http://www.marketstreetservices.com/marketstreetreportThe Market Street Report Updatesen-usBy Evan D. Robertson, Project Associate. I’ve been as far north as Bird Island, Minnesota. Just two weeks ago, I can now claim to have been as far north as Watertown, South Dakota. Watertown sits on the stretch of I-29 between Sioux Falls, SD...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=119151Thu, 17 May 2012 13:00:00 ZBy Stephanie Allen, Project Assistant. The city of New York has an interesting new way of dealing with its water-quality challenge. Nope, it’s not more storage tanks or deeper tunnels, it’s sixth graders. Sixth graders at Stephen A. Halsey...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=118897Thu, 10 May 2012 15:49:00 Z  By Matt Tarleton, Project Manager.   I’ve stumbled upon a handful of noteworthy stories in the last week or so – too many to weave into a single, coherent blog entry about a particular topic – so this month’s entry is a...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=118842Tue, 08 May 2012 14:45:00 ZBy Jonathan Miller, Project Associate. Tomorrow, May 4th, is one year, to the day, that I started at Market Street Services. In my first year I have learned more than I could have ever imagined. I have worked in a variety of communities, including...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=118793Fri, 04 May 2012 13:16:00 Z By Christa Tinsley Spaht, Project Manager.   We all know America's postwar era saw major, major changes in the economy, especially in the Deep South which had not benefited from the earlier Industrial Revolution as dramatically as its...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=118760Wed, 02 May 2012 20:07:00 ZBy Ellen Cutter, Director of Research. In my household, there are two distinct groups of magazines that arrive at our house. The first group belongs to my husband and includes *serious* reads like The New Yorker, Harpers, and assorted literary...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=118502Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:52:00 ZBy Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects. One of the great challenges of economic development marketing in today’s wired, information-overloaded world is how to penetrate the noise and get opinion-makers, corporate executives, entrepreneurs,...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=118456Tue, 24 Apr 2012 21:17:00 Z By Kathy Young, Director of Operations.     Earlier this week, two of our staff ( Ellen Cutter and Christa Spaht ) were in Joplin, Missouri for a meeting with the Steering Committee of the seven-county Joplin Regional Prosperity...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=118351Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:58:00 Z By Ranada Robinson, Senior Research Associate.   Since graduate school, I have had an interest in social norms, how to quantify them, and if it’s possible to intentionally steer them. Today, I came across a report from the Annie E. Casey...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=118308Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:06:00 Z By Stephanie Allen, Project Assistant.   I was all ready to write a blog post on this interesting article from the Atlantic last month drawing parallels between US employment and US consumer spending, when I saw a link to this article ...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=118216Tue, 10 Apr 2012 22:00:00 ZBy Evan D. Robertson, Project Associate. If you’ve spent more than two straight decades in some form of educational system then there is only one word to describe your relationship with education: ambivalent. On the one hand, the complete...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=118153Wed, 04 Apr 2012 19:36:00 ZBy Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects. A couple of years ago, the Wall Street Journal ran a piece on the anticipated proliferation of rail cargo as the volume of overland goods shipments skyrockets and our nation’s roads and highways grow...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=118079Mon, 02 Apr 2012 13:43:00 ZBy Matt Tarleton, Project Manager. I am guilty of having an abnormal affinity for alliteration (see what I did there?), so let me apologize for the blog title in advance. A few weeks ago, I wrote about Brunswick County, North Carolina and...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=118053Thu, 29 Mar 2012 22:33:00 Z By Jonathan Miller, Project Associate.   Rick Santorum, in a criticism of President Obama’s push for universal access to higher education, was quoted as saying, “President Obama once said he wants everybody in America to go to college....http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=117974Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:11:00 Z By Kathy Young, Director of Operations.   Not long before I graduated from high school, an unexpected bestselling book was published titled An Incomplete Education . While I'm long overdue for a new edition (as are the authors, since...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=117730Tue, 20 Mar 2012 20:19:00 ZBy Matt Tester, Project Associate. We talk about communities having to do more with less these days. Look no further than your local library to see what this looks like in practice. According to a March 2012 Pew report, “The Library in the City:...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=117655Fri, 16 Mar 2012 18:13:00 Z By Ranada Robinson, Senior Research Associate.   Last week, my colleague Christa Tinsley Spaht and I traveled to the “Heart of America” to tour various sites that are major assets for the Joplin region, which encompasses seven...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=117451Thu, 08 Mar 2012 16:05:00 ZBy Stephanie Allen, Project Assistant.  We spend a lot of time focusing on STEM education in economic development. We worry that as a nation, a state, a county, a community we’re falling behind our peers in STEM education so we create STEM...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=117400Tue, 06 Mar 2012 15:08:00 Z By Matt Tester, Project Manager.   I like to think of Market Street as a “human scale” community and economic development consultancy. As with most organizations (thinking specifically of college hoops), our corporate identity reflects the...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=117341Thu, 01 Mar 2012 22:30:00 ZBy Matt Tarleton, Project Manager. Some of my earliest and fondest childhood memories were set in Brunswick County, North Carolina : fishing with my father and grandfather, learning the art of developing “ drip castles ,” and discovering what...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=117279Wed, 29 Feb 2012 14:00:00 Z By Stephanie Allen, Project Assistant.   As an avid baker and cook, I find little more satisfying than harvesting my own ingredients. I have been fortunate enough to hide out from the Wisconsin winter for the last few months in Los...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=117225Thu, 23 Feb 2012 22:03:00 Z By Kathy Young, Director of Operations.   I'm still pretty excited about the food truck movement, recently blogged about with savory enthusiasm by my colleague Evan Robertson , so you can imagine my delight upon learning of Dance Truck...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=117188Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:27:00 Z By Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects.   In our client communities, we very often work with regional organizations to develop strategic plans for their areas. In most cases, these regional organizations – be they chambers or...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=117139Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:06:00 ZBy J. Mac Holladay, founder and CEO. Earlier this week I had a chance to return to my roots in North West Tennessee. After flying into Memphis (my hometown) we drove north to Dyersburg. I was addressing a nine county economic development group...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=117049Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:45:00 ZBy Stephanie Allen, Project Assistant. Here’s something we haven’t talked about in a while: the housing market. For years now economists have been saying we’ll need a recovery in the housing market before we see significant economic recovery....http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=117026Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:27:00 ZBy Ellen Cutter, Director of Research. New BLS numbers released on Friday indicate that approximately 243,000 jobs were created in January, driving the nation’s unemployment rate down (by 0.2 percent) to 8.3 percent. These are the strongest...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=116975Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:26:00 ZBy Jonathan Miller, Project Associate. The Wall Street Journal ran an article on January 31st (“Segregation Hits Historic Low”) that addressed a pattern of increasing black-white integration in American cities since 1970. Using a common...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=116862Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:00:00 ZBy Kathy Young, Director of Operations.  Last month my colleague Matt Tarleton and I attended a lunch and learn event sponsored by our partners at the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) and hosted by one of our clients, the ...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=116824Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:36:00 ZBy Matt Tarleton, Project Manager. If you watched the President’s State of the Union address on Tuesday and have been following the major newspapers in 2012, then you’re probably asking yourself “Is manufacturing cool again?” That’s right folks,...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=116770Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:39:00 Z By Evan D. Robertson, Project Associate.   These last two decades have been somewhat of a conundrum for the media sector. Music publishing (read: the entire music industry), the movie business, and print media have been faced with...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=116731Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:41:00 ZBy Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects. I’m about halfway through economist and Harvard professor Edward Glaeser’s new, much-buzzed-about book, Triumph of the City . Glaeser’s theory is essentially that the highest and best value cities...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=116672Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:55:00 ZBy Ranada Robinson, Senior Project Associate. Yesterday, I celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day through a day of service along with thousands of others across the country. In Atlanta alone, over 2,500 volunteers signed up to work on projects...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=116610Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:04:00 Z By Christa Tinsley Spaht, Project Manager   We’re constantly digging through best practices and successful programs to see what communities, regions, and states are doing effectively to drive a competitive workforce, business...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=116543Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:58:00 ZBy: Evan D. Robertson, Project Associate. Let’s face it, our urban spaces are plagued by lifeless streets with a dearth of entertainment, shopping, public space, or any sort of potential for activity. Since the dawn of suburbanization, urban...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=116386Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:48:00 ZBy Matt Tarleton, Project Manager. Ahhh, the New Year. Can you feel the optimism? According to a recent AP poll, 62 percent of Americans are optimistic about what 2012 will bring for the country, while 78 percent are optimistic about what the...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=116357Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:08:00 ZBy J. Mac Holladay, Market Street founder and CEO. Well, it is over. What a ride it was. There is one word that typifies the economy – uncertainty. As Thomas Freidman predicted in February of 2009, this recession would be like none other we...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=116326Fri, 30 Dec 2011 19:27:00 ZBy Evan D. Robertson, Project Associate. The holidays can be a very stressful time for everyone involved. Anxious moments are usually centered around: what presents to get your loved one(s), fighting for said presents in the huge Black Friday...