So I'm accepting at a job at International Paper in Franklin, Virginia. I don't think I necessarily want to live in Franklin as it is a small town and with the Virginia Beach Area not being terribly far from it I want to take that into consideration. I was looking into Suffolk as it is basically the midpoint between the two areas and seemed of pretty decent size (population I think was 60k or so). I am going up there tomorrow to look around, I was curious if anyone has lived in this area and where I should look and also where I should stay away from? I've read Norfolk is bad and will stay away from there probably in general.

So where do yall suggest?

12/12/2008 10:27:10 PM

I suggest you invest in a good shower head because paper mills are among the smelliest places to work.

12/12/2008 10:29:48 PM

Oh I know that, but I really enjoyed some of the assignments they are talking of putting me on and I think that the smell is worth learning as much as possible as it makes you more marketable later in life. One guy put it best, we're a chemical plant that makes paper, not just a paper plant, there's a lot that can be used anywhere so I figure learning now and smelling now will benefit me in the future.

12/12/2008 10:37:53 PM

My Dad lives in Suffolk, which isn't too far away. Suffolk is quiet and a lot more toned down compared to the hustle and bustle of VA Beach. VA Beach and Norfolk are also a 40-50 min commute excluding traffic.

I'd recommend living in Suffolk..it's not as crowded, it's closer to Franklin where you'd work, and close enough to VA Beach and Norfolk if you ever need additional shopping or entertainment.

12/13/2008 1:40:40 AM

Quote :

"I suggest you invest in a good shower head because paper mills are among the smelliest places to work."

really? I didn't know that...why is that?

12/13/2008 3:34:32 AM

there's an old joke. . .

A man and woman were getting "friendly", and the woman says, "kiss me where it stinks". . .so he took her to Franklin, Virginia.



seriously, stinkinest fucking place on the East coast, other than Newark.

Quote :

"I've read Norfolk is bad and will stay away from there probably in general. "

seriously, Norfolk is fucking awesome. I LOVE Norfolk. Steer clear of Portsmouth, though. Va Beach is shit, but it's too far away from Franklin. Suffolk has some decent areas, especially if you want more rural. Norfolk is quite metro (not in the SaabTurbo sense), urban. Fucking great city, though.

[Edited on December 13, 2008 at 9:36 AM. Reason : safdasdffffddsdfsdfs]

12/13/2008 9:34:54 AM

Yeah everytime I drive to Va. Beach whenever I roll through Franklin I have to roll up the windows

12/13/2008 10:43:24 AM

Franklin REEKS and I grew up in Roanoke Rapids. I should be immune to all paper mill smells, but I can smell that place from 10 miles out!

12/13/2008 2:52:16 PM

Just left Norfolk a couple of months back, and my uncle works at IP in Franklin (been working there 20 years or more). I'd suggest Suffolk as well, there's a couple of little bars and shit downtown if that's your thing, and it's not as far as Norfolk/Portsmouth/Chesapeake/VA Beach/etc from where you'll be working. You will hate your life every morning with the traffic from that place, and if you stay in Suffolk you won't see it.

12/13/2008 3:31:29 PM

Quote :

"You will hate your life every morning with the traffic from that place, and if you stay in Suffolk you won't see it."

absolutely true. VA has arguably the most useless DOT in the country. Roads are awful, continually being torn up and redone, and that cluster of cities (Norfolk, P-Town, Newport News, Va Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton, Suffolk) absolutely cannot support the working population, and it's only getting worse. Especially with them gentrifying and boosting commerce in Norfolk, Hampton and Newport News. I have long wondered why that entire area wasn't just cut down to 1-2 cities. It's a monster region.

12/13/2008 3:45:18 PM

Suffolk's population is also widely overexaggerated due to the fact that the city of Suffolk annexed the entire county around it. The city limits of Suffolk are the entire county it used to be a part of (can't remember the old county name). So that 60k you mentioned earlier is widespread over the size of a county, but the actual "downtown" Suffolk has some things going on if you don't demand the flash and bang of a big city downtown (see Norfolk). But if you're going to be working in Franklin at the papermill, you're looking at an hour one way commute from any of the bigger Hampton Roads cities when you put traffic into the mix. Seriously, don't do it. Go on the weekend or at night if you want to, but don't live there.

12/13/2008 4:12:03 PM

^^
signed,

living in norfolk now.

traffic = /wrists

12/13/2008 6:12:57 PM

I visited the area today, just Franklin and Suffolk. The side closer to Suffolk smells more than the Franklin side, in fact I didn't smell it. Rent is 300+ cheaper a month in Franklin, so that's a good thing. I did like the apartments though in Suffolk, I think it was called Harbor Breeze right off the river.

