Sarah Trafton is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media Greene County officials released the county's Crisis Response and Recovery Plan this week. The guidelines focus on workforce development, growing industries, infrastructure investment and establishing downtown and community centers as creative hubs. The plan has been an ongoing effort, Tourism Director Heather Bagshaw said. Focus groups were held with specialty retail, resorts and lodging, restaurants and hospitality, personal services, construction and service contractors, manufacturing and distribution, arts, recreation and entertainment and nonprofit organizations. The group has been providing businesses with information about grant and loan opportunities, Bagshaw said, and launched a new website for residents to support their local restaurants. “As we begin to open up, we continue to work with businesses to make sure they have information on how to open safely,” Bagshaw said. Greene County’s economy depends on tourism and many summer events have been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to a tourism department survey in May, 65 percent of respondents said they would travel within the first month of the region reopening, Bagshaw said. Ninety-two percent said they will likely take road trips first. Eating out and outdoor recreation were among the top activities that travelers are looking forward to, Bagshaw said. Greene County Economic Development and Tourism Director Karl Heck agrees that short day trips will make a comeback. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.