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=116167Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:56:00 ZBy Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects. Like the now-iconic Chrysler ad that coined the “Imported from Detroit” tagline and celebrates the gritty yet determined spirit of Detroit, there is often more to the city’s rebirth than meets the eye....http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=116026Thu, 15 Dec 2011 22:19:00 ZBy Jonathan Miller, Project Associate. In a November 12 opinion piece in the New York Times, William Deresiewicz, argues that my generation, the “Millenials” (a term that resonates very little with me) are “polite, pleasant, moderate, earnest,...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=115950Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:05:00 ZBy Ellen Cutter, Director of Research. Last month, Forbes rolled out an interactive map allowing users to visualize in-bound and out-bound migration patterns for every county in the United States over the last five years. The data powering...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=115932Thu, 08 Dec 2011 22:05:00 ZBy Ranada Robinson, Senior Project Associate. For my birthday, I traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina, with my mom and three dear friends for a week of relaxation and adventure. Not too long after I got there, however, I experienced firsthand...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=115831Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:49:00 ZBy Kathy Young, Director of Operations, on behalf of the Market Street staff.   Last Thursday, as our staff returned from trips to client communities, held project meetings, and put the final touches on research deliverables and strategies...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=115703Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:55:00 ZBy Ellen Cutter, Director of Research. I recently moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana for my husband’s job, and I’ve been truly taken with how easy it has been to meet friends and get involved.  Neighbors stopped in with food to introduce...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=115651Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:52:00 Z By J. Mac Holladay, PCED, CCE; CEO   Last week I had just finished reading Michael Lewis’s new book, Boomerang . Lewis, as always, has written a profound and clear book recounting on how Iceland, Ireland and Greece collapsed as...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=115609Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:56:00 Z By Jonathan Miller, Project Associate. As many of you know, November is National Novel Writing Month, International Drum Month, and National Pomegranate Month. While the run on pomegranates is inevitably in full swing, another month-long...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=115567Thu, 10 Nov 2011 19:26:00 Z By Christa Tinsley Spaht, Project Manager.   With globalization, immigration, footloose talent, and short-lived food trends getting way too much hype in the national press, it seems that as our food options diversify, the...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=115541Tue, 08 Nov 2011 23:29:00 ZBy Stephanie Allen, Project Assistant.  Those of you who read this blog regularly, may have noticed that I tend sometimes to wax philosophical. Today is one of those days. I’ve been thinking about why it is we do economic development. ...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=115471Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:35:00 ZBy Matthew Tester, Project Associate. Start-ups of the American South have been getting some good coverage the past couple weeks as The Atlantic’s special report series, Start-Up Nation , has taken a meandering tour from Virginia to Louisiana...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=115452Wed, 02 Nov 2011 22:02:00 ZBy Matt Tarleton, Project Manager.  This past weekend I traveled to New York City to visit friends and family. It was a wonderful trip. While I can’t quite picture myself living there, it is such an incredible place to explore, especially...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=115399Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:21:00 ZBy Evan D. Robertson, Project Associate. It’s 8:07. I am standing on a cold, dark street with a street lamp flickering on and off at irregular intervals. The pavement beneath is soaking wet from a thunderstorm that just passed, another is on...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=115339Tue, 25 Oct 2011 21:36:00 ZBy Ranada Robinson, Senior Project Associate. Recently, the U.S. Census Bureau rolled out new data features in its Quarterly Workforce Indicators (QWI) Online database . Before now, employment data were available by state, in-state metro...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=115305Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:52:00 Z By Kathy Young, Director of Operations.   Do you ever find yourself in a conversation and while the other person is talking, instead of listening, thinking about what you're going to say when it's your turn to talk? According to numerous...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=115233Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:50:00 ZBy Jonathan Miller, Project Associate.  Green has become the new black, whatever that means. There is little question that the green economy has taken the nation by storm and is heralded as a key economic driver that will help lead us out...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=115189Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:07:00 ZBy Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects. I have seen the future of health education and it resides in Kansas City at Metropolitan Community College’s new (2009) state-of-the-art Health Science Institute (HSI). Now, we’re not talking about...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=115151Wed, 12 Oct 2011 19:13:00 ZBy Ellen Cutter, Director of Research.   Ok, this article has been sitting on my desk for a while. In July, the Wall Street Journal did a fascinating profile on North Dakota’s higher education strategies. Their leaders have, for a...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=115067Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:35:00 ZBy Evan Robertson, Project Associate. I profess that I, from time to time, play the occasional video game or two (for those who know me: yes, this is an understatement). I realize that it is a total, absolute waste of time, that the hours I...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=115019Tue, 04 Oct 2011 16:00:00 Z By Christa Tinsley Spaht, Project Manager.   Last Friday was International Freelancers Day. It is only the second such annual holiday, but in honor of that auspicious occasion, the inventors of International Freelancers Day released...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=114997Thu, 29 Sep 2011 22:51:00 Z By Kathy Young, Director of Operations.   Remember mosh pits? If you're like me  and you came of age at the height of this late 80's/early 90's concert experience phenomenon, then you either get a burst of adrenaline recalling the...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=114898Tue, 27 Sep 2011 07:12:00 ZBy Matthew Tester, Project Associate. The clunky implementation of energy efficiency and conservation projects funded by the Recovery Act is giving green jobs a bad name. Dig beyond the headlines, though, and there’s plenty of reason to expect...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=114857Thu, 22 Sep 2011 21:32:00 ZBy Evan D. Robertson, Project Associate. Anyone who keeps tabs on the technology sector or simply inputs the words “patent lawsuit” into their favorite search engine will discover a recent proliferation of patent lawsuits, especially related to...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=114828Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:00:00 ZBy Ranada Robinson, Senior Research Associate. Everyone has a role to play in economic development. Every seemingly small action that contributes to the uplift of a community adds to a community’s competitiveness. For example, when I tutor and...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=114779Thu, 15 Sep 2011 14:35:00 ZBy: Stephanie Allen, Project Associate. If economic development were high school, manufacturing would have no shot at being homecoming queen. Manufacturing is that plain girl who’s neither popular nor unpopular, neither brilliant nor dumb; you’ve...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=114733Tue, 13 Sep 2011 18:11:00 ZAt a press conference last Wednesday at Des Moines’ lovely botanical center, regional leaders rolled out their comprehensive Capital Crossroads vision plan , a five-year strategic blueprint to take Central Iowa to even greater levels of success....http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=114705Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:32:00 ZBy Ellen Cutter, Director of Research. My co-worker, Evan Robertson, blogged recently about the food truck movement and its ability to instantly, albeit temporarily, bring economic activity and life to otherwise underused urban areas. Last week,...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=114655Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:47:00 ZBy: Jonathan Miller, Project Associate I spent last week in Kentucky, attending the Kentucky Basic Economic Development Course in Lexington. Lexington is not a large city, but it is home to the University of Kentucky, which if you ask any Wildcat,...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=114636Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:27:00 ZBy Ranada Robinson, Senior Research Associate. When my parents were growing up in Jackson, MS, they lived in the era of Jim Crow, where across the South the law mandated racial segregation. The set of laws was said to be intended to keep African...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=114604Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:16:00 ZBy Evan Robertson, Project Associate. I’m standing at the corner of Tenth and Peachtree Street in a small empty lot next to a seemingly abandoned restaurant cleverly named Tenth and Thai. For those of you familiar with Atlanta, you’ll know that...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=114506Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:23:00 Z By Kathy Young, Director of Operations.   This week I attended the Southern Economic Development Council's annual conference in lovely - and not sweltering -  Asheville, North Carolina. The historic Grove Park Inn was the perfect...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=114299Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:54:00 ZBy Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects. Along with a handful of Market Street co-workers and a whole gaggle of chamber professionals from across the country, I attended the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) annual conference in...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=114227Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:06:00 Z By Kathy Young, Director of Operations.   Last week I traveled with Market Street's CEO, Mac Holladay and our Directors of Projects and Research (Alex Pearlstein and Ellen Cutter) to attend the 2011 American Chamber of Commerce...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=114202Tue, 09 Aug 2011 19:55:00 Z By Matthew Tarleton, Project Manager. A few weeks ago I shared some statistics on the concentration of scientific research and development employment growth in a handful of large metropolitan areas. If you haven’t read that entry, I...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=114162Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:48:00 ZBy: Jonathan Miller, Project Associate.   I have never been in a movie, nor do I anticipate that Hollywood is feverishly writing and casting for a production of my life story (though if that is the case, I think either Pierce Brosnan or Daniel Craig...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=114118Tue, 02 Aug 2011 13:02:00 ZBy Kathy Young, Director of Operations. Earlier today fellow Market Street staffer Christa Spaht and I wrapped up a series of focus groups and interviews in Joplin, Missouri. These input sessions with business owners and managers were coordinated...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=113898Wed, 27 Jul 2011 19:42:00 ZBy: Evan D. Robertson, Project Associate. It’s almost three years since Lehman Brothers collapsed and I still don’t understand the financial crisis. I mean, sure I grasp the financial crisis on an intellectual level. I can wrap my head around...