¶ PAGE 22 EDEN’S OWN / COUNTY STAR, JUNE, 2010
LIVING IN A DISPOSABLE W O R L D It’s getting to be the type of weather where we all begin to think about getting outside and enjoying nature before it gets too hot. Eden offers beautiful trails to walk on and two rivers to float down. It’s the ideal place to get away, until you notice a manhole overflowing raw sewage into a stream or along your favorite
By Melinda Ward, Wastewater Superintendent - Eden
trail. Why can’t we keep this from happening, you may ask? Well, as a whole, the city crews are doing everything in their ability to stop these overflows as well as keep the system running properly. The problem comes from the areas that they cannot control RESIDENTIAL ACTIVITY. Many of us have learned over
Order Your Graduation Cakes & Sweets Early!
Happy Fathers Day!!! 6-2-S-W-E-E-T
(336)-627-9338 323 B. E. Meadow Rd., Eden, NC
EDEN TIRE AND WHEEL CENTER 230 E. Meadow Rd. Eden, NC 27288 (336) 623-9122
OIL CHANGES Starting at
$22.95 NC INSPECTION STATION
Wheel A Little Shakey? Don’t Take Any Chances! We Now Have The Hunter Alignment Machine! 2 Weel Drives - $35.95 • 4 Wheel Drive $45.95 Brakes, Tires, Wheels, Oil Changes and also Minor Auto Repair Let us re-tire your car today! Hours : Mon.-Fri. 8am-5:30pm, Sat. 8am-1pm
GORAYA FOODLAND 713 Church St., Eden, NC • 623-2981 Fresh Meats • Custom Cut Steaks Cut While You Wait
8oz Ribeye - $5 • Hamburger $2.59 lb Fresh Cut Bologna & Cheese DISCOUNTS ON LARGE ORDERS Hours 7am-10pm - 7 Days A Week
Look Your Best At Graduation! Come See Us At... The
LION’S MANE
Diane Ore • Ginger Meeks • Donna Harmon • Katie Adams • Lanna Nance
323 E. Meadow Road Meadow Road Plaza • Eden N.C. 27288 336-623-1711
Happy Father’s Day! Gift Certificates Available!
Walk-Ins Welcome Accepting New Clients
the years that certain things just don’t go down the drains. We understand the reasons why and wouldn’t think about doing it. Others may not care about the consequences of their actions because they do not see a direct impact on their lives. The problems that we are seeing, though, come from the whole population, those that don’t care and those that do but have not been educated about the new products that they are using. Most people don’t even realize the problems that they are causing unless they begin to see problems in their own home. With everyone having busier schedules nowadays, companies have begun to appeal to our need to simplify timely tasks. Most chores that we have to complete need to be done whether we have time or not. Most companies have figured this out and have come up with products that can do the job without any prep time or clean up afterwards. Welcome to the world of the “disposables.” Everywhere you turn, there is a product with a disposable wipe version from cleaning wipes and polishing wipes to even wipes for cleaning teeth and your face. These are all labeled “disposable” and if you read the fine print, you will find out that they are meant for disposal in the trash. This is where it gets tricky. Not every label makes this specification. Many of these products are involved in bathroom activities and for some reason, people think that they can just flush them down the toilet and that will take care of them even though it says to dispose of them in the trash. Many will actually specify “Do Not Flush,” but if you don’t read the label, you may not think about it. What is even worse are the items that say that they are flushable, such as flushable bathroom wipes. They usually specify that only 1 or 2 wipes can be safely flushed, but most people seem to miss this part of the product warning. They work so well that many people have begun substituting these for toilet paper. You may not see a direct problem with this use in your home, but many households have found their own lines clogged to the point that their toilet either won’t flush properly or it overflows in their home. That will definitely get your attention. What happens, though, if you never see any effect in your home? This does not mean that they are not causing a problem somewhere else. We have had a significant increase in problems throughout the city due to this
STRATTON APPLIANCES & FURNITURE NEW & USED APPLIANCES Refrigerators • Stoves • Washers • Dryers • Dishwashers
Maytag • Frigadare • Crosley • Amana New Washer & Dryer Set for Only $725
COME SEE OUR SHOWROOM
Best Selection of New & Used Parts in Rockingham County
Free Delivery In Eden!
