Beautifying downtown Columbus recently took on a new meaning.

The Columbus Police Department chipped in to help clean up an unsightly and disruptive problem Nov. 24 when they picked up Hozzie Hawthorne, 71, of 1515 13th Ave. N.

Hawthorne was charged with vagrancy, otherwise known as panhandling — a big-city problem in a small-town setting.

But Hawthorne’s arrest wasn’t an isolated incident. It wasn’t his first time and he wasn’t alone.

“We’ve given him several chances to stop,” said Terrie Songer, public information officer for the CPD.

Hawthorne is being held at the Lowndes County Adult Detention Center to face the vagrancy charge and a possible violation of his probation on shoplifting charges.

Local business people, residents and visitors to the downtown area have become familiar with Hawthorne, who was one of two or more individuals known to beg for money on downtown sidewalks.

Some business owners saw the vagrants as an unfortunate inconvenience, but the problem was presented to CPD Chief Joseph St. John three weeks ago in a meeting after the panhandlers became more aggressive.

“When we had our meeting, we had two (men) that were our greatest concern,” recalls St. John. “One was Hozzie Hawthorne. Those two are super assertive, daily, consistent and enough to get people concerned.”

The men began drawing attention weeks ago by insisting passersby give them money, sometimes following pedestrians after being ignored or denied.

“One got to where he just pushes people,” said Homer Beaty, owner of The Fashion Barn at the corner of Main and Fifth streets. “Some of our customers probably won’t come back because it intimidates them.”

Some put the number of panhandlers in the downtown area at three or four regulars. St. John says the problem has been largely solved after Hawthorne’s arrest and the other primary offender was told by officers his behavior wouldn’t be tolerated.

“The other one hasn’t been seen downtown in weeks,” said St. John.

Stories of encounters with the vagrants run the gamut from store owners running the men off to pedestrians believing the men were attempting to rob them.

Bart Lawrence, owner of the Princess Theater on Fifth Street South, says the problem hasn’t been as bad in the last few weeks, but recently he had to run the men off on a regular basis.

“A couple of months ago, almost every day we were having problems,” said Lawrence. “I run so many off they know not to come inside. They wait around the corner in the (neighboring) WCBI parking lot. It’s pretty annoying, but hasn’t been nearly as bad in the last month or so.”

Charlie Crawford, manager of House of Tux on Main Street, is one of several business owners who reported no ill effects to their businesses due to the vagrants. One manager didn’t want to speak about the issue because she was concerned it would make downtown Columbus look bad.

Amber Murphree Brislin, director of Main Street Columbus Inc., housed on Fifth Street North in downtown, said the panhandlers didn’t create an urgent problem, but store owners took the issue to St. John because they wanted to maintain the safe atmosphere downtown.

“We met with the chief and mayor because it is a problem. But it’s not like people are beating down your door every day,” said Murphree Brislin.

She says the police department and the mayor’s office have both responded quickly and effectively to the business owners’ concerns. But St. John says the most effective way to keep panhandlers out of downtown is to ignore their requests for money.

“When you give them money, you just encourage them. Don’t give any vagrants money and you’ll help me tremendously,” said St. John. “In its own weird way, we can make it profitable for them.”

Business owners, employees, shoppers and pedestrians are all asked to call the police immediately if they encounter a vagrant.

“They are present, but if everyone from citizens to business owners informs the police then the police will come take care of it immediately,” said Murphree Brislin.