Posted by eagle1 (anonymous) on November 22, 2008 at 6:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I think the income from sales tax in Clanton will decrease in 2009 with the opening of the new shopping center and Publix super market in Prattville, combined with the added businesses in Calera and Alabaster. These new shopping centers offer more options in shopping, dining, and entertainment and are spacious to accommodate large crowds. If Clanton doesn't step up and "think outside the box", it's customers will go elsewhere. The crowded aisles and "same ol' thing" in stores like Walmart in Clanton need to "supersize". The store is prehistoric compared to surrounding areas. I am all for shopping at home. If there are things in the way keeping business and new ideas out of Clanton, those "things" need to be addressed.

Posted by THORSBYishome (anonymous) on November 22, 2008 at 9:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)

EAGLE1: You've brought up a good point, that I really haven't thought about. I know if I'm planning a trip to alabaster it usually includes grocery shopping as well.

While I try to buy locally, I HATE shopping at Walmart, the people are rude (some not all) of course they aren't treated well from what I hear and hate their jobs. But I usually use the self-checkout line and wish they would give me a discount for doing it myself lOL. The ENTIRE county needs to be thinking outside the box or we are going to be in trouble.

Posted by countywatch (anonymous) on November 22, 2008 at 9:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)

AMEN eagle1

Posted by November162000 (anonymous) on November 22, 2008 at 10:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)

So, having shopping malls and strip malls every twenty feet, restaurants by the dozen, more people by the thousand and exponentially worse traffic, and more crime and drug traffic that go along with more people are all good things? All of this is "thinking outside the box"? All of this so that we can have a "supersized store", as if that is something to be proud of? I think that 'less' is more. Increasing the sales tax base only serves to feed a monster that will only have an ever increasing appetite, the more money that local governments take in, the more they will spend and the more they will need. It's a vicious cycle that will never end once we let it begin. But hey, I guess being able to shop on all sides of town and being able to fill your pie hole on every corner must be really important. Maybe to lots of folks, but not to me. But fear not, you'll get what you want. Sooner rather than later. I can already hear it, the same folks that want all of this 'progress' will be complaining about the dramatic increase in traffic and crime.

Posted by eagle1 (anonymous) on November 22, 2008 at 11 a.m. (Suggest removal)

November, progress benefits everyone. It brings more jobs, a better living for the locals, more variety when shopping, more fun when out on the town, and more income to the city. Expansion is inevitable. i would rather Clanton expand itself rather than being taken over by Prattville and Birmingham, & that's exactly what is happening. I like the small town culture and if progress prevails I hope the city keeps it's historical and older buildings for years to come. The traffic in Clanton is already getting worse. I am surprised there is not a plan to re-route or expand lanes for "today's" traffic problems. Hwy. 31 through Clanton looks like a pile-up on I65 on some days. As far as feeding my pie hole, I am tired of fast food, Chinese, Mexican, bbq, and buffet's.

Posted by November162000 (anonymous) on November 22, 2008 at 11:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I guess we'll have have to disagree on the definition of "progress". Like I wrote earlier, with more jobs and income for the city, and the other things that you mentioned, comes more people, and more people, and more people that will require more jobs, more houses (probably apartments), which will bring yet more people and traffic and all of the undesireable things that come with more people, ie., more crime, more drugs, more methodone clinics, a need for more law enforcement officers which will require an ever larger tax base. You can't have it both ways, you either want all off these things along with your "progress", or you don't. Expansion does not have to be enevitable, but because of greed and laziness and the childish need to have entertainment, and more shopping centers and restaurants within a two minute drive, it will happen. We don't have to allow Prattville and Alabaster to overtake us, but because of a desire to be just like them, we will. Awfully sad, I think.

You acknowledge that traffic in Clanton is already terrible, yet you want more of it. You can't "re-route" this traffic mess that we have, if you wan't more "progress" you'll just have to learn to love it because you're asking for more of it. Even if you could re-route it, that would mean taking people's property through eminent domain, just so that we can accomodate the increased traffic caused by all of this "progress", I'm sorry, I just don't call that progress. You say that you like the "small town culture" but you obviously don't want a small town. That just doesn't make sense to me. Like I said, you just can't have it both ways. But, like I also said, you'll get what you want and sooner rather than later. You're already complaining about one aspect of the "progress" that we've already had, I can only imagine what it will sound like when you really get what you are asking for.

