Bright spots in future for Yuma County

Economic indicators trending positive right now

Finally! A bit of long-overdue good news for Yuma County.

According to 24/7 Wall St., Yuma County saw the third-highest growing job growth among U.S. metro areas between October 2015 and October 2016.

And amid that good report came a second bit of positive news — our unemployment level dropped, to 16.7 percent in November 2016. That number is still high, yet it’s terrific news for Yuma County, as it is a nearly three-point drop over October.

It’s not a secret that Yuma County has struggled to lower that monthly unemployment number. Too many times, that number flirts with 20 percent, too often leading the nation in unemployment.

But across Yuma County, great things are happening.

We have new businesses coming in to our community, and expansion happening at job centers.

A recent interview with Patrick Goetz at Arizona @ Work noted that expansions at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, new companies, expansions at existing companies, and the new Cancer Center at Yuma Regional Medical Center all contributed to the positives. It’s a trend that we hope will continue. And there are more bright spots on the horizon.

ST Partners is going before Yuma City Council this week with the hopes of purchasing the northwest corner of Avenue 41/2E and 36th Street for a food processing facility, which in turn is expected to bring 100 full-time, nonseasonal jobs to Yuma.

Sprouts Farmers Market is coming to Yuma, and construction is underway on the store’s future home on the corner of 16th Street and 4th Avenue.

Also coming to Yuma? A Sportman’s Warehouse, which is currently under construction at Las Palmillas Shopping Center.

In fact, construction projects, while painful at times, could lead to future business growth. The roadwork under way at 16th Street and 4th Avenue could spark more interest in that intersection. And the Pacific Avenue Athletic Complex, once completed, could in turn inspire more business growth at Las Palmillas and Yuma Palms Shopping Center, and Downtown Yuma.

We hope these positive highlights lay the groundwork for continued trends in 2017.