Editor's desk: Looking in depth at paycheck-to-paycheck existence

By Bob Heisse

Today we begin a series of stories that may well rank among the most important journalism we present, in this or any year.

This series, reported and written by Anne Danahy and Chris Rosenblum, lifts the veil over what’s behind the statistics here in Centre County and what’s often “outta sight, outta mind” in our Happy Valley environment.

These stories, which will run for six days, are about your neighbors and friends — and perhaps you — and how some residents are having trouble making ends meet right now.

It’s a struggle for many for one reason or another, and it’s not getting easier, particularly in this time of rising gas and home-heating costs and an overall rising cost of living.

We talk a lot about the statistics — for example, one in three Centre County residents seeks assistance from a United Way agency each year.

But often the statistics remain beneath the surface as we boast how virtually everyone around here works and how we can afford to spend more and more money for a school building plan or another project.

Yes, there are a lot of job opportunities in Centre County, unlike some other areas of Pennsylvania, but many are finding the jobs just don’t pay the kind of wages that let them do anything but tread water, or actually fall behind. Some are working two jobs and still have trouble making ends meet.

This series may open your eyes to a reality that’s rarely told in depth, and you’ll meet people who share what they’re facing right here in our community.

Many times a series like this, discussed for weeks and months, comes together and then editors sit around to think of a title that ties it all together.

Often that’s a tough job, but in this case the stories made it easy.

Over and over, people interviewed, whether residents or human-service workers, mentioned that people are living a “paycheck-to-paycheck” existence.

That description gave us a name that stuck for the right reason.

We’ve spent a lot of time this year reporting and analyzing our affordable-housing crisis, in particular the need for work-force housing in the Centre Region.

This series includes housing but goes beyond it, reporting on struggles people are having with jobs, health insurance, credit, food costs and more.

Much of what you read this week will not surprise human-service workers. They recognize these needs and work with residents every day, and they share what they’re doing every Wednesday in “Helping Hands” columns in the Centre Daily Times.

But many times the statistics they present don’t resonate with many of us as we move along our merry way and keep all of this “outta sight, outta mind.”

Our “paycheck to paycheck” series will bring it into focus, for at least one week, and present ways to help. Please take time out of your busy days for these important stories.

As always, please contact me with concerns you have about anything in the Centre Daily Times or online at www.centredaily.com.

Executive Editor Bob Heisse can be reached at bheisse@centredaily.com or 231-4640. His blog, “Back in Happy Valley,” is on the Web site.