Exciting and new

The majority of our front page this week is about big changes in local businesses, and this edition of the paper is only the tip of that iceberg. There are a number of other local businesses that are in the process of changing hands or about to undergo significant changes, and we look forward to bringing you those stories when the merchants are ready to tell them in the weeks to come.
There have been plenty of signs that a significant shift in the local economy was taking place over the past few years, and we believe that the burst of business activity swirling about the community recently is a sign that the transition is officially underway.
And we think that is a good thing.
There has been plenty of talk in city, county and state government about diversifying economies and fostering sustained growth, but most of us know that government can only drive an economy for a short time — and at great cost.
True economic growth and prosperity can only come from the private sector, and in communities like ours it is always driven by individuals with enough courage to make a commitment to the community and the dedication to stick with their investment through good times and bad to make it work.
That is a daunting and often exhausting task, and we would like to take this opportunity to thank those individuals who are moving on to retirement or other opportunties after running successful businesses here. Your contributions to our community were often under-appreciated, but the value of your presence here can never be measured.
At the same time, we are excited to welcome this new generation of business owners and entreprenuers to our ranks, and wish you all of the success in the world. Your energy and ideas are needed and welcome, and we’re excited to see what you can do!