Posted by lowrider (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 1:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)

my question to all of you people who frown on casinos so much is, what other business's do you know of in Natchez deliver that much money back to the city.

Posted by texasranger (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 2:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Good riddance, the boats just suck the life out of the very little bit of money people have here. They spend their bill money and monthly checks on a Boulevard of Dreams.

Posted by texasranger (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 2:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)

lowrider, what money do they give back compared to what they take. Put some figures in here.

Posted by texasranger (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 2:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)

What about the families lives that have been ruined since the boat came to Natchez. Many lost their life savings and property.A lady that worked at the IP credit union said a lot of employees withdrew their savings and blew it on the boat...Thousands not hundreds.

Posted by OldGrandDad (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 4:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I haven't been in the casino very often. And they have taken precious little of my money. But I ain't never walked in the door and seen casino employees holding a gun to the head of folks to make them gamble. Some people have an urge to "get rich quick". If they don't throw their money to the casino they will throw it away in some other fashion.

Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 6:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

True but gambling becomes a disease and I'd rather stay disease free thank you very much.

Posted by overthehill60 (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 8:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)

At least the employees will continue to be paid. If gambling is the main source of Natchez's income then it's beginning to be a sadder town than I thought.
All we hear from the Garden Club is about tourism well are the tourist coming just to gamble or tour? If they are coming to visit the old homes then the casino being closed until water receded shouldn't hurt the ecomony.
For my 60 years tourist have come to Natchez for it's old time southern beauty but, now all of that has been changed. First they tour a few old homes then it's party time one the casino! And the city electors eyes light up like $ sighs.

Posted by LdyBreez (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 8:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)

csguidry, I agree to a point with you. That point is that addiction in any form, is a disease. That is why some people can walk on there spend 20 bucks and walk away, while others, spend all that is in their pockets then go in hock. Gambling is a disease just like alcoholism or drug addiction. What people do not understand about this disease is that the addiction of choice (gambling, alcohol or drugs) is only a symptom of the real problem. The addicts inability to see him or her self as the problem. Generally addiction is a disease that requires treatment and daily maintanance just like diabetes. Denial is a big problem, the addicted person does not see his / her addiction they feel as if they can quit when ever they wish they just don't wish to right now and that is the disease talking. It is not a matter of self control. If that were true then there would be no need for treatment centers and over half of the addicts would not be addicted.

Posted by cjc3 (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 8:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I find it incredible that people blame the casino for their problems. It is here for entertainment! The ones who go there and spend their bill money, savings, or whatever, have to be held accountable. When I was growing up, an individual was held accountable for their actions! Maybe that is a lot of what is wrong with the world today, everytime something bad is done, we have to blame it on something- not the person who did it!! They were drunk, poor thing is on drugs, the casino TOOK all their money. Come on get real!!

Posted by momoftwokids (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 9:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)

forget the blame game people! free will! just pray for those not working. even if they give them a little pay check while they are off it will not be enough for those who work for tips. I used to work on the boat and the tips were good. I quit cause the hours sucked!

Posted by dixiemama (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 9:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

((cjc3)) you are so right, up to a point. Growing up you are taught to be accountable for your actions. Once you are grown Mama & Daddy are no longer there telling you what decisions to make, it's all on you. If you choose to follow what you were taught you will do great, but if you don't you are in deep trouble.
No one is to be felt sorry for that blows their money on drugs, booze or gambling. No one forced them into doing theses things against their will. The drugs, drinks and casino are just the devils way of tempting the weak.
There are some people we should feel sorry for & that's the children of addictive parents, they silently pay for their parents mistakes.
What really makes me mad are the people that will leave Sunday services & spend their evening on the boat yet praying against gambling in church.
Any feed back on that are people the ones that do it.

Posted by supertrucker47 (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 9:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)

MAYBE THE DAMN BOAT WILL SINK TO THE BOTTOM OF THE RIVER THEN WE WONT HAFT TO DEAL WITH IT ANY LONGER.OR MAYBE IT WILL LEAVE AN NEVER COME BACK.THIS BOAT BENIFITS NO-ONE BUT TOURIST ANYWAY.GOOD RIDDENS CAPRI!

Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 10:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Once I stepped off the bus going to Isle of Capri for dinner and ran smack into one of the biggest mouths against a gambling boat coming to Natchez. So I said to him, "What are you doing here?" He said, "I'm here for the same reason you are." I said, "so you went to eat the buffet?" He said, "well, I guess we weren't here for the same reason." On another occaission, I overheard one of the other biggest mouths against a gambling boat, here, was talking about how much his church RV group were able to save money by using gambling boat RV parking, in other towns, and how they gambled a little and went to dine on those out of town casinos for entertainment. When asked, why he didn't go on this boat here for entertainment, for dinner, or to gamble, he replied, because he had talked so bad about it coming, he felt like that would make him a hipocrite.

Recently, I took my loose change to the Isle of Capri and found, to my dismay, that the slot machines no longer accept coins and will only accept paper money. Drats, I had pennies, nickels, and quarters in baggies in my heavy purse and only a few crumbled-up dollars that the machine refused to accept. I had one $20 bill; the quarter machine didn't have any problem accepting. But the problem was sharing half the money with my gambling buddy, because the machine doesn't spit out coins or dollars. After going to the hassle of cashing in my paper print out, after losing 10 of my 20, instead of going back to the slots, I went out the door and across the plank feeling that I had stayed away too long and gambling had become too complicated in my absence.

Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 10:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I can agree with most points here, I just wish Natchez would entertain more viable employment options than a casino boat, but since it is here, I hope the employees fair okay, while it's closed. Losing a paycheck, no matter what the industry, to someone who needed it, can be hard. As for the people who go, I fair on the side of personal responsibility. I understand the boat can be a carrot dangled in the face of a rabbit to some, but we are not rabbits, we are humans who have faculties and CHOICE is one of them. From the time someone places their first penny, nickle, or quarter into a slot, or goes to the tables, they understand, it's all a GAMBLE, there more than likely will be NO RETURN on that gamble, so if at that point, they continue to "gamble" their time, family, effort, and money at the casino, that was a choice that person made. I CHOOSE not to gamble, because for one, I feel I should at least get back the money I may lose, but we all know it doesn't work that way. I also work too hard for my money and on a daily basis, can find something else, I make the choice to spend my money on. Last I checked, most folk who visit the casinos, are not gambling away a disposable income, very few even have a disposable income. I just hope the employees fair well, since Natchez has a boat, but again, my overall stance is, why can't Natchez seem to channel it's employment interests, towards other avenues as well? Is a casino the only industry that can survive in Natchez?

Posted by bjparker (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 1:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

All of you need to "get real". The Isle of Capri" is a business. Businesses do not go into business except to make money. They force no one to come aboard and gamble. It is a personal choice made by each and every individual who does it. I, for one, am not much into gambling but when I go with friends or something, I decide how much I plan to lose before going. Gambling is not an illness. It is a weakness. The Isle of Capri does not make people weak. People are weak for other reasons. Maybe if Natchez people would get a job, life would be more pleasant for all of you and you would not have time to criticize everything that happens around you. I have never been so bored!!!

Posted by LdyBreez (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 1:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Until you have walked in my shoes, do not tell me what an addict does or does not feel. It was not my intent to become an addict, while I was in active addiction it was not my intent to remain that way. I felt guilt and shame because I felt like I had no "self control". It was not until I went to treatment that I learned it was a disease. It was not until I was in a daily maintainance program was I able to get into recovery. I relapsed after 6 years because I did not continue my daily maintainance program. Now I have 12 years in recovery. Been there done that got the t-shirt, bumper sticker and the key chain. Walk in my shoes then come back and I will hear what you have to say! Was I accountable for my actions? YES. Have I made amends? YES. But it was not until I was in recovery from my disease did I realize this.

Posted by lowrider (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 2:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Texas---The boat does not make people go there, its like this, If Phillip Morris opened a plant here, your simple minded way of thinking would suggest people would smoke more. Not true these people apparently already have issues, they're going to spend their money one way or the other. Most casinos have a gambling problem program, but it is up to the individual to stop. My wife loves shopping, should they remove the stores, NO because she will just go out of town to spend our money. At least when she shops here some money goes back to the community. Open your narrow mind and you might see.

Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 4:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

People, gambling has been legal since the first job was bid as a lump sum contract, since a farmer first planted a crop to sell at harvest time and since the first business man opened his doors and prayed that customers would by his items. These are all examples of a gamble. I do not like the boats. I went when they first opened to a few. Now, I have had a change of heart and a change of my life. So, I do not go. But, I wish Natchez would work as hard to bring other industry as it has to bring a few tourist to see the old houses in town.

