Meade County
River Ridge Plaza
Brandenburg, KY 40108
(270) 422-4228
Open Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Grayson County
Leitchfield Career Center
125 E. Market, Suite 16
Leitchfield, KY 42754
(270) 259-4912

Hardin County
Elizabethtown Career Center
916 North Mulberry
Elizabethtown, KY 42701
(270) 766-5115

Marion County
Lebanon Career Center
145 Cemetery Road, Suite 4
Lebanon, KY 40033
(270) 692-6870

Nelson County
Bardstown Career Center
860 W. Stephen Foster Ave.
Bardstown, KY 40004
(502) 348-2709

For more information on job seeker and employer services, please visit the Lincoln Trail Career Centers website at www.ltcareercenter.org. Additional job seeker, employer and economic development resources can be found at www.kix.com, www.e3.ky.gov and www.workforcekentucky.ky.gov.

WorkNow Kentucky reimbursed 100 percent of wages and benefits at the same rate as an entry level, full time employee with federal funding. Hourly wages ranged from $7.25 to $32.85. Job seekers who qualified were matched with employers based on their skills, interests, occupational goals and experience, as well as the needs and requirements of the employer.

“WorkNow Kentucky gave job seekers an opportunity to earn a paycheck, gain work experience and make valuable connections with employers,” said Jim Skees, business liaison for the Lincoln Trail Area Development District. “This program provided much needed support at a time when unemployment had risen above 10 percent.”

Nearly 3,000 employers participated statewide, including city governments, state parks, school districts, health care providers and manufacturers like NPR Manufacturing in Bardstown. NPR hired four people through WorkNow Kentucky and offered two permanent positions at the end of the program. Through a Lincoln Trail WIB program called Project RENEW, NPR was able to offset the cost of on-the-job training for the new employees.

“WorkNow gave four job seekers an opportunity to get their foot in the door and interview for a full-time position with benefits,” said NPR’s human resources manager, Colla Luckett. “Our production associates require two to six months of training, so we were able to leverage two great employer assistance programs by participating in Project RENEW.”

More than 85 percent of the nearly $29 million federal dollars for WorkNow Kentucky went to more than 9,000 Kentuckians in the form of wages. This brought $1 million in tax revenue into state and local coffers.

For more information on job seeker and employer services, please visit the Lincoln Trail Career Centers website at www.ltcareercenter.org. Full-service Career Centers are located in Leitchfield, Elizabethtown, Bardstown and Lebanon. Additional job seeker, employer and economic development resources can be found at www.kix.com, www.e3.ky.gov and www.workforcekentucky.ky.gov.

The TIP Report is comprised of eight chapters, organized into four sections:

• Section 1: Introduction
  • Chapter 1: Executive Summary
• Section 2: Regional Economic Positioning Analysis
  • Chapter 2: Current Conditions
  • Chapter 3: Economic Forces
  • Chapter 4: Regional Assets
• Section 3: Human Capital Analysis
  • Chapter 5: Demographics
  • Chapter 6: Education and Training
  • Chapter 7: Entrepreneurship
• Section 4: Recommendations
  • Chapter 8: Strategic Framework
• Appendices
  • General Appendices
  • Attracting & Retaining Talent to the Wired65 Bi-State Region
    Wired65 engaged Next Generation Consulting to study the region with respect to the attraction and retention of young professionals. The Wired65 region has great quality of life attributes that it can build on in its quest to attract, retain and engage the next generation. These assets include affordable cost of living, a growing metro hub, and a college and university system that can import and keep talent in the region. The challenges include the perception of young professionals that one must leave the region to have a prosperous career and the need for public infrastructure to further connect the region. These pages provide inspiration for teaming with young professionals, their families, and the energy and pride they bring to the region.

The Strategic Framework presented in the Regional Competitiveness Strategy describes the following recommendations:

• Fix the pipeline
• Prepare for 21st Century Jobs
• Create a Talent Magnet
• Invest in Priority Sectors
• Focus on Quality of Place

You can download the full Regional Competitiveness Strategy here.

“It wasn’t a 26-county focus when we first started,” says Kim Huston, Wired65 co-chair and president of the Nelson County Economic Development Agency. “But once we got into it, we knew we needed to bring the larger Louisville metro area, which meant including southern Indiana and also moving southward to Green County. Now, we have six area development districts that are involved, covering 26 counties.”

