Over the last few years, Lawrence County and the region have felt the brunt of the economic downtown that saw many of our jobs eliminated or, at the very least, relocated to other locations in the steel, coal and railroad industries.

This has been a devastating blow to many individuals, their families and their communities. But this also has an impact on local economies — when less disposable income is available, many businesses feel the impact, simply based on the trickle-down effect.

While these issues weren’t necessarily realized overnight, unfortunately, they will not be solved rapidly either.
We have many resources in the county and the region and one of the biggest spans, approximately 1,500-feet wide, the Ohio River.

That is one of the goals of the signed Memorandum of Understanding between the Panama Canal Authority and the Inland River Ports and Terminals last month. The ability for local river ports to have valuable information can be a vital tool for businesses to use in determining their shipping needs. With Lawrence County’s public port, this could be a solution for a variety of companies when making their decisions on importing and exporting their goods.

While we have to see continued efforts, this is a step in the right direction for the Port of South Point, Lawrence County and the region.