As word spread Wednesday that Philip Morris USA will close its Concord plant in July, a year earlier than expected, local governments scrambled to revise budget projections while the community braced to absorb 1,100 more jobless workers.

Philip Morris said it would close the Concord cigarette manufacturing plant by the end of July. That is more than a year ahead of its original deadline of the end of 2010

WBTV’s David Whisenant is working on this story and will have a report during our 5 p.m.

Manpower Inc.’s world headquarters has achieved Gold status under the LEED certification system–the first new building in Milwaukee, WI, to earn that distinction.

Philip Morris USA plans to end operations at its Concord cigarette plant by the end of July, about a year earlier than originally planned, the company announced today.