I guess we have idiots like this in NEO also...

[Mad Mikey]

I got up at 4 AM, had a bite to eat, showered etc. and headed to work to punch in at 5AM. Just a block away from my house is a motel. The motel has a cinder block wall on the West side of the swimming pool.

It used to be just that, a drab grey wall. The motel had been deteriorating for many years until 2005 when a previous owner bought it BACK after moving back "home" again. The place was bad, mostly druggies renting rooms to live in. It was so bad the rooms had to be ripped apart and treated/fumigated with something or other due to drug contamination. I didn't even like walking by the place.

The first thing the owner did was evict the scumbags, clean the place up and make it a very hospitable motel again.

The motel is one of the first things you see when you round the corner and hit the main street. The new owner contracted a painter to spruce up the wall by the pool. So now the first thing folks see coming into town is a welcome sign that says "Welcome to God's country" with an American flag next to it.

I loved it as does most of the town. When I come home from hunting/fishing trips or especially a long drive to PDX I really appreciate seeing that message as I round that last corner because it echos my exact sentiments.

We don't call it "God's country" without a good reason.

As I took a left onto the main drag at 4:55 AM I was shocked, saddened and then very angry to see that the painting has been vandalized.

The owner gave me permission to take pictures and share.

From this afternoon:



I stopped by and talked with the guy after work. He was also upset but also very adamant that he didn't give a rip if they tried it again, he'd just keep fixing it up. The person who painted the original is re-doing it for free. Folks from town were stopping by all day and offering help and support. A reward for arrest/conviction of the perp(s) has been offered up and includes private donations as well.

I suspect there will be a write up in the local paper very soon, probably not linkable for 3-5 days though.

I hope the perp(s) get caught and get one judge in particular at their trial. He tends to make the punishment fit the crime......

[anglingaddict]

That not only saddens me to see as it is something that I would display as well. But mainly because I do my best to respect others rights to disagree respectfully. How can the people who did that think that they are any better than than what they supposedly complain about???!! I know there is no real answer to that question and I don't expect one. I just mainly wanted to "voice" what I was thinking and how it puzzles me beyond reason! Just my !

Glad to hear that the town is sticking together in this too!!!

Sure would be nice to see a pic of it again once it's fixed up!!

[1pump]

The vandalism is bad enough, but they could've at least spelled everything right.
I'm amazed that happened in LaGrande.

[julezilla]

Jerks. Paint your own wall if you have something to say. Leave other people's stuff alone.

Stuff like that burns me.

ETA - I'll chip in a few bucks for new paint

[Klamanite]

Originally Posted by Mad Mikey

I got up at 4 AM, had a bite to eat, showered etc. and headed to work to punch in at 5AM. Just a block away from my house is a motel. The motel has a cinder block wall on the West side of the swimming pool.

It used to be just that, a drab grey wall. The motel had been deteriorating for many years until 2005 when a previous owner bought it BACK after moving back "home" again. The place was bad, mostly druggies renting rooms to live in. It was so bad the rooms had to be ripped apart and treated/fumigated with something or other due to drug contamination. I didn't even like walking by the place.

The first thing the owner did was evict the scumbags, clean the place up and make it a very hospitable motel again.

The motel is one of the first things you see when you round the corner and hit the main street. The new owner contracted a painter to spruce up the wall by the pool. So now the first thing folks see coming into town is a welcome sign that says "Welcome to God's country" with an American flag next to it.

I loved it as does most of the town. When I come home from hunting/fishing trips or especially a long drive to PDX I really appreciate seeing that message as I round that last corner because it echos my exact sentiments.

We don't call it "God's country" without a good reason.

As I took a left onto the main drag at 4:55 AM I was shocked, saddened and then very angry to see that the painting has been vandalized.

The owner gave me permission to take pictures and share.

From this afternoon:

I stopped by and talked with the guy after work. He was also upset but also very adamant that he didn't give a rip if they tried it again, he'd just keep fixing it up. The person who painted the original is re-doing it for free. Folks from town were stopping by all day and offering help and support. A reward for arrest/conviction of the perp(s) has been offered up and includes private donations as well.

I suspect there will be a write up in the local paper very soon, probably not linkable for 3-5 days though.

I hope the perp(s) get caught and get one judge in particular at their trial. He tends to make the punishment fit the crime......

That stinks. Why can't people just leave well enough alone. Perhaps it was one of the previous tenants still angry about being evicted??? Whoever did it better pray that their names aren't made public out there.

[rowmanholiday]

It's unfortunate that for some reason, some people apparently feel threatened by someone showing their feelings, with class I might add. I also hope they catch whoever or whomever did this. I would hope that their punishment would be to clean up trash and repaint graffiti stricken areas as well as some fines and time in the clink.
It's good that the community has offered to help and the wall will be repainted back to the original design.

[Clyde]

Originally Posted by julezilla

Jerks. Paint your own wall if you have something to say. Leave other people's stuff alone.

[CombinationLicense]

Somebody needs their attitude adjusted! I know that motel but usually stay at the "Quail Run" or at my buddies place if I'm not camping. Two words - video surveillance! If you don't have access to video monitoring/recording equipment, I see it all the time on Craigslist for cheap. You could probably even pass around the hat and get $10 each from some IFISHers to pay for it.

