About 120 North Country residents gathered late yesterday in Groveton to hear from local, state and federal officials about what they could do to help soon-to-be unemployed paper mill workers.
NHPR Correspondent Chris Jensen has the story.
It was an ambitious meeting called by Senator John Sununu.
For more than two hours, officials from the U.S. Departments of Labor and Commerce vowed extensive help for the 300 Wausau paper mill workers expecting to lose their jobs.
Company officials blame international competition, but government officials also vowed to help work with local and state officials to find ways to revitalize the economy of the North Country.
They promised to play an important role, providing expertise and money, but they stressed that would require leadership and a serious effort from the community.
Becky Newton lives in Groveton, and her husband is a Wausau worker.
"I think that for people to travel all the way from Washington to this little corner of the world at this time of the year, it's not our best season to be entertaining people from Washington, but I think their willingness to come and talk to the people at Ground Zero, so to speak, is impressive."
The Wausau paper mill is scheduled to close on December 31st.
For NHPR News, this is Chris Jensen.
