GROVETON, N.H. (AP) – Gov. John Lynch has sent more than 5,000 letters to businesses in northern New Hampshire in hopes of finding jobs for paper mill workers will be laid off next month.

Wausau Paper in Groveton will be shutting down Dec. 31, leaving 300 people out of work. On Friday, the governor’s office sent nearly 5,400 letters to businesses in Pittsburg, Berlin, Conway and other communities asking them to consider hiring the mill workers, whom Lynch described as hard-working, dependable, skilled and eager to work.

The state has been working on several fronts to try to help the workers, including trying to attract a new business to the mill site.

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Information from: New Hampshire Union Leader, http://www.unionleader.com

AP-ES-11-17-07 1700EST