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www.gregmonforton.com Volume 4, Issue 30
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Leamington workers affected by Heinz layoffs
family dental care
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Hump Day Special
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Special to The Southpoint Sun By Pat Bailey
17
She’s admittedly a little clumsy and not the “pageant type” but on Thursday evening, Aug. 15, Jessica Epp’s talent, poise and personality shone through. The 16-year-old UMEI Christian High School student was crowned the winner of the 30th Annual Leamington Tomato Festival Pageant, featuring the theme “Girl Power”, in front of hundreds at the Leamington Kinsmen Recreation Complex. “I didn’t believe it at first,” said the shocked Epp immediately following the pageant, but admitted once she realized they did in fact call her name, the feeling was absolutely amazing. That, from a young lady who had no intention of entering the pageant — that is, until her aunt, Vickie Dick, encouraged her to enter the pageant. “She told me it would be the time of my life,” said Epp, “and it was.” “I’m really not the pageant type,” she laughed. In hindsight though, Epp said it was an amazing experience that definitely improved her self-confidence and forced her “to step out of her comfort zone”. Epp said she is anxious to spend her senior year of high school representing her town and is excited to show off her community. Winning the pageant, she said, is more than just wearing a crown – it’s about volunteering and giving back to the community she is proud to call home. As far as her future plans, Epp, who was also awarded the 3D Award and the Stewie Talent
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Jessica Epp, Miss Leamington Tomato Festival Pageant Queen 2013
Award for her rendition of the song “Valerie”, is looking to use her scholarship money to help defray the cost of an undergraduate degree at the University of Guelph, before attending law school at
Western University. And for a young lady who “is not the pageant type”, a taste of pageant life has encouraged Epp to take it a step further and compete in next year’s Miss Teen Canada. (Continued on Page 7)
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Epp crowned Miss Leamington Tomato Festival Queen
By Bryan Jessop Six hundred layoffs announced by the H.J. Heinz Co. on Monday, Aug. 12 have included the loss of jobs at the Leamington processing plant. Job cuts were declared about two months after investment groups Berkshire Hathaway — led by U.S. business magnate Warren Buffett — and 3G Capital completed the purchase of the H.J. Heinz Company on Friday, June 7 of this year. More than half of the recent round of layoffs targeted Heinz headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pa., where 350 of 600 cuts were made. It was also declared that Canadian locations would be targeted as well. Later in the week, reports indicated that a number of Heinz Leamington office, supervisory and engineering staff members from various departments were informed of the loss of their jobs and subsequently were ‘walked off’ the premises. Although the company is not offering more specifics on how many positions are being cut from each targeted Canadian location, some sources indicated that approximately 30 positions were eliminated at the Leamington factory while others suggest that more cuts are possible later this year. There were no reports of eliminated union positions at Heinz Leamington during last week’s layoffs. “As part of our transition to a private company, the Senior Leadership Team has developed a new, streamlined structure for Heinz North America. Unfortunately, this process resulted in a number of difficult but The first step is picking necessary organizational changes, includthe right material: ing the elimination of 600 office positions VINYL across the U.S. and Canada. We regret the impact this has on Heinz employees and ALUMINUM their families,” stated H.J. Heinz ComSTEEL pany associate director of corporate affairs Joan Patterson. “The Company offered enhanced severance benefits and outplacement services to make this transition as smooth as possible, and to help affected 1964 Rd 3 East Kingsville employees pursue new career opportuni519-326-8551 ties. We appreciate the many contributions (west of the new roundabout) these employees made to Heinz and we Mon - Fri 7:30 - 5 , Sat 8 - 12 are committed to treating all employees www.tmurrexteriors.com with the utmost respect and dignity as they transition to new opportunities outside the company.” A February 14, 2013 letter sent to Heinz employees by then company chairman, president and CEO Bill Johnson following the announcement of Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital’s intention to purchase the for $28 billion stated: “In the dr. karen archer company near term, and through the transaction proD.D.S. cess, we do not anticipate changes to our organization outside of the ordinary.” Mon 8 am - 4:30 pm The same letter also stated: “Berkshire Tues 8 am - 6 pm Hathaway and 3G Capital have ample capital and other resources to support Thurs 8 am - 6 pm Heinz’s significant projects and expansion Fri 8 am - 12:30 pm into new categories and markets, and the will be able to make decisions that 57 Erie St. N. Leamington owners are in the best long-term interests of our brands and our consumers, customers and www.leamington-dentist.com employees.”
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