BOMB IT

A 70-year-old Chestertown man was arrested for allegedly making graffiti on an overpass on Route 9L.

Police said Kenneth C. Hopper was using spray paint to write “rowlow” onto the Warren County Bike Trail overpass just before 3 p.m. Saturday. Hopper, who Warren County Sheriffs officials said is a medical doctor, had parked his car on the shoulder of Route 9L, near American Legion drive and was spray painting on the wall as the patrol approached him. Hopper said that he did not know what the word means but found it “intriguing.”

The man was arrested and charged with making graffiti and possessing graffiti instruments, both misdemeanors. Hopper was released with an appearance ticket and will be arraigned on April 23 at Lake George Town Court.

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From Tallahassee.com:

Take the 2003 city ordinance requiring all Tallahassee house numbers be at least 3 inches high and placed against a contrasting background. Heard of anybody getting a ticket on that one? And half the houses in town still have tiny numbers, noncontrasting or even missing numbers? Hope they don’t need the fire truck anytime soon.

So comes now the city crackdown on graffiti. Ho hum.

Two weeks ago, city officials held a news conference at the Blair Stone Road overpass to Governor’s Park to announce a Graffiti Abatement Program. Mayor John Marks and other officials decried graffiti, asked citizens to notify them when they saw it, promised complaints would be addressed in 72 hours and then proceeded to paint out several examples of graffiti on the overpass.

It was inspiring in that way that strong words in the name of civic improvement always are. And everything looks better with a new coat of paint.

But I confess to being unmoved by the anti-graffiti campaign.

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