The Value in Being Yourself

That may work in an ancient city such as that, but I don't think it would work in Pocahontas County. Not enough history there. Just my humble opinion

With rare exception a community needs a mix of income generating assets to sustain itself. Any community that depends on only one industry is vulnerable to forces totally out of its control. Ideally a community will have an established income producing base such as a factory or a resort area or other source of good jobs. Along side established industry there also needs to be something that is new and will expand. Every industry has a life cycle. The life span will vary but they all have one. Eventually an industry that produces a lot of good jobs will contract and shed jobs. A community with a good plan will replace job losses in old industries with new opportunities. In this way there will always be prosperity.

A well educated skilled workforce is certainly a prerequisite to attracting the sort of industry a community wants. Besides a good workforce a community needs to develop an infrastructure suitable for the type of industry they want to attract. Here again planning is essential. A community needs to answer some questions. First, what is my workforce best suited for? Second, are we prepared for an appropriate industry? Thirdly and very important is how can a community sell itself? You know the old saying, "If you're getting tired of waiting for your ship to come in, maybe you should swim out to it."

Vaughn is right on the remark about coal mines & wind turbines. Two diff. processes.
I whole-heartedly agree with the education. I think Pocahontas Woods was headed in that direction awhile back when they held the timbering classes there. P. C. folks shouldn't have to travel to Randolph Co. for these classes when we have folks here that can teach them.
There used to be a nursing class at the high school & I'm glad to see that one is starting up again & that it's for adults as well as youth.
Martin I wish you the best in getting more college classes in P. C.

Bill that's not what I was meaning. I mean classes in person. Classes that you have labs with.

Please keep this thread alive. The conflict between old and new is timeless. The conflict between online college courses vs. in-person teaching is a sign of transition. Coal vs. wind as a source of electric power. In each case, the emotional influence of nostalgia and personal contact is timeless. Industry and technology both have life cycles, but the mountains and trees and flowing water are timeless. Pocahontas County is in the midst of a long, slow, slide economically - with no clear answer for how to stabilize population and employment. The median age is increasing. Many young people with talent and ambition feel the need to leave home to prosper, and may never return. What can the county and its citizens do to halt and reverse these trends?