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Cemetery Board Prohibits Tree Decorations

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Visitors who've hung decorations in trees at the Oakwood Cemetery to remember deceased relatives will no longer be allowed to do so.

The Oakwood Cemetery Board of Regents approved a rule at its meeting Thursday night that prohibits cemetery visitors from hanging decorations in trees.

"When our employees mow the cemetery they run into things such as wind chimes and styrofoam wreaths hanging from trees and it is getting to be too much," said Sexton David Shaw.

Shaw said he had to take down a kite with a visitor's relatives' names.

He said the cemetery used to allow visitors to hang decorations in the trees during holidays, but the rule was that the items were required to be taken down by the first of the year.

Shaw reported there were 17 burials in August and 13 deeds were signed and approved at the meeting. He also said five headstones were repaired in August.

He said vandalism occurred at the cemetery Wednesday night. There were three cemetery stones that were broken at three sections throughout the cemetery. He also found a plastic flag by the road, a wind chime was reported missing as well as Notre Dame decorations.

The board will meet again Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. at the administration building at the cemetery. Board members are President Warren Tatter, Vice President Bob Sandy and Lewis Dobbins.