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=113858Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:31:00 ZBy Stephanie Allen, Project Assistant. As our boss is always reminding us, and pretty much anyone who will listen, our generation isn’t tied to one place—we can and will go where we please. We’ll pick up and leave, move to a new city where we...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=113840Tue, 19 Jul 2011 15:28:00 Z By Matthew Tester, Project Associate. Dec. 2008: CRCT SCORES SURGE: MIRACLE OR MASQUERADE? June 2009: STATE PROBE REVEALS CHEATING ON CRCT Feb. 2010: CRCT SCANDAL STUNS THE STATE Jan. 2011: ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=113812Thu, 14 Jul 2011 18:03:00 ZBy Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects. I admit I’ve become semi-obsessed with Detroit. It is both the epitome of American urban decline and its blank canvas for reinvention. There is an Old West, “anything goes” vibe about Detroit. When a city...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=113785Tue, 12 Jul 2011 21:01:00 ZBy Matt Tarleton, Project Manager. At Market Street , we frequently work with communities to help them identify the clusters of economic activity in their regions that can serve as engines for future growth. From a practitioner’s point of view,...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=113757Thu, 07 Jul 2011 14:10:00 Z By Stephanie Allen, Project Assistant. You know that poem “ All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten ”?  It suggests that most of what you need to know about how to get along in life you learned as a small child in school: don’t...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=113741Tue, 05 Jul 2011 15:10:00 ZBy Ellen Anderson, Director of Research. I’ve been blogging about college affordability, access, and the boom of for-profit colleges over the last year (see Efforts to Regulate For-Profit Colleges Continue and The Rise of For-Profit Colleges...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=113716Thu, 30 Jun 2011 13:30:00 Z By Jonathan Miller, Project Associate.   What does Donald Trump have in common with Gwinnett County, Georgia? If your answer had anything to do with hair or a failed presidential run, think again. The correct answer is...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=113677Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:50:00 ZBy Evan D. Robertson, Project Associate. Implementing an environmental sustainability strategy can have a transformative power on traditionally low-tech industries. Georgia’s carpet industry is a prime example of how a proactive industry-led...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=113668Thu, 23 Jun 2011 13:30:00 ZBy J. Mac Holladay, founder and CEO. For years I have talked about economic and community development as a “team sport.” Those communities and regions that have true collaboration and cooperation combined with solid leadership are the ones...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=113647Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:06:00 Z By Christa Tinsley Spaht, Project Manager.     Two articles came out last week addressing the sometimes conflicting worlds of job creation and productivity. In the New York Times’ “ Companies Spend on Equipment, Not...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=113644Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:35:00 ZBy Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects. Slowly but surely, the long-held belief that community growth is inevitable is starting to wane. Many rural towns and certain urban cities are having to acknowledge that new strategies are needed to...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=113645Tue, 14 Jun 2011 13:05:00 Z By Ranada Robinson, Senior Research Associate.   The White House recently released A Strategy for American Innovation: Securing Our Economic Growth and Prosperity , which updates the 2009 Innovation Strategy while addressing ...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=113381Fri, 03 Jun 2011 20:19:00 ZBy Stephanie Allen, Project Assistant. You may have heard me mention the National Public Radio Planet Money podcast before; it’s one of my favorites. Recently the Planet Money team collaborated with This American Life and with Wired Magazine on...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=113016Wed, 01 Jun 2011 13:21:00 Z By Jonathan Miller, Project Associate. Ethnic enterprises constitute an important source of job creation, innovation, and economic growth in our economy. However, ethnic entrepreneurship (primarily pertaining to Asian-, Black-, and Hispanic-owned...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=112938Thu, 26 May 2011 16:29:00 ZBy Ellen Anderson, Director of Research. If you have never checked it out, I recommend the Upjohn Institute’s Employment Research Newsletter. Their researchers do a good job of synthesizing complex issues into short research briefs. In last...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=112895Tue, 24 May 2011 16:50:00 Z By Matthew Tester, Project Associate.    The big news out of Atlanta last week was the unveiling of Porsche North America’s plans to relocate their headquarters from Sandy Springs (north of City of Atlanta) to a site...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=112878Fri, 20 May 2011 13:43:00 ZBy J. Mac Holladay, Market Street founder and CEO. This past week I traveled to beautiful Monterey, California to speak to the California Association of Councils of Governments. The drive from San Francisco passes Silicon Valley and Stanford...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=112761Tue, 10 May 2011 20:08:00 Z By Matthew Tarleton, Project Manager.     Oh, Durham, home to Duke University. If you’re a college basketball fan and you didn’t attend Duke, then a string of curse words are probably running through your mind right now. If...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=112708Tue, 03 May 2011 15:58:00 Z By Matthew Tester, Project Associate.   The Brookings Institution recently convened a forum around the concept of metropolitan business planning, which was presented as a new approach to economic development. The forum served as...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=112690Fri, 29 Apr 2011 17:59:00 ZBy Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects. The notion of “churn” has long been discussed in the context of employment. New jobs are created as others are lost, the net result being that a local economy is constantly reenergizing and reinventing...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=112659Mon, 25 Apr 2011 18:35:00 ZBy Matthew Tester, Project Associate. As energy markets evolve in coming years, some communities will be better off than others. Those with energy plans will be prepared to absorb the difficulties and generate real benefits for their residents. ...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=112562Wed, 13 Apr 2011 21:53:00 ZBy J. Mac Holladay, Market Street founder and CEO. I have just returned from 2 weeks in Israel. While it is a land full of history that dates back thousands of years, it is also an “economic miracle.” This country of some 7 million people, with...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=112523Fri, 08 Apr 2011 19:38:00 Z  By Stephanie Allen, Project Assistant   At the end of last week, when March’s unemployment numbers came out (8.8 percent, down from 8.9 percent in February and 9.8 percent in November), economists and economics reporters...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=112458Tue, 05 Apr 2011 20:54:00 Z By Christa Tinsley Spaht, Project Manager   A New York Times article today highlights "The Basic Economic Security Tables for the United States," a new report published by the non-profit advocacy group Wider Opportunities for...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=112417Fri, 01 Apr 2011 23:41:00 ZBy Ranada Robinson, Senior Research Associate. Market Street has used North Carolina for education and workforce development best practices, including its early college high schools. Governor Beverly Perdue, who holds a Ph.D. in Education...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=112373Mon, 28 Mar 2011 16:13:00 ZBy Will Corbin, Project Associate. It is no secret that there are significant gaps of wealth between rich and poor countries. However, a recent article in The Economist makes an excellent point: that income inequality is oftentimes greater...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=112326Tue, 22 Mar 2011 13:28:00 ZBy Matt Tester, Project Associate. In honor of today’s kickoff of that most glorious of American holidays – March Madness – we’re looking at the NCAA Tournament field from a different angle (one which justifies our playing with basketball brackets...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=112313Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:00:00 ZBy Ellen Anderson, Director of Research. An interesting study was released this week from UNC-Chapel Hill which uses a blend of data available from the Internal Revenue Service, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, intercensal Census surveys, and Pew...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=112234Fri, 11 Mar 2011 00:02:00 ZBy Stephanie Allen, Project Assistant. As governors across the nation are trying to balance state budgets, many states are facing cuts in public services. In lean economic times, public officials are forced to look hard at their balance sheets and...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=112214Tue, 08 Mar 2011 22:47:00 ZBy Matt Tarleton, Project Manager. More than a year ago (it’s really been that long?) I wrote a piece entitled “Winners and Losers: Attracting the College-Educated.” That piece compared the educational attainment levels of existing residents in all...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=112188Thu, 03 Mar 2011 22:21:00 ZBy Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects. Sometimes I feel like we overthink this whole notion of urban development and migration. What do people want? Good job, nice house, safe streets, strong schools. Everything else is kind of gravy – pro...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=111915Mon, 28 Feb 2011 16:42:00 ZBy Will Corbin, Project Associate.    This morning I had the pleasure of attending a presentation by Moody’s Analytics, the well-known economic research and advisory firm. Chief Economist Mark Zandi and Managing Director Steve Cochrane spoke to a...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=111900Thu, 24 Feb 2011 18:47:00 ZBy Ranada Robinson, Senior Research Associate. In his State of the Union address in January, President Obama asserted that “we need to out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world” to compete globally. It is becoming ever...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=111882Tue, 22 Feb 2011 21:57:00 Z By Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects. I came upon an entry in the RustWire.com blog ( "The Problem With Boosterism" ) decrying the city of Cleveland’s singular boosterism in the face of a seemingly unending stream of bad news,...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=111846Fri, 18 Feb 2011 23:22:00 Z By Matt Tester, Project Associate.  Remember the printer destruction scene from Office Space? Of course you do. You’ve worked in an office. The setting, the music, the triumph of man over technology – it was perfectly cathartic for the...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=111787Tue, 15 Feb 2011 20:49:00 ZBy J. Mac Holladay, Founder and CEO. “Make it in America.” That is the title of Andrew Liveris’s new book. Mr. Liveris is the Chairman and CEO of Dow Chemical Company. The sub title of the book is “The Case For Re-Inventing the Economy.” One of...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=111739Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:12:00 Z By Stephanie Allen, Project Assistant.   Yesterday President Obama addressed the United States Chamber of Commerce. His message was one of collaboration, of the public and private sectors working together for the future success of...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=111726Wed, 09 Feb 2011 03:14:00 Z By Christa Tinsley Spaht, Project Manager.   “Reorganize,” “partially privatize,” “outsourcing,” “public-private hybrid,” “restructuring” – these are all terms used in the press to describe what’s been going on lately with many...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=111688Fri, 04 Feb 2011 00:11:00 Z By Will Corbin, Project Associate.    According to numerous polls, it is no secret that the American public has a rather low opinion of politicians these days. The constant mudslinging, rancorous debate, political gridlock, and...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=111668Tue, 01 Feb 2011 22:19:00 Z  By J. Mac Holladay, Founder and CEO.     