From PilotOnline...

In their pursuit of economic growth, the nation’s cities should be doing much more to protect their blue-collar jobs rather than courting hip young people in search of culture, an urban analyst told a gathering of the region’s business leaders.

The prospects for growth in Hampton Roads are particularly bright because it has a vibrant port, something that’s been a key source of economic activity for Los Angeles, said Joel Kotkin, an author and Los Angeles resident.

“Everybody pays attention to the idiocy of movie stars, but it’s the longshoremen in the port that drive the economy” of Los Angeles, Kotkin told 285 people at the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance’s annual luncheon.

See the complete article at... http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=118643&ran=87500