The Great Recession officially ended in June 2009, according to a report released today by the National Bureau of Economic Research. As stated in the official press release, "The trough marks the end of the recession that began in December 2007 and the beginning of an expansion."

Perry Hall Patch asked three members of the Perry Hall community if they felt like the economy has been on the rebound for the past 14 months.

Name: Tommy Thobe
Age: 52
Occupation: Owner of Village Gem in the Perry Hall Square Shopping Center

"I don't feel like the recession is over. People still aren't spending like they used to. While the economy may be a little better than it was a year ago, sales are still down at my business and the shopping center has more empty storefronts than ever."

Name: Tac Amaefule
Age: 45
Occupation: Employee of Baltimore County Government

"The economy is still in shambles. People continue losing their jobs. As a government worker, I haven't had to worry about my job security like my friends and neighbors have, but I still don't think that the recession has ended."

Name:
Bonnie Matthews
Age: 47
Occupation: Freelance illustrator, blogger and personal trainer

"As a freelance illustrator, I still don't get the calls from publishers that I used to. It's just too high risk for businesses right now. I've had to carve out a new profession for myself as a blogger with the Dr. Oz Show and through personal training, but I'm still making less money than before. It's a mindset, if people believed that things were getting better, they would begin spending again."