The streets of San Diego may be safe once again for nefarious chalking after a jury acquitted a local man accused of 13 counts of vandalism for scrawling anti-bank messages on sidewalks.
"The San Diego sidewalk chalk protester whose markings outside three Bank of America branches led to prosecution on 13 misdemeanor counts was found not guilty Monday on all charges," reports Trent Seibert. "The prosecution of Jeff Olson by City Attorney Jan Goldsmith’s office became a national sensation and was the subject of a “Chalk-U-py” protest in San Diego over the weekend."
"Olson theoretically faced jail time of 1 year and a fine of $1,000 for each count if convicted," notes Seibert. "The idea of 13 years in custody was a potential penalty widely mocked in the national media, even though prosecutors said incarceration of any sort is rare in vandalism cases, nevermind anything over a year."
The case may seem extreme, but a Mother Jones article that appeared last year noted that: "Over the past five years, at least 50 people in 17 American cities have run afoul of authorities for coloring things with chalk."
FULL STORY: Jury erases sidewalk chalk charges
Chalk Art: Child's Play or Vandalism?
Next time you suggest your child goes outside to play, you might want to make sure they're not packing chalk. Josh Harkinson looks at the nationwide crackdown on chalk art. It's not just adults being cited.
San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.
San Diego County Sees a Rise in Urban Coyotes
San Diego County experiences a rise in urban coyotes, as sightings become prevalent throughout its urban neighbourhoods and surrounding areas.
Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.
New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico
An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.
Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes
Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.
Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels
Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions