Turn to Ted: Neighborhood fighting giant weeds in city-owned ditch

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- All Betty Sadler wanted was to be able to see past her fence again.

"We've called for two months and we've written letters and nothing," Sadler told us.

She says this city-of-Houston-owned ditch didn't just have high weeds, it was a forest of brush and pests. Betty said there was all kinds of trash back there and she couldn't go in her back yard because of the smell.

She has neighbors across the way but can't see them anymore.

She killed a snake back there last week too.

How?

"With a hoe," she said.

Done.

She wrote letters. She made calls. Nothing worked.

Until she wrote us. "The mosquitoes are having a haven... the weeds are at least 25 feet tall."

"Within less than 24 hours it was done," Sadler said.

By the time we got out to talk to Betty, not too long after we called the city, the work had been finished. The only sign of those high weeds was the brush left over as the tractors did their thing.

It's important to remember two things: don't assume your neighbor is calling in on problems like these. Submit them to 311 and follow up.

Second: the city says it is mowing less all over the city because of budget cuts. Betty says she's feeling those impacts. If you have a problem, let us know about it.

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