Nearly thirty years ago in his blockbuster book, Megatrends , John Nesbitt talked about what great opportunity lay ahead if we "could only get a clear vision of the road ahead."...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=111404Fri, 31 Dec 2010 22:03:00 Z By Ellen Anderson, Director of Research.   A new study by Gallup and the Knight Foundation, Knight Soul of the Community 2010 , seeks to understand what attaches people to their communities. The three-year study spanning 26 American cities...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=111388Tue, 28 Dec 2010 17:06:00 Z By Kathy Young, Director of Operations.   In this third year of the recession, there's no doubt that many in our communities are struggling. While there's no easy fix or overnight solution, the staff at Market Street subscribes to the...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=111349Thu, 23 Dec 2010 13:33:00 ZBy Will Corbin, Project Associate. Indeed, this appears to be the hot topic of the day. Personally, I am very interested in how urban leaders are reacting and responding to the realities of the day – particularly the significant decline in the...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=111288Tue, 14 Dec 2010 19:27:00 Z By Stephanie Allen, Project Assistant.    As states face unprecedented budget shortfalls and cities and counties across the nation continue to cut services and furlough employees to deal with the lingering effects of the most...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=111275Thu, 09 Dec 2010 19:03:00 ZBy Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects. Like many other Americans concerned with the state of public education and the future capacity of our country’s workforce, I recently saw the documentary “ Waiting for ‘Superman .’”  It was certainly...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=111198Tue, 30 Nov 2010 13:56:00 ZBy Ellen Anderson, Director of Research. I live in Orange City, Iowa, a small community of about 6,000 located in between Sioux City, IA and Sioux Falls, SD. When I first met my fiancé’s colleagues here several people asked, “So, you’ll be...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=111182Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:02:00 ZBy J. Mac Holladay, Founder and CEO.   I have just returned from witnessing a most amazing process in Norman, Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Academy each year sponsors a three day meeting dedicated to a key issue facing the state. This year the Town...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=111133Thu, 18 Nov 2010 21:33:00 Z By Matthew Tester, Project Associate    I’d like to use the recent flap over the use of federal grant money for high-speed rail as an opportunity to discuss one of my favorite topics: the future of energy. ...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=111077Mon, 15 Nov 2010 14:53:00 Z By Will Corbin, Project Associate.    Recently, it was reported 1 that London, England’s 10-week old bike-share program, run by Transport for London (TfL), the city’s public transportation authority, was on track to cover its operating costs...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=111056Thu, 11 Nov 2010 03:07:00 ZBy Stephanie Allen, Project Assistant.   I have listened to the NPR planet money podcast religiously since Adam Davidson, David Kestenbaum, Chana Joffe-Walt, Jacob Goldstein and crew began explaining the financial crisis in terms the average...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=111016Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:29:00 Z By Matt Tarleton, Project Associate.      Who knew the Internal Revenue Service could be so helpful? Every year the IRS releases data covering the migration patterns of individuals and families, derived from changes...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110988Thu, 04 Nov 2010 20:22:00 Z By Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.   Last week, I was afforded the opportunity to visit the beautiful Asheville, North Carolina, for the C2ER Southeast Regional Conference.  The conference, which is geared to economic...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110862Fri, 29 Oct 2010 13:49:00 ZBy Ellen Anderson, Director of Research.   In June, I  blogged about the startling rise in for-profit colleges and the implications on student debt load, accreditation standards and regulation, and federal financial aid...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110840Tue, 26 Oct 2010 21:04:00 Z By Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects.   A guy came to my house today to fix our washing machine and dishwasher. He was younger – maybe 25 or so – and got right down to business, unscrewing things, shining flashlights on...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110808Fri, 22 Oct 2010 22:30:00 Z By J. Mac Holladay,  Market Street founder and CEO.   Every day the world gets smaller. As digital opportunities and information accessibility grow and grow, we know more clearly than ever that people can do business and live...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110769Tue, 19 Oct 2010 14:37:00 Z By Will Corbin, Project Associate.    Advertised as “part arts festival, part social experiment,” Grand Rapids, Michigan’s ArtPrize festival is a two-week, international art competition that awards the world’s largest art prize...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110743Thu, 14 Oct 2010 22:46:00 ZBy Stephanie Allen, Project Assistant.   High-speed rail has long been seen as boon for urban planning and economic development, but here in Wisconsin it’s being called a boondoggle . The republican candidate for governor, and current...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110706Tue, 12 Oct 2010 16:19:00 ZBy Matt Tarleton, Project Associate.   On the surface, it seems like a simple question: is your county importing workers or exporting workers? Some residents of your county commute to other counties for work while some residents of surrounding...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110680Thu, 07 Oct 2010 19:32:00 ZBy Christa Tinsley, Project Associate.   For decades, non-profits with annual incomes of $25,000 or less were not required to file a federal tax return. When they received 501(c)(3) status from the IRS it was permanent.   ...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110663Tue, 05 Oct 2010 19:47:00 Z By Kathy Young, Director of Operations.   Last week the one of our clients, the Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA) , hosted a “roll out” event to unveil the region’s new Blueprint Birmingham . The Blueprint is the culmination of nearly...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110641Fri, 01 Oct 2010 17:29:00 ZBy Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects. Monday’s announcement that Southwest Airlines has acquired AirTran is sure to bring unbridled joy to millions of travelers in Atlanta and points beyond. Delta executives, meanwhile, are probably shaking...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110410Tue, 28 Sep 2010 13:25:00 ZBy Ellen Anderson, Director of Research.   Well, it’s that time of year again: new Census data! (Data geeks rejoice.)   That’s right; there are several updates forthcoming from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). The...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110388Fri, 24 Sep 2010 14:56:00 ZBy Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.   The airwaves and the internet have been a’buzzing about the newly released 2009 poverty data by the Census Bureau . Here are some highlights:   • The official 2009 poverty rate was 14.3%, up 1.1%...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110376Wed, 22 Sep 2010 20:53:00 ZBy Will Corbin, Project Associate.   I had the recent pleasure of being a student participant at the Kentucky Institute for Economic Development’s 2010 Basic Economic Development Course. I was also delighted to meet Jennifer Patterson, one of my...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110336Thu, 16 Sep 2010 14:12:00 ZBy Stephanie Allen, Project Assistant. In the field of economic development, you would be hard pressed to find someone who seriously doubted the value of education. Most often though we focus on the value of post-secondary degrees and training,...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110318Tue, 14 Sep 2010 14:18:00 ZBy Matt Tarleton, Project Associate.   This week I’m serving up a little recap of some recent headlines around Metro Atlanta.   Let’s start with the good:   Sriya Green Materials, a Marietta-based startup has  announced plans to...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110304Fri, 10 Sep 2010 21:20:00 Z  By Christa Tinsley, Project Associate.   Perhaps we don’t need more municipal designations splintering regions into smaller and smaller pieces, but as the concept of regionalism advances, it may help to better define the parts...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110268Tue, 07 Sep 2010 22:47:00 ZBy Stephanie Allen, Project Assistant. I first heard of the idea of local currency while visiting Ithaca, NY nearly a decade ago when I was in college in New York State. I thought it was a quaint idea for such a supportive community of aging...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110248Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:08:00 ZBy Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects. A couple posts ago, I betrayed my bias that the quality of a community’s leadership is the ultimate determinant of its current and future success. I mentioned Cincinnati and its confounding malaise...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110230Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:59:00 Z By Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.   The winners of Phase 2 of the Race to the Top educational reform competition were announced two days ago, and I was very happy to see Georgia on the list. Along with the District of Columbia, the...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110207Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:38:00 ZBy Will Corbin, Project Associate.   Parking on the streets of downtown America can be very stressful. This is one reason why, in Atlanta, I try to take the MARTA train, part of Atlanta’s public transportation system. However, sometimes most...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110193Tue, 24 Aug 2010 21:29:00 Z By Matthew Tester, Project Associate.   It seems that buses are going the way of the skinny tie. Except that the return of retro-cool fashion indicates disposable income while the return of the local bus system as a transit priority...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110164Fri, 20 Aug 2010 18:44:00 ZBy Matt Tarleton, Project Associate.    Last Friday, the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) announced results from its 2010 fiscal year project activities. In total, companies invested $3.75 billion across the state,...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110130Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:57:00 Z By Christa Tinsley, Project Associate.     Last month I mentioned the City of Baltimore’s Virtual Supermarket Program , where residents of neighborhoods without local grocery stores can pick up fresh groceries at their public...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110101Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:31:00 ZBy Ellen Anderson, Director of Research.   I had the opportunity to attend my first ACCE annual conference last week, which was held in beautiful Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The conference had solid professional development workshops, best...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110089Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:58:00 Z   By Matthew Tester, Project Associate.   We talk a lot about the virtues of innovation here at Market Street, and recognize – along with most economic analysts – that entrepreneurs and small businesses will drive the bulk of employment...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110058Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:16:00 ZBy Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects.    Small businesses account for a significant percentage of local job growth. Because of this, economic development programs are increasingly focused on multiple strategies to launch, stimulate and grow...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=110019Tue, 03 Aug 2010 21:53:00 ZBy Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.   Earlier today, President Obama delivered a speech on education reform at the National Urban League Centennial Conference. After a few comments on the recovery of our economy over the past 6 months,...