Improvements being made in community

Having roamed the streets and sometimes back alleys of this town for more years than I care to mention, it takes some effort to impress me.

Maybe it's age or just a newer appreciation, but I am paying greater attention and having renewed pride in some of the progress that is under way in our small town.

The complainers - and I have been in their ranks more often than not - can still point to much progress that needs to be made.

One issue brought to my attention by a concerned observer is the level of trash that abounds here.

I vividly recall when Mike Marshall was mayor a few years back. He made a major thrust to address the issue of trash and those efforts - combined with the citywide clean-ups that we've had - indeed made a noticeable improvement.

But trash, like so many other issues - housing for example - is not something you solve once and it goes away forever.

I've heard people complain that the fast food establishments are to blame because when a major trash clean-up was undertaken the bulk of the litter was from those restaurants.

Just a friendly reminder. It's not the restaurants, it's people! People who live like trash have little concern if they toss their litter about. People who live like trash have no concern if their property is an eyesore, if their house is an eyesore and - God forbid, if we should go into their houses - well, you can imagine.

In our earlier effort to address this problem, we basically laid it in the lap of the Public Safety Department. But that is not the solution. Those officers have higher priorities all to often than to address trash and litter.

Code enforcement officers can do a better job and perhaps the courts can start putting a financial sting onto those who ruin the community for the rest of us.

But that's not the focus of this column.

Pay attention to the corner of Kingshighway and Malone. The new intersection and the long-awaited removal of the building that will make room for Public Safety parking is impressive and much more useful.

I'm am genuinely impressed with the new clean look and I promise when people return to Sikeston, they will be impressed as well.

Granted, the removal of the building took much too long. But that's water under the bridge.

The Board of Municipal Utilities, the Public Safety complex and this building removal - combined with the roadway improvement - have provided a new, fresh, clean and vastly improved appearance to our downtown.

And the retail growth and expansion in the downtown complete the improved picture.

And yes, I'm impressed.

Michael Jensen

Having roamed the streets and sometimes back alleys of this town for more years than I care to mention, it takes some effort to impress me.

Maybe it's age or just a newer appreciation, but I am paying greater attention and having renewed pride in some of the progress that is under way in our small town.

The complainers - and I have been in their ranks more often than not - can still point to much progress that needs to be made.

One issue brought to my attention by a concerned observer is the level of trash that abounds here.

I vividly recall when Mike Marshall was mayor a few years back. He made a major thrust to address the issue of trash and those efforts - combined with the citywide clean-ups that we've had - indeed made a noticeable improvement.

But trash, like so many other issues - housing for example - is not something you solve once and it goes away forever.

I've heard people complain that the fast food establishments are to blame because when a major trash clean-up was undertaken the bulk of the litter was from those restaurants.

Just a friendly reminder. It's not the restaurants, it's people! People who live like trash have little concern if they toss their litter about. People who live like trash have no concern if their property is an eyesore, if their house is an eyesore and - God forbid, if we should go into their houses - well, you can imagine.

In our earlier effort to address this problem, we basically laid it in the lap of the Public Safety Department. But that is not the solution. Those officers have higher priorities all to often than to address trash and litter.

Code enforcement officers can do a better job and perhaps the courts can start putting a financial sting onto those who ruin the community for the rest of us.

But that's not the focus of this column.

Pay attention to the corner of Kingshighway and Malone. The new intersection and the long-awaited removal of the building that will make room for Public Safety parking is impressive and much more useful.

I'm am genuinely impressed with the new clean look and I promise when people return to Sikeston, they will be impressed as well.

Granted, the removal of the building took much too long. But that's water under the bridge.

The Board of Municipal Utilities, the Public Safety complex and this building removal - combined with the roadway improvement - have provided a new, fresh, clean and vastly improved appearance to our downtown.

And the retail growth and expansion in the downtown complete the improved picture.

And yes, I'm impressed.