Posted by oldschool (anonymous) on June 1, 2008 at 1:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Well you see if we had other things to do to occupy us we might not drink that much!! Where are the kids/adult things to do in this retirement town? Everybody is too busy picking colors out to paint their house per the Garden Club colors that they forget their is nothing for intertainment in this town. When a group of people get together for a lunchen/evening they drink also cause what else are we to do?

Posted by crystal0429 (anonymous) on June 1, 2008 at 1:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)

i agree with you oldschool... if they had more things for young adults to do, it might stop alot of the drinking.

Posted by Mucasplug (anonymous) on June 1, 2008 at 7:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Its a bad problem, and if you have $4,000 bucks Buck Pintard can get you off off of any DUI. What's that all about??

Posted by OldGrandDad (anonymous) on June 1, 2008 at 7:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I find it facinating how the "Garden Club" takes the blame.

Posted by southernbelle (anonymous) on June 1, 2008 at 8:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Hello ya'll , anybody that says they are bored and have nothing to do ,can only blame themselves . I just can't understand the "I'm not my fault"excuse. If you drink & drive and bad things happen then you have only yourself to blame.

Posted by Idefinitelymight (Tom Scarborough) on June 1, 2008 at 9 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The adults in Natchez and Vidalia set a terrible example for young people when it comes to drinking responsibly. Alcohol consumed excessively seems central to nearly every social event here. Folks still act is if it their right to drive with an open container of alcohol. Or else they seem to think they are making some kind of anti-authoritarian statement by drinking and driving, usually compounded by then tossing the empties out the car window. I would like to see local law enforcement really begin to take this issue seriously. NPD has one officer allocated to patrolling for drunk drivers. That is not enough. There need to be random sobriety checkpoints on a regular basis to send the message that drunk driving is a serious offense. And, of course, judges need to reinforce the message by imposing stiff sentences--particularly on repeat offenders.

Posted by iomo (anonymous) on June 1, 2008 at 9:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree with you southernbelle. There's plenty to do. Don't expect the community to keep everyone entertained. Walk your dog, spend the day with your family, have a picnic, work in your yard, explore the Trace, go visit the Welcome Center, go to a movie, go to a play, go to church or activities of one, go visit one of those old homes you may never have been in, visit family and friends, have a cook out, go fishing, go to one of the many festivals we have here, take a downtown walking tour, go out of town, etc.

Posted by lambchop (anonymous) on June 1, 2008 at 9:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)

the first posting made me think back to my childhood which was many years ago. Probably parents and kids said the same thing, but the difference of my youth compared to today is that we had to think. We used our imaginations and came up with car games, yard games, neighborhood games. Sure, when you travel you want prepared activities but today much depends on the prepared activities. Kids listen to parents and think they need to go where everything is planned for them. Parents (not all by any means, but many) don't want to be bothered with the children as they want to do their own thing. This is understandable but a little planning will do much to relieve this problem. Of course, in my childhood parents did not have the spending money that is available today, even if getting limited. There are lots of things to do in our community but no one wants to search it out. Ball fields, tennis courts, movies, soccer, skating, camping, swimming, hiking, telling stories. Start the family on a genealogy trek -- search the cemeteries, give your children family history they can take into adulthood. Just use some imagination.

Natchez has always had a drinking problem and alcohol is the base of many disorders and problems. I am guilty of drinking and driving as a young adult and luckily nothing bad came about for it. I am truly sorry I did that but my parents did not know about it. I sneaked! Parents need to not preach but set a good example. Parents need to explain the aftermath of a drinking binge and let children know what happens. We got some good kids who just want to let loose and don't understand what happens. Automobiles, trucks, motorcycles are all weapons of destruction if used improperly. Abide by speed limits, too.

Posted by blackwood (anonymous) on June 1, 2008 at 9:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Agreed. There is PLENTY to do in and around Natchez. And I do not expect any level of government to provide me with recreation or entertainment.

