Here’s what the New York Times Thinks about Western PA

The New York Times just printed this article about Monessen, Pennsylvania.

Now, I know that Monessen is NOT New Kensington.

From reading this article, though, it sounds as if some Monessen residents have the same hopes and dreams for their city as we have for ours. Part of that is getting past the idea that big industry will save us.

I personally don’t think that everything that Monessen’s Mayor Louis Mavrakis says about Monessen in this article is also true of New Kensington.

However, all of the people interviewed for this article lent fresh insight to the challenges we all tackle here in our own town.

Also, I just think its important to know what the world says about towns like ours.

Because this is the narrative that the Times just told the rest of the world. About former steel towns along the rivers into Pittsburgh. About Western Pennsylvania. About us.