Pineville Celebrates LA Bicentennial

The City of Pineville did its part to join the City of Alexandria Friday, December 20th, in the official state-wide opening of the Louisiana Purchase Bicentennial. The two cities saw their downtowns and levee areas fill with thousands on citizens eager to see the night's activities which included music, balloon rides, shopping, and the main attraction ... fireworks from the Gillis Long Bridge. The evening concluded with the inaugural lighting of the "connection between our two downtowns" in an emotional conclusion to the spectacular evening. Another big highlight of the festivities was "the Largest Flying USA Flag", which was on display at the foot of the bridge on the Pineville levee. The flag was 65 by 120 feet, and was hoisted by two cranes from Hayes Manufacturing, and was something everyone in attendance will long remember. The kick-off event begins a year-long celebration in 2003 of the Bicentennial of the Louisiana Purchase. Click on the logo below on the left for more information on state-wide activities.

Goodwill Now Open

Goodwill Industries has opened the doors to a new Goodwill Store, located just off Military Highway, at 30 Pinecrest Road, in Pineville. This is the twelfth store for the North Louisiana group, but just the second to be built from the ground up. With locations in Alexandria, Shreveport, Bossier, Minden, Monroe, West Monroe, and Ruston … the Pineville location gives Goodwill a greater outlet to fulfill their mission of teaching people to work and helping people get jobs … while providing Pineville with a retail shopping outlet for the bargain shopper. Goodwill's unique design, as well as the store's mission, are great additions to Pineville's shopping options.

New Window

The City of Pineville is pleased to announce we now have a new window for "drive-up" payments. The new customer service window is lower and more accessible for "drive-through" customers (as City Councilman Randy King sees with customer service representative Lauren Fournet). The payment tray now extends farther, and fully opens for better exchange. A new microphone adds to the better service you'll receive the next time you "pay on the run".

Proctor & Gamble Expansion!

The City of Pineville received an early Christmas present when Procter & Gamble announced December 10, 2002 that they are expanding their Pineville plant. Procter & Gamble plans a $125 million expansion of its facilities in Pineville so that it can produce liquid detergent.

Plant manager Todd Hoffman announced P & G will add capacity to manufacture heavy-duty liquid laundry detergent to the current operation located on the Monroe Highway (U.S. Highway 165) in Pineville. That plant is one of only two nationwide now making Tide dry detergent. It will gain the ability to make liquid detergent under such brands as Tide, Bold, Gain and Cheer.

Hoffman said construction of the new facilities should begin in six to 12 months, with the new plant "targeted for operation in mid-2005." Hoffman praised the expansion as an example of cooperation between private industry and government. He particularly lauded the Louisiana Department of Economic Development. On hand for the announcement was Don Hutchinson, (pictured with Hoffman, center, and Mayor Clarence Fields) Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Economic Development. Hutchinson said the state has offered "economic incentives and infrastructure assistance" to the City of Pineville.

Mayor Fields echoed the excitement of the dignitaries present. “We welcome the sign of P & G’s commitment to Pineville, and the help of the state which will allow us to expand our capability to provide greater utilities to the Highway 165 industrial corridor.”

In a written statement, Gov. Mike Foster said construction of the new plant will create 100 to 200 construction jobs. Once construction is complete, the company will add 20 full-time employees, "with potential for additional jobs in the future."

"The consumers have voted with their wallets," Hoffman said of the change that has occurred in American home laundry habits. Having a liquid detergent plant will "anchor" the local facility. Hoffman said the expansion plans build "on a long-term partnership with Pineville and the state of Louisiana."

Hotel Opens!

Sleep Inn and Suites is NOW OPEN at 3411 Monroe Highway in Pineville.  The new three-story Pineville hotel will have 68 units, a conference room and an indoor pool, and is next door to the Pizza Hut, across the highway from the Kings Country Shopping Center. Pineville Mayor Clarence Fields says he is delighted to see our city continue to grow and give our businesses and churches another option to house visitors to Pineville. The Pineville Sleep Inn is part of the Choice Hotel International franchise group.

KCS Underpass Now Closed

The City of Pineville wishes to clarify the status of thru traffic on Main Street as it relates to the closure of the KCS underpass. Main Street is not closed to traffic flow, but rather the underpass itself is no longer passable. (See photo at right, taken by Tia Owens of the Town Talk.) The section that will be closed is only four blocks, and detours are provided to get you from one side of Main Street to the other. Although travelers familiar with downtown Pineville will seek alternate routes to bypass construction … the recommended detour route provided by the Department of Transportation and Development is as follows: For vehicles traveling north on Main Street, you will take a right on Shamrock Street, then take a left on Highway 107, then continue past First Street and take a right on Melrose, proceed under the Expressway and take a left on the section of Highway 107 which parallels the Expressway, then get on the Expressway and continue north to the Edgewood Drive exit. Traffic can then turn left on Edgewood Drive and take a right onto Military and proceed north.

