It's to the best of our knowledge.

I'm Andstrained champs.

From factory closings and job loss to widespread opiate addiction and rising suicide rates,

the hard times facing Rust Belt cities have gotten a lot of press.

But mostly about white working class America, not from it.

You don't work?

I got laid off after two and a half years.

You're getting out of appointment, right?

Done.

You shouldn't have to be penalized for it for the situation.

You've been looking for jobs, and it's tough.

This week, Charles Monroe Kane heads home to Northeast Ohio to talk with family and friends

about what it's like to live there.

I'm not telling you what to do. I'm just saying your goals could probably be higher than that.

I would say that the way that society that we live in, your starting point determines your endpoint.

Wisconsin Public Radio I'm Anne Strain Champs. It's to the best of our knowledge, and today we're heading to the

center of the world, which, believe it or not, is a real place. It's in Ohio. And it's where our producer

Charles Monroe Kane is from, a small town called Center of the World.

So this is Charles.

I've been touring around for last couple days in my hometown.

Let's turn down one of the side streets if you want.

It's just house after house that's boarded up.

...