Yes the collard greens, black-eyed peas and cornbread on New Year’s Day - coupled with a football game viewed from my easy chair - were nice. But what are my plans for 2024?
Having grown up in a military family, there was always a lot of structure, training and thinking things through. This is followed by deadlines, time lines and the details of taking an idea and making it happen. Then the work begins.
Good ideas are only a dream if they are not followed by execution.
That’s why I gave up on having an Arnold Schwarzenegger body by May years ago.
Dream Big
When I saw the direction of county elections this summer, I started telling the leaders of our community to dream big.
What’s the old saying? “Change is gonna come!” And it did.
People in this community are fed up with crime, falling property values, empty stores, declining population and a not so rosy future.
I will be the first to say I don’t have a crystal ball and some of these problems are very complex. I don’t have all the answers.
But I do believe there are people out there who do.
I urge Clarksdale and Coahoma County to dream big in 2024.
We need to look around and find others who want more out of life than their next check and another Friday night.
This is America where those who study hard, think hard and work hard are blessed with success.
What do you want?
When is the last time this community told leaders what they want?
Elections don’t come around often enough and I don’t mean a restaurant meeting with 10 or 20 folks.
What does Clarksdale need?
What can you not buy here?
What services do people travel to Oxford, Cleveland and Batesville to get?
What opportunities are there for young people? Not skating rinks and movie theaters, but safe places that allow them to stretch their minds and ponder their future with people who will help them achieve it.
What do we offer the elderly? Do they have safe places to gather and socialize and find solutions to problems brought on by older bodies and shrinking resources?
What would a railroad do for Clarksdale?
What would I-69 do for Clarksdale and the Delta?
What would a new grocery store, car dealership or clothing store do for Clarksdale? Think about the sales tax dollars it would bring to town.
Why aren't our economic development leaders cutting ribbons on the stores you want to shop at in Clarksdale?
What would five new doctors do for Coahoma County and this part of the state?
Who’s going to do it?
This is the hard part.
Please don’t think two new Supervisors, a new Chancery Clerk and Sheriff are going to get the job done.
Clarksdale and Coahoma County face some immense challenges.
These new leaders need your help. They need you to tell them what you want and then they need you to roll up your sleeves and be part of the solution.
They need your support. They need you to say "Yes" when they ask for your help. Then they need you to work hard for as long as it takes to make it happen.
This is The Delta. People around here know how to plan in the winter, plant in the spring, nourish through the summer and harvest in the fall.
Let’s move forward in 2024.
Floyd Ingram is the Editor of your Clarksdale Press Register. He dreams, works hard and smiles a lot. Call him at 662-627-2201 with your bright idea.
