Let's hope 2009 brings good news for Pee Dee

We have certainly had an up and down year in the Pee Dee just like most of the state and country.

We have certainly celebrated our good news this year, and we have taken note of it in numerous editorials.

But it’s certainly worth reviewing as we get started in 2009.

Two major downtown projects took big steps in 2008.

The first was the completion and wonderful addition to the Pee Dee arts scene of the new Florence Little Theatre building. Its opening show of “Jesus Christ Superstar” was spectacular, and thankfully, some misguided protests fizzled. And the award of a contract this year to construct the Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center brings that complex closer to reality.

Other smaller steps happened downtown as well, including the Coit Street apartments, the Florence Chamber of Commerce’s purchase of a site for a new building and several others.

The FMU performing arts center won’t be complete until 2010, but we should see lots of progress on it at Palmetto and Dargan streets this year.

Heinz’s announcement to locate a plant here was another of several good news items to come from the Florence County Economic Development office.

But they were tempered by several cutbacks and layoffs by large and smaller area firms, as well.

The Pee Dee unemployment, especially in counties around Florence, continues to rise.

Our local real estate market, which is on a more even keel than other areas, still slowed down noticeably.

We lost some influential community leaders as well, and they their contributions will be missed.

We got a new mayor and several new members of Florence City Council. And two long time sheriffs retired — one in Darlington and one in Dillon.

Nobody knows for sure what the new year will bring and the economy will certainly have some say in what happens to economic development and downtown improvements in Florence. But there are several important issues that we have harped on in the past that need to see some movement on in 2009.

One is our community’s appearance.

It’s not just a city issue. It’s one that Florence County and hopefully Darlington as well will address in attempting to approve county wide zoning.

The city of Florence, which will take up the issue in a work session in January, must take a more aggressive stand against abandoned, and neglected buildings, lots and homes.

Look at the site of the burned out former Carolina Sandwich Shop at Palmetto and Coit streets. That’s an embarrassment on a main thoroughfare. How long can county and city leaders ignore the “entrance” to Florence from the airport.

Let’s quit laughing and turning our heads to the issue of the overgrown lot, abandoned cars and dilapidated buildings at Cashua and Second Loop that sit just across the line in Florence County.
Let’s move forward on the location for the new museum and the new courthouse in downtown Florence and the needed new courthouse in downtown Darlington.

Let’s hope 2009 is a year in which our community and governmental leaders will take steps forward in these areas.