Workers clean up after vandalism at Bemis Park

BEMIS, Tenn. — Officials are cleaning up after a vandalism at a local park.

“I came by to check it out in person. It’s rather disappointing that anyone would even do this,” Joel Jackson, chairman of the Bemis Historical Society, said.

On Tuesday, Jackson police sent out an alert showing someone had poured paint into the fountain and on two picnic tables at Bemis Park.

“You should respect your own turf, so to speak,” Jackson said.

Thursday, Recreation and Parks Department officials were out cleaning up the mess.

Robert Roy works across the street from the park.

“It’s upsetting. You don’t want your community to be vandalized, here and there. Even though it’s small, it’s not good for the community,” Roy said.

Roy says he’s also seen decorations outside other stores along the street destroyed over the years.

Officials were out scraping the paint off the tables and concrete, even using power tools to remove the paint.

“Things like this is upsetting to the community and is detrimental to folks here who use it from time to time,” Roy said.

One resident had something to say to the vandals.

“I think the people that did it should, as the old saying goes, get a life,” Jackson said.

Recreation and Parks Department officials were out at 8 a.m. Thursday trying to clean up all of the paint. They said they’ll have to fill and drain the fountain two or three times before it’s completely gone.

If you have any information about this crime, call Jackson police at 731-425-8400 or Crimestoppers at 731-424-TIPS (8477).