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County proposal would impound empty newsracks

Clark County might end up cracking down on empty newsracks outside the Strip corridor.

Commissioners introduced an ordinance Tuesday that would allow the county to impound newsracks that stay empty.

Under the proposal, the county’s public works staff would put a notice on a newsrack after it is empty for five consecutive days. The county could then impound the newsrack, which is considered abandoned, if the owner hasn’t contacted the county and the newsrack is still empty five days later.

Owners would be notified by certified mail of the impounding.

Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani, who is seeking the change, said her district has a problem with abandoned newsracks, many of them with graffitti and no apparent owner.

This ordinance would give the county a process for addressing that issue, she said.

Areas with empty, abandoned newsracks include Maryland Parkway and Industrial Road, she said.

Barry Smith, executive director of the Nevada Press Association, said there should be a way for the county to remove abandoned newsracks, but added that the five-day time frame for the notices may be problematic for newsracks that offer biweekly or monthly publications.

The measure still faces a vote in October, after owners have a chance to provide a business impact statement to the county with feedback.

County officials in May decided to put a uniform system of county-owned newsracks in place on the Strip, where permits are required. Those newsracks will have a rounded top that will prevent pedestrians from putting beer bottles on top of them.

That change is planned to start in early 2015.

The county already has a process in place for removing abandoned newsracks on the Strip.

Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 702-405-9781. Find him on Twitter: @BenBotkin1.

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