It's been a year since the Boise paper mill laid off hundreds of employees, which made a significant impact on St. Helens, Columbia County and local businesses.

Today, the communities are still trying to find a way to recover despite collaborative efforts to boost the local economy.

But rebounding, it seems, will be a long process.

It’s difficult to separate the effects that Boise Inc.’s layoffs and the veneer plant closure has had on south Columbia County from the overall effects of the national recession and housing bust, but the numbers tell a story nonetheless.

Read the full story at the Portland Tribune.