Shelby County’s unemployment rate continues to rebound, hitting 6.1 percent in October — by far the lowest in the state.

While the improving unemployment rate is an encouraging sign, the county’s citizens must do their part by continuing to shop in Shelby County — that’s the easiest and best way to keep the unemployment number trending in a positive direction.

With Black Friday and the holiday season upon us, we encourage our readers to consider staying in Shelby County to do all holiday shopping.

Those dollars flowing into Shelby County will only help the local economy by supporting businesses and jobs in our community. Local police, fire and rescue departments, as well as our excellent public schools, will also benefit from tax dollars from holiday season shopping.

Everything a shopper could want is right here in Shelby County. From cost-effective big box retailers to small clothing boutiques and family-owned gift shops, our county has it all.

We encourage shoppers to do some research and see everything the county has to offer — that research could even introduce holiday shoppers to parts of the county with which they aren’t familiar.

We also ask our citizens to stay safe this holiday season. Bad traffic and crime will likely be more prevalent than usual. Please don’t shop alone, especially at night, and be sure to keep your purchases in the trunk of your locked car, out of sight from the eyes of potential criminals.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving, and good luck checking all those presents off your shopping list.

The We Say is the opinion of the Shelby County Reporter editorial staff.