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StumbleAOL Travel warns readers to steer clear of North Las Vegas
Website also lists Strip, downtown Vegas as areas to be ‘particularly aware’
Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010 | 8:33 p.m.
North Las Vegas
AOL Travel is telling its readers to stay out of North Las Vegas.
In an Aug. 26 article titled “Safe and Dangerous Places in Las Vegas,” AOL Travel listed North Las Vegas as an area to avoid.
To be fair to the oft-snubbed, northerly suburb, the article also lists the “south, center and north sections of the Strip,” as well as the “old Downtown area on Fremont” as areas where travelers should be “particularly aware.”
The article says: “North Las Vegas should also be traveled with caution.”
The author then launches into a list of violent crimes — noting that the valley has a higher number of these crimes than most places — before telling readers that, overall, they should feel safe in Sin City.
“It’s not clear if it’s really the city of North Las Vegas that they’re referring to,” said city spokeswoman Juliet Casey.
The article listed crime statistics, saying that the rate of violent crimes in Las Vegas exceeds the national average by 1.10 times. The article does not list separate statistics for North Las Vegas.
Between 2006 and 2009, the rate of violent crimes in North Las Vegas decreased by 1.7 percent, said North Las Vegas Police spokeswoman Chrissie Coon.
“I think that North Las Vegas is just like Las Vegas. It has parts of the city that are more dangerous than other parts of the city,” Coon said. “Unfortunately, this article does not differentiate between the areas where there is and is not high crime in North Las Vegas.”
Discussion: 3 comments so far…
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This is so freaking funny.
How about the recent travel book that lists 100 places to never go: #80 Nevada!
Good thing Vegas is not in the business of tourism.
What happens in Vegas.......not worth the air fare!
AOL isn't as bad as Obama, he told everyone to stay away from the entire city. Twice.
AOL is not as bad a the President of the United States of America? One freaking true American!
For the rest of you President bashers, Ryder truck still rents. Only you have no constitution.
I gotta agree. Although Fremont Street has gotten so much nicer.
Neiman, you still on Obama?!?!?!? Dude, he's the president, move on for goodness sake!!! And you wonder why I call you Rip Van Winkle?!?!?!?
Residence of North Las Vegas would advise travelers to be aware in NLV. What's the outrage all about here? Everyone knows NLV has crime problems and has for years.
I agree. North Las Vegas is dangerous, dirty, and ugly. Clean it up. Residents should patrol their streets instead of selling crack on the streets.
Elect real people to run the city and not the career politicians.
Why do you even print this,except to confirm through the readers that perception is the reality here
Anyone who has lived here for longer than a couple years KNOWS NLV is a craphole
DONT even try and spin it any differently,otherwise you will be called out as the fraud you are
peace out
I was bidding a job off industrial pkwy near stratosphere,and i am not a timid person whatsoever,im not a hard ass,but im also not a pushover,and the way those people live their lives is truly one to be seen
so many people live in a bubble,and just refuse to believe,UNLESS they ever become a victim,then they are all self righteous
dont look for any overflow parking behind the casino,because there is where you will see how the other half live
truly disgusting,and being asked 3 times in 45 minutes for some extra cigarettes is very annoying,especially when they were all seperate individuals
Im going to have to include hazard pay for the guys in the bid,just to get them on the job site
Where, exactly, is "industrial pkwy"?
More moronic commentary from carpetbaggers...
that's what I was told my numerous people when I advised that I was moving to Las Vegas. I live in the relatively calm area of Seven Hills. STILL, I mind my Ps&Qs. It's all about paying attention, people!!
Isn't the Stratosphere on LVBN near Sahara....It is hardly anywhere near NLV.....Idiots...
hey, RPJ, bldblu may have meant Industrial which runs parallel to the 15 and the Strip. Sheesh, why are people so very quick to rip others?? A little patience, a little understanding and NLV might not have the rep to the "outside" that is does. Listening with empathy is a great attribute!!! Judge me as you will... I know who I am and what I believe. I agree to disagree.
uh, AOL? The last time I was on AOL... internet pages still used gary bar dividers.
The early savy internet users left the AOL concept behind years ago.
Murdering mothers and wives, and dumping their bodies into barrels out in the garage and in storage units. Corpses of rape victims abandoned naked in the middle of the Desert. Murder/Suicide cases...
Just another day in Summerlin.
North Las Vegas may have old fashioned street crime, but at least it's not full of purely evil psychotics like most of the suburbs...
Forget that your auto is 106% more likely to be stolen or your chances of being robbed are 52% greater and that there's a 55% increase in being murdered -- your increased odds of being arrested, assaulted, terrorized and brutalized by security and area law enforcement must also be factored into the visit -- after all Las Vegas is the national Mecca of the seedy and greedy with more than its fair-share of crooks, cons, cheats and criminals with and without badges.
