It's all about the economy today in the Daily News. Hardworking reporter Joanne Beck logged no less than three front page stories today, all with a local look at how the current economic crisis is hitting home for folks in Batavia.
In one article, Beck chats with some downtown business owners about how they're faring "despite the recent stock market collapse." Chris Ariyaratnam, owner of the Main Street beauty salon Mane Attraction, told Beck that shoppers aren't "going to cut back."
"They're starting their Christmas shopping now," [said Ariyaratnam]. "I think they'll spend the same, but I think it will take longer. I think it's going to be OK."
Beck found much of the same mood among other downtown retailers and restaurateurs. Maybe they're not stocking as much, but their expectations of a good season are high.
In another article, "consumers" are given their turn to be optimistic despite the ongoing financial crises. Sherrity DiSanto told Beck:
"Short-term, I'm worried. But long-term, I think it will be picking itself back up. With gas prices going down and some sales, people's desire to shop will come back."
The optimism keeps on rolling in Beck's third article on the economy, in which she gets the advice of Dave Chua, a financial adviser with the Legend Group, "a retirement planning and investment company." Chua urges people to "remain still with where you are" and know that "it won't last forever." In particular, people looking for some extra cash shouldn't just dip into their retirement account. They should "explore other options."
Meanwhile, a wire story picked up from the Associated Press reads: "Debt clock out of digits." Apparently, it couldn't fit the "1" to indicate the nearly $10.2 trillion in national debt. Good news, though. We'll get a new clock in 2009 that "will be able to track debt up to a quadrillion dollars, which is a "1" followed by 15 zeros."
We encourage you to pick up a copy of the Daily News at your local newsstand. Or, better yet, subscribe at BataviaNews.com.
