Its been a really great month in East Ridge.

Things are definitely breaking our way.  The school system decided to finally take the step of fixing Raymond James Stadium.  At the same time, the alumni association obtained 501(c)(3) status which will unlock many additional doors in the form of revenue and support from area business and large donors.

Last Saturday the Optimist Club had its fishing rodeo which was a huge success.  Nothing shows what this community is all about more than seeing the faces of kids lining a fishing pond and getting a big one on the line.

We had the opening of The Olive Branch grocery and deli which features delicious Mediterranean food.  They received so much love and support from our community it really allowed them to get off to a strong start.  It was just powerful to see my friends and neighbors welcoming this family-owned business with open arms. 

Last week we had the opening of Fernando’s, whose familiar and friendly staff served up tasty comfort food that warms the heart and soul.  They have seen such a positive response they had to hire additional staff to help meet the demand.  Now that’s a warm welcome to a new neighbor if I ever saw one.

Thanks to Dick Cook’s intrepid reporting,  we all breathed a collective sigh of relief when we learned that Kingwood Pharmacy wasn’t going anywhere.  It’s great to know that this business and it’s long legacy of servicing our community will continue.

It’s this kind of continued support from all of us that will help encourage others to take the risk to become an entrepreneur and then choose East Ridge as their home.

In the next month I expect more good things to come.   The opening of the Bass Pro store will not just be an event … but a happening. I’m sure it will draw people by the thousands including all the various media types.  The beauty of East Ridge will be on display and a small smile should grace the face of every resident as they proudly think, “this is my home.”

Also, within the next month it will be that time again for our elected officials to sit down and hammer out an operating budget for the next fiscal year.  I plan to speak with them and encourage them to ensure the budget is completely transparent.  The taxpayers, to which they are accountable, should be able to pick it up and understand where their money is being spent.

While we have a few projects that will need additional funding to be completed, we can’t forget about the citizens.  Property crime is a big issue in East Ridge.  It’s the number one source of crime.  Making sure the thin blue line between law abiding citizens and criminals is  adequately equipped is paramount.  We need more officers and more patrol cars.  Visibility is the biggest deterrent to crime.  If we can accept a contract to patrol the city of Ridgeside once per shift, then our own citizens’ streets should be patrolled just as often.

We need to make sure the citizens of this wonderful city are not forgotten.  After all, it is their great acts of community and neighborly love that make East Ridge such a wonderful place to live, work and play.