Area briefing

CONTRACTOR ON NEVADA'S MOST WANTED LIST ARRESTED IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY

A contractor who was included on the Nevada State Contractors Board's top 10 most wanted list was arrested Sept. 24 in Los Angeles County by the Culver City Police Department, Nevada officials announced.

Neil Brodsky was being held on a no-bail warrant pending extradition. Brodsky has three active warrants for his arrest: one felony, one gross misdemeanor and one misdemeanor, with additional warrants pending, according to the Nevada State Contractors Board. The board said it has several complaints from Southern Nevada consumers against Brodsky that are being investigated.

Brodsky was added to the board's most wanted list Feb. 9, 2010, on charges of engaging in business or submitting bids without a license, unlawful advertising and obtaining money by false pretenses.

Brodsky is accused of actively posting advertisements on Craigslist for plumbing services, claiming to be a licensed contractor, board officials said. They said Brodsky was known for changing his advertisement frequently, using different aliases and claiming to be affiliated with a named licensed company.

For more information, visit nscb.nv.gov.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS' NAMES ADDED TO PLAQUE AT CEREMONY

Thirty victims who lost their lives to domestic violence last year were scheduled to have their names added to a plaque during an Oct. 4 ceremony hosted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Southern Nevada Domestic Violence Task Force.

The event was to mark the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which is observed in October.

Following the reading of the names and ages of each victim, a rose was to be placed in a vase to honor the victim's life. Additionally, family members of some domestic violence victims were scheduled to be on hand during the ceremony.

The plaque will join two others that contain the names of more than 250 victims who have lost their lives to domestic violence within the last 12 years.

For more information, visit sndvtf.org or lvmpd.com or call 828-3111.

ART SUBMISSIONS DUE OCT. 25 FOR ANTI-GRAFFITI CONTEST

Clark County fifth-graders are invited to submit artwork for a D.A.R.E. anti-graffiti event planned for Dec. 1.

Students can submit entries under the You Spray, You Pay theme, encouraging the public to recognize that graffiti is a crime.

The two winners will be revealed at the Dec. 1 event, and the winners' artwork will be displayed on Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada transit vehicles for up to one year.

Works must be original, colorful and submitted on an 11-by-17 horizontal paper or posterboard with an entry form attached to the back. The deadline is Oct. 25. Entries can be turned in by individuals, a class or a group of students to the commission's administrative offices, 600 S. Grand Central Parkway.

For more information, call 676-1735 or visit rtcsnv.com.

NEW WEBSITE SENDS EMERGENCY ALERTS TO USERS

Residents and businesses can sign up to receive a variety of emergency alerts via phone, text and email through a new website at https://sonevada.onthealert.com.

Users can select how they want to receive their information. They can enter up to three telephone numbers, for which they can choose to receive notifications via text or voice message. In addition, users can enter up to two email addresses to receive messages.

Subscribers also have the option to choose a variety of messages to receive, including ones for extreme temperatures, flash flooding, earthquakes, air quality advisories, winter storms and hazmat incidents. Users can return to the site at any time to update their settings or change the chosen alerts and email addresses and phone numbers provided.

Local officials, including Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, Henderson Mayor Andy Hafen, North Las Vegas Mayor Shari Buck and Clark County Commission Chairwoman Susan Brager, helped launch the website.

The project has been a joint effort among the cities in Southern Nevada and Clark County. The website was paid for by a grant from the Department of Homeland Security.

ELKHORN ROAD CLOSURE BEGINS BETWEEN TORREY PINES DRIVE AND JONES BOULEVARD

Elkhorn Road closed Oct. 3 to through traffic between Torrey Pines Drive and Jones Boulevard through March 2012 during construction of a storm drainage improvement project, according to the Clark County Regional Flood Control District.

Construction work is expected between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. However, during significant rain or other inclement weather, construction may be conducted outside of these work hours.

Motorists are advised to use Dorrell Lane or Wittig Avenue to the south as alternate routes. Residential access will be maintained on Elkhorn Road for all residences that access directly from Elkhorn Road.

Construction traffic will be substantial, and uniformed flaggers may be present to direct construction traffic within the work zone, county officials said. Access to neighboring residential, business and school properties will be maintained at all times during construction.

The work on Elkhorn Road is part of a $30 million storm drainage improvement project that began in December 2010 and includes improvements along North Decatur Boulevard from the Las Vegas Beltway to Elkhorn Road and on Elkhorn Road from Decatur Boulevard to Torrey Pines Drive.

