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Creek can't get caught in the buzz
Published Friday, April 25, 2008
Every campaign season brings a new set of buzzwords to the forefront of the community.
This year the popular ones are simple things — streets, housing, crime and recreation.
Every candidate in the upcoming mayoral election is using the words. They’d be silly not to.
But this time the words seem almost too simple. Campaign season has taken complex issues and made them easy, quick words.
It’s the words that are being left out that are worrisome.
No candidate can go into office in a few months and fix all the streets, tear down all the dilapidated houses, solve the crime problem and erect a beauty of a ballpark.
It just won’t happen.
The list of simple words will have to be prioritized. And it’s likely something can’t be funded at all.
St. Catherine Creek is gorgeous right now. The rising Mississippi River has done outdoor enthusiasts a favor on the creek. And Tuesday, supporters of a plan to permanently raise the waters of the creek did a little campaigning of their own.
They took all three mayoral candidates for a kayak ride and a few hours of relaxation.
Hopefully the candidates enjoyed their ride. But we also hope they realize the bitter reality of tossing money toward the project in the future.
It would be wonderful to have St. Catherine Creek as a recreation site. The project would bring some money into town, sure.
But it can’t be placed above things like streets and crime on the priority list.
We hope the project becomes a reality, but the money cannot come from city coffers right now.
That’s just the simple truth.
Comments
Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on April 25, 2008 at 6:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ok, no candidate can make a crook stop what he is doing. No candidate can make a street better. But their attitudea and actions can changethe very direction that a town heads. I am amazed that nowhere in this article did the BIGGEST BUZZWORD of all come out...
JOBS!!!!!!HELP THE SCHOOLS GET BETTER SO COMPANIES WILL BRING BETTER JOBS TO NATCHEZ!!!!1
Posted by ntzmom (anonymous) on April 25, 2008 at 10:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's a shame that funds arent available. The Creek would be such a huge asset to Natchez.
I dont see why it cant be funded, I mean, i dont think the streets will be fixed anyway.
Posted by sammohon (anonymous) on April 25, 2008 at 1:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I always thought it might be nice to dam up Spanish Bayou too...it would give a lot of people lake front property along with the associated increase in value...LOL
Posted by southernbelle (anonymous) on April 26, 2008 at 9:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If you think you can do it , it can be done ! Believe !
Posted by sammohon (anonymous) on April 26, 2008 at 3:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
There might be a downside on the ecological side...a lot of kudzu would drown...LOL
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on April 26, 2008 at 10:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
hhhhmmmm.......Being tourist is so grand borrow money from them....
Posted by Yeahuhuh (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 9:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think we ought to keep spending money on crime and streets and make Natchez as boring for our kids as possible. That way they will move far away, and the nice ones will send for the rest of us when we get old.
He,he! Just kidding.
I say make the lakes -- dumber things get done every day, and the #1 complaint about this town is that if you don't like old houses it is boring.
Posted by Preacher (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 11:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Political issue? NOT. It's a good idea, but I don't think it is practical with the sandy loam soil in our area. Entergy didn't build a plant right on St Catherine creek on Steam Plant road, I was told, because they drilled 30 feet and never found a solid bottom. I've ridden through that part of the creek, and it is like quicksand. Notice how quickly the water level goes back down, and it is not all pouring out the end so a dam probably would not do any good. Like any lake or pond, we need a little clay to sustain the water level. It would be a nice recreation addition to our area, but I'd like to see some soil tests and feasibility studies run before we waste any money.
Posted by mudzillaefi (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 3:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Creek, kayaking, summer tourism, drunk kids, accidents, drownings, creek bottom littereed with broken bottles and cans, lost land to flooding, loss of jobs from gravel pits that mine gravel from creek bed, and not to mention the park and picnic areas this will create for the drug heads to take over, plaster with graffiti and hang out at. HMMMM..... sounds like an excellent plan. But first take a drive over to Bogue chitto and watch the action for a day. Next idea???!!!!
