Just Say No to Dumping

Dallas campaign cuts down on piles of unsightly illegal junk

Dallas is cracking down on illegal dumping.

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In its ongoing battle against illegal dumping, Dallas has notched another bit of good news, with a sizable increase in the number of arrests: The Dallas Marshal's office made 22 arrests for illegal dumping in June alone, for a total of 197 arrests during the 2015-16 fiscal year to date. There were 142 illegal dumping arrests in the previous year.

The city is hammering away at a list of 62 illegal dump sites in Dallas, and it has crossed off eight, bringing the number down to 54. Many of these illegal dumping cases in Dallas are contractors trying to avoid fees at the landfill.

Code Compliance received 5,000 reports of illegal dumping this fiscal year to date. Chief Deputy Paul Hansen of the Dallas Marshal's office says that the program benefits when people make reports.

"Increased citizen awareness and reporting helps us set up our surveillance systems to lead to more illegal dumping arrests," he says in a release.

If you see illegal dumping, call 911. Note the vehicle description, license plate, and a description of the suspect to assist authorities. If you see an illegal dumping site, call 311. CrimeStoppers also offers up to $1,500 for information leading to an illegal dumping arrest.

Common illegal dumping violations include construction and demolition waste; hauling trash for profit and dumping it in unauthorized locations; chemical disposal; dumping household trash, construction debris, and/or yard waste in unauthorized locations; and pouring motor oil or restaurant grease into storm drains or down manholes.

It's even illegal to let someone dump waste on your property for residential bulk and brush collection if that waste was not generated from your property. Don't do that.

In June, the city introduced a campaign called "Real Trash Talk," and it's using the slogan in hashtags, on billboards, and in other public service postings. City officials have placed more than 50 cameras in chronic illegal dumping sites to catch those breaking the law.

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Fun times in the city

Dallas swings a spot on new list of most fun cities in U.S. for 2024

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Dallas just wants to have fun, according to WalletHub's new ranking of the most fun cities in America in 2024.

The annual report ranked Dallas No. 31 out of 182 U.S. cities.

WalletHub's experts compared each city using 65 metrics to determine their level of "fun." Metrics were split among three main categories: entertainment and recreation, nightlife and parties, and cost.

According to the study's findings, Dallas was 24th nationally in the category for nightlife and parties, and ranked No. 39 in the "entertainment and recreation" category. That may be especially alluring for anyone who wants to explore the city's vast entertainment opportunities (especially during the holiday season), family-friendly recreational activities, top dining destinations, and more. Plus, Dallas is home to entertainment juggernauts like the State Fair of Texas and TopGolf.

Dallas performed poorly in the overall cost category, earning No. 114 out of all 182 cities. However, this category mostly compares flat costs rather than affordability based on local cost of living.

Potential new Dallasites should do their research before deciding to move here, rather than basing their decision on short trips and vacations alone. But we won't blame them for wanting to live in one of the best cities in the world.

"The top cities offer affordable options for year-round fun for their residents, which is good for residents’ wallets and their mental health," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo in the report.

Austin (No. 6) and Houston (No. 9) were the only Texas cities to earn a spot in the top 10 most fun U.S. cities list. Austin moved up one spot from last year, while Houston made a 10-place jump.

Other fun-filled Texas cities that made it in the top 100 are El Paso (No. 53), Fort Worth (No. 55), Plano (No. 78), Arlington (No. 79), and Corpus Christi (No. 99).

The top 10 most fun U.S. cities are:

No. 1 – Las Vegas, Nevada
No. 2 – Orlando, Florida
No. 3 – Miami, Florida
No. 4 – Atlanta, Georgia
No. 5 – New Orleans, Louisiana
No. 6 – Austin, Texas
No. 7 – San Francisco, California
No. 8 – Chicago, Illinois
No. 9 – Houston, Texas
No. 10 – New York City, New York

Cities were evaluated based on the number of attractions per capita, nightlife activities per capita, the average prices for eating at a restaurant or buying a movie ticket, and more. Data was sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau, The Trust for Public Land, and the Council for Community and Economic Research, among others.

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