Assorted Links Friday

Discarded face masks won't just be littering the roads, they'll be used to improve road materials.

Congressional earmarks are back, and it is great news for community organizations.

I am a local.  Where are you from?

New website helps remote workers find towns offering cash incentives for new residents:

"Dozens of cities are offering up to $16,000 in cash incentives, homebuying allowances, tax credits and money toward local goods and services in hopes of enticing pandemic movers to relocate there. MakeMyMove.com, an online directory launched in December 2020, aims to connect remote workers with such offers around the country."

"City- and statewide workforce development groups have long incentivized new residents to move there, often by offering tax breaks and loan forgiveness when they buy a home. But with the pandemic spurring a wider acceptance of remote work, plus a greater affinity for physical space beyond dense urban areas, these programs are pushing recruitment into overdrive."

The MakeMyMove website has several smaller communities seeking to attract new residents. That includes Newton, Iowa, a town of 15,254 east of Des Moines; local leaders are offering new residents $12,500 to move there.

Not suprisingly, it is relatively complicated to convert a retail space into a restaurant.

The materials supply chain is the weakest link for electric vehicle growth.