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Crime and safety news from around the valley, Jan. 28-Feb. 3, 2016

Rape Crisis Center seeks volunteers: The Rape Crisis Center is increasing the number of volunteer training sessions in 2016 to better meet the needs of sexual assault victims and their families. This year, the center will offer three 50-hour five-week training sessions in late winter, summer and fall. Those who are interested in participating must complete an application and set up an interview prior to the beginning of training. Interviews are being scheduled. Volunteer training is a total of 50 hours and includes learning about the services of the center, community resources for sexual assault victims, how to respond to individuals in crisis, how the investigation and criminal justice process works for sexual assault cases, and numerous other topics. New volunteers must be at least 21 and be able to successfully pass a background check, drug screening and commit to a minimum of six months of volunteer service of at least six hours per week. Volunteers of varying age, gender identity, racial and ethnic background, sexual orientation, and language abilities are encouraged to apply. Call 702-385-2153.

New traffic signal: Clark County Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick turned on a new traffic signal at Lake Mead Boulevard and Sloan Lane Jan. 21. In addition to the new traffic signal, the project included extending Sloan south of Lake Mead to Meikle Lane and adding arrows for left-turns at the intersection of Lake Mead Boulevard and Mount Hood Street. Visit rtcsnv.com/fri.

Applications for Henderson police: Candidates interested in applying for the Henderson Police Department as a police officer or corrections officer are invited to attend free recruitment information nights, planned from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 9 at the Henderson Convention Center, 200 S. Water St. The Henderson Police Department will be providing information on how best to prepare for the hiring process. Following the presentation, there will be break-out sessions where prospective candidates can ask questions of human resources, backgrounds and current officers. Information on how best to prepare for the physical agility and online testing are to be available, as well. Online applications will be accepted until 5:30 p.m. March 31. Visit joinhpd.com.

National Radon Action Month: January is National Radon Action Month, and University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s Radon Education Program is offering educational presentations at various locations across the state. Free test kits will also be available at the presentations. Free radon test kits are available through Feb. 29 at University of Nevada Cooperative Extension offices and partner locations statewide. Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, comes from the ground and can enter homes and accumulate to elevated concentrations. At elevated concentrations, the odorless, colorless gas can raise the risk of lung cancer for unsuspecting homeowners. The presentation schedule is: at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 30 at Centennial Hills Library, 6711 N. Buffalo Drive; at 2 p.m. Jan. 30 at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road; at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 31 at the West Charleston Library, 6301 W. Charleston Blvd.; at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 31 at the Sunrise Library, 5400 E. Harris Ave.; and at 6 p.m. Feb. 1 at the Rainbow Library, 3150 N. Buffalo Drive. For more information or a list of free kit locations, visit radonnv.com, or call the Radon Hotline at 888-723-6610.

Racetrack Road groundbreaking: A Fuel Revenue Indexing-funded project, the Racetrack Road Improvement project had a groundbreaking Jan. 20 at the Heritage Park Aquatic Complex parking lot in Henderson. The improvement project is projected to cost $7.3 million and is set to include replacing and/or resurfacing Racetrack Road from Boulder Highway to Athens Avenue, adding or improving bike lanes, installing a traffic signal at Blue Lantern Drive, adding a roundabout at Newport Drive, and construction of a vehicular bridge on Newport Drive, crossing over a flood control channel. Work is estimated to be completed by December. Visit rtcsnv.com/fri.

Chainsaw safety presentation: The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, the Western Chapter International Society of Arboriculture, and the Southern Nevada Arborist Group plan a chainsaw safety and handling informational presentation from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 4 at the Cooperative Extension’s Lifelong Learning Center, 8050 Paradise Road. It is planned to cultivate safety and greater awareness for modern arboriculture. Attendees will be introduced to systematic methods to plan smarter and work more effectively. The presentation is set to be given by ArborMaster President Ken Palmer. Bring a hardhat and safety goggles. Registration for society members is $105 (early bird before Jan. 25 is $80); and $130 for nonmembers (early bird before Jan. 25 is $105). Student and senior members of WCISA’s registration is $55. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Visit wcisa.net/events or call 866-785-8960.

Tenants’ rights clinic: Nevada Legal Services the UNLV Boyd School of Law plan to host free community education presentations on common landlord-tenant issues. The classes are set from 3 to 5 p.m. Feb. 5 and 19, March 4 and 18, and April 1 and 15 at the North Las Vegas Justice Court, 2428 N. Martin Luther King Blvd, Building A. Attendees must go through court security.

Tax presentation: Nevada Legal Services is planning a free presentation about IRS tax collection and collection options from 7 to 8 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Clark County Library Jewel Box Theater, 1401 E. Flamingo Road. Topics include: How did my IRS tax debt happen? If I owe the IRS, can it take my car, take my house or send me to jail? How long can the IRS collect taxes from me? What if I can’t afford to fully pay my tax debt?

Shade Tree receives donation: The Hakkasan Group community committee and employees raised more than $63,000 and one ton of goods over the course of several weeks throughout the holiday season. The donation to the Shade Tree was completed Jan. 19.

