Majority white city to close road leading to majority Black city due to crime
By Black Blue Dog
CLINTON, MISS.– Mississippi News Now is reporting that Clinton, MS is cutting off access to Jackson, MS by closing down a main road that connects the two towns. The reason why is due to the influx of criminal activity from Jackson that has plagued Clinton in the last few years. Clinton, Miss. is a majority white city with only slightly more than 20 percent of its population being African-American Jackson, Miss. is a majority African-American city with close to 80 percent of its population being African-American.
Mike Cashion, an Alderman from the Ward 6 district created the plan after residents complained of the high crime rates. He states, “Overwhelming support. They realize too, this isn’t going to be a cure all. This isn’t [going to] stop everything but it is a great first step.”
Over the years, residents have complained that crimes such as drugs and robberies were spilling over into their neighborhood from the high crime town of Jackson.
One homeowner Jim Coker supports the town’s initiative. He told Mississippi News Now, “Just since the day before Thanksgiving, when our house was broken into, I’ve lost track of how many but it’s up around eight to a dozen.”
Coker also mentioned that his home wasn’t the only one broken into, but several of his neighbor’s homes were burglarized in the last several months.
Cashion, who says he doesn’t like the division to the Berlin Wall told Mississippi News Now, “All we’re trying to do is close the street to reduce assess into the subdivision…that simple.”
He also states that the closure won’t prevent all criminal activity. To make the city of Clinton much more safe the police department was recently approved for over time, and security and surveillance cameras were installed throughout his neighborhood and other places in the city.
If the plan goes through, Eastside Drive’s access to Shaw Road in Clinton will close in a few weeks. Shaw road divides Clinton and Jackson.
Coker also mentioned that his home wasn’t the only one broken into, but several of his neighbor’s homes were burglarized in the last several months.
Cashion, who says he doesn’t like the division to the Berlin Wall told Mississippi News Now, “All we’re trying to do is close the street to reduce assess into the subdivision…that simple.”
He also states that the closure won’t prevent all criminal activity. To make the city of Clinton much more safe the police department was recently approved for over time, and security and surveillance cameras were installed throughout his neighborhood and other places in the city.
If the plan goes through, Eastside Drive’s access to Shaw Road in Clinton will close in a few weeks. Shaw road divides Clinton and Jackson.
Over the years, residents have complained that crimes such as drugs and robberies were spilling over into their neighborhood from the high crime town of Jackson.
One homeowner Jim Coker supports the town’s initiative. He told Mississippi News Now, “Just since the day before Thanksgiving, when our house was broken into, I’ve lost track of how many but it’s up around eight to a dozen.”
