With the Shreveport Cross Bayou project failing to pass, there seems to be a general feeling of unease about the local state of affairs.  Quite a few of the questions boil down to this: How do we make our community better without spending millions of dollars we don't have?

For starters, every one of us could spend more of our dollars locally. When you are spending your hard earned dollars, you have a lot of choices.  It's super easy to jump online and buy a good portion of your needs and wants, but you are most likely shorting yourself and the community. If you don't make an effort to buy local, not only are you sending dollars away from your city - you are also missing out on the best of the best!

If you haven't eaten at Strawn's Eat Shop, Stone Forks, or one of the tons of delicious local restaurants - you are robbing yourself of some of the most delicious and satisfying food there is!  Plus, you'll be pouring money back into your city.  If you think that there are problems with your town (crime, infrastructure, etc), the surest way to combat it is by helping to maintain local economic stability and growth.

No place is perfect, but by feeding locally made dollars into locally owned and operated businesses we can make our communities so much better.  When I want to fill my tummy with something yummy, I love Bergeron's, Strawn's Eat Shop, Stone Forks, Monjuni's, Sushi Gen, and tons of other delicious local eateries.  It's the best for my hunger, and the best for my city.

Food is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to local businesses you can support.  If you are looking to quench your thirst, try one of our local breweries like Flying Heart Brewery or Great Raft.  Home improvement?  Try Caddo Paint or Harrison Paint Company.  Eyesight a little fuzzy?  Adams or Murphy Eye Care will have you seeing straight. There are great local house cleaners, dog groomers, auto repair shops, and way more that benefit this area every time we take our business to them!

I am sure that I missed a few businesses, but the point stands.  If you want to improve the area around you for your self, kids, neighbors, co-workers etc. - spend your money where you live whenever possible.

More From Highway 98.9