Working in such a large region has its advantages and its challenges, Huston says, but because community leaders understand that economic prosperity and innovation occur when regional assets are linked, working in a larger region offers greater rewards.

Download the full document.

Kix.com helps link job seekers to employment opportunities, employers to the region’s best talent, and prospective students to the training and education they need to fill higher-skilled jobs and contribute to regional prosperity. The site connects our region in an unprecedented way using state-of-the-art social networking tools.

Employers in the Lincoln Trail area have played a pivotal role in helping make this portal a reality, participating in a regional survey that assessed the needs of area employers across a 26-County region. Lincoln Trail Area Development District (LTADD), the Lincoln Trail Workforce Investment Board and several other regional partners co-sponsored the survey, the results of which will serve as the foundation of the portal, one that is a true reflection of the employer needs now and in the future.

“Regional leaders believe that by working together as one, we can accomplish much more than by working separately,” said Wendell Lawrence, LTADD Executive Director.

“Kix.com provides that region-wide tool that can foster the highest level of collaboration. It is quickly becoming the go-to source for the region’s students, workers, employers and entrepreneurs to find new opportunities,” Lawrence added.

The creation of kix.com is funded by the Wired65 initiative. The WIRED program – Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development – is a U.S. Department of Labor program. The “65” moniker given to the regional WIRED initiative is symbolic of the interstate corridor that helps tie the area together.

”By providing a timely dashboard on regional employment needs, workforce development trends and educational needs, it will spark a regionally-focused, comprehensive system of talent development where “just in time” programs of secondary education, training, mentoring, and more will meet the ever changing needs of employers,” said Debbie Wesslund, Wired65 grant coordinator.

To make kix.com work, it needs to be a reflection of all the great things this region offers. The kix.com team wants to highlight successful – and perhaps unsung – programs, people, and businesses in Lincoln Trail and throughout the entire region.

Help the kix.com team tell the story of our region by sharing your ideas and comments on what makes Kentucky special. Send your ideas to kix@wired65.org

Join the kix.com community at http://www.kix.com.

By KELLY R. CANTRALL

Anita Ellison was looking for a job like it was, well, her job.

Ellison came prepared Thursday to the job fair at Pritchard Community Center. She parked across the street, knowing the parking lot would be full, and packed her lunch so she wouldn’t have to leave.

She was one of the 1,000 job seekers who had come within the first couple hours to the event sponsored by the Elizabethtown-Hardin County Chamber of Commerce, Lincoln Trail Career Center and the Lincoln Trail Area Development District.

Tommy Wheatley of the Lincoln Trail Career Center said attendants were lined up around the building by the time the fair began.

Chamber President Rik Hawkins said Thursday afternoon that the fair could be one of the biggest held, which he said has good and bad aspects. It’s good that it can match seekers to jobs, but the attendance also means “that many people are out of jobs,” he said.

Ellison was laid off in December after her company reduced its labor force.

“I’m among the ranks of the dislocated workers,” she said, laughing.

Elison has maintained a sunny disposition despite having had no luck so far in her search. She said she can send out 20 resumes a week and never hear back from anyone, so she knows companies are being inundated by job seekers.

So she’s learning to punch up her resume for each job she seeks, and keep a positive attitude.

“There are jobs out there,” she said. “That’s the good news.”

One employer Ellison made sure to check out was Fort Knox, and the new jobs being created by Human Resources Command.

Dawn Donovan was working with OneKnox at the fair. OneKnox provided training sessions throughout the day on how to apply for federal jobs. Donovan said she had seen about 250 job seekers by late Thursday morning.

She had heard from many attendees who said they came to the fair specifically to learn about jobs coming to the post because of BRAC.

U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie on Monday sponsored an employment fair that included instruction on how to apply for jobs created by the Fort Knox realignment.

The Career Preparedness Fair at the Pritchard Community Center also featured booths set up by prospective employers and educators and offered job-seeking tips.

The Republican congressman from Bowling Green — whose Central Kentucky district has more than an 11 percent unemployment rate — said the parking lot was nearly full when he arrived shortly before the event started at 10 a.m

The fair had drawn around 400 visitors by midday, said Mark Lord, Guthrie’s district director.

