10.13.2009 5:25 pm
The Bird sees signs of crop circle damage
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Even without witnesses, Tim Cowell likely would have quickly figured out that the huge gouge in his cornfield near Valmeyer, Ill., wasn’t caused by aliens. Most “circles” trampled into fields are generally round, and often include complex patterns. The three-acre area in Cowell’s field looked like a toddler’s early attempts at making geometric shapes.
At any rate, a neighbor spotted a pickup truck fleeing Cowell’s cornfield in Monroe County with corn and dirt hanging off it. With the license plate number, authorities tracked a group believed responsible for the loss of about $10,000 in corn and property damage that is not covered by insurance. As a result, the four have been charged with felonys, three as juveniles and one as an adult.
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Ron is in charge of the main news sections of the Sunday Post-Dispatch and supervises newsroom production of the daily paper several nights a week. He has worked at newspapers since 1976 as a reporter, copy editor, layout editor, deputy sports editor and news editor. He has been at the Post-Dispatch since 2006. 
It is a shame that these teens have nothing else to do but destroy someones property. I do think that being convicted of a felony would NOT help these youths aspire to greater things in life. That kind of punishment is a bit harsh. I do think that they should be made to pay for the damage,and perhaps work in the corn field that they damaged. I remember the same sort of thing went on in Ohio,where nine corn fields were damaged by pick up trucks,however,I dont think that a felony charge is the right teaching tool here. Mabey having to hand pick several acres of corn and restitution is enough. R Sugden