Area Briefing

WINNERS OF ANTI-GRAFFITI ARTWORK COMPETITION TO BE NAMED

The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada was scheduled to announce who took the top spots in its sixth annual anti-graffiti artwork competition after narrowing down Clark County students' submissions to 10 potential winners.

A grand-prize winner and a runner-up were scheduled to be announced Dec. 6. A transit vehicle showcasing the winners' artwork was set to be unveiled during the ceremony.

The winning artwork is to be displayed for up to one year on transportation commission buses around the valley.

Fifty valley elementary and middle school students entered the contest to promote the theme, "Keep Southern Nevada Graffiti Free."

For more information, visit rtcsnv.com.

WINTER PARKING RESTRICTIONS IN EFFECT ON MOUNT CHARLESTON

The Nevada Department of Transportation has implemented parking restrictions during the winter travel season from December through March on Mount Charleston.

Due to the number of visitors in the area on the weekends and holidays, motorists are not be allowed to park or walk on the roadways. "No parking" signs will be placed throughout Kyle and Lee canyons. The Metropolitan Police Department and the Nevada Highway Patrol will enforce the restrictions.

Parking will be eliminated on the transportation department's right-of-way on state Route 157 from state Route 158 to the Mount Charleston Lodge and on state Route 156 from the Meadows to the Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort and by the fire station in Lee Canyon.

In areas where parking is allowed - the Resort on Mount Charleston, the U.S. Forest Service parking lots/land and east of state Route 158 - vehicles must park in spaces or off the road. Wheels must be to the right of the white lines to prevent damage to vehicles and to allow medical, police and fire personnel to respond to emergencies. Vehicles parked over the white lines, in no-parking zones or that otherwise impede the flow of traffic will be ticketed and towed. Fines begin at $190. Visitors should also must refrain from playing or parking on private property, residential areas or sites marked as closed. Trespassing fines begin at $150.

Motorists who stop in travel lanes to put snow chains on their tires will be cited.

The restrictions are part of the transportation department's public safety outreach efforts.

For more information about the restrictions, visit nevadadot.com.

ANNUAL TOY DRIVE TO BENEFIT VALLEY CHILDREN

The Clark County Fire Department, the Southern Nevada Burn Foundation and the United Citizens Foundation are joining forces for the 11th annual Fill the Fire Truck holiday toy drive.

All Clark County fire stations are accepting toys and gifts through Sunday for valley children. The toys are distributed through local government agencies, churches and charities. Last year, 18,500 youngsters received gifts as a result of the drive.

Select Walmart locations will be collecting for the drive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday .

For more information, contact the Southern Nevada Burn Foundation at 702-485-6820.

POLICE EXPLORER PROGRAM SEEKS APPLICANTS

The Metropolitan Police Department is accepting applications through Wednesday for its explorer program.

Explorers learn how to be a police officer, conduct crime scene investigations and take 911 calls.

Applicants must be between ages 16 and 20, possess good moral character, have no felony convictions or lengthy criminal history, pass a police background investigation and volunteer their time.

For more information, contact officer Michael Rodriguez at m12717r@lvmpd.com.

REPORT ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN SIGNS AROUND THE VALLEY

Local laws require that political campaign signs be removed 15 days after an election.

To report an illegal campaign sign, call 702-455-4191 for unincorporated areas of Clark County, 702-229-6615 for the city of Las Vegas' jurisdiction, 702-633-1030 for North Las Vegas or 702-267-3950 for Henderson.

BURN FOUNDATION RAISES FUNDS TO ASSIST CATASTROPHE VICTIMS

The Firefighters of Southern Nevada Burn Foundation was set to host a Seventies Stayin' Alive karaoke competition and fundraiser Dec. 8 at Rí Rá Irish Pub to benefit the foundation's efforts to assist victims of fire and other catastrophic events.

The event was to include a singing competition featuring costumes, drink specials, giveaways and more. Participants and guests were encouraged to don 1970s attire for a chance to win a prize for the best-dressed attendee.

The Firefighters of Southern Nevada Burn Foundation consists of personnel from Las Vegas Fire & Rescue and the Clark County, Henderson, North Las Vegas and Nellis fire departments. The foundation also works closely with the burn unit at University Medical Center to help care for victims of fires and other catastrophes.

In the past year, the foundation has raised about $32,000 to assist families confronted with a catastrophic event.

For more information on the foundation, visit theburnfoundation.org.

VEGAS DRIVE ROAD PROJECT TO CAUSE TRAFFIC DELAYS

The city of Las Vegas planned to begin work Dec. 10 on a storm drainage system on Vegas Drive between Michael Way and Rancho Drive.

The $14 million project is scheduled to last about 18 months.