Arts center construction: Through Jan. 31, the city of Las Vegas will be constructing improvements in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and resurfacing the asphalt parking lot at Charleston Heights Arts Center, 800 S. Brush St. Work hours will be 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Construction activities will be restricted to the on-site parking lot and concrete walkways adjacent to the arts center. Parking on Brush Street is recommended as an alternative location for those accessing the arts center during construction. Pedestrian access to the facility will be maintained during working hours. The planned improvements consist of removing and replacing asphalt surface, pavement delineations, and reconstruction of sidewalk ramps. The estimated cost of the parking lot reconstruction is $150,000.

Sealing criminal records classes: Nevada Legal Services and the UNLV Boyd School of Law plans to host free presentations on how to seal your criminal record from 3 to 5 p.m. Fridays through May 2 at the Clark County Law Library, 309 S. Third St. There is no class on Feb. 12 or March 25. To reserve a seat, call 702-455-4696.

Community safety forum: The Mob Museum, 300 Stewart Ave., announced its 2016 Community Safety Forum calendar. Forums are to be held from 2 to 3 p.m. the third Sunday of the month. They are sponsored by NV Energy and are free and open to the public. Attendance at a forum presentation includes free general admission to the museum following the presentation as well as live streaming of the event. Upcoming Community Safety Forum dates and topics include: Feb. 21, The Active Shooter; and March 20, The Ins and Outs of the Clark County District Attorney’s Office. Visit themobmuseum.org.

NDOT lighting installation: In January the Nevada Department of Transportation is set to make $1.2 million in lighting improvements along a 35-mile stretch of Interstate 15 from Jean to the I-15/U.S. Highway 95 “Spaghetti Bowl” interchange in Las Vegas. Acme Electric is the general contractor. Work calls for replacing 550 high-pressure sodium fixtures with light-emitting diode lamps. Work will occur during nighttime hours when traffic is minimal. Anticipated completion is by spring 2016. Visit nvroads.com.

Winter safety on the mountain: Snow is predicted for the Mount Charleston area that includes Lee Canyon. The Mount Charleston Winter Alliance is urging visitors to prepare for severe winter conditions before visiting the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. Some tips include: When traveling to the mountain, start with a full tank of gas. There are no gas stations onsite. Always carry with you: tire chains/tow strap, cellphone, flashlight, ice scraper, jumper cable, snow shovel, blanket/sleeping bag, first-aid kit, compass, maps, bag of sand/kitty litter for traction, spare batteries, nonperishable foods and water. To receive the most up-to-date winter road and driving conditions, chain requirements and road closures, visit mtcharlestowinter.com. For real-time road information, dial 511 within Nevada and 1-877-687-6237 outside of Nevada.

 

State Route 160 changes: The Nevada Department of Transportation awarded a $16.5 million contract to Aggregate Industries SWR Inc. for a 5-mile widening of state Route 160 (Blue Diamond Road) in southwest Clark County. The project will widen the highway from two lanes to four travel lanes between Mile Marker 10.89 (just past state Route 159 or the Red Rock Canyon Road junction) and Mile Marker 16.63. The improvements will flatten side slope shoulders for safer vehicle turnouts while installing new drainage pipe and tortoise fencing. Other work consists of placing barrier and guardrails as well as hydro-seeding 38 acres. Construction will entail moving enough dirt to fill 1,800 average sized swimming pools, and enough placing asphalt to pave 8,000 driveways. The project is scheduled for completion in early 2017. Although the speed limit will be lowered to 55 mph during construction, one lane will remain open at all times. Visit nvroads.com.

Tropicana Avenue upgrade: The Nevada Department of Transportation plans to upgrade East Tropicana Avenue between Eastern Avenue and Boulder Highway from January through fall 2016. The $7.67 million upgrade is slated to include new asphalt pavement, raised median islands and widened sidewalks. The project is aimed at preventing additional roadway cracking and deterioration and providing pedestrian enhancements, the department said. Work is expected to take place primarily during overnight hours. Visit nvroads.com.

Yellow Dot program: The 2015 Nevada Legislature passed AB 176, bringing the Yellow Dot program to Nevada. The voluntary program has participants provide important medical information about themselves and their passengers in the glovebox of their vehicles. First responders are alerted that this information is in the vehicle by a yellow dot decal placed in the lower left corner of the rear window. Residents can pick up a free Yellow Dot kit at one of more than 40 participating locations across the valley. For a list, visit rtcsnv.com/yellowdot, or to request the kit, call 702-676-1754 or email YD@rtcsnv.com.

Report illegal discharge activity: The Nevada Department of Transportation urges residents to protect water quality through prevention by reporting illicit drainage and discharge onto state roads and transportation facilities. Illicit discharge is anything entering a roadway drainage system that is not natural stormwater. Pesticides, construction dirt or materials, as well as materials from neighboring properties and roadway runoff containing fertilizers, vehicle oil and chemicals are examples. New legislation grants NDOT rights to issue permits for certain water discharges onto state roadways, as well as assess fines if needed. Illicit discharge onto state transportation facilities can be reported by contacting 775-888-7013 with the location and type of drainage or discharge. For more information, visit nevadadot.com/stormwater. In addition, a pollutant spill impacting a Nevada waterway must be reported to the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection’s spill reporting hotline at 888-331-6337.

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