The next time you hear some small town official complain about all the young people leaving and never come back, remember stories like this one.

MINCO - Skateboarders on city property could face a $245 fine under a new ordinance passed by the Minco City Council.

The law prohibits skateboarding on sidewalks in front of private businesses, on the streets and on city-owned property, Mayor Doug Denard said.

"This has been a problem for some time," Denard said. "There are four or five who have been destructive in the past and didn't want to abide by the warnings by the police when told to move on.

"They will have to go to the park now."

The law goes into effect Oct. 1.

The population of Minco in 2000 was 1672, and with linear growth estimates, is probably about 1720 today. The entire school system has less than 550 students. Chances are good that more than "four or five" of them skateboard, but the lovely city council has decided to ban them all rather than deal with the ones who are actually causing destruction, which, in theory, should already be illegal whether skateboards are involved or not.

Kids say they leave small towns because bigger cities give them the freedom to be themselves. If you wonder what that means, think of Minco.