Shanna Finch
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February 26, 2024
The executive director of the Lancaster Parking Authority, Larry Cohen, is considering limiting access to public restrooms in Ewell Plaza due to ongoing vandalism issues since the plaza's opening in October. Cohen expressed concerns about increased congregation in the plaza following the closure of Binns Park. Discussions with the city are ongoing regarding potential solutions, including adding cameras and altering restroom hours. Cohen suggested closing restrooms except during special events, but no decisions have been made. The issue extends beyond restrooms, involving the maintenance of the entire plaza, with updates expected at the next parking authority board meeting in June.
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January 22, 2024
The "devious licks" trend from TikTok led to vandalism in school bathrooms nationwide, including Breakfast Point Academy in Panama City Beach, Florida, where students damaged items like soap dispensers and toilet paper. Principal Clint Whitfield condemned this behavior due to its seriousness and legal implications, a problem echoed in other district schools with similar vandalism reports. In response, Breakfast Point Academy's Whitfield removed soap dispensers, offered small hand soaps as hall passes, and the district planned increased bathroom surveillance. Concurrently, TikTok responded by removing content related to this destructive challenge and redirecting hashtags to discourage such criminal activities.
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January 17, 2024
Some students at West Seattle High School are facing restroom issues due to poor conditions and privacy concerns. Students report that vandalism and graffiti have led to damaged stall doors and walls, making the restrooms uncomfortable to use. Some students choose to wait until they get home to use the bathroom to avoid the inconvenience and discomfort. The school has attempted various strategies, including locking up damaged restrooms and having adults monitor them, but issues persist. While there are multiple bathrooms on campus, students claim that they are not always readily accessible due to locking practices, leading to crowded facilities.
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January 08, 2024
Cape Girardeau, Missouri, has experienced a surge in public restroom vandalism this year, coinciding with an increase in daytime closures. Local resident, Venessa Angel, expressed concern about the deteriorating state of these facilities, emphasizing the need for clean and safe spaces for families, and the City Park Manager, Brock Davis, explained that frequent maintenance and repairs are necessary due to vandalism, incurring costs and inconvenience for both city employees and taxpayers. Efforts are being made to make the restrooms more vandal-resistant.
Residents hope for community action to deter further vandalism. City Park Manager Davis encourages people to report any incidents to the Parks and Recreation Department or the police to address this ongoing issue.
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January 02, 2024
Commissioner Nina Den Heyer has expressed her frustration and disappointment regarding the recent vandalism at the public restroom in Parke Patun Saragoza. This is not an isolated incident, and Den Heyer expressed her sadness, highlighting that it's not solely the responsibility of the Public Entity but a concern that affects everyone. She finds it especially disheartening, as she believes that when public facilities are damaged, it hinders the enjoyment for all. Additionally, she lamented the financial waste, noting that the funds used for repairing deliberately damaged items could have been put to better use elsewhere.
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December 26, 2023
The Bend Park and Recreation District has seen an 84% surge in restroom incidents in 2023, involving drug use and vandalism, totaling 35 reports. Such issues can result in costly repairs and closures. To tackle this, the district hired private security guards through a $430,000, two-year contract with Trident Security. Past incident reports noted interactions with homeless individuals, leading to measures like taping restroom doors and imposing 30-day park bans for extended restroom use.
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December 14, 2023
The Anchorage School District is facing a costly wave of vandalism prompted by TikTok videos encouraging students to damage school bathrooms and share the acts online, known as "devious licks." This nationwide trend recently hit Anchorage, resulting in over 80 incidents and tens of thousands of dollars in damages. School administrators are dismayed, as even previously well-behaved students are participating for a moment of TikTok fame. Some schools are limiting restroom access and requiring teacher permission during class times. The district has issued suspensions, involved the police, and may hold parents responsible for damage. They are urging parents to address this behavior with their children and encouraging students to report incidents anonymously.
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December 09, 2023
After enduring years of extensive and inappropriate vandalism, the City of Midland Parks and Recreation Commission has unanimously recommended the demolition of the Chippewassee Park pavilion, including the removal of picnic tables and the concrete slab. The decision follows a surge in vandalism incidents, with issues escalating this year. Vandalism ranged from graffiti to broken glass, bodily fluids, structural damage, and harm to nearby play structure slides. Despite efforts to curb vandalism, monitoring the pavilion, located in a relatively secluded area of Chippewassee Park, proved challenging. The recommendation now awaits City Council approval. The city intends to install more cameras at Chippewassee Park and explore alternatives for public gatherings currently hosted at the pavilion.
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December 07, 2023
The Humboldt Avenue Skate Park in Chico, California, has reopened following a three-day closure aimed at removing offensive and threatening graffiti. According to Scott Schumann, the Parks and Facilities Director for the Chico Area Recreation District (CARD), this closure was prompted by the presence of inappropriate messages. Notably, this marks the fifth time this year that CARD has temporarily shut down the park for graffiti removal. While graffiti is permitted in designated areas such as bathroom facilities and the art wall, the park is only closed for repainting when graffiti appears on skating surfaces or contains offensive or violent content.
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December 05, 2023
Brownsville police are seeking the public's help in identifying individuals responsible for vandalizing city property. The incidents occurred late at night on November 25th and 26th at Central Avenue Park and Morningside Park. At Central Avenue Park, the suspects removed tiles from the basketball court and left tire skid marks. Meanwhile, at Morningside Park, the vandals targeted the restrooms, removing stall doors, toilet paper dispensers, and hand soap dispensers, and also damaged ceiling lights.