Large, cast-in-place, reinforced-concrete flood control boxes are being installed in the center traffic lanes on Elkhorn Road. Channel structures, pipes and other flood control improvements also will be constructed. Work and lane restrictions continue on North Decatur Boulevard, too.

The storm drain project is expected to provide critical collection and connection between the upstream and downstream detention basins in the Las Vegas Wash Middle Branch watershed and greatly enhance flood protection during major and minor storms while also reducing nuisance flows on surface streets.

The contractor is Meadow Valley Contractors. The city of Las Vegas Department of Public Works is managing the project. Louis Berger & Associates is the construction manager.

Funding is provided by the Clark County Regional Flood Control District, the city of Las Vegas and the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada.

RAINBOW BOULEVARD ROAD RESURFACING TO CAUSE TRAFFIC DELAYS THIS MONTH

Ongoing work to resurface portions of Rainbow Boulevard from Gowan Road to Red Coach Avenue is expected to cause lane closures and delays for motorists while lanes are restricted through late October, the city of Las Vegas said.

Rainbow Boulevard is reduced to one travel lane in each direction while the work is completed. Alternate routes for north-south travel are Tenaya Way, Rancho Drive and U.S. Highway 95.

Las Vegas Paving is the contractor. City of Las Vegas Department of Operations and Maintenance personnel are managing the project. Funding is being provided by the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada and the city of Las Vegas.

TORREY PINES DRIVE RESURFACING CAUSES LANE RESTRICTIONS

Traffic lane restrictions expected to last two months were set to go into effect Oct. 5 on Torrey Pines Drive between U.S. Highway 95 and Cheyenne Avenue.

The restrictions will be in effect on a 24-hour basis as part of a preventative maintenance project to extend the life of this heavily traveled roadway, the city of Las Vegas said.

Torrey Pines Drive will be reduced to one lane in each direction and should return to full access when the improvements are completed in late-November. Rainbow and Jones boulevards are suggested north-south alternative routes.

NEVADA CHILD SEEKERS CLASSES TEACH KIDS TO RESIST AGGRESSION

Nevada Child Seekers plans to educate kids on how to resist aggression defensively during radKids classes set through mid-December at the Silver Springs Recreation Center, 1951 Silver Springs Parkway, Henderson.

The radKids program aims to provide children with basic safety skills dealing with issues such as fire, their home and the Internet and avoid potential bullying and abduction.

The organization, which tries to prevent children from being exploited or going missing, is offering the free program in 90-minute sessions planned every Saturday.

The schedule through Oct. 22 is:

9 to 10:30 a.m. for 4- to 8-year-olds, code 194055-12.

11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for 9- to 12-year-olds, code 194055-14.

The schedule for Oct. 29 through Dec. 17 is:

9 to 10:30 a.m. for 4- to 8-year-olds, code 194055-13.

11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for 9- to 12-year-olds, code 194055-15.

A $61 fee is payable to the Silver Springs Recreation Center. The city of Henderson has scholarships available for families that qualify. Nevada Child Seekers also will offer scholarships.

For the Henderson scholarship, pick up the paperwork at any recreation center in Henderson or at Henderson City Hall, 240 S. Water St. For the Nevada Child Seekers scholarship, call 458-7009.

Residents can register at the recreation center or at cityofhenderson.com

Parents will need to attend the first class so consent forms can be signed.

For more information, call 458-7009, email carole@nevadachildseekers.org or visit nevadachildseekers.org.

COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT PLANS SATURDAY OPEN HOUSE AT STATION 38

The Clark County Fire Department is scheduled to host an open house from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at Fire Station 38, 1755 Silver Hawk Ave. The event is aimed at educating the public about various fire and safety issues. Tours of the station also will be provided.

For more information, call 455-3201 or visit clarkcountynv.gov/depts/fire.

NEW TRAFFIC SIGNAL ACTIVATED AT BONNEVILLE AVENUE AND THIRD STREET

A new traffic signal at Bonneville Avenue and Third Street switched into full red, yellow and green operation mode Oct. 3, the final signal to be turned on as part of the Bonneville/Clark One-Way Couplet Project, according to the city of Las Vegas.

The city also has activated new traffic signals at Bonneville Avenue and First Street and at Bonneville Avenue and the new Bonneville Transit Center driveway.

The Bonneville Avenue and Third Street intersection sees about 13,000 vehicles and hundreds of pedestrians per day, the city said. The new signal at the intersection is aimed at providing safer crossings for pedestrians and improving vehicular mobility in the downtown area.

