What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 8am - 5pm Wednesday 8am - 5pm Thursday 8am - 5pm Friday 8am - 5pm

https://www.facebook.com/102958241128767/

Shawnee County Solid Waste, 1515 NW Saline Suite #225, Topeka, KS (2026)

10/16/2026

Greetings, My Fellow Citizens!

I come to you to bid thee a most glorious Friday afternoon!

That a big fat lie. It’s cold and the hawk is out.

What a week!

First off, these detours are getting serious. I think they detoured the railroad because I could have sworn I saw a caboose going through a construction zone. Either that or I need to lay off the Ovaltine a smidge

Speaking of serious...

The SWSMT is seriously over these election commercials. And the worst part? It's only going to get worse.

Hold on a sec...

My favorite'ist attorney's eye just started twitching at the mere mention of the "E" word... Apparently, we can't talk about elections.

Fine.

But seriously, can we please go back to the commercials about "Have you or a loved one been injured...?"

I know every single one of us has those phone numbers permanently burned into our cerebral cortex.

I can't remember what I watched on television last night, but by golly, I know exactly who to call if I spill my $8 coffee in my lap at the drive-thru.

These political commercials have gotten so bad that I've resorted to watching nothing but cartoons and the shopping channels. Now I own a set of hearing aids, a saddle blanket, and not one, but two tire gauges. Don't judge me. The second tire gauge was 50% off.

That's called fiscal responsibility, people.

And I’m telling ya, when I finally have my last official visit with Human Resources, I'm going to run for public office.

And my campaign commercials? Nothing but puppies and kittens for sixty glorious seconds.

No talking. No text. No promises. No platforms. No accusations.

Just puppies. And kittens. Maybe a duckling if the campaign contributions are looking good.

Think about how much money we could save!

Hold on again...

"Favorite'ist attorney? You okay over there? You're looking a little peaked."

Speaking of money...

This week, I took a call from a very nice lady who was trying to convince her mother-in-law to come on over to the wonderful world of Shawnee County Solid Waste.

She mentioned what MIL was currently paying for trash service.

Folks.
Sit down.

Ninety dollars a month

For trash service!

Ninety bucks!

Come on, man!

I don't care what anybody says. Nobody should be paying $90 a month for a wheelie bin full of yesterday's stuff.

For that kind of money, the trash truck better arrive with a marching band, a red carpet, and a thank you card.

Now, if you've got that kind of walking-around money, shoot me a message. I've got some exciting sponsorship opportunities I'd like to discuss.

Dang it. Hold on again...

I think my favorite'ist attorney done had one of them there cerebrovascular accidents.

BRB...

Okie dokie, Well, we’re sitting upright again and blinking, so I'm calling that progress.

Now, where were we? Oh, yes.

Ninety dollars. Friends don't let friends pay $90 a month for trash service.
Nor $80.
Nor $60.
And if you're paying $30, well, you might want to give us a holler and see what we can do for ya!

So, if you or a loved one has been a victim of unnecessarily high trash rates, you may be entitled to...

a more reasonable trash bill! Call today! Operators are standing by!

Sunday! Sunday! SUNDAY!
Wait. Wrong commercial.

Now, not to prolong things and keep you from your weekend, but were you aware that way back in the day, the department considered a marketing campaign that never got approved? 🤔

We had a catchy little jingle and everything.

🎶 "If you bought a new house and you need trash now, Give us a call at 877-TRASH-NOW!" 🎶

Apparently, the advertising agency eventually sold it to somebody dealing with structured settlements.🥴

So remember, if you need trash service, call us at 785-233-4774, or use that fancy-schmancy signup form right there on our World Wide Web page. We'll get you taken care of.

Anywhoz, It's Friday. And according to breaking news, a rooster has landed on a dumpster lid somewhere in the city and now requires removal. I have no additional information. Nor do I intend to investigate.

So, as we prepare to sail into the weekend with this absolutely abhorrable weather, we present to you this week's...

Weekend Safety Brief!

The 3Ds

👉Don’t drink and drive

👉Don’t do stupid

👉Don't even think about ignoring the signs of a stroke. Yes, the SWSMT made light of the situation earlier, but this part is no joke. A stroke is a medical emergency. Know the warning signs.

Remember B.E. F.A.S.T. - Balance, Eyes, Face, Arms, Speech, Time.

