One of President Obama’s newly-announced “Promise Zones” will be set up in Bell County, Kentucky, which is in the heart of impoverished coal country. It has a 17 percent jobless rate.
The Promise Zone includes a $1.3 million loan fund for small businesses in the area, increased job training and special help in applying for anti-poverty programs.
Bell County Judge/Executive Albey Brock tells Here & Now‘s Meghna Charkrabarti that he is optimistic the program will help, but what his area really needs is new business to bring in jobs.
Brock says he has personally witnessed county residents selling off all of their possessions “just to get by.”
- Lexington Herald-Leader: Impoverished portion of southeast Kentucky to get priority for federal money
- White House fact sheet on President Obama’s Promise Zones Initiative
Guest
- Albey Brock, Judge/Executive of Bell County, Kentucky.
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