Central

There are times when the residents of McDuffie County appear pleasantly distracted in the face of double digit unemployment, thanks to unique, even eccentric, sources for their economy. This small county of 21,500 near Augusta enjoys annual retail sales of…

The story of economic development in Wilkinson County may start with kaolin, the white mineral that comes out of the ground along the fall line and makes it way into everything from toothpaste to tires, but area leaders are determined…

Big changes are coming to Monroe County. In 2010, the Department of Corrections is moving its headquarters out of downtown Atlanta and onto the former Tift College campus. It’s a move that will affect all aspects of the county, from…

Despite job losses, the citizens of Milledgeville are heartened by some promising developments. New businesses downtown, ongoing construction, an exciting technology project and the forecast of a major transportation improvement are brightening what could be a much gloomier picture. In…

In the middle of the largest surplus of new homes in the nation’s history, Patti Goff is facing a housing shortage. And she has a waiting list of customers lined up, cash in hand, ready to lease some space. Goff…

Paul Mechler was sitting in his office doing a little economic forecasting and thinking out loud about how his company may ride out the present economy and position itself to fit nicely into a national recovery. His musings are a…

In recent times, Peach County has been most notable to travelers on I-75 for two things – a cadre of RV dealers at the Byron exit (149) and a certain very well advertised dance club at exit 146 with highly…

For many travelers, the exits off I-16 at Dublin were just places to stop, relax and refuel on the way to Savannah or Atlanta. These days, however, they’re becoming the gateway to an increasing number of new businesses and industries.…

Looking at recent economic activity in Bibb County and Macon it’s difficult to believe they are part of a suffering U.S. economy. New commercial construction in the area during the first 11 months of 2008 rose by more than $48…

Redevelopment is spreading like kudzu from one end of Hall County, about an hour northeast of Atlanta, to the other. Small towns in south Hall are reinventing themselves. The midtown area of Gainesville, the county seat, is being reinvigorated with…