The Growers Study Guild meets the second Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. at The Nevada Garden Club Center, 3333 W. Washington Ave. inside Lorenzi Park.
The purpose of the club is to promote an increase in the knowledge and love of gardening in the Las Vegas Valley. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in house plants, outdoor gardening or related areas of interest in Southern Nevada. While there are more than a dozen single-plant gardening clubs in Las Vegas, the Growers Study Guild covers a broad range of gardening interests, including growing African violets to Chinese long beans, as well as help in answering such questions as "Why did my apple tree produce so many tiny apples but no large ones? Or why did my cilantro plant end up looking just like the coriander I used to grow in Boston?
Gardening in the Las Vegas Valley is not for the fainthearted, but can be accomplished with great success. Guests and members are therefore asked to share their successes as well as failures.
For more information, call 878-4797.
SAFETY
Web site touts building safely
SaferBuilding.com has recently launched to help educate building professionals and home remodelers with unprecedented information and education for the safest and most environmentally sound building and remodeling projects possible.
According to SaferBuilding.com, when it comes to standards in the building/remodeling industry, many people don't realize that green is not necessarily clean.
SaferBuilding provides extensive, thorough, safe construction/remodeling research from all angles, including household maintenance, aesthetics, toxicity/health, and financial. The site offers dozens of educational materials such as contractor how-to sheets regarding painting, plumbing, flooring, carpet demolition, carpentry, furniture, termite and pest management and more.
"Many of our competitors discuss materials," said SaferBuilding founder Michelle Miller, "but we are the only ones to discuss methods, have a certification program, have environmental disclosures, all to make the properties safer overall."
The idea for the SaferBuilding Program was sparked by a life-changing circumstance.
"A few years back I was an innocent bystander in a mosquito abatement spraying, which I was told was for West Nile virus," said Miller. "Despite being in top physical shape, I nearly lost my life from pesticides that were used according to the label. I had believed that if a product were dangerous or toxic, then it wouldn't be on the market." That set Miller and her SaferBuilding group on a path toward researching building and maintenance materials and started experimenting and testing them.
According to a company press release, properties that qualify for the SaferBuilding Certification have seen increased property values of 7 percent to 10 percent.
An online handout posted on Clark County's Web site offers families step-by-step weekly instructions for building a 72-hour disaster supply kit over several months.
Clark County's Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security created the four-page handout in support of the United States Department of Homeland Security's National Preparedness Month.
"We recommend that you put together a disaster supply kit designed to sustain you for a minimum of 72 hours after an emergency," said Office of Emergency Management Director Jim O'Brien. "A lot of the things you need for a kit you may already have on hand, so using the calendar is a tool to encourage you to put the items in a single, accessible location. If you need to buy some items, the calendar is organized so you just add a few things at a time to your kit as you make regular trips to stores. You don't have to buy everything all at once. Over time you'll have a full supply kit on hand in case you ever need it."
The list recommends kits include a variety of items, including water, nonperishable canned foods, flashlights with working batteries, first-aid supplies, pet food and hygiene products. In addition the handout offers weekly steps to develop personalized safety plans. Suggestions include doing a practice fire drill, taking a first aid/CPR class from the local Red Cross and establishing an out-of-town contact to call in case of an emergency so family members know each other's whereabouts.
The printable handout is posted on the home page of the Office of Emergency Management's Web site at www.accessclarkcounty.com.
HOME DECOR
Terra Cotta offers unique style
Five years after celebrating the opening of her garden gallery Terra Cotta, Marjorie Snow invites old and new clients to enjoy the treasures she's collected on trips to Paris, London and Bali.
Located at 5401 W. Charleston Blvd., Terra Cotta features an array of one-of-a-kind items, from Tuscan tables and chairs to French books to Balinese water vessels and more.
Terra Cotta is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
ENERGY
Lighting campaign turns on savings
Something as simple as changing a light bulb can help electric customers save every month on their power bills. To make that point, Nevada Power Co. and Gov. Kenny Guinn encourage residents to replace their traditional light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps that use a fraction of the electricity, generate little heat and last nearly 10 times as long as traditional bulbs. The plea is part of the national Energy Star Change a Light, Change the World campaign.
Nevada Power is working with lighting manufacturers and area retailers in the region to offer special pricing on Energy Star lighting products. Special offers will be available at participating retailers, including Lowes, The Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Costco, Big Lots and the 99-Cent Stores through November.
"If every home in Nevada made a change to energy-efficient lighting, the state would save 45 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year, resulting in a total annual savings of $4.5 million in energy costs while reducing the amount of carbon dioxide gas going into the air by 71 million pounds," Gov. Guinn said.
Echoing the governor's statement, Michael Brown, senior program manager for Nevada Power added, "Today, families are trying to find ways to reduce their energy consumption, and that can be as easy as changing a light. Energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps use up to 75 percent less energy than a standard incandescent, and they can save up to $25 in energy costs over the life of the bulb."
OPENING
Henderson to greet Tuesday Morning
The leading national upscale discount retailer Tuesday Morning will welcome treasure hunters to its new location in the Warm Springs Promenade, 1225 W. Warm Springs Road, in Henderson with a special sale event Tuesday, starting at 8 a.m.
"Tuesday Morning is a store that appeals to the treasure hunter in us all," said Kathleen Mason, president and chief executive officer. "We offer a true shopping adventure. Because of our incredible selection of first-quality merchandise, our deeply discounted prices and 10 unique sale events per year, Tuesday Morning generates a shopping excitement not easily duplicated."
Stock, including home decor, luxury linens, name-brand crystal accessories and gifts for men, women and children range in prices from 50 percent to 80 percent off department store pricing. New, famous-maker items and collectibles arrive weekly.
Customers can register to become a preferred Tuesday Morning eTreasures customer by visiting www.tuesdaymorning.com.
HOME SHOW
Decorating show returns for year No. 5
The Las Vegas Home Improvement and Decorating Show returns to Cashman Center, Oct. 27-29, for its fifth year.
The once-a-year show will feature exhibitors from across the United States, as well as some of Las Vegas' finest businesses displaying statuary, custom-made furnishings, garage doors, stained glass, cabinets, flooring, barbecues, room organizers, putting greens, windows, paints and more.
In addition, show-goers can attend any of several ongoing seminars.
Tickets are $6 general admission; $5 seniors (60 and older); United States military free; under 18 free with a paid adult.
ARTIST RECEPTION
Aquatic décor to go on display, sale
Each month, Murphy Beds & Elite Furniture, located at 1226 S. Rainbow Blvd., showcases the work of a local artist.
This month, the store will feature urban and aquatic décor created by Joseph Watson. The store/gallery is planning a Meet the Artist Day on Oct. 19, from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Watson will sign prints for the first 10 people in the store.
Watson graduated from the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., with a degree in illustration. His style is the result of life experience, education and a variety of influences, including artists Paul Gauguin, and Leonardo da Vinci.
