Downturn forces Pendleton, Oregon to ‘Cowboy up’

The loss of a Fleetwood Travel Trailers of Oregon plant and its 253 jobs is bringing both pain and optimism to this eastern Oregon rodeo and wheat town.

Sales clerk Mary Bonifer ran her fingers over a tooled leather belt in the Hamley & Co. store downtown while fretting about the idled workers and their families. She’s also worried about the impact of so many lost jobs on the rest of her town, population 16,830.

by Richard Cockle, The Oregonian

Full Story: http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/03/post_62.html