Five juveniles charged with vandalizing petroglyph site

[Iceaxe]

188 hours of community service and $750 for destroying 5,000 year old rock art hardly seems like a fair trade. I would feel better if both those numbers had an extra zero on the end.

Five juveniles charged with vandalizing petroglyph site

ST. GEORGE - Five juveniles admitted to charges of vandalizing a petroglyph site in the Santa Clara River Reserve, according to a news release from the Bureau of Land Management.

The juveniles were charged with third-degree felonies under the state's Cultural Sites Protection Act for scratching names and obscenities into the Land Hill petroglyph site in May 2005. Some of the rock art at the site is more than 5,000 years old.

Four of them received 188 hours of community service and 30 days detention. A fifth juvenile received a $750 fine and 30 days detention. The Washington County Attorney's office and the BLM also plan to seek $7,500 in restitution costs at a February hearing.

Though the damage to the rock cannot be repaired, a professional rock art conservator will be hired to paint in the scratched areas, making the vandalism less apparent. However, it will have to be retouched in about five years.

[Ratman]

I too was wishing for a serious sentence. Land Hill is in my backyard and one of my frequent stops. It is (or was) a very special place. Utah, or as I've come to know it "The Behave State", will lock my butt up for making homemade beers and ales above 4% alcohol but these local punks get a slap on the wrist. The same thing happened to some other juveniles who set the Shivwitts reservation on fire a couple of years ago. Anyone else notice that as long as you only destroy indian history and culture nothing happens? I wonder what the punishment would have been if they chisled their graffiti into the side of the Saint George Temple?

[Sombeech]

Good point. That stuff is priceless.

[accadacca]

I wonder what the punishment would have been if they chisled their graffiti into the side of the Saint George Temple?

Death by FIRE!!

[donny h]

I hope I never personally witness that type of vandalism, because I would be the one doing time, because I would beat the living crap out of the entire offending group, tough guys, girls, minors, boy scouts, I don't give a damn, I would wade on in and distribute some trail justice.

The Utah courts have sent a fine message to future vandals, don't deface priceless cultural treasures or we will be mildly irritated and make you pick up litter for a couple of hours.

[tatwood]

That's just sad. Would this be a good time to start a death penalty discussion? That stuff can NEVER be replaced.

[accadacca]

trail justice.

Yeah, definition=open up a can of whoop aaaassss.....

[Glockguy]

188 hours of community service and $750 for destroying 5,000 year old rock art hardly seems like a fair trade. I would feel better if both those numbers had an extra zero on the end.

Five juveniles charged with vandalizing petroglyph site

ST. GEORGE - Five juveniles admitted to charges of vandalizing a petroglyph site in the Santa Clara River Reserve, according to a news release from the Bureau of Land Management.

The juveniles were charged with third-degree felonies under the state's Cultural Sites Protection Act for scratching names and obscenities into the Land Hill petroglyph site in May 2005. Some of the rock art at the site is more than 5,000 years old.

Four of them received 188 hours of community service and 30 days detention. A fifth juvenile received a $750 fine and 30 days detention. The Washington County Attorney's office and the BLM also plan to seek $7,500 in restitution costs at a February hearing.

Though the damage to the rock cannot be repaired, a professional rock art conservator will be hired to paint in the scratched areas, making the vandalism less apparent. However, it will have to be retouched in about five years.

Where is this from? I would like to call up some radio shows and get this out for more people ot hear about...but would like to have some documentation.

Thanks

[Iceaxe]

Where is this from? I would like to call up some radio shows and get this out for more people ot hear about...but would like to have some documentation.

The Spectrum, which is a Sourthern Utah newspaper

http://www.thespectrum.com/apps/pbcs...01310313/1002/


.

[Udink]

Where is this from? I would like to call up some radio shows and get this out for more people ot hear about...but would like to have some documentation.

KSL also has a story about it, including a (crappy RealPlayer) video from their newscast.

[accadacca]

including a (crappy RealPlayer) video from their newscast.

I don't know why they are still using these tiny real player videos....

I interviewed at KUTV 2 a few months ago before taking another job. Their website is much better and the flash video is really nice. KSL used to set the bar, but KUTV has made huge strides over the last few years. I really like their website.....just didn't want to man the stations 24/7. So I took another job.