North Las Vegas Neighborhood News

REALTOR PLANNING
GET OUT THE VOTE EVENT

North Las Vegas Realtor Gregory Smith is sponsoring a Get Out The Vote event for mayoral candidate John Lee, set from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday on the southwest corner of Nature Discovery Park, 2600 Nature Park Drive. Free hot dogs and water are to be provided to confirmed, registered voters. For more information, call 702-824-4514.

MARCH 8 JOINING FORCES RESULTS RELEASED

On March 8, North Las Vegas traffic officers conducted a Joining Forces Intersection Safety Event throughout the city of North Las Vegas.

The results were as follows:

n Four failure to yield to pedestrian violations

n Eight seatbelt/child restraint violations

n Five speeding violations

n 117 red light violations

n 30 driver’s license violations

n 43 registration/ insurance violations

n 30 cellphone/text violations

n 56 other violations

In addition to the 237 citations issued, two fugitive arrests were made.

This event was planned in conjunction with the Statewide Joining Forces campaign and made possible by a traffic safety grant from the Nevada Department of Public Safety, Office of Traffic Safety.

For more information, contact the Public Communications Office, North Las Vegas Police Department, 1301 E. Lake Mead Blvd.

CITY INVITES SENIOR STUDENTS TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP

The city of North Las Vegas invites high school seniors who live in North Las Vegas to apply for the Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities Youth Award Scholarship. This $1,000 scholarship recognizes students who have performed public or community services and have encouraged others to become involved in their communities.

To qualify, students who apply must be a full-time senior in high school and live in North Las Vegas. A panel of three North Las Vegas administrators and a City Council member will review the applications and forward three finalists to the Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities for review. The league is set to notify the winners this spring.

Applications can be obtained online at cityofnorthlasvegas.com, from counselors at high schools in North Las Vegas or at City Hall, 2250 Las Vegas Blvd. North. The application deadline is 5 p.m. April 3.

For more information, contact Nancy Chavez or Donna Gamble at 702-633-1007.

SELECT DEBIT/CREDIT CARDS GARNER
FREE MUSEUM VISITS

Anyone with a Merrill Lynch or Bank of America debit or credit card can visit select Las Vegas museums free on the first weekend of each month. On April 6 and 7, the Museums on Us program will give the cardholder free admission to the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, 900 Las Vegas Blvd. North; the Discovery Children’s Museum, 360 Promenade Place; or the Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd. For more information, visit museums.bankofamerica.com.

E BUNNY COLLECTING EASTER BASKETS
FOR VALLEY CHILDREN

On Friday, E Bunny plans to “take it to the streets” with its annual Easter basket giveaway in some of the poorest neighborhoods in the Las Vegas Valley.

To help the effort, plan to purchase an Easter basket by Thursday and deliver it to an E Bunny drop-off site.

For more information, email ebunnylv@gmail or call 702-498-9808.

NEUROPSYCHOLOGY PROGRAM LOOKING FOR RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas Neuropsychology Research Program is looking for participants for an ongoing study on bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The research team at UNLV hopes to gain an understanding into cognitive and behavioral processes associated with daily function in order to learn about the neural mechanisms associated with severe mental illness and improve treatment interventions. Participants will be asked to do a variety of tests that will take approximately five hours and will be compensated $10 per hour.

Anyone who has been diagnosed with either of these conditions or who wants more more information can call 702-895-3314 or email unlvsocialresearch@
gmail.com. This study has been approved by the UNLV Institutional Review Board.

KLIP IT FOR KIDZ FUNDRAISER
SET FOR APRIL 6

The fifth annual Klip It For Kidz is planned from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 6 in the parking lot near Guitar Center, 8621 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 110, to raise money for the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation. Whether participants shave their head or cut 10 inches, hair donations will go to Wigs for Kids. Food vendors and entertainment also are planned. For more information, visit nvccf.org or call 702-735-8434.

IMPACT LAS VEGAS RECEIVES
NONPROFIT STATUS

Impact Las Vegas, a new Southern Nevada nonprofit organization, has received IRS approval as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.

Impact Las Vegas is a women’s philanthropic giving circle. Membership consists of women who donate $1,000 each year.

