Have you taken a walk down Commerce Street lately? The block between Franklin and Main streets is bustling with the new Center City Cafe, the new and improved Planet Thailand, and a new bakery set to open soon.

And with the Historic Natchez Foundation hoping to have renovation of the Ritz Theater complete by the end of next year, that one block &8212; in addition to its other merchants &8212; may again be the center of Natchez, literally and figuratively.

It&8217;s just one more example of a community that refuses to give up in the face of challenges.

I hear so many people who believe Natchez is not headed for disaster, but rather on the verge of something greater, something different than it&8217;s ever been.

We have had difficult years, with plant closings and job losses and changes in the overall economy of the nation.

But we might be taking for granted all the tools we already have in place to succeed. With just the right push from a few large employers, we&8217;ll be on our way. We&8217;re already on the right track.

Consider these things:

4We have an active downtown area, much more so than many supposed &8220;communities in decline&8221; in our region. From the Commerce Street developments to other renovations, added to the businesses that have stood the test of time, we have a bustling area supported by an active Downtown Development Association.

A thriving downtown is one of the keys to growth, according to many consultants to small towns. We&8217;ve already got it covered.

4Tourism continues to be one of our largest industries &8212; and if the community can come together to look at the recommendations set forth in a new study by Stu Barash and actually take action on many of the ideas, we can really take off. The most important thing, though, is that this be a group effort &8212; a partnership of the city and private businesses.

4Manufacturing isn&8217;t quite as dead as some would believe. The Natchez-Adams County Economic Development Authority and Adams County Supervisors continue to work with metal fabrication company Venco to establish that business in the area, and the EDA continues to host and court potential industries every week. Most of that work is done behind the scenes &8212; and some visits happen even without their knowledge &8212; but progress is being made, even if it isn&8217;t being made in public.

And with Alcorn State University planning a technology incubator to develop new industries, we may be taking traditional &8220;manufacturing&8221; in a whole new direction in Natchez.

4In recent weeks and months we&8217;ve welcomed at least two large new retail operations, Wal-Greens and Hudson&8217;s. Other new small businesses are popping up, and three banks &8212; AmSouth, Britton & Koontz and Concordia Bank &8212; have built new facilities or renovated existing ones.

4The healthcare industry continues to grow. Natchez Community Hospital is actively recruiting and welcoming new doctors, while Natchez Regional Medical Center is building a new doctor&8217;s facility.

4Education &8212; one of the most important tools in economic development &8212; is taking center stage as the Natchez-Adams School District works to improve its ties to the community, and the EDA is training older residents through its &8220;Train to Gain&8221; program for displaced workers.

We have so much to be thankful for in our community, despite the tough times. We really are on the verge &8212; we just need a push in the right direction. I believe we&8217;ll get there.

Kerry Whipple

is editor of The Democrat. She can be reached at 45-3541 or by e-mail at

kerry.whipple@natchezdemocrat.com

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