By Jean Braithwaite
tribune correspondent

KEYSER — A meeting of the newly-formed Mineral County Litter Control Force was recently held and has roots in the Pride Builders, an organization formed in 2005 by Commissioner Wayne Spiggle  to tackle the ongoing litter problem.
The Litter Control Force with members Bill Nichols, Tom Youngblood, Karen Hartman, and the Rev. Dan Stemple, as well as Commissioner Janice LaRue, the county representative, will begin to develop policies and guidelines to improve the beauty of Mineral County.
LaRue gave a report on the Education Conference on Solid Waste Management she recently attended.
She stated that one of the speakers at the conference, an environmental judge from North Carolina, gave information on a program patterned after Adopt-A-Highway.
“The program is called Adopt-A-Block, where neighbors join together to pickup trash in their own living area,” said LaRue.
She also mentioned that this particular program has started in cities across the state, naming Huntington as one that has had success with getting rid of litter.
 “There is an increasing sensitivity in this county

see litter page 3a
on how our neighborhoods and business districts look to outsiders,” Spiggle said.
He mentioned that the amount of litter viewed within the county may have an impact on potential businesses and home buyers locating in this area.
Praising the two county high schools for their efforts on recycling and cleaning up trash, LaRue gave credit to John Ritchie of Frankfort High School and Tabby Woy at Keyser High School for the programs they are heading up, along with assistance from the students.
With the school system already in place with projects for recycling, LaRue suggested that Sherrie Hunter, director of marketing and education for the Raleigh County Solid Waste Authority, be invited to this area.
“We need to get her here to speak to the school board members and principals about her achievements with state schools and litter programs,” LaRue stated.
Hunter is known to have contests among students concerning trash pickup, and also teaching them to be “litter-getters.”
To get a starting point on what do about recycling and focusing on trash removal, the Litter Control Task Force members decided to hold the next meeting with the county’s trash hauler invited for input.
“We need to get educated about what the haulers are willing to do for recycling in the county,” LaRue stated.
The next meeting for the Litter Control Force is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 6 p.m. at the Mineral County Courthouse.