About Ouachita Parish, LA

CenturyLink deal may benefit Monroe Regional Airport

The News Star, By Stephen Largen • slargen@monroe.gannett.com • August 18, 2010

Monroe Regional Airport could have direct commercial flights to and from Denver if the Monroe Chamber of Commerce gets its wish.

The chamber is interested in service to Denver because of anticipated increased demand resulting from Monroe-based CenturyLink's acquisition of Denver-based Qwest Communications.

CenturyLink, Monroe's signature company and one of Fortune 500's largest U.S. companies, announced it would acquire Qwest earlier this year. The companies anticipate closing the transaction in the first half of 2011.

Monroe Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Sue Nicholson said the chamber will talk to the airport's current carriers about the possibility of a Denver flight, but also would be open to adding another carrier, such as Denver-based Frontier Airlines, that provides direct service to and from Denver.

Monroe Regional Airport currently offers commercial flights to regional hubs in Atlanta, Memphis, Dallas and Houston.

Stacey Goff, CenturyLink's executive vice president, general counsel and secretary, said increased employee traffic to and from Denver could benefit all airport customers.

"Consistent, reliable and affordable commercial air service to and from Monroe is very important for CenturyLink," Goff said.

"While we do expect Denver to be a frequent destination as we move toward completion of the Qwest transaction, our employees routinely travel to each of the 33 states we serve. We hope that any increased volume that is driven by our company will lead to cheaper, more reliable service for everyone flying into and out of Monroe."

CenturyLink already flies company-owned planes out of Monroe Regional to and from regional operating centers.

The company runs a shuttle between Monroe and Kansas City, the home of the former Embarq Corp. acquired by CenuryLink in 2009, and expects to add a shuttle to Denver in the coming weeks, Goff said.

First glance is very deceiving, so stop by to see this lovely home yourself. It features 5BR/3baths in over 3100 sq.ft. of living area! The master BR alone is big enough for a basketball game! And, you're sure to love the huge walk-in closets.

Updated in 2008, it has new fixtures, new doors, hardware, ceiling fans, fresh paint and crown molding throughout. Of course those old popcorn ceilings are just a long-ago memory!

See for yourself. I'll be there from 2-4:00 pm. You'll have time to wander around, see the pretty yard and take in all the special features. I'll even offer you a glass of cool lemonade.

Who can resist a PURPLE warehouse? The Children's Museum is offering fun, fun, fun this summer! Located at 323 Walnut St., Monroe, near the Warehouse Restaurant.

Wednesdays in July from 9:00-2:00
Bring your lunch and a smile and we promise to fill your day with projects, stories, games and fun. Different activiites each week. The museum provides exploration time, snack and loads of fun.

Fee for Drop off days: Family Members $25...Non-family $35 per child/per session. Ages 4-8.
Moms Stay Out!
Beach Blanket Bingo July 7
Airplanes a Go-Go July 14
Paint and Play, an Art Adventure July 21
Safety Camp July 28

Meet Dora! Thursday July 22 at 10:00
Join Dora as she reads her favorite story about adventures and friendships.

This Saturday, July 10, 2010.

FREE Drop In Children's activity at the Masur.

Liquid watercolor painting for children of all ages - bring your child to the Masur Museum Carriage House between noon and 5 pm for a free art activity and also visit the 47th Annual Juried Competition.

Address: 1400 S. Grand St., Monroe, LA
Phone: (318) 329-2237

Did I mention--it's FREE!

By Greg Hilburn • ghilburn@thenewsstar.com • July 7, 2010

Monroe's Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Ouachita and Union parishes, has been named Southern Business & Development magazine's Small Market of the Year for Economic Development, while Louisiana shared top honors with Tennessee among 16 Southern states.

The magazine called Monroe and northeastern Louisiana's economic development victories in 2009 "one of the best small market performances of all time. The point total (60) is the second-best in the 17-year history of the Small Market division," according to the magazine.

Points are based on job-creating projects like Foster Farm's resuscitation of the chicken processing plant in Union Parish, the tenuous V-Vehicle Co. auto plant in Ouachita Parish that still depends on approval of $320 million in federal loans and ConAgra's sweet potato processing plant in Richland Parish.

Southern Business & Development, an economic development industry journal, also named Foster Farms as the Agribusiness Deal of the Year and the ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston plant the Food Processing Deal of the year among 16 Southern states.

Bob Eisenstadt, director of the ULM Center for Business and Economic Research, said 2009 set the market on a path to growth but emphasized that much of the growth depends on V-Vehicle's fate. The ULM economist forecast 4.8 percent job growth during the next five years if V-Vehicle materializes, but only 2.1 percent without it.

Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Stephen Moret promised more such projects to come.

"This recognition shows that Northeast Louisiana can compete with any region in the U.S. - and win," Moret said. "Now Monroe and Northeast Louisiana have an opportunity to build on this exciting momentum. This is just the beginning.

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This type of GOOD NEWS is the reason the real estate market in our area is stable. Monroe, West Monroe, Sterlington and Calhoun provide value and investment stability for people who are moving here, something many people did not experience in the regions they left.

Considering a move to Monroe? I'll be happy to share more info with you. We LOVE new neighbors!