Dear Editor,
Hartley Kittle wrote an outstanding Letter to the Editor on March 30, 2023 as to the need to clean up our city.
Very few people love Clarksdale as much as Hartley does. For many years he has played a tremendous part in helping bring industry to Clarksdale.
I want to commend city officials for demolishing the old West Building located on Highway 49 South. What tremendous progress has been made in helping beautify one of the main entrances to Clarksdale.
How many industries over the years have we missed having the opportunity to make a proposal to because a “front man,” or the actual owner of a business was turned off when entering and traveling around our town?
The increase in cars parked in front yards is a huge eyesore, turns people off and detracts so much from the beauty of Clarksdale.
The old J.C. Penney building, which is located directly across from Yazoo Pass, is another terrible eye sore, which has deteriorated greatly. This building has been vacant for years. Recently someone made the statement to me that it is a total disaster inside. Why has this building not been demolished? Have the initials steps been taken to tear it down? If this building had been demolished, maybe some investments would have been made on Yazoo as have been made on Delta Avenue. What a transformation we have seen there!
My son loved living in downtown Clarksdale. For approximately five years, starting at 5:30 a.m. and for approximately one hour, I picked up cans as I walked the streets in downtown Clarksdale. I was amazed how much trash could be discarded within a 24-hour period. The prisoners from Quitman County can only do so much throughout Clarksdale. We need a volunteer to come forward to chair a Chamber of Commerce committee to coordinate an effort to help “Clean Up Clarksdale” and keep downtown Clarksdale and its entrances neat and clean. Some volunteers are available now, and we should be able to locate others.
We need to take more pride in helping beautify Clarksdale. The Garden Club has recently planted greenery in our large concrete planters. What a wonderful and needed gesture!
Now is the time for us to do our part.
Ed Peacock, III
President, Clarksdale-Coahoma County Industrial Foundation
P.S. This letter is done strictly by me as an individual and concerned citizen.
