On a macro level, Anson County’s economy is most closely aligned with that of Charlotte. Our western border is only 40 miles from the intersection of Trade and Tyron, and the Monroe Expressway will bring the drive from Uptown Wadesboro to Uptown Charlotte to well under an hour. That does not mean, however, that Charlotte is our only economic driver. As the Port of Wilmington expands it presence and importance on the eastern seaboard, it, too, will become an important element of our economic story. And that’s why Monday’s announcement that the port had a record year for container shipments comes as fantastic news for Anson County. During the port’s fiscal year 2018, which ended June 30, N.C. Ports reported a record 38 percent year-over-year growth in the number of containers that moved through the Port of Wilmington. Port officials credited truck turn times and high crane productivity rates for the record, but the larger reality is increased investment at the port has made it more c...