Latest news with #GregPuckett
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Six weeks later, volunteers still removing trash from roadways
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways princeton — While a six-week spring cleaning campaign for Mercer County may have ended, volunteers are still working to remove trash from area roadways. In fact, officials are working this week to pick up garbage that has been dumped along parts of U.S. Route 52, near the ATV trails, said County Commissioner Greg Puckett, who coordinates the annual Keep Mercer Clean campaign. That campaign concluded on April 30, but the work continues, according to Puckett. 'We didn't get all of the highways. We just didn't have time,' Puckett said. 'We are still going to work on it. But we are working on other high-priority areas as well.' Route 52 near the ATV trails is one of those priority locations. 'We are out there today on 52,' Puckett said Monday. 'We went back up to Coaldale and started working our way back. We've got tons of trash down at Bramwell.' Puckett said parts of that area, including near the creek banks and on hillsides, were cleaned earlier. But since that time people have illegally dumped more garbage in the area. 'It's just terrible. When you clean it up, you expect it to stay clean for a while,' Puckett said. As part of the Keep Mercer Clean campaign, 71 tons of garbage was collected in the free community dumpsters and then hauled by Lusk Disposal to the Mercer County Landfill, County Administrator Vicky Reed said Monday. A number of open dumps also were found across the county during the six-week campaign, including a site along Beckley Road where more than 2,000 pounds of trash was removed. The open dump was located only a mile from the entrance to Camp Creek State Park, a key tourism site for the region. Puckett said another open dump was found at Crane Creek, and a third was located on Oakvale Road. 'We had three or four couches laying off Country Girl Road,' he added. Puckett said a record amount of trash was likely disposed of during the six-week campaign. Much of the garbage was collected during two of the four free dumpster days. 'We've never been that busy,' Puckett said of the free dumpster days, which were held each Saturday in April in different communities. 'I mean the first and the third Saturdays were the ones that were the roughest. We would literally pack a box and wait for the next box.' Puckett said some of the individuals who took advantage of the free dump days were flood victims, who were disposing of items that were damaged by the Feb. 15 flood. The amount of trash collected on the second and fourth Saturday in April was less. Rain, and colder temperatures, impacted the community turn-out during those two days. Puckett said the community response to the free dumpster days was very good. 'It told me 100 percent without fail that we have to put mobile drop sites somewhere in this county,' Puckett said, referencing his earlier proposal to install free dumpsters or convenience stations for trash disposal in different communities across the county on a year-round basis. However, such a plan would require support from the full county commission and the approval of the county's solid waste authority board. Puckett said those individuals who are illegally dumping trash across Mercer County need to stop. He said officials are looking for information regarding those individuals who contributed to the most recent open dump sites so that the guilty parties can be cited. 'I'm constantly amazed by how much we clean up,' Puckett said of the Keep Mercer Clean volunteers. 'Just to keep cleaning up the way we do. I don't mind doing it because we have to make our place look better.' Puckett said more clean-up events will be held in the weeks ahead. Contact Charles Owens at cowens@
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Puckett would still like to see regional trash disposal sites in Mercer
princeton — A member of the Mercer County Commission says he still supports the idea of developing regional trash collection sites that would allow citizens to dispose of their own garbage. Having such regional trash disposal sites in place also would help in reducing the amount of trash that is being illegally dumped across the county, according to Greg Puckett, who also is the coordinator of the annual Keep Mercer Clean campaign. That campaign is still ongoing, and Puckett points to the large number of citizens who have been taking advantage of the free weekend trash disposal sites provided by Keep Mercer Clean as further evidence of the need for something that is more permanent and year round. 'I think it proves the need of why the county needs to have regional dump sites or regional drop sites,' Puckett said. 'Hopefully I can advocate for that again. I think Virginia does it well.' In neighboring Tazewell County, Va., citizens who live in the county are allowed to dispose of their garbage for free at designated transfer station sites across the county as long as they have a valid Virginia license and proof of residency in Tazewell County. Puckett said he has advocated for several years for a similar type of program for Mercer County. 