Damn shame what's happening to parts of Paragould

When i moved to Paragould 24 years ago to get closer to work ,my wife and I were fortunate( I guess)to find an affordable home in a decent area of town. Had lots of nice older neighbors and had a wonderful time raising our family here. But like all other towns i guess as time goes on all the elderly neighbors passed on or moved one by one. Seem like every time their houses come up for sale its never a family who buys the home in this part of town,it's always someone who wants to make it a rent house. I don't have to tell anyone what that does to the neighborhood or property values. We are in the southeast part of town around the 5th St. Church of Christ. As i drove around several adjacent streets the other day just looking at a lot of the homes and apartments and the horrible condition they are in I came to the final realization the i have been fearing for years now. My home is being surrounded by a slowly creeping ghetto. It is inching closer and closer every passing year. I see crackheads, methheads,and every other kind of poor pathetic looking folks walking down the streets making the trek to Dodge Store or wherever they are headed. I wish we could do what so many people do to escape urban sprawl and head to the burbs but not sure that's a viable option financially. I've seen what ghettos have done to some inner cities like St.Louis, Memphis,Little Rock, but i really never thought it would spread in my little quiet neighborhood. I know all these people have to live somewhere but damn u would think they were raised by wolves. No manners, no respect for their neighbors,no pride in where they live or how it looks. Im so sick of seeing these houses with junk piled high on porches and in yards. Looks like a episode of Hoarders gone wrong on some of these streets. But as long as a lot of the good jobs have left town and a lot of these people don't won't a job anyway i guess it will continue unchecked. I know, I know why don't i just move if i don't like it you'll comment. Cause i love it here, love my house, love some of the neigbors, this is our home and I'll imagine I'll tough it out long as possible. Already having to begin shoring up securtity measures such as cameras and alarms cause of recent break-ins and thefts. And my ole trusty shotgun and 9-mil that have always been unloaded are now loaded and within reach. Like i said a damn shame.

Know what yer saying, too bad every one sits on butts not taking care of business.

Neighborhoods go to crap, fat girls drag in wannabe gangsta's erc.

I couldn't have said it better. There are definitely certain parts of town that are plain awful.

I am with you on this. We are in about the same situation. I guess we will tough it out too because we would never get enough out of our house to buy another in a decent area. We also have our guns handy and loaded and visit the shooting range quite often.

I agree with all of you also. I remember when I was a kid, I could go anywhere in town and be somewhat safe. Now I can't even let my kids walk down the street because I don't know what will happend to them. I guess times have change thou, and it isn't just here that has gone to hell, it is everywhere you look.

Time for a change, and not Obama talk either. Paragould was known for being a safe city, and was even called "The safest city in Arkansas" but that is no more.
Maybe you should go to the city council members and ask why the increase in crime, and how they plan on dealing with it. Based on the other cities in the are, there is no reason for the spike here as compared to the other areas. It is almost as bad as Blytheville.

Just be careful what you say or do, everything is considered a hate crime these days.

Thugs and punks are what they are no matter the skin color.

I agree. I don't even call mine a "neighborhood" anymore. I call it a few different things, "Patheticville", "Inconsiderateburg", "SlumWest", etc. Not necessarily how it looks, but because of what happens here.

Neighbors who bring their dogs over into my and other neighbors yards to let their dogs crap and pee in my yard and other neighbors yards; neighbors who borrow my trailer, my chainsaw and other tools and return them in a sad state of obvious misuse and abuse and don't offer to pay for the repairs for the damages they've done; neighbors who don't care about my wife and me until they need something (my trailer or tools, or when they or their kids are raising funds for some event); neighbors who have the discharge chute of their lawn tractors facing over into my yard (and other neighbors yards) and blow all their leaves, weeds, and gumballs (of their gum trees) over into my yard and other neighbors yards; neighbors who let their dogs out at night and in the mornings to crap everywhere else but their own yards, and while the dogs are out in the mornings they tear into everyones gargage (we have photos of it actually happening), and when we tell them about it they say they don't have any dogs (they do, and we know they do because we see them bring the dogs back into their house); neighbors who throw their fast food restaurant disposable drink cups and food wrappers into our yards (we've actually seen the neighbors do it); neighbors who drive twice the posted speed limit of twenty five while leaving and returning home (there are neighbors with youngsters riding their bikes in our neihborhood and could be run over); neighbors who have garage sales and let the buyers park their cars on all their neighbors front lawns; neighbors who drive onto their neighbors front lawns when they enter and exit their own driveways; neighbors who damage others property in some sort of revenge tactic after they've been approached and asked to please stop doing the inconsiderate things they do to us; neighbors who won't attend a special neighborhood get together because they don't like another neighboring family; and a few more things that disgust not only me, but does in fact disgust people in probably every neighborhood. My wife tells me that it not only goes on in our "friendly" city, but in every city. Sadly, my wife is probably right. I visited a relative who lives in a half million dollar house in a gated community (nobody gets in without permission of a home-owner there). I'm ashamed to say, my relative would walk her dog and let it crap in neighbors' yards. My relative and her neighbors, have homes and front lawns that could be featured on the front cover of Homes Magazine. So, sadly and unbelievably, inconsiderate people live in even the best of neighborhoods. And, sadly and shamefully, some of the inconsiderate ones are even sometimes our own family members. If I had the money I'd do what some of the rich and famous do. Buy a small island only big enough for my house. No neighbors. My problem would be solved. Sadly, I'm far from being rich.

