Article “Hershey unveils plant expansion” reports:
“This is really a sunny day,” Gov. Tom Corbett, denying the evidence of his senses, told a crowd of media and dignitaries in a dripping tent Tuesday morning in West Hershey, where the Hershey Co. was unveiling a $300 million chocolate factory expansion…
Corbett lauded the project, which he said is a tribute to the innovative ideals of the company’s founder…
The Hershey Co. received $2.5 million for construction through the state’s Opportunity Grant program, Department of Community and Economic Development spokeswoman Theresa Elliott said Tuesday…
WATCHDOG: Contrary to the glowing praise for the expansion by officiating Gov. Tom Corbett, indefatigable readers reaching the 25th paragraph were confounded with the following revelation:
“Because of increased automation, [company spokesman Jeff] Beckman said, there was a net loss of about 300 jobs during the transition.”
We are not taking a position against the state taxpayers shelling out $2.5 million to avoid the possibility of Hershey fleeing to Mexico (although this seems a bit improbable), but we do challenge the editor’s judgment in burying the fact that the expansion actually resulted in a loss of 300 jobs both on the ‘flip page’ at the tail end of a very long article.
Arguably, the headline could as well have been: “State subsidizes loss of 300 Hershey jobs”
The information should have been within the first half dozen paragraphs.
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If Corbett is involved expect the worst.