Police caught two kids on an expensive vandalism spree. You can see their black tags all over downtown. #
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
Sideblog
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
foursix and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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Correction: you can see their -incredibly crappy- black tags all over downtown.
The kids had a blank slate, and -that’s- the best they could do? Sad.
These kids are 17. Rather than having their parents pay to have their messes cleaned up, I’d rather they be given the task of cleaning up after themselves as a start and cleaning up after others as a follow-up.
Come on these are just children doing what any child would do. Silly non-violent prank. Let’s kiss and make-up and be happy. Not. Public flogging would be in order if I were in charge and then they would be make to clean up the mess.
I love the unintentional pun at the bottom of that progress link: “No tags are associated with this article.”
I haven’t bought any spray paint in a long time. Is it under lock and key at the stores and only available to adults? If so, who sold it or bought it for them? They too should be charged with accessory to vandalism.
I think the problem here is the spray paint show loophole that allows individuals to sell spray paint to other individuals without a background check. Also, not everyone keeps their spray paint in a spray paint safe — or if they do, don’t always lock it. I’m pretty sure we’ll find out that the spray paint involved here was easily liftable from an uncle’s or grandfather’s home. This is all covered under the 2nd amendment, right?
Not to mention the second hand fumes from the evil spray paint.
Spray painting in public should be outlawed!!
This practice is called Tagging….Gang Tagging
These kids are not in a gang. They’re bored teens with nothing better to do. That certainly doesn’t excuse their behaviour in any way (I think they should be involved in the clean up and/or pay for the cost of cleaning as well as community service) However, it is an easy excuse to blame the problem on gangs, shake our heads and go about our business until the next incident. Perhaps rather than spending $7 mill on re-bricking the mall or I-don’t-remember-how-much on that stupid “free speech” wall, the city could invest in programs that give teens something to do. These kids have a lot of potential and nothing to challenge them or maximze it. We claim to be a liberal, free thinking, “it takes a village” community but when it comes down to real people and events, we would rather turn our heads, hurry home, and lock our doors.
Lm, I wish you were correct, sadly, you are not. Go on line and search gang tags and compare.
Sorry Stan, I am correct. I know the kids. They’re not in a gang. Furthermore, I firmly believe that if more people were intersted in taking the time to invest in our youth, even those in gangs, we would see fewer and fewer of these problems.
lm78 – Our monument to the First Amendment was paid for with private funds.
These kids were caught at 5 a.m. Thursday, when the vast majority of teens would be asleep or waking up to get ready for school. Even if there were programs that “gave them something to do,” presumably these programs would not be taking place at 5 a.m. on a school day. Besides that, what exactly do you suggest, LM? It seems to me that there’s plenty out there for teens to do besides get into trouble. It’s just that this group chose to damage the city with cans of spray paint instead.