August 8, 2008

The Graffiti Guy

Mike Keirstead helps keep Evergreen graffiti-free

Every morning, seven days a week, 365 days a year, Mike Keirstead gets into his truck at 5:30 a.m. and drives through the Evergreen neighborhood looking for graffiti. His route takes almost two hours and he usually finds the work of some cretin who thinks it amusing to deface property.

He promptly paints over the graffiti because that quick obliteration takes away any bragging rights the tagger is seeking.

Keirstead has been painting over graffiti since 1992. “We are in a particularly bad cycle right now,” he says. A tagger with the mark MIR is the most egregious perpetrator. He hits during the early morning hours, probably on his way to school, according to Keirstead. He concentrates his search near the schools in the area of Ruby, Quimby and White roads.

So far it doesn’t appear be instigated by gang members as it is in some areas to designate turf boundaries. Local taggers are thought to be youths getting around on skateboards or bicycles, carrying the aerosol paint cans in backpacks. MIR is likely a lonely, troubled youth seeking attention that he can’t get any other way.

For years, Keirstead purchased his own supplies and still does to get items that the city of San Jose doesn’t provide or special removers and paint. San Jose does provide kits to volunteers who want to help get rid of graffiti.

Taggers show disrespect of other’s property with graffiti and can signal blight in urban areas. Last February, San Jose began a “Graffiti Eradication” program because the situation was starting to get out of hand. San Jose spends more than $3 million annually to fight graffiti.

Keirstead volunteers his time and money because he cares about his Evergreen neighborhood. He has resided in Evergreen for 30 years and with his wife raised two sons. A graduate of San Jose State, Keirstead has owned a State Farm Insurance agency since 1976.