Muscatine

Guess I missed some thing but it sure wasn't like the strollls of the past.

Seen Jeff brooming his entrance way, two MPD and two cadets walking on the West end, dancers at Sherwin Williams but little else.

M. Lindsey was all dark, the singers/players were just arriving at Carver Trust (almost 6:30), Miller Harrison had a red cloth covered table but no one around and no performers.

Groups and groups of kids, many families pulling wagons of young ones, and many just walking and looking at the sights(?)

A Santa on almost ever corner, a PonPom group by Wester Drug, and the Christmas play in the old Western Auto bldg.

Missing were the live nativity at 1st National, The Journal was all dark so no show there, Salvation Army trucks with hot drinks were not to be had, and the nacho chips from Taco John's.

There were cars galore and blocked streets to boot but I must have missed the show this year. Almost forgot about the singers at 1st National, Walnut street end.

To me it appeared to be a big open house for the businesses in the name of a Holiday Stroll. The soup supper was there with what looked to be a pretty good crowd. We didn't go this year. Sounds good tho right now. 

Missed the "Train" had to go to work but I hope it drew a crowd and then some.

Anyone else have comments or thoughts.  Have a good day and a Merry Christmas to all.

Crowds did seem to be down a bit. Sales were down.  Kids running around in groups and gangs were at an all time high.  Yes it is not the stroll of old.

Sorry sales were down. Maybe the weather played a role, maybe other issues played a bigger role.

I see you mentioned the gangs.... Do they seem to be growing in visibility to you? They do to me, but do to my dislike of them, my opinion may be bias.

It seems to me that the crowds were way down from previous years. I susect it is because of two things. 1 the temps was colder than he double hockey sticks and 2 that train thing was way cool but having it arrive at 9:50 or so is way too late. I know a lot of folks waited until way late to go downtown to see the train. MIght have been better to have the train a bit earlier.

As for the "gangs" of kids--What I saw was a lot of groups of kids and only two groups of kids that were gang mambers. Both groups of identified gang mambers had police "escorts" as they made their way thru town. There were a lot of kids but only a few "gang" members out in force. The PD did a great job of letting the true gang members know that they were being watched. Most of the real gang members(the ones that are old enough) hang out at one bar now. I can think of a reason that the owner would put up with them but they do. It was a realy nice place to go but not now.I guess it is better to know where thye hang out than to wonder. In a way the owners are doing us all a favor by letting them hang out in there. I guess we should thank them.