Clearwater Metro Area - 1998

概览

The Clearwater metro area straddles the line between industrial past and digital future in 1998. Steel mills and factories still operate on the east side, though layoffs have become monthly news. Downtown has a new convention center and two sports arenas built within the last decade. Malls are packed on weekends, record stores play new releases over crackling speakers, and the local newspaper employs over two hundred people. The city has three major television stations, a NHL hockey team called the Forge, and a downtown pedestrian mall that city officials insist will revitalize the district any year now. Cell phones exist but remain expensive novelties. Most people still use pagers, payphones, and paper maps.

社会

The city runs on manufacturing jobs, healthcare, and state government administration. Union membership is high but declining after years of contract concessions. The middle class is shrinking as factory work moves south or overseas. Home ownership feels achievable for dual-income households, though mortgage rates hover around seven percent. Credit cards arrive unsolicited in mailboxes weekly. The city council has six districts, and zoning disputes dominate public meetings. Sunday dinners, church attendance, and high school football remain cultural anchors across most communities.

科技

Dial-up internet connects homes through screeching phone lines, tying up the line for hours. AOL, Prodigy, and CompuServe compete for subscribers. Most offices still rely on fax machines and filing cabinets, with computers reserved for specialized work. Pagers are standard for doctors, tradespeople, and anyone who needs to be reached away from a landline. Payphones stand on most corners and cost a quarter. Video rental stores line major roads, and the shift from VHS to DVD is just beginning. Console gaming means Nintendo 64 or PlayStation hooked to a tube television.