Briefs

Diaz passes arborist exam

Rob Diaz, president and chief executive officer of Land Care Inc. of North Las Vegas, recently passed the certified arborist examination offered by the International Society of Arboriculture.

Diaz founded his landscaping company in 1996 and changed the name to Land Care Inc. in 2004. Diaz is a member of the Western chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture and a former board member of the Nevada Landscape Association's board of directors.

He has been a leader in installing landscapes that promote water conservation. Since 1999, Land Care Inc. has been ranked among the top 10 landscape management companies in Southern Nevada.

His company has been a key landscape donor for Rebuilding Together, an organization whose mission is to preserve and revitalize houses so that the less fortunate can live independently in a warm and safe environment.

Apricot Festival set for May 15

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Orchard, along with Whole Foods Market, will be hosting an Apricot Festival May 15.

During the festival, area residents will be able to purchase home-grown fruit -- fresh from the garden. There also will be freezing and drying demonstrations and information about canning apricots.

The festival is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Whole Foods Market, 8855 W. Charleston Blvd.

In addition, bee boxes will be available at the event. Bee boxes encourage the nesting of local, native bees. They pollinate your vegetable garden and will not become Africanized, according to the master gardeners. Visitors will be able to purchase a box for $5 or see how they are constructed so they can build it themselves.

For more information about the festival, contact Bob Morris at 257-5509 or e-mail morrisr@unce.unr.edu.