Police Chief Bryan Smith has put Capt. Mark Schauer in special operations i

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TroubleShooter Mike Baird: 03.12.07

Youth form an army against graffiti

March 12, 2007

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Area youth are leading the charge against graffiti while police await city leaders' approval of their new plan; and one man wants his January electric bill before his vacation.

Adelina Maese, 74, is embarrassed for her family to visit this week because of graffiti on a privacy fence near her Cresthill Drive home.

Beautify Corpus Christi has carried the graffiti wipeout ball for a while, but funds no longer are dedicated to the cause, said executive director Daiquiri Richard.

"We're definitely at a crossroads," said Richard. "We have had business owners stand and watch us paint over graffiti on their walls, then complain they don't like the color. We need people to take more responsibility for their own neighborhoods and properties."

Hats off this week to the South Park Civic Minded Knights, a group of about 90 middle school students who have done just that. Richard presented them with certificates of appreciation Friday for their work cleaning up graffiti throughout Mike Zepeda Park and on walls, fences and neighbors' homes in the South Park neighborhood.

Also, the Grace United Methodist Church youth group adopted the mission about a year ago and, without a lot of fanfare, has cleaned hundreds of locations. Last week the Portland United Methodist Church youth group also joined Corpus Christi police in the graffiti operation.

Police Chief Bryan Smith has put Capt. Mark Schauer in special operations in charge of developing a graffiti assault initiative. Schauer's comprehensive plan, submitted to city leaders for approval two weeks ago, integrates the help of directed patrol officers to identify graffiti sites within the neighborhoods they serve and assigns detectives to problematic locations.

"It involves a lot of participation from City Hall," Schauer said.

The department's direct patrol is leading an Operation Whitewash during spring break, and Schauer passed Maese's graffiti location to Lt. Heidi Frese, in charge of directed patrol, to be included in that operation.

"Our problem is funds," said Frese.

Anyone with more than half a gallon of paint they would like to donate can drop it off for the graffiti operation at the Police Athletic League Center, 1802 Buford St.

To report graffiti, call 886-2765.

# Walter Heffner of Tahiti Drive is miffed because he hasn't received an electric bill from CPL Retail since early January, and customer service representatives told him they didn't know when he'd get his bill.

"I'll be on vacation for 30 days, and don't want to come home to my service shut off," said Heffner, 73.

The Troubleshooter reached Priscilla Tinsley, spokewoman for the utility provider, who said the company regularly audits accounts for accuracy and found some mistakes.

"During January, it was found that a portion of some bills were improperly charged so we stopped sending them to make adjustments," said Tinsley. "All of them will be sent out this week. We will work with any customers who need payment arrangements because of our delay."

For help with a problem contact

Mike Baird at 886-3774

or bairdm@ caller.com