Laurel to two different proposals to add apartment units within already developed areas in Salisbury’s city limits.

One complex will add dozens of units near the intersection of South Main Street and Jake Alexander Boulevard. About 1 mile north off of Jake Alexander Boulevard, another development will add dozens of units between Brenner Avenue and Milford Hills Road. Both are examples of infill development, which makes use of vacant or under-used parcel of land within existing urban areas rather than sprawling out into the countryside.

The first, Salisbury Oaks Apartments, will add units to a section of the Jake Alexander Boulevard corridor that is a hub for apartments. Colonial Village apartments will be adjacent to the new units. On the other side of Jake Alexander Boulevard are Alexander Station and Crown Pointe apartments. Salisbury Village at Castlewood is nearby, too. The second location, called Tenby Crossing Apartments, is in close proximity to two grocery stores, a car wash, fast food restaurants, a credit union and a bank.

Salisbury and Rowan County have hoped for development, new businesses and good-paying jobs for years. If that moment is finally here, it’s best to encourage infill development as much as possible so that the community can preserve rural spaces for as long as possible.

One of the slogans that didn’t make the cut during the county’s rebranding several years ago was “kinda country, kinda cool,” which attempts to say there are urban and rural parts of the community. Infill development will help keep that slogan relevant.

Laurel to the news that Rowan County improved in annual health rankings released for the nation.

The report, released by the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute showed Rowan moved from 73 in health outcomes to 60th and from 61st in health outcomes to 51st. That’s still below average. The data also doesn’t take the pandemic into account. But the improvement is a good signal that Rowan County is on the right path.

Good health rankings are an indicator for so many other things happening in the community — economic well-being, physical activity, access to good health care and quality of life are just some of them. It’s a monumental task to improve the health of a community.

Laurel to the town of Landis for naming Diane Seaford its new town manager.

Seaford has been critical in getting the town’s finances under control and turning things in the right direction after she was hired in September 2019. Then, the town was still trying to put an embezzlement scandal behind it. Now, the town of Landis can look forward to a stable, honest government.