Its been a rough few weeks for the Arkansas side of the State Line.

First there was the revelation that the city was losing its sales tax exemption on food. Then came a further setback when it was learned the sales tax would apply to basic services, such as electric bills.

But this week Texarkana, Ark., finally got some good news.

It was announced Tuesday the city will receive $1.5 million in federal funds for work on the Garland Business Park.

The grant is from the U.S. Department of Commerces Economic Development Administration and will fund a main road through the development, located north of Interstate 30 between State Line and Jefferson avenues.

The grant came at a good time, coinciding with a refurbishment of the State Line and Jefferson I-30 access ramps and the frontage road running between.

Together, the construction projects will create greater access to the business park.

Currently, plans for the park include Mintons Sportsplex, a fitness and recreation complex developers say will eventually include an ice arena and civic center.

The city hopes the prime location of Garland Business Park will make it an attractive location for other enterprises as well.

We hope so too. Most of Texarkanas recent economic and construction bonanza has benefited the Texas side, with little spilling over into Arkansas. But Texarkana is not just one city. And anything that benefits the Arkansas side benefits Texarkana as a whole.