Senator Moreno: Chillicothe Paper Mill closure paused till end of year
Speaking to a large crowd near the mill, he said, "We're going to find a company that's willing to come to Chillicothe and invest in people first.'
More: Chillicothe businesses are banding together to support paper mill employees
'I am confident that this mill will not only survive next year, but for the next 200 years in this community.'
Pixelle Specialty Solutions had announced the closure earlier this week, which would affect approximately 800 employees. The mill has been part of the community for more than 200 years.
DeWine said state and local leaders were already working to find a new company to take over the mill — and they now have more time to do so.
'We cannot guarantee you that, but we're all in this together,' DeWine said. 'Nobody can come down here and walk around and talk to the people in this crowd and not think, 'My, we've got to do something.''
Chillicothe Mayor Luke Feeney said he is very relieved at this news.
"Well, I will say that my first thoughts are with the families that get a little bit of time now," Feeney said. "I hope Easter weekend will be a little more relaxing for them."
Feeney said he hopes this news gives workers optimism for the future.
"I'm very grateful to the team, state, the governor, and senators who got the pause for us," Feeney said. "I'm looking forward to digging in Monday to keep this thing open and fighting like hell."
We will continue to update this story throughout the day.
This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Chillicothe Paper Mill closure paused till end of year
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Upturn
a day ago
- Business Upturn
Inside the Business Model of Smudge the Cat
The internet has always had a soft spot for cats, but few have reached the level of viral fame that Smudge the Cat enjoys. Known for his now-iconic appearance in the viral 'Woman Yelling at a Cat' meme, Smudge went from being an ordinary housecat to a global digital sensation. While the meme started as a piece of internet comedy, it quickly evolved into a lucrative business model in the USA, turning Smudge into one of the most recognized pet influencers in the world. But how exactly does a meme-famous cat like Smudge transform internet clout into a thriving income stream? Let's dive deep into the Smudge the Cat business model and explore the economic engines behind this fluffy internet star. Smudge the Cat's Rise to Meme-Fueled Fame in the USA Smudge wasn't always a celebrity. In fact, like many viral stars, fame found him unexpectedly. The photo of Smudge sitting at a dinner table with a grumpy expression, paired with the yelling woman meme template, exploded across Twitter, Reddit, and Instagram in 2019. Almost overnight, Smudge became a face recognized worldwide. What makes Smudge's story unique is that his fame was not initially manufactured by branding agencies or marketing professionals. Instead, it was entirely grassroots — powered by shares, reposts, and remixes from millions of online users. This organic virality laid the foundation for what would later become a carefully managed and profitable influencer business in the USA. Smudge's human family quickly realized the potential of this fame and began shaping it into a sustainable income model. How the Smudge the Cat Business Model Works in the USA When it comes to understanding how pet influencers make money, Smudge provides one of the clearest examples. His business model combines meme culture, influencer economics, and traditional branding strategies. Here are the core pillars: Smudge Pet Influencer Income USA: Brand Sponsorships and Partnerships One of the primary revenue streams for Smudge comes from brand sponsorships. With millions of meme fans across social media platforms, Smudge has a built-in audience that brands want to tap into. Pet food companies, lifestyle brands, and even tech firms see value in associating with an instantly recognizable internet celebrity. In these deals, Smudge's image is used to promote products in fun, meme-inspired ways. Unlike traditional influencer ads that sometimes feel forced, Smudge's campaigns often use humor, making them more authentic and shareable. This keeps engagement rates high, which in turn drives up his value to advertisers. Smudge Meme Brand Deals: Merchandise and E-Commerce If there's one place Smudge has truly thrived, it's merchandise. The Smudge meme brand deals often come to life in the form of T-shirts, mugs, stickers, and even plush toys. Fans of the meme love owning physical reminders of their favorite internet joke, and Smudge's signature table-sitting expression is instantly recognizable on products. What sets Smudge's merchandise apart from generic meme merch is that it's officially licensed, meaning fans know their purchases support Smudge's family and help maintain his influencer career. In the USA, where e-commerce is booming, this merchandise arm is a key driver of Smudge's income stream. Licensing and Media Opportunities in the Smudge Business Model Another important part of the Smudge the Cat business model is licensing. Memes often exist in a gray area of internet ownership, but Smudge's photo is original content, allowing his family to legally license it. This means Smudge's likeness can appear in official memes, ad campaigns, and even media productions. Licensing agreements are highly valuable because they generate passive income. Once a deal is signed, Smudge earns royalties whenever his image is used commercially. This makes licensing one of the most sustainable long-term strategies for meme-based pet influencers. Social Media Monetization: Turning Followers Into Revenue With millions of followers across Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, Smudge also benefits from social media monetization programs. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok provide monetization options such as ad revenue sharing, bonuses for engagement, and special creator partnerships. While these earnings may not rival sponsorships or merchandise, they create a steady background income. More importantly, high engagement on these platforms boosts Smudge's credibility as an influencer, making him more appealing to brands. Public Appearances and Fan Engagement Smudge's meme fame has also extended into the offline world. From meet-and-greet events to pop culture conventions, appearances give fans a chance to interact with their favorite internet cat. These events often sell tickets, merchandise, or photo opportunities, generating another income stream. What makes this special is that it reinforces Smudge's brand as more than just an internet meme. Fans see him as a real personality, not just a static image on a screen. This personal connection translates directly into higher loyalty and stronger merchandise sales. Behind-the-Scenes Economics of Smudge Pet Influencer Income USA The economics of Smudge's influencer career show how virality can be monetized in smart, sustainable ways. Engagement plays a massive role here. The original meme's popularity created a loyal community, and that community now drives revenue by liking, sharing, and purchasing. For example, every time a Smudge meme resurfaces online, it reignites interest in his social media accounts and merchandise. This cyclical nature of meme culture ensures that Smudge's relevance doesn't fade easily. Unlike a single viral video, a meme template has infinite remix potential, which keeps Smudge in circulation year after year. Comparing Smudge's Business Model to Other Pet Influencers in the USA Smudge's business model stands out when compared to other top pet influencers in the USA, like Grumpy Cat or Jiffpom. Grumpy Cat, for instance, relied heavily on licensing and merchandise before her passing, while Jiffpom's revenue comes primarily from brand sponsorships and TikTok fame. Smudge, however, occupies a unique niche: meme culture. While other pets may go viral for their looks or tricks, Smudge's fame is rooted in internet humor. This allows for a broader audience appeal — not just cat lovers, but meme lovers in general. It also means his income streams can be more diverse, spanning from merchandise to digital licensing. Why Fans Love Following Smudge the Cat A big part of the Smudge pet influencer income USA story is the audience. Fans don't just follow Smudge because he's cute; they follow him because he represents internet culture. His expressions are endlessly relatable, making him the perfect 'reaction face' for daily emotions. This relatability is what makes Smudge's brand so powerful. Fans feel connected to him in a way that goes beyond traditional influencer-audience relationships. Every share, like, or purchase is a way for fans to participate in the meme, which fuels the income model even further. The Cultural Impact of the Smudge Meme Business Model Beyond money, Smudge's business model has cultural significance. He shows how a single viral moment can be transformed into long-term success. In many ways, Smudge's career is a case study in modern internet economics, where humor and relatability can be monetized just as effectively as beauty or talent. Interestingly, Smudge's fame has also contributed to broader conversations about pet adoption and responsible ownership. Many fans are inspired by his story to adopt cats themselves, proving that meme culture can have real-world impact. What Smudge Teaches Us About How Pet Influencers Make Money Smudge's journey from viral meme to thriving pet influencer highlights the adaptability of internet culture. His business model blends brand sponsorships, merchandise, licensing, social media monetization, and appearances, showing that influencer income in the USA doesn't come from a single source but from a carefully balanced mix. This diversified approach ensures that even if one revenue stream slows down, others can carry the brand forward. It also demonstrates how important authenticity and relatability are in today's influencer economy. Fans aren't just buying into Smudge the cat — they're buying into the cultural moment he represents. Final Thoughts: Smudge as a Blueprint for Meme-Economy Success Smudge's story proves that internet memes are more than fleeting jokes — they can be sustainable businesses when managed well. The Smudge the Cat business model is a fascinating example of how viral fame, when paired with smart branding and audience engagement, can generate lasting income in the USA. What makes Smudge unique is that his career isn't just about selling products or posting sponsored content. It's about being part of a cultural phenomenon that resonates with millions. For anyone curious about how pet influencers make money, Smudge's thriving income stream offers a cheerful, meme-filled answer: with a mix of humor, strategy, and a whole lot of personality. This article is intended solely for informational and editorial purposes. It does not constitute endorsement or promotion of any artificial intelligence technology. Business Upturn makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided.
Business Insider
a day ago
- Business Insider
I'm a software engineer who spent nearly 7 years at Twitter before joining OpenAI. Here's how I got hired and why I love it.
