DELANO, Calif. — A Delano cemetery, which is meant to be a place for people to grieve their loved ones, has been having problems with the community drinking, leaving behind trash as well as playing loud music while families are trying to grieve. According to the North Kern County Cemetery District, this has been an issue for years.
“I personally have had, my son's grave, has had things stolen off of his grave as well,” Pastor David Vivas, for World Harvest International Church, said.
Pastor David Vivas says that theft isn’t the only thing that has occurred at the North Kern Cemetery. There have been incidents of vandalism as well as people drinking alcohol.
“Rowdiness, or loud music or people getting drunk or high that may be close by and that is not right and that is not fair to family members who are there visiting the grave site of their loved one,” Vivas said.
Even with rules being stated at the front of the cemetery, problems persist .
“A cemetery is a place of respect and that is the issue that is happening right now there is just not enough respect for the whole town and for everyone buried there," Andrew Mendoza, board member at the North Kern Cemetery District, said.
The North Kern Cemetery District located in Delano has had problems with people leaving behind trash and alcohol in the cemetery, but this isn’t a new problem.
Mendoza said this has been an issue for years.
Mendoza says that every Monday, they gather between 2 - 3 truckloads of trash from the grounds of the cemetery, which includes glass bottles and alcohol. Board members are working on bringing this issue to city council, but until then, they are asking the community for help.
"It is the public that needs to come together and self police as well as respect the rules and follow them,” Mendoza said.
