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Road blocks and more officers will be out for the holiday
Published Friday, July 4, 2008
NATCHEZ — As residents of the Miss-Lou hit the highways and waterways to celebrate July 4, local law enforcement will have a strong presence.
“If you’re traveling around during the Fourth weekend you will most likely see a road block or a deputy stopping someone,” Adams County Sheriff Ronny Brown said. “The reason we’re doing it is to save lives.”
The Adams County Sheriff’s Office will have road blocks set up along the major county roads like Liberty Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Road and will have all available officers on patrol.”
The Natchez Police Department will also have all extra officers on the road, but will not have more road blocks until Sunday.
“We’re looking for any violations — seat belt, child restraint, driving under suspension, expired tags,” Natchez Police Chief Mike Mullins said.
However, both Brown and Mullins said that they do not expect to see an increase in drunk driving over July 4 weekend because people know that police will be out in force.
“Normally people are aware that we’re out so we don’t have an extraordinary number of DUI arrest compared to other times,” Mullins said.
Concordia Parish authorities will also be on the look out, especially along the area lakes, Sheriff Randy Maxwell said. The Lake St. John Flotilla and the Blessing of the Fleet are planned for Saturday and are expected to add to the July 4 lake traffic.
“We’re cautioning everyone to be safe on both the highways and the lakes this weekend,” Maxwell said. “One accident is too many. There’ll be people driving, boating and swimming all weekend so we all have to watch out for one another and remember that the top safety hazards are speed and alcohol — whether it’s involving a boat, car or truck.”
Comments
Posted by southernbelle (anonymous) on July 4, 2008 at 8:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope it saves lives ! Happy 4th everybody !
Posted by olderthandirt (anonymous) on July 4, 2008 at 11:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope they really have the roadblocks out and catch wrongdoers.As of yet, on holiday week-ends, we have never seen a roadblock, as written about.Makes you wonder what roads are being checked.
Posted by humorme (anonymous) on July 4, 2008 at 12:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
roadblocks are an invasion of privacy and unconstitutional.
In the state of Mississippi your car is an extention of your home. How excited would you be if the police decided to go door to door looking for wrong doers? what a way to celebrate our freedom, by violating our right to it! Happy Independence Day!
Posted by lambchop (anonymous) on July 4, 2008 at 12:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It is hard for me to read the message left by humorme and keep a straight face. Roadblocks are necessary and should happen more frequently than they do. Law enforcement can't be everywhere and this way they get to meet and greet many and especially catch those who have not purchased new tags. Your freedom is being violated each time a wrongdoer gets away with something illegal. No laws, no freedom, no peace. Go sink your head somewhere out of sight.
Posted by Riffian1964 (anonymous) on July 4, 2008 at 1:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
humorme - when was the last time you heard about a drunk in a house running over and killing someone?
Posted by Username (anonymous) on July 4, 2008 at 2:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed
the Declaration of Independence? Five signers were captured by the
British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their
homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the
Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine of the 5
fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.
They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their
sacred honor.
What kind of men were they?
Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine
were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated.
But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well
that the penalty would be death if they were captured. Carter Braxton
of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from
the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay
his debts, and died in rags. Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the
British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He
served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding.
His possessions were taken from him,and poverty was his reward.
Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer,
Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Rutledge, and Middleton. At the battle of
Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr, noted that the British General Cornwallis
had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged
General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and
Nelson died bankrupt. Francis Lewis had his home and properties
destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few
months. John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was
dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his
gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in
forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his
children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a
broken heart. Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.
Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution.
These were not wild-eyed, rabble- rousing ruffians. They were
soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they
valued liberty more. Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they
pledged: "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on
the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each
other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor." They gave you
and me a free and independent America. The history books never told
you a lot about what happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn't
fight just the British.
We were British subjects at that time and we fought our own
government! Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but
we shouldn't. So,take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July
holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for
the price they paid
Posted by southernrose (anonymous) on July 4, 2008 at 3:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
to humorne why don't you tell the parents of the kids that got killed on the fourth last year that it is an invasion of privacy.i'm sure that they don't think so.and if it stops one person from getting killed i am all for it.the officers have my full support i have three kid that will be out tonight and hope that this will help keep them safe.happy fourth of july everyone.
Posted by humorme (anonymous) on July 4, 2008 at 3:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am not an advocate of drunk driving. I think violators of the law should be punished. I just don't think that stopping everyone the innocent and the guilty just to weed out the guilty is right. Calling that a "little meet and greet", well now I'm having trouble keeping the straight face. Thats like calling Goebels book burnings little cozy campfires.
I appreciate the work of the police. I know at times it can be a difficult and dangerous job. But you cannot convince me that stopping every person just to make sure they aren't up to no good, is right, cause it's not!
Posted by southernrose (anonymous) on July 4, 2008 at 4:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think if you have nothing to hide then it doesn't make a difference weather they stop you and ask information or not, But everyone knows that they can't be everywhere all the time,so putting up roadblocks can help keep the bad ones off the road for the other drivers. so we won't have to worry about someone driving while they are drunk and killing us.
Posted by unclered (anonymous) on July 4, 2008 at 5:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Nice to know the gestapo will be out in force tonight harassing the public. When it comes to crime prevention the NPD is totally ineffective and not much better at handling crimes already committed. So what is the NPD's answer? Violate the 5th and 14th amendment rights of the public and if they are lucky they might catch somebody with a dime bag of pot. Yeah, that's who we should fill our prisons with. What we have here is a real Barney Fife operation for law enforcement. Happy Independence Day in the Land of the Screwed.
