By Bailey Richards, Hazard Herald, Staff Reporter
Economic development is something we talk about a lot in the Herald office. Sure, it may not be the juiciest of water cooler gossip, but it is something we are all affected by and hear about almost daily.
It is part of our jobs to know the news, and lately the news about the local economy has all been negative. We hear about layoffs, cut backs, and people being forced to move away for employment.
Someone recently asked me why people are poor, and my answer was surprisingly similar to why I believe I am. I know what I like to do and being in a creative field, be it in an office, on the street, or in front of an easel, was always something I was going to do.
The people of Eastern Kentucky are no different; they know what they want to do. Many of them want to stay close to home, have lucrative employment and be a part of their community, but as jobs move away from the area this becomes harder and lower paying jobs replace the formerly high paying employment. This creates a question, do you become poor but live where you want to be and who you want to be around, or leave and take a chance at making more money? This isn’t a choice I wish upon anyone, but there may be another way.
Right now, the commonwealth of Kentucky is in a hot debate over the legality of growing hemp. While this could be a great way for Kentucky to fight back against job loss, it remains a controversial crop.
