What I’m Watching: Building codes, housing supply and our energy future October 16, 2026 I’ve been struck this week by how much of our region’s long-term competitiveness depends on decisions about how we build, where people live, whether reliable power is available, and how we respond to difficult community challenges. These decisions may seem unrelated,…

What I’m Watching: Springfield jobs, airport capacity and housing choices October 2, 2026 Some weeks the stories line up around a common theme. This week, several of them point to the same underlying question: Is our region building the capacity to handle growth well? The answer shows up not just in jobs, but in airport infrastructure,…

What I’m Watching: Housing supply, workforce payoff and how we disagree September 25, 2026 One thread connects several things I’m watching this week: communities live with the consequences of decisions made long before the results are obvious. That’s true of housing supply, workforce investments, relationships that open doors for business – and even the norms…

What I’m Watching: Housing, Missouri jobs and the cost of growth September 18, 2026 One theme I keep coming back to is capacity: whether we have the people, housing, infrastructure and financial conditions to support continued growth. This week’s developments look very different on the surface, but each says something about that question — and…

What I’m Watching: Housing, data centers, small business and the Fed’s regional read September 11, 2026 I’m in Kansas City this week for Missouri’s Governor’s Conference on Economic Development. Yesterday, Gov. Mike Kehoe was joined by cabinet leaders responsible for economic development, labor, natural resources, transportation, higher education and workforce, among others. That breadth is…

What I’m Watching: Housing supply, 411 acres for growth and Jordan Creek’s next chapter September 4, 2026 Most of you have heard me talk about this before, and I know many of you share the concern: the cost and availability of housing is becoming an increasingly important economic competitiveness issue for our region. Yesterday at…

What I’m Watching: I-44, workforce shifts and new tools for growth August 28, 2026 Growth is one thing. Having the capacity to sustain it is another. Several developments this week moved that conversation from aspiration to execution—and in one case, to a very public debate about what kind of growth we want and under what…