Business this week

If you didn’t see our “Building a Better Community” special section in Saturday’s paper, you missed an encouraging look at what our civic leaders believe are the most positive developments in Tifton.

Just a few:

— Location of new business AL-KO Kober

— The new three-field football/soccer complex at E.B. Hamilton.

— A new morgue (OK, not cheerful, but needed.)

— Civic clubs that raise thousands for people in need.

— Multiple developments in education: Rising enrollment at Moultrie Tech, increased graduation rates for the Tift County School System, a partnership between Tift Regional Medical Center and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College to provide nursing education, new buildings and programs at MTC, four-year degrees at ABAC, world-class research at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus.

— Cooperation between the city and county: This was cited by several of our writers as a development that will lead to increased efficiency and a bright future for this area.

— Leadership development programs sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce.

— Relocation of the Southwest Georgia headquarters of the Alzheimers Association to Tifton.

— Relay for Life’s impressive record — No. 1 nationwide per capita in 2006, 2007 and 2008 — and its programs to help local people.

— United Way and the services provided by its 17 partner agencies.

Printing this section was a pleasure for us at The Gazette as we focused on positive aspects of community life, and we hope you’ll check it out if you haven’t already.

Our thanks to everyone who responded to our question: Mayor Jamie Cater, Tift County Commission Chairman Grady Thompson, Tift County Board of Education Chairman Shawn Utley, Chamber President and CEO Brad Day, School Superintendent Patrick Atwater, MTC President Tina K. Anderson, Tift County Manager Jim Carter, Tifton City Manager Mike Vollmer, Chamber Chairman Dallas Hunt, Carol Johnson of United Way, Karen Kramer of Relay for Life and Chris Efaw of Tift Regional.

Is your business just opening, moving or remodeling? Call me at 382-4321, ext. 1903.