Taking out the trash

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OHIOVILLE - More than 40 residents helped to clean up their town on Saturday during a "Gateway to PA" trash sweep sponsored by Independence Conservacy.

Ohioville Mayor John Szatkiewicz stated he believes the trash sweep was "110 percent."

Police officers from East Liverpool, St. Clair Township, Ohioville and Midland were on hand patrolling the roads to ensure the safety of volunteer cleanup workers.

Szatkiewicz stated that two volunteers from Mercer County attended the event to repel down the cliffside over the Ohio River and pick up garbage.

The St. Clair Township and Ohioville Fire Departments patrolled the river to ensure the repellers safety and pick up any trash that fell into the river.

Szatkiewicz stated that the border lines for the trash sweep used to run up the Pennsylvania state line to Midland on Route 68.

"We actually extended it from (Route) 68 up to the state line on Calcutta Smith-Ferry Road," Szatkiewicz said. "We also did across from Lock 57 Park on the Tuscawaras extension."

Szatkiewicz said that five inmates from the Beaver County Jail also helped as part of their community service.

The trash sweep ran from 9 a.m. to noon.

Szatkiewicz stated that, after the trash sweep was completed, the group held a cookout.

Overall, the trash sweep yielded two truckloads of garbage.

In a continuing effort to keep the area clean, Ohioville will hold a tire collection from 9 a.m. to noon on May 2. Tires up to 17 inches and off their rims will be $2 each; tires still on rims will cost slightly more.

Independence Conservacy is a non-profit group of environmental enthusiasts whose mission is to preserve clean water, natural landscapes, and special areas in the Raccoon Creek Watershed.