News
Find all our Ozark-Dale County news posts below. Stories are listed with most recent posts first.
News Articles
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 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...
Ozark City Schools and Troy University signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will enhance educational opportunities for local high school students last week on Tuesday, August 27. This agreement introduces an Accelerated Dual Enrollment Program aimed at supporting students who wish to pursue a degree in education while...
At a meeting of the Dale County Commission on August 28, the commission approved the County Transportation plan for FY 2024-25. The County Transportation plan, developed by the county engineer, outlines the roads that the Road and Bridges Department intends to work on during the year, the type of work...
Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, the Ohio Department of Development, and JobsOhio are proud to announce that for the second straight year, Ohio has been ranked Number One in the Global Groundwork Index by Site Selection magazine, based on a comprehensive analysis of job creation, capital expenditures, and...
The Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA), in partnership with the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc., and Innovate Alabama, is thrilled to announce the launch of the second iteration of the HBCU Innovation Internship Program. This fall, the program will welcome an expanded cohort of eight...
Power Provision Is Just the Beginning
Sep 2 2024Each year, via data gathered from an annual questionnaire in addition to our staff’s own research into utilities with active economic development departments, Site Selection recognizes the Top Utilities in economic development based on corporate end-user project activity in their regions.With a few exceptions, job creation totals are down this...
The goal of Ozark City Schools is to be The Best Small Town School Anywhere, and you can see the district’s dedication to supporting students through the Career Technical Education (CTE) programs available. Students learn about their career options in middle school, spend their high school years exploring different career...
State and industry leaders gathered Monday at the Alabama Mobility and Power (AMP) Center in Tuscaloosa to discuss the center’s work to support Alabama’s automotive industry through research and innovation in the electric vehicle (EV) space.The AMP Center is a world-class research and development hub for creating and sustaining modern...
Dale County Bridge Academy (DCBA) welcomed students to the start of its second full school year earlier this month. The Ozark-based career center is a collaboration between the Dale County Board of Education, multiple community and technical colleges, and several local businesses. Students can participate in dual enrollment programs that...
Press Release: City of Midland City
Jul 26 2024Averitt Express, The City of Midland City, and the Ozark-Dale County Economic Development Corporation are happy to announce the relocation of the Wiregrass Averitt Express facility to Midland City, Alabama. The new location will enhance the capabilities of the facility and will add 20 new jobs to the existing 37...
Middle schoolers in Ozark have something new to look forward to this coming school year. Along with a new principal, students at D.A. Smith Middle School will have the opportunity to explore career opportunities relevant to Ozark, thanks to the opening of the new Career Exploration Center (CEC). The renovations...
Welcome to Work Smarter, Fast Company‘s newsletter on career, leadership, and productivity advice. You can sign up to receive this newsletter every week here.The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat are playing out on the world stage once again at the Paris Olympics. And who doesn’t love a...
No Power, No Project
Jul 12 2024Artificial intelligence (AI) is driving the data center market and the data center market is driving the energy market. I remember 20 years ago when the regulated utility companies were wondering where the next major power users were going to come from. Little did we realize consumer demand for Netflix,...
Alabama is the most improved state in CNBC’s annual business competitiveness study.The state also ranked 20th best state for business, according to the financial news network’s ranking, soaring 22 places higher than its finish last year.The move to “most improved” comes after the state vaulted from last place to 14th...
New data sourced by the Site Selectors Guild factors into the lead category of America’s Top States for Business 2024. For the first time in the ranking’s 17-year history, infrastructure is the top-weighted category.“Companies want to move fast,” says CNBC special correspondent Scott Cohn, who leads the annual ranking. “One...
Ozark-Dale County’s Involvement With Grow Southeast Alabama Proves We Are Stronger When We Work Together
Jul 10 2024The Ozark-Dale County Economic Development Corporation (ODEDC) works tirelessly throughout the year to bring new businesses to the region and create opportunities for residents and employers. Our team knows that Ozark-Dale County is a wonderful place to live and work, and we’re eager to spread the word to others. However,...
Unlocking Economic Growth with General AviationHave you ever heard the hum of a plane overhead and wondered about the impact the local airport has on your community? You might be surprised to learn that general aviation airports are more than just takeoff and landing strips—they are powerful economic engines driving...