The red bins behind the old Town Hall building in Honea Path soon will be gone, and with them will go the town’s latest and, currently, only attempt at offering a recycling program.

SP Recycling Corp. recently informed town leaders that it plans to move its recycling bins that are located behind town near Shirley Avenue.

Beginning April 14, the company no longer will haul away the town’s recyclable items because the operation is becoming too costly. An increase in fuel prices is causing the company to lose money.

Based on fuel prices, it takes $100 an hour to run their trucks. It’s a 2 ƒ -hour turnaround time, and it is costing them $210 to $230 each time. They are only making $20 or $30 a trip.

Honea Path Town Council voted two years ago for the town to stop participating in an Anderson County pilot program that provided curbside recycling for area municipalities. With rising fuel costs, the program had begun to cost the town more than $60,000 a year.

Residents who  wanted to participate in the project could place their recyclable items in the bins located behind town, and SP Recycling crews would haul the items away.

Unless there is an intervention, the bins will be hauled away as well.

Honea Path Town leaders designate each April as the town’s intense cleanup month, and this month’s roadside cleanup week runs from Wednesday through Sunday.

To fulfill the qualifying requirement for beautification grants the town receives, volunteers pick up any types of trash residents choose to leave roadside, except for paint and shingles. Bags and other cleaning supplies can be obtained at Town Hall on South Main Street.

Recycling Being Removed from Behind Town

The Town Council and Mayor decided that a girls softball field was a much needed asset to Honea Path. The Honea Path recreation department offered fewer programs for girls than for boys.

The new team which has been practicing in recent weeks will play on the new field.

The $100,000 project is moving forward thanks to a $20,000 South Carolina Parks and Recreation Department grant and money raised locally by Partners for a Healthier Honea Path.  More money is needed for this project's completion.

The town is now selling ball caps which are replicas of the hats the original Chiquola Chicks team members wore years ago.  The caps cost is $10 which can be purchased at the Town Hall office in the Watkins Community Center on South Main Street.

Anderson County Capital Project Sales Tax Commission members made a final decision Friday about what projects they will suggest making part of a 1-cent capital sales tax project referendum.

At the top of the list is $18 million for an East-West Connector Parkway, $10 million for reconstruction of Three Bridges and Mt. Airy Church roads and $15.5 million for Whitehall Road widening.

“This is going to change the life of every person in this county,” Sales Tax Commission Chairman Dave Jones said.

The 1-cent sales tax is estimated to bring in between $143 million and $163 million in a seven-year period, and the referendum will be put to the voters in November.

Board members had local governments send their top projects to the commission to be included in the list of more than 100 projects.

Rounding out the top 10 projects on the list are the following:

$8 million for Ida Tucker Road extension

$8 million for South Main Street improvements (Anderson)

$2.8 million for Pendleton public safety building

$4.04 million for Starr-Iva Water District service expansion

$1.5 million for North Shirley Avenue widening (Honea Path)

$1 million for Belton recreation building

$4.1 million for Broadway Water District service expansion

Honea Path Recreation girls 15 and under "Chicks" softball team, were on hand, standing on the new softball field during the opening ceremonies. Ms. Mae Knox and Mr. David Carr are shown with softballs in hand a smiles on their proud faces.  After the completion of the ceremonies they had to travel to Abbeville, where their opening game was scheduled to be played Monday afternoon.