Summary

Chapter 5 is titled “Change in August.” On August 8, Marv's son Matt had been working since 1995, and he hoped that the plant would reopen. Around Labor Day, Jerad's twin daughters realized their father has been laid off. They were afraid that meant the family had to move. They noticed that Jerad seemed happy, as if on vacation. Kristi Beyer was employed at Lear Corp, the factory that produced seats for the GM plant. When the GM plant closed down the second shift, Kristi lost her job. In August, Kristi began classes at Blackhawk Tech, the local community college. Barb Vaughn, another former Lear employee, was also enrolled. The two women did not know each other until then, but they soon became friends.

Chapter 6 is titled “The Renaissance Center.” That September, a group from Janesville were slated to talk to GM officials in...