Just after noon, participants packed into a side room to hear one of the hourly presentations about future Fort Knox jobs, which will include many human resources and information technology positions. They learned how to apply and what kind of qualifications the Army wants.

And if fair goers learned they need a particular skill, they could visit booths set up by one of the schools — from career centers to major universities.

Because the post soon will become home to the Army’s Human Resources center and other administrative activities, McKendree University in Radcliff has seen a high demand for its Human Resources Management and Computer Information Systems programs and computer certification classes, said Leanna M. Milby, an admissions counselor and academic adviser.

The Army during the next couple of years expects to fill 1,400 positions.

Guthrie said the realignment is the biggest economic event in the area. It also will impact infrastructure services and schools.

A bill that could fund local school construction after a population increase left the U.S. House and is now in the Senate. Guthrie said he is talking to a committee chairman about prioritizing communities affected by Army post changes.

“It’s an issue that needs to be addressed,” he said.

Also at the fair, businesses — such as Cardinal Health and staffing agencies — set up booths to talk with job visitors about employment opportunities.

Michael Shaneyfelt said he participated because he is looking for full-time employment. The event was more helpful than he had anticipated, he said. Shaneyfelt said he had been to other job fairs, and Monday’s wasn’t quite as crowded and offered new possibilities.

For more information about military jobs, visit: www.oneknox.com.

Even though Brown’s job had come to an end and her financial future looked grim, she pursued an opportunity for additional education through the Lincoln Trail Career Centers. She was excited and eager to become a licensed practical nurse (LPN), but was nervous in the beginning. Brown dropped out of high school at age 17, and she did not consider herself college material.

“I knew that no one was handing out jobs like mine. I knew that I had to go to school to obtain a degree and ensure job security,” said Brown. “I am very thankful for the opportunity that the Dislocated Worker and Trade programs have offered me.”

Brown is currently entering her last semester at Madisonville Community and Technical College. She has maintained a high GPA and has a positive attitude about her future.   

Youth — Maurice Moore
Maurice Moore was a participant in a Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funded youth program called “Yes I Can.”  As a participant in this career exploration program, he was involved in the Information Technology track. He passed the program with ease and obtained all possible certifications.

Moore had a criminal record, but after the “Yes I Can” program, he decided to enter college to pursue a degree in accounting. Last semester, he made a 4.0 and his cumulative GPA is 3.636. He works full-time at Arby’s at night and attends school during the day. Recently, Moore was chosen to participate in a National IT Conference in California. Although he did not place, he was grateful for the experience and was honored to attend. 

Youth — Amanda Chesser
Amanda Chesser enrolled with the WIA program in 2005 as a participant at Springfield LYNC, a work readiness and occupational skills contractor. At the time of enrollment, she was a 21-year-old newlywed with a young child. With a sense of determination, she completed Springfield LYNC and became a certified nursing assistant (CNA).

Chesser continued with college training at St. Catharine College, pursuing a radiography degree. She was determined to finish her degree despite her responsibilities at home and accessed WIA funds to assist with tuition. Chesser graduated from St. Catharine College in May with a 3.8 GPA. She was involved in the International Honor Society and American Society of Radiologic Technicians and graduated with honors, magna cum laude.

Incumbent Worker Success Story — Legacy Mold and Tool, Inc.
Four years ago, an employee at Legacy Mold and Tool, Inc. in Bardstown, Ky., started taking classes to become a journeyman toolmaker. This small tool and die and welding operation had a total of five employees and needed assistance in funding tuition for the employee and giving him an incentive to stay on track to complete the lengthy training program.
In May 2009, Jason Ballard completed the program through the Kentucky Machining Association (KMA) in Louisville. KMA is a branch of the National Tooling Machine Association (NTMA).  Ballard is now logging work hours to receiving his journeyman’s cards. He is more marketable in the tool and die industry, and Legacy Mold and Tool can provide more efficient, high-quality service for its customers.

Short-term training opportunities are available for those aiming to advance their skill sets in high-demand occupations including health care, computer and information technology, engineering, business administration, electrical technology and construction. Job placement assistance is available upon completion of training programs.

The Lincoln Trail Career Centers also provide financial assistance to businesses for training incumbent workers. This program encourages current employees to upgrade skill sets and become more productive and better candidates for promotional opportunities. It also helps local employers reduce training expenses. 

Full-service Career Centers are located in Leitchfield, Elizabethtown, Bardstown and Lebanon.

