News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - April 17, 1997
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Gov. Locke grants $50,000 in emergency funds for retraining Port Angeles area workers; promotes the Workforce Training Act

OLYMPIA — Gov. Gary Locke today presented Port Angeles leaders $50,000 from his emergency fund to help create a new job skills training center in Clallam County. The governor hand delivered the check during a community visit to see efforts to diversify the economy after last month's closure of ITT Rayonier's pulp mill, formerly the county's largest private employer.

"I'm impressed with the strong partnership Port Angeles is forming with government and private businesses to diversify its economy," said Locke. "People who have worked hard all their lives suddenly find less demand for their jobs skills. Investing in retraining workers is an investment in healthy families and healthy communities, and an important role for state government.

"We must train workers for the jobs of today and the next century, and then attract those jobs to cities like Port Angeles, so workers don't have to move to find a job," Locke continued.

Gov. Locke also announced he will sponsor a Rural Economic Development Summit in Port Angeles next fall for Western Washington. It will include leaders from communities struggling with high unemployment and declining jobs in natural resource industries like fishing and timber. The governor will sponsor a similar summit for Eastern Washington communities.

Gov. Locke said the loss of 365 jobs at the Rayonier mill in Port Angeles and expected job losses in natural resource industries throughout the state demonstrate why the Legislature needs to continue the successful Timber Retraining Benefits and the Workforce Training Act. Both programs had their budgets cut dramatically by the Legislature for the next biennium.

The $50,000 grant from Gov. Locke's Emergency Fund will match a $50,000 grant from ITT Rayonier to develop the new North Olympic Peninsula skills training center at Peninsula College. It would be operated by a consortium of school districts in Clallam and Jefferson counties as well as Peninsula College, the Clallam County Economic Development Council and the local Employment Security office.

Gov. Locke met with the Port Angeles Economic Response Task Force, toured a workforce training program at Peninsula College, visited the site of a planned estuary project and the new Admiral Marine Works. Admiral Marine Works will eventually employ 150 people and was recruited with the help of the state's Community Trade and Economic Development Department.


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