Thanks for keeping area clean

Dear editor,

Two years ago, myself, seven other volunteers and a BLM ranger spent two days cleaning up trash, furniture, tires and TV sets from the gravel pit off Bennett Road. Republic Services spotted a dumpster there for us, Idaho Waste Systems waived all dump fees, and Mountain Home News put a notice in the paper for us.

Last year, individual volunteers removed a refrigerator, a sofa and a pick up load of trash.

This March, I went target shooting there and found more trash, yard waste and a sofa and thought it was time to get some more volunteers to clean it up again. But, the Sheriff's office beat us to it. They had the Sheriff's Inmate Labor Detail go out and clean it all up, and lately, I have seen Sheriff's deputies driving into the area more frequently.

I would like to thank Sheriff Rick Layher and Chief Deputy Mike Barclay for their efforts to stop illegal dumping in Elmore County.

-- Tom Drake, Mountain Home