If you suspect someone is having a stroke, call 911 immediately.

Because the last time I checked, the Father Time waits for no one. So please, take care of yourselves and each other.

And with that,

Have a GREAT weekend!
Be safe!
Be a genuine human!
Is THE detour gone? If so, please stand by for your regularly scheduled replacement detour.

PS - I see you. Keep going. Dang it. 🥰

PPS - If, after this weekend, you discover that you or your little nuggets have outgrown your coats, remember the KTWU Mr. Rogers Sweater Drive! See the attached flyer.

PPPS - You know why my generation is so angry? Because that stupid little mouse always got away. Every single time. That poor Tom never stood a chance.

PPPPS – Speaking of mice, an entire generation missed out on the marvelous marketing genius that was the Spongmonkeys of 2004. (It's safe to Google. Although your coworkers will definitely question your mental stability.) WE LOVE THE SUBS!

PPPPPS – One of my bucket list items has always been riding in a caboose. I'd throw good money at somebody for the opportunity to sit in the back of a train, wave at strangers, and pretend I have important railroad business.

PPPPPPS – Apparently, bad lettuce was NOT the cause of the digestive and intestinal distress. I have questions. I do not want answers. 🤐

PPPPPPPS – Love ya, Byeeeee! 😘

10/09/2026

Good afternoon, my favorit’est people in Shawnee county!

And a hearty welcome to everyone else who just happened to wander onto this little page of ours, either intentionally, accidentally, or through some unfortunate series of internet decisions.

I bid thee good tidings!

Welp.

I've got my sassy pants on today, so let's just see where this train goes before it inevitably leaves the tracks.

It's that time of year, folks.

Craft fairs. Pumpkin spice. That mysterious layer of grime on the INSIDE of your windshield that suddenly becomes visible when the sun hits it at precisely the wrong angle.

And somehow, somewhere, somebody in the retail industry decided we were just gonna skip Halloween AND Thanksgiving and go straight to Christmas.

I'm pretty sure next week they'll have Easter candy out. Cadbury Eggs and inflatable Santas. Together. Living in harmony.

Meanwhile, summer is hanging in there like a loose tooth.

You come to work in the morning with the heater running and go home with the A/C blasting.

Then, because your brain apparently doesn't retain information overnight, you jump into your vehicle the next morning, turn the key, and get a face full of freezing cold air.

Which causes you to launch your morning beverage directly into your shirt.

Which means you now have to go back into the house, change clothes, explain to the dog why you're home again, and start your entire day over.

Stupid weather.

But hey, at least we ain't got a big ol' hurricane staring us in the face. And based on the news coverage, this is apparently the first hurricane ever in the history of histories…

So there's that.

Today's message is going to be a wandering micro-lesson in civics!

Yes. Civics.

The study of government, taxation, and why seventeen different entities can apparently have their fingers in your wallet at the same time.

And if you successfully complete today's post-test, you may qualify for Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

Which will benefit you in absolutely no way whatsoever.

Just the satisfaction of knowing you survived another educational adventure with the Shawnee County Solid Waste Social Media Team (SWSMT).

Let's begin.

Class is now in session.

Okay, kids. there are 105 counties in this little state of ours. And little ol' Shawnee County is somewhat special. For a couple of reasons.

Number one: We're home to that big pointed building downtown with the statue on top.
You know the one.

Number two: We're the third most populated county in the entire state of Kansas.
Not too shabby.

Number three: You have Us!
Shawnee County Solid Waste!
The largest municipal solid waste collection provider in the state.

Now, stick with me. Remember, it's the journey, not the destination.
And judging by how this post is developing, we may never actually reach the destination.

So here in Shawnee County, we are exposed to several different layers of government.

We've got:
Federal Government
State Government
County Government
City Government
Township Government

And then we have all those OTHER governmental entities and taxing districts.

Such as:
State of Kansas
Shawnee County
City of Topeka (or Rossville, Silver Lake, Auburn, depending on where you reside)
School Districts
Public Libraries
Metropolitan Transit Authority
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority
Townships

And depending on where you live, several of those entities may have their fingerprints all over your property tax bill.

Seriously. Pull out your property tax statement sometime and look at where your money actually goes.🧐

It's quite an educational experience. Sometimes even a religious experience.

