<font color="#FF0000">OUR VIEW:</font> Recycling and more

UPDATE: Drowning victim identified

Local News

February 18, 2010

Suwannee Democrat

Public Works Director Jerry Sikes worried at Tuesday's county commission meeting that folks thought the disposal of recyclables at county refuse sites was intentional – a blatant attempt at deceit on the part of county officials.

We've seen no evidence to suggest such a thing. Let's chalk it all up to human error instead.

Having said that, it's imperative we address the immediate problem - make sure folks know that items deposited in county recycling bins might just end up in the landfill instead - then address the broader question beyond.

Hamilton County, with a population barely a third of Suwannee's, successfully recycles, we're told. Why can't we?

We'll be exploring this matter in some depth in the coming weeks.

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Suwannee County's always been a kind-hearted place, and local folks are proving it once again, judging by their response to the recent hardship in Franklin County. As Carnell Hawthorne Jr. reports on today's front page, oyster fishing - the area's economic mainstay - has come to a halt as a result of contamination of coastal waters. Suwannee residents are only too glad to help.

In addition, local folks have bent over backward to help Haiti in recent weeks.

Disaster fatigue? It hasn't set in yet, even with our own troubles, which include a 10.9 percent county unemployment rate. Good job, everybody.

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Congratulations to local civic and educational leaders who've been recognized of late: Suwannee County Chamber of Commerce Trailblazer of the Year Joe Chamberlain; Chamber Citizen of the Year Roy Crain Jr.; Teacher of the Year Nanette "Sam" Bunce of Branford High; and School-Related Employee of the Year Ta-Trease Sapp of Suwannee-Hamilton Technical Center.

Look for feature stories on each in a future edition.