[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=39805.91

Lighthouse graffiti artist confesses

Joseph Malan
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - Faint crimson splotches cover a part of the lighthouse where a smattering of graffiti once stood.

The graffiti has since mostly been removed, but a stain and an off-white-colored area of paint still symbolize an area where the markings had been.

On Monday, Michigan City Police Assistant Chief Mark Swistek announced a young man who had been arrested Friday admitted to being responsible for most of the graffiti on the lighthouse.

Matthew John Anzulidia, 21, Michigan City, was arrested on two warrants - one for failure to appear in court on a reckless driving charge, and another for harassment.

It was at that time, Swistek said, that Anzulidia made a verbal confession to spraying most of the graffiti that had recently appeared on the structure.

Anzulidia is being held in the La Porte County Jail and is scheduled to be released June 12.

The police department, however, has a warrant for his arrest for criminal mischief, Swistek said.

Swistek added he will request the court have Anzulidia perform restitution in the form of community service.

"He is responsible for the vast majority of the graffiti damage that was done out there," Swistek said.

Meanwhile, Harbormaster Tim Frame said he and a few workers will apply a fresh coat of paint to the area where the graffiti stood.

It's a good thing the graffiti artist was caught, Frame said.

"Last week we painted it Tuesday morning, and Thursday morning it was already decorated up," he said. "It's a little aggravating. You have to divert someone from doing what they ordinarily would be doing to going and doing that."

Swistek said the eradication of graffiti from the lighthouse is only one part of a citywide effort to erase the markings. About a dozen areas have been cleaned the last few weeks, and while weather hasn't been cooperating recently, Swistek hopes officers will soon be going out every Friday to remove graffiti from an area.

"We see it every day when we're patrolling the neighborhoods," Swistek said. "We don't condone the type of behavior that's out there. It's a nuisance to the community, and it's vandalism."

[lbl]

Ummmm...does anyone else think that he (John Anzulidia) should pay for and paint the lighthouse? It seems so logical, I think...therefore, I'm wrong...?

[Dave]

Ummmm...does anyone else think that he (John Anzulidia) should pay for and paint the lighthouse?

and keep it graffiti-free for the next two years would work for me. Let him clean it up when the next bunch scribble on it.

[Southsider2k12]

Ummmm...does anyone else think that he (John Anzulidia) should pay for and paint the lighthouse? It seems so logical, I think...therefore, I'm wrong...?

Isn't restitution a normal part of a crime mitigation?

[Southern Matt]

Isn't restitution a normal part of a crime mitigation?

well guess what first u all plz need to learn to read my name is not John Anzulidia it is Matthew John Anzulidia....second...yes im the one who is getting charged with it...but only because the police in michigan are too lazy to do their job...everybody goes out to the light house...and for years it has been covered with people puttin their names on it...and yes i did write on it...but did i do everything on there that night...NO...and i told the detective that...and i had witnesses but instead of actually doing their job which is to find the people that are responsible for the majority of it they want to turn me into a scapegoat....so please before you try to put ur two sense in...get all the facts because the michigan city police are corrupt and lazy....if u wrote ur name on there that night u would have been charged with instead of me...im not a gang member nor do i pretend to be...and anybody who woule like to tlk to me about this has every right to...u can email me at matt_15_2005@yahoo.com

[mcstumper]

well guess what first u all plz need to learn to read my name is not John Anzulidia it is Matthew John Anzulidia....second...yes im the one who is getting charged with it...but only because the police in michigan are too lazy to do their job...everybody goes out to the light house...and for years it has been covered with people puttin their names on it...and yes i did write on it...but did i do everything on there that night...NO...and i told the detective that...and i had witnesses but instead of actually doing their job which is to find the people that are responsible for the majority of it they want to turn me into a scapegoat....so please before you try to put ur two sense in...get all the facts because the michigan city police are corrupt and lazy....if u wrote ur name on there that night u would have been charged with instead of me...im not a gang member nor do i pretend to be...and anybody who woule like to tlk to me about this has every right to...u can email me at matt_15_2005@yahoo.com

Be a man and own up to what you did. You broke the law and were caught. The fact that others have committed the same crime and were not caught doesn't make your act less criminal.

[taxthedeer]

Be a man and own up to what you did. You broke the law and were caught. The fact that others have committed the same crime and were not caught doesn't make your act less criminal.

Makes cents to me.

[southyards]

Seems like stead a texting his ‘message’ and whining, he could better be using his nrg to be a’paintin’ the litehous he defaced. Suck it up, getter done and move on, eh?

