Business Images Ark-Tex Region: 2009 by Journal Communications

BUSINESS

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ARK-TEX REGION

Nature’s Playground Region overflows with water recreation

Imagination Goes Wild Kids thrive at interactive museum

Road Warriors Transit grid links region to planned NAFTA Highway

SPONSORED BY THE ARK-TEX COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS | 2009

Texarkana Ark ansas

LOW Cost of Living

HIGH Quality of Life

Texarkana Ark ansas

Texarkana, Arkansas offers the luxury of modern accommodations found in most cities while maintaining the advantages of small-town life. Texarkana is unique, not only because it shares a border with a city of the same name in a separate state, but also because of its tax beneďŹ ts. Like many cities in Arkansas, Texarkana has low property tax rates, but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not all; Texarkana, Arkansas is unique because of its exemption from the Arkansas State Income Tax making it the best of both worlds.

The Te xarkana Arkansas

Advantage s #OMPARED TO CITIES OF THE SAME SIZE 4EXARKANA !RKANSAS is ranked in the top 5% in affordable property taxes across the nation s !RKANSAS PAYS LESS IN TAXES ON comparable property values in Texas

s 5NLIKE OTHER CITIES IN !RKANSAS 4EXARKANA IS INCOME TAX EXEMPT s 4EXARKANA RESIDENTS ENJOY SHORTER COMMUTE TIMES THAN OF OTHER CITIES OF THE SAME SIZE s %NJOY 4EXARKANA S CLIMATE WITH AN AVERAGE HIGH OF Â&#x17D;& AND AVERAGE LOW OF Â&#x17D;& s 4EXARKANA HELPS KEEP !RKANSAS THE NATURAL STATE WITH MORE THAN 10 public parks s 4EXARKANA IS THE TRANSPORTATION HUB OF SOUTHWEST !RKANSAS WITH interstates that allow easy access to larger cities like Dallas, Texas (190 miles) Little Rock, Arkansas (142 miles) and Shreveport, ,OUISIANA MILES

Visit us on the Web at: www.txkusa.org/ar or call City Hall at: (870) 779-4991

4EXARKANA !RKANSAS #ITY (ALL s 7ALNUT 3T s 4EXARKANA !2 Ask about our free Texarkana, Arkansas DVD

contents BUSINESS ®

OVERVIEW

BUSINESS ALMANAC

BUSINESS CLIMATE

Where the Action Is

Workforce, transportation grid and a spirit of teamwork keep Ark-Tex business humming. HEALTH CARE

Health Leaders

Ark-Tex hospitals invest in leading-edge treatment, deliver high-quality care.

EDUCATION

Room To Grow

A&M-Texarkana expands to meet student and industry demands.

Working Together

TR ANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS

Road Warriors

Transportation network gives the region a direct link to planned NAFTA Corridor. LIVABILITY

Centers of Attention

Main Street program brings a fresh look, new investment to Ark-Tex communities.

Nature’s Playground

GALLERY

FOOD & AGRICULTURE

What’s For Dinner

The Ark-Tex region’s business environment draws a full menu of food manufacturers.

On the Cover PHOTO BY TODD BENNETT The Titus County Courthouse in Mt. Pleasant, Texas

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION: CITY OF TEXARKANA, ARK.

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BUSINESS

contents

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A R K-TEX R EGI ON BUSINESS Â®

ONLINE TM

A R K-T E X R E G I O N

CONNECTIONS

An online resource at IMAGESARKTEX.com

2009 EDITION, VOLUME 2

CU S TO M M AG A Z INE M ED I A

MANAGING EDITOR BILL McMEEKIN COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, JESSY YANCEY ONLINE CONTENT MANAGER MATT BIGELOW STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN

VIRTUAL MAGAZINE >>

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS PAMELA COYLE, SHARON FITZGERALD, JOE MORRIS, ROY MOORE DATA MANAGER RANETTA SMITH

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REGIONAL SALES MANAGER CHARLES FITZGIBBON WW[OUSaO`YbSf Q][ W[OUSaO`YbS Y Sf Sf f Q][ B;

EXECUTIVE INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER MIKE ARNOLD SALES SUPPORT MANAGER SARA SARTIN SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN MCCORD

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STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER, IAN CURCIO, J. KYLE KEENER

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PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT ANNE WHITLOW

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CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS

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WEB DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR BRIAN SMITH ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN

Lifestyle A showcase of what drives the high quality of life in the Ark-Tex region

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PRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS MELISSA BRACEWELL, KATIE MIDDENDORF, JILL WYATT SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, VIKKI WILLIAMS LEAD DESIGNER CANDICE SWEET

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Read Business Images Ark-Tex on your computer, zoom in on the articles and link to advertiser Web sites

GRAPHIC DESIGN ERICA HINES, ALISON HUNTER, JESSICA MANNER, JANINE MARYLAND, AMY NELSON, MARCUS SNYDER WEB PROJECT MANAGERS ANDY HARTLEY, YAMEL RUIZ WEB DESIGN LEAD FRANCO SCARAMUZZA WEB DESIGN RYAN DUNLAP, CARL SCHULZ COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN TWILA ALLEN AD TRAFFIC JESSICA CHILDS, MARCIA MILLAR, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY

NEWS AND NOTES >>

CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN

Get the Inside Scoop on the latest

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN

developments in the Ark-Tex from

SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER

our editors and business insiders

V.P./SALES HERB HARPER V.P./SALES TODD POTTER V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER V.P./TRAVEL PUBLISHING SYBIL STEWART

Workstyle A spotlight on the innovative companies that call the Ark-Tex region home

SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS >>

V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS

Meet the people setting the pace

MANAGING EDITOR/TRAVEL SUSAN CHAPPELL

for business in the Ark-Tex region

PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO

MANAGING EDITOR/COMMUNITY KIM MADLOM MANAGING EDITOR/CUSTOM KIM NEWSOM PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA MCFARLAND, LISA OWENS

DIG DEEPER >>

RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY WALDRIP

Log into the community with links

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR YANCEY TURTURICE

to local Web sites and resources

IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY

DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR JAMES SCOLLARD HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE

to give you the big picture

CUSTOM/TRAVEL SALES SUPPORT RACHAEL GOLDSBERRY SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR RACHEL MATHEIS

of the Ark-Tex region

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/SALES SUPPORT KRISTY DUNCAN OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP

DATA CENTRAL >>

A by-the-numbers look at doing business and living

See the Video Our award-winning photographers give you a virtual peek inside the Ark-Tex region

Business Images Ark-Tex is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Ark-Tex Council of Governments. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at info@jnlcom.com.

in the Ark-Tex region

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

GUIDE TO SERVICES >>

Ark-Tex Council of Governments 4808 Elizabeth St. â&#x20AC;¢ Texarkana, TX 75503 Phone: (903) 832-8636 â&#x20AC;¢ Fax: (903) 832-3441 www.atcog.org

Links to a cross section of goods and services in the Ark-Tex region

GO ONLINE

VISIT BUSINESS IMAGES ARK-TEX ONLINE AT IMAGESARKTEX.COM Â©Copyright 2009 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent. Member

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Member Ark-Tex Council of Governments

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ARTS & CULTURE

Restored and Thriving

The Perot Theatre is a popular performance venue, cultural center and architectural gem.

Getting To Know â&#x20AC;Ś

ENERGY

Good Stewards

Land-reclamation program in the Ark-Tex sets the standard in the mining industry. RECREATION

Imagination Goes Wild

Kids thrive at the interactive Discovery Place.

ECONOMIC PROFILE

All or part of this magazine is printed with soy ink on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

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TWO GREAT LOCATIONS 5201 State Line Ave. Texarkana, TX 75503 (903) 794-1900 5102 N. State Line Rd. Texarkana, AR 71854 (870) 773-1000

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overview

TOP 10 REASONS TO DO BUSINESS IN THE ARK-TEX REGION 6. FAVORABLE TAX CLIMATE The State Business Tax Climate Index ranked Texas as having the sixthbest business tax environment in the nation. Local officials work hard to create favorable tax incentives for business.

1. LOCATION Centrally located within the United States, the Ark-Tex region is easily accessible by rail, road and air. 2. THRIVING AND DIVERSIFIED INDUSTRIES Manufacturing, energy, timber, health care and distribution businesses have all found the Ark-Tex region to be fertile ground for their growing businesses. The broad base of the region’s economy has helped insulate it from extreme ups and downs.

7. HOSPITALITY City, county and economic development officials actively work together to address the needs of relocating businesses. 8. MOBILITY Interstate 30 and U.S. Highways 59, 67, 71 and 82 converge in Texas’ northeast corner. Plans are under way to lay Interstate 69, also known as the NAFTA Highway, directly through the region, making it an ideal place for distribution.

3. LOW COST OF LIVING Housing prices are among the lowest in the nation, making it an attractive destination for relocating families who find they can get a lot more in return for their housing dollars.

9. RECREATION The Ark-Tex region has an abundant supply of recreational activities, from boating and fishing to museums and festivals to rodeos and retail shopping.

4. SCENIC BEAUTY From vast open ranchlands to piney-wood forests to scenic lakes, the Ark-Tex region offers nature in all its splendor. 5. A SKILLED AND ADAPTABLE WORKFORCE The region offers high-quality education and top-notch workforce training institutes.