I saw what you meant in that Suffolk was very spread out, google maps made it seem more condensed, but it had its areas of population concentration. Also Harbor Breeze was by a really nice Farm Fresh store, which is always good. So traffic isn't bad coming from Suffolk to get to Franklin? I think I should steer clear, at least for the first year or so, from the Chesapeaks and other areas so I can build up some savings.

I didn't do as much exploring as I needed to as this was just a preliminary look, but I think Suffolk looks like it has a good amount of entertainment, is this a decent enough of a guess for those in the area? I don't think I'd mind going to Norfolk, VA Beach and the like on the weekends like suggested, but don't want to have the long commute right off the bat.

12/13/2008 6:34:57 PM

You'll never, ever have a reason to go to Virginia Beach. Unless, I mean, you're 18 years old.

If you want a decent beach, head down somewhere in NC--Corolla to fucking Buxton.

and as far as the smell being more concentrated somewhere else, that probably depends on the wind. lol.

12/13/2008 7:41:53 PM

Va. Beach occasionally gets decent concerts.

12/13/2008 8:07:09 PM

the only decent concerts that ever visit a huge fucking outdoor amphitheatre are Pearl Jam and Radiohead.

and Radiohead ain't going to Virginia Beach.

[Edited on December 13, 2008 at 8:14 PM. Reason : dddf]

12/13/2008 8:13:47 PM

Figure if I work there, smell will be second nature anyways, but I'll be thinking long and hard about which way to go. Franklin, I'd have more money and be closer, but Suffolk has more to do, so it's a decision ultimately.

12/13/2008 8:19:45 PM

pm me if you want some info, i grew up there and my dad works at the mill

btw, they just shut down the #3 machine there, the #2 about 5 years ago, are taking market downtime, and laid off about 150 hourly workers in the last month

if i didn't genuinely hate ip as a company, i might consider working there, but riegelwood and eastover would be better choices if i wanted to sell my soul to them

but to each his own

unless you like hanging out in the bowling alley or wal-mart parking lot drinking, there is nothing to do there, case in point, i moved 650 miles away when i graduated





[Edited on December 13, 2008 at 8:41 PM. Reason : working at a mill, but for a good company]

12/13/2008 8:28:48 PM

^ my uncle probably knows your dad pretty well then. he's been working there since the 80's.

12/13/2008 10:01:59 PM

your uncle probably knows most of my family, both my grandfathers, my dad, uncle and several cousins have worked or still work there

12/14/2008 9:44:04 AM

I used to do a lot of consulting work for IP Franklin...but I haven't been working on their projects much lately...I really enjoyed working with the people at mill up there, and its not a terrible town(at least it has a few restaurants). of the three mills i've worked at, franklin was my favorite.

what are you going to be doing for them?

12/14/2008 9:02:17 PM

I'm sure exactly where I'll end up. I have my choice of power&recovery, fibers and the process department. I'm not sure which one I want to work at, I like the projects that were given in the Fibers area, but not sure really, all have projects that pertain to ChemE so anywhere I end up in the plant will apply really in some form to it. What area would you suggest going into if you've seen the different areas of the mill?

12/15/2008 2:17:26 PM

You should def go to the Fiberline Dept. There's a lot of stuff you can do in that dept w/ your degree.

12/16/2008 8:54:46 AM

bttt

4/7/2009 4:50:13 PM

Quote :

"I suggest you invest in a good shower head because paper mills are among the smelliest places to work."

your momma stinks but i still make good $$ off her

4/7/2009 4:52:44 PM

I used to fly into Franklin and Suffolk all the time while Flight Instructing. The Franklin-Rose airport is right next to that paper mill. It usually reeked there, so I rarely did more than missed approaches or touch and gos. On a more pertinent note, it didn't seem like there was much of anything in the area. I'd probably have to choose Suffolk over Franklin.

4/9/2009 12:08:01 AM

Quote :

"if i didn't genuinely hate ip as a company, i might consider working there, but riegelwood and eastover would be better choices if i wanted to sell my soul to them"

i hate working at riegelwood. that is the dirtiest plant i've ever worked in. the boilers and stokers are full of holes and everywhere you go the air is full of fly ash.

now eastover is the greatest plant i've worked in. the people are great, i get an operator to be my hole watch and he hooks me up with everything i need to inspect, it doesn't smell too badly. i'll be working the outage in a few weeks.

eastover and blue ridge paper in canton, nc are the only two paper mills i enjoy working at.

4/9/2009 12:25:45 AM

looks like franklin is going under anyway, i wouldn't be surprised if they shutdown another paper machine before their next cold outage/layoff

on a good note, tryin to recruit millwrights for our maintenance program

4/10/2009 8:02:21 AM