News

PEDC: 2020 was a good year for economic growth in Palestine

Monday, January 11, 2021

Despite a pandemic, Lisa Denton, Palestine's new Economic Development Corporation Executive, has accomplished a great deal of good for the city in her first six months at the helm, focusing on expanding affordable housing, retail business and recreational and entertainment options. Taking the reins in May, Denton has already negotiated several big projects that include housing and retail development. "2020 has been a difficult year, nonetheless, it has proven to be a year of growth for Palestine," Denton said. These projects often take time to develop, even after the initial negotiations and contracts are signed. Social media is filled with questions about th...

Palestine Partners with Etex to Bring Fiber Broadband to Town

Tuesday, January 05, 2021

PEDC identified broadband as a key economic development issue and has been working to study current internet access and create a plan for improving it. In March of 2020, Anderson County was selected to take part in a broadband study with Connected Nation Texas. This survey of 1,648 households confirmed much of what was already known - our area is lacking in affordable, reliable, high speed internet for businesses and residents, both in Palestine and Anderson County. Unfortunately, reports can be misleading. The recent summary report indicates higher access to high speed internet, as defined by the FCC, but w...

Young adults gain CareerEDGE with East Texas Workforce Solutions

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

BY LISA TANG Special to Herald-Press Workforce Solutions of East Texas wants to help more young adults overcome barriers when entering the job market. The agency is encouraging young workers to apply for CareerEDGE, a federal program that helps 15 to 20 local young adults develop skills and overcome barriers to employment each year. Young adults ages 16 to 24 can qualify to participate in CareerEDGE, which receives funding from the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The program’s goal is to help young adults who are not in school overcome obstacles or barriers to employment. “We’re trying to stair step them int...

Expanded Incentives Support the Growth in Remote Work

Tuesday, December 01, 2020

So much about life has changed dramatically since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. We’ve upped our game with hand hygiene and gotten used to wearing a mask in public. We’ve learned a lot about food carryout and delivery. And for millions of Americans, we’ve had a crash course in remote work. Indeed, as of an October 2020 Gallup survey, fully a third of the American workforce was “always” working remotely, and another quarter said they were working remotely “sometimes.” The share of remote workers in October was down a fair amount from what it was earlier in the pandemic, but still huge...

City canvasses general election proposition

Monday, November 16, 2020

The Palestine City Council approved the canvassed election returns for Proposition 1 Monday, Nov. 16, welcoming TahWahKaro Distilling Company to Palestine. Justin Jackson, who co-owns TahWahKaro with his three brothers, approached the city of Palestine earlier this year with a proposal to move their Grapevine distillery, founded in 2016, to Palestine. The brothers were looking for a venue that would provide for growth, allowing them to build an outdoor stage for entertainment as well as tours and product tastings on site. “When we found the Coors building, we got really excited about it because it seems to really fit what we want t...

Governor’s Council: How More Texans Could Have Broadband Access

Tuesday, November 03, 2020

The Governor’s Broadband Development Council has issued its first report to the Texas Legislature. The report includes recommendations for the 87th Legislative Session that begins in January and provides an overview of the council’s work since it was formed. The council is recommending the creation of a state broadband plan and broadband office. The council also recommends the continued study of the development of a state broadband funding program to incentivize deployment in unserved areas. “There are many challenges to broadband connectivity in rural and unserved areas of the state, and currently Texas is one of six states that does not hav...

Small Town Vibes & Epic Memories In Palestine, Texas

Friday, October 30, 2020

Get ready to dig into the historic South when you visit Palestine, Texas, where the tradition of train travel is still going strong. Discover more than 1,800 historic buildings dating back to the early 1800s. Stroll through Old Town Palestine for a taste of the South at the pubs and a local pie shop. For a truly unique experience, check out the nightlife in a renovated cotton gin! At Rediscover America we sat down with Mary Raum, a local destination expert, to find out about the must-see experiences in this destination. Read full article.

Palestine Distillery Would Create Jobs & Attract Tourists

Friday, October 23, 2020

The TahWahKaro Distilling Company has been operating in Grapevine, Texas. Now, they want to make Palestine their home. The company plans to relocate to the former Coors plant on Church Street. First, they need the city to approve alcohol sales at the site. Voters will decide on this important issue in November. Why the TahWahKaro Distilling Company is Good for Palestine Bringing a known distillery to Palestine is good for business. The distillery will create jobs in the city - both on the production and service side since they are planning a large area for guests. Existing businesses will benefit from the presenc...

