Neighborhood news

North Las Vegas City Council Ward 2 candidate Linda Meisenheimer advance d to the June 7 general election after drawing a king of diamonds during a tiebreaker by lot April 21 at City Hall, 2200 Civic Center Drive. Candidate Tanya Flanagan drew a five of diamonds.

Meisenheimer, a property manager, and Flanagan, a web content administrator for Clark County, each garnered 328 votes in the April 5 primary for the Ward 2 seat being vacated by term-limited Councilman William Robinson. Meisenheimer will face Pamela Goynes-Brown, an assistant principal, who had 425 votes. About 75 people and at least a dozen members of the media gathered for the event.

City Council set to hold
two town hall meetings

The North Las Vegas City Council has scheduled two town hall meetings to allow public discussion of the city’s plan to address the $22.6 million budget deficit it faces for fiscal year 2011-12. The city’s budget reduction plan includes some reductions in services and staff.

The first meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, followed by a second 6 p.m. meeting Tuesday at Silver Mesa Recreation Center, 4025 Allen Lane. For more information, call Michelle Bailey-Hedgepeth at 633-1178 or Donna Gamble at 633-1007.

City Council celebrates federal grant program

The North Las Vegas City Council celebrated the federal Community Development Block Grant program from April 25 to April 30. The program was developed in the 1970s to help vital resources for low- and moderate-income residents, providing dozens of nonprofit organizations funding for local, neighborhood-based projects to help address basic human service needs.

The city’s Office of Housing and Neighborhood Services honored the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada, Habitat for Humanity, the Blind Center of Nevada, Neighborhood Housing Services of Southern Nevada and the Nevada Community Learning Center.

For more information, contact Jim Haye or Leone Lettsome in the Office of Housing and Neighborhood Services at 633-1532.

City Council meeting set

The North Las Vegas City Council is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall, 2200 Civic Center Drive. For more information about council meetings or to get a copy of the agenda, visit cityofnorthlasvegas.com and click on “Meetings and Agendas” on the left-hand side.

Chamber breakfast set for Wednesday

The “Good Morning North Las Vegas Chamber Breakfast” is scheduled from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Wednesday in the Centennial Ballroom at Santa Fe Station, 4949 N. Rancho Drive. The North Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce meeting is designed to educate and inform business owners so they can increase their profits and run a smarter company.

There will be an “Ask the Experts” session featuring experts in accounting, business law, finance, human resources, information technology, social media and marketing. For more information, call 642-9595 or visit northlasvegas
chamber.com.

Westside Newcomers Club to meet

The Westside Newcomers Club, a social club for women who have lived in the area for 10 years or less or to those who have life-changing events such as retirement, plans to host a coffee event for prospective members at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the social hall at Desert Spring United Methodist Church, 120 Pavilion Center Drive.

The club offers a variety of activities. A luncheon with a program is planned for the second Wednesday of each month.

For more information, visit westside
newcomersclub.org or call 399-2689.

Las Vegas Astronomical Society to host Desert Under the Stars event

The rangers of the Desert National Wildlife Refuge and the Las Vegas Astronomical Society plan to host Desert Under the Stars at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Corn Creek Field Station on U.S. Highway 95, north of Las Vegas.

Members’ telescopes will offer viewing of the moon and Saturn just after sunset, followed by deep-sky viewing of galaxies, nebulae and star clusters as the sky darkens. A laser-guided “What’s Up Tonight” tour of the night sky is planned for 8:30 p.m. This event is free of charge.

Park at the information kiosk and take a short, easy walk to the observing site. Handicap parking is available.

The club plans to be at the Las Vegas Science Festival and Expo Saturday at the Cashman Center, 850 Las Vegas Blvd. North, with solar viewing beginning at 10 a.m. and night sky viewing after dark.

For more information, call Ida Castillo at 879-6110 or Rob Lambert at 461-1390 or go to lvastronomy.com.

Health and wellness event planned
for Saturday at sgi community center

Guest speakers, informational booths and activities for kids are planned during a community health and wellness event set for 2-5 p.m. Saturday at the SGI Las Vegas Community Center, 2725 W. Charleston Blvd.

Participants can stroll through booths featuring noninvasive testing and information on various diseases and services. A healthy activity corner is planned for kids.

