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The Endangered Species Mural after restoration by In Creative Unity Nice Job! Hi-res on clickthru-allsizes. Photo by ICUART

The Endangered Species Mural was tagged on the weekend of 2/15/09.  Our Endangered Art Fund has restored two Murals in Venice. The Jaya Mural at Venice Boulevard and Dell, and the Endangered Species Mural on Ocean Front Walk. Constant vigilence is required to discourage and remove grafitti taggers. Of course we are livid about this, as are all muralists.  On the side of Danny's Deli, Rick Kronk paints out the grafitti at the bottom of his mural over and over and has in the process obscured his own mural. We hear that cops keep databases of the taggers styles, and can tie them to individuals. I have been to teen court and seen how they hold the parents accountable and require improved grades and strict curfews, as an alternative to Juvenile Jail, to kids busted for tagging. We are strong advocates of youth diversion programs, but we are worried about them in the current government budget disasters.    You can make a difference by helping to support the youth programs of our community.