News

Palestine's Guzman awarded $1,000 welding scholarship

Friday, May 29, 2020

Palestine High School's Michael Guzman stood in shock when he learned he received a scholarship from Palestine's Railyard Customs and Collision worth $1,000 towards his college education. “I didn't think anything like this could happen to me,” Guzman said. “I'm thankful. This has inspired me to continue working hard.” As his mother and sister stood behind him with smiles on their faces, Railyard staff and Palestine welding instructors celebrated at the opportunity they were able to award to Guzman. Read the full article here.

Instant happiness: PHS senior drives away with Toyota

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Good things come to those who wait. Just ask Palestine senior Zaquoriance Johnson. Johnson sat anxiously as the ping pong ball he drew put him at the end of the pecking order. It was a “deflating” experience for him and his mother, Veita Sadler, who still hoped Johnson could defy the 10 percent odds he had of winning the car. He watched as nine students went before him for an opportunity to win a 2020 Toyota Corolla. Read the full article here.

Jucy’s Taco Has Expanded Into Palestine

Friday, May 15, 2020

Jucy’s Taco has come to Palestine! They are serving up fresh tacos that are fan favorites throughout East Texas, and fast becoming a staple in the city. “There was an opportunity for us to expand our brand into Palestine from Marshall, Longview, and Henderson. Opening a Jucy’s Taco in Palestine was a natural progression for our brand, and we are pleased by the amazing reception we have received from the community. Everyone has been very welcoming,” said Molly Anthony, Owner/Operations Manager of Jucy’s Hamburger/Jucy’s Taco. Jucy’s Taco is part of the Jucy’s Hamburgers family – a chain of family-owned restaurants servin...

COVID-19 for Restaurants: What’s Working and What Will Become Part of the New Normal

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Change is upon us. Innovation, creativity, and reinvention describe how operators are reacting to the COVID-19 crisis. While not everything being tried is working many of the promotions, programs and changes are gaining traction. The question for all of us is this: Which of these new operator actions will stay with us and how will they change the industry? Ultimately the consumer is driving many of these operator actions. As the foodservice industry comes fully back on line, consumer behaviors, needs and reactions will dictate much of what operators do next. Continue reading here.

Ten Things We Need To Know About Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Securities (CARES) Act, a $2.3 trillion relief package designed to help individuals and businesses weather the economic damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The headliner of the CARES Act was the creation of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a new loan package designed to put $350 billion into the hands of small businesses for use in paying employee wages and other critical expenses over the coming weeks and months. As of the morning of April 15th, nearly $250 billion in cash had made its way t...

The Rise of Everyday Entrepreneurs and Their Economic Impact on Communities

Monday, April 13, 2020

In cities and towns all across the United States, a quiet but growing movement of self-determined capitalism is changing the way many see their place in the modern economy. Everyday entrepreneurs have become self-sufficient, using their talents and resourcefulness to create their own commercial ventures with the help of websites. Their innovative approach is not only improving their economic prospects, but enhancing the viability of the communities they live in. As policymakers and others take a deeper interest in the future of work, the ventures of everyday entrepreneurs signal a transformation in the future of workers, who are using th...

YMCA provides no-cost daycare to essential workers

Friday, April 10, 2020

Child care providers play a central role in battling COVID-19, as many government-designated essential workers, including medical professionals, need them. Palestine’s YMCA, and the Texas Workforce Commission’s Child Care Services are working to provide daycare services to all essential workers – whether or not they can afford them. CCS, which provides needy families with financial assistance for child care, eased its restrictions this week, qualifying more families than ever. It will pay for all child care costs for essential workers in April – and possibly beyond. Read full article.

Cups of normalcy at Cream and Coffee

Tuesday, April 07, 2020

COVID-19 forced Cream and Coffee’s popular Wells Creek spot to close last month, but the drive-through kiosk on Crockett Road is booming. Small wonder: The family business continues to give local residents one of the few comforting rituals of normalcy in these crazy times. Patrons arrive early to form lines, sometimes eight cars long. They seek not only a great cup of coffee, but also a reminder of life before the coronavirus locked us down. “You’re always greeted with a smile and some Southern hospitality,” J’Ann Sartain, a loyal customer and friend, told the Herald-Press. Click here for the complete article.

