5 REASONS FOLKS FLEE FRUGAL CITY

About a month ago, the Chamber of Commerce announced the results of a survey about the way the locals feel about our town. To their dismay, it turns out we have a negative self image. Even though 59,000 people live here, they don’t think it’s a very great place, and lots of them have moved away in the past several years. We used to have a population of 71,000 in 1960, but it’s been slowly dwindling ever since. What is wrong? College towns are supposed to be attractive. Recently, we’ve built a mega million dollar convention center, and voted in a new casino to attract the gambling crowd. We have a new concert center, great parks, and low cost of living. And the mayor just announced that we’ve balanced the budget. What are the 5 reasons folks flee this frugal city?

5 reason folks flee frugal city. Who wants to stay in a place with poor infrastructure?city — 5 REASONS FOLKS FLEE FRUGAL CITY. Poor infrastructure and lax code enforcement don’t help.

You have to wonder if saving all that money –to the point where we have an excess of tax money—is such a good idea. It’s great that the City Council and the politicians who run things are investing in ways to attract tourists. After all, tourists spend money in restaurants, hotels, and malls. But then they leave. Not many of them are so impressed with what we have that they feel any great desire to relocate.

As a long time resident who’s also lived in other cities from time to time, it’s easy to see what’s wrong.

1. Infrastructure is sadly lacking. Yes, our main streets and highways are paved and well maintained. But if you drive through the inner city, along side streets and alleyways, you will encounter numerous pot holes, crumbling sidewalks, and deteriorating , poorly maintained houses. Quality of water supply is questionable, when black sediment is frequently seen in toilet bowls.

2. Code enforcement is not functional. The inner city is blighted with run down, weed filled yards and properties. When you complain to someone in that office, they claim to be understaffed, to the point where optimal code enforcement is not possible. Other cities impose large fines for homeowners and landlords who don’t maintain their property.. But not this city. Why do we not have enough money for optimal code enforcement? Maybe that would be a place to spend some of that extra money, rather than building more and more running trails for wealthy suburbanites,

3. The city does not have a municipal indoor swimming pool. They gave into pressure when the local YMCA closed their pool, and agreed to partner with them to reopen their aging pool Unfortunately, the YMCA is poorly funded, and managed by the YMCA in an adjoining county, who has no vested interest in improving our community. . The pool is frequently closed due to broken parts and electrical problems—sometimes for months at a time.

4. Poverty level is 26%–twice the national average for a city of this size. The problem is way too complex for me to solve. I suspect poor people stay because of cheap housing in run down areas. They simply can’t afford to move. Unfortunately, many don’t have cars and you see them walking along the streets with bags from the Dollar Store. Homeless people congregate near the library, but unlike many other cities , no social worker is stationed inside to help find them a place to live.

5. Trains running through the city cause traffic jams and delays to everyone going about their business and ambulances headed for hospitals.. There are three overpasses on the outer edges of town, but that doesn’t solve the problem of long waits at numerous inner city rail crossings.

Instead of spending tax dollars to attract tourists, it might be better to find ways of persuading people to stay. Right now, we are earmarked for 34.1 million dollars in American Rescue plan money. However, the politicians who run the city can’t decide how to spend it. How about asking all of the folks who live here?

August 23, 2021August 26, 2021

POVERTY’S FACE IN A COLLEGE TOWN

Educated people have higher incomes and better health habits, statistically speaking. Therefore, in a town with 5 colleges or institutions of higher education, our city should be thriving. But we’re not. The poverty rate is 26%, and according to the latest census, our population is dwindling. The juxtaposition of highly educated people with the poor and homeless continues to puzzle our leaders. If you drive through the city, you will see poverty’s face in a college town:

Walking past the library is a man holding a can of pop in his left hand, and a cigarette in the other. Across the street, a woman puffs away while wandering aimlessly. You turn the corner and drive into the inner city. There’s been a lot of effort to restore old properties, and government subsidized housing in run down neighborhoods. But it’s not enough. You’re still seeing deteriorating houses, porches filled with ripped , moldy furniture. Stray shopping carts. Homeless folks squatting outside the CVS store. People walking on crumbling side walks or through alleys filled with pot holes. Where are they going? Walking to the Dollar Store, maybe. Or perhaps to a church soup kitchen. Many are on some type of government assistance. They’re either too sick to work, or too uneducated or unskilled to hold any type of job. Some have mental health or drug addiction problems.

A few movers and shakers have made a valiant effort to improve our city’s optics. They’ve commissioned outdoor sculptures, and implemented a back- to -the- river project to enhance the area around the Wabash River—our most underutilized asset, at this point. They’ve even built a new convention center.

