When information is just a Google search away, it might be surprising that some locals called police Monday to report their recycling bins had been taken.

The alleged culprit: Waste Management.

On Monday, the city said multiple residents called to report the “thefts.” Some folks likely returned home from work Monday afternoon to confusion about the disappearance of their recycling bin. However, those “thefts” were almost certainly the result of an ongoing switch to a new recycling provider. From now until July 3, Waste Management will collect recycling bins after they have been emptied on a resident’s specified collection day.

City officials say blue carts from Republic Services will be delivered the following day.

From now until July 3, Waste Management will collect recycling bins after they have been emptied on a resident’s specified collection day. City officials say blue carts from Republic Services will be delivered the following day, with services set to begin July 6 under the new provider.

Sometimes, decisions by public officials, even at the local level, seem distant and unrelated to daily life. But the recycling switch is a case where it’s important to be informed about what’s going on in your community. Not everyone in Salisbury lives in a place where recycling bins can be rolled to the street, but an overwhelming number of locals will be affected by the switch, which the city has publicized and the Post has written about from start to finish.

Notably, the cost to recycle is going up by nearly $1 per month.

People have increasingly turned to Facebook as their primary source of news, but its algorithms don’t seem likely to ensure everyone who “likes” the city of Salisbury’s page see information about the recycling switch between bits of false and misleading information.

The best and most complete package of local news and information about what’s happening in Salisbury and Rowan County remains the Salisbury Post — whether in print edition or online. There are other options like visiting various local government websites, scrolling through individual social media pages and/or calling around to find someone who knows why your street hasn’t been fixed after years of waiting (we’re looking at Fourth Street in Spencer and Newsome Road in Salisbury). Getting involved in a civic group is another good way to stay informed in addition to serving the community. But some people don’t have time to do that amid busy schedules. Sometimes those options miss out on important bits of news.

Whatever the method, stay connected, interested and engaged in what’s going on in the community.