City paints over Walla Walla octopus sign

WALLA WALLA — The city of Walla Walla sent a paint crew at dawn Thursday to paint over a purple octopus mural it said was an illegal sign for a toy store.

After more than two years of court battles the octopus was covered in a reddish color that matched the bricks on other Main Street storefronts.

The Union-Bulletin reported that the painting was finished by 7 a.m.

The city had warned Inland Octopus toy store owner Bob Catsiff it would cover the mural and send him the bill.

Catsiff has lost every court decision in the sign code dispute that started in September 2010 and went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Catsiff also faces fines that total about $89,000.