Graffiti Found At Arches National Park

Above, rock formations at Arches National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in July, I took a driving tour of Arches National Park near Moab, Utah. This was my first visit to this national park.

It was interesting to see the different red rock formations throughout the park.

It has been reported that bad behavior has struck the park. Too bad there are people who are compelled to do stupid things.

Deseret News reported:

Visitors to Arches National Park found the popular Devils Garden Trail vandalized with white spray-painted images of smiley faces, doodles and several iterations of what appears to be the word “GRUG” on the red rock.

Allyson Mathis, a retired National Park Service employee, found the defaced landscape while hiking with a friend last week. And that’s not all she encountered.

Speaking with a reporter from Outside, she described seeing a dog walking with other visitors — pets are not permitted on trails in Arches — and toilet paper strewn about the desert. That was in addition to the scale of the spray-paint defacement.

“It was everywhere,” Mathis said. “It was heartbreaking and upsetting, but unfortunately not surprising.”

To read more, go here. 

Zion National Park Reports Rampant Vandalism

Above, rock walls of Zion National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The idiocy and evil of some people has to be mind-boggling.

Our national parks exist to preserve them for current and future generations to enjoy. But there are some evil and mindless people out there who are hell-bent to ruin them.

From the Salt Lake Tribune:

Zion N.P., Utah • Zion National Park on Monday reported that staff has been working to clean widespread vandalism recently.

According to a statement, the vandalism includes rock carvings and scratches, stickers, permanent markers, and spray paint.

“Not only is graffiti unsightly it damages natural and cultural resources that the park protects. Over 5 million people visit Zion every year. Allow other park visitors to experience the wonder of Zion by leaving rocks, plants, artifacts, and other objects as you found them,” the park said in an email.

The park released a video on their YouTube channel showing some of the vandalism and their efforts to repair the damage.

To read more and see the video, go here. 

Southernmost Point Buoy To Be Restored By End of Week, Suspects Identified

Above, the Southernmost Point buoy in 2019. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Southernmost Point buoy, a famous Key West, Florida landmark, should be restored by the end of this week.

Two arsonists set fire to a Christmas tree next to the buoy causing damage to the buoy's paint.

According to Fox 13 Tampa Bay:

KEY WEST, Fla. - In Key West, repairs are still being made to the famous Southernmost Point buoy that was damaged after two suspects set fire to a Christmas tree in front of the landmark.

On Monday, city officials said it should be fully restored in three to four days, depending on the weather. 

According to Key West police, they have identified the pair who vandalized the buoy. There is no word yet on whether they have been located or arrested.

To read more, go here. 

Down Fence At Six Mile Canyon Gate

Above, the down fence between the corral and the Six Mile Canyon gate. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

With yesterday's chaos in Washington, D.C., I felt a needed break from all the hysterical news and political posturing. So I took the Jeep out today to pick up my mail down at the Flying J and to do some driving.

It was around 50° out, warm enough to enjoy the drive.

At one point, I ended up at the Six Mile Canyon entrance gate and corral. Along Six Mile Canyon Road, I noticed a perimeter barbed wire fence down in one section with tire tracks going over it. Further down, at the entrance gate, someone pulled down a barbed wire fence between the corral and gate. Again, there were tire tracks. I can surmise that the the same person(s) is the culprit.

Above, looking north from the Six Mile Canyon gate. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The road into Six Mile Canyon has been closed to vehicles for winter since December 15. Obviously, this was in violation of the closure.

While there, I decided to give the Cibola National Forest ranger office a call to notify them of the down fencing. I only got to a voice mail. I gave them the details of what I found in a message along with my name and phone number.

Violations such as this will only make things difficult for the rest of us who follow the rules. 

Graceland Perimeter Wall Vandalized By BLM

Above, the walls in front of Graceland during normal times. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Apparently, nothing is sacred anymore.

The front perimeter walls of Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion were vandalized with BLM graffiti.

According to popculture.com:

This week saw several spots in Memphis, including Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion, vandalized with graffiti promoting the Black Lives Matter movement and calling to defund the police, among other messages. The graffiti at Graceland was found on a rock wall outside the property on Elvis Presley Boulevard Tuesday morning before it was power washed by a worker. 

Presley's ex-wife Priscilla Presley offered her thoughts on the vandalism with a post on Facebook Thursday, writing that she was "horrified" by the graffiti. "Concerning the graffiti at Graceland, I'm absolutely horrified that those in our own city disgraced the walls surrounding Graceland," her post read. "I'm saddened by acts like this and appalled by this behavior. We were able to clean all the graffiti off thanks to our dedicated crew."

To read the full article, go here. 

Seattle Thugs Vandalize Jimi Hendrix Statue

It appears that no statue, no matter who it is of, is safe these days.

Some thugs vandalized (can you believe it?) a statue honoring rock 'n roll icon Jimi Hendrix in Seattle. Hendrix was from nearby Renton, Washington and is buried there.

The following was posted on Facebook:

These morons even vandalized the statue of rock legend Jim Hendrix on Seattle's Capitol Hill. Did these brilliant droolers not realize that Hendrix was a BLACK rock star?

Here's the photo that accompanied the post:

Democrat State Employee Arrested For GOP Headquarters Vandalism

A New Mexico state employee, a Democrat activist, was arrested for vandalism to a building housing a Republican headquarters.

KOAT reported:

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —Albuquerque police have arrested a man they say spray-painted the Republican Party Headquarters in Albuquerque, causing thousands of dollars in damage. 

According to the criminal complaint, Cameron Chase McCall appears to be the man caught on camera -- spray-painting the words -- "Still Traitors" painted on the outside of the stucco building last week. 