Posted by PrAaHe (anonymous) on November 22, 2008 at 3:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Yeah, im sure our business would be more if theyd open something besides fast food around here. This town could really use some sitdown restaurants, maybe a movie theatre, a bowling alley..SOMETHING besides fast food.

Posted by THORSBYishome (anonymous) on November 22, 2008 at 3:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

November, you bring out some very good points. I love the small town atmosphere, but I do think that it is possible to get "outside the box" and grow some. I would love to see a "Lowe's" or another store that would compete with Walmart. We have one of the highest priced walmarts around, (excluding 280) the reason for that is they have no competition so they are hitting our pockets harder even though the product costs the same. WHY? I think it's because most cannot or will not drive to buy these things.

I certainly think a strip mall or a restaurant won't be the demise of our small town life, now granted if they build, build, build yes that would be a problem, but there really isn't enough available land for that or at least not that I can see. I would love to see one of these go up in Jemison or Thorsby.

Right now, we have a problem in the county of illegal's. IF they are illegal, then I what keeps them law abiding citizens? NOTHING, they have nothing to lose. I see a huge crime problem there. Now that we could work on right now, but for some reason we don't even know they are illegal until they have a wreck and run.

Sorry that was kinda off the subject, but I'm interested on how everyone else feels.

Posted by November162000 (anonymous) on November 22, 2008 at 5:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I imagine that the folks in Alabaster and Prattville thought they could just grow a little bit and still keep their small town, too. Didn't quite work out that way. Oh yes, they have all the conveiniences of a big town; shopping centers everywhere, more restaurants than you can count, movie theaters etc., etc. They also have other things that big cities have; high crime rates, higher murder rates, plenty of drug activity, and God knows they have plenty of traffic. They've got it all, everything that you could want. Everything, that is, except that small town that they used to have that didn't have all the above mentioned problems. But hey, bring on the stores. Lets go shopping, if we can make our way through the traffic. I sure wouldn't want to get in the way of "progress".

Posted by THORSBYishome (anonymous) on November 22, 2008 at 6 p.m. (Suggest removal)

What is your opinion on the illegal's November?

Posted by KatherineReece (anonymous) on November 22, 2008 at 6:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The definition of progress is certainly something we disagree on with what has been done recently. I don't consider it progress to approve of a Love's Truck Stop being put right in a neighborhood. I don't live in that neighborhood but I feel awful for the people who do and saw their houses depreciate almost overnight.

We have strip malls that are already empty, why build new ones? Why not rejuvenate the ones we have?

I won't drive to Prattville for any of the shopping or entertainment. It's too crowded and their "main drag" is congested... you can keep that kind of "progress" away from me.

Posted by November162000 (anonymous) on November 22, 2008 at 6:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

THORSBYishome: I expect that my opinion of the illegals is probably about the same as yours. We don't think twice about sending Cubans or Hatians back where they came from, and we should, but we should do the exact same thing with anyone else that comes here illegally, no matter where they come from, even if that happens to be Mexico. I don't understand why we have allowed our country to be invaded, and that's exactly what has happened, but we have. The only good thing that I can think of that will come from our declining economy is that they will likely start heading back across the border by the thousand when they find out that the gravey train has come to an end. How's that? :)

KatherineReece: I agree completely with everything you said! The truck stop is just one example of what greedy people will do when they have absolutly no regard for anyone but themselves. They obviously could not care less for the people that live in the neighborhood around there. We can expect lots more of the same as the people who are calling for "progress" begin to get what they are asking for.

Posted by THORSBYishome (anonymous) on November 22, 2008 at 7:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

November: :) I figured we would feel the same on that one! :)

Katherine Reece: Where is the Love's Truck Stop being put? Dang I need to get out more LOL

Most of the strip malls that are vacant can't easily be rented within reasonable price ranges if they have to be renovated. And most of your Lowe's and places like that build their own building.

Posted by November162000 (anonymous) on November 22, 2008 at 7:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The truck stop is at Exit 208, across the road from Concord church.