Those seeking safety aren't flocking to Las Vegas and discovering it -- quite the opposite, as the linked AOL article indicated and as commonsense dictates.
Why don't these studies ever indicate the odds associated with robbery victims' actually recovering their stolen items --or- would doing so just reveal another bad-bet?
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Every part of Las Vegas has had violent crime. Anybody remember the shootings at the Costco. The standoff in Henderson, where a man was killed by the police. The baby that was killed by an axe on Sahara between Maryland and Eastern. I have lived around Lake Mead and Civic Center for 15 years and the worst I have seen were people shooting guns up the in air. It is funny how the AOL articles writer believes that the Silverton Casino is on Las Vegas BLVD too.
I didn't get murdered in Vegas, but I thought I would have. I walked through some bad areas. Thank god for having brown skin, I guess.
A cat with nine lives couldn't survive Vegas!
This is a clever way of trying to convince visitors that it's safe to come to Vegas. Oh, it's just NLV that's bad. Not true! You have to keep your guard up anywhere in "Vegas".
I still visit Jerry's Nugget and Poker Palace, even the other one, Big Horn? Or is it the Long Horn? The one on Lake Mead. I must admit that the neighborhood looks a bit strage and there are people hanging around on the corners, but I just drive through there. I wouldn't want to do photo-sight-seing with a tourist tag on my shirt.
As long as you don't dress up like a millionaire and tell nobody that you have the pockets full of cash you should be ok, anyway.
The major casinos have security patroling outside, even at the Poker Palace. And the match play coupon I have is usually worth the risk of being shot in the lot.
I think you have to make a difference between day-time and night time. At nights I would consider North Las Vegas as the official danger zone of Las Vegas. Even the parking garage of the Stratosphere at 3 a.m. could turn out to be a suicide mission. During the days, however, North Las Vegas, just like other cities, is a peaceful town. The rats sleep during the day, the freaks come out at nights, only. They're hiding when they can be seen.
From Switzerland
You mean people actually still visit AOL? AOL hasn't been relevant in years. Now if Trip Advisor was making these claims, I'd be more likely to believe them. ;)
Every city in America has their bad areas, but then again, crime can strike anywhere. Even the toniest of zip codes has crime.....
Every town has it's bad areas. NLV is definately not recommended, neither is a lot of the areas just off LV Blvd. between Sahara and Charlston. Surprised nobody has mentioned to avoid any Costco in Summerlin.
If traveling to Bakersfield, Ca. Avoid the Cottonwood / Lakeview area (no lake to view, by the way). That's our NLV, although it's on the Southeast side.
isthisforreal
areyouforreal
" the article also lists the "south, center and north sections of the Strip,"
sounds like the article mentioned the area i was referring to
RPJ
just a waste
peace out
That was even a WELL known fact when I lived in Las Vegas from '85 to '89 !
The only reason I would go north of downtown (for 30 minutes) was to buy my cigarettes at the Paiute Indian smoke shop, in broad daylight.
AOL-what a joke! Nothing they say has meaning anyway so why bother? Shouldn't the author have just said Las Vegas in it's entirety and been done with it? He must've been one of those tourists who lost $20 gambling and was angry!Does he dissect Los Angeles that way as well? Anyone who still uses AOL (the dummy's version of the internet) probably never leaves their house anyway! With the most dangerous software that drags your computer down and makes it so slow it barely runs, why would anyone in this day and age EVER consider being on AOL!
The article failed to mention the Real mean streets up here in Anthem Country Club. I roll (in my golf cart) with the Cardigans, and we don't like no 7hills PlaidBoys (formerly known as the WayOvaPars) duffing 'round on our turf.
Word! We ain't giving you no mulligans no more!
AOL Travel must have been talking to that Kenyan socialist Muslim big spending president who won't show me his birth certificate.
The truth is hitting a sore spot is it, the NLV barrio is a very dangerous place after dark.
These animals start spreading out to help the president redistribute the wealth.
Big bulk stores are dangerous to.
It is grossly unfair for AOL to single out ALL of North Las Vegas. All of North Las Vegas is not ridden with crime. Yes, the eastern parts of the city are - North of Lake Mead and east of Las Vegas Blvd ("OLD" North Las Vegas), and all the "Alphabet Streets" closer to downtown, but the newer parts are fine.
And as many have said - there is crime everywhere in the Valley. It's an "equal opportunity crime haven" for anyone wanting to shoot, steal, murder, deal drugs, prostitute themselves, etc.
