Rural Georgia’s struggles getting lawmakers’ attention

Lawmakers are talking about the problems that plague some of Georgia’s smaller communities. Main Street businesses that have closed. Financially struggling hospitals. Poor internet connections. Schools that don’t offer all the classes that will help students get into the University of Georgia or Georgia Tech. Young people moving to cities and never coming back.  Now there’s a move afoot in the state House to try and look at all these things comprehensively. So far it doesn’t have a formal name, but House Speaker David Ralston,  is calling it the rural development initiative.  It could take the form of a study group or a working group or a commission, Ralston’s spokesman, Kaleb McMichen, said. But the speaker wants to put a focus on creating the right environment in rural Georgia for private industry to create jobs.