OUR VIEW: Good things

“This is a good thing,” is a trademark phrase for homekeeping doyenne Martha Stewart.
And whether or not you like her, the statement is as good an assessment for what is happening in Chiefland this year, especially of late.
Construction has finished on a new Ralph's Burgers, next to the (once shut down) Sunoco station on North Young Boulevard.
Murphy USA has opened an always busy gas station right in the busiest place in town — home to Winn Dixie and Walmart.
McDonald's, Burger King and Taco Bell got major makeovers, and Hardee's is making changes in its appearance, as well.
Bett's Big T has a new operator and has undergone a transformation. It's old neighbors, April & Jeff, have moved their produce market next door to Bar-B-Que Bill's.
A new liquor store was constructed and opened next door to the Chiefland Flea Market.
Reed's Automotive moved onto North Main Street and Shed Ranch took its place where U.S. Highways 19 and 27A meet.
Land has been cleared for construction of Nature Coast Hospice's superthrift store, offices and Herry's Cafe. Coffee lovers are rejoicing about that.
That facility is going next door to the newly renovated Chiefland shopping center. It has new tenants to go with the new look as well. Guardian ad litem, Kandy's hair styling shop and more.
On Monday, ground was broken for a new Central Florida Electric Cooperative headquarters near its operation center on County Road 321. While they will be moving from their North Young Boulevard offices, we're sure someone will be moving in.
The city and county are collecting impact fees, building permit fees, inspection fees and who knows what else from this burst of commercial construction.  It's bound to make the Levy County Property Appraiser Oz Barker dance with joy at the prospect that something is being bought and built.
Gray Construction may call Trenton home, but with all the building they are doing in the city, it should add Chiefland to its address labels.
The firm is a friend to those in Chiefland pledging to buy as much of its supplies locally and to hire local.
The Greater Chiefland Area Chamber of Commerce, which leads the "Buy Local — Buy Loyal" campaign, should be happy. Considering that every dollar spent here turns over four times in the community and you begin to have some hope that Chiefland can weather the recession the nation finds so hard to shake.
At least one realtor has said that commercial construction is the first to start moving in a hard-hit market, so we can only hope the residential market will soon be on the mend.
While some may say it is the friendly government that is bringing businesses to Chiefland, we prefer to think that it's the people who live and work here who make this an attractive place to locate.
This is (all) a good thing.