(Flickr Creative Commons photo by Darren Hester)

After some difficult times the past couple of years, the economy is steadily trying to get back on its feet with the hope that this year’s Christmas sales will be able to provide the push the economy needs.  Many people were pleased to hear that this year's Black Friday, November 27th, was a successful day in sales and that the entire weekend went off without a hitch.  Retailers opened their doors earlier than ever, with some choosing to open their doors at midnight.  It clearly paid off as 14.3 percent of consumers were out shopping before 4:00 AM, compared to 12.4 percent last year.

It is easy to read the statistics and see how the country did as a whole, but the real backbone of our nation is a group that rarely gets heard -- small, locally-owned businesses.  How did they fare on Black Friday while competing with larger businesses?

According to recent reports from various economists the recession is now over. Reports claim that despite high unemployment rates around the country and that money is still tight, the worst is over. But the Village of Hempstead is experiencing the recession differently than surrounding communities due to its surplus, according to Mayor Wayne Hall.