Opinion & Policy

  If you had to explain how the United States government works to a friend, what would you say? Would you explain how our government is different from a monarchy or a dictatorship? Would you talk about the basic tenets of democracy, namely, electing representatives to serve on behalf of the people? Chances are, you…

  Boy, we dodged a bullet last weekend! Coosa County had a target on our back with a 5 of 5 rating of possible devastating damage expected. Thankfully, with only a few areas, we were spared what we saw happening in other areas of our state. But also, we saw neighbors helping neighbors in the…

  When recruiting industry to rural counties, we must focus on identifying local needs, promoting the community’s unique assets, creating appealing job listings that highlight quality of life benefits, engaging with local organizations, leveraging technology, and being transparent about the rural environment while offering potential incentives to attract businesses. Do your market research and local needs assessment: Conduct thorough…

  Some weeks it’s so easy to come up with a topic, but other weeks are oh so difficult! This is one of the difficult weeks, but not because there is just not anything going on worth talking about. Sometimes the deadline to submit a column makes it difficult because it seems many breaking issues…

  Change is always a difficult thing to experience. But we face it in some form almost every day. It can be something as small as our preferred brand at the grocery store not being available and having to choose another one. Or something very personal, like a doctor we have been going to for…

  Successful communities and counties always have a plan for the future. Unfortunately, “planning” is a dirty word in some communities and counties, especially in small communities and rural areas. In some places, this is the result of today’s highly polarized political culture. In other places, it results from a misunderstanding of planning and its value. The truth is, failing to…