10. AN IDEAL CLIMATE The climate is consistently mild, with more than 245 days of sunshine.

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SEE VIDEO ONLINE | Take a virtual tour of the Ark-Tex region at imagesarktex.com, courtesy of our awardwinning photographers.

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business almanac

MILKING IT Some schoolchildren don’t know where milk comes from – but they find out after a visit to the Southwest Dairy Museum and Education Center. The Sulphur Springs attraction in Hopkins County showcases the life of a dairy farm family before electricity came to rural America. Children (and adults) can participate in demonstrations such as separating cream, churning butter and making ice cream. Exhibits include Cal C Umm, 1930s Kitchen, Early Morning Chores, Art of Cooling Milk, Cream Station and Cutaway Cow. Go to www.southwestdairyfarmers.com for more on the museum.

THE ACE OF CLUBS

TAKE YOUR PICK

The Ace of Clubs House in Texarkana was constructed in 1885 when entrepreneur James Draughon paid for it with poker winnings. Draughon’s winning card from the five-card stud poker game was the ace of clubs.

Like bluegrass music?

The Italianate Victorian-style house has 22 rooms and is open for public tours Tuesday through Saturday. A complete restoration began in 1987, with exterior colors matched as closely as possible to the original 1885 colors. Go to www. texarkanamuseums.org/aceofclubshouse.htm for more.

There is plenty of banjo pickin’ and guitar strummin’ every Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend at the annual Monroe Bluegrass Festival. All of the entertainment takes place at Monroe Park in Texarkana, and several bands participate in each concert. Fans of the musical genre arrive from far and wide and simply kick back on lawn chairs to enjoy each two-day show. Spectators can conveniently park their RVs and campers at Monroe Park itself.

BIRTHPLACE OF BESSIE Atlanta, Texas, is the birthplace of Bessie Coleman, a world-renowned aerobatic pilot, skydiver and air-show performer who is credited with opening aviation for African-Americans. Coleman also was instrumental in helping to remove gender barriers in aviation. In 1921, she became the first African-American to receive an international pilot’s license from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale in France. Coleman is an inductee in the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame.

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HOWDY, PARDNER HOWD What exactly exa is “get along little dogie?” You ca can bet that just about everyone in attendance at Four States Fair and Rodeo knows what the annual a that phrase means. The event takes place each September at the Four States Fairgrounds Sep in Texarkana. The nine-day celebration of cowboys, cowgirls T and rodeo events has been a Texarkana a ttradition since 1945, with 2009 being the 65th annual celebration. Besides roping and rodeo competition, attractions include a carnival, agriculture exhibits and live music. For more, go to www.fourstatesfair.com.

THE EYES HAVE IT Dr. William Hayden of Paris has always appreciated art. So in 1997, he and his wife established the Plaza Art Gallery to highlight and sell quality art produced by artists living in Paris and Lamar County. The two-story gallery is housed in a 1916 building at Eight West Plaza in downtown Paris, and each item is for sale. On display are paintings, drawings, ceramics/pottery, sculpture, photography, stained glass, handmade jewelry and one-of-a-kind furniture pieces. The gallery is under the management of the Artist Guild of Lamar County.

POPULATION: STILL 75 The town of Ben Franklin in Delta County has a population of only 75, and its residents like it that small. The community was settled in 1835, and it wasn’t until 1853 that the town finally received its own post office. The arrival of the TexasMidland Railroad in Delta County in 1895 drastically boosted Ben Franklin’s quaint status, and its population ultimately grew to almost 1,000 residents. But railroad traffic eventually moved to communities to the north, and the town became sparsely populated once again. Today, the population is 75, and the community is home to five small businesses.

THE GOLDEN TICKET KET Some communities in the Ark-Tex Region on are building a reputation for making life e as comfortable for retirees as possible. Texarkana and Paris were among a handful ndf dful u of cities in the Lone Star State to receive ve a GO TEXAN Certified Retirement Community mun nity Program designation, and Franklin County, unty, which includes the city of Mount Vernon, on, joined the list in 2008. The program is overseen by the Texas Department of Agriculture, and cities must undergo o a rigorous application process before ever earning g the GO TEXAN stamp of approval. Communities es chosen for the designation meet and exceed the he living, employment, volunteer, health, entertainment, inment, education and safety needs of retirees.. Go to www.retireintexas.org for more information. mation.

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business climate

Where the

Action Is Workforce, transportation grid, spirit of teamwork keep Ark-Tex humming

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P H OTO S B Y TO D D B E N N E T T

Deborah Cook is executive director of the New Boston Special Industrial Development Corp. Left: The Atlanta Business Park offers room to prosper.

superior transportation network, combined with low taxes, a strong workforce and active economic development organizations have long been positives for the 10-county Ark-Tex region. Manufacturing, distribution and logistics, mining, timber and agribusiness are among the drivers of a diversified economy, and the area’s health-care and educational assets are numerous and top quality. “Our centralized location means that if you do a lot of shipping we can get it anywhere else in the United States about as quickly as any area you can find, and with the two Class I rail lines, the interstates and five U.S. highways that give us access to south Texas and the port at Houston, we have a lot going for us,” says Jerry Sparks, former Director of Economic Development for the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce. The region’s workforce is also another constant when it comes to business recruitment, retention and expansion. International Paper Co., which operates between Texarkana and Atlanta, Texas, has an annual payroll of around $70 million in the region. “The company broke more than 50 of its productivity records in 2007,” Sparks says, “and did it with the smallest workforce they’ve ever had. Our workforce here understands the whole quality ballgame.” In addition to International Paper, the region is home to the operations of a number of household names including Alcoa, Campbell’s Soup, Ocean Spray, Kimberly-Clark, Sara Lee and Morningstar Foods. The Ark-Tex communities themselves understand the necessity to work collectively to recruit businesses for local and regional growth. In New Boston in Bowie County, the city devotes a portion of its sales tax to industry recruitment. That money has

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allowed the New Boston Special Industrial Development Corp. to offer land, cash and tax-abatement incentives and successfully grow its SIDC Industrial Park just outside city limits, says Deborah Cook, executive director. One tenant, steel manufacturer Carpco of Texas Inc., expanded its facility and grew its potential for erecting steel to the point where it created a separate company, ADS Erectors LLC, Cook says. “We have one company at our industrial park that started with six employees and has increased to almost 25 in two years’ time, and they’re in need of more distribution space as we speak,” she says. Next up for New Boston will be growth at the industrial park, which has 60 more acres available for development, and at the T&P Trailhead Park for tourism, Cook says. This type of can-do attitude is the typical mindset throughout the Ark-Tex region, and continues to lead to successful development across a wide range of industry and business sectors. “People pick us rather than us picking them, and that’s because of the way we do economic development,” Sparks says. “By the time they come to us, they’ve gone through and eliminated a majority of communities that might have been able to host them.” Cross-community partnerships, such as the multi-state Texarkana Regional Initiative, have shown the value of teamwork, he says. “We have learned the value of playing together with our friends and neighbors,” says Sparks. “We all know that if one grows, the others grow, and it’s an approach that has put us well ahead of a lot of other areas in terms of cooperation and successful recruiting.” – Joe Morris

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health care

Health

Leaders Ark-Tex hospitals invest in leading-edge treatment, deliver high-quality care

hrough a series of construction projects, capital investments and technology acquisitions, Ark-Tex hospitals are offering specialized care that patients previously had to travel outside the area to receive. Paris Regional Medical Center opened the Heart Hospital at its north campus in 2008, creating a comprehensive cardiaccare center. The 12,000-square-foot facility features a 12-bed cardiac intensive-care unit, a 16-bed inpatient unit and chestpain center. Seeking to include the latest technology, hospital officials outfitted two new cardiac-catherization laboratories with a 64-slice CT scanner, digital image-management system and stateof-the-art cardiac monitoring systems. These technologies form the backbone of efforts to create a cardiac-care center of excellence. “By creating a cardiac center of excellence, we are making a bold statement to the region,” says Dr. Khalid Shafiq, Paris Regional chief of staff. “We’re serious about providing state-of-the-art care on the level usually offered only in large metropolitan markets.” At Hopkins County Memorial Hospital, officials opened a comprehensive center for wound care and hyperbaric medicine in 2006. At the Wound Care Center at Memorial, trained staff members use the most technologically advanced wound therapy and provide education to patients

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and caregivers. Wadley Regional Medical Center in Texarkana, founded in 1900, has a history of adopting the latest technology. In the 1990s alone, the hospital opened a gastrointestinal lab, bought the area’s first stereotactic needle biopsy system to diagnose breast cancer, added an MRI and opened a wound-care and hyperbaric medicine center. Wadley Regional signed a letter of intent in October 2008 to consolidate operations with CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System in Texarkana. CHRISTUS, established in 1916 by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, offers a comprehensive slate of

services including heart care, orthopedic care, cancer care and women’s and children’s care. The f lagship, 312-bed acute-care hospital is on a 129-acre campus in Texarkana that also includes a 50-bed acute-care hospital, 50-bed rehab hospital and centers for outpatient rehabilitation, imaging and fitness. The hospitals, which include a staff of 220 doctors and 2,200 nurses, has received numerous accolades, including a No. 1 ranking in Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma by HealthGrades for heart surgery in 2007, and three 2007 Specialty Excellence Awards for general, vascular and cardiac surgery. – Roy Moore

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P H OTO S B Y TO D D B E N N E T T

Paris Regional Medical Center is creating a cardiac-care center of excellence. Left: Nurses Angela Clark and Joe Stringfellow monitor a patient at Paris Regionalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new cardiac-catherization lab.

