File photo, Cripple Creek at Rusch Park in Citrus Heights. // CH Sentinel
Sentinel staff report–
With organized annual “Creek Week” clean-ups once again cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, the City of Citrus Heights is instead encouraging “random acts of clean-up” to remove trash from area creeks.
“Just like the random acts of kindness that we’ve seen countless times in Citrus Heights (especially during COVID), we want to celebrate those who choose to clean up our creeks and neighborhoods,” the city said in a post on its website Wednesday.
Residents are encouraged to plan their own clean-ups in their neighborhood or any of the various creeks in the city. Creek banks are advised to be avoided during rains, for safety.
Those with larger amounts of trash collected can arrange for pickup by contacting the city’s General Services division at generalservices@citrusheights.net.
Creek Week is traditionally organized each year in April by the Sacramento Area Creeks Council, involving groups of volunteers going to different creeks throughout Citrus Heights and Sacramento County to clean up any plastics or garbage in the area.
The council reports several thousand pounds of garbage have been collected each year, during its prior cleanups.
Those interested in learning more about Creek Week can visit creekweek.net.
File photo, Mariposa Creek in Citrus Heights. // CH Sentinel
By Thomas J. Sullivan– Registration for 2019 Creek Week continues through this Friday, reminds Alta Tura, president of the Sacramento Area Creeks Council.
Last year, 240 volunteers collected trash from Arcade, San
Juan and Cripple Creeks in Citrus Heights.
The Council’s annual clean-up day this year falls on Saturday, April 13, from 9 a.m. to noon. The effort draws volunteers to improve and enhance urban waterways throughout Sacramento County.
The deadline to register for the cleanup is April 5, 2019, at creekweek.net. All volunteers must complete and sign a waiver form.
The amount of trash collected from creeks last year was down by about 500 pounds from 2,000 pound total collected in 2017, Tura told The Sentinel in an interview.
“We’re still looking for many more volunteers,” she said. “The more volunteers who register and participate, the cleaner our community creeks could be.”
The creeks council is hoping for clear weather to give volunteers much better footing along Citrus Height’s muddy creeks. More dry weather will also help lower water levels to aid with access to deeper pockets of trash and perhaps surpass the 2,000-pound collection mark.
Volunteers are needed this year at Cherry Creek Park — Brooktree Creek; Costco — Arcade Creek; Crestmont — Cripple Creek; Crosswoods Park — Arcade Creek; Halifax at Auburn Blvd. – Arcade Creek; Oak Lakes Lane – Cripple Creek; and Rusch Park – Cripple Creek.
“We encourage people to register online. It helps us to get
started with each cleanup day faster,” Tura said. “There is a limit to how much
trash and debris we can collect in three hours.”
“Creek Week is a great opportunity to get children and
families together and make a difference in their community,” Tura said.
Tura reminded participating volunteers that they should furnish
their own drinking water and bring a bucket or reusable shopping bag per person
to collect light trash.
“Above all, wear comfortable, washable clothes, preferably long pants and long sleeves,” she said. “Some volunteers bring a grabbing tool or a rake, but that’s optional.”
Tura also recommended bringing gloves, waterproof shoes or boots, and a hat and sunscreen.
Ground terrain varies at all sites, Tura said. Volunteers should be wary of poison oak at all sites. All children must be with a responsible adult as the debris, water, or slippery stream banks may be hazardous.
Volunteers who register online will be matched with
administrative volunteers who will confirm their clean-up site location and
answer any questions they may have. If necessary, volunteers may be reassigned
to where they are most needed, Tura said.
On April 13, volunteers are asked to promptly report at 9:00 a.m. to their confirmed clean-up sites and check in with their team leader who will provide them with instructions, garbage bags and help them get started.
“In addition to our younger volunteers and families who
participate each year, we’re grateful for many of the community and civic
organizations who take part,” she said.
Sponsors of Creek Week include the City of Citrus Heights,
KVIE Public Television, Delta Conservancy, County of Sacramento, California
American Water, California Department of Water Resources, CalRecycle, and the
Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency.
Clean-up volunteers are also invited to join in the Annual Creek Week Picnic Celebration on April 13 from noon to 2 p.m. at Carmichael Park, 5750 Grant Avenue in Carmichael. Participants can also enter their clean-up finds in a “Junk and Gunk” contest.
Updated March 26, 11:19 p.m.–
Latest news briefs include a fatal collision near Antelope Road, latest local water conservation figures, highlights from Thursday’s city council meeting, and a “Good Friday” DUI checkpoint update.
Citrus Heights Water District: February water use cut by 20% Local water use was reduced by 20 percent during February, according to the latest figures provided to The Sentinel by the Citrus Heights Water District. According to the district’s Water Efficiency Coordinator, Rex Meurer, CHWD’s cumulative water savings from June 2015 to February 2016 is 33.9 percent, beating the district’s new state target of 29 percent. Water savings are calculated by comparing current use with 2013 usage.
City council hears annual trash report, proclaims “Creek Week” During their March 24 council meeting, Citrus Heights council members officially proclaimed the week of April 1 – 9, 2016 as “Creek Week.” The 26th annual effort is put on by Sacramento Area Creeks Council, a nonprofit volunteer group focused on improving and enhancing urban waterways. The council also heard a report on local mosquito control efforts, as well as a pair of annual reports from Republic Services and the Sunrise Marketplace Business Improvement District. Republic Services reported nearly 20,000 tons of trash had been collected in the city last year, along with about 5900 tons of recycling and 10,000 tons of green waste.
CHPD conducts Easter weekend DUI checkpoint on Antelope Rd Citrus Heights police officers were out on Antelope Road near Lauppe Lane on Friday night to conduct a planned six-hour DUI and driver’s license checkpoint. Although a report for the latest checkpoint was not available as of Saturday morning, past checkpoints have typically screened 700 to 800 drivers and result in varying numbers of citations and arrests. (Original story: Citrus Heights police announce Easter weekend DUI Checkpoint)
Fatal crash slows I-80 traffic near Antelope Rd A fatal rollover collision on Interstate 80 near Antelope Road backed up traffic as far as Greenback Lane Saturday morning, according to a KCRA news report. The crash was reported just after 6 a.m. on March 26, leaving at least one vehicle turned over and blocking two lanes of traffic, according to investigators. The Sacramento County Coroner’s office later identified the driver as 21-year-old Trestin Jones, of Sacramento.
