NAFTA is a convenient scapegoat and it certainly drove the final nails in
the coffin, but the Martinsville/Henry County problems predate it. Even pre-NAFTA, many talented young people made the decision to leave the area because there simply wasn't hope of employment in their areas of professional interest.
From an economic development viewpoint, it's in a tough spot. Their are no interstates in the immediate vicinity, so transportation is a issue. There are no universities in the immediate area, so you don't get the talent attraction/retention/spin-off business benefits. People much smarter than me have tried to come up with solutions and have failed, so I wonder if no solution exists.
As a side note, I've picked tobacco in Franklin County, so I can definitely speak to its rural nature.
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In response to this post by EDGEMAN)
Posted: 12/12/2018 at 2:29PM