As in: "Good Lord, I pay how much and to whom?!"😳

But do you know who doesn't receive any of those property tax dollars?

Go ahead. Take a guess. I'll wait.

That's right! Shawnee County Solid Waste!

Not one penny of your property taxes goes toward funding our department's operations.
ZERO.
ZIP.
NADA.
👉We are 100% user-fee funded.
👉We operate much like a business, with our own operating funds supported by the fees collected for the services we provide.
👉We collect your trash.
👉We collect your recycling.
👉We provide commercial waste services.
👉We operate the Household Hazardous Waste Facility.
👉And we pay for those operations through our service revenues.

Which brings me to another little item that apparently needs clarification.

For the love of everything good and decent...
Our name is: Shawnee County Solid Waste.

Not City of Topeka Solid Waste.
Not Topeka Waste.
Not Topeka County Solid Waste.
Not the Topeka Department of Garbage.

Shawnee. County. Solid. Waste.
Three words. Beautiful words.
Put them together and you get us.

So when you call our office and proudly announce: "Well, I pay my taxes!"

Bravo, my good citizen! As you should!
We appreciate your commitment to supporting the various governmental entities that actually receive those funds.

But while you're at it, please make sure you pay your trash bill, too.
Because those are two entirely different things.
"But I pay the city my trash bill!"

Yes. Yes, you do. And thank you very much.
You see, the City of Topeka provides billing services for our residential refuse and recycling customers through its utility billing system.

And we pay the City of Topeka for providing that service.
So although the charge appears on your CITY utility bill, the actual trash and recycling services are provided by Shawnee County Solid Waste.

It's a billing arrangement.

Now, since we've already wandered down the rabbit hole of governmental identities and naming conventions, let's clear up another common misconception.

Shawnee County Solid Waste does not own or operate the Shawnee County Material Recovery Facility (MRF).

You know the place. The recycling facility north of Highway 75.
Despite having "Shawnee County" in its name, it is not a Shawnee County government facility.

You see, the words "Shawnee County" aren't generally copyrighted.

Which means, subject to applicable business-name and trademark rules, somebody could theoretically open:
The Shawnee County Butterfly Emporium And Haberdashery. And be legal as a beagle.

Just imagine. A delightful little establishment specializing in exotic butterflies, fine gentleman's hats, and perhaps an assortment of decorative pocket squares.

But I digress. Again.

Anyway, the Shawnee County MRF is owned and operated by WM, formerly known as Waste Management.

And while we're discussing WM, the same applies to Rolling Meadows Landfill.
👉Privately owned.
👉Privately operated.
👉NOT owned by Shawnee County.

Speaking Of Rolling Meadows Landfill...

🎉Free Dump Day Has Been Rescheduled! 🎉
Saturday, November 7, 2026!
7:00 A.M. Until Noon!

That's right, folks!

The long-awaited, frequently discussed, previously postponed, often questioned, FREE DUMP DAY! has returned to the calendar!
Rain.
Sleet.
Snow.
Shine.
Pandemic.
Potdemic.
Skilletdemic.

Whatever other kind of ‘demic the universe decides to throw at us between now and then.

November 7th!

And here's a little free advice. Get there early. Trust and believe.
Because if you show up at 11:59 with a trailer piled six feet high and seventeen mattresses strapped to the top with what appears to be leftover Christmas ribbon, your day might not go exactly as planned.

And remember, this is at WM's Rolling Meadows Landfill.
Not the Shawnee County Butterfly Emporium and Haberdashery.

Anywhoz...
It's Friday! And the SWSMT desperately needs to begin the weekend before somebody from Human Resources starts asking questions that we do not want to answer on a Friday afternoon.

So let's close out today's educational experience with some sage life advice.

The kind of wisdom you can't buy.
Mostly because nobody would pay for it.

👉Don't drink and drive.
👉Don't do stupid.
👉Don't ignore good advice just because it's free because when somebody who has already been down the road you're traveling takes the time to tell you that the bridge is out, maybe listen, because if something didn't work the first time, or the second time, or the previous seventeen times, there's a pretty decent chance that doing the exact same thing again isn't going to produce some miraculous new outcome so maybe, just maybe, the person offering you that advice actually knows what they're talking about. Think about it. Free advice. Worth every penny.

With that, my friends, our journey through Kansas civics, property taxation, municipal billing arrangements, butterflies, haberdashery, and personal accountability has reached its conclusion.

