No, this article isn't going to be about political ads or Donald Trump fake news. I will not be writing about the jerk or jerks that took a chainsaw to the posts on the Trump sign along Highway 180 between Hurley and Deming. This is an article about real trash… garbage… the filth that our fellow citizens are leaving along the sides of the road throughout Silver City and Grant County.
First, let's give a shout-out to Mayor Ken Ladner and his clean-up campaign along the streets of his town. We appreciate the effort he is making to combat the unwanted trash found along the sides of the streets and highways. Mayor Ladner is enlisting the help of volunteers and businesses to clean up the unsightly waste.
Where does the trash come from? Well, many times it is blowing out of the back of trucks and trailers while being hauled to the landfill. Here's a great example. Today, Tuesday – May 15, I left the Grant County Conference Center heading to the KSCQ Radio station to record an interview with the new owners of Doc Campbell's Outpost. I got behind a white pickup truck that had loose brush and a trashcan with no lid in the back of the truck. As we traveled along Highway 180, pieces of trash would fly out of the back of the truck and land in the street. This happened from Walmart all the way to McDonald's. I finally got to where I could drive up along side this truck belonging to Bad Boys Landscaping. I got him to roll down his window. I told him he had trash blowing out of his truck. Due to the flow of traffic, I wasn't able to see if he pulled over to fix the problem.
Ladies and Gentlemen, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out how to keep trash from blowing out of your vehicle. You can bag it up and tie off the bag. You can secure a lid on the trashcan. You can tie down a tarp over your load. This is common sense stuff. You just have to do it. For those of you who say you don't have enough money to purchase bags or a tarp… can you afford a ticket for littering?
If we hope to keep our streets clean, we have to get tough on those people who don't care enough to stop littering or are unaware there is a problem. Such as my calling out Bad Boys Landscaping in this article. I hate tickets from the police as much as the next person, but maybe stepping up enforcement of trash hauling ordinances will help alleviate some of the trash. And while we are talking about trash, quit drinking from the little Shooter Bottles while driving and then throwing them out everywhere. It's illegal.
My last piece of trash talk is about butts. That's right, cigarette butts are trash too. If they are not put out completely, your butts can start fires as well as just creating more litter. Keep your butts in your vehicles and then dispose of them properly. No one enjoys seeing filthy cigarette butts along the curbs or piled up in a parking lot.
On to Chamber news… Doc Campbell's Post is the last commercial stop along the highway leading to the Gila Cliff Dwellings. If you are low on gasoline, you should stop at Doc Campbell's. If you have a hankering for great homemade ice cream… stop at Doc Campbells. If you want to visit a small fiber arts gallery, pull off the highway at Doc Campbells. They have gifts, they have trinkets, they have cold drinks, and they have stories to tell. This is a third generation of Doc Campbell's family that is running the store. Even if you are hiking the Continental Divide Trail, hikers will find that Doc Campbell's Post is definitely the place to re-supply.
Doc Campbell's Post is located at 3796 Highway 15 in Mimbres, New Mexico. When you leave Silver City to visit the Gila Cliff Dwellings, Doc Campbell's Post is literally the only place to purchase gas between Silver City and the National Monument. They are open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day. If you would like more information, look up their Facebook page or call them at (575) 536-9551. While there, ask about the hot springs, trail rides and camping sites.
If you have comments or questions, call the Chamber of Commerce office at (575) 538-3785.