Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Dec. 23, 2024 – The Downtown Jonesboro Alliance (DJA) has been awarded emergency grant funding from Main Street Arkansas to assist businesses affected by the ongoing road closure near the old Citizens Bank building.
The closure, prompted by structural concerns with the building, has disrupted operations for restaurants and retailers along Main Street for several months. The focus of the grant is to help the businesses most impacted by the closure. The announcement has sparked a range of reactions from the community.
DJA is a nonprofit not associated with the city of Jonesboro. As they work to distribute the funds, some members of the community have taken to social media to debate whether the initiative can adequately address the broader challenges posed by the ongoing road closure.
Some see the funding as a much-needed lifeline.
“I think this is exactly what these businesses need right now,” wrote Jessica Reynolds. “Downtown is a huge part of our community, and anything that keeps those stores and restaurants going is a win for everyone.”
Similarly, Eric Martin, a business owner in a different part of town, welcomed the news of the grant.
“They’ve been struggling with reduced traffic since the closure. This funding gives them some breathing room while they wait for the situation to improve.”
Tami Chandler agreed in her post. “They definitely deserve some help. It’s not their fault things have dragged on so long with that building situation.”
Others expressed skepticism.
“That’s like a government bailout on a local level. That’s sad,” Spencer Morris wrote. “You opened a business and now because a building that’s been there for years before most places that are downtown was condemned, y’all want help. This is sad to read. Get in where you fit in.”
Barry Rudd posted “More of our money wasted because they wouldn’t demand that the owners fix their building and it’s gonna cost us more tax dollars to tear down the building.”
Megan Green questioned the grant’s overall impact.
“The road’s been closed for so long, and there’s still no timeline for reopening. This funding might help temporarily, but it won’t really solve the bigger problem.”