I take this opportunity to vent and to sound off about litter and beautification. I’m not sure where in the Bible it speaks of “cleanliness is next to Godliness,” because I’m not a Bible scholar. But I’ve heard the saying over and over, time and time again. I’ve been coming to Bluefield from the Orlando, Fla., area now for 20 years. I was born in Bluefield and enjoy the beauty of the Bluefields. I take walks three or sometimes four times each week. I park on South Street in Bluefield, walk down College Avenue to the Virginia state line, then back on College and often turn up Ferndale Street onto Augusta, heading south back to South Street. I enjoy all the different styles of the homes, enjoy viewing all the trees, and many times the clouds and fog one can see atop East River Mountain are awesome.
This year as I walk, I have observed so much litter. Trash cans overturned and litter being left untouched when the sanitation department does their job.
The parking lot on Jefferson Street continues to be filled with plastic bottles, glass bottles, paper, etc. On North Street, across the street from Frankie’s Pizza, there is a red seat cushion that has been laying on the sidewalk since I arrived here in early May. I picked it up one morning and decided to place it by a residence trash can, and was yelled at not to place it there, so I put it back on the sidewalk. I now feel it has become a Bluefield landmark.
I know Bluefield started an ordinance all about trash being put in trash cans. In front of the apartment building on the corner of College Avenue and Jefferson, more litter. Just past Sarver Candy Company, more bottles, paper on Augusta Street, lots of litter in the 800 block area. I took some visiting relatives for an evening look at the sunset on top of the East River Mountain overlook. I was amazed as usual at the view, but saddened by the litter. The brick wall and the many bricks purchased by Bluefield people were covered with spray paint. I was embarrassed for Bluefield!
So, what is the solution? “Cleanliness can be next to Godliness.” The Bluefield Beautification Commission with Gayle Satterfield, the Fine Arts Commission with Skip Crane, Mayor Linda Whalen, the 70 volunteers who showed up on Sunday, Aug. 23, let’s all get together and clean up the streets, and let’s all go on top of the East River Mountain scenic overlook and get to work. As for the red seat cushion, I’m going to let it stay on the sidewalk for one more week, then I’m going to pick it up and dump it myself.
Charles W. Thomas
Falls Mills, Va., and Orlando, Fla.
Letters to the Editor
August 27, 2010
Litter problem plagues Bluefield
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