By Staff
City should explore other revenue options
To the editor:
This is to address a statement made by Barbara Henson on WTOK's "On The Record" Sunday, July 21.
Her statement was that when a city's population is mostly older people, such is the case in Meridian, the city has to consider annexing to grow and make up for lost tax dollars.
However, Meridian is advertised as a "Certified Retirement Community." If Meridian is going to be a retirement community, the city should find other means of bringing in revenue besides annexation. If the city really wants growth in Meridian, then bring good-paying jobs to the area so our young people can afford to stay here and raise their families.
People choose not to live inside the city for a reason. If this annexation goes through, it's just a matter of time before people will move further out into the county to get away from the city possibly leaving Lauderdale County for a surrounding county.
Brenda Carey
Meridian
Support Meridian's local blood center
To the editor:
Would you like to be known as a hero and a life-saver? Well, that's what you will be if you are a blood donor. Blood donors are heroes because each blood donation has the potential of helping to save or sustain the lives of several hospital patients.
Blood usage in area hospitals is up by more than 25 percent from last year.
Only when a significant number of people donate on a regular basis can a community maintain adequate blood supplies. If everyone waited for an emergency before donating, lives would be jeopardized. Waiting to donate in an emergency only creates emergencies. Blood must be available in sufficient amounts at all times in order to meet the needs of the community.
Ensuring a safe and adequate supply of blood is important to all Americans. Nowhere is this more evident than in our hospitals, and the only way United Blood Services can get blood for patients is if another person donates it. There is no artificial blood that can be used.
We, as a community, should join hands, roll up our sleeves and challenge ourselves to ensure a happy summer for everyone patients with cancer, burn and accident victims, children with blood disorders, everyone who will need blood.
Because of the serious blood shortage, United Blood Services and area media will have a "Blood Bonanza" on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week. The blood center at 1115 25th Ave. in Meridian will be open:
Thursday from 9 a.m.-8 p.m.;
Friday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; and
Saturday, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Also on Saturday, there will be a blood drive at Outback Steakhouse from 2 p.m.-6 p.m.
Let's do the right thing. Donate blood with United Blood Services, your community blood center, and you will know that your blood will stay here to service the three hospitals in Meridian as well as all the hospitals in East Mississippi and West Alabama. You will feel great when you give blood the "Gift of Life."
Please take a few minutes to donate blood during this Blood Bonanza! It's the right thing to do!
Jane Smith
United Blood Services