Vandals

Vulgar slang and at least one racial slur covered the facade of the press box and other surfaces at the Boyle County High School football stadium Wednesday, and officials from both the Boyle and Danville districts have asked for extra police patrols. The crosstown rivals are scheduled to play Friday night at Admiral Stadium, home to the Danville High School team. Danville Assistant Police Chief Tom Bustle said this morning that patrols have been increased. The department's 911 log indicates "suspicious activity" in the vicinity of Proctor Street on Wednesday night.

Despicable is the only way to describe the vandalism that occurred presumably over the weekend at Lake Mingo. Monday afternoon, Noel and Jaclynn Ball came into the newspaper office and showed the editor some startling images of graffiti spray painted on the playground equipment used by countless youngsters. Parks are supposed to be a place for fun and recreation. The public should not have to view vulgar, disturbing images of the obscene. It's sad to think that here in Nicholasville we have to put up with such nonsense.

PERRYVILLE - A concerned citizen is offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the persons responsible for vandalism last year at Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site. In November, someone apparently hooked a vehicle up to a cannon near the Hays Mays Road entrance and pulled it off its mount. The gun carriage of the cannon, a reproduction "Napoleon" model valued at $5,000, was completely destroyed. The cannon was on loan to the park.

HARRODSBURG - Anderson-Dean Park received the exact opposite of a "thank you" for the hard work spent on the recent skateboard park added in April of last year. Director Mark Bryant said four males he thinks are skateboarders vandalized the Hitachi Shelter for two solid hours. "We have them on video," Bryant said, describing the two-hours worth of violent action the boys took out on the men and women's bathrooms. "This is the second time in six months," Bryant said, describing the first time as much more minor.

Nicholasville police are still investigating a string of vandalism that occurred last Sunday morning. "There was no rhyme or reason to it," Officer Scott Harvey said. Between the hours of 2 a.m. and 7 a.m., vandalism occurred in the mobile home park off Cottage Street and on Edgewood Drive, between Bellechase and Quinn drives. Vandals used spray paint to write obscenities on cars, garage doors, mail boxes, stop signs and electric meters. Vandals used various spray paint colors including pink, orange, red, tan and black.

Local authorities are investigating a burglary and vandalism at The Presbyterian Church of Danville on West Main Street. Someone reportedly broke glass in a door at the church to gain entrance sometime after midnight, Sgt. Todd Davis said this morning. "It is undetermined if anything or what has been taken," he said. "There has been a considerable amount of damage done to the interior of the church. "

PERRYVILLE - Someone rammed a truck through a gate off Whites Road to gain entrance Sunday to Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site. A women's restroom also was vandalized. Joni House, a spokeswoman at the park, said several hundred dollars in damages were to the gate and women's restroom at the large shelter at the park. A window was broken, and a door was kicked open to gain entrance to the restroom, she said. She said the park is open on a limited basis during the winter months and has few maintenance workers to make repairs.

Just in time for Halloween, vandals left what appear to be occult and racist symbols on the walls of a vacant building that the city of Crab Orchard hopes to renovate. "We are currently seeking the help of our citizens to identify the person or persons responsible for vandalizing city property," said Crab Orchard Mayor Mike Ramey. "This building was graciously donated by Mr. and Mrs. Cecil King to the city and is being considered for public use. Unfortunately, if this vandalism continues, repairs for damages may become too high to refurbish this building for any use. " Along with the letters KKK, the writings and drawings depict pentagrams and other symbols linked to the occult, house-like structures and the word Slaer, which could be a misspelling of the rock group Slayer, whose album titles include "Reign in Blood," "Seasons in the Abyss," and "God Hates Us All. " The building is on Main Street and was formerly owned by Lincoln Scrap metal.

MIDDLEBURG - Someone vandalized a door and windows over the weekend at the old Middleburg Elementary School, police said. Sheriff Jerry Coffman said someone broke into the school sometime Friday night, but apparently did not enter the building. Windows in a side door were broken. No estimate of damages was reported.

JUNCTION CITY - Two people, thought to be teenagers, are suspected to be the cause of a gas leak that sent students home from Junction City Elementary School Friday morning, said Junction City Police Chief Jimmy Gipson. "Vandals got on top of the school and in the process knocked loose some gas pipes, which in turn caused a gas leak," he said. The call came in to the police station about 6:30 Friday morning. Gipson suspects the damage was done hours earlier, about 2 a.m., by teenagers looking for something to do. Junction City Police Officer Doug Combs said the individuals got on top of the school by using a Dumpster beside the school.