Ohio’s difficult economic conditions, coupled with a genuine desire to create more statewide employment opportunities, prompted more than 120 Ohioans to participate in the state’s January 21, 2010 Jobs Forum. Read more »

Panels of economic experts, elected officials, community leaders and state agencies presented information in conjunction with Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Rural Development (RD) for a jointly hosted USDA Forum on Jobs & Economic Growth on January 21. The forum was held in Albany, a community with a 14 percent unemployment rate, well above the national rate. Read more »

With unemployment rates above ten percent across the region, families and businesses in West Tennessee are especially hard hit by the economic downturn. Last Thursday, business and other community leaders met federal, state and local economic development officials at the University of Tennessee Extension Experiment Station in Jackson to discuss what can be done to speed recovery and create long-term economic stability across the state. Read more »

A standing room only crowd welcomed Congressman Rick Boucher of the 9^th District in Virginia and Ellen M. Davis, State Director for Rural Development at the January 12^th funding event in Wytheville, Virginia. The ceremony highlighted the very first USDA Guaranteed Multi-Family Housing loan in the state. “The new High Meadows Town Homes fill a great need in our community-the need for high quality, affordable rental housing” said Congressman Boucher during his remarks.

The new town homes were financed by a $2.1 million dollar guaranteed multi-family housing loan made by Lancaster Pollard Mortgage Service.  Carl Wagner representing the mortgage service said, “We are delighted to assist in this first guaranteed venture in Virginia and that this is only the beginning of this type of relationship as Lancaster and Pollard will be looking to financing many more complexes in the future.”

The total cost of the project is over $9 million dollars and will provide 60 new modern, energy efficient one, two and three bedroom apartments to the Wytheville main street corridor. The Town Manage for Wytheville, Wayne Sutherland, was also on hand and remarked, “Our small town has grown over the years and the new town homes will be necessary for our continued prosperity as a growing rural community.”

Accepting the funding certificate was Mark Kinser, CEO of High Meadows Associates based in Radford, Virginia.

Submitted by Vern Orrell, Assistant to the State Director, USDA Rural Development, VA

Approximately 25 Wyoming residents attended a forum on job creation that was hosted by USDA Rural Development and the Farm Service Agency. The forum was held at a hotel in Casper on January 12^th, 2010 as a follow up to President Obama’s December 3^rd White House briefings on job creation. Read more »

Two community forums on jobs and economic growth are being held in Oregon as a follow up to President Obama’s December 3 White House briefings on job creation. Read more »