More or less.
Have a great weekend!
Be safe!
Make good choices!!!
Make. Good. Choices. (some of you need to hear it twice)
Be a good human.
The detour has been suspended due to lack of available options.

PS - I see you. Keep going. You're doing better than you think. We love ya.

PPS - To settle the argument once and for all, your cart faces the road with the handle to the rear. I mean, it says it right there on the lid.

PPPS - If you make that little circular motion with your left hand and arm to tell somebody to roll down their car window, you're my kind of people. The Z crowd has absolutely no idea what we're talking about.

PPPPS - Does anybody still have their swimming pool open? Because I’ll be over around 2:00 with snacks.

PPPPPS - Just admit it. You just made the little circular window-cranking motion while reading that last postscript. Didn't ya? Don't lie. I know you did.

PPPPPPS - There are painted lane lines on the new eastbound I-70! Actual lines! On the road! I'm so excited!

PPPPPPPS - Is anybody else completely, totally, unequivocally, spiritually, and emotionally, over all the political advertisements and campaign mail?

PPPPPPPPS - If you've made it all the way down here, congratulations.

PPPPPPPPPS - Love ya, Byeeeeeeee!

10/02/2026

Good day, all!

The skies are clear!

And due to the clear skies, it was confirmed that it was NOT a full moon this week, but you sure couldn’t tell that from some of y’all’s behavior.

But that’s neither here nor there.

You know, they say repetition creates habits, which creates behavior. I might have just made that up. But anyway, when you fall out of practice, you forget things. Or things just don’t stick around in that gray matter within your cranium.

A great example this week was our favorite southbound Westgate Bridge.

It’s been a couple of years since the Summer From Heck With The Bridge, and apparently people done forgot how to act.

So, we got what we had here this week:
Wrecks.
Road rage.
Unnecessary traffic jams.
General vehicular foolishness.

All because we haven’t been exposed to enough traffic changes lately to keep those detour skills sharp.🫤

SMALL TANGENT ALERT: Attention any and all eastbound transcontinental over-the-road truck drivers. If you somehow missed the previous eight detour signs and find yourself southbound on Topeka Boulevard, bypass turning on to 6th Street and turn on left 7th Street.

It’s easier. Fewer stoplights. Less suffering. Everybody wins. 😏

Back to our regularly scheduled programing.

So, with that being said, the Solid Waste Social Media Team is going to take this opportunity to continue injecting LITHIUM-ION BATTERY SAFETY directly into that cranial cavity of yours and hope that eventually it sticks.

NEVER. EVER. NEVER.

Throw lithium-ion batteries in the trash OR recycling!

No matter how big they are.
No matter how small they are.

Bring them to us at the good ol’, county-renowned Household Hazardous Waste Facility.

We will gladly take them off your hands and make sure they are handled and disposed of safely. For Free!!

The only exception is electric vehicle batteries. Sorry, those are your responsibility.

And yes...
That includes v**e pens!

Bring your used v**e pens to us, or drop them off at one of our two collection locations in the city.

And if you own or operate a v**e shop, reach out to us. We would love to provide you with a v**e collection container for your business.

Seriously, folks:

Please, please, please use the valuable resource and service that is the HHW Facility.

There are a whole bunch of counties in Kansas that don’t even have an HHW program.

cough cough... Osage... cough cough 👀

So let us help you.
Disposing of the dangerous stuff so you don’t have to.

Anywhoz...
It’s Friday.
It’s afternoon.
And I’ve got to get home and water my lawn.

So let’s get you safely started into the weekend with your:

100% user-fee funded, no tax-dollars used Weekend Safety Brief!

The standard 3 D’s:

👉 Don't drink and drive.
👉 Don't do stupid.
👉 Don't even think of calling one of the Nice Office Ladies demanding some abstract thing that the department absolutely must do, and then commit the most unforgivable act of all: “DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?” because, for your edification, your perceived social status has roughly the same load-bearing capacity as a popsicle-stick bridge around here because all of our customers are created equal and receive the same treatment and level of service unless you come at us sideways, and then...well...you know...🤐

We’ll just leave it at that and hope your week gets better.

