Area Briefing, Jan. 29-Feb. 4, 2015

METRO EXPLORER PROGRAM ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

Youths who are curious about working in law enforcement can apply for the Metropolitan Police Department’s Explorer Program.

Applications were set to be accepted through Jan. 28 or until 200 were submitted.

The program covers what it takes to be a police officer, how to process crime scenes and how to take 911 calls. Participants also can learn leadership and life skills, make new friends and interact with the public.

Sessions are scheduled from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays. Those interested in participating must be between ages 16 and 20, be of good moral character, have no felony convictions or lengthy criminal history, pass a police background investigation and be willing to volunteer time in the community.

The program takes place twice a year, and applications are available at lvmpdexplorers.com and lvmpd.com.

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

SEWER PROJECT UNDERWAY IN DURANGO HILLS AREA

A sanitary sewer pipe installation project began Jan. 20, extending from south of the Rampart Boulevard/Cheyenne Avenue intersection north to the Durango Hills Water Resource Center, 3271 N. Durango Drive, and running east along Cheyenne past Cimarron Road.

The city of Las Vegas project is expected to take about 11 months, causing lane restrictions on Rampart and Durango and on Cheyenne.

Work is scheduled to take place from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Two lanes of travel in each direction are slated to be maintained in both directions on Rampart and Durango and on Cheyenne whenever possible, the city said. Lake Mead Boulevard is recommended as an alternate route for east-west travel, and Buffalo Drive is suggested as an alternate route for north-south motorists.

The project’s estimated cost is $11 million. For more information, call 702-229-6276.

HENDERSON POLICE OFFICERS’ ASSOCIATION LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE

The Henderson Police Officers’ Association recently launched its new website at hpoa.us.

The site features news about the organization, information on its community involvement, photos and several social media links.

TALK SHOP WITH COPS EVENT SET FOR FEB. 25

The Henderson Police Department is scheduled to host a Talk Shop with Cops event from 6 to 7 p.m. Feb. 25 at the North Police Station, 225 E. Sunset Road.

A presentation is set to cover traffic issues and crime trends, focusing on the area surrounding the police station. A question-and-answer segment is slated to follow the presentation.

For more information, visit cityofhenderson.com/police/home or call 702-267-5000.

BOOTH TO OFFER INFORMATION ON DEALING WITH DISASTERS

An information booth dealing with disaster preparedness is scheduled to be at several locations in the next few months.

The city of Henderson Office of Emergency Management plans to man the booth from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 26, March 18 and April 16 at the Galleria at Sunset mall, 1300 W. Sunset Road; from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 19 at the Henderson Events Plaza farmers market, 200 S. Water St.; and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 20 at the Henderson Pavilion farmers market, 200 S. Green Valley Parkway.

The booth is set to include information on preparing an emergency supply kit, developing a disaster-response plan and staying informed.

For more details, visit tinyurl.com/hendersonemergency or call 702-267-2272.

VALLEY STUDENT AMONG TOP WINNERS OF RADON POSTER CONTEST

Sergio Saucedo Reys, an eighth-grader at Martin Middle School, 200 N. 28th St., placed third out of 113 entries in the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s sixth annual Nevada Radon Poster Contest.

Sergio received $45 for his poster “Radon is Scary” and won $30 for his teacher, Martin Slavich, to use for classroom supplies. Other winners were students from elsewhere around the state.

Posters were received from students ages 9 to 14 and judged on accuracy of information, visual communication of the topic, reproducibility and originality.

Voting took place on the Nevada Radon Education Program Facebook page at facebook.com/nevadaradoneducation and by polling Cooperative Extension faculty and staff members, representatives from the Radiation Control Program of the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health, Nevada radon industry professionals and representatives from the Nevada Radon Education Program.

The contest aims to educate students and their families on the dangers of radon in the home and encourage Nevadans to test their homes for the radioactive, colorless and odorless gas.

For more information, visit radonnv.com or call the radon hotline at 888-723-6610.

CITY OPENS NEW PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE ACROSS LAMB BOULEVARD

City of Las Vegas officials celebrated the grand opening Jan. 12 of a new pedestrian bridge that crosses Lamb Boulevard north of Washington Avenue and is part of the 18-mile Las Vegas Wash Trail.