ELIZABETHTOWN— The work of 30 teams coalesced into one final competition Friday afternoon at Pritchard Community Center, where eight teams representing the eight counties in the Lincoln Trail Area Development District presented “green” entrepreneurial proposals as part of Green Summer Forever, a six-week program created through the Green Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute(GEL-IN).

 Grayson County’s The Water Boyz took home the grand prize for best proposal. The group outlined a water conservation project that received backing support from city officials in Leitchfield. The team — Chad Gilbert, Cody Clemons, Jared Clemons and Jordan Decker — designed a rain barrel system that was placed at the solid waste transfer station in Grayson County. The system was designed to collect and recycle rainwater for later use.

The team said they were “ecstatic” to be chosen first place, with prizes including a trophy, certificate and a new laptop for each member.

“I’m feeling pretty good,” Jared Clemons said, clutching happily to the new laptop.

Coach Ginger Crain said the team also formed a business under its moniker and plans to design and customize additional barrels for sale. The plan is to sell the barrels at $50, Crain said, considerably cheaper than competitor prices, which average around $200.

The Water Boyz also participated in other projects, such as spreading recycled mulch at parks and playgrounds in the county.

Hardin County fared well, too, as its representative team, Team Verde, placed second in the final competition. The team presented an animated proposal outlining the amount of energy waste perpetrated annually within the United States. The goal of the group’s proposal was to identify waste through energy audits at two office buildings in the county.

The group found that hundreds of dollars could be saved on energy bills by taking small efforts to conserve energy, such as removing personal refrigerators and coffee pots and turning off computers at the end of the day and during lunch breaks.

Like The Water Boyz, Team Verde hoped to inspire conservation throughout the county through its project.

The other projects varied in scope and design, from community gardening to the creation of electricity through hydroelectric power.

Of the 30 teams created, eight teams hailed from Hardin County, and several of them were honored with awards on Friday for their efforts.

Robert King, an associate superintendent with Hardin County Schools, said each group displayed excellent concepts.

“You’re amazing,” King told the groups before the awards ceremony. “I am impressed with the level of professionalism you exhibited.”

The concept of green living permeated the ceremony, with organizers using recycled trophies and awarding refurbished computers to some winners. Signs for the ceremony were makeshift, created from discarded materials. Lisa Williams, the project co-manager, said they also tried to buy locally for the event, using local vendors for its green luncheon and the flowers adorning each table.

The program itself is new, funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Lincoln Trail Innovation Center partnered with Hardin County Schools and Kentucky Student Ventures to bid on the project, Williams said, and youth were chosen between the ages of 16 and 24. Income levels was one of the criteria looked at, and participants were paid $7.25 an hour for their work, which varied between the classroom and site work.

In Hardin County alone, teams worked at sites such as The Historic State Theater, the Elizabethtown Tourism and Convention Bureau and Freeman Lake Park.

Williams said she would love to see the project continue next year.

“We’ll have to see if we get funding again,” she said. “Hopefully we will.”

Available positions vary and include customer service representatives, mental health professionals, police officers, college instructors, corrections officers, health and medical positions, truck mechanics, mechanical engineers, package handlers and outside sales representatives, among others. The Career Centers added a new service for job seekers this year that allows them to register online before April 16 at www.ltcareercenter.org.

“The job fair presents an opportunity for employers and job seekers to interact one-on-one. Offering online registration was important because it allows job seekers to spend less time waiting in the registration line and more time with potential employers.” said Tommy Wheatley, Workforce Development Manager. “We’re pleased with the wide array of employers who will be participating this year.”

Major employers planning to attend include: Cardinal Health, Communicare, Hardin Memorial Hospital, Remington Arms, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Elizabethtown Police Department, Louisville Police Department, UPS, Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, and Northrop Grumman Technical Services.

For more information, visit the Lincoln Trail Career Centers at http://www.ltcareercenter.org. Further information about resources for job seekers, employers and economic development professionals can be found at http://www.e3.ky.gov and http://www.workforcekentucky.ky.gov.

About Lincoln Trail Career Centers

The Lincoln Trail Career Centers offer a one-stop solution to employers and job seekers. With four full-service centers in the Lincoln Trail area, those seeking employment assistance have direct access to computerized information about everything from jobs to specialized assistance and training programs designed to improve lives and develop a qualified/trained workforce. The Career Center staff is also available to help access the most recent labor market information, on-the-job training opportunities and other employment-related assistance. Please visit http://www.ltcareercenter.org for more information.