Have a wonderful weekend!
Be safe!
Make good choices!
Be a decent human!
Take the 7th Street detour!... 🥴

PS - I see you. Keep going.🥰

PPS - Yesterday was International Raccoon Day. I guess the little dude on I-70 at MacVicar celebrated a little too much. RIP, little buddy.

PPPS - Today is the Spotted Split-Tailed Red-Throated Lesser Kansas Prairie Shrimp Day! Please celebrate responsibly.

PPPPS - Remember, HHW is open tomorrow 9:00 til noon! Bring us your lithium-ion batteries!

PPPPPS - We had a special guest collector today on the back of the truck!

PPPPPPS - Hey, Mr. Jeff County Driver. Did you feel better after jumping out of a perfectly formed line, flying past everybody, gaining about 20 spots, and then realizing nobody was going to let you back in? Be better.🤬

PPPPPPPS - Love ya, Byeeeeeee! 😘

10/01/2026

Greetings, Fine Citizens of Shawnee County!

This is your friendly reminder that this Saturday is the FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH, which means it’s time for our monthly Saturday Collection Event at the county-renowned Shawnee County Household Hazardous Waste Facility!

What do we accept?

Too much stuff to list here.

Seriously. It’s a lot.

What DON’T we accept?

Prescription medications - Turn those in to TPD.

Refrigerant-containing appliances - Call our office and we’ll point you in the right direction.

Radioactive material - Take it back to Chernobyl.

Puzzles - We have enough problems to solve already.

For detailed information about what we accept, what we don’t accept, and what you probably shouldn’t have been storing in the garage and now probably need a battery of tests for, please call the HHW Facility at 785-286-4381 or visit:

https://www.snco.gov/sw/hhwaste.php

Saturday hours: 9:00 AM–Noon

See you Saturday!

And remember our motto at Shawnee County Solid Waste HHW:

Disposing the dangerous stuff so you don’t have to.

09/25/2026

Super Good Afternoon, F.F.A.!

That is Friends, Followers, and All Others.

Not to be confused with Future Farmers of America, whose official name is now the National FFA Organization.

Which is all fun and games until it comes time to do that stupid Record Book.

Then it’s no bueno. As they say, If you know, you know.

And my Record Book was definitely in the No Bueno category.

Which is probably why they don’t trust the Solid Waste Social Media Team (SWSMT) with any type of financial responsibility.

“What are you even talking about?”

Who even knows anymore…🥴

But it’s Friday, we have about nine things to talk about, seven of which will probably have the SWSMT standing in the unemployment line, and it’s getting cold outside. 🥶

Again, no bueno.

Speaking of cold, IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR!

It’s time for KTWU’s annual Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood Sweater Drive! From October 1st thru the 31st!

Now look, you might have possibly gone +/- on your weight since last year. And 98% of ya’ll went to the plus side.

It happens.

You can always resort to my fallback answer to the nurse during my annual medical scolding :

“Your scale is broke.”🫤

But when you try that winter coat on this year, you’re gonna find out that scale was very accurate.

And if you have those little tax deductions running around the house, there’s a pretty good chance they either outgrew their coats as well.

Or, heaven forbid…

It’s no longer in fashion.

Don’t throw that stuff out!

There are folks right here in our community who would greatly benefit from having a nice warm coat or other winter clothing this year.

So please donate new or gently used winter clothing at one of the conveniently located drop boxes throughout the city. See the flyer!

Donations are also good for the community and for your own personal karma points. And some of y’all need all the karma points you can get.

Moving on…

Remember, this is the last weekend before Rolling Meadows Landfill, owned and operated by WM, formerly known as Waste Management, changes its Saturday public hours.

Beginning October 1, 2026, Saturday public hours will be:

7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Two hours.

That’s it. Plan accordingly.

Moving on again…

Nope. Can’t talk about that. Or that. Definitely can’t talk about that one. And apparently we’re not supposed to talk about that either. 🤐

Ummm…

Moving on for the third time.

Well, I guess we will just get the weekend started with your:

WEEKEND SAFETY BRIEF!

The Standard 3Ds:

👉 Don’t drink and drive.

👉 Don’t do stupid.

