STATE COLLEGE, CENTRE COUNTY - Visitors to the cemetery Joe Paterno is buried at have been damaging the landscape to pay respects to the legendary coach.
For six months, Paterno has rested peacefully at Spring Creek Presbyterian Cemetery in State College. However, maintenance crews that care for the cemetery say visitors have been inconsiderate of other graves that are there.
One supervisor told WTAJ that he's seen tombstones hit, graves run over and tire tracks all over the cemetery. Crews say they've spent about $5,000 to do upkeep and prevent all this from happening.
A handful of tombstones and memorials have been shoved aside by vehicles driving through the cemetery. The carelessness is shocking to some fans of Paterno.
"That's sad yeah, you don't want to ruin it for the whole bunch and I think Joe Paterno would've wanted everyone to be honorable and that's what everybody should be doing," said Jeremy Bottorf of Williamsport, who visited the former Paterno statue site Tuesday.
Paterno has been here since his passing in January from lung cancer. The cemetery has a single lane and about ten vehicles come to see Paterno everyday.
"Everybody deserves to have their peace," said one man paying tribute to Paterno at the former statue site.
New gravel has been spread because of increased traffic to the cemetery. Crews say impatient drivers have been going around other cars parked, thus damaging some of the plots.
"I can't believe the ignorance, disrespect, carelessness of people for others. I mean, Joe Paterno is here, yes, but so are probably 1,000 others," said Eric Lorenz, a groundskeeper and president of the Spring Creek Presbyterian Association.
Lorenz says the most blatant act of carelessness was when a driver went over the grass and hit a memorial pushing it about a foot. There was some damage done to the base of the memorial, then the driver drove away and Lorenz ran after the driver.
"If I die, I want to rest in peace, I don't feel like anybody should knock anybody else's tombstone," said one man.
Paterno's grave remains surrounded by a small set of mementos. Traffic posts have been installed to stop people from driving on the grass. Signs are also up saying if you trespass you could be prosecuted.
The cemetery used to not have open and closing hours, before Paterno's passing. Their hours since January are from dawn to dusk.
If you go there to pay your respects to Paterno or to anyone else, the cemetery asks you to be respectful.
For six months, Paterno has rested peacefully at Spring Creek Presbyterian Cemetery in State College. However, maintenance crews that care for the cemetery say visitors have been inconsiderate of other graves that are there.
One supervisor told WTAJ that he's seen tombstones hit, graves run over and tire tracks all over the cemetery. Crews say they've spent about $5,000 to do upkeep and prevent all this from happening.
A handful of tombstones and memorials have been shoved aside by vehicles driving through the cemetery. The carelessness is shocking to some fans of Paterno.
"That's sad yeah, you don't want to ruin it for the whole bunch and I think Joe Paterno would've wanted everyone to be honorable and that's what everybody should be doing," said Jeremy Bottorf of Williamsport, who visited the former Paterno statue site Tuesday.
Paterno has been here since his passing in January from lung cancer. The cemetery has a single lane and about ten vehicles come to see Paterno everyday.
"Everybody deserves to have their peace," said one man paying tribute to Paterno at the former statue site.
New gravel has been spread because of increased traffic to the cemetery. Crews say impatient drivers have been going around other cars parked, thus damaging some of the plots.
"I can't believe the ignorance, disrespect, carelessness of people for others. I mean, Joe Paterno is here, yes, but so are probably 1,000 others," said Eric Lorenz, a groundskeeper and president of the Spring Creek Presbyterian Association.
Lorenz says the most blatant act of carelessness was when a driver went over the grass and hit a memorial pushing it about a foot. There was some damage done to the base of the memorial, then the driver drove away and Lorenz ran after the driver.
"If I die, I want to rest in peace, I don't feel like anybody should knock anybody else's tombstone," said one man.
Paterno's grave remains surrounded by a small set of mementos. Traffic posts have been installed to stop people from driving on the grass. Signs are also up saying if you trespass you could be prosecuted.
The cemetery used to not have open and closing hours, before Paterno's passing. Their hours since January are from dawn to dusk.
If you go there to pay your respects to Paterno or to anyone else, the cemetery asks you to be respectful.
Comments
Only idiots raised by "trash" with no morals would be so thougtless!!!
Bill M.
July 26, 2012 at 1:59 pm
