Believe it or not there is a reason that we have the "Comments" section at the end of my
Brass Tacks column. Finally someone has figured that out. Here are a few letters regarding last month´s
column titled:
So Now We Are Losing 6th Street?
Hey, Max, I´m with you all the way. I own a business on 6th (my husband and I had the Atomic
Lounge until ´01, and now we own and operate a
brand new online marketplace, Amarillo4Sale.com). Our city leaders toppled
so quickly on this issue that it makes you wonder if they gave it any
consideration whatsoever...not a single one was behind the merchants, who
pay a huge chuck of the taxes down here (believe me, they are huge). It
seems our politicians want the best of both worlds: they´ve doubled property
values on 6th because they supposedly see 6th Street as a viable business
sector, however they cave anytime the residents bring up any by-product
(challenges) of the growth of 6th. Thanks for your insight. Keep up the
good work.
Guin White
Thanks Guin! Here´s a little question for you…… As a business owner on 6th, did Miss/Mrs./Ms.
Rosalee Robinson ask you if YOU wanted to sign her "Death To 6th" petition? By the way, good luck
to you with Amarillo4sale.com (plug).
Next, a couple of short ones from Kris and Rachel………
I am with ya.
Let me know how.
Kris
Hell yeah I´ll sign the petition! I´m all for 6th ST. block
parties. I totally agree with everything you said. Amarillo needs to grow
up!
Rachel Pulliam
Short, sweet, and to the point.
I assume "Let me know how" refers to the concept of rallying the troops with our own petition to SAVE 6th
street. Keep reading the “This Just In” section of AmatainmentNOW, and as soon as the petitions are in
place, I will have Brock post it there. THEN, we will begin to take our town back. One thing that I want to
be sure of, is that we do everything BY THE BOOK. I want to make sure that our petition is NOT misleading
(like the "Death To 6th" petition was), and I want it to be legally binding. Anyone know a good attorney that
will do this for us? If so, have them contact me at
ASAP!
Thanks for reading Kris. Next letter comes from Mark Hanson………..
Great column, I fully agree! Keep up the good work!
Mark Hanson (aka The Horny Toads)
Thanks Mark. The next letter is from Melody Hughes- owner and operator of The Blue Gator on 6th. I love
the way she refers to Rosalee Robinson as "Ms San Jacinto." As you will read, a lot of this letter is addressed
NOT to me, but to Miss/Mrs./Ms. Robinson herself. Speaking of Rosalee Robinson, has she heard about our
campaign yet? Has someone told her about it? Unlike her "Death To 6th Street" campaign that was pulled off
so subtly, we are going to make all the noise we can! No secrets here! We’re taking it to her with both barrels.
Someone tell her. Here´s Melody´s letter……………..
Thank you Max Steele. I am a business owner on 6th St. Long
before that I was a consumer and shopped the antiques stores and also
attended all the events on 6th St. Why? Because there is a certain charm in
retail shops in Old San Jacinto. it´s the same reason I eat at local quaint
restaurants. The ambiance, the color, the extra special Hello you get when
you frequent these kinds of stores or eateries. Ms Friends of San jancinto
will see only empty buildings along Rt 66 if she has her way. No people
strolling the shops, eating at restaurants. Way to go Ms San Jacinto. Empty
those buildings out Babe!! Hey when you succeed don´t gripe about the gangs
and druggies moving in to the deserted area. Oh they will, I assure you. If
you venture outside of San Jacinto and tour side streets in which there are
empty buildings your eyes will be opened. Welcome to gang graffiti, drug
deals in the lonely alleys, and more break ins in residential dwellings.
I wish your heart and mind were as big as your mouth. Or... I wish you would
really become a friend instead of a bored woman that needs to stir up chaos.
Please try being part of the solution instead of part of the problem.
Well Max, I have to tell you that whether Ms San Jacinto likes it or not we
the merchants and restaurants and bars are here to stay.We will keep 6th st
in the news, we will create top of mind awareness, it will be a costly
endeavor, however, the people that were never presented your petition,
myself being one of them, will continue to make sure that the next time you
are bored and go on a tangent you will have resistance. We are going outside
San Jancinto to see what the rest of Amarillo has to say about you trying to
close businesses, do away with jobs, and finally take away entertainment,
food and shopping from the Panhandle. Do you realize that not only does
Amarillo shop 6th St but so do surrounding towns, and believe it or not
people from many countries all over the world? You would know this if your
world was not limited to the area consisting of a few blocks in the San
Jancinto area. When is the last time you made a purchase in a shop on 6th
St? When is the last time you ate at one of the great restaurants on 6th
St?. How many of your dollars every month go to supporting these businesses?