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109994Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:19:00 ZBy Will Corbin, Project Associate.    During my semester of graduate study abroad in Newcastle, England, I decided to visit a friend of mine who was also studying abroad. My friend was taking classes at the London School of Economics,...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109972Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:02:00 Z By Matthew Tarleton, Project Associate This past week I had the pleasure of visiting with Mike Gaymon and the entire staff at the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce. During my visit, I tagged along with Mike to his weekly radio...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109955Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:42:00 ZBy Ellen Anderson, Director of Research.    A large part of what we do at Market Street is present research to tell stories about communities and translate those stories into real-world economic development strategies that leverage assets and...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109899Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:41:00 ZBy J. Mac Holladay, founder and CEO. Diversity. Webster says it means – “the condition of being diverse.” Diverse is defined as “differing from one another – distinct or unlike elements or qualities.” Diversity comes in many forms and...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109852Thu, 15 Jul 2010 13:14:00 Z By Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects.    Today’s blog could easily be a novel; I won’t deny that this subject is done short shrift by a cursory examination of why some cities succeed while others fail. Indeed, there is probably...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109833Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:38:00 ZBy Ranada Robinson, Project Associate. When I was in junior high and high school, my mom sent me to various summer camps at Pineywoods Country Life School, Jackson State University, and Alcorn State University. Each of the programs I attended was...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109790Thu, 08 Jul 2010 17:23:00 ZBy Will Corbin, Project Associate.   If you are familiar with me or have read my previous blogs, then you know that I am a big proponent of public-private partnerships, especially when it comes to economic and community development. I...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109771Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:08:00 Z By Christa Tinsley, Project Associate   Earlier this year, I wrote a post on a few initiatives and incentives programs aimed at attracting fresher, healthier grocery options into neighborhoods and areas known as “food...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109754Thu, 01 Jul 2010 21:03:00 ZBy Kathy Young, Director of Operations.    Though it seems like summer only just began, Market Street is already looking ahead to an exciting end-of-summer event, the American Association of Chamber Executives (ACCE) annual convention . This...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109708Fri, 25 Jun 2010 15:53:00 ZBy Matt Tester, Project Associate.   …is increasingly called a bicycle.   American cities are warming to the idea that bike-sharing systems are a valuable means of generating downtown activity, providing viable alternative...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109689Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:17:00 ZBy Ellen Anderson, Director of Research.   University of Phoenix. Argosy. DeVry. Kaplan. You see their commercials on television and likely see their buildings alongside interstates. These universities and others like them represent the growing...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109641Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:46:00 ZBy Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects.    In an interesting confluence of events, the 2010 World Cup began the same day the U.S. Census Bureau announced that the United States will soon be a “minority majority” country, with non-whites...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109613Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:32:00 ZBy Ranada Robinson, Project Associate. One of the long-term effects of successful economic development is decreased poverty rates. We know that poverty is the state of having insufficient means to attain necessities such as housing, nutrition,...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109586Thu, 10 Jun 2010 20:27:00 Z By Will Corbin, Project Associate. I recently read a very interesting article (see footnote 1) regarding the association between numeracy (the ability to reason with numbers and mathematical concepts) and people who fell behind on their...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109561Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:00:00 Z By Christa Tinsley, Project Associate   Last week I dined on shrimp étouffée in southern Louisiana and fried flounder on the Alabama coast. I enjoyed a Mobile-style gumbo full of oysters and shrimp and caught blue crabs off of...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109546Fri, 04 Jun 2010 22:04:00 Z By Matthew Tarleton, Project Associate.    Around this time last year, I was sitting in a rocking chair at the Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, looking down at what had become a pathetic excuse for technology in this day and age:...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109502Tue, 01 Jun 2010 19:24:00 ZBy Ellen Anderson, Director of Research.   The Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER, formerly ACCRA) celebrated its 50th anniversary last week at its annual conference held this year in our nation’s capital. The theme of this year’s...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109461Tue, 25 May 2010 16:59:00 Z By Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects.   It’s funny how things work.  About a week ago, I was scheduled to fly from Des Moines to Nashville via Minneapolis when my old nemesis, Delta Airlines, reared its ugly head and delayed...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109440Fri, 21 May 2010 22:23:00 Z By Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.   In October, I wrote a post highlighting dropout factories and how prevalent they have become. The issue of high school dropouts is one near and dear to my heart since I tutor...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109409Tue, 18 May 2010 22:19:00 Z By Will Corbin, Project Associate. Microfinance is a very interesting and important concept in the world of economic development. Its usage has grown increasingly over the last quarter century - most notably by nations in the emerging world that...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109381Fri, 14 May 2010 17:19:00 Z By Christa Tinsley, Project Associate.   Incentives in Georiga have triggered another “race to the bottom.” While communities still clamor to be awarded the labels of Main Street community, Certified Work Ready, Certified Green...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109373Wed, 12 May 2010 22:11:00 Z By Matthew Tester, Project Associate. It should come as no surprise that our nation’s cities are in trouble; the Great Recession has cut a wide swath. My colleague Will Corbin blogged in March about the Recession’s constrictive effects on municipal...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109327Wed, 05 May 2010 20:05:00 ZBy Matt Tarleton, Project Associate. Last week I attended IEDC annual Federal Forum in our nation’s capital. Over the course of two days, we heard from representatives from a number of federal agencies, providing updates on recent initiatives and new...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109293Fri, 30 Apr 2010 20:31:00 ZBy Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.   More communities are actively giving attention to attracting young professionals, including one of the communities in which we’ve worked, Waco, Texas . This involves making quality of place a priority and...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109270Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:20:00 ZBy J. Mac Holladay, Market Street founder and CEO. The Merriam-Webster definition of perception begins with observation, concept, and consciousness. Last week we all watched as another horrible mine disaster engulfed the State of West...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109197Mon, 19 Apr 2010 21:05:00 Z By Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects.   Today’s rant/vent is economic development related, I swear.  Health care is the Energizer Bunny of the U.S. economy; it just keeps growing and growing.  Ensuring this growth...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109184Fri, 16 Apr 2010 19:56:00 Z  By Christa Tinsley, Project Associate.   Recently the Working Poor Families Project released a policy brief, “Strengthening State Economic Development Systems: A Framework for Change” by John Quinterno. The study examines how...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109162Tue, 13 Apr 2010 21:59:00 ZBy Stephanie Allen, Project Assistant.    The first-time homebuyer tax credit is set to expire this summer; houses must be under contract by the end of the month and sales must be finalized by June 30th to qualify for the credit. By all accounts...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109089Tue, 06 Apr 2010 20:29:00 ZBy Ellen Anderson, Director of Research.   For decades, the United States has attracted the best and brightest engineers and researchers from around the world. Our nation’s corporations, universities, and foundations heavily invest in...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109049Thu, 01 Apr 2010 15:07:00 ZBy Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.   Community groups across the country are joining with the U.S Census Bureau to increase awareness of the 2010 Census and its importance, and to encourage citizens to complete it. Just two weekends ago,...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=109025Tue, 30 Mar 2010 19:33:00 Z By Will Corbin, Project Associate.    The harsh economic realities of the present day have forced local government leadership to rely more on private organizations and non-profits in order to spur economic and community development....http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108982Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:03:00 Z William Teasley, Project Manager.   Although the news media has focused on the challenges of politics, both locally and nationally, some very good things are coming out of Washington, D.C. these days that will have a dramatic impact on...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108948Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:07:00 ZBy Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects.    Our sunny, 60 degree St. Patrick’s Day seemed to confirm that winter here in Central Iowa was finally over. The last of the snow has almost melted, “hail to spring” articles  are showing up in the...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108912Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:22:00 Z  By Christa Tinsley, Project Associate.     Today I participated in a webinar hosted by the Southern Growth Policies Board called “The Role of Chambers of Commerce in the Green Economy.” We heard from three chamber leaders...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108705Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:25:00 ZBy Kathy Young, Director of Operations.    I recently attended an interesting event sponsored by Georgia Tech’s City and Regional Planning Department, a conversation between three former City of Atlanta Planning Commissioners. Billed as “Dear...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108629Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:56:00 Z By: Matthew Tester, Project Associate.    Top economists from Moody’s Economy.com recently stopped in Atlanta to discuss the Economic Recession of 2007-2009 in all its glory. Speakers Steven Cochrane and Gus Faucher covered a lot of ground in...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108589Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:24:00 ZBy Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.   In previous blog postings, we have discussed the importance of entrepreneurship and small businesses, especially in light of the current economic recession. Here are three long-term ways that communities...