Speakers are scheduled to address topics such as sleep apnea, stress reduction, disability insurance, acupuncture, sports nutrition and mental coping.

SGI Las Vegas is a Buddhist center affiliated with SGI-USA. The event is being sponsored by the SGI-USA Golden Stage Group.

For more information, call 258-6489 or visit sgi-usa-lasvegas.org.

Henry Prendes Charity Golf Classic set for Saturday

The fifth annual Henry Prendes Charity Golf Classic is planned for 8 a.m. Saturday at Palm Valley Golf Course, 9201 Del Webb Blvd.

It will benefit Henry’s Place Foundation, which was formed in 2006 to honor Metropolitan Police Department Sgt. Henry Prendes, who died in the line of duty. Proceeds will help construct a camp for underprivileged children in Cedar City, Utah. A portion will be donated to the Injured Police Officers Fund.

The cost is $125 for individuals and $400 for foursomes. To register or for more information, visit henrysplace.org or call 296-5078.

Entries due May 14 and 15 in Red Rock Canyon photo contest

The Red Rock Canyon Annual Photo Contest has been held since 2002. This year’s entries will be accepted from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 14 and 15 at the Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center.

Categories are Nature, Wildlife, Creative and Monochromatic. First prize is $100. There is a ceiling cap of 100 entries per category. A teen nature/wildlife category has a top prize of $50.

For more information, call Jim Sudduth at 515-5366 or email jim@friendsofredrockcanyon.org.

Complete rules are available at friendsofredrockcanyon.org (click on “Events” and then select the photo contest).

City Council expected to adopt
final budget may 17

The North Las Vegas City Council is expected to adopt a final budget during a 4:30 p.m. special meeting May 17 at City Hall, 2200 Civic Center Drive.

Lagging property tax and other revenues over the past fiscal year will leave the city with a projected $22.6 million shortfall for fiscal year 2011-2012. The city’s property tax revenue fell by 6.02 percent from last year.

City administrators told the council they have frozen discretionary spending and are taking steps to open talks with employee unions to reduce costs. As a result of a third Budget Reduction Plan, the city could be forced to reduce the workforce by late June.

The city must submit its final budget to the state by June 1.

cinco de mayo trunk show at vision source

Vision Source at Dynamic Eye Care, 6935 Aliante Parkway, Suite 102, is scheduled to host a Cinco de Mayo trunk show from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday. The event is free and open to the public. Shoppers will receive a 20 percent off a complete pair of glasses and 30 percent off every additional pair purchased that day. For more information call 685-4320 or visit visionsourcevegas.com.

North Las Vegas traffic to be diverted on beltway for bridge construction

Traffic on the Las Vegas Beltway at North 5th Street between Losee Road and Aliante Parkway will be diverted for six months. Both westbound travel lanes will be redirected onto the new North 5th Street ramps to get traffic off and on the main line beltway. No westbound access will be provided to North 5th Street to the south, to and from the beltway, in order to construct the North 5th Street Bridge.

Eastbound traffic will remain diverted to the street’s ramps. Construction is part of an $11.8 million project that completes the interchange at North 5th Street and is expected to be completed by this fall.

For more information about the closure, visit clarkcountynv.gov.

North Las Vegas firefighters release audit results

North Las Vegas firefighters released results April 14 from an internal audit commissioned by the North Las Vegas City Council. According to the findings, they have the lowest sick leave in Southern Nevada. On average, the city’s firefighters take 4.3 days of sick leave annually compared to the national average of 8.5 days per year.

“The city’s internal audit clearly shows that North Las Vegas firefighters are not abusing sick leave,” said Jeff Hurley, president of Local 1607. “Firefighters have been scrutinized by the public and elected officials for the misappropriations of a few men and women. I am proud to say that sick leave abuse is not a problem in the North Las Vegas Fire Department, and it is not tolerated by anyone.”

North Las Vegas chamber chief
resigns for post in Tucson

Mike Varney resigned April 6 as president and chief executive officer of the North Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce to take a position as the new president and CEO of the Tucson, Ariz., Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber of Commerce named board member and local construction company executive Curtis Cummings as its new president.

Varney will begin work at his new job on or by June 6, replacing longtime CEO Jack Camper, who is retiring.