If they would work and bring viable industry to town, then, they may not need more casinoes for the workers that are left in town with nothing to do. I do not condemn the people that work there. They have to have jobs to support their families and they are doing the best they can in Natchez to support their families. But I wish they had other REAL job oppurtunities. Not just toruism jobs that pay very little to the common worker, but real jobs...

Posted by ntzmom (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 4:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Congrats ldybreeze on your 12 years!
I am very very proud of you! I know it is the battle of all battles and you as well as others that are winning the fight, y'all are heros in my eyes!

Posted by dramamama (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 5:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

No worries for the employees, they are actually getting paid their base and an average of their tips, so it was said in a memo, just praying they live up to their word. We'll see....

Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 6:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Good info dramamama, I would hope a facility built on water would have some type of way of continuing employee compensation when flooding becomes a problem. Guess we'll have to see if the "memo" is lived up to.

Posted by momoftwokids (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 6:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Posted by bjparker (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 1:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

All of you need to "get real". The Isle of Capri" is a business. Businesses do not go into business except to make money. They force no one to come aboard and gamble. It is a personal choice made by each and every individual who does it. I, for one, am not much into gambling but when I go with friends or something, I decide how much I plan to lose before going. Gambling is not an illness. It is a weakness. The Isle of Capri does not make people weak. People are weak for other reasons. Maybe if Natchez people would get a job, life would be more pleasant for all of you and you would not have time to criticize everything that happens around you. I have never been so bored!!!

the only part about this comment is the get a job part.... they aren't that easy to find around here and if you look in the paper the only thing you find is nursing openings. I am a stay at home mom now and the only reason for that is my 8 dollar and hour job would not do me any good since 2 kids in daycare would cost me 8 and hour and after taxes i would owe daycare what i didnt have. luckly my husband makes enough to where i don't have to work. most people arent so lucky. it was just a few years ago I only had one child and was working two jobs to make ends meet... (thanks Ntzmom and firered for everything u did to help us) so i take offense to your comment. PS I did work on the boat and would have never got to see my son.

Posted by emp (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 6:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Everyone knows the ethical issues. All of you know what the casino does to the people and families. You can deny it if you want but the facts are there. The sad part is that Natchez depends on the devil for its tax money. How can we ask God to bless a city that has sold its soul to the devil?

Posted by Perro (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 6:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Regardless of how your personal feelings are about the boat I was just amazed, astonished and faberglasted that the river would actually rise higher enough to suggest closing the boat. Not only has the boat been closed but many other business have suffered because this rise of water, hunting camps and many landowners. I think if this continues we may need federal assistance.

Posted by shedevil (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 7:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

redusmfan.....no industry will come to natchez until they do something with the school system.youre rite about a few tourist...looks like this year will be horrible...heck they are counting the mexican construction workers that are staying in hotels as tourist to make the numbers look better

Posted by OldGrandDad (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 8:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Perro, I've always hated how people will build in flood prone areas and then call for Federal (public) assistance (money) when they actually get flooded. But it sure has become the norm.

Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 8:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

All of you people that are talking about bringing industries for more jobs and such, can you please direct me to the internet page with listings of businesses needing a new home?
We got this much chatter over 1 casino, what about when the other 2 open?
Instead of thinking about a grand conspiracy to suck up all the dollars our community has by the casino's, why don't you open a training school for the future workers? I see a nursing school that trains folks looking for jobs like momoftwokids says..."they aren't that easy to find around here and if you look in the paper the only thing you find is nursing openings"
Las Vegas was a sand dune before someone rolled in there and built casinos. Look at it now! A city built on gambling. Sure theres good areas,bad areas, crime,.. that is in every town! But they built something outta nothing! No mighty river, no old homes.
Believe it or not, we are moving forward, just not at the pace of overnight miracles!

Posted by southernbelle (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 8:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Did ya'll know more people commit suicide with a gambling addiction than any other addiction ? That's reason enough for me to not want to do anything that would just be an enabler to anyone with this addiction . It is so easy for someone without an addiction to say,"just don't do it". Besides the jobs on the boat pay very little and I just can't see where all those tax dollars are being spent . I do see more pawn shops and the like in gambling towns . I'm not my brothers keeper but I do love my fellow man and I don't want to see harm come to anyone .Anything that causes this much controversy cannot be good .

