Any local leader will tell you that economic development takes hard work, lots of time and at least a smidgen of good luck.

The baby steps in the process usually begin behind closed doors, months before we ever hear about them.

Once both parties strike a deal, there&8217;s still a long road ahead and there&8217;s always potential for disaster. The only way to really feel good about the hoped-for end result is to track the baby steps.

Last week the Vidalia aldermen set a date for a public hearing to discuss the transfer of 25 acres to LIEL the rubber plant planning to locate in the area.

It&8217;s the tiniest of baby steps, but it shows progress. The project is still a go.

Other highlights from last week include:

4Students across the Miss-Lou kicked off a new school year. Vidalia High School construction was completed just in time for students, providing more space and new classrooms in the existing building. An addition is scheduled to be complete by next semester.

4Hundreds of customers cooled off at Dairy Queen, purchasing Blizzards and raising about $2,000 for the Children&8217;s Miracle Network.

4U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu visited Concordia Parish to make sure residents know about potential tax breaks they can take advantage of through the area&8217;s Renewal Community status. Businesses just have to fill out a tax form marking their status and they can receive money back for equipment purchases, employee salaries and business costs.

For each employee who lives in the renewal community, the business can get $1,500 in tax credits. The program also allows credits for buying new equipment.