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August 10, 2023 ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OF MICHIGAN PAGE 5

PLYMOUTH - WAYNE
PLYMOUTH - WAYNE

Police investigation of Art Walk vandalism continues

Artwork intended to uplift “It's shocking to me because
kids and provide a sense of self- they're not kids. They're in their
worth was destroyed by a group early 20s,” Tony Roko said.
of young people in downtown Police said the two vandals
Plymouth last week. were part of a group of five peo-
Police are continuing to ple, three men and two women,
investigate the vandalism, seen walking together in the
which was captured on nearby early morning hours of July 23.
surveillance cameras during the “It was like a switch flipped
evening of Saturday, July 23. and the next thing you know,
The painting was part of the they were hyper-focused on
Plymouth Art Walk, an installa- breaking and damaging a work
tion of renowned Plymouth of art,” Roko said.
artist Tony Roko and the Art “They came out of the Post,
Foundation. they crossed Penniman, they
walked out of this alley,” said
Roko. “This is Phase 1 of the art
walk.”
Roko and the Art
Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit
organization, funded the art
walk to activate the unused the opportunity to exhibit them
spaces in the alleys and side in a public art walk. Our pro-
streets of downtown Plymouth gram is really meant to uplift
into a curated outdoor gallery. kids and give them a sense of
The art exhibit features four self-worth,” said Roko.
works by Roko and six by pro- The artwork was later found
gram graduates and local artists. in a nearby parking lot.
The vandalized work was com- The Plymouth Police
pleted by a teenage artist from Department is looking for the
Detroit who is with the Boys & individuals involved in the van-
Girls Club of Southeastern dalism of the artwork. Anyone
Michigan. with information regarding the
“They're all under-served identity of the vandals is asked
youth,” said Roko. “Kids that to call the police department at
might not otherwise get an (734) 453-1234 x 219 or email
Tony Roko opportunity to create and have jhiemstra@plymouthpolice.org. Surveillance photos of the vandals
City water in Wayne remains unsafe due to lead levels

Wayne residents should con- from the Michigan Department The city reported that a mini- ”
tinue to put lead filters on home of Health and Human Services. mum of 400 homes have lead
water faucets and consider hav- Water samples with more than service lines. Officials said the The city reported that a minimum
ing children tested for lead in 15 parts per billion (ppb) of lead city has been attempting to of 400 homes have lead service lines.
their blood following levels of require a community to take secure funding to replace the
the neurotoxin found in city action, according to state and water service lines for two years.
water supplies. federal guidelines. Ed Queen, the assistant direc-
According to a posting on the Exposure to lead can damage tor of the Wayne Department of Officials urged residents to through Friday at the City of
city website last week, nine of 60 the brain and kidneys and can Public Works said the city has continue to take precautions Wayne Department of Public
homes tested in Wayne had affect the production of red replaced about 200 lead service against any exposure to the dan- Works, 35200 Forest Ave. in
excessive levels of lead, the high- blood cells in the body. There is lines, but the cost to replace the gerous neurotoxin. in Wayne Wayne.
est tested at 31 ppb, according to no safe level of lead in drinking remaining 400 is expected to Filters are available between The department can be
Lynn Sutfin, a spokesperson water, officials said. reach nearly $5 million. 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday reached at (734) 721-8600.