Sara Fuller grabbed the attention of Action 4 News on our Facebook page, when she wrote that she needed us to take action.
"I don't feel like there's enough clean up out here," Fuller said, "Our kids are playing t-ball, other kids are running, it's sad to see the trash, and no one is paying attention except the parents that are concerned."
Fuller's kids play t-ball on a baseball field in Pendleton Park in Harlingen, but their fun days are fouled up by trash lining the fence to the park.
Although City of Harlingen trash bins are in clear sight, discarded bags, cups and other trash are on the ground and inches away from the dugout.
The majority of the trash is clearly coming from nearby stores and fast food restaurants, but regardless of how it's getting there, Fuller says the city has a responsibility to keep it clean.
"Someone needs to do something about it," Fuller said, "if the community doesn't see what's going on out here, they're always going to be playing in this environment, and it's not fair to our children."
Among the trash lying around the ball park, Fuller said she found something that made her even more angry.
"I found a marijuana joint laying in the field about five feet away from kids playing t-ball," Fuller said.
"It's heartbreaking to spend most of our lives teaching our kids to stay away from drugs, and then drugs are here in the park where our kids spend all their time playing," Fuller said.
Fuller said if the city doesn't step up to clean the area, she's considering doing it herself and perhaps enlisting other concerned parents on Action 4's Facebook page to help out.
The director of Harlingen Parks and Recreation said crews clean up the trash at least twice a week, and they've even put a retainer fence around the park to keep trash from nearby HEB and Kmart parking lots from getting through.
As for the drugs apparently found, Harlingen Police encourage you to call them immediately if you find drugs in a public place.
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