News
Find all our Ozark-Dale County news posts below. Stories are listed with most recent posts first.
News Articles

Arichem Forms Partnership With SetaTech to Develop Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Common Chemicals
Jan 15 2025Dale County has turned into a hub for sustainable chemical production as two local companies – Arichem and SetaTech become partners. Arichem has been a staple of Dale County for decades, even when it was still owned by Sloss Industries. SetaTech is a much newer company that was supported by...

Ozark is proud to be recognized as an Alabama Community of Excellence (ACE), which is part of a program coordinated by the Alabama League of Municipalities. Completing the ACE designation is a multi-year process that involves countless community members, business leaders, and Ozark residents.The ACE recognition is focused on communities...
The Alabama State Department of Education has released its annual report card data, assigning letter grades to schools and districts across the state. Dale County Schools earned an impressive "A" for the 2023–2024 school year, reaffirming its position as one of Alabama’s top-performing county school systems.Over the past eight years,...
Alabama is one of several southern states seeing more people moving in, according to transportation company U-Haul.The company’s annual Growth Index is out, and Alabama placed 16th among the states, rising six spots from its 2023 ranking. The Yellowhammer State place behind Georgia and just ahead of Virginia.U-Haul uses its...
A critical spending bill aimed at providing economic relief to struggling farmers was recently signed into law, offering a much-needed lifeline to the agricultural community. The legislation, driven by bipartisan support and intense advocacy, allocates $10 billion in direct aid to farmers grappling with financial challenges stemming from soaring input...
A dream turned into reality for Jessica Moore, Executive Director of the Ozark Boys & Girls Club (BGC), as the club officially cut the ribbon on its highly anticipated Teen Center on December 17. Located on Andrews Avenue in the building that once housed the Ozark Board of Education offices,...

Looking Ahead: Predictions for 2025
Dec 19 2024Disruptive factors continue to push companies to mitigate risk in location decisions and build more resilient operating models. Read on for a preview of what Guild members predict for site selection projects in the year ahead.A Slowdown in MegaprojectsGuild members predict that the number of megaprojects will slow in 2025...
Farm-City Committee Celebrates Award Winners
Dec 12 2024As we wrap up our announcements of winners at the Farm-City Banquet 2024, we want to thank our community partners who helped make all of this wonderful recognition happen. We are lucky to have you all here to support the partnership between agriculture and business here in Dale County.County Awards...
Ozark Boys and Girls Club (OBGC) Director Jessica Moore was the featured speaker at the December 3 meeting of the Ozark Kiwanis Club, where she highlighted the advantages of the new teen center that the OBGC will be opening soon.Read the full article here.
You already know that all kinds of great products are made in workshops, factories, studios and kitchens across Alabama. Even better, many of them make perfect gifts for the special ones on your holiday shopping list.Our 2024 Holiday Gift Guide highlights the creativity of Alabama companies, artisans, entrepreneurs and others...
When the J.M. Smucker Co. celebrated the opening of a $1.1 billion manufacturing facility in McCalla days ago, it marked another milestone in a long-running growth spurt that’s energizing Alabama’s key agriculture and food products sector.Since early 2021, over 50 growth projects in this sector have launched statewide, paving the...

The end of the calendar year is often used for reflecting and giving thanks, and so much happened in Dale County, Alabama, this year that there’s a lot to be thankful for. It’s an exciting time to live in the Wiregrass region as businesses continue to move and expand within...
Economic momentum is accelerating in Alabama’s rural counties, with new investments and job creation reaching impressive levels in the past year, Governor Kay Ivey announced today. This progress underscores a promising outlook for the state’s rural communities.Speaking to a gathering of rural economic developers in Prattville, Governor Ivey highlighted the...

Most people view hair trimmings and chicken feathers as waste products, but Blair Blacker, Chairman of the Board at SetaTech, sees opportunity. He has developed a company that keeps these items out of landfills by turning them into agricultural biostimulants. SetaTech is proud to, “utilize the world's waste to clean...

When Archer Review CEO Dr. Karthik Koduru moved his small but growing company from Illinois to Texas a few years ago, he had the same things on his mind as the CEO of any giant multinational.“I wanted to move to Texas for the business-friendly reasons,” he told me on a...

The chill running down your spine could come from the cooling temperatures, or it could be from the spooky stories told at the first-ever Cemetery Tour hosted by the Ozark Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) on Tuesday, October 22. John Cawley, Managing Funeral Director at Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home, led a...

The rise in artificial intelligence (AI) in the franchising world may seem like a fairly recent phenomenon, but it first began to have a noticeable impact on the industry five years ago. Since that inflection point, AI technologies have rapidly matured in areas like machine learning, data analytics and language...

The vast majority of companies that rely on business aviation are small and medium-size companies, many of which are located in towns far from America’s major metropolitan business centers. These enterprises depend upon business aircraft, operating from community airports, to remain connected and competitive.At the same time, business aviation also...

The Role of Rail in Industrial Development
Oct 14 2024Area Development talked with Norfolk Southern’s GVP of Industrial Development, Craig Hudson, about the evolving importance of rail in site selection, supply chain sustainability, and emerging sectors like metals and advanced materials.Q: What challenges do companies face when incorporating rail into their site plans, and how does Norfolk Southern help...
On September 30, the City of Ozark hosted an exciting ribbon-cutting event in collaboration with the Ozark Dale County Economic Development Corporation as it welcomed the new Taco Bell restaurant on Highway 231. The opening of this beloved national chain was attended by city officials and community members who were...
Governor Ivey receives new economic strategic plan to energize Alabama’s long-term growth
Oct 1 2024Governor Kay Ivey announced she has received a forward-thinking economic strategic plan presented by Commerce Secretary Ellen McNair. Designed to guide the state’s growth through the next decade and beyond, the plan cements Alabama’s status as a leader in economic development.This comprehensive plan — called Catalyst — replaces the state’s...
Alabama has once again demonstrated its commitment to fostering a thriving business environment, earning a No. 8 ranking in Area Development’s 2024 “Top States for Doing Business” report.This marks another year of Top 10 recognition for the state, as the national publication highlights Alabama’s competitive edge across multiple business-friendly categories.The...

Business rankings are in, and guess what? The Southern states are shining bright once again.The Top States for Doing Business know a thing or two about creating an attractive business environment. The top states closely manage their taxes and incentive programs, keep their labor force fresh, trained and accessible and...
A signature name in investment banking is making a big investment in Alabama’s small business culture.Goldman Sachs today announced it is bringing its business-education program, 10,000 Small Businesses, to Alabama, with a commitment of $3 million to community development financial institutions that serve rural small businesses in the state.An announcement...