Paradise/Downtown Neighborhood News

UNLV BANDS DIRECTOR NAMED PRESIDENT OF NATIONAL BANDMASTERS GROUP

Thomas Leslie, professor of music and director of bands at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, was recently elected as president of the American Bandmasters Association, which recognizes outstanding achievement on the part of concert band conductors and composers.

Leslie will be in charge of organizing and leading the association's 79th annual convention in Tampa, Fla., in March.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION CHILDREN'S PROGRAM RECEIVES NATIONAL AWARD

The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension's All 4 Kids program has been selected to receive the National Institute Food and Agriculture Partnership Award for mission integration.

The program, which began in 2007, targets Nevada's childhood obesity by encouraging preschool children and families to practice healthy eating habits and to be physically active every day.

For more information on University of Nevada Cooperative Extension programs, visit www.unce.unr.edu or call 702-251-7531.

DEADLINE LOOMS FOR SPRINGS PRESERVE'S SNOWMAN-BUILDING CONTEST

The Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd., is accepting entries for its first snowman-building contest.

The deadline to enter is Nov. 21. Winning entries are set be on display during the park's annual Holiday Spectacular event throughout December.

The contest is open to all Southern Nevada residents, groups and organizations. For more information, visit springspreserve.org or call 702-822-7700.

NEON HOLIDAY BAZAAR PLANNED NOV. 24

The El Cortez and other sponsors are scheduled to host the inaugural Neon Holiday Bazaar from noon to 8 p.m. Nov. 24 at Jackie Gaughan Plaza, 600 Fremont St.

The event is set to feature local retailers, craftspeople, artists and small businesses. For more information, visit neonholidaybazaar.com.

MOB MUSEUM OFFERS FREE ADMISSION
FOR PROGRAM ON FEDERAL HEARINGS

The Mob Museum, 300 E. Stewart Ave., is set to offer free admission in recognition of the Kefauver Committee hearings anniversary.

Residents can visit the museum free from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday . The museum is scheduled to provide Kefauver programming, including the screening of a documentary about the hearings and speeches from Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman and Diane Kefauver, daughter of the late Estes Kefauver, a U.S. senator who led the hearings in 1950.

For more information, call 702-229-2734 or visit themobmuseum.org.

WRITE A LETTER TO SANTA, HELP A CHARITY

Valley residents can write a letter to Santa and drop it off to the Santa letterbox at any valley Macy's store to benefit Make-A-Wish of Southern Nevada. For each stamped letter received, Macy's will donate $1 to Make-A-Wish, up to $1 million. Letters can be delivered through Dec. 24.