Posted by sandyman7 (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 8:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Come On...Someone bragging about how much money the City gets from gambling( isle of Capri) but all i see is words..Haven't ever seen any dollar amount, has anyone??

Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 9:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

While looking for the numbers that sandyman7 seeks, i came across these interesting articles.

http://users.stlcc.edu/jangert/natchez/n...

http://www.natchezbelle.org/adams-ind/in...

Posted by squeetlebomb (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 10:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Sounds like supertrucker doesn't want anyone in Natchez to have a job. Close the boat, close the hospital. Two of the biggest paying industries we have in town. Was he also one of the people bad mouthing the paper mill and the tire plant and Johns Mannville? Just close everything down because their is bound to be something bad about it.

Posted by lowrider (anonymous) on April 13, 2008 at 11:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Sandyman---- Just some words you might have missed, from the article above, "West said the city receives between $800,000 and $1 million per year from the casino and right now, that money is used to pay back bond debt for the convention center". Maybe you need to check your vision or actually start reading, before you type.

Posted by Fairytale (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 2:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Well if one casino brings a few jobs to natchez, then I wish they'd build a dozen more. Please do something for employment. I don't want to sell pralines to the tourists.

I've lived here for almost 50 years, and I can't tell Natchez is moving forward at all.

It seems to me the community leaders are, and have been coasting on the coat tails of generations that came before them. Did they have a website to go to for ideas? I'd just bet somebody had to actually do a little work. And I don't think they were consulting with the Garden Club in the process.

For the last MANY years now, the powers that be have sat right on their @@@es and watched industry leave. They seem content to hope some big company eventually builds here while they're in office, so they can take credit for it.

The signs that proclaim Natchez to be an "Official Retirement Community" let you know how much they're thinking about future growth.

I guess that's the best our leaders can do. If it ain't a dollar in it for them, they don't give a #@$$.

Maybe I should go ahead and get my 1800's era costume on and cook some pralines. At least the kids can send pictures of the grandchildren by email now. They sure wont be able to make a living here any time soon.

If casinos are the best y'all can do... bring em on. I'll buy a bigger stove.

And somebody call President Bush and tell him to lower the water in the river, so we can get on with the gambling! Surely this must be his fault.

Posted by diamonds4u71 (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 7:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

why not get a casino on land like other states then they can stay open all the time. I do not go because of the smoke, last time i went i took 5 bucks on and came off with 5 bucks. So people don't lose your life and family on the casino.

Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 7:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The first thing that the people of Natchez need to take control of to get industry to look at locating there is very simple...

SCHOOLS. take back control of the public schools. Get thugs out of the school. Get useless teachers out of the class. Get wasted money under control. Quit hiring useless consultants. Get the school board and mayor to help dispose of the currnet administration and especially get the Superintendent out of office.

Then, as scores start to rise, industry will consider coming to Natchez . It is a very real scenario. I would not locate my office down there right now. I would have to bring most of my workers from outisde areas to work.

I know I just stepped on a few toes. Sorry if I offended your little area of the world, but I see it clearly when I come to Natchez. The last job I did down there, the 2 guys that I hired to help me were graduates of the public school and could NOT read a tape measure.

I sat them down at break and lunch and helped them learn to read the same type of tape measures that we used in 8th grade at Martin Jr. High when I went there. We already knew how to read it before we walked into shop class with Mr. Hamilton because it was taught by math teachers like Mrs. Beverly Ransom-Winston.

But these teachers left when the cirriculum was being dumbed-down in the early 90's.

Posted by sandyman7 (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 9:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Yes I see what West said....But can i Believe him...The School was to recieve enough money to keep from raising taxes when the boat first came...Of Course We see now that was a LIE...

