Area Briefing

CRIME STOPPERS OF NEVADA GETS NEW CHAIRWOMAN

A new chairwoman recently was named for Crime Stoppers of Nevada, a nonprofit program that provides a way for people to anonymously submit information about crimes.

Caroline Ciocca, community relations director of CashAmerica/SuperPawn, was named to the post.

Ciocca, a member of Crime Stoppers' board since 2008, has worked closely with the Metropolitan Police Department on a number of crime prevention initiatives and serves on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas College of Business Advisory Board.

Since 1979, Crime Stoppers has worked closely with law enforcement to keep the community safe and has helped apprehend more than 10,000 suspects. The organization receives no state or local funding and relies on private sponsors.

Anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers can be made by calling the organization's bilingual hot line at 702-385-5555 or visiting crimestoppersofnv.com. Crime Stoppers offers reward money for information leading to a felony arrest or indictment.

RADON PRESENTATIONS AROUND TOWN TO INCLUDE FREE TEST KITS

The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension plans to offer free radon test kits in February during several planned presentations.

The sessions are set for:

---2 p.m. Saturday at the West Charleston Library, 6301 W. Charleston Blvd.

---11 a.m. Feb. 9 at the Enterprise Library, 25 E. Shelbourne Ave.

---5 p.m. Feb. 13 at the Summerlin Library, 1771 Inner Circle Drive.

---11 a.m. Feb. 23 at the Centennial Hills Library, 6711 N. Buffalo Drive.

---5 p.m. Feb. 26 at the Sahara West Library, 9600 W. Sahara Ave.

Radon, a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas, is the leading cause of lung cancer for nonsmokers, according to the Cooperative Extension. It comes from the natural decay of uranium in soil and enters homes through foundation cracks, openings and some of the porous materials used to construct foundations and floors of homes.

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

DISCOUNTS OFFERED FOR SPAYING AND NEUTERING PIT BULLS, CHIHUAHUAS

The Animal Foundation, in honor of World Spay Day, is set to offer discounted spay and neuter surgeries for pit bulls and Chihuahuas from Friday through Feb. 28 at its Low-Cost Spay & Neuter Clinic, 655 N. Mojave Road.

Surgeries cost $50 for pit bulls and $30 for Chihuahuas and are available Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

For more information or to make an appointment, call 702-384-3333 or visit animalfoundation.com.

COMPRESSION-ONLY CPR CLASS PLANNED AT CENTENNIAL HILLS ACTIVE ADULT CENTER

A free compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation class is scheduled at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Centennial Hills Active Adult Center, 6601 N. Buffalo Drive.

The session will be led by Las Vegas Fire & Rescue. For more information or to register, call 702-229-1702.

CONSTRUCTION TO CLOSE INTERSECTION AT ALTA AND DESERT FOOTHILLS DRIVES

The intersection of Alta and Desert Foothills drives in Summerlin is set to close to vehicle, pedestrian and cycling traffic in early February.

The closure, planned for about 10 months, is necessary to complete infrastructure work for development expansion.

Desert Sunrise Road and Paseo Mist Drive will remain open as access points to The Paseos.

Cyclists, runners and walkers using the Downtown to Red Rock Conservation Area trail will be rerouted through The Vistas village via Vista Run Drive. Detour signage is set to be in place.

For more information, visit summerlin.com.

CLARK COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT PLANS OPEN HOUSE AT STATION 23

The Clark County Fire Department plans to host an open house from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at Station 23, 4250 E. Alexander Road, near Lamb Boulevard.

The public is invited to visit with fire fighters and representatives from local organizations.

The department hosts open houses with community partners throughout the year at different fire stations. Partners include Safe Kids Clark County, the Southern Nevada Child Drowning Prevention Coalition, the Clark County Water Reclamation District, the American Red Cross of Southern Nevada, Nevada Child Seekers and the Trauma Intervention Program of Southern Nevada.

For more information, visit tinyurl.com/clarkcountyfire or call 702-455-3500.

STATE TRAFFIC DEATHS RISE IN 2012

State officials remind motorists to drive safely after Nevada traffic deaths rose slightly in 2012 over the previous year.

Preliminary numbers show that 258 traffic fatalities occurred on Nevada roads in 2012, an increase of 12 deaths compared to the previous year, according to the Nevada departments of Public Safety and Transportation.

Though the numbers rose in 2012, annual Nevada traffic fatalities have trended down after reaching an all-time high of 432 in 2006.

Serious traffic injuries were down in 2012, with a preliminary number of more than 725 in 2012 compared to 1,222 in 2011.

The Nevada Strategic Highway Safety Plan, with participation from Nevada traffic and safety advocates, seeks to implement enforcement, engineering, emergency medical and educational strategies to cut the yearly traffic fatality average in half by 2030, with the ultimate goal of zero on Nevada roads.

State officials said motorists should follow these safe driving tips:

---Buckle up - Roughly 50 percent of fatal crashes that Nevada law enforcement agencies investigate involve unbuckled vehicle occupants.

---Don't drive impaired - On average, more than 50 people are arrested for driving under the influence every day in Nevada. A first DUI arrest is likely to result in a 90-day loss of driving privileges, an impounded vehicle, legal and court fees, two days in jail and attendance at a victim impact panel, with harsher penalties for subsequent offenses.

---Be pedestrian-safe - In 2012, there were 58 pedestrian deaths on Nevada roads, compared to 46 in 2011. In Clark County, pedestrian deaths rose from 30 in 2011 to 42 in 2012. Pedestrians should cross safely, making eye contact with drivers, and drivers should always look for and yield to pedestrians.

---Focus on the road - Distracted and/or sleepy driving can lead motorists to unintentionally leave their lane. Also, handheld cellphone use is illegal while driving in Nevada.

---Stop on red - In a recent five-year span, 467 people died in Nevada intersection crashes. Whether at a traffic signal or stop sign, motorists should always stop on red.

For more information on Nevada traffic safety, visit zerofatalitiesnv.com.

EPA APPROVES COUNTY'S AIR-QUALITY PLAN FOR OZONE

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved Clark County's plans for maintaining the agency's air- quality standard for ozone.

The county met five criteria to receive the OK, including improvement in air quality due to permanent and enforceable reductions in emissions and having an approved ozone maintenance plan.

The EPA approval is set to remain in effect through 2022. While county officials said it is significant, even stricter ground-level ozone standards are being proposed. In 2008, the EPA adopted a more stringent standard for ozone of 75 parts per billion. Air-quality officials said the county meets the new standard.

Officials determined that improvement in air quality was the result of various factors, including cleaner fuel, federal requirements for low-emission vehicles, local improvements in public transportation and road construction and greater understanding about the public's role in fighting ground-level ozone.

Unhealthy doses of ground-level ozone can reduce lung function and worsen respiratory illnesses, such as asthma or bronchitis. Exposure to ozone also can induce coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath, even in healthy people.

To help reduce ground-level ozone:

---Fill up your gas tank after sunset.

---Plan errands so they can be done in one trip.

---Try not to spill gasoline when filling up gas tanks, and don't top them off.

---Keep your car well-maintained.

---Use mass transit or carpool.

---Don't idle your car engine unnecessarily.

---Walk or ride your bike whenever practical and safe.

---Turn off lights and electronics when not in use.

---Consider low-maintenance landscaping that uses less water and doesn't require gas-powered lawn tools.

Residents can sign up for free text and email advisories and air-quality forecasts through the EnviroFlash service at enviroflash.org.

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. through Saturday .

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 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. Last year the resort received the National Ski Areas Association's National Ski Area Safety Award for the program.