Twin Cities Development Executive Director Rawnda Pierce says the economic development group has had to be creative in finding ways to assist the community because potential development has slowed due to the recession. During TCD's annual meeting Thursday, Pierce told members of the organization TCD has been effective over the last year in bringing in grants, many of them to assist with additional housing.

Pierce says TCD's job web site has been successful in finding people employment, noting the web site coordinator Darla Heggem has tracked 95 people who have got jobs through the wehave jobs.net site. Pierce says the site had over five million hits in the last year, a significant increase from the prior year.

Pierce says TCD purchased 13 lots in southeast Gering, and with the help of an L.B. 840 loan that Magnolia Homes has already paid off, they were able to construct or are in the process of constructing 11 homes that helped retain jobs and provide affordable housing for residents. Pierce says TCD is also partnering with Scottsbluff's High's construction class to build new homes on lots the economic development group has purchased.