Atlanta Forward: Regional economy

Today's moderator: Rick Badie

Rick Badie joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution as an education reporter in 1997. A South Georgia native, he's covered the region's immigrant communities, was a feature obituary writer and opinion columnist for the AJC's Gwinnett edition.

What if Georgia companies did more business with each other? That's the purpose of the state chamber's Georgia2Georgia initiative. A chamber executive writes that its 2014 campaign goal is to get participants to do 2 percent more business with other area companies. Meanwhile, the head of a local company that specializes in agricultural machinery notes the global importance of modernizing Africa's farm economy.

Today's columnists:

Think 'Georgia first' by Ernest Greer
Africa can help feed the world by Martin Richenhagen
Response to recent conversation from our readers

About the Author

Rick Badie

When ICE takes breadwinners, it takes a toll on families ... and on the economy

For immigrant families, brushes with ICE can result in financial precarity that could have implications for the broader economy.

‘I’m a bad kid,’ he told himself. How Georgia’s special ed program failed one child.

Parents find that it's easy to get into the GNETS program, but in some districts, difficult to leave.

‘A lot of blame, but not enough action’: Atlanta leaders lack path to fix jail

Stakeholders across Atlanta and Fulton County grapple with a complex web of issues that contribute to overcrowding, crumbling structure.