Area Briefing

REPORT ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN SIGNS

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 the city of Henderson.

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 Dec. 16 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 and Dec. 15 and 16.

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 Dec. 12 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.

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.

CLARK COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT PLANS OPENS HOUSE AT STATION 26

The Clark County Fire Department plans an open house from noon-3 p.m. Saturday at Station 26, 4030 S. El Capitan Way.

The event coincides with the 11th annual Fill the Fire Truck holiday toy drive, sponsored by the Southern Nevada Burn Foundation and the United Citizens Foundation. Visitors can drop off unwrapped toys or gift cards. Toys also can be donated through Dec. 16 at any Clark County fire station. The toys are being distributed to children through local agencies, charities and churches.

Open house participants are scheduled to include Safe Kids Clark County, the Southern Nevada Child Drowning Prevention Coalition, the Clark County Water Reclamation District, the American Red Cross, Nevada Child Seekers, the Trauma Intervention Program of Southern Nevada, Clark County School District police, the Metropolitan Police Department's McGruff the crime dog and employees from the Clark County District Attorney's Office and the Department of Business License. The county fire department's Captain Be Safe inflatable firefighter character also will be on hand.

The fire department hosts open houses with community partners every other month at different county fire stations. The next open house is set for noon-3 p.m. Feb. 2 at Station 23, 4250 E. Alexander Road. Fire department open houses are handicap-accessible.

For more information, visit clarkcountynv.gov or call 702-455-3500.

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. Dec. 15 at the Whitney Library, 5175 E. Tropicana Ave.; and 2 p.m. Dec. 17 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.

POLICE TO SPEAK WITH RESIDENTS ABOUT FRAUD, IDENTITY THEFT DURING 1ST TUESDAY

Officers are scheduled to discuss fraud and identity theft during the Metropolitan Police Department's 1st Tuesday program, set for 7 to 8 p.m. today at the department's valleywide area commands.

The 1st Tuesday program is a free open house-style event that takes place monthly on the first Tuesday. After speakers discuss assigned topics, residents can learn more about their neighborhoods and meet their local police officers.

For a list of area commands or other additional information, visit lvmpd.com or call 702-828-3111.

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.

VEGAS DRIVE ROAD PROJECT TO CAUSE TRAFFIC DELAYS

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

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

The project is set to restrict traffic 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.

DECATUR BOULEVARD IMPROVEMENTS TO CAUSE LANE RESTRICTIONS

Roadway improvements began recently on Decatur Boulevard between Cheyenne Avenue and Lone Mountain Road, with work expected to cause lane restrictions and continue through mid-December.

Construction is limited to the west half of the street's width due to an overlapping jurisdictional boundary with North Las Vegas, according to the city of Las Vegas. North Las Vegas has completed its portion of the street improvements.

Some work is set to take place between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. to accommodate weekday traffic demands. Other work will take place during daytime hours due to noise concerns and low winter temperatures, city of Las Vegas officials said.

A minimum of two lanes in each direction will be kept open during most peak morning and afternoon hours. During nighttime work, traffic may be restricted to one lane in each direction.

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 delineations.

Motorists are advised to use Rancho Drive or Allen Lane as alternate routes.

Las Vegas Paving Corp. is the contractor. City of Las Vegas Department of Operations and Maintenance personnel are managing the project. Funding for the project's $700,000 price tag is being provided by the city of Las Vegas.

OGDEN AVENUE LANE RESTRICTIONS BEGIN

Roadway improvements on Ogden Avenue between Las Vegas Boulevard and 11th Street are expected to cause lane restrictions through Jan. 11.

As part of the $750,000 project, a section of Eighth Street between Fremont Street and Ogden Avenue also will be reconstructed, according to the city of Las Vegas.

The work will consist of road replacement due to accelerating pavement deterioration.

Motorists are advised to use Stewart or Carson avenues as alternative east-west routes.

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