Garbage Truck Hero

Melanie A. Lasoff

When Atlanta deejay Randy Cook blew a tire on the highway early one August morning, his morning show sidekick offered four free Atlanta Braves tickets to the first listener who could find the deejay and bring him to the studio. Enter sanitation worker Mike Cwik from Houston-based Waste Management Inc.'s North Fulton County, Ga. office, who pulled up and offered the stranded deejay a ride on one condition: "We have to make a few stops first," he said.

First, Cwik finished picking up the garbage on his route, delivered the deejay safe and sound, then collected his reward.

Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Trashy Cops The north German city of Hannover is taking back its untidy streets by hiring a "posse of uniformed rubbish sheriffs" to track down owners of overflowing garbage bins. When they find one, the cops search the garbage for identification, such as an envelope with the name and address of the tenant, and use that information to warn or fine the offender. The litter bugs can be fined up to 300 Marks, or $163.

Source: Reuters