Do you realize we are almost a quarter of the way through the 21st Century?
My, how time flies when you are having fun!
I have found myself wondering what will happen around here this year.
Our schools, the local economy, city and county government decisions, crime and political shenanigans will be headlines around here in 2023. And many will blame those headlines on me.
As most who visit with me here each week know, I am the eternal optimist.
I don’t want to get into religion, how I was raised to be an optimist or the good things that have happened to me over the past 62 years.
But part of that philosophy stems from the fact I work hard to make things better.
A look ahead
• The sun came up this morning. I’m not a big one on predictions, but I believe it will come up tomorrow. If it doesn’t we will have a complete story in next week’s Clarksdale Press Register.
• I turn 63 this week. It’s obvious my life is halfway over. We can’t change the past and we really can’t predict the future, but today is here, let’s use it.
• Speaking of predictions, last week I said 2023 would be the year law enforcement started putting crooks back in jail. Did you know the new County Justice Center opened one year ago this month?
It has rooms for 143 and stays about half full.
Ok you bad boys, Santa Claus and Sheriff Charles Jones are watching you!
• I hope we know the winners of this year’s elections on election night.
Back in the old days we did. Now with new fangled computers, slick politicians and corrupt political parties, we are back to not even knowing the winner on the day after the election.
I’ve only been covering election for about 35 years, but I don’t remember these consistent vote counting problems in the past. But have faith, America has been doing this for more than 200 years. We’ll figure it out.
• I was part of a conversation this week were someone named three businesses that closed shop in the last three months. They are not high profile retail businesses or factories and they don’t employ more than five people each, but they are the livelihood of some good people and good employees in this town.
• The Federal Reserve said Mississippi’s labor force was 54-percent employed in November. It’s time we get back to work. I hope people look at today’s newspaper and see there are jobs available for those who have skills, want to work and will show up every day on time. Yes, 2023 will be the year we get back to work.
The Future
The 2023 Coahoma County Election is now officially upon us. Some have been campaigning since 2019 and some have just thrown their hat into the ring.
I attended a Board of Supervisors meeting Monday and saw our elected politicians hand out money to their friends and favorite “agencies” like it was water. It seems they each have a “special projects fund” and can – within reason – spend it on what they want to.
Let me set some ground rules for 2023 and beyond.
We will listen – and check into – your news tip about the corruption and rampant problems in Clarksdale, but that is no guarantee we will do a story. Your Clarksdale Press Register is wiser than that and will not be used by anybody.
We will be polite when you call and ask for a photo and be polite when we show up and there is a candidate smiling for the picture, but that is not a guarantee we will run the photo. Your Clarksdale Press Register seeks to be fair to all and will not be used by anybody.
We will shine the light where we feel it is needed and we will call out those who slander, lie and try to manipulate voters in this community. You see, your Clarksdale Press Register has been here for more than 150 years and is looking forward to another 150 more and will not be used by anybody.
Floyd Ingram is Editor and Publisher of your Clarksdale Press Register. Call him at 622-627-2201 if you want to talk about the future of Clarksdale and Coahoma County.