Marc Blackwood

Posted by BOBCAT1974 (anonymous) on June 1, 2008 at 10:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I have grown kids that are married,i know for a fact that they have gotten behind the wheel of a car after drinking.A party,crawfish boil,birthday party,Christmas party are playing softball all day and night.I always thought that maby they would'nt do this.WRONG! WRONG!WRONG!They saw me,there mother go through losing a brother,due to drinking and driving.To losing a sister because of someone drinking and driving caused her to wreck.Both died on impact.It does'nt matter what you say or what they see you go through they still will do whatever.I never saw my little brother drink,his wife left him with two small children at the time and this was his way of handling the problem.Because of his choice that fatal night his chidren grew up without their Dad.I thank God noone else was involved in this tradgedy.We loved him and miss him it's been since 1987.Tony was 26 years old,same age as these two families.My sister was killed in 1998 she was 32 years old.On a Thursday around noon someone who had been drinking pulled out into traffic witness said that she tried to dodge the car sticking halfway out into the road,but hit a truck head on.It killed her on impact.She left behind a Husband and two little girls at the time.All of them have had to suffer and so have the rest of the families.Even though both have been gone for some time it still fills like it was yesterday that we received those calls.Both my boy's are alive and well,but i beg of them and to anyone else please be resposible people when you do make that the choice to drink and drive.Call someone to come and pick you up!!!!!!!!!

Posted by jnarts (anonymous) on June 1, 2008 at 11:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The standard has been set,we can't ask anyone to not do the things we're doing ourselves.we have drive in's,drive through's,drive by and get it free right here on your corner,and pretty soon we will have refillable bars in the cars with drive by refilling station's.This has to be a spiritual movement to tear down & rebuild our standard's.we all have to be ready to make some big sacrifices.we need to pray and apply ourselves tomaking changes now instead of at these funerals.J Nelson

Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on June 1, 2008 at 12:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The NPD and the ACSO need to take a more aggressive approach to "Checkpoints" around Natchez and Adams County along with the assistance of the MHP! This also should be happening in Concordia Parish also! Proof of insurance should also be checked, along with other possible moving violations. The "checkpoints" should be unannounced!

Posted by narcissus (anonymous) on June 1, 2008 at 12:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I have only lived in Natchez for a short time, but in that time I have noticed that a great many people - young and older - in this area depend on drinking and going to bars as their source for entertainment, or at least it seems that way. Though I have never been much of a drinker, I don't see having a drink now and then as anything bad. What I do have a problem with, however, is when I see people of drinking age getting drunk on a regular basis, hearing stories of what someone did when they were "wasted", etc. We are adults and regardless of what there is or isn't to do around here, this kind of behavior is adolescent and immature. It is something that I would expect from a teenager sneaking a beer at a field party to be "cool"or a college student who thinks drinking is a social sign of being an adult. I hate driving around Natchez or going downtown on the weekends for fear of drunk drivers who are not responsible enough to call a cab or have a designated driver. Using the excuse that "there isn't anything else to do here" isn't good enough. Try explaining that to the family members of those who were killed by a drunk driver. What do you say to them? I'm not saying people shouldn't drink. What I am saying is that people should be more responsible if they are going to drink. Act like adults and not like children who need to be entertained. I am in my 20s and have found plenty of things to do around here in the short time that I've lived here to keep me "entertained" without having to rely on drinking and partying.

Posted by BOBCAT1974 (anonymous) on June 1, 2008 at 1:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

narcissus-AMEN!!!Sounds like you have a good head on you're shoulder for someone so young. GOD BLESS YOU!!

Posted by buttercup26 (anonymous) on June 1, 2008 at 7:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

there is PLENTY TO DO IN NATCHEZ!! there is fishing,sleeping,fishing, a lil mud riding, did i mention fishing? and of course an occasonial drinking around the huge fire out there some where in he beautiful country! (oh how i miss that about home sweet home)