When layoffs were announced at the paper mill that is the economic mainstay of International Falls, residents established an economic response team focused in three areas. But the initial step of seeking $550,000 in federal money to help has been stymied by the federal government shutdown.
International Falls residents suggest tourism, a brewery, hydroponic gardening, entrepreneurship and more as means to reinvent their community in the wake of paper mill job cuts.
Governor Mark Dayton will visit International Falls tomorrow to find out how he can help in the wake of major layoffs at the Boise paper mill and an announced sale of the plant.
By the end of this coming Monday, 265 workers will have lost their jobs at the Boise paper mill in International Falls. That has people in the city talking about diversifying the economy.
We asked International Falls residents how they might reinvent the community in the wake of a declining paper industry. We heard everything from using the great-tasting water for beer to hoping an entrepreneurial graduate comes back with a big idea.
Boise Inc. is expected to sell to Illinois-based Packaging Corporation of America by the end of the year, potentially affecting the paper mill in International Falls. The city’s mayor Bob Anderson said this could be a positive turn for the plant, which is in the midst of significant layoffs.
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