Al Sharp is Project Director for FOCUS, a community-based planning consortium. FOCUS empowers local planning groups, businesses, and civic organizations through data gathering and public input, helping them to zero in on new oppor
Our region is like a puzzle. We need to connect many different pieces to ultimately realize the bigger, better picture for the future. Have you ever tried to put together a 1,000-piece big box puzz ...
Good things are happening all around our region. It’s true. Some initiatives are more familiar than others, but in addition to the City of Wilmington’s comprehensive plan and New Hanover C ...
In previous Insights, I’ve talked about the importance of regional planning as a critical element for the next 25 years. To ground this policy orientation, FOCUS has been actively seeking public ...
Remember the Magic 8-Ball toy? Ask it a question, give it a shake, and wait for the reply to appear from the murky depths. It seems like we’ve all been asking the Magic 8-Ball a common question ...
Our Cape Fear Region is in an enviable position. We’re not only experiencing a steady recovery from the 2008 recession, but according to recent trends and predictions, we should anticipate yet a ...
"We love Wilmington and the live music scene here, and we wanted a way to be a part of the music community without having to start work at 9...
Glass, specifically optical fiber, has become integral to the expansion of the internet and AI infrastructure. And Corning Inc., a leading g...
S. Fletcher Daniels writes, "Nonprofits work at the intersections of complex social issues, so there isn’t a single 'bottom-line' metric lik...
The 2026 WilmingtonBiz: Book on Business is an annual publication showcasing the Wilmington region as a center of business.
