Cleveland/Northeast Ohio : Featured Stories

The prevailing impression of regionalism that has been bandied about Northeast Ohio for the better part of a decade is all wrong, says a collaborative group of area nonprofits. While the consolidation of countless municipalities is useful, it is not intrinsically regionalism. True regionalism, they argue, is defined by economic activity -- not political boundaries.

Did you know you could buy Jedi lightsaber candlesticks from an Ohio business? Or maybe a specialty healthy cooking vaccum seal item? Holiday shopping this year can be buy local, buy green and buy great with these sure to please Ohio holiday items.

As the economic malaise enters its umpteenth year, many creative folks are using it as an opportunity to grab a little slice of the artisan marketplace. With or without day jobs, a new breed of craftspeople are cultivating home-grown companies by doing what they love. Some are eager to branch out, while others are just tickled to have a creative outlet.

While U.S. job growth overall may be stuck in neutral, IT professionals should be chomping at the bit. Experts say technology occupations will be at the leading edge of job growth for at least a decade. And three of the hottest cities for IT jobs right now are here in Ohio.

Founded in 1993, Kent Displays has charged hard into Ohio's new economy as a world leader in the research, development and manufacture of no power LCDs for diverse applications like electronic skins, writing tablets, smartcards and eReaders. Find out how the company is blazing new trails by watching this video.

Changes in Ohio's economy have not always been kind to businesses who could not -- or would not -- evolve. Yet today there are plenty of examples of long-established companies that are finding fresh opportunities within Ohio's new economy. Today, we highlight two.

Solon-based Aeroclay, is working to commercialize its advanced material made of clay, milk and water -- what some refer to as "a dirty milkshake." hiVelocity wrote about Aeroclay in February -- now, here's a video that shows a little more about the company, which also this year won a NorTech Innovation Award.

Last year, the Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation (LEEDCo) announced a long-term plan to develop wind power in the Ohio waters of Lake Erie -- the first freshwater offshore wind farm in North America. The initial 20-megawatt wind farm is expected to be completed in late 2013 and followed by subsequent projects. The long-term goal: 1,000 megawatts by 2020. HiVelocity spoke with Dr. Lorry Wagner, president of LEEDCo and the driving force behind the 20-megawatt pilot project, about the future of offshore wind power in Ohio.