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Starkville and Columbus Boost Recycling and Safety Efforts

Residents of Starkville and Columbus join hands in a community recycling initiative.

News Summary

Starkville and Columbus are making significant strides in enhancing recycling accessibility and community safety. Residents in Columbus benefit from city-run recycling programs, while Starkville adopts the ‘Think Green’ initiative. Both cities are also addressing public safety concerns, particularly in Starkville, where recent crime statistics highlight the importance of improved surveillance and community engagement. As these cities progress toward a cleaner and safer environment, residents are encouraged to participate actively in these initiatives.

Starkville and Columbus Take Big Steps to Enhance Recycling and Safety

Hey there, residents of Starkville and Columbus! If you’ve been feeling a bit left out when it comes to recycling, you’re not alone. Did you know that folks in Mississippi have far less access to community recycling services compared to the national average? While only about 60% of our residents can recycle conveniently, an impressive 96% of people across the nation enjoy these services. But there’s exciting news brewing in both our cities to tackle this issue, along with some important discussions on keeping our communities safe.

Columbus: Recycling Made Simple!

For those of you living in Columbus, there’s good news! You have access to city-run recycling programs that make it easy to recycle items like paper, cardboard, tin, and aluminum cans. Just swing by the recycling bins located on North Second Street at the Hitching Lot Farmers Market. Unfortunately, some bins at Cook Elementary School had to be removed thanks to locals misusing them by dumping household trash. Let’s keep our community clean by only putting in acceptable recyclables, folks! When the wrong stuff gets tossed in there, it often leads to the entire batch being thrown away, and we can’t have that!

If you’ve got some overflow household trash such as electronics, mattresses, or tires, you can drop them off at the Waste Pro USA office during business hours. It’s really important we keep our recycling clean, right? The recyclables collected in Columbus find their way to Waste Pro USA’s recycling center, where they are sorted and sent off to other companies for further recycling. Plus, both Columbus and Waste Pro are teaming up to encourage more community participation in recycling. Look out for better signage coming to drop-off locations soon!

Starkville: Getting Green with “Think Green”!

Moving over to Starkville, the city launched an initiative called “Think Green” in the fall of 2020. After ending curbside recycling, residents can now drop off recyclables at the Think Green site located at 506 Dr. Douglas L. Conner Drive, during specific hours. Keep in mind, we can’t accept plastics or glass there due to local markets being limited for those materials.

Public Safety Measures on the Rise

Now, let’s dive into something weighing heavily on everyone’s mind: safety. Starkville has recently experienced a noticeable increase in major crimes. However, the Starkville Police Department (SPD) has successfully solved 36 out of 38 crimes identified, thanks in large part to surveillance cameras installed around the city. Excitingly, the city is set to implement the Fusus platform, which will allow residents to share surveillance footage directly with the police. This addition will significantly improve crime management by providing law enforcement with enhanced situational awareness.

Camera owners in Starkville will have the ability to grant police access to their footage under specific conditions, with the assurance that the system tracks this access for transparency and accountability. This hefty endeavor will cost the city $65,000 each year, but it’s already included in the city’s budget and just waiting for approval from the board.

Improving Safety at McKee Park

Speaking of safety, there have been some seriously concerning incidents at McKee Park, which has seen two shootings in just two years, raising red flags regarding safety during recreational activities. The park is now under careful scrutiny after a recent shooting tied to gambling incidents. In an effort to ensure the safety of its visitors, the Starkville Parks and Recreation department has decided to pause all non-recreational sports activities at the park.

Community leaders are taking the safety concerns seriously and are eager to hear from the citizens. While some officials argue that a complete closure of the park isn’t necessary, everyone seems to agree on the need for serious safety improvements to keep everyone safe while they enjoy their community facilities.

So, as Starkville and Columbus take strides towards better recycling access and community safety, let’s all pitch in to keep our neighborhoods clean and secure. Every small effort counts, after all!