Published in The Albany Herald  on July 31, 2025. By Lucille Lannigan Steam pumps from stacks at the Georgia-Pacific Cedar Springs Mill,...

I’ve thought about it for a while- but now I’m convinced of it more than ever. Early County is at a “tipping point” in its history....

Published in The Albany Herald on July 23, 2025 By Lucille Lannigan Community members from Early County and surrounding counties came...

I get asked a lot of questions – and the number one question I get asked about Downtown Blakely is: “Why won’t it grow?” It doesn’t take...

Yesterday I turned the page on my Manry-Jordan Hodges Funeral Home “Saturday Evening Post” calendar. It’s hard to believe another month...

Georgia Quail Hunt 2023, Kaila Bruner Photography The Office of Economic Development had sat vacant since early 2018. For five years,...

In keeping up with “history lessons” associated with the development authorities of Early County, this week is all about the Downtown...

I have previously written about investing in Early County. I felt the need to expand upon this topic through a very specific example that...

This may not be the most interesting column to write… or read – but it’s necessary. Occasionally, there seems to be a bit of confusion...

Over all, having a recognizable brand and avenue to assist in sharing appropriate, business and job-focused information will be extremely beneficial to tell our story better and ultimately attract quality businesses that create quality jobs, so Early County residents can have a better quality of life.

When I started writing this column, I sat and stared at the computer screen for quite a while. It took me some time to find the words to...

This past month, Locate South Georgia released its 2024 Annual Report that gives an economic development productivity overview of the...

Hopefully you will remember the story told earlier this year of when Downtown Blakely turned into Mayberry while I was giving a special...

There can be lots of misconceptions about economic developers. I’ve attended a lot of community development training over the past...

Typically, when people think about economic development, they imagine the big industries and governor announcements; and while that is a...

This past month another Early County resident graduated from South GeorgiaLEADS. I was so proud to welcome DeWana Fields into the LEADS...

When the Electric Cities of Georgia (ECG) called to invite me to be a panelist for the 20th Anniversary of their Economic Development...

I don’t know about ya’ll – but I finally feel like I’m beginning to thaw out from the cold winter months. Tomorrow (3/20) is the first...

I grew up volunteering so much that I didn’t even know how to act when I got my pay check for my first “real” job. We know it takes money...

Housing. It’s a hot topic in the economic development world right now. A decade ago that wasn’t the case; however with the influx of...