Post #410363 by LoungeLizard on Sat, Sep 27, 2008 2:38 PM

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update on this story:

Oceanside To Ax Tiki-Trees

POSTED: 10:40 am PDT September 27, 2008
UPDATED: 11:07 am PDT September 27, 2008

OCEANSIDE -- An Oceanside artist has carved two living, city-owned palm trees into giant tiki heads, and a tree expert said the trees were weakened and must be chopped down.

"I'm going to put on a protest," vowed Steve Tustison, the artist who calls himself the "Tiki Daddy." "They better be ready, man, there are going to be people here putting on some kind of revolt."

The North County Times reported that the palm tree-tiki heads on Freeman Street have become a roadside attraction. But assistant city attorney Barbara Hamilton said Oceanside hired an arborist, who reported that the palm trees are weakened and susceptible to disease.

Shoe told the newspaper the city "just can't let them stay, unfortunately."

If the city removes the tiki heads, Tustison said he has a plan.

"I'm going to carve full-sized nudes and put them in my yard as rebellion," he told the North County Times