No subject

<B>Update on graffiti at Eaton Canyon<BR>
</B>16 June 2009<BR>
<BR>
... We spoke Monday with Helen Wong, the Regional Park Superintendent for E=
aton Canyon, who has been grateful for the response to the graffiti and over=
whelmed at the same time. &nbsp;The park and nature center area, which Wong =
is responsible for, actually comprises a small part of the area and a small =
part of the graffiti -- the most egregious graffiti is on land supervised by=
 the National Forest Service. &nbsp;Law enforcement over the canyon is, depe=
nding on the section, the responsibility of the Pasadena Police Dept., Natio=
nal Forest Service, county police (who patrol county parks) or the Los Angel=
es County Sheriff's Dept. &nbsp;While the park's area was cleaned up (i.e. p=
ainted over) fairly quickly, the National Forest Service land apparently sti=
ll has tagging, and the Eaton Park staff have no jurisdiction over it.<BR>
<BR>
In addition, the complaints about the graffiti, and phone calls seeking inf=
ormation and offering help, have made it difficult for the budget-squeezed E=
aton Park staff to do the other jobs they're supposed to do.<BR>
<BR>
Eaton Canyon Park neighbor Benita Oekawa, who has been in the thick of this=
 since it started, called us to say that a letter is being prepared to help =
direct the folks who want to help. &nbsp;We'll share that with you once ther=
e's something definite to say.<BR>
<BR>
- - -<BR>
<BR>
Visitor comments:<BR>
<BR>
&quot;<I>I've often met groups of young people at the waterfall, and they'r=
e not hikers. They're there to swim and have a good time, climb the falls, a=
nd occasionally drink beer and leave graffiti all around the waterfall (thou=
gh I'm not implying that this group were doing that). I've stopped visiting =
Eaton Canyon falls, beautiful as they are, because meetings these people at =
the end is pretty intimidating, the graffiti is ugly, and beer cans and othe=
r trash is scattered all along the trail. I used to pick some of it up, ofte=
n several plastic bags full, and carry it out, but no more. Who has responsi=
bility for this beauty spot, and why aren't they looking after it?&quot;<BR>
<BR>
&quot;... Apparently they think that nature is a place to leave your garbag=
e and to make it look like your ghetto neighborhood. Sadly these people are =
just mentally incapable of leaving nature alone.&quot;<BR>
<BR>
</I><BR>
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