Well, at least part of the mystery has been solved.

As the mayor and others were investigating, they realizes a surveillance camera on the county building may have caught the act. Unfortunately, the camera did not angle enough to catch the sign vandals but it did catch the one who put the Lisa Niles sign up.

At 7:15 am on Friday, July 20th, a Ford Explorer pulled into the parking lot at the county building. A gentleman got out, walked over o the grass area along the parking lot and pounded the Lisa Niles sign in the ground. Got back in his vehicle, backed up admired his work then left.

After the mayor and others observed the video, it was very apparent who the gentleman was. It was Loudon County Road Superintendent/Lenoir City councilman, Eddie Simpson in his county vehicle. Apparently, at some point, Mr. Simpson was told of the video.

On Monday morning, July 23rd, I ran the story of the vandalism at the county building. Also on July 23rd around 11:00 am, Mr. Simpson called me to say he had to fess up. He was the one who put the Lisa Niles sign in the yard at the county building. My question was why? He said it was just a little joke. I told him I was missing the punch line, who was the joke on? He said it was on me. I told him I still didn't understand, how putting up a Lisa Niles sign in the yard at the county building was a joke on me? He said it was where I usually park when I go to the county building.

I'll be honest, I still don't get the joke. I go to the county building maybe three or four times a month. There are about twenty parking spaced there and I might park in any of them. Generally where my truck will fit. So I guess in Mr. Simpson's mind, I would pull in, park and see the Lisa Niles sign and....what? Laugh, cry get mad, pitch a fit? I still don't understand the joke part of it. If anything it, kind of looked bad on Ms. Niles, like she was trying to have a special parking spot or something?

Anyway, that clears up the mystery of the Lisa Niles sign and Mr. Simpson assured me he had nothing to do with the vandalism or the mysterious pictures. The video pretty much confirms that. He pulls in, puts up the sign and leaves. It appears it was just purely a coincidence that the same day he put up the sign, someone else did the other stuff.

Awh, those pesky video cameras.  

Click Here For Surveillance Video