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education

Room To Gr

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A&M-Texarkana expands to meet student and industry demands

S TA F F P H OTO

he Ark-Tex region boasts a topnotch workforce, and one reason why is Texas A&M UniversityTexarkana, which continues to build programs as well as a new campus. Founded in 1971 as part of the East Texas State University network, the Texarkana school joined the Texas A&M University System in 1996. Housed in two buildings on the Texarkana College campus, A&MTexarkana grew to serve a student population of 1,650 undergraduates and about 575 graduate students and needed larger facilities. Thus, with a donation of 300 acres from the city of Texarkana, the vision for a new campus was born. In 2006, Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst visited the acreage “and made it known publicly that it was, in his opinion, the best piece of land to develop a college campus that he had ever seen,” recalls Bob Bruggeman, A&M-Texarkana communications manager. On the north side of the city at Bringle Lake, the scenic site is near a city park and across from the Texarkana Golf Ranch, an 18-hole championship track developed by renowned swing coach Hank Haney. The Truman and Anita Arnold Foundation donated an additional 75 acres to A&M-Texarkana, bringing the new campus’ total acreage up to 375. “This is a 20- to 25-year plan, and we’re building the campus to accommodate up to 10,000 students,” Bruggeman says. While A&M-Texarkana today is primarily a commuter school drawing students from a 60-mile radius, the new campus eventually will offer dormitory housing. Already open is the campus’ first structure, the $17 million Science and Technology Building, accommodating the electrical engineering,

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computer science, biology and chemistry programs. In November 2008, ground was broken for the 183,000-square-foot Multipurpose Library Building. When it opens, probably in June 2010, nearly all the operations of the Texarkana College campus will move. Bruggeman says the new facilities, including a classroom building in the planning stages, will allow for the university’s “downward expansion,” a term coined to describe the eventual addition of freshmen and sophomores. Currently, the university serves only juniors, seniors and graduate students. “We’re building our model to be a comprehensive university in the fall of 2010,” he says. A&M-Texarkana now offers 20 baccalaureate programs and 15 graduate programs in three colleges: Arts & Sciences and Education, Health and Behavioral Sciences, and Business. The university has begun the process to establish a College of Engineering and add a mechanical engineering degree. The university’s engineering emphasis is a direct response to community workforce needs. “The word that we got from our local industry was that they needed engineers, so that got us started,” Bruggeman says. Yet A&M-Texarkana, traditionally at the table to assist economic development initiatives, took industry’s appeal a step further. Not only do its professors teach dual-enrollment engineering classes to high school seniors, but the university was instrumental in curriculum development for the Texarkana Independent School District’s Martha and Josh Morriss Mathematics & Engineering Elementary School, which integrates technical concepts even at the kindergarten level. “It’s been very successful, and it’s very unique,” Bruggeman says. – Sharon H. Fitzgerald

Texas A&M University-Texarkana is building a new campus that will help it with long-range plans to increase enrollment from about 2,200 to 10,000.

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education

Working Together Ark-Tex colleges partner to bolster worker training

“This grant represents a partnership between three colleges and industry in this region that will provide training to improve the workforce within this part of the state. We’re ready to do whatever it takes to help the region’s industry, and we want to share our talent and expertise with those industries to boost economic development,” says Dr. Pamela Anglin, Paris Junior College president. Training programs will run the gamut from welding certification to working with computerized devices that manufacturers use to automate production processes to instruction in radio frequency identification, the tags and equipment that are employed to speed up and simplify inventory management. It’s not the first time the colleges have teamed up to meet a workforce need in the region. In 2005, for example, the three colleges were part of a consortium that came together to formulate a plan to ensure the region had a supply of trained health-care workers.

P H OTO S B Y TO D D B E N N E T T

artnership isn’t just lip service in the Ark-Tex region. A prime example of regional collaboration can be seen in an initiative among three colleges for a workforce development program that will serve several major industries with operations in the area. Northeast Texas Community College in Mount Pleasant, Paris Junior College and Texarkana College have partnered with the Regional Advanced Manufacturing Academy Consortium, a 14-member industry group that includes Alcoa Mill Products, Campbell Soup Co., International Paper and Kimberly-Clark, to provide training for more than 700 workers. A $1.26 million grant from the Texas Workforce Commission Skills Development Fund will help provide funding for the program. The Skills Development Fund assists businesses and labor unions by financing the design and implementation of customized job training. The colleges worked for three years to secure the grant.

Paris Junior College is partnering with two other area colleges on a workforce training initiative.

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transportation & logistics

Lowe’s operates a distribution center in Mt. Vernon that employs around 1,000.

Road Warriors

Highway network links to planned NAFTA Corridor

network of major highways interconnects with air and rail transportation to provide ArkTex industries a variety of ways to move product, a key component in spurring new investment and expansion. “We’re at a crossroads for agriculture, which is why we’ve had Kimberly-Clark and Campbell Soup here for a long time,” says Pete Kampfer, Paris Economic Development Corp. executive director “We’ve got lots of water and a good workforce. Now we’re working with folks who are interested in raw-food manufacturing and strategic warehousing that would tie into our distributors.” Companies are able to send and receive goods via U.S. highways 82 and 271, as well as Texas highways 19 and 24; I-30 is only 38 miles away. The planned NAFTA Corridor, a highway system that would connect Canada to Mexico, would position the Ark-Tex

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to be a major thoroughfare for goods going from around the United States to Mexico and other points in South America and Central America. Interstates 49, 59 and 69 would be key arterial connectors for the system, positioning the region to expand its warehousing and distribution capacity. “All routes identified as NAFTA corridors pass through our region,” says Deborah Cook, executive director of the New Boston Special Industrial Development Corp. “The majority of the continent’s imports and exports pass through our highways, serving all domestic and international markets.” The transportation network includes more than 15 well-maintained interstate and highway systems that transect the region, as well as the presence of numerous major freight carriers. A Foreign Trade Zone has been established in Northeast Texas, including New Boston, which is

strategically located in the center of Bowie County, where the four corners of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma meet. Roadways have been an integral part of growth plans laid out in Mt. Vernon, which also relies on its quality of life and a host of other amenities beyond its transportation assets. Mt. Vernon has reinvested its sales-tax collections back into the community, capitalizing on a Lowe’s distribution center to bring in a variety of business and cultural projects, says Teresia Wims, who is the city’s economic development coordinator. Employment at the facility is around 1,000, with increases at peak times. Since Lowe’s opened the center in 1995, salestax receipts have increased more than 100 percent. “It goes without saying that the distribution center has been a tremendous economic engine for us,” Wims says. – Joe Morris

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livability

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Centers of

Attention Main Street program brings fresh look, new investment to Ark-Tex communities

S TA F F P H OTO

aris has a Festival of Pumpkins that draws 10,000 people, plus Holiday in Paris with carriage rides, an art walk and performances. Mt. Vernon, about one-tenth the size of Paris with 2,500 residents, has seven museums, just added decorative trash bins that match its benches and installed a $17,000 sign that welcomes visitors to the historic downtown. Both Ark-Tex spots are designated Texas Main Street Communities, as are Mt. Pleasant, Clarksville and Texarkana. The program helps communities capitalize on their historic assets by providing design assistance and economic development training. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The idea is to give each community the tools to make its Main Street program unique and attract private and local investment,â&#x20AC;? says Texas Main Street coordinator Debra Farst. Paris has been at it since 1997. To date, more than $5 million in private investment has poured into downtown, creating loft residences, renovating commercial buildings and opening new shops. Because a fire destroyed most of downtown in 1916, the city

The Festival of Pumpkins in Paris draws 10,000 visitors each year. Left: The Culbertson Fountain in the historic district of downtown Paris was a gift to culminate the rebuilding of the city after a devastating fire in 1916. P H OTO B Y TO D D B E N N E T T

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has a strong concentration of Prairie-style architecture, says Bethany Golden, Main Street manager. “We have a beautiful downtown,” Golden says. “It is very unique.” The program works with other agencies that get improvement grants, including money used to outline the tops of the buildings downtown with LED lights in late 2008. The next phase, Golden says, is to light trees around the Culbertson Fountain, a focal point in the city’s downtown historic district. Another goal is restoration of the Grand Theater, starting with raising money to restore the façade and light the neon sign. Mt. Vernon is home to another long-standing Main Street program. “The city is very proactive,” says Teresia Wims, the city’s economic development director and Main Street manager. “It helps you get things done.” In 2008, the city passed a preservation ordinance. A 10-year tax freeze on significant renovations to historical properties is in the works, too, Wims says. Mt. Vernon has an abundance of museums. The old jail has soft-sculpture inmates in the cells and three galleries of art. The Franklin County Historical Association’s Fire Station Museum has an exhibit of bird eggs, including three from extinct species, on the second floor and memorabilia from Don Meredith, a Mt. Vernon native, Dallas Cowboy great and “Monday Night Football” announcing legend, on the first. Since 1993, a 20-block region of downtown Mt. Pleasant has seen more than $7.6 million in private investment. Nita May, city planner and Main Street manager, says a downtown preservation ordinance “is high on our list,” as are sessions in 2009 to help downtown businesses better use the Internet to boost their sales. In 2008, the town moved its annual Christmas parade to later in the day and coordinated with downtown shops to stay open, May says. Fund-raisers put holiday decorations and lights downtown, which also has a new tower that is home to a bell that used to be atop the courthouse. “Main Street cities in Texas are just as unique as the various regions of the state in which they are situated,” Farst says. “The character of our historic towns still reflects their beginnings and the cultures of the people who settled them.” – Pamela Coyle

The Lamar County Courthouse is a signature building in Paris. Top left: Globes on a lamppost in downtown Mt. Vernon Top right: The Culbertson Fountain in downtown Paris

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The Ark-Tex region offers numerous waterways that are prime spots for anglers and outdoor recreation lovers.

