Parade watchers leave mess behind
By BENJAMIN C. SHARP bensharp@journal-spectator.com

Along with scores of other volunteers, county maintenance supervisor Paul Shannon spent hours getting the downtown square ready for this week's holiday parade.

The morning after, he was again on Monterey Square - only this time he was cleaning up the mess left behind.

Styrofoam cups, empty soda cans, candy wrappers, "silly string," toys and even a stroller littered the lawn around the newly restored Wharton County Courthouse. Anyone who missed the parade would have had an easy time Wednesday morning tracking the route by just following the garbage.

"I like to see people enjoy the courthouse square, but they need to have some respect for what's on the square," Shannon said as he picked up an empty water bottle.

Wharton attorney John Maher agrees. His law firm is located on Burleson Street, directly across from the courthouse.

"They (the county) just put millions of dollars into a piece of property and it's a shame they (the public) don't respect it more," he said.

It took Shannon half a day Wednesday to clean up the refuse. He conceded, though, that no extra trash receptacles were set out during the parade. During other festivals, such as today's Cowboy Christmas, such additions are provided by the organizers.

Shannon said that wasn't provided since there were no food vendors on hand for the parade.