Yes, we had hoped it would happen, but, finally, late Monday evening, the media was given the word that the Hyundai Motor Company will bring its auto plant to Hope Hull south of Montgomery.

Even the most pessimistic person in Marengo County has got to smile today about that bit of news.

There are realistic, viable reasons to be happy about Hyundai coming to Alabama. It puts our city and county smack dab in the middle of progress in this region. Dreams of Demopolis being a transportation hub for industry are certainly more realistic now that another substantial industry is moving into the region.

There is the Mercedes plant to the north, in the process of doubling its workforce; there is the Nissan plant to our west in Mississippi, and now to the southeast, a new auto plant near Montgomery.

With an aggressive approach from our area politicians, in an election year, and area chambers and industrial development leaders, we should be able to latch on to a service industry for one of these auto plants.

Alabama and this region will soon benefit from a cluster of auto plants that will help keep our population from moving elsewhere.

Now the state Department of Transportation must jump start the progress on finishing Highway 80 and make improvements to Highway 43 a reality.

The excuses are over; the future is here. Monday’s announcement should be the beginning of the end of doom, despair and agony in the Black Belt. It is time for local and state politicians to get on board and use Hyundai as a stepping stone to better quality of life for us all.

The status quo must go in Demopolis and Marengo County!