Nature’s Playground Waterways flow with recreation opportunities More Insight For more information on waterways and parks in the region, check out these resources: www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ spdest/findadest/ pineywoods www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ spdest/findadest/ prairies_and_lakes

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ore than 300 bird species have been spotted in Atlanta State Park, just southwest of Texarkana on Lake Wright Patman Dam. The 1,475-acre park fronts a reservoir with 170 miles of shoreline. With hilly terrain, woodland cover and waterfront, the park is hospitable to many types of birds, and plans include building on a reputation as a great birding destination. Nearly 100 species are considered common or likely to spot, many of them in autumn when the leaves are down and visibility improves, says Kody Waters, park superintendent. Birding, boating, camping, fishing, hiking, biking and swimming opportunities abound in the Ark-Tex, and Atlanta State Park is only one destination that offers virtually all of them. “A lot of people look for pileated woodpecker and red-bellied woodpeckers,” says Waters, who notes the park also has a bald-eagle nest. Atlanta State Park is installing six interpretive panels. One of the panels will highlight the American white pelican, which migrates to Texas in fall and winter. Caddo Lake is the South’s second-largest

natural lake; Lake Bob Sandlin covers nearly 10,000 acres, and the state park attracts 100,000 visitors a year. It is a top fishing destination, with healthy stocks of Florida bass and channel catfish. Daingerfield State Park in Morris County has an 80-acre lake, fishing, a boat ramp, rental lodges and rolling hills that come alive with spring-blooming trees and vines and produce a classic autumn showcase. Many springs still flow in Franklin County, including those that supply Lake Cypress Springs and are the headwaters for the Cypress Basin Watershed. The Franklin County Historical Association has good maps for hiking, biking and scenic drives. The association has obtained a 60-year lease for 3,600 acres around the headwaters. “This is the very end of the creek, which meanders and stretches for six miles,” says B.F. Hicks, a Mt. Pleasant lawyer, nature enthusiast and association board member. Eight miles south of Mount Vernon is an old growth, short-leaf pine stand and a “really magnificent” 40-acre marsh packed with wildlife, Hicks says. – Pamela Coyle

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All Roads

Lead to

Texarkana

ARK ANSAS

A New Look for a Historic Site Leads a Downtown Renaissance Business Park Is At Crossroads of Commerce

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&Fun

The City of Texarkana, Ark., along with the Four States Fairgrounds, is planning for the next Sparks in the Park event.

SPARKS IN THE PARK IS AT HOME AT FAIRGROUNDS

usic, food, games, fun and, of course, fireworks are on the calendar for this year’s Sparks in the Park, an annual Independence Day celebration that will be held at the Four States Fairgrounds for the second straight year. With more than 15,000 people on the grounds at the 2008 event, and even more folks watching the fireworks, the city of Texarkana, Four States Fairgrounds and event sponsors hope to make this year’s occasion even bigger. Dwight Duncan, Four States Fairgrounds president, says 2008’s event attracted close to 25,000 people enjoying the fireworks display, from inside and outside the fairgrounds. There are also climbing walls, bungee jumping, a petting zoo and inflatable, bouncy toys for kids to enjoy. Duncan says that the celebration is one of many examples of how the city of Texarkana, Ark., partners with local entities to bring commerce to the region and improve quality of life for residents. “It helps promote tourism and tax revenue,” Duncan says.

Ron Bird, general manager of GAP Broadcasting, one of the event’s major sponsors, says his company likes being involved in something that everyone in the community can enjoy and benefit from. “It was a real successful event, and we just want to make it bigger and better,” he says. According to Duncan, the success of Sparks in the Park was a result of the city and the event’s sponsors. “The city did a great job of traffic control, especially the Texarkana Police Department, and GAP Broadcasting brought in different games,” he says. The Four States Fairgrounds offers air-conditioned buildings and free parking, something Bird points out is one of the benefits of holding the celebration there. “The fairgrounds is a great venue for it, with the paved area and the circle around the midway and some airconditioned buildings for people to get into,” Bird says. “It’s a huge community event, and it’s free and anybody can go to it. Our listeners love it.” – Laura Otto

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All Roads Lead to

TODD BENNETT

Texarkana TRANSPORTATION GRID MAKES IT THE PLACE TO MOVE THE GOODS

ook at the city of Texarkana on a map, and you’ll see a web of roadways surrounding the area, with Texarkana as the epicenter. Interstate 30 and the nearly completed leg of I-49 trace bold lines across the landscape, offering major routes for trucking and travel. In addition, U.S. Highways 59, 67, 71 and 82 supplement what has become one of the major distribution hubs in the Southeast. Jerry Sparks, director of economic development for the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce, says that the presence of two Class I railroads, Union Pacific and Kansas City Southern, is also a unique asset. “If someone is here, their goods and services can get anywhere they want,” he says. Texarkana is approximately a fivehour drive from several large markets, including Houston, Austin, Memphis and Dallas. As many as 25 trucking companies operate in the region. The largest freight hauler is Southern Refrigerated Transport, whose headquarters is located along I-30. The facility, built in 2006, takes advantage of Texarkana’s unique

location and was designed to support a 1,000-truck operation, a number the company has nearly reached. Kay Wilhite, sales coordinator at SRT, says the company has approximately 850 drivers and operates in the continental 48 states and Canada. SRT employees drive 800 trucks that pull 1,000 refrigerated and 200 “dry” trailers. The traffic count on I-30, where a $153 million upgrade is under way, is between 60,000 and 70,000 cars a day. The extensive changes involve converting frontage roads along the I-30 corridor into one-way roads, relocating entrance and exit ramps, and adding and reconstructing overpasses. “We are in the midst of a large project that will facilitate the movement of traffic,” Sparks says. “That’s planning for the future.” Along the same lines, the well-known Trans-Texas Corridor may run right through the Texarkana region, but plans have not been finalized. Also called the “NAFTA Highway,” the route could eventually reach from Mexico to Canada. The Trans-Texas Corridor proposition is in response to the booming truck traffic in the region. The route would follow U.S. Highway 59. www.txkusa.org

Though Texarkana is located within arm’s reach of six states – the two obvious ones, Texas and Arkansas, plus Louisiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi and even Tennessee – Sparks still describes the area as “small-town America.” He stresses the importance of people, not just companies, being able to reach goods and services, such as hospitals. “We have to think that way,” he says. “How do you get from point A to point B? Transportation for a rural area is the lifeblood of the economy.” – Laura Otto This special section is published for City of Texarkana, Arkansas by Journal Communications Inc.

CU S TO M M AG A Z INE M ED I A

For more information, contact: City of Texarkana, Ark. P.O. Box 2711 Texarkana, AR 75504 Phone: (870) 779-4991 • Fax: (870) 774-3170 www.txkusa.org ©Copyright 2009 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this special advertising section may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent. On the cover: The Texarkana area has some 40 trucking companies and easy access to several major interstates and highways, making it a natural for distribution operations. Photo by Todd Bennett

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At the

Crossroads of Commerce

BUSINESS PARK IS CATALYST FOR NEW GROWTH

Texarkana Mayor Horace Shipp says the city put a thoroughfare through the parcel to make it marketable, but a good developer and an excellent location will make it an even more desirable place for businesses to set up shop. “It’s a fine location,” he says. “Those hotels will take advantage of a market that goes down I-30; it’s just a business opportunity.” Boldt hopes to see a hotel convention complex go into the business park, and wants to consider retailers that have the ability to create a tourist-based destination, like an IMAX theater or a Bass Pro Shop. Considering Texarkana’s location, Boldt says it makes sense to seek retail outlets that will take advantage of a high volume of traffic and Arkansas’ reputation for excellent outdoor opportunities, including hunting and fishing. With highway and interstate additions and improvements, truck traffic is expected to double in the next few years. According to Mayor Shipp, the traffic count on I-30 is already between 60,000 and 70,000 cars a day. “We’re halfway between Little Rock and Dallas, and probably the largest metropolitan area between the two,” he says. “It’s very rural, yet there’s a lot going on here.” – Laura Otto

TODD BENNETT

ith the opening of the new Best Western in Crossroads Business Park, the city of Texarkana is heralding the type of development and interest that will bring more commerce to the region. The 1,000-acre business park is conveniently located north of Interstate 30, between State Line and Jefferson avenues, and south of Sugar Hill Road (Highway 296). While the first 40 acres are the focus of development right now, that parcel is off to a good start, with another hotel chain, Holiday Inn Express, rapidly moving toward completion of its new location. Harold Boldt, Texarkana city manager, says the addition of the hotels to Crossroads Business Park will be a draw to attract restaurants and major retailers. “Anything going into a new type of development like this is going to be of help to the community,” he says. Aven Williamson is developing the property, and Boldt says he is pleased that certain standards, like underground utilities and upscale landscaping, are being undertaken. “We are trying to carefully find the right partners in there,” he says. “We want to make sure that the development is landscaped the right way, that there are walking paths through the district.”