This is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation with Jigar Bhati, a member of technical staff at OpenAI. He's worked at the company since 2023 and previously worked as a software engineer at Twitter. This story has been edited for length and clarity. I was working at Twitter for almost seven years and was looking for a change in general. Twitter was a big tech company, and it was handling millions of users already. I wanted to join a company that was a bit smaller scale and work in a startup-like environment. When ChatGPT launched, software engineers were in awe. So I was already using it before joining OpenAI. I was fascinated by the product itself. There was definitely that connection with the product that, as a software engineer, you often don't feel. I could also see there was a huge opportunity and huge impact to be created as part of joining OpenAI in general. And I think if I look back at the past two years of my journey, I think that's mostly true. It's been exciting seeing the user base grow over two years. I got to work and lead some critical projects, which was really great for my own professional development. And you're always working with smart people. OpenAI hires probably the best talent out there. You're contributing while also learning from different people, so there's exponential growth in your professional career as well. Building up the right work experience is key My career at Twitter and before that had been focused on infrastructure capabilities and handling large-scale distributed systems, which was something the team was looking for when I interviewed with OpenAI. When I joined OpenAI, there were a lot of challenges with respect to scaling infrastructure. So my expertise has helped steer some of those challenges in the right direction. Having that relevant experience helps when you're interviewing for any team. So one of the best things is to find the right team that has the closest match for you. Having public references, for me, helped. I had some discussions and conference talks and met a lot of people as part of that conference networking. That also helps you stay on top of state-of-the-art technological advancements, which helps in whatever work stream you're working with. I think OpenAI is probably one of the fastest-growing companies in the world, so you really need to move fast as part of that environment. You're shipping, or delivering, daily or weekly. And as part of that, I think you really need to have that cultural fit with the company. When you're interviewing, I think you need to be passionate about working at OpenAI and solving hard problems. In general for professionals, it's important to have a good career trajectory so that they can showcase how they have solved real, hard problems at a large scale. I think that goes a long way. Starting your career at a startup or a larger tech company are both fine. It's up to the students' interests and cultural fit as well. OpenAI is not just a place for experienced engineers. OpenAI also hires new grads and interns. I've definitely seen people entering as part of that pipeline. And it's amazing to see how they enjoy working at OpenAI and how they come up with new ideas and new capabilities and new suggestions. But whichever place you end up in, I think it's important to have good growth aspects professionally and also for you to ship products. At any company you can create impact for the company and yourself, and be able to have that career trajectory. OpenAI still feels like a startup One of the most exciting things is that I think OpenAI still operates like it operated two years ago. It still feels like a startup, even though we may have scaled the number of engineers, number of products, the number of user bases. It's still very much like a startup environment and there's a big push for productivity and collaboration. The velocity and the productivity you get working at OpenAI is definitely much higher than some of the other companies that I've worked with. That makes things really exciting because you get to ship products on a continuous basis, and you get into that habit of shipping daily rather than weekly or monthly or yearly. It feels great to be working in AI right now. In addition to having a connection with the product, it makes things very interesting when you are able to work from within the company, shaping the direction of a product that will be used by the entire world. With GPT-5, for instance, we had early access to it and could steer the direction of its launch. Every engineer is empowered to provide feedback that will help improve the model, add new capabilities, and make it more usable and user-friendly for all the different 700 million users out there. I think that's pretty amazing and speaks to the kind of impact you can make as part of the company.
Time Business News
2 days ago
- Time Business News
How Influencer Collaborations Can Help You Get Real Twitter Followers
It can be hard for companies and people to get real, active Twitter followers. Consistent sharing and using hashtags are good ways to grow your audience naturally, but working with influencers is one of the fastest ways to do it really. You can get real twitter followers to follow you by using an influencer's well-known credibility and loyal audience. Based on trust and value, influencers have a strong relationship with their followers. When they share your material or suggest your profile, their followers will notice. This shift of trust is a big part of how working with influencers can help you get real Twitter followers instead of fake or empty accounts. Working with stars can introduce your brand to new audiences. This targeted exposure helps you to get real twitter followers because viewers are already interested in your issue. That's not always the case with leaders. To get real Twitter fans, you need to work with influencers whose followers are in the same age group as yours. Consider more than their following count. Examine their engagement rate, content quality, and follower interaction. Although micro-influencers have fewer fans, they have more engaged ones. Collaboration with them can help you reach an active and open audience. Co-hosting a Twitter Space or a Q&A session are examples of successful cooperation. Influencers can also share your posts, tag you in related posts, or create brand-related material. These things increase your profile's visibility and help you get real twitter followers. You demonstrate that you understand the influencer's values and audience demands by creating content together. Their followers are more likely to believe you and want to follow you if they see this. Influencers bring people to you, therefore you must interact with them. After working together, respond to comments, join debates, and contribute additional useful information. This keeps new visitors interesting and makes them more likely to stay in touch. You can also hold joint projects or challenges that get people to interact with each other and make your profile stand out to people who might want to follow you. Influencer collaborations can last longer than one-time ads or paid marketing. You can work together more than once if you keep the friendship going, which will strengthen your position in the influencer's community. This consistent exposure helps you create a loyal audience that engages with your material on a regular basis. Working with the proper influencers is not only a means to build your business, but it's also a chance to meet actual people who are interested in what you have to offer. You can slowly get real twitter followers that will stick around for a long time if you work with real people, make interesting content together, and care for the people they present to you. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
