FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sheriff's Office Offers FREE Shredding Event

Plus the DEA Conducts Prescription Drug Take Back

Free Shred Day and prescription drug take back day will be on Saturday, April 30, 2011

The Newport News Sheriff's Office wants to protect citizens against identity theft by offering a FREE Shred Day event on April 30th from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Farmers Market in Southeast Newport News (corner of Jefferson Avenue and 29th Street). Thieves rummage through trash in a practice known as "dumpster diving" looking for bills or other paper with personal information on it. By destroying important documents, you protect yourself from being victimized. Start now to gather up all the papers you want shred.

Also, it's time to clean out your medicine cabinet of all the old, outdated, no-longer needed prescription medications that have been piling up. The Drug Enforcement Agency, or DEA, is joining the Shred Day to hold its Prescription Drug Take Back at the same location on the same day from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There are two good reasons to get rid of unwanted medications. First, you want to keep them out of the hands of children, teenagers, or their friends who have access to unlocked cabinets. Second, you can avoid polluting the local water supply by having a professional dispose of the medications rather that dumping them down the drain or flushing them down toilet. Besides the south district drop off, the DEA will also be at Sentara Port Warwick and Grissom Public Library on the same day and time.

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