Cook With Caution

Fall Cleanup is here. Mark your calendars for the Dumpster Days with free drop off for all your large loads of waste. October is Fire Prevention Month. This year’s theme is Cooking with Caution, as cooking-related fires are the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries, and help your city or the county earn the Mr. Potato Head trophy with the annual ECHO Food Bank Food Drive this fall. You’re watching The Local News Roundup, brought to you by Three Rivers Brewery and Northern Edge Casino. I’m Hayley Opsal. Dumpster Day is now Dumpster Days thanks to a grant from New Mexico’s Clean and Beautiful and New Mexico True. On October 21st and October 22nd, county transfer stations will accept normal waste and dump loads for free. Customers may dispose of up to three cubic yards of waste, including residential, household trash, paper goods, flattened cardboard boxes, cans, glass, old clothing, yard waste, weeds, tree branches less than five feet, and cold ashes. Find the closest dumpster location and a list of prohibited materials online. October is Fire Prevention month, observed every year in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. This year’s theme is Cooking with Caution, and San Juan County wants to remind folks to take extra care around stovetops. Don’t use a stove or stove top if you’re sleepy or have consumed alcohol. Stay in the kitchen while cooking, especially if frying or boiling something, and don’t leave a lit stovetop unattended. Make sure to use a timer when roasting, baking, or simmering something, and check on it regularly. Keep flammable items away from your stovetop. If a fire does start, contain the room the fire is in by closing a door if possible, and call 911 from outside the home. Cooking fires are the leading cause of house fires and home fire related injuries. Make sure to fireproof your home and stay alert to prevent them. The Mr. Potato Head trophy is up for grabs with this year’s ECHO Food Drive Challenge. Beginning October 16th, the cities of Aztec, Bloomfield, and Farmington, and the Greater San Juan County compete for who can donate the most for the annual food drive. Food collection points are scattered across the cities and the county. Donate food to help your city or the county win. Learn more about these and other stories online at farmingtonlocal.news. Thank you for watching this edition of the Local News Roundup. I’m Hayley Opsal.