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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW SOU's Academia Latina program helps incoming high schoolers learning to lead ... Ashland Calendar, Saturday, Aug. 8 ... Herb Rothschild Jr.: Affirmative actions ... SOU's Academia Latina program helps incoming high schoolers learning to lead ... Ashland Calendar, Saturday, Aug. 8 ... Herb Rothschild Jr.: Affirmative actions ... VANDALISM 'Iron Mike' will be taken from Plaza perch Friday Iconic statue's rifle and part of an arm were ripped off early this month Comment By Ian Hand Ashland Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Ian Hand Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Oct. 29, 2014 at 5:04 PM By Ian Hand Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Oct. 29, 2014 at 5:04 PM » RELATED CONTENT • Can Iron Mike come back? • Vandals damage Iron Mike statue, steal its rifle • Iron Mike shoots sparks on the Plaza • Man steals, burns flag in protest • Council considers police presence on Plaza • Lithia Water fountain vandalized again • Iron Mike » Social News Iron Mike may be missing from the center of Ashland's Plaza for a year or more. The city of Ashland is exploring options to repair the iconic statue a fter he became the victim of vandalism two weeks ago. The statue of a pioneer cradling a rifle and peering off into the distance, looking for game, sits atop the Carter Memorial Fountain.The rifle and part of an arm were broken off at some point in the 48-hour period prior to Friday, Oct. 17. The fountain's name plate also was cracked. The Ashland Police Department had the missing piece, which was found in nearby bushes, briefly as part of its investigation, but returned it to the Public Works Department last last week. "The piece is back and we're looking at our options to repair the statue," says Mike Morrison, public works superintendent. "We're still early in the process, so we're not sure what the cost will be." Mike will be removed from the plaza Friday, Oct. 31, in order to fully assess the damage and determine repair options. The rifle had been broken off before in 2001 and was repaired at Ashland Forge for $6,500. Mike is made of pot metal, a cheap metal alloy of lead and zinc. Dennis DeBey, the owner of Ashland Forge who repaired Mike in 2001, previously said that such a repair can be difficult due to the metal's properties. The statue also fell off the fountain in the 1960s and suffered a broken leg, arm and gun, Morrison said. Ashland Police do not have any further updates on the investigation. Anyone with information about the vandalism should contact APD at 541-488-2211. Email reporter Ian Hand at [email protected] or call him at 253-722-4071. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/IanHand_DT. By Ian Hand Ashland Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Ian Hand Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Oct. 29, 2014 at 5:04 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501