Big Sweep planned for Saturday

The 2002 North Carolina Big Sweep is set for this Saturday and volunteers are being sought to help with the work. The Big Sweep is a one-day event salted to help remove litter from along North Carolina waterways. It was initiated in 1987 as a coastal cleanup called ‘Beach Sweep.'

The event expanded inland and was given its current name in 1989. In its 15-year history, more than 163,500 volunteers have retrieved in excess of five million pounds of debris from the state's waterways.

"Everyone must put safety first as we remove all of that trash along North Carolina's waterways," said Mike Kestner, chairman of N.C. Big

Special trash days planned

The Town of Sparta has designated Thursday and Friday of next week as special trash pickup days.

The effort is in conjunction with the state-designated "North Carolina Litter Sweep" now in progress through Sept. 29.

On Sept. 26 and 27, town crews will pick up anything that the landfill will accept and which residents place at the curbside, said Town Manager

Tom Douglas, with two exceptions: paint and motor oil will not be accepted. Crews will begin the pickup at 9 a.m. and will make a complete sweep through Sparta each of the two days, Douglas said.

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