It is reported that Severstal Wheeling has idled most of its plants in the Northern Panhandle area in April 2009 because of a weak economy and high production costs. Now unemployment benefits are running out. The loss of steel jobs is also turning some steel communities into ghost towns. Since last spring, hundreds of workers at Severstal Wheeling plants have been laid off.

Mr Bill Bensie USW local president in Steubenville Ohio said that the outlook is bleak for steelworkers in the area. Some are no longer receiving unemployment benefits and for others, the benefits could run out very soon.

He added that "Some are running out of both unemployment and sub pay. There are employees out there right now that have nothing coming in. It is really bad out their right now for steelworkers."

Around 1300 people are still laid off at the Steubenville and Mingo Junction Ohio plants. The lack of jobs hurts steel communities like the village of Mingo Junction.

Mr Domenic Chappano mayor of Mingo Junction said that "There is homes going up for sale a lot of them. We were a city and as time progressed it decreased. We are building as we speak a USD 16 million school building in Mingo. Don't know were we are going to get the people to go there or where they are going to get the monies from to operate. There is no property tax base. We have substantial layoffs in the service departments. Police Department is currently at 8 staff and if it continues, the revenues won’t be there. We have an option and this was stated by some of the councilmen that you may not have a police or fire department or both."

Mingo Junction is home to Severstal Wheeling’s electric arc furnace. The plant sits in the heart of downtown. There's a lot of pride in this community. The streets are lined with American flags.

(Sourced from www.wvpubcast.org)