ALBUQUERQUE AND BERNALILLO COUNTY HAVE HAD A PROBLEM FOR YEARS WITH NEEDLES FOUND IN CITY PARKS. BUT THE CITY’S SHARP PROGRAM HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN MAKING A DENT IN THE PROBLEM. THE PROGRAM STARTED IN JULY LAST YEAR AND, SINCE THAT TIME, ALBUQUERQUE OFFICIALS SAY THE BINS ARE BEING USED TO GET THE NEEDLES OFF THE GROUND AND CALLS TO THE CITY FOR NEEDLE PICKUPS HAS DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY.
PLANS TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS, THOUGH. THE COLLECTION BINS FOR NEEDLES HAVE BEEN SET UP IN SEVEN PROBLEM PARKS THAT INCLUDE JACK-N-JILL PARK, WILSON PARK, WEST CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL PARKS.
