News from around the valley, Feb. 25-March 2, 2016

Downtown Master Plan public meetings: The last of the public outreach meetings for the new Downtown Master Plan are to include a preview of the Preferred Alternative for public discussion and input and are scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 9 at the Historic Fifth Street School, 401 S. Fourth St. While this is the last public opportunity for dialogue directly with the planning team, residents may still provide public comment through March 23 at visionlv.com. Following the March 9 public meetings, the Downtown Master Plan is set to be presented and discussed at the April 12 City Planning Commission meeting. Members of the Las Vegas City Council are then scheduled to discuss and vote on the plan at the May 18 City Council meeting. Public comment is encouraged at both meetings.

Pet bed and blanket drive: Nathan Adelson Hospice's Pet Therapy Program is hosting its fifth annual Dog Bed & Blanket Drive through Feb. 28. All Nathan Adelson locations will serve as a drop-off point for new or gently used items, including: dog beds, blankets, towels, wash cloths, linens and unopened pet food. Locations are at: 4141 Swenson St.; in the MountainView Medical Office Building, 3150 N. Tenaya Way, Suite 350; 2270 E. Commercial Road, Suite A/B in Pahrump; and 1201 Nevada State Drive. Visit nah.org.

Bra shopping for homeless: Macy's Inc. and Caridad, a Las Vegas nonprofit dedicated to helping end homelessness through service-based street outreach and agency partnerships, are set to host an Undie Sunday Bra Shopping Event on March 20 to benefit formerly homeless female veterans and domestic violence survivors. Women referred from the Shade Tree shelter, U.S. Vets, Help U.S.A. and The Salvation Army will be driven to the Macy's at Meadows Mall to shop for bras accompanied by personal shoppers. Monetary donations for this shopping event can be made through March 19 at Big Ern's BBQ, 707 E. Fremont St., inside Downtown Container Park, or at caridadcharity.com.

Business, marketing seminars: The city of Las Vegas and Sumnu Marketing are planning to present a series of free seminars focusing on business and marketing strategies. The seminars are all planned from 9 a.m. to noon at the Urban Chamber of Commerce Business Development Center, 1951 Stella Lake St. Seminars are: March 2, Strategic Business Development; March 9, Your Company's DNA; March 16, Marketing Strategies; March 23, Business and Marketing Development; March 30, Project Pitches and Certification; and April 16, Trusts and Estate Planning. RSVP to Darren Harris with the city of Las Vegas at dmharris@lasvegasnevada.gov or 702-229-6862.

Nevada's Big Give: The fifth statewide online giving event is planned for March 10, benefiting charities across the state. Nevada's Big Give promotes personal giving to all of the state's participating nonprofits through its online platform. Every registered 501(c)(3) organization in Nevada is eligible to participate and receive donations from midnight to 11:59 p.m. March 10 by visiting NVBigGive.org. Clark County School District schools are eligible to participate through partnership with The Public Education Foundation. All participating organizations must register on the website on or before March 1.

Women's Club of Summerlin: Each year, the club awards Dare to Dream grants to women who are trying to better their lives and the lives of others in the community. Grants may be used for assistance with educational opportunities, business development, acquiring equipment, learning new skills, or movement toward a desired goal. Female applicants must be a minimum of 21 years old, reside in Clark County and complete a Dare to Dream application, explaining the dream and why it will improve her life and positively impact the community. Applicants may ask for up to $3,000. The deadline for submission of applications is April 29. Visit womensclubofsummerin.org.

City of Las Vegas offering grants to improve neighborhoods: The application cycle for the 19th annual Neighborhood Partners Fund began Feb. 16. There is $55,000 available for neighborhood grants this year, with a maximum of $5,000 for each neighborhood association. The program is designed to assist in improving the livability of city neighborhoods through community-matched funding for neighborhood improvement projects. The deadline for applications is April 18. The types of improvement projects can range from landscaping to home safety. Applicants are encouraged to register and attend at least one of six workshops being scheduled throughout the city of Las Vegas to learn about the program and the automated method of applying for the grant. Applicants will use ZoomGrants to submit their applications. No paper applications will be accepted. To register for a workshop, call 702-229-6681.

