The search for a good-paying job drew hundreds to the state Employment Security Commission office in Waynesville and to a job fair in Clyde.

Families, many out of steady work since the housing industry collapsed, stood in line for hours Thursday to apply for employment at Evergreen Packaging, Inc. The company advertised it would be accepting applications for entry level production jobs through possibly Tuesday, Sept. 25, "or until an acceptable number of qualifying applications are taken."

Melanie Lovell, who has family members working at the company, lives in Colorado and works two jobs, one at a high school and a weekend job at the airport. When she learned about the job posting at Evergreen, she caught a midnight flight so she could be in Haywood Thursday when the application process ...