Town starting over after job cuts

THOMASTON - A Georgia town is struggling after 1,600 residents were left jobless when Thomaston Mills, the largest employer in Upson County for generations, closed a year and a half ago. <br> <br> The mills, which produced textiles such as sheets and towels, also paid out good salaries and provided workers stable careers. That is until the layoffs first hit in June 2001, catching many workers off guard. <br> <br> The Workforce Development Center in Thomaston says that about 700 people were unemployed in the county as of November. About 90 of those qualified for an extension of federal jobless benefits. <br> <br> The majority of those laid off have participated in a state job retraining program. <br> <br> But many of the employees had worked at the mills for decades and were unprepared to look for new jobs. <br> <br> One of the sticking points for many of the mill workers is the desire to stay close to home. Many say the the prospect of a long commute to work is not part of their game plan.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2003/1/185408