For vehicles traveling south on Military Highway, you will take a left on Edgewood Drive, then get on the Expressway heading south to the Hwy. 107 exit. You can then take the exit, take a right on Hwy. 107, take a left on Melrose, take a right on Shamrock, then a left onto Main Street and continue south. We apologize for any inconvenience, but look forward to the new and improved underpass once completed next spring. 

Change for Safety

The Pineville Super Wal-Mart has made changes to their entrance/exit road intersection on U.S. Highway 165. This intersection has been the site of numerous accidents since Wal-Mart moved to the expanded site in 1998. Pineville Mayor Clarence Fields has been working closely with Wal-Mart officials to develop a plan to ensure public safety. The City of Pineville has already announced a new connector road from Pinecrest Drive, flanking the south side of Wal-Mart's parking lot and connecting to the new strip mall. That project should be ready by the end of the year. With the change at the Wal-Mart entrance/exit, traffic exiting near Ryan's Family Steak House will only be able to turn right onto the northbound lanes of Highway 165. The crossover between the northbound and southbound lanes has been eliminated for those motorists. Traffic exiting between Ryan's and the new strip mall will be directed northbound, and then able to make a u-turn at the Esler Field traffic signal to again travel south. However, traffic will still be allowed to enter the parking lot from both the northbound and southbound lanes of Highway 165. Also, several months ago, the Department of Transportation and Development installed northbound and southbound turn signals at the Esler Field signal to assist in smoother traffic flow.

The Cities of Alexandria and Pineville will help kick-off the yearlong celebration of the Louisiana Purchase Bicentennial, Friday, December 20th. “Downtown Festivities” are planned on both sides of the river beginning at 6:00pm. On the Pineville side, a “100-foot Flying American Flag” will be on display. A balloon glow and tethered balloon rides will also be available … plus a huge bonfire will help keep you warm. A lighted boat flotilla parades up the Red River at 7:30pm. Bring your blankets and lawn chairs to stake your place for special guest Aaron Neville, who will take the stage of the Alexandria amphitheater at 8:00pm. Special sound will be set-up to hear the concert from the banks of the Pineville side. After the concert, a tremendous fireworks display will light the night between the two cities … and the inaugural “Lighting of the Jackson Street Bridge” concludes the kick-off celebration. On the Alexandria side, the mini-park in front of Alexandria City Hall and Downtown Alexandria will be festive with “Holiday Magic on the River”. There will be entertainment, food and shopping booths and much more.

2002 Christmas Parade - UPDATE!

Pineville's 2002 Christmas parade will follow its usual Main Street route despite the on-going construction work on the downtown KCS railroad underpass. Originally the city had planned to bypass the KCS underpass by routing the parade across the railroad tracks at College Drive. However, the cooperation of the state Department of Transportation and Development and Merrick Construction Co. will allow Pineville's citizens to enjoy the parade on the original route.

The 2002 Pineville Christmas Parade is Friday, December 13th, at 7:00pm. The Grand Marshal of this year's parade is state Sen. Joe McPherson, D-Woodwork, who represents District 29, which includes most of Rapides Parish. McPherson, elected to his fourth term in 2000, is originally from Pineville.

Line-up will be on Donahue Ferry Road. Parade watchers will be able to view the parade beginning at Barrett and along the Main Street route and are urged to honor the barricades designed to keep them away from construction areas.

Veteran's Parade on Main Street

The Rotary Club of Pineville, CENLA-VETS and the City of Pineville will host the annual Veteran's Day Parade, Monday, November 11th, beginning at 10:00am. The annual parade to honor our veterans is moving to the bigger stage of Downtown Pineville from the VA Medical Center. The parade route will be the same as Pineville's annual Christmas Parade…beginning on Main Street at College Boulevard…proceeding up Main Street…ending on the boulevard in front of Huey P. Long Hospital. Grand Marshal for the parade is Mike Juneau, Veterans' Services Officer, a 31-year employee of the VA. It is a national holiday, and students are out of school…so bring the whole family. The City of Pineville is pleased to be host to this annual event to honor our nation's heroes…both past and present.

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