Blue Summit residents tackle illegal dumping with laughter and light

JACKSON COUNTY, Mo. (KCTV) - In Blue Summit—an unincorporated pocket of Jackson County just east of Kansas City—the roads are lined with more than traffic and trees.

Trash bags, plastic bottles, even an old mattress mark the entrance to a neighborhood fed up with being overlooked.

“It sucks. It really does, especially when we have caught them,” Tracie Rice, Blue Summit resident, said.

Because Blue Summit is unincorporated, it lacks a city government or a dedicated police force. Residents rely on Jackson County for , but many say the response has been lacking—especially when it comes to one basic thing, lighting.

“When I approached Jackson County about street lights, I was told Jackson County has never put street lights up in any area of unincorporated – it’s just not heard of,” Rice said. “But you know, there comes a time when things have to change.”

In the daytime, the problem is obvious. Piles of trash are scattered across lots and curbsides. But under the cover of darkness that is where the dumping often happens—when streets are pitch black and there’s little chance of being caught.

Residents say it’s been happening for decades. And while plastic and paper waste are common, sometimes the dumping takes a surreal turn.

“I actually heard of a report recently where someone literally just dropped a boat in the middle of the street and just drove off,” Jacob Collins, a local stand-up comedian, said.

Collins recently helped organize a comedy fundraiser with an unconventional goal: raising money to buy street lights for the neighborhood.

“Have a laugh at people. Forget about their problems. Raise awareness, and we get money, money coming in,” he said.

Rice says they’ll need at least 13 lights to cover the most important areas.

“(Solar street lights) start at $600 and they go up over $1,000 and we need at least 13, if not more,” she said.

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