Put lipstick on a pig, and it’s still a pig. . There’s something wrong. Possibly it starts with the attitude of the “old guard.” People who’ve lived here all their lives, comfortable with their lovely homes, club memberships, and closed circles of family and friends

And then, there’s the CSX railroad terminal, which pollutes the city with high levels of diesel fuel. The town has 40 railway crossings, and none of them are pretty. There’s nothing aesthetically appealing about waiting while a long, ugly freight train rumbles by, or even decides to stop and regroup, creating mile long traffic stalls.

Our city is about to receive 38 million dollars in post covid-19 stimulus money, but the politicians haven’t decided what to do with it. Seems to me that if we want to improve our quality of life, we should start at the bottom and work our way up. Maybe open a center in the city’s core where the wandering smokers and pop drinkers can find some respite or free, walk-in counseling. Offer healthy snacks (no pop machines, please). Show videos on nutrition and smoking cessation. In a town full of educated people, we have to stop turning a blind eye to the misery right under our noses.

Poverty’s face in a college town in unfathomable.

March 26, 2021March 26, 2021

DG MARKET RESCUED THE FOOD DESERT

Our city has one of the highest poverty rates in the state of Indiana. A disproportionate number of low income people live in the inner city, in old, deteriorating houses and apartments. At one time, there was an A&P within walking distance, but that disappeared long ago. It was never replaced. Nowhere to shop but the Dollar Store. Which meant that you often saw people buying unhealthy foods. Bacon, sugary snacks, processed meat . Because nothing fresh was available. But this week , DG Market rescued the food desert.

dg MARKET has rescued the inner city food desert with fresh produce. — DG Market rescued the food desert in our inner city last week.

Imagine my surprise yesterday, when I stopped for my usual supply of bargains like mouthwash and vitamins. It’s on the way home from the YMCA and the library, so I often pull in there, even though it used to be one of the dingiest Dollar Stores in town: piles of jumbled up merchandise. aisles of packaged food full of salt, carbohydrates, and fat. (Potato chips, lunch meat, cupcakes, etc.)

A lot of their clientele suffer from diabetes and obesity, due to poor diets. Many folks don’t drive. Can’t afford a car, and all that it entails—insurance, license plates, etc. Breaks your heart to see them trudging along in inclement weather with heavy bags. But yesterday, a bright light appeared. A great big yellow sign that read, DG Market. I really didn’t need anything, but when I saw a grand opening sign, I had to stop.

First thing I noticed was the neatly stocked shelves. No tables and racks piled with merchandise. Plenty of room. A fresh smell. And then, as I approached the new self-serve checkout, my heart soared. Just inside the door, bananas! Baskets of apples, oranges, fresh vegetables and fruits. And then, believe it or not, a whole refrigerated section with fresh, unprocessed meats.

As a dietitian, I felt like jumping for joy. At last, disadvantaged kids can have an orange for breakfast, a fresh salad for dinner. And a pork chop or chicken leg that isn’t full of sodium and preservatives. Patients with high blood pressure can buy low sodium meat and fresh fruits to provide the potassium they need to keep their fluids under control. Kudus to Dollar General for rescuing our city’s food desert.

November 16, 2020November 16, 2020

BLESSING BOX FULL OF BEANS

Blessing boxes are springing up all over the country, and are certainly a blessing for the homeless and other impoverished Americans. When you see men and women trying on clothing in the street next to a box, you know that there are many people who lack the basics. We have several boxes in our city, but I just saw my first one up close, in the local mall. However, its contents were disappointing, because that Blessing Box was full of beans.

The last time I walked in the mall was late March, before the pandemic began to spiral out of control. But since then, they’ve lost a major retailer. The hallways are practically deserted, especially at the far end, next to the depressingly empty store. Therefore, it seems like a relatively safe place to walk on the cold windy days ahead. All the walkers you see are wearing masks, and they keep their distance. Many are elderly. Anyway, sometime over the summer or fall, they’ve added a Blessing Box.

The problem could be that few people are aware that the mall has a box. But for those who do, they seem to think that black beans, especially, would be a good filler. Now, I’m all for black beans. They’re a great source of protein. They’re especially appealing to vegans and Hispanics. But if 80% of the offerings are either red beans or black beans, it seems rather bleak. I’m envisioning some hungry little kids staring at a bowl of black beans. Most ordinary Hoosier’s aren’t too fond of them.

Blessing box full of beans doesn't offer much. Try adding some canned meat. — Try to add some variety. Don’t just leave a blessing box full of beans.

There are many items that are good for food banks. Today, I ‘m going to stock up on some canned meat, tuna, and peanut butter. Maybe some evaporated milk. I’ll bring in a small bag, and add to the collections a few cans at a time. Maybe that will inspire others to do the same. If an un needy person takes the good stuff, that’s their moral issue, not mine.

Blessing boxes were started a few years ago, in the low country. While they’re a great idea, it’s sad to think there are so many people who rely on them for food and clothing. But let’s leave some good stuff in the boxes, not assume that needy people. have no taste for anything but beans.