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on July 4, 2008 at 8:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY EVERYONE!
Posted by notfromnatchez (anonymous) on July 4, 2008 at 8:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Humorme--it is completely constitutional. The police are checking EVERYONE. They are not making discriminatory stops. That's how they are able to do it. I totally agree with it and hope they continue it.
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on July 4, 2008 at 10:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
notfrom - hey God's not making them do it, huh?
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on July 4, 2008 at 11:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope and pray for a safe 4th for everyone this year and that we don't wake up to headlines like last year.
Happy Independence Day everyone!
Posted by lindseyeknighton (anonymous) on July 4, 2008 at 11:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Okay so we should not even respond or acknowledge the comment made by humorme because a comment written to say such things had to have been written by a person of little intelligence because that is the most outrageous thing I have ever read. I am a big fan of road blocks and of the fact that the road is in the property of anyone that drives on it and if you are on a road you are on my property and the police patrol our propety so therfore your car is on my property and the police have every right to see if you are using that within the limits that are set.
Do you get my point?
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on July 5, 2008 at 9:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Point taken and a good one it is!
Posted by NatchezEnema (anonymous) on July 5, 2008 at 4:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I support the police too. Here is my 2 cents for the people who think it is ok to check everybody at a roadblock. There is a lot of fuss and cuss over telephone taps by the goverment. I am sure the people who support road blocks must surely support wire taps by the goverment trying to catch terrorist. What is the difference? Why not listen to everbody on the phone in hope of catching someone plotting a bombing or terror plot. You know what the difference is? Nothing. It' an invasion of privacy. Southern rose, if you have nothing to hide would you mind for your phone conversation to be listened in on?
Posted by southernrose (anonymous) on July 5, 2008 at 8:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I have nothing to hide on my phone or anywhere else for that matter.but unlike phone tapping.the police are out there trying to protect everyone on the road what if it where your child that got hit by a drunk driver.what would you say then.
Posted by frogprincenessntz (anonymous) on July 6, 2008 at 3:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Username...I did read your post and thank you for it. Brave and courageous men have given their all for our country since its inception. Too bad that some of the other yokels on here do not appreciate them.
Posted by truthseeker (anonymous) on July 7, 2008 at 12:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm all for protecting yor privacy' But as a previous first responder ,when you get behind the wheel of a car drunk than all bets are off. If you ever had to respond to a bad accident and have a young girl trappedin a car with the moter pressing on her legs.a6inch split in her fore head all the way to the bone,bleeding to death,and going in to shock so she doesn't know why she can't get out of the car.So you do what you can to stop the bleeding,try to keep her calm,all the while you are praying for others to get there and help before she dies in your arms.When they do it still takes another 2 hours to cut her out of the car while you are standing in gasolinefrom a rupture in the gas tank on and on.All the while the other driver (drunk) walks around with not a scratch on him,I think You would be Thanking God that we have Police that are willing (for little pay)to be on the road blocks trying to keep us and our loved ones safe. I'm glad you lived thru the 4th to be here on the blog.
Posted by dg9566 (anonymous) on July 7, 2008 at 2:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
seems to me you need to get your local officials to working on jobs for your going nowhere city.been down pretty long aint you.
Posted by dg9566 (anonymous) on July 7, 2008 at 3:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
LISTEN PEOPLE.JUST LET THE POLICE DEPT DO WHATEVER IT IS THEY CLAIM TO DO.ALTHOUGH I HAVE TO ADMIT THEY DO WORK A LOT LIKE THE BARNEY FIFES OF THE WORLD.YOU SHOULD BE TRYING TO GET SOME GOOD PAYING JOBS IN YOUR COMMUNITY.A CITY WHERE THE BIGGEST PAYROLL IS YOUNG PEOPLE SELLING DRUGS ON YOUR STREETS.NOW DO YOU SEE WHERE THE BARNEY FIFE COMMENT COME FROM.AS YOU SWEAR IN YOUR NEW MAYOR THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO TURN THINGS AROUND.SIMPLY HAVING THE MOST INMATES IN PRISON FOR ONE OF THE SMALLEST TOWNS IN OUR STATE IS NOT WORKING.SO HEY, COME ON OUT OF DENIAL AND JUST ADMIT THAT YOU 'VE DONE A TERRIBLE JOB OF RUNNING YOUR CITY IN THE PAST.THAT'S USUALLY THE FIRST STEP IN THE HEALING PROCESS.SO FORGET ABOUT TOUGH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND LET YOUR PAID OFFICERS TAKE CARE OF THAT.AFTER ALL THAT'S WHAT YOU PAY THEM FOR ISN'T IT.STOP YOUR CITY FROM ITS DECLINE AND IN THE MEANTIME LIFT UP YOUR SPIRITS.THERE'S SOME BENIFITS YOU KNOW.BENIFITS LIKE LESS KIDS IN PRISON,MORE RESPECTFUL CITIZENS,GOOD JOBS ,GOOD HOMES, AND JUST PLAIN PROSPERITY.TRY IT YOU'LL LIKE IT.IT COMES WITH ALL THE INCENTITIES YOU KNOW.HEY GUESS WHAT NATCHEZ,YOU CAN HAVE THE OLD AND THE NEW WORKING RIGHT ALONG SIDE EACH OTHER.ITS CALLED COOPERATION.HOPE THIS HELPED.
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