Lights to the Peninsula!

As explained by city officials Monday, a resolution regarding a traffic peninsula at East Ninth and Park Avenue reflects funding for decorative lighting, plumbing for a fountain, benches and shrubbery. This is what community activist and fellow blogger Maria Pellum has been advocating for over several months. Despite her probing, Maria was not able until now to see what was to be provided.

Maria has also undertaken other projects to enhance the community, with mixed results in terms of support. It is this uncertain feeling about lack of support that makes energetic community activists feel frustrated and sometimes leads to burn-out.

Why must some people always be picking up after others? Why do some view litter and trash as a city problem and not a personal negative choice of the litterer? The trash comes out of somebody's hand, every snack wrapper, beer bottle, soda can, paper plate and so on.

At tonight's City Council meeting, resident Jeanette Criscione said the one-year delay in the garage sale project would allow "another year to pretty up Plainfield."

Criscione pointed out several examples of uninviting sights and called for people to pick up garbage, groom their lawns and remove dead trees that give the city a negative appearance.

--Bernice Paglia