Southwest and Spring Valley Neighborhood News

LIBRARY DISTRICT AND TRAVEL AGENCY TO HOST TRAVEL FAIR

The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District and Prestige Travel are set to host a Sweetheart Travel Fair from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Spring Valley Library, 4280 S. Jones Blvd.

Tour the branch to learn about popular destinations through the various resources the library has to offer. Get tips from travel representatives during their presentations and at their travel stations on destinations such as Hawaii, Disneyland and Disney World, and cruising the Caribbean, South Pacific, Panama Canal and more. Enjoy live dance performances by the Ethnic Express International Folk Dancing Club of Las Vegas at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. and the Scottish Country Dance at 5:15 p.m. There will be drawings for prizes and refreshments.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 702-507-3821.

DIVORCE INFORMATION GROUP PLANS MONTHLY MEETINGS

Second Saturdays Las Vegas is offering workshops from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. the second Saturday of the month at the Women's Group Empowerment Center, 6445 S. Tenaya Way, Suite 120. The workshops offer information to women seeking or going through a divorce.

Following the business model of wife.org, the originator of the Second Saturday Divorce Workshops program, Second Saturdays Las Vegas has created a monthly seminar featuring financial advisers, divorce attorneys, family therapists and mediators to guide women through the next steps of divorce.

Professionals presenting information include: the divorce process and legal fees; protecting yourself legally and financially; child custody and child and alimony support; information about dealing with a hostile spouse; helping your family cope with the stress of divorce and rebuilding self-esteem; preparing for divorce; dividing property and the tax consequences of divorce; and avoiding divorce court and the benefits of the collaborative law process.

For more information about Second Saturdays Las Vegas and upcoming workshops, visit secondsaturdayslv.com.

BARKING DOGS GROOMING BOUTIQUE OFFERING FREE MONTHLY CONSULTATIONS

Barking Dogs Self-Wash & Grooming, 9325 S. Cimarron Road, No. 145, has announced a monthly Meeting of the Minds event, set for 1 to 3 p.m. every second Sunday, in which attendees can consult with experts in nutrition, behavioral training and holistic treatments for their pets.

For more information, call 702-247-9274.

UNITED WAY OFFERING FREE TAX PREPARATION

United Way of Southern Nevada, 5830 W. Flamingo Road, opened its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites on Jan. 27.

Households with an income of less than $51,000 in 2012 can receive free tax preparation and may be eligible for an Earned Income Tax Credit refund of up to $5,891. In addition to more than 30 VITA sites across the Las Vegas Valley that will be open through April 15, United Way is organizing two large-scale tax preparation days that are open to the public:

n Super Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Feb. 23, at HopeLink, 178 Westminster Way

n Super Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 16, at the Bill & Lillie Heinrich YMCA, 4141 Meadows Lane.

For more information, visit uwsn.org/free-tax-help.

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 through April 11.

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

KOHLS ACCEPTING YOUNG VOLUNTEERS NOMINATIONS

The Kohl's Department Stores scholarship, Kohl's Cares Scholarship Program, is accepting nominations for kids ages 6 to 18 until March 15 at kohlskids.com. The program plans to award more than $425,000 in scholarships and prizes in 2013 ranging from $50 gift cards to $10,000 scholarships to more than 2,300 young volunteers who have made a positive impact in their communities. The nominators must be 21 or older.

Two nominees from each of the more than 1,100 Kohl's stores nationwide will win a $50 Kohl's gift card, and more than 200 will win regional scholarships worth $1,000 toward post-secondary education. Ten national winners will be awarded a total of $10,000 in scholarships for post-secondary education, and Kohl's will donate $1,000 to a nonprofit organization on each national winner's behalf.

Since the Kohl's Cares Scholarship Program began in 2001, Kohl's has recognized more than 17,000 kids with more than $3.4 million in scholarships and prizes.

RAPE CRISIS CENTER INCREASES FACE-TO-FACE HOSPITAL VISITS

The Rape Crisis Center, 6375 W. Charleston Blvd., made nearly 40 percent more face-to-face hospital visits with victims in 2012. Advocates for the center made 421 hospital visits in 2011 and 588 in 2012. Bill Thomas, the center's chairman of the board, said the increase in services is a result of better and stronger community relationships and community outreach and not necessarily an increase in the number of sexual assaults. The Rape Crisis Center hotline number is 888-366-1640. For more information, visit therapecrisiscenter.org.

EASTER SEALS NEVADA RECEIVES $9,000 IN GRANTS

Easter Seals Nevada, a nonprofit group serving more than 8,000 Nevadans with disabilities every year, was awarded two grants in January from Cox Charities and EZCORP Foundation, totaling $9,000.

