Teresa Dennis, the new economic development director for Concordia Parish, sounds anxious to get moved into her new office so that she can hit the road to promote the area.

Dennis has moved into a building provided by Concordia Bank, but she won’t spend much time in the office at first.

She and other parish officials are headed to Chattanooga, Tenn., to learn more about its riverfront development. Later in the month she will be representing the area at a state tourism summit. Along the way she will also offer information about economic incentives for businesses in Concordia Parish.

Dennis’ schedule encompasses a wide range of duties &045; and opportunities for the parish.

It’s hard not to see the progress that Concordia Parish has made in terms of development &045; the proof is laying in front of everyone along the Mississippi River. A new hotel, restaurant and RV park &045; with more development planned &045; are just part of the progress.

And with Dennis in place, the towns of Concordia Parish have joined together to work on economic development, whether it’s to make visits to steal good ideas or just to help update the 1960s decor in Dennis’ office.

We’re glad to see that kind of partnership, and we hope it extends across the river as well.

The Miss-Lou has, like the rest of the country, endured the setbacks of a slow economy. But we can’t sit still and worry about the future; we have to make things happen on our own.