Outside Erie

In neighboring Ohio — a state that faces almost all of the economic challenges that are facing Pennsylvania — the state’s Department of Education has set out to create a strategy for educating its youth for the modern work force.
The effort is worth following, for sure, since Ohio is both competing and working with Pennsylvania […]

This week’s top comment is short but it makes a point about a topic we haven’t discussed enough here — the runway extension project at Erie International Airport.
Here is what GlobalErie reader Jake has to say about the public’s reaction to the project:

If I read one more letter to the editor blasting the runway extension, […]

John Morris, a regular GlobalErie commenter, offered some great thoughts on why immigration should be a key part of Erie’s economic development strategy.
This should be one of the top subjects on here.
Countries like Canada, Australia and Singapore are aggressively recruiting high value educated immigrants. This is one of the most crucial weapons in our economic […]

If you haven’t yet seen the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review piece on the proposed Erie Renewable Energy plant, I suggest you check it out.
Emissions questions aside, it seems as though there is a bit of controversy over where the plant will actually get its tires.
According to the story:
[Caletta Renewable Energy] chief operating officer Victor] Gatto says he […]

GlobalErie reader Richard Herman pointed me to an interesting column from Elizabeth Sullivan, the foreign affairs columnist and associate of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
There are many who believe that America needs to adopt a protectionist mindset to hold on to what is left of its manufacturing might — and to grow in the future.
Sullivan offers […]

If you watched any of the early speeches during last night’s Democratic National Convention, you likely noticed that there was a lot of discussion about investing in green technologies.
The idea that, as a nation, we should prioritize technologies that reduce our dependence on foreign oil and would have the added benefit of creating new domestic […]

This week’s Sunday business profile focuses on Al’s Melons Farm Market & Greenhouse in Linesville — the Gannon University Small Business Development Center’s Agribusiness of the Year.
When John O’Grady took over Al’s Melons Farm Market from his stepfather eight years ago, he took on an already established operation that sold produce, fruit, and nursery […]

We don’t often touch on public safety in this space. But regular reader and commenter George Vietze had an interesting thought this week about how public safety fits into economic development.
Here it is:

I have been warned on many occasions about the danger of being in certain communities, especially at night because safety is a crucial […]

Erie clearly needs to become more effective in creating a better culture for start-up businesses to grow and prosper.
Some experts have complained in the past that Erie could improve in small-business development if its entrepreneurs had more access to venture capital.
Venture capital firms are typically easier to attract in bigger cities — and many argue […]

We’ve discussed the concept that inner ring suburbs like Millcreek are in the early stages of what could be a long decline.
And that trend is not unique to Erie if you take a look at a really interesting discussion on the New York Times’ Freakonomics blog.
The item talks to several planners who say that American […]