Predawn nudity prompts charges
By DAN SCHWIND, Staff Writer

A Johnston County man stands accused of indecent exposure after a courier for The News & Observer said she saw him standing naked in his front yard during her early morning rounds.

Mickey Wayne Renza, 56, of Wood Lee Road in Four Oaks was arrested early Sunday and charged with three counts of indecent exposure, said Tammy Amaon, Johnston County Sheriff's spokeswoman.

Amaon said Deborah Barefoot of Dunn contacted the sheriff's deputies Saturday to complain that she saw Renza standing naked in his front yard as she delivered papers to his neighbor on Friday and Saturday morning.

Sheriff's deputies agreed to investigate, and Lt. B.L. Gaddis accompanied Barefoot on her delivery route Sunday.

"Lt. Gaddis got in the car with her and went on the rounds with her, and sure enough, there he was, naked in the front yard," Amaon said.

Gaddis arrested Renza and charged him with three counts of indecent exposure. He was released after posting a $1,500 bond.

Renza said he did not expect anyone to see him that early in the morning.

"It was dark outside, and I stepped out to have a cigarette," he said. "I didn't know anyone would see me."

Renza does not have any previous criminal records, Amaon said.

Johnston County Schools spokeswoman Crystal Roberts said Renza resigned from his position in food services delivery Monday after the district met with him about the incident.

Barefoot did not return phone calls requesting comment.

The N&O encourages its delivery personnel to be safe and to report any odd instances to police, said Jim Puryear, the paper's vice president of circulation.

Renza is schedule to appear in court Aug. 4.

I don't agree with this. What does this country have up it's ass about nudity anyway? If he was standing there making lude gentures or comments - yes. But he wasn't -- it wasn't even daytime!! It was his own property on his own time. If he wants to be nekkies, then so be it.

I don't think he should have done it, but it seems like one of those, warning kind of offenses.

Sheriff: "Sir, you need to wear some pants when you're outside. Don't make me come back around here, y'hear?"

"It was dark outside, and I stepped out to have a cigarette," he said. "I didn't know anyone would see me."

And as for the guy, I guess I'll be the one to post "the picture" :

I don't agree with this. What does this country have up it's ass about nudity anyway? If he was standing there making lude gentures or comments - yes. But he wasn't -- it wasn't even daytime!! It was his own property on his own time. If he wants to be nekkies, then so be it.

Police Find Naked Man In Corn Field Searching For 'Forrest Gump'
POSTED: 7:44 am EDT July 27, 2005

LITTLEVILLE, Ala. -- Life is like a box of chocolates -- even if you're standing naked in the middle of a corn field.

Police in Littleville, Ala., report they busted a guy who said he looking for the house where "Forrest Gump" lived. Officers said they found the man standing as naked as the day he was born.

According to authorities, the naked guy was munching on raw corn.

Police haven't released the name of the suspect. Littleville Police Chief William Nale said the man is a drifter who was following railroad lines, looking for Forrest Gump's house. The man is charged with indecent exposure and will undergo a mental exam.

Nudity in Ashland? Some folks just grin and bear it
By BILL VARBLE
Mail Tribune
If you expect the streets of Ashland to be chockablock with naked people you might be disappointed. The nearest thing to nudity during the noon hour Wednesday is a few shirtless men among a knot of a dozen or so young people strumming guitars and hanging out in Lithia Park. Nary a bouncing breast or a bare buttock to be seen.

"There’s usually a girl running around topless," drawls Ben Coffield, a beaded, bearded 21-year-old who says he’s from Long Island, N.Y.

"I think Abbey should be here later," somebody says.

Nods of agreement.

Coffield says he’s been in Ashland a long time — since May.

"I think it’s ridiculous," he says of a new city law prohibiting unclothed genitals in city parks or on the downtown Plaza. The law was passed at the request of Police Chief Mike Bianca. It does not prohibit women going topless. There were protests and fliers inviting the public to a nude potluck.

"I didn’t see anybody abusing it (nudity)," says Noah Churchill, a 20-year-old in short-cropped hair and a baseball cap.

He says he’s from Sonoma, Calif. He says a little nudity is inevitable in a town like Ashland, which has a reputation that draws young people from all over.

"It’s a magnet," he says. "It’s a phenomenon. There’s a lot of love here. It’s susceptible to change."

"And I’m pretty sure 95 percent of the people don’t care if people want to walk around naked," Coffield adds.

Everybody agrees the town is beautiful. And the body is liberating, a healthy, beautiful thing. But for now, excepting some bare feet, everybody is content strumming guitars and smoking cigarettes in a state of clothed oppression.

"Goin’ where the green grass goes," Churchill sings, strumming the chords, "and clear water flows."

Speaking of grass, more than 100 people joined a chanting circle the other day. Pot was smoked. They held hands and did the Om. There was a lot of love.

Enter Park Patrol Officer Lisa Evans, who quickly draws a small crowd.

"Why not talk to ‘em and get to know their point of view?" Churchill says of the police.

Evans has seen no naked people in the park, although she encountered a young topless woman on the street this morning.

"I got a banana and stood next to her eating it until she went away," Evans says. "This uniform has that effect on people."

But the ordinance doesn’t bar toplessness.

"Breasts are fine," Evans acknowledges.

That’s not good enough for Nyah Winne, 27.

"You can’t prohibit everybody’s pet peeve," she says. "Pretty soon you couldn’t do anything."

"Well," Evans says. "Some people were bothered by dogs, so now we have a dog park."

Evans has few problems with this tattooed, dreadlocked, nipple-ringed crowd. Pot seems to make everybody peaceful. About the worst thing is when guys drink too much beer and get in fights.

"You get to know them as people," she says. "You don’t judge them. Most of them are good people. They’re real people."

"You’ll never see just a bunch of hippies again," Winne tells her.

Winne, 27, says she hails from Vermont and was living in Berkeley, Calif., which she found too stifling. That’s when she knew it was time to hit the road.

She says most cops have "this stand-off attitude" — but she excludes Evans.

In 20 years on the Plaza, merchant Molly Hanner of The Websters has seen everything from hippie holdouts to the current generation of wanderers. She doesn’t think the nudity flap is bad for business, or much else really.

"Pfft," she says. "One naked girl does not make an epidemic.

"Anyway, trying to control this influx is impossible. We’ve set it up as a country so people can go where they want and do what they want."

She hasn’t seen naked people yet. She did see a topless young woman the other day.

"The cops were trying to talk her out of it," she says. "The police were incredibly cool."

Back in the park, the sun has got up and the singing has wound down. The gang decides to head for the "fairy ponds," a magical place they know up Ashland Creek. There’s a lot of love. It’s rumored that leprechauns live there.