Palestine Chick-fil-A set to open Thursday

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Chick-fil-A Palestine, located at the intersection of the TX-256 Loop and Crockett Road, is slated to open for business Thursday, Oct. 22. Chick-fil-A Palestine will initially open for drive-thru, mobile curbside and third-party delivery service. Guests can take advantage of contactless ordering and payment through their mobile apps. Their hours of operations will be 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday. In place of the traditional Chick-fil-A First 100 Grand Opening celebration, Chick-fil-A Palestine will be providing free meals for a year to 100 local heroes making an impact in the Palestine community. Read more here.

PHS welding winning more titles, scholarships

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Palestine High School’s welding program is building a promising future for a growing number of students with top prizes at statewide competitions. With roughly 175 students taking welding courses this year, teachers Joey Perez and Gary Scoggin are helping students get on track to skilled jobs that pay $45,000 or more. Senior Alan Cruz, for example, won a $750 scholarship to Texas State Technical College in Waco, where he plans to continue his studies and earn a certificate. Read more here.

How Small Businesses in the Heartland Are Coping

Tuesday, September 29, 2020

The Brookings Institution hosted a webinar on June 10 titled “Mitigating the Economic Impacts of COVID-19 in Rural Areas.” Moderator Tracy Hadden Loh, a Brookings Institution Fellow, engaged three experts on rural economies in looking back at the pandemic’s effect on two small towns and across rural America, and how recovery steps are taking shape. The panelists were Lindsey Dotson, executive director of the Main Street Downtown Development Authority in Charlevoix, Michigan; Todd Wolford, executive director of Downtown Wytheville, Inc., Wytheville, Virginia; and Matt Wagner, vice president of revitalization programs at the National Main Street Center. Much of the discussion initiall...

Palestine joins national registry of ‘Where Women Made History’

Monday, September 07, 2020

Palestine recently qualified as one of 1,000 or more places “Where Women Made History,” a new database curated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation that commemorates the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which allowed women the right to vote. Two historic women, Mary Kate Hunter and Osjetea Briggs, represent Palestine in the nationwide campaign of more than 1,000 places where women left a footprint on their communities. Thus far, only 24 entries from Texas are listed in the database, and how Palestine became one of 14 places in the state where women made history is a story of its own. Rea...

Palestine, TX is Ready to Support Companies Onshoring in the United States

Friday, September 04, 2020

The Site Selectors Guild has reported an increase in onshoring requests from companies looking to bring some or all of their manufacturing to the United States. The big driver has been to avoid supply chain disruptions like the ones caused by COVID-19 and recent natural disasters. They said, “Members pointed out that the previous focus on the lowest cost scenario, which led to growth in China and Southeast Asia, will now become more balanced as companies look to reduce risk.” Members of the Site Selectors Guild went on to say that Life Sciences, Logistics and Advanced Manufacturing will emerge a...

Improvements Granted at Palestine Airport

Tuesday, September 01, 2020

The Palestine Airport is getting some much needed improvements due to Texas Department if Transportation and the CARES Act Grant. In a zoom meeting of the Airport Advisory Board on Aug. 11, the board and the city discussed both grants. The main topics for the agenda of the meeting were the 2020-2021 budget, including repairs on various projects the airport. The city is using a Texas Department if Transportation grant it received for replacing its 20-year old Automated Weather Observation System. The replacement is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Read full article.

Distillery intends to relocate to Palestine

Thursday, August 27, 2020

If economic and legal conditions allow, TahWahKaro Distilling Company of Grapevine is seeking to relocate to Palestine’s former Coors plant at 100 N. Church St. TahWahKaro will present its plans at a special council meeting, but have already been working with the Palestine Economic Development Corporation to move its business into the former brewery and relocate its operations to Palestine. Read full article.

Governor Abbott Announces Procurement Of Over 1 Million Devices, WiFi Hotspots Through Operation Connectivity

Thursday, August 20, 2020

Governor Greg Abbott announced that the Texas Education Agency (TEA), in partnership with Local Education Agencies, has procured more than 1 million personal devices and internet WiFi hotspots as part of the state's Operation Connectivity initiative. Financed by a previously announced $200 million allocation of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding that was allocated to the TEA, and matched by school districts across Texas, the procurement effort will ensure that students attending a Texas public school will have both a device and connection to the internet throughout the 2020-21 school year and beyond. Read full article.

Distillery intends to relocate to Palestine

Thursday, August 27, 2020