The Crossroads Business Park in Texarkana, Ark., is a mixed-use development for office, retail and hotel space.

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You don’t have to love cars to enjoy Cruisin’ Downtown T-Town.

Cars Are the Stars CRUISIN’ DOWNTOWN ORGANIZERS DRIVE A SUCCESSFUL EVENT

renda and LaVaughn Cook love cars so much that they’ve traveled all over the United States to see them. They don’t have to anymore, though, since they started Cruisin’ Downtown T-Town, a regular event that features muscle cars, street rods, classic cars, trucks and other vehicles in downtown Texarkana, Ark. The Cooks began the cruise-ins in downtown Texarkana in 2007. The last cruise-in of 2008, held in September, featured 93 cars lined up on Front Street, between Walnut and Wood streets. The event attracted 174 different cars over the course of the 2008 season. The 2009 cruise-ins are being held from 6 to 9 p.m. on the third Friday of each month, April through September. The first event of the year will be April 17. Admission is free, and food, including hot dogs, drinks and popcorn, will be available for purchase. Brenda Cook says the cruise-ins attract mostly classic cars, not what she calls “parade cars” or antique cars. “A lot of people in this town have classic cars, and they’re sitting in their garages and they never get them out,” she says. “It’s not a contest. Everybody’s car is equal, and you get to see some of everything. We might even get a brand new Charger that somebody just got and wants to show off.” Cook’s husband restores cars, and they currently take a 1966 Chevy Nova to the cruise-ins.

“He’s got it like it would have been when we were in high school,” she says. “My husband likes to talk to people about what they’ve done to their car.” The Cooks set up a public-address system, and there’s rock ‘n’ roll music and even door prizes. “I just love downtown Texarkana,” says LaVaughn Cook, who is a native of the region. “When I was a kid, we went to town every Saturday.” Texarkana Mayor Horace Shipp says the cruise-ins are a great opportunity for folks to come back to downtown. “It’s a social event that has an old-time feel,” he says. “They are doing a great job of bringing a very attractive and successful event downtown.” LaVaughn Cook credits the support of the City of Texarkana, which has not only issued permits for the event, but also provided electricity, a bathroom facility and even funds for door prizes. For every 60 cars, Cook says, there are 120 people, since folks usually come in twos. And, of course, there are the people that come just to look at the cars. “It has brought all these people that come to town,” Cook says. “It’s hopping down there.” For more information on Cruisin’ Downtown, the Cooks can be reached at (870) 779-1655. – Laura Otto

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Play

Ball

TEXARKANA IS HOST CITY TO PRESTIGIOUS DIXIE YOUTH O-ZONE WORLD SERIES

ith more than 600 kids participating each year, youth baseball is big in Texarkana. That’s why it’s no surprise that Texarkana, Ark., will be hosting the Dixie Youth O-Zone (open base) World Series, for players 12 and under, Aug. 1-6 in 2009. The tournament will be held at the North Park Baseball Complex in Ed Worrell Memorial Park. “When you talk about bringing 12 teams in here and putting on a week-long tournament, it’s kind of a prestigious deal,” says Randy Lacy, vice president of the Texarkana Baseball Association. A city must meet stringent guidelines to host a Dixie Youth tournament, including proving its ability to provide adequate accommodations, dining opportunities and, of course, playing fields that meet Dixie Youth Baseball’s specifications for such things as fields, dugouts and lighting. A new two-story building at the North Park Baseball Complex was built in anticipation of submitting a proposal to host the tournament, says Lacy. The building houses a concession stand, rest rooms and a separate scorekeeping room, another league requirement. Lacy says the motivation to host the tournament was twofold: Arkansas has never hosted a Dixie Youth World Series. With two national directors from the area and one state director, it seemed like something that ought to happen to honor their contributions to the league, he says. And, the baseball association and city leaders recognize the economic impact of teams coming to town for the tournament. Texarkana Mayor Horace Shipp says hosting the Dixie Youth tournament has many benefits. “We can do a lot of things that are good,” he says. “Some have far-reaching impacts, and some have a lesser impact, but this is one that’s recreation and it’s an opportunity to show our town off.” Many of the improvements to the baseball complex over the past five years have been so that the city can host a Dixie Youth World Series, the mayor says. With approximately 62 teams in the city league, and 10 solid weeks of baseball, the association has more than established its credentials to host an event of this size. “The people who are involved are good at operating a baseball program,” Shipp says. “It will be good for Texarkana to host something like this.” – Laura Otto

Texarkana, Ark., will host the 2009 Dixie Youth World Series for the 12 and under, open-base division.

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Horse Sense

EQUINE CENTER EARNS ITS SPURS AT FOUR STATES FAIRGROUNDS

he new Equine Center at the Four States Fairgrounds in Texarkana is a state-of-the-art, climate-controlled facility that houses 110 permanent horse stalls. An additional 100 horse stalls can be provided, for a total of 210 stalls, and a covered arena can accommodate barrel racing and other equine events. “It’s kind of like a field of dreams, you build it and they will come,” says Dwight Duncan, Four States Fairgrounds president. “My phone has been ringing off the wall.” The first event at the new center in February 2009 featured the Red River Barrel Racing Association, which has booked three dates total in 2009. The Arkansas Arabian Horse Club plans to hold its state show in April, and Duncan is meeting with other equine groups that plan to use the 35,400-squarefoot facility as well. The facility can seat up to 8,000 people. The center expects to host one of the largest livestock auctions in the state, and also plans to host the largest bucking-stock sale in the country in March. “We have the largest seating capacity facility between Shreveport and Fort Smith, and Dallas and Little Rock,” Duncan says. The 104-acre fairgrounds hosts a diverse set of events and houses a state-of-the-art Agricultural Learning Center and RV park.

In addition to its facilities, Duncan says, location is one of the advantages that Four States Fairgrounds and the new Equine Center offer. The fairgrounds are directly off Interstate 30 and centrally located two hours from Little Rock, one hour from Shreveport, La., and less than three hours from Dallas. The center’s cost came to nearly $900,000, and Duncan says the money has been well spent on top-of-the-line amenities, such as stalls with electricity and dump stations. “With the type of animals we’re going to have in here, you’ve got to have top-notch stalls,” he says. “I’m getting the best we can get for our dollar.” With major horse shows and sales within 200 miles of Texarkana, Duncan hopes to use the city’s convenient location to lure big names, like the American Quarter Horse Association and the Palomino Horse Association, to the new center, which can bring commerce to the city. Duncan points out that visitors to the fairgrounds and Equine Center bring “heads in beds” and people eating in restaurants. This benefits the city, which is able to utilize tax money from these sales, which benefits area residents. “I’d classify us as being partners with the city of Texarkana, Arkansas,” he says. – Laura Otto

TODD BENNETT

The new Equine Center at the Four States Fairgrounds in Texarkana, Ark., is climate controlled and houses 110 horse stalls and a performance arena. The 104-acre fairgrounds hosts a variety of events and houses the Agricultural Learning Center.

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A Gateway to Outdoor Fun BRING YOUR POLE OR GO FOR A STROLL AT BOBBY FERGUSON PARK

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rkansas would like to ensure that every child within the state has an available fishing lake within 30 minutes of home. With that goal, the community set about redeveloping Texarkana’s Bobby Ferguson Park. The park, located at Arkansas Highway 245 and Interstate 30, had a small lake, walking trail and outdated playground equipment. Improvements will include a larger fishing lake with handicap-accessible piers. Walking trails will be expanded, the playground refurbished and equipment updated. A new park pavilion will be a gathering place and the site of public workshops. Support has come from city and state

funds, including grants from the Arkansas Parks and Tourism Department and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Texarkana Mayor Horace Shipp estimates improvements are about twothirds complete at the 24-acre park. Gary Jeans, interim public works director, recently invited the public to gather fish from the existing lake while it was drained in preparation for the new, larger lake. “It’s right at the first intersection in town,” Shipp says. “It presents a warm and welcoming statement to people coming into town, and it’s an enjoyable environment for our own community.” – Claire Ratliff-Sears

The 24-acre Bobby F. Ferguson Park in Texarkana is undergoing a major upgrade.

