Code Enforcement Official of the Year Awarded to Dalton Officer

Code Enforcement Officer Chris Cochran from the Dalton Police Department was honored as the 2015 Code Enforcement Official of the year by Keep Georgia Beautiful. 

(Dalton, GA, December 18, 2015) –  Code Enforcement Officer Chris Cochran from the Dalton Police Department was honored as the 2015 Code Enforcement Official of the year by Keep Georgia Beautiful. Cochran established the code enforcement program in 2013 and has been responsible for enforcing environmental, housing, and land use codes in the city.  

Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful, the local Keep America Beautiful and Keep Georgia Beautiful affiliate, and the City of Dalton nominated Cochran for his extensive work in the area of code enforcement. Throughout the year he’s been involved in activities ranging from removing illegally dumped tires to informing residents about building code violations.

Almost 250 Georgians attended the 37th Annual Keep Georgia Beautiful Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, December 16 at the Marriott Century Center. The annual program honors individuals and organizations working to improve Georgia’s environment.

“Today’s program celebrates and recognizes 37 years of collaboration by individuals, schools, corporations, non-profit organizations and government agencies to keep Georgia’s environment beautiful,” said Kevin Perry, President of the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation.

The annual awards ceremony recognizes outstanding efforts in the areas of Litter Prevention, Waste Reduction & Recycling and Community Improvement. Individual wards are presented to a public works official, code enforcement official, elected official, student, male volunteer, female volunteer, and executive director of the year.

The program also honors Georgia’s Keep America Beautiful Affiliates for their comprehensive environmental impact on the local community. Since its inception in 1978, Georgia’s affiliate network has grown to be the nation’s largest, with 78 local affiliates serving 76% of the state’s population.

Additional article also posted on the Dalton Police Department Blog: http://daltonpd.com/2015/12/dalton-officer-named-code-enforcement-official-of-the-year/

Live Christmas Tree and Electronics Recycling Event on January 9, 2016

Whitfield County Public Works staff prepare to mulch live Christmas trees during Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful’s annual treecycling event.  The next event will be on Saturday, January 9 from 8 am to 1 pm. 

Whitfield County residents are invited drop off live, natural Christmas trees and used electronic devices for recycling at the community’s annual Christmas Tree and Electronics Recycling event. Visitors to the event will receive a packet of herb or vegetable seeds to plant at home or another promotional item as a thank you for participating.

On Saturday, January 9, 2016 Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful volunteers will be collecting live, natural, undecorated Christmas trees, and electronic devices from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm at The Home Depot parking lot located at 875 Shugart Road in Dalton.

There is no charge for dropping off live, natural Christmas tress. Trees must be free of ornaments, nails, hooks, wire, tinsel, lights, and other decorations. Only natural, live, real trees will be accepted – no artificial trees please. Trees will be recycled on site into mulch that will be used for beautification projects throughout Whitfield County. 

Please note that there is a $5.00 fee for CRT (cathode ray tube) television sets and computer monitors. However, other electronics can be dropped off for free. These devices include computer consoles, digital cameras, video cameras, cell phones, gaming systems and components, mp3 players, scanners, flat screens, eBook readers, tablets, and laptops.

Join and share the event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1631276870458795/

Before going to the event secure your load for cleaner and safer roads. Tie down and put a tarp on items placed in the back of a pick-up truck, trailer, or on the roof of a vehicle.

If you are unable to attend there are several options available year round for recycling Christmas trees and electronic devices.  

1.) The City of Dalton Public Works Department will collect Christmas trees from the curb for city residents that have garbage collection service through the city. City residents should call 706-278-7077 to request pick-up. Yard debris is regularly picked up throughout the year every other week.

2.) The four Convenience Centers managed by the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority have drop-off areas for yard debris that is recycled year round.  These include the McGaughey Chapel, M.L.King Blvd., Westside, and the Old Dixie Hwy. Landfill & Convenience Center. 

3.) Electronics are collected for recycling year round only at the Old Dixie Hwy. Landfill & Convenience Center. For hours of operation and directions to any of the four Convenience Centers visit www.DWSWA.org or call 706-277-2545.

Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful would like to thank the following organizations for making this event possible: Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority, Whitfield County Public Works Department, and The Home Depot in Dalton.  For more details about the event visit www.KeepDaltonWhitfieldBeautiful.org or call 706-278-5001.

11,463 Pounds of Garbage Removed From Conasauga Watershed During Volunteer Event

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Girl Scout Troop 14603 at Lakeshore Park in Dalton where volunteers helped to remove more than a ton of garbage during the 2015 river cleanup. 

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Volunteers from the Conasauga Ranger District of the US Forest Service cleaned along three creeks in their service area. 

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Whitfield County Public Works staff and volunteers at Prater’s Mill where participants removed litter along Coahulla Creek which feeds into the Conasauga River. 

(Dalton, GA, November 6, 2015) – Muddy tires, abandoned mattresses, and a lost truck cover were part of the 11,463 pounds of garbage removed by volunteers during the 21st Annual Conasauga River Watershed Cleanup Event on Saturday, October 24. The annual event took place during United Way’s “Make a Difference Day”. Three hundred sixty volunteers spent the morning removing trash, debris, and invasive plants from eleven locations in Whitfield and Murray counties.

Sites included in this year’s event were the Conasauga River at Carlton Petty Road Bridge, at Highway 2 bridge, and at Lower King’s Bridge and Norton Bridge. Also, Holly Creek in Murray County on the Chattahoochee National Forest, the Mill Creek tributary in the City of Dalton, Coahulla Creek at Prater’s Mill, and Lakeshore Park in the City of Dalton. New locations this year included Al Rollins Park in Dalton, and Muskrat, Hurricane, and Stover Creeks on National Forest land in Whitfield County. 

Garbage found at each site was the result illegal dumping, irresponsible abandonment after using a site, or accidental loss of items from a vehicle with an unsecured load. Event participants encourage the public to pickup litter when they see it, even if it isn’t theirs; properly secure loads on vehicles, even when traveling short distances; take out what they take in at outdoor recreation areas; and properly dispose of tires and bulky items at an approved drop-off location. Small efforts from everyone will result in big results and a cleaner environment. 

The amount of time donated by volunteers during this year’s event, approximately 1,436 hours, is valued at $29,824. Volunteers received a t-shirt from the Rivers Alive program, and also received a hat or tumbler commemorating the event. “Thank you for all your help with this cleanup and for all you do throughout the year to make our area a better place for people and wildlife.” said Dalton State College Professor John Lugthart.

The following sponsors provided the funds needed to purchase the hats, tumblers, and t-shirts, as well as supplies, and hauled off the garbage: J+J Flooring, Shaw Industries, Dalton Utilities, Conasauga River Alliance, Modern Woodmen of America, The Nature Conservancy, Georgia's Rivers Alive, Christian Heritage School, Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority, and Whitfield County Public Works.

Also, the following organizations helped coordinated the event: Conasauga River Alliance, Dalton State College, Dalton Utilities, Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority, Keep Chatsworth-Murray Beautiful, Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful, Limestone Valley RC & D, The Nature Conservancy, and Whitfield and Murray County Extension.

The Conasauga River, one of the six most biologically diverse freshwater river systems in the United States, supports twenty four endangered species and a dozen other imperiled species, including the Southern Pigtoe mussel and the Conasauga logperch, a fish found nowhere else in the world.

The Conasauga Watershed Clean-up has long been a participant of Rivers Alive, one of the South’s largest volunteer efforts to beautify water resources. So far this year, 5,809 volunteers have participated in 112 clean-up events through out the state and have removed 133,025 pounds of garbage from Georgia waterways. For more information about efforts in other areas or the statewide campaign visit www.RiversAlive.org.

Additional photos from participants may be found on the event's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/628445717298103/

21st Annual Conasauga Watershed Clean-up Announced

The 2015 river cleanup has been scheduled for October 24. Click on the image to download the event flyer with directions. 

