Business people and government leaders from Brooke and Hancock counties are right in their approach to economic development. The good old days are gone. Something new - in other words, an approach that doesn't rely on the steel industry that carried the counties for so many years - is needed.

A "Vision to Action" workshop, organized by the Brooke-Hancock Regional Planning Council, was held last week in Chester. A variety of ideas to boost the two counties' economies were discussed.

The idea behind the workshop was that a new approach to economic development is needed. Too many proposals from the past have not worked for any of them to be tried again.

We agree. We encourage those involved in last week's workshop to continue discussing fresh - and realistic - ideas for development. The sooner the counties adjust to new economic realities, the better.