As far as the credit.com report goes, its statistical viability is suspect we believe, however we or officials in Roanoke Rapids and Halifax County don't deny we live and work in an impoverished area.

The bright spot is that three commercial endeavors are meeting their projected completion dates — Dunham's Sports eyeing a November 15 opening; Popeyes eyeing construction ending by the end of the year and Sheetz eyeing beginning construction by 2015 as the company follows an orderly expansion process throughout the region.

Before you scoff at those three projects, casting them off as only fast food or just another retail venture, realize these efforts show faith in this community and its infrastructure.

The Dunham's project stands to bring other businesses into a complex — the building once planned for a Farm Fresh store — that was all but left on the table for dead.

All these businesses mean jobs, sales tax revenue and something put onto tax rolls. More important, they mean people from outside the area believe this area has something to offer and an at best iffy report shared repeatedly from Yahoo hasn't dampened their motivation to locate here.

More significant is the news reported from city council that talks are under way to form a public-private partnership to actively market the former Westpoint Stevens plant for industrial use.

Disclosure of this news should be celebrated as it shows officials are not idly sitting by, mourning the loss of the textile mills here or throwing in the towel because one report reflects negatively on the community.

While the talks haven't blossomed into something concrete, they haven't ended and officials as well as people in the community should encourage them to continue and make this to happen so we can rise above the snide remarks and renew pride in the city.

The news delivered at Tuesday's council meeting was heartening and we should take it as a small victory against a report that many want to use to further discredit this city — Editor