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    Your tax dollars at work

    It's hard to recycle when the city of Houston won't pick it up

    Clifford Pugh
    Sep 22, 2010 | 9:01 am

     UPDATE: Solid waste division workers finally made it to our neighborhood Wednesday. And for those who asked, we took our friend's beloved deceased dog to the emergency room at Gulf Coast Veterinary Center, where she made arrangements to have her precious pooch creamated.

    -----------------------

    Houston has an abysmal national reputation as a city that doesn't recycle, but my Montrose neighborhood is pretty good at it.

    We save our junk mail, wash out tin and plastic and pick up occasional stray aluminum cans on the side of the road for recycling. Every other Monday, we faithfully put our green city of Houston bins full of recyclables out on the sidewalk for pickup.

    This week, we're still waiting for them to be emptied.

    On day three, the streets are looking unusually bedraggled with forlorn bins filled with soggy papers. Thankfully, some of the area's homeless have picked through the bins and removed the aluminum cans so they can earn a little loose change.

    It's been reported to the city's 311 number, where the person who answered the phone said the solid waste division is probably just behind in their work and they'll probably get to it in a few days. A call to the mayor's liason for solid waste was not immediately returned Wednesday morning.

    I guess it could be worse.

    A friend's 70-pound dog died unexpectedly on Sunday at her home and her vet's office was closed. She called the city and was told to wrap the dog and leave it in front of her house and it would be picked up — in one to three days.

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    news/city-life

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    Shaquille O'Neal Ninfa's Uptown
    Courtesy of Ninfa's
    Shaquille O'Neal had lunch at Ninfa's Uptown.

    Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Houston news of the week, starting with a surprise visit — and big tip — from Shaq. Plus, Houston ranks among America's most overpriced cities, and rents rise in Sugar Land. Get the details on our most popular stories below, then find the best things to do this weekend here.

    1. Shaquille O'Neal leaves $1,000 tip at Houston Tex-Mex institution. NBA Hall of Famer and media personality Shaquille O’Neal surprised the crowd at The Original Ninfa’s Uptown when he stopped by for lunch, posing for pics and leaving a very big tip.

    2. Veteran Houston bartender shakes up the Heights with new tropical bar. The woman behind your favorite bartender’s favorite bar has quietly opened a new cocktail spot in the Heights. Called Berwick’s Birds of Paradise, it’s the latest project from Double Trouble owner Robin Berwick.

     Berwick's Birds of Paradise bar Robin Berwick Owner Robin Berwick took inspiration from hotel bars for BBOP.  Photo by Vivian Leba  

    3. Houston is one of America's most overpriced cities, study finds. In what may come as a surprise to some local residents, a new study ranks Houston among the 10 most overpriced cities in America.

    4. This Houston suburb had the highest apartment rent prices in June. Apartment rent prices in June were more expensive in Sugar Land than anywhere else in Houston, according to the latest monthly rent report from Zumper.

    5. Houston influencer opens an antiques-filled boutique hotel in Montrose. 109 Stratford Street in Historic East Avondale has recently opened as a nine-room boutique hotel, The Marlene Inn, from owner and Instagram influencer Lily Barfield.

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