The bridge is part of Phase 2 of a trail construction project that runs alongside the Las Vegas Wash through three jurisdictions. Work included construction of the pre-fabricated steel bridge and a 10-foot-wide, concrete shared-use trail between Lamb and Washington with fencing, lights and a solar-powered flashing beacon for pedestrians at the Washington Avenue crossing. The cost for design and construction was $3.5 million.

Construction began in February 2014, with funding provided by the Bureau of Land Management through the sale of public lands as authorized by the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act.

For more information, visit lasvegasnevada.gov.

PARTY TO CELEBRATE EXPANDED DROP-IN CENTER FOR HOMELESS TEENS

The Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, 4981 Shirley St., plans to host a block party from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 31 to celebrate its newly expanded Drop-In Center.

The free event is set to feature tours, food, entertainment, games and other activities for all ages.

The 2,600-square-foot space allows the nonprofit to help the growing number of homeless teens with more capacity and ways to meet their basic survival needs while fostering self-sufficiency. More than 9,000 homeless youths were enrolled in the Clark County School District during the 2013-14 school year, according to the nonprofit.

The expansion, which doubles the size of the Drop-In Center, includes a new kitchen designed to serve teens’ daily nutritional needs and accommodate group sessions on how to prepare and cook food.

The expansion also offers a new computer lab, staff office space, a basketball court, a gym, art and music rooms and additional private areas for client in-take and tutoring.

A $350,000 grant from Nevada Women’s Philanthropy helped fund the expansion. In addition, HomeAid Southern Nevada provided an in-kind donation of $175,000 in construction work.

For more information, visit nphy.org or call 702-383-1332.

PRESENTATIONS TO TEACH RISKS OF RADON

Presentations are planned at five valley locations to teach residents about the risks of radon.

The events are being held in honor of National Radon Action Month in January. Presentations are planned at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 7 at the West Charleston Library, 6301 W. Charleston Blvd.; 3 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Spring Valley Library, 4280 S. Jones Blvd.; 1 p.m. Feb. 8 and 6 p.m. Feb. 9 at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road; and 1 p.m. Feb. 9 at the Windmill Library, 7060 W. Windmill Lane.

Free test kits for homes are set to be available at the presentations and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through Feb. 28 at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, 8050 Paradise Road.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can accumulate in buildings and cause lung cancer. When a home is closed during colder months, radon concentrations typically increase, making winter an ideal time to test a home for radon, according to the Cooperative Extension.

For more information, visit radonnv.com or call the radon hotline at 888-723-6610.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING TO BE DISCUSSED AT JANUARY SAFETY FORUM

Free safety forums on various topics are planned from 1-2 p.m. monthly at The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, through a partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department.

Forums are: Feb. 21, elder exploitation; March 21, homeless liaison presentation; April 18, narcotics; May 16, robbery; June 20, traffic awareness; July 18, gang awareness; Aug. 15, district attorney court procedures; Sept. 19, K-9 operations; Oct. 17, missing persons; Nov. 21, Metro Volunteer Program; and Dec. 19, emergency preparedness.

The presentations are also scheduled to be live-streamed at themobmuseum.org.

For more information, call 702-229-2734.

FIRE ACADEMY SEEKS APPLICANTS

Candidates are being considered for the 2015 Las Vegas Fire & Rescue Citizens Fire Academy.

Applications are available at lasvegasfire.org by clicking the link for the 2015 Citizens Fire Academy application package.

The nationally recognized academy consists of 10 three-hour classes and includes a number of speakers from the department and support agencies. Also included are tours of facilities, demonstrations, a ride-along with a fire crew and a hands-on participation day at the department’s training center, 4425 W. Tropicana Ave.

Classes are set to meet weekly from Feb. 26 to May 7. For more information, email cfa@lasvegasnevada.gov or call 702-229-0146.

EMERGENCY MANAGER TO GIVE PRESENTATION ON PREPAREDNESS

An emergency preparedness presentation is planned at 10 a.m. Jan. 28 at the Centennial Hills Active Adult Center, 6601 N. Buffalo Drive.

City of Las Vegas emergency manager Carolyn Levering is scheduled to educate seniors on how to prepare for threats and hazards in the community.

Admission is free with a $2 annual membership to city senior programs.

Registration is required. For more information, call 702-229-1702.