👉 Don’t even think about sailing your ’03 Altima with the two missing rear hubcaps onto the southbound I-470 flyover during evening rush hour on your way to making some bad financial decisions without paying attention because this time of year, the second you start arcing south, that giant bright-orange ball in the sky is going to be sitting directly in your eyeballs and you can’t see anything through the glare because you haven’t cleaned the carcasses of a gazillion bugs off your windshield since approximately Memorial Day but fortunately, you hit the windshield squirter ,but unfortunately, you have approximately ½ ounce of windshield juice remaining which means instead of cleaning the windshield, you have now schmeared those gazillion bug carcasses into a magnificent opaque film with roughly the same transparency as a sheet of drywall so you slam on your brakes for absolutely no reason and now you have set off a chain reaction that jams traffic all the way back to Gage Boulevard. Clean your windshield. Please!

Have a great wet weekend!

Stay safe!

Change your wiper blades.

Be a good human. I mean it.🧐

Make good choices.

Just take the detour like every other transcontinental over-the-road driver.

PS – I see you. Keep going.🥰

PPS – Give your mom a hug. Before you can’t.

PPPS – Seriously, get in those closets and donate!

PPPS – Before you call the Nice Office Ladies about a missed pickup, please make sure that you are actually one of our customers.

PPPPS – To the nice lady who was apparently reading last week’s post while sitting in the left-turn lane at 6th and the Blvd., a.k.a. Dante’s 10th Circle, as you sat there through approximately the first 22 seconds of the protected turn light before taking off like a duck on a June bug which made the semi behind ponder every navigational decision he had made in life and then choose to accelerate an entire semi through what remained of the 25-second protected left turn at approximately the speed of a garden slug and by then, the arrow was yellow which resulted in everyone else in the turn lane advancing approximately… two car lengths. Please put your phone down. Pretty please.

PPPPPS – Has anyone told you they loved you today?

PPPPPPS – Love ya. Byeeeee.😘

09/21/2026

Despite the deeply unfavorable and frankly unnecessary decline in forecasted temperatures, we are not anticipating any delays or interruptions to our collection schedule.

Apparently, our crews are still expected to operate even under these ridiculous 68-to-76-degree conditions.

Please have your carts out by 7:00 a.m. on your normal collection day.

Have a good week… I guess.

09/18/2026

Super good afternoon, my friends, followers, and other assorted people who somehow landed on this post and are currently wondering what in the fifth dimension they have stumbled into. 🥴

By the way, welcome to like the 213th day of summer!

Man, I’ll tell ya what, summer is hanging in there like a loose tooth.

The cicadas are long gone. (R.I.P.)
The hummingbirds are filling out their change-of-address cards.
And now, somehow, the dragonflies have suddenly emerged.

Before you know it, we will be experiencing the horrendous smell of pumpkin spice floating through the air.

You know what else smells terrible, slightly worse than pumpkin spice?

Burning trash.

No, not the “I’m illegally burning trash because I don’t want to pay for trash service” kind of burning trash.

I’m talking about trash-truck-is-on-fire burning trash.

The kind where we have to dump the entire load in the middle of the street to keep a $300,000'ish trash truck from becoming a giant orange road flare.

And what, pray tell, continues to be one of the biggest fire hazards in the waste stream?

Yes, my friends, those little lithium-ion batteries.

They are everywhere. Vapes, tools, small rechargeable batteries, landscaping lights, cell phones, tablets, earbuds...

Basically, if it lights up, makes noise, or connects to Bluetooth, there’s a decent chance it has a lithium-ion battery in it.

And when those batteries are depleted, damaged, swollen, broken, or otherwise ready for retirement, they need to be disposed of properly.

So I am going to spell this out slowly for the hard of reading.

BRING

THEM

TO

US!

Do not throw them in the trash.

Do not throw them in the recycling.

And do not suddenly decide you are MacGyver and take one apart on the kitchen counter just to “see what’s inside.” 🔥

Simply bring them out to our HHW facility during regular hours and let us take them off your hands.

And for v**e pens, you can visit one of the convenient v**e pen disposal locations within the city.

Anywhoz, it’s Friday. My to-do list just got paused, and there is something definitely calling my name (IYKYK), so let’s get to your...

WEEKEND SAFETY BRIEF!
(Attendance is mandatory)

The standard 3Ds:

👉Don’t drink and drive.

👉Don’t do stupid.

