Yesterday, Suttles Trucking announced it would consolidate its accounting office to it’s headquarters.

Upwards of 20 people have been affected. The most damaging part of this is that these people were local.

Headlines in newspapers across the country have foretold of the misfortune of the working men and women. Thankfully, those headlines have been isolated in Marengo County.

However, in the past several months, they’re becoming an all too familiar site.

Marengo County’s unemployment rate shot up to 8.6 percent for the month of December, up nearly two percent from the month before.

Economists agree this will eventually come to an end, but there is no end in sight. Layoffs will likely continue, but like in Edgar Allen Poe’s tale,m “The Pit and the Pendulum” we’re all left staring at the blade wondering when, or if, it will come down.

In these tough times we must remember the best thing we can do is support our friends and neighbors. There’s not much else we can do.

If you can, offer a friendly ear over a cold beer or a hot cup of coffee. This may be a storm we have to weather for many years and it’s best weathered if we all don our rain gear together.