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108554Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:33:00 ZBy Ellen Anderson, Director of Research. A March 2008 article in The Atlantic entitled  “The Next Slum?” explored some of the potential impacts of the housing market fallout on city/suburb dynamics. It describes how vandals and drug users...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108504Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:18:00 ZBy Matt Tarleton, Project Associate.   Two weeks ago, Mac Holladay wrote a piece covering recent changes in federal support for small business financing and the need for chambers and economic development organizations to focus on the role...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108484Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:01:00 Z By Will Corbin, Project Associate.      “The Dismal Decade,” “The Lost Decade,” “The Decade from Hell,” “The Worst Decade Ever.” American writers and scholars have used all of these phrases to describe the first ten years of this new...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108445Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:06:00 Z By William Teasley, Project Manager.    I have previously written about the significance of broadband communications as a critical component of a community’s infrastructure. A community’s broadband access is an equalizer and asset, equal to...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108428Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:36:00 Z  By Christa Tinsley, Project Associate.   Many of the more rural communities and regions we work with are underserved in retail. Often they complain of having to drive to the next city or county when they want to eat out at a...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108376Thu, 11 Feb 2010 23:11:00 Z By Alex Pearlstein, Director of Projects.    Anyone who follows urban revitalization trends is aware that, in addition to artists, the “first wave” of central-city pioneers is often comprised by gay residents. They move into disinvested...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108338Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:15:00 Z By J. Mac Holladay, Founder and CEO.    This recession has had a devastating effect on small businesses across the country. In fact, 41% of all the jobs lost in this recession have come from firms with fewer than 50 employers. That...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108322Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:34:00 Z By Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.  My alma mater, Tougaloo College, which is a private college located right outside of Jackson, Mississippi, offers an early admission program for high school juniors who meet certain criteria, like GPA...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108286Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:26:00 Z By William Teasley, Project Manager.   High quality public education is one of the greatest assets in economic development. The ability to generate a high quality workforce is paramount to the success of existing a future businesses in...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108236Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:08:00 Z By Christa Tinsley, Project Associate   The U.S. Department of Labor awarded $100 million in green jobs training grants to 25 communities earlier this month. Austin, Texas received $4.8 million of this money to train for and...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108195Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:24:00 Z By Matt Tarleton, Project Associate.    I recently wrote a piece about the migration patterns of the college educated , identifying some of the metropolitan areas that have been successful in attracting new residents with average...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108171Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:11:00 Z By Alex Pearlstein, Senior Project Manager.    The provision of incentives is one of the most controversial issues in economic development today and likely will be for a number of years to come. As the competition for relocation prospects...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108137Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:52:00 Z By Ellen Anderson, Director of Research.    As the U.S. Census Bureau rolls out each new year of American Community Survey (ACS) implementation, the survey offers a greater variety of data to a broader reach of geographies. The 2008 ACS...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108093Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:20:00 Z By J. Mac Holladay, Founder and CEO.    This week in Atlanta the American Economic Association held its annual meeting. There were PhDs everywhere, nearly 1000 of them. Finally on the last day of the meeting they asked the only relevant...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108033Fri, 08 Jan 2010 21:25:00 Z By Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.   Everyone who knows me knows that one of my least favorite pastimes is driving in traffic. Any time I have to drive from one area of Atlanta to another, especially if it’s any time between 4:00 pm...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=108047Wed, 06 Jan 2010 22:28:00 Z By William Teasley, Project Manager.    At Market Street , we often talk about change and growth of communities and the people within them. As an outside observer it is sometimes easier to see what impedes communities moving...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107989Thu, 31 Dec 2009 20:42:00 Z By J. Mac Holladay, Founder and CEO.    It is hard to believe that we are headed to a new year and a new decade in a few days. Time Magazine called the last 10 years “The Decade from Hell”. The pace of change has continued to accelerate and...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107961Mon, 28 Dec 2009 17:33:00 Z   By Christa Tinsley, Project Associate.   Last week, the U.S. House of Representative passed its $154 billion jobs bill, called the Jobs for Main Street Act of 2010 . Among other things, the expansive legislation hopes to increase...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107877Wed, 23 Dec 2009 21:28:00 Z By Matt Tarleton, Project Associate.    “ Change is debilitating when done to us, but exhilarating when done by us .” – Rosabeth Moss Kanter This quote is one of Mac Holladay’s favorites, and it has quickly become one of mine as...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107847Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:34:00 Z By Ellen Anderson, Research Manager.    While there are many varied strategies that can be employed in the name of economic development, the goal is wealth creation for local families. Per capita income(PCI) is one of the most common and...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107834Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:29:00 Z By Alex Pearlstein, Senior Project Manager.   Time magazine has taken pity on Detroit. It is sponsoring a campaign called “ Selling Detroit ” that aims to help “America’s most struggling city (attract) business and talent.” Part of a yearlong...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107813Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:28:00 Z By Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.    Many feel that innovation and technology transfer are the keys to future economic growth.  With the decline in manufacturing jobs, math, science, and engineering fields have...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107759Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:09:00 Z By Christa Tinsley, Project Associate.   During the community input phase of each project we work on, a comment we usually hear repeated in almost every community is regarding the lack of adequate or quality child care...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107717Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:03:00 Z By William Teasley, Project Manager.    I recently had the pleasure of working with the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce in creating the One Vision – One Voice – One Morgan County community strategy that addresses...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107658Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:56:00 Z By Matt Tarleton, Project Associate.  One the most common things we hear from communities across the country is a desire to be a magnet for the college-educated. High-tech centers such as the San Diego, San Francisco, and Boston metropolitan...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107548Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:13:00 ZBy Alex Pearlstein, Senior Project Manager.  A Sunday  article in the Des Moines Register on the steep decline of manufacturing jobs in rural Iowa communities again called to mind the plight facing hundreds – perhaps thousands – of U.S. cities and...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107518Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:36:00 Z By Ellen Anderson, Research Manager. It is estimated that nearly nine million households in the United States do not maintain bank accounts. That is a staggering number of people who do not participate in the mainstream financial system. They...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107470Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:29:00 Z By Christa Tinsley, Project Associate.   Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that a private Chinese energy farm is constructing a $1.5 billion wind farm in western Texas, to be completed in 2011. The wind farm...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107433Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:06:00 Z By Ranada Robinson.   Have you ever heard of dropout factories? Well, according to a report published last month by the Alliance for Excellent Education, there’s probably one near you, especially if you live in the South. More than...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107415Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:28:00 Z By J. Mac Holladay, Founder and CEO.    I recently returned from a lengthy trip to Australia and New Zealand. As I sat in the Atlanta airport earlier this week waiting to depart for Nashville several things are coming to mind about the...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107408Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:17:00 Z By William Teasley, Project Manager.    As state and local education budgets have been slashed do to the current economic crisis, there are several ‘green shoots’ in education reform that continue to reassure us that the next...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107372Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:54:00 Z By Matt Tarleton, Project Associate.  One in six. That’s how many people are either unemployed or underemployed in this country. As you walk down the street or through the grocery store, on average every sixth person you pass is either...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107339Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:29:00 Z By Ellen Anderson, Research Manager.    When I volunteered as a grant writer and project manager for a small community in rural Oregon, attempts to apply for Community Development Block Grant funding were thwarted because the community’s...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107297Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:46:00 Z By Alex Pearlstein, Senior Project Manager.    The iconic film “Field of Dreams,” shot in the humble cornfields of Iowa, has turned out to be a veritable phenomenon, with tourists continuing to make their way to Dyersville to see...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107266Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:14:00 Z By Christa Tinsley, Project Associate.   As I wrote a few months ago, youth employment has faced a decline since the 1980s, but this year the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funded many grants and programs that...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107228Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:20:00 Z By Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.    History shows that entrepreneurship in the U.S. increases during economic recession. In an effort to move forward the country’s recovery, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation recently launched a...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107193Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:44:00 ZBy William Teasley, Project Manager. In many of our projects around the country, our clients are interested in seeing best practices from other communities.  