July 2, 2003
ENDWELL — "We are artists," someone has scrawled in red spray paint on a wall in the alley behind the Park Manor Plaza in Endwell.
The artists of that statement, and countless others sprayed behind the plaza, had a $2,000 price tag placed on their heads Tuesday when Town of Union Supervisor John E. Cheevers announced a reward for information leading to the vandals' arrest and conviction.
The money comes from businesses in the area, including some that have been vandalized.
"This graffiti is a blight on our community," Cheevers said at a news conference Tuesday.
A string of curses, racial remarks, attacks against homosexuals and examples of bad spelling, all in multicolored spray paint, lines the rest of the alley. Almost every free spot on the buildings' walls is covered in graffiti.
One person wrote: "We love cops."
But law-enforcement agencies don't love the vandals.
Anyone who is caught vandalizing the structures could be charged with making graffiti, a misdemeanor; or criminal mischief, which can be a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the extent of the damage, state police Sgt. Todd Keister said. Both charges come with the possibility of jail time.
Keister said the graffiti doesn't appear to be gang related. He said state police and Broome County sheriff's officers patrol the alley routinely but haven't arrested anyone.
Business owners in the plaza aren't happy their shops have been vandalized.
Wayne Hartley plans to open a hardware store in the plaza in the coming weeks. He is concerned about the vandalism, and once sat in the alley until 2 a.m. to see what would happen, he said. While he saw many patrol cars, he didn't see any vandals.
Town of Union Department of Economic Development Director Joseph M. Moody is not pleased with the reception Hartley's business is getting.
"He's opening a new business and this is how he has been greeted," Moody said.
Many wish the vandals would help the community, rather than hurt it.
"They could put their talent to better use," said Patricia Blishak, deputy commissioner of public works for parks. "It's not what we want on buildings."
e-mail: wahmad@pressconnects.com.
© 2003 Press & Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, N.Y.