Convenience Big Store: Houston may charge $5 for trash. Will that be enough?

May 7, 2026

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🌦️ Temperature check: High of 77; low of 69. Forecast: If you thought today was going to be a washout, think again. Here's when we might get showers.

Good morning, Houston.

Here's what you should know to start your day:

Need to know: If you get a letter from the “State of Texas Traffic Division” over a traffic citation, throw it away. Wait, do this first.
Top of the chart: The most-read story on our site yesterday continues to be about the murder-suicide of Thy Mitchell and her family. The county medical examiner confirmed the deaths of Mitchell and her husband. Meanwhile, the Montrose restaurants the couple owned will operate normal business hours. And though HPD has not identified any of the victims, the city's restaurant community has expressed its shock over the deaths.

Here's the rest of the news.

1

Houston Mayor John Whitmire speaks about his proposed 2027 budget and a new trash fee proposal during a presentation at City Hall in Houston, Tuesday, May 5, 2026.

Houston may charge $5 for trash. A city study said it needs more.

With all this talk about Mayor John Whitmire's plan to charge Houston residents $5 a month for trash pickup, one question comes to mind: Will that amount be enough to solve our problems?

Short answer, no. That's according to a city-commissioned study on how to improve Houston’s beleaguered solid waste system.

Abby Church and Mike Morris have the details on what residential customers should pay per month, but let's just say it's nowhere near $5.

You also might have heard plans for this proposed $5 fee to go up every few years. City Finance Director Melissa Dubowski said Wednesday the fee would then increase incrementally to $25 per month by 2032. The mayor, though, has stopped short of committing to future increases.

2

Texas is increasingly losing primary care doctors as they turn to concierge care.

More family doctors are moving to concierge medicine, asking patients to pay more so they can get transformative healthcare, writes columnist Chris Tomlinson.

3

EPA orders cleanup of a toxic waste superfund site in the San Jacinto River.

After years of delays, a new EPA order is commanding two companies to begin hauling dioxin-filled waste from a Superfund site in the San Jacinto riverbed.

4

Officials search Lee Gilley's home, who fled the U.S. to avoid a murder trial.

Gilley had fled to Italy to avoid prosecution ahead of his murder trial scheduled for June.

5

The Supreme Court made it easy to silence Black voters. It’s time to push back.

Houston voting rights activist Annie Johnson Benifield watched her mother cast her first ballot in her 50s. Now the Supreme Court is eroding that right, writes columnist Joy Sewing.

6

The second-hottest race in Texas? How about Chip Roy vs. Mayes Middleton?

With over $24 million spent on television ads so far, it's the second-most-expensive race in Texas.

7

Exclusive: Guyana president talks Exxon, Chevron and oil ambitions.

Mohamed Irfaan Ali spoke exclusively to the Chronicle about Guyana’s relationship with Houston energy giants Exxon and Chevron and the country's oil future.

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🍴 Bao’s Review

**

Restaurant critic Bao Ong gave Grace's Cafe two out of four stars in his latest review.

What to order: Oxtail, curry chicken, curry goat, jerk chicken, beef patties

Prices: $18-$26 entrees, $4 patties

⚾ Sports

Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. looks back at the scoreboard as he walks off the field after being pulled in the third inning of an MLB baseball game on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.

Photo by: Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle

Astros: Lance McCullers Jr. was chased during the third inning amid a wild outing as the Astros dropped the rubber game of the series against Los Angeles. Also, after two rocky minor-league rehab starts, right-hander Tatsuya Imai will make his next start in a major-league game with the team. We also have the latest on what's next for the team now that Carlos Correa is out for the season.
Cougars: The NCAA is allowing commercial logos on jerseys starting Aug.1 and for UH that could mean a new revenue stream.
Texans: The team signed 12 rookie free agents after the draft. We assess their chances of making the roster.
Rockets: The Warriors' Draymond Green took a dig at Charles Barkley for his final years with the Rockets, but Chuck, although not in great shape, actually still was good on those teams.
High Schools: Who was Houston’s top high school athlete this week? Tell us which athlete in the girls and boys brackets you think deserves the title of Houston Chronicle Athlete of the Week.

🗣️ Opinion

Regardless of Camp Mystic’s decision not to open this summer, camp officials and those affected can and should seize this moment for a vulnerable, probing discussion into what can make summer camp safe and special for all, writes Larry Schooler, an assistant professor of communication studies at the University of Texas.
"Before reaching into our pockets, the city must prove it can manage its existing resources," writes Gary Ruby in a letter to the editor regarding the mayor's proposed $5 trash fee.

Real Estate Roundup

In April, the city gained buzzy restaurants like mortadella sandwich shop La Rosa and Japanese izakaya Toga. Here’s our list of 16 food- and drink-focused spots that launched in or around Houston last month.
Breaking ground in Houston: Texas’ only standalone St. Regis penthouses start construction near Memorial Park, with all already sold years before the 38-story project completes.
PlaceMKR has acquired Rankin Yards, a 50-acre campus in north Houston's bustling industrial corridor, as the region's advanced manufacturing sector grows.
NewQuest has purchased more than 18 acres along a growing corridor in north Katy with plans to build a mix of retail space and apartments near a major youth sports complex.

You might be wondering, will the NRG Stadium roof be open or closed for the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

I'll give you one guess.

Whether it's open or closed might not be much of a surprise compared to why the decision was made. Let's just say our climate played a role in the decision.