Area Briefing, Dec. 25-31, 2014

TRAVELERS AT MCCARRAN CAN OPT FOR QUICKER SECURITY SCREENINGS

A biometric identity platform recently launched at McCarran International Airport, 5757 Wayne Newton Blvd., to help speed up airport security screenings.

The CLEAR platform uses fingerprints and travelers’ irises to verify their identity. Participants average less than five minutes through airport security checkpoints, according to the company. Those who are interested in the accelerated screenings must sign up for them.

Travelers who enroll at CLEAR airport locations are entitled to a free two-month trial. Membership costs less than $15 per month for unlimited use in all locations that use the platform. Members may add their spouse or partner for an additional $50 per year, and children younger than 18 are free. CLEAR also offers special rates for military personnel and corporations.

For a demonstration on how CLEAR works, visit vimeo.com/53687250. For more information, visit clearme.com.

VOLUNTEER SNOW HOSTS SOUGHT FOR MOUNT CHARLESTON AREA

Go Mt. Charleston is seeking volunteers to be snow hosts this winter in the Mount Charleston area of the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area.

Many of the hundreds of people who visit the mountains each weekend to play in the snow lack knowledge of the best and safest places to go, what activities are allowed, what the parking regulations are and how to play safely, according to state officials.

Snow hosts address these concerns and provide roadside information. They also take part in the fun while engaging visitors at snow play sites. In addition, they help visitors have a fun experience while reducing impacts to the forest environment.

Volunteers are needed through March and work on weekends and holidays. Average shifts range between three and six hours, and the minimum commitment is two shifts per month.

Experience in outdoor winter settings is a plus but not required, and volunteers should be at least age 18 and be able to work in the cold.

For more details on the position, visit gomtcharleston.com/volunteer.html. To sign up as a volunteer, contact Cody Dix at volunteer@gomtcharleston.com or 702-515-5408.

S.A.F.E. HOUSE GETS FINANCIAL BOOST FROM CSI: THE EXPERIENCE

CSI: The Experience, an attraction at the MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South, recently announced that it raised $3,621 for S.A.F.E. House during Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October.

The attraction, based on the TV show, donated a portion of the proceeds from every full-priced ticket sold during the month to the nonprofit, which aims to stop violence and abuse in the family environment and provides shelter, support, counseling and education to participants.

For more information, visit safehousenv.org or mgmgrand.com.

NEW LICENSE PLATES SUPPORT SAFETY FOR BICYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS

A specialty Nevada license plate supporting safe bicycle and pedestrian programs is available for purchase through the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles.

The plate displays a “Share the Road” message and bicycle and pedestrian image. The plates cost an initial $61 and $30 for renewal.

Proceeds of $25 per plate are set to provide grant money for nonprofit and government organizations to plan and construct bicycle and pedestrian facilities and support bicycle and pedestrian safety, education and other programs.

The funding is slated to be awarded by the Nevada Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board and administered through the Nevada Department of Transportation.

Pedestrian and bicycle safety information is available at bicyclenevada.com.

HENDERSON POLICE TO TARGET IMPAIRED DRIVERS DURING HOLIDAY PATROLS

The Henderson Police Department plans to join forces with officers from neighboring jurisdictions through Jan. 5 to patrol the streets for impaired drivers.

Residents who spot a suspected impaired driver can call 911 and should provide a vehicle description, its location, its direction of travel and if possible, its license plate number.

For more information, visit cityofhenderson.com/police or call 702-267-5000.

NORTH LAS VEGAS RECERTIFIED FOR STORM PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM

The city of North Las Vegas was recently recertified by the National Weather Service as a StormReady city for the 13th consecutive year.

StormReady, a program started in 1999, helps arm communities with the communication and safety skills necessary to save lives and property before and during severe storms. It also helps community leaders and emergency managers strengthen local safety programs.

For more information, visit nws.noaa.gov/stormready or contact the North Las Vegas Office of Emergency Management at 702-633-2145.

RAILROAD POLICE MONITOR GRADE CROSSINGS

The Union Pacific Railroad Police and area law enforcement officers recently took train rides to observe motorists’ behavior at highway-railroad grade crossings in an effort to educate the public about grade crossing and pedestrian safety.

The effort was part of the Union Pacific’s Crossing Accident Reduction Education and Safety program, which entails outreach and community events to raise awareness.

Activities include grade-crossing enforcement with local, county and state law enforcement agencies; safety trains that provide local officials a firsthand look at what locomotive engineers see daily while they operate trains through communities; and communication blitzes that educate the community at events or via media outreach.