'I think it would be fantastic,' Puckett said of setting up similar transfer station sites in Mercer County. 'The discussion definitely needs to be reengaged. The question you get is where do you put it? If we pilot one, I would like to see it in the Brushfork area. I think you would look at the locations of where the highest need would be.' However, setting up something in Mercer County that is similar to what Tazewell County in neighboring Virginia does isn't as easy as it sounds. Rules and regulations are different between the two states and counties. Puckett said the Mercer County Commission can only make a recommendation. 'The commission can make recommendations but ultimately the Solid Waste Authority is the one in charge of determining our waste procedures in the county,' Puckett said. 'They are great partners. They help us out on this campaign (Keep Mercer Clean).' Such a discussion wouldn't even be necessary if citizens in the county were more responsible and didn't illegally dump trash and garbage along area roadways, hills and mountains, Puckett said. 'People still need to be responsible,' Puckett said. 'Some of the places I've been working on trying to get cleaned up are literally open dumps on private property.' The Keep Mercer Clean campaign continues until Wednesday, April 30. According to the official Tazewell County, Va. website, the free transfer or convenience stations help with litter control in the county while also making garbage disposal more convenient for Tazewell County residents. The convenience stations are located in the Falls Mills, Boissevain, Baptist Valley, Burkes Garden, Cedar Bluff, Gratton, Raven, Jewell Ridge, Tannersville and Thompson Valley communities. As part of the Keep Mercer Clean campaign, the free trash disposal dumpsters will be available this Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon on the grounds of PikeView High School and Oakvale School. Contact Charles Owens at cowens@
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mercer hoping to promote natural gas availability at industrial park soon
bluefield — Mercer County officials are hoping to promote the availability of natural gas at the Cumberland Industrial Park in Bluefield by the year's end. Area motorists traveling along John Nash Boulevard have noticed in recent weeks ongoing work along the roadway corridor, which connects with Interstate 77 and the recently opened King Coal Highway. That work off of the main road along John Nash Boulevard involves the construction of more than five miles of natural gas line. Work on the natural gas line project began in November of last year. Once the project is finished, it will make natural gas service available to the Cumberland Industrial Park and all along John Nash Boulevard. The lack of natural gas service and broadband availability has negatively impacted growth at the industrial park, County Commissioner Greg Puckett said, adding that officials now hope to market the availability of natural gas at the industrial park soon. 'I think we can market it in late 2025 or early 2026,' Puckett said of the industrial park. 'That's going to be great.' The natural gas line, once it is completed, will extend approximately 5.5 miles along John Nash Boulevard, providing natural gas service not just to the industrial park but also to existing and future businesses that may locate along the highway corridor, along with existing and future residential customers. The new Omnis Building Technologies Plant, which is expected to begin production late this year, also will be served by the natural gas line. Puckett said natural gas, broadband, water and sewer are all critical infrastructure that must be in place in order to attract additional businesses and industries. 'We are excited that they are going to make the line all the way out to the industrial park,' Puckett said. 'This is going to be exceptional for business opportunities and bring new opportunities to the park.' In the past, prospective businesses and industries would always ask if natural gas service was available at the industrial park, but it wasn't at that time, according to Puckett. 'We look at that as wonderful upward economic mobility,' Puckett said of the addition of natural gas to the industrial park. The project is being funded with over $2.9 million in federal dollars secured by U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, along with $2 million in state funding and $1 million provided by the Mercer County Commission through American Rescue Plan funding. The federal funding came from a Fiscal Year 2022 Congressionally Directed Spending award sought by Capito. Contact Charles Owens at cowens@
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Seven dumpster full of trash collected by Keep Clean volunteers
