OHIOVILLE, Pa. - "Needless vandalism" at a historical landmark has two local elected officials upset.
Ohioville, Pa., Mayor John Szatkiewicz said Thursday he noticed two of three trees planted at the Point of Beginning June 13 were damaged in what appeared to be "needless vandalism."
The trees were planted as part of Plant a Wish, a public awareness project founded by Hawaii residents Joseph Imhoff and Sara Tekula.
State and local elected officials from the Tri-State area attended the tree planting ceremony at the Point of Beginning.
The purpose of the event was to inspire the restoration of native habitats around America, and to portray a collaboration between the three states. One tree was planted in each state.
Szatkiewicz said he and his wife Linda regularly water the trees, and when he saw them last Friday they appeared in good condition. When the couple returned Sunday he noticed the Ohio and Pennsylvania trees were damaged.
"Someone ripped all the leaves off the Ohio tree and Pennsylvania tree, and broke all the tops off them," he said.
He added the damage was noticeably intentional.
Szatkiewicz notified Columbiana County Commissioner Penny Traina of the damage, and she seemed "pretty upset," he said.
"(The Plant a Wish event) was the first time the three states have been together on anything. Sure it was small, but it was a start," he said.
Traina said she was disheartened by the vandalism and that whoever was responsible must not have understood the importance of the trees.
"It's very disheartening that someone could just come along and in a few strokes vandalize something that was very special to all of us," she said.
Traina also said the county commissioners appreciate the Szatkiewicz's efforts to maintain the trees and provide water during "brutal" weather.
Szatkiewicz said he notified a local police chief about the damage, and is considering having officials from the three states submit a report to local police departments.
He also notified Ohio River Trail Council CEO Vincent Troia. Troia was responsible for selecting the Point of Beginning as a location for the Plant a Wish event.
