Yeah, it would be wonderful if we could go back and do it all again.  Maybe we all would have put more time and effort into our beloved town if we had known what would become of it.  It may only be a "one horse town" now, but thats how it began so long ago.  We may not be able to build it back up to its prime, but we can definately show it some love and care.

I'd love to retire back home one day, but it's ike Boots said, we all moved away and made lives elsewhere and its hard to imagine packing up and moving back to nothing. Don't get me wrong  I LOVE HG, but unless I was to retire(which isn't an option for me yet....LOL)  I just couldn't move back.  I tried to live and survive there a few years ago and it was a daily struggle.  I know how tough it is, so I pray for my little town and the people still in it..........

Hello Everyone, I just read the topic of possibly retired people moving back to HG. That is a wonderful idea. I am from HG and still love it. However, some people are uncomfortable about how the town is ran. It seems that there is no law and order. During July 4, 2008 there was an accident in town square. First of all I do think that this accident could have been avoided if there had been some one to keep people from blocking the streets and holding conversation. Also there are drivers that speed through that area which I think is about 15mph, doing 50 to 60mph. I have heard that the law enforcement is no good. I wouldn't know because I do not live there. Perhaps it would help if someone could talk to the speeders to slow down and perserve lives. Someone could have died in that accident according to the way the van that was involved looked and a lady was trapped in it. Come on people, I know everyone is excited about coming together for the 4th of July homecoming, but lets not take lives. Lets be happy and have fun.

Hello anonymous,

Sorry if I offended you.  I am not judging the entire community.  If you really read what I said, I don't think you would have wasted your time talking all that negative stuff.

I simply agreed that it is a good idea for some of the retired people to move back to HG and help rebuild it.  I also mentioned the accident that I saw in town square on the 4th of July.  I said that maybe someone could talk to the speeders around town to get them to slow down so that lives could be perserved.  I mentioned that some people say that the law enforcement is no good.  If you really think about it, you would realize that when a big crowd come together, there are people blocking the streets in town square in their cars.  There are people walking right out in front of moving vehicles without warning blocking the view of other oncoming traffic.  There are people who are speeding through that area.  I am saying that there should be someone(a police officer) around to control all this to make it safe for everyone and to help avoid accidents.  From what I understand, that wasn't the only accident in that area during the festivities of the 4th of July. 

Never did I judge the entire community.  You mentioned that the parents need to keep their kids out of the street and also raise their kids.  I agree 100%.  Since you falsely accused me of judging the community, which I did not.  Now let me judge what you said,  "get a gun" shame on you.  Where did this come from?  You also said that there are only a few bad apples and the police know who they are and it is up to the Monroe County Judge to keep them locked up.  Do the Monroe County Judge live in HG?  NOoooooooo!  But you probably do.  Would he know what's going on unless someone is reporting to him what's going on? NOoooooooo!  You talk about the system.  The community need to get with the system.  I am sure you know, "I guess" that tax paying citizens have the right to complain to their Mayor and their law enforcement about what's going on.  If that do not work then you go to a higher law.  If you have to, you follow the chain of command all the way to the top until someone listen and do something about the situation.

You talk about no money no police in the town and if people move back maybe there would be a need for more police.  I never said anything about more police.  You all that live there are people whether its ten or ten thousand.  You still need to excercise your rights with the law enforcement that you have, and also the Mayor.  Make them do their job that's what you pay tax for it may not be a whole lot of money there, but I'm sure they are getting some kind of pay check.  Use the source that you already have.

You said lets keep HG on the map.  I wonder how many people think like you about getting a gun.  God help, because if everyone think like you, then there is no hope of rebuilding HG or staying on the map, you barely are.   With that kind of attitude you are an example of why people
wouldn't want to move back. 

Stop jumping from skillet to skillet.  Either you want to pickup a gun and create violence or you want to rebuild HG.  Stop contradicting what you say.  Get educated on what's going on and how to contribute help in fixing things not destroying them.  Guns are not the answer.  What's wrong with you?  You are way off course.

If you feel the need to pick up a gun on people, then you need to be in Iraq show how bad you are.

Get educated period.  The world is already full of ignorance, a great part of the problem.

If you still fill offended and feel the need to reply go ahead, but I will  not waste my time reading it unless it is something positive.

This is to the anonymous person who are talking about carrying a gun and protecting yourself.

First of all, from my understanding DODGE2002RS replied discussing an accident that happened on the 4th of July.  This person talked about the crowd of people and the speeders and so on.   Also this person mentioned that there should be, in so many words, a way to control the people and the traffic and the speeders.  I agree with that.  That keeps everyone safe especially our children.

Where I am confused at is when you replied, you spoke of getting a gun.  I do not understand what DODGE2002RS's reply had to do with getting a gun or someone messing with someone and Tupac.  That is probably why Tupac is not here on earth anymore.

It seems to me that you are clueless.

Surely HG can not be rebuild this way.  Lets stay with the issue. 

I am clueless.
You are confused.
Those are you words.  Not mine. 
I apologized for my shorthand and "mistaken" words earlier and you are going back to the 1^st reference.  Let it go.  I did and I hope 1st writer did as well. 

Sarcasms are not always a good thing.  I learned that from the repercussions from my post.  Now I know to keep opinions to myself.  Just sharing opinions......... 

Let me apologize for making the gun reference too.  That is showing hostility and no way am I hostile.  (Just stating what most folks do down here..protect themselves)  

Tupac is my boy!  Always will be.  I love quoting him b/c he is brilliant. 

I hope I answered your concerns.
May God bless you, me, HG and May God bless America!!!!! 

