By Jeff Turner

Moonpie and I were saddened to find out that a once great fishing and upper river canoe access location along the Blackwater River in Isle of Wight County has been turned into a dumpsite.

Near where the train tracks cross the river in Zuni, the once beautiful scenery is now ruined with bagfuls of household garbage, building materials, beer bottles, etc. It is truly a mess and whoever is doing this should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. And just maybe that will happen since most people that are ignorant enough to dump like this, usually are so stupid they also leave an abundance of incriminating evidence behind.

The Blackwater Nottoway Riverkeeper Program has alerted the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, the Isle of Wight Sheriff’s Department and Isle of Wight Board of Supervisor and staunch Blackwater River advocate Rex Alphin about the terrible mess. It’s just a shame when people do this to such a nice place people could use to enjoy the river, said Alphin. Alphin is taking the lead in putting an end to the problem at this location. BNRP Chairman Curtis Newsome added, “Now, in all likelihood the place will have to be cabled up.”

And that is exactly what this Riverkeeper is going to suggest to the county to do. Alas, once again, a few idiots have to ruin Christmas for the rest of us.

JEFF TURNER is the Blackwater/Nottoway Riverkeeper. He can be reached at blknotkpr@earthlink.net.