Eight things you need to know on topics related to Saratoga County's economy.

1. Moreau Prepares For Surge of Route 9 Buyers

In anticipation of a surge in commercial land purchases on Route 9, the Town Board has hired GAR Associates for help with commercial valuation. The company will assist in determining the correct values for land that is suddenly worth much more because of the sewer. Work to build the sewer begins this year and the construction project will take two years to complete. The town needs help “as we start having more commercial real estate transactions occurring,” Supervisor Todd Kusnierz said . Click here to read coverage from The Post Star.

2. The Workforce Development Institute's 2019 Annual Impact Report: Growing and Keeping Good Jobs in New York State

The Workforce Development Institute (WDI) released their 2019 Annual Impact Report for New York State. The report talks about several workforce issues including: introducing the next generation to the jobs of New York's future, upskilling the workforce so employers can hire/promote more readily, promoting equity and inclusion in workforce development, piloting innovative workforce programs, integrating data and field intelligence to inform programming, preparing New Works State for the energy sector's future, and elevating child care as a workforce issue. Read the full report here . The Saratoga Partnership actively works with WDI to assist businesses and fund workforce development and training programs. If your business has a need for workforce training, please contact us!

3. Delta's 'Parallel Reality' Display Sounds Like Sci-Fi, But It's Coming Soon

Imagine lifting your head to consult an airport display to determine which gate your plane will depart from. Normally, that involves skimming through a sprawling list of flights to places you're not going. This time, however, all you see is information meant just for you. Stranger still, the guy standing next to you is looking at the same display at the same time - and all he sees is his own travel information. Using no special glasses, smartphone-care trickery, or other intermediary technology, Misapplied Sciences has created a way for dozens of travelers to see their own flight info-and nothing else-on one screen, all at the same time, known as parallel reality. The potential applications for the technology—from outdoor advertising to traffic signs to theme-park entertainment—are many. But if all goes according to plan, the first consumers who will see it in action will be travelers at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport.

4. We Need a Global Reskilling Revolution - Here's Why

The world is facing a reskilling emergency. More than one billion jobs, almost one-third of all jobs worldwide, are likely to be transformed by technology in the next decade, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) estimates. By just 2022, the World Economic Forum estimates 133 million new jobs in major economies will be created to meet the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. At the same time, economic and demographic shifts are putting additional pressure on the workforces of today. As we enter a new decade, one that the United Nations and others have called the "decade of delivery" for important transitions to a more sustainable world, we must also focus on achieving equitable, inclusive progress to equip and enable the world's people to thrive in the jobs of the future. Click here to learn more about this reskilling revolution.

5. How Do Sewer Systems Work?

How your waste gets from your toilet to its final resting place is a wonder of modern engineering. Sewer systems are essential to modern plumbing. Every time you flush a toilet, use a sink or take a shower, you create a liquid waste of varying chemical makeups that have to be transported and properly treated. You probably know that wastewater gets treated at a wastewater treatment plant, but click here to learn about how modern infrastructure gets it there.

6. Find a Small Business Administration (SBA)- Approved Lender Near You

Are you a small business with a great business plan, but not sure how to move forward with financing? The U.S. Small Business Administration has a free online referral tool called Lender Match that connects small businesses with participating SBA-approved lenders. Lender Match has helped about 200,00 small business owners connect with an SBA-approved lender. Click here to learn about how to become matched with interested lenders in just two days.

7. In Old Shipping Containers, the Shoots of a New Way of Urban Farming Are Starting To Emerge

Among the high-rise buildings and concrete sidewalks of Brooklyn, there's a quiet green revolution taking place. In old shipping containers, the shoots of a new way of urban farming are starting to emerge, which could help meet the demand of a growing urban population. Square Roots is an indoor urban farming company, which not only grows food sustainably without soil, but is teaching a new generation of farmers how to do it too. Read more about how Square Roots is tackling several issues in one go: the need to use less water and other resources in agriculture, the aging of farmers, the global population rise and, in particular, the growing urban population.

8. HGTV Is Looking For U.S. Town In Need of a Complete Makeover for New Show - could it be yours?

On their HGTV show Home Town, Erin and Ben Napier have completely transformed their home base of Laurel, Mississippi, one house at a time. Now, the design-savvy duo is taking their talents to a new neck of the woods- and this time, it could be yours. HGTV announced on Wednesday that it will be launching a new show called Home Town Takeover in 2021 that will star Erin, 34, and Ben 36, and apply that same makeover magic to another lucky locale. The six-episode event series will follow the couple as they take on the renovation of an entire town, from single-family homes to public parks and everything in between. Through February 4, the network is accepting nominations for a town that deserves a life-changing overhaul. Fans can go to HGTVHomeTakeover.com to try and sell HGTV on why your small town should be featured on Home Town Takeover by sharing photos, videos, and stories. Submissions should be for towns with a population of 40,000 or fewer, and feature a video tour of the areas of town that need the most TLC, whether it be diners, community centers, main streets or homes.