News 12 at 6 o'clock, July 1, 2009

AUGUSTA, Ga.---We first told you about residents living in Augusta's Harrisburg community who are fed up with drugs and rundown homes. They are now taking their outrage to a whole new level. There are plans to take to the streets this Fourth of July.

This comes after News 12 recently revealed a planned sheriff's substation would take longer than expected. There is now a time-line for that substation. Neighbors say they will believe it when they see it.

"I am sick of it," said protest organizer Butch Palmer.

He is determined to rid his Harrisburg neighborhood of drugs and slumlords.

"We've just had enough," said Butch Palmer. "I think everybody knows what shady means...just shady behavior."

He's says it's time for the community to take matters in their own hands.

"There are always a bunch of naysayers and people that ain't about nothing," said Butch. "[They] never will be nothing, and ain't never done nothing."

"It's time to do something about," said Walter Tankersley. "We gotta tighten up some kind of way."

"These little kids up here," said Walter. "They are learning from the big kids and selling drugs and stuff. They need to get it out of here."

But the march doesn't come without it's share of controversy.

"The neighbors could take their shotguns and put blanks in them and do like a 21 shotgun salute," suggested Butch. "But the sheriff didn't like that idea, and I love the sheriff. I don't disagree with him. So we abandoned that."

The march will begin at the corner Eve and Ellis Street. But city leaders insist help is on the way in form of a new deputies substation.

"Oh definitely," said Margaret Woodard who is director of the Downtown Development Authority. "There's a lot of work to do, and we're going to need volunteers. I think that would be a much more better use of everybody's time."

"What's the term," questions Butch. "A day late and a dollar short."

That substation was expected to open back in June.

"If it does make a difference we will be happy," said Butch. "If it doesn't we'll still picket."

Volunteers will spend the next 3 weekends preparing the substation. At least 30 people are expected to show up. Things kick off at 10AM Saturday morning.