North Las Vegas Neighborhood News

HOA AND CONCERNED CITIZENS ALLIANCE SET TO MEET FEB. 28

The North Las Vegas Alliance of HOAs and Concerned Citizens is set to meet at 6 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Aliante Library, 2400 Deer Springs Way.

The guest speaker is set to be Donna Toussaint, president of the Community Associations Institute, who plans to discuss important bills and issues facing communities and residents during the current legislative session and CAI’s grass roots campaign.

For more information, call Richard Cherchio at 702-325-6708.

NORTH LAS VEGAS NAMES NEW FIRE CHIEF

The North Las Vegas City Council approved Jeff Buchanan, City Manager Tim Hacker’s choice for fire chief, Feb. 6. Buchanan will oversee a department of 168 employees and a $32.6 million budget. His annual salary will be $143,325. He was named acting fire chief in July 2012 in the absence of former chief Al Gillespie. Buchanan had served as assistant fire chief since October 2011 and has been with the North Las Vegas Fire Department since 2001. He has a master’s degree in business administration from Touro University International, a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and a Bachelor of Science degree from Michigan State University.

ALOHA 5K RUN AND 1K WALK PLANNED

The inaugural Las Vegas Aloha 5K Run and 1K Walk is scheduled for 8 a.m. March 2 at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs, 9200 Tule Springs Road. A portion of the proceeds is to benefit Three Square and its mission for a hunger-free community. To register, visit aloharun5k.squarespace.com/. The event costs $35 if registered before Feb. 28 and $40 from Feb. 28 to March 2. The walk costs $15 to register before Feb. 28 and $20 from Feb. 28 to March 2.

CAMP SOLARI TO OFFER
FREE BEREAVEMENT CAMP

Camp Solari, a weekend-long bereavement camp sponsored by the Solari Hospice Foundation, 5550 S. Jones Blvd., plans to offer children ages 6 to 17 and their surviving caregivers a free opportunity to learn healthy coping strategies and honor the memories of their loved ones. The next camp is scheduled for May 3-5 at Mount Charleston Lodge at the end of state Route 157.

Applications for Camp Solari must be completed by March 11 to be considered for the spring camp. Planned activities include art, music, talk therapy, drumming, dancing and nature walks.

Camp Solari attendees are chosen based on need. To request an application, call 702-870-0000 or visit solarihospicefoundation.org.

CITY INVITES SENIOR STUDENTS TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP

The city of North Las Vegas invites high school seniors who live in North Las Vegas to apply for the Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities Youth Award Scholarship. This $1,000 scholarship recognizes students who have performed public or community services and have encouraged others to become involved in their communities.

To qualify, students who apply must be a full-time senior in high school and live in North Las Vegas. A panel of three North Las Vegas administrators and a City Council member will review the applications and forward three finalists to the Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities for review. The league is set to notify the winners this spring.

Applications can be obtained online at cityofnorthlasvegas.com, from counselors at high schools in North Las Vegas or at City Hall, 2250 Las Vegas Blvd. North. The application deadline is 5 p.m. April 3.

For more information, contact Nancy Chavez or Donna Gamble at 702-633-1007.

KOHL’S ACCEPTING YOUNG VOLUNTEERS NOMINATIONS

The Kohl’s Department Stores scholarship, Kohl’s Cares Scholarship Program, is accepting nominations for kids ages 6 to 18 until March 15 at kohlskids.com. The program plans to award more than $425,000 in scholarships and prizes in 2013 ranging from $50 gift cards to $10,000 scholarships to more than 2,300 young volunteers who have made a positive impact in their communities. The nominators must be 21 or older.

Two nominees from each of the more than 1,100 Kohl’s stores nationwide will win a $50 Kohl’s gift card, and more than 200 will win regional scholarships worth $1,000 toward post-secondary education. Ten national winners will be awarded a total of $10,000 in scholarships for post-secondary education, and Kohl’s will donate $1,000 to a nonprofit organization on each national winner’s behalf.

Since the Kohl’s Cares Scholarship Program began in 2001, Kohl’s has recognized more than 17,000 kids with more than $3.4 million in scholarships and prizes.

RAPE CRISIS CENTER INCREASES
FACE-TO-FACE HOSPITAL VISITS

The Rape Crisis Center, 6375 W. Charleston Blvd., made nearly 40 percent more face-to-face hospital visits with victims in 2012. Advocates for the center made 421 hospital visits in 2011 and 588 in 2012. Bill Thomas, the center’s chairman of the board, said the increase in services is a result of better and stronger community relationships and community outreach and not necessarily an increase in the number of sexual assaults. The Rape Crisis Center hotline number is 888-366-1640. For more information, visit
therapecrisiscenter.org.

