CLEANUP OF HOMES CAMPS BEGINS

THE CHARLOTTE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE BEGAN CLEANUP OF TWENTY HOMELESS CAMPS IN PORT CHARLOTTE ON SATURDAY.  THE CAMPS HIT ON SATURDAY WERE EAST OF US 41 AND SHERBOURNE STREET, AND DEPUTIES SPENT MUCH OF LAST WEEK WARNING VAGRANTS OF THEIR PLANS.  SOME 25,000 POUNDS OF ITEMS, TRASH AND GARBAGE WERE CLEANED UP SATURDAY ALONE BY COUNTY JAIL TRUSTEE INMATES, FILLING UP THREE 40 YARD DUMPSTERS.  THE CLEANUP WAS BORN OF NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS BY RESIDENTS IN THE AREAS OF THE CAMPS WHO WANTED VAGRANTS REMOVED FROM THE HEAVILY WOODED AREAS.  AS THE CLEANUP TOOK PLACE SATURDAY, THERE WERE STILL A FEW PEOPLE PACKING UP AND LEAVING, BUT DEPUTIES SAY THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY ISSUES.  THEY SAY THE CLEANUP OF THE REMAINING FIFTEEN CAMPS WILL CONTINUE SOON, BUT THEY WERE NOT SPECIFIC ON EXACTLY WHEN.