ABC News Propaganda

ABC news came to town. National news that is. And Pinedale was featured as having the best economy and lowest unemployment in the nation. In fact, we "have more jobs than we know what to do with". The 2 minute segment was likely the best propaganda piece Pinedale could receive.

But it was also full of wrong information. We don't have more jobs than we know what to do with. Friends are being laid off from their jobs, sales are down, many folks have to work two or three jobs to afford to live here. The month of April had ZERO homes sold, and there are "for rent" signs everywhere. Rent typically starts at $1200, with most units falling in the $1600 - $1800 a month range.  Rent has not dropped and landlords refuse to budge, willing to take a loss rather than concede the economy is in decline.

Available jobs are in the service industry, but even those will suffer with decreased demand as oil and gas workers are laid off and move back to the states where they claim residence, thus affecting unemployment in those areas and not here. Tourism has been in the decline recently as well, since hotel rooms have generally been taken by oil and gas workers and hotel owners have upped their prices to a level most tourists can't easily afford, $10o - $150 a night on average.

So, if you want to work at a bar and local eatery, make $10 at one, and $8 at the other, want 3 roomates in order to afford rent, come on up to Pinedale Wyoming. Many destitute and unemployed folks from accross the country have shown up in Pinedale looking for this mecca of jobs and wonderful economy. I am sorry that they have been universally disappointed.