Latest news with #KeepMercerClean
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
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@
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Eleventh Keep Mercer Clean now underway
princeton — Volunteers from the Mercer County Courthouse put on safety vests and started collecting trash Thursday in hopes of inspiring other residents to do the same and clear away the county's litter. The Love Where You Live – Keep Mercer Clean campaign is now in its 11th year. Volunteers worked Thursday afternoon to clean up about 2 miles of Glenwood Park Road between Courthouse Road and Maple Acres Road. 'There's been so many years and so many people have been engaged in this and we get a lot of volunteers, but today is the kick start to doing the cleanup and showing that Mercer County pride,' said County Commissioner Greg Puckett. Soon the volunteers were using grabbers and snaring year's worth of pop bottles, food wrappers and other litter dumped by motorists. 'Today we're on Glenwood Park Road right down from Courthouse Road, and this is a road that typically gets a little rough over the course of a year,' Puckett said. 'There's a lot of pop bottles, a lot of things get thrown out on the sides and what happens this – we saw this during the flood – it rises up and pools into other areas and becomes a hazard. It's not only unsightly, but it's also hazardous to the traffic that comes through.' One hope is to inspire residents to clean up around their homes and communities. 'The hope was to give other people the incentive. My road, my house, my property doesn't look quite as good,' he said. 'I'm going to take advantage of the Keep Mercer Clean campaign and really because I love where I live, try to make sure I do everything I can on my part. Constituents do there part, every person does a share and we're all better off.' People can go to the Keep Mercer Clean Facebook page to learn more. Upcoming cleanup projects will be announced. Puckett said two cleanups have been done already in the Rock area. 'We're looking to do some things over in Oakvale and, of course, we're going to be doing the dumpsters on Saturdays in April that are going to be really the key for people to come out and dispose of their stuff properly,' Puckett said. 'This is a great opportunity to really put forth an effort and join in the process because it does take everybody. Not one group, not one entity can make this happen. It takes all, so please let us know. We've got bags, grabbers, gloves. We've got the things you need to make sure we do it right.' The dumpsters will be available from 8 a.m. to noon on April 4 and April 12 at Lashmeet/Matoaka and Brushfork Schools. Free garbage disposal will also be available April 19 and April 26 at PikeView High School and Oakvale School from 8 a.m. to noon both days. The items being accepted will include accumulated solid waste, large appliances, air conditioners and household items. Gas and propane tanks, hazardous waste, paint and chemicals, tires, motor oil and free flowing liquids will not be accepted. Free tire disposal will be available April 4 and April 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days at the Mercer County Landfill. Tires must be off their rims. Litter Control Officer Logan Cole, who joined the county staff about two months, is participating in his first Keep Mercer Clean campaign. Results are being measured already by the hundreds of pounds. 'We've already cleaned up about a thousand pounds out on Route 20. We're just trying to clean up the trash in the county. There's quite a bit of it right now, but hopefully before next fall we can see a real difference,' he said. Volunteers can call Cole at 304-800-0509 for information about signing up. The email address is keepmercerclean@ Puckett said that this year the county's high school and middle school students are being invited to help design a new Keep Mercer Clean coloring book. Previous coloring books featured Rocky Raccoon, the Keep Mercer Clean mascot. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
