CRESSON — An incumbent candidate for the Penn Cambria School Board would like to think his vandalized and disappearing campaign signs is someone’s idea of a Halloween joke.
But Larry Behe says if that’s the case, it has gotten out of hand.
“I’m definitely being targeted,” Behe said Tuesday. “It’s just amazing. I started out with 48 signs, and I have eight or 10 left.”
Behe, a Pepsi-Cola truck driver, is serving a two-year appointment filling a resignation.
He is one of six people seeking five posts on the school board.
For two months, Behe constructed and painted four dozen signs. He used the top to ask voters to return proven leaders to the board and had his name on the bottom.
But in some areas, the signs disappear as soon as they’re put up.
“Two places in Ashville and Cresson I put them up three times, and they’re gone,” Behe said. “Some are spray-painted, some are ripped apart, the rest are plucked out of the ground, and they are gone while others in the same area still stand.”
Behe said of the 48 he made, about six were in common areas along highway rights of way beside other campaign signs. The others were on private property with permission.
He has filed complaints with state and local police but no arrests have been made.
Taking or vandalizing campaign signs violates state law, but catching offenders is difficult, said Fred Smith, Cambria County director of elections.
The offenses vary from theft to vandalism and criminal trespass if the signs are taken from private property.
“It’s not uncommon in Cambria County,” Smith said. “You got a clique of people who support a candidate who go out and destroy signs.”
Behe is confident other candidates are not responsible.
“But it may be supporters of someone and they think they are helping them,” Behe said.
Local News
Vandalized signs are no joke to incumbent
- Local News
-
-
Mild winter speeds work: Entertainment venue may be complete by end of May
An unusually mild winter has accelerated construction of a new outdoor entertainment venue in Johnstown.
-
Man jailed on rash of charges
A Patton man is being held on $100,000 bond after police said he threatened to kill a woman, her family and himself unless she talked to him about a protection-from-abuse order.
-
Cambria abolishes 16 jobs
Following through on promises to cut budget costs, the Cambria County commissioners voted Thursday to abolish 16 positions, including nine full-time jobs.
-
Blogging with heart
Anyone else have this issue: The more I know, the more I want to learn.
As I am writing my heart month stories for this week’s packages, I occasionally come across a term or description unfamiliar to me. So I look it up. And then the definition or article has something else that sounds important, so I look that up. -
Wozniak defends his support of drilling bill
State Sen. John Wozniak, D-Westmont, one of only seven Democrats to support the Marcellus Shale legislation adopted this week, said the bill protects the environment and provides help to local communities impacted by the natural gas drilling.
-
Businessman hoping to unseat Wozniak
Tim Houser uses two words – “challenging opportunity” – to describe his goal in this year’s elections.
-
Judge tosses evidence in robbery
A Cambria County prosecutor said he’ll have to drop robbery charges against a Twin Rocks woman after much of his evidence was suppressed by a judge.
-
Shooting defendant pleads to attempted murder
A Philadelphia man pleaded guilty Thursday in county court to attempted murder and theft in a Nov. 18 home invasion in which the homeowner was shot.
-
Garrett man sought in Somerset crime
An arrest warrant has been issued for Samuel McFarland Jr., 33, of Berlin Street in Garrett in connection with Saturday’s robbery of two boys outside Dollar General on East Main Street in Somerset.
-
City man shot during alleged burglary
A Johnstown man was shot during a burglary attempt in Indiana County and then burglarized a home in Armstrong County before he was arrested, authorities said Thursday.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Denver's Largest-Ever Drug Bust Nets Dozens
Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag
Vets Look to Translate Military Skills Into Jobs
Expert: Removing LA School's Staff 'Appropriate'
Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames
LA School Reopens Amid Sex Abuse Scandal
$25B Settlement Reached Over Foreclosure Abuses
Pentagon: Allow Women Closer to Front Lines
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
