Duke
Before I was a realtor I worked in corporate america. I worked as a roofer through high school and grew up in NJ/PA. I have been all over this fair country and travel through out it often. Yes Detroit has been descimated but there are now automakers with operations in NC, Alabama so alot of those jobs have been shifted from US auto companies in MI to foreign auto companies with ops in other states. I’ve driven cross country several times always stopping in small towns and enjoying the local color as well as talking to folks about small town life. I’ve been to Charleston W.V. (a beautiful town in a the Blue Ridge mountains with a river winding through it) as well as up and down the blue ridge mountains. I have a friend in Southern Pines, NC who I visit to play golf and have seen the abject poverty that has existed there…well forever.

Some towns die while others are born. It is the natural order of things. I am in no way out fo touch with our society in SD or beyond. In fact, I probably have as good a perspective on it as anyone on this board.