It’s unsettling to realize that, while Shelby County has the lowest unemployment rate in Alabama at 7.6 percent, that same unemployment rate has more than doubled in the last year.

More than 215,000 Alabamians are currently out of work, and to them right now, the situation probably looks just as bad as ever.

However, there is a light at the end of this tunnel. The economy is expected to stabilize by the end of this year, and once it does, we can begin rebuilding.

Recently, we’ve published plenty of stories about businesses opening in the county, such as the Inverness Country Club opening a new clubhouse or Spartan Logistics building a new distribution center in Alabaster, or about organizations forming to help attract businesses, such as the Birmingham Business Alliance.

Those new businesses — and the jobs they’re creating — show that Shelby’s growth may have slowed for a time, but it hasn’t stopped. Once the economy picks back up, our county will be right back where we were, with a lower unemployment rate and a lot more optimism.

There are numerous opportunities afforded to our citizens, and we urge you to take advantage of those opportunities, whether they are with a new business, an economic support organization or a volunteer group.

Even when the economy’s down, it’s still good to live and work in Shelby County.