TRUST Coalition addresses rowdy behavior

Some students accused of vandalism in local yards

Taylor Clark, Staff Writer
October 7, 2015

Respect, pride and trust are three things that some students don’t always take into consider­ation when off-campus.

Recently, there have been reports of vandalism and noise complaints in nearby residen­tial areas on Logan Street and Nebraska Street.

Alcohol is believed to play the biggest role in these incidents, which are occurring late at night. Reports range from destruc­tion of property, urinating on residents’ lawns and loud talking and yelling.

“My trellis was broken a week or two ago,” said Dr. Catherine Rudin, who teaches linguistics, languages and dance at WSC. “There has always been a little trouble with vandalism in past years, but this year there seems to be more.”

Littering is another issue that needs to be addressed as well.

“We’re finding a fair number of beer cans and trash around my neighbors’ homes and my home,” Rudin said. “If everyone respected everyone, it would be a lot nicer.”

Wayne police officer Brian Swanson spoke at a meeting of the TRUST Coalition (Toward Responsible Use of Substances Today) last week, addressing laws and respect for them. Also present was KWSC-TV advisor Maureen Carrigg.

“Be respectful of neighbors and you can still have fun without doing vandalism. In TRUST meetings, you learn how to co-exist with neighbors,” she said.

The next TRUST meeting will be Nov. 29.

Carrigg also mentioned that students are taking the alleyways instead of the sidewalk and getting hurt because of the lack of light.

“Don’t be an alleycat, be a Wildcat,” Carrigg said, urging students to take sidewalks instead of the alleys for a safer commute late at night.

Counselor Kathy Mohlfeld, also had something to say about the sidewalks.

“There is more light on the side­walks, and it is safer that way than the dark unknowns you might run into in the alleys,” Mohlfeld said.

Librarian Charissa Loftis men­tioned that “students are shocked when I bring up that incidents are happening with residents.”

TRUST participants also dis­cussed that many Wayne residents have children who have to wake up early the next day to go to school.

“It would just be a friendly re­minder for students to know about this,” Loftis said.