During the past few weeks, some folks in the Tiftarea began getting concerned about how the national financial crisis would affect us here. Local banks fielded calls from customers wondering about the safety of their money and how congressional legislation may affect their accounts.

As Dale McGriff, the senior vice president of South Georgia Banking Co. in Tifton told us: “We’ve had a lot more customers concerned, and rightfully so, because of everything they are seeing in the media.”

Well, the good news is that local banks are just fine and everyone’s money is safe, more so than before as Congress has increased the amount of deposits insured by the federal government to $250,000 an account, up from $100,000. The government hopes this will help instill confidence in the banking system.

Locally, nothing has changed: Banks still have money to lend; people can still get loans to buy homes and automobiles.

South Georgia Banking Co.’s McGriff , who has been in the banking business nearly 40 years, said local financial institutions are faring better than some in other regions because of the diversity of our businesses. “We are fortunate to be in South Georgia at this time,” he said.

We agree. There has been talk on the national level that the actions on Wall Street could eventually hit Main Street – in other words, the financial crisis could hit local communities. That has not occurred here.

While we have seen several plant closures and an accompanying loss of local jobs in recent months because of the general economic downturn, we have faith in our people and in the basic foundations of our local institutions. Tifton and Tift County is a good place to live. The current economic storm will pass – no storm lasts forever – and the sun will come out strongly and continue to shine on this place that we call home.