Unfortunately until the state & Missouri pass strict drug laws, not much is gonna change. What s illegal to buy here is legal in Missouri 5 minutes away. But that's still not going to solve it. If treatment programs were first offered to drug addicts instead of putting them in prison, lots if things would calm down. Its cheaper to get someone rehab, than put in prison for 5 years. But not everyone wants to take the time to help people.

Rehab only works if the person wants it too. Most druggies like it that way.

Pete Hogwallop wrote:

When i moved to Paragould 24 years ago to get closer to work ,my wife and I were fortunate( I guess)to find an affordable home in a decent area of town. Had lots of nice older neighbors and had a wonderful time raising our family here. But like all other towns i guess as time goes on all the elderly neighbors passed on or moved one by one. Seem like every time their houses come up for sale its never a family who buys the home in this part of town,it's always someone who wants to make it a rent house. I don't have to tell anyone what that does to the neighborhood or property values. We are in the southeast part of town around the 5th St. Church of Christ. As i drove around several adjacent streets the other day just looking at a lot of the homes and apartments and the horrible condition they are in I came to the final realization the i have been fearing for years now. My home is being surrounded by a slowly creeping ghetto. It is inching closer and closer every passing year. I see crackheads, methheads,and every other kind of poor pathetic looking folks walking down the streets making the trek to Dodge Store or wherever they are headed. I wish we could do what so many people do to escape urban sprawl and head to the burbs but not sure that's a viable option financially. I've seen what ghettos have done to some inner cities like St.Louis, Memphis,Little Rock, but i really never thought it would spread in my little quiet neighborhood. I know all these people have to live somewhere but damn u would think they were raised by wolves. No manners, no respect for their neighbors,no pride in where they live or how it looks. Im so sick of seeing these houses with junk piled high on porches and in yards. Looks like a episode of Hoarders gone wrong on some of these streets. But as long as a lot of the good jobs have left town and a lot of these people don't won't a job anyway i guess it will continue unchecked. I know, I know why don't i just move if i don't like it you'll comment. Cause i love it here, love my house, love some of the neigbors, this is our home and I'll imagine I'll tough it out long as possible. Already having to begin shoring up securtity measures such as cameras and alarms cause of recent break-ins and thefts. And my ole trusty shotgun and 9-mil that have always been unloaded are now loaded and within reach. Like i said a damn shame.

You said junk piled up all over, call city hall, ask to speak to the officer in charge of that, I believe it is Monty Martin, if they don't take care of it call the mayor, tell him when you called about this matter, don't let it rest.

change needed wrote:

Time for a change, and not Obama talk either. Paragould was known for being a safe city, and was even called "The safest city in Arkansas" but that is no more.
Maybe you should go to the city council members and ask why the increase in crime, and how they plan on dealing with it. Based on the other cities in the are, there is no reason for the spike here as compared to the other areas. It is almost as bad as Blytheville.

Dear Change Needed,
I feel that you are close to being on target. The Mayor and city council control the purse strings. The entire Judicial SYSTEM: PD, Judges, jails, and Fine Collections have to be funded and enhanced to beyond current levels. The sooner that the cost of these enhancements are made the greater the success in fighting today's crime AND the future growing crime.
Meth heads, Crack heads and thieves will only get worse. It is in large part a result of a lousy economy and lower moral values (moral decay).
Can Paragould get as bad as Blytheville? Believe me, it can and it WILL if a significant Judicial system change does not occur in Paragould and Greene County.
Blytheville is actively looking at changing. And just maybe, the crack heads and meth heads will move away... Do you want them in Paragould? Make crime EASY for them and they WILL come.

This needs great attention. It is a problem in the entire town. First, it needs to start with people taking a little pride in where they live, it doesn't cost money to clean your yard and throw away trash. Second, the code enforcer needs to do his job. Give out tickets/fines to people breaking the law. Make people clean up their crap. Third, Paragould needs a new mayor, one who actually cares about Paragould, one who doesn't mind improving the city so it's citizens can be proud to call this place home.

I could do a better job than that jerk

No offense to some earlier commentators, but stricter drug laws are not the answer. Illegality is what causes dangerous activity. People fight over these things (drugs) because they are novelties that are hard to come by. They loose that value when you put them in a store and tax them. Look at alcohol prohibition.

Maybe Paragould should get a police force that actually does its damn job instead of harassing people over minor crap all of the time. Ten PROFICIENT police officers will do us much more good than the massive police force of incompetent fools we have now. I'm not saying they're all bad, but the crime rate reflects on them. Our whole local government is failing us tremendously. They just don't give a damn.

When I was a kid, I walked all over town and never thought anything of it. I'm an adult now, and I'm afraid to walk down my street in the daytime, and you're insane if you think I'd walk far at night.

Gaskill lives with the rich folks. He damn sure don't give a hoot about us.

We Know all wrote:

Gaskill lives with the rich folks. He damn sure don't give a hoot about us.

You are very wrong about him.

The mission outreach is one reason this town has gone downhill. It attracts people from other areas and they never get on their feet and never leave.

I too live in a neighborhood that people just don't care! It's disgusting the way their yards and carports look! We have the carnies on our street, they have several big trucks parked in the street and all over their yard. They leave and their yard is all growed up! Several people have called, but nothing is ever done about it!!!

All yall take yalls crying somewhrre else $tfu get a life who cares wat yal think get ovrr it move off then all yall