Don't mess with Jasper
Week-long U. S. Hwy 96 cleanup begins Jan. 20

Keep Jasper Beautiful will hold a week-long cleanup campaign beginning Saturday, Jan. 20, for the entire north-south stretch of U.S. Highway 96 in Jasper County, according to county coordinator Patty Shaw.

"We are looking for people willing and able to do the dirty work. We will have trash pickups along the highways. We want dump sites reported," Shaw said in a press release.

Jasper Beautiful will provide trash bags and gloves, and they need anyone who helps pickup to be sure to file a report on their efforts.

"These reports are required by Keep Texas Beautiful and are important to the grant process that helps finance so many of our projects," said Shaw.

The week of cleanup will conclude with a party Jan. 27 at 3 p.m. in the gazebo on the courthouse square, weather permitting.

Jasper Beautiful is also starting recycling programs in the schools, and sponsoring a recycling trailer that will be parked at the Community Church every third weekend of the month.

In January, the trailer will be available Jan. 19-22 for the following items:

Paper- all types, including newspapers, magazines, catalogs, envelopes, junk mail, greeting cards, paperback books, advertising inserts and office paper. They cannot recycle feed bags with plastic lining, FedEx envelopes, paper towels or foil wrapping paper.

Plastic- anything with a neck on it, including plastic bottles, jugs and jars (anything with a "1" or "2" inside the recycling triangle found on the bottom). No styrofoam, chip bags, bubble wrap, plastic coat hangers or candy wrappers.

Metal- aluminum and steel cans only. No aluminum foil, metal coat hangers or cooking utensils.

Cardboard- includes corrugated boxes, cereal boxes, soda cartons, paper towel rolls. They cannot recycle anything coated with wax or containing food residue.

For more information or to request bags and gloves, contact Patty Shaw at 384- 6760 or pgjs@cmaaccess.com.

The January event is a practice run for the Great American Trash-off April 14.