Exporting your talent is importing cash to the valley
How many people do you know who live in the Roanoke Valley and spend more than half their time working in other markets? It’s a lot more common than you might think. Read more
What if everyone who left the valley gave an exit interview?
If you’ve ever participated in an exit interview, you probably remember being torn between guarded politeness and absolute honesty. You could say it was a pleasure working for the company and excuse yourself. Or… Read more
Tracks, tracks everywhere and not a train to catch.
First, let’s face facts. There’s a fall line in Virginia that either limits or supports progress. Western Virginia, as a whole, is fairly isolated. Sure, if we have something to ship, there are plenty of ways to ship it. Read more
How does a city restore its soul?
Imagine a vibrant, neon-glittering street famous for hosting blues and jazz greats just blocks from a historic hotel. In the 80s, businesses shut their doors and the street becomes a magnet for crime and vagrants. Fast forward a few decades… Read more
No Child Left Behind is leaving whole cities behind.
As the school year begins a lot of high-schoolers in Roanoke City will decide to call it quits and drop out. It’s a problem that isn’t really visible on the surface. But, ten years down the road it can kill an economy’s growth. Read more
What if you get pegged as a cheap date for old folks?
Kiplinger magazine recently named Roanoke one of its top five cities– if you are a retiree. For a city trying to attract young professionals, this kind of designation does little to contribute to the image we would like to create. Read more
Now Entering Virginia’s Green Technology Corridor
Whether you knew it or not, if you are living anywhere off of I-81, from Smyth County to the Allegheny Highlands, you are a proud resident of Virginia’s Technology Corridor. You may have passed the signs along the interstate… Read more
You can’t just walk into a room and tell people you’re cool.
It seems pretty obvious when you hear it. Just imagine someone you’ve recently met showing up at a dinner party and breaking that simple rule. The scene plays out pretty much the same way no matter how you slice it. That person is suddenly anything but cool.
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Roanoke Valley Greenways and the Appalachian Trail
In 1921, a well-educated man with a vision named Benton MacKaye wrote a simple essay that gave birth to the Appalachian Trail. His theory was that Americans were losing their leisure time and, with it, their ability to dream and shape their culture.
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