The complaint says McCall is heavily involved with the Democratic Party. 

Staffers say it cost about $4,000 to repair the vandalism.

Thank God for security cameras!

To read more, go here.

UPDATE:

Here's the suspect with Gov. "Malevolent Michelle" Lujan Grisham:

The Fine Should Have Been Greater

Above, Crater Lake National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

An Oregon man was fined $200 for damage he caused in a section of Crater Lake National Park.

According to OregonLive:

An Oregon man created more than $60,000 in damages after driving off-road at Crater Lake National Park, destroying part of a sensitive natural environment as a friend took pictures. 

Evan Metz, from Grants Pass, ultimately paid $200 for the damages he caused in a section of the park called the Pumice Desert, after his insurance company paid the damage assessment costs of more than $60,000, park officials said in a news release Friday. 

The incident took place in July, 2018, when Metz entered the desert and drove in circles, officials said. In the process, he dug ruts 12 inches deep and caused “widespread vegetation mortality,” destroying at least 15 species of native plants.

Even though is insurance company paid the bulk of the loss, Metz should have been fined more than $200 and should have served some jail time. This is even below speeding ticket fines. This was too lenient.

According to the article:

 The crime can result in a fine of up to $2,000 and six months in federal prison.

To read more, go here.

Arizona National Parks Survived The Government Shutdown

Above, a view of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During the government shutdown, Joshua Tree National Park suffered damage that would, officials say, take 300 years to heal. Trash was left uncollected, valuable Joshua Trees were cut down and other acts of vandalism took place.

In contrast, Arizona's national parks were almost unscathed in comparison.

According to AZ Big Media:

Waiting for the sun to rise, visitors to Grand Canyon National Park quietly stood at Mather Point. By 7:45, sunbeams pierced the low clouds to illuminate the red rocks and the sparkling snow. Despite the partial federal government shutdown, which ended Jan. 25, for most visitors, the closure didn’t affect their experience. 

Although Petrified Forest National Park closed during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, Arizona’s two other national parks – Grand Canyon and Saguaro National Park – remained open with limited services. The visitor center at Grand Canyon was closed, but the Grand Canyon Conservancy bookstore, hotels and restaurants were open. It was a similar story at Saguaro. But as of Monday, both parks were fully staffed, and it was business as usual, at least for the next three weeks while the debate over funding a southern-border wall continues in Washington, D.C. 

Park officials say Saguaro and Grand Canyon are recovering from the shutdown with limited damage, and they are prepared should another shutdown happen.

To read more, go here.

Graffiti Found At Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

Above, the Atomic Bomb Dome at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Nothing is sacred anymore, not even in Japan's Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima.

Graffiti has been found at three locations within the park.

NHK reported:

Police in Hiroshima, western Japan, are investigating graffiti found at 3 places in the Peace Memorial Park. The park is home to the landmark Atomic Bomb Dome, which was damaged in the 1945 bombing. 

Police said on Tuesday that black, spray-painted markings were found on a bench near the dome, on a fence at the Peace Memorial Museum and on the door of a garbage disposal facility near a monument for the Korean victims of the bombing. 

Security guards found the graffiti on Monday morning. Workers were seen erasing the markings on Tuesday.

To read more, go here. 

2 Chinese Suspects Sought In Sensoji Vandalism

Above, Sensoji Temple. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It appears that two suspects in a recent rash of vandalism to Japanese shrines have been identified.

Yesterday, stains by an oily substance were found defacing Sensoji temple in Asakusa.

The Asahi Shimbun reported:

Police are investigating the possible involvement of Chinese women being sought in connection with vandalism at Meiji Shrine in defacing Sensoji temple after stains were found there on April 15. 

The suspects, Piao Jinyu, 49, and Piao Shanai, 49, were captured in surveillance camera footage at the famed temple in Tokyo's Asakusa district on the afternoon of April 3, according to Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department.

Recently, oily stains were found at Zojo-ji Temple in Tokyo.

To read more, go here.

Increased Vandalism Reported At Joshua Tree National Park

Above, rock formations near Cottonwood Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

With increased numbers of visitors to Joshua Tree National Park, there's also an increase in instances of vandalism and graffiti.

KESQ reported:

JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. - Officials at Joshua Tree National Park said they've seen an increase in visitation over the past few years, but with the notable increase in visitation, unfortunately they've also seen more graffiti and intentional vandalism occurring at the park. 

Superintendent David Smith said, “99% of visitors are respectful and truly appreciate the pristine scenery the park has to offer.  Unfortunately there are visitors who feel it necessary to damage what Mother Nature has produced”.

The park's rangers are asking for the public's help in in monitoring the graffiti and other damage. They are providing several ways for the public to report vandalism.

To read more, go here. 

Zojoji Temple Vandalized

Above, Zojoji Temple in 2001. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is hard the understand some people's mentality.

There's been a rash of vandalism at Japan's temples and shrines. Someone has been defacing these places with some sort of oily substance.

The latest temple to be vandalized was Zojoji Temple in Tokyo.

According to The Japan Times:

Zojoji Temple in central Tokyo appears to be the latest target of attack by vandals suspected of defacing shrines and temples across the country this month with an unidentified liquid, according to the police. 

Police are investigating at least a dozen stains that were found throughout the temple, near Tokyo Tower, including on the bell and the Sangedatsumon wooden main gate, which was built in 1622 and is designated an Important Cultural Property.

I visited Zojoji Temple during my first visit to Japan in November 2001.

Above, Zojoji Temple main gate. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here.