Views of the Neighborhood – Girding Loins for Spring Break

~ John W. Howell

Spring Break

So we have a lovely walk on the beach. Quiet and serene with only the pelicans as company. Wait! What is that?

Spring Break

Oh no. The dreaded water truck filling blue barrels. Why fill barrels? You ask?

These barrels are to keep a clear path by designating no parking zones for the thousands of spring breakers expected to show up.

Here is a long view looking back at the truck. Those poles on the right are for trash cans. Unfortunately, Hurricane Harvey took them, and the city is not sure if the new ones will arrive in time. (Spring Breakers start arriving on the 9th) We may be up to our necks in trash. Spring Breakers are not very good at picking up their trash.

Here is my attempt at an art shot showing the barrels going off into the distance.

I figured you could get a better look from the cart over. Those barrels run from our place to the downtown area (four miles). There is no parking on the left side so that emergency vehicles can get through. Yes, there is always the need for emergency vehicles.

Spring Break

Here is the old police station. It is no longer viable and is slated to be torn down. Why show you a picture of the police station? Because a lot of underage kids usually end up here.

Spring Break

Here are the temporary police headquarters. It is across the parking lot from the old.

Spring Break

You can tell it is the police department by the cars around it.

This is a shot of the jail which is connected to the temporary police building. It doesn’t look like a jail, does it?

How about now? This is the right side of the building with four cells.

Here is the left side with four more cells

Here is a shot of one cell. Notice the metal floor, sink, and toilet. Not very comfortable.  Well, let’s hope no one we know ends up here.

91 thoughts on “Views of the Neighborhood – Girding Loins for Spring Break”

  2. Oh no, Spring Break. I’ve never understood the mindless debauchery. Fingers crossed your young visitors stay healthy and do not end up in the jail. Great photo shots, John. 🙂

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    1. Yes, I don’t think it will meet five star standards. Maybe some lawyer will cite cruel and unusual when a rich client wants to get a spoiled kid off. Thanks, Suzanne. 😀

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  4. Horsefeathers! Spring break and no trash cans? Now that’s the setting for a horror story if you ask me. Loved the photos, John. But there are some missing — the faces of the officers when you told them you wanted to take pictures of the jail. 😉 That must have been interesting. Hugs.

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    1. I actually just walked in and said I was doing a feature on the jail. The only person there was a guy working on the electricity. Never saw an officer. 😀

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  7. As a kid, I would actually be embarrassed to litter, so if these spring breakers leave a mess, I blame their upbringing. Hopefully that jail doesn’t need to be enlarged!

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  8. I’m guessing those cells will get some use. They look like they’re easy to hose out. Good luck getting the trash cans up in time. Thanks for taking the children of the north for a week.

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  9. It’s hard to believe it’s almost time for spring break. If I were under age, I’d be drinking soda to avoid ending up in one of those cells. The beach looks like it’s in good shape. Happy Sunday, John!

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  10. I think it’s probably appropriate to end the post with jail cell photos. You just know what’s coming down the road. On the upside, your beaches are gorgeous! Thanks, John.

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  12. Hello John! The meaning of Spring Break sure changes with time. When I was in college it was all about having a carefree week at the beach and clubbing and now we complain about the crowds of kids and the noise and traffic spring-breakers cause. Ha, ha! But I will tell you though, my friends and I did not destroy property, litter, or cause any trouble back then. 😉 xx

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  13. Your photography shows well the bins going into the distance, and a great clean beach. Spring seems a long way off at this moment in time in the UK. And yes those cells look a bit sparse, lets hope they stay empty!

    Have a great week John and many thanks for your own thoughts on my blog 🙂

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  18. Fascinating tour as always, John. The jail cells brought back memories of my 8-y-o self at a cemetery with my dad to discuss a plaque for my baby brother. The ‘office’ building had what looked like cells bars. No one explained and I never asked what that was all about. Am still puzzled. Haha.

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  19. Great tour, John. So glad to see that none of those jail cells had my name on it! I guess it’s safe to visit, eh!

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  21. Another great tour, John. You certainly keep us up to date on the good, the bad, and now the ugly. I love kids of all ages, but I would have a hard time tolerating an invasion of drunken college students and teens.

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  23. We’re preparing up here, too.The staggered schedule for spring break has become a bit of a hassle, since even the school districts around here don’t coordinate. The festivities can go on and on. Galveston shares your pain.

    Given the number of bars catering to a lot of enthusiastic spring breakers, and the amount of beer that comes out of the grocery stores, it can get interesting. One bar owner I know says they take odds on whether the damage to the place will be greater or less than the money they take in. So far, profits have won.

    Love the view of the jail, and the barrels, so nice and neat. Maybe you could live-blog a night at the slammer!

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  26. Well, I can see why the Spring Breakers would invade you, John — that beach view is amazing! Looks sunny and warm, too. Just what college “kids” from my part of the country are looking for. The jail? Not so much!

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  27. Spring break? We don’t get our spring break until the end of May, John. I hope your visitors don’t make too much of a mess, otherwise, they could end up in one of those cells. One look at those cells and I think anybody would behave themselves.

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  28. The beach is so beautiful. Let’s hope the water filled trash barrels do their job of keeping cars out of the no autos zone, and the trash cans show up in time! I’d be willing to bet those cells will get used sadly.

    Where will you walk during Spring Break’s mad, wild beach party?

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    1. We still do our beach walk. We stay near the dunes so that we don’t have to deal with stray dogs. (for some reason people believe their dogs should run free on the beach. The other cell in town is for all the lost animals that stupid people allow to run free.) I have to relate a story. I was walking the dogs and a drunk twenty something leaned out of a pickup truck and said, “Hello old man.” She was very drunk and I appreciated the gesture.

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