George, I somewhat agree with you. However, being somewhat familiar with TIF laws, much of what is being done downtown is paid for by those funds and they can't be used elsewhere.

In the last two years. Mrs. O. and I have been to the theater more than in the last ten. I don't understand businesses being opened on certain days and not others. You can't make money on a locked door. That being said, Jerry's is our after-church place to be and occasionally Mrs. O and her lady friends go the Garden Gate.

Now, as for uptown, those are privately owned buildings with outrageous leases from what I hear. Owned by out-of-town interest, they suck up the dollars and then leave. Of course, the new Ollies is bringing in revenue and you have to hand it to places like Arby's and Lees that keep their property nice.

The only tool the city has is to cite those owners time and time again, but I can tell you, Madison County judges are very lenient toward those defendants.

Parkinson and company are fighting an uphill battle especially in code enforcement because it was let go to long. The horse isn't just out of the barn, it's miles away. They did finally remove some of the decade old vacant signs but there is so much more to do.