Membership donations are pooled from a minimum of 100 members to fund an annual $100,000 grant to a Southern Nevada nonprofit organization in one of five focus areas: culture, education, environment, family, or health and wellness. Once the minimum 100-member threshold is reached, 100 percent of member donations are returned to the community in the form of a grant. Members each cast one vote to determine the nonprofit grant recipients for that year.

If membership grows as expected, it may provide its first award in June 2014. In addition to membership donations, Impact Las Vegas also welcomes Friends of Impact Las Vegas donations in any amount to support the organization’s operating costs.

For more information or to become a member, visit impact-lv.org or email info@impact-lv.org.

MOUNTAINVIEW JOINS THREE OTHER SITES FOR FIREFLY CLINICAL TRIAL

MountainView Hospital, 3100 N. Tenaya Way, is one of four sites in the country to take part in a Firefly clinical trial that looks at the use of directed imaging during minimally invasive hysterectomies for cervical and uterine cancer.

These procedures use the da Vinci Surgical System to perform complicated gynecologic cancer procedures through several tiny incisions. The clinical trial gets its name from the Firefly Fluorescence Imaging software and dye that causes sentinel lymph nodes to glow a fluorescent green.

The study examines whether fewer lymph nodes can be removed during cancer surgeries by identifying the “sentinel” lymph nodes (those most likely to involved in the spread of the disease). Current practice requires removing all the lymph nodes near the cancer, which can result in long-term health side effects, such as lymphedema of the legs.

The other study sites include hospitals and academic medical centers in Indiana, North Carolina and Michigan.

Dr. Lynn Kowalski, medical director of the hospital’s robotics program, heads the study at MountainView.

For more information, visit mountainview-hospital.com.

NEVADA’S BIG GIVE TO PUSH
ONLINE GIVING APRIL 25

The second statewide online giving initiative, Nevada’s Big Give, is scheduled for April 25, and Nevada’s Big Give is encouraging local charities to sign up online. The giving day initiative is open to all state nonprofit organizations to participate.

Nevada’s Big Give is a day of online giving that benefits charities across the state. This initiative, launched by NevadaGIVES, is designed to bring new donors and dollars to nonprofit organizations in Nevada.

To sign up, charities can visit nvbiggive.org by Monday and follow the instructions to register and create a homepage on the site. Charities that participated last year are automatically signed up.

Nevada’s Big Give urges participating nonprofits to encourage their supporters to donate on the giving day. To further help meet charities’ fundraising goals, Nevada’s Big Give will hold professional development workshops for nonprofits.

Established in 2003, NevadaGIVES is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose mission is to increase awareness of philanthropy so more people give back in a way that is meaningful to them.

SUNRISE HEALTH SYSTEM INSTALLING
SELF-CHECK-IN KIOSKS IN ER

The Sunrise Health System is installing self-check-in kiosks in the emergency department lobbies at Sunrise Hospital, Sunrise Children’s Hospital, MountainView Hospital and Southern Hills Hospital.

The kiosks are similar to those in an airport. A patient selects his preferred language, either English or Spanish, and swipes a driver’s license or credit card. A credit card swipe at the kiosk is not used for billing purposes or charged in any way.

Patients may also enter their name manually. They will then be asked to enter their reason for visiting the emergency department from a drop-down list of options, or they can enter their reason manually.

Walk-in patients experiencing chest pain should bypass the kiosks to see the triage nurse immediately. Should a chest-pain patient begin to register, the kiosk will flash a message in red informing the patient to stop and see the nurse immediately. Additionally, patients 4 or younger or 65 or older will be flagged for attention with the triage nurse.

Staff members are available in the emergency department lobby to assist all patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Additional benefits of the kiosk include improved patient satisfaction by eliminating the paper check-in process, two language options, and accurate and automated capture of patient arrival time.

For more information, visit sunrisehealthinfo.com.

CAMP SOLARI TO OFFER
FREE BEREAVEMENT CAMP

Camp Solari, a weekend-long bereavement camp sponsored by the Solari Hospice Foundation, 5550 S. Jones Blvd., plans to offer children ages 6 to 17 and their surviving caregivers a free opportunity to learn healthy coping strategies and honor the memories of their loved ones. The next camp is scheduled for May 3-5 at Mt. Charleston Lodge at the end of state Route 157. Applications for Camp Solari must be completed by March 11 to be considered for the spring camp. Planned activities include art, music, talk therapy, drumming, dancing and nature walks.