Posted by Hardcorps (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 10:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The Baptists and the bootleggers got certain fine upstanding Natchez folks wealthy. You will still see them and their children go through the church door every Sunday morning. My old boss said Natchez was crammed full of Dixiecrats. He said, "Dixiecrats are the idiots that badmouth black folks all day and lay up with them all night." Some of those "side of the mouth talkers" are on here typing away.
Well, I was standing by Fat Mama's the other day. I saw a myriad of people go by. I saw SUPERTRUCKER IN HIS LITTLE SHORT SCHOOL BUS GOING TO TYPING SCHOOL. I saw umpteen perzillion(that's a lot my Grampa said) workers going to work down at that wicked den of Luciferific iniquity called the Isle of Capri.
I saw a Ward Bond Wagon Train number of people with smiles on their faces and laughter in their hearts going down there to enjoy themselves. Ward could say "Wagons Ho" and congress would have followed him to the right side of the street. After us locals have seen Stanton Hall and Longwood a few dozen times we need more to do.
Where else can you go with a few bucks;listen to the bells;see the lights;drop a coin in a hole with the hopes of a lifetime riding on it and if you don't hit the jackpot the bells and lights take you back for just a few moments to when you were young, the world was good, mama and daddy were still around, people were laughing and enjoying themselves; and then go eat a fine dinner with all the trimmings.
I didn't see Jack Sour and his band of merry men with longbows drawn forcing people to their business establishment. I think I did see him and a couple of his managers taking about a $1,000,000 check down to the tax office.
I spent the weekend in Hattiesburg. Oak Grove and Petal High Schools are at the top in the state in sports and academics. They have responsible, capable adults running the schools(wouldn't that be a novel idea for Natchez) and they keep the thugs out of the classrooms. If the school situation changed here then perhaps BMW or Mercedes would build a plant here.
Until then I'll send my kids to private schools and thank the Lord everynight that he has given us the Isle of Capri. A town does not get ahead on dry promises, lies, and trips to Washington and elsewhere that bear no fruit.
Did I mention that I am an orphan. I no longer have a mom or dad. My mom was a Primitive Baptist. I would give $1,000 to see her face light up with expectation if she dropped a quarter in a slot. That light would outshine the sun.

Posted by thetruthhurts (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 10:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)

okie dokie

Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 10:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree Hardcorps. Hattiesburg and Petal say NO to crap in school. So do the Rankin County schools. It is not just these schools, but many others throughout the state have backed up and started over. They have gotten discipline under control and do not put up with worthless college grads that have a certificate that says they can teach. If they do not cut the mustard, they get the boot after one year. I have seen it personally.

Natchez has a casino and although I do not go there, I do not bash the people that work there either. They have to work to support their families. I have bid on work at casinoes, but so far, have not been able to beat the illegal mexican using contractors to get the work, but I am still working. At least I sleep well at night and do not have to worry about the phone ringing or getting raided.

Schools and new industry go hand-in-hand. Good schools=more new industry...so, Do you have to wonder why Natchez is sinking deeper every day????I know there are some great private schools, but industry does not want to know about those, they look at the public education and see what the average worker will be coming out of the local school. Then, they determine how much MORE they will have to spend to re-educate them for the work at their business....simple equation. That is why Natchez is lagging so far behind others. If they have to spend money teaching them reading, writing and 'rithmatic that they should have learned in school, then they are spending too much of their money on the worker. If the worker already knows these things, they do not have to teach them and can start teaching them the business at hand.

From what I have seen in Natchez lately, the 3 R's are now rape, robbery and riots instead of reading writing and 'rithmatic. Or is it just the few hundred that I have seen???

Posted by Fairytale (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 11:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The casinos should have been built on land to begin with. I think the one we have IS open 24/7, and I don't think the smoke issue is related to any of that. Like I said, if that's the best we can do, let's get on with it, and at least do a good job of that.

About the school system...

Y'all know it's run by people too. That being said, some of them are great, and others aren't. Some are there ONLY for the steady paycheck, and benefits.

Just because they work in the education system doesn't make them "special", any more than being a "parent" does. It's generally a true statement that "anybody" can make a baby, but many will never be a responsible parent.

It's also true that anybody who can get through a few years of college can be a teacher, or maybe an overpaid principle in time. Some of the biggest jerks I've known in life have been employees of the public school system. The kids know who they are. They see them everyday, just like we knew who they were when we were kids. They also know that nobody wants to stand up, and hold such ones accountable. Then we expect them to respect "all" teachers, and administration?

That works for a while when they're little, but they eventually get older don't they. I can still remember the teachers who were sleeping with other teachers. The ones who would look you right in the eye, and lie to your face. They are "just" people, like the rest of us. To think that any of them deserve any more respect than the rest of us, just because they work in the school system is a joke. They are just as much a part of the "problems", as bad parents are. But fire a teacher, or a principle? Who would think of such a thing? ME for one.

