should Magnolia have a civic center

do you think Magnolia should have a civic center? Also as America has elected an African-American President, do you think Magnolia would elect an African-American mayor? take this poll http://apps.facebook.com/realpolls/m/1buandbg...

no, i think magnolia needs a bigger and better drug task force. im tired of seeing all the ppl that are strung out on meth around here, which most of it is being cooked up locally. im also sick and tired of seeing all these thugs that drive around in these painted up cars with the big wheels and loud radios that are obviously unemployed. reason i say that is i see them driving around at all hours of the day as im at work. i call them "street pharmasist". lets spend some money to clean this town up from all the trash, white and black. i would also like to see the gov pass a law that a person has to pass a drug test to get welfare, food stamps, etc. with all the money saved from not paying these people to set on thier porch and smoke their dope and drink thier wine, we could ballance the budget. i think the reason they wont pass that law is because they know those kind of people would start steeling everyday, because the last thing they would ever do is get a job. then all hell would break loose. its time for someone to do something that has the power to do it, not build a damn civics center.

Magnolia does not need a civic center! There are plenty of venues in Magnolia for activities which might be held in a civic center: the Reynolds Center at SAU, the arena at the high school, the auditoriums at SAU and the junior high, the meeting rooms out at the industrial park, the armory, the Wes Weiser gymnasium, community rooms at the various banks. I'm sure the there are even more I'm not thinking of right now, but the last thing Magnolia needs is a civic center.

I think it will be great to see a new mayor here in Magnolia, whether he/she be African American or Caucasian.

the reason why i think we need a civic center is for Magnolia to generate extra tax money without increasing other taxes. The civic center could hold a basketball arena which could double to hold concerts, business meeting places, children's theatre, museum of natrual sciences, art, and/or history, an aquarium, and a grand ballroom. most of the places we have now are mostly used by the schools, but i think Magnolia can have a busy civic center. This will also strengthen the square; so goes the square, so goes the city. As for as drugs and violence, we absolutely need to be tougher on crime, im in favor of some of the laws that Texas has, where if someone is walking in someone's yard or committing a crime and is a threat, the property owner has the right to use deadly force. I think Florida's 10-20-Life law is a great law to cut gun violence while preserving the rights of gun owners. I also think that we need after school programs geered to keep students from dropping out of school, prepare them for college, and strengthen elemenatry students to be better students when they get older to suppliment what they learn in schools. A failed student and failed child will cause problems when he or she is older. First and formost, THE CIVIC LEADERS NEED TO STEP UP AND STOP SITTING ON THE SIDELINES! How much more of Magnolia needs to decay, how many more people need to get on drugs, or how many more shootings and homicides must happen when they say enough is enough!

Who would play in a new basketball arena? The schools and the college have their own arenas/gymnasiums and the Wes Weiser gymnasium is also available. These facilities can be used for concerts as well. Our city/county should not be spending tax dollars on duplicate facilities.
The changes in the laws you are talking about would have to be addressed by the state legislature, not locally. Our mayor, who is one of those you say need to step up and stop sitting on the sidelines, is trying to move up to the state legislature-- where he can keep the status quo at a state level! Maybe someone will run against him...
I agree, more after school programs are needed here. The Boys and Girls Club can't do it all! Something must be done to make all of our students better. If there is one thing that would help the most students, I think it is critical that all students be stronger readers. That isn't the only problem, but in my opinion, it would be the best starting point.

Reading is the best staring point, Magnolian. You hit the nail on the head. 74% of Magnolia's students are at their adequate reading level according to their grade levels in school, according to the state of Arkansas education department. As far as the civic center maybe 2 or three games could be played there from Magnolia and SAU, but their facilities are their's and they have their own schedule. Other things would be in the civic center also. As far as tax dollars, I never said anything about taxes paying for it. It could be private or half private and half public. I think other things should be addressed before working on the civic center. But we can get other games from other schools and NCAA Div 2 events and state events. Events from the state of Arkansas maybe along shot because it seems as if Arkansas' government does not recognize anything south of Hot Springs. Only reason why Texarkana gets attention is because of Texas and Arkansas wants to try to compete with Texas when it comes to Texarkana. But certainly I would like to see the square become more active. First we must cut crime, poverty, expand opportunities for individuals who want to start a homegrown business in Magnolia and get Magnolia business to expand in other larger towns to increase Magnolia's sphere of economic influence. As far as someone running against him for state representative, i believe someone will run against him, i just dont know who exactly. I have heard some names. The question I really want to know is, who is going to run for mayor of Magnolia in 2010.

