Gang graffiti gone

It may have taken four months, but Columbia Gas has made good on a promise to remove gang graffiti from its utility shop near Yowell Meadow Park.

A crew sandblasted off the graffiti, associated with Chicago-based Gangster Disciples, Tuesday — four days after town resident Keith Price made his latest plea to local officials for help in getting the gang markings gone.

Price, a retired Army intelligence officer who served two tours in Iraq, first started reporting the graffiti in July after his friend, a former CIA agent, confirmed its gang affiliation.

At last Thursday’s Town Council meeting, Price brought up the graffiti once again, prompting the Star-Exponent to put in a call to Bob Innes, communications director with Columbia Gas.

Monday, Innes said the graffiti would be taken care of in a day or two and by Tuesday it was. He said there was no excuse why it took so long and that the company would update its procedures to ensure similar cases in the future would be handled in a timelier manner.

As for Price, he’s more than content to see the graffiti go.

“I hate graffiti, because it shows a disregard on the part of the perpetrators for the rest of the community,” he said.

And because it was allowed to remain in such a visible place for so long made it appear that the town was tolerant of illegal behavior, added Price, chairman of the town’s Veterans Recognition Committee — the group overseeing development of a monument to local World War II and Korean War vets in the Wine Street Memorial Park.

“This graffiti was particularly troubling because it is identifiable with a major criminal gang, and I felt it very important that the town demonstrate a willingness to fight back.”

Allison Brophy Champion can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 101 or