Oak Ridge National Laboratory sees data center opportunity for West Virginia


kathy@h2cstrategies.com Data Centers, Economic Development, Economy, Energy, Technology, Workforce

West Virginia’s role in the national data center discussion was the focus of a recent House Energy Committee informational meeting, where Gary Iyer of Oak Ridge National Laboratory briefed lawmakers on the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, hyperscale data centers and the infrastructure demands that come with them. Iyer, an electrical engineer with more than …Read More

Delegates Dive into Data Centers


kathy@h2cstrategies.com Data Centers, Economic Development, Economy, Energy, Gas and Oil, Government & Policy

Several West Virginia legislators and a representative from the state Division of Economic Development told the House of Delegates on Monday that they see great potential in the arrival of data centers in the state, and some said state residents would benefit from knowing more about the emerging industry. The West Virginia group attended Data …Read More

Berkeley County asks about data-center tax policy


kathy@h2cstrategies.com Broadband, Data Centers, Economy, Energy, Energy & enviroment, Gas and Oil, Government & Policy, Local Government, Tax Policy, Technology

Berkeley County public officials are inquiring about the tax implications of a potential data-center development in Falling Waters, an unincorporated community on the Potomac River. Reporting on April 26, Brad McElhinny of WV MetroNews suggested that Berkeley County could be on the leading edge of counties assessing data-center development. McElhinny reported that Berkeley County sent …Read More

Workforce a Focus in Broadband Deployment


kathy@h2cstrategies.com Broadband, Business, Economy, Government & Policy, Technology, Workforce , ,

Telecommunications industry leaders and state and federal officials, meeting October 22-23 in Charleston for the 2024 West Virginia Broadband Summit, expressed optimism as the federal government’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program promises to deliver high-speed service to the state’s unserved and underserved areas. Summit organizers concentrated on workforce readiness as federally funded broadband …Read More

865,000 women leave the workforce last month.


Brian Skinner COVID-19, Economy

The Lilly — Soo Youn — October 7, 2020 Jenai A. Rossow was working full time at a county clinic near Ithaca, N.Y., when shelter-in-place orders forced the first overhaul of her work life. The mother of two and social worker was able to use paid emergency leave as schools and day cares shut down. …Read More

Virgin Hyperloop to build Hyperloop Certification Center in West Virginia


Brian Skinner Economy, Technology

By Brian Skinner, Esq. Today, Virgin Hyperloop announced it will locate a certification facility on nearly 800 acres of land spanning Tucker and Grant counties, where it will leverage intellectual capital and resources from Marshall University, West Virginia University and from across the state. The announcement comes after years of testing and developing hyperloop technology at …Read More

Should West Virginia Employ an Antigen Testing Strategy that Prioritizes Infectiousness Over Infections?


Brian Skinner COVID-19, Economy

  By Brian Skinner, Esq. Earlier this week, global airlines called for pre-departure Covid-19 testing for all international passengers to replace the quarantines that they blame for exacerbating the decline in air travel. International Air Transport Association (IATA) Director General Alexandre de Juniac said during an online media briefing, rapid and affordable antigen tests that …Read More

Income and Wealth Inequality and How It Limits Our Economic Potential


Brian Skinner Economy, State Fiscal & Economic Policy

  By Brian Skinner, Esq. In an important new book Heather Boushey, the Executive Director and Chief Economist at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, writes about the transformation underway in economics that is upsetting conventional wisdom about how our nation can deliver strong, stable, and broadly shared economic growth. Unbound-How Inequality Constricts Our Economy and What We Can Do …Read More