The Paris Economic Development Corp. board received a report from Rickey Hayes of Retail Attractions at its monthly meeting Wednesday at Love Civic Center, then voted to retain the company's services for 2011. The board hired Retail Attractions in October and tasked the company to research the r...

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Almost 100 people from all sectors of the area, including government and school leaders, local business people and civic groups and organizations attended a planning strategy meeting Wednesday at Love Civic Center. The goal of the day, according to Steve Gilbert, PEDC executive director, was to...

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Focusing on Paris and Lamar County's future is the main purpose of an upcoming workshop with the Paris Economic Development Corp. board and representatives from the city council, the county and those in a leadership capacity. Paris Economic Development Corp.'s purpose is to promote, stimulate a...

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The Jacksonville City Council budgeted $72,000 toward economic development for 2011 when adopting the city’s operating budget at the council meeting Dec. 2. The $72,000 from the city’s general fund covers a $48,000 contract with the economic development company Retail Attractions LLC out of Owa...

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Jacksonville’s mayor and other city officials cited annexation as the clear way to draw new businesses and revitalize the city. The officials spoke to an audience mostly composed of Jacksonville residents at a town hall meeting Thursday at the Jacksonville Community Center. Mayor Gary Fletcher s...

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ENID — Enid’s largest-capacity restaurant will open today. Chen Garden, featuring stir fry, hibachi and sushi, opens in the former Hancock Fabrics location in Oakwood Mall. And, retail specialists who have been working with Enid hope the restaurant is a precursor of more “things to come” in the a...

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More than 250 people packed Jacksonville’s Community Center Thursday night for a town hall meeting called by Mayor Gary Fletcher to give residents an overview of the city’s finances, projects and growth. “Toward the end of the meeting we made it clear, we either have to increase the tax base or...

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When courting new businesses to establish themselves in Jacksonville, the city’s economic development consultant said Thursday the city’s weakness is lack of easily developable land.  The consultant, Ricky Hayes, is the principal in Retail Attractions of Owasso, Okla., a company that create...

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