An Appalachian Regional Commission-sponsored conference on entrepreneurship stressed that the availability of investment capital is important to economic development in Appalachia and other rural areas, but it is not enough. A local social and business culture that embraces entrepreneurship and risk-taking must be developed through…

Building strong ties between Appalachian schools and communities was the topic of the Appalachian Regional Commission's October 2002 annual conference (Maryville, Tennessee). Main speakers focused on maintaining a long-term perspective on investments in education, creating rural "places of opportunity" that can retain educated people,…