Economic summit attendees explore options for the future

Yahoo! News - Apr 24th, 2025

At the Future Forward 2025 Summit in Beckley, Dr. John Deskins from West Virginia University underscored the challenges and opportunities in the state's economic landscape. Despite a stable outlook for West Virginia, Deskins pointed out slow national growth, labor force participation issues, and uncertainties such as fluctuating tariff policies. He emphasized that less than half of the adult population in the New River Gorge region is actively engaged in the workforce, which hampers economic growth. To combat this, Deskins advocated for focusing on human capital and attracting industries like data centers and manufacturing to stimulate job creation.

The event also addressed regional housing needs, as highlighted by Patrick Bowen's study revealing a significant housing gap in the New River Gorge area. The study, aimed at supporting Build WV Tax incentives, calls for community involvement to address the shortage of rental and for-sale housing. The summit featured discussions on small business support, tourism initiatives, and legislative updates. Local leaders and organizations are now poised to leverage these insights to foster a more resilient economy, emphasizing partnerships and community-driven solutions for sustainable development.

Data Centers Economic Development John Deskins West Virginia University New River Gorge Labor Force Participation Housing Gap Future Forward 2025 Summit Tariff Policy

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RATING

7.4

Fair Story

Consider it well-founded

The article provides a comprehensive overview of the Future Forward 2025 Summit and Expo, focusing on economic challenges and opportunities in West Virginia. It benefits from credible sources and a clear structure, making complex topics accessible to readers. While the article is generally accurate and timely, it would benefit from greater transparency in data sourcing and a broader range of perspectives. The discussion of economic and housing issues is relevant and of public interest, with potential to influence local policy discussions. Overall, the article is informative and engaging, though it could enhance its impact with more diverse viewpoints and interactive content.

Accuracy

The story provides a detailed account of the Future Forward 2025 Summit and Expo, with specific claims about economic conditions, labor force participation, and housing needs in West Virginia. The information attributed to Dr. John Deskins is consistent with his known expertise in economic research, and the details about the summit's organization and participants are verifiable through event listings and local news sources. However, some claims, such as specific labor force participation rates and the exact findings of the Bowen National Research study, would benefit from direct citation of data sources or official reports to ensure full accuracy and verifiability.

Balance

The article provides a balanced view by presenting both challenges and opportunities discussed at the summit. It includes perspectives from various stakeholders, such as Dr. Deskins, Jina Belcher, and Michelle Rotellini, which helps to cover a range of views on economic development. However, the article could enhance balance by including more voices from outside the organizing bodies, such as local business owners or residents, to provide a broader perspective on the issues discussed.

Clarity

The article is generally clear and well-structured, with a logical flow from the presentation of challenges to potential solutions. The language is straightforward, making the complex economic topics accessible to a general audience. However, some sections could benefit from clearer definitions or explanations of economic terms for readers unfamiliar with such concepts.

Source quality

The primary sources in the article are credible, with Dr. John Deskins being a well-regarded figure in economic research. The article also references the Bowen National Research study, adding depth to the housing discussion. However, the story could improve by directly quoting or citing more diverse sources, such as independent analysts or other economic experts, to corroborate the data and claims presented.

Transparency

The article provides a fair amount of context about the summit and its objectives, but it lacks detailed explanations of the methodologies behind the economic and housing data presented. Greater transparency could be achieved by clarifying how the statistics were derived and by providing links to the full Bowen National Research study or other supporting documents.