Graffiti Clean-Up Effort Set for Saturday in Altoona
By: Carolyn Donaldson
Updated: May 12, 2010
ALTOONA, BLAIR COUNTY - Operation Our Town is leading an all-volunteer clean-up Saturday, May 15 to paint over the graffiti in Altoona's parks.
Even a billboard about graffiti has been defaced recently.
Fran Wertz owns a business on Union Avenue and says, "Vandalism should bother anybody."
Across the street he can see spots of fresh paint where graffiti was covered - and empty squares of grass where trees were once planted.
Someone cut them down.
"That patch right there one right there one down that way. So there were a total of 4 trees - 12345."
Blair County Sheriff Mitch Cooper cites recent statistics. "If you look at crime statistics, graffiti and vandalism have increased the most of any other crime in the last 6 months."
The groups will start with city parks but they hope to eventually spread their efforts to other trouble spots like over passes. They say it sends the message that graffiti is not a fun crime - it's one that will get you arrested.
To learn more about the graffiti clean-up set for Saturday, May 15th head here to Operation Our Town.
