Elochoman Valley resident deals with vandals

On July 28, Elochoman Valley resident Bud Wickland found his mailbox vandalized for what he said was the sixth or seventh time in the last 18 months. He had lovingly crafted the mailbox by hand out of cedar and had already repaired it five or six times.

"Whoever is doing this," Wickland said," is too cowardly to do this in the day time."

That same day another resident on Beaver Creek reported a vandalized mailbox. This one was metal and had a big enough dent it was no longer functional. The incidents could be related, but the Sheriff's Office can't be certain, according to Detective Bill Tawater.

"It goes in spurts," Tawater said. "I saw three other brand new mailboxes nearby. No one wants to bother to report the vandalism."

This time the culprit left a calling card, according to Tawater. A broken Vintage 1983 Kurk Rendall Bull Roping Practice Tabletop Training aid lay in Wickland's driveway next to his broken mailbox.

Frustrated, Wickland had made his last repair. This week he replaced his handiwork with a common white metal mailbox.