News

PEDC Downtown Grant Program Paves the Way for Property Improvements

Thursday, March 18, 2021

By paving the way for property improvements in the downtown Main Street district, Palestine Economic Development Corporation helps to create a positive first impression with visitors and tourists in our community. “The more inviting people find our downtown, the more time and money they tend to spend in the area,” says Lisa Denton, PEDC Economic Development Director. The most recent project, by Mollard Properties Ltd, is the property located at 315 W Oak St. This project, which was approved by the PEDC Board and City Council in 2019, was to reconstruct the 1950’s era storefront back to its original design wit...

Palestine’s Real Texas Story

Wednesday, March 10, 2021

When Lisa Denton became Economic Director of Palestine Economic Development Corporation (PEDC), one of the priorities was to make the city more visible through recruitment and marketing. Like many economic development corporations, she had a small staff and limited marketing budget to work with. Those constraints required her team to find creative ways to leverage their available resources and get the biggest bang for the buck when it came to exposure. One of the ways PEDC met that challenge was through their partnership with Texas Economic Development Connection (TxEDConnection), a new, innovative economic development marketing initiative designed to spark interest i...

19 Incredible Experiences In Palestine, Texas

Thursday, February 25, 2021

Founded in 1846, Palestine (rhymes with “teen”) is just over a two-hour drive from the Dallas/Fort Worth area. You’ll find the Texas state train, scenic dogwood trails, antique shopping, and more than 1,800 National Historic buildings (second only to Galveston), making it a unique destination, especially for a spring weekend escape. Remember The Legends Of The Dogwood Tree The Romans made Jesus’s cross from a dogwood tree that used to grow tall like an oak. God transformed the dogwood tree to a slender tree with gnarled branches. The flower appeared as a cross with blood-stained nail prints at the edges with ...

PALESTINE EDC RECEIVES ECONOMIC EXCELLENCE RECOGNITION

Monday, February 22, 2021

Pictured L to R: PEDC Vice-President Ben Campbell, Secretary Linda Dickens, ED Director Lisa Denton, PEDC Directors Suzanne Eiben and Charles Drane, and Project Manager Terry Johnson Palestine Economic Development Corporation (PEDC) was a recipient of the 2020 Economic Excellence Recognition by the Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC). TEDC will formally recognize the recipients at their virtual legislative conference on Tuesday, February 23, 2021. PEDC joins 50 other Texas communities in this year’s achievement. The program was designed to continue strengthening the knowledge and skills of economic development professionals and volunteers throughout the state, by recognizing Economic Development agencies that meet ...

Palestine’s Progress in 2020

Friday, February 12, 2021

Palestine entered 2020 with exciting plans and initiatives. Though historic challenges were soon to follow, their dedication, expertise, and pragmatism prevailed. Here are a few of the year’s highlights. 1.) High Speed Fiber - Partnership with Etex Communications - A Connected Nation broadband survey showed that Palestine was in need of more reliable, high speed, cost effective internet. PEDC committed to fund 50% of the construction cost to pull fiber into Palestine from Jacksonville. Bringing broadband internet to local businesses will help create jobs, support economic growth, and generate revenue for additional broadband expansion into residential communities. This is a larg...

Recipe for success: Eilenberger’s Bakery reports blockbuster holiday season

Monday, February 01, 2021

After 123 years, Eilenberger’s Bakery still has the recipe for success. The historic main street bakery, owned by Bill Jones of Palestine, sold more than 100,000 products during the holiday season. Sales increased by roughly 35%, drawing thousands in increased revenue to the Palestine store. Eilenberger’s hired an additional 15 employees to bake, pack and ship during the holiday season, offering them overtime four weekends in December. Higher business volume is partly due to selling complementary products, including Mary of Puddin Hill confections, Cherokee Popcorn, and Aloha Island Coffee Company, which the company acquired during the current ownership. This holiday season, Eilenberger’...

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...

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...