Jim Verzino

What will the next economy look like?

Local business and shopping as we know it are in the process of changing forever

We've got to talk.

With the holidays behind us and the serious work of economic development for the next half century clearly in our sights, it's a great time to discuss how we can keep our Main Street and local businesses viable for the long term.

Leading up to the holidays, Jacob Roberts and Bethany Thies wrote excellent articles touting both the benefits of shopping locally and the challenges with executing such a vision in a community of limited means.

Locally and nationally, people are discussing how local business can survive and thrive - but they're having the wrong discussion. The work of the buy-local movement is very important and needs to continue, but that is only one piece of a larger puzzle.

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The River Garden’s $64,000 question

RE: “Running the numbers: BaBB prepares for upcoming public hearings” [Jan. 30]: There is nearly unanimous agreement in the community that we all would like to keep the Robert H. Gibson River Garden a public space. I don't think this article really addresses the true question: How do we...

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