Camp Solari attendees are chosen based on need. To request an application, call 702-870-0000 or visit solarihospicefoundation.org.

SEARCH is ON FOR NEVADA’S
top SENIOR VOLUNTEERS

Home Instead Senior Care is searching for Nevada’s outstanding senior volunteers. The Salute to Senior Service program recognizes senior volunteers for the many contributions they make in the community. Nominations are scheduled to be accepted through Sunday, and the winner in each state will receive $500, while the national will receive $5,000 to donate to the winners’ charities of choice. Online voting takes place from April 15 to April 30, and a panel of senior care experts is to pick the national honoree.

To complete and submit a nomination form online for a senior 65 or older who volunteers at least 15 hours a month, and to view the contest’s official rules, visit salutetoseniorservice.com. Completed nomination forms also can be mailed to Salute to Senior Service, P.O. Box 285, Bellevue, NE 68005.

For more information about Salute to Senior Service or the Home Instead Senior Care network’s services, call 702-796-6393.

AARP TAX PREPARATION TO BE AVAILABLE

AARP plans to prepare tax returns for free by appointment from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through April 8 and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays Feb. 7 through April 11.

To make an appointment, call 702-229-1702.

DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SERVICES SEEKS FOSTER HOMES

The Clark County Department of Family Services is seeking members of the public willing to become foster parents. The program involves individuals and families providing safe, stable and loving environments for children in need of temporary out-of-home care.

Information packets are available and include an overview of the program and the latest session schedule. For more information or to request a packet, call 702-455-0181.

REBUILDING TOGETHER ACCEPTING HOMEOWNER APPLICATIONS

Rebuilding Together Southern Nevada is accepting applications from North Las Vegas homeowners for National Rebuilding Day on April 27. The organization plans to repair and renovate 25 to 30 homes with the help of 1,500 volunteers in one day. To be eligible for home repairs, the applicant must own and live in his house; be low-income in accordance with the Department of Housing and Urban Development guidelines; be at least 60 years old, a person living with disabilities, a veteran of family of an active-duty military service member of a multigenerational family; and be current with mortgage and real estate taxes. For more information or to apply, call Therese Elliot at 702-259-4900 or visit rtsnv.org.

MASTER GARDENERS PLAN TOURS
OF DEMONSTRATION GARDENS

The Master Gardeners of Southern Nevada plans monthly tours of the Demonstration Gardens at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Lifelong Learning Center, 8050 Paradise Road. Tours are free and open to the public. Groups of five or more are requested to call program coordinator Ann Edmunds at 702-257-5587 at least two weeks in advance.

DONATIONS ACCEPTED TO AID NONPROFIT

Help homeless, pregnant and parenting teens by donating time, money or new or gently used items to assist clients of Southern Nevada Children First, 720 W. Cheyenne Ave., Suite 30.

Volunteers and donations are always needed to support the nonprofit.

For more information, visit childrenfirst-nv.org or call 702-487-5665.

MISS NEVADA PAGEANT COMING
TO TEXAS STATION IN june

The Miss Nevada Organization announced that it plans to host the 2013 Miss Nevada and Miss Nevada’s Outstanding Teen competitions at Texas Station, 2101 Texas Star Lane, June 14 and 15. Winners will represent Nevada at the Miss America and Miss America’s Outstanding Teen competitions. Tickets for the pageant will go on sale in the spring.

For more information, visit missnevada.org.

KIWANIS CLUB WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS

The Kiwanis Club of North Las Vegas, a chapter of the international service organization, is scheduled to meet at
6:15 p.m. each Tuesday at T.G.I. Friday’s in the Aliante Hotel + Casino, 7300 Aliante Parkway.

Club community projects have included canned food drives, car shows, kites in the park events and charity fundraisers.

The fourth meeting of the month is limited to members only.

For more information, visit nlvkiwanis.com or call 702-399-0332.

NORTH LAS VEGAS ROTARY CLUB TO MEET

The North Las Vegas Rotary Club of Las Vegas meets at 7:15 a.m. Fridays at the Painted Desert Golf Club, 5555 Painted Mirage Road.

The weekly breakfast meetings include guest speakers, networking, education workshops and service projects.

For more information, visit nlvrc.org/newsite or call Bob Lillis at 702-340-9735.