by Scott Wallace<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The mission of the Center for Business and Economic Insight<\/a> (CBEI) is to contribute to the success of the Central Wisconsin region through the dissemination of useful knowledge and information. This issue\u2019s special report aims to do just that. In Strengthening Communities: The Power of Asset-Based Approaches<\/a>, Elizabeth Wendt, director of Business and Community Operations for Wisconsin Economic Development Center (WEDC), and Callie Wulk, executive director of Wausau River District, present a strategic framework that mobilizes community skills and talents in driving community development. In addition, the authors give local examples that illustrate the successful implementation of this approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In The 2024 Economy and 2025 Preview<\/a>, Chief Analyst Kevin Bahr offers a diagnosis of the current state of the U.S. economy and an informed prognosis for next year. Kevin\u2019s analysis draws on economic indicators covering national output, labor markets, financial markets, inflation, interest rates, energy markets, and housing markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n