LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Do you remember the story I did a few weeks ago about illegal dumping concerns in empty lots from a viewer in Centennial Hills?
Viewer Beatris wrote: "I live in Providence and notice a lot more dumping in the empty desert lots by where I live. It's so frustrating, people thinking our beautiful desert landscape is a dump. It's home to a lot of wildlife. If you could look into this I would really appreciate it."
WATCH | Northwest viewer grateful for Channel 13's help resolving illegal dumping issue
When I checked out a couple of the lots she mentioned — especially one to the south of Knickerbocker Park — I saw several piles of what appeared to be drywall and insulation, bricks and even an old couch.
Northwest Las Vegas
Illegal dumping on empty lots frustrates Northwest Las Vegas locals
I took Beatris' concerns straight to the city of Las Vegas, who told me they'd look into it and clean up all the trash.
Less than a week after the story ran on May 21, the same city spokesperson followed up with me to let me know that public works crews cleaned up the lots on May 26.
I came out on Friday to check it out for myself, and sure enough the lot was clean — no more drywall and no more couch!
In the days following, Beatris, the viewer who initially reached out to me about the illegal dumping, followed up with me in another email too to thank us for our help: "I just want to say thank you! Because of your attention to the illegal dumping in the desert, it finally got cleaned up! I was so happy this morning walking my dog seeing all the trash was gone. Thank you so much for doing this for our community and desert wildlife!"
Beatris, you're welcome — we're happy to help!
I spent the rest of the day on Friday talking to several Northwest Las Vegas locals, most of whom didn't want to go on camera, but told me they see a ton of illegal dumping in empty lots across Centennial Hills — a few folks even knew the exact spot we helped get cleaned up, and were thrilled to hear it was taken care of.
One of the people I spoke with was longtime Las Vegas local Robin DeGrange, and while she told me she doesn't see too much illegal dumping in her neighborhood, it's still a super frustrating thing.
"People shouldn't do that, there are places that you can take that stuff," Robin told me. "But out here, they're normally really good."
Robin was happy to hear that we helped a neighborhood get their illegal dumping problem fixed: "That's amazing, yeah! Especially with the city and everything going on right now, that's great!"
More than anything, Robin and all the Northwest locals I spoke with tell me it comes down to respecting our land, and calling it in if you see a bunch of trash on an empty lot.
"It's good to respect the land," Robin said. "That way it makes it better for those who live around it."
The city of Las Vegas tells me if you see any illegal dumping in your neighborhood — or you have any other infrastructure or safety concerns — you can file an online "SeeClickFix" request, and a staffer will get on it right away.
You can file a "SeeClickFix" request with the city of Las Vegas by clicking here.
Is there something going on here in the Northwest valley that you think I should know about? Send me an email: Guy@KTNV.com.
