Good Samaritans tackle graffiti mess

Katie Teachout, The Journal | Last updated Apr 27, 2021 9:50am0

RITZVILLE – In an article titled "Vandals damage Storywalk, tag locations in town," in last week's issue of The Journal, Ritzville Police Officer Matt Carlson was quoted crediting Public Works Employee Ned Bernath with cleaning up vandalism on the Storywalk. The Journal has since learned that Ritzville Drug Co. employee Jessica Kidwell beat Bernath to the clean-up.

Kidwell took her 14-year-old daughter Shelby and their friend Lilly Kannin, 13, to remove the graffiti from the kiosks along the walking path.

"I was mad about the graffiti, and I saw this as an opportunity to teach my kids they can help out when someone does something bad in the community," Kidwell said, adding, "It was definitely a kid who did the graffiti. No adult would write 'I was here.'"

Kidwell said she researched what would work best, and first tried warm vinegar.

"That didn't work, and I wasn't giving up until I found something that did," Kidwell said.

She found success with oven degreaser, rubbing alcohol and a magic eraser.

Author Bio

Katie Teachout, Editor

Katie Teachout is the editor of The Ritzville Adams County Journal. Previously, she worked as a reporter at The Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle, the Oroville Gazette-Tribune, Northern Kittitas County Tribune and the Methow Valley News. She is a graduate of Western Washington University.