The Web site features a virtual Career Center with information about career counseling, training, and assistance for veterans, the disabled and the unemployed. Also included is relocation information, a link to the Lincoln Trail Career Centers’ Facebook page, regional news, and a place for employers to post available jobs and access labor market information.

“The Lincoln Trail Career Center Web site has a wealth of information for job seekers and employers,” said Jim Skees, Business Liaison for the Lincoln Trail Area Development District. “We think users will appreciate the fresh look and feel, ease-of-use and interactive features the new Web site brings.”

The Lincoln Trail Workforce Investment Board oversees the Lincoln Trail Career Centers to provide a one-stop solution to businesses and job seekers. Employers can access state and local resources to recruit qualified employees from a variety of backgrounds and skill sets. The Centers also can assist with employer training programs, funding for training and assessments, and business retention and expansion efforts. Job seekers have direct access to computerized information about everything from jobs to specialized assistance and training programs.

More than 85,000 people are employed in the Lincoln Trail area in nearly 400 different employment sectors. The average annual salary is $32,855. With more than 14,000 employees, production is the largest employment sector followed by office and administrative support, and sales and related occupations. There are 12,300 people in office and administrative support positions, and 9,160 work in sales and related jobs.

To check out the new site and find more information about the area, please visit the Lincoln Trail Career Centers at http://www.ltcareercenter.org. Further information about resources for job seekers, employers and economic development professionals can be found at http://www.e3.ky.gov and http://www.workforcekentucky.ky.gov.

Seventy-six percent of the respondents, however, agreed that if they had more education or training, they could find a new job that offers greater satisfaction. The top reasons respondents do not pursue workforce development training are age, time and family commitments, money, a lack of education, and the distance of colleges or lack of educational facilities in the area. According to a Lincoln Trail Career Center spokesman, a lack of available resources and perceived costs are common misconceptions among the general public.

“The Lincoln Trail Career Centers offer a wide array of services─many free of charge─that benefit those seeking employment assistance regardless of age or career status,” said Jim Skees, Business Liaison for the Lincoln Trail Area Development District. “And, with four full-service centers in the eight-county area, we are close to home.”

The Lincoln Trail Career Centers offer a one-stop solution for job seekers and employers. Job seekers can find assistance with career services, such as résumé writing, education, skills training and job placement. The Lincoln Trail Career Centers also work with local and state agencies, such as the Office of Employment and Training, to assist job seekers in finding employment. Despite offering these resources, the research showed that nearly half of all respondents had never heard of the Lincoln Trail Career Centers.

“People typically think of us as the ‘unemployment office,’ but the Lincoln Trail Career Centers offer much more,” said Tommy Wheatley, Workforce Development Manager. “We encourage residents needing employment assistance, whether they are job seekers or employers, to learn more about the many services that are available.”

When asked about the Lincoln Trail area overall, respondents indicated that the top five issues facing the community are gas prices, the economy, a lack of jobs, education and a lack of good paying jobs.

“There are good paying jobs available,” said Wheatley, “but people may not know how to find them or may be intimidated by the application process. That’s where we can help.”

Research data was collected and tabulated by Preston-Osborne of Lexington, Ky., between April 30 and May 15, 2008. The findings are based on a total sample size of 400 that derives a maximum margin of error of +4.90 percentage points. All margins of error are calculated at the 95 percent confidence level.

For more information about the Lincoln Trail Career Centers, please visit www.ltcareercenter.org. Further information about the resources for job seekers, employers and economic development professionals can be found at http://www.e3.ky.gov and http://www.workforcekentucky.ky.gov.

Loss of job turns from ‘devastated’ to delight
Former Gates employee one month away from earning teaching degree

By JEFF D’ALESSIOHARDIN COUNTY – For nearly 12 years, Mike Bell worked at the Gates Rubber plant in Elizabethtown. He thought it may be the last place he would work in his adult life.

Then came plant layoffs and finally a decision to close the belt and hose plant in late 2003, leaving about 400 people without jobs.

“He was devastated when he got the news,” said Becky Bell, Mike’s wife. “We both were. The first reaction is you panic about what you were going to do.”

