The people of Lexington wonder why the youth are out causing trouble in the community.

Gun problems and other related violence are causing deaths among good teens and leaving families, especially in the black community, devastated from hearing about one of their loved ones being killed.

Lexington has to step up to this and find things for the black community to do.

This town is racially divided, with the northwest and east consisting of mainly blacks and the southeast and west consisting of majority whites. Most entertainment events are on the white side of the city, leaving the black community with nothing.

The city has to find something for its teens to do, besides just having the public pool, skating and movies. The city needs something to motivate our young adults. They could offer more teen jobs around the city to keep everyone busy and less likely to get into trouble.

The city could build a zoo, a Go-Kart course, indoor water park — something new and exciting to keep people happy.

No one is content with the same repetition of activities; it gets old, then the next thing the teens do is turn to is violence.

Teens involved in violence are getting younger and younger, and it has come to the point where older residents are concerned in all communities.

Lexington has a lot of growing to do — not with just building new neighborhoods and businesses and extending its farm industry — but in actually dealing with the people.

Lexington is a city that does not offer enough, and I would like to see the city do a better job to entertain and keep the people peaceful.

Neal Hicks, 19, lives in Lexington.