Saltillo businesses look for Sunday alcohol sales
by Dennis Seid/NEMS Daily Journal
9 months ago | 501 views | 3 3 comments | 7 7 recommendations | email to a friend | print
SALTILLO - Murray Alexander's pleas to allow Sunday beer and light wine sales on Sunday were heard, but not acted upon, by the mayor and board of alderman Tuesday night.

Alexander, who owns Saltillo Discount Tobacco Store, spoke at the meeting at City Hall. He said that businesses are losing money to Tupelo now that the All-America city allows Sunday sales.

"Our sales have dropped 4 percent in beer sales, even though we're not open on Sundays," he said. "The drop has been on Saturdays. The numbers that we've gotten from Budweiser and other distributors say that total sales in Lee County have not dropped, but they have dropped outside Tupelo. Which means Tupelo is seeing the increases."

Tupelo began allowing Sunday sales on Oct. 20.

Alexander said that beer buyers are cutting back on their purchases at Saltillo stores on Saturdays because they can go to Tupelo - as well as Okolona and Corinth - and buy on Sundays.

He and other business owners say Saltillo is getting caught in the middle and getting

squeezed out of the action.

"This is more than about beer," Alexander said.

For Alexander and other supporters it's an economic issue.

"It's about keeping tax dollars in Saltillo instead of somewhere else," he said. "We've always been a city that moved forward."

But his arguments didn't convince Mayor Bill Williams or Alderman Brad Woodcock who said they were against Sunday beer sales.

"Saltillo is a nice city and family-oriented and I don't believe that legalizing Sunday sales just to go along with other cities is moving forward," Woodcock said.

Williams said that the costs to the community from Sunday alcohol sales were far greater than the benefits.

"Alcohol creates problems," he said. "Conversely, in the absence of alcohol, the problems wouldn't exist."

Williams said he would vote against any move to remove the Sunday prohibition that's been in place since 1874.

But the board made no motion to act on the matter, which suits Alexander just fine.

"We're going to figure out what to do next, but I'm thinking that we're going to start a petition," he said.
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comments (3)
« marrwood wrote on Wednesday, Nov 18 at 11:33 PM »
Every community has its problems and Saltillo is not immune to the likes of law breakers, perverts, and just plain old ignorant people who run their mouths and point fingers at the negative things they see. It is easy to criticize a place, people, or organization when someone looks for the negative in every situation. I can not do anything personally about how you may have been treated at a local church, the problem of drugs in Saltillo, or the actions of people who prey on others. I can tell you that if you visit my church, I will treat you with respect and genuine kindness. I have no family here and I do not belong to any click. I myself am an outsider that was wholeheartedly welcomed into the community some 16 years ago! As for the drugs, If you know first hand of a drug dealer in our schools or on the streets of Saltillo, report them. If you know of anyone that is harming our children then report them to the proper authorities, they will arrest them (they usually show these people on the news if you pay attention) and give them their day in court. If they are guilty they will do the time.

Maybe this "ain't Mayberry", and I "ain't" Andy Griffith, but I have lived in a bunch of places that are by far worse than Saltillo. Sure we have our share of problems, and it will take concerned citizens, elected officials, public servants, and local leaders to help combat these "warts". If you look for the negative, you can always find something to talk about. Look for the good instead and push to make things better. In spite of the "warts" that you have written about (whoever you are) Saltillo is a very good place to live. Legalizing beer sales on Sunday will just add another one to the list. If you want it on Sunday, buy it somewhere else, take it home and use it sparingly cause you will not buy it here on Sunday. Of course you can always jump in your car with a buzz on and go get it somewhere else, putting others on the road in jeopardy, your own life at risk, and hopefully not causing our police and fire departments more work in the process. I do not care if you want a cold one on Sunday, or any other day of the week. You just will not be able to buy it here in "Mayberry"!

The Board of Aldermen meet the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month. You are welcome to come and voice any concerns you have. If people do not get involved and use their right to free speech and right to vote, then they need to keep quiet. That, my friend, is one of the biggest problems that we have in this country. Most of the time, there is only a hand full of citizens that care enough to show up to hear what we are doing in Saltillo. It would be nice to have a packed board room of concerned citizens every Tuesday night. It's your city! Do you care enough to try and make it better, or are you content to just sit back and gripe? You know my name and you know where I stand! Join me in making Saltillo a better place to live! It's your choice!

Sincerely,

Brad Woodcock
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« marrwood wrote on Wednesday, Nov 18 at 11:23 PM »
Every community has its problems and Saltillo is not immune to the likes of law breakers, perverts, and just plain old ignorant people who run their mouths and point fingers at the negative things they see. It is easy to criticize a place, people, or organization when someone looks for the negative in every situation. I can not do anything personally about how you may have been treated at a local church, the problem of drugs in Saltillo, or the actions of people who prey on others. I can tell you that if you visit my church, I will treat you with respect and genuine kindness. I have no family here and I do not belong to any click. I myself am an outsider that was wholeheartedly welcomed into the community some 16 years ago! As for the drugs, If you know first hand of a drug dealer in our schools or on the streets of Saltillo, report them. If you know of anyone that is harming our children then report them to the proper authorities, they will arrest them (they usually show these people on the news if you pay attention) and give them their day in court. If they are guilty they will do the time.

Maybe this "ain't Mayberry", and I "ain't" Andy Griffith, but I have lived in a bunch of places that are by far worse than Saltillo. Sure we have our share of problems, and it will take concerned citizens, elected officials, public servants, and local leaders to help combat these "warts". If you look for the negative, you can always find something to talk about. Look for the good instead and push to make things better. In spite of the "warts" that you have written about (whoever you are) Saltillo is a very good place to live. Legalizing beer sales on Sunday will just add another one to the list. If you want it on Sunday, buy it somewhere else, take it home and use it sparingly cause you will not buy it here on Sunday. Of course you can always jump in your car with a buzz on and go get it somewhere else, putting others on the road in jeopardy, your own life at risk, and hopefully not causing our police and fire departments more work in the process. I do not care if you want a cold one on Sunday, or any other day of the week. You just will not be able to buy it here in "Mayberry"!

The Board of Aldermen meet the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month. You are welcome to come and voice any concerns you have. If people do not get involved and use their right to free speech and right to vote, then they need to keep quiet. That, my friend, is one of the biggest problems that we have in this country. Most of the time, there is only a hand full of citizens that care enough to show up to hear what we are doing in Saltillo. It would be nice to have a packed board room of concerned citizens every Tuesday night. It's your city! Do you care enough to try and make it better, or are you content to just sit back and gripe? You know my name and you know where I stand! Join me in making Saltillo a better place to live! It's your choice!
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« Below wrote on Wednesday, Nov 18 at 02:48 PM »
I'm going to call 'BS' on Alderman Woodcock's comment that "Saltillo is a nice city and family-oriented."

If you want small-town, Peyton Place-type drama, Saltillo is the place to be. Some churches there are cold toward visitors and even members who aren't part of any prominent families in the church.

Maybe the city leadership should worry about stopping the sale of illegal drugs, which occurs everyday - even Sunday - in Saltillo. There's a lot of drug trafficking there, or do the city leaders say that stuff only happens in out in the county or in cities with a larger black population like Tupelo, Baldwyn or Shannon?

No family-oriented community is complete without drama at the local high school, which has had two educators suspended/fired in recent weeks for inappropriate sexual conduct with students. And drugs can easily be bought and sold at Saltillo High.

Before making any grand statements about how great Saltillo is, Alderman Woodcock, maybe you need to take a closer look at its warts. It ain't Mayberry, that's for sure.
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