The guest speaker at the Chilton County Chamber of Commerce's monthly luncheon on Tuesday focused on strides that have been made in the state's workforce development.

Philip Cleveland, director of the Alabama Office of Career and Technical Education/Workforce Development, told those in attendance at Clanton First United Methodist Church that students in the state now have to take a career preparedness course by the end of their ninth grade year.

"What that course does is it provides students an opportunities for assessment, to look at their academic ability, their skills, their ability," Cleveland said. "Where do I fit? How can I become better informed so my parents can become better informed about career choices?"

If you have an idea for a business that proves to be the right fit for downtown Alexander City, but just need some help getting it off the ground, then you might be Alex City's "Missing Piece" - and MainStreet Alex City wants to help you.

MainStreet, a nonprofit dedicated to the revitalization and promotion of historic downtown Alex City, is sponsoring a contest for potential entrepreneurs called "Missing Piece" Business Competition, which will award the person with the best idea and plan for a downtown business a grand prize package valued at up to $100,000, depending on the needs of the business.

"Our goal is to improve perception within the business community - including potential retail tenants - and bolster civic pride," said Stephanie Smith, a member of MainStreet's Economic Restructuring Committee. "This is the first step in turning entrepreneurial visions into realities downtown."