Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 14, 1995 TAG: 9505150070
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: D-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: AMHERST LENGTH: Short
During an Amherst Town Council meeting Wednesday night, Town Manager Jack Hobbs said sewage frequently overflows near U.S. 60 just east of the town's traffic circle. He said town crews had found that bed sheets were causing the problem.
``Sheets?'' asked town council members.
Yes, said Hobbs. Sheets from the county jail were catching on a snag in the sewer line under U.S. 60.
Tom Fore, superintendent of town water and wastewater treatment plant operations, said inmates flushing objects that are not meant to be disposed of in that manner is nothing new.
``Anything and everything they can flush, they do,'' he said. ``We've asked them not to.''
But often items - ripped sheets, watermelon rinds, food wrappers - surface in the lines.
After meeting with town officials last week, Capt. Arnold Coffee changed the jail's bed-linen policy.
``If I give a prisoner two sheets, he has to turn back two sheets,'' said Coffee. ``Hopefully, we've gotten a handle on it.''
Town officials say they hope so.
- Associated Press
by CNB