Kyla might have to move back home

I come from a town of less than 1,000 people (832 at the 2000 census). When my mom had twins she really boosted the population. The biggest thing to happen to our town was in 1997, when the football team won a state championship. When people hear this they often say things like, "Oh wow, you probably knew everyone, didn't you?" Yes, I did know everyone. I also knew their entire extended family, the last three cars their family's driven, their dog's name....etc.

Royal Center's not quite an economic hub, either. We have one gas station (Bonnell's) and a weekly newspaper (The Royal Center Record). Oh, and one blinking light.

Needless to say, I don't plan on spending any time there after graduation. This has my dad really upset, as everytime he emails me he mentions that I should intern with the Record. I always respond that I'll move back home when Royal Center gets a public transportation system, a lenghty way of saying never.

Well, this morning I checked my email and found this:

Jane,

I went to Bonnell's yesterday and bought my first Royal Center Record in a long time. So anyway, I couldn't believe my eyes. I immediately went to their website and tried to cut and paste it onto here, so you can see it too....I think it's great news.....hope it comes through...

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION COMING TO ROYAL CENTER

In a surprise news conference held at the Royal Center Public Library, Gov. Mitch Daniels today announced an experimental program funded entirely with a grant from the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) . Royal Center will be the home of Indiana's first intercity trolley . Under terms of the grant, the trolley must stretch to all parts of the city, with one line stretching from the far north to the deep southern tip of the city. Another line will travel fom the eastern tip to the western edge of town. The bisection of the two lines will be the site of the new Royal Center Union Station.The project is expected to be completed by April of 2009.

Local resident Fred Henry (typical small-town neighbor who my dad's obsessed with), the head of Royal Center's "Moving Ahead Alliance," stated, "We've waited a long time for this. For too long we've seen a lot of our kids leave town for college and never come back. We're hoping they will now see the great opportunities here."

Although most residents are excited about the project, there were also some dissenters. Local resident Wilson Green (my grandpa who tends to disagree with my dad on anything politically related) said, " It's 'indiscrimination', that's what it is. I already pay enough taxes." One unknown resident yelled from the crowd, "Is it a tool, or a toy?" (inside joke here...)

There is already talk of eventually extending the trolley from the eastern suburbs to the western suburbs. This would mean one could hop the trolley in Lucerne (smaller than Royal Center) and would be able to ride clear to Bell Center (even smaller than Lucerne). If that goes well, a line from Logansport (our version of a city...it DOES have a Wal-Mart) to Winamac (slightly larger than Royal Center...also where I was born) will soon follow, thus the whole Royal Center metropolis would be covered by the trolley. Housing prices are expected to double within three years, as demand for housing will outstrip supply. Already, "For Sale" signs are popping up in Carmel and Broadripple, as people are planning to move to Royal Center, which is now being called the last and best hope for capitalism. With the expected surge in population, and housing prices shooting to all-time highs, many local students returning home will actually have to live with their parents, as even a starter house will be well beyond their budgets. Indeed, all is well in Royal Center.

Well Jane, thats about it. I hope that came through ok. I tried to save the paper to send it to you, but Mom spilled a Diet Coke all over it. I hope you're as excited about all of this as I am.

Hope the Record is hiring.