There’s been a rash of vandalism reported recently.

Within the last week or so a concession stand in Poplarville was broken into where an unknown suspect tore up some equipment, made a mess with syrup and stole equipment meant for the football team.

In Picayune, investigators are looking for suspects involved in spray painting profanity on vehicles and other property. 

When I moved to Pearl River County in the early 90s the first thing people told me was that there was nothing to do in Picayune. Most of my days were spent hanging out with friends at their houses, building bon fires for parties or sitting in front of a television.

But no matter how bored we got, we never tore up someone else’s property. 

Replacing the broken coolers, cleaning up the sticky mess and buying new football gear will involve the loss of time and money that could be put to better use.

Several times I’ve seen people address the City Council about the need for a skate park or some other place where young people can get together and engage in an activity that does not require the involvement of law enforcement. But why does the city need to build it?

There have been attempts at catering to the younger crowds before by private business owners, but they didn’t last long. Over the years I’ve heard of a place called “The Clock.” I was personally a regular patron of the “The Arcade” near the Mississippi Mall. For a short time there was a laser tag arena on South Haugh Avenue, though I never went. 

If someone was to fill the gap missing by the absence of these long lost businesses, maybe instances of vandalism would wane, or at least slow down a bit.