2020 America Recycles Billboard Contest Winner Announced

Eastbrook Middle School 7th grader, Bricia Manzanares, is the overall winner of the 2020 America Recycles Day Billboard Design Contest hosted by the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority’s program Target Recycling at School.

The winning design will be displayed on two billboards in Whitfield County (one on Highway 41 and the other on Thornton Avenue) during the month of November to recognize America Recycles Day on November 15th.

Ms. Manzaneres’ design includes the phrase “Recycle with Recycling Ben” as one of the themes of the contest. The artwork features the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority mascot, Recycling Ben alongside our most commonly recycled items, a cardboard box, water bottle, and mail. Every time you drive past it, it can serve as a reminder that it is important for you to recycle your paper and cardboard because every ton recycled saves 17 trees.

The billboard design contest, now in its eleventh year, has 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners from each school that submitted entries. The three winners, listed below, received a certificate of participation and a gift bag with items made from recycled materials. The first place overall, who is the winner of the billboard, was selected from the first-place design from each grade level.  

Eastbrook Middle

1)     Bricia Manzanares

2)     Janyce Hernandez

3)     Olivia Pulliam

Christian Heritage

1)     Adelyn Martinez

2)    Maddie Retelle

3)    Alexandria Brewer

Target Recycling at School provides recycling collection services and environmental education opportunities to schools in Whitfield County. For more information, call 706-278-5001 or visit www.DWSWA.org.

America Recycles Day is a community-driven event dedicated to promoting recycling awareness, commitment, and action in the U.S. through its partnership with Keep America Beautiful. It’s celebrated annually on November 15. For more information on recycling, and to take the pledge to #BeRecycled visit www.AmericaRecyclesDay.org. 

Holiday Operating Schedule for Landfill, Convenience Centers

Landfill, Convenience Centers Announce Holiday Hours

Facilities closed in observance of Christmas Day and New Year’s Day

The Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority has announced the holiday hours of operation for its four facilities in Whitfield County in 2020 and 2021. Locations include;

1.Old Dixie Hwy. Landfill & Convenience Center

2.McGaughey Chapel Convenience Center in Cohutta

3.Westside Convenience Center in Rocky Face

4. M.L. King Convenience Center in Dalton. 

All locations will be CLOSED on Thursday, December 24th and Friday, December 25th in observance of Christmas. All locations will re-open on Saturday, December 26 from 7 am to 3 pm. All locations will be CLOSED on Friday, January 1, 2021 in observance of New Year’s Day, and re-open on Saturday, January 2, 2021 from 7 am to 3 pm.

For more information call the main office 706-277-2545.

Holiday Schedule - Christmas, New Year’s:

·  Thursday, December 24, 2020 – CLOSED

·  Friday, December 25, 2020 – CLOSED

· Saturday, December 26, 2020 - OPEN 7 AM – 3 PM

·  Friday, January 1, 2021 – CLOSED

·  Saturday, January 2, 2021 – OPEN 7 AM – 3 PM

Landfill, Convenience Centers To Be Closed Thursday, November 26

Facilities closed in observance of Thanksgiving Day

(Dalton, GA, November 16, 2020) 

The Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority has announced the holiday hours of operation for its four facilities in Whitfield County. Locations include the Old Dixie Landfill & Convenience Center, McGaughey Chapel Convenience Center in Cohutta, Westside Convenience Center in Rocky Face, and the M.L. King Convenience Center in Dalton. 

All locations will be open from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm on Wednesday, November 25 including the McGaughey Chapel location that is normally closed on Wednesdays. All four sites will be closed on Thursday, November 26 in observance of Thanksgiving Day. All locations will reopen on Friday, November 27 from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm and resume normal hours.

For more information visit www.DWSWA.org or call 706-277-2545.

Thanksgiving Day Holiday Schedule:

• Wednesday, November 25, 2020 – All Locations OPEN - EARLY CLOSING: 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM (McGaughey Chapel Normally Closed)

• Thursday, November 26, 2020 – All Locations CLOSED – Thanksgiving Day

• Friday, November 27, 2020 – All Locations OPEN – 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM (Resume Normal Schedule)

National Planting Day Grant Recipients

Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful is pleased to announce the winners of the sixth annual School Beautification Grants for 2020.

The committee for Beautification and Community Greening established the grant program in celebration of National Planting Day, which took place on September 11 and is celebrated through the end of November.

Public and private schools in Dalton, GA, and Whitfield County were invited to apply for funding to implement a project related to planting native plants and beautifying the community. Each project aims to improve the visual aspects of the facility or provide an educational opportunity related to plants. Beautification grants range from a minimum of $200 to a maximum of $400.

Last year, one of the projects was student-led and helped create a beautiful new garden at Southeast High School

This year the following two schools were awarded a grant for their National Planting Day project:

1.  City Park Elementary - Outdoor Learning Center 

2.  Valley Point Elementary - Kindness Rock Garden

Projects will be completed by January 12, 2021 and each recipient will submit a project summary by January 26 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.

26th Annual Conasauga Watershed Clean-up

Join in on some socially distant fun!

Whitfield County and Murray County residents are invited to participate in the 26th Annual Conasauga Watershed Clean-up event on Saturday, October 24, 2020 to help keep local waterways clean at one of seven locations.

One of the largest local volunteer events in the community the annual Conasauga River Clean-up is hosted in partnership with several local non-profits, businesses, and environmental organizations during United Way’s Make a Difference Day.

More than 10,000 pounds of garbage is typically removed during this event annually. “Volunteers that come out and participate are of all ages and walks of life so it is a wonderful opportunity to get to know other people while doing a service for your community.” Said Amelia Atwell, an event participant.

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 concurrently from 9:00 am to noon at eight different sites across both Whitfield and Murray counties.

Be a part of the tradition by volunteering at one of the following locations:

1. Conasauga River at Carlton Petty Road bridge
2. Conasauga River at Highway 2 bridge
3. Conasauga River at Lower King’s Bridge/Norton Bridge
4. Holly Creek, Murray County, on the Chattahoochee National Forest
5. Mill Creek tributary in the City of Dalton
6. Lakeshore Park in the City of Dalton
7. Crown Creek in the City of Dalton
8. Conasauga River Snorkeling Hole, TN

Download the flyer with directions at http://www.keepdaltonwhitfieldbeautiful.org/

Sturdy shoes or boots, gloves, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts are recommended. Hip or chest waders are useful but are not required. Trash bags will be provided and at least the first 250 volunteers will receive a free neck buff and a baseball hat as a thank you for helping to clean-up our community's beautiful river and streams!

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.

Gretchen Lugthart, a long-time organizer of the event stated, “I think we have made some progress regarding people’s attitudes toward trash in this region, but until everyone respects our beautiful streams and rivers enough to dispose of trash properly, then we will have work to do.”

Event sponsors and organizers include: Shaw Industries, Engineered Flooring, Coosa River Basin Initiative, Rivers Alive, Dalton Utilities, United Way of Northwest Georgia, Dalton State College, Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority, Whitfield County Public Works, Conasauga River Alliance, Limestone Valley RC&D, US Forest Service, Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful, Murray County and Whitfield County Extension, and Keep Chatsworth-Murray Beautiful.