This week’s announcement of a doubling of the investment in a power plant project planned for the Hanging Rock area is the first of what Lawrence County residents hope will be many economic development announcements.

Friday, October 20, 2000

This week’s announcement of a doubling of the investment in a power plant project planned for the Hanging Rock area is the first of what Lawrence County residents hope will be many economic development announcements.

The hard work of a number of people – and the determination of even more not to let the state write off this part of Ohio – is why good news is coming.

To keep the announcements coming, the good work that has already been done must continue and even more goals must be set for a region with lots of undeveloped potential and a public relations problem.

There is no question that Columbus ignores southeast Ohio – or has done so in the past, anyway – because of preconceived notions about the people who live near the river.

They see this area as underdeveloped because that is how we want it.

They don’t respond to our needs because they don’t think we will complain or, more importantly, vote.

If southeast Ohio in general and Lawrence County in particular, want to keep the progress flowing, we must continue to let our legislators, state officers and others know that we are here and that we will be counted. That is the only way we can get the support and programs we need to grow.

This week, Lawrence County got some really good news. How much more comes our way will depend on what we do next.