Free fine arts competition to be held

Clark County residents 50 or older are invited to enter their original work in the 11th annual Celebrating Life! fine arts competition between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. May 10-11 at the Charleston Heights Arts Center, 800 S. Brush St. Each year, the city of Las Vegas Arts Commission and the city of Las Vegas sponsor the Celebrating Life! fine arts competition to recognize the talents of Las Vegas artists. There is no fee to enter. A public reception and awards ceremony is scheduled for 6 to 7:30 p.m. May 20 at the Charleston Heights Arts Center. The exhibition will be displayed there May 20 through June 30. Artists may enter original works in the following fine art media categories: drawing and pastel; mixed media
(2-D); painting; sculpture and ceramics (3-D); watercolor and gouache; and photography.

The work must be ready for display, completed within the past three years and not previously juried into a Celebrating Life! exhibit. Only one work per artist may be submitted for jury. This year’s judges will be Stewart Freshwater, Suzanne Hackett-Morgan and Bobbie Ann Howell.

Artists whose works are not selected for the 2011 Celebrating Life! exhibition will have the option to display their submissions in the Salon de Refusés exhibit in the Charleston Heights Arts Center Gallery. This exhibit will remain on display May 20 through June 8. Award-winning pieces from the 2011 Celebrating Life! exhibit will travel to the City Hall Bridge Gallery to be displayed July 7 through Aug. 25.

For more information or to request an entry form, call 229-4631 or 229-1012.

Fitness classes for kids and adults scheduled at Walnut Recreation Center

From 7:15 to 8:15 a.m. Monday through Friday, Body Tune-Up is set for those 16 or older who prefer a self-guided physical fitness routine but enjoy the discipline of a class. The free session focuses on cardio, strength and flexibility training. The class is ongoing and free at Walnut Recreation Center, 3075 N. Walnut Road.

Belly dancing classes are set from
10:15 to 11 a.m. on Saturdays for those 16 or older. Cost is $18.

A tai chi class is set from 11 a.m. to noon on Mondays for those 16 or older. The class is ongoing and free. Registration is required.

A karate class is slated for those 6 or older. The class is scheduled for 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Cost is $37.

For more information about class schedules or prices, call 455-8402 or visit clarkcountynv.gov/parks.

ENERGIZER BUNNY SEMIFINALISTS NEED YOUR VOTES

Angela Daffron of Henderson and Kelsey Kinsel of Las Vegas have been selected as two of 100 semifinalists in the running to become the 2011 inductee into the Energizer Keep Going Hall of Fame. They are being recognized for their energetic commitment to making a positive impact.

It’s up to America to determine the 2011 inductee. Vote for your favorite of the 10 finalists at energizer.com/halloffame.

Voting is through May 14. Each finalist vote will trigger a $1 donation from Energizer to the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, up to $10,000.

The 2011 inductee will receive a $10,000 cash prize, plus a $5,000 donation to his or her favorite charity.

Architectural views

A Las Vegas News Bureau art exhibit titled “Architectural Retrospective” is on display through June 7 at the Centennial Hills Library, 6711 N. Buffalo Drive, offering a photographic journey into Las Vegas’ mid-century modern resorts and marquees. For all ages. 507-6100 or lvccld.org.

Vegas Pub Quiz

A free trivia pub quiz, hosted by Vegas Pub Quiz, is planned at 7 p.m. every Thursday at Texas Station, 2101 Texas Star Lane. For more information, visit vegaspubquiz.com.

Free memoir workshops

Life Stories Nevada, a University of Nevada Cooperative Extension program designed to help seniors 50 or older record their memoirs, is sponsoring free four-week memoir workshops.

Programs are under way at the Centennial Hills Active Adult Center, 6601 N. Buffalo Drive, and the Howard Lieburn Senior Center, 6230 Garwood Ave.

For more information about the program, visit lifestoriesnevada.org.

Police training

The LVMPD invites the public to learn what it takes to be a police officer.

Today’s 1st Tuesday topic is officer training. Presentations will be conducted by members of the LVMPD academy and training staff. This is an open house program that takes place on the first Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at LVMPD area commands. For more infromation, visit lvmpd.com. For more information, call

828-4082.