New Look for a Historic Site BUHRMAN-PHARR LOFTS CHANGE THE FACE OF DOWNTOWN

ating back to the early 1900s, Buhrman-Pharr was once the largest retail and wholesale hardware business west of the Mississippi River. In December 2006, the building reopened as the BuhrmanPharr Loft Apartments, with 40 units that boast the beauty of preserved historic elements, exposed brick and beams. Developers installed new elevators, windows, plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems throughout. Amenities include a fitness center, children’s playroom, buildingwide wireless Internet and fire-sprinkler system. Residents enter with secure, electronic key cards through a four-story atrium lobby with stunning skylights. Several units were specially designed to accommodate the needs of residents with disabilities. Special care was taken to restore two of Buhrman-Pharr’s most distinguishing features, a rooftop water tower and exterior hardware sign. The Vanadis Investment Group managed the project for its client, Family Service Agency. Both market-rate and tax-credit units are available, providing for the housing needs of families at varying income levels. “Downtown,” says Mayor Horace Shipp, “has a destination feel, and it’s just a natural for development.” – Claire Ratliff-Sears New development is reshaping downtown Texarkana.

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Affordable Living

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Attracts Commerce

BUSINESS MATH: LOW TAX RATES ADD UP TO MAJOR SAVINGS FOR BUSINESSES & RESIDENTS

he numbers are compelling. A thin line may separate Texas from Arkansas in Texarkana, but compare property taxes for a business located on the Arkansas side with those on the Texas side, and the difference is dramatic. Arkansas residents and business owners pay roughly 60 percent less in property taxes on comparable property values, explains Harold Boldt, Texarkana, Ark., city manager. Considering that Texas assesses properties at 100 percent of their value, and Arkansas assesses properties at 20 percent of market value, homeowners in Arkansas benefit from substantial savings. “You find yourself paying 60 percent less in taxes when you look at comparable property values,” Boldt says. “That’s pretty significant.” And for business owners, there is an even greater advantage on the Arkansas side of the line, Boldt says, “because you don’t pay taxes any differently than a citizen would who owns a home.” This favorable tax structure is one of several factors that make Texarkana, Ark., a smart place to do business, according to Bob Nelsen, longtime manager of the Cooper Tires plant in

Texarkana. Nelsen, who is now retired, watched the plant grow and thrive in this pro-business environment, including five major expansions between 1964 and 1993. When it opened in 1964, Nelsen says, the plant employed 400 people and generated some 4,000 passenger-size car and truck tires daily. By 2004, those numbers had grown to 2,000 workers and more than 42,000 tires a day. In addition to its appealing tax structure, Texarkana, Ark., offers a highly strategic location and a readily available, skilled workforce with a strong collective work ethic. Boldt adds that the state of Arkansas allows city governments to serve as conduits for issuing debt for companies in search of capital, which provides even more incentive for businesses looking to relocate. “And we can do it faster, and probably cheaper, than businesses would be able to do if they are trying to finance on a private-funding basis,” Boldt says. Arkansas offers numerous incentives for businesses, Nelsen says. “We took advantage of all of those benefits over the years,” he says.

Business is drawn to Texarkana, Ark., because of a favorable tax structure and a city government that pursues development.

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Main Street of

Distinction DOWNTOWN DISTRICT COMES TO LIFE WITH ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT

apata Grill Mexican Cantina in downtown Texarkana is the kind of place where you bring friends from out of town. With a popular happy hour and an interesting location in an older building, the unique eatery is filling a niche long-open in Texarkana. “For the longest time, people had to go to Shreveport or somewhere else for that kind of night life,” says Bethany Hanna, executive director of Texarkana Main Street. Zapata serves up an example of the success that can be had by entrepreneurs creative enough to pass up on strip mall locations and eschew same-old, same-old franchises. Established in 2000, Zapata’s has done so well that it has expanded. It’s a success story others are hoping to emulate, Hanna says. And others are on the way. Today, downtown Texarkana is an eclectic mix of businesses drawing people in with arts and entertainment venues and pedestrian-friendly urban living. The business district along State Line Avenue is flanked on one end by the signature courthouse and post office, which straddle the state line, and at the other by the historic marble train depot. The retail district, a T-shape formed where Front Street crosses State Line in front of the depot, spans Texas and Arkansas. People have come downtown for years to “cross the line,” then they stay to visit restaurants, nightclubs, art galleries, the theater and special events venues. Once a bustling place filled with the ebb and flow of train station passengers, downtown Texarkana – like downtown districts across the country – has reinvented itself in recent years. Four years ago, a coalition of businesses joined the Main Street program operated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which is a nationwide organization that employs a mix of historic preservation and economic development initiatives to restore and revitalize downtown districts. The revitalization effort is a true work in progress, Hanna explains. The program involves a four-point approach with attention to design, promotion, organization and economic restructuring. It’s an incremental program and it takes time,

she emphasizes. “Downtowns didn’t decline overnight and they don’t come back overnight either,” Hanna says. Since the Main Street program launched in Texarkana, more than $200,000 in grant money has been secured for its restoration and revitalization efforts. Visible signs of all the hard work are evident when visiting the area today. “All of the buildings that are useable and in good condition have been purchased, as well as some that need work,” Hanna says. “You’re doing pretty well when people are finally saying ‘I’m going to fix that up.’”

Downtown Texarkana, Ark., draws people in with vibrant arts-and-culture offerings, restaurants and night life.

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Prepare for

Takeoff

TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS FUEL TEXARKANA ECONOMY

xperts say the Texarkana, Ark., economy is poised to take off in the next 10 to 20 years, and the Texarkana Regional Airport could account for a great deal of the wind beneath those wings. While most talk centers on plans for major road projects that will transform the area economy, the region’s air travel also is slated to improve dramatically in coming years. The airport is about to embark on a major expansion project that will dramatically change its appearance, functionality and access, says Steve Luebbert, airport director. Contractors already are moving dirt on the site, and Luebbert says he expects to cut the ribbon on a brand-new passenger terminal by 2012. The new commercial facility will include new parking, a new fire station, a new rental car facility, new passenger terminal and more convenient access. While the overall size of the facility has yet to be determined, Luebbert says “it will be anywhere from 15,000 square feet on up. The intent is to provide room for growth.” Once the new passenger terminal is open, the airport also plans to build a platform for Amtrak passengers. Creating an intermodal transit facility is the goal, which will open up access to new sources of money that “very few communities meet the requirements to tap,” Luebbert says.

Already, the airport is a powerful economic engine. In addition to commercial traffic and general aviation business, it appeals to corporate entities whose executives travel by air. “You’re a nonstarter if you don’t have a commercial airport,” Luebbert says. “If you don’t have an airport that can handle the corporate jets or base then the corporations aren’t interested in locating here.” The current facility and its location compose “a little piece of history that goes back past World War II,” Luebbert says. Luebbert says that in the 1920s, aviators would take off from the horse race track, once located at Spring Lake Park. Following a tragic accident, Howard Webb, the son of a dairy farmer and the longest-serving airport director, moved the airfield to a dairy east of town that offered more clearance. “By 1928, the city of Texarkana decided that Howard was on to something,” Luebbert says. “So while 1928 is officially the beginning, we got our start with a crash out at Spring Lake Park.” From the original 190-acre dairy farm, the airport has grown over the years to its present-day size of approximately 1,000 acres. It features two runways, a 6,600-foot strip and an alternate runway that is 5,200 feet long. American Airlines and Continental both serve the Texarkana Regional Airport, connecting it with Dallas, Houston and beyond. The airport operates about nine flights daily.

Texarkana Regional Airport is in the midst of a major expansion program that will include a new passenger terminal.

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Superior Schools High ACADEMIC Standards Return Success

n the Texarkana Arkansas School District, the emphasis is on achievement, with a mission of providing “an exceptional education for all students in a quality environment that develops citizens who are responsible, ethical, literate, competent and productive.” A string of honors, championships, recognition and surging

Recent improvements at Texarkana High School included major renovations to its football field. staff photo

test scores during the 2006-2007 school year attests to the district’s growing success in reaching its goals. Genia Bullock, the district’s community involvement coor dinator, offers a list of kudos the award-winning district has garnered. The list includes: • College Hill Middle School received the 2007 Shannon Wright Award for excellence, recognizing exemplary perfor mance statewide. • College Hill Elementary was one of only two schools in Arkansas to be named a 2007 Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. • Robin Stover, Arkansas High School principal and former College Hill Middle School principal, was named 2007 Middle School Principal of the Year for Arkansas. • The district’s North Heights Junior High, College Hill Middle School and Fairview Elementary School are recognized as prestigious Explorer Schools by the U.S. Department of Education and NASA. Student athletes from the district have earned the spot light, as well. TASD high school baseball, tennis and football teams all took state championships for the 2006-2007 school year, a feat the football team repeated for 2007-2008. The arts, too, are well-represented. The Arkansas High School band was selected to play in the 2007 Sugar Bowl, while the high school dance team was tapped to perform at the 2007 Cotton Bowl. Texarkana Arkansas School District employs more than 900 and has more than 4,000 students.

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he outstanding quality of life, natural beauty, variety of housing options and abundance of recreational opportunities are just a few of the things that newcomers find so appealing about the Ark-Tex region. If you desire the good life, you’ve come to the right place. The Ark-Tex region welcomes you.

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gallery|TODD BENNETT

The U.S. Post Office and Courthouse in Texarkana sits in two states â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Arkansas and Texas.

