Regional Economic Development

When are we going to halt public expenditures on the "buffalo hunt" for footloose industry and instead focus our resources and efforts on the sector that produces by far most of the jobs – existing industry and homegrown business?

Many families in smaller towns also are looking for jobs in larger cities because of the current recession and are rethinking the wisdom of a lengthy commute to work.

Broadband will benefit rural communities. But it has downsides, too. Rural communities should plan now to make this new technology serve their interests.

Here’s one possible answer: A proliferation of innovative, niche-seeking small and medium-sized manufacturers the region is growing the way it used to produce Douglas-fir seedlings.

Competition for state money once dwarfed any battles on the field. But now Idaho universities are working together to benefit all.

Given the recession, job loss, and our nation’s otherwise dismal financial condition, many are now questioning the continued emphasis on green jobs, climate change, and cap-and-trade legislation.

The rural outdoors has become a major asset for rural communities—and a key advantage that some rural areas have over urban areas.

Matthew McKinney argues that regional governance is essential to address transboundary issues like climate change, wildlife corridors, shared water resources, and energy development.

“Cooperation is contradictory to the fundamental way we relate to each other. As states, we compete,” Freudenthal said, according to an Associated Press account of an energy symposium in Jackson ,Wyo. “We compete for economic development; we compete for water resources; we compete for ink in the newspapers; we compete for attracting good and bright minds to our universities.”

“The impressive stories behind each of these six initiatives illustrate how strategic TBED investments work to promote regional growth through science and innovation,” said Dan Berglund, SSTI President and CEO. “These organizations serve as best practice models in the field for their demonstrated leadership and meaningful impact to state and regional economies.”