"CL"

[traks44]

speechless!!!!

for those who dont know or never saw it, it was more than just a sign, it was the first greeting you saw when you came into La Grande, a big welcome to the city of La Grande Oregon nestled amongst one of the greatest valleys like it in the US. Eagle caps to the east, blues to the west, elkhorns to the south and rivers ful of fish to the north, yea these people must be right, this isnt "Gods" country, even "God couldnt have created a better place to live"

Would love to catch someone in the act.................

[12244]

I hope this act of cowardice brings much more patriotism!
I love small towns and how they appreciate our freedoms.

After donations were gathered and this flag was painted, some unreasonable folks said the funds should have been used for something else! These funds were donated for this purpose, and this purpose only, by choice of the respective donors! Duh! You cant tell them where or how to spend their money, get a clue!

Go LaGrande!

[toas243]

What a shame

[Iwish]

I agree with "CL."

I say that since the original painter has offered to paint it again for free that all those who wish to help out pitch in for a video surveillance system. Even if it doesn't happen again it would be good for the area to have. Never know when the video might come in handy. Might someday catch a vehicle heading through town on an amber alert or something similar.

Great idea "CL."

[uhmw]

FYI-1000$ for info leading to arrest of taggers from metro/city. Lets put the ananarcist in ananarky(jail) the $1000 could help cover the cost of cameras and it would be priceless to see them out there fixing their mess-

[dixiefisher]

"superioty" ?????....unless I am out of tune with new slang terms or a new anti-goverment catch phrase.....or I am reading wrong....I wouldn't spend too much time looking for them at the library or any of your schools....

[12244]

Oh, man. I should go to see my Aunt in LaGrande and ask around, sounds like easy pickens to me. 1k divided by new rods, reels, and spinners equals a very good time at the expense of a bad speller.

[PayDay]

Don't let the "bananarchists" win. Pass the hat. I'll donate for paint, video surveillance, whatever!

[B-RUN STEELIE]

That sucks. I like LaGrande. Its my stopping point everytime we drive to the coast or Washington from Idaho. We usually eat something and get gas. The people are nice and who cares if you wait for an hour for a pizza or something. Its a neat place. I have seen that sign. I'm betting its early 20 something pot head types and not kids who did this.

[Just_learning]

for how small LaGrande is how hard can it be to find a group of people who call themselves "Bananarchists"? I think the case will be solved soon.


Maybe it was this guy----> he seems pretty happy...and oddly suspicious looking.

[12244]

Uh oh. http://my.cybersoup.com/bodyboardin/bananarchy.html

Banana bombs, banana knives, its bananarchy.

MadMikey are you on that prescription stuff that makes you do weird things while sleeping in the night?

[MacFish]

Originally Posted by Just_learning

for how small LaGrande is how hard can it be to find a group of people who call themselves "Bananarchists"? I think the case will be solved soon.


Maybe it was this guy----> he seems pretty happy...and oddly suspicious looking.

A couple of thousand students that go to Eastern Oregon University might make the job tougher, although if you start with the ones that are flunking English.....

[RustySocket]

Originally Posted by rowmanholiday

It's unfortunate that for some reason, some people apparently feel threatened by someone showing their feelings, with class I might add. I also hope they catch whoever or whomever did this. I would hope that their punishment would be to clean up trash and repaint graffiti stricken areas as well as some fines and time in the clink.
It's good that the community has offered to help and the wall will be repainted back to the original design.

Personally, I think they should be chained to a post downtown LaGrande and beat senseless....

but that's probably the reason I don't get to make these decisions.

[flyfisherwoman923]

How very sad!!! It is heartwarming to see the community volunteering to make things right. I sure hope that they can set up a camera to catch those involved.

[cptdarel]

Tear down one sign, put up 10 more, expose the barfs. they will get caught. sooner or later.

[Mad Mikey]

Update: The artist who painted the mural blued the graffitti out a few hours after I posted yesterday.



The original painting cost $900. The artist, John Hanley said he would repaint it for free and would do that as many times as needed.

Bob Jellum the owner, started the reward for arrest/conviction at $500. An anonymous donor contributed another $500. A guest at the motel even chipped in an additional $20.

Quote from today's local paper, the Observer(by Bill Rautenstrauch):

The mural's message wasn't intended as an especially religious one. The Jellum's picked it simply because a lot of people call Northeast Oregon "God's Country.

Not, "a lot", rather, "most".......

[flyfisherwoman923]

it looks better now.......just missing something important....hummmmm. Please keep us updated!! Thanks!!!

[motcha]

That is our place of residence for the Moonlight Tournaments, plus we know many of people that live there. I like La Grande! I even thought at some point to have the parking spots removed, and put a sidewalk in, so one can always see it.

[Mad Mikey]

Although this thread has run it's course I promised to show the fix up. He must have done it while I was at work today. The original had additional brown tints along the text edges to give it a "3-D" look, probably has to be done in two stages IMO.

Enjoy!

[anglingaddict]

Glad t osee it fixed!! Thanks for sharing Mikey!!
Let's hope that one, they catch whoever is responsible and that two, the artist won't have to re-do it again even though he is willing.