PADUCAH, Ky.— One organization is working on taking a chunk out of the local unemployment rate. Paducah Economic Development and two other agencies are getting ready to set up shop at a new location downtown leaving room for another business to move in to their old building when they move out.

The baristas at Etcetera Coffeehouse grind out order after order for people needing an afternoon pick me up. Owner Johanna Rhodes said the more, the merrier. "Anything you can do to bring more people to downtown Paducah is going to be great," she said.

Paducah Economic Development is trying to entice a number of companies to come and bring about 300 more people and jobs downtown. "We think we're close to a deal with one, but we have several others if for some reason that one were to fall through," said CEO Chad Chancellor.

Chancellor says the effects of creating that many jobs in this area will eventually seep out into the entire community. "People are eating in your restaurants. They're buying fuel and in your stores. Other companies come to visit also, so they're staying in your hotels and what not," he said.

It also means that the city and county will get more money from payroll taxes, though they probably won't spend a dime helping a new company move in. Chancellor said, "Whatever we put into here, PED would finance it and provide the incentives ourselves."

Chancellor said he's not sure how long it will take to get a new business settled in, but if they do come, Rhodes says she'll be ready. "There's always room to add some and bring people in. If we get really busy we might have to hire somebody else, and that's a good thing too," she said.

Paducah Economic Development is also working on bringing another company in to fill the spec building in Paducah's I-24 park.