Our experience and years in this business in a variety of communities has provided us...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107162Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:42:00 ZBy Matthew Tarleton, Project Associate. I recently had the pleasure of hearing Mark Zandi (Chief Economist) and Stephen Cochrane (Managing Director) of Moody’s Economy.com share their perspective on the national and regional economic outlook....http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107121Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:46:00 Z By William Teasley, Project Manager.    At Market Street , we often use a quote in our presentations from the book World Class , by Rosabeth Moss Cantor: “Change is debilitating when do to us, but exhilarating when done by us.”  This is...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107077Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:15:00 ZBy J. Mac Holladay, Founder and CEO. As many have written, we have never seen a recession quite like this one. This past week a couple of headlines add more power to that reality. On Thursday, September 10, a Wall Street Journal headline read...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107053Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:35:00 ZBy J. Mac Holladay, Founder and CEO. This recession has been devastating in terms of job losses. 2008 was the worst year since 1945 and 2009 may eclipse that. Only one sector had a net gain of jobs in 2008 and that was healthcare. All the other...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107031Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:48:00 Z By Ellen Anderson, Research Manager.    According to the Pew Charitable Trusts , in 2007 only 8 percent of U.S. power production came from renewable sources – solar, hydro, wind, and geothermal - far short of the President’s goal of 25...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107016Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:27:00 Z By Alex Pearlstein, Senior Project Manager.     I’ve recently relocated to Des Moines, Iowa as my wife attends medical school here. Needless to say, there are more than a few differences between Iowa’s capital city and Georgia’s (Atlanta),...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=107002Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:14:00 Z By J. Mac Holladay, Founder and CEO.     The economic reports from across the nation remain confusing and contradictory. James C. Cooper at Business Week suggests that plunging inventories could lead to gains in orders and production with...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106980Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:51:00 Z by Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.   When I was in 6th grade, one of my favorite cartoons was Captain Planet. Inspired, I started the Save the Earth Club at school, and we were in essence, the litter patrol. We cleaned up the school...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106966Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:27:00 Z By Matt Tarleton, Project Associate.    Here at Market Street, we love webinars and teleconferences. Research institutes, policy centers, and think tanks are constantly looking for new ways to spread their ideas and reach a larger audience;...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106954Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:29:00 Z By Christa Tinsley, Project Associate.   This summer has seen the rapid adoption of citizen-friendly technology by many U.S. cities. The big tech news today is the City of San Francisco’s launch of DataSF.org , a data clearinghouse site. In...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106926Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:20:00 Z By William Teasley, Project Manager.      The current economic crisis facing our nation has impacted every facet of our economy. In addition to the conditions the helped cause the current recession, there is growing awareness of the other...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106903Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:40:00 Z By Ellen Anderson, Research Manager.    One of the most startling and widespread impacts of this recession is the level of uncertainty it has created related to the ability for those who work hard to achieve the American Dream. The idea of the...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106898Thu, 13 Aug 2009 21:49:00 Z By Alex Pearlstein, Senior Project Manager.    If I had to make a rough estimate I’d say that in 85 to 90 percent of the communities where Market Street works the local/regional hospital(s) is the area’s largest employer. Time after time...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106891Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:15:00 Z By Matt Tarleton, Project Associate.    As you likely noticed from some of my other colleagues’ recent posts, a few of us attended the annual conference of the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) in my hometown (Raleigh, NC)  last...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106868Fri, 07 Aug 2009 17:04:00 Z By Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.    Last week, I traveled to Raleigh, NC, to attend the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) convention, for which Market Street was a sponsor. Thursday morning, our keynote speaker was Dr....http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106860Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:54:00 Z By Kathy Young, Operations Manager.    This past week I attended the annual meeting of the American Chamber of Commerce Executives ( ACCE ) in Raleigh, North Carolina with two of my co-workers and Market Street’s Founder and CEO, Mac...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106855Tue, 04 Aug 2009 01:30:00 Z  By Christa Tinsley, Project Associate   A week ago, the federal minimum wage rose to $7.25 an hour. A recent NPR story discussed the projected positive and negative effects the boost in pay would bring, with proponents of the law saying the...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106835Fri, 31 Jul 2009 21:37:00 Z By Chelsea Arkin, Project Assistant.     It is easy to see the rippling effects of our country’s economic turndown on the art community. Art sales are dropping rapidly, with many galleries closing altogether. Many  recent studies have linked...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106812Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:15:00 Z By Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.    When I was in the 7th grade, I participated in the Talent Identification Program at Duke University. You see, at the time, I was in the gifted program, and my junior high school made sure that gifted...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106789Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:50:00 Z By William Teasley, Project Manager.    Immigration has had a dramatic and overall positive impact on our nation. America was, and remains, the symbol of opportunity and freedom to people across the globe. As a nation whose vast majority of...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106779Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:47:00 Z By Ellen Anderson, Research Manager.  The College Board, a not-for-profit membership organization composed of more than 5,400 colleges, universities, and other educational entities, reports that the tuition prices at many universities continue...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106731Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:37:00 Z  By Christa Tinsley, Project Associate.   On Monday, the White House published the report “Preparing the Workers of Today for the Jobs of Tomorrow” ( PDF ) by President’s Council of Economic Advisors. There aren’t a lot of surprises here for...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106720Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:04:00 ZBy J. Mac Holladay, Founder and CEO. This past week I spent at my alma mater, Washington and Lee University, studying and discussing Dr. George Herring’s classic textbook: “Vietnam -America’s Longest War.” Our country’s involvement in Vietnam...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106712Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:19:00 Z By Alex Pearlstein, Senior Project Manager.   Well, the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) has released its latest Urban Mobility Report and the most respected traffic-congestion analysis in our fair land has determined that...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106683Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:08:00 Z By Matt Tarleton, Project Associate.    On August 31, 2008, our current president and then presidential candidate Barack Obama was in Toledo, Ohio fielding questions from a group of residents. One gentleman was called upon, and begun to speak...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106685Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:27:00 ZBy Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.  A hot topic in the news lately has been how healthcare will be reformed under the leadership of President Obama. In an environment where health access and cost have become increasingly important and...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106646Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:57:00 ZBy William Teasley, Project Manager.  Communities traditionally viewed infrastructure (including roads, rail, water and sewer, and electricity) as keys to their competitiveness. However, to survive in the 21st century, infrastructure must...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106633Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:26:00 ZBy Ellen Anderson, Research Manager.     Is it just me, or does it seem like in the last few years every city in the country has developed plans, built, or expanded an existing convention center? We have all been to conventions, and while the...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106586Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:10:00 ZBy Christa Tinsley, Project Associate.  This Monday marked the launch of President Obama’s summer service program and its accompanying website, Serve.gov . The campaign runs from June 22 to September 11, with education, health, community...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106562Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:27:00 ZBy Mac Holladay, Founder and CEO.  Normally, when the nation comes out of a recession, the consumer plays a key role. As the percentage of the economy becomes increasingly consumer based (now 66%), that becomes even more important. However,...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106545Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:03:00 ZBy Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.  During this economic recession, many localities, regions, and states are strapped for funds and must now more than ever prioritize where investments are made. However, the recession can be strategically...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106530Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:07:00 ZBy Matthew Tarleton, Project Associate.   In recent weeks, we’ve begun to see a few signs that various forecasts of a recovery beginning in the third quarter may be correct. In this context, a recovery is defined as positive economic output. But...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106508Tue, 16 Jun 2009 21:57:00 Z By Ellen Anderson, Research Manager.     It has been interesting to read the variety of recent headlines relating to communities that have embraced various forms of conservation: reduce, reuse, recycle.  The common thread among these news...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106471Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:24:00 ZBy Christa Tinsley, Project Associate.  The most recent edition of the American Journal of Medicine reports that more than 60 percent of U.S. bankruptcies can be attributed to medical problems ( PDF ) – that’s nearly two in three bankruptcy...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106450Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:46:00 ZBy William Teasley, Project Manager.  At a recent luncheon for a local park conservancy, Ted Turner was interviewed by a top local news anchor on the impact the green movement is making.  One of the questions Mr. Turner was asked was what would...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106429Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:55:00 ZBy Alex Pearlstein, Senior Project Manager.  So says the Dayton Daily News in an editorial titled “What’s it mean to lose NCR?” The NCR referred to is a Fortune 500 company that develops cash registers, bank ATMs,and airline check-in...