For more information, visit up.com.

POLICE BUILDINGS NAMED FOR FORMER SHERIFFS

Three buildings at the Metropolitan Police Department’s headquarters, 400 S. Martin Luther King Blvd., were dedicated Dec. 4 in honor of three former sheriffs.

The buildings include plaques bearing the honorees’ names: Sheriffs Ralph Lamb (1961-1978), John McCarthy (1978-1982) and Bill Young (2003-2007).

Their contributions to the Las Vegas community include the consolidation of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and the Las Vegas Police Department into the Metropolitan Police Department, the new Clark County Detention Center and the More Cops tax.

For more information, visit lvmpd.com.

TIPS FOR HOLIDAY LIGHTS AIMED AT SAFETY, CONSERVATION

NV Energy recommends various holiday lighting conservation and safety tips for residents.

— Switch to safe, long-lasting, energy-efficient LED (light emitting diode) holiday lights when possible.

— Use a timer to reliably turn off lights during daylight and other specified times.

— Don’t overload your electric circuits. Check fuses or circuit breaker panels to see what your home can handle and stay within the limits.

— Adhere to manufacturer’s designations and locations of use (indoor vs. outdoor).

— Outdoor lighting should have insulated electrical cords and be plugged into a ground fault interrupter-protected receptacle only.

— Don’t run extension cords under rugs, around furniture legs or across doorways.

— Keep all plugs and connectors off the ground, away from puddles and sprinklers.

— Make sure there’s a bulb in each socket of a light string, even if it is burned out.

— Keep your natural tree well-watered to prevent bulbs from igniting dry branches. Never use electrical decorations on metal trees.

— Ensure that the electrical setup is safe from small children and pets.

For more information, visit nvenergy.com.

FIRE OFFICIALS REMIND HOLIDAY COOKS TO BE CAREFUL

The Clark County Fire Department recently issued a reminder for residents to use caution while doing their holiday cooking.

About 19 percent of residential fires in Clark County were related to cooking in 2013, with frying posing the highest risk and unattended cooking the leading cause of the blazes, according to the department.

The department’s safety tips include:

— Young children should remain out of cooking areas.

— Position grills, fryers and other outdoor cooking devices away from walls, siding, deck railings, eaves and branches.

— When deep-frying turkeys, do it away from combustible items. Use only an approved turkey fryer with a built-in thermostat. Make sure the fryer cannot tip over, a common cause of fires.

— Keep flammable materials such as oven mitts and towels away from the stove or cooking device.

— Do not cook while consuming alcohol.

— Don’t forget to turn off your oven, fryer, barbecue and stove-top burners.

— Every kitchen should have a working, multipurpose fire extinguisher with an ABC rating.

— For small stove-top fires, turn off the burner and place a lid on the pan or pot to smother it when safe to do so.

— For an oven fire, turn off the heat. Keep the oven door closed to smother and extinguish the fire.

— Do not use water to extinguish a grease or oil fire. It will cause the burning grease to splash from the pan and spread the fire. Turn off the stove, fryer or propane tank supply valve, and use a lid, baking soda or a fire extinguisher on the flames.

For more information, visit clarkcountynv.gov/depts/fire or call 702-455-7311.

FREE RADON TEST KITS TO BE AVAILABLE

Free radon test kits are set to be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through Feb. 28 at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, 8050 Paradise Road, in honor of National Radon Action Month in January.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can accumulate in buildings and cause lung cancer.

When a home is closed up during colder months, radon concentrations typically increase, making winter an ideal time to test a home for radon, according to the Cooperative Extension.

Radon education programs are planned statewide in January and are set to be announced later. The Cooperative Extension offers radon presentations for schools, civic and community groups, homeowners associations, Realtors, builders and the general public.

To schedule a presentation, contact education coordinator Jamie Roice-Gomes at 775-336-0252 or roicej@unce.unr.edu.

For more information, visit radonnv.com or call the radon hotline at 888-723-6610.

HOLIDAY OIL RECYCLING PROGRAM TO START

Residents can recycle their holiday cooking oil by dropping it off from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 26 through Jan. 15 in the south parking lot at the Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd.

Oil can be funnelled into its original container, sealed and placed in a collection receptacle at the site.

The holiday cooking oil recycling program is a component of the Clark County Water Reclamation District’s Pain in the Drain campaign, which aims to keep sewers free of blockages and overflows caused by oil, fat and grit.

For more information, visit paininthedrain.com.