In some ways, Chattanooga has been a beacon of economic hope during the recession that seized our nation and the anemic recovery that has followed.
Of course, the Chattanooga area has suffered high unemployment just as the rest of the nation has. We have also had our share of foreclosures and other troubles.
And some nearby areas have suffered even more. You might have read, for instance, that from December 2010 to December 2011, the Dalton, Ga., area had the third-highest drop in employment of any of the United States’ 372 metropolitan areas — behind only Missoula, Mont., and Abilene, Texas. Dalton’s textile industry has taken a major hit in the economic downturn.
So obviously many people in our region as well as across the country are facing serious financial challenges.
But it is not looking at things through rose-colored glasses to point out that Chattanooga has not only weathered the recession but is making some important economic strides.