Published: March 24, 2008 09:01 am            

Spring cleaning

Cleanup projects scheduled throughout the tri-county, state

B’ville plans recycling project

By Samantha Swindler / Managing Editor

The city of Barbourville and Knox County are brainstorming ideas on how to offer recycling services to Knox residents.

“About several months ago, I had about a dozen different people, and some of the teachers at the school, suggest working on a recycling program,” Barbourville Mayor David Thompson said. “I had a couple of citizens approach me, so I kind of investigated a little more.”

Thompson spoke to State Sen. Robert Stivers, Knox County Judge-Executive J.M. Hall and Knox County Solid Waste Coordinator Bruce Mills about how to go about starting a program. Stivers put Thompson in touch with a woman who had started a recycling center in Morehead. She suggested Barbourville start by recycling just one type of product — such as newspaper, cans or cardboard — and grow the program from there.

Thompson originally considered cardboard, but the product must be stored in a dry place and the city would need to purchase a baler. Glass is also a heavy and difficult product to recycle.

“There’s more to it than most people actually understand,” Thompson said. “We’re kind of weighing through the different items ... She suggested newspaper or something to that effect, but we are still in the early stages.”

Thompson is proposing a recycling drop-off station on city property near where the Battle of Barbourville was held last year, and where a fenced-in area could hold items dropped off.

“I’ve not actually formed a group to work on it, but I have talked to representatives from several groups, such as the Junior Womens’ Study Club, that have shown interest in it,” Thompson said. “We’re just about to the point to form some kind of committee of some of the groups that want to be involved in it.”

Thompson said the project is one he felt both the city and county would support.

“Within the year, I think we’ll definitely have some sort of recycling project together, even if we do something with the schools,” Thompson said.

Come for the cleanup, stay for the red buds

By Samantha Swindler / Managing Editor

PRIDE (Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment) is sponsoring a highway cleanup near Cumberland Falls State Resort Park on April 5.

U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers will be at the falls at 10 a.m. to kick off the cleanup event, Davis said. The Congressionally-funded PRIDE organization is sponsoring the event, to clean both the Whitley and McCreary county sides of the highway.

At noon, there will be a cookout and T-shirt giveaway for volunteers. The cleanup is expected to last until 1:30 p.m.

“This is a partnership with PRIDE, where the goal is to clean up Highway 90 from U.S. 25 all the way to U.S. 27,” said Lisa Davis, park manager at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park. “Highway 90 is the first impression that they (tourists) start having of our area, and if it’s a negative impression, they may not come back. With the park operation there, as well as many other businesses, we need to give the best impression we can. It reflects not only the businesses, but on the people who live here.”

The highway cleanup is not to be confused with the park’s own river clean up day on Saturday, May 17, in which volunteers collect the trash that has floated down the Cumberland River and polluted the view from Cumberland Falls.

But April 5 is sure to be a busy day along Kentucky 90.

“What I have found out since is that McCreary County is having a redbud trail celebration that same day, and they’ve had a company come and clean up that side of that river,” Davis said.

McCreary County is celebrating National Red Bud Month with Red Bud Day on April 5. After helping with the cleanup, visitors can travel through McCreary County for events including craft demonstrations, live music, a classic car show and a scenic hike.

At the U.S. 27 and Kentucky 90 junction in Parkers Lane, Junkyard Pottery will have an open house with refreshments, pottery and craft demonstrations.

The Falls Mountain Craft Center, located in a historic 1842 log cabin further down Kentucky 90, is filled with crafts and handcrafted goods from local artists. The craft center will host live music, food and demonstrations throughout the day April 5.

Farm House Inn Bed & Breakfast, located off Taylor Branch Road just off Kentucky 896 (which itself is just off Kentucky 90) will host a Red Bud hike at 1:30 p.m. April 5. The hike will last about two and a half hours and participants should bring their own snacks and water.

Eagle Falls Lodge, located on the McCreary County side of the falls, will host a music jam, classic car show and craft vendors throughout the day.

For more on Red Bud Day, call the McCreary County Tourism office at 1-888-284-3718 or visit www.kyvacations.com.

For more information on the PRIDE Kentucky 90 cleanup or to volunteer, contact McCreary County PRIDE Coordinator Linda Babb at 606-376-2556.

Laurel takes pride in free cleanup event

By Brad Hicks / Staff Writer

Laurel County’s PRIDE spring cleanup will take place the third week of April. From 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 14-18 and from 7:30 a.m. to noon on April 19. Laurel County residents will be able to take trash to the Laurel County Landfill and dispose of it free of charge.

Solid Waste Coordinator Jim Ed McDaniel said residents can bring any trash items other than paints, liquids and tires.

Volunteers are also being sought for two upcoming lake cleanups as part of the PRIDE program.

On April 19, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., residents can show up for a cleanup taking place at Laurel Lake. People wishing to help can come by and register.

On May 3, a cleanup of Wood’s Creek Lake will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Those looking to take part can come by and register.

For both lake cleanups, registrants will be eligible for door prizes at the event.

Laurel County residents can also bring waste to the London recycling center, located at 164 Substation Street in London. Paper, plastic bottles and glass can be taken to the center.

McDaniel said if someone is caught dumping trash, in areas such as the Mobley Bend area, it may come with quite a hefty price. The litter is examined for information that may trace it back into the hands of the culprit.

“We go out and look for a name,” he said.

If information is found, litterers will be prosecuted and fined.

“We take them to district court and they could be made to pay up to $1,000,” McDaniel said.

They can also be made to cleanup the area in which their trash was found and prepay for garbage service for one year through one of the county’s carriers.

For more information on upcoming cleanup events or how to volunteer, contact the Solid Waste Coordinator’s office at (606) 878-6845.

        

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