Earlier this week, we ran a story in The Gazette about plans to expand and renovate the E.B. Hamilton Softball Complex.

The Tift County Development Authority and the Tifton Tourism Association have each pledged $350,000 over the next 10 years toward the $2 million project and are hoping other government entities and community groups will step forward to help. The plans for the complex include six new baseball/softball fields, two new football/soccer fields, bathroom renovations, a new concessions area and parking improvements, and the goal is to make it possible for Tifton to attract major tournaments again.

As a longtime Tifton resident, I remember how much the entire community enjoyed hosting the tournaments 20 or 30 years ago and supporting the local teams playing in them. During the tournaments, all the local hotels and motels were full and restaurants were so packed it was hard to find a seat. People would park on the streets near the ballparks in town and stand at the fences watching games at night.

The enthusiasm for baseball and softball spilled over into the rest of the year and industrial, church and youth leagues were thriving. The tournaments were not only good business, they improved Tifton’s quality of life.

Although former Recreation Department head Bobby Simpson wasn’t mentioned in the article, he was a driving force in bringing the tournaments to town and should be acknowledged — and I want to mention that here.

But most of all, I want to encourage our local governments and anyone else in a position to support this project to help make it happen. It would be an excellent thing for our community.

Statistics released this week show Tift County’s unemployment figures down a full percent point, from 11.6 in July to 10.6 in August. While nobody can really say whether this is because of residents finding work or just reflects people who have given up the search because of long-term joblessness, it’s still an encouraging sign, one shared by most area counties. (Last year at the same time, the rate was only 7.4.)