Bedroom • Living Room • Dining Room
Leather Couch & Love Seat $850 Box Springs & Mattress - Twin Sets $119.95 Dinette Tables starting at $199.95 2 Piece Living Room Suits in stock $349.95 115 MORGAN ROAD • EDEN, NC 27288
336-623-1310
Compare Our Prices First!
very thing. Most of our pump stations that carry sewer from households and businesses to the wastewater plant for treatment have had more down time lately due to clogged pumps and lines. A large amount will pass through most days, but as soon as a large rain or other large flow comes through, all of these wipes that may have been spread throughout the system get flushed through to the pumps all at once. This results in huge clogs that have to be dealt with immediately. Imagine being in a deep sleep at 2:00 in the morning and suddenly getting a call that a pump is stopped up with rags and wipes and needs to be cleaned out immediately to try to prevent any overflows from the sewer lines. This will definitely get the operators’ attention who are being awakened several nights a week to clean something that could have been prevented by residents understanding their impact. And who do you think has to pay for this overtime and call in time to do this work? This is part of the reason that water and sewer rates have to keep increasing. The city is responsible for any impact made to our environment and they cannot keep responding to these types of calls without affecting the overall work that they must do daily. We all realize that this is not a subject that anyone likes to discuss, and I have tried to approach it delicately in the past, but sometimes, things just have to be said like it is. TOILET PAPER is the only product on the market that is allowed to go down our drains. If everyone would realize this and do their part to help, we would see such a huge improvement in our collection system and treatment processes. As a treatment division we are spending too much time and money dealing with paper and plastic products that shouldn’t even be in the system. Then you add food and grease to that mix and you create a nightmare of a problem to deal with. We are doing all we can to protect our rivers and community, but we cannot control what city residents do in their homes. We have ordinances to address problems with industries and restaurants, but for the general population, all we can do is appeal to your sense of doing what is right. Most individuals feel that they are not causing a problem by themselves, but each one of us needs to realize that we are part of a whole. Every effort to reduce pollution is appreciated and when we all begin working together to correct these problems, we will see the improvements in the near future. Fewer sewer overflows mean cleaner trails, a higher quality water supply, and lower costs for repairs that are passed on to our consumers. Education is important and we must all remember to keep up with the little things that are sometimes missed every day. Read those labels, check those websites, and if all else fails, ask questions. We are ready with answers and if we don’t know them, we know how to find them. If you have any questions or need more information, call me at 6271009, ext. 130.
The ROCKINGHAM
County Star Investing In Rockingham County’s Quality of Life Continued from Page 21 another heartbreak. But obstacles prevent happiness from flourishing. Charles spends a lot of time at work, and Jenna can’t forgive her deceased husband for sleeping with another woman. Hearing that Stuart spent most of their money on the other woman adds fuel to her anger. Jenna has trouble accepting Charles’ financial help until she is left stranded at a rest area. She prays for a way home...and to Charles. Gail Langley was a feature writer and columnist for a local newspaper before writing a novel about her husband’s family, Preachers Kids Are Not Angels. She lives with her husband Joe in Stoneville, North Carolina, where she is inspired to write Christian romance novels, like The Master Plan. PublishAmerica is the home of 40,000 talented authors. PublishAmerica is a traditional publishing company whose primary goal is to encourage and promote the works of new, previously undiscovered writers
A TTEMPTED R O B B E RY On Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at 11:51 p.m., patrol officers responded to Gill’s Stop, a convenient store, located at 315 S. Van Buren Road in reference to an armed robbery. According to the victim, two black males wearing black bandanas concealing their faces entered the business with one suspect holding a baseball bat and a second suspect holding a gun. The suspect in possession of the baseball bat began to assault the victim. During that assault, the suspect armed with the handgun, attempted to discharge the weapon several times and the firearm failed to fire. Both suspects ran from the store and fled the premises in a vehicle traveling south on Van Buren Road. The victim (business owner), Inam Rehman Gill, was treated and released from Morehead Hospital. If anyone has any information related to the attempted robbery at Gill’s Stop please contact the Eden Police at 623-9755 or 623-9240.
TO R C H R U N On May 27th, members of law enforcement across Rockingham County joined together to carry the torch for this fundraiser for Special Olympics. This is an annual event organized by Major Abner Bullins, allows law enforcement officers to run across the county while escorted by emergency vehicles. It began in Reidsville on Scales Street, onto Highway 14 to Eden and then on to the Stoneville, Madison, and Mayodan area.