BB Launches Community Relief Fund to Help Local Businesses

Monday, April 06, 2020

During the ongoing and unpredictable COVID-19 crisis, many East Texas businesses have been hard financially. In order to help meet the short-term needs of businesses who have been impacted by COVID-19, Better Business Bureau Serving Central East Texas (BBB) has set up the Community Relief Fund and is urging all East Texas residents to donate. BBB is collaborating with Austin Bank and Your Philanthropy to provide an efficient funding stream and application evaluation process to get much needed funds to our local businesses. BBB Accredited Businesses who have experienced a 50% or greater reduction in revenue for March 2020 and wh...

Broadband is more than a luxury

Friday, April 03, 2020

The clamor for rural broadband is almost as old as the internet itself. At at time when big cities fight for 5G investment, folks in some rural communities seek speed and connectivity that would bring their technology into the early 21st century. It was always easy to throw them a bone with a grant or a line item in a budget somewhere. But the vastness of rural America makes any kind of widespread infrastructure deployment difficult, so it always seemed like a race with no finish line. The coronavirus should add urgency to the need to bring broadband access to farms an...

FREE Going Into Business Seminar Coming to Palestine This June

Thursday, April 02, 2020

Palestine, Texas is an excellent place to launch and grow a business, but many entrepreneurs don’t know how to start the process and are unaware of the local resources that are available to them. The six week Going Into Business Seminar seeks to bridge that gap by providing local entrepreneurs and businesses owners with the information, tools, resources and individual assistance they need to succeed. When asked about the motivations for launching the seminar, Tish Shade, President/CEO of the Palestine Area Chamber of Commerce said, “Going into business is hard. I want all of our future business owners to be arme...

Female--owned business thrives in Palestine

Wednesday, April 01, 2020

When Pentecom moved in 2017 into the old Alamo school and former Palestine Public Library building on Cedar Street, 18-year employee Miria Dean could not imagine Pentecom would outgrow the newly renovated 7,000-foot building in three years. Pentecom already employs 60 workers, but the data conversion and consulting company is poised to hire dozens more within the next two years, President Kathy Rainbolt told the Herald-Press. “Anyone who has these skills should get in touch with our human resources department,” she said. Like other workers at Pentecom, Dean supports her family with income and benefits earned at the company, and is amaze...

Texas Restaurant Relief Fund Application

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

To support independent restaurants, the TX Restaurant Relief Fund will distribute grants of up to $5,000 PER UNIT to immediately support their financial needs. These funds are earmarked specifically for use to support keeping your doors open and workers employed. As an independent restaurateur, please complete this application to the best of your ability. Applications will be processed in a first come, first served basis as we raise funds. We want to put money in your hands as quickly as possible, for which we are asking you to provide your bank information so that, once approved and funded, we can transmi...

Tips to Help Businesses Navigate Through the Response to COVID-19

Monday, March 23, 2020

Businesses are struggling financially as the response to COVID-19 has led to a reduction in consumer spending, some business closures, contract and payment delays. Business will eventually get back to normal, but what do you do in the meantime? We have compiled a list of suggestions for businesses to consider. #1 Seek financial assistance Now is the right time to seek financial assistance in the form of loans and grants. Even if you are unsure how much capital you will need, applying for it before the emergency is always wise. If you are in an emergency financial situation already, do not hesitat...

Important: SBA Loan Application Now Available

Friday, March 20, 2020

Dear Fellow Texans and Economic Development Partners, Please share this information with small businesses and non-profits in your area. Today, Governor Abbott announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has now granted Texas’ Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) assistance declaration, making loans available statewide to small businesses and private, non-profit organizations to help alleviate economic injury caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Next Steps: Small businesses who believe they may be eligible for an SBA EIDL should visit the SBA’s website where they can directly apply for assistance. The online application is the fastest method to receive a decision about loan eligibility. For additional information o...

Residents' help needed for better internet

Friday, March 13, 2020

A non-profit group helping Anderson County improve its broadband internet service said Thursday it will need residents to complete up to 1,600 surveys to make it happen. Connected Nation plans to perform a broadband mapping and data analysis between March and June to determine ways to improve and expand broadband service in Anderson County. “What we're eventually looking forward to is better service at a lower cost,” Mayor Steve Presley said. Connected Nation spokesman Tom Stephenson urged the community to get involved by providing information – positive and negative – about their internet service through online surveys. The company seeks to identify barrier...