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The Confederate Monument on the grounds of the Lamar County Courthouse in Paris

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gallery|TODD BENNETT

The pavilion at Loop 245 Park in Texarkana, Ark., is a gathering spot for birds. The park is a haven for bird watchers, hikers and picnickers.

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food & agriculture

What’s for

Dinner Ark-Tex’s location, business environment put food manufacturing on the menu

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Select Harvest, Chunky, Healthy Request and iconic Red and White soups at the plant, as well as Swanson broth, Prego pasta sauce and Pace salsa. The 1.5 million-square-foot facility employs nearly 900 people, and the V8 line will add 65 jobs. Newly Weds Foods Inc., which makes food coatings and f lavorings for the prepared-food industry, in 2006 picked Mt. Pleasant over 14 other communities for a $27 million production facility. The 200,000-square-foot operation in the Cypress Industrial Park employs

around 100 people and makes cracker meals, dry batter mixes and spice blends for customers in Texas and surrounding states. “Another advantage for companies doing business in this region is the availability of an ample water supply, along with the highly dedicated and reliable labor force,” Miller of Ocean Spray says. “We have four U.S. beverage plants, and Sulphur Springs is the lowcost producer in the network. That’s because of the great work ethic we have in this region.”

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good transportation infrastructure and location midway between major East Coast and West Coast markets give the Ark-Tex region a distinct distribution advantage for food-processing operations. “Our location along Highway 30 gives us good access to major transportation routes that allow us to easily get our materials in and our products out,” says Craig Miller, plant manager for Ocean Spray Cranberries in Sulphur Springs. Ocean Spray, a leading producer of canned and bottled juices and juice drinks, undertook a $5 million plant expansion in 2008. Also operating in Sulphur Springs is Morningstar, a subsidiary of food and beverage producer Dean Foods. Owens Country Sausage, a subsidiary of Bob Evans Farms, acquired a facility in Sulphur Springs earlier in the decade and announced a 50,000-square-foot expansion project at the plant in 2008. Sara Lee Bakery Group’s Paris operations produce bread, cakes and pies. Campbell Soup Co., which has a substantial presence in Paris, announced in October 2008 that it was adding production equipment to enable the plant to produce its line of V8 beverages. Campbell began operating the facility in Lamar County in 1964. The company currently produces its

Sara Lee is one of several food companies with operations in the Ark-Tex region.

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DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT ... see it for yourself VIDEO >>

What makes the Ark-Tex region such a favorable place to do business? What is it about the livability of the Ark-Tex region that makes people who move there to work decide to stay for the long term? Experience the vitality and charm of the Ark-Tex region from the comfort of your computer. Business Images Ark-Tex Region shows you the Ark-Tex like youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never seen it before, thanks to the work of our awardwinning photographers and writers. The Ark-Tex region is just a click away.

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arts & culture

Restored

&Thriving The landmark Perot Theatre is a popular performance venue and cultural center

The Perot Theatre, which opened in 1924 and was restored in 1979, is a Texarkana cultural beacon.

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arts & culture

“

or 28 years, I’ve been touring most theaters of any note – and some theaters of no note – in 48 states, and never have I seen a theater as beautifully restored as this one.” Those are the words of renowned stage and screen actor Hal Holbrook in praise of Texarkana’s Perot Theatre, constructed in 1924 and the object of a $2.4 million restoration in 1979-80. The restoration was funded in part by native Texarkanans H. Ross Perot and his sister, Bette, in memory of their parents. The Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council manages the city-owned Perot, which was built by the Saenger Amusement Co. and acquired by Paramount in 1930. The theater was one of many performance and musical venues in pre-World War II Texarkana. “At one time, Texarkana actually had 11 opera houses and theater spaces,” says Brian Goesl, the council’s executive director. “Quite honestly, the Perot was not one of the most opulent. It was very pretty, but we had several other houses at that time here in downtown that were even fancier and considered opera houses. This was a road house.” Today, the Perot is the only one left, and it is a Texarkana cultural centerpiece, hosting Broadway touring company productions, ballets, symphonies and big-name musical acts. The Perot also hosts the Theatre for Young Audiences, first-

rate productions for students during the school day to enhance their artistic appreciation. Most of the Italian Renaissance theater’s restoration was inside, with the goal of preserving as much as possible and recreating what couldn’t be salvaged. The restorers, Goesl says, “didn’t add anything to it. They highlighted the fresco plasterwork that was there with 23-karat gold leaf. All of the detail in the original building remains. All but one of the light fixtures are original, and they’re beautiful stained glass.” The Perot still has a movie screen, and enthusiasts hope someday to offer silent movies with live organ accompaniment. That means a fund-raising campaign is in the offing to restore and reinstall the theater’s original pipe organ. “The wonderful part of it is that it’s an actual theater organ, which means it also has a trap set as part of it. That’s very rare now,” Goesl says. Trap sets allow the organist to activate the sounds of other musical instruments such as percussion, piano, bells, chimes and even sound effects like train whistles. The Perot is known for its acoustics. “You can stand on the stage and be heard all the way at the top of the house, and the house holds 1,608 seats,” Goesl says. “You can almost whisper and be heard. The acoustics are that good.” – Sharon H. Fitzgerald

Sweeney Todd is one of several productions to be staged at the historic Perot Theatre in Texarkana.

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The Texarkana Museum of Regional History details the region’s roots.

Getting To Know Ark-Tex Culture ARTS, HISTORY MAKE A STRONG SHOWING The Ark-Tex region offers a bounty of cultural assets from art galleries to museums to historic sites. Here’s just a small sample: Museum of Regional History Housed in a building erected in 1879, the Museum of Regional History details the story of the community named for Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. Texarkana’s roots date to the railroad era, where two lines connected at the Arkansas and Texas state line and lots were sold for a new settlement. The museum includes gallery exhibits that detail the Ark-Tex region’s history, including agriculture, early industry, civil rights and World War II. On display is pottery made by members of the Caddo nation and exhibits about the early Spanish and French explorers. Interactive music displays tell the stories of native son and ragtime music pioneer Scott Joplin and blues great Leadbelly, among others.

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The Texarkana Museums System operates the history museum as well as the Ace of Clubs House and Discovery Place Children’s Museum, all within walking distance of each other. Combined, the three facilities draw more than 55,000 visitors annually. Go to www.texarkanamuseums.org for more information.

restored 100-year-old, small Victorian house from Paris decorated with Texas antiques and Texas memorabilia, and the main house, with a Louisiana furniture collection and other decorative art. A branch of the museum in Paris exhibits and sells works by Lamar County artists. Call (903) 785-1925 for more information.

Hayden Museum of Art Founded in 1992 by Dr. and Mrs. William Hayden, the museum in Paris makes education an emphasis, with close ties to local and regional educational institutions at all levels. The 6,300-square-foot museum, which is open by appointment only, includes four galleries and features an array of exhibits including a permanent collection of graphic art, archival photography, Native American art, art from the Southwest and works by American master painters. Also included in the museum complex is the Texas House, a

Leo St. Clair Music Box Museum Hopkins County offers the unique Leo St. Clair Music Box Museum in Sulphur Springs. The museum features a collection of more than 150 rare music boxes that come in a variety of sizes and styles. The collection was started in 1919 when the Belgian royal family gave Leo St. Clair a music box. Call (903) 885-4926 for more information. Also in Hopkins County is the Hopkins County Museum and Heritage Park, an 11-acre collection of historic buildings preserved and restored from the region’s past.

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energy

Good Stewards Land-reclamation program leads the way in mining industry

Reforestation efforts in the Ark-Tex region have earned national awards.

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lanting 1 million trees each year takes some planning. Luminant’s environmental specialists work with nurseries and the timber industry years in advance to ensure enough high-quality pine and hardwood seedlings are available to plant on land mined for lignite. TXU Corp., Luminant’s parent company, mines lignite, a low-grade coal, throughout Northeast Texas. Although lignite seams are not as deep as other coal, extracting the material still involves strip-mining, and restoring the land has been part of the company’s mission well before environmental regulations demanded it. The Winfield North Mine and Winfield South Mine near Mt. Pleasant and Thermo Mine near Sulphur Springs are each part of TXU’s Monticello Mines complex. All three feed the Monticello Steam Electric Station, a major regional power producer. Since 1975, Luminant has mined more than 56,000 acres and reclaimed 63,000 because “the footprint is a little larger than the area you remove coal from,” says Sid Stroud, Luminant’s environmental mining manager. The reclamation and reforestation program uses about 30 native species. If the land had hills, slopes or wetlands, the idea is to get close to what nature

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created, though a hill may not be in the exact spot, Stroud says. Former pasturelands are regraded and planted with native grasses. Reclaimed land is managed and monitored before the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates mining operations, releases the company from its bond obligations. Data on water quality, wildlife, vegetation and soil productivity are collected and analyzed for five years. If the land passes Railroad Commission inspection, it is released for the mining company to sell or return to leaseholders. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Those lands are used for agriculture purposes or commercial forest land purposes, either raising livestock or harvesting timber,â&#x20AC;? Stroud says. In fact, regulators have released at least 28,600 acres of Luminant-mined land â&#x20AC;&#x201C; more than half the amount released from regulation for all other mining operations in Texas combined, Stroud says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are really proud of that,â&#x20AC;? he says. The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s environmental efforts routinely attract accolades from state and federal regulators. In September 2008, Luminant received the Directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Award for its reforestation practices from the U.S. Department of the Interior Office of Surface Mining for Big Brown Mine, Martin Lake Mine, Monticello Mine, Oak Hill Mine and Thermo Mine. In announcing the award, OSM called Luminantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts â&#x20AC;&#x153;extraordinary.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;These mines show how sound science and dedication to stewardship can pro duce useful land for commercial forestry, food supply for wildlife, and actually add to wetlands,â&#x20AC;? the agency said. In 2007 alone, the agency noted, Luminant planted 1.64 million trees, including 32 species, 16 of which are hard-mast producers for wildlife. Also in 2008, Luminant won the Railroad Commissionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reclamation award for the eighth time in nine years. Texas regulators were especially impressed by the establishment of â&#x20AC;&#x153;quality wildlife habitatâ&#x20AC;? in half the reforested areas and a re-established longleaf pine ecosystem. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That renewed an important natural resource by establishing a commercial timber stand that will contribute to the local economy for many years,â&#x20AC;? says Ramona Nye, the commissionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spokeswoman. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Pamela Coyle

Luminant Mining Co. operates the Monticello Steam Electric Station in Mt. Pleasant.

