Letter: Long time resident refuses to play dead
To the editor:
I was born and raised here in Williams in a cabin that was known as Cureton's Campground, located on Airport Road and Edison. It is no longer there and I think it was the original Route 66.
Recently I have learned that we have a new abatement officer. We cannot even afford to open the swimming pool. In my opinion, that is an added expense that we the taxpayers have to pay. I have owned my property close to 40 years. I have paid property, sales, school and hospital taxes, business licenses and whatever else the city needed. As a matter of fact, during the '50s we the people of Williams donated our time and money to build a hospital.
Most of the newcomers state, "This is a nice, unique, little town. It is so nice that we want to change it to look and be like where we came from." The old timers must be turning over in their graves. I have talked to some of the newcomers and asked them if you don't like the town the way it is, why move here? The downtown area has changed so much that any resemblance to the original is purely coincidental. Instead of a couple of large grocery stores, dime store, Western Auto store, dry cleaners and etc., we have a liquor store on almost every corner and Santa Claus must feel right at home.
The Williams residents are good people and do care about the town. I have seen the city burn down and demolish historical houses and buildings. They are gone and cannot be replaced, especially our high school building. I graduated from the eighth and 12th grade. As a matter of fact, Barry Goldwater spoke at my high school graduation in that building. The high school building was not torn down by the city.
Talk about an eyesore, apparently the city is wearing blinders when they go down Second Street and cannot see the snaggled tooth old El Panado building. It is a shame that they have allowed that building to go to ruin by the owner. Have they fined the owner? The former owner not only was fined but also was arrested and went to jail. One of your papers has it on the front page. It is dangerous and a health hazard.
It also appears that some of these newcomers bought into this area when the prices were high and now want us to go down the tubes with them. Quite a few of the Williams residents have come to me complaining. It appears we might have a Civil War. Some of us old timers are not going to roll over and play dead.
Opal Means
Williams
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