The grants will fund the following Easter Seals Nevada initiatives:

-- The $5,000 grant from EZCORP Foundation will serve as scholarship money for the inclusive Child Development Center, providing children of all ages opportunities to explore, socialize and build skills to nurture their education foundation.

-- The $4,000 grant from Cox Charities will be used to purchase various toys and equipment that will assist children with disabilities in their development of gross and fine motor skills, sensory integration and creative play.

Easter Seals Nevada provides services to more than 8,000 individuals with disabilities and strives to create solutions that help people with disabilities become self-sufficient through education, community partnerships and direct services.

For more information, visit eastersealsnevada.org.

WET 'N' WILD ANNOUNCES RESULTS OF WAVE POOL CONTEST

Red Rock Bay received the most votes of Wet 'n' Wild Las Vegas' Wave Pool Naming Contest and is now the name of the wave pool at the $50 million, 41-acre water park at 7055 S. Fort Apache Road set to open Memorial Day weekend.

Ted Stringer submitted Red Rock Bay for the contest. He is to receive a Family 4 Pack of Gold Passes and a VIP experience for his family during opening weekend.

More than 2,300 people voted on the five name finalists, which were selected from more than 1,400 names submitted between Dec. 20 and Jan. 13.

At the Red Rock Bay Wave Pool, guests are to experience 3-foot-high swells in a tube, or they can body surf.

For more information, call 702-979-1600 or visit wetnwildlasvegas.com.

LIBRARY DISTRICT HAS FREE RESOURCE FOR BUSINESSES

BusinessDecision, a new free web-based service, is available to Las Vegas-Clark County Library District cardholders.

It allows local businesses access to the same consumer and demographic data as top companies to help find prospective customers, analyze trade areas, evaluate competitors and target media buys.

Library cardholders can access BusinessDecision at the district's library branches or from any remote desktop computer through the library's website under the "Find Information" link. Library cards can be obtained online at lvccld.org or at any branch.

BUSINESS ALLIANCE WORKSHOP PLANNED

Marlon Call is offering free 90-minute workshops for business owners in January at his office, 6069 S. Fort Apache Road, Suite 121. The workshop schedule is on an appointment basis. Entitled Breakthrough Business Alliance, the workshops' goal is to teach business owners how to align with their employees; how to create strategic alliances by turning acquaintances into business partners; and how to align a business with a personal brand. To schedule, sign up online at theinsurancecowboy.com or call 702-203-5954.

MEN'S CHORAL GROUP PLANS WEEKLY MEETINGS

The Silver Statesmen Chorus invites men of all ages to join its group. The chorus rehearses at 7 p.m. each Thursday at Christ The King Catholic Community, 4925 S. Torrey Pines Drive.

For more information, visit silverstatesmen.com.

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.

HOSPITAL NEEDS VOLUNTEERS

Spring Valley Hospital Medical Center, 5400 S. Rainbow Blvd., is looking for volunteers to help at its facility. For more information, contact marketing director Naomi Jones at 702-853-3308 or naomi.jones@uhsinc.com.

NONPROFIT IT'S ALL ABOUT KIDZ RUNNING SPONSORSHIP CAMPAIGN

Nonprofit It's All About Kidz launched a sponsorship campaign calling for any company, organization or individual to sponsor a mother and child who is enrolled in the sober living program. The southwest-area group focuses on providing a sober living environment to women and their children while providing services for them to become self-sufficient. The nonprofit also serves as a foster care agency to provide temporary living arrangements for children. September marked the organization's one-year anniversary, and people looking to get involved can participate by becoming a foster parent, offering financial support and/or participating in the New Beginnings Coat and Shoe Drive started Dec. 1 at the Behavioral Treatment and Foster Care Agency at 3450 W. Cheyenne Ave., Suite 500. For more information, call 702-631-0230 or visit aakidz.org.

WATER AUTHORITY REMINDS RESIDENTS ABOUT WINTER RESTRICTIONS

The Southern Nevada Water Authority reminds residents that winter watering restrictions are in effect, and watering is limited to one assigned day a week through Feb. 28.

Watering restrictions also apply to drip irrigation systems. Sunday is not an optional watering day.

If you notice that frost or a freeze has damaged a plant, leave it alone until warmer weather arrives and new growth appears. Pruning or transplanting a plant during the winter months can hurt or kill it. Watering should be done in mid-morning to avoid afternoon winds that make sprinklers less effective and avoid the risk of icing.

For more information, visit snwa.com or call 702-258-7283.