You shouldn´t be offended by the question. You do believe in making people´s
finances public knowledge don´t you? I assure you that even though your
campaign has contributed to the closing of several buisnesses and people
losing their jobs ( just a good feeling isn´t it Ms San Jacinto?), you will
fail in the big picture. Because you are not important to many people. 6th
st and it´s merchants are. Coast to coast, Rt 66 survived many problems in
the past. It can surely survive Ms San Jacinto.
Melody Hughes
Now THAT´S what I´m talking about! Way to go Melody! Can´t wait for Ms. San Jacinto to
read that one! Here´s one from Micky Winks………..
GREAT COLUMN....AND SOOOOO TRUE TO BOOT.
BACK IN 1999 OR 2000(un sure about the year) I WAS A MEMBER OF A LITTLE
AMARILLO BASED BAND CALLED THE GROOVE LORDS. WE HAD RENTED A PLACE ON 6TH
STREET TO SHOWCASE THE BAND DURING THE BIG HARLEY FESTIVAL. WELL...WE HAD A
PARNTER IN THE VENTURE WHO HAD AN ACTIVE LIQUOR LICENSE. THAT PARTNER WAS
GOING TO SELL BEER AND DRINKS TO THE BIKERS WHO CAME IN TO CHECK THE BAND
OUT (which was perfectly legal). THIS PARTNER MANAGED A GENTELMEN´S CLUB
HERE IN TOWN. WELL.....NATURALLY RHUMORS CIRCULATED IN AND AROUND SAN
JACINTO. A RATHER NOSEY AND RUDE CHURCH DOWN THE STREET RAISED HELL WITH
THE CITY CLAIMING THAT WE HAD INTENDED TO HAVE LIVE NUDE DANCERS PERFORMING
DURING THE FESTIVITIES. WHICH WAS AND OUT AND OUT LIE!!!!! THE CITY OF
AMARILLO JUMPED IN WITH AN EXCUSE OF THE BUILDING NOT BEING UP TO CODE.
EVEN THOUGH THIS BUILDING IS USED ON A REGULAR BASIS. WE HAD TO DRAW A VERY
DETAILED RENDERING OF THE FLOORPLAN AND SUBMIT IT TO THE CITY. THE CITY
SHUT US DOWN ON THE BASIS OF CODE ENFORCEMENT CLAIMING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
OF IMPROVEMENTS WOULD HAVE TO BE MADE. AFTERALL...SAFETY IS THE CITY´S MAIN
CONCERN RIGHT?
YET....STREET VENDORS WERE ALLOWED TO HAVE ELECTRICAL CHORDS STRUNG ACCROSS
SIDE WALKS CREATING TRIPPING HAZZARDS . WHERE WAS THE CITY ON THIS ONE?
IN THE BACK POCKET OF THE CHURCH THAT´S WHERE!!!! THESE ARE THE TYPES OF
THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN ONE LOUD MOUTH SCREAMS BLOODY MURDER OVER A
RHUMOR. AND .... THE CITY BELEIVED THE LIES AND TOOK ACTION WITHOUT EVEN
ASKING US (the band).
THEY WERE GONNA SHUT US DOWN AT ALL COSTS CODE OR NO CODE. JUST BECAUSE WE
WERE A ROCK BAND. IF IT HAD BEEN A COUNTRY BAND THINGS WOULD HAVE BEEN
DIFFERENT. BUT....THATS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GAIN A LITTLE POPULARITY IN
THIS CITY...THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THOSE WHO CANT STAND FOR ANYONE TO HAVE
FUN.
SINCERELY
MICKY WINKS
Well, we all know what happens when you assume….. You make an ass out of Uma Thurman, or
something like that. I actually remember hearing about that. You guys got a raw deal there Mick. The
Church however DOES have the right to feel like they must preserve and protect the community and if they
thought there was going to be live nude dancers, they were just doing their jobs. BUT. The suspicions they
had about the dancers SHOULD HAVE BEEN RESEARCHED! If their claims were unfounded, and an
investigation by the City Of Amarillo never happened, SHAME ON THEM! SHAME! That my friends, smells
like a witch hunt.
But like I said Mick, don’t blame the church so much; blame the City Of Amarillo for not looking further into
the matter. They apparently have ALWAYS swept our "pesky" little annoyances under the rug to appease
the "squeaky wheels." You know why they do this without batting an eye Amarillo? Because they don´t
think you have the testicular fortitude to speak up and say something about it! PROVE THEM WRONG
MY DEAR READERS, PROVE THEM WRONG! Don’t let City Hall tell you that your opinions, your needs,
and most of all YOU, don´t count.
And THAT´S, the stuff dreams are made of…………..
Cya next month!
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