restaurant."I hope they can be hopeful, but it's kind of hard the way times are to be hopeful. There's not any jobs that will compare with that," one person said at the restaurant."I regret my friends losing their jobs," another person said. "Unfortunately, it's going to be a necessary step into getting everything back under control."Meanwhile, some sought to show support for employees outside the emptying parking lot. Billy Bob Grahn has never stepped foot inside GM, but waived an American flag."Everything these guys and their retirees have done to this community, I just wanted to say thanks," Grahn said. "I just hope they realize that we all appreciate them."Many residents said that the timing of the closing -- two days before Christmas -- was one of the worst parts of this situation, WISC-TV reported.Amy Loasching, Janesville City Council's president and a former GM employee, said that Tuesday was a day of mourning for everyone in the city."Today, I think is a dark day," she said. "It's a day we all need to grieve and we need to remember where we've been and then tomorrow will be the day when we look into the horizon and see the sunshine and know that there's better days to come."She said that the city is still not giving up hope that a new line of vehicles will locate inside the plantLoasching said that in the coming weeks and months, city officials will continue its efforts to bring in other large employers to Janesville.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportThe uncertainty for both former General Motors plant workers and the city is on the minds of many residents. Some locals are coming together to offer support for those men and women who are now without a job, WISC-TV reported.The Janesville Gazette newspaper printing 25,000 copies of Tuesday's paper, which featured stories of tears and pride on this last day. That same feeling was being shared by many throughout the community.The news that the longtime plant was closing wasn't surprising, but that didn't make it any easier for Janesville residents to say goodbye to a plant that's given so much to so many.The plant's closure and the 1,200 people now out of work was the topic of the day at the Riverside Restaurant."I hope they can be hopeful, but it's kind of hard the way times are to be hopeful. There's not any jobs that will compare with that," one person said at the restaurant."I regret my friends losing their jobs," another person said. "Unfortunately, it's going to be a necessary step into getting everything back under control."Meanwhile, some sought to show support for employees outside the emptying parking lot. Billy Bob Grahn has never stepped foot inside GM, but waived an American flag."Everything these guys and their retirees have done to this community, I just wanted to say thanks," Grahn said. "I just hope they realize that we all appreciate them."Many residents said that the timing of the closing -- two days before Christmas -- was one of the worst parts of this situation, WISC-TV reported.Amy Loasching, Janesville City Council's president and a former GM employee, said that Tuesday was a day of mourning for everyone in the city."Today, I think is a dark day," she said. "It's a day we all need to grieve and we need to remember where we've been and then tomorrow will be the day when we look into the horizon and see the sunshine and know that there's better days to come."She said that the city is still not giving up hope that a new line of vehicles will locate inside the plantLoasching said that in the coming weeks and months, city officials will continue its efforts to bring in other large employers to Janesville.
Previous Stories:
- December 23, 2008: Final SUV Completed At Janesville GM Plant
- December 23, 2008: Editorial: GM Is Part Of Fabric Of Janesville
- December 23, 2008: Local Colleges Ready To Welcome GM Employees
- December 23, 2008: Three-Generation Family Reflect On GM's Closing
- December 23, 2008: GM Plant Shutdown Means Job Losses For Suppliers
- December 22, 2008: GM Workers Face Range Of Emotions With Upcoming Plant Closure
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