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My town is the new unemployment capital of Kansas. But have you tried the water?
The unemployment rate is 5.8%, according to the latest figures from the Kansas Department of Labor. That’s double the 2.9% unemployment KDOL recording for the city this time in April 2024.
What happened?
The massive Tyson Beef Plant closed, with a loss of more than 800 jobs. Tyson announced the closure in December 2024 (here comes Santa Claus) and said it would be effective by Feb. 14 (just in time for Valentine’s Day). Really, who picks these dates?
Tyson said it was shutting down the Emporia plant to improve efficiency. That means it was losing money. The company’s beef unit logged a $291 million loss in fiscal 2024, and because the Emporia plant primarily produced ground beef, it had to go.
The plant was one of the things that made Emporia, well Emporia, kind of like the weirdly sweet smell from the Dolly Madison plant on Industrial Road. Dolly, which employs several hundred, closed in 2012 after strikes and union woes. Hostess, the parent company, went bankrupt. The Dolly bakery was reopened in 2013, following its acquisition by a private equity firm. It still makes Twinkies, but as the Dolly Madison Cake Co.
What happened?
The massive Tyson Beef Plant closed, with a loss of more than 800 jobs. Tyson announced the closure in December 2024 (here comes Santa Claus) and said it would be effective by Feb. 14 (just in time for Valentine’s Day). Really, who picks these dates?
Tyson said it was shutting down the Emporia plant to improve efficiency. That means it was losing money. The company’s beef unit logged a $291 million loss in fiscal 2024, and because the Emporia plant primarily produced ground beef, it had to go.
The plant was one of the things that made Emporia, well Emporia, kind of like the weirdly sweet smell from the Dolly Madison plant on Industrial Road. Dolly, which employs several hundred, closed in 2012 after strikes and union woes. Hostess, the parent company, went bankrupt. The Dolly bakery was reopened in 2013, following its acquisition by a private equity firm. It still makes Twinkies, but as the Dolly Madison Cake Co.
More worth reading at:
https://kansasreflector.com/2025/07/27/my-town-is-the-new-unemployment-capital-of-kansas-but-have-you-tried-the-water/
1 replies
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