Same thing for the "leaders" of any community. If they don't do what they should, throw their @@ses out. If you don't do your job, what happens to you?

This is not just a Natchez problem, it's all over. So are "thugs", and dummies, and lazy people. I don't think that argument holds water as an excuse not to locate business in Natchez. When they opened the auto plant near Jackson, busloads of people FROM the Natchez/Vidalia area traveled back and forth to those jobs everyday. I think many still do.

If we don't have enough "qualified" people here, they would come from the surrounding areas, just like they always have done. At least the ones of us who want a better job would have the option.

Those are just excuses. Poor schools, crime, lack of parental involement in schools, etc. All are true in any community in varying degrees. But mostly they sound good, and they pacify the general public.

And they allow the powers that be to remain. We all reap what we sow don't we.

Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 11:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree with what you are saying, but the fact does remain that schools are a real problem in Natchez.

I do not live in a fairytale either. I work hard for my money and do not ever seem to be able to stay ahead of the bills...lol...

But, many of the ones that lived in Natchez and drove to Nissan, now live in Jackson. I have heard of many living here. I go to church with 2 sisters that I went to school with and their brother used to drive back and forth til he moved to Richland, a suburb of Jackson recently. He was educated in Natchez and he has worked there since it opened. But the drive and gas got to be too much.

Posted by Fairytale (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 11:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)

True (redusmfan), I'm just saying that until our community gets better leadership, things will never change.

There will always be reasons why new business can't come here, and so on.

The schools are a problem. But it's more than just that.

I wish the people of influence here (who know better) would force, and guide the kinds of change we need. They are the only ones who can bring any lasting change. The general public is just too fickle. Plus the "dummies" vote too.

We need the power players of our area to take a stand, and leave their mark on our community. They know things don't just work out. Generations of leaders before them MADE things happen.

Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 12:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well, the people of influence there are part of the problem. For too many years, they have coddled to the tourism folks and have given in to becoming a retirement community. It needs to be a movers and shakers community. But, alas, such is life as we have seen it in Natchez.

Posted by Negotiator (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 12:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

You got to start at the top.

Get rid of the mayor, the Superintendent of Schools and the School Board.

Level 2 schools!!

Who is coming to town with jobs with Level 2 schools in place?

No one.

Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 12:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Okay, the same thing has been a problem, NO MATTER WHO THE MAYOR IS OR WAS, what does that have to do with the flooding and the casino closing? What does that have to do with more viable jobs in Natchez other than a casino. I don't care who the mayor is, can we get Natchez together, long enough, to have some jobs come, other than gas stations and restaurants? Red, coddling the tourism folk and that industry, I do believe, is the issue and no mayor voted in, is going against that. When he gets into office, it will be explained to him/her, Natchez is a retirement, historic community and whomever is elected, WILL play ball, no matter what they say to get elected.

Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 12:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)

He does not have to play ball. He can start kicking them out of his office and doing what is really best for all of Natchez.

Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 1:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Kick out whom? The Garden Club? Historical societies? Assuming these are the "powers" that be. Please, are those folk elected by the Mayor or appointed by him? I doubt he/she would be able to do that.

Posted by thetruthhurts (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 1:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

How can Natchez ever hope to be a better place, when even the majority disagree on how to accomplish that task, on this little forum????

Posted by DUCKHUNTER (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 1:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I think it is a MS Law that casinos have to be water based, i'm not sure though. Some one told me that is why so much trouble and so many resources were expended on one of the casinos in Vicksburg. I don't know which one it is, but the developers dug a side channel from the Mississippi and created a cove for this casino to "sit in;" surrounded by water.

Posted by DUCKHUNTER (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 1:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

As for gambling being a disease (or alcohol or smoking, etc, etc....), it's an addiction! You weren't born with it and you didn't contract it. You brought it on yourself! NO DISEASE; DISEASES ARE TERMINAL. ADDICTIONS CAN ATLEAST BE CORRECTED. IT TAKES, FOLLOW ME NOW............................W - I - L - L P - O - W - E - R AND THE FREEDOM OF CHOICE THAT GOD GAVE YOU TO NOT GIVE IN TO THE SLAVERY OF THE VICE.

Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 7:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Ms law required the casinoes to be water based until Katrina came to town. Then Haley got a bill passed that would allow casinoes in coastal counties to build within 800 feet of the shoreline.These are land based casinoes. It can only be allowed in coastal counties according to the law. Now that the Mississippi has starting flexing her muscles would be the perfect time to go to Haley and get some help foir the river based casinoes to become land based as well. The taxes that are being lost are state as well as local and will hurt an already struggling state budget.

The Rainbow casino was the one in Vicksburg that spent about 3 million dollars digging the channel to make it river based. That was 3 million on just earthwork to make the channel, not including any pumps or levves.

Posted by sammohon (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 8:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

What was the topic of the article?...seems to have become almost completely lost. This illustrates a suggestion I made to Julie Finley that there be continuous blogs on major issues so that they don't dissappear after a week or so. Let's get back on track.

Regarding the water-borne casinos vs. land-based, redusmfan is right. When "Lady Luck" came to town, and they were the first, lawmakers were uncertain how successful they would be and how much flak they would receive for allowing them to come in. Hence, the water-borne caveat in the law, with the lawmakers assumption, that if the deal didn't work you cut'em loose and let them float downriver.

I think it's reasonably safe to say, that the casinos are here to stay and that the land-based loophole the coast has received put all of us, from Natchez to Tunica, at an unfair disadvantage, particularly, when the river gets so high as to shut the casinos down. It should be one law for all!

Regarding the "disease" argument against gambling, IMO, it's BS, diseases are inherited, contracted or caused by mutation and physically destroy the body.

Addictions, while self-inflicted, do harm the body and have a physical component due to the substance involved, that causes most of the harm and difficulty curing them. They are addictions, not diseases.

Gambling is psychological, not a disease, not an addiction, it is a weakness of character.

The religious argument doesn't hold water for me either. It's fine if you don't like it. It's fine if you don't condone and/or actively condemn it. It's not fine to close up a source of revenue for the city when they are few as it is. It's not fine to close up an industry that does provide jobs to those who may not feel the way you do. It's not fine to close up businesses that support and trade with other businesses and boost other industries like tourism. It's not fine to close up engines of progress that spin off other businesses such as restaurants, hotels, etc. It's not fine to tell me what I should think, do, or feel. In short your right to swing your fist ends just before you hit my nose.

Posted by buttercup26 (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

hahahaha! let that cheap thing stay closed!! BRING ON THE NEW ONE!! I GOT MY PENNY'S ALL ROLLED AND READY!! ;)

Posted by texasranger (anonymous) on April 14, 2008 at 10:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Natchez is run for the minorities,it will soon be another Fayette. If someone out of wedlock has a child,it should be sent to a orphans home,that would put a kink in the welfare.
the mom could sit at home with her parents or go to work. Since theirs no husband around,and start giving out commodities like they did years ago, which would benefit the small farmers,do away with food stamps. They would releive one giant problem on the taxpayer who supports all these freeloaders.

Posted by Fairytale (anonymous) on April 15, 2008 at 1:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The casino(s)? are here to stay. So what? Bring a dozen more if you want. 100 of them could never make these old homes not be unique. The people who want to see them would still come. A "cathouse" on every corner couldn't keep them away.

Personally I don't like the casinos, but who cares. They're part of the mix. The Live Oaks, and the spring flowers are still pretty.

(redusmfan at 12:19 p.m.) You're right about certain people of influence being part of the problem. That's life ain't it?
But... there are others. Others who don't live life looking in the rear view mirror.

(thetruthhurts at 1:21 p.m.) We, the general public will never agree. I can't speak for you, but I am not, and I'll assume most here are not the influential folks.

For the most part, this is just a place for us to vent our frustrations. Like the barber/beauty shop maybe. It has no effect whatsoever except to raise our blood pressure. But you never know what could be stirred up, right?

The mayor, and ALL like him are paper tigers. They may help, or facilitate, but they alone are insignificant in the long run. Certain people control Natchez, and any other city.

Most of the older ones who didn't give a @##n about "politically correct" are dead and buried, but not all of them. They built Natchez/Vidalia out of the sticks, and I for one have a great respect for many of them. Some of the acorns didn't fall far from the tree, as the old saying goes. Some of them are made of the right stuff. They know you will never satisfy everybody, and they know how to make things happen. Think Hattiesburg just happened? It ain't just because there's a college there.

My question is simply this. Are there enough left (young or old) who care?

Until enough of them get their heads together, nothing of any significance, will ever happen. Someday this area will shine again. May we all live long enough to see it.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.