Area Briefing, May 14-20

CITY LAUNCHES OFFICE TO MAKE
PARKING ISSUES EASIER TO RESOLVE

As part of the city of Las Vegas’ efforts to make parking more convenient, a new office at Las Vegas City Hall, 500 S. Main St., will provide a one-stop shop for parking-related issues.

The parking office, inside City Hall’s garage, allows residents to pay parking citations, file appeals, obtain parking permits or handle any parking-related issues in the city quickly and efficiently.

In the past, residents with parking issues had to park and then cross Main Street and enter City Hall to deal with them.

The new parking services center focuses on cutting down on wait time for customers. Hours are 7:30 a.m. to
5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

For more information, call 702-229-4700 or visit lasvegasnevada.gov/parking.

CAMPAIGN TARGETS ILLEGAL DUMPING

Clark County commissioners and several partners unveiled the Keep Clark County Clean campaign May 2 to boost awareness about illegal dumping and littering.

In advance of the summer flood season, county commissioners and area agencies are seeking the public’s help to eliminate litter from streets, sidewalks and neighborhoods and to stop illegal dumping on vacant lots and desert areas.

Campaign partners include the Clark County Regional Flood Control District, the Clark County Water Reclamation District, the Southern Nevada Health District, the Las Vegas Valley Water District, Republic Services and Outdoor Promotions Inc.

Discarded cardboard boxes, plastic shopping bags, fast-food containers, illegally dumped tree branches, bushes and construction debris get washed into flood control channels and add to cleanup issues after a storm, officials said. The county spends more than $2.2 million a year cleaning up such trash.

As part of the campaign, billboards posted at 30 area bus shelters encourage the public to report illegal dumping to the Southern Nevada Health District by calling 702-759-0600 or filling out a complaint form at southernnevada
healthdistrict.org. Residents in unincorporated Clark County can report complaints to the county’s public response office at 702-455-4191 or fill out a form at clarkcountynv.gov. Residents also can report a dumping in progress by calling 311.

The campaign includes a new section on the county’s website that deals with how and where to report illegal dumping. The section has a list of transfer stations and landfill locations and guidelines on what can be picked up curbside or disposed of at drop-off sites as part of Republic Services’ household hazardous waste program.

For more information, visit paininthedrain.com.

NEVADA ATTORNEY GENERAL
TO DISCUSS SENIOR SCAMS

A free lecture on senior scams to be presented by Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto is slated for 1:30 to 3 p.m. May 22 at Las Ventanas, 10401 W. Charleston Blvd. Residents must reserve a spot by calling 702-789-7487.

AARP PLANS DRIVER SAFETY CLASS

An AARP driver safety class is planned from 11:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 21 at H2U MountainView Office, 3150 N. Tenaya Way, Suite 114.

The cost is $12 for AARP members and $14 for nonmembers.

Attendees who complete the class may be eligible for an automobile insurance discount.

For more information, call 702-255-5404.

DAY SHELTER FOR HOMELESS MEN
OPENS FOR THE SEASON

Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada’s summer day shelter for men was scheduled to open May 1 with the help of a grant from Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition’s Committee on Homelessness.

The shelter can accommodate 100 occupants at a time. Showers, bathroom facilities and cold water are available, and a meal is provided free at 10 a.m. in Catholic Charities’ St. Vincent Lied Dining Facility, 1502 N. Main St. The shelter’s hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. It is scheduled to close for the season Sept. 30.

The night shelter accommodates 160 men and is open year-round from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily.

Both shelters are part of the Catholic Charities Donald W. Reynolds St. Vincent Plaza, 1501 Las Vegas Blvd. North.

Catholic Charities outreach case managers work with the homeless men who stay in the day and night shelters and with homeless people who are living on the street around the perimeter of the Catholic Charities campus. The case managers provide information about programs available through Catholic Charities to encourage them to end their homelessness.

For more information, visit catholiccharities.com.

COURT CASE INFORMATION
AVAILABLE ONLINE

Those looking for information about Las Vegas Municipal Court cases can now find it at lasvegasnevada.gov/courtsearch.

Site visitors can enter a case number to obtain case history, fines that are owed and upcoming court dates. Available information also includes violations, defendants’ names and a listing of any other open cases a defendant may have in municipal court.

The new feature is the first phase of a plan to make court records and documents more accessible while increasing convenience. In the past, defendants had to appear in person at the municipal court counter inside the Regional Justice Center, 200 Lewis Ave., to obtain copies of case information.

AMNESTY PROGRAM BEGINS
FOR RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION

Southern Nevada building departments are encouraging homeowners to participate in an amnesty program during May that waives penalties on self-disclosed residential construction conducted without permits.

During the amnesty, which coincides with Building Safety Month, homeowners in Clark County and the cities of Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas will be subject to paying regular fees for permits, inspections and plan reviews but not penalties. Fees for residential-related construction range from $60 to more than $400.

The primary goal of the amnesty is to encourage safety and self-disclosure of nonpermitted work and obtain compliance. The most common residential projects built on residential property without the necessary permits are garage conversions, room additions, patio covers and water heater installations, building officials said.

To apply for the amnesty program, a homeowner must first contact the building department in the jurisdiction where the home is located to obtain the necessary permit forms. The homeowner must also take part in a five-minute educational training session regarding the building permit process.

Government locations are:

n The Clark County Building Department’s Permit Application Center, 4701 W. Russell Road, 702-455-3000 or clarkcountynv.gov.

n The Las Vegas Building and Safety Department in the Development Services Center, 333 N. Rancho Drive, 702-229-6251 or lasvegasnevada.gov.

n The Henderson Community Development and Services Department, Division of Building and Fire Safety in the Development Services Center at Henderson City Hall, 240 S. Water St., 702-267-3600 or cityofhenderson.com.

n The North Las Vegas Permit Application Center at North Las Vegas City Hall, 2250 Las Vegas Blvd. North, 702-633-1577 or cityofnorthlasvegas.com.

RED CROSS SEEKS VOLUNTEERS
TO HELP TRANSPORT BLOOD

The American Red Cross said it needs volunteers to help transport blood from collection sites to processing centers and local hospitals.

Couriers must drive and be dependable, read and follow maps and work well with others.

The American Red Cross relies on 500,000 volunteers who represent 94 percent of the American Red Cross’ workforce nationwide.

For more information, contact Vickie Morgan at 801-892-4011 or
vickie.morgan@redcross.org.

ANNUAL FLOAT-LIKE-A-DUCK EVENT
TO PROMOTE DROWNING PREVENTION

Floating lessons for kids and water safety tips will be available during Paragon Pools’ 10th annual Float Like A Duck event, set for 1 to 4 p.m. May 25 at the Bill & Lillie Heinrich YMCA Water Sports Park, 4141 Meadows Lane.

The event is slated to feature exhibits, hands-on activities, floating classes, open swimming and appearances by Las Vegas Mayor Pro Tem Stavros Anthony and local news personalities Ted Pretty, Heidi Hayes and Bryan Scofield.

Las Vegas Fire & Rescue plans to have a firetruck on display. Paragon Pools water safety mascot Duckie and the Metropolitan Police Department’s McGruff the Crime Dog also are scheduled to attend the free event. Participants younger than 18 must be accompanied by a parent.

For more information, visit paragonpoolslv.com/floatlikeaduck
watersafety.htm.