Now that the dead of winter has killed back grass and bushes, styrofoam cups, plastic bags and empty beer cans tossed out of cars onto the road show ugliness of irresponsible people.  A clean roadside just makes a community look and feel better.  So, Blue Ridge city government enlisted the help of the Appalachian Judicial Circuit to clean up.  The Circuit send probationers completing community service hours to pick up the trash.

Two probationers, Derrick Tanner and David Johnston, were out along Hwy. 76 on sunny Saturday Feb. Jan. 30. They cleaned up the road from Ace Hardware to shortly before the Lake Blue Ridge Dam.  Derrick Tanner said that he was loves being outside and, of course, even picking up trash is a lot better than staying at home under house arrest.  They said that the dogs were more scary than the cars.   Tanner also thanked, in his words, “really nice and awesome” Circuit Judge Brenda Weaver for realizing that she has our lives in her hands and giving him a second chance at life.

Through community service hours, Appalachian Judicial Court probationers can provide services that local governments would need to scrape the bottom of the money barrel to be able to complete.  The probationers are also working on the Baugh House in downtown Blue Ridge.  The Circuit court assigns community service hours to organizations and governments in Pickens, Gilmer and Fannin counties.