Where does my money go when I pay a Speeding Ticket?
Each time you pay a traffic ticket or face other accusations in a municipal court, you incur three types of charges: fines, fees and costs. Fines = the monetary punishment for your offense. These go to the municipality in which the offense occurred. Fees = are for specific purposes or state programs. Local Court Costs = here is what, according to some, make traffic tickets so expensive. This money goes directly to the municipality that hosts the court to pay for court operations (mostly salaries, benefits and supplies.) Court users who face minor traffic offenses are a HUGE source of revenue for municipal courts. Do you have a Las Vegas Speeding Ticket? Call (702) 382-2000 today! No points. No Traffic School. No...
New Rules for Fremont Street Performers?
It took months of debate before Las Vegas council members finally agreed they weren’t ready to adopt ordinances that would restrict where and when “buskers” could perform on Fremont street. The proposed rules would have limited the performers’s acts to specific “performance zones” for two hours at a time per person or act. During the public comment portion of this debate, more than a dozen street performers argued against the proposed ordinance; they claimed it would threaten their livlihood. The proposed performance zones would have also been patrolled by the Fremont Street Experience LLC, a privately held company which maintains the city-owned mall. Performers would have needed to register with the city and keep a 40 foot space between other buskers, as well as at least a 100 foot space away from the concerts that are sponsored by Fremont Street owners. As of now, officials do not plan to run background checks on performers. Casino patrons and city leaders alike have often criticized buskers for their often lewd outfits and sometimes violent fighting over prime spots. They are also known to aggressively hustle tourists for tips. City Council members are planning to circle back to the rule changes on Sept. 16. We will keep you...Vandalized Trails in Las Vegas
Here in Las Vegas, Sunrise Trail has been hit hard with graffiti, vandalism, and tarnished property. The remote trailhead was once an attractive location that drew hikers, picnickers, and horseback riders. But now, the Wetlands Park trail–due possibly to its remote location–has become an easy target for graffiti, broken glass, and fires set to park amenities. “People have been burning the fence posts, the trees, the bathrooms and more,” said Elizabeth Bickmore,a recently appointed program administrator at the Clark County Wetlands Park. “It’s a shame, because responsible people can’t come out and use the facility.” Bickmore reports that since April 2014, $22,000 has been spent to clean up the Sunrise Trailhead area. “The police came out at least once and made arrests and picked up some people with warrants,” Bickmore said. The park isn’t habitually patrolled by the park police, however, because they patrol larger parks such as Sunset...
Speed Bumps and Speed Humps
Hate speed bumps? So do I. In fact, is there anyone out there who actually enjoys those things? Well, if you’re among the majority of us who find them annoying, you’re in luck. Las Vegas Fire and Rescue recently stated that speed bumps are dangerous and slow response times for emergency vehicles. On the other hand, they are okay with speed humps. So what’s the difference? While speed bumps and speed humps both tend to run across the total width of a lane, speed bumps are taller with a shorter travel length, while speed humps are much shorter. I’m sure you’ve experienced the difference– the humps offer a slow and steady rise and fall, while the speed bumps are jarring and more likely to damage cars even while traveling at slower speeds. Tim Szymanski, a public education and information officer working for Las Vegas Fire and Rescue, reports that speed bumps were never officially approved in the city of Las Vegas… so following complaints from fire and rescue units in the field, the city has been trying to get them removed. Szymanski is reported to have said, “One incident that stands out in my head is when we had a unit that was going to a scene where they had multiple gunshot victims in the back of an apartment complex. At every speed bump, they had to come to a complete stop. In a big vehicle like that, every bump is magnified. You have injured people and delicate equipment being bounced around.” “If you’ve got someone in cardiac arrest, every second that goes by, additional brain cells die,” Szymanski...
Former Miss Nevada Arrested Again
Former Miss Nevada, Katherine Rees, has been arrested once again. Rees and her boyfriend, Kevin “DJ Kulprit” Sims, were pulled over September first for a traffic stop, and quite a variety of drugs were discovered in the car. Miss Rees was arrested on five drug-related charges, including possession of methamphetamine. When Sims, who was driving, was pulled over by Metro, the officer noticed a smell like marijuana. After asking Sims if there were any drugs or weapons in the car, Sims hesitated which caused the officer to ask he and Rees to step outside of the vehicle. Police discovered on Sims a jar of GHB, a liquid date rape drug, a box containing unknown pills, and a bag that tested positive for cocaine and meth. They discovered on Katherine: rolling papers, smoking pipes, and a canister filled with marijuana, Xanax, Oxyontin and meth. Wow. The 31-year-old former beauty queen has had a rough road since being revoked of her crown back in 2006 after sexual photos of her surfaced online. Last July, she was charged with four felony counts for possession and distribution of meth....
Traffic Stops & Racial Profiling
According to (NRS 289.820) “Racial profiling” means reliance by an officer upon the race, ethnicity or national origin of a person as a factor in initiating action when the race, ethnicity or national origin of the person is not part of an identifying description of a specific suspect for a specific crime. Basically, Nevada law requires you pull over when signaled to do so by a police officer. You are recommended to follow all legal instructions received from the officer. -To assist the officer in determining that you are not a wanted fugitive, keep your hands in sight at all times. (i.e. Upon initial contact, keep your hands on the steering wheel unless instructed by the officer to do otherwise.) -If/when the officer asks to see paperwork, let the officer know what you are intending to do. For example, “I’m going to get my registration in my glove box.” If for some reason there is a firearm in the vehicle, LET THE OFFICER KNOW IMMEDIATELY. -If you are stopped at night, turn on the vehicle’s dome light. -Stay in the car unless directed by the officer to exit the car. If you followed these guidelines but feel you were a victim of racial profiling during a routine stop, you have the right to report your concerns to the law enforcement agency in which the officer works. We wish you the...
“Move-Over” Laws in Nevada
If You Have a Fender-Bender Regardless of whether or not you believe there is damage to your vehicle, you must NOT obstruct traffic after a fender-bender. Obviously, if you are in a bad crash and your car is not able to move from the road, this rule does not apply! But if you are able to move your vehicle safely to the side of the road where it does not obstruct traffic, please do so. See NRS Chapter 484E for more about your duties following a crash. When you Notice an Emergency Vehicle (moving) When any official vehicle of a regulatory agency, making use of flashing lights, approaches you from behind (or on the other side of the road) you must yield the right-of-way by immediately driving to a position parallel to, and as close as possible to, the right-hand edge or curb–clear of any intersection. You need to stop and remain there until the emergency vehicle has passed, unless otherwise directed by a police officer. When you Notice an Emergency Vehicle (stopped) According to NRS 484B.607, the driver of a vehicle approaching a stopped emergency vehicle must: Decrease the vehicle speed to a speed that is reasonable and proper and less than the posted speed limit Proceed with caution Be prepared to stop; and If possible, drive in a lane that is not adjacent to the lane in which the emergency vehicle is stopped unless the roadway, traffic, weather or other conditions make doing so unsafe or impossible. Near Bicycles Motorists passing a bicycle must move into an adjacent lane to the left, if possible. If not, you must pass with at...
Update: Facts for Potential Uber Drivers in Las Vegas
Uber is expected to be fully operational in Las Vegas by the end of the summer. But there are quite a few factors to consider before becoming an Uber Driver, including the expenses involved. Uber drivers must pay for their own gas. 20% of the collected fare goes to Uber as a commission an additional $1 per fare is collected by Uber as a “Safety Fee” which funds driver background checks Uber drivers are responsible for their own vehicle’s insurance, maintenance, and additional tax costs All those things considered, it is also important to note that many Uber drivers touch upon the fact that they are not tipped as often (if at all) in comparison to traditional taxi drivers. And, perhaps most importantly: what about the safety of the Uber drivers themselves? Many traditional cab companies have camera installed in the cars for the safety of the cab drivers. This extra precaution does not exist for...
Six Arrested for Repeated Crashing into Law Enforcement Vehicles
Metro currently has six people in custody after experiencing a chain of crashes throughout the Valley, all of which targeted law enforcement vehicles.