There was still a home mortgage to pay and bills coming in. The Bells were down to being a one-income family and Mike Bell was faced with an uncertain future.

He had attended North Hardin High School, but didn’t graduate.

“I was more interested in working and making money,” Mike said. “After that first pay check when I was a kid, I just wanted to work and make money. I’d work as much as I could.”

And with the workload at the old Fred’s Texaco in Radcliff and at an ice cream truck came slumping grades.

“It wasn’t that I couldn’t do the work,” Mike said. “I just didn’t do the work. I wanted to make money and I’d be in school waiting until I could get out and get to work.”

It’s been an interesting journey for the 47-year-old, who needed to earn his GED just so he could gain employment at Gates.

But when the plant closed, Bell was forced to make a career change.

“Really, we were a little lost at first,” Mike said. When he left Gates he was making around $16 or $17 an hour.

When he was at NHHS, he had admired those who taught and wondered if someday he could teach.

“The teachers all seemed so knowledgeable,” Mike said. “They seemed to know everything about what they were teaching.”

Faced with unemployment and the possibility of securing grants available through the Lincoln Trail Area Development District, Bell decided on a career path to take.

He wanted to be a teacher.

“This was his opportunity,” his wife said.

One month from today, Bell will graduate from Western Kentucky University with a teaching degree.

It has been a trying ride from leaving the comfort of factory work and a steady paycheck to life as a college student where he was twice the age of most of his fellow students at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College.

“Talk about a culture shock,” Mike said. “The first few semesters were tough. I’d come home and say if I’m not smart enough, I can at least go drive a truck because I can drive a truck.”

That first semester, his grades were all As and Bs.

“The more I went, the easier it became getting used to everything,” Mike said.

Bell and 149 other former Gates workers took advantage of grants available through the Lincoln Trail Area Development District. With the factory closings, the district received $425,000 from the Kentucky Department for Training and Re-employment to supplement dislocated worker programs.

Dislocated workers could receive as much as $4,000 per year for two years. The grants covered education expenses for four years for those wanting to become science, math or special education teachers.

Bell decided on math and science.

He considering the possibility of teaching after reading an article in The News-Enterprise about the grant. Also, because his job was relocated to Mexico, a provision related to the North American Free Trade Agreement allowed him to draw unemployment while attending school.

That allowed the family to have additional income to back Becky’s job as a nurse at Hardin Memorial Hospital.

Today, Mike Bell is finishing up his student-teaching requirement in eighth-grade math at East Hardin Middle School.

“The kids dress weird just like I did,” he said with a laugh. “And they try to get by with as much as they can.”

Bell, who was named WKU’s Extended Campus Student of the Month for November, said he’s already had a few job offers but isn’t sure where he’ll end up. He said he would prefer to stay in the Hardin County Schools system.

“He is very conscientious about his job and wants all students to feel success,” said Carla Wallace. Bell is student teaching in Wallace’s classroom this semester.

“He will go out of his way to help a child to understand a concept that they are having difficulty in understanding.

“He will be an asset to the school that hires him to teach,” Wallace added.

The journey is almost over for Bell.

“It was rough when everything first happened,” Becky said. “There were many times when I think he wanted to come home and put his hands up and just give up. But he’s gone straight through with no breaks.”

Mike didn’t want to go through with the gap and gown part of graduating, but his wife insisted. She wanted to enjoy everything about her husband’s graduation.

“He’s earned this and I want to enjoy it,” she said. “I’m just so proud of him for accomplishing what he has.”

“Kentuckians, like all Americans, are facing tough economic times,” said Gov. Beshear. “However, I want all Kentuckians to know that state government is on their side. This Web site is yet another step we are taking to protect our citizens and provide resources to help them when they are struggling.”

The new Web site will provide information and links on topics covering a wide range of areas, including financial assistance; staying healthy; taking care of Kentucky’s kids; staying in your home; job assistance; and money-saving commuting tips.

Gov. Beshear also encourages groups and businesses whose clientele may be served by these programs to link to www.assistance.ky.gov on their Web sites.

This one-stop-shop Web site is one of several initiatives Beshear has unveiled in response to the troubling economy. On Tuesday of this week, the governor announced his Higher Education Work Group, a 25-member task force charged with tackling the tough issues of affordability and access to Kentucky higher education.