PRINCETON — Volunteers with the Keep Mercer Clean campaign are slowly putting a dent into the region's litter problem. Already several dumpsters full of unwanted trash and junk has been collected across the county over the past three weekends. This past weekend, the public filled four dumpsters with trash in the parking lot area of Lashmeet-Matoaka School and three dumpsters were filled with garbage and other junk at Brushfork Elementary, according to Keep Mercer Clean coordinator Greg Puckett. In fact, at times people were waiting in line at both schools to dispose of their junk for free. This despite the fact that it was cold outside Saturday. "We filled four (dumpsters) at Lashmeet-Matoaka and three at Brushfork," Puckett said of the free trash disposal sites. "So we did quite well for the weather." The free trash disposal dumpsters will be moved this Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon to the parking lot areas of PikeView High School and Oakvale School. A second free trash disposal day will then be held on Saturday, April 26, once again at PikeView High School and Oakvale School. Puckett said a "significant amount of trash" has been collected over the last three weekends as part of the free dumpster disposal days. "We've had lines," Puckett said of people waiting to dispose of trash for free. "I think a lot of this year is because we've had flood victims that wanted to get their stuff cleaned up." The only items that won't be accepted in the boxes are liquids, oils, paint and tires. But area residents will have another opportunity this week to dispose of junk tires for free. Puckett said a second free tire disposal day will be held Friday, April 18, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m at the Mercer County Landfill. In order to be accepted, the old tires must be off their rims. Junk tires are a big problem across Mercer County, according to Puckett. "We estimate we've got a half million tires over the hills and hollows," Puckett said Monday. "I know for a fact we've cleaned up well over 150,000 tires over the last few years. There is no shortage of tires." It is anticipated that a large number of citizens will once again take advantage of the free tire disposal day on Friday. "Oh yea," Puckett said. "I have a feeling we will be busy. Typically we will take 10 (tires). Can't have them on rims." The Keep Mercer Clean campaign continues through April 30. During the remaining three weeks of the campaign, residents across Mercer County are urged to take steps to remove unwanted trash, debris and junk from their yards, neighborhoods and communities. Several individual community clean-up campaigns also will be held, including events to coincide with Earth Day on April 22.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Keep Mercer Clean off to a strong start
princeton — Volunteers have been busy in recent days picking up unwanted garbage that has been dumped along area roadways. They are encountering more litter than originally anticipated. Greg Puckett, a county commissioner who spearheads the annual 'Keep Mercer Clean' campaign, said he has personally picked up more than 50 bags of litter over the past two weeks. 'This year — I don't know if it was the hard winter or a mentality shift — but there seems to be a lot more trash than in year's past,' Puckett said Tuesday. 'We've had several clean-ups around the county. A lot of people are coming out personally doing things on their personal time.' Puckett said the volunteers have been trying to focus first on the roads in the greatest need of cleaning. Area residents will have a chance to help out this weekend, and then each following Saturday throughout the month of April. Dumpsters will be placed in strategic locations across Mercer County each Saturday so that area residents can dispose of unwanted junk, debris and garbage free of charge. Puckett said the dumpsters this Saturday will be placed near Brushfork School and the Lashmeet Matoaka School. Area residents will be allowed to dump garbage and unwanted junk in the dumpsters for free from 8 a.m. to noon in both communities. 'We will start the boxes this weekend,' Puckett said. 'We will be at Brushfork and Lashmeet Matoaka Schools.' The 'Love Where you Live, Keep Mercer Clean' campaign continues through April 30. It is now in its 11th year. Puckett said individual community clean-up efforts are being planned in Bluewell by volunteer Skip Crane. In addition, county Litter Control Officer Logan Cole also is working with the Mercer County Day Report Center on the removal of trash on Route 20 from the Summers County line all the way back toward Princeton. That clean-up effort is continuing. The campaign also includes an educational component, which seeks to inform area youth about why litter is bad for their community and the environment. The 'Keep Mercer Clean' mascot — Rocky — also will once again be a part of those educational efforts, including being in a new coloring book that will be created for students. 'We are getting some new marketing materials so that we can be out at fairs and festivals in the summer,' Puckett said. 'We are also redesigning our coloring book, and are trying to get that locked down.' Contact Charles Owens at cowens@
