From the Bradenton Herald:

Manatee County’s determination to diversify the economy and attract new business received a major boost this week. Bradenton’s top ranking in a Gallup study, funded by the Knight Foundation and entitled “Soul of the Community,” should help convince business prospects that this is indeed the right place to locate their enterprise.

Gallup surveyed 25 other American communities to identify the reasons why residents become emotionally bonded to their town. Thanks to a surge in community passion and loyalty in 2009, the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice region scored highest of all for emotional attachment. The rise in ratings for three key factors fueled that score: our appreciation of local social offerings, the area’s natural beauty and our friendly and open nature.

Not even the sour economy, the worst in decades, could dampen our enthusiasm — even though unemployment took the top spot as the most important problem among survey respondents.