Brief

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension will hold an information and registration session Wednesday for the upcoming fall master gardener training. The session will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Lifelong Learning Center, 8050 Paradise Road.

Master gardeners are volunteers who teach, assist and work with community partners on projects across the Las Vegas Valley. The master gardener program is open to adults who accept the stringent training and volunteer commitments.

Fall classes will be offered from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays beginning Sept. 10 and continuing through Oct. 29. Attendance at all 20 classes is required.

The master gardener program teaches sustainable desert gardening practices, including proper plant selection and care, disease and pest management and water-efficient gardening. To become a master gardener, an individual must complete 80 hours of horticultural instruction and volunteer 50 hours on community projects each year.

The master gardener title only can be used when performing volunteer work on behalf of the university.

At the information/registration, UNCE horticulture staff will detail the training program requirements, volunteer commitment and community projects.

A $150 fee covers all class materials including three textbooks, badge, shirt, tote and some refreshments. Completed registrations, including payments by cash or check, will be accepted at the information/registration session.

Reservations must be made by calling Mary Bertsch, program assistant, at 257-5501 or emailing bertschm@unce.unr.edu.

Mission Cool Off awards new air conditioners to three

Three Las Vegas Valley households received new air conditioners at no charge through the Nevada State Contractors Board and Southern Nevada Air Conditioning Refrigeration Service Contractors Association seventh annual Mission Cool Off program.

The individuals who received new air conditioners were Connie B. Rampton and Debbie Baird of Las Vegas and Demetrio De La Cruz of North Las Vegas. They were selected based on need or special circumstances from a pool of 100 applicants.

The air conditioning units were replaced by volunteers from the association.

Companies that donated labor for the program included AireServ, Yes! Air Conditioning & Plumbing, Sahara Air Conditioning & Heating Inc., Atlas Crane Inc., College of Southern Nevada and Desert Crane Services Inc.

Goodman Manufacturing donated an air conditioning unit for the program.

There also were participating companies that wished to remain anonymous.