👉Don't even think about reliving your youthful activities at your class reunion because the stuff you probably did pre-cellphone that resulted in nothing more than a good story will now be recorded from four different angles and could potentially earn you a mandatory appearance in front of someone you have to address as “Your Honor” and then you’ll have to make that somewhat embarrassing phone call to one of your tax deductions to retrieve you from the hoosegow and never mind the fact that even though the mind is strong, the body ain’t willing so when you decide to show your friends you’ve still got it by attempting your best Mary Lou Retton imitation across damp grass, in the darkness, after a few... it will end badly so just sit back, reminisce, nod your head and say: “Good times. Good times.” Your knees, back, dignity, and insurance deductible will thank you.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Be safe!

Be an OK’ish human.

Just take the detour. (Even if it’s the detour of the detour.)

PS - I see you. Keep going.🥰

PPS - Nope, still don’t know when... No need to ask. 🤐

PPPS - HHW Info: https://www.snco.gov/sw/hhwaste.php

PPPPS - It’s almost leaf season! Yeaaaaaaa...Not.🤬

PPPPPS - Love ya. Byeeee.😘

09/11/2026

And here we are…

This week is gone.
The cicadas are gone.
The nice warm weather is gone.
Charlotte, my favorit’ist garden spider whose web I had to duck every morning, is gone.
And apparently, several of the roads you normally use are gone too.

Because somewhere in Topeka there is apparently a giant government traffic-cone dispenser, and this week somebody found the RELEASE ALL button.

Every direction you turn: ROAD CLOSED. DETOUR. LANE CLOSED AHEAD.

And surprise! Another traffic cone, or 120...

At this point, just assume wherever you are going, the normal way of getting there is no longer available.

So all that put together means the temperatures are gonna start falling like credit scores after a year of bad decisions.

Which means you’re gonna have to start digging out those coats, sweaters, jackets and whatnot.

Which means you’re gonna quickly figure out that either you or your little tax deductions have outgrown them.

Which means you’re now gonna have to figure out what to do with all those outgrown jackets.

Well, how apropos* that KTWU’s annual Mr. Rogers’ Sweater Drive is almost here.

Starting October 1st, you can drop off new and gently used (CLEAN) kids’ sweaters, hoodies, coats, scarves, gloves and blankets, along with women’s coats for moms.

There will be an official flyer published soon, but here at the Shawnee County Solid Waste Social Media Team, we’re trying to get you ahead of the game.

So don’t throw it out. Let’s donate it to a great cause. Be on the lookout over the next couple of weeks for the flyer and drop-off locations.

Anywhoz, it’s Friday.

It’s been a long short week.

So let’s get the weekend kicked off with your:

Weekend Safety Brief!

The Standard 3Ds.
👉Don’t drink and drive.

👉Don’t do stupid.

And today, the third D is a little different:

👉Do not even think about forgetting the events of September 11, 2001.
On that morning, 2,977 innocent people were killed in attacks against our nation. In a matter of hours, families were shattered, lives were changed forever, and our country was forever altered.
An entire generation has now been born that knows 9/11 only through photographs, video and stories. They can learn what happened, but they will never fully understand what it felt like to live through that day.
The disbelief.
The confusion.
The fear.
The anger.
The grief.
And then the silence of realizing that the world we woke up to that morning was not the same world we would go to bed in that night.
For those of us who remember, there are images, sounds and moments from that day that will remain with us for the rest of our lives.
We remember the innocent lives that were taken.
We remember the families who never got to say goodbye.
We remember the first responders who ran toward unimaginable danger while others were trying to escape it.
We remember a nation that, for a moment, stood together.
We remember.
We honor them.
We will not forget.

Have a great weekend.

Be safe.

Be somewhat of a decent human.

And just take the new detour.

*Big high-falutin word alert.

PS - I see you. Keep going.🥰

PPS - The accompanying photo is believed to be from a deleted scene from the 1981 hit Clash of the Titans, in which Zeus becomes Director of Traffic Control

PPPS - To the nice lady traveling east on 6th Street Friday morning, headed toward that newly reopened eating establishment on the corner of MacVicar and 6th Ave, who almost swerved into my chariot of choice not once, not twice, but thrice, please clean the chip bags off your dashboard and put down your phone.

PPPPS - Since this post covers a pretty wide range of reactions, feel free to use any of the available emoticons.

PPPPPS - It goes without saying, still don't know when Free Dump Day is.

PPPPPPS - Love ya, byeee.😘

Shawnee County Solid Waste

10/16/2026

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