CITY AGAIN WILL COLLECT LEAVES AT CURB SIDES; CAPE GIRARDEAU'S ANNUAL LEAF PICKUP BEGINS NOV. 14

The city of Cape Girardeau will offer curb service for fall leaf pickup again this year.

The annual leaf program starts Nov. 10, and city workers will keep vacuuming leaves through Dec. 20.

In recent years, more than 800 tons of leaves have been picked up annually around the city. The leaves are composted at sites around town or dumped onto farmers' fields to be tilled into the ground.

The city is divided into six zones for the leaf pickup program. (See accompanying map.)

The pickup schedule: Zone A, Nov. 14; Zone B, Nov. 17-21; Zone C, Nov. 24-28; Zone D, Dec. 1-5; Zone E, Dec. 8-12; and Zone F, Dec. 15-19.

Residents should rake leaves to the curb for pickup well in advance of the pickup dates in their zone, said Tim Gramling, assistant director of public works. But don't rake them into the street because the leaves can clog the city's storm drainage system, he said.

City street crews will be operating the city's three leaf vacuums and a Sweepmaster, which collects leaves from the street and deposits them into a dump truck.

The four machines will be used for a week at a time in each of the six zones.

The leaf vacuums are "basically a big vacuum cleaner," Gramling said. "You got a big hose on one end for suction and a big fan on the other end," he said. "The fan sucks the leaves up and blows them into the bed of the truck."

Cape Girardeau residents can still drop off leaves at the city's composting site if they don't want to wait for the leaf vacuums. The composting site has been moved: It is on Third Street just off LaCruz at the old Central Meat packing plant across from Kasten Masonry.

City residents can drop off leaves at no cost from noon to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays.

For more information call the department of public works at 334-9151.

Cape Girardeau leaf pickup schedule

Zone A -- Nov. 14

Zone B -- Nov. 17-21

Zone C -- Nov. 24-28

Zone D -- Dec. 1-5

Zone E -- Dec. 8-12

Zone F -- Dec. 15-19