As the economic developer in Stokes County, N.C., it is my job to try and help the economy prosper. This is a huge job and one that I am going to need a great deal of assistance on. I will be reporting on new ideas that are being introduced in the county and writing about local businesses, places and people of interest.
As this is a rural county, we face a different set of challenges than do urban centers. We have lost many of our manufacturing jobs and we are trying to replace them. Stokes also faces a challenge of having a mountain range running through the middle of the county. This bi-sects the area almost down the middle. It also serves to isolate the communities within the county from one another.
Since I am an optimist, I see the glass as half-full. We have much natural beauty. We are the only county in the United States that has a mountain range rise and fall within its borders. We have the Dan River, a wonder heritage of farming and self-reliance. We have good access to population areas in the North Carolina Piedmont. We simply need to find a way to take advantage of these assets.
I hope that over time I can present my ideas in an interesting way and if you read my post, I welcome your comments.