Favorite things about Louisville:
1. the Winston County Library where the staff is always friendly and head librarian Beth Edwards
will recommend books she thinks we might like.
2. the flowers downtown. Thanks to Susan Ard and her helpers for those. Always beautiful.
Not favorite things about the area:
1. the litter on the roadways.
2. two highly visible "junkyards" (left and right sides) as one approaches Louisville on Hwy. 25S. It is fine to have signs welcoming one to the town but the junkyards are NOT welcoming. They need to be screened with trees.
Sherrie Wiygul
Dangerous dog ordinance needs enforcement
July 24 2019 was the worst day of my life. What I saw and heard was my beautiful cat Tiger being ripped apart by not one but two fully-grown pitbulls. I was screaming to the top of my lungs while quickly calling 911. By the time I gave the information it was over. Tiger was dead.
The yard at 324 E. Park Street was full of policemen and squad cars. Tiger was dragged by the pitbulls to the lot next door.
Later that day I would wrap Tiger in a towel, and make a decision as to where Tiger would be buried. One special policeman offered to dig a grave for Tiger. Words can’t express how those kind words felt after such a trauma. My reply was “I’ll take care of it,” and I did. Tiger had been my special orange tabby cat for almost 14 years (close to 5,000 days). It was my duty to take care of Tiger, my beloved cat.
This story didn’t take place overnight. I had met the pit in my carport a year earlier. The black female had a loose chain on her collar that was stuck under a tire. I moved my car and the dogs went home. Home was nearby. The dogs didn’t seem dangerous.
Fast forward to June and July 2019. I went to my shed about 6:30 a.m. to feed my cats. The shed has double doors with a screen. The pitbulls were at the screen ravenous. When the pit bulls heard the cat food hitting the pans they were not just hungry, but starved. I had a wispy broom and carefully cajoled them as I went inside my home. I called Animal Control and reported the incident.
To see the dogs at that stage was a warning. There was fear, not so much of the dogs would bite me, but could knock me down.
Later at Wal-Mart, I was thinking how dangerous the dogs could be. Hungry dogs are dangerous! I bought a 10lb bag of dog food in the afternoon and I drove to the residence to deliver the food. The owner of the dogs seemed relived to get the food and thanked me. I told him we have a good neighborhood, and wanted to help.
On July 24th in the early afternoon, I saw the female in my driveway. The female turned and walked away. It would be only a few hours that the female was at my back entrance with the other pit bull annihilating Tiger.
When you go through the kind of trauma you’re not the same person. I keep asking – Why? Why?
The scene of these two pit bulls tearing into my beloved Tiger is too traumatizing to put into words. All I could see were the teeth and blood; and all I could hear were blood curdling growls; so intense and beyond what the human mind can fathom, leaving a stinging and burning of abject pain and shock. It was hell!
What happened to me is no different from other casualties of PTSD. It is serious! I plan to write and speak to the Aldermen with a request to ban pitbulls, and other dangerous dogs in the City of Louisville.
Presently, Animal Control has an ordinance for dangerous animals—I encourage you to read it over. It states the dogs should be in a controlled safe area, and on a leash if out of the area. Also, a sign should be in front of the residence with a warning. Presently, this ordinance is not being enforced.
For something this serious there should be a forum. Perhaps we can all do our part to be sure nothing like this happens to another resident.
“The biblical world teaches that humans are unique, created in the image of God to be stewards over the rest of creation. The basic biblical experience is confirmed daily by common experience: Humans do have power over nature – for good or ill - that no other creature has. “Our calling, of course, is to use it for good. The earth doesn’t belong to us; it belongs to the Lord who made it. We are stewards, accountable to God for everything we do” (Chuck Colson, A Dangerous Grace, p107).
Thank you for letting me share this story.
We as citizens of Louisville need, at the end of the day, the peace of mind that we are all safe. God Bless our city and county officials and the citizens of our town and county.
Sincerely
Sally Marveen Moody
Problem? Solution!
Not having a full-time job leaves one with a lot more time to think.
So, here’s what I’ve been pondering lately.
When plans were announced that Fred’s was closing in Louisville, I along with many others were saddened by the news. Older Americans and those with disabilities frequented the store for years because of easy access and valuable purchases at reasonable prices.
The first Fred’s opened in 1947 in Coldwater, Mississippi and since then Mississippians have enjoyed low prices and friendly staff, with select products not found anywhere else.
Many shoppers were loyal customers and could not believe that the store was closing.
But with online shopping taking precedence and Dollar Store Wars, with a dollar store on every corner, it was bound to happen sooner or later.
Fred’s is not the only business forced to close its doors. Recently, Sears, Lowes, and other stores we’ve shopped for years are no longer what they once were.
With stores closing, people will lose jobs and that is why we must be creative with our thinking and planning. I was always taught that if you offer a problem, then you should at least offer a solution. Sometimes there are no solutions, but we need to at least try.
If we close a business, what will we add? In my opinion, if we take something away, we must replace it with something, if we’re to be responsible business- minded Americans.
Here’s the thing about Fred’s in Louisville; it’s a great place in a great space and it is in a great location for business. Did I say great?
My thoughts were to revamp the building and reopen the space as a “Bowling Alley/Exercise Studio.”
The setup of the store already has a great area for serving healthy drinks and snacks. People already know where it is and wouldn’t have to venture far in order to socialize and game (bowling) and enjoy healthy snacks. If they are rather in the mood for a burger or steak, then they’ll be in close proximity to the various restaurants located right on Church Street.
The name of the new facility could be called simply “The Exercise Studio.” (Of course that’s a working title)
It would provide jobs for: Health care experts, janitors, fitness instructors, schedulers, cooks and more.
Of course, I’d have first dibs on a scheduler/receptionist position, since I thought of the idea.
And Fred’s wouldn’t have to disappear. Their Corporate Headquarters located on “Get-well Road” in Memphis, Tennessee has been sold, so obviously Fred’s is looking toward the future in Tennessee.
What Tennessee plans are, I don’t know. But, we (here in Louisville) could look forward to a future “wellness” theme with the addition of “The Fred’s Exercise Studio”. (Another working title)
Louisville could put Fred’s back on the map in a profound way.
I realize it’s not as simple as it sounds, but hey as someone once said, “You might as well think big, if you have to think at all.” I say, we make it happen.
But alas, as I said before, I was “just thinking.”
By Cheryl W. Glenn