Workshops are scheduled for:

— 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Feb. 27 at the East Las Vegas Community Center, Conference Room 2, 250 N. Eastern Ave.

— 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 3 at the Centennial Hills Community Center (YMCA), Community Resources Room, 6601 N. Buffalo Drive.

— 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 15 at the Durango Hills Community Center (YMCA), 3521 N. Durango Drive.

— 9:30-11:30 a.m. March 19 at the Doolittle Community Center, Multipurpose Room B, 1950 N. J St.

— 3 to 5 p.m. March 23 at the Howard Lieburn Senior Center, 6230 Garwood Ave.

— 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 21 at the Veterans Memorial Leisure Services Center, Classroom 4, 101 N. Pavilion Center Drive.

After the submission deadline, applications will be reviewed for basic requirements and eligibility. The applications will be further evaluated by the Neighborhood Partners Fund Board, whose members are appointed by the mayor and City Council. All applicants will be required to make a 10-minute presentation of their projects to the NPF Board. Funding recommendations from the NPF board on these projects will be presented to the mayor and City Council for final approval at the July 20 City Council meeting. The NPF grant funding year (for this cycle only) will start after July 28 and end June 19, 2017. For more information, call Maria Castillo-Couch, Ph.D., at 702-229-6681.

USA Sevens return: The USA Sevens International Rugby Tournament and Las Vegas Invitational is planned March 3-6 at Sam Boyd Stadium, 7000 E. Russell Road. Tickets start at $15 for youths 14 or younger and $30 for adults. For a full schedule of events, visit usasevens.com/las-vegas.

Dodgeball tournament: After-School All-Stars Las Vegas announced its Dodgeball Tournament, planned from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 5 at Mendenhall Center at UNLV, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. Proceeds benefit the organization. Competing teams include local companies and individuals ranging from Las Vegas Strip nightclubs and restaurants to Zappos and the Metropolitan Police Department. Corporate participants may enter for $500 per team, while the cost for community participants (individuals, nonprofits) is $250 per team. All teams may have up to 10 players with eight players minimum. Teams must be co-ed. Awards are planned for the championship team as well as the best-dressed team. Spectator tickets range from $15 to $30. Email info@asaslv.org or visit razoo.com/us/story/2nd-Annual-All-Star-Dodgeball-Tournament.

Local bands music submission: Zia Records is taking music submissions from local bands and musicians for its 10th annual You Heard Us Back When music compilation.

How to submit music:

Deadline to submit tracks is March 4

Bands/artists can drop off a CD of their music at any Zia Record Exchange location. Visit ziarecords.com/content/locations.

Bands/artists can also send tracks digitally via an FTP sharing site as a WAV, FLAC or other lossless format file. Music must be sent with a completed submission form and can be emailed to info@ziarecords.com.

A completed submission form must accompany any CD or digital files submitted to Zia. The form is available at zianation.com/yhubw/ziacompform.pdf.

Proceeds from the sales of the compilation go to the Arizona Cancer Foundation for Children and the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation.

Wet'n'Wild hiring: Wet'n'Wild Las Vegas, 7055 S. Fort Apache Road, is heading into its fourth season and has started the hiring process for more than 450 seasonal jobs, including lifeguards, admissions, guest services, emergency medical technicians, maintenance, food and beverage, retail, operations and security. Several seasonal supervisory positions are also available. The water park is set to be open March 19 through September. Applicants can begin the employment process online at wetnwildlasvegas.com under the "Employment" section. Following online submission, the management team will review applications and contact select applicants during the next few months to conduct interviews. The minimum age requirement for employment is 16 (at the time the park opens) or 18, depending upon the position.

Youth Leadership Summit: The event is set from 1 to 3 p.m. March 22 at Las Vegas City Hall, 495 S. Main St. The event is an opportunity for Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and interested youth leaders to learn more about the city of Las Vegas. City Manager Betsy Fretwell will join Mayor Pro Tem Ross and special guests to share information about the city of Las Vegas and answer questions from Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and youth leaders. It is free and open to the public. Space is limited. RSVP by emailing clkramar@lasvegasnevada.gov or by calling 702-229-6154.

