Project Catalyst: An Economic Development Podcast | Episode 13: Economic Development in Rural Alabama with Valerie Gray and Lori Huguley of VaLor Strategies
Business Better Podcast Episode: Health Care Delivery Trends: Understanding Micro-Hospitals
Terry Comer and a Vision for Data Centers and Digital Equity - TAG Infrastructure Talks Podcast
The Buzz, An Economic Development Podcast | Episode 84: Tony Toups and Darian Harris, Advantage Capital
Making Trade Inclusive for All Americans: An Interview with Rep. Jim Clyburn, House Majority Whip
Stoel Rives | Deeply Rooted Podcast Episode Two: A Bright Future for Agriculture with Phil Ward, CEO of Oregon Future Farmers of America
K&L Gates Triage: Using Drones in Medicine
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) significantly modified the Qualified Opportunity Zone (QOZ) program via a set of comprehensive reforms aimed at improving accountability, long-term impact, and geographic equity. The new...more
On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed H.R. 1—referred to as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA)—which permanently renewed and modified the federal Opportunity Zone tax incentive program that was set to expire at the...more
This week, Tina and Tom welcome veteran economic developers Valerie Gray and Lori Huguley who help drive Alabama’s growth as owners of VaLor Strategies. Valerie and Lori share stories from their decades of experience as...more
Last week, U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, and Mark Warner, D-Virginia, introduced S. 631, which focuses on rural historic tax credit (HTC) use and also includes transferability for small projects (those...more
Governor Bill Lee delivered his sixth State of the State address last night in a joint convention of the state House and Senate. The video preview of the speech highlighted the advancement of rural opportunity, fiscal...more
Providing fast, reliable broadband service in 2023 is every bit as important as providing electricity was in 1933 in rural America. Without high-quality broadband, rural areas (many of which already face economic challenges)...more
The Ohio Department of Development’s Governor’s Office of Appalachia recently released new details for a program that will infuse up to half a billion dollars into the 32-county region (see our September 21, 2022 blog...more
This week Kara Gormley Meador and Burnie Maybank, co-host of The Buzz, discuss investing in rural areas with Tony Toups, principal and member of senior management at Advantage Capital and Darian Harris, an associate on...more
Statewide, the consensus is that broadband is the tool to transform the economies of rural Arkansas, but the issue has been how to cost-effectively deploy it. A perception exists that the federal American Rescue Plan and...more
On March 11, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan (ARP) into law. This historic $1.9 trillion COVID relief plan will have a major impact on the country by providing relief to businesses, nonprofit...more
On December 22, 2017, Congress enacted the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “Tax Act”). The law created a new incentive to encourage long-term investment in the nation’s low-income areas. If a taxpayer invests eligible...more
Agriculture - WSCO: Final North Carolina farm bill sets smokable hemp ban date- North Carolina's annual agriculture measure is getting final votes because negotiators have worked out differences, particularly on when...more
President Donald Trump on February 12, 2018, submitted his budget request to Congress for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019. The President's full budget calls for approximately $4.4 trillion in total spending. Much of the budget seeks...more
When singers croon about the old yellow moonlight spilling through the pines of the Georgia woods, the “Georgia rain on the Jasper County clay” and taking the “midnight train to Georgia,” they evoke nostalgia for the state’s...more
House Commerce Considers Independent Contractors, Again - Vermont's business community continues to plead with lawmakers to update the statute defining independent contractors, arguing that current law is costly and...more
Governor’s $35 Million Housing Bond Discussed in Ways and Means Committee - Executive Director Gus Selig of the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board revealed some of the details this week behind the $35 million bond...more