Inmate crews cleaning up trash along Interstate 55 in Cape

Crews removing debris and trash along Interstate 55 in Cape Girardeau last week are part of an effort to keep the city clean.

The crews along the highway were Cape Girardeau city jail inmates, voluntarily working off their fines with trash removal, said Cape Girardeau police Sgt. Barry Hovis.

"The wind has been blowing and certain pockets along the area have been accumulating trash," Hovis said. "And then there's people throwing stuff out of their vehicle. It's an eyesore and something we don't want in the city."

Last week crews working at various exit ramps of the highway removed at least 25 bags of trash, said nuisance abatement supervisor Ty Metzger.

Metzger supervised cleanup crews during last week's efforts.

"It's dangerous and messy," he said of the highway cleanup. "Prisoners out there picked up some syringes and beer bottles. They find anything from tires to construction waste to drug paraphernalia. If it's anything that anyone would throw away, you can find it."

Metzger enforces the city's litter ordinance, which includes residential and business property.

In the past some properties have accumulated an abundance of materials ranging from junk cars to brush piles.

"A lot of people believe it's their property and they can do what they want," he said.

Metzger said debris attracts wild animals and can create a health hazard.

In Cape Girardeau offenders can be fined up to $500 a day or spend up to 90 days in the city jail for not removing items from their property if ordered to do so, Hovis said.

Metzger said Cape Girardeau's zero-tolerance policy on litter has been working.

"It has gotten better over the last few years," he said of littering on private property. "We have issued so many citations over the last few years, people are learning about accumulating property," he said. "By the time you pay for a summons it's easier to have trash removed or just not doing it in the first place."

In 2005 the city received 72 complaints about littering or failure to maintain property from litter, Hovis said. There were 49 reports in 2006, the most recent update available.

The cleanup efforts coincide with directives of the "Keep Southeast Missouri Beautiful."

The initiative is affiliated with Keep America Beautiful Inc., founded in 1953.

That program is the country's largest volunteer-based community action group dedicated to litter and graffiti prevention, beautification, waste minimization and community improvement.

Scott City, Jackson, Cape Girardeau and Cape Girardeau County form the components of "Keep Southeast Missouri Beautiful," said Tim Arbeiter, vice president for community development for the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce.

"The Keep Southeast Missouri Beautiful campaign encourages people to get involved with already established events which clean and beautify our public parks and areas," he said.

Some groups, such as the Zonta Club, a group of area business professionals, hold specific cleanup events, Arbeiter said. On Saturday, the Zonta Club cleaned up areas of downtown Cape Girardeau.

Arbeiter invited the public to participate in several upcoming cleanup events in April through member parks and recreations departments:

On April 21, two Friends of the Park Day events will be held. In Cape Girardeau, contact Brock Davis at 335-5421. In Scott City, contact Phyllis Crump at 264-3411. Trash Bashers will have a cleanup event at the Cape La Croix Creek. Contact Sara Scheper at 290-5218, extension 299. On April 28, Jackson will host a Friends of the Park Day. Contact Shane Anderson at 243-3568.

carel@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127