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recreation

Children of all ages enjoy Texarkana’s Discovery Place Children’s Museum, an interactive museum that features science- and history-related exhibits. Left: The 12-foot sound wall at Discovery Place lets kids make their own music medleys.

Kids enjoy hands-on experience at Discovery Place

magine the fun of being a 6-year-old and being allowed to dress up as a Tyrannosaurus Rex, then run around wild for 10 or 20 minutes. Youngsters in the Ark-Tex Region don’t have to merely imagine such an enjoyable scenario because they can actually experience it at Discovery Place Children’s Museum. The Texarkana attraction features a number of interactive exhibits geared toward students in kindergarten through sixth grade. This museum is part of a network of seven museums and education centers that focus on making hands-on, interactive museum experiences more accessible to children and families, says Sammy Wacasey, archivist with the Discovery Place Children’s Museum. “Fun and education are what we strive to deliver,” he says. Discovery Place offers a variety of permanent exhibits, including a 12-foot sound wall for children to create their own medley of music. There is also an old-fashioned 1920s kitchen that features items such as an icebox, stove and wringer washing machine. In addition, a health exhibit allows kids to learn about sight, sound, touch and taste as well as the body’s internal organs and skeletal makeup. Children can also find out about dental health and proper nutrition, all while having fun. “One of our most popular displays is Costume Theater,

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which allows children to don costumes and then stage their own play inside the theater,” Wacasey says. “There is an assortment of costumes, including dinosaurs, policeman, princess and clowns. All kids are happy at Costume Theater.” Wacasey says other exhibits at Discovery Place include a post office geography area, a biology lab and an old-time hardware store. “The post office geography area helps older children learn their states and capitals while mailing letters and learning how to address an envelope,” he says. “There is also a Tot’s Spot that has everything to keep very young children entertained. It contains a play area, puzzles, reading area and a grease board to practice ABCs and 123s.” For 2009, the museum has a number of other events planned. For instance, in May it will welcome an interactive traveling exhibit with fun activities dealing with astronomy. In July, a mixture of summer programs will include art, crafts and history, while in November, the museum will host interactive science exhibits. “Those exhibits will include how fabrics used in art can conduct electricity, and how origami can be connected with engineering,” Wacasey says. “We have a lot to offer here at Discovery Place, and kids learn a lot when they visit. But most importantly, they have fun while they are learning.” – Kevin Litwin

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ECONOMIC PROFILE BUSINESS CLIMATE The Ark-Tex region is strategically prepared for business, with proximity to Mexico, excellent infrastructure, a skilled and trainable workforce, and a favorable pro-business climate.

BOWIE COUNTY Population, 89,306 County Judge: James M. Carlow Bowie County Courthouse P.O. Box 248 New Boston, TX 75570 (903) 628-6718 (903) 628-6719 (fax) www.co.bowie.tx.us

CASS COUNTY Population, 30,438 County Judge: Charles McMichael Cass County Courthouse P.O. Box 825 Linden, TX 75563 (903) 756-5181 (903) 756-5732 (fax) www.co.cass.tx.us

DELTA COUNTY Population, 5,327 County Judge: Ted Carrington Delta County Courthouse 200 W. Dallas Ave. Cooper, TX 75432 (903) 395-4400 (903) 395-2178 (fax) www.deltacounty.org

County Judge: Gerald Hubbell Franklin County Courthouse 200 N. Kaufman St. Mt. Vernon, TX 75457 (903) 537-2342 (903) 537-2418 (fax)

HOPKINS COUNTY Population, 31,960 County Judge: Cletis Millsap Hopkins County Courthouse 118 Church St. Sulphur Springs, TX 75482 (903) 438-4006 (903) 438-4007 (fax) www.hopkinscountytx.org

LAMAR COUNTY Population, 48,499 County Judge: M.C. (Chuck) Superville Jr. Lamar County Courthouse 119 N. Main, Paris, TX 75460 (903) 737-2410 (903) 785-3858 (fax) www.co.lamar.tx.us

MORRIS COUNTY

FRANKLIN COUNTY

Population, 13,048

Population, 9,458

County Judge: J.C. Jennings Morris County Courthouse

500 Broadnax Daingerfield, TX 75638 (903) 645-3691 (903) 645-5729 (fax) www.co.morris.tx.us

RED RIVER COUNTY Population, 14,314 County Judge: Morris Harville Red River County Courthouse 400 N. Walnut St. Clarksville, TX 75426 (903) 427-2680 (903) 427-5510 (fax) www.co.red-river.tx.us

TITUS COUNTY Population, 28,118 County Judge: Sam Russell Titus County Courthouse 100 W. First St., Suite 200 Mt. Pleasant, TX 75455 (903) 577-6791 (903) 577-6793 (fax) www.co.titus.tx.us

MILLER COUNTY, ARK. Population, 40,443 County Judge: Roy John McNatt Miller County Courthouse 400 Laurel St. Texarkana, AR 71854 (870) 774-1301 (870) 773-3494 (fax) www.millercounty.arkansas.gov

visit our

advertisers Ark-Tex Council of Governments www.atcog.org City of Texarkana, Arkansas www.txkusa.org Historic Red River County Chamber of Commerce www.red-river.net

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La Quinta Inn & Suites www.lq.com Mount Vernon Economic Development Corporation www.arktex.com Paris Economic Development Corporation www.paristexas.com

Paris Regional Medical Center www.parisrmc.com Queen City Economic Development Corporation www.queencitytx.org Red River Redevelopment Authority www.rrcp.org

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QUEEN CITY, TEXAS

“Come

GROW With Us” ADVANTAGES OF A QUEEN CITY LOCATION: t "GGPSEBCMF IPVTJOH JO SFTUSJDUFE TVCEJWJTJPOT t "DBEFNJDBMMZ FYDFMMFOU MPDBM TDIPPM TZTUFNT t $FOUSBMMZ MPDBUFE GPS FOUFSUBJONFOU BOE TIPQQJOH t /FBS NBKPS NFEJDBM DFOUFST DPMMFHFT BOE VOJWFSTJUJFT t /FBS BMM UZQFT PG NBKPS USBOTQPSUBUJPO GBDJMJUJFT t -PX UBY SBUFT t 'JTIJOH t $BNQJOH t :PVUI TQPSUT QUEEN CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 1 0 #PY t 2VFFO $JUZ 59 t t 'BY t & NBJM RVFFODJUZFED!BPM DPN t XXX RVFFODJUZUY PSH

We EXIST to Serve the Needs of our Members and their Citizens

N 9-1-1 ÂŁ Regional 9-1-1 Emergency Communication Services ÂŁ Rural Addressing N Area Agency on Aging (AAA) ÂŁ Program Planning/Coordination ÂŁ In-Home and Support Services ÂŁ Nursing Home Ombudsman ÂŁ Medicare Part D Enrollment ÂŁ Advocacy Services ÂŁ Options Case Management ÂŁ Information and Assistance ÂŁ Nutrition

ÂŁ Ark-Tex Regional Development Company Inc. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 504 Business Loans â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7A Business Loans N Environmental ÂŁ Solid Waste Planning/Implementation ÂŁ Brownfields ÂŁ Water Quality â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Texas Watch Training N Geographic Information Systems (GIS) ÂŁ GIS Data ÂŁ Mapping ÂŁ Regional Census Data Center N Homeland Security ÂŁ Regional Citizens Corps Council

N Criminal Justice ÂŁ Criminal Justice Planning ÂŁ Juvenile Justice ÂŁ Regional Law Enforcement

N Transportation ÂŁ Transportation Planning ÂŁ Rural Public Transportation Services ÂŁ Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC)

N Economic Development ÂŁ Economic Development Planning ÂŁ Economic Development Financing ÂŁ Small Business Loans ÂŁ Northeast Texas Economic Development District â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Business Loans

N Special Projects ÂŁ Grant Writing Assistance ÂŁ Hazard Mitigation Plans

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N Housing ÂŁ U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 8 Rental Assistance