PS Is AOL still around???? And yeah - who uses AOL anymore???
PPS Where is the Mayor of North Las Vegas? Why isn't she sticking up for her City like Oscar would???
To Okra: Thank you for making me laugh! Your comment was better then a great cup of coffee this morning.
there are plenty of areas to avoid all over the valley, not just in NLV.
The uneducated are still speaking in this thread. No one is taking into consideration of zip codes 89031, 89084, 89081. Those too are North Las Vegas. Check the crime stats there. And actually you should look at the crime statistics of North Las Vegas compared to Las Vegas. Come on people, use your brains. And BeatTheWolfPack, you must live in North Las Vegas since your description of the city was so detailed.
vegasguy
89031 can be dicey in spots, especially south of Ann Road. MOST of these zip codes are totally residential (Aliante is I believe in one of these zip codes). Also near Aliante Station, is a Sun City and I do not believe crime is running rampant in that neighborhood!! (Unless it is like Okra described!!). I also lived in the 89086 zip code and for the time I was there, it was fine. However, what seems to be happening in these most northern areas of NLV is that a lot of investors bought homes and a huge contingent of these homes have been turned into Section 8. I read an article last week in the other newspaper in town and this one community, which I remember to be really nice, has turned into some type of a ghetto with many abandoned homes and Section 8.
I want to clarify something: Nothing wrong with Section 8 tenants. In the tough times we are all in, many people who NEVER would have thought about getting Section 8 help have done so just to keep a roof over their families' heads. So not all are gang bangers and drug dealers and actually have just one singular family living in the house (no "aunties", "uncles", "cousins" nor 8 sets of grandparents). They are just families trying to make a life. And I'll bet you will never know that those people are Section 8 by looking at the houses they live in.
Other precautions when traveling to vegas include; getting vacinated before travel, never make eye contact with law enforcement, avoid hospitals if possible, never sign a "marker" (it is realy a bank note), bring clean drinking water, bring your own bedding (bed bugs) and finally stay away from the pools and spas.
Well,duhh! I know NLV is bad just from reading the Sun.
People warn people not to use AOL.
My husband I travel actually to Vegas almost every 6 mos and we find that there are areas not to go into and we stay away, but we really do enjoy come there and have lots of fun all the time. This year we are bring our kids because it's beauitful the locals actully tell us where to go and where to stay away from. There will always be crime somewhere in the world and no one will ever stop it, and as for Freemont that is where we have been staying and we actully like it there more then the strip I love Vegas and no matter what people say we will keep coming and enjoy yourselves we all have to remember just because one person says something does not mean that we all have to think like that as well. Everyone has there own opinion about something.
In 89081 we only shoot back. we dont start it.
And to think in other parts of town (Sunset/Pecos) residents are up in arms because a neighbor parked his jet in the yard!
The northern end of the strip would have been fine if they had not destroyed it by tearing it all down!! They should be required to rebuild and restore everything on the strip north of Desert Inn Rd. to the Strat..
I live near Sunset/Pecos and I don't mind the jet. It's actually kind of cool.
@ Neiman - President Obama said, "You don't blow a bunch of cash on Vegas when you're trying to save for college". Don't you agree with that statment? I would say that people shouldn't be blowing their cash on Vegas if you have a mortgage to pay, child support, car payment, etc. Blow your cash when you have extra income! Nieman, you're obviously Republican - aren't you suppose to be for fiscal responsiblity?
Any where section 8 is is crime ridden! Some of NLV is great. But there are alot gangs,and there is alot of drugs, and now robbery of the nice homes happens everyday. NLV police need to get busy.
The AOL article says:
"To be fair to the oft-snubbed, northerly suburb, the article also lists the "south, center and north sections of the Strip," as well as the "old Downtown area on Fremont" as areas where travelers should be "particularly aware."
THIS STATEMENT COVERS THE WHOLE OF CLARK COUNTY!
WHAT IS LEFT?
This is the dumbest, uninformed article about crime in Las Vegas that I have seen in a while.
I don't believe that whoever put out this statement for AOL Travel has have EVER BEEN to Las Vegas.
This AOL comment seems to be the result of some on-line, texting, and/or cell phone "research" - rather than developed by some nerd using incorrectly stated statistics - which have been jammed together collectively - without regard to the existing, physical and governing seperations of each part of Clark County.
North Las Vegas is a separate city, apart from The City of Las Vegas - just as THE STRIP is located separate and located in CLARK COUNTY (not in the City of Las Vegas).
These AOL people out to either come and see what they are talking about, before lumping all the statistics and cities in Clark County, together. ESPECIALLY, since they will be responsible for defaming remarks that will affect tourism.
