
By Dewey Terrill
JC Post
If you don't succeed try, try again. That was a messsage to organizers of a proposed East 9th Street mural in Junction City.
The idea came before the Junction City Commission this week with Nancy Baylor confirming most of the money for the mural had already been raised. She said no history should be erased but there isn't enough discussion about black history.
Baylor added East 9th Street began in the 1930s. "Black soldiers weren't allowed in bars, restaurants ( elsewhere ) so East 9th Street was there for that purpose." She noted everyone there took care of each other. Curtis Jackson joined Baylor by noting athletes Joe Louis and Jackie Robinson were there."Just don't want to lose any of the history." He added, Ninth Street is part of Junction City's history and it's a diverse history."
The City tore down East 9th Street in the 1970's. The proposed mural would be on a city owned police warehouse in the 300 block of East 9th Street.
Junction City Police Chief Kirt Nichols said police do not have an isssue with the mural itself but with some of the things on the mural," the alcohol, cards that represent gambling, and that kind of thing."
The police chief noted that authorities have spent at least 35 years trying to clean up Junction City. "So I don't want to go back and memorialize the gambling, the liqour, but the other stuff I have no issue with."
Commissioner Ricardo Gutierrez felt bringing in the athletes to the mural was good, and felt murals bring people together but was against the gambling and the alcohol.
Commissioner Richard Pinaire said the discussion was about something that happened 50 years ago. He felt to hide the items "invaded the concept of the artist and the reality." He said that they were depicting a part of the community and memorializing the people, and the mural as proposed was a realistic modest depiction. Commissioner Al Gordon noted there was not an effort to portray crime or the bad of the situation.
Mayor Pat Landes said he understood the chief's opinion and Commissioner Ronna Larson was not opposed to the mural. "I think it's gret to keeep the history alive. You can depict what you want to depict in other ways." She asked if it could be taken back to see what tweaks could be made to it. The proposed mural could then be brought back to the commission.
Saying that the drawing just depicts the reality 50 to 70 years ago, Pinaire moved that the governing body approve the drawing that was submitted. Al Gordon seconded the motion but it was defeated 3-2.
Landes told the organizers for the project he would like to see another rendition and see if they could get something acceptable that works for the police department. He suggested the project could still work. "I think we just need to go back to the drawing board and see if we can work out something a little bit different, make everybody happy and move foward."