Last week, an Ironton woman appeared in front of Lawrence Municipal Judge Kevin Waldo and pleaded guilty to littering.

Whitney Waulk was accused of dumping trash at the Lawrence Furnace Cemetery.

The trash was reported by an elderly man who said the dumpsite was within 50 feet of his wife’s grave.

What Waulk did was unconscionable and, after being caught, she was rightfully prosecuted, receiving a sentence of 30 days jail suspended and ordered to complete 60 hours of community service and pay a $500 fine, court costs and probation costs.

She was also given 30 days to clean up the property.

Sadly, this is not an isolated case. Far too many people illegally dump trash in our area.

It shows an utter lack of pride in the community and is disrespectful to all who live here.

And in addition to illegal dumping, there is the problem of people misusing recycling bins, put in place by the Lawrence Scioto County Solid Waste Management District.

We commend authorities for prosecuting those who engage in this behavior to the fullest extent of the law.

There is no excuse for it and, hopefully, the case at Lawrence Furnace Cemetery will serve as a warning to deter others from doing the same.