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with the Mafia over control of the city's commercial trash collection...

may be only a matter of months away as a referendum will be held soon on whether to dissolve the city government.

In the last part of Morning Edition's February series on what makes a city great, NPR's Susan Stamberg hears how a rich cultural mix, great shopping, and exotic food made people head to London and Amsterdam in droves -- in the 1600's. She speaks with author and historian Simon Schama about the color -- and the dreck, drugs and drink -- of these great cities three centuries ago.

An exhibit called "Petra, Lost City of Stone" is opening at the American Museum of Natural History. The city of Petra, cut into the cliffs of what is now Jordan, was a great trading crossroads of the ancient world. Hear NPR's Steve Inskeep and Craig Morris, co-curator of an exhibit.

In a Facebook post, Francis Zamora, the mayor of San Juan City, said providing the free shoes was fulfilling a dream of his. The sneakers are red and white, with the city logo.

A Chinese city set the record for the most women to participate in a parade while wearing bikinis. Over the weekend, Ocean City, Md., set out to break the record of 1,085 — but fell far short at 325. Organizers blame the rainy weather for holding down turnout.

City Lights, the West Coast bookstore of the Beat Generation and American alternative culture turns 50 on June 8. Commentator Andrei Codrescu offers a poem, paying homage to a San Francisco icon and to City Lights founder Lawrence Ferlinghetti.

Savannah, Ga., called "the Little Easy" for its charm and hospitality, is grappling with a stubborn poverty rate. The city is determined to confront its problem.

Fast-growing cities are often riddled with violence, drug trafficking and unemployment. Security researcher Robert Muggah explains how some cities are using new approaches to address these problems.

As Albuquerque's mayor, Richard Berry tried a new approach to addressing panhandling: offering work and connecting homeless with city services. He says it's a more humane option more cities can try.