South Tacoma's Edison Neighborhood will hold its fourth annual cleanup from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 25.

This is cause for tons of rejoicing among activists who have coordinated the event with the City of Tacoma. The city will provide the containers and haul them away for free.

Here's how it works: Residents of single-family homes or duplexes between South 56th and 66th streets between Oakes and Washington streets can bring their pesky junk to Edison Elementary School, 5830 S, Pine St., and have it hauled away for free. They must also bring a proof of residence. A driver's license or utility bill will do the trick.

Volunteers will help recycle, and Tacoma Goodwill will be there to rescue items that still have life in them. Goodwill also can recycle televisions and computers.

Some stuff can't be accepted: Cars, motorcycles, boats, campers, canopies, trailers, RVs, whole or in pieces. Business materials. Household garbage. Liquids, paints, hazardous waste, dead animals riding mowers and oil-based products.

Volunteers are welcome to go on trash patrol and help haul for folks who are physically unable to do so. Andy Mordhorst is coordinating the assistance. Call him at 253-475-8416.

The Federal Aviation Adimistration just released its database on bird strikes.

Washington saw more than 1,400 since 1990. There were 134 last year.

The FAA cautions, however, that they think only about 20 percent are being reported.

That would mean there were really about 7,000 in the last 19 years.

Addendum:

Another reporter on a listserv for computer-geek journalists spotted this description deep in the national data:

"Gotta love the 5 green iguana strikes, like INDEX_ID=114998: “REPTD BY PILOT WHO WAS NOT INVOLVED IN STRIKE. BUT RAN OVER THE CARCASS”."