Apocalypse notwithstanding, 2012 was a transitional year for the Carson Valley business community in many ways.It was the year that unemployment, despite a spike at the beginning of year, steadily fell over the months, hitting 11.2 percent by November — the lowest rate in three years. As more unemployed found work, taxable sales among county merchants continued to climb. While double-digit gains in several categories were certainly impressive, they had to be considered in the wider context of the recession itself, and just how far sales had fallen. Such figures throughout the year suggested the economy was in transition, between …