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Show A-4 The Park Record Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues, August 22-25, 2020 Pro-Biden signs in Wanship yard repeatedly vandalized Homeowner says it’s a first in her 17 years on East Side ALEXANDER CRAMER The Park Record A Wanship woman says she is battling a vandal who repeatedly takes down and vandalizes signs in her yard and elsewhere that support Joe Biden’s campaign for president. “This individual has a very colorful vocabulary,” said Karen Mecham, a 17-year resident of the East Side town, referring to words she says have been written on the signs next to Biden’s name. But Mecham vowed the vandalism would not stop her from advertising her political beliefs. “As long as they take them down, I’ll keep putting them up,” she said. Mecham said she reported the issue to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office after it happened more than once. Sheriff’s Lt. Andrew Wright said a deputy responded to the scene and took the report but did not have a suspect. Wright said that deputies would increase patrols around the home as resources allow. Mecham said she has good relationships with her neighbors and didn’t think one of them was responsible. Instead, she suspects someone from outside the community or someone who was driving by her home. “This has never happened in 17 years,” she said. “I know many of my friends are Republicans and they know I’m a Democrat. That doesn’t seem to make any difference. We don’t talk about politics, of course, but we talk about just about everything else.” She added that the episode isn’t changing how she feels about the community. Mecham said she received 10 signs from the Biden campaign earlier this week and placed nine of them around town in public places and one in her front yard. By the next morning, all nine had disappeared and the sign in her front yard had been vandalized. She would not say what was written on the signs. “They don’t like Biden, that much I can tell you,” Mecham said. Mecham and her husband live on 3 acres atop a steep hill and cannot see the road from their home. After cleaning the profane message from the sign that was in her yard, she said she replaced it higher up the hill, wanting to make it hard- er to access and thinking the person or people responsible for the vandalism might not have known it was on private property. “I just wanted him to have to hike up the hill,” Mecham said. “Believe me, that is not a fun thing to do.” That didn’t deter the vandalism, so Mecham alerted authorities Wednesday morning. “They hiked up there just the same and took it down,” she said. “... Now that they’re trespassing on my property, I’m a little concerned with my safety.” As of Thursday morning, Mecham said she had placed four Biden signs on her property along with new “no trespassing” signs in prominent places nearby. She said she’d keep up the cleaning and replacing routine “one day longer than (the vandal) does.” “I think that we, as American citizens, regardless of what our leanings are, should respect one another. I think we should support one another. I support my Republican neighbors: They have every right to vote for whoever they feel like,” she said. “People need to be reminded that we are American citizens. We all are entitled to vote and think the way we choose to do so.” Court report According to the Summit County Attorney’s Office, the following case was heard on Monday, Aug. 17, in 3rd District Court at the Summit County Justice Center. Griffen Paul Jorgensen, 42, of Coalville, was sentenced for the offense of theft, a third-degree felony. The court placed the defendant on probation with Summit County Proba- tion for 24 months and ordered the defendant to complete standard terms and conditions. The court also imposed a suspended sentence of zero to five years at the Utah State Prison. Are you LOST on what’s happening in Park City Then Follow us on Facebook facebook.com/parkrecord YOUR PERFECT SKI DAY STARTS HERE Park City’s Newest Ski in Ski Out Private Ski Club Memberships starting at $6,000 Secure Your Season Call Today www.jacksonhideaway.com 435-200-8832 1415 Lowell Ave. Park City, UT 84060 |