Nevada Senior Citizen of the Year: The National Silver Haired Congress Nevada Delegation, in partnership with the Aging Services Directors Organization, is seeking nominations for the award through March 31. The competition is open to those who are 60 or older and have lived in Nevada for five years. The nomination guidelines and forms are available at nevshc.org or by calling 702-860-6349. The award presentation is planned in May.

Free law classes planned: The Clark County Law Library and Nevada Legal Services are offering free classes on Bankruptcy and Consumer Rights in Nevada every other month February through June. The class is being offered as a community service by Nevada Legal Services. Classes are planned from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesdays every other month at the Clark County Law Library, 309 S. Third St., Suite 400. Dates are: April 19, and June 21. Topics include whether to file for bankruptcy, the difference between Chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcy, debt collector harassment, and how to receive free help. Qualified participants may apply for a pro bono attorney after attending class. Seating is limited. Call 702-455-4696 to reserve a seat.

Email ballots: Clark County voters have the option of receiving sample ballots by email instead of regular mail, possibly saving $1.5 million and more than 1,000 trees this election year, according to Clark County Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak. To receive a sample ballot by email, go to the County Election Department website at clarkcountynv.gov/vote, enter your personal information in the Registered Voter Services box and log-in to the site. Then, click on the drop down arrow next to Voter Services and select "Request my sample ballot electronically (Go Green)." In order to receive a primary election sample ballot by email instead of regular mail, a voter will have to change their preference by May 14. Voters are always able to view their sample ballot through the County Election Department website. The 2016 primary election is on June 14, with early voting from May 28 to June 10. The general election is Nov. 8, with early voting from Oct. 22 to Nov. 4. The deadline to register to vote in the primary election is May 24.

Women in Technology awards: The Las Vegas Community Tech Fund, HiTech Vegas LLC and WomenAdvancing present the third annual Las Vegas Women in Technology Awards 2016 to recognize the achievements of leading women in technology fields working in the greater Las Vegas metro area. The Las Vegas Women in Technology Awards will be awarded to five women representing technology industries including: Robotics; Information Technology; Computer Engineering; 3D Printing; Robotics; New Technology Products; Tech Startups; and Tech Entrepreneurs. Nominations are being accepted through April 15 at vegaswomentechawards.net.

Nominate veterans for veteran of the month: Nevada's Veteran of the Month award recognizes veterans statewide who contribute their time and energy in support of veterans and the military, and/or who take pride in caring and nurturing their local communities. The program is managed by the Nevada Department of Veterans Services, which continuously seeks out potential honorees. Anyone can nominate potential candidates. Submissions must be on an official form and will be reviewed by members of the Veterans Service Commission at its quarterly meetings. The members then make final decisions on who is chosen. Submissions are accepted throughout the year, and nomination deadlines are three weeks prior to each VSC quarterly meeting. To nominate:

— Read the attached VOM guidelines at veterans.nv.gov.

— Download and complete VOM nomination packet under "Services." Nomination packets must include a copy of the nominee's DD-214 Form and a photo of the nominee. For assistance in obtaining a copy of a DD-214 form, call the Nevada Department of Veterans Services, VAST Section, at 775-321-4880.

— Nomination packets can be filled out online, saved, printed, signed and mailed to: Nevada Department of Veterans Services, Attn: Pamela Roberts, 6880 S. McCarran Blvd., Bldg. A, Suite 2, Reno, NV 89509

— Completed packets can also be scanned and emailed to Roberts at robertsp@veterans.nv.gov or faxed to 775-688-1656.

Milkweed packets: Over the past two years, Master Gardener Anne Marie Lardeau with the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension has been harvesting Rush Milkweed seeds from the Demonstration and Test Gardens at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. The plants are native to Nevada in Clark and Lincoln counties, and their seed collection and distribution encourages the Monarch butterflies to lay their eggs. The public can pick up a seed packet for participation in a study of the Monarch from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays at the Master Gardener Help Desk at the Lifelong Learning Center, 8050 Paradise Road. Planting instructions are included. Call the help desk at 702-257-5555 or email lvmastergardeners@unce.unr.edu.