If we’re taking the economic pulse of the Adams County-Concordia Parish community, one thing’s for certain: It’s still a steady beat.

Six months into the calendar year, our communities can look at certain economic indicators for real answers to the perceptions about our economy.

And, while the numbers aren’t stellar, they’re reliable and they’re reassuring. And they tell us some important things. For instance, sales tax revenues for the city of Natchez are up more than $100,000 compared to the first six months of last year; unemployment rates in the county have been down every month until May.

In Concordia Parish, sales tax figures are down in most towns – except Ferriday – but so is unemployment. And bankers are using terms like &uot;cautiously optimistic&uot; to predict what the next six months might hold. Projected decreases in short-term interest rates, additional market-loss payments from the government to farmers and other factors could play a role in stimulate the local economies, they say.

And, as leaders in Adams County pointed out, the Economic Development Authority is poised to provide a &uot;shot in the arm&uot; to the local economy, both through hiring of new executive director and through the its recruitment efforts.

Our local economy, it seems, follows national trends. And consumers have been cautious lately, watching and wondering what will happen. Natchez, Adams County and Concordia Parish aren’t immune to that trend. Indeed, our economy is still pumping, our pulse is still beating, and we have much to work toward in the future.

After all, we still have six months of opportunity in this calendar year.