Monday morning, Carter County Commissioner Charles Von Cannon, as he headed down Blevins Road which runs along the Watauga River, saw something he didn’t like.

According to Von Cannon, 17 tires had been dumped on the side of the road on the bank of the river. The tires started at the roadside and spread all the way down to the river’s edge, with some of the tires even making their way into the river.

The tires have since, at the Carter County taxpayer’s expense, been removed and discarded by the Carter County Sheriff’s Department.

However, even though the tires have been removed, a problem still looms in the county, said Von Cannon.

“Nothing seems to phase these people,” said Von Cannon. “. . . Generally, they roll them one or two into the river.

“We need people to have pride in their community, and this wasn’t pride,” said Von Cannon.

When it comes to the issues of tires being dumped illegally, Von Cannon said the problem could possibly be remedied if the county hosted a free tire day at the Carter County Landfill, where people bring tires to be discarded at no cost. Von Cannon said that even though the event would cost the county money, it would be better than having the sheriff’s department come out to remove the tires, which also costs money.