Calhoun County, West Virginia is currently a community on the verge of rising from the ashes of decades political abuse and counterfactual thinking by its residents. Counterfactual thinking is the tendency we have to focus on the past and wonder “what could have been.” It involves thinking about the “what ifs” and “if onlys” as we envision what might have happened if things had been different, but never taking the initiative to change the circumstances. I fully believe the county citizens knew the potential of the land they dwell in, but lacked the vision and opportunity.
Someone once said that “Opportunity is missed because it’s dressed in overalls and looks too much like work.” That is not the case in Calhoun County. Opportunity was likely in a lock box under the bed of those who had already made their fortune and had no desire to help others make theirs. Calhoun County people have never been afraid to get their hands dirty. Work brings a sense of pride.
The newly founded FINEX InC organization is filled with ten visionaries. Perhaps they would be more appropriately called visioneers, because they’re engineering vision by utilizing one huge opportunity, (the American Medicines Company), and creating dozens of roads that will lead to housing, business, recreation and career opportunities for the families living in and around Calhoun County.
Is the American Medicine’s Company a done deal? No. But the pitch that this group of individuals will make to AMC on July 16th, 2024 is hope in the making as they present a new vision of what Calhoun County has to offer the Corporation that will employ 500 people.
While this is the current focus of FINEX InC, it is not their only vision. The hope is to restore Calhoun County back to its glory days.
In an article penned by area resident Bob Bonar he noted that Calhoun County peaked at 12,455 in 1940 and declined thereafter, with a population of 6,229 in 2020. The current population is listed at 5,849. The county’s economy in the late 20th century was based on livestock grazing, light manufacturing, and the oil and gas and pipeline construction industries. Calhoun County’s largest employers are, respectively, the county school system, Minnie Hamilton Healthcare Center, and Momentum Pipeline.
Through hard work, marketing and sharing their vision with people who long to own a piece of the simplicity of country living, recreational opportunities and business potential, FINEX InC is striving to put Calhoun County on the map as the best kept secret in America.
This would be such an amazing opportunity for this county. God bless you all for working to bring those jobs to Calhoun. What a great thing it would be.
How many of the 500 jobs will actually be filled by Calhoun residents? What kind of pills will be manufactured in Calhoun? And if the jobs are paying $100k per year, it would seem to me that big pharma is overcharging their customers. I will patiently await answers on these simple questions.
Jason,
Why does it matter what medication or precursor would be produced? Anything produced would have to be legal and FDA approved.
Regards,
Patrick
The vast majority of the jobs will be Calhoun Residents with the exception of upper management. If I’m not mistaken the current medications that were under consideration were those for diabetics, high blood pressure, etc. Prescriptions that are in high demand. The reason for the high dollar salaries is to keep staff (that must be trusted and trained) from leaving.
Patrick,
Any drug that is banned was once approved by the FDA as well. I still think a lifestyle change can eliminate all drugs needed. To quote Steve Jobs, “Eat your food as medicine, otherwise you have to eat medicine as your food. The six best doctors in the world are sunlight, rest, exercise, diet, self confidence and friends. Maintain them in all stages and enjoy a healthy life.”
Jason, you make fair points about banned drugs and eating your medicine. My e we I’ve and I grow, raise, or hunt/gather about 90% of what we eat. My question to you was, why does what they produce matter in the context of jobs, excellent wages, and all the ancillary benefits that would follow?
Patrick
I guess I’m not a supportive of a poison factory.
That’s ridiculously hyperbolic and defies common sense. What would you want to see instead of a company that will domestically manufacture life saving, high demand medications for conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure? WV has the second highest rate of DM in the nation and the third highest rate of high blood pressure. We can’t just “eat our medicine” out of either of those facts – it takes a comprehensive approach that requires medications. Controlling those conditions dramatically improves individual quality of life and productivity, while significantly decreasing the amount of government dollars spent on treating related conditions caused by untreated or under-treated disease. At the most basic level, productive people cost less to care for and generate more wealth for their families.
Communities improve quality of life by broadening the tax base beyond local property tax, tourism and agriculture. These kinds of manufacturing companies invest millions in infrastructure, infrastructure improvements, and surrounding communities, in addition to salaries and other compensation. They support second and third tiers of employment via companies that directly support their operations, or serve those that do. Something like this isn’t just 500 direct jobs; it’s easily that many more indirect jobs!
I guess I disagree with cutting our collective noses off to spite our faces because of “Big-Pharma” or other equally nebulous boogeymen…
I would like to see the people change their lifestyles and better themselves so they are not dependant on pills and or man made meds. It takes some effort, research and common sense. Or they can continue to be dependant on a system that is an obvious failure. The choice is theirs. I will choose minimal effort, common sense and thinking for myself. Seems easier than eating poison and then depending on poison to make things tolerable while you are sick and feel bad for yourself because you ate garbage forever cause it was the easy thing to do. Think about it for a second. All of the resources are free online to investigate anything you put into your body. How many cures have pills had on disease? It’s a business and I’m choosing to not be a customer. Same with garbage dollar stores. But that’s a whole other subject no one wants to deal with.
I wish I had your resolve to make those decisions. I’m my worst enemy. Your way is no doubt the best way, the point of the matter is, somebody has to take care of stupid people like me that eat terrible. And then there are those who receive predispositioned genetics that make it extremely hard to fight the issues. Add to that, life circumstances that create depression and oh so many other issues, we are a nation in need of medications. The best thing we can be is encouragers of one another to live better, which I believe you’re doing. Keep taking good care of yourself!
We are a nation in need of help to get away from meds, poisons and poor choices. I am not perfect by any means but do take time to think for myself. And if everyone would take a minute to look at what they are eating and doing, it’s not impossible to change. Little bit everyday and see what happens. Give it a try. It’s still free to try……for now.