It’s estimated that 2,500 people are out of work at industrial plants in Christian, Todd and Trigg counties as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Carter Hendricks, executive director of the South Western Economic Development Council, shared that figure Tuesday during a teleconference with several local officials and news media.
The number is fluid and could change significantly from day to day, he stressed.
“It’s a moving target,” said Hendricks, who become the region’s chief industrial recruiter just a month ago when he left city hall as Hopkinsville’s mayor.
Most of the industrial layoffs are attributed to disruptions in supply chains, he said.
Manufacturing jobs are just part of the economic picture. Many workers in service, retail and restaurant jobs have been laid-off or had their hour cuts.
Hendricks and Christian County Chamber of Commerce President Kelli Pendleton joined the twice-weekly teleconference that’s led by local health and emergency officials to talk about the economic impact.
Pendleton said the chamber is working to determine how many people in Christian County are out of work.
More than 50,000 people from across Kentucky have filed for unemployment benefits, and many who are eligible for assistance have not been able to make their claim yet. The state is hiring 150 more people to process claims, Gov. Andy Beshear said Tuesday, because a crush of requests overwhelmed the system.
Last week, more than 3 million unemployment claims were filed nationwide. Economists for Reuters estimate claims will range between 3.5 million and 5.25 million this week.
Pendleton and others in the teleconference encouraged the community to support local businesses that remain open, including restaurants that are relying on take-out and delivery orders to stay afloat, and those that are temporarily closed.
“We will get through this,” Pendleton said, echoing the refrain of Gov. Andy Beshear.
The chamber has added several resources on its website for businesses and employees. There are tutorials on how to seek a Small Business Administration disaster loan and information on applying for unemployment benefits. There’s also a list of local restaurants and what type of service they are offering during the pandemic.
Pendleton, in advertisements, has urged people to buy gift certificates from local shops and restaurants affected by the coronavirus.
There are many positive stories developing in the midst of the health and economic crisis, officials said. Local residents are encouraged to use #teamchristiancounty to share stories and photographs on social media.
(Jennifer P. Brown is the editor and founder of Hoptown Chronicle. Reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org.)
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. She spent 30 years as a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition.
