Yeah, have lived here most of my life.  Ottumwa used to be such a neat town.  Downtown shopping on Thursday nites (John Morrell & Co paid on Thurs) we absolutely elbow-to-elbow on the sidewalks.   But when Morrell went out in 1973, things began to change.  Hormel came in for several years after that....it was marginal, but now that Excell/Cargill Meat Solutions has the plant, the town is pretty much in the tank.   As Cliff says, the fastest growing Hispanic population in Iowa, which is going some when there are towns like Perry and Sioux City.  Too many are illegal, and there is more gang activity than anyone wants to see.   Now the city fathers are all wrapped around the axle about bringing in a casino for an economic boost, but I'm not sure whether that will be a help or a hinderance.