[mcstumper]

Makes cents to me.

Then this will really be up your alley:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0mSGCTkH2w

[taxthedeer]

Then this will really be up your alley:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0mSGCTkH2w

Or this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRa9uhiAPBs

Perhaps the MCPD could use more guys like Detective Anthony Vincenzo "Tony" Baretta, nobody ever accused him of being corrupt and lazy.

[Southern Matt]

Or this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRa9uhiAPBs

Perhaps the MCPD could use more guys like Detective Anthony Vincenzo "Tony" Baretta, nobody ever accused him of being corrupt and lazy.

Well i already confessed to what i did when i wrote on the light house....that is the only reason i was charged..because i was MAN enough to admit to what i did....i take full blame for what i wrote..i will not however take the blame for anybody else...which is what they are doin. they wanna make it look like they are cleaning up the city yet a month ago bout 2 weeks after my grafitti incident...the high school was tagged...the light house is probably tagged right now...but they wanna continue to make me out to be the bad guy. im payin for what i did...and i have no problems with that...but i do have problems with you all who wanna put ur input into something u know nothing about...and after i go to court later this week i will tell u all my punishment for what i did...i would love to tell u the plea bargain that i have now...but im not goin to yet...and i would like to see your reactions to my plea so ill just have to wait....

[Dave]

Southern Matt, if you really are the person charged with vandalizing the lighthouse, you might want to discuss with your legal counsel the wisdom of commenting about your ongoing case on a public message board.

[mcstumper]

...the light house is probably tagged right now...

Interesting. Did you have some advance knowledge that the lighthouse was going to be vandalized last night, or was that just a lucky guess?

[Southsider2k12]

An interesting follow up on WIMS today... It seems the lighthouse is still getting tagged. The City is actually looking into surveillance cameras out there. The idea I had was to incorporate webcams instead. That way you could run the feed through the official Michigan City site, and you would still be able to view what was going on there from a security standpoint. It would be another great way of promoting the City. Heck there is nothing to stop you from a pretty cool network of webcams on some big sights, such as the Zoo tower, Mt Baldy, the top of the Blue Chip, the top of the Marquette Mall tower, etc.

[Ang]

SSder, that's a really great idea. Mayor Chuck, you should check into the cost of something like that. I'm sure we could even post a link here for the webcams.

And as far as "tagging" the lighthouse, people have been putting their mark on that place since I can remember. (I think I may have even left my name on that place 20 or so years ago ) It's nothing new. Southern Matt, you did a bad thing but you owned up to your actions and for that I commend you. I know that you are not the only person to leave a mark on the lighthouse, and I do believe it is unfair to make you responsible for every mark on the building. Unfortunately, you will be made an example of, and while it's not really fair, it is the only recourse the City has to try to stop people from doing it. I'm glad you chose us to make your voice heard, and remember folks, we are here for that purpose so please don't alienate Southern Matt for explaining himself.

[Southern Matt]

well as far as talking about my legal concerns...my case like every other case is public record...you all are allowed to be at the court date when it comes..and are all allowed to know what my punishment is...so it really doesnt matter...and i know what i did was wrong and i should be punished i just wish the police would have done there job better by checking into other people who write on the light house...i know for a fact the police have a database that lists people and their known aliases so that they could have run the nicknames put on the lighthouse and known who wrote it but they chose not to...and actually it was just a lucky guess and if in fact it was tagged im sure i will be questioned by the police soon seeing as i was just released from jail for the same crime...but i didnt do it this time....people just need to realize that im not a criminal...i just acted immature when i was intoxicated

[Southern Matt]

Well i got sentenced to a under a year of probation...restitution....and a whopping 8 HOURS of community service...thats it...

[Ang]

Just please don't do it again.

[Southern Matt]

Just please don't do it again.

Believe me im not...i was drunk when it happened and even right after i did it i regretted it...i might have just gotten a slap on the wrist but it cost me a shit ton of money...

[lovethiscity]

An interesting follow up on WIMS today... It seems the lighthouse is still getting tagged. The City is actually looking into surveillance cameras out there. The idea I had was to incorporate webcams instead. That way you could run the feed through the official Michigan City site, and you would still be able to view what was going on there from a security standpoint. It would be another great way of promoting the City. Heck there is nothing to stop you from a pretty cool network of webcams on some big sights, such as the Zoo tower, Mt Baldy, the top of the Blue Chip, the top of the Marquette Mall tower, etc.

Maybe they can relocate the very expensive looking wireless camera that is looking at peanut bridge. And Why is it looking at the bridge? Who is monitoring it?