Traffic is scheduled to be restricted along Vegas Drive to one lane in each direction at various times. Several weekend closures of the Vegas Drive-Decatur Boulevard intersection will be required due to water main relocation work.

For more information, visit lasvegasnevada.gov or call 702-229-6011.

LONE MOUNTAIN ROAD IMPROVEMENTS TO CAUSE LANE RESTRICTIONS

Traffic lane restrictions are in effect on a 24-hour basis through January on Lone Mountain Road between Rancho Drive and Decatur Boulevard due to roadway improvements.

Traffic is scheduled to be reduced to one lane in each direction.

Motorists are advised to use Craig or Ann roads as alternative east-west routes.

Preliminary work was completed this year and consisted of improvements to sidewalk areas to meet federal Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

The current work consists of removal and reconstruction of deteriorated areas of pavement, grinding and resurfacing of the pavement and installation of new traffic delineation.

Partial street improvements were completed several months ago in conjunction with a storm drain project that will complete the rehabilitation of the street surface.

Las Vegas Paving Corp. is the contractor. City of Las Vegas Department of Operations and Maintenance personnel are managing the $675,000 project. Funding is provided by the city of Las Vegas.

COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT RECRUITS TRAIN FOR WATER RESCUE OPERATIONS

Clark County Fire Department Training Academy rookies took part in swift water awareness rescue training Nov. 27 in Big Bend State Park in Laughlin.

The training provided recruits with exposure to life-saving rescue and survival techniques that can be used during any type of water rescue, including calls involving stranded motorists and pedestrians trapped in flash floods, Clark County Fire Chief Bertral Washington said.

The 28 academy students are in their final weeks of rookie school training, which started July 23. The students have completed a three-hour classroom session on water rescues at the department's fire training center on Tropicana Avenue.

Members of Laughlin's Technical Rescue Team from stations 76 and 85 led the recent water rescue training. The Laughlin team is trained to conduct swift-water rescue, high- and low-angle rope rescue, vehicle and machinery rescue and boat operations.

FREE HELMETS TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO YOUTHS AT SKI RESORT DURING LIDS ON KIDS EVENT

The Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort and Centennial Hills Hospital Medical Center plan to distribute free helmets to youths during the seventh annual Lids on Kids safety education campaign from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Jan. 5-Feb. 2.

Trained Lids on Kids volunteers will fit toddlers through preteens for a helmet. Children and their parents will participate in a short education program presented by members of National Ski Patrol to learn and understand the skier/snowboarder code of safety and responsibility.

The free program coincides with the National Ski Area Association Safety Week, Jan. 14-22, and Learn to Ski/Snow Month in January. The program launched in 2006 after a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission report that said wearing a helmet while skiing or snowboarding could prevent or reduce the severity of 53 percent of head injuries for those younger than 15.

To date, the ski resort has provided more than 1,000 free helmets to local youths, with more than 300 given out in the 2011-12 season. Earlier this year, the resort received the National Ski Areas Association's National Ski Area Safety Award for the program.

FREE RADON TEST KITS TO BE DISTRIBUTED DURING AWARENESS PRESENTATIONS

The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension plans three radon awareness presentations, which are set to include free radon test kits for participants.

The presentations are set for noon Saturday at the West Las Vegas Library, 951 W. Lake Mead Blvd.; 11 a.m. Saturday at the Whitney Library, 5175 E. Tropicana Ave.; and 2 p.m. Monday at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road.

Radon is an odorless, colorless radioactive gas that comes from the natural decay of uranium in soils, and it enters homes through foundation cracks, openings and some of the porous materials used to construct foundations and floors of homes.

Radon can enter any home, and the only way to know what the radon levels are is to measure them. Winter is the ideal time to test homes for the gas as most people keep their residences closed up during the cold weather, said Laura Au-Yeung, southern area radon program coordinator.

For more information, call Au-Yeung at 702-257-5550, email her at au-yeungl@unce.unr.edu or visit radonnv.com.

USED COOKING OIL TO BE ACCEPTED AT SPRINGS PRESERVE COLLECTION SITE

Residents can dispose of their holiday cooking oil in an eco-friendly way by taking part in the Clark County Water Reclamation District's annual oil recycling event.

Cooking oil is scheduled to be accepted from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 26 through Jan. 15 in the south ticketing parking lot at the Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd.

The recycling program is a component of the district's Don't Be a Pain in the Drain outreach campaign, geared to decrease the amount of sewer blockages and overflows caused by fat, oil, grease and grit disposed of in drains by customers.

The used cooking oil that is collected is recycled into biofuel for trucks, buses and vehicles.

Participants can pour their used oil back into the original container or use funnels that are available between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the water reclamation district's offices at 5857 E. Flamingo Road. Smaller amounts of used cooking oil and grease can be put into a can and disposed of in the garbage.

For more information, visit paininthedrain.com.