It’s always a good thing to hear that unemployment has gone down. It’s even better to hear that the number of people able to work is up.

That was the news that came out last week from the Alabama Department of Labor.

According to a report from the Alabama Department of Labor, Chambers County saw unemployment drop from 750 people in June, or 4.9 percent, to 715 people in July, or 4.6 percent. This is higher than they were a year ago when 639 people or 4.2 percent of the workforce was unemployed.

Inversely, the civilian labor force rose slightly, from 15,396 people in June to 15,412 people in July, a difference of 16 people but higher than in 2017 when the labor force was at 15,157 people strong.

Employment was also higher in July with 14,697 holding down jobs compared to June’s 14,646, a difference of 51 people. Employment in 2017 was at 14,518 people, 179 people fewer than now.

Chambers County and the state of Alabama have been doing a great job of keeping people employed and bringing in more people with new jobs.

It’s no secret that when people think great job opportunities, the Greater Valley Area and Alabama do not immediately spring to mind. But thanks to the efforts of both local and state officials, that mentality is turning around and people are taking a look at our home.

All governments in the Greater Valley Area have been working to court new industries and the past year has seen a number of companies announce their intention to set up shop here.

Then there are the overall improvements we have seen in the look of the area. Valley, LaFayette and especially Lanett have been working hard to make everything look better and improve the quality of life for residents.

Hopefully, this turnaround will continue well into the future. Hopefully, the efforts made by officials will expand. Hopefully, these jobs numbers will continue to improve. After all, this is a great place to work.