After serving the cardiovascular needs of patients in Paris since 1995, Dr. Khalid Shafiq remains true to his life’s passion — to bring the latest procedures and the highest level of care to his patients.

American SpiralWeld named Paris native Casey Johnson as plant manager in June to begin the process of hiring an expected 40 to 60 workers and to supervise machinery installation and plant start-up.

With projects all over the country, Harrison, Walker and Harper LP is in the final stages of building American SpiralWeld Pipe Co.’s multi-million dollar plant, the largest project HWH has tackled in Paris in recent history.

The Paris Small Business Development Center provides free advising services for small businesses, whether they’re navigating a financial issue, just starting out or simply looking for advice.

Paris Regional Medical Center, the largest employer in the county with more than 850 employees, is still going strong in the business community of Paris and Lamar County.

The state-funded employment agency works with both job seekers and employers in need of workers to help aid employment needs in the nine Northeast Texas counties it serves.

Local real estate agents began bracing for a tanking market due to the spread of the coronavirus, but they say it’s been anything but that.

Lamar Emergency Services Coordinator Quincy Blount's job ties into his experiences through the ranks of different emergency services, connecting him with knowledge of each branch, but also to know where to look for expertise.

Paris Metro, the fixed-route bus service in Paris, is still running, despite the pandemic, on a slightly modified schedule and with strict adherence to Covid-19 guidelines by its staff and employees.

“I have always wanted to help people, to see them be successful; given my first job was working for a nonprofit at age 13, that’s where it started," Lamar County Human Resources Council Shelly Braziel said.

As many educators know, theatre arts and educational theatre are more than just a fun opportunity to dress up and be in a school play. Learning theatre arts is a lesson in life skills that can take a student far beyond the stage.

“She has a glowing personality, and there is just something about her at 3 o’clock when the bus rolls in that comes alive,” Executive Director Jason Macchia said.

Covid-19 has been hard on Paris’ entertainment community. In addition to restaurants and bars, social groups and gyms, performance venues have been shuttered since the beginning of the pandemic.

Bobby Walters is now celebrating four decades of work with the Lamar Chamber of Commerce, and they wouldn’t be where they are today without him.

Just like almost every other aspect of life, things have looked different for FFA clubs in the Red River Valley this year due to the outbreak of Covid-19. 

“4-H employees and staff are required to be compliant with all state, county and local public health proclamations and ordinances as we move toward a normal schedule and operations,” Laura Graves said.

Shelbi Phifer Lawson is learning the ropes at Big Farm Country Farm Store as she takes some of the workload off her father in the operation of one of the fastest growing agricultural businesses in Northeast Texas.

It’s been an up-and-down year for local farmers as drastic changes in weather and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic have thrown wrenches into a season that also boasted plenty to be happy about.

Covid-19 is expected to reduce the U.S. gross domestic product, GDP, by $2.5 trillion and employment by 19 million full-time equivalent jobs over the next year, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife coordinated study.

Lamar County 4-H Club members continue to rack up wins with show animals and on the shooting range, according to Laura Graves with the Lamar County Agrilife Extension Office.