*********GUNS ARE NOT THE ANSWER**************
*********IGNORANCE IS NOT THE ANSWER**********

You all know why the kids are so disrespectful and "bad" WHAT THE HECK IS IT FOR THEM TO DO??? It's not just up to the parents to keep kids out of trouble it's up to the community, parents and taxpayers pay their money for safety, policemen, up keep of the community, grants are proposed and given, well where is the money going, because the town is a mess!!!! The kids act out because they have nothing else to do. It's not their faults, it's ALL the adults and the HOLLY GROVE CITY COUNCIL that let this happen. And unfortunately, IT'S a SHAME, that such a small community went down so fast and so easily due to greed and unrighteousness.
But let's not focus on that, let's just get it back and get it right. AND WORK HARD on KEEPING it that way. LET the TRUTH BE TOLD and LET THE SOLUTION BEGAN!!!
SAVE THE NEGATIVITY, THE DRAMA.
Get the school back, get houses built, get community activities up and going. COME ON!!!! STAND FOR SOMETHING BECAUSE THIS IS SAD. TEENS having babies, selling drugs, using drugs, uneducated. I don't know how the adults and leaders of the community even live with themselves!!!
But anyway, not to blame anyone, lets just do better people!!

BECAUSE WE CAN!!!!

Wow people.   I am really touched and also sadden by what all I have read from the many different comments.    I think that perhaps some of us have made it personal when it really is about us all, and returning HG to the paradise that it use to be.  So much of what was said is true, but offers no solutions.  Let us all tackle this with maturity & wisdom.  First, let us listed the problems the exist in HG.  Then let us all post possible answers & solutions.  Then let us all act on making the solutions come to pass.  Lets us handle this process with dignity, intelligence, education, compassion, and wisdom. 

Yes, everyone knows that the the children in HG are out of control, and everywhere else as well.  There use to be a time when it was known that africian-american children were the best behaved and well mannered, today this is no longer true.  After our parents fought for equal rights, civil rights, and a quality education; we as parents then turn around and let our children act up in school, be disrespectful to us as parents, and well as not teaching our children self respect.  Since blacks were first brought to this country, we were hated, and taught self hate, envy, jealousy, & strife.  Let us as people of color stop giving other groups reasons to fear, hate, or deny us.  The way we act nowadays, you can not blame someone for being prejudice.  Stop giving them reason or justification for their hate, and let us turn it back around on them; back to them just being jealous & envious of our beautiful skin, intelligence, and great attributes past, present, & future.

When I come to HG to visit, I never go up town anymore after seeing & hearing about how everyone is out of control.  There seems to be no consequences for unlawful actions, crime, violence, rape, robbery, & arson. This must stop and those who break the law & are unruly should be made to answer for this wrong doing no matter who they are or what position they hold.  The Counsil, Mayor, & Law Enforcement needs to be held accountable as well as the parents and citizens.  HG leadership must be cleansed, and replaced with up standing, fair, honest, just, & ethical staff.  I constantly worry about my people who still reside their in such a unruly town.  Rapists, thieves, drug dealers and voilent individuals need to be locked up because they are a menice to all.  The Federal & State need to cleanse HG once and for good of the corrupt individuals that keep HG down in such a slump.  God's judgment is upon HG, and the wicked's days are numbered.  Too much has gone on for too long.  The those who think that being a so called thug, drug dealer, rapist, murderer, thief, sex offender, voilent offender is cute, you also shall answer for your actions & suffer the consequences.  No longer shall the just & righteous be held a prisoner of your evil deeds, this I swear in Jesus' name. HG will again be the paradise that I remember as a child, and I will return to live there when my work is done.  

New Leadership is needed to lobby companies for jobs to move to HG or close to the HG area.  Former President Clinton is on board with ideals to help build up HG and small surrounding towns, and I encourage you all write to him & the Secretary of State to get this to come to pass and as a gesture of our collective willingness & commitment.  As far as past crimes that have gone unpunished such as arson, stabbing, murder, rape, drug, and robbery etc, channel A&E Cold Cases need to know about such things to boost their ratings and at the same time bring justice to those victims who suffer in silence & constant fear.  I encourage you all to write to America's Most Want John Walsh & Channel A&E Cold Cases to get the ball rolling on this, so it will come to past that the crimes in small town be notice and will not continue to go unpunished.  Let go of the slavery-Willie Lynch mentality that mentally imprisons some of our people still to this day.  Mental enslavement is just as bad as phyisical enslavement.  Arm yourself with knowledge & wisdom, not guns & violence. Pick up a book. Read, research, have compassion.  If Obama can do it, so can we.     

I do applaused the person who apologized for the comments made about getting a gun; that was very big of you to do so, but as for Tupac, he can not help us, neither can Biggie Smalls.  Jesus is the only name that you need reference, cause in Jesus' name henceforth true power reside.  Only Jesus, and no one else.  Know that.  

Now, we as citizens of HG, & people of color call upon Jesus' name; we call black men to start once again being Men, and put away childish ways & things, take responsibility for your actions & children, be fathers; women of color to be mothers, and women of virtue; stop the jealousy, gossip, envy, division, stop tryin to out do & keep up with the Jones'.  Teach our children to respect & love themselves and in turn they will love & respect others.  I reference the song by Roberta Flack " Trade Winds" and the song by Envogue "Part of Me" has meaning to our cause.  Listen to it. And as Lionel Richie said in his song "Wondering Stranger", when our work is done, we will return HG to its glory years and the paradise & peace it use to be.  Lets get to work people, and I will be check & visiting soon from time to time to monitor the progress and no one will know that I am watch from our Nation's Capitol.  That's all I'm going to say on that.   

With much love & compassion, I pray that God in Jesus' name speed, as well as to keep us all safe & in his will.  Amen.  I love you all.  Take care and God bless.