This mural on the south side of a building at Webb Plaza was damaged when paint was thrown on it. (Carol Bryant, Central Nebraska Today)
GRAND ISLAND – Four people have been cited for misdemeanors by Grand Island police after paint was thrown on a mural on the south side of Webb Plaza on Oct. 18.
Webb Plaza is at the southwest corner of the intersection of Webb Road and Capital Avenue.
The incident took place just before a ribbon cutting for the completion of the mural and relaunching Webb Plaza was going to occur.
The case has been turned over to the Hall County Attorney’s office, and formal charges are pending.
According to Spencer Schubert, Communications Manager for the City of Grand Island, police cited four people for misdemeanors in the incident.
*A 33-year-old female from Omaha was cited with misdemeanor criminal mischief (which ranges from $501-$1,499 in penalties).
*A 36-year-old female from Grand Island was charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief (which ranges from $501-$1,499 in penalties).
*A 35-year-old male from Grand Island was charged with misdemeanor false reporting.
*A 45-year-old female from Doniphan was charged with aiding and abetting a Class II misdemeanor.
The estimated amount of damage was $800, Schubert said.
Tara Richter of St. Petersburg, Florida, owns Webb Plaza and inherited it from her late father, Harold Richter. He purchased the property in the 1980s and died in 2023, Tara Richter said.
“It’s a senseless act of pure malice,” she said. “I hope they get the book thrown at them.”
Mike Dvo was the artist who created the mural, which was completed in July.
The owner of a card shop at Webb Plaza called Richter approximately 5 minutes after the incident happened at 9 a.m. Oct. 18.
“He called me as soon as he saw it,” Richter said.
She accessed security cameras for Webb Plaza.
“We saw them doing it,” Richter said.
A power washing company was nearby and came immediately to wash the wet paint off of the mural.
Richter said that after the mural was completed, a special anti-graffiti sealant was spread over the mural. The company that manufactures the sealant has recommended a chemical to use to remove the remaining paint thrown on the mural.
Richter was born in Kearney. Her Mom was from Axtell. When she was young, her family moved to Omaha. She said she is very familiar with towns in Central Nebraska, and her family owns farmland in Axtell.
Richter said a woman paid two friends $50 each “to ruin our event.” Citations have been issued to those three people, Richter said. A fourth person, a male, was also cited. He is the husband of the woman who threw the paint onto the mural.
The license plate on the car shown in security camera footage led police to finding out who committed the crime, Richter said.
Richter said the mural was a gift to the city to make something beautiful. She said there are a lot of murals in Florida where she lives.
“We took one and a half years planning what the mural would be,” Richter said.
A description of the mural is on the website www.webbplaza.us/mural.
“At first glance, your eye is drawn to the bold, beautiful Holstein cow, Bessie, the centerpiece of the mural and a tribute to my mother’s side of the family, whose maiden name was Holsten. This isn’t just any cow—it’s a symbol of family roots and the legacy that grounds this space. My mother grew up in Axtell, Nebraska. On a farm with her parents and three sisters. Her father’s family was from Sweden and the surname is sometimes spelled Holstein.”
“Around the cow’s neck hangs a large cowbell, but look closer: on the bell is a leukemia awareness ribbon. This detail is deeply personal. Leukemia has left an unforgettable mark on our family. We lost my father to it, he was 77 years old. My brother was diagnosed at just one year old, leaving him with permanent brain damage and epilepsy. My cousin Scott also had neuroblastoma, a cancer that affects children. Unfortunately we lost him at a young age. That ribbon honors them and the strength we’ve carried through it all,” according to the website.
“Among those sunflowers, keep an eye out for a jackrabbit racing through—a nod to my father’s beloved college mascot in South Dakota. He was so proud to be a Jackrabbit. He was born in Iowa but grew up in South Dakota. In the distance, a sailboat sails quietly across the horizon, representing both his service in the Navy and love of sailing,” the website said.
“This isn’t just a mural. It’s a mission. My father, Harold Richter, purchased this plaza in 1988 with a few fellow small business owners. For 37 years, it’s supported local dreams. I’m proud to carry that torch forward. I am a small business owner, he was a small business owner and for all these years the tenants in the plaza have been filled with local people who all had aspiration,” the website said.
