Beginning Saturday, May 18th, the 2013 Bartlett Station Farmers Market will get underway at Freeman Park.

Nestled among the shady pines of one the best municipal parks in Tennessee, the 2013 Bartlett Station Farmers Market offers residents access to locally grown, sustainable, fresh produce and value-added products.  

The market will be open through October 26, from 7:00 am until Noon each Saturday.  The market is a volunteer-driven, not-for-profit, family and nutrition-oriented gather place.  The vendors have an incredible variety of fruits and vegetables, with some tasty heirloom strains, jellies, plants, flowers, baked goods, seafood, artisan coffee, fresh chips and dips, fresh squeezed strawberry lemonade, and so much more!  

There will also be educational and entertaining programs throughout the season.

The City of Lakeland and Republic Services will co-sponsor a special waste collection day Saturday, May 4 between the hours of 9 am and 2 pm. The purpose of the special waste collection day is to provide residents of Lakeland an opportunity to dispose of extra stored up garbage from their garages and back yards.

This year the following items will be collected:

*Household Trash

*Bulky Trash such as discarded furniture, desks, tables, chairs

* Electronic Waste such as fluorescents, monitors, computers, printers, cell phones, batteries, (No televisions please)

* Metal

*Yard Waste

 *Automobile Tires with a maximum limit of 4. (Please remove rims)

*White Goods (washers, dryers, no refrigerators or A/Cs)

*Construction Debris (residential only)

The Shelby County Health Department (SCHD), in collaboration with other local organizations, will encourage youth to take a stand against big tobacco companies and educate their peers about the importance of not smoking on Kick Butts Day, Wednesday, March 20.

Kick Butts Day is a national day of activism which empowers youth to stand out, speak up and seize control against big tobacco companies. Health officials want to raise awareness of the tobacco problem, encourage youth to stay tobacco-free and urge strong action to protect kids from tobacco.

Representatives from the health department will be at the following locations on Wednesday, March 20, to distribute information and tips on smoking cessation:

• Benjamin Hooks Library
3030 Poplar Ave.
10 a.m. to noon

• University of Memphis-University Center
499 University
1 p.m.