Get off your AOL computer, and you cell phone, and come and talk to the real people who run Clark County, and who split out the correct answers you are interested in - so you don't invent erroneous commentary.
An INVECTIVE?, YES! TRUE?, in my opinon, YES!
Is it true that the Stratosphere is patrolled by Grizzlies armed with uzis? Something in the consititution about the right to keep and arm bears?
'The early savy internet users left the AOL concept behind years ago.'
I met my wife in a Jewish singles chat room on AOL in 1996. Wayyyyyyyyyy before it became fashionable.
glennie; say it aint so!
As a retired Technical Support Rep for a very prominent computer company, I've had the opportunity and privilege of widespread travel to many American (and a few foreign) cities. Needless to say, almost every city, EVERYWHERE, with a population of 250,000 or more, HAS A CRIME CONCERN (problem?). Even cities with smaller populations are subject to crime. But this does not prevent city-residents or city-visitors from enjoying/sharing the city with all of its specialized entertainment and venues; whether the city is called New York, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta... OR the fabulous Las Vegas (north, south, east or west!).
In the city of my birth (where I presently live), there are areas that I prefer NOT to travel in. However, regardless of the area, I am ALWAYS cautious and concerned about my surroundings, especially during this time of high unemployment and an overall depressed economy. Bottom line? Las Vegas and any and all of its connected suburbs/villages/townships is a microcosm of America in general, so if I can travel to Los Angeles and Atlanta to visit and enjoy relatives, I can travel to Las Vegas for my three-times-a-year vacation... keeping a 'watchful' eye open.
VIVA LAS VEGAS... North, South, Downtown, et al.
North Las Vegas = Juarez, May-hee-coh! AOL has finally given the world some good advice.
Chunky says:
The NLV police are not very friendly even to the good citizens who have concealed carry weapons permits who have had thorough background checks and are traveling through the area.
There's a direct correlation to cities with oppressive 2A rights and high crime. That means the bad guys know there's easy pickin's in NLV. Citizens, businesses / retailers are sitting ducks.
Chunky stays out of NLV and spends his money elsewhere in the Valley. Retailers, tell your city government they're losing business for more than one reason!
That's what Chunky thinks!
I have lived in NLV all my life and the worst that I've ever seen is people shooting in the air on 4th of July.I recently moved to Summerlin and my car has been broken into 3 times now.There are psycho murder/rapes,drug dealers/crazy drug addicts everywhere in Vegas,not just NLV.Besides what tourist is going sightseeing to NLV ha
Vegas is 10% Black, they all live in North Vegas.
There are a few exceptions of wherever blacks live there is a higher crime rate (Baldwin Hills, Ca.)
Oakland, Ca. South Central LA, Detroit, Atlanta, Chicago, Harlem, North Las Vegas, has struggled with significant challenges, including high unemployment, widespread poverty, and an elevated rate of violent crime.
What else is new?
________________________________________________________________________
Before you start quoting percentiles, shouldn't you know the City limits of NLV? You do realize NLV inclues the area around Aliante? Perhaps you should Google map NLV before you start quoting $#!& you know absolutely nothing about.
So stupid, why would a tourist be in NLV? Anyway it is about like telling someone not to go down a dark alley at 2AM. Duhhh
Ask Javon Walker...
Vegas is FLUSH with thug - more per tourist than most cities.
Kudos to AOL!
AOL needs to come here and travel the city for awhile. They need to talk to the police and locals here. Not just look at statistics. This is not the 80's. Who knows, they may like it so much, they may move here.
I lived in Northttown for 7 years and never had a problem.
I have to admit, I am more leery of traveling to LV after reading this, mostly due to the posts here. We have been aware that NLV is dangerous. We're not comfortable leaving the strip to drive anywhere, and we mostly hit the strip during the day and stay away from parking lots. You have to be careful whenever you travel, but I was approached on the casino floor by someone bumming change during our last two trips to LV.
What is AOLs stand on parts of Mexico? I'll take my chances on Vegas again in the spring time. It's just like any city, there are always bad areas - just avoid them. Not saying that crime can't happen in safer areas too, but you just have to be aware of your surroundings.
I've lived in 89081 (centennial/losee) and have never had any problems. The northern parts of the city next to the beltway are as safe as any other area in the valley. Love the fact that there is way less traffic around here, and with the opening of Deer Springs Crossings it's even better.
Sorry but if the shoe fits...
Nasty Northtown! Lol ;)
April, where are you from? If you think Vegas is bad, don't ever step foot in Philly! Hahaha...
Okra, this is TPC Summerlin right here homeboy, come and get some punk! :p