The onslaught of permits handed to Bethel A.N.E. Church, houses along the corner of Calvert Street and College Avenue, and others on that block by the elementary school flooding into the first alley and cul de sac, as well as Lynchburg Street, needs to stop.
This has opened up destruction of private property, noise pollution, the use, sales, and distribution of illegal substances so close to the elementary school. Public drinking, fighting, and dangerous driving on both motor bike, and car. And now, thanks to this town’s blindness to “race propaganda” and the manipulations of John Queen and his equity group nonsense, things are getting worse. There has also been a shrinkage in parking due to an indifference in zoning caused by petty greed. So many of us see this, so few speak up. Perhaps the people issuing these permits should educate themselves in what’s really happening here in town.
We don’t live on Calvert. We’re the next street over, but that nonsense can be heard where we are. We have Friends in that street that are bewildered and feel as though they’re trapped in an out of control nightmare.
Darrell Carter
Chestertown
Gren Whitman says
The writer should at least get AME correctly.
Ron Jordan says
Darrell Carter, please spell the church’s name properly if you will. Your letter to the editor isn’t about the noise pollution that you are so hard pressed by. It seems to me that you are more concerned with the “equity, inclusion initiatives” that until John Queen and Paul and Eboni Tue brought to the eyes of all fair minded citizens of Chestertown and Kent County didn’t exist. As you state “race propaganda” isn’t what you say it is, it is again bringing centuries old problems to the light of the town, the city council and the commissioners here in Kent County. By the way, permits were issued on Cannon street, didn’t see you get your “panites in a bunch” about the homes down there or the townhomes being built on Queen and Water Streets, where historically many black folks lived until, lo and behold, waterfront property became popular. If you complain, then do it at the planning commission, don’t mask your ” hate” with nonsensical arguments about the elementary school, besides if your friends are so taken aback by your perspective, they can vocalize their displeasure to the proper agencies.
John Woodfield says
Ron,
I have to agree with you and we both know we’ve had our differences over the years. I find myself trying to wrap my head around a church being blamed for public drinking. It doesn’t sit right with me. I think that Mr. Carter is poorly attempting to mask blatant racism. I don’t agree with everything John Queen does or stands for but I respect that he does good in and for our community. He has certainly never given me reason to doubt his motives. I certainly can’t ever say enough good things about the Tue’s either. Go Spartans!
Christy Barnett says
I’d have to agree with Mr. Carter. It seems as though an over abundance of permits given to the church on college avenue and to the people on the corner of college and calvert. Seems like the town should look into unethical practices between the issuer and issuer of these permits. If you don’t have the space to do so, you shouldn’t be having block parties, events, etc. If it doesn’t stay on your own property. When it floods into main roads and other surrounding areas, it inconveniences the rest of the community.
Ben Fowler says
I totally agree Christy!
Ron Jordan says
Yo, Christy, do you have block parties, your neighbors, have block parties, no complaints there. When your neighbors have block parties or are building enormous condos on Water Street on every foot of property, lets hear your protests then. Fair complaints should be equal and not about a black church and the surrounding black neighborhood. If you yell fire, make sure you yell fire in every neighborhood and not just the black or predominately black neighborhood and the black church, C’mon now, Christy, be fair and be wise in what you wish for.
A Calvert Street Resident says
My mother is a homeowner on the very block you speak of. That ally you speak of has my father name sign hung in it. My mother will do what she wants to on her property. She pays her taxes and brings joy to the community. Everybody respects her and I do mean EVERYBODY right down to the police officers who patrol. She has events that feed the community. My mother doesn’t know if the family that walks up to her yard had food to eat or not. She could be feeding a child that may only eat at school or when the events take place in the community, because their parent can not provide. She doesn’t get a dime from the town this is all out of love and bringing Calvert street people together. Downtown has wrote Calvert Street off for a long time, those people dearly do not want anyone from Calvert Street downtown. Calvert Street is a community within itself. Why try to take the only thing black people on that street have left. Where will they go? Are you providing a space to gather the people? Probably not. You speak of these permits being passed out and it needs to stop, but what permit have you taken out to provide for the community your trying to stop from getting these said permits?
Seems to me your worrying about the wrong thing. Let’s talk about why Chestertown has not advanced in decades? Let’s talk about why no new jobs are being brought to the town? Let’s talk about when a potential company wants to build in the town to bring revenue it’s shut down? I know why so you can keep the mom and pop stores open downtown GET OVER IT. It’s a new age and Chestertown is falling way behind. It’s nothing in that town for black people to do and definitely no great job opportunities.
WORRY ABOUT HOW TO BUILD THE TOWN UP INSTEAD OF A PERMIT AND BEING RACIST.
Alex Smolens says
I hope for the sake of this publication that Bethel A.M.E. spreads the good news of “autocorrect.”