Population declines on Southern Tier

From this news report in the Olean Times-Herald, it appears Cattaraugus County leads New York State in population decline. No doubt, this is a big factor as AWHS considers its future. Potential for gathering additional students appears limited by this one fact of life: the pool of potential students is smaller than ever, it seems. Thus, AWHS administrators consider casting a wider net (recruiting well beyond the bounds of a reasonable commute) or adding more grades (including a middle school, for starters). Parishes all over the Buffalo Diocese have consolidated and some have disappeared. Key reason appears to be population loss.

I was especially taken with the quote in the article about the effects of the "brain drain" from Cattaraugus County. Hey, where the jobs are, people will follow. Except for the snow, I suppose, I'd love to still be living in western New York close to family, but that won't happen for many of the reasons outlined in the article. I'm finding it best to be near family here in Austin and creating community where I am, not where I've been.

Back in the late 1960s, as we neared graduation from high school, many of us were encouraged by mentors to do exactly what we did, that is, move away for employment and life opportunities. It appears that many, many, many of us took that advice. What's your story?