Who says there is no reason to be optimistic in Lawrence County.

Saturday, September 16, 2000

Who says there is no reason to be optimistic in Lawrence County. This Thursday’s countywide meeting sponsored by the Greater Lawrence County Area Chamber of Commerce proved that there is more good news than bad coming the region’s way in the coming months.

The open house was well-attended, with visitors learning about potential development, new industry and highway improvements that are on the way.

And the injection of some good news for a change was a nice pick-me-up for a county that has had more than its share of closings, budget problems and job loss.

Lawrence County has proven before – and will prove again – that it has people who can bounce back from any setback. This is one of the first major indicators that we are on our way back – and building an even stronger community.

The area’s new neighbor, Liebert, is just the first of many companies that will be interested in what this region has to offer. We just have to make sure that we are ready to showcase our communities when the time comes.

The chamber’s open house made the people part of the county’s economic development work. And that is a pretty big positive for the future of the area. Nothing adds more punch to a recruitment effort than a community that is excited about what it has to offer – and eager to show it to a new employer.

The chamber helped bring back some of that old Lawrence County pride this week. Nothing but good can come from that.