SEARCH ON FOR NEVADA’S SENIOR VOLUNTEERS

Home Instead Senior Care is searching for Nevada’s outstanding senior volunteers. The Salute to Senior Service program recognizes senior volunteers for the many contributions they make in the community. Nominations are scheduled to be accepted through March 31, and the winner in each state will receive $500, while the national will receive $5,000 to donate to the winners’ charities of choice. Online voting takes place from April 15 to April 30, and a panel of senior care experts is to pick the national honoree.

To complete and submit a nomination form online for a senior 65 or older who volunteers at least 15 hours a month, and to view the contest’s official rules, visit salutetoseniorservice.com. Completed nomination forms also can be mailed to Salute to Senior Service, P.O. Box 285, Bellevue, NE 68005.

For more information about Salute to Senior Service or the Home Instead Senior Care network’s services, call 702-796-6393.

YMCA RECEIVES GRANT FROM JCPENNEY

The YMCA of Southern Nevada received a $5,000 grant from jcp cares, JCPenney’s new charitable giving program to provide school-aged children with financial assistance to attend after-school programs at the YMCA. In Southern Nevada, the YMCA served approximately 470 after-school program participants in 2012 between the ages of 6 and 12. Additionally, jcp cares named the YMCA as its featured charity for January. Customers at JCPenney were able to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar in stores and donate the difference to the YMCA. For more information about the YMCA’s programs, visit lasvegasymca.org.

EASTER SEALS NEVADA RECEIVES
$9,000 IN GRANTS

Easter Seals Nevada, a nonprofit group serving more than 8,000 Nevadans with disabilities every year, was awarded two grants in January from Cox Charities and EZCORP Foundation, totaling $9,000.

The grants will fund the following Easter Seals Nevada initiatives:

n The $5,000 grant from EZCORP Foundation will serve as scholarship money for the inclusive Child Development Center, providing children of all ages opportunities to explore, socialize and build skills to nurture their education foundation.

n The $4,000 grant from Cox Charities will be used to purchase various toys and equipment that will assist children with disabilities in their development of gross and fine motor skills, sensory integration and creative play.

Easter Seals Nevada provides services to more than 8,000 individuals with disabilities and strives to create solutions that help people with disabilities become self-sufficient through education, community partnerships and direct services.

For more information, visit eastersealsnevada.org.

NORTH LAS VEGAS JUSTICE COURT
NAMES CHIEF JUDGE

North Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Chris Lee was named Chief Judge of North Las Vegas Justice Court starting Thursday . Justice courts with three or more judges elect a chief judge. Lee will oversee North Las Vegas Justice Court, working with former Chief Judge Natalie Tyrrell and newly elected Judge Kalani Hoo, who replaced Stephen Dahl after he retired in 2012. Lee holds the Department 3 Justice of the Peace position and has served the North Las Vegas Township since January 2009. Justice Court handles misdemeanors, traffic matters, felony arraignments, civil disputes less than $10,000, small claims and landlord-tenant disputes.

BLENDED FAMILY CONFERENCE
SET FOR MARCH

Nehemiah Ministries Christian Church plans to host the Blended Family Conference from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 9 at 3606 N. Rancho Drive, Suite 144. The conference will require a registration fee of $25 per person or $40 per couple, and trained workshop facilitators plan to explore different topics, including “Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace (Discussing Your Parental Concerns Before You Say I Do)” and “Who’s On First (How to Define and Develop the Roles and Rules of the Biological and Stepparent).” The conference will include workshop materials, lunch and giveaways. Registration is under way. For more information, call 702-645-2544.

AARP TAX PREPARATION TO BE AVAILABLE

AARP plans to prepare tax returns for free by appointment from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through April 8 and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays Feb. 7 through April 11.

To make an appointment, call 702-229-1702.

DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SERVICES SEEKS FOSTER HOMES

The Clark County Department of Family Services is seeking members of the public willing to become foster parents. The program involves individuals and families providing safe, stable and loving environments for children in need of temporary out-of-home care.

Information packets are available and include an overview of the program and the latest session schedule. For more information or to request a packet, call 702-455-0181.

REBUILDING TOGETHER ACCEPTING HOMEOWNER APPLICATIONS

Rebuilding Together Southern Nevada is accepting applications from North Las Vegas homeowners for National Rebuilding Day on April 27. The organization plans to repair and renovate 25 to 30 homes with the help of 1,500 volunteers in one day. To be eligible for home repairs, the applicant must own and live in his house; be low-income in accordance with the Department of Housing and Urban Development guidelines; be at least 60 years old, a person living with disabilities, a veteran of family of an active duty military service member of a multigenerational family; and be current with mortgage and real estate taxes. For more information or to apply, call Therese Elliot at 702-259-4900 or visit rtsnv.org.

