 The Grand Rapids region has taken a major hit to its economy. 150 positions have been cut from the blended paper mill as they've decided to close down one of their machines used for making graphic paper. The European company UPM, which owns the plant, said all those layoffs will be completed by the first quarter of 2018. Today they said the cuts were made because the demand for graphic paper is declining and is expected to continue to do so in the future. Regardless, the loss of jobs has a community reeling. Northeastern Minnesota, the people that live in these communities up here, are very, very resilient people, you know, and they can weather storms like this. Before the cuts today, the blended plant employed about 400 people. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.