CapitalNews9.com

Friday, November 20, 2009   47º F

Updated 05/21/2008 06:29 AM

North Country towns dealing with vandalism

By: Jessica Mokhiber

JOHNSBURG, N.Y. - Anti-Semitic graffiti isn't something you'd expect to see these days. It's shocking anywhere, but it may be even more so in the quiet town of Johnsburg.

This is the the latest vandalism to hit the area. And while Johnsburg Town Supervisor Sterling Goodspeed said it's disappointing, he's also worried that it's part of a bigger issue here in town. He said he's working with the school district on educating the kids about what a symbol like this means and why doing this is damaging and illegal.

This all comes on the heels of another incident down the road at the Upper Hudson River Railroad.

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Upper Hudson River Railroad General Manager Clifford Welz said, "People worked really hard to paint these trains last year and dress them up, and they were really disappointed because it's going to cost us $700 of labor and paint to repair."

The graffiti isn't anti-Semitic like what was found in Johnsburg and at a resort in Bolton last week, but it is a big problem to clean up.

Welz said, "This is perfect timing to make it the most miserable for all of us because we're setting up for Thomas [the Train]. We're very busy."

People here are becoming increasingly concerned. The graffiti here on the bridge on Route 28N is visible to anyone taking the train, and this weekend there will be thousands of kids and their parents.

"We're expecting 10,000 people and it's not a good message to send to the people."

Law enforcement are also working to figure out who is behind this. Before it's cleaned up, they came to take pictures to compare to swastikas painted at that Bolton resort. Warren County Sheriff Bud York said it's too soon to know if this is related to recent graffiti painted on the war memorial in Glens Falls' Crandall Park. He also said until arrests are made in the most recent incidents in Johnsburg, his office will continue its investigation.