Category Archives: Economy

Overall Employment Numbers Aren't That Good

Posted on December 30, 2015 by matt ohern

The Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes an unemployment number that does not reflect reality.   In the last Quarter for instance, across the U.S., 501,000 people found jobs, but 984,000 quit looking for jobs, and they are … Continue reading →

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A Furniture Industry Renaissance?

Posted on December 1, 2015 by matt ohern

At its peak in the 1980s, Basset Furniture Industries employed roughly 9,000 people, with the largest concentration in Martinsville and Henry County. One of the largest furniture manufacturers in the world, the company provided jobs not only for machinists and … Continue reading →

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Surfing the Data Tsunami

Posted on November 11, 2015 by matt ohern

Data Crush is coming, and it gives us an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform aging and decrepit institutions, designed for the mid-20th century. As futurist Chris Surdak argues the “digital trinity” — mobile computing, social media and advanced analytics — is sweeping … Continue reading →

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College Degrees Help Recession Recovery

Posted on November 11, 2015 by matt ohern

Apparently a college degree does make a difference – at least when it comes to a region’s ability to recover from recession. Northern Virginia is a driver of growth in our state. This was the case in the period between … Continue reading →

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Public Private Partnerships in Transportation Work

Posted on October 28, 2015 by matt ohern

Virginia’s landmark 20-year old transportation public-private partnership (P3) law has been a boon to the state. It has helped bring in additional financing sources and shift risk from the public sector to the private sector. Across the country, the state … Continue reading →

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