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twitter$500 later, red graffiti removed from ‘Fabulous’ sign
Officials say vandalism doesn’t appear to be gang-related
Steve Marcus
A couple takes photos at the “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign Tuesday afternoon, July 14. The sign had been vandalized with graffiti but the graffiti was removed Tuesday morning.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009 | 2:53 p.m.
Sun Coverage
The sign marking entry into “Fabulous Las Vegas” is again sparkling as it welcomes visitors to the Strip.
The red graffiti marks recently scrawled on the face and leg of the iconic sign were washed away at about 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, said Pete Gullo, service manager for Young Electric Sign Company, which owns the sign and leases it to Clark County.
Gullo said one of his staff members used a cleaning solvent made for cleaning graffiti to remove the marks, which had been made with a red paint pen. The cleaning cost about $500, he said.
Russell Davis, of the county’s Department of Public Works, said this is the first time in his memory that someone has marred the white face of the sign with graffiti. He noted that a tagger would have to stand on someone else’s shoulders to reach the area, which is about 10 feet above the ground.
Metro Police spokesman Bill Cassell said no criminal complaint has been filed in connection with the vandalism, but the tagging is not suspected to be gang-related. Davis agreed, saying the marks looked more like the work of young pranksters than gang members.
“It looked like some kids writing their initials on the sign,” he said.
Sun reporter Mary Manning contributed to this report.
Discussion: 24 comments so far…
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The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Only in a town that apparently is so uneventful as this one does a sign get front page headlines.
My compliments to the very creative graffiti artist. (Probably worked for the visitors and convention bureau.) They could have a 24/7 web-cam focused on this sign, have it sponsored by various businesses, and people could pull it up worldwide like various weather sites, located at schools, etc. They could have the wind and the temp reading as well.
The police substation is practically across the street. Makes Metro and the County look like the clown college they are. To busy having car wrecks.
And what is Goodman coming out of the woodwork on this? He should stick to the Martini glass size piece of geography that is considered the City of Las Vegas.
I'm trying to understand this.
"Gullo said one of his staff members used a cleaning solvent made for cleaning graffiti to remove the marks, which had been made with a red paint pen. The cleaning cost about $500, he said."
``One staff member.
``Some sovent.
$500?
And that invoice will be approved and paid by who?
This is a PR dream for our grandstanding Mayor. Some free extra publicity, and he's going to treat the defacing of this sign as an insult to Las Vegas and to the history of everything Vegas has ever been about.
The problem is, it isn't anything to write home about. Just leave it be Oscar, shut up and go do some more appearances elsewhere.
Please call me next time you want to spend $500 dollars for 5 minutes of work.
$500 for what? It took stupid Yes 2 days to get over there for probably not even 30 minutes of "work". Absolutely ridiculous. This is what happens when you have government setting pricing with a bottomless wallet provided by the taxpayers.
Why doesn't the Sun do a full investigation into how Clark County wastes our tax money like this?
Why does everyone in vegas use every little thing to heap on the local government?
Is there any good news in Las Vegas?
I guess not.
newtovegas,
It's the same anywhere... no gnus is good gnus, meaning there is no good gnus.
Newtovegas,
Unfortunately, a lot of posting here is done by locals that are unhappy with the current local/state/federal administration. Anywhere you go, you'll hear the same thing. Bitch, bitch, bitch, moan, moan, moan. I just don't understand why anyone would commit themselves to live in constant purgatory? But I do have to say, it's fun to read, so take everything posted with a grain a salt and then do your own thing.
that's what I meant...
But seriously, there is a big smile from the media and the government in response to people who are in desperate times right now... And every little straw piles up...
This straw being time wasted on writing an article about an outdated worthless sign, and neglecting to write about the people running out of unemployment insurance, or the tent cities sprouting up, or the lack of incoming industry, or the construction jobs leaving town... etc., etc., most of all the lack of hope or planning...
And that just means the next article will be some POS "glimmer of hope" article about the FatHeads finding a job at Blues Burgers...
I know, but when the little straws like us continue to smile, the pile doesn't seem so big anymore.
Damn, that's a good idea... Blues Burgers... hmmm. You're all entitled to it, of course... but...
"I've been downhearted babe, I've been downhearted babe... Ahh gimme the supreme..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LKVZ4NTf...
Camel toe jokes aside, that's a very good way to see things. Sometimes you wonder if the powers that be aren't jealous of you...
Scratch that,
More like the Blues Brothers selling Blues Burgers puttin' Pink's hotdogs out of business!!!
Cashier singing order sold man...
I don't know any Blues music really to drive it home and Rawhide ain't helping out, so I'm going to tune in later.
when the little straws like us continue to smile, the pile doesn't seem so big anymore.
Yea, that kind of loses it's luster the more times you say it...
I think it is unfortunate that you posted the picture of the actual tagged sign (that quite possibly was the taggers goal) and it opens the door to other morons who may have now seen how easy it is to get in the newspaper.
...I can only hope that whoever did the tag will brag about it, and get narked on.
SlumpDog,
...and therein lies the difference between us. Have a good night.
cops are too busy playing on their police computers while driving around to notice someone committing vandalism on their front lawn. Figures.
After vegas has run all there guests out of town,and we have run out of water,atleast we will still have our sign. WHAT A JOKE! I can see it now, 911 call about a tagger at the sign,half of metro responding, accidents along the way,and then shoot the person that left a mark! And then to hear mayor martini state "NOW THATS JUSTICE"!
they need to sell some sponsorships for the sign and with that money hire a security guard from midnight to 6am.
Nope, just get rid of the little park they created for The Sign and we'll never have this trouble again. Remember the thrill, the excitement, the ABSOLUTE DANGER, when you had to whip your car through the old turn-around, take a quick snap of a photo, and head back onto LV Blvd North, all the while making sure you didn't get rear-ended or blind-sided while making the turn? THAT was a moment worth remembering and made taking a picture of The Sign a real story.
Oh, and that's why, without the little park, these type cretins will never get another chance to deface The Sign. Because, you all know this, it's going to happen again...