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Title: Protecting and Serving: Texas Man Thrown in Jail for Weeks because his Lawn was Overgrown
Source:
Free Thought Project
URL Source: http://thefreethoughtproject.com/pr ... own-jail-weeks-lawn-overgrown/
Published: Apr 5, 2015
Author: Matt Agorist
Post Date: 2015-04-05 14:03:30 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 1772
Comments: 23
Grand Prairie, TX — A hard-working Texas man was thrown in jail after a warrant was issued for his arrest for an overgrown lawn. Rick Yoes is the campus electrician for Tarrant County College and usually works from before sun-up to after sun-down. In September of last year, he and his daughter had been hard at work and were unable to cut the lawn on their Grand Prairie home. The local government then claimed that because Yoes could not mow hiss lawn, he now owed them $1,700 for his grass that achieved a height of over six inches. A warrant was subsequently issued for his arrest and police were dispatched to keep us safe from the dangers of this man’s lawn. Yoes turned himself in on Saturday. Unable to pay the fine, Yoes was forced to use up all of his vacation days and find a replacement for his position as he serves out his 17 day sentence in the county jail — to pay his debt to society. “Yes, we should have been more on top of it, but we were so busy with work, and when we got a warning from the city we handled it,” Angle Yoes, Rick’s daughter told the Fresno People’s Media. According to the Fresno People’s Media, Yoes is a dedicated worker often times offering to help outside of the description of his job or volunteering for extracurricular activities. In 2012 he dressed up in 1776 style regalia and read a copy of the constitution to the student body. Because of his dedication he is loved by faculty, and students. In the Land of the Free you can be kidnapped and thrown in a cage for allowing the grass on your own property to grow past an arbitrary length set by the state.
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#1. To: Deckard (#0)
The relevant ordinances can be seen at Municode.com. It seems the city did provide notification as required. The article lacks some details, like whether the $1700 fine included the cost of the city mowing the property for him, whether he had weeds overgrowing a sidewalk, etc. The "victim" may have been busy but he probably could have hired someone or traded work with them to get it mowed once he received notice.
The guy could have kept sheep and goats which would have kept his yard under control.
“Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.”
The city's code on livestock might make you think twice about that. Look at the fines per animal.
But ... but ... as the article is very careful to point out, Yoes is a "dedicated worker often times offering to help outside of the description of his job or volunteering for extracurricular activities". Doesn't that mean the rules don't apply to him? Why should our laws apply to everyone equally? Is that fair? I think we should enforce the law only for people we don't like.
What was I thinking? Obviously, if he robbed a liquor store, he should get off with probation because he volunteers.
If he's an electrician working 14-hour days, 7 days a week, he can afford lawn service.
When I was a kid, if my dad would have read this lengthy article as written he would have exploded. "Who cares if he's a nice guy! He broke the law!" Then again, when I was a kid no reporter in his right mind would have written the article this way. If at all. It would be in the "Local Crimes" section and more along the lines of "Scofflaw Fined for Messy Yard". No interviews with anyone. None needed. What could they say that would possibly make a difference?
F the law. You don't believe in private property. if the neighbors didn't like they should talk to him about it not call the police. It is not a crime to let grass grow. It is nature.
Hmmmm. ARTICLE VI. - HIGH GRASS AND WEEDS, Sec. 29-114. - Vegetation; height and density restricted says that it IS unlawful. Maybe you meant it "shouldn't be" a crime, huh? And if it shouldn't, the citizens have the power to change the law. If they want to live next door to slobs like this guy.
I believe in the right to private property. And, as with all other rights, the right to private property may be regulated when it conflicts with the rights of others. "If you own it it is yours to do as you please with." Yes. Unless it conflicts with the rights of others.
It is not a crime to let grass grow. It is nature. It's hard to imagine that these small towns couldn't hire kids in the summer to do mowing on untended property. Unless there are acres involved, you could keep it mowed for a few hundred a couple of times during the growing season. $1700 seems very punitive. Of course, we don't know the size of the lot (or acreage).
There's a lot we don't know about the story. My guess is that if people knew all the facts they wouldn't be as sympathetic. Which is why these types of stories are written the way they are. The $1700 could be multiple fines plus penalties for non-payment. Like unpaid parking tickets, it's amazing how quickly the total increases.
Free Thought Project specializes in making cops or authorities look as heinous as possible. Their favorite trick is to omit some of the most key info about a case. We also don't know where this lot/acreage has been an unmowed eyesore for years, whether the owner had been repeatedly warned to comply or he'd get ticketed, etc. There might be other property nuisance factors involved as well. It seems suspicious that no photos or details about the property's size and condition were included in the article.