U.S. TENNIS ASSOCIATION-NEVADA
SEEKS DONATED ITEMS

The United States Tennis Association-Nevada is asking for donations of old wooden tennis rackets, usable tennis rackets, old trophies, ball machines, items for a silent auction or raffle, a digital photo camera, an office phone system and computers or laptops.

Items can be dropped off at the USTA-Nevada office, 1333 N. Buffalo Drive, Suite 130.

For more information, call 702-792-8384 or email support@ustanevada.com.

NONPROFIT IT’S ALL ABOUT KIDZ
BEGINS SPONSORSHIP CAMPAIGN

Nonprofit It’s All About Kidz launched a sponsorship campaign calling for any company, organization or individual to sponsor a mother and child who is enrolled in the sober living program. The southwest-area group focuses on providing a sober living environment to women and their children while providing services for them to become self-sufficient. The nonprofit also serves as a foster care agency to provide temporary living arrangements for children. September marked the organization’s one-year anniversary, and people looking to get involved can participate by becoming a foster parent, offering financial support and/or participating in the New Beginnings Coat and Shoe Drive started Dec. 1 at the Behavioral Treatment and Foster Care Agency at 3450 W. Cheyenne Ave., Suite 500. For more information, call 702-631-0230 or visit aakidz.org.

WATER AUTHORITY REMINDS RESIDENTS ABOUT WINTER RESTRICTIONS

The Southern Nevada Water Authority reminds residents that winter watering restrictions are in effect, and watering is limited to one assigned day a week through Feb. 28.

Watering restrictions also apply to drip irrigation systems. Sunday is not an optional watering day.

If you notice that frost or a freeze has damaged a plant, leave it alone until warmer weather arrives and new growth appears. Pruning or transplanting a plant during the winter months can hurt or even kill it. Watering should be done in mid-morning to avoid afternoon winds that make sprinklers less effective and avoid the risk of icing.

For more information, visit snwa.com or call 702-258-7283.

AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD SERVICES SEEKS SITES FOR BLOOD DRIVES

The American Red Cross Blood Services is the predominant supplier of blood products for Southern Nevada and has increased staffing to increase the number of blood drives in Las Vegas.

The Red Cross invites community-minded businesses, churches, schools and other organizations to host blood drives in locations across the city.

To meet the demand for blood products in the Las Vegas hospitals it serves, the Red Cross needs to schedule two or more blood drives every business day. It is estimated that in the coming year, about 48,000 Las Vegas patients will need a red blood cell transfusion in a hospital the Red Cross serves.

North Las Vegas residents interested in sponsoring a blood drive or donating blood should call 702-522-4000.

MASTER GARDENERS PLAN TOURS
OF DEMONSTRATION GARDENS

The Master Gardeners of Southern Nevada plans monthly tours of the Demonstration Gardens at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Lifelong Learning Center, 8050 Paradise Road. Tours are free and open to the public. Groups of five or more are requested to call program coordinator Ann Edmunds at 702-257-5587 at least two weeks in advance.

DONATIONS ACCEPTED TO AID NONPROFIT

Help homeless, pregnant and parenting teens by donating time, money or new or gently used items to assist clients of Southern Nevada Children First, 720 W. Cheyenne Ave., Suite 30.

Volunteers and donations are always needed to support the nonprofit.

For more information, visit childrenfirst-nv.org or call 702-487-5665.

MISS NEVADA PAGEANT COMING
TO TEXAS STATION IN SUMMER

The Miss Nevada Organization announced that it plans to host the 2013 Miss Nevada and Miss Nevada’s Outstanding Teen competitions at Texas Station, 2101 Texas Star Lane, June 14 and 15. Winners will represent Nevada at the Miss America and Miss America’s Outstanding Teen competitions. Tickets for the pageant will go on sale in the spring.

For more information, visit missnevada.org.

KIWANIS CLUB WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS

The Kiwanis Club of North Las Vegas, a chapter of the international service organization, is scheduled to meet at
6:15 p.m. each Tuesday at T.G.I. Friday’s in the Aliante Hotel + Casino, 7300 Aliante Parkway.

Club community projects have included canned food drives, car shows, kites in the park events and charity fundraisers.

The fourth meeting of the month is limited to members only.

For more information, visit nlvkiwanis.com or call 702-399-0332.

NORTH LAS VEGAS ROTARY CLUB TO MEET

The North Las Vegas Rotary Club of Las Vegas meets at 7:15 a.m. Fridays at the Painted Desert Golf Club, 5555 Painted Mirage Road.

The weekly breakfast meetings include guest speakers, networking, education workshops and service projects.

For more information, visit nlvrc.org/newsite or call Bob Lillis at 702-340-9735.