When something needs to get done, oftentimes we are forced to take matters into our own hands.

Since the pandemic began more than two years ago, litter across Newton County has been an unfortunate growing issue.

On Saturday, Keep Newton Beautiful Manager Laurie Riley said getting volunteers to help clean the county’s roadsides was more important than ever, because prison details that had been tasked to pick up that trash hasn’t been allowed to do so.

While the Newton County Board of Commissioners has hired workers to do this, litter continues to be a problem.

Friends: it’s time to take matters into our own hands.

“What do you mean?”

It’s time that we, as a community, make a more concerted effort to regularly clean up our roadsides. It could be as often as just a couple hours per week. And it’s as simple as sporting a pair of gloves and grabbing a bag or two.

And it doesn’t have to stop there. 

Hold others accountable. Odds are that anyone willing to get involved in cleanup efforts aren’t litter bugs. Encourage those who may be carelessly tossing their trash to change their ways and dispose of their waste properly. When a person chunks a can or bag of food boxes out the window,  call 911 and report them.

If you want to help keep our community clean, reach out to Keep Newton Beautiful at newtonclean@co.newton.ga.us or 770-784-2015 to learn more and request trashbags, gloves and vests.  

And also reach out if your family, neighborhood, church, scout, club, fraternity/sorority or school group is interested in the Adopt a Mile program.

Newton County is a rising star in the world of industry and filming. It’s quickly become a tourist destination, as well as the perfect place to live, work and play. But if we want to keep it that way, we must work to clean up after ourselves and ensure sure this star will forever continue shining. 

Our View on the Issue is an opinion of The Covington News editorial board, which includes Editor and Publisher Taylor Beck and News Editor Tom Spigolon.