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 4:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sounds like a good project! Is there any group that is heading up the intent of the feelings or an individual?
Posted by Yeahuhuh (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 5:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sounds like mudzillaefi -- in a world where some people see a glass half full and some see one half empty -- sees all glasses as already broken, dangerous and dropped by someone of low moral character.
Posted by getagrip (anonymous) on April 30, 2008 at 2:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
mudzillaefi- Do you really think that something such as St. Catherine Creek, which flows behind many residences and populated areas, can accurately be compared to the un-policed Bogue Chitto?? I think that if this is really feasible it would be a wonderful asset for our community. It would benefit tourism and add a very needed recreation area to the Natchez community. Not to mention the positive effect it would have on property values and the Grand Village.
Posted by mudzillaefi (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 11:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
There are residences all along bogue chitto as well. Doesn't stop em there?! there are tons of other things this money could be used for. Tons. Schools, roads, to name a couple. This creek has done fine for millions of years without our help or intervention. Flooding it will undoubtedly create havoc with land owners too.
Posted by mudzillaefi (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 11:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yeahuhuh, Once the low morale character is not the issue anymore and drownings, trespassing, and property damage are, I will take distinct pleasure in saying, "i told you so".
Posted by Yeahuhuh (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 1 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mudzilla, the creek hasn't done fine for millions of years by itself. It was altered to make it what it is. It mostly cuts through sediments that are only 18,000 years old, and it cuts so deeply only because it was altered by someone who wanted to make some money and didn't care what that did to St. Catherine's Creek.
You seem to be the only one with no faith in people or progress, and suffering from low "morale" character. You also seem to be the type who would shut off access to public water for what? Because you fear crime and trespassing and all that evil?
Why don't you push to make us a dry county, ticket people who float down the Bogue Chitto or any navigable stream, and make trespass a life sentence with no benefit of parole? he,he! Maybe then your neighbors will be right enough for you?
Posted by mudzillaefi (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 2 p.m. (Suggest removal)
death penalty for open container and or drug possession. Life sentence for drum paraphenalia, hands cut off for stealing. Lol nah these are just jokes to pull your chain Yeah. I think the creek is fine the way it is. The creek meanders throught the Trace and natchez the way it has when I was boy. It should be left alone. thats my point. Moral and Morale are two different things Yeah. Not sure which one you meant?! lol. IMHO neighbors are not what make this issue a hot topic. Its the fact that over the many years that I have known Natchez, it has always been the Garden club or minority entities who would like to "sugar coat" natchez and make it look like Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. This is 2008 and they need to remember, Katrina happened, Illegal Immagration happens, and natchez just ain't what it used to be. Not by a long shot.
Posted by mudzillaefi (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 2:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh, they dry county would never take hold. Public water is public water, but St catherine creek travels across many many acres of private land, that like it or not is jealously gaurded by the land owners. If you don't believe me, ride an ATV on it. Please don't try to say that thats different becuase it isn't. ATV travel is no more invasive than floating a swollen creek until you get out of the water and check out someone elses property or land. The bridge on HWY 33 over the Homochitto used to see a lot of recreational useage until idiots rode they're bikes up onto posted private land, and drove someones livestock over the edge of a small cliff killing and maiming them. This is why, unlike the days when i was young and you could go just about anywhere you wanted to hunt or fish or ride, etc. now you see posted signs everywhere you turn and no trespassing signs etc. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Leave the creek how it is.
Posted by hopefloats (anonymous) on May 9, 2008 at 5:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sounds like a great idea but how would you get access to it? Lake front property for some...trespassing for others. Its purpose would be to swim? That would be a lot of liter and not so safe. IF it is for fising...whos keeping it up? They can't even say they have enough money for a small pier at Boy Scout Lake at the airport. Will it be kept up like Duncan Park..locked at night for safety? NOt such a great idea..quick sand, high bluffs, access to the mighty mississippi river. Not for it. Thought it was a great idea at first but has to be a better plan to be on board for this.
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