November 2020

TEXARKANA MONTHLY

outside the region. Dean has sought to reverse this trend. His enthusiasm for enticing more students to town is revealed through investing in higher education. “I think, A&M, Texarkana College, University of Arkansas, all these institutions are going to be just fantastic for Texarkana because they’re going to bring people. There’s no doubt, we’re going to get jobs to Texarkana that use the people educated at those institutions.” The catalyst will come

talking about the Avenue; we are talking about the visible and ever-present impression that our two sides do not work well together. Optimism continues to strengthen however, as our two mayors seem committed to writing a new story. According to Dean, “We’ve got the best mayors on Earth right now. We’re going to make it happen.” While strides have been made toward the development of the Texas side over the past few years, Dean believes that Arkansas is due. “Everybody

The Barry Family circa 1972—Susan, LaCrecia, Gina and Dean.

from bringing the cities and the counties together to pull on the rope in the same direction at the same time. Dean recalls area citizens rallying in support of Texarkana College to overcome financial crisis. “Well, it all started when we got the election successful for Texarkana College to keep the college open. That was a huge,

huge win for everybody in this area. No doubt the college would have been gone if that hadn’t happened. When we were successful in keeping the college open, it proved to me we can work together to overcome any obstacle.” Either real or imagined, our area is challenged by the state line. We are not

realizes that Texarkana, Arkansas, has got to be a huge part of this deal. Allen Brown is doing a fantastic job. He really is against overwhelming odds, but the odds are changing big time. I’d give anything in the world if the first business that we bring in would be on the Arkansas side because it will make us all stronger. It will benefit us all.”

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BUSINESS & POLITICS

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