Dirty dogs: Statue disfigured

By Melody Gustafson
EAST PALESTINE -- Late at night on Mar. 22, a vandal destoyed the cheerful bulldog statue that "guards" the center of town.

The bulldog mascot had been handmade and handpainted by a craftsman, and the East Palestine Chamber of Commerce bought it and donated it to the city.

According to Officer Brian Moore, the statue is "well-mounted" and permanently installed with rebar and cement. "It would be quite a project to remove it," he said. "But it's not going to sit decapitated forever." He added that "it is up in the air" whether the artist will repair it where it stands.

The chamber of commerce has been selling the fiberglass statues to other local businesses for $1500 and donating the proceeds to the city to maintain the New Years' Eve fireworks display. City funds are too short to continue the annual show without the organization's help.

Moore said that there are no solid leads at this time, but he suspects that a juvenile with a baseball bat or similar weapon desecrated the statue by beating it.

The foolish person or persons involved obviously haven't a concept of value. The lack of reverence for the property of others is an insult that burns in the hearts of respectful citizens and a slap in the face of those charitable folks whose efforts to beautify the town were rudely torn away. The selfish and destructive vandals ought to be ashamed, as well as the passers-by who began using the neck-hole for a trash can.

Officer Moore said that he is "personally insulted" by the vandals' actions.

Contact the EPPD at (330) 426-4341 with any information that will assist in the investigation, and contact the EP Chamber of Commerce at http://eastpalestinechamber.com/default.aspx to purchase a bulldog.