Labor Day — Trash pickup continues, MHP out in force

Published 9:35 pm Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Three things are a certainty in Lincoln County for Labor Day — many businesses and government offices will be closed, much meat will be grilled and the Mississippi Highway Patrol will be out looking for speeders and distracted drivers.

The Daily Leader office will be closed Monday. However, a Tuesday newspaper will be published. The paper will be available Tuesday morning in boxes around town and at the office on Railroad Avenue. Those who subscribe will get a copy in the mail.

Arrow Disposal Services Inc. will be open Monday and trucks will roll in Lincoln County and Brookhaven. However, the city and county government offices will be closed, so the city’s debris truck will not run routes Monday.

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Also closed for the Labor Day holiday are the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce, U.S. post offices, banks and the Mississippi Highway Patrol Driver’s License examiner’s office.

Copiah-Lincoln Community College, Brookhaven Academy and all public schools will also be closed.

The Mississippi Highway Patrol will begin the 2019 Labor Day Travel Enforcement Period on Friday at 12:01 a.m. and conclude Monday at midnight. In an effort to enforce traffic laws and reduce traffic crashes, MHP will participate in Operation Crash Awareness and Reduction Effort during the holiday period, said Capt. Johnny Poulos.

As part of Operation C.A.R.E., all available troopers will be assigned to saturation patrols to combat speeding and distracted driving issues, he said.

“We also want to remind drivers that bad decisions behind the wheel regarding impaired driving can result in serious consequences,” he said. “Loss of employment, legal fees and possible jail time can take huge tolls on families. In order to remove impaired drivers and promote seatbelt usage, safety checkpoints will be established throughout the holiday period.”

During the 2018 Labor Day enforcement period, MHP investigated 165 crashes on state highways including four fatalities and made 166 D.U.I. arrests.

All four traffic fatalities occurred on the Friday of Labor Day weekend in 2018. Two people were killed in a crash in Union County, one person was killed in a crash in Clarke County and one person was killed in Newton County.

“We’re hoping all motorists and families will enjoy the last holiday weekend of the summer and arrive at their destinations safely,” he said.

Troop M, which is located in Brookhaven, issued more than citations over the 2018 Labor Day Travel Enforcement Period including 22 seatbelt violations and four child restraint violations. Troopers made two drug arrests and four drivers were charged with DUI. Troop M serves Lincoln, Lawrence, Walthall, Pike, Amite, Wilkinson, Adams, Jefferson and Franklin counties.