Groups add $1,000 to reward for graffiti info
By Michele Linck Journal staff writer | Posted: Friday, April 11, 2008
ELK POINT, S.D. -- Citizens Opposed to Oil Pollution and Save Union County Committee have joined forces to add another $1,000 to the reward being offered for information about dozens of "Vote No" markings spray painted Friday on the pavement of county and state roads.
The reward money was announced Thursday by COOP founder Jason Quam.
Quam said some broadcast media have attributed the vandalism to forces opposed to the $10 billion, 400,000-gallon-per-day oil refinery proposed for southern Union County by Hyperion Resources, a Texas company. He said some even reported it was highway signs, not pavement, that had been spray painted.
The vandalism appeared Friday in about a dozen spots on South Dakota Highways 50 and 48, as well as many more times on some county roads, according to the Union County Sheriff's Office. Crews sandblasted the paint off the pavement.
Quam said neither anti-refinery group had anything to do with the vandalism. "Our groups don't condone or encourage anybody to break the law," he said.
The groups' reward will be combined with a reward of up to $1,000 offered by Crime Stoppers. The Union County Sheriff's Office said Thursday it had not received any tips through Crime Stoppers and did not have any suspects. The Crime Stoppers number is 605-356-2679. Callers may remain anonymous.
Sheriff Dan Limoges said Monday that fliers reading "Vote no Hyperion" were stuck to state highway signs near some of the painted messages, leading investigators to believe the painted messages also referred to the refinery.
Quam noted the upcoming June 3 referendum on zoning for the project and said, “We will ask that our supporters do everything available within the law to defeat the Hyperion ordinance."
The reward money was announced Thursday by COOP founder Jason Quam.
Quam said some broadcast media have attributed the vandalism to forces opposed to the $10 billion, 400,000-gallon-per-day oil refinery proposed for southern Union County by Hyperion Resources, a Texas company. He said some even reported it was highway signs, not pavement, that had been spray painted.
The vandalism appeared Friday in about a dozen spots on South Dakota Highways 50 and 48, as well as many more times on some county roads, according to the Union County Sheriff's Office. Crews sandblasted the paint off the pavement.
Quam said neither anti-refinery group had anything to do with the vandalism. "Our groups don't condone or encourage anybody to break the law," he said.
The groups' reward will be combined with a reward of up to $1,000 offered by Crime Stoppers. The Union County Sheriff's Office said Thursday it had not received any tips through Crime Stoppers and did not have any suspects. The Crime Stoppers number is 605-356-2679. Callers may remain anonymous.
Sheriff Dan Limoges said Monday that fliers reading "Vote no Hyperion" were stuck to state highway signs near some of the painted messages, leading investigators to believe the painted messages also referred to the refinery.
Quam noted the upcoming June 3 referendum on zoning for the project and said, “We will ask that our supporters do everything available within the law to defeat the Hyperion ordinance."
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oneofthepeople wrote on Apr 11, 2008 5:46 PM: