Text The Times.

I don’t know who is responsible for the publication “Our Hometown” but I really enjoyed it. However, I was disappointed that Keith Lee was omitted in the listing of “champions”!! [Editor’s Note: Fair enough. When you’re right, you’re right. Mr.

Lee and the rest of the Blue Devils basketball team that had that dominant run the 1980s are certainly worthy of being recognized as among the greats in the local sports scene. I’m glad you enjoyed the magazine. It was quite an undertaking but one that I think was definitely worth doing. I believe the plan is to update and reissue it annually in some form, so hopefully, I’ll remember to make sure Keith and Co. get their due in the next edition]

*** Mr. Text the times man! I was just wondering, if you could tell me when the city of Marion changed the ordinance for having a business in your backyard or is it just for city employees only? I had to close mine. Just wondering.

[Editor’s Note: I’m pretty sure most commercial enterprises have always been either not allowed or have required a Special Use Permit when it comes to residential neighborhoods. It was one of the sticking points in the recent move to ban short-term rentals (AirBNB) in the city.

You don’t specify what kind of business you were operating, and I don’t know what drew your enterprise to someone’s attention, but presentation goes a long way. For example, if you were, say, making rocking chairs in your garage or workshop, I doubt anyone would know or care, but if you were, say, repairing vehicles and your yard was full of broken-down car engines and truck parts, it would be an aesthetically unpleasant image that would draw the ire of your neighbors and one that would definitely violate property appearance and maintenance ordinances. It’s part of the social contract that comes with living in a city.

You are expected to maintain the standards set by the city.

If you want a more lenient lifestyle, might I suggest a rural residence. My in-laws live in the outskirts of Lee County and they pretty much do what they want (nothing illegal, mind you… I just mean they have chickens and ride four-wheelers and such)]

*** Just read Wednesday paper, see that city employees got a raise, that explains why my utility bill doubled. [Editor’s Note: No, that does not explain why your utility bill doubled. Assuming you’re serious, you should definitely call someone, because there was no utility rate increase paired with the raises for city employees. The only increase you should have had recently, outside of having a higher bill for running the air conditioning in this heat, is the extra charge for the rolling trash bins, and that would have in no way resulted in “doubling” your bill. Speaking of the rolling trash bins…]

*** Mayor McClendon and West Memphis City Council, It’s okay for you to break your promise to the people of West Memphis. We didn’t ask for rolling garbage cans and we don’t want rolling garbage cans. So its okay with us if you break your promise!

You are charging us for new garbage cans that we don’t want. [Here’s the thing… I get it. You don’t want the rolling trash bins because that puts the responsibility on the customers to get their trash bins to the curb and back every week. But that’s just not modern- day sanitation. No city the size of West Memphis still does back-yard trash pick-up.

Even cities half or one-third the size of West Memphis have gone to the rolling trash bins (Example: Marion, Forrest City). It’s just inefficient, too time consuming, and sadly dangerous. The idea of a city worker walking up into your yard to get your trash is just a liability nightmare. The truth is, this move should have been made years ago. Using the rolling trash bins creates a uniform-sized receptacle that has a secure lid. Right now, trash is not being contained by whatever trash cans customers are using, there’s litter all up and down the street because trash just blows out of the cans, and it’s a large part of the problem the city has with its appearance. Yes, it’s somewhat inconvenient to haul a Dumpster to the curb and back once a week (I speak from experience).

And yes, there are elderly and disabled customers who physically can’t do it. But there’s a system for addressing the needs of those customers and it works everywhere else, so I promise you it can work in West Memphis]

Here’s what everyone is talking about this week: