Race relations, political divisions among Macon residents’ frustrations | Macon in the Mirror | Macon.com

Crime in Macon, as well as race relations, political divisions and the lack of growth, were among the frustrations cited most often by nearly 600 people interviewed for the “Macon in the Mirror” project.

Residents mentioned crime concerns most often, though.

“Basically what worries me right now is the crime,” said Ricky Howard, who has lived in Macon all of his life and works in masonry and construction. “Not even the state of the economy, none of that stuff. Just the crime because I see too much senseless crime … on TV. It just doesn’t make sense to me.”

Kamlesh “Kenny” Desai moved to Macon seven years ago when he got a chance to invest in a convenience store. A former engineer in his native India, Desai is now sole owner of a store on Riverside Drive. He, too, is frustrated by the crime.

“What happens is that if I am working the evening shift, I will not go home. I will sleep here. Because when you are leaving the store, that is the time you are most vulnerable. And I don’t want to give them a chance. I have seen the gun two times and I was fortunate.”

He added bulletproof glass after the first encounter.

“If they come to rob me, what can they take? I mean, by the time they break through this, the cops should hopefully be there,” he said.

via Race relations, political divisions among Macon residents’ frustrations | Macon in the Mirror | Macon.com.