The signals were funded by the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada.

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

SEWER WORK STARTS ON KATIE AVENUE

The Clark County Water Reclamation District has started sewer rehabilitation work at Katie Avenue east of Maryland Parkway.

A new sewer line with new manholes are being installed, and a water line is being relocated.

A travel advisory started Sept. 23 and is in effect through at least Nov. 11.

Two lanes on Katie Avenue will be restricted from Cambridge Street to Algonquin Drive. Travel lanes will shift to accommodate eastbound and westbound travel on Katie Avenue.

Northbound travel on Maryland Parkway may be restricted to allow construction access to Katie Avenue.

Work will be conducted 6 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday, the district said. However, traffic restrictions will remain in place to protect sewer bypass pumps and pipes.

Access to businesses in the area will be maintained throughout the project, and the sidewalks and crosswalks will remain open for pedestrian access. Sewer service will not be disrupted.

For more information and traffic updates, call the project hot line at 668-8668 or visit thelvpipeline.com.

CONSTRUCTION ON NORTHBOUND I-15 TO CONTINUE INTO DECEMBER

Construction began Sept. 28 on the right lane of northbound Interstate 15, north of Lake Mead Boulevard, on the Carey Avenue bridge.

The lane will be closed for construction of a bridge abutment -- the wall on which the bridge sits. This closure will reduce the number of available lanes on that northbound stretch of I-15 from four to three for 90 days.

The abutment is part of the city of North Las Vegas' North 5th Street bridge, which is expected to be completed in 2013. The project involves construction of a bridge over I-15 and installation of a concrete barrier rail, a guard rail, lighting, storm drainage and other improvements.

Funding for the $28.9 million project comes from the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, and Target Construction is the contractor.

UTILITIES DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE ARRESTED FOR THEFT

A North Las Vegas customer service supervisor with the Utilities Department has been arrested for theft.

North Las Vegas police detectives on Sept. 29 arrested 40-year-old Angela Bozarth, an 11-year employee with the city of North Las Vegas, on one felony count of theft. An internal control measure led detectives on a two-week investigation into the disappearance of cash from the Utilities Department, 2200 Civic Center Drive.

The criminal complaint alleges that Bozarth pocketed an undisclosed amount of cash received in payment of utility bills after applying it to customers' accounts.

City of North Las Vegas customers' accounts remain unaffected as a result of the incident.

Bozarth was booked into the North Las Vegas Detention Center and has been placed on paid administrative leave.

AARP TO OFFER DRIVER SAFETY CLASS

An AARP driver safety class is planned for 11:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 18 at the h2u MountainView Office, 3150 N. Tenaya Way, Suite 114. The cost is $12 for those with a valid AARP membership card and $14 for nonmembers. Attendees may receive a discount on their automobile insurance.

The class size is limited and is open on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information call 233-5474.

5K RUN, WALKING TOUR TO BENEFIT UNLV MOUNTED PATROL UNIT

Join the Friends of the UNLV Mounted for a 5K run or 1.5-mile walking tour fundraiser for the UNLV Mounted Patrol Unit.

The Run for the Horses event is planned for Oct. 23 on the UNLV campus, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway.

The run is set to start at 8 a.m., and the walk is planned for 9 a.m. Event-day registration is set for 6 a.m.

Festivities are scheduled to kick off from the north field inner campus.

It is a pet- and family-friendly event. A Rebel Pride costume contest is planned for all participants, including dogs.

The Metropolitan Police Department plans to host a crime prevention expo during the event, and the UNLV Student Recreation and Wellness Center is set to host a health and wellness booth from 8 a.m. to noon.

The top five runners in each of 18 divisions will earn prizes donated by a host of community sponsors.

The registration deadline is Oct. 21 for the 5K and 1.5-mile walk. To register, visit active.com and use the keyword "Run for the Horses." Registration starts at $25.

All UNLV students, staff and faculty members are eligible for a discount. "Like" the Friends of the UNLV Mounted on Facebook and receive an additional discount by finding the code in the information section.

Proceeds from the event will support the mounted unit's operations and outreach efforts. The UNLV Mounted Patrol Unit is an instrumental part of the UNLV police department's efforts to maintain safety on and around campus. The unit's two horses, Rebel and Pride, patrol the campus with officers four days a week and participate in community public safety and local school outreach events.

For more information, contact Stephani Preston at 895-3668 or stephani.preston@unlv.edu.