I never knew my grandfather Charles Murray, who died before I was born. But I grew up hearing about him from my dad, and from my older sisters, who called him Gaga. And I just spent Saturday morning with him.
I was scrolling on a Facebook group called “Middletown Ohio Talk” and asking Gaga about the old days, when Middletown was a thriving steel town where people flocked for work from several states around—a town that didn’t have a need that the American Rolling Mill Company couldn’t fulfill. And Gaga was the go-to guy, as head of public relations and personnel at the Armco, the protégé of the founder who only Charles Dickens could have named—George M. Verity.
Things have gone downhill in this southwestern Ohio town of about 50,000 since Gaga retired in the late 1950s, and since Armco struggled along with all other American steel companies, shrinking and ultimately being acquired by a Japanese company.
Things have gotten no better since I spent some time there during the 2008 election and wrote a piece for The Huffington Post titled, “It’s Already December Here: A Report from an Ohio Embed.”
Gaga and I were taken aback by some of the things we read as we scrolled back just through postings from March. And we didn’t even get all the way through.
The first thing to know is, there are lots of dogs on the loose in Middletown, and lots of beloved cats are missing. Many people are willing to haul your scrap metal or clear your brush. More people than you’d think need financial help in the wake of a house fire. And the police chief resigned earlier this month, in the face of unspecified allegations.
Also:
Watch out for Door Dasher Michael. He pretends he’s delivering your food and then runs off with your burrito
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Do not act all high and mighty at a Community Blessing Box. It’s for everyone to fill up and take from. Just because we got house’s and car’s doesn’t mean we ain’t struggling. Just because we choose not to be on Drugs,ride stolen kids bicycle’s, and haven’t bathed for 3 day’s or more. Doesn’t give you the right to complain when we choose to get food out of a blessing box. You know dam good and well people are struggling because of Biden and this Administration. Can’t go to the Grocery store and not get charged a couple of hundred even if you got Food stamps. The main reason for a blessing box is for the community to help each other out. Just shameful when you’re trying to dictate who can use that box. Life’s a lot harder when you’re sick and can’t work. Barely hanging on to life because of a machine 3 day’s out of week. I don’t loose my temper much but I should of kept in check then getting loud and rude. For that I’m truly sorry but you was in the wrong to.
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I know this is a long shot and it takes everything in me to ask for help, So please I don’t need any rude comments, I’m not a POS, I’m just having a rough time right now, No family and no one to ask for help, TBH I’m pretty desperate. I work @ Schneider Electric in Oxford Ohio, But I have to get my GED before i can go back, It’s not as easy as i thought, But i only have 2 subjects to go. Thing is I’m out of $ now and no way to pay for them. One of them is only 10$ because it’s a retake and the other is 36$. I just got my apartment a week before I got told about my GED, and I’m close to losing it. I’ve came so far this past year after coming out of a very abusive relationship. And the thought of losing my apartment feels like my heart’s in my stomach. So if there’s anyone that can help me out a little I’d be so appreciative, My Cash app is ______. But I’m also willing to do house cleaning, yardwork ect…. Again please no rude comments I understand I’m grown and I should not be asking for help, But sometimes people go through things and need a little help. Thank you
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I just want to say thank you so much to a guy named Bo at meijers. I take care of a lady and I was doing her grocery shopping tonight and I went to check out and her card was declined. I asked the kid checking me out if I could put back some of her stuff to where I could afford her groceries for the week until she can figure out what is going on with her bank. This guy this angel pays $140 for her groceries for the week. I cannot tell you how blessed I felt at that moment because I don’t have a lot of money but the fact that the stranger was willing to help this lady just amazes me. So if you know a guy named Bo who was at meijers please give him a hug for me because my thank you and handshake didn’t seem enough. I will definitely pay that forward!
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It’s nice to see these police officers doing their jobs on these sobriety checkpoints @ North University Blvd & Central 😉
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There is camera footage of the people who have been trying to go through my grandmas burnt down property and charges will be pressed and if any of us catch you guys in there being it’s private property you will get shot
[laughing emoticon]
! Bums
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Cinema 10 closed permanently. Does this surprise anyone?
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MY WIFE WALKED IN THE HOUSE, SLAMMED HER SH*T DOWN AND STARTED RANTING ABOUT EVERYTHING IMAGINABLE. OUR 9 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WALKS IN AND SAID, “WHO LIT THE FUSE ON YOUR TAMPON?” I HAD TO STEP OUTSIDE SO I DIDN’T GET SLAPPED FOR LAUGHING …
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I have 3 , 18 packs of eggs if anyone needs them.They will be on the porch at _____ Trenton Franklin Road.Pay what you can afford,take them all or leave some for the next person.All free range unwashed fresh eggs.
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Some1 stole my porch bring it back or I’m evolving the law I have to go out the back door now and it’s getting tiring
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Any free baby girl stuff im expecting April 28th with my 2nd (Comment: “Girl I have a whole trash bag of girl clothes u can have”)
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Hey! I know self-promotion is bad, but my financial condition is worse, and I’m desperate. I have been doing vent cleaning for about 9 years now. I am running a small business. Would anyone be interested in having their vents cleaned? There are no hidden fees, and you only pay when the job is completed. To build new relationships in 2024, we have started offering a 50% discount for the month. The business is suffering from low sales and is on the verge of closing. I need the help of the community. We offer reasonable prices. It’s very necessary to keep vents clean for a healthy life. We are licensed and insured. We thank the community in advance.
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My wife and i have been doing car detailing for about 4 years now. The business is suffering from low sales and on the verge of closing. I need the help of the community .We offer reasonable prices . So get your car detailed and make it look like a brand new vehicle.
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Any scrappers in the area? I have 2 trampolines that need gone
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TRAFFIC WARNING TO OTHERS: avoid smith park area. Wtf is going on at smith park? An officer needs to be out there I just witnessed multiple people almost get hit cause others tried to go around and drive into oncoming traffic and others blocking a main intersection at tytus and verity.
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If your going to put “raise hell and eat cornbread” on your truck ….maybe you shouldn’t drive like an A$$….
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Middletown is crooks and are not going to release why they releasing the [police] chief of his duty’s,they are hiding something from us residents and it has to be bad for them to do this,we need to vote everyone off the board and get some honest people on there,Middletown is stealing so much money from us it’s not even funny.its the people fault the property taxes went to 42% because non of u all actually read up on what ur voting on and it’s sad u just vote to be voting,I hope Trump becomes our president I pray to God that he does,then I see Russia sending 4 nukes and taking america out,simple fact out military cannot hit a target with the silo missiles at all,so everyone needs to vote trump just maybe just maybe we will be Ina. Better place and not have illegal aliens roaming the streets getting free health care and free stamps section 8 they live better then we do,and u all can blame Biden and his side crooks for this
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Gaga died in 1964. And as I closed my laptop Saturday morning I thought heard him mutter, “The country’s been going to hell in a hand basket ever since.” I might have quibbled. But I didn’t.
Wow, that’s a lot of apostrophe(‘)s!