(Dalton, GA, September 24, 2015) –  Whitfield County and Murray County residents are invited to participate in the 21st Annual Conasauga Watershed Clean-up event on Saturday, October 24, 2015 to help keep local waterways clean. As one of the largest local volunteer events in the community the annual Conasauga River cleanup is hosted in partnership with several local non-profits, businesses, and environmental organizations during United Way’s Make a Difference Day. Last year 360 volunteers picked up and removed 10,630 pounds of garbage from seven locations.

Be a part of the tradition next month when you join many other volunteers to help clean-up the Conasauga. One of the six most biologically diverse freshwater river systems in the United States, the Conasauga River supports 24 endangered species and a dozen other imperiled species, including the Southern Pigtoe mussel and the Conasauga logperch, a fish found nowhere else in the world.

This year’s event takes place from 9:00 am to noon at seven different sites across both Whitfield and Murray counties which includes:

1. Conasauga River at Carlton Petty Road bridge

2. Conasauga River at Highway 2 bridge

3. Conasauga River at Lower King’s Bridge and Norton Bridge

4. Holly Creek, Murray County, on the Chattahoochee National Forest

5. Mill Creek tributary in the City of Dalton

6. Coahulla Creek at Prater’s Mill

7. Lakeshore Park in the City of Dalton

Participants are encouraged to arrive a few minutes before 9:00 am for registration. Volunteers can expect to spend a couple of hours in the morning picking up trash and, depending on the location, removing invasive plants like Chinese privet. Volunteers should wear sturdy shoes or boots, long pants, and long sleeve shirts. Gloves, and trash bags will be provided at each site. At least the first 250 will receive a free t-shirt with this year’s river cleanup logo from Rivers Alive, and another promo item as a thank you for participating.

To learn more about the river cleanup call Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful at 706-278-5001 or visit www.KeepDaltonWhitfieldBeautiful.org to download the event flyer with directions to each site. Join and share the event on Facebook page at www.facebook.com/KeepDaltonWhitfieldBeautiful.

Event organizers this year include: Conasauga River Alliance, Dalton State College, Dalton Utilities, Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority, Keep Chatsworth-Murray Beautiful, Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful, Limestone Valley RC & D, The Nature Conservancy, and Whitfield & Murray County Extension.

Sponsors include: Shaw Industries, J+J Industries, Dalton Utilities, Conasauga River Alliance, Modern Woodmen of America / Shell Underwood, The Nature Conservancy, Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority, and Whitfield County Public Works. 

2015 School Beautification Grant Winners Announced

(Dalton, GA, September 18, 2015) – Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful is pleased to announce the winners of the inaugural School Beautification Grants for Fall 2015. The committee for Beautification and Community Greening established mini-grants in celebration of National Planting Day, which began on September 12.

Public and private schools in the Dalton, GA and Whitfield County were invited to apply for funding to help implement a project related to planting native plants. Beautification grants ranged from a minimum of $100 to a maximum of $250. Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful has made these grants available to improve the visual aspects of our community by supporting initiatives that beautify the environment.

This year seven local schools were awarded a cash grant. Below is a list of schools that were awarded a grant and the name of the their project.

1.)  Antioch Elementary – Pollinator Habitat and Classroom

2.)  Eastbrook Middle School – Mustang Magic: Making Plants Change Color

3.)  Dawnville Elementary – Dawnville Reading Garden

4.)  Brookwood Elementary – Color Spectrum Garden

5.)  Coahulla Creek High School – Colt Horeshoe Planter

6.)  Westside Elementary – Play in the Shade

7.)  Dalton High School – Amplify Your Assets

Projects will be completed by December 4 and each recipient will submit a project summary by December 15 to showcase their work. Visit Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful’s website www.KeepDaltonWhtifieldBeautiful.org or follow them on Facebook to get updates on the progress of these projects.  

National Planting Day is celebrated annually by Keep America Beautiful in the fall as an opportunity to encourage volunteers to plant native species restoring ecological balance to the environment while creating greener, more beautiful communities. Learn more about this event at www.kab.org.