I won't even waste my time with FTP articles until they clean up their act. Deckard doesn't care about right or wrong. He has a cop hating agenda to push. Oh, sorry, "just the bad cops" wink-wink
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
I rarely water my lawn anymore. Just askin'... (Yes, Ralph my next door neighbor used to do it (mow the lawn) -
Screw parking tickets. We already paid for the roads with our taxes.
Some parking ordinances are to create fairness, so selfish slobs, in inner city zoos (like NYC) don't hog all the parking spaces and use it like a personal driveway. Other parking laws are designed to allow for street cleaning and plowing in the winter. Most town, city and village governments that want to just generate income will just put parking meters up. There are valid reasons for many ordinaces... not saying those reasons haven't been capitalized on by tax and spend liberals as a money pit. It's hard to just blanket say "screw parking tickets". I play music trivia in a village about 15 miles away from me. They don't have parking laws on main street. This past winter, there was 3 foot tall solid ice piles of snow between the parking spots... because lazy tool bags park their car for days during a snow storm and the highway department is powerless to force a car to move so the snow can be plowed. Laws and ordinaces are for the assholes that you or I would punch in the head if there were no laws.
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
http://www.arivify.com/property/search/Drt8sY7Q4
“Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.”
There are services in CA where they come out and spray paint your dead grass to make it green. You can DIY too.
So a smallish 1500 sq. ft. house on a 7800 sq. ft lot. That's not a real big yard. Sounds like a lot that is 90x90 feet or so. Nice sleuthing though.
In DFW small lots are the norm in a lot of areas, you have to get out of town to get a bigger nicer lot. When I was looking for a house/lot there back in 1999/2000 I don't remember seeing a lot 1/2 acre or larger. One development I went to look at had 300K houses on 1/4 to 1/3 acre lots, houses were crowded in on top of each other. Reminds me of the older style where you share a wall with you next door neighbor.
“Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.”
This morning I went shopping. He drove over and parked it. Ha! And this goofball is 23 years older than I am!
#2. To: Deckard (#0)
A warrant was subsequently issued for his arrest and police were dispatched to keep us safe from the dangers of this man’s lawn.
#3. To: CZ82 (#2)
The guy could have kept sheep and goats which would have kept his yard under control.
#4. To: TooConservative (#1)
#5. To: misterwhite (#4)
Is that fair? I think we should enforce the law only for people we don't like.
#6. To: Deckard (#0)
"Rick Yoes is the campus electrician for Tarrant County College and usually works from before sun-up to after sun-down."
#7. To: TooConservative (#5)
"Obviously, if he robbed a liquor store, he should get off with probation because he volunteers."
#8. To: misterwhite (#7)
(Edited)
"Who cares if he's a nice guy! He broke the law!"
#9. To: A K A Stone (#8)
"It is not a crime to let grass grow."
#10. To: misterwhite (#9)
(Edited)
#11. To: A K A Stone (#10)
"You don't believe in private property."
#12. To: A K A Stone, misterwhite (#8)
if the neighbors didn't like they should talk to him about it not call the police.
#13. To: TooConservative (#12)
"$1700 seems very punitive. Of course, we don't know the size of the lot (or acreage)."
#14. To: misterwhite, GrandIsland (#13)
There's a lot we don't know about the story. My guess is that if people knew all the facts they wouldn't be as sympathetic. Which is why these types of stories are written the way they are.
#15. To: TooConservative (#14)
#16. To: Deckard (#0)
I let it turn brown and die.
Doesn't get too tall that way.
So have they passed a law against this
that will land me in jail?
but I decided to save Ralph's back - and kill the lawn.)
#17. To: misterwhite (#13)
Like unpaid parking tickets, it's amazing how quickly the total increases.
#18. To: A K A Stone (#17)
Screw parking tickets
#19. To: TooConservative (#12)
$1700 seems very punitive. Of course, we don't know the size of the lot (or acreage).
#20. To: Chuck_Wagon (#16)
I let it turn brown and die.
#21. To: CZ82 (#19)
(Edited)
#22. To: TooConservative (#21)
#23. To: TooConservative (#20)
(Edited)
...spray paint your dead grass to make it green.
Came home, pulled into the driveway, and Ralph,
next door neighbor, was dethatching my lawn with
his big monster machine.
Said to me: "How ya doing? You look pretty good!"
I said: "Really?
He said: "For an old man!"
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