City plans for leaf vacuums to be in full force by early November

JACKSON, Tenn. — Homeowners across the Hub City may have noticed a trademark of fall filling lawns.

With each crunch-filled step across the yard, it’s almost a sure sign yard work could be in your future.

“The leaves are steady falling and me and my kids are planning on getting out here and raking the yard and the backyard,” Jackson homeowner Denise Herron said.

It’s no secret fall is in the air — actually, it’s more like on the ground these days thanks to less than seasonal temperatures.

The city of Jackson’s health and sanitation department said its leaf vacuums will begin showing up over the next few weeks before operating at full force around Nov. 1.

“They’ll come around and vacuum them up for you. I think they’d like for them to be in the curb,” homeowner Cecil Wilco said.

The city recommends raking leaves to the edge of your property. They said it’s best to leave them out of the street to avoid clogging storm drains.

Health and sanitation staff said bagging leaves could also speed up the pickup process.

Herron said her advice is simple — make yard work fun for the family and invest in a leaf blower, “because it saves you time and energy,” she said.

Debris should be kept separate from leaf piles, according to the city, to avoid delays in pickup.

Once the four leaf vacuum trucks are fully operating, the city said they will post a daily schedule online for where the trucks will be working.