Spring Cleaning: Increasing numbers of needles found in neighborhoods

WASILLA — It’s the second day of May and the ice and snow continue to melt. Residents from across the Mat-Su Valley are cleaning out their homes and communities are cleaning up their neighborhoods. Several clean up efforts are underway, with plenty more to come.

“It’s discouraging and satisfying at the same time,” said Doug Hill, State Game Manager for the Mat-Su Department of Fish and Game, after loading a large dumpster two-thirds the way full after cleaning up the Palmer Hay Flats.

The Alaskans for Palmer Hay Flats, joined by the Mat-Su Department of Fish and Game, cleaned up the flats. The Meadow Lakes community is gearing up for its 24th annual spring clean-up/block party May 20. One man on Soapstone Road was prompted into action after stumbling onto a hypodermic needle, an increasingly common sight in neighborhoods across the Mat-Su Valley.

“The litter on the side of the roads kind of tells you what society is doing,” said Palmer resident, Steve Clement.

After Clement found the needle, he began drafting some flyers to put on the community bulletin board near the mailboxes. He’s lived on Soapstone Road for over 30 years. He said there have always been shooter bottles, cigarettes and other items on the side of the road, but the sheer number of used needles has spiked over the years.

“I was a little unhappy about what I’ve seen in my neighborhood. I’ve never saw anything like it,” Clement said.

He said the scary part is that is that these needles can get buried in leaves or under the dirt and someone could get poked by accident. He wanted to warn his neighbors and surrounding Valley, especially families with children to look out for these needles which could contain toxic materials and/or pathogens.

“This could be a public health concern,” Clement said.

Patti Fisher is the president of the Meadow Lakes Community Council. She’s leading this year’s annual clean-up after two decades of experience. She’s also noticed an abundance of needles in her area.

“We’ve been finding them everywhere,” Fisher said.

She credits this to the rising numbers of drug addiction and interchangeable rates of crime in Meadow Lakes and surrounding Valley. Last summer, someone stole their RV and they haven’t recovered it. Alaska State Trooper (AST) Captain Tony April has taken interest in Meadow Lakes, she said.

Over a week ago, April and other law enforcement members sat down with 15 representatives for various community councils to talk about crime and establishing neighborhood watches. April and several Meadow Lakes community council and neighborhood watch members will be at the block a party after the clean-up. There will be a water slide, a bake-off, a chance to talk to April, and other activities to engage the community, Fisher said.

“It should be a fun event,” Fisher said.

Clean up days are a good chance for families to get out and mingles with their neighbors.

“Just go out for 15, 20 minutes, It doesn’t have to be this colossal thing,” Fisher said.