4 dumpsters of trash taken

Mildred Lykens, 365-0060

mildred@gorge.net

Barbara Sexton, 365-5374

madison@gorge.net

Another successful "Community Clean-up!" Four dumpsters with 160 square yards of trash were hauled out and at least a semi trailer load of scrap iron will be taken to the market. This annual project will benefit the community and the council thanks all who donated funds, trash and time towards this endeavor.

The PUD will send the guest speaker at the April 28 Lyle Community Council meeting. You need to attend and hear what they are saying about power, water and sewer rates. Any other agenda items will be noted in this column before the meeting.

Do you know it is a federal offense to damage government property? What does a community have to do, for their children, to keep them from vandalism? A skateboard park was created with a great amount of expense in both dollars and physical labor. Funds from the EDA Grants and individual labor, supplied our youth a place to safely hone their skateboarding skills. Now a few have decided it wasn't enough and have chosen the interior of the post office. Question of course is why? Is it because the post office has no challenging ramps? Or perhaps they prefer a carpet under them to soften their falls? And what purpose lies in shredding informative flyers on the poster board and carving obscene words in the board itself? These actions only depict the infantile behavior and the lower class standards of the guilty parties. Those of you that appreciate the work and expense that has provided you a skate park probably know who is guilty, and it seems a shame that you are not brave enough to come forward. It will be another shame to our community if we have to ask for the post office to be locked after hours, or to have the skate park dismantled, just because a few wish to be destructive. Damage left by these individuals has given the postmistress few alternatives. She asks that if anyone sees unnecessary activity in or around the post office after hours, they need not get involved but to call 911 or report to her during regular hours with a description of the guilty parties.

It has also been reported that Lyle is being targeted by those petty thieves that are hitting other communities. Our Neighborhood Watch needs to become active and report suspicious activities to the authorities! Let's all become observant and respond to stop these thieves.

The Song of the Rivers (a history of Lyle by Elizabeth McDowell): "Prologue: It told of strong, coppery men who came from the sea to fish in the streams and to hunt in the forest-depth across the territory; of camp-fires and tepees and bark canoes, and of arrows and tomahawks and blood spilled in battles. Of graves along its banks and in its cold depths. Where as the stream had been born nameless, the coppery men called it 'Chiwana'."

"Money can't buy you happiness, but it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery." Spike Milligan