Fact is, we don't have much of a mayor. I drive past City Hall several times a day, and rarely do I see him there. Being a lifelong Magnolian, I can tell you that the first job the man has was as mayor of Magnolia. Lots of experience there! I too hope someone runs against him for state rep. I'll support them monetarily and get out and help them.
A civic center would be a joke. We have far more things that need sprucing up to rebuild Magnolia; like demanding some of the dilapidated properties on Main and Jackson are fixed up.

Get Real, I'm with you 100%. I am thinking of a political office sometime in the future. Right now I'm 25yo but I'm not sure of Magnolia would elect a 25yo ha ha. But yes sprucing up Magnolia is one of the first things that should be done. I think cutting crime, tearing down all dilapidated houses across town, sprucing up the city as a whole, reduce poverty, improve education, then economic opportunity should be addressed first. After those plans have been accomplished, then I think Magnolia could think about a civic center and try to get into the tourist market by making a move to get more attractions in the area.

Stamps almost elected Amanda Black when she was 20 years old. It's never to early. I agree with both of you on the issues of crime and education. On the civic center, wait and see how El Dorado's new civic center fairs. I think it's a waste of taxpayer money. Check out Springhill's civic center and the one at Fordyce.

I really like what Mt.Pleasant has done with their civic center. Mt.Pleasant, TX, downtown looks almost like downtown Magnolia and is about the same size. El Dorado, I think has bigger problems that a civic center cannot solve more so than Magnolia but El Dorado fairs better than Camden. With SAU, Magnolia has the ability to adapt to the changing economy; however, Arkansas and the leadership in Magnolia must work for it. El Dorado which is more dependent on oil and industrials will have more of a problem adjusting to the new economy. I think Arkansas has ignored everything south of Hot Springs and spend most of its time on northern and central Arkansas rather than investing in the state as a whole.

"I think Arkansas has ignored everything south of Hot Springs and spend most of its time on northern and central Arkansas rather than investing in the state as a whole."

yeah, look at the demographics of northern ar vs. souther ar.
ppl are moving away from here to northern ar like wildfire. its called "white flight".

I will say this about Texas, Texas does do a better job of investing in the state as a whole than Arkansas. Look at a map of Texas, It has the best infrastructure and every city of 10,000 people or more has a 4lane highway through it that connects to a 4lane highway. I hope that Arkansas will develope a plan to do the same. Also, a large percentage of the population from southern Arkansas is moving to Texarkana and cities in northern and eastern Texas.

Who do U think would perform in Magnolia? Maybe Tracie Lawrence or some other minor twanger. cetainly no one of any talent.

Big name people takes big name bucks, besides doesn't have to be just music

Look at all the thinkgs going on at the centurytel center in shreveport, and i just heard on the local news station that they lost over half a million dollars this year. Im not shure we're ready yet.

Texarkana's Perot Theatre is very busy with many shows. We don't have to spend so much money like what Shreveport has done, but this would be something down the road. But this wouldn't be just a theatre and a small basketball arena for national d2 tournaments. This can have a children's theatre, aquarium (fresh or salt water fish) ball room, art gallery, expo halls, exhibit halls. Texarkana is getting the Grant-Lee exhibit. I believe that we can attract exhibits to Magnolia. May only be open Thur-Sun.

AN AQUARIUM??? Gimme a break...U can't be serious (As tumultuous laughter is heard from the crowd)...HA!

We shall see

Come on Razorback, an aquarium and a art gallery? You think we really ought to be spending our money on this? Get real!

OK, GET THIS ALL THROUGH YOUR HEADS, I never said that it should be something that should be done in the next year or so, nor did I ever say that this should all be financed by tax dollars. All I did was put the idea out there.