Without the Mill
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Finding a niche
Joe Davey, manager of the county’s Employment Training Division, says that 30 Evergreen workers have already come in to start the retraining/re-employment process. The ETD administers federal funds to help laid-off workers. Davey said it was the biggest initial surge he’s seen after a mass layoff, and he expects yet more will come in.
Last week, David Corral was there, talking to vocational counselor Tom Deffenderfer. Corral, 45 and an Arcata native, was an instrument technician apprentice at Evergreen for two and a half years. Before that, he worked at Calgon — the carbon plant in Blue Lake — until it shut down. He’s not waiting on Evergreen, he said.
The subject of a county report on the region’s “targets of opportunity” came up — six areas in the labor market that are growing: diversified health care; building and systems construction and maintenance; specialty agriculture, food and beverages; investment support services; management and innovation services and niche manufacturing. Small-business stuff.
Corral said all that was fine, but he had just taken a look at the list of the more plentiful job openings in the North Coast region. “Most of those jobs are half of what we make at the mill,” he said. “Unless you’re a nurse, which is a $30-an-hour job. A lot of the jobs in this area are in the $10-an-hour range.”
He said he might have to move away for work. “But that’s last choice. I have a lot of ties here — I have a lot of family here and a lot of extended family. I still have two kids in high school.”
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on the cover
Railroad!
Proposed lines ‘set rich blood a-tingling’ in early 1900s
Some Other Proposed North Coast Railroads
Choo-choo Fantasies
Exposing this east-west rail nonsense
seven-o-heaven
Undeterred Will
Will chides Andrew for lack of attention to detail and makes plans for his inevitable victory.
Recent on the cover
May 17
Ring of Fire
Sun and moon will perform a rare pas de deux in Humboldt skies on Sunday
May 10
District Soup
Racing for the top county seat in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd districts
May 3
A Place in the Woods
As park closure deadline nears, a scramble to save what we can
Today
44th Annual Kinetic Grand Championship Race
STAFF PICK / events, art, outdoors, sports, for kids, free / 9 a.m.-6 p.m. A 3-day, 42-mile kinetic sculpture race over land, sand, mud and water! LeMans start at the Noon Whistle on the Arcata Plaza. Follow the race through Manila, Eureka and into Ferndale on Memorial Day for the Glorious Finish. kineticgrandchampionship.com. 889-3024.
Flow 2012 Fashion Show
STAFF PICK / events / 8 p.m. Arcata Theatre Lounge, 1036 G St. Student designed and produced clothing. Fundraiser for Arcata Arts Institute. $35/$25 students. artsinstitute.net. 822-1220.
Woodside Preschool's Rummage/Bake Sale
events / 8 a.m.-noon. Woodside Preschool, 900 Hodgson St, Eureka. www.woodsidepreschool.com. 445-9132.
Lanphere Dunes Restoration
STAFF PICK / outdoors / 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Meet at Pacific Union School. Help remove non-native invasives at the Lanphere Dunes Unit of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Tools and gloves provided, wear work clothes and bring water. Carpool to the protected site. 444-1397.
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FIVE Comments
Comment / By Bill / Nov. 6, 2008, 9:29 a.m.
And how many mill workers are addicted to meth? Right about 50% And that’s only the one that closed. How do you think there going to get more meth? Stealing and robbing.
Comment / By jmc / Nov. 6, 2008, 4:57 p.m.
Meth - where do you get this idea? Evergreen has a very tough drug policy and you couldn’t get a job there if you were a user.
Comment / By J.A. Schwartzj / Nov. 6, 2008, 4:58 p.m.
A fine comprehensive story of the local industry, people and insights into their personalities and plans. One feels like a local, with first-hand perspectives on the concerns of neighbors and others affected by the shutdown. Another great job by HW.
Comment / By Cindy / Nov. 7, 2008, 6:10 p.m.
So Bill, Where did you get your data on meth. use? How insulting. My father was interviewed for this article. He has worked there his entire adult life. His employment paid for me to graduate from College. You shouldn’t make generalizations without backing it up with documentation.
Meth. use is a serious problem in Humboldt County. A serious side effect of Meth. addiction is the inability to maintain employment. Your statement seems illogical. Perhaps you should think things through before you type.
Comment / By Steve / Nov. 12, 2008, 6:25 p.m.
Bill – You are an ignorant, inconsiderate buffoon. You should put down your crack pipe before you pop-off about dedicated, hard working people who are victims of a bad economy and immoral Chinese management practices. Evidently you don’t work. Go renew your 215 card. You are vermin.