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106401Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:08:00 ZBy Ellen Anderson, Research Manager.  The USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) publishes county typology codes, which attempt to categorize U.S. counties along common policy and economic concerns.  They have been helpful to researchers and...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106379Thu, 28 May 2009 21:20:00 ZBy Mac Holladay, Founder and CEO.  I am writing this on Memorial Day. It is not about the economy or about our work. It is about something more important. Ten days ago I walked on Omaha Beach in France. I went to Pointe du Hoc where...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106358Tue, 26 May 2009 13:30:00 ZBy Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.  During this time of economic struggle and record-breaking amounts of foreclosures, an issue for cities that may become increasingly significant is property vacancy.  Vacant or abandoned buildings can...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106346Fri, 22 May 2009 13:15:00 ZBy Christa Tinsley, Project Associate.  With national businesses slow to expand in the present uncertain economy and increasing scrutiny placed on taxpayer-funded corporate incentives, some communities are looking inward to develop their local...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106332Wed, 20 May 2009 13:30:00 ZBy Matt Tarleton, Project Associate.  Over the last fifteen years my mother has taught academically gifted students in a few different elementary schools in and around Raleigh, North Carolina. She is an outstanding educator in many regards, and...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106319Mon, 18 May 2009 13:57:00 ZBy Ellen Anderson, Research Manager.  The Robert Lowe Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and fostering entrepreneurship through educational outreach, leadership training, research, and advocacy.  Since January they...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106304Thu, 14 May 2009 14:25:00 Z By William Teasley, Project Manager.  A significant challenge facing numerous communities in the South is redefining themselves in the 21st Century.  Southern communities are a lot different than they were 30 years ago, and incredible strides...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106235Tue, 12 May 2009 11:48:00 ZBy Chelsea Arkin, Project Assistant.  Artists have long been leaders in the colonization of blighted urban areas. In the past they have typically encountered resistance to their efforts, especially from public officials.  Now, in an effort to...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106224Mon, 11 May 2009 12:17:00 ZBy Christa Tinsley, Project Associate.  A recent Kauffman Foundation report, Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity 1996-2008 ,  indicates that entrepreneurship rates in the U.S. increased between 2007 and 2008, despite the economic...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106217Fri, 08 May 2009 11:40:00 ZBy Alex Pearlstein, Senior Project Manager.  First it was Youngstown, Ohio .  Now, according to a recent New York Times article , Flint, Michigan .  Many more cities are likely to join the movement to “shrink” themselves in order to...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106161Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:08:00 ZBy Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.  Throughout my life, I’ve heard the mantra, “Education is the key to success.”  Well, it’s true.  Education, on micro and macro levels, make our communities stronger by preparing children for the future as...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106146Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:39:00 ZBy Ellen Anderson, Research Manager.  Last month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released “ A Chart Book of International Labor Comparisons ” illustrating labor market dynamics in the United States compared to select European and Asian...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106137Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:32:00 ZBy Mac Holladay, Founder and CEO.   In January, there was a big announcement in Birmingham. After 30 years of being separate, the Birmingham Regional Chamber and the Metropolitan Development Board were going to merge. Finally, Alabama’s largest...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106123Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:01:00 ZBy Matthew Tarleton, Project Associate.   It’s the sound of corporate profits going down the drain. Way down. I know, that’s not exactly shocking news.  Like much of the economy in the first half of this decade, corporate profits saw...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106113Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:51:00 ZBy William Teasley, Project Manager.  Over the past decade there has been a rising tide of businesses and economic development professionals that have seen the green in “Green.”  Whether it’s revamping production lines to be more energy...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106100Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:22:00 ZBy Mac Holladay, Founder and CEO.  The Green Challenge: that is the title of an interesting special section produced by The American Prospect magazine. The section covers a wide variety of topics, but I want to concentrate on an article...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106063Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:46:00 Z By Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.  At Market Street , we believe that because U.S. workers now pick where they want to live first and find a job second, economically competitive places are those that offer a high quality of life.  Of...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106062Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:36:00 ZBy Ellen Anderson, Research Manager.  In March, The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government reported that at least 35 states saw a decline in total one-year tax revenues between January 2008 and January 2009.  Further, 21 states...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106031Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:05:00 ZBy Alex Pearlstein, Senior Project Manager.  The latest of what are seemingly monthly lists of the “best place” to live, date, work, start a company, start a family, retire, un-retire, etc., came from Forbes Magazine in its assessment of the ...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=106008Thu, 09 Apr 2009 01:03:00 ZBy Matthew Tarleton, Project Associate.   One piece of information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) that doesn’t receive much attention is the number of individuals working part-time for economic reasons (or “involuntary part-time...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=105959Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:15:00 ZBy Mac Holladay, Founder and CEO.  Five years ago Gary Stern, President of The Minneapolis Federal Reserve, co-authored a book titled “Too Big to Fail: the Hazards of Bank Bailouts.” The book reported on the concerns related to the size and...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=105941Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:04:00 ZAs traditional economic development becomes more intertwined with community development, knowing details related to residents' and workers' socioeconomic wellbeing becomes as important as industry growth, job growth, and capital investment.  Healthy...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=105911Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:51:00 Z I had an interesting conversation with a colleague the other day.  He mentioned how it makes him sad to return to his hometown in New Jersey, a once quaint and unique place that has become another faceless assembly of strip malls and big box...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=105909Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:34:00 ZOver the course of the last week, we’ve seen some of the first positive economic indicators that point to the beginning signs of recovery in certain areas. And by “positive” I mean “not as bad as last month.” The Dow Jones Industrial...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=105900Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:03:00 Z I often recommend Thomas Friedman’s “The Lexus and The Olive Tree” as the best explanation of globalization and how it has changed the economic development world. As I have watched the swirling events of the last week or so, something quite...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=105848Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:05:00 ZUnemployment continues to climb nationwide, but some parts of our country are feeling the intensity and extent of this recession much more than others. The nation’s Plains States have historically held lower unemployment rates than the national...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=105831Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:38:00 ZAfter the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) on February 17, 2009 communities, cities, counties, states and regional planning entities began the process of determining how to use the funds to plug deficit gaps and...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=105813Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:29:00 ZOn February 1st, Tom Friedman wrote a column in The New York Times titled, “Elvis Has Left the Mountain.”   (It can be viewed  online or as a PDF by clicking here ).   Since I was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee and had the chance to see “The...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=105801Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:17:00 ZI am a non-traditional worker, telecommuting for Atlanta-based Market Street from my hometown of Chicago.    While you get less bang-for-your-buck in real estate here,  it is easy to live without a car – something that is an absolute necessity in...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=105787Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:04:00 ZIn early February, continued unemployment claims topped five million for the first time since the Department of Labor started collecting data on unemployment claims in 1967. However, as a share of the labor force, continued unemployment claims are...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=105765Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:53:00 ZContinuing a trend initiated by books such as Richard Florida’s “Rise of the Creative Class” and perpetuated by a growing movement of economic development professionals that argue workforce talent will be the key driver of future growth, communities...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=105759Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:54:00 ZI graduated from college during our last economic recession.  Prompted by an utter lack of promising job opportunities and a longstanding interest in volunteering, I decided to volunteer with AmeriCorps for a year in rural Oregon.   The program...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=105733Sun, 01 Mar 2009 21:17:00 ZEconomic development has changed significantly over the past two decades.  The days of smokestack chasing have given way to people chasing.  Communities large and small are positioning themselves to attract and grow a talented workforce with skills...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=105732Sun, 01 Mar 2009 21:10:00 ZAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately seven-out-of-ten people in the United States live urban areas.  Therefore, during this recession, cities have a huge stake in finding solutions to spur economic recuperation.  The Conference of...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=105730Sun, 01 Mar 2009 21:01:00 ZIn recent weeks, there has been a plethora of political pundits on cable and network news analyzing the proposed economic stimulus legislation.  Two partisan media watchdog groups analyzed the television coverage to determine how the stimulus...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=105705Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:19:00 Z By Evan D. Robertson, Project Associate.   I’ve been as far north as Bird Island, Minnesota. Just two weeks ago, I can now claim to have been as far north as Watertown, South Dakota. Watertown sits on the stretch of I-29 between...http://www.marketstreetservices.com/default.aspx?p=28303&beid=118955Mon, 01 Jan 1900 06:00:00 Z