News Briefs

Student’s letter wins new furnishings for lounge at Rogich Middle School

On March 11, the teachers’ lounge at Rogich Middle School received a delivery of all new furniture and accessories, compliments of Walker Furniture’s 15th Annual “Valentine Teacher Appreciation Day” program.

Each year, Walker Furniture, in cooperation with the Clark County School District School-Community Partnership Program, has given students in Southern Nevada an opportunity to win new furnishings for their teachers’ lounge by writing a letter describing their favorite teacher.

This year, Rogich Middle School won, thanks to a letter written by sixth-grader Esther Hong on behalf of her history teacher, Lori Figgins. The furnishings included a new leather sofa and love seat, bookcase, coffee table, end tables, lamps, wall art and accessories.

For her outstanding letter, Hong received a cash prize of $100 from Walker Furniture. Also, Figgins received a $150 Walker Furniture gift certificate.

In her letter to Walker Furniture, Hong wrote about how Figgins keeps her students engaged by enhancing textbook terminology with practical examples of how important aspects of government work in real life.

Master gardener’s work awarded by city of Henderson

Master gardener training and expertise paid off for the Cinnamon Ridge Homeowners Association with the Premiere Community Award, presented by the city of Henderson.

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Debra Jacobson brought her desert gardening knowledge and designed the desert-friendly landscaping. Acting as the landscape adviser for the association, Jacobson assisted with this process.

“When I began this project a few years ago,” Jacobson said, “there were holes from old landscape plants that were taken out and 15 year old trees and shrubs that were in bad shape.”

Jacobson used native desert plants, contrasting rock and boulders and designed “pods” to serve as focal points throughout the quarter-mile area along Burkholder Road in Henderson. Inappropriate plants and shrubs were replaced with desert-hardy agave, yuccas, ocotillo and brittlebush, creating an award-winning landscape.

One important irrigation issue, friction loss in irrigation lines, was corrected by placing plants that need more water at the beginning of the irrigation line and putting lower-water-use plants towards the end.

Lamps Plus to host free home decorating workshop

Lamps Plus will host its first in a series of “Ask the Expert” workshops at 11 a.m. March 21 at its store at 8800 W. Charleston Blvd.

The 60-minute “Refresh Your Rooms” workshop will highlight the latest trends in interior design, style, color and lighting. Lamps Plus design experts will share design tips and offer easy, affordable ideas for transforming, updating and enhancing any room in the home.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own project photos and plans for a free one-on-one evaluation from a Lamps Plus design expert after the session.

The workshop, which is led by an American Lighting Association-certified speaker and home specialist, is free and open to the public.

Call 702-242-4995 for information.

Downtown Summerlin to hold Saturday farmer’s market

Today, Downtown Summerlin will debut its weekly farmer’s market, curated by Kerry Clasby, also known as The Intuitive Forager.

Ninety percent of the produce at the market will be organic and pesticide-free. A wide selection of diverse and unusual fruits and vegetables not available through mainstream purveyors will be for sale.

For more than a decade, Clasby has been an organic grower, distributor and professional forager for celebrity chefs nationwide. Her team will help make more conscious food choices.

Throughout the season, the market will host cooking demonstrations, live music, classes dedicated to ecological stewardship and tasting events.

The Downtown Summer farmer’s market will be held 9 a.m.-2 p.m. today in the Pavilion (on Festival Plaza Drive between Rosemary Park Drive and Oval Park Drive) and will continue at the same time and place each week throughout the year. Downtown Summerlin is just east of the 215 Beltway between Sahara Avenue and Charleston Boulevard.