Economy bright within Anderson

Despite economic doom and gloom virtually everywhere else, Anderson residents have several more reasons to think that the local economy continues to shine.

Three new commercial buildings were recently completed - two in the highly visible downtown demonstration block - and the third an enlarged replacement for a popular eatery at the city's central freeway exit.

On the outskirts of town, a thriving truck dealership has completely refurbished and occupied a formerly vacant factory building for its new sales and repair facilities.

Construction crews are finishing up work on the new four-lane North Street/Airport Road bridge and the city will soon begin widening North Street.

At Anderson River Park, the first of three construction phases to completely remodel, enlarge and fence the outdoor amphitheater area is well underway with completion expected well before the first Mosquito Serenade concert of the summer.

Between 11 and 14 of Anderson's busiest thoroughfares are scheduled for repairs this summer, and if the federal stimulus package arrives, another dozen streets could see similar work done later this year.

And a major water project to provide additional service to the Dan Gamel RV lot, a yet-vacant truck repair facility and a large subdivision was successfully placed under Interstate 5 using an existing but abandoned pipeline purchased from the Anderson-Cottonwood Irrigation District.

Anderson Union High School is working on a major project to build larger grandstands at the Bob Reid Stadium with a new, regulation-sized track, new goalposts and a resurfaced football field.

Alumni from the high school are planning to celebrate its centennial in early September with an all-years reunion that is expected to bring somewhere between several hundred and 2,000 people to town for three days of festivities during the Labor Day weekend, which will also coincide with homecoming football games, historical displays on the high school's earliest years and much more.

To help the community become aware of all these activities, the city will soon erect a pair of poles sturdy enough to support large banners across North Street where a majority of traffic will see the suspended advertising.

Work should start later this spring at several elementary school district campuses where voter-approved bond sales will pay for major renovation, repairs and refurbishing.

Many of these projects are taking place now because contractors are hungry for work and therefore submitting lower bids, allowing government agencies and private business owners alike to stretch their dollars farther than they could just a few years ago.

Some of these projects - the school construction projects, for example - are the result of the community coming together in support of its schools. The high school district is spending what is left of a bond sale authorised several years ago, with the bulk of the construction work completed last summer and fall.

A few are the result of business people who are dedicated to the Anderson area and expect to reap the benefits of their investments in the community for many years to come.

The rest are evidence of the business-friendly atmosphere that exists at city hall and the hard work of city staff to entice those enterprises to relocate or expand in the area.

Yes, there is a major recession going on in most of the nation and in many part of California. Yet, we have reason to smile and hold our chins up, driving the clouds of doubt and fear away as we celebrate these things that will make our lives better, provide jobs for our young people, allow more homes to be built, attract new businesses to town when the economy finally improves and provide continued growth and vibrancy to the community.