Pick-up requests more than typical
The backlog of requests for city workers to collect large piles of limbs is more than double the usual amount this time of year, according to a recent memorandum sent to the Little Rock Board of Directors.
As of July 8, there were 801 addresses in the city's 311 system requesting service for what the city calls "knuckleboom pick-ups." An in-field review to verify that the piles still needed to be picked up showed that there was actually a backlog of just 437 addresses as of July 11. Still, that's well above the normal backlog of 150 to 200 addresses this time of year, City Manager Bruce Moore wrote in the memo.
Moore said it typically takes solid waste workers about two weeks to pick up 150 to 200 large limb piles.
"Request numbers fluctuate with weather patterns, and large limb piles are much more prevalent following high winds and storms as Little Rock has recently experienced," Moore said.
Crews are working overtime to address the unusually large backlog of pick-up requests. The city has three trucks available for collections, and each truck can handle 12 to 15 locations per day, though that is dependent upon size of the pile and access.
Collection of other large items such as a large volume of trash, couches, mattresses and bulky items are called "on-call collections." Workers can schedule about 200 of those calls per day. As of July 9, there were 142 locations scheduled for on-call pick-ups. That is running on schedule with this time of year, Moore said.
3 cities are strict on boarded homes
Three Southern cities reviewed by Little Rock's housing staff have more requirements in their standards for boarding up and securing vacant housing than Arkansas' capital does.
A review of Atlanta, New Orleans and Memphis showed that all three jurisdictions require that the interior of a vacant dwelling be cleaned prior to it being boarded. Two limit how long a property can be boarded up and secured.
Little Rock City Manager Bruce Moore sent the Board of Directors a memorandum on the housing staff's review following a request from a city director for staff to look into requiring property owners to paint boards to match the exterior of the home.
Several city directors agreed that when vacant homes are boarded up for an extended period of time, it would be beneficial to the neighborhood if the boards were painted to be more visually appealing. New Orleans requires that all boarding correspond to the color of the existing structure.
Moore wrote in the memo that Little Rock staff paints boards to match the house "as much as possible" when they board and secure a property, but the city doesn't require property owners to do that when the owners are made to board a structure.
"I will convene a meeting with Housing and Neighborhood Programs, Planning and Development and City Attorney staff to determine improvements to our current ordinance," Moore said
Bureau hosts 5th Restaurant Month
August has been dubbed "Restaurant Month" in Little Rock.
The Convention and Visitors Bureau is hosting its fifth Restaurant Month this year. Participating restaurants will offer discounts and specials all month long. Details will be posted on DineLR.com beginning Aug. 1. The website instructs visitors to check back frequently for weekly deals.
The promotion coincides with the end of summer and return to school by celebrating the city's diverse restaurant community, organizers said.
Young kids invited to sleepover at zoo
The Little Rock Zoo is hosting an overnight sleepover for families with young children the second weekend in August.
Designed just for families with children ages 6 through 12, the Snore and Soar is from 6 p.m. Aug. 8 to 9 a.m. Aug. 9. A guardian must accompany the children.
Participants are asked to bring a tent and sleeping bag to sleep under the stars and get a behind-the-scenes tour of the zoo at dark. There are optional sleeping quarters inside. The program is booked on a first-come, first-served basis and space is limited. The deadline to reserve a spot is Friday.
Tickets are $35 per person, or $29.75 for zoo members. Spots can be reserved by calling the zoo at 501-666-2406.
Metro on 07/27/2014