Tips for Navigating Incentives in Site Selection Process

Thursday, March 05, 2020

Rose Davidson, Sr. Vice President, Business and Economic Incentives, at JLL, spoke with Area Development about navigating incentives during the site selection process, after her presentation, “Moving the Needle - How to Navigate Projects, RFPs and Offer Letters in the Right Direction,” at our Charlotte Consultants Forum. This article was based on an interview conducted by Margy Sweeney, Founder and CEO, Akrete, Inc. and Area Development Editorial Board member. More Collaboration Expected Compared to 10 years ago, there have some notable changes to today’s site selection process. I think one of the more important changes is the incentive package. The kinds o...

Workforce Program Positions Young Adults to Succeed & Provides Palestine Employers with Local Talent

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Workforce Solutions East Texas has an innovative workforce program that’s designed to help young adults learn the life and work skills they need to succeed long term before being placed in a job. The young adults who participate in the program must be between the ages of 16 and 24, and facing an obstacle such as lacking a high school diploma or being a young parent, and also facing economic hardships. Those who qualify, and are willing to put in the work, are presented with the opportunity to change the rest of their lives. Sound dramatic? It is. To truly understand th...

Dental program creating smiles – and careers

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Wearing braces, Dekedryn Butler smiles all the time. He's happy his teeth are straightening, but the personable Palestine High School senior has something more to smile about: His future in dentistry. By earning a Registered Dental Assistant certification while still in high school, Butler, 17, can earn $12 an hour right after high school and more soon after. He also can qualify for two- or four-year college programs that will lead to dental careers that can pay, depending on location, $70,000 a year. Read full article.

Chick-Fil-A bringing 100 jobs to Palestine

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Local murmurs about this well-known national food chain have percolated for months. On February 10th, members of the Palestine City Council made it official, announcing the deal had been cut. The company plans to hire 80 to 100 part-time employees and 10 to 15 full-time employees. Pay rates for those jobs are not yet known. “We are excited to welcome a new business to our community,” City Manager Leslie Cloer told the Herald-Press Tuesday. Cloer is also interim director of Palestine Economic Development Corporation. Read full article.

Palestine welders sweep state competitions

Friday, February 07, 2020

Palestine High School welding students took top honors at competitions in Fort Worth and San Angelo – two of the state’s biggest agriculture mechanics contests. The two FFA competitions are part of the so-called Majors – the largest agriculture mechanics shows in the state. Later in February, the young welders competed in San Antonio for hefty scholarships of up to $10,000 per student. Students invested hundreds of hours in each project over the past 6 months. Many arrived at 7 a.m. and continued after school four days a week – as late as their instructors would allow. Read full article.

Moving to Palestine Was a Dream Come True for Tammie and Larry Flowers

Thursday, February 06, 2020

Tammie and Larry Flowers fell in love with Palestine when visiting several years ago. Originally from Alabama, the couple lived in Louisiana and had a business there until horrendous flooding caused them to lose everything. In search of higher ground, and better weather, they made their way to Palestine via Houston. “On our first visit to Palestine it was obvious that this is where we wanted to be. We put our house on the market and moved as soon as it sold,” said Tammie. What they moved to was something truly spectacular - the Neches Gardens home. This stunning Colonia...

New owner for Anderson County Livestock Exchange

Friday, January 17, 2020

The Anderson County Livestock Exchanged opened under new owners and management. Dr. James Peters began the purchase of the sale barn in December, signing a lease, and held a soft opening for the livestock barn with his staff Wednesday to a crowd of 150 cattle buyers. State Representative Cody Harris – R. was there for the new owners first sale and enjoyed lunch in the sale barn cafe as well. Read full article.

Hot Jobs: Growing Industrial Sectors

Wednesday, January 01, 2020

Although the number of jobs lost during the Great Recession have been regained, not all regions or industry sectors have experienced the same recovery. Where are the best job opportunities, and in what sectors? The research from market analytics consultant Emsi suggests that some of the most attractive sectors in terms of decent-paying jobs are also doing fairly well in terms of job growth. Most states will welcome all the manufacturing activity they can get, for example, and many states have been seeing healthy manufacturing job growth in recent years. Auto manufacturing is in respectable shape, biopharm is healthier all the time...