From the daily archives:

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Smithfield Foods to lay off 30 workers, not 340

January 20, 2010

A ray of economic sunshine pierced the storm clouds of job loss enveloping Hampton Roads on Thursday.

Smithfield Foods Inc. said it planned to lay off no more than 30 workers at its soon-to-close Smithfield Packing Co. South plant. That’s less than 9 percent of the number – 340 – that the company had predicted it would let go almost a year ago.

And even those 30 might get their jobs back, said Jeff Gough, Smithfield Foods’ vice president of human resources.

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IP wants county help — but not right now

January 20, 2010

International Paper is “committed” to working with Isle of Wight to find a new use for its Franklin Mill site after the closure, a county economic development official said.
In a recent meeting, newly hired Mill Manager John Rankin told Isle of Wight officials that, “this is the first time IP has committed to a major reuse project like this,” according to Director of Economic Development Lisa Perry.
“They really made their strongest statement … acknowledging for the first time that IP would reach out and work with the communities,” she said

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Larger job fair coming to PDCCC

January 20, 2010

By Charlie Passut | Tidewater News

Published Wednesday, January 20, 2010

FRANKLIN—The second local job fair since International Paper Co. mill closure announcement will be held next week at the Paul D. Camp Community College Regional Workforce Development Center.

“The International Paper and Western Hampton Roads Job Fair” will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 27. The job fair is open to the public, not just IP employees, and is being run by Opportunity Inc. of Hampton Roads, a regional workforce organization based in Norfolk.

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