A local artist who has already sponsored a public mural spoke to council to reinforce plans for a “graffiti wall” in Yoctangee Park.

In a regular council session that was moved up a week because of Memorial Day, Landan Moonstar spoke briefly to Chillicothe City Council on Monday, May 18th, 2026. (Hear him in his own words below.)

Moonstar had spoken to council in September about wanting to help with offensive graffiti in the tunnel of the Larry Cox Memorial / Paint Creek Recreational Trail under Adena Road. He got their support for his effort to coordinate and donate towards painting a mural in it that would discourage further graffiti.

He has also supported a “graffiti wall” that was presented to council in November by police officer Michael Shipley, who suggested locating it next to the relocated skate park in Yoctangee Park. Council responded positively to the idea then and resolved to support it.

Moonstar had pointed out that the ethics of graffiti vandals discourage them from painting on public murals, and that has been proven at the rec trail tunnel over several months. It was also pointed out that a public graffiti wall / art wall would give a legitimatized creative outlet to graffiti artists.

On Monday, Moonstar said he had seen negative comments about the wall. But he said he had recently attended a Dayton “graffiti fest” where there were 200 artists – and that Chillicothe could have the same cultural opportunity.

He pointed out that his effort on the rec trail mural created a community opportunity with about 40 people participating daily, who bought food and added to the local economy.

Council then passed a resolution on second reading “to authorize the installation of a public graffiti art wall near the new Yoctangee Park skate park, subject to community fundraising and applicable approvals.”

The entire council session is viewable in council’s video on YouTube or Facebook, with Moonstar starting to speak at 17:30. Also hear his short address below.

The “Police and Project Bad Apple’s Mission” on the graffiti wall has a GoFundMe pagewhich had raised almost $1,500 after being started on May 6th.

Find the article on the Scioto Post.

Kevin Coleman covers local government and culture for the Scioto Post and iHeart Media Southern Ohio. For stories or questions, contact Kevin Coleman or the iHeart Southern Ohio Newsroom.

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