Options plentiful for disposing of unwanted items

I remember when the man in the passenger side of the old, beat-up, pickup truck in front of me reached out the window and dumped bags, boxes, wrappers and cups from a fast food place. Now, let’s investigate a few less-obvious forms of litter.

How about that cigarette butt or apple core you threw out the window? How about that old sofa you no longer want? The dirt and rocks from your landscape project, the tree trimmings, the gravel, the broken up concrete? How about the oil you just changed, old tires and batteries? The list goes on and on — all the way to the gum you are chewing. How about the items that don’t fit in local donation bins?

Some are flammable, some biodegradable and some debatable, but all illegal. The regular trash collection service will pick up most items free of charge. B.C. Waste Free at 702-293-2276 will pick up items too big for the refuse truck on Thursdays. There are drop-off options seven days a week at the landfill with a valid Nevada driver's license and Boulder City address.

If you see illegal dumping, say something. It’s not OK to just leave your mess for someone else to deal with. The Southern Nevada Health District has a website where you can report what you witnessed (http://southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/solid-waste/illegal-dumping.php).

There is even a reward if the information you provide leads to an assessment of administrative penalty against the guilty party. Get the best information you can: date, time, location, license plate, vehicle description and what was dumped. Let’s leave things better than we found them.

July 2. Suspicious: The pickup in the neighborhood is making constant U-turns and driving back and forth while the driver waits to go to work at 8:46 a.m. in the area of Lake Mountain Drive and U.S. Highway 93.

Suspicious: A man reports hearing a phone ringing on his roof at 9:57 a.m. in the 500 block of Hidden Cove Drive.

DUI: Another car in the desert donut making business. This one isn’t waiting for anyone (except whoever may have taken his shirt) and ends the night with an unscheduled trip to the Henderson lockup at 8:32 p.m. in the 2700 block of Utah Street.

Thought for the day: Those Ford Mustangs have some speed and handling but making a fool of yourself under the influence gets you nowhere but jail.

July 3. Fire: There are numerous reports of smoke and flames coming from a semitrailer at 2:01 p.m. in the area of the fire department on Walnut Street.

Reckless: The driver and his passengers have much less cash to purchase of fireworks after having to post bail money after being a menace on the roadway and failing to convince the police that the pants with drugs in the pockets that he is wearing are not his at 7:35 p.m. in the 1600 block of Nevada Highway.

Noise: Officers aren’t able to locate the man who has been terrorizing the neighborhood with his "less than noteworthy" drum performances at 10:29 p.m. in the 1300 block of Denver Street.

Thought for the day: I wonder if the neighbors of Van Halen have these kind of stories before they were famous.

July 4. DUI with accident: Six vehicles were involved in a suspected alcohol-related crash at 12:31 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Drive and U.S. Highway 93.

Assist other department: Officers run into a bit of trouble when trying to put out a fence fire when the hose also catches fire at 10:57 a.m. in the 600 block of Avenue C.

Fireworks: A caller is upset with the neighbor who is setting off fireworks in the intersection at 8:21 p.m. in the area of Marita and Diane drives.

Thought for the day: Officers arrive on the scene of the felony fireworks caper only to be assured the guilty party is out of "roaming candles." Thank goodness.

July 5. Drugs: Officers receive a report of a many laying in the roadway wearing only his boxers. He is assisted to more secure digs for the night at 4:35 a.m. in the area of mile mark on U.S. Highway 93.

Battery: A person arrives in the lobby with a sore attitude and feet after an elderly person ran over her with the wheelchair supposedly on purpose at 7:35 a.m. in the 1400 block of Medical Park Drive.

Suspicious: A person calls (twice) to report being held captive by people trying to take over the world at 7:58 p.m. in the 100 block of Veterans Memorial Drive.

Thought for the day: Those pesky doctors and nurses.

July 6. Accident: Officers arrive to find a vehicle on its side with fluids leaking out at 3:07 a.m. in the 1500 block of Veterans Memorial Drive.

Civil: A mother arrives to take her visitation time after a night on the town and can’t understand why there is a problem at 3:07 a.m. in the 900 block of El Camino Way.

Civil: A man asks for an officer to standby while he attempts to claim the ladder his son left while working at this location in February at 3:29 p.m. in the 500 block of Hopi Place.

Thought for the day: I guess I don’t have to tell you who would be paying to replace my dad’s ladder if I left it somewhere for five months.

July 7. Fire: A caller reports seeing smoke and fire at the vehicle parked in front of the caller's residence but doesn’t want to be involved because the caller is heading to work tat 10:46 a.m. in the 800 block of Avenue A.

Parking: A caller wants to have 10 vehicles towed from the area at 12:55 p.m. in the 700 block of Elm Street.

Soliciting: Subjects stomp into the lobby to complain about an officer telling them they cannot walk between cars on the roadway to solicit money as they "live on the land," claiming it violates their First Amendment right of free speech at 1:33 p.m. in the area of Buchanan Boulevard and Nevada Way.

Thought for the day: The caller is less enthused about towing vehicles from private property after learning who has to pay the bill.

July 8. Assist other: Neither the intoxicated woman standing in the bushes or the man urinating on them want to claim driving the nearby car; however Metropolitan Police Department wants to chat with them about outstanding charges at 3:17 a.m. in the area of Juniper Drive and Nevada Way.

Recovered stolen property: A man should actually learn to ride the scooter before he attempts to steal it and ends up with a bad case of road rash and enough court fees to have purchased a Harley-Davidson at 8:44 a.m. in the 500 block of Ville Drive.

Assistance: A person in the lobby requests assistance disposing of some fireworks and hand grenades at 1:59 p.m. in the 500 block of Birch Street.

Thought for the day: The training grenades caused a minute or two of heart failure but nothing is getting the best of us for long.

Call(s) of the week: A caller reports an intoxicated motorcyclist having trouble staying on his bike and we have no trouble finding him as he is now the limping intoxicated pedestrian trying to push a motorcycle at 9:52 p.m. in the area of Avenue B and Adams Boulevard.

Have a great week.

Tina Ransom is a dispatcher with Boulder City Police Department. She is coordinator of the Boulder City Citizen’s Academy.