Going, Going, Gone?

“There are just not enough of us in town here anymore.”

Judy Ash, Mount Sterling city council member

Photo by Timetrax23 (Creative Commons)

Mount Sterling, Iowa (population 44) is 105 years old. But making it to 106 is looking pretty iffy.

The year Mount Sterling was incorporated—1907—Teddy Roosevelt was president, Oklahoma got its statehood and the Hoover vacuum was invented. The town’s population peaked at 232 in 1910, and it’s been puttering along ever since. Until this year.

In the last election, no one ran for mayor. That’s not unusual in small towns. When it happens, townspeople usually write in a neighbor’s name during the election and talk him or her into taking the job. The problem is, at this election no one showed up to vote. Not one person.

So the city council decided it’s time to call it a day. They’re passing a resolution to disband Mount Sterling. The town will lose its name, and the county will take over day-to-day management.

If any of the residents feel strongly about saving their town, it’s not too late. All they have to do is sign a petition . . . and vote.

Read more → Tiny Iowa city prepares to disband after 105 years, KCRG News, April 7, 2012.

Here’s Your Sign

“I think we should change the name to Richard Hill Road.”

Dana Haff, Hartford town supervisor

Photo by Cordey (Creative Commons)

The town of Hartford, New York (population 2,299) has a problem. One of its streets is too popular. Actually, it’s not the street so much as the street name. And it’s not so much popular as popularly inappropriate.

The street is named Dick Hill Road, which attracts lots of snickers and pranksters. The street sign has been stolen so many times that the city secures it with nuts and bolts, but the thieves steal those too, along with the post. Police say 99 percent of the time they never see the sign again. Unless, of course, the thief takes a picture.

Nineteen-year-old Justin Aldous posted a photo of his house on Facebook. Hanging in the house were signs stolen from area streets, including Dick Hill Road. The police came a-knocking and arrested the young man.

As funny man Bill Engvall would say: Mr. Aldous, here’s your sign.

Read more → Jamie Munks, Certain signs are thieves’ favorites, PostStar.com, March 12, 2012.

Sand Box

“He was bulldozing it under in a sand pit.”

Corey Black, Police investigator

Photo from The Daily News

Jeffery Paul of Murray, New York (population 6,007) likes to play with trucks in the sand. But Jeffery Paul isn’t a little boy, and the trucks he plays with aren’t little toys. In fact, the trucks don’t belong to Jeffery Paul at all.

Two weeks ago police received a report of a stolen 26-foot box truck. Recently, they received a tip that a guy named “Jeff” from Murray might be involved. Going on this information, they took to the skies in their helicopter to do a little patrolling. What they found surprised even them.

There was Jeffery Paul on a bulldozer in his dad’s sand pit burying the box truck. Police moved in immediately. On the property they also found two backhoes and a car in a barn—all stolen.

Big Jeffery Paul is in big trouble.

Read more → Scott DeSmit, Police locate half-buried truck, other stolen items, The Daily News, April 4, 2012.