Whether it’s a shopping trip, dinner and date night, a performance at the symphony or a stop at a museum exhibit, Meridian is quickly becoming the place to be.

Some trace Meridian’s revitalization effort back to the renovation of Union Station in the ‘90s, while others point to the reopening of the MSU Riley Center in 2006, but regardless of how it started, there’s no denying revitalization is happening and happening fast.

With The Mississippi Children’s Museum-Meridian, The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience, the Meridian Museum of Art, the MSU Riley Center, Temple Theater, Meridian Little Theater, as well as numerous boutiques, restaurants and eateries, Meridian blends old and new into an eclectic scene unique to the region.

At an event at The MAX Thursday, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann commented saying, “East Mississippi is such a special place, and you all have worked very hard to keep it that way.”

Thursday night saw several events that kept people out after dark, and despite what the rumor mills would have one believe, it was a safe and enjoyable experience for those involved.

It is both sad and frustrating that some in our community choose to frame the Queen City as crime ridden and dangerous when, in most cases, there is little, if any, threat to ordinary passersby. It is even more disheartening to see decades of hard work, fundraising and planning casually dismissed in favor of a more salacious version of events.

Yes, Meridian has crime. Like any other regional metropolitan area, the city attracts those who choose to earn their living through illicit activities like drugs and gangs, and that is unlikely to stop anytime soon.

It is truly disappointing, however, to allow the actions of a few to overshadow the city’s vivid culture, consistent efforts and camaraderie that imprint so strongly on visitors yet somehow manage to fail in reaching its own residents and natives.

Thousands of people visit the Queen City each year and go away pleased with what Meridian has to offer. It’s OK for Meridianites to be too.