Neighborhood news

The Fratello Marionettes are back to present "The Vaudeville Follies," a marionette variety show presented in the spirit of the old-time music hall, from 10:10 to 11:30 a.m. today at the Windmill Library, 7060 W. Windmill Lane. The puppet show is open to all ages.

free Access to national conservation areas set for today

The Red Rock Canyon, Sloan Canyon and Nellis Dunes national recreation areas will be free for visitors on the first day of summer, today , thanks to the Bureau of Land Management, in conjunction with other agencies within the Department of the Interior.

For more information, visit tinyurl.com/4558myy.

Performances set at Palms

Jennifer Hudson is set to perform at 8 p.m. Friday at the Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Road. Tickets are $55, $75, $100 and $125.

Andrew Dice Clay's comedy is scheduled for 10 p.m. Thursday and Friday and at 8 and 10 p.m. Saturday at the Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Road. Tickets start at $59.

Deep Purple is scheduled for 8 p.m. Thursday . Tickets start at $50.

To purchase tickets for any of these shows, call 944-3200 or go to palms.com.

SPRING VALLEY PHOTOGRAPHER SCHEDULED TO HOST FLORIDA GALLERY SHOW

Spring Valley resident Lamar Marchese's work, "PRIDE (and prejudice)," a photo essay, featured in a monthlong run at the Studio 620 gallery in St. Petersburg, Fla., through July 16.

"PRIDE (and prejudice)" documents the 2009 and 2010 Gay Pride Parades in St. Petersburg, one of the largest such events in the Southeast with more than 80,000 attendees.

It focuses primarily on parade participants and spectators and secondly on a minority of protestors.

SUPER SUMMER THEATRE PRESENTS 'ANNIE'

Super Summer Theatre is back for another season. Stage Door Entertainment is scheduled to bring "Annie" to life at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park as the first production in the summer series.

The show tells the tale of Little Orphan Annie in one of Broadway's most popular productions.

Tickets can be purchased for $12 or $15 at the door. Children 5 or younger are admitted free. Patrons may bring blankets, picnic dinner, snacks, patio chairs and drinks.

For more information, go to supersummertheatre.org.

The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension announces the Nuts and Bolts of Grant Writing, a one-day session, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 28 at the Lifelong Learning Center, 8050 Paradise Road.

Nonprofit and government organization participants will learn how to develop a community needs assessment; set goals; write outcome objectives; create a working budget; develop a budget; and write a budget narrative. The class instructor is Pamela Kahn-Van Pelt, a grant and resource specialist for the Cooperative Extension.

Space is limited. Register by calling 257-5502 or email whipplel@unce.unr.edu. There is a $25 fee due the day of the class to cover the cost of materials.

Good Samaritan Lutheran Church
TO HOST VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

The Good Samaritan Lutheran Church is scheduled to host Vacation Bible School for children from Monday through July 2. Registration has passed. The school is open to kids in preschool to fifth grade.

For more information on future events , go to gslclasvegas.org.

The church is at 8425 W. Windmill Lane. For more information, call
873-3589.

The Rat Pack is Back to play at Rio

The Rat Pack is Back is set to perform at 8:30 nightly at the Rio, 3700 W. Flamingo Road. Tickets start at $62.10 for general admission. The show is open to all ages. For more information, go to riolasvegas.com.

Village Square theater to show
four Shakespeare classics

Four classic Shakespeare works are planned to be shown in movie theaters in a four-part, in-theater series.

Each performance will begin at 7 p.m. at Village Square 18, 9400 W. Sahara Ave.

"The Merry Wives of Windsor" is planned for Monday , "Henry IV Part 1" for Aug. 1, "Henry IV Part 2" for Aug. 18 and "Henry VIII" for Sept. 15.

Each includes a 20-minute historical perspective on the Globe Theatre and its reconstruction.

Tickets are $15 for each show and are available at participating theater box offices and online at fathomevents.com.

Nv Energy launches checkme plus
air conditionING program

Is your air conditioner ready to handle the heat in Southern Nevada? NV Energy has launched the CheckMe Plus Air Conditioning Program, offering customer rebates to tune up or replace air conditioners that are not operating efficiently. To save energy and money, check out the CheckMe Plus A/C Program at nvenergy.com/ac or call
855-625-6404.

Summer camp to help children
deal with loss

Camp Mariposa, the Nathan Adelson Hospice-hosted bereavement camp for children, is taking registration for the 2011 camp session scheduled for July 15-17 at Torino Ranch.

Now in its 21st year, the overnight camp is designed to facilitate the natural grieving process and provide opportunities for bereavement exploration, balanced with arts and crafts, sports, music, storytelling and other recreational activities.

Camp Mariposa is open to children ages 7 to 12.

The camp is funded by Nathan Adelson Hospice, with no cost to families of accepted campers. A $25 refundable deposit reserves a space. Reservations must be received by July 1.

To request an application or volunteer for the camp, call 796-3167 or visit the Center for Compassionate Care, 4131 Swenson St.

For more information, go to nah.org.

CHARITY CAR WASH TO FUND MISSION TRIP

The Good Samaritan Lutheran Church, 8425 W. Windmill Lane, is scheduled to host a car wash to benefit a mission to Mexico beginning at 8 a.m. July 2.

All the proceeds raised at the event will go toward the trip, scheduled for the end of July.

For more information, call 873-3589.

Bill Maher Returns to The Orleans Showroom

Comedian and political commentator Bill Maher is scheduled to perform at The Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave., at 8 p.m. July 2-3.

Tickets start at $54.95.

For more information, call 365-7075 or go to orleanscasino.com.

Camping near Red Rock Canyon
closed for summer

The campground at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is closed until Sept. 1 due to summer's low usage.

It is approximately two miles east of the Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center on state Route 159 (West Charleston Boulevard) and is the only developed campground within the conservation area.

Visitors are encouraged to take advantage of other camping opportunities in the area, including backcountry camping at Red Rock Canyon with permit, 515-5050; Valley of Fire State Park, 397-2088; Lake Mead National Recreation Area, 293-8990 or 293-8906; Death Valley National Park, 760-786-3200; Mojave National Preserve, 760-252-6100; USDA Forest Service Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest, 515-5400; Spencer W. Kimball Scout Reservation, 968-8138; and Potosi Pines Camp, 875-1980.

Camping is allowed on Bureau of Land Management land outside of the Las Vegas Valley for up to two weeks without charge.

For more information, go to blm.gov.

Day camps available at YMCA

The YMCA of Southern Nevada offers wallet-friendly solutions for families looking for child care and ways to stay active this summer. The YMCA is taking day camp registrations and selling Sizzlin' Summer passes, which provide four months of unlimited access to its locations: the Bill & Lillie Heinrich YMCA, 4141 Meadows Lane; Durango Hills Community Center YMCA, 3521 N. Durango Drive; Centennial Hills Community Center YMCA, 6601 N. Buffalo Drive; and the YMCA's newest location, the SkyView YMCA in North Las Vegas, 3050 E. Centennial Parkway.

YMCA day camp is for kids 5 to 15 and runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, June 13 through Aug. 26. Free care for campers is available from 7 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. and is provided for working parents. Weekly camp prices range from about $100 to $200, and a daily drop-in rate of $45 is available. No one is turned away because of an inability to pay. Financial assistance is available.

The Sizzlin' Summer Pass provides unlimited access to the YMCA's water parks, swimming pools, wellness centers and classes. Prices are $109 (individual) and $209 (family). For a list of amenities by location, go to lasvegasymca.org.